morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-05-07
From: Deep Gap Campsite

To: Ash Gap Campsite
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: few clouds

This turned out to be one of the most physically demanding days I have had on the trail so far. There was always one more steep climb up another knob along the crest of a ridge, followed by another equally steep downhill to another gap. The day ended with a steep 2 mile climb up the lower slopes of Roan Mt. to Ash Gap; just as it had begun with a steep 1 mile climb up Unaka Mt.I woke up to 30 degrees, cooler temps than I had seen in the past week or more. I got quite cold eating breakfast and packing up camp in a cold persistent wind. My cold state however was quickly cured by the steep and continuous climb up Unaka Mt. By the time I reached the summit I was sweating heavily in just a t-shirt and it was still only 44 degrees. Unaka Mt is clad entirely in young dense spruce-fir forest and it reminded me of a New Englang mt just as the guidebook said it would. On the way down Unaka Mt I crossed paths with Tree Work who was slackpacking southbound from Iron Mt Gap out of Uncle Johnny's Hostel. He intended to slack again tomorrow from Carver's Gap south to Iron Mt Gap. It's sort of odd seeing folks I've hiked northbound with suddenly going south with no pack.Later in the day I met 2 guys who I had not seen before. They were also slacking south from Hughes Gap. They had started the day after I did on Springer and had remained a day behind me ever since, never meeting until today. I got to Clyde Smith Shelter about 4.30 and saw Hurdy Gurdy Man. He was having a tough day and had decided to stay there for the night. It was a very full shelter so I pushed on for Hughes Gap. The climb up Little Rock Knob was steep and rocky but the views from the top of the small summit cliff were worth it. Roan Mt, my next destination, is now dominating the skyline to the southeast.It took a Cliff Bar to get me moving up the steep climb towards Roan Mt. The next 2 miles to Ash Gap campsite were continuous and steep as well as quit rocky in some places, but I arrived at the campsite about 7.30. After dark a Saw-whet owl began calling, my first for the trip. Another surprise from the AT!
Date: 2007-05-09
From: Hump Mt Summit

To: Walnut Mt Stream Campsite
Miles today: 16.8

I got to actually see a quick bit of sunrise from the summit of Hump Mt this AM, during breaks as the clouds and fog rolled by. Strong winds had blown most all night and a dense cloud layer had enveloped the summit of the bald by early in the night. Because fog had been blowing sideways most of the night, most of my gear was wet despite there being no rain at all. I left the summit as the clouds began to lift and walked the 3+ miles down to Doll Flats fairly rapidly. The group from Mississippi State University we have been leap frogging the past 2 days was camped there and offered us hot coffee and bagels which I gladly accepted. Here at Doll Flat we leave NC for good and remain in TN until near Damascus, VA.It was a long dry stretch to Apple House Shelter but we arrived to find 12 beers sitting in the spring courtesy of a group of hikers from the night before. I didn't partake because it was only 11.00.In the shelter we discovered a brochure for a diner with great big cheeseburgers located just a half mile off the AT at the US 19 highway crossing. So we hurried down to the road and hid our packs for the walk to the diner. It turned out to be more like 1.5 miles away on hot midday pavement but was worth the walk. Hurdy Gurdy Man, Alpine Strider and I each ordered and ate a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a milkshake, then ordered a second one to go to pack with us for dinner. Hitching back up to the trail was tough and we couldn't get a ride. Finally the waitress came out and offered to take us back up to the trailhead! What service!When we got back to the trail we had what seemed like a long and hot 8 mile walk over up and down terrain to the next shelter. Because of the large numbers of hikers all headed for Kincora Hostel we decided to keep going to a campsite another 3 miles further so we could beat the crowds and get a bunk at the hostel. It turned out to be a long day and we didn't get to our campsite until after 8.00 PM, just as light was fading.This was a hot day with lots of people on the trail all headed north to Kincora and Trail Days, but we had great bacon cheeseburgers for lunch AND dinner!
Date: 2007-05-10
From: Walnut Mt Stream Campsite

