morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-04-06
From: Erwin, TN

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: overcast clouds

The earliest I could check out of the hostel this morning was 8:00. I was on the trail by 8:15. Leaving out of towns with a full resupply is always more strenuous. Your pack is heavy with food and you always leave heading uphill. Today was no exception. I passed up the first shelter, since it was only 4 miles away. If I got there, it would be around 10:00 and I would be idle for the remainder of the day. So, I pressed on to the next shelter which was another 12.8 miles. There were lots of uphills, but I expected that. I could not believe it, but I came upon trail magic again today. When I reached the summit of a mountain bald named Beauty Spot, there were four people set up, providing ham or turkey sandwiches, fruit and drinks. This group was from Charlotte NC. They were flying the NC state flag--a group after my own heart. I had already eaten lunch 15 minutes earlier. But I ate again.Shortly after leaving the trail magic, I summited another mountain that was moss-covered and had thick hemlocks and spruce trees. I got to Cherry Gap Shelter about 1.5 hours before sunset. I set up my tent, ate supper, hung my food bag and settled in for the evening.I am finishing my journal in the dark and getting ready to settle in for the night.
Date: 2019-04-07
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: overcast clouds

It threatened to rain all day today. It sprinkled off and on a few times during the day. It was a long hike today. The later part of the day was uphill. The mountains with the higher elevations tend to have more hemlock and spruce trees. That was true for my final destination today, Roan Mountain Shelter. This shelter is at an elevation higher than any other on the AT. The climb was long, gradual and tiring for the end of the day. I came across three different ice patches at this elevation. It started to rain as I was setting up my tent. I ate in a steady rain, cleaned up and settled into my tent. Then it began raining harder. Time to finish my journal for today and settle in for the evening.
Date: 2019-04-08
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Hwy US 19E
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke and broke camp in a light rain. There were multiple bald summits today. Some of the best views from balds that I have had so far. It started to rain pretty hard as I started up the last bald. I experienced my second fall in the mud again on the downhill. Prior to this, I passed Overmountain Shelter. This is one of the more popular shelters because it was built for a movie (a barn) and left in place as a shelter for the AT. More beautiful views from the balds: Unique View From atop the Balds, Round Bald, elevation 5826 feet, Winding Trail Across the BaldsI reached another milestone today, I have completed NC. I have traveled through TN and NC for the past couple of weeks. Now I have completed two states (GA and NC). By the time I got to Hwy US 19E, it was a heavy downpour. I called the Doe River Hiker Rest Hostel and they came and picked me up. I will clean up and dry off here tonight. Also a resupply is needed for the next section. With more rain in the forecast for tomorrow I may zero here tomorrow. I will make that call in the morning.
Date: 2019-04-09
From: Hwy US 19E

To: The Station Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

I thought I was in the Doe River Hiker Rest Hostel. When I called for a shuttle yesterday it was described in the trail guide book as Doe River Hiker Rest. The sign out front of this building says The Station at 19E. Both hostels are owned by the same person. The owner, Dave, said that this location is more popular and closer to the trail head. Prior thru hikers from 2018 such as Pee Wee and Scoutmaster made The Station more popular by showing this location in their YouTube videos last year. The hostel is new and has only been open for just over a year.I napped for a couple of hours today. I did not realize how tired I was. I picked up my resupply to get me to Damascus.I will continue to rest and eat all that is put in front of me until bedtime. Getting ready for tomorrow morning.
Date: 2019-04-10
From: Hwy US 19E

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: broken clouds

I left the hostel at about 7:00 am this morning. The first part was through old obsolete pasture lands. I made another milestone today. I passed the 400 mile point! There were two nice water falls today. The first was named Jones Fall. I am glad that I took the side trail to see the falls.
Date: 2019-04-11
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Laurel Fork Shelter
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: clear sky

