morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-04-24
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: clear sky

It was pretty chilly in the shelter last night. With all the wind it would've been just as cold in my tent though. The floor the shelter had gaps like a deck so the wind was coming up under me and directly into my quilt. It really was not that fun.Once I was on the trail my head was in the game. It's a nice change from what it's been lately. I've been finding I've been feeling down from hiking by myself 99% of the time. This is a complete opposite of my positive personality. Nikki and I text often and her support really helped. Sometimes you just need reassurance and guidance when things get difficult. On the trail, the closest people in your life are only in your thoughts and are hundreds or even thousands of miles away. You have a trail family but sometimes you just need the people back home to talk to. With that being said, Nikki helped me out (as always). Like the flip is a switch, I was able to bring back that positive mentality. It was also important for me to be comfortable and accept that hiking on my own is a good thing too. Often times back home I'd have days off during the week. I'd hike by myself for hours, I love it and find it peaceful. Once I was in that mindset down here, I felt good too. Sometimes you just need those positive thoughts and accept that not all days going to be perfect ones...but they are right around the corner. Once I did that, I back to myself and feeling really good. On the trail, I barely looked up the guide. I knew I had over 20 miles to do so didn't matter if I knew what the terrain was ahead of me. I had to climb in anyway, right! The trail was mild and either parallels or crisscrossed the Blue Ridge Parkway multiple times. There were quite a few maintainers working on the trail, clearing blowdown, and even putting in a new privy (outhouse). Virginia surely puts in time to keep trail nice.The hike concludes at the Bryant Ridge Shelter. It's amazing! It holds 20 people, has a loft, and is constructed unlike any others I've seen yet. Tonight it's me, Klaus, Cruise Control, Top Fuel, Green Fire and two section hikers. Tomorrow is going to be just 10 miles I think. It's supposed to be cold and rain quite a bit. My options are to be cold, wet and a long day. Or cold, dry and a short day. It's either 10 or 22 miles. I think I'll make it a 10 mile day. Short days are good too!
Date: 2015-04-25
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: light rain

A chilly night but an easy day on the trail. I only did 10.2 miles but that's okay sometimes.The hike started out at about 7:25 AM. I wanted to get on the trail early to beat the afternoon rain. I did pretty well, too. It sprinkled a bit but didn't actually rain until 11:55 AM. I got to the shelter at 12:02 PM so that was perfect!The hike itself had one, long climb up Floyd Mountain that was over 4 miles. I was making really good time and blew right through it though. It wasn't scenic but wasn't as bad as the elevation profile made it look.After the climb up to Floyd Mountain, there were a few smaller ones on the way to the shelter. I passed an FAA tower and a rock wedged 15 feet above the trail. The trail goes directly below it and the sector is affectionately known as the guillotine. I also passed a bunch of runners crossing the AT. They were doing an ultra marathon. That's a 50K in the woods! Crazy! I am in the shelter¢¦ Early. It's pretty cold out! I could've gone 11 more miles but I'd be cold and wet. It's a short day but it's good to relax. The only thing is that sitting here makes me colder. Plus I lost or left my hat that I sleep in so I'm going to be even cooler. Less than 15 miles into town tomorrow!
Date: 2015-04-26
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Glasgow, VA
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

I'm so glad I was in the shelter last night! It down poured! It basically rained the entire night. Because of the elevation it was very cold and the air was extremely foggy. The mist made its way into the shelter even. However because of where I was in the shelter I stayed dry and didn't get covered in the mist. Other hikers were not so fortunate.It was so cold that it didn't get out of my sleeping bag (a quilt made specifically for backpacking, actually) until late. I didn't actually hit the trail until 7:45 AM. Once I was on the trail though I was speeding down the easy terrain. I didn't stop for long breaks because they kill my time.I made it down to the parking lot on route 501 right after the James River Bridge (longest foot-use-only bridge on the AT). The bridge sounds impressive but is short and not that exciting. At the parking lot though I gave an attempt at hitching a ride into town. There were just a few cars going west and they didn't stop however. Five minutes later a former thru hiker came by and gave me a ride into town now. It was a nice gesture.When I made it into town I found the shelter and I have to say it was awesome! It had it a concrete floor, six bunks and lots of outlets. It also has a privy and an outdoor shower. A short walk from the shelter is the Dollar General. I resupplied there and grabbed some pasta at a little pizza place too. It wasn't bad because it was the first time I had pasta in two months though. I must say, it's not moms sauce. To my surprise a little while later Axon and Shrugs made it to the shelter! I did not expect to see them for a while. It was awesome!Let's hope for an easy hitch out of town tomorrow.
Date: 2015-04-27
From: Glasgow, VA

