morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-08-12
From: Campsite north of Wind Rock

To: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

Tom's Journal:Day 46 ¢ Campsite north of Wind Rock to Pine Swamp Branch Shelter ¢ 9 mile day. We started the day with a stretch of less difficult trail. I was going to say ¢easy¢ trail but I¢ve decided the trail is never easy. I would say there are 4 levels of difficulty ¢ incredibly difficult, very difficult, difficult, and less difficult. We were making good time when we heard a hiker call to us from his tent. His trail name was Thinker. He said we were about to breeze right by one of the best views on the trail ¢ Wind Rock. Unfortunately, the fog obscured the view. We then came to Mountain Lake Road. Down the road about 5 miles was one of the locations where the movie ¢Dirty Dancing¢ was filmed. We continued on to the Bailey Gap Shelter where we stopped for lunch. We met a father and daughter day-hiking who also stopped for lunch at the shelter. The daughter is attending grad school at VA Tech which is near by. Later in the afternoon we came to a location called ¢The Captain¢s¢ place. It¢s on the AT hikers ¢must-see¢ list. To get to the Captain¢s house, you have to use a zip-line to cross Stony Creek. For the last 10 years or so, the captain has allowed hikers to camp in his yard and he provides cold drinks free of charge. He gets his name from being a Captain Kangaroo-look-alike.After some cold drinks and sharing some trail stories with the captain, we zip-lined back across Stony Creek and resumed our hike to the Pine Swamp Branch Shelter. It is an old stone shelter with a stone fireplace actually inside the shelter. We were getting ready to set up the tent when we heard thunder. About 5 minutes later the rain was pounding down. No tent tonight. We stayed in the shelter.Scott's Journal:August 12 ¢ We left camp and hiked up ¢¦ I mean down the mountain to hang out at Captain¢s. To get to Captain¢s, we zip-lined over a creek with our packs. On the way over, I stopped halfway over the creek and my dad took a photo of me. I struggled not to fall in with my heavy pack on my back. The Captain spent some time with us and supplied cold drinks. He meets all kinds of hikers: sectional and thru-hikers. He was warm, friendly, and loving. His dogs Buddy and Layla were as well. He zip-lined us back over the creek and showed my how to carabiner my pack to the rope. Thanks, Captain! We hiked to Pine Swamp Branch Shelter and ate and fell asleep.
Date: 2013-08-13
From: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: light rain

Tom's Journal:Day 47 ¢ It was still raining this morning as we left the shelter. We began the hike with a 1200 foot climb to the intersection with the Allegheny Trail. The Allegheny Trail is a separate 300-mile hiking trail that stretches to the Mason-Dixon Line. Our plan was to stop for the day at a campsite two miles short of the Rice Field Shelter. Campsites (as contrasted with shelters) are not clearly marked and can be confusing to find. We stopped at a location that based on mileage should have been near the campsite. We saw two rather frail looking deer just staring at us. They didn¢t run away when we made sounds or moved. We continued a little further down the trail and suddenly saw the campsite. It now became obvious why the deer were hanging around. They associated the campsite with food.We were feeling pretty good energy-wise and decided to hike two more miles to the Rice Field Shelter. We arrived at the shelter about 7pm. The shelter looked out over a meadow with a beautiful sunset. A cool wind was blowing and it turned out to be the first night I was glad to be tucked inside my sleeping bag. Normally its hot and my 15 degree bag is too stifling.Scott's Journal:August 13 - We left Pine Swamp Branch Shelter and trudged through the rain up a mountain. After we ate lunch it rained on us again. We took a while at first slower than 1mph. we finished quicker and ended at one of my favorite shelters ¢ Rice Field Shelter ¢ facing a beautiful sunset. The shelter looked new. We are a good late dinner and went to sleep.
Date: 2013-08-14
From: Rice Field Shelter

