Date: 2013-04-10
From: Lost Mountain

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

This day was probally the happiest day of my life thus far. I didn't frown a single second. I couldn't if I had wanted to.We woke and got out of our sleeping bags in shorts and T shirts. The warmest morning so far. I had a great night sleep in my hammock and felt great. That morning we climbed up to White Cap. It was a long long climb, but Dovetail and I felt great. We blasted up that mountain, passing people left and right. I got a couple of weird looks as would exclaim, "I love this mountain." and "I love this climb." At the top there were open feilds and we could see all around. We took our picture with Camaro and Chevy. I will post that as soon as possible.We came to a road crossing were Will and my dad were waiting with Wolf. They had left early in the morning so there was no trouble with meeting the shuttle at the road crossing. It was time for them to go home. I was so happy my Dad could see how awesome and at the same time how unforgiving this trail really is. Great times Dad. Your in my prayers as I know I'm in yours... Oh yea wolf brought us apple pies and sandwiches. The 2nd time he given us trail magic. Props to you Wolf. You're one cool dood!!!Okay 3rd trail magic for this stint. We were walking out of the woods (Camero, Chevy, Rash, Dovetail, and I) When we saw a van parked at a road crossing... Side note! Sorry to break the flow of this log but I got some explaining to do about this van. Now Nomad is a hiker on the trail. When he got to Erwin though for one reason or another, I don't know, he bought a van from Grim, the caretaker at Uncle Johnnies. Ever since than he has been driving up and down the trail picking up injured hikers and takin them in. That way the injured hikers don't need to spend money at hotels while recovering. As they drive they do trail magic up and down the trail. Also, Nomad will day hike and one of the injured hikers will drive to the next road crossing and pick him up. Really cool. Oh yea everyone signs the van haha.. Back to the log. We came out of the woods and Smuggles (one of the injured hikers on the van) came up to us with cold PBR's sooo good. Also there were cookies and other drinks. 3 trail magics in 2 days. Awesome!Then we went on up to the Grayson highlands. This is my favorite section of the trail so far. BEAUTIFUL!!! Open feild as far as the eye can see and some really cool rock formations. The best part though was the ponies. We walked into Thomas Nob shelter and there they were 11 of them. "PONIES!!" We screamed. They were really tame. They just kind of stand their and stair at you. Then one would get the courage to come up to you. Then it would start licking you. What? Weird! You say? Yea it was weird. They just lick and lick and lick away at you. Why you ask? Will from sweating all day a hiker looks like a giant salt lick to a pony. They just wanted was the salt from your sweat. After a bath in pony spit it was time to move on to wise shelter.I was off my mind happy and fufilled today. I got sunburn! and I'm happy about it because it means I was truely warm and not cold. I saw some of the most beautiful landscapes ever (and I've been a lot of places), I was warm, I got trail magic twice, I saw ponies, and the best part is, I got to hang out with some of the coolest, nicest, most stress free, happiest people on this plannet!CaribouIt's only after we lost everything that we feel free to do anything.500 mile mark today!!!! Live Love Hike to the max!!!!!!