Date: 2009-04-07
From: Damascus, Virginia

To: Mt. Rogers, Virginia
Miles today: 48.0

Family and Friends:I did a journal entry on Sunday night from Quincy's Pizza Restaurant in Damascus, VA. I have to admit that my insights, prose and witticisms were my best yet, since starting this blog. All good writers obviously had lasagna before putting pen to paper. But, alas, Quincy's computer crashed before I could submit it to Trail Journals (maybe because I closed the place down).So forgive me, here are some post-chicken salad sandwich musings.I came into Damascus, Virginia (mile 463 of the AT's 2,175 total miles) on Saturday afternoon at 5:30 pm. My day's hike was 26.2 miles and completed in 9.5 hours (a marathon effort). My biggest mileage day yet. I arrived in time to see the start of the NCAA semi-final games. Quite impressive, right?Well, actually it was a 'guilt' hike for me. The day before, I stopped at 11:30 am and after only 6.8 miles due to cold, foggy weather conditions. I came to a shelter and just went in and got into my sleeping bag. I spent the next 18 hours in that bag. Discouraged, yes; but not a case of 'get off the trail' depression. The next morning posed an interesting mileage target and a meaningful reward at the end. The terrain was also in my favor. Typically as you come off the trail into a town, the trail is downhill as you come off the mountain ridges. Happily, it was also shirt sleeve weather.There is no better feeling as an AT hiker than having a boy scout troop move off to the side of the trail and look at you in awe as they let you pass. Saturday was a three boy scout troop day!Coming into Damascus I met Cowboy and his grandson, Broomstick (everyone in this town seems to have a trail name). Cowboy welcomed me to town and invited me to Cowboy's Restaurant for blueberry pancake breakfast each morning at 7 am. He also told me about the other restaurants (3) in town, including Dot's.I checked into a hostel (Dave's Place, $10/ night), showered and rushed to Dot's Place to watch the game. Now Dot's is a mixture of diner, honky tonk and country & western bar. Penn-J, Caveman and I all arrived in time for the start of the game and sat right at the bar. We were ready for the 6:07 tip-off until one of the locals said we had to wait until the end of the John Wayne western ("The Comancheros"). A fair price to pay...Over beers, burgers and french fries I made it through the first game. A fair reward for a full hiking day.I took a 'zero' day on Sunday on a beautiful weather day (74 degrees). Funny how all the locals could only talk about the coming snow, while all the hikers scarfed down blueberry pancakes.Monday, after a quick trip to the post office (and another trip to Cowboy's), Penn-J and I started out of town and up the mountain. Hikers will admit the first day OUT of town is the hardest. You are filled with restaurant food and beers, your pack is filled with resupplies and the AT always climbs up to the next ridgeline.We met up with Left Toe at lunch, just as the snow started. We three amigos did 15.8 miles to the Lost Mountain Shelter. The temperatures were dropping but we made it to dry sleeping spot. The snow probably only totaled 2-3" yesterday.Well... now for today.I was the first one out of the shelter at a leisurely time of 9:30 am. Being the first person on the trail makes you the trailblazer of bushwacker. You cut the trail (after you find it) and then you limbo under the rhododendrons, white laurels and hemlocks. Needless to say, your pace is slower than normal. On the plus side, I was first to see some fresh wolf tracks (confirmed by a local).After a half hour the snow was coming down harder than anytime yesterday. After coming to an open field and not being able to see blazes or signs of a trail, I decided enough was enough. When I came to a road, I waited for Penn-J. I told him I was going to hitch back into Damascus. Our scheduled hike for today was to go over the top two elevation mountains in Virginia. These included large bald areas (and the anticipated lack of visible blazes).Penn-J decided to wait for Left Toe but he would then go on. I headed to VA 58 to increase my hitchhiking opportunities back to Damascus. Is caution the better part of valor? Was it just the opportunity for more blueberry pancakes?I'll let you know when I decide. I'm currently in the Damascus Town Library. I'm staying at The Hiker Inn tonight ($20/night, with linens). The other hostels in town are also full as the weather has constipated the outflow of hikers. Good thing I can get a ride 18.1 miles up the trail tomorrow morning to beat the rushhour hiker traffic. I only have 45 miles to go before meeting my friend, Rich Rosenthal, for a ride back to Charlotte on Good Friday afternoon. Rich will be close by flyfishing the local waters. He says all good Jewish fly fishermen go out on Christian holidays. Something about the fish letting their guards down...Everyone, have a great holiday. When I'm home I plan on downloading my recent Appalachian Trail pictures onto this blog. Take a look.