morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-04-10
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

The activities of Goose and I today:Eat breakfast, including a banana split.Visit an outfitters.Eat lunch at the awesome mexican place.Visit another outfitters.Buy resupply and food at the supermarket.Go to the cabin Keegan got for us, make a huge dinner.Keegan and Jane showed up at about the same time, around 8, and we each went our separate ways, exhausted from our day of eating and shopping.
Date: 2015-04-11
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Made french toast. Keegan got us a studio cabin, mostly so I could cook real food. The cabin is great, small kitchen, big bed, 2 person jacuzzi, everything you could want in one room. Has a back porch that looks out on a river and then the pastures beyond it. Beautiful weather too, so we were on the porch quite often.Did laundry with Goose and Jane. Stopped at the brewery on the way back, and then made falafel. Not much in the way of Mediterranean options down here for food.
Date: 2015-04-12
From: Damascus

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Made biscuits and gravy this morning. My new favorite breakfast. Was much delicious.Goose apparently has to register for classes tomorrow. Ok, no problem, we'll leave after. He has to register for classes at 2pm tomorrow. Goose, I'm going to kill you. So he's staying in Damascus and is going to meet up with me tomorrow afternoon.Made good time on my 16 miles. Met another dude hiking in sandals (just day hiking, I think). We sandal-bonded. Sandals forever!Encountered a trail closure due to a washed out bridge. Pfft! Sandals don't need bridges. Went down the closed trail, encountered stream. Not bad, maybe a foot deep, but certainly would have soaked boots. Walked right on through and was dry 20 minutes later.Tobasco, Pidgeon, John, and Sticks were at the shelter. The privy was titled "The Lorax Loo", and somebody had scribed most of the text of the book on the walls. Nice reading material. Set up my hammock around back and finished dinner as the sun was setting.
Date: 2015-04-13
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: broken clouds

Hiked over Whitetop Mountain. Had decent views from Buzzard Rock (and very strong wind!), but the summit was obscured by clouds so I skipped it (blue blaze up to top). Mt Rogers, the tallest mountain in VA, just has a pine forest on top so no views. I did hike up with a dayhiker who gave me an extra orange and apple that he had, so not all was lost.Got to the shelter early afternoon. This was the agreed upon location to meet Goose so could go no further. Started lightly raining anyway, so as good a spot as any to sit around. No good hammocking trees up here, so picked a spot in the shelter loft. Tobasco, Pidgeon, Drifter, and later two section hikers occupied the bottom floor, and Clockwise, Shadowfax, Romeo, Snow Zombie, and Goose joined me up top.Clockwise got his name from an incident in the military. He operated some big turret thing that had something to do with artillery. Occasionally it got screwed up, and you'd have to rotate it manually to reset it. One late night this occurred, and the piece wasn't moving. Someone called out "Push it clockwise!", and Clockwise, fatigued, responded "Clockwise to whom?". Someone else commanded everyone to push it to the left and problem solved, but the next morning Clockwise got a lecture on how clockwise is the same to everyone in a circle. And thus his name.Somebody left a paperback copy of Ender's Game in the shelter. It was a cruel thing to do, and I stayed up to the wee hours re-reading the book. Great book, and I'd highly recommend it.
Date: 2015-04-14
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Hurricane Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: moderate rain

Actually, today wasn't horrible. Its just that we walked through the Grayson Highlands, which is supposed to be one of the more scenic parts of the trail. Its a big open area, originally for cattle but now kept bare by imported ponies. Some of the ponies came from Chincoteague! Its called the Highlands as its supposed to look like Scotland, with low scrub and rocky outcroppings. So we had the weather to match - rainy and foggy.Did get to see 2 ponies. Unlike the ones from MD, these ponies are very accustomed to humans. These ponies did not give a shit about us. Just stood on the trail and continued eating as we passed. I've heard that if you crinkle a food bag around them you definitely get their attention.Was supposed to reach Fresh Ground's, but he had moved the day before. Disappointment.Goose's feet hurt quite a bit, so we decided to end a bit early. I hammocked and he set up in the shelter. Early day planned for tomorrow, need to reach the visitor center outside Marion by 2:30 to catch the bus I scheduled, and thats about 20 miles away.
Date: 2015-04-15
From: Hurricane Mountain Shelter

