morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-04-22
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Whistling Gap
Miles today: 13.6

Last night was another cold night but the day warmed up quickly. The hike today was really nice and the ups and downs weren't too bad. There were some guys out doing trail maintenance and they gave us trail magic apples that were amazing. We then walked under a highway in a gap and there was a trashcan, which is always a solid find because you can drop some weight by throwing away your trash. After hiking a couple more miles we came too a grassy area on the mountain and we aired our stuff out, ate, and enjoyed the sun. We've decided to take an extra day to get to Erwin so we've been doing less miles and it has been super enjoyable. After a few hours we left the meadow and started hiking again. The flowers were amazing today. Thousands and thousands of white flowers blanketed the ground all around the trail and it made the trail look like something out of the wizard of oz. The colors were amazing and the contrast of the flowers and the dead and leafless trees was really cool. We ended up camping in a gap which was a great end to a great day. I remember thinking multiple times throughout the day that I was experiencing a perfect moment. Thoughts on the trail after 1 month.I have laughed more in the last month than I thought possible.Going slow allows you to experience so much more. The people on the trail are some of the greatest people you will ever meet. Hiking the AT is an absolutely amazing experience and I am the happiest I have been in a long time.It's really nice not knowing what it going on in the world (probably helps with the whole being happy thing).Town food is amazing! I want to own a hostel in the future.
Date: 2013-04-23
From: Whistling Gap

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 12.9

This morning we took our time packing up and leaving since we weren't planning on going into town but instead doing an easy day and camping a mile or two from town and getting there early tomorrow morning. About twenty minutes after leaving camp we took a side trail to high rocks and laid on the rocks and enjoyed the views for a little while. We started hiking again and then stopped for lunch near a stream. Soon after we stopped, Blue comes around the corner and joined us for lunch. He said he had been trying to catch us for days and it's always exciting to meet back up with people. After hearing Blue talk about town food for a while we started to think that town sounded like a brilliant idea and with the four of us a hotel room would be pretty cheap for two nights so we could take a zero day in Erwin, so off to town we went. We hitched a ride to the hotel and then went to the huddle house and each got two dinners to eat. After dinner we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed laying around and watching TV.
Date: 2013-04-24
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin
Miles today: 0.0

After getting up and eating breakfast, we decided to just take it easy and ended up watching anaconda 2 on tv. It was a great way to spend the morning with many laughs. Blue called the pizza hut in town and found out that they had an all you can eat buffet so we headed off to pizza hut. After lunch we were feeling rather sickly from eating so much so the walk to resupply felt nice. We figured out that we only have to resupply for a couple days because we will pass a hostel where we can resupply. It's going to feel amazing to carry less food! It was an enjoyable zero day but I'm ready to hit the trail again tomorrow and I'm exited to see my parents and dog in a little over a week when they come to visit for my birthday.
Date: 2013-04-25
From: Erwin

To: Campsite near USFS 230
Miles today: 12.7

We took our time getting ready this morning and decided to head to the trail around 11. As we were leaving the hotel, we saw Ms. Janet coming to shuttle other hikers and caught a ride with her. Ms. Janet is an awesome woman who shuttles hikers all around and knows all. A few of her quotes for the day were, ¢the AT may be 2200 miles long but it's only 2 feet wide." and ¢we're not hitchhikers, we're hikers hitching." So far my whole group has managed to avoid getting the norovirus, but we have seen many sick hikers that look like death. We finally starting hiking again around noon and had a really pretty hike. Spring is in full bloom and seeing the flowers and trees bloom is amazing. We took multiple long breaks throughout the day and just sat and enjoyed the view. I realized today that this is the first time that I can ever remember that I am not stressed out in any way. It's a pretty amazing life and I'm so happy to be out here. We set up camp around 7 and made a huge fire that we sat around until finally going to bed around 10. Since we were the only ones at the campsite, we didn't have to worry about everyone going to bed at 8, and we could talk, laugh, and enjoy the fire. We have continued with our slow pace and it has changed the hike from thinking about footing and miles to simply enjoying the day and letting your mind wander while hiking. I definitely plan on sticking to this slower pace and not getting caught up in trying to do big miles because you miss out on so much when you are looking toward your destination and not focusing on the journey.
Date: 2013-04-26
From: Campsite near USFS 230

