morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-04-26
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Laurel Fork
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: clear sky

Day 34, 21.8 miles, 7 am - 6:30 pm   What a long, sunny, hot day! Oddly enough, I am now sitting warmly near a fire!   I'm glad we stayed at Overmountain but for some reason I didn't sleep well. We were up and out early into the crystal morning.    There were more balds for us to traverse and we had a perfect day for it. Clear 360 degree views, golden light, and best of all, horses grazing on the trail. So pretty. This stretch of good weather is crazy, I feel like the universe is a little more balanced out now.    Everyone who stayed at the shelter last night went to the restaurant off of 19E, so after that road crossing we didn't see any other hikers on the trail for the rest of the day.    The terrain is changing. We walked through a patchwork of jeep roads, fallow fields, and an old apple orchard, instead of unbroken woods. The views now include houses and roads and towns. This doesn't bother me, I like both. We walked in lower elevation, and we finally had a riverwalk. I even saw some animals, a mallard, a snake, and a rabbit.    After 19E, we hiked slowly through the hot afternoon. I was so hot I had a pounding headache. We lunched next to a cemetery, and breaked at Jones Falls, which were awesome. The water was cold but I sat there with my legs immerged, in the spray of the falls. We took our last break at Mountaineer Shelter, which was very nice, except for the nasty message sprawled all over the boards. - puts his stupid message on every shelter. I wish he would just get some therapy and deal. Oh well.    Now we're all alone and camped off the trail on a little spit of land jutting between a river and a tributary. We are sleeping out tonight, and we have a fire going, which completes the camp. It's very cozy to have a fire. After 21 miles usually I would be too tired to mess with one but a neat stack of dry cut rhodo branches made it easy to start one. What a good end to a broiling hot but nice day on the trail.    I am already planning out my grocery list for Damascus, which is 4 days away! I'm starving, I've lost more weight, and part of the reason I can't sleep well is because I wake up hungry. I have to control myself during breaks and now allow myself to eat all our food up. I am tired of being distracted by my appetite. Next section I will carry more food.    It's almost dark now. It's time to change into my sleeping clothes and get into my bag. My warm fire is still going strong, I'll sit here a bit more. I feel happy and peaceful, which is nice because this afternoon I felt a bit pensive and off. * * *That night at Laurel Fork was the best camp I had on the entire trail. Good day on the trail, too. We had a solid week of decent weather, and we stayed out for all of it. Sometimes life is nice.
Date: 2009-04-27
From: Laurel Fork

To: Pond Flats
Miles today: 17.5

Day 35, 17.5 miles, 7:30 am - 6 pm   A long, challenging, but happy day. Matt rekindled the fire this morning at our great campsite, and coffee put the icing on the top! So nice. We still got an earlyish start.    Fairly easy terrain for most of the day, and dry conditions which left me slow, steady, and dreaming in a nice way. Mountain laurel, pine, and poplar trees today.    Eventually though I was lightheaded and dizzy and practically stumbling around, and having a tough time. My reserves are gone, I need to go Homer Simpson on an AYCE buffet. Sometimes my mood would be weird, too, lost and wistful. I looked out onto the Laurel River, highlighted by strong sun and spring green leaves, and I felt sad. Maybe it's the heat, or the sudden arrival of spring, I don't know.    Anyway, crap-outs aside, we did have a good day today. We took many breaks in Laurel Gorge and waded around the water twice. I think we managed 1 mile in 2 hours. The gorge and falls were awesome.    Then there were the last 3 miles of the day, up to Pond Flats. Brutal! It was like Stecoah Gap! The sun was beating down on us and the terrain was so so so steep. I guess that's how you cram 2,000' of elevation gain into 3 miles. At least we were able to finish in a steady 1 1/2 hours. Best of all, we just go right back down tomorrow, ha ha.    We are camped now with Joker, who is a doll. She sat around the fire with us, chatted, and gave us a 'nip' of Jameson, which surprisingly I enjoyed. Gaspard and Tinman showed up when the sun was going down.    Spring has really arrived. Suddenly the trees have light colored leaves, and green plants are starting to choke the woods. The heat makes the woods smell alernately sweet, lush, and just organic. The sun is drying the pine needles, and that smells good, too.    Now it is almost dark and nearly 9 o'clock. Goodnight.
Date: 2009-04-28
From: Pond Flats