To: Marion
Miles today: 18.8

Woke up at 5 and left at 6, hurrying through the dark. The buses from the Mt. Rogers Visitor Center only left at 9, 11, 2:30, and I had called for the 2:30 bus the day before. Rained a little in the morning, but stopped shortly after we began.While it was still dark, and we were walking along halfway up a hill, we heard two sounds, like gunshots, on the slope above us. We paused, confused, and they were followed seconds later by a noise that sounded like the very earth was erupting. Some huge tree, or at least the biggest branch you can imagine, plummeted to the ground. It was too far up for us to see exactly what happened, but it sounded horrible. Scared the crap out of us.Got to Trimpi's Shelter at 9 and woke up Sticks. He had awoken earlier, but didn't feel like going out while it was raining. We utilized the privy, and I must say that it was a fine privy, and kept moving. Passed cows and a bridge and stuff. Got to Partnership Shelter (which is pretty much next to the visitor center) before 1. The shelter was huge, two floors with a shower and stuff. Went to the visitor center and managed to do a fine job of occupying ourselves for the hour and a half we had to wait for the bus. Sticks showed up, and decided to go into town as well.Went to the same hotel (it had a computer AND continental breakfast - winner winner chicken dinner) and he had the room next to us. Visited the mexican place down the street and took advantage of their $8 pitcher of Dos Equis, and it was a huge pitcher. Resupplied at walmart and took care of food while polishing off a 6-pack and ben & jerry's. An evening well spent!
Date: 2015-04-16
From: Marion

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 25.6
Weather: light rain

Ate a ton of food at breakfast. Continental breakfasts are wonderful.Got back to the visitor center just before 10 and started out. We were planning on stopping for lunch at Atkins, which the trail more/less goes by. Halfway there, we encountered trail magic at an old school. The school used to be a one room school for 20 or so kids, grades 1-4. Now it had sodas and fruit and snacks for us.12 miles into the day we walked by Atkins. The trail skirts the town and goes under I-81, skirting right by a restaurant called The Barn which has a 16oz hiker burger. We stopped in for lunch, and each had one of those along with a salad. Gotta get our vegetables!Walked through several fields and meadows after that, and got some good views. Its slowly turning green, at least in the lowlands. Lots of old farms and stuff.Went over a lot of fench stiles. Fence stiles are essentially a ladder that goes over cattle fencing. They suck. There is nothing worse then trying to climb up and down a stile with a pack when you're tired.Arrived at Knot Maul (should be renamed darth maul) just after sunset. Biscuit, Chad, Croc Rocket, and Sticks were already there, and Romeo showed up not long after we did. Hammocked out back while Goose stayed in the shelter.In Marion I picked up a few interesting Mountain House freeze dried meals. Tried one tonight, the dehydrated ice cream bar. It is awful, sorta like a really tasteless oreo. You don't rehydrate it, you just eat it straight from the bag. Do not purchase it, and MH should really discontinue it.
Date: 2015-04-17
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Some ridge
Miles today: 27.0

We had a 33 mile day planned today and wanted to get up early, but I was tired and didn't roll out of the hammock until 6:30. Another one of my Mountain House purchases was biscuits and gravy, so since Goose was heating water to make a hot breakfast I borrowed some for mine. Actually pretty good, tasted like B&G which is more than I can say for most freeze dried meals which just taste like generic goop.First couple hours had some pretty rough climbs, including 2000 ft up Chestnut Knob. Shelter on top is a 4-sided block structure with a door that almost looks better than some of the hostels. Apparently there used to be a firetower up here and this is where the fire people slept. Good views all around.Low on water but didn't bother bringing any from the stream we passed right after the shelter. This was a mistake as we hadn't paid attention to the guidebook, and there was no water until the next shelter 9 miles away. Several hours of very thirsty, very hot ridgewalking followed.Finally arrived at Jenkins Shelter and spent an hour and a half drinking water, cooling down and massaging feet.Short, easy ridgewalk to the next river, where we spent more time drinking water. By this point it was 4 or 5, and making it to the next shelter would have us arriving after dark. I don't like getting to our destinations after dark, but wanted to get in a couple more miles today, so we loaded up our packs with water and climbed once again back up to the ridge. A few miles later we found a nice campsite jutting out from the ridge over a valley and set up there.Very nice views here. On the one side we have the sunset, and the other the lights from a town, probably Bland.
Date: 2015-04-18
From: Some ridge

