A Night in the Clouds

A gentle sway amongst the icy chill of the late night spring breeze. Home for the night lies just below the highest elevation in Virginia, falling around 5,700 feet. Hours have passed since my feet and body stopped working hard for the day, yet my mind has been racing towards finding ways to stay warm while cooking dinner. 

Tired, cold, and hungry. What to do when the hiking clothes are wet from rain and only dry clothes are the ones on your body? Cooking from the hammock of course! From inside my sleeping bag, inside my hammock, while leaning out just enough to prepare dinner from my bed. Normally this wouldn’t fly, but I’m officially in wild pony and bunny land…bears aren’t high on the list tonight. 

An experience that proved to be more pleasing, was one that happened just a few hours prior to finding camp for the night.  Hiking along the trail I noticed a group ahead, when I realized what was happening. The beautiful wild ponies were huddled together under some trees, hiding from the rain. There were two babies along with many grown ponies. It was clear how this family of ponies experienced humans before their encounter with myself. Excited to except food, (which none of us were carrying) a momma and baby came strolling right up to us. Such beautiful and magestic animals…yet there was something unknown about them. Wild creatures able to follow their instincts and act suddenly. My time appreciating the moment had passed and I quickly decided to move on, before curiousity transformed to protection. A site to see for sure!

Here I am now, a little over one week after experiencing the Grayson Highlands. I am six miles outside of Bland VG and the trail has been beautiful. 

I find myself changing physically and mentally. I have developed a beautiful base of muscle. Happy to say my upper body hasn’t changed too much, due to the frequent removal and add on of my wonderful companion…Big Green. My legs are definitely becoming stronger and more muscular as each day passes. 

It’s interesting how the trail breaks down the hikers body, in the way the military breaks down a soldiers body. It goes in cycles. It doesn’t matter how old you are either, everyone experiences some level of the same transformation. 

Having hiked 600 miles of the Appalachian Trail…a little over 1/4 of the trail behind me, I am now experiencing the bottoms of my feet feeling tender and sore. I’m sure this will pass, just like most of my other aches and pains have. 

Mentally I find my mind very much connected with my body and soul. Living on trail for two months has guided me towards a strong understanding of myself. Who I am. My strengths. Areas were I can grow. My passions and fears. 

As the days pass and I experience more time living in nature, I welcome with open arms the transformation and awareness still to come. 

THE BEAUTY OF TRAIL MAGIC….there is this wonderful thing that happens on trail. People who love and support hikers will bring snacks, water, drinks, and food to different places along the trail. This has happened since the first day on trail, but something that I have appreciated…especially recently.  It is amazing how clean water, that doesn’t need to be filtered or searched for, will bring complete happiness to a hiker. Immediate gratefulness and ear to ear smiles for sure!

Trail magic: never to be expected, but so very appreciated when showered by the kindness of complete strangers. Thank you trail angels!!

Brian, Starbucks, and Rita at the Hiker Feed – an amazing weekend of trail magic put together by these wonderful people and their local church 

With Starbucks in front of the hiker feed sign

If there are any questions floating around in your head regarding this trail or my journey, please feel free to ask via comment or message. I will do my best to answer any questions in my next post.  This is my first blog I have created while on trail. These words have been strung together over the course of many nights. Gotta mix it up every once and a while 🙂

Here’s to living a life with open hearts to the people around us and happiness with the choices we make. 

Keep on smiling my beautiful friends ~ xo Chia

Had the pleasure of meeting Raindrop at the hiker feed  She is a local Main-we south bounding it!

With Kick It and Larry Bird- two lovely people who have been on trail for a year!