morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-04-30
From: Daleville

To: Daleville
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

It was a quiet day for me in Daleville, filled with the usual town chores: eating, resupply and icing my foot.I went to the outfitter, Outdoor Trails, then on to Kroger to get food for the next few days. From there I walked to Three Li'l Pigs Barbeque to have lunch.When my friends arrived in the evening and we headed across the street to the Mexican restaurant. We spent so much time catching up on our news that we didn't make our final plans for tomorrow until we thought it was too late to call a shuttler for a ride in the morning. We would have to wait.In the meantime I needed to sort through some things that my husband had sent along with my friends. When I was shopping at Kroger, I had forgotten that my husband was sending some food along with my friends. So now I had more food than I was willing to carry.Finally I went to bed, happy with the thought that I would be hiking with my friends in the morning.
Date: 2010-05-03
From: Daleville

To: Daleville
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking.                                                                                  - Earl WilsonToday was a relaxed day consisting mostly of poking around the old part of downtown Roanoke. That was a good thing, since all three of us were stiff and sore.The museums and galleries in town were all closed, so we did a little window shopping and then, after lunch, headed to a bookstore to browse, drink coffee, and select some books for the next few days.The only unpleasant part of the day was dealing with the no-see-um bites from over the weekend. The itching was driving me crazy. I had already gotten a Benadryl-like cream, but that really didn¢t help much. I wondered if poison ivy was to blame but finally concluded that it was the bug bites. I thought I would go mad by the intensity of the itching. I ended up getting some advice from a pharmacist for a remedy that might help more.In the late afternoon we could see threatening clouds and possible storms over where the Trail was in the distance, but there were no storms down in town.I spent part of the evening packing up for our planned departure in the morning to hike a section north of Daleville, shuttling out and then walking back so Cathy and Ursula could pick up their car and head back to Illinois.
Date: 2010-05-04
From: VA 43 - Bearwallow Gap

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter
Miles today: 3.3
Weather: clear sky

A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles                                                                               - Tim CahillAfter the last weekend¢s hike, we decided it would be better to do fewer miles in a day and take time to look around us without the pressure of having to make miles. So Homer (you might remember it was Homer¢s kids, and a couple of others, that I had met in hiking in the area four years ago) shuttled us out to VA 43 at Bearwallow Gap, and we headed south, back in the direction of Daleville.We paused often to take breaks and pictures. The weather was more pleasant than it had been the past few days, but it was still hot. My twisted ankle still hurt, but was doing much better. I had been icing it in Daleville, and I hoped that the shorter-mile days would give it a break.We arrived at Bobblets Gap Shelter in the early afternoon. Some other hikers were there already having a lunch break. We chatted for a while, and then they headed off north in anticipation of a swimming hole (and liquid refreshment) at Jennings Creek. Cathy and Ursula settled on a small flat spot next to the shelter as their tent site. The area was very pleasant with a small spring as a water source, but the tenting options were very limited because of the slope of most of the area along with many rocks. The privy, however, was very nice, clean and airy, while still being enclosed. (Some of the privies on the trail are simply a ¢throne¢ with no walls or roof ¢ just you and the surrounding woods.)We spent the lovely afternoon relaxing, napping and playing cards. It was a wonderful ¢vacation¢ time. It was great to be out in the woods, relaxing and enjoying the day, without rushing to get to the next shelter/town/water source/resupply.In the late afternoon other hikers showed up later, including EZ Hiker (a fellow Tenner) and his son Trail Trash. It was great to share dinnertime and conversation, and then ¢hiker midnight¢ came early and we all hit the sack.
Date: 2010-05-05
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: clear sky

¢People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.¢                                                                                                                        - H. Jackson Brown, JrSince we had decided to take it slow and easy, we did not rush to leave the shelter. The others had all headed on north before we were packed up to go south.After we climbed the blue-blaze trail to rejoin the AT, we continued on through the woods, admiring the wildflowers. The trail led us along below the Blue Ridge Parkway, and at one point we were walking along a retaining wall supporting the parkway. The drainage shafts for water from the roadway had noticeably cooler air flowing out of them. We paused to revel in the refreshing coolness. A few minutes later as we climbed up to cross the road, we met Gerda again. She was heading north, so we chatted for a few minutes and then parted company. Perhaps I¢ll see her again on up the trail.We took a break at the gap to admire the view. After that we decided that we appreciated the view so much that, rather than going back into the woods to follow the AT, we would roadwalk for a couple of miles, paralleling the Trail. This would allow us to look out over the valleys for a change. The views and the breezes were very welcome. After about 2 miles we rejoined the AT. Once we had covered few short stretches of rocky trail we struck a very nice section, smooth and slightly downhill. That allowed us to pick up the pace a bit.We knew that the water source listed for Wilson Creek Shelter was a good way from the shelter ¢ and downhill ¢ we filled up on water where a stream crossed the trail north of the shelter. Cathy got a video of Ursula pumping water through a filter which I hope to post in this journal at some point. It might be of interest to those who have wondered about purifying water out in the woods, so check it out if you¢re curious.Shortly after that we arrived at the shelter and settled in. We napped, played cards, read and talked. As afternoon turned into evening other hikers showed up, some for the night and others just to eat dinner and then hike on. One of the ones passing through was Traveler, the son of someone who¢s been reading my journal and identified the Mourning Cloak butterfly for me. I¢d been watching for him, and he, in turn, had been told to watch for me. It was good to meet him ¢ a wonderful young man. Another satisfying day on the trail.
Date: 2010-05-06
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Fullhardt Knob Shelter
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: scattered clouds

