November 13th: Ugh.

Hello, you lot. Sorry about my hiatus, let's get ready for some fun, shall we?

So where was I. Oh yes. So I hiked the Appalachian Trail, which was the absolute business. When we returned from that little excursion, my mom went off to Madison, WI to be with my grandparents (hi Grandma & Grandpa!) for almost three weeks. During that time, Dad and I went off to the Assateague and Chincoteague Islands, which are off the coast of Maryland/Virginia.

The two islands are famous for several reasons: they're wildly beautiful, all sand and scrubby salt marshes and snowy egrets. Their real claim to fame, however, is the wild ponies. On Asssateague, the ponies are left almost completely to their own devices, even as far as veterinary care is concerned. The park rangers try to let the 100+ horses be as wild as possible. On Chincoteague, the ponies are technically owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department. Each year they are rounded up and sort of herded across the channel onto the mainland, and then auctioned off.

Pretty sure this was Winthrop

Salt marsh

Entrance to Chincoteague Island

Peaches (or was it Herb?)

My dad and I saw maybe four ponies during our first visit to Assateague. The next day when we went back, we saw even more. We gave them clever names like Chester & Winthrop, Peaches & Herb, The Captain & Tennille. (for those of you who don't know who the Captain & Tennille are, go to youtube and look up Muskrat Love. It is by far the most...interesting song I've ever heard).

Anyway. That's all for now.

S'laters :)