morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-05-14
From: Erwin TN

To: Cherry Gap shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

It¢s the one-month anniversary of the start of my hike. I had a mega-breakfast at Miss Janet¢s. A dozen of us ate at outside tables in her back yard. Janet asked us to go around and say what music we will be playing in our head as we near the top of Katahdin. (My answer: ¢Stairway to Heaven¢. After breakfast, Miss Janet dropped me back at the river, and I promptly started down the river road, missing the trail, and had to backtrack for 10 minutes. I finally got onto the trail at 10:45. It was a warm and sunny start with increasing clouds, but no rain. I made good time. I met a young couple on the initial climb and again at Curley Maple shelter. I walked on through a recently burned area in which grass was beginning to sprout through the blackened ground. There were nice views of Unaka Mtn and Roan High Knob from Beauty Spot Bald, where I met three of the guys who had been at Miss Janet¢s slacking SB. Clouds of tiny black grasshoppers popped up like popcorn here and there as I passed. The top of Unaka Mtn was like a (bleak) NH mountain col with red spruce, rocks, & ferns. I made it to Cherry Gap shelter about 5PM. Marcie 360 was there, also Chilly Willy & Kilroy and Hot Dog with his Manx cat, Mr. Stubby, the terror of mousedom. Hot Dog is a bit older than I and grew up in the mountains of southern Virginia. He hikes with Mr. Stubby riding on top of his pack. At campsites he releases Stubby, who runs to and fro hunting mice in and around the shelter and even inside a hollow tree. During the few hours before bedtime, Mr. Stubby caught four mice and he was patrolling the shelter for much of the night, I guess. The four of us sat around talking during and after dinner, and Hot Dog told us about growing up in the mountains, eating all kinds of game, and learning about the woods. It was a sweet evening.
Date: 2003-05-15
From: Cherry Gap shelter

To: Roan High Knob shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a sunny morning when I wrote yesterday¢s journal entry. Clouds increased through the day, and we had showers around noon, so I hiked under the umbrella for a while. I went past Iron Mtn Gap, which was carpeted with yellow flowers, stopping at the spring for water. There were also delphiniums and some trillium. I was feeling low on energy, so I walked slowly and rested 10 minutes each hour, as recommended by Ray Jardine. Little Rock Knob had interesting rocks at summit but was in the clouds so there was no view. It was cool and spitting a little rain during the long climb up Roan High Knob ¢ 2300 feet of elevation gain. For once, I was thankful for the cool weather. The log on my altimeter watch says the total for the day was 5900 feet up and 3700 down. I¢m now at Roan High Knob shelter near 6200¢ ¢ it¢s cold, foggy, and the shelter (a cabin) is dark and gloomy. It has a second floor that feels like it might collapse at any moment, and the columns that hold up the overhang are leaning at alarming angles. A trail angel came by near dark with two cans of beer for me and Pepsi for Marcie ¢ the only other occupant. We both declined his offer of a ride to Trail Days; I¢m really getting into this hike and just don¢t feel like taking the time off the trail.
Date: 2003-05-16
From: Roan High Knob shelter

To: Apple House shelter
Miles today: 14.6

This morning I slacked back to the overlooks at Roan High Knob, which had been fogged in when I passed them yesterday. This morning was sunny and there was a clear view to the hills and valleys below. I slacked back and got going on the trail at 9 AM. I moved at a leisurely pace to Severn Gap and other balds associated with Roan High Knob. It was a pretty morning, and I met three women who were dayhiking with cameras. I hiked down to Overmountain shelter ¢ a real gem of a converted barn- and had lunch there. The shelter is named for the Revolutionary War militia that came ¢over-mountain¢ to a big battle in SC. After lunch I climbed up the hill and could look down on the shelter, now shrunk to the size of a postage stamp. Up and over Little Hump and Big Hump balds; the 360-degree view from this bald was spectacular, and I could see the trail far ahead and behind as I hiked. There was a big storm over the jagged mountain ridge to the south. The trail descended over difficult footing to Doll Flats. My left arch was aching from all the walking in U-shaped ruts on the balds. I got water at the spring and decided to continue to Apple House shelter, which is near the highway that goes through Elk Park NC. There are many stories about people in this area who were apparently aggrieved a few years ago by a trail relocation on land they considered theirs and played dirty tricks on unsuspecting thru-hikers. (The worst stories concerned fish hooks strung across the trail and stopping for hitchhikers only to zoom off after they put their packs in the back of the truck but before they could climb in.) I¢m skeptical, but I found myself hoping no yahoos show up during the night. I had nice chat with a couple from the local area ¢ college professors, not yahoos. I¢m writing this while eating huge portion of the rice and beans with taco seasoning.According to a notice posted in the shelter, a relocation of the trail for tomorrow added 3 miles, so it was good decision to come these extra miles to here. I had expected to see Marcie here but she¢s nowhere to be seen.
Date: 2003-05-17
From: Apple House shelter

