morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-05-11
From: Pearisburg Church Hostel

To: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

I dont remember if I have made mention of Crazy AL and Sugar Dog before in my journal but I wanted too today. We passed Al hiking southbound today. He told us that he was going back to town to call Mom for Mother's Day. That was very sweet of him to think of mom, but he told the next folks that he was quitting the trail and going to Florida. Now I think that he is going back to the road to hitch hike up the trail farther but only time will tell.I am here at the shelter tonight with Gonzo, Mighty Mouse, her two friends, and three other guys that I just met that have a large dog with them. The shelter is full, and folks were not to kind to move there stuff over so that I could use the table to cook. Anyhow needless to say I am sleeping on the floor in the middle of the shleter to stay out of the rain that is supposed to hit here tonight. All in all it was a good day for hiking.
Date: 2003-05-12
From: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter

To: Baily Gap Shelter
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: broken clouds

OK Last night I was pissed...I awoke around midnight to find water dripping onto my Tyvek from some ones leaking hydration bag. Needless to say after I realized the leak I rolled over into what was about 2 inches of puddled water. So I got soaked. I could not find any fire wood to re-kindle the fire to dry my stuff so I decided to pack up and hike on. Around 2:00 am I got to a camp site with plenty of fire wood. I built a raging fire and got all of me gear dried out by 8:00am at 9:00am it was thunder storming. I decided to call it a day just a mile or so from the spot where I had camped when I got to the shelter here. I needed to rest a day and try to dry my gear. GA-boy and the beloved Peaches showed up here this afternoon and I am happy about that. They are just two great people. GA-boy left his headlight at the hostel, but his pack needs to go on a diet anyhow.Tomorrow I want to make some miles!!
Date: 2003-05-19
From: Four Pines Hostel

To: Catawba Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Well it is great to be back on the trial after trail days. I started at Four Pines this morning. I am sad to write that some one robbed me at trail days. She knows who she is as it is a hiker who is out in front of me who I have done a considerable amout of hiking with. She stole my journal, head lamp, and a few other misc. items from the front room at the MRO Hostel. I will miss having the hard copy of my first Journal but nearly all of the entires up to trail days where up loaded to here. As for the person who felt the need to steal from me I forgive you, I hope that the time that we spent hiking together will benifit both of us down the road, and I wish you good luck in your future ventures since most of us who have hiked with you know that you will need it.I totally enjoyed my time at trail days in Damascus. I believe that I made a few new friends in Damascus Dave and his two sons and the rest of the gang at MT. Rogers Outfitters. After working four days for new gear my new pack now tips the scale at 22lbs with many days of food ad water. I repalced my pack with a new GregoryG Pack and I replaced my gaiters, sleeping bag, rain jacket, tarp, pack cover, food bag, head lamp, and I ditched my Nalgene for a 1 litre Platty. I probably cut close to 10lbs by sending home some more clothing and socks and other stuff. It feels great to be lite!!!
Date: 2003-05-20
From: Catawba Mountain Shelter

To: Camp site near Angel Gap
Miles today: 12.5

Ga-Boy, Peaches, and myself are camping tonight here on the ridge just before Troutville/Daleville. More rain looks like it will be getting here tonight. Off in the distance thunder can be heard so I anticipate a hard down pour some time tonight. I lost my knife today at a large overhanging rock where I stopped to make lunch. Ga-boy built a great fire and the blazing heat off of it can be felt in my tarp nearly 10 feet away. Some one just walked by here and it has been dark for hours now. I hope to make town tomorrow to dry out and to figure out what kind of hiking I want to do for the next few days with all the rain that is in the forecast.
Date: 2003-05-21
From: Camp site near Angel Gap

To: Best Western @ I81 Troutville/Daleville
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: moderate rain

