morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-10-01
From: Pleasant Pond Lean-to

To: Bald Mtn. Stream tentsite
Miles today: 17.1

Climbed up Moxie Bald Mtn. -- great climb & views. Trying to get to Monson the next day, so decided to go on past the Moxie Bald Lean-to. Tough, wet terrain, which was not ideal as we hiked a bit into the night. Then it started raining . . . then flurrying!!! We were thrilled to find Bumblebee & Bullfrog tenting in the woods, and they had found a location with enough room for all of us. They had a tarp so we all ate under it and it was kind of cozy, even as it rained/flurried around us.
Date: 2003-10-02
From: Bald Mtn. Stream tentsite

To: Monson, ME
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: few clouds

We had to get to the post office to pick up our mail drop, so Moo went ahead to try to make it the 14 miles before the PO closed. Our book said it closed at 5:00 -- we knew the book was sometimes wrong, so we assumed we needed to get there by 4:30. Turns out it closed at 4:00! But Moo made it there by 3:50 and got our maildrop. He then got a ride back to the trail from a very nice woman and picked up 42, who was playing solitaire while waiting. Stayed at the Pie Lady's hostel. Didn't have any pie, but we were very excited to be inside as it poured that night. Had a great dinner at Spring Creek BBQ and enjoyed talking with owner Kim.
Date: 2003-06-06
From: Kincora Hiker Hostel

To: Kincora Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

Well, here I go back on the trail again! This year¢s journey, if all goes well will allow me to connect the last 2 years hikes. By that I mean; in 2001 I hiked from Amicola Falls to Kinicora Hostel then in 2002, I hiked from Big Meadows (Shenandoah National Park), south to Blacksburg. This year my plan is to hike North from Kinicora to Blacksburg. If I am successful, I will have completed the trail from Springer to the MD/PA line, (the rest of the miles I have done on various weekend hikes since I live in the D.C. area)!        My approach this year will be somewhat different, as I want to do the miles to complete this section, whereas in the past I have just hiked and ended up where I end up. So hopefully the trail and my body will cooperate!Trail coincidences continue to occur as a reminder, to me, that hiking the trail is something I am supposed to be doing. As evidence to that belief, the story below is one I submitted to the Washington Post for consideration:Hey Moonman!!! A gentle shout as I sit on the remains of a fallen tree, 2 miles deep in the woods painting a faded sign marked Appalachian Trail. One of the hundreds of folks that spend time working in the woods keeping the trail passable for hikers like the one attached to the voice in the woods. I, also, am one of those hikers, and once a year I take time off work to hike a section of the trail, with the ultimate goal of completing the whole 2168 miles from Georgia to Maine. Now as I¢m working on the trail, waiting for my next trip in June, the owner of that voice whom I only know by a Trail name of Snuffy, that I met at a hostel in Tennessee the first year of my hike and then again in a shelter way back in the woods of southwestern Virginia, last year, breaks the silence of the woods working on his 3rd section hike, where once again we meet, in the woods.The gentlemen mentioned above has a web page of his hiking experiences at:http://webpages.charter.net/sws4024/atpage1.htmlSo, off I go again with much anticipation of the serenity and camaraderie that the woods and fellow hikers offer¢¦ The World of the AT.
Date: 2003-06-07
From: Kincora Hostel

To: Kincora Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday (6/6) was spent getting a few last minute things done at work. Stopped by the barber on the way home to tick proof my head (read #3 clippers!). I just discovered, the shorter my hair the less gray (that I see anyway). Do you think the gray just grows at the ends of your hair?Got home and packed all my gear for the first time, I had stuff laying all over the place and made all the decisions as to what not to bring so as to lighten the load! I have also made some gear changes (sleeping bag, stove) to get lighter. If the airport scale was right, I'm at 35# with no water. Got to bed at 12:30 am, up at 5 am and now I"m a whole world away from where I woke up.My flight was about 30 minutes late but Pat Peoples, the co-owner of Kincora Hostel, was gracious enough to wait!At first I was the only one there, but slowly folks ambled in from the all day soaking rain. Some had hiked 24 miles in the rain!One couple - hiking together with their 2 Jack Russell Terriers - are living what I consider a neat life. They are "travel nurses". They work under contract and travel from place to place, spend 6 months in a city/town, then pick where they go next, spend a couple of weeks getting there and start over. Currently they have taken a leave of absence to hike the trail. As practitioners of critical care, I'm sure they need the break.Just finished reading the Hostel register (basically a book that you sign and leave your thoughts). I see many of the people I hiked with in 2001. Some ultimately finished the trail, some did not. I wonder where they are as I close this entry lying in the same bunk I was in 2 years ago.
Date: 2003-06-08
From: Kincora Hostel

