morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-03
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night it rained almost continually trough the night, This morning it continued to rain, so I decided to take the high water trail ( I also thought that it might be smart since the sign said that the Laurel Creek Bridge was out and the high water trail bypassed it).    Once the high water trail rejoined the AT, there was a cooler filled with ice and apple juice. The 10 oz. bottle was pure pleasure. It just tasted so good. There was even a trash can next to it so I didn¢t have to carry my trash out.      By about 11:30, the rain had stopped, and it was a relatively clear day. However, as the clouds went away, the temperature rose sharply. It hit about 70 degrees (lower than yesterday¢s 87 degrees, but still hot). I was actually happy when at 3pm, the skies opened up and it began to pour. The lightening and thunder were music to my ears. I didn¢t put on any of my rain gear. I just let it fall on me. It just felt great. I would gladly trade five straight days of 85 or 90 degree heat for 20 straight days of rain If e get 20 straight days of rain, you know who to blame)).   After seeing no thru-hikers all day, I arrived to find no one at the shelter.
Date: 2006-04-04
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Doc's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: clear sky

This morning when I woke up, it was 30 degrees. I was really happy because I knew that it wasn¢t going to be that hot (Did I mention that I don¢t really hike in the heat?).   About 1.2 miles after leaving the shelter, I crossed a road that had a stream next to it. What I saw will always make me reconsider from what water sources I will drink. In the stream were the skeletons of three deer in addition to dozens of bottles and cans and several bags of household waste including laundry detergent. Actually the detergent may help to kill some of the pathogens from the deer carcasses. What was really scary was that right around the corner the stream looked nice and clean. It makes you think.   Later in the day, I came to the side trail to Dismal Falls. Since I had time, I decdided to take the .3 mile trail. When I got there, I was glad that I had gone the extra distance. The falls were really beautiful. You can observe them from the top, side, and below. In the summer, this would be a really nice swimming hole below the falls. There are also some REALLY great campsites next to the creek and along the side trail. If you enjoy camping, you should definitely plan Dismal Falls into your schedule as a place to stay.   Continuing on the AT followed the valley. It was a much different feeling than ridge running with all the streams and vegetation; it was kind of like walking through a jungle at points (except it wasn¢t hot).   When I got to Wapiti Shelter, it was early in the day, so I decided to continue on to Doc¢s Knob. However, when I hit Big Horse Gap, I saw a sign saying that Woods Hole Hostel was open beginning April 1st. I had heard very good things about this hostel, so when I hit Sugar Run Gap, I walked the .5 miles to the hostel. However, when I got there, it was all locked up and no one was there. A bit disappointed, I headed back up to the gap and hiked the 2.2 miles to Doc¢s Knob Shelter.   I was hoping that there would be other hikers, but no one was there. In fact, the only person I saw today was a SOBO hiker. I said ¢Hi¢, and he just kept walking, returning a meek ¢Hello¢. Other than that, it has just been me, talking to myself (or writing to myself). However, this has been a good opportunity for contemplation. You rarely are able to have a day where you don¢t contact anyone and can just think. Even so, I hope that I meet a couple of thru-hikers at Holy Family in Pearisburg.
Date: 2006-04-05
From: Doc's Knob Shelter

