morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-04-28
From: Over Mountain Shelter

To: Mountaineer Falls
Miles today: 17.1

I spent the morning relaxing around the shelter, packed up and started hiking by 11:30am. A perfect day, sun shinning, light breeze and temps in the 60¢s. More great views today and the hiking was not too difficult. I had to walk around a few bulls that were lying on the trail just after Hump Mountain. I saw a good waterfall towards the end of the day. Hiked alongside a river, which reminded me of hiking on the Des Plaines River trail, for about a mile. Camped out tonight near Mountaineer falls, this is not as good as Jones Falls, I am with a few other thru¢s. I walked my last steps in North Carolina today. I have two states down and 12 to go. I met up with Blue Sky and Sir Fix A lot on to Hump Mountain and promised to send them pictures of the last two days. The memory card on their camera is full.
Date: 2004-04-29
From: Mountaineer Falls

To: Laurel Fork Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Not much to write about today. It was another nice day for hiking. The highlight of the day was the last two miles to the shelter, the gorgeous area of Laurel Gorge. The walk along Laurel Fork River and Laurel Falls was awesome. I got here around 9:00pm, after yet another late start this morning. Tomorrow I will have only 1 mile of hiking to Hampton, TN. Probably going to spend the night there.
Date: 2004-04-30
From: Laurel Fork Shelter

To: Hampton, TN (Breamar Castle)
Miles today: 0.8

Easy hike into town today, 0.8 miles on the A.T. Only 0.8 miles on a easy blue blaze and about a mile road walk into town. Staying at Breamar Castle Hostel owned by Sutton and Beverly Brown who also own the General Store in town. The ¢Castle¢ originally was for Pittsburgh Lumber Company in the early 1900¢s. I got a room and laundry for $15.00. There is no one else here tonight so I¢ve got a whole house to myself. A Kitchen with stove, oven, cable T.V., etc. The Browns also live in the castle (on the other end) and their kid and his friends wereplaying playstation 2. Earlier after they left I watched the Cubs lose (4 walks in the ninth) to the Cardinals. I have been eating all day, trying to get back a little weight, re-supplied, laundry, etc. Talked to Sieko who is also thru-hiking and staying in an apartment type place within the castle. He¢s done the trail 14 times, I think he said, and had many stories and advice. He¢s doing some work on a garden and going to be here for a bit. I¢m 50/50 on moving on tomorrow.
Date: 2004-05-01
From: Hampton, TN (Breamar Castle)

To: Hampton, TN (Breamar Castle)
Miles today: 0.0

Woke up this morning at 6:30am, when the kids came back for more PS2. Taylor, Ben and Adam, ages between 7 and 9, I¢d guess, came charging down the old wood floor hallway, not being quiet about it either. I didn¢t mind and ended up sitting watching them play for about an hour until Mrs. Brown came up and shagged them out of here for breakfast. Didn¢t do much today, I ate, watched T.V., ate, walked around town and ate some more. And, of course, called home.
Date: 2004-05-02
From: Hampton, TN (Breamar Castle)

To: Hampton, TN
Miles today: 0.0

I¢m still at the Castle, hanging out. Bluesky and Sir Fix A lot stopped in town looking for fuel for their stove. So Mr. Brown opened his store for them. The store is usually closed on Sunday. I watched the Cubs lose in extra innings against the Cardinals. It was a bummer.It rained much of the day and after postponing my start to hike a few times, I decided to stay here one more night. I keep hearing that CCR tune in my head¢¦¢Stuck In Old Lodi Again¢. Leaving Tomorrow!
Date: 2004-05-03
From: Hampton, TN

To: Vanderenter Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Today it is cool and cloudy. I saw a bear today. I said my goodbyes and made it out of town by noon. I had been looking at Pond Mountain for the last 3 days knowing I had to climb it and dreading that thought. After a nice rest in Hampton and plenty of refueling it wasn¢t as bad a climb as I had thought it would be. Crossed Watauga Dam to great views as the clouds had cleared. Later in the day, about 2 miles from my final destination I was hiking over a little hump and stopped for a minute, looked to my right towards Watauga Lake, which the trail follows for a few miles, and about 30 yards away and downhill from me was a bear. I looked at him and he looked at me, my first thought was to get out my camera and take a picture but after a few seconds of staring at each other, I thought ¢Shouldn¢t he be running away by now¢. So I gave out a couple loud barks like yells and he took off running. I¢m now snuggled up in my warm sleeping bag and tent on a cool night. The temperatures are in the 30¢s.
Date: 2004-05-04
From: Vanderenter Shelter

