morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2021-06-09
From: Woods Hole Hostel 

To: AngelÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Rest Hiker Hostel 
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

June 9 - Woods Hole Hostel to Angel¢s Rest Hiker Haven, Pearisburg, VA - 11.5 miles (528.9 trip miles) - 34612 steps The Woods Hole Hostel was a good place. Clean, comfortable and friendly people. I got plenty to eat while there and slept reasonably well. I was up before 6, quietly got my things down from the loft, ate some oatmeal and hit the trail with Boston Bill by 7. It was to be a short day into Pearisburg. The hike started by walking uphill from the hostel back to the trail. Then it was uphill for about 2 miles. The elevation profile looked steep but it was a very gradual up. I was concerned that my back would have issues right away. I had taken some vitamin I last night then more this morning. My hope was that if I can keep the pain away on the climb I may be able to get through the day and it can heal a bit. A few times I thought it might start hurting so I took short pack off breaks. That seemed to help. Before I knew it we reached the top. No views as we were in the green tunnel. From there it was small rolling up and downs for about 4 miles. Again, I was conscious about relaxing my back and taking my pack off. Next was a 2 mile climb that was gradual. Again, I felt my back wanting to hurt but was able to hold it off. At this summit, Pearis Ledges, there were rock outcroppings overlooking the valley near Pearisburg. It was nice to have a view after the climbs. Finally, it was 3.5 miles down to the road that the hostel would pick us up from. The initial descent was very steep but eventually eased, although still steep. The tread was very slick from the previous night¢s rain and high humidity. I almost went down a few times and once turned me knee at a bad angle. Luckily no damage. My hiking poles to the rescue again. This hostel is a lot simpler than yesterday. Bunk room, bathrooms with shower, laundry. All I need. Dinner at the Mexican place was good as was a Blizzard at DQ. We got some freeze dried dinners from a mercantile. I got snacks at the Food Lion. I did not resupply yet. Why? I am going to slack pack 20.7 miles tomorrow. My goal is to not have 25 pounds on my back and give my back another day to recover. I will carry a $2 Walmart book bag pack with some snacks, 1 bottle of water, Tp, water filter, rain coat and wallet. Maybe 5 pounds. I, and a few others, will get a ride to a road crossing down the trail. I should be able to fly. Also, I will be going southbound (SOBO) which means I will avoid the big 6 mile climb out of town. Based on how I feel I will determine if I¢m going forward. I think I will be ok. Then the next day I will get a ride to the road crossing where I start tomorrow and head NOBO. Also, I will meet up with BB and Goob that night at the shelter. Goob seems to have improved his feet situation. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-06-11
From: AngelÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Rest Hiker Haven

To: War Spur Shelter 
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: moderate rain

June 11 - Angel¢s Rest Hiker Haven, Peter¢s Mountain Trailhead to War Spur Shelter - 12.4 miles (561.3 trip miles) - 31327 steps Sort of a strange day and we did not make our goals. I was up early and got packed up quickly to ensure I was ready fo the 7am shuttle to Peter¢s Mountain Trailhead. I sucked down 2 oatmeal packets and away we went. Goob and Boston Bill stayed at the shelter just .4 miles south of where I was starting so they were just a short distance ahead of me. The trail meanders for the first 2 miles along or near a stream. It crosses over a nice bridge, a road, then begins the climb. It was quite steep at first and then mellowed some. I got to the last water source for many miles, went down the steep path and filled up. Goob and BB were at the water also topping off. We then hiked together for most of the day. Once at the top of the climb things got fairly level but very rocky. This was challenging walking and you had to have all your concentration on the next step. Additionally, it was wet from last night¢s rain. After 2 miles the rocks eased and we made better time. Across the ridge there was only 1 spot with a view, Wind Rock. It looked NE and was a huge forested area with only 1 visible building. Odd to see so little civilization in such a wide scene. Just before the downhill BB was complaining about his right side being numb. I guess he felt like this for a few days. He previously told me he had a mild stroke in the past. I was concerned he may be having some stroke-like issue. I pushed him hard to take some aspirin just in case. He seems ok, but is understandably concerned and is considering getting off trail. Goob had gone ahead, not knowing what was going on. BB and I got to the first shelter about 315 where Goob was waiting. Too early to stop normally but with how BB felt, rain coming in and the guide showing a monster climb soon, we decided to stay where we were. The shelter is nice and water is close. BB seems to feel better and the rain did come, but light. We¢ll see about the killer climb tomorrow. I ate a freeze dried Pad Thai meal that was good and was about 1000 calories. Tomorrow we hope to get up early to do the climb when it is cool. BB is looking to get to a road to try and get a ride to get evaluated. There is a gravel road before the climb and a rural major road in 8 miles but he¢ll have to do the climb. Goob and I plan to go 18 to a shelter. This will allow us to begin the Virginia Triple Crown on Sunday with Dragon¢s Tooth. It is a popular outcrop shaped like a ...... Then on Monday we can hit McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs. Both of these are crowded on weekends and the weather is questionable. Monday is forecasted to be better and less tourists. My back was ok today, not great. I think the rocks caused a lot of torque and stress. It never got painful, just uncomfortable. I¢ll keep taking vitamin I and hope for the best. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-06-12
From: War Spur Shelter 

