morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-05-09
From: Back home after Texas

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: scattered clouds

"Morning Glory" came by the house at 6am to pick me up and take me up to Damascus. There we met "Circuit Rider" and "Sherlock". "Circuit Rider" took us to the bridge near the creeper trail where we got off last Thursday. We stopped at Lost Mountain shelter briefly then continued the hike. There was one big climb that got us on top of the ridge which we followed for the entire day. The first view we were treated to was on top of Buzzard Rock. The day was full of spectacular views with this being the first. I had gotten ahead of "Morning Glory" on the climb and ended up soloing until we got to the shelter. The next treat for the day was the ponies. The first encounter was before we arrived at the next shelter. I dropped my pack and went out to the field where they were grazing. "AAA" was already out there with the ponies when I arrived. She had been kicked by one after petting it. It surprised her by spinning around and striking her in the thigh. Fortunately, it wasn't hard enough to cause problems but we still joked that it would be sad to have to get off of the trail because of a pony kick to the thigh. When "AAA" and I got back to the trail, "Morning Glory"had just caught up. After a quick snack, "Morning Glory" and I took off down the trail. After arriving at Thomas Knob Shelter, we decided to continue on to the next shelter. It was fairly early in the afternoon and we didn't want to stop at that point. Going on meant we would hike a lot of miles which I could do but he wasn't completely sure he could do. He ended up doing just fine with the extra distance. We crossed into Grayson Highlands State Park where we treated to more breath taking views. On top of Wilburn Ridge, one can see for miles all around. I always thought that Hump Mountain had the best views but I now like today's view the best. As we continued toward the shelter, we encountered more of the ponies. I actually was able to approach one and pet it. They really enjoyed being scratched behind the ears just like a dog. Of course, I was careful remembering that it might kick. We finally made it to the shelter area where we set up our tents down the trail from the shelter.
Date: 2011-05-10
From: Wise Shelter

To: Troutdale
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: light rain

"Morning Glory" and I got up and packed and took off down the trail. As the summer months approach, so do the earlier sunrises. I have been getting up consistently at 6 simply because of the light outside. So our start today was an early one. We debated on our stopping point for the day. Going on to the third shelter would mean another long day which we weren't really interested in doing. Going to Troutdale could be just as bad if we had to hike the 2.6 miles to it and back. If we got a ride, it would be the place to stay. Other than the views on Stone Mountain, there really wasn't a lot to see other than the many varied forests. The picture is that of Grayson Highlands Mountains that we had hiked the day before. It was interesting to look back at where we were, savoring the memories of the prior day. It was a fun packed day as we really experienced a lot that day. We stopped at the first shelter for a quick snack then the second one for lunch. It was warm and humid making it important to stay hydrated. There were lots of water sources so hydration never was an issue. We noticed that thunderstorms were building as we continued to hike. Getting to Troutdale became a higher priority. I got to the road crossing that leads to Troutdale to find a guy named Gary waiting there with water for anyone who wanted it. He was also willing to take us to Troutdale and bring us back the next morning. Once "Morning Glory" arrived, we got into his van and headed down the mountain to Troutdale. We ate lunch at Jerry's Kitchen then headed up the hill to the hostel. I decided to tent outside the pavilion even though there was going to be rain that evening. "Morning Glory" decided to pull a couple of tables together and sleep on top of them. We got showers and did some laundry then headed over to the hostel to talk with those who were staying there. "Coyote" and his girlfriend "Turtledove" were on the porch relaxing. We spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know them. At dinner time, "Morning Glory" and I headed back down to the restaurant being the only ones interested ones eating out. "Coyote" decided to make dinner at the hostel to save money. It was a meal similar to a Mountain House meal but according to "Turtledove", it tasted bad. They eventually showed up at the restaurant to get something to eat. After dinner, we played horseshoes until it started to rain. Just as we decided to start getting ready to go to sleep, the wind picked up enough to start blow the gear out of the pavilion. After gathering everything up and securing it, we stayed up a little longer and watched the storm over the mountains. The lightning was intense enough to make us wonder how everyone who stayed on the trail fared. Later that evening, the storm hit us fairly hard. My tent did a great job keeping everything dry.
Date: 2011-05-12
From: Chatfield Shelter

