morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-02
From: Thunderhill Overlook, BRP

To: US 501 near Glasgow, VA
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Today we hiked over some beautiful trail with fabulous views. We also saw rock formations that are said to be over 500 million years old. Pretty impressive stuff.We lunched at Hickory Stand with a section hiker from Florida named Paul. Later in the afternoon we ran into CatDog (and Wags), and the five of us hiked down together to US 501. We had offered CatDog, Wags and Paul a ride to the Wildwood Campground, about 5 miles from the AT. We were shocked when we got to the road: our Jeep ws no where to be seen. We had followed directions from a guide we have and had parked it at the bridge near US 501. Unfortunately, the AT had been rerouted since our guide was published in 1998. Our Jeep was a mile anad a half up 501. Ugh! So we hoofed it to the car, and were relieved to get to the campground, get showered and laundry done. All's well that ends well, but my feet really resented the extra mileage!This campground is much nicer than the last, and we have had fun talking with other hikers. Besides us, Paul (now dubbed "Wrangler" as he raises cattle in Florida), and Catdog, Scholar and Pooja Blue are staying here.
Date: 2004-06-03
From: US 501 near Glasgow, VA

To: US 60
Miles today: 21.4

I know, I know--we swore off these long days last week, but we were tempted to hike some big miles while the sun was shining. We had three tough climbs today--Rice Mountain, Punchbowl Mountain, and Bluff Mountain.   Whoo-a tough day!Today we saw the ruins of an old post-Civil War freed-slave settlement along Brown's Creek. It was interesting to see the history that exsisted in what is now a wilderness area. We lunched and took a quick nap at a crossing of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and visited with Hawk, Lonesome Dove, the Hobbits, CatDog, and Wrangler. At the top of Bluff Mountain we celebrated by sharing an apple, and enjoyed the views of the valley below. We also saw a memorial to a 4 year old child who had wandered away from a town and had been found dead in the woods at the top of Bluff Mountain, seven miles from home. The fact that this happened 110 years ago made it no less distressing. Hikers had left small stuffed animals, toys, flowers, and coins at the memorial. I had nothing to leave but my prayers for safety for all four year olds...Tonight we are again at Wildwood Campground. We fed the ducks, and now we are listening to the bullfrogs croaking and the lightning bugs flitting around our tent. It was a long, hard, but fulfilling day. Life is good!
Date: 2004-06-05
From: US 60

To: Fish Hatchery Rd
Miles today: 16.3

After taking the day off yesterday because of rain, we were happy to have mother nature cooperate today and keep us dry. We've been spoiled by days of sunny views, and we missed that today. We hiked 15 of our 16 miles today in a misty cloud, but it was an interesting experience. This was the first day I wore my jacket the entire day--temps were in the high 50s and low 60s all day.We had several big climbs today--Bald Knob (which isn't bald), Cold Mountain (which lived up to its name with a nippy wind and is a bald), and Tar Jacket Ridge. We ran into a bunch of hikers we've been seeing nearly every day--meeting up on the trail and catching up is a nice way to break up the hike.Today we were treated to some extraordinary trail magic.   Several thru-hikers from 1999 had set up a camp at Hog Camp Gap, about halfway through our hike today. They had hot dogs, coleslaw, chips, sodas, beer, and fruit for hikers, and a toasty fire going, by which we could warm up. They set up and do this for three days every year. What a terrific treat that was for us.Now we're back at the Dutch Haus B&B for one more night of pampering before we return to backpacking and sleeping in our tent every night. This is a great place, and we're enjoying the company of other hikers here, as well as the hospitality of our hosts, Earl and Lois. Three more days 'til Waaynesboro, then the Shenandoahs await us.
Date: 2004-06-06
From: Dripping Rock Gap