To: campsite after Iron Mountain Gap
Miles today: 9.2
Weather: few clouds

We woke up this morning and Blue started a camp fire. Walmart, Blue, Saint Croix, and I sat around the fire until almost 10 30 when we decided we should probably hike at some point. A little bit after we left camp we ran into a couple who was section hiking and talked to then for a while. Then we starting hiking again, but after about an hour we found a cool spot in the woods that was really pretty so we decided to take a lunch break. We were proud of the fact that we hiked less than 1.5 miles by noon. Originally we had planned on doing about a 16 mile day, but we were having a very difficult time today actually hiking. We decided the trail was trying to tell us something so we listened and stopped trying to plan out our day and just focused on all the amazing things around us. We then decided that we were going to go to the hostel but we once again had a lack of motivation to make it there so we listened to what the trail was telling us once more and stopped at the campground a few miles before the hostel. World Peas was at the campsite and had a rough day after a fall so it was nice to catch up with her and help raise her spirits. Our mottos are wherever you are is where you're suppose to be, and the trail will put you wherever you are meant to be if you listen. Another amazing day! Life is great!
Date: 2013-04-27
From: campsite after Iron Mountain Gap

To: Greasy Creek Hostel
Miles today: 2.9
Weather: light rain

It rained some last night so everything was wet this morning. We packed up our wet tents and got started earlier than normal, around 8, because we were motivated to get to the hostel to resupply and hopefully eat some good food. We almost passed the side trail to the hostel but a hiker behind us saw a little sign and we headed down the trail to the hostel. We arrived a little while before it started raining and after watching the weather, which called for severe storms tonight and tomorrow, we decided that we didn't want to be at the highest shelter on the AT during a severe storm or hiking along a ridge line during lightning so we decided to stay at the hostel after only hiking 2.9 miles. There were 13 hikers that ended up staying at the hostel and we watched movies all day and ordered amazing burgers for dinner. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable day at the Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel. Who knows what we will decided to do tomorrow. I'm meeting my parents at Hampton, TN in about 5 days so I need to put some miles in at some point but I'm not worried about it because I know that I'm wherever I'm suppose to be.
Date: 2013-04-28
From: Greasy Creek Hostel

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: moderate rain

This morning it was raining and a lot the people at the hostel decided to zero for the day to avoid the cold rain over Roan Mountain. Blue and Walmart weren't sure what they were going to do yet but Saint Croix wanted to get some miles in and I needed to walk because I needed to get to where my parents would be picking me up in a few days, so we headed out around 9am in the rain. We got to the first shelter in about an hour and stopped to eat some food since we wouldn't be under a shelter again for about 4 hours. We quickly got cold from being wet and not moving so we headed back out into the rain to warm up. The rain was coming down hard and it was coming down the back of my rain pants which was making me even colder. The hike up Roan Mountain was nice but we didn't have any views because of the rain. After a few hours, I was very ready to get to the next shelter but the mountain seemed like it went up forever. We finally got to the shelter around 2, but there was a sign that there was trail magic down in the next gap about 2 miles further. We seriously considered going for trail magic but we were cold and wet and the next shelter was 6 miles away, so we decided to do the smart thing and go to the shelter for the night to dry off and get warm. I put on dry clothes which felt amazing and then hung up my wet stuff to try and dry it. A little after we got everything hung up, three southbound section hikers from Ohio came in for the night. They were really cool to talk to and shared some of their food which is always amazing. Although it was a cold and wet day, it ended up being another great day and it was cool to stay at the highest shelter on the AT.
Date: 2013-04-30
From: Camping before old shelter

To: Camping by stream
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: clear sky

We woke up and packed up camp by 8am and made it to Mountain Harbor Hostel around 9am. Although there wasn't the breakfast we were hoping for, we still needed to resuply at the Hostel. We ended up getting there at the perfect time because everyone at the hostel just finished their breakfast and we ended up getting free orange juice, coffee, grapes, and cookies. We ended up hanging out at the hostel until about 11am talking to other hikers, such as Little Sas, Davie Crocket, Tumbelweed, and Fullhardy, and eating. Before leaving, I decided to buy two Dr. Peppers to pack out for later and then we hit the trail again. After about an hour we stopped to eat lunch on a huge rock with Tumbleweed and Fullhardy, and I enjoyed one of my Dr. Peppers which was absolutely amazing. We took a short side trail to Jones Falls, which was absolutely beautiful and I took my socks and shoes off and put my feet in the freezng cold water while enjoying the waterfall. The rest of the days hike was really pretty and followed a river for part of the day. We found a campsite next to a stream and it made for a beautiful campsite and a great nights sleep lisening to the stream. Tomorrow we only have about 13 miles to go to get to the road where my parents will be so it should be a nice relaxing day.
Date: 2013-05-01
From: Camping by stream

