Damascus, VA

WOOOOEEEEE!!!! we made it to damascus, va....4 states down, 10 to go!!! we had some awesome times out of elizabethton, hiking by a 16 mile lake, up and over mountains, hanging out with our friends and getting some awesome trail magic!  we got out to a shelter the night out of town, played some guitar, sang some songs, built up a fire, the norm pretty much....then the next night, made it to iron mt shelter, where laugh track and i decided to stay.  all our friends were heading another 8 miles to the next shelter, and we just didn't feel like walking anymore, and it turned into our best decision yet.  old crow and grandma showed up, and decided they were going to stay, then tuck, bandit and catalyst came by and decided they were going to stay too.  truckin' and biscuit saw they were outnumbered by the ladies, so they hauled ass to get out of there before "we started plucking their eyebrows and painting their nails." so the 7 of us had a  much needed "girls night."  like, omg.  we did indeed pluck our eyebrows, talked about boys, and giggled to the wee hours of the morning.  milk man and peter showed up around dinner time, but we banished them to "man-camp" so we could continue our girl talk.  the next morning, laugh track and i headed out into the mist, only to be stopped by trail magic of soda and cookies about 4 miles down the trail. after a pepsi and some packing tape, we walked another half mile before being called back by a thru-hiker from last year, the professor, who had just pulled up with our friends cope and meltdown. (cope knew him from the year before) and they grilled up some dogs, burgers, had some candy, cookies, chips, soda, and chocolate milk.  we ended up staying in the parking lot with them from 10am to 2pm, listening to wisdom and the must-see places along the trail from the professor, getting some sun, and just chilling out.  we finally got motivated to move, and made it to damascus but dinner time, getting DELICIOUS pizza and some local beer, meeting up with our friends, and staying at The Place, a cool little hostel in the center of town.  we are heading out tomorrow with the professor, up to troutdale, to hike south into damascus on thursday for the start of TRAIL DAYS.  a celebration damascus hosts every year for thru hikers, with bbq's, beer, music, parades and a lot more.  we are getting so excited for it! we will get to see our friends who are ahead and behind us, and have a few days of rest and relaxation before really starting VA...the longest state in the trail....550 miles of good ol' virginia.  we are getting geared up to go on! almost 25% done, and we don't ever want this to end!!!!!  hope everyone called their mothers yesterday!!!! happy mom day, momma raccoon! the best mom in the world!!!!