morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-10-01
From: Oxford, Mississippi

To: Harpers Ferry, WV
Miles today: 0.0

Heading back to the trail. I'm duplicating my start by catching Amtrak from Atlanta to Washington, DC and on to Harpers Ferry. This time I will be heading south. I will start hiking on Wednesday and will be very conservative until I find out how the knee is going to hold up. Over the last week and a half since I got the cortisone shot, I have ridden my bike about 80 miles with very little pain...even when I stand up on the peddles and crank a hill. If I sit for a while, the knee gets bitey, but after a few minutes of activity everything smooths out and I almost don't notice it. I can even make it up all 19 steps in David's house without using the handrail. The train left Atlanta about 3 hours ago and will arrive in DC in about 11 hours. I'll have to hang out around Union Station for a few hours before catching the shuttle to HF. I'm planning to stay at the Teahorse Hostel which is only a few blocks from the HQ of the App. Trail Conservatory and the trail runs just behind the ATC building. I stopped at the REI store just north of Atlanta in Kennesaw, GA and got a new set of trekking poles since the old ones were bent and crooked (and one of them finally broke) after negotiating the rocks (and falls) in New England. I'm hoping the trail in the south will be a little more gentle. I also needed to replace my zip-offs as I discovered en route that the rear seam had split and left my nether region open to inspection. Fortunately, REI let me return the old ones...with several gift cards I received from friends and former colleagues (thanks guys and gals), I managed to get out of REI with almost no out of pocket expense.My pack weighs 29.5 lbs (with 9.5 lbs of food...I always overdo the resupply) but without water so I will probably start with about 33 lbs on Wednesday and will eat that down to around 28 by Friday. I'm carrying cold weather gear this time so will be a little heavier than in June.I will start updating the blog as soon as possible after Wednesday.Arrived in DC 10 minutes early and thought I would have to kill 7 hours but I found out there was a special train leaving at 2:00 ...because of the shutdown, lots of gov employees were only working 4 hours and needed a way home. Arrived in Harpers Ferry at 3:30 and did a little sightseeing before checking into the hostel. After a shower, I walked into town with 3 guys who were biking another trail and we had dinner and local brews. Got in my bunk at 11:00. Start hiking tomorrow.
Date: 2013-10-02
From: Harpers Ferry, WV

To: Blackburn AT Center
Miles today: 13.0

Day 71 on the trail-10/02. Started the trail at 9:30 after a good waffle breakfast at the hostel. The trail started off up a large ridge on the east side of the Shenandoah but it was a very gentle and smooth trail. The day was one of the easiest hikes of the journey... After New Hampshire almost anything would seem easy but this really was just "a walk in the woods" to steal a phrase from Bill Bryson. The leaves have started to turn and fall so there was a lot of color and space for the sun to shine through. Passed a herd of deer; all but one trotted off and the one just strolled along 30 yards away ignoring me.There were very few hikers on the trail and all of them were section hiking. The SOBO crowd is much smaller than the NOBOs I was hiking with earlier so I will probably spend a lot of time hiking alone. I stopped at the David Lesser Shelter and took an hour break for lunch and a nap and then moved on another 3 miles to a hiker hostel and cabin run by the Potomac App. Trail Club. The PATC is the best of the trail clubs IMHO; their shelters and trails are erg well maintained. The Lesser shelter had. Built-in benches, picnic tables under a pavilion and even a porch swing. The Blackburn Center where I'm staying tonight has a rental cabin the holds 16 people and it has a wrap around screened in porch which is where I am camping on a bench. There's also a water hose and a hiker cabin with wood burning stove and two bunks. Oh, and there's a solar shower. As soon as I finish posting this I'm hitting my sleeping bag. Not a bit of trouble with my knee. Hope that continues. Today's mileage-13.6
Date: 2013-10-03
From: Blackburn AT Center

