morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-04-08
From: Erwin TN

To: Erwin TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Zero Day! Bookworm's ankle is still bad so we didn't leave the room all day. Bad movie repeated and we watched it again. You know it's a good one when you can watch the last half yesterday, watch the wole thing today and still the plot holes are so large you could wander in them for a few days. I ended up taing a bath the tub was that nice. It was amazing for my leg muscles and feet. Then having decided that the inch long leg hair was actually conctiuting a health rsk as I can no longer tell if I'm hairy, dirty, scabby or just all three, I decided to shave it off. When I was done it looked like someone had tortured a bear in there. We ordered pizza again and this time I got a lrge salad with mine too. New episode of game of thrones and another great night's rest.Happy Easter all!
Date: 2012-04-09
From: Erwin TN

To: Curley Maple Gap Shelter
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: clear sky

I woke up ready to get back on the trail. Bookworms ankle was still tender but better. She decided to play it safe and take another zero day so I headedout alone knowing she'd catch up at some point and we'd se each other again. Man after resupply my pack fels ay too heavy as in my ankles and knees were screaming at me despite easy slopes and miles. It's te first time I'm trying out cheese and deli meat on the trail and boy is it HEAVY! I ended up sitting on the side of the trail and eating part of my dinner just in an effort to reduce te weight of my pack some. I left town late after spending time updating journals in the libary so ended up stopping at the first shelter. At the shelter I met August who named Bookworm. He had a chess board and we played a game. He is so used to beating everyone out here he wasn't paying attention fully to the game and I totally kicked his behind. Ha by the time he noticed he was losing it was too late.   We've already scheduled a rematch for further up the trail and I'm sure if given his full attention he'll wipe the floor with me. But for now I'll enjoy my victory.
Date: 2012-04-10
From: Curley Maple Gap Shelter

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Well I know I must have been exhausted when I wrote this entry in my handwritten journal because the only thing in there is "controlled fall. My feet want to kill me" so allow me to elaborate. Today was my first 20 miler and of course I added another two on there for good measure. or as one of my fellow hikers at the shelter said as I basked in the pain fueled glow of my first 20+ miler, "you killed it!" so yep ow ow ow. Of course I didn't choose an easy day for this no no, had to be the day with a few mountains in there. let's do some up, some down, oh yeah let's get those newly healed feet swollen back up and make sure you know exactly what a hill looks like.Crossed over beauty spot today which was a pretty field with views. I didn't really enjoy it as I should because for some reason I was getting a vibe from this place and really felt the urge that I needed to move on from there and quickly. Side note from the future: I can't describe why I got this feeling but it turns out something most have subconsciously indicated that it was not a safe area because I learned a few days later when I ran into some of my hiker friends that they had camped there the night before. Around 1 am some redneck yahoos drove up and around the barrier and were screaming insults at the group camped there and that, "next time they'd aim for the tents". they came back a second time that night too with more drunken antics. I am so grateful that nothing came from the incident and that the group camped there was large enough that it didn't escalate to something more. Be safe friends. And for future hikers try to avoid camping near roads, especially where your tent can be seen from the road.so I did see all the tire ruts when I crossed over and had that spidey sense so cleared out of there fast. The next mountain was densely populated with spruce trees and I was reminded of my wood walks in Maine. It was a good reminder of all that I was working for. So I pushed on all day despite being tired. at one point coming down a particularly steep slope I came to the conclusion that most of the time when I go downhill I am less walking so much as demonstrating a spastic looking controlled fall. Got into the shelter during the last hour of daylight and crawled gratefully into my sleeping bag.It's been noticeably cooler today and darn right cold as night falls with some pretty skin numbing wind chill. Hoping it'll be warmer tomorrow.
Date: 2012-04-11
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: broken clouds

