Another Post, One Day Later!

Directly after I finished the previous post and went down the street to find Daniel, I ran into Kit imploring us to spend the night at Elmer's, or the Sunnybank Inn, and sign up for dinner. Thus the dinner minimum could be met, and Kit, admittedly addicted to the place, could have his third awesome vegetarian dinner there. We agreed.

Awesome place. an 1875 Italianate Victorian house incorporating earlier 1840 buildings. It has been a boarding house for travelers for over a century, and for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers for 50 years. For you history people, it's on the National Historic Register! This history and more, plus bed and towels, meal option, eclectic antique furniture a music room, parlor, puppy, hundreds of books, second floor porch, and dinner discussion, for a ridiculously reasonable rate! And get this: "The Sunnybank Retreat Association is a not-for-profit private educational and recreational membership organization that exists to provide experiences that promote physical, mental, and spiritual health, and further a natural and simple way of life. The Association supports groups and politics that promote ecological wisdom, human and animal rights, global responsibility and sustainable economics." Sweet.

Before dinner imagine Brittany, Daniel, a Canadian, and three English guys watching Sicko in the parlor. Amazing. Dinner was vegan for my sake: amazing lentil stew (Daniel and I had two bowels each), salad (with cheese for the others because cheese is like crack), stir fry, and sweet potato pie by courses. Wow. After dinner more hikers showed up, and we walked the block or two down to the pub. I really enjoyed the evening.

So now I'm composing on that second-floor porch, feet up, freshly showered, 7 a.m., waiting for breakfast to roll around and for everyone else to wake. We made no mileage yesterday, so in hiker language it was a "zero day." But I think we made the right choice. Elmer's place has been totally worth it.