morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-06-28
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: overcast clouds

What a great day! Last night I was joined first by Miss Maine and the New Orleans Kid, a young thru hiking couple. She is from Maine and he is a carpenter. Then two brothers ¢ Gamecock and Swampfox ¢ arrived. Turned into a fun group. I went to bed and sleep at 9PM, they were all still up talking.   Got up early and hit the trail while everybody else was asleep. Dull and overcast morning ¢ as many have been in the past ¢ with an easy hike to the campsite at 2.5 miles. Nice spot but I was happy with my decision to stay at the shelter. Then the ascent began. It was along hard slog, but again the grade was not that bad. Crossed over meadows lower down ¢ I love meadows - then the ascent to Buzzard Rock which is on the first of many balds crossed today. Mostly the views were obscured by the drifting mist, but I did get a few glimpses in the wind torn breaks. Whitetop Mountain was a real climb. The trail then dips down into Deep Gap ¢ where I saw two people on horseback on a parallel trail. Then there is a small climb up here to Mount Rogers and on to the shelter.   This shelter has a solar powdered privy and it also has an upstairs. Met a young lady here with her dog. She has just finished her General Surgery Residency and is starting her vascular fellowship this week at Chapel Hill. Two fellow surgeons in the wilderness!   The four from last night have just arrived and are finishing dinner. Looks like we will all be together again tonight.   The shelter is at the side of a bald with the door facing away from the view and the wind. The weather has improved now, with the mists clearing and there is a chance of a spectacular sunset. I got a good cell signal here and spoke with home.   I am very pleased with today. It was 12+ miles with two big mountains all done in a reasonable ten hours ¢ reasonable for me that is! I feel confident now that I can do ten hours of hiking a day, A great day.
Date: 2004-06-29
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Old Orchard Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Well the sunset of last night was lost in the passing clouds. We did however have a visit from the local deer. She was completely unafraid and clearly quiet used to people in the shelter.   I had a late start, but even so left the entire shelter sleeping. The morning was misty cold and damp, so much so that I started out in my rain jacket. Within an hour however the sun had driven away the mist and the damp and the day turned out to be the best that I have had in the past two weeks. Blue sky, sunny, with white puffy clouds and temps in the 70¢s.   The trail goes over the Grayson Highlands ¢ home of the famous wild ponies. I saw a bunch of them, and they don¢t seem at all wild to me! In fact one came right up to me in confident expectation of a hand out ¢ only to be disappointed. The Highlands look just like the mountains in Ireland. Stark rocky outcroppings with open clear areas and small scrubby plants. The trail in general is blazed using wooden posts ¢ just like Ireland. It was gorgeous. It was a sun filled, insect buzzing, bird singing, spirit lifting, five star, vista viewing, day. I realy slowed down and spent a lot of time sitting in the sun on the warm rocks just enjoying it all.   The trail goes thru Fat Man¢s Squeeze ¢ a natural narrow passage in the rocks, then over Stone Mountain, and then winds it¢s way down to The Scales, where the cattle who once munched on the grassy balds were weighed prior to shipping. The ponies, who can survive better up here in the winter without aid, and who do a good job of cropping the grassy balds, have now replaced the cattle.      From The Scales it was a pleasant walk to this shelter. I had scarcely arrived here when Miss Maine and The New Orleans Kid showed up; they took a break here and then headed on to the new shelter at Hurricane Mountain. Also here I met with Model T [.net] who has thru hiked X3, and has written a book on his experiences and intends to write another on the Lore of the Trail. Two section hikers from Lynchburg are also cooking here, but they also intend to camp out.      I have recalculated the mileages ¢ looks like 14.1 to Trimpi tomorrow, then 10.6 to Partnership, and then 11.6 to Atkins to arrive on Friday.   Beautiful now, sun still shining down on us, light wind. Great view from the shelter of Iron Mountain, which I will have to cross tomorrow. All is well with the World.   There are only two bars left on the cell battery. Will save it for tomorrow night. No signal here.   Thought for today ¢            It is easy to be generous when you have excess. It is hard when you have barely enough, or not enough, for yourself
Date: 2004-06-30
From: Old Orchard Shelter

