Date: 2006-05-14
From: Thomas Knob Shelter, VA

To: Old Orchard Shelter, VA
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

Day: 58Date: 5/14/06Start: Thomas Knob Shelter, VAWeather: Sunny then thunder then lightning then hail then rain then cold then hot...repeat cycle all dayFinish: Old Orchard Shelter, VAMiles: 11Cumulative A.T. Miles: 498.5Branch: Even though we did a super short day today, it has been one of the most eventful days that I can remember. We woke up fairly early this morning to a beautiful, clear, and sunny sky. We could see fog still blanketing the valleys below. It was beautiful and promising. This was all soon to change, though. We took our time getting out of the shelter and finally left around 8:30 excited to hike one of the most talked about and anticipated sections of the trail. Clay and I were both armed with an apple to feed to the feral ponies we hoped to see. Within the first mile, the blue in the sky started to be overcome with ominous grey and black clouds. We soon began to hear the dreaded sound of approaching thunder. By the time we got to Fat Man's Squeeze (a tight series of boulders on the A.T. through which hikers crawl) the light rain had turned to hail and the lightning was fairly close. So, Clay, Willow, and I took cover under a huge cave-like rock until the rain lessoned and the thunder seemed further away.Soon after we headed out from our hiding place, it appeared that the sun might make another appearance. We took our time enjoying the incredible scenery of the area and came upon Shrek feeding two ponies. I definitely did no want to leave the Grayson Highlands without feeding and petting some of the famous wild feral ponies. I quickly grabbed the apple from my pack and headed over to join him. These ponies were not timid in the least. As long as I had food to offer, they let me pet them and take pictures of them. It was so neat! After that encounter, I felt I could leave the Grayson Highlands satisfied. Throughout the day, we even saw other ponies--pregnant mothers, colts, and other pretty ponies. Despite the rain, it was a great time.Tonight we are in a shelter full of friends--Grey Goose, Big Foot, Blue Bird, and Lothar. Willow, Chuck Norris, and some others camping around the shelter. We are all huddling in our sleeping bags trying to get warm and avoid the wind that seems to blast through every crack in the walls and floor. Its probably a good thing that we are jammed in here like sardines--maybe our combined body heat will make for a more pleasant sleeping environment.Clay: It was like we were on another planet today--seriously. The Grayson Highlands were amazing. Imagine very small, very close mountains with rock outcroppings on each mountaintop. Draping the mountains were grasses and trees with various shades of green. Carpeting the floor of the Highlands are beautiful, thick grasses and rolling hills. On the grass carpets are the ponies. I can't really describe it adequately. Suffice it to say, the Grayson Highlands were the prettiest place we have hikes thus far.We had planned to push for 15 miles today but the weather and the rocky terrain dissuaded us from pressing on. It turned out to be great. Branch had a wonderful conversation tonight.