morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-16
From: Log Cabin Drive

To: Big Butt and 300mi
Miles today: 12.0

Pips and i were still trying to catch up to Dirt and Truckin who left Hot Springs before us. When we got to Little Laurel Shelter we found out that Truckin had left 3 hours before. The Jerk couldn't wait three more hours (we still love you Truckin). So, still feeling under the weather, we hiked on until we hit Big Butt and the 300 mile mark. We set up our mats on an incline with our heads at the top and our feet less than a foot from the trail. Pips and I woke up the next morning having slid down our mats. Three hikers stepped over us and Pips yelled "We're getting up" like her mother had just banged on the outside of her door for the fifth time.
Date: 2008-04-17
From: Big Butt and 300mi

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: clear sky

The terrain wasn't too challenging and Pips and i played catchup(one of us runs off and the other one has to catch up) all the way to the second road. Just after we arrive we find Dirt. Truckin, Dirty Girl, and Pilot got off at the road about twenty minutes before and hitched into Erwin for cigarettes. Pips, Dirt and I hiked to the shelter, eight miles, without water and were dehydrated only to find that the water source was .3 away. Oh Joy!!!
Date: 2008-04-18
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Spivy Gap
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: broken clouds

Pips, Dirt and i left the shelter relatively late (my fault) and headed down to Sam's Gap where we were greeted by two trail angels. They had juice and croissants with cream cheese. It was heaven! We then hiked to big bald where we broke for lunch. Leaping turtle, Pips and i had a bet going that we would beat him to Erwin but he had hiked off at three a.m. the night before and we knew the only possible way to make it to town first was to hike all night. At big bald shelter we stopped for dinner and hiked all the way to Spivy Gap where we stopped to warm ourselves by the fire. Peps, Burt, and Chris along with Smily and Soul Dog were such wonderful company that we bivy-sacked.
Date: 2008-04-19
From: Spivy Gap

To:  Erwin, TN (Uncle Jonny's)
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: broken clouds

Pips and I woke up to sprinkles on our bivy sacks and set a record time for cowboy camp pack-up! She, Dirt and I left the hammockers and trudged the rest of the miles into Erwin. The shower we had when we reached town and Uncle Jonny's hostel was one for the books. Bert, Peps, and Chris were amazing! They let Pips drive their SUV all over the spread out town and then,when the evening came and the town chores were done, they gave us one of their reserved rooms and Pips and I slept like babies! Thank you guys so much!
Date: 2008-04-20
From:  Erwin, TN (Uncle Jonny's)

To: Erwin, Uncle Jonny's
Miles today: 0.0

Pips and I spent quite a large percent of the day lying around; a true zero! We didn't miss the shuttle into town and so we checked out the local mexican grub. Wind-up made us aware that it was Wildflower's birthday and asked if he could use our cabin as base camp for a movie. Pips and I decided to spice the event and bought paper mache and Little Debbies. For all of you who don't know Pips, she is an extremely talented party decorator (no hint of sarcasm AT ALL). Wind-Up brought "Rabid Grannys" as the entertainment and although Wildflower had lost her voice I'm sure she was pleasently suprised.
Date: 2008-04-21
From: Erwin, Uncle Jonny's

To: The Thompson's, Erwin, TN
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: overcast clouds

The easiest almost twenty of my life. Pips and I did our first slack-pac from Irom Mtn. Gap southbound into Erwin. We had so much fun stopping and talking to all of our Northbound friends and spent most of the day in passing conversation. We found that the terrain wasn't much less demanding but the downhills were not quite as stressful. Pips contacted the Thompsons' who offered to pick us up around five-thirty and actually asked if STEAK was ok for dinner. This floored me; steak was more than ok! In the last stretch of our journey we passed about five people who claimed we were less than a mile from town. These statements became more frustrating and humorous as we trecked passed them with at least a half mile in-between each. Some people just do not know distances. Mr. Thompson picked us up and the spread that he and his wife layed out was amazing! Pips and I had our own bedrooms/ bathrooms as well as access to a computer and laundry. Their generosity was such a blessing!
Date: 2008-04-22
From: The Thompson's, Erwin, TN

