morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-04-05
From: Stealth Campsite

To: 4 Pines Hostel
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 10 - Two year mileage total = 702.1Today updating 5 days of entries due to do signal and phone battery issues. Be sure to go back and look at previous days.[p The absolute hardest day of hiking in my life. Had set my alarm to get an early start and actually started hiking at 6:30am. Being Easter I was looking for a personal sunrise service. It did not happen. Was hiking in the dark using my headlamp to see. By seven it was light out but the sun had not been seen because I was on the western side of a large mountain. Finally at about 8:30 I crested the mountain and finally saw the sun.Shortly later I reached a monument honoring Audie Murphy. He was the most honored American soldier of World War II.   He died in a plane crash not far from this site. Most of the rest of the day was almost torture. Was on top of a ridge line forever and encountered numerous rocky areas involving lots of big steps up and down on big rocks and some large sloping rock surfaces.   Knew later in the day I would be encountering a formation called the Dragons Tooth. It is a tall stone monolith and the area coming down the north side is infamous for difficulty. I had no idea how hard it would be. A few times I had to sit down and slide down some rock surfaces. Twice steel rings were installed into vertical rocks to be able to climb down. And MANY other times forgetting the hiking poles and using handholds on rocks while delicately seeking perilous footholds. All in all a scary event that I'm glad I made it through carrying a 35 or so pound backpack without anything more than a few scrapes on my legs.Still had a few hours of hiking left to reach "Four Pines Hostel" and my ride to the "Homeplace Restaurant". Finally reached the hostel, totally worn out at 5:50pm. Then found out they close at 6:00 on Sunday's. Heartbroken, I settled for a ride to a local grocery where I got a pizza, cheese burger, carton of chocolate milk and a bottle of V8 juice. Disappointed but thoroughly enjoyed the hot food. That restaurant is only open Thursday thru Sunday, I'll never get to it).Showered and well fed I settled in for the night. Was also able to talk with Wendy for the first time in days. Somewhere along the line I forgot to put my phone back on airplane mode and the battery was at near zero for days and finally gave out after the pic above. So did not even get a photo of the beast(Dragons Tooth).Am taking a zero at the hostel on Monday to recover from several hard days. Achin(fitting today) out.
Date: 2015-04-06
From: 4 Pines Hostel

To: 4 Pines Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

Day 11 - total two year mileage = 702.1A well deserved zero day at 4 Pines Hostel. Had left over pizza and V8 juice for breakfast. Lunch was the rest of the leftover pizza. Laundry is done and I'll get a ride to the local grocery to pick up something for dinner and breakfast. Tomorrow morning I'll be hiking again.Feel a little guilty not hiking on a beautiful weather day today. Especially since the forecast is rain chances the next three days. But my older body says rest. Joe is the owner of this hostel. It is a 3 bay garage on his property that he has converted to a hiker hostel. With the free shuttles to food, it has all the things hikers are looking for. Cost is whatever donation you want to leave in the box. The atmosphere is very laid back with dogs, cats, chickens and ducks roaming around on the farm. Earlier Joe beat me on a spirited game of cornhole, 21 to 19. I also enjoyed a few Miller Lites that some hiker had left in the fridge. Was the only hiker here last night. This morning a young thru-hiker showed up (Jason from NM) who had got some kind of bug and was not able to eat anything. Didn't stay, just got a ride to town. He has made it here from GA in one month, an average of 25 miles per day. Crazy!Later 3 thru-hikers arrived for the night: Flash, Tortoise and Hare.So I start out tomorrow for a 2 day hike to Daleville, VA, a resupply town. Was planning on a zero there. But now will likely stay only 1 night.Achin out.
Date: 2015-04-07
From: 4 Pines Hostel

