morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-04-18
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today is a zero day in Damascus, VA. Like Hot Springs, NC, Damascus is also a trail town in ever sense. The AT goes right down the main drag and every business is tuned into the hiking culture. There are at least a half a dozen hostels and several B&B¢s for hikers to stay and relax.Damascus is host to the annual Trail Days extravaganza. This huge hiker gathering is usually the third weekend in May. It draws several thousand current, past and future AT through hikers. They host a parade of former and current through hikers who march down the middle of town. Along with all the hikers, many equipment manufacturers and retailers are here to display their goods. I hear it¢s one big safety meeting...Damascus is also know for the bicycle Creeper Trail. This is a twenty plus mile ride down from the mountains on an old railroad (known back in the day as a Creeper) bed made into a bike trail. Because of the constant downhill grade, they say you do not need to pedal for any of the twenty miles. Over three hundred thousand people ride the Creeper Trail each year. There are many bicycle rental and transportation companies in the town to support this huge industry.Damascus¢ hay day was from the late 1890¢s through the mid nineteen twenties. The lumber industry was king in this part of Virginia and specifically Washington county where Damascus is home. During that twenty five year period, over three and a half billion, yes I said billion, board feet of lumber (oak, chestnut, pine and popular) were cut. Because they did not use sustainable logging methods, the lumber industry died out.Other than gathering up my resupply for the next week, getting my laundry done, having three squares of real food and general relaxing, this zero day is exactly what I needed.
Date: 2019-04-19
From: Damascus, VA

To: Luther Hassinger Memorial Bridge 
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Manhattan and I decided to stay one more night in Damascus and do a slack pack today. I arranged transportation and we were dropped off fourteen miles north where the Creeper Trail and the AT cross for less than half a mile.  Manhattan decided to walk back to Damascus on the Creeper Trail and I headed back via AT. We knew it would be raining most of the hike, but we didn¢t know it would come down in buckets. My hike took me over several peaks before heading down to town. All in all the hike was quite relaxing without a pack except for the constant downpour.
Date: 2019-04-20
From: Damascus, VA

To: VA 600 - Elk Garden 
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: light rain

Today I have reached my seventh week on the trail.Kerry Chapman, Manhattan¢s better half, drove over from Charlotte to pick up Manhattan today. She met us at the Dancing Bear Hostel around 10:00 am. Being the nice folks that they are, they drove me up to where I started my slack pack yesterday. After we exchanged goodbyes, I was on my way again.I want to thank Manhattan for joining me this past week. It was good to have someone to hang with and hopefully he enjoyed the experience.The hike today was relatively easy because I had several good nights rest at the hostel. I was making great time with a good pace until out of nowhere it started snowing. I¢m not talking about a nice snow globe type of snow, but a full white out - wind and all. It started as I crested Buzzard Rock - elev 5080, near Whitetop Mountain. The picture above was taken just past the summit of Whitetop Mountain.As I write this journal entire from the warmth of my hammock, the snow showers continue to come and go. The forecast is calling for them to continue through the night with a low of 31 degrees. As you can imagine, I¢m looking forward to putting on frozen boots tomorrow morning...
Date: 2019-04-21
From: VA 600 - Elk Garden 

To: Stealth Camp Past GHSP
Miles today: 9.8

I reached the 500 mile mark today.This morning started off just as last night ended - cold, snow flurries and damp. Because it was Easter, I decided to sleep in a bit until 9:00 am. I had to summons every ounce of courage to get out of my warm hammock and break camp.Once I started hiking, I began to warm up a bit. The first three miles were mostly uphill and in a dense cloud. The trail was still very sloppy from the last two days of rain and snow. The only thing standing between me and my lunch stop at Thomas Knob Shelter, was Mt. Rogers, Virginia¢s highest peak - elev 5729. Because of the low cloud cover, I did not see anything once I reached the top of Mt. Rogers. I pushed on to the shelter and stopped for a needed break. The weather cleared up in the early afternoon and the sun broke through the cloud cover. The rest of the afternoon was beautiful.As part of today¢s hike I passed through Grayson Highlands State Park. This park has many grassy balds which support a herd of wild ponies. The ponies were put here back in the mid seventies to keep the balds clear of overgrowth. There are roughly one hundred ponies on the surrounding mountain tops. The pic above shows one of the ponies. I¢m the one on the left...
Date: 2019-04-22
From: Stealth Camp Past GHSP

