morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-05-15
From: Stealth camp site beyond VA 622

To: Atkins, VA - Relax Inn
Miles today: 9.0

My knees recovered after the short 12 mile day yesterday, today was even shorter due to a planned stop at Atkins where I had sent myself a maildrop. I got an early start, hitting the trail at 8 am. When I got to the Lindamood school, a one room school for grades 1 through 7, built in 1894 and part of the Settlers Museum, two people who were just about to drive away told me they had just restocked the trail magic inside the school. The trail magic was unbelievable, just about everything a thru-hiker could ever need. I could have resupplied from this, but after eating my fill of chips, pastries, fruit and soda, I added packages of crackers, peanut butter cups, and other goodies to my food bag. Thanks to the West End United Methodist Church of Wytheville for the great trail magic. After spending an hour there, I still made it to the Relax Inn by 12:30 to check in and receive my maildrop. I sent myself way too much food. My brother Brian also sent me a half-pound of venison jerky. Thanks Brian, I tried it and it tastes good. The venison jerky is in my food bag, but I put some of my own food in the hiker box for others to take. The Relax Inn is a dump by any normal standards, but just right for thru-hikers (otherwise known as hiker trash). This place is full of thru-hikers. Ghost (the 3rd Ghost I've met) got the last available room. The weather has been beautiful since Damascus, but it is supposed to rain for the next few days.
Date: 2015-05-16
From: Atkins, VA - Relax Inn

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter 
Miles today: 14.4

I had breakfast at the Barn Restaurant with Gunner, Bee-stinger and Ghost. I was in no hurry and left the Relax Inn at 9 am with a full food bag. It is rediculas for me to carry so much food when options exist to hitch into a town for resupply. The forest is now full of vibrant violet colors as the rhododendrons are blooming everywhere. You can tell that summer is coming when the spiders start spinning their webs on the trail. The spiders on the AT are very intelligent. When they see a thru-hiker coming, they quickly spin a too-thin-to-see web across the trail at the specific height of the hiker's face. They don't actually catch any hikers this way. The spiders have a good laugh watching the hiker frantically wiping his/her face of the sticky web. The spiders never tire of this, but hikers certainly do. The highlight today was reaching the 25% point of the AT. I got to the Knot Maul shelter at 5 pm just as it began raining. I'm sleeping in the shelter because of the rain, despite the shelter mice.
Date: 2015-05-17
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter 

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter 
Miles today: 9.4

Ghost was having some health concerns this morning, so he decided to go back south to the nearest road to catch a ride and head home. It appears that I'm now encapsulated in the green tunnel. It is hard to see the sky with all the leaf cover on the tree tops. Today was a 600 foot climb followed by a 2,200 foot climb up to the summit of Chestnut Knob, where there is a totally enclosed shelter with a door. In the shady areas of the forest, the flies are out circling your head. Swatting at them is a useless exercise. The only thing that disrupts them is to stand close to a tree, which seems to confuse them and they fly away. But then you need to move on and another fly circles in for a head orbit. I planned a short day today to Chestnut Knob, which is supposed to be a good place for sunsets and sunrises. I got here by 2 pm and at 2:30, three section hikers came in to spend the night. One other thru-hiker came in for the night, but several others came by and kept on going. It looked all afternoon like it was going to rain, but didn't until after 7 pm. Still, it's good to be dry.
Date: 2015-05-18
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter 

To: Laurel Creek 
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 50. No sunrise on Chestnut Knob this morning, as it was clouded in a thick fog. The hike today seemed level enough on the trail map, but it was a strenuous hike along a long ridge line, with continuous ups and downs, rocks, roots, and fallen tree obstacles to overcome, plus bees and flies buzzing around. There was sand on the trail in numerous locations due to the sandstone about. I saw several rocks with the shape of tree roots, possibly fossils of ancient roots. I almost stepped on a snake today. It was a juvenile, about a foot long, brown with a patterned back, so it was camouflaged on the trail. I think it was a rattler, but hard to know for sure as it happened so fast. My left foot was directly over it and I was about to step on it when I first noticed it. I did a yow-ee happy dance as it uncoiled and slithered out from under me, disappearing into the nearby leaves. Just part of the AT experience. There was a light rain this afternoon, which provided my first chance to use my 10 oz ultralight hiking umbrella. I stayed dry, and best of all, I didn't have to wear my non-breathable 12 oz rain jacket, which I would have sweated in. If the umbrella works just as well in heavy rain, I my ditch my rain jacket for the summer. I tented at Laurel Creek with Packman, Stinky Jacket, Phyc, Tarp Man, Mosey and another person.
Date: 2015-05-19
From: Laurel Creek 

