morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-04
From: Damascus VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: light rain

Saturday, May 4 Damascus, VA to Lost Mountain Shelter16 miles.   Weather: Cloudy, cold, windy and raw. We woke up early and had a nice breakfast before hitting the trail about 8:00. We hiked to the shelter quickly and arrived at 1:30 to assure we had a space under a roof tonight as the weather is supposed to turn really bad. We are tucked into our bags and just hunkering down for the night. Tomorrow could get down right dangerous as we have to go over Mt. Rogers tomorrow.   Like an Idiot I already sent my gloves and rain pants home to save weight and now I regret it. We will have to do about 18 miles tomorrow through a bad storm. For the first time on the trail I'm a bit worried about the elements.
Date: 2013-05-05
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Mt Rogers base, back to Damascus
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Sunday, May 5 Lost Mountain to Base of Mt. Rogers. 8 miles Weather: Rain, high winds, Hi 42 LO 36. Wild day on the mountain today. The wind howled and shook the shelter all night. The rain never came but we decided to set out and see what developed. We left Lost Mountain Shelter at 7:45 and quickly began The ascent of White Top Mountain. As we approached the summit the wind really began to blow in earnest. As soon as we came out into the clearing 600 yards below the summit we knew we were in a serious situation. The wind was now blowing at about 80 mph sustained and gusting to about 100. It was impossible to stand during the gusts and walking was one step forward one backward and down on the ground, and get to the next big rock to hunker behind. It took us 45 minutes to go the 600 yards. My pack cover almost blew off and I just caught it. I forgot I had a thermal layer stuffed behind it and it flew off into the wind. Miraculously, War Cry who was behind me had it hit her smack in the face and she grabbed it for me. We barely made it back into the woods and decided to drop down out of trouble and call for a shuttle back to town. The decision was made easier by recalling that it was Sunday and there was an all you can eat buffet in town. I therefore named the day "from life threatening to AYCE in about an hour". That's the AT. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Date: 2013-05-06
From: Mt Rogers base, back to Damascus

To: Damascus (zero)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Monday, May 6 zero in Damascus Weather Heavy rain in the morning, showers in the afternoon.We decided to take another zero after waking up to pouring rain and strong winds. The conditions on top of Rogers are undoubtedly many times worse. Stories are filtering in that Indicate that some hikers got into a more serious situation than we did yesterday including near hypothermia and frostbite and waiting up to 4 hours for a shuttle. We feel very good about our decisions yesterday. For a taste of this check out postholer.com/quakerland journal entry for May 5. The Place is the name of the hiker hostel we are staying at right now. It has a place in AT lore and history but the current caretaker there is a real tool. He is putzy, control freak that basically dislikes hikers and likes to lecture everyone about his rules with threats of tossing you out if you break any. I'd Love to punch him but I'm sure he'd cry. OK, time to get out of this town. Tomorrow we start hiking again.
Date: 2013-05-07
From: Damascus (zero)

To: hurricane mountain shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

Tuesday, May 7 Damascus to Hurricane Mountain Shelter20 miles. Cumulative miles 510. Weather: heavy rain showers, hail, cold. Hi 48 Lo 36. We started the day by catching a shuttle back to Elk Garden where we abandoned our hike on Sunday due to extreme wind and rain conditions. The day started off with scattered showers and cool conditions but the hike over Mt. Rogers and the Grayson Highlands was still magnificent. The terrain is open fields and rolling hills reminiscent of the highlands of Montana. A special treat are the herds of wild ponies that populate the area. They are quite used to the company of people and one right up to you to be pet and hopefully be given a carrot or apple. Very cool. We had a quick lunch at wise shelter 10 miles into our hike and celebrated reaching the 500 mile mark on the trail. After lunch we set out to do the final 10 miles of the day and the weather once again lashed out at us. The rain started to fall more steadily and heavily and soon we were hearing rumbles of thunder in the distance. The trail was now a full blown streambed and any attempts to avoid the ankle deep water and mud were abandoned. We now just trampsed right through it. As we began to climb Pine Mountain at over 5,000 feet, the thunder and lightning were now right on top of us and it began to hail. The next 5 miles were pretty tough and when we arrived at Old Orchard Shelter with thoughts of calling our day short, we walked into a full shelter and decided to push on. We walked the final 5 miles in slightly improving conditions and managed to squeeze everyone into Hurricane Mt. Shelter.   We ate and crawled into our sleeping bags by 8:00 pm and we will fall asleep to the sound of rain drops on the metal shelter roof. A sound that is peaceful and tranquil. It's nice to be in a dry place for the night.
Date: 2013-05-08
From: hurricane mountain shelter

