morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-09-26
From: Front Royal

To: Front Royal
Miles today: 0.0

9/26/2015Weather: cool and overcast, perfect for hiking, but it was supposed to be raining further south if I had hiked according to the forecast. Narrative:My first zero since Glencliff. Up at 8 am, had the free continental breakfast at the hotel, then went about my chores. It was quite a productive rest day. First, I ordered new swim briefs on Swim Oulet.com to be shipped to me down the trail in Waynesboro. The jammers were a failed experiment- much too hot, uncomfortable and confining. Then I went to the post office to mail back my jammers and old maps. Then I bought a bucket at Stokes Market suitable for giving my feet an ice bath. Then I stopped at the Visitors Center, received a goodies bag with snack bars, spoke to the nice volunteer and signed the register. Then I checked out the Rite Aid and the CVS and ended up getting more second skin and some generic Ben Gay at CVS. Then I went to the Food Lion and got Cheese Its, Pringles, Snickers, tortillas and hard salami. Then I had the 4 piece meal with cole slaw and mashed potatoes at KFC. Then I went back to my room, caught up on my online journal, gave my feet an ice bath and applied the Ben Gay to my shins, calves and ankles. After that I washed my three pairs of Darn Tough hiking socks. Then I washed my hiking shirt and wore it to let my body heat dry it. Then I washed and detailed my Nalgene and I washed my Powerade. Then I flushed out my water filter. Then I went through my first aid kit, threw out a lot of useless crap I have been carrying since Millinocket, and added my new supplies of second skin. Then I went through all my food and repackaged the Pringles and Cheese Its. Then I put fresh batteries in my headlamp. Then I cut and filed my fingernails and toenails. Then I had dinner again at the Thai Restaurant in the hotel- soup and green curry with chicken. Then I went back to my room, updated my expense records, and gave my feet another ice bath while watching TV.
Date: 2015-09-28
From: Front Royal

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 26.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Treadway: 3/10Weather: Light rain and constant fog 6/10Stats:27.51 miles 9:27:352.9 miles per hour 2307 c6617 feet up 4819 feet down 52746 steps Narrative:A big day in generally poor weather. Up at 5:30 am, breakfast at the hotel at 6:00 am. Met a nice man who is a missionary and who is section hiking northbound. When he told me he was socked by rain the two previous days up in the mountains, I did not feel so bad about taking my double zero. After breakfast I called a cab and was at the trailhead a few minutes after sunrise. I had mixed feelings about hiking today. On the one hand, I was anxious to get back on the trail after two days of watching Law & Order reruns in a hotel room. On the other hand, it was wet, dark and miserable at the trailhead, and I did not relish hiking in the rain. But, I have to get my miles in, so there was nothing for it. The first few miles were in wet grass, and the way up to the self-registration kiosk was somewhat rocky. After that, the trail generally was smooth and well graded. That explains why I was making reasonably good time and was able to knock out a 25+ mile day with 6600 feet of climb. Unfortunately, I was hiking in a cloud and/or the rain the entire day, so there was no scenery. At one point on the trail a bear darted about 30 feet in front of me onto the trail, and then darted off after cantering on the trail gracefully and effortlessly for about 10 seconds. The bear knew I was there and just chose to ignore me, like an office veteran might do when a new guy shows up for his first day at work. I made it to the shelter around 6 pm. A group of 5 from Holland, Michigan was there, three men and two women. They said they were averaging about 5 miles a day. A little after sundown Spark and Butterbar rolled in. I had met Spark before on the trail in Maryland, and this was my first time meeting Butterbar. He is in the army and is flip flopping after starting northbound from DWG. Butterbar ran into Georgia at Bears Den. He is a very strong hiker with a long stride and started from Denton Shelter, so he pulled a 33-mile day. The shelter was old, run down and crowded. According to AWOL, it was built in 1939. I was surprised to see such a small, crummy shelter in a national park.
Date: 2015-09-29
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Big Meadows Lodge
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: light rain