To: Tye River
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: light rain

I know, I know, we are so weak! We got up this morning intending to hike on towards Waynesboro, leaving the Dutch Haus B&B behind us. But here we are, still hanging around here in Montebello! Today we did another day hike, and we are back here at the B&B for another superb supper and breakfast, plus a comfy bed for the night. Weak, weak, weak! Fun, fun, fun!The trail was mean to me today. Lots of rocks. Slippery, wet rocks. Ugh! Yesterday was one of our fastest days--16+ miles in 5.5 hours... Today it took us 7.25 hours to cover 15+ miles. It was all becauase of those stinkin' rocks.   But it's all part of the trail experience. If the trail were as smooth as a sidewalk, anyone could do this!But we did have some terrific views, and the weather was perfect for hiking. We were treated to views of a pretty waterfall, and the bridge over the Tye was a sweet little pedestrian suspension bridge. Of course I had the best of hiking buddies, and we saw a lot of our thru-hiking pals out there today.I smell brownies baking. I think I'm in hiker heaven. Life is good.
Date: 2004-06-07
From: Fish Hatchery Rd

To: Tye River
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: light rain

The Priest was our destination today.   I thought perhaps it was called that because it was a tough climb and one needed a priest by the time it was over, but no. We cranked out the 9.4 miles up and over the Priest in under four hours and were back at the B&B in time for the free hikers lunch. Burritos. Yum! We had great views from Spy Rock, but the remainder of the hike was in a misty cloud. We hiked with Scholar today and enjoyed talking to her. We saw two beautiful waterfalls. It wasn't hot enough that we were tempted to jump in, but close.Tonight we're going to Waynesboro. Tomorrow we will hike the remaining 13 miles into Rockfish Gap, and the day after that we enter the Shenandoah. We are looking forward to the SNP and the cheeseburger lunches that hikers can get while there. That's my kind of hiking!
Date: 2004-06-08
From: Dripping Rock, BRP Milemarker 9.6

To: Rockfish Gap
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: broken clouds

More wet, slippery rocks met us at the beginning of our hike this morning. I guess the name of our start-point, Dripping Rock, should have provided a hint of what was ahead. We hiked with Scholar again today. She is a nice young woman from SW Pennsylvania, and we enjoyed her company.The trail took us to Humpback Rocks and what is called a "bouldering opportunity." I'll bet you can all guess how thrilled I was about this opportunity! The views were marginal again today, because of clouds, mist or haze. Whatever you call it, we didn't see much from the viewpoints. We did, however, enjoy the forest today. The birds were all singing their loudest, the butterflies were bright colors, and the wildflowers were in bloom. We crossed half a dozen mountain streams, including a couple of small waterfalls. We took a break at the Wolfe Shelter and enjoyed watching the stream that runs past. We are aware that we have just 7 or 8 more days of hiking to enjoy, so we are trying to make the most of our time together in the woods. I just can't get enough of the beauty that surrounds us.Tonight we are camping at the river in Waynesboro. The YMCA across the street offers hot showers and there is a laundromat a few blocks away, so we have all of the comforts of home. We're meeting a group of ten other hikers for dinner here in town tonight. Tomorrow we start hiking through the Shenandoah National Park. Maybe we'll see a bear. Life is very good.
Date: 2004-06-09
From: Rockfish Gap

To: RipRap Trail
Miles today: 16.5

I love the Shenandoahs! We hiked our fastest ever, and saw some amazing sights. Early this morning we came across a fawn who skittered off into the woods when she heard us. She stood 50 feet off the trail, peeking at us curiously through the underbrush. Then a turkey hen came bustling out of the undergrowth. Later we saw rabbits and squirrels--the woods are teeming with wildlife.The trail today made for some easy hiking. We didn't have many big climbs, and the rocks were more manageable. We slackpacked Lonesome Dove and Scholar, and met up with them about halfway to our destination. We also ran into Hawk early in the day, as he was doing a dayhike to Black Rock Gap. His wife is in town for a few more days, so he is hiking in the morning and spending the afternoons with her. We stopped for lunch at the peak of Calf Mountain. I wish we'd waited a while, because 1/2 a mile up the trail we came across special seating for hikers. Someone with a sense of humor has set up a bank of old tractor seats along the trail. We had dinner last night at a steak house with Hawk, Peggy, Lonesome Dove, Scholar, CatDog, and Meanderthal. A good group, and we did some serious damage to the buffet line. We also polished off some Yingling beer. Sure wish we had it available in Arkansas, it is darned good beer!Tonight we are tenting at the Loft Mountain Campground in the SNP. We've had a shower, and I can smell the cheeseburgers cooking at the Wayside grill. This is my kind of hiking! I hope our weather holds for six more days. So far we're staying pretty dry, but this IS VIrginia in June...
Date: 2004-06-13
From: Skyland

