Long Branch Shelter to Wallace Gap

got up at 5:30 and it was pouring out. I hustled out of camp before sunrise in effort to make it to Wallace Gap before 9 am when Ron Haven was supposed to pick up hikers to go into Franklin. I arrived at 8:19am and waited till nearly 10 am to get scooped up. I sat in a downpour the entire time. I was shivering cold and super stressed. I scored a room at the Sapphire Motel (no precious jewels hidden in this place), and dried out all my gear and warmed up in the shower. Franklin was fun, but I mostly laid around all day , tired from the drenching I got in the morning. it was nice to meet Ron Haven, who has the most pleasant demeanor and really tried to help thru hikers . his southern twang is very endearing and filled with little cute phrases like "if you want to wet your whiskers, there is a bar about a block away." nice man. despite the motel , I still did not sleep well.