morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-05-17
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Buena Vista, Va
Miles today: 11.3

After getting up and on the trail I catch up with M&M who I met 2 days ago. After chatting with him we decided to go into Buena Vista and split a room. After getting to Pedlar Lake Road where trail magic by Flash and Hot Flash. After lunch M&M and me head out. Was a very easy hike to the road crossing   US 60. After getting to the gap M&M and me start to chart with a guy named Just Do It. After he started to chat about his thu hike in 03/04 I asked him if he knew Deja Vu and Songbird. He offerd us some soda which we took gladly. As we where talking with him and about to start to try and hitch into town 2 of the section hikers from Matts Creek Shelter pull up and offer some snacks and sodas. M&M and me look at each other and laugh anf then tell of the lunch and soda we got in one day. As they where setting up Just Do It asks them if they wouldnt mind taking M&M and me into town. After they moved some stuffed around we hopped in and went into town. After getting to the Budget Inn I send a call to mom to see when I will get picked up for trail days and let her know not to pick me up at the trail but instead at the hotel. After talking I found out she was going to be in Buena Vista that night. M&M and me split a room and when mom showed up we went out for dinner.
Date: 2006-05-18
From: Buena Vista

To: Trail Days/ Bristol
Miles today: 0.0

After getting up and getttng breakfast. We take M&M back to the trail at US60. After saying good by Mom and me head back to the hotel to pack up the car and head out to go down to trail days. Along our way down we stop off in Daleville to see if any hiker needs a ride back down to Damascus for traildays. After check around and talking with a hiker we leave with no one. While continuing along the road we decide to stop off in Pearisburg to check and to drop off the cooler my mom brought down for the hikers not heading back for trail days. Before entering the town we spot three hikers on the side of the road. After making a U-turn we pick them up after making some room in the car. We then go and drop the cooler at the trail crossing leaving the town. The three hikers where named Butterfly Skies, Rapunzel and Ghost. After gettting to Damascus we drop of the three at The Place. We then headed to get something to eat at In the Country. We then headed to tent city for the free gear repair. I took my Lekis and my backpack to get fixed up. After dropping up the gear we decided to travel into Bristol to treat ourselves to a night at a Courtyard Marriot.
Date: 2006-05-19
From: Trail Days/ Bristol

To: Trail Day/ Abington
Miles today: 0.0

The next day we went back into Damascus for trail days once again. walked around the town. Picked up my Lekis and found out my pack still wasnt ready. Checked out the vendors and chatted with the people. Then headed to the Days Inn in Abington and order pizza for dinner and called it a night.
Date: 2006-05-20
From: Trail Day/ Abington

To: Trail Day/ Abington
Miles today: 0.0

After getting up and having breakfast at Cracker Barrel it was back into trail days. The first thing when we got there was to check on the condition of my backpack. After finding out that they just wanted to get me a new pack instead of sewing up the blown out shoulder straps. After measuring me I found out my torso is a medium and that my pack I had was a large. After that it was time to get ready for the Trail Days parade. After filling up the 2 water guns, 2 bottles and 2 water balloons it was off to wait for the start of the parade. While wait for the parnade it I chatted with the people I knew from hiking. When the parade started some people start to squirt each other and have fun. Knowing I didnt have too much water I waited till we turned onto main street. As we moved a little along I launched one of my water balloons at 2 girls sitting on the grass with water guns. It was too funny as the water landed right in between the two of them. From then on is just all fun. People soaking each other from all sides and every where. After the parade we walked around some more and some people where still soaking each other untill a woman came on a micro phone and asked that the hikers stop. Mom and me then walked around for a while until we ran into Sleeper and his Wife. They offered us a pinic type dinner at the gazebo. We joined them and ate while lipstening to live music playing. After eatting I took a short nap. After my little nap is when a few other people I knew showed up along with some new people I met for the first time. After chatting and having a good time it was time to head back to the hotel to call it a night.
Date: 2006-05-22
From: Buena Vista US60