To: Brown Mountaim Creek Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: broken clouds

Condensation. Everywhere. From pitching a tent in the grass, the water made its way on every inside surface of my tent walls. The moisture so bad it made my quilt damp and the water was even dripping down from the top. I guess it could be worse though.After I packed up my stuff I was off to try my luck at hitching out of town. The big issue is that it's a Monday morning and it's 7:15 AM. Axon and Shrugs tried their luck right out front of the shelter. I wanted to give them space so I walked down to the corner of the road where there's stop sign. I figured if people stop, maybe it'll be easier to get a ride. Unfortunately 90% of the cars were going west and I needed to go east. After 15 minutes or so Axon and Shrugs came down since they weren't having luck either. The three of us walked couple hundred yards to the area where cars can easily pull off. We figured we try our luck there instead. It worked! After only 10 minutes or so former thru hiker picked up all three of us. It was perfect!We were dropped off at the trail and the three of us hiked together for a few miles. It was awesome. I swear I didn't know when I was going to see them again since I was a day ahead.On trail, the views I had between the trees are now starting to be obstructed. Trees are turning green. Flowers are starting to bloom. Plants are budding. It's a sign that spring is here. I think the rain lately really jumpstarted everything. I wonder what the trail will look like in one week, two weeks, etc. With the trail coming to life I hiked 20 miles. I had one big climb and a few small bumps. The thing is, I have my trail legs now so even the big climbs aren't too bad anymore. The issue is other parts of my body. My feet and knees hurt a lot today. I think it was because I went too fast downhill yesterday to get into town. I paid for it today. Otherwise, I feel generally good.As the hike neared the end it parallels Brown Mountain Creek. It's part of an old community of freed slaves. There were stone walls and foundations which reminded me of being back in New England. I love seeing the remnants of the past set in stone. I made it to the shelter and there are just a few people here. Code Red, Cruise Control and Sunshine they are in the shelter. I had a great camp spot where I set my tent up right next to the creek. I need to rest up because I have a big climb tomorrow!
Date: 2015-04-28
From: Brown Mountaim Creek Shelter

To: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: broken clouds

What a day. He miles were difficult but the terrain was varied. It seemed like a very long day.The day started off as I walked alongside Brown Mountain Creek. The old free slave community was built on both sides of the creek. As I walked, I imagined the people in the small community. I imagined the work they did, the crops they tended, and the houses they built. I imagined the oxen pulling carts of stone used to make the stonewalls for fields or chimneys for houses. Imagined how close that they must've been. It was amazing to see.After the hike left the side of the creek, it started to climb up Bald Knob. It was a very steep 5 mile climb to the top. Even though I knew I was making progress, some of the mountains seem to keep getting further and further away. It was very annoying. At least the payoff was the climb right after brought me to a bald. It was a great place to stop for lunch.After lunch the miles went by very slowly. I even had to put in music. I don't do it that often but today was one of those days where I needed it. I was happy to make it to the shelter at 3:00pm though. I'd have liked to push on but my feet and knees wouldn't have liked it. They surely are going to be happy with me tomorrow. And I have an even bigger climb and a larger descent...and it's a 20 mile day. I guess I better rest up again!
Date: 2015-04-29
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: clear sky