To: Niday Shelter 
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: overcast clouds

June 12 - War Spur Shelter to Niday Shelter - 18.4 miles (579.7 trip miles) - 45941 steps There was something to see today other than woods. We¢ve been in the forest for most of the past week. It¢s in the woods but it¢s nice to get some variety. There was a train wreck at the shelter last night. Not literally. A hiker came in, smoked way too much pot, spread out stuff in the shelter including an open food bag, then disappeared. We were in sleeping bags ready to sleep and never noticed the food. It could have been ugly but luckily no bears came around. Goob, Boston Bill and I left at 643; nice and early. We had a long day planned. BB was not any better and decided to bail out. It was the right decision. But he had to get to a road with traffic. After a short down we came to the first dirt road. BB never would have gotten a ride here. He decided to join us for the big climb. It was tough but not the climb of death a commenter posted in the guide. The last 500 feet of elevation was very steep at about 1000 ft/mile. That might be the steepest climb yet. We traversed the ridge for a while then Goob and I went out to Kelly Knob, a rock outcrop. No views but we did have phone service. BB continued down to the shelter. We got to the shelter just as he was leaving to get to a road. Goob and I snacked at the shelter then moved on. After a short while we came out to a huge pasture. The first time in about a week. Great views all around. We got to the main road and other hikers said BB did indeed get a hitch. It was fun hiking with him the past couple of weeks. After the road we had another climb up to the Keffer Oak, the largest oak on the southern AT. It was large at over 18 feet circumference. It was indeed large but is showing wear and tear of its 300+ years. Another long climb got us back on the ridge. A mile on we came to a series of rock cairns. There doesn¢t seem to be a consensus on what, when or why they are there. Farmers moving rocks, storage for apples long ago, hikers having fun.....A few more miles led to some nice views to the SE. then I got to the ledges. This was a long series of rock slabs angled about 45 degrees down. The views were great but the hiking precarious. One wrong move could be trouble. Obviously I made it. It was fun but tiring. Next was a sign indicating the Eastern Continental Divide. Why there? We¢ve been on the divide a long time. I peed on the Atlantic side. A few more miles down and I made it to the shelter at 5. Goob came in a bit later. Another freeze dried meal of chicken with risotto. It was good. I am staying in the shelter again. I wasn¢t sure about the weather but the humidity dropped and skies cleared and the weather looks good going forward. Tomorrow Goob and I should hit 2 key sites. The first is the Audie Murphy Monument. If you don¢t know who that is, please look him up. A very brave American. The second site is Dragon¢s Tooth. Some big climbs again. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-06-15
From: Lamberts Meadow Shelter 

