morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-08-12
From: Elkwallow Gap

To: Skyland Wayside
Miles today: 17.7

I had no more Bear visits during the night , although there was alot of scratching around going on outside. Not sure what it was though, 'Squeaks Two' got his breakfast and so did 'Squeaky' and I was all set to get going. It was hot but overcast and thunder seemed to be on the cards all day. I checked up on 'Squeaks Two' to give hime his second feed of the day. He was in good form and seemed to be getting alot stronger, so maybe the milk and egg yolk was working. I tried to pick him up as gently as possible out of his bedding, but his back legs got caught up and I didn't realise. He twitched a few times and stopped moving. I must have broke his back or his neck as I picked him up. Sadly 'Squeaks Two' was now 'Squeaks no more',. Sorry little fella but I did try. Back to my beliefs about the food chain, and I left hime on a rock for something to eat. I decided to stop short today and pitched up my tent in the corner of a carpark on the trail. No sooner had I finished dinner and settled down for the night, a thunder storm came over head and really let loose. I was lucky enough to be in the tent just in time.
Date: 2003-08-13
From: Skyland Wayside

To: South River Picnic Grounds
Miles today: 22.5

I actually got a real good pace going and was surprised to find out that I had hiked over 8 miles in the first 2 hours. Now if I could just keep up this pace I would be out of the 'Shenandoahs' in no time !!! For some reason after leaving 'Big Meadow Wayside' I was really slugish and could only manage to cover the next 14 miles or so in 5 hours. I decided once at the picnic grounds to get a rest and try to get up in the early hours of the morning for an assault on 'Rockfish Gap', 47.8 miles away. I could have hiked on further and made it easier for the next day, but the thought of a 48 miler was making my mouth water !!!!
Date: 2003-08-14
From: South River Picnic Grounds

To: Rockfish Gap
Miles today: 47.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Same old story when the alarm went off, I just couldn't get up for love nor money. Eventually I was fed and ready to go just before 2am. It was very nearly a full moon so the trail was almost lit up with a silver haze and faint shadows cast down, it looked pretty awesome. The woods where full of sets of 'green eyes' staring at me which wasn't too bad as they belonged to Deer. Some of the views where great. There was a low lying mist in the valley's with wooded mountains all around and all lit up with the moons silver glow. I wish I'd have had a camera capable to capture the scene. Soon enough the sun had started to rise and I was treated to a great 'Sunrise' at 'Simmon Gap'. I stopped for water and a quick bite to eat at Loft Mt Campground. I felt kind of tired, but realised I had another 27.4 miles still to go!!! The distance wasn't the tough part, I was getting really low on food and had to rashon it out over the day. It was nowhere near enough, but it only added to the challange and my determination to make it to Rockfish Gap. I found some more 4mph pace and make it down to Blackrock Gap in 2 hours, but I had to stop and attend to my feet. I decided to try out cotton socks as the cheaper alternative, I thought I could get away with it as it was the summertime. How wrong I was, they just don't dry out at all and where really causing my heals to get very sore. I had to scrape the last of the vaseline out of the jar, change to a dry pair and make do. Just to add to the challenge a little more I ran out of Gratorade by the early afternoon.   Just before the 8 miles to go mark , I ran out of food.It was close on 90 degress F and I had totally ran out of energy due to the lack of food, but I kept on plugging away and even through the last 8 miles took 3 hours +, I made it to Rockfish Gap and felt as though I had really achieved something today. After a hitch into town I heard that the YMCA offered free camping and use of its changing room vacilities for $2 . So thats where I headed. After a good hot shower I ordered some pizza, had it delivered to the campground and sat down for a well earned feast and and ice cold beer!!!
Date: 2003-08-15
From: Rockfish Gap

