morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-05-11
From: campsite south of crawfish trail

To: Walker gap
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: broken clouds

A little edit to yesterday's post: I actually passed the 1/4 sign today, but the actual mileage for 1/4 of the Trail was passed yesterday...there are small changes made, and rerouting done to the AT continuously, so the signs that are pre-existing aren't always accurate. In any event, the hiking started today in the woods, then through more orchard, past some farm country, across a river, up a hill, and near a very tall stile crossing, a man doing trail magic. Former thru hiker Lumbermack was filling a cooler with cola and peanut - butter n jelly sandwiches he had made. We enjoyed talking with him awhile and learned that he does this every day, driving a couple miles from his farm across the ridge. He even included a print out of the weather forecast for us. Thanks! There were several ups and downs during the morning, then a swim (wading, on my part) at a stream where someone created many interesting and artful cairns (rock piles). Then the big climb of the day came, with 2000 feet of gain over 4 miles, very tough. Stopped at a shelter at the top, but decided not to stay the night, as it was already sort of full, and not very attractive concrete block. Got to a campsite down the hill a mile or so and started to set up tents, just as it began to rain! but not so bad this time. Took sponge baths in the rather weak, but refreshingly cold spring later, and to bed, very tired from the strenuous day.
Date: 2015-05-12
From: Walker gap

To: north end of VA 612
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I awoke to the sound of light rain on my tent this morning, so dilly-dallied about getting up until it stopped. I was feeling rather sluggish to get going after that, too...it was damp, and quite humid, conditions that aren't my favorite. Plus, I knew it was a big mileage day planned. But most of it was ridge walking (seems to be a trend in this state so far), and the weather cleared up and became less humid as the day played out. In the end, we found ourselves camped just below a highway and an interstate, because there's water here, though of questionable quality. Water sources have been rather few and far between the past couple of days, though some of them have been wonderful streams to swim/bathe in...just not where we needed to end the day. So I will be listening to big rigs tonight as I drift off. That's also how I was able to post the 3 entries I have tonight, from my tent, near a cell tower. My battery is now low, I have 3 days to next town and recharge, so will add more pics then, and maybe edit/add to these later, along with answering your emails
Date: 2015-05-13
From: north end of VA 612

To: stream, campsite, north of Dismal Falls
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: clear sky

For some reason, I slept well for the first time in a week, go figure. Must have needed the traffic noise. Upon waking, though, I decided I didn't want to eat breakfast at that campsite, mostly because I didn't relish the thought of filling up with that polluted water...it tasted rather funky, and there seemed to be quite a bit of trash, plus tell-tale toilet paper remnants nearby. So I ate a protein granola bar, strapped on my backpack, and headed up the hill for 1.4 miles to the next shelter, both for a breakfast stop and to gather water. The shelter turned out to be .3 miles off the AT, and then the water supply stream was another .3 miles down a switch - backed hill from the shelter. All in all, an added 1.2 miles of "un-counted" walking for the day. I'm starting to think this may be just the beginning of the water issues, as rain has been scarce lately. It makes for easier hiking and camping, but not so great for water. Anyhow, the day started refreshingly cool, and dry, with sunshine, and relatively easy walking. It surprised me, then, to find myself dragging through the miles. I started wondering, for the first time on this trip, if I could get through the daily miles...after just going 8. I had to force myself to keep walking as far as the next shelter, which was very full of hikers taking a break, plus the picnic table full to the brim, so I chose a sunny spot around back of it on some soft moss to lie down flat and catch my breath. When I looked up I saw a beautiful view of the treetops laced in front of deep blue sky (see pics). I felt rather unwell and lacked appetite, but forced myself to eat some lunch and snacks, then gave myself a pep talk: I would rise above this unexplained "wall" I had hit, and find a happy place to cruise on. I donned my pack and cranked up the ipod, and started walking, and suddenly I was motoring up and over the next 6 miles, rock-hopping and enjoying the woods. Single Speed had a rather tough time keeping up, and we were both in need of refreshment at the bottom, so decided to walk the extra .5 mile to Trent's Grocery up the road (there's another mile "uncounted") for cold sodas and fries, sandwiches, and in my case, a roll of toilet paper, which I split with hiker Flask. I was also able to recharge my phone a bit while we were stopped, an added bonus. On the Trail again, it was a couple more miles to what I considered a luxury camp site...my tent just steps from water to gather and filter for drinking, a nice cold bath, rinsing out salty - sweat clothes, and bubbling noise machine for a peaceful sleep. All's well that ends well, as they say
Date: 2015-05-15
From: Cross Ave. VA 634, Pearisburg

