morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-14
From: Doc's Knob Shelter

To: Pearisburg , VA
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: light rain

You never know what mother nature has in store. That's for sure. For three days we were in the heat . It was 70 to 80 degrees plus. Water was scarce and I got a sunburn. Yesterday and today that changed. Big time. We got up this AM and the boots were cold and the water bottles were partially frozen. The temp went below freezing last night and it snowed. We woke up to cold and snow. Go figure. One day it's 75 the next it is 25. That's the way it goes on the trail. You have to be ready for anything. Like the scouts say "Be Prepared." Speaking of that, I had to patch my boot sole before leaving. I used duct tape, of course , and I used up all that I had left. Duct tape is used for everything on the trail. It got me thru when my side was chaffed, when my toes were hot, and when the blisters came. However, today the tape was not enough, and I called on Johnny D's little survival kit that I always carry. In addition to bark to start fires, and matches, etc. there are four long fasteners to patch packs and whatnot. Today, I needed them to keep the sole flap on my shoe in tact to hike so that I could hike the 8 miles and (thanks Johnny) it worked like a charm. Wait until you see the boots. You will not believe them. The crew got up early and did not cook breakfast,as planned. We were on the hike by 7:10 AM. We said our goodbyes to Heaven Bound and were off. It was snowing and did so for a while. The trail to Pearisburg was mostly down hill. We were in town by 10:20 AM as planned. Southside went to a motel and got a drop box with a new tent. We hiked to town and got a room at the Holiday Motor Lodge ($20.00 each). Then we met Strides and Spruce at a Pizza Plus for an AYCE pizza and salad meal($4.95). It is raining here today, they expect more snow,and there is a frost warning for tonight in the towns. You know what that means for the mountains. Southside and I did a laundry. Tonight we will get a meal and do some planning for future hikes. (This is a nightly tradition ie. Where are we going, How far and Where will we get our water?) Southside will continue north tomorrow. I will leave for Dublin. Not Ireland but VA and hitch down Rt 100 to the airport to meet Ron Beatty's friend Drew , a pilot, who will fly me to Sterling in a two seater plane. It will be my first time in a small plane. It will take some 6 hours and perhaps one stop for gas. He said we will see lots of sights. Should be interesting. (Thanks Ron) Thanks to all for the support. To date I have gone thru three states (GA, NC and TN) and have taken a chunk out of VA for a total of 622.1 miles. Prior to this, I had done four states (NJ, NY, Conn, and MA) for 308 miles. The grand total so far is 930.1 miles. The total AT is 2174. Still a lot to go. We shall see. Again thanks to all. Happy Trails and Peace, Squire
Date: 2008-05-01
From: Jefferson MA

To: Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter
Miles today: 2.9
Weather: light rain

Back at it again. I have been off the trail for 16 days. That's quite a few zeros. This time I will go SoBo and try that. The trip home was great. The plane ride was interesting. Thanks, Drew and Shakedown for the help. I got a ride to Sterling MA just 6 miles from my home. What a treat. Today I will leave for Boston in the early AM, then take a train to Washington D.C. From there I will take the Metro to Balston Station in Arlington VA. My friend Kate Tetreault Rooney will pick me up after school and deliver me to Front Royal to begin my trek south. Thanks Kate for the great support. You too Frank for the emails and encouragement. It will be interesting, and I should see many of my friends who are NOBo. I am looking forward to that. The plan is to get to Pearisburg and perhaps Trail Days then return to Front Royal. We shall see. Only time will tell. More on today's events later. Thanks to all at home for the support. The stay was fun and restful. Happy Trails, Peace, SquireLeft the house at 4:45 AM got to Westwood at 5:45 to catch a 6:20 train to DC where Kate will pick me up and deliver me to Rt 522 in Front Royal. The train ride was nice. Fairly empty until New Haven. It got quite full. I found the train fairly comfortable, much more so than a bus. It had a small lunchonette and large seats with plenty of leg room. The ride was fairly smooth but quite long (7 and one half hours). I could drive as fast, but not as comfortably. The cost was not too bad ($100.00). I sat alone most of the ride-no luck sleeping. I was able to charge my phone along the way. I enjoyed the scenery out the window. The day was sunny but overcast from Philly on. I started my SoBo hike at 5:15 PM and ended at the shelter one and one half hours later (2.9 miles). I had to hike for quite awhile along a fenced in area that belonged to the Smithsonian Inst. It is their adjunct zoo. They actually have lots of animals there. I never saw any, however. Boots were Ok but sore and very stiff. Bad Hummus, Stovie, Yeti, Toddy Bear, and Crash were at the shelter. I had read ther entries many times on the trail. They were a day or two ahead of me. I pitched my tent, ate, and discussed their entries with them as well as what I should expect on my trail south. They knew Southside, Spruce, Strides etc etc etc. I called home and to Kate to thank her and tell her that all was well. Thanks again, Kate. Another Trail Angel. Its 8:30 and lights out. Happy Trails- Peace, Squire
Date: 2008-05-02
From: Tom Floyd Wayside Shelter

