morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-04-22
From: erwin,tn

To: cherry gap shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: light rain

The biggest excitement of the day happened early. Just after cindy dropped us off where we left the trail we crossed the big bridge expecting the long climb back to the mountains. Shortly after getting on the trail we came upon a train. A parked train with no end in sight crossing the trail. What to do? Ma, dont read this. Captain thought we should wait because you dont know when the train might take off. I had ants in my pants so i clumb up the ladder on a car then tip toed my way between cars and down the ladder on the other side. I got a bit greasy but it was done, captain followed. As he dismounted the train and cleared the tracks the train whistle blew and the train started moving. Oh shoot! Who knew that could happen? Well no harm was done but it was excitement. The first 14 miles of the day would be almost all uphill. That is a long uphill. Near noon it looked like rain was coming so i called for a snack break before it did. Five minutes after we resumed it did in fact start to rain. Rain and rain and rain. We were in the clouds in the rain. It was just time to make miles not to look around a see sights. Conversation at that point stops and you think your own thoughts about nearly anything trying to avoid the fact you are getting wet. At one point we did get some great pics of a spruce forest thick with fog. Looked haunted and mysterious. Upon arrival to the shelter we ate dinner under the overhang hoping the rain would stop while we ate. It did. Tents up and us inside it was all in all a good day. With a tent still dry inside nobody could ask for anything more. Im really lucky.
Date: 2014-04-23
From: cherry gap shelter

To: campsite before stan murray shelter
Miles today: 21.4
Weather: clear sky

Today our wants got the best of us. 7 miles in to our day we crossed a trail that led down to greasy creek hostle. Not knowing exaxtly how far it was the desire of coffee was too much to resist, we took the side trail with visions of large coffees and snacks to be had. 3/4 mile later we got to the hostle. This is where i got baffled. 3 hikers got there just before us, they went in and sat on the couch, threw in a dvd, and started watching it. A few other hikers that had stayed the night before were milling around looking for the owners dog. The dog was not supposed to go outside for fear the neighbor would shoot it. Ok, so where was the owner? I just wanted caffiene. I asked a couple people where the owner might be, nobody knew. One guy said to take what you want, leave a note and money on the counter. Umm ok but is there coffee? Nobody knew anything about that so rather than leave empty handed we got a soda, a honeybun, and a snickers each. Consulted the price list and left $7 on the counter. Sad about our luck we sat outside and took on some calories to get back up to the trail. The weather was amazing so there were only a few complaints about hindsight. After an intense but short climb with great views we sat on a log and ate lunch, never miss a meal, even if you had an extra snack break. On to hughes gap we were faced with the last 6000 ft mt on the trail till the white mts of new hampshire. It lived up to its billing. At the top is Roan high knob shelter, the highest shelter on the entire trail. It was a two story log structure with plenty of room for plenty of people but we just got water and moved on. At Carvers gap we stopped and chatted with a guy that is part of the Hike for warriors. Its a bunch of vets with ptsd and or other post war issues. Truly nice guy we talked for about 15 minutes. Shortly after we were heading up the side of a bald when a helicopter came over the horizon. It got closer and closer until we could see the guy in the passenger seat! They circled around a few times, it was really cool watching it. A second helicopter showed up a little later. Looked like they were doing some training flying around the mountains. Really neat show. So up and over two balds we loaded up on water at a spring as there was no water where we would be staying. We needed enough for dinner, washing pots, beakfast, and drinking overnight. A nice campsight but really windy so it was getting tents up and cooking inside. It was cold too, @45 degrees so cooking and eating inside wasnt bad. A little extra hike today is leaving us with a shorter day tomorrow to get to our resupply. With a short day on the horizon what else could i want? I have everything i could need.
Date: 2014-04-24
From: campsite before stan murray shelter

To: roan mt, tn
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

Today all we had to do is get a touch over 11 miles to our resupply stop, which also included a shower and laundry. Clean clothes, clean me, good times. I was up early so i ate breakfast watching the sun come up, pretty special even if it was a little chilly. A nice easy start to the day was a downhill trail made of dirt, not roots or rocks, just nice dirt. We had two climbs, first was little hump mt. It was a nice bald mt, by bald they mean covered with grass so its like a meadow over top of a mt. resulting in great views. The next climb was over Hump mt, bigger than little hump mt. This was my favorite so far. Beautiful golden grass from last year and large rocks scattered about. Much nicee than any others we have been over but nobody seems to talk about it. Could i be in the minority? Doubt it. From there it was a long long downhill to Roan mt , tenn. Along the way we passed a sign marking our departure from nc and officially marking our entrance to tennessee. We have been traveling right up the border for a while but now i am 'in' my third state! Passing by some more rocks bigger than my house and a couple lush valleys i decided i like it here. Upon arrival to the road there was a trailmagic. Happyfeet had sodas and snacks, amazing! Trail magic will never get taken for granted. Impossible to say how much it means. From there a short hike to the hostle where we will be staying. Got a tent site because i prefer it that way, less likely to be disturbed or to get sick. Grat lady works here, she is 72 and thru hiked last year! Crazy. Gotta go now so i dont miss the dinner shuttle. Life is good and i cant imagine it much better without being greedy. Fortunate is an understatement.
Date: 2014-04-25
From: roan mt, tn

