morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-07-31
From: The Birches

To: MT KATAHDIN
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: light rain

I did it! At 5:45am on thursday I spotted the sign and reached the top. I summited with Poptart, Mt jam, Chicken, Spork, Train, Ben and Witt. Sticky, Luke and Dean Machine also finished later in the day. We all awoke at 2am and started up in the pitch black darkness at 245. Somehow i dont think the rangers would have approved but i just hiked 2172 miles, nothing was gonna stop me. The first few miles felt like I was in a dream. We were guided by headlights and occasional open views of the stars. As we hit treeline we were greeted by rock boulders to climb up and over and the sky was a wonderful dark blue-gray. As I made my way up to the Tablelands, the sun came up around Katahdin and the peak shone, its pinacle outlined but the rising hue of the sun. Words can not do justice to what I say and what I was feeling. As I climbed the last mile I could hear yelps and cries from Ben and Witt who had hit the top themselves. I got over the last rock pile and gained the hugest grin on my face i believe ive ever sported. At the last the end was truly in sight. I could not have asked or imagined a better weather day for the summit ascent. It was truly perfect. The knifes edge and pamola ridge were stunning from the top and we could see straight down into Chimney Pond. I was able to sit on the top with my friends for an hour and a half. So much was going through my head. I felt as if the whole trip was flashing by in my head, a highlight reel of the last 5 months. Being on top truly made everything worth it. It is the greatest mountain on the Trail and the best i've ever been on. I felt invincible at that moment and its truly one ill never forget.   I still need time to proccess this all and think more about what it means to me, but you can be sure there is lots more to come. As well as lots of updating entries and YES i will be putting all my pics up shortly. I have some great ones from the end.    I DID IT!!officially- A-TRAIN GAME 03!
Date: 2013-09-12
From: boston ma

To: harpers ferry, wv
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: haze

Weaved through 7am washington commuter traffic and heavy security since yesterday was 9/11. Decided to get some sleep so walked out to the national mall and took a nap on the lawn. Woke up around 3 and ran back to union station and caught the $11 3:30 commuter train to harpers.Made it back to harpers ferry, the show must go on. Tomorrow I turn and hike 1000 miles southbound. I'm coming for you Springer...Spent the night at the teahorse again, waffles and fruit breakfast tomorrow!
Date: 2003-03-09
To: Springer Mtn.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

At 5AM when Mom and Dad woke up, pops started rattling off obvious things that, of course, I had forgotten; like a toothbrush and a cup. 6 O'clock mass at the Franciscan chapel downtown and we were off for Boston. It's 1:49 AM and Mom & Dad are driving me to Boston in 3 hours. I'm taking a 9:00AM plane to Atlanta. Met the PC crew at Amicola Falls following the obligatory bound-crushing manly handshakes, lots of but slapping hooting and high-fives and fist pumping (8mi.south of Spring Mountain, the official start of the AT). Boland, Chris and Charlie (the dudes) and Kate, Jackie and Katrina (the ladies). We packed and repacked and repacked at the ranger station scale. My first weight with food, but no water was 45Lbs. 45 Lbs, with out water, was too heavy. I got rid of my rain pants, metal cup, boots (because I'm going to use trail shoes instead), and maps and guidebook (because I¢m so smart) I lost 6lbs in five min. from 45lbs down to 37Lbs, so 43Lbs with two liters of water in Nalgene bottles. Still too heavy but I'll be sending stuff home with "the Bolander." Dropped off one can at Unicoi Gap [about 50mi] in on the trail and brought the other to the dirt USFS road about 1mi North of Spring summit, by passing the 8mi approach. We then drove the other in back Bly Stump Gap (USFS road 42) where we hiked in starlight to an unexposed site .7mi from the full Spring Shelter. We set up tents in a small wind wearing headlamps.
Date: 2013-09-29
From: punchbowl shelter

