Date: 2003-06-14
From: Blackburn AT Hostel 1,650

To: Harper's Ferry Hostel 260
Miles today: 14.2

The race was on this morning to get to the Harper's Ferry post office before noon. We all got up at 5:00 after a sleepless night because EZ snores like a bear! I poked him several times. It did no good. Bill, the caretaker of the AT Center, took four of our packs to the ATC office in Harper's Ferry so we could slack pack the 12.6 into town. I was on the trail by 6:00 which is a record for me. I made it to the post office by 10:30 or so. Got my packages, including a post card from my friend Kayren and a care package from Juli and Kenyon in Colorado. Thanks for the banana chips and conditioner! I used it already. I took my food to the ATC Headquarters and found Kiwi and Dreamwalker, Booble, Nimble, and Lube (Nick). Every hotel, B&B, etc. was full, so I tried to gather some people to get a cabin at KOA. Glad that didn't work out because I am at an awesome hostel. It is the Harper's Ferry Hostel and it is the best so far. For $15.00 you get a bed with linens and a pillow, towel and washcloth, shower, fully stocked CLEAN kitchen, common room, phone, grill, and lots of space. The hostel has a store that sells hiker food since it is hard to find in town and they sell junk food and Ben and Jerry's. This place will sleep about 40 people and you can tent in the yard for $9.00 per night. I believe you can also do work for stay. So far, I am the only girl in the girls dorm. Hope it stays that way. Awesome shower, too. The caretakers are great and they have a cool dog named Munchkin. So far only myself, EZ, and Potatohead are here and some girl scouts and two other girls are tenting outside.The hostel is about 2 trail miles out of town so we walked around town before coming over here. Sweet Ass and I went to check out Jefferson Rock and two churches built in the early 1800's. One was only walls, the other is being restored and is beautiful. I went to get pizza with EZ, Booble, and Sweet Ass and we saw Lemming, Drew, and Zero there. Then we got ice cream and went to the outfitter. I needed fuel, a packtowel, and sock liners. Mice ate my packtowel and one pair of sock liners. Damn them! They're not so cute anymore.We were getting ready to begin the two mile hike to the hostel when we saw Snack Attack in his truck. He lives around here. I had not seen him since my first night on the trail. He said he would take us to the hostel so we took him up on it. I skipped about 2.5 miles of trail today altogether. I feel a slight regret about skipping the really easy 2 miles to the hostel but my feet are thanking me.Staying at the hostel makes my day tomorrow shorter. I'm okay with that. There are no mice in this hostel. I am so okay with that!Here are some questions I was thinking about on my way into Harper's Ferry during the really easy hike this morning. These are the questions I am asked most often by tourists, other hikers, etc.When did you start?Have you read Bill Bryson's book?What are your average miles per day?Have you read Bill Bryson's book?What do you eat? (deer, squirrel, berries, the usual)Have you read Bill Bryson's book?Do your feet hurt? (No, I always walk like John Wayne)Have you read Bill Bryson's book?Where are you from? (I guess the trail name isn't obvious enough)Have you read Bill Bryson's book?Where did you start? You get the picture. Bill Bryson's book is called A Walk in the Woods. It is about his experience hiking the AT. It is hysterical but not inspirational. He did not finish the trail. In fact, he didn't come close. I am a bit dismayed that this particular book is the one that has made the AT popular with so many people. There are so many other great books out there. David Brill's As Far As the Eye Can See is the one that inspired me. Walking the Appalachian Trail by Luxembourg I believe is another wonderful book. A Journey North has been recommended to me as well. There are so many books that are more inspiring and informative that Bryson's. His is only entertainment but good entertainment. Enough of my soap box.I'm going to use the phone since no one is on it, then I'm going to cook something from my pack since it is really heavy. Ahh, the pros and cons of a maildrop.Goodnight Oscar.