morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-04-25
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Laurel Creek Campsites
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I was the last hiker to leave the shelter this morning. Everyone wants to make it to the second shelter which is about 24 miles. If you want to stay at a shelter your choice is to do a short ten mile day or push yourself over rough terrain to do 24. I knew I wanted to do more than ten but after the long day yesterday I really did not want to push that hard. I headed out about 8AM and was disappointed to see that Burkes Garden was socked in with fog. It is such a beautiful valley and the view from Chestnut Knob is usually superb. I continued along the ridge and as the sun ate the fog I got to enjoy some views. The trail along this ridge is very rocky and it wasn't doing my sore feet much good. I took a nice break for lunch when I reached the Jenkins shelter. I could have used a nap as I was feeling spent. The weather was a little cooler today but I was still soaked with sweat. On and off all day it looked like it may start to rain. I set out with hopes of going another 14 miles to the next shelter. At 4PM I arrived at a nice campsite with a picnic table and a nice stream nearby. I canceled my plans for a long day. Just as I got my tent set up the skies opened up. Thunder, lightning, and pouring down rain. I grabbed the clothes I had just hung on a line and dove into the tent. Perfect time for a short nap. Just as I awoke a second storm passed through. The sound of the rain pounding on the roof of the tent added to the thunder is deafening. But at least I am relatively dry and comfortable. With any luck the rain will pass and I'll get to cook some dinner. There was a sign in the last shelter that said someone from the local Methodist Church picks up hikers each Monday at 9:30 and brings them into town and feeds them. The shuttle is from VA615 - a few hundred feet from where I am camping. I may just forget about chasing Pez and take a break tomorrow. I'll see how I feel in the morning. I think it has stopped raining enough for me to venture out and prepare a meal. I will give it a try and then hit the sack. GoodnightLwop
Date: 2004-04-26
From: Laurel Creek Campsites

To: uu21/52 Bland, Va.
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: moderate rain

The thunderstorms that hit last night were replaced by a steady downpour that lasted all night. I remained relatively dry inside my tent but at some time I had to get out and break camp. I climbed out of the tent and started to pack up at about 7:30. It only took about one minute to become saturated in the deluge. As warm as its been lately I decided that I might as well get wet without using rain gear rather than get soaked with sweat wearing it. That was a bad decision. I was moving along at a good clip and the rain helped to keep me cool as I climbed Brushy Mt. When I got to the top the wind started to blow and suddenly I was able to see my own breath. The temp was dropping fast. When I arrive at I77 I had a choice to make. I could hike on and maybe stay at the next shelter and try to dry my gear or I could walk about three miles into Bland VA and get a motel room. I still had business to attend because of the theft of Bonnies pocketbook and I knew there would be some good food available and my teeth were chattering. The wise choice under those circumstances - walk three miles or so (downhill all the way) and get a room at the Big Walker Motel. I arrived around noon and immediately jumped into the hot shower. I turned the heat up high and laid out all my gear to dry. There was half an inch of water inside my boots. Most of my gear was wet. Waterproof - everyone advertises their gear as waterproof but I don't think they test it on the AT. Even the Goretex was soaked. Anyway, I headed over to the Dairy Queen and loaded up. I ate: A Double burger, fries, 24 ounce soda, two chili dogs, a barbeque pork sandwich, two hostess chocolate covered cupcakes, a hostess cherry pie, and a cup of hot coffee. I guess I am starting to get my hiker appetite. Later I found that Rumbler, Footloose, and Bearbag Hanger are also staying at this motel. We all headed back to the DQ for a treat. I had a banana split and a hot chocolate. I am already looking forward to breakfast. The weather seems to be clearing somewhat and it is a lot cooler than it has been. I spent a lot of time working on my gear and on the phone taking care of the pocketbook related business. I believe Bonnie can handle the rest and I can get on with my hike. She already has my journal back up to date and we will try to keep it that way. I am hoping to get a ride back to the trailhead tomorrow morning. Maybe the sun will be out too. But first I am going to slide my legs into the glorious luxury of real linen and blankets. Goodnight, stay dry,Lwop
Date: 2004-04-27
From: uu21/52 Bland, Va.