To: Dickey Gap
Miles today: 15.5

To my dearest Lisa,Happy 30th Wedding Anniversary!!!I am the luckiest man in the world to be married to you for the last 30 years. You look as beautiful today as you did the day we were married. As for me, I think I have gotten a little shorter...It is every man¢s dream to be able to be married to their best friend and to have the deep love for each other as we do.  I knew after our first date at Skip¢s Restaurant in St. Joe, MI, on December 3rd 1987, we were meant to be together.Every day I still cherish the vows I made to you on our wedding day: to love and honor you, to be true to you in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, all the days of my life.Even though we are many miles apart today, I miss you deeply and very much look forward to seeing you again in May.You have always been and will continue to be the rock of our family and the love of my life.Happy anniversary and thank you for putting up with me all these years.With all my love.PS - Happy Earth Day too...
Date: 2019-04-23
From: Dickey Gap

To: Partnership Shelter 
Miles today: 13.9

Spring is in the air...Just two days after the snow storm that visited the Virginia mountains, today was a complete about face. It reach the high sixties and very sunny. A real joy to be outside and in the high woods.  My hike today was fairly easy with only a few changes in elevation. I was treated to two different forms of trail magic today. The first was a cooler full of cold sodas left on the side of the trail right before it crossed VA 672. This was left by a day hiker whose car was just a few feet away from the cooler. A few of us sat around and had a cold beverage in the mid morning. Thank you to the trail angel who left the beverages - it was a real treat.The second magic occurred at the junction of VA 670, the south fork of the Holston River and the AT. A very nice past through hiker by the name of Willie, was passing out cans of PBR. Imagine our surprise to see this on a warm day. Thanks Willie for the ice cold beer - it hit the spot.The picture above shows how the spring green is creeping into the mountains. Hopefully the cold weather and snow is all behind us.
Date: 2019-04-24
From: Partnership Shelter 

To: Davis Hollow Campsite 
Miles today: 13.7

Today was another beautiful day. Bright sun and temps in the low 70¢s. My hike took me from the Partnership Shelter and past the outskirts of Atkins, VA. I made camp just two miles beyond where the AT intersects with I-81.The Partnership Shelter is an interesting place to stay for the evening. It is the only shelter on the AT with a shower built into the shelter. Unfortunately the shower was not turned on yet for the season. It is also right next to the Pat Jennings Visitor Center which is owned by the US Forest Service. The visitor center has a small museum and a unique feature you will only find next to the AT - a free outside telephone you can use to order pizza from the near by town of Marion. I took full advantage of the opportunity to eat a pizza and ordered a supreme for dinner.I also saw my first bear of the trip in this area. It looked mean and hungry. Fortunately for me, it lived in the Visitor Center and I found out it wasn¢t so hungry because it was ¢stuffed¢ - get it, stuffed. A pic of the bear and me is above, I¢m the one on the left.Also today I was treated to trail magic in a very unique setting - inside the old Lindamood one room school house, built back in 1894. The schoolhouse is part of the Settlers Museum, which is right next to the AT on the north side of Glade Mountain. The local Methodist Church placed a cooler full of drinks, a box of fruit, chips and cookies just inside the old school house. Thank you Methodist Church for the drinks and snacks - they hit the spot. A pic of the schoolhouse is in the photo gallery.After a quick resupply at the Exxon station which was right next to I-81 and an excellent late lunch at the Barn Restaurant I finished my hike where I made camp for the night.
Date: 2019-04-25
From: Davis Hollow Campsite 

To: Lynn Camp Creek 
Miles today: 14.0

I am a quarter of the way finished...Today was a very soft day with the sun hiding behind the clouds most of the day. It was warm but not hot. I endured many ups and downs throughout the day. The three highest climbs were Gullion Mountain - elev 3300, Walker Mountain - elev 3432 and at the very end of the day, Brushy Mountain - elev 3200.The overall terrain has changed from the NC and GA legs of the trip. They were exclusively high mountains and saddles. Since I have been in VA, I have experienced less high mountains and many more open pasture crossings as part of the landscape. I enjoy walking in the open fields with the grand views of the farms and mountains around me. The pic above highlights the open fields and the views.
Date: 2019-04-26
From: Lynn Camp Creek 

