morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-05-25
From: Campsite

To: Campsite 
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

No sleep last night, my spot was not at all flat. I also think i pitched on top of a bumble's house because he was trying to get in all night. Having a buzzer trying to get into your tent in the dark at night time is very strange. At one point I tried to smooth out the inside and I guess he must have been under there because he came out making very angry buzzes. Then I think he went to bed! I heard him leave in the morning. Curiouser and curiouser. I woke up early but went back to sleep. As it gets hotter I am going to have to give up my favorite two hours of sleep. I felt like I was hiking in slow motion today. My body is telling me it needs a break. I came across a bench overlooking a beautiful view and so I took my pack off and sat for a while. The trail tried to make me comfortable I think The more I thought about it I didnt want to get to the hostel late and pay a whole extra night for nothing so I hiked in close. 4 miles in the morning and then ill get to spend the whole day resting at the hostel. Much better plan. Im so so sleepy. The hiker hunger has officially hit me, no matter what i eat I am still hungry. Im probably getting close to 3000 calories a day. Rain is in the forcast everyday for the next week. Hurray.
Date: 2015-05-26
From: Campsite 

To: Black Bear Resort
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It was raining when I woke up but had stopped by the time I finished packing up. The hostel was only 4 miles away and it was mostly downhill but man was I miserable. I thought entirely negative thoughts the first three miles. I thought a lot about getting off trail. Im feeling like im over it. Im exhausted and hungry and dirty. Im tired of picking cobwebs out of my eyelashes and Im tired of being covered in bugs. Im tired of everything hurting and im tired of walking. Im just tired. I thought about how I would bake dog biscuits and send them in mail drops for my friend Mishka once I got off the trail I ran into Mishka about a mile before the road and her mom and dad cheered me right up. I know I atleast want to see the grayson highlands so after 500 miles Im going to see how I feel. It was a good thing I ran into them. Once i got to the hostel my whole world turned around. My very generous and amazing friend mailed me an incredible care package right in the nick of time. So many good treats in there, Im resting now in the cotton t shirt she sent for me Cotton is sooooooo nice. As soon as I got here I ate a pint of blue bunny icecream (800 calories), a 500 calorie honey bun, and a bag of cheetos and a diet soda. When I gave my trail name to check in the woman said oh rue! You have been spoken for. The ladies said if rue shows up she can stay in our cabin. How nice! I did laundry, washed dishes, and got a shower. I resupplied for the next few days into damascus. I ate a whole cheese pizza for dinner. Im laying on the most plush thick mattress oh goodness is it nice. How in the world am I going to hike out of here tomorrow?
Date: 2015-05-27
From: Black Bear Resort

To: Black Bear Resort
Miles today: 0.0

It seems strange to me that I can't sleep inside. I was comfortable but I just couldnt sleep. Black bear is fantastic. Everything is clean, the people are great and they have everything I could need. Except for WIFI. They busted their data cap for the month. Bummer. If that was not the case I would probably still be there. I hung around all morning taking advantage of the free coffee until 10am. Then i sat around a bit more trying to decide whether to hike out or not. A very nice lady was going into town so I rode with her. I bought a box of spaghetti and a jar of sauce at the dollar general. Thats sorta when I decided I was not going anywhere. A couple was hanging around too so we played board games in the afternoon and had spaghetti dinner. Another couple and a hiker joined us for the rowdiest game of Life ever. It was a really nice relaxing day. I watched a movie and then went to bed well after midnight. Real midnight not hiker midnight
Date: 2015-05-28
From: Black Bear Resort

