5/2/01
Yippee! ! ! Mount Rogers, VA was calling my name this morning when I awoke and I wasted no time packing up to hop back on the trail. I was on it at 7:30 a.m. and by 9:25 a.m. was sitting on Buzzard Rock (4.8 miles, 2000' climb). Another gorgeous morning and I had the view to myself. After a snack and a photo, I continued on across White Top Mtn., then down to Elk Garden where I stopped to call Paula to arrange a rendezvous point for Friday night. Then on to the ascent of Mt. Rogers. Today was "chipmunk" day as there seemed to be a million of them in the first seven miles. Lunch was held at Briar Ridge which was thoroughly enjoyable with magnificent views and puffy cumulus clouds slowly drifting by. The wildflowers along the trail were beyond description today. If I had 20 rolls of film I could have used them all trying to capture the beauty of those flowers. I arrived at the Thomas Knob shelter at 1:30 which is located on a beautiful rock outcrop in an open grassy area just below the summit. Initially I had planned on moving on but sat out in the sun and did nothing for three hours straight. For once I didn't move on despite the early arrival at the shelter. Instead, I finally walked 200 yards to the water source to watch Abol and Bean and Harp and Spoon pump water and play with the wild ponies. Then came the highlight of the day. Two ponies were licking the salt off my hands and legs while Spoon was taking my photograph when one of the ponies bit me on the butt. Ouch! ! It was a very funny moment and the residual bruise left it's mark for future memories. Tonight Yolo, Loose Goose, Bob from Florida, Spoon, Harp, Miel, and Greensinger are all in the shelter. This is the last night for camping above 5000 ft. (until New Hampshire) and I haven't given up my winter gear, specifically for this night. It's about 50 degrees now after a cool afternoon and it probably will be a chilly start tomorrow morning. It was another outstanding day on the AT. I'm not getting tired of this. Here's todays stats: low 50 degrees, high 63. Sunny AGAIN with a few threatening clouds that never materialized. Today's mileage 12.2; cumulative mileage 483.1. Whoops, forgot to mention two deer I saw today.
