Date: 2010-04-10
From: Erwin, TN

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 100.0
Weather: clear sky

First off, big thanks to Doug for uploading a gazzilion pictures of the hike. I told him to just toss on a few select pictures, and he put on a ton. Check 'em out. I know that I was happy to get to see a few of enlarged, myself.Currently I am posting from the library in Damascus, VA. Crossed the Tenessee/Virginia state border yesterday afternoon just before hitting town. Yesterday was, literally, a marathon of a day. A few of us did twenty six and a half miles to make it into town. (If that sounds like a lot, Mouse and Hobbot went ahead and did thirty three, hitting the entire "Tenessee Turnpike" straight into town).Weather has been amazing since leaving Erwin. A heat wave came through sending us record high temperatures (can you believe it?) to deal with. Most of us were content to sweat throughout the day. We also ate out way from Erwin to Damascus. After having barbecued and feasted at Uncle Johnny's, we embarked up the mountain. Cookie Monster did buy a nine pound ham, only it was so big he couldn't fit it in his pack. Fortunately I tied it to his chest. Hours later a group of us had an easter feast. The great Hamboree!On Easter Sunday Mouse and I headed half a mile from the trail to get some Easter lunch. I had a steak burger, regular burger, fries, and I believe four slices of cake. That's only the start. Back at the trail we found Sugarbush waiting with Cole for Dethmarch to return from his hitch into town. As we talked with them, he was dropped off by an incredibly kind man who began to ask us about food on the trail. Eventually asking if we ever cooked, or could cook meat. He then gave the four of us each very large steaks and cold drinks. Hours later we had a fire going and were grilling steak.Dethmarch, Sugarbush, myself, and Cole all headed into Hampton just a few days ago for lunch. That got weird too. We were picked up by a local who was with a Spanish couple here on vacation. He was a fast talker, and before you know it, it was arranged that they would meet us the next morning at a shelter and join us for a hike. The couple did meet us that morning, but the warm weather and Watuga Lake sidetracked us, and a whole crew of us ended up zeroing or stopping to relax lakeside and grill more food. Burgers, dogs, and drinks and some swimming ruled the day.It did however rain, hard and long, on thursday, and with that a cold front came in. Nights are once again pretty cold, but the forecast shows things should be warming up, and no rain for the next nine days. I cannot complain with that. In fact, it's hard to complain with much.My feet are falling apart. After about 400 miles of hiking, I think my feet have decided that they have had enough. They had been doing just fine up until about that point. They are blistered, raw, and cut. In fact, on Easter I barely made it to our campsite. If it wasn't for the fact that Dethmarch had all four steaks in his pack, I am have stopped earlier, but the promise of steak kept me moving. When I finally got the boots off, however, my left foot was actually bleeding. The marathon hike yesterday, didn't help. My body feels incredible, I can hike all day without any soreness or much fatigue, but my feet won't take it. They say that after thirty days on the trail a marathon runner and an over weight hiker will be equally fit. I'm neither a marathon runner, or over weight, but the idea is, my legs are good to go. To top it off, I've also picked up a pretty solid tan.I think I am likely (okay, definitely) zeroing here today in Damascus. The feet need a rest, the hostel is cheap, and all you can eat pizza is in the works for lunch.