Date: 2012-04-22
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Damascus. VA - Hikers InnÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ 
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: light rain

Day 28 - Sunday, April 22ndHiking Days 22 / Nero Days 5 /  Zero Days 1Start Location: Double Springs ShelterMile Marker: 448.4Ending Location: Damascus. VA - Hikers Inn Mile Marker: 467.1Time: 7h 17minMiles: 18.7Weather: started colder around 45.  Minimal visibility early, lifted some by 7:00.  Remained around 45 all day with on-and-off rain.  Rain stopped around 1:30 but temps are dropping. The night brought about some unsettled sleepers.  The german couple got stuck right next to the older section hiker on his second day out as I mentioned yesterday.  Being older and overweight meant to me that he had major snore potential.  That's why I was way on the other side when I took me spot in the shelter.  And he did.  The German couple, like me, prefers to tent out, even at a shelter.  I was in there because I anticipated rain over night and with it having only one person in it when i arrived so why not?  They stayed in because there were no flat spots to set up.  As loud as the snoring was by the section hiker I suspect the German couple may never stay in a shelter again.  I heard the uneasiness of both of them and even frustration as the night wore on.  Day started early enough.  Missed my alarm again but still up at 6:07.  When I relieved my bladder of the four trail magic beers around 4:00am the fog was so thick I couldn't see the shelter even 25 feet away.  I followed the rain hitting the tin roof back to my warm sleeping bag.  The fog was equally as think at 6:07 when I looked out. With no visibility and no hiking lamp, I just laid back down hoping it would thin out by 7:00.  And it did.  At least enough to get hiking.  Before I left however I had one packet of hot chocolate left.  So I heated up some water and enjoyed it immensely.  On the trail at 6:55.  The rain was light but steady.  The poncho packa thing is actually working out nicely.  I left my rain jacket packed up and used my windshirt underneath.  The combination was perfect for the conditions. I hate my rain jacket.  The seams are literally disintegrating on both sleeves and arm pit.  It will be sent back to Patagonia once I get back.  My goal is to pick up just a light rain jacket at the outfitters tomorrow on my zero day.  My shorts are holding up with the earlier duct tape repair but the material is so thin everywhere I need to replace them as-well.  The shorts have made it two complete AT hikes plus from the NOC to Damascus so I can't bitch much about their durability.  The jacket started falling apart on day one. So I played the on and off game twice with my poncho and jacket.  I hit the first shelter after about 8 miles of hiking.  Stopped for a Ramen at 10:00.  It sounds early but if I got up at 9, in three hours it would be lunchtime.  So when I get up at 6:30, 10:00 makes a great stopping point for an early lunch.  Even McDonalds changes to the lunch menu at 10:30.  Just before I left the shelter the rain continued but was now a bit harder.  No big deal.  Only 10 miles left to Damascus.  The group that caught a lift to town with the intent of slacking this section never passed me. With it being a wet and colder day, I suspected they would remain in town.  In fact, I suspect the entire group may simply skip this section.  I'm sure their saying to each other "hike your own hike".  The problem is they are not hiking at all.  How about .. Skip your own hike, when it fits your laziness".  That works.  With only a few miles to go, I decided to listen to some music for the first time with my iphone.  The rain had stopped, the trail was actually pleasant and I just crossed into Virginia.  Three states down.  I tried to call up my Pandora radio account but I seemed to have forgotten the password.  So I touched the forgot password line,entered my account, then called up my yahoo account, reset the password, got the music flowing, all while hiking the AT.  Can you even imagine how far technology has come?  I could search the web on the AT.  Part of me thinks that it really should not be so available but then part of me thinks it's rather awesome.   Well my last three miles were very pleasant and happy miles.  I arrived in Damascus around 2:15.  I noticed the park stage is all wrapped up in no trespassing tape and signs.  I've got to say that it does not send a very friendly image.  It is obviously there for the hikers.  It wasn't like that the last two hikes.  