¢Butterflies are self propelled flowers.¢                                                                                    - R. H. Heinlein.Once again we were leisurely about our getting up and packed up for the day. With only 6.2 miles to go, we could afford to be. The day was going to be hot and we were in no hurry.We set off and soon reached Wilson Creek. We stopped there to get water and to enjoy the small, rushing stream as it gurgled its way down the hill. Even though we hadn¢t gone far enough to really warrant a break, it was welcome, none the less. It was a very peaceful spot.Reluctantly we went on, but only a couple of miles further on we came to Curry Creek. This was another tranquil spot that begged us to stay and rest. So we did. It was refreshingly cool there in the shade by the creek, in contrast to the growing heat on the trail. There were some rocks and logs that offered convenient seating. Butterflies played tag in the dappled sunlight, and birds sang to us. The whole setting was idyllic. In fact, we discussed the possibility of spending the day right there, hiking on only in the evening in time to get to the next shelter. But in the end we decided to move on after a snack break.The heat seemed to be even worse as we climbed out of the valley where the stream was to the ridge above. Fortunately there were a few places that offered views and a bit of a breeze. We paused to try to spot and identify some of the birds that were calling from the tall trees along the narrow trail.We struck an old road and the trail was much easier then. We were the first to arrive at Fullhardt Knob Shelter for the day. Of course, finding the water source was near the top of the to-do list when we got there. The shelter doesn¢t have a natural water source, but rather a cistern that collects the water runoff from the shelter itself. It took us a few tries to figure out how to use the tap for the cistern, but eventually managed.   From comments in the shelter register, I gathered we were not the only ones to puzzle over the mechanism.It didn¢t take long for us to settle in and begin our relaxation ¢ journaling, reading, napping, and card-playing. Different groups of mountain bikers came riding up the trail to the shelter and then into the woods. We lazed in the heat and watched a number of butterflies flutter by us and around the shelter. As the afternoon wore on to evening other hikers began to show up. Eventually we had a full shelter, as well as tents and a hammock around the area. People made dinner in shifts to share the table space. There was a lot of talking and laughter and trail stories.But when dark came we all turned in and things quieted down very quickly.
Date: 2010-05-12
From: US 60 Buena Vista VA

To: US 60 Buena Vista VA
Miles today: 0.0

¢May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you and all your heart might desire.¢                                          - Irish BlessingA zero day. No pressure to get moving, and still I was up early. I started the coffee maker which Lois had set up the night before. I was anticipating that first, most-welcome cup of the morning, but before I had even tasted it, there was an invitation to play a game of chess. (Darn this middle-aged memory! Was it Filo or Prophet, or someone else whose name I have forgotten. Sorry.) I remember it as a good game which I won.Some time after a large breakfast and some time spent reading, as well as another game of chess, Gerda and I went down to the store down in town. It is obvious that the store caters much more to tourists and vacationers than to hikers, but we were able to find enough over-processed, salt- and sugar-laden snacks to satisfy us. We wandered back up to the Dutch Haus in time to get in on the last of the free lunch that Lois and Earl provide to hikers in season. Hannah, their niece, served us our meals. She always seems in such a good mood.Lois and I had a chance to chat a little and to catch up on the doings of our respective families. I wish we¢d had more time, but life is very busy at the Dutch Haus at this time of year, and Lois wouldn¢t let me help at all. Perhaps on another visit we can visit moreI used the computer a little and read, generally lazing around.I looked out at the sunshine on the yard and wondered if I should have taken this zero. Perhaps I should have been hiking instead. Such a pretty day. But just a short time later, the clouds built up, and a severe rainstorm began. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled. The winds blew strongly around the house. (Later I heard that it was very bad and very scary up on the ridge with the lightning waaay to close.) Tea and visiting filled much of the late afternoon. Another large meal and more reading and talking took care of the rest of the day.I was very happy to have the walls for the wind and the roof for the rain. I did have tea by the stove, and my loved ones were close in my heart, and I have the opportunity to hike. I had all I desired.
Date: 2010-05-14
From: Spy Rock Road

