From the Journals: DAY 8, Mar. 3

Coach
Franklin, N.C.: 0 mi.

Massive amounts of eating. K-Mart + Panty hose.
Outfitter (delirious)

Professor
Zero Day in Franklin, N.C.
At Ms. Lois's Restaurant we ate:
1. Sampler Platter (2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon and one piece of sausage with an order of hash browns and one biscuit with gravy over it) x2
2. Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, Regular (3)
3. Double Cheeseburger (1/2lb of ground chuck)
4. Mushroom and Swiss Burger (1/2lb of ground chuck)
5. Side orders of: Onion Rings, Mac n' Cheese x2, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Sweet Potato Casserole
6. Piece of Chocolate Pie x2

I learned that if I overeat, even while hiking the AT, it still makes you feel bad...I tried to keep up with Coach, but it is literally impossible! I know now not to try that again...

Ron Haven took us on an afternoon tour of his kingdom of Franklin...as six thru-hikers piled into his small tour bus, there was a homemade video explaining what one can do in Franklin, "..this is the Walmart, here is Ms. Lois's Restaurant, here is the Outfitters..." as it looped in the background. Ron spoke louder than the video and told us stories of his childhood in the tomato patch, and absently complained here and there, and justified certain local political issues he was passionate about. The older couple (this is their second thru-hike attempt b/c the man got lime disease in VA last time so they had to pull off the trail; they are German professors), the loner, Coach and I all listened to Ron quietly and respectfully as he talked and drove us to various resupply locals in Franklin.

"I'm just an ole' hiker" said Ron in his thick NC accent, "and I understand what y'all are tryin' to do." He looked me in the eye through the tour bus rearview mirror. I could tell he knew more about my journey that I did, and all of a sudden, the trail ahead felt long.

The next morning he dropped Coach and I and several other Northbound thru-hikers off @ the trail head, where we left Ron's Kingdom behind.

People on the Trail
U-Haul: A Northbounder who got his name from the amount of stuff he carries - several tents, several cooking situations, his pack must have been 70+ pounds! I learned later from other thru-hikers that he had no rain gear...