morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-05-24
From: Laurel Creek campsite

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: broken clouds

I love trail magic! Last night it was a cooler full of ice cold apple juices near a road crossing on the trail. This morning it was a couple of cases of Dr. Pepper a few miles further north. There's nothing quite like hiking the trail with a cold soda in hand. I took about a five hour detour today to Bland, VA, for resupply. It always surprises me how the towns suck you in. I wanted it to just be an in-and-out stop, but I had to wait for my camera battery to charge at the post office, then visit the library and grocery. Hitching sometimes takes time too. On my way out of town, I saw another hiker trying in vain to hitch a ride. I decided to just start walking back toward the trail. It was like 2.5 miles, and I figured if he got a ride, they would probably stop and pick me up too as they passed. Well, he got a ride, but it was with a retired guy in a Yugo (room for one only). Apparently the other hiker made a good impression though, because after the local dropped him off, he turned around and came back for me! It's refreshing to see how nice some people can be.Trail Etiquette: Passing, and being passedThis is my bonus section for the day. Too bad other hikers probably won't see it, and those who do won't have use for it. But anyway...-When you're approaching another hiker from behind, bang your poles together or scrape your feet on the ground so they can hear you while you're still about 20 yards back. If you walk right up and say cheerfully, "how's it goin?," you'll most likely scare the crap out of them. Most hikers, myself included, tend to zone out on the trail and often become completely unaware of their surroundings other than the five feet of trail in front of them.-When another hiker comes up behind you, get out of the way and let them pass. They're faster than you- that¢s whey they are behind you now when they weren't five minutes ago. Don't try to speed up, and don't turn sideways on the trail to make room for them to pass. It doesn't work- you have a big pack on your back, remember? turning sideways is the best way to block the trail. just step to the side.-When encountering other hikers, be sensitive to whether they want to chat or not.
Date: 2006-05-25
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Doc's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I was feeling lazy this morning, and ended up having a very late start. I was actually the last person to leave the shelter, just after 9:30, which was a first for me. Part of the problem was that I bought too much food in Bland. It's VERY easy to do- You spend days in the woods thinking primarily about food. What you're going to eat for your next snack. What you'll eat for dinner tonight. What you're going to get when you reach town. So when you do reach town, it's extremely difficult to exercise restraint at the grocery and fast-food joints.To alleviate this problem, I consumed an entire box of Basic 4 cereal before starting out. Along with the whole powdered milk I got, I'm sure I took in a healthy amount of calories, carbs, and protein!Around lunchtime I took a .6 mile round trip side trail to Dismal Creek Falls. It was totally worth it- a beautiful spot to take a break and of course, eat food! I wish I could post a picture of it but the last two libraries I've been at won't allow me to upload pics. Hopefully soon...About side trails: I find that if there's a view or falls or something else worthwhile (convenience store?) within about a half mile of the trail, I'm inclined to take it. Otherwise, it's probably not worth it. I think I'm fairly reasonable about it, but there are those we like to call "Mile Nazi's," who are too concerned with their daily mileage too appreciate the beauty that may be just a few minutes¢ walk off the trail. I've hiked enough now to know that I can do the big mile days, but I enjoy myself most when I take it a bit easier. It's especially nice to be able to enjoy a leisurely dinner, rather than getting into camp just before dark (or even after) and trying to beat the sun.Today I experienced an Appalachian Trial: my contact lenses were giving me problems all day, and I eventually took first one out, then both. It was frustrating, to say the least. Together with my upset stomach and pain in my right foot, it definitely wasn't my best day. But hey, it's all good. Just another part of the AT experience. Besides, I passed 600 miles today.I had the shelter entirely to myself tonight. Kind of nice for a change.
Date: 2006-05-26
From: Doc's Knob Shelter

