morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-06-11
From: Lamberts Meadow Shelter

To: Fullhardt Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

We were up and moving a little after daylight this morning. We had some thunder and lightening last night, but only a few sprinkles of rain. I felt much better this morning. Add to that an easy trail, cloud cover, and access to water, you have a pretty good morning. Around noon, we entered Daleville. We walked across 4 lanes of traffic to a gas/convenience store. The very hiker-friendly owners suggested we try their barbecue sandwich, so we did. It may be the best I've ever had. We both had a second, and I'm kicking myself for not packing another in for tonight. After lunch, the hike got a bit more difficult. The sun came out and we had a long hard climb. There was a section of trail between Daleville and Troutville that was very nicely mowed and trimmed. We are at a shelter tonight that is unique. It is on top of a mountain. This is rarely done because of the need for water sources at lower elevations. This shelter takes care of the need for water using a cistern to capture water from the shelter's roof. The water is fine, but has an amber tint.I must say that the group staying here tonight is the most interesting I've seen yet! I will elaborate another time.It has started raining!Until next time...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2014-06-12
From: Fullhardt Knob Shelter

To: VA 43
Miles today: 16.6

We were up early again, while all the interesting characters at the shelter were still sleeping. It rained all night, but stopped long enough for us to pack up. As we hit the trail, the rain started again. It rained until about 1:00. Soon after we started, we surprised a doe and her fawn standing on the trail. The doe ran off, but the fawn took one step, plopped down and stuck it's head under some weeds. Amazingly, it completely disappeared, as you can see in the picture! Ok, so maybe not completely, but we complimented it on how well it hid and walked on.Many miles of our hike paralleled and crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway. There were many overlooks, but we couldn't see anything until it stopped raining later in the day. Our plan was to hike to a shelter 3 miles from a road crossing, then get up early the next day and hike out to the road where Mrs Papaw would pick up Papaw. When we got to the shelter, it was early, and we couldn't find any good tent sites. We then decided to call to see if she could come a day earlier. When we confirmed this, we hiked on out to the road. I made the decision to leave the trail and ride in with them as well. I drove home last night. This will be the end of the adventures of Bazinga. I plan to try some other activities that are more grandchildren friendly. More camping and less walking. Thanks again for all your support during all my comings and goings. Papaw will be continuing his hike from New Hampshire to Maine on July 17th. He said he would be starting a journal on Trail Journals if anyone is interested in following him. He generously offered to drag me along, but I quickly declined the offer. He has 320 miles to go, I wish him well, and am confident he will make it.
Date: 2015-06-24
From: VA 43

To: Trail
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

That thing I said about not returning to the trail, please disregard. I'm heading back out in a couple days for about 10 days. I have a friend going with me, and Papaw has agreed to drop us off. My aunt will do a resupply about half way through. Stay tuned.
Date: 2015-06-26
From: VA 43

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 3.4
Weather: clear sky

Well, everything went according to our plans. After eating a a spaghetti dinner and brownies at aunt Linda's, Papaw stopped by and picked us up. We got to the trail at 5:30, and made it to Cove Mountain Shelter by 7:30. A sign at the beginning of the trail said there was no water at the shelter, and there had been bear reports. We loaded up with water and headed out. The trail was great, with several great views. I set up my tent, but after checking the weather, I tore it down and moved to the shelter. Tim (no trail name yet), is in his hammock, but prepared to come to the shelter if it gets bad. Papaw plans to join us on July 1st. It will be nice having him out here again. He also said he's planning to complete his hike in late August. Until next time ...
Date: 2015-06-27
From: Cove Mountain Shelter

To: Cornelius Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Hit the trail around 7:30 and had great weather and a few nice views. Hiking was fairly easy until the end of the day when we had a 2200 ft climb. We are at the Cornelius Creek Shelter tonight, but in tents (and hammock). After not seeing another hiker yesterday, we saw several today. We met thru hikers from South Carolina, Georgia, and Missouri. Two of them are in the shelter, and one continued. We met two ladies from Ohio. One is a school counselor from Columbus, Ohio, and the other works at Ohio State. They are section hiking almost exactly the same distance we are, so we will probably see a lot of each other. We got a lot of rain last night, and it began raining again tonight just as we started eating. Until next time ...
Date: 2015-06-28
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter

To: Marble Springs Campsite
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

What a day! After a very wet night, morning brought us a beautiful day! I don't think it could have been any better. It was in the 60s and very windy. There were also many things to see. I passed one of those round, white FAA things on top of a mountain. They are really big when you are next to them. You can see a picture of it and many other things in the photo section. There were several very nice views, and I passed one of the famous AT landmarks - The Guillotine. The Rhododendrons have reappeared too. Tomorrow is a special day. Can anyone figure out why? Until next time ...
Date: 2015-06-29
From: Marble Springs Campsite

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

What a day! Woke to blue skies but no wind. I was on the trail by 6:30, and stopped at the next shelter for breakfast and to wait on the rest of the gang. After everyone was ready, we headed out. The trail followed the James River for a while then led to the longest foot only bridge on the trail. After crossing the bridge, we followed a nice stream for awhile. Tim and I decided it was time to give our shirts a bath so we rinsed them off in the stream. When we put them back on, they kept us cool for a while. Next, we came to VA 810, USFS 36 (gravel), according to my guide book. This is important because it is the exact spot where I surpassed 1000 miles on the AT (including the miles in Vermont and New Hampshire). We then had a decision to make. Do we stop after 9 miles at Johns Hollow Shelter, or do 18 miles to Punchbowl Shelter? As you can see, we opted for Punchbowl. This added 2200 ft of elevation, which was a butt kicker. We did, however, pick up another hiker for our group of four Buckeyes. He is a Russian with the trail name Cassinova (sp). It wasn't hard to see where he got the name. He is an interesting young man. We had a lot of fun trying to communicate. Just as we were getting ready to eat at the shelter tonight, a group of 20 came in. That always makes for an interesting night. Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-06-30
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: clear sky

I have been having a tough time getting service of late, so I'm usually a day behind with entries. The group last night didn't disappoint. They were running around shining flashlights and yelling until the early hours. This morning Casanova took off early, so we probably won't see him again. He did, however, leave a special note in the next shelter journal for "Sweet Dreams" (the school psychologist). I'll put a picture of it in the photo section. Sweet Dreams and Late Start (the Ohio State girl) are staying at a hostel tonight and slack packed today beyond where we are, so we won't see them again either. We had to, and needed to stop early because we are meeting Papaw in the morning for resupply and for him to join us. We are also tired after yesterday's long hike. We are at a shelter 2 miles from our meeting spot. On the trail leading up to the shelter we saw the remains of an old community started by freed slaves. Thankfully, we established a time to meet in case we were out of contact. We only did ten miles today so there wasn't anyone at the shelter. There was a crew here cutting dead trees around the shelter. The chainsaw operator was with the forest service and the other two were college interns. The female intern is from Xenia. The chainsaw operator was very professional and dropped all the trees perfectly, without crushing the shelter, or more importantly, the privy! There is a large stream right beside the shelter, so we took full advantage and washed some of the crud from us and our clothes. We are half way and looking forward to the next half with Papaw along. Until next time ...
Date: 2015-07-01
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: scattered clouds

