morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-05-12
From: Watauga Lake Shelter

To: Double springs shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: broken clouds

Great waterfall with a vicious climb straight up to a ridge walk and another climb. The sun was melting everyone and everything in sight. Dehydrated, yes, tired, yes, mentally spent, yes, just another day in the A.T. nieghborhood. Seventeen miles under my belt for the day and looking forward to twenty one tomorrow. The twins are here along with Almost Lucky and Tony the Tiger. Of course, the coversation lead to climbing and mountaineering. Tony has done a fair amount of climbing abroad and in the states. Almost has traveled around the U.S. and was interested in learning more about climbing. Around 7pm Vortex stopped by quickly to say hi and then kept on hiking until night. Woke up to high humidity and mosquito bites. Stiff climbs out of Watuga Dam on the way to Double Springs Shelter.   In at eight with everyone already settling in for the night. I met an older hiker, Ring Master, who is only carrying seventeen pounds! I was impressed until he started to lecture me on my own gear. Then a little "New Englander" slipped out and I told him that my daughter wieghed more than his freakin pack. The conversation ended and Ring Master went on his merry way, later. Almost Lucky was at the shelter so we made plans to pull nineteen miles into Damascus, little did I know what kind of day lay ahead.
Date: 2007-05-13
From: Double springs shelter

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

Almost Lucky left early from the shelter as I was a little slow getting started. The miles are starting to catch up with me.I started out slow and kept snacking to replenish my energy. As I was walking a huge owl glided silently past me and landed in a nearby tree. As the wise bird stared at me, my day began to change. While hiking in to Damascus with another hiker, Second Wind (from Maine) we realized that we had some things and people in common. He was originally from Portland, CT (where I once lived) and his family was very close to a Wesleyan alumni and coach that I also knew and had volunteered with. Second Wind also worked on an organic farm in Maine, he was very familiar with Unity College and the farm my brother Tim had worked on in Blue Hills (Kings Farm). Yes, I'll say it again, It's a small world. (I call this the 8 degrees of Mike Lockett. ~C) As we hiked to the main road crossing there were two sisters, their mother and their nephew spreading "trail magic". The crazy part was that they were identical twins. This would be the second set of identical twins I'd run into in two days. We ate some snacks and talked about our trip so far and hiked on after giving many thanks. Further up the trail I began hiking with another hiker named Flaxseed, we could not find any common threads but we hiked and talked about our wonderfully foolish President. Flaxseed was a vet and had struggled for many years with his past. We talked about friends and family that were now fighting overseas and how we both hoped that they will all return home safely and be given the help and respect they need. (Dan, I'm happy you are finally home! I know Carrie and Hannah missed you everyday.) Eventually, we caught up to Second Wind and happened across some other folks helping out hikers on their way to Damascus. We gave many thanks once again (getting spoiled) and moved on. I stopped to eat lunch but not before two more identical twins hiked by me. Three sets of identical twins in two days! As most of you already know, my wife Carissa is pregnant. On the Lockett side of my family we have identical twins! My sisters are identical twins and I had great uncles that were twins but died as infants. I believe I also have younger cousins who are also identical twins. As I rolled into Damascus I was really starting to wonder what was going on. The Big Guy was either trying tell me something or else there was an identical twins convention in Damascus. Since the second was not happening, I immediately called Carissa and told her about my double vision. Her only answer was that I would have to wait TWO more weeks to find out. That night I woke up at 2:22 AM and the following day I ate lunch at two twenty two. I will be sure to let everyone know, in two weeks, just how many new Lockett's will be arriving! Until then stay tuned.Once again Dan, it is great to have you back home safe.
Date: 2007-05-14
From: Damascus, VA

