Transportation back to the city
Staying in lodges along the AT is convenient for many reasons. They provide loaner clothes when you need to do laundry. They typically provide shuttle services into town for resupply and to/from the trailhead if they are not within walking distance of the AT. And they are usually much cheaper than a hotel or Airbnb. We stayed in a nice Airbnb in Hot Springs. Luckily, some friends took us there. However, the next morning, we needed a ride back to town, where the trail conveniently passes through. Cody approached the Appalachian Trailer Hostel and we were grateful that they provided transportation services for hikers, even if we weren’t staying with them. They dropped us and our two friends off at a cafe at the end of town. Cody and I had a quick breakfast and hit the road.
Hurricane Helene Damage
The trailhead out of Hot Springs runs along the French Broad River. It was here that we saw the immense damage caused by Hurricane Helene. It’s hard to imagine how many recovery efforts have been made since September 2024. But seeing the washed-out river banks and active construction sites on the bridge, it was evident that the devastation was immense and the work still continues.
Slowly leaving the city
As with every hike out of a resupply town, most of the day was spent climbing. Cody was feeling tired and sluggish and my pack was pretty heavy from resupplying, so the miles passed slowly. Temperatures rose steadily until the heat of the day made the miles seem more grueling. 
Sweat rolled in a steady drop down my forehead. Head down. Keep walking. It is days like this that we look forward to the leaves returning to the bare trees to protect us a little from the direct rays of the sun.
rich mountain fire tower
We also took breaks. At first, more for us than for Turk, but as the day got hotter, she wanted a little respite in the shade too. Just as we were ready to take a break, we came across a sign that said ‘Fire Tower 0.15mi’. It’s interesting. Things like this are usually marked in FarOut (the navigation app used by most hikers). But this one wasn’t. 
We weren’t expecting it, but we gladly decided to take a detour to check it out. Our curiosity paid off in a big way! We climbed to the top of the tower from where you could see wonderful views of beautiful mountain landscapes in a full 360° view. The wind cooled us as we sat in the shade of the tower’s shelter. Some locals and hikers also climbed the tower. A local generously gave us an apple before we left.
Much needed rest
We arrived at our destination around 4:30 in the afternoon. Spring Mountain Shelter is where we decided to camp for the night. 
Even on days when we feel sluggish or the miles are uphill, laying down on our sleeping pad in our tent at the end of the day feels great. There’s no place we’d rather be than right here on the road.
The Southern Cookie Lady
We woke up feeling much better than the day before. Energized and ready for a great day of hiking! Just a few miles down the trail was a stop I was really looking forward to making: The Southern Cookie Lady! 
Something of a trail legend, Cookie Lady lives just a few hundred yards from the trail and offers a free cookie to every hiker who passes by. Sign me up! He greeted us with the biggest smile and offered each of us a cookie. The group of hikers gathered around their porch eating cookies thinned out as many packed up. When it was just us and our friend Apollo there, she discreetly told us that a new batch of blueberry scones had just come out of the oven. 
He offered one to each of us before more hikers entered. It felt like a VIP experience. And the bun was impeccable! After thanking him profusely, we packed our bags and headed out.
Lunch/break time
We had a big day ahead of us and the temperatures were forecast to rise. Turk does very well on the trails, but warm afternoons in full exposure really wear her down quickly. And I don’t blame her. If I were to wear a black coat on a sunny day, I’d be warm too! Luckily we found a perfect place for lunch. In the shade and cool at Little Laurel Shelter. It had a water fountain and a toilet.
LNT with a puppy
I’ve taken to flushing Turk’s feces down the toilets whenever I get the chance. I’m not sure exactly what the ATC guidelines are for dealing with dog poop, but I figure if my poop has to be in a toilet or cat hole, so does hers. We collect the feces with a poop bag and tie it loosely. We put it in our smell proof trash bag (from Wag and Wonder). And after we have a chance to flush their feces down a toilet, we pack up the poop bags. This is how we decided to do it. It has worked for us so far. And if there are no toilets, we simply bag up the poop and throw it away with the rest of the trash.
Sweet places with Apollo
Apollo and Turk take in the sights together
Anyway, after lunch we walked through some scattered showers, but were very glad to have some clear weather when we reached the cliff peaks of Whiterock and Blackstaff. These rocky cliffs offered incredible views and a little surprise! Our friend Apollo was sitting upstairs waiting for us. He wanted to pass the 300 mile mark with us, which was less than a mile away. We took photographs of the sticks on a rock arranged in a ‘300’ shape. Then we finished our walk to the shelter together.
Night with friends
At the shelter we met a hiker from the section and his dog Athena, who he was hiking with. Cody and I decided not to overcrowd the shelter with more than one dog, so we set up the tent. before it rained again. We exchanged hiking stories with the people at the shelter. 
The atmosphere in the shelters at night is always very calm. People prepare dinner in their small pots and stoves, it is the perfect time to meet the people who are on the road. And we’ve met so many amazing people here. Cody and I resigned ourselves to going to bed anticipating a rainy night that would last most of the morning.
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