morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-05-05
From: Spivey Gap

To: Nolichucky River, Erwin TN
Miles today: 11.2

Groove started the day with a short climb out of Spivey Gap, much of it along the Oglesby Branch a stream named after the first Tennessee Eastman Hiking Club member to fall in it. After a descent into Devils Creek Gap it was mostly a level cruise into No Business Knob Shelter. From the shelter it's 6 miles on sidecut trails down to the Nolichucky River. The trail winds through numerous coves between the ridges, some with beautiful waterfalls and steep cascades. Before the final steep descent the trail overlooks the Nolichucky a few times. The sites are great. It was about this time that Groove had an equipment malfuction. The frame that supports his backpack snapped. This shoudn't happen. A trip to the outfitters in Erwin is now on the agenda. He worked his way down to the river and past Uncle Johnny's Hostel (a silent protest of Uncle Johnny's) and was on his way into town when he was picked up by Ms. Janet. Ms. Janets hostel is not open now but she is still there to take care of the hikers. She has been driving Groove around and taking care of him while in Erwin. Groove says he has not met a nicer lady.Groove hiked 11.20 miles today.
Date: 2009-05-06
From: Nolichucky River, Erwin TN

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: light rain

Groove purchase a new backpack at the outfitters. The broken one will be sent home and a return to REI will be made. He is staying at the Holiday Inn Express with Phoenix Rising and New York Shiv. They refused to stay at Uncle Johnnys' Hostel as a way of protesting his behavior to Ms Janet. Ms Janet took them out to dinner and has been shuttling them all over town to do errands. They have decided to do a reverse slack pack today. Ms Janet will drive them to Indian Grave Gap about 8-1/2 miles out of town along the trail and they will hike southbound back to town. This will give them a chance to rest there legs a little and spend another night warm and dry. The hike was a fairly easy 8.30 miles, the first 4 miles were pretty level and the remaining 4.30 were downhill all the way back to the Nolichucky River.Grove covered 8.30 miles today.
Date: 2009-05-07
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Hello everyone, I'm writing today from the lobby of the Holiday Inn Express while we await our ride to Indian Grave Gap. I'm not sure if many of you have heard, but I developed shin splints in my left shin as of two days ago. Because of this I had to shave my left leg today, well at least from the knee down. I needed to shave my leg so that I can properly tape my shin splints. Without the hair on my leg it will not be nearly as painful when removing the tape. We have spent the last two nights in the hotel staying dry from the wild weather we have been experiencing since leaving hot springs. Looking on from today we are expecting another 5 to 7 days of rain, pretty much the whole way from here to Damascus. Yesterday we hiked 8.2 miles southbound as a slackpack from Indian Grave road back down to the river, and today we are headed back northbound out of town to Cherry Gap Shelter, which will most likely be full so we will probably end up tenting. Since I now have shin splints I have been instructed by Miss Janet, (the best trail angel ever) and Phoenix Rising, who is well versed in the nature of shin splints that I need to walk at a slower pace for at least the next week. If I keep my pace down it is less likely to severly injure my shins. Shin Splints are also an injury which will not go away until around a year after I stop the major physical activity which I am encountering daily, which means I will be dealing with this ailment from here until Maine. I have been instructed on the proper way to stretch, tape, and shave so from here on out with it, I'm on my own. I'm going to do my best to send out some pictures asap. Hope all is well with everyone, sorry for any gramatical mistakes, I don't have much time. Thanks for all the encouragement and support from home, best of luck Mike, we are all thinking about you and sending positive vibes your way. Groove
Date: 2009-05-08
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I spoke to Groove today. They got back on the trail on Thursday. They started out from Indian Grave Gap and did the the 8-1/2 miles to Cherry Gap Shelter. I heard no complaints about his trail aches so I guess all is OK. On Friday they left Cherry gap and in the first 1-1/2 miles made the climb over Little Bald Knob 4460'. The next 7 miles covered many ups and downs ranging from 3800' to 4400' at Clyde Smith Shelter. From there they went up over Little Rock Knob 4920' then down into Hughes Gap 4040' then a very steep 1-1/2 mile climb to the peak of Beartown Mountain 5480'. But the day wasn't done, after a slight dip into Ash Gap 5350' they had another 1-1/2 mile climb to the Roan High Knob shelter at 6285' where they made camp. This shelter is the highest elevation of all shelters along the Appalachian Trail and is only 3 feet less then the top of Mt Washington in New Hampshire.Groove hiked 14.30 miles today.
Date: 2009-05-09
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: light rain