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

Today was a day off the trail. Catching up on sleep, eating a good breakfast and catching up with old trail buddies. I had dinner with my mentor Robo last night, who is always fun to catch up with. This guy has never lead any of us newbies astray, nor has he made any of us feel inadequate or incapable. I look forward to further Robo tales and adventures on the trail.I caught up with Bludog and Sylvan just before they headed out of town and Bludog, Almost Lucky and I all grabbed some breakfast before Bludog split. Made phone calls home and wished many moms a Happy Mothers Day (Sunday). I called Bill (Sprained Rice) to make plans for Trail Days only four days away!Finished as many errands as possible but couldn't sleep due to an over consumption of caffinated sweet tea. They should call this tempting beverage, Lockett's Bain!
Date: 2007-05-15
From: Damascus, VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Up early with all the other hostel dwellers. Last night a group of college students from Michigan took urine samples from thru hikers to analyze. This was actually incredibly helpful. Through their studies we could be told if we were hydrated enough, how much protein we were using for energy and the amount of trauma we were exposing our feet to. My results confirmed that I was not eating enough protien and I was begining to lose muscle mass. With this information, and the onset of warmer weather, I began the process of reducing my overall pack weight. With the amount of miles that I need to hike daily, the stress on my "older joints" and my eating habits, I realized that I was looking at a major injury in progress. After considering my gear options, I traded out my pack, my sleeping bag and my boots for lighter equipment. By lightening my load I would be able to accomplish more miles and do less damage to my joints. With less stress, I would also be able to utilizes my nutritional intake more efficiently, hopefully allowing increased muscle mass rather than depletion.   After retrieving my resupply box from the post office, separating my gear and tying up loose ends, I headed out of town at 5pm. This would mean I would be walking in the dark for a few hours in order to make fifteen miles. I must admit the hike was a bit spooky with strong winds and no moon light. I kept worrying about stumbling upon a bear that would hear or smell me coming (not a good idea). After three hours of tunnel vision night hiking I arrived at the shelter just after midnight. I quickly set up my tent and got some sleep for a seventeen mile day.It is said that if all the elevation gains a thru hiker makes while hiking the A.T. it would be the equivalent of summiting Mt. Everest twenty three times.How do you like them apples!Hi to my little buddies, I really missed you today!
Date: 2007-05-16
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light rain

Today was a day that I will look back on for many years to come. I had been told by many hikers that this section of trail (the Grayson Highlands) was one of the best sections on the A.T. I would have to agree! After doing a moderate climb, the woods opened up to large fields that eventually gave way to large basalt upliftings that had eroded over time into multiple crags and outcrops. Between these rugged crags were lush fields of wild grass and pockets of hawthorns and scrub pines. But the real treasure of this area was not the geography but the wild ponies that roamed the hills. As I passed through this area, late in the day, I came across numerous mares with their newborn colts. Some of the ponies grazed peacefully, while others galloped around in a display of territorial rights. As the sun set in the West, the siloettes of the wild left a lasting impression. As difficult as it was, I needed to move on to the next shelter, which was at a lower elevation. Storm clouds and cold weather were once again moving in. Hi Brook! You would have really enjoyed today's hike. I hope all is going well. Congratulations on your degree!!! Tell Richard and Tina I said Hi. Hi babe! Love ya. I took lots of pictures of horses today. I think the kids will get a kick out of them.
Date: 2007-05-17
From: Wise Shelter

To: Troutdale, VA
Miles today: 16.0

Hiked out of Wise Shelter with Almost Lucky and the Mainiacs (father and son from Orono, Maine). Uno, the father, works at the same hospital as my friend Emily's father in Bangor (once again, proving that it's a small world). We made tracks for the next shelter twenty miles away until we heard we could get a great meal in Troutdale. So, after thirteen miles of hiking we stuck our thumbs out while visions of hamburgers and onion rings danced in our heads!After hanging tough for 45 minutes we were given a ride in the back of a pick up. The rain began to come down hard and we were all chilled to the bone within minutes. Nothing could wipe the grin off our face as we zeroed in on a warm meal, out of the torrent of cold rain that stung our faces. After an hour of eating, we made a group decision to stay out of the rain and crash at the local church hostel. This was another wise decision since we only had forty five degree bags and the temp. once again dipped into the thirties. Cold and wet are dangerous conditions.We all slept on the floor and checked in on our nieghbors, SoCo, Ox, and Tater, all thru hikers that had contracted a stomach virus and were really hurting. They all seemed to doing okay and just needed a lot of rest.
Date: 2007-05-18
From: Troutdale, VA