To: Neighbor Mountain Trail Parking Lot
Miles today: 12.7

Hoover's ankle was still bothering him this morning, so we opted for a shorter hike to test it out.We got up early and broke camp. Catdog was joining the gang up at the Lodge for breakfast, so we ran her up there on our way to the trail. We weren't sure if we'd see her again, so we exchanged addresses and hugs. It's amazing how quickly we bond with the people we meet out here on the AT.We took the day slowly, hoping Hoover's ankle would hold out for another 50 miles. He led and set the pace, which seemed unbelievably slow to us after they full-tilt way we have been hiking. With the slower speed and frequent stops to stretch and compress his tendon, the hiking was bearable for Hoover.This section of the park is pretty and offers some great views.   We particularly enjoyed the view from Mary's Rock and the Pinnacles. The trail is not very rocky, which is also a help to Hoover. At midday, we came across LD who, as a physical therapist's assistant, had some advice for Hoover. She showed him a stretch that seems to help him out. After we finished hiking, we decided to head into the closest town, Luray, and get a motel room so Hoover can ice his ankle and keep it elevated tonight. I made a run to Wal-Mart for fresh fruit and lunch food for the next couple of days. Oddly, I'm having trouble falling asleep in a bed after so many nights in my tent...
Date: 2004-06-14
From: Jenkins Gap

To: Neighbor Mountain Trail Parking Lot
Miles today: 16.8

Hoover's ankle seemed a little better this morning after he'd iced it and kept it elevated yesterday evening. The ace ankle brace that he wore yesterday also gave him some added stability, so he felt up to giving the 16.8 miles we'd planned a try.We headed from Luray back to the AT in the Shenandoah and hit the trail at about 8:15. With the slower pace, we expected to finish up at about 4:40, so we will certainly get wet this afternoon. Hoover decided that stretching every half hour or so will also be in the hiking plan.It was already warmer by 9:00 than it was at 3:00 yesterday afternoon. We knew that the heat and humidity would rapidly get worse, but we disciplined ourselves to hike slowly. We deliberately set out to hike north to south today so that we would encounter all of our friends and have a chance to say goodbye. Tomorrow we want to finish in Linden, so we'll hike south to north and probably won't meet up with as many people.Sure enough, we weren't on the trail more than thirty minutes and we ran into Southern Man and the Hobbits. We took photos and said farewell. Not ten minutes later we saw Roberto. So the day continued: Luna, Hawk, Lonesome Dove, Catdog, Wrangler, Quest, and Krsipy Kritter all came along the trail during the course of the day. It was great to meet up with each of them, converse a few minutes, snap photos and swap e-mail addresses. We met some really terrific people along the way this year and we want to keep in touch.By mid-day, Hoover's tendon was really bothering him. We briefly considered having him walk up the road to the Elkwallow Wayside and wait there for me to hike back to the car and pick him up. But he is nothing if not stubborn, and he'd hiked a long darn way to come this close and not finish, so he sucked it up and hiked on. Within a few minutes the major pain had passed and he finished the hike without incident.Shortly before we got to Elkwallow Gap we came across a HUGE bear on the trail. He stepped off while we were still fifty feet away and ambled over into some tall grass sixty or so feet off the trail. There he hunkered down into the grass with just his head and shoulders sticking out and watched us. Hoover took several photos, but, since our tiny camera doesn't have a zoom feature, you can barely (no pun intended) see him in the pictures. Oh, well, it was exciting to be there! Hoover said he thinks this bear was 500-600 pounds. All I know is that he was a very big fella! Another hiker, Pegasus, was just up the trail from us and saw the same bear. She wasn't able to find her camera in her pack, so we'll e-mail one of our photos to her.Once we got back to the car, we headed down to Elkwallow Gap to buy souvenir T-shirts for our grandsons. Hoover indulged in one of the Wayside specialties, a fresh blackberry shake, as a mini reward for finishing today's hike. Then we headed down to a motel in Front Royal for the night. After dinner at a Mexican restaurant, Hoover iced and elevated his foot, preparing for one final day of hiking. Our trek for this year is almost over...
Date: 2004-06-15
From: Jenkins Gap

