morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-06-14
From: Big Meadow Cabin

To: Thornton Gap
Miles today: 17.4

Our plan for today is to slack pack 17 miles and then Cabo's wife will pick us up and take us back to Big Meadow Campground where we have our tents set up. Matthew and I walked down to the campground to reserve a site and to put our tents up. We accidentally set up on a site that was already reserved so we had to move our tents and move everything we had already put in the bear box. Unfortunately that significantly delayed our start. It's very chilly today and most people were wearing jackets and hats. That means its great hiking weather. We started out with a climb up Hawksbill Mtn (3,640 ft). The trail was rocky but that usually only lasts for part of the day. Today it lasted all day. Next we climbed Stony Man Mtn (3,837 ft) which is the highest mountain on the AT in the Shenandoah's. Just after after the summit Matthew saw another bear. He said this one looked like it was an adolescent. I'm starting to get jealous. Matthew has been on the trail for about two weeks and has seen two bears. I've been on the trail for over 100 days and haven't seen one yet!We came across Mayer who is a section hiker that we really like. He just seems to enjoy life. He carries a HUGE amount of food. His food bag alone weights almost as much as my pack! Anyway, Meyar climbed up to the top of a large rock and was enjoying the view (see pic section). I texted his mom a pic. One of the things I've enjoyed about the Shenandoah's is the wildlife. The deer don't seem very afraid and we've seen many doe's with fawns. It's difficult to get good pics of the fawns because the doe's keep moving them away. I added one pic of a doe and fawn but its not so great. For the most part we stayed high in the mountains with many views and overlooks into the valley with the tiny town of Luray, VA. The final climb of the day was The Pinnacle (3,730 ft). I really did a number on my feet today. The combination of rocky trail and trying to keep our speed up to meet our ride at the designated time was lethal. I have a new and tender blister on the ball of my right foot. I also have a bloody blister on the heel of my left foot. I had Mathew lance the one on my heel. I'm hoping a good nights sleep will help them heal . . .
Date: 2013-06-15
From: Thornton Gap

To: Gravel Springs Hut Campsite
Miles today: 14.5

I was glad that I had lanced the blister on my heel since it seemed dry this morning. However the blister on the ball of my foot is puffy and very tender. I went ahead and lanced it as well. It's painful to walk so I'll have to see how the day goes. Linda (Cabo's wife) was supposed to meet us at 8:15 to take us back to where we slacked to yesterday. They were running late and then it was about a 40 minute drive. We had decided to slack pack the first 9 miles and leave our packs at the Elkwallow Wayside. It's a small store and restaurant. The employees agreed to put our packs in their cabin until we arrived. It was immediately clear that I wasn't going to be able to walk very fast with my painful feet. Trouble and Melkie took off and eventually hiked with Mayer. Matthew hung with me and I enjoyed our conversation. It's nice to have unpressured time to talk. It took us nearly 6 hours to go 9 miles and the terrain and trail was not that difficult. Going up hill or flat was tolerable but going down hill is agony. At the Wayside it was fun to run into many familiar faces that I thought were way ahead of us. Some of them are: Animal, Scarecrow, Candy Pants, Mowgli, Headstand, Home Brew, and Mayer. I've included a pic of Headstand today. He is literally a "colorful" character on the trail. It's funny to see a big burly guy in a tie dye skirt. He is another one who is really a nice guy and I always enjoy being around him. Mowgli has been diagnosed with Lyme's disease and is on medication. Ticks are probably a bigger danger to hikers than the scarier creatures like bears and rattlesnakes. A hiker who I had not met before came in and was talking about how he always does at least 20 miles a day. I felt sorry for him because he said he wasn't enjoying his hike. He and another hiker got into a huge argument about whether or not its cheating to slack pack. As I've said before, HYOH (hike your own hike) and if you can walk 2,186 miles then good for you no matter how you do it!We decided to push on to the next hut. I walked so slowly that we arrived after dark. There were a lot of people in the hut and camped in the vicinity. There must have been 10 people sitting around the glowing embers from a campfire. Matthew and I joined the group and ate our dinner. I thought it was hysterical when one guy said the he knew a story he could tell. Someone else asked if it was scary and when he said yes no one wanted him to tell the story. My feet are very painful and I'm going to bed . . .
Date: 2013-06-16
From: Gravel Springs Hut Campsite