A beautiful day to put in some miles. 20.4 to be exact. The weather was great but the terrain was difficult. When I left my tent it was only 2 miles to get to Spy Rock. It was this huge rock outcropping I had to scramble up to get onto. I thought the AT went right by it so I took my pack¢¦it didn't. I basically made a sketchy climb even more sketchy. At least the summit had 360° views of the mountains for miles and miles.A couple miles later I had to climb up a large mountain called The Priest. It was over 4000 feet in elevation. It's pretty cool that the people who sign the trail register book confess their sins. It was REALLY funny to see what people wrote. I am not a sinner so I had nothing to confess...well, let's just go with that!Soon after the shelter is when the big climbs started. I first had a descent from 4063 feet to 970 feet. I made sure to take my time as to not beat up my feet or my knees. It proved to be a great idea. Once I got to the 970 feet, I had a long uphill to 3984 feet. It was extremely rocky and tiring. It took a lot of energy to complete it.I made it to the shelter at about 5:45pm so I'm satisfied with that. Tomorrow is only 16 miles but it's supposed to rain. Yuck. Oh well, that's the AT!
Date: 2015-04-30
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up this morning and Axon and Shrugs were tenting. They weren't there last night but apparently they showed up to the shelter at 11 PM. It took them longer to get to the shelter because Axon rolled her ankle really bad and they needed to take it slow. I saw them this morning and Axon is going to have her ankle looked at. I worked on trying to get them numbers of people who can provide a shuttle to get them where they needed to go. Soon after I was on the trail. It was supposed to rain early today but held off for a little longer than expected. There was a large gray cloud looming and I could hear thunder in the distance though. This seem to be tracking just southwest of me. However at about 12:30 PM is when it started to hail. It was pretty cool actually. I think I'm the only person that thinks that though. Another hiker in the shelter had a very different view. Either way, the hail turned to rain but it was only for an hour and a half or so. When I made it to the shelter it wasn't raining but soon after it started to come down again. I got in and set up my stuff so I'd be ready for the night.In the shelter is another Steve, a section hiker who was at the Maupin Shelter last night also. Top Fuel and Green Fire showed up as well. It looks like we are all going into Waynesboro tomorrow. I called and secured a ride into Waynesboro tomorrow for 9 AM. I'll then head over and crash the night with Tree Ninja at the Quality Inn.I'm looking forward to hitting town!
Date: 2015-05-01
From: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I had to get up early to get a shuttle into town. I had 5.1 miles to hike to Rockfish Gap where my ride would be at 9 AM. I was on the trail at 6 AM because it was still dark out and it was raining. I wanted to make sure I gave myself enough time to get exactly where I needed to. I didn't realize it but I was flying down the trail. The 5.1 miles were done by 7:30 AM. I found some cover from the rain at an overhang of an abandoned Howard Johnson. I changed into dry clothes and called my driver, Bob, to let him know I was available earlier. He and his wife showed up shortly after. They greeted me and were happy to drive me into town. They were so thoughtful, they brought me coffee too. It was a wonderful gesture. As we were driving they asked if I'd like to go to breakfast. I did and they brought me to this little, local restaurant, Wheeze's. The food was excellent but the conversation is what made the morning. It's always great to meet locals, exchange stories and learn from each other. After breakfast they dropped me off at the Quality Inn. All I kept thinking was how awesome people can really be. Often times we think of the negatives in people. We think of selfishness and how people do not always look out for each other. Experiences like Bob and his wife showed disproved those notions. It was a great way to start the day! At the Quality Inn, Tree Ninja and I are splitting a room. Axon and Shrugs are staying here but are in another room. After I dropped off my stuff I ran to the Post Office to grab the package Nikki sent me. I needed my gators, Velcro, journal, and hat. I then got back, put on some of Tree Ninja's super small shorts and 80's collared shirt and went to the laundry mat. I was looking stylish!With laundry done, a shower was in order. I felt human once the water hit me. I washed my hair twice and enjoyed the hot water for quite some time. It was nice!I also hit Sam's Hot Dogs and Hardee's. I didn't want to eat too much though. Ming's, a hiker-famous Chinese buffet, was on the agenda shortly after. So me, Tree Ninja, Axon and Shrugs had to go. I learned that when it comes to Chinese buffet, take a minute and relax in between plates. I found out the hard way that I would feel terrible for hours if I didn't rest. Back at the room all I could do was take Pepto and relax. Yuck. I'm taking tomorrow off. It will be the first time in a while. I find it tough to take days off but I know I have a lot of things to do.
Date: 2015-05-02
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

