morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-21
From: John's Spring Shelter

To: Econolodge in Daleville VA
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: clear sky

We arose an hour or so before dawn and hustled up Mcafee's Knob to catch the sunrise. It was SPECTACULAR! Well worth the hour of night hiking to get there.Today was a rush into town. Empty food bags and the knowledge that I would be able to see a Yankees - Red Sox game on TV fueled me. The Tinker Cliffs, however, did not go unnoticed, and were quite pretty.Daleville was perfect: a cheap hotel with a beer-selling gas station across the street. A lot of traffic from the interchange, though.The Sox won! And we had great Mexican food for dinner and there was much beer imbibing. It was a delightful night in town.
Date: 2007-04-22
From: Econolodge in Daleville VA

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was easy and simple. A quick A.M. resupply followed by a short 11 mile hike out of town (over "Fullhardt Knob" ... hehehe) was very leisurely and pleasant. I had the pleasure of meeting Carefree and Diablo at the shelter, two people whose register entries I have been following for some time. Diablo always leaves song lyrics from such giants as Metallica or AC/DC in the logs. Good stuff.Bigger day planned for tomorrow.Peace, World.
Date: 2007-04-23
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: clear sky

We have reached the Blue Ridge Parkway, a milestone of sorts. Even more important is that we have passed the one-third point of the AT! That ocurs this year at 724 2/3 miles. Not as big a milestone as half-way but cool nonetheless.The trail is beautiful on these new, warm spring days. The leaves aren't in yet at higher elevations but the warm sunlight is so very pleasing, especially in the early morning and in the evening. It gor very warm in the afternoon etween but I'm not going to complain after snow barely a week ago! Definately must drink huge quantities of water though. I drink between 1.5 and 2 gallons of water on days like this. A hydrated hiker is a happy hiker!Speaking of water, we indulged ourselves with a quick dip in a swimming hole at Jennings Creek. Shockingly cold, but deeply refreshing. The shelter we are at, Bryant Ridge, is amazing. It has two stories and a porch and is situated near two streams for easy water acquisition and peaceful nighttime sounds. Hot stuff.Peace, world.
Date: 2007-04-24
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Matt's Creek Shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I saw real spring today! We ended the day's hike a Matt's Creek Shelter which lies at 835' elevation. Leaves and flowers abound down here! Today saw more clmbing and dropping, same old same old. Another nice warm day with beautiful early morning and afternoon hiking but scorching heat after the lunch hour. The heat was greatest as we surmounted "Highcock Knob." Rediculous names abound out here...The trail and ridges around this knob are very rocky, out of character with the rest of VA. This is definately one of the most rugged portions of the AT thus far.YAY did I mention the leaves on the trees down here at 835 feet?Peace, world.
Date: 2007-04-25
From: Matt's Creek Shelter

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

We crossed the James River early this morning on the longest footbridge on the AT then waited nearly an hour for a hitch into Glasgow. One we got the hitch, we experienced the scariest ride of our lives. We were sprawled about the back of a station wagon as our ride drove like a maniac. Had I eaten breakfast already, I surely would have lost it...We resupplied and grabbed a decent breakfast at the Tired Feet Cafe in Gasgow, VA. The hitch back out of town was much less complicated as a local knew we were hikers and brought us straight back to the trailhead.The afternoon saw some climbing and we passed by a memorial to Ottie Cline Powell who wandered 9 miles and died on top of Bluff Mtn in 1891. Poor kid. He is said to haunt the Punchbowl Shelter... we shall see about that!Even if Ottie doesn't haunt the shelter, we can count on frogs and other noisy creatures to keep us up at night: there is a pretty little pond near the shelter (too stagnant for a swim) that is full of frogs and whatnot. As I write, the sun is going down and the piercing circus of froggy noise is crescendoing. Hope everyone sleeps ok!Cheers!
Date: 2007-04-26
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Seeley Woodruff Shelter
Miles today: 26.0