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I slept alone in the shelter last night, everybody else either moved on or camped out. Got a realy early start this morning in anticipation of a tough 14.1-mile day.   The trail gently sloped down to the road and I made good time. The day was fine with temps in the 70¢s, cloudy but with some sunshine. Iron Mountain realy wasn¢t that bad. I was able to keep plodding along and was over it before I realy knew it. The rest of the day was thru the forest, past a very nice waterfall/cascade, and back across the road again. The new shelter at Hurricane Mountain has an old logging road leading up to it ¢ recently used for the construction of the shelter, I assume. Then back into the woods.   My right little toe began to hurt ¢ I think it is because the trail is mostly on the east side of the mountains. Because of this, it tends to slope down from my left to right, so that the little toe on the right foot takes the brunt of my weight because my right foot is pronated when I walk on the outward sloping trail.      I made excellent time and was here by 4.30PM. Very nice shelter, but no signal here. Have now been joined by ten youths from a hiking club. They have an iron skillet, a four-pound can of Pineapples, loaves of white bread and are cooking over an open fire. Some will sleep in the shelter.   Thought for today =         Don¢t presume that people know less than you. They may, or they may not. They may know the same, or more, than you.         A Clinched Fist cannot Receive. This is the true sin of Pride.
Date: 2004-07-01
From: Trimpi Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 10.6

Well, last night turned out to be not too bad, Even though the youth group was noisy and late to bed, I forgave them all when they gave me six pineapple rings for dessert!   I moved on out early this AM while all else were asleep. Another great day, sunny and mild. It was a gradual descent to the road and across some meadows ¢ I love meadows ¢ and over a pretty wooden bridge on the south fork of the Holston River. It was then a slow and steady ascent of Brushy Mountain, and an up and down ridge walk across the top of the ridge.   I made good time, so I stopped for a protracted lunch break in the sun at a clearing for the power-lines. It was beautiful ¢ indeed a ¢bee-loud glade¢ Basking in the sun with my boots and socks off! As a ¢foot note¢, the nail on my right great toe came off as I but my boots back on, the new nail underneath looks good.   At the end of an easy 10+ miles, I came here to Partnership Shelter. What a place ¢ by far and away the best shelter ever! It is a new two-story building with the picnic table completely under the extended porch. It has a hot shower, and out back there is a sink with water and a place to wash up. It even has formal wooden steps leading up to it from the trail.   As if that was not enough the Mount Rogers Ranger Station is just a few hundred yards up the trail with cold soda, snacks, and a phone. I had a long chat with Kathy and the kids, all is well.      Have now changed, showered, and pigged out on candy bars, cookies, and soda. I don¢t even know if I want dinner anymore! I will see if anyone else shows up to night before deciding on a call for pizza delivery ¢ the ultimate decadent luxury of this shelter.   A great days hike, a perfect shelter, and a long talk with home equals a great day.   Thought for today ¢          Why do we want more than we need?            Before deciding to possess something new, or to retain something old, we need to ask ¢ ¢Why do I REALY want to obtain, or retain, this item?¢
Date: 2004-07-02
From: Partnership Shelter