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today's zero began as they all should: getting up when you want to I treated myself to breakfast at a diner in town- a stack of fluffy pancakes, and coffee. Shopped at the Dollar General and local supermarket. Lunch at DQ. Shopped some more at Food Lion. Spread out all the food and re-packaged it (you should see the trash can in a hiker's motel room sometime). Ate while I was doing that! Filled the tub and inflated my mattress to dunk it and search for the leak: no luck there. Affixed new velcro to my trail runners so I can wear my low gaiters again (all that poison ivy at trail edge makes me nervous. Plus the gaiters keep leaves, dirt and debris out of shoes better). Organized gear. Ate again at the Mexican place across the street. Visited with other hikers who have come into town. Talked with my daughter who ran her final collegiate race today in Kansas (rah, rah rah! Way to go out strong, girl!). Hmmm, wonder what I could snack on before lights out???
Date: 2015-05-16
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: campsite on ridge, mile 648.7
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I planned to sleep in this morning as long as possible, but other hikers eager to get back on the Trail went shouting past the motel door at 6:30...and a good thing, I guess. I found that I hadn't prepared myself quite enough to get back on Trail by mid-day unless I got myself into go-mode. Had a bit of breakfast in my room that I picked up at Food Lion across the street, finished organizing my food supply for the next leg of the journey, went to the office to get a cup of coffee, and ran into Twister (hadn't seen him since the fabulous breakfast at Mountain Harbour Hostel), who said a few hikers were going to the diner and it looked like I needed some more, too. No argument from me, and I enjoyed scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and coffee while meeting some new faces: Burl and TreeBeard, Shaggy, and Frosty. After that I called one of my sisters to wish her happy birthday (nice chat, Deb!), followed by a trip to the Post Office to mail a box home (I'm giving up the bounce box for now....it's quite complicated deciding where to send it forward to), and then a final charging up of my phone to 100% before heading out again 5 to 6 days. All of that meant heading out of town at 11:30, and a shorter hiking day. On my way back to the Trail i took a photo of an empty rustic house that caught my eye...it looks like something from a movie set or something. Once in the woods I began a long climb onto a ridge, and felt right at home again and was happy to take in the newly blooming wild roses, geranium, pink trillium, and others. This ridge is lush and full and green, in contrast to the last one, which was dry and rocky and rather dead-looking overall.Even so, the water supply is still quite low here; I stopped to fill at one piped spring and it took at least 15 minutes for a liter. I passed a shelter with a very UN-private privy, and no water source, then through a field with nice views, past some power lines, which were buzzing with voltage, a campsite with another spring (this one much better, and I filled 2 more bottles...whoa, heavy backpack!). I finally settled on a campsite where I met a couple, Gigi and Magoo, whose names I had been seeing in shelter logs lately, and got my tent set up just before the rain came. Nice timing!Decided not to cook tonight, as I had lots of town food the past few days, and settled for a sandwich plus some trail mix and a few cookies. Hoping this rain gets the springs running well again in this area! But also hope I don't have to take my tent down in it tomorrow morning :/
Date: 2015-05-17
From: campsite on ridge, mile 648.7

To: campsite by stream, mile 668
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: broken clouds

When I got up in the morning, the other campers had already packed up and left. I was surprised to find that my tent was nearly dry...which was unusual, because my tent soaks up moisture like a sponge normally. I came across Twister later in the day and mentioned this to him, and he said that's why he likes camping on ridges: the air up high usually dries out the tent quicker. Hey, I rather like that! Anyhow, I left the ridge and headed down to a gap, then briefly stopped at the next shelter for water and a snack, then climbed up onto the next ridge. And for the next 4 miles did nothing but pick my way through rocks and boulders on the trail...exhausting! The ridge seemed to extend a long way, and there was again, very little water. I did see 3 little orange newts on the Trail. They're the first I've spotted since before the Smokies. I was also glad to see the mountain laurel finally blooming after passing budding bushes these past weeks. After the long ridge I dropped down to another low area and another shelter, where I used the privy, then decided to go another mile to a campsite along a stream. I like ending a hot or humid, sweaty day near streams when possible so I can wash off before climbing into my tent for the night. In this case, though, that came later, since as soon as I got my tent up it started raining, then pouring. Soon I realized that my tent was basically covering a small "pond", and the water was running under my tent footprint, and also between the footprint and tent bottom. It rained so hard that it splashed water and mud up under my rain fly and onto the nylon tent (non-waterproof part). Needless to say, things were fairly damp overnight. Meanwhile, though, I ended up cooking my supper in my tent vestibule (overhang between the tent screen and rain fly). After that, the rain stopped, and I went out with my bandanna to try and "squeegee" some of the excess dirt and water off the tent so it wouldn't leak onto my sleeping bag and other things during the night (never underestimate the many usages of a single bandanna). After wiping and rinsing that in the nearby stream several times, I did get my bath (rinsing off with that same bandanna while standing in the stream, most clothes off, behind rhododendron bush/screen).Not much else I could do but go to sleep to the sound of the stream after that, and face the rest of the mess in the morning, so that's what I did.
Date: 2015-05-18
From: campsite by stream, mile 668

