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

To: Damascus. VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Had a fun day of wandering around the gear concession booths, gear repair area at tent city, listening to talks, and listening to music at the pavillion. Also had a great time visiting with quite a few '07 hikers, as well as this year's hikers I've gotten to know.One of the first '07 hikers I met was JB! He is here as a Triple Crown hiker, having completed thru-hikes of the AT (07), the Pacific Crest Trail (08), and the Continental Divide Trail (09). It was so good to see him, and to hear so many stories of his adventures on the 2 trails he's done since I last saw him at Shaw's Hostel in Monson, ME. He was instrumental in helping me finish my hike after my bad fall on Saddleback Mt. He carried my tent and other gear for 4 days after my fall, to help give my ankle a break in some really rought terrain, and get me back up to a reasonable walking pace again. Without his help, and that of Popeye and Speaks Little, I'm not sure I could have finished the Trail. So close and yet so far. I believe that was probably where I broke my ankle, not in GA where my surgeon thought it happened. I saw JB several other times throughout the day, and hope to keep in better touch with him. A real genuine guy who has met adversity head on with grit and determination, and persevered.At the concesion area I ran into Mama Hen! I hiked with her quite a bit in Northern VA and last saw her at the wild July 4th evening on the balcony at the Doyle Hotel in Duncannon, PA, just before she left the trail. She has lived here in Damascus ever since and has just finished her RN degree! I really enjoyed her company on the Trail, and had a great visit with her.Later in the evening I went over to her house where she and her partner were having a combination Trail Days and graduation party. She showed me lots of photos from her hike on the John Muir Trail last summer. I really MUST hike the JMT some time soon! What beautiful country! It was so much fun listening to her stories and seeing her wonderful photos.At the party I also saw Serial and Tennessee Jed! It was great seeing these 2 guys again. Both are living in the Damascus area now and have settled into comfortable places and have found neat ladies to share their lives. Serial was a great guy I last saw at The Doyle, but who finished only a day behind me on a beautiful blue sky day on Katahdin that I remember well. Serial introduced me to Dozer, another '07 thru-hiker I hadn't met because I was always a bit ahead of him. Tennessee Jed and his wife live nearby and did the JMT last year with Mama Hen and her Partner (DD?). I remember having a nice afternoon at the Washington Monument with Jed, and another memorable hostel stay with him and a bunch of other hikers in a suburban garage in PA. Jed gave Popeye a very professional looking Mohawk haircut. I started at Springer Mt the same day as Jed, but for whatever reason I rarely crossed paths with him during the trip, but I always enjoyed his company when I did.At Mama Hen's party I also had a good visit with Coach, another Triple Crown hiker who finished the CDT last year. I spent only 1 night at a shelter with Coach, near the James River in VA, but really enoyed it. He is a wonderful musician who hikes with a guitar and frequently played in the evenings around a campfire. For his musical talent, he became quite a legend on the AT. Talking with Coach makes me want to do the CDT soon too, although getting another 5 months off seems unlikely.At the ALDHA reception in mid-afternoon I ran into Tony Tiger, a great guy I hiked with quite a bit in Northern VA, then saw briefly at Shaw's in Monson, ME as he began heading southbound for New Hampshire. Tony's daughter and boyfriend are thru-hiking this year and Tony seems very proud of them.Also had a quick visit with Sam Mix at the Osprey tent. Sam lives in Cortez, CO and was very good to me at Trail Days '07, trading out a pack that really didn't fit me very well for one that did. I carried the pack Sam gave me all the way to Hanover, NH and still use it regularly for hikes in summer and winter. After I finished my hike I made a point of visiting Sam at Osprey in Cortez and thanking him for his help. He is one of the reasons I believe Osprey remains a very human company.I went to dinner with Cruiser and a number of folks who are all staying at the same B & B. Among them were Josh and Leigh Saint, owners of the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega, GA, and Old Man and his wife, owners of the Appalachian Trail Lodge in Millinocket, ME. I had stayed with the Saint's the night before I began my hike, and remembered Old Man who was there helping out before going to open their hostel in Millinocket. I saw them again when I stayed with them in Millinocket after finishing my hike. It was pretty neat that the Saints and Old Man seemed to remember me from the hundreds of hikers who have past thru their doors in the 4 years since I was there.During dinner I got to know Braid and Mofo, retirees who completed thru-hikes in past years and who frequently hike with Cruiser for sections each year. Cruiser is recently retired from an electronics manufacturing firm and keeps a stiff pace with a light pack. I've greatly enjoyed his company and good humor these past few weeks.These folks are what make the AT experience truly unique among the nations' long distance hiking trails. Even without the hiking I've done the past few weeks, the past 2 days would have made the trip here worthwhile!