To: US 56 Tye River
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Second Stage sent the following email report. A full entry will be provided when she can write one. "Very hot, humid hike today. Went from Spy Rock Road to the Tye River. The mugginess really had me down. I hiked much more slowly than Gerda and (a section hiker) Gideon."
Date: 2010-05-15
From: US 56 Tye River

To: Three Ridges Overlook
Miles today: 12.1

Received an email from Second Stage at the Dutch Haus. Posting it pending a full entry:"Slacked from tye river to Three Ridges overlook (just north of Reeds Gap)Not as hot and humid, but still bad - for me.A three-snake day!Snake #1: A rattler right on the trail. I got close enough to it before I saw it that it rattled at me. I backed off very quickly.Snakes #2 & #3: Ganging up on a rabbit with babies. The rabbit was keeping the rattler at bay maybe some 30 feet from the baby rabbits. Other hikers said they saw the rabbit get bit twice, but the rabbit was staring the snake down. Snake #3 was a black snake in the tree above where the babies were. It was working its way down. While Mama's away the black snake will prey. Had to leave to make the shuttle before the drama ended."
Date: 2010-05-23
From: Blairestown Road, NJ

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: light rain

After a week off to see our daughter graduate from college, Second Stage has decided to skip the mid-Atlantic in hopes of finding cooler weather. She thinks she had some heat stroke symptoms in Virginia one of the last few days she was hiking there. Hot weather is turning out to give her much more trouble than she had anticipated. She and I walked together this day as a slack-pack before I drove home to resume the day job. It was a nice day for a walk and even though we did not get onto the trail until nearly 2 pm we finished the 13 mile section walk back to Delaware Water Gap by 7:30 pm. Other than being surprised by and being much to close to a large snake (maybe a diamond back rattle snake?) we had a nice walk. Some parts of the trail in this area are very rocky (at least comparable to Pennsylvania) so those were a bit rough but we made it through.Second Stage will provide her own entries when she can but for now that's the news.Posted by Second Stage Logistics (Angus Rockett)
Date: 2010-05-24
From: Blairestown Road, NJ

To: Culvers Gap, US 206, NJ
Miles today: 13.0

Second Stage walked from Blairestown Road on to Culvers Gap today. It was hot and humid and she had a rough day. She encountered a snake among a pile of rocks and had to jump back quickly, threatening to lose her balance and crash among the rocks. There were various other problems and by the time she got to Culver's Gap she had had enough for one day. She hopes to make progress on Tuesday though.Posted by Second Stage Logistics (Angus Rockett)
Date: 2010-06-04
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

The best laid schemes o' mice an' mengang aft a-gley.--Robert Burns ("To a Mouse")I know it¢s been a while since I last posted. Right now I¢m back in Champaign, off the trail for now. Last Thursday I was hiking and felt severe pressure in my chest and felt like I was having trouble breathing ¢ even though I wasn¢t having any trouble with my lungs or airways. To make a long story short, I had a stay in the hospital while tests were run. All the tests were negative, but I didn¢t feel comfortable returning to the trail until I find out more about what is going on. That wasn¢t the first episode of that feeling, but it was more severe and lasted longer than any of the previous ones. I have a family history of heart problems, so it would be wise for me to find out what is going on. It could have nothing to do with my heart, but then again, it might. I'll be undergoing a stress test next week, and I'm waiting for the results of some blood tests. We'll go from there when we've got more data.I¢m still hoping to get back out there when I feel it is safe to do so. Until then I plan to go back and fill in previous entries about hiking with my friends from Illinois, about the snakes and bears, about Ellen¢s graduation, and so on. In the meantime, you might want to check out the photos that Angus has posted for me.
Date: 2010-06-15
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

