morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-04-03
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountain Harbour Bed and Breakfast
Miles today: 0.0

When we woke up this morning, there was a crust of ice on everything we owned. My boots were frozen solid, and not in the shape of my feet. It took 15 minutes to get them on. Nuffy decided right away to make a break for civilization but Frank and I thought we'd try to push on. But right away the trail started climbing, snow drifts were still more than two feet deep and we were having trouble seeing the path. So we decided to find a way out as well. We started down a forest road that led to an actual road and were very lucky to flag down a couple of North Carolina wildlife officers who drove us to a restaurant for breakfast. From there, we made our way to Mary and Terry Hill's Mountain Harbour Bed and Breakfast. This is the nicest place we've stayed yet. The Hills have set up a hiker hostel on the top floor of a barn, with a kitchen, bathroom, and several comfortable beds. It was a luxurious escape from the snow on the mountains. Ray (Night Lion) joined us in the afternoon from Miss Janet's and we shared an extraordinary meal Mrs Hill made for us: beef stew and chili, corn bread and biscuits, and a baked apple pastry for dessert.
Date: 2005-04-04
From: Mountain Harbour Bed and Breakfast

To: Campsite near Mountaineer Waterfall
Miles today: 17.1

After a delicious breakfast at the Mountain Harbour B & B, Mr Hill drove us back to the point we came off the mountain yesterday. We made our way back to the trail and started again up Hump Mountain in the last of the snow. It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm. It's strange to think how much the mountains have changed in only two days. I set up camp with Frank and Ray and felt really good at the end of a long day.
Date: 2005-04-05
From: Campsite near Mountaineer Waterfall

To: Laurel Fork Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was a long day. The weather was beautiful and warm, but 17 miles today on top of the same distance yesterday tired me out. If I'm going to get to Damascus by Friday to pick up my package by Saturday morning, I'm going to have to do big days the next three days. Frank and Ray are planning to go 19 miles tomorrow and more than 20 the next day so they'll have a ten-mile hike into Damascus Friday morning. That's more than I can manage. I'm planning to go about 15 tomorrow and the next day, then 20 on Friday. But after the first big climb tomorrow, I may decide instead to go into Hampton for resupply and aim for Damascus Sunday night.
Date: 2005-04-06
From: Laurel Fork Shelter

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Two big climbs today. This morning's up to Pond Flats was arduous. Also misleading because there wasn't any flat and the pond turned out to be not much more than a puddle. It was a nice walk back down to picnic tables on Watauga Lake for lunch though, and I decided to continue to Damascus without going into Hampton. This afternoon's climb was just as tough but the views of the lake were amazing. It was late by the time I got to the shelter and I was exhausted after my third big day in a row.
Date: 2005-04-07
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: light rain

Terrain was much easier today and I made it to the shelter before four. It's great to end the day with time to wind down, instead of cooking fast and jumping into bed. Even though I'm going further tomorrow, I've heard the trail stays easy to Damascus, so I'm looking forward to the hike into town.
Date: 2005-04-08
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Hiker Inn, Damascus Virginia
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: light rain

Today was a big day. I woke up at five, two and a half hours before sunrise. By six, I had finished breakfast and packed up so I had my first go at night hiking. It isn't something I'd want to do tired at the end of the day, but before sunrise I enjoyed walking in the dark. The path to Damascus is the easiest part of the trail so far and I had finished all 18 miles by two o'clock. I had expected to get into town late and to need to take a day off tomorrow to get everything done, but with most of the afternoon here, I managed to get just about everything finished before supper. I went to the Old Mill Restaurant with Frank, Ray and Megan, and had my first meal with wine since I started. Wine with dinner has turned out to be the thing I miss most from civilization so I really enjoyed the meal.
Date: 2005-04-09
From: Hiker Inn, Damascus Virginia

