morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-06-15
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I hate towns! They have things like TV, and I find myself staying up late to enjoy the amenities. Then, when my alarm rings at the usual 5:30 am, the bill comes due.I've been hiking now for more than 30 days straight, without a single day off or a single opportunity to "sleep in". I was up until 1:30 am last night, and I wanna tell ya, it was HARD dragging my butt out of bed this morning!Fortunately - or unfortunately, depending on where your sympathies lie - I had arranged for a 7 am shuttle back to the trailhead, and the shuttle showed up promptly at the appointed hour.Before I was even awake, therefore, I found myself starting up some darned mountain in southwest Virginia, still trying to clear the cobwebs from my brain.My hiker legs took over and propelled me up and over the first hurdle, passed the next shelter, and cruisin' along a ridgeline making very good time indeed. Before I knew it I was into camp - Jenny Knob shelter. I covered 12.1 miles in under 6 hours, and arrived there at about 1:30 - just as the last of the early birds from the previous shelter was packing up to head out. These are young guys with good knees, and they are doing a 24 mile hike today. Having started from the town of Bland, I would have had to do a 26 mile day to keep up with them - and that just ain't gonna happen!So, here I am at camp, feeling like I'm taking a zero day, only I'm so darned tired from last night's TV watching that I can barely keep my eyes open.It does seem kind of a shame to waste such a beautiful afternoon just sitting around when I could be hiking, but there is no sensible place to hike TO (i.e., a shelter or campsite) with a reasonable distance.And besides, I have a plan that averages 14.5 miles a day from Bland to Pearisburg, so - despite what the mileage monster tried to tell me - I really should just chill out and count my blessings for an early day.In addition to me, there is a guy from Tennessee, his son and two daughters and his dog here at the shelter so far. They seem really nice, and he has been doing this every year for the past 8 years, having gone from Springer to here so far. They are busy gathering wood for a fire while I work on my journal, so it looks like a pleasant evening ahead. At least it won't be like the 17's I've done recently which leave me too exhausted to write anything at the end of the day.Now that all my chores are done, and it's after 4 pm, I think I'll cook an early dinner and then hit the sack. Tomorrow is a 14 mile day, and Friday will be a 16 into Pearisburg so I'll need to be ready for those.Ah, a friend from two shelters back - Passin' Through - has just shown up, having done a 19 mile day. He is also planning to get to Pearisburg on Friday, so we have agreed to share a room to cut the cost in half - a standard hiker arrangement.Today's hike is dedicated to fathers everywhere who take the time to introduce their kids to the great outdoors, as the father at the shelter tonight is doing, and as thousands of scout fathers and mothers will be doing this summer. Stay tuned, Longhaul
Date: 2005-06-16
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Wood's Hole Shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up early this morning, having had a great night¢s sleep, despite being woken up several times by the Tennessee family's dog barking at night noises - like hoot owls. Of course, I went to bed at 8 pm....I was planning on a 14 mile day today, to be followed by a 16 mile day into Pearisburg tomorrow. That wasn't my first choice, but I just couldn't see doing a 22 mile day today so that I'd have 8 mile day tomorrow.The day started off fairly fast, however, much of which following dismal creek as it meandered through a low-lying area, so I actually started to listen to what the mileage monster was saying. Then I ran into John and Margie and their dog, named Dog, who was in their first day of a 30 day section hike. They said that a southbound hiker had told them about a seasonal hostel - called Woods hole - just half a mile down a cross road that was about six miles beyond Wapiti shelter. Well, that pretty much clinched it for me. I figured I was feeling good enough for a 20 mile day, and a hostel at the end of it sounded great. I reached Wapiti shelter, my original destination, by 2 pm. I took of my pack and boots, had lunch, read and signed the register, and was ready to hit the trail again by 2:30. My afternoon hike began with a 1,300 ft. climb, which wasn't bad, followed by a long ridgeline with a lot of rocks, and then finally some downhill to the road crossing. Fifteen minutes later I was "home" for the night. It's a neat place, with the main house, a log cabin, built in 1840, and the hostel built with logs from a similarly old house relocated from a nearby farm.I used the hose instead of pumping water, fixed diner, and then set up my tent - as the sleeping loft upstairs had clear evidence of mice, and I just can't abide the little critters where I sleep.I've also signed up for breakfast tomorrow morning since it is served early (7:30) - pancakes, sausage, and coffee, and the total cost of hostel and breakfast are an outrageous $3.50 cents. I suspect it's going to be more than that at the Rendezvous Motel in Pearisburg tomorrow!Not long after I got hear, two southbounders (Chicken Wing and Wren) showed up with their dog, Cassidy. Unfortunately, Cassidy is another dog with behavioral problems that really shouldn't be on the trail. After the second time she growled at me while I was trying to move around her getting my tent and stuff organized, I had to ask them to put her on a leash and tie her up somewhere, which they did.Later on, Passin' Through also showed up, having done 19 yesterday and 20 today - an impressive accomplishment for a section hiker only five days into his hike!Then, just after dark, John and Margie and Dog showed up, too. They are really nice, as is their dog, which is very well behaved.Altogether, a really good day on the trail, and having done 20 today, I now have only 10 miles to do tomorrow - essentially only half a day hike. That will get me into Pearisburg by lunch time - oh, yea!Today's hike is dedicated to dog owners whose dogs behave them - like Dog. Stay tuned, Longhaul
Date: 2005-06-17
From: Wood's Hole Shelter

