morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-05-04
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

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

We woke up in a cloud. Ate breakfast in a cloud. Started hiking in a cloud. The cloud lifted in time to see Grayson Highlands and the pony herd. Just as we reached the shelter where we ate lunch the skies opened up and we ate lundh in a downpour protected by the shelter. After lunch the rain quit and we hike til 6 pm and never got rained on.    I took my first fall today. I slipped on a rock, when I went to plant a pole to catch myself it went in a hole and I fell to the side, breaking the the pole which broke my fall. I ended up on my back, unhurt. We are in a shelter again tonight because we remain in a cloud and the forcast is for more rain.    At the shelter tonight are th same people as last night except for dances with sloths who hiked on to Dickey Gap and to Troutdale. In place of southbounder Andy, we have southbounder Blue Skies, a girl from Denmark who started at Harper's Ferryand plans to flip flop. Blue Skies is different from Blue Sky who is a buther from Georgia who we have been hiking with for a while.    We went over 500 miles today.
Date: 2007-05-05
From: Hurricane Mountain Shelter

To: Dickey Gap
Miles today: 5.2

Another night in the cloud and everything got damp. We hiked this morning in th cloud. We were sprinkled on most of the way into Dickey Gap where we tried to hitch hike the 2 1/2 miles into troutdale. We don't seem to have the patience to hitch. Especially when it is only 2 1/2 miles. We walked about half the way before a man stopped in the fog and brought us the rest of the way.    We are staying in a hostel at the Troutdale Baptist Church and plan to attend Worship in the AM, eat lunch, then hit the trail. Today we got lunch, showers and watched it rain from a dry room all afternoon. We walked down to the resturant for dinner, watched the Kentucky Derby, and back to the Hostel.    Jen was craving grahm crackers to dunk in milk. The only crackers the store had was an off brand they used in the kitchen and the only size milk they had was a gallon. She has a lot of grahm crackers and milk to eat before we leave tomorrow. "You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn." Ps. 18:36
Date: 2007-05-06
From: Dickey Gap

To: Campsite at Brushy Mountain
Miles today: 7.8

Stayed in town for Sunday School and Church. Pastor Ken Riggins invited us to lunch then took us to the trail. Very nice people in Troutdale. Pastor and wife are really interested in ministry to hikers but struggle to get the church involved.    We were on the trail at 2:05 and by 6 pm had covered 7.8 miles and made the last water we thought we could make so we stopped and camped. Tomorrow we will hike to partnership shelter where Pizza Hut will deliver.    At Trimpi Shelter we met two thru hikers new to us, Chi-Chi and Rhododendrum, a young couple from Charlotte NC. We hiked for a while with Tabasco a single hiker from Kansas. He is carrying 85 pounds.    After we ate supper and were getting into the tent he hiked by tonight. 85 pounds. Sheesh!
Date: 2007-05-07
From: Campsite at Brushy Mountain

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

Got up this morning thinking Pizza for lunch. Partnership shelter is right by the visitors center fro Mt Rogers National Recreation Area. There is a phone and Pizza Hut and another Italian Resturant deliver. We made the phone by 11Am but Pizza Hut doesn't deliver until 4 pm and the other restruant is closed on Monday. We didn't want to wait til 4 so we headed on to Atkins, VA and made it about 7. We got a room and ordered Pizza.   The room wouldn't pass Mom's inspection that is for sure. But it was a shower a bed and we watched Manny Rivera lose another ball Game.
Date: 2007-05-08
From: Atkins, VA

To: VA 42
Miles today: 11.8

We got shuttled to town where we mailed a package home and went to the store to resupply. We were on the trai at 10:30. Most of the day we were hiking on Provate Property--across pastures dodging cow patties. I had a bad day knee wise. We moved kind of slow and when we crossed VA Highway 42 and found a flat spot and a nice creek and it was 6pm we stopped for the night.
Date: 2007-05-09
From: VA 42

To: The end
Miles today: 1.5

About 1.5 miles into the hike today I couldn't do it with my knee anymore. I am writing this three weeks later. And we are back home, the trip is over, we are back to work. It was fun while it lasted. I have seen therapists, drs and rested the knee for three weeks. Today I took a hike in our Utah mountains and the knee did pretty well, with a double dose of Ibuprofen and no weight. If I lived in The Southeast, I would be willing to give it another try, but it is too late.
Date: 2008-04-24
From: VA 42

