Date: 2013-05-17
From: TN Hwy 91 at Shady Valley, TN (to Damascus)

To: Zero Day 1 in Damascus
Miles today: 0.0

After a good time with friends the night before in our own personal tent city, it was time to see the Trail Days Festival in Damascus I had heard so much about since starting the AT. That morning we hitched into town with no problem again. We gathered our laundry and decided to get cleaned up while we were there with the free showers provided by another Church group supporting the hikers. We walked around a bit and saw a lot more people we knew. I saw the booth where AWOL was there promoting his books. I thought this would be a great opportunity to get a picture of us together I can use when I write my own. I reached for my camera and holy crap, it's not there! Apparently, I had forgotten my camera of all things. I still wanted to meet him so I approached the booth where several people were standing. In the corner was this guy who wasn't talking to anyone. I asked if he knew where AWOL was and he said with a soft and quiet voice "Yeah, I'm AWOL" . He seemed soft spoken and unassuming, something I didn't expect. I talked to him for a while about writing his first book and how he got information for his guide. It was a good talk and I learned a little bit about him, hoping to be in his position one day. He said it took him about two years after his through hike to finish his first book. I was surprised to learn that he basically had only had one person helping him get the information for his guide.   When we asked about how he got his elevations, Thistle popped up and told him they didn't seem to be very accurate. I was thinking the same, but she has more gonads than I. It was funny though, and we laughed about it later on. There were live bands everywhere and people were drinking and having a good time. Some partied a little too strong however, and we heard from Sycamore that three of his friends, including one in a wheel chair were arrested and had cars towed. That's always the down side of a big party like this. There were cops everywhere, and we heard there were even plain clothed cops going around looking for drugs and people misbehaving. They know hikers because this happens every year. Most were pretty good, but as with any police group there are those who don't know how to use authority in the right amount for the occasion and think they are there to arrest people instead of control any violence. I met the guy in the wheel chair as we arrived and could tell he was inebriated. Still, do you really have to arrest a guy in a wheel chair? I wasn't there, so I don't know what happened, but really? We went to get something to eat at the Blue Blaze Cafe. We noticed that the electrical outlets were taped over, I assume so hikers couldn't use them to charge phones, and a sign posted on the window "No Public Restrooms". In addition, they had a special menu made up for Trail Days where they jacked up their prices for the event. It seems to me that if this event makes them a lot of money every year they would be a little more accommodating. I know it's a little inconvenient to let hikers use the restroom and charge phones, but how much cleaning and electricity will they be put out compared to the money they pull in? It really gave me and others a bad taste of Trail Days. They want the money, but don't want to have to put up with anything a little negative to get it. For crying out loud, the name is Blue Blaze, a completely hiker term! We had lunch and swore never to return. Another thing that we heard is the cops asked the stores not to sell balloons to hikers because apparently some hikers threw frozen water balloons at police cars. They need to take security measures, not prevent stores from selling something kids play with. It reminds me of when HItler required papers for the Jews before WW2. This is why we have search and seizure laws in America, to prevent measures like these from taking basic freedoms. A big part of the parade is to squirt water guns and throw water balloons, and they want to take that away from everyone because of a couple of jackasses that should have been arrested and pay for the damage.   Don't punish everyone for past mistakes, enforce the law. That's what your job is. Sorry for the rant, but this city chose to host this money making event, so deal with it!In the planning stages before I would drop my laundry off I wanted to get some shorts and a shirt from the Thrift Store so I could wash everything. I was looking for something hideous, but apparently many hikers had already picked through those types of clothes, so I got a pair of gym shorts and an Irish t-shirt from Dublin, GA, a place where I actually worked at one time in my life. I did manage to get a tie with snow men on it for the festivities. I also found a pair of flip flops, something I needed anyway since I now do a lot of hiking in tennis shoes so I have something to camp in so I can take off what I had been wearing on the trail. While I was in the Thrift Store I was approached by MaMaw, a 72 year old hiker who I didn't recognize. Apparently she has been reading my journal and recognized me from my pictures. It was a great moment, getting some recognition from all the writing I do every night. We talked about her favorite pic, which was when I wore the bright yellow sunglasses and lady's blouse when I was at Standing Bear Hostel. Thanks for reading MaMaw, and thanks to all other readers. It makes me feel really special when people recognize me, like I'm doing this for a reason. Not 15 minutes later I heard the familiar Nuuuuut on the street from another person I didn't recognize. It was a similar situation where someone recognized me from my journal. I was beaming with pride on this day!Later that night we got a hot shower, only something went wrong with mine for the first 15 minutes, but it finally started spitting out hot water. I commend the churches for doing so much to support the hikers. They get nothing for it and do more for the patrons than those money making thugs in the stores, so kudos to them. Thank you for your support. They also offered free haircuts, one of which Indy took advantage of, free foot care, free shuttles and other amenities. It was nice to be clean again. We took our laundry, but they already had a full load, so we would have to try again tomorrow. We heard about another free dinner of chili and chips, so we stood in line for maybe 30 minutes only to find out when we were almost there that they had dished out all the chili. Bummer! So we went across the street to a place, the name escapes me, for free chips and cheese, desert and drinks. They had a band and dancing, and it was a good time just watching. I saw Hand Me Down boogying in his new Thrift Store outfit of dress shoes, holy socks, baby blue too short shorts and a dressy vest. It was the best worst outfit I'd seen yet, and went well with his new mohawk haircut. Once we ate something we walked around and watched the bands and talked to hikers. I saw a lot of hikers I knew today as they kept pouring in. Later that evening the rain started coming down, and because we had only been to our camp once before, Thistle and I decided to go back to camp before dark to make sure we could find it. Only we waited a little too long and it was almost dark anyway. We hitched back with no problem and found our camp. We surprised to see that Stupid and Morris the Cat were already there, thinking everyone would be hitting the town until the wee hours. They said they were bored with it and came back, so it was good to have company. We sat by the fire again and shot the bull, laughing as usual. We brought back some beer, but I wasn't as party happy as the night before when I indulged a little more than I should have. I hardly ever drank before the trail, so I'm really a light weight when it comes to drinking anymore. I had my party days, and the trail is bringing it back a little, but I have to remember who I am now and that I can't do it like I used to when I was younger.   Plus, I'm healing my knee where I almost fell in the fire the night before. Keep this up and I may get hurt, wussy....