Treadway: 2/10Weather: heavy rain 10/10Stats:19.79 miles 6:54:442.9 miles per hour 1653 c4717 feet up 3720 feet down 40287 steps Narrative:I intended to hike 27 miles to Bearfence Hut, but the weather did not cooperate, and it simply was not to be. Up at 6 am on the trail around 7 am. After less than an hour Butterbar passed me, then about two hours after that Spark passed me. They are both young, strong hikers. Spark and I made it to Skyland Resort at the same time, around noon. I just stopped for water and briefly met three new SoBos, OJ, Cake and Showers. OJ also is from California and used to live in Pasadena. He is the first SoBo I have met who hails from California and the second thru-hiker overall (Goosebumps was the first, I met her at White Mountains Hostel). I just stopped for half an hour to get water, and then I moved on, still planning to make it to Bearfence and needing all the time I could get to crank out those 17 miles before nightfall. Unfortunately, the weather gods had plans of their own which were in direct conflict with mine. And when you are up against the weather gods, they always win. About half an hour after Skyland the heavens opened up, and what had been a miserable steady rain became an unimaginably dreadful, hard pouring rain which seemed to become more and more intense with every footfall. Nine miles and 3 hours later, I was at Big Meadows Lodge. By that point, the trail was a strong flowing stream, and I was dashing over and dodging countless makeshift streams flowing down the mountainside as the trail traversed below Big Meadows Campground.Fortunately, there were rooms available at the lodge, and I took one. The room had an old fashioned radiator. It took a visit from the maintenance guy to get a mechanically challenged person like me to get it to work, but when I did, it got me nice and toasty and dried off me shirt and socks in no time. I also stuffed old newspaper into my boots to get them to dry. After a delightfully hot shower, I marched down to the tap room, only to learn it was closed due to flooding. So I went up to the common room and sat by the window from 4 pm to 5 pm watching the pouring rain and thinking about the other SoBos out there on the trail and wondering if they stayed at Skyland or chose unwisely to push on like I. At 5 pm, the tap room opened up again. I went straight to the bar and had the cheeseburger with fries and a 22 ounce stout which was the best beer and the most effective attitude adjuster I have ever had in my entire life. Then I pondered my options going forward. The forecast called for 20% rain Wednesday, and cold temperatures and 80% rain Thursday and Friday. I decided to take advantage of the one day before the cold air hit and resume hiking the next morning.
Date: 2015-09-30
From: Big Meadows Lodge

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: light rain

Treadway: 2/10Weather: Light rain and fog 6/10Stats:20.68 miles6:55:243.0 miles per hour 1726 c3917 feet up 4393 feet down 36527 steps Narrative:This was the day I fell really hard and injured my right knee. Up at 6:30 am, breakfast at 7:30 am. My server was named Rita, and she was very nice. I ordered the Shenandoah- two eggs over easy, potatoes, two pancakes and two biscuits. Lots of hot coffee too. On the trail around 8:45 am. It was very humid, and after a couple miles I stripped down to my speedo and felt very comfortable the rest of the way. About 4 miles into the hike, Ramrod passed me on the trail. He spent the night at Rock Spring Hut, about 3.5 miles north of Big Meadows. There was a regular SoBo convention there, with Fireman, Spark, Butterbar, OJ, Cake, Showers and Gravity. (I first met Gravity while she was hiking with Float at the Washington Monument in Maryland, and I first met Fireman at Harpers Ferry). Ramrod was shooting for Hightop Hut too.After 9 miles, I reached Lewis Mountain Campground and stopped to get water. I was outdoors the entire time, but still less than 5 minutes after arriving the caretaker confronted me and demanded that I put on my pants if I wanted to stay. I did not want to take off my wet and muddy shoes and gaiters and rummage through my pack to accommodate him, so I just grabbed my stuff and began heading back to the trail. As I was leaving, the caretaker offered that there was food and there also were hot showers at the store. I politely thanked him for his offer and said I just needed water. I not so politely thought he was being a jerk and a poor salesman by kicking me out before making his sales pitch. I guess that's why he's the caretaker at the Lewis Mountain Campground. About 13 miles into the hike, I slipped on a rock, which caused me to trip on another rock, which caused me to do a superman and fall very hard on my right side. My right shoulder was scraped and bruised but otherwise fine. More ominously, my right knee hit a rock very, very hard as I went down. I hiked the next 7 miles to the shelter in considerable pain. Ramrod and Fireman were there at the shelter, then came Spark, then Showers, then Gravity. It was fun socializing with the other SoBo's that night.
Date: 2015-10-01
From: Hightop Hut

