Day 62

Damascus to Tent-site 1.5 miles – AT mile 472.5

Card of the day – XV The Devil

Day 61 was a zero in Damascus.  What do you do all day when it’s raining?  Fortunately the rain only lasted 10 mins or so, but Damascus is a small town with not a lot to do.  I met the guys for breakfast in the diner and then we hit the outfitters and resupply.  Standard town chores.

The guy in the outfitters has seen my pic on fb from Colours’s trail magic!  It’s still odd when people recognise me.  Still I was able to get some insoles for my shoes so hopefully they will feel better.

After that it was back to chillin in the hostel drinking beer.  Its got quite a relaxed vibe and was good to chat to new and different hikers for a while.

Later in the day I met back up with the fellowship for dinner.  It was good to be back with these guys, I’ve missed them.

I was talking about my Damascus day and they had read my post so knew what I was about to say.  That was odd.

I can finally say I’ve shat In the woods, I bet Underhill and Kegstand that I would not dig a cat hole, but Tennessee and its lack of privies finally beat me.  I’ve pad for dinner.

The owner of the wicked chicken offered to make me brown gravy and curds for lunch, how do you say no to that kind of hospitality and fits nicely into my smiles before miles post road into Damascus approach to my hike.  Some would say serendipity, so would say the trail provides.

Naturally this meant we had lunch at chicken place which was fantastic and included only 2 beers!  The brown gravy on chips was so good and strangely did remind me of home, if only a Saturday night out in town and the food you buy after the club.

Once we set off we made it a whole 0.8 to a camp site.  We all looked at each other and called it a day.

The only one who did not cave was Beam.

Mr Beam had come to town to visit and they went off on a 3 day hike to a pre arranged shuttle, I did my very best to bring them into my corruption but alas I failed.

The rest of us just set up camp right there.  How terrible is that? But hay, smiles before miles right.  So off we went back into town for beer and pizza from the petrol station.

Kegstand and Short Stop had fun lighting a fire.  And we sat around just enjoying life.  After 2 months we deserved a weekend!

Maybe I’ve found my reason to be here,

And the devil won