morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-06-14
From: Fish Hatchery Road

To: Harpers Creek Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

14 June 2010, Harpers Creek Shelter   I started this morning at 10 am with Seabase at Fish Hatchery Road parking area. It was a mile walk to get back to the trail head from the parking area. Seabase and I decided to slack pack to the Tye River where Earl from the Dutch Haus met us at 4 pm with our packs. Our original plan was to camp at the Tye River.   When we got to Spy Rock we decided we want to go to the top to look around, we had to climb it hand over hand to the top. When we got to the top the two German couples were sitting on top. Today was one of the females birthday and she had balloons tied to her pack. I asked each of them there trail names and they were One Beer (guy), Two Sides(woman) and I cannot remember the other couples name.   Our next stop was one at one of the overlooks then on to The Priest Shelter where we ran into MacGyver, Turtle, Redbear and Indiana. As we were leaving one of the German couples showed up.   It rained for about 15 minutes before we got to the Tye River. We got to the River about one hour early. SeaBase tried to hitch east on the road to a store to get some sodas but had no luck. We talked about trying to arrange a ride north to Reeds Gap so we could slack pack south back to the Tye River. This would avoid the big climb out of the Tye River. When Earl showed up we asked him what our options were for this slack pack. He told us he could do it but he did not know what he had for runs in the morning. He needed to wait until he returned to his hostel because he did not have cell phone service. That left us with just continuing the hiking north.   We decided to hike to this shelter. The humidity was bad and I was sweating profusely. I kept drinking but was running out of energy. I had not eaten since breakfast which was a bad mistake. I had a real bad fall about 1/2 before the shelter and my left arm landed on a pointed rock. It hurt like hell but nothing was broken. I had a real bad swollen bruise and some scratches. I counted my blessing on this one.   I made it to this shelter around 6 pm. There was a section hiker here named Butterscotch and he handed me some butterscotch candy. While we were here Seabase, MacGyver, Freeman and Damascus, Turtle, Readbear, Indiana, Wendigo and Yar showed up. Yar started a thru hike this year but got off the trail because she got real sick and never got back on the trail. She also started when all the snow was still in Georgia.   Regina the ridge runner showed up. We have been reading wise and mean comments directed at her in shelter registries. I really did not think there was really a ridge runner named Regina. I thought she was an imaginary person that hikers had made up to write about in the registers as a joke. Well now I know there really is such a person and I can see why people get annoyed with her. She is very opinionated and one sided and cannot take a joke at all.   Here tonight are Seabase, Wendigo, Butterscotch, Yar and the Regina the ridge runner, the other moved on.
Date: 2010-06-15
From: No more entries for now

To: Reeds Gap
Miles today: 7.9

15 June 2010, Reeds Gap   Last night Seabase and myself had the shelter to ourselves and everyone else either tented or hammocked. We both had trouble falling asleep. We could hear noises across the creek in front of the shelter. We kept turning our head lamps on in hopes of seeing something. We never did see anything other than Butterscotch moving around outside his tent doing something. At midnight when I still could not fall asleep I took a sleeping pill.   I woke up this morning to Regina the ridge runner walking back and forth in front of the shelter about three times; I had no clue what she was doing. When I got up she took something out of the fire pit and put it on the table with a not on it. It said something about ¢tin foil does not burn, carry out you trash¢. No one in the group was burning tin foil in the fire last night. I don¢t know why she did not ask us instead of leaving an note and the trash behind. I got packed and left at 8 am.   I thought I was making good time when at 10:30 I reached what I thought was the summit. I was disappointed to find out that it was not the summit. The summit was still one mile further. The climb was tough but the humidity was what took the toll on me. I sweated my butt off. I was soaking wet with sweat from my shirt all the way to my shorts.   When I got to Maupin Field Shelter, Flag was just preparing to leave. He told me that MacGyver rolled into the lean-to at midnight. I could not imagine going over Three Ridges in the dark like she did.   Flag and I talked some more but he weirded me out with some of his conversation about his idea of the government and people watching him. He also told me that his deceased father from years past still had people checking up on him in unexpected places and went on to elaborate. He started making me nervous. I think he was missing some marbles in all respect.
Date: 2010-06-17
From: No more entries for now

