morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-04-24
From: Indian Grave Cap

To: Camp site at Mile 365.0
Miles today: 17.0

Got on trail at 10:00 right after being passed by Moss, Bumblebee, and Dube. I didn¢t get water, so I had to go awhile with almost none. It was hot and sunny all day with almost no wind. The terrain was up and down, with a big climb up Unaka Mountain that wasn¢t terrible. I had lunch at the shelter after, then went on to the camp site. Bumblebee and Moss were headed there, but I decided to push on to Greasy Gap. I got there at 7:40, so I decided to walk down to the hostel for fuel and a drink. Who should I see there but Cheap Chardonnay (Murray), so I sat around until about 9:00. When I got back to the gap, I didn¢t want to wake any of the tenters, so I pushed on to here. Portrait was sitting on a log reading a Kindle by red light. I set up in the woods, then had an 11:00 PM dinner and talked to him. Very nice guy.Long one today, and my feet were really feeling it. With the walk to and from the hostel, this was actually my longest day.I¢m hoping to do 15 miles tomorrow, but it depends on my feet. I also will climb Roan Mountain, which is about 6,200 feet. I hear it¢s really nice up there.Oh, it was Easter today. Sunshine and Sweet Beard left these plastic eggs filled with chocolates along the trail in creative places. Very cool trail magic.
Date: 2011-04-25
From: Camp site at Mile 365.0

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: few clouds

Tough one today. I stopped for the first break at Hughes Gap, just before the climb up Roan. Moss and Bumblebee came by right after to wait for a shuttle to the B&B. There had been some clouds and thunder on the way there, but they blew over. Right as I was about to go, though, it started again. It rained really hard for about three minutes then completely cleared up, then clouded up on the way up.The climb is in two sections, a long one to Ash Gap and then one more push to the top. It looked like rain the whole way up, but never did more than spit a little. If I¢d just been going to Ash Gap, I¢d have been okay, but the second kick really killed me. The top went okay, but I was mostly excited that they had trash cans. On the way to Roan High Knob Shelter for lunch, I got caught by Trapper, who I saw up there. I went too long before lunch and was really beat. That shelter is the highest on the AT and is fairly old and miserable. I left there at about 5:00 and hit the Roan Highlands, which are incredible. It¢s a series of huge balds with amazing views. And wind. It was difficult to walk straight. On the way down, there¢s a mailbox with ¢Goat Info¢ written on the side of it. I grabbed a pamphlet ¢ something about adopting goats. On my last break, I was sure I was alone, so was stretching on the trail. I got surprised by a young girl who was headed to the same shelter. She introduced herself as Ruffles, which I¢d heard, but not met her. She was faster, but I saw her again with Trapper at the shelter right before here. I pushed on into dark into what I thought was going to be a whopper storm. There was so much fog at the end that it was hard to see the trail.Overmountain used to be a barn and is on this kind of narrow meadow over a valley. I stopped on the trail down for water and saw a giant orange salamander. Someone had a fire out in the open and asked who I was as I went by. Turns out it was Cotton, Natty, and Finn.I set up in these crazy hawthorn trees up the slope from there. I set a record for longest setup time partially because I moved my hammock with quilts to a new set of trees halfway through to be better set for the wind. I went back to the fire for dinner and would up talking hammocks with Finn for quite a while. I also checked his out on the way back up. He¢s got a cuben fiber tarp, which is something. One thing I¢d definitely do differently is make a tarp with four tie-outs per side so I could close the ends up. It¢s super windy now, but not raining. I probably shouldn¢t have set here on this slope, but I wanted to eat with those guys. Tomorrow is going to be a whopper. If I can do the 18 to Mountaineer Shelter, I can either go real short to Abby¢s Place or make it without too much trouble to Kincora on Wednesday. But it is supposed to rain off and on tomorrow, then bad Wednesday.
Date: 2011-04-26
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Just past Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

