morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-16
From: Oak Park Illinois

To: Mountaineer Falls 
Miles today: 11.8

What a difference a day makes. This time yesterday I was in a Motel room with a phone, TV, shower and a restaurant near by. Now I am camping on a small knoll near the Mountaineer Falls in the back woods, with a tent, a stove, and the sound of the falls. I made it to the Tricities Airport this morning without any difficulties, and sure enough Brian White arrived promptly at 9am to shuttle me to the trailhead on E19. Although Brian didn¢t say much on the phone, in person he turned out to be a realy nice guy. He runs the bicycle shop in Hampton and was very knowledgeable about the area, and, even though he is a cyclist, about the trail also. We stopped to buy roadside peaches and strawberries, and he gave me two peaches when he dropped me off at the trailhead.   It did not take long on the trail for me to discover that I am totally out of shape again. I was soon gasping for air even on the easy ascent out of the gap. The day was very warm with temps in the 80¢s and extremely muggy, so I was covered in sweat and wet through within the hour.   The hike was very nice, even if I was having a tough time of it. There were several road crossings and some nice trail work steps and bridges. The trail also skirts a Cemetery! A lot of water and mud from the recent rains, everything is just so lush. It is hard to believe the change in the past six weeks. The trail was still pretty brown when I left, now everything is green and verdant and fresh growth is bursting out everywhere.   The weather stayed pretty much the same all day long. The constantly threatening thunderstorms never did materialize, just anew light showers that dident even need to have the rain gear donned. I was passed by Nice Guy [John] who true hiked in 1997. Spoke highly of Kincora Hostel. He was hiking in just his shorts and boots! I also met with ¢The Smoker¢ who was power hiking past me to get to Kincora today, and smoking cigarettes while doing it.   Had a wet walk thru the high grass along the banks of a very swollen and fast running Elk River.   Currently have the tent set up on a knoll over the falls ¢ realy a very small cascade even after all the rain. Don¢t feel too hungry yet, will decide on dinner later. Some midges and flies coming out. Poor signal but tried to leave a message.   Thought for the Day ¢                Civilization is just an inch away from savagery
Date: 2004-06-17
From: Mountaineer Falls 

To: Moorland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: few clouds

Had ¢Tompato¢ for dinner and lay down in the bag at 8pm. I was asleep before I knew it. Awoke several times during the night, but had no problem in going right back to sleep. Got packed up after breakfast ¢ no rain and no dew ¢ so the tent is dry. Took my time and made a leisurely start at 7.30am.   I deliberately took it slowly today, lots of rest stops and lots of lollygagging, but I still had a very tough time getting here. The trail profile didn¢t look too bad, but everything is so wet, and muddy, and the humidity is a real killer. I was constantly gasping for breath and had to stop frequently on the ascents. Even allowing for the numerous ¢time outs¢, I was moving very slow.   The trail itself was very nice, especially along Laurel Fork, where there was steam rising off the water and shafts of sunlight cutting thru the trees ¢ realy magical. Along the way I met Footsteps, who has already thru hiked. He is a Pipe Major in an Irish Pipe Marching Band in Pensacola Florida.   When I arrived here at the shelter a group of four section hikers arrived. One of them ¢ Prosecutor ¢ was a former Assistant States Attorney in Cook County, and ¢ like me ¢ an early retiree from the system. They had quiet a discussion about going South, or staying in the shelter, they all finally left heading South!   Got a good signal here and spoke with Kathy, all is well at home. Thought for the day ¢       We all survive by being mutually interdependent.
Date: 2004-06-20
From: Braemar Castle Hostel - Hampton