To: Moreland Gap shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: light rain

I got up, made it quickly to the road, and caught a hitch to the Country House Restaurant from a nice local guy in a pickup. Had a big breakfast of country ham, eggs, grits & their famous dinner-plate-sized biscuit, all for $4.50. The place had a nice atmosphere, with many local folks talking to old friends and pleasant waitresses. After breakfast I walked to the Post Office. A gentleman gave me two apples while I was repacking my food bag. I walked back to a gas station/convenience store and got a ride back to the trail from a guy who was interested in history ¢ we had a pleasant discussion about the economic origins of the Civil War, a topic I have a feeling he likes to bring up with Yankees. He also warned me about ¢bad people¢ along the next leg of the trail, another allusion to the dirty tricksters. It is an understatement to say today¢s was one long walk ¢ 17.3 miles by including the relocation, but I added approximately 3 miles to that by going the wrong way from Pioneer falls (which was a very pretty place and had a Louisiana Waterthrush to boot). By the time I had confirmed I was going the wrong way I had backtracked for 1/2 hour. Going forward again, the section along Elk River was very pretty. I got there at 3PM and to Laurel Fork at 5:25 ¢ a nice surprise, since I wasn¢t sure I¢d reached an earlier milestone yet. My legs held out the on long climb into Moreland Gap, but I was running on vapors and very tired when I got here, around 7:30. I¢m concerned with a blister on my left heel ¢ used moleskin/duct tape around noon ¢ which hurts when the foot pronates.From climb out of Elk Park:White petals on the trailDogwood.                Are there reallyPeople to fear here?
Date: 2003-05-18
From: Moreland Gap shelter

To: Watauga Lake shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Rain during the night, but only a sprinkle this morning. The shelter was packed, and three guys actually slept on a ground cloth with their legs tucked under the sleeping platform, which made it kind of difficult to sit on the edge of the platform to put on my boots. It was an easy hike to Dennis Cove and Laurel Fork. There was lots of rock to pick around at the famous Laurel Falls in its rocky gorge. The trail edged along river below falls on a narrow shelf of rock. I stopped for lunch at Laurel Fork shelter. There was then a steep climb up Pond Mtn that had me sucking air. It was warm and sunny for most of the day, and pleasant walking along the river but too hot going up Pond Mtn. Finally, I made an easy descent to Watauga Lake, where I took a swim with clothes on: refreshment and laundry in one easy step. Several people were at Watauga Lake shelter including Happy Feet, a welder from Cambridge MA, and Pokey who hails from Jackson NH. Happy Feet filled me in on what I had missed at Trail Days, which sounded both fun and instructive. He got a lot of useful information from gear manufacturers who were providing individual evaluations and advice and sometimes exchanging broken gear on the spot.
Date: 2003-05-19
From: Watauga Lake shelter

To: Double Springs shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: clear sky

I left the shelter at 7:20. It was a nice morning, and high thin clouds gave way to blue skies by 11, but it was cool and breezy. I crossed Watauga Dam and hiked over a knob and up the ridge known as Iron Mtn, said to be Virginia-like. There were glimpses of the lake and the hills on the opposite side. The day was uneventful except for mileage ¢ 21.6 today. I met a SB birdwatcher who was interested in the waterthrush I had seen at Pioneer Falls. The mole foam patch over my left heel blister worked well. A couple somewhat older than me are getting acquainted on a 7-day hike, which should be an acid test on their compatibility. Good luck to them!
Date: 2003-05-20
From: Double Springs shelter