To: Fish Hatchery Road ( Dutch Haus B&B)
Miles today: 16.3

Slack packing for a while till my new pack comes in. The first plan was to go and do a 19 mile day to a road just before the Priest Shelter. After getting to 5 miles to the Fish Hatchery Road I turned on my phone to find out I a new voice mail. After climbing up a rock I was able to listen to it and find out I needed to get off at Fish Hatchery cause the other road was a 4 wheel drive only road. After getting down to the road I noticed a note ona sign it was a note from mom saying to go down the road. After a 1.5 mile down hill I join my mom and we went to the Dutch Haus B&B for the night. A very nice place and great people.
Date: 2006-05-23
From: VA56 Tye River

To: Fish Hatchery Road
Miles today: 9.4

SOBOing while slacking. made good time and was nice seeing the people I met the other day and people that were just behind me. Got back to the Fish Hatchery road by 1pm. And then back in the car to go and do a few more miles before calling it a night.
Date: 2006-05-23
From: Blue Ridge Parkway mile 13.5 (3 Ridge overlook)

To: Blue Ridge Parkway mile 9.6 (Dripping Rock)
Miles today: 4.3

Doing a 4.3 to wrap up the day. Got to Dripping Rock parking area in about 1hour and 17minutes. Got in the car and headed into Waynesboro and the Quality Inn. Went out to a all u can eat for dinner and spending most of tonight updating this journal while watching tv.
Date: 2006-05-24
From: Blue Ridge Parkway mile 13.5 (3 Ridge overlook)

To: VA56 Tye River
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Headed back to the Blue Ridge Parkway in the morning. Leaving Mom/Songbird to do Trail Magic. It was a easy day and ran into a few people ive met awhile ago. After hiking added all the missing days. Plan to add more info to the days either later tonight or another day.
Date: 2006-05-25
From: Blue Ridge Parkway mile 9.6 (Dripping Rock)

To: Rockfish Gap, Waynesboro
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: light rain

Headed out on the trail by 8:30 today. Looked like rain and the forcast was calling for rain. Easy hiking today got to the shelter by 11:50 and headed out by 12. Didnt see anyone while hiking. Got from the shelter to Rockfish Gap about 5 miles by 1:30. After getting to the gap I made a call and found out my mom just left the gap thinking I would be another hour or two.
Date: 2006-05-26
From: Rockfish Gap Waynesboro

To: Blackrock Hut, Shenandoah National Park,Va
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Got on the trail with Sumo and Redbeard. Pushed on and got ahead of both of them. While hiking I hear thunder in the distance. I pull out my cell phone and have service. I make a call to mom to see how the drive home is going. I mention to her that the joke I made about it being nice and sunny while she was here and when she left it would rain looks like it might happen. After finishing talking I put my phone away and start hiking alittle bit to try and get to the shelter before it rained. Hearing the thunder gettting closer I knew I couldnt beat it and put my rain gear on. No sooner than I got my pack on the rain started. It down poured for the next few enoungh to get my feet alittle wet. After the rain I got to the road crossing before the shelter and seeing a sign that said to get water here for shelter I went and filled up and carried my nights worth of water .6 to the shelter. After gettting to the shelter it has a good amount of people. At the end of the night 4 section hikers doing a 200 mile section, swiss miss and her friend, Redbeard, Sumo and a few other section hikers.
Date: 2006-05-27
From: Blackrock Hut, Shenandoah National Park,Va

To: Pinefield Hut, Shenandoah National Park, Va
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Today started out like most days after eating and packing up I was out of the shelter once more. While hiking along I see a rabbit on the trail and as soon as I noticed it it ran a few feet down the trail. I then pulled out my camera to take a picture while it was still close. As I moved the camera up the rabbit came running toward me. The quick thought that went thru my mind was the "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" scene with the killer rabbit. Nothing like that happened and after taking a picture I moved on and scared it off the trail. After cont on down the trail I get to the shelter and then get the do I want to stay or push on 8 more miles. After sitting there for ahile I decided to stay with two section hikers heading south that where at the shelter. They wanted to build a fire and after searching for a while we gathered a good amount of wood. Aloha and two other section hikers showed up at the shelter. After getting the fire started I added some wood and the two section hikers that keep it going for a little while after I crashed.
Date: 2006-05-28
From: Pinefield Hut, Shenandoah National Park, Va