To: Ash Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

The Thompsons dropped Pips and I off at the trail head after a feast of a breakfast. They had to drop me off twice because I'd forgotten my trekking poles at Jonny's the evening before. I started about an hour after Pips but she had taken her time so within another I'd caught her. Coming down one of the mountains Pips and I heard a girl's scream. Since rumor of the two men on the AT who had been shot had reached us, Pips and I took out our knives and readied for battle! When we reached the bottom of the hill, we found only a group of school children out on an expedition. That ordile behing us, we trudged into Hughes Gap where we randomly met up with Dirty Girl, Pilot and Trukin and also met Tree and his wife Moon Pie. The five of us (excluding the couple) hiked up to Ash Gap where we found Dirt and then cowboyed; leaving the rest of the mountain for the morning.
Date: 2008-04-23
From: Ash Gap

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

We climbed Roan Mountain fairly early in the morning and then watched the Skirts as they hitched from Carvers Gap, headed for Merle Fest. Pips and I hiked on to the Stan Murry Shelter where we met up with more of the school children who apparantly go on three long organized hiking trips a year. They go to a private school in Ohio witch is aparantly rather exclusive. Our plans to reach Apple house shelter were put asunder when we saw the quaint Overmountain barn. Pips redirected her brother who was coming to see us and we met him on the gravel road. Mark brought smores ingredients and two gallons of fresh water! Quatro built a booming fire and the night was spent laughing around its flames.
Date: 2008-04-24
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Mark, Pips and I walked the mile down to the road and rode to the Wal-Mart where we resupplied and then ate Italian food. We passed a tourist stop and then turned around to visit the caves. Very impressive! We saw stalactites and stalagmites as well as some blind trout. That evening we headed back to the shelter and read books while listening to the mice above our heads.
Date: 2008-04-25
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: light rain

Pips and I were woken by a few of our fellow hikers and decided that staying in our bags was futile. We hiked over little hump and then up Hump Mountain where Pips was convinced she had lost her cell phone. When she found it in the side pocket and called Mark to let him know she had left her stove and book in his car the night before, I jumped the fence separating us from the Texas longhorns, grabbed both of our packs and ran up the rest of the mountain. Pips came along shortly after demanding her bag back. Later that day we passed our first Black Snake. Pips nearly steppe on the four foot long monster and then jumped back ten feet nearly knocking us both to the ground. A section hiker came along shortly after and kicked the snake witch only proved to anger him and we waited a while longer before he exited the trail and let us pass. Bob Peoples and his Hard Core crew built Mountaineer shelter and had added flat rocks beneath the falls about a quarter mile before the shelter. I took that opportunity to take my first outdoor, full-blown shower. It was freezing...refreshing!
Date: 2008-04-26
From: Mountaineer Shelter

To: Laurel Fork Lodge
Miles today: 15.4

This was a wonderful day for hiking. Pips and I walked together for the majority of the day. Toward the end we both became tired but she began to complain of a sore throat. I hiked ahead to acquire a bunk for the night and went left to the Lodge three tenths of a mile. By that evening Pips was really sick and we stayed up drinking soda (ordered pizza) and watching movies (the king and i, my fair lady, roman holiday, etc).
Date: 2008-04-27
From: Laurel Fork Lodge

To: Koncora
Miles today: 0.5

Pips was still ill and so I walked down to Koncora to see if I could get a shuttle into town or the pharmacy. The shuttle had already left but Bob made a special trip for me and then, later in the day, picked Pips up and bunked us in the infirmary section of his hostel.
Date: 2008-04-29
From: Koncora

To: Koncora
Miles today: 0.0

Wow, I was really feeling ill on this day. Contrary to what i may reveal here in my journal I was adamant to Pips that i felt wonderful. I think, however, that the constant coughing and lack of color gave me away. Oh dear, one more day in Koncora! Bob jokingly asked me for my mortgage payment since Pips and I had taken up permanent residence and the lack of cell service left me with both the fever from Pips and Cabin fever. In my head I was screaming "Get me out of here!" but physically I was no match for the stress of hiking.
Date: 2008-04-30
From: Koncora

