morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-05-18
From: Campsite near Buzzard Rock

To: Campsite in Grayson Highlands State Park
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: broken clouds

It would've been a grave mistake to miss Grayson Highlands. People talk about the so-called "Virginia Blues," in reference to the huge amount of miles, and relative boredom in VA. There might be something to that in the upcoming sections of VA, but Grayson was nothing short of spectacular. In addition to great views, there really are wild horses scattered all over Grayson Highlands. I'm not really a "horse person," though I have to admit, seeing them in the wild was pretty cool. And they have no issue with licking your arms and legs. Or eating your backpack, or biting you, or giving you a swift kick. Any park ranger in the country would advise you to stay clear of them. That said, they'll walk right up to backpackers looking for any handout they can get. I think I remember hearing that something like 20 different herds roam around Grayson. We did see a female horse kick a male horse who was apparently getting a little too frisky. It didn't seem to bother him much, but I'm pretty sure that kick would've sent any human to the hospital. Or the morgue. Me, Red, and Kelsey ended up camping in Grayson in sweet clearing just north of the shelter. Along with 20 other hikers scattered around. The actual shelter was packed full of 7th graders on some sort of school sponsored hike. Their teacher (thru-hiker in 2010) suggested our camping spot--not just to avoid 30 seventh graders, but because the site was nice.Around midnight, a military jet flew over, flying very fast and what seemed like very low. The ground vibrated when it flew over, and 30+ hikers (mostly all sleeping) yelled out a collective "holy shit!" after it passed over. Cool experience. Pleasant hike today, with a lot of rewards. Definitely one I won't forget.
Date: 2014-05-19
From: Campsite in Grayson Highlands State Park

To: Hurricane Creek Campground
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: scattered clouds

There were plans for big miles today, at Kelsey's request. Kelsey's been hiking for about 3 days, and felt ready to pull a 17 mile day, which featured a couple of difficult climbs around the middle of the day. Let the hike begin!Virginia has been scenic so far, though the trail has crossed many, many miles of rock fields. Hiking across rock fields can make for some difficult footing, which in my experience, is complicated when wearing trail runners. In boots, it's possible to plow across hazards on the trail (like loose rocks) with little concern for sore feet or twisted ankles. Trail runners require a bit more precision in foot placement. Additionally, they don't have as much traction as my boots did, so I have about 1 second to make a decision about my next step, or risk an increased chance of slipping and falling. I haven't fallen yet, and I'm still keeping a respectable pace. I think once I'm more accustomed to wearing trail runners, hiking in them could be better than boots. I'm not sold just yet though.After leaving Grayson, the number of views decreases dramatically. For my efforts today, I was rewarded with a single view! Mostly, hiking post-Grayson involves hiking "The Green Tunnel," where I'm persistently covered and surrounded by trees and foliage. One useful benefit to the green tunnel is the protection from the heat, which is becoming an issue during the middle of the day. At the 14 mile mark today, both Kelsey and I decided we'd had enough. We were presented with the option of hiking a half mile to a pay-for-stay campsite, and after some deliberation, we decided to check it out. Red, Kelsey, and I stayed at the Hurricane Creek Campground, and while they didn't have any vending machines, we did meet a guy named Matt, who offered to go to a grocery store for us. So, we made a list--beer and hot dogs topped the list--and Matt was kind enough to deliver. Thanks for taking care of us, Matt!Hurricane conveniently had showers and a place to charge my phone. Hurricane was a nice place to stay, and yes, I did leave the camping fee in the drop box!
Date: 2014-05-20
From: Hurricane Creek Campground

To: Campsite several miles north of Trimpi
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I left Kelsey and Red this morning at Hurricane. For whatever reason, they weren't ready to roll by noon, so I took off back to the trail. It took roughly one half hour to make the climb back UP to the AT, and when I got there, I was honored with a wicked 1500 foot climb. Let me just say this: the combination of my age, beer, hot dogs,chips AND the late night before, AND a late start to the day, were not useful in my hike today. But, somehow I made the climb and SOME miles were done today. Even though I caused this hardship to myself, these miles I did earn.Ah yeah. I fell today. During a moderately complicated creek crossing. The stones crossing the creek where loose, and the risk of a misstep was getting my feet wet. Get it right, and you get some bragging rights, a little street cred, and dry feet. I figure I either tripped over my own feet, or I slipped on a slick rock, but I went down backpack first, straight into the creek. It wasn't a hard fall, because my trekking poles helped slow the fall. Great. But, I'm also laying completely supine in a creek, with 38 pounds on my back. Hm. Like a cockroach, I'm kicking my feet and thrashing my arms trying to get into a position to get up from the ground. Nevermind the fall. Nobody saw it happen. I earned a few impressive bruises though. I mean...to top off this whole day...why not throw in a fall? But. The trail taketh, and the trail giveth. Tonight I was given a sweet campsite not far off the trail. Almost perfectly level, on hard packed dirt. And someone built a stone chair there. Win. I ate a Mountain House dinner that a section hiker gave me as I was leaving Hurricane. I'd also been thoughtful enough to pack out a beer, which was (mercifully) still cold. Probably from chilling in that creek water I fell in.
Date: 2014-05-21
From: Campsite several miles north of Trimpi