To: Pass Mtn Hut Shelter
Miles today: 23.6

I finally saw a bear. Actually two bears. A mother and a cub. Today was an interesting day. Got up and packed the tent, ate, and left @ 7:30,just as the others were getting up. At 9:00 oclock I saw my first bear in the wild since Yellowstone in '69. I heard branches breaking and about 30 yards away the mother was heading toward a tree. In the tree was her cub. The trail moved away so I followed it. I chose not to intrude and try a photo. I decided to keep going. I knew better than to fool with a mother and her cub. Later on I ran into Spruce and then Strides. They were my old shelter mates for many days. It was good to see them and catch up. I stayed about 20 min chatting, then off on the hike. I saw several other NoBo's today. Snickers and Energizer Turtle, and a guy named Mike. I stopped for lunch at a wayside called Elkwallow. There are several of these on the Blue Ridge Skyway. I had a blackberry shake, a favorite on the trail. The day started out overcast but got sunny and hot. Also, there were a lot of bugs. My new shoes gave me a blister on the heel and my toes were bothering me. Also, my side was chaffing again. My back is hurting again the same place as last time. Get out the duct tape. The hike in takes you back and forth over the Skyline Drive. It is very scenic with lots of overlooks and views. The flowers are blooming and everything is green. Joellen and I camped (Yes camped) on the Blue Ridge in the old Volks Bus back in 71. I also made the drive in '69 with Paul and Arnie (You guys still owe me $300 bucks). I would like to return again someday by car. As I entered the shelter, two deer ran out in front of me on the trail and stopped. They are protected so they are not afraid. The shelter is empty. I am alone. It is one of the nicest shelters I have been in. I cooked dinner and got in the bag to write. Lots of black flies and bugs. It is 8:30 and time for bed. At 9:00 oclock Little Debbie (husband) and Amanda wife) came in with headlights on. They cooked and went to bed. They were recently married and ex students at UNC. Nice people. I chatted with them some more in the AM.Happy Trails- Peace, Squire.
Date: 2008-05-03
From: Pass Mtn Hut Shelter

To: Big Meadows Campground
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: light rain

Virginia has lots of rocks in the Shenandoah. Started off the day with a climb up to Mary's Rocks then over the Pinnacle (3730)- very hot and sunny. The shoes gave me a blister. I stopped at Pinnacle Picnic Ground to change tape and dressings. These shoes (Garmonts?) are very hot and sweaty inside. I no longer wear my gaitors to allow the shoes to vent. It is hot with lots of rocks today. Great vistas again on the west side toward Luray,VA. I stopped for a soda and cookie and to charge my phone at Skyland Lodge. Today I met CJ , Dorothy, and Ho Down. The latter two were hiking in Speedos and no tops. Wow! Also, met Don Juan, Amoeba (woman from Winchester who thru hiked in 03,04,05) and Lobster Bait from Bangor. I passed the shelter at 15 miles (Rock Spring Hut ) to go to Big Meadows Campground. It looked like rain, but I pushed on. I met Fred,Ben, and Carolyn on the trail, and they invited me for dinner at the campground. I got to the camp, and I chatted with the seasonal ranger who saw my NPS hat. It started to rain, so he cut me a deal on a site (8.00) ,so I took a campsite- good idea. I got a shower for $1.00 and did a laundry. I went to dinner at site E220. with my new friends. They were exceptioally nice- new trail angels. They were 7th Day Adventists and vegetarians. We cooked soy bean hot dogs and had and watermelon and dessert. The fire was nice because it was getting chilly. Fred, as it turned out, had gone to Atlantic Union Colege in Lancaster, MA, and had lived in Worcester where his father was a church pastor. I was cramping up and Ben gave me some electrolyte stuff that he sels. I went up to the lodge to use the cell phone and to see Hermit, a guy I had met doing laundry, but he was not around. I called home and went to the lounge where there were two guys playing cands w/ Irish/ Western etc. music. They were actually pretty good. A guy named Jeff Alt came up and asked me if I were a hiker. I asked if it was that obvious, and he said it was because of the clothes and the shoes. He had walked the trail and wrote a book, "A Walk for Sunshine." He was at the lodge giving a motivational lecture. The lodge brings him in once a month to give the lectures. He offered to buy me a beer, but I declined. I guess he has a great following at the lodge. He was a nice guy, and I plan to read his book when I have time. I went back to the tent site and it was late and I was still cramping up. It was 10:45 when I went to bed- Good night. Cramping and not feeling well (stomach). Tomorrow is another day. Happy Trails- Peace, Squire
Date: 2008-05-05
From: Front Royal Rt 522