To: VA 42
Miles today: 16.4

"Black Beard" and I got up at a later than normal hour, got breakfast and took off for the museum. When we arrived, we discovered that it didn't open for about 10 minutes. Perfect timing I thought! A short wait before starting the tour. The museum is basically a farm from 1790 that had been restored. The main feature was the house and the schoolhouse. Once the curator arrived, she gave us a tape player with the audio for the tour of the house. We decided that would be enough for the day. For anyone interested in the history of that time period, the tour offers a wonderful glimpse into the life of the people who lived back then. The added bonus was that it was free to thru-hikers. After spending time looking at everything, we headed to Atkins where "Black Beard" needed to rest a sore foot for the rest of the day. Once there, I got a call from "Morning Glory" telling me that picking me up to take me to trail days wasn't going to be possible because his van broke down and Shannon needed to be able to go help Emily when she went into labor. I reminded him that there was another hiker who was going to be waiting for a ride at the designated pick up point. He ended working out things so he could pick me up. At that point, I took off down the trail. My original plan was to stop at a camping area then continue to the pick up point in the morning. For some reason, I decided to hike to the VA42 road crossing. There I met up with "Bodie", the hiker who was expecting a ride. We discussed options and decided to go to VA42 road crossing which would be much easier for "Morning Glory" to find. We enjoyed our hike together, talking and taking in the wonderful views along the way. When we got to the road crossing, I contacted "Morning Glory" and told him about the change in plans. We also decided that we would try to hitch back to Atkins to further reduce his travel time. We didn't have much luck so we wandered down the road to next righthand turn that would be made to get to Atkins thinking that it may be a more heavily traveled road. We discovered that wasn't the case. "Bodie" saw a man sitting on his couch, reading a book. Thinking that he could help us out in finding a good road to hitch from, we knocked on the door. He needed to go get gas in Atkins because the local station was out of gas. So he ended up just giving us a ride! Couldn't have worked out better. Once we got to Atkins, I told "Morning Glory" that he needed to only pick us up in Atkins, got a room at the hotel and went to sleep.
Date: 2011-05-13
From: VA 42

To: Trail Days #1
Miles today: 0.0

Woke up and got ready to go to breakfast at the Barn Restaurant. "Bodie" said that he was tenting behind the motel but I couldn't find him. It was getting late and I was very hungry so I ended up just going on my own. He showed up a short while later and told me exactly where he was tenting. Since "Morning Glory" told me that he would be by about 11:30 to pick us up and take us to Damascus, it was a relaxed morning on terms of getting ready. While "Bodie" and I were at the motel, we met a German couple who became interested in going to trail days the night before. Thus, there were a total of 4 for "Morning Glory" to take. While waiting on him, I was able to get some laundry done. Everyone was easily packed and ready to go before our ride arrived. "Morning Glory" showed up as expected and we were on our way. On the way to Damascus, we passed by Glade Springs which was heavily damaged by the tornados a couple of weeks ago. The devastation along the interstate was extensive. It must have been a terrible experience for those folks who lost their homes. Once we arrived in Damascus, I found a spot in the yard of the guest house called "Between the Trails", set up my tent then took off with "Morning Glory" to get some lunch and survey the vendor area. On his way out of town, he dropped me off at the grocery store so I could resupply. Later on, Thomas and Iris, the German couple we met in Atkins, "Bodie" and I took off for Quincy's for dinner. Afterwards, everyone took off to participate in whatever festivities suited them.
Date: 2011-05-14
From: Trail Days #1

