morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-03-26
From: Johnson City, TN

To: Johnson City, TN
Miles today: 0.0

Walking yesterday seemed to be quite painful on my left foot. So, I did the thing I normally do, and popped the blister! Well, the pain was gone!!! After draining the "liquid," I applied neosporin, put a thick layer of gauze over the wound and then duct taped it. I realized that I might want to cut some weight, so I made some changes: 1. I switched my tent, Big Agnes Seedhouse 2, for a Tarp-Poncho ( Cutting 65oz), 2. The switch to the Tarp-Poncho allowed me to get rid of my pack cover (Cutting 6oz), and 3. I got rid of my MSR Water Filter for Aqua-Mira (Cutting 16oz). With all these changes, I lost around 5.5 pounds!!! Later, we went to another one of Briana's Softball games. I met Darcy's boyfriend, TJ. He's a pretty neat guy. Then, I spoke with Trisha, one of Briana's teammates and very good friends!! Also, I got to spend some time with Raj, Ashish, Colin, and Brother John. Yup, this was a very good zero!!
Date: 2008-03-27
From: Johnson City, TN

To: Johnson City, TN
Miles today: 0.0

Woke up at 8a this morning--I slept in!! Briana left for class and I decided to catch up on my journal. After reading Stovie's journal, I decided to start a trailjournal account of my own! I entered around 4 entries and then quit because Briana's brother, Chris, was playing Viva Pinata and it was a pretty interesting game. While watching, I began loading my pack to figure out how to compensate for the gear changes. Well, Toddy Bear called me today and told me that he would be at the Overmountain Shelter tomorrow. I figured this would be a great place to jump back in and join back up with the guys. So, tomorrow, I will be back on the trail and meet up with Toddy Bear, Other Jake, Green Blaze, Roses, and Night Terror. Oh! After reading Stovie's journal, I learned that he and Fester had pulled ahead of us...Now we've got to catch them.
Date: 2008-03-28
From: Johnson City, TN

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 62.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up at 7a and began thinking about who I could get to drop me off at Carver's Gap so that I could meet up with Toddy Bear. Before Briana left for class, she brought me a bag of pink rice krispy treats. I'm not a huge fan of these snacks, but I took them because she had made them for me. As she left, I packed my gear and got dressed. While doing this, I sampled some of those Rice Krispies and man were they tasty...the use of Strawberry Marshmallows was a good choice!! I couldn't get anybody to take me, so I convinced Chris to take me. He dropped me off at a little passed 12:30 and I began to hike on because I thought I had missed him. It was very foggy as I crossed the balds and the view was non-existent...It's a good thing I've sectioned this area a lot! At around 2:30p, I ran into Jax of the Here Here Gang as he was leaving the shelter. We chatted for a bit and he told me that nobody was at the shelter. So, I headed to the shelter and decided to wait until 3p before pushing on because I didn't want to get left behind from my Team!! At 2:50-ish, Launchpad and Toddy Bear rolled in...Yay! We all went to gather water and when we got back, we met Big'un (Pough's brother),. Now, we're all sitting around enjoying the view and writing in our journals. Oh! We saw some locals pulling in a wagon of coolers and knew that tonight might be our night to get some TRAIL MAGIC!! While we were eating, they built a fire and offered us PBR and steak...talk about TRAIL MAGIC! Oh! I just remembered something Toddy Bear had said while we were at Spring Mnt. Shelter that I didn't write, but think is noteworthy: He had found a book in the shelter and saw JRR TOLKIEN in big letters across the cover and then decided to read the back of the book to see what it was about. After doing this, he said, "This book sounds like a cheap knock off of Lord of the Rings." When we saw the book, we showed him the that the title of the book was Lord of the Rings...he thought it was JRR Tolkien (ha ha)!!! Tonight, we've got a lot of Thru-Hikers here. They include: The Red Ranger, Big'un, Other Jake, Night Terror, Dropkick, Launchpad, Toddy Bear, and me. We also learned that Stovie and Fester are spending the night at the hostel at US-19E. Well, I asked about Green Blaze and Roses and everybody was confused about where they could be. Night Terror, Dropkick, and Leprechaun all started before them and were never passed. Other Jake, on the other hand, left the shelter after them and never passed them. So, we think they may have pushed on to the Applehouse Shelter. Also, we plan to stay at Mountaineer Shelter tomorrow and hopefully catch up with Team Deustchmark by Damascus!!! Oh! I adjusted my milage to take into account the section of trail that I have Section Hiked and so that all of my miles add up
Date: 2008-04-09
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

