May 17

Going back to Damascus

I didn't stick around for breakfast.  Picked up the box of food I had mailed there to myself and hit the trail by 8am.  I wanted to make it to Pearisburg by noon.  There was a little bit of a climb coming out of the hostel, but not too bad.  Nice hiking along the ridgeline, and I had some nice views.  There was a long section of trail that went through rhododendron tunnels, and they were all bloomed out in cotton-candy pink flowers.  Amazing!  I took a quick break at Angels Rest, which overlooked the town and valley below.  I could see the New River in the distance.  Coming off the mountain, I took a sharp turn around a tree and fell down a steep section of trail.  No harm.  Fifty feet later someone had left trail magic, and I scored a Gatorade.  I made it into town, and I saw BamBam drive by.  He turned around and picked me up and took me to McDonalds for lunch, to the ATM, and to the public library.  And here at the library in Pearisburg, I finally got caught up on my journal entries.  Now I am waiting on my friend Angie, that I met last summer in Shenandoah, who is picking me up to go to Trail Days in Damascus.  Let the hippie hiker-trash fest begin!

Angels Rest above Pearisburg, Va.