Friday 4/9/05
Start - Hiawassee, GA
Stop - Hiawassee, GA
Miles travelled 0
Another rest day as I am still babying the knees. Overall, they feel very well, a little sore but so is nearly everyone else's. I just want to avoid serious injury.
Tomorrow, I'll start the 40 mile leg to Franklin, NC. Hope to be there thirteenth or fourteenth where I may take another rest day. After that I will have to start pushing harder.
The main problem with rest days is that they are expensive. Let's see, Subway for dinner last night, McDonalds for breakfast, Dairy Queen for lunch, and who knows where for dinner.
Funny thing about zero days. I come into town exhausted, filthy, and starving and a rest day sounds really good. The next morning I clean and repair equipment and resupply. I then spend time sitting around. By mid afternoon when I'm clean and well rested I start thinking that I didn't need a rest day after all.
I met Turtle today. Turtle is an injured hiker. He fell and damaged his knee and has been here for over a week. Actually, he works for Ron, the owner of the Inn. When he learned he couldn't continue for at least 2 to 3 weeks he was hired by Ron to do maintenance. He is currently repainting all the rooms. He says he is truly happy here and doesn't know what he will do when given the green light to hike again. He feels that this is the place he was meant to be.