To: Lane Street - Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 6.8

Tom's Journal:Day 48 - We broke camp at 7am this morning wanting an early start. We were headed to the town of Pearisburg where we would eat some town food, take care of some errands, and spend the night in a motel. A cold front had moved into the area pusing temps down into the 60s. A refreshing change from the 80s and 90s we had been experiencing for most of our hike. A hike becomes much less exhausting when you're not dripping with sweat every step of the way.We arruived in Pearisburg around 1pm and discovered that the motel we had planned to stay at had burned down. (Rendezvous Motel) Fortunately there was vacancy at the Plaza Motel so we stayed there. The motel manager was an especially friendly and nice woman named Linda. We chatted about our AT experiences and she offered to do our laundry which was greatly appreciated. We headed next door to the Dairy Queen for lunch where we met Rick, the franchise owner and a very engaging fellow. We talked about the AT and he offered us a ride across town to take care of an errand. Once again, I'm overwhelmed by the generous spirit of the people we meet along our journey.Scott and I debated over where to eat dinner. I wanted Mexican food and margaritas. He wanted the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. I reluctantly acquiesced. At the Chinese restaurant, we ran into a former AT hiker named Starman who now lives in Pearisburg. He was chock full of entertaining stories from his 1988 thru-hike. I especially enjoyed the story about a fellow hiker who would have his weekly food resupply dropped to him by small parachute from a plane.Scott's Journal:August 14 ¢ We left Rice Field Shelter and hiked towards Pearisburg at 8am. We arrived in Pearisburg at 12:30pm and found an amazing motel ¢ Plaza Motel ¢ not far from the trail. We received laundry service and I look forward to a bed and restaurant meal and a peaceful stay. Maybe we will hike all the way home.
Date: 2013-08-15
From: Lane Street - Pearisburg, VA

To: Sugar Run Gap
Miles today: 10.4

Tom's Journal:Day 49 ¢ We started the morning with a great pancake breakfast at Hardees then headed off for the trail. The hike began with a 2000 foot climb straight up the mountain to a great viewing area at the top called Angel's Rest. From that spot we were able to see the entire town of Pearisburg below. The remainder of the day¢s hike had some small ups and downs but nothing like the initial 2000 foot climb.We stopped at Doc¢s Knob Shelter for a brief rest then continued on to our destination ¢ Wood's Hole Hostel. Many hikers had mentioned this hostel as a great place to stay. It¢s run by a young couple, Neville and Michael. Neville is the grand-daughter of Roy and Tillie Wood who opened the hostel in 1986. She spent her summers here growing up and decided to continue the operation of the hostel after her grandparents passed away. The hostel is known for serving great meals. When we got to Sugar Run Gap, the road that leads 12 mile to the hostel, we saw a note saying the hostel was closed until Sept. 5 due to renovations. We were extremely disappointed but decided to hike the 12 mile to at least get a look at the property. We ran into Michael and he agreed to let us stay in the bunkhouse since the renovation had yet to begin. However, there would be no meals served since Neville was out of town.We enjoyed lying in the hammock and watching the farm animals, especially the chickens who kept wandering thru the bunkhouse looking for scraps. Very peaceful place. We hit the 400 miles mark today!Scott's Journal:August 15 ¢ We left the Plaza Motel in Pearisburg. First we ate breakfast at Hardees. At 8:30am we began to hike up Angel¢s Rest. The top had a beautiful view over Pearisburg. We continued over some hills and arrived at Woods¢ Hole Hostel. They are doing renovations, but the owner Michael allowed us to stay in the bunkhouse. There were goats, chickens, cattle and a pig. I enjoyed the stay very much. The next morning I enjoyed myself in the hammock soaking up the sun.
Date: 2013-08-16
From: Sugar Run Gap

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: clear sky

Tom's Journal:Day 50 - A short and less difficult hike today. We are trying to time our hike to arrive at VA-606 on Saturday. We have plans to be picked up by Cassie who will be driving from Georgia to meet us for a few days of R&R. I¢ve been trying to call home for a few days now but cell service is very spotty. The most reliable spots for service are mountain peaks. The most unreliable spots are the valleys. Typically we hit mountain peaks during the day, and the shelters at night are in the lower elevations. Today one of the peaks actually had a cell tower on it so I was able to call home. The views from the peak were outstanding. We got to Wapiti Shelter around 2pm and had plenty of time to relax and catch up on postings in our journals. We are very excited about taking some zero days since it has been 30 days since our last one.Scott's Journal:August 16 ¢ We left Wood¢s Hole at 8:40am and hiked through Big Horse Gap and then stopped off a side trail near a viewing tower and called my mother. We met Stephen, Victoria, and Chad hiking to Pearisburg. They had been on the trail for 8 days. We continued on the Wapiti Shelter. My food supply is diminishing but we will meet my mother tomorrow at Trent¢s Grocery. This will be our second, no our fifth night out of a tent.
Date: 2013-08-17
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: VA606
Miles today: 7.7