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: light rain

I got into Pearisburg by about 11 this morning. I was able to quickly hitch a ride to the Wal-Mart Supercenter. And I remembered the lesson of Bland, VA- I put the Doritos, yogurt, and donut holes back after I had already loaded them in my cart! Plus, I passed up a perfectly good Wendy's, even though I haven't had a junior bacon cheeseburger in forever. I'm holding out for the Pizza Hut lunch buffet, since somebody at Trail Days gave me a $5 gift card. Can you tell I'm excited!I've met a few more folks from PA over the past few weeks. Besides Gear (whose family is from Lebanon), I've met Mike, from Carlisle, Dan, from Hershey, and John, from New Cumberland. It's a small world! Actually, one of the outfitters near the trail had a big map of the U.S. where hikers could stick a tack in from their hometown, and it was clear that most AT hikers live within a few hours of the trail. Only a small fraction were from places like Chicago or the West Coast, with a couple from Hawaii and Alaska.Out of curiosity, I did a search online for the number of road miles between GA and ME. (Sometimes it really does seem like the trail has you walking in circles or at least a very indirect route.) MapQuest said the distance between Springer and Katahdin was 1400 and some miles, so I guess that's not so bad. I'd rather walk an extra 700 miles of trail than walk the shoulder of Interstate 81 the whole way up the East Coast!Apparently Jefferson Nat'l Forest has all the deer. Two sightings yesterday, and another two this morning. That's more than I saw in the Chattahoochee, Nantahala, Cherokee, and Pisgah Nat'l Forests combined (AND Great Smoky Mountains Nat'l Park).There's a free Catholic Hostel here in town but I have no particular reason to stay, so I'll probably be back on the trail in an hour or two, depending on how much pizza I can eat.
Date: 2006-05-29
From: Trout Creek

To: Lambert's Meadow Campsite
Miles today: 24.3
Weather: few clouds

Today was just jam packed with experiences -- chock full of life, you might say. It started with seeing a newly born fawn on the trail, as I was approaching the climb up the infamous Dragon's Tooth ridge. The fawn was curled up right in the middle of the trail, and it was probably only a matter of hours old. It looked damp, and there were flies buzzing around it. I snapped some pics from about 6 or 8 feet away, and when I tried to get one more pic a little closer, I watched as it took what may have been its first steps. Awesome!You'd think that an experience like that would keep me going all day, but not necessarily. I've learned that at SOME point every day, I'm going to feel like quitting the trail. It's usually in the early afternoon, when I'm starting to hurt but I still want to put in another 10 or 15 miles. Now that I've started acknowledging these kinds of feelings as a natural facet of trail life, however, I just recognize them like an old acquaintance, and don't worry about it. There are plenty of other times during the day when I know that this is the best thing I've ever done and I'm having the experience of a lifetime.Today, any discouragement was dispelled by yet another trail magic site, this one courtesy of Don't Mind and Don't Matter, from 2004. There were three coolers with drinks and snacks, and I immensely enjoyed some cold soda and a vanilla pudding.I also got to see two of the prettiest spots on the trail in VA today: McAffee Knob and Tinker Cliffs. Beautiful rock ledges with stunning vistas. In the evening I walked through a whole herd of deer who were conditioned by years of protection and didn't seem to mind the intrusion.I passed 700 miles today. Almost 1/3 of the trail is behind me!
Date: 2006-05-30
From: Lambert's Meadow Campsite

