morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-03-22
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: US 321 - Hampton, TN - Braemar Castle Hostel
Miles today: 15.3

Just an incredible day today. A cold morning that became a summer-like day. Solo hiking stopped around 10:00 when three of us began hiking together (Blues Brother, Fresh Ground, and me.) Trail Magic came early as Seminole, Florida placed a hanging bag of Snickers bars as we arrived at Dennis Cove Road. Thank you Semiole, Florida - what a way to make our morning! Fresh Ground wanted additional food so he headed off to Black Bear Resort with Blues Brother watching his backpack as I headed off to meet and say thank you to Bob Peoples, known to be an extremely active trail maintainer on many miles of AT we had just hiked. Bob wasn't there but my spirits sky-rocketed when Fresh Ground gave me an iced Honey Bun and a cold can of root beer he had purchased. The energy from the Snickers, Honey Bun, and soda propelled our hiking and our spirits.Laurel Falls is a must-see attraction where you could easily spend an hour or more watching the waterfall, dip your toes, or swim (in warmer weather). Signs warn of not going beneath the falls as a father and son died there when they were caught in a dangerous whirlpool beneath the falls. We took time to enjoy the location and posed for some photos. The AT follows the stream for a while before beginning a 1700 foot climb in 2.6 miles. Blues Brother led the way with Fresh Ground and Blues Brother creating so much laughter that made this hard climb bearable. But make no mistake, this is a hard climb despite its many switchbacks. Just as the climb was long, so too was the descent. We had a number of views of beautiful Watuga Lake. We used the picnic area as our rest stop around 3:00. Pretty late for lunch. The laughter continued here with Fresh Ground enjoying recently obtained BBQ Chips (you had to be there). Fresh Ground then changed the course of our day when he asked about our interest in hiking to a hostel and getting Subway or McDonalds for dinner. So off we went.The hike to town was 2.6 miles but I stuck out my thumb and Lindsay (Trail Name Ferin) immediately stopped with room for one - me! Thank you Lindsay, you helped today's great day just get better. Backpacks for Blues Brother & Fresh Ground were also placed in the car before I was taken to Brown's Grocery. Brown's has a great resupply variety and if I were planning a hike through here I'd plan to resupply at Brown's and stay at his nearby Braemar Castle Hostel. Shortly after Blues Brother & Fresh Ground arrived, a car stopped at Brown's with a number of hikers we knew - Morgan, Going Postal, Mostly, and Rambo. Better yet, the car was driven by Bob Peoples who graciously chatted with me and Jim (another trail maintainer I was speaking with when Bob's car pulled up. It was a real treat speaking with them and hearing about the effort expended on the trail we'd just walked. Subway and McDonalds for dinner. Braemar Castle Hostel is a very comfortable and clean hostel. A shower at the end of the day. Fresh Ground said it best "These are the days to remember!"
Date: 2016-03-23
From: US 321 - Hampton, TN - Braemar Castle Hostel

To: Double Spring Shelter
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: broken clouds

Today's goal was to hike more miles in a day than our previous most miles day. Today's miles would enable Thursday night arrival in Damascus, VA. So we were up and out early, Don Sutton drove us back to yesterday's stopping point. Minutes after 7:00, we began hiking in the dark. The trail around Watauga Lake was easy but then the day's 1600 foot climb began. Blues Brother, Fresh Ground, and I hiked together as a group with Fresh Ground leading and setting the pace. Who Dat joined us late in the day and is with us in the shelter tonight.Laughter begun yesterday continued today. We stopped at shelters to eat. At the first shelter I was laughing so hard that it was difficult to eat as much food as I would've liked. Fresh Ground reminds me of Forrest Gump in terms of his classic phrases and I told him I wish I was recording them. I don't know how many times Fresh Ground said that this next climb would be the last of the day until finally it was the last climb. We hiked 23.5 miles in 10 hours and a few minutes. We took 3 breaks of a good period of time. No question that I tired as the day went on and I was glad the day ended. A saying on the trail out here is "It's about the smiles, not the miles." Today I got lots of smiles over many miles. Another great day out here.
Date: 2016-03-25
From: Damascus, VA - Woodchuck Hostel