Tom's Journal:Day 51 ¢ Awoke to the sound of a pack of howling wolves in the near distance. Since I¢m at the end of my 7-day food supply, my backpack is considerably lighter which makes a big difference. The terrain today is relatively flat and devoid of big rocks. We are able to achieve hiking speeds in excess of 2mph which for us is rare. We come to a point on the trail where we can take a 12 mile side trail to view Dismal Falls. This will add an extra mile to our hike, but that¢s okay because of the good speed we are maintaining. Dismal Falls was very scenic with a nice waterfall and swimming hole.We continued on and ran into a section hiker named Charlie Stick. He uses one tall wooden hiking stick. We finally got to the trailhead at VA606 and walked 12 mile to Trent¢s Grocery where we at some delicious pizza and then sat outside on a bench to wait for Cassie to arrive. Got a chance to talk to several locals going in and out of the store. That was enjoyable.Cassie pulled up at about 3pm. It was great to see her. We had last seen her over 50 days ago when she dropped us off for the beginning of the hike. We drove about an hour to a small scenic town called Abingdon where we had reservations at the historic Martha Washington Hotel. We checked in, showered, and prepared for some great R&R.Scott's Journal:August 17 ¢ We left Wapiti Shelter for a 7.7 mile hiking day. We visited Dismal Falls. Most of the hike was groomed trail leveled or downhill. We met Charlie Stick, a section hiker. A very friendly man. We ended at Trent¢s Grocery and ordered a pizza. We are waiting for my mother out front on a bench. We have now hiked over the 400 miles mark. My dad is now a very fast hiker. All of the locals who stopped at Trent's Grocery talked with us while we waited on the bench out front.
Date: 2013-08-21
From: VA606

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Tom's Journal:Day 55 - Aug 21 ¢ Wednesday ¢ Back on the trail again. Great stay at the Martha Washington Hotel in Abingdon. I weighed myself when I first arrived at the hotel and I had lost 17 pounds since the beginning of the hike. When I checked out 3 days later I had regained 10 pounds! Amazing what non-stop eating and lots of desserts can do. The heated spa also worked wonders on the aching body.Cassie took us back to the AT around noon to continue our journey. Of course it rained again on the way to the shelter. Will the rain ever stop? We had two 700ft climbs before calling it a day. We were definitely back in the trail groove again. Around 7pm two hikers showed up at the Jenny Knob Shelter ¢ Natty & Sean. Natty is thru-hiking his way to Georgia so we might see him again down the trail. Sean is a buddy of his and has just joined him for one week of hiking. They were anxious to hike some extra miles, so after eating dinner they put on their gear and headlamps and headed out into the rain.Scott's Journal We left Abingdon after 3 zero days and plenty of rest. I thoroughly enjoyed the town. My mom dropped us off at the Kimberling Creek suspension bridge and saw us off with love. We hiked 6.5 miles to Jenny Knob Shelter. There were cobwebs every 10-15 yards. I rotated leading with my father. We passed a hiker who said he had the cobwebs taken care of.We met Natty and Sean at Jenny Knob. Natty was section-hiking but had finished the northern area. Sean, his friend, was along for a week or so. Natty says he might see us in Damascus with his girlfriend. When it started raining, I put the tent inside the shelter. Natty night-hiked through the storm.
Date: 2013-08-22
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Helvey's Mill Shelter
Miles today: 9.8

