Date: 2006-06-07
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: David Lesser Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I'm sleeping on the 1000 mile mark. Energizer Bunny and I night hiked from the Blackburn AT Center. Arriving in the dark capped a day of forfeiting miles for indulgence.We started the day with a huge breakfast fixed by Queen Diva at Bear's Den. 12 hikers cleaned every platter. Eggs, pancakes, french toast, bacon, sausage, fruit, everything gone. At table were me, Betty, Stampede, Kutsa, Boogey Man, Misfortune, Fortune Cookie, L.B., Bison, Mute Snail and B-Train. Spirits are high as we approach Harper's Ferry and leave Virginia behind.For the past couple of days I've been singing John Denver as I hike:Take me home to the place where I belongWest Virginia, Mountain MamaTake me home, country road.West Virginia. I can't think of a state with a more beautiful name. An 18 mile day today would put us in Harper's Ferry, cause for celebration. But we decided to delay the gratification. 5 short miles after Bear's Den Hostel we stopped at Blackburn AT Center, run by the Potomac AT Club. Even though we'd just had a great free breakfast we were already contemplating free dinner. At first we stopped in just to see the place, maybe rest and get water. The huge comfortable porch on the main building pulled us in. Fortune Cookie and L.B. were there too and we all just flopped and got comfortable. The caretaker was very welcome and invited us to stay as long as we wanted to. He even mentioned dinner and staying the night even though it was only mid-morning. I've been so torn lately between taking time to enjoy and putting in miles. I always support the first but do the second as much as possible. I worry a little too much about it. Drives Betty crazy. Today the fun side won out. Silly and spontaneous to put in a low miles double free meal day.Betty and I caught a ride to town for resupply with the caretaker. He and his wife had thru hiked a couple of years ago. He said that the hike had made him reevaluate his life. He was working with youth doing Christian education. Now he's a caretaker at Blackburn. He welcomes hikers and talks about the trail, runs the hostel and preps the nightly dinner. Winters he stays put and scares off kids who come to drink and pass out on the porch. Sounds like the Shining.After shopping we lounged around on the lawn and the porch swings. Dinner was sticky pasta with jarred sauce but it was free free free. After such a short day, I couldn't justify staying over so decided the 3 more miles to David Lesser. Fortune Cookie and L.B. were doing it. After some arm twisting I talked Betty into doing it too. The sun was setting and it would be a night hike. Betty, afraid of nothing is afraid of night hiking. I assured her it would be fine and that I wouldn't leave her.It was a beautiful hike. Night hikes is a whole different animal, a completely different way to see the trail. Doing it without headlamps makes the experience.There is enough ambient light to hike long after sunset. Headlamps cast heavy shadow on the trail, but in the dark the bare trail is much more discernable from the trees and underbrush. I find it exhilerating. Betty just finds it scary. I talked and reassured her that the whole way. While I picked out the trail she watched for the white blazes easily visible on the trees. She'd yell, "I see a blaze" to keep her attention focused. By the time we reached the shelter it was almost pitch dark and time for lamps. I could just make out the shape of a signpost on the trail. I flicked on a light to see it marked with an arrow for David Lesser Memorial Shelter. We'd made it faster than I expected. I told betty that we were there and that we had officially walked 1000 miles from Georgia. I was elated. She was in tears. We hugged and then took pictures. It was a double accomplishment for her. She cried out of relief as much as excitement.We carried the joyful mood into the campsite. Fortune Cookie and L.B. were already there and didn't notice we were at the 1000 mile mark. More happiness. For better or for worse Betty and I accidentally woke up A-Train, the section hiker from New Zealand. He's got a quick temper but laughed along with us for a short time. Didn't lsat long. He blew and told us both to shut up and let people go back to sleep. As I was writing in the register he screamed at me, "Boulder if you don't shut your fucking headlamp off I'm going to come over there and rip it off your head and throw it in the bushes!" I told him that would be impolite and finished what I was doing. At the same time I had no doubt he'd follow through on the threat. This was the first and only time I've ever heard such anger and threats of violence in a shelter or on the trail. It's so unnatural in this setting. It made no sense and had no place. Either way, there was no way to put a damper on such a good day.