Monday, October 28, 2013

Oct 27, 2013

Last shelter last day to hike 10 miles into Damascus. When I hiked into the shelter around dark there was a great big white tail buck standing in the shadows. This will be nice I thought, no one is here. Unlike the shelter I left 6 miles back. About a dozen boys outs had shown up. It was going to be a busy night there.
In the morning Back at Thomas knob shelter every bit of water was frozen solid, boots were dozen solid and even my crocks were trying to convince me they were frozen solid. It was a cold transition to pack up and get on the trail. It took about 4 miles and 1000 feet elevation for my toes to start aching. I wasn't positive but I told myself that was a good sign of warming up.
There were a few detours on the trail due to washouts and towards the end the AT joins the Creeper Trail for half a mile or so. The creeper trail is a flat multi use trail that people usually ride bikes on. There's probably a dozen bike rental places in town and all told there is a fleet of more than 100'vans in town each with a trailer that will hold about 20 bikes . They haul people up hill about 20 miles and they ride into town on this creeper trail. The "tour" companies usually have about two trips a day. The place is crawling with bicycles. But this is the last weekend. They roll up the carpets after this weekend. Halloween parties usually close the season.
As I'm coming into town I run into Oklawaha Mike walking Shelby. He's got a lead on a couple part time jobs in town and he's planning on holing up for the winter and getting an early start in the spring in his effort to summit Katahdin before June. I went back to the Hikers Inn and gave my host my laundry. This hostel not only has sheets and blankets it also has scrubs in all sizes you are welcome to borrow while you get your laundry done. Our host Paul was a thru hiker and has even got friends inAugusta ME (he said he was running on the rail trail 6 weeks ago!) he gets it that you can't was everything if all you have to wear is your sleeping bag.
I listen to Dracula for part of the day-what a great story and what a great movie someone could make if they stuck to the true plot line. After ATale of Two Cities i started listening to Alan Quartermain sort of a B Indiana Jones and I couldn't get through it. But Dracula is a darn good story.
Melanie is due tomorrow!
41° Sunny
Jefferson National Forest, Damascus, VA, United States




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