morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-04-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Thanks to all who helped make this hike possible and special thanks to Mom for making a copy of each entry and putting it in book form for friends to look at. I plan on putting it on my coffee table...if I ever get a coffee table...or a house to put the coffee table in. :-))) Also, this journal wouldn't have been possible without the help of my trustworthy transcriber, Jan Liteshoe Ga-Me '03, and all the unauthorized editing, unsolicited comments and desparate cries of recognition by putting links to her journal, which were also unauthorized and especially for her finally adding one click to my journal by signing my guestbook...that had to hurt!!! I'm glad to have made so many new friends on this hike, both hikers and the people that live along the trail. There were some fantastic trail angels, some friends that hiked with me on occasion and all the people that read the journal. I still can't believe how many people signed the guestbook that I didn't know. That was always a real lift to my day to hear from them. I also had alot of friends sign my guestbook that I had lost contact with over the years. It was very nice to have my granddaughter sign my guestbook so much. She's shy in person, but a real character on the internet. It was a fun way to hike, flip-flopping every which way, but my next hike will be a more normal hike. I think I've given all the people that like to talk about the "proper" way to do a thru hike ALOT to talk about. ;-))) I am still seeing things and going places along the trail that I've missed on previous hikes and there are still lots of things and places yet to see, so I'm thinking seriously of going for another walk this year...only this time it will be in the RIGHT direction....South!! Thanks and hope to run into alot of you on the trail.
Date: 2005-04-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

One last entry because I needed to get my summit photo/drawing in on the last page. I happened to run into Roadster this year, who is a good friend from last year, at The Dutch Haus B&B in Montecello, Va and I was hoping to get her to draw a summit picture for me to post to finally close out this long, drawn out hike that I put together this year. Well, I missed my opportunity then, but we ran into each other at Trail Days in Damascus, Va and she agreed to draw it for me. She has a gifted tallent for putting words of others into the drawings that she does. She has a website at www.roadsparrow.com. I am very thankful to her for putting my non-ordinary hike into a non-ordinary drawing to complete this non-ordinary year.Click on the picture and you can see it much better.Thanks Roadster!!
Date: 2004-03-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

As the temperatures have risen and the sun has finally started making appearances, I have developed a bad case of 'Springer fever'. It happens every year about this time. I suppose it always will now that I have had a taste of the trail.   This will be my fourth summer to add miles to my AT hike. I am planning to go out around the 3rd week of June and head north from Pearisburg. I have about 250 miles to finish in VA. Then I will be able to go back to Bear Mt., NY and continue hiking north from there. I will hike as long as I can.    It is hard to say how long that will be. I have a real desire to be hiking, but realistically, I know that I will probably not get all the way to Katahdin this summer. I have other responsibilities. I will be happy just to be out there for a while. I think I would be happy to be out hiking each summer until I reach the age that I can't anymore...a long way off, I hope.   Happy trails ahead!!
Date: 2004-05-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

   Why are there so many things I want to accomplish and just not enough time to get them all done? I got over my first case of "Springer Fever" in April. Now I am getting it again. It looks like I will get back to the trail around the July 4th weekend and stay out there for about a month. I am still planning to hike north from Pearisburg to Harper's Ferry. I hope to return to the trail in the fall to continue north from Bear Mt., NY.   I am hoping that one or two of my hiking partners from previous years will be able to join me for part of the way...Ter Bear and Tagg-along.
Date: 2004-07-07
From: John's Creek Valley Rd. USFS 156

