Date: 2007-06-19
From: Blackburn Trail Center

To: Hilltop House Hotel, Harpers Ferry, WV
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: haze

Tuesday 19 June 2007 Day 95We got an early start, since it was looking like another hot day. After a stiff climb back to the trail, we were passed by Quarter Moon and Ohm. After awhile we saw colored smoke in the distance, and as we approached, saw that Quarter Moon had set off some smoke bombs at a point in the trail containing twigs fashioned to read '1000'. Only 1,174 left to go.About six miles into the day, I had to stop for a break. I felt totally exhausted, but after a short break took off ahead of Gus. I walked a faster pace, reaching the highway adjacent to the Shenandoah River in decent time. I sat on the cool concrete walkway under the highway bridge and pulled my book out until Gus arrived. We climbed up alongside the highway and crossed the Shenandoah, then climbed the hill to a blue-blazed trail into Harpers Ferry and the headquarters of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. After spending some time on the ATC computers, we picked up three parcels at the post office--bounce box, package from home, and one from Dennis Boyer. We schlepped the boxes back up the hill to the Hilltop House Hotel overlooking the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.The parcel from Dennis had been sent to Daleville, VA, but since we arrived there on a Sunday, and left the next day--Memorial Day--we missed it. It actually turned out well, 'cause Dennis had sent four tubs of popcorn from Rural 1 Popcorn out in southwest Wisconsin, and there was so much we were unable to finish it all. If we had been in Daleville, we would have had to try and find other hikers to give it to, but in Harpers Ferry, we were able to leave it for other hikers at the ATC office.We tried to find a laundry area at the hotel that the desk clerk told us about, but I guess the door was locked, and the clerk couldn't find the key. The place was on the National Register of Historically Funky Rundown Buildings, and could use a couple million dollars of work. We gave up looking and went down for pizza at King's, about the only reasonably priced restaurant in walking distance.After dinner we walked out to a 7-11 for laundry detergent and ice cream. Our friends Ben and Jerry were there, along with Quarter Moon and Ohm, doing a 7-11 resupply. Afterwards we went back to our room and opened our presents. After nearly three months in the woods, I'm Jonesing for radio, music, and other superficial aspects of our unnatural lifestyle. I get up in the morning, and all I hear are the same damn birds, singing the same damn songs, day after day. I mean, it's not like I don't like birds, but I can't see well enough to find them, especially when there's leaves everywhere. Binoculars are too heavy, I've already got way too much crap in my pack. So, like, I NEED SOME SOUNDS IN MY EARS.I started talking to Gus about this some time ago, but the situation hadn't arisen before Pearisburg, and we haven't been within walking distance of a Radio Shack, or heaven forbid, Best Buy or Circuit City (huh, what?) since P-burg. So when we got shanghaied at Front Royal, I thought about Radio Shack. We got within sight of a Radio Shack on the ride back to the trail, but Gus had made me promise, for some strange reason, not to go there at this point. When she had to reemphasize her request and my promise by hitting me on the shoulder, I figured she had something cooking, and decided to defer my shopping until we got to Harpers Ferry. And now we're here.In the package from home was a SanDisk 2gb MP3 player with FM radio, loaded with music chosen by Tina and Eric. Once I figured out how to turn it on, I tuned in a Front Royal oldies station. The first three songs were from the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Association. I was almost in tears as I listened. I laid in the dark until past 11, listening to music I've heard hundreds of times, but not in the last three and half months.Day 95--12.0 miles; cumulative 1017.3; average 10.7