May 12 mile 364

Happy Birthday to my sister in law Debi!

Decided to take a zero day at Greasy Creek Friendly. It's a very cordial place and the owner Connie is very nice. The weather is cloudy and in the 60s but no rain. Decided this morning it was best to stay here and let my leg and knee get better. It felt much improved overnight, but decided not to rush it as I have been doing since we got back. Cisco was very agreeable with this plan. We have gone pretty much nonstop for 11 days, so a zero is really overdue. We need to take more days off as we go, to rest, even if we don't think we need it. In my case, it seems to really catch up with me. So, I am sitting here today in a rocking chair on her front porch admiring the mountains next to a stream. Very relaxing. She has a full kitchen of food and we can have whatever we want as long as we write it down on the honor system sheet. Cash only here, so we are limited by the small amount of cash we are currently carrying. One thing to remember on the trail is that some hostels don't take checks or credit cards. Need to get more cash at the money machine next we see one.
Had a nice evening at Connie's. Ate from here freezer a couple of chicken pot pies and then Cisco and I split a pint of Ben and. Jerrys ice cream. Had a chance to call my Sweety on the land line phone. No cell service here. When you stay at this hostel, you are a guest in Connie's home during the day and sleep in the bunkhouse at night. During the day the TV is on and I would pass by and the news would be on . How depressing it is to hear the news! We rarely hear any out here and don't seek it out.
Connie has one problem- a very mean neighbor across the gravel road. This person hates hikers and hates that Connie has a hostel. Every morning at 6 AM to annoy the hostel guests, he cranks up his riding lawn mower and rides it up and down his hill, supposedly to get the newspaper. He has put up signs leading to Connie's that say-"hostel closed due to sickness" and he has knocked over the rock cairns she puts up to lead hikers from the AT to her place. You see all sorts out here.