To: Bearfence Mtn. Hut, Shenandoah National Park, Va
Miles today: 20.6

Rather uninteresting day until later. Stopped off at the south river picnic area for lunch and water resupply. After gettting to the shelter turn off I run into two guys leaving that said the shelter had no water and that was infested with termites. Having gone a good way to get there I decided to see for my self and went down to the shelter. The shelter didnt look to bad and there was water, not the best but aslo not the worse I've seen on the trail. While at the shelter the ridge runner for SNP showed up and spent the night and also had a park ranger show up. After a while two guys section hiking showed up and decided stay the night. In the early morning I was waken up by a bat sreeching.
Date: 2006-05-29
From: Bearfence Mtn. Hut, Shenandoah National Park, Va

To: Lewis Spring-Big Meadows Lodge, Shenandoah, Va
Miles today: 7.1

After getting up after the early moring bat noise I get up feeling stiff and didnt want to eat much. After getting to the trail it was slow going. I was exhasted most of the day and keep throwin up any water I drank. After getting to Milam Gap I take a break with Gloworm and I decide I'll do the .7 miles into Big Meadows and call it a day. After getting to the trail to get to the wayside I was realy feeling bad. I got to the wayside and decided to try and eat something. After bearly finishing my meal I make it slowly the 1 mile up to the lodge. After getting to the lodge I get a room and after takling a shower and calling home I crashed. I slept from about 4 till 7 the next morning.
Date: 2006-05-30
From: Lewis Spring-Big Meadows Lodge, Shenandoah, Va

To: Pass Mtn Hut, Shenandoah, Va
Miles today: 19.2

After waking up at 7 I waited 30 min till I was able to get breakfast. I was feeling better but was still unable to eat all my meal. After checkin out of the shelter I hiking on till I passed two section hikers I knew. Then not too soon after passing them I was walking when I heard something in the woods. I turned to see something black in the woods. I was excited to see that it was a Bear the 1st!! one of the trip. I got out my camera and was taking pictures of it and the last picture was when it was on the trail a few feet in front of my. The flash of the picture luckly scared it away. I was in a bad spot with a direct open path between me and the bear if the flash didnt scare it. After that I pushed on the the pass Mtn Shelter for the night.
Date: 2006-06-02
From: Terrapin Station Hostel

To: Manassas Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Beat the rain into the shelter was planning on pushing on but didnt feel like going the 4.4 to the next shelter. After it got dark it down poured for a awhile and I was gald I was in the shelter and not a tent or out in it.
Date: 2006-06-03
From: Manassas Gap Shelter 

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up to a windy day and got on the trail by 8. The weather and trail where nice enough that I was able to aver 3 miles an hour. Pushed on going fast until it cleared up and the sun came out. This was just as I was entering the Rollar Coaster. Slowed down alittle but was able to keep a good pace. Got to the hostel by 4:30 and I'm staying the night.
Date: 2005-04-13
To: Going Public about Hike
Miles today: 0.0

I am attending an Elderhostel tour of the National Parks of southern Utah. When we were asked to introduce ourselves and tell a little about our interests, I said that I hoped to do a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.I've dreamed of doing the Trail for years. Back when I was just a kid, my family belonged to and was active in a group called the National Campers & Hikers Association. I met "Grandma" Gatewood, when she was the guest of honor at a the first NCHA convention that I attended with my parents and sister at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Missouri. She led us kids on hikes around trails in the state park, and I really enjoyed this feisty old lady who hiked. "When I grow up, I'm going to do that", I told myself. Well, I haven't really grown up, just gotten older. But time, life, pets and finances made it impossible until now.I'm not retired yet (I'll turn 60 on the trail), but figured I didn't want to wait until I was to hike, so have decided to do it in 2006.It is almost a year, so I have lots of time to research and buy gear, and get into condition for the hike.Meet you on the trail!granny franny
Date: 2005-08-15
To: Selecting Gear
Miles today: 0.0