To: Pearisburg, Va
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: scattered clouds

We had a really nice breakfast with Ms. Tilly this morning - a sit down affair up at the big house with real china and great food. Coffee, orange juice, sausage and biscuits. After breakfast, we assenbled on the front steps for the daily photo op, an instamatic that goes into the register. After that, we all hoisted our packs and headed out, some north, some south.Today's hike was mercifully short, at 10 miles, and otherwise uneventfull - except for the 3,000 ft. down into Pearisburg right at the end. The New River, which is actually one of the oldest in the country, has cut this 3000 ft. gap into the mountain - a most impressive feat. Unfortunately, it is really, really hard on my knees, so todays hike seemed almost as hard as yesterday's 20 miler!We had heard from Ms. Tilly that there might not be room for us at the motel closest to the trail - the Rondevous - due to construction workers in town, but we (Passin' Through and I) got lucky. The only drawback was the distance to town facilities. We understood the owner was hiker friendly, and offered shuttles into town, but she was away when we checked in, so we ended up hiking more than a mile to get to the post office, etc. We did the usual stuff, including pizza for dinner, and then were lucky enough to get a ride back to the motel with our groceries where we continued with our chores. Facing a 19 mile day tomorrow, including the climb up out of the New River gorge - a 2,000 ft uphill, we both wanted to get to sleep early. Unfortunately, the chores lasted until after ten. It's going to be a long day tomorrow - and I didn't get done half of what I wanted to get done. Oh well, ....Today's hike is dedicated to my long-suffering wife (She-who-knows-me-best - but-still-loves-me), for all she has to put up with while I am out here on the trail. Thanks, Babe, for everything. Hugs and Kisses!Stay tuned, Longhaul
Date: 2005-06-19
From: Pinew Swamp Branch Shelter

