Date: 2008-05-03
From: Old Mill Inn, Damascus, VA

To: Old Mill Inn, Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This was a great lazy day to take it easy and let the ol' body get ready to start walking north again tomorrow.I slept really well, but couldn't sleep in....I'm just a morning person and couldn't sleep past 7am if I tried.I got up at 6am and walked outside to get reception so I could send in yesterday's journal entry.I came back into my room and made a pot of Stumpknocker's Blend coffee and decided to finish up the powdered mini donuts I had carried for the last 50 miles without eating. I didn't want to carry them any farther. :-)I walked up to the Dollar Store and resupplied for the next stretch of Trail that will probably take me about 75 miles to Atkins, VA before I get more real food and not the crappy trail food I carry.I met Hammer, Recurve, Walrus and saw G-town Colonel again on the way back to the room.I had some extra coffee, maps and 3/4 of a book that I mailed ahead to Pearisburg, VA just so I wouldn't have to carry it. I didn't think I'd need any of that stuff till then.I met Brushy Sage while I was at the PO.The biggest problem with meeting so many new hikers is that it's going to be real hard to put a name to a face when I run into them again.I bought Goldilocks a get well card and wrote that out, then walked back to the PO and sent that and met Voodoo there.Any of you that knows Goldilocks '05, well, he took a fall, but is alright now. Hard to hurt those young guys....us slighter more mature hikers break things when we fall. :-)I saw Ron Haven, Maricela and their two boys at Mt Rogers Outfitters, then again at The Only Wonderer's house when I walked by.I ran into Cannibal and Genuine Draft as they were getting ready to walk out of town, then I met Red.I met Willow as I walked up to the library to get on the internet, but there was a waiting list, so I left.I met Lost, who I had met on Springer Mountain on New Year's Eve. Her son is hiking the Trail. His name is Nest and he was at Sundog's with Pearl.I ran into Bondi as I was walking to Sicily's for lunch.I had a small pizza and saw Red again, then met Aries, Mike and Left Field.They now have a public computer in Sicily's, so I used that to check a few things, then headed back to my room and took a much needed nap. :-)I slept for about an hour, then walked up to Dave's Place in a cold drizzle and sat under the porch for about an hour.I talked to Wild Horse, then Jeff came over and talked a while.I meandered back towards the Old Mill Inn because it was nearing 5pm and that's when they opened for dinner.I couldn't even think of eating anywhere else because they cook up some delicious pan fried chicken. :-)I had that chicken, some meatloaf, corn, green beans, navy beans, mashed potatoes, baked apples, cole slaw, biscuits, iced tea and blackberry cobbler to top it all off......yum!!! :-)The lady that checked me in yesterday and is one of the busiest.....and nicest people I've met, was also waiting tables tonight because they were short help.I'm not sure what her position is here, but I haven't seen a better host ever!She even smiled when she brought me more pan fried chicken! :-)Her name is Betty Miller and she MADE my stay here in Damascus!I love watching someone doing something so well and she really is the best host I've ever seen.Thanks Betty!I decided to write my journal right after dinner and get it sent in because I'm going to lay in my room and think about that pan fried chicken I had. 8-)This was a great day for meeting new people....and now I'm ready to walk into the highlands tomorrow.Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. :-)