morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-05-10
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: overcast clouds

It rained pretty hard last night. We have had rain for quite a few days/nights. I wore my rain gear when I got going. Most of us were going to push 20 miles and stay at Bryant Ridge Shelter which holds 20 hikers. It is one of the biggest and nicest we hear. It was very misty and wet again. It is like we're hiking in the clouds. That's what we see around us, above and below. Today we crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway a few times. If you have not had the experience of driving the Blue Ridge Parkway it is a definite must. The views are fantastic! I drove a part of it a couple of years ago with my kids on the way back from Ashville NC. When we got to the road, the views were definitely something to look at. We were above the clouds but the mountain peaks in the distance shot out. It is like looking at a sea of clouds below you. We got to see a few of these sites at Harveys Knob Overlook, Otter Overlook, Mills Gap Overlook and Cove Mountain. As time went by the clouds came up and it was very damp then we were below them and the sun started peaking out. I arrived at Cross Jennings Creek after 16 miles and decided to take a dip in the cold water. Aurora(China), Conundrum, Oriole, Sweet Potato, Juan Durer and I got in. It felt really good and refreshing, we stayed about 30 minutes and then continued our hike. Oriole, Sweet Potato and Juan D decided to camp there for the night. Bryant Ridge Shelter was definitely a nice shelter. Gabby and Claudia were there. It was nice to reunite with them again although it would be for only one night. The shelter sleeps 20 and we had 13 there by the end of the night. It was 2 story and really clean and new. I started raining again at night but I had an excellent night's sleep. With 13 there we only had one snorer and it was not that loud. Great!
Date: 2016-05-11
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Marble Spring Campsite
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

It rained until about 6am. It seems like we have been in a rain forest for a few days. The terrain is very thick and lush and, of course, wet and humid.The hike today started going from 1277 ft elevation to 3560 ft elevation in 4 miles. It was tough to start the day with that. My phone problems persist but that is a long story. I am barely able to make posts and take a few photos but I am managing. I reached Black Rock overlook and by then the clouds had lifted to give us some great views. The hike had many up and downs. Although they were not very long distances, it just seemed tiring. Another highlight of the day was walking under Guillotine Rock. The trail went through a rock formation with a boulder on top just waiting to catch a hiker coming through to fall on top of them! Our destination was not a shelter but a camping area by a spring called Harrison Ground Spring. About 2 miles from the Guillotine Rock the clouds rolled in and it started thundering and lightning. It did not start raining until 15 minutes before I arrived at the site. I set up my tent in the driving rain and realized that was a big mistake. I spent the next 30 minutes wiping up water from the base of my tent, it was like a bathtub in there. Aurora and Conundrum were already set up, Crisscross, Sunray, Get Weird and Champa arrived as the rain let up and I was still drying. They decided to move on to the next shelter. I had to take my tent apart and set up in a different spot. I finally got it to the point where I could set my sleeping bag up. I cooked in my vestibule because I was cold. Oriole and Juan Durer arrived shortly after. I was finally laying down when I heard more hikers come in. Sweet Potato, Shaggy and another hiker arrived in the dark and set up. It rained some more through the evening but I stayed relatively dry. I am looking forward to some good rest. I am tired.
Date: 2016-05-14
From: US 60, Buena Vista, VA

To: US 60, Buena Vista, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

We woke up and Sweet Potato was very hungry so we all walked to the BBQ place where they had all you can eat breakfast on Saturdays...today was Saturday! I got ham, sausage, bacon, two eggs, biscuits and gravy. I ordered the same plate again minus the gravy. Great breakfast for a small price. Sweet Potato and I lingered there for a while waiting for the Library to open. I thought I would go and check for my package at the post office just in case. No package. I went to the library and caught up on my blog. After the Library closed at 1pm, we met Oriole and Juan D at the Amish Cupboard, an Amish deli, grocery, bakery store. It was wonderful. I was in heaven. I had a deli sandwich and coconut turnover, it was delicious. Juan D, and Sweet Potato split a tub of ice cream. We then walked over to the Mexican restaurant since it started raining. We sat there until the rain stopped then headed back to the campsite. We hitchhiked and got picked up by a nice couple in a pickup truck. They sure saved us a lot of walking. I got to my tent just in time when a storm blew in. It was very windy with driving rain. It only lasted about 15 minutes and our tents made it ok. We just hung out and Oriole and I walked to a different BBQ place and had dinner and a couple of beers at the bar. While I was at the bar I decided to call Verizon just to check on my phone location. They said they had diverted it from Baytown but it was not going to get here until 3 days from now, Tuesday! I told them to send it to the next town, Waynesboro, I should be there in 4 days. I gave them the complete address to send it to. Now, this call lasted the whole time I was at dinner which kind of spoiled it. Ok, no phone in Buena Vista, so I will leave tomorrow with the group and head to Waynesboro. I don't know how Verizon stays in business!!!
Date: 2016-05-16
From: Piney River North Fork

