morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-04-25
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: John's Spring Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: clear sky

Another very hot day! Blake is sick and feeling weak. What looked like a fairly easy day ended up being tough with a lot of ups and downs. We got up at 5:20AM and left at 6:20 to try to get to Catawbe in time for the Flyers game. When we reached the parkng lot 1.5 miles from Catawba we were fortunate to get a hitch into the grocery store in town. We were debating our options for finding someplace with a TV (Catawbe consists of a post office, small grocery store and a restaurant) when a couple of VA Tech students overheard our laments and offered to drive us 45 min to Blacksburg to their apartment to watch the game. It was a beautiful drive but alas the Flyers managed to find a way to lose to the hated Pens! The guys drove us all the way back to Catawba and dropped us at The Homeplace Restaurant which is considered by many to be the best all you can eat place on the entire trail. It was awesome and I ate huge quantities while poor Blake picked at his food whle feeling sick again. It was dark when we finished and we managed to secure a ride from there back to the trail were we hiked a mile to the shelter. At 10:00PM it was still very warm and we spent a hot night on top of our sleeping bags. It feels more like August than late April! Spent the night with Uber Nova and her dog Aya as well as The Boss and Spammy abd his dog Earl who is taking a couple of zero days to let an infected foot heal (the dog's foot that is!).VA species: 6 New species: 3 (Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-rumped warbler, Chimney Swift)VA list: 70 Trip list: 83
Date: 2009-04-26
From: Catawba Shelter

To: Daleville, VA (I-81 interchange)
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: few clouds

Well when planning for this trip we knew that we would encounter unforseen obstacles and that parts of the trip would be full of hardship. With the most positive attitude I can muster today was fair at the beginning and miserable by the end! I felt very ill when I woke up but thought that the idea of a hotel by the end of the day would be enough to take me significant mileage. The good part of the day was in the first few miles when we went over McAfee's Knob. It is a famous outlook on the trail judged to be the prettiest spot in Virginia and a great place for a serene "mountain man" photo op. So we had the many day hikers that go up there take our pictures as we placidly stared out over a flat valley with our packs on. Very picturesque as you might imagine. Unfortunately it was about this time of the day that the heat really started to increase. Good news was we only had 15 miles to go...oh wait 15 miles is a long way...I guess thats not good news. It was slow...really slow. I moved uphill at maybe a one mile an hour pace and a little faster on the downhill. My unfortunate ailment had taken away my appetite even for water but I knew I had to keep drinking in the heat. So I continued to give myself stomach aches with each little sip. But enough of the drama it probably shouldn't be relived. We went over a mountain called Tinker Cliffs at lunch time which afforded more nice views and then "ridgeran" for the rest of the day. I put that in quotes because unlike what people told us the ridges in Virginia are not flat, smooth, or easy and this was no exception. At a number of times I sincerely thought I wasn't going to make it. I realized at the last available shelter (8 miles from our final destination) that we could not stay there but had to move on. This was because when i went into this nice little stone shelter to read the register I found 5 foot black snake laying next to it. It ignored me and slithered back into the hole in the wall that it clearly called home. We left quickly despite the heat. Around 8:45 pm having started the day at 7:15 am we reached the interchange. I fell asleep on the couch in the Hojos lobby waiting for Birdman to check in and then dragged myself up to the room where I officially passed out for the next 36 hours.VA birds: 2 New species: 2 (Yellow-throated Warbler, American Redstart)VA list: 72 Trip list: 85
Date: 2009-04-27
From: Daleville, VA (I-81 interchange)

To: Daleville, VA (I-81) Interchange
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Woke up a little late today feeling absolutely wretched. Birdman was helpful and went to get breakfast at the hotel and bring a little back for me. I tried to eat and drink but the thought of those items made me sick. So I stayed in bed (or the bathroom) all day long. Birdman took a cab to the Post Office in Troutville to pick up our mail drop and do a little shopping. Birdman then went to lunch with a friend we met named Crispy at the Three Little Pigs BBQ. They then went to the outfitter and came back to the room. Crispy took a shower in our room, while his laundary was going in the hotel facilities. Later when Crispy had left Birdman went to the outfitter to get fuel canisters and then did our laundary. I lay in bed sleeping and watching movies...still not hungry. In the evening Birdman tried to take me out to the pizza hut across the street. It did not work as a bite of food had me running to the bathroom. I went to bed with no hopes for the next day.
Date: 2009-04-28
From: Daleville, VA (I-81) Interchange