To: Laurel Fork Shelter 
Miles today: 1.9
Weather: scattered clouds

When I woke up this morning I knew I had to just put my boots and pack on and hike out before I started figuring out how to get back to Delaware. I drank some coffee, ate some breakfast, brushed my teeth, back washed my filter, and headed out. Even with my good intentions I did not leave until noon. As soon as I put my pack on and started walking all of the aches and pains I had forgotten about were back as if they had never even left. Honestly not even 5 minutes down the road from the hostel. It felt good to get back on the trail. The first bit was soft and cool and beautiful. The death staircase down to Laurel Falls was a reality check "Oh yea" my knees grumbled, "The AT". "Great". The falls were really beautiful so I took off my pack and relaxed. I really had not gone that far but it was too beautiful not to enjoy A little ways after the falls and after a little climb I saw a guy sitting on a rock watching a video. I said service?!? He said yea. AT&T?!?! He said yea. well alright!!!! I spent an hour catching up, its been really tough with service and i had been feeling very disconnected. It was really great and very encouraging to talk to my trail friends ahead and my friends back home It made me feel a lot less like quitting. I started to hear thunder overhead and saw that a storm was moving in. I was right at the juncture for the shelter so I decided to go up and wait it out. It stormed for a bit but nothing like the scary storms I have been through. I didnt want to take that chance. More thunderstorms in the overnight forecast so Im sleeping in the shelter. Hoping for an early start tomorrow, there's a monster climb and Id like to beat the heat I guess 2 miles is not that strong of a start but atleast im back in the woods and at least i'm still walking.
Date: 2015-05-29
From: Laurel Fork Shelter 

To: Campsite
Miles today: 3.8
Weather: scattered clouds

The only reason I know I slept at all last night is because I had a dream. I am just so tired all the time and have not really been sleeping. I think I would feel much better about all this hiking if I were not so exhausted. The guys in the shelter woke up at 6. So of course that means I woke up at 6. I tried to go back to sleep because I was sleepy but no dice. Once the shelter is up everyone is packing up and making so much noise so I just laid there a while feeling very grumpy and sleepy. I was walking by 8. 1800 feet up. My buff was so wet from sweat that I could wring it out. It was tough but not too tough, you know it's kinda cool that I can do it. I got to the top and the water source that was supposed to be there was barely a trickle through gravel. I had a liter and the next water was in 4 miles so i pushed on. Not too long after it started pouring. Big fat wet drops. I put on my rain gear and walked a little ways further and there on the side of the trail was a little flat tent area with moss and it looked so inviting and I was so sleepy and I thought about a nap. I put my tent up in the rain and changed out of wet clothes and climbed into my sleeping bag and took a 4 hour nap. There is a 4 mile camping restriction due to bear activity coming up in 2 or 3 miles thats been making me nervous for days. I hate to have to do big miles to get through a section. I think I have just enough water for dinner. Maybe after tonight ill be all caught up on sleep and Ill start hiking again Not even 10 miles in 4 days. I guess I needed some rest I am laying inside my tent watching the flies suck around my tent with their little straw mouths. Its started to rain again. Great sleeping weather
Date: 2015-05-30
From: Campsite

To: Campsite 
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up a bunch of times but got alot of rest. Last night was my first alone alone night. It was very peaceful. I got up at 7 and was walking by 8. Very gradual sloping downhill to Watauga Lake. Hands down the best part of my day. The lake is beautiful. There were lots of geese there and every goose had a squad of baby geese behind them. Many of the geese hissed at me. I got water there and made some coffee and oatmeal since I didn't have any water for breakfast. I watched a pittie boy who reminded me of my buddy Dova swimming in his life jacket and retrieving a buoy toy. I chatted with his mom for a while, anything to put off hiking. The miles after the lake were kinda tough I thought with ups and downs. I had to walk uphill for almost a half mile on a paved road in the sunshine, that was kinda tough too. Eventually I came to the other side of the bear restriction and there was a trail volunteer at the trailhead who told me that there was no water on trail for 15 miles and i better fill up. I looked around and asked where to fill up? Oh about a quarter mile down that paved road he said. I decided to take my chances. I started up the trail and someone had taped a note that said fill up at the bathrooms. I had been battling pooping in my pants all day, thanks in part i think to backpacker pantry pasta, so i turned around. Another hiker offered to watch my pack and off i went. Turns out to be closer to a mile, i couldn't go, and the water from the bathroom tastes like a dirty pool. I am assuming since it seems to be chlorine with a dash of water its safe to drink? Yick. Anyway, im walking back with 3 liters when i see a guy with a truck and me and my hiker buddies jump in the back. If we would have had to walk all the way back up that would have sucked. When we get back the hiker girl watching our packs tells us all about the argument between the southbound hiker who says there is plenty of water and the shady "volunteer" who said it was dry for 15 miles. I had had enough. I dumped out my bag of dirty pool water. I kept one liter and started up. We had about 1500 feet over 4 miles, no reason to carry an extra 5 lbs. The first water source was at mile 3 so i figured we would see what the story was there. I only made it about a mile and a half before I was beat. A beautiful flat spot called me in. I think I have 40 until damascus, lets hope i ever get there All day I thought about a vegetable tray with all the veggies and the ranch dip in the middle. I miss vegetables all the time.
Date: 2015-05-31
From: Campsite 

