morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-06-10
From: Damascus, VA

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

Today was spent doing more of the usual town chores .. grocery shopping and internet being at the top of the list. It is still damp and raining off and on around here so my chores were done while dodging between showers and raindrops.In addition to the usual things, I also have a problem in that my shoes are wearing out and REI, the place I bought them, no longer carries them. Since hiking shoes only last about 500 miles out here, I need to come up with a new make of shoe I can use and have shipped to me as I move along. That is preferable to repeatably getting used to different kinds of shoes in the middle of the hike! Late in the afternoon I was walking down the main street and encountered Debbie from Florida sitting on the front porch of a B&B. She and I had shared a shelter a few nights earlier at Lake Watauga. We had a chat and I joined her and the others from the B&B who were just headed out to dinner at the place that had closed so suddenly the evening before. Others in the group included the B&B owner, Suzanne, a German biker who is headed across the US on a bicycle, and a fellow who had hiked into town three days earlier and likes it so much here that today he rented a small home to live in!Back at the hostel, I spent some time chatting with a lady from Texas, Fancy Pants, who is finishing a thru-hike she began about 10 years ago.PhotosI took a real tumble when I slipped on this slick, wet algae coming back down a hill from the grocery storeMy quarters in the hostelDinner with some folks from a local B&BThis a Nancy from Virginia. We ran into each other three times over several days even though she was not really hiking.Stopping traffic for ducks
Date: 2009-06-11
From: Damascus, VA

To: Stealth camp site by creek
Miles today: 7.9

This morning was spent getting ready to head out, but I did want to spend a bit more time updating my journal before leaving so I had to hang around until the library opened at 11:00.After that, I went to the laundromat to make a few phone calls and who should I meet passing by but Peter and Jane who Bon Bon and I had met our fourth day into the hike back in Georgia! We had gone into town with them on Easter Sunday evening and had dinner at a Burger King. They had been off the trail for three weeks due to shin splints and that is how I managed to "catch up" with them. We got Bon Bon on the phone and she and Jane had a nice chat.With one thing leading to another, I finally rolled out of town about 4:00. About half an hour later I was hit by a deluge that lasted about 30 minutes and then stopped.I also was immediately faced with a big decision ... stay on the official AT or take a popular, much prettier, and easier, old railroad bed route called the Virginia Creeper Trail which runs roughly parallel to the AT for about 10 miles alongside a creek. I finally decided on the Creepr Trail and I am glad I did. It was lovely and had a constant uphill grade of 1-2% so I was able to hike uphill non-stop for over 4 hours before finally going off into the woods by the creek to set up my tent for the night and make dinner in the dark. As I went to sleep, my tent was surrounded by swarms of blinking lightning bugs!PhotosFancy Pants from Texas. She joined our hiking party several days laterThe Creeper Trail is an old railroad bed now converted to a biking and hiking path. It goes on for several milesThese young fellows steered me straight just as I was about to take a wrong turn on the Creeper Trail
Date: 2009-06-12
From: Stealth camp site by creek

