Date: 2008-05-02
From: Tenting 1.5 miles n of Abingdon Gap Shelter, TN

To: Old Mill Inn, Damascus, VA
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up at 5am and made 23 ounces of coffee and had about 5 ounces of smushed powdered mini donuts for breakfast. :-)It just started getting a little light out at 5:55am when a brown thrasher started making his four different calls. That's my favorite bird to listen to on the whole Trail. It really relaxes me and brings a calm to the day.....and you almost never see one....and I'm not even sure that's the proper name for the critter, but I sure do love the calls he makes.I was packed and walking at 6:45am and the brown thrasher was still talking to me.It was a mild 55 degrees out and there was a good breeze that kept me cool.I didn't know it, but I had neighbors last night. I had only walked about 1/3 of a mile when I came up to Retread and Long Way True packing up.I said good morning as I walked by.It was a very peaceful morning out here; I was just walking slow and enjoying the Trail.I walked out of TN and into VA at 8:30 this morning.I've heard VA is flat! :-)I took a self portrait in front of the sign, took a few minutes to think about how lucky I am and walked on.I started hearing the town sounds of Damascus in another couple miles. I still had 1 1/2 miles till I actually got to town though.I walked into Damascus,VA at 10am. I took a picture of the sign welcoming hikers to town and walked another 1/2 mile to Mount Rogers Outfitters.I saw Hutch and Sparrow on the way. They had just got married a couple weeks before.It's always great to see friends along the Trail, and there were quite a few at the outfitter.Jeff yelled out to me before I even got my pack off outside, then went in and saw Dave, Jeff, Roy and Pirate were some of the old friends.Mainiac. Cannibal and Genuine Draft were inside and a bunch of hikers I haven't met yet.I walked over to Dave's Place and met Mountain Sailor, Cool Breeze and Zak.Long Way True and Retread got the last rooms in the B&B's in town. Jeff checked with Pirate, but Dave's Place was already full.I'm really not used to being around this many hikers. It's great meeting everyone, but it sure does stretch the town services.I was thinking of just resupplying and walking out of town later on, but Jeff told me to try The Old Mill Inn.I walked over and they were very friendly. I secured a room on the 3rd floor, then walked back to Dave's Place and got my backpack.I got into the room and that was when I realized that my clothes smelled worse than they did on the whole bike ride. :-)I took a shower and washed my clothes while I was in there. I laid them out to dry and I turned on the Weather Channel.....then promptly fell asleep til 5:30! Guess I really needed that.I got dressed and decided I was very hungry, so I headed downstairs with the intentions of going out and getting a whole pizza for myself.....but, as I walked by The Old Mill Menu, I saw their menu and they had all you can eat pan fried chicken!I stayed! :-)It was a great deal on excellent food....$14.00 for AYCE pan fried chicken, country ham, slaw, green beans, navy beans, mashed potatoes, baked apples, biscuits, iced tea and strawberry cobbler with ice cream. I was sooooooo happy! :-)My clothes were still a little damp and the air conditioning made me cold, so I went upstairs to get my jacket. When I came back down, Mountain Sailor and Apostle were seated at a table next to me, so I joined them.We had a great meal and a great time talking. It sounds like their walks are going really well and they have adapted to this new life they're living and having fun.I walked back over to Dave's Place after dinner and talked to Jeff and Crazy Horse for a while, then came home to The Old Mill about 8:30pm.A couple things I've noticed since I've been back on Trail are that I now have had westerly winds for three days in a row....I wanted those winds so bad on the bike ride, but noooooo, we had mostly easterly headwinds.....and now the day is so long. The sun comes up about 6:30am and sets at about 8:15pm for almost 14 hours of sunlight.I only had about 10 hours of sunlight when I started this walk.I guess I offended my ol' buddy Chief so much that I brought out his other personality.....Granny Phelps. I read in my guestbook where he signed it, but signed in as Granny Phelps.I always know I've hit a nerve with him when his elder female side comes out and he signs my guestbook as Granny Phelps. ;-)Anyway, I guess I have to apologize to him, so here goes;   Look, (in my best southern trailer park drawl....the only language my ol' buddy understands) I'm sorry I said you were a pathetic backpacker. You're still a pathetic backpacker, but I'm just sorry I said it....OK?Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)