Date: 2013-05-06
From: The Place, Damascus, VA

To: The Hiker's Inn, Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0

I woke up early despite the beers. I had a little big of a head-fog headache. Ugh. My stomach felt a little weird, but all-in-all I was feeling okay. I got up at 7 a.m. and made my usual breakfast. I joined Spoons and Scarecrow (?) in the communal dining area. We talked quietly because it was still "quiet time." But I was still rattled when Bayou came up behind me and "shushed" us. There was still 18 more minutes before we were allowed to talk. Strange and more than a little demeaning. The three of us looked at each other in disbelief. We had a combined age of 125, and yet we were treated as if we were 4. The Place has been a good deal, but I'm happy to be leaving and moving to somewhere a bit more welcoming and hospitable. I sorted through my mail drops and organized a food box to bounce up the trail. I have entirely too much food, and I'm done with the days of trying to carry 10 days of food just to save the $12.35 of postage. I took my boxes and pack, bid farewell to The Place and walked directly across the street to The Hiker's Inn, a lovely oasis of calm, warm and welcoming hospitality. I felt the stress and tension disolve as soon as I stepped on the front porch. I left my pack and boxes on the hearth inside and set off in search of the grocery store. It was a mile's hoof outside of town along the Virginia Creeper Trail. The VCT is a 35 mile Rails-to-Trails path that passes through the middle of Damascus. The river along the path was moving fast and the water was out of its banks. There were little farms with faded red barns and a few head of cattle grazing in the pasture across the river. I got to the grocery store and climbed the levee to reach the parking lot and front door. It's been over a month since I've been in a real grocery store. I've been resupplying via maildrop and at little convience stores. Holy smokes. I would go so far as to say that the experience was a bit overwhelming. My stomach was growling so I stopped at the deli section to get a quick bite to eat. I wanted to make wise food choices. I ordered their "breakfast special"- a biscuit, gravy, two scrambled eggs and a side of meat. I asked for a sausage and for them to hold the gravy. The girl behind the counter asked if I'd like to substitute something for the gravy. I asked for extra eggs. She said, Sorry, doubling up isn't allowed. Okay, I asked for a side of bacon. She said, I'm sorry, only one meat. Okay, I looked at the steam table, and my only other option was the baked apples. I asked for those. She said she would have to ask her manager. She looked over her shoulder and asked the lady sitting in the booth behind her. The manager said, No. She looked back at me sheepishly and apologized. I just chuckled and said it was okay, but I still didn't want the gravy.My shopping list was short, but I still spent over an hour walking up and down each and every aisle. Even the aisles I knew had nothing that I needed. The soda aisle was so neat and orderly, each slot filled with a beverage, each bottle or can turned so that the labels were lined up perfectly. The overhead light shined off the glossy plastic. I had an overwhelming urge to take a picture of them lined up so perfectly and patterned. I didn't. I went to the canned fish aisle. I wanted to see if there were any new or exciting flavors of packaged tuna. I've eaten so much tuna as of late, it will be a miracle if I make it to Maine without mercury poisioning. I went to the fresh produce. I decided on a small onion, two small tomatoes, a small red pepper, a container of sprouts, an alvocado, and a pound and a half of fresh cherries. I knew those cherries would be lucky to make it back to the Hiker's Inn (only about a half pound made it. Oh glorious fresh fruit, how I miss thee!). I also implused on a box of Cheez-its. I'm not sure what's in those suckers, but I could eat them by the pallet load. I got back to the Hiker's Inn and hung out on the porch with some other hikers, some where staying at the Hiker's Inn and the others wished they were. Lee showed me up to my room. Lee and her husband, Paul, must be the nicest people on the planet. They open their beautiful, clean, wonderfully restored home to smelly, dirty, transient hikers. And they do it with such warmth and sincerity. It feels like an honor to stay with them. I immediately felt more human and less animal. I shared a twin room with By the Way. He was smelling pretty ripe, but I thoroughly enjoyed his company. After a shower, his smell wasn't an issue. I headed back to Mojoe's for more trail journals updates. Tom called while I was there. I headed to the Blue Blaze Cafe to see who was there. I chatted with K2 Summit, Bitter Goat and St. Nick. I decided to try out a new taco place that had its grand opening just a few hours before. I some yummy fish tacos and chatted with the guy next to me. His name is Stewart, and he's a local business man. We talked about the trail and Damascus. I asked him about the Virginia Creeper Trail. He told me all about it. I thought that I'd like to come back some day and ride down it. Then it dawned on me, why not do it while I'm here? The weather is supposed to be bad again tomorrow. Rather than hike and camp in the rain, why not bike in the rain and stay at my cozy oasis another night? It was a no-brainer! My mind was made up I headed back to the Hiker's Inn and sat on the porch (Virginia is filled with front porches with chairs with people sitting in them watching the world pass by. It's lovely!) with Matt and Little SAS. Bayou came over with a glass of wine and joined up. Outside the Place, I enjoy his company. I told them about my plans to stay, and before I could ask Lee if it would be okay, Bayou got to her. She said it would be fine. Now all I need is a bike and a shuttle. I retreated up to my room paradise and cuddled into my soft bed with THREE REAL PILLOWS! Oh my, I was in heaven.