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: few clouds

To say that I hadn't camped on a tent - drying ridge last night would be quite an understatement. Instead, I had a real job ahead of me to try and clean everything up. I had a relatively short day planned, so decided to take my time, and hang up my tent pieces and other damp items to air out, before packing up to hike for the day. I saw the sun trying to peek through at one point, but it never truly showed it's face, and there was no breeze, so even after hanging, wiping, and shaking, I ended up using a plastic trash bag to stow the tent in, and got started hiking at a very late 10am. Up over the first hill, I stopped for a brief lunch at the next shelter, met Sunscreen just leaving after having dried his tent, and did the same myself. After descending, I passed through some pasture area, then the Keffer Oak (largest oak tree in the south, over 300 years old), while it sprinkled on me, followed by some sunshine, which only served to add even more humidity to the air. Apparently, this is the preferred weather for newts; I counted 11 on the trail during the day, followed by a swift - running lizard. I sweated my way up the next tough ridge climb, then found myself in a lovely, lush, green forest. The path was soft, easy dirt, and the black/blue butterflies were dancing along above the wildflowers. Interspersed among the trees were these stacked stone beehive shaped structures, not sure what they were. I spotted a purple globe out of the corner of my eye...ever wonder where those balloons end up when people release them into the sky? I think I found one. Parts of the Trail were strewn with what looks like chipped stone (I've been walking on this at times through Virginia, and noticed right away that it has a purple cast to it...Is that where the phrase, "purple mountain majesty" came from? I wonder). If you are charmed by the AT watch out. Next thing you know, you will get a tough surprise. True in this case. Soon I found myself in changing weather again, hearing thunder rolling in. The wind picked up, then a light rain started falling. Simultaneously I was taken to the edge of the ridge, making my way across large rock slabs canted at a 45 degree angle, slick and wet, and sliding away into the valley 2000 feet below. Yikes! This became an exhausting task and slowed me down besides. The silver lining was the scent of fringe trees in full bloom, just growing wild in the midst of the rock cliffs (Beth, I had to think of you during this stretch!). Eventually I reached the end of the ridge and began a rocky, difficult descent. So much for the "short day" theory. Though the mileage was less, the work was more, and I didn't arrive at the shelter until around 6pm. The rain had stopped at some point, thankfully, so I was able to set up tent, eat, refresh a bit in the stream, and retire into my sort-of-dry (translate sort of sticky)"bed" for the night...while trying to ignore the snores from the next tent and the "musty" smell of my hike clothes laid out next to me on my gear (in hopes of "airing out", but unsuccessfully).
Date: 2015-05-20
From: Va 624, Newport Road, Four Pines Hostel

To: Lamberts Meadow Campsite
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

The air was cooler, and dry and breezy to start the new day, the sky clear and blue, the sun shining. It was a picture - perfect sort of day, and a blessed relief from the moist, heavy humidity of the previous 4 days. And it couldn't have come at a better time: this was the day we would visit McAfee Knob, the most - photographed spot on the AT. But I'm getting ahead of myself...First order of the day was to walk through pasture lands, with stiles to let the hikers through and keep the cows contained. We have walked through sections like this before, but aside from the patties giving evidence of the livestock, and that distant sighting of a bull previously, I hadn't really had any interaction with the beasts. Not true today. I was a bit taken aback when I encountered the group of black Angus cows all lined up grazing near the stile. As I approached they all looked up and stared at me, but didn't move. I gave a few blasts on my whistle that's attached to my backpack shoulder strap, then told them to "make way, ladies, I'm coming through. Step aside!" They obliged me nicely The next ridge was mostly easy walking, for several miles, and soon I was on what seemed a well-groomed and manicured super-highway path to McAfee, which is oft-visited by day and section hikers as well as thrus. It is easy and pleasant hiking, a "cake-walk" in comparison to our normal fare. I stopped partway up to chat with a young couple out for the day: a treat for her 28th birthday. I found that he volunteers with a group that helps build and maintain some of these trails, and got to talk with them a bit about some sections I've hiked so far that they want to visit as well as some of what's ahead for me that are his favorites. Once at the top, I posed for photos, and admired the views before heading on to our next stop: Tinker Cliffs, with more outstanding views and an interesting half mile of walking along flat rocky ledges. All in all it was a very enjoyable day, and I feel so fortunate to have experienced this section on such a fantastic weather day. I chose to end it rather early, by setting up my tent at the last approved camping area, next to a stream, before heading the last 9-plus miles into Daleville in the morning. Contentment.
Date: 2015-05-21
From: Lamberts Meadow Campsite

