morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-05
From: Hurricane Mt. shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: clear sky

Red sun this morning, made me wonder if there was rain ahead, but it turned out warm, clear with occasional clouds - great hiking weather. Glad we were here in May, since it was quite warm enough already!We had the idea to try for Partnership shelter - over 19 miles away - because it is next to the Mt. Rogers headquarters, and has running water and access to delivered pizza! But yesterday had been a long day, and we were not going to wreck our bodies for the sake of a pizza...The trail was fairly good much of the time, with gentle grades and good flat surface. But at times it was rough with all sizes of sharp stones, and had some steep ups as well. We were a little lower in elevation, so trees were more leafed out - but still quite small, providing little shade. That's where the rhododendron tunnels come in, providing the only deep cool shade on the trail right now.I should mention that rhododendrons have been part of almost every day since the beginning at Springer Mt. I had no idea they were so common, since they are an exotic nursery plant in northern New England. I'll never see one again without thinking of this adventure!Anyway, the 19-plus miles took us about 9 hours, with us clipping right along and not taking too long at rest stops. So it wasn't too demanding, although my feet feel tired tonight. We made it to this delightful shelter site, new two-story shelter, with a laundry tub out back with running cold water, a grassy lawn shaded by pines, and around the bend is the park headquarters building with the famous phone.And sure enough, we got together with Red Dog and Lucky Dog and placed an order for pizzas which we just finished eating. The lawn is now covered with small tents of all colors, and hikers are milling around the front of the shelter while someone builds a fire. I decided to tent because it is more comfortable on grass than on a wooden shelter floor, and I will turn in as soon as I finish this entry.We need to get to the next town somehow and visit the supermarket to resupply for the next few days. But I understand it is relatively easy to get rides to Marion and back, so we shall see how that turns out tomorrow. Then we plan a short hike out, four or five hours, if we can get back to the trail around noontime. Always something different to deal with, but so far everything has worked out even when we didn't know quite how it was going to.
Date: 2008-05-07
From: US 11/VA 683 Atkins

To: campsite, mile 550.5
Miles today: 14.1

First rhododendron blossom! But only one, and then no more the rest of the day. But there it was, a little blast of light pink, after weeks and weeks of only glossy green leaves.Other plant news - saw poison ivy for the first time yesterday. Today, saw first stinging nettles - still small and low to the ground, but soon big and ready to surprise the unwary hiker. They sting for a long time, but when people have brushed past a certain plant it seems to use up the venom, and then they don't sting.Started off from the motel room, after eating our cereal with real milk I bought from the convenience store the night before, and kept in the ice bucket overnight. It was great! Set out with full packs by 8:30 in the already-warm sun. First day I started out with a sleeveless shirt.Right away we were tromping across incredibly lush and scenic fields, something like Vermont in July, except more vast. Rolling, hilly fields for acres and acres. Occasional perfect farm, silos, barns, white house - like a calendar picture. A feature of these working farm fields is the stile, a device for allowing people but not cows to cross over a fence. All kinds, mostly slanted ladders with too-far-apart rungs, which were very awkward to negotiate. But by the 15th one, we were developing some skill! Not hard with a day pack, perhaps, but awful with a full backpack.Later, the trail went for miles uphill in dry woods - a total contrast to the vital green pasture scene. Few flowers, but lots of new small leaves on the trees, so that there was some shade effect. This was most welcome because it got quite hot in the afternoon. But leaves were new enough to still see through the woods, which was nice - especially the long views of aforementioned farms and fields.I was tired today, after several long days in a row. But we decided together that going to Knot Maul shelter was best, and then we went a little further to a good campsite with a stream and some friends. There really were no closer options since the trail easement through the private farms and fields is very narrow. But we got here by 6, a long and harder hike than we thought, and now supper is all done and everyone is in their tents. It's trying to sprinkle, and showers are predicted for tomorrow. Glad we're all set up and done for the night!
Date: 2008-05-08
From: campsite, mile 550.5