To: Next to Luther Hassinger Memorial Bridge
Miles today: 13.9

Damascus was like a catapult. I came into town with so much force and it was so easy to get everything done that I shot right back out today and managed to get a full day of hiking. After breakfast and a few last errands I headed out of Damascus at 11 ice cream cone in hand. The weather today was beautiful and the trail in Virginia is really nice. I ended up deciding against one last climb to the second shelter and instead found a lovely spot to camp by the river.
Date: 2005-04-10
From: Next to Luther Hassinger Memorial Bridge

To: Wise shelter
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: few clouds

Today was an extraordinary day on the trail. The weather was perfect, sunny, warm and breezy. The trail so far in Virgina has been exceptionally beautiful. The climbs are gentler but the views are spectacular. And I knew it was going to happen sooner or later but today was the first day I got turned around and started heading in the wrong direction. Today was such a perfect hiking day that there couldn't have been a better day to make the mistake. About a mile and a half past Thomas Knob Shelter, the trail runs through a rock formation called the Fat Man Squeeze. The first time around I couldn't see the hole in the rock and turning around looking for the trail I started heading back the way I came. I got all the way to the shelter before I realized my mistake. I was still determined to get to the next shelter even though it was now impossible before dark. But on the way, I ran into the ponies. The wild ponies of Grayson Highlands aren't completely wild, they were introduced to the balds to help preserve them by grazing. It's wonderful to come up on them on the trail though. They're completely unafraid and wandered up to me as I made my way down the trail. Even though it was already dusk I had to stop and take some pictures, when five whitetail deer came galloping out of the woods and started prancing around among the ponies. It was like I was in a little girl's cartoon fantasy land. The deer stayed too far away to get a picture, but it was a wonderful sight to experience. It was quite late when I approached the shleter and I decided to stop a few minutes before it because I found a nice camping spot and I didn't want to wake up whoever was there already.
Date: 2005-04-11
From: Wise shelter

To: Dickey Gap
Miles today: 16.1

This morning, it looked like another day of perfect hiking weather so I had planned to go a full 20 miles. But by afternoon it got quite hot and I started slowing down. I didn't want to hike into the night again and I was tired after a big day yesterday so I stopped in a field near a road about four miles before the shelter. The shelters in Virginia are very nice but I haven't made it to one yet for the night. I always get to them too early to stop and I can't quite reach the next one.
Date: 2005-04-12
From: Dickey Gap

To: Chatfield Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: light rain

I went further than I planned today. I had expected to camp somewhere after the first shelter, so I could walk into Atkins in time for lunch tomorrow. But I was making good time and it rained hard all afternoon. The prospect of pitching my tent in the rain and crawling in wet for a cold supper got me moving to the second shelter. It's great to be warm, dry and out of the rain, but now I'll be in Atkins for breakfast so I won't spend the night. Laundry can wait for Pearisburg.
Date: 2005-04-13
From: Chatfield Shelter

To: Relax Inn, Atkins, VA
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: light rain

I got into Atkins in time for breakfast and decided to stop for the night. If I set back out on the trail it would be noon by the time I had resupplied and the next shelters were three and 15 miles away. I didn't want to tent because of the rain, and three miles seemed hardly worth the effort but 15 was too far to reach before nightfall. So as the rain came down outside, I spent the afternoon watching movies in a motel room. I saw a really good Canadian film called "My life without me" and ordered pizza and beer for supper.
Date: 2005-04-14
From: Relax Inn, Atkins, VA

To: Lick Creek
Miles today: 16.0

I was in a bit of a funk all day today and for no good reason. The weather has cleared up and it was a beautiful day for hiking. Maybe it's because today is the day I hit the quarter mark. A quarter of the way into a single day I start thinking about how far I've come compared to how much further I have to go. Maybe that feeling gets magnified when applied to the whole journey. Also, last night becasue of the weather every hiker anywhere 25 miles south or less ended up at the motel. And this morning even though I set out early, every one of them breezed past me before lunch. It made me feel a bit feeble even though I'm exactly where I want to be in terms of my best-case schedule.
Date: 2005-04-15
From: Lick Creek