To: Damascus, VA - Woodchuck Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Fresh Ground & Blues Brother prepared a delicious Good Friday meal consisting of a spiral-cut ham, mac and cheese, a side dish Fresh Ground won't provide the recipe for because he says it is a little bit of this and that, corn bread, and salad. It seemed like most thru-hikers in Damascus were staying at Woodchuck Hostel already and we welcomed HoHo, his dad, and Chickery (HoHo's girlfriend who hiked PCT last year, hiked AT southbound before that, and who has decided to join HoHo for the reminder of his hike to Maine) too.Beth arrived for her first AT visit just in time for the meal so she got to meet and enjoy everyone's company as this meal was shared.Bubbles of thru-hikers gather together like this in shelters and hostels. Woodchuck let Fresh Ground and Blues Brother have full use of his kitchen to prepare the great meal. As would be expected in such a setting, Fresh Ground led the festive banter telling AT memorable moments and roasting, in a loving way, various thru-hikers. You can't help leaving the gathering without having a warm feeling for all who shared this meal and time together.
Date: 2016-03-26
From: Damascus, VA - Woodchuck Hostel

To: Damascus, VA - Damascus Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today completed the Robert Parrish (double zero). I continued to enjoy the trail magic Maggie sent from 1,000 miles away. Love those peanut butter cookies! It was a great day as Beth and I had the whole day together. Sleeping in and then enjoying the continental breakfast at Damascus Inn got the day off to a great start. Holcomb, a thru-hiker many miles ahead of me, had written a recommendation that I try the Virginia Creeper Trail so that is what we did. Virginia Creeper Trail is a "rails to trails" conversion, a scenic trail available for hiking, biking, or horseback riding that was originally the Virginia Creeper Railroad's path. Beth and I were shuttled with bikes near the top of Whitetop Mountain. From there we let gravity take over to glide us down the pathway back to Damascus. Many others were with us at the beginning so we took our time and probably finished the course in last place; perfect because it let us ride side-by-side at various times to enjoy being with each other. Very little energy was expended and future thru-hikers should consider spending a great 4 hours in this way. Fresh Ground resumed hiking today and I diligently looked for him at several intersections of the AT and the Virginia Creeper Trail. Beth commented that she was on the AT today, realizing that my footsteps will be coming by tomorrow or the next day. Great weather for such a ride as it was sunny and mid-60's. We returned in time for me to set-up a different tent that I'll begin to use. The tent I started with worked fine but I found my skills lacking and wanted to switch to my Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo tent to give me more space and be comfortable during rain. This tent is a bit heavier than the Echo 1 Shelter System but since Beth was taking home most of my winter gear I rationalized carrying the heavier tent now. A quick trip to Mt. Rogers Outfitters for a pack tune-up made me more comfortable and confident about the lighter load I'll be carrying. My pack weight with 3.5 days of food and 2 liters of water is now 29 pounds so hiking should be a bit easier.Dinner was quick and filling but got us back in time before the Villanova/Kansas men's basketball game. It was way past hiker midnight so I couldn't keep my eyes open for much of it but I did catch the final minute to realize that David is happy with tonight's outcome.So far I've been happy every day out here but I find myself very happy today. I am a very lucky guy to have such a wonderful, loving wife who came a long way for this first visit on the AT.
Date: 2016-04-05
From: Pearisburg