To: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: scattered clouds

   I am back on the trail again at last! I met Tagg-along in Pearisburg, VA. We arrived within an hour of each other. Eventhough I had called last week and reserved a room at Rendezvous, all the rooms were occupied. Fortunately, there was a place for us at the Holiday Motel.   Today we began our hike.   We left my truck at Rendezvous and drove Joan's car to John's Creek Valley. There was small USFS 156 parking area there. It was remote but accessable.   I noticed quite a difference hiking. I have lost 40# since last summer and it does make a difference hiking without the 'extra pack'. We hiked easily the first 1.2 miles to the War Spur Shelter and had a snack.   After the shelter there was a steep mile-long incline. At the top we met a couple who had done an over-nite hike to the shelter along the War Spur Trail. They were students at Virginia Tech. These were the only people we saw today.   We had a 15 minute heavy shower this morning. The canopy of leaves was so dense that we didn't get very wet. The temperature wasn't too high, but the humidity definitely was! There were mushrooms everywhere. I was able to identify a few thanks to Ter-Bear's wife, Margot. We only saw a few flowers...fire pinks.   I enjoyed the day. I believe my total pack weight was between 25-27#. It still felt heavy by the end of the day. We pitched our tents at Bailey's Gap Shelter. It was a welcome sight after hiking 9.6 miles. We were southbound on our way back to Pearisburg.
Date: 2004-07-08
From: Bailey Gap Shelter

To: Symm's Gap Meadow
Miles today: 11.3

   Contrary to my previous sleeping experiences along the trail, I had quite a sleepless night...filled with tossing and turning. Former hiking buddies will remember me as one who could turn in around 6:00 pm and sleep until 7:00 am!   We had a long day of hiking...11.3 miles. It was hotter today. We saw no other hikers. We read in shelter records that Symm's Gap Meadow had some great campsites. So we decided to spend the night there, eventhough, it did not have a water supply. Tagg-along had an extra 3 liter platypus. I filtered water and carried it from Bailey Gap. She shared it with me when we made camp.   Symm's Gap Meadow was once an orchard. There are still some apple trees scattered in it. But the wildflowers were glorious! We saw hummingbirds here. There were many places along the trail today for snacking on blueberries and blackberries. They were delicious!   Tagg-along saw her first bear this morning. She was happy to see it. It was wandering into Bailey Gap as she was exiting the privy. I was filtering water so I missed it. I assume the bear was looking for food crumbs. It saw Tagg-along and immediately turned and ran. Fortunately, this is what normally happens.   Our campsite was really beautiful and peaceful with a nice breeze. A campfire ring and seating had already been positioned. It was a nice evening.
Date: 2004-07-09
From: Symm's Gap Meadow

To: Stillhouse Branch Road
Miles today: 9.9

   Well...it was the perfect campsite, but I was still unable to sleep well. Tagg-along has not slept well either. It must be the hear and humidity. I was able to get motivated because I knew we would head into town tonite.   Early in our hike today we saw a deserted homestead. It always makes me wonder what the owner's lives had been like and why they chose this site to settle.   We saw more hikers today. The 'green bandanas', as we called them, were a father, son and daughter from Illinois. They were hiking from Pearisburg to Daleville.   We also met Summer and her dog, Tracks. They were going to Harpers Ferry. Grits, from Valdosta, GA was an entertaining character. He had started at Springer and was considering a flip-flop when he got to Harpers Ferry. We also met John and 3 college students.   The hike down into Pearisburg was quite steep and I had my first tumble of this trip. Fortunately, there was no on around to capture the moment on film. No serious harm was done, just some scrapes and bruises.    When we got to Stillhouse Branch Rd., I planned to walk into town to get the truck since I had already hiked that short section. Joan offered to wait with the packs under a tree-shaded parking area off of Highway 460. I was surprised that the walk turned out to be another 1.3 miles. It was so hot on the blacktop. I picked up some sweet tea at Hardees before returning to pick up Joan.   We decided to do some slacking for a few days and based ourselves in Blacksburg. We had Wendy's salads for supper and turned in pretty early.
Date: 2004-07-10
From: Sinking Creek VA 630

To: Johns Creek Valley Rd.
Miles today: 8.4

   Today we parked at Sinking Creek in a small parking area at VA 630. We have found that there are often accessable parking areas. The Virginia Gazetteer has been very helpful in locating these spots.   Our hike began as an easy meadow walk. We saw many more wildflowers today and I photographed quite a few. We climbed several stiles that were "decorated" with lots of poison ivy! Poison ivy has been abundant. At least one of the stiles had a "live" electric wire running through it. We were careful.   We saw a few other hikers today. We tried to hike quickly to get Joan back to town in time to attend 5:00 mass.   After having a salad at Applebees and stopping at Wal-Mart, we took our clothes to a laundromat.
Date: 2004-07-11
From: Craig Creek Valley Va 621