To: partnership shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: light rain

Wednesday , May 8 Hurricane Mt. Shelter to Partnership Shelter 19.6 miles. Weather: light rain all day. Hi 50 Lo 38. I got out of camp by 7:20 and walked thru a light mist and rain. It was beautiful and peaceful and the miles slid by quickly. I arrived at the Partnership Shelter just before 2:00 and settled in. The Partnership Shelter is a large 2 story shelter that sleeps 16 and has a primitive shower and another key attribute. You can walk a hundred yards to a visitor center and actually order pizza delivery. After the rest of our group arrived, we ordered lots of pizza. Man, that was quite a treat!The rain is now in its fourth day with no end in sight. The temperatures are also running 15 - 20 degrees below normal and have been almost the entire time we've been on the trail. We keep patiently waiting for spring. In the meantime we recall the saying "If you dodge the rain, you'll never get to Maine". So we walk on.
Date: 2013-05-09
From: partnership shelter

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: light rain

Thursday, May 9 Partnership Shelter to Atkins. 12.6 miles. Stayed at a hiker hostel in Rural         VA. Weather: fog, mist in the morning gave way to sunshine by 10:00. We finally saw the sun today for the first time in nearly a week. We also got our first taste of Virginia Lowlands and the interesting landscapes they contain. We walked over grassy fields and rural farms lands with gravel roads and abandoned barns. We then entered the town of Atkins and proceeded directly to The Barn, a hiker staple restaurant and B-line and I ordered and devoured the 16 ounce hiker burger. We then learned that we had been invited to stay at a hiker hostel that is seldom used. We had the whole thing to ourselves and decided to take advantage of our good fortune and do laundry, shower and resupply. Srocket also gave a good showing with a half gallon of ice cream but came up a little short. Shady, the hiker who invited us to stay also drove us around town to do our chores and will take us back to the trail tomorrow. The only drawback is a freight train passes directly behind the shelter every couple of hours and sounds like its coming right into the hostel! We are very grateful to Shady for his hospitality and helpfulness. He will be section hiking Maine next month and we wish him the best.
Date: 2013-05-10
From: Atkins, VA

