Date: 2010-04-03
From: Front Royal, VA

To: Harpers Ferry, WVA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We got up and had continental breakfast at the hotel. Fahmah had decided that he could not continue on without dependable rain gear. We had talked about it at Kincora and Greg gave us directions to EMS toward Manassas, near Dulles Airport. We headed off to EMS. Got there about 10 minutes before they opened. We were happy it was Saturday and not too much traffic. We found the place without a problem. The rain gear was right in front of the door and he picked out & tried on what he wanted. Perfect fit. He got a couple other things, a new light short sleeve shirt, fuel for Klip, and a 3/4 thermarest (his old one was pretty worn out from 07). A big charge on the Visa! Happy Birthday, Fahmah.We headed up to Harper's Ferry, again with Greg's directions, and it took us there perfectly. We called Klip when we were close. The parking everywhere was full. We had to park at the visitor center a couple miles away and take a shuttle ride in. We could move the car after 5 when the crowd died down. Fahmah had a clostrophobic (sp?) attack on the shuttle it was so packed, but we soon got to Harpers and got out. We walked up to the Hostel & Klip was on the porch. The Town's Inn hostel is right on High Street and in an historic old home with lovely stone walls & fireplaces. Karen, the Inn's owner, had the bunks all built and bathrooms and showers brand new in 2007. It is lovely. We stayed in the Friendship Room with 6 bunks, 3 up/3 down and a bar (this one not for drinking...though it had been at one time) with refrigerators, sink & all the dishes, coffeemakers and silver you could want or need. She had a full house for the weekend with the holiday and school break and the beautiful weather that had finally arrived. Harpers Ferry is such a beautiful old, historic town with the shops & museums and so much to see & do. It was wonderful to see Klip again. It was as if the 3 years in between disappeared and he and Fahmah had not been apart. Fahmah called Jack and when Jack called back Klip greeted him with his endearing "Well hello Warthog, how are you?" The "three amigos" will hike again!! Hopefully Jack will be able to join them for Trail Days and then maybe the end of May some time. We had lunch at the Town's Inn Restaurant nextdoor. Klip ordered a salmon sandwich special, but they later came back and said it was all gone. He ordered a softshell crab sandwich instead....oops. When they delivered it all we could do is look at it....it looked like roadkill!! A flattened spider looking thing with all the legs and antenna in place. Not very appetizing, but it sure made for some good laughs for all. We sat around for the afternoon visiting and planning for the next day or two. Fahmah was anxious to get out there and wanted to do some slack packing on Sunday. I really wanted to spend the day on Sunday with them and then leave on Monday, but if they slacked it would cause logistic problems. Then Fahmah wanted to talk to his family on Sunday too while they were all at Frank's, and that would be easier at the Hostel, so hiking waited til Monday. We had dinner across the street and then made it an early night. There weren't any thru hikers in town, but a couple section hikers and some cyclists. In fact, 2 cyclists (a couple from DC) came in and stayed in the bunks above Fahmah & I for the night."FOR YOU JIM"