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We walked down to the diner and had a great breakfast with really large coffee cups and plenty of refills!! We had more than our share of caffine and were ready to make tracks. The owners wife, asocial and spunky spitfire, gave us the whole scoop on the area and then shuttled us back to the trail. This was truly a great place to stop and fuel up.Due to the excessive amounts of coffee we drank, we talked non-stop and hiked very fast. Our first break landed us ten miles down the trail with a gradual five miles to the next shelter. To our amazement, we were at Partnership Shelter by three thirty. Tomorrow Bill (Sprained Rice) would be picking us up and giving us a ride back to Damascus for Trail Days. We used a nearby by pay phone, we ordered pizza and made calls to family and friends.
Date: 2007-05-19
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Damascus via Car
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

It was a cold and wet night at Partnership Shelter, but the pizza we ordered kept everyone in good spirits. No one was real eager to get up that morning, but eventually we got moving. Around nine o'clock Bill (Sprained Rice) showed up as planned and waited patiently as we packed up. We swapped trail stories about how people ended up with some interesting trail names. We didn't leave right away due to Uno needing some form of medical assistance. Almost over night, he developed a problem that he needed treated and boy did he look like he was in pain. Bill obviously gave him a ride to the hospital and later on he picked us up for a late breakfast. Atfer eating and making sure Uno was okay, we headed towards Damascus. Bill scared the pants off us by telling us horriffic and true tales of some very disturbing happenings on the trail. He also gave us all a pretty good history lesson of all the old timers and the amount of dedication and work that went into developing the trail. We quickly rolled back into town, which was wierd since we had just spent the past four days walking out of town. Sadly, it took less than an hour to drive back. There were hikers everywhere for Trail Days and vendors lined up both at the fair grounds and at "tent city". Bill and I took a quick tour around town and bumped into more than one familiar face. This was quickly turning into a very social event. Bill was kind enough to introduce me to many few trail legends, all who were very happy to see him. It occured to me that Bill himself was somewhat of a trail legend as a few stories about Bill were shared by his old buddies. After getting a bite to eat I made plans to catch up with Bill later and I meandered back to tent city.Throughout the day there were many events and many reunions between this years thru hikers and previous years.
Date: 2007-05-20
From: Damascus via Car

To: Trail Days
Miles today: 0.0

Today is the big parade for thru hikers. Ronin and I walked up the road for a great breakfast and began resupplying, picking up packages and making phone calls. I still needed to shower, shave, wash my clothes and attempt to get my hair cut. I had also fallen behind on my journal entries and needed to find a quiet area to focus and catch up. By the time I accomplished half my To Do list the parade was starting. I took a break but did not participate. I made sure I got some good action photos of the enormous water balloon fight that ensued.Unfortunately, the rest of my day was filled with more errands and emailing my journal entries. I felt like I missed out on a lot but I really needed to get things in order. Eventually, I made it back to the fair grounds but many of the booths were closed and most people were from town. I headed back to the "Place" made some more phone calls and attempted again to finish my journal entries, but drifted off to sleep to the beat of drums and occassional hollers drifting over from Tent City.
Date: 2007-05-21
From: Sugar Grove