To: VA 623 - Garden Mountain Hostel 
Miles today: 14.2

There is only one way to describe today¢s hike - miserable.  I can¢t candy coat it, it was just plain brutal.Let me start from the time I was woken up by rain showers around four o¢clock in the morning.  They were not intense at first but they turned mean for roughly thirty minutes.  By the time I was ready to get up for the day, the rain had all but stopped.  I thought to myself - the rain we were expecting for the morning was over.  Little did I know, the worst was yet to happen.I quickly packed up my gear and got on the trail.  I had 14+ miles to go today so I had to fall forward.  All was good for the next hour or so until about 9:45 am when the skies opened up again and it poured.  I put my rain coat/pants on and keep on trucking.  The heavier rains stopped after an hour but a lighter rain keep up until I reached the south end of Chestnut Ridge - elev 3780.  Like magic, I saw patches of blue skies.  I thought for sure all the storms had passed.  I came across a spring, so I stopped and replenished my water.  This took all of 15 minutes.  By the time I got back on the trail, it began to drizzle again and this time it was accompanied by a stiff breeze.  I didn¢t think anything about it until the rain picked up and the breeze turned into a strong wind.  I stopped and put on my rain gear again and keep going.  Chestnut Ridge is two miles long and cleared of trees.  It goes from elev 3780 up to 4393.  At the top is Chestnut Knob Shelter.  I guess the views from this long clearing at this elevation are spectacular - but not today.As I proceeded higher on Chestnut Ridge, the rain came down in buckets and the winds gusts were between 25 and 35 mph.  Needless to say I was soaked.  At times the wind was so strong, I was almost blown over.  The temperatures were also dropping from the upper forties to the high thirties. For the better part of an hour I fought onward.  I thought for sure, Jesus himself was going to call me home.  The picture above shows the ridge in all of it¢s cold and rainy glory.By the time I reached the shelter at the top of the mountain, I was drenched.  I opened the door of the shelter and inside was packed with wet, cold hikers who like me, just made the same journey.  A picture of the shelter is in the photo gallery.I stayed in the shelter and had something to eat to warm up a bit.  After forty minutes, the rain and wind slowed, so I ventured out again.  I still had six miles to go.  Wouldn¢t you know it, an hour after I left the shelter, the rain was back.  I finally reach my destination, VA 623, where I had made arrangements to be picked up and taken to the Garden Mountain Hostel.  After a hot shower and a change of clothes, I was able to relax for the evening.  What a day...
Date: 2019-04-27
From: VA 623 - Garden Mountain Hostel 

To: US 52 At NOBO Mile Marker 591.7
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

As bad as the day was yesterday, today was absolutely beautiful.  The rain had moved on, the sun was bright and not a cloud in the sky.My hike today was relatively easy with a minimum of elevation changes.  For the most part, the trail fallowed old logging roads.  Because it¢s the weekend and close to both Bland, VA and Bastian, VA there were more than the usual number of day hikers out enjoying the nice weather.  The picture above was taken from a spot (elev 3000) overlooking the mountains to the right where I started my hike today.  I crossed the valley and back up the ridge on the left.  It was great to be out and enjoying the great outdoors.As a side note - I will be leaving the trail after today, for all of May.  Besides getting some much needed rest, I will be participating in several joyous family celebrations during the upcoming month.  I plan on returning the first week of June to continue my journey.  Thank you to all who sent me inspirational emails, text messages and notes in the guest book.  I appreciate each of them and will continue to draw inspiration from them.  As of this morning, there have been 37,000 views of this journal.  I hope it gives you as much pleasure reading the daily entries and looking at the photos as it gives me writing them and taking the pictures.  Stay tuned - more to come over the summer and into the fall...
Date: 2019-06-04
From: NOBO Mile Marker 1453.4 Near Wingdale NY