To: glasgow, VA
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Forgot to mention, met the nobo named waffles last night at punchbowl, he knew some folks I did but was about 2 weeks behind me. He skipped a section here due to illness so was returning from katahdin to do the makeup and complete the trail. It was fun to have 2 flipfloppers and 2 sobos at the campfire so I didn't feel like the odd man out. Hunters rolled in late last night, their poorly socialized "hunting" mutts barked at everything that moved all night. Weekenders tenting in the shelter again, thankfully waffles asked them to vacate before I arrived dead tired without a tent after a 25 mile day. Huge kudos to him for that. The spring tasted funny and had salamanders living in it. Hiked over the haunted hill with a memorial to a 5yo kid that died in the 1890s there. The whole hill was spookily silent, the only noises were birds in nearby hills, and a train horn miles away. No insects or birds. Beautiful meadow with many wildflowers and a gigantic view at sunrise, very clear crisp morning. Got to the glasgow turnoff intending to just do a quick resupply and return to the next shelter. Wasted an hour trying to hitch, it was hot, got sunburned, then suddenly 3 girls paddle up the river, and out pops smiles the cute girl I keep running into, back to her original friendliness and offers me a ride into town which I gratefully accept. We banter a bit and they let me off at the pizza place that is supposed to have a hot tattooed waitress. It does. Darryl is in town too and says hi then leaves me to my flirting and makes fun of me later for it. Grabbed groceries and stopped by to check out the free town sponsored shelter on my way out. The thing is amazing! 10 cords of chopped dry firewood, free smores, a propane powered hot shower, and six bunks! A million asian stinkbugs but I got roped into staying. Shower was amazing. Terrible cell coverage still, so apologies for not being able to update picture blog.
Date: 2013-09-30
From: glasgow, VA

To: thunder hill shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: broken clouds

Up with the sun, Darryl and I hit up the little gas station cafe for coffee and breakfast. He orders a dozen scrambled eggs and this throws off the two ladies running the place since they don't have a price for that. Then they lose it when they find out I'm not splitting it with him. Comedy. We part ways cause he has some mail in another town to deal with and I walk a mile out to the highway to tryand get a hitch back to the trail. Morning is frigid cold and foggy, but got some nice shots of the mountains.After an hour of waiting I'm pretty cold and frustrated. At this point a cop car pulls up, rolls down his passenger window and there's Darryl grinning like an idiot and says "hop in." On the way to the trail, the Glasgow PD officer tells us about his problems with the local hillbillies and their moonshine, much to my amusement.Cross the longest footbridge on the AT, a giant steel thing that looks like it would be for a train. Its also a good high diving spot but it was cold, I didn't have anyone there in case things went wrong, and there was a dude fishing below that I thought might not enjoy hikers falling from the sky. Kinda disappointed but there will be other chances.Otherwise a fairly warm, tough climbing day. 680ft-4000ft. Met back up with radar at the shelter and he had a fire going so we stayed up and chatted for a while.
Date: 2003-03-12
From: Slaughter Mtn.

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: clear sky

Blood mountain is the first to climb of the day. There is a great view at the top. it's rough on the knee going down though. Finding that the trail goes through store shortly after Neal's Gap County I probably a quart of Ben and Jerry's peanut butter cup ice cream I may have even tasted a little of it on the way down. All the deer heads were in hog heaven a hiking store super duper light weight everything super duper high-tech synthetic everything. It would be a lot simpler if they just label to it that way instead of making up a trade mart patented name for everything. Or at least they could label some of the displays as Super Sux. Chris actually sold his pack and stove for a GO light pack and alcohol stove pack weight = 19 lbs. Yes, that¢s half have what I'm packing but I'm shooting for 25 for the warm weather. The PC pack headed out while Katrina was kind enough to wait for me as I marched between the store in my pack " wait I forgot to get shorty gaters¢ and "oh I meant to get a water bag.¢I bought one liter titanium pot off another hiker for $20 Short gaiters instead of my long GORETEX ones and alcohol stove with a Powerade bottle of fuel for my MSR whisper lite international with the 33 ounces of fuel a water bag with nylon cover for my bulky plastic water bag synthetic boxer shorts and a one liter titanium pot and cover instead of my 2 liter MSR. This of course means and carrying double of something's but all be sending back to duplicate items to Providence.We split with Alpine Rockhound and Eucher who are staying at the Neal¢s hospital. I¢ll probably see them somewhere down the line. Catrina and I come out of Neal¢s about 2pm and 2 hours behind the PC pack and 10 miles to camp.Her knee was really bothering her and we weren¢t making good time. The group had moved on after 3 miles, ambitious on their Spring Break. Catrina and I amused ourselves when the flashlight died by telling ghost stories as we followed the beam of a single headlamp. Avoiding roots, we finally made the Low Gap shelter at 9:30pm. We forced ourselves to cook dinner. Met a sandal wearing thru hiker named MoonMonster (www.moon-monster.com). Boland claimed he was sleeping but talked through most of the night saying things like BRAD-EEZZ and SLEEP FOR THE SOUL.
Date: 2013-10-02
From: bobblets gap shelter

