morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-09-21
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: The Priest Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: clear sky

EPIC DAY! We went up and down (and down and down) Three Ridges Mountain. We had one of the biggest climbs of the entire trail ahead of us, so we took our time and played in the Tye River. The river was actually running, although the actual amount of water in it is far closer to normal definitions of "stream" or "piddly creek." Since we left Shenandoah, water has been much easier to find. I have not had to carry three liters in ages, and water-stress is at an all-time low. This is really good. On the other hand, it feels okay to worry about the basics: my day's worries consist of finding water, eating food, and finding a place to sleep. It's basic, and it is a good reminder about what we really need versus what we think we need.After playing in the river, we began the 4.5-mile, 3,000 foot ascent of The Priest. I had heard horror stories of the 36 switchbacks leading up to the top, but in reality it was not bad. I blasted some hardcore Muppets music, and that made the climb easier. Happy feet, I've got those happy feet . . . I caught up to Mark at one point and we admired a view. Then we climbed another thousand feet. Finally we made it to the shelter, where we happily collapsed with great memories of one of the hardest days we will ever have on the trail. At least in terms of terrain. I don't want to get too hopeful.On a sad note, my poor bedraggled pants ripped SPECTACULARLY today. I am surprised they survived so long; after a month of butt-sliding down mountains in Maine last year, I assumed they were not long for this world. I will continue to carry them for awhile out of respect and awe.
Date: 2010-09-22
From: The Priest Shelter

To: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

Today Mark switched from "hiking buddy" to "friend." Last night as I walked to the shelter, I apparently walked past the overlook. Having walked almost 14 miles down and up massive mountains, I was not in the mood for an overlook anyway, but this attitude SO offended Mark that he insisted we backtrack to the overlook this morning."It's only .1, maybe .2!" he cried. I knew I would lose all his respect if I refused to go. So I begrudgingly agreed, and we hiked northbound together to go check out the view. Only, it WASN'T .1 or .2, it was actually about .4 or .5 up a mountain. We re-summitted The Priest. And I of course threatened to kill him. And I think that only friends threaten to kill each other, because if you threaten to kill a stranger or a mere acquaintance, it's a bad time. Before the death threat, we had a lazy morning in the shelter and a young man ran in to sign the register. He had climbed The Priest before 9AM, crazy man, and had THE LION strapped to his pack! I was so happy to see the lion again! The hiker's name was Ghost Pirate and if he weren't doing 30-miles days, Mark and I would want to keep him. (On a fun note - if he carries the lion to Springer and keeps up the 30-mile days, the breath that I used to inflate the lion will get to the end of the trail a month before I do.)We were going to go a lot farther than eight miles, but we got to this shelter and heard a distant booming. We spent 20 minutes debating what is was (Air Force base? Thunder? Armageddon?) and THUNDER turned out to be the right answer. So, stealthing in a distant field seemed suddenly less exciting. I have a really deep respect for lightning and thunder. Last year a southbounder named Rock Plopper was struck by lightning, and she was hiking just a couple of days ahead of us. She made it to civilization and was treated, but it doesn't inspire me to hike in a storm. So we chilled out and rested our weary knees.Soon the thunder was booming so hard that it was shaking the shelter. I was happy to be there. Southbounders (and a lonely northbound section hiker) all convened at the shelter and although it rained very little (bummer!) the thunder was magnificent.
Date: 2010-09-23
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: Buena Vista Budget Inn
Miles today: 7.7