To: Bears Den AT Center
Miles today: 7.8

day 72-10/03. Woke about 7:oo in my sleeping bag on the porch of the Blackburn lodge; there was a gorgeous salmon pink sunrise tinting the pale blue morning sky. I knew I was doing a short day so I lingered over breakfast (blueberry Pop Tart with Jif peanut butter and a big cup of tea). I visited with the caretaker before hiking up the approach trail about 9:15. Many of the trees are turning red and gold and I took a bunch of pictures and exchanged texts with Mary, Matt and Brianna (my hiking buddy (Red Blaze)from the trail in Vermont. The trail runs along a ridge that is almost park-like with almost no undergrowth and colorful leaves carpeting the ground. There were some great views along stone cliffs facing west and I stopped and snacked often; the drawback to that was hordes of stinkbugs everywhere. They landed on me and my pack and in my psck as I later found out when I unpacked at the hostel. I spent a good bit of time smacking them out of the air as they flew by me (they don't fly all that well). I arrived at the Bear's Den Center and hiker hostel about 2:00 and picked out a bunk and had a shower. The office opens at 5:00 and you can get a bunk and shower for $17 or the Hiker Special, which is bunk, shower, laundry, a pizza, a pop, and a pint of Ben and Jerry's for $30. I went for the special.All the talk is about the gov't shutdown and what effect it will have on hiking through the National Parks. It appears that the trails are technically closed but no one will stop you from hiking through; however, all of the services are closed so there will be no food service or resupply. miles today-7.9With two days on the trail, I have 21.5 miles to go with my 740.2 miles north bound. Total AT miles 761.7
Date: 2013-10-04
From: Bears Den AT Center

To: Rod Hollow shelter, Va
Miles today: 9.9

Southbound day 3-10/04/13.Left Bears Den at 8:20 after a big pancake breakfast. Met and hiked with a section hiker named John Johnston who runs a lawn are service called agree acres. Most of the day was spent hiking the "roller coaster," a section with lots of up and down, none of it difficult...after hiking New England, this was not deserving of any name... It was just ordinary easy hiking. Took a break at the Sam Moore shelter and a nap. I should have gotten water at one of the creeks II crossed because the spring at Rod Hollow was bone dry. I had just enough to drink but none to cook so I had a packet of tuna mixed with mayo and a pack of pop tarts with peanut butter. Killed a bunch of stink bugs which were infesting the shelter and was surprised when they all just disappeared as soon as it started getting dark.Total miles for day- 9.9
Date: 2013-10-05
From: Rod Hollow shelter, Va

To: Manassas gap shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 4- 10/05/13.I turned off my headlamp at 7:40 last night and woke at 7:10 this morning, after 11.5 hours- I must hVe been really tired. I woke momentarily throughout the night as things kept hitting the tin roof...leaves, small branches, hickory nuts... When sleeping in the open alone. I guess my hearing must be more attuned than usual to small noises; after all, it might be a bear, eh?I got on the trail at 8:00 and stopped for water at the first stream I cam to. It was flowing but very slowly and I had to dip water with a cup into my Sawyer filter bag. The trail was really easy and I made it to Dick's Dome shelter, 8.4 miles, by noon. I filtered more water and had a light lunch and took a half hour nap. The rest of the hike was uneventful and I made it 4.5 miles to Manassas Gap shelter by 2:30. I had planned to stop here since I'm trying to limit these first damage so I get my feet back in shape and prevent blisters. The shelter was absolutely overrun with stink bugs so I spent some time sweeping the out and stomping on as many as I could. Unfortunately, it was like trying to bail out the ocean with a teaspoon. I was sitting contemplating setting up my tent when two young ladies arrived; they were Kajsa and Babette who are from Holland and are doing a one week hike. They decided to set up their tent in the shelter and I looked around for a suitable place to set up my tent when I noticed that the stink bugs were slowly disappearing; as it got closer to dark, they all disappeared, so I stayed in the shelter after all. Asks often the case when sharing a shelter, I didn't sleep well, but maybe partially because of the long sleep last night and the easy hike today.Total miles for the day-12.9
Date: 2013-10-06
From: Manassas gap shelter

To: Woodward House B&B, Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 10.7

