morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-06-02
From: Marble Spring Campsite

To: Punchbowl shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Jun 2, day 70, mileage 18.2A long mileage day today but it went quickly.Today we crossed the James River on the longest foot bridge on the AT. After crossing we had three big climbs that totalled about 3000 feet. One of the guys on the trail knew how many switchbacks were on the first climb. I think he said there were seventeen. As he and his two friends passed me, I heard him announce the fourteenth switchback. I thought "Cool, are were near the top of this climb".The last five miles today I completed in a light rain. It did cool things off. I was really thankful to have my tarp and hammock. I was warm and dry as I cooked dinner. I went to bed early due to the rain.
Date: 2013-06-03
From: Punchbowl shelter

To: Buena Vista
Miles today: 11.3

June 3, day 71, mileage 11.3There is not much to say about today's hike. It was beautiful, as always. Just nothing noteworthy.The mileage today was short because it was a run into town for a resupply. The lady that runs the Bluedogartcafe (that is the way they display their name) took us up to Food Lion even though we did not stay there. Nice person and the cafe food was excellent.While at the cafe for lunch, I signed my trail name on the wall as all the other thru hikers do. I did find Caboose's and Etch-a-scetch's signatures.
Date: 2013-06-04
From: Buena Vista

To: Buena Vista
Miles today: 0.0

Jun 4, day 72, mileage 0I really needed to get my feet back into trail running shoes. I figured out that my new shoes were not working last Friday. My son, Kyle, had a new pair of them at home but it was too late on Friday to get them to FedEx. He had too much on his plate to get them to FedEx on Monday. So Tuesday he could ship them with a Wednesday delivery. My plan was to have the shoes delivered to the Dutch Haus Bed & Breakfast that is sixteen miles north of Buena Vista. So I could do two short days of eight miles per day to the B&B or one sixteen mile day and have a zero day. Initially, the two short days were the plan. But over lunch a few of us decided that seeing the new Star Trek movie was a better plan. Five of us went to the town of Lexington to go to dinner and the movie.No miles today but we had fun.
Date: 2013-06-05
From: Buena Vista

To: Spy Rock Road
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: broken clouds

Jun 5, day 73, mileage 16.3Today was about seventy degrees and low humidity. Very nice. The sixteen miles went quickly because I could walk and climb quickly without feeling overheated.I got an unexpected hiking partner today. A Yellow Lab was at the trailhead and followed me the entire hike.I do not really care for the taste of town water if water on the mountain is available. There was a shelter about four miles after the start of the hike. Unfortunately, the trail guide failed to mention that it was half a mile from the trail. That would mean an extra mile of walking for water. The first water actually on the trail was fourteen miles after the start. I started the hike with 20 ounces of orange juice. I figured I could find water not listed in the trail guide. The first unpublished source of drinks was at a road crossing where Goman (a 2012 thru hiker) placed a trail magic cooler. While I was there he showed up to refill the cooler. I already had a can of Pepsi. He insisted I take two bottles of Gatorade. That took care of the water situation.The rest of the hike was routine. At the end, Earle from the B&B where I was staying was at the parking area to take me to the B&B. Earle knew the Yellow Lab, named Snoopy, and took him with us so the owner could pick him up.
Date: 2013-06-06
From: Reeds Gap

To: Spy Rock Road
Miles today: 19.8

Jun 6, day 74, mileage 19.8No photo today due to rainToday I slack packed. Why? Once again, to provide trail magic as I hiked opposite direction to most of the hikers I know on the trail. Also, since it was supposed to rain all day, I was able to stay at the Dutch Haus B&B again. A shower and a warm bed is really nice after almost 20 miles.The walk was the longest I have ever walked in the rain. We started at 8:30 and finished at 5:30. The terrain today gave us the opportunity to climb over 5000 feet. One climb was about 3000 feet.The hikers that were hiking with me today were Cabo, Patchouli and Floater. We had fun passing out the trail magic. The rain today was a steady moderate to heavy all day. Everybody was soaked. My rain gear kept me dry for a few hours but after I pulled my hood off, my shirt eventually got soaked. The shirt wicked the water to my shorts. But I still love my rain gear. I stayed warm but not miserably hot.My socks and shoes of course were soaked. After a while, the trail got a few inches deep. I saw no reason to try to keep the water out of my shoes.In spite of the weather I really enjoyed the hike. I was pumped up today.
Date: 2013-06-07
From: Spy Rock Road

