morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-09-04
From: Marble Spring Campsite

To: James River
Miles today: 7.7

Today I was up at 6:00 and on the trail by 8:00. Another cool morning and with a mostly downhill trail I expect to be at the James River by noon.Chip and Jan, i.e. Slow and Steady and JanGogh, have offered to take me into Buena Vista to my motel. But first we stopped in Glasgow for lunch at Scooties, where I had the best double cheeseburger in my life. It really hit the spot after five days on the trail. After arriving at the Quality Inn, Chip, Jan and I agreed to have dinner in Lexington, Va. where they were staying for the night. We had dinner at the Palms, a nice restaurant with a pub like atmosphere.I really have enjoyed the time spent with Chip and Jan. We've talked about hiking together next summer when I return to the trail and possibly getting together when they are in Florida visiting their son.
Date: 2013-09-06
From: James River

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: broken clouds

I was up at 7:00, ate breakfast at Burger King and was picked up by Ken, a local shuttle operator, at 8:45. Ken shuttled me back to the James River Foot Bridge where I left the trail on Wednesday. This morning the temp is around 60 degrees and only expected to warm up into the mid seventies. The next three or four days are forecast to be cooler than normal. No doubt that the cool temps made it easier to hike and even though I had a climb of over 2300 ft., I still averaged about two miles per hour.I was regretting the next six days, especially if the weather was going to be hot, but now with the ease of the hike today, I think I'll be ok. Tomorrow's hike is 15 miles with a three thousand foot climb at the end of the day. It's chilly in the shelter tonight, temps could be in the lower fifties by morning, which would be nice.
Date: 2013-09-07
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Cow Camp Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I was up this morning at 6:00 and on the trail at 7:45. This morning was cool but not as cool as I thought it would be last night. The first nine miles were fairly easy, with mostly downs. Then came the three thousand foot climb up to Bald Knob, which wasn't as bad as I expected. I managed this in just three hours.I'm sharing the shelter tonight with Squinch, a south bounder from Massachusetts. He started his journey in Maine after he graduated from college this past May.A strange thing happened at the Punchbowl Shelter last night. This morning as I was packing my gear, I noticed that the footprint for my tent was missing. I'm pretty sure I had it last night as I would have noticed it missing when I was unpacking my gear. Some people believe that the shelter is haunted by Little Ottie's ghost.In 1890, Little Ottie was almost five years old, when his school teacher ask him to go outside and bring in some fire wood. He never returned and his body was never found until five months later on top of Bluff Mountain, which was about seven miles away from the school house.I can't believe after carrying it for over 800 miles, strapped to my pack, that I lost it. Oh well, I didn't need it as I used it only twice, maybe Little Ottie needed it more than me.
Date: 2013-09-08
From: Cow Camp Gap Shelter

To: Spy Rock Campsite
Miles today: 13.0

I was on the trail at 8:00 and another cool morning start. The first four or five miles were nice conditions with great views from Cold Mountain. I reached the shelter that I had intended to stay in tonight at 2:30, but decided to press on for another 2.8 miles to Spy Rock campsite. Some southbounders told me earlier in the day that it was a great place to camp out.Looks like I'm the only hiker here tonight. Doing those extra miles today will make tomorrow's hike a little easier, as I reduced the mileage from fourteen to eleven miles.
Date: 2013-09-09
From: Spy Rock Campsite

To: Harper's Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: clear sky

On the trail at 8:00 this morning. Last night's stay was uneventful. The big event today was not climbing to the top of Priest Mountain, but the three thousand foot descent. Usually that big of a descent just wrecks my knees and this time was not different. About half way down I stopped for lunch at an overlook and within ten minutes two women about my age came up the trail for lunch at the overlook also. They are members of the local hiking club that maintains this section of the AT. They had packed a lunch and were just hiking this far just for the great view of the valley below.One of them had sliced an apple for part of her lunch, but instead offered it to me, which I gladly accepted. Any fruit on the trail is like icing on a cake. You just don't carry any because of the weight and bulk that it adds.Made it to the shelter by 4:00, pumped some water, did a little laundry and washed up in the creek. Looks like another solitary night again tonight.
Date: 2013-09-10
From: Harper's Creek Shelter

To: Humpback Mountain Campsite
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

