morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-05-07
From: Unnamed peak (AT mile 872)

To: Loft Mountain Campground 
Miles today: 16.7

The day dawned cold and windy, but without the snow that had been forecast. I hit the trail at 8:00, and Chris caught up with me a half-hour later. He shared some fascinating stories from his days as a sergeant in the Marines. We walked and talked for nearly three hours, until he needed to take a break. His walking pace was faster than mine, so I thought he'd catch me later. I was disappointed that he didn't.All day the weather alternated between windy-cloudy-cold and sunny-mild. I had to keep stopping to add or remove a layer. The trail, on the other hand, made my shin happy. The ups and downs were gradual, and there weren't too many rocks. I reached Blackrock as the sun broke through the clouds--perfect timing! It was a fun scramble to the top of a giant pile of, you guessed it, black rocks at the summit of a mountain. I spent a delightful hour there. It was fun to watch a mother follow her daughter, perhaps 3 years old, up the huge rock pile. The mom stayed close, but let her daughter explore and climb on her own, only helping at particularly difficult or exposed spots. When she reached the summit, the girl gave me a high-five. It warmed my heart.Back on the trail, I crossed an ATC ridgerunner (http://www.blueridgeoutdoors.c...). She asked whether I was a thru-hiker. I took her question as a compliment, but I guess I'm starting to look and smell like hiker trash. Just before arriving at my destination for the night,  I came across a cooler of trail magic. I took an apple, and it tasted wonderful. Fresh fruit and veggies are the foods I miss most on the trail. It was cloudy, windy, and raw when I arrived at Loft Mountain Campground on a side trail. The campground, run by the National Park Service, is a huge facility that sprawls across an entire mountaintop. There was nobody about, just some big camper trailers buttoned up against the weather. The campground didn't look very appealing at all, but eventually I found a tenting-only area off a perimeter road. The first and only person I saw there was Doctari, whom I had met just before Waynesboro. He quickly invited me to share his campsite. He's an EMT, he hikes in a kilt, and he sleeps in a hammock at home as well as on the trail. I'll let you guess whether he's an interesting character. Friendly company and stimulating conversation made for a good ending to a good day. TRAIL NAMES -- Nancy: Trail names are part of the tradition and culture of long-distance hiking, particularly on the AT. In more than a month on the trail, I've met only one long-distance hiker who doesn't go by a trail name. Trail names can be easy to remember (Lioness has a mane of dirty blond dreads, Strider has incredibly long legs). They tend to be unique (I'm sure there are plenty of Justins on the trail, but there's probably only one Glim Glom). And some trail names help people escape their "back home" personalities (Joker was trying hard to act less dour). Choosing KJ, my late brother's initials, as my trail name is probably a form of catharsis or grieving, but you'll need to ask my shrink to be sure.
Date: 2017-05-08
From: Loft Mountain Campground 

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Morning temperatures were in the 30s (F), but there was no wind at our campsite. It didn't feel as cold as the last few mornings. I started walking at 8:00, following the AT as it circled the huge campground, just out of view of the big camper trailers. A full mile later, I re-entered the campground on the far side to buy insect repellent and stove fuel at the camp store. The camp store catered to car campers, not backpackers: almost all their merchandise was in Walmart-size packages. I was pleasantly surprised to find small fuel canisters. Doctari had made his way to the store in a straighter line, through the campground. After some procrastination, I wished him happy trails, and I set out. He was moving more slowly, covering less daily distance, so we don't expect to see each other again.Shortly before reaching Ivy Creek, I saw a bear. Finally, after 34 days and more than 400 miles on the trail! It was on a steep hillside, downslope and slightly ahead of me. It looked at me, and took a few steps further down the hill. When I kept walking slowly and talking loudly, it looked back at me and ambled off into the underbrush, apparently not scared but not ready to have a close encounter. A little later, I came across SunSeeker at Ivy Creek Overlook. We met about a week ago, at the Buena Vista post office. (She had wisely decided to stay put in town while I was getting caught in a lightning storm on a treeless summit.) Although we didn't walk together, we encountered each other a couple more times during the day, and we camped next to the same shelter that evening.Late in the afternoon, I realized I had left my SteriPen water purification device on a rock next to the stream where I had collected drinking water. By the time I realized my error, I had covered 4 1/2 miles, and it was late in the day. To recover the SteriPen, I'd need to walk an extra 9 miles, and the backtrack would cost me a full day's trail progress (thanks to SNP's restrictive camping regulations). I decided not to go back. I carry chemical treatment tablets as an emergency backup. At the cool temperatures we've been experiencing, the tablets take 4 hours to kill Giardia parasites. I'll order a replacement SteriPen to be delivered to the next town, but until then I'll need to carry enough water to get me to the next water source, plus a 4-hour reserve. I'll need to manage my water supply carefully, and the extra water weight will make the hills feel longer and steeper. It was a costly mistake.
Date: 2017-05-11
From: Byrds Nest #3 Hut