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 19.3

Jun 7, day 75, mileage19.3No photo today due to rain.Cabo and Floater decided to get a ride to Wayesboro , VA today rather than walk in the rain again today. I really had fun in the rain yesterday and looked forward to my walk today.Patchouli and I got a ride to the trailhead about twenty miles away from the B&B where our hike started yesterday. As we climbed the mountain, we walked up into the clouds. The scenic vistas were perfect views of cloud interiors. Patchouli and I sometimes walked together and sometimes by ourselves. I enjoy the solo hiking and getting lost in thought.Before I knew it, I came upon the shelter for lunch. It was about fourteen miles from the start of today's hike. That is the farthest I think I have hiked without a break.   My speed and endurance has really increased in the last week.After lunch, it was a little over five miles into town. Patchouli and I stopped at a small cemetery and quickly found ourselves in town. When I came up onto the road, she was talking to a trail angel that was hanging out waiting for hikers needing a ride.Jodie, my girlfriend, picked me up in town for the start of our visit. I will be off trail tomorrow and back into the woods Sunday afternoon.
Date: 2013-06-09
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Just short of Skyline Drive Sawmill Run Overlook
Miles today: 10.0

Jun 9, day 77, mileage 10.0I had a wonderful visit with my girlfriend Jodie. She met me in Waynesboro and we stayed in the vacation home of her Mom's friend for two nights.Jodie dropped me off at the trailhead this afternoon at four o'clock. I was able to get ten miles in before sunset. It was good that I stopped a little early as my headlamp batteries have died. I do not know if the lamp was accidentally turned on or if the lamp getting wet in the rain caused the batteries to discharge. My spare microlight is also dead.The good news is that I plan to hit a Skyline Drive wayside restaurant and gift shop tomorrow for dinner. They should have the batteries I want. I will then come up with some technique to ensure my headlamp batteries stay good. It will probably mean removing the batteries from the lamp each morning. I do not like carrying spare batteries due to the weight.The walk today was neat near the tops of the ridges as the clouds rolled across them. See today's picture.Today also was the first day in the Shenandoah National Park (SNP). The AT pretty much parallels the Skyline Drive for its entire length. I should be in Front Royal, VA on Saturday. That is the northern end of the SNP and Skyline Drive.The wildlife today was interesting. A squirrel jumped from a tree trunk above me, over my head and landed on the ground on the other side of the trail. A different time, a doe was about forty feet away and appeared to not even notice me. I must be getting quieter. Then further down the trail, a buck definitely knew I was there. He snorted as he was bounding away. Then he snorted a few more times. He was pretty cool.A thunderstorm is approaching as I am finishing the typing of this journal entry. I am in a relatively sheltered location and enjoying the sound of the light rain that is now falling.
Date: 2013-06-10
From: Just short of Skyline Drive Sawmill Run Overlook

To: Second Loft Mtn Wayside Trail
Miles today: 20.0

Jun 10, day 78, mileage 20.0Last night the rain was heavy with numerous showers. I stayed warm and dry in the hammock. About one fifteen , I heard someone hiking past me on the trail. That was one late hiker.This morning was not a good morning for my mind. I was in good spirits but I left my pack hanging rope and S-binner on the tree where I used it last night. I realized I forgot it about ten miles down the trail. Oh well.Then I accidentally dropped my map case and did not notice it. Luckily, a hiker saw it and picked it up. He was about three minutes behind me. His name is Phantom Raspberry Blowout. And I thought Buckeye Cornelius was long. In my conversation with Phantom, I found out that he was the hiker at one fifteen in the morning. He was at a shelter site in his tent and water started flowing into his tent. So he pulled up his camp in search of a better one.The rain today was intermittently heavy. About noon it stopped. It started again just before I got to the Loft Mountain Wayside. Upon my arrival, there was not one car in the parking lot. Did I really walk a mile out of my way to go to a closed restaurant? They were open! All of the customers were hikers and the employees parking in back of the building.I had a delicious black bean cheeseburger, fries and a Dr. Pepper. For desert I had a blackberry sunday with blackberry ice cream.I left about ten minutes before they closed since it was not raining. I walked about a quarter mile into the woods and found a sheltered location for my night's camp.
Date: 2013-06-11
From: Second Loft Mtn Wayside Trail

