morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-21
From: War Spur Shelter

To: NIday Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: few clouds

TOday was tough. Lots of climbing and we were excite to get to the ridge. Unfrotunately the ridge ended up being a bunch of knife-sharp rocks surrounded by poison ivy. Remeber that Atari game called Pitfall? Yeah, I felt like I was that little guy trying to get across the aligator pit... but it was just poison ivy and broken ankles I was trying to void instead of bone crunching teeth. Also, BS was sick today and Feverish, I think. 18 miles was more than an accomplishment. Stayed with Morning Sun again. What a delight!
Date: 2008-05-22
From: NIday Shelter

To: Barnabus's House
Miles today: 22.7

Today was amazing for several reasons. IT was hot and I didn't refill my water when I had the chance, so I stupidly hiked 6 miles dry. I also felt slow, and we went over this thing called Dragon's Tooth, which apparently is this gigantic rock outcropping that is fun to climb. But I couldn't find the side to climb up and I was already exhausted and dehydrated, so I just gave up on it. Then something amazing happened. We ran into a couple of section hikers who told us we had to eat at this place called The Homeplace that is only open 4 nights a week. Sometimes BS is extremely extrinsically motivated by food... today just happened to be one of those day. At 4:00 we were still 7 trail miles and 1 road mile away and it closed at 8:00. We usually hike about 2-2/5 miles an hour. But then BS took off. The prospect of missing out on one of the most ledgendary restaurants on the trail kindled speed I have never seen in her... and she still had a fever! I couldn't keep up. At one point we went through a cow pasture and she caused a stampede... literally. It was one of the funnies things I've seen on the trail. I think they saw the look of hunder in her eyes and ran thinking that she was about to sink her teeth into their still mooing flesh. Anyway, we made it to the road by6:00, a record breaking 3.5 mile an hour pace! The food proved to be worth it. All you can eat family style... i really almost injured myself by eating too much.Stayed at one of the most odd hostels run by a very young fellow named Barnabus. The location was in the basement of his parents large and gorgeous suburban home. It didn't make much sense, but I was grateful for a shower, even though I had to stay on the floor covered with dog hair.
Date: 2008-05-23
From: Barnabus's House

To: Daleville
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: broken clouds

Today was one of the most spectacular days on the trail. We hiked through MsAffee's Know, which arguably has some of the best views on the whole trail. I was sore and tired by the end of the day and we still did some intense road walking. I somehow lost my knife while I was home so I had to go to the outfitter, then ended up buying nothing becuase the knives were so ridiculously expensive. It worked out though because one of the fellows working gave us a ride to a hotel. That bought on a whole bunch of excitement of it's own. IT was his 3rd day with the truck and it was stick shift. I was in the back and at a light he couldn't get it into gear fast enough and hit the guy behind him. Oh yeah... i had front row seat to all the action and ridiculous expressions. No damage done though.Calouses on my feet are getting thicker and yellower by the second. I must do something before they start cracking... but what??
Date: 2008-05-24
From: Daleville

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was just one of those days that called for slowness and stillness. Good thing we had only planned to do 11 or so miles. I saw my first mountain laurel flowers and the rhododendrons are also in bloom. Finally all the leaves are in bloom at all elevations, and I now understand why the AT is also known as "the long green tunnel." TOday is also the day that all of the toes on my right foot officially went numb. The big toe was holding out for a while, but finally succumbed today. Hope it's not permanent.
Date: 2008-05-25
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: clear sky

It's finally getting warmer and starting to feel like sping and summer instead of fall. IT was a super fun night at the shelter with Pacer and section hiker Alex the Overtaker. The shelter was huge and had 3 levels, but there were onlyt 4 of us staying there. There was a funny little exchange, and somewhat of a philosophical conversation about the abilities and intelligence of bears.Pacer: Do you really think a bear can climb that ladder? I don't think so.ATO: If a bear can ride a bicycle, a bear can climb that ladder. And I will poke the S*&% out of that bear if he comes up there.I don't know why people think they can kill bears with trekking poles, but at least the imagery is humorous.
Date: 2008-05-26
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Buena Vista
Miles today: 24.9