¢The answer is there is no answer.¢-        Chuck PalahniukOK. Here¢s the rundown.Blood work from the hospital in NY: normalChest X-ray from ER: normal. Various EKGs: normalThe stress test last week showed ¢excellent functional capacity.¢So, I¢m left wondering what the heck were those episodes I had on the trail - severe pressure in my chest and feeling like I couldn¢t breathe (even though I was able to inhale and exhale completely). There¢s no evidence to support the idea of a heart attack. Neither heat exhaustion nor heat stroke seems to match the symptoms. I was not dehydrated. The doctor didn¢t think an anxiety attack was the answer. The blood test for Lyme disease came back negative.However, just to be sure, I am now on a course of antibiotics to treat for Lyme since the blood test is known to have a high rate of false negatives and since the disease can be so nasty. My doctor wants me to stay in town at least until I finish the course. That¢s probably not a bad idea anyway since the drug makes one more sensitive to the sun. Even though parts of the AT are called ¢the green tunnel,¢ one can still get plenty of sun exposure from being out all day. And with my luck I¢d be hiking a section without much shade.Staying around town that long would also allow me to keep my appointment with a gastroenterologist about the ¢issues¢ that I¢ve been dealing with since late February. While that¢s not a hike-breaker, it would be really nice to have that resolved.The doctor has given me the go ahead to resume my hike, but has told me that I need to go to an ER if I have a reoccurrence of the symptoms. That¢s not as easy out there on the trail as it is here in town.So, I¢m left with the question of what to do.Should I resume my thruhike? I wasn¢t concerned with being a ¢purist¢ with a specific, detailed definition of what constitutes a thruhike. (Some folks have their own ¢rules¢ that they feel need to be followed to be considered a thruhiker and seem more caught up in following the rules that enjoying or learning from the quest.) Although with all the interruptions and the gaps that I need to go back and finish, it¢s feeling more like a section hike instead of the epic journey I had imagined.Should I just make 2010 the year I finish the section hike I started in 2001?   It wouldn¢t be what I had planned for this year, but sometimes just ¢done¢ is good enough.Should I restart the hike in Maine and just keep going until I get back to Georgia ¢ a southbound (SOBO) thruhike - and just consider the busted northbound (NOBO) hike as a long warmup?   That would allow me to have that continuous, long-trail journey I was looking for.Or should I quit for this year and plan a thruhike for another year instead? Perhaps a year without record-breaking snows and cold temperatures in the South and record-breaking heat in New Jersey¢¦ There are lots of questions, but no answers. As of yet. Stay tuned.
Date: 2010-07-08
From: Home

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

¢When preparing to climb a mountain - pack a light heart.¢               - Dan MayAnd the food. And the gear. Not to mention the duct tape!Here in Champaign the gear and food is scattered throughout the house as I scramble to organize and assemble everything I need and will need later in the hike. I¢m packing maildrops, making lists, and checking my spreadsheets.How is it that even though I¢ve been back for a month I could be so badly prepared? When I was home in March due to the snows, I tried very hard *not* to settle in at home. I pretended I wasn¢t here at all, intentionally doing very little to associate myself with the day-to-day operations of the house. I tried to keep my focus on the Trail and not allow myself to settle into a routine that might suck me back into Champaign permanently. Then, when I did return to the Trail, I realized that I could have made better use of the time in Champaign¢¦So, *this* time, I tried to take care of things around here and to not dwell on the Trail. In many ways the Trail seemed remote and other-worldly. It felt as though I might not be getting back out there. Now that I¢ve been cleared to go I need to check that gear, fill the food bag, make sure all the loose ends at home are taken care of. My head needs to get back into hiking mode.Angus and I leave this evening to start the drive to DC. He will be bicycling on the C&O tow path for a couple of days, starting in Cumberland. He and a high school friend have been talking about doing this together for years. I guess it¢s recreating a trip they took back, um, a number of years ago.I¢ll hang out for a couple of days, probably around Hagerstown. I¢m hoping to go to an REI and/or other outfitter to see if I can find a pack that fits better than the one I have now. Maybe new boots, too. The ones I have now are doing ok, but I expect it will be easier to get the next pair now than somewhere in the White Mountains. I can ask Angus to mail the new ones to me when I need them.On Sunday evening we¢ll start driving to Maine, planning to be in Millinocket by Monday night. With luck, we will summit on Tuesday, spend another night in Millinocket, and start south from Baxter State Park on Wednesday. We¢re hoping that the weather will cooperate and that the mountain will be open. (Each day the rangers there determine whether the trails to the summit are open.)But in the meantime, it will be a mad dash today to see if I can finish everything up and get packed, including that light heart.
Date: 2010-07-12
From: On the road

To: Millinocket
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

¢I shall return.¢                     - General Douglas MacArthurI¢m working on that return to the trail. Angus and I are in Augusta, Maine, working our way up north to leave the car in Monson and catch a shuttle to Millinocket. The weather is looking good for climbing Katahdin. We¢ll be in Millinocket again tomorrow night since I didn¢t think we¢d be able to get reservations in Baxter State Park. On Wednesday we plan to start south.I don¢t know how much I¢ll be able to write out in the north woods or how much cell reception I¢ll have, so I¢m preparing to enter radio silence soon. Perhaps I¢ll be able to get an update out from Millinocket and/or Monson.And speaking of updates, I¢ve managed to update my journal up to Spy Rock Road in Virginia. I¢m still working on the rest. I still want to write about the 3-snake day in Virginia and the story of how I jammed my finger on Rattlesnake Mountain in New Jersey. Perhaps someday I¢ll get everything updated¢¦.