Another record setting day distance wise and the biggest mental milestone yet – the Tennessee/Virginia border. It’s kind of the unofficial 1/4 mark because Harper’s Ferry in WV is the half way point and Virginia is about 1/4 of the whole trail length. The next time I enter a new state I will be balf way to Katahdin. t felt amazing to get to that sign about 16 miles into the day. Of course I was up early since it’s a town day, on the trail about 7:15. It rained steadily all night it seemed like, it was coming down every time i woke up which was fairly frequently, and it was still raining when I woke up. By the time I was packed though it had mostly stopped. I waited as long as I could then quickly switched into my damp hiking shirt and set off. Pockets was not far behind, Strider and Nomad were still asleep.
The early mornings on town days are really nice for hiking, I kind of wish I had the motivation to get up earlier more often. It’s much cooler in the morning, the forest is wet and glistening in the morning light. Today it meant finishing 19 miles before 2:30, many other days it could mean doing a big climb before the afternoon heat or getting to camp before an evening thunderstorm. I saw yet another deer today, but much more exciting was seemingly getting attacked by a partridge. I was walking along, listening to my Ipod at the time, when out of no where the brown chicken like bird sprang squaking out of the underbrush right next to the trail and ran right at me full speed. It was just feet in front of me then did a 180 and bolted down the trail in front of me. Pockets was just mentioning the partridge last night at the shelter, telling us how they will try to distract would be predators away from their nests and young.
I got to tell him about my encounter before the day was over as we were leapfrogging each other throughout the 19 miles into town. Pockets says he can only keep up with me and Strider by starting early, but he hikes just as fast as I do, and can go longer without resting as far as I can tell. One of the strongest hikers out here, and unmatched for anyone over 40 that I’ve seen. Strider and I had some good days with him since Hot Springs, and today pockets capped it off by letting us resupply out of his car that he had parked here in Damascus. He had all his 1/2 used maildrops from his section hike – a total of 6 Mountain House dinners, oatmeal cups, drink mixes, breakfast bars, all kinds of stuff for the five days between here and Atkins. Much appreciated, Pockets! Thanks!
Staying at Dave’s Place, a hostel in town, tonight. A bit different than most hostels so far in that I have a room to myself, but it’s still just a bunk with a foam mattress pad. (No sheets etc, gotta use sleeping bag). Still good to be indoors where clothes actually get fully dry and there’s a hot shower nearby. Damascus is a neat town, another true trail town in that the AT goes right down Main Street. This is where Trail Days is hosted each year, a big hiker get together in May to celebrate the AT. It was just a few weeks ago and this year during the parade a former thru-hiker had a heart attack while driving a truck and plowed into the crowd hitting about 50 people, many currently hiking the trail. Had lunch and dinner at the Blue Blaze Cafe – Chicken Parmesan for lunch and a cajun burger with blue cheese for dinner. While Strider and I were eating dinner DJ showed up, we finally caught him thanks to his zero day here in town. Its actually been three weeks since we saw him, but it feels like much less. Time flies out here now that I’m in the hiking routine. Sadly Raven didn’t take a zero as well, but DJ says she was planning on only doing about 8 miles, so that puts us 1/2 day behind. Now rumor has it that there is another Strider on the trail only a few days ahead…