To: Marion, VA.
Miles today: 6.3

Despite a wretched day of hiking the day before, I was well rested, and well-fed. I burned out the 6.3 miles to Partnership shelter in a little under 2 hours. I also ate the entire content of my food bag for breakfast. You know how your mom says breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Believe it. Anyway, I knew I needed off in Marion for a full resupply, and I could catch a $0.50 bus ride into town. On the way into Marion, it started to rain; it was noon and I knew I wasn't leaving to do 4 more miles. I ran into Kelsey and Red while looking for a hotel room. Red and I ended up KILLING a Kentucky Fried Chicken buffet. We also split a dozen tacos. I did manage to get my errands done in a timely fashion, and had the rest of the night to watch TV in a motel bed. I did run into SuperFeet and Barnacles at Partnership. It took me a week to catch them, and I was happy to see them. They were pushing on to Atkins VA., though I wasn't interested in that many miles today. I knew I'd catch them in a few days, so we talked for a bit, threw the Nerf Football around for a bit, and then they left.Lots of calorie loading in town today / tonight. Back to pushing miles tomorrow morning.
Date: 2014-05-22
From: Marion, VA.

To: Atkins, VA.
Miles today: 11.6

Today was a flat, featureless run into Atkins that went fairly painlessly. I think the biggest reason it went so easily, was the promise of town food (at "The Barn") at the end of the day. Obviously, I've gone calorie crazy because Atkins is only 11 miles from the last time I ate in town. Food. Still a powerful behavior motivator. The highlight of the day was a visit to an 1800s era elementary school, which was also hosting trail magic, in the form of Cokes and Mountain Dews. Very nice. The school (Lindamood School) also seems to serve as a museum of sorts, and included a list of rules and punishments for breaking said rules. Boys and girls playing together? Five lashes. Playing cards? Ten lashes. Jeez.The following run to Atkins was easy, and the three of us (Red, Kelsey, and myself) shredded the miles in short order. There were no real views to speak of, and so not many pictures today. Red and I split the cost of a cheap motel room, and watched the Chicago Blackhawks get shelled in game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The hike tomorrow looks challenging (to put it nicely), including a 900 foot climb in the middle of the day. I didn't manage to make it to bed until late, which I'm sure will haunt me in the morning.
Date: 2014-05-23
From: Atkins, VA.

To: Near O'Lystery Pavillion
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

I didn't start hiking until after noon today, because "The Barn" restaurant had a Sunday buffet going from 11am to 2pm. I had no plans on skipping out of town without destroying an AYCE buffet.Red and Kelsey had to stay behind in Atkins while they waited on a mail drop from home. Kelsey started in Damascus wearing boots, which were causing some nasty blisters. I'm pretty sure she was suffering during the last 3 miles of yesterday's hike, and hopefully switching to trail runners will help with her blister issues.We discussed my plans for the day over lunch, and the consensus was that I was in for a tough day. The elevation profile for today indicated a number of climbs, though nothing involving a sustained climb (over several miles). The climb up Little Brushy Mtn was a little painful, though the real challenge of the day was the water situation, particularly at the end of the day. Basically, I was going to have to shoulder water to camp tonight--enough for tonight and tomorrow morning. The math works out to an additional 6 pounds of carry weight in a little over half a mile. It could've been a lot worse. In Virginia, the trail crosses a lot of pasture land, complete with grazing cattle. To keep the cattle in the pasture, AND get the heard of hikers across the trail, there are fence stiles to negotiate. A fence stile is essentially a triangle shaped ladder built over a fence. Some stiles are easy to climb over, and some are steeper and taller than others. I had a few of these to deal with today. My late departure this morning put me in camp around 630pm. I didn't take too many breaks, but I did stop and talk to a local farmer for about an hour towards the end of the day. It seems he also contracts with the Forest Service to maintain a small section of trail--mostly mowing and clearing brush. Interesting guy.I ate two Ramen noodles and some snacks for dinner, and was in my tent reading by 8. On a side note, I forgot to buy new reading material when I left Damascus. I picked up a zombie story from a hiker box in Damascus, and finished it my first night on Iron Mountain. Conveniently, there was a book wrapped in a Zip-Lock bag inside a shelter on Iron Mountain: It was a well-used paperback of Narcissus and Goldmund (Hermann Hesse). Granted, this probably wouldn't have been the first book I would've picked up in a bookstore, but I have to confess, I sort of like it. I didn't fancy carrying 2 books, so the zombie book (Patient Zero) was deposited in the recently vacated Zip-Lock bag. I actually liked the zombie story too!
Date: 2014-05-24
From: Near O'Lystery Pavillion