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

May 6 is our date to resume our hike. Hopefully we will be able to hike for three months, until sometime the last week of July. How far, well we aren't worrying about distance so hopefully we wont get in a hurry. that was when I hurt my knee both times. we are excited about a new start. Actually we are not starting over but becoming section hikers we will start where we left off, where the trail crosses virginia hwy 42. The first order of business is to get back in trail shape. Unfortunately I have gained all the weight back I lost last year on the trail. I am not sure it will ever be possible to keep it off when you quit hiking 12 hours a day and have a little better access to food, it is hard to keep that weight off. Two weeks til we are on the trail. We are both excited about it.
Date: 2008-05-06
From: VA 42

To: Lick Creek Bridge
Miles today: 5.3

Krista dropped us off where we left the trail 364 days ago. So we are continuing our thru hike after 364 zero days. Of course the purists among us dispute the thru hike part, we are on the trail again. We began hiking at 2:30 and at 6:30 we quit, 5.3 miles down the trail. It was fun visiting with K and Andrew. He is a sweet baby. It didn't take him very long to warm up to us. He even called Jen Grandma a couple of time and me Granddad once. We didnt see any hikers today until we got to the place we intended to camp, there was one hiker, Troutbum,   (Tom) from ohio. He was surveying the creek to possibly fish in it a little. He tried, caught one little rainbow about 2 inches. It is good to be back on the trail. We are feeling fine and looking forward to tomorrow. We heard a barred owl just about night fall. he was welcoming us back to the AT.
Date: 2008-05-07
From: Lick Creek Bridge

To: Unknown Stealth Camp
Miles today: 9.5

Welcome back to the trail Flint and Jubilee. Today was a real toughie. We started with a strenuous climb from 2300 ft to 4400 feet. Not steady either, we made a lot of the elevation several times. We made the top about 2:30 then began hiking down again. Then up, then along a ridge. We finally tuckered out completely and made a dry camp. We are short of water tonight so we did without our tea and coffee, tomorrow we will have to hike before getting any breakfast. I hate dry camping.We were passed by 8 or so hikers. We met one south bounder with his dog. The weather has been nice but rain is forecast for tomorrow and Friday. If it rains tomorrow we are in the rain.
Date: 2008-05-08
From: Unknown Stealth Camp

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: broken clouds

we are not real sure about the camping place last night, so the miles may be off, but the two day total is correct. 15.9 miles in two days, is not good. That doesn't count the extra mile we had to hike today to get water. This was a result of poor planning and poor decision making. I am just going to have to overrule Jubilee on these things. JUST KIDDING! They were joint decisions.I think that is what was wrong with me though. I got a dehydrated. This mileage compares to the first two days in Georgia in 2007. We will just have to work through the soreness again. Today we struggled again and the majority of the trip was downhill. But legs, calves, ankles and feet are all sore. We ARE? having a good time. We pulled in to Jenkins Shelter about 2 pm and decided that this is where we would stay. It was 5 miles to the next water and we were not sure we could do another 5, so we stayed put. Just as we were cooking supper the clouds burst open and we received a downpour. That made our decision to stay in the shelter instead of putting up the tent.Now there are two hikers from Minnesota in the shelter too, Red Dog, and Lucky Dog. They said they were hiking with another couple that had to go down the 12 mile to water that we did. Either they stopped along the way, or they will be dragging in here sopping wet in a little bit. Tomorrow we are going to try for 11 miles to the highway where it is 2.5 miles to Bland, VA. We will get into Bland and take a rest and resupply.
Date: 2008-05-09
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