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: clear sky

Day 36, 18.6 miles, 7:30 am - 5:45 pm   Perfect night for sleeping out. Clear skies, comfortable temps, and no biting insects out yet. We had a morning fire again before hitting the trail with coffee in our bellies.    We quickly descended out of Pond Mountain Wilderness, making our way around the dammed Wautaga Lake. I prefer regularly formed lakes, dammed lakes just don't look right to me.    After the lake, we went straight back up, passing Bob People's trail crew. He is such a nice man. We bound up and down along the ridge in the warmth for most of the day.    Today I just hiked as steady as I could in order to get to camp. It was just one of those days. I felt starved for most of the day. I walked behind Matt and actually said, "this is so crazy, why are we doing this?" It wasn't a bad thing, but the insanity of walking for 10 hours a day just stuck out there for a few minutes in my mind.    The best part of the day was when we saw a barn owl. He was high in a tree branch and he let us watch him for the better part of 15 minutes. He was beautiful and grey colored. He turned his head 360 degrees, and was blended into the background, and eventually focused probably on a mouse or something in the woods, because he turned his head and tilted it in concentration.    I started a fire and I'm about to let it go out unless someone else wants to start feeding it. I want to lay down by 8 pm. We have 24 miles planned for tomorrow and I want to feel as rested as possible.    We passed the 20% complete mark today. I asked Matt if he thought he could do this four more times. "Sure," he said casually.    Here tonight--Josey, Joker, Stellar, Nice Lenses, Gaspard, and Tinman.
Date: 2009-04-29
From: Iron Mountain Shelter

To: MP 460.9, opposite blue-blaze w/spring
Miles today: 24.0

Day 37, 24 miles, 7:15 am - 6:30 pm      Picture this--it's after 6:30 pm and the sun is going down, the trees are casting long shadows across the forest floor. The sky is blue and cloudy, the air is warm, humid, and sweet. Green spring foliage has just bloomed. I'm perched on a hillside, kneeling next to a spring, gathering pure water that is cold and delicious. There is a black spotted salamander swimming in the water and I consider it a good thing. Cup by cup, the cup I use every day, I fill water containers without bothering to treat first. Me--I'm sunburned, skinny, filthy dirty, wearing the same clothes I've worn every day for a week. The water containers are now full, and it's time to carry them back up steep trail to the ridge where my campsite is. I've walked 24 miles already, and it's too much. I hurt like hell, but chores have to get done. I'm happy to see that Matt has put the tent up while I was gone. We've crossed into Virginia this evening, another section done, another reached and waiting for us. We are camped again with Joker; Josey, Tinman and Gaspard have gone on into town. People I may see many times over the coming months or may never see again. It is such a sweet night out but now daylight is almost gone, and darkish clouds are rolling in. It's time to get off this rotted log I'm sitting on, get changed, and safe in the tent. This is a Wednesday night on the Appalachian Trail. * * *Often when I was tired I would either do bullet point entries or stream-of- consciousness ones. Oh well. It was a long day, and we leap-frogged with aforementioned hikers all day long. That was the longest day I'd ever hiked, and I was getting stiff and sore before I had even done walking for the day. Ouch. We got caught in a slow moving thundercloud. It was so loud, and kind of scary. And wet. I'll never forget crossing into Virginia, late in the day, exhausted. I really felt like I'd earned it. That concluded a great week on the trail. Unfortunately, after Damascus, we lost Joker, although we often heard of her and Ewok in our vicinity, but we never caught up with her again. She was wonderful.
Date: 2009-04-30
From: MP 460.9, opposite blue-blaze w/spring

