morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-02
From: Stealth Camp @ Spring

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I did not sleep we'll last night. We were in a protected hollow but the wind up on the ridge was raging and it made me uneasy that you could not hear anything else. Funny thing though, Violet swears she heard something where we had out food bags hung and thought it was me. I never heard whatever it was. Today was another big mile day for us and I hiked out at 7:30 am. Pretty early for me but I wanted to get as many miles in the morning as I could because I tend to drag in the afternoon. Winds blew hard and cold until mid afternoon. The sun finally came out and warmed things up and I didn't even notice when the wind settled down. I thought we were going to get rained on most of the day though. Now, here at the shelter it's all calm but still cloudy. Met a lady and man on the trail today that provided trail magic in the form of a big bag of mixed nuts. Unexpected food is always a treat! Also came across a box chained to a tree that had trail magic. It had Pepsi's, Mountain Dew and other assorted drinks plus snack cakes and honey buns provided by a Baptist Youth group. I drank a Pepsi and took a honey bun to have with my breakfast.Today's hike was pretty interesting not including the ups and downs along Watauga Lake with the wind battering us. We walked along a path provided for handicapped people for a little over a mile then walked through a cow pasture, with cows, and crossed the fence on a stile. A pretty interesting change from Zombie walking. Made to today's shelter with enough time to get all our evening chores finished before nightfall. Last night we barely had time to get our tents up and dinner made before dark fell. The difficulty of terrain really has a bearing on your time to cover a given distance. Time to turn in. Another big day awaits tomorrow. Notes to;Meredith, thanks for thinking of me, I'm doing fine. Jolly, sorry to hear about your injury, hope you make it back to the trail. Journey and Beerdra, I enjoyed hiking with you, sorry about your injuries. Hope to see you again up the trail. On-On
Date: 2013-05-03
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Campsite above Damascus, VA
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Wooo Hooo...Tennessee is in my rear view!!! Passed the Tn-Va state line at 3 pm today. Tennessee did not give up without a fight though, there were many hills that the trail went straight up then straight back down and then threw in a bit of mountain goat trail to top it off. The ups are leg and lung killers and the downs are knee killers. The trail that barely has room for your feet with a sharp drop off reminds me of a mountain goat trail. You try to walk as close to the mountain as possible and try not to look down. It's not death defying, just unnerving to think about. We camped above Damascus within easy reach of the diner for breakfast in the morning. I have been thinking about eggs and biscuits and gravy All day long!We are taking Saturday and Sunday off because rain is supposed to be coming in. After our Roan Mountain and Jane Bald walk in the rain I don't feel bad about laying low for his next round. Note to;Kim J. and Robert H. Thanks for reading and for the kind words!On-On
Date: 2013-05-07
From: Damascus, VA

To: VA601
Miles today: 16.9

Due to the front hanging over our heads we decided to slack pack from VA601 back to Damascus. From mm 485 back to mm 467.1. My longest day so far, although not with a loaded pack. Most of the young people were unloading out of Damascus today, I stopped counting after 20 people passed me and there were probably that many more who passed by. Everyone who knew me had to rib me about slack packing but I just grinned and let then have their fun. They are getting rained on right now and I am in a nice warm, clean bed. I will be hiking out with a full pack in the morning though, even if the front does not move on out. There's only so much town time I can stand. On-On
Date: 2013-05-08
From: VA601

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: light rain

After getting shuttled back to the trail this morning I discovered that I had given the wrong mileage for yesterday, I stated that I hiked from 485.0 but actually hiked from 483.8Started northbound from 483.8 (US58) this morning with a heavy pack that contained 5 days of food. If I was not so cheap I could have dumped a days worth of food and dropped a couple of pounds, but, I AM cheap, or maybe the more correct word would be frugal. I already had my rain jacket on when I got out of the van and waited until everyone had gone then took off my hiking pants before putting on my rain pants. Not long after I stopped and took of my jacket and shirt then put my rain jacket on. I usually sweat pretty heavily in my rain suit and would soak whatever I was wearing underneath. Today's hike was No fun. Mostly rock hopping both up AND down the trail. By three pm I was exhausted and stopped at the Thomas Knob Shelter (mile 494.9) for the night. I don't think I could have gone another mile!Got to pet the "wild" ponies on Lewis Fork. They have seen so many hikers they walk right up to you and start licking on anything you have touched. They are actually quite aggressive and are hard to shoo away. I hope the weather will be better tomorrow. I walked all day in the rain and, once again, I crossed some balds in complete fog. On-On
Date: 2013-05-10
From: Hurricane Mountain Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: light rain