Wow did it rain hard last night. There was a concrete bridge to cross today in a flood plain right near the road and you could tell that the bridge deck it self has been many feet under flood waters the last few days. Hikers would have most definatly had to take a detour around the flooding to get to town.The outfitter store here in Daleville is very nice. Outdoor trails and the owner Mark provide a very very equipped store that is just a few hundred feet away from the white blazes. After resupply and dryout time my pack is a very small 19lbs.I hit both the Chineese Buffet and the Breakfast for dinner bar at Shoney's. I wore a trash bag home from the Shoneys in the pounding rain storm. It was cool, no arm holes and my sun visor over the outside to hold it on. I had just cut a small face hole to breath out of. Total calorie intake today after 2 AYCE's and a stop at Krogers... 12,000!!Please please quit raining for a day.
Date: 2003-05-22
From: Best Western @ I81 Troutville/Daleville

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I got wet boots again. I am a bit upset because i just bragged last week about how good my boots were holding up. I hope to be able to fix or seal up the leaks tomorrow. I hope to get in 20 or so if possible. Trail magic here at the shelter was great. Oreo's, Chips, candy and more. Thank you so much to the namless angel. My new light wt gear is doing well. Today I took a few photos with me and my new pack in the pink Rhodi bushes. The blooming flowers are so very cool. Short entrys latley. I just have not felt like writing much.
Date: 2003-05-23
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter

To: Cove Mt Shelter
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: overcast clouds

After a late 9:30 am start I decided to hitch to Buchanan Va for lunch and a break from the rain again. I got a cool Jeep hitch with a fella in a new blue Wrangler X. I used internet at the library and I ate at burger king. I got a ride back to the trail with a couple from Waynesboro/Staunton area that were very kind for picking up my smelly but. I did not feel like walking much farther when every I got up here to the shelter so here I am for the night.
Date: 2003-05-24
From: Cove Mt Shelter

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: broken clouds

I have walked 6+ miles right now and again I am lacking motivation and strength and will power and desire to walk much farther. The group of Zero Yo Yo Dread Ostrich Pig Pen and many others are very far ahead of me. I think that this is called the VA Blues. Iam here at this nice huge three level shelter and I am considering calling it a day. I want to hike farther but it is time for at least a nap...OK so after my nap today I felt like hiking. I did 10 more miles which makes me very happy. I took a half hour dinner break at Cornellius creek shelter. I saw 2 Bear tonight eating from a trash can. I also saw two deer that were close enough to touch. I have not seen much in the way of wild life but in a way that it ok. The flowers on the Laurelk and the Rhodi are blooming and that is so cool. Tonight I have caught up with the gang so the shelter has been fun. Glasgow for resupply again tomorrow.
Date: 2003-05-25
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Camp Site 1 Mi from James River.
Miles today: 14.5

Today I got up early and booked it to town for re-supply, a hot meal, laundry, and a shower in the sink at the service station. I thought that I might want to stay in town tonight but town was not cool. Hotel has wierd rules, and the cop in town was a total ass giving us some crap while trying to arrainge a ride and then again while trying to hitch hike to town. Rumor is that he is a NY city slicker who transfered here to the local Glasgow Police recently. I am camping with Bag tonight right along the creek that runs into the James River from the north side of the river crossing. I hope to be pushing on and be in Waynesboro by 6-1.
Date: 2003-05-26
From: Camp Site 1 Mi from James River.

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: scattered clouds

I thought about my Grandfather alot today. Three years ago today (Memorial Day 2000) he passed away. It is kinda wierd thinking back about him and his simple life. He wore alot of K-Mart shoes, he never drove a real expensive car, and he always liked to just sit on his back porch and smoke Pal Mal cigs and relax in his chair there. Today I massed a very large Dam and the shelter here is in the middle of an area that was once a freed slave village about 100 years ago. There is rock foundations and rock leeve walls along the creek.Tonight when I got to one of the creek crossings near the Pedler River I striped completly naked and got took a sit down bath in the cold water. It felt so good to wash of the salt and to cool down. The bugs are biting like hell right now and I may have to get back up out of my sleeping bag and build a fire to chase off the bugs... More rain is to return tomorrow.
Date: 2003-05-27
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: Cow Camp Gap Shelter
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: moderate rain

