morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-04-17
From: Laurel Creek

To: Kincora Hiking Hostel
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: clear sky

Woke up to a rainy morning. I had shoved most of my stuff at the foot of my tent and the screen had been pushed far enough that parts of my rain clothes and my pack had gotten a little wet overnight. I suppose they would have gotten wet eventually anyways. It's a difficult thing to get moving in the morning when it's raining. You feel so cozy in the warmth of your sleeping bag and know you'll be packing up a wet tent. I didn't get out on the trail till around nine, but fortunately it was a warm rain and it wasn't long before I was shedding layers. It wasn't an hour after I started hiking before the rain stopped altogether and the weather became somewhat muggy. The temperature was cool enough though to keep me fairly comfortable and I only had around nine miles to make to get into Kincora which went by quick and easy.I popped into the Kincora Hiking Hostel to find Nobody, Moonpie, and Little Brown who told me the Traveling Circus and Yianie were out on a short Southbound slackpack and would be back later. Prophet's leg was bothering him so he showed up and decided to spend the night as well. It's always a wonderful feeling to have a roof over your head at night and Kincora is a donation run hostel run by Bob Peoples so the price is very reasonable!Bob was gone when I came in, but when he arrived around six I was able to pick up my package and hit the dinner shuttle into town for Little Ceasars pizza, yummm! I ordered a large pizza with breadsticks and soda and was able to eat all the breadsticks and most of the pizza... I was also able to gobble down a pint of cookies and cream ice cream I had realized in town that there had been a package I had Johnny sent at his hostel that should also be at Kincora but when I had Bob search for it he said it hadn't arrived. That evening Bob offered to let me slackpack from Lake Watuga southbound for the day so I could check in first thing Monday morning to see if my package had arrived. I gratefully accepted that offer, especially after hearing about the monster hill we northbounders had to climb the next day.
Date: 2010-04-18
From: Kincora Hiking Hostel

To: Shook Branch Recreation Area
Miles today: 8.9

What a wonderful day to slackpack The Traveling Circus was getting dropped off to head North at the same location I was to head South, and Jackstraw had decided to slackpack South as well for the day, so Bob drove us out to the "beach" around 9:30. With all the extra time we had to get where we were going that day we all decided to hang out on the shores of the lake for a while. The morning had been cold so it was too cool to swim, but the sun was out so we enjoyed the morning despite. The Traveling Circus is filming a documentary of their hike and Ring Leader interviewed me this morning by the lake. It was nearing noon before we all decided to head our seperate ways.Let me say that today was a wonderful day to hike South. The mountain we climbed was full of switchbacks, but when we descended the other side it was incredibly steep with only a few switchbacks near the base heading to the river. Jack Straw and I ate lunch near a bridge where an abundance of day hikers were out for a stroll. It was Sunday and the hike was easy, pretty, and short so there were a lot of people who had headed out for a few hours after church and the trail was very busy. For several miles we we followed a creek and at one given point the temptation to jump in was too overwhelming. The day temperature wasn't hot, but warm enough that I couldn't help but jump in when I found a deep enough spot to do so and it felt soo good! I love the water and I certainly can't wait until we hit some swimming holes up North. The trail also passed by a beautiful waterfall in which I took my time at and after the climb past the waterfall the trail was flat and easy the rest of the way to Kincora.Let me tell you it is so nice to carry such a small pack, you really feel like your flying up the hills! I enjoyed my slackpack for today, but tomorrow it's back to the real stuff.
Date: 2010-04-19
From: Shook Branch Recreation Area

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: clear sky

I woke up early this morning to pack up my things since Bob was leaving at eight to take us back to the lake. I called the Post Office and to my dissapointment the package still hadn't arrived. Let me tell you though, Bob is an amazing person who does so much for the hikers. He offered to call the PO everyday to check in about my box for me. When I get to Damascus i'll give him a call to see if he found anything out about my package, but i'm worried I may never see it. If it arrives i'll have it bounced forward.With an early start I was able to get in very good miles today and it helped to have such easy terrain to start. The first five miles or so followed along Watuga lake and were very flat, once we hit the dam we climbed up a road for a little bit and much of the day consisted of a gradual climb with many short downhills intertwined which made things very easy. The hike once again was beautiful with wonderful views of the lake, and the weather was perfect for hiking! The sun was out and the temperature was mild and after my short slackpack the day before I felt really good. I hit the Vandervent? Shelter around lunch time so I sprawled myself on a rock like a cold blooded creature to soak up the warmth and enjoyed lunch and a quick nap. I was pretty low on water but the water source was difficult to get to so I poured Kelly most of what was left and decided to just fill up at the next source four miles up the trail. Fortunately the trail was easy and the next source was piped right from the Spring and directly off the trail.It was around four when I hit the next shelter where Boston and Missionary had decided to stay for the night. I felt good and there was still plenty of light so I decided to move on to the next shelter. I had finally got my radio tuned to the country station I had been searching for for days and the weather had been calling for showers the next day so I figured the more miles I did today, the less I would have to do tomorrow in the rain.A few miles before I hit that last shelter I passed through some of the prettiest land I have seen on the trail. The trees opened up to rolling pasture land with old farm structures and the grass was so long and green and luxurious! Kelly went for a quick roll with her pack on and it was tempting to stay there for the night, but it was close to a road so we continued to the next shelter.When I approached the shelter it looked like I would be the only one there for the night, but Stambler, whom I had not met yet, was tucked in her bag in the corner. Stambler is a talker, but she also listened to country music (finally someone on the trail who does!), so we talked about her hometown in Nashville as we listened to the country station on the radio. It had been a long day, and because of the forecasted rain the next morning I opted to stay in the shelter.
Date: 2010-04-21
From: Damascus, VA