Southbound day 5- 10/06/13.Woke at 6:30,before daylight, as another hiker ("I couldn't sleep,") made breakfast at the picnic table six feet from the shelter with her headlamp flashing. I was planning to hike to Front Royal and stay in a motel and resupply but The DUTCH GIRLS told me about a B&B called the Woodward House where they had stayed the night before getting on the trail. I decided to stay there because of the great breakfast served and they would pick up and return me to the trail. The hike was super easy and I called and reserved a room when I was halfway there. Joan told me to call when I got to hiway 522.A few miles later I was passed by a woman running up the trail. Soon after, I met her walking back down the trail looking for a friend who was not keeping up... She said she was training for a 50 miles trail race in a few weeks and told me she had come from Ashby Gap which I had passed the previous day and was planning to run back..."It's only 24 miles." I was impressed to say the least.I finally arrived the hiway and got a continuous busy signal when I tried to call for a pickup, so I decided to hitch; I was picked up by the 4th car, driven by a woman who had filled the front seat and floorboard with groceries so I had to crawl over. She drove me right into the parking lot at the Woodward House and I checked in (Joan, the owner had the phone in her back pocket and had accidentally turned it off) and had a shower. The B&B is 100+ year old building with big columns and a beautiful porch (see photo page) and 7 suites furnished with antiques. There's a bar with a self-serve draft beer tap and a fridge full of beer and soft drinks and snacks everywhere.I spent the evening reading before turning in; the bed was a tall (step stool provided) oak sleigh bed with a beautiful quilt and fluffy comforter and pillows- definitely better than my air mattress and sleeping bag.Total miles for day-10.7. For the SOBO trip-53.1
Date: 2013-10-07
From: Woodward House B&B, Front Royal, VA

To: Woodward House
Miles today: 0.0

Day 6 SOBO- 10/07/13.Woke up to pounding rain and wind and immediately decided to make this a zero day.More...Had a HUGE breakfast- fruit, oatmeal, muffin, eggs, bacon, toast and coffee. Hung out on the porch and watched the rain while I finished my book and then walked to a nearby used bookstore. Bought a trail book and browsed some books on local history, especially Confederate guerrilla leader John Singleton Mosby. Will have to stop in this spring and pick up a couple of books and tour the local sites. In the afternoon, I walked to Dollar General and the grocery store to resupply for the long hike thru a shutdown Shenandoah NP, so I now have a very heavy food bag. Spent the rest of the evening reading and watching the news.Miles today= zero
Date: 2013-10-08
From: Woodward House

To: Gravel Springs Hut, Shen. NP
Miles today: 13.5

Day 7 SOBO- 10/8.Once again had a huge breakfast before Bob and Joan (owners of the B&B drove me to the trail. Started hiking at 9:30, 3.6 miles mostly uphill, to the boundary of Shenandoah NP. (SNP from now on). Since the park is shutdown, there were no permits in the self-register station so I will have to be careful to avoid the rangers. Saw a bear within 5 minutes of entering the park. It ran away but slowly, keeping an eye on me over its shoulder. The trail was very moderately uphill most of the day- enough to slow me but not to get winded with my food heavy pack. I crossed Skyline Drive 3 times- the trick is to stand back in the woods and listen for a ranger vehicle (they drive very fAst on the deserted road so make a good bit of noise) then hurry across and into the woods on the other side. Only saw on ranger SUV as it massed a few moments after my road crossing. Stopped at the Gravel Springs Hut (they call shelters huts in the SNP) for the night. Crash showed up about an hour later and we built a nice fire. Crash had been caught by a ranger two days before and escorted out of the park but he sneaked back in. Hit the bag at 8:30.Total miles for day- 13.5
Date: 2013-10-10
From: Pass Mountain Hut, Shen. NP

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Day 10- 10/11.Woke up numerous times during the night to the sound of rain pounding on he tin roof. When sleeping alone in bear country, I sleep kind of lightly with ears attuned to sounds that might be footsteps, which big raindrops on leaves often resemble. The night wS cold but I slept warmly. I retrieved wet food bags from the bear pole and had breakfast of hot tea and a Clif bar. The rIn pounded and I alternately read my book, napped in my warm bag, and watched the rain and looked at the "weirder tree" outside the shelter (check tomorrow's photo).No miles today. Hope the rain stops by tomorrow so I can get on toward Waynesboro.
Date: 2013-10-11
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Pass Mountain
Miles today: 0.0

Day 10 SOBO-10/11.Got up and packed all my gear and sat and watched it rain.Had hoped to be moving on but the rain intensity has sucked all of the intention out of me. Unpacked Ll my gear. Hung out and watched the rain, read my book, watched the rain, huddled in my sleeping bag, watched the rain, read my book, napped, and contemplated the weirdest tree I've ever seen less Han thirty feet in front of the hut. Finished my book just before dark (it was a good one- BLACK WATER by T. Jefferson Parker) and tossed it into the corner of the hut for the next visitor.Determined to leave tomorrow.
Date: 2013-10-12
From: Pass Mountain

