Date: 2016-05-25
From: Woodchuck Hostel

To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: clear sky

My plan was to sleep in today as I was meeting Luigi for breakfast. She had to hike 7 miles to get into town and she thought she would be here by 10. I was wide awake and looked at my watch 6:30am. Really! So much for sleeping in. Woodchucks gives you a hot breakfast for 2 bucks which was fantastic. Oj, coffee, strawberries, bananas,potatoes, waffles with syrup and whipped cream. It was fantastic. The kitchen was already full as everyone seemed to be up early. Last night wast nearly that cold and it was nice sleeping weather. On the walls in the kitchens dining area where two maps. One global and one of the USA. This hostel has been open since 2014 and they ask every guest to put a pin from where their home is. I was the first to put a pin from the Catskills. After breakfast I packed up all my gear and tent and had my bag ready to go. I spent the time charging all my devices bad chatted with the other hikers there. The weather was another blue bird sky day and it was s beauty. It was gonna be hot and humid finally. Luigi texted me saying she was walking into town. I left the hostel and walked down the street when I realized she was at the restaurant and not coming to the hostel. It was her 30 birthday and I treated her to breakfast. I looked at her and said goodbye 20's and welcome to the 30's party. Luigi got a combo and got her chocolate chip pancakes. No issues and no heads had to roll in the pancake department. They came through and provided choc pancakes with no issues. We walked back to the hostel and Luigi checked in and I got my boots on and suited up to shove off. I said goodbye to Ompi and gasket. Both were taking another zero as Ompi was letting his foot heal and gasket was waiting for his friend to heal. A lot of people injured themselves coming into Damascus due to the mud and trying to do crazy big days. I pushed off at about 1ish and walked down Main Street to mail a few postcards at post office. The trail follows Main Street then goes right following US route 58 which then the AT joins the Virginia Creeper trail. I had to follow that for .40 miles. I almost stepped on copperhead snake which was just sitting on the trail. I thought it was a stick. Jeez!! The trail crossed route 58 and we got right at it climbing up up up. I'm getting used to this come into town happy and dreaming of food. Leave town and you pay!! It wasn't to bad but I'm not sure if it was because I have trail legs. The pitch and steepness I was thinking I should be resting, breathing heavy, sweating right now but I'm good. Such a weird feeling. I took a couple of breaks to drink water as it was warm and humid. After about 3 miles I stopped to drink and I see little John coming up the trail. I haven't seen him since over mountain shelter which was the big red barn that got converted to a shelter. We walked and chatted for several miles. The trail came over the first high point and we descended back down to the river. We crossed over route 58 again and the trail reconnected for a bit with the Virginia Creeper Trail. It then followed the trail for 2 miles and this section was just beautiful and the sound of cascades was really nice. I so wanted to jump in but the water level was just too high and the current too strong. It was muggy and the water looked so inviting. We turned away from the river and the trail went straight up for 2 miles. We gained 1100 feet of elevation and the trail was a series of 12 switchbacks. We stopped for a water break where the AT makes a u turn and there is another trail that stays straight ahead. This goes back to the Virginia Creeper within a mile. While sitting there Tarzan came up the trail. He had passed me at Watauga Lake but I didn't know his trail name. He said hello up little John and myself and I thought he was waking to sit on the other side of me but he kept on trekking. I was like no no no wrong way. I almost didn't catch him. He was so thankful and didn't notice that the AT made s U-turn. He would of been walking at least a mile out of his way. We continued back up the trail and came across knot who tented next to Otter and I at trail days. He's about 10 years older than me and was dying in the humidity too. We finally came across a sign for the shelter which was a .25 mile blue blaze. We arrived and I set up my tent while little John jumped into the shelter. We made dinner and sat around and chatted before it was hiker midnight. So we thought we looked at our watches and it was only 8:25 but it was bed for all of us. Only about 9 miles today but I was wiped. I had purchased tape for my blisters at dollar general which worked really well. They did not carry moleskin so this was my only option. My two side blisters hurt early on but as it got more humid they boots seemed to stretch and they didn't hurt as bad. I have my socks off and I'm trying to dry them off.