To: Double Spring Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

I had one of the easier hiking days today. The temperature got into the 60¢s and the trail was a pleasure, following along a ridge all day. Met Cuppa Joe in the morning and met up with him a few more times all afternoon on breaks. This was an uneventful hike today. No Bears. I had good views of Watauga Lake for half the day and the rest of the day was views of the valley below. Tomorrow I will shoot for an early start, hoping to be hiking by 8:30am. I¢ll be going for an 18.3-mile day (my most yet) into Damascus, VA. Tonight should be my last night in TN. I¢m camped out by Double Spring Shelter tonight. Another thru-hiker, I can¢t remember his name, but it means old wing, is also here.
Date: 2004-05-05
From: Double Spring Shelter

To: Damascus, VA (The Place Hostel)
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: scattered clouds

I got started hiking by 9:00am and did 8.3 miles by noon. I had lunch at Abingdon Gap Shelter and got moving again by 1:00pm. Another nice day for hiking, terrain and weather were perfect. I walked my last steps in TN and stopped to take a picture at the state line. From there I made the final 3.5 miles into town, passing Bluesky and Sir Fix A lot, who were camping out tonight and going to town in the morning. I got to the Post Office right at 4:30pm, just as they were getting ready to close. Picked up by bounced box and a few things I had Ron send me from home, I ate, did laundry and ate again. Staying at ¢The Place¢, a hostel run by the Methodist Church in town. It is only $5.00 a night. Lots of hikers here, maybe 15, I met a bunch of hikers I haven¢t seen before and a few who I thought were ahead of me. Probably staying tomorrow night¢¦ only $5.00. Feels good to be in VA finally. There are over 500 miles in VA so I¢ll be here for over a month. I have three states down and 11 to go.
Date: 2004-05-06
From: Damascus, VA (The Place Hostel)

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

It is another zero day for me. Usual town stuff today, re-supplying, Post Office, and much eating. Hung out with Phoenix for a while and with Bluegrass and lumber. I have been meeting a lot of hikers I hadn¢t seen before. I will be leaving tomorrow. I should also mention Trail Days is next weekend in Damascus. A town of 1000 becomes a town of 30,000. A big festival with bands, speakers, and gear manufactures being here. Everyone is talking about coming back to Damascus for Trail Days. It should be easy to get a ride form wherever I¢m at from what I hear. I guess I¢ll wait and see where I¢m at and whom I¢m with in a week.
Date: 2004-05-07
From: Damascus, VA

To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

A fun-filled day today, woke up, packed up and then went to the Side Track Caf© and had a great breakfast. Went back to the hostel for a while a then back to the Side Track to send out an E-Mail before hiking out of town (the trail goes right thru town). It was great to read all the E-Mails I had gotten from friends and family. It put a smile on my face the whole time I was there. Finally got hiking at 1:30pm and as I got out of town and was ready to make the turn off the road and head into the woods I saw a guy with a camera heading my way. He called out and I waited for him. Turns out he¢s from a local newspaper and was getting pictures to do a story on the upcoming Trail Days in Damascus. He took a few pictures of me hiking and promised to send me a paper when it is in there, we shall see. If I get back to Trail Days I¢ll be able to buy one and check it out. The weather was great today, sun-filled and warm. I must be getting in good shape because from looking at the profiles on my map I thought it would be a tough climb out of town but it turned out to be a nice hike. About two miles before the shelter I must not have been paying attention, I missed a turn on the A.T. and headed down a half-mile Blue Blaze Trail into the tiny community of Taylor¢s Valley, VA where there is a little caf© that serves sandwiches and Ice Cream. Of course I continued on that Blue Blaze Trail and had a sub sandwich and an Ice Cream Cone. I camped out by Saunders Shelter tonight with Papa Bear, Badger, Skirt and a couple section hikers who started today and are going to do 120 miles. Oh yeah, I also got an E-Mail from Aussie and he left Damascus on April 28. I don¢t think I¢ll be catching up to him, at least not any time soon. Not with the amount of zero days I¢ve been taking.
Date: 2004-05-08
From: Saunders Shelter

