morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-05-03
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We took a much needed and well-deserved zero day in Damascus today. We woke up this morning and went to the Food City for breakfast and resupply (excellent resupply, not so great breakfast). We probably went a little overboard on our resupply items...fruit pies and honey buns...lots of calories but also lots of weight. Ms. Priss went for her second pint of ice cream of the trail (in order to celebrate 400+ miles); she decided on Pistachio Pistachio by Ben & Jerry's. An ok flavor, but not her favorite thus far. I, on the other hand, had my 2nd half gallon Chocolate Milk of the trail (first since Franklin, NC). I wasn't feeling so hot this afternoon, and that may have been my last! After some rest time for our full and aching bellies we went to the library to catch up on current events, the coming week's weather, and on email. Mr. Clean Jr. and Poet rolled into town today, as well as other hiker friends. It was good to see them, as we had been out of touch since Erwin.Today, we recieved goodies from our friends Linda and Stephen back in Memphis! We got chocolate chip cookies and strawberry cookies...mmmmmm good! Thanks so much guys! Priss was also excited to get a (lightweight) devotioal magazine, although in the future, I could do without the AJHP journal. haha Priss bought herself a packwrap skirt. Now that the weather is trying to warm up, she is thinking that a skirt will be much more comfortable to hike in. I also bought myself another short sleeve shirt for hiking. If it warms up, we will probably send all of our winter gear home when we get to Pearisburg, VA.Dinner was a yummy meal of burgers and fries at the local Dairy King. Then it was back to The Place where we sorted food and packed away our things for hitting the trail tomorrow morning. We are winding down, and have taken some Benadryl. Priss is in the bunk below writing some letters to mail before we leave tomorrow. Sleep beckons....
Date: 2005-05-05
From: Campsite

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: light rain

Bug and I awoke this morning extremely well rested after falling asleep to the song of the pond rippling and the bullfrog's croaking. Although we slept deep, we had a difficult time getting things rolling this morning. We ended up hiking out at 9am, and even though rain has been predicted, the skies looked fairly clear.Bug and I whisked the morning away by sharing our dreams for the future. Today was our first hard climb in awhile, up to Whitetop Mountain. The day started to gray a bit and the wind really picked up as we crossed over the top, but as we crossed down into the gap there were beautiful trees, spring beauty, and some sort of hosta looking plants all along a rolling pathway. As the day progressed we crossed some pasture land with cows grazing just a few feet away, and through some rock outcroppings. The temperature began to drop a few degrees and it wasn't long before we were entering spruce forests heavy with scent. Mount Rogers was just a little bit further. This is the highest mountain in Virginia, but because there is no real summit, the trail bypasses the top. As we came down the trail a bit we saw an amazingly engineered privy! The best one yet! This is a solar-composting privy....it uses a solar panel to operate a fan that heats the compost....yada yada....not quite sure of all the logistics, but I can tell you it was very clean, private, and best of all, no stench!Only 50 yards up the trail we came to the shelter, where we found Quiet Paul huddled in his sleeping bag trying to keep warm. Bug and I debated moving on to try and catch up with Mr. Clean Jr. however, it was already 7pm and we were pretty cold and tired too!Bug is off collecting water to cook dinner with and I have just made house for tonight. The fog is really thick and the weather forecast for tomorrow states strong chances for rain. That along with the entries I have read in the register, it doesn't sound as if we will get to see the wild ponies tomorrow. Maybe another time. Well, it is getting chilly....time to get in my warm down bag.
Date: 2005-05-07
From: Hurricane Mountain Shelter

To: Partnership shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: scattered clouds