Another really tough one, but worth it. I can hit one of three shelters tomorrow to get ready for Erica. I¢m camped off trail, down in a little valley and set up for weather about as well as possible. Again, it looked like rain all day and nothing. It¢s even super still right now.Today started off back in the Highlands. Enough time has passed that I think they¢re amazing, but the wind was horrendous up there. It was actually difficult to walk in.It smoothed out after that and I made good time to the lunch shelter. As I was sitting there, two local guys came up with a case of beer and set up. The shelter was like a mile from the road. Evidently a lot of people are getting off there for a hostel to avoid the weather. The locals had a radio, and the forecast sounded brutal.After lunch, I was pretty worn out. I almost literally bumped into Ruffles climbing up from the road. She was stopped at a switchback and we were both looking at our feet. She offered to let me go first, which was funny. I was on fumes the rest of the day and got to the shelter just before dark. There were a ton of people around the fire and nowhere at all to camp. Ulee was there, which was a surprise. He was in Erwin with me. I¢ve been hammering since then and the last time I saw him, he was limping really badly. He must be feeling better.I said goodnight and pushed on for a whopping quarter mile to here. I actually had a good night. I had a leisurely dinner and listened to Ace on the House.Oh, last night sucked. If it had rained, I¢d have gotten soaked. The wind was all over. I know better than to set up at a place like that. I should have stuck to my plan and hung near the spring, which was well protected.
Date: 2011-04-27
From: Just past Mountaineer Shelter

To: Dennis Cove Road
Miles today: 15.0

Guess who got up at 7:30 this morning. It rained a little last night, but wasn¢t raining this morning, so I wanted to get on trail before it did.The trail today was very easy, but my feet are feeling this week. I did pass the 400 mile mark just before 10:00 today, which was exciting. I was only a couple miles from Abby¢s, so pushing for Kincora or the Braemar Castle hostel was a no brainer.I met a guy at the lunch shelter who hiked in ¢95. He started this year in February. We talked for quite a while, but I can¢t quite remember his name, maybe River Rat? Anyway, it was a nice time, worth running a little late.The skies were bleak, but there still wasn¢t any rain. I heard crazy storms were forecast and even tornadoes. I also heard Kincora was going to be full, so I planned on going there then trying to hitch to Hampton if so. You can walk there from the trail, but I didn¢t want to get in super late. I hit the road to Kincora about 6:30 to thunder, but still nothing. I walked to the hostel and met Muffin Man out front. Not only no room at the inn, but no shuttles because the owner was asleep, no phone, and the other hostel is shut down. I had no cellphone service, and Erica didn¢t know exactly where I was staying, so I walked back down to the trail (0.3 miles) to try to find a signal. I couldn¢t get a thing, but I found a good spot to camp right near the road and a big stream. There had been nowhere good to hang my hammock at the hostel. So, I walked back to the hostel to see if anyone had service. Luckily, a girl did and let me use her phone so I could let Erica know where I was. I saw Zig Zag up there and she was impressed that I¢d gotten this far after Tom. I also saw Ruffles, who said a shower and laundry shouldn¢t be a problem in the morning. That¢s assuming I live through the night. On top of destructive winds, lightning, and tornadoes, they¢re calling for hail an inch in diameter or bigger. I¢m set up in kind of a public camp ground right by the trail head. There¢s nothing big over me, and I have multiple huge rocks on my stakes. I¢m decently protected from the wind and my trees are spaced just right, so I¢m set about as well as possible. Still, it¢s nerve-wracking. The radio is talking about tornado warnings everywhere. There¢s constant lightning from the east (as the trail runs), but it doesn¢t seem too close. There¢s been some rain and pretty big wind, but both only sporadically. It¢s 11:00 now, and the tornado warnings just got extended until midnight. I¢ll be relieved when that threat is gone. I¢ve got my rain gear right next to me ready to throw on in case I have to make a run for the hostel porch. And I told those guys where I was set up. It¢s a good night not to have to hike tomorrow. I probably won¢t get much sleep. The radio just played Thunderstruck followed by Riders on the Storm.
Date: 2011-05-01
From: Dennis Cove Road

To: Pond Flats, TN
Miles today: 5.0

Back on trail after four days in Asheville with Erica for her birthday, which was a really great time.I didn¢t get going until 4:30 because we were running around, which was just as well. I was super rusty. The trail went down to Laurel Falls, which were pretty. There were a ton of locals there and all the way to the Hampton side trail.I hiked up the big hill to a flat spot with a couple of campsites and a spring. It feels a little funny to be back to eating on a log after a weekend of living it up, but I¢m sure it¢ll feel normal again tomorrow. It¢s flat as a pancake into VA after the downhill tomorrow, so I should be in Damascus Wednesday afternoon.
Date: 2011-05-02
From: Pond Flats, TN