Today featured the first of a couple monster climbs! Bald Mountain was today's monster. 2600' up after Brown Mtn Creek. Brown Mtn Creek was once home to a community of freed slaves until they 'sold' their land to the forest service during the creation of wildnerness areas and whatnot. Somehow I don't think that they were too thrilled with that arrangement. There are still stone walls and the occasional chimney standing as you hike along the stream. A information board tells stories of the sweet ash cakes the old women used to make. Sounds tasty to me!Anyway Bald Mtn was quite the climb but other than that, today was the easiest 26 mile day I have ever hiked. Splendid. Earlier in the day we passed a small dam and reservoir. I am curious to research (after the hike) how much generation and transmission we hike past. So far I have seen four hydroelectric dams and countless transmission lines. Tomorrow we get to do the Priest and Three Ridges, two rather formidable VA mountains. Still hiking with Scoops, Joe from Iowa, and Trocar.Cheers!
Date: 2007-04-27
From: Seeley Woodruff Shelter

To: Maupin Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

B-DOUBLE-E-DOUBLE-R-U-N! After cruising over the Priest and trudging up the Three Ridges Mtn, we found ourselves at Maupin Field Shelter. This shelter is close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and a place that rents cabins and has a small camp store. We went in search of junk food to last the last few days before a planned zero and instead found BEER! Those of us who went (Joe, Scoops, and Bobsled) grabbed a few twelve packs and went back to the shelter. Soon enough we had a raging fire going and a few cool sections hikers showed up (notably Fanny Pack who has done AT and PCT and Just Jeff who is a prolific whiteblaze poster) and there was a great evening of hiking fun.A large church group showed up and camped a little ways above the shelter. Now they were a noisy, unruly bunch! Good thing we meant to stay up late as they would have kept us up regardless. Anyway, on to Paul C. Wolfe tomorrow, a nice short 16 mile day!Peace, world.
Date: 2007-04-28
From: Maupin Shelter

To: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: broken clouds

A very easy day of hiking. I slept in and wasn't hiking until nearly 8AM. The terrain was easy and the pace was fast. To be honest, there is not much to report beyond that. The shelter is situated nicely by a hearty stream so the sleeping should be solid tonight. There are two levels in the shelter and a picnic table sits under the roof as well so this is quite the swanky place. Gotta love newer AT shelters.Zero day after tomorrow's 15 mile hike into the Shenies!Cheers.
Date: 2007-04-29
From: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter

To: Mile 95.3 on Skyline Drive
Miles today: 14.8

Today Trocar's dad picked us up on Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park (SNP) after a trivial 15 mile trek. The sun was out so the hiking was beautiful and pleasant. I made an attempt at hiking with Joe and Trocar but gave up after a couple of hours. I had plenty of time to make it to Sawmill Run before our ride arrived.I got very excited to finally enter the SNP. I see it as the last big portion of VA before you get to Harper's Ferry (of course ignoring the 50 miles of VA north of SNP). I actualy danced a little happy dance when I passed into the park. I doesn't take much to excite a hiker I suppose...Brian, Trocar's dad, is a heck of a guy. Likewise, Deb is a heck of a woman and a great cook as well. When we got to the house (a beautiful house by the way), she had a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread and a sublime salad waiting for us. Talk about trail magic! A hot shower and a real bed will be a fine way to finish off a geat day.Oh yeah I also got new shoes at Rockfish Gap Outfitters. Some model of Vasque, I forget at the moment. They are lighter than my Asolo Fusions (which I have worn a hole into recently) but still a step above running shoes. As my pack gets lighter, they should do fine for support, I hope!Cheers and a huge thank you to the Strauchs!
Date: 2007-05-01
From: Brian and Deb's House

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: clear sky

A wonderful zero with Trocar's parents got us ready for the dash through the Shenandoahs. We got back to the trail around 10AM and hoofed about 22 miles from the parking area to Pinefield Hut. It was a tough hike as a hike after a zero always is. The 80+ degree didn't help so much.The later afternoon was, however, punctuated by a few momentous moments. I saw my bear today! It was a smallish momma bear with her little cub. I couldn't get a picture before they decided to split. I scare bears... I wonder just how scary I look!?I also scored an iced tea from someone driving along skyline drive. Good deal. At the hut, we met a guy who runs the Virginia Community College system. He gets to meet the Queen during her visit to the state later in the week to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown. Some people get all the luck don't they?
Date: 2007-05-02
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Bearfence Mtn Hut
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: scattered clouds