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: moderate rain

Q: What do hikers do when it rains?A: They hike.An intense thunderstorm woke three of us at 5:00 AM, but Towelie managed to sleep through it. It's difficult to get motivated to transfer from a warm, dry sleeping bag into a cold rain, so we all moved slowly. I stepped into light mist at 8:00. It changed to a steady rain, then back to mist, then back to steady rain as the temperature dropped through the day. Rainy days make for fast walking. There's no point detouring to overlooks, cameras and phones are stashed in waterproof bags, and stopping doesn't get you dryer, just colder. I wore gloves and my thin rainsuit over shorts and a light fleece top. It was comfortable through the morning, but I got chilled by mid-afternoon. I regretted having discarded my worn-out glove liners in town during a warm spell.I was looking forward to taking a break this afternoon at Elkwallow Wayside. (Waysides in SNP are short-order restaurants along Skyline Drive.) The trail passed close to this one, and I was looking forward to getting some warm food out of the rain. This wayside was attached to a camp/gift store, but there was no designated eating area inside. The food workers were pleasant, but the two store clerks were on high alert: any hiker who opened their food indoors was immediately scolded and ushered outside. A bunch of us huddled under the bathroom roof overhang to escape the rain while we ate. The overhang didn't offer much protection from the wind, though. Hoops and Sitting Bull called a shuttle to take them to a hostel; they were going to wait out the rain indoors. Stakes, who had been with us the past three nights, had hurt his foot, and sadly he was abandoning his hike. Towlie, SunSeeker, and a couple others were pressing on.The rain and wind intensified after the break, and I was glad to see Gravel Springs Shelter at day's end. It's a double-decker shelter, and I snagged the last spot on the upper level. I changed into dry clothes and crawled into my sleeping bag to warm up before supper. SunSeeker and I have been walking at the same pace since we met in Buena Vista a week ago. She had hiked a little more than a quarter of the trail a few years ago, and she she's back to finish the job. We don't walk together, both preferring the solitude, but we've been happy to see each other at the end of the day. She plans to stop at a hostel tomorrow while I head into Front Royal. Don't know whether our paths will cross again.
Date: 2017-05-12
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Front Royal
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

One of the shelter occupants turned on his headlamp at 4:00 AM and proceeded to swing the bright spot beam all over the shelter for several minutes while he searched for something in his personal belongings. He didn't use the red bulb, dim the lamp, or make any attempt to avoid pointing the beam at sleeping hikers. I think he managed to wake every one of us. There are boors on the trail, too. The day dawned cloudy, cold and raw, but the forecast all-day rain held off. The trail was well-graded, and I made good time, covering 13 miles in 5 hours, including a short lunch break at a shelter. And there was trail magic at the trailhead! The trailhead is 4 miles up the road from Front Royal, and there are no pullouts for picking up hitchhikers. Another hiker gave me the phone number of a reasonably priced taxi, and my phone had service! It started to rain as I was waiting to be picked up. It was pouring an hour later, but by then I was in the laundry room at the Quality Inn. Funny moment: the taxi driver asked whether I needed help carrying my bag into the hotel, the bag I've carried 500 miles up and down mountains. Yep, today I crossed the 500-mile threshold. I spent most of the afternoon trying unsuccessfully to resuscitate my phone with help from the guest PC in the hotel lobby. Shoelace texted me; he's still in town after taking a zero. We headed to the beer and BBQ place across the street for supper. As we were finishing, a bunch of hikers from the hostel down the road, including SunSeeker, came in. We had a fun evening.
Date: 2017-05-13
From: Front Royal