To: Jenkins Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

Got up this morning and grabbed a strong cup of coffee at the anglers shop. After finishing last minute errands, I caught up with Dewy and Almost Lucky. They had spoken to Bill the night before and told him they would meet at tent city, but I had planned on meeting Bill either for breakfast or lunch at the Place. We thought it best to get breakfast and make sure we were ready to go. We decided to get something to eat with Ronin. I realized that this might be the last time I would see Ronin after hiking with him for over a month. We hung out and tried to figure out where we were heading for future reference. By noon Bill had given up on trying to track down Dewy and Almost and was waiting at the Place slightly frustrated (I would have been too). We managed to get our act together and finally were on our way back to the trail. Dewy and Almost were very apologetic for not waiting for Bill. They both respected Bill tremendously and appreciated how much he had already helped us. Bill was nice enough to let our miscommunication go and get us going again with some more good stories about the trail. We reached the trail head at 3:30pm and hiked for eight miles before taking a break. Fortunately, there was a road crossing with a gas station and a "Dairy King". Although we had just come from town we still had room for a burger or two. The store and restaurant were closed but we were given a ride by some nice locals to a Mexican restaurant down the road. By the time we finished eating, and landed a ride back to the trail, we had to do a little night hiking. As we walked through numerous fields we saw a few fireflies buzzing around which reminded me of my summers in Middletown, housesitting for John and Ann Bickford. They had a great yard that would fill up with fireflies on hot summer nights.As we walked on we started telling each other creepy stories and for some strange reason Almost Lucky started picking up the pace. We made it to the shelter in record time and quickly set up for the night. Jenkins knob Shelter, fourteen miles from Sugar Grove.
Date: 2007-05-22
From: Jenkins Knob Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

I was supposed to do twenty miles today but was really feeling the miles from yesterday. Many of my miles today were spent crossing through large hilly cow pastures and long stretches without potable water. The terrain reminded me a lot of the time I spent hiking through Vermont (20+ years ago). As I was passing through a wooded section between two fields I saw two large black animals that I thought were bears but were actually beef cows grazing in the woods. My heart skipped a few beats until I realized it was just bovine that were more afraid of me than I of them.As the day wore on, along with my feet, I knew I wasn't going to make twenty miles. Around five o'clock I crossed over a good size stream that had some great spots to camp, so I did.Shortly after I set up and started to cook dinner another thru hiker, Joe Boe, pulled up. I'd met Joe Boe before but never had the chance to talk to him. We both camped out at this wonderful site and talked for a few hours about life in general. This was probably one of the best conversations I've had on the trail that didn't include talking about climbing (see, it is possible Carissa). I turned in and slept well under a star lit sky.
Date: 2007-05-23
From: Campsite

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: few clouds

I slept a little later than usual and took my time getting started. Joe Boe was on the other side of the river warming up with a relaxing sesion of Tai Chi. After eating a good breakfast, and talking a little more with Joe Boe/Aristotle, I started what would be a long and difficult day. After two long climbs I began to run low on water. I didn'twant to stop due to the number of miles I had to cover, but the sun was doing its best to melt everything and everyone. I eventually made it to Chestnut Ridge Shelter where I stopped and ate lunch. I tanked up on water and was able to slowly continue across a large ridge. Towards the end of the day I ran out of water again and marched the remaining six miles uphill to the next shelter. At the shelter I met Coach who had a guitar that he played exceptionally well. Soon after I arrived Kimchee, Mate, Genesis, and a few other thru hikers showed up. This group had been hiking together for awhile and were very close. We all sat around talking while we prepared our various meals. Mate took the time to explain the proper tradition and method of preparing and sharing the South American Mate drink. After eating I was ready to sleep so I set up in the shelter and was lulled to sleep by Coach's guitar playing and Mate's rich soulful singing.
Date: 2007-05-24
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Jenny knob shelter
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Had to get up early in Mouse (aka Jenkins) shelter. I slept okay but kept wonderng if the mice were getting into my food bag which was hanging directly over my head. I eventually decided to move my head just in case. By morning the air was so humid that the whole shelter smelled like a mouse latreen. Since I was motivated to get away from the stench I packed up quickly, ate breakfast and headed out. I thanked Coach for the great music last night and I told Mountain Man I would see him up the trail. I was a little bummed that I didn't get a chance to try any mate (South American drink) but maybe I'll see these guys again further up the trail. Right away I started a long climb that lasted a few miles, great warm up! The air was so humid that sweat was just hanging on my body and not evaporating. My legs felt great and my overall energy was much higher than the past few days. I hiked for about four hours then stopped for lunch. I was going to refill my water bladder in a nearby stream but I'm happy I didn't. C. and N. walked by and told me that there was a dead rotting deer in the river. The rest of the day consisted of a lot of little ups and downs and a long ridge walk. At six o'clock I pulled into camp (Jenny knob shelter) and immediately took my shoes off. There was one other person at the shelter who introduced himself as Stomadas, this was real name (we later named him Spartacus). I recognized the name remembering that Almost Lucky had a good friend that was going to hike with him from Bland. I guess Almost described me well because the minute I spoke, Stomadas knew who I was.Almost Lucky came up the trail from getting water with his girlfriend Julie and we had a mini reunion. For the past few days there have been thunder and lightening but no rain. Well, right after dinner the sky decided it was time. Hopefully, this will help with the water level which is low for this time of year. I set up my tent, not wanting to smell mouse droppings all night and fell asleep to the sound of rain drops and throbbing feet that had carried me twenty three miles.
Date: 2007-05-25
From: Jenny knob shelter