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 21.4
Weather: light rain

Treadway: 2/10Weather: Intermittent light rain and cold 6/10Stats:21.03 miles 7:37:12 miles 2.8 miles per hour 1766 c4406 feet up 4993 feet down 40128 stepsNarrative:A day of reprieve in light of the bad forecast, and a hard day hiking on a very sore knee. Up at 6:30 am, on the trail around 7:30 am. After a mile, Ramrod and Showers zoomed by me. Ramrod later told me that Showers got off the trail at the Loft Mountain Wayside and yellow blazed it to Waynesboro. A mile or so later Spark zoomed by me too. My knee felt awful starting out, but after about 5 miles it started feeling better. 6 miles into the hike, I took a .2 detour to the ranger station to fill up. About 14 miles into the hike, I reached the Loft Mountain Campground Store. The lady ranger said she lost power Tuesday and still there was no power. I stopped for water and a cheerless cold lunch outside the store in the sheltered walkway. About 7 miles later, I made it to the hut and filled up at the excellent, 5-star spring. Ramrod, Spark and Fireman already were there. Flyboxer and H2Camo, whom I met the previous night, came next. Then came Gravity. Flyboxer has a guitar, and I fell asleep as he was strumming.
Date: 2015-10-02
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: light rain

Treadway: 4/10Weather: steady cold rain 9/10Stats:20.84 miles 7:05:182.9 miles per hour 1732 c4586 feet up 5200 feet down 44085 stepsNarrative:A miserable day, but thankfully I finished before any heavy rain. Up at 6 am, on the trail a little before 7 am. I was ready to go at 6:45 am, but it was so dark I waited 10 minutes before starting, and even then I needed a headlamp well after sunrise. It was a dark, cold, wet and miserable day. Except for 2 one-minute pee breaks, I did not stop the entire time, for three reasons: 1. I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. 2. I wanted to finish before getting socked with any heavy rain. 3. Constantly moving was my best defense against hypothermia. The trail was mostly smooth most of the way and off and on rocky the last 3 or 4 miles. Like all my other days in SNP, I was hiking in clouds and/or rain the entire time and did not have any scenic views. By 2:00 pm I was at the Rockfish Gap Visitor Center. I called Tree Streets Inn and thankfully they had a room available for me. Richard picked me up and let me stop at Rockfish Outfitter on the way into town. I bought a puffy jacket for the cold weather ahead and spare batteries for my SPOT. I also got my AT Passport stamped. When we arrived, Elizabeth checked me in and did my laundry. After a nice hot shower, I walked to Ming Gardens and enjoyed the AYCE buffet. Then I went to Kroger for beer, cheese and crackers. Then I headed back and had a glass of wine with Elizabeth, Richard and 2 SoBo guests, Slider and Jack Rabbit, from Washington state in a town on the north bank of the Columbia River. Jack Rabbit has hiked the PCT and we talked about that. Then I went up to my room and enjoyed my beer while catching up on my journal.
Date: 2015-10-05
From: Waynesboro

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: few clouds

10/5/2015Treadway: 6/10Weather: Sunny and cool 1/10Stats:21.28 miles7:59:252.7 miles per hour 1710 c4540 feet up 3694 feet down 43267 steps Narrative:Today was a day of two trails. Up at 7 am, shower thereafter, breakfast at 8 am and on the trail around 9 am. Richard drove me to the trailhead on his birthday. Just as I was getting started, I met two new SoBos, a couple. The young woman was named Eclipse, and for the life of me I cannot remember the name of the young man. I should have asked him how he got his name. I ran into them again on the trail later in the morning. The first 9 miles or so to the Humpback Rocks cutoff were smooth and easy, except for two difficult stream crossings, both of which required that I take off my shoes and do the whole socks and insoles in my pack routine. The last time I remember doing that was the Kinsman to Franconia slack in the Whites the day after the storm. The stream crossing at the Wolfe Shelter was particularly bad. After Humpback Rocks, the trail was mostly rocky, and from Dripping Rock to Three Ridges the rocks were especially difficult and slick. It was here on a treacherous area that I slipped and fell on one of my trekking poles, breaking it. That put me in a particularly foul mood. After the Three Ridges Lookout, it was smooth and easy to the Maupin Shelter. I ran into Butterbar there. He stopped to get water and then moved on to stealth camp further down the trail. I had the shelter to myself that night.
Date: 2015-10-06
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Seeley Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: clear sky