Sometimes, trail magic reaches out and kicks you.Mark's knee has been bothering him for a couple of days. We think The Priest did it. I am actually surprised that he has not had problems until now: his pack is super heavy and he doesn't have poles. Still, he's been leaping over mountains and just generally being impressive, so I haven't nagged him about losing some of his 6 pounds of technology. I am carrying a stuffed pomegranate so I can't really talk.Anyway, yesterday at the shelter we met a young man named Greg who has hiked a huge chunk of the AT and was out for a section. While Mark and I schemed about how to get to Buena Vista today, Greg offered us a ride down a forest service road. We weren't going to take him up on it (we are not purists but we weren't ready to miss six miles), but after hiking all morning, it became clear that Mark's knee was not happy. We decided to call it a health stop and get the ride into Buena. First, of course, Greg had to change his tire because the forest service road had drilled a screw into one of his. Then we had to cram a tire, three backpacks and all of us in to his car, and drive sloooowly down a forest road that was curvy, bumpy, and only somewhat terrifying. We missed six miles, but nothing that could have happened in those six miles is equivalent to the adventure we had driving down a forest road on a spare tire. It was great.Greg was a sweetheart and drove all over town trying desperately to find the Budget Inn for us. It was nowhere to be found. We asked several locals and no one knew where it was. This I could understand if Buena Vista were the size of, say, Chicago or even Fargo. But Buena Vista is tiny.Also, it's pronounced Bew-na Vista by the locals. Not Bway-na. Bew-na. Uh huh.Anyway, after an hour of driving us around, Greg dropped us off at the other hotel in town. We were very happy to be there and super grateful. We rang the magic bell and the guy who answered sounded like he had a cactus wedged down his pants. He informed me, and not in a friendly way, that there was no room at the inn. Bummmmerrrrrrr. (And also, I don't believe him.)So we found the number for the Budget Inn, got directions from them (why didn't we think of this when we were with Greg?), walked a short distance, and got a blissfully mediocre room at a good price, and met Randy.Randy is a wonderful man who drove us to Food Lion (resupply in 20 minutes annnnd . . . GO!) and picked us up later. The next day he drove us to the trailhead. We are all huge fans of Randy.That was all really awesome, and I cannot thank Randy or Greg enough. The real highlights of the day, however, involved food.1) We ate at Burger King, then we walked across the street into Subway to get food there as well.2) Ghost Pirate (with the lion) and his friend Quickstep showed up, having hitched from the next town down the trail, so we had a pizza party.I love this trail.
Date: 2010-09-24
From: Buena Vista Budget Inn

To: Punch Bowl Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: scattered clouds

WHY TODAY WAS PERFECT----------------------pillows! I woke up with pillows!-I got to visit with Ghost Pirate & GoFish-Randy shuttled us up a mountain to the trailhead-I left trail magic toilet paper at the first shelter-at the first shelter a German guy hiked in and sat by me. He said "You look VERY familiar." Turns out we were both at The Mayor's House last year! What are the CHANCES?!-blissful hiking around Brown Mountain Creek . . .complete with interpretive signs?!-A WATERFALL. Okay, so I have really low standards for what a "waterfall" is, but seeing as it has been so dry, I am calling it a waterfall. I got there an hour before Mark and just chilled out and watched the yellow leaves fall into the pool of water and I really had no desire ever to leave that spot. Then Mark came and we ate Oreos and watched the water for an hour or more.-weird hiking along the sides of a ravine near a lake! A lake! I MISS LAKES! I miss Gitche Gummi and all the little lakes of Minnesota. It felt so nice and normal to be hiking near a lake!-I got to share my poles with Mark, who maybe has seen the light regarding poles.-Mark and I sat by a stream and had very important and intelligent conversations regarding shape vs. texture of food.-I listened to Lady Gaga and danced all the way up Rice Mountain and on top of the mountain too.-the shelter had water and a random cackly old man who gave us a lot of granola bars!-and then Mark read a great Just So Story to me-and the moon was full and looked like a UFO and I couldn't sleep, but I watched the moon all night.
Date: 2010-09-25
From: Punch Bowl Shelter

To: Johns Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Easy but long day to Johns Hollow. Mark had my poles all day today which has led me to deeply consider the relationship I have with my poles. Last year a bunch of the guys hiking the trail decided to read the Twilight Saga, and I got sucked in because of them, so while I do not really like Twilight, I can honestly say in a very informed way that the relationship I have with my poles is very much like the relationship that Bella and Edward have.Jo as Bella:-no one really knows what we are thinking-we both get into bad situations-we are both total klutzes-we are both, er, fragrantMy poles as Edward:-both sparkle in the sunlight-both are cold and marbley-the poles save my life; Eddie saves Bella's-the poles deal with my blood; Eddie has to deal with Bella's.I think this is brilliant. I maybe have been out of civilization too long.
Date: 2010-09-27
From: Johns Hollow Shelter

