Date: 2018-05-07
From: Whitetop Mountain

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Wow really cold! I don¢t have a thermometer and haven¢t had reception to check the weather, but I¢m guessing that it was upper 30s.My hot water bottle did not work so well - the top came unscrewed and dumped water on me. I don¢t really have the gear for this weather - I have a summer quilt that¢s rated to 40 degrees and only comes up to my shoulders. The thing that made sleep possible wasI put my poncho over my head and shoulders. Finally got to sleep and woke up to sunshine at 7:15.In the morning, two hikers coming up said there was a treat at the next road crossing, which I took to mean there was trail magic!It was unbelievable - 14ber trail magic. It was put on by three couples who were friend with one of them who had hiked the AT in 2014. They had chicken salad sandwiches, pasta salad, green salad with toppings, orange juice, beer, chocolate milk, apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, and lots more. Then they had stuff for hikers to take - tea, coffee, and drink mix packets, ziplocks, Payday bars (which don¢t melt like other candy bars), Oreos, Wet Wipes, and entire backpacking meals.It was really welcome, but I feel kind of bad that these people spent thousands of dollars to give free food to hikers that aren¢t really people in need. But for all I know, maybe they do stuff for people who really need it.We saw some of the wild ponies that this area is known for. When we got to the Thomas Knob Shelter, there were ponies just expectantly waiting for us. I thought they were looking for snacks, and one ran up to Paul after he took his phone out of a ziplock, but turns out they just wanted to lick sweat off us. They really went to town.We had foresty walking with flowers in the understory but also meadows with vistas. The trail near Mount Rogers was super rocky and required some scrambling. As another hiker said, ¢What sadistic person made this Trail?¢We heard thunder throughout the late afternoon and then finally there was lightning and big rain drops. But we made it to the shelter before the storm!Tenting is not allowed in the Grayson Highlands State Park so there are 7 of us in this 8 person shelter. If there were 8, we would be squished like sardines, but it isn¢t so bad.Here¢s what Paul had to say:5/7/2018 To: 503.6 Wise ShelterThis was a pretty eventful day.  After a 2+ hour hike to Elk Garden where the AT crosses VA 600, we walked out of the woods into a pretty spectacular Trail Magic.  I had a great chicken salad sandwich on a croissant, Utz cheese puffs, and an orange juice - although they were offering beer.  (I later found out that someone had already taken them up on that at 0930.)  It was really great to sit in a chair and catch a break.On the way up to Thomas Knob shelter, we saw some wild ponies off in distance in some really nice open fields.  Approaching Thomas Knob shelter, I heard a number of human voices laughing ¢ I figured there must be some ponies at the shelter.  Sure enough, there were four ponies right at the shelter including a mare with her new foal.  The mare kept her distance which we respected.  We sat on the edge of the shelter and the other two ponies came up to us and licked the salt perspiration off our arms and legs.  It was pretty much unavoidable.  I guess they figured we were mobile salt licks.  After getting some more water at the spring by the shelter we moved on.  Pretty much impossible to eat lunch at the shelter, so it was good we had something at the trail magic earlier.The afternoon was pretty tough with a lot of rocks to climb and maneuver around.  Some pretty tough trail and it was hard to make distance at times.  We were somewhat exposed and the occasional thunder in the background was enough motivation to keep moving to get back undercover. We made it to Wise Shelter and we were number 6 and 7 into an 8 person shelter.  I was nervous about the prospects of getting into the shelter given the time of day and given that there is no camping in the Grayson Highlands State Park.  After about a half hour of arriving the rain let loose so it was good to have a roof over our heads.  I was a little worried about staying in the shelter.  I didn¢t want to be the old guy who snored all night.  I asked Judy about it in the morning.  She said ¢Well it was sort of a snorchestra with everyone contributing.¢   I heard some of it but it wasn¢t too bad.