morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-03-05
From: Atkins, VA

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter, VA
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: broken clouds

I am in my tent near the shelter as I was anticipating a full shelter tonight because there were five other NOBOs and me starting from Atkins this morning, but only two of the other NOBOs have arrived. I set up the tent before the rain started and now a light rain is falling on the tent making it feel cozy. Provided the rain doesn't turn to snow or ice during the night, the tent will do fine. I didn't wear my creepers at all today, as the trail was almost completely snowless. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-06
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter, VA

To: 3.2 miles north of Chestnut Knob Shelter, VA
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: clear sky

Last night's rain at 2700 feet was last night's snow starting at 3300 feet. But it was a spring-like snow in that I was in gaiters and creepers but it was warm enough that I was wearing just one layer. By the late afternoon most of the snow was gone. I am camped tonight at 4,000 feet without a stitch of wind or snow and blue skies. I am on a long, high ridge line above a broad valley. Rather than being linear like most valleys, this valley is circular, like a bowl or ancient crater. It's dotted with farms, but no other development. It's the most unusual piece of geography that would be difficult to appreciate on a summer hike because the foliage would screen much of the view. I passed Chestnut Knob Shelter this afternoon at 4410 feet. It's made of stone with windows and a door and cables to help hold the roof on. It's built for wind! Jaywalker and GBear, two young NOBOs that I met in Atkins, passed me today and it's unlikely I will see them again because of their faster pace. I think Bonnie and Clyde are just behind me at Chestnut Knob Shelter tonight, but I am not certain. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight,
Date: 2016-03-07
From: 3.2 miles north of Chestnut Knob Shelter, VA

To: 5.3 miles north of Jenkins Shelter, VA
Miles today: 12.7

Tonight I am placing my trust in NOAA and cowboy camping, which means sleeping under the stars, and just so you don't think I'm being a sissy about this, the nearest AT shelter is five miles away and my tent is stowed deep in my pack for the night. If I still think my cowboy mini-adventure was a good idea in the morning, I will deposit the experience in my memory bank to be withdrawn and spent during the freakishly big snow storm that may hit the Virginia mountains in late March. It was a warm and sunny spring-like day of hiking today and I had the trail all to myself, having not seen a single person all day. The pattern is that a group of much younger thru hikers will catch up to me and we'll share the trail for a day or spend a night in a shelter or in town and then they out pace me, especially now that we're not pulling up for winter weather. I need to resupply in Bland, VA tomorrow. I am safe and hopefully dry and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-08
From: 5.3 miles north of Jenkins Shelter, VA

To: Helveys Mill Shelter, VA
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

Last night's cowboy campout worked fine. There wasn't even dew in the morning. The stars were extra brilliant because the deep woods is so incredibly dark, and in the morning my bear-bagged food was still aloft, which made me feel smarter than Daniel Boone, almost. Today I hiked ten miles and also managed to get into Bland, VA to eat everything and resupply and then return to the AT by the late afternoon, so it was a productive day, although low mileage. I met four NOBO hikers today: Yoda, Indiana Jones, Lucky Dog, and John. Lucky Dog and John are section hikers. Yoda and Indiana Jones are thru hikers with a connection to my home state in that they are seniors at the University of Vermont, although they are out-of-state students. Speaking of home, the warm weather tonight is making me a little homesick because it reminds me of a mid summer's evening on the back porch. I am falling asleep tonight listening to Greg Laswell singing "Sweet Dream." I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-09
From: Helveys Mill Shelter, VA

