Date: 2007-04-25
From: Bears Den Hostel; VA

To: Hilltop House Hotel, Harper's Ferry, WV
Miles today: 19.9

WE MADE IT TO HARPER'S FERRY!! The traditional Half Way Point (though technically the true half way point is in Pennsylvania. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) HQ is located here so that's the big deal.Guthook cooked up some pancakes for everyone there at the Hostel, so that was a great start to our day.Hit the road by 0830, not too bad for gettin outta a fine hostel!Weather was pretty good for us, 50's and overcast. Ideal. Gotta finish the Rollercoaster today.We found the Rollercoaster pretty easy actually. Everyone talks about it as the only hard part of Virginia, though VA includes the Shenandoahs and it's the longest state, roughly 500 miles.Looks like we'll make it through VA in 28 or 29 days depending whether you count our first nite in Damascus (just into VA). That's 550.6 miles/28 days or averaging 19.7 miles/day! That counts nearo's and zero's too! Damascus to Harper's is essential all VA and major landmarks, 549 miles in 28 days, 19.6 miles/day! Pretty damn good. Less than a month for the biggest state on the trail - a huge one people say wears you down.Had lunch break at the last shelter in VA. Pretty schwank. of course cuz we're not stayin there.After that we hit one of the worst rocky sections on the trail. Several miles of horrible foot poundin uneven rocks that kill tired feet. Especially with beat down old tired shoes that are ready to retire. Beyond ready.Surprisingly Guthook's and my trailrunners held up pretty well. We each had 2-300 miles on them before the start of the trail, so now they have ~1200-1300 miles on them and relatively speaking they did well. Most AT hikers say they only get about 500miles outta trailrunners, closer to 1000 with boots is typical. Guthooks did a little better. Mine had tears through the outside layers near the outer edge of the ball of my feet from scraping rocks and gettin poked by sticks, etc. Once the mesh tore, sticks would penetrate and make the tear worse. Finally the heels started to delaminate on both our shoes. But the tops looked great otherwise. And our treads were in pretty good shape, showing only a little wear, but still pretty good traction!Will have to plug Asolo (mine) and Vasque (Guthooks) along the trail.We're both sending them home for yard shoes and prosperity sake.Tito sent his boots home way back at the NOC (133 miles into the trip) and has only about 875 miles on his Salomons which are destroyed! Both sides rippin out, both tensioning cords broken (instead of shoe laces). Beat. He must be tough on boots or they're crap!WE REACHED the 1000 miles mark today!! [Only 1175 miles to go!! Ughh.]We reached the VA-WV line around 2-ish. The rocks got better after that. Only 1.9miles to Harper's Ferry. We'd already decided to forego the 4 state challenge: VA, WV (short), Maryland, and just into Pennsylvania. Tradition is to do this in one day, 44 miles or so, in under 24. Terrain not that hard, just a long day. We opted out not cuz of the miles but it's a hassle. Gotta hike into Harper's first to sign in, etc. for the official checkin in point. Or come back afta. Hassle. Confident we could have done it as we're much faster and lighter than many traditional hikers for who've done it for years.And Guthook and I have both done 33 milers in 13 or 14 hours.Anyway finally reached Harper's Ferry ATC at 1630! YEEE HAHHH!!!!Had our photos taken and signed in to the official book.Annually roughly 1500 hikers start northbound (NOBO's), less than half make it here and only 25% finish ~375 or so.I signed in as the 16th and Guthook the 17th NOBO for 2007!! GUTHOOK got robbed!! He was there first by about 50 steps. Even took his photo first. Tito was #15 yesterday, as he pushed on last nite to catch an early train today. (Gettin off the trail to do his annual summer job in Colorado-White Water River Raft Guide) and return in September to finish it as southbound (SOBO) flip-flopper.Woodstock was # 8 on April 18th (52 days!) He's an ultramarathoner and lightweight backpacker in his 50's with a trail reputation for movin fast and doin big miles. He started 3 days before me on Feb 26th a day after Guthook. He's in awesome shape we're told. Never met him. Thought for a while might be able to catch him if his zeros fell right. but no chance. I'm psyched he has gained very little on me even after dropping 5 ADDITIONAL pounds of gear a couple weeks ago. Ultralight means ultrafast. #1 NOBO Bookworm started OCT 7th, 2006 - reached Harper's Jan 24th [117 days]#2 NOBO GHOST started Dec 30th, 2006 - Mar 12th! [73 days]#3 NOBO Toothpick Jan 7 - Mar 13!n [66 days]#6,7 NOBOs The Boys II Maine Feb 13 - April 10 [57 days]#8 NOBO Woodstock Feb 26 - April 18th [52 days!]#9 Hobbit Jan 31 - April 18th [78 days]#10 Groovasaurus ??#11 Osprey Feb 21 - April 23 [63 days]#15 Tito Mar 1 - April 25 [56 days!]#16 FedEx [ME!} Mar 1 - April 25 [56 days!!]#17 Guthook Feb 24 - April 25 [61 days!!]Pretty impressive I think. Of course the early starters had worse weather and many took time off for holidays, etc.; And everyone raves about Woodstock. And how fast are the Boys II Maine! Yet Tito and I got here in just 56 days through SNOW RAIN WIND MEGA HEAT and all. Woodstock started 3 days ahead and got here 7 days ahead. Imagine that. Not too shabby. Guthook's is also impressive. Osprey, well that's another whole story.I'm sure our friends behind us are goin strong. Several took time off for family stuff. But I'm sure they're catchin up fast. Can't wait to see them all again.After our mini celebration we headed straight for the gear store TO GET SOME NEW TREADS for our tired dogs!!! They can't wait!We were immediately greeted by the co-owner who offered us each a cold beer from his personal stock upstairs in his home. Ahhhhh! Thanks so much! Never tasted so good.After a while of jawing with his wife, Guthook eventually bought another pair of his stellar performing Vasque Velocity trailrunners, and I the same. Hopefully after a little break in and dirt we won't look like the bobbsie twins much longer!For me this is a change since my Asolo's had a Gortex XCR liner to help keep my feet dry. But now that it's warmer it's less an issue and inhibits your foot from breathing. So mesh is better to let out the heat. If your feet get wet from rain or streams they dry faster while walkin. Even with XCR liners they still get wet eventually, just more splash protection I guess.Anyway they feel great and I can't wait to try them on the trail tomorrow. Hopefully they make a huge difference dampening the impact on rocks and the all day pounding! AND they were cheap $89 plus she hooked us up and only charged $79.Grabbed some other minor stuff and headed across the street for some eats at the Secret Six Tavern. Chicken Fettucini, Salad,Chicken Tenders, Birch Beer, and a local Brew of course. Mmmmm. But soooo tired are we.Lugged our stuff up to the Hilltop House Hotel a fine distinguished huge house on the hill overlooking the river and cliffs. Hiker rate $40-what a deal!Showered, unpacked just enough for sleep and grabbed some zzzzz's.Awesome day.Harper's Ferry. 1008.5 miles. Wow.FedEx