Date: 2006-06-11
To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

This is Big David logging an entry in for Jeff ( Camel) and Mary (Little Billy Goat Gruff). It's been 6 days since Kathy and I left them on the Appalachian Trail so I thought I should let everyone know how the walk-in went for them. The night before the first hike we stayed at the luxurious Swiss Inn, which is owned and operated by a young woman origninally from India. Jeff wanted to save money by having all us stay in one room, but I convinced him it would be better to have separate rooms. At the motel they showed us their packs and all the food they had with them that was to last for a week. It was nothing you would want to eat unless you had to be hiking the Appalachian Trail. They will give themselves a break by going off trail about once a week when they come across small towns with motels. The Indian girl said she had several motels along the trail they could stay at. We got up early the next morning to hike in. The start off the trail in Damascus is just outside of town, but you have to look for it to find it. There is a sign, but nothing as big as you'd expect for something so famous. The morning weather was suuny, cool, and beautiful, and they could not have asked for better skies to start their long journey. We made many jokes in the beginning about a trip Jeff, Mary, and I took to Colorado almost 30 years ago. We visited Jeff's sister, Jackie and had a great time. We also went camping a couple of nights on our own. At the campsite Jeff saw a small mountain in the distance and said it would be a great idea to climb it the following day. It was a lot farthere away than it looked and we were tired by the time we got there. Mary didn't want to climb all the way to top, but I wanted to really bad. Mary kind of made Jeff stay with her which is where things went wrong. I started climbing to the top. The entire mountain was'nt really high, but it was made up of enormous scraggy rocks that had to be climbed over. I wasn't making very good progress when it was getting late in the day so I thought I should start to head down. It was harder going down than going up and it was getting later and later. Though it was late Spring there was still some snow in spots on the mountain and I saw a slope of snow about 40 feet long that I could slide down. It was a big mistatke because I slid down so fast at the end of the snow I had to slam my feet into the rocks below in order to stop. I went flying over the rocks, and though I wasn't hurt l lost my glasses in the fall. I was releived I wasn't hurt, but I couldn't find my glasses and couldn't see well at all without my glasses. I was so scared I would be stuck on the mountain, I started crying and screaming for Mary and Jeff to come and find me. Thankfully Mary was so worried I hadn't come down that she sent Jeff to find me. I don't know how he did it, but he was my hero when he found me and helped get me to the bottom. We high-tailed it back to camp, but got very lost on the way back. There was no trail to guide us so we just got lost. Mary was only wearing sandals for this hike and they kept getting stuck in the muddy parts. She started crying. Looking back it was hilarious. We finally found a road and Jeff ran back to get the car. Mary and I hitched a ride from this older couple who scolded us for trying to hike like that. We didn't care. We were having the time of our lives. We met up with Jeff, drove to the nearest motel, and ate which was one of the best meals I have had in my entire life. Now on this new adventure, the Camel and Little Billy Goat Gruff are going on the ultimate adventure. I have some pictures to show about the walk-in, but will post them later. Kathy and I joked about hiking with them all the way and just living off the land, but my soccer knee only last about 30 minutes before we said our goodbyes, and reminded them to look out for eachother. As we hiked back to our car. We kept turning around to take one last look at them. They were a tiny bit nervous, but very excited and happy to be starting. On the long drive back to Dayton part of the highway through Virginia paralled the Appalachian Trail and we would look out the window seeing the very mountain they would be hiking across days from now. At one point I measured how far towns were from each other. One sign said Adkins, VA. 15 miles. I told Kathy we would be there in 15 minutes where it would take Jeff and Mary an entire day to cover that distance. I have to hand it to them. Not everyone can do what they are trying to do, or would want to, but I sure am proud that I personally know someone that is doing it.