To: 6.5 miles north of Jenny Knob Shelter, VA
Miles today: 16.2

Today was a summer-likeday of hiking, yet I had the trail all to myself. Worrisome was to see some of the intermittent water sources already dried up. A dry Spring season is actually worse than a wet Spring season for hiking because you need to carry more water during a dry Spring and water is heavy. I am tenting behind Trent's Grocery Store, which is a half mile off the AT. The hiker shower and laundry are not yet open for the season, but I don't care because I will be going into Pearisburg to shower, eat, and do laundry in two days. Trent's has some lunch-type hot food and a few tables but it's mostly a convenience store and gas station that sells lots of beer. Interestingly, today at Trent's is the first time the southern accent has been incomprehensible to me, most especially when listening to older customers speak. For whatever reason, I was expecting that in GA, TN, and NC, but not in Virginia. A customer carried on a conversation with me and I may as well have been deaf. But this is the fun of being on the AppaLACHian Trail, as it is pronounced in the South, as compared to the Northern pronunciation, AppaLAYchian Trail. In any case, we share these beautiful mountains and wonderful trail. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight,
Date: 2016-03-10
From: 6.5 miles north of Jenny Knob Shelter, VA

To: 2.3 miles south of Docs Knob Shelter, VA
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: clear sky

I didn't see anyone on the trail today, but when I arrived at the Wood's Hole Hostel this afternoon, Yoda, Indiana Jones and Lucky Dog were unexpectedly there, arriving a few hours before me. I met all of them for the first time two days ago just before I left the trail to go into Bland, VA for resupply, so we had a reunion of sorts tonight. We were all put to work in the kitchen to help prepare a family dinner meal for us and Neville and Michael, who own the hostel. The hostel is beautifully renovated in country charm. Tomorrow I am headed into Pearisburg, VA and I may take a zero there in order to eat and rest. The next section of trail looks to be a long stretch before resupply. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight
Date: 2016-03-11
From: 2.3 miles south of Docs Knob Shelter, VA

To: 8.8 miles north of Doc's Knob Shelter, VA
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning I was anticipating hiking with Yoda, Indiana Jones, and Lucky Dog, but they decided to do work-for-stay at Wood's Hole Hostel today in order to help our hosts Neville and Michael get ready for the coming hiker season. While at the hostel, I packed my snow and ice creepers for mailing home and left them with Neville who will take them to the post office for me. Today's forecast of rain was just a few light showers in the morning and by this afternoon it was another sunny, warm day on the trail in my jammer bathing suit and lightest top. I am comfortably tucked into the Plaza Motel in Pearisburg, VA now. The motel owner immediately recognized me as a thru hiker and generously, but quite unexpectedly, offered to do my laundry, which she did. So two of my tasks for tomorrow, the post office and laundromat, are completed already. It's warm enough now on the trail that I am using my hourly ten minute breaks to separate feet, socks, inserts, and shoes so that they cool off. Keeping them cool helps manage inevitable foot swelling, which is the devil to feet. I may have to increase my hourly breaks to fifteen minutes in order to still have time for trail yoga. It's like my body belongs to a union. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-12
From: 8.8 miles north of Doc's Knob Shelter, VA

To: 8.8 miles north of Doc's Knob Shelter, VA
Miles today: 0.0

There may be a news story about a sudden food shortage in Pearisburg, VA because it seems I've eaten everything here, but leaving just enough for the children, as is my usual practice. I tried to buy permethrin today to re-treat my gear and clothing for ticks, but I couldn't find it at the local hardware store, Walmart, or the Tractor Supply Co. store, nor did anyone at these stores ever hear of permethrin, so I am taking it that I'm not in a Lyme Disease region just yet, although as a preventive measure, I need to stop plopping myself and my pack willy-nilly into leaf litter during my hourly breaks. It will take extraordinary vigilance to complete a thru hike tick-free. A full day's rest today was wonderful and I can feel my body responding to it. I am back on the trail early tomorrow morning. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-13
From: 8.8 miles north of Doc's Knob Shelter, VA

To: 4.9 miles south of Pine Swamp Shelter, VA
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: moderate rain

Much of this afternoon's route was on a rain and wind swept ridge, which I am now camped on. While hiking, I was concerned with pitching a tent on the rocky, boney ridge in such a strong wind, but when I got to the campsite there were thankfully many big flat rocks to hold my tent pegs down. You just never know how the trail will provide for you. My little tent is being wind blasted with rain, but it's doing well otherwise and is very cozy. Because of the time change, it's dark in the mornings again, and we morning people aren't thrilled with that. Lately, I was moving with plenty of light at 6:30 a.m., but now I will need to wait until at least 7 a.m. before hiking, and even that is really too dark yet. I saw six weekend hikers today, which was nice. I am still too shy to yogi food from them, but eventually I will be shameless about it, just like Yogi himself. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-14
From: 4.9 miles south of Pine Swamp Shelter, VA