It was the best of times and the worst of times. When I left at 7:45 it was nice and cool and the sun was shining brightly. The trail had dried out some and it was good walking. So good, in fact, that I hiked to the Trimpi shelter by lunch so I decided to hike on to Partnership. I knew I would get here while it was still daylight. About 5 miles before the shelter a thunderstorm brewed up and I got out of my hiking cloths and into my rain suit. The reason I take off my hiking cloths is because they would be as wet inside my rain suit as they would be if I didn't put my rain suit on at all. I was ridge walking with aluminum hiking sticks and scared to death that I would be struck by lightning but I kept on walking because I figured I had just as good of odds either way. I'm staying in the shelter tonight because its still raining, ugh!!I hiked solo again today.On-On
Date: 2013-05-20
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: light rain

Today started bad and ended that way. I made a wrong turn and got on a street that led me to the interstate. I had planned to go to Hardee's for breakfast but when I discovered my error I was so far away that I nixed that idea. I had to use the map App on my phone to to get back to the trail! People can say what they want about phones on the trail, (some people think they should be left at home), but if it wasn't for mine I would have been hopelessly lost.The trail out of town was a mud pit with weeds grown up to knee height that brushed against my legs soaking my pants. The rocks that varied in size from small to large boulders were so slick I was slowed to a crawl for fear of slipping and breaking something. I made an error in judgement when I passed the last water source before this shelter. I did not look at my trail guide to see if there was water available and even though I would have liked to have stop sooner I had to continue on. I had plenty of water to drink but would not have had enough to make dinner, breakfast or to have for hiking in the morning. Lesson learned!Due to the nearly all day rock-hopping my progress was slowed to a snail pace. Normally I can average two MPH but at times today I was slowed to one. Hopefully tomorrow is a better day!On-On
Date: 2013-05-25
From: VA624 (Four Pines Hostel)

To: Lambert Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

I passed 700 miles today!! WOO HOO!!Last night at the Hostel was interesting. For everyone who has not heard my rant about Hostels,, read on,, all others skip to the next paragraph. To me, a Hostel is nothing more than a shelter with a door. It is beyond me why anyone would PAY, good money, to sleep in a hostel where you listen to loudmouth knowitalls and snorers when you can do it for free in a shelter. Not something I'm prone to do in any case, but, since this was the Hostel that ferried hikers to the Home Place for dinner, I relented for the opportunity it provided. Oh yeah, one thing a Hostel has over a shelter is that you can get a shower. Not long after we returned from the home place this dude started a fire in the wood heater. It took me about thirty minutes to decide that I might need to move out to the barn (which had no heater) and sleep out there. There was a snorer in the barn but ear plugs made his noise bearable. As I hiked out this morning I had several hikers tell me the Hostel was too hot, too noisy and a snoring contest all night long. Several people hiked out at 6 am just to escape!Today's hike took me past McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs. McAfee is one of the most photographed locations along the AT. Probably one of the top three, with the Katahdin finish sign and the first white blaze on Springer Mountain also being in the running for top three. To me, it's a tossup as to what place is the most photographed. I know that I waited four years to get my photo there at McAfee. I forgot that it was a Holiday weekend. When the trail dropped down into the crowded parking lot at VA311 I had to ask someone what was going on to understand why there were so many people around, and on the trail. McAfee is one of the biggest tourist attractions around and since it is so close to the Dragons Tooth people will climb up to one on one day then climb up to the next on the following day. Needless to say, the trail was pretty crowded...and those tourists?? Man they sure did stink!!. After McAfee it thinned out pretty well until I got to Tinker Cliffs which is another popular tourist spot but reached from a different parking lot. Hikers though...we hiked past both of them.On-On
Date: 2013-06-06
From: Paul C. Wolf Shelter

To: Rockfish Gap, US250
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: moderate rain