To: Jenkins Gap
Miles today: 5.7

I started packing up before daybreak in hopes of being able to hike the 13 plus miles to the road that goes into Front Royal where my friends Bob and Kim will pick us up. Bumping my blistered during the night had awoken me several times. When I stood the pain shot through my foot and I knew it would be a tough day. Matthew also has a blister on the ball of this right foot and between his big toe and 2nd toe on his left foot. We were on the trail before 7:00 but it was slow going. To take our minds off the pain Matthew and I started making up thru hiker jokes. You almost have to be a thru hiker to appreciate the humor. Here are a few:How do you know a thru hiker sleeps in a hammock . . . they will tell you. (We didn't make this one up - it was told to us). How do you know a thru hiker walks more than 20 miles a day . . . they will tell you. How do you ask a thru hiker where the next all you can eat buffet is . . . you don't, they will tell you. How do you know a thru hiker is opposed to slack packing . . . they will tell you. How do you know a thru hikers pack weighs less than 30 lbs . . . they will tell you. At a road crossing we ran into Linda who stopped and gave us ice cold Gatorade and snacks - THANK YOU Linda!! We also came across her later when she was putting out trail magic. While I was hiking alone I ran into some delightful day hikers, Greg and Lisa. They just got married a month ago - CONGRATULATIONS!! Much to my surprise Greg had been reading my trail journal. I think he was equally surprised to actually meet someone's who's journal he had been reading. They had a lot of questions and we found many things in common such as Lisa being a nurse and knowing Bob who was coming to pick us up. When I arrived at Jenkins Gap I decided the pain was too intense so I texted Kim & Bob to tell them to pick us up there. While we were waiting for them Greg and Lisa came back to their car. They offered us one bottle of ice water and apologized for not having more. We were happy to have the ice water. About 40 minutes later their car pulls back into the parking lot. They had driven to a store and bought us lunch and drinks. We all sat down together and had lunch. THANK YOU Greg & Lisa!!! I can't wait to read your journal for your thru hike and to have you visit us in Maine!Bob & Kim picked us up and treated us like royalty for the rest of the day. Even after soaking my feet in Epsom salt, they are still quite painful . . . sigh.
Date: 2013-06-17
From: Jenkins Gap

To: Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

One of the things I forgot to mention in yesterday's post is that while we were sitting in the parking lot waiting for Bob and Kim to arrive I heard something crashing through the bushes. To my left two deer came running out of the bushes running full speed directly toward us. My mind flashed to the YouTube video of the mountain biker being run over by the antelope. At the last second they veered behind us and ran off into the woods to our right without ever slowing down. Imagine that story . . . yeah, I hiked 957 miles but I had to get off the trail because I got run over by a deer. . . and it wasn't even a reindeer!Kim cooked us an amazing breakfast. Their 5 year old delightful daughter kept me entertained and peppered me with questions while I packed up (see photo section). Why does your pack sink? Where do you sleep? Where do you go the bathroom? Bob drove is around to various stores to resupply before heading back up to the trail. They have made us feel so comfortable and have been true trail angels. THANK YOU Bob, Kim, and Sarah!!!We didn't get on the trail until early afternoon. My blisters felt better at the beginning of the hike but were hurting by the end. The biggest hiking event today was emerging out the north end of the Shenandoah's - HOORAY!!! Soon we will be in West Virginia. When we came to a major road crossing there was trail magic from Dreamer and his wife. It was fun to see them again. Also waiting for us was a high school classmate of mine, Doug Duncan, who came to meet us for dinner and give us a ride into town. We drove to a sports bar so Matthew could watch the Stanley Cup hockey game while we ate. It was great to catch up with Doug. He is a geologist and manages research projects in energy resources. I think I could have listed to him talk about his fascinating work for hours. He is the same kind, smart, and interesting person I remember from high school. It poured down rain while we were eating and we were glad we weren't on the trail. Tomorrow we will catch a shuttle back up to the trailhead. I'm hoping my feet will hold up for bigger miles in the next few days.
Date: 2013-06-18
From: Front Royal, VA