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: light rain

It rained during the night and continued to drizzle until about 10:00 so I did not bother getting out of my tent until then. I finally got underway about 11:00.The Creeper Trail and the AT joined up again after about two hours and finally, after many miles of smooth paths, easy grades, lovely views and bridges over the creek, and encountering dozens of bicycle riders coastin leisurely downhill on the Creeper Trail to Damascus, I went back into the woods on the AT. The change in terrain and view was immediate and stark as the woods closed in around me and the narrow, steep trail demanded my attention every step of the way. When I got to the shelter, I found PoliPoli and Plowboy who had taken a day off with friends near Damascus and ended up getting ahead of me, taking the AT route instead of the Creeper Trail. Also there by the time everyone showed up were Fancy Pants, three young engineers from a nearby Procctor and Gamble facility who had misjudged the weather and had no tent, and Linda and Prentice Hall who have already thru-hiked the extended AT that continues on through Maine into Canada. They have lived on a boat for the past 25 years! Being a summer weekend, there were roughly a dozen other folks there too who had to tent since the shelter was soon full.PhotosStealth camping by a creek on a wet nightAnother Black SnakeDrying out at Lost Mountain ShelterThe couple in the back, Linda and Prentice Hall, are former AT thru-hikers who have lived on a boat for about the past 25 years
Date: 2009-06-13
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was tough but worth it. There was 3,000 feet of up plus high mileage, but much of it was above the treeline so the views were wonderful. Along the way, I encountered two hikers at a Forest Service road crossing that went to the top of a mountain. One of them had hurt his ankle. They had no map that would help them decide whether to hike on to a better road or to wait there unitl a car came along. Just then a car came along so we flagged it down. The family inside was more than happy to accomodate and off they went to town.Late in the afternoon it began to rain. The shelter, built on a pile of rocks, was located just 200 feet below the summit of the highest mountain in Virginia so when I got there, it was foggy, rainy and chilly. Luckily for me, Poli Poli, Plowboy and Fancy Pants had managed to save a spot for me since the shelter was already overflowing.Note: This is being written on 6/16, and I am now in Troutdale, VA ... but out of time ... so this will be it until next time. Still having fun after crossing the 500 mile mark early yesterday!PhotosFancy PantsThree engineers from Proctor and Gamble on a weekend camping trip without a tent. When the weather unexpectedly changed, we made room for them in the shelterHiker headed into town with an ankle problemThomas Knob Shelter, 200 feet below the highest point in Virginia
Date: 2009-06-14
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

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

Today has been the most scenic day of the entire hike so far.First of all, the weather was perfect ... cool, clear, and bright sun. Second, our route took us through some of the most scenic areas in Virginia, high fields above the tree line with rocky outcroppings surrounded with blooming pink rhododendron bushes all over the place.There are quite a large number of feral ponies living up here, particularly in an area called the Grayson Highlands. The ponies are very cute, but wild. They know that hikers have treats for them, so they are quite approachable. We spent about half an hour with them, but moved on when one pony bit me on both forearms after I had run out of sugar to give it!We stopped for lunch at Wise Shelter, and, as we were about to leave, a group of 8 day hikers trooped in. It turns out that one of the gals, Dottie, has been following my hike on Trailjournals.com! She enjoyed meeting me in person, and I enjoyed meeting a "fan."With me at the shelter tonight are PoliPoli, Plowboy, and Fancy Pants.PhotosA father-daughter duo we hiked near for 3-4 daysGrayson Highlands State Park, famous for wild poniesDottie, a "fan" who has been reading my trail journal!Old Ochard Shelter
Date: 2009-06-15
From: Old Orchard Shelter

To: Troutdale, VA
Miles today: 10.2

We got up early and started off for breakfast in town, 1.7 trail miles and 3 road miles away. Along the way, we stopped for photos at the "500 mile bridge."As soon as we got to the road and began to hitchhike, it began to pour. Through PoliPoli's efforts, we got a ride in about 20 minutes in a pickup truck filled with bags of grass clippings. Plowboy and I sat in the back with the grass clippings in the rain.Troutdale is dying town of 290 people down from over 2,000 during its logging heyday. The only viable entities seem to be the PO, a bank branch, the Baptist church, and "Jerry's" a restaurant with a small convenience store attached .... First stop was Jerry's for a big breakfast. Next was the hostel run by the Baptist church. We left our packs there and caught a ride back to the AT with a man who had come to the hostel to pick up the trash. We then hiked 8.5 miles without our packs to the next major road crossing, and then hitchhiked back to Troutdale and the hostel. This, and other variations, is called "slack packing," a way to hike without a heavy pack for a change.When we got back, we washed ourselves and our clothes in the hostel showers, and hung the clothes on a line to dry. Then we went to Jerry's for dinner. Midway through dinner it began to rain again, wetting our drying clothes all over again.PhotosCelebration at the 500-mile bridgePoliPoli working on her hitch hiking skillsShe managed to get this truck to turn around! Unfortunately Plowboy and I had to sit in the back midst the bags of grass clippings in the driving rain.The kind fellow who gave us the ride into Troutdale in the rainFood!The Baptist church hostel where we stayed for three nights. Here are Patches from San Francisco and her hiking buddy Flail who were headed out as we arrived. We had met several times before along the trail.This fellow came by the hostel to collect garbage and ended up taking us back to the trail so we could get in some miles without our packsHerb, from Connecticut, and Plowboy. Herb joined our group for several days.After hiking about 8 miles without our packs, we hitch hiked back to the hostel in Troutdale.
Date: 2009-06-16
From: Troutdale, VA