To: Trail Days #2
Miles today: 0.0

Had breakfast with "Thimble" then spent some time just chatting with her. Reggie and Teana called and said they wanted to come by and see me while I was in Damascus. We met up on the main rode through the down town area and walked to the Subway station near where the hiker parade started. We had a great lunch and just chatted afterwards. We said our goodby's and they took off down the road. I stayed around to line up for the hiker parade. It really is a chance for everyone on town soak the hikers with water via water balloons or super soakers. This has been a tradition for some time apparently. Given the warm temperature, it was refreshing. Afterwards, it was dinner then off to the evening festivities.
Date: 2011-05-15
From: Trail Days #2

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 2.0
Weather: light rain

Had breakfast with "Velvet" then returned to get packed up for the return to the trail. Had to pack up a wet tent because of the rain earlier in the morning. Squeezed in a quick round of laundry and took off for the Baptist church to catch a shuttle. They couldn't take "Bodie" and I to the exact spot we had gotten off. So we ended up having to hitch a ride from Atkins back to the point where we got off. The first ride got us to highway 16 in Marion. The guy was actually going to Johnson City to try to sell his mom's house. He was passing through the area on his way there. The next person could only take us as far as the state park on that highway. It was definitely better than nothing and we were certainly thankful for their help. The next person to pick us up said they could take us to the top of the mountain which is where they were going. By the time they got to the mountain top, they decided to take us to where VA42 crossed highway 16. When they got to that intersection, they just continued on 42 and took us to the trailhead. One of them had hiked from Erwin to the area and just had a heart for hikers. We were very appreciative because they got us there at a reasonable hour. After saying goodby, we headed for the next shelter and set up or respective camps. It was nice to be back on the trail again.
Date: 2011-05-16
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Camping area before 623
Miles today: 13.3

It never rained last night though it seemed that it would. There was rain earlier in the day but it never continued after about mid afternoon. Still, the tent was wet from the water dropping from the trees. While eating breakfast at the opening of my tent, I was treated to the sunrise shown on the picture. I oriented my tent without considering which direction it was. So the sunrise was a great treat. After breakfast, got packed up and took off with "Bodie" to our mid day destination. We decided to go to the next shelter to eat lunch. That way, if we got split up, we could meet up one more time before he started cranking out the big miles. His plan was to finish up in time to get back to school. That meant he had to start putting in 20 to 30 mile days. I certainly didn't want to do that so it was obvious that this would be our last day hiking together. The first part of the hike was simply a forest setting through the trees, one could see the distant ridges but there wasn't those breath taking views that we experienced on other parts of the trail. As we approached Chestnut Ridge Shelter, we could see some of the views from the ridgeline. Unfortunately the cloudy weather obscured most of the views. The shelter is a rather unusual one because it is made of concrete block and fitted with a door. I assume that is done to provide protection from the wind as out is located on top of the ridgeline. Many of the other thru-hikers also joined us in the shelter for lunch so there was plenty of enjoyable conversation. I was contemplating where I was going to stop for the night. My foot was still bothering me from the some bruise that I got before I got off to go to trail days. It would have been good to have stopped there for the night but it was just too early. The next shelter was just too far. I finally settled on any good camping area near VA623. I took off after getting "Bodie"s contact info and a short rest. After a couple of miles, I found a spot and started to set up camp. Two German girls, "Half Man" and "Spring", who I met while going through Grayson Highlands became interested in the site and joined me. Later on, we were joined by another guy. We cooked dinner talked a little bit then went off to our own tents to read and such. I'm sitting on my tent, finally getting caught up on my journal! The lack of signal on the trail, the distractions at Trail Days and the earlier loss of the cell phone battery had put me well behind on the journal updates. I am finally back on track! Woohoo! Afterwards, it will be off to bed on a rather chilly night. I have my summer sleeping bag and with the temperature sitting at around 45, I'll be putting on extra layers just to stay warm. Not in any danger of hypothermia, just trying to stay comfortable.
Date: 2011-05-17
From: Camping area before 623