To: Dick's Dome Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: broken clouds

Another beautiful day in VA- got up at 6:30 with Southside and Bull and drove to Front Royal. We got dropped off at 7:30 and started to hike, but my blisters were so bad on the heel that I stopped and took off some skin and retaped them- very sore. The AM was brisk and I wore a light fleece. The hike went well, but I started to think about home and all the things that I had to do ( car, Cape etc etc). I made a decision to leave the trail at Harper's Ferry. The hike was no longer any fun for me. and I didn't enjoy it. My philosophy has been why go thru all this if it is not fun to do? Life is too short to do things you do not like. (Of course, sometimes you need to, but not this time.) I called Frank Tetreault and chatted for a while with him. I met some SoBos- Russ and Bear Chasser and Gabe and Shadow. I stopped at the Molly Denton Shelter for lunch and took a photo. There was an entry in the record from the day was nice and hot. I had to walk thru several fields of Trilliams? just in bloom- they were beautiful. I guess they are like cherry blossoms, and there is only a specific period of time when they blooom. I was lucky enough to be there at that time. Quite pretty and (Sue) beauuutiful.. Got to the shelter and met Zig and Zag a couple from MO going south. Also met Tenderfeets and Old Fat Dad, a very interesting guy- also, Rocky and a kid. Tenderfeets was a retired CT teacher. Actually, I was going to move on but decided the company was good and we seemed to have a lot in common. We did, and it was an enjoyable stay. I pitched my tent because the shelter was a dome and not conducive to sleeping many people. The location was great since it was on the side of a slope with a babbling brook going by. The sound helped me go to sleep next to the river. Tomorrow I will get up early and begin the "Roller Coaster." It is a 13 mile stretch with 10 ups and downs in a row-all 500 feet or more. It should be fun??? Bed at 8:45. Happy trails- Peace, Squire
Date: 2008-05-06
From: Dick's Dome Shelter

To: Bear Den Hostel Bear Den Rocks
Miles today: 18.3

I am going to do the Roller Coaster today. Another beautiful day. The hike was nice. Got up, packed the tent, and got going early to beat the heat. Chatted briefly with Old Fat Dad and Tender Feets. I have had perfect weather for one week, a record, a little hot at times but bearable. Some days you have it and some days you don't. Today I had it. Yesterday I did not. My blister gave me no trouble today, my side and back were better. I just hiked. My thoughts were on everything but the trail and the day passed quickly. I stopped at the first shelter for a break and continued on to the Roller Coaster. I did the Roller Coaster, a 13 mile stretch with 10 , 500 footers in a row. Actually, today I found it to be a mini, kiddie coaster. It was not bad at all. 500 footers after GA and the Smokies were not too bad to take. I am in pretty good climbing shape, and I did not need to stop at all. Just as constant as "here is Ron Beatty " coming into the shelter is now the cry of "Hi Squire." I heard it comiing down to the last shelter. It was Bull (as it had been at Big Meadows) and Pam slacking from Bear Den. What a a big surprise. I took a break with them . They told me , as I expected, that Southside was doing a 33 mile slack to catch up. He is now the "King of the Slack." I pushed on to Bear Den and got there at 4:30. What a place. It was an old stone resort house built in 1933 and given to the PAC in 1985 to use as a hostel. For $25.00 you got sheets, a pillow, shower, laundry, internet, pizza, and a pint of Ben and Jerry's , plus great company. I met Charlie,PipeSmoker and his wife working on the house. They were from NH and going to Trail Days. He hiked thru with the General in '04. Also, Don Juan, JayBird from Nashville, and JigSaw from Lee MA. The building has a great living room and sitting room and is used year round by many groups. Tonight there was one such gathering. The housekeepers are a couple, Scott (Redwing) and his wife Maria (Hopeful) and their daughter Lydia (Hikelet). They were just great. Southside came in at around 6:00. Bull and Pam were there with the car. They went to the Gregory's for the night but would return tomorrow . Late night. To sleep 10:15PM. Tomorrow I will slack pack with Southside to Harper's Ferry. Our last hike- he is going home also. We will drive to Warwick,RI , from the Gregory's our new Angels on Thursday. Happy Trails Peace, Squire
Date: 2008-05-07
From: Bear Den Hostel Bear Den Rocks

