morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-03-29
From: Camp North of Log Cabin Drive

To: Camp South of Lick Rock
Miles today: 20.5

Nice Views and the Shelton GravesI was really dragging today. For some reason I could not fire on all eight pistons. The uphills felt long and strenuous, and the downhills felt sluggish. Some days are just slow on the trail.There were some nice highlights on the trail. Views from Campcreek Bald fire tower, Whiterock Cliff, and Big Firescald Knob were stunning and outstandingly clear. To the west I looked down on a settled valley (and probably the outskirts of Knoxville), and to the east were the Blue Ridge Mountains. I was fortunate to have these splendid views due to clear, sunny skies - the weather was fantastic!I also had the chance to visit the Shelton Graves, which belong to William and David Shelton, Union soldiers from the southern Appalachians. Apparently, the mountainous areas of the south had many Union sympathizers during the Civil War, because they did not own slaves. The story goes that William and David Shelton (uncle and nephew) returned to Cold Spring Mountain for a family rendezvous, and were ambushed and killed by Confederate soldiers. A young boy was also killed in the melee.Seeing the graves reminded me that we indeed went through an unthinkable war, which started 150-years ago on April 11, 1861. I also thought that we are lucky in this day and age to not have endured such suffering brought on by a Civil War.
Date: 2011-03-30
From: Camp South of Lick Rock

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 24.1
Weather: moderate rain

WetnessIt¢s wet outside. Everything is damp, moist, and sadly wet. My pack is wet. My rain jacket is wet from rain and sweat on the inside of it. Worst of all, my tent is wet on the inside and out, and it feels like a wet noodle. Nonetheless, it¢s doing its job, and keeping me reasonably dry as I write this journal entry. The only thing that is dry is my sleeping bag, and it is the key item to keep dry.Up to this point, I feel that I have been lucky with the weather. Even when it has rained, I¢ve been in town for the duration of the showers. So really, today is the first day in nearly 3-weeks that I¢ve had to deal with wet gear. Fortunately for me, I will head into town tomorrow, which is slightly less than 6-miles from where I am camped. I will be certain to dry out there.I may have a sleeping bag waiting for me at Uncle Johnny¢s. A companion of mine from my 2009 CDT hike is hooking me up with a 20-degree down sleeping bag from Feathered Friends. I will be testing it until April 15th, so it will endure some wet conditions here and dry conditions in the deserts of southern California. I am only hoping that it got shipped out in time for my arrival in town.Well, here¢s hoping for dryer conditions tonight and into the morning. Fat chance! Goodnight.
Date: 2011-03-31
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Nolichucky River
Miles today: 6.3

Eating in TownI eat too much in town. I know that other thru-hikers might be aghast by what I just said. I¢m a hiker, and I am supposed to eat a lot when I get to town. That said, I always go to bed in the evening with a mildly upset stomach, and blood coursing through my arteries and veins, because my heart is trying to burn excess calories.Today, I ate at an all-you-can-eat pizza restaurant for lunch, snacked on trail mix, ate a full combo plate at a Mexican restaurant, and then ice cream from the super market. While that may not sound like much to a thru-hiker, it is a lot of food for me. I think my stomach has grown smaller on this hike, and I have already have a slow metabolism.I arrive in town like a zombie deprived of fresh brains for 3-months. However, I cannot control how much I eat. It¢s almost like I suffer from an eating disorder! What I realize though is that my body is telling me something. Hiking twenty some-odd miles day after day is going to make me hungry, and my body is trying to compensate for the calorie deficiency.Tomorrow, I head out for my last 50-mile stretch on the trail. I am bringing plenty of food with me for this section. Hopefully, I can address my calorie needs... NOT!
Date: 2011-04-01
From: Nolichucky River

