morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-09-28
From: Campsite @ 1540.1

To: Angels Rest Hiker Haven, Pearisburg VA
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: few clouds

I woke up to find the ridge line I was camped on covered in fog and it made the forest eerily beautiful. I received a text from Moving Target to tell me more bad news from our stay at Stanimals Hostel in Glasgow. Our host and shuttle driver, Robert was killed in a car accident last Saturday. Unbelievable that this happened on top of the death of Mountain Man Jim. So incredibly sad! I packed up quickly and was on my way by 7:30. The trail was level and easy and I made good time to Ricefield Shelter which had a beautiful view. Too bad my mileage didn¢t work out to stay here. I bet the sunset is beautiful! I cooked up the rest of my food for lunch so I¢d have a light pack for the walk into town. I had my daily run in with Old Woman and Wrongway Charlie and they said I would easily get to Pearisburg today. The hike was for the most part down hill and I put my feet in high gear. When I got to the Pearis Cemetery parking lot there was a card tacked up offering a shuttle to my intended destination, Angels Rest Hiker Haven. I had intended to walk to the next road crossing a mile further on but decided to make the call. Within 10 minutes I was on my way to this great Hostel, a shower, and dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant with Halfway who was taking a zero here. I have an acupuncture session scheduled with the owner of the Hostel, Doc Peppa, tomorrow for my big toe joint.
Date: 2017-09-29
From: Angels Rest Hiker Haven, Pearisburg VA

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I decided to take a day off from hiking and rest up at the Hostel today. It is a very peaceful place with acres of gardens. There is a single wide trailer with a couple of private bedrooms which is where I stayed, a bunk room, laundry room, and 3 new individual shower/toilet rooms. I did the the usual town stuff of organizing gear and food and generally just relaxing. I had an acupuncture treatment for my sore toe joint at Doc Peppa¢s office in the late afternoon. It was very relaxing , in fact I fell asleep. I have been crossing paths over the past week or so with 2 hikers of my generation called Mudsmeller and Cutie Handful. They are here at the Hostel and it turns out we have just missed each other the whole time we have been hiking. They started at Rockfish Gap about the same time I did and ended their hike in NY at the exact same time I did. We both resumed our hikes on the same day at Rockfish Gap. So funny that we have just now run into each other, but that is the way of the trail.
Date: 2017-09-30
From: Angels Rest Hiker Haven, Pearisburg VA

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Sartec, a hiker doing work for stay at the Hostel, returned me to the trailhead and I had several miles of hiking uphill to get to the Angels Rest lookout. My pack was exceptionally heavy because I decided to carry more food for this section. Hiker hunger seriously kicked in over the last section and although I wasn¢t about to starve to death, I never really felt full. A block of cheese, bag of Fritos, and a package of fig newtons can add some poundage and I wondered if I had made the right choices halfway up the mountain. Fortunately the trail leveled out and there was a lot of walking through rhododendron tunnels. I met Mudsmeller and Cutie halfway as they were slacpacking back to Angels Rest. This section I'm doing is rich in hostels so I was headed for the not to miss, Woods Hole Hostel. It is just beautiful and I¢m so glad to be here. The dinner prepared from ingredients out of the organic garden was outstanding. There is a very friendly crowd here. I think the ambience of the place rubs off on everyone. Wizard is here who I last saw in Pennsylvania and he remembered details about me that I¢d shared with him back then. I also got to meet Dogtags who has been following my journal online. Hey Dogtags! The owners, Neville and Michael were out for the evening so there was a slight mixup on where I was to stay and at 9pm I had to move out of an indoor room to the bunkhouse. No worries though, it was very comfy and I got a good nights sleep with my earplugs in to drown out the snorers.
Date: 2017-10-01
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I didn't intend to take another zero day so soon after taking one in Pearisburg but this place is so beautiful and peaceful and I knew I'd regret it if I didn¢t take advantage of being here. An awesome breakfast was served of eggs, sausage, peach crisp and homemade bread with apple butter. Everyone was expected to pitch in on the prep and cleanup. It was a bit chilly today but quite warm on the porch. Another hiker, Sails Away and I managed to while away the morning playing with the resident kitten. Sails found some tuna and wraps in the hiker box and made us a mini lunch and I bought us each one of Neville¢s delicious cookie bars. Neville then invited us both to eat a lunch of leftovers with her and the work for stay hikers, Simpleton Extraordinaire and Footprint, so we ate again. Simpleton and his dog, Jameson were the 2 I met before hiking into Daleville. Jameson has an infected paw so they are staying until it heals. I don't know how Simpleton got his trail name but he is a very smart and kind young guy.  To give Neville a night off from cooking, a trip to the Mexican restaurant in town was organized. I had just ate there and some others weren't interested, so we stayed home and ate out of our food bags. A nice bonfire was built and it was a pleasant evening. Mudsmeller and Cutie Handful arrived and we talked about sharing a shuttle so we could slackpack back to the Hostel tomorrow. Slackpacking involves being shuttled ahead on the trail and then hiking back to the Hostel. Carrying a full pack is not required so generally you can walk a little further with just a daypack of a few essentials. They have been slackpacking quite a bit so I thought I¢d give it a try.
Date: 2017-10-02
From: VA 606

