Date: 2007-05-17
From: Front Royal, VA

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 34.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 19 to 22 Front Royal to Bears Den HostelDay 19Shared a motel room with "Baby Steps" a nice woman from Concord NH. Meet her a few days earlier in the park. Too bad she was finishing up her hike in Front Royal, as it would have been nice to hike somemore with her. Didn't get out of Front Royal until about 2:30 pm. Thankfully, got a ride back to the trail head with-in minutes of sticking out my thumb. 5 mile, mostly up hill hike to the next shelter, the Jim and Molly Denton. Nice place, with a front portch with andirondike style bench on porch. Had the place to myself, first time in awhile. Day 20Slept in a little, on trail about 9. Only 10 mile day, but getting hot out again. Pulled into Dick's Dome shelter for the night. Strange little place. Built like a geodesic dome, with asfault shingles on the sides. Only fits 4 people and short section hikers already in occupentcy. Meet a lot of people hiking the Harpers Ferry to Front Royal section this day. Since shelter was full, set up tent. Thankfully weather good and no chance of rain. Don't like to tent in the rain! Tents sights not the best and there were a few of us out tenting. Day 21.Got up with the birds, right a dawn, broke camp and started moving. Got maybe my earlist start so far due to needing to do 15 mile day and threat of showers or thunder storms in the afternoon. The first climb out of the shelter ends up on Sky Meadow, a large, flat grassy area. No real views but nice area. 6 miles futher on is the next shelter, Rod Hollow. Stopped at Rod Hollow for lunch, just before noon. Turns out this is the start of the "roller coaster" to Hapers Ferry. A series of stiff little 500 to 800 foot climbs and decents, maybe a dozen or so all together in 30 miles. There were 5 of these in the 7 miles to the next shelter, Sam Moore. Just after leaving Rod Hollow, the sky starting looking threating. A few mile from Sam Moore, some sprinkles started. A mile from the shelter, the sprinkles started getting a bit more steady. The sky opened up with full fledge down pours minutes after arriving at Sam Moore - good timing! Pretty much full shelter, with Retro, Flexable, A.T.O.M, myself and a south bound section hiker. Day 22. Today was a short day, only 3 mile to the Bears Den Hostle. Slept in a bit at the shelter this morning and didn't get going until 9 am, knowing it would be a "nero" day. I need the rest after yesterdays hike! A bit cooler today, after last evening showers. Up and down a couple more of those roller coaster hills to here , of course. Thinking of calling it quits at Harpers Ferry, as its the best point to head home from for awhile. Three weeks and 270 miles, starting to get a little tired. These new boots I got in Waynsboro are doing okay, but are a little soft and a little too big without two pairs of socks, so not sure how well they will hold up in PA. If Cracker catches up with me, he's maybe a day behind now, I may push on, as he would make a good hikng partner. Meet him early in the hike, but got a few days ahead of him when I skipped up to Waynsboro to get the new boots. If I take my time doing the next 20 miles to Harpers Ferry, which I will have to do anyway as not to arrive durring the weekend, he just might catch up. We'll see.   Looks like I might be the only one at the Hostel today, but still too early to tell. Many of the through hikers have headed back to Damascus for Trail Days this weekend, so pretty quiet at the moment.