morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-10-13
From: Campsite @ 1683.6

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Rain again for much of the night so I'm packing a wet tent again. I changed up my morning routine and retrieved my food bag then prepared my breakfast and coffee just outside my tent, enjoying it from the comfort of my sleeping bag. I soon found the cows I had heard mooing last night. They were the longhorn type of cattle and I must say those horns make me a little nervous. There was a mama nursing her calf and I was glad she was otherwise preoccupied. I was excited to be entering Grayson Highlands State Park with its herd of wild ponies that help maintain the balds. I soon entered the Scales which is a fenced in area used for rounding up the cattle and ponies. The area was socked in with fog and there was light drizzle. Even though, it was very beautiful, but the expansive views were not to be seen today. I was beginning to wonder if all I was going to see was pony poop today but eventually I did see some ponies. Years ago when I was here, there were large herds of ponies that would run up to you and I wondered if the herd was now smaller or the weather was a factor. Passing out of the State Park, I entered the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. After squeezing through a narrow rock passage called Fat Man Squeeze the sun finally started to shine. There were lots of Fraser firs growing in this alpine like environment and it smelled like Christmas. There were also lots of great campsites in this section but it was still a little too early to stop. I did find two sweet little ponies and made a video to send to my grandson for his birthday. I stopped for the night at Deep Gap at a sunny campsite and managed to dry everything out before the fog rolled in along with some light rain.
Date: 2017-10-14
From: Deep Gap

To: Campsite @ 1707.4 
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: clear sky

Condensation again! I have one of those washcloth size absorbent towels that you can buy in the automotive section of Walmart. It is the best thing ever! I use it as a towel to dry myself off and it works great for wiping down a wet tent. I prepared breakfast in bed again and sipped my coffee as I packed up in the tent. It was a quick 2 mile hike down to Elk Garden which I recognized from vacationing in this area years ago. I had a quick video chat with my grandson to wish him happy birthday! He said he would like me to bring him both ponies that I had videoed for him yesterday. Next was the relatively easy hike to Whitetop Mountain which was appropriately covered with clouds. On the way to Buzzards Rock I passed an obviously recently vacated campsite with a campfire still smoldering. The area was surrounded by dry grass and forbes, and of course loads of leaves plus there was a steady breeze blowing. There is no excuse for this kind of lack of common sense in the back country. Incredibly there was a strong spring flowing right next to the site and this made my job of extinguishing the fire pretty easy. My anger was soon dissipated by the beauty of Buzzards Rock. The 360 view was incredible and it was so neat to see the fog rolling in and the valleys below bathed in sunshine. I decided to eat lunch and was soon joined by a Geology class from University of Florida on a field trip to study of all things, the local rocks. They were a great group of kids and I enjoyed chatting with them about their studies and many were interested in my hike. Today's hiking was either nice and level or downhill so it wasn¢t long before the AT intersected with the Virginia Creeper Trail, an old railroad bed now converted to a biking/hiking trail. You can rent a bike and be shuttled to the top of Whitetop Mountain then pedal down the trail back to town. My son and I did this when we visited years ago and it was great fun! Being a beautiful fall Saturday, there were tons of bicyclists out enjoying the weekend. I found a nice campsite next to Laurel Creek at the fork where the AT heads back into the woods and have set myself up for a hopefully easy 12 mile walk into the town of Damascus tomorrow.
Date: 2017-10-15
From: Campsite @ 1707.4 

To: Woodchuck Hostel
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: clear sky

