morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-22
From: Rusty's

To: Harpers Creek Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: light rain

Although leaving Rusty¢s was difficult to do I had my reasons for being more than ready to head out early this morning and I slept great (though not long) so I had the energy. I made eggs for some of us and Rusty drove 4 of us to the trail. Pig Bear and Praying Mantis stayed for another day to help out by mowing Rusty¢s lawn. Well, his acres of grass, if you would call it a lawn. In the van the guys were trying to give me a shake down but I wouldn¢t open my pack. But I did give Crazy Horse the info for my next mail drop so he could send me an alcohol stove he had made. Apparently that will save me some weight. When I said goodbye Pig Bear gave me a hug that dragged me out of the van and almost smothered me. Even Rusty gave me a hug and told me to write. When I said I didn¢t have his address he pulled out a letter he was carrying in his pocket that had been written by a previous hiker and he tore off the mailing address and gave it to me. I hope his place doesn¢t sell so I can come back next year. Again I brought rain with me to the trail after a time of laziness. It was an initial downpour and by the time I got to the shelter I was soaked so I stayed there even though I had planned on camping near the river a couple of miles down. I¢m glad I didn¢t though, because then I wouldn¢t have met this guy. Now, here¢s what sucks. I remember so many people¢s names but the person who strikes me the most who I really connected with I don¢t. And I sort of regret not gathering the courage to admit I wasn¢t initially paying attention and asked again. But I didn¢t and maybe that¢s a good thing. It took him a long time to leave and head out for a night hike to Rusty¢s and it almost seemed as though he was going to stay. Had I encouraged it I¢m sure he would have but instead I urged him to go and apologized for talking so much and keeping him for so long.The past couple days I¢ve felt like, even though I¢ve never looked so hideous or been so yucky in all my life, at least I¢m not so gross after all. I¢ve had a few real confidence boosters that I¢m not used to having when I¢m not all prettied up. As a woman it feels good to know that I don¢t have to be something I¢m not, physically or otherwise, in order to be admired. On behalf of all women who really aren¢t so secure with themselves as they probably should be¢¦thanks guys.
Date: 2005-06-23
From: Harpers Creek Shelter

To: Tye River
Miles today: 2.5
Weather: scattered clouds

That¢s right, my first real nero. I contemplated walking up the priest and staying the night at the shelter at the top but that opportunity passed me by and I can¢t say I¢m complaining. When I hit the road to find a store where I could buy some groceries an older gentleman by the name of Buddy Newton picked me up. After buying food and calling home he took me to a picnic area outside the church to eat and then we took a long drive checking up on his hayfields and cow pastures. I learned a lot about the locals. I saw the home, orchards, and hundreds of acres belonging to the man who invented Chapstick. I saw from many angles the large mountain (the Priest) I will be climbing tomorrow. I learned about the flood of ¢69, the blind calf that now thinks a horse is its mother, and the woman with bullet holes and broken china in her cabinets from hunter¢s poor aim. I learned that apples are put to sleep and that in a small town everyone knows everything and they all look after each other. In the end Buddy asked me, ¢So what do you think of this country little lady?¢ All in all what I had seen was breathtakingly beautiful. No wonder several hikers have come back to this spot to purchase land. After a few hours on tour of all the farms in the valley I felt like I knew everyone and I went back to the river to camp feeling safe and happy as ever.
Date: 2005-06-24
From: Tye River

To: Dutch House
Miles today: 9.4

Today I climbed a mountain. If I hadn¢t before I definitely have now. It actually wasn¢t very bad at all. Not steep except parts. Just constant. I considered moving past the hostel but everything that requires battery power is now dead and I want to plug it all in otherwise no photos, no music to help me get through a difficult day and no calling those I care about when I¢m lonely. It¢s funny how stupid little luxuries can seem like necessities at times. Maybe I should allow someone to do a shake down, or I should do it myself. I¢m sure I¢m carrying much more weight than necessary. I met a couple of guys who sent their boots home and were hiking in sandals and many others sent their sleeping bags, although most of them regretted that because of a few cold nights we¢ve had lately. I guess I¢m still in the cling-to-everything-unnecessary mode. I hit the 200-mile mark today. Took me long enough. Time to up the mileage.
Date: 2005-06-25
From: Dutch House

