Journal Entries

Day 51 - Elk Garden, VA 600 to Wise Shelter

9.3 miles

Today we met the ponies of the Grayson Highlands. I have been looking forward to this for months (years?), having read about the Grayson Highlands and its herd of wild ponies in many of the trail stories I read to prepare for this trip.

The ponies did not disappoint but it was a hard day because of the lingering effects of my sickness this past weekend.

Coming out of Elk Garden we had high hopes for a 16 mile day but we ended up stopping early, at 3pm, at Wise Shelter so we could have a long late afternoon and evening rest.

The terrain and view at Grayson Highlands were beautiful, my mood and disposition, not so much.

Wise shelter is uninspiring but the light this evening was lovely. A school group, or maybe two, are camping here tonight.

Bedtime view from Wise Shelter.

Making a vegetable soup for lunch in Grayson Highlands State Park. My body is craving soup while I recover from this weekend.

Meeting the ponies at Grayson Highlands State Park.

Day 50 - Pond Campsite to Elk Garden, VA 600

12.3 miles

Day two with my parents was better than the first.

The weather was beautiful again. The terrain was easy but slow going with Laurent feeling ill, my recovery, and my parents coming up to speed with our month and half thru-hiker pace.

We hiked through various "ecosystems" today - along a valley river, up the side of a mountain, through cow pastures and a bald mountain top.

We stopped for water at a viola garden with columbine in bloom. First time I've noticed columbine in bloom on our hike.

We're camping tonight at a roadside parking area with pit toilets, what luxury! The road is quiet but the cows are bellowing in the pasture across the road.

I made soup tonight for supper with wild ramps. I'm craving comfort and recovery foods after being sick.

Harvesting wild ramps.

washing wild ramps for supper

Whitetop Mountain

filtering water