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

I had breakfast with Sun Driven and Trouble while Matthew slept in. The hotel forgot to write down that we needed a shuttle so we had to wait until Milton arrived. Milton was a character and didn't mind sharing his opinion with us. I egged him on when he started complaining about the Canadians - I didn't tell him that Trouble was Canadian. She was cracking up in the back seat. I'm glad to have the Shenandoahs behind us but this section of the trail is not as pretty or as well maintained as the Shenandoahs. It stated raining about 2 miles into the hike. The trail became a river and it was pointless to try to step around the water so I slogged through it. At about 5 miles we came to the Jim and Molly Denton shelter where we stopped to dry out and have lunch. We had been excitedly anticipating this shelter because it has a solar shower. What a disappointment it was to find out the shower didn't work. Joe, a SOBO section hiker, was already in the shelter and zeroing out of the rain. Hog Greer and Old Boy arrived shortly after we did. Under the category of its a small world, they told us that after my friend Doug dropped us off at the hotel last night, he picked them up and gave them a ride to the trailhead.We were waiting for the rain to stop after lunch and all three of us fell asleep. I woke up when Jackalope came down the path. Matthew and Trouble wanted to wanted to stay rather than going back out in the rain. I have to admit it was a really nice shelter but there was no way I was only doing 5 miles today - rain or no rain!I packed up and when I left, Matthew and Trouble were still in their sleeping bags. It was still raining but not as hard. I enjoyed hiking by myself for awhile. When I went under I-66 I decided to wait for the others since it was more difficult to follow the blazes. We all reconnected under the interstate and I lead the group up the next climb. Matthew and Trouble were dragging and when we reached the Manassas Gap Shelter I knew it was best to call it a day and start drying things out. In reality it's probably good to let my blisters dry as well. We are staying in the shelter with Seventeen (California) and For Now (Boston). Seventeen got his name because his food bag weighed 17 lbs when he started! They are fun people and For Now read to us while we fixed dinner. Hopefully the rain is done for the night but if not we will be dry in the shelter.
Date: 2013-06-19
From: Manassas Gap Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel 
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

It rained some more during the night so I was glad we were in the shelter. Seventeen and For Now were still asleep when we left. The sky was dark and overcast but it didn't rain. The trail was very muddy from the previous rain. The first part of the day was definitely in the green tunnel. The underbrush was thick and crowded the trail. Throughout the day we leapfrogged with Old Boy, Hog Geer, and Jackalope. In the afternoon we reached the infamous roller coaster and were greeted by a sign that said: "Hiker warning!! You are about to enter the roller coaster!! Built and maintained by Trail Boss and his merry crew of volunteers. Have a great ride and we will see you at the Blackburn Trail Center (if you survive)"It was an accurate warning. The roller coaster is a series of steep up's and down's. They aren't big but they are definitely a challenge. Our intent was to go 22 miles to the Bears Den Hostel but the roller coaster was taking longer than expected and it was clear we weren't going to make it. We crossed a gravel road and ran across Jane and her husband hiking with their grandchildren. She offered us a ride to Bears Den and we gladly accepted. Tomorrow we will get a ride back the gravel road and start there. Bears Den Hostel is well known on the trail. It is run by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the cost of the hostel includes a pizza, soda, and a quart of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. That combined with a shower and laundry - what more could a hiker want??? The hostel is in a stone house that was built by a Washington diplomate for his wife who was an opera singer. We had a nice dinner with some section hikers. Mayer and Flavor Saver as well as many others are here. Tomorrow we should leave Virginia - yeah!
Date: 2013-06-20
From: Bears Den Hostel 