I got a call from Groove and he was in great spirits. They had planned a short day today to rest the legs and would follow with a much longer jaunt tomorrow. Well maybe he knew something which he did not let on, but his short day happened to coincide with Trail Angels and Trail Magic being available very close to his planned stop. In his call he said that the skys had cleared and they were on a bald and the trail angels were serving grilled cheese sandwiches, bowls of chili and plenty of beer. In fact the angels said that the hikers of 2008 had issued a challenge to the 2009 hikers to drink more beer then they had. The number to beat was 150 cans of beer. Well we all know that Groove is a team player and he made sure to drink his share for the team. He was quite happy when I spoke to him and I understand that they did surpass the challenge.Groove hiked 6-1/2 miles today.
Date: 2009-05-10
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I got a call from Groove today and he is doing fine. He had no major problems following his day of trail magic.They left the Overmountain Shelter 4682' and had a mile descent to a spring at 4250' a half mile climb followed to the top of Little Hump Mountain 5459'. From there it was downhill again into Bradley Gap 4960' and back up and over Hump Mountain 5587'. The next 5-1/2 miles were all downhill all the way to US19E Highway 2880'. They crossed the road and had a slight climb to Buck Mountain Road 3400'. The elevation over the next 5-1/2 miles was fairly level and it was easy hiking as they passed streams and went through hollows all the way to Mountaineer Shelter where they made camp.Groove hiked 18.00 miles today.
Date: 2009-05-11
From: Mountaineer Shelter

To: Laurel Fork Lodge
Miles today: 15.6

I spoke to groove again and in spite of the rain he had another great day on the trail.They left the Mountaineer Shelter in the morning and had an easy 6 miles over fairly level elevations to Hardcore Cascade 3500'. The next 4-1/2 miles covered a slight incline topping off at White Rocks Mountain 4206'. They stayed at the 4000' elevation for the next 3 miles ending at Coon Den Falls. From there they began a steep 1.70 mile descent down to Dennis Cove and USFS Road 50 at 2500'. They walked a half mile down the road to the Laurel Fork Lodge where Groove shared a cabin with Phoenix Rising, New York Shiv, and Jeramie.Groove hiked 15.60 miles today.
Date: 2009-05-12
From: Laurel Fork Lodge

To: Stealth Campsite beyond Vandeventer shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: few clouds

I spoke to Groove today;He had another great day on the trail. He is hiking with N.Y. Shiv and Jeramie. They left The Laurel Fork Cabins 2500' and hiked down to Pine Tree Spring 1900'. They then had a 3 mile climb to the top of Pond Flats 3700', this climb is considered one of the toughest on the A.T. in Tennessee. The 3 mile climb was followed by a 3 mile descent to US321 at 1980'. Upon reaching US321 they decided to hitch into Hampton TN for lunch. It was while having lunch at the Ice House Saloon that they decided to finish their day with a night hike. They hitched a ride back to the trail from the owner of the saloon and relaxed by Watauga Lake, soaking their feet in the cold mountain Water.As the sun began to set, they put on their headlamps and started hiking again. Their pace was slower as they had to watch every step to insure their safety. The trail is an eerie place at night the dark is darker than you can imagine and the sounds are magnified 10 times over. They covered 10 miles in the darkness before deciding to camp. Overall it was a unique experience.Groove hike 20 miles today.
Date: 2009-05-17
From: Stealth Campsite beyond Vandeventer shelter

To: Damascus VA
Miles today: 30.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I spoke to Groove today and he is alive and well and having a great time. He had planned to update the journal while in Damascus but could not get near a computer during the Trail Days celebration.The last time we heard from Groove, he had just completed his first night hike and was stealth camping some 30+ miles from Damascus VA. While from what I gather they slept late on Wednesday morning and got started about mid-day on their hike. They had a few climbs along the way, but for the most part it was not an extremely difficult hike. So they kept going and going and as day turned into night they proceeded on all they way to Damascus VA. They covered 30+ miles and arrived in Damascus some time after 1:AM.Trail Days, a hiker festival, started on Friday and continued through the weekend so there was no hiking on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We all know how much Groove loves festivals and from what he told me he had a great time and will return to this event in future years. Groove will start hiking again on Monday. He has completed three states and Virginia with 553 miles is his next quest.
Date: 2009-05-22
From: Damascus VA