To: Jenny Knob Shelter 
Miles today: 19.3

A big day today. Water was scarce today, a large distance between streams. It was either going to be a 10 or 20 mile day. I did 10 miles by 12:30, so 20 miles it was. Today's hike was kind of boring, with not much to see other than the inside of the green tunnel. There was a nice view as I crossed over I-77 north of Wytheville. Later, I saw two rattlesnakes that were on my path, one that was a foot long and the other two feet long. I reached the 600 mile point near the end of the day.
Date: 2015-05-20
From: Jenny Knob Shelter 

To: Pond at mile 616 
Miles today: 13.7

At 11 am I reached VA 606 and took the 1 mile round trip detour to Trent's Grocery, across the street from a sawmill, for some real food - a double cheeseburger, fries, side salad and ice cream. Then a 0.6 mile round trip side trail to Dismal Falls where I soaked my feet for awhile. The Mountain Laurel were everywhere today and are nearing their peak in blossoms. I tented next to a pond with Stinky Jacket and Packman, where we made a campfire to compete with the tribe of thru-hikers tenting on the other side of the pond. Twilight brought a beautiful new moon with Venus above it.
Date: 2015-05-21
From: Pond at mile 616 

To: Woods Hole Hostel 
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: scattered clouds

It rained overnight and continued through the morning. I waited until 9 am for the rain to stop, but it didn't. So I skipped breakfast and packed up everything I could inside my tent, then stepped out in the rain to pack up my wet tent. I was happy I only had to go 8 miles to Woods Hole Hostel, a restored 19th century Chestnut log cabin, arriving there at 12:30. Along the way, pink azaleas were everywhere. However all long distance views were obscured by fog. I was going to stay in the bunkhouse at Woods Hole Hostel, a separate unheated building resembling a barn, but a cold front was coming and it was already chilly. I opted instead for a private room inside the house, which was very comfortable. I bought a homemade bread and quart sized smoothie. The dinner tonight was awesome, organic fresh picked salad and a Korean recipe of pork and rice, cooked by the hostel owner, that was delicious. Woods Hole Hostel is one of the "must stops" for thru-hikers for it historic and natural beauty, the gormet organic food, and hospitality of the owners.
Date: 2015-05-22
From: Woods Hole Hostel 

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 10.7

A beautiful day today, but a bit on the chilly side. After a delicious breakfast at Woods Hole Hostel, I hiked 11 miles to Pearisburg. The trail was full of blooming rhododendrons, which I learned are called Catawba Rhododendrons. Blackout was at breakfast this morning, who I haven't seen since Jones Falls. Also, Co-ed caught up with me on the trail, who I hadn't seen since mile 500. I'm staying tonight at the Holiday Lodge Motel.
Date: 2015-05-23
From: Pearisburg

To: Campsite at mile 643
Miles today: 8.9

I had planned to take a zero in Pearisburg today since I haven't had a day off in two weeks, and I didn't want to get to Catawba (a five day hike) before Thursday because the Homeplace Restaurant (best food on the AT) is only open Thur-Sun. I had a lousy nights sleep at the Holiday Lodge Motel last night as the bed was lumpy and I kept wondering if they changed the bed sheets. That place is a dump and I didn't want to spend a second night there. I was going to check into the Plaza Motel next door, which was no vacancy last night. As I checked out of the Holiday Lodge Motel, I noticed a sign in the window advertising a hiker feast tomorrow from 4 to 7 pm 20 miles north of Pearisburg. Hence a new plan was born. After resupplying at Food Lion, I hiked out of Pearisburg shortly after noontime, along with Stinky Jacket and Packman. We're tenting on a ridge, positioning ourselves for a 13 mile day tomorrow to get to the hiker feast before 4 pm. Slow Ride and Corky also are tenting here. Nice sunset from a short side trail.
Date: 2015-05-24
From: Campsite at mile 643

