Hot Springs - Trip Miles 271.7 - Elev 1326

Monday, April 13th got to Hot Springs - ate breakfast at the diner. What a treat...our first real food in 11 days. We chose the skillet breakfast (a feast) - eggs with toast or biscuit with big skillet with onions, green peppers, mushrooms, bacon & tons of cheese - IT WAS WONDERFUL! Crazy Lady & Chipmunk needed a to go box. The Laundrymat was rotten.... nothing worked. Chipmunk's sleeping bag got torn up, Bill Sr shirt got torn - Crazy Lady repaired both. Poppins backpack tore (Crazy Lady & her duck tape repaired it), hopefully outfitters in Erwin, TN will be able to help Poppins with his backpack. Crazy Lady's hike pole broke downhill - lucky it was the pole not her leg. (Outfitters replaced with new one-lifetime warranty).

Tuesday, April 14. Had 0 day today in Hot Springs - very small town (hikers town). All of us that were together in the Smokies, were here together. We stayed at hikers hostel. The house was built 1840 - added to in 1870 - no changes since then, except maintenance. Elmer is an older man has thru hiked AT a few times and runs Elmers Sunnybank Inn since 1970 - serve gourmet vegetarian meals (beautiful salads). We had supper & breakfast here - had table to seat 14 people. Crazy Lady had soup, salad & desert (you can get 2nd, 3rd of everything) for only $10. the home is a historic monument.

I shared room with "Spirit" (Lady in 60's hiking trail for th 2nd time).

"Spirit"

Elmer had a music room & library - Patches played guitar - very nice.

We left this morning after wonderful breakfast - 11 miles up hill back in to the mountains, cloudy & cold - but good view.

Wednesday, April 15 - 2nd day of 2nd Mtn. Nice to be back on trail...we are between Hot Springs & Erwin, TN - hope to march into Erwin, TN Sunday. All of hikers hope for same - sunshine & warm.