To: Helveys Mill Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: light rain

Last night I simply struggled to get warm. It was a lot colder than expected, especially with the wind. Tonight, I plan to keep my stove handy so I can warm up water, put it in a bottle and place it in my sleeping bag. Swapping out the 15 degree bag was done when I did it because "Morning Glory" could simply take it back to my house and save me the cost of shipping. It seemed like it would be warm but that's the way the weather is around here. The weather turned out to be cold and cloudy the entire day. Got packed up and took off for the next shelter to stop and have lunch. I have been hiking with two German ladies who seem to be going the same distance that I like to go. We hike our own pace and just plan on where we are going to meet. We'll discuss whether we want to stop early but usually establish the hiking plan each morning. There's not a lot of structure but just enough so that we know what each other is doing. Kinda nice to have something nailed down given we want to stay together. There was a guy from Gray, a town near where I live that was also hiking with us. It seems that he had decided to stay in Bland tonight. At the first shelter, the 2 German ladies, "Half Man" and "Spring", and I talked about hiking in and around Europe. It sounds interesting enough to make me want to go. Next year? Ya never know what this crazy nut will do next. The conversation with them has been very interesting. We each talk about our respective cultures and discuss the differences in them. The rest of the hike was very easy except for the climb to the 2nd shelter. We briefly considered hitching into Bland to get a real dinner but decided against it because of the cost and the extra time needed. My thought for the day centered around the freedom that one had while hiking the trail. Not only are there no work related deadlines, etc, but one can decide where they're going to go at the start of the day then completely change it at the last minute. Want to stop and enjoy a great view for a while? Go for it! It's totally up to you. Nobody sets your schedule but yourself. If outsiders want to meet you on the trail, it's certainly fine to say "can't meet because it's not practical". The hiker always has the final say so about his schedule. There are many things that change at the last minute which can cause hiking plans to fall apart. For example, we were not sure if we wanted to hike the last section of today's hike until a couple of hours before we finished. Post trail re-entry into the real world will be difficult because of these freedoms.
Date: 2011-05-18
From: Helveys Mill Shelter

To: Dismal Falls camping area
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

It was cold last night but not as bad as the bight before. I kept my stove handy so I could heat up water, put it in a water bottle and put it my sleeping bag. That kept my feet warm and thus, the rest of me too. The shelter we stayed at had the toughest hike down to the water source I've seen yet. There are a total of six switchbacks to get to it. Needless to say, I ended up waiting until the next water source to get all of the water for the day. Once I was ready to brave the cold, I made breakfast, packed up and took off for the next stop. The initial hike was relatively flat but full of puds (pointless ups and downs). There were lots of green forest to enjoy but little of the views of the surrounding terrain. Those came later in the day. Along the trail, one could see the azaleas in bloom. Stopped at the next shelter to make lunch and rest for a bit. The group was all there so there was good socializing. We decided to stop at Trents Grocery to get a hamburger. It was only a couple of miles to the camping area so we could hang out there until it was late if we wanted. As I continued the hike, I passed by the power lines. Because the vegetation is cleared for the power lines, there was an excellent view of the valley. It was a nice surprise as I thought there wasn't going to be any views at all. "Coyote" and "Four Beard" passed me just before the road crossing for Trents. They said that they would try to hitch and hold the ride for me. Once I got to the road crossing, they were no where to be found. While looking for them, "Half Man" showed up. We decided to just walk to the grocery but try to hitch a ride if possible. It was only a half of a mile walk so if we didn't get a ride, it wasn't a huge issue. We stuck our thumbs out and got a ride from the first pickup that came by. We climbed in and were off to the grocery. On the way, we waved at "Coyote" and "Four Beard" walking to the grocery store. We all had a good laugh over that. I ordered a buffalo burger and fries, bottle of milk and some snacks for the next couple of days. We hung out waiting for laundry then took off for the camping area. With the sound of the falls on the background, sleeping was not going to be an issue. It was a wonderful spot to camp.
Date: 2011-05-19
From: Dismal Falls camping area