To: Iron Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 10.0

I slept great last night. Solid 10 hours. Boy I needed that While I was packing up a southbound lady came by and said she filled up at the spring, water at the water source!!! The more I thought about that guy who said there was no water the more i thought he was a bad guy. Ha! I initially told him I was going to take my chances. How good are my instincts? I had two small climbs to get over today but now i think im pretty much set into damascus. All 10 miles today were on a ridge on the mountain top. Kinda cool to just walk along the top of the mountain for so long All 10 miles were covered on both sides of the trail with tall encroaching grass and poison ivy. Only two snakes today though One little one who I saw while i was packing up and a medium one who was sun bathing. I told him "cman bathing beauty, move along". I always kinda feel like a cop busting a party when I take the fly off my tent to pack it up because i have to kick all the bugs out and swish the spiders off. "Cman, parties over, move along". I must have walked through 100 spider webs today. Every couple of seconds, UGH! Then finally I saw some southbound slack packers. Yes!!! I was web free for a while. When i sat down for lunch no kidding there were two spiders webbing from my pack and a third webbing from my boot before I even had peanut butter on the tortilla. Move Along! Geez. It thundered all day which kinda made me nervous since i was on a ridge top. Finally a mile before the shelter it really picked up and there was a powerline so I got a look at the sky. yikes. I started running with my pack on. Cman cman cman. It started to rain and the wind picked up, cman cman cman. The water source was .3 cman cman cman. I was in the shelter when it started to pour. The storm moved through pretty quick. There was a guy at the shelter who had gathered wood before the rain so after we had a nice fire. He said "oh no frog not that way" as a frog was trying to hop into the fire and tried to poke him away with a stick. Boys. I picked the frog up and carried him away. I washed my legs in an attempt to control the poison ivy damage. Dr bronners vs poison ivy, fight! I have had atleast a couple spots at all times ever since the first time I got some. After what seemed like a hot buggy weedy webby wet crappy day it was a nice night after all. 26 into damascus
Date: 2015-06-02
From: Double Spring Gap

To: Woodchuck Hostel Damascus
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: overcast clouds

So for sure last night there was a bear walking around my tent. I had forgotten to hang my bag of used lady things and I was scared. Really scared. Im sure it was a bear because at first I thought it was a night hiker. At the shelter after the campsite someone wrote in there that they saw a bear a mile back. Totally a bear. 13 miles into damascus. I woke up at 6 but was still too sleepy so I went back to bed. I was walking by 10 In my first two miles i ran into a southbound hiker who told me that two hikers had told him they had seen rattlesnakes in between there and damascus. Great. He described them as forearm rattlers. Awesome. I had to collect every last gut I had to walk through those woods today. The daily thunderstorm rolled in around 2 and rained on me all the way into damascus. I made great time even with the snake watch. I was hobbling the last couple miles. My feet hurt! It seems like I am feeling every single rock. It may be time for new boots, I am closing in on 500 miles folks!!! Im not sure when the next outfitter is so ill take a look tomorrow This hostel has really really comfy beds with sheets and blankets!! And pillows!!! I went to food city and spent 35 dollars on fruit and veggies. I ate an entire bag of salad express spring mix / spinach. Yum. Then I made myself a veggie party tray and ate that too. I am going to zero tomorrow I think. I still have to pick up my box, mail things home, mail things to smartwool, look at boots, and get some things at the dollar store. Seems like I should zero These beds are so nice
Date: 2015-06-03
From: Woodchuck Hostel Damascus

