morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-05-16
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

May 16 --Today was a good zer0 day beginning with a fine breakfast at Marsha's restaurant where I was joined by Wicked, who has been in town four days waiting for replacement boots to solve her foot problems. I spent time at the library catching up on email and started to detail my on line journal by day. Still no luck on uploading photos. I am lying in the grass shirtless in shorts right now outside the laundrymat, drying my clothes, the sun is hot and I finally got a chance to wear the sunglasses, made in China, that I found at the top of Roan Mtn. I'll be heading back to the room to watch the Preakness and then go to The Bank, a classy restaurant, for a good meal. I received my 12 day supply of food at the P.O. this morning which I bumped to Cloverdale, unopened, for free, this because I am food rich right now and I dont want anymore weight heading out in the late morning tomorrow.
Date: 2009-05-17
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: overcast clouds

May 17 -- written May 18Checking out of the Holiday Motor Inn at 13:00, the rain had stopped and I made my way down the road to US460. East or west? Why east, of course, so I was trying to flag a ride on the entrance ramp, but cars were few and far between so I started walking down the highway, over a mile, until I convinced myself that I had again become disoriented and I crossed the 4 lane, limited access, divided road and headed back. Within 5 minutes a car pulled over and asked if I needed a ride, 2 college kids from Blacksburg passed me when I was east bound, decided to turn around and give me a ride, meanwhile I had crossed over. They helped me figure out where I needed to go... westbound!?? to be dropped where they gladly took me, right to the trail. I told them I'm 0k in the woods, its the roadways that disorient me. I hiked in overcast, cool, breezy, perfect comfort and came upon the Symms Gap Meadow, a nice place to tent, but the water source was a very small pond, heavily populated with large tadpoles and a few newts. As a kid, I caught tadpoles and watched them become frogs in a small aquarium, and there was no way that I would drink that pond water. I had enough water to get through the night so I went on, and on, through ridges of open maple and elm woods, the floor lush with wild flowers and perrenial plants, beautiful, downhill, past sundown into darkness, and past converging springs and swollen creeks, until finally reaching the Pine Swamp Branch Shelter where I bunked for the night, with my friend Hot Pants, and 3 section hikers, the loud, endless snorer right beneath me.
Date: 2009-05-18
From: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter

To: 3m Past the War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: clear sky

It is a rather chilly, later evening here in my tent about 3m past the War Spur Shelter, out in the middle of a slanted woods, beneath tall oaks under a crystal clear sky. I stopped at the shelter to chat with those staying, the 3 section hikers from last night plus 2 others, and then decided to continue 1.8m to a stream, where I picked up a gallon and kept walking looking for a suitable tent site. At 20:00 I broke into the woods and the best I could find is a bilevel, but there is dead silence, except for the deer (I hope!) running past and the hoot owl calling his friends. Today's trail had some pretty serious pain in the ass rocky stuff, PA reminders. When given the opportunity to describe those PA rock orchards, I say, "If you swear, you will, and if you don't swear, you will". Gypsy moth caterpillars were first noticed yesterday, but today were much more numerous and the evidencemuch more advanced, esp coming off of Lone Pine Peak, just before War Spur Shelter, where sizable, typically 1 square inch, of oak leaf pieces littered the trail so thickly, teh scent, like that of fresh chipped leafy branches, could be detected in the still air. The dumb things hang from their silky strands, and stopping, I could hear then, and their poop, hitting the dry leafy woods floor. Yesterday, I regrettably discovered that my feathers, one of which, the hawk feather, I have had for years, are gone, string and all. They must've come loosetransporting the pack in/out of the pickup truck or car in Pearisburg.
Date: 2009-05-19
From: 3m Past the War Spur Shelter

To: 1.8m Past the Niday Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

In the tent again about 1.8m past the Niday Shelter, off the trail in the woods nearby a small creek, not too loud. One day closer to PA and the familiarity mounts, with exposed views to the east on ~30 degree huge slanted, rough limestone slabs, vibram sole testing pitch, human ankle stress on Sinking Creek Mtn. I had hoped to go further today but water availability and terrain are questionable for the next few days. The trail was farily empty, probly due to Trail Days, I met Grits and The Kid for the first time. After coming off of Rocky Gap and across farm pastures and a barnyard, across VA42, another pasture and then reentering the woods, it was curious that the gypsy moth caterpillars, and their damage were significantly less. Helicopters were active in the woods all day, some kind of containment going on? Plants along the way continue to extend into the open space, some annoyingly face high, most leg high. A very pleasant day to hike and now a more pleasant evening to sleep.
Date: 2009-05-20
From: 1.8m Past the Niday Shelter