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 75.3
Weather: clear sky

At last a call from Groove on Friday. He says there has been no cell phone reception anywhere to date on the trail in Virginia. He called using a phone card from an Inn in Atkins VA. Since we last spoke to him, he has covered about 75 miles. I do not have a lot of details but he did say that he is feeling great. The weather has been good but it is getting very hot. Because of the heat they have been taking a break from about noon to 2:pm to get out of the sun. He says that Virginia is not flat as a lot of guide books say, but has rolling hills. The climbs are 300 to 600 feet as opposed to the 1000 to 2000 foot climbs of NC & Tennessee. He says that he got to play with the wild ponies in the Grayson Highlands and that it was amazing. He is hiking with Macaroni and New York Shiv. He will call again as soon as he can get a cell phone signal or goes into town. Groove has hiked 75.30 miles in the past 5 days.
Date: 2009-05-26
From: Atkins, VA

To: Bland VA
Miles today: 44.7
Weather: light rain

I got a call from Groove this evening, he is sorry for the lack of updates but the phones just won't go through. He has plenty of pictures which he will upload as soon as he can get to the internet but for now all we have is a quick recap of the past few days. Since we last heard from Groove, he has covered about 45 miles. The first 20 or so miles were more of the rolling hill he had spoken of in his last update. But just when they thought Virginia was easy they came up against a 2200' climb that covered 3 miles and brought them to the top of Chestnut Knob at 4410'. When they got to the top of the knob the rains came. They hiked the next 8 miles very carefully along a very rocky ridgeline, it was narrow to start with and the rain made it slippery. It was the most difficult stretch since leaving the Smoky Mountains. The last mile of the day was a steep downhill into Jenkins Shelter where they made camp. Tuesday morning they broke camp and about 5 miles into their hike, at Laurel Creek, they came across trail angels from an Appalachian Trail Outreach Group from Arkansas. This group comes down from Arkansas to Virginia once a year and spends a week feeding hungry hikers breakfast at a local church. There really are some amazing people out there doing good things. And they really are angels. After they fed us and packed us up with food they returned us to the trail head to continue our hike. With full bellies our pace was a little slower but we continued on and covered another 7 miles which brought us to Bland VA and the Big Walker Motel where we will spend the night. Thanks for all the well wishes from everyone and sorry for the delay in updates.Groove hiked 44.70 since our last update and a total of 583 miles so far.
Date: 2009-06-02
From: Bland VA

To: Stealth Camping by VA621
Miles today: 94.4

I got a quick update from Groove today.He is doing fine, shins are ok, feet are getting sore, but what do you expect when you have walked almost 700 miles. I don't have a lot to share because the phone connections are poor but since we last heard from Groove he has covered almost 95 miles. He says to tell anyone who thinks Virginia is easy that they are crazy. He says there have been coutless climbs of 1500 feet or more on narrow rocky ridgelines with drops offs of 500+ feet. So the hiking is slow and careful. He will try to get in touch with us this weekend to fill us in on everything.Groove has hike 94.40 miles in the last week and is about 20 miles outside of Catawba VA.
Date: 2009-06-03
From: Stealth Camping by VA621

To: Catabaw Va
Miles today: 21.4

Update from Groove.Groove hiked about 21 miles today from VA621 to Catawba VA. where he will spend the night. He said the highlight was the climb up to Dragon's Tooth about 3000+ feet a well known lookout which is part of Cove Mountain. The climb up to Dragon's Tooth was up a narrow rocky ridge with many rock scrambles, but once there the views were amazing.Groove hiked 21.40 today.
Date: 2009-06-05
From: Catawba