To: trail near BRP mile 96
Miles today: 24.4

The trail in this section of the state parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway for a while, and crosses it numerous times. Mom, it reminded me of the time you and I drove through here after dropping Christian off at (I think) the Raleigh-Durham airport? I remember seeing tons of deer, turkey, and a couple of bears. Well, they're still here. I'm seeing deer every day now, and they're pretty tame.The trail goes under Interstate 81 near a town called Daleville here. It's strange to think that I live a stone's throw away from that same road, several hundred miles north. This is the second time I've crossed 81. At the post office in town I was thrilled to finally get down to my summer weight. I boxed up and mailed my thermal top and bottom, hat, gloves, pullover, and winter sleeping bag. I even ditched my rain jacket, since I never wear it unless it's really cold. My pack seems so much smaller and lighter! It's awesome, but now I'm going to be mistaken for a lowly day hiker =). [editor's note: Sean, I doubt a day hiker smells anything near as ripe as a thru-hiker. =) ]Speaking of clothing, the other day when I was putting on my insulated pullover I noticed something pricking me- it was a pin from when I sewed the thing months ago! It's amazing to consider that I've been wearing it and stuffing it into a little stuff sack every day for hundreds of miles and managed to escape getting poked that long.It was high time to ditch the cold weather gear. Any local here will tell you that summer was a long time in coming, but it's here now, and with a bang. The past few days have been hazy, hot, and humid. The postman said it might drop DOWN to eighty degrees. Yeah, pretty muggy for hiking. Which leads me to my adventure for the day- the sweat/ant fiasco:I was running out of daylight and was still about 3 miles shy of the nearest shelter, so I decided to sleep out near the trail. I spotted a level mossy spot which looked downright comfy, and set up. No sooner did I start cooking dinner than I noticed a plethora (do you even know what a plethora is? =) of ants. big, annoying carpenter ants, who don't bite you but crawl all over your hands, legs, face, and gear. I couldn't sleep. I got into my sleeping bag to escape them but there was no relief. I was sweating even before I got into my bag. It was sweltering inside. After what seemed like an eternity of misery (in actuality probably only like an hour), I decided to relocate camp, in the dark. I grabbed what I needed and hiked down the trail to the road, where there was a grassy spot next to the parking area. Half my gear was still back at ant city, but I didn't care. I sweated and stargazed and heat lightning-gazed for a long ant-free time until I finally fell asleep. "Miserable evening" about sums it up.P.S. I ate a taco salad (and burger and fries and chicken nuggets) at Wendy's. It was worth writing another poem about, but I'm out of room and time.
Date: 2006-05-31
From: trail near BRP mile 96

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 26.8
Weather: few clouds

Early start today- I was hiking by ten after six. After last night, I was glad to be moving again! Not a bad day in all, but I had to take lots of breaks because of the heat. It sure slows you down!Today I reminded myself to be extra careful about comparing my hike with someone else's. Every once in a while you meet another hiker, and they might not say anything directly, but you're left with the distinct impression that somehow your hike is inferior to theirs in some way. Given the fact that I am an ultralighter who typically does high miles, I need to be careful about how I make others feel. (I'll only say what my pack weighs, or how far I've hiked that day, or when I started, etc, if I'm directly asked, and then with reluctance.) Another new experience of late- dealing with blue blazers and yellow blazers. (Some background: the side trails to the AT are usually marked with blue blazes. Some of them are shortcuts or easier routes than the actual AT. People who skip sections of the trail and take these side trails instead are called blue blazers. People who hike on the road (or better yet, hitch) to avoid difficult trail sections are called yellow blazers.) Last night I came into camp just before dark to find this kid named James that I had passed a few days before relaxing in the shelter. When I passed him, he was catching a ride into the famous AYCE buffet nearby, while I was trying to do another 7 or 8 miles before dark. I call him yellow-blazing James. Today, I hiked almost 27 miles only to find two other hikers that I'd passed the day before, now at the same point as me on the trail. I'm a firm believer in the "hike your own hike" mantra, but somehow it seems to cheapen what I've accomplished when these folks call themselves thru-hikers but don't sweat the miles. I really shouldn't let it bother me though. Who's to say they can't hike on roads or side trails? There's no trail police out here. Sometimes the roads or side trails are more scenic than the AT. If that's what makes them feel fulfilled, then good for them. Personally, I find the knowledge that I've passed every white blaze to be rewarding, and that's good for me. It was bothersome to me initially though, and I had to work through it.Today a beautiful eight (or so) point buck checked me out. it's antlers still a velvety brown. Also, I've seen one large black snake each of the last three days. The woods are teeming with wildlife. Lately there have been a ton of millipedes and salamanders on the trail too. Some are big- I saw one salamander that looked to be 7-8" long and maybe 1" thick; A giant millipede I saw was about the size of a Sharpie!
Date: 2006-06-03
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: stealth site near BRP mile 10
Miles today: 25.8