Today was a short hiking day for a couple of reasons. First, I would have targeted the Watauga Lake Shelter, but it is closed for an undefined time period due to aggressive bear activity in the area. Second, it is supposed to rain tomorrow and the tenting sights beyond this shelter (Laurel Fork Shelter) are limited and only on the tops of mountains. I am trying to limit any blowing rains while in my tent if I can control the situation.I did come across one of the more photographed views, Laurel Falls. A good sized falls and great scenery. After passing the falls the trail is only 2 feet wide between the river and a rock face on your right. This occurs for a few yards. A very nice experience.More photos of Laurel Falls: Rocky Landscape at Laurel Falls, Selfie at Laurel Falls, Zoomed-in View of Laurel Falls, Turkey Season at Laurel Fork ShelterI am going to rest up tonight at Laurel Fork Shelter and plan for longer miles tomorrow, beyond Watauga Lake Dam.
Date: 2019-04-12
From: Laurel Fork Shelter

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: broken clouds

Before leaving Laurel Fork Shelter, we had seen a hen turkey walk 15 feet in front of the shelter, heard a coyote howling near the rivers edge and had a bat flying inside the shelter eating the mosquitoes. I got up before sunrise to begin my day in a drizzling rain.By lunch time, I had hiked to Watauga Lake, had my lunch at the lakeside picnic table and hiked three lake shore miles to the Watauga Dam. On the way, I passed the shelter that was closed due to aggressive bear activity. It is rumored that the trail conservancy will tear down that shelter. As I approached the Dam, lots of small flowers were in bloom and the red bud trees were in bloom lining the lake shore. Climbing the mountains up from the dam, the trail followed a ridge line the rest of the afternoon that paralleled the lake. I was excessively tired when I reached Vandeventer Shelter. Another couple said the same thing when they arrived later that afternoon. We all agreed that it was due to the warmer temperature and higher humidity.The view behind this shelter is great. It overlooks the lake.Time to finish my camp chores and get ready for bed.
Date: 2019-04-13
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: broken clouds

Today I ¢Silk Blazed¢. I was the first one up this morning and the first one on the trail. Because I was the first one out, I ran into and cleared all the new spider webs across the trail. Hence the name Silk Blazing. I saw my second deer this morning. I am finally starting to see more wildlife. The trail went across this farm land today. An old pasture no longer in use. It is interesting to see the gates and methods developed to keep livestock in, yet allow hikers to cross fences.I made it to Double Springs Shelter. I was going to hike another 3 miles to Hwy 421, however it was raining, so I decided to stay dry at the shelter.I met my first Southbound (SOBO) Hiker today. Her name was Comic. She started in June of 2018 and plans to finish the trail next month. It was nice to get her feedback on what we can expect going NOBO. I hope to get plenty of rest tonight. I have a long hike ahead of me tomorrow going into Damascus.
Date: 2019-04-14
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 19.6

It rained throughout the night. I am glad that I stayed in the shelter versus going further to a tenting sight 3.5 miles ahead. All my gear stayed dry as a result.The hike today was a long one. Just over 19 miles, mostly in the rain. I am glad that my pack load was light , because I had eaten almost all my supplies and most of the hike was downhill. I typically average 2 miles per hour when I hike. Therefore I estimated that I would arrive in Damascus some time between 5:30-6:30. I later revised my arrival time to 5:00. I had told my wife (Mama Smurf) and my Mom (Lady Smurf) to pick me up in front of MoJo¢s at that time. As my excitement and adrenaline had kicked in, I actually arrived in Damascus around 3:30. MoJo¢s closed at 3:00 so I went next door to Subway. I ate a combo meal as I waited for Mama and Lady Smurf to arrive. While I was waiting, I ran into Brian. I had not seen him since Neels Gap. He told me that 4-5 of the original group that started out together were there in Damascus. I got a text from ¢Helluva¢. He was staying in a nearby hostel. Mama and Lady Smurf arrived close to 5:00. It sure was good to see them. It had been over 50 days since I saw them last. They drove me to ¢Chief¢ and Carleen¢s mountain house near Boone. We had my favorite supper, spaghetti. It was GREAT. Time to relax and spend some great time with the family.
Date: 2019-04-17
From: Damascus, VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