To: Tar Jacket Ridge
Miles today: 9.4

Beauty! Tranquility! Solitude!I¢m back at it again. Alone and loving it. The air smells sweet. The wind is soft. Tonight I just feel good. It felt good to exert some energy and it feels good to sit here and rest. A simple day. An early afternoon start and an open sky to end it. Tonight I am counting on no rain. I don¢t think that should be a problem though. The baby blue sky is filled with fluffy pink cotton candy clouds. The sun is moving quickly now and soon it will be gone. Oh glory! God is certainly an artist, the visual master, a poet of the senses. All of this is for his pleasure and thankfully tonight I am allowed to enjoy.
Date: 2005-06-26
From: Tar Jacket Ridge

To: Budget Inn
Miles today: 6.9

If I thought the sunset last night was pretty I was not even close to being prepared for the sunrise this morning. Although tired it took all I had not to jump out of my tent in pure excitement when I opened my eyes. I had to set up my hammock as a tent. More of a bivy sack actually. Basically it was just there as protection from the bugs. I did not put the rain fly over so that I could see the stars. The grass was so tall that as I lay there I could see it rising above me on all sides enclosing me and tickling as it blew in the wind. I woke up a bit damp from the dew and for a moment I felt like I belonged there. Like I was a part of it all. Everything was so brilliant, in perfect harmony. As I looked out at the valley below and the mountains rising in the distance I felt overwhelmed. How many fields like this, how many sunsets pouring color into places I will never see? Perhaps no person will ever experience that place. So much life. So much character. So much space filled with splendor where man does not dwell.Does the falling tree make a sound when man is not there to hear it? I believe with all my heart that it does. Just as I believe these blades of grass will sway when I¢m no longer here to see it, and the dew will settle when I¢m no longer here to feel it. Because this has nothing to do with me. Things will continue here as they always have before me. Because I am not the center. I am but an intruder. A temporary piece of the puzzle. So often I forget how insignificant and temporary I am. Yet with out me this scene would not be the same. So I must do my best to add to the beauty, to the goodness. I guess that¢s the way to live life. To make sure your own piece of the puzzle is as pretty, as pure as possible.The walk this morning was wonderful as well. Smooth terrain, expansive views on all sides and plenty of blue skies. Towards the end of my morning I ran into a group whom I¢d met a couple days earlier. They were on a sort of men¢s retreat from a church in Ohio. Great, friendly guys. When we reached the road they offered to take me into town so I wouldn¢t have to hitch. Thank you so much to the guys from the church of the Brethren. Oh, and the Kenny burger is known for its special sauce. A red sort of mix between BBQ and sweet and sour. Thanks again!I had lunch at Kenny¢s and then took a short nap on a picnic table in the shade of a tall tree on the side of the road. When I awoke my tummy didn¢t feel so great but I shrugged it off as the heat and headed out of town. Almost to the highway and ready to hitch I felt the need to find a restroom. I did and then felt the need to find a place to rest for the night. Food poisoning, heat exhaustion or Giardia I know not but I will try and sleep it off and see how I¢m feeling in the morning.
Date: 2005-06-27
From: Budget Inn

To: Brown Mountain Creek
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Life is good. What more can I say?One of the things I like best about this world is water. I like taking a big long gulp on a hot sunny day. I like diving into it and feeling it surround my body. I like dancing in it as it falls from the sky. I like watching it rush by crashing on rocks or following the ripples it makes with my eyes. There is little more that has continued to keep me returning to awed reverence as the beauty of the endless variety of clouds gathering in the sky. And did I mention that I like to drink water? I really do. With a lot of ice cubes. I love taking long baths, soaking in hot tubs, running through a sprinkler, feeling the cold snow and standing under a waterfall. I love water. It is one of my favorite things. After that comes sleep and dairy products but that we will save for another day. Right now I am not feeling my best but I am enjoying listening to the water in the creek rush by, as I am about to drift off to sleep.
Date: 2005-06-28
From: Brown Mountain Creek