To: Walker Gap
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: broken clouds

Today was the second consecutive day of difficult terrain, with lots of climbs and descents on the docket. The most difficult climb was up to Chestnut Knob, which was "only" a 4 mile climb to the knob. To complicate the day, it was hot, and water sources where (again) a little scarce towards the end of the day. There was however, a nice pond fed by a spring towards the top of the knob, and I'm a little ashamed to admit I drank my fill of that water without purifying or filtering it ("raw-dogging"in hiker lingo). The shelter on Chestnut Knob is a fully enclosed stone hut, complete with doors and built-in bunk beds. Nice place, but no water. The no water part necessitated another 1.5 miles before I could call it a day.In other news, Tuna caught up to me today after taking two extra days in Damascus for "Hard Core" trail maintenance with Bob Peoples. Around 85 volunteers helped reroute the trail around a "dangerous" rock crossing in Tennessee. Class of 2015, the trail will be a half mile longer (for now). Tuna said they moved 600 pound rocks for two days, and that everyone worked hard to get it done. Strong work, Tuna. Tuna and I stopped at Walker Gap, where there was a good water source. Tuna however, did tell two hikers the water source was bad, and they'd have to filter water out of a mud hole...but getting water was easier if they kicked the hole out a little bit. These two almost had a complete meltdown, especially after fighting with sketchy water sources all day. Eh, we got a good laugh out of it after he let them off the hook.I plan on a big day tomorrow, so off to bed at 9pm.
Date: 2014-05-25
From: Walker Gap

To: Bland, VA.
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I set a new best record for pack on and leaving this morning: 745am. The not-so-good news was I only ate about 300 calories for breakfast, which would absolutely haunt me later in the day. But let's skip ahead to the good part--the bear pictured to left. So, I'm climbing up a ridge line that's surrounded by huge rocks on my right, and trees and brush to my left. Just as I was about to top the ridge, I heard "OOF OOF OOF!" somewhere (close!) to my right. I also distinctly heard the sound of duff being pawed, and I knew there was a bear in my immediate vicinity. Sure enough, when I topped the ridge, there she was. I'm not sure if what happened next could be classified as a bluff charge, but the bear took 4 bounding leaps in a diagonal direction towards me, but not directly at me. Like it meant to push me up the trail. At first, I did nothing. I wasn't about to run, and I wouldn't have gone far with my pack on anyway. We just stood there, staring at each other. I clacked my trekking poles together, waved my arms, and yelled at it...nothing. She didn't budge. I got a picture (heh), and eventually crabbed walked up the trail without turning my back to her. I talked to a few other hikers who also saw her, and the consensus was there were probably cubs close by, which is why she didn't shove off. We're taking a guess on the gender, and since it wasn't a HUGE bear, we guessed female.Otherwise, today was just mindlessly putting one foot in front of the other. Without falling down. And don't let anyone tell you that Virginia is flat. There are usually a few decent climbs to a ridge line, and THEN things are more flat. There are still rolling hills along the way, but you're up 'em fast, and they aren't really an issue. I camped at a cool place outside Bland, VA. "Fort Bastion," owned by Nigel "TruBrit" who will pick you up, give you a supply run, let you tent, and cook a decent breakfast in the morning...for $7. Not bad. And give you a ride back to the trailhead. A place called Pizza Plus (mediocre) will deliver out to TruBrit's place, and I crushed a large pizza and two sodas in under 10 minutes. Then went to my tent and cried myself to sleep. Not really, but when the thunderstorms started, it was lights out for me.
Date: 2014-05-26
From: Bland, VA.

To: Campsite north of Jenny Knob 
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: scattered clouds

I talked to SuperFeet last night, and it turns out he was staying at a hotel in Bland. I'd considered staying there, but TruBrit came along before I had to hitch to the hotel. This was well before I knew where Super and Barnacles were. SuperFeet was looking at doing a 13 tomorrow, primarily to break the 600 mile mark, and then call it a day at a nearby campsite. I also talked to Red, who was still a day behind me, but was pushing miles, so I'd probably see him and Kelsey soon too. TruBrit served coffee, scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes at 8am. Around 9, hikers started to load up for rides to various points on the trail. Unfortunately, my trailhead was the last stop on the way. Not that it was a bi deal, it gave me time to drink a few Cokes and get a few snacks before getting on the trail. Water was a definite issue today, with only 1 reliable source for about a 10 mile stretch. AWOL lists a water source where the AT enters the woods near I-77, though some locals told me not to drink out of that creek. It was also hot out, and though I'd carried 2 liters I water out, it was long gone by the time I reached the next reliable source. Naturally, when I got to THAT source, it was dicey too! Luckily for me Red and Kelsey were there, and Red spotted me a liter of water. Which I crushed right on the spot. I owe you one, Red. The campsite just beyond the 600 mile mark was okay, but I think we found the rockiest place on the trail, and I'm guessing this sight may have been a creek bed at some point. Tenting required using rocks to hammer stakes into the ground. Tomorrow the plan is for a short day, so we can hang out at Dismal Falls. Close to the falls is Trent's Grocery, which offers a compete resupply option, as well as burgers and other tasty food. Again, I ate everything in my food bag...less to carry tomorrow!
Date: 2014-05-27
From: Campsite north of Jenny Knob 

