Date: 2013-06-04
From: Campsite at mile 998.1

To: Town's Inn, Harper's Ferry, WV
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: few clouds

The AT traversed rock bluffs with commanding vistas of the distant Appalachian ridges near the turn-off, 0.5 miles north of where I camped the night before. In the early morning sun, I hiked along the side of the busy 4-lane VA 679, the same highway which I likely heard late into the night the day before. This highway traversed across Snickers Gap at mile 999.2. It was not at all apparent at first where the AT went, or how I was going to make it across rush-hour traffic moving a swift 70mph! I thought, as no doubt many before me, of the video game, Frogger. A short distance, following behind me, was an older man, who introduced himself as Don's Brother. Don's Brother, a retired English teacher from Georgia, had dedicated his hike to his brother Don, who's life was claimed the previous year from the incurable Lou Gehrig's Disease (formally known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), a motor neuron disease which causes rapid and progressive weakness and complete atrophy of muscles throughout the body, leading to death. Ironically, his real name is Mike as is my good friend back home, who was recently diagnosed with the same disease. I empathized with Mike, and remembered his blog (donsbrother.com), which he introduced me to on his smart phone. He was proud of his literary accomplishments, and had plans to publish his blog journals as a book when he finished. We hiked up to Raven Rocks, (a short distance into West Virginia) where we had a bite to eat and took photos. Don's Brother, like others I had passed along the way, was a steady paced hiker who persistently pounded out the miles, took off ahead of me. I caught him a short ways up the trail and lost him for the remainder of the hike. Don's Brother was planning to hike into Harper's Ferry and catch the Appalachian Trail Conservancy just before they closed. I was in no hurry myself, with plans to spend a zero day there on June 5, explore the historical sites of Harper's Ferry, deal with my food caches sent to the ATC by Heart Rock, and most of all, relax a bit. At Keys Gap, I hiked a short 0.3 miles east along the narrow and busy, WV 9, to the Sweet Springs Country Store and gas station. I ordered a large deli sandwich, hamburger, fries, and chocolate milk. The AT north of WV9, passes along side a private front yard, before vanishing into the forest again. The VA-WV boundary apparently straddles the AT, or more properly put, visa-versa, since the state boundaries were established long before the AT. The trail meanders rocky terrain beneath the shade of lofty canopy and surprisingly little understory. At mile 1016.6, the AT crosses once again, and finally, into West Virginia. The long, 500+ mile state of VA was finally behind me. A short three days ahead, I'd be at the geographic half-way mark on the AT, a point that is somewhat elusive since the AT has historically changed its length so many times in recent decades, shifting the mid-way point about, like a ship moved by the tide. I hiked across the Shenandoah River Bride, which the AT first crosses beneath. In the late afternoon, I hiked up the stone steps north of the bridge, along the neatly manicured trail with massive, chiseled blocks of native rock, bast several historic monuments of the Civil War era. I checked into the historic Towns Inn, and enjoyed the comfort of my own bed in a room which can accommodate 4. I recall paying 120.00/night. What the hell, living it up is what I enjoy most! Besides, I was on payed vacation!