morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2022-09-26
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Blackrock Gap
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

We repeated our leave-early routine this morning and left Pinefield Hut without breakfast. There was no water at the shelter so we hiked 3.1 to Ivy Creek before sitting down for a half-hour breakfast break. Loft Mountain Campground store was only 3.4 ahead. We knew we¢d get a second breakfast there so we weren¢t real serious about the Ivy Creek meal. Far Out had comments about epic trail magic at Loft Mountain Campground tonight. Steaks, fruit, pizza, alcohol, etc were advertised. The magician lives in the area and puts on this treat for hikers about twice a month. We were, unfortunately, not going to be able to stay since, fortunately, my parents were meeting us in Blackrock Gap to take us to their camper. When we arrived at Loft Mountain Campground around 10:00 the thru hiker crowd was already forming. Several hikers were planning on hanging out all day for the trail magic that night. We met some new characters - Podcast and Tang - and recognized some familiar faces - Kung Fu Kitty, Nat Geo, Sunset. We spent about 45 minutes at the store enjoying the wares and the incredible weather outside. Fall is here but the day has been warm in the sun. The air is crisp but the sky is a stunning shade of blue and is clear as a sky has ever been. We heard news today of hurricane Ian, about to hit Florida. The remnants of the storm will undoubtedly make it to Virginia late this week. We¢ll enjoy the stunning weather until then. My parents are bringing their camper to meet us in the trail again. Their timing might be serendipitous if Ian does pay us a visit. There are worse places to ride out some rain than Grandie and Grandpas camper!The 7 miles from the campground to Blackrock Gap were unremarkable. The weather was glorious and the trail was easy underfoot. We arrived at Blackrock Gap just before 3:00. Dad arrived in the truck at 3:00 to great fanfare. We loaded up and drove the 40 minutes to Misty Mountain Campground where we greeted a teary-eyed Grandie with hugs and cheers. We began the chores with a gear dump in the screened gazebo. Showers, laundry, and bacon cheeseburgers followed. Ninja Squirrel pitched the tarp and prepared to sleep on the lawn. Texas Pete and Fish each took a bunk in the camper. I made a late (8:00) run to Charlottesville for KT tape to wrap Baxter¢s leg with but was home before 9:00 - a very late night for a thru hiker!
Date: 2022-09-28
From: Rockfish Gap

To: Reeds Gap
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: overcast clouds

We got a later start this morning because of our late night last night.Today¢s plan was to hike from Rockfish Gap south to Reid¢s Gap, another long day of 19.2 miles. Texas Pete elected to take a zero day to rest his leg. He¢s been trucking along since Front Royal and needs a break. Hurricane Ian is coming into VA on Saturday so we¢re planning on taking a zero day then (maybe Sunday, too). We passed a couple headed northbound who were finishing their thru hike in Rockfish Gap today. They live in nearby Richmond and had started in Rockfish Gap headed north. Then traveled from Katahdin to Springer and continued north. This is called a ¢wraparound¢ hike. It was fun to see and talk with them less than 5 miles from their destination.We had second breakfast at Paul C Wolfe shelter - banana bread loaf. Lunch was atop Humpback Mountain Rocks. Watered up at Dripping Rock. Met Grandpa and Texas Pete at Reeds Gap. Went to Rockfish Outfitters straightaway and bought fleece jackets for Texas Pete and Fish. Ninja Squirrel needed a large that they didn¢t have so we ordered it online to be shipped to Daleville. Resupplied at Kroger. Stir fry for dinner.
Date: 2022-09-29
From: Reeds Gap

To: The Priest Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: scattered clouds