I went to twon today to dry out and to try to find my lost bounce box. No luck. However I want to make sure to thank the kind folks at the Buena Vista Volunteer Fire Department for allowing my to dry out my stuff in there truck bay, and for allowing me to Yogi a shower and a nap on the pleather sofa that they have in the lounge area. I had two lunches today at the New Mexican Rest. that is in Buena Vista beside of the Virginia Power office. I ate so much that I had to take a nap at the FD after. I am here at the shelter that is .5 miles off of the trail with the two section hikers. They built a huge fire to dry out all of there wet gear. Tomorrow it is off to the B&B that is in Montabello VA. I will have to hike 13 miles by 12:30pm.
Date: 2003-05-28
From: Cow Camp Gap Shelter

To: Dutch Haus B&B
Miles today: 13.3

I hikes 13.3 miles to get here for the free lunch and the 12:30 shuttle ride from the trail to here. When I got here to the house I decided to stay because the place is so nice. I asked if I could work for an hour or two so that I could make a long distance phone call or two and eat dinner for free. I got to paint water seal stain on one side of the new bunkhouse T111 siding. I got to work with the girlfriend of the owners son. The lovley Miss Kate is such a wonderful, beautiful woman. I actually was enjoying my self while I was working becauase she was helping me. We talked about jobs, and life etc. She is a 24yo Delivery RN. Incredible young woman I must say. After working and making my phone calls I am sad to report that hope is lost along with the package. I dont suppose that it will show up and place now?Tomorrow is the climb up the Three Ridges, and more rain is in the forecast.
Date: 2003-05-29
From: Dutch Haus B&B

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: moderate rain

I became an official Blue Blazer today.I took the old AT rt that is now Blue Blazed to both skip the climb up Three Ridges and to see the cascade water falls that run down out of Maupin Field. The name of the Blue Blaze Trail is Mau Pau trail. It cut 4 miles off of the day to and that makes me happy. Cutting miles while seeing some great scenery is cool.I sat today under a large rock overhang and watched the water rise in the Tye River. It has rained now every day for as long as I can remember. If I had known that it was going to rain like this I would have brought a rubber ducky with me.There is a boom box here in the shelter tonight with batteries that work. It is kind neat to listen to music as I have not heard any for so long. In the morning it is going to be cool to listen to traffic reports from the big city not far away and laugh about the people sitting in the bumper to bumper mess that is the morning commute.I finally caught up with Healer tonight to. I had met him at trail days at MRO but to actually get to meet him on the trail had been a delight. He has given many a Healer Treatment to the weary hikers out here adjusting there necks, backs, and even curing headachs.Truckin arrived here late tonight too. Three people in a shelter that sleeps six. This is the first time in a long time that the shelter has not been full.Tomorrow AM is supposed to be sunny and dry :-)
Date: 2003-05-30
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Rockfish Gap (Hitch to Waynesboro VA)
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: broken clouds

Rolled out 21 miles today to get to town by 6:00 pm so that Healer could try and sove his shoe problem. He bought new boots back in Daleville and they are falling apart already. We are camping at the YMCA camp ground tonight, after getting rather full at the Western Sizzlin Steak House. Crazy Damn Al is here with Sugar Dog too. Some one allegidly pulled a pea shooter on Al today at a gas station here in town. He is taking the Aquablaze from here to Harpers Ferry so at least he wont be on the trail between here and there. I hope to get some things done here in town tomorrow like repiars to clothing, repairs to boots, laundry, repairs to cellular phone, and more. I would also like to get out of here in time to hike 8 miles to the first shelter. I am not ready for another zero day yet.
Date: 2003-05-31
From: Rockfish Gap (Hitch from Waynesboro VA)

To: Calf Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: scattered clouds

My town stop today was a disaster. I feel like I walked 20 miles today because I probably walked 10 or more miles in town just to get around and do things. I never even did get to eat anything today other than 2 hot dogs from a gas station. That is not good. I really dislike town stops like this one. The stress that is created is just not worth it. It is great to be back on the trail.The PO still has no idea about my lost package. The shelter here tonight is not full, there is room for two more people. Since we got here late though and folks have there gear and there bodys spread all over the place a scene would have to be made in order to get a spot. There is a coverd stoop where Truckin and I are going to sleep. Leif and Zip Drive I hear that two of the ladies in the shelter here tonight are your mothers? It has gotten very very windy here tonight. The wind blows hard, and steady, and then gusts really hard on top of that. I have heard at least three trees fall in the past hour. Tomorrow I plan on getting up early, and getting the heck out of here. I would like to roll 26+ miles tomorrow to get to Pine Field Hut Shelter.
Date: 2003-06-01
From: Calf Mountain Shelter