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

17 June 2010, Blackrock Hut   I woke up at 5:31 with the alarm this morning and my knee did not bother me for about 10 minutes. I was thinking everything would be fine. Then the pain started again. It was not as excruciating as earlier this morning but it is unbearable at times. I am very worried. I took four more vitamin I's and laid in bed waiting to see if that will help and waiting for Seabass to wake up. I think I might have to go to the emergency room today. This has me really concerned.   After writing the above and taking the large dose of vitamin I, I decided to suck it up and starting hiking. It hurt like hell sporadically throughout the morning until I took another large dose of vitamin I again. Shortly after that the pain started to subside.   I managed to stay ahead of Bismarck and Bluesky all day. I don¢t know how I managed that with the knee pain I was having. When I reached the first crossing of the Shenandoah Parkway. I was talking to a female weekend hiker who was there with a twisted ankle waiting for her friends who were walking the road to go back for their car when Bismarck came up. We both sat and ate lunch together. We noticed a guy in the parking lot with a very large canvas painting. He was painting the scenery at the overlook. We went over and talked to him for a while. He was a very nice guy.   We left and I quickly managed to walk out of site of Bismarck again. I was in no hurry, it just worked out that way. I was hoping to see a bear today but had no luck.   About three miles late at the side trail to Wildcat Ridge I ran into the weekenders that were taking a break on the trail. I stopped also because it was getting hot and took a break. I ate some cashews and drank some power aid. Bismarck came shortly after. We talked and relaxed for a bit. Bismarck pulled out his iPod and put it on and then we proceeded to hike. I ended up ahead of Biz again. I arrived at Blackrock Shelter and replenished my water and sat around socializing. As I was making my dinner Bismarck rolled in. We both set up our hammock. Bluesky came in right before dusk. After dusk Red Oak, Buttercup rolled in.   I picked one lone star tick off my leg today that was not embedded.   The hiking today was good and the terrain was easy. I enjoyed today's hike. Here tonight are Bismarck, Blue Sky, Sabbath Keeper, Wallflower, MacGyver, Navigator, Red Oak, Buttercup, Hippo (section hiker), Hook, Spoons, Waldo(section hiker), Jean.
Date: 2010-06-22
To: No more entries for now
Miles today: 0.0

For the time being I will not be submitting any more trail entries to this journal. There is one individual that cannot keep there wise and rude comments off my guestbook. This has spoiled it for the time being for those that were following my progress.   I am still keeping a journal, I will just not post it online for now.   Sorry but sometimes one bad apple doese spoil the whole bunch.Troll
Date: 2010-06-23
From: Front Royal

To: Manassas Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

23 June 2010, Manassas Gap/VA 55 to VA 522   Hopper dropped me off at Manassas Gap at 10:00 and I slack packed south back to VA 522.   I got off to a quick start. After walking for about 1/2 hour I ran into a group of northbounders that I did not recognize slack packing. I found out later on that they were the Doylies. They are the group that Warren Doyle slack packs every five years. They do the whole trail in three months and do an average of 25 mile days. They get two zero days for the whole trip. They also have to meet at a certain time every morning and if there not there they leave without them. They have a very strict schedule and some strange bonding techniques. Warren claims that everyone has completed their hikes with him and no one has ever dropped out of his group but I know that is not true.   Yesterday Bismarck told me that he was slack packing today and having the hostel drop him off. I had tried to arrange a slack pack with the hostel also and Mike the hostel owner told me the car was full so I could not slack pack with Bismarck.   I asked a few of the Doylies as I passed them how far the group of south bound slack packers were in front of me. I was walking at a good 3 mph pace or faster and the first time I asked one of the Doylies told me about 20 minutes. Then it was 10 minutes, then 5 minutes. I stopped at the shelter thinking that he would be there but had no luck. After I left the shelter I ran into a northbound thru hiker who told me that Bismarck was about 30 seconds in front of me talking to other northbound thru hikers. Sure enough as I rounded the corner he was there talking. I walked the rest of the day with him until we reached VA 522.    Bismarck and I ran into Yeti, Sequoia and Teen Wolf heading north a couple miles before I ended my day.We stopped at a creek right before VA 522 so he could refill his water. I was all set because I was 0.8 from where I was ending my day.   I ended my hike at 1:15. I hiked 10 miles in about three hours.
Date: 2010-06-23
From: Compton Gap

To: reopened journals
Miles today: 0.0

To the person writing disgusting comments in my guestbook. Neither my family nor I want any further contact from you.   I am going to start posting my journal entries again.   There was more to why I stopped posting them than the one individual that was making wise and rude comments to my guestbook. That was one of the driving factors though.   Other than the individual that was causing problems I have skip three sections of the trail since Damascus for various reason I will not get into. In doing this it has bothered me and has been weighing heavy on my mind. I do not want to summit Katahdin knowing I had not done the whole trail. I have come up with a way to fix this problem.   When I reach Harpers Ferry within the next four days I are going to take a week off and go back and hike the sections I missed. I will also rehike the Shenandoah's the correct way. There were sections I skipped and road walked in the Shenandoah's that I need to go back and do.
Date: 2010-06-24
From: reopened journals

