Franklin, NC

Today is another zero day. I'm not sure if I'll take more or not, I'll decide by the end of the day. I really want to get back on the trail but I also need to heal.

The church down the street offers shuttles from the hotels to the church for a free hiker breakfast. It was clementines, bacon, and pancakes this morning and as much as I want of it. They had a class of 2017 poster to sign too. I love how many places have signs like that for us hikers to sign. One of the pastors gave a mini, maybe 5 min long sermon thing while we ate. There were probably 20 or 30 hikers there. They also had letters so we can send word home along with a printed picture that they took during breakfast. I'm sure my family at home will appreciate the card and photo. I really love the fact that they did that.

I spent a lot of time at the Outdoor 76 Outfitters. They are known for their foot wisperers. I was there for hours. They really knew their stuff and had specific shoes they recommend for each persons needs. I learned that my feet are a European size 44 or a 12 womans, 10 in mens. I started out thinking that i was a size 10. I learned that the proper sizing had to do with arch length and pivot points and width. I was asked so many questions about my foot issues, how I've been hiking, how long, how far, my pack weight, previous hiking experiences, ect. I was given multiple shoes to try on some womans, some men, because many of their shoes were not offered in size 12, then asked to review them and I was given new shoes to try on from there. They had a lot of brands that I've never heard of before too. Nothing there had prices, as far as the hiking footwear goes, so you wouldn't base your opinion of what shoe to buy based on price because the fit is so much more important. I was there for maybe 2 and a half hours. Ben was also being fitted for new shoes and it took him 4 hours. He had said that he wouldn't have been surprised if the guy actually started whispering to his foot because of how long the guy talked to him for! Honestly, it wouldn't have surprised me either but I'm really happy i talked with them. I feel so much better with my new shoes that actually fit fantastic!

I picked up a warmer sleeping bag liner and finally a pair of camp shoes! I wanted a warmer liner because i had heard that it was snowing on the trail by other hikers who were coming down off the mountain today. I got a pair of lightweight teva flip flops which are amazing, they are so comfortable and it's so nice to have open toed shoes with the toe trouble that I've been having.

I took a shuttle to get a Chinese buffet and went to see the new Beauty and the Beast with Peter and Dan. They have joined Ben and I in our room because of a mix up in their reservation. They are collectively being called the Jersey Boys. The movie theater was 3 miles down the road and the town shuttle had stopped running for the night and by the time i got back to the hotel from the hotel's buffet run it was 30min till the movie! I didn't know the movie time until it was 30min before. Dan and Peter were already there so I ended up walk/jogging 2.5 miles while trying to hitch a ride there. A man, maybe in his 90's picked me up and drove me the last .5 miles. The movie was great, I missed the first 15min of it but oh well. On the positive side I got to break in my new shoes, or at least start to. The manager of the theater has a relative who does hiker shuttles in the area. He offered to drive us back for free!