Overslept this morning, but was on the trail 8:00. Today's hike looked easy on paper, even with a 2,000 foot climb and a 1100 foot descent. What I didn't know was that half the trail was over rocks and boulders.I had plan to stealth camp on Humpback Mtn. tonight, but the trail conditions hampered my progress and the heat is back. At 5:00 I stopped to refill all my water bottles, as there isn't a water source on the mountain. I was still 2.8 miles from the summit of Humpback Mtn. and with the speed I had averaged all day, it would have taken me 1.5 - 2 hours to reach the top. So I decided to proceed onward until 6:00 and make the first ideal spot my campsite. This is not how I wanted to spend my last night on the trail, but it's what I have to deal with.If I had reached Humpback Mtn., I would only have 11.5 miles until I reached Waynesboro, Va., my pick up spot for returning to Gainesville. I'm hoping I'm in town by 3:00, 4:00 at the latest.
Date: 2013-09-11
From: Humpback Mountain Campsite

To: Waynesboro, Va.
Miles today: 11.5

I wanted to get an early start today in order to avoid as much of the heat as possible and was able to start at 7:30. The last three days have been very tough on me, do to the heat and rocky trail conditions. This was my incentive to push as fast as I could in order to reach Waynesboro as fast as possible.I think the trail gods decided to show a little mercy on me as the trail was mostly smooth, rock free and downhill. I made it off the trail at 2:30 and called for a shuttle pickup for the 4-5 mile trip into town.The trail gods didn't exactly give me a free pass today. I've been on the trail for approximately 80 days and haven't seen a rattlesnake. Well, today I saw two timber rattlers in about an hour period, one was at least five feet long. At least these two were in the open and could easily be seen. I was always concerned when walking through unmaintained trail, where you could barely see your feet, that a rattler could be lurking just out of sight.Ran into six or seven southbounders from Maine today. Even though considerably fewer hikers hike Maine to Georgia, it looks like they are starting to reach this area on their way to Springer Mountain.
Date: 2014-04-18
From: Waynesboro, Va.

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Returning to the trail tomorrow at Waynesboro, Va. For this section I'm hiking to Harpers Ferry, W. Va. I've been looking forward to hitting the trail again since last September.The plan this year is to reach Hanover, N.H. sometime later this summer.
Date: 2014-04-19
From: Waynesboro, Va.

To: Calf Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: moderate rain

Started on the trail at 9:15 after a brief shuttle ride with Miss Lady. The day was overcast with temps in the low to mid 50's all day. Great hiking weather. The trail conditions were ideal for a first day of hiking. No major ups or downs, which made it easy on my legs, as I have had little opportunity for conditioning before returning to the trail.I arrived at the shelter at 2:30 only to find it inhabited by a local "hillbilly" named Cheaten. He lives in a RV trailer about a mile from the shelter, no water or electricity, with his wife and daughter. He said he was there to get away from the women and to drink a beer. He was kind of intimidating, with rotten teeth and scraggly beard, kind of like a character from the movie Deliverance. A high school friend wrote on my facebook page when I announced I was returning to the trail, "You know what to do if you hear banjo music." That crossed my mine, but he soon left to return to his trailer.Just after I finished dinner a couple arrived at the shelter. There trail names are Fallen Angel and Night Terror from Massachusetts. They are hiking the same section as me, leaving the trail at Harpers Ferry. Probably won't see them very often as they are on a tight schedule and will be hiking more miles a day than me.
Date: 2014-04-20
From: Calf Mountain Shelter

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

I didn't sleep well last night, maybe 4 to 5 Hrs. It will probably take a couple of nights to adjust to the sleeping bag.I was on the trail at 8:00 this morning. Todays hike was fairly easy, only one moderate climb of 1200 ft., with a lot of small up and downs. The last hour on the trail was very difficult, mostly due to my lack of physical preparation. It will take about a week of hiking to get my trail legs. So far I'm averaging about 1.75 mph when on the trail, but as easy as the trail has been I should be averaging 2 plus mph. I should be up to speed by the end of the week.Four south bound hikers just came into the shelter, thought I was going to be sheltering solo, not now.
Date: 2014-04-21
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: broken clouds

It was chilly this morning when I left the hut at 7:45. The hiking was very good until I had my first ever bear encounter on the trail. Around noon I was on Loft Mountain when I heard something running down the side of the mountain. I first spotted two bear cubs and then I spotted the momma bear about a hundred yards away and she was checking me out. I started hitting my poles together just to let her know I was a potential threat if she came near me. After fifteen or twenty seconds she had had enough of my racket and took off after her cubs.I stopped at the Wayside Grill just off the trail at Loft Mountain Camp Center for lunch. The cheeseburger, fries and pepsi hit the spot. I stayed there for an hour and a half just resting my feet. I had only four miles to go before I reached the shelter for the night. It seemed like forever to get there as my legs were tired and I was beginning to develop blisters on my feet.I arrived at the hut at 5 pm, just completely spent. I'm not sure how far I'll hike tomorrow, just depends on how the feet are doing. The next hut is only 8.2 miles away and there is a chance for rain tomorrow afternoon.Have a shelter roomie, Ed, who is just section Hiking the Shenandoah N.P.
Date: 2014-04-22
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Hilltop Hut
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: clear sky