To: Blackburn AT Center
Miles today: 14.1

What a monumental day! We passed the 1,000 mile mark, left Virginia (finally) and entered West Virginia, finished a very tough section called the roller coaster, and Matthew now has a trail name: Hat Trick. I'm not going to write a lot because its been a long hard day and we're getting up early to push into Harpers Ferry. Check out some of the photos from today.
Date: 2013-06-21
From: Blackburn AT Center

To: Harpers Ferry, ATC visitors center
Miles today: 11.9

Last night we slept on the porch of the Blackburn Center so we could get an early start this morning. Jim, who is planning a thru hike in 2014, will be meeting us at 1:00 to pick our brains and buy us lunchTrouble headed out very early and I didn't see her on the trail for the rest of the day. With the early morning start, Hat Trick and I saw a lot of deer. None of the climbs were difficult but there were places where the trail was very rocky and painful for my feet. Hat Trick left me behind as I had to slow down over the rocks. I ran into Bill from the ATC and Trail Boss who is responsible for maintaining the roller coaster section. It was interesting chatting with them. They were scouting possible relocations of a section of the trail because its in bad condition. Hat Trick was waiting for me at a large bridge over the Shenandoah River just before it merges with the Potomac River. The beauty of this wide river was in stark contrast to the high volume of traffic rushing past us. A car pulled over and waited for us. It turned out to be Jim who we were meeting for lunch. He recognized us from our photos. Another half mile and we were at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy visitor center where the staff could not have been more friendly and helpful. I registered as a thru hiker, had my pic taken for their logbooks, and was was number 648 for this year. Even though there are thousands of people who start the trail every year only 20 to 30% complete it. By Harpers Ferry two thirds have dropped out in a typical year. It's a nice milestone to have under my belt!Jim, Trouble, and Melkie waited patiently and then we all walked down the street where Jim treated us to lunch - THANK YOU Jim!!! Jim is an experienced hiker but is collecting all the information he can in preparation for his thru hike next year. I have no doubt he will do well on his thru hike. He also enjoys tracking and helping out hikers who are on the trail. I was excited to hear that Karma is not too far behind me. I haven't seen her since shot Springs, NC. Trouble and I will part ways at least for awhile as Hat Trick and I are flying home tomorrow for 3 days of "licking our wounds" and relaxation. Best of luck and happy trails to my friends Trouble and Melkie - you've been good trail buddies! The trip home could not have come at a better time as my feet are pretty painful and my right lower leg is swollen for some unknown reasonMy niece, Kyra, arrived to pick us up and took us back to her place where we spent the night. She fed us like hungry hikers with homemade BBQ sandwiches, pasta salad, coleslaw, and a frozen Oreo pudding desert. It was absolutely delicious! In the morning she will drive us to the Baltimore airport for our flight home. THANK YOU Kyra!!!I will not be journaling until I return to the trail.
Date: 2013-06-22
From: Harpers Ferry, ATC visitors center

To: North Yarmouth, Maine
Miles today: 0.0

Confusion reigned this morning when I woke up and couldn't figure out what shelter I was in. I was sure I was supposed to meet Anita but I was worried she wouldn't be able to find this shelter. What a relief it was when I figured out I was in my own bed! I smiled and went back to sleep. I will be off the trail 3 days longer than planned. I saw a podiatrist who gave my left foot a good work over. She gave me a cortisone injection in my left big toe joint (yes, it hurt like *#!/%), cut a soft corn off my 4th toe, drained pus out of my little toe, and debrided my little toe. She put me on antibiotics and asked me to give it a few more days before I start hiking. I'm disappointed to be off the trail so long but I'm happy that at least I'm home. If all of this fixes my left foot and means less pain then it will have been worthwhile. I will be back on the trail Friday.
Date: 2013-06-28
From: Harpers Ferry, WV

