Date: 2009-05-30
From: Thomas Knob

To: Grayson Highlands, VA
Miles today: 7.8

Pushy PoniesThe fog went away overnight, but by the time we awoke on Thomas Knob it had returned. It was slightly warmer than the night before but we were still chilled to the bone. We had a quick breakfast then got moving, hoping our own body heat would warm us up. Before long the fog began to clear and the sun warmed up our surroundings into a natural sauna just as we entered Rhododendron Gap, where we began to strip off our outer layers. The gap was aptly named because we waked through a thicket of beautiful rhododendrons that were just starting to bloom. It was there that we ran into our second herd of wild ponies. Although they weren't as aggressive and moochy as the ponies the day before, they were still quite forward and inquisitive. They quickly sniffed us up for some food. I had no trail mix left, so i tried to see if they would eat some of Einstein's kibble. Being herbivores, they weren't interested. So I pulled out some stale tortillas i had been carrying around and they gratefully ate them up and got very friendly with me. I got caught up in the experience, because before I realized it all of my hiking companions, including Einstein, had moved on and I was left alone in a mob of hungry and overly friendly ponies. I hurried to catch up, which was tough because of my bum ankle and because i was suddenly dumbfounded by the incredible beauty of the Grayson Highlands. I thought I had just stepped into a scene from the lord of the Rings. I have never seen Scotland, but this was how I always imagined the Highlands of Scotland would look, only I couldn't have imagined anything as grand as this. By the time I caught up, the rest of the group had already met up with The Phlo's mom and brother coming the other way. They had brought their miniature dachshund with them who was funny to watch trying to negotiate the rocks and boulders that decorated the wide open bald. In fact she had to be carried most of the way back to the parking lot. We hiked back with them until we found a nice scenic area to stop for lunch. As Dizzy and I groaned at the thought of preparing another lunch of tuna and tortillas, The Phlo's brother brought out a bag of lunch meat sandwiches, fruit and vegetables that his mom had assembled for us. It was a simple lunch but it was one of the best tasting feasts any of us had had in a while. They also brought bag of his grandmother's homemade Chex mix, which was too incredibly good to stop eating. We finally made it down to the parking lot where Graveyard and The Phlo went though a couple of boxes of goodies from both their parents. There was even a cooler of beer we helped to finish off. The Phlo's brother had also brought a new supply of paperbacks for us to pass around on the trail. Liz and I had planned on hitching from there to Marion, VA, the nearest town with grocery and restaurants in order to be somewhere with some services to celebrate my birthday the next day. Upon hearing this, The Phlo's mom generously offered to shuttle the 5 of us, plus Einstein, into Marion which was over 30 miles away and would require two trips. We were grateful and slept in a comfy motel room bed, with running water and showers, for the first night in a very long time.