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: light rain

Snow in the Southern AppalachiansAs I write this journal, it is snowing outside my tent. This is no April Fool¢s joke. In fact, it¢s snowing enough that there should be a noticeable amount under foot in the morning. I like the snow. I¢d rather see snow than rain.I walked a section of trail (Nolichucky River to Iron Mountain Gap) that I have probably hiked a dozen times. Actually, I have walked it in the opposite direction all those times, but I know this section well.What has been fascinating for me was seeing this section with snow and ice. I have always hiked this section during the summer, so I am used to seeing it lush and green. However, today this section of trail was the most beautiful I have ever seen it. Trees were heavily laden with ice and rime. Snow littered the ground, and frost caked taller dead grasses and dormant briers. The scene was a winter wonderland! Never had I imagined this section looking like this.Beauty Spot and Unaka Mountain are the two highlights of this section, and the winter-like weather transformed them into different worlds. I am thrilled that I got to experience these places anew with a white-laced, charmed landscape.The April Fool¢s joke was on me today. How great it is to be fooled by the spontaneity of nature. Goodnight!
Date: 2011-04-02
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: light rain

Last Full Day on the ATToday was my last full day on the trail. Right now, I am about 8-miles from Elk Park (19E), where I will be picked up by my friend Patch. I have mixed feelings about getting of the trail.First, I am excited by my upcoming interview with the PCTA. The purpose of this hike was to clear my head of distractions, so I can prepare for the interview. I¢d say that I accomplished my goal.Second, I am saddened to leave this trail and all the cool people who are out here. I feel like I have just gotten into the groove of hiking with the same people. See you later Homer and Found! Well, I will soon see Found in Sacramento.Third, I am relieved to get off the trail, because the weather has been crappy, and the AT has been hard on my knees and joints. After the CDT, I said that I would not do another 5-month hike again, because long hikes are hard on the body. The past 23-days has been filled with poor tread, rocks, and roots, and my body feels like it has been out for a few months!Finally, I¢m not done yet! I have plans to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, starting on the 8th. I will have another 15-20 days out on the trail. I am itching to do some desert hiking, as I am tired of the wet, cold south. I am also looking forward to hiking better terrain, and after four days off the trail, my body should feel ready to start marching again. Goodnight!
Date: 2011-04-03
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Elk Park (19E)
Miles today: 9.3

I Like it out WestMy 400-mile journey is finished. Yep, I am done with the Appalachian Trail for... well, I am not sure when I will come back here again.I must admit that I am a west coast hiking snob, and I prefer to hike the trails out there. Why? For one, most of the trails out west have gentler grades and better tread. My recent hike on the AT was simply brutal on my knees and joints. Call me a sissy, but I have plans to be on my feet when I am 80-years old.I favor the wide-open, sweeping vistas of the west over the closed, confined woodlands of the east coast. The minutiae of the Appalachians (flora, fauna, fungi, animals, and insects) charm me, but the long climbs to the top of a wooded, viewless summit is sometimes frustrating - the spruce-laden Unaka summit is the exception! I say give me an unspoiled view on top of a Sierra peak!Finally, I like solitude and wilderness over crowds and development. In my opinion, the AT has too many users. I am also discouraged by the amount of development (I am talking not only about roads and homes, but shuttles, outfitters, and entrepeneurs!) surrounding the south end of the trail. I leave the AT feeling like the northbound experience is some kind of padded, commercial circus.All in all, I had a great time out on the AT, and I know that one day I will return to hike on it. Perhaps next time I will choose a well-graded ridge walk in the mid-Atlantic during a nice month, like September. Until next time, see you on the PCT. Adios!
Date: 2011-06-02
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was rough. I started the hike today in a rotten mood. I was not feeling good at all. Felt like the "honeymoon" was over kinda thing...but really it all actuality, it's not. I was just being dramatic. Hiked a lot by myself today. Failed to gather enough water and walked for about 12 miles with 1 liter of water...very dumb. I need to start carrying more water! I was SO dehydrated by the time I got to the shelter...it was pretty scary. I chugged 2 liters of water and only peed once! Yikes! I feel better now. I am excited to be in the Shenendoah's (the "Shenny's) and living it now. I saw 'Lotat' today. He went home for over 2 weeks and now he's back and hiking with a friend through the Shenny's. Today, he had to carry water for 7 miles because his friend was too exhausted to make it to the hut. He walked 3.5 miles to the shelter, got water, and walked 3.5 back to get the water to his friend. Once i got to the hut, i learned that the water source was a slow dripping spring. There was a half-cut gallon milk jug that was sitting under the drip to collect water. I found a tiny pool a few hundred feet down this dry stream bed and dug out some more to be able to scoop the water out. It was so small that I had to use my Gatorade cap to dip in a pour into my bottle. There were lots of noises in the woods tonight. the deer in this park are fearless and really want to hang out with hikers. It was pretty freaky. There was also a whipporwhill that was shrilling for most of the night. At first it was irritating, but after a while I got used to it and it made the night more interesting. Here tonight with Alien, Hover, Fiber, Veto, Happy Pappy, Tom A Hawk, Bear Bag, Smooth, Plan B and Peru.
Date: 2011-06-03
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 21.4
Weather: broken clouds

