4/21/01
After yesterday's great adventure I needed a peaceful event-free Saturday to relax and let my weary bones take a break after 87 miles in 5 days. Hip and I slept in until 7 a.m. when his wife called, then neither of us could manage to go back to sleep. It was a leisurely morning at the Holiday Inn Express until Paula, Jim and Jennie arrived around noon. We hurriedly threw Hip's pack in the trunk and headed to Uncle Johnny's hostel so we could both get alcohol fuel and I could pay my bunk fee from Thursday night's stay. Johnny and 40 thru-hikers were leaving in a caravan of shuttle vehicles for Hot Springs for the 5th annual "trail days" festival there. I saw too many thru-hikers that I knew to list them here, but suffice it to say Jennie, Jim and Paula were able to meet face to face with many of the folks I talk about in the daily journal. Hip took off to do 8 miles then hitch back to Erwin while Paula, Jennie, Jim and I went to La Hacienda for a delicious Mexican lunch. We ordered and ate too much but it was worth it. Then Paula and I went on a 6 mile journey down the AT through a nice, relatively flat section which is heavily forested with rhododendrons and a canopy of spruce trees with lots of streams. It was great quality time with my beautiful spring bride who I miss so much, even though I don't write about those emotions on a daily basis. We had a late dinner at Wendy's (yes, Erwin shuts down at 8 p.m. even on Saturday night) but Paula didn't join us as she was catching up on desperately needed rest and sleep. After dinner, Paula fired up a 39 candle birthday cake for the Rabbit (even though I'm really only 24) and we celebrated a little, then called it a night. It was a great zero mile day and I'm very thankful for the best parents and wife and for the wonderful support for this AT journey.