To: Johns Spring Shelter
Miles today: 21.9
Weather: clear sky

May 20 --A very long day that started 8:23 and ended at the Johns Spring Shelter after dark. Several highlights of the day began with the Audie Murphy Memorial Monument, a ~1600' climb to ~3100', which recognized him as the most decorated WWII Veteran with a monument not far from his fatal plane crash location. I spent what seemed like all afternoon battling my way up Dragon's Tooth on Cove Mtn. I remember about a week ago hiking briefly with husband, wife and son section hikers and the woman, Tortoise, told me that soon I would see McAfee Knob, spectacular is probly how she described it, then she went on to say tha before that is "Devil's Tooth, a horrible place". She was politely understating what was the most challenging section thus far, tormenting and tortuous come to mind, I reached so many false teeth that I finally stopped for lunch. A southbound section hiker stopped to say he didnt know how I was going to get down what he just came up, I asked if this was the top, no, there is a side trail to Dragon's Tooth, he didnt take it. "What? After all that work", I thought. I shortly made my way to the side trail and dropped my pack after a safe 50' and was surprised to encounter a teenager ewith an older woman and I asked, " Is it worth it?", "Oh, its awesome, some girls there will show you how to get up there." Sure enough, 4 girls, same age, were there and instructed me to climb under the bolder lodged in the crevass and climb up, I did, what a tooth, what a view. A few photos, we talked 20 questions stuff, one offered me granola bars, I accepted since I felt and probly looked, completely spent, and off I went on the decent, parts were rock climbing, tricky, finally down to a dirt path, then VA624 where I side tracked 0.4m to a gas station conveience store and bought about $17 worth of high calorie junk and sat leaning against the side of the building, out of sight, piggin out out privately, camelling up for the last 6.9m here. 3 college kid guys and a noisy dog named Brewster occupying the shelter and my tent is seriously slanted to the right. Hiway VA311 is nearby with cars noisily passing. I could've camped a few spots earlier, but a couple of miles back, right at sundown, 20:11, I saw the ass end of a black bear scoot off the path to the left about 25 yds ahead of me. I walked by with the camera ready, on video, but no trace, so I decided blackie can have that side of VA311, I'll take this side with my cookies and cheese.
Date: 2009-05-21
From: Johns Spring Shelter

To: Cloverdale, VA
Miles today: 18.8

May 21 -- written May 22I just finished a late breakfast of scambled eggs with link sausage, home fires, toast and AYCE pancakes, 3 orders, with coffee at the T&A Truck Stop while my laundry is cooking. This after a surprisingly long walk to/from the Cloverdale P.O. for a mail drop, and bump, and to send home my fleece pants and jacket, etc, surprise because I tried to flag a ride, esp on the way, ~2m one way, back so I could check out of the Travel Lodge by 11:00, which I missed by 10 minutes. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, who would pick up a white haired guy wearing running shoes, no socks, running shorts, a black long sleeved shirt, wearing sunglasses and carrying a black stuff sack? The walk yesterday was great one, warmer but still clear weather. Two highlights were McAfee Knob, which I immediately recognized from phots, a spectacular 180 view, and Tinker Cliffs, equally beautiful looking SW where I had been travelling the last few days. The final 5m o so along Tinker Ridge was more rugged limestone boulders, sand and rubble, a little slow going and seemingly endless short ups and downs. I came down the hill before 20:00 to what some might call civilization, the massive intersection of US220, US11 and I-81, and strangely I recognize this T&A and it is still a BP gas station where I pumped gas, most likely on a trip to my brother's in Knoxville. I just cant seem to get away.
Date: 2009-05-23
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: broken clouds

