Day Twenty-Three

Still not on the trail. I stayed at Relax Inn on Main Street in Bryson City. $50.00 and I couldn’t get any hot water for a shower. I waited for the pharmacy to call me and they didn’t- but when I called them my medicine was ready. I did not relish walking up that hill again so I called the shuttle. He came right over. His name is Bill Smith. I told him it sounded like an alias to me. He just laughed and told me it would cost me $25.00 to take me to the pharmacy and back, then he laughed again and said it was $2.00. I thanked “Mister Smith” for the ride and he said, “Susan, my name is Bill.” He was a fun old guy. Oh, and I had breakfast at Everett Street Café. Everett is my dad’s name. It was good, too! Bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast and coffee for $5.50. Good deal!

I could have ridden the train! It leaves every morning at 10:45 a.m. and stops at NOC. Darn it! I’ve never ridden on a real train. I packed my stuff and pulled out my sign and barely made it to the corner when these two young women in a black truck whistled and told me to hop in back. And I did it! Pack and all, up and over and into the bed of that truck. I ‘d have liked to have seen a video of that. Sometimes I amaze myself. Kelley and Krista, they are really pretty girls who run a farm outside of town and grow fresh produce for the local markets. They dropped me at the entrance to the highway and told me I’d catch a ride in no time. Thanks ladies!

The fourth car was a truck, I tossed my pack in the back and hopped in with Roy & Bella. Bella is a Spaniel mix. Her mom was a spaniel and her papa was a “no good hound.” Roy’s family has been in the area for four generations. He lost his wife to cancer almost 3 years ago so it’s just him and Bella, “it’s all that’s left.”

They like to go fishing and they were headed to NOC to go fishing for trout in the Nantahala. He’s got a boat, but today they were just gonna fish from the bank. Bella gets the first one. She likes sushi. She also likes to carry it around and show everyone her fish. Roy dropped me right at the outfitters store. I love the North Carolina people. I’m sitting at Slow Joe’s, at a table, in a chair with a back. Oh yeah! Not 10 feet from the river, sipping lemonade, playing peek a boo with a Betsy Wetsy lookalike. As soon as I work up some energy, I’ll climb the hill to base camp and do some laundry and get a ‘hot’ shower. Oooo, maybe I’ll take an afternoon nap!

Squirrel!

I didn’t get my nap, but what I did get was all clean clothes, clean sleeping bag, clean body, teeth and new contacts. I feel good.

It must have been my evening for critters because every time I came back to my room I startled this squirrel. When I realized that he was checking out the trashcan I left him some cheerios from my pack. The next time I came back they were gone. There’s a group of school kids staying here at base camp for their end of the year trip and the little girls were squealing and carrying on while I was doing my first load of laundry. There was a little frog in the shower room, so I was afraid that he was traumatized because he didn’t move for a long time, but he’s fine now. Then they wanted me to remove all the Daddy Long Legs. There were three. Then while I was waiting for my sleeping bag to dry, the biggest black widow spider I ever saw walked right up to me. I got pics. (Editor's note: Yeah, NO.)

I watched ½ dozen ducks play in the Nantahala while I was eating my dinner. I’m calling it an early night. I want to get to the trail first thing in the morning. I’m going to be in the Smokey Mountains in 4 or 5 days!