Mile 470

She stepped out from the tree cover onto the pavement with that same stupid look on her face. You know the look. The one that simultaneously says, “Where the heck am I?” and “What year is it???” It’s the same look everyone had the first time they left their house after the height of the pandemic. When you try to remember how to behave in public. For the briefest moment, she reminded herself that it is, in fact, not appropriate to poop behind that bush. Now is the time for proper toilet etiquette. This was because she had arrived in town. As with every arrival to town, once surrounded by buildings and roads, she became viscerally aware of how bad she stunk and how dirty she was. Nevertheless, She walked up the street from the trailhead and hung a left, the uneven terrain replaced by smooth, hard pavement. It was early, and the town was still sleeping. Misfit followed the white blazes under a sign that said, “Appalachian Trail: Welcome To Damascus.” Despite her bewilderment, lack of hygiene, and general misdirection, she had arrived!

It had been four days since she last touched civilization and several more since she had been in a hiker town. Hiker towns are different from other towns. They are an oasis from the monotony of the woods. Sure, they have a diner with comfort food and oversized breakfasts. They also have a grocery store or at least a reasonable facsimile. However, hiker towns are tourist towns that cater to the weary foot traveler. The AT often runs right along the main street of no more than seven of these towns. No shuttles or half-day trips off-trail are required. One simply hikes in and is rewarded with climate-controlled indoor spaces and flush toilets to their heart’s content. These are the towns that Misfit adores.

Damascus, VA, is a host to a plethora of hostels, inns, and bed & breakfasts to rest a tired head. Unfortunately, Misfit was a day early and without reservation. Usually, this would be fine except this was the week of the annual Trail Days festival, which meant everything was booked solid. She wasn’t concerned, though. She was a hiker; the woods would always be there for her. So, rather than address her lack of accommodations, Misfit decided to raid the many hiker boxes at various hostels instead. She found a brand new toothbrush to replace the one she lost the previous day (the trail provides!). She also snagged some snacks and the ever-important toilet paper refill. In the process of her scavenging, she ran into a few hiker friends who invited her to breakfast. She arrived at the diner to see the place brimming with hikers she had met along her hike: Patience with his hand-carved hiking pole. PushUps, who was quite happy with his recently replaced backpack. Thistle, who saved Misfit from the freezing temps with a well-timed hotel room. She even happened upon 4Runner, whom she met on her first day. 4Runner was the most serendipitous encounter as he decided to hike out today instead of staying one more night per his reservation. This meant his host now had an unreserved bed to spare!

The two stepped out of the diner to walk back to the B&B, and, as if the universe wasn’t screaming loud enough, the two hikers bumped right into said host as she was taking her dog for a morning walk. Misfit, not one to argue with the universe, accepted the room with a full tummy, a full heart, and a little sense of wonder at the many miracles she experienced in the early hours of her arrival. She wished 4Runner happy trails, and settled in for a well-earned nap.