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: clear sky

Today I had a pretty short hike. In the morning I slept until after 8am and took my time getting my gear together. What was the reason to rush?    On the way to Pearisburg I took time to enjoy all of the great views that the AT had to offer. When I crested Pearis Mountain, the powerline clearing offered a wide view on to both sides of the mountain. Just a couple of miles later, there was a rock ledge off to the right that gave a view of the entire valley. Then, only .5 miles later, was Angels Rest, a rock which overlooked Pearisburg and the surrounding area. It was apretty interesting since I was able to correlate the map in the Companion to the city I saw below. It was so beautiful up there that I really didn¢t want to leave.   What impressed me particularly were the interesting rock formations. There were large, tall rocks that just stood on their own, and there were the cliffs within the mountain with caves and crevices. I thought that the AT should have gone through some of the natural squeezes in the area.   Anyway, I made it down the next two miles with a bit of pain from a new blister ( I thought that every part of my foot had a callus, but I guess I was wrong). When I got to the Shumate Bridge, I crossed the road to Wade¢s Grocery where I planned to meet my mother one last time before she returns to NY on Friday. In this short period of time, I was offered two rides into town. One guy even offered to bring me right to the door of the Holy Family Hostel.    When I was in the grocery store buying a soda and some chips, the man behind me told me how much he loves hiking and the woman behind him was saying how she and her grandson climbed up Pearis Mountain on the weekend. The townspeople seem to be very nice and hiker friendly.   Once I met my mother, I went to the $5 AYCE Chinese lunch buffet near the Food Lion across from the Holiday Motor Lodge.      After getting myself settled into the Holy Family Hostel, I went to eat again at Wendy¢s (That¢s all I see to do in town). When I returned, Batman and Robin¢s Nest were at the hostel. It was nice to see other thru-hikers. We sat and talked. They are both around my age, having also deferred from college for a year. It would be nice if I meetUp with them again at a later point on the trail.
Date: 2006-04-06
From: Pearisburg

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night was very interesting. Everyone always tells me that I talk in my sleep. For some reason, I woke up realizing that I was saying something like ¢I can¢t see it. I need a flashlight.¢ Then, a second later, Robin¢s Nest is yelling ¢Where¢s the nearest water source?¢ Batman in his sleep, answers ¢Downstairs.¢ Robin¢s Nest says ¢No, I need water¢ and she shakes him. The next thing I hear is a rustle, a clunk, and then the guzzling of water.   In the morning, we talked about this incident. Amazingly, Batman doesn¢t remember anything. Also in the morning Batman attempted to make pancakes from a ¢Just add water¢ mix. However, it didn¢t really work out too well. They were salty and didn¢t really rise or cook well. It wasn¢t Batman¢s fault it was the pancake mix.   After this attempt at breakfast, I hiked the quarter mile back trail to Walmart. I was going to buy a postcard to send to the lab I had worked at in the fall, but Walmart didn¢t sell postcards. I went to the Dollar Store and the gas station, neither of which sold postcards.    After that we all went to the Public Library to use the internet. It was there that My mom came up with an idea: we could all drive up to Catawba to eat dinner at The Homeplace. None of us would pass it when it was open. Batman and Robin¢s Nest thought for a second, deciding that it was a good idea. They would just night hike the 8 miles that they had planned on going.   The 50-60 mile trip made us kind of sick with the curvy roads and limited vision in the back seat. However, the car sickness was all worth it when we arrived at the restaurant purported to be ¢the best food on the trail¢. After eating the fried chicken and roast beef, I would have to agree that the the food was pretty good. The best part though was the peach cobbler and ice cream for dessert. It was really to die for.    The trip back made us carsick, but it was OK because we were so content after such a great AYCE meal.       Back at the hostel, I saw Bill again (I didn¢t mention seeing him but earlier that afternoon he had stopped in). Bill is really an incredible person. He basically turned an corn crib into a weatherproof hostel with a bathroom, shower, kitchen, lounge area, and bunk area. The place looks really nice and the atmosphere is very comforting. The entire place is decorated with AT pictures, posters and informational signs. Bill just finished building a porch out front with a great view of the valley and the mountains. He is planning to wrap the porch around the front side so the entire thing is covered. This looks like a lot of work, so if you are around while Bill is doing any of this, see if you can help him.   Tonight, I was expecting to see a couple of other hikers, but no one else showed up; it was just me and the electric light.
Date: 2006-04-07
From: Pearisburg