To: Va. 606
Miles today: 18.6

I only slept about five hours last night. The feel of being in a bed with real pillows and sheets was too nice to sleep through. I got up about 6AM and packed my pack. I made an effort to clean up the room a little since my gear had left a bit of a mess. We, Bearbag Hanger, Rumbler, Footloose, and I headed over to the Dairy Queen for breakfast and to catch our ride to the trailhead. We loaded into the back of a pickup for an exciting ride on the curvy road leading to the trail. The weather was acting strange today. It was very cool and one minute the skies were blue, the next it was threatening to rain. At one point it was raining heavy but the sun was out almost directly overhead. The trail was relatively flat early on and we made good time getting to the Jenny Knob Shelter. Rumbler, Footloose and I decided to continue on and camp out somewhere near VA606. I wanted to stop at Trents for a pizza. Two southbounders mentioned that you can camp behind Trents for $3.00 and have a hot shower and flush toilet. So that is what we decided to do. Of course it rained while I was setting up the tent so I will be carrying heavy wet gear tomorrow. The temp is supposed to go down around 31 degrees tonight. I will be comfy in my down bag. Today we enjoyed excellent views while ridge walking. At one point you could see a beautiful valley to each side and another ridge beyond the valleys. Most of the trees are starting to leaf out and the woods are taking on that light green early spring look. After the dreary wet weather yesterday today was delightful. I am now a little chilly so it is time to crawl down into the sleeping bag. I should sleep well tonight to the sounds of frogs and crickets. Goodnight,Lwop
Date: 2004-04-28
From: Va. 606

To: Pearisburg,Va.
Miles today: 23.9
Weather: clear sky

I slept well last night in spite of the howling wind and plumiting temps. We had set up our tents next to travel trailers so we had something to block the wind. It was 28 degrees when we got out of our tents. Everything was covered with frost. I broke camp and headed back to Trents for some hot coffee and some breakfast. Rumbler, Footloose and I hit the trail about 8AM and made a stop at Dismal Falls. They were even more impressive this hike as there was at least twice the amount of water in the creek. We made a stop at Wapiti Shelter for a short break and met Bearbag Hanger. The hike to this point had been on fairly level terrain and had been quite pleasant. Some of the trail was covered in pine needles - my all time favorite hiking surface. Every stream was at its capacity - unlike when I hiked in 2002. At that time almost all the area was bone dry. After Wapiti we had a good climb and stopped at a fantastic viewpoint. You could see where the trail would take us for the next ten miles or so and could even see the city of Pearisburg way off in the distance. Rumbler and Footloose ended their day at Doc's Knob Shelter. I checked the register there and Pez had written that he would be at the hostel in Pearisburg tonight. It may be my last chance to catch him if I could push myself to make it there. I headed on to try and finish the last 8 miles before the sunset. I was heading down the mountain and watching the town being swallowed by shadow. When I got to Main Street I found myself at the bottom of a long hill a few miles from the hostel. I had already walked over 24.8 miles today and wound up doing another 1.5 before someone stopped and offered a ride. 26.3 miles is a long way to carry a backpack. The gentleman who picked me up went out of his way to drop me right at the hostel. He even waited to make sure they had room for me - and would have driven me back downtown to get a motel room if needed. You do meet some wonderful folks in this part of the country. I walked into the hostel and was pleased to see Pez along with many other familiar faces. We had a lot to talk about and I think I have him convinced to take another zero tomorrow. I have a lot of errands to take care of. My watch/compass/altimeter neews a new battery. I have laundry to wash. Batteries to recharge. Maildrops to pick up and gear to ship home. And a lot of eating to do. Zero days are not always restful. Needless to say, I could use a little rest right now. My dogs (feet) are sore and I am tired. I will be sleeping on the floor tonight as the hostel is filled to capacity. I don't care. I am going to sleep. Goodnight, Lwop
Date: 2004-04-30
From: Pearisburg, Va.

