morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-05-11
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter

To: Cornelius Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: light rain

7:30 AM on the trail and had a beautiful day until 3:00 PM when the skies opened up and it poured for 2 - 2.5 hrs. Foggy and overall blah conditions AGAIN!! So far, it's been a mighty wet Spring on the AT, but I'm staying focused and walking whatever the weather. It's pretty solitary and I do lots of thinking and talking with myself as I move forward. One-sided conversations can be very stimulating; solitude is good for the soul.And, on I go along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mills Gap Overlook; Buchanan, VA; Blue Ridge Parkway (2,228'); Bearwallow Gap, VA 43; Cove Mtn. (2,720'); Little Cove Mtn. Trail; Buchanan Trail; followed by a big down to Jennings Creek at VA 614 (951'). Reaching way down into my gut I then climbed UP to Fork Mtn. (2,042')and down again to Bryant Ridge Shelter (1,337') before arriving Floyd Mtn. (3,560') and finally arriving Cornelius Creek Shelter.And, I still love to go a-wandering along the mountain track...Good night!   Familiar faces today: Afterburner, Grey Eagle, Headin' Out, Tagging Along, Stinky and Orangutan."Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But if you turn your attention to other things it comes and softly sits on your shoulder".
Date: 2006-05-12
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter

To: Matts Creek Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Started walking today at 7:00 AM and it was a real slow 4-5 hrs. over these 17.7 miles. I didn't drink the water I got from the creek yesterday even though I treated it - very muddy looking and extremely unappealing. The highest elev. today was (4,225') at Apple Orchard Mtn. 4.1 miles into the trip. The lowest elev. was (2,369') at Petites Gap, USFS 35 on the Blue Ridge Parkway 10 miles into the day. There were many other places of interest along the way.   I stopped for lunch at Thunder Ridge Overlook about noon and chatted with Bonnie very briefly asking her to send me the next set of maps which I'll be needing for the Shenandoah Nat'l Park portion of the trail. I expect to be at my next mail drop in Waynesboro, VA May 15th or 16th - 79.6 miles away and the last NOBO (north bound) stop on the Central VA portion of the AT. I saw a huge pilleated woodpecker and a rufus sided towhee today. "Always in the big woods when you leave familiar ground and step off alone into a new place there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread. It is the ancient fear of the unknown, and it is your first bond with the wilderness you are going into. What you are doing is exploring. You are undertaking the first experience of our essential loneliness, for nobody can discover the world for anybody else. It is only after we have discovered it for ourselves that it becomes a common ground and a common bond, and we cease to be alone."- Wendell Berry -
Date: 2006-05-15
From: Cow Camp Gap Shelter

To: Montebello, VA - Dutch Haus
Miles today: 12.5

I spent the night at The Dutch Haus located at 655 Fork Mtn. Lane, Montebello, VA. Very comfortable and relaxing - as relaxing as it can be for 24 hrs. prior to resuming "marching formation"...Still, it was a welcome respite and another chance to clean up to dirty up again!I covered only 12.5 miles today journeying thru Old Hotel Trail, Cold Mtn. (4,022'), Hog Camp Gap, USFS 48 (3,485'), Tar Jacket Ridge (3,847'), Salt Log Gap USFS 63 (3,257')on across USFS 246 to Greasy Spring Road, North Fork of Piney River, Elk Pond Branch, past Seeley-Woodworth Shelter, Porters Fieldand in to Montebello, VA.I will post more details and photos when time allows. Meanwhile, this day is ending and I'm going to relax on the porch...¢You will sit on the swing, I will sit in the chairAnd the fragrance of lilacs Will hang in the air.I will tell you a storyI¢ve told you before.We will laugh (like the last time)And tell a few more.Then perhaps we will say it.And perhaps we will not.But both our old hearts Will be thinking this thought ¢That it¢s good to be known,And it¢s good to be there,Where the fragrance of lilacsHang in the air¢¦- Author Unknown -
Date: 2006-05-16
From: Montebello, VA