To: Bailey Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 14.9

I met Red Pepper from Sturbridge, MA as he came to the campsite this morning. He already knew everyone else, having started on the same day, April 7th, as Stink Jacket. The whole days focus was the hiker feast at 4 pm. The five of us, Stink Jacket, Packman, Corky, Red Pepper and I took an hour break at Pine Swamp Shelter at 2 pm, just two miles short of the hiker feast. We got there at 15 minutes before 4, ready to devour food. It did not diappoint. The was a lot of variety besides hamburgers and hotdogs. I ate until I could eat no more, then I ate some more! At 6 pm, Stink Jacket, Packman, Corky and Red Pepper left to camp 5 miles up the trail, which included a 1,650 foot climb. I opted to go just 1.5 miles to the nearest shelter, which included a 1,081 foot climb. Hence I probably won't be seeing them again as they do longer days than me with younger legs.
Date: 2015-05-25
From: Bailey Gap Shelter 

To: Kelly Knob 
Miles today: 13.4

A beautiful Memorial Day. I'm sure it would be raining if I were at the beach. The hike today included tons of blooming Mountain Laurels before and after War Spur Shelter. At that shelter I had lunch and chatted with Co-ed, Tucson, Leviticus and Quarter. Today included a 1,700 foot climb to Kelly Knob, where I set up my tent and watched the sunset, which was obscured a bit by clouds.
Date: 2015-05-26
From: Kelly Knob 

To: Niday Shelter 
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: clear sky

Today included probably the steepest climb since North Carolina, just after the Keffer Oak, the largest oak on the AT at 18 feet around and over 300 years old. Several interesting sites along the way. I counted 79 mysterious rock mounts near Sarver Hollow Shelter and some old pioneer ruins down the side trail to Sarver Hollow Shelter (See pics). I saw the most Fire Pink flowers along the trail today. The wildlife came out today, or at least I noticed it. A white-tailed deer, a rabbit, a lizard, and lastly a 4 foot long black rat snake. (see pics). The snake's head was on the trail and I tried to make it move with my hiking pole. The snake then struck my pole. The snake then coiled in an S shape ready to strike again. I gave it a wide berth, just in case.
Date: 2015-05-27
From: Niday Shelter 

To: Dragons Tooth 
Miles today: 14.3

Today marks my 2nd full month on the Appalachian Trail. To celebrate, it included two 1,500 foot climbs, with a 1,500 foot descent in between. I visited the monument to Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier of WWII. He died in a 1971 plane crash on Brush Mountain here. The 2nd big climb was really tedious. Once I got to the top, it was a ridge walk with lots of rock climbing and rock scrambles. I hyper extended my right ankle again today, but to my surprise it hasn't blown up on me.
Date: 2015-05-28
From: Dragons Tooth 

To: Newport Road - 4 Pines Hostel 
Miles today: 2.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It was fortunate there were no stealth campsites on Cove Mountain, my intended destination yesterday. I instead camped at the base of the Dragons Tooth stone monolith. From there, the sunrise over the mountains to the east was incredible. Today was a short hike, but very strenuous. Climbing down rocks is harder than going up. I took the wrong path going down, following the well beaten path instead of the white blazes. I went down a 100 yards down a steep path which seemed to end in a ravine before I realized my mistake. I had to climb back up to get back to the AT. I crossed over the 700 mile point on the AT, although there was no marker for it. There are over 30 people here at the 4 Pines Hostel at 4 pm and hikers are still coming in. Hikers were slowing down to get here on Thursday to go to the Homeplace Restaurant, which is only open Thur-Sun. 12 of us sat at one long table where they brought out the food in dishes family style. The menu choice was either two or three meats and everyone at the table had to order the same thing. We chose fried chicken, BBQ pork and roast beef. The hostel shuttled us to and from in an old beat up 8 passenger van, in which we squeezed 14 hikers.
Date: 2015-05-29
From: Newport Road - 4 Pines Hostel 

To: Lamberts Meadow Campsite 
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Upon leaving the 4 Pines Hostel and walking the 0.3 miles down Newport Road to the trailhead, I turned onto the AT and within 50 feet I found a package of Backpacker's Pantry freeze-dried Louisiana Red Beans & Rice hanging on a tree. I took it for dinner. At the next road crossing, more trail magic with three guys handing out water and soda. It was fortunate they were there as water was scarce over the next 10 miles. I would have been pretty dehydrated if not for that trail magic. Today's highlight was McAfee Knob, the most photographed landmark on the AT. It was a beautiful day with great visibility. About 10 thru-hikers and a few day hikers were there when I was. It rained lightly in the afternoon, but then came down hard once I got to the campsite and set up my tent. I had to lie inside my tent for an hour until 7 pm for the rain to let up in order to make dinner.
Date: 2015-05-30
From: Lamberts Meadow Campsite 

