morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-05-28
From: War Spur Shelter

To: J5Man's House
Miles today: 8.3

I hiked up to Kelly Knob. The leaves are preventing cell phone use, but scenic views still work. I called for directions as to how to hitch to the Home Place. All I had to do was go to VA 42, hike north toward New Castle then hitch south on VA 311 to Catawba. So I got out on VA 42 and got a ride from the first car that came along. They were a super nice couple that were returning from going bicycling. The guy had hiked the AT. When I told him where I wanted to go, he said that I'd hitched in the wrong direction. No problem though, he dropped his wife off at their home and drove me to the Home Place. I got there about 2:30pm and they start serving at 3:00pm. It was heavenly...again...and absolutely worth the effort to get there. As I was slipping into a food coma, J5Man showed up. I thought he and Hiker Head had gone hiking. He had driven out to VA 42 to find me, but I wasn't there. I went to J5Man's house. Showered, got my clothes washed and settled in.
Date: 2011-06-01
From: VA 311 Trailhead Parking

To: Lambert's Meadow Campsite, Saw Mill Run
Miles today: 10.7

J5Man drove me to Daleville, VA, where Hiker Head took Gail and I to VA 311 Trailhead parking. Gail was slack paking back to Daleville. I had decided to carry my full pack and take two days to get to Daleville. Tonight I have a super campsite next to the AT at Lambert's Meadow Campsite, Saw Mill Run.
Date: 2011-06-02
From: Lambert's Meadow Campsite, Saw Mill Run

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: clear sky

Got packed up and was hiking by 7:00AM. I have some raw spots from my pack. I stopped the first hiker that came along to put bandages on them. It was bearably cool and I got to Daleville, VA by 11:00AM. I got a room at the Howard Johnson Motel. I drew a bath and the wated was brown. The phone had had a red and yellow light on it that won't stop flashing. If you didn't know it, motels give hikers their worst rooms.
Date: 2011-06-07
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Buena Vista, VA
Miles today: 0.0

I hiked past some small burned patches but the main forest fire is up ahead. I intended to go to Glasgow, but the motel/restaurant was closed. I got a ride to Buena Vista and got a room at the Budget Inn. I washed my ULA Pack. I was commited to dealing with the raw areas that were growing larger on my back. I had Pat ask Bear Paw how to fix my pack. So I bent the aluminum rod in it to match my back.
Date: 2011-06-08
From: Buena Vista, VA

To: Staunton, VA
Miles today: 0.0

I packed up my pack and hitched to Lexington, VA. The outfitter didn't open until 10:00AM, so I went to VMI. After being directed to three different buildings, I was told that General Lee was at Washington and Lee University. It was an Orkan bug guy that gave me the right information. It was a nice little tour. I wanted to see Stonewall Jackson but it was too hot to be wandering around looking for him, and the Orkan guy wasn't around to tell me where Jackson was. I went to the Outfitters and a thru hiker came in. He was having trouble with his ULA pack also. There were three experienced pack fitters there and they agreed that they couldn't make my ULA pack fit me right, do to the lack of adjustments available on the pack. Even if I bought a MC pack that fit me right the raw spots wont heal if I keep hiking. I went to lunch and thought about it. Then I went to the visitor center and called Steve. We talked the situation over and agreed it was time for me to come home. I walked to where Rte 11 goes by VMI and started hitching. A senior at VMI stopped and gave me a ride right to the train station in Staunton, VA...and so it goes.
Date: 2011-06-02
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin TN
Miles today: 6.3