Slowly but surely I am amassing more gear that I can ever possibly use. My pack is a Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone, my sleeping bag a Marmot Helium, my sleeping pad a Big Agnes Insulated Air Core REM, my tent an MSR Zoid 2. I'm using a Pepsi Can alcohol stove and a Katadyn Hiker water filter. I've been buying clothes like mad, mostly off of Ebay (have a LOT of Patagonia). So far I've been using trail shoes, not boots. I am tall and have a large but narrow foot, and have to buy men's hiking shoes. Most are way too wide.I've been working out some at the fitness center, and doing a lot of walking. While the weather is so hot, I've been walking in the mall, doing 15-20 miles about 3 days a week. I know that in no way prepares me for the mountains, but even outside is flat (I live in Coastal Georgia). I have asked for some days off in September to go up to Amicalola State Park and do a little bit of hiking on the Trail. Hope they give it to me!See you on the Trail!granny franny
Date: 2005-09-15
To: Shakedown Hike
Miles today: 0.0

This past weekend I went up to Amicalola State Park to do some hiking. I had big plans: Thursday, hike from the Visitor's Center to the Springer Shelter; Friday, hike to the Hawk Mountain Shelter; Saturday, hike for half a day north of Hawk Mountain, then reverse, stay at Hawk Mountain Shelter again; Sunday, hike back to Springer; Monday, hike back to the Visitor's Center and then home to Savannah to be at work Tuesday night.This is how it really went: Thursday: Check in at the Visitor's Center and weigh my pack. It weighed 40#, including food, but not including water. Hike the Approach Trail to the top of the Falls. Pack was giving me a lot of trouble, so I yogi'd a ride from the top of the Falls back to the Visitor's Center to see what I could do about my pack. Bought a bungee cord to hopefully stabilize things a little, and stayed overnight in the Max Epperson Shelter just about the Visitor's Center.Friday: Hike the Approach Trail as far as Nimblewill Gap, stumble in there close to dark, so tired I can hardly stagger. Set up my tent there, because I cannot go another step, go to bed.Saturday: Hike to Black Gap Shelter (still on the Approach Trail), still having pack problems. Dump the pack and hike on sans pack to Springer Mountain, and the Springer Mountain Shelter. Met up with some other women who were staying at the Hike Inn. We took pictures although it was too hazy for views. Nobody was staying at the Springer Mountain Shelter. I checked out the privy and the bear cables, then returned to the Black Gap Shelter for the night.Sunday: Woke up with the runs, took enough Lomotil to stop up a horse (but it worked), hiked back toward the Visitor's Center, run into some people in an ATV at Nimblewill Gap, and yogi'd a ride back to the Visitor's Center. Stayed at the Max Epperson Shelter again.Monday: Day-hiked on other trails in the park.Some things that I discovered: my pack was way too heavy, I took too much food, my tent was too heavy, I really don't care all that much for M&M's, that this hiking is way hard, and that I love it.See you on the Trail!granny franny
Date: 2005-10-15
To: Shakedown Hike #2
Miles today: 0.0

I returned to the Approach Trail, after talking to the folks at my Outfitters and lightening my pack a good bit -- down to just under 30#. After staying Friday night at the Max Epperson Shelter again, I then set out Saturday morning for Springer. I still did not make it all the way, but better than last time. It has been dry here in Georgia, and I was told on the way north that the spring on Springer was dry, so decided not to go that far.Experienced my first trail magic -- some college girls were at Nimblewill Gap sitting on a blanket in back of their SUV and playing cards. They offered me water and when I told them I was fine for water, offered me an apple, which I gladly accepted and ate on the spot. Then I hiked on to the Black Gap Shelter, where a section-hiker who had just completed Fontana to Springer welcomed me. He fixed me a cup of chicken noodle soup, and while I was drinking that, fixed me a Mountain House freeze-dried dinner (Beef Stroganoff)! He told me that he had been sheltering alone the entire time, and was glad to see me. We had a nice talk, then walked out together the next day. Hikers are the nicest people! He was staying at the Hike Inn, so I went back by that Trail. I'll have to get different shoes. My toes were hitting the front of the shoe on the way down and by the time I got back to the Max Epperson shelter I had a huge blood blister under my big toenail on my right foot. Talk about painful!My tent is now a Henry Shires' Tarptent, with sewn-in floor, weighing just under 2#. I'm a lot more realistic about food, though when hiker hunger sets in, we'll see what is realistic and what isn't!As I was eating breakfast at the Max Epperson shelter the next morning, a deer walked through the "front yard". I don't think it even noticed that I was sitting there. How cool is that?!See you on the Trail!granny franny
Date: 2006-01-03
To: Getting Excited Now
Miles today: 0.0

