morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-04-28
From: Davenport Gap Shelter 

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 2.7
Weather: clear sky

Today was mostly a day of rest after hiking a few miles to the hostel; After checking we had a nice meal:choice of BQ chicken, pork chops, hamburgers, corn on the cob, cheesy potatoes, rice and spinach; Best meal I had since on the trail!                            Now let me rap up the ¢Smokies¢; With 100 inch¢s of rain a year, it¢s considered a rain forest; The southern half is over run by wild pigs and is fenced of to keep them from taking over the northern; Most of the trail is very rocky and steep; Half the shelters don¢t have privy, only a place away from the shelter to dig a ¢cat hole¢; The area is covered with loose TP; Our friends from other country¢s that only see the AT must think we resemble a third world country! Glad to be out so I can hike as long as I like and pitch my tent where I like and not by a shelter; Tomorrow I will start my hike to Hot Springs NC; Should take 2-3 days;
Date: 2019-04-29
From: Standing Bear

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: clear sky

We started today with a 5 mile climb; not many rocks or roots, just smooth trail; Very nice after the crazy rocks in the Smokies!                         I started hiking with ¢Square Peg¢ who is on his third time hiking the AT; He is a wealth of knowledge; Getting to the shelter, no one there and it looked like a dull night and then ¢firecracker¢ a 5year old and his grandmother showed up to stay at the shelter; He was full of energy and questions;he was made the day; He reminded me of my own 5yo grandson Austin;
Date: 2019-05-01
From: Deer Park Shelter

To: Laughing Heart Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

today was a day off; Started with a big breakfast at the Smokey Mt Diner; Then check in the Hostel and do laundry and a shower; then up town for supply¢s; picked up some Mt house meals, some Spam singles, mashed potato¢s, oatmeal energy bars and electronics to add to my water; Also got a new pair of hiking shoes at the outfitters;  We sit and watched people fly fishing as we ate at a local food place; Weather today was sunny and in the upper 80¢s;
Date: 2019-05-02
From: Allen Gap

To: Laughing Heart Hostel
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

Today Square Peg, Mary Jane and myself got a ride out to a cross road and hike back to town, witch is called ¢slack packing¢, only taking water and a few things to eat in a light backpack;  Tomorrow morning 2 of us will get a ride back out to the same spot with all of our gear and hike north to a shelter; We had enough rain today that I put on my rain coat; With high humidity and 80s I got a little over heated; As soon as I returned to the Hostel, I took a cool shower and a long nap and woke feeling much more normal;
Date: 2019-05-04
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Hog back Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Today we got started hiking a little before 6:30; I was surprised to see grave sites along the AT, maybe hikers that did not make it?  As we got a mile from our shelter the rain started and came harder and harder; by the time we got to the shelter we were soaked; spent the rest on the evening trying to dry things;
Date: 2019-05-05
From: Hog back Ridge Shelter

To: Bald Mt Shelter
Miles today: 10.1

First I think I know why I had so much trouble with the heat a few days ago; I found just a little black (maybe mold) on the threads and lid of my water bottle; I blame it made me sleepy, with lost of hunger and a fever; Over it now and will change bottles more often;  There was a homeless man at last nights shelter when we arrived sitting out the rain storm;  An older guy and he talked of living of the land cooking ramps witch are a wild onion and eating wild lettuce; He had a small dog that could not weighted more that 25 pounds; He told the story of the dog chasing a bear and then the bear turned and came after the dog witch run to him; He picked up a limb to drive it away!
Date: 2019-05-06
From: Bald Mt Shelter

To: Uncle JohnnyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Hostel
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: broken clouds

Today we started hiking at 6:30 on a wet trail after an all day rain the day before;A long day but not so hard get to Erwin at 3;30; Washed cloths and showered and went out to eat and to Walmart;
Date: 2019-05-07
From: Iron Mt

To: Erwin TN
Miles today: 21.2

5 of us slack packed today 21 miles; The first 2 miles i passed at least 60 hikers, so there is a big bubble ahead of me; The best thing about today I came across friends I¢ve not seen for a while; By the end of the day, I hiked 21 miles in less than 8 hours!
Date: 2019-05-09
From: Roam High Knob Shelter 