To: Lamberts Meadow Sheltet
Miles today: 16.3

Day 12 - Two year mileage = 718.4The AT was more hiker friendly today. Still I had a long, tiring day. Started hiking at 7am in a light rain that lasted about an hour. It rained on me on two other occasions later in the day; but it was a warm day.Passed two iconic AT landmarks today. First was McAfee Knob. It is said this is the most photographed site on the AT. It is a rock outcropping way up high looking way down. I've read that one hiker once said "if a hiker were to fall off this cliff, I hope he brought his lunch or he will starve on the way down". The second landmark was Tinker Cliffs. I liked this on better. It is another high rock cliff area that goes on for about a half mile. I personally liked this one better. For me the first was unfortunately was quite cloudy, while skies had cleared by the time the second was reached.By the time I reached my targeted shelter (because of more forecasted rain), it was 6:30pm. An 11 1/2 hour day. Good thing the trail was not too rocky today. Shared the shelter tonight with a father and his two teenage sons along with two high school boys out on their own. It was an enjoyable time with this group. One of the boys had his hammock set up but came into the shelter when we heard coyotes at sleep time.Achin out.
Date: 2015-04-08
From: Lamberts Meadow Sheltet

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 13 - 2 year mileage total = 727.8Yesterday's long day was to set up make it into a resupply town of Daleville, VA relatively early today. I and the other 5 hikers were all going into town today and slept in late. All started out about 9am. I arrived about 2:30 this afternoon. There was a threat of rain; but I made it to Howard Johnsons about an hour before it started.The trail was nice again today. No big uphills and few rocky areas. Could see down into town and hear I-81 traffic noise for hours before descending down into town. Was glad that the trail emptied onto to highway 220 only about 100 yards from the hotel.So between tonight and tomorrow morning I need to plan my next week or so, visit an outfitter for socks and stove fuel, buy food and possibly a trip to the PO to send a few things home.If I feel well refreshed, I'll head out sometime tomorrow back into the woods. If not, another test day here in town. Achin out.
Date: 2015-04-09
From: Daleville, VA

To: Fulhardt Knob Sheltet
Miles today: 5.0

Day 14 - 2 year mileage = 732.8Basically a NERO today (not a no mile day, but close to it). Left Daleville a little after 11am. After breakfast at Howard Johnsons had to wait around for an outfitter store to open at 10:00. The one thing I really needed was isobutane fuel for my stove. They were out. Seems there was a problem with the only US supplier (of all brand names) a while back and they are struggling to fill orders. The girl at Outdoor Trails drove to a Gander Mountain store, got one and drove it to my motel for me. Great trail magic. Even though it was a small day, it did get me all up on top of a ridge line ( up 1,300 ft) to set up the next day or two with no big climbs.It has been overcast all day, never able to see more than about 100 yards. Visibility is even less here at the shelter. It has a metal roof and I'm hearing a constant dripping on it from the trees. Basically I hiked up into the clouds today. Two thru-hikers stopped in for a break, Bridges and Elmer, both from NH.Achin out.
Date: 2015-04-10
From: Fulhardt Knob Sheltet

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 15 - 2 year mileage= 746.3After yesterday's post a young thru-hiker from Delaware (named Little Debbie) arrived late. He and I both regretted staying at this shelter. I mentioned yesterday that it was in a cloud. Well, it remained so all night and a steady wind blew in the shelters open side. I was sleeping against the back wall and everything not packed away was soaked. Even items hanging from rafters including my hiking clothes. Fun putting on soaked clothes first thing in the morning. Also made for a heavier pack.Hiking was OK after getting out of the cloud. Threat of thunderstorms did not happen and I now have my sleeping bag and other items spread out on a picnic table in the sun.If you happened to be driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway today, maybe you saw me. The AT crossed it several times and will again as they run parallel for about 100 miles.The last few days have started seeing Spring bloom out. The pic is an example.To my cousin Mary who asked about seeing coyotes. I have not seen one out here and have not heard any other hikers say they had either. But we do sometimes hear them during the night.Achin out.
Date: 2015-04-11
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Sheltet
Miles today: 13.5

