Visit with Red Bull in Damascus - photos

   Red Bull and his group arrived in Damascus, Virginia today.  They hiked to mile 469.0 on the A.T. traveling 10 1/2 miles.  They are staying at the Woodchuck Hostel, where they have access to a shower and laundry facilities.

   I was able to journey 5 1/2 hours to meet Red Bull, and give him a temporary phone to use.  It does not have internet capabilities, but at least he can text and call.  I brought home his broken phone, and we will see if Verizon can transfer anything onto the new phone when it arrives.

Red Bull's Cell Phone has Seen Better Days!

   I was very happy to meet some of his trail buddies.  I LOVE their trail names, but Red Bull told me to not post them to maintain their privacy.  So, I will put hints so Red Bull can look back on this later, and will readily recognize who they were.  Rd Brd was kind enough to allow Red Bull to borrow his phone to stay in touch with us, until we could bring him a phone.  I met Rd Brd (from Georgia) and he is very appropriately named!

   I also met Cntr and Sqtch (from Minnesota), they were very nice, and their trail names are amazing.  Gtr (from Ohio) is still a day behind them but they are taking a zero day tomorrow, so hopefully he will catch up to them. I did not get a chance to meet Hppy Ft (he was talking on the phone) but he looked like he could live up to his trail name.  Their group fluctuates in size, J Drt and Wffls were not currently with the group, but have been most of the time.

Red Bull had a fall

The feet of Red Bull (taking a respite from hiking shoes)
having hiked over 475 miles 

   Red Bull wanted to go to the local Dairy Queen to get a chili dog, and Royal Oreo Blizzard.  He finished both in under 4 minutes.  We sat and talked, while he waited for me to finish a medium blizzard.  There was more to the story of his "fall".  When I first asked for details, he got his funny smirk... and said he could not remember what had happened.  I told him that by his expression I knew he remembered.  I tried again a few minutes later and he shared the tale.  He and Rd Brd were tossing insults to one another jokingly, when Red Bull apparently crossed a line.  Rd Brd started to chase Red Bull, when he slipped and fell.  It looks painful... you cannot tell from the photo but there is a nasty gash on his left toe, that has a flap of skin covering it at the moment.  This is why he requested we bring down his old comfy hiking boots.

  There were some other tales he shared, which I will place in a separate entry.  Quite a few bear encounters.