My first day zero (day 22)

Today was my first zero day since starting the AT. I woke up in my hotel room at 8:30 am, which felt like noon compared to my new sleep schedule. On the way we go to sleep and wake up with the sun. It feels like the natural order of things. It disappears with the introduction of artificial light.

Breakfast of champions

After a leisurely morning and some coffee (mixed with hot chocolate) in the hotel lobby, a friend and I headed to Flapjacks. It’s my favorite breakfast restaurant in Gatlinburg. And yes, this is because of the gluten-free pancakes. The staff was very friendly, as they always are when I come here. I feast on flapjacks and order a vegetable omelet on the side because it seems healthy to me.

Encounter with bears

Once we’ve had our fill, we head down the strip to a tram stop. In all the times I’ve been to Gatlinburg, I’ve never taken the streetcar. We hopped on the blue line to Food City to resupply. I ran out a little bit on food the last few days on the trail, so I think I went a little crazy buying snacks. We stocked up and then headed back to the hotel to relax. But not before taking a photo of our first bear encounter since starting the AT!

A little rest and relaxation

I spend the rest of the day eating and resting in the hotel room. As much as I love being on the road, hanging out alone in a temperature-controlled room with a real bed is definitely nice. My friend and I ended the night watching a cheesy romantic comedy on the Hallmark Channel. I don’t have cable at home (and now I know why), so this is a new experience for me. The movie was called “To Philadelphia with Love” and although I’m not entirely sure what happened, they lived happily ever after (spoiler). Who could have predicted that?

I’m excited to get back on the track tomorrow. Spending time in the city is always nice, but before long I start to miss the forest. After all, that’s why I came here.

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