1907 miles

In all of Hot Springs, NC, what I want to explore the most is Elmer's beautiful, old house. I walked back and forth along the street in front of it because I was looking for a "hostel". I didn't expect it to be the register-of-historic-places mansion that overlooked the street. In addition to being old, there's so many stickers, newspaper clippings, books, etc around the inside of the house to read. And there's a balcony (max 6 people) to enjoy, too. It's a beautiful - even warm in the sun - day out.

I was looking forward to arriving in Hot Springs since Erwin, TN (my last town stop). I must admit food was on my mind. But late yesterday afternoon, I got to the road at Allen Gap, and there was a sign for vegetarian chili on Thursday, Nov. 29th. I looked at my watch, and amazingly, the date on my watch and that sign matched! Trail angels Fal and Hercules served me a delicious meal, starting me off with a Belgian waffle, then the chili over rice with bread and butter, and finally an ice cream sundae. Heaven! And there was more trail magic: someone else had left oatmeal porters at the road.

It was dusk by the time I left, and began the climb up to the shelter. As I rose higher and higher into the mountains, I could see more lights from the valley to the west (I'm guessing). I thought back to one of my earliest backpacking trips: one night when I was looking down on the lights of Franklin, NC. I remembered how much easier it was to accept those lights and everything they represented because I had separated myself from them by being up there in the mountains, and I remembered the peace and comfort that came from knowing that I always could do so, get away. Warmer gusts of wind blew up from valley, and it was a surprisingly pleasant night-hiking experience (I usually don't like to night-hike).

I wasn't wanting to get to town so badly anymore. This morning, I even stopped to pen a letter, sitting on the sidehill "bench", on pine needles, right smack in the middle of the trail, knowing that noone else would come along. After Lover's Leap, the AT begins a descent down to the French Broad River, then you hike along the river to a bridge that gets you into town. It was a great walk.