A rainy night, and a running stream beside the tent was the perfect recipe for a great nights sleep. We were up and on the trail around 8:00, headed to our prearranged rendezvous point with Papaw. Since I got there early, and had reception, I was able to catch up on journals entries. Papaw showed up right on time, along with his son-in-law Jake. We were able to get rid of items we weren't using, and reload with stuff we needed; mainly food. They also brought along some trail magic, in the form of COLD gator aid, chocolate milk, and doughnuts! That was greatly appreciated by us as well as other hikers that came along. Once I stuffed myself, we (Papaw included now) started a 3000 ft climb (ouch). The day's hike had several good views, but the muggy air made them less than spectacular. The only thru hiker I saw today, that I'd seen before, was Boogie Pilgrim. I talked to him a few days ago. He's an interesting man. He's already thru hiked the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT), and told me that he always plans to be on the trail when the sun rises and sets. He eats breakfast after he starts, and supper before he stops. We passed two groups of high school aged kids this evening, with chaperones. Based on the shelters they were headed to, I'd bet they will be doing some night hiking. Good luck chaperones! Tomorrow we have a lot of down hill. That's my specialty. Tim and Papaw kill me on the up hills, but I usually handle down better. I met a trail maintainer today that makes that 3000 ft climb to take care of the trail. I always like to talk to them to let them know how much their hard work is appreciated. He showed me some wreckage of an A6 airplane that crashed on the mountain in 1979. There will be a picture of it, as well as some bands we crossed today in the photo section. It's always nice to get out of the trees for a little bit. Thanks to Jake and Papaw for the resupply! Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-07-02
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: Harpers Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning we took off anticipating rain. While it did sprinkle a couple times, it didn't get serious until we were about a mile out from tonight's shelter. We took a lunch break at the Priest Shelter, atop Priest Mountain oddly enough. I was anxious to visit there because it's a tradition for hikers to "confess" their sins in the (Priest) shelter journal. I was looking forward to checking them out. I must say, they were very interesting. I had to look long and hard to find one acceptable for the photo section. There were two men, a woman, and a dog at the shelter preparing to leave. They left Springer in March, so they aren't in a hurry. The dog, a Blue Heeler, was laying in the back of the shelter and looked very tired. I also ran into Boogie Pilgrim again. He is such and interesting guy to talk to. I asked him if I could take his picture, since I imagined my readers were curious what a Boogie Pilgrim looked like. He agreed, and asked for one of us too. I decided to feature his picture in today's journal. Coming off Priest Mountain we had a 3000 ft steep decent. That will do a number on your knees. We all survived with some minor scrapes. As I said earlier, the rain started about a mile from tonight's shelter. We sat it out in the shelter, then hurried to put up our tents and hammock when it stopped. Later we all met at the shelter to swap stories. We then realized that there are 8 people here tonight, all men over 50. We had some interesting discussions. Three are brothers that have been section hiking for years, and one leads bicycle trips all over the country. He has done this in 49 states, and the 50th, Alaska, is on his schedule this year. He also does trips in kayaks, mountain climbing, and dog sledding. We start the day tomorrow with our last big climb. We have about 27 miles to go to Waynesboro, so we are anticipating finishing Saturday afternoon. Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-07-03
From: Harpers Creek Shelter

To: Campsite at 845.0
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

There are two posts today, backup and read the other one. Was sleeping beside another larger stream last night and slept well again.   I think I need one of them at my house. We were up early ready to tackle Three Ridges Mountain. I almost enjoyed it! It was early in the day so I felt great, plus I love hiking in the early morning. The trails were graded well, and there were a few rock scrambles. I did have one exciting moment. I came upon a note on the trail saying there was an angry Yellow Jackets nest 30 yards ahead on the left, 1 foot off the trail. Just then, another hiker came along I hadn't met before. After reading the note, he asked me what would be the best way to get past them. I told him we would walk slow and quiet, keeping to the right. Ok, he says, and he leads the way. We get about 20 yards in, and he screams, "There they are!," and takes off running. So I ran too. Neither of us got stung, and none of the other hikers I've talked to today did either. We crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway a couple times today, and had several nice views. Once again, the rain held off all day until we got our tents up. It's raining now as I type this, and is supposed to again tomorrow. We are camped at a campsite again tonight, rather than at a shelter. There is a great view from here, but we can't see anything because of the clouds. Based on the shelter journals I read today, Casanova and Sweet Dreams have found each other again. I posted his latest writings in the photo section. Tim and I decided that if this results in a wedding, we should walk her down the isle and give her away. We have 12.5 miles left to Rockfish Gap, where Aunt Linda will pick us up. Papaw's wife is picking him up and giving Boogie Pilgrim a ride to Waynesboro. I'll make one more post to let everyone know how the last day goes. Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-07-04
From: Campsite at 845.0