To: Dismal Falls
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Warm today again. Nice sunrise.Encountered trail magic a few miles after we started. Water and sodas, and a forecast. Looks like rain tomorrow, which is probably fine. We're going to a hostel tomorrow, so perhaps we can get there before it gets bad.Crossed another interstate and up a hill to Helvey's Mill Shelter, where we met Guardian. He works in hostels on the trail, and was out hiking a section. He had a neat hammock setup he found off kickstarter, a big tarp with a bug net along the bottom to enclose his eno hammock, and the bottom also had a section for putting your gear. So its even more of a hanging tent.Packed extra water this time for another arid ridgewalk. So hot I tried hiking in just my boxer briefs. Its freeing, but I put on my shorts after an hour due to concerns about burning my poor white thighs.Quick stop at Jenny's Knob shelter to use the privy (and get more water) and on to VA606. Half a mile down the road was Trent's Grocery, and we stopped in for food. Had a double cheeseburger, cheesesteak, potato wedges, chicken sandwich, and two ice cream sandwiches. So hot today, and since we knew we were camping just down the trail by some falls, that we bought a 6-pack of bud light and carried that with us.The falls aren't huge, but a good size and lots of great campsites. We chose one by the water and chilled the beer while setting up camp. Built a campfire (I think this is the first fire we've actually built) and relaxed into evening.
Date: 2015-04-19
From: Dismal Falls

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today started nice, but quickly changed to rain and cold. As a bonus, the trail was awful - when it wasn't rocky it was a muddy mess, and often went up and down on the side of ridges for no reason. Finally got to Woods Hole and were able to take a shower. No soap, however, so just a warm rinse. Getting feeling back in my hands and no longer shivering were enough. The bunkhouse is a small converted barn and our beds are up top. We have mattresses, but Goose is by a window and its not closed, there's a big open space up top. He was able to stuff some towels in it to keep the rain out before his stuff got too wet.The owners of the hostel are not around - they are off today. Two thru-hikers who have stayed here a while are running the place in their absence. In fact, there are several thru-hikers here who have stayed multiple nights. Brightside (there are two brightsides within a day of each other on the trail, the one I met in Hot Springs is a day or two ahead, so this is a new Brightside) and Brother Louie are helping to run the place, and Kiwi, Duct Tape, Furrball, and Fireball have been here for several nights. Kiwi is having problems with his shins, and has been resting here. Fireball's mother is coming tonight, and Furrball is waiting for a package to arrive in Pearisburg, 11 miles down the trail. Chef is also here, and Sticks/Biscuit/Croc Rocket/Werewolf and others showed up, I can't even remember everyone. There were a lot of thru-hikers here tonight.No dinner since the owners are gone, by they have homemade bread and cheese from the amish in this area, so we got a loaf and a hunk of cheese. Fireball's mom brought super chocolatey brownies and ginger cookies, so that rounded out dinner.It was a good time with so many hikers, some of whom we haven't seen since Damascus or earlier. We were tired, but still didn't go to bed until almost 10 because we were catching up with everyone.
Date: 2015-04-20
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

