morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-05-17
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Hot Rod and I took the second ride to the trail at 9am from Sherri, another Waynesboro "trail angel." The others left at 8:30am. Hot Rod and I caught up to everyone at the permit station for Shenandoah National Park where Dudley filled out a permit for all of us. We spotted a Rattlesnake after a couple miles. It eased toward us slightly before we all took pictures and moved on. Later, Dudley stepped over a small Copperhead that was well camouflaged. Hot Rod and I tossed a couple rocks after everone had passed, and it finally moved defensively...our sign to move on!We met Chris, Ryan, & Sarah from Denison University in addition to Ashley, Stephanie, and their father from Charlotte at the shelter. The father told me about his mission trips overseas, including Africa. An older couple from Vermont named Spoons, and Buttercup also joined us later.
Date: 2006-05-18
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 21.4
Weather: scattered clouds

FAL & Hercules and the Trail Magicians from Albert Mtn had told me about the blackberry milkshakes found in SNP. I had continually reminded everyone that we had to make these shakes part of our itinerary. Only 8.5 miles to the Loft Mtn Wayside for our first shake opportunity. I took the end of the line and the first five shakes came out perfectly. (You see what is about to happen don't you?) Approaching the counter I heard the shake lady tell the cashier, "no more shakes right now." I responded, "can I pay now and come back in a few minutes to grab one?" The shake lady replied, "no, it's broken!" That is not supposed to happen. I had a trail lunch before resuming our hike. Quarters & Steve hiked with us for a few minutes when we spotted a Rattlesnake warning us of its presence. He was coiled and happy in the sun.We met a gentleman and his wife photographing flowers near an overlook along Skyline Drive. He claimed that he had developed the bird book for SNP and is currently working on a wildflower book. I met Michael the Austrian at the shelter. He works for a cell phone company in Austria and had plenty of vacation saved up for hiking in America. This makes his 5th trip on the AT.
Date: 2006-05-19
From: Hightop Hut

To: Big Meadows Lodge
Miles today: 20.4

The day has been cold and breezy. We stopped at the Lewis Mtn Campground store for lunch near 1pm. A park ranger checked our permit while we ate. Mufasa asked, "if we did not have a permit, would you shoot us?" The ranger laughed and said, "no shots would be fired, but the park rules are pretty simple." He said our permit looked great. I convinced Blistah to try a Moon Pie, but not surprisingly none of the Mainers (pronounced Main-ahs) liked it. We left nearly 2 hrs later and mixed trail walking with road walking (yellow blazing) along Skyline Drive. Hot Rod, Mufasa, & I hiked a 2.8 mile section at 4mph, while the girls took the shorter road at a leisurely pace. I walked ahead and made it to the Big Meadows Wayside for a blackberry milkshake. Everyone else joined for hamburgers and shakes just before closing time. Afterward, we went to the Big Meadows Lodge just to take a look. We met a waitress there who arranged a decently priced room for us. She convinced us the weather was going to keep digressing and told us about the "bluegrass" band playing later. The band turned out to be 2 men and 1 woman who were SNP rangers. After they played we watched the weather report and went to bed. The weather forecast looked positive with a warming trend and no rain.
Date: 2006-05-20
From: Big Meadows Lodge

To: Pass Mtn Hut
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: scattered clouds

We opted for breakfast in the lodge restaurant. Afterward, we hiked to Skyland visitor center and lodge where we ate our trail lunches and enjoyed the view. Michael the Austrian joined us at the table, and seems to be enjoying our company.At the shelter we met Gunter from Germany. He had plans to hike south through SNP and carry all his food for 8 days. When he realized that he could resupply every 2 days at some of the stores he decided to give away some of his food from Germany. We had pumpernickel bread and sausage with our own dinners. When Michael the Austrian arrived they spoke in German about their hiking experience.
Date: 2006-05-21
From: Pass Mtn Hut

To: Tom Floyd Wayside
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: few clouds

I started off early for a quiet and peaceful morning walk. Just before the rest of the train caught up, I heard a loud crash to my left and turned to spot a black bear running away. Not a good picture opportunity. Within 10 minutes of the Elkwallow Wayside, we spotted a bear about 50 yards off the trail. The bear watched us for a few minutes before walking away. As I approached for a picture the bear moved away quicker.We stopped by the Elkwallow Wayside for our last blackberry milkshake and an early lunch. The shake machine there broke also. Maybe the park season is still early and the machines are not tuned up yet?! While at Elkwallow Hot Rod called a friend of his who had planned to hike with us for a few days. He did not get through, but later in our afternoon hike, his friend met us. "Runner" had started hiking south a few days previous expecting to meet us along the trail. At the shelter Runner set up his hammock, PA Preachers (2 SOBO's) and the Maine Train filled up the space. I took the small and narrow overhanging storage space while Buttercup slept on the porch. The shelter was great except for the distant water source, which took nearly 4 minutes to fill up one quart. I gathered enough for supper and the short hike to Front Royal tomorrow.
Date: 2006-05-22
From: Tom Floyd Wayside

