Appalachian Trail SOBO Day 103 – Hot Springs retro blaze
6th November 2023
Little Laurel Shelter (1903.9) - Hot Springs (1923.5)
Daily miles: 16.6
Total miles: 1909.4
My sleeping pad deflated throughout the night. This is not good. When I lay on my side it was worse, my hip would dip down to the ground, but if I lay on my front it wasn’t so bad.
I had to blow it up again twice throughout the night, over the course of about 4 hours it would have gone down too much. This is not what I need with less than 2 weeks to go! It was absolutely fine last night and there were just leaves on the ground of this campsite. I’m really not sure how it could have gotten a hole.
On the other hand the stars were really pretty tonight and the trees have no leaves on now so it’s easier to see them.
Everyone got up and packed up early; it’s a town day so the motivation is there. I used the privy quickly as it looked like it was about to collapse and I was out hiking at 6:40am with Howard in front of me and Safety and Sidequest behind me.
Morning ablutions
Crunchy trail
Morning light
After about 3 miles we came to the Southern Cookie Lady and even though it was still super early she came out and gave us cookies. One of them was an icing covered one which was nice and the other one was a warm cookie but I gave it away because it had nuts in. She had the most beautiful cabin, a proper hideaway in the woods
Southern Cookie Lady
Beautiful cabin in the woods
It was quite warm where we camped and down here it was very cold, down to 6°C / 42°F and even though there was a big climb I didn’t need to take off my layers until quite a ways up. Cal, Howard and Hendrix were ahead of me and they soon left me behind. The climb was so steep. Where have the switchbacks gone?!
I was really plodding along, my legs felt like lead, heavy to pick up. Safety and Sidequest caught up to me and he had a look at my tick bite. No rash. Good news. He asked me how I was feeling. I said I felt terrible but that was likely because of this steep climb probably not the potential Lyme disease
The climb felt like it went on forever and I passed Safety and Sidequest again because they had to stop to poop but on the way up Neptune and Late Start both passed me. I was expecting not to see anyone all day but near the top of the long climb was a shelter and they were all there. Neptune, Howard and Late Start.
Howard, Hendrix and Cal leading the way
Safety and Sidequest
Neptune
I sat for a moment. I probably should eat something but I hate all the food. I’m even starting to hate fruit snacks and Milky Way. It’s not good. As we were chatting Sidequest Safety and Toe arrived and Safety mentioned a blue blaze to town. It’s the old AT so we would be “Retro Blazing”, and it cuts off 3.5 miles. I said yes straight away.
The leaves were too much today. So thick and so loud and they hide so many trip hazards. I kicked a rock with my left foot really hard and these shoes offer absolutely no protection.
I hike on with Toe and Sidequest and the boys are off up ahead. I’m keeping up until the trail goes steep uphill again and they pull away from me. Luckily for me they are all stoped around water and they only people who can collect it are those with soft bladders, not us smart water bottle people, so Neptune and Late Start (the only beginner hikers) are the only ones who could get water. The good news is they are nice people and they filtered the water for us.
Hiking with the girls
I used this opportunity to leave first and finish the climb and get to the junction of the old AT at the same time as the rest of them. As it turns out I waited for them for a short time then we all started on the side trail together. I hiked with Toe and Sidequest again, the leaves were so deep here it was really hard to hear what they were saying. It was really very warm today. It went from 6°C to 16°C in about 5 minutes.
My friends coming up the hill
Couldn’t keep up with the boys
Halfway along we see the rest of the crew – Cal, Howard and Hendrix – sitting having a snack break and we joined them, sitting in the brush. Just before that we had walked through a patch of thorns and we had to pick the branches off each other.
Snack break
We got the other half of the trail done, it got easier as it went along, less overgrown and wider and I hiked and chatted with Sidequest which was a great conversation.
We made it to the road and over the bridge and then we were walking through Hot Springs. Summer was back. It was so hot.
Bridge to Hot Springs
The French Broad River
Welcome to Hot Springs
Went to the outfitter. I wanted a rechargeable head lamp. They didn’t have one. I was so hungry by this point that I couldn’t think about anything other than getting some food and we all went to the pizza place. A lot of stuff in town is closed on a Monday and Tuesday. The pizza was a good decision. Really good crust and I managed to eat the whole thing which I wasn’t sure I would.
Good pizza
Hikers taking over town
As we were lining up to pay there was a commotion at the front and someone was saying to call 911. An old man was choking. Someone was trying unsuccessfully to give him the Heimlich and then when that didn’t work he was sticking his fingers down the man’s throat. I ran over and told the man to get his hand out his mouth and I was about to bend him forward and whack him on the back when Thigh High came over and grabbed him and Heimliched him. The piece of pizza came flying out onto the floor. Thigh High saved his life.
Sidequest had a friend come to visit and we could have all gone back with her but I didn’t want to do a 40 minute drive each way so Cal and Howard went with them and the rest of us stayed. Some people were going to hike out but I wanted to stay in a hostel and some others did too. A night in a bed was a night I didn’t have to sleep on my deflating air mat and I really needed to shower and laundry and charge stuff. In the end everyone stayed at Laughing Heart hostel. With the exception of Rabbit Foot.
Howard glued my flaps
Most are camping because it’s cheaper but I’m in a bed. Hendrix is in a bunk too along with Robin Hood who showed up later.
We sorted out our permits for the Smokey Mountain National Park which was about $40, and after getting washed and clean we went back into town to get dinner but I wasn’t hungry so I sat with everyone while they got another pizza - for May Queen it was her first meal because she got in later.
We resupplied at Dollar General on the way back which was the saddest resupply ever. I am sick of all food at the moment so I may be very hungry on this stretch!
Saddest resupply ever at Dollar General
I haven’t been eating much and I joked that I could get by for the next section on a Milky Way, a Twix and some fruit snacks and candy for the next 3 days. I said I was done (jokingly) and Jet very kindly said “umm, so you think you should get some other food just in case you get hungry…”
I am feeling ready to be done. I am looking forward to the next 12 days but I am glad it is only 12 days left. I feel a little broken. A little like I’m falling apart. My feet are splitting and cracking and I’m just sore in general.
I am looking forward to being horizontal for a few days.
My feet aren’t as bad as Robin Hood’s, he is shuffling about the place, and he has what he says is athletes foot on the soles of his feet. I’ve never seen that before.
I’m so tired I can barely keep my eyes open
I think Neptune, Thigh High and Late Start are going to get on our schedule and finish on the 18th.
It’s a good group of people we have here.