To: Pond Flats
Miles today: 5.7

That mountain was ominous! Pips and I made it to the top of the mountain, sat down and didn¢t get up again. We were still under the weather and couldn¢t have gone farther had we tried. I got to show off my fire building skills and NY minute fetched us some water. The rest of the evening was spent on our mats, stuffing our faces and resting our heads.
Date: 2008-05-01
From: Pond Flats

To: Watauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Once we finally moved from our comfortable spot atop the flats we made a steady effort to get to the next shelter. That morning we realized our food supply was too low to make it into Damascus and decided a hitch into Hampton was on the schedule. NY minute, Pips and I started walking for about two minutes before Pips yells in an almost demanding voice, "I'm not going a step farther!¢. The next car (a pick-up) slows to a halt in the middle of the road. NY minute, who has obviously not had much experience in this sub hobby of hikers, attempted to open the rear gate of the vehicle as the zooming semi gains ground at an alarming rate. Pips yells "Just Jump In!", practically pushing the poor guy over the vehicle. Pips and I jumped in headfirst and the truck pealed out while my lower limbs were still outside of the bed. I struggled to get the pressure of my body and pack off of my face that was plastered to plywood as Pips explains to NY the necessity of her brutal push and points out the semi, now tailing us. As we ride to town we notice the Department of Corrections badge on the driver¢s sleeve and are relieved to be dropped off at the gas station and not PRISON. We resupplied and made it to the shelter before dark. Another extremely short day completed! Yay!
Date: 2008-05-02
From: Watauga Lake Shelter

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: broken clouds

We got very little sleep the night before and stayed at the shelter till around two in the afternoon. The hike was long and slow. It was our first real taste of summer heat and the little hill out of the lake valley took Pips and i all our effort. When the water source for the shelter was a good half mile off the trail we decided that a third day of intensely low mileage was at hand. Rummy with Peeps and Pips? Of Course, but only after Crazy Eight¢s and a short run with War.
Date: 2008-05-04
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Damascus!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Early that morning the entire shelter was awake! Pips and I were still trying to store up some extra beauty rest as a fellow hiker yells in our direction, "are you gonna let that raccoon git yur food?". I hopped out of bed and walked twenty feet to the twig of a tree that I¢d tied our bags too. (This is much more effort than I usually give to bear bagging techniques) Pips, thinking I had let the raccoon eat our breakfast, would have bitten my head off had I not shoved oatmeal in her face when I woke her at around eight. We hiked eighteen into town on dead. We met Parkay who had left a note for us on the trail and went to dinner at the Italian place on the main street.
Date: 2008-05-08
From: Damascus!

To: Parkay's Apartment
Miles today: 0.0

Pips and I stayed at Parkay's Apartment for nearly four days trying to figure out how she was going to get to her cousins wedding in Charleston, SC and then how she and I were going to meet back up! Meanwhile the skirt crew caught up and pour Parkay had a living-room full of dirty, smelly, downright disgusting hikers! Pips and i had a lovely bike ride on the Virginia Creeper trial and explored every inch of the no cell service town of Damascus. It was wonderful! In the end Parkay and I drove Pips to the Greyhound station and i hiked out planning to meet with Truckin, Dirty Girl and Pilot.
Date: 2008-05-09
From: Parkay's Apartment

To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: light rain

I took the AT out of Damascus. The skirt crew had left earlier that morning but they stopped to eat at Damascus Eats and i met them just before we split ways for the day. They planned to take the Creeper Trail, eat breakfast at the dinner a few miles up and then meet me at the second shelter in the morning. Saunders shelter was quite a distance off the trail but positioned perfectly for drying ones clothes in the afternoon sun. A few other hikers made it out of town so i had company for my spinach and cheese ravioli in pesto sauce (best meal on the trail so far).
Date: 2008-05-10
From: Saunders Shelter

