Date: 2011-05-12
From: Whitetop Mtn Rd campsite

To: Old Orchard Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: broken clouds

Today was rougher than yesterday and did less miles with no major climbs but got to see the horses!So after writing last night something begins stomping around by my food bag, then it starts towards my tent. I jump out and with my headlamp I see two eyes staring at me and going up and down walking around camp. Then a second pair appears and they start moving close. Blackfoot wakes up and comes out with his bright light and deer are invading our camp, have to say I was a little worried at first and couldn't see anything but a big body in the forest.Rest of the night goes well and I get a late start and hit the trail at 8. The trail is a little rocky and fairly muddy. Makes for a tough few miles. Then I start the short climb up to Mt. Rogers and it only gets worse, jumping from rock to rock to avoid water and mud isn't fun. Then the exciting part, just before the top of Mt. Rogers about 10 ponys come running down the trail at me. To not get stampeded I jump off the trail behind a bush about five feet off the trail. The first horse slows down right at me and immediately starts licking me while the others start grazing near by. There where three babys and a bunch of adults. Two other hikers come up right behind me after a minute and the first horse goes to each of them in turn and licks them. Was a nice welcome to the area that is for sure. Eventually I leave them and a little later I see another group of them out in a field. Two babys are chasing each other around the mom, tried to pull out the camera to get a video but they noticed me and stopped. I make it to Thomas knob shelter and two ponys are grazing at the shelter and one begins rubbing against the shelter. In front of this shelter is basically two foot boulders every where with mud all over. Onward I go and actually enter Grayson Highland State Park, just after entering a couple walks by and the guy Ponytail Dave hiked last year and was giving out snacks. Got some chocolate chip cookies, slim jim, and two mini snickers. He lives near Franconian Notch and gave me his email and told me to call him when I get to the area and he would give me a ride, food and such. That is trail magic! So I saw one horse as I entered and that was the last one. Got to the next shelter and decided to go to the next one. Trail was a little better but the the last few miles became the worst. One point it was basically walking down a stream jumping rock to rock with no where to walk on the sides. On the flip side the views were awesome but you couldn't look up while walking. During the last section i also passed the 500 mile mark, i made a 500 with some rocks on the trail in the grass and took a picture. One quarter of the trail when you think of it as a 2000 miler. The actual quarte marker is in another 45 miles. Got to the shelter and I was the only one, a little later three section hikers I passed in the last mile came in and setup camp about 100 yards away. So I am the only one in the shelter tonight (unless someone shows up later) which is a first and will probably not happen again. I got here at 4:30 and have been super hungry today so decided to eat some of the mashed potatoes I have had for some time and are an extra dinner. Then I waited a while and made my dinner. I have a food baby that is expected tomorrow, tmi yes I know. Next three days the trail is going to be almost empty with traildays starting tomorrow. All the section hikers are all within a day of Damascus now or already in town.Hiking alone is competely different logistically, I just stop when I am ready. Before we would plan where each day and if you wanted to continue you pretty much had to wait for everyone to arrive and see if everyone else wanted to as well. Will make it easier to catch up, that is a plus. But now I am about a day ahead of schedule to meet Shepherd. Reading the shelter logs I am only 9 days behind which corresponds to the two zeros the others took in Damascus and I didn't since I was fresh. Shepherd said it took them five days to get partnership shelter and I could possible do it in three and be there tomorrow night if I feel good tomorrow, which I have finished early today with reasonable miles. We will see how I feel, going to get some good sleep tonight since it is now only 9:00. Wont have to worry about waking anyone early and get full reign of the shelter. I believe the others took a zero at partnership and are taking another in Pearishburg. I will need to zero in Pearishburg as well so by that time I should be about 6 days back which corresponds to about a month catching up. Challenge I can take.With the delay I mentioned everyone has been new, now with traildays people are all over the place and it will take probably another week before I start keeping pace with anyone else. For now I just get to hike and meet whoever is there. Today was another muggy day but not as bad as yesterday because there were no big extended climbs. Had some thunder in the distance before dinner but again it must of passed by. Thinking I am going to have to get my first new set of shoes in Pearishburg, no rips or tears in mine now but I can tell the stability and structure is starting to break down. I walk on the outside of the feet and my shoes always start leaning and bulging out over the sides. The rocks today exaggerated the cushioning that I am missing.Enough for tonight, time to listen to the owls hoot and the mice running aound.