TRAIL DAY 17
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 I went up the hill onto Franklin’s Main Street for breakfast this first morning. There was a coffee shop open on the south side of the street and Outdoor 76 on the north side, noted for excellent advice on hiker footwear. I was told there was a good restaurant a half mile or more down the road and declined. Then I received directions from someone on another place and, as is often the case, the person giving the directions assumes you already know your way around so gives you directions that amount to “that way” when the newcomer needs so much more.
“That way” turned out to be way too far – not even close. Another request showed me just how far off the original answer was but I eventually got something to eat and returned to Theo who, as always, was happy to see me. I took him back whence I had come and across the street to a grassy area which would become his relief territory.
I found Ron’s wife, Marcella, who helped me with the password which took some doing to get right.
When it was time for lunch, I got advice from the attendant behind the desk across the street. Again, unclear directions that emerge from the head of the speaker with no mind for the head of the listener, sent me on a long trek to nowhere. I called back to the desk describing where I was and happily, the attendant came and got me and took me to the café he had recommended down the main drag and across the river far from where I had gone.
After a good lunch, I walked back to my room passing the Dollar Store, McDonalds and a medical office, then up the hill across the street and down to the porch outside my room. En route, I did some resupply at the Dollar Store, which is a favorite and inexpensive spot in many towns, and added more supplies to my earlier purchases at Walmart near the Verizon store.
I had extra food to send forward. In time I would realize this was more trouble than it was worth. A fellow named “Baltimore-Jack” helped me. I had met him at the Appalachian Trail Long Distance Hikers Association (ALDHA) Gathering at Shippensburg near State College, Pennsylvania in October of 2015. I’d had lunch with him there. He was full of information about the trail and, because of weather, strongly discouraged me from starting in February as I had planned. He had long hair, a red face and was overweight. Now, there was was just the red face and the weight.
I think he said he had thru-hiked the AT 7-8 times which proved to be mostly true as his legend emerged. He had become what I would call a trail junky. He lived for all things AT and thru-hiking. Every hiking season he’d show up at different hostels to help out. This year it was Haven’s. He’d do whatever to stay connected. I assume he got room and board while in service.
He was very helpful and friendly and agreed to mail my package for me after I left and I could call the Inn for the postage which I would reimburse.
He confided that he drank too much. Sadly, I would learn a couple of months later that Baltimore Jack had died of a heart attack less than two months later, on May 4, 2016. By the time I would arrive at the Appalachian Trail Museum at Pine Grove Furnace in Pennsylvania, his bust would be displayed in the company of others memorialized there for posterity as legends of the Appalachian Trail. His memory will be connected with the AT for eons to come.
Later in the day, I ran into Cheetah, Jelly Ankles and “Shrink.” Turtle was not there – and it wasn’t because he was slow. It was good to see the girls again – a happy reunion. Trail buddies. “Hey! We’re doin’ it” kinda thing. They invited me to join them on some excursion or other but I declined in favor of tasks to accomplish.
There were coin-operated washing machines at the diagonal corner from my room where I availed myself of clean clothes which would remain clean until the next couple of hours on the trail.
For supper, it was back to Mulligans for something different and more beer. No romantic singing tonight – but it was wonderful to have the good food and drink before returning to the fare you carried into the woods. When on the trail, such a meal was like a banquet served only to royalty in a kingdom far, far away. Unavailable is unavailable and there are no degrees to this basic reality when it is upon you.
With the WiFi fixed, I watched Netflix for a while without finishing it. I took a bath and with clean clothes and clean body, turned in. . . .
Day #17 Franklin, NC 0 miles