Oh my, what a day. BS has been on and off sick for a week and still putting in crazy miles. The hike was tougher than I thought it would be... it started with a 2000 foot climb, but then i thought it would be gentle ups and downs after that. Heh.... this, my friends, is what we call "bending the map." This phenomenon is known to thru hikers who basicially tell their eyes they are seeing something different than what is actually on the map. They do this for a varietyof reasons. Perhaps they just want to have a more positive outlook on the day. Or maybe it's just that they're trying to talk themselves into more miles than they should actually be attempting. Whatever the case, it can cause quite a bit of pain by the end of the day.Today's highlight was Ken Wallace, Trail Angel extrodinaire who picked us up from the trailhead, held our packages for us, then drove us 20 miles to an open hotel (hard to find late on Memorial Day) and took us to the grocery store for no charge at all. Bless his precious heart, he's even picking us up tomorrow and taking us back to the trail head. We wanted to take him out to dinner at the very least for his troubles... the only thing open was Burger King. Sorry that's the best we could do, Ken.
Date: 2008-05-27
From: Buena Vista

To: Punch Bowl Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Another light mileage day, but it was worth it to stay at such a great place. This shelter was located right next to a pond and the frogs were singing like crazy all night. We stayed with 3 section hikers, Orange Dust Greenwood and their dog Bea. There's a lot of history here too and people think it's haunted. Not far from here a little boy named Ottie wandered away from school about 100 years ago while the school children were supposed to be out collecting wood. His body was found the following spring 7 miles away. And someone committed suicide here 6 months ago. Creepy.
Date: 2008-05-28
From: Punch Bowl Shelter

To: Salt Log Gap
Miles today: 19.8

Today started out with rain, but it was a pleasant rain. AND we saw a barred owl awake and flying and doing owly things in the broad day light. We passed through Brown Mountain Creek area which was formerly owned by freed slaves before they sold the land to the forest service. There was a 3,000 foot climb after a 1,000 foot descent, but the climb wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was. And it was awesome. We climbed above the cloud line... I love days like that. Just as I arrived at the summit, the sun came out. I loved the Cold Mountain Bald. It was gorgeous. On the west side of the mountain, there were views of mountains and towns mixed with sunlight and dramatic storm clouds, and on the East, clouds still clung stubbornly to the valleys. Great day. Stayed at the Dutch Haus B&B, where we heard lots of trail stories, and one of a man who committed suicide in the Punch Bowl Shelter 6 months ago. Glad I didn't know that till after I stayed there.
Date: 2008-05-29
From: Salt Log Gap

To: Harpers Creek Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: few clouds

Today was a tough day becuase, once again, of a ridiculously heavy pack. Earl and Lois at the Dutch Haus treated us well and are really great people. I hiked through the Priest Wilderness which was funny--don't know the history on that one, but the entries/confessions at the Priest Shelter were hysterical. Mine are between myself and the Priest. Met up with Jackaroo too.I'm really enjoying myself out here.
Date: 2008-05-30
From: Harpers Creek Shelter

To: Paul Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: few clouds

I've never been so exhausted at the end of a day as I was today. And the little beasties have had a day of glory. I was attacked by a heard of chiggers, pulled off deer tick #2 and ran across a rattle snake (which didn't even coil up). Once we got to the shelter it seemed that everyone had a tough go of it today. Crossing Three Ridges was tough on everyone. Funny story: when I got to camp I realized I had lost a croc...the biner they were attached to was broken. Anyway, around 10:30 at night, someone rolled into the shelter asking if anyone had lost a croc... and of all people it was Bones. Oh the irony. He'd been ahead of me for months.
Date: 2008-05-31
From: Paul Wolfe Shelter