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Ahhh! A good nights sleep! What a delight sleeping in a real bed. I got up about 6AM and took advantage of having hot running water by taking another shower. I walked over to the Post Office to drop a package in the collection box and then picked up some coffee and a big honey bun. I was too hungry to wait for breakfast. I headed back to the room and used a cup of coffee to entice Pez to get up and get ready to move on. The plan was to hike 19 miles so it called for an early start. To get to the trail you have to pass a Dairy Queen. Somewhere in the Thru-hikers Code of Ethics it is written "Thou shalt not pass a Dairy Queen without partaking."So we had a hearty breakfast and then we hit the trail. After a considerable amount of climbing with a few rest breaks and a game of slate-frisby rock tossing (kind of like playing horseshoes but using rocks) we arrived at the Rice Field Shelter. It was only a little after noon but we decided to call it a day. I wanted to work on fixing my watch which had condensation inside the lens. The numbers would show up every so often and then would just slowly fade away. And I didn't get much rest yesterday. So we gathered some wood for the hotdog roast and I climbed half a mile downhill to get some water. Pez spent hours reading his book and I spent some time catching up on emails and wondering around in the woods. About six others came in and are staying the night. Pez contributed the chili and I provided the hotdogs and buns and we had fun cooking the dogs on sticks over the open fire. Four chili dogs and 3 Krispy Creme donuts apiece left us quite satisfied - at least for a couple of hours. We enjoyed chatting and sitting by the fire until it got dark. And dark means bed time for me. Goodnight,Lwop
Date: 2004-05-01
From: Rice Field Shelter

To: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Happy May Day. Today's hike was brought to you by the word "damp". The sun never burned through the fog today. All day it looked like it was going to start raining any minute. And all day long you would feel a few raindrops and then they would stop. We hiked on top of a ridge which under other circumstances would have provided excellent views. Just not today. Sometimes weather like this is a blessing - it makes you focus on things a little closer at hand. There were a lot of wild flowers and many of the trees are just starting to leaf out. The bleak greys of the earlier part of my hike are giving way to the beautiful light early spring greens. Birds of all kinds are busy all day singing and building their nests. I heard a wiporwill (spelling?) this morning and tonight an owl is busy asking "who cooks for you?" And, as I am laying in the shelter typing out my journal, the sun just broke through the clouds. Maybe we will have some nice weather tomorrow. I didn't start hiking until almost 9AM this morning. I am quite content to hike short days and take it easy. It is nice to be hiking with Pez again. I can't wait for some nice sunny weather so we can drop our packs and hang out on some grassy bald and chill for a few hours. Lately that would lead to only wet butts...I am feeling a little sleepy so today's entry will be short. I am going to bed - it is almost 8PM. Goodnight,Lwop
Date: 2004-05-02
From: Bailey Gap Shelter

