morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-02
From: Erwin, TN

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 16.4

This morning I caught the 9am shuttle into town for breakfast. There was one stop, JD's place. The driver told us that it was the home of the $1.39 biscuits and gravy special. What a deal, I was intrigued. We arrived at an old gas station, circular in structure and on the verge of being a yurt. I grew up eating surprisingly good biscuits from gas stations so I knew what to expect. Those biscuits didn't stand a chance once they dropped off a bunch of hungry hikers. I hit the trail a little closer to lunch than I would've liked but I still made a good day out of it. Some good, steep climbs awaited me as I departed Erwin. Unaka Mountain, the tallest of the day at 5180ft required a long, steep climb to summit. Close to the top the forest turned over to Spruce trees and the light grew dim. A good fog rolled across the top of the mountain as I was up there. Thankfully the trail was well blazed. It was quite spooky how dense the forest was up there. It was a sight to behold and I enjoyed my walk through it. I made camp at the base of the mountain where a fire was already going. Easy decision to stop considering that it was growing colder. More wind tonight, like numerous nights before.
Date: 2013-05-03
From: Low Gap

To: Ash Gap
Miles today: 16.3

The wind had subsided by the time I hit the trail this morning. The terrain didn't look too bad when glancing at the elevation profile in my guide, but it would wear me down regardless. Most of the uphills were short, a mile or less, but they were nice and steep. I guess the quickest way through the mountains is to go straight over them. The woods up here are peaceful to walk through and I often enjoy the sights and sounds of the forest as much as I do a view from a mountain top. I would reach my best view of the day, Little Rock Knob (4918ft), around lunch so I stopped to eat there on a rock outcropping. Not sure who decided to call this mountain "little." As I was packing up my lunch an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter came flying through the mountains below me. What an incredible aircraft, you could barely even hear it as it cruised by me. I would hate to be on the business end of that helicopter. I continued on to a gap at the base of Roan Mountain. I would save that climb for the next morning. The wind was absolutely howling as I set up camp and would continue to do so all night. Cold too, especially considering that it's May! Part of sleeping at 5350ft though.
Date: 2013-05-04
From: Ash Gap

To: Former site of Apple House shelter
Miles today: 17.0

This morning the wind continued to roar. You can hear it coming up the mountain, it rips through the trees above you and goes down the other side in waves. It was bitter cold as I drug myself out from the comfort of my hammock. That would take a lot of ambition this day. I reached the summit of Roan Mountain, 6212ft, shortly after starting today's hike. It was densely covered in Spruce trees, shielding me from most of the wind. The heavy fog, which, besides the wind, was a constant today, added a nice touch. As soon as I reached Carvers Gap, things would change. Ahead lay the Roan Highlands, miles of treeless balds. The wind roared across the balds as I hiked up, at speeds unimaginable to me. It threatened to blow me over onto my back on several occasions. Coupled with the fact that I was literally in the clouds, navigation proved difficult. I pushed on into a forest for a brief reprieve from the wind. I sought out the sanctity of Overmountain Shelter, an old barn converted back in the 80's by the Tenn. Eastman Club. I sat upstairs with a couple of other hikers, getting a proper lunch and adding layers of clothing to me. I stepped back out into the weather, to their surprise, and continued on. Three more miles of open balds awaited, and the wind proved stronger than earlier. I staggered through it and felt like I was in Nepal the weather was so nasty. I would descend 2000ft into a much calmer environment to make camp stream side. All I could think about was what I had just been through. A truly epic day on the AT.
Date: 2013-05-05
From: Former site of Apple House shelter

