Date: 2008-11-06
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Harpers Ferry Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a nice day to have a zero. It was a little rainy last night and this morning but not to much to play tourist. And play tourist is what I did for most of the day.If there was a museum or exhibit I missed it was not for the lack of trying. This is, of course, a town steeped in history and I am staying in a house built in 1840. I think people were smaller back then as the head room on doorways and the staircase is pretty low. Yuki, the Japanese would appreciate the economical use of space in this hostel. I actually have a pretty nice little room all to myself even though I am only being charged hiker rate because it is the off season. I am sleeping in a brass bed. The decoration here is very nice. Terrie Rae, you would like this place as it is very interesting as well as well decorated. The shower has a wall of the local shale. I can't remember a rock wall in a shower since I was small and lived in Colorado in the house we built in the side of the hill. Interesting.I ate pancakes I made for myself again. Good thing as there is nothing open for breakfast in the lower town as the main tourist season is past. 4 places were open for lunch and 1 for dinner. It is a little pricey for a hiker although not bad for a tourist place.I toured the buildings and exhibits in the lower town which is run by the park service. I learned a lot about John Brown and the role of Hapers Ferry in the Civil War.The natural setting is quite striking also as it is the joining of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers as they then go through the gap in the Blue Ridge Mountains to the sea. The river was the reason for the town's existence by providing water power for industry but also the reason the town also almost died, because of the floods. It was most interesting and enjoyable to play tourist for the day.Oh yes, I walked back on the AT to where I had detoured to the ATC office so I could say I walked the whole trail. And I took a picture from Jefferson Rock. Thomas Jefferson said the view from there was worth a trip across the Atlantic. He was a bit of a romantic about it. George Washington did surveying here as a youth and was responsible for the establishment of an armory here. All very interesting and as old as American history gets.Tomorrow I head out once again, this time for 5 days. 5 days of food is almost as much as I have carried. Actually it may be more than the 6 day stretch as I am eating more now. It is almost alarming how much food I need to consume at this point.My health is staying good. My toe has even finally healed. Now I could get a flu shot but there was no opportunity for that in the old town section of Harpers Ferry. Maybe Gettysburg.I think the roller coaster has actually made my bad knee a little stronger. I still cannot independently do stairs but I can do them more easily with poles or a railing than I could before. That knee will never be as near to normal as the other one but if I keep hiking on steep trails maybe someday I will be able to do stairs again.A SOBO thru-hiker named Level is staying here at the hostel tonight. He and I and the proprieter (I forgot his name, sorry. Bad especially since he was so helpful, even bought some things for me and did my laundry too.) had a nice conversation time in the evening. Good day and good company.I need to sleep now so I can hike tomorrow. Oh BTW, the trains don't keep me awake and actually there is a really neat echo off the cliffs in the gorge when the trains blow their whistle.Nite nite.