morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-05-13
From: Abingdon Gap shelter

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

Easy day today, nice terrain. Lunch at the TN/VA border, three states are finished now, only eleven more to go. Started raining after lunch and poured all the way to town. We found a spot on the lawn at ¢The Place¢, it was full inside and the lawn space was limited already. It is a hostel run by a local church in Damascus, VA ¢the friendliest town on the AT¢. We grabbed some food and drinks at Dot¢s and spent the evening chatting with friends. Everyone is in town for Trail Days, the annual AT celebration. Many of the current, past and future hikers are here. All the big outfitter companies have set up vendor booths. There is a county fair atmosphere with the food vendors adding their assorted aromas and flavors to the party. We got lucky and had our poles, water filter and stove fixed up by the various company reps. Many of our friends scored some new gear and are working as gear testers. A new pack, sleeping bag or stove and all you have to do is send a few emails telling them what is good and/or bad about the gear. We saw some old friends we had not seen for some time. Barb bought a Hennesey Hammock and put her tent in the mail. Ended up staying through until Sunday.
Date: 2004-05-16
From: Damascus, VA

To: campsite past Saunders shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

After a couple zero days and a whole lot of fun at Trail Days, it is time to get back in the woods. We wandered out of town around noon and Barb had to grab one last hot fudge sundae on the way. We walked the Virginia Creeper Trail for a bit then headed up the hill. Straight Mtn. was a long climb but it was all switchbacks so not much incline. Saw a decent sized turkey on the way up; Tom had a fairly long beard. Camping tonight is near a pond a couple miles past Saunders shelter, not much rain but a very damp night.
Date: 2004-05-17
From: campsite past Saunders shelter

To: Thomas Knob shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: light rain

Planned on a short day but ended up over sixteen. Walked with Momma¢s Boy much of the day. We got caught in a pretty good thunderstorm on the way over Whitetop Mtn. It broke a little and gave us a view from Buzzard Rock. At USFS 89 we had some lunch and dried out a bit. Momma¢s Boy convinced Barb to push on to Thomas Knob shelter at Mt. Rogers. As we started up Mt. Rogers, Barb finally got to play with some cows. The shelter was two stories so there was enough room even though we got in late. Sheriff, Swiss Miss and Momma¢s Boy made s¢mores in the dark over the alcohol stove. Barb and Blue just enjoyed them from their sleeping bags.
Date: 2004-05-18
From: Thomas Knob shelter

To: Old Orchard shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

One of the most beautiful days on the AT so far. The weather was great and the Grayson Highlands are magnificent. Saw some deer and the feral ponies that live in the park. The terrain was interesting, open fields mixed with large and small rocky outcroppings and a few small trees. Fat Man Squeeze is on this section and I had to duck walk to get through this natural tunnel. Rob got a shot of me going through so I will need to track him down and get a copy. Met a girl who was out section hiking; she had done the AT last year, the Pacific Crest Trail the year before, and was planning on doing the Continental Divide Trail next year - shooting for the triple crown. Lots of room for camping at Old Orchard shelter, the weather stayed nice and we had a great evening.
Date: 2004-05-19
From: Old Orchard shelter

To: Dickey Gap - Fox Hill Inn (Troutdale)
Miles today: 10.2

A little wrong way/back tracking today. We went down the logging road and missed the turn. Oh well, what¢s an extra mile when you are going this far. We got to Dickey Gap and put the thumbs out for a hitch into Troutdale. It was raining pretty good so we got pretty wet walking halfway to town before getting a ride. It cleared up and the innkeeper from Fox Hill came to the trading post and gave us a ride. The B&B was very nice, situated on seventy acres of beautiful hilltop. We had grabbed a late lunch at the trading post so dinner wasn¢t needed. Shower, laundry and satellite TV, what a deal.We decided to take a true zero day on the 20th. The zero days we took in Damascus entailed a lot of walking around town. Barb sat on the porch all day and I got my boob tube fix.
Date: 2004-05-21
From: Dickey Gap - Fox Hill Inn (Troutdale)

