Date: 2013-05-11
From: Harper's Ferry, VA

To: Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 208.1

965.1 Miles Front Royal, VAMade the 100 plus miles from Waynesboro pretty quick. One of the reasons I wanted to put some distance between Waynesboro and me was the fact that people were getting sick there. About 6 AM, on Saturday 5/4 in Wayneboro, I got a text from Sampson. He said he has been stuck in his motel room for 3 days with the diareah and throwing up. He said he went to the ER and they said he tested negative for Giardea. When I got out of my tent there was a girl heading for the porta potty holding her stomach. When I got back from the laudromat, Roswell was laying on the ground in his sleeping bag moaning. That was all I needed to see. I tore down and got out off town quick. The next day I met Hair, who was slackpacking back to Wayensboro. He told me that Joe the Hiker was sick and tested positive for Giardea. Got another text from Sampson on Thursday, this week, and he said that after 6 days of being sick he was finally getting back on the trail. After entering Shenandoah National Park, the trail pretty much follows Skyline Drive. In fact I crossed Skyline Drive a total of 40 times. A week ago I crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway 6 or 7 times. I hiked with a couple of section hikers this week, Chief and Wascal. Wascal and I did some stealth camping at Loft Moutain Campground. The campground wasn't open for the year yet but we took a side trail in and set up on a tent site down over a hill. The next morning it was raining when we got up and it rained all day. The next day it was the same thing, rain all day. Wascal talked about renting a cabin at Lewis Mountain Campground. By the time we got there he did'nt have to twist my arm to go in with him on a rental. It was good to dry out. The next day I did my longest day so far, 23 1/2 miles. That put me within 13 miles of Front Royal. The family is coming there to meet me.I made it down to US 522 about 1 PM on Friday and hitched a ride into Front Royal. The lady dropped me off at a McDonalds and I called my daughter Lisa who was just getting into town also. It was good to see her and Jack anf Molly again. Tomorrow Gloria and Angela and Ali will be here.The last 3 days my right knee has been hurting very badly. Yesterday it was almost unbearable. I had to stop several times because of the pain. When I got to the motel I put ice on it. I was going to slack pack while I'm here but I think I'll just take it easy and rest. Mot and Hoosier are 2 to 3 days behind me. I'll let the catch up and hook up with them when they get here. I talked to a couple of other hikers and we all agreed that we could'nt figure out how people would get the "Virginia Blues". Virginia is beutiful. When you are on the ridge tops you have incredible views of the valleys or other far away mountains. Add in the huge rock formations, overhangs, and cliffs, and it is spectacular. No, I definately did not get the "Virginia Blues". I'm going to post a picture of Mrs. Yahner's third grade class at Brockway Elementry School. They are following me on my trek and send me some very interesting posts in my geust book. One of the things that they are very concerned about is me hitch hiking. They are afraid that I'm breaking the law. I don't check to see if it is legal or not. Most of the towns along the trail are used to seeing hikers hitch hiking into their town, and will pick them up just to find out where they are from, where they are hiking to, etc. They know the hikers are just coming into their town to re-supply, get something to eat, or get a room. In other words, spend money. The police know this also and kind of bend the law a little. Like the officer in Erwin, Tenn. did for me. So don't worry, I'm not going to end up in the slammer for hitch hiking.For John who chose the trail name "Roadrunner", there is a young man from Germany hiking the trail. I run into him every couple of weeks. His trail name is "Roadrunner" also. He speaks very little English but gets along quite well. That's the way it is on the trail. Everybody just gets along great.I hope my knee gets better. My next goal is Harpers Ferry, VA. Happy TrailsPunkin PieSomewhere on the AT