Date: 2008-02-15
From: Hampton, TN

To: Dennis Cove Rd
Miles today: 7.3

I slept really good last night. It was a very mild 30 degrees out this morning when I woke up at 6am. I stuck my stove outside the tent door and brewed up 25.1 ounces of Starbucks and had about 8 powdered mini donuts and 4 hard boiled eggs that I packed out from the hostel yesterday. It was still dark out while I was enjoying my coffee. I noticed the morning sky turning pink, so I got my cell phone out and took a few pictures. I love this time of day in the woods...nice and peaceful. I was in no particular hurry to get ready this morning, so I just laid there in my sleeping bag and watch daylight come. I knew I had a short day and also that this would be my last day walking before I string together quite a few zeros. :-) Vera was in Damascus and said she would pick me up either at Dennis Cove Rd or at Bob People's hostel around noon. I finally got packed and was walking by 8:25am after lounging around. It turns out I wasa little less than a mile from Moreland Gap Shelter because it only took me 15 minutes to get there. I stopped long enough to sign the register and use some smiley face stickers, then I walked on. I got word that my bounce box arrived at Mother Nature's home. Thanks loads Hokey Pokey for getting that in the mail for me! :-) I climbed up White Rocks Mtn. There were a number of small ups and downs, but mostly up for a mile or two. The ground was still frozen and there was still snow where the sun couldn't get to. I decided to be a little extra cautious walking on the slippery stuff today because I didn't want to ruin my record of not having fallen so far on this entire walk, :-) I started my descent of 1700 ft to Dennis Cove Rd. I saw the first set of footprints I've seen in this snow. They were in and out footprints...meaning they walked in to a point 1.9 miles from the road, then turned around and walked out again. I thought it might have been Vera, but wasn't sure.Turns out it wasn't Vera's footprints.I was about a mile from the road when I saw a movement ahead about a tenth of a mile. I got a little closer and heard 2 voices....got a little closer and saw Lone Wolf and Vera walking south on the Trail. I was expecting Vera, but had no idea Lone Wolf was coming out too! :-) They even brought me second breakfast...a fried apple pie! We walked back to the Trailhead and I guess that because they had been out walking... they worked up an appetite and started talking about a buffet in Bristol. :-) We went up to Bob People's and talked to him for about an hour. It's always great to see Bob! I had so many people ask me to say hello to Bob for them when I saw him, that I forgot who all had asked, so I just told Bob that there were a bunch of friends that sent a hello. Vera, Lone Wolf and I headed back to Damascus, VA. We stopped at McDonalds to grab a little food to hold us over till tonight's buffet. :-) Vera is staying with Suzanne at the Hiker's Inn. I got the bunkhouse all to myself. I ended up talking to Suzanne for about 2 hours on her sun porch. I realized it was after 5 and Lone Wolf and Gypsy were picking Vera and me up at 6pm....and I still needed to shower. I got cleaned up, put on my best clothes...actually put my dirty clothes back on because they are my ONLY clothes, ;-) Lone Wolf and Gypsy treated Vera and me to a very good Chinese buffet with lots of seafood....including crablegs! :-) I was able to put down 3 plates of food. We must have spent 2 hours in there eating and talking though. Thanks a lot Lone Wolf and Gypsy!!! :-) They dropped us back at the Hiker's Inn and I went to the bunkhouse to get ready for bed. Vera knocked on the door and said Suzanne invited me to have breakfast with them! Wow! Hikers are THE best people!! :-) If this gets posted on the 16th, thank Hammock Hanger. She doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to ask her to post this entry and a few pictures today because Mrs Gorp is busy packing and then driving down to pick me up for a road trip to San Diego! (Note from Hammock Hanger, your welcome!!!) We have to stop by Mother Nature and Smokestack's to get my bicycle, then we'll be heading west to ride the bicycles from San Diego to St Augustine, FL. That should give me more zeros than any other '08 nobo....at least for a while. ;-) I'll be continuing my winter walk when I get done with the bike ride....only it will be a spring walk by then. Thanks to everyone who has followed along on this year's adventure. I'll probably do an update every so often on the bike ride and will continue the walking part of the journal....when I start walking again. ;-) Special thanks to the 3 good friends who helped me so much today, Gypsy, Vera and Lone Wolf....and special, special thanks to Lone Wolf and Gypsy for treating me to dinner!!! :-) I have to thank Suzanne at the Hiker's Inn in Damascus, VA for inviting me to breakfast tomorrow. Another great day on the Appalachian Trail! :-)