We sleep in late and get a lazy start, my coffee seems to be hanging out at Low Gap still. can't find and remember putting the whole baggie of stuff on the ground, bummer. Nice brekkie of eggs from a dried pack, makes a change definitely. We bounce down the trail with Speed Demon leading the way, it's easy until a long sweaty uphill as the morning heat rises, we stop at the top for a long break in the cool breeze, waiting for Jelly Bean to catch up, already outa calories from brekkie so a quick snack is in order.Now it's down and more down towards Erwin and the Nolichucky, great views of that winding river as we get closer, dreaming of cold beer and real food, we hit the hostel by 11:45am, just in time for the lunch time shuttle. The hostel is a bit outa town and of course Erwin is all spread out so it's a bit of a hump to anywhere if ya wanna walk it. Horrible news, the town is dry, the pizza is AYCE, that's decent and fairly cheap too, but gotta get by on soda, aching for a cold beer. The hostel van is having mechanical problems, so "Sarge" drives everyone in his old Chevy pick up, a Scottsdale with souped up motor and leaky exhaust. It has a back seat (rare indeed in the old days), so the women and "experienced" hikers get to sit in the seat, while the young guys get the back. Bear Bait gets into an instant conflict with the guy, firstly he wants to charge them for the ride (it's free if you stay at the hostel), and then he takes off before Bear Bait is sitting down, so he has to grab something quickly to avoid falling.After lunch is the beer run to a store in the county, on the other side of town. I get a six pack, hoping to be able to keep it cold for a bit after we get back. Jelly Bean and I pull up a table and some chairs in the shade (it's hot, around 90 degrees) and drink a cupla beers while I smoke a part of a cigar. Then it's off for a shower and some laundry.We can't hook up with Bear Bait and Speed Demon, the plan was for them to meet Speed Demons dad at the Holiday Inn, he's a truck driver from Arkansas and is driving in, but running late, so they're stuck for the evening.We shuttle off to the Aztec Mexican restaurant for dinner, not bad food and just inside the county, oh joy that means cold beer!Head over to the Rite Aid after noshing for some glue to try and repair the filter handle, a woman who works there is standing outside respendent in Rite Aid blue and asks if I'm on the trail. I ask how she knows and she says "bit up legs", indeed they are. Into the IGA to re-supply, more cereal and powdered milk, they only have a huge box of milk so end up leaving some in the hiker box.A group of us sit around at the hostel after dinner chatting, Sarge has bought a bottle of Kentucky whiskey and insists on pushing it out to everyone, the aim of the evening is to finish the bottle, I manage 3 shots along with 6 beers and crash tipsy and tired at 1:30am.
Date: 2011-06-06
From: Greasy Creek Friendly

To: Comfort Inn, Johnson City TN
Miles today: 10.4

The Greasy Creek "unfriendly" neighbor has put up more signs, that the hostel has bed bugs, do not stay! What a creep.Connie was a dental hygienist in a previous life, maybe that explains the germophobia. She makes a nice brekkie, a little small for a hiker size, shoulda pre-ordered the grits and cheese. The coffee is Folgers, it's strong but tastes too much like the coffee at work, yuk.We set off wondering how to deal with the nasty neighbor, maybe come back and cut some of his pipes as "hiker trash" revenge. We also wonder what happened to the 2 laggedly hikers from yesterday who mighta got caught in the storm, it would'na been pleasant, that's for sure.Connie has given Speed Demon pigtails, looks really nice and comfy for a hikers. It's 11am by that time, we're not feeling energetic at all and don't mind the delay, maybe Connie put some depressant in the sodas, they're supposed to have caffeine?It's supposed to be a short day mileage wise, a lotta elevation will make it much more challenging, over 4000' on up up to Little Rock Knob, a classic AT climb, steep and rocky and that little breakfast is soon chewed up and spat out in a cloud of AT hiker dust, "my weariness amazes me!"It's beautiful at the top, both Mountain Laurel and Rhododendrum in bloom, unusual to see them both at the same time, there's a beautiful spot at the top with a view over the Roan Highlands.Good thing I called Sarge to change the pick up time, we are definitely dragging, the AT seems to wear you out after a while and each day drains more energy. We stop for some brunch and that helps a bit. Up and over another stinking knob looking for water now, it's really supposed to be at a gap so down we go, there's a small campsite and a blue blazed trail, it's takes us down to a small spring with some water, we sit around the campsite on logs eating and waiting for the water treatment to kick in so's we can drink some.Final climb for this section up Roan Mountain, running late now so no time to really look around, we get off the AT for a bit to check out the rhodies, some of which are blooming (those in the sun), past the shelter on top, a bit off the trail, then a not too steep descent down to Carvers Gap, lots pine needles on the ground and glimpses of the bald to the North through an occassional gap in the pines.No sign of James at the gap as yet so we head off to the toilet and water source, give Bear Bait and Speed Demon some of my goodies and we sit down to wait, James comes up almost immediately however, he was asleep in the truck and we didn't see him, sad goodbye to companions, hate to leave the trail, and we shuttle back to Johnson City. James has remembered to pick up the rest of my gear from Uncle Johnnies hostel in Erwin, that's a relief, clean clothes!James makes a quick stop for me at a liquor store to get a six-pack of beer and some hard liquor for the bus trip tomorrow, there's not much around the motel for eating a nice sit-down meal, so gotta settle for take-out pizza and bottled beer, it coulda been worse, draft beer would be nice though.
Date: 2011-06-07
To: Greyhound Station, Charlottesville, VA
Miles today: 0.0