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 1.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 38, 1.9 miles, 7:45 - 8:30 am    It rained overnight, and the morning was damp and cool. The longest day on the trail is followed by the shortest day! We made our way into town, through the green, and down the main drag. We bumped into Josey and Joker in town and we had breakfast with them at Cowboy's. They, apparently, have 'famous' blueberry pancakes which made Joker very happy. Josey had already eaten, but he sat down with us and had coffee anyway. I ordered a ton of food and I had a very heavy breakfast. I didn't need to eat for 5 hours! Anyway, breakfast was happy and wonderful, especially because of the company.    Lodging in town is tight again, but thanks to Josey, who graciously gave us his room and moved to another bunk, Matt & I are bunked together at Dave's Place. At first I kind of wanted to zero here tomorrow, but think I've changed my mind and I am leaning toward heading out. Accomodations are spartan here, but I'm happy enough.    Chores took forever today, laundry at the great 'mat they have in town here (I am obsessed with front loading washers, I think they get our clothes cleaner) and then a trip to the dollar store to get conditioner and soap for the shower, and then resupply at the grocery store, which is 1/2 mile away but very much worth the walk. After we sorted that out, we went to the library for internet and a look at wildflower books, and then had ice cream and french fries at the Dairy King. Whew. It is almost 7 o'clock!!    Lately I have felt very connected to and alienated by other hikers. I have a love/hate relationship with the 'culture' on this trail. I like it being just me and Matt, but I also like meeting and talking with other people very much. BUT there is a limit and the crowds overwhelm me and I shut down. That I don't like.    We've now been out for 38 days. At times I feel like I can walk all the way to Maine, but there are also times I feel the pangs of how long this trail really is. Now that warmth and spring are here, I actually feel lost and dazed. The change in seasons was way too fast and dramatic. Otherwise, at last I feel as if we are really into a routine that we can stick to for awhile, but we still have a massive 1,700 miles to go. Also conflicting is my want to hike my hike, but being unduly distracted by what others are doing. I have to push all that out.    I think I want to rehike the section between Newfound Gap and Dennis Cove Road. It is such a beautiful section, with nice campsites, woods, and towns, but at the same time I never want to go through there again. What happens now, good or bad, can never be replicated or taken away from me. This trip is it for me and the AT, it's my last long term commitment to this trail. I am tired of thinking about it, it's been 5 long years of wanting to be here. I want to hike this trail, and move on to other things.
Date: 2009-05-01
From: Damascus, VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: light rain

Day 39, 13.5 miles, 11 am - 5 pm   New month, new state, and a new notebook to write in.    It was a quiet night at the hostel. Most staying there are older. Unfortunately I didn't sleep that great. Oh well. I ate my first breakfast-- bananas, grapes, and avocado--while I slowly got packed and cleaned up.    Rain this morning made me contemplate a zero day, but I pushed the thought off as we went to breakfast again at Cowboy's. I love that place so much. The women who work there are nice, the food is hot, and I love the coffee--free refills. Actually I think my affinity may be due to truck stop nostalgia but no matter. I ate biscuits, tater tots, eggs, pancakes, and then had Matt order another round of all while I drank a ton of coffee. A food coma and embarassing $21 later we were out of there.    It was still raining, but suddenly, I did very much want to take out of town, so we returned our keys and got going. We ducked down a side street and took off on the Virginia Creeper Trail, not the AT! It's a rail trail, with lots of trestles, and it runs along a gorgeous rocky river. There were lots of flowers blooming along the grade and the river was so scenic and lovely.    An easy walk, a good break out of the rain on a porch, and the sight of rain clouds on the mountain ridge only cemented my decision to take the Creeper today. Me and Matt walked side by side, chatting, admiring the river and the flowers, took breaks on the river banks, and down in the valley the rain stopped eventually. No regrets at all.    Near 4 pm we caught up with the AT, and we slowly switchbacked along the ridge to the shelter. The woods were oddly quiet and still compared to our riverwalk, but it was still nice.    Now I am in the tent, set up on a soft site behind the shelter. Lots of people here, most I don't know. A new group. It's raining again so most are in the shelter.    Since we got to camp so early, and I had an easy, piped spring to get water from, and we had a cold dinner of carrots, peanut butter, and fritoes, we settled down early. I'm tired and I want to get up early. I feel a bit off right this second but I still want to hike on.
Date: 2009-05-02
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Big Wilson Creek
Miles today: 17.6

Day 40, 17.6 miles, 7:30 am - 5:30 pm   I slept like the dead last night. Excellent tentsite. Best sleep I've had on the trail yet. We broke camp in sprinkles this morning and hit the trail.    I ate a lot of snacks today and hiked with my old friends rain, fog, wind, and mist. Graded climbs and alpine woods on Mount Rogers, then came the rocky Grayson Highlands. I got to pet a pony, and we stopped and spied many groups of them. We made dinner in the shelter and escaped the rain for a few minutes. Then we moved onto this spot after some confusion about the state park boundaries.    Dark rainy days in a row give me much anxiety I can't shake. Camped by ourselves on a hill, there is a good view but rain continues and black clouds roll by. It's our 40th night out.
Date: 2009-05-03
From: Big Wilson Creek