To: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: few clouds

I treated myself to a lie-in this morning. I was up and ready by 9am and planned on getting another hot shower at the YMCA to get me going. As I was leaving the campground, an old guy by the name of Len Graf asked, " if he could buy me lunch and give me a ride back to the trail", then he rephrased it, he said " I am buying you lunch". So I arranged to meet him at 1 o'clock in Weasels. I had my shower, got resupplies, did some laundry and made it to Weasels for 1 o'clock. Len is retired and is now a full time trail angel. He usually will drive hikers there who need a lift back to the trail and always via Wealsels where he buys lunch. Len is toying with the idea of a thru-hike and likes to ask hikers all sorts of questions to give himself a head start. I helped him out as best I could and he liked some of the hints I gave him. After lunch, we stopped off at the outfitters so I could get some woollen socks and then headed up to the trail. I couldn't thank Len enough for his generousity. He gave me a stamped addressed postcard to send back to him when I finish and a phone number to call if I needed anything in an emergency, I was finally back to the trail at around 4pm and decided only to go to the first shelter. There where two other guys there who where good company, Richard who was out on an overnighter and another guy, he said his name so fast I couldn't quite catch it. He had hiked about 700 miles of the trail on and off this year, battling injury after injury but he is still out here giving it his best. I wish him all the best for the rest of his hike and admired his determination to keep going, but f*** could he snoar !!!!!
Date: 2003-08-16
From: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: light rain

I was away by 8am and found a good pace so I was up on Humpback Mountain in no time. I was really looking forward to climbing a mountain known as the 'Priest'. It has a 3,000 ft climb but it is over 4 miles so it shouldn't be too bad. I had alot of stop starts during the day and kept getting stung by stingy nettles which wasn't much fun and caused a few obscenaties to be shouted!!!I decided to have a quick stop at Maupin Field Shelter....... 5 hours later I am still here !!!! I got chatting to some volunteer trail workers who ended up sitting out a thunder storm for a few hours. They gave me some snacks and an apple which was very kind of them. I told them about a plan of mine that I had had since day 2 of the hike. It is to cross the Smokies in a day. I got the same response as I have gotten from other hikers , I have told this too. They all seem to believe it can't be done, But I will prove them all wrong. I plan on covering the 72 miles in 18 hours. They wished me luck and I thanked them for all their hard work. The plan now is to get up in the early hours again and have a go at a 50 miler.
Date: 2003-08-17
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: The Priest Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: clear sky

I managed to smash my personal best for over sleeping. It now stands at 8 hours, so I had to put the 50 miler on hold for another day. The day was turning out to be another hot one, so I wanted to be over the Priest before any afternoon thunder storms rolled in. I had kind of guessed the climb would be easy. It is a climb of over 3,000 but over a distance of 4.5 miles, so the elevation charts exaggarated its difficulty. Sure enough it turned out to be a long steady climb , but I had to hurry as a storm was closing in around me fast and I didn't fancy being stuck out in it. Lucky enough the worst of it was away to the North and I got too the shelter before the rain started. I haven't seemed to be burning up the trail the last few days. I haven't even covered 35 miles in 3 days, but it has still been enjoyable..
Date: 2003-08-18
From: The Priest Shelter

