Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Larry was fascinated with the idea of being on the AT so we headed out to Hot Springs, NC, where it appeared the trail crossed nearby.  Only about 30 minutes away in the mountains, the trail did indeed cross the town, which was about four blocks long.  You came in from the trail on one end of town, walked down the main street with AT stamped into the sidewalk, and went back onto the actual trail on the other end.  So we walked on the sidewalk in our hiking boots and can say we "hiked" the Appalachian Trail.

Hot Springs is the perfect trail town.  A campground, post office where you can mail provisions to the next drop, great outdoor store where you can pick up what you mailed yourself from another town, showers, cheap rooms and a few cafes.  It seemed everyone in town had come off the trail - serious backpacker types, not all young either. 

We dropped in on the visitor center and the volunteer, a man in his 80s with a heavy southern accent, told us he'd been to visit a friend four miles farther up the mountain who'd had his roof blown off the night before in the latest tornado along with five other people. At least that's what we think we heard - his accent was something else.  I heard the thunder during the night but didn't realize the tornadoes had been that close.

We spent the afternoon catching up on paperwork, reading, etc.  Haven't done enough of that this trip!  But all that resting made us extra-hungry so we drove into Asheville for an outstanding dinner at Tupelo Honey Cafe.  I've been on search for the BEST pecan pie and there have been some good ones but you never know when there will be a better one but I now believe the search is over.  For my taste it was the absolute best made better with browned butter and warm honey drizzled over the top just to make it even more  fabulous.  They apparently have a huge mail-order business of their pecan pies and I'm a believer!