North Carolina / Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park

"If less is more just think how much more more would be."

Journal Entry 3.27.00
"7:15pm at Mountain Momma's Hostel. We hiked 15 miles today, in the rain, coming down the last 4200' in 5 miles. Pain - need I say more. I was dreaming of hot showers, good food, clean clothes, and a warm bed - incentives to keep hiking all day. If only I had known. $10 to stay in this shack is complete highway robbery! It's dirty, there's no heat, no FLOOR, no laundry, 1 shower in the back of the house, and they don't take credit cards. With $40 between the two of us we only had enough for the hostel, one good meal, and some trail snacks to get us through the next 3 days. There was trash all over the room - empty boxes and all kinds of crap. We're in the Honeymoon Suite - hah! Now THAT is really funny."

Journal Entry 3.29.00
"13 miles today. 13 more to go to get to FOOD, FOOD, FOOD at Hot Springs, NC. Yes I can feel the excitement! We're kind-of low on food after not being able to re-stock at Mountain Momma's so it's been hard to watch everyone else gorge on all their snacks and good food. Well have an ok dinner tonight - rice and beans. Then I have 2 Pop Tarts, 1 bag of M & M's, and 1 tortilla with peanut butter for tomorrow. The feast will begin in a matter of 24 hours! No wonder Bachelor keeps saying they should rename the A.T. the F.A.T., or Food Appreciation Trail. Last night all we talked about was everyone's favorite cheese, salads, falafel, and which is better - NY or Chicago-style pizza."

  Journal Entry 3.30.00
"10pm at Elmer's Sunnyside Inn in Hot Springs, NC!!! Yes we finally made it here after all the anticipation. We got up super-early at the shelter after hanging out last night with Dan and Brian from NH and Perry from VA. Perry was a riot last night - telling us the funniest stories about wearing cowboy boots in high school and hunting for squirrels. It rained last night but luckily there were no mice in my hair (although one got inside Brian's pack and ate a granola bar). It was a difficult downhill into town for me but I paced myself and took my time. We went straightaway to the ATM and then had lunch at Gerties - I loved the salad and huge brownie. This place is a beautiful old Victorian house, at $12/night it's a world away from Mountain Momma's. I did laundry and showered, then I packaged up excess items to be sent home - this time for me it was my camera, down booties, tripod, flashlight, tent stakes, tent attic, bandana, glove liners, glove shells, stove parts, and spice jar. Hopefully this will help reduce the god-awful weight of my pack."

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