To: Petites Gap
Miles today: 51.9

I got up in the early hours again for some more night hiking and to have a go at gaining good ground. As before in the 'Shenandoahs' every once in a while I would have sets of illuminated green eyes staring at me, and thankfully as before they belonged to Deer. I stopped in at Seeley Woodworth Shelter for a water re-supply and unfortunately managed to score 90 kinds of s*** out of a guy, that was sleeping there alone. It was funny but I did apologise and explained that I was only passing through to get water. As the sun was starting to rise I was passing over Bald Knob, so I got some great views from the grassy meadows on top of the mountains and decided to watch sunrise and get some breakfast. Down at the U.S.60, the road crossing at the bottom of the mountain I found that somebody had left some 'trail magic'. The first in a longtime, so I sat down again and ate some of the potato chips and cheese and placed one of the beers in my pack for the end of the day. I was moving at a fast pace when hiking but I was treating my-self to alot of long breaks at shelters and at some of the vista's. At one such vista called Fullers Rocks I met a trail runner out for a short run.... 15 miles. A marathon to some, a walk in the park to this guy. He is 49 years old and still competes very well in 100 mile endurance runs, something I am interested at trying. On an easy coarse he will run 100 miles in around 17 hours right on up to 36 hours for some of the races run over the Sierra's out West. I told him of my plan to cross the Smokies in a day with a full pack, He runs the Smokies every year with a local club and has now done it 4 times and usually in around 15 hours. It was very interesting to speak to him on this subject and to gain some knowledge about the long istance events and what sort of standards it is at.At the moment I was still in good form and eager to break the 50 mile marker and made some good time over the long downhill and flat section to Matts Creek Shelter. After the shelter was quite a climb up to the Sulphur Spring Trail and then the trail seemed to stay flat and skirt around the mountains until my next climb up to High Cock Knob (of all the names they could have called it!!!) Before I knew it and unexpectingly so ,I was at Petites Gap and tempting my-self to go for 60, but I knew I wouldn't be satisfied at 60 and push for 70. Its just the way I push my-self, I decided to put up the tent and make short work of the beer I had carried for 32 miles before calling it a day...
Date: 2003-08-19
From: Petites Gap

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

I decided to treat my-self to a lie-in and ended up treating my-self a bit too much..... I rolled out of the tent at 1pm to start the days hike. About 6 miles into the hike I came to what is known as the 'Guillotine'. There are no signs to tell you but you just know straight away. The trail runs between a narrow gap in between 2 large rocks and lodged between them directly over head is a smaller rock, ready to come crashing down and take your head off !!!! I got a fantastic picture and I really hope it comes out the way I want it to. I was enjoying a real sense of freedom on the trail today, probably due to the fact that I was hiking in my underpants!!! My shorts where stinking and it was just too hot to hike in anything else. After a long downhill section of about 4 miles I came to 'Bryant Ridge Shelter'. Damn that shelter is good enough to be anybody's house !!! It has a large downstairs area, an upper balcony type loft and a picnic table on the porch. I shared the shelter with one other guy who turned out ot be very friendly. He made me tea and gave me some snickers bars, we chatted away about the trail and trail folk. It is interesting to hear other peoples views and thoughts about certain things on the trail.
Date: 2003-08-21
From: Buchanan

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: light rain

Glenn brought me back into Buchanan at around 10am and we headed straight to the bar.... well I did have to get some change for my laundry!!!! I had my breakfast there as the guys told me how good the food was. Glenn left to go fishing so I said good-bye and thanked him for his hospitality. He has invited me back when I finish the trail for a fishing trip. Finally I got to the laundromat and post-office , back to Burger King and finally made it to the trail for 5pm. One of Glenns friends brought me round a whole load of trail food earlier on. (Thanks very much.) I couldn't carry all of it and left some trail magic at the trail head. I hope the thru-hikers get to it before the animals. I decided only to hike to the next shelter, so I was there in no time and had an early night.
Date: 2003-08-22
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter

To: Cloverdale
Miles today: 19.2

This morning I passed another 'mile stone' on the hike. Wilson Creek Shelter is the 2/3 marker for SOBO's. Georgia feels very close even though I have 720 ish miles left to go. After passing 'Fullhardt Knob Shelter (Thats even better than High Cock Knob!!!) it was an easy trail down to Cloverdale. About a mile from town I could see the unmistakable 'Golden Arches' of MacDonalds and hoped the trail headed in that direction. I came out onto the road to see that the 'Golden Arches' where at least 1 mile away. Oh well that Pizza Hut 100 feet away will do just fine!!!! After one of the best Pizza's I have ever eaten I decided to treat my-self to a room for the night. I stayed at the 'Econolodge' which was very nice. I just laid flat out on the bed eating ice-cream and watching movies all night. It was greeaaaatttt !!!!!
Date: 2003-08-23
From: Cloverdale