To: Unnamed camp site
Miles today: 22.5
Weather: broken clouds

Jun 11, day 79, mileage 22.5Today was beautiful. No rain. Thank you very much. The wildlife was enjoying it too. In addition to the usual animals, I saw a turtle, a few deer and a bear. This bear is the second bear I have seen. He was about forty or fifty feet away in heavy brush. I would not have seen him except he broke a stick as he started moving away from the trail. I could only see him for five seconds or so.I crossed U.S. Route 33 this afternoon. A left turn would have taken me home. But then again so will the AT. Just in a different way. After this trip to Maine, I will be going back to be with my girl Jodie to start the rest of our lives together.At the end of the day, I went to get my water for dinner and the water source was near a cabin that the park rents. A nice couple, Benita and Randy, were renting the cabin. I talked with them for a while and was offered some excellent oatmeal cranberry cookies, which I immediately scarfed down. They also gave me peanuts and Tootsie Pops. I had to travel a little longer today than planned in order to find a suitable camping spot. My goal was 20 miles but I finally found a spot to camp 2.5 miles later.Another milestone was reached today. I am over 900 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia. I have my sights set on getting out of Virginia. It has been pretty here but a month and a half in this state is long enough.
Date: 2013-06-12
From: Unnamed camp site

To: Skyland Resort
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: broken clouds

Jun 12, day 80, mileage 17.7I started today with food on my mind. The first order of business was to make room for some. I stopped at the Bearfence Mountain Hut. They call shelters by the word hut in this park. If you need a hint why I went to a shelter, most have privies so I do not have to dig a hole.Some folks I knew stayed there last night: Shady, Hugs, Green Blaze, Jaberwocky, Sideshow and a few others. On the way out, a park ranger drove down to the hut looking for a hiker that has been leaving trail magic and then leaving the container and the trash. The bears having been finding it and making a mess. Hopefully the rangers can find the person and educate them.So I started walking. My next stop was the Big Meadows Wayside for lunch. When I got there, most of the folks at the hut this morning were getting ready to go in. Our table had ten people and we had another table with six. All of our packs were on or around one of the picnic tables outside. At one point a man and his two sons circled the table looking at our stuff like I do when there is a group of motorcycles parked.A nice Virginia Ham and Swiss Cheese sandwich with a salad was yummy. Most of the people at our table got a blackberry milkshake with their meal. I got one to go for desert. It lasted for almost a quarter mile down the trail.I saw Shady a while later as he passed me and again because be stopped at a spring for a water refill. We visited for a while. Star and Garden Girl stopped for a while also. Most of the folks at lunch were stopping at a hut about four miles from lunch. I had bigger plans.I put in almost eight more miles and stopped at the Skyland Resort and Restaurant. My stench was more than I can stand, so a shower, sheets and good food were on my mind.The restaurant was excellent. I started of with a Caesar salad. The main course was meatloaf with a sweet and tangy barbeque sauce topped with onion rings. The meatloaf was served on top of a nice helping of garlic mashed potatoes. A side of asparagus rounded out my meal. I also enjoyed an OK glass of Cabernet. But the best part of the meal was desert. It was a Blackberry Ice Cream Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust topped with whipped cream and a blackberry drizzle. Oh my gosh, it was good.I waddled back to my room. Not from too much food but the normal walk most of us have from muscle fatigue and stiffness. I posted a few days of my trail journal and was too tired to do much else. I was asleep by nine thirty.
Date: 2013-06-13
From: Skyland Resort