To: Hardcore Cascades
Miles today: 16.3

The wind had subsided overnight. The rain had set in, however. Today would be another rain soaked slosh down the rail. Much of the day the trail weaved in and out of rhododendron , crossed creeks, and rolled gently over the mountains. Elevation change was quite minimal, but the mud was ample. Extremely muddy today, in fact. My feet were wet within thirty minutes, soaked within an hour. I took a lunch/get out of the rain break at Mountaineer Falls shelter, a nice, three story shelter built recently. "What happens on the third floor, stays on the third floor" was inscribed on the ladder going up. I never did go up there. It's always hard going back out into the rain after having gotten out of it, no matter how brief. "Gotta keep movin'" a southbounder told me back in Erwin. This simple, three word phrase has now cycled through my mind numerous times. I now use it as a reason to, in fact, keep moving. I crossed the 400 mile mark today, but no sign. No the sign was at mile marker 404. It said "Springer Mountain 404 miles <-." Go figure. I trudged on to hardcore cascades where I made camp. I didn't think the cascades to be especially hardcore, but that they were named. I also missed a turn in the trail today, my first time doing that, but not my last for sure. I walked a half mile before I realized it. I turned around, retraced my steps, and found the trail again. All I could do was laugh.
Date: 2013-05-07
From: Just the other side of Watauga Dam

To: Campsite near Low Gap, US 421
Miles today: 21.9

The weather this morning started off well enough, but it would grow worse as the day lingered on. I was not in the mood for a long uphill this morning but I was in for one. My pace was pretty pathetic to start, but as I shoveled down food my energy would pick up. I would walk the ridge line of the Iron Mountains for a majority of the day. For several miles I had a great view of Lake Watauga to my right. I had a good lunch, peanut butter on everything I ate, at Iron Mountain Shelter and pushed on. There were a couple of guys staying there who said they were going to do a Damascathon tomorrow, 26 miles into Damascus. I wished them luck as I walked off. I wanted a much shorter trip into town. I'm looking forward to reaching VA. Around midday I happened upon a metal box in the woods, a sign above it read "trail magic." Inside, a cooler full of sodas on ice. There were many radiantly glowing Mountain Dews and I freaked out. Also, there was a snack box full of honey buns. Oh yeah! Soon after the trail would pass through open fields where a nasty thunderstorm was approaching. I was hiking with a cool guy from Brooklyn, Bogie Don, at the time and we were fortunate enough to be able to take shelter in an old barn just as it started to hail. Lightning was hitting all around us, what a show! The rest of the day was spent in the clouds. We pushed on at great pace to a campsite just off of the trail. Apparently I had left the ridgeline for my tarp, a crucial element in my setup, at my last campsite. I rigged up a new one with my bear bag line and a couple of extra caribiners that I had. Meanwhile the trees dripped on my gear which was by now spread out everywhere as I was looking for my lost cord. I was high and dry before long though, thankfully. I stayed calm and fixed my problem, a big problem when water is coming down, without freaking out. The trail has done well by me thus far.
Date: 2013-05-08
From: Campsite near Low Gap, US 421

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 15.7

In a cloud, again, this morning. I woke up and everything was nice and wet from all of the moisture in the air. Good thing that I would be in town later today. I had one thing on my mind this morning, reaching Damascus. I walked almost 16 miles in six hours, stopping only once at the Tenn/VA border to take a picture. I was stoked to have reached my fourth state. I will be in Virginia for over a month as there are a ton of miles of trail in this state. Check a map of the trail to see what I'm talking about, it's crazy. Once I reached Damascus, my first stop was the Blue Blaze Cafe for lunch. Today's special: all you can eat spaghetti. Yes, please. I was able to get a bed and a hot shower for the night. I was thinking about it, I haven't had a shower since I was in Erwin, a week ago! Good thing I can't smell myself, well, most of the time anyways. Daily showers are a modern convenience anyways. I went down to the bar for happy hour and stayed there until closing hour, having a good time with hikers and locals alike. Beer = easy calories.
Date: 2013-05-09
From: Damascus, VA

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Damascus is one cool little town. Like Hot Springs, the AT goes right through the middle of town. I'm staying outside of a hostel tonight for $6, hanging between two perfect trees. It is aptly named, The Place. This morning I did my laundry, checked out the local outfitter, and walked around town. Always walking. I had a great lunch at the Dairy King today, which is apparently far superior to Dairy Queen. I stopped by the local barber shop to get a haircut, a mowhawk, for only $5. I figure if I am crazy enough to try and walk to Maine I am crazy enough for a mowhawk. It's a conservative one though, not a spiked up punk version. Why not? It goes well with the beard. I don't think I will ever be the same after this trip is over, that's for sure. In a good way.
Date: 2013-05-11
From: Saunders Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: light rain