Today we experienced the glorious thing in the Shenendoah's known as the campstore/wayside!! I got some Smartfood popcorn, Gatorade, Zero candy bar and some java of course! It was a great break to the day. The terrain was nice and easy today. There were a few reports of bears, but we never saw any. I felt a lot better today than I did yesterday, thats for sure! Started to feel pretty tired/homesick for the last 2/3 of the hike today. Went into sourpuss mode...We got to the shelter and all the tentsites were taken...pissed me off quite a bit. We seem to be traveling with the same crew of thru-hikers since we got into the Shenny's. They are early risers and get to the huts before we do and obviously take all the good tentsites before we get there. I would like to try and bust out of this bubble and get some time alone in the park. It's hard when most hikers are on similar pace now that we're all in great shape. I have a feeling that Harper's Ferry will separate people quite a bit. A lot of people are taking time off there and going to D.C. and such. I think we're planning on hiking right through after a night there. It almost seems like a reset button to a lot of the people we've been seeing the past month or so. People like to talk on the trail...and they try and boost themselves and their confidence by making themselves heard all the time. It's hard not to listen sometimes...but im trying to tune it out. Thankfully Goldilocks and Forrest/Havoc let us squeeze in next to them at their tentsite! If it wasn't for them, we would have been tenting on an old gravel ATV road...
Date: 2011-06-04
From: Hightop Hut

To: Big Meadows Campground (stealth camp)
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: few clouds

oh yeahhhh! 12 miles before 12pm today! not too shabby! I was totally truckin' and it felt awesome! It was like a true test of the strength and stamina I have built up during my thru-hike. Got to the Lewis Mt. Campstore around 11:30am and pigged out on Coke, Smartfood popcorn and chocolate. That fueled me until the amazing blackberry milkshake at Big Meadows Wayside. I sat there for a while and waited for Smooth and Plan B. My mission for today was to get to Big Meadows before the rest of the posse that we've been hiking with, so we could get a coveted campsite! It feels wrong to be racing against other thru-hikers, but when it comes to getting a hot meal and a great tentsite...you'll go to extremes! Turns out all the campsites were full and we ended up finding a SWEET stealth site on top of an open meadow hill! We caught a sick sunset and had some beers. We also saw Shenanigans at Big Meadows in the pub. I havent seen him in a while! He's really movin cause he's trying to get to Harper's Ferry to meet up with his fiance. I also saw 2 bears today!! the first bear I passed by with only a about 15 feet between us. I didnt even notice him/her until I was right next to him/her in my peripheral! The second bear was lumbering down the trail coming towards me, but never saw me. I backed up slow and just watched him/her for a while to see where it was headed. Then i decided to bang my poles together and sing Neil Diamond's "sweet caroline!" when in doubt...bust out some good old Neil Diamond! haha From then on, I was singing a lot and walking a little more cautious than I ever have before on the trail! Life is real good on the trail today. planning for an easier day tomorrow!
Date: 2011-06-05
From: Big Meadows Campground (stealth camp)

