Date: 2008-05-08
From: David Lesser Memorial Shelter

To: Harpers Ferry,WV
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

Thur.May 8 Day #136:30am We wake up after a night of lite showers (weather forecast for today: Partly Sunny with highs in the mid 70s & chance of afternoon showers)A couple hikers (father & son SoBo section hikers) came in about 8pm last night after Jigsaw & I had already crawled into our sleeping bags. Theyre (from Frederick,Maryland)out for a long weekend of hiking down the trail.(the father was hiking in blue jeans...hope it doesnt rain on him!)Jigsaw & I leave the David Lesser Shelter (the BEST shelter we encountered on this trip!) before 9am...here we go!Our LAST full day of hiking...& only 8.8. miles to our destination..Harpers Ferry, West Virginia & the Appalachian Trail Headquarters.For the first 3 miles or so...Jigsaw & I hike together...a good pace...we arrive @ Keys Gap (W.V.Hwy 9)..WOW! 3mph..thats moving on! (especially for me Mr Turtle pace)After we cross over the road...I slow down my pace & Jigsaw hikes on & disappears up the trail...Hike!,hike!,hike!We have a slight incline up to 1300 or so elevation & then some steady, fairly easy hiking for a mile or so....but, then the ROCKS show up again today...ouch! (but only for short stretches @ a time)As the trail evens out along Loudon Heights, W.V. (which is actually on the state line of WV & VA) I hike a mile or so & come upon a sign (O boy!)its says:                 "WELCOME TO WEST VIRGINIA"woooooooooooooo-hoooooooooooooooo!               motivated now!!!!I kick it UP a notch (Sorry, Emeril!)hike,hike,hike, then about an hour later...I come upon a signpost..that tells me the A.T.C. sidetrail cuts off to the left...I take this side trail (I shouldnt have!)I follow ORANGE blazes (havent seen these before!) for about a mile....then i come to a "T" in the trail....right or left? which way do i turn?I see Blue Blazes going in BOTH directions...& NO Orange blazes!I hear traffic sounds from the left (North)..Harpers Ferry traffic,maybe???I take the left trail...& start hiking down, down, down, slowly...it starts to Rain...(Great!)..following the Blue Blazes now...thru the trees...i spot a river..the Shennandoah River, i'm guessing...i've got to be on the right trail...down, down, down...i hike...I see a house thru the trees...& traffic is getting louder & closer....i finally come out of the woods into a Trail-head parking lot...but, cant tell where i am...i peer around the parking lot & see a gas station..i walk to it...& ask a kayak dude where the A.T.C. offices are...he said "back in Harpers Ferry" (the OPPOSITE way)..i asked for a ride into town (3 miles) he said he had too much gear in his truck(i guess i smelled way too bad!)...i road-walk the approx 3 miles (Hwy US 340)into town...as it lightly rains....with my thumb stuck out...no takers...it was a tiring, but a nice road-walk down by the Shennandoah River...i finally crossed over the gigantic bridge over the river..& catch the White Blazes into town...up a hill to the A.T.C. headquarters...(4/10 mile uphill).i walked thru the Storer College campus...stopping to tell a couple A.T.C. guys of my "Orange blaze complaints"...they seemed indifferent.I walk the couple blocks to the A.T. headquarters...Jigsaw is already there (of course).I drop my backpack outside & take a few photos...then go inside & check the place out...Smaller than i'd imagined..i buy a t-shirt (for the flight home) talk with the staff including Laurie Pottinger (Model T says Hello!)office manager.Lyle (our shuttle guy)arrives an hour early...we were planning on eating lunch here...but, that can wait til we get back to our hotel in Charlottesville.4pm We have a nice 130 mile ride back with Lyle (& his lap pooch)Thank him for his help & services.He drops us off @ the EconoLodge only about 9 miles or so to the Airport.We reserve a cab for 3:30am tomorrow morning...so, we can get to the Airport in plenty of time.After we both grab showers & drop our bags in our room...We head to the nearby Italian restuarant (next door)..it was EXCELLENT!I had Fettucine Alfredo with bread, salad & stuffed mushrooms & Jigsaw had the Veal Parmesean with mushrooms, salad & we both had Cheesecake for dessert...YUMMMMMMMY!Man, I'm stuffed...Its been a good hike (except for the heel wound)7:30pm   I'm tired...long day of flying home tomorrow...Goodnite.                                    8.8 miles today (PLUS 3 miles that didnt count!)