If I wake up to the sound of rain hitting my tarp, I sigh and go back to sleep. That would be the case again this morning. Sooner or later, this weather is going to clear up. I eventually rolled over, made myself a cup of coffee, and made breakfast. No blueberry pancakes today though. I hit the trail after the rain let up, but it would be back. It was off and on, raining no more than five minutes at a time, until around two. The AT shared tread way with the Virginia Creeper Trail for around a mile today. The Creeper Trail is one of this nation's first rails to trails projects. It used to be a railroad where they hauled out millions of trees from the mountains in the early 20th century. There are over fifty remaining bridges crossing rivers on the trail, and I would cross over a rather impressive on today before re-entering the woods. Water would be the recurring theme today, where I must have crowed more than one hundred streams, springs, and creeks, all flowing heavily from the recent rains. I reached the open bald of Whitetop Mountain early this afternoon where I could see miles of Virginia's mountains and countryside. I continued on for a couple of miles until I crossed over VA 600. Just before crossing the road I noticed hundreds of lines running through the maple trees collecting syrup. I had seen plenty on a prior trip to Vermont, but had no idea that they were doing that this far south. After crossing the road I entered the Virginia Highlands and a wild pony was there to greet me. He walked right up to me and started gnawing on my trekking poles. Pretty neat I thought. I was soon making my way up to Mt Rogers, where the AT was more of a creek bed than hiking trail. My feet sank I the mud or took a dunk in the water on multiple occasions. I was already getting pretty frustrated, then it began to rain, again. I had reached the side trail to the summit of Mt Rogers which I had been planning on taking all day. And so, in the rain, I set off for the summit. In my mind, I had to do so. When I reached the summit, no sign, no views, only a small geological survey marker let me know that I was on the summit. I was shrouded in a dense spruce forest but it was worth it to me just to know that I had been there. At 5729 feet, Mt Rogers is Virginia's highest peak. I would make camp just down the trail from Thomas Knob Shelter which is around 5400 feet. It grew cold with the quickness this evening and the wind would pick up as nightfall set in. Laying in my hammock eating dinner I could hear more raindrops hitting my tarp. I hope the weather is better tomorrow.
Date: 2013-05-12
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Streamside
Miles today: 18.9

It was a foggy morning up on the mountain, but I could see the sun trying to poke through the clouds. This was a great sign. I downed a cup of coffee and got going because I knew today's hike would be a memorable one. It wasn't long before I was scrambling through the famous Fat Man Squeeze, a rock tunnel that AT passes through. Good thing that I'm a skinny rascal because between me and the pack it was a tight fit. The Virginia Highlands, and the Grayson Highlands within, are some of the most beautiful mountains I have ever laid my eyes on. It was pretty overwhelming. I felt like I could be in Montana, Scotland, or even Tolkiens's Middle Earth. I don't dare describe it for fear of selling it short. I saw a few more ponies today who were steadily eating away at the grass. The temperature dropped into the 30s last night and, coupled with a fierce wind, it remained chilly all day. Much better than rain I thought.
Date: 2013-05-13
From: Streamside