To: Partnership shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Heading to Partnership shelter today. I think it is the only shelter where you can order pizza. It is near a Mt. Rogers visitor center and there is a courtesy phone outside. The shelter is very new, two stories and has hot & cold running water. Quite the crowd here tonight, both inside and outside the shelter. The zero day at Fox Hill put us with a new group of hikers. It is so fun meeting new people, that is one of the wonderful reasons to hike the AT.
Date: 2004-05-22
From: Partnership shelter

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Heading to the Relax Inn tonight, it is nice when the hotel is right on the AT. Hot and humid today so I took time to rinse out and dry the t-shirt during lunch at Chatfield shelter. Quite startled by a turkey taking flight a couple feet in front of me shortly after leaving the shelter. They sure make a lot of noise when they launch. Checked out the old school at the Settler¢s Museum. Recognized a lot of names on the chalkboard that were getting detention or suspended, lots of bad, bad hikers. Of course, Swiss Miss was on the honor roll. Had a nice evening at the motel. Chatted with Saffron a bit and she was nice enough to give me some dehydrated broccoli from her mail drop. It went quite nicely in some of our meals.
Date: 2004-05-23
From: Atkins, VA

To: Knot Maul shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

More fields to start the day, caught Saffron at the Davis Path shelter and hiked with her most of the day - great conversation. It started raining after crossing the North Fork of the Holston River and was still very damp when we reached Knot Maul shelter. It was packed both inside and out but we all found places to pitch our tents. Interesting hiking down to the stream after dark, my headlamp illuminates just barely enough to find my way.
Date: 2004-05-24
From: Knot Maul shelter

To: Jenkins shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Planning on a new record distance today (with packs anyway). The Chestnut Knob shelter is a neat old ranger hut, but there is no water. I caught Barb at the halfway point and got a little water. The second half of the hike was supposed to be less difficult, but the PUDs (pointless ups & downs) and rocky terrain left us exhausted by the time we got to the shelter. It was late and wet and dinner ended up in the dark. I did see the glowing eyes of a deer while hanging the bear bag. She didn¢t seem to mind that I was there.
Date: 2004-05-25
From: Jenkins shelter

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: broken clouds

Barb is still working on getting the hammock just right and ended up getting wet in the thunderstorm last night. She was up early and didn¢t want to wait for a hot breakfast. Caught up with the gang near the first of twelve crossing of Little Wolf Creek. It was so funny watching Tenderfoot try to keep her trail runners dry while crossing the streams. Saffron took a little tumble at one of the crossings. It is so difficult to not laugh when someone is sitting there looking like a turtle on its back. We got some trail magic at VA 615, the apple juice really hit the spot with my snickers bar. Got to US21/52 and there was a crowd waiting for Red to come back with his truck. Thanks Red for the ride into Bland. Barb was already at the post office and we got a ride up to the hotel.Quite a few of the folks are taking a zero today (5/26). The draw of the DQ is just too strong. Barb decided she needed a little time off so she had called Mom to come get us. I decided to go with them since drill weekend is coming up anyway. Mom got there around noon and we headed up to Pearisburg to get our bounce box. It was nice to see Father Ounce, Sampson, Skippy and Poppins in town, and they appreciated the ride. We will be off the trail for a while. Not sure what the return date is yet.
Date: 2004-06-21
From: Bland, VA

To: Jenny Knob
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

We are finally getting back out on the trail. Barb and I both went to the doc and had our knees checked. Luckily, we found out we are just getting old and wearing out our knees, nothing serious. We will be joined by Barb's son, Josh, for the next couple weeks, until I need to come off trail for Guard Drill in July. With this big break, we are obviously not going to make PA by 4th of July and we will be adjusting plans after completing PA at the end of July.UPDATE: We ended up spending the night at a hotel and starting out in the morning rather than doing the short trip to Helvey in the evening. We had a great day. Josh found a turtle at the lunch break. We skipped the shelter, which was a bad idea because we ran out of water prior to getting to Jenny Knob. The bad news is that my right knee is was practically locked up by the end of the day. I could barely hobble around the camp.
Date: 2004-06-22
From: Jenny Knob