Day 56 ¢ Thursday ¢ Aug 22 ¢ Today¢s hike was mostly a series of small ups and downs allowing us to make pretty good time. We actually arrived at our destination an hour earlier than we expected. We saw only one other hiker along the way today. He was hiking with his pit bull. The dog kept eyeing us so we kept our distance. When we arrived at Helveys Mill Shelter there were two hikers already there, a mother and daughter. The daughter is an experienced AT hiker and this is the first AT hike for her mom. The daughter¢s trail name is HotRod Smurfette and the mom¢s name is Jeri. They said they had seen Natty and Sean earlier at the shelter. Apparently Natty and Sean had hiked until 3am before arriving at the shelter! The guy with the pit bull was also staying at the same shelter and the dog barked at them all night. Moral of that story ¢ stay away from hikers with pit bulls. Once again it rained so we slept in the shelter.Scott's Journal:We broke camp and set out for Helvey's Mill Shelter. The 10-mile day was not easy. My temperature rose. The terrain leveled out though. We met Nature Boy and his white pit bull. She looked over her shoulder at us as we parted. At the shelter was Jeri and Hot Rod Smurfette, a mother and daughter. Hot Rod Smurfette is a mythology major and into deep psychology from a school in California. The privy was 'open-air' with one wall.
Date: 2013-08-23
From: Helvey's Mill Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

Day57 - Friday, Aug23 - 14 miles - The rain stopped from the night before but started again 2 miles into our hike. During the stay in Abingdon, I exchanged my old rain gear (unbreathable and very hot) for new breathable gear. What a difference the new rain gear makes. With the old rainwear, I would sometimes end up more wet from perspiration than if I had been wearing no rainwear at all.Today's hike actually took us over Interstate 77. It's always an odd feeling to be in the woods for days, then suddenly be looking down at speeding cars, and 5 minutes later you're back in the woods. We went near the towns of Bland and Bastian but didn't stop. We later came to one of the prettiest creeks we've seen yet - Laurel Creek. We crossed a long footbridge and took photos of the great scenery. The rest of the hike after that was either flat or downhill, enabling us to make 14 miles in a reasonable time.I forgot to mention that during the rainy morning, I took a bad spill that left me literally hanging on the side of a ledge. I somehow managed to get my backpack off and crawl to safety.When we arrived at Jenkins Shelter there was a cop,e already there. they were from Jacksonville FL and were doing a northbound section-hike with their dog Buddy. Unfortunately Buddy had hurt his leg and the couple was having to end their hike prematurely. We slept in the shelter as once again it was raining.Scott's Journal:We left for Jenkins Shelter. The morning was challenging with two 1000' gaps. I mean a steady climb up VA612. Once we neared the top of Big Walker tunnel, a big rainstorm rolled in while we were on the phone with mom. Dad's new rainwear worked being breathable. The rest of our hike was level and tolerable, but we deferred lunch to our summit of a mountain south of Laurel Creek with an amazing view. After hiking for 14 miles we arrived at Jenkins Shelter and met Marshall, Kathy, and Buddy, their rescue dog. It rained so we stayed in the shelter.
Date: 2013-08-24
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

Tom's Journal:Day 58 - Saturday, Aug 24. Started the day with two back-to-back 1000' climbs. Heck of a wake up call. Along the way we ran into a local bear hunter. His hunting dog had gotten away from him and he was trying to locate him using a directional antennae to home in on the dogs signal collar. When we first saw the hunter we were taking a break on the side of the AT. We ran into him once more and of course what were we doing -- taking a break. We love to take breaks! During our lunch break we saw 2 more hunters with about 6 barking dogs pulling them down the trail. At Walker Gap we stopped to fill our hydration reservoirs. Usually we do this once we've reached the shelter at the end of the day. But we knew the shelter ahead had no nearby water source. Once our reservoirs were filled, we began the final 1000' ascent to Chestnut Knob Shelter. As we reached the top, the woods opened into a beautiful giant meadow. In the middle of the meadow sat a very unique shelter - a former fire wardens cabin with 4 walls, a roof, and a door. Good thing there was a door as the temps were cool at this 4400' altitude and there was constantly blowing wind through the meadow. The views from this location were spectacular, and the area is often referred to as "God's thumbprint". When Vanderbilt was first looking to build his estate, this was a location he considered before building the Biltmore in North Carolina. There was one other hiker staying at the shelter -- Blue Wolf from South Carolina. Great guy who was carrying a 70# backpack and was hiking to Connecticut where his brother lives. He uses a unique wooden walking stick that can also be used as a bow and arrow and a fishing pole.Scott's Journal:We left Jenkins Shelter and hiked up 2 nearly 1000' mountains. We came across two hunters with hounds and one hunter who was tracking his dog. They were preparing for hunting season. There is no water source near Chestnut Knob Shelter. We filled at Walker Gap out of a muddy stream. May be the reason I am having purifier trouble. Our day ended with a tough 800' climb. Chestnut Knob Shelter is in a meadow overlooking the SW Virginia countryside. We met Thomas (Blue Wolf), Eric, Luke, and Opey. I liked how the shelter was fully enclosed and had a mosaic of the Last Supper, but with Buddha and some conspicuous character. This shelter is my favorite. I slept we'll. The night was chilly at 4400 feet. (This site was one of Vanderbilt's original selections for Biltmore Estate when looking for location to build ¢ Area is called ¢God¢s thumbprint¢ because of its appearance from the air. It's a mountain-ringed bowl 10 miles in diameter and is the highest mountain valley in Virginia. Also called Burke's Garden.)
Date: 2013-08-25
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: broken clouds