To: Sinking Creek
Miles today: 10.4

   Our goal today was to hike 10.4 miles from Craig Creek Valley (VA 621) back to Sinking Creek.   I started out tired. I've had 2 more nights of poor sleeping. I have had a couple of bad dreams which have made my chest feel like asthma problems. It might all be in my head. I have medicine with me just in case.   Our hike was a typical one with ups and downs, heat and humidity and BUGS. I don't think the bugs are quite as bad as they are in the spring. I imagine Tagg-along would say something else. She is the first person I have ever met who gets more attention from the bugs than I do!   We had some walks along big slabs of rock. It was really hot without tree cover. We were able to enjoy blackberries and blueberries along the way. They were delicious!   We had to cross more stiles and walk through a freshly mown hay field. Whenever we walked through open fields, the wildflowers were wonderful. The wild bee balm (monarda) is a lovely shade of lavender and the butterflies love it.   Today's highlite for me was the Keffer Oak. What a magnificent white oak tree! It is 300 years old and 18 feet around!   After the hike we went to the 4 Pines Hostel. Joe Mitchell made us feel very welcome. We were the only 2 there tonite. It was great to have indoor plumbing, a shower, kitchen facilities and protection from bugs and rain. Evening thunderstorms have been common.
Date: 2004-07-12
From: Trout Creek VA 620

To: Craig Creek
Miles today: 7.6

   Today was a shorter hike. We went from Trout Creek (VA 620) back to Craig Creek. The road to the parking lacked a bridge at one point. With nothing in the back of my truck and rear wheel drive, I needed 5 tries to climb out of the creek bottom...not fun.   Our hike was fine. Somehow we missed seeing the spot where Audie Murphy crashed his plane. We were surprised to find a wonderful garden bench at the highest point of the hike. It was such a perfect spot for a stop. This whole trail section has been nicely switchbacked. Thanks go out to the trail maintainers.   We saw some of the hikers that we have been seeing each day. We told them that they should spend a night at 4 Pines since it was so nice.   We have made a routine of stopping at a small store on VA 311 on our way back to the hostel. I get a large diet coke and Tagg-along gets a lemonade slurpee.   When we stopped today, Grits was sitting out in front. We stayed and talked with him for a while and then gave him a ride back to the trail.   We cleaned up at the hostel and decided to get pizza for dinner. Blaze and Shellshock showed up, so we took them back to the store with us.   Then on our way back, we spotted the "green bandanas". They decided to stay at the hostel, too.   We had a very enjoyable evening talking with everyone and hearing some of their trail stories.   Did you hear the one about the mushroom who went into the bar and ordered a drink? The bartender said, "We don't server your kind here." The mushroom replied, "Why not? I'm a fun-gi."
Date: 2004-07-13
From: Trout Creek

To: VA 624
Miles today: 7.0

   Today was our hike to Dragon's Tooth. I had been hearing a lot about it, so I was anxious to check it out myself. It was another hot and muggy day.   The climb began slowly and we could see 4 Pines down below. The trail got rockier and soon we were walking along narrow ledges and pulling oursleves up and over boulders. It was quite strenuous, but the view was worth it.   The last mile of pine needle-covered paths was fun. Tagg-along and I both jogged down to the road.   On the drive back I was able to photograph a vulture...such an ugly bird.   When we got to the hotel, Dr. John, Summer and Trax were already there. So we had a company again and enjoyed talking with them.
Date: 2004-07-15
From: Daleville

