morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-05-28
From: Atkins VA

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

The highlight of the day was walking through pasture land among beautiful Virginia farms enveloped by mountains on all sides. We delayed departure from the Relax Inn Motel to avoid the heavy rain. Our good fortune brought some partial sunshine and cool breezes. We had to walk by the Dairy Queen on our way up the trail so Impulse decided to get something to eat while the rest of us pushed on. About a mile down the trail I heard running footsteps behind me so I turned to discover Impulse carry two large Blizzards from DQ. He handed one to me then showed me three spoons. He meant for me to share with Burnie and Pokey. As we were about to polish off the ice cream the young English couple we met only a few days ago approached us heading the wrong way. They decided to get off the trail. She explained she was tired of wet boots and long miles. They were going to rent a car and do some camping and sight seeing. We were all surprised because they seemed to be so gungho, always first on the trail in the morning, always organized, always polite.Burnie set a fast pace today. We stopped at the first shelter for a quick break then headed north encountering many stiles to get over fences near pastures. Fortunately the cows can't figure out how to get over the stiles.We made good time getting to the pavilion despite the high water crossings and mud. Burnie's parents were waiting there for her. They gave us drinks and apples while we talked about our experiences and tried to praise Burnie. We had to hike another 3 miles to the shelter and it was already 7 PM when we left Burnie after exchanging e-mail addresses. She says she will catch up with us by doing some slack packing via her dad. I certainly hope so because I don't want to loose contact with another friend on this trail.We made it to the shelter by 8 PM and worked quickly to set up our hammocks because the shelter was full of section hikers and weekenders since it is Memorial Day weekend. Hope it doesn't rain tonight.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-05-29
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Mud, Mud, and more mud. Several days of rain and thunderstorms have made much of the trail a quagmire. The stream crossings can be tricky because they are so high. Sometimes you just have to get your feet wet. Quite a few day hikers and weekenders are out in the woods this Memorial Day weekend One of the hikers out for Memorial Day weekend claims there is a rainy season here and we should expect 10 more days before the pattern changesI left camp at 8:00 this morning reaching a camping area near a very fast moving stream by 9:30 AM. I dropped my pack and took my boots and socks off so I could soak my feet and eat a snack. It's cool today but no rain expected.Another hour brought me to a forest service road where I stopped and took off my boots again. Most of the hikers camping with us last night stopped for a break at this half way point to the next shelter. We had to go up 2000 ft in the next 4.5 miles. As I hiked up the trees disappeared and I found myself near a pretty pond. Guess what? I took another long break. Soon I was joined by Rainbow, Pokey, Runey Tunes, some weekenders and a father who is escorting his daughter as she begins her thru hike late from Damascus. Some of us cooked dinner there and enjoyed the views. We continued up the bald to the shelter getting wonderful views of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east. The shelter is totally enclosed since it was the residence building for the old fire tower that was removed. To the northwest is an incredible view of a Mennonite community that fills a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. Apparently the Vanderbuilts tried to buy the entire valley for their Biltmore estate but were turned down and had to settle for Asheville.I have now hiked over 500 miles and I am more then 1/4 th of the way through the AT. Yahoo!!! Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-05-30
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: moderate rain

Last evening after trying to talk with my family via cell phone - actually I did make contact for a few minutes - we watched a nice sunset from the camp area. The sky was red - I should have known from that what today's weather had to offer. While watching the sunset, Rainbow approached me and said she had something to ask me but didn't quite know how to do it. Since Timex, her sometime hiking partner dropped off the trail again yesterday, Rainbow wanted to know if she could hike with me and Pokey and Burnie. Of course I said she would be welcome to join us. She got a little teary for a moment then thanked me.This morning looked threatening with dark clouds and distant rumbles. Rainbow left first, I was about 15 minutes behind her. After a little over a mile I found a small water source and stopped to fill my bottles. Just as I started I heard Rainbow call from up the hill. She had gotten on the wrong trail and followed it to someone's house. Pokey showed up to fill his bottles too.We continued hiking crossing paths with Goat and Papa Smurf a former thru hiker and his retired teacher father doing section hikes. We reached a forest service road where Goat and Papa Smurf had a pickup truck parked. Pokey, Rainbow and I stopped for a lunch break. Goat and Smurf took our trash and gave us some of their left over food including cheese and summer sausage. Yum!After they drove off, a car with 4 hikers showed up getting ready for a couple of days in the woods. They headed south in the opposite direction we were going. We headed into the woods which were getting darker by the moment. Finally we heard lots of thunder and it began to rain heavily. For the next 4 hours we were pelted with one t-storm after another. We reached Jenkins Shelter about 2:30 PM. This is pretty early to stop hiking but we planned low miles in hopes that Burnie could catch us tomorrow or the next day and get out of the rain today. We hung my 10X12 tarp over the picnic table so that we could eat out there without getting wet then had some snacks and settled in for the rest of the afternoon. 7 more hikers showed up for a shelter built for 6. Plus there were backpacks already here from a father and daughter team out doing the day on the trail photo session sponsored by Appalachian Trail Conference. I don't know how all these people figure on fitting into this shelter. I've got my space filled.Dave showed up around 6 PM and saw Burnie a few minutes before she reached the forest service road. She did her 16 mile slack today so we will probably see her tomorrow. Radio is going to set up his sleeping bag on the picnic table under my tarp. Dave is setting up his tent as are Lumpy, Caveman and Smokey-T. The rain has stopped but the leaves are still dripping and the sky is cloudy.   Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-05-31
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Helveys Mill Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: light rain