To: Mt Harbour Hostel 
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Today we hiked over 3 balsa; A bald is a mountain that the trees have been cleared and was pasture at one time for cattle; With gale force winds blowing cross ways we needed one hiking pole host to keep from going sideways;  We arrived at the Hostel at 3:00 and showered; We plan to stay for breakfast; It is said to be the best breakfast buffet on the trail; From what I¢ve seen so far this is the best and cleanest hostel so far on the trail!
Date: 2019-05-10
From: mt Harbour Hiker Hostel 

To: Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: light rain

After a great stay at the Mt Harbour Hostel witch included ice cream donated by a husband and wife hiker team and a great breakfast buffet ¢Square Peg¢ and I hiked on; I would say that Hostel was the cleanest and spacious with bigger softer beds than I stayed at since being on the trail; Todays hike was short because the next Shelter was a bit far and We needed to rest up for our 4 day hike to Damascus, where there will be a trail days festival on May 17-19; We passed 400 mile early today;
Date: 2019-05-11
From: Mountaineer Shelter

To: Laurel Fork Shelter
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: overcast clouds

A little more on last nights Mountaineer Shelter; There is a small water falls along the trail right before you get to the shelter; The Shelter sits up a hill at the top of the falls and you get your drinking water up on top, looking over the falls that has a 30 foot drop;  The Shelter itself has 3 levels and with 16 people there it was full;              Todays hike was wet with rain all but the last hour of hiking; We reached the shelter about 2:30 and the rain started again; This Shelter is small, holding 8 people;  It sits high above Laurel Falls,so we will hear the roar of the water tonight!
Date: 2019-05-12
From: Laurel Fork Shelter

To: Boots Off Host
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: moderate rain

today we had a short hike over one mountain; The trail was rocky, narrow and steep; Rain started shortly after we started hiking and made it extra slippery; We ari arrived at the Hostel at 10:30 and took a shower and turned in a load of cloths to be washed; They have a shuttle that goes into town at 6pm; Will get food to eat for now and for hiking;
Date: 2019-05-13
From: Boots Off Shelter

To: Iron Mt Shelter 
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Today we hiked a long time beWatauga Lake and go till we go to the dam; Saw 3 deer cross the trail come from getting a drink; There was a shelter in this area but was closed for years because of bear problems; The story goes that the government took the land as eminent domain and ever since the locals have been skinning fish and putting the remains by the shelter to bait bears for revenge;
Date: 2019-05-14
From: Iron Mt Shelter

To: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today we started hiking at 6:00 AM and push hard all day as it was cool and windy; We arrived at our shelter by 12:45  and built a nice fire to warm up; Lots of hikers stopping by to use it, some staying the night;
Date: 2019-05-15
From: Abingdon Gap Shelter 

To: The Place Hostel
Miles today: 10.0

Today we entered Virginia, our fourth state of 14;  3 miles more and we entered Damascus, that was getting ready for the Trail Days Festival; We got there mid afternoon and stopped at the diner and had the pulled pork special that was very good; Later on a chance we checked at the Place Hostel and they had bunks open so we checked in for next 4 days at 8 dollars at night; It¢s run by the Methodist Church;, It seems to be a very nice and clean place to stay!
Date: 2019-05-16
From: 0

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today I started by taking my laundry and got it washed and the a hair cut; In the afternoon a group of us went to the library and watched the movie ¢Solo¢ about a rock climber that climbs up cliffs without ropes, after witch I walked to the food store for hiking food; Then it was time to eat; A church group put on a great meal at the local fire station;  Fried chicken, cole slaw, Mac and cheese, a brownie, bread and drink, all free of charge;
Date: 2019-05-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today we got up early and eat a good breakfast at the diner; Next we got a foot massage along with a free pair of hiking socks;  Then went to the Trail Days and then the rain came down in buckets for an hour, so we ducked into a building that had lots of free food; As the rain stopped, we walked through the festival that had ever make of outdoor hiking equipment; I run into lots of hiker friends that I have not seen for a while; We had our dinner at MoJo and enjoyed it very much; The hostel has a living room area and a group of up sat and talked till bedtime;
Date: 2019-05-18
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We were up at 6:30 and walked to the Christian One Center and eat the all-U-can eat pancake breakfast with Tang and coffee for 5 dollars;  This group provides. a lot of free services for hikers, that includes laundry, haircuts, shuttles and meals; I walked in the hikers parade along with a few thousand other hikers as the youth of the town were encouraged to spray us with their supper soakers; It was a very hot and sunny day so we all welcomed the off;  Tomorrow we will be up and hiking again, with a 16 mile day planned;
Date: 2019-05-19
From: Damascus 