To: 4.9 miles south of War Spur Shelter, VA
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: few clouds

This morning's hike started off foggy and drizzly but within an hour it was bright and sunny and I was hiking in my bathing suit and my lightest top. This evening it clouded over and started to rain and rumblings of thunder are getting closer. Great, now the bears will wake up for sure. I am tenting at Wind Rock at 4,100 feet. Wind Rock doesn't sound like an ideal place to pitch a tent, so I doubled-up the big rocks on my tent pegs and checked for widow-makers again. The alternative to camping here was to make it a long day and hike another five miles to the next shelter, which I decided not to do. The next shelter will still be there tomorrow. I dilly-dallied way too much today. I went by two shelters and had to be a busy-body and read the shelter logbooks. My last water source before tenting was just a dribble coming out of some ledge and soil. I rammed a stick into the ledge and soil and the water followed the stick down and then dripped into my waiting bottle. I felt like an Eagle Scout. The storm is here!! We'll see what this tent can do.
Date: 2016-03-15
From: 4.9 miles south of War Spur Shelter, VA

To: Laurel Creek Shelter, VA
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

Today when stopping in for a snack along the way at War Spur Shelter, I found Bonnie&Clyde snuggled up taking a shelter-zero. Last time I saw them over a week ago they were behind me, but then a few days later I knew they passed me unseen by seeing them signed into shelter journals ahead of me. Today I arrived at Laurel Creek Shelter early enough to set up a line in the sunshine in order to dry things out from the last two nights of tenting in the rain. I am sleeping in my tent tonight behind the shelter so that the tent drys out thoroughly. This evening is such a perfectly pleasant warm evening, but I was hoping for some company. Since I had the place to myself, I swept off the shelter deck and turned it into an evening sun-drenched yoga studio, in which I was the instructor and student. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-16
From: Laurel Creek Shelter, VA

To: Niday Shelter, VA
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Late last night while sleeping safe, dry, and warm in my tent I was wakened by a scratching sound, but not the scratching sound of an animal grubbing for insects in the leaf litter, which I've heard many times before in the woods at night. This scratching sound was deliberately and frightfully slow and rhythmic and on the side of my tent, like someone wanted in! A chill went down the back of my neck in an instant. When I rolled over to face the source of the scratching, I could clearly see on the side of my tent the moon-shadow silhouette of a person standing over my tent with their arm and hand extended and scratching my tent's door in long, slow strokes! I lost it. After I displayed sufficient unmanly like behavior, Clyde laughed to let me in on his practical joke. When I saw Bonnie&Clyde earlier in the day, I mentioned where I would be tenting that night. At the time they didn't mention they were planning a night hike. During their night hike they found my tent around midnight and scared me almost dead. Clyde's prank was well played, and I can't think of a revenge plan that would have the same originality and cleverness as his, but maybe if I found a dead shelter mouse...
Date: 2016-03-17
From: Niday Shelter, VA

To: 3.3 miles north of Pickle Branch Shelter, VA
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: clear sky

I am tenting between shelters tonight; hopefully Clyde won't find me. I am on windy high ground and my tent pegs are being held down with rocks again. Today was a gorgeous hiking day. I met one very young SOBO section hiker and about twenty retired Virginia Tech faculty who were all women and hiking to Audie Murphy's memorial, which has a beautiful overlook of a peaceful looking valley. Audie was killed in a plane crash near the site of the memorial. There were many mementos left by visitors at the memorial such as dog tags, unit insignia, and memory bracelets, much of it from the heartache of lost soldiers from the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. The AT follows a well maintained and gently graded access path to the memorial, which allows old veterans to more easily make the hike to the memorial. I just love my journal photo for today! They are the very first thing I have seen in bloom and were only inches from trail side. Hopefully they don't get stepped on. After breakfast tomorrow, I will only have two little Snickers candies left in my food bag. I am so hungry I will fight a bear over them, if necessary. I need to detour off trail tomorrow to find some food. My planned trail-town stop is still a few days away. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-18
From: 3.3 miles north of Pickle Branch Shelter, VA