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

Day 11 SOBO but actually NOBO - 10/12.Packed all my gear despite the fact that it was STILL RAINING. Hiked to the trail junction and had a serious talk with myself-LEFT OR RIGHT? On left to the south at least five more days to get out of the park or right back the way I came for two days back to Front Royal and a warm comfortable room at the Woodward House? Either way, I was going to be walking in soaked shoes and socks... No brainer! I turned to the south and began the retracing of my steps from day 8. Feet were totally soaked within 2 minutes; the Packa works great at keeping the rain off of me and my gear but like any raingear, if you sweat, you still get wet inside; I must admit that the loose cover makes it easier to let air circulate and minimize condensation- I could open and close the zipper as I went uphill or down and stay more comfortable. I made good time, hiking 7 miles to Elkwallow Wayside in three hours. I slipped around back of the closed store where I was mostly hidden from the road and had a snack and changed into dry socks. A ranger car flew by 50 yards away followed by a service truck but I wasn't seen. Hiked another 6.1 miles to the Gravel Springs Hut in 2.5 hours for a total of 13.1 miles in 5.5 hours. Pretty good for an old wet guy. Parts of the trail reminded me of Vermont-more of a stream than a trail and in several places I waded through six inches of water. On the positive side, all of the springs and creeks that had been dry three days ago were now quite full. At the hut I put on my last dry clothes, had a hearty meal (no need to conserve this close to town) and went to sleep to then sound of mice dancing in the rafters... Actually sounded more like a herd of hippos. Woke once to the sound of high pitched howls and barks quite close by. Only lasted for a minute or so and I assume it was a pack of coyotes after a deer or some other smaller prey...wondered for a moment if they might consider me prey.
Date: 2013-10-13
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Woodward House B&B, Front Royal
Miles today: 13.4

Day 12 SOBO (but actually NOBO)-10/13.This was a rerun of day 7 but in reverse. Raining still as I packed. Put on my last dry socks and left the hut at 8:15. Headed the last 13.4 miles back to Front Royal. The only thing I had that was still dry was my sleeping bag. Hiked at a fast pace- didn't sit down for the whole distance and stopped only a couple of times to catch a breather on the uphills. Made it the whole way to the hiway in 4.5 hours. At one point I waded knee deep across. 15 foot wide creek that had been totally dry only 5 dYs before. I made it to the road and called Joan at the Woodward House; she dispatched Bob to pick me up. I had him stop at the Circle K in town so I could run inside and by some cheap socks and shoes to wear while mine dried out...$10 shoes and three for $4 socks. I'll donate them to the hiker box when I leave. 26.5 miles in the last two days IN REVERSE but I'm now warm and dry. The adventure? continues.
Date: 2013-10-14
From: Woodward House B&B, Front Royal

To: Woodward House
Miles today: 0.0

Day 13- 10/14. Had the usual huge breakfast- orange juice, coffee, slice of melon with a strawberry and grapes, oatmeal with multiple garnishes, eggs over easy with ham, toast and a frosted muffin...still full at noon, no lunch needed.Walked around town in THE SUN (first time I saw THAT in 8 days. Stopped in the new and used bookstore and bought two books on Mosby's Rangers, one of which is Mosby's Memoirs, and visited the Mt Prospect Cemetery where 7 of Mosby's men had been executed during the Civil War by Union troops under George Custer... An act which led to retaliatory executions of Union soldiers. Spent the rest of the day reading and finished up with a huge chef's salad at the South St Grille...glad I ordered the small one. Watched CNN and MSNBC with a few Bud Select 55's and off to bed.
Date: 2013-10-15
From: Woodward House

To: Woodward House
Miles today: 0.0

Day 14, sort of in a holding pattern. Hanging out at the B&B reading the memoirs of John Singleton Mosby. At 3:00 this afternoon, Joan (B&B owner) and Roxy and Chuck (newlyweds staying at the B&B) went to the Rappahannock Cellars winery on the outskirts of Front Royal and did a tasting and then shared snacks and a couple bottles of wine on the deck. Very nice facility and excellent wines and a fun group and a lot of laughs. Back to Woodward House at about 6:00.
Date: 2013-10-16
From: Woodward House