To: Campbell Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: broken clouds

   Happy Birthday, Beth! My daughter is 28 today. I left a birthday message on her answering machine. I had a strong cell signal on Tinker Ridge...must take advantage!   We started hiking from Daleville about 7:30. It was a gorgeous day for hiking with low temps and humidity and a wonderful breeze.   The ups and downs were not overly taxing today, but with full packs, we were tired after 15.5 miles.   The route circled about half of Carvin Cove Reservoir. We had some very pretty views.   The most interesting part of the hike today were the Tinker Cliffs. The trail literally ran along the edge of the cliffs. There were wonderful views but we certainly had to watch where we were going.   I saw 3 deer today. I was startled by a fawn. I was within 6 feet of it when it jumped straight up and took off. I wish I knew how to identify some of the birds I have been hearing. I see orioles nearly every day.   We made camp at Campbell Shelter and were asleep by 7:00!
Date: 2004-07-16
From: Campbell Shelter

To: VA 624
Miles today: 10.0

   Today's hike should have been pretty easy. But after yesterday's long trek, we were both dragging.   Water was scarce today until we got to Catawba Creek. The temperature and humitity were both low again so that helped.    Early in the hike we reached McAfee Knob. It was a beautiful outcropping with 180 degree views.   Somewhere along the way a dog became our companion. He was probably with us for about 5 miles. He even sneaked into my photo on McAfee Knob!   We saw a few day hikers going from the parking area at VA 311 to McAfee Knob. All were unprepared for what awaited them. They carried very little water for their 6 mile loop. I wonder if any of them completed the journey? We saw a few other hikers out for the weekend.   The trail was less rocky after we crossed 311 heading south to 624. I saw a thin, bright green snake on the trail. He was about 30" long. As usual there tons of squirrels and chipmunks.   We walked through fields near the end of the hike and had to cross 5 stiles. I finished before Tagg-along. So I walked back to 4 Pines to get the truck. I also picked up a diet coke for me and a lemonade slurpee for her before I went to the pick up spot.   We were both tired and hungry. So we cleaned up, washed some clothes and then headed for the Homeplace Restaurant for dinner. It is a beautiful old farm. The dinner is served family style...all you can eat. It was great!   We came back to 4 Pines and talked with Joe for a bit before turning in.
Date: 2004-07-17
From: Blackhorse Gap

To: Bearwallow Gap
Miles today: 8.1

   After being so exhausted yesterday, we were revived today. We woke up early. By the time we positioned our cars on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we were hiking by 8:30.   It was so easy on this part of the trail. I was surprised. There was nothing special about this section. It crossed the BRP several times. The views were not good because the weather was so overcast.   It started raining during the last mile of our hike and rained several times during the afternoon.   We checked into our Daleville motel. I guess the most exciting thing to happen today was when I went to do the laundry. As I was putting laundry into the washer, I noticed something black sticking out from between the two washers. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a big black snake! YUK!   Later I called my former hiking buddy, Michelle (AKA Hawaii, AKA Popsicle). It was great to talk with her and compare trail memories.
Date: 2004-07-18
From: Black Horse Gap

To: Daleville
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: haze

   Today the hike started at 9:00 and I was finished at 2:10. There was a lot of downhill and I had fun doing my "dog trot".   It had rained quite a bit last night so a lot of this morning's hike was in mist. I got soaked from it. Tagg-along likes for me to lead and be the "sweeper" for spider webs. There were tons today. It's annoying that the web always is at face level!   Each day we see lots of blueberries and blackberries. I especially love the wild blueberries. They are very sweet.   I also see a lot of squirrels and chipmunks. Today a squirrel in front of me on the trail jumped to get away and sailed about 10 feet! I see a couple of deer each day. Yesterday I saw a coyote on the side of the BRP. How do they bound straight up a hillside so fast?   I haven't mentioned this before. I have had absolutely no knee pain or foot problems. I am hiking in New Balance trail runners. I bought 1 size larger to accomodate my hiking socks and for extra toe room. They have been great - not a single blister. I would highly recommend them. Tagg-along has the same shoes and loves them.   I have hiked 11 days this time. I'm hoping to keep at it a little longer. 2 weeks always seems to be as long as I want to stay away from home. We'll see.
Date: 2004-07-19
From: Jennings Creek