To: Byrd's Nest #3 Hut
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: light rain

Today was very relaxing and easy. We stopped at Skyland Wayside for lunch today. I was super starved by the time we got there. I didnt care how expensive a burger might be...i was going to chow down! I ended up ordering a 3-cheese, tomato and pesto melt with fries and pink lemonade. Then, for dessert I had a blackberry sundae complete with hot fudge and whipped cream! YUM! It was sooo satisfying and tiring! haha We ended up passing out on the couches in the lounge room of the wayside. we must have looked like the biggest hobos! After we woke from our nap at the wayside we stammered back to the trail and trudged along lazily and slowly for the rest of the afternoon. By the time we got to the Byrd's Nest Hut it was only about 4pm...I probably had about another 5-6 miles left in me for the day, but Plan B seemed to want to stop for the day...so that's what we did after a bit too much deliberation. The next day's hike also seemed pretty long since there weren't a lot of campsite/hut options. Plan B and I took some pretty sweet hobo baths in the COLD spring, which was about 1/3 mile away...downhill...ate tuna and cheezits for dinner since we were still pretty full from our lunch feast at Skyland. Not too many people here tonight. There is a family staying in the hut (a dad and his 3 kids) out for a few day trip. The other folks we had been hiking with for the past few days are probably about 5-6 miles ahead of us tonight, which is fine with me. It's good to get some time alone. Big day tomorrow! trying for 28 miles?? we'll see.
Date: 2011-06-06
From: Byrd's Nest #3 Hut

To: Compton Peak stealth camp
Miles today: 24.0

BIG miles today!! I felt pretty good despite getting very little sleep last night. There were a lot of noises in the woods last night so that kept me up for a while...plus Plan B shouted at the "creature" to get away from his tent. The creature ended up being just a deer...but it was kinda terrifying for a while thinking it was a giant black bear! The tiredness started to catch up with me at the end of the day when I started to get pretty grouchy. We stopped at the Elkwallow Wayside for lunch. It was ok...considering we were told by a fellow thru-hiker that it was the best wayside in the entire Shenandoah Park! I had chicken fingers, fries, smartfood popcorn (like always), pepsi and some soft serve vanilla ice cream to cap it off for dessert! Later on in the day I found another tick on me...I think that takes the total up to 2 ticks that I have pulled off me so far. All the ticks I have found have been in the Shenny's. They seem to be pretty prolific around here. I am SUPER excited for our near-0 tomorrow into Front Royal, VA!! We have renamed Front Royal to be called Prince Royale...don't ask me how we got that name. I think it was decided in a delirious, tired trail stuper one day. Prince Royale means shower, hotel room, food, movies, laundry...oh man it's going to be awesome. I feel as though I am as excited to leave the Shenny's as I was to entering them. It feels pretty bittersweet at this point. They were nice, easy and enjoyable, but pretty boring for the most part. I am def. feeling ready to be out of Virginia! Camped tonight on top of a fire-singed mountaintop with just us. Enjoying the beautiful weather and the solitude for a night!
Date: 2011-06-07
From: Compton Peak stealth camp

To: Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Near-0ing into Front Royal!!! This is the exact spot that my brother started his thru-hike in 1999! It feels awesome to have hiked all the way up until this point, and now from here on out I will be seeing the same (in a sense) trail my brother did 12 years ago! Saw Do-What and Doc at the road crossing. They are about a day ahead of us at this point. It's hot today. Glad we will be spending it in a cold, air conditioned hotel room eating burgers!
Date: 2011-06-08
From: Front Royal, VA