To: Harpers Creek Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

12 miles traveled. Each mile punctuated by Nature telling a story which wove thruFish Hatchery Road (3,454'), Spy Rock, Main Top Mtn. (4,040'), Cash Hollow Rock, Cash Hollow Rd. (3,280'), Crabtree Falls Trail, Crabtree Farm Road (VA 826), The Priest Shelter, The Priest (4,063'), Cripple Creek, Tye River, VA 56 (970') and ended at Harpers Creek Shelter. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that, the passing thereHad worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads to way,I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.""The Road Not Taken"by Robert Frost
Date: 2006-05-17
From: Harpers Creek Shelter

To: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter, Mill Creek
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: light rain

I am...On the road again! Same process; different dayAnd many miles along the way...You can't imagine how it's been along this road I now call friend.I trust this friend to lead me onTo where I next will goAnd hand-in-hand we make this tripTogether on one road. "I made a big decision a little while ago. I don't remember what it was, which prob'ly goes to show. That many times a simple choice can prove to be essential even though it often might appear inconsequential.I must have been distracted when I left my home because left or right I'm sure I went. (I wonder which it was!) Anyway, I never veered; I walked in that direction utterly absorbed, it seems, in quiet introspection.For no reason I can think of, I've wandered far astray. And that is how I got to where I find myself today." - Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes -
Date: 2006-05-19
From: Calf Mountain Shelter, Shenandoah Nat'l Park

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

Weather today: High 63               Low 48Not to be fooled because at the higher elevations it's considerably cooler.Last maildrop before heading out into the Shenandoah National Park.New day new adventure...Adventure is not outside man; it is within. - David Grayson -
Date: 2006-05-20
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today's Temps: High 80                Low 47Still cooler at the higher elevations. Shenandoah is a Native American word meaning "daughter of the stars" or, some say, it means "river of high mountains". One thing is certain: this stretch of land is a peaceful piece of earth enriched with natural beauty. I haven't seen much wildlife, but I do know it is everywhere in these woods and it is watching me.The 105 mile of Skyline Drive is a scenic winding 2 lane highway that roughly parallels about 101 miles of the AT and hikers say that the stretch of trail running through SNP is one the the most beautiful sections."This land belongs to my people; some of them are living, some of them are dead, but most of them have not yet been born."- Anonymous Native American"
Date: 2006-05-21
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Bearfence Mountain Hut
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: clear sky

I have a slight glitch in my left knee, nothing constant and painful. Just enough to let me know it's not quite right. Points of interest along today's way included: Pinefield, Simmons and Powell Gaps; Little Roundtop Mtn; Smith Roach Gap; Hightop Hut; Spring; Hightop Mtn. (3,587'); Skyline Drive; Swift Run Gap, US 33; South River Picnic Grounds; Pocosin Cabin (which is locked); Spring; Lewis Mtn. Campground (which is the smallest campground in SNP) and Bearfence Mtn. Hut in Greene, VA elev. 3,110¢; 902.2 miles from Springer and 1272.4 miles to Katahdin. Oh, my aching knee! Geology Lesson:The oldest rocks in Shenandoah National Park were formed between 1 and 1.2 billion years ago. These granitic rocks can be seen at Old Rag Mountain and Mary's Rock Tunnel. Two other major rock types you can see in the park include basalts, made from individual lava flows, each 30 to 90 feet deep, formed about 570 million years ago; and sedimentary rocks (including sandstone, quartzite and phyllite) formed later."Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you    Way hey, you rolling river..."
Date: 2006-05-22
From: Bearfence Mountain Hut

