Date: 2003-06-23
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Apple Tree Bed & Breakfast, Damascus, VA
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

Have to admit I woke up kind of blue this morning, knowing it was my last day to hike with my hiking companions of the last three weeks! Toby's going on from Damascus, but we haven't talked about whether we'll try to stick together or not. I doubt he'll want to take Saturdays off like I do.After all this time of near-constant companionship (which I've chosen, thoroughly enjoyed, and wouldn't trade for the world), I do look forward to SOME solitude again. Kind of to reassess in a way.Still, my heart aches.Hal and I started out at 7:45am - little later than yesterday, but not quite as far to go. I could sense his eagerness and did my best not to hold him up too much. We pushed hard all morning. My ankle/shin was okay - I was conscious of it, but it's usually okay at the start of the day. Our pace was good; small climbs interspersed with flat stretches, some downhill.We stopped for a quick lunch about 12:45, then raced on. I was surprised when we reached the sign by which we knew we were entering Virginia at 2pm! A quick photo shoot and we were off again.Halfway between there and Damascus my shin really started hurting - it's the downhills that do it. I fell behind and started to get frustrated that I couldn't go any faster without serious pain. I kept stopping to stretch it, but the relief only lasted a few steps. Soon I began hearing sounds from town and I hurried in spite of the pain. Hal was so anxious to get there and I so didn't want him to have to wait.I caught him at 3:15 or so just where the Trail emerges from the woods and enters the town. A memorial stands there for a guy whose mother died while he was on the Trail; it reminds hikers to take the time to assess what they've done so far - are you being true to yourself? Hiking your own hike? Keeping the Big Picture in mind? Remembering what's really important?Appropriate, I thought - and ironically sped through the reading and hurried by. I'd have time to reassess later...We stopped for photos again at the wooden AT arch welcoming hikers into Damascus, then walked into town. Ben yelled at us from his friend's car and we set a time to meet before they left to go home to New York. Glad we got to say goodbye before he left!Hal and Anne had reservations at the Apple Tree Bed & Breakfast - two rooms, so they insisted I stay with them there. I've felt like I'm hanging with the high-rollers! Tomorrow I'll move to the Place the deluxe AT experience will be over... ;)The Apple Tree is a quaint old house located on Main Street. People actually sit on the rocking chairs and porch swing out on the front porch. As we sat there ourselves, waiting for the owners to return, who should Hal spot across the street but Old John - AmericanNomad?! He keeps popping up everywhere! We couldn't believe he was here, much less had gotten here ahead of us, but learned later that he'd hitched into town, having already done the section of Trail just south of Damascus some previous time. Before long the owners' in-laws, who were visiting from Louisiana, figured out which rooms were ours and let us in. I headed straight for the shower. Anne came; she'd gotten to town several hours earlier and left her stuff on the porch since there had been no one there at all to let her in. I made sure she didn't mind my staying there with her before I really got settled in.In a token effort to reassert my independence and remind myself I could do this thing alone I ran off alone to the post office to pick up my bounce box. Then we all met at the SideTrack Cafe at 5pm to say goodbye to Ben. Most of us stayed there until closing - five hours later! Toby, Anne, Hal, John, and Walrus were all there, as well as another hiker we'd met a day or two ago named ManBird. He was considering getting off the Trail and Toby gave him a peptalk. Toby's so cool that way - he genuinely cares about people and their Trail experience, and he is so open to talking to and getting chummy with anyone he meets. I like that about him.We ate, drank, talked, laughed, checked our e-mail, even put together an entire puzzle. Hal's sister arrived around 8pm and we entertained her with our Trail stories and gossip. I think she wasn't quite sure what to make of us!When the Side Track closed we headed over to tour the Place and met some other thru-hikers, Shady Smurf and Nomad, talked for awhile and then Anne, Hal, and I returned to the Apple Tree for the night. I am TIRED tonight. Two days of big miles, plus all the excitement of arriving in town. My ankle hurts some; I'll probably take a zero tomorrow - Toby plans to also - and take it from there, see how it feels. At least I know what to do for it this time and can rest and treat it sooner than I did the other one.