To: Watauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: light rain

Phew! I am whipped! Left the hostel at about 10 am after thanking Bob and Pat for picking me up. I am glad I did not look at the profile map. 2000' - 4000' in 3 miles, about a mile of flat, then back down to 2000'! All the while, I felt like I was standing still. The hikers, most of whom are attempting a thru-hike and have been out here for a couple of months, are cruising up and down these mountains. Case in point, a guy (Sage) who was at the hostel last night and left after me, blasts by me, saying he was out of food and had to hitch into town. By the time I arrived at the shelter, he had been to town and back and was at the shelter when I arrived. He bought food, hit MCDonalds and was back, while I was still hiking!Staying in the shelter tonight with 3 other thru-hikers. It's great to be out in the woods!
Date: 2003-06-09
From: Watauga Lake Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: clear sky

Tried to get out earlier, finally got on the trail at 9:00. Of course there was another climb but nothing dramatic. Crossed over an earthen damn, built by the TVA. It looks like they blew up mountains to fill the gap between 2 mountains to form the damn. It is amazing what we can do. Spent most of the day on the crest of a mountain ridge - hiking and stopping to gaze at the lake far below with speed boats leaving white wakes in the water. As the damn I walked over several hours creates the lake for the boats to play in.
Date: 2003-06-10
From: Campsite

To: Double Spring Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: clear sky

Oh boy! I think the first day is catching up to me. Sore, tired, blisters and then, amazingly all pains disappear. Adrenaline is amazing! Thank you to the bear crashing thru the woods that gave it to me!One of the things I did to lower weight was to get lighter weight boots. Although I tested them, I am getting blisters and this is slowing me down. Terrain wise, this was pretty mellow, but I couldn't hike any faster. I am stuck for tomorrow, either hike 8 miles to the next shelter or 16 into town. As always it is not up to me but rather my body and the trail will decide.
Date: 2003-06-11
From: Double Spring Shelter

To: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: clear sky

Well, the trail decided. After a long hard day, not tough in terms of trail, but bodily, I got to the shelter at about 3 PM. 3 other hikers were there taking a break from what is known on the trail as the 40 mile challenge. This is a feat of hiking from Watauga Lake Shelter to the town of Damascus without sleep. The 3 hikers had been up since 2 AM and had only 10 miles to go!Anyway, after they left I decided I would take a quick nap and then hike a few more hours to diminish the amount of miles I have to hike tomorrow. About 15 minutes later, it went from sunshine to steady rain, to severe thunderstorms! In fact, a bolt of lightening struck very close to the shelter. Message received, stay put! Eventually, some other rain soaked hikers that I had met at the Kincora Hostel pulled in and by the end of the evening 5 of us and the 2 Jack Russell Terriers were cooking dinner and swapping tales of our day on the trail.
Date: 2003-06-12
From: Abingdon Gap Shelter