To: Manassas Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: moderate rain

After breakfast with Shoelace, I resupplied at Martin's Food Market. Everything looked so good, I bought way too much. My pack will be heavy all the way to Harpers Ferry. Back at the hotel, I checked schedules and connections, and I made arrangements to travel home on the 18th. It was 1:20 when I finally hit the trail. The rain had stopped, but the trail was a series of rivulets and mud puddles. I wasted time trying to keep my feet at least partially dry. I arrived at the shelter around 6:30, set up camp about 100 yards away, and had supper at the picnic table with Shoelace and three docs from South Carolina who were out for 5 days. As I was eating, two mice scampered around my feet. They were fun to watch, but I'm glad I'm not sleeping in the shelter tonight.
Date: 2017-05-14
From: Manassas Gap Shelter

To: Morgan Mill Stream
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: clear sky

I woke early to a damp but sunny day. Wished happy trails to Shoelace after breakfast; he's doing 20s now, so I probably won't see him again. The trail was still very muddy and flooded in places, but there were lots of day hikers and weekenders out for Mother's Day. I passed a side trail to Rod Hollow Shelter at 4:30, but it was too early to stop. Almost immediately, I was onto the Roller Coaster. The Roller Coaster is 13-mile stretch of trail containing 12 significant climbs totaling 5000' elevation gain, and it's surprisingly rocky after the relatively soft and smooth footpath through the Shenandoah. It was tougher than I expected it to be. I found a very large, but not very level, campsite at Morgan Mill Stream. It shows signs of heavy use, but I'm the only one here tonight. This part of the trail is close to Washington Dulles airport, and there's nearly constant noise from jets landing there. I pitched my tent near the stream, which, swollen from recent rain, drowns out most of the jet noise. It feels a bit weird spending the night alone in the woods so close to a major international airport.
Date: 2017-05-15
From: Morgan Mill Stream

To: Blackburn AT Center
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: clear sky

Enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and pack-out. There was no noise from landing aircraft, so the wind direction must have changed overnight. The Roller Coaster ups and downs continued unabated. Although I was in no hurry, the slow going was frustrating. My left knee and shin contributed to the challenge. I've found that putting my foot down quickly at an odd angle can result in shooting pain. So I'm taking very slow, tentative steps on uneven, rocky terrain. It took me 6 hours to cover the first 7 miles today. I stopped briefly at Bears Den Hostel, built of stone in the 1930s. I grabbed a cold soda and charged my phone for a few minutes. It's a nice place, and there were a few pleasant hikers hanging around. A couple months ago, I would have have stopped for the night, glad for an opportunity to rest my sore body. But it was only 2:30 on a gorgeous afternoon, and the trail beckoned. My next plan was to stay at a campsite with a spring at the exit of the Roller Coaster, as described in AWOL's guide. When I got there, there was neither a campsite nor a spring, and I was down to less than a liter of water. So it was on for another 4 miles to the Blackburn AT Center. Blackburn is primarily a day-use facility for Potomac Appalachian Trail Club functions. But it also has a small bunkhouse and a few nice tent pads. There was room in the bunkhouse, but the weather was perfect for sleeping outdoors, so I pitched my tent for the last time.
Date: 2017-05-17
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Maryland Heights
Miles today: 0.9
Weather: clear sky