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: clear sky

It was very cold getting up and out of our tents. Juan and I were the first to leave at 7:15am, I had my down jacket on and socks for my hands because my fingers were numb. Once we got going and our bodies started generating some heat it was ok. The whole day was partly cloudy but clear, and we were rewarded again with fantastic views. The first was Spy Rock, a side trail to get to it. I saw 3 packs on the ground so I dropped mine and walked the side trail, Oriole who had passed me earlier was coming back and said it was well worth the climb. You had to actually do some climbing to get to the top of the rock cropping. I climbed up, Savage and McDoubles were there, we took some pictures and it was definitely on my top five as far as views, 360 degree and clear. We made our way down and continued on. I climbed to the top of the Priest Mountain, 4063 ft., then the long descent, 3093 ft. in 3 miles. Now we had to climb Three Ridges Mountain, 3959 ft. in 6 miles. Again the views are incredible. I ran into Sparky and Freight Train. No, they were not slack packing. They were tented and down for the day, Hong Kong Steve went to Waynesboro to meet a friend who will hike with him for a couple of weeks. I continued on another mile or so to Maupin Field Shelter. Andy, Missing Person, Juan and I stayed in the shelter while everyone else camped. Juan and I decided to sleep in the shelter due to the rain forecast. To me there is nothing worse than packing up gear in the rain. There was a Bear Pole there. This is the first I had seen one. It is like a Maypole with many hooks on top. You hook your food bag to a long rod they place your bag on top hanging from a hook. It was funny to watch people doing this cause the rod was barely long enough and if your were short, you probably couldn't do it. The night was cool but not as cold as last night. I had a good sleep.
Date: 2016-05-18
From: Rockfish Gap, Waynesboro

To: Rockfish Gap, Waynesboro
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I took a shower after I woke up. I did not sleep that well but I feel rested. Andy was cooking blueberry pancakes. I made some hot tea and ate some pancakes...good job Andy! The Church Hostel actually closes between 9am and 5pm, so you need to decide if you are staying another night or leaving. They will store your gear if you are staying another night. I borrowed a t-shirt and day pack to put my laundry in and stored my backpack. Sweet Potato is staying another night but Juan and Oriole are moving on.I left the Hostel along with everybody at 9am and headed to the library to catch up on my blog and emails. Next on my agenda was the washateria. I put my clothes in and went across the street for lunch. After lunch I went back to the laundry to put my clothes in the drier. I saw Conundrum come in and we started laughing because he said I left you in a laundromat and I meet up again at a laundromat! He and Aurora were at the same restaurant eating lunch but we were on different sides so we did not see each other. They had a good time back in Buena Vista with Aurora's mom and sisters...of course I cannot forget their dog too!! It is nice when family visits. I want to send a big shout out to Sue and her daughters from Gobles, Michigan for the visit.I walked to the outfitter just out of town and got some new socks. I ran into Black Santa, Sweet Potato, Bombadil and met Cool Dad. The walk there and back did not seem as long since I was talking to my wife. Sometimes my phone works and I have to take advantage. Some more saga on my phone but I will not get into it, just hope to get it tomorrow. I ran into Andy on my way back and we both walked to the library. I decided to spend time on the internet until 5pm when the hostel opened again. Back at the hostel I got settled in. Andy and I then walked to dinner and met Aurora and Conundrum. We went to Green Leaf restaurant which was nice. I had some red wine that I was craving and fish tacos...nice dinner and great company. We lingered a while just talking then made our way back. There are not as many hikers at hostel as yesterday but it was another good group. Again, lights out at 10:30pm.
Date: 2016-05-20
From: Rockfish Gap, Waynesboro

