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Friday–April 30, 2021
Trail Day–070
Trail Mile–0.00/701.3
Location–Laughing Heart Hostel, Hot Springs, AT Mile 274.4
Well, if I were to tell you, “…nothing to this waiting.” If I were to tell you that (while trying to look you straight in the eye), couldn’t do it! During all my years of backpacking I’ve never had to endure anywhere near this 
amount of unplanned idleness, not ever.
So, here I sit another day. Durwin, Jim and Walt, they’ve all returned to Alabama. I do get out, take a walk,
look around. Down the old stone steps (the AT) below Laughing Heart, here’s the location of Blue Ridge Hiking Company Appalachian Trail-er, Jennifer Pharr Davis’s neat hostel, shuttle service, and gear rental. Had hoped to see her, spend a bit of time again. But, unfortunately, she’s away today.
I’ve made reservations for a room for the next two nights above the tavern over at Iron Horse Station, so I stop by to check the place out. There, I find, to my delight, they’ve 
done a first class job of restoring the old establishment. The original, creaky tongue and groove flooring has been saved, plus the tin-clad (ten-foot high) ceilings. Authentic era ambiance. Aww, folks, I truly love these old places! Sure enough, I’ll be comfortable and happy here the next two days.
While walking the downtown sidewalk (nice AT tread for a change), I chance to meet Kenneth Young and Maggie Mae, his happy little corgi. Kenneth is hiking the AT. And so is Maggie Mae. Ahh, and we think the boulders and water bars really drop off for us–whoa! Is this unlikely duo a hoot or what!
Back at Laughing Heart Hostel I spend another quiet evening whiling away time…
If you are killing time,
it’s not murder.
It’s suicide.
(Lou Holtz)