So this is the easy VA everyone talks about! While the miles in the park are easy, they are a little dissappointing as far as views and foliage go. Spring still has yet to arrive here above 2500 feet elevation. Furthermore, ice and wind storms last Thanksgiving broke many trees halfway; some mountains will be missing as many as one quarter of their usual green-ness this summer.The overlooks are beautiful but they start looking the same after a while. The Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive both have many dozens of these overlooks. At least the valleys are full of beautiful leaves and springtime. We are certainly chasing spring out here! Tomorrow we get to stop at Skyland and grab a real lunch in the midst of a longer 27 mile day.Cheers
Date: 2007-05-03
From: Bearfence Mtn Hut

To: Pass Mtn Hut
Miles today: 26.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was the easiest 27 mile hike to date. The park is so easily graded, one can easily make 0.5 mph faster than their normal hiking pace. I was able to hike with Joe and Trocar up to the Skyland restaurant, about 16 miles in less than 5 hours of walking. The weather wasn't so spectacular so the views were rather tame. There were many cool rock cliffs by the trailside though. There are often ridges or cliffs between the AT and Skyline Drive that insulate us from the loud cars and motorcycles.After a lunch of a Bacon Cheddar Burger, we returned to the flatlands of the Shennies. We did get to pass near Mary's Rock, a very cool formation that sticks up on the side of the ridge.Boy, I cannot wait to be rid of VA... only a few more days!
Date: 2007-05-04
From: Pass Mtn Hut

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

Finally out of SNP! It was like falling off the edge of the world as you came out of the park. You lost about 1500' of elevation over a few miles. The good news is that we practically fell into spring. The leaves are so beautiful down here. The shelter also has a deck!On to West VA over the next few days! Getting close and excited about a new state! Cheers.
Date: 2007-05-05
From: Tom Floyd Wayside

To: Manassas Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today featured a mini town stop in Lindin, VA. We needed a day of food so we made the 1.5 mile walk to town. There is a shop and restaurant in town called the Apple House. They feature the apple prominently in their menu choices. This includes a delicious apple butter bbq sauce. We didn't want to make the long road walk back to the AT so Joe pestered pickup truck drivers at the Exxon station until he scored us a ride back to the trail. Unscrupulous 40 year olds can come in handy out here.The hiking today was obscenely easy, even more so than SNP. It did begin to rain in the evening but that's fine as we were already in the shelter by this time. It is supposed to be nice tomorrow for the 23 miles to Bear's Den Hostel so that should be a gorgeous hike.Cheers and enjoy spring!
Date: 2007-05-06
From: Manassas Gap Shelter

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: clear sky

Today's hiking was magical, if a little cold. The sunrise was brilliant and wildflowers coat the ground down here at lower elevations. Combine this with a very easy grade and fast miles and you have hiker paradise. The songbirds were going crazy on top of this gorgeous scene. Skymeadows State Park was especially nice, with its beautiful meadows.Bear's Den Hostel is quite the awesome place too. For 25$A, a hiker gets a bunk (with sheets and blankets!), a pizza, soda, and a pint of Ben and Jerry's! The folks who run the place are very nice as well. I met Traveller here as well, one of the greatest AT hikers of all time. He has been hiking the AT since the sixties with more thru-hikes than anyone can remember including one 73 mile day from Clingmans Dome to Hot Springs. Awesome stuff.Cheers.
Date: 2007-05-07
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: Ed Garvey Shelter
Miles today: 26.9
Weather: overcast clouds

1000 miles in 2 months! It was nice that those phenomena should coincide. We finished 2 states today too (VA and WV) so good deal. We did the whole picture deal at the ATC (wonderfully nice people there!) and grabbed a horrendously overpriced meal at a restaurant in town. They did have Sam Adams Octoberfest on tap though (even though its out of season?).So two months on the AT. What have I learned about myself? Not much that I didn't know already to be honest. Except that 20 miles a day eventually means sore muscles and planter facias...I have realized, though, that there is only one common trait among thru-hikers. While thru-hikers represent every possible temperment and background, they are all relentless people. The ATC has a shirt that says, "MIND OVER MOUNTAIN." So perhaps the way I would describe every thru-hiker our here is: more relentless than the mountains. Try hiking 20 miles a day up and over mindless and sometimes nameless little hills (and some big too!) and you will quickly see what I mean.That, ladies and gentlemen, is my reflection of the past 1000 miles. What comes to mind after all the hiking is not the beauty, splendor, and peacefulness of the trail but the relentlessness and attitude of its thru-hikers. And I am perfectly cool with that.Peace, world and happy 1000 miles to all who reach it
Date: 2007-05-08
From: Ed Garvey Shelter

