Date: 2008-05-19
From: Fox Cross Trailhead

To: Massie Gap
Miles today: 10.0

Early rise, packed up and headed back to Troutdale to Fox Cross Trailhead where Tigger and Soaring dropped off Owl, Roo and I to start walking south. They drove into Marion to return the car and would follow us later.Before we even got started we had a nice conversation with a former thru hiker. He said this is his favorite part of the trail and he has come back to hike it over several times. I've heard from other hikers that The Virginia Highlands are their favorite. I was really looking forward to it.We started off with an uphill, never my favorite. It probably was a nice forest walk, but I was so looking forward to the walk across the meadows and seeing the wild ponies that I didn't pay much attention.We finally cleared the forest onto a hilltop meadow. I pulled Roo back with me and had Owl walk ahead in hopes she would see the ponies and be able to get some good pictures. About ten yards later the trail turned back into the woods. I was so disappointed! We wound our way through woods most of the day.At one point we came into an opening where there was a gated area. Our map called it The Scales. We met three guys there who were bird-watching. They are working with a Cornell University Study. They told us all these different kinds of birds they had identified. Once more reminded me that I wished I had learned more bird sounds.From there we headed up to the top of a meadow. This is where I was reminded of our conversation yesterday... rain, cold and wind, two are okay, but not all three. The wind across this meadow was bitter cold and really strong. I was very glad it was not raining too. We zipped up our jackets and pushed on through, but no pony sightings. Plenty of droppings to walk around, but no ponies.We made it to Wise shelter for a quick lunch. We had a nice conversation with four NOBOs, but didn't get their names. Sitting still too long we started to get chilled, so we were off and moving.Our plan was to head down off the trail at Massie Gap and walk back to the campground. We'd come almost ten miles without seeing any ponies. Just as we broke out onto another open meadow (and got blasted with the cold wind again), Owl spotted some ponies on a far away hill. I was afraid they were past our turn off.The closer we got we realized they were just past the Massie Gap trail. As we were approaching they slowly walked away from us over the hill. When we got to the road. I told Owl to drop her pack and just take her camera over the hill to see if she could get a picture. I kept Roo with me so she wouldn't startle them.A few minutes later Owl came back grinning ear to ear. She got several good shots and one of the ponies had come over to her to be petted. Finally we saw the ponies!Then we walked down Massie Gap trail toward the road. At one point we thought for sure we had gotten on the wrong road, it seemed to take so long and the road didn't look familiar. We actually waved down a van to make sure we were headed the right way. We were. (Big sigh of relief!)Back at the campground we met up with Crabby. I have since learned that he is Crabby Appleton of Trailjournals. I've read his journal! So he has spent the day at the campground waiting for friends to pick him up. He's taking a zero day to golf. He said he met a lady earlier in the day who told him the weather forecast was for more rain tonight and tomorrow. Just hearing that sank my spirits. You can't imagine how tired we are of rainy cold weather. It's almost June in the south, shouldn't it be warm by now? But I guess we'll just deal with it.Tomorrow we will finish Greyson Highlands and head back down off the ridges. We have another chance tomorrow to see some more ponies. And if we can make good time hopefully we will be through Damascus in a couple days.Rabbit, Owl and RooJoshua 1:9