What a nice day it has been! It has also been a long one. We awoke to a nice sunrise this morning. This beautiful shelter faces east, and it is so nice not to have to wake up to the sound of an alarm blaring in your ear (I don't mean to rub it in for you folks back home)!After another pop-tart breakfast, we had an amazingly easy hike to the Hurricane Campground side trail. We hiked 4.2 miles in only 1 hour and 15 minutes! Usually we hike a pace of about 2 miles per hour. After that we had not too bad of a climb up to the beautiful Comers Creek. When we arrived at Dickey Gap there was a nice grassy area that we indulged ourselves in for about 30 minutes. We had snacks and soaked up some sun. As we prepared to leave, we met Kung-Fu and Mad Cow coming up the trail. We let them hike ahead since we wanted to check the trail register. We had still not caught up to Mr. Clean Jr. and were wanting to see when he had come through here. As it turns out, he had been there earlier this morning. We were finally gaining on him.We had a long, tough descent into Trimpi shelter, but were soon cheered up to hear a familiar voice calling to us from the shelter. We finally caught up to Jr. as he had spent the night in Troutdale.Bug and I took the time to eat lunch here and make use of the privy. As I headed down to the spring for water, I spotted a deer there. We kind of looked at each other for a moment, and I managed to snap a couple of pictures of him before he got scared enough to run off.After discussing it with Mr. Clean Jr. we made the decision to hike on to Partnership shelter. It was 10 more miles for us, and a long day, but the promise of pizza can drive hungry people to do crazy things.Rumor had it that at this particular shelter, one can call from a free phone and have pizza delivered directly to the trail! I can't tell you much about these last 10 miles except that they seemed to drag on and on! We finally arrived at the shelter, praying that this wasn't just some bad joke. The shelter seemed to have some kind of soft glowing light surrounding it, and I thought I heard angelic music playing. Maybe that was just the sun setting behind the shelter and the mating call of owls in the trees. Oh well! It doesn't matter, because the rumor of pizza was not a myth! Bug, Jr. and I ordered an extra large meat lovers pizza, 3 (2Liter) Mountain Dews (one for each of us), and a slice of cheesecake. We ate and ate, until there was no more hope for anything else.That isn't the only thing! This shelter is one of the nicest yet. It is a double-decker, we are sleeping in the loft, and there is a free hot shower attached! A sink is located in back and there is a ritzy privy up the way with 4 walls, a roof, a door with a classy handle, and toilet paper. I just don't know what to do with myself! Well, I am going to try to get some sleep, even though I have pumped myself full of caffeine with that Mountain Dew.
Date: 2005-05-08
From: Partnership shelter

To: Atkins, VA (Relax Inn)
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: clear sky

Today was a short day and a rather lazy one at that. We did't even leave the shelter this morning until 11. We showered and washed out socks that could stand on their own this morning. It was a little tough getting motivated to hike after all of that Mountain Dew last night and then no sleep. Besides, the shelter was so nice. We went to the phone at the visitor's center and called our Moms to wish them a happy mother's day and then it was back to the trail.The day was so nice, and we hiked quickly with just a couple of short breaks. We hiked to Va. 615 where there was a museum and 1 room schoolhouse. It looked like a scene from Little House On the Prairie. There was a list of rules and punishments posted on the wall, one of which was 4 lashes for girls and boys playing together! After leaving here we only had about an hour's hike into Atkins.On occasion the trail crosses under powerlines. Today, we passed one that we could hear buzzing for a mile before we got there. It has been pretty hot today and there must have been a lot of power moving through the lines...whatever the case we hurried on past and back into the woods before we got zapped! Bug and I decided that we had earned ourselves a motel stay, and so when we arrived at Atkins, VA around 5 this afternoon we booked a room at the Relax Inn. Many other hikers had the same idea, so we had plenty of neighbors. The manager was kind enough to shuttle us (for a fee) to the Ingles for grocery reuspply. We stocked up for the next 6 days of hiking and then headed back to the motel where we are about to get a good night's sleep in a real bed with a real pillow.
Date: 2005-05-09
From: Atkins, VA (Relax Inn)

To: Knot Maul branch shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: clear sky