To: Campsite at 435
Miles today: 16.0

Pretty uneventful day. I got up crazy late and didn¢t get on trail until 10:45. I hit Watauga Lake after a bit, which was something. I considered a swim, but pushed on to the shelter there for a break. I saw some familiar names. I¢m only a day or two behind Shadow and Country Mouse. I hope to catch back with them. They got off for a few days a while back for a kayak competition at NOC.I went farther than I wanted for lunch, but there wasn¢t much water around, so I needed a spring. I wound up there more than an hour. While I was there, Rusty Bumper came up. We¢d leapfrogged earlier, but not really talked. Very nice older guy. He was impressed that I cooked lunch and I told him I always tried to take an hour. I hit the next shelter very quickly and passed Rusty Bumper setting up tent right on a nice view. I took one quick break at 6:50 and made it here right at 7:45. There was a young couple just finishing dinner by the fire. His name¢s Shotgun; I didn¢t get hers. They¢re sharing a tent and turned in before dark. Two more guys rolled in for water, but pushed on. They were long section hikers from DC who were camped just down from me last night. I got the fire going again and had a nice dinner. Today was pretty good. Sixteen miles in nine trail hours is quick for me and due mostly to the terrain. Tomorrow looks like more of the same, although there¢s supposed to be rain tonight and tomorrow and definitely tomorrow night. I would very much like to push for 20, but we¢ll see. I need to at least get close so I can get into Damascus Wednesday with time to resupply.
Date: 2011-05-03
From: Campsite at 435

To: Off trail at mile 455
Miles today: 20.0

Great day, miserable evening. I got on trail just before 9:00, and before the couple was really up, which is a new experience. The day started off very nice and the trail was super easy. I was approaching 3 miles per hour early, which is a first. I leapfrogged Rusty Bumper again a bunch. He came by the Double Springs Shelter as I was having lunch, but didn¢t stop really.I knew it was supposed to rain, but it really didn¢t look like it at all until after lunch. I was walking and did a double take after looking up because they sky was crazy. I passed Rusty Bumper¢s tent in a gap a bit later, then it really opened up. I hit the shelter a couple hours later, but it was only a mile short of 20, so I just walked another half hour to hit that, then found a small campsite on the ridge. It¢s not a great place, but it was getting dark. It¢s windy and cold and raining, but I¢m set up well. I¢m a little worried it¢s going to turn into snow later and I¢m kicking myself for sending my hammock sock home. Oh, and my Gore-Tex socks. My shoes are no longer waterproof.The killer is that the 20 miles today would have been great otherwise. I felt good all day and not beat up at all. Oh well, Virginia tomorrow finally and Damascus. Here¢s hoping the weather¢s right for once and it¢s nice in the morning.
Date: 2011-05-04
From: Off trail at mile 455

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

So, the weather wasn¢t right. Unless by ¢nice¢ they meant ¢rain turning to hail.¢ Fortunately, it cleared a bit when I got to the TN/VA line so I could have my moment.I got up super late thanks to the cold and rain. I got on trail at about 11:30 and to town at 3:00. Rusty Bumper was here waiting on his wife. I also saw Cotton and Natty of course. They¢re with Rainbow (girl), who I met in Erwin. Fin¢s here, too, and was trying to talk me into coming back for Trail Days, but I¢m trying to push on and come back next year. I got a room at Victorian B&B, which is nice. Rainbow (guy) is here, too. I met him on the approach trail. I have a TV and got to watch basketball. I walked over to Food City late and packaged up while watching the Lakers fall apart.I¢m going to try to get going about noon tomorrow and just do around 12 miles.
Date: 2011-05-05
From: Damascus, VA