To: Troutdale, VA
Miles today: 0.0

It was time to resupply and attend to other details, so we took a "zero day" today.At breakfast, I convinced Jerry (for a fee) to loan us his pickup truck for the day. Five of us piled in and drove to Marion about 20 miles away. Once there, we went to a laundromat to dry the clothes caught in the storm yesterday evening. We then proceeded to Walmart and a supermarket to resupply, KFC for lunch, and the library for internet services.We also went to the PO where I had several items waiting for me. To my great surprise I was greeted like a visiting dignatary by the staff! There was even a packet of info from the Marion Chamber of Commerce! All this was the result of the efforts of a reader of my trail journal, Mark Thiel who happens to be a postmaster in Michigan. Thanks Mark!Back at the hostel, the place had filled up. Having only 8 beds, a teacher tented on the porch with her dog and a group of 8 tented in a covered picnic pavillion.PhotosWe managed to convince the owner of the local restaurant to let us use his truck for the day so we could go to a larger town about 20 miles away to resupply.We also dried our clothes there since it was raining too much to dry them on a clothesline
Date: 2009-06-17
From: Troutdale, VA

To: Troutdale, VA
Miles today: 0.0

Well, we got up, packed up, and were ready to roll out, but the heavens opened up and it rained all day. It is one thing to have to deal with rain that comes up out on the trail, but quite another thing to want to walk out of a dry hostel into a storm. So we sat it out, reading, playing cards, napping and working on our gear. One bright moment during the day was a visit from our host, the pastor of the church, an impressive young man.During the evening, I helped a novice hiker build an alcohol stove since his partner had gotten off the trail leaving him with no way to cook!PhotosThis teacher, from southern California, is hiking with her dog. They tented on the hostel porch due to the rainstormsBelieve it or not, this is the center of downtown Troutdale.Rain dayVisit from the church pastor to see how we were doing. Kermitt attended a church Bible study meeting one eveningHeaded to the restaurant in the rainThe hostel privysAnother hiker and his dogJerry and his charming wife who let us use their truck
Date: 2009-06-18
From: Troutdale, VA

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: light rain

The weather looked a bit more promising this morning and we were definitely getting cabin fever in the hostel, so we packed up and headed out, stopping at Jerry's for breakfast. The plan had been to have Jerry or his assistant shuttle us the three miles back up to the trail, but that didn't work out so we had to improvise. PoliPoli and six more of us went outside and she soon worked her magic, getting a man in a van to change directions and take all seven (!) of us and our packs to the trail head! The seven included me, PoliPoli, Plowboy, Kermitt and Fancy Pants, plus No.1 and No. 2, a nice couple from Milwaukee who have visited my hometown of Oconomowoc from time to time.It was a pretty long hike today, but the weather cooperated and we had no rain. Our path took us through a cow pasture and there we encountered an old school bus that had clearly been used as a home at one point. How it got there is far from clear.Partnership Shelter is pretty special. First, it is located behind a major Forest Service facility, on a road about six miles from Marion. There is an outside phone at the facility where one can order up pizza delivery, a great treat for hungry hikers. Then, the shelter itself is very nice ... quite new, a two-level affair with sleeping for 16, a nice fire pit area, a cold shower, a water spigot and wash tub, and a privy that actually has toilet paper (a first so far on the trail).The fellow who I helped build a stove last night was there and word spread that I had some pretty interesting gear. Before I knew it, I had a crowd of about six young guys around the picnic table, as I "exploded" my pack to show them what I had brought along with me after three years of research and planning. Lots of ideas were exchanged.In the shelter during the night, I slept next to a nice young man and his German Shepherd dog who is accompanying him. 2-3 times during the night, the dog exploded with barking to protect us from screech owls and other dangerous noises out in the dark!PhotosFinally leaving TroutdalePoliPoli working her magicThis fellow changed directions and picked us upBy the time we were done, we had crammed 7 hikers and their packs into this van!There's a story here, but I do not know what it isPartnership Shelter. It has a shower!
Date: 2009-06-19
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