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: broken clouds

Dustin and I left the shelter last but kept a steady pase and made it to Lost Mountain Shelter in the later morning. We set up a clothes line and I waited for the Skirt crew to meet me so that we could hike on to Thomas Knob shelter. Unfortunantly, they decided to spend two whole hiking days on the four miles of the Creeper trail so i was slightly upset but not in the least surprised when they didn't arrive until four. They made up for their minimal hiking endevor by telling hillarious stories around a well made fire.
Date: 2008-05-11
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

This is my favorite day on the trail so far! However not because it was beautiful or easy hiking. On the contrary, the morning was really foggy and damp and since Pips wasn't with me, I had to keep up with the guys' close to four mile an hour pase. I was deffinently pushing myself but i was the only girl and we ladies tend to be very competetive when the reputation of our sex's abilities are on the line. i was NOT going to be the slowest today. So with wet boots...correction: wet everything...we began our climb to Buzzard Rock. Once Dirty Girl and i were close to the top some of the hikers that had stayed with us at Lost mountain Shelter were heading southbound and not slackpacking. One of the ladies commented that it was awful up there and they were headed back to the road and into town. Then another told me, in a rather gruff and iratated tone, to put on my rain coat, that i would need it. So, never being one to disregard advice i put on my rain coat and hiked to the end of the tree line and onto the open bald. What awaited me was a wind so strong that i fell over and hail that pelted into my rain geer. I have rain pants that zip up on the sides but i had left them open on the climb up for ventilation and i later payed for it with triangular blue, black, and green welts on my hips. We learned later from a ranger that the wind was sixty miles an hour when we were at the top and i wouldn't have guessed it had been any slower. The hail came at us from my left side, yes it was hailing horizontally. It was dreadfull and exciting and insane! After we'd been under tree cover for a while the rain let up and for about an hour or two the sun poked through. Once we hit Thomas knob sheleter it picked back up and we packed twenty two people in the sixteen man shelter, a few of whom were day hikers and hypothermic. I lied in the loft all night listening to the pounding wind that threatend to tear the fragile tin roof from above our heads. Note to other hikers: Pilot is not a good snuggler, I froze! Maybe it wasn't fun then but i can't help but laugh at the extremity of our situation.
Date: 2008-05-12
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Troutdale, VA
Miles today: 13.0

The downpour of rain didn't let up until around noon and so we left he shelter late. Unfortunantly it poured more about an hour after we'd left and although we saw a few ponies the weather prevented us from really enjoying them. Since the weather was so horrible we took a retroblazed trail into town. We hiked the majority of the road walk (Five miles) into troutdale before a truck picked us up. Troutdale is a teny tiny cafe and general store. That's it!
Date: 2008-05-13
From: Troutdale, VA

To: Troutdale, VA
Miles today: 9.5

we hiked without our packs from fox creek to dicky gap. Dustin and i left the meandering skirt crew behind and finished nearly an hour before them. Contrary to the previous couple of days, it was clear skys and sweaty brows. There is nothing more astounding that the quick drastic changes in weather. The day was ended back in Troutdale and we prepared for the long hitch back to damascus and Traildays.
Date: 2008-05-14
From: Troutdale, VA

To: Trail Days, Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

OH, This day was spent watching hairy men in skirts show some leg to a bunch of truckers! Wow, the things we see on the trail! It took two hitches, one fifteen miler and another thirty miler, to get back. Amazingly the second hitch consisted of trukin and i in the back of a crv with a bunch of junk and two yinglins. Thank goodness for the beer or the crampt space would have made us both crazy!
Date: 2008-05-15
From: Trail Days, Damascus