I woke up with a day to spare before my trip home. So I did what I'm accustomed to doing: I put on my shoes and pack, and walked. I retraced my steps to the ATC office, then continued another mile on the AT. It took me through Lower Town Harpers Ferry and across a railway bridge into Maryland. From there, I blue blazed. I took a trail to an overlook on Maryland Heights, which provided a spectacular view of the town and the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers. The trail and the overlook were packed with day hikers, some without even a water bottle on a 90-degree day. After six weeks on the trail and now carrying a nearly-empty pack, I effortlessly flew past every other hiker on the steep but short hills. That's not a feeble boast by an aging man; it's what humping a backpack up mountains every day will do to anybody's leg muscles and stamina. While it was fun to be "king of the hill" for a day, it's really sinking in that I'm not a long-distance hiker any more. The 8-mile loop I walked didn't feel like real hiking.I went back to the ATC office in the afternoon to sign the log book. There were no familiar faces there, nor among the hikers I encountered in town. Most of my hiking buddies are already somewhere up the trail. Although the new faces were open and friendly, they clearly didn't want to invest too much time or emotion getting to know someone who is off the trail. Although my mood was mostly melancholy, the day helped me transition back into my other life. It reinforced that hiking is over, at least for now, and it's time to start the next phase of my life.My mood picked up in the evening. SunSeeker arrived in town mid-day, and we had dinner together. Walking back to the hotel, she tried to convince me to stay on the trail. I think she was only half-joking, which made me feel good.
Date: 2017-05-18
To: Chapel Hill, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Last night I set an alarm for the first time in 43 days. I took the MARC commuter train to Union Station in DC. Since I had a couple hours to spare before my flight home from Reagan, I took a stroll around the Capitol and the National Mall. The concrete, the crowds, and the security were a shock; it was like visiting a foreign country. My backpack has has held my food, water, shelter, and essentially all my belongings for a month and a half. I felt some trepidation handing it over to a stranger behind the counter at the airport; it just didn't feel like a prudent thing to do.THE NUMBERS:555 trail miles walked, about a quarter of the AT133,000 feet elevation gained, about 25 miles vertically43 days on the trail19 days on which it rained, sleeted, or snowed40,000 white blazes passed, including the ones facing the opposite direction, which can be surprisingly helpful at times22 hours longest interval without seeing another human2 bear sightings3500 calories consumed per day12 pounds lost2 pairs of shoes and 5 pairs of trekking pole tips worn out0 pain-free days0 times I thought about quitting0 regretsWHAT I LEARNED:The only two things over which I had no control were the trail and the weather. I had at least some degree of influence over everything else. By far the most important thing over which I had control was my attitude about the two things I couldn't do anything about. Respecting the terrain and embracing the rain were the keys to having happy trails.It's worth trading ease and comfort for serenity and wonder.Adversity is a challenge to overcome, not something to avoid.While I didn't attempt the much more demanding objective of thru-hiking the trail, my journey wasn't always easy. The elements I relied upon were 10% physical, 10% campcraft and gear, and 80% attitude.
Date: 2017-05-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Here's a summary of the trip in slide show format: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jci4...You can also check out the links below for more, and higher resolution, photos. Click the "i" button if you'd like to see captions and locations.Damascus to Marion https://goo.gl/photos/kC4dtpk7...Marion to Pearisburg https://goo.gl/photos/4sf47j6G... Pearisburg to Daleville https://goo.gl/photos/ukPMvp6F...Daleville to Waynesboro https://goo.gl/photos/wh1CiMDv...Shenandoah National Park https://photos.app.goo.gl/UC3e...Front Royal to Harpers Ferry https://photos.app.goo.gl/tanp...
Date: 2017-11-04
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: few clouds

Started at the famous Neels Gap with Amelia, Anthony, Jayne, and John. Saw the famous shoe tree and began by walking through the building (only place where the AT goes through a building). The trail was moderate. I started in the lead and managed to drop everyone else in the first five minutes. After that, I let Jayne lead. She kept a good, steady pace. Jayne and I arrived at Low Gap Shelter ~4:30. There we met three SOBO thru-hikers (Bog Angel, Milkshake, one other) and four weekenders. We set up camp on some nice flat spots 200 yards uphill from the shelter. Good thing, because the shelter crowd was noisy, especially when two more arrived well after dark. Bed at 7:15; stayed up reading for a while.
Date: 2017-11-05
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