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: mist

Howdy folks, I know it's been awhile but the opportunities of getting online and making phone calls home has simply gotten more difficult since entering Virginia. The weather has also been a challenge, I have witnessed more lightening in the past two weeks than what I have seen in my whole life, and supposedly I slept through the largest storm we encountered. The past few weeks have been amazing even with the wild weather. We have finally entered the farm walking portion of virginia, the past week or two it seems that we hike up to a ridgeline, walk that ridgeline for 5 to 7 miles and then drop down into rolling fields full of cow patties. Then back through the farm after crossing a road and up to another ridgeline. The climbs in the past week have gone from smaller 3 to 4 hundred foot climbs to 15 hundred foot climbs and they have been difficult. If anyone ever tells you that Virginia is flat, they are lying. The amazing thing about walking along the ridgelines is that if you slip and fall you will most likely be dead, seeing that on either side of you there is around a 500 foot drop off. The only time I ever really worry about falling is in the rain, when the rocks get extremely slippery. Other than when on a ridgeline walking in the rain is really not that bad, with the weather exceeding 80 degree's everyday the last week at times it was a blessing, but when it's non-stop for days it can get annoying. I really can't complain about anything though, this trip has opened my eye's to a whole new world of amazing people and I feel blessed to have this opportunity. Right now I'm sitting in Daleville, VA and it's sunny outside and I'm about to head off on a ten to fifteen mile hike with Macaroni. We have been swimming already this morning in the pool, got a late checkout and are getting ready to head out into the green tunnel. Tonight we will most likely find a stealth camping spot, build a fire ring, and watch cowboy tv while laughing about anything and everything. Life on the AT is amazing. I hope everyone else is doing well, I miss you all. Dad, thanks for the updates when I can't get to a computer. Kris and Mike I hope your having fun at Phish right now with my tickets, stay smiling, it will be okay.
Date: 2009-07-12
From: Cheshire, MA

To: View Entry
Miles today: 283.6

Well folks it has been awhile since I have looked at this website and I really do not have a good excuse for it. I apoligize to everyone who has been following my trek, as of now the adventure will continue. The last 2 months have been a blur of Virginia, alot of Virginia, some of Massachusetts and parts of West Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The sad thing is that I was in most of those states in a car, not because I walked there. At this point in the summer I have had an amazing few months, the problem is I have been having too much fun, and not hiking enough. I have really been stressing the Appalatian Adventure to its boundries. Seven of us made the trek from Waynesboro to Luray in a canoe, with only one serious injury, a broken ankle. (Patches I miss you girl and wish you the absolute best. ) Four of us spent a week in Washington DC checking out the nations capital, and getting looked at very funny for having beards. I came home to celebrate my good friend Scotts college graduation (ha, tommy boy) and sat on the beach for a few days. And i recently returned home once again to alter my strategy for the rest of this hike. I am purposely separating myself from the group whom I was hiking with to be more on my own. Over the next twelve days I will attempt to hike 220 miles from the top of Massachusettes south to the New York - New Jersey border after which I will return home again and then I will head up to Maine. Starting from Katahdin I will attempt to make it to where I start today in Mass. in just over a months time. After I do that I will return to the New York New Jersey border and walk south back to Harpers Ferry West Virginia. I will be in touch with my dad as often as possible to have him update the site to keep everyone informed. Chances of me being on a computer are very slim though because I will no longer be staying in hotels. I will only be sleeping in the woods for the duration of this trip, well maybe one or two hostels but thats about it. Take it easy , take it slow.
Date: 2009-07-14
From: Cheshire, Ma

To: Upper Goose Pond Cabin
Miles today: 29.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Groove is back on the trail again.We drooped Groove off on Sunday at 6:oo P.M. in Cheshire MA., a small town just the other side of Dalton MA and about 7 miles befor MT Greylock. His plan is to hike southbond for the next few weeks to the NY / NJ border.He called today and is feeling good, saying that it is great to be back hiking again. He has passed through the towns of Dalton, Becket, and Lee MA. and has crossed the Mass Pike. He will spend the night at Upper Goose Pond Cabin a shelter run by volunteers (former AT hikers)that is located by a lake. He has about 42 miles remaining to the Connecticut border.Groove has covered 29.40 miles in the past two days.
Date: 2009-02-25
To: Welcome to my trail journal!
Miles today: 0.0