To: Skyland Lodge - Skyline Drive
Miles today: 16.1

Clear windy and very cold this morning at 34-35 deg. with windchill in 20s. Welcome to Spring in SNP! The temps are very discouraging and I'm glad I still have my fleece with me to keep me warm because the frost is definitely on the pumpkin and it's May. Hikers who have made the changeover to 40 deg. bags are freezing.   Down in the valley the temps were 79 high and 46 low. On the trail bright and early and hiked 8 miles to Big Meadows (3,500¢) where I stopped for lunch and called Bonnie. Just happened to get a signal as long as I stood facing one direction. We hadn¢t talked since last Thursday and spent about 25 mins. talking before I had to cut it short and get my butt in gear as I had another 8 miles to cover before shutting down my day. I asked her to send my next maildrop to Harpers Ferry. Will probably be there by Sat. and have to wait around ¢til Tues. because it¢s the Memorial Day Weekend. And, oh yes, please send more Trail Mix! Big Meadows ¢ a trip down memory lane. We camped in Big Meadows Campground a couple of nights Summer 1972 on our cross-country trip to Norman, OK where we spent 9 mos. while I was studying for my masters in geology. I remember packing Sean and Jimmy into the VW bus at dusk and sitting in the meadow watching deer. The boys were very excited (and so were we)... I decided to spend the night at Skyland Lodge rather than camp because good tent sites are limited and there¢s an invasive indigenous thorny tree that could puncture my tent or pad. Skyland Resort, first called Stony Man Camp, was begun in 1886 by George Freeman Pollock, Jr. Influential in establishing Shenandoah as a national park, Pollock chose the perfect spot for his summer retreat. At 3,680 feet, which is now the highest point on the Skyline Drive, Pollock had breathtaking views of the Shenandoah Valley. And, I am breathing them in¢¦As my boys would say, "I¢m living in the hammock!""The way we choose to see the world creates the world we see." - Barry Neil Kaufman -
Date: 2006-05-24
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Tom Floyd Wayside
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: broken clouds

Loooooooooooooong day on the trail. 23.6 miles today ¢ 12 hrs walking! I¢m going to need new treads. Maybe I¢ll buy a pair of light weight boots and if they don¢t work out, I¢ll deal with it. I¢m also going to send my down home soon and make the changeover to another bag. I¢ll make these purchases at an outfitters as I get a bit further north. At the rate the weather¢s been going I might just carry it with me to ME ¢ ha¢¦ha¢¦ha¢¦ It¢s almost June and I¢m still bearing and wearing winter wgt. Maybe it¢s got something to do with my insulation!6 guys from MA on the trail today. 2 from Fall River traveling south and Fast Lane, D¢Bear and Sandman going north. Tom Floyd Wayside is the first shelter north of Shenandoah National Park. It's just outside the boundry and was built during the years when you couldn't stay overnight at the shelters in the National Park. This shelter has a porch with benches, a spring is located down trail and there¢s a privy downhill from the shelter. There are also some tenting areas. I arrived about 7:20 PM with hot dogs. Fast Lane and D¢Bear had a fire going so we chowed. All-in-all another great day. I am full ¢ mentally, spiritually, physically. Can there be more? Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. -
Date: 2006-05-25
From: Tom Floyd Wayside

To: TBD
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday, I was out of the SNP¢¦103.5 miles. In on May 18; out on May 24.That was then and this is now¢¦Full, fat, dumb and happy I called Bonnie from US 522 (951¢) on my way out of Front Royal, VA where I ate and resupplied in about 2 hrs. The forecast is for rain and I want to be ahead of it so I just checked in to let everyone know I expect to arrive Harpers Ferry about 5 PM Saturday and will report my travel when I arrive. Have a happy Memorial Day weekend and please feel free to eat my share of hot dogs and hamburgers!¢Sacred cows make the best hamburger.¢    - Mark Twain -
Date: 2006-05-25
From: Floyd shelter

To: Dick's Dome Shelter
Miles today: 18.0

A tar paper yert like structure that will only sleep 4. Kurly, Swansons and Don Quixote were there also. Finished another full day of hiking, 18 miles and I ate all day. Nothing special happened today except for losing the trail in a rocky area and having to go 15 minutes back up to find the white blazes again.Happiness is not a place to travel. It¢s a way of getting there.      -Anonymous ¢
Date: 2006-05-26
From: TBD

