Date: 2007-05-02
From: Wise Shelter

To: Dickey Gap campsite
Miles today: 16.1

We passed 500 miles today! The miles seem to be just clicking away...butclimbing up those hills seems no easier, I still pant and get winded and need to stop. Slinky just steadily tromps up them without any hesitation...she really impresses me. She doesn't do any exercise, and didn't train before she started. She says thast they did 7 mile days to start, but she's doing the 15s now! You go, Slinky! When you're not in front of me pulling me up, the hills are harder yet.The next shelter was another 4 miles, and since it was already 6 o'clock and wewere pooped, we're camped in a field near the road. We're going to get tolisten to cars and down-shifting trucks all night. Beats listening to snorersin the shelters. I sent my hammock home and am sleeping under just the hammocktarp on a ground cloth. It may rain, but I hope not...I don't know how dry I'll stay under here. I need to find a nice light tent for one person before the bugs begin. I've got a couple in mind, but I want to do a bit more research.Let me tell you about the wild ponies! There are small herds of them up onGrayson Highlands State Park. The biggest herd we saw had about 8-10 poniesplus 3 new foals. They weren't too shy and would come up and try to nip us. Iwas try to take pictures and videos of the foals while not being bit...I used my poles to try and keep them at bay. We also didn't feel like we had time to play with them because it was 6:00 and we had decided to go another 5 miles to the next shelter. They were such an awesome sight on the rocky bald! Today's hike was great til later this afternoon when it just dragged on. Thismorning there were more rocky balds to cross...I just loved how it looked morelike a scene you'd see out west. I could imagine cowboys come riding over thehills. I kept looking for more ponies. I had some salt out to feed them as wehad been told they liked it because they really didn't get enough. I found asmall herd of just 4 ponies and 1 foal, but the only one that didn't shy awayfrom me sniffed the salt but wasn't interested. So much for that advice. Icouldn't get near the others. These ponies were at a place called The Scalesbecause farmers used to bring their cattle up to this area to graze in thesummer, and they had scales here to weigh them before they took them to market(sounds just like something they'd do out west!). Body seems to be holding up pretty well. The worse problem I have is the painsin my right shoulder. The back muscles next to the spine are in a constantspasm hurting every time I breathe in and out in my chest. The shoulder achesand there's a numbing sensation going down my arm. I try to remember all thevarious stretches Brett, my massage guy, has told me for stretching the frontand back of the shoulder. Today I did them every hour all morning. I getmomentary relief. Ibruprophen seems to help too, but I hate taking every day.It's called vitamin I out here! I often hike just carrying my right pole, andthen other times I'll tuck my arm up under my front strap. For a couple of days I tried not using a pole on that side (hooked it on my pack). A couple of days didn't give me much relief...maybe 2 weeks will help it. I have to say, my right shoulder was giving me some issues before I left, so this is not all due to hiking and poling...it's just aggravating it. Met a couple at a road crossing doing trail magic that started at Springer MtnMarch 28th: Guide Dog and Borrowed Time. Borrowed Time is an older gentlemanwith partial paralysis and legally blind, but he so wanted to hike theAppalachian Trail. Their challenge was the time it would take thwem betweenresupplies due to their slow pace...they couldn't carry enough food. It was atreat for us to meet a couple with a passion for adventure! Can't wait to readthe book she's writing titled Borrowed Time about all the things they've done.Tomorrow's my last day of hiking for 2 weeks. Part of me is looking forward todoing something new and different for a while...I'm very tired and need a restand lots of sleep! Part of me doesn't want to separate from my trail familythat will go on without me. I've made some wonderful friends out here and wantto continue on this journey with them. Slinky Dog is going on to Maine and Ihave no doubt they'll make it! They are such a fun, up beat couple to travelwith! I've had a ball and laughed alot. How lucky I've been to have met 2couples who welcomed into their world and helped me on my journey. It wouldhave been such a lonely 2 months without Willing & Abal and Slinky Dog. Can'twait to meet up with them again!Step lightly