To: Ashby Gap
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: scattered clouds

24 June 2010, Ashby Gap, 11.8   Started out on my own today and stayed on my own all day. Hopper dropped me off at Manassas Gap at 11:00 and walk up the trail behind another lady that was in spandex. She walked up the first climb and then started running. She stayed out of site until the next climb where I caught up to her again when she was walking. This happened at every climb. I started wondering what she was trying to accomplish when I was able to catch her at every climb when all I was doing was walking. When I got to Manassas Gap Shelter I ran into Two Thirds and Freeman with Damascus.   I moved on to Dicks Dome Shelter where I ran into Yeti, Sequoia, One Line and a family from Florida that started out from Harper Ferry and are out for 18 days.   I ran into Hopper about 2 1/2 miles from Ashby Gap and she turned around and walked back with me. We made it to Ashby Gap shortly before 4 pm.   When we got to the car we went 18 miles to Winchester and checked into the Quality Inn for the night. I showered and freshened up. After that we went to Golden Coral for dinner and then to Wal-Mart for some supplies. I had her stop by The Home Depot also and I ran in and talked to someone in the lumber department and finagled a used piece of tyvak from them.
Date: 2010-06-25
From: Ashby Gap

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

25 June 2010, Bears Den Hostel, 13.1   I started at Ashby Gap this morning at 10:00. I got off to a good start. I thought I was jumping right into the section of the trail called the roller coaster. Come to find out that it actually started 3.4 miles later which was right after Rod Hollow Shelter. While I was at Rod Hollow Shelter I ran into Loadstone and Two Thirds. They had both stopped for lunch. Loadstone was taking an extra hour there to just relax. I made a privy call and filtered some water and ate some gun drops, then moved on. Two Thirds moved on with me but took the lead. I was able to keep up with him but now I am paying the price for it tonight. My knee is hurting real bad from going across the ankle twisting rocks to fast.   The roller coaster is called that because of the ups and downs in this stretch. I don't think it is as bad as everyone cracks it up to be.   I made it to Sam Moore Shelter around 3 pm. Hopped was the shelter waiting for me when I arrived there. She filled me in on everyone she passed and who had showed up at the shelter while she was there. I drank what I had left for water and moved on. I stopped at a stream one mile north on the trail and filtered enough water to fill my two gatorade bottles. Just before getting to the stream Ben took off after a deer and was gone for about 15 minutes, again I am not happy.   I made it to the hostel here and was surprised to see Bismarck and Bluesky. Bismarck got his new boots in Front Royal and is hiking short mile days until he breaks in his boots.   The hostel is managed by Hopeful and Redwing who are both 2005 thru hikers.   Shortly before sunset me and Kcufs and I went out to Bears Den Rocks to watch the sun set. It was hazy and cloudy on the horizon so the sunset was basically nonexistent. Kcufs hiked on with his pack, he was going to night hike about seven or more miles. He had to be in Harpers Ferry by 11:00 in the morning to catch a train or something to that effect.   When we got back to the hostel everyone in the hostel was watching the film ¢Walking with Freedom¢. I brushed my teeth and came out to write my journal. I did not pay to stay in the hostel tonight. I am camping outside in the field trying to save money.   Hopper looked through the 2005 registers at hostel to see if she could find entries from when Spike and she were here but she had no luck.Notes;   The roller coaster was not bad at all. I think with all the hype I expected more.   I called home tonight and felt like I got an attitude from the home front. Maybe it was just me, who knows.
Date: 2010-06-26
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Keys Gap
Miles today: 14.1

26 June 2010, Keys Gap, 14.1   Left Bears Den this morning around 8 am. I did the northern end of the roller and devils racecourse first thing this morning and had no real problems doing them. I have no idea why the one section is called devils racecourse.   I ran into Lead Foot taking a break and I stopped and talked to him and drank some gatorade. I told him we would be passing the 1,000 mark today sometime soon. We both wondered where that point was so we looked in our guide books and we both realized that we were sitting probably at the 1,000 mile mark. We both took pictures of each other at this point.   I walked by the side trails to the Blackburn Center and David Lesser Shelter today because I did not want to walk the extra miles going to them. I met hopper about one mile north of David Lesser shelter.   On the hike north after I ran into Hopper and we ran into some trail magic. There was a sign on the trail titled ¢burrito buffet¢ and it pointed into the woods with no side trail leading anywhere. I could see tents in the woods with a group of people. I bush wacked to the group to find ten thru hikers and four trail angels. We just missed the burrito's but they had beer, soda, whiskey. The thru hikers that were there while I was there were Olive Oil, Wallflower, Stud Muffin, Tarzan, Two Thirds, Grizz, Rag Time, MacGyver, Beaver Chief, Freeman with Damascus. I had a soda and shot of whiskey and a beer. That did not go to well on an empty stomach. I caught little buzz off of that. Needless to say I sat for a while and walked slow going out to the car, which was still three miles away.   From Keys Gap Hopper took me into the ATC headquarters, where I registered and got my picture taken. My thru hiker number was 523. Lori took my picture. I was really happy to see Lori there. I wanted to run in to her while I was there. Lori is well known in the AT community and represents the ATC, she is the perfect person for the job. After the ATC, I went to the Outfitters and purchased a day pack, socks and a replacement hip belt for my current pack. I lost enough weight around my waist where my current hip belt only has about one inch of room left to tighten it.
Date: 2010-06-27
From: Keys Gap