To: Off Trail at Mile 481
Miles today: 17.0

Good lord. So, I was three hours late getting out of town. Not bad for me. I had lunch at Dairy King, then hit Subway for a dinner sandwich. Turns out there¢s another outfitter there. They had Enertia, so I got two and tossed some crappy dinners I had. They also had the knife I asked Erica about an hour earlier to order for me. I was prepared to carry the weight of my big knife, but not for the rust. It¢s not a big deal to carry a non-stainless knife in the real world, but the rust here has been awful. It rains all the time and it gets soaked. Anyway, the problem with buying the new knife was that I had to send the old one home. And the post office is on the south end of town, but the outfitter is on the north. I wrestled with it for a while, but finally did it. The upside was that I saw Shadow, Country Mouse, and Flute Walker back in town. They¢d been about a day ahead, but Country Mouse got horrible blisters, so they hitched back to town. She was at the outfitter getting new shoes when I got back. I hope to see them in the next day or so. So, I got out of town at 3:00. The plan was 11 miles to a pond and campsite. I got there just before dark and my feet were in agony. Something is up with that and town, maybe the food or sleeping in a bed. Anyway, the camp site there was no good, so I pushed on and wound up doing 17 miles until 11:30 at night like a lunatic. Good to have the miles in, but I was a zombie by the end. I¢m going to sleep in tomorrow and probably just do 10 miles. It¢s supposed to rain, but be nice on Saturday, so I¢ll try to do a big day then.
Date: 2011-05-06
From: Off Trail at Mile 481

To: Off Trail at 494
Miles today: 12.0

Strange day today. I woke up to cold rain and really slept in. I didn¢t wind up getting on trail until almost 1:30. Which is okay mileage-wise, because I¢d planned to be here tonight, but it put me in a bad mood. I was feeling sour for a while, but Rainbow (guy) caught me at the bottom of White Mountain and we hiked together a while, which was nice. He camped up there past the road with some guys that were already there, and I pushed on in a better mood.The rest of the day went fine and the weather cleared a bit. My feet were almost completely fine today. I was worried last night¢s crazy push might have messed me up. The weather tonight was cold, which made me nervous. There was no real way not to camp way high up today. The trail goes over Mount Rogers and is well over 5,000 feet for a while. The plan was to check out the shelter right past Rogers at about 7:00, then push past to a nearby campsite if that was too exposed.I got to the shelter right on time and was happy to see Shadow, Country Mouse, and Flute Walker having dinner. Country Mouse was shocked I didn¢t know there were wild ponies up here. The journal had more than a couple claims of people being bitten by them. I got water, said goodnight, and moved on. I was worried because the trail is up on a completely exposed ridge at like 5,500 feet. I found a few spots out of the wind, but the only trees were very small pines that are too flexy. I finally got a good spot when the trail went over the ridge. I¢m out of the wind almost completely, which is good because it¢s really cold. I could not be stupider for sending my hammock sock home. Shadow said this crazy cold snap should give way to mid-80s in the next couple days. I sure hope that¢s true.I¢d like to do 20 tomorrow, but if it¢s crazy cold in the morning, we all know my chances of getting up in time.
Date: 2011-05-07
From: Off Trail at 494

To: Off Trail at 570 (?)
Miles today: 17.0

Trying something a little different tonight: writing while I eat dinner. Tonight it¢s one of the Backpacker¢s Pantry red beans and rice meals, which are massive. I also ate a big bowl of stuffing while I waited for the beans and rice to cook. And a bag of Dollar General ¢Mint Thin¢ cookies. I need it, though. I didn¢t have a real lunch, just snacks. I did have a big breakfast. I saved last night¢s fruit pie to eat with this morning¢s oatmeal. I think I¢m going to do the same tomorrow. Last night got pretty cold and I got a bit of a late start to let things warm up a bit. Which they did pretty well. It was shorts and a t-shirt all day, although that was a bit chilly when not hiking.The trail this morning went through the Grayson Highlands, which were beautiful, especially as the sun was out. It was rocky and open with a lot of grass and pine trees. I was thinking at one point that it looked a bit like Montana, and five minutes later some day hikers came by, one of them wearing a Montana football shirt. There wound up being a lot of day hikers out today. I stopped for a very late cold lunch at a shelter and read the register. Swift is about 10 days ahead and wrote a very funny page-long entry pledging his love to a lady Ridge Runner, Nicki. I would really like to catch him. I was planning on stopping for the night at Hurricane Mountain Shelter, but there were already people at the two tent sites and no one I knew at the shelter itself. Shadow and the others said they were doing like 15 miles, but they must have pushed on. I kept going until it was near dark and got a spot off trail. It started to rain while I was setting up, but not super hard and there¢s not a breath of wind. I¢m down very well in a little valley. I cooked under my tarp and it¢s been very pleasant. Night rain without crazy storms and when it¢s not near freezing is a-okay with me. It¢s a very nice way to fall asleep. Only 17 miles to Marion, so either tomorrow or very early Monday, depending on when I get up.
Date: 2011-05-08
From: Off Trail at 570 (?)

