Date: 2016-08-18
From: The Scales Livestock Corral

To: VA 600, Elk Garden
Miles today: 12.6

I planned a 17 mile day, but this morning my right knee was sending me signals that I really needed to reconsider the mileage.   Apparently I pushed too far too fast yesterday. The pain, however, was in a different part of my right knee.   This time there was also no swelling or fluid. I hoped it was just the "regular" knee pain I have had on most of the AT.To be on the safe side, we shorten today's mileage to 12.6 miles by saving the 4.5 mile climb out of Fox Creek for tomorrow. I hated to hike the trail out of order, but the available road crossings gave me little choice - either 4.5 miles or 12.6 miles.The AWOL guide is usually really good about providing road crossing locations and what, if anything, can be found there. For this road crossing the guide provided GPS coordinates and indicated there is a parking lot and privy/outhouse. Because the location was called "The Scales Livestock corral", we assumed that cattle hauling trucks probably used the road. Rod went very slowly and was very careful. The road was not really gravel or dirt. Instead it was made of rocks (LOTS of rocks), mud, and big mud puddles. But it was passable - barely. The road swtichbacked up the side of the mountain. It seemed to take forever to drive just 3.5 miles.Near the end we passed through an open gate. We both noticed the shiny new lock and wondered whether the gate is ever locked. (What if someone locked the gate while we were up here? Or locked the gate tonight and we could not get back here tomorrow?) A little further the road went above treeline into a pasture type area. Suddenly we noticed an old pickup truck, stopped just ahead of us, while the driver got out to open yet another gate, which was closed but not locked. We also noticed a wild pony and a longhorn steer on the open hillside to our left.Rod talked briefly with the two older men in the truck. They proceeded through the gate and then closed it. According to the GPS, we were extremely close to the trailhead, so we left Maggie outside the gate and walked in.The two men were locals out mushroom hunting. They were familiar with the area, but not with the AT. We found the trailhead, but I was not sure which way was south. Fortunately there were great signs telling me which way to go.I grabbed my pack and started the rocky climb through the pasture. At over 4600 feet, the area reminded me of the tableland on Katahdin or some of the high balds in Maine - exposed, windy,and rocky, with sparce but very hardy vegetation. In places, some kind souls had fashioned rock steps to make the climb easier. (Thank you!!) As I climbed, I occassionally stopped and looked back. Rod visited with the men for a while, then walked back towards the closed gate where Maggie was patiently waiting. I also looked for more ponies and longhorns.Eventually the trail leveled off. At the edges of the high pasture I saw more wild ponies and long horn cattle, huddled together under the trees apparently to get out of the wind. The ponies really do look wild and tough with very long full tails and manes. I was surprised by how cozy the horses and cattle were with one another.The AT also reflected their closeness.   There where piles of horse scat next to, or mixed in with, steer scat - and it was right on the trail. In NH and Maine the moose appeared to poop to the side of the trail, not in the middle of it. Of course it may have been that way because hikers ahead of me had stomped on the moose scat on the trail, leaving just the scat on the edges of the trail. But it is nice to think that the moose were being polite.I thought about the thick coats and long hair on the ponies and realized that winter up at this high exposed elevation must be extremely brutal. It was probably a good thing I was not up here hiking in February. Poor "Wildcat"!! (I met him further north one blustery day in February.) He must be one tough hiker dude!The AT dropped into Grayson Highlands SP. There were stiles and a big sign warning hikers not to get behind or too close to the wild ponies because they can kick and bite. The sign, like others I would see, also said not to feed or pet the ponies. I heard voices just off the trail and found a small group of women picking very small blueberries from tall bushes. I chatted with them for a few minutes and picked just a few berries. They did not have much flavor. The small blueberries in Maine were more flavorful.I took a break at the Wise Shelter. There were blueberry bushes near the shelter with bigger juicier berries, but they still did not seem to have much flavor. For some reason the SP prohibits all tent camping within the park boundries. (I am not sure whether cowboy camping is allowed, but I could see stealth campers making that argument if caught - I am not sure it would work.) The shelter was very clean and well maintained.We were told at the hotel in Atkins that there was a film crew in the area filming a movie about the AT ("Maine" is what we were told the title will be). One night from our hotel window we saw a group of men organizing what appeared to be filming gear in the parking lot.I found the film crew right on the AT. I was able to pass through with no problems. Once I was out of their way I stopped and watched for a few minutes. All I saw was a woman and a man with very new clean packs and crisp clean clothing walk down the AT while the crew filmed them from behind. I hope this movie is more authentic than "A Walk in the Woods."While watching the filming I looked across the valley to the oposite mountain side. I saw ponies. I also saw large rock outcroppings. I was hoping that the AT was not going anywhere near those rocks!The AT hugged the side of the mountain and began to gradually climb. I quickly realized that the mountains curved around like a giant horseshoe, and the AT was headed for the rock outcroppings I had seen earlier.I noticed a group of people off in the distance along the AT, and then I saw the ponies. There were roughly a dozen or so wild ponies - pregnant moms, some with babies which were either laying in the grass sleeping or nursing. The ponies did not seem to mind the people at all. It almost seemed like the horses were there for photo ops. I watched as 2 of the moms called to their babies, which obediently got up and went to their moms to nurse. Although a sign clearly said DO NOT FEED OR PET THE PONIES, some people petted them. I took pictures, took a short sit down break on the bench, and then moved on. Too many people, including families with several small children and dogs, were starting to crowd the ponies. I passed through a stile and found several longhorns on the other side. Then the AT headed up into the rocks. The area reminded me of NH, but not as steep - there was no hand over hand climbing up the rock faces. But I was very glad I was going up rather than down, and that the rocks were dry. Unfortunately what goes up must come down, and a storm was coming. So I was beginning to worry about the descent on the other side, expecting treacherous steep wet rocks.The views were beautiful. I stopped several times to take pictures. There was an open high pasture where I found several longhorns. In the rocks the AT passed through a large rock crevice called "Fatman Squeeze," and then the AT ducked back into the trees. Shortly after that I met Rod, and then it began to rain.We took a short break at Thomas Knob Shelter and then moved on. We skipped the side trail to Mt. Rogers. We are not peak baggers, and with the rain & fog there would be no view.To my great surprise, the rest of the trail was very easy, with only gentle fluctuations in elevation. The last stretch to Elk Garden was through a pasture of dairy cows. There was a very large handsome brown cow standing right in the middle of the AT as we entered the pasture. I had no idea what to do or how cows react to people entering their turf. Thankfully I had my farm boy husband with me, who assured me the massive cow would move and not hurt me.Sure enough, the cow stepped aside and let me pass. She also posed for pictures for me. She had beautiful eyes. The other cows in the pasture were fairly close but paid us no attention. The poor things were swarmed by flies.As noted in the AWOL guide, there was a bench off the AT to the west. I discovered the bench was dedicated to the memory of a hiker from Fruitland Park, Florida.From the pasture we could see the parking area and Maggie patiently waiting for us. I was glad that we cut 4.5 miles off the hike today, but we have to take Maggie back up that rough rocky road again tomorrow. The AT is calling. Today was a great day. I am so glad Rod had the opportunity to experience the beautiful views, the wild ponies, and the longhorns, which were his favorite.