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

Whatever cloud I had over me yesterday has lifted. Today the fact that I've completed a quarter of the trail seems like a cause for optimism. The weather was beautiful again today altough I slowed down a bit in the heat this afternoon. After a big climb up Chestnut Knob, the trail followed a ridge with beautiful views of the farmland in the valley. Since I decided yesterday to get from Atkins to Pearisburg in six days instead of five, I had a relatively easy day today and three more to look forward to before town.
Date: 2005-04-16
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Helvey's Mill SHelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: clear sky

The weather has been staying superb and today was a nice easy day on the trail. I'm realizing that if I had pushed a little further yesterday, I could have reached Pearisburg a day earlier. But now that I'm getting there with relatively lo-mileage days, the easy terrain means I'm finished by four and can spend some time in the sun. There was a bit of a challenging segment this morning when the trail crossed the same stream more than a dozen times. There waas an alternate trail for high water periods but I didn't know this was one so I followed the white blazes. Each stream crossing seemed to get progressively more difficult, with rocks further and further apart and more and more deep under water. Although I manage the first eight or so with dry feet, the last few were impossible and I sank my left foot first, then at the next crossing my right, until on the last one I lost my footing and ended up with both boots completely submerged. Everything dried quickly in the sun though.
Date: 2005-04-17
From: Helvey's Mill SHelter

To: Trents's Grocery, VA 606
Miles today: 16.3

Today was anothe short day. I finished at 4:30 at a road crossing, and a sign pointed to Trent's grocery and offered a tentsite, shower and laundry for five dollars. The grocery store also had ice cream and a food counter, so I laid out in the sun on my sleeping pad and got up every few minutes for another snack.
Date: 2005-04-18
From: Trents's Grocery, VA 606

To: Doc's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: light rain

These woods are going to look very different in a few days. Over the past week buds have been appearing on the branches, and today many of them started sprouting leaves. There are more wild flowers along the side of the trail. By the time I get to Shanandoah National Park, spring will be in full bloom. I had hoped to go a few miles past the shelter so I could get to Pearisburg for breakfast, but by the time I reached it, it was past six. I was hungry and tired so I stopped.
Date: 2005-04-19
From: Doc's Knob Shelter

To: Holiday Motor Lodge, Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: broken clouds

I had a nice relaxing day in Pearisburg. I checked into the motel in the morning after a pleasant eight-mile hike into town. After lunch at a Chinese bufet across the street, I walked up to the library and then to the Super Walmart. I've decided to get some bulk items like protein powder and Ziploc bags and start a "bounce box", a package I mail myself from town to town. This way I can also have some toiletries that are nice to have when there's a shower but that would be silly to carry around the woods. I ran into Chris as well as Tim and Erica at the library. It was great to see them. I was hoping to spend some time with them this afternoon, but I didn't see them again. I'm sure I'll run into them soon on the trail. I also ran into Billy and it sounds like Brett is only a day or two behind and should catch up soon.
Date: 2005-04-20
From: Holiday Motor Lodge, Pearisburg, VA

To: Near Groundhog trail
Miles today: 12.7

On the way out of Pearisburg this morning, I hitched a ride back to the trail. The guy who picked me up drove me to where the trail picks up after Pearisburg to climb Peters Mountain. But it was about a mile past the point where I got off the trail yesterday. I started up the mountain but 15 minutes in, I decided I had to turn back to do the bit of trail I had missed. I started out to hike all 2174.9 miles of the trail and if I left out a mile and a half in Pearisburg, it would bother me for the rest of the trip. Chris calls me a slave to the blaze and it set me back about two hours to go back to the road, walk back and forth over the bridge and then a mile and a half of nasty trail between a highway, a large industrial factory and a landfill with poison ivy on either side of the path. But for the integrity of the hik, I'm glad I did. At six o'clock though I was still six miles from the next shelter. There was no way to reach it before dark so I stopped when I saw a spot to camp. There's very little water in this section and I only have a litre left to get through breakfast and the six miles to the next reliable source. I should be fine if I start early and get there before it gets hot.
Date: 2005-04-21
From: Near Groundhog trail

