Date: 2011-05-13
From: Damascus, VA

To: Trail Days
Miles today: 0.0

Friday dawned cloudy but at least not raining. I cleaned up in one of the bathrooms in The Place, then headed to the Fire Station for their Trail Days breakfast. I assumed - as did most hikers - that the breakfast was free but we were disabused of any such notion by a big sign on the sidewalk that announced the breakfast was $5.00. It was tasty but not expansive, I would have felt cheated if I had paid $5.00 in a restaurant and gotten the meal I did. Oh well... I walked across the Virginia Creeper Trail bridge to the Vendor area and visited with a number of people. At the ATC booth I got the obligatory ATC tattoo on my arm (still there by the way) but was disappointed to see that a nifty canvas bag was available free to new members. I am a sustaining member of the ATC so I was ineligible. I walked on through the row of vendors, being tempted by fantastic deals right and left, none of which I could afford of course but it's fun to look nonetheless. By 11:00, I made my way to the Rock School for the ALDHA reception and luncheon. I ran into a number of friends from the Trail and enjoyed just hanging out with them. The food was a factor in that as well of course. One thing AT hikers learn quickly is to take advantage of any free food!! I made my way back to Mt Rogers Outfitters to hear Gene Espy talk about his 1951 thru-hike, only the second one in history.   I visited with a couple of women volunteers with the FBC and they told me to drop by the "Friendship Porch" at the Hiker's Inn just West of FBC. There, I was feted with cookies, fresh coffee and a choice of handmade, crocheted hats.Apparently, a group of church women had been asked to crochet 100 hats to be given away at Trail Days. Instead, they produced almost 300! I chose one with my favorite colors and sat down to be regaled with stories of the Navy by two elderly veterans. I continue to be overwhelmed by the impulse to serve found in these righteous, church going Virginia folks. After I left the Hiker Inn, I was walking down Laurel Ave when, to my surprise (and utter delight) I saw Kathleen, the hiker from Portland, Me. I helped at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega, GA, many weeks before. Kathleen had arrived from ME. totally unprepared for the AT, physically, emotionally and equipment-wise. I spent most of an afternoon and night (glad I was taking a nero day), going through her equipment, discarding most of it and trying to prepare her for the Trail as best I could. With all my efforts, I never for a minute thought she would last two days on the trail. And yet, here she was, confident, more fit, and (most importantly) still on the Trail. I cried with joy and surprise as we hugged and talked, hugged and talked... She has gotten much help from many Angels along the Trail and with fortitude and sheer guts, has managed to stay on the Trail and get through the Smokies. She told me she was staying in The Place and we agreed to get together the next morning.   At 19:00, I made my way (with a large crowd of other hikers) to the FBC parking lot where they were serving load of food and treating us with live music. When they brought out ice cream, I grabbed a bowl! I only went back twice... About 20:00, Buttons and I walked out to Tent City to take in the raucous festivities. She renewed acquaintances with a few groups and we walked through the woods (with headlamps averted of course) just looking at the incredible decorations carried in by many groups. The months of preparations that some went through showed clearly!