Appalachian Trail, Days 32-34
I crossed a major state line into Virginia and spent a few days hanging out in Damascus, Virginia. Damascus is one of the most iconic trail towns and host to the annual Trail Days festival, celebrating the Appalachian Trail every May. I had my second zero day, gave a presentation about my Appalachian Trail Conservancy artist residency at the Damascus Trail Center, and gathered a crew for the 4th installment of AT karaoke blazing.
Day 32
Start: Boots Off Hostel & Campground, Hampton, TN (428.1)
Stop: Cross Mountain/TN 91 (449.5)
Miles: 20.56
Elevation Gain: 4864 feet
Total Miles Hiked: 479.03
I walked over to the hiker kitchen when I woke up to have some coffee and breakfast. I was camping, so I also had to pack my tent and gear away. Yesterday, I performed some logistical gymnastics to try to get myself into Damascus to do karaoke. This involved scheduling a shuttle to pick me up at the trailhead at the end of the day today, drive me into Damascus, then pick me up tomorrow morning to take me back to the trailhead so I could make up the rest of the miles hiking into Damascus. It was an elaborate plan, but I’m committed. Phase 1, hike 20ish miles today and meet the shuttle driver around 5:30.
I said goodbye to the aqua blaze crew and got started. The trail went down to the banks of the reservoir and followed the shore closely for a mile or two. I passed over the dam, then climbed higher into the mountains. I was a little nervous about being at the shuttle pickup spot on time, so I was trying to move as quickly as possible. If anything, I’m highly motivated knowing there’s town waiting for me at the end of hike today. The trail followed the ridge line of the mountains for a while, with some obscured views of the reservoir below. I was making decent time, and I managed to get to the trailhead 15 minutes early. Randy the shuttle driver was waiting to meet me with a cooler of Gatorade. It started to rain just as we were pulling out of the parking lot.
I got dropped off at the Broken Fiddle Hostel in Damascus. I opened the gate to the covered porch in the back of the house to find a decent group lounging there, out of the rain. A few people I haven’t seen for a few days were there, Beans, Burner, Gage, and Banjo. They were down to come out to karaoke. I checked in with the Treehouse the hostel host, grabbed a bunk, and took a quick shower. When I was all done, the 5 of us headed over to the Tipsy Bear. Karaoke night was happening in the back bar, and the performing was already underway when we got there. We ordered some drinks and food and all sat down at a picnic table on the back patio since most of the inside tables were full. This particular karaoke host had little slips to fill out and request songs. Beans and I were the first of the group to submit. A few younger guys from the hostel wandered over throughout the night to join us. I sang a few songs, and by the end of the night, Beans, Burner, and Banjo also had their turns on the mic. We stayed until the karaoke ended at 11 and even hung out a bit afterward, then walked home on the deserted road in the humid hazy night air. Treehouse, Burner, and I sat up talking late into the night.
Day 33
Start: Cross Mountain, TN/91 (449.5)
Stop: The Broken Fiddle Hostel, Damascus, VA (471.0)
Miles: 21.5
Elevation Gain: 3195 feet
Total Miles Hiked: 500.53
It was probably not a great idea to schedule a shuttle back to the trailhead for 8 am the morning after karaoke, but here we are. I woke up around 7:40 and had approximately 20 minutes to prepare a day pack for slack-packing. Randy rolled up and we made the drive back to the trailhead. There was a light morning rain and it was foggy where he let me off. The first mile was a mellow hike through a meadow, apparently the only wheelchair accessible part of the Appalachian Trail. After the meadow, I entered the misty forest. It started raining for a few miles, with varying levels of intensity. During the most torrential moments, there was nothing to do except bury my head in my rain jacket and just moved forward.
Eventually the rain slowed and I came to a small unmaintained AT shelter that was built in the 30s. As I walked up, I found Fireball and Scooby taking a snack break too. I sat with them for a bit and then continued on, they were planning to spot in Damascus too. The weather cleared a bit more as I started the descent down into town. Eventually, the trail spit me out right onto a residential street. Everyone seemed to be sitting on their front porch and they watched me walk by. The trail goes right through a little municipal park and down the Main Street. I was very hungry, but my feet were also very wet, so I couldn’t decide what to do first. I ended up deciding to go back to the hostel to ditch my wet stuff and then figure out what to do next.
The goal was to eat something small so I could get a second dinner later, but the meal I got from Dairy King across the street filled me up. As I was eating, Fireball, Scooby, Hedgehog, and Avalanche all filtered in from their hikes. I was posted up on one of the recliners on the covered porch and as we were deciding if we would go out for drinks for the evening, it started to pour. So we all ended up hanging at the hostel for the evening vs. venturing out into the crappy weather. I had some wine and my friends came back bearing flasks of Flashpoint, a fireball-esque fortified wine.
Day 34
Start: The Broken Fiddle Hostel, Damascus, VA. (471.0)
Stop: The Broken Fiddle Hostel, Damascus, VA. (471.0)
Miles: 0
Elevation Gain: 0
Total Miles Hiked: 500.53
My second zero day! I woke up unhurried at the hostel. I drank my coffee and got a breakfast sandwich and a biscuit from the gas station across the street. I spent the morning catching up on journaling and drinking coffee on one of the cushy old recliners on the back porch of the hostel. Today was also a special day, because I would be giving a presentation on my ATC artist residency at the Damascus Trail Center. So I spent a little while trying to update my PowerPoint presentation to include some updates and images from my time on trail so far.
I headed into town a little early before the presentation. It was a very sleepy Sunday, and Main Street was quiet. I stopped into the outdoor store to check out the scene, then wandered across the street to the trail center. I checked in with my contact, Drew, then wandered across checking out the displays and the art exhibition with the new knot piece I made for the occasion. Slowly, my hiker friends started to arrive for the talk. I think everything went well, and it was so nice for my pals to come out to see my presentation! A few of us went out to the brewery afterwards then walked back to the hostel.
The afternoon brought more lounging. I FaceTimed with my family in the backyard, sunny following an afternoon shower, as a crew played some competitive games of cornhole. As the sun started to set, we all migrated inside, and the cornhole changed to darts. A new group got into town today, so they came over to the Broken Fiddle to say hello. Mouse, Pizza Knees, Shelter Kat, and Pack Mule came over bearing sheet cake. After they went back to their hostel, people started to flake off to go to bed. I stayed up for a while, talking with Treehouse and Scooby, as he serenaded us with his Ukulele.