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Friday, May 10 Atkins,VA to Chestnut Knob Shelter. 24 miles. Weather: sunny and warm all day until strong late afternoon thunderstorm. Today started beautifully with a nice town breakfast and an 8:00 start which is good coming out of town. The morning was sunny and warm and we felt clean, dry and warm for the first time in a while. We started hiking in fields and meadows and over a couple of modest hills. B-line, Why Not, and I had lunch on top of a hill in a large farm field with a beautiful 360 degree view. As beautiful as it was all morning we were going a little slow and we had a 24 mile day ahead of us with a good chance of afternoon thunderstorms so we began to pick up the pace. After a short break we had two significant climbs and 10 miles left in the day. Srocket and I were hiking together and agreed to go at a nice even pace. The first climb was steep but not to long but I noticed the storm clouds thickening and the wind picking up. I knew we couldn't out run the rain and just hoped it would blow over. The second climb was a doozy, over 2,000 feet and over 5 miles. About 3 miles from the top the rain came hard. Then it began to thunder and lightning right over us. We picked up the pace and surprised ourselves at how much faster we could go with a little adrenalin. My feet had been aching but the heavy rain actually made them feel better. The last two miles to the shelter felt like 4 miles but finally, there it was. Chestnut knob Shelter is an enclosed shelter with bunks. It looked beautiful until we opened the door and saw it full and with several people smoking inside the building! B-line, Srocket and I immediately chose to pitch our tents despite the strong wind and still threatening skies. I got my tent up and quickly got out of my wet clothes and ate something. I'm fighting a cold and hope this episode doesn't push me over the edge. I guess we'll see in the morning.
Date: 2013-05-11
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Helveys Mill Shelter
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Saturday, May 11 Chestnut Knob Shelter to Helveys Mill Shelter 25 miles. Weather: Cold, foggy, drizzly to start, partly sunny in the early afternoon, thunder showers in the late afternoon. I got out of my tent early and broke camp fast in the cool, drizzly, windy morning. I hiked about one half mile and noticed someone running up the trail and be mentioned that there'd be trail magic in a out one mile. I thanked him and continued hiking on. I wasn't prepared for what happened next. This guy and a friend were laying out the biggest hiker trail magic I have ever seen or heard of. There were all kinds of fresh fruit, sliced and whole, fresh vegetables, 3 different cakes, baked beans, chili, potato salad, sodas, grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, and all kinds of chips, Doritos, and much, much more. I ate for a solid hour. They even had post cards for us to send home. These guys were amazing! They said they did this once a year and always in this same spot. Talk about luck! I then just pretty much grinded out the 25 miles today. There weren't many views due to the weather and once again it began to pour when I got about 4 miles from the shelter. Now I have nothing dry at all to wear hiking. Nothing like putting on soaking wet, cold, smelly clothes on a cold, damp morning. It certainly makes you want to get hiking so you can warm up!Well it's 8:40 and time to go to sleep here in the shelter!
Date: 2013-05-12
From: Helveys Mill Shelter

To: Dismal Falls Campsite
Miles today: 18.0

Sunday, May 12 Helveys Mill Shelter to Dismal Falls 18.1 milesCumulative miles. 607.3   Weather: clear, cool and dry! Hi 53 Lo 31Well the morning dawned cool sunny and dry, perfect hiking weather. Today we had a relatively short 18 mile day considering the terrain and it worked out perfectly. My left foot was sore and I really wanted a bit of extra time to rest it plus dry out my tent and clothes once I got to camp. I hiked all day with Why Not and her pace was perfect. We got to the falls about 3:30 and I set up my tent, hung my clothes to dry, and then soaked my feet in the cold stream for about 20 minutes. It felt great as did the warm sun beaming down on us. Srocket and B-line arrived about 4:30 and we all hung out by the falls and cooked our dinner there until the sun went behind the trees and it began to really cool off. In fact, the temperature is expected to drop into the low 30's tonight and may even dip below freezing. A definite liner in the bag night. The next couple of days look dry for a change so that will be great. Another short day tomorrow, about 14 miles into Woods Hole Hostel which sounds like it should be an interesting place. It should be a great star show tonight. We'll see if I can stay awake that long!
Date: 2013-05-13
From: Dismal Falls Campsite