Wheee it rained hard all night We finally made a good decision. We stopped at the shelter and set up to sleep in the shelter rather than in our tent. We stay dry ok in the tent, but then we have to carry a wet tent the next day. By morning the rain had stopped and we had a nice cool day to hike. It was our best day hiking yet. We were strong on the uphills and made 2 miles per hour. That is back to our hiking speed from last year, we just dont have the endurance any more. We met some more through hikers, that is part of the fun of the trail. Tonight in the motel are four young people who passed us at Jenkins Shelter yesterday. They decided to push on to a campground 5 miles further on. They got caught in the rain, and were wet. When we went by the campground at 11 they were still trying to dry out. Now they are here at the motel. Tonight we will sleep in comfort, then resupply tomorrow. We plan to hike a short day and get lined up for the 42.9 miles to Pearisburg.Red Dog saw five deer this morning while setting on the privy, which was set on a platform with no walls. A visit to the crapper was a real visit to mother nature. One of the hikers yesterday saw some deer as well. I guess we make too much noise with our poles, we have seen no wildlife except birds, a squirrel or two, and creepy crawly things.
Date: 2008-05-10
From: Bland, VA

To: Helvey's Mill Shelter
Miles today: 2.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We left Bland around noon. We caught a hitch from town to the trail before we even got to the edge of town. A nice local lady who said she looks out for hikers and gives them rides all the time picked us up. We were sure glad it was that easy. I think Jen was just mentally prepared to hike back to the trail without even trying to hitch. I wondered why, when you set out to hike 2000 miles you get so concerened with finding a 2.5 mile ride to the trail. Of course the answer is that those are 2.5 miles that don't count toward the AT hiking total. When we got to the grocery store their power was out so they wouldn't let us use a credit card. We finally talked them into taking an out of state check but we had to search for groceries with our hiker lights. Especially in the back of the store. We hiked the 2.3 miles ok, but then it was only 2.3 miles. A lot of it was on a road, crossing Interstate 77, then an uphill to the shelter. Then a 14 mile hike to the shelter from the AT, then another 14 mile hike from the shelter to the water, and tomorrow our 9.8 miles will include those miles in reverse.I talked to Soulman tonight. Sam Jones and his wife Linda, from Georgia have been section hiking the AT for several years. I first met him when he came to Salt Lake City with a group of volunteers to help with the Olympics. They are looking to join us somewhere around Catawba, VA on or about the 20th. we are 113 trail miles and 10 days from there. They think they can hike with us until the end of July. It will be fun, I think, to have some company on the trail as long as our hiking is at least semi-compatible. You don't have to hike the same speed, but you need to cover the same miles each day. Tomorrow is Mothers day. We both called our moms today before leaving Bland. There have been two trail incidents in the last few days right in front of where we are. In one, a single girl hiking to town was picked up and assaulted by a local. In the other two fishermen were shot by a man who murdered two hikers in 1981 and spent time in prison until he was released in 1996. He disappeared from his home several weeks ago and they think he may have been living along the trail until he attacked the fishermen. It looks like they may both survive. They captured him already, but they shut down the trail for a day or so while they looked for evidence. It makes you realize, you aren't really totally safe anywhere, even the the woods, and bears are not usually the bad apples. Today we saw a yellow and brown snake.
Date: 2008-05-11
From: Helvey's Mill Shelter

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Left early this morning. Today was the day rain was forecast, but we made it through the night, got up and packed as it began to sprinkle. But as we began to hike we had a cool overcast day. Made over 6 miles by lunch and we stopped to eat the last of the pizza from Bland. Then we headed on, and before we made it very far the heavens opened and it rained and hailed and just pelted us. We had three miles to the shelter and we hustled pretty fast, but about 30 minutes before the shelter the rain stopped and we got to the shelter in the sunshine.two section hikers that were at the last shelter offered us some hot cider, they were drying out and then they headed on.We debated as we watched the sky, finally we ate a hot meal and decided to stay. About 4:30 The rain started again so we feel we made the right decision. We are joined by Site, a young hiker from Boston who is working now to try and build a fire. If he succeeds we will be happy to join him around the fire. by the time he got the fire going, everyone in the shelter was asleep so he enjoyed it himself. At least that is what he told us the next morning.The only wildlife we saw today were two frozen butterflies.
Date: 2008-05-12
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a cold, windy, cloudy day but there was no rain. We hiked in our rain clothes though, expecting a storm anytime. It was cold hiking. We made the miles at the 2 mph rate and pulled into Wapiti shelter just before 6 pm. 14.2 miles is our most miles so far. Jen made supper while I put up the tent. We had already decided that we were going to tent if there was a place to set one up, and when we got to the shelter it was jam packed. The Lollipop Guild had zeroed there trying to dry out clothes from the wet day yesterday and they were joined by two elderly south bound section hikers. By the time we had eaten we got in the tent and made ready for bed. then we had a cup of Earl Grey tea and some crunch bars. It is 56 degrees right now in the tent, probably a good 6 or 7 degrees warmer than outside. It is warmer to sleep in the tent than to sleep in the shelters, the only thing is when it is raining you don't want to have hike with a wet tent.We are thinking of doing a 12 to 13 mile day tomorrow, the weather is supposed to be nice, camping at a spring there, and then we will have a 3-4 mile nero day into Pearisberg on Wednesday. That way we can get cleaned up, do our laundry, get groceries and hit the trail again on Thursday. We will have 75 miles to go to get to Catawba, and we want to be there on Monday the 20th. This is the shelter where In 1981 two hikers from Maine were murdered by the same man who shot two fishermen near here a couple of days ago. (see my post from 5/10) UPDATE: The shooter was released from the hospital to jail, where he died that night. Cause as yet unknown.Today we saw one chipmunk.
Date: 2008-05-13
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Campsite/Spring	621.1
Miles today: 13.7