To: Daleville, Virginia
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: drizzle

Well, the previous day's bubble "burst" sometime during the night, when clouds moved in unannounced until I awoke during the wee hours to hear rain falling on my tent once again. It was short-lived, but had done its work of wetting my rain fly...this time I didn't bother trying to dry it out: I was going to town. I was camped with some now - familiar hikers who seem to be doing similar miles: Nurse was there, as was Zerow, and Gigi and Magoo, who are usually up and out of camp by 6:30. I wanted an early start today as well, to extend my time off in town to its full extent possible, so asked them to make sure I was up and at it before they left. The overcast day kept it dark in the woods and the early hour required use of my headlamp at first, which was new to me (I am not naturally a morning person!!!). I was on the Trail hiking by 7, which is a personal record (many hikers would scoff at that, but there you have it, I usually start later to keep my miles down for the day, and often pass the early risers by early afternoon even so). The miles today were believed to be an easy downhill. Fooled ya!!! Not so. Another grinding, rock-picking, much of the time uphill ridge walk. There were many overlooks and views, which were pretty, I admit. However this hiker was dreaming of one view only today: that of a large mocha at the coffee shop just up the road from he hotel. There was no getting to it quickly, though. Pennsylvania has a bad rap for having awful rocks, but nobody warns you about the rocks in Virginia. Let me tell you, they are mighty proud of their rocks here, and they do their best to make sure you see, climb over, meander through, walk across, or heave yourself onto as many of them as they possibly can. Just sayin. Another "view" we hikers see quite a bit are towers atop these ridges, carrying high voltage powerlines (one of them today was especially crackly/hummy). In fact, they are landmarks noted on our guidebook pages, which makes it nice for knowing just how far you still have to go. Especially nice when it starts raining again and you know you only have another 2.1 to the road, and you calculate that if it doesn't start to rain any harder, and most of that is in the trees, you may make it to Howard Johnson Express before you look like a drowned rat (one tries to look and smell somewhat human when approaching the civilized world, but it's not always possible). Very nice, too, of the reception desk lady to let me check in at 10am, so I could clean up a bit, change clothes, and walk up the road as the sprinkles ended, for my espresso treat, with a very nice bonus of sun-dried tomato bagel and cream cheese, followed up later with a cinnamon scone as I answered emails. And the rest of the day you can probably guess by now...eating, relaxing, drying the tent, eating, and so forth. Now that my journal is caught up, all is well.
Date: 2015-05-23
From: Daleville, Virginia 

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: clear sky

The breakfast room was rather quiet this morning at Howard Johnson Express, as many hikers had already moved on the previous day. Besides myself and maybe a handful of others, those who remained were recovering from illness, or waiting to meet visiting family members, or else newly arrived for their own zeros. I filled up on waffles and bagel, juice and coffee, while chatting with Papa Al, a hiker I've seen on and off since Damascus. There comes a point when you just have to heft the backpack on and start walking. For me, that time was 8am this morning. The pack felt like a boulder when I strapped it on: after nearly 48 hours I guess I had forgotten how heavy it is. Of course, a good bit of that weight is a newly restocked food bag. I enjoyed a small reprieve from an immediate steep climb today, as the trail winds between two highways at first, then crosses a railroad track, and then passes through a pasture. More black Angus cows crunched away and either ignored me, stared at me, or else ran away (the calves are "scaredy calves, haha). After the warm-up session, though, a hill did follow....never fear.The weather was still clear, dry and breezy today, though perhaps a few degrees warmer. The Trail was well-maintained, and relatively "easy" walking, compared with other recent ridgelines. At some point it joined and followed alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway, at times crossing it, and giving us a chance to take in the views. I decided to make the most of it and aim for a long day...turned out to be very long indeed, and I was definitely weary before I finished. There is no water source at this shelter (although to its credit, it sports a brand-new picnic table and privy, nice!), so I gathered about 2 1/2 liters at the stream 3.4 miles prior to it...of course, at the bottom of the hill. Um, water is very heavy. Just a reminder.Many tents...more than normal...were set up when I arrived around 6:30. Turns out there's a Boy Scout group here, out for a weekend section hike. I chose a spot for my tent, got set up, ate supper while answering a few of the boys' questions, and am now snug in my bag, hoping I can post this entry before I sleep.