Date: 2011-06-09
From: Harpers Ferry, WV

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

I left my phone on vibrate in my pocket while I slept so when mum and Serena got in they could wake me without waking the rest of the dorm. They drove up from Nashville which took them about 10 hours. They got in around 6:00 am. I ran down rather excited to see them finally after all I had been through to get here on time. I hopped in the car with them and we made our way towards Bears Den to get my stuff since everything would be closed so early. As it turns out it is further to drive to Bears Den then it is to walk it. Albeit much faster. We stopped just around the corner from the hostel for a nice breakfast until they opened the gate to Bears Den. Since we were fairly early getting to Bears Den most of the hikers were still having breakfast. We offered to transport everyone's gear to Harpers Ferry. Alien and Peru were rather excited at the oppurtunity to slack, just like I was. We spun back to the Town's Inn where we got private rooms for two nights. I also booked Alien and Peru into the last two bunks and dropped their stuff off. The three of us walked around the quiant old town and grabbed some ice cream. We went down to the old functioning train station and placed pennies on the tracks before the next train. We found all four flattened coins. there was a hikng outfitter next door to the hostel that i thought would be cool to check out. i asked the girl in theshop if she had any suggestions for my treking poles, since the left one has split down the shaft. she said that she may be able to fix them in the shop and that i should bring them to her. i was skeptical. the metal pole was split. it wasn't something you could glue or mend. i went to get them anyway. i handed her the broken pole and she looked at it and said "yes, i think i can fix this" . i'm still thinking that she could only tape it like i did, but she pulls out a large box of spare treking pole parts! she happens to have a replacement piece that she will swap out, on both poles for no charge! sweetness! I wanted to get my re-supply out of the way, so off to Wal-mart we went. I bought far too much food as usual, along with some vino and a few beers due to the early closing pubs. While I shopped for food Serena washed my few remaining clothes items that I didn't wash at Bears Den along with my sleeping bag. That is another excellent reason to have synthetic over down bag. They are far easier to wash and dry. I also nipped into the salon next to the laundrymat and got a quick haircut. We got back to the hostel and unloaded all of our stuff into the rooms. Since I had been there for going on 24 hours I was well known to the owner and her helper. Karan was in D.C. on business so her helper - Barbara was watching the place. Barb asked me if I wouldn't mind showing Peru and Alien around when they arrived. I accepted the responsibility without realizing what she was really asking me to do. She left and did not return until the next day. Karen was spending the night in D.C. so...apparently I was in charge of the hostel!? What? I wanted to leave and have dinner with mum and Serena. I called Barb and explained that I would appoint another hiker to the responsibility in my absence. I also left a note on the door for Alien. We went to a highly reccomended chinese buffet which was subpar at best. We arrived to find Alien settled in and ready for a few beers on the patio. We had few drinks all together and retired fairly early since we had big plans for tomorrow...