To: Woodchuck Hostel Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Breakfast in the morning at woodchuck means all you can eat waffles. Delicious berries and creams and buttery syrupy goodness. I did laundry last night so today I did the rest of my town chores. I dried out my tent, picked up my boxes at the post office, resupplied wet wipes and hand sani at the dollar city, washed my dishes, back washed my filter and repackaged my first aid supplies. I was very very surprised to pick up a care package from my friend Idgey, complete with homemade cookies!!!! My ladies from my old job wrote to me the most encouraging and amazing things in a very nice card and so i sat upstairs on the end of a bed reading and crying and feeling incredible and capable of anything. I switched out some clothes and made another trip to the post office to send my old smelly things home. My new socks are so so soft, they feel like luxury. Downstairs I caught wind of a chef and a vegan planning a feast lunch. I wriggled right into those plans, those two cooked all day and when it was time it was glorious. Black beans, israeli salad, potato salad and ratatouille!! Can you believe it?! I stumbled into a vegan feast!!! I saw a guy hiker walking in the gymnastics t shirt my friend sent me at the last hostel! When I was hiking out I left it in the hiker box and he picked it up Time flew by while I was relaxing all day and before I knew it, it was bedtime.
Date: 2015-06-04
From: Woodchuck Hostel Damascus

To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: light rain

It is so hard to leave this place. I always feel like I should stay one more day I had a great time here and waffles!!!! I took another shower after breakfast just because and I stood in the hot water thinking about how my next one would most likely be 10 or more days away. My friend who sent the wonderful care package used biodegradable packing peanuts, I melted them with a hose in the backyard much to the delight of a stoner kid hiker good times. seriously though how cool is that? Packing peanuts made from corn. Awesome. The trail runs right through town so I stopped at the outfitter on the way out. Three different outfitters in Damascus and not a single boot in the entire town?! What a bummer. I tried to talk myself into some merrill trail runners but they just didn't have enough volume and i love the heel support in my Salomon boots. I feel like the boots themselves have held up pretty good but the area that's hurting me is the only area that the tread is worn down. I walked out of town and back into the woods with my sore feet and worn boots. I was disoriented all day, there was some kinda detour I couldn't understand, I missed the campsite I wanted to stop at, and I ended up doing both big climbs. With my full 10 day resupplied 40 pound pack. I met a group of new fun people at the shelter tonight the rain chased us into our tents and ruined our fire. I'm feeling great about the 13 into town and the 10 out, that's much better than the 4 and 1.9 last time i got off at black bear.
Date: 2015-06-05
From: Saunders Shelter

To: Lost Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 6.3

I didnt wake up until 9:30 I was sleepy all day yesterday. It rained all night so my tent was soaked. The sun looked like it was coming out so I left my tent up to dry off while I ate breakfast. It got really dark and started raining again. I made coffee, I was in no rush to pack up a wet tent and walk in the rain. After coffee and fancy chocolate (thanks to my fancy friend ) I decided to take a nap. It was the best. The mileage choices for today were 6 or 19. This area here by the Virginia Creeper Trail has lots of road crossings and parking lots. By the time I woke up and got packed it was after 3. The miles today were beautiful and not to difficult but i seemed to still have a tough time. My feets are really hurting. My belly hurt today too. I keep hearing that people are getting sick, I hope Im not. it started to rain and thunderstorm around 5. I got to the shelter around 7, set my tent up, threw a bear line, ate dinner, and crawled into my sleeping bag. Im sleepy. Tomorrow im hoping to do 12 and stop right before grayson highlands the wild ponies are in the highlands
Date: 2015-06-06
From: Lost Mountain Shelter 

To: Campsite near Whitetop Mountain 
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: light rain