To: Woods Hole Hostel 
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: clear sky

We got off to an early start with Michael driving us about 45 minutes to the trailhead. We would be hiking north today, back towards the Hostel. It was quite chilly this morning but hiking soon warms you up. All the rhododendrons looked very wilted and I wondered if it was that cold or because of the dry conditions. Probably the serious lack of rainfall here in southern Virginia. I decided to take a 1/3 mile spur to see the pretty Dismal Falls though my hiking companions declined. We hiked together for much of the day but on occasion would hike separately because of our different paces. The hiking was quite easy with lots of level trail through the green tunnel. I stopped at Wapiti Shelter for lunch. This was the site of a grisly murder of 2 young hikers back in the eighties. It was such a beautiful spot that it was hard to believe that such a violent act occurred here. Mudsmeller said she didn't want to stop because it gave her the heebie jeebies. Wizard was at the Shelter adding some of his prolific artwork to the Shelter log. I wished him well on his hike since I probably won't see him again, although you never know! I pulled ahead of my hiking companions when they stopped to make some phone calls and I made it back to the Hostel just in time for afternoon yoga. Dinner was again scrumptious and consisted of salad from the garden, spinach pasta with pork, marinara sauce and pesto. Again homemade bread and a chocolate birthday cake to celebrate 3 hikers who had just recently had birthdays. Early to bed for my morning shuttle back to the trailhead.10/3/2017
Date: 2017-10-03
From: VA 606

To: Campsite @ 1582.5 
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

As is usually the case for me, I was glad to get back into the peace and quiet of the trail after several days of social interaction at the Hostel. There was a slight incline at first but then the trail leveled out and was pretty easy. Water continues to be a problem and I wished I had drank more at the Hostel before I left. Some of the SOBO hikers I met at the Hostel had formed a private chat group that allowed them to share trail information with each other. They added me to the group and it is very helpful to know the water conditions ahead. I saw so many deer today that I lost count. I really love when they just stare at you and are seemingly not afraid. They twitch their noses, taking in your scent. Maybe they don¢t run off when they smell stinky hiker versus hunter smell. I stopped at Jenny Knob Shelter for lunch and got some sketchy water from a small pool. I crossed paths with a hiker called Sleeve several times during the day and when I arrived at VA 611 he was there with Chaser, a ¢16 thru hiker. Chaser had heard about the dry conditions and was offering some trail magic to hikers. He had 10 gallons of water, beer, whiskey, coke and all kinds of snacks. I passed on the beer and whiskey but did fill up with water and enjoyed a couple of cups of coke and some gooey chocolate coconut confection. I took a few more snacks for later. Sleeve and I agreed to hike up to the ridge and camp at a stealth site. Powered by coke and sugar, I literally flew up the mountain and beat Sleeve to the site (LOL, he drank a beer). It was a great little spot with a nice sunset through the trees.
Date: 2017-10-04
From: Campsite @ 1582.5 

