morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-04-06
From: Vandeveer Shelter to Aberington Shelter

To: Demascus
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Who knew I could hike 10 miles in just under three hours! I woke up to a gorgeous sunrise and knew the day would be a great one. I made a hot breakfast and packed up my things before beginning the last little stretch of trail before Demascus. With gentle terrain that went mostly downhill, I was able to stomp out the ten miles in record time. As I reached the Tennessee/Virginia state line, I began jumping up and down out of sheer excitement. Virginia! How awesome! I nearly ran the remaining three and a half miles into town. And what a cool little place! I soon found the Blue Blaze Cafe and ordered a delicious pizza. Two Weeks got there soon after the kind server brought it out and we chowed down before going to check out the two outfitters stores in town. We later met Woodchuck, of the Woodchuck Hostel, and decided to stay with him. (Highly recommended!) We enjoyed sitting on the front porch for a while, resting our feet, before heading back to the cafe for dinner and a few rounds of pool. With plans to take a zero the following day, we enjoyed our time with fellow thru hikers before hitting the hay- only to wake up to a relaxing Monday spent being purposefully lazy.
Date: 2014-04-09
From: Demascus

To: Lost Mountain Shelter to a little shy of Wise 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

We all woke up at the shelter, just a day out of Demascus, ready for a beautiful and warm day over the Grayson Highlands. Instead, a wintery mix of ice and snow began to fall as I climbed to White Top. The views from the top were nothing more than the eerie blanket of fog. Stopping only briefly for the occasional snack, I made it to Thomas Knob Shelter by lunch. As I chatted with other hikers, I was startled to see a brown, big bellied pony come waltzing up the trail towards the shelter. While all of the humans were a bit taken aback, Ezmarelda (as I thought she should be called) was happy to see us. We immediately went over to pet her and she allowed this as she checked every outstretched hand for food. A couple of the other hikers gave her apples. I myself must admit she stole a cracker or two from my fingers before resorting to nibbling on my salty leggings. She was a sweet mama-to-be, and I was glad to meet such a fine pony before continuing on with the day's hike. Since the sun had come out and began to melt the last of the snow, we enjoyed the end of our hike taking in the views from the highlands. Just barely outside of the park, we stumbled across a fantastic campsite with a wonderful view of an entire field of ponies. This evening has been absolutely perfect. And even though the morning didn't get off to a great start, the transformation throughout the day made for a wonderful time in the Grayson Highlands, complete with ponies and views.
Date: 2014-04-10
From: Lost Mountain Shelter to a little shy of Wise 

To: Grayson Highlands to Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 0.0

The morning began with a beautiful pink and orange sunrise across the highlands. Within just a few minutes walk down the trail, I was amongst ten or twelve ponies grazing through breakfast. It was a wonderful start to the day. In trying to catch up to Two Weeks after his record day yesterday of 23 miles, I knew I would have to put in a long day to meet him at the shelter tonight. (Some other hikers joked last night and said we oughta change his name from "Two Weeks" to "Four Months" since he's now got the trail legs to stay for the rest of the thru-hike!) The weather was absolutely fantastic and the sunshine felt warm, making every pretty spot a tempting place to sit for a moment, so I ended up taking several breaks all day long. I even stopped to dip my feet in a stream for twenty minutes before pushing the last 7 miles to camp. I finally got here around 6:30 and quickly made dinner as I ate much of the remainder of Two Weeks' snacks as an appetizer. Thankfully, this shelter is spectacular and has a fireplace. Even better, another hiker had already built a fire! I couldn't have asked for a better way to end the day. With Magic Mama meeting us at the road first thing tomorrow morning, I'm grateful for the promise of good company, good meals, a couple days of slack packing, and most importantly to see my Mama!
Date: 2014-04-17
From: War Spur Shelter

To: War Spur Shelter to Niday Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