To: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: clear sky

Today, despite having taken a zero and a nero day, I didn¢t really feel that good. I think that I have some kind of virus because I have been really dizzy and have a fever. I would have stopped at Rice Field Shelter to stay the night, however, I know that I have to arrive in Daleville on the 11th so that I can get to the Passover Seder in Blacksburg on the 12th.Most of the day, it was really hot, hovering right around 80 degrees, but in the afternoon the wind and the clouds came in. When I was about 4 miles from the shelter, it really began to rain. Then, the lightening came. At first it was far away, but when I was about half a mile from the shelter, the storm was right over me. With lightening striking about .1 or .2 miles away, I began to run. I ran most of the way to the shelter.When I arrived, MaRk was sitting there. He was very happy to see me because he hadn¢t really seen any other hikers in days. After cooking dinner, we were ready to go to sleep, when suddenly three other hikers showed up. They said they were part of a group of 30 trail maintainers who were going to do work around the area. Luckily, it was just those three showing up tonight. Everyone else was going to come in the morning.
Date: 2006-04-08
From: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: light rain

This morning I was going to try to get an early start, mostly to beat the heat. However, it was still raining pretty hared when I got up, so I went back to sleep. An hour later, it was still raining, so I faced the fact that I would get wet.Since it had rained all night and it was still raining, I decided to take the detour around Stony Creek. Since the bridge has been out for two years, I am surprised that both guidebooks list the bridge as being there. After all of this rain, fording the river would have been very treacherous.After crossing VA 635, there was Trail Magic left by ¢The Captain.¢ I sat down and enjoyed a pastry and a soda (there is nothing like a Sam¢s Choice on a hot day).When I got to Wind Rock, I saw something interesting. There was a fire going still with flames (remember it is still raining), yet there was no one around. I was there for about 10 minutes, and didn¢t see anybody; it was a little strange.I arrived at my shelter around 5pm. This gave me plenty of time to just sit around and relax with a cup of hot tea.
Date: 2006-04-09
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: clear sky

I really must be blind. I had read a couple of days ago that we were going to pass the largest oak tree on the southern AT. I hadn¢t really marked off where it would be; I thought that I would see it. However, I passed it today without even noticing. A tree 18¢In girth should have stood out, but to me it just looked like every other tree.During the day I passed Craig Creek. MaRk and I were going to get water from the stream, but we saw garbage in it. Going upstream, we saw toilet paper in the water. MaRk was optimistic and thought that someone had blown their nose and the paper blew in. I was not quite so optimistic and collected my water 100 yards upstream.A few miles uphill from there, we met an older couple who had parked in a lot just .2 miles away. We all walked up the trail and saw the Audie Murphy Memorial. It was a really nice memorial. Several people had left rocks on top to remember him.After crossing VA620, a couple miles later, Batman and Robin¢s Nest passed me. They had taken a rest day in Roanoke. It was great to see them again. They are really fun people.
Date: 2006-04-11
From: Lambert's Meadow Shelter

To: Daleville
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: clear sky

This morning I heard everyone else in the shelter moving around pretty early. By the time I woke up at 7:30am, there was no one in the shelter. I didn¢t feel any need to rush since I was going less than 10 miles.On my way, I met a man who was single-handedly building a trail relocation. He had been working all day to remove the topsoil, duff, and rocks. He had thru-hiked before with his wife and kids under the name of ¢The Odd Couple¢. I was really amazed that he was out there all by himself doing such hard work.Arriving in Daleville, I checked into the Econolodge. After washing up, I headed over to the UPS store and Outdoor Trails. In both places, I met MaRk. It was kind of strange. I guess that thru-hikers only go to certain places in town. I also learned that MaRk was staying in the room right next door to me.For dinner I headed over to Country Cookin¢ just under the interstate. The food was really good and the prices decent. All of the meals include the dessert/salad/vegetable bar. You can get roast beef for about $8. The AYCE pasta with meat sauce on Tuesday nights is $7.Arriving back at the hotel, I was going to go right to bed, but I got sucked into a PBS show about China from 1989 to the present.
Date: 2006-04-12
From: Daleville

