We're in for an unplanned 0 to avoid some very wet dicey rock scrambling over knife's edge, so I thought I'd chime in with a few random thoughts. First off, thanks to mom, dad, Steph, Dan, and Hunter Stone for making our Harpers Ferry end-of-hike-for-Bartless party awesome. Thanks also to Gandalf's academy classmate and his parents, the Kakiels, for putting us up. Finally, thanks to Mr. Blackburn (Gandalf's dad) for meals and a motel stay.
Now for some random facts:
Best trail town - Waynesboro, VA
Most underrated hostel - Grateful Greenpeace's Terrapin Station in Front Royal, VA
Most overrated hostel - Wood's Hole, S of Pearisburg VA (great food, but laundry was exhorbitant and bunkhouse was bad)
Best on-trail meal - Mountain House Beef Stew (compliments of Cowboy)
Best town meal - 4-course vegetarian feast at Elmer's in Hot Springs NC (cured 3+ days of Shoney's induced diarrhea; Woods' Hole dandelion salad & venison burgers also excellent, as was dinner at Chickpeas in Waynesboro)
Prettiest trail section - Roan Highlands, TN (Grayson Highlands a very close 2nd)
Shittiest section - Wayah Bald, NC (miles of postholing through 2-3' snow with blowing fog and hypothermia-rain, uphill; Campchair: "I ran for a little while, then I just sat down and almost started to cry")
Best new trail food - bakery bread w/ pepperjack cheese and olive oil (thai sesame noodles Knorr side + sardines also much better than it sounds)
Best resupply store - Wegman's supermarket in Mechanicsville PA absolutely blew my mind, Big Lots in Hampton TN was also awesome
Best new piece of gear - steel bottle for boiling tea water on fire
Worst new gear - new Chaco sandals had severe sole delamination w/in 250 miles, will see how warranty service goes
Most pointless up/down - 3rd Ridge of 3 Ridges, N central VA
Douchiest day-hiker - 2 old dudes @ shelterjust S of Daleville
Coolest day-hiker - Herb, in the mid-Shenandoahs
That's all for now. Gonna go see if they have any other VHS movies around this place . . .
The New Busy is not the too busy. Combine all your e-mail accounts with Hotmail. Get busy.
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