Got up at 5, had breakfast at 6, was on the trail by 7. I ate at
Cowboy's, this little diner sort of place that's attached to an Exxon
station. They have a hiker special, 3 blueberry pancakes, either bacon
or sausage, and coffee. I went with bacon, and added biscuits with
gravy to the meal. It was a nice big breakfast that fueled me for much
of the day. There's something really nice about eating biscuits with
gravy in the South too.
Leaving Damascus wasn't as tramatic as I thought it'd be, and it felt
good to get back on the trail after a day of rest. I didn't really
have any plans on how far I'd be going, but I did want to do at least
15, which would be the 2nd shelter out of town. Like I said the large
breakfast did me well, so I didn't stop until about 9.5 miles when I
came to the first shelter. I had a candy bar and some peanut butter,
and a Dr. Pepper I bought before I left Cowboy's. A soda on the trail
is such a great thing. While I was snacking another hiker named Zendog
passed by, but not before stopping to talk. He's maybe around 50 and
he hiked the trail last year. Also he was the one who told me about
the BBQ the day before. We spoke for 10 minutes then he left, but
later on I caught up to him and we stuck together the rest of the day.
The views up to that point were nothing special, and after I left my
snack spot they didn't improve any. I did see a tree stump that looked
like a giant mushroom though, and so I made sure to take a picture of
it. Eventually I made it to this creek that borders the Virginia
Creeper Trail, an old railroad trail that is now used for biking. I
stopped at a bench to check my map, and suddenly it started raining.
It was so spontaneous it took me by surprise, but because I had my
pack off and conveniently placed on the bench I was able to put my
pack cover on quickly and easily.
Thankfully it didn't rain the rest of the day, but it didn't stop
until right before I reached the 2nd shelter, which was 2:15. I had
another snack, then 15 minutes later I was hiking again. 2:30 seemed
just way to early to stop. After talking to some SOBOs I decided to
try for another 12+ to Thomas Knob shelter. That's where the wild
ponies like to hang out and I really wanted to see them. I didn't take
into consideration the massive mountains that were ahead of me.
Needless to say I didn't make it, but I got close.
On the way toward Thomas Knob I passed these two guys who hiked last
year, Braid and Cruiser. We spoke for a bit, they asked if I was going
to Trail Days, and I said probably not. They ended up sort of
convincing me I should, and then later when I caught up to Zendog I
talked with him about it and we came up with a gameplan on where to go
so we could make it in by tomorrow night. Since we realized Thomas
Knob was too far we settled on going to Deep Gap, a few miles before
that with camping and water. We didn't end up going there either
because while on our way we passed a ridge runner who said it was
somewhat full. Instead we found a flat spot off in the woods and set
up a quick camp. We were both tired and hungry anyway. I made stuffing
with chicken and cranberries, the hiker Thanksgiving, a very filling
meal after a long day. Now I'm in bed ready to sleep so I can get up
early for more hiking. It's been a month's worth of actual hiking days
now and I've gone almost 500 miles, close to a quarter of the way. I
almost can't believe it.
Total miles: 488.3
Hi Dan, You had every right to take a day or more off, & you just took one day & then lots more miles. yoe seem to be doing so well & are meeting some fine trail friends-some you may continue to know for years. It also seems that many people along the trail are also so helpful & know what is so welcome for food or drink. some good people you've met, If you see the uscg guy tell him to replace "not" with "very" I'll explain when you get home. You have many friends & family following your journey, & I think everyone thinks you are doing a wonderful job. WE so much enjoyed the pictures, Dan. Farfar even got them on a slide show! You are almost on the 500 & we are amazed at what you have accomplished in the time so far. stay healthy & happy Love, M & F
ReplyDeleteI almost can't believe you have done a 1/4 of the trail either! Truly amazing! Everyone keeps asking about you from work...different nurses and docs. They envy you and admire you! Keep on going. After reading your note you sent home, I could detect your need to take the hike seriously(of course having fun too), but understanding that the commitment has to be considered serious to be able to finish. You have to be driven with a greater strength from the heart. For some, it's very easy to call it a day.....much more courage needed to keep going. You have in your heart all the courage and conviction you need. You are built of great stuff! Always remember that! Love you Dan, Mom
ReplyDeleteHey Coon Cat! Great pictures. Ain't technology grand! We are so amazed and proud of your progress and dedication. All the Portland Brewers are pulling for you. We have a map on the wall and are following your every step. Keep going Dan, this is the chance of a lifetime. Love, Aunt Susan
ReplyDeleteDear Dan, What great mileage you're covering! That virtual 30 mile day was remarkable. You were fortunate that Zendog told you about the barbeque. You make Damascus sound like a place everyone would want to visit. That breakfast you had at Cowboy's diner made us laugh; love to hear those stories of your appetite. All those pancakes with bacon, along with the biscuits and gravy. Natalie agrees with your assessment of the southern biscuits and gravy. She always chooses them when we're down south. Dropped in on Glenn and Mary yesterday late afternoon. Glenn has the front and back yards looking beautiful with new plantings and spring flowers, and Mary had just finished shopping for tomorrow's party for Kari. We'll all be thinking and talking about you, Dan, as you keep forging ahead with your courageous hiking goal. Love, John and Natalie
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