Trail Days In Damascus – Dustin Jackson Visits His Trail Friends
By Dustin Jackson
On the Creeper Trail with old hiking friend "Alpine."
I went to Trail Days last weekend in Damascus, VA. It’s a time for hikers from years past and present to connect. Trail Days is a time to let loose and have a good time. I was especially looking forward to seeing my trail family again. I have felt very disconnected since getting back home in December.
My Dad picked up Alpine and Princess Brat from Waynesboro, VA on Thursday. They are now back on the trail to finish traveling south once again from
Northern VA.
I’ve seen them a few times since my finish. They are now very good friends of mine, and I welcomed them to my home before
going up to Damascus.
We spent the night telling crazy stories of happenings along the long journey. It was very good for me to relive those moments along the trail and making them
real again.
We drove to Damascus on Friday afternoon. Alpine was supposed to work for the Leki Hiking Pole guy there, but soon gave up
on that idea.
For most of us hiking was an easygoing, no responsibility kind of experience. Trail Days is an exact reflection of that. We had no plan, no schedule, and to just enjoy the weekend.
I could tell not many people had arrived yet, Saturday is usually the big day. I’ve heard about 24,000 people roll into the little town. I didn’t recognize many of the hikers. This didn’t bother me because I am connected to these folks through the Appalachian Trail.
We met with some friends who invited us to camp with them 4 miles up the
Virginia Creeper trail.
That sounded good to us.
We set up camp, had dinner, then bicycled directly to “Tent City." The city is the center of the party. When we arrived a huge campfire was going strong and the energy stronger. I had brought my two djembe drums to join in the drum circle around the fire. We drummed while others danced around the fire until the police came, about 2
a.m.
Miss Janet negotiated ten more minutes for us to finish our music. When it was all over I rode my borrowed bicycle back the four miles to camp by
moonlight.
The next morning after a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns, all cooked in
a dutch oven in the fire (yes, we remember how to eat like a hiker), we made
our way back to Damascus.
I finally met some more Southbounders, "Mr. Cowpie" and his daughter, "Twisted
Sister."
I had not seen them since Dalton, MA. Their hike ended when Twisted Sister broke her tibia in VA.
It was now time for the big parade! It’s a normal parade at first with Miss Trail Days, fire trucks, and a marching
band.
The real entertainment is in the back where the hikers parade. There was no order in the hiker sections, all hikers from years past and
present. We just jumped in.