After stopping by the outfitters in Damascus to pick up a stuff sack replacement for my tent, I said my goodbyes to Mama and Lady Smurf. It was difficult to see them go knowing it would likely be months before I saw them in person again.As usual there was a climb uphill out of town. All with a full pack and resupply. The trail had it¢s usual ups and downs throughout the day. At one point the Virginia Creeper Trail and the AT were the same trail. Lots of water available throughout the day as the trail paralleled and crossed many streams and rivers.Because of my two zero days I am seeing new faces today.Time for camp chores.
Date: 2019-04-18
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It was windy all day today. As the day went on, the wind got stronger. The first mountain I had to climb was Buzzard Rock. It was a long climb early in the day. Between Buzzard Rock and White Top Mountain I came to a gravel road where there was a very strong piped water source a few feet off trail. I had been to this source many times before this hike. The area was also covered with blueberry bushes. Too bad they were not in season. "Chief" and I had picked buckets full in years past.On the other side of White Top Mountain, just prior to crossing the Elk Garden Parking Lot, there were tubes running from tree to tree. They were there to collect maple syrup from the maple trees. Something you don¢t see in this area very often.Next I got to see the wild ponies in the area. It was windy, so most were in the tree line. This area where the ponies are has lot and lots of rocks. They lasted forever.I ended my hike at Wise Shelter. When I arrived, there were dozens of tents of all types and sizes all around the shelter area. One of the guys told me that there were 25 people there with him. This is the most crowded that I have seen any shelter since starting my hike.Ate supper, did camp chores and am settling in for a windy and colder night. Expecting rain and maybe some snow over the next couple of days. I also passed the 500-mile mark today.
Date: 2019-04-19
From: Wise Shelter

To: Hurricane Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: broken clouds

The rain started around 11:30 pm last night and never stopped. It rained all day long with gusty winds strong enough to blow my entire body off the trail. This occurred multiple times when I was above tree line.The rain was so steady the trail itself was like walking in a stream.About an hour before reaching Hurricane Shelter, it started to thunder and lightening. I am glad the shelter was not yet full when I arrived. There will likely be 8 of us stuffed in the shelter tonight trying to stay out of the rain.
Date: 2019-04-20
From: Hurricane Mountain Shelter

To: Dickey Gap
Miles today: 5.1

Today was a short day. It rained hard most of the night. We had strong thunderstorms all night as well. It was nice to be dry inside the shelter versus inside a tent.¢Captain Handy¢, ¢Ian (from Scotland)¢ and I left the shelter around 8:00 am to catch a shuttle to Troutville by 10:30 am. The three of us decided to stay at Sufi Lodge to avoid the rain and potential snow overnight.It was again nice to clean myself, my clothes and dry my gear. I think we made a good decision.
Date: 2019-04-21
From: Dickey Gap

To: Beyond Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: overcast clouds

We ate pancakes and eggs for breakfast at Sufi Lodge before we were shuttled back to Dickey Gap to return to the trail. It was cold, but not raining. That was the main thing.I hiked with "Captain Handy" and Ian today. The trail went through a pasture with cattle early in the day and lots of ridge walking for the remainder of the day. We got to Partnership Shelter and it was early in the afternoon so we decided to hike further to a camp site. We set up camp and did our usual chores before settling in for the evening.When we started our day ¢Sky Bird¢ started at the same time we did. She hiked the PCT last year and was attempting the AT this year. She was young and hiked fast. To illustrate how fast she hiked, we all started at the same time and place. By the time we arrived at Partnership Shelter, she shows up with her resupply from the town of Marion. She had hitchhiked into Marion, got her food at Ingles, and hitched a ride back to the trail at the same time that we showed up at Partnership Shelter. I want to be like that when I grow up...Time to call it a night.
Date: 2019-04-22
From: Beyond Partnership Shelter