To: Kicora Hostel
Miles today: 12.8

I woke up at 4.30 to begin packing up camp and by 6.30 was on the trail headed for Kincora Hostel. By 7.30 it was already getting warm and the day appeared to be gearing up for a hot one. I eas moving slower than normal due to new blisters on both heels from the long downhill stretches the past few days. I think I have also developed deep bruises on my heels too because they ache constantly, although the pounding on the downhills clearly makes it worse. The past four days my feet have really hurt by the end of each day. Today, the further I went the more my feet ached and by the time I got to the road to the hostel my feet   were killing me. The last 0.3 miles up the road to Kincora were tough but it was good to finally be at this famous AT hostel.I got a new bird for the trip today. Coming down the first hump after the shelter I heard a warbler song I didn't recognize. I dropped my pack, grabbed my binoculars and tracked it down to a male Hooded Warbler! A second male was singing nearby as well and I got wonderfully close looks at both birds. The funny thing was that I had been talking with Copperhead a few days ago and she asked about a bird whe had seen that she described as looking like a "yellow canary wearing a black balaclava." Clearly she had seen a male Hooded Warbler! When I saw the Hooded Warbler I laughed thinking about Copperhead's comment and how it was a good description.Kincora was a very busy place and was full by noon. Thank goodness I had left camp when I did or I wouldn't have gotten a bunk. A number of folks I lnew were also there including Ronin, Buffalo Bobby, Wishbone, Chuck Norris and Tigger, Sir Privywinks, Walker and August. Copperhead came in later. A total of about 35 folks ended up there for the night. Paul and Joe (now Patches) are brothets I had met just north of Springer Mt. They were both nursing bad infections from swimming in Laurel Fork stream and had been there 5 days already waiting for their doctor's permission to get back on the trail after completing their treatment cycles.Just after my laundry was in the washer (I was wearing only my rain pants and a T-shirt from the hiker box) when Bob Peoples announced that the bus to town was leaving and this would be the only town trip of the day. Anyone wanting to resupply at the grocery store needed to jump in the truck. I jumped in the back along with 8 others for the half hour drive to town. What a motley sight we were at the supermarket!Back at the hostel Bigbee cooked up burgers on the grill for a crowd of people while others brought in pizzas (nearly a dozen). What a food fest!I got only a short time to talk to Bob but he seemed like a real genuine guy, just as everyone says he is. Kincora was everything I had read about it and more. What a wonderful place full of fascinating people!
Date: 2007-05-11
From: Kicora Hostel

To: Watauga Dam Road Campsite
Miles today: 13.1

Today was a day for waterfalls and southern mountain flowers in bloom. The first numbers of blooming Rhododendron, Azalea (both orange and red) and Mt Laurel were along the trail in the Laurel Fork gorge.About 1.2 miles up the trail from Kincora was Laurel Fork Falls, at 50 feet tall it is reportedly the tallest falls on the AT. I took a number of photos from a variety of angles. There is a very inviting looking pool at the bottom of the falls but swimming in it is how Paul got his infection. The Laurel Fork is known to be polluted by agricultural runoff upstream of the falls.Before the falls the trail crossed the river several times on high bridges and followed what appeared to be an old narrow guage railroad grade. There were a number of benches and deep rock cuts that looked like the Silverton RR line near Rockwood. It was along one of these rock cuts that we saw the first Rhododendron in bloom. The bright pink flower clusters in the dark gorge were very pretty.The trail followed along Laurel Fork for about 2 miles, often right along the waters edge. Old beaver cut trees were scattered about. It was very nice and a lot of day hikers were out on the trail. The trail then left the creek and made a steep climb up Pond Mt. The Mt Laurel in bloom along the way made the climb easier.I stopped briefly at the swimming beach on Watauga Lake and it was crowded with families doing what families do on a hot Friday afternoon at the lake. We continued around the lake and ended up camping where the trail crossed the Watauga Dam road at the base of a steep pitch and the beginning of a long dry stretch.
Date: 2007-05-12
From: Watauga Lake Road Campsite

