April 9th - 36 - Abingdon Gap Shelter to Damascas, VA
With only ten miles planned on today, it is a pretty leisurely wake up sequence. Its closer to ten than nine when I start hiking. Dan is meeting his family a few days from now so he is ahead of his schedule. At this, in effect, one quarter point on the trail, realities of the thru-hike are in full swing. I can eat anything and hike all day if I choose. But choose is the best part of the trail for me. There are so many choices and iterations, almost any decision can be made, it'll all work out. 1716.4 miles left to hike. A number that seems just as long as 2185.3, but there is a finality now. It's taken me a month and a few days to get here, I could probably finish the trail before September. I can thru-hike.

Crossing into my forth and longest state.

Dan and I eat at the Blue Blaze Cafe first thing into town, Dorothy shows up and eats before heading back out onto trail. He is ahead and zero-ed in town yesterday. I knew him mostly by his real name, but eventually picked up the trail name Dorothy for carrying pink crocs on the outside of his pack.

After milling around town for a while, we head up towards the Woodchuck Hostel, definitely on the list of worthy hostels. Woodchuck, himself, is a previous Thru from Kalispell, Montana who moved to Damascas recently to be closer to the trail. As a previous denizen of Bozeman, MT, I am excited when he pulls up to the house still sporting his blue Montana plates. "It's full tonight" he says, so I rent a chunk of yard space for my tent and take a shower for 8 or 10 bucks. Blink, Haiku, and Live-n-learn are here. I meet Young Beard and Sunshine for the first time as well. There's also Hieko, the German, and White Sauce, the southbound hiking, massage therapist.