To: Captain's
Miles today: 20.2

They say that after hiking the AT that you remember the good times. The memory of this day will be a "good time" but not because of the weather. Fresh Ground and I started hiking before sunrise. It was freezing cold outside but it often is that cold at that time. We had a .9 mile walk to get back to the AT that was memorable for how cold it was and how the wind was ferociously gusting. I was foolishly hiking in shorts and my long sleeve blue shirt - my typical hiking clothes. As Julia Roberts says in "Pretty Woman" - "Big mistake! Huge mistake!" With the temperature below 30 and the wind slamming us, we were both experiencing numb hands and faces. The climb up to Rice Field Shelter got us warm until we stopped at Rice Field Shelter. There the temperature was 24 degrees and the wind was blowing hard. Blues Brother and Rambo caught up to us as Fresh Ground and I were taking a lunch break in a sunny orchard in the sun. The four of us hiked together to Pine Swamp Branch Shelter where we saw Last Chance and Seeker, who we had just met the night before. Last Chance and Seeker were hiking on to The Captain's. I chose to hike there too since the Captain provides wifi, electricity, free soda, and tenting on his beautiful flat lawn. We briefly met the Captain has been providing this trail magic for 12 years. I am very glad to have met the Captain and recommend tenting here if you are in this area. Last Chance, Seeker, and I were able to get to know each other better over dinner. They are really nice guys. Last Chance will be completing his thru-hike in Haroers Ferry so he's close to finishing. The temperature is forecasted to get down to 24 tonight so it is going to be a cold one. I won't be wearing shorts in the morning.
Date: 2016-04-09
From: Daleville - US 220 - Howard Johnson Express

To: Daleville - US 220 - Holiday Inn Express
Miles today: 0.0

Did I tell you that Beth (my wonderful wife of almost 37 years) was arriving today for her 2nd visit on the AT? Beth arrived around 9:30 a.m. and immediately helped with my town chores. Having a car to easily get to the grocery store, a restaurant, and the outfitter store was really helpful. I had her bring non-hiking clothes too and immediately noticed a difference in my pants. Our scale from home revealed that I've continued to lose weight for a total loss now of 16 pounds. Beth said she really noticed how skinny I've gotten. I am sure this weight loss is due to hiking more miles per day recently combined with my not eating enough on hiking days. Fresh Ground and Blues Brother have each told me to eat more and they are clearly right. Candle Maker and Marathon have lost zero and 3 or 4 pounds respectively and told me how much they eat. I'll carry more food when I leave Daleville to try to stop or slow down the weight loss. Beth caught me taking a nap after lunch. It didn't last long but was very refreshing. Beth brought supplies with her so that simplified loading my backpack for the next several days. Beth also brought a new Sawyer Water Filtration System because I mistakenly left the water filter in my backpack overnight on a night that could've resulted in a frozen filter. If frozen, then the filter won't do its job and could lead to my getting giardia or some other water borne illness. I'll be more comfortable obtaining water now. Usually I sleep with the water filter secured between the vest I sleep in and the down jacket that I sleep in over the vest. Fresh Ground called today so we had a few laughs. He's pretty happy with yesterday's decision and is quite excited about working a couple weeks to make money to purchase some ultra light gear. Blues Brother and I traded messages in the evening. Blues Brother, Rambo, and Booty were still at Four Pines Hostel to intentionally avoid this late round of very cold weather. From what I can tell many thru-hikers stayed off the AT during this very cold day that was combined with strong winds. I ordered a new pair of trailrunners from Outdoor 76 because the pair I am wearing are pretty worn through in the soles. It is common for thru-hikers to go through 3 or more pairs of shoes as the terrain and virtual non-stop wearing of them break them down. Outdoor 76 said the wind chill temperature on Albert Mountain was forecasted to be near zero tonight.With Blues Brother about 25 miles behind me and Beth already here it was an easy decision to take a Robert Parrish (double zero) so tomorrow will continue this period of rest and revisiting what gear will leave Daleville with me Monday morning.
Date: 2016-04-10
From: Daleville - US 220 - Holiday Inn Express