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: broken clouds

I got on the trail at 7.30, intending to beat the midday heat. After a brief climb to gain the crest of the ridge it was a series of brief ups and downs but generally vey gentle grades all the way to the crossing of TN 91, some 16 miles away. It turned out to be long stretches of truly enjoyable grassy trails winding along the crest of the ridge.The day began completely overcast and looked like rain was imminent. It was also very humid. At a temp of 54 I was in shorts and T-shirt and sweating heavily all day. It turned out however that it only rained lightly off and on during the AM then cleared off by the afternoon. I stopped at the Vanderventer Shelter in mid-morning but got only hazy photos of the nice view overlooking Watauga Lake.At one point Alpine Strider saw a racoon walking up the trail in front of us. She had forgotten the signs we had seen warning us that rabies had been detected in this county in racoons and we should avoid any animals out during the day. Since she had her Ipod headphones in I had to grab her and tell her to let it go rather than chase it for photos. It soon went into the brush off the trail and we didn't see it again.In addition to the enjoyable ridge walking along extensive gentle grades, I passed a number of Rhododendron in bloom with their large bundles of bright pink flowers. I also saw a large number of flame Azaleas in full bloom, all the yellow-orange shade that I've been told is the most common here. There were also a few Mt Laurel in bloom along the trail too.I took a few photos of the Nick Grindstaff memorial. He was a hermit who lived here alone for many years and was buried in the remains of his cabin next to the chimney, which became his memorial. After the memorial the trail passed through a recent fire burn area. It was now green with new growth on the forest floor. Much of the understory regen had been killed but the larger overstory trees appeared to have been unaffected by the fire.At the crossing on TN 91 the trail winds for about 1-2 miles through rolling hay fields. Apparently the USFS had recently purchased an old farm to protect the trail corridor from development. This was the first farmland walk we have had so far, compared to the common use of rural roads and pathways through farmland in the early days of the trail. I have heard that Earl Shaffer said he disliked many of the more recent trail reroutes because they took the trail off the rural roads and placed the trail up on ridge lines instead, well away from the farms and people of the area. Apparently he really enjoyed walking through the rural farmland of the south and disapproved of later routing the trail up onto the ridges.
Date: 2007-05-13
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Damascus Spring Campsite
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: clear sky

This afternoon I passed a real landmark for my hike; I left my 3rd state behind (TN) and crossed into VA, the 4th and by far the longest state on the trail. About 1/4 of the trail lies in VA, and it takes nearly 1/4 of the trail to get here.Damascus, VA is the gateway to the state and hosts the annual Trail Days hiker festival, which starts this coming Friday and lasts all weekend.The day started out foggy and cold at 46, but quickly turned into a vey nice hiking day with a high in the mid 60's and cool light winds. It was a day of ridge walking, much of which was gradually uphill. The trees here are fully leafed out due to the relatively low altitude (2,600') so there were no views off the ridge.At one point I passed an interesting old stone wall along side the trail. It had not been maintained in many years and the forest growing up around it was nearing 100 years old. I guessed this to maybe be a Civil War era wall. After crossing the highway at Low Gap I climbed gradually to the top of McQueens Knob where the foundation of an old firetower was still visible. Just past the summit was an old AT shelter, the McQueens Knob Shelter built in 1934 and is one of the oldest shelters remaining on the AT. It is a little delapidated but was interesting to examine the construction.I arrived at the VA state line at about 3.30 and stayed for about 1/2 hour, ate a bagel and a Snickers bar, took a few photos, and thought about the accomplishment of making it this far up the trail (456 miles). The terrain from GA quickly tested our resolve and equipment, and the next 6 weeks of walking in VA will test our endurance. They say that less than half of those who started in GA are still on the trail and another half of those who are left will leave the trail before they finish VA.I set up camp at a side trail to a spring and waited for Alpine Strider and Wishbone to join me. We intend to camp here tonight then walk the remaining 2 miles in to Damascus tomorrow for breakfast.Another fine day on the AT, and now we are in VA!
Date: 2007-05-14
From: Damascus Spring Campsite

