Date: 2007-06-01
From: VA 55; Manassass Gap

To: U.S. 50, Ashby Gap
Miles today: 11.7

A short day but it was so hot and humid and the bugs were bad. So it was a good day to have a short day. The trail wasn't too bad; there were a few places where there were rocks but they were over with in a short time. The weeds were overgrown in some places and in other places the trail was trimmed nicely. We saw no animals, no views, and only 2 hikers that were out for the day. Since we were hiking north like most everyone else we did not see any of the hikers we have been seeing. Only when we got back into Front Royal did we see anyone and that was Pooch, Tom Dooley, and Gatorgump. Gator's nephew went home so Gator is by himself now. His nephew, Random Kid, promised to send us cookies that he will make himself. He gave us some cookies after he first got on the trail that he had made and we thoroughly enjoyed them. Basically, the day was very uneventful except for the bugs swarming around our heads. I have new bites on me every day. Tomorrow we start the "roller coaster" to the Bears Den Hostel. That is a series of 10 or so up and downs on a narrow corridor of the AT. The elevations are not nearly as high as what we have been having so there are no views that I can remember. Then we plan to hike into Harpers Ferry the next day, a distance of just under 20 miles. I hope it is cooler. We plan to leave the van at the hostel and get someone to shuttle us back to pick up the van after we reach Harpers Ferry. We have returned to the campground where we have been staying, but first we stopped off at Pizza Hut for their lunch buffet. We got there 15 minutes after the time the buffet was to be over but the waitress said we could eat from what was left and there was plenty there for us. After eating we went to the outfitter and we bought ourselves hydration packs for when we slack-pack. We miss having a tube available for drinking water whenever we want a drink. Without the tube we have to stop and take our water bottle out of our smaller waist pack. Also, we have only been able to carry 1 liter of water. Now we can carry 3 liters each---probably enough for a 20 mile day unless it is very warm like it has been. We will also carry a water filter in case we need to purify more water.   We thank everyone for their guest book entries. I wish we had time to e-mail everyone but please do know that we appreciate everyone's interest in our journey. This hiking every day is like a job we go to everyday---it's hard!! And in the evening we are very tired and it is about all we can do to take care of laundry, showering, eating, and unpacking for the night while we are slack-packing. When we stay out on the trail the evenings are busy with getting water and filtering it, cooking, setting up the tent and/or getting our sleeping space ready in the shelter if we are not tenting. Then we try to wash off the best we can with moist towlettes and change into dry (not sweaty) and cleaner clothes. And then do the journaling before we forget what kind of day we've had--because after a day or two it is very hard to remember the events of each day. Some people would say that slack packing is not the way to hike. These people would be called purists that think this way. But everyone must hike their own hike and for everyone that is different. For now, slack packing is good for us. We get showers, softer beds, better food, leave the bugs behind (usually), and definitely the mice. We can walk the number of miles we want to walk without having to depend on shelters and suitable camping spots with a water source spaced just the distance we want to go. Slack packing does have some disadvantages like taking us away from the trail community in that we are not at the shelters, etc. where they are. That is one reason I am looking forward to seeing people at the hostel tomorrow night. But it is awfully nice to be in someplace to get clean, wash our stinky clothes, and get better food. It's a toss-up. Either way we lose something. For now we are happy doing what we're doing as long as we can do the miles we want to do. Until tomorrow night from Bears Den Hostel, good night and peace to all.    Life is Great!Dorothy & Toto