This day is a trip home on a Greyhound bus, cab ride to the station in the morning, you'd think a hiker coulda walked the distance, the excuse was all the extra gear (clean clothes etc) that I had to carry. It's a long wait (or so it seems) in the Greyhound station in a small town, everybody looks sick and poor and way overweight.The lunch stop is at a Maccas somewhere off I-81, I head on over to a gas station to scout a sandwich, not wanting to eat at Maccas, they have some basic stuff, nothing fancy, and a beer to wash it down, not too bad and great to avoid maccas.The bus is very late leaving, something about a connecting bus being late, I have to make a connection in Charlottesville to get back to DC, don't look like that's gonna happen, I call Elena to inform and she volunteers to drive down to Charlottesville to pick me up, awesome!! And that means we can stop along the way for a real beer, Charlottesville is know for its brew pubs, they even have a trail of breweries that you can follow, like a trail of wineries. Truly a great way to end an amazing hike!
Date: 2011-08-01
From: Mizpah Spring Hut

To: Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Miles today: 4.7
Weather: light rain

Hiked up from Crawford Notch on the Crawford Path to the hut with a meetup to pick up the AT and head for Lakes of the Clouds. Soon over the peaks and outa the trees onto the ridge tops, a thunderstorm with lightning appeared in the distance but didn't come too close, beautiful peaks with rocky tops, then finally over the last peak and a great view down onto the hut, sat around drinking wine and smoking until dinner time, then a huge thunderstorm after dinner with lotsa hail, it collected off the roof of the hut and ran down to collect like a broken sack of white rice on the ground, beautiful sunset through the clouds with the golden alpine light bouncing off the hut windows.
Date: 2011-08-03
From: Madison Spring Hut

To: Pinkham Notch, Joe Dodge Lodge
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: fog

The morning brings good news about Julie, they got back about 10pm, apparently there was a big ruckus, I musta been more tired than I though 'cause I totally missed it, didn't even stir.Early climb up Madison peak, it's foggy on top and completely covered in rocks, the front runners stop to rest and there's a couple of thru-hikers there as well, including Gypsy Girl, the Aussie grandma who's come across the pond to hike the trail, she looks a character, short and stocky and plenty tough too. It's all 3000' downhill now, first part is all rock, no real treadway, then a steep trail covered in roots and more rocks to a junction where we stop for a snack, DH looks in pain on the downhill with the messed up knees, catching up to Dan and DH, they're a bit slow on the steep downhill and all the rocks.We slow down on the remainder of the section, I'm feeling a bit stiff and sore from the fast downhill and it takes a while to warm up again, slip and half fall in the early part until loosened up.The lodge is really nice, but our boots and socks are really nasty and we try in vain to ameliorate it with an open window, it doesn't work at all and we take them outside to dry, and where the smell ain't so bad. The sheets go upstairs to be draped over an armchair.I manage to persuade Ed to drive us down to the nearest settlement for a beer run, he doesn't seem so keen on it but I keep asking and more people put in requests so he finally relents and off we go.It's a good sized store, we get a case of beer and a few bottles of wine, the lodge is dry so this should go down well, we sit around in the reading room drinking and just as we start, a dad walks in with this son to actually read, this is by far the nicest room and no one gets up to leave, we are chatting, not loudly but it no doubt disturbs father and son and after about 30 minutes they get to leave.Update 9/30/12 Matilda and I stop in Duncannon, PA on the way back from the Mega to get lunch and brews at the Doyle Hotel, we go up the street for Ice Cream (Vickie recommended it!) and an older woman blows by and asks Matilda if it's good. She looks vaguely familiar but I can't quite place, then Matilda remembers that we saw her in the Whites last year.It's the Aussie grandma thru-hiker! She's crossed the street by now and gone off towards the railroad tracks, I chase after her but she's disappeared completely, kinda like down the rabbit hole, a few minutes she re-appears outa the rabbit hole so we go over to chat, and it is indeed her, she's come back to the US to complete the AT and hike a part of the PCT as well, a guy she hiked with on the AT has decided he liked Duncannon so much that he bought a house there and she's visiting before heading back down under, what a small world it is!
Date: 2011-08-04
From: Pinkham Notch, Joe Dodge Lodge