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Well the day started well. I woke up feeling not as ill as the day before and decided I would go over and try breakfast. I was successful in eating a normal breakfast so Birdman and I went back to the room and began to prepare to leave. As we were doing this I began to feel ill again but Birdman seemed to believe I would be alright and so we left. Big mistake...it was still hot and my pack was now full of six days worth of our food. The trail was pretty easy but it didn't matter, I moved with the agility of a slug. I did, however, manage to get some nice pictures of cows on the trail this morning (you'll understand why I'm mentioning this later). We got to the first shelter around noon and had a long lunch/nap/privy visits. At 2pm we set off again for the 6 miles to Wilson Creek Shelter. Luckily it was mostly downhill and there some creeks to stop by. We reached Wilson by 6pm and spent the nigh there with a few thrus.VA birds: 2 VA list: 73
Date: 2009-04-29
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Jennings Creek Campsite
Miles today: 16.9

Finally feeling truly better this morning. Had breakfast without feeling sick and we hit the trail by 7:30. We hiked for awhile until we ran into the Blue Ridge Parkway for the first time. The trail ran paralell to and criscrossed the brpky all morning. It was shortly after a break at one of the overlooks with a thru named Retro that are good morning ended. Birdman said something about a nice view and that we should take a picture...so I agreed and reached into my left shorts pocket to get the camera. No camera. And suddenly I realized I hadn't used the camera or seen it since the morning before in the cow pasture. I was devastated and ready to hike all the way back when Birdman convinced me that was not productive. Hopefully someone would find it and we would leave notes in the registers with details and contact info. So I hiked on with the thoughts of 500 irreplaceable photos that I would never see again weighing on my conscience. We ate lunch at Bobblet's Gap Shelter and left a note. Kept on hiking through pretty easy terrain and ran into a group of twenty day hikers who we learned were staying at the Peaks of Otter where we would be aswell in two nights. They were vary friendly and invited us to there 5pm cocktails when we got there. We hit another shelter along the ridge and left another note. Then we went down into a narrow valley where there was a big creek, a road, and a campsite. We set the tent up away from the road to avoid the attention of the locals. Debated swimming and decided it had cooled off too much. So we made dinner and went to bed around 7:30. VA birds: 2 New species: 2 (Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting)VA list: 75 Trip list: 87
Date: 2009-04-30
From: Jennings Creek Campsite

To: Parker Gap
Miles today: 11.6

Woke up pretty early in the pine grove we'd slept in and started the big climb of the day. Met four new thrus, none of whom had seen our camera. Had a nice break at a big shelter halfway up our 2500 foot climb. Continued on over the big mountain that afforded no views. Had lunch with Blondie at the second shelter and then completed the last three miles to parker gap relatively easily. Walked .2 miles up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and got picked up by my aunt Sophie and uncle Rick shortly after. They took us back to the Peaks of Otter hotel, where my great aunt Nancy also joined us for   a very nice dinner. We also got hot showers and then went to bed.VA birds: 4 New species: 4 (Nothern Parula, Cerulean Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo)VA list: 79 Trip list: 91
Date: 2009-05-01
From: Parker Gap