To: Matts Creek Shelter
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

It still rained, but we got a 2-hour break where we made it here.We tried to hitch into Glasgow for pancakes. Mark even sang a song about pancakes. No one wanted to give two sopping wet hikers a ride into town. I would have wanted us in my car if I had a car. We were endless amounts of fun.And then it rained some more.
Date: 2010-09-30
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Cove Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

One thing I have really enjoyed about all these short days is that Mark and I have gotten a chance to get to know each other better. I think if you are cooped up in a shelter with someone for days on end and you end up not wanting to kill each other (or even, cough, threatening to do so), that's a really good sign. We are getting along really well and our biggest problem is that neither one of us is opinionated/stubborn enough when it comes to making decisions. I can't possibly complain about Mark as a hiking buddy or a friend. He doesn't even stink. How do you hike the AT and not stink? I stink A LOT and I am carrying deoderant (I know, I know, but one ounce makes me feel human, okay?). Highlights of the day: Sleeping until 11AM, torrential rain creating an extra river around the shelter that was not there when we hiked in yesterday, a break in the rain, blue-blazing and taking a very creative path to the camp store 1 mile off the trail, eating ice cream and nacho chips, digging a hole at the shelter, and trying to make a fire.The man at the camp store informed us that we're "late." A year ago I was 350 miles north of here and I did not consider myself late. Why do people feel the need to think they know more about the trail than they actually do? There is no deadline for southbounders. It is only one of the many reasons why southbound is the way to go. /soapbox
Date: 2010-10-04
From: Howard Johnson

To: Lambert Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: light rain

Today I met a FEMALE THRUHIKER! I have not seen a female long-distance hiker at all since TurtleHawk back in Shenandoah, and before that there was only Aboo. Contrast that with seeing literally dozens of male thruhikers. When Flora hiked into the shelter today my first reaction was just "You're a GIRL!" which may sound incredibly silly, but you try being surrounded by one gender (either one) for weeks and weeks and then see how you feel.The hiking today was good if strenuous. The terrain was not difficult, but I, um, have three books in my pack and three pomegranates. I ate one (pomegranate, not book) on top of a mountain. It was great.We also met a creep-tastic old man who was rather vile. I was happy to be sleeping between Mark and Flora with Abear as an additional buffer.Also, Abear carried a pineapple out of town. I thought I was cool with my three pomegranates, but his pineapple is massive. He wins.
Date: 2010-10-05
From: Lambert Meadow Shelter

To: Stealth on hill
Miles today: 12.5

It was great to wake up in the dark of the morning with Abear, Flora, and Mark and leave vile, lewd, creepy old man in the shelter as we hauled up a thousand-foot hill. Yesterday we crossed TINKER CREEK and today we got to TINKER CLIFFS, which were great fun to walk along. Tinker Creek and the surrounding area have special meaning for me, as they inspired Annie Dillard to write her book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. The book is how my friendship with my previous hiking buddy Phil started. So it's fun to be in Annie's area.Today we also made it to McAfee Knob, one of the most photographed spots on the entire trail. We did a photoshoot and Abear cut up his pineapple and shared it (bless him). So Flora, Abear, Mark, and I shivered and ate pineapple on a windy but sporadically sunny fall day. I opened a pomegranate to share. Flora was not impressed. Other than that, she is pretty cool.Last year, my hiking friends Creepster/Phil, Smoking Loon, and Mountain Yogi made a song about no camping on McAfee Knob. Creepster assured me that there were ten signs on the way up McAfee Knob warning of NO CAMPING. I counted two. Explanations from the '09 SOBOs? Anyone?We got to a perfect little stealth spot that Mark found. Then I slept for 14 hours.
Date: 2010-10-06
From: Stealth on hill