At 6:30a, I hesitantly woke up because my body was slightly aching. By 6:45-ish am, however, Toddy Bear and I woke up. I was studying today's terrain and things didn't look too bad. While we were eating, we noticed a stray dog coming down the trail. It was very skiddish and seemed to take to Jeremiah. By 7:45a, T. Bear and I hit the trail and eventually passed Snidelywhiplash and Jenny's campsite. Then we crossed a nice bridge and a gently moving creek. Once we got to the road, T. Bear and I began studying the climb up to Chestnut Knob. As we were doing this, two locals pulled up and began talking to us. They were going fishing and thought we were lost. So, they offered us some *TRAIL MAGIC* in the form of a coke, orange soda, Bacon/Egg/Cheese Biscuit, 2 Honey Buns, 2 Packs of Crackers, and 2 bags of Bugles! We both ate and left some things on top of a sign for Yeti!!!We began our climb...the first part of it was pretty brutal and all I could think about was Lord of the Rings and I began to parallel it to this trip. This parallel gets pretty deep and personal, so, I'm gonna exclude them from here. Once T. Bear and I reached the opening, we walked through the fields and enjoyed breathtaking views before reaching the Chestnut Knob Shelter. This shelter is very nice...It's completely enclosed, had nice bunk platforms, a picnic table, windows, and a fireplace. The privy was also nice because it faced a beautiful valley below and had a newspaper!!! Of course, I dropped a 2-sie and read the paper!!! When I got back to the shelter, Toddy Bear read Stovie's entry to me. He appearantly reached here at 8:45p to a full shelter. So, he had to sleep on the picnic table and left at 7a this morning. Well, I guess this means he's not gonna get his birthday surprises, eh? Then, Toddy Bear and I decided to roll on because his guidebook made it seem that the terrain was a gentle ridgewalk. Since we would be on a ridge, water was almost obsolete. But, by 3:35p, the two of us rolled in to the Jenkins Shelter to a full crew. After a rough day, I went to the Privy, Baby wiped myself, and applied some Gold Bond powder...This feels really good at the end of a hot day!!! Among our shelter mates are: JUST RICK, PIGLET and WOODY, SANDLEWOOD and CHATTER, who are tenting nearby, YELLOW JACKET, EASY GOING, Toddy Bear, Yeti and I are in the shelter and I think SNIDELYWHIPLASH and JENNY are gonna tent again! When those two rolled in to camp, we noticed that the stray dog from Knot Maul had followed them here! It's kind of odd because it's April and there are TONS of mosquitos out and they are in a feeding frenzy. Oh! We read the Appalachian Times and realized that Stovie is spending the night at the Helvey Shelter...I think that's where Roundhorse and Brandon will be tonight and they're gonna be shocked to see Stovie--I bet they'll accuse him of "Stealthing." Well, I've got to go to bed because we have a 24 mile day tomorrow and I'm tired.
Date: 2008-04-13
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: light rain