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: clear sky

I had a good breakfast before heading out today. Moonwalker gave me a ride to the trailhead on her way home. I started hiking at 9am. It was a beautiful day...the sun was out and it was 57 degrees. I saw Get Weird and Champ at the popcorn stand. I waved to them but not sure if they knew who I was from that distance. I self registered to hike in the park a little ways in the trail. You have to carry the registration on your bag all through the park. I saw a few day hikers out. There were not many views because of the trees but the trail was pretty. There were many up and downs today but they were not too long. I almost stepped on a snake on the trail. It really startled me. It was black and about 4 ft long. I'm sure it was a good snake. As I got closer to take a picture it started rattling its tail. You couldn't see a rattle but it did it anyway. I kept my distance then. A learning moment...look where you're stepping! I went on my way and ran into Freight Train and Sparky slack packing again. I see them almost every day now, we always stop and talk. There is a lot of vegetation. Everything is green now and growing into the trail. Flowers are everywhere which makes for pretty trails. I kept hiking looking down to see where I am stepping and I look up to see a bear looking at me about 30 yds in front of me! I didn't get scared. I was excited!! My first bear on the trail and there he was! I got my camera out but he took off into the woods. I eased my way up the trail looking for him with my camera ready, Nothing. Walking slowly I started getting worried, he went in all this vegetation and I can't even hear him. He may be there looking at me! About 3 minutes pass and I look down the trail and there he is again. I got a quick pic before he turned and ran down the trail and another picture as he ran. I got a dot on my photo. Very cool to see a bear. This was a learning moment...look down the trail as you never know what may be there. Also, look left and right as you never know what may be looking at you!   Now I'm hiking with my head on a swivel! LOL! The rest of the hike was not as exciting. I reached Blackrock Shelter about 6pm. It was a good 20 mile hike. My legs were tired. Aurora and Conundrum were there along with Stix from Australia hiking south, Midwest Momma a section hiker heading south and a couple of other section hikers. Stuart came in at 7pm, he is from England and through hiking north also. He was very funny. Everyone was cooking and eating dinner. Since I sent my stove home, I had summer sausage and cheese on a bagel, peanut butter crackers and a honeybun. I could get used to this not cooking. It was in the low 50's. We were all talkative but by nightfall we were all tucked in.
Date: 2016-05-21
From: Black Rock Shelter

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

We all woke up late, about 8am. It had rained all night but it was only drizzling now. I left about 9:15am. My plan is to go to the next shelter, about 13 miles. There were no views because it was drizzling and foggy. I walked by Blackrock Ridge but could not see much. It looked like there was a rock slide...all the rocks are black. I could not see it all because of the mist. I hiked on and crossed a few roads. In the Shenandoahs we cross the roads many times. There is a restaurant 1/2 mile off the trail which I am aiming to get to. When I got there I saw Aurora and Conundrum who were enjoying a milk shake. I got a burger, cheese fries, chips and Pepsi. I stayed a while writing my blog and charging my phone then I ordered a milkshake. I am full now. 5 more miles to the shelter and it is still very foggy and there is light rain.We headed out in the drizzle. I was glad for the three hour break. I can imagine how pretty the trail would be with no fog! The past two days I have started out feeling rested then a couples hours in, I feel so drained. My legs are so tired. I don't mind hiking in the rain but consecutive days of wet makes it difficult to keep things dry, especially if you pitch your tent. That is why it is nice to arrive early to the shelter to get a spot which I just did today. I got one of the last spots. I got to Pinefield Hut at 5:30pm. Crisscross and Sunray arrived after a 27 mile day. It was great to see them again. There was 11 of us in the hut and 3 tents outside. I met a few section hikers and had good conversations. There were 3 girls from Madison Wisconsin, just out of college. One of them found a tick on the back of her neck and took it off with tweezers. It was funny to see everybody feeling the back of their necks. We all got a good laugh about that. Most hikers are having trouble with foot pain. When your feet stay wet they seem to feel raw. Mine are definitely hurting. It is still cold. It is probably in the mid 40's...that's my guess. Everyone settled in by 8:30 trying to keep warm.
Date: 2016-05-22
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Bearfence Mountain
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up a little later than Crisscross who is always up first. It rained all night long. My breakfast now consists of 2 breakfast bars, peanut butter crackers and peanuts. After breakfast, I took 2 ibuprofen to see if it would help my feet/legs and got going around 7:30am. Although it seems like I am hiking with the same people, I hardly see them on the trail. "Hike your own hike" really works. When you are alone, you tend to absorb your surroundings more...at least I do. As I have mentioned before, I have many random thoughts. Whenever I pass someone or they pass me, we usually stop and talk. It is nice to meet fellow hikers. Everyone has a different story. It is nice meeting up with others for lunch or at the end of the day. Today I am hiking alone and it is cold and rainy and muddy on the trail. The condition of the trail is the result of 2 days of constant rain and no sun. I am feeling good and am carrying a good pace. I got to see a little bitty mouse on the trail, an orange lizard and some deer. What is cool is they all posed for me! I passed Crisscross and Sunray. Crisscross's shoelace broke and he was trying to make the pieces work. As I trudged through the mud I thought of all the hikers who stop their quest because of days like this. The trail does test your will in many ways. Everything wet, feet hurting along with other parts of your body, hungry, tired of eating the same stuff, steep climbs and steep rocky downhills while your knees are screaming! Yes, many reasons to stop hiking. The trail itself is pretty. I would love to hike this on a nice day. There is something pretty cool when you see the trail disappear into the mist...eerie but cool. There were parts of the trail that looked like Indians would come out and attack me, or patriots or monsters! I guess I watch too many action movies! Random thoughts! Later in the afternoon I got to a park campground and went to the campstore. I got some hummus, chips and a Pepsi. My real purpose was to get warm because my fingers were so numb. I ran hot water over them in the bathroom. I spent about 30 min there! As I was leaving Stuart was arriving. I got to Bearfence mountain hut shortly after. It was a full house again once Stuart and McGoober got there. I just wanted to change clothes eat and get in my sleeping bag...I did that by 7:30pm. I soaked my feet in the stream and they are still numb. It is great to settle in. This is part of my hike that I really love. There are many conversations going on...I do enjoy the hiker comraderie.
Date: 2016-05-24
From: Skyland Resort & Restaurant