As to be expected when camped near a creek, condensation in my tent yet again. The creek did provide great white noise for a good nights sleep though. It was a little chilly this morning and I had to pull myself out of my sleeping bag. Cooler weather will soon be on its way so I'm going to have to get used to this. There was very little uphill walking today and I was glad to be hiking downhill in the southbound direction. The trail paralleled the Virginia Creeper Trail for some of the day and again there were lots of cyclists enjoying their Sunday. When I stopped for lunch, a guy who was trail running stopped to chat. I asked him for a recommendation on where to stay in town and he told me most hikers stay at Woodchuck Hostel. It wasn¢t long before I heard the road ahead and before I descended the steps down to it found a styrofoam cooler full of trail magic. Most of it was dry goods but there was a bag of tangerines. I helped myself to one and silently sent my thanks to the kind trail angel that provided the goodies. The trail walks right through Damascus and Woodchucks is on the far side. It is a great old Victorian home and my bunk is on the landing that I¢m sharing with 2 ladies who are section hiking. After a shower and laundry I took the recommendation of my bunk mates and had a great meal at the Old Mill Inn.
Date: 2017-10-16
From: Woodchuck Hostel

To: Woodchuck Hostel 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Woodchucks was great! The memory foam mattresses with real sheets and the endless waffle breakfast made for a memorable stay. Mr Woodchuck hiked the trail in 2012 and knows how to treat hikers right. When he shuttled us all to the grocery store he even passed out those frequent shopper cards that all grocery stores now seem to have, so we could take advantage of any sales. I washed my pack in the bathtub to try to get rid of the nasty funk it has taken on. I was a little worried it wouldn't dry since it was cool and cloudy, but it did and smells so much better. I was able to find a shirt on sale to replace the one with holes at one of the local outfitters and I also ordered new shoes to be delivered to my next stop since my current ones have over 600 miles on them and are starting to deteriorate. Mudsmeller and Cutie Handful arrived today and we had a good time talking over all we had seen over the last couple of sections. There is a chance of frost tonight and I¢m hoping it won't be too cold when I return to the trail tomorrow.
Date: 2017-10-17
From: Woodchuck Hostel 

To: campsite @ mile 1736
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: clear sky

Brrr, it was cold when I left Woodchucks! I had been looking at gloves in the outfitters yesterday and had said to myself, absolutely not to the $40 price tag. Walking out of Damascus this morning, I would gladly have paid that to warm up my icicle like fingers. It was a little climb out of town and within 30 minutes I was feeling pretty toasty. I must remember this because I'm sure more cold weather is ahead and I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to being cold. Before long I was ecstatic to see the Virginia/Tennessee state line. Virginia is the state with the most trail miles and many hikers get the Virginia blues because the state seems to go on forever and actually 1/4 of the trail passes through it. I didn¢t get the blues but was glad to check off another state completed. The trail seemed to get really easy and I was surprised that by 5pm I had walked a little over 15 miles. My campsite is 1/4 mile beyond a busy road but not visible so it will have to do. It is going to be cold again though I don't think as cold as last night.
Date: 2017-10-18
From: campsite @ mile 1736

To: campsite @ 1749.9
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: clear sky

It was nippy this morning but nothing like yesterday. I changed up my routine again because I wanted to get walking to warm up. I packed everything up and just had my second breakfast first. That currently is a fruit breakfast bar. I had a little over 3 miles to walk to get to Double Spring Shelter and this is where I stopped to make coffee and oatmeal. The walk today was again for the most part pretty easy. This section includes lots of just tramping through the woods without any big scenery. Being a Nemophilist, I¢m quite happy with this and loved the crunching sound of the leaves as I stepped on them and the crisp fall air. The trail did go through some cow pastures and the cows were docile and not frightening at all. I was glad to see lots of Monarch Butterflies feasting on the last clover and Queen Anne Lace flowers in the pastures and I encouraged them to hurry and fly on to Mexico. This section also included about 1/2 mile of wheelchair accessible trail which was great to see. One of the interesting sights on the trail today was the grave of Nick Grindstaff, a hermit who lived here in the mid 1800¢s to early 1900¢s. The epitaph on his grave said ¢He lived alone, he suffered alone, and he died alone¢. I hope he found some joy in living in this beautiful forest. Before long I was at my intended Campsite for the evening but the spring I was counting on is dry. I have about a 1/3 liter of water left so it's another tuna wrap for dinner and I¢ll have to do a repeat of this morning tomorrow with about a 4 mile hike to the next shelter and water source. Fortunately it's cool and I did drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Date: 2017-10-19
From: campsite @ 1749.9