To: Dismal Creek Falls
Miles today: 8.4

What a fun evening we had at the shelter. There was a small church group out for a three day hike. Six 15-year old girls and their four chaperones. We were invited to join in some of their camp games and had an enjoyable time learning from each other. A few of them seemed to be quite enamored with Josh.The hike today was great, beautiful weather and the trail was good. We crossed over a very cool suspension bridge at Kimberling Creek and then got to the destination. Dismal Falls was awesome. We spent the day swimming and sunning and had dinner down by the creek. It ended up as a very nice evening, Josh had a blast today as you can see by the pictures.The knees are very sore...
Date: 2004-06-23
From: Dismal Creek Falls

To: Wood's Hole Hostel
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

Rain, rain, and more rain today. Luckily, we were packed up and hiking before it started coming down. And down it came, in buckets, probably the heaviest we have seen. It was pretty easy hiking the first half of the day and we stopped in at Wapiti shelter for lunch and water. The second half of the day had some decent climbs. I had my first fall today, sliding off the levee that holds a rather large pond.I am sad today because we have decided to come off the trail in Pearisburg. It is funny that as I walked through the pouring rain, all I could think about was NOT wanting to come off the trail. The problem is the downhills and my right knee continuing to be in pain. We will see what happens, I'm not dead yet...We spent the night at Wood's Hole hostel with the 90+ year old Tillie Wood and her granddaughter Neville. What wonderful hostesses and what perfect timing having walked in the rain all day. We stayed in the rustic barn and had a fantastic breakfast in the morning in Tillie's log cabin.
Date: 2004-06-24
From: Wood's Hole Hostel

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: broken clouds

Barb and Josh headed out from the hostel a bit before me, it looked like rain. I waited a bit and the sun came out, good timing. I caught up with them at lunch time at the Pearis Mtn powerlines. It was a beautiful day, stripped off the boots and socks and let them dry some more in the sun (still wet from yesterday). They took off a bit before me but I caught them at the rock ledge viewpoint. It was beautiful, you could see the whole valley to the west of Pearisburg. As we continued our walk toward Angel's rest, Josh came across some salamanders. He has quite an eye for the wildlife. At Dismal Creek he saw a fawn within 10 yards and a couple other deer that we did not see. We finished the hike down to Pearisburg, and I mean DOWN, about two miles of it. The knees were definitely screaming. We got to the Rendevous Motel and hit the showers. Heading back to Chesapeake, VA tomorrow to rework the plans again.
Date: 2004-07-08
From: Pearisburg

To: Pen-Mar
Miles today: 0.0

The latest plan is to do a bunch of slack-packing and see how the knees hold up without the weight. We are heading out on Monday the 12th at the PA-MD line. The plan is to do PA and NJ then go back and hit the Shenandoahs, that will give us 1000 miles. After that, we will see where life takes us. Hopefully, the lack of packs will keep the knees from bringing us off the trail again, at least for awhile. We really miss the trail and the wonderful people we have met along the way. I am hoping this jump to PA will allow us to meet up with some of them again.
Date: 2004-05-04
From: Helvey's Mill Shelter

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: clear sky

Helvey's Mill Shelter(8:30 AM)The thermometers agree, it's about 40 F, but the sun is bright and rising. I slept very warmly last night through the freeze, using the arms from a thermal shirt to keep my legs warm. This is great weather, and with only ten miles to the next shelter, it's been a lazy morning.(11:45 AM)An easy ridgewalk in the chilly morning, now comfortably warm under the bright sun. I've made very good time over this light terrain -- it's a good thing I brought a book. I should be at the shelter around 1:00.Jenny Knob Shelter(5:17 PM)I did make it in good time. Everyone I started with this morning - everyone who slept in the shelter - is here now. The two hikers who tented last night have been replaced by two new hikers who have joined us in the shelter. It's quiet now. The afternoon sun shines down through the fresh green forest. Everybody is passing the time in their own way.Today's hiking was easy and painless, but I'm afraid for my feet. By Friday I should know what's going to happen. It's hard to hold back and not hike ten more miles after lunch, but my feet need breaking in.
Date: 2004-05-05
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: clear sky

