morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-05-01
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter

To: Johns Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: broken clouds

It started raining last night around midnight and I'm not sure if it has really stopped since. I was a little slow getting out of my shelter this morning, I was hoping it would let up but by 7:30 I felt I had to get moving. I ended this evening at Johns Hollow Shelter with just over 21 miles. I believe I have just over 18 miles scheduled for tomorrow but my feet were wet all day today (and probably will be wet all tomorrow too) and are pretty tender. I'll just have to see how it goes tomorrow. I could put on my dry socks but my shoes are still wet. It¢s supposed to stop raining some time tonight and nice tomorrow.  My shoes will dry pretty quickly if that's true. There was no view today because of the rain and fog but the rhododendrons are beginning to bloom and the next few days should be spectacular.I met a south bounder today who had seen, and took pictures of, a black bear earlier in the day. I have yet to even see any sign of it, but that's ok. There's still plenty of trail ahead of me. Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and finally dry for the evening. I'm dreaming of a nice, dry, cool hiking day for tomorrow with smooth, rock free trails. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-02
From: Johns Hollow Shelter

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

What an incredible day for hiking! The sky was blue, the sun was shining, and the temperature never got above 75. A nice cooling breeze blew all day long. The first 9 miles were all uphill, but the climb was never that steep and the views were wonderful. The last 9 miles were basically all downhill and most of the trail was smooth, rock-and-root-free and covered in a thin layer of pine mulch. It was the type of hiking day you always imagine but rarely see.On the other hand, my feet are really sore. I believe it is from hiking most of last week in wet boots and then doing the same thing again yesterday. I'll just have to wait and see how they are tomorrow. At least tomorrow is a shorter hiking day for me, even if the first five miles is all uphill. I'm only planning a 15-mile day. After two 20s and an 18, ¢only¢ 15 will be a treat. I met several south bound hikers the last three days. Most of them were coming from Harper's Ferry and planning on going all the way to Georgia. I hadn't expected this but should have. I'm sure I'll see more in the upcoming days.I received a text from Beaker today. It looks like he will be rejoining me again this Sunday in Waynesboro. Many of us have missed him the last couple of weeks and are looking forward to his return.Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry And finally back in my tent. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-03
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Another great hiking day today. I think the high was 67 and it was sunny all day. It was actually a little cool and windy at first when I started out, but felt great as soon as I warmed up a little. I only did a 15.8-mile hike today but much of it was up hill and my feet are still a little sore. But, they seemed better today than yesterday and I hope they are even better tomorrow. Tomorrow will be another (kind of) short day at around 14.9.I heard from Beaker this morning. He is going to meet me Monday in Waynesboro. I expect to be there Sunday morning, so that will give me time to resupply, do my laundry, and relax for the rest of the day before meeting him the next morning.Tonight, it is supposed to drop down to 40°. I guess I'll find out if my 35° bag will be sufficient. The rest of the week  is only supposed to be in the upper 30s at night. I still have my down jacket and a light set of thermals but I might be sorry I sent my cold weather gear home so early. I knew it was a risk but just the thought of getting rid of the extra weight made it too enticing to pass up.There is a possibility of rain again tomorrow afternoon. It wouldn't upset me at all if the weatherman was wrong this time and the storm missed us.So far tonight, I'm safe, dry, and warm in my tent. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-04
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: Mauphin Field Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: clear sky

They were calling for rain for this afternoon but it wasn't supposed to begin until after 2 pm. I thought if I started a little early, I could be at a shelter that was 14.8 miles away before it started. My plan worked perfectly until I got to the shelter and realized I still had plenty of hiking day left and there was still no sign of the predicted rain. I decided to move on to the next shelter that was about 6 more miles up the trail¢¦and I do mean up. Over the first 4 miles, I climbed more than 3,000 feet over some of the most rock covered trails I have seen so far. And, right at the top, the rain began to fall. It rained so hard that for a while I couldn't see more than 50 feet in front of me. As time went on and I worked myself down the side of the mountain, I convinced myself that I had somehow missed the shelter. I eventually took some cover under a large leaning tree and verified my location on my phone app. I still had .9 miles to go. After another eternity of walking, I checked it again, sure once more that I had missed it. This time it told me it was "nearby", meaning less than a tenth of a mile away. In just a few more feet, I found the blue blaze trail and followed it to the shelter.When I got here the shelter already had 6 people inside, its capacity. But luckily for me, they were willing to squeeze together and make room for me. I've now dried out, made my dinner, and slipped into my sleeping bag and the rain continues to pour down. One of the others here tonight told me the forecast is for rain all night and thunderstorms tomorrow. There's another shelter in 15 miles away or Waynesboro is about 20 miles away. I'll have to see what tomorrow brings.But tonight, I'm safe, warm, and reasonably dry in a very crowded shelter. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-05
From: Mauphin Field Shelter

