Lemon Gap to Hot Springs

It rained overnight so I packed up my wet tent to get on the trail. It's a lot heavier when it's wet! It's great though. Even when I am packing up a wet tent on a chilly drizzly morning, I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be, doing just what I am supposed to be doing. It's hard to describe this whole trail culture. You develop friendships quickly because you spend a lot of time together in really bare basic situations. Sometimes you hike for hours in silence and sometimes you have great conversations and sometimes you just laugh. You laugh a lot. 

Below is Mike coming through the mist early this morning.

Someone described this hike as 'walking with spring' because you are out in the forest every day all day, so you can see the smallest changes. Below is a pic of the trail later in the day. A lot more green than a few weeks ago!

I got down in to Hot Springs at about 2:30. The trail goes right down the Main Street. Staying at a really cool , hiker friendly (that means they don't mind dirt and stink) B and B.

Did laundry, and then went to a bar for a burger and a beer with some others. I ended up sitting at the bar beside a local guy with the absolute scariest bad teeth you've ever seen. I don't think there were any uppers. Normally not someone I would get in to conversation with. He was very nice and tried to ask a few questions but was struggling. Turns out he was a former marine and had a stroke several years ago and it was hard for him to communicate. He knew what he wanted to say, it just wouldn't come out. I just sat patiently (not my forte') until he worked through it and we had a nice little conversation. Big lesson for me. I know you shouldn't judge on appearance but sometimes you just do it without realizing it.

ANYWAY, had a great dinner at our B and B (Elmer's Sunnybank Inn) where the owner is a former restaurant owner and he cooked a three course, organic vegetarian dinner. It's in the oldest house in Hot Springs.

After dinner, hit the Hot Springs for a little muscle rehab. Another fabulous day!