So one of the reasons I did so many miles yesterday was so I could stay at overmountain shelter tonight. It's this old converted barn that is now used as a shelter. But first came our last 6000 ft elevation mountain. ahhh Roan Mountain, the climb that never, NEVER ended. A dense forrest od spruce blocked all views and every new turn presented a new set of steep stairs to climb over and over. The only good part is I ended up at the top without realizing it so in my mind I still had more of a climb to go but in reality was finally done. It will go beside Albert mountain as climbs I remember with a slight edge of bitterness. That also may be a result of the cold COLD weather today. This part will make more sense to my Frenchboro friends but once up Roan mountain we crossed along the ridge which looked like eastern beach road twin ,frozen streams, spring, puddles and all. Not sure which trail designer thought it was a good idea to put down all these rocks on the trail. maybe it helped with washout but my god, it must have caused more than a few twisted ankles. But my deepest res[ect to all the hard work that went into the new switchbacks at the start of the climb today. You guys rock! so I finally climb down the largest mountain we'll see until we hit the Whites in NH. there was a bathroom with tp in it! four walls it tell you and I enjoyed using that. heading back out we passed a sign with a thermastat on it that read 34 degrees. 34! unacceptable weather in April I say. no wonder I was all frozen. having sent my cold weather hiking gear home i was still in shorts and the legs were numb. in fact they served as a great elevation change marker coming down the mountain as i enjoyed a slight denumbing sensation the lower i got. only three little bald humps left to the day, great views all around and i was soon making my way to the famous barn. August and I played three chess games there where he thourghly destroyed me. I'm going to blame the cold though. brrr, beautiful as the shelter is and amazing as the views were, i could do with a more enclosed setting. as we're all tucking in for the night I turned to all the guys around me and said, "ok scoot in, we're all going to huddle together for warmth tonight." Only a girl can get away with this on the trail as guys tend to leave space between them when possible. Not I. I am always happy to borrow other people's heat. so despite the cold I ended up being pretty warm in my bag wedged between two hot boxes. Good times sense bathroom trips in the middle of the night resulted in uncontrolable shivering. Should be warmer tomorrow!
Date: 2012-04-12
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountain Harbor Hostel
Miles today: 10.3

It was soooo cold last night. So so cold. But in my sleeping bag surrounded on both sides by bagged hikers piled together for warmth, I was toasty enough. But the morning light certainly brought reality crashing back down and eventually I had to crawl from my warm cacoon and bac into my hiking shorts. Luckily the wind was less harsh and the sun was out. Steep hill out of the valley with great views back at the old barn shelter that made me smile. We had some amazing balds today, just two huge climbs you could see where you were going to be for the next hour. You could see all the little moving dark dots of hikers going up and over. I loved this section of trail and my joy kept me warm. So augst had been talking up this hostel for a few days now and I was sufficently tired of being cold and we were looking at another 20 degree night. So I wandered down the mountain to trailmagic! Chilli and all sorts of other goodies. I have been craving chilli for weeks now so was so happy. Our trail angels were a really cool group who plan on hiking the trail when they retire. I stayed andchatted with them for a while before helping them pack up. Then a short stroll down warm clothing, and town food. This place is adorable. Its an old housewith a barn, a river runs in front with goats and horses in their pens. I took so many pictures.But the best part was when I heard my name called and turned to see LeeBob and SkunkApe! It has been so long and it was so good to catch up wt them again. Good day today
Date: 2012-04-13
From: Mountain Harbor Hostel

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

What an amazing breakfast. There was french bread french toast, fruit, cakes, 3 different types of egg, ham sausage, gravy, tarts... on and on went the parade of mouthwatering food. So I was very happy and well fueled for todays miles. Andit was warm. Finally warm! Interesting day today hiking with august who has done the trail on and off since 94 and completed a thru hike in 2005. This is the first day I hiked the entire day with someone else and I'm not too sure how I feel about it. Mostly as much as I enjoy others company I find I really value my time hiking alone. Hit the 400 mile mark today!
Date: 2012-04-14
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Watauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Yay! Today is a happy day. I met up with so many old friends. Because so may people slack pack out of kincora, I ran into Sweet and Low heading south toward laural falls. And there was reunions with fetch, tipsy, LeeBob (now funky monky) and SkunkApe. Then we get to the shelter to find Huff and Puff! Later runoff shows up so it was just a great reconnection day where we caught up with what everyone was up to. Because we were all pretty close together we all had the same weather but hitting us at different times. Major topic was the cold snap and how we all froze, the hostels we stayed at, the food we ate!Laural falls was also impressive and beautiful I didn't want to leave it. But the downside of thru hiking is that you always have miles to do. The climb out of this gully washarsh, 19 switchbacks, b eating down sun, and a hill that never seemed t end. I ran out of water on the way up and got lucky that august was hiking with me and helped me out. I was really fortunate as I was severly dehydrated at that point and there w still hill to climb. This particular mountain was called flat ponds mnt. As leeob said"I'm not sure why it's t's not flat and there are no ponds." For me the most annoying part was walking up away from the direction of the lake I knew I would be a tonight. Finally coming off the hill I foundgot to the lake it was super pretty. Shelter was really full so I'm tenting on a hill. More oldfriends, cathing up and hanging out.
Date: 2012-04-15
From: Watauga Lake Shelter