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: broken clouds

First day of Summer!   Spent an uneventful and comfortable night after a chat with the family on the store phone ¢ less noise. Arose, showered and had a big breakfast and treated myself to another hazardous bike ride in the early dawn.   Sutton shuttled me back to the trailhead, and YES I did hike the 50 yards from the road. A very hot day with temps in the 80¢s but no humidity problem and even a little wind to dry off the sweat.      The trail starts out by skirting the lower edge of the lake, it then passes the lake shelter and heads up and over the Watauga dam. On my way up to the dam I met with Grey Panter and Just John coming south. They were engaged in a complex set of shuttles and warned me that good water sources were hard to find on this section. After crossing the dam, the trail then crosses the Watauga Dam road twice. At the second crossing I met with a very worried couple whose son was on a survival hike with the Civil Air Patrol. They had bushwhacked to the trail on Saturday and were caught in some very bad thunderstorms. A cell call from them revealed that they were in bad shape and were coming south on the AT. The couple had come up to meet them. They had been scheduled to end at US321. I told them that I would carry their message that transport awaited the Patrol at the Watauga Dam road, and tried to reassure them. Did I mention that the Patrol were 12 to 20 year olds, and that the couple were the parents of the 12 year old?   In fact I did meet the Patrol at the only spring south of Vandeventer Shelter. They all looked remarkably well considering their ordeal, but were much relieved to hear that transportation was awaiting only 2.5 miles away.   Made it here to the shelter in fine form. For the first time so far I felt good ¢ not tired, not exhausted, not beat out, I think that it may be the weather or the fitness may be finally kicking in. Got a good signal here and spoke at length with Kathy, only to have the battery abruptly die. Reestablished contact and all is well. Will have to keep the cell calls short in the future.   Blister Bill has just arrived. The water source here is 0.5 miles downhill from the shelter. A real bummer and a tough climb down and a tougher one back up. He was totally out of water so I gave him some of mine before he embarked on his water expedition.   There is a great view from here from the rocks just behind the shelter. You look down over the mountains with their tops disappearing, row upon row, into the distance. Watauga Lake is stretched across the valley and a small town with a church and graveyard is visible. Just beautiful. Thought for today ¢         All knowledge is good ¢ it is the application of the knowledge that is the problem!
Date: 2004-06-21
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: light rain

Slept well, and breakfasted on Pop Tarts, have decided to give the oatmeal a rest for a while. Grey and overcast sky with fog and mist obscuring the valley as I started out.   This section parallels the lake at first, but there is not much to see because of the trees. You can however hear the purr of the motorboats from the lake. Sound carries a long distance here. The trail was very well blazed, using some plastic blazes, which I like, but I think they need to use the nails with the springs so that the natural growth of the tree will not be impaired. There were a lot of wind fallen trees across the trail as well. After a while the trail moved away from the sound of the motorboats, and I saw a lot of flowers - red star shaped ones ¢ and purple violets, and what looked like orange fuchsia. I also saw what looked like deer beds among the deep grass on the side of the trail ¢ or maybe the Civil Air Patrol eat lunch there!    The weather became changeable with intermittent rain. At first not enough to put the rain gear on, and then when it got worse and I put the gear on, of course, it stopped raining. Then it finally decided after an hour or so to realy start raining ¢ so the rest of the hike was a trudge in the downpour in full rain gear. Came across the only spring in this section at 4.7 miles and restocked. Encountered a full family of hikers going south with a very vocal dog, and then was here at Iron Mountain Shelter.   This shelter also has an iron roof, and I realy like the sound of the rain rattling on the metal roof. Bill arrived within the hour, and I had a hot meal and crawled into the sleeping bag to rest. Bill has erected his tent inside the shelter ¢ which I realy think is a bit much. Spent the afternoon relaxing and listening to the rain.   Laughing Man has just arrived. He is from Chicago ¢ Lake View ¢ and works for Motorola, He has completed 3/4 of the trail and now is pretty much filling in the missing sections. I think that he was very much taken aback at the tent erected in the shelter! I made it clear that there was more than enough room for him in the shelter, but he has elected to camp out - the rain having let up, at least for the moment. He is a realy nice and genuine person ¢ very interesting and interested.   No cell signal here.   Feeling good. One of the grommets pulled out of my right boot as I laced it up this morning. It is still working OK so far, but the lacing pattern is a little unusual now. The interior of the pack stayed dry, despite today¢s downpour. No repeat of the Overmountain Shelter Surprise! I think I took great care to make sure that the pack cover was as fully wrapped around the pack as possible leaving no gap between my side and the back of the pack. My wet hiking gear is hanging out to dry in the shelter but not much drying so far.      Thought for today ¢         Violence is justified only for self-protection, and then only as a last resort!
Date: 2004-06-22
From: Iron Mountain Shelter