To: Boots Off Hostel
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

I ate 2 cereal bars and drank the last few swallows of water and was soon off on my mission to get to Vandeventer Shelter. I actually made the 4 mile walk in 2 hours which is pretty fast for me. Unfortunately the spring was 3/10 mile down a very steep blue blazed trail and it took me another 1/2 hour to get down and back to the shelter with a full bladder of water. I have to admit to feeling quite thirsty and quickly downed a liter of water. I also prepared and ate the dinner I had intended to eat last night. Feeling much better I continued on my way down the trail that followed a ridge line high above Lake Watauga and then went steeply down to Wilbur Dam Rd. The trail then went back in the woods and eventually to and across the Watauga Dam that formed the huge lake. It was quite impressive and scenic. The trail followed the shoreline for sometime before heading up toward the Watauga Shelter, closed because of a nuisance bear. I obeyed the instructions nailed to a post and didn't linger. Before long I arrived at the Shook Branch Recreation Area which looked like it would be a great place to swim in the summer. I crossed the busy Hwy 321 and arrived at my destination, the Boots Off Hostel. The bunk house was really cute and each bunk space was like a personal sleeping pod with privacy curtains with your own light and electrical outlet for charging your phone. The outdoor shower was pretty unique too. The shower head was as metal washtub with holes punched in it that as it filled with water rained down on you. My bunk mates were a Dutch couple that had been touring the eastern US for the last month. They offered me a red solo cup of Walmart wine and we each told of our adventures. At 6:30 I was offered a shuttle ride into town to buy dinner with a driver called Grumpy though he didn¢t seem that way at all to me. The choices were Subway or McDonalds so I chose Subway. Returning to the Hostel there was a big bonfire going and a party underway with some of the Hostel workers and owners friends. I was invited to partake but after finishing my sub was just ready to call it a night. As I headed back to my bunk I noticed Grumpy reaching into a cupboard for a jug of clear liquid and thought to myself uh oh! There was a lot of whooping and hollering going on outside but either the jug ran dry or everyone had had enough by 9:30 and I enjoyed a good nights sleep.
Date: 2017-10-20
From: Boots Off Hostel

To: Black Bear Hostel
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: clear sky

Everyone had been teasing Jim, the Hostel owner about his coffee. The usual jokes about it growing hair on your chest and that it was rocket fuel were tossed around. Personally I found his strong coffee delicious and it sure helped rocket me up my first mountain of the day. Grumpy had told me on the way to Subway last night that the trail had been rerouted to go over said mountain to create what hikers affectionately call a pointless up and down(PUD). I didn't mind and enjoyed the warm up that a climb first thing provides. The highlight of today's hike was the stop at Laurel Falls, a spectacular double waterfall. While stopped at the waterfall and studying my trail guide, I saw that there was another opportunity to stay at a Hostel so I decided to seize it and took the 1/2 mile road walk to Black Bear Hostel. It made for a short day hiking but I just felt like that is what I wanted to do. What a treat, 2 consecutive days with showers! I ate a microwave sandwich from the little store and enjoyed a couple of beers while watching a movie in the hiker lounge. It looked like I was going to be the only one in the bunk room until the owner let me know a woman called Jill was going to be coming in late since she was stuck in traffic on her way to start her section hike. After learning to sleep in numerous bunk rooms with all kinds of strangers it's really no problem!
Date: 2017-10-21
From: Black Bear Hostel