Day 16 - 2 year mileage = 759.8After my post yesterday 3 hikers arrived at the shelter. A couple were Trail Maintainers and tented. The other was a thru-hiker whose trail journal I was following before leaving home. His name is Twisted. Told him he was the 2nd nicest hiker on the AT. We had a nice evening and part of today chatting.Conditions were nice on the trail today - smooth trails and nice weather. Even met a day hiker who gave me an apple. This shelter is the nicest so far. Sleeps 16 in multiple levels and a stream 15 yards away. As of 7:30 pm I'm the only one in it. There are however a group of Boy Scouts tenting close by. Several came and talked while U ate dinner.Tomorrow is a very big climb. Hope I'm up to it. Plan on an early start to have cooler temps.By the way, the nicest guy on the AT wears an orange ball cap.Achin out.
Date: 2015-04-12
From: Bryant Ridge Sheltet

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: clear sky

Day 17 - 2 year mileage = 770.0Slept poorly last night, not sure why. Not the best with a 2,900 uphill today. It was a cool morning which helped the hiking. For a short mileage day, it sure was taxing.A few interesting items today. Walked through the Guillotine, an AT icon (pic of it). At lunch I shared a shelter with a day hiker. Trail magic - he gave me some cheese and crackers. A little while later I ran into another day hiker (Sandy) and her husband. I was thrilled that she had been following my trail journal. And lastly I heard some weird crying type sound. Thought at first it was a bobcat fighting something, a little concerned. Turned out to be a human baby being carried by her mother, relief.A little depressed that I'm struggling so much with uphills. Maybe I need a zero day soon.Achin out,
Date: 2015-04-13
From: thinder Hill Shelter

To: Glasgow, VA. city shelter
Miles today: 14.6

Day 18 - 2 year mileage= 784.6A long hard day - 7:30 to 4:30. There was only one significant uphill of about 700 feet; but, it ate my lunch. Sure struggling with the uphills. Feel near exhaustion on the steep and or rocky climbs.Only one notable area today. Walked over the longest foot only bridge on the AT crossing the James River. Just the other side of the river is a highway that leads to the town of Glasgow ( 5.9 miles away). I tried hitch hiking for almost half an hour before I got a ride. And then I find out that the only restaurant in town (a pizza and sub shop) is closed on Mondays - major bummer. So, after a hard days work my dinner was 2 microwave sandwiches from a gas station/convenience store. Oh well, better than another dehydrated hiker meal.Thinking I'll take a Nero tomorrow. Think I need some rest and can still hit the pizza/sub shop for lunch.Achin out.
Date: 2015-04-14
From: Glasgow, VA. city shelter

To: John Hallow shelter
Miles today: 1.7

Day 19 - 2 year mileage = 786.3Hung around Glasgow until around 11:30 and made the day a Nero. Went to a PO to send a few things home and picked up food supplies at the tiny local grocery.   And finally the Pizza/Sub shop opened and had a meatball sub....yummy.By then the rain had started as I tried to hitchhike back to the trail. It was about half an hour of walking and hitching before I got a ride. Once I had walked to the highway and saw how dangerous it would be to walk along a twisting, narrow shouldered, semi used road; I started walking back to town to camp out at the gas station asking for a ride. That's when a Ford delivery guy stopped for me.It rained the whole time to the next shelter. It was only about an hour walk; but, means damp clothes in the morning as nothing will dry tonight. It is suppose to stop raining about 2am. I've planned mileage to get to a hostel fairly early Friday to enjoy a shower, clean clothes and a family style dinner.At present the are 3 others in the shelter. A retired section hiker and 2 young Michigan thru-hikers: Mary and Poppin(both male). They say the names are from Harry Potter.Achin out.
Date: 2015-04-15
From: John Hallow shelter