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Late last night Zinc arrived ¢ very wet and very late. He is a high school student from Tennessee and is thru hiking. He hopes to finish the entire trail in 100 days, and at the rate that he is going he may well succeed. He just has summer vacation from school to finish the treck. I moved my stuff over to make room for him since Bill still had the tent erected in the shelter. Zinc intends to cover the 26.3 miles to Damascus in one day ¢ a feat referred to as a ¢Damascathon¢, since it is the length of a marathon.   Slept fine and Zinc and I awoke at dawn. He had difficulty with his stove so I boiled some water for him. I said goodbye to Laughing Man who was just moving about in his tent, and we promised each other that we would get together and do some hiking when we were both back in Illinois. Blister Bill was still asleep in his tent in the shelter when I left.   The day started out dull and overcast with scattered rain, and of course every time the wind blew I got a shower of cold rain from the shaking leaves of the trees. The trail climbed up out of the shelter and then followed a ridge crest ¢ no views however.   Soon came upon the Nick Grindstaff monument ¢ the chimney of his house, with this inscription to the old hermit, on his tombstone, which is mounted in the old fireplace;                     ¢Lived Alone,                     Suffered Alone,                     Died Alone¢Certainly food for thought in those lines.      The trail then wound down off of the ridge and the day began to improve. At TN91 road crossing the sun actually came out, and the next section thru open meadows ¢ I love meadows ¢ past old abandoned farm buildings, was a very pleasant flower filled hike. I saw composites, buttercups, Black-eyed Susans, purple clover, and among the many grasses I recognized Timothy [with whom I have a ¢nodding¢ acquaintance]   The trail went back into the woods and Wingfoot¢s book promised Double Springs Road in 2.1 miles. I began to get worried when I did not cross the road after two hours but suddenly found myself here at the shelter. Never did find the road ¢ its not in the Data Book either!      Have just had a very pleasant hot lunch. All the gear is drying out and I have used the Tree Finder to identify Mountain Maple, Flowering Dogwood and Blue Beech.      Now Gretel, who I met with her friend Alex swimming in the Laurel Fork Falls, has arrived. She has hiked in from Vandeventer Shelter and is going on north. She is a Nurse Practioner in Child Psychiatry and is hoping to complete by flip-flopping. No sign of Blister Bill and she did not see him either. May have gone off at US91   Now post dinner ¢ forecast for tomorrow via Gretel¢s radio is 80% chance of storms. We shall see.   Thought for today ¢               Humans are social animals ¢ it is not good to be alone ¢ at least not for long periods of time.
Date: 2004-06-23
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: light rain