To: moreland gap shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: broken clouds

We stayed last night at the mountain harbour hostle with the promise that they served the best breakfast of the trail. Vagabond, the woman that works there told us we were staying for breakfast so i guess that settled that. It was $12 dollars and was served at 8:30, both were things i wasnt real excited about but i committed so thats what i was going to do. Well wouldnt you know the meal was the gourmetest breakfast i ever ate! Amazing food and all i could eat. Eggs made 2 different ways with fancy seasoning, sausage, fruit, potatoes with onions and fancy seasoning, something else real tastey that had fancy seasoning, and french toast that you could either have maple syrup on or a honey walnut mix on it. I chose both and nearly squealed like a schoolgirl. Possibly the best thing i have ever eaten. I can officially say that i wont eat a better breakfast whilest on the trail. From there we left and got back on the trail at 9:30. A late start but so worth it. Vagabond is a great lady and the owners do a wonderful job too, highly recommend it. The walk today was going to be the flattest so far which was nice with such a full belly. About 6 miles in we took a side trail over to jones falls, really nice waterfall, really high with big rocks for the water to pour over. Not long after we would come to a bridge where someone wrote with twigs 400.6, i was over the 400 mile point! Very excited about all milestones wether they be borders or hundreds of miles. We followed a real nice meandering stream for a while after that where i showed captain some beaver sign. Chewed trees everywhere so i put a red X on my map in case any trappers i might know want to check it out. Showed him some of the sticks they had eaten the bark off too, he thought that was pretty cool as they only recently reintroduced beaver back into england. From there all i can really say was that it was a walk in the woods. Nothing really exciting, the weather kept us on our toes with threats of rain at any givin moment. It did rain during the day but never a wet rain, the kind that makes everything wet. We got to the shelter about half past 5 and set up tents as quick as we could before the rain started again then cooked and ate inside the shelter. At first there were only 2 guys there, Lost and found and Double R. Both nice fellas so we had a good chat. Then a few people that we actually knew came along, Silver stag, wrecking ball, hoops, and boomerang all joined us for dinner. We had some good laughs around the picnic table until the wee hours. We all clumb in our tents about 7:45! Looking forward to a quick resupply tomorrow on our way to damascus, va. Its cold tonight, @ 45 degrees with a fiesty breeze but it makes no matter inside my mobile home wrapped up in my plasma 30 sleeping bag. Thanking my lucky stars for this experience. I got it made.
Date: 2014-04-30
From: damascus, va

To: stream, campsite
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: moderate rain

With a full belly, thanks to the local diner, clean clothes, and loads of ambition we got back on the trail looking for maine. The first bit took us through the town so with one more opportunity for real coffee we stopped at a gas station, mmmm coffee. As the trail turned up into the woods and of course uphill i quickly noticed how heavy my pack seemed due to the resupply but i stand firm on my motto of not starving on the trail. The forecast today was for 80% chance of rain so we figured on getting wet. I had my pack cover on from the start and captain had his raincoat in a pocket for easy access. It wouldnt rain all day. Over the past two days there was 160% chance of rain, it never did. With not a terribly long day planned we took a lunch break about 7 miles in. As we ate one of the warrior hikers came along. Nice guy, his name is machine, so we chatted with him and eyed the subway sandwich he packed out for lunch. Real food is so appealing. Back on the trail we got to the part where the AT parallels the virginia creeper trail, a bike path for not so hardcore mtn bikers. The bike path is nice smooth manicured crushed stone, the AT climbs up and down hills over rocks and roots close enough to see thr fancy trail and wish you were over there. I just summed it up as the bikers are sissys. I wanted to be a sissy. Around 14 miles we went over the Luther Hassinger memorial bridge, an old railroad bridge now for bikers and hikera to cross the river. Its a really cool bridge made of huge timbers criss crossed together about 50-60 feet high. How did the old timers do it? From the bridge it would only be a few more miles to our campsite. A nice flat spot surrounded by pine trees which makes for a nice soft place to set up my tent. While eating dinner the wind picked up and i questioned having put my tent where i did because some of the dead branches were coming down. They were only small branches but for surely big enough to rip my tent. I hoped for the best and tucked myself into bed. Luckily my tent and i made it thru the night. I officially remain the luckiest guy ever.
Date: 2014-05-02
From: old orchard shelter