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

Man I slept good last night! The shelter we were in had a metal roof and it rained all night creating a hypnotic soothing sound. Everyone was out early today, wanting to get into town for a shower and some real food. I left at 9 am and figured I would get in around 3 PM at my pace. At 1:30 pm, I'm in town talking to an old fellow manning the tourist information caboose. WE must have talked 30 minutes outside, him leaning on a sign spitting tobacco juice from time to time, me hunched over on my hiking poles, pack on my back, listening to the story of his days as a machinist, first working in a textile mill, then in automotive machine shop, retired, taught at a community college until they changed class times (he wanted to teach his trade in 4 hour segments, one day a week, stated that with the school going to 2 day, 2 hour classes, he'd spend all his time reminding kids what they had done in the last class!).As I wandered around town wondering where to stay, I once again hear "Hey Moonman"! I follow Moose, one of the hikers that completed to 40 mile challenge (in the thunderstorm), leads me to a hostel, operated by a church for donations. A converted old house with 2x4 and plywood bunks to put your sleeping bag on and a sign that says this hostel is as clean as you keep it. I claim a bottom bunk by tossing my pack on it. Dumping our stuff, looking for clean clothes so I can take a shower before everyone runs out of the building, Moose offers that he's going up to the laundromat, did I want to throw my stuff in with his? The kindness of strangers never loses its impact.It's about 9PM and I'm sitting in a place called the Sidetrack Cafe, an old single story white side building with 2 picture windows surrounded by red shutters. Inside half a dozen tables, for diners to feast on mammouth pancakes for breakfast or pizzas for dinner. Off to the side five computers for hikers, bicyclists and others to use for donations of a dollar for five minutes and the music from a community guitar being played by a fellow hiker (just finished a song by Pearl Jam) in the background. It's days like this, the unpretentious places, down to earth folks, and the spontaneity of events that fill that yearning I'm sure we all get of no cares in the world, and of living in the moment. ONe of those makes you take a deep breath, AHH DAys.
Date: 2003-06-13
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This is a planned "0" day. After a week I wanted to let my body deal with the abuse and I wanted to visit a day in this "trail town." Its industry is tourism from hikers and bicyclists. Last night one of the hikers cajoled the owner of the Sidetrack Cafe into taking us to a nearby town to see a movie. The deal was help clean the restaurant and he and his girlfriend would take us there and enjoy a show as well. We all went to work, sweeping, mopping floors, stocking coolers, cleaning stoves and boom off we go, 5 of us piled into the back of a small pick up shouting at the full moon, off to see "The Italian Job" in deep southwestern Virginia. Happy Friday the 13th!
Date: 2003-06-14
From: Damascus

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

Back on the trail after a great time in the town of Damascus. If you're looking to get away, this is the place. Check out the town website and look at the Virginia Creeper trail - 'twas beautiful from the views I saw from the trail.I am lucky enough to be hiking with company! Ropeyarn, a retired navy chief, whom I hiked with in 2001 and who ultimately finished the trail on a thru-hike, has joined me. We have been emailing one another over the past few years, and when he learned I was heading back out, he wanted to join me. Long story short, he is going to hike to Blacksburg with me.
Date: 2003-06-15
From: Saunders Shelter

To: Whitetop Mountain Rd.
Miles today: 11.9

Well, today was a climb! We are camping at 5400' and at the beginning of the day we were at 2500'. What a pull! This trail threaded its way through forests and finally at the top of the mountain, huge open expanses where you could see the surrounding mountains and valleys in the distance. Sitting on top of some rocks, watching a distant storm roll in, it was time to throw on the pack and move on. Found a camping spot in a small patch of woods by a mountain road and no sooner had I set up my tent, it started to pour.   Great luck and timing to the end of a hard but beautiful day.
Date: 2003-06-16
From: Whitetop Mountain Rd.

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: light rain

Today, I was on top of Mt. Rogers most of the day. A clear mountain top that wild ponies and deer call home. Ropeyarn discovered that deer like Snickers bars (was fun to watch them chew them up). The wild horses (small) were used to humans and you could walk up and pet them!Walked through an area called Rhododendron Gap and as the name implies, you walk through an area full of rhododendrons for a 1/2 mile stretch, with bumble bees giving the bush a sound of life.For the last 2 miles of the hike (covered in record time), the skies opened up and we had to endure the rest of the hike to the shelter. The rain was so heavy that portions of the trail were submerged! By the time we arrived, although out packs remained dry, every piece of clothing one had on was soaked, and we had to pour out our boots, with the realization that they were not going to dry and we would have to put them on the next morning! YUK!
Date: 2003-06-17
From: Wise Shelter

