morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-06-21
From: Byrd's Nest #3 Shelter, VA

To: Campsite/Hogwallow Gap, Va
Miles today: 21.5

The northern part of the Sheny's has been very enjoyable for us. Open forest floors and lots of good views. This morning I discovered that a critter snatched one of my socks. Lucky for me I had a winter pair still in my pack so I wore those today. I needed a new pair anyway. Last time we washed them it didn't even phase the stink.It took a while to feel like we were moving this morning. Very cool and breezy, lots of rocks starting out and we felt slow and sluggish. Toward late morning we realized we were going much faster than we thought. We made it nearly 12 miles before noon to Elkwallow Wayside- perfect time for something to eat. It was actually the first time we ate at one of the restaurants in the park.. we figured we earned it. Strings, Arriba and Mitch (her son), and Blue Ray were all there too, and we had a very long break at one of the picnic tables. The park was hopping today with tons of people. It's Father's Day. Berry had a chance to call her dad but the minutes ran out on our card before I could call mine (I sent a card)Everyone headed out around 1:30, nice and slow on a full stomach. We hiked a short while with Arriba and Mitch. It was Mitch's first full day on the trail. Arriba will be going home at the halfway point so Mitch is joining her for some of the last leg. We stopped in at Gravel Spring Hut for our last good break and had a nice visit with Woodchuck. He is keeping tabs on all the hikers he's met in the Sheny's. Arriba and Mitch showed up soon after we did and were staying the night. We said goodbye to everyone and pressed on.The rest of our evening was filled with songs and conversations about various camp counselor experiences Berry and I had while in our college days...O the memories! We startled a mother and daughter on the top of North Marshall Mtn. They thought we were bears and started yelling and making noise to scare us away. When they saw that we were hikers they asked us many questions about the trail. They were really fun to talk to and seemed enthusiastic about the AT.The bugs are just crazy around here. If you stop for one second they are all over you. I think I swallowed some in my ramen tonight. There are hundreds of them- little gnat-like bugs- bouncing around between our tent netting and the rain fly right now. We have to take great care to keep them out of our tent. We'll gather all of our items for the evening and lay them outside the tent, then quickly un-zip a small hand hole and throw the items in, then zip back up. Then, we take off our shoes and do the same thing again but this time with our bodies, diving in the tent and shutting the zipper so only a small amount of bugs get in....then we destroy all the bugs inside the tent with pleasure and don't leave our saftey zone unless absolutely necessary.All is done: Cook, clean, nest build, read and plan. We are less than 10 miles from Front Royal, VA. We'll leave the park tomorrow and head into town to resupply before heading back out in the evening.Ready to sleep now. The setting sun looks like fire flickering between the wind-blown trees.
Date: 2009-06-22
From: Campsite/Hogwallow Gap, Va

To: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter, VA
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The day seems like a blur. After 5 days of long hiking in the Shenandoah National Park, Bark and I exited the park boundary around 8:30am and did not look back. We really enjoyed our time in the park- the food, the people, the views and of course the wildlife. Even this morning the deer and bears did not disappoint. Our bear count is now up to 9 after seeing a bear cub tumble off of a low lying limb and then "the biggest black bear ever" (according to Bark)-the cub's momma! It was pretty exciting and the perfect way to end our hike through the park and begin our hike for the rest of the day.From the park boundary we had about 4 more miles to US 522 which leads into Front Royal, our next resupply point until Harper's Ferry. We made it over the rolling hills and emerged from the trail with thumbs held high and hopes of a quick hitch. It just so happened that after many cars and trucks passed us by, the founder and owner of Antique Tables Inc. pulled over in his furniture delivery truck and told us to hop in. We were very thankful for the ride and found his business really interesting. (www.antiquetables.com)The first stop was the grocery store. We picked up a few necessary items and some fresh fruit and parked it on the bench outside for our first break of the morning. After the past several days of 20+ miles our feet and bodies are feeling it. It was nice to sit down and feel no pressure to move a muscle. Next items of business- Outfitter, Post Office and LUNCH! We found a great local place to eat, The Main St. Mill. We both really enjoyed downtown Front Royal. It has a very historic feel and the people were very friendly. We met up with Otter and finished up business for the day. Last but not least, B&L Kustard. Otter treated and we all downed some very cold and very good custard. Well it was back to business- the trail was waiting. We hitched back the 4 miles to the trail and the 3 of us headed out and up. You can always expect a good climb after a town or a road crossing. One very interesting thing about our hike was that we skirted the edges of a research center for endangered animals which sits on thousands of acres of previous Civil War military bases. The hike was good as Bark and Otter continued to swap stories about video games, bands, etc. We made it to the shelter around 7:30 and lo and behold there was a shower at the shelter. Cold, but so good! We are hoping that being clean will cool us off and help us sleep well. It's off to bed now, we are ready to rest!
Date: 2009-06-23
From: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter, VA