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: moderate rain

Day 41, 19.7 miles, 7:30 am - 6:30 pm   Tired, wet, cold, sticky, and getting sick fo rain, fog, and darkness, so I'll summarize...   Woke up to, broke camp in, used the tree under, and started walking in, rain. Took a 45 minute break at Old Orchard Shelter, then a 1 1/2 hour hot lunch at Hurricane Mountain Shelter. We originally intended to camp at Raccoon Branch, but another round of showers swept in when we got to the trail junction, which quickly turned into a downpour, and we hustled 2.6 miles in 55 minutes in a crazy thunderstorm, praying for shelter space. There were 2 narrow bunks left. I'll take it! Ended the day drenched to the bone, and cold. Here with HotIce, 2 Steps, and Spanky. Rain and darkness is bringing me down. Atkins in 2 days.
Date: 2009-05-05
From: Partnership Shelter

To: US 11/Atkins, VA
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

Day 43, 11.6 miles, 7:15 am - 12:30 pm   Oh where to start for a mostly uneventful day. More rain overnight, making me happy to be in the shelter. I slept OK, Matt did not. We quickly got ready and headed out early...into the rain, fog, grey, etc. We couldn't see anything so we just walked steadily along the ridge. We're out of the Mount Rogers NRA now, so the trail is more patchy, but that's fine with me. We walked along a nice stream toward Chatfield Shelter where we took a break.      Lower in elevation, the fog lifted a bit and it stopped raining on us. The hiking was downright pleasant, comparatively. The air was cool and fresh, unlike the saturated wet washcloth we've had lately. The trail passed a museum and old school house that had the best smelling lilac bush I've ever encountered. Matt and I just wanted to stand there and inhale.    Continuing on, we crossed old fields that are still holding onto blooming dogwood trees. I could hear a trail coming through and sounds emanating from the interstate, familiar sounds. We walked into "Atkins" which is for us is mostly an exit/rest area off the highway. There's a gas station, restaurant, and an old roadside motel, which is where we are staying.    Early check in, laundry onsite, and our (last) maildrop in the office, our chores were done by 2:30 pm. We got beer from the gas station-they have Yuengling!-and the guy in the hotel office gave us some beer that people had left behind, too.    It started raining really heavily this afternoon, I am glad to be in and finally dry. TWC says more rain and t-storms in the coming days, aakkkk! 5 days since I've seen the sun or walked in dry conditions is depressing me to no end. My pack has been wet for so long it smells like the living dead.    I dragged myself to dinner--I should have just stayed in. My fish sandwich w/lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle, and a side salad, arrive sans salad and sans salad fixing. A soggy bun and fried patty on a white plate. Pretty depressing. Chips and beer is way more appetizing.
Date: 2009-05-06
From: US 11/Atkins, VA

To: US 11/Atkins, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Day 44, Zero Day Atkins   I couldn't get it going today. The rain is still coming through. I convinced myself to zero. I figured that I can zero at NOC, I can zero at an exit off of I-81.    I successfully hitched solo into town this morning to the Atkins Grocery for provisions. It's less safe, but it's easier hitching for 1 person, esp. since I ended up squeezing into a truck cab w/2 guys already in, and a sedan filled up with junk. Anyway, shopping was sparse but I got what we needed well enough.    We had a comically bad lunch at the short order grill. It took over an hour to get our food, while others came and went. I don't know if it's because we sound like we're out of town or what. At least I had no where else to be.    Movies we've watched today: Bedazzled, I Am Legend, Brokeback Mountain, the Namesake, and Women on Top. More to come? The rain continues...
Date: 2009-05-07
From: US 11/Atkins, VA