To: TBD
Miles today: 0.0

Prologue Harpers Ferry ¢ Arrival date May 27th Variant Name(s) for Harpers Ferry, WV: Harper's Ferry, Peters Hole, Shenandoah Falls, The Hole History:Harpers Ferry is the most eastern town in West Virginia and derives its name from Robert Harper, an Englishman who was a carpenter and mill-wright, residing near Philadelphia. In 1747, he was employed to build a church for the Quakers on Opequon River in the Shenandoah Valley near the present site of Winchester, Va. Traveling through Maryland on his way to the Shenandoah Valley, Harper proceeded to "The Hole" where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet. Attracted by the ample waterpower and strategic location for travel and transport, Harper obtained a patent for 125 acres in 1751. A ferry was established across the Potomac by the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1761, and the place has ever since been known as "Harper's Ferry." In 1775, Harper built a new home in the Lower Town. The structure was completed in 1782, but Harper, who died that same year, never occupied the house. Today the Harper House is the oldest surviving structure in the Lower Town.The history of Harpers Ferry is more than one event, one date or one individual. It involves a diverse number of people and events that influenced the course of our nation's history. Harpers Ferry witnessed the first successful application of interchangeable manufacture, the arrival of the first successful American railroad, John Brown's attack on slavery, the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War and the education of former slaves in one of the earliest integrated schools in the United States.Harpers Ferry Notable Historic Figures:Robert Harper, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Meriwether Lewis, John H. Hall, James H. Burton, John Brown, Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, Frederick Douglass, W. E. B. Du Bois, Don RedmanThe Civil War had a profound and disastrous effect on Harpers Ferry, leaving a path of destruction that wrecked the town's economy and forced many residents to depart forever. Because of the town's strategic location on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley, Union and Confederate troops moved through Harpers Ferry frequently. The town changed hands eight times between 1861 and 1865. On April 18, 1861, less than 24 hours after Virginia seceded from the Union, Federal soldiers set fire to the Armory and Arsenal to keep them out of Confederate hands. The Arsenal and 15,000 weapons were destroyed, but the Armory flames were extinguished and the weapons-making equipment was shipped south. When the Confederates abandoned the town two months later, they burned most of the factory buildings and blew up the railroad bridge.Geography:Lowest point in the state, the elevation 247 feet above sea level at Potomac River level."The passage of the Patowmac through the Blue Ridge is perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature.¢ - Thomas Jefferson -
Date: 2006-05-26
From: Dick's Dome Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.0

.5 miles short of 60 miles in 3 days. Not bad for an old retired teacher. Met a couple of teachers from GA and AL. They are out for the summer. Today was only 18 miles, but it involved 8 hills in the last 12 miles. Second hill had a beautiful vista and as I approached I was reproached by a 2 foot rattlesnake --pictures soon. Ran out of clear skies and had rain today for first time in a week. Missed Head-n-Out and Tag-n-Along by 8 hours. Maybe I'll catch them before they leave Harpers Ferry. I'm going to take 2 full days off the trail, making my total of zeroes 6. Might get to hang out with some NMEA folks from the area. Adam might even hike out of HF with me on Tuesday. Almost at the half way point. Doesn't seem possible. I've stopped the weight loss although I thought I had lost another 10 pounds until the hostel proprietor said the scale weighed 10 pounds less than true weight. Hiker special here in this beautiful setting includes lg. pizza, pint Ben & Jerry's, soda, showers, free laundry, bed and breakfast. All for $25. To add to Bonnie's Harpers Ferry story, Brown's raiders attacked the federal arsenal and a young Union soldier from Framingham, Francis Merriam 22, was part of the raiding party and escaped through western PA. He died in NY City on Nov. 28, 1865. The Framingham Public Library bears his name. I read about the raid in the AT Journeys Magazine.On to Harpers tomorrow, 20 miles, more food and plenty of rest!! Time for some of you readers to leave me new messages. I only get to read them every few weeks. Please keep those cards and letters in my guest book coming. Peace out!!
Date: 2006-05-27
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: broken clouds