Left the shelter at 8 am with the warmest temps thus far. Probably going to take it easy today to give my feet some time to recover. Hiked in shorts and t-shirt due to the heat. It sprinkled rain off and on, however it never did rain hard enough to make any difference. Arrived at the shelter around 2:30 and settled in for the night.Short day tomorrow, getting off the trail at Elkton for shower, laundry and a bed. Hopefully these low mileage days will benefit my feet.Two shelter roomies tonight, north bounders named Snacks and Satochi. They are the first thru hikers I've met.
Date: 2014-04-23
From: Hilltop Hut

To: Swift Run Gap
Miles today: 3.4

It was cold in the shelter this morning, probably in the low thirties with lots of wind. Left the shelter at 8:15 for about a two hour hike to the road access into Elkton, Va.Along the way I met five day hikers who were only hiking a four mile section. After talking to them for about ten minutes, they ask where I was staying in Elkton. Just so happens they were staying at the same motel I was. They offered to give me a ride to the motel, as we were going to be finishing our hikes for the day at the same time, only about four mile apart. They would have to drive about ten miles back to pick me up at Swift Run Gap, but they insisted it was not out of their way. They are section hikers trying to complete the trail with as much slack packing as possible as they are in their early seventies. When we arrived at the motel they ask me to join them for dinner that night at a local hamburger and beer joint in Elkton, which I gladly accepted.I had a great time with Ed, Harvey and Greg, exchanging stories and experiences on the AT. I am continually amazed with the friendliness and support of complete strangers I meet on the trail.Well I'm officially off the trail for now, as I need to return to Florida to take care of some legal matters concerning my Dad. Not sure if I'll be able to return to the trail this year as it will probably take several months to resolve.
Date: 2015-02-07
To: Mt. Kilimanjaro
Miles today: 0.0

I'm adding my Kilimanjaro climb to the Appalachian Trail journal as a matter of convenience. I don't want to create another blog.The plane flight to Tanzania was a twenty four hour killer. After clearing customs, I arrived at the Kia Inn at 10 pm and took a quick shower to try and cool off. It was quite warm and the room was lacking A/C, which made it uncomfortable trying to sleep.After a restless night, I was up at 6 am packing my bags for the transfer to the Raintree Country Inn, where we would stay after a day of sightseeing in a couple of wildlife refuges.I'm getting over a cold and have a nagging cough, I hope it doesn't prevent me from reaching the summit. The medications I have seem to be helping, also I haven't had much of an appetite.
Date: 2015-02-09
To: Raintree Country Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Ate a light breakfast before leaving for our next overnight stay at the Raintree Country Inn. The drive took us through a lot of the rural areas around Arusha, a medium size city in Tanzania. People in the US have no idea what poverty is until you have witnessed the living conditions of the everyday people in Tanzania.We saw a lot of donkeys carrying five gallon water jugs. Our driver jokingly called the donkeys Maasai pick-up trucks, as the Maasai are the dominant tribe in this area. Everyday the locals have to gather water for daily use from a public well.We spent the afternoon on a mini safari in the Arusha National Park. Some of the wildlife we saw were giraffes, water buffalos, warthogs, zebras, baboons, pink flamingos and three different species of monkeys. Also saw a puff viper on the side of the road, fortunately we were in our safari vehicle.After returning to the inn, we were given our instructions for the beginning of our climb up Kilimanjaro by our head guide Bwenje. He is very articulate, in his early or mid forties and has summited Kili over three hundred times.Enjoyed a delicious four course dinner with everyone in our group. Everyone is anticipating the start of our climb tomorrow.
Date: 2015-02-10
From: Raintree Country Inn

To: Forest Camp
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Started on the Western Approach Trailhead at 1:30 after a quick lunch. Hiked through the rainforest to the forest campsite at 9,281 ft. It was only a four mile hike, but took three hours to complete, as the guides were purposely slowing the pace for better acclimation to the altitude.After the first day of hiking everyone in the group seemed to be in good shape. At the campsite there must be 30-40 hikers and at least 100-200 support people. We will travel as a large group for the next several days.The dinner was about average, however the soup, salad and cake were very good. It's 9:00pm, time to tune in, up at 6:30 tomorrow.
Date: 2015-02-11
From: Forest Camp

To: Shira I 11,499 ft.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

This was a difficult section, made even more difficult by a mild case of diarrhea. Arrived at the Shira 1 camp at 2:30 feeling really tired. I immediately took a nap for about an hour and started taking my Cipro tablets that my travel doctor had prescribed. I was really beginning to doubt that I was going to be able to complete the hike.I talked to Bwenje, our lead guide and Charles, one of the assistant guides about my situation. They talked me into staying the course and offered to help me by carrying some of the weight in my pack. I guess the jet lag, lack of sleep and the intestinal problems had just wore me down.I haven't had much of an appetite, however the Cipro seemed to be working as I ate more than average at dinner. Two others in our group are experiencing the same problem. Hope I feel better tomorrow.
Date: 2015-02-12
From: Shira I 11,499 ft.