To: daleville, va
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: broken clouds

Long, psychologically challenging day. Nobody on trail for 2 days now. Little water and what there is isn't very tasty. Basically there's a small, very fast bubble ahead and a large slower bubble behind me. Got word from a motorist at a parking area that the shenandoah NP I just finished has closed due to budget shutdown and AT hikers are shuttling out to avoid persection by rangers. This infuriates me. I understand the need to protect against poachers and arsonists but excluding AT hikers is absurd. I hope this person is misinformed. Get to the shelter I was planning to stay at before doing a rush resupply in town to find it abandoned save a million stinkbugs. The shelter log alone had 50+ bugs in it. Check out the rainwater cistern setup, last of its kind on AT, and decide to push for town to save my waning sanity. Heel now extremely bruised so I cut out a piece from my mattress as a makeshift heel pad.Very fun trail into town. as I crested a hill at sunset, surrounded by cows, a huge freeway with dozens of fast food restaurants, I actually teared up from the sight. Warm, cooked food. Got closer to town and a bbq joint was calling me. Grabbed a cheap motel room, showered up and went to get BBQ. Apparently the place was visited by GwB and they were very proud of this. Vinegar chopped pork, hush puppies, cajun fried potatoes, and key lime pie. So amazing it hurt.
Date: 2003-03-14
From: Helen, GA

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

We checked at about 8:00 a.m. and walked about one-and-a-half miles. I tried hitchhiking for the first time. I walked for about 2 mi. with my thumb up before someone stopped. It turned out that someone was the shuttle carrying two other hikers back to the trail. They get charged $10 each for the 10 mi. shuttle back to the gap. The guidebook it said rides should be complementary. Doug and Jason (stepfather and stepson) came in from Montana and Jason is a thru hiking while Doug is with him to the first four weeks. The first climb up Rocky Mountain was brutal when I started in the front but I was going way too fast. I fell in behind Doug and took their pace, which was an excellent 2.5 mi. per hour. Around noon the overcast sky started spitting at us and a cutting wind slammed us on the ridge. The rain picked up about an hour before we reached the shelter about a 3:30 p.m. at the gap. A fog rolled in and everyone was damp. Moon monster rolled in a bit later soaked in his sandals, but he said his feet were warm. Two guys up in the loft were having a tree sawing contest with their snoring, which started at 5:00 p.m. It went all right. The Alcohol stove is working great. It takes about one ounce of fuel to cook a one L meal although it takes twice as long. Pack is lighter after dumping the duplicates with my spring break friends but I didn't get a chance to weigh it. Also lost the Nalgene bottles in favor of the 32 oz a Gatorade bottle that saves about a pound. Still no blisters in my running sneakers and my feet are holding up. I have a crick on the left side of my back so that if I tried to bend over I feel it. I have a feeling though that I had that before I started the trail. I think that I'm getting enough calories but my potassium intake is a concern. Biggest concern: right knee. On the day ahead of schedule and knowing myself don't want to overextend this early. Combined with the promise of blueberry pancakes at the blueberry patch hotel by the next Gap, and I've decided that if the weather is poor I'm taking a 3 mi. day. I give a bearded and middle-aged men with a too-heavy pack a peanut butter sandwich and he snores early. Moon monster and I put a tarp across the doorway to cut the fog wind that is blowing through the door and through our bones. This is the kind of weather that puts people off the trail everyone is saying, but I am loving it.
Date: 2013-10-04
From: lamberts meadow shelter