To: Campsite on Buzzard Hill, VA
Miles today: 24.0

We had a great day of hiking today. We didn't intend to do 24 miles but the added motivation of being at Bears Den Hostel, a very famous and very nice hostel, and feeling good today helped us to push on a little further.Berry and I had a deep sleep last night once we finally got to sleep. Quite a crowd at the shelter- which was close to a convenience store, which had beer. As you can imagine, there was a roudy bunch and we didn't get to sleep till after midnightWe were up and out by 7:00am. Most of the hikers were still sleeping good, including Otter. It was a nice cool morning and we didn't see anyone until Manassas Gap Shelter, where we took our first break. "Bones" happened to still be there so we caught up with him for a while before moving on.In between there and our lunch stop the only entertainent we had was trying to dodge the horseflys. Actually I don't know that they are horseflys, but they are big and black. We have two words for them depending on what they are doing to our heads.... they are either "orbiters" or "dive bombers" Yesterday Berry had one that turned into both. They go round and round your head occasionally brushing your ears or hair, then they get tired of that and decide to slam into your forehead or cheeks. The worst part is that they are pretty hard to kill because they're so fast, but we get a few now and then. Amazingly though, other than a few orbiters today there were no bugs out. Really nice!We had a solid hour long lunch at Dicks Dome Shelter. "Two Spoons", a hiker we just met showed up and we talked about the NFL.The trail took us through Sky Meadows State Park. This was by far the best section of trail recently with great views and plush meadows. Around 4:30 we made it to our original destination (Rod Hollow Shelter) and took a break with "Jones" and "Blue Ray". Everyone pressed on.Berry and I walked the rest of the evening slowly, seeing how far we could go before becoming too tired. Any mileage we could do today past our goal would be that much less we have to cover tomorrow getting into Bears Den for a nice rest, shower and bed!Near the 20 mile point we began the section of the trail called "The Rollercoaster". We had been hearing about this part of the trail for a couple of weeks now. It's several miles of rocky 400-700ft climbs. We are in the middle of it now and it's pretty tough.We were pretty beat by the time 8pm rolled around and decided to call it quits at a nice little area on top of Buzzard Hill. Berry got our food together while I built a fire hoping some night hikers would join us. She got the inside of our tent ready and stayed there while I read out by the fire. I knew Otter would show up eventually. He rolled in about 10pm. He said he could smell our fire for miles. We sat out by the fire till nearly midnight, occasionally chasing after critters with our headlampsIt was a full day. We only have about 5 miles to hike tomorrow into Bears Den. Time for bed.
Date: 2009-06-25
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Loudoun Heights Trail Campsite, WV
Miles today: 18.0

Today marked 2 big accomplishments for us. We reached the 1000 mile point and we made it out of Virginia crossing into West Virginia today, and Maryland tomorrow!Berry and I took it slow this morning enjoying a pancake breakfast and a good visit with Hopeful and Redwing. We were encouraged by them and very thankful for the stop- it provided us with the rest we needed to move on. We were joined shortly by "Chewy" and "Goose" on the start of our hike. They are a couple that met on the trail and we got to know them a little bit today. They joined us for a long break out of the sun and a quick cat nap at the Blackburn Center. The center is owned by the ATC and is a hostel/rest stop for hikers 7.8 miles after Bear's Den, at the end of the rollercoaster. We were there for a while and considered staying for a free dinner, but we pressed on knowing that Harpers Ferry was within reach. We left Chewy and Goose there and they were undecided if they were going to wait for dinner. We made it to Keys Gap around 6pm. Our handbook said there was a little resturaunt 0.3 miles to the left. Not wanting to eat ramen, we decided to check it out and give ourselves a break. It was a nice stop and the owner of the place was really friendly. She brought us out a pitcher of sweet tea immediately and mentioned how many thirsty hikers come through the door. We both had BBQ. Very good!They had a T.V. on and we saw the report about Micheal Jackson and Farah Facet. Wow, didn't expect that.We hiked on 4 more miles and met a new hiker named "Lean To". The three of us walked till nearly dark trying to get as close to Harpers Ferry as we could. Lean To has a knee injury and is doing 10 mile days for two weeks to manage the injury. Hopefully it will get better. We are camped with Lean To about 2 miles from Harpers Ferry. Tomorow we'll get into town and grab our mail drops then press on a little further. Harpers Ferry is considered the half way point on the AT. The actual half way mark is about 70 miles after Harpers Ferry. We are excited to be here!
Date: 2009-06-26
From: Loudoun Heights Trail Campsite, WV

To: Ed Garvey Shelter
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: moderate rain