To: US 250, Waynesboro, Va
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

The rain continued all night, but as day broke, it stopped to allow us to pack. This was the case all week. We never hiked in the rain, but slept through a lot of it. We were out early to complete the 12.5 miles to our pick up. We walked in fog most of the morning. The terrain was favorable so we were moving along pretty good. We had to call twice to move the time up. Our original 3:00 time became 1:00. We ran into some of the thru hikers we'd met earlier, and some new ones. I gave all my left over food to Gator, the guy from South Carolina. They were all hurrying to get to Waynesboro for the "Best Chinese Buffet" on the trail. Waynesboro also has a camping area and free showers for hikers. My cousin works for the city of Waynesboro and is responsible for a lot of that. Aunt Linda picked us up, and after we said our goodbyes to Papaw, she took us home and provided showers and dinner. That was great! Now we are rolling toward Ohio. I'd like to thank Aunt Linda, Papaw, his wife and son-in-law, all the people at home that kept the farm going, sister Sheri for posting my pictures, and Tim for making hike #6 a great one. As for #7, papaw is leaving at the end of August to complete his hike in Maine and has .... well ..... stay tuned. Thanks for sharing my latest journey. Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-08-27
From: Pinkham Notch

To: Carter Dome
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: clear sky

312.3 to goAfter two days of trains, buses, delays, and layovers, Papaw (Trail name) and I are making another attempt to finish his hike, and leave me with about 800 to finish. This is my 7th section hike, and we are planning to complete Pinkham Notch to Katahdan. We got our ride this morning from the "Paradise Motel" (I might argue that a bit), and got started at 7:00. It didn't take me long to realize it was going to be a tough day. The hike was basically a rock climb at a 45+ degree angle all day long. I struggled, but Papaw did very well. We averaged about 1mph for the day and ended with 7.1 on the day. That's not a bad day up here. We did have thru hikers zipping by us all day. I felt like I was driving a lawn mower down a four lane highway. These thru hikers have almost 1900 miles under their belt and are in amazing shape. We did stop by the Carter Notch Hut, hoping to get a bowl of soup. They were out, but did hook us up with pumpkin pie with cool whip! That is the last Hut, since we will be leaving the Whites. We are tenting on top of Carter Dome (mountain). There are a couple other tents here. It's already getting pretty chilly. I don't have reception here, so hopefully I'll find a spot to send tomorrow. Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-08-28
From: Carter Dome

To: Rattle River Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: few clouds

300.2 miles to go. After a windy and chilly, but restful night, we were on the trail by 6:00. We hiked on every imaginable terrain. While we were able to do more miles, some of it was more challenging than yesterday. At first glance, some places look impassible, but you eventually figure out a way to get through. We had a beautiful day and many great views along the way. We passed several south bounders, but were only passed by a few north bounders. When we got to the shelter tonight, there were two south bounders that had packed in hot dogs to feed hikers as they came in. The two did a northbound thru hike in 2013, the same year we tried. Now they're doing one the other way. One of them is retired Army, and was stationed in Mosul, Iraq the same time as my son. He figures he took advantage of my son's services while he was there. I also passed my half way point today. I have hiked half of the AT, so it's all downhill from here. Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-08-29
From: Rattle River Shelter

