morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-19
From: Tye River - VA 56

To: Hunchback Mountain
Miles today: 19.0

We got a late start today so we hiked late tonight. We left shortly before 9:00am and hiked until nearly 9:00pm, pushing towards Waynesboro. The hike started with a nearly 3,000' climb up Three Ridges Summit (I'm glad VA is "easy"!) If it gets any "easier" I may stroke out! It was a nice hiking day, cloudy with a breeze. Tonight, it is so cold we can see our breath. Did I mention the first day of summer is in two days? I have had very good success with my Sprint phone on the trail, getting a signal with the unlimited roaming plan. However, I'm having trouble connecting with the Verizon towers, saying they are unable to authenticate my phone. It is hard to believe I'm only 12 miles from the Shenandoah's. Get-er-Done is going to town with me tomorrow, but he is going on one day ahead of me while I visit with my parents on 6/21. We saw one snake today... a Southern Ringneck. It is black on its back and yellow on its belly and about one foot long. Get-er-Done picked it up to show it to me. I'm doing better with my fear of snakes but I'm not picking them up - now or ever!!
Date: 2005-06-20
From: Hunchback Mountain

To: Rockfish Gap
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today marks 3 months since I departed from Springer Mountain in GA. In some ways it seems like yesterday, and other times it seem eons ago. I've pondered how I've changed. I am in much better shape and have lost much of the spare tire around my waist... which is good! It has been refreshing spiritually and socially I've met a lot of really neat people. However, I feel like my brain is going to mush. Some days I think there's only two neurons (brain cells) operating and they are working my legs. When I go to town and try to work the crossword puzzle I feel like Curly saying to Moe, "Gee Moe, I try to think but nothing happens!" It rained again last night for much of the night and much of my gear got wet. Ger-er-Done and I left about 7:15am this morning and got to Rockfish Gap about 1:30pm. As we walked into the Gap, my parents pulled into the parking lot. My mom did my laundry for me this afternoon in town. Tonight we went to an all-you-can-eat restaurant with Barrel Slug, Get-er-Done and the OFC (over-forty crew). Only 144 miles left in VA!
Date: 2005-06-22
From: Rockfish Gap

To: Near Sawmill Run parking area
Miles today: 10.0

My time in town was all too brief. I spent time with my mom and dad who resupplied me. Since I have had so much success in using my cell phone, I tried to get an extended life battery, however my phone is so archaic (2 years old) no one sells batteries for my phone! That is just as well. They wanted $69 retail. Pam bought it online for $20. I'm also having trouble with my feet. I have been having pain the past few days after hiking for awhile in the balls of my feet (metatarsals). It is a common site for stress fractures. They are also called "march fractures" from soldiers doing their march drills. I am getting mine from doing my death march! I went to the mall in Staunton, VA and got inserts. I think they have helped but I did to my inserts what seems to be natural for me. I got them soaked in a thunderstorm today. It came up a good storm as I came down Bear Den Mountain. The lightening and thunder popped right over my head, it seemed, 3 or 4 times. I ate and dried out at the Calf Mountain shelter and pushed on ahead.
Date: 2005-06-23
From: Near Sawmill Run parking area

To: Lost Mountain Campground
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: few clouds

The Shenandoahs are special, I have read because many of the animals have lost some of their fear of humans. I have seen that several times since last night. As I read last night, I watched a deer 10-12 feet from my tent, eyeing my tent and clothes hanging on the line. I hope it doesn't decide to chew the salt out of my clothes! Today I watched a turkey walk down the trail in front of me. The scariest encounter though was with a mama bear. I heard a noise beside the trail just before the Black Rock Hut turnoff. When I eased forward, there was a full-size bear 30 feet away in the woods. It was close enough that I could hear her snorting. Then I looked up and saw a cub 20 feet up in the tree above her. I quickly made tracks. Tonight, I had another highlight on the trail. As I circled Lost Mountain Campground, I met Log Jumper and Slacker. Log Jumper had done the trail in 1999. When I got to the camp store, they came and invited me to share their camp spot with them. I had a wonderful meal with them and their wives, Martha and Kathy and their sister, Jenny Rae, and mother-in-law. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening with them! They are wonderful people!
Date: 2005-06-24
From: Lost Mountain Campground