To: Greenleaf Hut
Miles today: 0.0

No real AT trail miles today, just a quick jaunt across the Franconia Notch ridge line after a hike up the Falling Waters trail, beautiful ridge tops from Haystack to Lincoln to Lafayette, then down to the hut, shuttle to Lafayette Campground in the morning, we try to repack at the Highland Center, especially the wine, DH leaves us behind, really pisses me off so I confront him in the Lafayette Campground, he doesn't take it well.
Date: 2011-08-05
From: Greenleaf Hut

To: Lonesome Lake Hut
Miles today: 6.0

Elena comes up with the brilliant idea of switching to Lonesome Lake for the night because we don't quite know what to do with ourselves, although hikers keep arriving and it's nice to chat with them and see what they're up to, the hut arranges it and we take off, it also allows us to go into Littleton to the pub, Thayers Inn, they have their own brew called Shipyard XXXX, 9% alcohol, I get 2 and one of the best burgers I've ever had, fluffy and juicy and tasty, it's all a bit much however and as we drive back to the parking lot for Lonesome Lake, start to feel definitely not so good, vertigo sets in and I go plunging into the woods to throw up, then pass out in the car for a while as Elena waits patiently for the beer to wear off to the point I can actually hike, takes about an hour I think and finally can trek up the short, steep incline to the hut.
Date: 2011-08-06
From: US 302, Crawford Notch

To: Mizpah Spring Hut
Miles today: 6.4

Quick hike down from Lonesome Lake hut, the trail is steep but easyHitch from the Highland Center parking, seems difficult at first, the cars on the road won't stop and the ones coming outa the parking lot are all full, finally a BMW SUV stops to ask about a lost trail head, I don't know where it is but offer them $10 to give us a ride, the woman says "how about you just hop in and we'll give you a ride", a nice friendly couple despite their poor taste in cars! We're on the trail just before 10am and the AT counter is ticking again.Connector hike to make up the section, tired and difficult climb up Webster Cliffs, lotsa false summits and it takes over 2 hours to go 3 miles, then another summit (Jackson?) that's nice to sit, though views not quite as nice, trail easier after Webster, some sliding and short steep drops but nothing too difficult, lotsa planking off the summits to get over the bogs, lunch at the hut-bread and soup, very hungry, then easy trundle back to the Highland Center.
Date: 2011-03-16
To: Three days till Georgia!
Miles today: 0.0

I can't believe there's only a few days till I leave for Georgia and begin my thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail! For family and friends who don't know exactly why I'm leaving for five to six months, the Appalachian Trail, or AT, is a 2,180 mile (well-traveled) trail from Georgia to Maine. Every year a couple thousand hikers attempt to hike the entire trail in one season, or thru-hike, and about one in four finish.To finish preparing, I went to Trader Joe's and Giant Eagle this week to get food for the first four days and a few mail drops. The trail passes near towns every four or five days so it's easy to resupply while hiking, but I'm also going to have my lovely mom send me mail drops every now and then. I'm being optimistic that I'm going to eat super healthy on the trail, so I bought alot of couscous, quinoa, and lentil soup mixes. But I also bought alot of poptarts and chocolate covered snacks.Last night, I went to a slideshow presentation at the AT Outfitters in Peninsula given by Nicole, "Stitch", who thru-hiked last year. Her speech and the beautiful pictures of her journey were really motivating. I'm a little nervous but very excited to begin my own journey on Sunday!
Date: 2011-03-26
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Blueberry Patch Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 67.5