I slept like a baby last night. We woke up at 7:45a and prepared for the 19 mile day in the rain. By 8:35a, we were ready to leave for a Hardee's breakfast. We got there and I ate a chicken biscuit combo with a cinnamon raisin biscuit...man was that filling. I thought this experience was funny because after I had placed my order, the cashier kept apologizing for the "slow" service. This experience cracks me up because it only took him 45 seconds to serve my food, but to him this was too long. Well, 45 seconds surely beats freezer bag cooking anyday!!!By 10a, we were back on the trail and going strong. As we were walking, we passed a big factory and eventually a place where they dump their waste--in the woods! Now that's a shame isn't it?!? This is just my opinion, but there should be some better way in which we can dispose of our waste without hurting our environment so that others may enjoy it in a pristine state. Anyhow, as we began our climb to the Rice Field Shelter, we passed a lot of weekenders. At 12:30p, Toddy Bear and I got to the first shelter and waited for Yeti. After using the privy, which offered a nice view of Pearisburg, the three of us began eating a snack. Then, we saw some hiker taking photos. When he came over, we learned that his name was Travis, a graduate from Appalachian State University who started his hike on March 2nd. We did the traditional thing hikers do when they encounter a hiker from behind them...we asked about the people behind us. We learned that Fester has a funny story about Lonewolf and Max...I can't wait to hear it!!!We all continued the ridgewalk and got to the Groundhog Trail. While Toddy Bear and I were snacking, Travis passed us and told us Yeti was on his way. Toddy Bear, then, pushed on while Yeti and I gently strolled toward the shelter and chatted. We talked about how Freezer Bag Cooking works, how Briana and I met, and gear. When we reached the southern terminus of the Alleghany Trail, we decided to stop for a snack. As we continued, I noticed that I was able to see my breath...the temperature is dropping! When we got to the shelter, which has no roof, we noticed that Toddy Bear had set his tarp up to offer protection from the wintery mix. Being a double bunk, I tied my tarp-poncho up and Toddy Bear and I slept under this protection while Yeti tented and Travis did his best with his bivy sack. Travis seems like a pretty nice guy who seems to struggle with social skills. He wants company on the trail, but is so set on doing big miles, that he doesn't spend time with any other hiker(s). Also, he told us that he's not really enjoying the journey. It's probably because he doesn't have anyone with whom to share it with...this is one thing I've enjoyed about the AT Experience so far!!! Well, it's still sleeting and my pen is starting to die...Night!
Date: 2008-05-02
From: Tom Floyd Wayside

To: Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 2.9
Weather: few clouds

Well, after waking up at 7a and lounging in our FULL shelter, we hit the trail and made great time making it to the road. While there, we met three "weekenders" who are headed north. Thisis when the fun begins!!! So, since it was Shepherd's first time hitching with us, they decided to give me the first round of "hitching duty." So, while I walked across the street to flag down oncoming cars, Shepherd, Toddy Bear, Yeti and Stovie were sitting down on the other side. Five minutes into my hitching, I noticed a police car turn around and pull over in front of me. When I saw this, I kept thinking he was going to fine me for something, but after talking with him, I found out that he thought one of us was injured and wanted to know if we needed to be evacuated to a hospital. I told him that we were simply trying to get a ride into town and he bid me good luck!!! I really appreciate him stopping by to check and make sure we were alright. After he left, a middle aged black guy pulled over and offered us a ride in his pick-up truck. Once we got in, we kept joking about how the only people that pulled over for me were minorities, the cop was latino. Oh well! As we were riding along, the gentleman gave us a tour of the town and then dropped us off at the Visitor's Center. Man, the guys at the Visitor's center were very informative and friendly. Also, Front Royal is full of so much Civil War history. We then decided to laze around outside on the benches while waiting for Toddy Bear's parents, Tony and Sharon, to arrive. Once they did, they offered to treat us to the AYCE Buffet at Victoria's. It was really, really good and filling...especially my huge plate of bread pudding and ice cream! Then, we all headed to a hotel and Tony and Sharon rented a "hiker" hotel room for all of us. Thanks guys, you all are ranked very highly on the Trail Angel list! Once we got in, we limed for quite some time and decided to do laundry. While the clothes were washing, Tony and Sharon invited us over to their room for hors d'evers and beer. Then, Stovie, Yeti and I walked over to Food Lion for a resupply. Well, Shepherd and Stovie ordered a pizza from Papa Johns for dinner, but Yeti and I decided to go to Burger King because I had been craving a Chicken Whopper for some time now. I was a little disappointed because it was made as if they were in a rush. As Yeti and I were walking back to the hotel, I told him about how I constantly keep comparing this trip to Lord of the Rings and we both became a bit sad because my journey was soon about to end. Just as we got back, The Stefaters invited us over for Derby Pie. They're all from Louisville, KY and enjoy the Kentucky Derby. While eating the pie and other pastries from KY, we all watched another episode of The Alaska Experiment. Well, It's about 10p and I'm getting a bit tired. So, goodnight!!!
Date: 2008-05-05
From: Crescent Rock