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

I¢m becoming a caricature of myself. Last night¢s nice rain went through the morning and I did my 1:00 PM start time thing again. I was going to do like 12 miles to a campsite for a short hike to town tomorrow. I had lunch at Trimpi Shelter very late after a really fast 7.5 miles. An older guy I¢ve been seeing, Double Check, was there. He asked if I was in the hammock this morning and said a guy was looking for me. I asked if it was Shadow, but he said it was Skidmark.I left there at 4:45 with 10.5 miles to Partnership Shelter, where you can order pizza. I didn¢t think I could make it, but the thought of everyone I knew being there eating pizza put some speed in me. I really went hard and made it just after 9:00. People were even up around the fire: Woodrat, Cargo, and some guys I don¢t know. Thimble was here, too, and walked me to the visitor center and the phone. Pizza Plus delivered and I was able to talk to Erica while I waited. I¢ve got more pizza for morning and plenty of Mountain Dew left, so this turned out to be a pretty good day. Town tomorrow.
Date: 2011-05-10
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Davis Path Campsite
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

Spent last night in Marion, which is a pretty big town. They have a fifty-cent shuttle service, which is fantastic. I got a lift to the post office today, then back to the trail at 1:00.Thunderstorms are forecast for days, and it rained off and on. I stopped at Wapiti Shelter* for a break and talked to a few folks there. A bit later, the trail came out to a meadow at the Settler¢s Museum and old school house. I didn¢t have time for the museum, but the school house was really cool. After that, I saw two big turtles on the trail and got some pictures. Then the trail came out at a huge road and went under [Highway] 81. I got snacks at a gas station before dark, including two cans of Mountain Dew to go with the Amy¢s chili Erica had sent me.Right as the trail left the road, the storm really rolled in. I crossed a meadow in it, which was nerve-wracking. I was going to try to get some lightening pictures when I was back in the trees, but the storm was too close, so I kept moving.Davis used to be a shelter, but they took the roof and walls off, so it¢s just a platform now. I¢m hanging just behind, and there's a crazy storm. There¢s a lot of thunder and lightening and it¢s raining hard, but there¢s no wind down here, so nothing to be worried about hopefully. *[Ed. note: Disturbing: Scene of one of the rare Appalachian Trail murders.
Date: 2011-05-11
From: Davis Path Campsite

To: Lynn Campsite
Miles today: 12.0

Today was a little screwy. I got up later than I wanted, but still had time to do real miles. I¢m in the section I did in 2002, but hadn¢t recognized anything yet until a big meadow today. Just after that, there was a fence stile that was right at 550 miles. That¢s one quarter down, which is the biggest milestone yet. There were a lot of pastures after that, so I didn¢t want to get water for a while. I was a little beat when there was finally a stream, which turned out to be right next to a campsite. [Illegible], Greenstone, and Thimbleberry were there as well as a girl named Lucky. An older guy, Lumbermack, who¢s hiked before, was just setting up trail magic, too. Dr. Thunder soda and crackers and stuff. Apparently, I just missed the PB&Js. I sat with them all for too long, but had a very nice lunch. As I was finally leaving, I was resigned to another night hike. But at the top of the mountain, I got cell reception. I¢d left my phone on all day because there¢s some crazy mix-up with our homeowner¢s insurance. I meant to deal with it in Damascus, but totally forgot. Erica tried, but her name¢s not on everything. Anyway, I had to take care of that today, so I sat next to the trail like an idiot for better than an hour straightening it out. I took the sure thing at the campsite here because I remember there¢s not much for a while after. No rain, which is hard to believe.