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

Monday, May 13 Dismal Falls Shelter to Woods Hole Hostel14 miles. Weather: sunny, cool. Hi 51 Lo 35I got a fairly early start, about 7:15, especially considering how cool it was this morning. Will Spring ever arrive? My left foot is still bothering me some. I think it's a nerve. A massage therapist told me the only thing I can do is to rest it. I told her that's the only thing I can't do!I walked with Why Not for half the morning and her pace is good for me right now. We had a couple of good views from a ridgetop we followed and had lunch on a rock ledge overlooking the mountains and valleys below. We soon saw both Scrocket and B-line and walked closely together into our destination of Woods Hole Hostel. This place is truly the very essence of what a hiker hostel should be. The cabin and outbuilding that make up the hostel were built in the 1880's and are Chestnut Dovetail log construction fully and accurately restored and updated. Absolutely beautiful! The young couple that run it are the Granddaughter and husband of the couple who bought the property that had been long abandoned in the 1930's. They understand thru hikers and provide outstanding service to us all and the meals are outstanding! Thank you Neville and Michael!We decided to zero here because its so nice and because it will better serve our schedule for getting back to Damascus for Trail Days on Thursday. That's when I'll see Yolanda for the first time since early March. I can't wait!!!
Date: 2013-05-14
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Tuesday, May 14 Zero at Woods Hole Hostel. Weather: sunny and pleasant. We decided to zero here because it will line us up better for our hike to our shuttle pick up point. It was a super relaxing day and people kept pouring in that we knew. By dinner time we had 42 people here which we learned from the owner was a new record. It was an awesome scene. So many thru hikers all sort of queuing up to get back for trail days. Dinner was really something with everyone pitching in to help. We ate outside because the night was so nice and we made a big campfire and many of us sat around it and just traded trail stories. Nice, laid back night.It did strike me as unusual that B-line didn't finish his meal and down right alarming that he turned down ice cream for dessert. This would prove to be a harbinger of things to come.
Date: 2013-05-15
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Wednesday , May 15. Second zero at Woods Hole Hostel. Weather: sunny and warm. Hi 82 Lo 61Well as I suspected, B-line is not well. He woke up feeling bloated and with no energy. He refused breakfast and just wanted to lie down while we ate. We recommended that he see a doctor and he agreed to do it. We all agreed to stay here until we know what's wrong with B-line. We have now arranged our shuttle to pick is up here to take us to Damascus. It's another laid back day here at the best Hostel so far on the trail. Relaxing, restful day. The truth be told, the rest will still do me good as my foot is much better but more rest will only do it more good. I have to confess, I feel kind of guilty not hiking but I'll get over it! We will have to remember not to plan a huge day our first day back because by then we will have had 6 days without having hiked.
Date: 2013-05-16
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Thursday , May 16 Woods Hole Shelter to Damascus VA.0 miles. Weather: Sunny and warm Hi 83 Lo 57Today we travelled back to Damascus VA to attend Trail Days. This is a 3 day celebration of the trail that is reminiscent of a 1960's hippie gathering. We got there by taking a shuttle to Interstate 81 and then we got a ride from a friend who is a vendor representative with Princeton Tec, a headlight manufacturer. His wife and he picked us up in a company RV which was fun and quite comfortable. Trail Days is quite amazing. Estimates of crowds are a bit hard to peg because people are far flung including camping in the woods, but 20,000 does not seem an unreasonable estimate. This is comprised of current hikers and alumni. Like us, current hikers make their way to Damascus from hundreds of miles away, up and down the trail. It's truly a pilgramege at a time of the hike when we all need a break whether or not we realize it beforehand. It also gives us all a chance to shakedown our gear for the upcoming hotter weather, change what is worn out or just not cutting it, and clean everything like new. Best of all, it's just a great party with thousands of like minded people who all share a love of The Trail. Huge bonfires, lots of beer, dancing, singing, hiker parades, talent contests, friendly competitions, all housed in an enormous Tent City. Seeing almost everyone you've met thus far on the trail brings constant smiles to our faces and calls of comraderie ring out all over. Trail Days is the consummate AT experience. This hike and this festival is making me the happiest and most content that I've been for many years. Especially since Yolanda is here with me in Damascus for the next 4 days along with my hiker buds B-line, Srocket, and Why Not.
Date: 2013-05-18
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Saturday, May 18 Damascus VA. Trail Days. 0 milesWe wandered around Damascus today just taking in the hiker festival. I had several repairs done on my gear and picked up a couple of new replacement items. I cleaned all of my equipment, waterproofed my rain gear, and cleaned and aired out my tent. Everything is like new! We are really looking forward to resuming hiking on Monday. The 6 days off the trail really healed our bodies and cleared our minds and hopefully we have now put the cold weather behind us. I followed the old practice of sending home my cold weather gear once I got to Pearisburg. I hope I don't get burned!There was a very unfortunate incident today during the hiker parade that certainly could have ended more tragically. An elderly man who was involved with the parade organization had an apparent heart attack and ran his car into a group of hikers in the parade. Apparently three hikers were air lifted to a local hospital by helicopter and several others were taken away in an ambulance. Fortunately none of the injuries appear to be life threatening and everyone looks to be OK.
Date: 2013-05-19
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0