To: Unnamed camp site
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: light rain

Jun 13, day 81, mileage 20.2My day started a little late because I had to set up a mail drop in a town ahead and also figure out where to meet my friends Connie and Gary. They are in Washington DC and they are going to meet me on the trail and visit this Sunday as they make their way toward home.I got on the trail about nine o'clock. I was in and out of my rain jacket a few times today. Most of the rain was light to moderate showers. I stopped at a hut for lunch. This hut had the best spring water I have had on the trail. The water ran directly from a two inch pipe. I downed 48 ounces of water with my lunch.About five thirty I got to the Elkwalllow Wayside for dinner. They did not have any inside seating. It was raining so I found a wall in the gift shop that looked comfortable. A hiker I had not yet met walked in and said I looked scary, like a hobo having dinner.Later she said I looked funny sitting there. I do not know which is worse...   Her name is True. She is hiking with her dog Villy.I hiked a few more miles. One reason was to get in twenty miles today. Another is that the more I walk today, the easier tomorrow will be. I will stop in Front Royal to resupply.After I was all squared away for the evening, I heard a call "Is that you Buckeye Cornelius?". It was a True. Apparently she saw a bear a little ways back and preferred to camp near someone else tonight. She and her dog Villy are about twenty yards away. I let her hang her food on my bear rope and bid her a good night.It is a bit windy this evening. My site is pretty well protected but the top of the trees are swaying a bit. It rocks my hammock a little in the bigger gusts.
Date: 2013-06-14
From: Unnamed camp site

To: Front Royal Hostel
Miles today: 13.4

Jun 14, day 82, mileage 13.4Today was a nice hike into my resupply. I decided to stay at the Front Royal Hostel because it operated by a previous AT and PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) thru hiker. He appeared to provide the things I wanted: a ride to town, snacks and pizza, a shower, laundry and a bed.As always, the scenery was beautiful. The wildlife today was the thing to note. A few deer crossed the trail right in front of me. The best thing though was my bear sighting. I made a turn in a switchback coming down the hill. Just as I was completing the turn, I saw a large bear facing away from me standing in the middle of the trail about 60 feet in front of me. I sucked a large breath in and took two steps back. The bear must have heard me sucking air. He turned his head, saw me then took off running on the trail away from me. He disappeared quickly as the trail turned around a switchback a few feet from where he started. I gave the bear about a minute to clear out before I started hiking again. I sang for about five minutes as I walked just so he would know where I was. I am sure my singing repels most animals as well as other people.
Date: 2013-06-15
From: Front Royal Hostel

To: Stone wall in the woods
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: clear sky

Jun 15, day 83, mileage 13.5Today was pretty routine except that the mileage was a bit lower. It gave me time to smell the roses a bit more than usual. The reason for the short mileage is I am meeting my friends, Connie and Gary, tomorrow morning and I need to be near a convenient road crossing so they can pick up in the morning.The hike was very nice with no threat of rain. I came across some trail magic fairly early. A family that lives just off of the trail puts water and sweet tea out for the hikers. They also leave a note saying it is OK to camp in their yard. Nice folks.The section hikers were out today. I talked with one hiker that appeared to be in his late teens or early twenties. He was on a three day hike to get ready to do the AT next year.Toward the end of the day, I came across more trail magic. I pulled a soft drink from the cooler and sat down on a foot bridge over a stream. The same section hiker came up and sat down too. He had no idea what trail magic was or why there was a cooler by the trail. After I explained trail magic to him, he got a soft drink and came back to enjoy it. We talked for a while as more hikers joined us. We started talking about hammocks. He had an old mesh hammock. He was interested in seeing my set up. So I set my tarp and hammock up for him to see.After we finished, I continued past the road crossing where I was going to meet my friends tomorrow. I climbed up the hill looking for a good camping spot. I found one just off of the trail near a very old dry stacked stone wall. I visited with other hikers for a bit before getting ready for bed. I set up my hammock but did not put up the tarp. There was little to no chance of rain so I enjoyed the sundown, the moon and stars before drifting off to sleep.
Date: 2013-06-16
From: Stone wall in the woods