To: Damascus VA
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up at 5:30 and packed by headlamp trying not to wake the couple. Out of the shelter 6:00. I pushed on to the Abington Gap shelter by 10 and coasted into Damascus around 1:30. There was lots of downhill and level trail, not much uphill, or I wouldn¢t have been able to get there by lunch. I got a pretty view of mountains to the NE while the rising sun was behind a cloud. There were no a lot a lot of wildflowers ¢ mostly wild geranium and a yellow composite with few petals, also a mustardy-looking plant with multiple tiny flower heads.I had a great lunch at the Side Track Caf© for Dos Equis amber (the best beer in the world!) and pizza. The town is still recovering from Trail Days, which was last weekend) and they were almost out of supplies, including most of their beer assortment. I checked into the maples B&B run by Sarah & Russ (GA-ME 96). The d©cor was a little fussy but it¢s a nice place where Earl Shafer and Ed Garvey often stayed, and the proprietors are friendly, first-class people. There were many wild goldfinches at feeders in the yard. I punctured blister on left heel, applied bacitracin, and covered it with a Band-Aid. Had dinner at a Greek pizzeria ¢ many restaurants closed after Trail Days.
Date: 2003-05-21
From: Damascus VA

To: Damascus VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Not to dwell too much on food, but breakfast (set for me, alone) at the Maples B&B consisted of the following:Apple juice, coffee, strawberries from the garden & sliced bananas, country ham, scrambled eggs, cheese grits, baked fried apple wedges, custard pound cake, homemade biscuits, apple butter from apples from their tree, tomato slices, peach cobbler with whipped topping. And it was all good.Rain in the night continuing this morning- I¢m glad to be off the trail today. I checked email at the library, including an offer to send cookies from my friend Debbie (Medusa GA-ME ¢96), my hiking pal Phil¢s account of the Red Sox and an AMC bike trip he led, and my wife Sheila¢s long email about what she¢s up to (and why didn¢t I ask?). I had lunch again at the Side track caf©. Dinner was a steak at Dot¢s Inn, listening to country music on the jukebox. I read several chapters of Pride & Prejudice, which I had broken up into chunks and included in my mail drops. There was light rain most of the day.
Date: 2003-05-22
From: Damascus VA

To: Lost Mtn shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

Up early. I checked email again at the Side Track. Two other hikers were also at The Maples for Sarah¢s big breakfast. I sent a box of surplus food back home and left town at 9:30 and started on the climb from the road at 10. It was cool and overcast, but no rain. The trail next to White Laurel Creek was pretty, and there¢s a cool bridge on a segment of the rail trail where one railroad passed over another at the creek junction. I made it to Lost Mtn shelter at 5. There were lots of people there including Pokey, Primitive, Lumberjack, & Snotrocket, but only three of us slept in the shelter itself.
Date: 2003-05-23
From: Lost Mtn shelter

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I left Lost Mtn at 7:30 ¢ it was overcast with low clouds. There was a cool view down onto the clouds from Buzzard Rock and one of those glimpses of the valley below through a sudden opening in the drifting clouds. The trail was muddy. I made it to Elk Garden at 11:30 and found a cooler of beer, so I had an Old Milwaukee and moved on to the Mt Rogers summit trail, where I ate lunch around 2. I ran up to tag the summit, which was in a grove of spruce very much like White Mtns of NH. I went on to Thomas Knob & Grayson Highlands where the trail was very rocky and cobbley. Met a group of school kids on a camping trip at Thomas Knob shelter, and several older photo students in the highlands. There was lots of fog to make the views interesting and an occasional glimpse of blue sky. The trail went over and under big rocks in several places. Lumberjack and I saw 7-8 of the famous ponies and a couple of deer. I ambled into Wise Shelter an hour before a thunderstorm/cloudburst hit. There were eight in the shelter including Lumberjack, I.B., and the West Virginians: Nic-Nac, Dormouse, and Slim Jim. I was too tired to cook. It rained like crazy a couple of times during the night.
Date: 2003-05-24
From: Wise Shelter