To: Swift Run Gap
Miles today: 16.3

It was tough to leave Log Jumper, Slacker, and their families today. I had a wonderful hot breakfast. Slacker offered to car shuttle me so I could slack pack today. I was tempted! But instead, I have left with a wonderful goodie bag for lunch and hit the trail shortly before 10:00am. I talked to Pam and she told me that the Spurs had won the NBA Championship last night. GO SPURS GO!!! I saw my 7th bear today. I'm well into the Shenandoah Park now. The trail crosses the skyline drive 28 times, I read. It is marked by 2" X 6" white blazes the entire 2,175 miles. There are other blazes you will hear other hikers talk about. Occasionally, there are blue-blaze trails that are bypasses for bad weather or treacherous conditions. So far, I've not had to use any blue blaze trails. Then there are brown blazes which lead to the privys (outhouses), or when someone makes a path in the woods. Then there are yellow blazers, people who hike sections of the trail but skip sections by hitchhiking or catching rides on the highways. Finally, there are aqua blazers, people who raft down the Shenandoah River from Waynesboro to Front Royal or Harpers Ferry and skip a section of the trail.
Date: 2005-06-25
From: Swift Run Gap

To: Hazel Top Mountain
Miles today: 14.1

The bugs have been relentless today. That, combined with the heat will not make my top 40 memories of the trip list! I had to wear my head bug net off and on all day. Even now at sundown, the trees are humming from all the flies. Those, combined with the gnats, that go for your eyes and ears (of course, they go for your vital organs) made it a miserable day. I camped on the knoll last night with a good breeze, so that kept the flying pests down. I saw my 8th bear today just north of Saddleback Mountain. He was running down the trail in front of me before he abruptly turned into the woods. I'm not sure if he was blue blazing or brown blazing when he left the trail. I had never heard bears snort before, but mama bear two days ago and the bear yesterday were close enough for me to hear. Their snorting may have something to do with how bad I smell! Both were only 30 feet away and probably got near lethal doses of my body odor. I cooked at Lewis Mountain campground. There was a camp store where I got ice cream and Pepsi (caffeine-free!) before and after lunch. I dread the day I have to start counting calories again!
Date: 2005-06-26
From: Hazel Top Mountain

To: Near Pinnacle Mountain
Miles today: 17.2

Some days I feel like I have fallen into an episode of "The Fear Factor." Tonight, I went to change clothes and found worms in my clothes bag. The most were in my green colored underwear that had been hanging on my clothesline last night. I went through my clothes bag and got them all out. At least I only have to wear the worms and not eat them (unless they got in my food bag, too!) In spite of that, today was a great day. I got an early start and got to Big Meadows shortly after 9:00am. I had breakfast in the lodge, a wonderful blue ridge omelette. By 2:00p.m., I was near the Skyland lodge, so I decided to have lunch there! I had a pizza with onions! The people at the tables next to me were curious about my trip. They were from Maine and on vacation. There names were Steve and Trixie Moran, I think. This trip has reminded me of just how nice and decent people in America are. As I write this, I just found my first tick and had to remove him...bummer! The views from the Skyland Restaurant are spectacular! I will bring Pam back here. The best view, I think, in the park though, is from Little Stony Man Cliff. I have less than 70 miles left in Virginia and only 6 days until I will see Pam (if the worms and ticks don't finish me off first!)
Date: 2005-06-27
From: Near Pinnacle Mountain

To: Gravel Spring Hut
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: broken clouds