To: 1.0 mile south of Johns Springs Shelter, VA
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a busy day. I hiked off trail to a grocery to eat and pick up a two day supply of food so I can reach my next trail town, then I hiked to Four Pines Hostel, then the hostel took me six miles north on the AT so that I could SOBO slack pack back to the hostel, then I showered and was shuttled to the Homeplace Restaurant for dinner and then back to the hostel after dinner, and finally I went to an Elton John concert. Really I did. Sir Elton John. Donna and Joe own the Four Pines Hostel and Donna bought tickets to the concert for herself and her daughter's family, but at the last minute her daughter and family couldn't make it. Joe couldn't go either, so I had a night out with Donna and her girl friends, very cool Roanoke women. It was very generous and gracious of Donna to offer me a concert ticket and to hang out with her and her friends. Trail magic at its best. Oh, and today I hiked 9.3 miles too. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-19
From: 1.0 mile south of Johns Springs Shelter, VA

To: Lamberts Meadow Shelter, VA
Miles today: 10.4

There was no chance to tent between shelters tonight because I am hiking on National Park Service land, and they only allow camping at designated sites in their parks, unlike the U.S. Forest Service who allows camping anywhere in their forests, so I am a short ten miles from this morning's start point. Since yesterday I have been on a stretch of trail well used by section, weekend, and day hikers because of Dragons Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs, all popular destinations because of their geologic wonder and views. When I arrived at the shelter this afternoon it was packed with Boy Scouts, who didn't seem one bit subdued by today's rain and cold. I set my tent up in the rain within view of the Scouts, which made it a pressure situation for me. I crawled into my tent at 3:30 p.m. and took a nap, only to wake up at 10:30 p.m.! Watching Elton perform non-stop for 2.5 hours last night must have exhausted me. I am sleeping better in my tent now than a hotel bed. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-20
From: Lamberts Meadow Shelter, VA

To: 9.4 miles north of Lamberts Shelter, VA
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: clear sky

I am having a town day in Dalesville, VA. I arrived early enough to eat three times today at America's finest fast food restaurants and after breakfast tomorrow I will get back on the trail without zeroing. Dalesville is a convenient resupply stop because the trail passes through town, so no need to arrange a shuttle, which can be tricky. The usual tasks for resupply stops are to eat everything, shower, resupply with trail food, laundry, get stove fuel, find an ATM. I had hoped to get water treatment and tick treatment while here, but the outfitter in town is closed on Sunday's and doesn't open until 10 a.m. tomorrow, and I am too impatient to wait around until mid morning, so those tasks will have to wait. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-21
From: 9.4 miles north of Lamberts Shelter, VA

To: Wilson Creek Shelter, VA
Miles today: 11.2

After two previous days of soggy weather, today the air dried out and it was a cool, dry, cloudless blue sky, and beautiful early Spring day. I felt like I was being drenched in sunshine all day long. Astonishingly, I haven't seen a soul all day, which hasn't happened in a long time, and I began to doubt if I was still on the AT. Lately I would see a hiker of some kind everyday on the trail or at night in a shelter. Rather than sleeping in my tent tonight, I am sleeping on a shelter deck, which is something I haven't done in a long time too.I am falling asleep listening to Askil Holm's version of "How Long Will I Love You?" and wondering how my three little girls could have grown to be beautiful women so quickly, like a blink of the eye in my life. I will miss Easter at home. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-22
From: Wilson Creek Shelter, VA

To: 3.8 miles south of Bryant Ridge Shelter, VA
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: few clouds

