Hiking in Virginia last week (at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy conference) sure brought back memories. It still rained in the afternoons, but the land was lush with greenery and wild flowers.
On one hike we crossed the same creek about ten times and that, too, reminded me of the abundant creeks, rivers, and waterfalls in Virginia.
A special delight last week was a re-visit to Damascus, considered by A.T. thru-hikers to be the premier hiking town on the trail. The wooden sign you see here is right on the A.T. and marks the official welcome to the thru-hiker entering Damascus, VA.
I went into the Mt. Rogers Outfitters store and met the same person who sold me socks eight years ago, when I thru’d. I glanced at the scale where I’d hung my pack in ’03 and remembered the weight–42 pounds. Back then, that wasn’t too heavy; today, I’d be laughed out of town!
I roamed the street with my friends and as voices chatted in my head, I half expected to see Yo-Yo, Zero, Buddha, Dred, Leap-Year, Euchre, and all the others. Ah, memories.