The time changed last night, but it was still dark when I got up at 6:00. I had to turn around ten minutes after I started when I realized I had left a water bottle on the ground at camp. I crossed Anthony and John as I was backtracking, so I ended up being the last one out of camp. Nevertheless, I got to the front of the pack by 11:00. Felt energized and strong today, despite 5,000' elevation gain.Tray Mountain Shelter is situated on a ridge line, and it was windy. It felt cold, so none of us lingered too long. Lack of sleep last night caught up with me, and I was lights out by 8:00.
Date: 2017-11-06
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Plumorchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It was windy and rainy last night, but I slept well. Before leaving, I chatted briefly with seven SOBO thru-hikers who were ahead of their schedules for pick-up at Springer. They were in a celebratory mood, with only 80 miles to go.Weather was mostly cloudy but dry in the morning. It rained lightly for ~2 hours in the afternoon.Walked with Anthony and Jayne for a while, then I pushed ahead alone for a few hours to meet Sharon. She was meeting us to start her hike at Dicks Creek Gap. It was nice to get a few hours of solitude on this group trip. I ate lunch while Sharon started up the trail. She and her husband had moved from Georgia to Florida a few months ago, and she had lost her mountain trail legs. It doesn't take long!I'm feeling really good after two 15+ mile days, but John and Amelia look very tired. Plumorchard Gap Shelter is a triple-decker. Good thing, because there were three groups staying there. Most seemed to be beginners, all walking well under 10 miles/day. Funny how all members of our group wanted to sleep in our tents/hammocks every night instead of in the shelters. SOBO thru-hiker Dirt arrived while we were eating supper. She's from Damascus, finished her bachelor's degree. She's moving to Chapel Hill (near Maple View Farm) after her hike. She was young and attractive, and a couple of the other geezers in the shelter were obviously envious that I engaged here in a friendly conversation almost immediately. I've noticed I can connect easily with most thru-hikers, regardless of their age or gender. Wish I had that ability with "normal" people when I'm not on the trail.I tried to light a campfire, but the wood was very wet and I lacked the patience/skill. Fail! I should have asked Jayne to do it; she was a Girl Scout.
Date: 2017-11-07
From: Plumorchard Gap Shelter

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 11.3

The day dawned with a little sun, but the weather deteriorated steadily. As usual, I was the last to leave camp. Dirt passed me and exchanged a few words as I was collecting water.I caught Amelia on the first climb, then caught the others in turn. John was still tired, but he looked and sounded much better when I walked with him for a while. He's retired from Verizon. Anthony, Jayne, and I took each others' photos at the NC/GA border. Jayne and I walked "up front" the rest of the way to Muskrat Creek Shelter. (You may note that I've consistently been the fastest hiker in this group. My LASH earlier this year has a lot to do with that!) It got foggy/misty at Courthouse Bald. It started to rain hard and thunder just as we reached the shelter for lunch. The forecast has changed for the worse. It's now calling for more rain and colder temperatures for the next two days. As they arrived at the shelter, the group decided (5 to 1 vote) to bail two days early at Deep Gap, just 4 miles ahead. I would have stayed on the trail, but Jayne was carpooling with me.We ordered two shuttles (max capacity three each), one at 3:45 and a second one at 4:45. After saying goodbye to the others, the three fastest hikers (John, Jayne, and I) headed out at a brisk pace. We made it with time to spare.After being shuttled to our car, Jayne and I had supper in Franklin. I dropped her in Marion where her boyfriend was waiting, then drove a few more miles to a Days Inn in Hickory. Home tomorrow.
Date: 2016-11-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Wow - Great send off from my friends and co-workers as I retired Jan 31. Have now moved to Florida and will soak up some sun before hitting the trail. The weather has been so warm I was tempted to start early, but after waking up to 18 degrees in Blairsville, Ga decided to stick with the plan. Did a quick hike out to Long Creek Falls while in Blairsville.Speckled Hen
Date: 2017-03-08
From: Hawk Mt tent site

To: Gooch's gap
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: clear sky

Heavy rain last night then windy after 2. Sunny todayday 2 -8.4ish miles up and over-sassafras mt and Gooch Mt . Tent pole broke did temp fix. Tent site on slope should be a busy night trying to stay in bed.
Date: 2017-03-09
From: Gooch's gap

To: Lance Creek
Miles today: 8.1

Day 3-sleeping on the sloop was not too much fun. Met Mother Nature and her husband Smokestack both trail ambassadors. Nice folks doing a great job helping folks ~8.1 miles. Ups and downs but not too bad. Nice weather today. Lots of pics Will download when I get to free Wi-Fi.