To: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: moderate rain

It rained all night last night and continued to rain throughout much of the day. As you can see from the photo, much of the trail turned into a stream today and some of the streams are raging rivers. Crossing a couple of them was a little scary¢¦the water was up to our knees. But at about 4 pm, I made it to my shelter for the evening. Right before getting here, the sun broke through the clouds and the rest of the evening was beautiful. Even though it's only about 5 miles into Waynesboro tomorrow morning, I'm hoping tomorrow is nice too.I'm really looking forward to a shower, laundry, and some town food tomorrow--I'm in need of a Zero day too. The rocks, climbs, and the rain really took its toll on me this week. Up until today, I've only fallen five times during the entire hike. Today, I went down 3 times, once hard. I've bruised my right shoulder and elbow. A day and a half of rest should go a long way towards healing my aches and pains; and drying out my shoes too.I'm also really looking forward to joining up with Beaker and the Shenandoahs promise to be interesting. I can hardly wait to try the blackberry shakes everyone keeps talking about.Hopefully by tomorrow, most of the water on the trail will have drained away and the hiking will be dry and easy. But now it's time to hit the rack. I'm safe, warm, and dry. I hope everyone enjoyed Cinco de Mayo! Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-06
From: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter

To: Stanimals 328 Hostel, Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: moderate rain

The trail into Waynesboro this morning was still a running stream in many areas. My shoes were already soaked from yesterday and even if they weren't, there was no way to keep them dry this morning, so I just slogged my way through.It only took me about two hours to make it to the gap. I felt it was went fast considering the condition of the trail. At one point, I was literally ankle deep in mud for about 50 feet.As I neared Rock Fish Gap, the wind began to how, rain begin to fall and the temperature must have plummeted at least 20 degrees. I called Stanimal's 328 Hostel as soon as I reached the road but their drivers were out already picking up/dropping off other hikers. I was considering calling one of the local Trail Angels when I saw ¢Pokemom¢ standing outside her car waving me over. I hiked with her early on the trail but she had to pull off when she contacted a respiratory infection. She emailed me yesterday and told me she was doing Trail Magic today at the gap but I thought it would be later this afternoon. What a wonderful person. Even though she was only on the trail for about 100 miles, everyone seems to know and like her. She just brightens up the day every time she's around. She offered me a ride to the hostel and I quickly accepted. Sometimes, the best trail magic is a ride in a warm, dry vehicle.I spent the rest of the day at the hostel just drying out, showering, and doing my laundry. I didn't realize how badly I smelled until I picked up my dirty clothes after my shower. Wearing the same clothes five days in a row is rough, but being soaked by the rain three out of five of those days is even worse. Hopefully, my shoes will fully dry out before I meet Beaker and head into the Shenandoahs on Monday.Tonight, I had dinner with a section hike at an AYCE Chinese Restaurant. It was wonderful, but I'm stuffed. Tomorrow, I'll resupply for the next leg of my adventure but only minimally. I've been told there are chances to stop and eat at multiple locations in the park and I plan on taking advantage of all of them. Tonight, the temperature is supposed to drop into the mid-thirties. In a few minutes, I'm going to go to sleep in a bed inside a hostel.  I'm safe, dry, and warm. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-07
From: Stanimals 328 Hostel, Waynesboro, VA

To: Stanimals 328 Hostel, Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I spent a very relaxing day doing as little as possible. But, that doesn't mean I didn't do anything. I made a trip to the local outfitters. I bought fuel for cooking and a package of three replacement squeeze bags for my water filter. My Sawyer filter works great. I love it. It's light, simple to use, and easy to clean. But unfortunately, the squeeze bags don't seem to last very long and I've already gone through three of them. They are cheap and available at every outfitter I've been to. Some people use a smart water bottle instead but I like the bags, even if I must replace one about every three weeks.I also back-flushed my filter today and cleaned my other containers with a weak bleach solution. And, even though I try to only use my pot for boiling water, I washed it and my spoon too.While I was at the outfitters, I also purchased a couple of Mountain House dinners and two of the Granola Breakfasts. Although they tend to be a little bit expensive, I think they are probably better for me than the instant mashed potatoes and Ramen most of the younger folks eat almost daily. And, I like the variety and how lightweight they are.I also made a trip to the local Kroger¢s and finished my resupply. Even though I expect to be in Shenandoah National Park for about the next 8 days, I'm only carrying 3 days of food. There are small stores and eateries throughout the park along the trail and I hope to get most of my meals from them as we pass by.I'm currently staying at Stanimals 328 Hostel and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Adam and his wife Dana are incredibly nice. The place is very clean, quiet, comfortable, and reasonably priced. They will also pick you up and drop you off back at the trailhead. Adam is also a past AT thru-hiker and has done about 1,000 miles of the PCT. About 3 blocks from the house, less than a 10-min walk, is the Kroger's, a Taco Bell, and a deli/pub named E&Js. I had dinner there and had a burger they call the "Hangover".  It was possibly the best burger I've ever had.  They have a great selection of craft beer too.If you ever hike this section of the trail, I highly recommend this hostel and restaurant. I don't think you will be disappointed with either.My picture tonight is of a sign I saw on the trail. Most signs warn against motorized vehicles, pack animals, and bicycles. This one added hang gliders to the list. I just found it funny. Were hang gliders along the "long green tunnel" becoming a nuisance at some point?Tomorrow morning, I meet back up with Beaker and we will continue our journey north. I'm really looking forward to the Shenandoahs and, even more so, to be hiking again with my hiking buddy. But, that's tomorrow, tonight I'm spending another night in a warm bed, after another hot shower. My clothes are clean and I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-08
From: Stanimals 328 Hostel, Waynesboro, VA