To: Jim & Molly Denton
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: few clouds

All the guys got to the road and easily thumbed a ride into Front Royal for our planned resupply. We got dropped at the outfitter, who was closed, and waited for the others to join us. After lunch at Papa Johns and resupply at the supermarket, we trekked back to the outfitter. Buttercup was friends with the owner and called him to let him know we were in town. Brandon opened the store for us, so Mufasa, Runner, Buttercup and I rode along with him for the next 2 hours helping him move kayaks and canoes. Brandon was preparing to help with a float trip for his daughter's school over the next few days. Our bonus was a tarzan rope over a pond that Brandon allowed us to use.Returning to town near 6:45pm we decided to stay for a movie, and night hike to the next shelter. After the latest thrill ride with MI3, Brandon drove us back to the trail. We night hiked to the Denton Shelter near midnight where we met Buttercup who had skipped the movie, and Squirrel and Ratpuke who had shuttled across 500 miles of VA after Trail Days in Damascus.
Date: 2006-05-23
From: Jim & Molly Denton

To: Sam Moore
Miles today: 25.2
Weather: clear sky

After lunch with the Maine Train today, I took off to do some additional mileage so I can make it to Harper's Ferry tomorrow. The 25 miles were not too bad with less climbing and descending in the area, although I did start the "Rollercoaster" this evening. The Rollercoaster is a 13.5 mile stretch of trail passing through a narrow corridor of ATC property which forced the route over several ridges and through several valleys. I began following journal entries from MOAT, who I had not seen since just before Daleville. I expected to see a couple hikers at the shelter, including MOAT, but most of them went on to the Bear's Den Hostel. I am spending my first night solo in a shelter since March 9.
Date: 2006-05-24
From: Sam Moore

To: Harper's Ferry, WV
Miles today: 22.9

I woke up at 5:30am so I could have time to arrive in Harper's Ferry before the Post Office closed. I also wanted to stop by the Bear's Den Hostel to see some trail friends I had met at FAL & Hercules' house at Allen Gap. Queen Diva, who runs the hostel, Circuit Rider, and Sherlock invited me for breakfast, and, even though I was on the move, I had to sit down. MOAT was at breakfast too. Queen Diva made fruit salad, eggs, bacon, and biscuits and gravy. I was the only one of 9 hikers to eat the gravy... too bad for them. Queen Diva commented that she enjoyed watching the gravy bowl go around in the mornings because she could tell weather a hiker was from the south or not. I had eaten 3 packets of oatmeal and half a bagel before the hike, and ate 3 biscuits and gravy, 3 strips of bacon, about 3 scrambled eggs, and fruit salad at the hostel. I did not each much during the rest of the hike.After thank yous and goodbyes, I began speed walking the last 20 miles into town, stopping only briefly for water and map checks. Just after the VA/WV state line, I bumped into two SOBO section hikers who asked about my Philmont experience. It turned out that Brett was in one of my Ranger crews in 1998! Wild coincidence! I arrived in Harper's Ferry at 10 minutes until 4pm (USPS closing time), picked up packages, and had my picture at the ATC headquarters. I was the 115th thru-hiker for the 2006 season. Amanda (from UT) picked me up after her work day was over. In D.C. we stopped by an outfitter (to get a Therm-a-rest repair kit) and had dinner at a Lebanese restaurant. Ed returned my call and informed me of the Philmont reunion tomorrow in town. That will work out well for my schedule, since I plan to be in Washington D.C. for the next few days.
Date: 2006-05-25
From: Harper's Ferry, WV

To: Washington DC
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a "zero with business" day. Amanda loaned me her car for the day to take care of Air Guard stuff. I drove to Andrews AFB and picked up my uniforms. I also took advantage of cheaper groceries on base for my resupply, and less expensive gas for Amanda's car. Gas was only $3.29 in the Georgetown area!I was fortunate to find out about the DC area Philmont Staff Association reunion in conjuction with the National Boy Scout Meeting through Ed. I drove to the Marriot at Wardman Park for the evening, and enjoyed gathering with some of the Philmonters I had worked with previously: Chuck D. and his parents, Michelle A., Mr & Mrs Clark, Mr Gray, Mr & Mrs Gallaway, and many more.Afterward, I picked up Amanda from work and she took me to Gravelly Point Park for a sample of the airline traffic at Reagan National Airport. There are a couple of pictures in the photo section of this site. The trip into DC has been excellent so far.
Date: 2006-05-27
From: Washington DC