To: Harpers Ferry WV
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: clear sky

Last day for a while. Last night I slept poorly. My neck was very sore and perhaps I should not have eaten the chocolate Ben and Jerry's at 9:30 PM, just before bed. Or perhaps it was the anxiaty of leaving the trail. Southside came by at 7:00 AM as scheduled . I was up, packed, had a coffee, and was ready to go. Southside brought me two sandwiches, and we had the first one at an overlook . The last three ups of the Roller Coaster were easy without a pack. We enjoyed the hike but moved quickly. We stopped at the David Lesser Mem Shelter at 11:30 for a lunch break. The shelters built by the Potomac APP Trail Club are the best. This shelter had a deck with Adarondack chairs, a separate covered picnic area with swing and fire pit, great privy (if there is such a thing), and camping spots with tables and chairs. The Molly Denton Shelter actually had a solar shower. We hiked past some Civil War redoubts and met Bull, Pam, Carol and Tug the dog. We hiked together to Harper's Ferry and went over to the Appalachian Trail Conservacy, had a soda, and got our pictures taken for the official book. (Southside as a Thru flip flop # 47, code red; Bull code orange # 48; and I, as a section hiker # 48, code blue) Spruce was signed in as thru hiker # 39 and Strides # low 40's. That gives us an idea of where I would have beeen had I continued to hike the whole way starting March 3rd. We hung out for a while then drove to Carol and Jerry's to have dinner and spend the night. They are great people and great trail angels. Thanks to both of you. Tommorow will be bittersweet. We head home to RI, and Joellen will pick me up and return me home. I have a feeling there is more to come. We shall see. Only time will tell. Thanks to all for your help.   To those on the trail good luck and Keep Hikin' Happy Trails, Peace, Squire.
Date: 2009-03-03
From: Pearisburg , VA

To: Raleigh Durham
Miles today: 0.0

Friends far and wide. It starts again. Tomorrow I will leave for Pearisburg VA from our stay in Raleigh-Durham. The plan is to section to Big Meadows on Skyline Drive and return to DC to the car Joellen will leave for me at Kate and Frank's. Then home for a time and then to Harper's Ferry in April or May to hike to the DWG to complete that section, perhaps to meet Southside. Thanks to Tom and Colette for the hospitality these two nights. Joellen and I will drive to Pearisburg tomorrow (3 and one half hours) I will hike, she will drive to DC (5 and one half hours), stay with Kate, see a hockey game, and fly to Boston on Monday March 9th for a Jamie pick up. All is well and I am anxious to begin anew. The temps will be cold to start 33/18 (Day/ night), but on we go. I have a new bag (0 degrees/ thanks Bill, Wayne, and Fitzy at NE Backpacker) so all should be OK. To all Happy Trails, Keep Hikin, Peace
Date: 2009-03-04
From: Pearisburg , VA

To: Rice Feld Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Drove from Cary to Pearisberg- arrived at 11:11 AM. Stayed last night with the McCarty's. Great hosts. Met two sobo hikers starting out Tom and Neptune.They were with their mother. Climb was pretty much up to Rice Field. Started hike at 34 degrees. Snow on the ground in the mtns 3 to 4 in , so the trail was hard to follow. Fortunately,two hikers were ahead. They helped considerably. (Later found out they were Erin,Stephen and Olivia and Jetter , Erin's two dogs.) I arrived at the shelter at 3:11 PM, settled in, cooked and got to bed early. I called Joellen at 12:45 i but my cell phone was dying out. It failed completely later. No more outside world. I read a little from my Gresham noveland hit the hay @ 6:15. This shelter is in a beautiful spot with views of botA West Va and Va. Sunset was spectacular. Cold but bearable- the bag is working well. (0 degree Snowshoe) Happy Trails Peace
Date: 2009-03-05
From: Rice field shelter