Five of us started out together this morning; PoliPoli, Plowboy, Kermitt, Fancy Pants and I. It was not long before we decided that this was not working out perfectly since Fancy Pants and Kermitt hike faster than the other three of us. So they hiked on ahead. When we got to a shelter, PoliPoli and Plowboy decided to spend the night there and I went on the additional 4.5 miles into town since it seemed to be all downhill on my profile map.We encountered a trail maintainer today and I ate lunch with him and walked with him for awhile as he cleared the path of overhanging branches, intruding bushes and what not. Later I came to the rest of the 15 man volunteer crew he is spending the week with. They are constructing water diverters, building simple bridges over streams, and doing a lot of other hard work on a section of the trail deemed in need of an upgrade. The trail came to a farming area and there is an old farm there that is now an open air museum. I did not make the detour, but soon came to an old one-room school that is also part of the museum and right on the trail. It was open so I went in and looked around. The school was in service from 1894 until 1937. It is very well preserved and is still used from time to time for craft classes and other local events. After looking around, I went outside and lay down on the porch and fell asleep! This turned out to be a mistake because I slept for half and hour and when I awoke, it was very hard to summon my strength to march on the last 2.5 miles to town ... though I had no chioce, of course.I finally arrived at the "town," which turned out to be a freeway exit about 3 miles from Atkins itself with nothing but an old motel, 2 gas stations and a restaurant.I got a room and immediately washed my clothes and took a shower. Fancy Pants and Kermitt were also in residence so we went to the restaurant for dinner. I then went to sleep in a real bed for the first time in 3-4 weeks, having hiked 26 miles in 2 days.Photos#1 and #2, from MilwaukeeTrail maintainersOne-room schoolAn old covered bridge
Date: 2009-06-20
From: Atkins, VA

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning I realized I was more exhausted than I had thought and decided to take the day off. Kermitt and Fancy Pants hiked on and I pretty much just vegged in my room, working on my trail journal a bit. Oddly, I was not even hungry though I did load up on electrolytes.During the afternoon, PoliPoli and Plowboy checked into the room next to me and we went to the restaurant for dinner. I ordered a hamburger and fries, but did not finish them. Very odd.After dinner we sat on benches in front of our rooms, had a couple of beers, and watched the sunset.Photo
Date: 2009-06-21
From: Atkins, VA