Ahhh! How nice it is to get to sleep in a warm, soft bed! We didn't move too fast this morning....Bug and I went to the truckstop up the road for a bit of breakfast and then back to the motel to pack things up and organize our food for the next few days.We had intended to hit the trail around 10, but didn't head out until about 11:00. It has been a pretty warm day! After passing under I-81, we passed through some fields and saw some pretty yellow trillium.We reached Davis Path Shelter and ran into Bassline, who said he planned to stay there as he didn't feel so good. That was 2.7 miles out of Atkins. After a bit of lunch, we continued a ways on the trail, only to see rhododendron beginning to open its buds.We crossed over Little Brushy mountain today, and it looks as if we will cross many other Brushy mountains before it is all said and done. Since it is getting warm, Bug and I have decided to try to start hiking earlier in the day, so we can take a long siesta in the afternoon, during the heat of the day. Then we will hike until just before nightfall when it is at its coolest.Although we didn't start so early, we did take a siesta with Mr. Clean Jr. at Crawfish Gap, a beautiful spot by a stream where we soaked our sore feet, cooked our dinner, and napped in the shade of the rhododendron. We rehydrated ourselves pretty well, and headed out just as we saw Ranger, Shera, and Doc Gnarley walking up. It has been quite some time since we last saw Ranger and it was good to meet up with her again.We passed some beautiful sites over the next few miles...rolling pasture lands, gurgling creeks, lovely flowers...but we also saw some not so pretty sites, such as a dead cow off to the side of the trail. We smelled him long before we saw him!After crossing the road at Va. 42, we left Ranger and Shera, as they had already hiked over 20 miles that day, and began our next climb over a Brushy mountain. By the time we got here tonight, it had already been dark for close to an hour, and we set up tent in the dark. Pied Piper is here as well as Jess and Ray from New York. We are snuggled in the tent now, and Jr. is next door in his tent already snoring away. We didn't quite find a level spot, but that's ok. After a long day of hiking, one is simply ready to be horizontal. Bug and I have had our dinner of Clif bars smeared with Nutella, and we ought to be able to sleep well enough to get an early start tomorrow! Until then...
Date: 2005-05-10
From: Knot Maul branch shelter

To: Jenkins shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The morning started early and we were walking by 7 am. I guess one of the downsides to night hiking is that you would rather set up camp where you know there is space rather than venturing further. A couple of miles from the shelter there were some beautiful campsites right next to the creek (The grass is always greener...). Oh well, maybe next time.We had a fairly tough climb up to Chestnut Knob shelter, but it was pretty just the same. We came across a nice bald with a spring-fed pond, through a small apple orchard, and up to the shelter. This shelter was an old fire warden's cabin and the roof was held on by steel cables because the wind can get so bad up there. We paused long enough for a privy break and to sign the register. When we left we had about 1.3 miles to hike down to Walker gap. Sadly, it wasn't nearly as pretty a choice for an afternoon siesta as the day before. We gathered water, cooked lunch and had a nice 15 minute nap when we awoke to raindrops softly hitting our faces. We packed up and headed on, figuring that was a good sign we were to continue towards our daily destination.Next it was up to Garden Mountain. From Chestnut Knob around Garden Mountain you get views of an incredibly beautiful valley. This place is known locally as "God's Thumbprint." It is the location that was the Vanderbilt's first choice for their Biltmore Estate.Garden Mountain was nice, but seemed to go on forever. We finally began our descent....I was ahead of Bug and Mr. Clean, Jr. As I was headed down the mountain, I heard something rustling in the bushes to my right. When I looked up all I saw was a dark mass heading down the mountain. I don't guess I'll ever know what it was. We arrived at Davis Farm campsite and realized we still had enough daylight to make it to Jenkins shelter for the night, as it was 7 pm, and we only had 3 miles to go.That was the LONGEST 3 miles I have walked in a long time! It seemed as if we should have been there sooner than we were. I was looking for the shelter at every turn. Finally, it came into view, and we hiked up to the shelter tired and weary. There is a good crowd here tonight...2/3, Ranger, Shera, Mongral, Quiet Paul, and Ray from NY. They offered to clear room in the shelter, but we decided to tent since it looks like a clear night. Well, after a visit to the "throne," I will head to bed. I will post a picture of this privy....it is on a platform, in a grove of hemlocks, up on a hill, and with absolutely no walls. Til tomorrow....
Date: 2005-05-11
From: Jenkins shelter

To: Helvey's Mill shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: few clouds