To: Parkers Gap Rd.
Miles today: 11.4

   Today's hike was quite relaxing until the end. I let Tagg-along lead, hoping she would sweep the webs away. The hike was mostly downhill until the last 3.7 miles. We had a good climb before going down into Jennings Creek.   I saw a deer and fawn near Cornelius Creek shelter. They didn't seem very scared of us.   I also saw a small garter snake and a cute little orange lizard. There weren't many flowers or birds today. I did see some columbine blooming though.   We saw Summer and Trax and Marvin, Bonnie and Tiffany. We also saw Joyce ("Gosy") who we had seen yesterday.   I think today's highlite was seeing the Bryant Ridge Shelter. It is an amazing structure that sleeps 30! It even has a covered picnic table and a loft.   We camped at It's a Wonderful Life Campground. Tomorrow we hope to finish our last section to the Tye River.
Date: 2004-07-20
From: Bear Wallow Gap and Apple Orchard

To: Jennings Creek and Petites Gap
Miles today: 13.7

   Today we finished 2 separeate sections. First we hiked from Bear Wallow Gap (VA 43) to Jennings Creek. Next we went from Apple Orchard to Petite's Gap. The total mileage was 13.7.   First I must report about our disastrous night. Too much planning never goes as expected. I reserved a campsite the night before. We finished hiking early enough to sit at the picnic table for dinner and relax for a while. It was a short while because as dusk approached, the mosquitos came to feast. No problem, we thought. Tagg-along decided to set up her tent and read. I opted to listen to a book on tape in the truck.   She could not find a place where the tent stakes would go in more than 1 ". No problem. She rigged up a bivy sack of no-see-um netting in her car. Unfortunately, nothing could be done to protect us from the glare of the floodlites illuminating the campground.   I fared even worse than she. I was without screens on my windows. So I slowly began to bake...under the spotlight.   I was so relieved when she came over and said that we should go to a motel. It was 10:00. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to hike today. We found a motel 5 minutes away and cranked up the AC. It turned out to be one of our best night's sleep since we were exhausted.   The first half of today's hike was nothing unusual. But the afternoon's hike had some different sights, including that huge radar thing on top of Apple Orchard Mt.   I liked the Guillotine. There were also some gorgeous, but hazy, views down to the valley below. I saw another garter snake and several deer.   The only hiker we saw today was Marvin. He will be a sophomore at Purdue next fall. This is where my husband works.   We headed north after hiking...to be continued...
Date: 2004-10-01
From: on the road

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I decided yesterday to leave today to go hiking with an AMC group for 4 days. They are hiking a section that Joan has already hiked. So she will meet me on Tuesday evening. The day's drive was really LONG...about 700 miles! It was about 10 pm when I got to the campsite and too foggy to see anything. I looked up their campsite number on the message board and stumbled around in the fog trying to find it. When I did, I just parked and slept in the car. It was very comfy. While driving those last 20 miles in the fog, I had seen many deer, including an 8 point buck and also a skunk. All of them were right along the road. Fortunately, I was only driving about 15 mph. Our base camp is Loft Mountain Campground.
Date: 2004-10-02
From: Pinefield Gap

To: Swift Run Gap
Miles today: 11.4

I had a good night's sleep and woke to a breakfast of pancakes. I was introduced to the group and discovered that 2 people arrived after I did last night...one at 1:30 on a motorcycle! There were 14 of us on today's hike. We were required to stay together behind one of the leaders. I wasn't sure how I would like this. Fortunately, they hiked at a good pace and staying together worked out well. We positioned cars at Swift Run Gap and Pinefield Gap. We hiked northbound from Pinefield Gap for 11.4 miles. It was a nice hike. I was able to become acquainted with the group since we alternated positions. Larry, who arrived on the motorcycle, was hiking for the first time ever. He did a good job. The group was an interesting mix, all sharing a love of hiking. We finished around 3:00. We had a couple of good views from the overlooks. A light rain began as we finished but it didn't last. The campground had pay showers. They felt great! One small group stayed at a condo in Elkton. Tonite the meal was prepared and served there. Jim Catozzi, our leader, was also the cook. He does a fantastic job! Our meal was ziti/turkey lasagna, salad, bread and apple pie. All was made after we hiked. It was delicious! By the time we got back to the campground it was 9:30...time for bed.