We packed up our camp at Misty Mountain Campground this morning. Mom and Dad will stay another night but will move the camper further south tomorrow. We planned on spending the night at The Priest Shelter. The dearth of road crossings on this stretch of trail made an overnight the best course of action. Dad dropped us off in Reed¢s Gap after sunrise. It was a very cold morning. North Star, Fish, and Ninja Squirrel headed into the woods while Texas Pete and I hung back with Dad to tape his knee. The 8 strips of tape took about 10 minutes to get set but the ¢knee brace¢ lasts for three or four days. The hike today was a doozy on the profile map. Shortly after Reeds Gap was a 1000 for climb over Three Ridges Mountain. Then a 3000 foot descent )with some ¢up¢ peppered in) to the Tye River, then immediately back up 3000 feet in 4 miles. Since it¢s downhill that bothers Texas Pete¢s leg, North Star agreed to blue-blaze with him around Three Ridges Mountain using the Mar-Har Trail. It bypasses the mountain and lessens the downhill while also cutting out 4 miles of trail. Fish joined the Mar-Har expedition while Ninja Squirrel and I set off over the peak. We met 2.5 hours later and had lunch at a windy trail junction. The climb up The Priest was cold and windy and impressively graded. The trail climbs this 3000 foot hill on a winding path that stays a 15% grade for 4 miles. It is a marvel of trail planning. We arrived at the shelter at 4:00 and claimed it for ourselves. There was a troop of dads of former Boy Scouts camping together in the sites in front of the shelter. The approaching hurricane had cut their numbers drastically. There were still 5 of them with plenty of booze. ¢Are you quiet drunks or loud drunks?¢, I asked. ¢We¢re going to bed early,¢ they replied. I was skeptical but they were true to their word. The water is great here. Clear running from the ground and very close to the shelter. It will be a cold night. Hurricane Ian will arrive tomorrow afternoon with lots of rain and not a little wind.
Date: 2022-09-30
From: The Priest Shelter

To: Hog Camp Gap
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: broken clouds

Today marks 4 months in the trail. We¢d like to be done in 6 months which makes today the 67% mark in time. We woke up at mile marker 1364.5 putting us 62% of the way through the mileage. Obviously, it would be ideal if we were ahead in mileage instead of a bit behind, but we are happy with our progress. If worse comes to worst, we can be on the trail until Christmas. Barring an unexpected injury or extended illness, we have no doubt we¢ll finish the trail.We were up before the sun at 6:00. The morning was cold and we donned all of our warm layers along with rain gear to keep the wind out. We boiled water for a hot breakfast and sat at the picnic table to eat. We were walking before 7:00, stepping out onto a trail ready for rain. The remnants of hurricane Ian reach us in the Blue Ridge of Virginia today. The wind was up and blustery, the air was humid and chilly, and the sky was overcast. Some forecasts put the rain at 11:00 while others say 3:00. We planned to meet Dad in Hog Camp Gap at 2:30. Morale was low, temperatures were dropping, and the rain was a near certainty.As we walked and got the "engines" churning we began to warm up. Trail snacks on the move helped fortify spirits. We began making good time. I passed out bagels/beef jerky/cheese lunch about 11:30 and we ate it while we walked. The rain seemed imminent and stopping for lunch in a cold rain is not something we want to do.We continued to walk and it continued to not rain!We reached an opening on the ridge that afforded a wide view of the east and north and could see that the blustery weather would probably remain for awhile but that rain wasn't yet developing.  As I stepped onto the road in Hog Camp Gap and looked to the left, I could see the roof of Dad's truck coming into view. Perfect timing! We loaded up and started back down the gravel road dry and happy. We made a stop by the Food Lion for fruit, ice cream, and gatorades and then went on to the KOA in Lexington.We have planned on spending at least 3 nights here. Tents aren't allowed on RV spots and there is much rain forecasted so we've gotten a cabin next to the RV for our gear and for some dry beds.Grandpa made a spaghetti dinner and we started eating about the time the rain moved in for good. It was an intermittent rain, sometimes heavy, sometimes light. It rained through the evening and will continue through tomorrow and maybe Sunday.We're planning on a zero day tomorrow so we're all excited about sleeping in!
Date: 2022-10-01
From: Hog Camp Gap

To: Hog Camp Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We slept in this morning in our little cabin. It rained all night, not hard, but persistent. The morning was cold and windy with rain showers still intermittent. Grandpa had pancakes and bacon ready at 9:00. We all ate inside the camper to stay warm.Today's activities:LaundryVideo Games (the Switch is here with the camper)I soaked my pack in a tub of water and vinegar to get the smell out.Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for LunchChess tournament in the arcade room after lunch. I beat Dad for the championship in a messy game neither one of us were proud of.We all took showersI took an afternoon nap - I was knocked way out.Beef tacos for dinner. We ate in the camper again to stay warm.I talked with Jordan on the phone tonight about plans for the m to come to Daleville and set up a "homebase" there from which they could slackpack us and feed us. We'd stay at a hotel. We're tentatively planning on meeting at Bearwallow Gap on Wednesday morning, October 5.It looks like the rain will let up tomorrow. We'll try to get in a short 10 miles between Hog Camp Gap and Swapping Camp Road.
Date: 2022-10-02
From: Hog Camp Gap

