Date: 2008-05-02
From: Mountain Harbor Hiker Hostel

To: Damascus, Virginia
Miles today: 74.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Monday morning we left Mountain Harbor Hostel and hiked in the rain. It was one of those days when you needed to keep moving to keep warm. We hiked 19.6 miles that day and finally set up our tents on a small opening in the woods. During the night the wind howled and it rained hard most of the night. Toward morning the temperture turned really cold and the rain froze on our tents. When we got up at 6:00 we were living in igloos. We busted the ice as good as we could and bent our frozen tents in our backpacks. We then hiked 3 miles to the Kincora Hostel where we unpacked and unthawed our frozen tents and ourselves. You could say it was a very in tents situation. Kincora is owned by Bob Peoples who is a well known trail maintainer in this area. He has a very nice area to take care of. He also shuttles hikers anywhere they need to go. After warming up we headed back up the trail. We followed a nice stream most of the morning and soon arrived at a beautifull waterfalls named Laurel Falls. I have some really nice pictures from the falls. Talking about pictures, I sent my camera card home with around 200 pictures and Ina and Shaun will be posting them today. So by tonight you should be able to access them. I plan on sending them every several weeks. Thank you Ina for all you do to make this hike possible. She is sending me my food to different locations. She is the manager of the new retail bakery and cafe at Dutch Valley Restaurant. Stop in and say hi to her from me and try our new doughnuts and creme sticks. After leaving Laurel Falls we arrived at Pond Mountain. This mountain really surprised us. A mountain named Pond just should not be that difficult. Mountain Sailor, my hiking partner said to be sure and explain just how difficult it was. A hiking book said it is as steep as a mules face. It sure kicked our donkey. A mountain that difficult just should not be named Pond. I keep thinking it should be getting easier to climb these things. After 10 more miles we arrived at US 321 at a place called Watauga Lake. Two miles to the left was Hampton, Tenn. and since the forcast was for record colds we decided to hike to Hampton. On the way we passed a small block church inviting all to come hear the full gospel preached that night, implying of course that all other churches don't. When I get back I'll have to ask Pastor Ross what he's been holding back on. We stayed at a hostel called Braemer Castle, a 50 room renovated office building owned by a timber company untill purchased by Sutton Brown. He also runs a grocery and hardware store across the street. These are interesting towns we stay in. We have not been in any Wall Mart towns yet, so I find these mom and pop towns interesting. It like life was like back home in Millersburg, Ohio 50 years ago. Some of you will still remember Gensimers 5&10, Dewitts Drug Store and other downtown stores where we used to shop. I don't have a rant against Wall Mart like I do about dams, but they sure have reshaped society. I have become completly untracked. Two day ago we passed an old grave stone standing alone in the woods. The stone read, "here lies Uncle Nick Grindstone". "He lived alone, he suffered alone, and he died alone". What a sad comment. The story goes that someone wronged him and he moved up in the hills by himself a bitter man. Whatever the case no one should ever die alone. It sure makes you think. I laid in front of his grave and had my picture taken. Earlier we had passed the watauga dam itself which is an earthen dam. You could see the huge gouges from the mountain side where they had cut rocks to make the dam. The difference between concrete and earthen dams is that earthen dams fail quicker. I would not want to live downstream from an earthen dam. Just ask the folks in Johnstown Pa. The shelf life of a concrete dam left untended is around 200 years. The Glenn Canyon dam in Page Az. is plugging up Glenn Canyon, however it is collecting so much silt that in 50 years I expect it to turn into the biggest man made waterfalls ever. I guess I just don't like dams. My thought process is all over the place today. We finally left Tenn. and N.C. behind for good and entered Virginia yesterday. We are staying in Damascus at a bed and breakfast. We have the run of the entire house. The lady that owns the house was on the front porch when we were walking down the sidewalk and she said she knew right away we were going to stay there. Today we are taking a well deserved day off to let our sore muscles heal. We arrived in Damascus in record time. We hiked around 470 miles in one month. The place we are staying at is called Montgomery Homestead. We are down to a party of two since 26.2 left us to return to Nebraska this morning. He is the reason why we are in Damascus this early. I had to hike like a crazed person to keep up with him, but I was determined to do it. I am a better hiker because of him. We will miss him. We really impressed the younger hikers by our early rising and big miles. I have lost 25 pounds and now weigh the same as I did when I got married 34 years ago. You would think losing 25 pound and having a pack weight of 35 pounds would mean your are only carrying an extra 10 pounds, but it still feels like a big sack of concrete mix on my back. I am at the library in Damascus and there are people waiting for the computer so I must go. Thanks for all the prayers and words of encouragement on my guest book. Whenever I have cell reception that is the first thing I check. If I can I will post on Sunday since I have another rant that's taking seed in my mind. Tomorrow we head for Mt Rodgers, our next obstacle on our path to Maine.