I am a hiker - once again...

Ah, the feeling...

I was picked up from the Greyhound station in Bristol, Tennessee this morning, by Dave, the founder of the famous Mount Roger's Outfitter in Damascus. He was to give me a shuttle back to Damascus so I could get back on the trail and finish my thru-hike.

He was the first long distance hiker I had seen in over a week, as far as I knew. You keep an eye out for these things much like people who buy a new car are always on the lookout for others who own the same make and model so they can give them a little "high sign" or wave of some kind. I don't remember seeing anyone in Orlando this past week that I would think was a long distance hiker, but I don't know for sure. I had shed blood in the woods, I had cried in the woods, I had slept there, prepared my meals there and even took regular shits in the woods. I longed this past week for conversation about the experience but found no one. So when Dave showed up with his long beard, khaki shorts, Chacos and an outdoor's tan, I felt like I was finally getting back into my element.

The ride to Damascus ran across familiar ground that I had traversed over the past few weeks a couple times since Trail Days last month. When we approached the turnoff to the main downtown area and passed the 'red caboose' I knew we were almost there. Dave pulled into Mount Rogers Outfitter parking lot where I got out, took a breath, turned a 360 to see the mountains that I had been missing all week and then dipped inside the shop to pay my $40 shuttle fee.

I passed through the shop to get a few things I needed...little convenient rolls of hiker-sized toilet paper, a couple packets of electrolyte powder to keep my heart from stopping during any long climbs and a visor. The hat I had been wearing was retaining way too much heat as the summer sun was definitely here. I looked around at the gear again but left confidentally knowing I had everything I needed save a lighter and smaller tent which would save me three pounds of carry weight.

When I walked outside, I felt the heat...it was Florida heat, muggy, hot, bright and tomorrow I was going to strap my full pack on for the first time in 2 weeks and sweat my ass off...literally. But I was 'home' so to speak. I stopped for a moment to wipe the sweat from my brow, shift my bag of goodies to my other hand and plod down the street to the Hiker's Inn where my pack had been waiting for me all week.

I grinned a little - one of the few times since I had gotten into Damascus, as I thought.. Finally... I am a hiker, once again!

MuddyShoes