To: Washington DC
Miles today: 0.0

We finally got to see Ed. His busy Washington DC life kept him tied up until lunch today. He treated Amanda & I to lunch at a Mexican restaurant about one block away from the Capital. Afterward, he flew to Albuquerque for a short visit to Philmont.Amanda & I were walking back to the Metro from the Capital building when Vern called from Pearisburg. Vern spent 4 summers working for OA Wilderness Voyage at Northern Tier, and spent last summer working with OA Trail Crew at Philmont with me. He seems to be enjoying the hike and has been following my journal entries. A couple weeks ago, he passed through east Tennessee and mom & dad helped him with trail logistics. As Vern & I were talking, Scott S. walked up to meet a friend of his. Scott & I worked with OA Trail Crew as foremen in 2001. More Philmont coincidence!!We walked the Eastern Market (farmer's market) for a while before visiting Andy's gravesite at Arlington National Cemetary. After another quick stop at Gravelly Point Park... what... I'm not obsessed with planes... they were taking off in the opposite direction... we had a burger and fries from "Five Guys," the infamous burger restaurant around northern Virginia. Another great zero day in D.C.
Date: 2006-09-04
From: home 

To: stover creek shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: light rain

(*NOTE : from here on out, we'll list our ==2003== journal entry at the top of the page, followed by our ==2006== entry at the bottom)======2003======saturday, february 22, day 1wow! we did it! we actually began our AT journey¢¦¢¦great day!...started out very rainy¢¦..flooding!...but by the time we left carli and michael at the approach trailhead, it had begun to sunshine! diana and i both agreed that God was shining his blessings upon us¢¦.the conversation up the trail ranged from cultural to historical¢¦(visits to places like D.C¢¦¢¦.the civil war¢¦¢¦religion¢¦¢¦.¢snot rockets¢)¢¦.crazy!...at one point charlie got ¢sin in his shoe¢ (a pebble) and had to stop to get it out¢¦..when we did, bill and diana sadly realized it was the very place where they were last with their friend, john, who had recently passed away¢¦.it was an unexpected and tearful moment for the ristoms¢¦..got into camp late, but were able to get a cold shower in the dark¢¦.i pitched the tarp while charlie got water¢¦..then we had chili/rice¢¦.it has begun to rain a little again¢¦..reaching springer was awesome!i won¢t forget how the sun¢s rays came breaking through those thick clouds to glint and glisten on that ol¢ bronze plaque¢¦¢¦we signed the register¢¦¢¦.======2006======sunday, february 12, day 1(the big start is a flop¢¦.it¢s snowing¢¦..we can¢t get out of the driveway¢¦¢¦twiddling our thumbs and waiting¢¦some more¢¦)*NOTES/OBSERVATIONS/COMPARISONS*(the ristoms hiked with us to neel¢s gap in ¢03)(and i'll remind everyone once again that the first paragraph at the top of the page refers to our ¢03 hike...the last paragraph before the *NOTES is from '06...the "september" date under the heading above is when i began TRANSCRIBING these journals, NOT actual hike dates!...you think YOU¢RE confused!....you oughta hafta edit this stuff!...arrrrgh!)
Date: 2006-09-07
From: slaughter creek campsight (?)

