Trail Days

We're now over the 600-mile mark and have returned to Damascus, VA for Trail Days, a yearly festival that attracts 1000s of hikers each year. We heard the second person to ever hike the AT talk this morning, and T-toe is over at the library learning how to whittle. We finally found our long-lost hiking parters Knickers and Hobbit who we'll be hiking with again once we get back on the trail. Our last stretch before we came to Damascus was from a really cool hostel called Wood's Hole, and we did the 10 miles out of there with their 14-year-old stowaway dog named Tessa. My friend Joker had to pour water into my cupped hands so that we could give the dog a drink since the water sources were fairly scarce. Our packs were waiting for us at the end of the 10-mile stretch, so T-Toe did some trail running while the rest of us just made really good time. We're getting a ride back to the trail from Hobbit's husband tomorrow, so all those mothers and girlfriends out there can rest assured that we're getting back safely. I'm off now to wait in line for an hour for a badly needed shower. Maybe I'll find free food.... Sparky