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: clear sky

I'm writing this entry to the sound of owls hooting all around us. Every now and then they also make the craziest episodes where they make the funniest noises. It almost sounds like what I imagine the horn on a circus clowns car might make. Although it appears on my guidebooks elevation profile that the trail is starting to even out, there are still some big hills and mountains we are climbing. These are still exhausting. Great views of the lake for most all the day and our second dam crossing of the hike. Unfortunatly ourwater sources continue to be less frequent and today I made sure to fill up at every available one. I hiked alone today after deciding I needed me time and have found that I'm a much faster hiker that way. But it was still a pleasure to get into camp with everyone and socialize at the end of the night. More chess and this time I won 1 out of 3. Of course its been so long since I really played I feel like my brain is having to turn back on and there are cobwebs in the gears.. I'm really enjoying being back in the company of huff and puff as these two ladies are awesome.As we get closer to the Virginia border, I am getting more and more excited. I am simply filled with the feeling that I am coming home. In general I had expected to be well into VA by now and am starting to worry about time. Hopefully higher mile days will be easier after Damascus. The air was sickly sweet with pollen today andit's been very hot. What a change in just a few days! I'll welcome the tree caopy when it comes in. But I'll take thisweather over the cold any day of the week.
Date: 2012-04-17
From: Abingdon Gap Shelter

To: Damascus VA
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A huge branch landed on the roof of the shelter with a huge bang last night. Of course all of us hikers in the shelter were wide awake at this point, all of us thinking about the shelter log and all the bear sightings reported there. Bears are not a big deal but because everyone had been seeing cubs, I wasn't too eager to run off in the darkness to find mama bear. But of course dawn came and we all happily packed up looking forward to town and all the delicious food waiting there for us.Let me just say that Huff was full of spunk this morning, practically dancing down the trail, singing V is for victory, I is for I'm going to town, R is for.....because of course we are crossing the VA border today. They did a great job of putting up this big sign there for us to all take pictures in front of. I've been longing for this for weeks now and it feels so good to be home. We had an easy ten miles in with good terrain and only the occasional steep hill for our knees to handle. A mile out we could hear the sound of lawn mowers and smell the fresh cut grass and I was already planning what food I was going to eat first. Ahhh hiker appetite, when will you not consume most of my waking thoughts?We got pictures under the welcome sign and walked into town looking for a place to stay. Damascus has so many B and B's and hostels that there are lots of places to choose from. I can fully, happily, and eagerly recommend the Hiker's Inn as it is so wonderfully set up for hikers and the owners are awesome. The beds in the hostel had cotton sheets and comforters and even better was that they had cotton scrubs for us to change into and wear around town. What a glorious feeling. and so ice to be able to wash all or clothes. We ate huge meals and walked around town some, visiting outfitters and appreciating all the beautiful victorian and craftsman homes that are so plentiful here.
Date: 2012-04-18
From: Damascus VA

To: Damascus VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Zero day today. we were all a little beat up and this rest is very welcome. But really we decided to stay because it rained all night and was still raining when we woke up. okay maybe the fact that we were all in cotton, sleeping between clean cotton sheets and every minute we stayed old friends came rolling into town had something to do with it. But there you have it. Damascus is a beautiful place to zero. Happy to see LeeBob and SkunkApe again. Dozed today in between updating journals. Good slow day today.
Date: 2012-04-19
From: Damascus VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well I just missed Huff and Puff who headed out a few hours before me as I still wanted to take care of some town stuff. They left me a note in the shelter log telling me to keep going another 1.4 miles to a campsite but I didn't see it until I had already unpacked, changed and was cooking dinner for the night. BY then it was a little too close to dark and I was done for the day. Plus I was super excited to be back in the land of privies! I have to say VA I'm impressed. this is such a nice big clean shelter and the really nice privy had four walls and a door. four walls people! as if that wasn't enough to make me smile it came with reading material as someone took the time to write out the entire book of the lorax on the inside of the walls. people are crazy so good times.16 miles today which I was finding rather easy except for the noticeably higher weight in my pack. of course heading out of town this didn't impact me too much but once i hit the 12 mile ache one it was very painful this time feeling like needles were being jabbed into my ankles and as if someone was taking sandpaper to my knees. Obviously i carry too much food out of towns or else am not getting to lighter weight choices. my guess is it's the new variety I've added with lunch meats and cheese. My pack weighed 38 pounds which is simply not okay. my muscles may be stronger but my joints are starting to feel their daily abuse. Despite everything, I am so happy to be back on the trail. It's a good feeling to know how much I still long to be out here whenever i visit a town and am reintroduced to all the luxury items of modern life. I climbed up a steep hill going 2000 feet higher in elevation today. tomorrow will bring more of the same, but you know Virginia's flat folks.
Date: 2012-04-27
From: Bland, VA

To: Campsite just past Dismal Falls
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: scattered clouds