To: Harper's Ferry, WV
Miles today: 16.5

We woke up at 6:30a and just limed for a bit! I ate my 4 oatmeal and 1 pack of Pop-Tarts for breakfast¢¦man is that filling. Since there was no privy out here, I decided to drop a 2-sie off the cliff. This has to be one of the coolest things I think I have done in a long time! By 8:05a, we hit the trail and were just blazing away. Once we got off the rollercoaster, we noted that we were close to the 1000 mile mark and we took some pictures while we ate that Toblerone we had found in the trailmagic box. We then pressed on to Harper¢s Ferry and had our picture taken as numbers 40-43 at the ATC. We chatted with some of the people there and then headed to the hiker room to rest for a bit. While there, we noticed Aaron and Laura¢s pack and another ultralighter¢s pack, we later learned it belonged to Spruce. The Auburn boys, according to the pictures, were numbers 38 and 39. We then headed to the outfitters because the tips of our Trekking poles were all pretty worn down. I think Toddy Bear¢s tips, of all of ours, were the worst ones there. They were like little nubs. The lady at the outfitters was very nice. She was kind enough to assist Stovie with buying some insoles. This was a pretty productive trip for all of us because Yeti finally acquired his new piece of clothing¢¦A hiking Skirt! That¢s right, a skirt, but it looks good on him! She did, however, talk some sense into us and we decided against doing the Maryland Challenge tomorrow. So, Toddy Bear and Yeti got a room for the night and Stovie and I snuck in. While there, we learned that Roundhorse and Mini-Van were a couple rooms down. We all made plans for dinner, but decided to wait for Mini-Van¢s dad, John. We walked to the Amtrak station and saw John. He seems like a pretty nice guy and I thought it was pretty cool that he had taken some time off from work and family life to spend some time with his son. Then, we walked to some of the restaurants, but for some odd reason, they were closed on Mondays. So, we had to walk for about a mile or so until we found a bar, the only place that was open and serving food. We ordered some food and got some beer and actually got a chance to talk to John. Well, as we were paying for our meal and the bar, Stovie sat down and some ¢bar fly¢ started hitting on him! That¢s right Liz, while you¢re away, Stovie¢s listening to propositions from barflies!!! We then walked over to the 7-11 and bought some more snacks for tonight. Along with John, Roundhorse, and Mini-Van, we all walked back to the room and prepared for a good night¢s rest!!!
Date: 2008-05-07
From: Dahlgren Campground

To: Raven Rock Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: clear sky

Woke up at 6:30-ish this morning to the nice feel of a mid 40° air on my face. We did our morning ritual, less eating because we knew we were only 0.2 miles away from a resupply and thought it better to indulge in town food. As we were packing, we noted that the others at the campsite were still nestled in their 15° Marmot Helium bags. I was a little curious why these guys, who are not weekenders, but section hikers who are starting a one month section, need such a warm bag in May. The reason this struck me as odd is because I remember beginning my backpacking adventures always taking a bag that was too warm for the temp I needed and now that I¢ve gained more experience, I see how much my knowledge of gear has improved. Anyhow, we hiked to the road and within 3 minutes, Toddy Bear had gotten a 1997 Honda Accord to pull over! We loaded our packs in and then Paul, the driver of the car, drove us the 5.9 miles to Weis Grocery Store. As he drove, he told us that he was on his way to an auction¢more so to hang out with his friends¢but he told us that he would double back to the store after the auction to see if we were there and offer us a ride back to the trailhead. So, we entered the store and spent a lot of time shopping because the prices were pretty high. The people in the store, however, were really nice and helpful. We restocked our foodbags and then sat on Weis¢ porch furniture eating our breakfast of one box of Little Debbies each (1260 Calories). While eating, Paul entered to shop and then joined us on the patio furniture. After some time, we loaded up the car and headed back to the trailhead. We took a picture with Paul at the Washington Monument Sign¢¦with Paul. We bid him goodbye and then headed up to the tower. While there, we took some pictures and read the history. Sadly, I didn¢t go to the top because of my fear of heights, but I took pictures of the guys on top¢¦I do, however, regret not going. After this, we moved on to the shelter for some mean privy bombing! Then, we crossed the I-70 footbridge, which was really nice because it had Ivy growing on it, and then began our climb up Annapolis Rocks. When we go to the Cowall Shelter, we found some Georgia brand moonshine stowed in the shelter. After the 3rd road crossing, there was a tough climb, but we made it. By 5:40pm, we rolled in and met Slow Joe, a section-hiker who teaches social studies. After eating dinner, which is always a highlight of my day, we met Erik, the MD ridgerunner who is currently on his 2nd tour of ridgerunning, which he is using to save money for a Thru-Hike, earned his degree in theology from Scranton University (a Jesuit School), and plans on becoming a Franciscan Friar. See, that¢s one of the glories of this trail, meeting very unique people. So, we informed him of some of the people that should be passing by! Alright, I¢m getting tired and a little sad that my adventure is gonna come to an end¢¦well, good night!!!!!!!!
Date: 2009-06-14
From: Delaware Water Gap

