Zeroing in Hot Springs

I'm sorry I'm sorry I know I haven't blogged in days and haven't had service. I reemerged to a service zone to no fewer than 5 "are you alive?!?" texts. Yes, I'm fine an better than ever.

With my Achilles' bothering me to a debilitating level heading out of the Smokies I opted to get a ride from one of the owners of the Standing Bear Hostel to drive me up the road to Hot Springs to have it looked at by a doctor and give me a chance to rest and wait for my hiking buddies to catch up. Smart move, Ratcliffe. Perhaps not so smart a move was the choice of who drove me. When we stopped to get gas (at 9:30am, mind you) my ride also picks up a PBR tall boy which he poured into an empty coffee cup to drink on the ride. I wasn't really nervous until he got out a cigarette and started smoking, drinking and driving with his knee on a winding road just feet from the French Broad river. Then I made sure my seatbelt was buckled up and wished desperately that I had the window glass cracking hammer my brother had purchased for me for Christmas. Just in case.

We made it all in one piece and Curtis dropped me off at the Laughing Heart Hostel just of the trail. I spent the day lounging, kicking it with Bubblegum and Beacon and visiting the Hot Springs (more on those later).

The next day I visited the doctor to find out what was up with my feet. I wasn't thrilled to spend an hour in the waiting room past my appointment time but was very thankful to learn that the doctor was a previous through-hiker. Apparently my self-diagnosis and recommended medicinal regime was spot on (what a waste of $60) - at least 2 more days rest and ibuprofen three times a day. Plus new shoes and he assures me that I will make it to Katahdin no problem. Works for me.

I was walking back to the hostel post-appointment when I see Beetlejuice and Trucker headed towards me. Hallelujah! I hadn't slept well the previous evening without them there. It's amazing the bonds you can form with people in such a short amount of time and having someone there who you can stare into a fire pit with at the end of the day in total silence and still get what the other person is thinking is pretty amazing. Knowing my people are there somehow makes everything better.

The next day and a half were perfect. Relaxing, cleaning out our packs, mailing stuff home, purchasing necessities at the outfitter, drinking beer and lounging in the Hot Springs. Fact: we are all a bunch of dirty vagabonds out here. Gypsies. We come to town in hoards and become the townies, taking up entire sections of restaurants or bars, loitering at the laundromat and aimlessly roaming the streets. The amazing thing is that the actual townsfolk adore us and set up ways to help us in every way possible. Free community dinner? Come one come all! A special house with free wifi, showers, cookies and pack-watching reserved for hikers exclusively? Amazing. I am truly learning the meaning of southern hospitality and kindness out here.

The last night in town everyone went back to the Spring Brook Tavern for live music and libations where we sang along to the band ... Loudly. It was the perfect end to a few restful days off.

Friday morning after a hearty (and very cheesy) breakfast we set out in the most out of Hot Springs to tackle the next 70 miles to Erwin, TN (our next option for resupply). Our packs laden with way too much food we struggled up the first climb (it's amazing what 3 days off will do to your hiking legs. Read: just about kill them) but then got a good pace going and actually made it the longest day yet: 20 miles.

We set up camp away from the shelter to avoid a 24 hour stomach virus that has been plaguing campers staying in the first few shelters out of Hot Springs. It was a beautiful evening with an incredible sunset over the mountains. My feet felt good in my new shoes and I was warm.

Today was the first day that I have thought: Man. I could make it all the way to Maine.