To: Fox Gap
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light rain

Hooray! Today we left West Virginia and entered Maryland! This is the sixth state on this journey. Starting today we will stay with my niece, Kyra, and will slack pack for 3 days. We will return to her house each evening - THANK YOU Kyra!!!We started at the ATC visitors center in Harpers Ferry, followed the trail through the historic part of town, crossed the Potomac River, and were into Maryland. We followed a wonderfully wide and level path with the Potomac on our right and an old canal on our left. We enjoyed watching the turtles and ducklings in the canal as well as the stand up paddle boarders on the Potomac. Leaving the flat flood plane of the river we climbed about 900 ft to Weverton's Cliffs and then followed the ridge. Seven miles into the hike we stopped for lunch at the Ed Garvey Shelter were we met Billy Goat. He is the first SOBO I've met this year. I started in Georgia on March 4th and he started in Maine on March 5th. Billy Goat dehydrates all of his own food and he try's to stay away from all processed foods. He was an interesting person to talk with and we took a long break to converse with him. The sky darkened, the wind picked up, and we could hear thunder but it never rained. The trail gods must have been looking out for us because Kyra said it poured down rain twice at her house. We strolled into Gapland State Park where the guidebook said we would find vending machines. We, along with a lot of other hikers, were disappointed to learn the the machines had been removed. There were several other thru hikers there but we are in a new bubble so I'm having to learn new names. Under the category of its a small world, in the middle of the woods we ran into a close friend of a neighbor of mine when I lived in Athens, Georgia. Parts of the trail were rocky and the heat certainly took its toll, but overall the terrain was gentle. It was a good first day back on the trail. When Kyra picked us up we went to a Thai restaurant for dinner. It's so nice to be able to have a hot shower and full tummy at the end of the day!
Date: 2013-06-29
From: Fox Gap

To: Foxville Road
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: light rain

The trail was packed today. There were runners, day hikers, weekend hikers, section hikers, thru hikers, Boy Scout troops, kids from camps, and mountain climbers. It was so busy it was difficult to even find a place to pee. Being near a major metropolitan area (Washington DC) on a beautiful Saturday, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. We had fun talking to lots of different people. One of our favorites was a family who was day hiking together (see pics) who came upon us while we were taking a snack break. They were very curious about our thru hike and we stayed longer than we had intended answering their questions and enjoying their company. Early in the day we met Double Dare who I hadn't seen in about 25 days. We were at the Dutch Haus together. We were hiking with him and Whirled Peas with Hat Trick in the lead when we ran across a copperhead snake on the trail (see pics). A hiker ahead of us walked right by it and never saw it. At Washington Monument State Park we took a short side trail to what the locals consider to be the first washington monument. Built on July 4th, 1827 by residents of Boonesboro in memory of George Washington, it was also used by the Union Army during the Civil War as a signal tower. Near Annapolis Rocks we met some mountain climbers with all their ropes and gear. Apparently this is a popular rock climbing area for the DC area. We had lunch on Black Rock Cliffs with a pretty view of the valley below. During the afternoon we hiked some more with Whirled Peas. She is an interesting young woman who has previously worked as a tour guide for a company who provides bicycle tours, mostly abroad but some in the states.We are supposed to be near Camp David soon and there are rumors of an underground Pentagon in the area. Hat Trick and I entertained ourselves during the afternoon by looking for cameras and secret service agents. We were quite amused at ourselves and all of our imaginary stories about encounters with men in dark suits, sun glasses, and an ear piece in the middle of the woods. I texted Kyra when we were about an hour from our rendezvous point and it worked out perfectly when she arrived 2 minutes before us. She has this slack packing down pat, arriving with wash cloths, water, towels, clean t-shirts, and cold drinks. We lingered for awhile eating wild blackberries before we drove to the nearest ice cream standWe were in for a big surprise when we arrived home and found her kitchen flooded. We borrowed a wet vac from a neighbor and tried to clean it up the best we could but she had a lot of damage as the water ran through the vent and into the basement. Since the rest of the evening was spent cleaning up we ordered Chinese food to be delivered - yum!!!