What I didn’t mention in yesterday’s post was part of my motivation for hiking so far. My brother Zack had texted me and wanted to meet up today. I pushed the last 11 miles to the town of Erwin, where Zack and my friend Danny were waiting on the bridge.

We talked about the symbolism of meeting on a bridge, ate a few racks of ribs, and just generally horsed around. It was so great to see them. It’s always good to have a bit of home out here.

After spending the afternoon with them, I got a motel room. The original idea was to split the room, but the other hiker ended up just staying at the hostel nearer the trail, so I got a single room for myself instead. For now, I am living in luxury, with all the ice I could ever want, and a bed that is about five times larger than necessary.

Normally, I would have finished my routine and would be ready for sleeping now, but tonight I am watching X-Men, a nice change from the usual evening. And actually, it is surprisingly quiet. I am accustomed to socializing with hikers for a few hours before I sleep, but the quiet alone time has been nice.

The next town, I will probably just pass right through, so I am enjoying being in town today.