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: scattered clouds

I slept really soundly last night, exhausted from the long climb out of Pearisburg and the 19 mile day. I barely noticed the malfunction of my sleep pad valve, which meant I was sleeping mostly on the cold, hard ground. I also overslept, and did not start hiking until 7:30, but then I had a relatively short 12.7 mile day facing me.The hike started with a 1.5 mile detour on a paved road due to a bridge that was wiped out by a hurricane last year. I then climbed the first mountain, after which I faced the major challenge of the day - 3.7 miles of trail that consisted of nothing but boulders.It's really not much fun to boulder hop for more than two hours with a forty pound pack and bad knees, trust me on that!But I survived the ordeal, mostly by going really slowly, and eventually reached level ground again. Much of the tail this afternoon took me through the most gorgeous fern fields, shaded by hardwoods. The deer were as evident and curious as yesterday, no doubt owing to the ban on hunting them in this national forest area.This afternoon I finally caugh up to a group that I had been following since Pearisburg, "the army" as listed in the shelter register.They turned out to be a student group from a special outdoor-oriented school here in Virginia. There were about a dozen boys and three adult advisors doing a two week hike of the AT. Their program is very well structured, with tight discipline, and the boys worked together in small groups once they arrived at the shelter to set up a large tarp tent, collect water, colllect wood and start a fire, and cook and serve dinner. It was impressive to watch them work together. They were good kids, and seemed to be having a fun time in the woods - though for some it was their first such experience.It turned out that they were responsible for leaving the campfire materials that I enjoyed last night, for which I thanked them.They have also indicted that they may have too much Mac & Cheese tonight, so Passin' Through and I may have a shot at some leftovers. I'm sceptical, as the boys look pretty hungry to me, but lets see.Today's hike is dedicated to the hope that each of these young men will get what they need to out of their school and from this hike of the AT. Good luck, guys - let me hear from you in the guest registry if you read this!Stay tuned, Longhaul
Date: 2005-06-21
From: Niday Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was such a short day I almost felt like I was cheating by not going on another ten miles into Catawba. That, of course, was what the Milage Monster wanted me to do. But yesterday's 18, combined with those awful rocks, convinced me that it would be a good idea to give my knees a break today.The hike itself was fairly routine, with two good ups. The first was a 1,500 ft. climb over about two miles. I have been feeling recently kind of like I'm hitting my stride, and so I was pleased that I was able to hike uphill for over an hour - to the summit of the first mountain - without stopping to rest once! The same was true later for the second one, although the shelter was before the summit on that one. Having developed some fairly strong hiker legs, I might be a bit concerned that they will disappear while I am off the trail over the coming three weeks. My experience with the stress fracture and miniscus tear recovery period, however, convinced me that they don't go away over night. Even with a six week lay-off, habitual readers of this journal will recall that I was able to do 16 miles my first day back on the trail, and that was into the Smokeys and included a net gain of 3,600 ft. in elevation.Besides, the first week off will be spent at a scout camp where we will camp at the top of what is known as "cardiac hill" - while many of the camp activities take place at the bottom of the hill around the lake.Week two will be at the ocean where I can at least take advantage of the board walk for early morning walks, and week three will be a another scout camp. Better than laying around with my leg elevated waiting for the wounds of my surgery to heal!Today, having gotten into camp early, I'm way ahead of schedule with my camp chores. Once I finish this journal entry, I hope to get caught up with my backlog of email messages so I can send those off tomorrow. We'll also have a nice camp fire, as Passin' Through has been busy gathering up kindling. Oh yea!Today's hike is dedicated to all of the serious section hikers, like Passin' Through, who are a pleasure to be around. Many of them have a better chance of completing the trail than some of the through hikers I've met recently. My hat is off to them!Stay tuned, Longhaul
Date: 2005-07-19
From: VA Rt. 311, Catawba, VA

To: VA Rt. 220, Troutville, VA
Miles today: 20.0

Another fabulous day on the trail!As planned, I rode the big gray dawg down I-81 back to Catawba to resume my hike after a three week layoff to attend scout camps and beach week. Dave, from the Down Home B&B met me at the bus station, and early today got me to the trailhead on VA Rt. 311.With a 6:30AM start, I knew I had a shot at doing a 20 mile day, but much would depend on factors beyond my control. The options, however, were a 20 miler to Troutville or a 10.6 to the Lamberts Meadow shelter - not a good way to chalk up the 15 mile per day average I'd like to maintain.Fortunately, the elevation gains were modest today, the treadway was not too rocky, I had no trouble finding water to replenish my supply, and the only problem I encountered was the 90 degree temperature! That led to record water consumption, a total of 7 liters during my hike, and more with dinner later. I also had to move slower than normal on the uphill, especially in the afternoon, but overall, it wasn't a show stopper - it just sort of kicked my butt by the end of the day.The best part was when I came out of the woods, looked up, and saw a Pizza Hut within spittin' distance, and an Econolodge right next to it.Twenty minutes later I was standing under a cold shower, and 30 minutes after that I was ordering a pizza for dinner. Life is good!Tomorrow I'm looking at an 18.5 mile day, and should be able to get an early start again. Its always helpful when I don¢t have to spend time taking my tent down, and even better when I can graze the motel continental breakfast before starting my hike. So, I'm back on the trail, and off to a good start. I'm about two weeks behind the first of the through-hikers I met in my last six week jaunt, but with luck, will catch up when I finish up at Waynesboro and can jump up to Penn Mar. These include Ned the Fed, Vertical Ed, Stopsalot, and Kentucky, among others. I'm also hoping that Breakaleg continues to heal and can join me as well. Hang in there, Break - you can do it!Today's hike is dedicated to all of the Scout leaders and other parents who made my experience at the Otari and Goshen Scout camps so enjoyable, and without whom the boys would not have been able to enjoy a terrific time in the outdoors. Bless you all.Stay tuned, Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com
Date: 2005-07-24
From: VA Rt. 501/130 - Glasgow, VA

To: VA Rt. 60 - Buena Vista, VA
Miles today: 21.4

The heat and humidity of this past week took the day off today, and I took full advantage of the better weather to hike a personal best of 21.4 miles! My original plan included a likely outcome of 14.5 miles to a camp site and, if things went really well, 19.2 miles to the next shelter. Well, things went SO well, I got to the shelter with time and energy to spare. I checked the map, and realized that for the low, low price of only 1.8 additional miles (all uphill, of course) I could reach a road crossng and spend another night in civilization. (Read: not having to set up and take down my tent, pump water, fix dinner, etc.. ) Instead, I could sleep in a bed already made up, get a shower, eat at Subway, etc. Not a hard choice!This also puts me only about 56 miles from Waynesboro, which means that I am just shy of reaching the thousand mile point, and getting very close to the halfway point. Yeaaaaaa, ME! (Sorry - couldn't help it. It's been a really good hike, and ah'm feelin' GOOD!)I'm also exhausted, so that's all I've got for today. I'll probably only do 14 miles tomorrow, as they're calling for a high of 97 degrees and the next shelter would require a second 21 mile day in a row. Not very likely!Stay tuned, Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com
Date: 2005-07-25
From: VA Rt. 60 - Buena Visrta, VA

To: Fish Hatchery Road
Miles today: 16.3

I had heard that the temperature forecast for today was for 97 degrees! My shuttle back to the trailhead this morning showed up at 6AM as planned, and by 6:15 I was heading up the trail. I'm not sure what today's high was, but what saved my hike was the wind blowing from the west, which accelerated the higher I climbed. Altogether another fabulous day on the trail.The most memorable event was a relatively minor one involving a rattle snake. I was hiking through high grass on an open area (a/k/a a bald) at the top of a mountain. As usual, I was being careful to pay attention to where my feet were going when I saw something dark gray moving across the narrow trail just a few feet ahead of me. What really caught my attention was the distinct rattle I heard warning me to stay back.It didn't have to ask twice, of course! The snake was not as large as the one I encountered earlier, or as "territorial". I watched it move away through the grass and soon the rattling, which sounded almost more like a buzzing, stopped. I waited a minute and then gingerly approached the place where he had been. I hopped past that spot ever so quickly and moved rapidly up the trail.Other than that, it was a pretty normal day on the trail - a major "up" this morning and a lot of "down" this afternoon, with a respectable total of 16.3 miles. I met only one solo section hiker and two groups - a Boy Scout group from Indiana and a school group, all of whome were going south.At the end of the day, I once again opted for a bed already made up and a hot meal I didn't have to cook - at the Dutch House B&B. It had come recommended from hiker friends, but they failed to mention the 1.5 mile hike downhill that I will have to climb BACK up tomorrow morning. Somehow I missed the point that I couldn't get a shuttle all the way back to the trail. C'est la vie. I just have to add 1.5 miles of "up" to the start of my hike tomorrow. Live and learn!   At least I can start again at 6AMI've got about 40 miles more to Waynesborrow, and I'm trying to figure out the best overnight stops. Fortunately, I've gone far enough over the past week that I'm confident I'll make it by Thursday into Waynesboro and home by Friday. That will work out well, as I've just made arrangements to collect Breakaleg from PennMar on Sunday, overnight at my house, and then the two of us are going to take the train up to New England where we will hike north together towards Katahdin! Break wants to join her kids from "RAW" (more about that group soon), so were going to start at the Mass./Vermont boarder and hike to the site of that event. I'm really looking forward to all of it. Today's hike, appropriately, is dedicated to the phenomenon of hiking with friends. What's also great about Break and I jumping up to Vermont is that we will be back amongst the northbound through-hikers. Oh, Yea!!!Stay tuned, Longhaulsent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com
Date: 2005-07-27
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Paul Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: clear sky