Day 100 since I left Amicalola Falls Visitor Center and my last night in the Shenandoahs. It was an early start today. The flies woke me up buzzing before 6:00am around my clothes hanging over the tent. As I was breaking camp, a deer came within 6-8 feet of me looking for food. I didn't give him anything because my food was still hanging in the tree. Then at Elk Wallow Gap, I watched a raccoon in a wildlife-proof garbage can. My bear count is now up to 12! As I came around the corner, I saw 2 cubs playing with each other like 2 dogs might do only 25 feet away. They had no clue that I was there. I was mom up the hill from them. I finally shouted and made noise to run them off but mom never left more than 30 feet from the trail. Then just before getting to the hut, I saw brush moving about 30 feet off the trail. I thought it might be a small animal like a skunk... I finally shouted "hey" and a big bear head popped up much like the cover of Bill Bryson's book! The thing I wish I didn't see up close is the bugs. They are pesty! I don't understand why I need 6,000 calories of food to hike all day when a fly can fly around my head non-stop at 60 miles an hour for 12 hours straight without refueling! Life ain't fair!
Date: 2005-06-28
From: Gravel Spring Hut

To: US 522 - Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Another hot and muggy day today. Pam told me it was 92 degrees with a heat index of 101 in Front Royal, VA. It is somewhat cooler in the mountains but sadly, I left the Shenandoahs today. The bugs were a little less annoying today, but I still had to wear my bug net some. I look like a bee-keeper with my head net on! I was just waiting for a tourist to ask me if I was selling honey. There was no place to tent at the shelter last night so I stayed in the Shelter (or hut, as they call them in the Shenandoahs). Apparently, they have had raccoon problems and had a trap set to catch them around the shelter. They had caught one, but no activity last night. If there was, I slept through it! One sad note... One member of the OFC left for good today, Hitch missed her family and is going back to New Mexico. I have stuggled with thoughts of quitting in the past two days. When I got to Elk Wallow Gap yesterday, I was ready to quit, but a mountain blackberry shake and garden burger and a pep talk from Pam kept me going.
Date: 2005-06-29
From: US 522 - Front Royal, VA

To: Spring south of Ashby Gap
Miles today: 16.1

It is amazing what a shower and a night in town can do to revive your mental batteries! When I got to US 522 last evening, I was beat and it was coming a storm. I decided I would try to hitch a ride for 15 minutes. If I had no luck, I would go on. Within 5 minutes, the wife of an Air Force soldier stationed at Dulles picked me up and took me to the Super 8 in Front Royal, VA. It was nice to sleep in a comfortable bed but I woke up in the night thinking I was in a shelter and wondered what the strange noises were. There aren't any ice machines in the shelters! It cost me $7 to take a taxi back to the trailhead this morning (I think it's $14 from the trail head to the town before you've had a shower). The weather was predicting a 60-80% chance of thunderstorms today. Pam dislikes me watching the weather channel because she says it psyches me out. Of course, she was right (I married "Miss Right"... I just didn't know her first name was "always"). It didn't rain all day, though I hear thunder now. I hiked through the National Zoological Park Reserve for 2.8 miles. Apparently, they keep and nuture animals for the national zoo in Washington, DC. I didn't see any animals at the zoo but I did see a red fox today.
Date: 2005-06-30
From: Spring south of Ashby Gap

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: few clouds

Today was my last full day of hiking the 536 miles of Virginia. Tonight, I am only 3 miles from the West Virginia line. But my birth state made sure I would leave with 2 parting gifts. It came a terrific storm last night with lots of rain and lightning. It left me questioning my decision to camp high up on the ridge. After the storm though, I could see the lights from Wash DC. I'm sure the storm played havoc on the DC airports. There were no planes flying overhead during the storm but numerous planes flying overhead afterwards. The second gift Virginia gave was a section of the trail called the "rollercoaster." The last 10-12 miles of trail in VA are sharp ups and downs with elevation changes of 300-500 feet. They have dubbed them the rollerscoaster but in my mind they are just glorified PUDs (pointless ups and downs) with a few CRUDs (continously rocky ups and downs) thrown in. The highlight of the day has been the Bears Den Hostel where I'm staying tonight. It is run by the Appalachian Trail Conference. It is an old rock home with hardwood floors built in 1935. For $14 I got a bunk and a wonderful supper plus it was a relaxing evening with the other hikers... all 25 of us.
Date: 2005-07-01
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry US 340
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