To: baggs creek gap (?)
Miles today: 7.4

======2003====== tuesday, february 25, day 4got goin¢ a little earlier today¢¦¢¦.beautiful stars above in the deep dawn!......clouds building however¢¦¢¦..layers of charcoal and peach in the sunrise!walked out ahead of the ristoms up blood mtn¢¦.fell in LOVE with that place! AWESOME!.....very rocky¢¦..the top is boulders, laurel, moss, etc¢¦¢¦many mysterious ¢clefts¢¢¦.and the very quaint shelter is there¢¦..all stone and beams¢¦¢¦at the summit you walk out onto a flat-ish boulder outcropping¢¦¢¦many dwarfed trees and shrubs¢¦..can see 360!....on this AM the peaks rose up out of an ocean of thick fog! wow!.....this view would bow an infidel in worship!botany today : a shrub, perhaps hypericum¢¦..lots of grass, perhaps danthonia compressa¢¦¢¦one lonesome cedar among virginia pine, hemlock, white pine¢¦.made it to neels gap and walasi-yi¢¦¢¦.was very nervous about what to do and getting all done¢¦..but we got our drop, did laundry, called carli, etc¢¦¢¦got our pictures made¢¦.we are numbers 46 and 47 for thru-hikers!well¢¦.you guessed it¢¦..i cried when we said goodbye to bill and diana¢¦¢¦with feelings in the pit of our stomachs that were hard to identify, we headed up the trail¢¦.alone¢¦¢¦.a   few paces up the hill we heard them blow their horn¢¦..we turned and saw their little green truck head up the highway toward home¢¦¢¦.======2006====== wednesday, february 15, day 4   (start: gooch shelter   end: neel¢s gap)                                                            ¢psalm from ramrock mountain¢               our God is glorious! praise his holy name! he rides high above               the appalachians......he comes down and indwells the mountains               with his beauty......he spreads out the snowy white ridges and                inscribes his name across them in inky black strokes of hemlock                and oak, sourwood and laurel.......he paints the skies of dawn in               soft watercolor hues of raw sandstone and grey lichen.......the               brilliant red embers of morning are fanned to flame in the sun as               it rises in power........ the horizon is baptized in fire!.......the deer               run and leap for joy as their Creator¢s breath drives them down                the snowy gap.......let all who are in the valleys give praise to God...               and all who are on the mountaintops sing of his glorious works!...               let the whole earth praise the Lord! how marvelous is our God!   *NOTES/OBSERVATIONS/COMPARISONS------*in the photo above check out bill¢s camp chair riding right on top of his homemade pack!.....a COMFORTABLE engineer he is!
Date: 2006-09-09
From: campsite just beyond red clay gap(?)

To: sassafrass gap (?)
Miles today: 13.0

======2003====== thursday, february 27, day 6 probably our hardest day so far¢¦¢¦the first half of the day was all rocky trail ( very)¢¦..so it was slow¢¦. It rained all day so we were soaked, but managed to stay warm¢¦.really tired toward the end of the day¢¦.so happy to get into our little ¢house¢ and cook some warm noodles¢¦..it feels like it might snow again¢¦..didn¢t see a single soul all day¢¦.charlie said, ¢did they call it off,maw?¢¢¦¢¦..he was so sweet to encourage me today¢¦.would stand at the top of a steep climb and say, ¢there¢s a big kiss waitin¢ for you up here!¢¢¦.(i¢d tease and act like I was lookin¢ all around as if to say, ¢oh yeah? by whom?)¢¦¢¦paw may hafta get a new pack* in franklin¢¦..his is not doing too well¢¦¢¦foggy¢¦.no views today, but gorgeous ¢gardens¢ on the summits¢¦..botany today : rock cap fern and a mini saxifrage of some sort*¢¦¢¦.======2006====== friday, february 17, day 6, 19 miles to addis gapgot up very early¢¦¢¦it had started to sprinkle¢¦¢¦.we hiked out in the dark¢¦¢¦.tippy-toed past the guy in the tent¢¦¢¦got water (spring right on the trail) and just kept on goin¢ and goin¢!....i don¢t know ...call us crazy!*prayed for almost everyone i could think of today¢¦..prayer for me is a very important part of this hike¢¦.Met some scouts and a couple of other guys at unicoi gap¢¦.everybody was goin¢ up to tray mtn¢¦..(we stopped near there for lunch today¢¦¢¦sort of sunny by then but still chilly¢¦.good spot for a break though )¢¦¢¦tray mtn was tres beautiful!....but we¢re beat ¢¦¢¦¢¦goin¢ to sleep¢¦.blueberry patch tomorrow¢¦..it may rain¢¦¢¦*NOTES/ OBSERVATIONS/COMPARISONS--------*in ¢03 paw carried a pack that he had fashioned from an old coleman pack ,I think¢¦¢¦it never worked that well¢¦.he got a gregory in gatlinburg which worked better,but was still heavier than he wanted¢¦..thus the 11 oz.homemade one this year from a gossamer gear pattern¢¦¢¦*botany¢¦.as I may have already explained, (you know how us old folks like to say the same thing over and over), we LOVED lookin¢ at plants,so we never got bored¢¦..my explorer-ancestor, william clark on his expedition for the louisiana purchase also seemed to enjoy the botany and wrote of it as part of their study¢¦..perhaps I not only inherited his ¢ramblin¢¢genes, but his botanizin¢ genes as well!..........(yes¢¦..as far as I can tell , I really am a descendant of william clark¢¦.)*crazy¢¦¢¦.well not really ¢¦..we were just feelin¢ good¢¦. in ¢06 we hiked longer days in the beginning than in ¢03 ¢¦..whether it was the lighter weight or vitamins or both we can¢t be sure¢¦.we just know that physically it was easier
Date: 2006-09-22
From: silers bald shelter