To: Woodward House
Miles today: 0.0

Day 15- 10/16 Had another great breakfast by Joan and Bob. Spent a good bit of the day watching the end of the republican recreation of their version of a political death march. Read more of Mosby's memoirs and I want to quote lines from Herman Melville's epic poem "The Scout Toward Aldie." Melville was with the Union forces tasked with battling Mosby's Rangers in northern Virginia and these lines express the fearful mission these men faced in trying to hunt down "The Gray Ghost.""As glides in seas the shark,Rides Mosby through green dark."Later in the day I walked to the post office and strolled through the Mt Prospect Cemetery. There were a number of Civil War veterans whose graves had been marked with an iron cross with the letters CSA and the stars and bars. I was struck by how many of them lived into their 80s and 90s.As I get ready for bed, the House of Representatives is finally voting to end the shutdown. Don't know if the park will be open tomorrow morning so I will resupply and plan to start hiking on Friday at the point I turned back last Saturday.
Date: 2013-10-17
From: Woodward House

To: Woodward House
Miles today: 0.0

Day 16- 10/17.Gov't shutdown ended and Park opened this morning. Decided to do my resupply today, mail books to David, and besides it's raining today and tonight and supposed to be sunny tomorrow and for at least the next five days.Took care of all my chores by 3:00 and read the paper, chatted with some of he other guests here on he porch, had a good town meal with a few beers and packed my gear. Will start the trail 23 miles into SNP at Thor ton's Gap and will have 79 to go to get to the south end. My plan is to do that in 5 days. Weather forecast looks good and only one big climb of about 1600 feet tomorrow but not much after that. Plan on doing about 14 miles.
Date: 2013-10-18
From: Woodward House

To: Rock Spring Hut
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: clear sky

Day 17- 10/18. Start from Thornton's Gap.Day 17- 10/18.Bob and his son drove me into the park and dropped me where I left off before the rain hike. It was very nice trail but lots of small rocks covered with leaves made the footing tricky...a little like Pennsylvania. Lot of uphill, almost 3000 ft of cumulative gain but nothing steep. The trail designers here created lots of switchbacks, so the hiking is pretty easy. Took lots of pictures of the fall foliage and had many great views from rock ledges looking east into the Virginia Piedmont and west into the valley of the Shenandoah River where Stonewall Jackson made his reputation. Made it to the Rock Springs Hut about 5:30 and by the time I got water from the spring and made dinner (Rice Sides - Spanish rice- it was yummy), it was getting dark. Two big does hung out in front of the shelter browsing right up to 20 yards from where we were all eating dinner.Shared tote hut with a father and two adult sons who were hiking the park northbound, a young couple (Doc and Choco) who were thru hiking SOBO, among the very few SOBOs I have see on the trail. Lights were all out by 8:30.Miles for day=14.1
Date: 2013-10-19
From: Rock Spring Hut

To: stealth camp, SNP
Miles today: 18.0

Day 18-10/19.Left the hut at 8:30. Planning to skip the next hut at 11.5 miles. Two deer browsing in front of hut as we ate breakfast and packed. Breakfast was blueberry frosted PopTarts with peanut butter. Hiked pretty fast and made 12 miles by 1:00. Saw an 8 point and a 6 point buck right on the trail. They barely budged as I walked by. Kept up a good pace into the afternoon and started looking for a camping spot about 5:30. Finally found one (not a great one) about six. Had a tuna fish and mayo on tortilla with a snickers for desert. Hung my bear bag and got in the tent by 7:00. Wind is blowing pretty hard but it's not as cold as last night. Will read for a while and turn out the lights by 8.Miles for the day=18
Date: 2013-10-20
To: Pinefields Hut, SNP
Miles today: 14.2

Day 19-10/20.Slept 11 hours, lights out at 8:00 and woke up just before 7:00 AM- actually thought he light was from the moon because I couldn't believe it wasn't the middle of the night.Hiked out with just a snack because it was too cold to fix breakfast and I needed to warm up. Hit the trail at 8:30 and hiked 5 miles to the Hightop Hut and ate three packs of ramen. The rest of the day was a lot of fairly steep. Limbs with short downhills- about 3300 ft of elevation gain. Made it into Pinefields Hut about 5:00. Doc and Choco showed up first and then Flacco and Cocoa so I finally ran into a little SOBO bubble. Sat up and chatted around the fire until 8:00. Not as cold as last night. I'm going to read for a while and plan to try to do about 20 tomorrow.Miles for today=14.2