To: mt rogers visitor center
Miles today: 24.8
Weather: broken clouds

It started off that we were gonna walk ten miles and resupply in Troutdale, va. A mile and a half into our hike we met a trail angel, Mutha, that said there was no place to resupply there anymore. Hmm, that would mean a 25 mile day to get to Marion instead. I finally convinced captain that was what we had to do. I had one more day of food cuz im scairt to run out, he cuts it close and would be out by lunchtime. Lucky for us it was a really nice day and the trail was much better and less rocky than the day before. The typical ups and downs over easy trail we had ten miles in by noon, things were looking good. As we ate lunch on a tuft of grass, Machine and Big foot joined us, i shared a roll of oreos i got from Mutha with the boys. While eating lunch i thought i would slip off one of my boots that was rubbing my heal a little. When i put it back on before we left my big toe on my left foot started fussing. Really fussing. What had i done to that? I have no idea what happended but now it hurt like mad to bend my big toe. How bad could it be, we only had fifteen more miles to go. Most of the time a pain will pop up then go away, this one didnt. Thankfully the walking was nice and we were cruising along nicely. Nearing the end of the day was just a push to keep going through hardwood forest. About a mile away i stepped on a branch with my right foot and kicked it with my left foot. I think i saw stars. Oh my good god that hurt! No time for tears, keep walking. When we got to the visitor center we met a fella that had hiked last year giving out mt dew. Perfect. We chatted for a bit then Machine and Big foot showed so we all got a taxi to town. We got a motel for $45 with plenty of hot water and a not too bad bed. After a shower, laudry in the wash, and a dead pizza hut pizza it was time for bed. I knew my toe was sore but when i got into bed and pulled the sheets over it i realized how sore. Any time it touched anything it let me know. This is the worst that has happened so far, time to suck it up and deal. Not sure why it didnt happen before a zero but i guess this is part of the journey. I will gimp along the trail tomorrow rain or shine and love it mostly. If you think this makes me not living the dream you are wrong. A sore toe cant bring me down. Its not even like you really even use your big toe. Ha, tomorrow will be a piece of cake.
Date: 2014-05-04
From: davis path campsite

To: chestnut knob shelter
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: clear sky

I took some time last night to stretch my toe and i think it helped even though it was a little painful. I took two advil again this morning just in case. We had a really nice breakfast on a log watching the sun come up while the birds sang there song of the morning. Soon after we got underway the trail started uphill steeply. It wasnt a terribly long hill just steep. Steep enough to get a sweat going and legs and lungs on full alert. We have named this kind of a hill a 'dragons tooth'. They arent as bad as the hills that are endless with no summit. After a few dragons teeth we were no longer dry, cool hikers that we started out the day as. A couple hours later we caught up to Carol and Beth, two ladies out thru hiking virginia. This was their home state and they have been hiking here their whole lives. I really liked that they were out having fun enjoying the time they had outside. They assured us that virginia was not flat. I had heard so many times how you can go long mile days in virginia, they must be talking about the other virginia. The first shelter was our lunch stop. A great place for a snack with perfect weather, warm with a nice breeze. I volunteered to run down and get us water, i regretted that by the time i got to the water, it was a long way, at least i didnt have my pack on. Since a have too much food i indulged in a tortilla wrap with two packets of tuna! Times are good. Knowing we had a couple miles before a really long hill to end the day we resumed the walk. Not 5 minutes in i stopped dead in my tracks. A big ol black snake was sunning in the trail. I saw one yesterday but that one ran away, this one was much slower. We got some good pictures and video as he eventually made his way up over the bank and up a tree. It was probly 5' long! One final road crossing of the day we hoped for trail magic, none to be had. Now we had a five mile hill to end our day. It was plenty hot, 82 degrees. The first three miles were steep, there was no conversation, just one foot in front of the other. With two miles left there was a pond that would be our last water before the shelter. The good thing was that it gave us a break, the bad thing was that it meant more weight in the pack. Its surprising how much difference 6 pounds makes. Especially at the end of the day going uphill. We arrived at the shelter to find only one other person there and a really nice building. We would get a spot inside before others showed up. It was a stone building with all four walls and a door, not the typical 3 sided shelter. Other than the mousey that lives near where i slept it was nice and cozy. I slept well listening to the wind. Living large in the fanciest shelter i have come across. Its true, im fancy, and spoiled.
Date: 2014-05-06
From: bastian, va

