[at-l] AT Hike Report: Day 19

[ARTCLOUTMN at aol.com (ARTCLOUTMN@xxxxxxx)]

Thursday 03/27/03  Fontana Inn                      5.5 miles
    Short mileage day today.  We made it to Fontana before noon.  Josh had a 
car in the marina parking lot where the trail comes out of the woods.  He 
shuttled us to Fontana Village where we registered for a room for $30 for two 
people.  It is a nice room in a hotel that is now occupied primarily with hikers.  
We treated Josh to lunch.  Half way through our lunch Pittsburgh showed up.  
He is staying here too.  He is expecting Barbara to show up here tomorrow 
after work.  She will shuttle him back to Springer Mountain where he will get 
another Slow Hiker Group onto the trail.  
    There is a TV in our rooms. First we?ve seen in three weeks.  After a 
nice shower we head down to the laundry and post office.  A young hiker named 
Laura is doing her laundry.  I went to the post office while our laundry is 
spinning.  There was a huge box for our mail drop and a small package for John.  
Cookies, home made cookies from John?s friend Mary Lou.  He shared the cookies 
with Laura, Pittsburgh and me.  They were delicious.  we finished them in no 
time.  Laura finished college program in January at U of Delaware.  She will be 
going on to Graduate school in the fall.  She is not sure where.  She has 
applied to schools in Boston and Vermont.  Laura is expecting former college room 
mate to arrive sometime tomorrow.  Her friend is on Spring break and will hike 
with her for a few days.  Laura is a delight. 
     The mail drop box is so big that the only way I can carry it it is on my 
head.  We stopped my the outfitter store on our way back to the hotel.  The 
store has some supplies.  Pittsburgh was hoping they did gear repair.  
Apparently one of the retired police officers has a damaged backpack.  They are 
expected to arrive in town tomorrow.  They are now down to three hikers.
    We had the buffet for dinner this evening.  It was great.  We plan to do 
the buffet again tomorrow morning.  We gave away some of our extra food to the 
guys in the next room.  I never got their names.  Laura has been hiking with 
some of them.  I don?t know how long they have been in the village.  They did 
not pass us today.  Maybe they came in after us.