Arrived Harpers Ferry about 8:00 PM having departed Bears Den Hostel late at 9:30 AM following a full breakfast and final trail prep. Little did I know that the trail held 3 ups (not too far after departure) which were quite strenuous when strung together. And, although I was ¢up to the task¢, I was slowed by the challenge. That coupled with a later than usual departure and a chance meeting on the trail made for a longer than normal ¢walk day¢.Another Sandman BIG ¢small world story¢: Today, as I trekked I met a man and his daughter. As will happen, more often than not, we began to chat and exchange info. We discovered we were both from MA and when asked where in MA learned we were both from Framingham! I asked his name and he said ¢Millman¢ to which I asked ¢Joel¢?¢¦yes, he replied with no obvious recognition. I was his science teacher at the old Lincoln Jr. High in Framingham ¢ my first or second year teaching. That would be 38 + yrs. ago and I remembered his first name¢¦! He now lives on the west coast, but on this day we were from a shared place and time - ¢a long way from home¢. We chatted for about 30 minutes before I had to move my butt along the way and hustle to make up some time.I took up residence at the Comfort Inn as it was the first place I came upon when I left the trail tonight. My laundry¢s done. I am tired, clean and ready to fill my belly. I know; I talk a lot about food. It could be something else, but I¢ll leave that to your imagination!I will be here over the weekend hoping to be back on the trail Tues. morning after picking up my mail drop at the Harpers Ferry PO.Chance is the providence of adventurers.   - Napoleon Bonaparte -
Date: 2006-05-28
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

Went to the ATC Headquarters and put my name in the thru hikers registry. I am #154 to register since Jan. 1st. There are only 153 people who have come this far before me in 2006! Not bad for an "old geezer"...I am surprised at the distance I've travled and that I've been fortunate (so far) in my endeavor to live a life long dream. I am ever grateful to family and friends who have given me emotional support along the way. Although a solitary journey; I am fueled by the spirit and energy of your support. And, if it's meant to be: together we can make it happen.I had a great night's sleep and don't really know what to do with myself as I'm so programmed to "get up and go". To sleep late and move slowly is a welcome aberration. I ate this morning at the Country Cafe and had dinner at the Anville with friends Jen Rafter and her husband John who came several miles to meet and spend some time with me. My downtime here has given me the chance to talk with several friends and family members. And, although Tommy had a few words for Grampa George; Kathryn had no desire to talk to me!I've asked Bonnie to send my next maildrop to Duncannon, PA where I hope to arrive in eight days. My plan is to walk 12-15 miles a day to stabilize my weight and pretty much "keep the pace"...we'll see. I also plan to take Jim's suggestion to add a couple of tbsps of olive oil to my diet to boost my calories. And, some MREs have found their way to my pack and we'll see how those work out. While at ATC headquarters I bought Baltimore Jack's Resupply list for the Harpers Ferry to Kent, CT so I'll have a good resource for what's needed and what's excess. Great tips and tricks for a novice like me!I'm glad for the rest just had and anxious to get going again. I'm getting closer. The half-way mark is at mile 1087.3 - somewhere around Furnace Grove State Park 30 miles southwestof Harrisburg, PA. And, I must remember it's step by step...Adventure: the pursuit of life.   - Daniel Roy Wiarda -
Date: 2006-05-29
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

No, it's not "Rip van Winkle"! It's Sandman with friends Natalie and Andrew Wilson. Andrew, his wife Mary Beth and daughter Natalie took me to lunch on Memorial Day. It was so nice to spend time with friends and so thoughtful of them to take the time out of their day. Journal details for past couple of days will be provided later...the transcriber spent 2 full days in the yard and needs to catch her breath! You'll need to read backwards to "catch up" with me!Alone, all alone/ Nobody, but nobody / Can make it out here alone.    - Maya Angelou -
Date: 2006-05-30
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Rocky Run Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Picked up my maildrop at 8:30 and stepped off into the next phase of my trek at the Potomac River, Byron Memorial Footbridge, Maryland-West Virginia Line (250¢). Harpers Ferry¢¦the memory of another day and time.Today I traveled 16.1 miles and climbed 1350¢ between HF and Rocky Run Shelter where I laid my head to rest. Points along the way today included: C&O Canal Towpath (west and east junctions), Sandy Hook Bridge at US 340; Keep Tryst Road; US 340 Underpass; Weverton Road, Trail to Weverton Cliffs; Ed Garvey Shelter; Brownsville Gap; Crampton Gap, Gathland State Park, Gapland Road, MD 572 (950¢); Crampton Gap Shelter; Trail to Bear Spring Cabin (locked); White Cliff Rock; Lambs Knoll (1,600¢).Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps, down new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision.   - Ayn Rand -