To: Whitetop Mountain
Miles today: 11.9

It is 8:30pm and I¢ve been in my tent for the last 2 hours, during some heavy rain and thunderstorms. I am camped out with Skirt and the two sections hikers, Esquire and Slide Rule. Made it up here, Elev. 5200 Feet, and set up and got dinner made just as the rain started. I ate in my tent, listening to the radio. The whole day was nice and sunny, temperature was in the 80¢s until I started the final two miles up here and I could hear in the distant thunder. I had great views from Buzzard Rock, 12 mile from here. I saw a lot of people on bicycles today where the A.T. joins the Virginia Creeper Trail for about a half-mile. The thought of a bike ride became very appealing as they all went speeding by me. I saw a few cows on the trail today, but at least they weren¢t the Long Horn Bulls like last time. I¢m planning an early start tomorrow hope to be hiking by 8:00am. Still raining, still thundering, still lightning and now I¢m hungry again.
Date: 2004-05-09
From: Whitetop Mountain

To: Campsite past Wise Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: few clouds

I want to wish my mom a Happy Mother¢s Day. I had a great day on the A.T. The entire hike was spectacular. I took a lot of pictures of great views. I also saw a bunch of wild ponies thru out the day. The ponies, used by the Forest Service for grazing, are not very ¢wild¢; you can walk right up to them and pet them. I had been looking forward to this area, The Grayson Highlands, since I had been researching and planning. It definitely lived up to my expectations. I thought I would do more miles today and even got hiking by 8:30am, but for once it wasn¢t the terrain that slowed me down rather it was the scenic views and wild ponies.
Date: 2004-05-10
From: Campsite past Wise Shelter

To: Dickey Gap
Miles today: 15.8

I have now hiked over 500 miles on the A.T. White Blazes, Northbound, with my pack on my back the entire way!I woke up to heavy dew on the ground and, of course, on the tent. Let the tent dry in the morning sun while talking to every one who stayed at the shelter, as they went past. There were two afternoon thunderstorms today. The first one I got caught in. As for the second one, I ended up at a road crossing where there was a forest service sign (the ones with a map and information on the area, etc) that had a small roof overhang. Just as the heavy rain hit I made it under that little three foot wide by five-foot long dry spot. I stood there for almost an hour and at one point there were six of us there with backpacks. About 20 minutes after I got there 3 section hikers pulled up to start their hike along with a three year old, was riding on Mom¢s back, and a dog. A little after that, Skirt came down the trail and we both got a coke from the section hikers, as we stood there talking. The rain had come to a drizzle by this point and we all went our ways. The section hikers, the General, Lurch and Cola Mondey were headed Southbound to Damascus for Trail Days. The General gave me a coke for later and I gladly carried it the rest of the day and had it with by dinner. I¢m camped out right by the road that will take me 2.6 miles to Troutdale, VA. I will have breakfast in town, re-supply and hike out¢¦that¢s the plan anyway. I saw a lot of people hiking Southbound headed to Trail Days. I¢m still not sure if I¢m going, I¢m going to let it play it self out.
Date: 2004-05-11
From: Dickey Gap

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: light rain

As I was packing up this morning Pilot, Polar, and Jack (the dog) came down the trail and began hitching for a ride to Troutdale. As I put the last couple things in my pack a guy in a pickup stopped and we piled our stuff and ourselves in the back and rode the 2.5 miles to town. Stopped at the P.O. and mailed a roll of film and my journal home. I walked over to the ¢Trading Post¢, had a huge breakfast and I got a few things to get me to Atkins. I walked back the 2.5 miles back to the trail and began the 14.5 miles to the famed Partnership Shelter. Famous because it has a hot shower at the shelter and it is 0.1- mile South of Mt. Rodgers Forest Headquarters, where there is a phone and you can order food from a couple of pizza places for delivery. I had a huge dinner of Veal Parmigiana with Spaghetti, garlic bread, cheesecake, and a liter of Root Beer. All of which I ate way to fast. Sleeping out under the stars tonight near the shelter. A bunch of people here tonight including: Hot Rock, Pilot, Polar, Goodtime, Skirt, Cuppa Joe, and a few others. I had breakfast in town, lunch on the trail and dinner delivered, not a bad day on the A.T.   I didn¢t bother with the shower; it¢s only been 5 days! Tomorrow I plan on stopping at a motel right on the trail for laundry and shower etc.
Date: 2004-05-12
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Groseclose, VA
Miles today: 11.6