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

I was up early this morning but didn't get going until eight. Stomadas, Almost Lucky's friend, made Greek coffee that I really wanted to try. It was very smooth and completely worth the wait. The caffine jolt wasn't bad either. After hiking for about three hours I crossed a well constructed cable bridge to a road. I knew that approximately a half mile down the road was a small store were I could pick up some much needed food. Trent's general store, was my lunch break. While waiting for a ham and cheese sandwich I picked up some food and called home to check in. As I was talking with Carissa, my old buddy Buffalo Bobby came walking down the path. We hung out for awhile and caught up on how everyone was doing. Bobby said he was taking a few days off for some much needed rest. I could totally relate and was looking forward to relaxing at a nearby waterfall (Dismal Falls). I eventually made my way back to the trail head and continued on. About four miles up the trail I turned off to Dismal Falls. I went for a quick swim, aired out my tent, sleeping bag and socks and laid out on the rocks. After a good rest, I packed up and ran into Skip who I hiked with for the remainder of the day. We talked about film making and the American film industry. Skip was quite knowledgable in this area since he teaches at the film department at R.I.T. in Rochester, N.Y. We cruised into Wapiti shelter where many years ago two hikers were axe murdered by a deranged local. Although slightly unsettling we (Almost Lucky, Sparticus and Skip) managed to sleep okay.
Date: 2007-05-26
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: broken clouds

Took off from "axe murder" shelter and walked for four hours. After climbing for an hour or more the trail followed the ridge to a great overlook called Angels Rest. Below was the town of Pearisburg and a well known hostel run by the Catholic Church for thru hikers.Just before I began my descent, I almost stepped on a very large rattle snake. I immediately jumped back, out of harms way, and let my rather large friend slither by! After a very long descent I walked out on to a side street and began my walk into town. Not more than five minutes later I was offered a ride by a helpful local and was dropped off right in front of Dairy Queen. I was going to go right to the post office but I couldn't resist the temptation of a burger and a banana split. After filling up, I attempted to get a room at one of the motels but all the rooms were taken. To my good fortune the owner of the motel gave me a ride to the Catholic Hostel up the road. I was happy that I opted for the hostel because Bill (Sprained Rice) had mentioned the place but I had forgotten about it. The accommodations were rustic, as usual, but the grounds and views were incredible. A few other hikers were already in that I hadn't seen in awhile, Almost Lucky, Orange Moon and Ginger Snap. After settling in and taking a shower we sat outside on the porch and caught up.