To: VA 606 trent's grocery
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: few clouds

Woke up at 6, got a snack and started to pack up my camp. The cost of our stay included breakfast so i was excited not to cook. Captain and i were packed up and ready for breakfast around 7:00 but nobody was stirring yet, nobody. We were kind of confused as to what to do, we waited. About 8:00 when still nobody was awake i was getting antsy, even tthe owner and ride back to the trail was still asleep, i thought he said he was here to help hikers? I was nearly ready to call for a shuttle back to the trail when a woman came out of her cabin and asked if we were hiking today and if we were waiting for breakfast. We would like to hike today and im not really caring that much about the food right now i told her. She told us she didnt work there but would wake trubrit. I was annoyed to find out that he had partied till 5 and couldnt get himself up to take care of business. People that hike like to get going in the morning. He got up and said he would get right on the food, so we waited. With a bit of scrambled egg, a couple slices of bacon, and a coffee down we got him to give us a ride. We were back on trail by 10:30. Not thrilled with that. I like the first few hours of the day to get miles in before the heat sets in. It was already hot. An early climb got us soaked and would stay that way the rest of the day, my clean stream washed shirt was no longer clean. A couple miles in we got to a water source that would be the last for ten miles so in the heat we had to grab more than normal to be safe. Sometimes it feels like you cant drink enough. With a fairly easy ridge walk we had a couple nice views to the valley below, nice and green down there but still not much for leaves on the trees where we are. It turned out to be a fairly easy day since we shortened our original plan. At the very end of the hike for the day we crossed the kimberling creek suspension bridge. It swings and sways the entire 150'. I said to captain, 'i bet a lot of people really poo their pants going over that sucker.'We were going to stop at Trents grocery. A store with everything and they have a spot to camp! Well turns out they does has everything. Fishin stuff, hardware stuff, food stuff, pizza, burgers, showers, and free use of laundry! To camp, unlimited shower and laundry was $6!! I set my tent on plush clover under a sycamore next to a creek. This was the best tent site i have had so far. We camped with a few other nice guys, Forester gump, spice, and world peace. it was as good of sleep as i have had yet listening to the peepers sing. I felt like the big old toad under the most fancy toadstool. This is the way it should be.
Date: 2014-05-07
From: VA 606 trent's grocery

To: woods hole
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Ok, today was one of those 'i wont do that again' days. While getting ready to head out we were talking with forester gump, world peace, and plan b. They said we could go jist a bit up a dirt road to a waterfall and get back to the trail that way. Sounded better than going back up the paved road a half mile so thats what we did. At the falls we met a dirty beer drinkin hippie that was camping there. He said with confidence you had to take off boots and socks to ford the river or keep walking up the dirt road for a couple miles, the AT would cross there at an obvious crossing. Sounded better than getting my feet wet so thats what we did. World peace stayed to drink a beer, plan b saw a couple people she knew so she stopped to talk to them, forester, capt and i went on. We went on at a good fast pace for 3 hours! I did not like thos not knowing where we were without a map. We only had guides to the AT. I hate not knowing where i am so captain and i turned back to at the very least go back to the waterfall and find the trail. Forester was confident he could figure it out and went his way. On the way back we met back up with plan b and told her the news. She turned back with us. Not too long after world peace pulls up riding in an old pick up truck with the sweetest old lady driving. He knew a lady that lived next to the falls, went to visit her, told her where we were headed when she said theyre lost, we gotta go find em. We drove all over the dirt roads looking for forester with no luck. He is a smart guy with experience in the woods so we werent terribly concerned. Donna took us back to the trail as close as she could. So glad to be back on the AT we moved on with a new plan not to get to pearisburg but to get to the woods hole hostle. After a 15 miles of AT and about 9miles of stupid road we got to the hostle. I vow never to take advice of anyone again. I will always go right to the trail. The hostle is very nice. Its run by michael and neville, nice people that have big gardens, pigs, chickens, and bees. They have an old chestnut log house with a log bunkhouse for the riff raff. They offer a bunk, dinner and breakfast. Most of the food is coming right from the property so we had to try it. Dinner was fantastic with fresh veggies. We had a big salad and rice with stir fry. It was the best dinner we have had so far. The bunk room was the uostairs of the barn filled with matresses. I slept well except for when a mouse decided to run back and forth over my hand. I told it to bother someone else so it did. All in all it worked out so im happy with fancy food in my stomach. Couldnt get much better.