To: Daleville - US 220 - Holiday Inn Express
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Great day for hiking today - but not for me. Beth and I enjoyed a great breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express. We then drove to the McAfee Knob parking lot where we began to hike to this famous AT picture spot and its fabulous view. Beth was concerned about me not resting today but I couldn't let this opportunity pass. I wanted her to have the chance to dangle her feet over the ledge like so many others do. Hiking slows everything down and it let us really get caught up. As Beth said "We have the time." That is one of the real pleasures of hiking - you have the time to think and talk about whatever you want.Once at McAfee Knob, I was the first to dangle my feet. I asked Beth to join me and today's picture shows she came over. Other photos show how comfortable Beth got. It's fun to people watch here in order to see how daring some people are. The tendency is to hike to places like this and then quickly leave. A nice couple from Pennsylvania came up with their daughter who will soon graduate from Roanoke College. She will join the Peace Corps in August, serving in Peru. I absolutely love how easily strangers come together in places like this and talk comfortably as they've known each other for years. The conversation extended our time at McAfee Knob and I was grateful for those extra moments to take in the views and share information about ourselves, our enjoyment of the outdoors, and the possibilities in the coming years. I was surprised that we hadn't seen any thru-hikers while we were at the top but that changed when during our hike back we saw Blues Brother coming our way. I had carried a few goodies and Blues Brother seemed very happy to get a Glacier Gatorade. Rambo and Last Chance arrived a few minutes later, enabling me to introduce Beth to them. They seemed to like the grapes the best. Treats you don't have to carry perk me up and I think they walked away with renewed vigor. We exchanged hiking plans and how much food they were carrying. No question our paths will intersect tomorrow or a couple days after that. Seeker was the last thru-hiker to be seen today and he appreciated the last Peppermint Patty. Homeplace Restaurant was the final destination today. Wanted Beth to enjoy their great food and to then understand why I love to eat there so much. Beth quickly understood. We left with our bellies full.I am lucky Beth was able to share these places and these days with me. My AT hike is all about hiking passed every white blaze but includes great days like these too. As Gangsta routinely said in her trailjournal entries "This will just be a memory one day." A great memory.
Date: 2016-04-18
From: Waynesboro - Quality Inn

To: Waynesboro - Quality In 
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a day to resupply, wash clothes, and eat and drink to put some weight back on as preparation for my return to the AT tomorrow. I purchased a knee bandage that says it will moderately support my knee. The cashier at CVS looked over my purchases and asked how my hike was going. Before leaving the store, the woman behind me offered to drive me to where I needed to go. She later told me that she had a knee replacement so she must've taken some pity on me. Then Casey sent me an e-mail to inform me about the big fire in Shenandoah National Park that I'll enter tomorrow morning. Bruce from Raleigh came to Waynesboro to take me to dinner and talk trail. Bruce drove me to the local outfitter store for some hiker-specific resupply items. The meal was great but the bigger treat was discussing the AT and hearing about hikes he already has undertaken. Trust me that Bruce will be successful when he hikes the AT in 2018. Bruce knows the AT real well and his preparation is phenomenal. Waynesboro is a hiker friendly town. A list of trail angels who will provide rides to and from the trailhead is widely distributed. Astros will pick me up in the morning and take me to Rockfish Gap to resume my hike. So many people going above and beyond to help hikers like me. Last Chance said it best "It restores your faith in humanity." I have a lot of paying forward to do in order to balance out the many kindnesses given me.
Date: 2016-04-21
From: Big Meadows Campground

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Was up and out earlier than normal. My motivation came from my desire to have breakfast at Skyland Restaurant but that meant hiking almost 8 miles before the restaurant's 10:30 deadline. Since we carry our food on our backs, being able to buy a hot meal with a cold beverage was a treat. I saw CandleMaker as I walked in with 15 minutes to spare. The buffet was great and I ate and drank way too much. The good pace that I had to get there was never matched during the rest of the day. Views today lacked clarity due to a haze created by the Shenandoah National Park fire. Shenandoah's sparkle was a no-show and word came that the fire zone had expanded again. So today became a day of getting through it. A man sitting in the lobby was interested in my thru-hike and went out of his way to express his thinking of how such an undertaking was inspirational. I thanked him for his kind words and that just seemed to motivate him further to make certain how deeply he felt what he said. Our conversation ended with him standing to shake hands. Later in the day, I met Helen and John as they hiked down a rocky descent. They are respectively 78 and 72 years old. They too asked about my hike and were somewhat critical of their own hike. I did everything I could to get them to realize that hiking where they were hiking was significantly harder than walking around their neighborhood as they characterized their effort. Interactions like these happen with increasing frequency now that my physical appearance makes me stand out as being a bit different. A number of us gathered around the shelter and picnic table that evening. Topics included the fire and the status of other hikers' hikes. We finished with a discussion of tomorrow's hiking plans. When I revealed my intent to hike in to Front Royal, a distance of 26.5 miles, John Goodman summed it up best saying "Oh Rabbit". Everyone wished me well but there was a good bit of skepticism about such an endeavor. I had to force the mileage entered as today's miles. Today's hike was 18.4 miles. Total distance should now be 942.6 miles.
Date: 2016-04-24
From: Front Royal - Quality Inn