To: Peaks of Otter
Miles today: 0.0

A great day for a zero with family but we also had a mission, find the camera. After a delightful breakfast at the Peaks restaurant we began making our plans. The family was going to bedford to see the d-day memorial there but was more than willing to do a little driving for us. Our plan was to get dropped off at opposite ends of a 12 mile section of trail where we thought the camera might be and meet in the middle. We had talked about possible spots that it could have fallen out of my pocket and we decided we would look and if we couldn't find it then we would go buy another. So we hiked without packs and I went up to the first shelter out of Daleville. Ran into Leadfoot while searching, he is another thru who might be going to Bates College as a freshman next year. Shortly after I talked to him I went to check a spot off the trail where I had gone to the bathroom three days earlier and sure enough there it was! Miracle of all miracles because it was supposed to have rained those three days but it hadn't. I yelled for joy when I found that the camera was still in working order. When I ran into pop a few miles later he was relieved to hear of the success. We hiked out and got picked up by the family on their way back from Bedford. A very efficient day. We had lunch when we got back to the hotel and then relaxed until dinner time. We were very excited to have the Seafood Buffet for the night. Were having a great meal but unfortunately Birdman had to leave us early as he was not feeling well(uh oh!). I had a great conversation with my aunt and uncle before heading to bed early.VA birds: 2 New species: 2 (Barn Swallow, Solitary Sandpiper)VA list: 82 Trip list: 93
Date: 2009-05-02
From: Peaks of Otter

To: Matt's Creek Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

Although I feel much better now Birdman seems to have picked up a touch of the stomach bug. He was not hungry for the restaurant breakfast buffet which was delicious. I even took a bunch of strawberry jelly packets for later on the trail. Ordered some great whole oat oatmeal with milk and brown sugar aswell. Got packed and read the paper after breakfast before getting ready to go. Once we were packed we loaded into the car and my uncle dropped us back at Parker Gap which was on their way home. We parted with lots of thank yous and a bunch of pictures, it was great fun. Then it was back to hiking and Birdman was the slow one now. But we made it to the first shelter over Apple Orchard shelter and took a break there with Tex, Sarah, and Silver. We then hiked a long down to the start of the James River Face wilderness. When we crossed the Parkway a ranger asked us questions about a hiker that had been missing for a week! Unfortunately we had no answers but she gave us bags of chips anyway. We had a long afternoon that included one good up and a long smooth section of trail. Even so pop was beat when we got to Matt's Creek so we decided not to go the next 3.5 to another shelter. Pop went to bed early and I spent some time cooking and eating with Silver and Rocky. We also ran into Grace from New Zealand who we hadn't seen since the day before Hot Springs. Eventually I went to bed to and slept well.VA birds: 2 New species: 2 (Canada Warbler, Black-throated blue Warbler)VA list: 83 Trip list: 95
Date: 2009-05-03
From: Matt's Creek Shelter

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: moderate rain

Well the weather was crummy from the start today but the good news was that Birdman was already feeling better and up for a big day. We ate a cold breakfast bar meal and then got going in the rain. We were only 2 miles from the James River where a very long and nice footbridge was put in about ten years ago. We crossed the river and no surprise immediately going up. But it wasn't far to the first shelter and it was there that we chatted with a bunch of thrus about their plans for the day. We found out that a bunch of them were aiming for the same shelter as us. We had a long hike uphill to get to Punchbowl Shelter where we had lunch. We were joined by Grace, Tex, Sarah, Soares, and Dude. Had a big lunch to get geared up for the last 9 miles of the day. Luckily they were mostly downhil and the rain was light. We got there around 5pm and secured spots in the shelter. During dinner I assessed our food supplies and determined that if we were going to Waynesboro in three days and we didn't want to starve then we needed to resupply. Off the next road crossing there would be a town called Buena Vista where we could get some food. Grace and Honeydo said they were planning to do the same tommorrow.VA birds: 2 New species: 1 Red-breasted NuthatchVA list: 85 Trip list: 96
Date: 2009-05-04
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: Seeley-Woodworth Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: moderate rain