To: Laurel Creek Campsite 
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: clear sky

Sleeve had told me he usually started hiking before sunrise and when the call of nature roused me from my tent at 6, he was already gone. I saw an unusual animal ahead of me on the trail today. I couldn't quite figure out what it was at first but then realized it was a cat. It kept about 100 yards ahead of me and would keep stopping and looking back. I called to it but it wasn¢t having any of that. Shortly I heard a struggle and squawking in the bushes and realized some poor bird had become Kitty's breakfast. I never saw the cat again. I didn't stop at Helvey¢s Mill Shelter for water thanks to Chaser¢s generosity yesterday plus I knew there was a surprise coming up when I got to the road crossing near Bland. Someone had posted in the chat group that there was a deli not listed in the guidebook! It wasn¢t what I would call a deli, here in the south we call it country cookin¢. The special was beans and cornbread for $2 and there were lots of locals and the local police force partaking. I had my heart set on a cheeseburger, fries and milkshake and it was very good. It¢s so interesting that hikers can eat such large amounts of fattening fare and still lose weight. It¢s difficult to eat enough to fuel your hike. With full belly and very easy trail to cover, I soon made to the Laurel Creek Campsite. A Colorado couple who I met at the Hostel and a brother/sister hiking team are here too.
Date: 2017-10-05
From: Laurel Creek Campsite 

To: Campsite @ 1618.5 
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: overcast clouds

On paper today's hiking looked like it would be similar to yesterday's but it was not at all. There was a pretty good climb to a ridge line that circled an area called Burke¢s Garden, a huge high elevation valley. Another hiker referred to it as God¢s thumbprint. The trail was very rocky and rooty plus had many short elevation changes. It took concentration to stay upright. I carried 3 heavy liters of water because of lack of sources on this section. I was heading for Walker Gap where I knew there would be water but at 5pm, tired and just done for the day, I found a great campsite along side the trail and with all that water I had carried, decided this would be home for tonight. Great sunset and I could hear cows mooing down in the valley.
Date: 2017-10-06
From: Campsite @ 1618.5 

To: VA 42 Campsite 
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: broken clouds

I was packed up and on the trail by 8 am. It was a pretty easy walk to my intended destination of yesterday, Walker Gap. Since I had plenty of water, I didn't take the side trail to check it out. It was a good climb to the top of Chestnut Knob and a neat stone Shelter that was formerly a fire wardens cabin. It was fully enclosed and even had windows and a door. Too bad that my mileage didn't work out to stay here because I¢m sure it was a perfect spot for viewing the sunrise and sunset. The trail traversed some open areas and I came across more apple trees which of course I taste tested. They were delicious. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful just lots of hiking through very thirsty rhododendron tunnels. I was thinking to myself that this was the first day I hadn¢t seen a single soul when I ran into Rerun and Melody out for a section hike. They were from NC and we chatted briefly about possibly hiking in the future. I¢m not all that happy about my campsite for tonight since it is near a road. It doesn¢t seem too busy though. I was the only one here but I can hear someone else has just arrived. Not going out there to say hello since it is already hiker midnight. Edit: I just noticed that I've passed the 800 miles hiked this year milestone. Yippee!
Date: 2017-10-07
From: VA 42 Campsite 

To: Atkins VA
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: broken clouds