To: Campsite @ 1783.3
Miles today: 12.0

It turned out that Jill whose trail name I later learned is Jillygoat, had grown up in the South Myrtle Beach area where Mr N and I lived until we moved to our current home 4 years ago. We had fun talking about that and the trail before we both hiked off in opposite directions. It was beautiful fall day and a little warmer than it has been the last couple of days. The trail kept providing nice glimpses of the changing fall foliage. I was surprised that I didn't see too many hikers today being that it was a weekend, though I could hear motorcycles down in the valley. I really wanted to get to the palatial Mountaineer Shelter today but knew a 16 mile day was out of my range. I made it 4 miles shy and am camped next to a pretty creek called Laurel Fork. I think I'll have 2nd breakfast at the Shelter tomorrow then head to Mountain Harbour Hostel for my resupply and new hiking shoes. Rain is forecast for Monday so I may take a day off to wait it out
Date: 2017-10-22
From: Campsite @ 1783.3

To: Mountain Harbour Hostel 
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: broken clouds

Seemed a little warmer this morning but I still packed up and hiked to the Mountaineer Shelter for breakfast. I enjoyed sitting at the counter space sipping coffee and enjoying my grits and sausage to which I added some extra vegetables and cheese. It felt like I was going out for Sunday breakfast. I came to a sign for the side trail to Jones Falls and someone had defaced it by writing ¢you are a fool if you pass by this one¢. Not wanting to appear foolish I took the trail and was not disappointed. It was just lovely and I spent some time sitting there and taking it in. The trail was pleasant for the rest of the day, passing a cemetery at one point and through some fields. I had read that at one time the locals here were not friendly to hikers, but those days are long past and I didn't come across any tripwire or shots fired. Before long I approached Hwy 19 and walked the 3/10 mile to Mountain Harbour Hostel. Frolicking Dinosaur and I had stayed here and when we section hiked here several years ago. I was a little disappointed that I had to eat out of my food bag since the owners said they couldn't offer me a ride to town but that is ok because I know they serve the best breakfast on the trail in the morning. The Trail Dawgz, a father, son and labradoodle called Wallace are staying here in the bunkhouse too.
Date: 2017-10-23
From: Mountain Harbour Hostel 

To: Mountain Harbour Hostel 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

One to two inches of rain was forecast for today but it seemed like much more than that came down. Needless to say I decided to stay put and stay dry. I was worried about Mudsmeller and Cutie since they were a day behind me. Mudsmeller had texted me last night that they had made a big push to get to Mountaineer Shelter so their gear would remain dry and would hike in to the Hostel today. When they eventually arrived they were drenched and told frightening stories of limbs falling off trees and bad trail conditions. The small stream that runs through the Hostel property became a raging river. The owners worked to control the flooding by making a swale to divert the water from the driveway. We heard that houses were flooded in town and that the road to Carvers Gap was closed. Eventually the rain did stop and the sun began to shine. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice but much cooler.
Date: 2017-10-24
From: Carvers Gap

To: Mountain Harbour Hostel 
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: moderate rain

Another fantastic breakfast compliments of my hiking friends, Cutie Handful and Mudsmeller. Thank you so much guys!!! After breakfast we loaded up in the bus for Carvers Gap to slackpack back to the Hostel. We passed some of the flooding that had happened during yesterday's downpour. The floodwaters had receded but you could see the leftover debris. It was quite brisk and windy at the Gap so we didn't linger and set upon climbing up the first bald, Round Bald. The trail had certainly suffered some erosion during yesterday's rainstorm too. Next was Jane Bald and the panoramic views were just breathtaking. With no trees to break the brisk wind it was soon time to keep moving. I have actually hiked this section before in 2015 with Frolicking Dinosaur but it was during the summer and it was interesting to see it in a different season. We passed  through some coniferous forest and it was a nice break from the wind. At Stan Murray Shelter we stopped for a snack. We didn't stop at the Overmountain Shelter since it is 1/4 mile off the trail, but had some great views of it later on. It is a huge red barn converted to a shelter. Heading up Little Bald we stopped for lunch in a small grove of trees that was somewhat protected from the wind by some huge rocks. It would have made a great campsite during milder weather. We could see our big climb of the day, Hump Mountain as we summited Little Hump. The climb up Hump Mountain looked worse than it really was. At the top we were treated to fantastic views in all directions and in fact could see Lake Watauga that we had walked around several days ago. The walk back down to the Hwy was rocky and rooty for several miles but did get a little better after the Doll Flats Campsite. Back at the Hostel I was the only one in the bunkhouse and made one of my dinners. I found a tube of crescent rolls in the fridge and baked them up. I can¢t believe this but I ended up eating every single one of them. Hiker hunger is real! A young woman called Witters arrived at about 9. She is a thru hiker who is filling in a few miles that she missed during her NOBO journey. We chatted briefly before calling it a night
Date: 2017-10-25
From: Carvers Gap 