May 23 --After an 8:13 start, it has been a very warm, long day, and right now I am too tired to write about encountering day hikers, how a 5 minute nap can do wonders, my luck fulfills my quest to phone about mail drops and another pig out at the camp store, or the reunion here, at the Bryant Ridge Shelter, where I am tenting on a narrow, slanty ledge right above the trail, just a 15' steep embankment away, with Josy Wales, formerly known as Brad, and Joker, both of whom I haven't seen since the Smokeys.
Date: 2009-05-26
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Cow Camp Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: moderate rain

May 26 --It was overall a pretty crappy day, the rain, hard at times, dominated the scene. I finished in a nice cool, windy downpour on Bald Knob discovering shortly after that the shelter, the Cow Camp Gap Shelter, is 0.5m off the trail. My tentsite is again slanted, this time head to toe, and I'm near one of those talking creeks, but on the otherside of me is a real spring, pipe and all. To conserve my fuel, I ended up cooking with the warmer filtered pond water, yuk. The trail was dormant today, the rains cleansing and resetting things, bird songs way down and although I thought it was a salamander kind of day, I only saw one, a small black one. I am very tired. Wet clothes on again in the morning.
Date: 2009-05-27
From: Cow Camp Gap Shelter

To: Montebello, VA
Miles today: 12.5

May 27 --More rain overnight, I packed up wet and headed up the 0.5m trail to the AT in light drizzle. Passing over Cold Mtn and Tar Jacket Ridge I also passed the views that were clouded over and pushed on, through light on/off rain to Fish Hatchery Access Road. It was a long, 1.1m, steep gravel downhill road to the fish hatchery, where, when I inquired about a pay phone, the guy working there asked if I was going to the Dutch Haus B&B, and he made the call from memory. Lois picked me up within 15 minutes and in 5 I was at her place. Nice. Single room, TV, quiet. I had a nice dinner with Loudspeaker, Tiger and another older guy, and spent the rest of the night updating the on-line journal 'til 3am.
Date: 2009-05-28
From: Montebello, VA

To: Montebello, VA
Miles today: 0.0

May 28 --Great zer0, went to the PO, the general store had no fuel, even though they sold stoves, they don't sell beer because the owner is Baptist, and I just relaxed and had the place to myself all afternoon and the rest of the night. Updated the online journal and cleaned and dried out my stuff. Good R&R, great quiet sleep.
Date: 2009-05-29
From: Montebello, VA

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

May 29 --Left the B&B just after 9:00 driven to the fish hatchery by Earl, but as I got out he asked, "Got your poles?", of course not, I left them in the depository near the back door. Hot Pants has showed up just before I left, with a few others for the free lunch, and when after I walked the long, gravel up hill road to the AT, I saw Hulk and Troubador headed down for the same. I don't understand that. The walk led me to Spy Rock which I climbed by mistake because I thought the trail went there, typical. 0k though, the 360 views on a partly sunny, hazy day were worth it. The rest of the walk was relatively easy over the Priest, which everyone at the B&B seemed to dread over, but the next section over the Tye River, The Three Ridges, was a little more of a challenge to the Maupin Field Shelter, where I tented, and the shelter was full of people and beer and the noise lasted way past 22:00, unusual for a shelter, Joker, Josey Wales, Hot Pants and many others were there, and there was unusally late stirring in the morning.
Date: 2009-05-31
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Shenandoah Nat'l Park
Miles today: 10.3

May 31 --I'm glad that I didn't rush around this morning to get out of town, as it turns out the outfitter opened at 12:00. I actually checked out ~11:30, no problem, the clerk, curiously the same woman who checked me in, was busy watching the Bonanza Marathon, this episode featuring Hoss in a loving, sensitive roll. She went on to tell me that, as a little girl in Akron, OH she met all "4 of them" at some local promotion and that ol' Hoss had kissed her on the cheek. In the meantime she had steered me to a notebook containing all the trail angel info, the first 3 no answer, probly at church. Skipping further down the list was Steve Rosenburg, sounds like a kid from Brooklyn, and bingo, he'll be over in 10 minutes! I asked as much about the trail angel program as I could because I couldn't believe how well it existed. The town of Waynesboro asked for volunteers, if they are called and for reason they aren't able to do it, no big deal, go to the next name. The bigger the list, the better. What a great way to literally bring business into town, everyone wins. We stopped at the outfitters along the way where I bought another pound of fuel to add to my swollen pack, and he dropped me off right where I got off, by the south entrance of Shenandoah Nat'l Park. It was a short, but lovely day, breezy, I stopped to talk to many day hikers/walkers and met a ridge runner, we talked for about 15 minutes, he politely answered all my questions and curiousities of ridge running. The trail here is much more managable with elevations on, on the first map anyway, ostly below 3000' with ~500' excursions. The blueberries are about BB sized, still green, and the huckleberries , even though some are still blooming, are not far behind. Maybe the bears'll be happy in a few weeks and won't bother the tenters for food. The breeze is picking up pretty good, storm approaching? The last 2m today I strapped on another 6 lbs of water and continued to feast on my pig food from Kroger's. I put 1/2 stick of real butter, on the instant mashed potatoes with beef jerk and tomorrow morning I will have 1/2 stick with blueberry english muffins. A 500cal Little Debbie Iced Honey Bun was my break snack today, gone in 4 bites.
Date: 2009-06-01
From: Shenandoah Nat'l Park