To: Schaghticoke Campsite 
Miles today: 13.3

I¢m Back!!!After a busy May with many family activities ( youngest daughter¢s college graduation, son¢s and new daughter-in-law¢s wedding and over the last four days, helping my youngest daughter move to Manhattan ) it¢s nice to be back in the woods.As I return to the trail -  I will be doing a flip flop with a twist - in hiker terms.  Because I am in NYC with my daughter¢s move and NYC is fairly close to the AT, I decided to start near Wingdale, NY and head north.  This will allow me to summit Katahdin in early August.  Then I will come back to NYC, travel out to Wingdale again and head south to finish my hike in Bland, VA where I stopped in late April.My day started today at the corner of 85th and York on the upper east side of Manhattan, near my daughter¢s new apartment.  I started walking south (full pack and all) toward Grand Central Terminal.  You can imagine the looks I got by the New Yorkers walking down Park Avenue at 6:00 in the morning.  The pic above was take on Park Avenue.  After 43 blocks or 2.5 miles, I reached GCT where I took the Harlem Line of the Metro-North  Railroad northwest to the Wingdale, NY station.  From there I made my way through the grounds of the now closed Harlem Valley State Hospital which was a New York State psychiatric hospital in operation from 1924 to 1994.  This led me to within 500 feet of the AT at which time I had to bushwhack the remaining way.  Once I found the AT, all was good.  The AT actually crosses the train tracks between Pawling NY and Wingdale and the train will stop at the makeshift AT station for hikers - but only on the weekends.Once on the trail, the New York - Connecticut boarder was just over four miles away.  Connecticut will make my fourth state which I will complete.  See the Connecticut welcome sign in the photo gallery.  The trail Is only fifty mile long in Connecticut so I will be through it in a few days.On my fairly short hike today I did see several interesting items which I have pics in the photo gallery - the convergence of the Ten Mile River and the Housatonic River, Bulls Covered Bridge - circa 1842, and a beautiful view from Indian Rocks - elev 1249.All in all a great first day back...
Date: 2019-06-05
From: Schaghticoke Campsite 

To: Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter 
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Day two back on the trail was not as productive as yesterday. I found out very quickly that the AT in Connecticut has a lot of steep inclines and declines.  The trail is beautiful and very well maintained but there are not many switchbacks due to the narrow trail corridor.  The total elevation of the mountains are not extreme but there are many 500 to 1000 foot elevation changes within a half a mile or so.  Also, not having my trail legs in full strength doesn¢t help.  I did just over ten miles today but it felt like many more.  One section of the trail called St. John¢s Ledges (elev 883) was very technical and challenging.  The pic above shows the view from the top of the ledges overlooking the Housatonic River.  The trail follows the ledge for a few hundred yards and then descends 500 feet to the lower trail.  This doesn¢t sound so tough but it all happens quickly and very steeply.  You have scramble down a boulder field while you have a thirty plus pound pack trying to push you over.  One misstep and its off to the hospital.I also met several other through hikers (Billy Goat, Gandalf, No Plans) today who started the trail in Georgia around the same time I did - some in late February and one a week after I did on March 10th.  All of these hikers have been averaging around twenty miles a day for the last two months to get this far.  In addition, there are also several flip floppers (Stitcher, Shade Chaser) who started at Harper¢s Ferry, the half way point, and are making their way to Maine.
Date: 2019-06-06
From: Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter 

To: Sharon Mountain Campsite 
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: overcast clouds

The hike today was a mixed bag.  It started out along the Housatonic River for two plus miles. The stroll was very peaceful at 8:30 in the morning with the morning birds out and the fish jumping.For the next eight miles there were five elevation changes of over five hundred feet.  Each of these small summits presented their own challenges of boulders to climb over, squeezes to fit through (see pic above of the tight fit of one of the assents).  And of course, every time there was a steep up hill climb, a corresponding steep downhill decent followed.  As tough as I make it sound, once I have my trail legs back, I¢ll be doing cartwheels up and down these mountains.I ended the day at the Sharon Mountain Campsite - elev 1134.  I was the only one at the campsite for the night.  Once I set up my hammock ( see pic in the photo gallery) made my dinner of freezed dried three cheese mac and cheese, turned on some Reggie music courtesy of Pandora and finish the last of my Woodford whiskey I packed, all was right with the world...
Date: 2019-06-07
From: Sharon Mountain Campsite 