Night went well. Only Gretel and I in the shelter. I started out early in the overcast and grey mist. After a short rise the trail followed the ridge with the damp mist outlining the usually hidden shapes of the cobwebs on the foliage. Incredible distorted and spiked constructions outlined by the dewy mist of the fog.   The trail left the ridge and slowly descended to the road at Low Gap. Gretel caught up with me there, and as we sat at the stone table eating a snack, it began to rain. We both geared up for the rain and started out. Gretel was soon gone out of sight and the rain realy started to pour.   For the rest of the hike it was an unremitting downpour. This was the heaviest rain so far and it soon became a trudge on to the shelter here.   When I arrived here, Gretel was already ensconced. She told me that the water source was not very good and that it was a long way down to it. I decided to use the rainwater that was pouring off the end of the gutter. This shelter also has a metal roof. It took some time, but I finally did get a total of four liters of reasonably good water.   As I finished a ¢lunch¢ of Tompato and tuna, two more hikers arrived. Pilgrim Will and John are hiking a long section and finishing at Damascus tomorrow.   Everyone is very wet. All of the gear that is not wet is damp. My bag however is dry and I am currently [at 5.45pm] sitting in the bag in the shelter. I am warm and dry and intend to cook again later before retiring for the night. The forecast for tomorrow is better, according to Gretel¢s radio.    Physically and emotionally I feel good. The subungal hematoma on my right big toe is now red and swollen and raised around the nail. I am still able to hike without any ¢ or at least not much ¢ difficulty.    Looking forward to Damascus tomorrow.   Thought for to day ¢ Difficulties sometimes show us beauty. Cobwebs in the mist!
Date: 2004-06-25
From:  The Maples - Damascus

To: The Maples - Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Slept well in the Rawlings Room. It rained during the night but I could hardly hear it under the roof and attic. This AM I had the ¢Second Best¢ breakfast that I will ever have. Bowels of fruit, scrambled eggs, biscuits, ham, bacon, cake, stewed apples, blackberry cobbler, coffee, juice, and prayer. It truly was a great feast. Postprandial I went for a walk to see the sights. Mailed my bubble package and letter home. Paid a visit to the Dollar Store ¢ nail clippers ¢ and the Mount Rogers Outfitters [MRO] ¢ laces and aqua mira and a small butane fuel canister ¢ and the local library. Was very proud of myself that I got on to AOL and retrieved my messages ¢ all 318 of them, only two of which were real the rest were list server and spam! During the afternoon the rain got steadily harder and two other hikers checked in to The Maples ¢ Andrew and Marcy from Alaska. They are thru hiking also, and are going to do a flip-flop tomorrow. It¢s tempting for me to do the same ¢ but no, that is not what I want. Spent the afternoon cleaning and Sno-sealing my boots on the front porch, reading ¢Ten Million Steps¢ and chatting with A+M. The rain got steadily worse and became a regular downpour. Russell expressed concern about flash flooding in the lower elevations, but the forecast says that the risk will disappear with the rain tonight and promises a good day in the AM. Spoke with Kathy X2 ¢ the political situation in Illinois with Jack Ryan is a hoot! Plan 9.4 miles to Saunders in the AM if no more rain overnight. Saw Blister Bill at the pay phone but had no chance to talk. Thought for today- Hold fast to that which is good.
Date: 2004-06-26
To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: light rain