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: broken clouds

We were going to go farther today, but I couldn't get up a mountain and the entire day crumbled for me. I could hike up it, but I could not for the life of me make it up a rock face. I have some pretty strong opinions on the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club . . . they bridged ROCKS on the way up McAfee Knob. Rocks. Bridged. What?! And yet many shelters lack logbooks (sad face) and trying to get up that piece of rock when one is five foot six was way too difficult. I suppose the average hiker is many inches taller than me, but I don't feel freakishly short. I feel like a single piece of rebar in the rock would have made my day. One piece of rebar would have prevented my leg from getting wedged horizontally in the rock. It would have prevented my knees from getting bashed in. It would have given me back 45 minutes of my life. I would have not felt so entirely helpless.Even in Maine, there was always something to hang onto. The rocks had a handhold, or there was a tree, or there was a way around if you were creative enough.I also fell down three times today, which is more than I had fallen down previously the entire trip. So, I had a terrible day, but Mark is tall enough where these rocks are fun for him, and he saw bears, so at least he had a good day.
Date: 2010-10-07
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: Stealth at Sarver Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: clear sky

Today was a really long 16. Sometimes 16-mile days are short, sometimes 12-mile days are long, and this was a long 16. Water has been becoming an issue again. It has not rained since the torrential downpour of Tropical Storm Whoever It Was. I trust my guidebook too much on water; a lot of the water sources listed would surely be running and lovely for northbound hikers who come through in the spring or early summer, but for southbound hikers, it's all kind of dried up. So I thought I would fill up with water on my way up the final mountain, but alas, it was not to be. So I hiked four miles to the next shelter with no water. Hiking without water is kind of miserable. I am in awe of the hikers who drink at water sources and never carry water. I would die.When I made it to the trail to the shelter, it was clear that the .4 trail was down a ravine. Mark had left a sign for me saying that he had also run out of water and was headed down the ravine. I waited five minutes and rested for the first time in hours, and then started down. I hadn't gone more than a tenth of a mile when he emerged, boldly carrying enough liters of water to get us through the night! Enough for me too! Yay! Way to go, Mark! We gleefully set up our tents in a clearing rather than hike down the ravine of death, drank water, and there was much rejoicing.I tried to cook food while sitting in the tent, but I spilled my fuel (antifreeze) all over, and that was exciting!
Date: 2010-10-08
From: Stealth at Sarver Hollow Shelter

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

An entry in the logbook read, "Pennsylvania called. They want their rocks back."I would add to that:"Maine called. They're bragging about having better trail maintenance than this section.""New Hampshire called. They've got more switchbacks than you and are proud of it.""New York called. They're jealous about the amount of garbage this section gets."I am pretty sure that this section is the worst of the worst. I have yet to find a redeeming quality to the section between Catawba and Pearisburg. Rocks and garbage and straight ups and downs and TONS of missed opportunities for trail maintenance. I won't be back.(Give it a year. I'll be dreaming about coming back.)
Date: 2010-10-09
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Symm's Gap Meadow
Miles today: 20.3

Somehow I didn't realize we did over 20 miles until I stopped to do the math. Yay us!I guess when you start packing up at 5:30 and hike for an hour underneath Orion, it does eventually add up. We had some long, long climbs today, but we still made it 20 miles. I was on my feet for over 13 hours today. Mark, who hikes faster, gets longer and more frequent breaks while we waits for me, so I don't know how many hours he was on his feet, but maaaan, I was ready to be done.It's a lovely meadow with lovely milkweed to play with and apple trees and twinkling lights of our future.Somewhere down there, there is an All You Can Eat Chinese Buffet just waiting for us.
Date: 2010-10-10
From: 20.3

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

(mileage estimate - will update someday with actual info)We hiked into Pearisburg, ate Chinese food, and got a shuttle to Woods Hole. This place is heaven, and lots of hiker friends are here: Flora, Abear, PeepeeOpee, Kunu, Skittles, Hobbit, Coyote . . . I am missing a couple . . . Happy to be here!
Date: 2010-10-11
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Pearisburg/Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

(mileage estimate)Today we slackpacked* from Woods Hole back into Pearisburg. It was great. We watched a helicopter for a long time. We took breaks. We wrote happy messages with chalk on rocks. We hiked downhill. And our hike ended at the Dairy Queen. Every hike should end at a Dairy Queen! Then we resupplied** and shuttled back to Woods Hole.*Slackpacking: hiking without all the crap you need if you're backpacking. Meaning: bring water and snacks. And chalk, just for fun.**We barely had to resupply thanks to the FABULOUS mail drops we got. Thanks to Mom and Dad, Jesse and fam, Phil, and Mark's mom for all the delightful food and fun they sent to us! Yaaaaay.
Date: 2010-10-13
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Dismal Creek Falls Campsite
Miles today: 12.3