To: VA603 (Fox Creek)
Miles today: 7.6

Well, not to be too graphic, after having dinner last night (when we hiked in the rain), I woke up about an hour later with all the symptoms and ensuing effects of food poisoning. A long night, no sleep, stumbling out of the shelter, in the rain, on numerous occasions. In the morning, when everyone in the shelter was getting ready to start their hikes, I lay there in my bag feeling like I got hit by a truck. Finally, I forced myself up, packed, put on those wet boots and started out. The first severl miles, whether the terrain was flat or hilly, I had to stop every 100 yards or so, panting like I had run a marathon. As the day wore on, my endurance increased and we made it to a road crossing where we hitched into town.Troutdale, the town, has a hostel run by a church. It is free but donations are accepted. You get showers, soap, towel, a place to wash your clothes and you can tent, sleep in a yet to be completed bunkhouse or in an open air pavillion on top of picnic tables! What a wonderful thing for this congregation (Troutdale Baptist) to do, THANKS!
Date: 2003-06-18
From: VA603 (Fox Creek)

To: Dickey Gap
Miles today: 8.5

Last night Ropeyarn came down with what I had. He was pretty sick. It appears this virus has hit about half a dozen of us so far.While he recovered I decided to slackpack (a term used to describe the carrying of a day of supplies, i.e., water, lunch, map, raincoat). So I hitched back to where we got off yesterday, powerhiked, hitched back to shelter in about 4.5 hours. Down the road from the church hostel we are staying in is a small sotre/diner called the Troutdale Trading Post. It is the ONLY commerce establishment in Troutdale. As a group of us were having dinner, a thruhiker who I'll call Nameless enters. Soaking wet, about 5'10" and wiry build, he is covered with muc, stringy hair tied away from his eyes with a bandana, he turns out to be a potential stand up comic of trail tales. The one that stands out is when he was walking through a pasture that we all went through a couple of days ago in the mountains. While the rest of us had treaded carefully to avoid stepping in cowpies, he, as you could see in his mannerisms and gestures in telling the story, was truly excited! Seems he had read a book on natural hallocongenics and with his described photographic memory, recognized a particular type of mushroom that is best harvested after a thunderstorm (which we had) growing out of the pies! Happily plucking away he filled a ziploc bag full of 'em, now all he had to do is dry 'em, eat 'em and off you go! I was laughing so hard I hurt. Hope he survives his hike, oh boy.........
Date: 2003-06-19
From: Dickey Gap

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: broken clouds

Made the break from Troutdale at about noon when the rain stopped. The shelter I'm at tonight is just adjacent to park service headquarters, sooooo, we have 2 levels, hot shower, sink out back, and a clean cinderblock, painted privy that comes equipped with toilet paper! But wait, I'm not done. Walk 100 yeards to the ranger station to the phone outside. Review the paperwork beside the phone, for your choice, 30 minutes later, PIZZA!! While I"m on the food kick, do you remember Nehi soda pop? Grape and orange? I had 2 orange and 1 grape before leaving Troutdale. Yum!
Date: 2003-06-20
From: Partnership Shelter

To: US11/VA63
Miles today: 9.6

We carried light food out of Troutdale knowing this stop was here, allowing us (with less weight) to cover more miles. This intersection has a truckstop, restaurant and motel, which we availed ourselves of. First time sleeping on a mattress since I left home.I'll take this moment to tell a few stories that have occurred on my trek this year but haven't made it into these pages yet.The first is another one of those coincidence stories. In 2001, when I first started hiking, I met several folks that in the subequent years I have "bumped" into again. Well, at one of the first shelters I stayed at, this fellow trailnamed Free, after some study, recognized me. We finally put together that we met at Fontana Dam when he was attempting to get off the trail and back home, because his grandmother had passed away. Strangely enough, it was his last day on this trail, once completing this small portion he will have finished the whole trail. I'm starting to wear out the word coincidence..........Another quick story is about this young, petite young lady who was a co-leader of a church youth group excursion, where the kids did 2 days hiking, rafting in West Virginia and then horseback riding. (Sounds like a pretty good deal.) Well after getting all these kids organized and ready, which as I watched was no small feat, as they are leaving, her small frame under a big pack, she turns to me and says "I'm working on my "T". I said "huh?" To which she replied as she left, I've already got the Beas"!
Date: 2003-06-21
From: US11/VA63