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: few clouds

Last nights temperatures were warmer than the previous night making the heated bottle trick unnecessary. Still wasn't motivated to get up as early as I had been getting up but at least I didn't stay awake trying to stay warm. Did the usual morning routine of eating then packing up. I still had to pack a wet tent because of the moisture that accumulated on the inside of the rain fly. I think this came from all of the wet gear that was inside the tent but I'm not completely sure of it. At least it could be dried at the hostel once I arrived. The first part of the trail was very flat. I just moved along at easy pace that was still fast. I made it to the next shelter just before noon to find "Coyote" and "Four Beard" who I expected to camp with us at Dismal Falls. It turns out that while they were waiting on laundry to dry, a guy pulled up in his car, switched off the engine and said "Boys, your in the wrong place". They were both quite shocked. He then gave them each a beer and then continued down the road. After turning around to leave the area, he then started telling them about the two female hikers that were murdered on the trail north of the trail crossing. He told them that the murder's son was in the area and was "a chip off the old block". Needless to say, "Coyote" and "Four Beard" got nervous. They quickly packed then took off down the trail. They decided to skip the camping area and go to the shelter because they felt it was safer. That meant they hiked 8 miles starting at about 8:30 that night. They made it to the shelter in about 2.5 hours. It's impressive just on its own but it's even more when one realizes that it was dark and it was after a long day of hiking. That's motivation! After hearing the story and eating a snack, we took off for the hostel. The hostel was absolutely wonderful. Michael and Neville have created one of the best hostel environments ever. We all pitched in to make pizzas which were cooked in the stone oven put back. Salad was made using vegetables from their organic garden. The things that they didn't make were bought from the Amish. The main house was very nicely kept. One can get a massage if a time slot is available. Other forms of the healing arts are also available. This was the best experience I've had with hostels. I stayed in the bunkhouse instead of tenting because of the concern for being cold. I figured that it would be easier to deal with the noise than the cold.
Date: 2011-05-20
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Pearisburg for the night
Miles today: 10.3

I needed to resupply in Pearisburg so a town stop was necessary. The question was whether to stay there for the night. I got a shower and did laundry at the hostel so those weren't big needs. The only thing that convinced me to stay was the fact that there would be more time to resupply since I wouldn't have to hike back out. When I found someone who was willing to share a room, I decided it was worth it. The hike would be short for the day but that was ok. I could easily get back on track the next day. So the plan was set. I stayed for breakfast at the hostel which delayed my departure but that was worth it. Neville put together a great breakfast that was not only delicious but filled us up for the day's hike. I settled up with them and was on my way to Pearisburg. The hike was another one of those walks through the woods which is pleasant as always but is very common on this stretch of the trail. It wasn't until the powerlines were reached that we were treated to wonderful view of Pearisburg. A few more miles along the trail was another rock outcropping that provide an even better view. It was better primarily because there wasn't any power lines to spoil the view. From the rock outcropping, the hawks could be seen below flying just above the tree tops looking for their prey. It seemed that the entire town could be seen from where we stood. From there, we began a very steep descent down to the road that took us to Pearisburg. The first order of business was to go to the Dairy Queen and get lunch and a milkshake. After that, I found the motel, got a room and dropped off the backpack. I took a much needed shower while my roommate did the laundry. I then started to take care of the resupply by going to the drugstore for medicines and replacement reading glasses. The group then met up for dinner. "Half Man" and "Spring" then took off for the trail to get as far as they could for the evening. I went back to the room, evaluated what I needed for food and went to the grocery store. It was nice to have the extra time to shop properly though I still ended up with too much food. I guess I'll nail it down better as time goes on.