I just returned from spending New Year's with my sister and friends at another friend's home in Florida. Everyone was very interested in my plans, and I got a lot of friendly teasing about the trip. As they told me "Don't worry that if you aren't able to complete the hike, we'll tease you. We'll tease you either way!"My sister is giving me $200 worth of Mountain House dinner entrees for Christmas, and offered to post my journal for me while I'm hiking. I wasn't going to ask her to do that because she is so busy with her career, but I wasn't about to turn it down!For some reason, the hike really seems imminent now, much more so than a week ago. I have a lot of food to dehydrate, lists to make, maildrops to get ready, and the multiple things that one must do before leaving home for 6-7 months. Not to mention going to the fitness center and getting on the Stairmaster...See you on the Trail!granny franny
Date: 2006-01-17
To: SORUCK
Miles today: 0.0

This past weekend I attended SORUCK at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, and it was awesome! I didn't arrive until shortly before lunch on Saturday because of my work schedule and the long drive from Savannah. Friday afternoon I drove to Forsyth, GA, in the pouring rain, and got a cheap motel room; then drove the rest of the way Saturday (thanks, Debbie, for pointing out that it would be a lot quicker to go home through South Carolina than the way I came), but at least going the slow way I got to visit Neels Gap -- Walasi-Yi and Mountain Crossings.It was snowing when I got to NOC, and it snowed the rest of the day. It was beautiful, though no appreciable accumulation. Met and talked to a lot of wonderful people. There were 7 people there who are thru-hiking in 2006: Debbie and Stillness (Debbie's posts about the SORUCK are the way I found out about it and attended), a young couple whose names I can't remember (sorry) who did trail angeling as a mission last year and who are thru-hiking this year, Bill Murray, No Chance, and myself. Hope I didn't forget anyone!Among the interesting folks I met (and this list is by no means exclusive) were Miss Janet, my personal heroine Jan LiteShoe, SpiritWalker, Ponderer, Stumpknocker, eArthworm, Ron Moak, Tinman, Hopeful, Sly, Rock Dancer, and so many others whose names escape me right now.The NOC is a wonderful place. I stayed in a four-person bunkhouse, and was the only person in there. It was within easy walking distance to the bathroom for those middle of the night trips, and, as it was a full moon, I didn't even need my light to find it! The food the cooks in the group fixed was great. Thanks a lot!With no reservations and no one even knowing I might be attending, they made me welcome. Hikers are the best!See you on the trail!granny franny
Date: 2006-01-28
To: Six Weeks to Go
Miles today: 0.0

A big thanks to everyone who has read my journal so far and commented in the guestbook. It means a lot to me already.This weekend's project was supposed to be getting my maildrops ready. I am using a LOT of maildrops, both for food and supplies. People seem to think one of two ways about maildrops -- either they are the greatest thing since sliced bread, or the worst thing anyone ever thought up.I went to post offices (3) to accumulate priority boxes, and decided to send half the maildrops using the flat rate box, and half just using the regular priority mail boxes (this decision made after visiting 3 post offices and just getting enough flat rate boxes for half my maildrops -- and I cleaned out the supply of all three!Well, the regular boxes I got were not priority mail, but express mail. I'm glad I noticed before addressing them, but that means I can only address about half my boxes this weekend, and start filling them.Went to Wally World this afternoon and spent a couple hundred bucks on stuff to put in them, and this does not include food! Although to be honest it included cool-max socks that I'll take with me and a knee brace; also lots of Vitamin I. I take a considerable amount of Vit I on a day-to-day basis even when I am not hiking, so figuring how much I'll need on the trail is hard. Perhaps I'll get in such awesome shape that my body will forget its aches and pains, and I can lessen my dosage. I wish!Now to get a camera and a couple extra memory cards. Also gaiters. And to finish repackaging TP...My friends Beryl and Nancy are giving me a ride to Dahlonega. We're going by way of the new aquarium in Atlanta, and they're dropping me off in Dahlonega on March 12, to begin my hike on Monday March 13. Look out world, here I come!See you on the Trail!granny franny