5/31/04Start: Jenkins ShelterEnd: Helveys Mill ShelterDistance: 13.8 milesThe thunderstorms started at 2 AM this morning. It was almost continuous flashing of lightning and claps of thunder with heavy rains and winds until 7 AM. Then it rained or dripped from the trees the rest of the morning. We didn't want to get out of our sleeping bags. Finally we started hiking around 10:00 AM. The trail was muddy with lots of deep puddles and streams were overflowing.We hiked the high water trail after the photographer told us the AT along the Little Wolf Creek was overflowing its boundaries yesterday. We reached the Laurel Creek bridge about noon and stopped for lunch and a break. Rainbow and I finished off the Summer Sausage given to us by Papa Smurf yesterday. A pickup truck showed up with a bunch of the hikers from the shelter last night. A church group had brought them into town to feed them this morning. They brought us back some of the food. A few steps up the trail we found a cooler full of fruit drinks. Rainbow and I each had an orange juice. Pokey had to wait by the bridge for the photographer and his daughter Night Thrasher (Elaine), to bring him some fuel and toilet paper. They talked with Burnie who decided to stay at Jenkins Shelter tonight. She will be one day behind us now for awhile unless we take a zero or find a way to slow down until she catches us.There are no water sources between Laurel Creek and the shelter, so we were very pleased to find 6 gallons of spring water in bottles on the trail at the half way point. I believe it is the same church group that put out the water.We crossed interstate 77 on a small bridge. I waved at the passing trucks and cars hoping to get some waves and honks. We made good time after that getting to the shelter about 6 PM. The sky has finally cleared. Hope we are through with rain for awhile. Everything I own is soaked.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-06-02
From: Trent's Grocery and Campsite

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: clear sky

We followed the Dismal Creek for 8 miles today along a beautiful flat trail with rhododendrons and evergreens banking the trail. We stopped at Dismal Falls for a long visit then headed to the pond for a swim. Now we are signing the register and filling our water bottles at Wapiti Shelter. Wapiti is the indian word for elk.Next we headed up 1500 ft in one mile heading to Woods Hole hostel. The hike up wasn't as difficult as I anticipated but after the up came the rocks. I was hiking alone at a good pace trying to catch up with Rainbow when I spotted a doe with a fawn on the trail ahead. I froze. They did not seem to notice me. I got my camera out slowly and aimed to get a picture of the fawn. The flash went off and the fawn walked slowly behind its mother into the woods. I don't think I was close enough or had enough light to get a decent picture. There was a rock overlook on the side of the trail where I could see all the way to Pearisburgh (10 miles +) our destination tomorrow.I caught Rainbow sitting on a log beside the trail waiting for me to join her. She said she had hiked alone long enough today and her feet were tired and she wanted to be finished. After Pokey, Burnie, and a weekender called, BarTender caught up to us we headed up the trail again for the last 3 miles of tough hiking. We reached the turnoff for Woods Hole hostel around 7:00 PM. Tilly is amazing. And so is Polly who showed up after heading down the road in the wrong direction from Trent's Grocery this morning. She somehow got there before noon and spent the day mowing the large lawn. We signed up for breakfast and cooked our dinner then settled in for the night.   Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-06-03
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Pearisburgh VA
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: few clouds

