Date: 2007-06-28
From: Dick's Dome Shelter

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: broken clouds

It didn't rain last night after all. In fact some of the thunder may have been airplanes on a landing pattern to Dulles (we passed under I-66 yesterday). This was the hottest day yet on the trail. Adding to the difficulty, we hit a portion of the trail called the "Roller Coaster". I was a little cocky at first, but then realized that 10, 500' ups and downs in 13 miles meant a mile up and a mile down over 13 miles. You just can't make that easy. Early in the day, Fuzzy Monkey, Radar and I stuck together pretty much. We enjoyed the unusual views of Sky Meadow park - unconventional flora for the AT, maybe because it was a lightly wooded meadow at low elevation. I walked by a park bench that was the place where sister Kristin and I had originally decided to meet until we decided Big Meadows was better. Oh, well, I'll probably see them soon anyway when I get off trail for a while. Shortly thereafter we hit the roller coaster, and found that our different paces and rest periods separated us quickly. We all met up at the Sam Moore Shelter. Slick also was there at that time. Radar actually decided to stay at a shelter rather than go all the way to the hostel, partly due to tiredness (he sweats profusely on hot days) but also because he is on a bit of a tight budget. I bid him goodbye until late July - he has a week off then, so after my extended zero at Harper's Ferry I am hopeful that we will be close together at that point. He has proven to be a thoughtful, upbeat, and interesting camping and hiking partner.(He is the one who got a birthday card for me and had almost everyone in Waynesboro sign it). He is also incredibly fit and athletic - he is about my age but has no problem hiking mega miles and keeping up with the 20 somethings. He is also one of the most mechanically inclined people I know, a natural troubleshooter and problem solver. Fuzzy Monkey quickly went on, and a little while later Slick and I took off together. He and I talked about going beyond the hostel, in order to have a shorter trip to Harpers Ferry tomorrow, but the heat and climbs had taken their toll on me too, and I told Slick I needed to slow down, so go on without me. As it turned out, though he moved ahead, I found him at the hostel, largely because some of his best long term hiking partners were there, including Snake Charmer who he had frequently mentioned. I was very pleased to find that Loose Bruce and Rex were there as well. Sounds like Loose Bruce may become Loose Screws since the hostel manager, Snack Break, started calling him that. A good crowd was at the hostel, including the aforementioned, plus Further, Binjali, Fuzzy Monkey, Firestarter, Grizzle and Superstar. I had only briefly met Grizzle and Firestarter weeks ago when they were southbound slackpacking. Superstar is section hiking in 3 huge sections, I think she is finishing this year. Interestingly I found out just before I left the next morning she is a Yellowjacket too, the first one I've met on the trail. Cool move of the day: I was eating dinner when I noticed it was raining hard, and remembered that my pack was still outside. When I ran down to get it, Binjali had already grabbed everything and dragged it in. I couldn't thank him enough - dry gear means everything to a hiker. He is a very interesting guy as well. Does a lot of math computation. especially related to the hike. Has a computer program that tells him where he has to be every day if he wants to meet a certain completion date. Other calcs he does are related to trying to catch up with the people he started with, even though he has been either out or moving slowly for several weeks due to his injuries. He has talked about leaving the trail, but knowing how I'd feel if I did, I hope he doesn't.