The owners came back last night, so we got breakfast this morning. Good, but definitely not comparable to Mountain Harbour. AYCE though, so filled up so that we could make Pearisburg without stopping.Easy hike, with nice views along the way. Mostly downhill. More evidence of spring, and the last downhill had a ton of purple blossomed trees that were beautiful. Walked into town (the trail passed right by) and were going to visit the chinese buffet when Chef caught us and told us he had heard it wasn't great. Someone had recommended the mexican restaurant, so we went there and found Furrball, Duct Tape, and Mama Fireball already there. Fireball got in later (he slackpacked from the hostel I think), and Tropicana as well. I ordered fajitas (I pretty much always order fajitas at mexican places) and we both got the mucho grande margaritas at the advice of the other hikers. I don't know the exact size, but they were huge. Stayed there a while finishing our drinks and eventually walked over to the Food Lion to resupply. While we were getting granola I saw a box of Frozen breakfast cereal which I just had to have, and Goose was thinking wine so got a 3L bag of that too. Packs were a little heavy. Thats 6lbs of wine.I wanted to get ice cream at Dairy Queen, but a thunderstorm was coming and it was already 5 so we hurried out. Got a ride back to the trailhead from a kid in a PT cruiser who hiked occasionally.A reroute out of town took us over an additional ridge which was crap. The storm ended up hitting us, but only for 5 minutes and we quickly dried. Got lost along the way (there was a badly marked tight left turn) and got to camp after dark. Duct Tape, Furrball, Chef, Mozart (who I hadn't seen since the smokies), Kiwi, and Brightside were here, as well as GGG who's new. Brightside has chacos now. Didn't like her boots, so she's trying these out for a week.Had a bit of rain during the night but not too bad. Kept dry in my hammock.
Date: 2015-04-21
From: Rice Field Shelter

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 25.3
Weather: broken clouds

Cold this morning! I guess its been colder, but I wasn't expecting this so we had a late start as neither of us wished to get out of our sleeping bags.Walked the first half our day to Pine Branch shelter. Uneventful, besides a big poop I took. Many people from last nights shelter here, heading out to check out the The Captain's. This fellow lets you camp on his lawn, and apparently there are free sodas or something? Normally there's a zipline across a river you can take, but due to high water the line was closed so there was a blue blazed trail that took you down a ride. We missed that trail, so we'll never know what the fuss is about.Very rocky section after Bailey's Gap Shelter. Luckily its dry today, when its raining this section must be impossible. There was a note in the shelter log that this part is notorious for broken bones and ankles.Finally got to War Spur Shelter. Only Mozart here. We hammocked because we've got a long day planned tomorrow and I'd like to start early. Goose's feet are hurting (and mine aren't much better), but we're getting picked up Thursday so only a few more days till we get some rest.
Date: 2015-04-22
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 28.3
Weather: broken clouds

Cold again this morning, but I was mentally prepared this time. Woke Goose up at quarter till 6 and we set up just before 7. Slow start, Goose's feet are really hurting him. Those oh-so-cool Innovate boots are starting to break apart and they are permanently soaked, inside and out. Maybe he should switch to sandals.Went through Rocky Gap and then down to some fields. Walked by the Keffer Oak, which is the largest tree (by circumference of trunk) on the southern portion of the AT. I guess it was big, but not interesting enough to really stop.Some scattered rain while on top of a ridge after the oak, but by and large the dark t-storm clouds missed us luckily.There were tales of Fresh Grounds set up ahead of us, but he must have left the day before. Instead of hot dogs we had disappointment! Ah well. The climb up Brush Mountain after was really tough, but they had benches along the crest up top so rested on one of those. On the way up I passed Mozart (he had passed us earlier), Buster, Hot Pants, and caught up to AYCE just as we reached the top. We hung out on top for a bit, eating and bitching about the climb. They left and I waited for Goose, but after 45 minutes I continued on. I didn't bring water from the bottom, and the next source was several miles away and it was a hot, hot day.Passed by the Audie Murphy memorial. He's a big war hero from WWII, and died in a plane crash here. You should read up on him on wikipedia for the description of his fighting in the Mediterranean and european theaters.Finally got to the shelter, and all the aforementioned folks are here as well as Rolling Thunder, Brightside, and Heatpack. Pretty much a thru-hiker convention here. Goose showed up a while later. He's definitely going to need new shoes, his feet are a wrinkled, blistered mess. Gave away as much wine as I could as we're getting picked up tomorrow morning. Good times were had.
Date: 2015-04-23
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: VA311
Miles today: 12.6