Today was a gorgeous day of Spring hiking. By noon I was hiking in my lightest layer in warm sunshine on a windless day. I am tenting between shelters tonight. The shelter previous to tonight's tent site was without water. Until today, I have never seen a shelter sited with the closest water source two and a half miles away. The trail today crisscrossed and ran parallel to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is a scenic road if ever there was one. There were very few cars on the Parkway, but I imagine the scenic overlook parking lots are busy in the summertime. I received a text from Bonnie and Clyde this morning telling me that Clyde was hurt from a fall, but I am unable to tell from the text if they are back on the trail now or not. The thing about cell service is that while hiking you are constantly in and out of service, and right now I am out, so I am unable to reach them tonight for details. Today a snake and I surprised one another, but thankfully he decided on flight rather than fight. He must have been sunning himself right on the trail because he was directly underfoot for a moment. He was about three or four feet long and black without markings. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-23
From: 3.8 miles south of Bryant Ridge Shelter, VA

To: Thunder Hill Shelter, VA
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night was the strangest full moon night in that I hadn't seen anyone in two days, my little radio strangely couldn't receive a single FM station, and for the first time ever, I couldn't receive a NOAA weather band station, as if I was starring in my own episode of the Twilight Zone where, in the course of two days, humans abandoned earth but left me behind like ET. But then I flipped the radio's switch to AM and was tuned right in to a preseason baseball game. Today I met trail maintainers from Virginia's Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club, who treated me to chocolate chip cookies (no, I didn't yogi the cookies.). It was nice to chat with them and they were interested in my through hike. Today was another perfect day of hiking weather, but it was a climbing day starting at my lowest elevation yet on the AT, 951 feet, and eventually climbing to 4225 feet. It was s reminder that you don't need to be hiking at six thousand feet to have long climbs. I am at Thunder Hill Shelter tonight hoping for the best. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-24
From: Thunder Hill Shelter, VA

To: Matts Creek Shelter, VA
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: few clouds

It's official, Bonnie and Clyde are engaged! Clyde proposed on McAfee Knob, Bonnie said yes, and the engagement ring is beautiful. Clyde has a little bit of the devil in him but Bonnie is an angel inside and out. I met more Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club maintainers today and tonight I am sharing a shelter with section hikers John and Ben from Richmond, VA. I am feeling very much at home here at Matts Creek Shelter. Tomorrow I am going into Big Island, VA to pickup my lighter weight sleeping bag, mail my zero degree sleeping bag home, eat, resupply, and get back on the trail. I am only two miles from the trail intersecting the highway leading to Big Island, which is another five miles down the highway. I am intrigued by the name Big Island, since the town is one hundred and fifty miles from the Atlantic Ocean. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-25
From: Matts Creek Shelter, VA

To: Johns Hollow Shelter, VA
Miles today: 3.9
Weather: moderate rain

Today wasn't my smoothest transition from the trail to town and back to the trail again, but I got it done. I few days ago I called two shuttle services to help me get in and out of Big Island, VA but they weren't yet operating for the season, so I hiked 5.6 bonus miles into Big Island this morning to pick up my lighter weight sleeping bag and mail my winter sleeping bag home. While at the Big Island post office I asked a retired looking gentlemen if he would shuttle me for a fee to a place where I could buy food and then back to the AT and he said he would, thank goodness. I didn't have time in Big Island to recharge my auxiliary battery for my cell phone, so my phone will be used sparingly until I get to my next trail town in six days. I am tenting behind the shelter in case weekend hikers fill the shelter tonight. Having a short day today in this eleven day section I am doing isn't a bad thing. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-03-26
From: Johns Hollow Shelter, VA

To: 4.5 miles north of Punchbowl Shelter, VA
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: broken clouds

After I sent my journal last night, two section hikers arrived at the shelter, one of which coincidently lives just forty minutes from my home. We all left the shelter at different times this morning, and I don't know where they are now, although I left a note on a sign post with my tenting location (hope Clyde doesn't see it.) This morning I stopped on the trail to briefly chat with the SOBO Hiking Viking, who has gained some notoriety in the hiking community because he may be the first to complete a winter SOBO hike, having started at Baxter State Park in Maine in December. I am in for some rain the next two days, which I haven't hiked in since McAfee Knob. Tomorrow is Easter and I am missing home. I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.