Sunday April 7

13 miles from walnut mountain to hot springs! Howling winds all night but not really cold, maybe in the 40s. Which is perfect sleeping temperature to me...I still had to much of my socks and unzip the foot of my sleeping bag!
In anticipation of nocturnal bear activity, I hung my entire pack on the bear cable, not just my food bag. This was pointless since no one else hung their bag....so we were all bear bait. The privy had quite a lean to the left, motivating one to lean to the right while carrying out privy business. I may not have tumbled down the mountain, but was unwilling to chance it! I met "sunshine" and "push up" today on the trail. Upon arriving in hot springs, I stopped by the outfitters to pick up the box Megan sent from Maryville with the hunter's detergent so I could do laundry. I had to walk 300 yards over to the "resort"office to pick up the key to our cabin. I felt real inconspicuous carrying a 12 inch piece of 3/4 inch pvc pipe with "cabin # 8" written in Sharpie down the side. I honestly didn't have anywhere to put it with my full backpack, 2 hiking poles, already caring the box with the detergent...and two old chubby bitties sitting on the front porch had the nerve to laugh and say "we ought to give you a ride"...no you just keep sitting there..I'm not bitter, I'm just tired and this "resort" doesn't provide linens...not even a towel for the shower, not a pillow or sheet on the bed.
For $80 a got beds and a toilet. Somebody's making a killing!
I showered, dried off with my clean bandana, put on my rain pants, orange shirt, no bra (I only have one and it needed washing badly) and headed to the laundromat!
The Hunters detergent removed the body odor (read "pit stink") very well, but didn't seem to get the dirt out very well. On the way back, I stopped by the camp store (by far, the best part of the resort) and got a six pack of fat tire beer and a bag of cheddar munchies which zag and I made quick work of.
Dinner at spring creek tavern. Steak and I walked through town and ended up at iron horse station restaurant for dessert. I had a brownie and ice cream (just to assure my backpack will still fit). Zag went to Asheville for good dinner, good company and slept well..she needed that!