Date: 2010-04-27
From: Damascus, Va

To: Damascus, va
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Day 52Somehow I have the numbers mixed up, but I am pretty sure that today is my 52nd day on the trail and today was my 9th zero day. I've also got my mileage messed up. That's what I get for guessing instead of consulting the guidebook. At any rate, today I washed, dried and mailed home my sleeping bag along with my camera. I bought a summer bag and will start using it when I head out. The camera was just overkill. I already have the Droid and my photographic abilities don't rate having a nice camera. So now my pack should be 3 pounds lighter.It rained most of the day. The town felt empty. Very few thrus were around but most of the crowd I have been hiking at the same rate with came out of the woodwork around dinner time. Until then I spent most of the day with Tintin and Dr. Evil. I have talked with Dr Evil about his son who thruhiked a few years ago, but I didn't learn until today that I actually met him. He was one of the ringleaders of the RiffRaff crew at traildays and was the guy who arrived a few days early the following year to do all that work for that years RiffRaff camp. His name is Superman and he worked very hard on that campsite.I also talked with Megaladon and his father, Charles. Megaladon is a really nice kid who seems to have his act together. His dad came down from Pittsburgh to visit with him and he has been helping out us thrus while he's been here by handing out cookies and offering rides to the grocery store. I talked with him today while Megaladon signed up for his college courses on the computer. Seems like a really involved dad and all around good guy. He even gave me $20 to donate to Victory Junction. I quickly got onto the computer and made a donation in his name. Part of me wants to email Victory Junction and find out how the donations are going, but another part is afraid to find out that their not going well. I suppose I'll just wait until after I summit Katahdin and then find out. But that's something I can churn over on my long 23 my slackpack tomorrow.Fredo and Amanda made an appearance tonight at the pizza joint where many of us took part in a pool tourney. They must have become bored with all the card games and movies they've been playing and watching. I was glad to have their company. Fredo is a good guy and I like having him around.On the way back to the hostel tonight I saw a cop arresting a long distance section hiker. There is one guy who wont be voting for Damascus as the friendliest town on the trail.Fredo and Tintin aren't leaving town until Thursday. I'd like to wait for them but this town is breaking me. I have to get going. So tomorrow I will take the shuttle 23 miles north and slackpack back to town. Then Thursday and Friday I will do 20 mile days which will take me to Partnership Shelter. There are showers and a payphone there where you can order a pizza and have it delivered to the shelter. What a country. After that I will hike to Pearisburg where I will meet up with creekdancer and maybe other trailtalkrs who will hike with me to Catawba and then we'll all drive back to traildays. So this may be my last zero day for the next 15 days. How will I survive.Goodnight and sweetdreams to all of you out there not living the Trapped In Damascus Dream.