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 22.9
Weather: clear sky

June 1 --Getting back to the subject of repeating people, after the easy hitch down the hill to Waynesboro check-in at the Quality Inn, I found my way several blocks to Kroger's, grabbed a hand basket and began my kilo calorie collection, I had just started near the produce aisle, now checking the Fritos, etc, when who walks up pushing a cart, Earl Arnold from the Dutch Haus. He looked over my basket and said he shuttled someone nearby, probly that Canadian, and stopped for groceries. It was another one of those times that I was caught off guard, focusing more on trying to find the beer nuts. Well today was nothing but perfect for an AT hike and all went very well. I met several older hikers early and no one else the rest of the day near Loft Mtn, where a campground store is located very near the trail. I stopped, used the hot water sink to wash up, watered up and bought about 2000 cals which I sat and ate before movin' on to Pinefield Hut in the tent near a babbling stream. The highlight of the day was the climb to Blackrock Summit where it looked like the top of the mtn tumbled down the hillside liaving acres of huge boulder rocks exposed. My eyes are heavy, lights out.
Date: 2009-06-02
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Bearfence Mtn Hut
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: scattered clouds

June 2 --Tenting at a designated site near Bearfence Myn Hut, not a particularly romantic name, and not such a good tent site slanted in azimuth and elevation. I need sleep.written June 3 --Yesterday continued, was a hot, humid day tat seemed to drag because of the two long breaks and two shorter breaks earlier. The park has several camper/campsites and cabins at designated campgrounds and bathroom facilities with showers, sometimes a store for short term resupply, ie, junkfood. I cleaned up at one such place, had lunch and made a phone call, and watered up at another. The walk was non-eventful for the most part, a few overlooks, usually that includes valley farmlands, I met several day hikers, mostly seniors, and battled more types of bugs that constantly attack me. It is enough that those hovering black dots land on my eyes all afternoon, but the latest are the horseflies that circle aroun me noisily and eventually, usually, land on me to take blood. Fortunately they're pretty dumb at that point, and an awaiting set of fingers is ready to smack the life out of them and they are usually eliminated. Ticks have been seen crawling on the outside, from the inside, of my tent in the morning and have been picked off my mid calf socks and legs which are now checked often. The no-see-ums line up to get into the tent as do the carpenter ants, beetles, daddy long leggers and other creepy things I cant identify, so zipper security is on continuous red, high alert. On the trail tent caterpillars are everywhere, and the ants and flies are busy cleaning the squashed. I've seen a few, not enough, dragonfiles lately, but butterflies, tiger and esp black swallowtails, and dozens of morning cloaks, sit on the trail and seem to patrol their territory. the trail in the woods is thick with lush undergrowth of weeds, grass, wild flowers, vines, poison ivy, anything that can take root, and encroaches the path to the point of annoyance often hiding rock and root obstacles. On the more popular sections of the trail, artists attack the growth with mowers, pruners and weed wackers, Leave No Trace be damned. The park has designated camp sites at the hut areas that were designed by accountants, and camping in the woods along the trail, preferable, that "must be 20yds off the trail" is fantasy, esp with the scarcity of water. There was a brief thunderstorm that blew through about 23:00, a little distantlightning and a couple good blasts of rolling thuner, but only about 10 minutes of light rain. This morning the sun shines and the birds sing.
Date: 2009-06-04
From: Rock Spring Hut