To: Motel in Lexington VA.
Miles today: 3.1

Day 20 - 2 year mileage = 789.4Well, the AT has won again. Decided today to end this hike. It was a nice day for hiking. Overcast skies and high temps in the lower 50's. Started out putting on wet clothes( wow, that will wake you up). Right from the git go was a 1,960 foot elevation gain covering 3.1 trail miles. I struggled mightily - to say the least. Would have thought that after a Nero yesterday (only 1.7 miles) and good food and sleep that I would be stronger. I made it to the top; but, was so very frustrated and totally out of energy. I sat at the top and considered my feelings. It basically came down to the uphill struggles not being worth the benefits any more. Same as last year.So I texted Wendy and told her my decision. She actually was at the post office and had a supply box on the scale being weighted. She was able to retrieve it. The easiest way to get off the trail was to retrace today's hike back down to the shelter I started at, plus another 1.7 miles to the highway near Glasgow. So, ended up hiking 7.9 miles with only 3.1 counting as AT mileage. I called a shuttle service to get a ride to Waynesboro, the nearest bigger town. The estimated cost was about $80 to be based upon actual mileage.   Them some great Trail Magic. Up walks a day hiker going the same direction as me. As we discuss our status it turns out he has his car parked at the highway I am hiking towards. And he is on the last of several day hikes in the area. He offers me a ride somewhere. As we discuss further, he is from Raleigh, NC and heading home. I call the shuttle and cancel them.My Trail Angel is Patrick. A very nice and generous guy. We hit it off well and talked non stop while driving and at dinner( my treat of course). He has been based at a motel in Lexington, VA while doing his daily hikes. So, I am now at that same motel and riding with him tomorrow to Raleigh. I will catch a bus ride home from there. I cannot believe my excellent good fortune!!!I am a little disappointed, while at the same time thankful to have gained new experiences and friendships. The AT hiking group as a whole are great.I'll be posting again after I get home with a wrap up.Today's pic is of my post hike, pre clean up look. Lovely huh? Achin out.
Date: 2015-04-16
To: Part way home
Miles today: 0.0

First post hike day.My Trail Magic continued today. Patrick drove me to his home in Raleigh today. There I met his wife Fran. I was warmly welcomed into their home and even left alone their as they did some errands. After a fantastic meal prepared by Fran, they drove me to the local Greyhound station. Both are great people and very friendly and hospitable. I will arrive home tomorrow after an overnight bus experience.
Date: 2015-04-17
To: End of the Trail = back home in Aiken
Miles today: 0.0

Well, my long distance AT effort for 2015 (and I believe forever) is now complete. My overnight bus experience is over and I am home with Wendy in Aiken, SC. As always, it was an over-all good experience with many fond memories gained and friends made. So, in all, my miles hiked northward from Springer Mountain beginning in March of last year is right at 800 miles. Of that just over 200 was completed this year. I do not plan on picking up from where I left off and going forward again.I may decide to hike cerrtain portions in the future; but, not unspecified continual miles northward. For example, I hear the Shenandoah National Park is wonderful and I may very well go back and do that section. And, since NJ is my original home, I may cover it's AT miles one day and visit home. Or maybe not as well. Perhaps traveling with Wendy will take priority. In any event, I will never complete the entire length of the AT at 2186 or so miles. I do not think I could mentally or physically handle the much tougher, more mountainous and rocky New Hampsire and Maine. As Clint Easwood said in Magnum Force "A mans got to know his limitations". I am content with what I have done of about 35% of the whole trail. It is estimated that to complete the whole trail is right around 5 million steps. So, I completed about 1.8 million of those steps. Wow, how in the world did I do that?I will always be grateful to those Trail Journal readers who followed my journey. Especailly those family, friends and complete stangers who left encouraging messages on this site. Thank you so very much. And, of course, to my bride 44 years, Wendy, who sacrificed being alone while I was gone and kept all the home activities going smoothly. She is a keeper. May I always have the mentality and means to support her as she has done for me.So, now it's a wrap. So long from Achin and Happy Trails to all.
Date: 2015-09-01
From: Trailhead at James River