Bark and I woke up with the sun this morning, but quickly decided that since we were not too far from town we would lay around a little longer. Lean To was awake and busily packing up so we conversed with him about the day ahead and what his plans would entail. We slowly packed up everything and headed towards the ATC in Harper's Ferry by 7:30am. The hike took us through a historic wooded area highlighting the Civil War.We came out at the Shenandoah River, crossed the bridge and headed uphill into town. The trail winded through town in order to put us on the doorstep of the ATC. When they opened up at 9am we were ready to have our picture taken and register at the "halfway" point. It was so exciting to be there. Even though we have about 70 more miles to the literal halfway point, this was a huge accomplishment! Yeah!!!Once we got everything squared away we moved on to the post office to pick up our bounce box, our food drop, a wonderful surprise package from Bark's family and a very sweet card from a friend in Louisville (thanks April). Turns out Harper's Ferry is a very charming town. It holds a lot of history from the Civil War. The buildings and homes are very representative of the time and there are still many remains to visit. The mighty Potomac was our state border between West Virginia and Maryland.We ate a great lunch at "The Cannonball" and then made our way into a brand new state. The hiking was pretty easy at first, a nice bike path that skirted the river. We soon headed uphill and about 7 miles later we strolled in to the shelter. We had every intention of just taking a long break and then moving on another 4 miles to the next shelter, but... that didn't happen. We settled in and as other hikers came in, everyone picked a spot and did the same. After a dinner of peanuts and fruit leathers and beef jerkey I got to clip Bark's stitches and pull them out. His cut looks great and has healed very well. Our short day today will hopefully give us some good rest to put in good miles tomorrow. There is a little soreness in the lower part of my right shin so we are hoping it heals up and the hiking is smooth for the next several days. We are hunkered down in the shelter now just hanging out with Holdout and Hatchet. Lean To is here tonight. His knee is feeling much better. There is a stray cat roaming around so I am personally hoping that the mice will stay quiet.One last thing- we have to say hello to Slapshot's grandmother and family. We were excited to meet you at the ATC center and hope your drive home was nice. Thanks for following our journals.
Date: 2009-06-29
From: Mentzer Gap Road/Campsite

To: Quarry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: few clouds

We headed out by 8am this morning. The sun was shining bright with a cool breeze. Berry and I felt good starting out the day. Maybe the psychological barrier of difficulty is behind us for now. The trail today was quite beautiful. We both could tell a difference in the forest floor and the trees. That gave us some motivation. The shelters have been very nice and well kept in the area. We are impressed. PA is good so far!We hiked quick today, doing our best to make it to Hwy 30 by early afternoon. We needed to resupply at a small market .9 miles to the right of the highway. We made it there by 2:30 and got a quick hitch down the road by some folks from Alabama. The little market was perfect and we were desperate for some different food. Our food drop that we picked up in Harpers Ferry was one that we had made from before the trail. Since we've been hiking a lot has changed in the way that we eat- what works and what doesn't, what gives us energy, what we like, etc. Anyway, we packed a lot of peanut butter in that food drop, and as most of you know, I no longer enjoy peanut butter after some food poisoning. So... we are very happy to be done with that food and back on track for the next 2 days.We made made it back to the trailhead off Hwy 30 and hiked .4 miles to our next big destination, a swimming pool! Everyone was there....hikers we haven't seen since Damascus (600 miles ago)! The Birds, Chachi, Moe and Lucky Joe, Blacklist, Otter, Freebird and us stayed there for almost 3 hrs before heading back on the trail. It's great to be back with everyone.We had some misfortune at the pool, our cell phone got stolen. Thankfully Otter had internet connection on his phone and we could find the # for Sprint and give them a call to restrict the phone. Hopefully we'll get another phone soon.After the pool we continued on another 3 miles to Quarry Gap Shelter. It is another great shelter and everyone that was at the pool is here visiting with one another. More hikers are showing up- Hatchet and Hold Out, Ned the Fed, Waterboy and others. Like one big family!
Date: 2009-07-01
From: Pole Steeple Vista, PA