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 28.4

The rooster crowed at six this morning and I was hiking by seven. It was quite cold this morning and the best way that I've found to fight that is to keep moving. I was hiking as fast as I could stepping over rocks, around roots, and over creeks. The trail soon emptied into a picturesque field filled with low grass and flowering Mayapples. The smell of those flowers permeated the air. I caught a glimpse if a rabbit, but only after he scurried into a dense thicket of brush. A picture that I took of him was all ears. After exiting the field I happened upon more trail magic left in the woods by a local church. A box filled with all kinds if goodies, not just food, but personal items as well that surely come in handy out here. They had thought of everything, I took what I needed and nothing more. No point in being greedy. Back into the green tunnel I went. The AT is affectionately known as the green tunnel afte the trees leaf out and I now find myself walking through it for miles at a time. I stopped at the Mt Rogers visitor center around lunchtime for a bit to check out the exhibits within. It was nice and warm in there and once I left I noticed just how cold it was outside. I was flat out moving today, almost like something was chasing me. There must have been a cloud of dust in my wake. I had done 16 miles to the visitors center and had 12 miles left to Atkins. I decided to push the envelope today. Before I knew it I was eating a one pound hamburger, fries, and hot fudge cake at the barn restaurant in Atkins. In a little over 11 hours, I had hiked 28.4 miles which would be my biggest day by a long shot. I believe it is safe to say that I now have my trail legs.
Date: 2013-05-14
From: Atkins, VA

To: Knot Maul Shelter
Miles today: 13.9

I had a good night's rest at the Relax Inn here in Atkins despite how scuzzy it was. I resupplied at a truck stop, not quite a Publix, and had lunch at The Barn restaurant before I took off. Two porkchops, mashed potatoes, and green beans hit the spot. I made my way under I-81 and set off into more fields. You could get away with calling them meadows. I rather enjoy my walks through them. Rolling green hills on a backdrop of mountain tops make for ideal scenery. Today was a short day compared to what I have been doing as of late but it felt hard. I'm not sure if it was because of yesterday's miles or the increase in elevation changes, but I was worn out by days end. I walked through a lot a nice Virginia countryside today, walking through meadows and silent woods, passing by barns and silos, and catching glimpses of old homesteads that I wouldn't mind settling down in. My legs felt good today surprisingly, but overall I was just exhausted from the get go. I did what I had to do, I kept moving. There is a long way to go and sometimes I just have to make a push, forcing myself to keep going when I'm ready to stop. Maine isn't going to come to me, and the trail isn't going to walk itself. I had my fill for dinner while looking over tomorrow's hike in the guide. It looks tough on paper, which means it will be even more tough when I'm there. I'm looking forward to it regardless. I met a really interesting man on the trail today, a thru hiker by the name of Quaker. He is a Quaker after all. An older gentleman, he is a recently retired chemistry professor. He served our country during the Vietnam war, despite his beliefs and the beliefs and wishes of his family. He was excluded from the draft because of his religious beliefs, but he enlisted anyways. While over there he was wounded and spent a year in the hospital. An entire year. But something he told me really stuck with me. He said he learned two things about himself during the war. The first was that he found out that he could survive, he had the wits to do that. The second was the he could make sound decisions during the most adverse of conditions. It doesn't get much more adverse than being shot at. I made sure to thank him for his service. As I walked off, I thought "now that's a real American hero." A soft spoken, intelligent man, he stayed in the shelter where I made camp. The people I have the pleasure to meet out here are one of a kind, and they really add to the experience.
Date: 2013-05-15
From: Knot Maul Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: clear sky