Jenny Knob Shelter(5:17 PM)I did make it in good time. Everyone I started with this morning - everyone who slept in the shelter - is here now. The two hikers who tented last night have been replaced by two new hikers who have joined us in the shelter. It's quiet now. The afternoon sun shines down through the fresh green forest. Everybody is passing the time in their own way.Today's hiking was easy and painless, but I'm afraid for my feet. By Friday I should know what's going to happen. It's hard to hold back and not hike ten more miles after lunch, but my feet need breaking in.
Date: 2004-05-06
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Doc's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Doc's Knob Shelter(2:00 PM)Today's eight miles over rocks and hot sun was as hard as yesterday's fourteen. My feet still hold up, but the knees started complaining. Hoefully I'll be getting out of the breaking-in next week.(6:00 PM)Every day, a handful of thru-hikers pass by; it will be a week or so until I get up to speed. Static communities like trail towns and hostels must see the hikers as a whirlwind or wave. I catch snippets of conversations happening at 20 miles a day. This is also like interstate driving: thru-hikers are the fast lane crowd. I'm over on the right. But it's not so break-neck a life.(8:19 PM)Full house. The two section hikers I've been with all week are tenting down in the rhodedendron. Three southbound section hikers share the shelter with three other thru-hikers and myself. Scratch that. One of the thru-hikers -- Just Do It, who must be in his sixties -- moved out. Earlier, two others stopped for dinner, but they're in Pearisburg now.
Date: 2004-05-07
From: Doc's Knob Shelter

To: Holy Family Hostel
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Holy Family Hostel(12:33 PM)Beautiful hike into Pearisburg, but the downhill got to my knees and the ball of my right foot aches a bit. I hope the latter pain doesn't get worse. Or the former. Most everyone has walked off to Walmart, including Moe and his girlfriend. I met them last year, right here. I should get down to Walmart and do some of my own resuppying.
Date: 2004-05-09
From: Haymarket, VA

To: Crampton Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

Crampton Gap Shelter(5:57 PM)Today I have travelled three weeks into the future. If I had been able to sign in at the ATC, I would have been the 36th hiker this season; very few are ahead now. Pleasant weather.(7:17 PM)Too lazy for serious writing.
Date: 2004-05-10
From: Crampton Gap Shelter

To: Pine Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: clear sky

Turner's Gap(1:33 PM)Did seven miles to get here. At the Dahlgren Backpack Campground we discovered HOT SHOWERS! Now we are lying around on the shady hillside in front of the Dahlgren Chapel. Soft grass, cool shade, and a light breeze -- that and about a thousand calories. All we lack is a soda machine at that stupid "closed Monday" restaurant.
Date: 2004-05-11
From: Pine Knob Shelter

To: Devil's Racecourse Shelter
Miles today: 12.7

Pine Knob Shelter(6:27 AM)Stanimal and I have been hiking easy days out of Harper's Ferry, so the arrival yesterday of three other hikers didn't surprise us. That one of them was R did, actually, becasue his dad, with whom he had been hiking, left a heartbreaking entry in the register here. From what I've gathered, I think Rican decided to get off the trail about five days ago. His intention caught everyone off-guard; I think it had something to do with logistical arguments that arise from gear-sharing. So Rican headed for home, but even before he got there he decided he was coming back.Also here are Double Nickel and her married son -- I don't know his name yet.They all pull twenty mile days -- not hard in the mid-atlantic states -- while Stanimal and I take twelves. He does it because he's meeting a friend in South Mountain to drive back down for Trail Days. I do it because I'm still warming up.Double Nickel's son is Endorphin.Devils Racecourse Shelter(6:44 PM)Nasty climb from the road. Shelter is dark and muddy. Pleasant weather. An odd south-bound kid walked through, but he's headed to the much nicer shelter four miles north. He didn't even stop for water.Stanimal had picked up a book to stave off boredom, apparently features "erotic fantasies", a "madman who thinks he is a vampire", and "a struggling screenwriter".   Should be good stuff.There are very few hikers this far north. Once Stanimal leaves for Trail Days on Thursday, I may become bored. Probably I'll start with the longer days.
Date: 2004-05-12
From: Devil's Racecourse Shelter

To: Antietam Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

Pen Mar Park (10:55 AM)After a short climb back to the trail from the shelter, and after a steep boulder crawl off whatever ridge or mountain, we hit very smooth trail. It was an easy 4.7 miles to this picnic table-laden park situated on the PA/MD border. Stanimal and I relax in the breezy shade of a large pavillion, to the constant roar of the lawn-mower and weed-wacker working their way around the park. Also, a train just rolled through on the tracks a stone's throw down the hill.Antietam Shelter (6:49 PM)My right shin hurts, and the shelter is a rat-hole, but it's beside the nicest little creek.
Date: 2004-05-13
From: Antietam Shelter