To: The Relax Inn - Atkins Va
Miles today: 11.6

A father with his young son - about five years old ¢ arrived late last night by car and stayed upstairs in the loft of the shelter, to the loud and screaming delight of the young son. I did not call for pizza ¢ seemed almost like a sacrilege to have pizza delivered to a shelter on the AT. Not that this is truly a ¢wilderness¢ experience, but at least you can try to get closer to nature!   Left early. Another glorious day. An easy hike over to VA622, then it was up Bushy Mountain ¢ again ¢ along the ridge and back down, the same process then being repeated with Locust Mountain, and then Glade Mountain ¢ up, on the ridge, and then down. While hiking a huge limb from about 50 yards from the trail came crashing down. I mean an earsplitting, earth shaking, heart pounding crash, with subsidiary damage to other branches and trees, and debris flying everywhere. An impressive sight and sound and it wasn¢t even a full tree. Yes indeed, when a tree falls in the forest it does make a sound ¢ a huge sound. Although the forest floor is littered with fallen trees and limbs, this was the first fall that I have personally witnessed, and I was indeed awe struck!   After a lunch break at Chatfield shelter, I continued on a gentle down slope alongside a stream ¢ I love walking beside streams ¢ then across some meadows ¢ I love walking through meadows ¢ and down to the road at VA615 where there is a Settlers Museum and an old schoolhouse - and trailside blackberries, yummy, my first.   I met a young couple on the trail who were out for a day hike. They are from PA where they live close to the trail. We had a great chat and I got a lot of good information from them about the trail north. It was then over the middle fork of the Holston River and over the railroad tracks, and then down on here to the motel.   I am in room 114 at the Relax Inn. I have showered, eaten at the Barn Restaurant, and called home where all is well. I have my laundry in the washer ¢ I decided to wash all off my stuff all at once ¢ so I was left in my raingear as I loaded all of my laundry into the washer, a classic AT experience.   I am here for two nights. Will work on my plans for the next 5-7            Thought for n today ¢             Doing nothing is not bad, wasting time is bad. There is a difference.             Is this the sin of slough?¢A poor life this if full of care¢We have no time to stand and stare¢
Date: 2004-07-03
From: The Relax Inn - Atkins Va

To:  The Relax Inn - Atkins Va
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Spoke with Kathy at length last night, and again twice today. Slept late and eat a big breakfast at the Barn Restaurant, where I met a hikers called Grits who is now repeating his hike. A most interesting person, and a great conversationalist. He is a construction worker who works with steel, and he has worked all over the world. We talked for over two hours, a wide-ranging conversation on the trail, the country and the world. Meeting with people is one of the greatest enjoyments of this hike, and Grits was one of the best. He has lost all of the fingers of his right hand due to burns as a child, but has no difficulties with his disability. He has also hiked extensively on the Florida Trail and made it sound like a doable hike.   I took a nap in the PM and awoke to a massive, albeit brief, thunderstorm. During a break in the weather I had a large soft ice cream cone at the Dairy Queen. My plan now is to hike to Bland by Wednesday, and so break the journey to Pearisburg into two parts.   Will now pack up the bag and get ready to return to the trail in the AM. They had a limited selection in the store, so I have bought tins of Ravioli, Spaghetti, and Sardines. Just like my youthful camping days in Ireland 40 years ago!   Thought for today ¢          Do great conversations occur with other hikers because of our common interests, or because they are between transient passing people, or both?
Date: 2004-07-04
From:  The Relax Inn - Atkins Va

To: Knot Maul Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: clear sky

Happy 4th of July   Rose early and eat a big 4X2 breakfast at the Barn Restaurant and headed out. The first part was thru meadows ¢ and you know that I love meadows ¢ but today it was sopping wet grass, often waist deep. Before I knew it I was soaked to the skin and, disaster of disasters, the dew soaked thru my pants and down into my boots. This was the first time in the entire hike that my feet got wet ¢ and it wasn¢t even raining!   It wasn¢t long before I reached the first shelter ¢ Davis Path, the logbook was full ¢ and then it was up and down Little Brushy Mountain, and then a big up and down on Big Walker Mountain, on the top of which I met Tim, SOBO from Harpers Ferry to Damascus for this year. He said that he wanted to start out on an easy section, and that he has already lost 50 pounds!   Then it was down off the mountains across the meadows ¢ I love meadows ¢ and on to the North Fork of the Holston River. I have now crossed all three forks of this river ¢ as well as the knives and the spoons of it also! It was in full spate, ugly, brown and turbulent, sucking at the green foliage lining its banks. The bridge at VA742 was almost under water, a condition that was not that unusual I suspect because there is a measuring gauge on the bridge to tell you how far underwater the bridge pavement is.   Today also for the first time I saw a lot of signs warning that the trail was on private land, and that the easement was for the thread way only. I also saw my first snake. It seemed to be totally black and I saw it scurry off into the grass with surprising speed.   Finally after crossing VA42 it was another climb ¢ up Brushy Mountain again ¢ and then to the shelter. I got caught in one horrendous thunderstorm, but after 20 minutes it was all over, as if someone had turned on, and off, a tap.   There is water here at the shelter. All of the ¢intermittent¢ springs are running. Feel good ¢ tough day ¢ lots of adventures. No signal today.   Thought for today ¢            Don¢t ever make important decisions when you are climbing a mountain. Things always look so much better when you are coming down!
Date: 2004-07-05
From: Knot Maul Shelter