Got up at 4 and woke up Goose. Ate breakfast and broke camp quietly, hopefully we avoided disturbing all those in the shelter.Very dark out, kinda eerie walking through the woods with just your headlamp. Didn't encounter any monsters. Walked up to the ridgeline, and along as it the sun rose. Beautiful sunrise up here, and stopped at some great overlooks. You can see across several ridges and valleys from up here.Passed by Dragon's Tooth. Its described as a stone monolith, and we have neither the time nor the inclination to walk .1 miles to see a big rock. The climb down from the ridge was perilous. Straight down rocks and stuff, some even had handholds bolted into the rock face. Slow going, and we fell behind. Jenny and Eric are picking us up, and apparently I never gave them a time to meet us, so they are at the parking lot already and we still have 8 miles to go.Luckily after that climb the trail sped up. Since easy ridgewalking, then a bunch of fields and meadows, then one final ridgewalk. The last wasn't physically difficult, but you could see the road for a while and the ridge just kept going up and down. Felt like it took forever. Finally reached the parking lot, and there was some trail magic. Took the last coke from the cooler and reached Jenny/Eric. Jenny had brought some 7 layer brownies, so ate those and enjoyed my soda while waiting for Steven. My feet smell horrible, so tried to air those out, but even so I think the Escape is going to permanently smell like nasty feet.They took us to a Country Cookin' for their breakfast buffet. 6.39 a person and we each had 6 plates of food, I think we got our money's worth. Dropped Goose off at an outfitters in Roanoke and drove on home.
Date: 2015-04-24
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My new pack and sleeping bag finally arrived and I switched to them over the weekend. The pack is made of cuben fiber and is a bit smaller than my Osprey Atmos. Its made by Katabatic and weighs just under 2lbs, saving over a lb over the atmos. The Atmos is a great pack, just a bit larger than what I need and I want to get my carryweight lighter.The bag is a 40 degree bag with a much higher fillpower than my current bag. It weighs about a lb, saving almost 2 lbs over my 15 degree bag. It might be a bit too early to switch to the summer bag but I'm excited about my new toy so hopefully I'll get lucky and it'll be warm out.Going to skip journaling the weekend and head straight back to the trail on Sunday.
Date: 2015-04-26
From: VA311

To: Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Left Atlantic City at 7:30 with Eric, got to Baltimore at 10:30, then left there at 11 with Aunt Linda and Dad. Nice drive down, although Aunt Linda thought we were only going as far as Harrisonburg. The ole bait-n-switch. Enjoyed going through a bag of fruit from Mom.Got down to the 311 trailhead at 3:30. After some photos I set off. Met Drifter at the first shelter, who said Goose was just ahead of me. This made sense, as he'd texted me he was starting about an hour earlier. Used the privy, which apparently was a girl scout project. I didn't know girl scouts did projects, and from what Keegan has told me of her short stint in the organization I didn't even know they went in the woods. Decent enough privy, although it needed more light inside. Biscuit, Seeker and others were at the next shelter, waiting to see the sunrise at McAfee Knob. A good idea, but we've miles to do. Went over the knob and the fog had cleared up enough to award me with some good views. The climb up to Tinker Cliffs a little while later was rough, but these had even better views.Many day and section hikers out. McAfee Knob is a big destination in VA, and I guess the good weather is drawing folks out now.Got to Lambert Meadows at 7:30. Goose had arrived just a little earlier. Set up my hammock down by the stream beneath the shelter. Two section hikers, John and another fellow I didn't catch the name of, were there. Both were originally from MD, funnily enough. John had a lot of questions about gear, which we answered while making dinner. I retired quickly as the long day and short night previously had me exhausted.