Total: 1910
We were so excited to get up and out this morning so we were walking by 6:15. However, when we got to the first road crossing we saw a sign the offered "waffles, soup, sundaes, coffee and tea from 7:30 to 10 on October 25th. Normally, we are never on time to make these things so we scampered the 300 yards down the highway.
We were greeted by the most friendly golden doodle we had ever met and then an exceptionally friendly couple who had hiked the trail back in 99. They fed us: waffles, beef chili (shannon), pork soup (jamie), scones, fritos, brownie sundae (shannon) and a banana split (jamie). We both got coffee, tea and soda. Everything was homemade and delicious.
However, we have a bit of a bitter taste in our mouth about the whole experience. Let us be clear, the couple was charming and kind. Their house was beautiful and they were so friendly about touring us around and talking to us about their lives and things. But, as we were eating our desserts, the husband (Hercules) tells us about a game they used to play while they were hiking. Jamie and I love games so we were all ears. Unfortunately, it wasn't a game but a riddle that they used to tell us there was that "God is the only answer." Then they pulled out a whole bunch of Christian books and began to talk to us about Jesus and God. We ended up being there for 2 hours. We felt partly trapped because we didn't want to be rude. Also, they had been so kind to feed us that we felt we needed to listen. However, as we left their house, we both felt victimized. They had taken advantage of our vulnerability as hikers and put us in a position where we were tricked into talking about Jesus.
While we don't love talking about religion with people in any situation we would have felt a bit less taken advantage of if they had introduced the topic in a direct way instead of manipulating us into the conversation.
So, we really appreciated and enjoyed the breakfast but now we feel guilty about not loving the couple because they tricked us into an uncomfortable situation. If their intentions had been made clear in their advertisement we probably still would have made the visit and wouldn't have felt so taken advantage of.
Anyway, after we left them we hiked the rest of the way to Hot Springs where we ate at the Smoky Mountain diner, talked about books with fellow hiker, Shambo, and waited for Jamie's brother Billy.
Tonight we are tucked in and snug in the backyard of the North Carolina Lyon's after being fed and showered and welcomed. We're really looking forward to our visit here.
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| Banana Split |
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| She made this gorgeous quilt after their hike. It's the trail from Maine to Georgia. |
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