To: four pines hostel
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

Climbed mcafee knob, did the obligatory photo. Actually had to hunt around for it, approaching southbound its not as obvious. Water is becoming an issue, most springs are dry and some reliable streams are gone, having to carry an extra liter.Got to four pines fairly late in the evening but Joe the owner gave me a ride to Homeplace the all you can eat family style restaurant that is famous on the trail. They serve southern "home cooked meals" which is apparently what I grew up on because that's exactly what it was. The only suprise was this relish called chow-chow they included with the beans and it was amazing. Tons of food, the table for one was great because they brought food to fill the whole table for two but I got to eat it all.Retired to 4 pines, grabbed a shower, talked to a section hiker who'd just given up due to the water situation and got some tips for the upcoming day.
Date: 2003-03-15
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: light rain

Overcast, spitting rain...and headed to the blueberry patch Jason and Doug are going ahead so I¢ll probably catch up with them in the week. The 3 mi. to Dick's Creek Gap are easy and fast. A trail Angel, MULE, is waiting in the parking lot and takes Ed and I to drop our stuff at the blueberry patch. The patch is a Baptist church supported hostile on an organic farm owned by surely the nicest couple: Gary and Lenny. Mule then dropped us at an AYCE. All you can eat. At $6.50 each, we get our money's worth. Then to the dollar store for VITAMIN ¢ I (Trail name for ibuprofen). And I got a $5 FM radio to hear the weather and news. All that comes in is country music but hopefully, that will change on the ridge. After 45 minutes trying to hitch we hopped on the bed of a pickup driven by an SWF along with two other hikers who are already in the bed. The driver had rose colored sunglasses and red dyed red hair and I felt relieved that we didn't have to take the under the breath mutterings about how hard it was to hitch in such a place. But with all the signs saying Jesus loves you and Jesus is Lord and everyone talking of Southern hospitality will we decided there was a hypocrisy with the truck stop sign saying boobs and showers and weary hikers going on about looking for a ride. Like the card says: God loves you but everyone else thinks you¢re a jerk. This hip kid who didn't fit in with her jolly Roger bumper sticker picked us up, we just kind of let it ride. Lenny did our laundry back at the blueberry patch and I had a good hot shower. Also in the hostile was one of RAMman, The bishop, and someone else a lively discussion on romantic poets ensued with a Yale English major grad, and a literature grad student and another who just graduated with a degree in literature. I knew the names and works but these folks are out of my league and their romantic poet trivia. Strangely I get the impression that it was mostly fact flinging. Tomorrow morning is blueberry pancakes for breakfast and a long hike to follow. I'm well rested and ready for another state!
Date: 2013-10-05
From: four pines hostel

To: niday shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Climbed the steep dragons tooth trail, first steel pins and ladder rungs I've seen since maine. Big, fairly boring stone monolith but it was a weekend and there were dozens of locals making the dayhike. Only one water source until the end of the day, so glad I picked up an extra water bottle from the side of the road. Passed a WWII monument to audie murphy that seemed well visited, figure I should look up the story someday. Got to shelter really late, crammed a meal in, lots of owls and bobcat noises.
Date: 2003-03-16
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Indian Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Feeling like a million bucks despite the weather report of rain all week. Everyone gathered on Gary and Lenny's back porch for the best pancakes. Ever. Biscuits and sausage. ever. we packed into Gary's truck an he bought us all to the trailhead at Dix Creek Gap. It was overcast but the rain held off all morning. I soon left the patch area behind and saw only trail and two hikers all day. Past the GA and NC border around and Ruthie took my picture with the oldest tree on the AT, a dilapidated Oak. A heavy fog rolled in and although I guess it may technically be called a cloud at this altitude. satred raining before reaching the Indian shelter. About 5 miles. I was only wearing shorts and gaiters and a T-shirt so not that much is wet. Shelter was full of about half dozen college kids from Buffalo. I eat it gets my bag asap out of the thick and cold fog.
Date: 2013-10-06
From: niday shelter

To: war spur shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Virginia is feeling kinda like a routine. Very little to see, repetetive, and dry. Today was the 2nd largest oak on the trail, some cow pastures, and some small abandoned cabins and outbuildings. Several shelters have homeless people and what I will call ultra low milers living in them. Looks like times are tough here. Stayed with a nice section hiker named dragonstick and we had political and science conversation for hours. Its nice people are willing to discuss "forbidden topics" rather than immediately go on the defensive out here. Nice change from the extremism that dominates politics normally.
Date: 2003-03-17
From: Indian Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: overcast clouds

