Date: 2016-04-23
From: Front Royal - Quality Inn

To: Front Royal - Quality Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

No hiking today because Beth was here for her 3rd visit. Zero days are so important. I ate and drank so that my body got stronger for the next sequence of hikes. Laundry and resupply tasks were done too. Time was taken to ice and rest my knee. It was pouring outside when we woke up and I was glad I wasn't out on such a nasty day. Rambo sent a message and we picked him up at the trail location that was my stopping point last night. Rambo was in great spirits despite being soaked. Within a short while Rambo decided to zero too. It was great because it gave Beth the chance to spend quality time with him and I enjoy my fellow hikers getting to know Beth too. Having a car available to get around enables so much to get done without effort and expending energy. Front Royal doesn't have an outfitter store but Harpers Ferry does, so we drove the hour to get there. Rambo and I both got new boots. I got new pants too to accommodate my reduced waistline. And we got lost a time or two along the way resulting in laughter and enjoyment. We stopped in at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy headquarters. Rambo and I should hike there in 3 days. The headquarters is the unofficial midway point of a thru-hike. Polaroid pictures are taken of every hiker who passes through. The pictures are catalogued in volumes of books by year. I could've spent hours there looking up hikers from past years but settled to only review this year's pictures. I saw the dates that Patches and Marathon went by. E-mail addresses are routinely listed with the pictures so I took the opportunity to enter a few in my phone so that I can contact these people with info about my hike and questions about theirs. Judy had recently asked a question about how we exchange info to stay in touch. I routinely exchange info with hikers that I hike with for several days but I don't always get such info for some so I felt lucky to have this additional chance to enable future contact. Rambo got a message from Bonnie and Clyde so plans have been made for us to resume hiking tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. at the trail so that all of us can hike together for a celebration in Harpers Ferry. That's perfect since it means Beth will be able to meet Bonnie and Clyde before she heads home. I got a message from Last Chance. He and Seeker will be driven to Swift Run Gap to start Last Chance's final days of hiking. He'll complete his thru-hike in Harpers Ferry and it's too bad we can't be there for that celebration too. Beth heads home with some gear I no longer want to carry. Hopefully the reduced gear will offset the additional food I'll carry out for the next several days of hiking. I feel badly that Beth's trip this time was selfishly devoted to enabling my hike. We've taken time in her prior visits to do something that includes a vacation-like activity but weren't able to do that this time. I am walking more easily by the end of the day so at least she shouldn't leave wondering about this concern as much. No question I couldn't be to this point without her unwavering support and assistance. I realize how dependent I am on her. She's made a huge sacrifice but hasn't complained a bit. When she's not around, Rambo goes out of his way to let me know how much he likes her. He gets it. I enjoy telling him and having him experience just how lucky I am.