Entering Summertime

Landing an unexpected Zero day in Luray, I have at last become a believer. It's just so revitalizing. Half days off are all spent on the feet resupplying, washing laundry, making communications, and the body needs a break. Luray was fantastic. Well fed, all dried out from the rainy days, and having shed the winter gear at long last, I hit the second half of the Park to see most all the views and Sunday sightseers. In passing there's a plethora of questions which I'll pause brifly for. Alot of thru-hikers dislike this but I think maybe someone will be inspired to undertake the same for themselves someday if I'm willing to share a minute.
Are you on the 6 month tour too?, Were did you start?, How far are you hiking?, How long are you out for?, You're not doing it by yourself are you? and the like.
In the past week I have to say I have gotten all the most unprecedented interactions of the entire trip...

An older woman of a couple in Shenandoah:
Q: "So where are you hiking to?"
A: "Maine."
Rxn: She laughed in my face.
(I thought this was hilarious)

Man working front desk at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters in Harpers Ferry:
Q: "So where are you on the Trail now?"
A: "Uhm- Harpers Ferry."
(No amount of just-at-Trail-Days or Memorial Day Weekend explanations were going to be good enough as he was already two for two at 9:15am.)

Two older guys doing a section over Memorial Day Weekend in Maryland
Q: "Where are you come hiking from?"
A: "Georgia"
Rxn: *Snort* "You did not. Wher'd you really start."
(Them's fightin' words)

A weekend backpacker coming south just after the I-70 overpass and before Annapolis Rock:
"You got a climb ahead of you."
A: *pause* "I think I can handle it"
(pause because all I could think at first was: Dude I walked here all the way from Georgia, ok; and Maryland's A.T. doesn't have any climbs)

But even the demoralizing proprieter in Harpers Ferry saying I was about to start the hard part right doesn't matter. I made it to Harpers Ferry, and this is huge, because for the first 3 states I didn't think I possibly ever would.

So having flown through the longest state of all, Virginia, in just 30 days, including 3 full days off and 2 half days, I hit the Maryland homestate, with the albeit unscenic, long awaited I-70 overpass. I've now caught up with multiple bunches I hadn't seen since the Smokies, crossed the Mason-Dixon and am psyched for the flatlands of the Cumberland Valley of PA, with all the camp friends contained there-in. On turf like this I'm going to hit the Whites totally spoiled. But on the momentum I've kept I should have plenty of time and no hurry to get over them many miles per day. I will however become a diurnal hiker. The Mid-Atlantic afternoons are getting steamy hot to say the least. I battle them with siestas and a camelback full of drink-mixed hydration. And thus I will ride the big mile momentum for as long as it lasts.

Shenandoah

Kicking off my entrance with a zero-and-a-half made a visible difference in my energy level I'm told. Having sworn off KEEN shoes forever I was now in lightweight Garmont boots which are my first love in hiking brands. The Bourgeois had most everything awaiting me that I miss on the trail...matress, bathtub, steak, fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, icecream, and familiar faces.

On that note, the afternoon rain held off and I began catching up again with hikers I hadnt seen since Hot Springs, or even the Smokies. At 70 degrees hiking in the next days prolonged downpours hardly phased me. But clearly I cant buy a nice view in a National Park.

If anything was to get me down it was the fact that my big toes had been wrecked by the KEENs and little toes get cut off by the new boots, which were already way past the point of no return. I trimmed circles out of the insoles make extra space inside and eventually resorted to cutting out two inches of the sidewalls to let my toes expand to their natural position. If the heels are snug enough I may try mens boots next time. But for now I have something that works for me and sometimes I hike in my flipflops for a few miles to mix it up and now I have my Chacos back for that.

Had to say a few goodbyes this week to long-distance-section-hikers moving on for the time being, but we ended on good memories. Terrain through the Park is pretty smooth and well graded. And I still have a few more days of the Park under forcasted clear skies. Well, it's way past hikermidnight so I'm signing off.

Since Damascus.

So, 3 weeks and 390 miles ago, I had in mind that I hoped to pull off 110 miles per week and be in Harpers Ferry by June 1st. I would feel good about that.
Well thanks to the fair terrain of Virginia and perhaps the first week due to some good-natured teasing in a shelter log from a 20-year-old who then ate his words, I have more than succeeded and even with slacking off and taking 2 zeros in the coming week, it looks like I'll be in Harpers Ferry a full 7 days ahead of my Damascus goal. Perhaps even before said 20-year-old. Not that I'm intentionally racing anyone. Hiking your own Hike is a beautiful thing.
So out of Damascus I pulled 147 miles in the first week, Mount Rodgers, Grayson Highlands, thunderstorms, unraveling trail shoes, tornados and all. Took a well-deserved half-day at Wood's Hole Hostel, which has to be the most phenomenal hostel on the trail, thus far and thereafter.
Rockin' and rollin' through big days and countless yards of duct tape, soon accented with moleskin, I made it to Daleville almost 250 miles north, where after lots of gymnastics via cell phone, and the help of a few iphone owning friends far away, KEEN had sent a replacement pair as the first only made it 140 miles or so. Daleville was great, and a very efficient resupply. KEEN is not. I discovered that night up trail that this pair also was faultily manufactured and swore of KEENs for life. Only problem being another 135 miles tot he next outfitter. Negative miles are out of the question.
James River, Cold Mountain, Spy Rock, the Priest. I'm kind of hiking in a space between crowds in thru-hikers. Not signing in the shelter registers and for several reasons somewhat off the grid and under the radar at this point. I planned to meet my godparents in Rockfish Gap for half a day and the night at their place before I took on Shenandoah. Well yesterday morning I woke up, did an awesome tape job on my feet, put on the shoes and said, you know what- I am never putting these hiking shoes on again. The boys were all still asleep, it was a cool wet drippy morning and I hiked 21 miles up trail and straight into town for new boots. The outfitter had Garmonts, which are my favorites thus far in life, on sale, which is rare. And I get a full day off my feet, with familiar faces no less.
It's a highly unpredictable best trip ever. And now for the second coat of water-proofing.

The Real Bean Hits the Trail

..And hits it hard. 

Apparently, as both Gingersnap & I have found out, good footwear is most important trail item. Photo: not good footwear

I went out there with old, shabby footwear and lost my little toenail for it. Who knew you could get blisters on top of blisters? and under your nail?! Ah well, I get a new one out of the deal & learn a bit more about my pain tolerance level. (which turns out to be high enough for 'pride' level..or is it pride that makes it so high? hmm..)
Running a close second in value is ...

, man I love that stuff.

Overall - it was perfect. Blister boots, windstorms (tornadoes?), snoring in the shelters, eclectic hostels & all. 

It took watching Kris head on down the trail to remember what it feels like to be with someone familiar & comfortable. 

It's always when we lack that we wish we had it back. Or wish there were more. Like warm cookies, hot water in the shower, pain-free feet, or a missed friend.

While my days on trail were a small capsule that certainly do not qualify my for any hardcore points 

(and I'm still not sure if 7m in flipflops counts as badass or downright loony) - yet I can confidently quote the coffee mug or tee shirt that proclaims:

Not all those who wander are lost.