So...I'm sitting in what passes for a vestibule in my tent and what happens? Rain! Yes, that's right, rain! I knew yesterday that there was a chance weather was moving in but to have it start before I broke camp really caused a panic. I quickly threw everything, haphazardly, (sleeping bag first) into my pack while gulping mouthfuls of oatmeal as I worked, and was on the trail, headed for Waynesboro by 6:45, in a light rain that got heavier and heavier as I went along. I rolled into Rockfish Gap at 9:30 and called a Trail Angel that was posted on a list tacked to a bulletin board and was transported to town in nothing flat,, with a tour of the downtown area thrown in to boot! Thanks Trail Angel Christine, who left her oatmeal on the table to come pick me up!!!I would have been at the Gap earlier except that, in an effort to protect my sore left foot, I rolled my ankle and almost did a face plant into the middle of the muddy trail. What saved me from going all the way down is a mystery to me but I saved it and only came away with muddy knees and a sore ankle to go along with already sore toes!! I took a picture of the big blue circle on the inside of my ankle but won't post it and save you the gory details. It's only a little sore right now so we'll see how it turns out in the morning. Since its raining I checked in at the Quality Inn, which is the ONLY Motel in the downtown area and, thankfully, is a decent place, and gives hiker discounts. After talking to other hikers that came in off the trail, I went back to the office and booked another night because the weather report calls for 100% rain tomorrow too. Sooo...here I am with an unscheduled Nero and Zero to boot. Maybe it's a good thing, gives my foot extra time to rest.I bought some orthotic thingies to go in my shoes (kind of ball shaped things that go behind the pad of my forefoot) that is supposed to separate my toes and give the nerve some relief. Hope they work!!Laundry is done and a partial resupply too, except I don't quite know how to resupply for the Shenandoah National Park (SNP) because there are "Waysides" where you can buy food which means you don't have to carry as much food in your pack. It's roughly 100 miles through the park so, hopefully, I will have it figured out before too long. The general opinion from past thru-hikers is not to carry more than three days supply and you will be okay, which I'm starting with. There are gas stations along the way where emergency supplies (expensive) can be purchased as needed. On-On
Date: 2013-06-11
From: Swift Run Gap

To: Big Meadow Campground
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: light rain

We were transported back to the trail this morning by the owner of our motel in the back of his pickup truck. The guy may have been a race car driver in his younger days. He wasted no time getting us back to the trail!We were off and walking by 7:30 with a nice cool breeze and sunny skies. Other than a climb up to 3800 feet over Hazeltop Mountain most of the day was spent at the lower 3000 ft. range and was relatively flat. I wish every day could be like this.I stopped for lunch at the Lewis Mountain campground and bought a coke and ice cream sandwich to the tune of $4.49. Glad these campgrounds are 20 miles apart. They could put a dent in a mans pocketbook. I have hiked over 50 miles of the SNP. At this rate I will be out of the park by the weekend unless I have to get off the trail again due to bad weather.ON-ON
Date: 2013-06-13
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

I was a little late getting started, perhaps because of the rough day yesterday. As I rounded the corner of the Hut I noticed movement ahead of me and then it dawned on me. BEAR!! Thats a BEAR. And it has seen ME too!,br>!! Not only that, but there was a Cub also. A mother bear and cub. I stopped in my tracks and the mother bear went "HUFF" and the cub shinnied up a tree lickety-split. So fast in fact that I could not get my camera out fast enough to get a picture. I got bunches of the mother though then I went back to the hut to let everyone know about the bear. We had six people standing in a group taking pictures like a bunch of tourists.Mama walked away once and the cub came half way down the tree but would not come all the way down because I was trying to get a picture. He stayed in that one spot and yelped until mama bear came back then he came down and they both ambled off. All together this took about thirty minutes so when I finally started hiking it was about 7:45, much later than I usually get on the trail when camping. It started raining around 8:30 so I walked in the rain until I stopped at the Elk Wallow Wayside for lunch. This wayside didn't have any indoor seating so I took my food across the patio to a walkway between the toilets and a tool shed. It was the only dry place around. As I was eating several other hikers came in and we all sat under the walkway eating. About the time I decided to hit the trail again the sun came out and just about cooked me. Not for long though, it rained off and on the rest of the afternoon and this evening too.I'm trying to decide whether to go in to Front Royal tomorrow. I'm going to need one more days supplies and if I can't get it at one of the waysides then I will have to go to town. The alternative would be to hike long days and not need the extra food but I'm not too hot on that idea. I'll think on it some more and make my decision tomorrow.
Date: 2013-06-15
From: Front Royal, VA

To: Sky Meadow Park
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Never say never or you just might eat those words. I spent the night in the Front Royal Hostel and actually enjoyed my stay. Mike the proprietor was a perfect host and all the hikers who stayed were a pretty interesting and genial bunch too. I got my resupply taken care of yesterday so all I had to do this morning was hike. Part two of eating your words;At the end of the day I hiked down to a shelter with Cookie and Wolfgang only to find that all the tent sites were way less than acceptable so I hiked back out and down to the Sky Meadows state park. In case you didn't know, that is a "pay to camp" park...although I managed to get a site for free through the good graces of the park ranger. I swore off of public camps after spending the night at the Skyland park. The site for thru hikers is not nearly as fancy as the "pay" customers though, but it's plenty good enough for me.I'm looking to be out of Virginia possibly on Monday!!ON-ON
Date: 2013-06-19
From: Harpers Ferry, VA