To: Hog Camp Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

There was a mutiny this morning! We had made plans to hike 10 miles today. The weather looks adequate - little rain, low winds, low 50s temps. The boys nor the mom want to hike today. So we're taking an unplanned zero!There was oatmeal for breakfast. The boys were settling in for a day in the camper.Joni wanted a coffee shop where she could get wifi and a real coffee. She and I borrowed the truck and headed to Lexington where I dropped her off in front of a coffee shop there. If we're skipping today then that puts us 10 miles behind schedule to meet Jordan. I checked out the map to see if there was a place 10 miles closer to us that would be a suitable meet-up location. Bryant Ridge Shelter has a side trail that leads 0.5 miles to a gravel road. I decided to drive the truck out to that spot to see if the van, which Jordan and Susan are driving to VA, would make it up the road, too.The drive to Bryant Shelter along Virginia backroads was an enjoyable one. Much of the drive followed Jennings Creek and reminded me of the drive into Tate City, GA up the Tallulah River. The green forest, some of it shading into yellow, was close in on the road. At times the road was hemmed in on one side by the creek and the other by rock. The truck made the trip with no problems and the van will be able to do the same. I headed back to Lexington to pick up Joni. Washington and Lee University's Parents Weekend was just letting out as I rolled into town the second time. The streets were packed with pedestrians and cars.I found a parking space near the coffee shop and then found Joni far in the back room. She needed a little more time so I walked to the nearby outfitters to see if they had any gear we needed (they didn't). I walked through an art gallery near the coffee house that made me wish I had the money and interest to get into art (I have little of either). Then Joni and I ran some errands while we were in Lexington: Kroger, CVS, KFC, WalMart.Back at the KOA it was chicken and waffles for dinner. We ate in the camper once more while watching the Alabama/Arkansas football game on the TV. Jasper joined Joni and I in the cabin for sleep tonight. The camper gets crowded! We'll head out tomorrow and say goodbye to the camper and to Grandie and Grandpa.
Date: 2022-10-05
From: Marble Springs Campsite

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: light rain

As I began to retrieve our bear hangs this morning, that which I have feared each time I hang a bag finally came to pass: the bear hang became hung in the tree. Three bags of food hung about 10 feet above the ground and could not be pulled down by the rope.The simplest hang is a rope thrown over a high branch and then, after the bag is pulled up, the rope is tied off to a nearby tree. This is a pretty easy hang for a bear to defeat (bears are pretty smart) and so I don't really like to use it in bear country. This hang is also nearly impossible to get stuck in a tree. Since we started back southbound, I have made more frequent use of the PCT-style hang. This hang leaves the tensioned parts of the rope well out of reach of any critter on the ground. It is a more difficult hang to hang, but it is more resistant to bears. Without going into too much detail about the details, the hang that I tried to pull down this morning didn't come down. Through a twist of the rope and a careless tug on the same, I effectively locked the bag in place, 10 feet above the ground and well clear of any climbing aids that could be used.I never really panicked. There were 2 days of food for all three boys in the tree but I knew that we weren't leaving that campsite without those bags. Plan A: lash a knife to the end of a sturdy branch and see if I could cut the bags down by slicing through the rope above the bags. My Plan As rarely work but, after about 10 minutes of fiddling, I was able to cut the rope in the most ideal spot. Any spot would have worked but the one I ended up getting couldn't have been chosen better if I'd have climbed a 10 foot stepladder. A little luck always helps Plan A.We moved out of camp not much later than scheduled but it was windy and cold. We skipped a hot breakfast to save time and had Pop Tarts and snacks instead.We passed by The Guillotine and Apple Orchard Mountain today. The former is a novel rock formation - a boulder wedged high between two others the trail passes between. It appears that the high boulder is ready to fall on an unlucky passerby. Apple Orchard Mountain is the northernmost 4000 foot peak in the south. No other peak rises as high until Killington Peak in the Green Mountains of Vermont. It was a climb but one for which we had the mettle.We spent most of the day "listening" to Texas Pete's leg and deciding where we should stop. We finally did make it to Bryant Ridge Shelter where Ratatouille had already kindled a fire. North Star set up a tent in which Ninja Squirrel and Fish joined her. Texas Pete and I joined Rat and Lily in the large shelter.
Date: 2022-10-06
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Bearwallow Gap
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