I got a later start than I'd hoped this morning - departing at 7AM instead of my usual 6AM. I think I was just bushed from yesterday's hike. I had thoughts of trying to do 21 miles today, all the way into Waynsboro, but the weather conditions pretty much ended that idea by lunch time. Today's hike only had a couple of ups, and nothing really major in terms of altitude gain, with almost all of the afternoon being downhill. Even so, I could feel the energy drain from my system every time I had to start climbing, and really had to play mind games with myself to keep going.It didn't seem quite as hot today, but there wasn't much of a wind either. The treadway was good, especially on the downhill this afternoon, so I was able to make pretty good time - getting into the shelter around 4PM.There was one section up at the top, however, that went up and over a pretty steep pile of rocks. As you approach it, you sort of wonder if maybe vandals had been out with a white paint brush marking blazes on the rocks as some kind of sick joke. But noooo. I took some pictures from below, and from above - just so I can demonstrate that the whole trail is not flat, rockless and strewn with pine needles!As usual, the shelter was empty when I arrived, but it had a really nice covered front deck area where I immediately set up my tent. I was thinking about gathering wood for a fire but, before I could, a thunder storm moved in and pretty much drenched that idea. Fortunately, someone left a big candle on the picnic table, so I have that burning as I type my journal - sort of the next best thing to a camp fire.As I typed, I heard a voice call out a hello, and a somewhat bedraggled through-hiker - Coyote - arrived. He is southbound for Springer, completing his second through-hike. It's great to have the company, and I spent an enjoyable half hour catching up on mutual acquaintences and common expriences. Now if I can just get yesterday's journal entry finished up...Today's hike is dedicated to the occasional southbounder, without whom I would be hiking prety much by myself!Stay tuned, LonghaulSent via PocketMail Email Anywhere www.pocketmail.com
Date: 2005-07-28
From: Paul Wolfe Shelter

To: Waynesboro, Va
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: light rain

The hike in this morning went fast - 5 miles in 2 hours and 4 minutes. After the first uphill climb, it was all either level or downhill into town.I have now completed all of the AT from Springer Mountain, Georgia to the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. That's six of the 14 states down, and 8 to go. It's also 1,050 miles down, with 1,125 to go. And I'm feeling great!Just to recap, assembled eyes, my plan now is to collect my good friend and hiker buddy, Breakaleg, from PennMar this wekend. We will then take a train/bus up to New England and hike from the Mass./Vermont border into Katahdin. After we summit Katahdin, we'll go back and hike south from Massachusetts to PennMar, where I will officialy complete my through-hike.That's the plan - not to be confused with what life may actually have in store for me. But hey, it's a good pla, it's my plan, and that's all I need to know for now.And we thank you for your support.Stay tuned - and keep those cards and letters comin'!Longhaul------------------------------Sent via PocketMailEmail Anywherewww.pocketmail.com