We used to have a cocker spaniel named Lady. Lady was a sweet dog but she just couldn't leave skunks alone. More than once she got sprayed. The last time she was yellow between her eyes after she had been sprayed point blank. Though she smelled awful, she would come in the house with a look of satisfaction on her face, as though saying... I just defended the house from those invading skunks. I felt somewhat like Lady today when Skip and Nancy picked me up in Harpers Ferry. I really smelled bad after hiking 10 days in the heat and humidity. My clothes are almost yellow but I had a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment as well. I'm at Harpers Ferry, the psychological half way point on the trail. I've done over 1,000 miles (if you include the approach trail and all the other side trips I've made, its 1,033.6) I've nearly completed 5 states of the 14 (I'm 0.8 miles short of completing West Virginia). Now I am at Skip and Nancy's house (my brother and sister-in-law) in Frederick, MD. My feet are sore and I need a couple days rest. But best of all, Pam flies in to Baltimore tomorrow!! Happy Fourth of July!
Date: 2005-07-05
From: Harpers Ferry US 340

To: Near Tower Road, MD
Miles today: 16.1

Well, I'm back on the rainy trail after a fabulous holiday. Pam made it fine here to Baltimore. Nancy, my sister-in-law, made great food all weekend that I gorged on. Skip, my brother-in-law, fixed an equipment problem I had and ran Pam and me and friends all over. They even let me in their house in Frederick, MD after I was defumigated! For the fourth, we had the OFC over (Redwolf, Gumby and Pokey). Nancy made a meal we inhaled and then we all went to downtown Frederick for fireworks. Of course, that involved more eating (rootbeer floats). The firework display in Frederick was awesome. I highly recommend it. But today was a sad day. Pam left back to San Antonio, then it rained on me. It was interesting walking through Harper's Ferry. I went to the ATC office and registered. I was hiker #563 to register as a thru-hiker. That is about 1/3 of those who registered at the beginning. They say that number will drop again dramatically by the end. Grump and Natty Bumpo left the trail. Natty was a guy who was "huggable and sluggable." I am sorry to see him leave the trail. Shortly after I left Harper's Ferry it poured the rain and I was soaked. Most of the day was dry but it is raining again now. I am well into state #6, Maryland. Thanks again for everything, Skip and Nancy.
Date: 2005-07-06
From: Near Tower Road, MD

To: Wolfville Road Maryland 17
Miles today: 15.8

Overall, I have been very fortunate with the weather. After the last 8 days however, I must improve my timing. Of the 8, I've only spent two nights on the trail. Both of those I got hit with pretty strong thunderstorms. My pack got heavier today after I rolled up my wet tent. Actually, I am thinking of joining the 3H Club for night accomodations (hotels, hostels, and homes!) I went by the Washington Monument State Park in Maryland today. It is a 60 foot monumnet that overlooks western Maryland. It was built by the people of boonesboro in the early 1800's to honor George Washington. It was so humid, the view was not that great however. This afternoon, the most serious threat to my ability to finish the trail has arisen. I am having severe pain in my metatarsal heads (feet). I hobbled the last 3 miles to a road and called Skip and Nancy to get me. I will try to rest them for a couple days and try new boots to see if that will help. Actually, it will work out well because the remnants of Tropical Storm, Cindy are moving in and they predict heavy rain tonight and tomorrow.
Date: 2005-07-09
From: Wolfville Road Maryland 17

To: Deer Lick Shelters, PA
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: few clouds

My parents have been calling me Yogi Bear because I got food from the tourists in the Shenandoahs. In hiker jargon, they have turned Yogi into a verb, as in Yogi-ing from people. Today, I got to perfect the art of Yogi-ing and teach a Japanese fellow how to do it! It was tough to leave Skip and Nancy's house this morning. After weaving through a maze of detours through the Maryland countryside, they dropped me off shortly before 10:00am. It was tough to tell them good-bye but the nice thing about the trail is meeting new people. I babied my sore feet today but still made good time to Pen-Mar Park. There I met Jack-a-roo, a Japanese journalist from... you guessed it... Japan. He said he knew me from Log Jumper back in the Shenny's. I also met Wolverine Beam, a thru-hiker from 2001, and a graduate of Southern Adventist University. He was visiting his family in Maryland. They were with members of the Hagerstown SDA church having a picnic. Naturally, we ate with them and had a great vegetarian meal. I'm not sure Jack-a-roo knew what to make of it. He was taking pictures of the food before he ate it! It was wonderful food and company. I am anxious to see how my feet do.
Date: 2005-07-10
From: Deer Lick Shelters, PA