To: Johns Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

This is my first and last entry of my Fall AT northern continuation. That is because I crashed and burned today and am heading home.My Main Gal, Wendy, and I drove to VA yesterday and spent the night at the Natural Bridge Inn. This morning she dropped me off at the James River trailhead at 6:45 and headed for home. I started out covering the same ground as I did on my last day in April. Also at the same point on top of a big climb, I made the same decision to turn around and head back down the way I had just climbed up. I was really struggling after a 2,300 foot climb up and did not think it was possible to put in another 6 miles to the target Punchbowl Shelter ( which included another sizable climb of 800 feet). I was exhausted and my legs were starting to cramp up. Was down to 1 liter of water and had read a note from a previous hiker that the water source at that next shelter was dry. The whole way back to the shelter I'm at now was downhill. Still I struggled with increasing leg cramps even after finishing off all my water along the way. Took it slow and easy and rehydrated after arriving.Tomorrow I'll hike the last 1.7 miles back down to the highway at the James River and hitch-hike into Buena Vista to a motel. From there I'll find out how to get a bus ride home the next day.Hard to admit it but I have learned several lessons from this disaster:1. Listen to Wendy. She tried to talk me out of it..subtly. I didn't hear it.2. Although I knew several concerning factors, my desire to continue the hike over shadowed reality. They included the heat (mid to upper 80's), being about 25 pounds heavier than when attempting to climb the same mountain in April, not doing as well I'my aerobics classes as I had previously and not being as used to carrying the backpack due to the hot Aiken summer temps.3. In a previous post I stated " a man's got to know his limitations". I sure ignored them now.So, I'm done hiking for 2015. Will I try again in 2016. Do not know. Achin out.
Date: 2014-01-01
To: Beginnings
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

"In all beginnings dwells a magic force." Herman HesseFor as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with the idea of the Appalachian Trail and a thru-hike. During all the years of school and babies and teenagers and tuition payments, it remained just a fantasy. However, as I approach retirement age, I began to think that maybe it could be more than that. I started reading Trail Journals - Journey, HOBO, Trouble, Whirled Peas, Bluebird, Violette Beauregard, Salsa & Twix... I spent some time working to strengthen muscles around my knees. I got the blessing of the orthopedist. Then I tried the Springer Approach Trail just before Christmas this year. It was hard, but I had no pain, plenty of energy left and lots of exhilaration at the summit. Step One - complete! So....my plan is to begin preparing in earnest for a thru hike Beginning in March of 2015. My trail name takes part of my first name (Kate) which is also part of my destination (Katahdin!) and adds that to my mode of transportation. One of the books I have read encourages us to put our goal out there - so we remember all the others invested in our success. So as we start a new year, my journal begins...Step Two - complete!Thanks especially to Trouble (Class of 2013) for her encouragement.¢To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! What could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum.¢ Caroline Bingley, referring to Elizabeth Bennet; Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen 1811
Date: 2014-01-23
To: AWOL
Miles today: 0.0

I cannot give thanks enough to David (AWOL)Miller, who graciously met me for breakfast today. If you have read the book chronicling his 2003 Thru Hike ("AWOL on the Appalachian Trail") or read his journals here, you feel his quiet strength. If you are only familiar with his kick-ass NOBO and SOBO guides, I would strongly recommend reading his book and journals. I'm sure I will think of questions I wish that I had asked in the near future.Thank you, David, for taking time from your work and your family to meet with me.
Date: 2014-02-24
To: Uncertainty
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

The Class of 2014 has begun to step out from Springer and a few have already dropped off the trail. Many seemed well prepared and had invested time, mind and body in this adventure. I must admit that makes the butterflies in my tummy wake up and do cartwheels - and not in a good way. I was so excited to read the first journals this year. How can I prep (better, stronger, smarter, harder) to make sure that I don't have that fate? Looking forward to meeting up with many other hopefuls at the ATKO on March 8 and learning lots.
Date: 2014-03-29
To: Our Day Will Come. 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

The AT kickoff was awesome. I met so many amazing people, learned how to dehydrate my own food (thanks Heartfire) and some special tips for women on the trail. I'm also trying a new app called Dragon dictation. It let's me record my journal entries verbally and converts them into text. I can then email that to my husband (aka Katwalk Command Central) at home so he can upload into trail journals. I definitely need to practice, but this is my first entry done that way.Many thanks for all the good wishes in my Guest Book - especially from those in the Class of 2015. While I wish I was out there with the 2014 group, I selfishly keep hoping that we will have better weather at the start next March and hope the the weather on the trail improves soon for the 2014 class. Though for today from an old classic. "Our day will come, ...if we just wait awhile..."