To: Lost Mt Shelter 
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: few clouds

Sorry it took so long to post,we had no cell service for 6 nights in a row; It was Sunday morning and we started hiking at 5:30;Out of Damascus the trail runs with the Virginia Creeper Trail that mainly a bike trail; There are at least 5 places to rent bikes in Damascus and the will take you out up to 30 miles and you rule back;  We got to the shelter and claimed a spot inside and it soon was full with many tents set up all around;
Date: 2019-05-20
From: Lost Mt Shelter 

To: Wise Shelter 
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: moderate rain

It rained during the night but stopped by morning, though everything was wet outside; We had another long day of hiking and got started at 5:20 and snuck out of the shelter as quitely as possible but not quite enough for one guy; That evening at the next shelter this guy tried to hold court on us, saying no one should be able to get up so early and disturb others; In frount of a large group of hikers he asked one mans opinion and was told ¢if U sleep in a shelter, exspect people to snore and exspect some to get up and leave early, just put in ear plugs¢ and that ended that;
Date: 2019-05-21
From: Wise Shelter 

To: Trumping Shelter
Miles today: 20.1

Today we were headed into an area that has had bears ripping down food bags and tear them apart almost every night; The bear had no fear of man and was known to come into camp day and night;  On the way we hiked by a spot were guys were serving coffee and orange juice, brownies, apples, bananas,oranges and hard boiled eggs all free;
Date: 2019-05-22
From: Trumpi Shelter 

To: Partnership Shelter 
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: clear sky

No problems with bears last night and today we would stay at the partnership shelter outside Marion Va; our plan was my Buddy would watch our backpacks and I would go to town first for resuply; I found a ride to the Walmart and picked up what I needed and went to all-U-can eat Chinese place beside and picked up a sub at subway for later; Soon I was back and my Buddy went in for the same; The people at the shelter that night was a gal from Flint MI, a solder who was wounded and say his friend die fighting in the Middle East, a Ford Repair man from Florida and a guy eating a pizza and his left hand shook violently; Every one got along nicely and we had a great evening;
Date: 2019-05-24
From: Chatfield Shelter 

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter 
Miles today: 19.3

Today we went by a old school house with a sign saying ¢come in and help yourselves¢; We went in to find chips, ice cold pop, apples, oranges, bananas and every snack you could think of; We had our fill and moved on; We hiked by the spot the hiker was killed two weeks earlier and there was a manorial set up so we had a minute of quiet and took a photo; Just past that point a mile a sign saying 1/4 AT finished!
Date: 2019-05-25
From: Knot Mayl Branch Shelter 

To: Jenkins Shelter 
Miles today: 20.1

Today half way to our Shelter we found three guys serving what the called a      ¢Hillbilly Breakfast¢ that inclued hot dogs, beaked beans, potatoe salad, fresh veggies, fruits and pop; After 2 of everything we moved on;
Date: 2019-05-26
From: Jenkins Shelter 

To: Helmets Mills Shelter 
Miles today: 13.5

we hiked the trail just outside Bland Va with the idea of getting icecream at the store on the trail only to find it closed on Sunday; Not giving up so easy, I decided to hitch a ride the 3 miles to town and pick some up along with a few other things; Going In was easy with someone who use to live in Ohio picking me up and dropping me at a store; Their icecream only came in 1/2 gallon so I got a butter pecan along with TP, 4 cheese Danish ( for tomorrow¢s breakfast) and some Gadorade; Getting a ride back was not so easy as I walked 2/3 the way out Route 52 till a very nice lady picked me up and told me to be careful hiking saying ¢You Know we had a murder just up the trail a while back¢, I thanked her for her concern and for the ride; Getting back there were 10 hikers sitting around so waited till we were up the trail a bit and my Buddy and I split the icecream; it wound be cruel and unusual punishment to eat in front of all those others!
Date: 2019-05-27
From: HarveyÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Mills Shelter

To: Trents Grocery 
Miles today: 16.2

At 8:00 this morning we passed the 600 mile mark and stopped for a photo;  A little ways up the trail on a high ridge, two campers asked ups if We serviced last night wind/thunderstorm;  They had laundry hanging out and their underwear took flight during the storm and flew off and over the ridge; Luckily the found them; We got to the road 1/2 mile from Trent¢s Grocery and walked there by 12:30; We placed our orders and soon eat a good meal and eat another that evening  , after a shower and doing our laundry;
Date: 2019-05-28
From: Trent Grocery 