To: Dicks Dome Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: clear sky

Beautiful day. The trail was a dirt path almost the whole day. Pink and white trillium were abundant for much of the day. The day cooled nicely as the day ended. Beth dropped Rambo and me off at the trailhead at 10:00 and we began hiking at 10:15. We didn't connect with Bonnie and Clyde as we hoped. We learned that Bonnie and Clyde intended to stay at the Jim and Molly Denton Shelter for the night. They made a great choice. Rambo and I stopped for lunch around noon at the Jim and Molly Denton Shelter. This shelter was spotless and has a 3-person wooden lawn chair, a separate eating area with a large picnic table, a solar shower, and a horseshoe pit. This is an ideal place to stay if it fits into your schedule. Rambo reviewed the shelter's log book and saw that CandleMaker and Booty were at this shelter yesterday. A note said to read J's entry that is shown as today's picture. J wrote so simply and so powerfully. I hiked a good bit today thinking how Mother's Day is quickly coming up. Rambo and I talked about how lucky we were to have the mothers and families we had. The loss of a parent at such a young age must be devastating. I thought about a great colleague, Bill Calhoun, and how his joyful spirit left us at such a young age. Bill left a beautiful family. Last I heard, Bill's wife and family continued to live while continuing to remember this great guy. A reminder to all of us to enjoy every precious moment of life and to make sure those we love know we love them. Bill loved his family and the way he spoke of them made it undeniably clear that they knew and felt his love. When today's hike began, I never envisioned reading such an entry and having it capture my attention the way it did. Given such a beautiful day on the weekend, many day hikers were out to enjoy this beautiful trail. Some sections were steep but everyone had smiles on their faces. Various hikers asked about my thru-hike. At the shelter tonight, I again got the "you look to clean to be a thru-hiker" comment that's been sent my way at least a half dozen times. I shared the comment with Rambo so that he could get a laugh at my expense. Blues Brother and Fresh Ground would've had a good time with it too. And so did I.
Date: 2016-04-25
From: Dicks Dome Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: overcast clouds

First an update that should've been included in yesterday's post, I had my second worst fall during the beginning of the hike. My left hiking pole suffered the most and has a substantial crack in it to the extent that I can't use it for hiking. I think it can still be used to hold up my tent so I'll keep it until replacements are purchased. I simply tripped and went down quickly. Today's picture was the big story of the day. Hiking the roller coaster. I don't even ride roller coasters at carnivals because I'm afraid of heights. (I know you're asking why then am I hiking mountains.) The AT roller coaster consists of a 13.5 mile stretch in which there are many ascents and descents between 400' to 500'. The number of these ups and downs is unusual and having them continuously back-to-back is unusual. The roller coaster wiped me out. I loved it. The roller coaster section of the AT is my favorite so far in terms of hiking. I have more favorite spots for the spectacular views but for just hiking this is it. The trail was vertical with lots of rocks. Having just one hiking pole available for use made it harder than it should've been. Having a knee that still doesn't move as well as I'd like added to the challenge. This roller coaster was beautifully created. It seemed that the AT and Spring got together today and decided to show off. Some stretches of trail were beyond beautiful with filtered light making the vibrant greens along the trails pop out. There were many easy water crossings but they added to this roller coaster experience. There were several stone walls and a sign posted early in this section made me wonder whether some of these fences were created during the Civil War. Flowers were showing off too. I came to Bears Den Hostel as tired as I can recall. My miles per hour today were quite low. It didn't matter. Today's hike had what I think of when I think about the AT. Glad to be here. Added treat today was passing 1,000 miles.