To: Daleville 
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: light rain

June 15 - Lamberts Meadow Shelter to Daleville Super 8 Hotel - 9.4 miles (622.2 trip miles) - 25600 steps A quiet night in the shelter. Up before 6 as usual. It was nice and dry this morning. Even the tall blades of grass were dry. There was a light breeze all night which must have kept the dew down. Packed up this morning and Goob and I were on trail at 640. Getting out of the shelter was fast because we don¢t have to deal with a tent. The NERO into Daleville was on great terrain with a few rock outcrops for views. We went under power lines numerous times. There were no big ups or downs today. We arrived at the very busy road at about 11. The Super 8 was across the street and over 100 yards. Very convenient. They had our 2 rooms ready. This is a very nice motel with a hiker price. We went to eat lunch at Three Li¢l Pigs BBQ and it was excellent. The sweet tea reminded me I am in the south; it was sweet. After 9 miles of thought today I have decided to stop my hike here. My initial arbitrary goal was to get to Harpers Ferry. I also wanted to hike the Shenendoahs. However, I have seen so many great sights and met tons of great folks, I want to end on a high note. The last few days were that. I believe stopping here is that note. The guide does not indicate much to see over the next 130 miles to get to Shenendoah and it is going to be hot. I think picking up here next year and going to Harpers would make a great 3 or 4 week section. My aches and pains are minor and go away without the pack and shoes. I don¢t want to make them worse if I can help it. I had a great time hiking with Goob and Boston Bill for the past few weeks. I have had remarkably good weather for 6 weeks. All in all it¢s been great and I am glad I was able to get out here. Thanks to my wife, Krispy, for indulging my desire to get away for a while. Finally, as mentioned in previous entries, the trail, shelters, facilities and people associated with the AT have been incredible. The tread is always excellent (really, no matter how much I complain about rocks). With the bubble of thru hikers just ahead, I expected to see more TP near the trail and candy wrappers on the ground. There was almost none. I may have picked up 8-10 pieces of wrappers over 600 miles. The shelters were all clean. The privies were in good shape even after all the thru hiker use. The people in towns, hostels, and restaurants were friendly and very accommodating to hikers. Thanks to everyone that provided trail magic. It always gives you a little boost up the next hill. I saw bears, snakes, deer and many other animals, except Bigfoot. No cicadas that I could hear. Good luck to Goob on his continued adventures. Be sure to check out his YouTube channel, Goob¢s Adventures. And subscribe to his channel. Look for the good looking co-star lurking in the background. Hopefully BB is doing better and can get back on trail. Until next time.
Date: 2021-10-02
From: Daleville 

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

October 2 - Daleville, VA to Wilson Creek Shelter - 11.2 miles (11.2 trip miles) - 28456 steps It¢s time to hike again. Everything from the hike earlier this year has healed up. Our house is being remodeled and we need to be out for at least 3 weeks. Why not pick up from where I left off in June. So it was up early, fly from FL to Roanoke, get an Uber, and start walking. Other than the heat, the trail was great today. Gentle grades, few rocks and almost no roots. I was in the woods all day with no views but it felt good to be back. Water was sparse all day. I expected to pass lots of SOBO thru hikers but only saw 4. Just before the shelter a couple small streams were flowing. I needed that as the sweat flowed freely all day. It was hot and humid for October. I arrived at the shelter at about 5. Not bad for starting at 1130. There is 1 SOBO thru hiker and a couple of ladies walking the trail in VA in sections. At dinner at the picnic table I was offered trail magic next week. One of the ladies lives near the trail where you can get to Devil¢s Backbone brewery. She offered to shuttle me there when I reach that road. The brewery has beer, obviously, but also good food and they let you tent on their property. Tomorrow¢s plan is to go 17 miles to a campground near the trail. They have food and will pick up hikers. The elevation profile ¢looks easy¢ but it often lies. I hope the smooth tread continues as well.Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-05
From: Thunder Hill Shelter 

To: StanimalÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Hostel in Glasgow, VA
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