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 16.0

Last night I slept under a giant sycamore tree with limbs reaching out 40 foot in each direction, 6 foot from a pasture with one lonely horse in it; As I laid on my back cowboy camping at dust, fireflies lit the sky above me and to my left be on that I could see the big dipping. In the morning we hiked to Dismal Falls where we spent an hour swimming;  We met a family of 4 from San Diego Ca that hiked the Pacific CrestTrail and the Continental Devide Trail and will be ¢Tripple Crooners¢ at the finish of the AT; The kid are home schooled at ages 14 (girl) and 17 (boy);  Thier family name is the Raven¢s;
Date: 2019-05-29
From: Woods Hole Hostel 

To: Holy Family Hostel 
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: mist

last night the Hostel served a Vegetarian dinner starting with a lettuce salad with walnuts and apples, green beans, rice, spinach and potatoes, lentils, home made bread and home made ice cream; Most things were grown in the garden or on the farm (goat milk);  Before we ate everyone had to tell their trail name, where they were from and one thing they were thankful for: (I said I was thankful for me daughters for doing my work (some) so I could be on the AT; After a great and filling breakfast, we hiked to Peaeisburg Va to a hostel run by the local Catholic Church; We will be staying the next 2 nights there;  Thunder could be heard as we walked to the hostel and 15 minutes after getting there the skys open up and we had heavy rain for the next hour and a half;
Date: 2019-05-30
From: None

To: Pearisburg 
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a day off from hiking;  We were up early and had sausage, pancakes and eggs for breakfast; Later in the morning I made a trip to the Walmart for what we needed for cabobs and a blackberry cheesecake; They both turned out great and five of us enjoyed our hard work; A second trip to Walmart was needed to get my hiking food; Tomorrow we will get hiking again with our sites on Troutville Va that has a trail festival in another week;
Date: 2019-05-31
From: Pearisburg Va

To: Rice Fields Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: moderate rain

We were back on the trail today, heading to the Rice Field Shelter; The trail in front of the shelter goes a few feet into West Virginia and at the top over looks town down in a valley in West Virginia;   The Raven family stopped there for lunch as I was picking some wild strawberries and of course eating them; Later in mid afternoon a large thunderstorm moved in and the shelter soon filled for the night;
Date: 2019-06-04
From: Niday Shelter 

To: Four Pines Hostel 
Miles today: 16.8

Today we passed by the Audi Murphy Monument where he died in 1971 in a plane crash; I stopped and took a few photos; We passed by the the Dragons Tooth and had to mountain climb up and down large rocks for 2 miles; We got to the hostel by 2:30 and showered and did laundry; It¢s nice to feel clean again;
Date: 2019-06-05
From: Four Pines Hostel 

To: Campbell Mt Shelter 
Miles today: 10.3

Yesterday we went over the 700 mile mark and tomorrow we will have 1/3 of the trail done;  We met a mother and her daughter and son from Florida at a shelter;  They had a lot of questions for us about our through hike and took our photos; We hiked together for an hour to McAfee Knob took more photos till the rain started, so we hiked on to our shelter and settled in for the night;  This week I starting my third month of hiking; My legs are full strength now and my weight is down to my high school graduation weight; I have learned to use my hiking poles better so that¢s helping save the wear and tear on my legs;
Date: 2019-06-06
From: Campbell Shelter 

To: Troutville Va
Miles today: 16.9

Today we hiked to Daleville Va and stoped  at the Three Lill¢Pigs BBQ and noticed a traffic backup in front and was told the Vise President was in town; We went in and ordered our food and sat out front but did not see the VP;             On the way there we were picking and eating wild black raspberry¢s and also saw our first bear only 50 feet away, just watching us pass buy;                 Later we hiked 2 more miles into Troutville and I set up my tent at the park, played horse shoes and picked up a half gallon of toasted almond fudge ice cream that I shared with ¢Square Peg¢;
Date: 2019-06-07
From: Troutville 

To: Troutville 
Miles today: 0.0

Today I woke up to light rain that was on and off all day; Between rain we played a game of horse shoes and eat snacks; At 5:00 there was a meal at the town hall for the hikers of chicken, green beans, Mac and cheese, salad and icecream;  w
Date: 2019-06-08
From: Troutville Va