To: HoJo in Williamstown, Mass
Miles today: 0.0

Hello...Well, as most of you may realize, I had to get off the trail last year for Medical School, but this hasn't stopped me from dreaming about the AT. So, on June 1st I packed my stuff and began hiking north again from DWG. I met up with my friend, Jon Wood, who is hiking the trail this year and will summit with me! Also, Stovie decided to join us for the DWG->NY/CT border! The adventure with Stovie was awesome and I am glad that we have had the chance to hike again! Once he left, Jon Wood and I have been busting 20-25 mile days until we get to Rutland, VT, which we expect to be in on the 19th. Yes, this does mean my feet are KILLING me, and we aren't able to access the internet as often as I would like. So, from now on, until we summit, the entries will be short, but once I get off, they will return to the normal caliber. Now, Jon Wood and I are in Williamstown, Mass. getting ready to shower and rest for a bit.
Date: 2009-06-19
From: HoJo in Williamstown, Mass

To: Rutland, VT
Miles today: 0.0

Well, since my last update, Jon Wood and I have entered VT and man was it not welcoming. Soon after crossing the border, we caught up with Birdman and Lil' Wayne. We got a chance to meet with them, but pulled ahead of them once we felt rain, but they met up with us at the Congdon Shelter while getting some water. Jon and I quickly dropped our packs and filled up with water. We said a quick hello to the Long Trail Hikers, a father and daughter, in the shelter and pushed on as the rain began. Well, about 0.5 miles north of the shelter, it began to hail and the lightning was popping before we could count 1 second. So, Jon made the decision for us to run back to the shelter. We got back, drenched, and waited out the storm. Birdman and Lil' Wayne pulled out, but Jon and I ended up cutting our day a bit short but had the chance to get to know Katie and Harvey, the LT hikers! I'm glad we got to stay, they were nice and when these two boys from Mass pulled in, I felt like we were back at Springer Mnt. watching NoBo's just starting their hike. The next two days were pretty nice because we didn't have any rain, but the mud was at its peak! We did, however, manage to get two beautiful views from the Glastenbury and Stratton Mnt. Fire towers! I am so glad we got these because until this, the rain, mud and big days were lowering my morale! Well, we did a 21 mile day into Manchester Center, VT by 2pm to pick up a package from Stovie! Much thanks Stovie for the ShamWows and Sacrificial rock! Also, Thru Campers?!? One thing I've found hard to believe is how hard it is to get a hitch in VT! Oh Well...we're not in the South anymore. Now, Jon and I are in Rutland, VT staying at the hostel run by the 12 Tribes. They're very nice people and are taking very good care of us. Today is our only nero, but we will be entering the Whites soon and hope that all the rain and cold weather that we've been getting these last 10 days won't last in NH, but if it does, what can you do? Well, I will fill you in on more of our travels later! Until then, Onward Team Deutschemark!!!!!!! Oh! As we were hitching into Rutland, Jon Wood and I got to see Jordan "Liquid" Brown getting back on the trail...It's pretty awesome to see another NoBo '08 out here, especially one that I was tailing for months last year!