I woke up to a chilly morning. I was ecstatic! After about four days of oppressive heat and humidity (where even nighttime offered little relief), the cool breezy weather was fantastic. I did another 25 today. You know, a single 25 mile day isn't that impressive. With enough preparation and recovery time lots of folks can do miles higher than that. But what I've found to be challenging is averaging 25 miles consistently. Doing 25's back to back, to back, to back, to back... It get's wearying eventually, both mentally and physically. Today was my eighth day averaging 25, which means I did over 200 miles during that time. I'm encouraged by my progress, but at the same time I'm SO ready for a break. I've been shooting for the "Hiker Fest" in Waynesboro tomorrow, and it looks like I'll make it. But I feel like I've been running on reserves only, and now even they are depleted. I haven't had a real shower since Damascus, which by tomorrow will mean more than 400 miles without a shower (I HAVE been washing up in streams and rivers, ok?). It's just that I haven't taken a break at any hostels, B&B's, motels, etc. So town tomorrow is going to be great.Gotta tell you about Minnesota Smith before I go: This hiker is by far the most eccentric I've encountered on the trail. Everybody's talking about him (search WhiteBlaze.com if you have time =). I passed him on the trail this morning. The first thing I noticed was his huge pack, and then his massive staff, which was taller than he was and looked like it could fend off bears and mountain lions, maybe both at the same time. But I wasn't really surprised until he turned around and I got a look at him from the front. In 90 or so degree weather, he was wearing some sort of shroud around his face, with a hat, multiple shirts, rain jacket, thick brown gardening gloves, boots, gaiters, you name it. He was probably carrying more weight on his body than I had in my pack. There wasn't much skin showing.We took a lunch break together, and I found out that Minnesota Smith is highly intelligent. He knew an awful lot about every subject we discussed, and he has reasons for all of his little quirks. He said the apparel was for sun, bugs, and abrasion. Personally, I don't mind the sun, or a few scratches from the weeds, or even pulling a few ticks off my legs on occasion. One of Minnesota's big issues was with nutrition on the trail. He informed me with authority that my peanut butter was a bad buy, "no matter what you paid for it," because the oil in it was hydrogenated. He's right, I'm sure- I just don't remember asking him if he thought it was a good buy. Minnesota started the trail February 10th in five inches of snow, and he's still plugging away, hiking his own hike. Good for him!
Date: 2006-06-04
From: stealth site near BRP mile 10

To: Rockfish Gap
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

Made it into town early afternoon. I scored a ride from some tourists at the visitor center near the southern boundary of Shenandoah Nat'l Park (SNP). I was just in time to register for the AYCE spaghetti dinner, a night at the hostel, AND a free movie ticket for the nearby theater! What a blessing to be in a clean bug-free environment (yeah, the bugs have gotten bad in the heat of late). For a measly $5 I got to eat 2 bowls of salad, three big plates of delicious spaghetti (tasted just like yours, Mom and Dana), and some fine desserts. What a deal. Plus, I got to sleep on a cot in the church basement. how exciting is that! =)
Date: 2006-06-05
From: Rockfish Gap

To: near Turk Mtn side trail
Miles today: 11.0

Spent much of the day in town, although I had planned to be back on the trail as early as possible. I had to sign up (and wait) for three consecutive turns on a library computer just to get caught up on journaling and e-mail. what a bother =). The AYCE Chinese buffet was a definite highlight though!Anyway, I finally got back to the trail around 3:30, and was only able to do like 11 miles before dark. So to avoid boring you further, I'll forget about today and post a couple of favorite lists I've been compiling:FAVORITE TRAIL FOODS-Bagels, with tuna, peanut butter, or Nutella. (not all three at once)-Snickers, scraped (optional) in peanut butter jar -Knoll/Lipton sides (there's a variety of rice and pasta sides available. This is my usual dinner. I'll often complement with flour tortillas.-Drink mixes! I usually do the sugar-free ones since they're so much lighter. Grape, lemonade, and iced tea are tops.-WHOLE powdered milk (Nestle makes some called Nido. Also Milk Man brand. I'll drink the non-fat stuff only if I have to.-Crackers: Cheezits, Triscuits, and Wheat Thins. (Cheezits are a great mix-in or topping for tuna!)-Cheddar cheese (you can buy it cubed), and pepperoni-Cookies, PB, Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)-Flavored tuna pouches, plain, mixed in a Lipton side, or in pita pockets.FAVORITE TOWN FOODS-Burgers, fries-Soda, juice, chocolate milk-Ice Cream, yogurt-Doritos-Fresh fruits and vegetables (this is what I crave when I'm on the trail, but when I get to towns I usually get sidetracked by the items above =)FAVORITE SONGS TO HUM OR SING ON THE TRAIL-Mission Impossible theme song-Sesame Street theme song ("Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away..." :-)-I Can See Clearly Now (after a storm)-How Great Thou Art-Just a Closer Walk With Thee
Date: 2006-06-06
From: near Turk Mtn side trail