Day 59 - We stayed warm and cozy in the enclosed shelter last night and awoke to a bright sunshiny day. We began the day's hike by descending 2000 feet over a 5 mile stretch. The kind of hiking I really enjoy since I don't get winded. The first part was through beautiful meadows with terrific views of the countryside. Of course every downhill is followed by an uphill climb which is where the real effort starts. We ascended 800 feet to the top of Lynn Camp Mountain for some nice views then went a few miles further before stopping for the day at Knot Maul Shelter. We were the only ones at the shelter. We hiked down a side trail to find water for our hydration reservoirs. The spot was mentioned in our guidebook as a good source for water. However, when we saw the water we concluded that it looked too stagnant to drink even after filtering. So we took off in another direction and found a good flowing water source about 1/2 mile away. We always filter our water using a hand-pump filter but feel more comfortable when the water source is flowing. Anticipation is starting to build for tomorrow as we will be headed to the town of Atkins, VA.Scott's Journal:We left Chestnut Knob Shelter and said our goodbyes to Thomas (Blue Wolf), an amazing son of God. We are both strong believers. Our morning began with two beautiful views of the surrounding mountainsides from open fields. I can see the topography more clearly. We climbed a steep Lynn Camp Mountain and ended early at Knot Maul Branch Shelter. We relaxed and talked about our long hike as of yet. Ate dinner, and then I ate two oatmeal raisin protein cookies by Lenny and Larry. I feel a little guilty.
Date: 2013-08-26
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: VA 683 Atkins VA
Miles today: 13.9

Day 60 - Monday - We broke camp at 6am. Since we were hiking 14 miles today, we wanted an early start in order to get to town early. We began with a 500ft ascent to the top of Brushy Mountain. Then we managed to climb two more mountains - Walker Mountain and Little Brushy Mountain. It was around 3pm when we reached the highway to Atkins. First thing I did was stop at a Sunoco station and quickly drank two big bottles of Gatorade. I always fantasize about Gatorade when approaching town. A great thirst quencher. We were able to get a ride from the Sunoco station to the Comfort Inn about 4 miles away. We quickly showered and went across the street for dinner at the Atkins Tank restaurant. The food was delicious. It's amazing how good the food can be at some of these small local restaurants. I finished off with a strawberry shortcake dessert and went back to the motel and called it a day.Journal Entry from Mac&Cheese: We woke up and got started early up Brushy Mountain around 6am. The sun broke the atmosphere within seconds and it was instant dawn. We also climbed Walker Mountain and Little Brushy Mountain. Put in a total of 13.9 miles. We ended at a Sunoco and Dad bought a cold Gatorade, 2 actually, and me a Spicy V-8. John Sparger gave us a ride to Comfort Inn where our re-supply box waited. We ate a great dinner at Atkins Tank Restaurant. They have the name Atkins Tank because they had the water tank to fill the passing steam engine decades earlier. Slept in a comfortable bed.Interim Note from Cassie:Tonight is a 'sleep in a bed night'! The guys called from the trail at 10am ¢ had been hiking for 4 hours already. Planning to arrive in Atkins VA around 2pm. Going to call ahead for a shuttle ride for the 2 miles to the motel from the trail. Called from the motel later and said it was really nice. Manager Mark had their food box waiting for them, which had been shipped from home. No way to do laundry at this stop since it would involve a $15 cab ride each way! Will have to make do for a couple more days.