To: Dismal Falls
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: broken clouds

I'd like to tell you that today was a short day because of the heat. Or because we've had a long stretch of good hiking lately. But that's not the case. We--myself included--wanted to spend the day at Dismal Falls and not worry about the miles. For those who don't know, northbound hikers are under time pressure to complete a thru-hike by or before October 15th. Baxter State Park closes in mid-October, or sooner depending on the weather. At this point, those of us in southern Virginia are feeling pressure to hike bigger miles, or risk losing out on a thru-hike. I'm aware of the time situation, and mildly concerned about it. There are options, though it's something that'll be discussed later down (or up) the trail.Otherwise, today was a quick and easy hike to Dismal Falls, where we were rained out during the second part of the day. We did stop at Trent's Grocery where I took on a light resupply for the short hike into Pearisburg, VA., and consumed some cheeseburgers and other bar-type food. Incredibly, I saw Tuna packing out a 6 pack of tall-boy beers the 1.8 miles up to the falls from Trent's. I packed three beers up, and that was heavy enough!There is a small water fall at Dismal, though I didn't get pictures of it, because we hung out around the top of the falls. Nothing to impressive to see, but a good place to stop and smell the flowers for the day.
Date: 2014-05-28
From: Dismal Falls

To: Wapiti shelter
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: broken clouds

The weather cleared off today, and the plan was to spend some more time at Dismal, then night hike out to the next shelter--something like 6 miles away. I was fine with the miles, but not with night hiking. I'd do it if I REALLY needed to, but in my view, too many things can go wrong with night hiking...like not spotting those shifting rocks and rolling an ankle. Me, Red, and Kelsey took off around 5pm for the next shelter, and while I felt (physically) terrible, it only took about 2 hours to make the hike. The terrain actually wasn't too bad, and if one was going to night hike, this little stretch was a good opportunity. So far, Virginia has been fairly rocky, though certainly easier than Georgia or North Carolina. Water was plentiful through this stretch, as the trail ran parallel to a large creek for most of this section. Wapiti shelter was the end destination, and it proved to be a relaxin place to call home for the next 12 hours.No picturesque views today.
Date: 2014-05-29
From: Wapiti shelter

To: Pearisburg, VA.
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I heard some discussion yesterday that the group was planning on hiking from Wapiti to a hostel about 7 miles away. The plan then, was to skip the zero in Pearisburg, VA. When I got up this morning, SuperFeet asked what my plans were. I shrugged and said I was pushing into Pearisburg and taking a zero. It meant doing some miles today, but the map didn't look bad, and I was confident I could make it in at a reasonable time.In fact, the miles went by fast, except the last 3 miles coming off the mountain. For whatever reason, it took me forever to make the hike down. The good news is, we caught a ride into town from some day hikers, which saved another 1.5 miles of road walking into town. Thank you Bob and Sara! We were dropped off in front of a Chinese buffet, and Red and I did some more buffet crushing before calling it a night. Every motel room in Pearisburg is booked until 2015, but we did manage to snag the last three beds in a bunk-room next to the hotel. We did have a few good views today, which have been notably absent from the trail lately. The rhododendrons are nearly in full bloom, and the "green tunnel" is now tinted with purple flowers. They don't have any smell, but the bees love them. And the bees like harassing hikers all day too! Zeroing tomorrow. Mostly to watch the Hawks / Kings in game 7 of the western conference finals.
Date: 2014-05-30
From: Pearisburg, VA.

To: Pearisburg, VA.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Zero day in Pearisburg. It looks like my next resupply stop will be in Catawba, VA., about 67 miles away. I could probably make the trip in 4-5 days, though there are some tough climbs, so we'll see how it goes. Theres a decent Mexican restaurant in town, and they'll put the Blackhawks game on. I know Red and Kelsey are going to cheer them on with me, though the Red Wings fan I met last night told me he'd die before he ever rooted for the Hawks. He's clearly delusional, but I understand his loyalty. Off to do a complete resupply for the upcoming 5 day stretch.