Damascus, VA - Jeremiah

After we pitched camp, it was too early to cook, so I decided to check out the area close to our campsite. At this point we hadn’t found the shelter, so I headed up the trail a few hundred yards. I knew we were near a forest service road. I heard a car engine so I took a side trail toward the sound of the car, it turned out to be a truck full of locals who were leaving. However there was also an mid-80’s BMW parked near the shelter on the road. As I got closer I encountered a couple of small rat terriers and a large yellow lab. The 2 little dogs were orbiting the big dog as they came toward me. Then I saw the owner of the car.

We never did learn his name and I certainly knew better than to ask him for a picture. He was very articulate. He looked he was about 30-35 years old and sporting an impressive Jeremiah Johnson coiffure. He had an old rusty bike lying next to the car. That car was amazing. I had never seen a BMW in this shape. The trunk and back doors were both standing open. Both door panels were missing. The trunk & back seat were full of sleeping bags, clothes, food and enough miscellaneous camping gear to stock aisle 13 & 14 at the nearest Dick’s Sporting Goods.

I spent about 30 minutes talking to him. He claimed to be retired. His story was that he had been living in Florida and working at a puppy farm, which explains the dogs. One of the little rat terriers never stopped moving and wouldn’t allow me to touch him. Apparently, the dog had serious socialization problems at the farm and his current “owner” had adopted him to save him from euthanasia. He told me the dog was doing much better. He was becoming comfortable enough in his new “pack” that he would almost allow his “owner” to touch him. When it was time to go somewhere in the car, he would “Jeremiah” would just open the door. The two friendly dogs would pile in and then the other dog would follow. He told me that had been travelling together for 3-4 months, living at the current shelter for a few weeks. He was supporting everyone by working at a t-shirt factory in Damascus.

His goal was to be in Damascus for Trail Days which is in early May. Trail Days is an annual event and “trail folks” descend on Damascus from all over to swap stories buy & sell tie-dyed clothes and beads and who know what else. He told us that it was not to be missed…

The whole time we talked he kept looking around nervously. He told me about some local who had taken it upon himself to maintain the Sandy Flats shelter. From time to time he would show up and inspect the site removing any trash that he found. Apparently, this could include any campers that he deemed undesirable. Jeremiah seemed to be concerned that he might fit in this category, so he did his best to avoid any encounter with the “caretaker”.