A day off. First time since Damascus, VA I have an entire day off. I always think I'm going to be bored but I am always busy the entire day. The day started off at breakfast with Tree Ninja, Axon, and Shrugs. I then had to dry out my tent, backpack and rain gear. It was then on to Kroger to resupply and organize my food. FYI - it takes a while to break down food, separate it each day, bag it, plan what I am going to eat first to lighten my pack, etc. After resupply and organizing my food, I headed over to Heritage sports bar to watch the Yankee game. I had an awesome beer: DuClaw Sweet Baby Jesus Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter...it was as good as it sounds! I also had a hamburger with grilled cheese sandwiches as buns. Oh yeah, that Yankee game? Yup, they beat the Red Sox. It was great. It was a busy day because I also updated my trailjournal. It takes quite a bit of time from a phone but I really enjoy that you get read it!Tomorrow I hit the trail again. Should be fun!
Date: 2015-05-03
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: clear sky

I got up early so I can get out of town early and hit the trail. Sounds good in theory. Half of that was correct. I walked nearly 4 miles with my thumb out but nobody stopped. I didn't want to call the shuttle for Sunday morning at 7 AM. I knew it was early and I expected a hitch would be difficult. It was only about a quarter-mile from Rockfish Gap (my destination) when somebody actually stopped. It sounds great but I just walked 90 minutes prior. I wish the guy only showed up earlier. I got dropped off and hit the trail a little bit later than expected. It was 8:30 and I walked over to the Shenandoah National Park permit station. For camping in Shenandoah you must affix a permit to your pack. With the permit filled out I was able to continue on. I wasn't sure if I was going to hike 7 miles or 20 miles. Eventually, it was 20 miles.The terrain was easy and I made great time. The only thing was my heels hurt a lot. I bet it was from the road walk. I did have to carry extra water a certain park. There was a 13 mile stretch that was dry.I arrived at the shelter for 4:30 and set up my sleeping pad. I'm staying the night in the shelter, but I had to set up my tent. I sprayed it with a water repellent so I need to let it air out.Lots of new faces at the shelter. Some are going south, some are sectioning, some just started. I wonder what the new "bubble" of thru-hikers is going to be like.
Date: 2015-05-04
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 21.4
Weather: clear sky

I'm tired. That was a long 21.4 miles. Tomorrow could be longer too. I'm not a happy camper because of how far apart that the shelters are. The only good thing is it forces me to make the miles and the terrain is pretty mild. However the number of miles still takes a lot of energy.I don't have a lot of highlights for the day. It was just a chore to get through it. I guess if there are any highlights they would be: I hiked with a person named Patrick for a little while. I also hiked with another hiker named Giuseppe for a good bit. We had a few good chats back at camp too.Really, the day felt long. I'm not looking forward to tomorrow's miles either. I do plan to stop at Big Meadows Wayside to resupply enough to get me to Front Royal.Oh, it's supposed to rain tomorrow too. Lovely!
Date: 2015-05-05
From: Hightop Hut

