Date: 2017-04-08
From: Abingdon Gap Shelter, TN

To: Broken Fiddle Hostel, Damascus, VA
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: scattered clouds

4/8/17 Broken Fiddle Hostel, Damascus, VAMiles hiked: 469.2, Miles to go: 1720.6We awoke to clear skies and cold temperatures. Surprisingly, last night seemed much colder than the wintery night in the shelter. We also had an almost full moon that lit up my tent like a night light. Bo, 1st Sgt, and I fixed breakfast, using up pretty much all that remained of our food. Hikes into town are generally pretty good. Your backpack is lighter because your food bag is empty, you are generally hiking downhill, and all the delights of Town Day await. This is an especially exciting day because, not only are we entering one of the most iconic towns on the trail, we are finishing off another state. The AT runs right down the main street of Damascus, VA. This town embraces thru hikers more than any other town on the trail. Every May, Damascus hosts Trail Days, a three day homecoming for thousands of thru hikers which includes food, music, parades, vendors booths from all the outdoor companies, big and small, and a whole host of other activities. Our hike was tinged with a bit of sadness, though. Even though we had only hiked with Bo for a few days, we really hated to see him leave. The three of us had formed a pretty tight bond over the past few days. I think Bo was having mixed feelings about leaving the trail. On the one hand, he was excited to see his wife and get back to a major project he had in the works. But, on the other, I think he heard the voice of Mt Katahdin, ever so softly, calling to him to continue on with his newfound friends. About 8 miles into the hike (which wasn't nearly as downhill as we'd expected, by the way), we arrived at the TN/VA state line. Crossing state lines is always exciting. It's a tangible demonstration of forward progress. We stopped and took selfies and posted to Facebook like a bunch of teenagers. Finally, we arrived in Damascus and followed the trail under a wooden arch built by an Eagle Scout, through the town park, and down the main street, where the trail is paved in bricks, many of which were purchased and placed by supporters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. After meeting Bo's wife and wishing him a fond farewell, 1st Sgt and I found our way to the Broken Fiddle Hostel, where we stashed our packs before heading out to collect our packages. 1st Sgt had a resupply box and I had three boxes. I had a box sent by my daughter Amanda which contains three days worth of dehydrated organic hiker meals. They look delicious. I also had a box from Marguerite that contained my credit card and a batch of blonde brownies. Yum. And, finally, I had a box from my former co-workers at Mylan that contained all kinds of goodies. Thanks guys! We had way more food than we could possibly carry, so we shared some of our bounty with fellow thru hikers at the hostel. Boy, were they excited! Hummingbird aptly described my friend Sue's Snookies as "heroin in foil wrappers". We were able to accomplish all our town chores - resupply, shower, laundry, and eat town food. We also saw several hiker friends that we haven't seen in awhile: Engine & Caboose, Jam, Molasses, and Sticks, to name a few. As a result, we've decided to just take a Nearo and head out of town tomorrow. We are headed for the next AT icons - the wild ponies at Grayson Highlands!