To: Linden, VA VA 725
Miles today: 15.9

Our final day of AT hiking for 2004 dawned clear and warm. At 7:00 a.m. I could tell this day would be a cooker. We dropped the Jeep at our destination in Linden and headed back into the Shenandoahs one last time. Hoover's ankle was a little "iffy" but he hoped to be able to finish off the hike today. We are motivated to get this thing finished!The AT in the Shenandoah's has been wonderful. The climbs were relatively easy grades, and the trail was wide, well-maintained, and fairly rockless. We had several long climbs in front of us today, but, as I said, we were highly motivated.We got off to a good start, and made it to the final crossing of Skyline Drive at Compton's Gap by 9:15. Shortly thereafter we left the SNP and the trail became much rougher. Rocks, rocks, rocks, and the maintenance was not as good either. We caught up to Lonesome Dove, and we played leap-frog with her most of the rest of the day--she passed us again, then we passed her and so on. We enjoyed a break with her at the Tom Floyd Wayside Hut, and offered to drive her to the post office in Linden at the end of the day. It would mean a long day for her (21+ miles), but it would save her a couple of miles of off-trail walking tomorrow. We ate our final trail lunch at Chester Gap. There we saw a notice warning of extremely muddy conditions ahead. A "blue blaze" around the mud was suggested, but we haven't blue blazed yet, so we weren't about to start now! The mud was bad, but it only lasted 1/4 mile or so, and we experienced worse last year.By 2:00 the heat and humidity were horrible. When Lonesome Dove caught us again, her face was red, and she was puffing as hard as we oldsters. The last climb was especially tough, as we were out of the forest and hiking up through a field, exposed to full sun. But it helped us to know this was the final big push for us this year. We found wild blackberries growing along the trail, and the three of us picked and ate ourselves full. We needed that extra little bit of energy for our climb!As we arrived at the Jim and Molly Denton Shelter for a quick break, we realized that we had just finished our 500th mile for the year! Two more and we'd go over 1200 AT miles completed. We celebrated with LD a youth group that was camped at the shelter, and then we took off to finish our hike to Linden. Lonesome Dove got there minutes after we did, and we packed up and headed to the post office in Linden. This was our final chance to be trail angels in 2004.This year¢s hiking was more work than I remembered, but also more fun than I recalled. We met terrific people, saw amazing sights, and had the time of our lives being together 24/7 for six weeks straight. We don't know now what next year holds for us, but I'm thinking that May 2005 will find us back on the AT again! Stay tuned for our next big adventure
Date: 2004-03-31
To: Appalachian Flail
Miles today: 0.0

In October, 1986, a friend and I took off for a week to hike the section of the AT south from Damascus, VA. The plan was to hike about 70 miles to Elk Park, NC. How hard could it be to hike 10 miles per day? We quit at Hampton, TN, after 5 days and 40 miles, and spent two nights and a day in Boone, NC at the Hillbilly Lodge, eating ravenously and recovering for the drive home. I have no idea what my pack weighed because I didn¢t weigh it. I just threw stuff in that I thought I needed, and quit when the pack was full. We had blisters, sore knees, a day in the rain, a night with the mice at a shelter we named the Rat Hotel, and a new degree of respect for the section-hiking couple that we met with 1300 miles under their belts (boots). The trail beat us up, and we were glad to shake the dust of it off our boots.But the notion of a footpath that starts in Georgia and goes all the way to Maine is hard to get out of your head. The thought of hiking it all popped into my mind off and on over the years, and the idea grew on me as retirement drew near. After mulling it over quietly for a year or so, I started talking about it out loud as sort of a sanity check. The more positive responses I got, the more I talked. Before I knew it I was up on the high diving board and now I have to take the plunge or look like a wimp. So in a few days I¢m taking another shot at the AT (and giving it another one at me). Perhaps I¢ll fare better with more wisdom and better preparation. Perhaps that will be discounted by age. Time will tell.I¢d like to thank my wife Laveda for supporting me in this adventure. She¢s not thrilled about my disappearance into the woods for several months, but she¢s willing to humor me in this strange undertaking. Thanks to my son Dan for agreeing to post my journal. Thanks also to John, Boyce and Mike for taking me up on my get-in-shape challenge. Without that incentive I¢d still be somewhat overweight and flabby instead of just somewhat overweight. Now I can think of the extra pounds as fuel. And thanks also (I guess) to all those people who thought this was a great idea, and thereby helped shove me higher up the ladder.
Date: 2004-04-05
To: Trail Name
Miles today: 0.0