To: Raccoon Branch shelter
Miles today: 17.6

The weather cleared some after the midnight deluge- stars at 3:30, blue sky at 7AM. Dormouse was up most of the night, and she provided a light that enabled me to find my way back into the shelter after getting lost during a 3:30AM pee break. I crossed a high meadow full of steers and calves, with some big clouds above but also sun. The trail continued cross Scales Gap past Balanced Rock, then up Stone and Pine Mtns. Some people were saddling up at Scales Gap and I learned that the ponies on Grayson Highlands are owned and cared for by an association, not wild. I called home on the cell phone, and talked to Sheila, Matt & Greg. There were more clouds as the afternoon wore on. I pushed downhill, across a low stretch and finally made the road crossing near VA Rte 16. I decided to stop at Raccoon Hollow. Lumberjack and multiple-thru-hikers AT Addict and No Pain were there, as well as a couple from Columbus and Indiana Slim. AT Addict has thru-hiked the AT three times and section hiked the entire trail three more times, working on the fourth. He has also thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail and considers the AT the most difficult thru-hike. No Pain was on his third thru-hike. We talked for a while before bed about places and people along the trail.
Date: 2003-05-25
From: Raccoon Branch shelter

To: Chatfield shelter
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: clear sky

Everyone but No Pain was up at 6:30. I hit the trail at 7:35. It was a nice morning with some thin overcast.Cool early morning.Spider silk across my faceThinking miles ahead.I came down through a meadow with cows and walked along a ridge next to a horse pasture. Made it to Partnership Shelter around noon. I used phone at the ranger station to reserve a motel room for tomorrow and tried to call my business partner Skip, who told my wife that he¢ll be in Virginia soon and would like to meet. I¢m doubtful, though, that we can get together next week unless he¢s willing to drive a long way from Charlottesville. Partnership Shelter is very modern with potable water, a shower, etc. It¢s also known as the number one party shelter because pizza and beer delivery can be easily arranged by walking 100 yards to the ranger station telephone. The dregs of last night¢s party- pizza boxes and empty beer cans- were still there, neatly stacked. I also met Geoff, whom I last saw down in the first stretch of NC. He didn¢t look altogether happy ¢ perhaps a symptom of too much partying. I pushed on after a lunch of granola with texturized vegetable protein sprinkled on top. (I¢m beginning to think there isn¢t really any very palatable way to eat this stuff, which does contribute valuable protein to my diet. I made it up and over the small climbs pretty easily and made Chatfield shelter about 3:45 PM. Just me and Pockets at the shelter, although Boilerplate slacked by, waving his arms like he was going to start flying without the pack weight he usually carries.
Date: 2003-05-26
From: Chatfield shelter

To: Groseclose VA
Miles today: 4.5

I was up at 6:30 ¢ a foggy morning. I ate a bowl of granola and walked at a leisurely pace to Groseclose and the Village Motel, run by a very nice Polish couple (the weather report for Poland was on the TV in the office ¢ isn¢t satellite great?). The walk through a meadow looking down on the highway was actually very scenic ¢ I took some photos in the morning sun. I also heard (saw only backlit silhouettes) two Baltimore Orioles. Lumberjack, Pokey, Happy Feet, and others were also at the motel. I walked over to the nearby restaurant and had a hearty second breakfast. Later, outside the Dairy Queen next to the motel, I talked to Mark [¢Spitz¢] and a guy named Tortoise who is into digital photography. (He recommended betterphoto.com for on-line tutorials.) I learned that Mtn Momma and a slimmer Tipperary were seen at Trail Days. Not sure of their whereabouts now ¢ I¢m sorry I missed them. This afternoon I watched Tim Wakefield and the Red Sox beat Roger Clemens and Yankees on ESPN; when I later talked to Lumberjack, a hard-core Yankees fan, he was gracious in defeat. (I actually have high regard for the Yankees and enjoy talking baseball with Lumberjack.) [My apologies to readers who don¢t like all the baseball references, but like the AT and jazz, it¢s a big part of the American experience.] I also got a call from Skip ¢ we may meet in Pearisburg or Harpers Ferry.
Date: 2003-05-27
From: Groseclose VA