To: Rice Mountain
Miles today: 5.3

Today just does not like me. Spite for my good mood the past couple of days I suppose. I was on my way and ready to go when I realized I hadn¢t packed my sleeping bag. I know I stuffed it in its sack and it was sitting right over there by that log¢¦wait¢¦where is it? I searched all over and finally concluded that it must have rolled away. Yes, that¢s right it did. Down the hill and into the creek. It¢s a good thing I like water. Luckily it hadn¢t floated too far away. It is currently hanging on my hammock but I assume that in the end my body heat is what¢s going to dry it off. Mid day I felt extremely nauseous and completely drained of all energy so I took a sick day. It was initially going to be a nap for lunch but here I am still at the same spot.Aside from a wet start and pre-mature ending the rest has simply been one of those days I¢m sure everyone has where it seems that nothing can go right and it was just compounded by my irritability. ¢What?! I walked through another spider web or I dropped my water bottle! Oh, it¢s just the end of the world as I know it!¢ Luckily I have not seen a single person today so all of my comments were directed at insects and inanimate objects. Okay, and once in a while myself I must admit. Yes I do talk to myself out here and it¢s usually when I¢m frustrated with myself. I think the terms ¢Could you just not!¢ and ¢Oh come on!¢ were the phrases of the day. And apparently it was bug kamikaze day. I counted 6 1/2 the short time I was hiking. That¢s right¢¦and a half. One of the corpses I could not find in my eye. I fished around in there for a while but finally wrote him off as MIA.I finished reading a book. It¢s called More Than a Carpenter. I grabbed it a few shelters back and will leave it at the next one I stop by.Tomorrow is a new day. A chance for a fresh start. Don¢t you just love those? Early rising and some trail running may be in my future.
Date: 2005-06-28
From: Rice Mountain

To: Robinson Rd/Little Irish Creek intersection
Miles today: 2.1

Did I mention that I had a bad day? Good, then the events that took place after I wrote that journal should not come as too much of a shock.So I¢m sitting in my hammock with my headlamp putting away my pen and paper before bed when I hear something running very loudly towards me. In fact I heard 2 somethings. One chasing the other? Two friends frolicking in the moonlight or playing tag? I don¢t know but what I did know was that they were heavy, were running faster and much unlike any person I know and grunted deeply only like a few. Whatever it is I want to keep it from running into me so I yell. ¢Hey!¢ Then I see it stop, turn and look in my direction. Off goes my headlamp. Loud growls the bear. Now, I know you¢re supposed to make noise so it knows you¢re there but the purpose of that really is to not frighten it. Which, I believe, is precisely what I¢d just done. I hear it snort and grunt and claw the tree next to my head. Then it backs up and starts to run again. But then wait¢¦it jumps and begins climbing the tree. It slides down and gives it a couple more tries. It circles and claws the tree, growls and snorts, scratches and snarls, roars and climbs, paces and scratches¢¦I¢m sitting calmly and quietly but my heart is beating so hard I¢m sure the bear can hear it. ¢Oh crap! I think I¢m going to die tonight. I didn¢t get to say goodbye to anyone.¢ Meanwhile his pal is over on my pack sniffing at it, and then climbing on top of it, then circling it, and finally batting it around a bit. Initial shock and then an internal cheer. ¢Yeah! Get it! Smack the crap out of it!¢ After a day like that one I was ready to leave and a bear tearing my things to shreds sounded like a good excuse at the moment.Aside from the apparent aggressive nature of these two bears I was afraid for two reasons. 1) I had a snack bag laying directly beneath me under my hammock which I¢d not yet hung with the rest of my food and 2) the bears were, no doubt, curious creatures and had they wondered what that big thing hanging from the trees that yelled at them was and batted it around a bit with open claw (even if well intentioned) I wouldn¢t stand a chance.So I had a desire to make myself known, but not while they were so close. The one nearest me (by the tree) took off and I could hear him rustling the leaves still closer than made me comfortable so I simply reached my hand out the bottom of my shelter and threw the food away from me. He came back and did a bit more of the ¢let¢s-frighten-Melanee¢ act of growling and clawing at the tree. Enough of the play-by-play. Eventually they were both at a decent distance, I got out, turned on my head lamp, talked to them, grabbed my pack and sleeping bag and left. I feel asleep 2 miles later in a wet sleeping bag in the dirt on the side of the road. I went back in the morning to find my hammock and food sack alone and well.
Date: 2005-06-30
From: Fullers Rocks