10/6/2015Treadway: 5/10Weather: Sunny and cool 1/10Stats: 20.96 miles 8:27:412.5 miles per hour 1728 c6643 feet up 5534 feet down 50469 stepsNarrative:Today's theme is the power of Cytomax. Up at 6:30 am, on the trail around 7:35 am. The 6 mile hike from Maupin to Harpers was rocky, difficult and slow going. The trail was rough and infrequently blazed, and there were blow downs before and after Harpers. Just past Harpers, there was a difficult stream crossing, but I was able to avoid getting my feet wet by going upstream and then bushwacking back down to the trail. From there to the start of the Priest Wilderness it was mostly smooth and easy. The way up the Priest was the longest sustained climb I can recall since perhaps Old Speck Mountain in Western Maine. It was a steady climb, steep at times but reasonably well graded and with a number of switchbacks. I stopped for a nice lunch break at a stream about a mile up the mountain, and then I stopped at a nice viewpoint about a mile below the summit. At the Priest Shelter, I had a liter of Cytomax and felt strong and decided to hike on to the Seely Shelter. The 6.6 miles were surprisingly easy, with smooth trail and not as much up and down as I had expected. I reached the shelter around 6 pm and had a solid hour of working daylight to eat and do my chores. I had the shelter all to myself.
Date: 2015-10-07
From: Seeley Woodworth Shelter

To: Three Springs Hostel
Miles today: 14.0

10/7/2015Treadway: 4/10Weather: Sunny and cool 1/10Stats:13.96 miles5:01:352.8 miles per hour 1186 c2614 feet up 4278 feet down 32670 stepsNarrative:An easy day with spectacular views and glorious fall weather. Up at 6:30 am, on the trail at 7:13 am. It was mostly smooth and easy the entire way to US 60. At Hogback Gap I took a .3 detour to the spring and had a nice early lunch break with the sun on my face. After that I climbed up Cole Mountain and enjoyed the incredible views on the saddle just north of the summit, on the summit and at a viewpoint about half a mile south of the summit. I finished at 1:30 pm at US 60 and called Oma at Three Springs and she picked me up and drove me back to the hostel, where I took a wonderful shower, did laundry and relaxed and rested.
Date: 2015-10-08
From: Three Springs Hostel

To: James River Footbridge
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: overcast clouds

10/8/2015Treadway: 4/10Weather: Sunny and warm 3/10Stats:20.77 miles 7:05:022.9 miles per hour 1772 c5777 feet up 4337 feet down 46736 steps Narrative:Highly productive northbound slackpack. Up at 5:15 am, breakfast at 5:45 am, on the trail at the James River Footbridge at 7:20 am. Oma cooked a delicious dinner for me the previous night ¢ two turkey cheeseburgers with all the fixings, lots of potato salad, 2 cups of chicken and pasta soup and ice cream and brownie for dessert. For breakfast, I enjoyed an amazing veggie omelette with yogurt, a buttered bagel, sausage and coffee. Today's hike was front-loaded with lots of climbing at the beginning, which was perfect because I did most of the climbing in the morning when it was still cool. About 9 miles into the hike, I reached the summit of Bluff Mountain, with spectacular views to the west and a memorial plaque for a child who died in 1881 at the age of 4 years 11 months after walking up there from the school house. I wonder what possessed him to do that and can't imagine any child doing that now in our modern age of parents constantly hovering over their children. The trail was mostly smooth the entire way, with increasing rocks as the trail followed a stream near the end. About 11 miles into the hike, I ran into Butterbar heading south and expect I probably will run into him again tomorrow. About 18 miles into the hike I met two new SoBo¢s, OSHA and Dos Equis. I remember seeing them at the Wolfe Shelter Monday morning as I was fording the stream. I finished a little after 3 pm, called Oma and she picked me up at the trailhead and brought me back to the hostel, where I took another glorious shower, did my laundry again and gobbled up the miniature candies and slim jims Donna included in my resupply box while enjoying 2 ginger ales. Then I did my stretches and had a nice conversation with Oma about the Appalachian Trail over a delicious dinner of chicken, rice, stewed vegetables, bread and butter, sweet potato and strawberry cheesecake for dessert.
Date: 2015-10-09
From: James River Footbridge