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

Gotta love those zero days!Woke up this morning to pouring rain and I must say I was very glad to be in a warm bed in a dry place. Taking a tent down in the pouring rain is no fun so I was glad I made it to Damascus last night.Sandalwood and Chatter invited me to breakfast and coffee with them this morning at Mojoes which I gladly agreed to. The cinnamon roll was delicious and I also ordered myself an omelet and had myself a nice hot gingerbread latte, yum! Kevin, the other man with the dog offered to watch her while I ate so I wouldn't have to tie her out.After breakfast I said goodbye to my new friends and started with my town chores. I was able to do my laundry in the house my fellow hikers had rented, which saved me some money and I stopped by the outfitters to pick up a couple of pairs of new socks. My old smartwools were full of holes at the toes and the bottoms were getting threadbare. It will be very exciting putting on clean socks that actually smell fresh! I also picked up a few energy gels and headed out to get the rest of my groceries.As usual, there was a dollar general in town but it seems like everytime you ressuply at the dollar general you get the same foods, which gets old and unhealthy so I opted to walk a mile to a real grocery store. As I was walking back a little orange car pulls over and Jack Straw pops his head out and asks if I wanted a ride. He has a friend thats been in town for a while and they will be hiking together for the next week.For now I shall enjoy the rest of my day off. I will likely pick up some ice cream and hang out with the other hikers at the house for tomorrow I will be hiking out, and in just a couple of days I will get to see the wild ponies of the Grayson Highlands
Date: 2010-04-22
From: Damascus, VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: broken clouds

Spent another night at the Hiker¢s Inn, Donner was the only other hiker in the bunkroom so it was very nice and quiet. I did realize early in the morning that I didn¢t have enough cash to pay for the last night so I headed out early to figure out where I could get some cash back. Fortunately, the man at the post office let me buy a stamp with my debit card so I was able to get some cash, and afterwards I headed out to Cowboys for some breakfast.Damascus was a quaint little town and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, despite being ready to head out, I wasn¢t yet ready to leave so I headed over to the house where the Traveling Circus, Yianie, and Prophet had stayed once again to hang out until it was check out time. On my way out I stopped by Mojoe¢s caf© for a latte and was able to escape the vortex of town around noon.Today was a teaser hike. I have been told about the beautiful Virginia Creeper trail that runs flat and follows along the river for many miles. The AT, of course, was not flat nor was it the beautiful crushed gravel of the Creeper Trail. As usual, the AT found mountains to climb and roots and rocks to stumble over and at the same time the well graded, beautiful Creeper Trail was in sight for miles. A few of the thruhikers decided to hike the Creeper Trail until it met up with the AT approximately six miles down, what an easy hike!The hike today wasn¢t very difficult, with the exception of one large climb the rest of the day was fairly flat and easy. I made the mistake of skipping lunch and not stopping for snacks though and by the time I had finished the nearly 16 miles to Lost Mountain Shelter I really felt like I was dragging my feet. Kelly, as usual, still had plenty of energy to spare. Kelly really enjoys the attention she receives from the other thruhikers, especially where snacks and sticks are concerned. It¢s pretty entertaining to watch Kelly as the hikers gather firewood, she looks so hopeful that maybe, just maybe someone will throw a stick her way.
Date: 2010-04-25
From: Trimpi Shelter

To: VA617 (Atkins, Va.)
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: light rain