To: Pine Field Hut (SNP Shelter)
Miles today: 26.2

A marathon today. 26.2 miles today was definatly a haul. It was sunny and dry for achange also which made for very nice hiking weather. I stopped off at Loft Mountain Wayside to get a steak sandwich, chicken figers, fries, and a beer. That was very tasty but a bit expensive at $15. I layed on the lawn at the wayside today watching the vintage sports cars, motor cycles, Jeeps, and other vehicles cruise up and down Skyline drive. I also listend to a Ranger Program talk on Black Bears, and I watched the Yuppies take photos of a nearly tame deer that keept walking back and forth on the sidewalk at the wayside.A very nice man and his wife gave me a ride down from the Camp Store to the Wayside. I eventually gave him the info on my journal so if you log on to this site and read this thank you very much sir.Healer is here in the shelter tonight. There is also trail magic, Reeses, Fruit, and rumor is that there are Beers in the spring some place. The low tonight is supposed to dip into the 40's. I hope that I will be able to stay warm. I want to make it over to Lewis Mountain tomorrow, or possible on to Bearfence Shelter.The time to do big miles is now!!
Date: 2003-06-02
From: Pine Field Hut (SNP Shelter)

To: Lewis Mountain Campground (SNP Campground)
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: clear sky

The Healer and I froze our asses off last night. It was actually warmer outside of the shelter this morning than it was inside. The hike today was difficult. I took a long break at Hightop Hut where I took a nap and coocked some food for lunch. Trucking caught up with me tonight and the two of us decided to stop here at the camp ground to goto the bathroom and to possibly sleep on the floor in there since the temp is to dip to the low 40's again tonight. Some nice camper/photographer that was staying here offered us to use the campsite that he paid for. He gave us each a beer and I am so very thankful that he is allowing us to stay here. Trucking and I both slept under my tarp because the rules state no more than two tent per site. I think that he likes the tarp, and I may have converterd some one over to the idea of light wt. Rain Returns tomorrow.
Date: 2003-06-03
From: Lewis Mountain Campground (SNP Campground)

To: Big Meadow
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: moderate rain

Rain!!I have to admit that I have learned to live with it. However it is June 3rd and it is 4:00pm and the temp outside of the building where I am at is 43*. Summer?? Spring?? Where are you? What is with mother nature these days? I am getting a ride from here to Thortons Gap with an SNP employee and my old roommate in Warrenton VA will be picking me up there to goto my old townhouse for the night. I will take a 0 day tomorrow and try to goto Galyans. More cold wet weather is in the forecast for tomorrow so I figure that it would be a good day to take off.
Date: 2003-06-04
From: Warrenton VA

To: Warrenton VA 
Miles today: 0.0

Today I took a zero day here in Warenton/Fairfax area.I ate, and went to Galyans, and then ate some more, and then got a ride back to the townhouse. I used the computer, and then ate some more.I am very full right now. I hope to re-supply and get back to the trail tomorrow morning.
Date: 2003-06-05
From: Thortons Gap

To: Big Meadow
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: clear sky

I ran the 13 miles between Thortons's Gap and Big Meadow.I did not want to yellow blaze this section of the trail. It took me a little over 3 hours, and I only did one road walk. I hitched a ride back to Thortons Gap and then hiked up to Pass Mt Shelter for the night
Date: 2003-06-05
From: Big Meadow

To: Pass Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 2.0

I had stashed my pack, some OREO's, and a few sodas, near the Panorama building before slackpacking back to Big Meadow. I got here to the shelter around 7pm so this has been a productive day considering that I did not get started hiking till nearly 1:00pm.FRONT ROYAL TOMORROW!!
Date: 2003-06-06
From: Pass Mountain Shelter

To: Rt 522 Front Royal (Terrapin Station Hostel)
Miles today: 29.1
Weather: broken clouds

