Date: 2018-06-25
From: PeterÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Mtn Trailhead

To: Potomac River (Harpers Ferry WV)
Miles today: 368.7
Weather: moderate rain

Sunday June 3Day 88Day 88 This was my first day back on the trail after taking a zero day in Daleville. I took the zero day to let my body rest after a grueling day. Why was it grueling you ask?1st. I slipped on a big bolder and commenced to roll and slide and bounce down the side of a mountain for about 50 feet. I say 50 but it was more like 20 but this is my story and I am aloud to embellish. After climbing back up to the trail thanks to some strategically place trees to use as hand holes I took another fall shortly after that thanks to some rocks and roots that worked in concert to trip me up. A small tree got involved during this fall and I ended up snapping one of my hiking poles. This happened at the top of a section of trail known as the dragons tooth. A very hard mile that took over an hour to complete. Dragons tooth is a lot of huge granite slabs that must be climbed down if you are head north. Most of the time I would have to toss my hiking poles below me as they were useless. It is a very technical rock scramble that at times I just had to sit on my butt and slide down. Other times I would have to use hand holds embedded in in the rocks. Made it to town finally and had a nice cold beer as my reward.Day 89It started raining last night around 10pm and rain for several hours but this morning I awoke to a beautiful clear day. There was a slight breeze and the morning temps were moderate so this morning hike was fantastic. My pace was good until about noon where I decided to stop after only 9.7 miles. I stopped at a campground where papa j was staying. It was his birthday and he was having a party. Lots of hikers stopped by and a good time was had by all. PapaJ was met by his wife,daughter and grandson so he was in very high spirits. After I arrived at the campgrounds and set up my tent I went to the cantina to get some food. Side note: I had the best burger since I¢ve been on the trail. I sat around talking to other backpackers eating and just having a relaxing time This was the 2nd day in a row that I felt great. The zero day I took in Troutville appeared to do wonders for me. Hope tomorrow will be the same.Day 90June 5Thunder ridge Lookout to Jennings Creek (Southbound slack pack)15.4 miles Another great day. I woke up feeling fantastic. I decided to slack pack today so I could avoid some long steep uphills. I got in 15.4 miles carrying only a water bottle and filter, toilet paper and snacks. I saw lots of north bounders that I¢ve previously had met. One notable was Scooter who has an easy smile for everyone and everything. Today I passed him as he and others were climbing one of the mountains I avoided and he was not happy (no smile). I also met the Commander who I¢ve heard about many times. Turns out he is retired Navy and retired the same year as I did. One of his previous commanding officers was Capt Piano who was my C.O. while I was aboard the Forrestal. (Small world). Now that we are within a few miles of each other we will be seeing each other and will be able to tell war stories. I passed under the guillotine (see picture) which was a really cool rock formation. But mostly today was a feet pounding knee jarring downhill hike.Monday June 25Day 110I arrived here in Harpers Ferry last Friday and decided to take a couple of zero days to let my knee rest. I¢m not sure if it¢s working or not. I¢ll probably see a doctor when I get to my daughter¢s house. I¢ve got only 195 miles and 15 days to make it to where she will pick me up. It will be a cakewalk. I get to spend a couple of days off the trail with her and my grandkids. As a bonus my wife will also be there. I live such a good life. When I checked in at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy I was the 970th thru hiker to check in. Lots of people have already dropped off the trail. The stats say another 25% of thru hikers will leave the trail before they reach Mt Katahdin. Only about 25% of hikers finish so just by making this far has increased my chances of making the whole thing. The cool thing that happened here at the hostel is I met ¢Texas Dreamer¢ and ¢Protege ¢. They are out here on the trail for only a month and Texas Dreamer is chaperoning Protege. Protege is a young 16 year old high school student who will be starting her senior year this fall. She is keeping a extensive journal that will be part of a presentation that she has to give this coming school year and it¢s a major portion of a grade she¢ll receive in one of here classes. She is also planning to use this experience to write her college entrance essay. All very cool stuff. Texas Dreamer is an old family friend who has been on the trail before and also taught Protege how to knit when she was young. They¢re both from Texas also so that makes them way cool.I learn about a bible verse yesterday that talks to long distance hikers.DEUTERONOMY 23:13¢Each of you must have a spade as part of your equipment. Whenever you relieve yourself, dig a hole with the spade and cover the excrement.¢All hikers know that rule.Time to hit the bunk cause I¢ve got hiking to do tomorrow