To: Daleville, VA 
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up around 6 am to the sound of a bunch of noisy forest birds and one loud owl. I got on the trail at 7:45 and reached Daleville by noon, seeing along the way an orange salamander and two box turtles. I checked into the Howard Johnson's, which is much nicer than the hotels in Pearisburg for about the same price. I powered up the calories with a medium supreme pizza at Pizza Hut for lunch and Kung Pao Chicken for dinner.
Date: 2015-05-31
From: Daleville, VA 

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: light rain

I had a hard time falling asleep in the hotel bed last night. I must be accustomed now to sleeping on an inflatable pad within the confines of my tent. Three hours after leaving the HoJos at 11 am, the stiching failed that attaches the shoulder harness tensioning strap to the shoulder harness on the right side of my backpack broke. I jury rigged it so the shoulder harness continued to provide support, but I will need to call Granite Gear customer support. The section today was quite boring, nothing to see along the way. That is probably why some people created 20 cairns at Curry Creek (pic at left). Thunderstorms were threatening several times this afternoon but will likely come tonight.
Date: 2015-06-01
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Fork Mountain 
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: light rain

I called Granite Gear customer service today following yesterday's equipment malfunction to my backpack. They are sending me a brand new backpack, shipping it to the hostel I will be staying at on Friday. It's refreshing to deal with a company that stands behind their products. Granite Gear makes great backpacks with a lifetime warranty. Today began the dance with the Blue Ridge Parkway, which the AT crosses many times all the way through Shenandoah National Park as Skyline Drive. I crossed the BRP five times already today. I found trail magic just after crossing VA 43, snacks and apple juice. Rain clouds and thunder were chasing me over Cove Mountain. I got to Cove Mountain Shelter at 2 pm just before the rain started, but it only lasted a half hour so I ate lunch and then continued on. I'm presently on the summit of Fork Mountain as I type this inside my tent as a lightning storm and high winds are happening outside my tent.
Date: 2015-06-02
From: Fork Mountain 

To: Thunder Hill Shelter 
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: moderate rain

...but I got ahead of myself (you can laugh now) by skipping the 1.2 mile side trail to Apple Orchid Falls to see a 200 foot waterfall. I stood at the junction to the side trail and asked myself if I really wanted to hike 2.2 miles round trip to see another waterfall. I decided not after looking at Google maps and seeing the it's off the Blue Ridge Parkway and I can come back some other day with a car. I was surprised to see all the blooming rhododendrons around Cornelius Creek Shelter, whereas they were all wilted brown the past two days. Today was a tough day with a 3,000 foot climb up to Apple Orchid Mountain where there is an FAA tower. I got to Thunder Hill Shelter at 4:30 pm to get water, then I planned to hike another four miles. That plan was thwarted when a downpour began at 5 pm. Other hikers caught in the rain came in and we had 8 people in a 6 person capacity shelter, with others tenting outside.
Date: 2015-06-03
From: Thunder Hill Shelter 

To: US 501 - Glasgow, VA 
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: moderate rain

It rained continuously last night and throughout today. My hiking umbrella came in handy today and I didn't sweat in my rain coat because I didn't wear it. The hike today was very tedious because of the rain and the anticipation of going to a trail town. While the umbrella kept me fairly dry, my shoes and socks were soaked from the grass on the trail. My feet felt like mush being wet all day and hiking on gravel and stones. The highlight was crossing the James River on the foot bridge, because today's hike was over when I reached the other side. It took about 10 minutes to hitch a ride 6 miles to Glasgow, a very small but hiker friendly town with a shelter in the center of town. I had a great hamburger, a fried green tomato, a fried pickle, and side salad at the town's only restaurant, a hot shower at the shelter, and resupplied at Dollar General. Unfortunately, it looks like solid rain for the next few days.
Date: 2015-06-04
From: US 501 - Glasgow, VA 

