Trail days is the annual celebration for present and former AT hikers held on Damascus, VA. At first, when I was hiking with Chiclet and Big Spoon, and we were on a one track- pump out the miles- we have a deadline- frame of mind, we were not even considering going to trail days. We figured we would be in and out of Damascus by that time, and we would just be pushing on. Then our hiking group broke up and my next hiking group had a member stay in Damascus, and there was just no way we could miss trail days. I'm do glad my plans about trail days changed.
Trail days was everything I thought it would be and then some. It was fun and not fun and wonderful and tragic and a bargain and a rip off all rolled into one. We stayed just out of down town on the town sport complex which had been designated as "tent city".
Trail days was everything I thought it would be and then some. It was fun and not fun and wonderful and tragic and a bargain and a rip off all rolled into one. We stayed just out of down town on the town sport complex which had been designated as "tent city".
We did not get much sleep during trail days!
First order of business, reunited with Chiclet and Big Spoon, K-Biz and Teen Wolf! We hung out at K-Biz's camp, which was now known as "the cult of the sun god". Don't ask! And guess who was a member of the cult? Florida Jimmy! I'm so happy he's still on the trail.
First order of business, reunited with Chiclet and Big Spoon, K-Biz and Teen Wolf! We hung out at K-Biz's camp, which was now known as "the cult of the sun god". Don't ask! And guess who was a member of the cult? Florida Jimmy! I'm so happy he's still on the trail.
On Saturday, was the hi light of the weekend, the hiker parade. Hikers lined up by "class"; thru-hiker class of 2000, 2001, 2012, etc. Then we all walked down Main Street while the citizens of Damascus pelted us with water guns and bubble machines! It was great fun until the incident happened.
At first, we had no idea what was going on. An ambulance came the opposite way down Main Street thru the parade. I sort of figured there was a mountain biking accident or something. Then another ambulance. Then another. And it stopped about 150 feet behind me in the street. We were all wondering what was going on; maybe somebody got too dehydrated and passed out. Maybe somebody was too drunk and fell and hit their head.
Then a hiker came running up the street, completely panicked and freaked out. He found his group of friends and started yelling out "It's Rainbow Bright! She's pinned under the back wheels of a car! Somebody ran over Rainbow Bright!"
I've never seen such a large group of people go from so festive to so silent so quickly.
Subaru had been behind me, taking pictures of the crowd and saw it happen. There was a lot of screaming "Stop! Stop!" as a car rolled from a side road out onto Main Street, hitting and running over people.
A bunch of people turned around and put their hands on the hood of the car and physically stopped the rolling. Somebody jumped into the passenger's side and put the car in park. The driver, who we assume had a medical event, was completely disoriented and had no idea what had happened.
There was a girl pinned under the rear tires, the car not rolling fast enough to roll over her but instead to drag her along. A bunch of hikers picked up the rear end of the car and moved it off of her.
Meanwhile, up where I was, we had all cleared the road and were on the sidewalk. We couldn't go anywhere as they had blocked off the street. We just sat there, eerily silent, waiting to see what was going on.
Finally, they told us to all go to the park. We could not go back to tent city, as that road was blocked. Down on the sports fields is where the helicopters landed toed flight out the most serious victims.
The emergency teams were wonderful. They were very efficient and on top of things. It turns out nobody was seriously hurt and everyone is expected to recover fully.
The other Trail Days staff were great, as well, keeping everyone informed of the status, but also able to get people's minds off of the incident and getting music, free food, give always, and the talent show underway to keep things, well, festive.
All, in all, I'm glad I went. Good to be reunited with my buddies. And overall, a fun time.
At first, we had no idea what was going on. An ambulance came the opposite way down Main Street thru the parade. I sort of figured there was a mountain biking accident or something. Then another ambulance. Then another. And it stopped about 150 feet behind me in the street. We were all wondering what was going on; maybe somebody got too dehydrated and passed out. Maybe somebody was too drunk and fell and hit their head.
Then a hiker came running up the street, completely panicked and freaked out. He found his group of friends and started yelling out "It's Rainbow Bright! She's pinned under the back wheels of a car! Somebody ran over Rainbow Bright!"
I've never seen such a large group of people go from so festive to so silent so quickly.
Subaru had been behind me, taking pictures of the crowd and saw it happen. There was a lot of screaming "Stop! Stop!" as a car rolled from a side road out onto Main Street, hitting and running over people.
A bunch of people turned around and put their hands on the hood of the car and physically stopped the rolling. Somebody jumped into the passenger's side and put the car in park. The driver, who we assume had a medical event, was completely disoriented and had no idea what had happened.
There was a girl pinned under the rear tires, the car not rolling fast enough to roll over her but instead to drag her along. A bunch of hikers picked up the rear end of the car and moved it off of her.
Meanwhile, up where I was, we had all cleared the road and were on the sidewalk. We couldn't go anywhere as they had blocked off the street. We just sat there, eerily silent, waiting to see what was going on.
Finally, they told us to all go to the park. We could not go back to tent city, as that road was blocked. Down on the sports fields is where the helicopters landed toed flight out the most serious victims.
The emergency teams were wonderful. They were very efficient and on top of things. It turns out nobody was seriously hurt and everyone is expected to recover fully.
The other Trail Days staff were great, as well, keeping everyone informed of the status, but also able to get people's minds off of the incident and getting music, free food, give always, and the talent show underway to keep things, well, festive.
All, in all, I'm glad I went. Good to be reunited with my buddies. And overall, a fun time.
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