(Fri. 5/18/12) Blackburn AT Center, VA - Phone Update From Brett

Brett is sounding really good on the phone these days. It makes me happy to hear him so positive again. He was camping (alone) at the Blackburn AT Center just at the end of VA.

Brett is now a "Thousand-Miler". Brett has walked over 1,000 miles. One Thousand Miles! That is huge.

Harpers Ferry is the unofficial half-way point of the trail. It is where the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters are. Thru-hikers are encouraged to check in and have their photo taken for an album kept there. Although it's not the half-way point in terms of mileage, it is kind of the psychological half-way point.

The true half-way point [1092.1 miles] is coming up in Pennsylvania. Just past the true half-way point hikers can participate in the Half Gallon Challenge at the Pine Grove General Store. Finish a half gallon of ice cream by yourself in one sitting and you get . . . I'm not actually sure--the ice cream for free? a T-shirt? bragging rights? Brett said he didn't think he would have any problem completing the challenge.

Brett said he would be arriving in Harpers Ferry over the weekend, staying in the Teahorse Hostel. Brett's dad has two cousins who live relatively close to Harpers Ferry who were both interested in meeting Brett there. Brett has never met them and it has been a number of years since his dad has been able to see them, but they were interested in meeting up with Brett, taking him out to eat, and showing their family support.

[Brett called me on Saturday. He arrived in town and was working out his plans for the weekend. He had been hoping to make a detour to check out Washington D.C., but it didn't look like it would work out.]