To: Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: few clouds

I was in no rush at all to get out of that bed this morning. Its just a shame I couldn't fit it into my pack!!!! I will just have to settle for my therma-rest instead. After some tea and doughnuts at the Motel I decided to have brunch at the Pizza Hut. I can safely say I hold the record for how much salad you can get on a single visit plate to the salad bar. The food again was great and I headed back out on the trail at 1.15pm.   It was already nearly 90F and very humid so it was hard to get going. I only had 1 litre of water with me which turned out to be a very bad idea as the next water source was 9 miles away. I was eating 'Gatorade powder' and washing it down with a mouthfull of water which seemed to do the trick. Gatorade powder tastes great, its just the same as sherbert dips, only good for you. I was glad to get to the shelter and rest up for the night. I am very surprised not to have seen any SOBO's after all the short days I have had since Harpers Ferry. I hope they are all still out here and in good health.
Date: 2003-08-24
From: Lamberts Meadow Shelter

To: Four Pines Hostel
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: broken clouds

The mission for today was a simple one..... get some 'Poison Ivy Cream' and fast!!!! I had gotten Poison Oak in a rather unpleasant place and it needed attention fast. I met quite a few day and section hikers on the trail this morning. One of which was only doing a 3 mile loop and saw me hitching at the road a little while later. He offered to take me to town and back again which was very kind. He was also planning a thru-hike and I was glad to answer his questions and try to help him out as best I could. After a quick visit to the 'pharmacy' we stopped in at the 'Dairy Queen' on the way back to the trail. Damn that is some great tasting fast food and so fresh as well. Once back on the trail I heard about a hostel that was not to far away, so I decided to check it out and stay for the night. I met up with a hiker I had previously met at the 'Church Hostel' at the 'Delaware Water Gap'. He was down filling in some sections he had previously missed out. After a quick beer we headed down to the store. I stumbled across a 1/2 gallon of strawberry ice-cream and decided I would do the 1/2 gallon challange. Once back at the hostel I sat down to a 1/2 gallon of ice-cream and managed to devour the lot. I managed to scoff the lot in 12.28 secs which was quite a good time. I even did sit ups afterwards!!! It wasn't the offical 1/2 gallon challenge that is at 'Pine Grove Furnace State Park', but I did have 3 witnesses and photo's to prove it. The 'Four Pines Hostel' is run on a 'donation bases' by a guy called Joe. He is very friendly and will do anything to help out, so if you are passing through, check it out.
Date: 2003-08-25
From: Four Pines Hostel

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

I finally dragged my-self away from the hostel and back to the trail at 2pm. I had heard alot about the 'Dragons Tooth' and finally I was going to climb it. It is 2.5 miles from the road to the top. I decided to ,' grab the bull by the horns' and practically ran up that mountain in under 40 mins. I was absolutely soaking wet with my own sweat, but it felt great. The views where also great you could see for miles over the valleys with ridge lines cutting across on either side. It was very hot during late afternoon so I was glad when evening came to cool things down a little.
Date: 2003-08-26
From: Niday Shelter

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

I was running very low on 'Poison Ivy Cream' and had to make a stop in 'Newport' to restock. It was getting very hot again so before heading back to the trail I treated my-self to some ice-cream and then decided to treat my-self to some more !!!! I got a hitch back to the trail from a middle aged women in a pick up truck, I had to ride in the back because the last hiker that she picked up hadn't washed for ages and his smell soaked into the seats and wouldn't go away for a week!!!! The rest of the day was uneventful apart from the 'Poison Oak Rash' getting very sore!!!!
Date: 2003-08-27
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 32.3
Weather: few clouds

I was hoping to get an early start so I could make it to 'Pearisburg' for early afternoon, 9.30am was not what I had in mind but I was still determined to get to 'Pearisburg'. I had a long uphill climb to start the day with which took me up onto a long ridge line where I made some good time. I was keeping a steady 3.5 mph pace so I could afford to take a break once in a while. I met a 'flip flopper' near 'Dickinson Gap'. He showed me the elevation profile to 'Pearisburg', I was very happy. I had a long ridge line followed by a downhill section into town. I remained a little optimistic about it though ,as it showed parts of the trail that I had hiked to be flat which in fact where very hilly. Thankfully the chart was pretty accurate and I made it down into town before 8pm. I couldn't get hold of 'Bob Gautier' who runs the 'Holy Family Church Hostel' and as it was 3.5 miles out of town I decided to stay at a 'Motel'. After a good feed at the 'All You Can Eat Chinese Buffet' I went back to my room, watched the comdey chanel and ate ice-cream.
Date: 2003-08-28
From: Pearisburg