It was an easy hike into town. I went by the Settlers Museum where there was an old school house. I got to the Relax Inn, which is right on the trail, and got a ride for the 3 miles into town from the owner of the Relax Inn. I went to town to re-supply. A few other hikers here some headed back to Damascus for Trail Days. I¢m heading north. Not much else around here. We¢re right by Interstate 81 and there is a truck stop next door. I had dinner at the Barn Restaurant. I should also mention that after all the stuff I ate last night and probably due to the speed that I ate it, I woke up feeling pretty awful. Half way thru the night and I threw up some of that dinner. Good thing I was sleeping out under the stars and not in the shelter.
Date: 2004-05-13
From: Groseclose, VA

To: Groseclose, VA
Miles today: 0.0

Stuck again in a motel. Spent the day going thru my gear and figuring out what winter gear to send home. I¢ll probably do that in Pearisburg, about 85 miles North. I got rid of a few odds and ends I haven¢t been using like chap stick, suntan lotion etc. I¢ve noticed, over the last week that the trees are filling in and the trail is quickly becoming the ¢Green Tunnel¢ that everyone talks about. I had dinner at the Barn with Bill, who was flying home in his airplane from Roanoke to Atlanta when a thunderstorm forced him to land at an airport a mile down the road. Had a nice dinner and good conversation. He even paid for dinner and offered to take me up in his plane. I turned him down on the flight, I¢ve never been one for flying, I¢ll probably regret it tomorrow. Thanks bill, hope you made it home alright. OK tomorrow I¢ll hit the fourth way mark, time to start putting in a few more miles a day and time to ease off the zero days. I also saw Katie today, hadn¢t seen her since Erwin, TN. She¢s taking a couple weeks off for family stuff so I may not see her again, but you never know on the A.T.
Date: 2004-05-14
From: Groseclose, VA

To: Knot Naul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: scattered clouds

I had breakfast this morning at the Barn and made my way out of town. Today¢s hike crossed over a lot of stiles, as the trail went thru land easements and private property. I am now over 14 of the way into the A.T. Didn¢t see too many people on the trail today. It should be relatively quiet for the next couple of days with a lot of people at Trail Days in Damascus. Not much to write today, I¢m camped out close to the shelter where there are 3 older women who are section hiking for the next few days. I did see my first fish today, a school of what looked to be trout, in a stream.
Date: 2004-05-15
From: Knot Naul Branch Shelter

To: Davis Farm Campsite
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It is 8:30 pm and I am in my tent listening to the radio and listening to the rain hitting the tent. Camped out over looking Burkes Garden, about 12 mile down a slope off the trail. I have a nice campsite with great views and water near by. I just finished dinner as the rain started falling so I threw my food bag in the tent and jumped in.   I have since eaten everything in the food bag, except for a pop tart, a rice crispies treat, a few pieces of bread and some Beef Jerky.   I will be in Bland, VA for dinner tomorrow! I had a long climb up to Chestnut Knob and was rewarded with a great view of Burkes Garden, a huge valley of Farm land. I have discovered today that there are no easy days on the Appalachian Trail. The trail is not as tough as it was in Georgia and North Carolina, and I¢m in much better shape, but up is still up and down is still down. I could think of a lot of things I¢d rather be doing then hiking up hill and hiking down hill. I don¢t think this would to one of them. I¢ve past the physical challenge of the trail and entered into the mental challenge. The thought of doing this day in and day out can be very draining, with over 1500 miles to go. I kept looking back today at what I¢ve accomplished but the thought of how much more I have to go kept creeping in.
Date: 2004-05-16
From: Davis Farm Campsite