After a warm and restful night followed by a hot breakfast of oatmeal and green tea, I set out to climb to Kelly's Knob. A great view, no doubt, but as I contemplated taking the two and a half foot step from boulder to boulder, I realized that I am slightly afraid of heights and decided not to go out to the very edge. This was for the best as it was still rather cool and windy this morning. I instead walked on to Laurel Creek Shelter where I was hit with a snack attack! I quickly ate through every snack I thought I'd need for the entire day and then proceeded to scavenge my food bag for more. I must have been hungry! (No surprise, considering I had been dreaming of a spicy Italian Subway sandwich all night last night.) After breaking for nearly an hour, I decided to get moving and make the twelve or so miles to the third shelter of the day. The pasturelands I passed through early this afternoon were beautiful. I even saw several deer running through the pasture next to the cattle making for rather picture-perfect scenery. (Sadly, my photos never do the real thing any sort of justice.) The climb to the next ridge line was a doozie but not without a treat; I got to see Keefer Tree- a 300 year old oak. What a sight! And how amazing to think that this organism has been living since before the Declaration of Independence was signed! After making it to the top and enjoying the relatively rock-free ridgeline (thanks to wonderful trail maintainers who have instead made several large piles of rocks in an effort to make a least part of Virginia ridgeline walking pleasant), I met two day hikers who were kind enough to stop and chat with me for awhile both at the top of the ridge and later down at the shelter. They even offered to give me a ride if I needed one. Upon reaching the shelter, I met two section hikers, both of whom are Boy Scout Leaders. So despite not seeing any thru-hiker peers, I still had the pleasure of sharing in the company of several great folks, which has helped ease the weight of my homesickness. Sadly, some physical discomfort has found me again as my right heel cracked today- I suppose that's what happens when three blisters callus up on top of one another. On the bright side, I was able to call both my mama and my Amaw to wish them a Happy Easter while also being reassured by their love and support, which of course strengthened my emotional fortitude. Speaking of Easter, I saw the Easter Bunny tonight on my way to the privy! Hopefully I'll be able to hitch a ride into town tomorrow to find a welcoming church that won't mind my hiker stench too much!
Date: 2014-04-25
From: Daleville to Buena Vista

To: Buena Vista to Hog Camp Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

As Butch, the Bluedogart Cafe and Hostel owner, dropped us off at the cafe, Happy came running out to greet Nails and me. We went in to find Moaglee along with a bunch of other thru hikers ordering a late lunch. After placing my order for a big juicy burger, we all started swapping stories and catching up. It was so nice to hang with a big gang of hikers all together, and especially to see the boys again. After everyone got a chance to shower and get settled, we all went to Don Tequilas for a Mexican supper. While gathered together, Happy gave Longstep a call! Being able to talk to him and make plans to hike with him in Pennsylvania was just the icing on the cake! We nero-ed (taking most of the day off- only hiking a few miles) the next day and once again ate Mexican before Butch took us back up to the trail. We had an eight mile climb to meet up with Fresh Ground and his Leapfrog Cafe brand of trail magic, but with the promise of good company ahead, the hike to Hog Camp Gap was rather enjoyable. Immediately upon arriving at Fresh Ground's, he fed us rice and chicken, hotdogs, baked beans, and more hotdogs. We watched Talledega Nights on the laptop under his tarp and laughed until time for bed. The next day was simply beautiful. So much sunshine and only a light breeze, we just couldn't get away. Instead of hiking on as planned, Happy, Moaglee, and I zeroed with Fresh Ground. It was so nice to really get to know the man behind the magic. Typically hikers come through for a meal or two and go on, but in staying awhile, we got to have long talks, swap stories and advice, and as a result leave the Leapfrog Cafe with a much stronger bond of friendship. Overall, a banner day, especially considering the rain that we knew was on the way.
Date: 2014-05-01
From: Buena Vista to Hog Camp Gap

To: Hog Camp Gap to Waynesboro 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Rain, rain, rain, and more rain. We all left Fresh Ground's before the rain hit. I made it to the first shelter before it got really bad. Moaglee and Extra Credit showed up about forty minutes after me and we sat and enjoyed some snacks and the respite from the rain. Soon we decided to get a move on. However, right as Moaglee and I were about to leave, the rain really picked up. We both looked at each other, said "Ohhhh heccckkkk no!!" (Okay perhaps it was a bit more colorful than that..) and we pulled out our sleeping pads and bags and napped until 6 PM. Eventually we got it together and hiked on the last 6 miles to the Priest Shelter. We both ended up night hiking for an hour or so before arriving at the full shelter. In knowing that rain was coming, I did my best to set up my tarp and hammock well. Well, I did an alright job but as the wind and rain picked up in the early morning, I realized the water was coming down the side of the tarp and dripping onto the side and bottom of the hammock. Great, wet gear. With my top quilt pretty moist from the fog, I knew I oughta do a big day in an attempt to get into Waynesboro. Unfortunately, I just couldn't do the miles. I stopped at the Mau-pin Shelter and spent the bulk of the night soaking wet and shivering. By morning I'd had enough. I hiked the 1.5 mile trek down to Reed's Gap and hitched into town. After getting breakfast and coffee at Burger King, I met up with Moaglee, Skittles, and Junebug before going to do laundry and book a room for the night. By the time I got to the Quality Inn, Happy had arrived. We took it easy for the afternoon before going for an early supper at the all you can eat Ming Garden. We all ate so much food. It was simply glorious! We zeroed the next day- went by the Tastee Freeze, the Rockfish Gap Outfitters, and later to dinner at an Italian restaurant. Zeros are great but do tend to make me restless. After a big breakfast and quick trip to the outfitters this morning (so the Moaglee could get a new pack) we hit the trail. In the Shenandoahs! So close to Harper's Ferry! And best news of all- my brother comes to join me tomorrow!!
Date: 2014-05-02
From: Hog Camp Gap to Waynesboro 

