Date: 2008-05-04
From: Old Mill Inn, Damascus, VA

To: Tenting 1/2 mile north of Beartree Gap, VA
Miles today: 12.2

I woke up at 6am at the Inn and made a pot of coffee, took a shower, drank that pot of coffee and made a second pot.....it was only a four cup pot.I packed up my stuff and left it all sitting in the room while I went over to The Only Wanderer's place for breakfast about 8am.He had invited me over to eat a long ago for the next time I was passing through Damascus.When I got to his house at 8am, he already had everything ready, so I dug right in! :-)I had a couple biscuits, scrambled eggs, sausage, homefries and more coffee. We sat at the table talking and eating.....Thanks! :-)I checked my email while I was there.I went back to my room and made sure I had my food figured out right for this next section, then checked out at 11am.I also met and talked to Smoky Pig for a while. He lives in Roanoke and was down to walk the 50 mile section from Kincora to Damascus.I had heard Phat Chap was in town, so I stopped by where he was camped and talked to him a while. He's become a good friend over the years.I told him I would be back for Trail Days in a couple weeks, and then I headed on.I stopped at Subway on the way out of town. I hit that wrong because there were about 10 people in line.I waited patiently because that was my planned dinner for tonight. :-)I finally got up to the counter and got a 12 inch Subway Club.....loaded! I double wrapped it and stuck it inside my backpack, and then I walked over to In The Country Restaurant and ordered a Swiss and mushroom hamburger, a salad and a Coke for lunch.I guess I'd have to say that I left Damascus well fed....or maybe fat and happy. Ha! :-)I did leave Damascus at 1pm.As I was walking out of town, a cop pulled a small pickup with a smashed windshield over.I watched him get out of his car and pull his pistol out and hide it behind his back as he walked up to the car.I stopped to watch from across the street because if I'd have kept walking, I would have been too close if something happened.He got drivers license and walked back....putting his pistol away, so I felt safe to walk on by.I got to the stairs that start you off on the first climb out of Damascus....about a 1,200 foot climb up Cuckoo Knob.It felt good to start climbing. The zero I took yesterday was perfect to give my muscles a chance to repair from the first three days of this new activity....walking in the mountains again. :-)I almost forgot that Berf called me over to talk just before I left town. He's the guy with the Dad turning 100 years old later this year.I climbed slowly enjoying the beautiful day...partly cloudy and near 70 degrees with a nice little breeze.I passed by a sidetrail called Iron Mtn Trail.I haven't been back on the Trail very long, but it's still great to walk out of town and into the quiet woods.I walked down that hill and crossed Rt 58, signed a register. The register had a space asking what mode of travel is being used....I just wrote "dumb question" in the box and hopped on my four wheeler and rode on. ;-)No kidding....they really did have a space for that!I got to where I could see the river and the Creeper Trail down below.I ran into Retread coming south on the AT. He was slackpacking today and said he'd be back out carrying his pack tomorrow.I walked on and started seeing a hiker in front of me. I was gaining on him, so I was feeling pretty good about that.....until I caught him and he said he fell in the tub yesterday and either badly bruised a rib or fractured it. His name was Hell on Bad Wheels.I stopped at Saunders Shelter and ate that Subway Club I had packed out.I signed the register and was just finishing my 12 inch sub when Hell on Bad Wheels walked up.We talked a while, and then I filled up my water bottles from the spring and walked on.I came up to Longwe Tru and Willow about 30 minutes later. They both had their tents set up already, so I stopped and talked to them.We ended up talking almost an hour before I walked on.I came to Beartree Gap about 10 minutes later and saw Red and Aries tenting by the pond.Barley and Rain were tented on the other side of the pond.Red said there was plenty of room to set up and I was welcome, but I decided to keep walking and found a nice flat spot about 1/2 a mile later and set up my tent under some pine trees.I'm really happy with the way my body feels after walking for 3 days, taking a zero...and now back out walking again. I think I've made the transition from the bicycle ride back to walking and should do just fine from now on.Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)