No more rain overnight and dawn came with a dull and overcast sky, but no rain. Russell proclaimed himself satisfied and the weather forecast agreed, with a good next two days. After another great breakfast ¢ A+K seemed surprised at the prayer ¢ of bacon and egg casserole, fried apples, bread pudding with lemon sauce, biscuits, fruit juice, and coffee, I bade adieu to Russell and Miss Sarah and headed off.   As I crossed the Laurel Fork Creek on my way out of town, I was taken aback at the height and force of the water. For some reason they had constructed a raised manhole drain cover in the middle of the creek. Yesterday it was a good four feet clear of the water, but today the water was pouring over it. Angry brown muddy water, breaking into dirty yellow foam.   After a pleasant walk on the Virginia Creeper Trail ¢ a bike trail realy ¢ I climbed up the wooden steps and reentered the woods. It was a nice pleasant walk in the cool of the morning over The Cuckoo along Feathercamp Ridge and down on to the road again. The streams and creeks that crossed the AT were tame in comparison to the fury of Laurel Creek, and all of the footbridges and log crossing planks were well above the water.   The AT parallels the Virginia Creeper Trail, being above it on the mountain and the creek below the bike trail. It was spectacular to see the cyclists passing by beneath in their multicolored gear, and all the sounds of their passing obliterated in the roar of the flooded creek.   I eat lunch at the start of the climb up Straight Mountain. The trail up the mountain is a classical series of switchbacks, gaining 1000 feet over two miles. It was a great hike. I felt just fine and did not have to stop at all during the climb. As I ascended out of the valley, the noise of the creek lessened and I was finally left again in the silence of the forest and the ascent.   As soon as I reached the top I came upon the blue blazes trail down to, the shelter. There are two local hikers camping out under the pines behind the shelter. It¢s a little buggy here but the DEET seems to be keeping them at bay for the moment. I was tempted to camp also, but the fear of rain in the night and the consequent heavy tent deterred me.   It¢s now 7PM. Got a good signal and spoke with home. All is OK. Only three bars left on the battery.      Quiet evening now ¢ no wind but cool, temps in the 60¢s, and I have my fleece top on. All in all a good day.   Thought for today ¢         In the ¢Ten Million Steps¢ Nimblewood Nomad says there are three journeys;                  1 The Physical                  2 The Mental                  3 The Spiritual      I have made a good start on #1 and am just beginning on #2. #3 is still beyond me.      Why do I constantly need to be doing something? Can¢t I just relax and do nothing?
Date: 2004-06-27
From: Saunders Shelter

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: light rain

Awoke early and took a leisurely breakfast and bade goodbye to the two brothers who were camping overnight. Dull overcast sky as I started off. The trail was up and down, but mostly down, passing by an interesting pond. Not many ponds on the trail due to the incline. Could not decide if this one was artificial or not. Seemed to be contained by a bream of earth, rock and old fallen trees.   I realy took my time today, since it was such a short hike, especially when the trail rejoined the Virginia Creeper trail. On a perfectly placed bench at the trail junction I spent an interesting half-hour resting and greeting the many cyclists who whizzed on by ¢ more of them whizzing on by on the down slope than on the up. I know that it is a Sunday in late June but even so, this trail was busy with cyclists. The AT and the VCT run together for a little while and cross over a most impressive trestle bridge ¢ the Luther Hassinger Memorial Bridge ¢ which was high enough to revive my old fear of heights.   After crossing the bridge the trail parts from the AT and plunges back into the forest. It¢s a pleasant hike down along the banks of a stream ¢ I love streams ¢ to VA859 a gravel surfaced road, where the Mount Roger¢s Volunteer Fire and Rescue Ambulance passed me by with lights flashing while I eat a snack. Even though I dawdled as much as possible I was still here at the shelter by 1PM. I had considered going on to a campsite 2.5 miles ahead, but this is a very pleasant place. The shelter was built in 1995 but is made of cut logs. I decided to stay. Took a little nap in the afternoon, only to be awoken by a passing group of ten teenagers from one of the local churches out on a five day hike, I have seen several of these groups over the past few days. They told me that they do not stay at the shelters, so that the thru hikers can have the space, and they instead camp out in tents.   I just spent an interesting 15 minutes watching a chipmunk scavenging for food in front of the shelter. Such enormous energy expended on the nervous scurrying search that I am convinced that 99% of the food energy obtained is used in the search process.   No cell signal here.   Just joined by a bird ¢ identified in the shelter logbook, as a wood thrush by Moses ¢ very striking, stands very erect. Also saw Juncos.   Now post dinner ¢ all is quiet ¢ temp in the 60¢s and I am wearing my fleece top again.   Tomorrow ¢ Whitetop, Mount Rogers and then the Highlands!   Thought for today ¢       Belief in God is an act of faith. Do not waste time in trying to justify it on a logical or scientific basis.      God and nature are not the same. Nature does not care.   Belief in God is enormously satisfying ¢ is this why such beliefs are universal? One day I would like to go on a pilgrimage, perhaps to Campo Stella in Spain