Date: 2004-07-17
From: Harpers Ferry WV

To: Pine Grove State Park PA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

July 17th, 2004 8:04 am, Jorma (Slimer) Hale called in from Harpers Ferry WVfrom the Hilltop Hotel.Left Elk Wallow Gap on July 13th around 7:00 pm hiked until 10:pm, made it to Gravel Springs Gap Shelter, 27 mile day today. Feet, ankles and knees holding up good, back has been hurting me some. Re-supplied at the store in Elk Wallowmoved on, saw 4 bears, got a picture of one of them hope it comes out good.Saw three bears, then heard a loud noise coming through the woods and saw another bear, this one looked like a yearling. Boy was he making some noise, then he saw me and ran off a ways and started sniffing the ground.Met Terripen and Goofy at the Gravel Springs Shelter, first time I have seen Goofy since Blue Mountain Shelter near Neels Gap Georgia, starting to catch up with the other hikers from down the trail. Terripen and Goofy are hiking together now. Terripen has a web site, said he had some neat t-shirts for saleon his website (atthruhiker.org).Met up with Slider at Bears Den Hostel, Slider had hiked with Adam (Gather) down the trail.On the way in to Bears Den Hostel I ran out of food and water, got in there latenothing to eat. Found a bag of pretzels in the hikers box ( a hikers box is kinda like a goodwill box for the hikers, if you need something you take it, if you have something you don't need you put it in the box) anyway went to bed hungry that night. No place to re-supply here, will leave here hungry. Left Bears Den Hostel and made it to VA 626 Snickers Gap, got on the highway and walked about a mile to Horseshoe Curve Cafe. There I made a pig out of myself, pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, finished that off and ordered the same thing again. The owner came out and talked to me while I ate. When I finished he drove me back to the trail head to resume my journey north, as he was dropping me off he handed me a bag lunch and wished me good luck. Brutal climb out of here, wicked, evil is the word (wait until I get my hands on Gather, he said it was smooth walking through here). Ran into another Raspberry patch, man those things are good, but they will give you the you know what's if you know what I mean.Came to a trail head met a guy Spiz who had a cooler of soft drinks giving them out, Spiz had thru-hiked two years ago, thanks Mr. Spiz for the drinks.Went on by Front Royal, didn't even stop, out of food, nothing but water to drink. Met a couple from Wilmington NC, they gave me some candy to eat. Ran upon another couple from Lumberton NC they gave me an apple to eat.Made it to Manassas Gap Shelter, met a hiker who was getting off, he gave me his food. I was reading the journal at the shelter and there were numerous entries about this shelter being infested with copper heads. I started looking around real good with my light, didn't see any, didn't feel good about it either, this is one time I wish I had my tent back. The shelter was built of log's and there were cracks and crannys that did look snakey. Terrapin and Goofy came in and almost freaked out when reading the entries about the snakes. The next morning Terrapin rubbed Goofy's arm gently with a stick while Goofy was sleepingGoofy almost freaked out thinking it was a snake on him.Made it into Harpers Ferry WV on 7-16-2004 around 8 pm at night, Slider is hiking with me, we shared a room at the Hilltop Hotel. I'm here to tell you that bed felt good.7-17-2004 Hilltop Hotel Harpers Ferry WV, Yahhhhhh Hoooooo, halfway to Maine.Called home 8:04 am, all ok there, checked up on Adam (Gather) found out at this moment I'm 31 miles behind him.Yes Mr. Gather I can really smell you now, Gather do you know what the monkey said when he caught his tail in the sausage grinder ?"It Won't be Long Now"I have some things I have to do here today, like checking in at the ATC Center, getting my picture taken, sign the journal at the ATC Center, re-supply. Dad faxed me the news paper article Toni Ayers of the Denton Orator wrote, (http://www.dentonorator.com/ ) thank you Toni, things like that help me keep moving. Gotta get moving, burning daylight.Gather total miles hiked to date: 1040.2 miles.Slimer total miles hiked to date: 1008.6 miles.Elk Wallow Gap to Harpers Ferry = 73 miles by three days = Avg 24.3 miles per day.Good luck and Godspeed to the both of them on their journey north