So I am absolutely in love with Doc Holiday's dog Wyatt who shared the room with us last night. What a sweetheart. I totally want to steal him away. Instead I settled for getting to cuddle with him in the back of the pickup truck that was our shuttle ride back to the trail. It was quite nice getting a ride back out of town instead of walking the 2.5 miles uphill. We were a large group starting out, making our way over the very very busy I-77 via a less used overpass road. then just a leap across a still flooded creek and I was back in the woods climbing hills and happy that the sun was shining, my boots were dry and I was looking at a short 10 mile day. But when I got to the first shelter it was still early and I was feeling good. Apparently so was everyone else as they had moved on as well. I'm enjoying today so very much and even the rocky ridge walk couldn't dampen my spirits.My favorite part of the day had to be coming down into the Kimberling Creek crossing. As I walked through dappled sunlight beneath the new spring canopy, I felt rejuvenated. The smell of honeysuckle hit me early on then I was soon walking through groves of the bushes. As I looked at the green scenery around me, I was struck with such a feeling of contentment and peace. I think it's the unexpected, unplanned moments like this that answers in some small way what it is about the AT that is so alluring. No picture could ever capture this place and the way it made me feel. And I don't know if I even would feel this if I hadn't hiked all the miles before now. I know that in time my memories of this moment will fade and I won't be able to hold onto it the way i do tonight. But I hope that when I think back on it in the future, I will still feel the contentment, the warmth, and the swelling of emotion I felt then. The suspension bridge over the creek was also tons of fun as it bounced the whole time I was crossing it. It reminded me of a moon bounce and I took longer than necessary to cross over. Okay I might have jumped up and down a little too.   Well as much as my knees could stand. I'm camping alone tonight for the first time since Albert Mountain. It's both a little lonely and good to have down time and privacy. All the extra miles today will get me into Pearisburg sooner, which is good since despite the easy terrain and soul reviving experiences I started today feeling a little off. That feeling has been coming on for a day and a half now and I am starting to get a little worried that I may be getting sick.
Date: 2012-04-28
From: Campsite just past Dismal Falls

To: Docs Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: moderate rain

Well my fears have been realized. I felt awful today. So drained of energy, have a runny nose and sore throat. Most of the early terrain today was very flat but the hills at the end took what little I had right out of me. Got to the shelter early. Second person there in fact and settled into a corner. Nice group here tonight, great conversations. People kept coming even after dark and had to tent in between all the boulders.   Going to bed early tonight and looking forward to town tomorrow as I'm hoping to rest and kill whatever it is that is bringing me down.
Date: 2012-04-29
From: Docs Knob Shelter

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: broken clouds

I called the second I got signal today and reserved a room for myself. So with the assurance that I would have a place to stay that night, I took the next 8 miles easy. I felt worse today but had a lot to look forward to so really enjoyed the fabulous views of the valley I would be walking into. Most of the day followed this ridge line before dropping, and I mean dropping us down the side of a mountain via a viscously steep slope. Not a lot of other options but still my knees complained. Pearisburg is the perfect hiker's town with everything you need in one place. I did town chores, ate and then headed back to my room to fall into bed and sleep. Spending a little extra to get my own room was the right choice as I really needed the peace and quiet. That and I really shouldn't inflict my moodiness on my fellow hikers as sickness tends to turn me into a swamp banshee. hoping a little rest is all I need to feel better and hit the trail running again.
Date: 2012-04-30
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: light rain

The hotel had a really late check out so I stayed until after noon packing up and taking care of more town chores. The late start and the MASSIVE hill out of town all meant that I only got to the first shelter. It was super hot today but I was feeling much better after a good night's sleep. My pack is sooo heavy with resupply I felt like throwing food out as I climbed the 4 mile hill straight up. But everyone else felt the same so I kept telling myself to suck it up and climb. I also ran across a huge blacksnake. He was basking in the sun on the trail, his body as big as my forearm and his five foot length letting you know he was well fed.There was a big group at the shelter tonight with a lot of younger kids who had hiked up a 24 pack. I would never carry extra weight in beer but this group was quite fun and really seemed to enjoy their hiking experience. hike your own hike. There was also a couple hiking with a cat in the shelter. That is always interesting to watch, although given the rodents crawling over everyone in the night, she hadn't quite developed her mouser prowess. A very slow moving lightning storm spent hours coming toward us, flashing along the horizon in shades of white and orange. Really pretty views of the lights in the towns below and bald in front of the shelter. The storm finally arrived and was so loud. The rain was so hard we could feel mist on our faces all the way in the back of the shelter. We were crammed in like sardines but I was so happy to have a spot and not be in a tent. Looking forward to a flat ridge walk tomorrow.