To: Crawfish Valley tent site
Miles today: 6.3

Since the next shelter is 14 miles from Atkins with some serious elevation along the way, we decided to go only half way instead and stay at a tent sight for the night. Today is three things at once ... Father's Day, the summer solstice, and Hike Naked Day, an AT tradition. We passed, but Plowboy did hike with his shirt off since it was fairly warm.Soon after starting out, it became clear that there was a reason for my strange appetite over the past two days. I had diarrhea! This left me weak, but a rest, some Immodium ID and lots of water seemed to do the trick, and now, written a couple of days later, I am fine. I suspect that the culprit may have been that restaurant in Atkins. The food the first night there just didn't seem right to me.After passing through some pretty farm land, we entered the woods. About 2 miles from Atkins there is an old, decommissioned AT shelter. The walls are gone, but the sleeping platform and picnic table remain for any who want to use them (there are very few rules on the AT about where one can or cannot spend the night). We learned the next day that two men who stopped there for the night right after we passed by, saw a bear from the platform.The tent campsite was very nice, right by a clean stream and having a nice fire area. After we set up our tent, another hiker happened along. His trail name is 7. He has hiked the AT the past two years and now is on his third trip north. He was a wealth of information about the trail ahead.Later, shortly after dark, a herd of six young hikers came in, noisily, and set up their sleeping bags under the stars. At first we thought this would be a long disturbance, but they soon had some sort of group devitional period and went to sleep. This is one of several cases we have encountered of small groups out on religious retreats on the trail. They were up and gone before 6 in the morning.PhotosRetired shelter"Hike Naked Day" attireThis fellow's trail name is "7" ... the second "7" I've met on the AT
Date: 2009-06-22
From: Crawfish Valley tent site

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: clear sky

I awoke this morning to find a pretty big spider inside my tent with me, along with a bite from something on my waistline. At first I was concerned that it was a brown recluse, a bite from which can be quite nasty, but internet research has now put that concern to rest.Today was an easy day, but with a fair amount of up and down. We also passed through some private land and open fields, and for some reason went over about 12 stiles. At the shelter we were joined by two brothers-in-law, John and John, who have been hiking the AT in sections a week or two a year for seven years together. We gathered fire wood and had a nice campfire before going to bed.The next morning one of the Johns, who had tented near the shelter, reported he had heard a bear rooting around during the night.PhotosAn unwelcome visitor inside my tent when I woke upMore and more stiles as we go alongKnot Maul Branch Shelter
Date: 2009-06-23
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Since I had been sick the day before, I slept in while PoliPoli and Plowboy hiked on. It was only 9 miles to the next shelter, but there was a lot of up that would have left me in their dust anyway ... about 3,000 feet total, including a long, 2,000 foot, 4 mile slog at the end of the day up to the shelter perched right on the top of a mountain (with no water).We had been warned about the water and my guide book showed few water sources along the way so I filled up whenever I came to a water source. Turns out there was plenty of water, though not on the mountain top, of course. At one water source not listed in my book, I encountered an band of pirates (see photo) camped on the river bank. Further inspection determined they were not real pirates, but rather a group of Mormon teenage girls and their leaders out on a several day retreat. We had a great few minutes together as I played along with their game ... whatever it was!The final ascent at the end of the day was tough, but I just took it one step at a time. The reward was that the final two miles was less steep and entirely open fields with views that went on forever ... some of the prettiest miles on the trail so far.The shelter is an old stone building with four walls and a door. It is the former cabin where fire spotters slept and the foundations for the former fire tower are right outside the door. The views are spectacular and we had a great sunset, followed by a star-filled night with no moon. In residence with PoliPoli, Plowboy and me, are Jukebox, a SOBO from 2008 finishing her hike, along with two of her friends. Jukebox is a music student with a beautiful voice.PhotosPirates!Honorary pirateChestnut Knob ShelterJukebox and her pals
Date: 2009-05-11
To: Springer Start
Miles today: 2.8

I finished working for SOAR only a week prior to my departure date and only had a little bit of preparation time for the trail, and as always, I was a little over prepared. My buddy from elemetary school in TN kindly volunteered to shuttle me down to Springer Mtn. in northern Georgia on the 11th of May, my official start date to the adventure that will ensue over the course of the next 4-5 months. Having hiked the first 60 miles of the AT in high school I was smart enough to skip the horrendous approach trail from Amicalola Falls and instead was dropped off a little north of Springer and hiked south to the summit to begin my trip. We got to Springer around 4pm due to me still having to pick up a guide book en route to the trailhead and I only hiked out a few miles beyond the starting point for Day 1. Let my 2,178 mile hike from Georgia to Maine begin!