To: Crawfish Trail Campsite
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We began hiking in a jacket and gloves. By 10:00 it had warmed up enough to remove the layers. It turned out to be a nice day. There were multiple ups and downs today, but nothing big.The highlight of the day was trail magic at the old Lindamood School. The one-room school was built back in the 1800¢s. A local church provides trail magic for all the hikers that pass through. Soft drinks, fruit, chips and a mega assortment of useful items like first aid and toiletries just to summarize examples. Next we hiked to the highway near Atkins, VA where "Captain Handy" got a room in town while Ian and I did a resupply at the nearby Sunoco station and kept hiking.We hiked until we got to a campsite just off Crawfish Trail. We set up camp, did camp chores, talked with some of the people tenting and hammocking nearby, then got ready for a good nights sleep.Special notes: I saw my 3rd and 4th snakes today. After crossing a railroad track this morning, we came upon a marshy area that had a boardwalk that hikers walked on. I heard something moving in the brush beside the boardwalk and saw a pair of brown water snakes breeding in the waters edge. Also, while brushing my teeth this evening, I saw my first hummingbird of the year. They said it was attracted to my red shirt. As of today, I have completed over 1/4 of the AT! A BIG milestone.
Date: 2019-04-23
From: Crawfish Trail Campsite

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: clear sky

The hike today took everything out of me. It was mainly due to the last 5 miles of the day. But I will get to that later.The day started with multiple hikes through pastures. Over fences and face to face encounters with cattle. While in one of these pastures I saw my first goldfinch birds. Two different pairs. After eating my lunch sitting at the picnic table of the next shelter, I moved on towards Chestnut Knob Shelter. All my energy was zapped because it was the end of the day and the last 5 miles was all uphill. There were some good views at this shelter. I set up my tent hoping to get a good sunrise view in the morning.The wind is blowing strong and it is really cooling down as the sun sets and I get ready for bed.Finishing my journal in the dark. Good night all.
Date: 2019-04-25
From: Laurel Creek

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 6.9

With all the hiking in the higher temperatures over the past few days, my red shirt became red and white. The salts from my body left white lines on my shirt. There was so much salt that when I removed the shirt it was stiff and almost stood up on its own. To start the day I went down to Laurel Creek and hand-washed the shirt. It was extremely cold when I put the shirt back on. I wanted to start hiking quickly to warm up. In about one hour the shirt was dry again and the white stains gone.Today¢s hike was a short one to VA 52. Ian and I stopped at the Brushy Mountain Outpost and had something to eat. After eating we called Bubba and got a shuttle into Bland VA where we got rooms at the Big Walker Motel. Later on "Captain Handy" caught up to us and joined us at the motel. We got Bubba to shuttle us into Wytheville, VA so that we could do laundry.With a 100% chance of rain tomorrow, we are all planning a zero for tomorrow.Time to take advantage of the rest.
Date: 2019-04-26
From: Bland, VA

To: Laundry, Food and Rest in Bland VA
Miles today: 0.0

Based on the amount of rain that fell throughout the day and the strong winds, I am glad that we were able to take advantage of the zero today. We all got our resupply taken care of, rested and ate better food. Ian got a shuttle into town and got a haircut. Later in the afternoon the winds were so strong that it knocked out the power at the motel we're in. To give an example of how generous people have been, one of the guys in a room a few doors down offered "Captain Handy" and I the use of his pickup truck to take down the hill in the rain to pick up drinks from the convenience store. With no power and the heavy rains, we took him up on his offer. The guy was doing maintenance work on some of the rooms at the motel and simply offered his work truck to us ¢total strangers¢. That doesn¢t happen every day in real life (in the matrix).We were told that the power should be back on later tonight around 11:00 pm. I hope that it comes on earlier so that I can get my phone fully charged. Taking advantage of the rest and the dry equipment.
Date: 2019-04-27
From: Bland, VA