To: Free State Hostel
Miles today: 24.6

Today was a slowww day with my sore left quad and planter facietis both acting up. Add the rocky path around these parts and that makes for some slow miles. That does NOT mean that the miles weren't nice. The grades were easy and the trail went through alot of historic places, civil war battlefields and the like. We also got to pass the original Washington Monument, built in the woods in like 1829. It was later used as a signal tower by the Union troops during the battle at Antietem.The Free State Hostel is pretty cool as well. It was founded this year by an '06 hiker, BonePAC (he has his journal here as well). Wonderful place, big and roomy with goo internet, free long distance, and an AIR HOCKEY TABLE! I encourage all hikers passing through to take advantage of this great place. He and his family are wonderful people too.Well that is all for now - time for a shower (last one for a while, at least a week I think according to current plan) and some sleep!Cheers!
Date: 2007-05-10
From: Free State Hostel

To: Rocky Mountain Shelters
Miles today: 24.9
Weather: clear sky

Finally, PA! It seems as though the infamous rocks of PA don't start right away. You hear a great deal of hype about them, but they are further north ... nothing to worry about yet.Today was fairly tame and easy hiking. My soreness that has slowed me down of late is easing up a bit and I got in tonight at a reasonable time. The spring here sucks! It is way down by the road and is still and stagnant. Oh well, on to Pine Grove Furnace and half way tomorrow! Now THAT is something to be excited about.Cheers!
Date: 2007-05-11
From: Rocky Mountain Shelters

To: Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Miles today: 22.9
Weather: broken clouds

Today was easy hiking atop some ridges. Very flat with a couple of road walks (yuck!) Still no awful rocks, but the woods of PA aren't impressing me at all. They seem (here, anyways, on top of some of these ridges) a bit scabby or stunted or something. I'm sure they will be much prettier when all the leaves have finished coming in.1087 miles today! That is halfway from Springer to Katahdin. Not bad for two months and two days of walking. We were able to raid the kitchen of the Ironmaster's Hostel, even though we weren't staying there. The lady was quite nice ... we scored some ham and cheese sandwiches and spaghetti and sauce (with a meatball for Trocar). I topped the evening off with a cigar in a savage thunderstorm. Awesome!
Date: 2007-05-12
From: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

To: Darlington Shelter
Miles today: 33.7
Weather: scattered clouds

This many miles makes you feet hurt something fierce ...Today we crossed the valley that separates the northern and southern parts of the AT. About 15 miles of flat hiking through farmlands and the town of Boiling Springs, PA. The woods were a bit nicer today and the mean rocks haven't quite started.Time to sleep off that insanity. How do some of the guys out here do 30+ day after day?Cheers.
Date: 2007-05-13
From: Darlington Shelter

To: Peter's Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: clear sky

Today concluded a long week. Close to 180 miles in seven days since leaving Linden, VA. Ouch.After a terrible resupply in Duncannon (we didn't feel like an extra mile for a real grocery store), we ended up at Peter's Mountain Shelter. It is a huge shelter, and about 16 Scouts showed up while Joe, Trocar and I were chillin'. They decided it would be okay to crash the shelter and the place turned into a ZOO! They even managed to spill water all over the upstairs floor and Trocar's and Trocar's pack. Boy Scouts of America: AT shelters were not built for you.Rocks today! Big boulders that weren't too hard to hop through. Still not too bad yet.Tomorrow is a short day, thank God.Cheers.
Date: 2007-05-14
From: Peter's Mountain Shelter