To: Dennis Cove Rd
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

I woke up and took my time getting ready since I only had 13 miles to hike and my parents wouldn't be picking me up until around 7pm. The plan is for Saint Croix to join my parents and I for a couple days so that he can get into a bigger city to deal with his broken camera situation. The hike today was fairly easy and we hung out on a few different rock outcropings to enjoy the view and to slow down our pace for the day so we didn't get to the road too early. We still got to the road around 5 and had a couple hours to wait until my parents arrived. The place we were waiting was a pretty popular day hiking trail head and it was really strange to hear some of the conversations and see a couple that was getting huge amounts of stuff out of their car to camp. It was a nice reminder about how different our current lifestyle is from the norm of the rest of society becasue it has become the new normal for us on the trail. A few minutes before my parents arrived, Walmart came walking down the mountain and then shortly after Blue arrived as well. It was nice to catch up with them and then my parents pulled into the parking lot and I was reunited with my dog Belle. We talked with Walmart and Blue for a little while and they decided that they wanted to camp in front of the bar in Hampton so they took off toward Hampton, and Saint Croix and I headed to town to eat a steak thanks to my parents. It's so great to see my dog, and I'm so excited to spend the next couple days visiting with her and my parents.
Date: 2013-05-02
From: Dennis Cove Rd

To: Wilbur Dam Rd
Miles today: 12.8

It was nice to be able to take a shower and sleep in a bed last nice. We went to Shoney's for breakfast and enjoyed the buffet and then ran errands for a while. Blue was having issues with his underwear so we tracked down a new pair for him in Bristle, VA and went to the outfitter there to get them and look for a sleeping bag liner for me. They didn't have the sleeping bag liner but at least they had what Blue needed so we dropped those off with him in Hampton around 2pm and then headed to the trail. Because we got such a late start for the day, we decided to slackpack, carry only what you need for the day instead of your life on your back, to make up the time. I was initially unsure if I wanted to slackpack at any point on the AT but I am so happy that I did. It felt amazing to slackpack, almost like you're floating, and it made for a super enjoyable hike. I also took Belle with me for the 12.8 mile hike and she had a great time on the trail. Within the last couple miles of the hike, we ran into a southbounder who started the trail in Maine in September. It was awesome to talk with someone who had almost 1,800 miles under his belt and his advise to us was to go slow, take our time, and enjoy all of the beauty around us instead of getting caught up with high miles. The hike today was beautiful and I got to enjoy Laurel Falls, walk along a river for a while, walk along a lake for a few miles, and cross a dam. It was also pretty awesome that after doing all this I got to destroy an all you can eat chinese buffet.
Date: 2013-05-03
From: Wilbur Dam Rd

To: TN 91
Miles today: 16.1

Today we ran a bunch of errands in the morning, like doing laundry, resupplying, and Saint Croix ended up having to buy a new Nikon camera because Pentex wouldn't work with him on getting a working camera in his hands. We got a really late start due to all the errands and didn't get on the trail until 2:30pm even though we had 16.1 miles to do. We slackpacked again today and ended up making great time. We ran into Red Specks at one of the shelters, and talked to him for a little while before continuing on. Today was pretty cold and on the ridge the wind was blowing really hard, making it rather chilly. We got to the next shelter around 7pm and stopped to talk with Davie Crocket, Orion, and Odat. We still had 4.9 miles to go and were trying to get done around 8:30 so we took off again and without a heavy pack we were able to do the 4.9 miles in an hour and 15 minutes. About .1 miles from the road there was trail magic from a church, which was amazing, and we each got a snack and an orange crush. Trail magic is always amazing no matter what it is and has a way of making you insainly happy. We got to my parents car right around 8:30 and Saint Croix got his stuff from the car and headed back into the woods to camp for the night. I went back to the hotel with my parents because I will be taking a zero day tomorrow to go to Asheville, NC and hit up a couple breweries. It felt really nice doing 16.1 miles in 6 hours but I definitely don't plan on keeping up a pace anywhere close to that in the future. Today was also my birthday and I couldn't have asked for a better day.
Date: 2013-05-04
From: TN 91

To: Asheville, NC
Miles today: 0.0

It was really nice to take a zero day and enjoy two of the brewries in Asheville. I also was able to get my sleeping bag liner and a dry compression sack for my sleeping bag from the REI in Asheville so I'm excited about the new gear. It was really nice to take it easy for the day, but I am ready to hit the trail again in the morning and try to do the 21.2 miles to Damascus, VA. It was great to visit with my parents and spend some much needed time with my dog. They plan to visit again when I get to Harpers Ferry so I'll get to see Belle again in about a month. Today was definitely a zero day well spent.
Date: 2013-05-05
From: TN 91

To: The Place Hostel in Damascus, VA
Miles today: 22.6

It was raining hard in Asheville this morning but by the time we got to the trail in TN around 8:45 it had stopped raining. It was cold and windy but kind of nice for hiking. To start the day, I walked through a cow pasture where cows were coming up to me and following me down the trail. Since it was so cold and I was trying to beat the rain, I didn't break much and made it to Damascus by about 3:45pm. I didn't actually beat the rain and ended up walking in it for about 3 hours or so by the time I got there. It was my biggest day yet at 22.6 miles and I finished it in about 7 hours. Once I got to Damascus, I got a bunk at The Place, a hostel run by a church. Soon after I got to the hostel, BitterGoat came in to find me because it was happy hour at the bar. It was great to see BitterGoat and he did a 30 mile day to catch up. The beer was good and I was starving so I ordered a huge buffalo chicken sub which was delicious. The bar was filled with thru hikers and around 9, the karaoke began. It was hilarious to watch everyone sing and it ended up being one of the most fun nights in town so far.
Date: 2013-05-06
From: The Place Hostel in Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