To: Luray, VA
Miles today: 14.1

June 4-- written June 5--Yesterday was a washout with light rain most of the time, but there were two bright spots during the day. The first was arriving at the Skyland Lodge 8 minutes before breakfast service ended, and I took full advantage with a cheese omlet, link sausage on the side, a tall, stack of three hot cakes loaded with fake butter and four cups o'coffee, taking care of food for the rest of the hiking day. When I reached US211 the thick fog and shoulderless hiway preventing immediate hitching so I walked about a mile downhill until I saw a warning sign for trucks. It took about 20 minutes but the right guy stopped, offered me a beer, probly an 8oz Bud like the one between his legs, and we coasted down the long hill then another 4m into Luray right to the PO parking lot, where he waited for me while I picked up my boots and maps and then drove me to the Budget Inn! What a guy, I was overly grateful out of disbelief, "What goes around comes around" was all he would say about it. I bought some beers and junk food and cleaned up and dried my gear when I returned to the Budget Inn, a proper name for the place, no hangers, no trash cans, and then went to Uncle Bucks for a salad and spaghetti, like a cowboy of the old west coming off the dusty trail whoopin' it up in town. Sitting here at the laundromat, I don't miss this scene.
Date: 2009-06-05
From: Luray, VA

To: Luray, VA
Miles today: 0.0

June 5 -- written June 6After laundry, I walked in the opposite direction in the rain on Business US211 past the Luray Caverns over a mile to the Wal-Mart Complex, but directly across the hiway was Mindi's Mexican Restaurant where I filled up on some greaat food before entering the complicated maze of Wal-Mart. Unable to find a fleece throw blanket, I bought a sleeping bag, 2 lbs, for $10.38 to replace my down bag which will be mailed home this morning after which I will hitch out and hit the trail.
Date: 2009-06-06
From: Luray, VA

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: overcast clouds

June 6 --The PO didn't open 'til 9:00, I was packed up and made it there by 9:30 after which I cruised Main St for a place with coffee plus, and came by Uncle Buck's. Right after I arrived the place filled with hungry locals and their chatter as I worked on my standard eggs, bacon, homefries, toast and tall stack. Outside it was bright and rather warm as I made my way down Main St stopping only to pin to my pack my "Hiker To Trail" bandana which had no effect all day. I walked all the way out of town on BusUS211 to US211 where an old Ford p/u stopped, said he was going part way, fine, so I lowered his rusty tailgate and took a quick inventory, real old gas grill, small pieces of pressure treated 2x6s, cables, and black dirt, maybe manure, with oat sprouts growing out of it all over the bed. So now I was about 4m closer, looking my best, using the restaurant parking lot entrance as a pull over when a college kid pulled up behind me, said he'd be glad to give me a ride, but I would have to tell him when to get out. Fair deal, within 12 minutes I was back in the woods around 12:15. The trail was easy all day, even the ~800' climb up Pass Mtn and later, the 1000' after Elkwallow Wayside were non-stopped, new boots maybe? Ahhh, Elkwallow Wayside, what a treat! I stopped for water, it was 2 minutes off the trail, and found a bacon cheeseburger and a raspberry milkshake. 2 guys were seated at a picnic table when I removed my pack and propped it against a tree just outside the snack bar/gift shop, and immediately inquired about my thru-hike with amazement. I returned with my food and we had a very interesting and stimulating conversation beyond the hike, about life basics, and their questions about the hike were not the 20, but more of what are you experiencing, what makes you happy, your typical day's thoughts, etc, in exchange for their thoughts and times past. I thrive on this stuff, external stimulus that fuels my brain for hours and even days. When in motels, I often find the Turner Movie Classics or other late night movie channels that I replay for hours when back on the trail, even the not-so-good ones. A classic that I saw in Waynesboro was Spencer Tracy in Dr Jekell and Mr Hyde, acting at its best. The guys who I met today, Danny from Ethiopia, and Eric from Miami, were unimaginable and unpredictable, and, as I have said before, any conversation can go in any direction to anywhere, which is what has made this trip pricelessly rewarding, what a way to see America. I am ready for lights out here in my tent and new Wal-Mart $10.38 sleeping (fleece) bag, all 2 3/16 lbs of it, at the Gravel Springs Hut in what is my last night in Shenandoah Nat'l Park.