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: light rain

Woke up this morning to a very cool sight. Fog had covered the entire valley below. There was blue sky above me and the clouds were below me. I took a couple pictures but I regretted not taking any pictures of the view yesterday. It was incredible. There is not much to the hike today, rain threatened but not a whole lot came down, at least where I was. I took pictures of the privy at Jenkins shelter (I was told not to miss it). Someone painted a mural on the walls. Got to the road to Bland at around 3:00 pm and after walking 12 mile I got a ride the rest of the way to town (about 2 miles). This was my first solo hitch. Staying at the Big Walker Motel near I-77. I re-supplied and I¢m ready to roll in the morning. I didn¢t do any laundry so I washed my socks and T-shirt in the sink. I rinsed them out for 20 minutes and the water was still dirty.
Date: 2004-05-18
From: Bland, VA

To: Leckskillet Hollow
Miles today: 13.3

Made it out of town at around 1:00 pm. I had breakfast and then stopped by the post office to mail home a few winter gear items. I saw Lumber and a few others today. Also saw Crash Bang today, I hadn¢t seen him in a while. I got a ride out of town from a nice lady who grew up in the area and lives with her husband and three kids, in a house right on the trail. I spent most of the hiking time today making some small goals to get me thru Virginia. I¢m glad I got back on the trail today; I thought it would be tough mentally to hike but it felt good. I¢m just trying to get out of this funk I¢ve been in. Get back to taking it one step at a time and one day at a time and not get so overwhelmed by all the miles.
Date: 2004-05-19
From: Leckskillet Hollow

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: light rain

I had an interesting day today. It rained overnight and more rain on and off all day. Hiked about 5 miles to a road. Down the road about a mile away is trent¢s store and restaurant. I had a cheeseburger and fries and then sat outside on a bench petting the friendly black cat and watching work go on at the sawmill across the street. I headed back to the trail at 1:00pm and had an easy hike for the rest of the day. No views today but I did take a short side trail to Dimal Creed Falls, which was a nice area. Almost stepped on a snake latter in the day and then I almost stepped on a turtle. I got a couple pictures of the turtle. I camped out by the shelter with Cat Dog and Lonesome Dove. Tomorrow, Pearisburg! I saw a few thru-hikers I hadn¢t seen in awhile. I also heard Moo Juice and Beagle are a day behind me. I haven¢t seen them since Georgia.
Date: 2004-05-20
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up early and started hiking by 7:30am. It rained off and on in the morning. I met up with Cat Dog and Lonesome Dove at Doc¢s Knob shelter and had lunch. It had some nice views of Pearisburg from Angels Rest. I got to town at 4:00pm. I got a room and went to Hardees. I am staying at the Holiday Motor Lodge Motel. There are a lot of other hikers in town.
Date: 2004-05-21
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This is a usual town day, I went to the post office, did laundry, re-supplied and ate. I had dinner with Cat Dog, Lonesome Dove, Quest, Cuppa Joe, Scholar, and Salt Lake. Checked E-Mails, which is always a joy and looked at trail journals to see the great job my mom has been doing posting this journal. I might be here tomorrow.
Date: 2004-05-22
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Still here. Got my haircut and sat around watching the day go by. I¢m going to go to mass tomorrow morning. There is a Catholic Church about 1.5 miles away from here. I haven¢t been to mass for 622 miles. This is the first town with a Catholic Church. Every town has had at least 3 Baptist Churches. I went to All Sports Cafe for dinner. A nice little sports bar right by the motel.
Date: 2004-05-23
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Went to mass at Holy Family Catholic Church this morning and decided to stay another day in town. Came out of mass to rain and got a ride back to the motel from a nice couple. Had another great dinner at All-Sports and then I watched the thunderstorms for a while. It seems like every afternoon or early evening we¢ve been getting thunderstorms for the last two weeks. Today¢s storms were heavier than normal. I spent most of the day debating how I¢ll ever make it to Maine. The Virginia Blues are on my mind. I know I¢ve been here too long because I¢ve memorized the cable channels and when I walk into All-Sports Caf© they treat me like a regular.
Date: 2004-05-24
From: Pearisburg, VA

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

I finally make it out of town. I was thinking if I didn¢t leave today I would be done. I had lunch at All-Sports and got to hiking. I hiked two miles to a road crossing and again debated weather or not I wanted to go on with this. I stood there for about a half hour and then I guess out of habit I picked up my pack and headed north. I camped out by the shelter with a couple of section hikers and Lindsey whom I just met. Today I had to drag myself kicking and screaming out of town. I thought I might call it quits but I know as soon as I got home I would regret that decision.