To: Rausch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: broken clouds

A nice easy day today. The elevation profile was easy and 17.5 miles is nothing compared to a 30+ mile day. The rocks got more annoying today, though. They aren't big rocks; just little ones that stick into the soles of your boots and roll your ankles. I hope they don't get too problematic.Cheers!
Date: 2007-05-15
From: Rausch Gap Shelter

To: 501 Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: broken clouds

Another short day! The rocks weren't bad today and we got to PA 501 early enough to catch a ride into town and back with a local trail maintainer. Finally - a decent resupply!That night we planned on ordering pizza from the shelter (it is near a road, PA 501) but the pizza joint is closed on Mondays! No worries, Ed (Four Bears) and his pal Don are from good old CT and have a van nearby. They carted us down to "Buddy's" in Pine Grove, PA where I indulged in an omelette & french toast & a milkshake.Tough life.Cheers!
Date: 2007-05-16
From: 501 Shelter

To: Port Clinton, PA
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: broken clouds

The rocks get worse and worse and worse... or perhaps they stay the same and our feet get worse. Regardless, the rocky parts of PA are certainly not fun. Once again the trail was flat flat flat today until you got to Port Clinton, at which point, the AT falls of the edge of the world and plummets into Port Clinton, PA. It is a small town with a rather irritable post office clerk.Joe from Iowa and I spent the night at a hotel in Hamburg, PA, near the ginormous Cabela's. The place is epic! It is full of stuffed animals ranging from deer to birds to elephants to anything I could imagine and beyond. The gun library was fun to browse as well.Aside from some hotel problems (microtel in hamburg is both expensive and rather incompetent in our brief experience there) it was a relaxing night off the trail.Back to it tomorrow - cheers!
Date: 2007-05-17
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Windsor Furnace Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: broken clouds

We got a latish start out of Port Clinton and planned on banging out a 15 miler but mother nature had other plans. After climbing out of the gap back up to the flat rocky ridge, she started booming and flashing and raining and generally carrying on so we holed up after 6 miles in the first shelter we came across. Juniper also took shelter here.Well I guess that is all for tonight - g'night, my dear readers.
Date: 2007-05-18
From: Windsor Furnace Shelter

To: Bake Oven Knob Shelter
Miles today: 26.5
Weather: light rain

A long day to make up for yesterday's measly 6 miler out of town. We encountered lovely views early in the morning at Pulpit Rock. We were there just as the sun was rising due to an epic snorer in the shelter last night. No one slept a wink and se we were up and out shortly after 5AM.Today featured some awesome boulder hopping at a place called (I think?) Bear Rocks. The trail goes straight along the spine of the ridge and affords great views as well as a very engaging hike. At least these rocks are big (and therefore don't tear up your feet) and the terrain not nearly as boring as much of the rest of PA has been. More boulder hopping to be had around Bake Oven Knob as well. Good stuff!At the shelter we met a guy who got charged with a DUI recently. He spent some time in jail and the last few days of his sentence are interesting: he is allowed out during the week to work but he spends his weekends in prison until his sentence is up. Soooo he comes out to the AT with a pack full of beers before he has to go back to jail! Thus Joe and I each scored an amazingly cold and refreshing Bud. The king of beers indeed.Oh yeah and tomorrow we get to climb out of Lehigh Gap!
Date: 2007-05-19
From: Bake Oven Knob Shelter

To: Leroy A. Smith Shelter
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: light rain

Lehigh Gap! It is everything and nothing I imagined it would be. The climb out of the gap was by far the most fun I've had in this miserably rocky state. It is a very steep climb over large rocks that requires considerable care but is over before you get sick of it. You arrive at the top of the hill (Blue Mtn) and then you see the superfund site. All the trees up here have long since died and the resulting soil erosion laid bare all of the rocks. It gives you a glimpse of why the trail here in PA sucks so much: the ridges are covered with millions of rocks perfectly sized to generate sore, bruised, aching feet. So really, it doesn't matter what the trail clubs do around here or where they locate the trails: as long as you are on the ridges, there will be rocks and the feet will hurt.So to make the first sentence of this post make sense, it wasn't the brutal climb I heard it would be but it was steep and fun and the superfund site really did look as desperate as one might imagine a superfund site would. Fascinating though and a great example of the high esteem the wildnerness has been held in by my profession back in the day...