Sunday, May 19 Damascus VA for Trail Day. 0 milesWeather: thunderstorms and heavy rain all day. Today was a rainy, slow moving day. We did final packing and resupply to get back on the trail tomorrow. Everyone is moving out of Damascus today it seems and we will be right behind them. As a group, the four of us have talked about being more independent on the trail and just getting to towns together and being more flexible in where we individually start and end each day. This should help us enjoy our own pace and preferences each day but still be hiking as a group. The Trail Days Festival was a lot of fun, but I'm a bit too old to drink deep into the nights and then function the next day. Seeing Yolanda was the real highlight of the four days for me. I will miss her greatly once I say good bye to her tomorrow for another two months.
Date: 2013-05-20
From: Damascus

To: stealth campsite near Pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Monday , May 20 Woods Hole Hostel to stealth campsite past Pearisburg VA. 15 miles. Weather: Sunny and warm. Hi 81 Lo 62Today we drove with Yolanda from Damascus to Woods Hole Hostel which is where we left the trail to go to Trail Days. Saying goodbye to her was very hard. I almost felt like leaving the trail and flying home with her. That would be so nice but I'm still committed to finishing the trail so I will push on although with a heavy heart. We started hiking about 11:30 but still managed 15 miles by about 5:30. It was a warm day and I could really feel the effects of the heat on my hiking. The next month will be tough as we deal with the "Virginia Blues" which is the term for the longest, hottest state on the trail. At over 500 miles long it is a full one fourth of the hike. Just getting back in the groove was not easy after 7 days off the trail. I'm sure that it will come in time.Meanwhile, summer is finally here! It's about time. Now we can look forward to long days and swimming holes! Let the real fun begin!
Date: 2013-05-21
From: stealth campsite near Pearisburg

To: Baily Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Tuesday, May 21. Stealth campsite to Baily Gap Shelter.18.6 miles Weather: sunny and hot. Hi 90 Lo 72Today's hike was in a word, HOT! I got an early start and did 13 miles by noon. I also walked past the biggest rattlesnake I ever saw in my life. It was at least five feet long and 4 inches wide. The thing was huge. After stopping for lunch we walked a mile to a hiker hangout called Captains. We had to cross a river on a zip line then we went for our first swim of the hike! The water was freezing but it felt great. It was very tough to get up out of the sun and back on the trail, but we did and managed an additional 3 miles to the shelter and called it a day.
Date: 2013-05-22
From: Baily Gap Shelter

To: Sarver Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Wednesday May 22. Baily Gap Shelter to Sarver Hollow Shelter 21 miles. Weather: sunny and very warm all day with afternoon thunderstorms. Today started a little latter than usual as I was just a little slow getting started after a poor nights sleep. That plus the heat made the miles a little slow today. I hiked with Srocket all day because Bline hiked on last evening and Why Not got a super early start. I had lunch at a nice overlook which Srocket somehow missed but thunderstorms started to roll in so I ran the 1 mile to the next shelter just in time to beat the rain and there was Srocket who also had ducked in ahead of the rain. We left as soon as the rain stopped to complete our hike which consisted of 8 more miles and one more big climb. Just before starting the climb we came upon some trail magic in the form of beer and Doritos. After that we pushed up the climb and passed the famous Keifer Oak which is over 300 years old and 6 feet in diameter. An amazing tree. We grinded out the climb and got to the shelter only to find Why Not there much to our surprise since we thought she was going to push on to the next shelter. Change of plans! This is a beautiful shelter and we are only 5 people in here. It will hopefully be a nice restful night.