I¢m not sure what it is about Virginia, but it seems like every day is better than the last. This morning started out like any other: eat, break down camp, head out and hike. It wasn¢t until I hit the top of a mountain a bit past six miles where I got a huge surprise! I see what looks like a couple of day hikers and a dog, only to realize it was John, Jane and Buddy! I knew they were up in Virginia and we were going to try to arrange a visit, but I wasn¢t able to get reception on my phone the last few days so I was worried I wouldn¢t get to see them. Well, after missing me at the last few road crossings they finally found me and when we reached the road they had cookies, candy, soda, and water. As the hikers piled in, we thoroughly enjoyed the snacks and John and Jane offered a slackpack the next four miles to the Partnership Shelter. Young One, Prophet, Kelly, and I all put our packs in the car and without any weight we made it to the next shelter in just an hour. The guys are definitely faster hikers than me and I had to run half the time just to keep up. Kelly also had a blast in her slackpack, picking up sticks, rolling in grass, and running along with us. When we got to the shelter we had done over ten miles and it was only noon. The partnership shelter was very fancy, complete with showers and an upgraded privy (normal outhouse pretty much) complete with toilet paper! Despite the luxury, I decided to hike the next twelve miles and get a motel room in Marion. John and Jane offered to slack pack us the rest of the way so Young One and I grabbed a few snacks, I grabbed a water bottle, and we headed out.We had a bit of a climb coming out of the shelter and the seven plus miles to the next shelter were completely dry. Fortunately, we ran into a few Southbound section hikers who offered Kelly and I some water until we could make it to the water source on the other side of the mountain. The Chatfield shelter was very pretty and the vegetation was lush, and water plentiful. The rest of the hike was very beautiful and green with open fields and pastures, creeks, and a good mix of pine and hardwoods. Approximately four miles before the road we arrived at the Settlers Museum, which included a very cool old-fashioned school house complete with an outhouse and a classic teeter totter. We went inside, signed the register, and hiked the rest of the way to the interstate where we arrived precisely on time around 4:30 in the afternoon. We covered a lot of ground today, but without our packs it was so much easier! John and Jane were very helpful and took us to the Laundromat and dropped us off at Walmart on the way back. Walmart is only a very short walk from our motel room and is conveniently located next to Little Ceasars where we picked up some pizza for dinner, yum! Tomorrow morning I need to pick up a package, then it¢s off on the trail for another day of hiking.
Date: 2010-04-26
From: VA617 (Atkins, Va.)

To: VA617 (Atkins, Va.)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Woke up to an ugly, rainy, cold, and windy morning and the first thing that popped in my mind was zero! With 75 miles in four days I figured I could afford to take a zero day and my next zero may not be until trail days so after I picked up my package I decided to check in to the Relax Inn right off the trail for the night.Little did I know that Atkins isn't the most interesting place to take a zero, there is a couple of gas stations and a restaurant near the trail, otherwise there isn't much to do so I pretty much ended up catching up with all my friends and family back home and sitting in front of the gas station for a couple of hours waiting until the wave of hikers arrived. I did however, do a good job of escaping the weather for the day, but with chance of rain tomorrow i'll have to brave the showers eventually.The wave of hikers started arriving in the afternoon with a couple of guys I had met before but never got there name, then Natedog, Boston, Little Brown, and Moonpie arrived. A few hours later Prophet and Yianie rolled in followed by the Traveling Circus. With the exception of Young One who hiked out in the morning, we were all together again for the night.So, in a town with nothing but a few restaurants you end up doing a lot of eating and watching tv which is precisely what I ended up doing for the day, nothing too exciting. For dinner, all of us went up to the Exxon where the owner also manages a restaurant and the food is awesome! Most of us ended up getting ice cream sundaes afterwards as well and ended up getting back to the motel pretty late. tomorrow morning it's hiking time, rain or shine!
Date: 2010-04-27
From: VA617 (Atkins, Va.)