I think with the taking away of the fields for trail fest and now this, I think there are subtle signs things may be changing a bit in Damascus.  I stopped at the outfitters to weigh my pack.  If the scale was correct, which i suspect it is, I came into town with under a ten pound pack.  Nice.  And that is with my cold weather cloths still available. On my way to check in at the Hikers Inn, I noticed that the Dancing Bear Inn is for sale.  I always felt if I would buy a place in Damascus that would be what I would want.  I wonder if things are really changing?  I stayed at Dancing Bear during both my 2006 and 2010 routes through Damascus.  In 2006 the proprietor there is the one that said .. "no rain no gain .. No gain no Maine ... ".  Those actually stick in my head with every bad weather day.  I'll have to look it up and see how much he is asking for it.  I'm sure it's not cheap.  Walking through town I could see all the no vacancy signs out.  I suspected this would happen days ago when I saw a chance for rain.  That's when I called for my reservation.  Glad I did.  The Place will be full tonight.  I can't believe how many macho hikers with their 45-50 pounds of gear can't be in moisture or cod weather.  If they don't have whatever it takes to be comfy with 45 pounds of gear then what the hell are they carrying?  And why are they carrying it if they don't want to use it when the time comes to use it?  Very odd.  Well I got all checked in.  A nice couple, Liegh and Paul, AT class of 2010.  They bought it from Suzan in June of 2010.  I remember it being for sale.  Nice room.  Big puffy queen bed.  Went over to do my laundry and eat at the dairy king.  As it turns out the dairy king is closed in Sundays.  I went to do laundry but I only had 20's. Stop at the gas station and bought two bottles of Gatorade, 2 small bags of chips and licorice to break the 20.  Crossed the street to the laundry.  At least a third of the machines were out of order.  So was the bill changer.  So I walked back across the street to the automatic car wash and got $3 of quarters there.  Back to the laundry.  Started my wash and went over to get detergent and that was also broken.  Oh well.  A wash even without detergent is still cleaner then they are now with all the rain and mud.  On the way back I noticed a baptist church had a service posted for 6:30 pm.  Why not go?  So I ate an early meal and went back and brushed my teeth to get rid of my beer breath.  I had a giant chef salad and for some reason I ordered a sport sized draft beer.  It was only a buck more then the bottled beer so how big could it be, like a pint?  Oh no.  Not sure the size but it was big.  And of course I drank it none the less. So with teeth brushed I went over to church.  Seemed dark so I went in the side door.  I went to the nursery and asked about the service.  This women indicated that this week was a joint service with another church.  So I missed my opportunity for my first southern baptist church experience.  Bummer.  I was really looking forward to itSo instead I went to the dollar general bought some thin mints cookies and generic Prilosec OTC since I have been without it for a week and wasn't sure if I could wait for my package tomorrow.  Last night I had bad acid reflux attack and didn't want to go through it again tonight.  So for $8, I bought some.  Went back to the restaurant / bar and had meal number two with Steve-O and calves.  Just a cheeseburger, fries and of course another beer.  I have been with both hikers since Erwin.  The stopped at Kincora where I went past it.  Calves did a 32 mile day from Kincora to the hostel I was at last night.  Steve-O did the route I did in 2010 finishing with a marathon today.  By the way .. If you are a disney fan, Steve-O was prince charming in the disney presentation in front of the castle if disney world for five years so if you were there, you probably saw him.   Everyone who came to town is at The Place tonight since everything else in town is and was booked before we even got here.  That includes the german couple.  Calves is hiking on tomorrow so I suspect I will not see him again.  He has until July 9th to finish. Ekkks. It's now 9:15.  The temps have dropped and below freezing seems to be a real possibility.  Windchill is already officially at 32 degrees.  The Place does not have heat but it will still be warm and out of the elements.  It's not the temps that make you cold rather it is the dampness and the constant wind.  Get out of those two and it is surprisingly easy to stay warm.  Even without a 45 pound pack. Big Zero day tomorrow.  Going to bed.