To: Alec Kennedy Shelter, PA
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We woke up pretty early this morning. At least I did. Since we were on top of the mountain on a cliff-top the sun came early. I was out of the tent before 6:00am to watch the sunrise and greet the day. It was a wonderful sunrise. Berry stayed curled up in her sleeping bag till I came back around 7:00am. We took our time this morning because we had a shorter day than usual, a little over 13 miles.We smell so bad right now, I think the worst ever! My socks are like cardboard and they smell exactly like a dead animal on the side of the road. When we take off our shoes flies immediately swarm and land all over them. Our packs have a perpetual funk as well. We'll have to run them through a car wash before we get off the trail.Lot's of wild blueberries on the trail. I can't keep Berry away from them. We hear that cherry trees are close by. Mmmmmm.We took our first break today around 9:30am. Waterboy came up behind us and visited a while, then the Birds behind him. We saw the same group at lunch time and decided to walk with the Birds until we could no longer keep up.The trail was nice and flat until we all started walking together. We hit a pretty steep hill and then traversed large rock formations and boulders for about two hours. We enjoyed talking with the Birds and it made the miles go by a little faster. We said goodbye to them as we all got water from a stream just before our stopping point for the day. They were pressing on into Boiling Springs but we're staying at the shelter before.Since we were at the shelter so early we made the most of our time by building a fire, reading, napping and watching a big black snake slither up the privy chimney. Freebird and Otter showed up around dinner time and we are camped together, horsing around. A big storm just moved overhead... it got dark, windy and chilly all of the sudden. Thunder and lightning are cracking in the distance- glad to be in the tent.We are very excited about seeing our good friend, Don, tomorrow and catching up with him over the weekend! A break from the trail will be nice. We hope to get some pictures up as well over the holiday weekend for all of you who follow us on TJ.
Date: 2009-07-03
From: Boiling Springs 

To: All over the place - Gettysburg to DC 
Miles today: 0.0

Today we spent the day with Don enjoying the sites and history of Gettysburg and traveled near DC where we will be spending the night before heading into DC tomorrow to watch the fireworks. We've eaten at some quirky places and we had a chance to go to REI and pick up a few needed items. It's crazy seeing all these people... overload!! We've had a great day!We got some pictures up and put some of them with matching journals. Some of my favorite pictures are the ones that Berry takes of a leaf or something very small up close. We'll take more over the weekend and get them up. Thanks for watching/ reading
Date: 2009-07-04
From: All over the place - Gettysburg to DC 

To: DC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Washington DC was booming with people all day... it was crazy. We had a wonderful time seeing things that we have read about and seen on tv for years, things we have always wanted to see. We spent the day with Don at the National Mall visiting the memorials and museums. There was a parade going on which filled the area with people, music and activity. By late afternoon the people had tripled so we headed back to our hotel via the subway. It was a thrilling way to spend the 4th. We ordered pizza and watched the fireworks show from our hotel room on the 11th floor. We had perfect seats! Not only could you see the main show, but also all the other suburb communities on the horizon. We watched the people outside the hotel gather on the streets and curbs by the thousands to watch the fireworks. When it was over it was like a madhouse below with all the people and traffic. Fun to watch. and very glad to be in our room.Most of all we are thankful for the time we're getting to spend with Don. It's an awesome feeling to have the love and support of our friends out here on the trail. We're fortunate that we have friends that will make such an effort to see and support us.
Date: 2009-07-05
From: Boiling Springs 

To: Woods Road Campsite, PA
Miles today: 16.0

Well Bark and I rounded out our 4th of July holiday with our good friend Don. We were headed out from DC by 9am and soon on the hunt for a flat rate box at any post office we could find; we were desperate not to carry the extra pounds that would be in our bounce box. Don drove us back to Boiling Springs, PA where we had left the trail and we finally found the box we needed and a very friendly local to let us into the Post Office lobby (it was Sunday). We were then able to download a few items into our new bounce box, slap on some postage and drop it in the box. Shortly after we arrived, Don had to say goodbye. We had a splendid time with him, seeing a familiar face from home was a wonderful encouragement- it was a little sad to see him go. At that point, there was nothing left to do, but do it, so that is what we did. We hiked! Our elevation profile predicted a very flat stretch for almost 11 miles... it was right! We spent most of the afternoon walking through farmland, cornfields and cow pastures. PA really is very beautiful. We talked a lot about the past few days and our favorite stops we had made. We also talked a little about the future- life after the trail. We don't quite know for sure what lies ahead, but we are starting to bounce around a few ideas. For the time being, our job is to keep on keeping on and allow our focus to fall on the trail and on our fellow hikers. My favorite part of the day occurred during one of our snack stops. Bark and I had just dropped our packs in a clearing next to a cornfield. As we sat down it sounded like Bark sat on a twig and snapped it, but no... he had actually split his pants! Not down the back, but right in the groing area- a most inconvenient location. I had a good laugh and we figured he could just put on his shorts until Duncanon (tomorrow) where we could possibly find a small repair kit. The rest of the day he stuck pretty close behind me, especially when there were passing Southbounders. Tonight we are tenting it solo. No water at the shelter and we need to go into the Post Office tomorrow in Duncannon to check for Bark's replacement part from Deuter. Its a great night to be tenting. Weather is clear and cool, our clothes and sleeping bags still smell like laundry detergent and we aren't dirty yet. All of those things put together should make for some great sleep.