To: Blacksburg
Miles today: 0.0

This morning the hotel served coffee, juice, and Krispy Kreme donutsfor breakfast. They don¢t really seem to care if you eat a lot.At 10:45 I received a shuttle from the outfitter to the Roanoke bus station. From there I took the bus to Blacksburg and walked across the VA Tech campus to the Holiday Inn. Basically killing time until the evening, I went to the pool, bought some sushi at Krogers and reorganized my backpack (I just switched to a smaller sleeping bag and the larger Z-Rest mat so I haven¢t quite worked out how everything fits in).As evening approached, I headed over to the Inn at VA Tech across the street where the Passover seder was to be held. Before it began, people were all standing in the fourier talking. I met several interesting students from VA Tech. One was a computer engineer, another a communications major, and another a mechanical engineer. They were from different areas, from NJ to Boston to Chicago.Since the seder was large (250+) and there were several non-Jewish guests, they made several changes to the service. It was mostly done in English with some parts still read by the reader in Hebrew. Also there were more stories than I had heard at most other seders. There was also a custom that I hadn¢t seen before: the filling of Miriam¢s cup with water from the glasses of the table. We were then supposed to remember strong women who have made an impact on our lives (I of course remember my recently deceased grandmother. The meal tasted pretty good (but of course everything tastes better after seder wine). However, the chefs had made a mistake and the matzah ball soup wasn¢t kosher for Passover. Also they had run out of gefillte fish. There was plenty for everyone to eat and then some. It was really great to spend Passover with a nice group Jewish students. I had an awesome time.
Date: 2006-04-13
From: Blacksburg

To: Lexington
Miles today: 0.0

I received a lot of shuttles today. This morning I was shuttled from the hotel to the bus stop at the student union. Then, I took a bus to Roanoke. The outfitter from Daleville brought me back up there. After that, I was picked up by Trail Angel Del who brought me to Lexington.In Lexington, I was staying with a family for the second Passover seder. They had a lot of their family over for the holiday (probably around 16 people). I felt like I was a part of their family. We sang all of the traditional songs that I knew. The food was amazing. Mary Ann prepared all day for the seder.After the meal, we all sat around and talked. A couple of people were playing guitar. Later, we went onto the porch and watched the stars. Very late I went to bed.
Date: 2006-04-14
From: Lexington

To: Lexington
Miles today: 0.0

The plan originally was to have Del pick me up at 1pm. He was in the area for an appointment anyway. However, Mary Ann convinced me that I should stay one more day. She said ¢C¢mon you should spend Shabbos dinner with us. Why leave today? It is already raining!¢ So, I succumbed to her argument and decided to stay another night, and I think that it was a good idea. After it stopped lightening at noon, we went into the indoor pool. It was really fun because 18-month old Cato was brought into the water. He was splashing around, and his mother, father, grandmother were all playing games with him. After a very relaxing swim, a few of us decided to Scrabble. The first two games were normal. The third, we made up words like ¢Roxytailkleididi¢ and ¢trimnapefeet.¢ Each of them actually has a definition.Soon after this, we had Shabbos dinner. The chicken was really incredible. Everything was great. After dinner we all sat around the table and told ghost stories. One person had visited Guatemala when in the peace Corps and told us some folk legends. The atmosphere was right for the stories. It was raining quite hard and there was a lot of lightening.Around midnight we all retired to our rooms. I was staying with two others. They decided to watch the movie ¢Crash¢ so I didn¢t have an other option but to watch ( I can¢t sleep with the TV on). Once the movie (which was actually pretty good) was over, they decided that they were going to watch TV. At this point I really wanted to go to sleep, but they wanted to watch TV. Luckily, the crazy lightening knocked out the satellite signal and they decided that they would watch the lightening. The storm was very . impressive. It was the strongest, most severe storm I had ever seen. The sky never stopped being lit. The thunder was also a continuous roll with some really loud periods. I don¢t know what it was like in Daleville and the surrounding area, but I was kind of glad that I hadn¢t left Lexington.
Date: 2006-04-17
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 25.1
Weather: light rain

