Date: 2016-03-27
From: Damascus, VA - Damascus Inn

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: light rain

Happy Easter! Thank you for the good wishes sent to Beth and me. We each had places to go today so we had another great breakfast at Damascus Inn and then got around to doing the hard part - saying goodbye. Hope it gets easier each time; it wasn't as bad as the first time, but it wasn't easy either. I stopped in at Damascus Presbyterian Church to say a prayer of thanks. It came just minutes after Beth waved goodbye. I knew it would be hard and it was. The man who greeted me was very understanding and asked me to come back as I headed out.It took at least a half hour to focus on the trail but the reality of the initial climb eventually forced the focus to be there. With fresh legs, I began envisioning a big mileage day. The trail was good and I was making good time. A couple Dads passed by with their sons and that made me miss the family gathering that normally takes place on Easter at our house. Then a thru-hiker approached - it was Tigger, who I've seen a few times as we briefly came across each other in shelters or hostels. Tigger said he thought i was a northbound thru-hiker and I said I was. So Tigger pointed out that i was hiking southbound to Damascus. I had gotten turned around at a large blown down tree. It took me 40 minutes to correct my mistake, much of it uphill. Say goodbye to that big mileage day envisioned not too long ago.The AT and the Virginia Creeper Trail were one and the same in a few places. It was fun to remember yesterday with Beth. Big difference riding a bicycle downhill versus hiking uphill with a pack on your back. I looked at my watch and realized that Beth and I really could've come across Fresh Ground hiking out yesterday. Ashley stopped her ride to ask about my AT thru-hike and wish me well.Water sources were plentiful and they all were providing water. Consistent with recent days, I passed a number of campsites that aren't marked in AWOL's guide. The weather was mid-60s and for the first time it seemed that I might be sweating from sheer humidity instead of exertion.I hiked solo today as Blues Brother was going to the Baptist church service with Sooner Or Later, Mostly, Medic, and a few hikers who were staying at Woodchuck Hostel after I had left there. Hiking solo today was good, giving me time to think about many things that had been crowded out by the laughter and fun experienced when hiking in line with Blues Brother and Fresh Ground.I arrived at Lost Mountain Shelter just before 4:30 that made me think I really could've gotten another 5 miles in if I hadn't made my southbound mistake. Mama Bear and Roadkill from South Carolina were here doing a section hike. As was Kate, who was hiking solo during her Spring break. Going Postal and Sky were the only thru-hikers here. We're all hiking the same trail though and the banter between us was easy. Love Roadkill's trail name and story. His trail name came from his horrible smelling shirt. He said the shirt was ultimately burned it smelled so bad. Medic arrived shortly after I did and he commented about Beth. He asked how Beth and I met and then told me how he met his girlfriend. We both agreed that the hiking is relatively easy compared to the sadness of being away.I hiked 16.3 AT northbound miles in about 8 hours. In that same amount of time Beth should've been able to drive almost the whole way to Willow Grove, PA to visit her parents. Guess who had the more enjoyable day during those hours.Verizon doesn't provide any access in this shelter. That was a real bummer for many of us who wanted to speak with loved ones today. Rain began at 7:00, sometimes pretty hard. It could be a challenging   hike tomorrow on wet trail. Rambo arrived late carrying a message from Blues Brother that he and Sooner Or Later might be staying at the shelter before this one. Good to be out here today; making my way one day at a time.