I forgot to mention yesterday that we passed the 600 mile mark. And today I have finished 2 months on the trail. I started hiking on the AT at Springer Mt on April 4th.Lot's of ridge walking today with some great views of the farmlands of south western Virginia. Tillie Wood made a breakfast fit for kings. She asked for a hiker to say the blessing. Rainbow volunteered to sing a prayer. It was moving and it was hard for her because she found it difficult to find her voice.It should have been a short 10 mile walk across the ridge and down to Pearisburg but we had to stop for the incredible views and rest stops along our way. Great weather with blue skies and cool breezes make the hiking very comfortable but the two months of hiking and the 600 miles are having a toll on my energy level. I have lost over 20 lbs since I started. When I get into town I am so hungary that it hurts.We could not find 2 motel rooms in town so the four of us are sharing one room. It is cheaper this way but crowded when we are trying to sort through our gear and repack food and organize our packs for leaving town tomorrow.We walked across the street for an all you can eat chinese restaurant. After that Rainbow and I had to walk to the Rendezvous Motel for our food mail drops. Mine was not there. I will try to track it down tomorrow when the post office opens. I may have to buy food locally.Walking back from the Rendezvous I spotted Pokey and Burnie in DQ eating the large blizzard ice cream so I went in and ordered one and a large drink. In the mean time Rainbow found a shuttle to Walmart to do some shopping. I am going to have to do some shopping for clothing soon because what is not wearing out is no longer fitting because of weight loss.Pokey just came back Food Lion with cheese cake and lemonade. I've got to stop to eat.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-06-04
From: Pearisburgh VA

To: Pearisburgh VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

This is the start of my 3rd month on the trail and it has been a washout. We woke to heavy rain, fog, and temps in the 50's. I headed to the post office to see if by chance my maildrop was there. It wasn't so I went to the grocery store to buy supplies for my next 6 days of hiking. Back at the motel, Rainbow was using the computer to update her journal while Pokey slept and Burnie packed her backpack to get in some miles. When I arrived back at the room I suggested we invoke Pokeys rule, never leave town in the rain. The weatherman was predicting heavy rain all day with flash floods and tornado warnings. Burnie was not happy but agreed to stay. Rainbow was overjoyed. Pokey was content. After putzing around the room we headed to Dairy Queen for breakfast. Then Burnie and Pokey found a ride to the library. Rainbow headed to post office. I repacked my food. Gramma La-La showed up to hike with us again saying she was inspired back to the trail by reading Rainbow's journal. We tentatively set 7 AM as our starting time tomorrow.A car pulled up to the motel office with Tillie Wood at the wheel. She got out and tried to move a backpack out of the back seat. I went down to help her. Apparently she was slack packing a hiker from Woods Hole Hostel to our motel.Everyone got back to the motel around 2:15 PM. We headed to a pizza joint for lunch and spent 2 hours there. We headed back to the motel in the rain again then took a nap while watching Dr. Phil. The weatherman said we got over 3 inches of rain and should expect more. He suggested that hikers be especially careful due to possible flash floods. I am pleased with our decision.We will look for an all-you-can-eat buffet for dinner.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-06-05
From: Pearisburgh VA

To: Pine Swamp Branch shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Just when I thought it was time to get back on the trail it continued to rain and drizzle all day. The 19.1 miles was tough because of weather. We stopped at Rice Field shelter where we found Hiking Bear. He has spent two nights here but not voluntarily. He headed out yesterday to go to the next shelter but because of fog and being legally blind he got disoriented and ended up back where he started. He was hiking in heavy rain and fog with 3 inches of rain. We struggled with the miles because it was hard to take a break since everything is soaked. We had several stream crossings one that required removal of shoes.   I set up my hammock because the shelter was full. Skywalker, an athletic young woman and her hiking partner Chugs fly up the trail and do the miles in almost twice our speed. Nitro and Mike are a romantically involved hiking couple and are delightful to see flirting around the shelter. Radio is here and several other hikers. I'm too exhausted to write much more.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-06-06
From: Pine Swamp Branch shelter