This morning we woke up to find two deer standing about 15 feet from our tent. We managed to get several pictures of them before they sauntered off. We were a day early for the free breakfast offered by a local church on Mondays and Thursdays, so we did the next best thing and fixed ourselves some oatmeal and hot tea.We had quite the little climb coming out of the shelter, but it only lasted a little over a mile. From there, it was a laid back morning of downhills and switchbacks. If only all of the trail were like this.As Bug and I neared the bottom, we started to hear rushing water, which we would soon find to be Little Wolf creek. This was a charming little creek, but we soon found out we would be crossing it multiple times. I don't have a final count, we lost track after 20. Some places in which we crossed, we could step right over, and with others we really had to stop and think before maneuvering across rock steps (some of which were completely immersed in rushing water).We arrived at a road crossing near a beautiful stream, Laurel creek. It was here that we decided to take our afternoon siesta. It has been very warm today, and we spent time at the creek soaking our feet, washing the salt off of our face and legs, and rinsing the sweat and grime out of our clothes. Bug and I had intended not to take such a long break this afternoon because of our late start, but we ended up spending about 3 hours there anyway.Our time to start hiking again was long overdue, so we headed across the road to find trail magic waiting for us. Thanks to the outdoor club at Virgina Tech, we had ice cold apple juice before hitting our last hard climb of the day. While we were savoring this bit of magic, we were treated to a front row seat as 2-3 little chipmunks ran and played around us. Over the next 6 miles we had a gradual climb followed by some amazing views of the Virginia hills. This must be where VA gets its reputation for being "easy." When we arrived at US 21, the road leading to Bland, we had hoped to get a ride to town for pizza and ice cream. Unfortunately, we missed Red Hat (another hiker we had met on the trail), who was there giving rides earlier today.We finally gave up on the idea of pizza and continued hiking to Helvey's Mill shelter. That was a pretty tough climb, and to make things worse the shelter was 1/4 mile off the trail, and the water was another 0.3 miles....straight down the mountain! Don't get me wrong, we were VERY glad to be there! Tonight we are sharing the shelter with fellow hikers: 2/3, Mr. Clean Jr., Pied Piper, and Mr. Beer. Mr. Beer seems to be a very interesting fellow, he is a weather man from Sapporro, Japan and is doing a thru-hike on the AT after having done the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) last year. He hikes very big mile days, as he started this year's hike on 4/9. Well, tomorrow we HAVE to get up earlier, so it is off to bed for me.
Date: 2005-05-12
From: Helvey's Mill shelter

To: VA 606 (Trent's grocery)
Miles today: 16.3

Today Bug has been struggling with heel blisters. It is very strange, eerie almost. Bug & Mr. Clean, Jr. both have the same boots, the same blisters on the same foot, in the same places, plus they have walked the same number of miles.We woke up as planned this morning and got on the trail by 7am. Once again we climbed a Brushy mountain, twice today (this is the 4th and 5th time). You would think they could come up with different names for the mountains. The day was filled with a lot of uphills and downhills. Nothing truly spectacular today.We took a break at Jenny Knob shelter for lunch, and I decided even before arriving there that I would have to get a new pack. Each day I hike, it gets more and more uncomfortable and ill-fitting. It was a close fit to begin with. Now that I am in lighter clothes (it was January when I was fitted), and I have lost a few pounds, I can pretty much swim inside the pack. All of the straps are tightened down and could stand to be cinched even more. My shoulders have really been bothering me today, and I have had Bug's stinky socks under the straps as padding...this should give you an idea of how badly the straps hurt!The latter part of the day has provided us with nice hiking, and Bug & I spent time talking about the future and what the trail has taught us thus far. One of the things we have both learned from the trail is that you can't always plan everything, sometimes you have to go with your gut and with what the trail (or life) hands you. As we reached Kimberling Creek, there was a beautiful swinging bridge that we crossed before reaching the road. There was a nice lady in a Mississippi State t-shirt that stopped to let us know the direction of Trent's grocery. I may not root for the bulldogs, and they may be an arch-enemy in football, but it is still nice to see home-folk when you are so many miles from home.A local gentleman stopped in his pick-up truck and offered us a ride a half-mile down to the store. He was very friendly and seemed to understand a hiker who has already walked 15+ miles not wanting to walk an extra....well, anything!Bug and I arrived at Trent's with big appetites and tired bodies. Mr. Clean, Jr. joined us again, and Pied Piper was there but decided to move on up the mountain. We camped there at the store campground on a nice grassy spot next to a creek. We are now cooking up hot dogs with chili with a side of potato chips and wash it all down with some Mountain Dew!
Date: 2005-05-13
From: VA 606 (Trent's grocery)

