Date: 2014-04-20
From: Damascus, VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: few clouds

Day 39: Sunday, 20 April 2014 On the road out of Damascus, VAThe Mum here, with a Buffalo Update:First of all, Happy Easter to all of you!Buffalo called home Thursday, 17 April after hiking ¢on the road to Damascus¢ (Virginia, that is). He said it was warm and beautiful and the people are super nice. (Damascus, VA is a primo Trail Town, with the AT going right down Main Street, through the town!)He was staying at the hostel at the United Methodist Church and supervised by people from the Baptist Church. Since it was Maundy Thursday (the day of our Lord¢s Last Supper), he was going to the Presbyterian Church for Maundy Thursday service!He called again on 18 April, Good Friday. He decided to stay in Damascus through Easter Sunday then head out. He figured that he might not make it to Troutdale in time to pick up his package on Saturday and would have to stay in Troutdale until Monday anyway, so might as well enjoy Easter in Damascus! Problem was that the hostel had a 2-night limit for staying there, so he¢d have to find another place to stay or camp Saturday night. When he called, he said that he was sitting across from the city park and it looked like people were setting up for maybe a Passion Play for Good Friday. Said he¢d call again Sunday afternoon.When Buffalo called this afternoon, 20 April, Easter, he was on the road out of Damascus. He had just past a shelter that was about 9 miles north of Damascus but said that it was a nice evening so he kept walking. I don't know if he'll be staying at Lost Mountain Shelter, but thought the mileage might be close. He might actually do more, but he can factor the difference the next time he does an entry.He went to the Presbyterian Church (same one he went to for Maundy Thursday) for an Easter service, then went to the Methodist church (connected with the hostel) for another service! He and Spirit Hawk, who got in on Thursday as well, helped out around the hostel. The care taker has everyone leave by 11am. "If you're not out by 11, you're going to work!" Well, there nothing else to do so we might as well help, especially since they'd be there for a couple days.Sounded like an interesting sermon at the Presbyterian Church on Joseph of Arimathea, the man who had asked for Jesus¢ body to bury him in the rock tomb. The sermon was about what it might have meant for a rich, upstanding member of the community to do an act like this. Buffalo found it very interesting to speculate that meaning.The event in the park on Friday was something of a cross between a Passion Play, the Stations of the Cross and the Life of Jesus, starting with his birth, some of the miracles, and ending with the Crucifixion. This WAS a great place to spend this holy weekend!Back at the hostel, Buffalo said that he, Spirit Hawk and a few others had bought a bunch of food for the weekend and just put it out for everyone at the hostel. Even people who ran the hostel or from the church brought food all weekend! He said it was great! At least he didn't have to eat at a restaurant all weekend!Back at our church this morning, I was telling people about all the different church events and connections that Buffalo was participating in. Someone asked if there was an Episcopal or Lutheran church in Damascus(our church is a Federated Episcopal and Lutheran Church), so I asked Buffalo when he called. He chuckled and said that he had read a plaque about the founding of the town. He said that when someone from the Presbyterian Church came to the area, there were only Episcopal and Lutherans there, and so this person founded the first Presbyterian Church! Buffalo thought there must be Episcopal and Lutheran churches, but they were not on Main Street!He's had a great couple of Zero Days in Damascus, but now he must tally forth! He is on the road out of Damascus, starting the 500-mile Virginia section. Lots of hikers get the "Virginia Blues" because they have to hike so long through one state. Heck, that's the PCT through Oregon or Washington, not to mention the 1600 miles up California!!!That's all my notes from today's phone conversation with Buffalo! He'll be getting a smaller tarp soon and time to trade out some of the cold weather gear.Signing off! The Mum of.....