Date: 2019-05-18
From: Boots Off Hostel

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0

May 18 (Day 56): TRAIL DAYS IN DAMASCUS, VA!!!Got up at 6:30 and dressed to make breakfast by 7:00. Grumpy is leaving at 8 sharp so you don't want to miss the shuttle. Breakfast was the best we've had at a hostel: cereal, fresh donuts, and coffee, FRESH FRUIT!, tea, and milk. I had Capn Crunch with Crunchberries, an orange, an apple, and half a donut. It was great!While eating breakfast David mentioned to a fellow hiker that we were from Waynesboro (because hikers have usually heard of Waynesboro, but not Stuarts Draft). One of the other hikers said "Really? We're from Stuarts Draft." Can you imagine meeting another couple from little Stuarts Draft when you are in Tennessee thru-hiking the AT?? What are the odds? What a small world! It turns out they were the couple that stealth camped near us the day before! Sherpa and Hiccup! Sherpa went to Ridgeview Christian School like my daughters did for a short time! Unbelievable!After breakfast we loaded into the shuttle: Riddle, Ambassador, Hagrid, Sherpa, Hiccup, Medic, Mr Maps, and us. There was also a couple that we dropped off at a trail head who were weekend hiking. The ride to Damascus took about an hour.We parked by the Post office in Damascus and Grumpy reminded us to be back there by 4pm.We got out of the van and saw Diesel first thing! We walked with her a bit and she showed us the path to take to get to the main area (the Town Park). We had to walk over a nice bridge. David mentioned that it was on a slant. (He is obsessed with things being slanted since he had to sleep on slanted ground several nights ago and his pad kept sliding.) The Town Park was crowded with arts and crafts vendors and companies that cater to hiking/outdoors. I didn't even stop to look at the arts and crafts because I knew I couldn't buy anything. I did stop at a tent that sold dresses. Diesel had bought one and raved about it. I tried on a medium and it was too big. Tried on a small and it fit great. And my stomach is flat! Haven't seen that since long before children. :) Bought that dress!We wandered over near the library and met up with Chappy and the 2 Cindys. We talked for a bit and then they announced a walk/talk on edibles on the trail. I overheard a young woman introduce herself to the program speaker. It was Sundrop! We had not seen her since the first week of our hike! I had kept in touch via text though. I looked at her and yelled "Sundrop!" We just hugged and hugged so hard! I introduced her to Diesel and the rest of the ladies. David went to fist bump Sundrop and she said "Don't give me that fist bump. I want a hug!" It was so great seeing her! She left on her tour and we continued our conversation with Chappy and Diesel and the Cindys. The 3 ladies were getting ready to hike out since they had been there since Thursday. They took Friday (the first day of the festival) as a zero and decided to leave early to avoid the bubble leaving Sunday. We said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch. We also told them to contact us when they were near Waynesboro for a stay at the Krogh B&B.We then wandered down towards Tent City and the One Way Ministry. We met Sister as we crossed the bridge. David didn't even recognize her! We had heard she had shaved her head and it was true! She had had hair halfwayway down her back and now it was about 1/2 inch long! It looked good on her! We walked on and a church along the way stopped us and offered us chips and a drink and a place to sit in the shade. We were talking about the hikers we would probably not see again because they were so fast. One person we both thought of was Sketch. Just as we said his name we saw him walk by! He stopped and we talked for a bit then he walked with us to the One Way Ministry. They had a ton of free food and some folks had started playing guitars on the porch. We were sitting at a table inside eating when I look through the window and recognized the shorts and top of the woman out on the porch. I knocked on the window and Pebbles turned and saw me and I went running out to hug her! We had a great reunion and she introduced us to her current hiking partners: Camerman from Denmark, Mountain Goat from Taiwan, and Promo from Texas. They considered themselves the international group.We walked to a nearby trailer and bought 2 pork BBQ plates and ate them while listening to the music.Walked up towards the park to catch the Hiker Parade. It started with the oldest thru-hikers (1980 then 1999), then 2019, and then 2018 and back. Per tradition, many of the current male thru-hikers dressed as women. Don't ask me why. The spectators sprayed the parade and participants with water guns (except the older folks at the beginning). A fire truck at the end sprayed the crowd with a hose from the truck!The parade didn't last long and afterwards we went back to some of the vendor tents that were doing drawings. Diesel had entered in a couple and won a 40 degree quilt for her hammock!It was about time for us to leave so we walked back towards the shuttle van. Grumpy was there and so were most of the gang. Once Hagrid showed up we climbed in and went back to Boots Off. Riddle kept us entertained on the ride back with riddles and brain teasers.We had about an hour until the 6pm shuttle into town so we just hung out. Grumpy took us to Subway, McDonalds, and then the Dollar Store. That sub was good! I took a shower when we got back and went to bed! Great zero day, but exhausting.