I slept pretty good last night. Got moving and was on the trail by 10:30. I just couldn't seem to get going today like I was dragging. I was walking along when I came to a farm stile. These are always interesting like an obstacle thrown in just for fun. A little while later I heard a rustling and looked over, at first I thought it was a bear! But really it was a cow or a bull i think. Big and black. A little herd, maybe 4 or 5. It scared me when I saw them at first, I would have walked right by without noticing them. I decided today that I just do not want to walk anymore. Not one more mile. Not ten miles or a hundred miles or a thousand miles. I thought all day while I was walking about how I was wasting an incredible opportunity with my bad attitude and I thought about how miserable I had been. I thought that if I was not happy and I didn't want to walk I should stop walking. I thought about all the things I would rather do instead. By the time I sat down for lunch I had decided that I was done hiking. (Not very long ago, maybe 10 days, the elite ultramarathon runner Scott Jerick left Springer Mountain in Georgia in an attempt to set the speed record) While I was sitting eating, miserable, a man ran by me. He looked happy, like he was having a great time. That made me even more miserable. He asked my name and told me his, he asked what my favorite part of the trail had been as he was running by. I couldn't think and so he said ok and he laughed and said maybe not today. Turns out the man was the amazing Scott Jerick who would do 50 miles today. And I was so miserable I couldn't even wish the man luck. I needed to go home. No service. Of course.Monster climb to almost the top of Whitetop Mountain and when I got to the top it was warm and breezy and their were incredible views and I thought "eh". It was time. I asked my mary ann to come and pick me up. And she asked me if I was sure. I laid on the top in the warm grass with beautiful views and I knew I was sure. I wanted to camp on the top there but didn't have enough water. On I went. I feel so relieved. Whether I go home and rest and decide to come back and walk more or whether this is the end of the brief but intense love affair with long distance hiking Ill figure that out I suppose. I gave out some of my food to the other hikers in camp and went to bed.
Date: 2015-06-07
From: Campsite near Whitetop Mountain 

To: VA 600
Miles today: 2.9

I took my time packing up this morning. Mary Ann's ETA was 4pm and I had less than 3 miles to go. I felt great knowing that I didn't have to walk today. I didn't have to set up my tent tonight. I felt great knowing that I wouldn't have to spend the next 8-10 hours walking. I sat in the grassy area next to the road and watched the cows graze across the pasture across the street where the trail picked up and carried up over two big hills. I made lunch in the grass and chatted with the families who were out for the day. Out for the day actually enjoying hiking I remember what that's like. I had given mary ann my coordinates and lost service. We both crossed our fingers I think. The afternoon slid away like the clouds over the mountains and then there she was. I was so happy to see her. I was so happy to get in the equinox instead of hiking. Mary Ann and I drove over to Grayson Highlands and took a quick mile trail to see if we could see some ponies. We didn't see any. I made Mare some trail food in the parking lot and it started raining on us. We drove 30 minutes to a holiday inn express. I got a shower and then got right into their jacuzzi hot tub pool downstairs. Ahhhhh
Date: 2015-06-08
From: VA 600

To: Wilmington, DE
Miles today: 0.0

Mary Ann and I are driving back to Delaware but first we are stopping to pick up the care packages I didn't get to pick up at Woods Hole Hostel or Three Springs. I was really looking forward to staying at these hostels but not enough to walk the 100 and 200 more miles to get there. I hope that you are not too disappointed. I have always listened to me, my gut, my heart, whatever I will keep listening. Thank you so so much for your support, kindness, and encouragement. I will keep you updated as to whether my journey continues. I have a ton of emotion and thoughts I am sorting through and some of it I intend to give to those of you who are planning your own thru hikes. Stay with me a little longer I can not wait to see those pitbullies
Date: 2014-03-24
To: The Adventure Begins
Miles today: 0.0

365 Days and counting down.Time Spent in Reconnaissance is Seldom Wasted. You will hear that from me more than once in this year prior to hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT). Only one year to go and we plan to leave Ohio for Georgia. Books have been purchased: Five Million Steps on a Journey of Hope by Bob ¢Buckeye Flash¢ Grau, A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, How to Hike the A.T. by Michelle Ray and Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. A LARGE initial packing list has been created (at this point I will need a moving van to follow us).