To: icewater spring shelter
Miles today: 15.5

======2003====== wednesday, march 12, day 19you haven¢t lived until you¢ve been born into a new day where the morning star, an ember in the coal-glow dawn, calls you up and out of an inky cold campsite and into the rose warming mountaintops stretched out before you!......until a spirit song rises from your gut and mingles with a greater song, a Greater Spirit¢¦¢¦until the white throat sparrow harmonizes then with its haunting, ¢love-you-i-do-i-do¢¢¦¢¦until your breath swirls and mixes with the mist that barely veils the first majestic fir trees¢¦¢¦.the fir trees¢¦..they¢re dying¢¦..and there¢s the sad side of dawn¢¦¢¦the pushed-back awareness that another night will come¢¦..the brevity of life and the passing of this earth¢¦¢¦the awareness that birth means death¢¦¢¦beginnings mean endings¢¦..unless¢¦¢¦..unless there¢s even ¢more¢¢¦.unless the rising of the Son means a new kind of dawn¢¦.a new birth¢¦.a forever kind of life on a different kind of Mountain¢¦.it will surely come and today i feel it in my bones!we are eating breakfast in a fir forest, just above a shelter that¢s a bit nicer than where we stayed last night ¢¦(it has a privy!)¢¦.but we¢re anxious to get walking again¢¦¢¦we will see clingman¢s dome today¢¦.the heart of the great smokies¢¦..                                          (later)yesterday¢s snowy footprints are melting into today¢s mud¢¦.but patches of snow and ice tenaciously cling to the dome, forcing me to don my yak trax (and subtly reminding us that winter is not over YET!)¢¦¢¦.i figured out today the ¢recipe¢ for that wonderfully odd fragrance of the mountaintops here: take 1/3 rose, 1/3 fir or pine (turpentine), and 1/3 musk (skunk)¢¦..blend well¢¦.voila!...mountain air!.....well¢¦.we made it to the shelter at icewater springs!...this mountain brings back so many fond memories¢¦..eight years ago yesterday we honeymooned here¢¦..but the journey today was much more difficult than it was then!....today was SLOW because of the ice and snow and mud!...but the temps were PERFECT!....REALLY FELT LIKE SPRING!there¢s a crowd here¢¦about 14 or 15¢¦¢¦.and we¢re expecting a few more¢¦.will it rain tomorrow?....we ate dinner beside the trail this evenin¢ about 5:00 (instead of in camp)*======2006======thursday, march 2, day 19 (from icewater spring to tri-corner knob   12.6 mi.)will there EVER be an end to this snow?!! ¢¦.12 miles shouldn¢t have taken this long, but we started at 8 and got here at tri-corner at 4¢¦.paw-ee says, ¢hmmmm¢¦1 12 mph¢¦.not too bad considering i was on my face most of the day!¢¢¦..some of the snow was very deep¢¦.we could sink in up to our thighs!....and march was definitely in like a lion!....strong winds¢¦..mist¢¦..a hard day!i¢ll have to write more later ¢cause right now i¢m FREEZING!*NOTES/OBSERVATIONS/COMPARISONS------*instead of in camp¢¦.we tried eating supper a few times along the trail (per ray jardine)¢¦.but it seems to be more convenient most of the time to just head on in, get cleaned up, have supper and then go straight to bed¢¦
Date: 2006-01-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

So basically I'm heading out on this six month adventure in hopes of figuring out a few things, mostly questions about life. Sure, you can view this as one of those "testosterone packed adventure thingys" that older men do during a mid-life crisis, but then you'd be missing the whole point of what I'm doing. It's going to be my rite of passage into manhood. So pretty much I've been disappointed with the men in this world so far. Seems like maybe .5% of them actually understand what it takes to be one, and out of those maybe .01% live as a true man. And I'm not talking about someone that is big, burly, with muscles the size of a VW bug, but rather the kind of man that holds his honor and dignity above anything else. I hope that this hike will make me a man.I'm also looking for God during this whole thing. I have a ton of questions that I need answered. I know that the God I believe in is true, but how do I explain that to others. What makes the inner peace I have any different than that of another peace brought about from a different faith, or what makes what I believe in true opposed to someone else's thoughts. If I was a chunk of clay, then I would be in the wet, sludgy, nasty, gooey stage that is ready for molding. We aren't talkin' anything about a fire or any sort of finished product, no, no, no. This is raw goods ready for the making.PS - Not many people notice, but if you click "Next" on the bottom of this post you'll see my next journal entry. You can also go to the next journal entry by choosing it from the menu on the left.