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

Day 45, 14 miles, 10 am - 4:30 pm   "Only" 14 miles today but the most we've done in a few days so I'll take it.    We had a relaxing enough night and I slept well until loud t-storms came through and woke me up. They lasted a few hours. In the morning, the sky was dark but thankfully starting to break up. It was still raining but eventually it tapered off.    We slowly got ready, packing, washing up, and drinking coffee. It's hard for me to get it together after this zero, esp. w/a continuted sketchy forecast.    Not too bad today. We walked through wet fields, swollen streams and rivers that we had to ford, and green woods. There were alot of flowers: lupine, red columbine, and violets. So pretty. I love the flowers. Crawford Valley was very pretty, with good tenting and a good watersource (well, obviously!)    We walked through private property today, down in the valley which was awesome. A working farm, beautiful open pasture, a view up to the ridge. The farmhouse had blooming lilac bushes, tall and different colored: white, purple, pink, violet. So striking. We rarely get lowland walking so it's nice.    Up and over many stiles today, which I had fun on. Up and over Brushy Mountain, which dropped us here. We originally wanted to cook dinner and hike on, but something made me lean toward staying. Good thing, by 6 it started thundering and now it's downpouring. We're in the shelter w/only 2 others, watching it come down.    I'm tired of the rain, tired of thinking about it, arranging my hike around it, missing out on views and breaks because of it. In a way I'm kind of resigned to it, though. Sunday is supposed to be clear, but it starts back up again on Monday. Whatever. Matt and I are trying to push this section out in 5 days, trying to concentrate on the hiking and put the rain second. I'm trying. Trying to get through this.
Date: 2009-05-08
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 46, 19 miles, 7:30 am - 6:15 pm   Long day, and I feel down and out. Good things:-Walking on a ridge above inversions, and then watching wind blow them out-Pink and orange azaleas-Temporarily opened sky on Chestnut Mountain-Healthy looking hemlocks-Waterfalls and mountain streamsBad things:-Rain-Darkness-Unexpectedly taxing terrain that slowed me down -Falling down/hurting (Matt)-Depression
Date: 2009-05-09
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 23.8
Weather: light rain

Day 47, 23.8 miles, 7:15 am - 5:45 pm   Torrential thunderstorms lasted all night yesterday. Now I'm riding out rain in the tent tonight. I had a bath in the creek today. It's clean underwear night. Pleasant, pretty woods, mostly easy terrain, a long mileage day. Only a few squalls passying by. Good dinner. Good people we've caught up with: Motor, Bunyan, Freeze, Ironman, and Ruin. 3rd day of soaked feet are giving me blisters. White, pink, and orange azalea blooms. Please, please don't let it rain too much tonight.
Date: 2009-05-10
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Ribble Trail North Jct. 
Miles today: 19.2

Day 48, 19.2 miles, 8 am - 6:30 pm   Such a beautiful day on valley trail with clean overflowing streams and flowers. It's too cold to write and my hands won't work. Will fill in tomorrow. *   We woke up unscathed by the rain for once. I was in no hurry to leave, it was a nice day and we had coffee this morning for the 1st time on this trip. You have to take advantage! Nice mornings are rare!    There was no rain at all today and the humidity has dropped. The temps were only in the 60's, so it didn't feel like we were in a rain forest. Flat walking in a gorgeous vally filled with crystal clear streams in every direction. The woods today were so pretty and so different from our normal ridgewalking. Also-blooming flame azaleas and pink azaleas, and wild geraniums. I always try to remember how pretty they are. The dogwoods are STILL blooming white and lovely in the woods.    We spent and hour at Dismal Falls, a nice area with big pines, cedar trees, tiger swallows, and we even saw a kingfisher! Too bad my feet have been wet so long or I would have soaked my legs. I was content with wandering around on the rock barefoot.    I slept only okay last night, so I did drag myself through most of the day, and we didn't make the miles we wanted. After another long break with Will and Way at Wapiti shelter, we all decided to hike back up the steep ridge to a weird campsite off a blue blaze. Their guidebook said that there was a 'picnic area' with water, which really is a stretch. The area has an old partially burned cabin with a fraying tarp, a freaky old outhouse, and a rotting picnic table. The water source was crazy good, of course, so we called it home and pitched the tent on a very flat spot.    I didn't bother to treat the water or even get it from the spring. There has been so much rain that the ground is literally projectile spouting water. I just collected it from a spurt. I saw a huge crayfish crawling around and I freaked out and screamed a little because they look like giant bugs. Oh well.    We talked over dinner with Will and Way and we are all going to bed early. Today was a good day. It was just nice to hike for once.