Drove back into Hot Springs - stopped at Dairy Queen for breakfast (peanut buster parfait FTW). Sorted through the mail drop at the "cabin". (OWL, SilverStreak, Old Goat, & I were splitting a "cabin" - the "cabin" is in quotes because it is really just three very small beds, a table, and a bathroom with a foldable magnet door. No linens or pillows. Apparently "resort" means something different in Hot Springs than it does in the rest of the world.
Went to the outfitters but escaped with minimal damaged; picked up an extra mouthpiece for my camelback since mine is always falling off. AWE is going to ship me my superfeet that I left behind - more often than not my feet are the sorest thing on me when I get to camp. Didn't buy convertible pants...AWE is going to ship me shorts. Also surprising - I have not lost any weight. But I am definitely losing inches and I feel pretty great. I was hoping to be the exception to the "women don't lose a bunch of weight on the AT" but I guess I am not.
Had a great lunch with Joel & the crew, then he left to go back home.
Next up: soaking in the hot springs! They pump mineral water from the hot springs into jacuzzi's, and at the end of your hour the water drains out. It wasn't super hot, but it felt great. I could have gone again, if time had allowed.
Megan (remember her? She rescued us from Fontana and loaned me her goretex jacket) rode her bike up to see us again. It was so nice to spend the evening with friends. We went to dinner and then sat on the porch drinking whiskey. OWL read us a hilarious story from her hometown newspaper about a little girl getting bit by a possibly rabid fox...while making her way between buildings at church. You can't make this stuff up, folks.
I feel totally refreshed and - although I am sore and blistered - feel ready to continue the journey.
One sad note - SilverStreak is returning home for a few weeks to take care of some business. He'll return to the trail when he's finished, but he'll be behind us. Maybe we will meet up again in Virginia somewhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment