morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-05-14
From: Lamberts Meadow Shelter 

To: Daleville 
Miles today: 9.4

Lots of noise during the night.Bear was definitely  hanging around the tents.Went up to the shelter and Deluxe and Butter were there that morning.They said they heard the bear but didn¢t see it.They did say two large snakes entered the shelter though   Passed by the next campsite where Jethro,Savage,and Hawkeye and ET stayed.They said the bear walked right into their campsite like they weren¢t even there.  Another really hot day today.Really dry section of trail.Came to a really cool huge rock slab They overhangs the trail.Its called Hay rock.You can climb up to its top which is very steep.I did it.Climbing up wasn¢t so bad.Gives outstanding views to a lake and mountains way downbelow.Getting    down from it was a little harder.Smoothe rock at a steep angle and not much to hold onto.Had a little panick attack but I eventually made it down okay.  Was still before noon and getting really hot.Saw some great views under some huge buzzing power lines.A nice section of flowering trees Came next with such a powerful smell.Didnt want to leave it was so nice.Also Saw a huge black snake in this area.  Made this a shorter day and we are staying in Daleville the rest of today and tomorrow.Really need some downtime to heal.Really hoping my foot gets better by Wednesday.This town is pretty cool.Easy to resupply and great restaurants.Went to Three little pigs and had an amazing pork bbq dinner   Many hikers are in town and staying tonight.Got to see some I haven¢t seen in a couple hundred miles.This trail is so weird like that.You think you won¢t see some people again because their pace is so different.And then 100s of miles later you see them again.
Date: 2018-05-15
From: Daleville 

To: Daleville 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Ended up staying 2 and 1/2 days in Daleville.Iced my foot and ate like a pig mostly.And nice ice cold beers!  Was nice to watch really crappy weather roll by for 2 days and not be in it.Had fun visiting other thru hikers that were there and had the same idea.
Date: 2018-05-17
From: Daleville 

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 18.5

Really hard to leave the comforts of Daleville.But we had to and started out about 7am.  Pretty easy hiking through some nice fields and lots of flowering trees.The trail hits the Blue ridge parkway road and has some great views.A nice lady that was day hiking stopped and gave us some food.She said she does it this time of year about 5 times a week  Crossed many streams and the trail was pretty muddy from all the rain we missed.Soon we would pay for that!  Ended up staying at Bobblets creek shelter.I prefer my tent so found a good spot....I thought.Comfortably Numb chose the shelter which was smart.A hiker from Hawaii was there and a Swiss couple and their dog.There names are Swiss,Miss,and the dog is hot cocoa.  It started a torrential downpour.2-4 inches were expected that night until the next afternoon.A little river formed in front of the shelter where I visited for a while.I really thought my tent was going to be washed away when I went to get in.It wasn¢t but I had a crazy amount of water flowing under it.It was just raining SO hard and didn¢t let up .Just getting in the tent was a problem.Things got wet quick.Lucky for me it was a warm night or I would have been in some trouble.  As I am writing this it¢s coming down even harder.Everything is really damp.There is a stream that was dry when I got here.Sounds like rapids now!Really tired so I will sleep fine though
Date: 2018-05-18
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter 

To: Cornelius Shelter 
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: clear sky

wettest night of my life but I survived.Not much sleep.Its a weird feeling to have water running under you all night!  Rain stopped for a bit in the morning.Everything Soaked though so pack was really heavy all day.  Rain ,rain,and lots of more rain all day.Saw no views but the grey skies against the neon green forest and flowers to me is just as cool.Very muddy.Trail was like walking in a streak a lot today.Stopped at Bryant ridge shelter for lunch and wished we hadn¢t gotten there so early.Beautiful 2 story shelter with wrap around porch.  Ended at Cornelius creek shelter from being a long muddy and rainy day.I smartened up and stayed in the shelter because it¢s still raining and I don¢t want to deal with it again.Its still raining so hard!Little swamp forming in front of us. Just as it was getting dark I heard and am pretty sure I heard a bat fluttering around inside the shelter.There is only one other person here who is really grumpy about the weather.Why get mad about the weather?You have to embrace the sucky things otherwise you will go insane!  Hope you are all happy and dry out there in the real world!
Date: 2018-05-19
From: Cornelius Shelter 

To: Glasgow Va
Miles today: 19.9

Lots of rain again last night.Trail is slippery and muddy today.  Not a day for views.Very foggy and cloudy.Trail is still really nice though.So many flowering trees and really lush.The Guilotine was a really cool spot.A huge sharp looking boulder looks like it could fall down on you as it is not held by much.The trail takes you just below it.  Water levels were really high because of all the rain.Lots of streams to cross.Matts creek was the highest.Over knee deep and fast rushing water.Actually felt somewhat warm.Made it no problem.  Next we came to the James river.It was a really big fast moving one .I looks all brown and muddy.The longest foot bridge on the AT crosses it. We heard about a free shelter in Glasgow 5 miles away off the trail.We decided to go to do a small resupply and spend the night.A really nice ridge runner was just getting off duty and gave us a free ride in the back of his truck.Glasgow was a great little place.The Shelter was already full when we got there but was really nice out so wanted to tent anyway.Had a really good time meeting Down Easter and a great couple from the UK.Rambo juice and stretch were there also.Many others too.Nice fire and some beers topped off another long day.Its actually not raining tonight!
Date: 2018-05-20
From: Glasgow Va

To: Brown Mountain Creek shelter 
Miles today: 20.0

A nice sunny morning!Started out early after getting a ride we set up the night before back to the trail.     Lots of nice views down to the very brown James river way down below after a lot of climbing.  Bluff mountain was a great spot with wonderful views.Everything was so green and lush looking.The ridge runner who gave us a ride into Glasgow was working up there.Teally nice guy.Rambo Juice and Strerch were there too.Great spot for a long lunch after a lot of climbing. The rest of the day was pretty easy.Trail takes you by an old settlement that was inhabited by freed slaves .Lots of stonework and foundations from early 1900s Ended up at Brown mountain shelter in my tent again.Really nice fast moving stream to soak my feet in felt amazing!No rain again and it is like a little tent city here.Rambo Juice,Stretch,the nice UK couple and many more are here.Totally shot and need sleep!
Date: 2018-05-21
From: Brown Mountain Creek shelter 

To: Spy rock campsite
Miles today: 18.5

Nice morning and slept great. Big climb early up to Bald knob.Nice Hiking acroos some beautiful meadows with great Mountain View¢s.Pretty nice trail all day.Not much for views but lots of nice stream crossings.  Ended up at Spy rock campsite tonight.Its a nice little open area with few trees and grassy.Spy rock itself is a little off the trail.Its a big rocky knob you climb to get a magnificent 360 view.I stayed up there quite a long time and watched dark clouds rolling in.Had a nice talk with my Bethie up there.Around 7:30 I was still there when clouds really rolled in.It was eerie.I completely was surrounded in a thick cloud that quickly took away the view in every direction.Decided I better get back to the tent because it is a steep climb up spyrock and rain was definitely coming.  Made it back to my tent just before rain started.Was fine by me because I was pretty beat and ready for some sleep ....At least that¢s what I thought was going to happen!  I was drifting off to sleep when I was woken up to the loudest bang I have ever heard.Thunder.Also it looked like there was a strobe light outside my tent.Lightning.The storm was right on top of us for a long time.There was no separation between the two.I can say I have never been so afraid of a storm ever before.We barely had any trees around us and spy rock is at 3800¢.I just curled up under my sleeping bag and hoped for the best!Sleeping bag was over my head with my eyes clenched shut and the lightning was so bright and close it was like looking at the sun.Then a major downpour joined the party.This storm just lasted forever right on top of us.Most scary and exciting part of the trip for me so far.I lived so I can laugh about it now.Really don¢t want to go through it again though.Pickles from England  was the only other one camped out with us tonight.We all agreed it was really f ing scary!
Date: 2018-05-22
From: Spy rock campsite

To: Devils backbone brewery 
Miles today: 19.4

Feeling really happy and appreciating life a little more today.Rode out a scary situation last night.Very foggy but clearing this morning. Some very hard climbing today.The Priest was really cool.Got a nice glimpse to the west of some mountaintops sticking out above the clouds.Long steep hike down the Priest with lots of beautiful water crossings and waterfalls.Its kind of nice that there has been so much rain because you get to see the full force of the streams. Next was a long and hard climb up Three ridges mountain.It just goes up and up and up with no break.Thought we were to the top and the huge green summit came into sight.Maybe I was just tired from no sleep last night but this one seemed really hard today.Finally Made it to the top and had a nice lunch and realized we already did 14 miles today.We thought about making it to Devils Backbone brewery earlier in the day but I really didn¢t think it would happen because of the tough terrain.Now it became a reality and we went for it.  On the way down we came to Hangong Rock overlook which was totally clouded in.We were about to leave when the clouds separated and gave an amazing view back to the Priest and Three Ridges Mountain.Only lasted a few minutes but sooo cool!  The rest of the hike was easy but the sky turned so dark it was like night.Thunder all around us and really windy.Somehow we lucked out and just had light rain and this storm missed us.  Made it down to Reeds Gap where we needed to hitch a ride to the brewery which lets you camp there for free.Took a while to get the ride.An employee of the brewery told us they were closed for a company meeting today.I was devistated.This is one place I really wanted to go on this trip.He said we were welcome to camp there but no food or drink would be available.We decided to go to tent there.We got there and there were at least 20 other thru hikers there who were also very bummed .The place is amazing.All kinds of buildings and a huge campsite for us thru hikers.About 10 minutes after we got there we were told that the owner of the whole business said all of the thru hikers can eat and drink for free for the whole night and join the party.The most amazing trail magic ever!Beer is outstanding and food was out of this world perfect!Was so cool and such a great time.Many thru hikers we know were there.I think today was the happiest day for Comfortably Numb.Just smiles all night.We talked to many employees and the owner himself.Extremely nice people who treated us all like we were family.  When things look down,this trail always provides in some magic way!
Date: 2018-05-23
From: Devils backbone brewery 

To: Waynesboro 
Miles today: 19.1

As you will probably guess,yes,extremely hung over today.What an absolutely great night though.Devils Backbone doesn¢t disappoint.Had an excellent breakfast there and took a smoked turkey burrito with me out for lunch later.  A worker from DB brought us back to the trail.He had his truck stuffed with us front and back.  Trail was quite a bit easier today.Beautiful day made it even better.Cedar cliffs was a highlite.Amazing views down to farms and a town way below.A little after this we were hiking along and along comes an older man with a huge smile on his face and seemed to not have a care in the world.The weird part was he was totally naked except a backpack and shoes.We found out he carries in water for thru hikers in a long dry stretch of trail.Im not saying I would ever do that but it was kind of cool to see someone so happy and free!  Our goal was to get as close to Waynesboro as possible and camp somewhere just before so we could get into town early tomorrow.Passed a really nice 2 story shelter by a beautiful stream but it was still 5 miles away from the road into Waynesboro.So we decided to push on and try to find a flat spot just to tent.The next 5 miles were pretty and lots of nice and streams and thick woods.Zero places to put up a tent though.So we had no choice but to get into Waynesboro.There was a really cool young couple we saw earlier hiking who offered us a ride there because they lived there.They recently did a long thru hike overseas and had to hitch a lot and are trying to pay it back now.They told us the YMCA lets thru hikers stay on a piece of property they own a little on the outskirts of town .It worked out great.Free place to tent in Waynesboro !The trail always finds a way to help you!Met a really cool thru hiker names Trouble from Ga.He has already done the whole trail but doing it again.A really nice lady came from the Lutheran church and told us we can eat there tomorrow night for free.There will be lots of food.Sounds like heaven right now.Still eating like a maniac and can¢t get enough.Her trail name was Iwalks.She thru hiked a few years ago.The south is where it¢s at.I really want to move down here at some point.Different way of living for sure  The property we are staying at is in a big field with a little pavilion with solar chargers .Its all here for AT hikers.I think it¢s just amazing how these towns treat us.Looks like a huge abandoned factory close by.You never know where you will end up sleeping on this trail.We just hike until we get tired every day.I think if you planned a destination every day it would ruin the whole experience. Hope all is well out there in the real world.I cannot tell you all how much I think everyone should do this.It changes you in a great way
Date: 2018-05-24
From: Waynesboro 