As I worked my through my get-in-shape program, I was also thinking about my trail name. You can invent a name for yourself or wait until someone hangs one on you. I prefer to do it myself instead of trusting another hiker. Have you read what some of these people say on the trail forums? Wicked senses of humor! I had visions of being tagged with ¢Hufflepuffer¢ after struggling up the first mountain, or maybe ¢Twinkletoes¢ after a quick escape from a mad hornet. (Laveda said ¢Chickenlips¢ appeared to fit after I shaved off my beard. She also threatened to exercise the truth-in-packaging clause of the contract). So I looked deep within myself as I sweated through the miles, expecting to meet my true trail personality.Imagine my surprise to find a crowd in there, all jostling to be in charge. Here¢s a sample:JoJo NoGo: ¢It¢s too hot out there today. My legs are sore; lets take a day off. What¢s on TV? Not in the rain! Let¢s just sit here by the fire and relax.¢JoJo Loco ¢ in cahoots with NoGo: ¢Have you always been this stupid, or did you fall on your head? You¢re insane to even think about walking 2000 miles ¢ you haven¢t walked that far in 55 years; now you plan to do it in 5 months! You don¢t have enough sense to pour water out of a boot with the directions on the heel! Forget this impossible idea ¢ for that matter, forget this bonehead idea about retirement from your good job!JoJo GoSlo ¢ responsible for getting to the halfway point in time with only a third of the miles of my exercise program done: ¢What a great day (night) to be outside. Let¢s slow things down a bit and enjoy it. Maybe walk instead of run. No need to be in such a rush. If you don¢t make all your miles today, there¢s always tomorrow. Don¢t worry, be happy!¢JoJo Rambo ¢ responsible for two pulled hamstrings and a strained knee. Nemesis of all the rest: ¢You¢re all a bunch of babies! Strap on your shoes and pull up your socks; we¢re going for a **run**! Five minute warmup!? Five steps is too much for a warmup! Rub some dirt on that sore leg! I haven¢t been around such a bunch of sissies since basic training!"So, to include the whole bunch, I¢ve chosen the trailname ¢JoJo Hiker.¢ Dan¢s gift of a Joe Hiker bobblehead for my birthday was the clincher. I¢ll check each morning to see which personality is in charge for that day.
Date: 2004-04-07
To: Gear
Miles today: 0.0

I haven¢t posted a gear list for two reasons. First, I haven¢t had time to prepare it. Secondly, who knows whether this combo will work? Here¢s a rundown of the major gear elements.Pack ¢ ULA P-1 with most of the options. Limited to 30# loads, and I¢ve discovered that it¢s hard to get more than that in the pack.Sleeping Quarters ¢ Hennessey Hammock Ultralite Backpacker Asym. Comfortable sleeping and only needs two trees for setup. Doesn¢t handle cold weather too well, so I¢m taking an REI blue foam pad and starting the trail after most of the cold weather is behind us (I hope). If the weather is too cold for hanging in the breeze, I have the option of setting the hammock up on the ground like a bivy.Sleeping Bag ¢ Nunatak Alpinist 20-degree down sleeping quilt, with the new EPIC fabric shell. 800 down, very light.Stove ¢ Brasslite Turbo IID alcohol stove. Beautiful workmanship. Carrying 8oz of alcohol and planning on limited cooking.Shoes ¢ New Balance 806ATs. Lighter than leather boots, and should dry more quickly.Clothes ¢ all synthetic, of various brands.Hiking Poles ¢ Leki Makalu Ultralight. Hoping that these will take some of the strain off my knees and help minimize the falls.I¢ll comment on how this combo works after I try it for a while.
Date: 2004-04-09
To: Launch Date
Miles today: 0.0

I'll be launching my AT adventure this Wednesday (14 Apr) via the approach trail from Amicalola State Park. On the one hand I wish I had more time at home to get a few more things done, and to enjoy this beautiful spring. On the other hand, I'm tired of planning and repacking and all the minutiae associated with a trip like this. Time to go. My next entry will be from the trail. Wish me luck!