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: clear sky

7am. Last night it rained some, which was comforting in an odd kind of way - I slept well, and since we have a somewhat shorter day today, there's time this morning to write a little while I drink coffee and wake up.We're headed up onto a ridge that, on the map, has many little cameras - the symbol for "great views". Since it's been nothing BUT great views since we got into Virginia (and actually for much of the entire hike), it could be good! Hoping this cloudy weather is not accompanied by fog, but it often is on the ridges. We'll prepare for rain, pack covers on and rain jackets at hand, and see what happens.Yesterday we passed the true 1/4 way mark, 544 miles. Someone had scratched this info on a largish rock right on the trail. Big cheer and some photos - GREAT feeling!5pm Comfortably ensconced in a stone shelter on the most scenic ridge we've seen yet. This is a fully enclosed structure, but with newish windows that let in some light, and built-in bunks, not just platforms. The rain never developed while we were hiking, but it stayed humid and close until mid afternoon. We were way up on this amazing long ridge which has been mown like a bald, and looks like it had been cultivated a long time ago into orchards. And the breeze appeared and the sun came out as we reached the top of the knob where the shelter is perched. Hey! We can dry out the tents! So we set them up and in 15 minutes, with sun and wind on them, they were dry. It didn't take long to decide to stay here - beautiful, comfortable (as shelters go) and my feet can use a short day. Although only 9 miles, it was a LOT of up, and a rest will help us hike further and happier the next two days. I promptly folded up the tent and moved stuff into the shelter since we could see clouds building in from the south. But for a while longer we lounged around on the grass in the precious sunshine.New flowers - the first flame azalea, on a little bush in the woods, and the first lady slipper. Saw no more of either, but they were a real boost to the spirit. 7pm Well, good decision to stay here - it is now raining sideways and drumming so hard on the metal roof that no one can hear anything anyone says...and then there's the thunder and lightning, intermittently exploding above. Three guys and us right now, although I fully expect other drenched and shivering thruhikers before dark. They have been incredibly funny, and we've been laughing so hard I was crying. The sort of humor that doesn't translate too well, but trust me, it was funny. Sight gags like Yazzie donning his quilt like the Michelin man, and wrapping his silk bag liner around his head burnoose-style, and quoting from Lawrence of Arabia and Blazing Saddles...etc.
Date: 2008-05-09
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

8:40am Wind and fog swirling around this stone shelter, and we're in a momentary pause of the rain. All of us are still here, waiting to see if it will clear up. Some. The weather report last night said showers through morning - we'll see.6pm We finally took off at 10am, and actually lucked out with no further rain during the day. The very thick fog at the shelter area dissipated as soon as we got into the trees below the knob, which was good because it was so thick at the summit that you could barely make out the next white blaze. By the trail profile it looked like quite easy going from Chestnut Knob to Jenkins shelter, but trail profiles don't indicate anything about trail quality - and it was considerably rougher going than we expected. Virginia is NOT flat! And the "easy" 10 miles took us 6 hours. Since it was a late start, waiting for the rain to stop, we got here at 4pm and that was plenty!It's hard to face the fact that I am older than most of the hikers out here, and do not have the stamina that many do. But also, being older, I feel it is imperative that I not get too run down, which means that I don't "push" beyond a certain predetermined limit. It's really important for me to be able to keep hiking, so I don't want to risk illness or injury for anything except very compelling reasons. Okay, more about the actual day - a couple of more flame azaleas, blazing away in the very brown forest. Quite an effect! And this morning, from inside the stone shelter, I heard the first birds venturing a song after the stormy night - so very sweet. Here at the Jenkins shelter site, where we are tenting, there are several thrushes singing away. It's lovely.Two southbound sectioners are here right now, and we expect to see a couple of the guys from Chestnut Knob any time now. Very pleasant conversation which I can hear from my tent - I think I'll go join them.9pm Dark now, and I'm back in my tent. Thunder has been rumbling around for at least an hour, although it looks pretty clear above. Don't know what to expect tonight, but I've battened down for rain. The guys, the two southbounders plus the two thruhikers we know, are still talking by the shelter. They were talking about bodies, and the effect of distance hiking - what to eat, how you feel and so forth. I realized it would be good to talk to other older women thruhikers about these things. That would be a good reason to go to Trail Days, the big festival in Damascus next weekend. But it would take three days and also is a busy, busy scene, which I would not find restful much of the time. I am probably going to keep hiking, with some other friends, while Auntie Mame goes there with her husband. Then they will come join me and we'll all hike together for a few days - should be fun! This is one of the things that hiking partners have to deal with, especially in long distance hikes. Occasionally, our aims diverge. We look for a compromise we both can live with, but it isn't completely what either one would want.I want her to keep hiking with me, and she wants me to go to Trail Days with her!
Date: 2008-05-10
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Bland, US 21
Miles today: 11.7

