Date: 2019-05-06
From: Damascus

To: Marion VA
Miles today: 0.0

Friday 10/5: On the way into Damascus, we stopped for pictures at the village green under the sign that you always see folks pictures of. We walked into town and as we strolled, I noted to Greenie the personalized bricks in the sidewalk. Greenie did not know it, but I had one installed for us a few years ago as a part of a fundraiser. We saw a brick for Snowfrog, who we had met in PA on his thru hike a few years ago. I commented to greenie "you know, there is a brick here for us too". It took a few minutes for it to register, and then he said "really?" as if I was kidding him. We found our brick in front of a house a short distance north after MRO's. Greenie was floored. He could not believe that I had done this for us. It was a special moment to say the least. This simple object commemorating our walk together, marking our passage on this epic footpath.After checking in at the hostel, we went to the Damascus Diner for dinner, then back to the room for the night. Zero day tomorrow!Saturday 10/6: Up early and downstairs for some coffee. Ran into "Mariposa", who was staying at the hostel as well and was the same hiker we met on our way down off of pond flats. She was packing out today so we likely would not see her again. Went to MOJO's for breakfast, then to MRO's where greenie got some new socks and I set up some slackpacking for the next day. We would get 17.1 miles in on Sunday making Monday a shorter day but with some good elevation change. Camping restrictions being lifted, we would stick with our original plan and stay at Thomas Knob in Grayson Highlands. I got to meet Bob Peoples at MRO's, someone I had always wanted to meet. Spoke to the owner of MRO's - guess business has been tough with his numbers down (34%) which may put him out of business after 30 years. Sad to see the internet changing the face of retail the way it has.Hung out on the front porch of the hostel for the afternoon - tough life!Sunday 10/7: Up before 6:00, had some coffee and went to MOJO's for breakfast at 7:00. At MRO's for 8:30 to shuttle us to Summit Cut where we would start our walk back into town. Started walking at 9:15. Made Lost Mountain shelter in no time, the place where we would have spent Sunday night had we not slackpacked. The trail today was one of the most nondescript sections of trail I have ever done. The only thing interesting was the VA creeper Trail. Took lunch at 1:30 sitting on the trail near a large stream. Got dumped on with rain for the last 3 or so miles back into town finishing our walk at about 4:30. Paul at the hostel did our laundry while we showered. Went for pizza for dinner. Met Squeeker and Bluebeard, two flip-floppers that missed the PO Saturday so had to wait until Monday to get their drop box. Tomorrow, on to Thomas Knob and Grayson Highlands.Monday 10/8: Up before 6:00, went downstairs for coffee and then went over to the diner for breakfast. After breakfast we went back to the hostel, finished our final preparations and headed over to MRO's for our shuttle back to Summit Cut. We were at the trailhead by 9:10 and hiking shortly after. Today was a five mile long climb with a gain of almost 2,000 feet to the summit of White Top Mountain. Views would have been great, but we were in the clouds all day. Stopped for lunch at VA 600 then crossed the road into an open field and the final climb to the shelter. Reached Thomas Knob shelter at 3:15, did our chores and took a nap. A couple we passed on the way up arrived almost 2 hours after we did. There were a few other hikers there including a flip-flop couple and a dad with is son and two labs. 7:24 PM called it a day. Tomorrow we would do 12.8 miles and hopefully see some wild ponies.Tuesday 10/9: The theme of last night was wind and rain. At times if felt like the roof would come off of the shelter. I was so glad not to be tenting and the loft of the shelter was comfortable and dry. Up at 6:30 and moving a little sluggishly. The couple we met last night came over to the shelter for breakfast - very nice people indeed. We hiked out at 8:30 AM. At Rhododendron Gap we saw our first ponies (yea!) which actually turned out to be the only ones we would see all day. Hiked in fog, clouds, wind and light rain all day so did not see a lot of Grayson Highlands. I will have to come back some day to see it in nicer weather.Ran into three young (unprepared) backpackers before wise shelter. Guess the guys were a bit lost. Gave them some info and hiked on. Hope they made it to where they were going.We stopped at the kiosk at the Scales to eat lunch. The kiosk gave us some relief from the wind and rain. We stood eating lunch and then hiked on. The hike to VA 603 had lots of roots and rocks, but we reached the road before 3:30. Staying at Sufi Lodge tonight - although the folks that own the place were nice enough, and the meals they prepared were good, it is not a place I would stay at again. It was one of the first places that I have stayed at on the trail that I felt like I was going to get stuck there (uncomfortable). It took days to get the smell of the place out of my gear. Feel bad for the folks running it - I tried to offer some constructive feedback but they rebuffed me. Doubt the place will make it.Bad weather coming in between Wednesday and Thursday. Changed our plans to slack pack Wednesday and go into Marion. Will take thursday off to stay out of the weather and finish on Friday to finish the section.Wednesday 10/10: Slackpacked all day in the rain from VA 603 to VA 16 at Dickey Gap. Folks from Sufi Lodge provided the shuttle into Marion.Thursday 10/11: Zero day at Econolodge. Did laundry, ate, slept and watched TV. Rained hard all day with bad flooding just north of us. The Roanoke River had a flash flood that did a lot of damage. Glad we were not in the woods today. Set up a shuttle with Jim Sparks to help us slackpack from VA16 Dickey Gap to the Mt Roger NRA ranger station near marion.Friday 10/12. last day on the trail today. Jim Sparks got us before 8:30. The hike from Dickey Gap to Mt Rogers headquarters too us 6 hours to cover 14 miles. The day was clear and cool and the skies were as Greenie would call them a "bluebird" day. Had some nice hiking along an old woods road and what looked to be part of an old railroad trestle. I thought it would be a good idea if they could turn the old rail bed into a bike path like the Virginia Creeper trail - but then perhaps not. Had the longest section of rhododendron tunnel I have ever seen for at least a mile before hitting Partnership shelter. Took some video of it to share on facebook so folks at home could see what we were seeing.Met Jim at the headquarters and he drove us into town where I picked up our rental car. Had dinner that night at the "Wooden Pickle" - what a really nice place and Greenie treated me to dinner to boot! What a great way to finish our hike. We fly home tomorrow and will be back in the spring to finish the last ~106 miles we have left in VA between Marion and Pearisburg. We will finish the trail in 2019, before Greenie turns 70 and while I am still 60. All that is left after VA is from Monson to Katahdin - I cannot wait! It will be good to be done.