04/07

After a long night tossing and turning, we packed our things and made way for “Unicoi Gap”. With below freezing temperatures on their way, we thought it best to take our still soggy sacks to little Germany, aka - Helen, GA. Thanks to a now dead Garmin and Hydee Cash, we were booked two nights at the Fairfield Inn. A 10 mile hike and shuttle ride were all that stood between us and a warm bed/laundry service… or so we thought.

The rocks ravaged our feet with every step down that mountain. “A 10 mile hike” might as well have been over hot coals. By the time we made it to the bottom we barely had anything left to stand on. Upon arrival at the inn, we piled up our dirty cloths and laid our things out to dry via Conair. While Nick showered, I made my way downstairs ditty bag in hand, and tossed everything in the wash no problem. After a 30 minute cycle I met my dilemma. The dryer was not connected to the payment app properly and only accepted quarters (which no hiker trying to cut weight would carry). The dryer cost $3. Cash in hand I strut to the front desk only to find a register with just $2.50 in Washington mints! “Sorry, nothing I can do” she muttered with a monotone southern drawl “There’s a gas station just a few miles down the road”… Ma’am, I’m barefoot and free balling in the only clean pair of shorts I have. I ain’t walking to the Circle K, OK? Frustrated, with clothes now wetter than before, I began scouring the parking lot in the hopes of finding some forgotten change. That was until two kind strangers (in town for a pickle ball tournament) caught wind of my plight, and scrounged together the last two coins needed to end my manic episode.

After a much needed shower of my own, we both made our way (now fully dressed) back down to the lobby in the search of some real food. The no help harlot now turned chatty kathy, pointed us in the right direction.

We ended up walking a few miles past that same gas station to “Big Daddy’s” where I devoured a well deserved rack of ribs. Welcome to Helen.