Ponies!

While in the Maryland/Virginia area, a 'must-see' for our family were the ponies of Assateague/Chincoteague. The Assateague Island is in both states and the ponies are handled differently according to which side of the state line they reside. Virginia ponies are the ones that are guided across the bay from the island to Chincoteague once a year for a 'round up'. The volunteer fire department manages the ponies by agreement with the National Park Service. Some of the foals are auctioned off and the ponies are returned to the island.

In Maryland, the ponies are treated as wildlife, with one exception. The NPS has determined a need to manage the pony population. They shoot the mares with an injection 'dart' once a year with a vaccine that prevents pregnancy. That's right....pony birth control! Each mare is allowed to have one foal after they have reached prime age (around 6-7 years old). Then, the injections continue.

We watched a brief film about the ponies in the visitor center, then drove the park on our own to find the ponies. We didn't have to wait long before seeing a few here and there along the roadways.

We took a couple of strolls through the marsh areas in hopes of seeing some in more natural settings, but we only saw one lone pony well off in the distance.

The beaches are beautiful in this area, so we took advantage of the warm day to take in some rays...well, some of us did - these two decided to imitate Arabs in the desert with their beach towels...

That didn't last long - nor did their trip into the icy water!

The guys had fun playing in the sand for awhile - trying to build a fort wall that would withstand the surf. We enjoyed just sitting on the beach for awhile, listening to the breaking waves and feeling the breeze in our face.

A cold front was due to blow in and we could feel the wind change direction and temperature. We hightailed it to the truck and caught a few photos of ponies on our way out of the park.

This scene reminded us of spotting buffalo at Yellowstone Park. The ponies may be wild, but they certainly have adapted to human contact being in close proximity. Park officials warn of their unpredictable nature, so it's best to keep your distance!

In nearby Ocean City, we had a lunch of Maryland crab cakes. Most restaurants were closed for another week or so, but we finally spotted a local diner that advertised the local specialty - delicious! We then drove up to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware before making a circle through the farming areas back to the RV park.

Here's a sampling of the Atlantic views along the way.

As for the farmland, we were so entranced, we forgot to take pictures! With the trees beginning to get their leaves, the view had a slight variation and we could only imagine the autumn changing of color.