today began with a major uphill from Wapiti shelter, then across a super rocky ridge until we finally made Doc Knob shelter about 4:15. We took about a 45 minute break and then took off for the campsite 5.3 miles away. We arrived here, two very tired puppies, with four dead dogs. The reason we wanted to get here tonight was to make the next day a nero into Pearisburg for clean clothes, clean bodies, and food resupply. Two other hikers share our campground with us tonight. One a hiker from New Hampshire and the other from North Carolina, Recurve. Both of them passed us up on the hike today. Another hiker who passed us, Jackalope, must have gone on to Pearisburg.
Date: 2008-05-14
From: Campsite/Spring	621.1

To: Pearisburg, vA
Miles today: 2.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Made Pearisburg about 10:30, then a one mile hike up to the hotel. It was as monstrous of a downhill as the uphill was yesterday. Unfortunately, it is becoming pretty obvious that my knee is not going to be able to do this. we are looking over options now, but in order to keep hiking we are going to have to find a way to quit backpacking and start day hiking. (Carrying a small pack with water and lunch only. The kind of hiking we do all year long in Utah)Today we saw a real red-headed woodpecker. He had a bright red topknot just like Woody Woodpecker in the cartoons. Neither of us had ever seen one before. We are at the Plaza Motel in Pearisburg, VA. We called Josh (our son) and he will bring our Tahoe to us on Friday. Soulman and Linda, will be here on Tuesday or Wednesday and we will head on north, permanent slackpackers.How about that Pootz? Sorry Kiwi and Blue Sky.
Date: 2008-05-15
From: Pearisburg, vA

To: Pearisburg, vA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Pay no attention to the total miles listed at the top of the page. Obviously my math is wrong or I have missed a day somewhere, but our total miles on the trail are 624. Today is a really zero day. We have zero to do. Zero miles to make, Zero laundry to do, Zero shopping for groceries, Zero getting ready for hiking. We just have to wait a day and a half for Josh to get here. Right now as I write this, the nice man at an office allowed me his wireless access by sharing the access code so I am updating the journal and the blog. jen is reading my book. it is time for lunch. We are icing my knee for ten minutes every hour and a half. So much for our exciting summer.
Date: 2008-04-05
To: TBA
Miles today: 0.0

I was bad this morning, after my owner left for work i got into the mail drop boxes. I couldn't help myself, the beef jerky smelled too good to resist. After I ate all the jerky I found dessert -dark chocolate covered espresso beans and cashews -MMMM good. Boy was she mad, i guess it's ok now i am curled up on the couch watching the basketball game.
Date: 2008-04-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Okay the chocolate did't kill me but North Carolina losing to Kansas almost did. We are all packed and everything is in the car. I was chased around the house and put into the bathtub. I am now curled up in some blankets smelling of Dr Bronner's Peppermint Soap, i hope i dry out soon. We are going to bed early -so we can drive to Damascus in the am. I hope we do something soon... Oh there's the cat gotto go.Font
Date: 2008-04-07
To: Driving South
Miles today: 0.0

