Date: 2008-04-20
From: Harpers Ferry WV

To: Harpers Ferry WV
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: mist

Woke up this morning to nasty pouring rain! Yippy, no plans to hike keeps Certain a dry girl. I called yesterday and got a reservation @ a new Inn/hostel in Harpers Ferry. The owner, Karan, said we could check in early, but we ended up getting a late check out @ the Holiday Inn, so we got up, ate brunch (buffet in the hotel restaurant), and played some cards, and guess what..Karen actually won a game! Finally @ 2:00 p.m., we checked out and headed to Harpers Ferry. It was pouring like crazy, and all I kept saying over and over today was, "Wow, I'm so glad I'm not out in this." Then the lightening and thunder started, and I was REALLY glad.We got to the Town's Inn around 3:30 p.m., and met Karan Towndsen, the owner. She was on the phone w/her 87 yr old mother, so we chilled on the couch. She gave us a tour, and explained all the renovations they had to do to the place, then took us upstairs (the house, which had originally been a store on the bottom floor, was built in the 1840's). We have the Mountain View Room, which actually has a view of the back of the restaurant next door. Pretty hilarious, and our room has double-sized bunkbeds! I've never seen this before. There's a small fridge and microwave as well, and a table and chairs. This is a more expensive private room, but downstairs is a hiker bunkroom with a full kitchen apparently, I've not seen it yet.So we got settled, played another game of cards (I won this time), and then grabbed the Chess set downstairs and played a game. I won that game too! LOL We aren't quite sure why Karen loves playing/losing games so much, but we always have fun.Finally, we decided to see if the PO has one of those self-serve things, but it didn't. We drove up to 7/11 so I could get some Excedrin (Persistent turned me on to this stuff..seems I'm having caffeine withdrawal headaches), and then went to The Anvil for dinner. Pretty good food there, and 1 of 2 places open on a Sunday evening. I had French Onion soup and a big chicken salad and Karen had the Trout, which was excellent. We drove back and it's still pouring, but it's cool to see this town at nite as a ghost town. Totally dead here, which is opposite to its normal tourist-packed state.Karen has to leave in the a.m., and if it is still pouring, I might chill out one more day but move down to the hiker room downstairs. My friend, Ann (who is mommy to Opie the cat) and I might connect somehow. She lives somewhere around here, so who knows. I'll be calling her tomorrow.So just a relaxing day, super super happy to be high and dry, but eager to get the next leg going too. Without the tremendous time pressure that I had last year, I'm not stressing taking an additiona day off to stay dry. It's so nice really.So I think this year's hikers ought to give this place a shot, it's like $30.00 for a hiker bunk, no meals though, but literally 2 doors down from the outfitter. I would call and reserve though. It's very clean and everything is new. The Town's Inn Pub and Eatery is next door, and another restaurant across the street. It's totally convenient to everything, but the PO and library are a little ways up the road. We'll see what tomorrow holds. It's so great to be livin the free life again.~Certain