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 17.0

I have been hiking with ¢square Peg¢ for the last four weeks; I learned a lot of what¢s coming up on the Appalachian Trail and had some great conversation with him while hiking, make the work of the hike go faster;  Today I set out on my own, leaving my Buddy at Trail Days;  Maybe he will catch up in a few days;  After another rainy night I went to the pancake breakfast and got a ride the 2 miles to the AT;  even with hard rain all morning the trail was in good shape; I arrived at the shelter at 3;30 and was the first one there; Soon after 5 more hikers came in, filling the shelter for the night;
Date: 2019-06-10
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter 

To: Stanimals 328 Hostel 
Miles today: 19.9

I started hiking in a light rain at 6:00 AM and within two hours it had stopped; Shortly after I came across a Copperhead snake on the trail; I side stepped around him and then turned and stepped back towards him and he must not liked that because he move towards me showing me who¢s the boss; The trail was fairly level and the miles went by fast; At 5 miles out I called the hostel ( no cell service at the road) for a 3:00 pickup to the 5 miles to town; This Hostel is different than others, all guess stay in these people¢s house; a very nice place and if I can slack pack tomorrow, I wil stay 2 nights;
Date: 2019-06-11
From: Glasgow Va

To: US 60
Miles today: 21.8

Last night the restaurant in Glasgow was closed so a town Church made a very nice meal of pizza and spaghetti and invited all hikers in town to come and eat free; Today I slack packed with a lady from Florida who runs marathons; our almost 22 mile took us till a little after 5PM; We saw two snakes (non poisonous) on the trail 100 feet apart that would not move; We hiked buy a long and rocky steam;
Date: 2019-06-12
From: US 60

To: The Priest Shelter 
Miles today: 20.6

After a late start, I made good time hiking today; I did over 20 miles in a little more than 8 hours; when I arrived there was just one other person in the shelter, a guy from KY and his small dog; In this shelters log book it is campers right the confessions in a funny way like: I never move off the trail for day hikers coming up hills even though they have the right-of-way;
Date: 2019-06-13
From: The Priest Shelter 

To: Camp site
Miles today: 22.4

Today¢s hike was to be the 7th hardest day on the trail and it lived up to that;   It start out 4 miles down hill but just full of rocks of all sizes; We had a short level stretch with more rocks and the a lot of miles up over big and little rocks; At 4:30 I came to a road were a shuttle picks hikers up and takes them to the Devils Backbone Brewpub; They have a restaurant that I went into and had the pulled pork dinner; After finishing that I had another just the sandwich; They let hikers camp on their grounds but their shuttle doesn¢t go back to the trail till 9 in the morning; So I got a ride from a local who hiked the AT 40 years ago; He had lots of questions for me on the 5 1/2 mile ride out to the trail; I thanked him and hiked 2 more miles to were some tents were set up, so I joined them;
Date: 2019-06-14
From: Tent site

To: Waynesboro Va
Miles today: 16.4

Over night as I camped on the ground the wind picked up and had gusts to 60 MPH; Luckily not trees or limbs cane down on me or the tents around me; Up early I started hiking at 6 and found many limbs and a few big trees down on the trail; One big hickory tree  blocked the trail so well U had to weave up and down between the limbs to get through; I will take a 0 day tomorrow as I¢ve been pushing myself very hard the last 7 days;
Date: 2019-06-15
From: Waynesboro 

To: Waynesboro Va
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was a day off to rest my feet and legs after 136 miles in 7 days; Sometimes U have to listen to your body and force yourself to rest! They had a Soap Box Derby in the Main Street of down town, so I walked there and watched a few hours; One young man lost control of his Soap Box and crashed and broke his leg; After the Derby I went back to the hostel, where the had the movie ¢Wilds¢ on, a hiking movie that I¢ve not seen; Then I went on to the Catholic Mass, back down town;  A hiker friend wanted to go to dinner with me, called and said he would not make it, so I went to a steak house near the hostel; Tomorrow I plan on being back hiking;
Date: 2019-06-16
From: Waynesboro 

To: Blackrock Shelter 
Miles today: 20.0

Today I started the SNP; The first 4 miles were rocky and a lot of ups and the it leveled some; As U get into the park more, there are stores and waysides (restaurants); I passed 20 or more day hikers on a warm Sunday; Lots of reports of bears along the trail today;