It was nice to be inside last night because it rained throughout the night. After waking up and wandering around the hostel aimlessly for a little while, a bunch of us decided it was time to go get breakfast. We had to be out of the hostel from 10 to 1 so the caretaker could clean, so we tried to make sure we had everything we needed to keep us occupied until 1. We went to the Blue Blaze, the same bar/cafe from the night before, and I got some delicious chocolate chip pancakes. Some people did the pancake challenge, which was if you could eat 10 pancakes you get your name on a brick outside the building and then you could also go for the record which was 15 pancakes. I couldn't even finish my 3 huge pancakes. After breakfast we hung out on the porch of the Hiker Inn because it was raining but the sun soon came out and the day warmed up. I needed to go to the grocery store to resupply but my motivation was non existent so I didn't make it to the store until around 4pm even though that was my only goal for the day. One reason for my lack of motivation was that people were telling stories about a man who is currently on the trail who is freaking everyone out. He apparently claims to speak 7 different languages but if someone tries to talk to him in a language he is speaking, he then switches languages and claims he doesn't understand. He also speaks in tongues and makes barnyard animal sounds. He has a black duffel bag with him and a water pale. He also tells people different names and claims he doesn't know where he is from. Everyone who has met him has been very scared/uncomfortable and worried about what this guy is doing. Of course the therapist in me is fascinated by this guy and I really want to meet him as long as I am with a group of people at the time. I think he is a couple days behind me and apparently a ranger was going out to check this guy out but I still hope I meet him soon just because I'm interested now in what this guy is really like. After all the stories and finally making it to the grocery store, which was completely overwhelming because of the huge selection, I headed back to Blue Blaze for a couple of beers and 50 cent wings. I watched a few people try some fire hot wings and I have not seen so many people cry while eating. Of course after watching this, BitterGoat decided to do the Fire Wing Challenge, eating 10 fire wings in under 30 minutes. He successfully completed the challenge in 5:55 and became the first person to complete it so far. After the bar, BitterGoat and I went to a new taco place to try their tacos, which were really good, and then headed back to our hostels for the night. It was a pretty good zero day but I'm ready to get out of town and back in the woods.
Date: 2013-05-07
From: Damascus, VA

To: campsite near stream
Miles today: 4.4
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up, packed up my stuff, and headed to the Blue Blaze with Orion and Saint Croix for breakfast. Today Orion did the pancake challenge and he managed to eat 12 pancakes which got him his brick outside. At one point it seemed like we might make it out of town before noon but this seems like it is impossible because no matter how hard we try, it never happens even though we're not really doing anything that should take up time. I'm sure some people are capable of it, but I've accepted that I will probably never get out of a town before noon. We got on the trail around 12 30 and about a mile into it, Orion realized he forgot his camp shoes so Saint Croix and I waited by his pack so he could run back and get them. Davie Crockett caught us right as Orion got back so we all hiked together for a while. We were thinking about camping about 5.5 miles in but we found a great campsite right as it started to rain so we stopped to put up our tents. Orion was a little behind us and some how missed us setting up camp so we were wondering where he was for a while but figured we would catch him tomorrow. Just as we got our tents set up, it started down pouring so we spent the next hour and a half in our tents but at least we were dry. Later I cooked my dinner and then we stood around talking for a while before bed. One thing we talked about was duffle bag man amongst other creepy things so by the time it was ready for bed, we were all freaked out.
Date: 2013-05-08
From: campsite near stream

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: light rain

It rained throughout the night and this morning so I had a very wet tent to pack up. After getting packed up it seemed like it might rain so I left camp with my rain gear on. I quickly got too hot and took off my rain gear, so of course, it then started to rain. About 4 miles in we came to a shelter and found Orion there. He had missed us setting up camp and was confused about why he didn't catch us but just figured we kept hiking past the shelter. We ate a snack and then starting hiking as a group again. It rained on and off all day which meant that I was dying of heat in my rain clothes but it was too cold out to get wet from the rain. We got to a shelter around 4 and it immediately started pouring so we decided to stay at the shelter. It was the first shelter I had stayed in in a long time but it was nice to be out of the rain. About 20 other hikers came to the shelter and it was very overwhelming with so many people trying to cook and stay dry in this 7 person shelter. Finally everyone went to their tents and things died down a little so we could sleep.