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Ah... a short day what a relief. Until it turned into a long day because I did a ridiculous amount of road miles running errands around town. The cool thing about Waynesboro is that they have a Trail ANgel network and when you get to Rockfish Gap there is a list of phone numbers you can cal to get a ride into town. A woman named Feather ended up picking up Jackaroo, BS and I. Ultimately she offered us a place to stay. Her place was amazing in its simplicity. Everything she owns can literally fit into her car... including 3 cats and a dog. She had positive messages written on paper and taped them all over her house. That was quite an inspiration. I'm not exactly the most positive thinker, but just by reading all of her little notes around the house reminded me to be that i have a choice to be more positive. In the end it was a stressful day because of all running around town. I ended up not being able to stay with Feather because I was allergic to her 3 cats. The Hostel as great though. Free and run by a church. Ran into Freebird there, and sadly, he might have to get off the trail due to some serious shin splints. Weird to think we started the same day and he made it all this way and might have to get off the trail. Had some brews with Jackaroo and Freebird and met Jackaroo's friend Tambourine.
Date: 2008-06-01
From: Waynesboro

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

Much happened today, though it really felt like a grind. It was the first day in the Shenandoahs, and they were a bit underwhelming. The terrain is supposed to be much easiesr in the Shennies. It turns out that 20 miles is still 20 miles. THink I'm just tired. We saw 3 bear cubs, which was pretty cool/ I knew mama was around somewhere, but I've definitely gotten over my terror of bears. The cubs all darted in different directions when they saw us coming, so we really didn't know where mama was. We never saw her. It was hot today and ended with a thunderstorm to bring us into camp. Heh, it was getting scary so we just stayed on the road (the AT crosses skyline drive about 6-10 times a day) and hitched about a tenth of a mile to the trail head. IT was funny. I flagged down a pickup in a bit of a panic because of the lightening and he did drive me and BS to the next trail crossing, but it was a lot closer than we thought. The truck bed was covered in empty beer bottles. Ahhhh the south. Love that everyone has a pickup.
Date: 2008-06-02
From: Blackrock Hut

To: HIghrock Hut
Miles today: 21.4

Today was more of the grind. Just hiked and hiked and hiked. Got to the shelter and met Grin and Crcumstance and Bones was there too. Grin is awesome. He's a 70 year old and just grins alllllll the time. Also one of the trail maintainers was there too. His name is Hiker Cooker and he gave us brownies... they were sooooo goooood. Also met troutbum, a 50 something massage therapist from Ohio. Had fun in camp, which was good since it just felt like another day of the grind. This, my friends, is what you should remember when you enviously read this journal from your offices. Sometimes it's as boring as working in an office.Did Ijust say that? Heh heh. No it's not. Sorry. Y'all can get out here if you really want to at some point or another. I watched the sunset from my tent. It was a great way to end the day.
Date: 2008-06-03
From: HIghrock Hut

To: Big Meadows/Lurray
Miles today: 20.4

What a day. A bit more of the grind, but I was looking forward to sitting at the bar at Big Meadows. The one saving grace of the Shennies is that there are waysides and bars pretty much on the trail. The unfortunate part of this is running into tourists who sit and ask you endless questions about the trail. "how do you eat?" and I suck down a milkshake. "well, usually I just live off the land. You know, roots, berries and stuff." Slurp Slurp. "Really?! My gosh, I couldn't do that!" Oy.Although I was really looking forward to a beer at Big Meadows, I ended up in Lurray. Double Oy. IT went like this. BS and I were walking along the trail and she mentions that it would be great if Guns, the curmudgeonly old fellow who got off the trail a couple hundred miles back, would buy her a beer at Big Meadows. 5 miles later, who do we see sitting on the side of the trail, but Guns! It was crazy! He and Cool Breeze decided to just yellow blaze (drive) the Shennies and heard we were supposed to make it to Big Meadows. IT was great to see them. We ended up walking the rest of the way to Big Meadows and having lunch. I got a few groceries, came back to the car and then we were driving to Lurray, which I didn't really understand, but ho hum. Thought we were coming back to the park, but we ended up getting a hotel there. Disappointing. No beer.
Date: 2008-06-04
From: Big Meadows/Lurray

