July 4 Mile 993

Happy 4th of July!
It was our last evening staying with Don, and I can't say enough about his gracious hospitality! He made us home cooked meals, breakfast and dinner, took us to the store for supplies, and drove all over northern Virginia so we could slack pack each day. Slack packing is a wonderful thing. Don, you're the best!
The hike was hard, but there were lots  of rocks and it was very hot after such nice cool days in the Shenandoah. We're at lower elevations now, sometimes less than a 1000 feet. Like hiking in Atlanta's summer heat.
Today we got to ride "the Rollercoaster" so named cause you hike up and down about 10 mtns over 10 miles, up 400 feet, down 400 feet. It's not hard after getting this far, sometimes we had " rollercoasters" back in TN and NC that were 1000-2000 feet. But it was so hot, that it made for a very difficult day for me. Only planned about 13 miles to get to this hostel folks had raved about, but I thought we would never get there. Cisco felt the same way and told me about some theorist named Zeno that said you can never reach your destination, cause you can only go halfway, and when you have gone halfway, you can then only go halfway, etc. and will never arrive. I don't think that theory is correct, but he may have concocted it while hiking the AT. Some days you feel you will never reach your destination. Especially as night is falling.
On the medical front, while my upper back ache persists, the extra padding in my right shoe is making my foot feel better. We'll see if the outfitter in Harpers Ferry has any suggestions.
Finally reached the Bear Den Rocks Hostel after a long climb up and it was worth the trip. Right off the trail. A beautiful stone home some rich guy built in the 1930s to be in the cooler mtns. Now owned by the Potomac AT Club and used as a hostel and inn. Fantastic! Stayed inside in a nice bunkbed for $15, with shower! Cooked a pizza and had Ben & Jerrys ice cream, the thru hikers meal! The innkeepers are terrific. And you can drive to it. You don't have to walk 993 miles like I did. Near DC.
After dinner Cisco, Ripple, a really nice thru hiker we met awhile back who was zeroing here, and I walked down to some nearby cliffs to watch the fireworks from all the towns below in the valley. Alot of local folks had driven up as well. It was a great show, seeing all the extraganzas in the distance from several towns. I love 4th of July fireworks. And I love that we celebrate the freedoms that we have- liking hiking the trail ! What a great country!



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