The weather was still a little bit dreary when we woke up but with our planned resupply we weren't really to concerned. We got up to US 60 around 8 am and found it very difficult to get a hitch. So we called someone that had left a number for rides and he came and took us down the mountain in his pickup for a small fee. He dropped us off next to the Subway so thats where we went first with Grace who also needed to resupply. We all got footlong subs and after finishing them Birdman and I decided we would go over to Burger King and get food there. At 10 am breakfast wasn't finished yet so I got french toast sticks and then went back a half hour later to get two Whopper Jrs. Finished it all off with an icecream from the gas station mart. Then we needed to figure out how to get to the Food Lion a mile and half away to resupply. No one in the town would give us a hitch so we walked all the way there and got what we needed. We decided that we needed a hitch for the way home so we waited at the exit to the parking lot and some nice woman pulled up and asked if we were thru hikers. She said her husband used to be a trail maintainer and that she wouldn't mind taking us back to the trail as long as she could stop by a restaurant and tell her husband she'd be late to meet him for lunch! She drove us all ten miles up the mountain to the trail and we couldn't thank her enough. By this time it was 1 pm and we had 13.1 miles to go. Luckily they weren't too difficult and we made it to the shelter by about 7:15. Found Blondie, Soares, Dude, Bushwhacker, Hungry, and Jet (dog) already there. Also joined by a thru hiker from Toronto who had started on April 1st! Slept in the tent as the shelter was full.VA birds: 3 New species: 3 (Acadian Flycatcher, Little Blue Heron, Veery)VA list: 88 Trip list: 99
Date: 2009-05-05
From: Seeley-Woodworth Memorial Shelter

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: overcast clouds

This was a really tough hiking day. Got started at around 8 am and hiked in a thick fog up to the top of the Priest. It was a good up that took us longer than it should have. We ate a mid morning snack at the shelter there with Soares, Bushwhacker, Hungry, Dude, and Grace. After that it was a long downhill with 42 switchbacks! We ran into Silver and Alwaysfine coming up the hill on a slack pack back to a hostel nearby. At the bottom of the long down was a road crossing and a river. As we were crossing the suspension footbridge it began to rain hard again. So we put the pack covers on and sped up to get to the second shelter of the day for lunch. It was about 2.5 miles up the next big hill. There we had a delicious summer sausage/sharp cheddar sandwich with mustard and mayonaise. After that we had the rest of a 3,000 foot climb that just wiped us out. The rain stopped but the fog was depressing and blocked our chance to see when the up ended. Got to the shelter around 7 pm again and found that the others had all taken a blue blaze shortcut and gotten there first. Luckily there were still two spots left in the shelter so we made dinner and crashed.
Date: 2009-05-06
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Rockfish Gap (Waynesboro, VA)
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: overcast clouds

A town day always goes a little faster but we knew we needed to get there by 4:30 because that was as late as the b&b owners we are staying with could pick us up at the trail head. So we woke up at 5:15 and left by 5:40. First light was right around then and we got to see a nice sunrise. But the good weather didn't last long as it started to rain again around 10 am. We had a breif stop at a view point and then one for lunch to finish the rest of our food. Then we did a bunch of miles downhill to the last shelter before town where we had a snack and looked at the register only to find that we are still 5 days behind WD-40, Squeak, and Little Tree. Oh well were trying to speed up. We were also motivated by the promise of a great Chinese Buffet in town. We ended up getting to Rockfish Gap by 2:45 pm and getting picked up shortly after. The man we are staying with was nice enough to give Grace a ride to a hotel and then showed us around town. We went to the B&B and showered before finding a laundarymat to do a big load. After that we made a B-line for the Chinese Buffet. We stuffed ourselves until we felt sick and then staggered back to our rooms to watch the Phillies play the Mets on ESPN. A very good night despite the loss to Johan Santana.VA birds: 3 New Species: 3 (Blackpoll warbler, Eastern Wood Pewee, Fish Crow)VA list: 91 Trip list: 102
Date: 2009-05-07
From: Rockfish Gap (Waynesboro, VA)

To: 2 miles past Calf Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke up in our comfy beds at the Tree Streets Inn in Waynesboro. Freshened up a bit and went down to the nice dining room to enjoy a good breakfast of french toast, strawberry granola with cold milk, roasted apples with blackberry yogurt, and sausage. Went upstairs and packed before setting off to do our errands. First we went to the grocery store and got all the extra things we would need on top of our maildrop. With that done it was time to eat again...this time at a place called Weasie's Kitchen where they served all you can eat blueberry pancakes! After eating enough to make myself feel sick we realized we had to go back to the grocery store to shop for mother's day cards. From there we got picked up by the B&B owner and he took us to the outfitter to grab a few things on the way to the trail. We started hiking around 1pm with good sunny weather. Picked up our permit for the Shenandoah National Park and hiked.we decided to pass the shelter (our original destination) because it was too far off the trail and there were other water sources beyond it. We found a good flat spot at the top of the hill, set up camp, ate a good dinner, and went to bed around the usual time (8:30pm).VA birds: 1 VA list: 92 Trip list: 102
Date: 2009-05-08
From: 2 miles past Calf Mountain Shelter