To: Pine Swamp Branch
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Up a little late on the hike at 8:30 Water frozen in the am- boots quite wet still. Tough hike with snow 6 to 8 inches at times. Hard to follow the trail. Again followed steps of two prior hikers. Got a blister on the left heel- those damn Garmans, I knew I would have trouble.Tough going in the snow. Shoes and socks got real wet. Set up at shelter and walked to road to call home to let know all was ok. I met a nice lady who let me use the phone and the postmaster (Carla) who told me about a hiker in town. He was a trail hiker "Captain" Mike DeHart who came up to my shelter and invited me to use his house, shower etc. Took him up on it. He is a wealth of kmowledge and a great guy.   He told me this section is the toughest to get restocked and he is right. I have 6 days of food and pack is heavy. I cooked my food, took a shower,and rested. We chatted mostly about equipment and watched TV. A real trail angel. I will be in the woods most of the time until Daleville/Troutville and then a long time until Waynesboro. Lots of shelters later, hence tonights stay. Happy Trails Peace
Date: 2009-03-06
From: Pine Swamp Branch

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Got up with Mike at 6:00 and weighed in @ 227.5 at least a 10 lb loss so far My pack weighed 35.5 pounds fully loaded so I probably atarted off at 42 or so. (Food that I ate) Still heavy. I called home and made breakfast. Got out late at 8:20. Today I was on the trail for 7 hours. I returned to the shelter to follow the white blaze. I could have walked the road which was the old trail, but if you are hiking the trail, you don't take shortcuts. I stopped at Baily's Gap to read the log and Erin and Steve were the people in front of me. They had spent the night. No snow to start but by 11:30 up on the north side of the mtn facing West Va there was 3 to 4". The snow was melting so lots of slipping and sliding. At the top at 4,00 feet there was 6 to 8 inches, and it was real tough going- thick wet snow. My shoes and socks were soaked. At 1:30 I caught up with Steve and Erin and the dogs.. We chatted for a while and I went ahead to the shelter. Erin came in later around 3:30. Steve an hour or so later. I arrived at 3:20 .Seven hour day of tough going. Note The blister was bad in AM. So bad I could not walk ,so I stopped and took off my shoe, took out my Smartfeet insert, and voila it helped. I had treated it with antiseptic,band aid , moleskin, and duct tape to start but the rubbing was bad. I will do this each day- no insert for a while. Had dinner with E abnd S -two chefs from Newport RI- nice people. 7:30 lights out. Headlamp seems dim -I may neeed new batteries. Next stop. Happy Trails Peace
Date: 2009-03-07
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Sarver Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

One of the toughest 12.2 miles ever. I'm out of shape . No snow but hot and humid. Lots of tough climbs. It took me 9 hours to go the 12.2. Climbed 3,250 feet out of VA 601 then up 3250 to Rocky Gap thru open fields for a mile or so in the sun @75 degrees then up to the ridgeline to Sminking Creek Mtn 3450 feet then 400 feet straight down to the shelter. Up at 7:50 with S and E and out. Today actually was fun in a sense. Did a lot of meandering and talking amid the hills. I went out to an overlook and got turned around (first rookie mistake of the day) but met a guy, Alan,who turned me around. He was hiking to Kelly's Knob off the trail 200 yds. I went to see the view. It was spectacular. Glad that I saw him for two reasons. I didn't follow the old adage of going off the trail to shelters etc "right in right out left in left out" Met lots of day hikers today mostly from Virginia Tech going up to Kelly's Knob. Nice day hike. After seeing it, I know why people hike there. Alan took my picture so perhaps you will see later. I stopped at Laurel Creek Shelter for a break and waited 25 min for E and S but went on. I continued to VA 42 a big road, more hikers. (app 25 all day) I crossed lots of open cow fields in the heat and climbed no fewer than 10 stiles to get over the fences. Obviously, I used a lot of water but it was available. I took a photo at the Old Oak Tree ,the second largest on the trail (Photo) The largest and oldest is in NY. Met a trailworker Longhorn from Texas (of course) now living in VA. It was quite a climb to the ridgeline. Once there I met Monty from Salem who was tenting near the shelter on top of the hill. When I got to the shelter I started to put on my camp shoes and found that I had lost them, my bear rope ,carabiner, and whistle/compass.(Second rookie mistake of the day) I climbed back up all the way to top to see if I had left them with Monty. Guess what? Erin and the dogs came along. She found the gear and brought it with her. Thanks Erin. Steve was tired and had ditched some gear knowing he was going to go back to 42 and hitch to Catawba for his mail drop. They were out of food. He had found my compass and whistle. E and I waited and sure enough after dark in came Steve, headlight and all. No supper, feeling a little sick in the stomach. Note. Interesting weather. One day the water is freezing, two days later it is 75 in the mtns.Happy Trails Peace