I realized this morning that I had set my tent up right next to the trail and the noise I had heard was someone night hiking. A lot of thru hikers are doing some night hiking to get in more miles since the days are getting  shorter. I don¢t think it¢s for me. I can hardly get up and out of my tent at night to pee without tripping so I can¢t imagine how I¢d hike in the dark. I did hear a large animal pass though camp last night though. I shined my headlamp out there but couldn't see anything. My destination today is Atkins and an indoor stay at a Motel with a sketchy reputation. It is supposed to rain tonight, plus a tropical storm is headed this way. God knows this area definitely needs the rain! The trail passed through lots of farmland and pasture today. It was interesting to note all the different ways of letting hikers pass over or through the fence lines. Stiles that you climb over seem to be the most common. I always enjoy the change in scenery that hiking through farmland provides, though some attention to foot placement is required to avoid treading in cow patties. I¢m very thankful to the farmers for allowing the AT to traverse their land. I soon arrived at the Relax Inn and it definitely appeared to be past its heyday. The sheets and towels were clean and the hot water plentiful, but beyond that, not much can positively be said. I thought the bathroom window must be open because I could clearly hear the interstate traffic in the room. Further inspection revealed a piece of plastic duct taped about 20 years ago over the window opening. Someone had signed their name in the dust on the tv screen. Mold was plentiful and if you are reading this to help plan a future hike, I¢d try to avoid this place at all costs. Testing your limits is an important part of the AT hiking experience, so this stay definitely tested my tolerance for sketchy accommodations. I had dinner at a Mexican Restaurant attached to a gas station that had been highly recommended. You wouldn¢t normally expect a lot from restaurant attached to a gas station, but it was very good! On the way back to the Motel I ran into the Colorado couple who were staying in the next room.
Date: 2017-10-08
From: Atkins VA

To: Marion VA
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I had decided no matter what, I was moving on from the ¢Atkins Ritz¢. When I woke up at my usual 6am it was raining but my weather app reported it should stop by 7am. I packed up and went over to the truck stop gas station next door. Those egg, sausage and cheese biscuits that you heat up in the microwave are not too bad. By 7:30 just as it was getting light I was hiking up the trail. I soon arrived at the Settlers Museum and the Lindamood School. Of course the museum was closed at this hour on a Sunday morning but the school was open. What a neat building with old school desks and a wood stove. I learned that the museum welcomed hikers to spend the night inside the school and was sorry I wasn't aware of this since it would have been a big upgrade from the Relax Inn. Next up was the climb up Glade Mountain and it got foggier the higher I climbed. There was a great view of Walker mountain with the valley below shrouded in fog. I really enjoyed hiking in the cool fog and misting rain. The young couple who were in the room next to me last night passed me. I told them of my plan to go into Marion to avoid the upcoming storm and to pick up my next resupply box which I would have to wait until Tuesday to retrieve because of the Columbus Day holiday. I wasn¢t sure how I would get into Marion, some 8 miles from the trail, but thought I'd figure it out once I got to the Mt Rogers Headquarters. By 1:30 I was approaching the Headquarters and saw an older gentleman and a hiker standing next to a van watching me approach. It turns out it was Trail Angel Jim getting ready to give fellow hiker, Counselor a ride into town. The young couple had told them I also wanted a lift, so they were waiting for me. The repeated and unexpected kindness I have experienced from total strangers while hiking just blows me away and helps restore my faith in humanity!
Date: 2017-10-09
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Although both Counselor and I thought we wanted to go to the Econo Lodge in town, Jim suggested we stay at the Travel Inn. It was cheaper than the Relax Inn in Atkins but a great Motel. It was an older property but immaculately clean with modern conveniences. It was windy and rained last night so I was glad to be inside. I had been told not to miss Sisters Cafe downtown and so set off on the 2 mile walk to town in the rain. It was the kind of place where ladies do lunch, where I¢d do lunch with Frolicking Dinosaur or a friend. Anyways I did get some sideways glances and the service was a bit slow. I guess I did look a bit of a mess, dripping wet, hairy legs, in my trail outfit in which my shirt has developed a hole where my pack rubs and my camp shoes which are a pair of water crocs. Despite all that, the food was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch. My waitress was a bit cool but finally warmed up to me when I told her about myself and how the place had been highly recommended. I left her a good tip even though she didn't really deserve it. I had to spend another night at the Motel since my resupply box won't arrive until tomorrow on account of the Columbus Day holiday. Nine is staying in the room next door. She is the hiker who had added me to the chat group at Woods Hole. I was surprised to see her since she's young and a faster hiker and I expected her to be well ahead of me. She developed an abscessed tooth and had to have a root canal. In the evening I had a video chat with my grandson about his recent award for being the 1st grader of the week at school and his upcoming birthday. I told him that I was getting ready to hike into the Grayson Highlands where there were wild ponies. He asked me to bring him one!
Date: 2017-10-10
From: Marion VA

