Date: 2015-10-01
From: Harper's Ferry 

To: ATC Blackburn Center 
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: light rain

I arrived back in Harper's Ferry yesterday evening after an 8 hour train ride from Connecticut. It was a strange feeling coming back to where I started over 4 months ago in May and now hiking south instead of north. Tea Horse Hostel was such a great place that I stayed there again and even got the same bunk bed. Laurel has such a clean and friendly place that it doesn't feel like a hostel. I met Croc Man and Dirty Rotten Liar on the Amtrak at Union Station in DC. They are both flip flopper as well. Croc Man hikes in crocs which I don't understand and has a 20 pound pack. He summited Kathadin in June and is now flipping. He also spent the night at Tea Horse. Slim who is SOBO was there as well. It is popular with cyclists because of the C&O trail.I had a great visit with my daughter and grand daughter Isabelle who is now 14 months old. She has changed so much since I last saw her in June. It was a great way to celebrate my 53rd birthday. It was very special that my Mom and Aunt were there as well. It was hard to leave Isabelle but I've got a trail to finish and the weather is not getting any warmer.As luck would have it I found out there was a tropical storm on a path that could hit Virginia within a week. I now hear that it is a category 4 hurricane and could cause flooding and mudslides in my path. After eating a delicious waffle breakfast that Laurel cooked for us I started hiking towards Virginia in the rain. It rained steadily all day but not too hard. The walk was very pleasant. I saw so many different types of mushrooms today with bright colors. Oh, and a total of seven deer. I think I am going to like Virginia. The temperature dropped throughout the day and I was quite cold. Not as cold as Maine though.I started my hike out of Harper's Ferry the same way I started in May...going the wrong way. I was hiking on the wrong side of the highway today along the Shenandoah River and missed the turn off. I finally turned around and went back and retraced my steps. It's sad but funny I guess.The trail was full of small rocks today and relatively good terrain. So different from where I've been. If only it wasn't raining and cold and a hurricane out there.I am laying in a bunk bed at a cabin with a wood stove at The ATC Blackburn Center. The blue blazed trail to get here was the most difficult section all day. There is a big caretaker cabin with huge porches and what looks like a very nice set up. The caretaker Trail Boss was very welcoming and made me a hot cup of tea when I arrived. There is a group of section hikers here who made a fire, and I have finally stopped shivering. Hopefully my shoes and clothes will be drier in the morning. This is a great spot to spend the night, especially in this wet unpredictable weather. Tomorrow is supposed to be heavier rain all day and it's not because of Hurricane Joaquin yet. There is a noreasterner going through as well.We shall see what the forecasts say tomorrow. Either way it is going to be very wet for awhile. I am going to have to embrace it and find a way to keep warm. If only there was a wood stove in a cabin every night. The rain is very loud, but I am now dry and warm. Good night.