Date: 2015-06-11
From: Harper's Ferry, WV

To: Harper's Ferry, WV
Miles today: 0.0

With nothing on the agenda for the day other than needing to leave the home of our host at 8:15am, I was more than happy to spend the day relaxing in order to combat my first hangover of the journey. Hey, over 1,000 miles in - I'd say I was doing pretty good. Or is it not good enough?Moosehead, Burnsides, Psych, and I walked the couple of blocks uphill to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy where we'd bum on the front steps for the next 45 minutes while we waited for them to open. Psych received a care package in the neighborhood of ~25lbs stuffed with delicacies including chips, chocolates, cookies, candy, etc. Obviously unable to carry everything out, he gladly began tossing out whatever he didn't want. Some of the items we'd keep ourselves, the rest we would eat as our breakfast.The ATC finally opened at 9:00am and we'd all waddle in and collapse in a side room for hikers to chill complete with a couch, a few chairs, a computer, and a fridge stuffed with sodas for $.50. I would have my share during my time spent here. Assuming the ATC would be some super nice place, I was surprised to find it was in a relatively worn out looking building, sparsely decorated inside. However, from the information provided on the trail including handouts, books, pictures, personal accounts from previous thru-hikers, random facts, and a 3D terrain map of the entire trail, the conservancy provides enough information to not only please thru-hikers, but also educate civilians as I like to call them.The highlight of my morning hours spent there was when I received my first care package of the journey from my brother, Jason, and sister in-law, Ashley. Along with a variety of goodies (including a 2lb bag of Twizzlers) she tossed in a bright blue Under Armor shirt and 2 pairs of socks, including a a bright green pair that I love. Already wearing my tiny, kid-sized town shirt, a white button-up splashed in a child-like array of different fruits, I saves my new shirt for later. Also while at the ATC, I had my photograph taken by a nice volunteer named Eliane of me in front of the ATC sign signofying my arrival at the unofficial halfway point. The picture was then placed into a book with information including our real names, trail names, hometowns, starting and arrival dates, and what number hiker we were to have arrived this season (I was # 542.) It was neat to see hikers who have passed before me, some I've met along the way, others I haven't. Some hikers are flat out killing it - impressive stuff.With the guys feeling lazy at the ATC, I felt hungry and began heading towards the old downtown of Harper's Ferry. The town is truly a step back in time and, though modern changes have occured, along with the springing up of touristy eateries and shops, the town still very much resembles it's 1800's self. The main street leading into the downtown is a steep downhill (or uphill in the other direction which I did several times as well) with beautiful wooden and stone buildings tightly hugging the street. Many steps and passage ways lead to other shops, businesses, and museums that are practically stacked atop one another, utilizing the limited land provided on the peninsula resting between the Shenandoah' and Potomac Rivers. The fact that the town maintains its rich history so well is a double-edged sword, for hikers anyways, in that it caters to tourists more so than hikers. The town lacks a grocery store, has one hotel, and the eateries close up almost as soon as the tourists disappear in their cars or the Amtrak which whisks them away back to the greater DC area. This time I was a hiker and found this a negative that bugged me, but any other time as a tourist I might have found myself happy with the feeling of stepping back in time.I contacted Rocky Mountain High who had arrived a couple hours earlier and met her for lunch at the Potomac Grill. Rocky is a spunky, raw, infectious young lady from You've Never Heard of Here, Maine and I would spend the rest of the day hanging out with her. We enjoyed a turkey and Reuben sandwich which, aside from paying close to double due to tourist prices, were quite good if only for the fact that they were packed high with meat. Sitting on an outside deck, not even the shade from our table's umbrella could keep us from sweating as they high for the day creeper into the low 90's. After a few local beers, we decided to wander down to the convergence of the 2 surrounding rivers and see about taking a dip. I'm glad we did for not only was it a beautiful location nestled in the surrounding ridges of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, but the water was at the perfect temperature, allowing the first dip I've had that didn't cause me to catch my breath.After a group of parent geese and their young crapped in the water (picture octopus ink) on the Potomac side, we walked over to the Shenandoah side and would spend the next couple of hours enjoying the warmth of the sun, the refreshing coolness of the water, and good company. We even took turns floating down her blow-up sleeping pad as well as sitting on a rock in the middle of the river as we chatted about this and that. Having the freedom to do absolutely nothing like we did for those couple of hours was a beautiful thing. The moment was nearly ruoined when, as we were drying off about to head back Intl town, a couple of Vietnamese tourists threw their plastic bottles into the river as fun. Both Rocky and I would give them our best shit looks and told them not to do it again. Having already walked over 1,000 miles where carrying out our trash is a common practice, it pissed both of us off a bit to see foreigners pollute our waters with smiles on their faces.We walked back into downtown to find our next option for a couple of beers since we had been in the sun for a while. We ended up choosing Private Quinn's Pub, a quaint place offering equally overpriced beer and food, but with a very friendly staff. Both Moosehead and Burnsides were inside where they had been for a few hours already, and we'd spend the next couple of hours enjoying some beer and playing a card game as well as "Cheers, Governor." Rocky treated me to the beers which, now that I think about on it, tasted better as a result. We then all retreated back to the ATC to retrieve our gear that was left during the day. We met up with Miami Vice and Michaelangelo and, with Moosehead, would split a room at the local Econo Lodge. Miami Vice, a young man in his 40's might be the most life-loving man on the trail. With an interesting story behind his journey to this point in his life, he's an inspiration to many of those he meets. I'm for sure a fan. Burnsides would return to the trail with Psych and I would later find out Safari dropped by the ATC before continuing on as well. Both will be a day or more ahead of us as Moosehead and I plan to take another zero tomorrow to spend time with his uncle who will be visiting.On the way to the Econo Lodge a couple passing through on their way through from a hike in the Shenandoah's stopped and offered us a bag of goodies that we'd split between the 5 of us. The usual showers and laundry would be taken care of at the hotel, but the highlight would come in the form of Rocky offering foot rubs to us 4 guys using Germ X and Gold Bond powder. With a my feet propped up and her working her magic, a beer in my hand, and the NBA Finals on TV, it was ~20 minutes of pure ecstasy. The only thing that could've made the moment better would've been watching Rodgers leading the Packers to another win and not Lebron's junk.The remainder of the night would consist of probably the cheesiest pizza I've ever eaten, packed with f'n grease, cold beers, and good convo. Finally falling asleep near 2:00am, we all but assured ourselves another tired day tomorrow.*For a woman's perspective of life on the trail, check out Rocky's journal at: www.trailjournals.com/rockymountainhigh and show your support. She has quite the following and for good reason.Here's to Stonewall Jackson, jaw-dropping foot rubs, and being in 3 places at once.