To: Rod Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Jun 16, day 84, mileage 13.9I started walking on the trail this morning southbound. I was off to meet my friends Connie and Gary. So I backtracked one and a half miles back to the road crossing where we agreed to meet. Note: the miles above are AT mileage made good today. It does not include the three miles back tracking. After my friends picked me up, we went to breakfast. Oh my, a town breakfast. It was yummy. We dawdled over breakfast visiting and catching up.After breakfast, we decided to visit the caverns that are on the edge of Front Royal. Today's photo is of my friends Connie and Gary in the cavern.We went next to lunch at Subway. I got lunch and an extra sandwich for dinner.We visited more during lunch then headed back to the trail. Gary had to work the next morning so they needed to get back to Ohio. At the trailhead, they walked up the trail a few hundred yards to say good bye. I want to thank Connie and Gary for coming to visit me on the trail on their way home from DC.I started walking about 12:30. Nothing earth shattering happened on today's hike but I did see a turtle and a baby game bird. I made it to the shelter about 7:30, enjoyed my Subway sandwich and a Coke and set up my house. I visited for a while with others then laid down to sleep.
Date: 2013-06-17
From: Rod Hollow Shelter

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 9.9

Jun 17, day 85, mileage 9.9Today was a short day because I wanted to stay at the Bear's Den Hostel. It is a beautiful old stone home owned by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.But the hike today was a nice physical challenge. It was the first ten miles of the Roller Coaster. From my trail guide, " 13.5 miles of tightly packed ascents and descents". The temperature was just over sixty but the humidity was high. I have never been so soaked in sweat. My shorts were even soaked. My pack's waist belt was also soaked almost to the ends of the straps. And yes, I stink today.The hills were steeper than normal. But the trail, I estimate, was technical walking 40 to 60% of its length.I got to the hostel about one o'clock. It started raining about three thirty. About six thirty, Lady Diva, a trail angel, showed up with a hiker feed. She had all of the fixings for chicken soft tacos. I think she fed close to twenty people. It was good.
Date: 2013-06-18
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: Harpers Ferry, WV
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: moderate rain

Jun 18, day 86, mileage 19.5There was one very scenic view today but the big news was I left Virginia today. It was very anticlimactic. After hiking over six hundred miles in the state, having some of the best and lowest days of my journey, there was not even a sign to mark the state boundary.I also surpassed the one thousand mile mark.I also arrived at Harpers Ferry, WV, home to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). This is the ceremonial half way point on the AT. The ATC office is open from 9 to 5 so I will check in with them tomorrow.Tonight was a typical evening in town: wash out clothes, shower, dinner, resupply and plan the next leg of the journey.It was interesting that where the hotel was, I could only get short texts to send. Most towns have had excellent cell service.
Date: 2013-06-19
From: Harpers Ferry, WV

To: Unnamed camp site
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

Jun 19, day 87, mileage 13.9After checking out of the hotel, I went to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). They help us celebrate the progress of "half way" on the AT. Harpers Ferry is not quite halfway but pretty close.After a brief tour of the ATC office space, I went outside with the ATC volunteer to have my picture taken in front of the ATC building where their sign hangs. My picture was then printed and given to me to add my person info. Then the picture was placed in this year's photo album. It was fun looking through the album to see when some of the people I know that are ahead of me got to Harpers Ferry.It was about 11:30 when I finished looking at the gift shop area of the ATC, so I figured lunch was in order. I ate with three of my hiker friends. Then since ice cream was so close, we had to get some.On the way to the trail, I was walking past quite a few historical buildings. Which of course, means I wandered to other historical buildings. I did not actually start my walk out of town until about 2:30.The first four miles was on a sixty mile long old railway turned bike path. The bridge on the bike path just outside of town crossed the Potomac River. Welcome to Maryland. After that four miles on the bike path, it was up a long hill that gave a beautiful view of the Potomac River.The rest of the hike was nice. I hiked until sunset due to my late start.