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: light rain

South Mountain, PA. (3:39 PM)Stanimal and I are passing the time in a shaded grassy field across from Nan & Pops Market & Deli -- "under new management", the sign says. At 4:30 we are getting a ride from the lady who runs the post office a stone's throw from here. She lives near I-81 and has offered her Pontiac Firebird. From there we are going to hitch down to Damascus for Trail Days. Stanimal didn't have to talk very hard to talk me into it. He had had a ride arranged with a friend of his who was coming down for a weekend visit, but that fell through. In the aftermath, I decided to join him.Until this afternnoon I planned on hiking through trail days. Thru-hikes do teach a person to be flexible. A lot of people -- especially (typically, maybe) parents and families of thru-hikers -- have no way to know that we are just wasting time which ought to be spent paying off debt, accumulating wealth, or generally being productive. Heck, I've nearly convinced myself. So much for smart remarks on indepedence, problem-solving, decision-making, planning, and coping skills. I won't mention the other set of personal and personality changes that a long hike affects, because every day of everyday life does that. What a big, happy waste of time this is.
Date: 2004-05-14
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

(11:36 AM)Yawn. Feels like Florida.(unknown time)This is day 11 of this years hike. I'm camped with Stanimal at tent city for Trail Daze. We'll be back up in PA next week (we hitched down yesterday). More info later, I hope.
Date: 2004-05-15
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

(12:43 PM)Some of Stanimal's friends have rolled in -- Cairo, Valentine, and Hustler -- so he's happy. We put a twelve - pack of Corona on ice for this afternoon. I got several postcards written and a number of erands run this morning.After a half-hour ride from South Mountain to I-81 and a few false starts, Mommy Toe (class of 2001) picked us up. We couldn't have asked for a better hitch. I know I've wasted days here, but it is worth it.(unknown time)It never rained yesterday, the bonfire went off well, and we still have beer left over for tonight; yesterday was a good day. Cairo, Valentine, and Hustler rolled in last night. Stanimal was happy to see his friends.I will buy seam sealer here, along with postcards and maybe a book from the Friends of the Library sale going on behind me.
Date: 2004-05-17
From: Kincora

To: Kincora
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

(7:31 AM)The bonfire was wicked hot, and the drum circle led muddy and sweaty hikers into a beat-driven frenzy:   Damn, that bonfire was hot. Anyhow, it's funny how many of the shirtless guys dancing at Trail Days are out doing trail mantainance today."Hardcore" is a two-day event riding on the coat-tails of Trail Days. There are about 75 of us working on a relocation in Tenn. The work is pretty back-breaking. Kincora, the hostel run by the guy in charge, Bob Peoples, is jammed over capacity.Sgt. Rock of hikinghq.net fame is here -- he was doing stove repair and showing off a new design that he came up in Iraq last month.Baltimore Jack -- who's guide to resupply I have in my pack -- was cooking dozens of hot dogs and hamburgers last night, handing them out to everyone.This journal entry cost me a shower; it's about time to get ready to go back to work. A thought: the AT thru-hike experience is nearly incommunicable -- the best you can do with someone who wants to hike is encourage him.
Date: 2004-05-18
From: Kincora

To: Vienna, VA
Miles today: 0.0

(11:21 AM)We finally got out of Kincora at 6 or 7 in the evening, after getting stuck in the mud. On the first attempt to push the car out, I got my leg splattered. Butta, who hiked with Q-tip extensively last year, drove Stanimal and I to a 4:00 am arrival at the PATC headquarters, where Q-tip was waiting for us. It turns out that an old roomate of Stanimal's -- Sage -- also hiked with Q-tip and Butta. Small world.Qtip & Butta are here to learn how to be ridgerunners -- later this afternoon they will drop us off in South Mountain before going on to a training camp -- Scott Farm -- just a few days north on the trail.Stanimal is sending home his tent body, and I'm giving him 10 ft of Tyveck (hopefully in Duncannon).Phone's up -- gotta go.