Date: 2009-05-31
From: Damacus, VA

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I.II. WOD: Plan C. As a former strategic planner, one always emphasized the process rather than the product, knowing that the likelihood of the plan being actually executed per the script was highly unlikely.   Then one would develop various contingencies about the plan. Hence, the current situation. In the original Plan (A), Lumpy and I intended to hike from Harpers Ferry, WV to Springer Mtn, GA, take a week or so off for recovery, then flip up to Katahdin,ME to complete the SOBO hike back to Harpers Ferry. As reported earlier, Lumpy had to get off the trail, resulting in Plan B. Plan B was for Tic to continue alone SOBO and Lumpy would rejoin when possible. Now, Tic has to get off the trail at Damascus, VA, to attend to some personal business at home and we have Plan C. There hasn¢t been a lot of thought into this yet; but, it goes something like this. It is presently unknown how long Tic will be off trail ¢ I¢m speculating 2-3 weeks. If this is the case, Tic would then flip up to Maine, hike SOBO to Harpers Ferry, then flip again to Damascus and finish the SOBO portion down to Springer. I¢ll probably post an update to this info in about two weeks. Meanwhile, Ms P&B has a backlog of probably 1500 photo images and will be posting updates as time permits for those interested in continuing to monitor this journal.III.        Report ¢ As mentioned in last report, I was quite motivated to get to Damascus, and even more so with the need to try to get home ASAP. My AT handbook listed 3 outfitters in Damascus and several inns, so I was expecting a town of some size and capability. Relative to the outfitters, I found here is a camp for the hikers and another for the bikers (bicycles are quite popular on the VA Creeper Trail). As I hiked into own, I stopped at a biker outfitter enquiring about transportation options to get home. The answers weren¢t too encouraging: no taxi, shuttle, bus or rail options in the vicinity, a small general airfield about 12 hour away and a regional airport with commuter service to Atlanta about an hour away. He mentioned that with sufficient time and other coordination, they might could transport me to the nearby airfield; but, that the airport wasn¢t a readily available option. I passed the hiker outfitter (Mt Rogers Outfitters - MRO) to get a room at one of the inns, as I had decided that a hostel probably would be difficult to try to make transportation plans. The first inn was at the other end of town naturally, and I was shocked to discover upon arrival that the business had gone bankrupt and was closed. I then hiked down the street to the next inn, expecting to find a small town version of holiday Inn, to find a B&B called the Lazy Fox Inn. It was getting late, I was very tired and it looked like rain was coming again, so I got me a room in the B&B. I took a quick bath to get off the 1st layer of stench, put on my last set of dry, but dirty clothes and was heading for MRO to claim a resupply box Lumpy mailed and another one from T2, and enquire further about transportation options. Then it started to raining hard. I abandoned those plans and then tried my cell phone, but no coverage. Also staying at the inn were two couples who visit there several times a year, and Ms Debbie offered me the use of her phone. I called Ms P&B and asked as a transportation option if Sky King could air evac me Sat or Sun. I finally gave up on the rain stopping, changed back into my wet and real dirty clothes and headed for MRO, which was now closed. I ate at the pizza joint next door, returned to the B&B, took another bath to remove latest dirt and 2nd layer of stench, when P&B called. I requested a 30 min delay and later learned that they would be at the airport at noon on Saturday. Then to top all this off, the wives staying at the inn said they would give me a ride to the airportwhich I immediately accepted. Later, I watched the Lakers win their conference finals, made flight reservations from BWI to HOU and went to bed.Ms Ginny owns and operates the B&B. I won¢t mention her age, other than to say she is one of the few older than I am. She really enjoys running the B&B. [Note: she mentioned that Mr Gregory of Gregory Backpacks has a standing reservation for all her rooms during the entire Trail Daze events] She said breakfast would be served at 0830 and I kind of balked at that being a rather late hour and she said she would make one for me at 0730. I showed up for breakfast to find a large family table completely covered in food - - just for me. There was a fresh fruit plate with about 12 dozen different types, there was a dried/stewed fruit bowl, a baked apple dish and the one I really liked was a baked pineapple-coconut creation. Then we had pancakes and real maple syrup. And we had to have scrambled eggs, a pile of sausage patties and a plate of bacon. For dessert, there were biscuits and gravy, of which I added a sausage pattie and was only able to eat three of them. I then waddled off to do my laundry and stop at MRO for my packages. Lumpy¢s resupply box as there, they asked for my ID and I showed my retired DOD card, which they recognized and thanked me for my service. We then looked for B2¢s package, even going to the PO to see if it was there; but not posted yet. I said I was having to get off the trail and wanted to leave some money for them to forward the package to me. The MRO guys were most accommodating and were offering me any and all support to try to help me get home.I got to the airport, and we flew back to MD, had dinner and today I made my flight home.V. POD Sky King (Mr P&B) a retired navy commander, helo pilot and squadron CO. Did some work for a military contractor and the Defense Acquisition University, now at Pax river NAS. He¢s a co-owner of a Mooney and loves to fly. Thanks for all the help!!