To: Matt's Creek Shelter
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: broken clouds

Got an early start this morning and made it to the road by 9:30. I didn¢t even have to beg for a ride to the restaurant. I had a mushroom swiss burger, bacon cheese fries and pecan pie a la mode and it was just as great early in the day as it would have been for dinner. From there I walked to get my mail. I could hardly hold all the boxes and mail I had. So the trick was to get all of that into my pack. The day was quite hot and the only shade outside the Post Office was behind it on a hill of grass which was bordering a front lawn. I had my stuff sprawled out all over when a young teenage girl came over from the house and offered to fill my water. She came back with a Nalgene full of ice. It was awesome! When I finally finished ¢organizing¢ her uncle drove me back to the trail. He is the chief of the rescue squad. Apparently they have to rescue about 5 or 6 a year and most are not serious. Sprained ankles and such. He was very friendly but I still was hoping I woudn¢t be one of the 5 or 6 this year.I sat in a shady spot under the bridge trying to decide how far I would walk that afternoon. I decided to first go back 1/4 mile to a good swimming hole I¢d seen before town. I swam with the fish in the creek. It felt great in the mid day heat. I hiked from there to the next shelter with the intent of resting but ended up staying because I enjoyed the company I found there. Darth Gator named his dad (who had been hiking with him for a week) Jack Burton. To most people that would mean nothing but I grew up watching the movie Big Trouble in Little China. So we quoted it on and off all night. He (Darth Gator) will be starting graduate school in Chicago in August so we will be meeting again then. Jack Burton enlightened me a bit. Apparently a lot of the bites I have all over which I thought were mosquito bites were in fact chiggers. I had never heard of this before but the idea of anything burrowing under my skin made me squirm. We deduced that they had infested my sleeping bag when I slept on the wet ground the night of the bears. So tonight I slept without my bag. Though a bit cold I slept without fear that I¢d wake up with more bites as I had previous mornings.
Date: 2005-07-01
From: Matt's Creek Shelter

To: Thunder Ridge
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: few clouds

As usual I was the last to leave the shelter this morning. Today was tough, as I knew it would be, up hill most of the way. I met a father an son early on who were just heading to the top for the night. We met a couple of times although it was me arriving at a spot they were just getting ready to leave. That¢s okay. I can be slow. In the end we all camped at the same place. They didn¢t go quite as far as expected and invited me to join them as well since a storm was brewing. At the moment I am curled up in my hammock hoping the rain fly holds up and doesn¢t leak or fly away. The storm hit rather quickly and the wind is crazy. Hoping to stay dry and safe from the lightning I¢m going to call it a night. Not that my heavy eyelids are giving me much of a choice.
Date: 2005-07-02
From: Thunder Ridge

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: light rain

Down hill all day. I¢m kicking myself for not going further but this shelter is awesome. I was just going to eat, rest my knees and tend to my feet then move on. But it began to rain so decided to stay. That rain didn¢t last more than 20 minutes though and I could have made the next 3.8 miles to Jennings Creek where I hear they have great campsites and a swim hole. One day I¢m going to do more than 15 miles. I should have gotten up at 5:30 with the other two rather than 9:30. Oh well. I¢m with another father and son tonight. Now that I think about it that makes 3 nights in a row. I have also just realized that it has been quite some time since I¢ve seen a female hiker. Over a week at the Dutch House and before her it had been over a week more. We are few and far between out here as through hikers move north.I grabbed another book this morning a couple of shelters back. The Road Less Traveled: A new Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth. It sounded familiar so I skimmed and it interested me. I¢ve never been much into fictional novels. I like to learning about psychology, sociology, anthropology, theology and philosophy. I find them intriguing. Strange for someone who just finished school to be a graphic designer I know but I could just sit here and read this all day. Why people are the way they are and how it plays out in society, culture and relationships interests me. No reading tonight though. Time for bed.
Date: 2005-02-23
To: Springer
Miles today: 696.7
Weather: broken clouds