To: Camp Site Mile 607.8
Miles today: 16.1

Bubba came by the Big Walker Motel this morning and shuttled five of us hikers back to the trail. Before starting the hike, we stopped inside the Brushy Mountain Outpost and had a nice hot breakfast. The hike itself was not too bad today. We were well rested, had a good breakfast and the wind and cooler temperatures made for a pleasant day. We made it over the 600 mile point today! While hiking I unknowingly stepped on a snake. I would not have even known that I did, except "Captain Handy" saw me step on the snake and said that it didn¢t move like a normal stick. I watched it slither off as "Captain Handy" pointed it out to me. I am glad that it was only a garter snake. That makes five snakes that I have seen on the trail.We pushed on to a camp site approximately 16.1 miles into the hike. No water was there, so we packed in what we would need for the evening and morning. We have five tents and one hammock in this small, rocky camp site. We all ate our supper and began to settle in for the evening.Good night all.
Date: 2019-04-28
From: Camp Site Mile 607.8

To: Sugar Run Rd
Miles today: 17.5

Everyone was up early to get a start on the day. It was not an unusually difficult hike today. However, after eating lunch at the Wapiti Shelter, there was a nice uphill climb to a couple of ridge line miles of hiking. We were originally going to stealth camp at the Ribble Trail crossing, but there we no camping spots in the area. We also wanted to get a few miles closer to Pearisburg, so we hiked a couple of miles further and stealth camped next to Sugar Run Road. We did not need to hike to Woods Hole Hostel as we are planning to resupply and "nero" in Pearisburg tomorrow. Camp chores done. Time to settle in for the evening. Goodnight all.
Date: 2019-04-29
From: Sugar Run Rd

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 10.6

We hiked just over 10 miles to get into Pearisburg by lunchtime. We stopped in the Dairy Queen and had lunch. A short walk down the road and we arrived at the Plaza Motel where we will clean up, rest and resupply for the next section. Looking forward to eating at the Mexican Restaurant this evening.Resting up for an anticipated hot day tomorrow. It is expected to be in the upper 80¢s. I am not looking forward to the high temperatures. But, it is all part of the hiking experience. Happy birthday wishes from the AT to my sister-in-law (Chief's wife).
Date: 2019-04-30
From: Pearisburg

To: Mile 652.3
Miles today: 16.4

We checked out of the motel and then walked to Hardees for breakfast. After breakfast we got a ride back to the trail. We hiked by a Celanese factory at the start. That factory reminded me of work. Shortly after re-entering the woods after the factory, we came upon Scout who was holding something in his hands. It turns out that he had picked up a new born bunny rabbit. Something had attacked the bunny and it was not going to survive. He tried nursing it for a while, but it didn¢t make it. He found a total of six dead rabbits. We are not sure what attacked them and just left them there by and on the trail.We had an uphill climb prior to lunch. Upon reaching the top, you had a clear line of sight into West Virginia.We did a lot of ridge walking on lots of rocks for the rest of the day. There was a stretch along the ridge that opened up into a meadow. Lots of trees in this meadow were blooming. It really smelled good as we passed through. We finished the day at a camp site at mile 652.3.We set up our tents and went through our daily chores before settling in for the evening.Mama Smurf told me about a deadly shooting today at her former workplace and my alma mater, UNC-Charotte. Such a sad event that seems to be happening everywhere, more often than it should. Good night all.
Date: 2019-05-01
From: Mile 652.3

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: overcast clouds

We had a big uphill climb today. It was nice to get it done first thing in the morning. By the time I got to the next shelter, it was only 11:00 and the uphill climb was not done. So, I continued to the top and had lunch on a nice flat rock next to the trail. The next 3-4 miles was difficult due to the rocks. They slow you down and you never know at what angle your foot will be when you plant your foot with each step.By mid afternoon I was at War Spur Shelter. It was a difficult hike today mainly because of the temperature. It was in the mid 80¢s.Apparently there was a rattle snake next to the trail about a mile before the last shelter. Someone mentioned it in the shelter log book. Billy Goat came to the shelter and said the snake was still there when he went past. He left a note to warn future hikers. Other hikers saw the note, but no one else saw the snake. We are settling in and going through our daily routine.