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

This was day three of threatening skies. Looking out the shelter this morning you just didn't want to get out of your sleeping bag. It looked as though it would start pouring any moment. You don't get to Maine sitting on your butt so we ate and shoved off around 8:30. The trail early on was extremely rocky and rough on your feet. We took a nice break at Wind Rock and enjoyed the beautiful view. For a short very brief moment we saw some blue sky but just as quickly the dark grey clouds moved back in. We moved on and descended 1500 feet and had lunch at the War Spur Shelter. Still no rain but the air felt heavy with moisture and the wind was blowing. We headed out again and this time we climbed about 1700 feet. Did someone say the A/T in Virginia is flat? The climb was tough but the wind helped keep us cool in spite of the high humidity. On Kellys Knob we took the blue blaze to the vista. The view was impressive especially the dark clouds that were racing across the sky heading in our direction. We were hiking as fast as we could trying to get to the next shelter before the storm arrived. We were approaching the shelter from one direction and the storm was approaching from the opposite direction. Pez and I were actually running downhill on the loose slate trying to win the race. We lost. When we got to within a few hundred yards of the shelter the skies opened up. It came down so hard that everything was instantly soaked. Five more minutes and we would have made it. Now we have things hanging all over the shelter drying. They will still be wet in the morning so we will be putting on cold wet clothes. The weather report calls for sunshine when we reach the Pennsylvania - in about a month. Maybe. We would have considered hiking further today but the rain changed those plans. The rain has eased a bit but the temp is dropping and you can see your breath. I am inside my sleeping bag a little damp but warm and cozy. With these short hiking days I should be rested enough to pull a thirty mile day. But that is not going to happen. I am going to lay back and do some reading until I fall asleep. Goodnight,Lwop
Date: 2004-05-03
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Opened my eyes and looked out the shelter to see dark grey skies. And it was cold. I pulled the bag back over my head and went back to sleep. I should have worn socks as my feet were cold. I finally got moving around 8 and made something to eat. Earlier I watched some of the other shelter occupants pour cold water into a packet of instant oatmeal, stir it and, then eat it. It takes time to heat water and that cuts down your miles. Pez and I started hiking about 9:30 under very cloudy and threatening skies. This is the fourth day without any sunshine. The wet clothes I had hanging seemed even wetter. I put them inside the sleeping bag with me so they would be warm and wet when I put them on. We started out at a pretty good clip as we needed to warm up. I am curious what the elevation gain would be if you added up the climbs over all the stiles we climbed today. After passing through numerous pastures we began the climb up Sinking Creek Mountain. Once we made it to the top the views opened up and for about thirty seconds the sun came out. The top of the ridge was very interesting to hike. Much of the trail was on rock at a rather steep angle. After a while the feet and ankles started to scream. I doubt this area gets many day hikers because their legs and feet would probably not be able to handle it. I felt like a mountain goat. As we started down from the mountain the skies were becomming darker and darker. I kept thinking that it couldn't happen two days in a row that we get soaked so close to a shelter. We were pushing hard to beat the rain and felt a few drops just before we spotted the shelter sign. We arrived at Niday Shelter at 3PM and ate a late lunch. The next shelter is 10 miles. We discussed moving on and decided to stay where we are. The temp is going to be in the mid thirties tonight and if we get caught in rain we could be in trouble. Instead we dried our wet gear and gathered some wood for a short fire during dinner. A section hiker said the weather report for tomorrow looks good so we can maybe get some hiking done. The poor weather has certainly slowed our pace. I hope I will not miss my warm down sleeping bag tonight. Many other hikers are only using 40 degree bags and they will have a rough time tonight. I at least have a 20 degree bag. At least tonight I have plenty of dry clothes. Anyway, an hour after eating my late lunch I had dinner and we built a nice fire. The sun came out for a short while just in time to sink below the mountain. The temp is dropping fast and everyone is climbing inside their bags for some warmth. Tomorrow Pez and I plan to hike 16 miles to the Four Pines Hostel. It will be a tough day with two big climbs including the Dragons Tooth. But the end of the day will provide hot showers and a roof over our head. I am ready for a good meal and I hope to find that too. Right now it is so cold that my fingers don't want to work this keyboard. So I am going to call it a day and crawl inside my bag. Goodnight,Lwop
Date: 2004-05-04
From: Niday Shelter

To: VA624 ( Four Pines Hostel )
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