To: Back to Waynesboro
Miles today: 0.0

As we began putting in miles in the Shenandoah, I couldn't help but to feel a little sad about our decision to not aquablaze. Aqua blazing is the term used for hikers who, rather than hike through the Shenandoahs, paddle north with the current of the Shenandoah River in a canoe or kayak. Before I'd ever even decided I wanted to thru hike, I had my heart set on aqua blazing. I've had several experiences kayaking, and I simply love it. And after over 800 miles of walking, it would be a nice change of pace, especially considering the lack of motivation I've been feeling lately. As I got to the top of the first climb in the Shenandoah National Park, I checked for cell coverage (as I was right underneath a cell phone tower) and received a text from Moaglee saying that he'd gone back into town. Moaglee has been having trouble with his calf muscle, and I knew he was in a great deal of pain when I'd passed him an hour earlier. Not knowing my next move, I hiked on to catch up with Happy (who had already seen three bears in just three short hours). I told Happy the news about Moaglee, and we hiked on towards the next Skyline Drive road crossing. As we got closer to the road, Happy stopped and said "I think we should go back and be with Moaglee." Plain and simple. Well, over the past several weeks I've come to consider all members of the Dream Team family. And in thinking about Longstep and how we didn't stay behind when he was feeling low back in Demascus, I agreed that we should not make the same mistake twice. After all, I myself have experienced the piercing loneliness of being separated from the group, and it is not a pleasant feeling. We reached the road, got a hitch back towards town with the first car that came by and were soon dropped by the edge of Waynesboro. We called a trail angel named Southern, who actually had been the same guy to give Moaglee a ride back to the Quality Inn. He was very understanding and took us by Kroger first so that we could pick up some bananas, orange juice, and a reusable hot/cold compress in hopes that we could get our boy feeling better. Once all three of us were back together, we talked and decided that aqua blazing would be the way to go. We would still have to wait a couple of days for the river to go down, but the time in the kayak would enable Moaglee to rest his legs, and of course I would be able to go through the Shenandoahs the way I'd hoped. In no way, shape, or form am I glad he was in pain, but I am glad that we were able to find the silver lining.
Date: 2014-05-03
From: Back to Waynesboro

To: Waynesboro to Port Republic
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Moaglee, Happy, and I made the best of our Saturday in Waynesboro by checking out the River Fest at the town pavilion. There were plenty of local artists and gardeners selling their crafts and plants, families taking advantage of the opportunity to canoe a section of the river for free, and a live reptile show that was actually very informative with plenty of specimens happy to play a part in the educational program. As we hung out in the shade, we saw a fellow hiker and waved him over. Potter was a SOBO thru hiker last year just out for a section hike before the Trail Days hiker festival in Demascus, VA. When we old him about our plans to aquablaze and invited him to join us, he jumped at the idea! He was scheduled to meet up with a buddy for the night but was sure to get enough information so that he could meet back up with us before we got on the river. By 2 o'clock, Magic Mama, Two Weeks, and Bubba arrived and we promptly went to go get Mexican! It was so great to catch up with all of them and even better that Bubba was here to stay for a couple of weeks. We dropped Moaglee and Happy off at the YMCA for free camping and then went on back to the Quality Inn to book a room for the family. We later enjoyed a nice meal and good conversation at the Green Leaf Restaurant. (As I walked in wearing my standard hiker garb, two couples obviously going to prom we're leaving- such sharp contrast to my daily life now, and yet I couldn't help but to be envious of all of the glitter and rhinestones on the girls' dresses!)The next morning, we called again about the water level on the river and received word that we would be good-to-go on Monday morning. In the meantime, we could camp at the Shenandoah River Adventure's campsite which would take care of the issue of finding a way to the Port Republic boat launch as we would simply be able to ride down to Port Republic in the bus toting our kayaks. Mama and Daddy dropped the four of us off and we said goodbye after promising to be very very careful. We set up tents and got in a few games of cornhole (the bean bag toss game) before we made a short walk down the road to grab a bite for supper and an ice cream treat for dessert. When we got back, Bubba built us a roaring warm fire. He and Happy then walked to the gas station to pick up a deck of cards so that Happy could teach us the game "Oh Hell". We played a couple of rounds of the game (very similar to spades) before turning in for a late night. Finally we'd be able to begin our aquablaze adventure in the morning!
Date: 2014-05-12
From: Waynesboro to Port Republic