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I hiked mostly with Troutbum today, which was a much needed change of pace. He's a fun hiking partner--50 something former massage therapist who unfortunately contracted giradia so has to make frequent and unannounced visits to the bushes. Ouch. He also hasfoot problems, so he's a real trooper. Not sure ai'd still be out if I were him. We stopped and had lunch at Skyland... man this park is goign to break my bank! But I have absolutely no discipline. I can't resist. so after a nice pulled pork sandwich instead of crackers and hummus we headed out again. About an hour later a HUGE thunderstorm rolled in real fast. It was scarey... I mean, the sky turned dark withing minutes and the wind was gusting at 40-50 miles an hour. We passed some day hikers and asked where a picnic pavilion was and they said it was a 5 minute walk. Well, I turned that into a 45 second run, and JUST as I stepped under the pavillion, WHAM! The sky broke like you wouldn't beleive. IT was so fast, in fact, that Troutbum, who was only about 20 yards behind me,was soaked to the bone when he came in. IN the PAvillion I met Slow Stepper, a 65 year old fast hikier doing half the trail and Warren Doyle, who holds the unofficial record for the most hikes of the AT--working on his 15th. What a character.   You'd think he'd be svelt, but yet another beefcake! Wearing comically short shorts that emphasized every inch of his chubby, pasty white legs. There are characters galore out here.
Date: 2008-06-05
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Gravel Spring Hut
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Took an easy day today as it will be my last full day in the Shenedoah. Pack animal, BS, Troutbum, slow Stepper and I made a long stop at the ELk Wallow Wayside, our last in the park. I had an egg sandwhich and a milkshake--delicious, but terribly overpriced. The best part of today was packing out the hotdogs, buns and wine. Troutbum and I roasted hotdogs over the camp fire, my first time partaking in such an activity since starting this trip. Awesome... it really is the simple things on the trail that make for memorable happy moments.The weather has been incredibly hot, but it doesn't seem to bother me like it does many of the other folks. I've been sucking down close to 2 gallons of water a day.No Eyed Deer and Genkin jouined us at the shelter tonight too. Man, I could write a lot about the characters I meet on this trail, but I never seem to have enough time on the computer at the library terminals. Anyway, they are a married couple from Florida and they are hands down my favorite couple on the trail so far. Genkin didn't even really want to come, so he's pretty much out here because he wants to be with his sweety. Well, he says it's because she's clumsy (and has pictures to prove it), but I think they just really like being together. They get along so well, they're funny and they know how to have fun. My kind of people.
Date: 2008-06-06
From: Gravel Spring Hut

To: Front Royal
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

My last day of hiking in the Shennies... and my oh my, I was glad to leave. UPon exitiing the park I pulled off 5 deer ticks and 2 wood ticks, not good. BS and I got an easy hitch into Front Royal, and I made plans to meet my cousin Kelly the next day, so I decided to get a room. BS hiked on, so I ended up getting one with No Eyed Deer, Genkin, Mudbug and Bones. We planned to see Indiana Jones but forgot it was a Friday and the movie sold out. It turned into quite a fiasco because Bones just disappeared without telling anyone where he was going. No Eyed Deer and Genkin got worried so sent Mudbug and I to go find him. I figured he was either lost, since he doesn't have the best sense of direction, or just fine and laughing it up in a bar somewhere. Turned out he was laughing it up in a bar with Hot Wheels and Shutterbug. Well, laughin it up until we showed up. Interestingly, it was the first time I've ever seen the chap angry and mean... both of which were directed at me. Ah trail drama. I didn't take it personally even though it was intended to be. Mudbug and i just headed back to the hotel for a delightful night with wine with Genkin and No Eyed Deer.
Date: 2008-06-07
From: Front Royal

To: Dick's Dome Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: broken clouds