To: Salisbury, CT - NOBO Mile Marker 1501.4
Miles today: 12.9

A fairly uneventful hike today.  The terrain was not too tough with only Mt Prospect - elev 1475, as the highest elevation gain.  The pic above shows the great view and beautiful weather from near the summit of Mt. Prospect.The trail passed through Falls Village, CT.  This is the second smallest town in Connecticut with a population of 490 souls.  Falls Village got its name from the large water fall at the north end of the village on the Housatonic River.  The village dates back to the early 1700¢s and was a hotbed of steel manufacturing during the late 1700¢s through the 1800¢s.  The high quality steel was used mostly for gun barrels and train wheels.  I stopped at the Toymakers restaurant in town for a quick sandwich and drink instead of my usual three Clif bars.  My day ended at Salisbury, CT.  I decided to take a bunk at Ms. Vanessa Breton¢s hostel in the middle of town.  Her house is one of the original houses built in Salisbury and is almost three hundred years old.  She has been providing a hiker hostel for nineteen years.  For $45.00 you get a shower, a comfortable bunk, and Ms. Vanessa will do your laundry.  A deal I couldn¢t pass up.  I¢ll be back on the trail again early tomorrow morning.
Date: 2019-06-08
From: Salisbury, CT - NOBO Mile Marker 1501.4

To: Glen Brook Shelter 
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: clear sky

Good bye Connecticut - hello Massachusetts!!!My hike today from Salisbury to the Glen Brook Shelter was one of the most beautiful hikes I have experienced on this trip so far.  It was also one of the most grueling because of the severe elevation changes and ruggedness of the trail.The trail out of Salisbury is fairly easy for the first two miles but then it very quickly ascends six hundred feet in the next seven tenth of a mile, summiting at Lions Head peak - elevation 1729.  The view from Lions Head was simply outstanding.  The weather was very clear and you could see for miles.  I made a video of the view which you can watch in the new video section of the journal.From Lions Head, the trail descends for a half of a mile and then starts back uphill towards the peak of Bear Mountain - elevation 2316.  The last one half mile to the peak of Bear Mountain, the trail is almost a vertical climb of five hundred feet, mostly over sharp boulders with very few switchbacks.  Like the views from Lions Head, the views from Bear Mountain were awesome.  Bear Mountain is the highest peak in Connecticut.The one half mile descent from the peak of Bear Mountain was as difficult as the descent from St. John¢s Ledges. Almost straight down over slabs of rock and sharp boulders with no switchbacks.The trail continues to descend for the next half mile at an easier pace to the Connecticut - Massachusetts border.  Leaving Connecticut makes the fourth state (GA, NC, TN, CT) that I¢ve hiked through.  Massachusetts is just over 90 miles long.Just past the CT-MA border, the trail enters the Sages Ravine.  This deep ravine was created by the Sawmill Brook and is surrounded by old growth hemlock trees.  There are many water falls and deep holes which are great for swimming.  The trail follows the ravine for three tenths of a mile before it starts to ascends to Mt. Race - elevation 2365.On the way up to the Mt. Race summit, the trail follows a ridge which provides excellent views of the low country below.  Upon reaching the top of Mt. Race, the view to the north was wonderful.  It was so clear out, I could see Mt. Greylock (the highest peak in MA) which is seventy miles away.  I will be hiking over Mt. Greylock just before I enter New Hampshire.Past Mt. Race is Mt. Everett - elevation 2602.  The decent from Mt. Race wasn¢t too tough but the ascent up to the top of Mt. Everett was brutal.  It took every ounce of my last energy to get to the summit.  The trail again was almost straight up with sharp boulders, slabs of slippery rocks and no switchbacks.  The view from the top of Mt. Everett was mostly obscured by trees.  The descent from the top was not too tough and the remaining hike to the shelter was fairly easy.  Needless to say, by the end of the day I was beat.  With the great weather and magnificent views all the pain and exhaustion was definitely worth it.In the photo section I have several pictures of the various views from the hike.