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

After I went to sleep last night, three hikers arrived, young men who were hiking north to Harpers Ferry, arrived with headlamps on and didn¢t settle down until midnight. I heard two of them discussing getting water and deciding not to get any. This AM two liters of water was missing from my water carrier. All they had to do was ask and I would have given them some. I left early with all still sleeping.   Started off the day with an early descent to Lynn Camp Creek and then up and down over Lynn Camp Mountain, dull misty and overcast. Crossed over Lick Creek on a very impressive bridge and after USFS 222, started on a long hard climb up to Chestnut Ridge ¢ 2000 feet of vertical elevation over four miles. All three of last night¢s hikers passed me. The one, whom I consider to be the water culprit, passed me when I was trying to get water from a pond. None made any reference to the water.      Once I got to the crest of Chestnut Ridge, the trail broke out into an open bald and the last several miles to this shelter were just glorious. It was like hiking thru a meadow ¢ I love meadows! I did find some water close to the shelter ¢ 0.2 miles south ¢ so I have enough to get me thru tomorrow.   This is a great shelter. It was an abandoned fire wardens cabin, made of stone with metal cables holding down the roof on to, and thru, the walls. Mute testimony to the force of the winds on this exposed ridge.   The shelter has incredible views. It overlooks a large crater shaped depression surrounded on all sides by a ridge. The crater is called ¢God¢s Thumbprint¢   My boots and socks were still wet from yesterday¢s adventures in the wet meadows, so I have spread them out to dry in the sun. I also got a very clear signal here and spoke with Kathy and the children.   I have eaten my sardines in mustard ¢ a little spicy ¢ they were all that they had in the store. Will cook dinner ¢ Ravioli in Meat Sauce ¢ later, and I hope to watch a spectacular sunset.   Thought for today ¢         For most people, Perception IS Reality.
Date: 2004-07-06
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: few clouds

Well last night¢s sunset was spoiled by the sudden appearance of dark thunderclouds, and I was treated to a spectacular thunderstorm, deluged with rain on the metal roof of the shelter, with a fierce wind howling around the roof and walls. Now I know why they need those restraining cables to hold the roof on! No one else showed up, so I spent a quite and comfortable night by myself. It¢s a great shelter, so nice to be able to close the door on the elements, and to eat dinner at an inside table.   Deliberately slept late this morning and may have missed a great sunrise. Started off with an easy descent into Walkers Gap. The trail then follows the ridge of Garden Mountain. On the map I had pictured myself walking the ridge ¢ in full sunshine of course ¢ with Burkes Gardens in full and plain view to my left. As it turns out, it was misty, and the ridge was tree covered, so I could only occasionally get a glimpse of the valley from the outlooks. The mist did clear for a few brief seconds or so on one of the outlooks, and I did manage to get a quick glimpse of the spectacular valley below, before the clouds of mist closed in again. The ridge was surprisingly hard going, with lots of rock, both loose and outcroppings, and it was realy hard work.   In addition, despite the recent rains, all of the ¢occasional¢ streams and springs are dry and I had to hike almost the entire distance on my original two liters of water.   Saw a lot of hikers today ¢ ten in all ¢ they all seemed to be day, or short section, hikers as best as I could tell from their packs. Despite my cheeriest greetings, they did not, with few exceptions, seem inclined to stop and chat. Two of them were hiking south with very determined and fierce expressions on their faces, and with HEADPHONES on their ears! That¢s a first for me to see.   It certainly seemed like a long journey, and during the last hour I was indulging in that usual fantasy of all hikers ¢ did I miss the turn off to the shelter? But no ¢ like all good things it finally did show up and here I am!   This is an old wooden shelter with a nice water source. The ¢piece de resistance¢ however is the privy. It has extensive interior decorating by a good artist, who is both creative and funny. A definite ¢must see¢ indeed.   It has turned into a nice evening, sunny, but more than a little buggy. No signal here.      Thought for today ¢       When you have both active and potential problems ¢ deal with the active ones first. Potential problems may never materialize.
Date: 2004-07-08
From: Big Walker Motel - Bland VA