To: Cornelius Creek Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: overcast clouds

10/9/2015Treadway: 5/10Weather: scattered showers 5/10Stats:19.24 miles7:15:382.6 miles per hour 1609 c5862 feet up 3382 feet down 45925 steps Narrative:Another productive day. Up at 5:15 am, breakfast at 5:45 am, ham and cheese omelette with buttered bagel, yogurt, berries, granola and coffee. Oma said goodbye and Marcia drove me to the trailhead. It was flat for the first 2 miles to Matts Creek, where I stopped to hydrate, and then I began to climb. About a mile above Matts Creek it began to rain, then the rain went away. I passed new SoBos Kiwi Brucie and Molly Walker, then I passed new LASHES (long-ass section hikers) Brew and Jersey, then I passed new SoBo Science. At Petites Gap I met some section hikers who gave me a bottle of water. A little after that, it began to rain again, harder and longer than the first time, but by the time I reached Apple Orchard Mountain it had cleared again and stayed that way to the shelter. Before the Thunder Ridge overlook, I walked under the Guillotine, a boulder lodged between two rock slabs above the trail. It was off and on rocky to the top of Apple Orchard, mostly rocky after that. Near the shelter, I met new SoBo Athena, from Massachusetts. At the shelter, I met new flip-flopper Clarity, from Georgia. 7 new thru-hikers whom I met today.
Date: 2015-10-10
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: clear sky

Treadway: 3/10Weather: Light rain, poor visibility, damp and cool 5/10Stats:18.24 miles6:09:403.0 miles per hour 1557 c4183 feet up5360 feet down 42110 steps Narrative:Today my frustration boiled over. Around sunset the previous night, it began to rain. Then we were hit by a thunderstorm, with a fair amount of electrical activity, after which it rained all night long. Granted, we stayed warm and dry in our shelter, but it felt rotten to get hit by another storm so soon after the never ending rain from the hurricane last week. When we woke up this morning, it was, as Clarity succinctly put it, "gross". Clarity is a courageous young woman who is thru hiking after seriously injuring her back in a motorcycle accident last year. Light rain and very poor visibility starting out of the shelter and for most of the day. On a positive note, the trail was generally smooth throughout the day and I made good time. On a not so positive note, I had an internal debate during the hike about whether I should settle for a day like today for the rest of the trip. I actually found myself willing to do so, even if it meant hiking in a cloud with no views, as long as neither the trail conditions nor the weather seriously impeded my progress. My, how depressing it is that my standards for hiking quality have fallen so far. I want this to be fun, but now I am at the point at which I am willing to accept "tolerably miserable". When I reached the shelter, Kiwi Brucie and Molly Walker were stopping for water before moving on. They live in Auckland and told me that I was the first person on the trail they had met who had hiked in New Zealand. About 5 minutes after me, Clarity also stopped by. Like Kiwi and Molly Walker, she also decided to push on the 7.5 more miles to the next shelter. I made the Spock-esque logical decision to stay. By staying, I was distributing the work between today and tomorrow's hike into town almost exactly evenly, and since I was planning to zero on Monday, there was no real point in neroing on Sunday. About 10 minutes after I made that decision and got myself all set up, I saw 6 section hikers trudging down the approach trail, one of whom slipped and fell on his ass. The shelter only has space for six. If there is one thing I absolutely cannot stand, it is staying in a shelter crowded by a big group of section hikers. The last time that happened was at Moose Mountain Shelter when a bunch of hefty section hikers crowded up the shelter. One of them snored all night long, and Georgia attempted to manage that affront to our personal well being by -- oops -- having his alarm go off every once in a while to stop the snoring. (Memo to file: Georgia's technique was highly effective.)The section hikers tonight were all nice and well meaning, but still, it sucks being in a small, crowded shelter on a wet night, and I could not help but feel frustrated. Two of the section hikers tented next to the shelter, as did Athena, and like me Science stayed in the shelter. One of the section hikers kept us up all night with his snoring.