To: Trail Days
Miles today: 0.0

We stayed at tent city and enjoyed meeting all of the hikers from other years as well as reuniting with hikers we'd met earlier in the year. Pips made it back on fridy but i missed her arrival b/c i was out with Peacock, Dady'O and their family. When i did come back and we were reunited it was quite emotional. I really missed hiking with her! On Saturday we visited all of the booths and tents and then on Sunday we enjoyed a water fight with the townspeople in the parade. Surprisingly enough Pips and i were the only ones to be decked out in full rain geer but we both recomend it! Parkay's appartment was packed on Sunday night. Dirty Girl, Pilot, Dirt, Trukin, Pips, Grey Fox and i all crashed in the living room. Actually i slept in the kitchen! All in all it was a memorable trail days.
Date: 2008-05-19
From: Trail Days

To: Troutdale
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: broken clouds

I was really excited about hiking again but rather disapointed that Parkay couldn't join us. He drove Pips to Fox Creek and me to Massy Gap. i redid the section in the Highlands that the guys and i had had to retroblaze while Pips made up the section to Dicky Gap. I met Pre, and the OSU boys on Pre's 22nd birthday at Hurricane mtn shelter. Pre was on his eighteenth shot and they were about to hike another five or so miles. i got a hitch in the back of a white pickup in between two refrigerators. Pips and i met the skirt crew at the hostel in troutdale. After a few games of horseshoes we hit the sack early and prepared tp split with the guys in the morning.
Date: 2008-05-20
From: Troutdale

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: light rain

Ok, so this day did not start well! Pips and i waited for a hitch and then the hitch we got was straight out of a horor movie. If you've ever seen "Devils' Rejects" you'll understand our predicament. An old corvet pulls over and a greesy man well over middle age climbs out of the passenger side door. I, being the more experienced hitcher, willingly climbed into the back seat while Pips cautously pulls out her "lung peircer" (pocket knife) and jumps in beside me. I then realized as i took in the driver that we were traveling in a bomb! Yes, i was stratling an oxygen tank that was connected to the seventy year old driver who happended to have a lit cigaret nestled in between two nearly nonexistent lips and under the this plastic toob flowing with oxygen. The driver's finger nails were long and green and the passenger had wrinkled leather for skin and spit his dip every two seconds. The worst part was the lack of air flow ( the windows were both rolled up) and the odd conversation about "the village" (not the movie, this is where they lived). Pips and i couldn't have been happier to see Dicky Gap and she nearly shouted for the two creepy elderly to pull over. In the stopped car the passenger turned around and said "well i guess this is your stop...Or you could just come with us (creepy chuckle). That was the straw! Pips nearly bolted from the car as i said, "no thanks we really need to hike". I spent the next few hours laughing while Pips scolded me and said i'd never pick the hitch again to which i replied that we'd made it there safely. My statements only made her more addament. Going up a hill some southbounders told us we might want to turn around becuase the weather over the hill was really bad but we weren't about to go back to Troutdale! At the crest of the hill we saw only black clouds and Pips and I decided that a nice ruck run to the shelter would be a good idea. We only got slightly damp before we reached Trimpi Shelter and ate lunch with the OSU boys and Pre. Pips and i made it to Partnership Shelter in time for some trail majic and then we ordered a feast (no exageration) from the pizza parlor.
Date: 2008-05-21
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Davis Path Shelter
Miles today: 14.3

I woke with a headache and sent Pips ahead assuring her that i would start hiking in an hour. She left at around ten and i fell asleep and didn't get out of the shelter until one thirty. Racing to the first shelter i arrived only to find she had gotten cold and headed on. From there i began to run. i passed many of the people that had started earlier and found mindy at a gas station on the phone with her mother. She had been debating whether or not to call the police and report a missing hiker! needless to say she was rather peaved. After she had calmed down we ate dinner at a diner with Tetrus. I asked the waitress what kind of apple sauce they served (mots, etc) and she responded "the kind in the jar". We all had a good laugh. Since i'd left the shelter late it was getting dark by the time we reached the dismantled Davis path shelter and the three of us set up to sleep on the remaining floorboards. Pips and i tried a new bear baging technique. we barried our bags under a few remaining logs. Tetris hung his bag. Other than a few interuptions from some curious deer the night was passed pleasantly under a clear sky.