To: Campsite @ mile 1663.8 
Miles today: 6.6

I had to vacate my room at 11 then wait until 12:30 for the mail to be delivered to the Econo Lodge across the street. I thought they might be ticked off since I didn't stay there but it was no problem. My food bag was enormous because I wasn't sure what Frolicking Dinosaur had put in my box and I over bought snacks and lunch items. Anyways it took me a while to get it all organized on a bench in front of the motel, then I had to walk over to the Walmart next door to catch the bus back up to the trail. I talked to Mr N on the phone about my over abundance of food and he suggested that I give some to the homeless man I had told him about, hanging around the motel. Brilliant idea and I¢d just seen him in the lobby of Walmart, but when I went looking for him he was gone and the bus arrived. So I returned to the trail with a very heavy pack and I certainly shouldn't be hungry in this next section. It was 2:30 by the time I got hiking but I did want to get a few miles in for the day. About 4 I started to hear thunder in the distance and my weather app showed rain was coming this way. I got to this campsite, put my tent up, ate dinner and hung my bear bag just as the rain started. It¢s now coming down pretty hard but I'm snug and for the most part dry inside my little abode.
Date: 2017-10-11
From: Campsite @ mile 1663.8 

To: Hurricane Creek Campground 
Miles today: 9.5

I think it rained all night although it may have been the wind blowing raindrops down from the tree canopy. The sound of raindrops on the roof of my tent made great background noise for a good nights sleep. Whatever weight I had reduced in my pack by eating dinner and breakfast was negated by the fact that I was now carrying a wet tent. My pack felt like a 100lb bag of coal on my back and I felt pretty miserable all morning. Note to self¢¦.never carry too much food again! (Right!) I stopped at Trimpi Shelter and ate as much as possible of the heaviest food. I re-evaluated my destination which had been the Hurricane Mountain Shelter and saw that 3 miles before I could take a side trail to a National Forest campground that my family had visited 15-20 years ago. I remembered it being very pleasant, showers, picnic tables etc. The thought of stopping a little early, drying my tent out and sitting at a picnic table to eat more food from my food bag sounded very appealing and the rest of the afternoon went by much more pleasantly. Lots of hikers don¢t like to pay for a campsite when they can camp along the trail for free. Not this hiker. It was well worth the few bucks to camp in relative comfort to help improve my bad mood!
Date: 2017-10-12
From: Hurricane Creek Campground 

To: Campsite @ 1683.6
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

I slept soundly by the Creek, though woke again to condensation on the inside of my tent. I did feel refreshed and renewed and my pack felt like a normal first day out of town weight again. It was a beautiful day and the trail is pretty level in this section. My Mum, Frolicking Dinosaur, was going to hike this section with me but unfortunately she is still having complications from the copperhead bite she suffered last summer. When the snake bit her, it severed the tendon in her finger and this was only recently recognized. Recovery from surgery to repair the tendon has been slow so she decided to forgo the hike. I hope we can come back and do this section together sometime in the future. A southbound bubble passed me today and we all ended up stopping at Fox Creek for lunch. They said they had been seeing my entries in the shelter logs and wondered who I was and what Nemophilist meant. I usually just date and sign Nemophilist :-) They had all stayed at the Trimpi Shelter last night and didn¢t realize that Mudsmeller was also there. They had all appreciated her updating the water situation on the Guthook App that most of us use, so I let her know. This afternoon I was surprised, though I shouldn't be, to see Wizard hiking toward me. He said he had jumped ahead to Damascus and was now hiking north to get off the trail to spend time with his sister and his girlfriend. I¢m sure I¢ll see him again when he resumes hiking. Seemed like most that were passing me today were headed to the Wise Shelter that prohibited tenting. I was heading there but changed my mind and stopped at this nice stealth site. I can hear cows mooing and it sounds pretty close.