Hi yall-I will not be posting to this website any longer. There are alot of explosive and wonderful things to do on the trail, and for me typing on a computer has proven to be a low prioirity. If you want to keep track of things, the following websites are excellent:Check my pictures from my trip at: http://www.aaafamilysites.com/family/barbara_miles/photoalbum.htmlMy hiking companion Proteus is also posting a log of our progress. His creativity and consistency in posting has far outpaced mine. It's a great account of many of our adventures:http://www.runs247.com/Kevin_journals.htmlButtahHowdy yall-Been on the trail 2+ months and finally figured out how to post here. I will try to keep it regularly maintained, but check back to kill some time every once in a while-I might even try to get some pics up.ButtahI just got my account at trailjournals.com set up and am giddy over the trail. Giddy like your dog when you get home from work. I'm finishing up the next week of work at Outdoors, Inc. in Memphis, then heading home to Greenwood for a couple of days. After a raging 4-square hoedown in Athens, Ga with Kevin, Levi, and a bunch of other hooligans, its off to Springer. Check back often to track my progress.
Date: 2005-05-16
From: Catawba Mountain Shelter

To: Angels Gap
Miles today: 12.7

Left Catawba Mountain Shelter this morning after camping the night. Pat Kelly, an old friend from the Grand Canyon, joined us today after Trail Days in Damascus, hopefully to join us until the end of the trail. The views of McAfee Knob were fantastic in the sunny morning, although marred by the stereo sound of chainsaws from below. We followed the Ridge to Tinker Cliffs, which was about 1/2 of a mile long with great views across the valley. Had lunch at Lamberts Meadow Shelter, where I read in a register that Chill Out, another hiker, had seen two bears near the shelter the day before. I guess we are in Bear Country again. Set up camp atop a natural gas pipeline easement (and had a nice fire with no massive exploisions.) The dinner was fantastic with red beans and rice, shrimp, and chicken with hot sauce-on to Daleville tomorrow.
Date: 2005-05-17
From: Angels Gap

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Up early, and made it out of camp mlaeaving Proteus still asleep in his hammock. Brisk morning walk over a rocky ridge into Daleville. Resupplied at a plush suburban Kroger, a far cry from the normal small town grocery fare. Sat down at a Bojangles and ate plenty of sausage biscuits. This was the first Bojangles I have seen near the trail and more than likely the last as we head up north. My hydration bladder exploded twice, leaving a wet mess all over the restaurant. Rolled out of town after getting a bracelet that says loudly "I Love Hip Hop." Nice sunny breezy afternoon, arriving at Wilson Creek shelter to tent. I saw Chubster, a hiker who I haven't seen since Franklin, NC. Late in the night everyone around the shelter heard a LARGE animal crashing through the underbrush sneezing. It was definitely a bear, maybe skunked, but yet more proof that we are once again in bear country. I sure wish I could see one for myself. And wrestle it.
Date: 2005-05-18
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Jennings Creek
Miles today: 16.9

Woke early to a pleasntly cool morning hike. We crossed to Blue Ridge Parkway for the first time on the trail and made several crosses as we ran parallel to it along the trail. I scored a bunch of granola bars and a mountain dew off some people in some RVs, and devoured it greedily in front of them, I think sending them scurrying away. Took a long nap at Bobblets Creek Shelter, and enjoyed the fancy new privy complete with hardwood handrails. It was a hot afternoon, and Pat adopted the Trail Name "High Noon", after the Gary Cooper movie of the same name. It also had something to do with him scaring a German day hiker and making her fall on her face. He must look scary because he hasn't been out here long enough to smell yet. On to camp at Jennings Creek, where the swimming hole was disappointingly full of fisherman. At 951' it is the lowest point on the trail so far.