To: Calf Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: clear sky

Beaker is back! He had a heck of a time getting to the trailhead from Knoxville, involving a bus driver who failed to show up and spending the night in the bus station. I'm sure he is writing all about it in his post, check it out.He finally arrived at the trail head around 5 pm. We had intended to start out at about 10 am to begin our hike, but 5 pm was what we got. We had to make 7.7 miles to the nearest shelter before dark and we made it with minutes to spare.He brought back his hammock instead of his tent (I'm jealous) and had no trouble finding a place to hang it, but all the tent sites were already taken. Luckily, there was still room in the shelter. There's a freeze warning for tonight, and I think my tent is warmer, but that's where I'm at.Tonight, I'm safe, dry, and so far, warm. I'm excited about the trail tomorrow and glad to be back with my hiking buddy. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-09
From: Calf Mountain Shelter

To: Loft Mountain Campground
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: clear sky

I had a great day hiking with Beaker today. We managed a 19.1 day, not counting the 0.3 out of the shelter this morning, 0.4 in/out of another shelter, or the 0.6+ we did at the campground tonight.Shenandoah National Park has been beautiful so far and the trail has been great. We reached Loft Mountain Campground at about 5 pm, checked in, set up camp, and headed down to the camp store and showers. We both managed to charge our phones while eating dinner and showering (the showers cost $1.75 for 5 minutes and we used our bandanas as towels). So far, the only drawback about the place has been lack of cell service.Beaker did a superb job on the trail today after taking a 3+ week break to move. He was concerned he wouldn't be able to keep up but he wore me out. I'm sure that in only a few more days I'm going to really be working hard just to keep up again.When we returned to our campsite from the store and showers, we were surprised to find Ramsey Bolton at our campsite. We've known Ramsey for a while now, but other than last night at the shelter, we hadn't seen him since Damascus. He had told us last night that he was only going to do 13 miles today so we we're glad to see him. I believe we're planning to stay at the same locations for at least the next 5 nights.The weather tomorrow is supposed to be nice, but they are calling for rain to start again tomorrow night and up to 3 inches on Thursday. We planned to camp in the campgrounds along the trail for the next few nights and use the camp stores and waysides for our meals. But, we might need to modify our plans to try to avoid sleeping in the rain at night. We'll just have to see what the next few days bring. Either way, tomorrow we're planning on a shorter day and a night in a shelter tomorrow night.Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry in my tent. The temperature is supposed to drop down to around 36 but I expect to stay warm enough. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-10
From: Loft Mountain Campground

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Bear! Bear! Beaker and I saw our first bear today. It was about 50 yards off the trail looking at us, when we saw it. It watched us for about three seconds, just long enough for me to realize I wanted/needed to take a picture and, like a puff of smoke, then it was gone.It was exciting for both of us and we high fived as soon as it was gone. Although we both have a healthy respect for bears, neither Beaker nor I ever felt threatened by this animal. We hope to see more under similar conditions and maybe, just maybe, get a picture or two.We stayed in Loft Mountain Campground last night and had our dinner out of the camp store. This morning, we hiked about a mile and a half then had our breakfast at a wayside in the park. Waysides are small store/restaurants scattered throughout the park. In this case, it was relatively close to the trail. We only had to hike a half mile both directions to get a hot breakfast. We were even able to talk them into making us sandwiches for our lunch. The waysides in Shenandoah are famous for their blackberry milkshakes. Of course, I had to have one with my bacon and eggs. I'd recommend it! I also plan to get one at every wayside we pass.It has already started to rain. They are currently calling for a half inch tonight, an inch tomorrow and another half inch tomorrow night and Friday. It sucks, but still better than the three inches they were calling for tomorrow.We called ahead and reserved a room at the lodge at Big Meadows Campground. We will get out of the rain for the evening, have a nice dinner, breakfast, shower, and possibly do laundry. AWOLs guide also states they have a "Taproom". It sounds intriguing.The picture tonight is of Beaker looking out over the Shenandoah Valley. He is sporting his plaid hiking kilt. At times, it was a little windy. I just thank God, he doesn't go full regimental!But tonight, Beaker and I are sharing a shelter with three other thru-hikers (Goat, TJ, and Sugar). We're safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-11
From: Hightop Hut

