AT Day 48: Peters Mountain Wilderness

Daily Miles: 23.0, Total Miles: 659.1

Out the door at Plaza Motel by 7am and one last look at the DQ. Low lying clouds and drizzling rain as I crossed the highway bridge over the large New River. I passed railroad tracks and a large chemical plant before reaching the access point to get back on the trail.

I wound my way back up and followed the mountaintops with nice views of the Virginia and West Virginia countryside. What just a few weeks ago were bare trees and dead leaf litter now erupted into a bright green landscape. Grass and bushes crowding the trail with splash of white, purple, pink and yellow flowers.

Just after lunch in the Peters Mountain Wilderness, I was heading down the trail and surprised by six goats. They were walking single file up the trail. My first thought was wow, what a cute picture. So I dropped my hiking poles, grabbed my phone, and took a pic. My second pic caught a goat picking up one of my hiking poles in mid-stride. He proceeded quickly up the trail while furiously gnawing on the cork handle and strap like a giant cigar. Started after him only to see the last goat in line trying to pick up my second hiking pole still lying on the ground. I quickly wrestled this pole away from the last goat.

I ran after the first goat yelling and cursing. In desperation, I threw the hiking pole I had just saved like a spear. I missed but the first goat now knew I was serious. He finally dropped it but I had to run a fair ways to retrieve the pole. The cork handle was filled with teeth marks and wet with goat saliva. It was only later that I learned that these same goats were gaining quite a reputation among AT hikers.

Late in the afternoon, the trail followed Pine Swamp Branch all the way down to Big Stony Creek. I then followed this creek upstream until reaching a roadside pullout at Big Stony Creek Road, VA 635. Found a picnic table and a flat spot to put up the tent. I don’t expect too much traffic tonight.

New birds today included an indigo bunting and a Philadelphia vireo.