October 5 - Thunder Hill Shelter to Stanimal¢s Hostel in Glasgow, VA - 14.8 miles (55.3 trip miles) - 34651 stepsA good day today. The rain stopped by 8 last night, but the acorns continued to hit the shelter roof. I got used to it pretty quick. The shelter dwellers started stirring at about 6am. Once 1 person gets up, everyone gets up. I packed up, ate a couple of oatmeal packets and was on my way. Today was 80% downhill. Most of the tread was good with only a few rocky areas. A lot of flat spots were a pea gravel that is great to hike on. It was overcast or foggy all day so no views, not that there would have been many anyways  There were 2 climbs that were fairly steep but not too long. After about 10 miles it was all down to the James River. This is a very large river. There is a footbridge across it which is longest foot only bridge on the AT. When I got across the shuttle driver was waiting, but not for me. I had passed the hiker he was waiting for and knew she would be a while. So he took me to the hostel. Stanimal¢s Hostel is basically a house converted to a hostel. It¢s clean, has everything a hiker needs, and the guys running it are very nice. I got a shower, did laundry, organized my food drop and went out for dinner (at the only restaurant in town). In 5 days I will likely stay at Stanimal¢s in Waynesboro. Tomorrow is again mostly uphill. There is a 9 mile section with no water. I will have to top off my bottles and fill my scoop bag. This will be a heavy carry with both full water and full food. And uphill. That¢s ok. It is what it is. I¢ll just have to eat a lot tomorrow to lighten the load. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-06
From: StanimalÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Hostel in Glasgow, VA

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter 
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: overcast clouds

October 6 - Stanimal¢s Hostel in Glasgow, VA to Brown Mountain Creek Shelter - 20.1 miles (75.4 trip miles) - 46310 steps It¢s nice when the plan I put together a month ago fails up. But more on that later. I didn¢t sleep well at the hostel. I think the Mt. Dew I had with dinner may have contributed to that. I know not to have caffeine too late but did not heed my own advice. After getting back from the (only) restaurant, Charlie, the caretaker of the hostel made peach cobbler with ice cream. Then in the morning he makes pancakes. Both he and his helper, Longwalker, do a good job. I particularly like that they keep the house real clean. 3 of us were on the 7am shuttle back to the James River trailhead and I was walking before 720. Right off the bat the trail was . . .Care to guess? . . . Wrong. It was flat for the first mile. You guessed up I¢ll bet. Then, it was up and up and up. Overall the climb was 2700 feet spread over 3 peaks. Of course you have to drop between the peaks meaning more climbing. The first peak was by far the longest climb. Then after a short drop it was up the 2nd peak which was by far the steepest. Then a few miles of relatively flat terrain lead to the 3rd climb which was somewhat in between. No views at all today as I was in the clouds all morning or thick woods in the afternoon. The moisture was collecting on the leaves and drenching me with each slight bit of wind. At the summit I drank the Gatorade I lugged with me. From here it was a short down to the Punchbowl Shelter where I ate lunch and was able to talk to the contractor doing our home remodel. The Punchbowl was my original planned destination for today. I was not sure what time the shuttle back to the trail would be or how tough the climb would be. Both were in my favor. At 1245 I moved on ignoring my plan. There was another camp area in 5 more miles. When I got there it was only 3 and the site didn¢t look so hot. The guide showed the next shelter in 5 miles and gentle terrain. So off I went. The last 2 miles dragged on but I made it at 5. Pretty good time for 20 miles. I had a freeze dried spicy chicken curry for dinner. 2 other hikers are here for the night. I suspect some SOBO thrus may show up in the dark. I passed only 4 thrus today and 2 more stopped in to eat here at the shelter. Everyone I talk to says there is a big group of SOBOs coming. We¢ll see. Tomorrow¢s plan has 2 options. The day starts with a 2700 foot climb straight up. From there it is (relatively) small ups and downs for 18 miles. There is a shelter at 15.8 and another at 22.4. I know I can do more than the first shelter. But, the second may be too far. We¢ll see. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-07
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter 

To: Seeley-Woolworth Shelter 
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