The last time we saw Jordan and Susan, North Star's parents, we were waving goodbye from meadow's edge at High Point State Park on May 31, 128 days ago. As we came into the draw that I felt would take us into Bearwallow Gap I gave a "whoop"! It was answered about 50 yards ahead through the forest. Granddaddy and Gigi had arrived!We had covered the 10 miles from Bryant Ridge Shelter on great trail in great weather. Fall is definitely here and crisp mornings with bright sunshine have become the standard. We ate breakfast in the dark, sitting at the picnic table with headlamps, and were on the trail by 7:00 just after the trail becomes easy to follow without headlamps.Fork Mountain was a mile climb followed by a mile descent to Jennings Creek. It warmed us up and got the blood flowing. We filled water in Jennings Creek before starting into the woods again. I had driven by this spot on our Sunday zero day, scouting a possible rendezvous location.We stopped at Cove Mountain Shelter where we briefly saw Camp and Crumbs. We ate the last of the tortillas and peanut butter. Our food bags are all empty.We made it to Bearwallow Gap just before noon. Jordan and Susan had brought Subway sandwiches, fruit, cookies, and cold drinks for a grand lunch. We had plenty to discuss at lunch about their adventures and our own. We loaded up the van and headed into Daleville where we'll spend the next several nights at the Super 8 motel with them.After showers and laundry started, Texas Pete and I got in the van with Granddaddy and headed to the physical therapy appointment in Roanoke. Paige, the therapist, spent over an hour with us checking out TPs leg and offering some suggestions on taping, exercises, and stretches that might help heal his leg as we continue down the trail. We said goodbye after closing time and forgot to pay before we left! I'll call tomorrow.Dinner was at Cracker Barrel where we all ate more calories than should be allowed. I've become a fan of the Country Boy Breakfast and boys' leftovers.We made a rough plan for the trail ahead and then headed to bed. We'll be up in the morning to tackle the next section of trail.
Date: 2022-10-07
From: Bearwallow Gap

To: Salt Pond Road
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: mist

Breakfast at the Bojangles drive through. Slackpack starting at Bearwallow. Fall is booming and today afforded great views from the Blueridge Parkway overlooks.Sandwich lunch at Blackhorse Gap. The apples we packed in were huge and tasty. We discussed ¢How much would the radius of an Apple have to increase to double its volume?¢Caught a Crayfish in stunningly clear Wilson Creek. It¢s small pools were brimming with small fish.Jasper is listening to Robinson Crusoe for his literature requirements. Crusoe has forsaken his fathers advice, gone to sea, abandoned ship & been saved, and now considers returning home. He writes this:As to going home, shame opposed the best motions that offered to my thoughts; and it immediately occur¢d to me how I should be laugh¢d at among the neighbours, and should be asham¢d to see, not my father and mother only, but even every body else; from whence I have since often observed, how incongruous and irrational the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth, to that reason which ought to guide them in such cases, viz. that they are not asham¢d to sin, and yet are asham¢d to repent; not asham¢d of the action for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are asham¢d of the returning, which only can make them be esteem¢d wise men.We all talked over that quote. That¢s a keeper!Salt Pond Road affords an easy 1 mile woods road walk out to the BRP where Jordan and Susan met us.Boys and Susan back to Super 8 while Jordan, North Star & I went to outfitters and Kroger. We¢re planning on an overnight tomorrow night so we repacked gear for a 1-nighter. Chinese takeout in the lobby for dinner. Closed out the day by watching Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy
Date: 2022-10-08
From: Salt Pond Road

To: Lamberts Meadow
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Slackpacked from Salt Pond Road to Daleville. Lunch at Super 8, then carried packs to Lamberts Meadow. Karen & Jackson Harper drive from Charleston, SC and hiked up the Andy Layne Trail to meet us for the evening. Jasper and Jackson shared a triplex, Baxter and Grayson got the other triplex to themselves, Karen and Joni shared Karen¢s tent, I pitched our tarp and slept outside.
Date: 2022-10-09
From: Lamberts Meadow