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

27 June 2010, Harpers Ferry   Started at Keys Gap at 10:00 today and did a quick six or so mile walk to the Appalachian Trail Headquarters. I started with Bismarck, Bluesky, Uncas and Lead Foot. We walked our own paces but we met up 1.9 mile from the ATC where we ran into a family doing a hike on a loop trail. We answered the usual questions that they asked then I started out with everyone in tow. I moved ahead and arrive at the ATC 1/2 hour before anyone else showed up. Bismarck noticed a message on the message board for meat the ATC for me. To my surprise it was Northwoods Explorer. He is a geocaching friend from Maine. He seems to have left it today from what I can tell. It would have been great to have been there to see him when he left the message, bummer.   After everyone got their pictures taken at the ATC we went up the road from town to a pub and had a few drinks together. It might be the last time we all see each other. I am heading south today to catch the sections I missed. There is a slight chance that I will run into Bismarck again because he has to head to Columbus Ohio; he got called in by a client. He is an independent engineer. He said he might be gone for four or five days. I will be gone for about seven days catching up three sections I have to do.
Date: 2010-06-28
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

28 June 2010, Abingdon, VA   We drove all the way to Brevard, NC today to pick up Hoppers car today, which was at a friend¢s house. Then we went to Abingdon today so we could to turn in the rental car in tomorrow morning at the agency. Hopper is going to slack pack me through the 53 miles of Grayson Highlands that I skip while she was really sick after Trail Days and I stuck with her for almost a week.   Hopper picked up her car for a few reasons. The main reason is because she is not thru hiking anymore. She will only be doing day hikes and slack packing me.    We have had some interference with Hoppers family since this hike started. She had made arrangements to hike with family members a few times. She recently she got a call that her uncle passed away. This means she will have to go home for the funeral. I am guessing that will be within the week. I am thinking she will head home for the funeral before we get back to Harpers Ferry. I volunteered to go with her to help her drive.
Date: 2010-06-29
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Fox Creek
Miles today: 19.2

29 June 2010, Fox Creek/VA 603 (Grayson Highlands)   I started at Whitetop this morning. It was very cloudy and overcast from last night¢s rain.   I ran into many groups of backpackers today, most of them were on vacation, church groups, boy scouts, and adventure groups. There was one particular group that was very large with at least 25 boys in it that were also northbound. They were all taking a break with their packs off so I quickly scooted ahead of them. After I got in front of them I ran in to a girl with her dog. She stopped to let me by and I asked how far she was going and she said she was thru hiking. I told her I was also and explained to her that I was catching this 53 that I skipped earlier in the hike. She said her trail name was Cat Dog and that her dogs name was Springer. She said her dog was sick and had not eaten for two days and cannot hold water and she needed to get to a vet. I tried calling Hopper to see if she could help but had no cell phone service. I stuck with her for a while and tried my phone again when we got to a good spot. I got Hopper on the phone and she said she could drive up to help but then I lost the phone connection. When I was trying to redial a few park workers came over that were working on the fencing and said they could help her. I finally got a hold of Hopper again and told her that Cat Dog was all set now. I ran into Cat Dog later when I reach Maine and she told me her dog had Parvo.   Just before I reach the area called the Scales I ran into a southbound older couple that was brother and sister. There trail names were Dollar and Dream and they are from Vermont. We chatted for about 20 minutes and I moved on.   I got to Old Orchard Shelter at about 4 pm. I drank the last of my Gatorade and moved on. I got to Fox Creek/VA 603 at about 4:30. We then came here to the Troutdale Baptist Church Hostel. The hostel is run on donations. It has a bunk room, showers and a pot-a-potty, all the pleasures needed for a hiker.   There was a NOBO thru hiker here named Daniel that did not have a trail name yet. He told us he was an artist and liked to sketch things. I told him he should go by the name Sketch and he said he liked it. I started calling him Sketch. There was another thru hiker that is slackpacking himself with a car going by the name Old School.