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 30.4
Weather: scattered clouds

I had a bit of a scare last night. It was my first night in the Shenandoah Nat'l Park, and I was wary about animals. Several deer were skirting my campsite as it got dark. Around midnight I was awakened by another deer stamping and snorting nearby (they make this high-pitched whistling/snorting sound). It sounded quite annoyed that I had dared to intrude. Later I heard a lot of rustling near where I had hung my food bag. It sounded to me like several large animals having a feast. I wasn't motivated enough to actually get up and do anything about it, so I just went back to sleep (eventually). As it turned out, in the morning my food bag was still hanging, intact. I guess there are some frustrated and hungry animals out there somewhere.Speaking of food scares, the other day I woke up to find the trailing end of my food bag line dragged off down the hill, and the piece of foam I had tied to the end was all chewed up. It certainly reinforced in my mind the necessity for proper food handling and storage. I've been fortunate so far- just a few small holes chewed in my food bag from a mouse when I left it unattended in a shelter for a little while (the food was fine).
Date: 2006-06-07
From: Hightop Hut

To: just north of The Pinnacle
Miles today: 34.1

First full day in SNP, and it was awesome! Around 9:30 am I was just starting back out after taking a break at a picnic area. A few tenths of a mile down the trail there was an open spot where I could see a ways down the trail. I looked up to see a large adult male black bear lumber onto the trail about 70 yards ahead and start walking southbound (towards me)! I just stopped in my tracks, snatched my camera and started snapping pics. The bear hadn't even seen me yet. Finally he looked up, saw me, and we locked eyes. This was it, my moment of decision. Without hesitation I dropped my camera and charged forward, carbide tipped trekking pole outstretched, and screaming like a banshee. The poor bruin never knew what hit him. He was dead on his feet, speared through the heart with a six ounce carbon fiber shaft. He collapsed in a heap at my feet, and all the hikers ate fresh meat that night.Okay, wait a minute. Now that I think about it, I recall that that's not actually how it happened. I think after he looked up and saw me, he turned away with disinterest, as if to say, "eh, just another human...", and veered off into the woods. Credit the previous tale to my over-active and under-stimulated imagination.I also spotted another fawn, this one with its mother. During my lunch break another hiker, Identity Crisis, came running up to me, breathless and excited. "You'll never guess what just happened!," he said. He went on to explain that he was running down a side trail to get some food at a nearby park restaurant/grill, and rounded a corner to see two bears, sow and cub, no more than 10 or 15 feet away. The mother reared up on her hind legs and actually roared at him! He said he was so scared he just kept on running =).I forgot to tell you about the cougar, too! No, I didn't see one, but two hikers I met in Waynesboro independently reported seeing a mountain lion (neither knew about the other). Both sightings were within a day of each other, and on the same section of trail (within like a quarter mile). "Officially," there are no mountain lions in the East, but I talked to both of these guys, and I believe them.In other "dangerous animal" news, I still haven't seen a rattlesnake, although the registers are full of rattler scares and sightings. I keep meeting up with people who say things like, "you didn't see it? There was a big one right on the trail like ten minutes ago!", etc.Also, today I hiked the first section of the AT that I'd actually been on before. When I did a few miles in the park last year with friends Josh, Tyler, and Eric, I had no idea that I'd be back a year later, this time on a thru-hike. It was strange having a clue what was around the bend or a mile ahead. It made me realize how much I enjoy not knowing. It's all new to me- each day holds its own surprises. Today's surprise was an afternoon thunderstorm which got me wet in a hurry, but it cleared up just in time for a beautiful sunset.