What is she doing getting up this early -it's too early to get oob. I just heard the food container opening and my dish is full. I am always hungry, so out of bed I go -I look at the dish then i look at her, tip my head to the side and paw the air. SCORE!! a biscuit, it works every time. i am going back to bed while she gets ready -the cat went out but i will chase him later. Oh good time to go for a ride -?Damascus? where is that?? hmmmm I hope it's close I need some exercise!!! Hiking tomorrow....Green Corner near SBF
Date: 2008-04-10
From: Deer Mountain Shelter

To: Painted Creek Trail
Miles today: 17.0

-left Deer Mtn Shelter area and went into Hot Springs-piciked up food MMMMMMMMMMMM More beef jerky and Power Bones!! Bluff Mtn Outfitters let me come inside as long as I promised not to pee on anything.....hmmmmmmmm They had stuffed Huskey dogs that scared me at first but then i saw a stuffed Possum that i wanted to tear apart. I didn't get the Possum. The climb out of Hot Springs wasn't bad but the weather was very warm. While running along the river I smelled something totally disgusting and decided to roll in it pack and all. WOW! was that fun until i got yelled at -but the pack came off for the day so it was worth it. We stopped at Mill Brook Pond and I went for a swim to cool off -then food and a short nap. We camped down Painted Creek Trail near a stream about a half mile off the AT.......great night the moon and stars were out no rain fly on the tent. Oh i forgot we went up to Rich Mtn Fire Tower. I was afraid to climb up so I whined and cried until they came back down -great views.
Date: 2008-04-11
From: Painted Creek Trail

To: Flint Mountain
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

Another great day! We went up Camp Creek Bald, lots to sniff there -garbage everywhere. Today was more New England style for a while -we hit White Rock Cliff and then followed a rocky ridge line with great views on both sides. They noticed two very large bear tracks on the way tho Flint Mountain Gap, but I could smell them miles away but they didn't ask. After we found a place to set up the tent, we ate and crawled inside then the rain came with thunder and lightening. I just borrowed my head under my jacket liner and went to sleep.
Date: 2008-04-12
From: Flint Mountain

To: Bald Mountain
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Another day of running and chasing squirrels....I could get used to this. Very windy on Bald Mountain but spectacular views 360 degrees. We made a water stop by the shelter and could hear a dog barking and decided to keep going. We found a nice place about a mile North. It was windy there too. That night it got down to 42 degrees in ther tent but the wind was blowing right through. It started to snow around 2300H. It didn't warm up much they packed everything up and left without eating breakfast. It's nothing to me because i only eat at night after we stop hiking for an hour or two. I took me a while to get my appetite but now i am eating 2 cups per day plus snacks and anything else i can "Yogi".I have no cord to up load pix but i will do it ASAP!
Date: 2008-04-13
From: Bald Mountain

To: Uncle Johnny's Hostel
Miles today: 16.5

I thought the other night was cold... it was 34 in the tent last night....rain and it started snowing at noon. We finally made it to Erwin!! It was cold and rainy and we were warm and ry in a cabin. That evening we went for a ride to town in Uncle Johnny's Suburban. MOre food...peanut butter fake pig ears!!!Last night I was in a warm dry bed under the covers....Life is Good!
Date: 2008-04-14
From: Uncle Johnny's Hostel

To: Uncle Johnny's Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

ZERO DAY!! except we walked into town and down along the bike trail still rainy and cold. We called Grandpa and wished him a Happy Birthday. We had pizza for lunch with Pippy Long Stockin' and the Hamburgular. Another warm and dry night 2-3 inches of snow in the mountains.
Date: 2008-04-15
From: Uncle Johnny's Hostel

To: Weedy Gap
Miles today: 20.6

We left Uncle Johnny's at 0655H it was dark and cold. Once we reached 2500ft we w ere in snow. We followed "shake n Bakes" tracks from the first shelter North until Cherry Gap Shelter, He was making a fire. We kept going to Weedy Gap, where we meet up with the guy with the Blue Heeler -they left Uncle Johnny's a day before we did. We campped out of site because the dog constantly growled at me. I would rather chase something than fight.