Date: 2014-06-15
From: Chester Gap

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 37.3

Okay folks lets give you the news. It is true, my left leg and ankle are doing great, still. I have really put it to the test these last two days, and I feel great. This will be the last injury update unless of course something comes up, or comes back. I am also butt dragg'en tired as well, but no pain at all.6/14/14 Front Royal Hostel to Dicks Dome Shelter, 19.0 miles. Actually it was 19.5 miles because I had to walk back to the trail from the hostel which was 0.5 miles off the trail. Mike at Front Royal Hostel was super nice and so accommodating. He has a sweet set up and is a thru-hiker himself. The AT and the PCT. The morning went by pretty quick. I got started at 07:30 and made good time for sure. I arrived at the Jim & Molly Denton Shelter just before noon. A nice shelter, with a bench on the deck, and solar showers. I didn't need a shower, just had one last night. I ate a hardy lunch, well like two lunches, and moved on. I still had some miles to cover and I needed to get to the next shelter ASAP, because it only sleeps 4, and I wasn't sure about the tent sites. Most of them have been slightly "sloped" at the last few huts. I arrived there at about 4:30 pm and was sure glad too, all the tent sites were leaning bad. Also there were so many springs there the entire hollow was just running water. There were so many people here tonight that it's hard to name them all. The best part of the evening was when some of the younger hikers decided to set off a hundred fire-crackers to celebrate one of their birthdays. I was dead asleep when they did and for about 3 seconds I thought I was some where else. I was young one time too, so no worries. They kindly apologized this morning, and that was nice of them. Dicks Dome Shelter is rather odd looking shelter, and is some type of geometric shape that's hard to explain. Anyway, it really only slept 4. So for once the guide book is right. I was very cold in my 45 degree bag, but that was because it dropped down to 48 degrees last night.6/15/14 Dicks Dome Shelter to Bears Den Hostel 18.3 miles. I again got a really early start and made good time for the morning. I had about 9 miles to go to the dreaded "Roller Coaster". This is a part of the trail that makes most hikers a little squeamish just thinking about it, or so I've read. It is a part of the trail where the local ATC Club that maintains that section go out of their way to make it as painful as possible to hike. Straight up and straight down, big rocks, little sharp rocks, rocks that roll right out from under you, rocks that are covered in this slippery stuff that they special order from some toxic plant in a foreign country, and lastly, they enjoy doing all this. They even have a sign at the beginning of the "Roller Coaster" that taunts the hikers with "if you survive"!!! Really? So the report is this, the left ankle and leg feel great, the roller coaster is tough and I am beat up! I will have no trouble sleeping tonight for sure. I am now at the famous Bears Den Hostel, which is ran by the ATC, and is by far the nicest hostel I have stayed at. So put this one in the books as a must stop. I completed 9.5 miles of the roller coaster and have a little over 3 miles to do tomorrow morning. I will survive!!!My current miles are 999.1, so very early in the morning I will go over 1000 miles!!! I will also be shooting for Harpers Ferry, WV tomorrow afternoon which is the "traditional" half way point. So if all goes well I will get my picture taken in front of the sign at the ATC Headquarters, and will officially make the "made it this far" books. Cool. I know, still a lot of hiking left to do, but this is one of the most important milestones to make it to Harpers Ferry. Plus, I will be through Virginia, finally!!! Over 25% of the entire Appalachian Trail is in Virginia, and a new state will go a long way with the positive attitude for the hike. There are only 2.5 miles of trail in West Virginia so I should be in Maryland the next morning. Two states in one day, sweet. I will post some pictures in a few minutes so be sure to check them out.Thanks guys for following along, and for keeping the prayers coming. As has been proven already, your next step could be your last step, so keep'em coming. I fell hard today, landed on my back, I'm okay but suspect that I will be pretty sore over the next few days. Vitamin Aleve to the rescue!!!