To: Rock Spring Hut
Miles today: 23.9
Weather: overcast clouds

A good day on the trail. I had my feet to the ground at 6:30 AM because I knew I had a big day ahead of me. I knew it was 19.5 miles just to get to the wayside for resupply. I didn't exactly know where I was going to camp after that though.I started the hike out on my own, as usual. About 15 minutes into the hike I came across Patrick who I hiked a little bit with yesterday. Today, once we ran into each other, we hiked the entire day together. It was great! It was the first time in a very long time I got to meet someone and hike together the entire day. It hasn't been since with Stretch before Damascus (Hi Stretch!). The thing is Patrick doesn't hike with anyone either. He was saying that today was the longest he's hiked with anyone yet. I'm not sure how long will continue to hike together but it was fun today. I know he likes to do 22 miles or more every day and that's not necessarily my pace. That's okay. At least it's one day that goes by quicker. Our hike went by really quickly though. The only thing that's been tough has been the weather. It's a hot, muggy, buggy week. It surely drains my energy quicker. It makes long days feel even longer.The hike itself had a few nice overlooks. We didn't really stop for too many though. Pictures can't accurately capture the image. We also wanted to get to our destinations as early as possible. The first one was the wayside. I resupplied there for the next two days and didn't break the bank. It was still $10 a day but it wasn't too bad for what I bought.After the resupply we went into the dining room and I had a quick pulled pork sandwich and some fries. It was pretty good. I could have been a few more but I chose not to. My food bag would get no lighter. We left the wayside immediately after and had just over 4 miles to go in order to get to the shelter. I was a bit tired but it wasn't as bad as I thought. I'm not sure how many miles I will do tomorrow. The shelters are spaced either 15 or 29 miles away. Not many camping options in between either. I guess I'll figure it out tomorrow.
Date: 2015-05-06
From: Rock Spring Hut

To: Pass Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: few clouds

Every day is different on the trail. Terrain, altitude, weather, people, places, etc. Sometimes I go to bed with how I believe the next day's going to be. I sometimes wake up with the notion on how the day is going to shape up.I went to bed last night with the notion that I am not hiking 28 miles today. Could I physically? Yes. Do I want to? No. The day was what I expected. It was on my terms.Lately I've been hiking on terms that I did not create. Meaning I've been hiking more miles than I'm comfortable with. The shelters or campsites have dictated my mileage for the day. Since that hasnbeen going on I haven't enjoyed Shenandoah like I was expecting. With having to hike more miles it puts more pressure on me. I have to get up earlier, I arrive later, I've minimal time to relax and can't because I like to be laying down at 8 PM. It makes me constantly keep track of my time and the day goes by much slower. I just keep thinking about how late I'll be in camp and it's no fun. Something has to change.Today I hiked the 15.3 miles. I could've continued on and stealth camped somewhere if I wanted to. Today, 15 miles was good. It allowed me to slow my pace and not feel rushed throughout the day. I even stopped for an hour lunch at the Pinnacles Picnic Area. Today I was the one that dictated where I was going and when I was getting there.The hike itself wasn't bad. It had the typical flat, not very rocky, Shenandoah terrain I've been on for the last few days. I hear it is supposed to pick up a bit soon though. Anyway, it had excellent views into Shenandoah Valley despite the hazy weather. There were multiple vistas as the trail crisscrossed Skyline Drive. I think it would be fun to drive it someday. I took my time on the trail knowing I only had to hike 15 miles. I stopped for lunch and Top Fuel arrived. I was telling him how I was doing mileage I did not like and he agreed that the mileages between shelters are ridiculous. It sounds like other hikers feel this way too. But after lunch and chatting for a bit I was on to cover the last 6.6 miles.Even doing a shorter day I was a bit tired when it came to the last 6.6 miles. I put in music to help me get through it. I had to take the headphones out a mile from the shelter though. The gray clouds overhead finally broke and it starting to rain. I threw on my rain pants but left off my rain jacket. I was sweating anyway so it would be useless putting on a rain jacket.It rained for a half hour or so but stopped for quite some time after. It was only around 6 PM when it started to rain again. At that point I was close to being done with dinner but I needed to finish it in my tent instead. I guess that's okay though. Apparently it was supposed to rain in the late morning but held out for the entire day.At the shelter I'm tenting with Giuseppe, Top Fuel and Green Fire. Tomorrow's going to be 23.6 miles but I'm preparing with a positive attitude¢¦ And I'm charging my phone so I can listen to music when I need it. Let's hope for a great day!