Elmer started the day with fresh waffles served with strawberry puree and sugarcane syrup. Meals at Sunnybank take quite a while, everyone is at the table talking long after eating is done. I had done all my packing the night before so when breakfast did finish I was ready to get rolling. The trail out of Hot Springs goes along a small river for about 3/4 mile the turns and begins climbing back into the mountains. The sun and humidity were at work creating an uncomfortably hot and sweaty day. The first big hill was actually the worst; later in the day the wind picked up and I got back to higher elevation.
The whole day was only 11 miles but it felt much longer. Coming off a zero day means being well rested but it also means not being in hiking mode. In addition this is the longest stretch yet between resupplies so the pack was quite heavy with enough food for dinner tonight, three full trail days, and breakfast for the day heading into Erwin. There was one decent view today, another lookout tower, this one on Rich Mountain. A neighboring cell tower interrupted the landscape but there was a large hawk flying nearby.
Strider (formerly Matt) and Jupiter had both, separately planned on going beyond Spring Creek today. It wasn’t long up the first hill before Strider changed his mind, and by the 11 mile mark Jupiter was done for the day to. Once again the 15 mile/day guide was spot on. It looked like it was going to be the three of us again at the shelter, but a new face showed up late. Crank arrived and told us he started at Springer on May 12. Everyone along the trail who I’ve told I started May 4th has said something like, “wow you’re flying” and Crank is almost 33% faster than that. I think he’s he first person I’ve met that started after me though.
More sun, more heat, more mountains tomorrow.