Well, case proved - today's trail profile looked nasty, but was very nice indeed! Smooth trail with gradual grades most of the way. Which was especially good because we couldn't get a ride into town and ended up walking 3 1/2 more miles...but I'm getting ahead of myself.It rained some in the night, and lightning flashed ever closer but then veered away, sparing us a scarey scene. I was lying there realizing how random some things are, and that even though we were in a valley, and not in the open, that there really wasn't anywhere to go if lightning and thunder settled in overhead. We could get in the "shelter", but they are not any safer, with metal roofs and open sides. So, you take what precautions you can and then put the hazard in the back of your mind and carry on.Morning came, gray and uncertain-looking, but we planned an early start and got ourselves on trail by 7:30, pack covers on and expecting to get rained on. The aim was the road crossing near Bland, where we could go to town and get groceries, and, depending on how long that took, either go back and hike another two miles to the next shelter or get a room at the Big Walker (that would be us, indeed) motel. The groceries were not optional - we needed this resupply stop to get us the next 4 days to Pearisburg, where we planned a zero day and where Tom is meeting us to take A.M. to Trail Days.The day cleared up beautifully, with cool northwest wind and blue skies, and the hiking was as good as it gets - except my feet and knees were sore, and I was still feeling tired. When we got to the road crossing, around 2:30pm, we had decided it was the motel for sure! Mike and Yazzie had mentioned hitching a ride with us, but after waiting a while for them, we started hitching - put out our thumbs and a sign. Then Mike showed up, so we all 3 started walking down the road, but despite our eager, pleasant grins, no one offered a lift. Fortunately, it was a gradual downhill walk all the way to town.Bought groceries, then faced .7 miles uphill to the motel, which is at the highway interchange, not in town. Just DO it! We did. It was 4:30 or so by the time we checked in, and we were SO glad to see a pleasant, large room with super view of the valley and ridges beyond.The weather channel assured us of heavy rains and wind the next day, and it didn't take much persuasion to decide to take a zero and get some rest. It turns out it has been 10 days since our last zero, and our average mileage since that zero has jumped up to around 13.3 - maybe this is why I've been feeling tired and sore?!! So, with great relief we called in an order for pizza and washed some clothes in the tub to hang out on the railing in the sun, and got ready for an early night.
Date: 2008-05-11
From: Bland, US 21

To: Zero day, Bland VA
Miles today: 0.0

Aaaahhhh! Almost 11 hours of sleep later, I feel like a new woman! This zero day is so welcome, and continues to be further justified by the National Weather Service's dire warnings of high winds and thunderstorms this afternoon. This morning was cool and cloudy, and we walked down to the Dairy Queen with The General, who we met at the beginning in Georgia. The pancake platter was delicious but I could have eaten two of them! Conversation was relaxed, just as we were. Usually breakfast is quick and not social, just a preliminary to getting back on the trail.We then walked the 1/4 mile down to the Dollar General to top up supplies, and I sprang for a small folding umbrella - I've wished I had one many times, and with showers in the forecast most of the coming week, it seems like a good idea. It's especially handy around camp, if you need to get out of the tent for something, not to have to deal with wet rain jacket - just collapse the umbrella. Much more efficient. Also, some folks hike with them, and also they make good sunshades for long open areas of trail. More later on how this actually works out.For lunch, back down to the DQ with Mike and Yazzie, during which it poured down rain, gratifyingly, while we ate, and let up just as we walked out the door to return to the motel. Other hikers up at the motel are also giving in to the Weather Service's alarm, and ordering up another night's stay. This is one of the better motels, although it lacks laundry and computer access. (It has wireless, but you need your own computer for it.) You get to stay in all kinds of motels, most on the more humble end of the spectrum, but there is humble-charming and humble-squalid, and everything in between. Warm and pleasant innkeepers with an interest in hikers can make up for a lot. The Big Walker motel might profitby organizing a couple of services that would draw hiker patronage: a couple of washer/dryer units, microwaves and fridges in rooms, and transportation the 3 miles to and from the trailhead. They could triple their rentals that way, I bet. It is otherwise clean and well-run, to begin with.Afternoon brought the opportunity for long naps, another aaahhh! Other hikers were arriving, and later we had a chance to meet Stumpknocker, who has hiked the trail many times and is a prolific journalist on Trailjournals.com. Then for supper we walked down to the Subway with Stumpknocker and The General, which walk brought us up to at least 2 miles for our "day off". What is a handy cluster of services at a highway interchange for automobiles can be challenging distances for pedestrians.It's been a good day, with rest and talking with hiker friends. We're resupplied and ready to hike on to Pearisburg over the next few days. And it's always good to have rain on a zero - makes you think perhaps you won't need to have it while hiking!
Date: 2008-05-12
From: Zero day, Bland VA