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 24.2
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up early and saw the sunrise because my back was bothering me so much. Ate a quick cold breakfast and hit the trail by 7:15. The hiking in the morning was pretty easy with lots of meetings with Skyline Drive. Ate lunch at the first hut we came to after about 11 miles. Saw Spammy and the Boss there with their dog Earl. While talking to them I got out the summer sausage to cut for lunch and found that my knife was no longer in my pocket and ther was a big hole at the bottom. That is one item I will not go back for. Had to use Birdman's puny knife but it got the job done. It got hot in the afternoon but we had some nice views. Went to Loft Mountain Campground in the hopes that the store was open and were devastated to find it wasn't. There was even a soda machine turned on outside that wouldn't take our bills. A little deflated we hiked the last five miles to the hut. As we turned onto the hut path we saw our first bear of the whole trip! The moment it saw us it ran away but we got a good look. The hut and surrounding tentsites were pretty full of thrus and section hikers. We were joined by Tex, Sarah, Spammy, Boss, and Hatchet. After getting into bed we experienced our first thunderstorm on the trail. Still managed to sleep well, 24 miles will do that to you.VA birds: 3 New species: 3 (Prarie Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Least Flycatcher)VA list: 94 Trip list: 105
Date: 2009-05-09
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Bearfence Hut
Miles today: 20.6

We woke up and found some of the famous and fearless Shenandoah deer grazing within 10 feet of the tent. They could have cared less that we were there and ignored us as we walked by. The morning's hiking was a lot of ups and downs and we were fully ready for lunch when we got to Hightop Hut around 11am. After lunch we hiked hard all afternoon because we heard that the Lewis Campground store was open and we wanted to make sure it was still open when we got there. Just by chance amongst my many thoughts during those miles I thought about how much I would like a Klondike Bar. Sure enough when we got to the store around 4pm they had an ice cream cooler with Klondike Bars! Had three and two vanilla frappucinos before ev en starting to look at a little resupply on the snack food. Also payed $1.50 for a hot shower and towel. Felt great and was ready to face the last half mile to the shelter. When we got there we found that our luck had not run out. There were three member's of the PATC (current trail maintaining group) there to clean up and work on the shelter. They were also spending the night and had brought an obscene amount of food that they said they couldn't finish on their own. I explained that I wouldn't mind helping them with the task and we were served cooked shrimp in old bay, hot dogs, popcorn, veal, buttered and toasted bread, and snack bars. It was amazing and I stayed up late to enjoy the repast.
Date: 2009-05-10
From: Bearfence Hut

To: Byrd's Nest Hut
Miles today: 22.4
Weather: scattered clouds

The PATC members that had treated us last night were not even close to awake when we made breakfast outside the hut and packed up. We left around 7:15am and shortly after found service amd made the all important mother's day call. Had a good talk with mama and then hiked on with what was panning out to be beautiful weather. It was a little cool, clear as a bell, breezy, and not humid. Great hiking weather. Our first stop of the day was at Big Meadows where we ate a delicious breakfast followed by a delicious lunch sitting with the Shenandoah Rudgerunner who we had met the night before. At around noon we caught a ride back to the trail, as the wayside was a mile away, and started hiking again. We moved pretty fast as our next destination was the Skyland Dining room 7 miles away. We got there totally ready for another big lunch which I finished off with the largest and best piece of choclate chip bread pudding I've ever had. We took lots of pictures of the view from the lodge and then staggered down the trail at 5:15 with another 8 miles to go. We eventually digested and got moving but then stopped at7:45 to enjoy a sunset from atop a mountain called The Pinnacle. Got to the shelter around 8pm and found only Retro there so we set up sleeping pads and went to bed still pretty full.VA birds: 1 New species: 1 Sharp-shinned HawkVA list: 95 Trip list: 106