To: VA 785
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: broken clouds

We awoke to a COLD morning! Alarms went off at 6:30. We packed up slowly and ate a hot breakfast. Even without two friends with us we¢ve started boiling 2 kettles of water in the mornings. A typical breakfast consists of 3 mugs of hot drink (2 bfast essentials + 1 instant coffee each for Texas Pete, North Star, and me) and 15 packets of grits or oatmeal. Karen and Jackson brought oatmeal cups.We filtered water for the day and set out in the trail at 8:00. The meadow was full of tents last night, probably 10 or more. Tomorrow is Columbus Day so there is a holiday weekend crowd out. We heard a rumor in the trail later in the day that a volunteer counted 58 overnight backpackers leaving the trailhead at VA 311 last night headed north (towards us) to McAffee Knob. The trail today crossed Tinker Cliffs and McAffee Knob, 2 of the features on the ¢Virginia Triple Crown¢. We¢ll pass the 3rd, Dragons Tooth, fairly early in the day tomorrow.Walking with friends was a real treat today! Karen and Jackson cruised right along with us and offered fresh conversations. We lunched on McAffee Knob and arrived at VA 785 about 4:00. Jordan and Susan were there to pick us up. We got 9 of us into our 7-seat van and shuttled the Harpers back to their car before returning to the Super 8. Karen and Jackson will stay here tonight with us. I spent an hour in the ¢Business Center¢ (a closet with a computer) catching up on this journal). Papa John¢s delivered pizza for dinner that we all enjoyed together in the lobby.We¢re back to the trail tomorrow and are planning on a later start in order to pick gear and move out.
Date: 2022-10-10
From: VA 785

To: VA 620
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: broken clouds

We said goodbye to Jordan and Susan this morning on the side of a little country road in Virginia. It was a real treat to spend these past several days with them after being away for 4 months. They are generous people and the hotel rooms and restaurant-eating were real treats. Traveling around in our own van was a special luxury made possible by Jordan¢s willingness to get it running again after the battery had died from disuse.We planned a short day today that would afford a late start and an early finish. Gracie and Ivan, friends from Chestatee, came to meet us this evening and brought dinner. They have been vacationing in southwest VA near Grayson Highlands and drove up to meet us.We crossed over Dragon¢s Tooth today. Baxter lost his own tooth and climbed to the top of this granite spire to cast his small tooth off of this large one. The climb up was surprisingly technical made a little trickier with a full pack. I was glad to be climbing up instead of coming down. ¢No one ever died falling uphill,¢ says Bill Irwin, first blind guy to hike the AT.Gracie and Ivan were at the gravel lot in VA 620 when we arrived about 3:30. Here were more friends after friends. It was good to see them and catch up on our adventures and news from home. They brought a pi±ata that we spent some time cracking open. Which Wich was dinner. We talked until after dark. Several other hikers arrived and camped near us at the road: Two Turtles, Maizey, Nat Geo, Sunset, and Sparrow (formerly Model) who we spent a night with at Gentian Pond Shelter in Maine. I don¢t like sleeping next to the road, even if it is a quite little gravel backroad like this one. I was glad that so many other hikers showed up. We¢re expecting another cold night.
Date: 2022-10-11
From: VA 620

To: Stealth Site near SOBO 1512
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: clear sky

Audie Murphy MonumentCraig Creek Bridges.Met Gary at VA 621, a homeless guy who had fainted in the gravel parking lot there. He wanted to go to the hospital. No cell service so I hailed a passing car on the road. We loaded Gary in and went in our way. Grayson tried cutting off a bend in the trail today by bushwhacking. Good effort but the terrain got spicy. He turned back towards the trail and finished his adventure early. We gained a high ridge at the end of the day and found a good camp spot to the right of the trail back in the brush. Grayson and I lit a small fire after dark and buried it after we¢d burned most of our fuel.
Date: 2022-10-12
From: Stealth Site near SOBO 1512

To: Lone Pine Peak Campsite
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Keffer OakLightyear and Margaritaville met us at VA 630 with a 3-day resupply and a box of donuts. They live in nearby Blacksburg and had offered to help when we got into the area. It was fun to see them and catch up on their return to ¢the real world¢. Steep climb up Kelly Knob. ¢Cameled up¢ with water at John¢s Creek before a long climb up to Lone Pine Peak. Found the grassy campsite we were shooting for at the top of the ridge near some slow-flowing water. Rain is a near certainty tonight so we pitched tents taut and moved everything inside.