To: Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel 
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Yet another fantastic breakfast before heading back to Carvers Gap and resuming the southbound journey. It was really cold at the Gap and I quickly got going in the hopes of warming up. The trail was headed up Roan Mountain with an elevation of over 6000¢. The trail traveled through some pretty coniferous forest but it kept getting colder and colder. I decided to stop and put on my rain jacket to serve as a windbreaker and pulled my buff over my face to keep warm. I can¢t say I was toasty but I was warm enough except for my hands. My garden gloves I had brought along were not doing the job and my fingers felt like icicles. The only thing to do was keep moving forward. The trees were covered in ice near the summit and there were icicles hanging from the rocks. At least when I was walking up hill it generated more heat but during the descent I felt cold. After about 7 miles of this I eventually reached Hughes Gap and the temperature finally warmed up a bit. At some point this morning I passed the 1000 mile mark for my hike this year but it was too cold to stop and figure out exactly where that was. I made a little marker to commemorate the occasion and toasted myself with a celebratory swallow of water at the Gap. I then called Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel to see about getting inside tonight since it is supposed to drop down to 27 degrees. The proprietor, CiCi said sure come on. It was about another 5 miles before I reached Greasy Gap and had to take the 1/2 mile trail down to the Hostel. The Trail Dawgz came up behind me just as I got there and said Mudsmeller and Cutie were on there way too about an hour behind. CiCi was very particular about cleanliness and the use of her Kosher kitchen. She was a sweetheart and it wasn't that difficult to follow her detailed instructions on how to be a good guest in her home. She ordered food for us all and I and Trail Dawgz son went with her to pick it up. The home was really cosy with its wood burning stove and we listened to stories about CiCi¢s crazy neighbor and his attempts to sabotage her Hostel. She eventually was able to stop his harrassment through legal means. Mudsmeller, Cutie and I were lucky enough to share the indoor bedroom with its 3 single beds. I'm thankful to be out of the cold tonight.
Date: 2017-10-26
From: Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel 

To: Campsite @ 1834.1
Miles today: 11.2

It was cold this morning but CiCi sent us back to the trail with full bellies of grits and coffee. It was the first time the New England Trail Dawgz had eaten grits but they seemed to enjoy them. I also ate some granola out of my food bag. The day soon warmed up and it was a perfect fall day of clear skies and several views showcasing the beautiful fall color. There were several climbs today but they didn¢t seem that bad. The last climb of the day was up Unaka Mountain with its beautiful fir and spruce forest at the top. It was just magical with all the mosses and ferns carpeting the forest floor and the sun shining through the trees. I met Witters going north back towards Mountain Harbour Hostel and she told me she was having some issues with her shoes and might end her hike early. I found my campsite about a mile later at the edge of the forest. Someone decorated one of the firs with Christmas ornaments in memory of a young man who died last year and there were solar lights stuck in the ground around it. My weather app says a low of 34 tonight and I can hear the wind blowing but so far I¢m warm and snug in my tent.