Opened my eyes to a strange sight this morning. The sky was actually blue and there were no clouds. I was so anxious to hike in nice weather that I almost skipped my morning coffee. Pez, Camera one, and Camera two, and I headed out of the shelter at about 8:15. A little better than the last few days. We knew we wanted to make it to Four Pines and I remembered how tough it was going over the Dragons Tooth. We climbed 1500 or so feet up a very nicely graded trail and stopped to visit the Audie Murphy Memorial. Audie died near this site in an airplane crash and they built and someone nicely maintains the memorial. Many of the other thru hikers did not know who he was. I guess that is to be expected. I silently expressed my appreciation for what he had done during WW2. We headed on and arrived at the trail leading to Pickel Branch Shelter. I asked what the heck is a pickel branch and nobody could answer. We all agreed that pickels don't grow on trees. The tough questions and subjects we thru hikers contemplate while hiking the trail...We dropped the subject and all sat down and contemplated lunch. Each hiker shared some goodies with each other so we had a good assortment of good things to eat. I of course passed out my dark chocolates with almonds. Pez had Oreo cookies. And the Camera crew had chocolate covered coffee beans. After lunch we headed uphill toward the Dragons Tooth. The climb was not too bad but the rocks were brutal. It made for a very strenuous afternoon of hiking. The sign pointing to the vista was down and fortunately for our group I knew where to go. The Vista from the Dragons Tooth is a must see for anyone capable of hiking up to it. All the hikers staying at Four Pines tonight didn't bother going the 200 yards to see what it was about. Got to get those miles in and get to Katahdin before everyone else does. Anyway, the four of us enjoyed spending about an hour there taking pictures, chatting, and climbing on the rocks. The thoughts of hot pizza finally became strong enough to drag us off the mountain. We headed straight to the hostel and ordered a pizza for each of us and Joe (our host) provided a shuttle to the store. We enjoyed our stay here and again I want to recommend Four Pines as a great place to visit. I am looking forward to tomorrows hike. It is through my favorite place on the AT. But for now it is time to sleep. goodnight,Lwop
Date: 2004-05-05
From: VA624 ( Four Pines Hostel )

To: Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I was up early and anxious to start hiking. I remember this section of trail as one of my (if not the) favorite sections of trail. Pez, Wolf Wind, The Camera Crew, and I plan to hike together and want to do about 16 miles so we can get to Daleville early tomorrow. I wanted to have plenty of slack time to hang out and enjoy the views. We left as a group at about 8AM and began with a steady climb. We found a nice rock with a view and chilled out for a while and enjoyed each others company and a lot of laughs. We took another short break at the first shelter but were saving lunch for McAfee Knob. It was an invigorating hike up to the knob but you are rewarded with one of the best sights found on the AT. McAfee Knob is the most photographed locations on the trail. You can be photographed standing on an overhanging rock with nothing below you but the tops of trees. It is an impressive sight. We took a lot of pictures and ate and chilled for quite a while. From the knob you could see the ridge we would be hiking all the way to Tinker Cliffs. We knew we had a long way to go so we moved out and maintained a hard steady pace. It was another tough climb to Tinker Cliffs but the view made it worth the effort. With white puffy clouds and lots of blue skies the views were at their best. The trail follows along the edge of the cliff and keeps your attention closely focused. The group, which had spread out a bit, reunited at the cliffs and we headed to the next shelter. When we arrived we found deer milling about. We evicted them from the premisses and moved in. We quickly gathered some wood for a fire so we could cook our hot dogs and marshmellows. We had a blast. It is a fun group to be with. As I was heading to bed I commented that this was one of my best days on the trail. I also thanked my companions for being a part of it. I am exhausted and I have a busy day ahead of me. I'm going to bed. Goodnight,Lwop
Date: 2004-05-06
From: Lamberts Meadow Shelter

To: US220 Daleville, Va.
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: scattered clouds

I was up early trying to get everyone moving. I tend to get anxious when heading into town. This time I knew I had a lot of errands to handle. I need to resupply with food and I have to replace some worn out gear. My Nalgene Canteen is leaking, my Casio Pathfinder watch/altimeter/compass works only on occasion. I am going to get a full length Thermarest because my heels get sore resting on the floor of the shelters. I also want to get a new food bag - the old one is not waterproof. I need to burn a CD to free up my photo card. And I need to find internet access so I could pay some bills. Add to that a lot of walking, laundry, and some serious eating and you can see that town days keep you busy. I accomplished all except the CD but I was up until 1:30 in the morning. I am getting up at 6:30 so I could hit the trail while it is still cool out. The temps are supposed to reach the mid eighties tomorrow and as usual there will be a long climb heading out of town.Anyway, We made pretty good time heading into town. Much of the trail was on top of a very narrow ridge and went straight up and down through what resembled a gully. It is not the prettiest of trails but did provide quite a workout. As we approached US220, Camera Two let out a loud yell "Cotton People!". We all had a good laugh at that. Only non-hikers wear cotton. We all had lunch and dinner together but each went their own way during the middle of the day. It was a busy one for all of us and I need some rest. So with that thought, goodnight,Lwop