October 7 - Brown Mountain Creek Shelter to Seeley-Woodworth Shelter - 15.8 miles (91.2 trip miles) - 35816 steps Prior to sleep last night I noticed it was incredibly dark out. Maybe the low clouds and new moon. It rained hard for a bit last night. I was actually sleeping well and it woke me. That¢s ok, we need the rain. The springs and creeks have been better the past 2 days. Unlike yesterday, today really did start . . . Up. 2700 feet. It was tough but I thought easier than yesterday. Today was continuous up. I think mentally you just get it done vs. yesterday where there were downs and flats between peaks. Or maybe just personal preference. Again, the clouds sat on me, soaking the leaves and dripping. I made the peak quickly. I left the shelter at 815 and was at the summit before 11. I have now completed 3 of the 4 big climbs on this hike. Now, a sidebar on mountain names. The long climb today was up Bald Mountain. Picture a large open field at the top, some grasses, maybe a few scattered small trees. No! This Bald Mountain is a viewless tree covered summit. In the clouds I would not have even known it was the summit without my guide. Now, just 2 miles further I go up Cole Mountain. Probably going to be just a high point covered in trees and rocks. No! This is a bald summit with grasses and views (limited due to low clouds). What gives?  Maybe a little southern moonshine involved with the namers?The rest of the day was along rolling ridges and typical forest. Nice walking for the most part. I came out at Salt Log Gap where a few forest service roads intersect. There was a guy there looking lost and confused because he couldn¢t figure out which road to take to get to the river he wanted to fly fish in. I got him steered in the right direction. I got to the shelter at 4. A bit early but there¢s no way I would have made it to the next shelter. There are camp sites but I suspect it will rain again tonight. I¢m the only one here now but I know of at least 1 hiker planning to stop here. Tomorrow should be fairly easy as it is rolling hills then a long down. I am trying to set myself up to get into the Devils Backbone Brewery on Saturday. It is supposed to rain a lot Saturday so I don¢t know if camping at the brewery is a good idea. I will try to go for lunch then get a ride back to the trail for a few miles. We¢ll see how it goes. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-09
From: Maupin Field Shelter 

To: StanimalÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs in Waynesboro, VA via Dripping Rock Parking Area
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: overcast clouds

October 9 - Maupin Field Shelter to Stanimal¢s Hostel in Waynesboro, VA - 6.5 miles (118.1 trip miles) - 18863 steps Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. No violence here but the plans got changed up. I was sleeping well last night when a group of hikers came in at about midnight. They weren¢t overly loud but they all had their headlamps on max and struggled with the bear pole. Once they got set up things quieted down. I thought it was a large group of SOBO thru hikers. While eating breakfast I saw it was a church group of 20 kids and adult leaders. I should have set up my tent further away. Also, it rained lightly a good part of the night. The constant dampness, mist, rain and sweat has given me quite a funky aroma. I badly need a shower and to do laundry. My plan was to go 1.8 miles to the road and get a ride to the Devil¢s Backbone brewery. I took my time packing up and left just about 9. It was an easy walk to the road. However, I was unable to get a ride the 5 miles to the brewery. I waited around for 30 minutes and decided to take that punch. I wandered around the parking area until I got enough cell signal and called Stanimal¢s Hostel in Waynesboro, VA. They had a bunk available so I arranged a pickup at 2 at a Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) pullout in 5.8 miles. I really wanted to try that brewery but I don¢t know if I could have enjoyed it with my stench. I certainly would have scared other customers. So on I hiked. This short section sucked. It was very rocky. And the rocks are very slippery whet wet and covered with moss. It wasn¢t steep, just real slow going. I arrived at the crossing just before 1. My ride showed up at about 150 and got me to the hostel. I got cleaned up, laundry done, and went to an excellent Mexican place. It was a combination restaurant, pool hall and Latin supermarket. But very good food. Tomorrow I am going to shuttle back to where I stopped today and slack pack forward. Slack pack is where you borrow a small day pack and only carry a few essentials. This allows you to move quickly (assuming minimal rocks) with less strain on the body. I need to go about 14.3 miles to Rockfish Gap, the southern entrance to Shenendoah National Park (SNP). Then I will stay at the hostel another night. Also, the forecast going forward is looking much better. I¢ll believe it when I see it. Until tomorrow.