Greetings everyone!Thanks for stopping by to read about my upcoming thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.I leave on March 10th (or thereabouts) for Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia, where I'll hike the 8 mile approach trail to Springer Mt. and the start of the Appalachian Trail. From there, it's 2173 miles to Katahdin in Baxter State Park in Maine.So...why am I doing this? Beats me. I think anyone who's ever spent time on trails in this part of the country has thought at least once about it--maybe it's in our DNA. Maybe because it's there. I've been interested in thru-hiking since high school, but never thought I had the time or the opportunity to do so. But after meeting Wrongway and Peanut in Harper's Ferry this past year on their thru-hike, I figured I had to make time. So if you'd like to keep track of my progress, what I've seen and experienced, please come on back and say hi. I'll be checking my e-mail and updating this site every few days as I cross through towns. Feel free to sign the guestbook. I'd love to hear from you. See you on the trail!Yaron/halfstepmiller.yaron@gmail.com "A bad day on the trail is better than any day at work."
Date: 2009-02-27
To: My gear
Miles today: 0.0

A few folks have asked what I'll be carrying on my trip.Below is a list of my gear and weight in ounces. The gear below is my cold weather gear---as I move past Damascus into VA I expect to shed some of my extra layers and ship them ahead to New Hampshire, or at least in a bounce box further up the trail.I've spend months researching and narrowing my gear choices down, trying things on a few dozen times in all sorts of weather, loading my pack and walking around the neighborhood, and ditching things I find myself not using on overnight shakedown hikes. And I expect to shed a few more items before I start and during the first week.Equipment.....OuncesPack:        ULA Circuit.....36        Shelter and Sleep:        Tarp Tent Contrail w/ tyvek ground cloth....30Western Mountaineering Versalite sleeping bag w/ stuff sack....34Thermarest Pro Lite 3 (3/4 pad)....13        Kitchen:         MSR Pocket Rocket stove.....38 oz. fuel canister.....8MSR Titan Kettle.....4Pot Coozy.....0.5fork and knife.....1lighter        2 Nalgene bottles.....82L platypus water tank....2        Misc:        Leki Super Makalu trekking poles....24first aid kit....6AquaMira drops.....4petzl headlamp.....2.75duct tape        camera & charger.....10campsuds......3hand sanitizer....3Eyewear (contact solution, extra lenses, case, glasses)...13Book---(tinker, tailor, soldier, spy by john lecarre)....7paper/pen        Credit card/ID/phone card        Compass        Toothbrush/floss/paste....42 bandannas.....23 stuff sacks....5Earplugs        50 nylon cord....2.75maps.....5Appalachian Pages guidebook.....8small plastic bottles for olive oil, rubbing alcoholCompactor trash bags        toliet paper.....3Fishing line and hook....1        Clothing Packed:        Montbell Alpine Parka.....14.2Smartwool balaclava.....2crocs.....102 pair Smartwool socks.....6.52 pair liners.....4OR gloves.....2.7Patagonia Rain shell....14REI Sahara Convertible pants....19Patagonia midweight top.....7Capilene long sleeve shirt......5        Clothing Worn:        Vasque Kota light boots        1 pair Smart Wool socks and liners.....3Orioles hat....3Patagonia midweight bottom....7Capilene long sleeve shirt.....5Liner shorts.....4.4TOTAL WEIGHT BEFORE FOOD AND WATER: 348 oz or 21.8 lbs.With food and water, I hope to never carry more than 30 lbs on my heaviest days."There is nothing that you carry on your pack that is "virtually weightless" or "weighs next to nothing"...It all adds up." -Kerosene, WhiteBlaze.net
Date: 2009-03-04
To: Slight change in plans
Miles today: 0.0

Howdy folks,Not too much to report on the preparation front---I'm still debating which pack I want to take, my new ULA Circuit or my 7 year old Osprey Aether 60. The Aether 60 is a bit heavier (12-16 oz), but so far I think it carries the weight and fits my body a bit better. Then again, it's had 7 years to shape to my body. Now that I'm finished with work I'll have some time this week and weekend to load up my pack with gear and take some long walks to see how everything feels a few final times. And I know this sounds absolutely thrilling but I've finally had a chance to seam seal my tarp tent. Yeah...I know..you all are really jealous.In other news, I'm pushing back the start of my hike from 3/10 to 3/17. Some good friends rented a primitive cabin in Massachusetts near Mt. Greylock (on the AT) and we're going to visit another friend who recently moved up there for a few days.