Today was my biggest mileage day yet. I got rolling around 9:00am, that is a pretty late start, but I still hike nearly 30 miles today. I was nearly dark when I got into the grocery store parking lot in Front Royal. My cell phone was dead tonight and I had no way of contacting anyone from Virginia Power to ask for some help tonght with a place to stay.I am excited to be out of SNP and I will soon be in Harpers Ferry. To me HF is the not exactly Half Way Point. I am glad that I got to see Adam, my old room mate and I am also glad that I got to sit outside of my old office and chat with a few of my old co-workers there. I will probably send them a post card soon. The best part was getting to see one of the old managers and smile at him letting him know that I am happy, and that even thought we had many disagreements on things in the office that I still think that he, and the rest of the other people that I worked there with, are all great people. I told him that the only thing that I missed was the interaction with such good people.Anyhow I am here at Terrapin Station Hostel. It is near the trail about five miles back from where I quit hiking tonight. Grizzly is the only other hiker here. This guy has icecream, sodas, fuel, laundry, shower, and digital cable. What a great place.Tomorrow they are calling for more rain. The section of trail between 522 and the Roller Coaster has been called the Mud Bog by many sobo's. I hope that the rain has not made it much worese.
Date: 2003-06-07
From: Rt 522 Front Royal (Terrapin Station Hostel)

To: Manassas Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: light rain

I took a shorter day today that I wanted too but it is always hard to walk out of town on a day of such hard rain like today. I bounced my ASOLO boots up to Boiling Springs PA and from there I will probably send them off to a resole place to get new soles put on them. The hike today was very muddy indeed. I am heer tonight with Librarian, 4 sections hikers, Bear Bait, and the Snort/Clover combo. I would like to do some big miles again tomorrow after todays short day.
Date: 2003-06-08
From: Manassas Gap Shelter

To: Sam Moore Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up at 4:00am to go hiking today because there was obnoxious snoring going on in the shelter. I have grown sorta tired of the rain and being wet 90% of the time. The shelter etiquette of certain individuals that I have come across out here really bothers me. The shelter at Manassas Gap sleeps 8 or 10 Thru Hikers. How does that small shelter sleep 10 people? Because each of us is willing to conceed just a little to keep dry. It pisses me off when I get to the shelter at 4:00pm and section or weekend hikers have taken the whole place over. The spread everything out, use all of the hooks, pegs, mouse hangers, etc. This was the case when arriving at the shelter last night. Even after asking folks to move there stuff so that we (in this case we meant 4 people) could squeze into the shelter they still acted as if there was a problem. So at 4:00 am after laying awake for nearly 4 hours I decided to hike down to the next shelter and see if possibly there was a place to sleep there for just a few hours.After getting up for the second time today I hiked out to the road crossing at hwy 17 and Rt 50 at Ashby Gap Virginia. From there I hitched down to Doc's BBQ for lunch. A very kind and beautiful blonde was the waitress and she even gave four of us a ride back up the trail the half mile when we were done eating. Today I walked through many a muddy quagmire to make it here to Sam Moore Shelter. It is supposed to rain more tonight and I can hear thunder off in the distance. A dry day would be so nice at this point.
Date: 2003-06-09
From: Sam Moore Shelter

To: Keys Gap (WV Rt. 9)
Miles today: 20.1

My day got off to a slow start again today because i was still in bed around 8:30am. Then like a light switch was flipped on the clound left from last nights rain storm blew away and a beam of bright sunshine blasted through the trees and into the shelter around 8:35am. Within 2 min I was up and packing and nearly ready to leave camp. It is amazing how a beam of light can motivate me.I took a pit stop at the Bears Den Hostel to use the phone, shower, and have a small snack before pushing on towards Harpers Ferry. It was just under 20 miles from the Hostel to town. I had intentions of hiking the entire distance but when I got to the road at Keys Gap I could not hike the last six miles. I called my grandparents who were to meet me in Harpers Ferry and asked them to drive and come get me. It was great to see them. We went to Golden Corrall for dinner and then back to the Comfort Inn where I was sleeping in no time flat.