To: Dick's Dome Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: clear sky

It was SOOO HOT today...holy crap. Record high temperature of 96! Sweat just poured like tiny rivers all down my face, arms and legs. Luckily, most of the hiking today was under a shaded canopy. Thank you, trees! I'm starting to feel like the third wheel in this group I have been hiking with for a while now. Plan B and Smooth have a really good hiking buddy relationship. It is great to see them joke around and share stories about movies they have seen and things they've done. I def feel like the odd lady out most of the time, simply because I either havent seen the movie or I dont really have anything to contribute. I think it is also because I am usually hiking ahead of them. I tend to get into a pace and just charge ahead and stop after a while and wait for them to catch up. It's not on purpose...it's just how i like to hike! Should I change that, or just continue on in my style? It's only been like 200 miles together but it doesnt feel so good right now. Maybe Harper's Ferry wil work that out in some way...I feel like im setting Harper's Ferry up to be this beacon of change and reset, but it might not be that. I think it's more an issue of me dealing with how I want to hike my hike. I think I am still unsure of that, so it's making other relationships and decision-making processes hard. Met up with Happy Pappy at Dick's Dome. He is a little behind his crew because they are trying to go to D.C. for the weekend and he met up with family for a few days. It was great to see him. He is always so happy...i guess thats how he got his trail name!
Date: 2011-06-09
From: Dick's Dome Shelter

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, today we did 10 miles of the "roller coaster"...which was HARD. We got up before the sun to get an early start on our hike today, knowing it was going to be wicked hot. It was also about 100 degrees today. I was struggling pretty hard for the last mile or 2...we started climbing a sidehill before the hostel and I just broke down and started crying on the spot. I even threw my trekking poles down to the ground in pure frustration. I hit a serious low point today. I think it was my hardest day on trail yet! Arriving at the hostel was GLORIOUS though. It was an old castle-type building with cute signage and air conditioned rooms. The cost of a stay at the hostel included a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, a personal pizza and a soda! sweet. The power went out later that day due to a crazy intense and fast moving hail/thunderstorm. Once the power came back on we watched Ghostbusters and Rudy. A couple named Redwing and Hopeful ran the hostel. They were really nice! They have 2 really cute kids too! They thru-hiked together several years ago. Happy Pappy is here tonight. There is also a section hiker named Zora who told us the hike into Harper's Ferry was really fun and easy. That is really exciting to me since Harper's is such a HUGE landmark on the trail. It will be nice to coast in there and not be struggling all day. We'll see. We're planning on getting there tomorrow evening. I am so excited!
Date: 2011-06-10
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: Harper's Ferry
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

FINALLY WE'RE IN HARPER'S FERRY!!! this is an incredibly surreal moment in time for me. This dream of thru-hiking is finally becoming reality! I feel as though nothing can stop me now in reaching Katahdin. It feels amazing to have built up so much strength, confidence and knowledge to this point and now it is just a matter of continuing to wake up each day and walk and keep moving north. We finished up the "roller coaster" today...thankfully. We were also unpleasantly surprised by the rough, rugged terrain coming into Harper's Ferry. This section of trail tore my feet to shreds and also gave me a new blister. I feel so silly to have believed someone when they told me about terrain...especially a section hiker...i think i have learned my lesson now. It's just so hard to not want to believe people when they tell you the trail is nice and gradual and friendly...I guess some of that wishful thinking is what keeps us all going sometimes. The hard part about Harper's Ferry is that there is no where to stay in town...I find that incredibly hard to believe because of it being such a big trail town! The only place to go cost $29 and came with very little perks. We decided to just spend the money and get a good night's sleep. We ate at a weird restaurant with an unfriendly waitress and paid way too much for a burger and a beer. Oh well. In the grand scheme of things...its not bad at all! Feeling pretty exhausted from the previous few days of hiking. Looking forward to zero-ing with Uncle Paul and family in 2 days!!