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: scattered clouds

We all got up around 7am and started packing. Aurora went out on the balcony and spotted 2 bears, a mom and cub. It was nice watching them move around. Crisscross and Sunray have been on the trail 2 months didn't see their irst bears until they stayed in a motel room! We all laughed about that!   We went to breakfast and it was very good. The service was slow but we weren't in a hurry. For today we are planning on only 11 miles to Pass Mountain Hut. I saw a small bear right away, he was in the woods foraging for food and moving very slowly away from us. It is very exciting for me to see bears! I hiked the first mile with Freight Train and Sparky, then by myself the rest of the way. I must say this was one of the prettiest hikes so far. I walked on ridges with constant views. The weather was very nice, low 70's, clear and sunny. I ran into many day and section hikers on the trail. Because it is the Shenandoahs with easy access to trail from many parking areas, it is a popular hiking area. As I an only hiking 11.1 miles today, I took my time stopping frequently to take in the sites and take pictures. I feel good and my feet feel much better, I have kicked many rocks by accident and my right toe is hurting a bit. Always sumthin! I arrived at Pass Mountain Hut at 4:30pm. It is nice getting in early. Aurora, Conundrum and Stuart were already there. Simple Man and Quirks(from Germany) arrived later. They have been with us 3-4 days. Crisscross and Sunray decided to keep going. It was a very nice evening, we all sat around and talked and tried to make a plan for the next few days laughing that by lunch time tomorrow we will change it. There were two ladies camping who came over and visited. One was about 20 yrs old and she was section hiking with her grandmother, 69 yrs old. Amazing lady, full of energy. We turned in about 8 pm, it's a new version night.
Date: 2016-05-25
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

I woke early and was the first to leave the campsite and get on the trail at 6:25am. It was such a pretty morning. The birds were singing, the sun was coming up and the trail was beginning to dry. After a mile I heard a noise behind me and saw a bear running down hill away from me. It was moving fast! It was a brief view but I was able to see their speed. A while later I saw 3 white tail deer running to my right. They are so graceful and quiet when they run. I have seen many deer but not any with antlers yet. The trail is beautiful this morning. There weren't a lot of opportunities for views but pretty nonetheless. I am hiking along thinking again of the Hobbit and all the characters that come out in the story. I come around the corner of the trail and guess who is looking at me? A bear, this one stays a little longer and I just stand still; he is only about 15/20 yards away. When I reach for my phone he turns and runs down the trail. I speed up to follow and when I get to a turn I slow down and there he is looking at me. This goes on and I see him 4 times then he runs up into the woods and again he runs fast, even uphill. They are strong! My day is made and I'm not at the lunch place yet! I arrive at Elkwallow Wayside which is a store with a grill, I was happy and hungry. Bad news, they lost power and no grill but they will sell you things. I got a hoagie, big bag of chips, muffin and juice. I am satisfied. My fellow hikers showed up and we hung out for a while. I was there 3 hours relaxing and, of course, enjoying the good company. We all got our favorite cool one to drink and take for the evening. Back to hiking again...right away I saw a bear cub. He was at a distance but it was nice to see. The next 5 miles were so nice, the woods are pretty and views fantastic. I saw 2 more deer and one more bear. I thought a lot of my grandson, Noah, he is 3 1/2 years old. I do miss him, and I think of bringing him with me to section hike when he gets older. That would be so cool. I will have to start him on small hikes soon. Nice thoughts. I arrived at Gravel Springs Hut with Conundrum and Aurora around 3:30 pm. This is a pretty nice shelter with a stream right there. We eventually got a full house as hikers were streaming in. We saw a bear and took pictures...we were all excited! He went away then reappeared again and again, getting closer and closer, We eventually had to start scaring him away. Everyone was especially careful about their food...storing it that is. We all put our canned libation in the crew to get them cold, it worked. Another nice nite with lively conversation. Buenos Noches.