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: broken clouds

A perfectly beautiful day for hiking! Spent a large part of the day hiking through open fields and pastures, which allow great views of a pastel blue sky, puffy white clouds spattered about with a gentle cool breeze, rustling the waist high wildflowers that surround me. I feel like I'm in a painting that you see in museums, but this is the real thing!And as it does out here on the trail, a congruence of most of the folks I've met on this trail thus far, occurs at this little shelter. It's good to share in their laughter.
Date: 2003-06-22
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: VA623
Miles today: 15.2

Paying the price for these aggressive mile days. Today was a tough one. One mile up, one mile down, 4 miles up, 4 miles rock walking. But, then there are the views. The ones today were spectacular. My vocabulary is not sufficient to describe what is called "God's Thumbprint", which is probably the best description. Picture in your mind bread dough about an inch thick, and you're pushing down on it with your thumb. The indentation would be the floor of the valley and the slope from the bottom of your thumbprint up the surface would be the surrounding mountains. Like an oasis in the mountains. In this valley floor below, farms with multi-colored patches of earth, representing the different crops planted below. No neon signs or anything "man made" to detract from the scenery below. Burkes Garden as the maps call it, is a beautiful scene and my guess is there are no "For Sale" signs to be found!So, as always, there is a reward for the hardships we endure, soemtimes obvious (like today), and then there are days you have to dig deeper. How lucky am I to be out here!
Date: 2003-06-23
From: VA623

To: Blano, VA (Junction of US21/52)
Miles today: 12.1

Up early, pack, cook, eat, on the trail by 8 AM. It was pretty hot yesterday and today and I wanted to get into town and get my bounce box and take a shower. Today at one area of the trail you had to cross Wolf Creek 12 times. The trick was to get through the crossings without falling in (no bridges, just rocks and logs). Today Moonman scored 12, the trail 0! (Meaning I didn't fall in). At about the halfway point of the hike, we experienced nirvana. Crossing over a footbridge that spanned a much larger creek and just before a gravel roadway we decided to have lunch. An area where we could take off our shoes, get the tuna fish, bagels and peanut butter and eat lunch, while sitting on a rock as our feet dangled into a rapid whirlpool of numbing cold water. And then, as a group of kids on a church sponsored trip were getting back into their van to leave, the driver asked us if we wanted a Dr. Pepper! We get 2 each and then he asks if we want chips! SHWEET!After all this good fortune, it gets even better. We pack up, start heading up the mountain totally refreshed and what do we see? A trashcan! Now we can get rid of 4 days worth of trash and make our packs even lighter!It is the simple things that bring the most pleasure.......
Date: 2003-06-24
From: Blano, VA (Junction of US21/52)

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

FROSTIE ROOT BEER! After staying at the hotel last night, we got a ride into town to check our mail drop, sort out the stuff you would need and then go to the grocery store to supplement. Well, besides having what I needed, they also had Frostie Root Beer in the small brown bottles! Absolutely the best root beer man has made. Ropeyarn had never had one, so I shoved one in his hand and shopping in the 5 aisle, IGA we went. A few minutes later the store manager approached us and asked what we were doing. I saw him looking at the bottles in our hands and I was thinking "This guy thinks we are gonna rip these off." He says "Is that Beer?" I said "No! It's Root Beer!" He shakes his head ok and says "Wouldn't be the first time folks were drinking beer in here." Too funny!After shopping, over to the local library to check email. This is another computer system put in by the Gates Foundation so the computers are fast! I clean up my home and work emails, send out a couple and then off to lunch. Finally get out of town by 1:00 and get to shelter at about 7:00 pm. Very hot hike, but very productive day.