A very important thing happened at Woods Hole: Mark finally got a trail name! Neville, the lovely woman who runs the place, named him Karma. I think if Neville gives you a trail name, you cannot possibly refuse it. So now I am hiking with Karma. Today, alas, we left Woods Hole Hostel. There were only a few sprinkles that accosted us as we hiked our 12 miles. We got to this lovely waterfall (it is not dismal at all) and ate some glop that Karma insisted on digging out of the Woods Hole hiker box. Never again. Never again.
Date: 2010-10-15
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Windy Stealth
Miles today: 16.7

Today started out exceptionally crappy and turned into an amazing day! Trail magic abounds, even in southbounder season!It began cold, rainy, and hungry. In the middle somewhere, we met EDSEL (who hopefully is reading this at some point) who offered to help us in our scheme to get food in Bland. We had not planned to visit Bland, but my guidebook said there is a Subway there. SUBWAY! You see, friends, ten days ago Karma and I were trying to sleep in a shelter when our dear southbound compatriots Peepeeopee and Kunu arrived . . . with Subway sandwiches. There ought to be a law against bringing in delicious food to shelters. Anyway, ever since, I have been wishing and hoping and dreaming and planning a way to get some Subway.Anyway, not only did Edsel, wonderful man that he is, drive us into town to Subway, he also drove us back to the trail! Karma and I ate one footlong each while we were there and packed out another for tomorrow. Having real food in our bellies made the last few miles so fast and so easy. It felt amazing to be full. Hiker appetite is definitely kicking in.And THEN Edsel insisted we take some huge, delicious apples from the crate in his truck. They were about five times the size of the wild apples we've been scrounging. No worms, either.Thanks for the trail magic, and in return we offer the following trail names - pick the one you like best! Names for Edsel: Meander, Acorn, or No ReservationsThank you!!!
Date: 2010-10-17
From: Ridge Stealth

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: clear sky

Today: PERFECT. Sunny, blue sky, very light wind. We hung out in our tents for an hour this morning because we could.We took a blue-blaze adventure to find water, which we did find, but we also lost our hearts. The Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers (P.A.T.H.) is the trail club that maintains this section, and they are amazing and fantastic and do the best maintenance and have new blue blazes and I cannot say enough wonderful things about them.Then we hiked up to Chestnut Knob Shelter and then had the MOST AMAZING EVER two-mile descent over what I would call the first real southern bald. A lack of trees made for INCREDIBLE views. I have no idea how far we could see, but I am sure we saw Tennessee.These are the days worth carrying inside forever and ever.
Date: 2010-10-18
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Atkins Stealth
Miles today: 15.0

We are getting spoiled on this section. Today the trail routed us through Atkins, where we ate a lot. The Barn gets FIVE STARS for a restaurant on the trail: Rambunny, our waitress, gave us a hiker box that we dug through. I got enough suppers for the next week, easily. And I ate spaghetti and coconut meringue pie, and there was much rejoicing. Yaaaay.We packed out BLTs for breakfast tomorrow (mmmm).
Date: 2010-10-19
From: Atkins Stealth

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

You can't not stay at Partnership Shelter.I mean, lots of hikers don't. The ones doing 20+ miles per day, every day, rainy day or hot muggy day. They don't. And, yeah, we only did ten miles today, but . . . it's PARTNERSHIP SHELTER. You can't not stay there!Let me tell you about Partnership Shelter.So, it's a double-decker shelter. That's not terribly unusual. I didn't go upstairs because there was lots of room downstairs. It has a privy with toilet paper. That is pretty rare. It has a shower, which is very, very rare. I think there are two, maybe three shelters on the entire trail with a shower? That's a total guess. And the other showers would be solar showers, and this is an honest-to-goodness shower, although with less heat than might be desirable. Karma got a full shower, but I did not want to get my hair wet. Still, I smell better than I did 24 hours ago. This shelter also has bus service to nearby Marion where a grocery store lives. So this is all very exciting and those are all very legitimate reasons to stay at Partnership Shelter. But the real reason to stay here is this: pizza delivery.Oh yeah.Pizza delivery.