Date: 2013-06-26
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Teahorse Hostel, Harpers Ferry, VA
Miles today: 19.8

Boy, was I tired last night! It was quiet and cool, a great combination for a great night's sleep. I was up a little before 6, but Redspecs and I had agreed that 6:30 was the wake up time. I got dressed and organized quickly. At 6:34 according to my watch, I gently nudged him awake. He looked at his watch and said, What? I still have 2 minutes more. Hmmmm.... I was itching to get moving. Especially since today was a day with so many milestones awaiting us. I ate my breakfast of cold pizza and a packet of instant oatmeal. Some heavenly angel had brewed a pot of coffee. I know it sounds silly, but planning for this upcoming 20 mile day has me nervous. Normally, I would treat it like any other day, but since we are slack packing it, meaning that most of the contents of my bag will be waiting for me in Harpers Ferry, has me nervous. I have to make it to Harpers Ferry. There's little room for error. I have a first-aid kit, head lamp, change of socks, some food, and water. Everything else is ahead. Anywho, I sat and waited while Redspecs ate. He could sense anxiousness and kept saying, "We have time." I knew we had plenty of time, but I still wanted to get going. Finally, we headed out. I watched the squirrels dangle upside down from a branch in the mulberry tree trying to pick off the plump berries. I only think of squirrels eating nuts, so it tickled me to see them as enthused over the mulberries as I was. We headed back towards the trail and had to cross four busy lanes of traffic. The morning traffic few up the hill and around the corner, and we scurried to keep from being road kill. We climbed into the woods on the other side and started headed towards the 1000 mile mark. I was in front and Redspecs was behind. He suddenly had an opinion of my hiking pole technique. I was doing it wrong and clearly I needed a lesson. For anyone who knows me well, they know that I can be, shall we say, "resistant" bordering on "hostile" when it comes to unsolicited advice or critiques. It's one of my many charming personality traits. Now, compound that with the fact that we are less than 100 ft from the 1000 mile mark. I tried my best to be nice, but my patience had grown thin. He demonstrated how he thought I should be using my poles and then stood in my way in the middle of the path and wouldn't move until I "gave it a try." I kept trying to say that this could wait because I REALLY, REALLY wanted to get to the 1000 mile mark. But he wouldn't hear of it. We were going to do this now. I flat out refused. Did I mention I can be stubborn? Also, I already knew that my hiking pole technique wasn't "proper," but I have some old injuries and lack mobility in my left ankle which requires me to use the poles differently. But mostly, I just wanted to get to the 1000 mile mark. He turned around, angry and annoyed and marched off. Me seething behind him. He marched right passed the wooden post with "1000" written in bright green. I called to him to tell him this was IT! He hadn't realized we were so close. Thankfully this milestone changed our attitudes and released the tension. We took photos of each other posing with the marker. Woohoo!After the sign, we parted ways for the rest of the day. Redspecs took off, and I walked and chatted with Rerun for a while. We crossed into West Virginia, though the sign only read "Welcome to Virginia!" I thought, Adios Virginia. I have survived you. The "roller coaster" was finished, and the trail smoothed and flattened out. I cruised along at a decent pace, until I saw a rattle with a snake attached to it. I stopped about 6 ft short of it. The snake coiled itself into striking position and started rattling. Ugh. A terrible sound. I back-tracked about 10 feet, hoping the snake would move on. It didn't. I picked up a stick and toss it. I hit the snake dead on. It flexed and started rattling its tail even louder. Well, crap. Luckily, the woods were open enough that I could make a wide arc off the trail and around the angry viper. I seemed to pissing off everybody today.The AT took us through the Harpers Ferry National Battlefield Monument Park. The trail got really, really rocky. We passed old trenches and ledges. I'm not sure if they were leftovers from the Civil War, or if they had other uses. I wished I had my dad there. He would certainly know. Redspecs was waiting for me as we turned downhill towards Harpers Ferry. He was calm and nice and sincere. I was, too. We saw the Potomac River and Harpers Ferry across the way. Suddenly, we both felt so happy and apologized for our moodiness. We crossed the bridge into Harpers Ferry and waved at the rafters on the river. They didn't seem to notice. We headed to the ATC, but we knew already that they would be closed. But we took photos of each other in from the sign. We had made it! Matthew, an ATC volunteer, was headed out. He apologized that they were closed but offered to take us to our hostel. The Teahorse Hostel was clean and homey. Laurel gave us the grand tour and dug through to find my maildrops. I claimed a bottom bunk in the 10-man room; Redspecs took a top bunk in the 4-man room. There were fresh cherries on the table and a chocolate sheet cake w/peanut butter frosting on the counter. I ate two pieces with my fingers. Kebban, Paul & Rick showed up soon after with our stuff. We showered and then headed next door to the Anvil for dinner. Aquaman and Double Dare were there at the bar. We all cheers-ed with Yeuinglings. We headed back to the hostel. Cat Lady was there, and she and another guy played the ukulele and guitar and we all sang songs late into the night. Whew! What a day.