To: Stealth camp at the 800 mile point 
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Unfortunately the only restaurant in Glasgow does not open for breakfast. So I downed a few muffins and hit the road. It didn't take more than 10 minutes to hitch a ride back to the trail. Of course it was raining, it rained all day for the 2nd consecutive day. I mostly used my hiking umbrella instead of the rain coat. The umbrella has been a good conversation item for the past two days. Once again, my socks and feet were totally wet all day, the kind of wet that makes a squish sound at every footstep. I started the day in Glasgow at elevation of 680 feet and climbed up and down, but mostly up, to Bluff Mountain at 3,372 feet, then back down to 1,000 feet. There were several views along the way, and at each one I saw a blank canvas of fog. I had to set up my tent in the rain tonight, so I'm just going to eat food out of my food bag that does not need cooking. Today's highlight was reaching the 800 mile point, upon which I quit for the day and set up camp.
Date: 2015-06-05
From: Stealth camp at the 800 mile point 

To: Hog Camp Gap - The Springs Hostel 
Miles today: 12.7

I woke up this morning and there were five daddy long leg spiders inside my tent. I'm not sure how they got in, they were probably seeking shelter from the rain as I was. I packed the tent away wet and reached Brown Creek Shelter at 9:30 where I cooked the dinner I didn't eat last night. Once cooked, a group approached the shelter advising of trail magic at US 60 just two miles ahead. I wish I had known that 30 minutes earlier! I ate my food and rushed off to the trail magic. There was chili, fruit, bread, cheese and other real food. On a full stomach, I then had to climb 2,000 feet up Bald Knob. At least it wasn't raining. At 3 pm, I reached Hog Camp Gap and called the hostel for a pick up. Three Springs Hostel is very nice. In their 2nd year of operation, $50 is inclusive of bunk, shower, laundry, dinner, breakfast and pick up and return to the trail. Dinner and breakfast is AYCE. It was a relaxing stay and I particularly enjoyed being dry for a change.
Date: 2015-06-06
From: Hog Camp Gap - The Springs Hostel 

To: Harpers Creek Shelter campsite 
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Congrats to my nephew, Joseph, for graduating from high school today and acceptance at JMU. Today was a long day of hiking from 8 am to 7:30 pm, with two half hour breaks in between. For 15 miles it was up and down between 3,000 and 4,000 feet. Then a 3,000 foot descent down Priest Mountain and back up 1,000 feet. I had a 360 view at the top of Spy Rock, along with lots of day hikers on a Saturday. I received the replacement backpack yesterday from Granite Gear, with a medium sized hip belt. It feels so much better with a hip belt that fits and not having a busted load lifter.
Date: 2015-06-07
From: Harpers Creek Shelter campsite 

To: Cedar Cliffs 
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: light rain

Today began with a 2,074 foot climb up Three Ridges Mountain. On the north side descent, I met a group of women coming up. One asked if I was thru-hiking and what my trail name was. When I said Quahog, she said "I follow your trail journal". That made my day. After 8 miles, I reached Reids Gap and hitched a ride 5 miles to Devils Backbone brewpub, where I had a roast beef sandwich with fries and an 8 point IPA, one of my favorites. After finishing that, I told the waitress that I wasn't finished eating and asked to see the menu again. I ordered the lamb meatballs and another beer. A family of four at the next table overheard me telling the waitress that I was a thru-hiker and were very impressed, asking me questions about my hike. After 90 minutes at the brewpub, I went out to the road and stuck my thumb out for a ride back to the trail. SUVs and BMWs were passing me by. After 15 minutes, I got picked up by three Romanians in a Hyundai subcompact, an exchange student going to college in Georgia and her parents visiting from Romania. They were headed to the nature center at Wintergreen Resort, which was on the way to the trailhead were I needed to go. When we got to the sign for Wintergreen, they pulled in to the entrance to go to the resort check-in, a mile off the main road, to ask where the nature center was. All three went in and returned after 10 minutes when I said, why don't you drop me off at the trailhead first! All in all, it wasn't that bad and I had a nice conversation with the Romanians. I asked how you say Thank You in Romanian. They told me twice but it was so unfamiliar that I forgot two seconds later. (Thanks to Yahoo, its Multumesc). Everone waived goodbye as the car departed. After being dropped off at Reids Gap, I came across trail magic a half mile later, left by Yoda's mom and dad. I took a water, which I needed, and a cupcake. The AT on the way to Cedar Cliffs is all rocks with no stealth sites. I'm presently at Cedar Cliffs, a rock outcropping with a vast open view to the west to watch th.e sunset. Today was quite an adventure!