Date: 2014-06-30
From: Blackburn AT Center, Mile 1007.1

To: Rocky Run Shelter, Mile1035.0
Miles today: 27.9
Weather: light rain

Had to tiptoe around all the bodies sleeping on the porch this morning to get out! As is often the case, everyone else was still asleep when I left. The trail had calmed down from the Roller Coaster this morning, so I made pretty good time. It follows along the Virginia/West Virginia border then finally turns left and leaves Virginia for good as it heads into Harpers Ferry. There's a border sign when I first entered WV, but there's not one when I last left VA, so I just guessed the spot and videoed myself saying "Well... that's four down!" No one else was around to help me. I didn't see anyone else for the 12 miles into Harpers Ferry - then there were lots of people!Most thru hikers take the side trip in Harpers Ferry to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to sign in and get their picture taken. I was going to do that, but decided I was too sweaty and scroungy and opted to forgo that side trip in order to get to a toilet downtown and hop in the river further on.The trail crosses the Potomac river on a sidewalk along side the railroad bridge. It's popular for the tourists to walk back and forth across the bridge, so when I started across, I got a few of them to help me with "Well... that's five down!" After crossing the river, the trail follows along the old C&O Canal tow path between the old canal and the Potomac River for about two and a half miles. That was a nice walk with a few other day hikers and several folks on bicycles. Just before heading up into the woods again, I took a short side trail down to the river and immersed myself in the water to rinse off my sweaty body and clothes, including my shoes and socks! Aaahhhhh! Then I sat under a tree and had lunch before hiking on.At the turn off from the tow path I met a thru hiker who had come by there last night and missed the turn. He said he continued on for another 5 miles and camped, then continued in the wrong direction for an additional 5 miles this morning before realizing his mistake! He was just getting back to the spot, but was going to stop at a convenience store nearby. Before getting to the top of the ridge, another thru hiker caught up with me and we hiked on together. Dos Lekis is in his early 40's and his bosses let him take time off from his job to hike the trail. Nice bosses! Very interesting guy who has moved around quite a bit working in the financial world and other areas. He's one of the survivors of the World Trade Center attack on 9/11. He had just got back on the trail after staying in DC for a couple of days.I was planning to stop at the Crampton Gap shelter for a 22.9 mile day, but Dos Lekis and I were having such a good time chatting and hiking we blew right by it and continued on another five miles to Rocky Run Shelter. Thru hiker brothers Ghost and Baloo were there with Baloo's dog Mogli. Section hiking with them for a few days were Ghost's girlfriend and her sister and mom. I thought that was pretty cool. We all had a great time chatting and eating dinner together. Well, I know I did, and I think they did, too. :-) Pretty soon thru hiker Survivor showed up with his dad who is hiking with him for three days. The Ghost/Baloo brothers gang headed off to their tents, and since it was a very nice, fairly new, shelter for 16, I decided to be lazy and sleep in the shelter with the other three guys.I can tell we're closer to civilization because although the shelter is below the ridge line on all sides, I still had good cell coverage so I got to talk with Linda before going to bed. An interesting day with the first half all alone and the second half talking a lot with folks.Head Tunes: I haven't mentioned this lately so here are some of the additional tunes that have been running in the background since my last update:Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man Who Stills the Waters, I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover, This is the Day that the Lord Hath Made, Good King Wenseslas (where did That come from??!), I Can Do All Things, California Here I Come (I may have already mentioned that one), a variety of tunes the words of which I don't remember, and some other tunes I can't recall right now.