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke after a good night's sleep to blowing rain and fog...and the prospect of finding a ride back to the trail. Fixed cereal with REAL milk for breakfast, and set about calling what we thought was the number of the local trail angel who gave rides, but when I finally got through it was definitely not the right number! Back to the drawing board. Forecast called for lessening chances of showers as the day went on, so we decided to saddle up and walk down toward town with the sign saying "to trail". As we were walking to the office to leave off our keys, two ladies smiled and asked "Do you need a ride to the trail?" YAYYY!!! We accepted with great relief. They were starting a week long section hike and needed to leave a car right where we needed to get back on the trail. Thank you SO much!Very cool and windy, good for going uphill but chilly on the ridges and downhills. Great trail, smooth and fairly gradual, so we made good time with minimal effort. No going further today, having just recovered our energy. New flowers - light pink azaleas, glowing in the woods, very lovely indeed! Not many, just a few bushes. They were on very slender, dark stems, so that the blossoms looked like they were floating in the woods.Here at Jenny Knob shelter I am tenting right near the shelter itself, and there are possibly 20 hikers here now, hanging around the fire and talking in various groups. Must be 5 conversations going on. It's not sunset yet, and the sun is actually trying to come out, cheering us all. Glad I still have the 25f sleeping bag. But fairly soon the weather will be mainly warm, and will justify switching to the lighter quilt. It was SO good to get rest - I feel so much better, physically and mentally. Hope I remember that, and take time to rest before getting run down.
Date: 2008-05-13
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

First, we passed 600 miles today! Other great things happened, too - it was crystal clear sky, cool air, perfect hiking weather. And the trail was marvelous, smooth and gradual almost all the way. That accounts for the relatively high mileage with relatively little wear and tear on the body. It's not quite seven, the shelter area is in a piney grove with plenty of light, people are talking around the picnic table (rare commodity!), and others are puttering with their tents or hammocks. Sun is a ways from setting yet, the air is calm and still warm. Tomorrow, many people are hoping to go all the way to Pearisburg, a 16-mile hike of unknown quality. If like today, it will be easy - but if it's like other days, it could be impossible for us. If we bog down, we tent one more night and go into town Thursday morning. On the trail you are continually looking down at the trail, and you become familiar with lots of the flowers and plants. Now that we are in Virginia, and it is lower altitude and later into spring, the plant life is overwhelming - so many new plants each day, and new flowers, it's impossible to keep track. That is when it feels like we are SPEEDING along the trail, not just barely inching our way northward. Funny thing. You could stop and study one ten-yard section of trail for weeks, and still have things to learn.Wildlife today included our first snake sighting - although I've several times heard one rushing into the brush as we pass by. This one was similarly hastening to get off the trail, but we could see it better than usual. Gray, about 2 feet long, skinny and no discernible pattern, but it was in the shade under low bushes when it stopped so it was hard to tell. When the trail is not winding through lush greenery, it is often winding through rocky scrubby dry terrain - and since the New England snake scene is pretty modest, I'll keep you posted on anything new or unusual we see in that department.END
Date: 2008-05-14
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Pearisburg VA
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Great day - the trail was smooth and gradual most of the way, the promised rain did not materialize, and we made it to Pearisburg, Virginia!After that fine crisp day yesterday the clouds and humidity returned and we set out with pack covers on, fully expecting to get drenched at some point - but no, again we were lucky.In order to maximize the chances of getting all the way to Pearisburg (pronounced Paris-burg) we set out extra early - 7:15am. To our complete delight the trail wound leisurely through scrub pine forest on ridge tops and old woods roads, giving us many easy miles before noon. Our checkpoint was Doc's Knob shelter, where we ate lunch and determined that we had ample time and energy to go the last 8 miles to town. It was a functional but not very aesthetic shelter site, so the prospect of hanging around there all afternoon and evening was not appealing. Off we went.More pine and oak forest with some startling views from the ridges of these incredibly verdant valleys. Great not to be all foggy like it was coming from Chestnut Knob. Again, in the sparse forest would appear these clouds of clear pink blossoms, hovering there with almost invisible branches. Just now and then - not a lot, but enough to cheer us up when we saw them. That is such a non-New England sight, makes you realize you are far from home!Our destination was the Rendezvous Motel, where we had bounce boxes waiting, but when we got there - it is a few blocks from the trail - there were no rooms left. We got our packages, and Brenda offered to call around to find us a room, then drove us there - much appreciated!We are now ensconced in the Plaza Motel, with hikers in most of the rooms on the second floor, and I am stretching my feet lazily as I write. They are sore! But one chore is done - Linda, the owner of the Plaza, offered as soon as we were checked in to do our laundry! So after dining at the Chinese buffet across the street, we returned to find our wash all dried and folded.These small things loom large right now. My day is walking, walking, walking. Get up, put same shorts, shirts, socks on, fix breakfast and go hiking. Hike all day, with maybe a half-hour for lunch, and eventually get to the evening's destination. Set up tent, fix supper, figure out the next day's agenda, and go to bed!While hiking there is a certain lulling trance-like state that sets in. It's relaxing, unless I'm stressed out about something, like weather or upcoming terrain. But I must say that I'm stressing less and enjoying more - the weather and terrain just are what they are. And things have been working out fine.END