"welcome to hell" and "home of mice, skunks, and Tasmanian devils." That¢s what was scrawled on the wall of the Carter-shelter about 7 mi. into today's hike. Started bright and early with Emil and Shelley leaving tinman who caught up with us at the shelter. All day it was fog banks and rain. Hardest climb yet to Albert mountain with a lot of scrambling. Emil took a bad spill crossing a stream on a slick log but passed on. We reached Big Springs shelter about 330, 14 mi. and our goal. But some folks were pressing on to the next shelter about six easy miles more. I was feeling pretty good and there was a lot of daylight left, so I pressed onto Rock Gap shelter. Still raining and shelter is full, so I¢m sleeping on the ground in the rooted cooking area. G-string samurai, tampolo, and Emoly are out here with me. Doug and Jason, who I left at Dix Creek Gap are here too.
Date: 2013-10-07
From: war spur shelter

To: pine swamp branch shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: moderate rain

Lots of rain last night and through the morning. Dragonstick ran out into it, I was feeling pretty worn ddown so slept til noon and woke to nice sunny skies. Headed out and did a big climb then easy terrain the rest of the day. Still no cell reception, been almost a week. Have a bunch of life issues like bills I need cell service to handle and they're on my mind. Trying to remember that these trivialities shouldn't be stressed over and I should relax. Nice minor change of scenery, some rivers and rhododendron and things seem less dry and dusty since the rain. Couldn't find "the captains place" which is a friendly local that has a zipline onto his property and camping. Can't camp but wanted to visit. Haven't seen a sobo in a week, trail seems deserted save weekenders and the occasional nobo sectionhiker. Kinda want to slow down and let people catch me but that could take a week or more, no idea where people behind are. Pine swamp is a nice old stone shelter with fireplace, occupied by a retired 70yo sectionhiker trying to learn to be retired instead of running at ratrace pace, and a young programmer taking the week off just hanging out at the shelter. Some good conversation. Mice are becoming more of a problem every night, they're getting brave enough to fall off the trapeze trying to get to our food bags. Would prefer bears at this point.
Date: 2003-03-24
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: clear sky

Earliest rise yet. We were all at road, 4.5 m further, by 8:30 AM. Mainframe, who thru-hiked last year and is biking across the country next month, drove up in his caravan to Trail Angel for a few days, shuttling hikers the 15 miles to Gatlinburg. Shones was, well, horrible, but there was lots of it. I'm proud to say that we stayed so long that they stopped bringing us drinks and just ignored us. Slow Ride, Alaska, Beef Stick, Rabbit and I were impressed with ourselves. Stopped in the Happy Hiker outfitter and had our picture taken for the wall. Met Siesta, who had been waiting 4 days for his package, which arrived today. We all met at the famed Smokey Mountain Brewery and sampled some beer, which Slow Ride was especially psyched about. The beer I had (Mountain Light) was excellent. Slow Ride, Beef Stick, Trail Frog & Cricket a.k.a. Johnny Walking (www.johnnywalking.com) are staying at the motel but Alaska, Rabbit and I rolled to the next shelter. As for the toewn of Gatlingburg, take the worst part of Vegas (Ripley's Bleieve It or Not, 2 drive-thru wedding chapels, super cheezy haunted house, etc.) and srick it one exit down from Pigeon Fords (home to Dollyland) in the middle of the Great Smoky Mountains and you will have it. A ridiculously low mile day, but it was worth it.
Date: 2013-10-08
From: pine swamp branch shelter

To: pearisburg, va
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: broken clouds

Fun walk thru an abandoned apple orchard, mostly moldy and wormy but got a few sweet ones. Suprised there's no deer running amok. Cell tower right on the trail but still no reception. Didn't want to stay in town but the shelter I planned to stay in had a local homeless dude living in it I got bad vibes from and I need my new poles from black diamond and charger in the mail in pearisburg tomorrow so headed into town. Hit carls jr (called hardees here) for my first fast food of the trip, did a quick resupply, bought a $2 tshirt at goodwill to wear tonite then send to my dogs so they know I'm alive, did laundry for the first time in weeks, and decided I was still hungry so went and got mexican food at a place that looked sorta authentic but this is virginia and the waitress didn't know the difference between shredded and ground beef. Finally had spotty cell service but found good wifi instead. Updated journals, new pics up.