Miles: 533.5 | A gentle walk into Marion leads to a much-needed town reset — phone calls home, real food, resupply errands, and the comfort of familiar faces. I savor connection without overwhelm, from lunch with trail family to an unexpectedly perfect room share with Miles. The day ends with laughter, wine, and a minor lock-out mishap that feels more funny than stressful. After weeks of noise and cold, this feels like the right kind of rest.
The next day we all got up early, 6:30am. I was the last one out of camp at 7am. The three of us walked together for a bit but Nomad and Hodag didn’t walk as quickly as me. I walked ahead eventually up and over a ridge. I got service over the ridge and called my mom. I did some research on town amenities, too.
After three days without cell phone service it was so comforting to hear the voices of my parents. It’s incredible how much I use my phone in daily life at home. Honestly, it’s unhealthy. Out here on the trail I’ve really started to realize that.
Without cell service I’ve been forced to sit alone with my thoughts instead of scrolling social media, I’ve listened to stories and music multiple times and gotten new meaning and enjoyment out of them instead of binging media online all the time, I’ve picked up new ‘analog’ hobbies like chess and yoga, I’ve read more books and focused on myself and my ideals. I went into town with this in mind.
At the Partnership Shelter (which sits next to the visitor’s center at the gap where you go into town) I saw Ghost (we met in Hot Springs, NC) and Fixed Gear. We talked for a bit and I found out there is a free shuttle into town.
I also got a text from Miles while I was there. I was hoping he would catch up to me! He said he would be in town that evening and he’d let me know when he got there. I went up to the visitor’s center to get a ride into town and there I ran into Plod Along and Grandma Shorty! I was so happy to see them. After yesterday, they were a comfort to me. They felt like family. They offered to share their ride with trail angel Jim with me. I happily joined them.
Jim gave us some amazing natural salve that his wife makes for hikers! He told us about the best places to go in town and took us to the cheapest motel. Grandma Shorty, Plod Along, and I all agreed to meet in half an hour for lunch after we had rinsed off. I got a double room because they didn’t have any single non-smoking rooms left. It was only $2 more per night. On the way to my room I ran into Rick James. He asked if I had had lunch yet and I told him of our plans. He decided to tag along.
At 1:30 we all went over to the closest restaurant, a ‘Mexican’ place, Grandma Shorty’s favorite because she is gluten free. We had a lively conversation over lunch about New England, the jobs they retired from, family, and the trail. I ate a fatty steak with veggies and rice and had a beer. The lunch was very satisfying. Put on the patio in the sun, I felt so happy to be surrounded by friends.
After lunch Rick James accompanied me to Walmart. Since I was still eating Mountain Houses each night to try to maintain my struggling appetite, I had to create and mail a resupply box to the next town since they didn’t have a very good resupply selection and didn’t sell Mountain Houses. With two resupplies, I had a lot to carry.
Like the true hiker trash I am, I put it all in a cart as I checked out and walked that cart all the way back to my motel 0.2 miles up the street. Absolute. Hiker. Trash. I was a bit embarrassed, to be honest, and probably shouldn’t have ‘stolen’ a cart from WalMart but we can’t turn back now!
As we walked up to the motel, I saw a hiker sitting near the motel office. It was Miles! I invited him to share my room with me. Knowing he felt the same way about TVs as I did, I figured he would be quiet. Rick James and Miles helped me unload my groceries into my room and I resolved to bring the cart back the next day when I went to the post office.
Miles and I settled in and I repackaged my resupply into a box and my food bag. We spread out our gear to air out and showered with proper toiletries this time (thanks to the WalMart $1 travel section).
Miles hadn’t eaten yet so we went back to the Mexican place. I got a small, inexpensive salad this time while Miles ate a whole meal. We talked for a while and I finally learned his real name, Ted. We realized we had a whole lot of things in common. After dinner we went back to the motel and shared a bottle of wine I had gotten while at WalMart.
After we finished the wine we went outside the room so that Miles could smoke. We got our jackets on and went outside. As I closed the door he yelled, “Wait!” But it was too late. We realized I had just locked us out. The key card was in my wallet which was in my fanny pack which was inside... we stood there for a moment in the dimly lit open ‘hallway’ of the motel. I kicked myself for not thinking.
As he smoked I wracked my brain. I looked at the window to our room, which I had opened earlier in the day to air out the Hiker stench. I remember when I opened the window earlier that the screen had rattled when I did. I didn’t think I ever locked the window after I closed it either. Without a word, I went to work sliding the old screen out of its brackets. The ‘70’s construction made it an easy break in (not that I have experience...). I easily opened the window, crawled inside and opened the door. I closed the windows in the room and made sure they were locked this time. I put the screen back and we went back inside.
Miles and I stayed up and talked for a bit. The town noise kept us up.
1. Miles!
2. No TV in town!
3. Tex Mex food!