Date: 2018-05-07
From: Laurel Creek/creeper trail camp

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: broken clouds

We got our things together this morning and ate breakfast, again on the big flat rock by the creek. Chef didn¢t make it down here last night but hopefully he will catch us today. We set out under grayish skies and hoped the day would clear as we went. The climb up the hill to the first shelter went fast and I stopped there to snack, use the privy and allow my tent to dry out for a few minutes after a lot of condensation by the creek last night. Glow stick and ibex caught up soon after as did Juke box before we all set out for whitetop mountain. We passed through a cow pasture before the real incline began and the hike up was gradual through a nice forest before finally opening up to a nice meadow and some good rock formations where we had 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains. I chatted with Juke box about people we might know in common from Ft Collins and we did know a few from Road 34. The afternoon terrain was breezy and mostly level around the backside of the mountain until dropping down to a road gap. Juke box was there just as a group with trail magic was leaving and he was good enough to give me some bagged pasta salad for dinner and a corona. When ibex showed up, she chatted with a couple that had more beer and our quick pit stop turned into an hour long hang in the grass by the parking lot. A ridge runner also chatted us up and gave us some updates on trail info ahead. Eventually we pulled ourselves up and crossed the road to begin the climb through the forest up to the shelter in the Grayson highlands. The sky was darkening and a rumble or two of thunder was going around. When I was one mile from the shelter, I came up on head Chef, easy and Juke box. They had met one of the wild ponies and were taking a few pics and chatting. The pony immediately came for my arm and started licking the salt from my sweat off of me. Amusing as this was, I didn¢t want to chance getting caught in a thunderstorm so Chef and I made quick moves towards the shelter. The rain was starting and the thunder getting closer. We passed by the trail to the summit of Mt Rogers (highest point in VA) and half jogged to get up to the shelter just before the sky opened up. The rain came down hard for over an hour but the lightning and thunder left us alone. The down valley view from behind the shelter was incredible once the rain let up and I took my time waking down to get water from the spring so i could enjoy it. Ibex and I had decided that we would look for tent sites if the weather cleared before dark and we jumped at the opportunity to be camping with such an amazing view. Glow stick got FOMO and decided to grab her stuff out of the shelter and join us. We found some nice spots only a few hundred yards past the shelter and enjoyed our views for dinner. It was almost fully dark as we were finishing dishes and closing up our food bags. Glow stick had just gotten in her tent when she said, ¢Guys, what¢s that sound?¢ I was fiddling with my food bag and lifted my head to answer when my headlamp lit up one of the wild ponies standing right in the middle of our camp! He didn¢t care at all about us and was just calmly munching grass. It seemed strange to just crawl into bed with him there but he couldn¢t be bothered to move so we decided to turn in. A few more have wandered in and out this evening as we are lying here. I¢m fairly certain a pony has never killed a sleeping hiker.