To: Trident Col Campsite
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Two posts today291.4 miles to goWe were on the trail by 6:30 this morning (getting lazy). We had an easy walk out to Rt 2, then a 1.5 mile road walk that took us across a river. There was a hydroelectric dam by the bridge. Finally we headed up Mt Hayes. The trail was great! It reminded me of the trail down south. When we got to the top it was like someone flipped a switch and the trail was back to "normal." While it wasn't as bad as the last couple days, it was bad enough. We made it to our planned stopping point by 1:00 and decided to stay. Normally we'd go on, but decided we needed an afternoon off. Both of us are pretty tired and I had a knee issue yesterday. The knee did pretty well today, but a little break couldn't hurt. A group of students from Tufts University are here tonight. It's a freshman "get to know you" event. The leader of the group (very young) came to us to explain what they were doing. He also told us that if it got too loud, to tell them to shut up. There was a similar group at the shelter last night. Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-08-30
From: Trident Col Campsite

To: Carlo Col Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: overcast clouds

281.3 to goOur tent site became very crowded last night. There were tents everywhere imaginable. Papaw and I always get up as soon as it begins to get light, so we were as quiet as possible so as not to disturb anyone. Nobody yelled at us, so we must have been quiet enough. Many of the hikers were section hikers like us. One man was a soldier transferring from Korea to Ft Bragg. He and his wife are using their 30 days of leave to hike the AT. Since I spent 6 years at Bragg, we had a lot to talk about. We were on the trail again at 6:30. The beginning was very nice, with a couple ponds along the way, but that changed soon enough. We climbed up and over Mt Success. It offered one of the best views I've seen on the AT. Coming down off the mountain became another rock climb in places. As long as I've been interested in the AT, hikers have warned me about the trail up here. It is more difficult in places than I imagined possible. Yet, these hikers do it. Tomorrow will be the ultimate test. We will be going through the toughest mile on the AT. The guide book states it this way - "Most difficult or fun mile of the AT. Make way through jumbled pit of boulders." We are both excited and nervous. The most exciting thing that happened today was crossing into Maine! This is Papaw's 14th state and my 7th. Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-08-31
From: Carlo Col Shelter

To: Bull Branch Campsite
Miles today: 7.1

274.2 miles to goI'm happy, though somewhat surprised, to report that we made it through Mahoosuc Notch (toughest mile) without any injuries that can't heal while out here. But more on that later. The tent site last night was very peaceful. The tent sites up here usually have platforms built. They do this because tents need flat areas, and flat just doesn't happen up here very often. We were on the trail by 6:30, and climbed Mt Carlo and Goose Eye Mountain. We have had wind all day long. It was so windy on top of Mt Carlo that you had to focus on staying upright. After taking a break at Full Goose Shelter, we headed for the dreaded "mile." It was a rugged climb off Goose Eye Mountain just to get there. When we got there, we checked the time and stowed our trekking poles away so we could use our hands. The notch is something to see. It's as if someone took thousands of bus-size boulders and threw them down a one mile holler (Ohio term). To get through this mess, we climbed, slid, jumped, crawled, scooted, and a few other things there are no words for. Three times we had to take off our backpacks and shove them through a hole to get through. We made it in 1 hour and 50 minutes. We think that's very respectable for two old guys. Just like everything else out here, Papaw moved through the boulders with ease. We will be heading to town somewhere in a couple days to resupply and wash some of this funk off us! Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone
Date: 2015-09-01
From: Bull Branch Campsite

To: Baldpate Lean-to
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: overcast clouds

264.9 miles to goWe only had a couple hikers camp with us last night, so it was pretty peaceful. We headed out at our normal time. We really had an uneventful day. The trail was pretty good, especially toward the end of the day. Hopefully there is more of that coming. We crossed one road, ME 26. There were picnic tables there so we took a break. A family (man, woman, three little boys, and a black lab) came down the mountain and was packing their camping gear away. Their dog comes to me with a tennis ball wanting to play catch. He would lay it down, and if it was out of my reach, he'd pick it up and put it on the seat beside me. I must have thrown it 20 times. What a great dog for those three boys. After our break, we headed up Baldpate Mt. We stopped at the first lean-to (they aren't called shelters in Maine) for the night. There are several through hikers here tonight. We built a fire and talked for a while. Tomorrow we have eight miles to do before heading into the town of Andover for resupply. Until next time ...Sent from my iPhone