To: Quarry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Six states down and eight to go and 20+ miles into PA on the trail. PA is known for 2 things: The rocks and it is hot and dry. There were rocks today, but those will get worse, I'm told. But it truly was hot and dry. I came out today at State Route 233 needing water to cook dinner. Immediately to the east of the trail was a place called Vision Quest. It appeared like a military camp with barracks. Out of curiosity, I walked in to get water. There were young people all around, playing, working, and walking in groups. But all were dressed alike. I asked one of them what this place is and he replied, "Boot Camp for juvenile delinquents, sir!" I asked one group for water and was directed towards the medical building. It was strange, though, because no one seemed to notice me walking around. Even in the medical building, I was ignored and no one asked what I was doing there. I felt like Captain Picard in the Borg Ship. One group did take notice of me, though. It was a group of six 13-14 year-olds. They were fascinated by what I was doing and had no idea the trail was next to the camp. When I told them, 2 of the youngsters piped up they wanted to do it too. As I was leaving, one of the black fellows told me in all sincerity with his eyes wide open to watch out because there were snakes in the woods. I told him confidently (glibly?) they won't bother us if we don't bother them. Of course, within one mile, a rattlesnake next to the trail scared the living daylights out of me. He was a 3-4 foot timber rattler. The scary thing is they are hard to see even when you know they're there. It took me a couple seconds to find him in the dead leaves where he blended in.
Date: 2005-07-11
From: Quarry Gap Shelter

To: North of Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: overcast clouds

There are some innate quality in males that makes us do dumb things even though it serves no purpose and we will regret it later. It is like the urge to drive all night and feel bad the next day. I had a suspicion if I ate a half gallon of ice cream all at once, I would be sorry. I was right¢¦ but I digressed¢¦ Let me go back¢¦ I am now over half-way to Mt. Katahdin. It is 1,089.7 miles back to Springer Mountain in GA and 1,085.2 miles to Mt. Katahdin in ME. There is no official mark at the half-way point as it changes each year due to changes and reroutes in the trail. This year the trail is 2,174.9 miles. Last year it was 2,174.1. In the late nineties it was only 2,168 miles. One tradition on the trail is for thru-hikers when they cross the half-way point to join the ¢half-gallon club.¢ That is to eat 12 gallon of ice cream in one sitting. I was ambivalent about it at first but when I saw they had cherry jubilee, I decided to go for it! With a couple from Australia routing me on, I ate the whole thing. My reward was to get a little wooden spatula that has ¢half-gallon club¢ stamped on it. I was going to toss it (the wooden spoon, not the ice cream ¢ that came later!), but some young lady was doing her senior class project on the AT so at the request of her father, I signed it and gave it to her. I just hope my system processes this load of lactose and impregnated fat globules quickly.
Date: 2005-07-12
From: North of Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Boiling Springs, PA
Miles today: 18.2

I'm not a picky eater but I have 2 rules for eating out... first, I don't eat at Chinese restaurants showing the Westminster dog show on TV on the food channel... secondly, I don't eat at any place that has a grill and sells live bait. Well, I broke one of those rules today and ate at the Green Mountain General Store from their grill. It was the first I really felt like eating and it was delicious. It was a hot night last night. That combined with a load of ice cream in my stomach made it a long night. I don't think I went to sleep before midnight. It felt good to walk and exercise today. The temperature got in the 90s and I was dead tired and my feet were killing me when we got to Boiling Springs, PA tonight. Boiling Springs is a neat little town. The name comes from springs in the city that appear to be boiling but I haven't seen them yet. Slap Happy, Tree Trunks, and I checked in to the Gelinas Manor Bed and Breakfast. It is a neat, old Victorian home built in 1874. It is full of antiques. Our initial reception as hikers was somewhat lukewarm but it is a nice place. I feel much better after a shower and supper.