The weather today was incredible, probably the best since I've hit the trail. The temperature probably reached the high 80's this afternoon and it was on the verge of being hot. Not a cloud in the sky either. The terrain was difficult today and included a lot of uphill. I left camp a little after eight this morning and by eleven I was on top of a mountain, sitting in a meadow enjoying lunch and the weather all the same. I've found that I can never eat enough when I'm on the trail. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I'm almost always still hungry for more when I'm "done" eating. There were terrific views of the Virginia countryside again today. From Chestnut Knob I could see an entire valley of farm land from above. It's amazing how green everything is up here. After that, the trail would wear me down. It was a tough 19 miles today. I don't think I've been happier to have reached a stopping point yet. Today I climbed up 2089 feet over a stretch of 4.6 miles to reach Chestnut Knob. That was followed up with a rocky, up and down eight mile stretch devoid of water sources. And by that time it was nice ad warm out. Today was the first time that I loaded up and carried two liters of water on my back. That's an additional 4.4 pounds of weight that I normally forgo. I usually carry 20 ounces of water, if any at all, because water has been plentiful so far. I would rather not carry water if I can help it. I would camp outside of a shelter again tonight, where an eccentric man by the name of Blacksquatch was also staying. I found him and his name to be hilarious. He said that he felt like Sasquatch out here as he is one of very few black people on the AT. He told me that he was writing a book titled "Black People Don't Camp." Well, he was right, and he knew it.
Date: 2013-05-16
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 23.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I had another chat with Blacksquatch this morning before I hit the trail. I couldn't pass up the chance to do that. Turns out he is a graduate of the University of Florida so we jawed about that for a while. I absolutely despise UF and it is hard to make exceptions, but in this case I let it slide. He was a good guy after all. He told me that mice had chewed two holes in his tent overnight trying to get after a Power Bar he had forgotten in his pants pocket. I would have laughed, but it was a $350 Big Agnes tent, so I felt bad for him. Just one more reason I don't sleep on the ground. It wasn't an hour after I left camp that I had my first encounter with a rattlesnake on the trail. Actually, this is the first time I had ever even seen one. I've seen plenty of rat snakes, garter snakes, and the occasional copperhead, but never a rattlesnake. He was a juvenile, no more than 18 inches long, and was just starting to acquire his first rattle. I have heard that the juveniles are the most dangerous because, unlike adult rattlesnakes, they will offload all of their venom if they strike. He was probably two feet to the left of the trail and I had already passed him before I heard a rustle in the leaves. I turned around to see what it was and there he sat, head up, tongue in the air. We sat there and stared at each other, with mutual respect I believe, for a good five minutes. There were people behind me so I made sure that he moved off before I moved on. I was glad that we didn't have an altercation. For the next hour every stick that I saw looked like a snake. As the miles piled up, my paranoia wore off and I sped back up. I crossed over the road heading into Bland, VA around lunchtime and it was hard not to try and go into town. I could smell the fast food from the trail head. Well, not literally anyways. I kept moving though, crossed over yet another interstate, I-77, and headed back into the woods. I stopped at a shelter for a break and to plan out the rest of the day. It was only three o'clock, too early to stop. I had done fourteen miles, but there wasn't another good water source to camp by until the next shelter. It was nearly ten miles aways. I figured why not and pushed on. These long, dry sections are tough and my mouth is always foaming by the end. I arrived at the shelter where there were two different groups of hikers out for the weekend doing a section. They offered me liquor which was great at the end of a long day. They quizzed me about my hike thus far as I ate dinner which I didn't mind at all. The guy camped next to me is snoring pretty good already. I'm glad I have ear plugs. Thanks Julie for sending me a new pair, I'm gonna need them tonight.
Date: 2013-05-18
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I woke up to chickens and Guinea Hens clucking away this morning. The most delicious coffee ever, French toast, and fruit for breakfast before we packed up and headed to Damascus for Trail Days. Matchstick and Rocketeer, thru hikers in 2011, were gracious enough to let me ride with them. It is hilarious that it took us not even two hours to drive what it took me a week to walk. There were a lot of vendors and manufacturer representatives at Trail Days. I spent quite some time looking at all of the ultralight, ultra-expensive gear. I was able to stop and talk to AWOL, writer of a great book on the AT and creator of the guide that I currently use. That was a real treat for me. I saw a great deal of people that I have met on the trail, a reunion of sorts. Every year there is a hiker parade that goes down Main Street in town, but it was cancelled due to a very unfortunate accident that occurred. I don't care to elaborate too much, but you can surely look on the Internet for details. The mood was pretty glum afterwards, but everyone made the best of it. Once we left we went over to Abingdon, VA and stopped at Wolf Hills Brewing Company for some excellent craft brews. A good time was had by all rest assured. We made the long ride back into the mountains to the hostel and crashed. I stayed with a guy named Green Blaze in what we affectionately called "the dungeon," the downstairs room of the bunkhouse. It is nice and dark though, perfect for catching some z's. This place is definitely a home away from home.