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: light rain

Rocks, Rocks, Rocks and more rocks.I was expecting an easy ridge walk today but instead we found rocks for more than half the trail. That slowed our pace to 1 mile per hour. There were beautiful woods with azaleas and magnificent ferns that filled the sides of the trail. Lots of sections were muddy from the recent rains. Water was running down the trail in some areas. We did get a great view today at Windy Rocks, but we timed it wrong since we took a break only 15 minutes before to snack and rest our feet. Burnie is anxious to reach Waynesborough by June 11th to make a side trip to Richmond since her boyfriend, Mike, will be performing in a concert. We would need to do 200 miles in 13 days. That would require us to average over 16 miles per day. I don't think we are up to it.We were first at the shelter tonight so we don't have to set up tents or hammocks.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-06-07
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Sarver Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Sarver Hollow is a great new shelter with a huge covered deck. There is a resident kitten that seems to be a a good hunter and has real yogi skills. Rainbow shared her dinner with it last night. I should be happy but Burnie chose to hike 6 miles to the next shelter even though the rest of us are staying here. She is very anxious to make it to Waynesborough in time to see her boyfriend Mike. There is a good chance we will not see her again. She has been a highlight of my hike.We left the shelter at 8 AM this morning and headed down amongst the rhododendrons and the creek for a pleasant walk. Then the trail headed up 2000 feet. I got a burst of energy and started moving faster than Rainbow and Gramma La-La. Burnie and Pokey were back at the shelter still packing and getting ready to hike. By 10:00 I had reached Kelly Knob where I met Goldie and her dog Lucie who were out for a day hike from Blacksburgh where her husband is a college professor at Va. Tech. I took my shirt and shorts off and put them with my socks on the rocks to dry from the multiple rainy days. I did have under shorts on. Rainbow and La-La arrived 45 minutes later and dropped their packs for a break and snacks. There was still a lot of fog down below but the sun was shining on Kelly Knob.We left Kelly Knob and stopped for lunch at Laurel Spring Shelter then headed across several large fields with hay and some with cattle. We had to climb over 7 stiles which bothered several of our hikers then stopped at a creek to cool our feet in the water. Rainbow and I took pictures of the Keffer Oak, over 18 feet in circumference and over 300 years old. Now we had to head back up 2000 feet to Sinking Creek Mountain and walk along the ridge for a mile to the turnoff to Sarver Hollow. The ridge walk was easy and littered with piles of rock about 30 feet apart. The rocks seem to be sorted by size and shape. A register entry suggested the piles of rock were a beacon for extraterrestrials that were moved by early settlers and thereby thwarted the invasion.   The shelter is .3 miles way down below the ridge line. That means a tough climb back up to the trail tomorrow morning. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-06-08
From: Sarver Hollow Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: light rain

I hoped to leave camp early today and catch up with Burnie before she left the next shelter. I assumed the ridge walk from Sarver Hollow to the Niday Shelter would be as easy as the section of ridge we hiked yesterday. Well, I was wrong. Most of the ridge was ledge and rocks. Very treacherous to walk. I had to be very careful walking in the fog and mist which made my glasses less then useful. It took me 3 hours to walk the 6 miles to Niday Shelter. No one was there. Burnie left a note saying she would be hiking with us once she met up with her boyfriend.I decided to take a long break at the shelter. I was dripping with sweat so went for a sponge bath down by the stream. I set up a clothesline near the shelter and hung my wet clothing and sleeping bag hoping all would dry in the sun. Soon Rainbow and La-La arrived. We ate lunch and refilled water bottles before heading back out on the trail. Down another mile to a road and long suspension bridge then we headed up the next ridge.The path up this ridge was extremely well graded. It was covered with pine needles, soft under foot, and had lots of switch backs. We heard thunder storms approaching and decided to take a break under my tarp while the storm passed over the ridge. Once we reached the top of the ridge there was a bench on the side of the trail and the trail followed in the middle of an abandoned wide roadway. A side trail led up to a monument to Audey Murphy, the most decorated soldier in W.W.II, who died in a plane crash nearby. Rainbow and I walked up to check it out while La-La walked on.We continued along the ridge for 5 miles before it headed down to the valley. It seemed to take forever, but there were many switch backs and a relatively easy foot bed. It was very humid so we were all sweating profusely all day long.At the bottom, we soaked our feet in the creek until they were numb then headed up the 1 mile to the shelter. I think I set to fast a pace because Rainbow was exhausted when we reached camp. The water at this camp is very cloudy from silt from recent rain and the shelter is dark. We all struggled with dinner because of exhaustion and heat. Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman
Date: 2004-06-09
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: 4 Pines Hostel
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: broken clouds

I know, I know, only 6 miles Gabby. But have you ever climbed up to Dragon's Tooth and come down the other side? It is a long way up followed by a New Hampshire style steep down on ledge and rock. It took us 4 hours to hike the 3.5 miles up and 2 hours to hike the 2.5 miles down. But we had awesome weather with great views and a stop at a grocery store with Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, home made pizza and soda. I ate ice cream and drank soda until I was about to burst. Then I shared a pizza with Pokey and then I had a GatorAid. Before I left the store I bought some trail food, 2 more bottles of Pepsi and a full tube of Pringles. We walked 1/2 mile to the Hostel and claimed a mattress (on the floor of a garage) then took showers and hung our wet clothing on the clothes line. Joe the owner called in a pizza order and then drove some of us down to pick it up. I managed to call home and hear about the 1st graders at Gilmanton Elementary School. I now need to answer some of their questions and send an e-mail to them since school is over in one week for the summer.Life Is Good!! "Gabby" aka Art Cloutman