To: Port Republic to Watermelon Park
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Bubba, Happy, Moaglee, Potter, Sloth, and I aquablazed for seven days down the the Shenandoah River. What an experience! The water level was up high so the river moved fast, but we still had to work a little to paddle our way through the slower, wider portions of the river. The wildlife was simply incredible! Day one, as we were going through some fast moving, class two rapids, we saw a bald eagle flying overhead. That is the first time I've seen a bald eagle in the wild. The next morning we even watched one enjoy his breakfast on the bank. There were plenty of blue herons flying low over the water throughout the day and around day three or four we went through an untouched portion of the river where we saw fifteen plus nesting high up in the sycamore trees. (Okay, Happy and I had a debate about the beautiful trees with exfoliating bark that draped over the riverside- I think they were sycamores, while he swore they were black walnuts. So we called them black walnuts, but I still think they were sycamores. Not that it matters; they were gorgeous and we appreciated them all the same!) We witnessed many large fish jumping high above the water, and Happy even caught two before Potter accidentally dropped the pole in the water. There were all sorts of other critters too: many species of birds, some deer, groundhogs, and even some snakes. We were fortunate with our camping situations too as Dennis, the guy from Shenandoah River Adventures, pretty much just gave us boats, said "You're on your own. Stop and ask other outfitters for info." And "yah can't miss it!" Well that became a running joke as we missed several things like outfitters and portage pull off points and the like. We came across several dams, many which were easy to portage around and others that had our arms and shoulders screaming from the weight of carrying our boats packed with gear. We ultimately ended up at Watermelon Park just shy of Bears Den and had Dennis buy back our boats there. We were given way too many warnings about the rapids leading directly into Harpers Ferry to brave them without the proper experience and/or a guide. While the aquablazing was one of the most enjoyable experiences out here on this journey, we were all itching to hike and get back to our "home" on the trail. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to see the Shenandoahs in such a neat way. It was the type of trip where nearly every moment was one of the coolest moments yet. Ain't life grand!
Date: 2014-05-14
From: Watermelon Park to Harpers Ferry and Beyond

To: Rocky Run shelter to Free State Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Bubba and I got moving around 10am and soon made it to the Dahlgren Campgrounds. Even though there were free hot showers available, we passed on that opportunity and instead just washed up in the sinks before continuing to hike. The morning seemed to move along really slowly as we were unable to go more than 2 miles an hour. Our pace was certainly a bit faster than that but we took several breaks and just had trouble catching a good pace. We kept at it but amended our attempt to do 20 miles for the day in exchange for a steady 15. As we hit a boulder field still four miles shy of our intended shelter, we were glad to be doing a shorter day. We finally got to the sign indicating that we were 0.2 miles from the shelter. However, this sign also showed that we were only 0.3 miles from a hiker hostel! Bubba and I took one look at each other before adamantly deciding that this was our new destination. Even if the hostel's only amenity had been laundry, we still would have gone. With every piece of clothing still damp and ripe with river rank, we needed a way to get them clean and dry before the heavy rains scheduled for Thursday and Friday. The Free State Hiker hostel was certainly one of the nicest I've come across. With a very clean bunk room, game room, and laundry/kitchenette room, sheets and towels provided, and pizza delivery available, we were glad to be there. And the best part- Ken allowed me to borrow a bottle of hair conditioner! What a miracle as I know that, without it, my hair would've remained an untangle-able rats nest! It's amazing how little it takes to make this hiker happy!
Date: 2014-05-15
From: Rocky Run shelter to Free State Hostel

To: Free State Hiker Hostel to Raven Rock Shelter
Miles today: 0.0

Bubba and I got a wonderful night's rest, were able to put on clean dry clothes, and eat leftover calzones for breakfast before heading back to the trail this morning. We talked a good bit about the three to four inches of rain expected to fall between 4 this afternoon and tomorrow evening. In picking a goal for the day, we decided to make the wise choice to only hike 4.9 miles to the Raven Rock Shelter. We knew from the guide book that it was only two years old and slept 16, and we'd heard it was a nice shelter from others on the trail. We also figured that if we tried to make it the additional 10+ miles to the next set of shelters then we'd get there sometime after seven, meaning that, not only would we be caught in a downpour, but the shelters would be much more likely to be full. As we began our hike, we enjoyed glorious weather, a nice terrain on a well maintained portion of the trail and a fantastic view from Raven Rock. Bubba and I were both at the shelter by 2pm and the weather remained deceivingly spectacular for quite awhile, making me wonder if we'd made the right choice to do such a short day. But as soon as the skies opened up and dumped an insane amount of water on this land, we knew we'd made the right call. And what a perfect shelter to be in during awful weather! Not only is it a two level shelter, but the wood has been finished and stained, there are windows at the front and back to allow in plenty of light, there is a covered deck with a nice picnic table, and it is exceptionally clean. We couldn't ask for better! As we sit here now safe and warm and dry, we are beyond thankful to have had the information about the impending rain. I pity any poor soul caught out in this mess and hope they find safety soon.