I am in Hiawassee, Georgia at the Blueberry Patch Hiker Hostel! It's been seven days and 67.5 miles. This morning is the first time I've been rained on. The weather has been wonderful. Sunshine and breezy. Spent three nights in a shelter and three nights in a tent. Hiking with Blue Eyes from Tennessee since the first night. Also with Token from Sri Lanka, Green Bean from Illinois, and Velvet from North Carolina the last couple days. Happy to be at this amazing hostel tonight where I can take a shower, do laundry, and sleep in a bed! Everyone I've met has been great. The mountains are beautiful and the views are worth the tough climbs. So much trail magic already! I love Georgia. We've passed a couple coolers at gaps filled with candy bars and chips and cokes for thru-hikers. Got a ride into Helen a couple days ago to get cheese and wendy's and drinks. About to go into town now and hit up an all you can eat steak house or chinese buffet or both. I'm having a great time out here!
Date: 2011-04-01
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Nantahala Cabin
Miles today: 67.5

Last night I stayed at the Nantahla Outdoor Center near Bryson City, North Carolina. Six of us jammed into a cabin room that had two bunk beds. I've been hiking with Blue Eyes still and now Hoss Balls (aka Gary Busey) from Virginia, River Rat from Alabama, Sage from Syracuse, and Rumblestrip from Chilicothe. I've went 135 miles so far. The Blueberry Patch Hiker Hostel was amazing! Gary and his wife made a delicious breakfast of pancakes with blueberry syrup, eggs, hash browns, biscuits, and coffee. That day we went 16.7 miles, our longest day yet. We left Georgia and entered North Carolina that day too! No good views of NC yet, too cloudy and rainy. A couple days ago we hitchhiked into Franklin, NC. Nine of us were jammed into the back of a pickup truck with our packs. Me, Sage, River Rat, and Rumblestrip each got a large pizza, which we sat eating on the curb looking pretty ridiculous. The town must be used to thruhikers because people just smiled and waved. That night we tented on Siler Bald. Beautiful night sky but it thunderstormed which was a little frightening. Today we took a zero day, meaning no miles and a day of rest. Tonight we are staying with River Rat and his friends who got an amazing cabin with a hot tub. I am having tons of fun out here and may never come home. Thanks for all the well wishes and emails.
Date: 2011-04-07
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Miles today: 69.7
Weather: clear sky

Staying the night in Gatlinburg, TN. Woke up early to watch sunrise from Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT. Beautiful views from the observation tower. We entered Great Smoky National Park two days ago. Tough climb out of Fontana Dam. The Smokies are awesome! There is snow and ice on one side of the mountains and green grass on the other sides. It has been colder since we've been at higher elevations, and I have to be more careful to stay warm. I always change my clothes as soon as I get in to camp and usually make french press coffee in the mornings. Lots of ridgeline walking in the Smokies, so lots of great views. I added pictures finally. 204.7 miles!!!
Date: 2011-04-12
From: Hot Springs, North Carolina

To: Hot Springs, North Carolina
Miles today: 67.1
Weather: light rain

I am in the small town of Hot Springs, North Carolina taking a zero day with my mom and dog Lady. We got into town yesterday after hiking our longest day yet, 19.8 miles. Luckily, most of it was downhill or along the ridge. The AT runs right down the main street. My awesome mother splurged and got me and my four hiking buddies a house/suite with two bedrooms, two bathrooms (one with a clawfoot tub), a kitchen and living room, and a patio that looks over the river. I feel like I'm living in luxury on this trail in every town we hit. Everything is ten times better after being in the woods for almost a month. A couple nights ago we slept on top of Max Patch, a humongous bald with amazing views of the Smokies, which we had just finished. We slept under the beautiful starry sky in our sleeping bags. Mama Dee (an accomplished thru-hiker) gave us trail magic of wine, cheese, apples, bourbon, and trail stories on Max Patch. The night before that we tented near Pigeon River and got golf ball size hailed on briefly. The weather has been wonderful. It has gotten much hotter now that we are out of the Smokies and signs of spring are everywhere. The hike into Hot Springs was filled with smells of blossoming flowers. Tomorrow, I head out with Lady, who will be with me for at least a week but maybe longer. She has gotten chubbier since I've been gone so she will need to get into hiker shape. I am loving this journey.