To: Waynesboro zero fay
Miles today: 0.0

Decided to take another day off today.Resupplied and laundry and a long hot shower.Feet swelled up like balloons for some reason.So chilled out as much as possible    Tailgate Inn was an awesome place for dinner.Biggest amount of fries I have ever seen.Then ice cream.Banana split for me.I haven¢t had ice cream for over 5 years because I have hypoglycemia, so it was like a mouth orgasm.Its true,that good  For some reason I get really lonely when I go into towns.Makes no sense because there are way more people around.Just feel way better and happy out on the trail  ¢Every town has a mirror,and every mirror still shows me,I am my own ragged company ¢-Grace Potter-
Date: 2018-05-25
From: Waynesboro zero fay

To: Stealth camp
Miles today: 16.2

Had a really time getting out of bed.So tired and the bed was so perfect.Waynesboro has lots of trail angels who will bring you back to the trail for free.Steve was ours and a really cool guy As soon as we got back to the trail an older couple waved us down on a bridge.They said you might want to see this.Hundreds of bikers went by on their way to DC for Memorial Day.Kind of a cool thing to see.Entered Shenandoah park today.Really nice and easy so far.Lots of people asking about the trip so far.People Really Cant wrap their head around the whole thing.   So far the trail here is flower filled and really pretty.Not many views today but saw some deer that were so unafraid of people.Cool to see them so up close.Trail also follows Skyline drive for a long ways.Strange to be hearing cars close by all day. Made today a shorter mileage day due to leaving Waynesboro a little later and a hangover.Found a great little spot .  As I am writing this a big buck is eating about 10 feet away.Sees me and doesn¢t care.Really loving the Shenandoah!
Date: 2018-05-26
From: Stealth camp

To: Loft mtn campground 
Miles today: 10.75
Weather: light rain

Slept pretty great.Heard the buck munching down all night.And another beautiful morning!  Lots of dayhikers out today asking us all about the trail.Really nice views opening up today.Shenandoahs are truly beautiful.  Took a little side trail to Loft mtn campground because they have a store there.Met some new thru hikers I haven¢t met yet there.Got some beers for the road and headed out  Went a little farther down the trail and came to a nice view.A really nice local young lady was there and said there was a rattlesnake there.I am super thankful for her pointing it out because it was curled up under a rock and I wouldn¢t have seen it.I have been wanting to see one for so long now.I find them very cool to watch.We all hung out for a while and I was able to get some great close up pics.It was a really fun time!  Somehow we ended up going back to the campground and stayed there with Teva.One of the best nights on the trail for me.Very fun and great conversation .Really loving meeting all the cool people you run into and get to know
Date: 2018-05-27
From: Loft mtn campground 

To: Stealth camped 
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: mist

Couldn¢t really sleep much last night for some strange reason.Really beautiful morning though with some pretty undercast against pink skies. Early in the morning I was in my hiker trance when I walked by a big tree and noticed something out of the corner of my eye.To my left about 2 feet away was a good sized bear.Didnt even look up at me.I slowly walked away.Numb walked by and it farted out at him a little bit.He yelled at it and it backed off .He did have to give the bear a lot of space to be able to pass.Closest O have ever been to a bear.Was really cool to see.  Lots of wide open views today.Really liking these mountains!Really pretty and more gradual climbing than I am used to.  Another thunderstorm popped up today and we were caught in it.Happens so much they really don¢t bother me anymore.It actually felt pretty good because it¢s been hot and humid here lately.Hit 900 miles today!  A southbound hiker told us there was a great spread of trail magic coming up in the next mile.We booked it down fast and had a great time eating sloppy joes,chips,sodas,beers,and so much more.Annie,Wubby and his service dog Bondo was there with us.  Another storm was coming in fast .Annie,Wubby,Numb and I found a flat spot to set up quickly.It pored hard and for a while.Trapped in our tents until it stopped.I really like hanging out with these guys.  Super quiet tonight.Weird not to here birds or anything at all.Unbelievably peaceful
Date: 2018-05-28
From: Stealth camped 