To: Knot Maul shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

I was up early and caught the ¢shuttle¢ a couple of miles to a diner in Atkins with Lumberjack and Mark; the owner of the diner, who looked like Tommy Lee Jones does this to drum up hiker business. The restaurant owner¢s son then took us to the Post Office and waited while we shopped at the grocery store. While we were in line to check out, I talked to two local farmers, whose problem with the frequent rain is bigger than ours: they can¢t mow hay when it¢s wet, and if they let the grass grow too long, its nutritional value as a livestock feed diminishes. I was back on the trail at 9:30 ¢ it was the usual humid, overcast morning, but the sun peaked out by noon and it was partly sunny for the rest of the day. The early going was dull, but I later crossed some beautiful meadows on hillsides with views across the valley to a wooded ridge. There was a great rest spot next to a style in the shade of a tree at State Road 610. The trail then ran along the North Fork of the Holstein River, bordered with yellow flag iris and phlox. I wound up at Knot Maul shelter with Mark, Pokey, Strider and a family of SB section hikers. The father of the family used an in-line Safewater filter like mine and we agreed on its convenience and light weight compared to a pumped filter or chemical treatment.On the way, I turned off the AT onto a horse trail at Tilson Gap to find out who was repeatedly hollering; instead of an injured person, I found a guy trying to find a young hunting dog who had strayed despite impressive electronic tracking equipment. At the shelter this evening we found the dog, 10 miles north of Tilson Gap. One of the SB-ers called the number on the dog¢s collar and planned to take it to State Road 42 tomorrow morning. However, after we were all long asleep, the dog¢s owners showed up with their electronic squawk-box and Coleman lanterns and took the pup away.
Date: 2003-05-28
From: Knot Maul shelter

To: Jenkins shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: scattered clouds

It was a partly cloudy morning. I got going at 7:40. The climb up Chestnut Knob was not too bad, but I was tired by the time I reached Chestnut Knob shelter. I was also cold because of the wind and many clouds following a cold front. I had a hot lunch (granola) and pushed on to Jenkins shelter, which was a long haul, owing in part to very stony, rocky trails. The idea that the AT in Virginia is a piece of cake is definitely not true: the trails are not always smooth going and there¢s plenty of ups and downs. At the shelter were Marcie, Spitz, Lumberjack, Wounded Knee, Smokey & Bandit, and the two section hiking guys from Columbus who had been in Wise shelter. I¢m too pooped to pop. 23 miles tomorrow? We¢ll see.
Date: 2003-05-29
From: Jenkins shelter

To: Jenny Knob shelter
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: light rain

It started raining in the wee hours and continued to 9AM. I got up late and left at 8:45, using my umbrella to ward off lingering showers. I stayed on the regular AT, which crossed Little Wolf Creek about 10 times without event ¢ the high water trail wasn¢t needed. There was V8 trail magic at the first road crossing, which I shared with Lumberjack. I pushed on to the highway interchange where the second trail magic of the day included fresh strawberries and Miller Highlife. At the side trail to Helvey¢s Mill shelter, I chatted with Strider for a while and then decided to keep going. I cranked it up to 3 mph for the 9.5 miles to Jenny¢s Knob, arriving about 6:45. On the way I passed three northbounders slacking south ¢ Flatlander, 2 Dog Night, and Pushing Up Daisies. I also met a group of women camped a mile south of the shelter who were doctors and nurses from a nearby hospital; they fed me Pringles and wished me good luck. Marcie had stopped and camped about 5 miles before Jenny¢s Knob shelter. David [Thermo] pushed on and ended up at the shelter with me. Two women with dogs, a guy named Pops who couldn¢t handle my name (he called me ¢Millipod¢ or ¢Millidew¢ ), and a woman named Firefeet were at the shelter. I heard barred owls calling, and saw a flycatcher ¢ probably a wood peewee. Tired. G¢night.
Date: 2003-05-30
From: Jenny Knob shelter

To: Wapiti shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I got up at 6:00. Granola at the site, on the trail at 7:30. It was a quick hike down to Lickskillet Hollow (great name), then easy up to the ridge on Brushy Mtn, then down again to Kimberling Creek, where Firefeet took my picture on the suspension bridge. Two K9 cops came through with a young bloodhound they are training. We detoured to the country store on Rte 606, where we met Thermo and I feasted on a L¢il Debbie Raisin Cr me Pie and a Dr. Pepper. Back to trail and up the ridge again. We took a detour to the Tolkien-esque ¢Falls of Dismal¢ on the misnamed Dismal Creek (it¢s actually a beautiful trout stream). I took a swim in the pool below the falls during a sunny break. It was a long flat walk from Dismal Falls to Wapiti shelter. Firefeet (who is from Millis MA and Bridgewater State College prior to a tour in the Navy as a flute, piccolo, and saxophone player in a navy band), and Pops are at the shelter. Thermo opted to push on past the shelter. We were joined later by Bubbles and Cougar, who gave a demonstration of hammock rigging.