To: Doc's Knob shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a tough day. I think it was because we continually thought we were further than we were. We did walk through some beautiful pine forests, rhododendron groupings, and crossed over many streams (or maybe the same one many times). With it being Friday the 13th and all, I will tell you we stopped for lunch at Wapiti shelter. The significance of which is described below.It was here that one of the few murders on the AT occurred. The details of the killings aren't completely known, but here's what we've been told. An ordinary couple just like Priss and I were hiking northbound and stopped at Wapiti shelter for the night. Unbeknownst to them, a killer had been silently stalking them for the last three days. The couple did their nightly chores, cooked & ate, and got in their sleeping bags for the night. At some point during the night the killer snuck in the shelter and killed them in their sleep. The killer was later caught, convicted, and sent to jail. As a result of the killings, the shelter was taken down and rebuilt at its current location. We've been told that the convicted killer now resides in Pearisburg. Now doesn't knowing that make for a nice Friday the 13th on the AT! Needless to say, we decided to move on after lunch.Our home for the evening is Doc's Knob shelter situated in a grouping of rhododendrons with a spring that flows out in front of the shelter. As a result of the spring, the area in front of the shelter is quite muddy. We arrived just at dusk, cooked our dinner, and are now getting settled in our sleeping bags. It looks as if it may storm tonight which adds to the spookiness of our surroundings. Well, that's all for now...
Date: 2005-05-14
From: Doc's Knob shelter

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: light rain

Last night we weathered the worst thunderstorm of the hike. We made it to the shelter around dusk, got settled in just in time to hear the thunderstorm approaching. The shelter location itself was a little creepy, but the thunder and lightning added a nice touch. One lightning strike in particular hit within a quarter-mile of the shelter, shaking the shelter and the whole mountain. Priss was a little shaken (literally) by the whole experience, and I spent most of the night cuddled next to her as she shivered from fright. This reminded me of Petey & Pima (our dogs) as they get freaked out by thunderstorms. Priss and I have talked before about how deceptively safe & secure we'd felt in our home against Mother Nature. Life on the AT has let us see first-hand that she possesses a type of tough-love that doesn't discriminate based on age, sex, skin color, or any other factor.This morning we got up early and had a quick breakfast of oatmeal and tea. We were packed and going by 7:30 am. The trail today was realatively easy considering some of the trail thus far. We stopped for a break at Angel's Rest which gave us a fabulous view of the valley even though there was low-lying cloud cover below. Mr. Clean, Train, and Raindrop caught up with us while we rested. We all had a snack and soaked in the view together.We had been told to expect a steep descent into Pearisburg, and the trail didn't disappoint us at all. The lure of a hot bath, dry place to sleep, and food....lots & lots of food...made it much more tolerable. More on that subject later. We made it down the mountain, and decided to share a room at the upscale Holiday Motor Lodge with Train & Raindrop.In an effort to satiate our appetites, we went to a recommended local pizza joint. The meat lovers pizza was awesome, and we were stuffed as we left the restaurant. By now you've read as we've described our voraceous appetites, and you're probably wondering what in the world we're eating. So below I'll list some of our favorite trail & town foods.Breakfast:Trail - instant oatmeal, oatmeal breakfast squares, grits, granola (dry or with powdered whole milk)Town - entire left side of menuLunch:Trail - tuna salad with pita, honey buns (only the large kind with 500+ calories), granola bars, candy bars (Snickers, Baby Ruth, Take 5, etc..), GORP (good 'ole raisins & peanuts..aka trail mix), bagels with peanut butter, Nutella or salamiTown - entire right side of menuDinner:Trail - Lipton meals (stroganoff, alfredo, beef rice, beef lo mein, etc.), dehydrated soups (creamy potato, broccoli-cheddar), mac & cheese, instant mashed potatoes, Ramen noodles with chicken/tuna packetsTown - entire right side of menu + dessertThat's all for now...