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 2.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was a very brief day on the trail, it took me less than an hour to walk from my campsite down to the edge of town. I waited there with Alpine Strider for Wishbone to cath up and we all took pictures of each other at the famous Damascus AT town archway. We walked up Main St and stopped briefly at Mt Rogers Outfitters to enquire about lodging availability and "The Place" hostel seemed to be the only option. It has a wide reputation for being loud and generally full with dozens of hikers. But, we all found bunks and dropped our packs. Wishbone and I joined Ronin, Circadian and Bingali and walked across town to the only breakfast joint we could find that was open at nearly 9.00 AM.After breakfast the day was a rapid series of hustling back and forth between The Place and Mt Rogers Outfitters with my maildrop box, bounce box, and a box that Tom (Foodies, AT 88) had sent (Thanks Tom!). I also had to pick up a few odds and ends at another outfitter across town and get another pump assembly for my water filter that had quit working not long after leaving Erwin. It turned out to be a very busy day and I decided to take another day off to repack my box being mailed home and buy food for the next section. I also wanted to get caught up on my TrailJournal. I had to leave The Place to get a Treo connection to the internet, for some reason I cann't get a connection from inside the building.I ended up camping out beside the hostel to test my tarp tent, summer sleeping bag and pad combination that I had just received in the mail. It turned out to be more quiet than sleeping inside. They say that a night at "The Place" will always be remembered and I agree!
Date: 2007-05-15
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

I took a complete zero day today because I did so much walking around town yesterday that I felt I needed a day to actually relax and rest my feet. I did walk the mile out to the Food Lion and do my shopping for the next week, but then went back to the hostel and wrote a few postcards and got caught up on my journal, along with repacking my newly received pack.There are lots of people showing up in advance of the big Trail Days Festival this weekend and lots of hikers passing thru town who are trying to get a few more miles hiked before coming back for the weekend.My day wasn't quite as rushed as yesterday but I still didn't find much time to just get off my feet and relax which was what I most wanted to do. This "life of leisure" can be pretty hectic some days! I ended up buying a new water filter at Mt Rogerd Outfitters, a Katadyn Hiker Pro. I just don't trust my MSR Sweetwater filter to keep working and the MSR Miniworks filter is ablut 6 ounces heavier. the Katadyn is popular on the trail and is getting good reviews from folks I've talked to. I packed enough food for 2 days hiking out of town, then packed a small box to leave at the outfitters while we are gone with T more days food, plus put together a bounce box with 3 .ore days food to be mailed to myself in Troutdale, VA. this was a difficult logistical problem but necessary due to coming back to town for Trail Days.Back to the trail tomorrow!
Date: 2007-05-16
From: Damascus, VA