Journal entry to followFrom phone call - Wildwood Campground is NOT hiker friendly. Hard hitch to the campground - I finally got a ride from someone who wants to hike the AT in 15 years. Before this ride drivers gave me the finger and others acted like they were going to ram me with their car. At the campground - you can't use the bathroom or buy a shower without paying $22 for a campsite. I stood 45 minutes in front of the campground until some people staying there decided to give me a ride. The store at this campground is poorly supplied - no burgers available, just milk shakes. Wildwood is definitely not worth your time and energy.
Date: 2006-04-18
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 25.3
Weather: clear sky

This morning when I woke up, I didn¢t feel well at all. The entire day was a struggle, even on the flat and downhill. However, I knew that I couldn¢t just go 9 miles, so I pushed on all the way to Seeley so that tomorrow I could have a short day. My cough is much worse and I just feel so weak.When I arrived at the shelter (after a 3000+ foot climb just 10 miles before), there was a troop of Boy Scouts doing their annual 50-mile hike. Luckily, they decided to tent out and leave the shelter for the thru-hikers. Although there were nine thru-hikers there ( me, Taco, the Dingleberries, Hatteras Jack, Moleman, Pebbles, Fat Camp ( formerly Trevor), Jolly Green Giant), there was enough room because three were sleeping out under the stars. It looks like tomorrow we will all be going to Dutch Haus for lunch, and some of us will be staying the night.
Date: 2006-04-19
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: Fish Hatchery Road
Miles today: 2.3

It is as if the entire world converged upon Montebello today. In addition to the nine thru-hikers I mentioned who stayed at Seeley-Woodworth Shelter, Skeemer, Woody Crow, and the three Tennessee Boys dropped into town along with three section hikers. Lois and Earl were a little surprised by how many came on the second day that they were offering free lunch.The three miles I hiked today were theoretically very easy (aka flat or downhill the entire way), however, I felt so lousy that it was really difficult. I am 95% sure that I am going to take a zero day to try and get a bit better, because I am absolutely in no condition to hike.The lunch that Lois prepared was pretty incredible considering the large number of people who just showed up. She was even able to find food that I could eat for Passover.The sleeping arrangements were nice. Two people share a room with either one queen or two double beds. The sheets are plentiful and washed every day. I was supposed to share a bed with Woody Crow, but with my deep cough and sneezing he decided instead he would sleep in a bed in the overflow cabin. So, it looks like I will have the queen bed all to myself. In addition to nice, clean bedrooms, two rooms share a bathroom with a real bathtub. Lois provides towels and bathrobes for our use. It was pretty cool with everyone walking around in their robes, feeling very clean and relaxed. After lunch and showers, we all began watching movies in one of the rooms. What I think happened was a couple of people began watching and then more came. We had everyone stuffed into one bedroom watching ¢Collateral¢ (well, actually I saw the end) and ¢Good Fellas.¢ Lois suggested we go into the sitting area where there was a TV and plenty of chairs, however everyone seemed comfortable stuffed into one room.In between watching the movies, Earl gave us a ride down to the store and post office (they give this ride several times a day). I bought only stuff that was good for Passover since I didn¢t want to have to stare at food I couldn¢t eat for a day.At dinner, there was a little segregation going on. Since the large table was full, Lois put Woody Crow and me at the same table. We both were celebrating Passover and had the same different meals, so we joked ¢This is segregation.¢ The dinner was pretty good: salad, chicken, fruit, and baked apple for dessert. Well satisfied, everyone stumblede to their bedrooms, for what am I sure will be, a great nights sleep.