To: Shira II 12,795 ft.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The temperature was in the low 30's this morning. The sky was crystal clear and we got our first view of Kili without clouds surrounding the summit. This section is the easiest of the nine sections, as we only gained 1800 ft. over five miles.So far I'm not experiencing any mountain sickness, others in the group have started taking their mountain sickness pills, even though they are not having any problems. I'm waiting until I experience symptoms, as the pills act as a diuretic, which requires you to drink more water during the day.It's 3pm and I'm in my tent listening to the rainfall on my tent. The group that I'm hiking with is made up of a couple from Denver, Co., Jim and Brenda, an Indian couple from Boston, Anand and Ansi and her sister from India, Anu, and two women from Chicago, Amy and Lee. Jim and Belinda are pharmacist, Anand and Ansi are radiation oncologist, Anu is an oncologist and Amy and Lee have worked in the medical field. So most of the conversation revolves around medicine.The last couple of days the trail has been very dusty. It is mostly volcanic dust, which is very fine and attaches itself to everything. This is the dry season, maybe if we can get some rain the dust will no longer be a problem.After talking to Bwenje, he stated that being a porter working for Thomson Safari is a very desirable job in Tanzania. The porters probably make more in nine days than most people make in a month. The guides, porters and cooks have to go through a very rigorous training program, including learning how to speak English.It's unbelievable what the cook can prepare for breakfast, lunch and dinner under somewhat primitive cooking conditions. The only problem is not having an adequate appetite to appreciate it. The meals are equivalent to eating in a fine restaurant with soup, a salad of some sort, different types of bread, pasta, different types of meat and dessert.
Date: 2015-02-13
From: Shira II 12,795 ft.

To: Lava Tower 15,213 ft.
Miles today: 0.0

Up at 6:00am for a four mile and five hour hike to the Lava Tower. The temperature started out near 30 degrees and remained in the forties all day. The Lava Tower is a lava dome that pops out of the side of the mountain and is 300 to 400 ft. high. It is an easily recognized landmark that can be seen for many miles. At an elevation over 15,000 ft., this is our first high altitude test.The hike was not as difficult as I had expected, even though I had my first altitude sickness experience late in the day. Suddenly I started to feel dizzy and had to stop for about five minutes and drink some water. That seemed to remedy the problem and I was able to proceed on.It has hailed off and on this afternoon, with constant clouds surrounding the area.I'm feeling much better now and even my appetite is improving.
Date: 2015-02-14
From: Lava Tower 15,213 ft.

To: Karanga 13,231 ft.
Miles today: 0.0

Today's hike was the most difficult thus far, ten hours of hiking in rain, mud and slippery rocks. Descending lava tower was a challenge due to ice on the trail, the steepness and rocks. My Go Pro camera was crash proof tested unexpectedly when Jim, who was behind me, took a bad fall. I was holding it in my left hand and he some how kicked it out of my hand sending it 30 to 40 feet down the trail. After retrieving the camera it was still working and Jim only sustained a bump on the head. Could have been a lot worse for him.The rest of the morning went pretty smooth, except when we arrived for lunch at the base of Baranco Wall. While eating lunch in the dining tent, it started to rain the hardest thus far on the climb. After lunch we put on our rain gear, expecting to hike in the rain, fortunately it only sprinkled for the next two hours. Baranco Wall was about 500 feet, mostly straight up, it was made more challenging do to the rain and wet rocks. Everyone made it to the top only now we had to descend on the other side. All of the scrambling and wet conditions added about two hours to our hike.We finally arrived at camp at 6:15, just wore out and exhausted. At dinner the guide said the most difficult of the climbing is behind us. From here on out, the biggest obstacle will be the altitude. So far haven't experienced any altitude sickness symptoms. Easy day tomorrow, only 3-4 hours of hiking before the big ascent the following day.
Date: 2015-02-15
From: Karanga 13,231 ft.

To: Barafu 15,331 ft.
Miles today: 0.0

Today was the most miserable day thus far, it was due to the constant rain and snow that persisted most of the day. The hike only took three hours, nice to enjoy a light day of hiking after the misery of yesterday.After we ate lunch, the guides instructed us on how to pack our bags for the ascent on the summit tomorrow. Spent several hours rearranging my bags.Not much happening today, just getting ready for the 4,000 foot and 10 hour ascent tomorrow.