To: Dahlgren Campground
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I reached my destination at 5 pm. I should have kept going another couple of miles but I was tired and my foot was sore so I bagged it and called it a day. Besides, I'm not in a race. All I have to do is get to Katahdin by Oct. 15th. The jury is still out on the inserts I bought. I could tell immediately that my right foot was going to wear them well but the left one (the one I REALLY need the relief on) was not so accepting and was sore at the end of the day...but in different places from what I normally experience...soo, we'll have to wait and see. Today's trail was a relief though, all in all some pretty flat walking even though there were some pretty rocky sections to navigate. I got to walk on the old river tow path along the Potomac and stop and look at all the old buildings and read the historical descriptions that went with them. The Trail Guide shows a pretty mild trail for the next couple of days, which I have learned not to trust completely. Squiggly lines on a piece of paper can't show you all the rocks and whatnot you are going to encounter. But, I can always hope, can't I?Oh, I almost forgot! Today is my 3 month anniversary on the trail!!ON-ON
Date: 2013-06-20
From: Dahlgren Campground

To: Raven Rock Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today's hike was predicated more on shelter placement than camping location. I started hiking with a partner yesterday and she does not like to "stealth" camp so whatever the mileages come out to be between shelters is what we will do. No,, I don't have a girlfriend...she's married. Partnerships on the trail are for convenience and nothing more!! And...yes, I know I said I would not have a partner again, but...never say never. Besides, she hikes so much faster than me I don't look for our alliance to last very long. She was at camp tonight a good 45 minutes before I got here and she said she got off trail once too. I swear the trail has turned into one big rock jumble! Maybe it's getting us ready for Pennsylvania? Another hiker who lives in PA once told me that the worst section I hiked in VA was a good hike compared to PA! It can't possibly be any worse than the section I hiked today, but today was in Maryland not Virginia. I can hardly believe I hiked almost 19 miles in this mess today! Oh well, it's the trail and everyone has to hike it to get to Maine.We hiked past the original Washington Monument this morning. I should have paid more attention in American History,, I didn't even know this one existed. Tomorrows hike looks relatively flat (on paper) so we are going to try and hike 23 miles in order to get to Caledonia State Park before it closes at 7pm. We can eat dinner at the diner and resupply in the park store, which I need to do. I have more dinners than I have breakfast and lunches and need to even them out. Fingers crossed for a 23 miler!ON-ON
Date: 2013-06-25
From: Duncannon, PA

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: broken clouds

The original destination for me, Rabbit and Woodman (who has joined our group), was to stop at the Darlington Shelter which would give us a 14.3 mile day but we got there at 1 pm and decided to push on to Cove Mountain. We got here at 6 pm, a normal end to a hiking day. The hiking path wound through farm land most of the day, mostly corn and soybeans but some dairy farms too. It really felt odd hiking on flat ground for a change but the end of the day would bring back the old familiar PA rocks. The last couple of miles was straight up hill on sharp edged rocks. I took a header once but managed to turn in midair and take the brunt of the fall on my pack saving me from injury. Tomorrow only leaves 4 miles of rock strewn trail to reach Duncannon PA and my second hotel in two days. WooHoo for clean clothes and another shower and cheeseburgers and beer!ON-ON
Date: 2013-07-02
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

One of the hiker axioms says "never quit on a bad day,". I told my sons I would hike as long as I was having fun and, really, I hiked long after I quit having fun because I am a stubborn cuss and refused to give in. But...this past week of rain, rocks, bugs and various other things convinced me to call it quits. I did not quit on a bad day!ON-BACK.
Date: 2012-12-06
To: Admitting You Have a Problem
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Perhaps problem is a strong word, but maybe it does in someway suit. If I were to name mine, I would have to say: dissatisfaction. At 26 years old, I have come to the realization that the majority of my choices and decisions in life have been based on the expectations or desires of others. I have followed all the traditional norms: earned a college degree, a job with all the perks, a nice apartment, furnishings, and a comfortable existence. To most, this is success. However, I see success differently. I view success as the opposite of stagnation and rather as the constant seeking of opportunities for growth and enlightenment. For me, one such opportunity is to hike the Appalachian Trail. I long to learn- about myself, about others, and about the world around me. I want to face challenges and discover that I can, in fact, overcome them. I want to do something that I love. The great Alan Watts said "it is better to live a short life full of things you enjoy, than to live a long life spent in a miserable way".                Well, Alan, I am in no way miserable, but something is missing and I intend to go find it. I don't know what I will do when I am finished, but I hope that I will have the chance to figure it out, and that by admitting my "problem", I have also empowered myself to make changes. My name is Audrey, and I have a problem. And I¢m doing something about it.