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: clear sky

I enjoyed another lie in and got up at around 10am to go and do some laundry and resupply. The lady at the 'gas station' was quite surprised to see me buy '46 Little Debbie Granola Bars', but hey that stuff is 'hiking rocket fuel' and apart from a 'trans atlantic flight' its the best thing to come out of America. After lunch at 'Dairy Queen' I got back to the trail at 2pm with a Thunder Storm rolling in fast. Luckily it turned out to be all noise and no action and passed without any excitement. I had heard about 'Woods Hole Hostel' from reading the register at 'Doc's Knob Shelter'. One hiker had written down that it was 'left at the next gap'. As I didn't really know where to go or how far to go I missed out and hiked on to 'Wapiti Shelter' instead. It was getting dark as I got to the shelter and I was on my lonesome again. After dinner I read through the register only too find out that this was the 'Shelter' that two hikers had been 'BRUTALLY MURDERED' at 20 years ago...... Gulp.... ah well, sweet dreams!!!!
Date: 2003-08-29
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Jenny's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: few clouds

I am thinking about going to the doctor to get tested for 'Lazy B******' Syndrome. I just can't get out of bed in the morning. I was on the trail at 12.30pm today, what a waste of the morning. I was five or six days (* splodge on the paper, don't f*** with me mosquito) behind with my journal so I decided to head into town and catch up while eating some 'pizza and ice-cream'. I met an older lady there who had just finised a '600 mile' section from 'Springer'. Her name was 'X Caver', she asked me to look out for a head-lamp, iodine tablets etc, I got a mailing address of her and hopefully I will come across them tomorrow. The 'pizza' was great and I washed it down nicely with some 'ice-cream'. I got back to the trail around 6 ish and hiked up to 'Jenny's Knob Shelter' just before dark. I really hope I can get out of my bed in the morning. If I can put together some decent mile days I will be in touching distance of 'Springer' in no-time.
Date: 2003-08-30
From: Jenny's Knob Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: broken clouds

The water source at the shelter was all but dry and the other was said to have 'free range cowsh** ' in it, so I had to hike the 10 miles or so to the next shelter with very little water. The water source at 'Helveys Mill Shelter' was about 3/4 of a mile of the trail, but I needed it. After a short hike down to the road I met a lady in a car who was trying to find the trail head at 'Route 52'. We struck up a deal, I would find the trail head for her and she would take me to the 'Dairy Queen' and back. I was happy to help her out and even happier when I was walking out of the 'Dairy Queen' with a big bag of junk food. The next section of the trail was very nice to hike. The trail was very smooth under foot and hardly changed elavation at all, so it was easy to make up ground and I was well on time to get to the shelter before dark. At 6.15pm I met up with two 'Cowboys' they would have fitted right in the 'Wild West' 200 years ago. They invited me over for a drink. I had one beer after another and then he got out some 'moonshine'. It brought a tear to my eye just sniffing it, but it actually tasted real smooth despite being nearly pure alcohol. After a few more beers and some more moonshine, he started to tell me about people he had shot and that he served 14 years for MURDER. I do get my-self in some funny situations!!! I told him I was going to set my tent up and I took off into the night as pissed as a fart. He was a nice guy but I didn't fancy staying the night. It was about 11pm when I left and by some miracle as pissed as I was I found my way through the creeks and the woods and turned up at the shelter at around 1am. There was a couple of other guys there for the night. They offered me some whiskey, I had to refuse and told them about the guy I was just drinking with. I headed off to bed in the hope I could sleep off the 'Moonshine'.