To: Big Walker Motel - Bland VA
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day. Slept late. Eat a big breakfast at the DQ, and figured four nights ¢ five days ¢ to Pearisburg. Resupplied at the Shell Convenience Store. Mostly tins of food ala Atkins. Sunny bright day. Lounged around and slept a lot. Spoke on the phone with all at home. My daughter, Julia, is spending a year as a volunteer in a homeless shelter and she will be leaving the last week in July. I would like to be home for a week or so before she leaves. I may end this segment of the hike at Pearisburg.   Thought for today-         Home Thoughts From Abroad
Date: 2004-07-11
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Doc's Knob
Miles today: 8.4

Spent a quiet and alone night at Wapiti. Slept very well, and awoke only once to pee. Generally I awake many times during the night ¢ properly in reaction to some noise ¢ and just go back to sleep, but last night was a deep and enjoyable sleep. Found the Pretez cover in my sleeping bag.   Slept late and started off slow, in anticipation of a hard climb of Sugar Run Mountain ¢ 2000 feet in two miles. Turned out not to be too bad in fact. This time the profile made it look worse than it was, or maybe I was just psyched up for a very tough climb, and it turned out to be just a tough one!   About half way up, I came across a hiker¢s pack on the trail, and was shortly joined by the hiker himself returning from a call of nature. Sarge is a veteran section hiker, and we had a good conversation about the trail. He warns me to expect tough going on the steep rock faces of New Hampshire and Maine. He also told me to anticipate meeting a SOBO hiker who had just started his hike, and was heading for Tennessee with a very heavy pack.   On reaching the crest of Sugar Mountain, the trail follows a very rocky ridge with only one good vista that I could find, until it descends again into Big Horse Gap. Then it is back into the woods again until you hit USFS 633. The Woodshole Hostel of great fame, was closed for the season at the end of June, so I missed one of the high points of this trail section.   At the road junction I met with the SOBO, and indeed both he ¢ 30 Below ¢ and his dog ¢ Fast Mike ¢ were both heavily loaded. He and I had a nice chat, and he reminded me of myself when I started at Springer in 2003. I think he knows that he is overloaded, and intends to get rid of much of his 50 pound plus at the next PO in Bland.    I also met the two day hikers that I met yesterday at Wapiti at the same road crossing where they had their vehicle. She is a schoolteacher and very knowledgeable about the local flora. She said that there is a plant that grows here locally, called ¢Spicewood¢ that works well as a bug repellent. I told her of my belief that eating bananas attracts the bugs.   I then started on the last section to the shelter. I met one more SOBO ¢ with headphones ¢ called ¢EZOK¢ [get it?] ¢ and before I knew it I was here at the shelter. Had lunch here with hot coffee, and have been having an enjoyable read of my used book from Bland.   Very poor signal here. I could hear Kathy, but not visa versa. No one else here so far. Hope for Pearisburg in the morning, and end to this segment.   Thought for today ¢               If the trail was always flat, we would complain that it was too boring!