To: Big Meadows Lodge
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: light rain

It rained all night last night and most of today but we still managed to knock out a 20.8-mile day before 4 pm. They are calling for more tomorrow and Saturday too. Tomorrow, we have about 18 miles planned but the terrain doesn't look too bad.Tonight, we are staying in a lodge here in Shenandoah. They have a restaurant that serves breakfast (and will pack us a lunch) but it doesn't open until 8:00. For this 5-6-day leg of the journey, we only brought three days of food because we knew we could eat in these places instead.We are planning a late start in the morning.  Tomorrow night, we will stay in a shelter due to the rain unless the shelter is already full. With the late start, that's a real possibility. If the shelter is full, the tent will have to do.But tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry. My clothes are clean, I've had a hot shower, ate a great dinner, and I¢m sleeping in a real bed. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-12
From: Big Meadows Lodge

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: moderate rain

Today, it was Mountain Gorillas and Kangaroos on the trail.! Actually, that's not true but I suspect all of you are tired of hearing about rainy days. We're tired of having them. But, it appears tomorrow will be our last one for at least a week. Yeah! It is supposed to quit raining about 9 am and be clear throughout the day.Even with the rain, it was an excellent hiking day. We started our day with a hot breakfast at Big Meadows Lodge. I had the omelet and the waffle. Well, I split the waffle with Beaker, but it was still a lot of food. We hiked about 9+ miles and had a rather leisurely lunch at Skyland Wayside Restaurant. We followed that up with another 9+ miles to our shelter for the evening. That makes a total of 18.8 miles today. Eating at the restaurants are convenient, allows us to eat something different than our usual fare, and takes weight off our backs. Tomorrow, we have one more wayside which we should hit around lunchtime (burger, fries and another blackberry milkshake for me, please).We plan on hiking 22.4 miles tomorrow.  It will be my biggest hiking day yet. I hope I'm up to it--well, I must be. Other than breakfast for tomorrow morning, I'm out of food. We will be leaving Shenandoah National Park and staying in a hostel tomorrow night. This will give us another chance to finish drying out, resupply for out two-day hike into Harper's Ferry, shower, and do some laundry.There are two animals in my picture tonight. Can you see them?Tonight, it's cold, it's raining, and someone in the shelter is snoring very loudly. But, I have my iPod and I will crank up my music. I'm approximately 950 miles into my hike, my shoulder aches, my knees ache and my feet are sore, but I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.  I'm safe, dry, and starting to warm up in my sleeping bag. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2017-05-13
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Front Royal Terrapin Station Hostel
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: light rain

Beaker and I managed to get up just a little earlier than normal today and knocked out 22+ miles of trail. We even managed to have a late breakfast (and carry out a sandwich for lunch) at the last wayside restaurant in Shenandoah.Again, it rained most of the day. I'm not sure if I've just gotten to point where I'm used to it or just knowing its the last day of rain for a while, but it didn't much bother me today. Just as we reached our hostel for the evening, the sun finally broke through the clouds and by dark, the sky was totally clear. Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful.We caught the hostel shuttle into town, resupplied, ate dinner, and made it back to the hostel in time to do our laundry and take a shower. We'll be heading out first thing in the morning. I know many people probably think we spend the evenings around the campfire telling ghost stories, making smores, and singing. But, usually by the time you've set up your campsite and finished eating, you are so exhausted that you just want to go to bed. Staying at a hostel is usually the same routine, but you also get to resupply and do your laundry too. We call anything after dark "Hiker's Midnight" which translates into time for sleep.It's hard for me to believe that in just three days, I will not only pass the 1,000-mile mark, but I will also be in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. It¢s the symbolic half-way point on the trail and I'm really excited about it.Tonight's picture is of Beaker crawling under a fallen tree on the trail. Not a pretty sight...no, not at all. We actually had to do this twice because we had made a wrong turn on the trail. We also walked about a half-mile further than we needed to today. When you are already hiking almost 2,200 miles, you don't want to walk any extra, unneeded steps or miles.Once again, I want to say thank you for all the advice and well wishes. You don't know how important it is to my hike. Your comments are often the motivation I need to keep going every day and I really appreciate them.Tonight, I'm safe, warm, and dry. Goodnight from the Appalachian Trail.