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: clear sky

Today was a difficult day. It started right after dawn and ended as the sun was setting. I planned my stops between Pearisburg and Daleville without having the elevation profile and assuming the terrain would continue to be as gentle as in Southwest Virginia. I turns out Central Virginia ia a bit tougher. There was a big climb after lunch in the hottest part of the day. And this morning featured a creek crossing where the bridge had been washed away by a hurricane. I took my boots of to ford the freezing cold water. Then late in the afternoon the rain started. By the time I got into my sleeping bag though it all seemed worthwhile. The big days can be really difficult while I'm hiking, but there's nothing that beats the satisfaction I feel at the end if I make it all the way.
Date: 2005-04-22
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was another big day, a lot like yesterday except with no rivers to ford but with two big climbs instead of one. Like yesterday, I spent most of the first half of the day wondering if I'd make it all the way. But again, like yesterday, there was a big rainstorm in the late afternoon so I had to get to a shelter. I made it to Niday Shelter in time to make supper before dark. I was soaking wet when I got here, but since I'm the only one here, I have lots of room to spread things out to dry.
Date: 2005-04-23
From: Niday Shelter

To: Stream north of VA 624
Miles today: 17.5

The weather kept changing today. I would be drying yesterday's wet socks on top of my pack in the sun when suddenly a big grey cloud would come over and it would start to rain. But as soon as I would get my raingear on and my pack covered, it would be sunny again. The fast-moving clouds cast beautiful shadows over the hills though. There were lots of beautiful views today, especially around Dragon's Tooth. I pushed quite hard again today, and decided to go on a bit afer the last shelter. I was lucky to find a beautiful spot to camp by a stream.
Date: 2005-04-24
From: Stream north of VA 624

To: Angel Gap
Miles today: 19.7

I had another long day today. I've been fretting a bit about mileage since Pearisburg. Back in Tennessee, hikers would talk about Virginia's "twenty-mile days without breaking a sweat." But they haven't materialized for me yet. If my mileage has improved over last month, it's mostly because there are more daylight hours. I'm definitely not getting any faster, and a day as long as today doesn't seem any easier now than it did in Tennessee. I did have another day of extraordinary views though. The rain of the last few days has really brought the leaves out. Everything is green and much lusher than a week ago.
Date: 2005-04-25
From: Angel Gap

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: broken clouds

Everything came together very nicely today. I felt tired when I first woke up and on the five miles into Daleville, I was wondering whether my decision not to stop there was the right one. But as I came out on to the road, a truck gave me a welcoming honk and pulled up beside me where hikers Running Moon and Jukebox got out. The driver, Del, offered me a ride to the post office. We went to get my package and then he took me back to the supermarket near the trail. I got my groceries done and went to the outfitter's next door. I refueled and bought a few supplies. They let me use the computer at the register to update my journal. By 11:30, I was having lunch and an hour later I was back on the trail. Towns are in valleys and the trail runs along a mountain range, so one thing following another, it's a safe bet there'll be a big climb on the way out of town. But the climb back into the mountains from Daleville was very gentle and it was no trouble to go 12 miles to the second shelter. And I'll get laundry and a shower when I get to Glasgow which is only 50 miles on.
Date: 2005-04-26
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: broken clouds

The beginning of the day went through one of the less inspiring parts of the trail as it crossed back and forth over Blue Ridge Parkway dipping and climbing pointlessly only to return to the road. But by afternoon and on the way up Cove Mountain, things got a lot nicer. Late in the afternoon I met fellow thru hiker Jay with whom I quickly discovered a common interest in American left-wing politics. Good conversation kept me going and pushed me four miles further than I planned to Bryant Ridge Shelter, the nicest shelter yet, on two floors with windows and a porch!
Date: 2005-04-28
From: Marble Spring

To: Mom and Pop's Motel, Glasgow, VA
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: broken clouds

I got into Glasgow before 11 so I made it in time for breakfast at Mom and Pop's Motel. There's not much to do here but I decided to stay for a rest anyway. The two grocery stores sold little that wasn't candy or snack food, and I spent most of the day going back for more sweets. But I got my laundry done, had a shower and was able to update my journal at the library. I ate supper at the motel and was in bed by eight.
Date: 2005-04-29
From: Mom and Pop's Motel, Glasgow, VA

To: Brown Mountain Creek
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: light rain

I ordered the "Mountain Man" special for breakfast this morning with an extra egg and a third pancake. The server said most people couldn't finish the regular Mountain Man. "Yes," I said, "but are they mountain men?" There was a regular at the restaurant who offered rides back to the trail for ten dollars. On the way back he told me the forecast called for two days of rain and sure enough, it strated as I got out of his truck. I wasn't too wet when I got to the Brown Mountain Creek Shelter where I met Easy, Pigpen and Gunter, the Roaming Gnome and Diesel who caught up after a 30-mile day. I found a nice spot to camp by the creek near the shelter.
Date: 2005-04-30
From: Brown Mountain Creek

To: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

It continued to rain all morning, and after a big day yesterday, I was having a hard time making much progress. The trail was quite difficult today and even though I barely got over 15 miles, it was evening when I reached the shelter. It was already full, but instead of pitching my tent right away, I made supper first because I was hungry. Unfortunately just as I finished eating it started pouring again and I had to set up my tent in the rain. I can get through one rainy day pretty well, but on the second rainy day in a row everything gets wet. It's supposed to clear up tomorrow.
Date: 2005-05-01
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: Near Chimney Rocks
Miles today: 16.3

I was slow again today. The climb up the Priest was easier than I expected but the trip up the Three Ridges was tough at the end of the day. There was a shelter on the first ridge which I reached at six o'clock, but to make my day a bit easier tomorrow I climbed another two miles to camp on the second ridge. It's a beautiful spot. I hung my fly out to dry so I will see the sun set through the mesh tent on one side of the ridge, and I will see it rise on the other side in the morning.
Date: 2005-05-02
From: Near Chimney Rocks

To: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a long day. I was surprised at 2:30 to find I had only gone 11 of today's 20 miles. Luckily the last part over Humpback Mountain proved easier than I expected and I made it to the shelter before dark. I'm stopping five miles from town and decided to sleep in the shelter to make it easier to pack up quickly in the morning. That was a mistake. One of my shelter mates decided to cook another supper at 10:30. I always sleep better in my tent. Unfortunately in the next section, the trail goes through a antional park so shelters are mandatory. I might risk tenting anyway.
Date: 2005-05-03
From: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter

To: Tree Streets Inn, Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I dropped some weight in Waynesboro. I changed my water treatment, my cooking setup and my tent to drop more than two kilos in my pack weight. When it gets warmer, I'm going to get a lighter sleeping bag, and when the volume gets down, I'm switching to a smaller pack. By the time I finish, I won't be carrying any of the gear I started with. I'm staying at a very nice Bed and Breakfast and this evening innkeepers Bill and Nickie Aldridge invited me to join them for supper. It was great to have a delicious home-cooked meal. I'm excited about starting Shenandoah National Park tomorrow.
Date: 2005-05-04
From: Tree Streets Inn, Waynesboro, VA

To: Near Sawmill Run
Miles today: 9.8

I left Waynesboro with a much lighter load and a much lighter wallet. After a great pancake breakfast at the Tree Streets inn, I though I wouldn't have time to make it to the second shelter. I was still under the impression the park rules required shelter stays although that turned out to be wrong. So I decided to spend the morning in town, then go back to the outfitter with my current load and try out a new lightweight pack. I bought a great three-pound pack and have now cut my base weight in half. I got back to the trail at three and found out that tenting was only prohibited next to shelters, not between them, so I went an extra four miles past the first shelter. The deer in Shenandoah Park understand the rules much better than I do. They know that unlike their cousins in the Blue Ridge, no one is allowed to shoot at them here, so they react very differently to people. Instead of running away, they stand by the side of the trail and watch people pass. At one point two deer started out in front of me on the trail and I followed right behind them for 300 metres before they decided to turn off the path.