To: Big Meadows campground 
Miles today: 17.8

zzzzzz Great night of sleep,   Made a plan with Annie and Wubby to meet up at the end of the day at the next campground.  Pretty sweet hiking all day with amazing views.Saw a momma bear and her two cubs offin the woods.Momma bear was not impressed we were watching so we didn¢t stay too long.Another really cool thing to see.  Numb and I made it to Big Meadows campground and scored a site for Annie and Wubby and Bondo.They showed up slightly later .These 2 are really fun to hang out with and easy to talk to.Bondo is just the most amazing service dog.So well behaved.  We went to a great little restaurant close by with some great food and beers.Met up with a hiker I met 800 miles back in Franklin and his girlfriend.Really nice talk.Found out about a lot of hikers we started with that have gotten off the trail.Sad because I really liked them.  Back to the campsite where we had a great night by a fire with lots of laughs.Another great day on the AT
Date: 2018-05-29
From: Big Meadows campground 

To: Luray Va
Miles today: 17.2

Around 2am last night I heard footsteps behind my tent.Close.Next I see a big bear walk by my tent without any care.He just slowly strolled away.Was really cool to watch because he was a big one!  Made plans with Annie and Wubby to head into Luray Va later .  Really beautiful hiking all day again.Lots of deer today right on the trail.Coolest part of the day for me was the side trail up to Stony Man mountain.Really pretty views with clouds rolling by and a great spot to eat lunch.More dayhikers had tons of questions.Its really cool to be able to give advice and answer questions.  Hitched a ride into Luray thanks to Annie.Much easier for girls to get rides out here.Another great time with the ultimate hiker luxury of a pool tonight.Felt sooo goood!Beers and pizza and just a really fun time.Met some more people from Germany who had lots of questions for us.This trail really puts you in places with people you never would think of ever running into. The bear last night made me think of this song ¢Ain¢t it just like the night to play tricks on your mind when you¢re trying to be so quiet¢-Bob Dylan-
Date: 2018-05-30
From: Luray Va

To: Gravel Springs hut
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: light rain

Really fun night from what I remember.Just kidding mostly.  Annie had to get a resume out so we all stayed until about noon and avoided some more really bad weather in the meantime.Thought maybe we could avoid it all.We were very wrong   Got a ride back to the trail with the owner of Open Arms hostel.Really nice lady who almost had us talked into staying there to avoid another whole day of rain.The shy became darker and darker but we all decided to push onwards.We were in for another really wet day.It was pouring when we started.Dimps and 44 were there .Havent seen Dimps in weeks.Nothing to do but get moving so we did.  Rained all day pretty hard.Elkwallow wayside store was a highlight of the day.Was able to get some snacks and a few beers for later. Annie,Numb,Wubby,Bondo and I liked together all day.We planned on tenting at Gravel Springs hut but were all totally soaked so de died to stay in a shelter for once.Makes life a little easier.There were some college day hiking kids there that I really don¢t think wanted us there.Too bad!Because of their little attitudes I made sure we crammed in 6 more thru hikers that showed up soaking wet.Made it a nice tight fit all around them.Dimps and 44 were there and laughing with me about it.  Rain really doesn¢t bother me anymore.Even when everything is totally soaked better days always eventually happen.Everyone complains about it.I just feel really lucky to be out here everyday still rain or shine.We all make it through the rainy days and nights.We always do