To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: light rain

I slept outside The Place in my tarp tent last night and used Alpine Strider's Z-rest to see if I could get a good nights sleep on it, which I didn't, so I decided against getting one to reduce pack weight.After breakfast I successfully took care of mailing or stashing all 3 of my packages. I shipped the big gear box back home to Brenda with nearly all of the gear I have carried up to today. I was able to ship it UPS from Mt Rogers Outfitters. I also left a small box at MRO with a few days of food that I'll come bacl and get on Friday that will last me until Troutdale, VA. The 3rd box I mailed to myself at the post office in Troutdale with food for the section to Atkins' VA.Alpine Strider and I left The Place about 10.30 and headed for the trail. Ronin and Wishbone had decided to stay put through Trail Days and thus will have taken a zero week - a Zeek! I just couldn't see taking a zeek, and I was glad to be on the trail and getting a few more miles behind me.There were lots of Rhododendron in bloom in the first few miles along the trail today, many more than we had seen anywhere else yet on the trip. There were also a few Mt Laurel blooming too. The Rhod's were usually a pale pinkish-violet but a few were deep reddish pink and one plant was nearly pure white.The weather was overcast and humid all day with some light sprinkles. There was a light breeze that made for pretty good hiking weather, but I still sweated heavily going up hills and my glasses remained fogged most of the afternoon. I guess humidity and fogged glasses is just something I'm going to have to get used to.We got to Saunders Shelter about 4.00 and found 6 folks in the shelter plus about 8 tents and hammocks up behind it. Within 15 minutes it began to rain, and it continued to pour for the next 2+ hours. Our timing arriving at the shelter could not have been better!After the rain let up a bit I set up my tarp tent behind the shelter to see how it would do in the rain and it seemed to do fine. Just as I went to bed I zipped the vestibule down and the tiny zipper pull came right off the end of the zipper! Fortunately the zipper didn't rip but there was too little light to try to thread it back on so I just crawled under it to get in. I'll have to try to get it repaired in Damascus on Friday. It seems there is always something to keep life interesting on the trail! it turned out that I didn't get wet and survived the storm just fine.
Date: 2007-05-18
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Trail Days; it's the biggest party all year in the little town of Damascus, VA. I got up at 6.00 and packed up my tarp tent then stored all my other gear upstairs in The Place. I then brought my tarp to the 6 Moon Designs vendor tent and left it for him to replace the zipper.After a good breakfast I wnet over to the First Baptist Church and took a shower in their free shower trailer, what a great service! While walking dpwn Main St a few minutes later I passed a hair store and stopped for a haircut. From there it was off to Mt Rogers Outfitters to pick up the box I had left there on Tuesday with my food for the next trail section. From ther it was back to the place to drop off my box. Then back to the Firdt Baptist Church to get my blood drawn for the free chemistry screenings. This Baptist church has brought in volunteers from churches all over the south to help with everything the do for hikers over trail days.I made it back to the 6 Moon Designs tent by 11.00 and picked up my tarp with a new zipper (for free) then walked back to The Place to set it up before I lost a place to tent (the spot I had this AM was already taken by another tent).My next task was to find a computer on which I could download all my recent photos because the library does not allow anything to be downloaded to their computers, including digital photos from cameras.
Date: 2007-05-20
From: Elk Garden, VA 600

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 4.7
Weather: few clouds

I spent the morning packing my gear into my new pack and trying one last time to find a computer to upload photos to my journal. I was packed and ready early but never managed to get more than two photos up to the web due to very slow connections and half hour limits on computer use.I caught a ride back to Elk Garden and the VA 600 trailhead in a First Baptist Church shuttle van that left town about 1.00 PM and was hiking north again a few minutes after 2.00. Most of the day's short bit of walking was in a stunted forest dominated by yellow birch and other deciduous trees, gradually replaced by spruce-fir at higher elevations. Just before arriving at Thomas Knob Shelter the views opened up across wide expanses of nearby ridges and valleys.Thumper was at Thomas Knob Shelter when we arrived! We hadn't seen him since he and Flax Seed went into Franklin, NC about 3+ weeks ago. The three of us decided to continue on and camp just past the shelter where there were supposed to be some great campsites with wonderfull views and the chance of seeing ponies.We ended up camping only about a half mile beyond the shelter at a great site with a view and well protected from the wind. It was one of the best tent sites I have had on the trail so farand it was great aharing it with Thumper.Just before dark a group of '04 thru-hikers showed up and camped just across the AT from us. Up & Down invited us to come over and share their campfire and the join them for cake and hot dogs. Me, Thumper and Birdman joined them for several hours of evening discussion about thru-hiking and the trail. There were 4 of them, all successful thru-hikers, and 3 of us, all AT hopefuls. Alpine Strider went to bed early and missed an interesting evening with folks who have been there and done it already.It was 41 when I went to bed and Birdman was carrying only a quilt that he thought would be fine for this time of year. It turned out that he froze and slept in until nearly 8.00 AM. There was no one stirring in the thru-hiker's camp when I hit the trail at 8.15 the next morning.