Scortcher! I discovered today that a mid-day beer is NOT a good motivator, delicious as my cousin Kelly's homebrew was. What a delight it was having her company even for just a half a day. But hard too. I was half tempted to jump in the car with her. Still having the familiarity of family around was true blessing. Since it was the first day of real heat, it got to me. I walked VERY slow and took lots of breaks. Delighted in some mulberries with Mudbug--yum. And by the way, Genkin and No Eyed Deer are my very favorite married couple I've met on the trail. They just rock... This shelter is really cool. It's on private property and I think the owner made it. It's shaped like a geodesic dome and it's riht in front of this beautiful creek. I am destined to get a good might's sleep tonight. Also, Pacer and Bear Pack are here tenting. Awesome. Wasn't sure I'd catch them again. I'm really scared about one thing as I go to sleep tonight. I had some hershey squirt farts today, and I've been hanging around known victims of giardia. Ack! Or was it the McDonalds I had yesterday? By the way, I am beginning to eat things out here that I would NEVER consider eating at home. Like McDonalds, for example.
Date: 2008-06-08
From: Dick's Dome Shelter

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: overcast clouds

TOday I was up and out of the shelter by 6:00 trying to beat the heat. The Hershey squirts are persisting, and making me even more scared. HAd to make my second emergency stop in a big grassy field in Sky Meadow State Park, which also succeeded in me finding plenty more deer ticks. Bastards!I started the Roller COaster today, a notoriously challenging and hilly section of the trail just before leaving Virginia. I can't wait to get out of this state. It's been beautiful, but there is something very mentally challenging about being in the same state for so long. I will soon be rewarded with going thgouht 2 states, Maryland and West Virginia, very quickly. The roller coaster wasn't as menacing as I feared, even in the heat. One great thing about today was all the water on the trail and having plenty of places to cool off and refresh. I got to Bear's Den Hostel and was just going to have ice cream, then easily got convinced to stay. I decided to camp on their lawn in the end. What a great place! It looked like a castle and Red Wing and Hopeful, the managers, were awesome. They even let me cut lettuce from their garden. Camping was a great decision. I was just so happy at the end of the day and energized. 7 more miles would have been tough and I was just happy to be where I was. I rolled over at one point in the night just in time to see a meteor. NOt long after I heard some voices on the lawn. It turned out to be some familiar voices of night hikers, and they seemed to be lost. Once I realized who it was I just started quietly laughing and just plumb forgot to offer any help.
Date: 2008-06-09
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: clear sky

Today was a perfect day, heat and all. It started with a free slack to Harpers Ferry from Rich the Ridge Runner. I hiked with Pacer and Bear Pack again. You can't hike alone on a momentus day such as this. I crossed the 1,000 mile point AND hit the mental half way point. We stopped at a convneience store a quarter mile off the road and it ended up having a bar next to it. We had to do SOMETHING interesting to celebrate our 1,000 miles, but we didn't get much more creative than beer. I blame Bear Pack for making us have 2 rounds. You might remember from a previous entry that beer and hiking on hot days don't go well for me. It was 100 gerees today. honestly, though, it did not affect me as adversely as the last mid-day drink did. I even got to talk to Michael in Spain.Coming into Harpers Ferry is awesome because I crossed the Potomac, which is huge. Caught up to Troutbum and we both had a great swim in the surprisingly warm water. YEt another wonderful way to celebrate... with my first official swim. We made our way to the ATC where you do your official sign in... I'm hikier #266 out of about 1500 who start every year. Most don't make it that far, but I'm grateful I've been luck enough to get this far. Troutbum, Bear PAck and Bear Bait and I stayed at the Town's Inn-great place! They even had a robe for each of us, which naturally led to a ridiculous photo shoot. BEar Bait let me listen to his Ipod. I honestly haven't listened to music since I came on th trail, so that was a great little treat.
Date: 2008-06-10
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Turners Gap
Miles today: 18.5

Today we slacked from from Turners Gap back to harpers Ferry. It thunderstormed, but Pacer, Bear Pack and Bear Bait and I were able to take cover in a military museum. Troutbum's been having feet trouble so i fretted over his where abouts while learning a bit abotu the civil war. It's also my first day with new shoes... can't believe what a difference it made! I have renamed the Pacer, Bear Pack and Bear Bait tri the Merry Men because twince in the last 3 days I have literally fallen over laughing at their antics. Awesome guys.