To: Knott Maul Shelter
Miles today: 12.9

Slept until eight this morning and could have easily slept much longer. The room was dark and despite the hour the day wasn't much lighter with the clouds and a steady drizzle. Despite the rain I knew it was time to head out so I packed up and headed to Eats and Treats (the restraunt at the Exxon station) for some breakfast. The lady who owns the restraunt and gas station was cooking this morning and she knew from the evening before that I wanted french toast and although it isn't normally on the menu she told me she would cook some up for me I also had a breakfast sandwhich and when she mentioned preparing her fried sweet potatoes for lunch I knew I had to have some. As I was finishing up breakfast Yianie, Prophet, and the Traveling Circus (Ring Leader, Lightning, and Monkey) showed up so I hung out with them for a while, procrastinating my hike in the rain. I finally dragged myself out around eleven and hiking in the rain wasn't too bad. I had bought a new radio at Walmart the night before with a digital tuner so I didn't have to deal with the little wheel tuner anymore and it was working perfectly so I put my music on and just started hiking.Throughout the day we passed through many little farms hidden in the valleys and one pasture had a few black cows that just stared at Kelly and I as we passed by. Kelly paid no attention to the cows whatsoever although she definetely knew they were there. With all the private land the AT passed through today we did have one thing we had to deal with that hasn't been much of an issue before, stiles. Basically, when the AT passed through fenced private land, the AT needs to find a way to get deal with passing through the fences and stiles are a common solution. The stiles are often just steps, but today we hit some that were practically ladders. Fortunately there was an opening in most of the fences just below the stiles where Kelly could walk through and in the case where there wasn't, she was just small enough that she could go under the first strand of wire.We only hiked fourteen miles today to the Knott Maul shelter, although I intended to go farther, I stopped quickly at the shelter for a snack and the coziness of the shelter got to me and I set my tent up and was done for the day. I am hoping I can hike to Pearisburg by Saturday morning in time to pick up my package, when I left Atkins I thought Pearisburg was ten miles closer than it actually was meaning I would have to average 25 miles the next few days which is quite ambitous, but doable.
Date: 2010-04-28
From: Knott Maul Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Was out at 8:30 this morning, which was a bit later than I intended for such a long day, but it's also important to get a good nights sleep as well which is my excuse. The first few miles were downhill or flat and through the Rhododendrons and amongst all types of creek beds. We had a big climb today up to Chestnut Knob, but we also had a small 500 foot climb before that which I knocked off fairly quick and easy. The time up Chestnut Knob wasn't nearly as bad as anticipated. With the exception of a steep grade in the beggining, the 2000 foot climb was actually quite easy and about 600 feet from the top we hit some grassy balds and a little pond. Fortunately the weather today was absolutely perfect, it had been very cold the night before, but today was cool and sunny- perfect hiking weather!I stopped at Chestnut Knob shelter for lunch which was very neat, it was completely enclosed with a door, and even had a picnic table inside! I didn't stay too long though since I still had a lot of miles to knock off so Kelly and I headed out. Most of the rest of the day was ridgeline walking and it was very rocky, dry, and full of small ups and downs. I had run out of water for several miles and it wasn't until we had almost descended to the shelter did I see a spring which was a beautiful sight! Kelly and I filled up and stuffed ourselves full of water. I made myself some gatorade, ate a small snack, and continued on.When I reached the next shelter I couldn't see it from the trail and knew if I had gone out of my way to get to it I probably wouldn't have been able to leave, so I passed on right by and ended up camping at a little site with a picnic table not too far off the road. Scout, Jaybird, Slim, and Lion King where also there and although I was contemplating a little night hike, the fire blazing, the company and the fact that there was a cooler full of drinks 100 yards back was enough to make me set up my tent right there for the night at the end of my longest day yet.
Date: 2010-04-29
From: Campsite

To: Campsite
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: few clouds

After a cold night I woke up to another beautiful morning. My tarptent had accumalated a lot of condensation throughout the night so once again I put away a wet tent and as soon as I was packed up, Kelly and I headed out. Lion King had told us the night before about the Woods Hole Hostel ten miles from Pearisburg that has a shuttle into town for $16 so rather than rush too much Scout and I decided we would make it to the hostel on Friday and split the shuttle in the morning, that way we knew we could make it in time and that's a bit less miles we would need to do the next couple of days.The first seven miles today were very easy, and although most of the hikers went into Bland for lunch or resupply I hiked right past to where the AT cross over the interstate and for a while I couldn't figure out whether or not the trail went left or right. I took a left at first up a hill, but after not seeing any blazes I figured the trail must go down the road the other way, so I turned around. Eventually I spotted a blaze so Kelly and I continued down the road until the double white blaze signaled a turn back on the trail. Kelly is very smart, although the road continued, Kelly turned on the trail at the double white blaze, she can always seem to find the trail no matter how tricky. We have reached intersections with several trail or roads and she always seems to know which one is the AT, i'm not sure how, but she is smart!As soon as we started on the trail again we had a very steep climb back up to the mountains, although short, it was the steepest climb we had yet and the day was already warming up making it all the more difficult. When we reached the trail that lead to Helvey's Mill Shelter I opted to just eat lunch at the trail intersection when I saw the trail was .25 off the main trail and I also ended up taking a nice little nap. Turns out I probably should have gone to the shelter since the next ten miles were completely dry and it was very difficult to ration the half liter of water I had. Once again I opted to skip the shelter and headed to a campsite a mile down the trail next to a half dry stream. After I had camp set up, Scout, Mellow, and his girlfriend Megan (who was just out for the week) showed up as well.Tomorrow i'll be making the rest of the miles to Woods Hole and will also be hiking to Dismal Falls, which is a little side trail .3 miles off the trail, but I have heard it is worth it!