morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-04-11
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Wise Mountain shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning was a warm 73 degrees. It w2as the first time I didn;t cling to my sleeping bag. Started 7;30 a half hour before the others I was nervis of it getting real hot. And the day in fact turned out real nice. two big climbs being the two tallest mountains in VA. One being white top which made me feel like I conquired somthing big. and Mt Rodgers which I had heard people say keep your winter gear until, you pass Mt Rodgers. We were in the highlands were there are a bunch of ponies all they do is eat grass and arn't botherd by people. Today there were such wonderful veiws. There were also a bunch of rocks on the trail as in risk falling if you look up, which happened to me. At the shelter there was a baby mouse, I adopted him, Smurf named him Ricky. He still has his eyes closed. I made a camofire to roast hotdogs which were very satisfying, and made the others jelous. Told smurf to warm his hineybun whch he did. We went for a dip in the strea, which was freezing. I finally got some service on top of white top and my Dad told me the family is comming to visit for Easter!! He said I may be around the shennies. I was drying my socks over the fire and melted one of them. I also need new shoes. My feet are hurting. Count and Smurf both have Kindles which they read at night. I got blister, which I finally got to ooze.
Date: 2011-04-12
From: Wise Mountain shelter

To: Trimpi
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: moderate rain

Over a million steps hit 500 mile mark thunderstorm last night, Ricky left. I heard the ponies chewingthrough out the night. I stared a half hour before the other. It was drippy, but I got too warm, I peeled off the layers fast. Smurf and Count like to make fun of the fact that I don;t carry a raincoat, and that i have a trash bag for a raincover. I'd make fun of how much food they are carrying, but its also a luxurary to have. They're facinated at my light pack and my firemaking skills. There from Maine, we discussed Akadia national park, and talked about the mountain Beehive. After we took break we ran into a guy giving rides to a restrant, we took the offer Rule #6 never turn down trail majic. I gorged on a BLT with sweet potato fries yummy. Warm real food amazing. Smurf and count got double bacon cheeseburgers. They also got glasses of milk but I learn it way cheeper just to grab a gallon at a grocery store. we watched the news, and Japams necular leakage. Smurf got a six pack, on the way back they guy asked for gas money, I didn't give any, but later we found out he was asking gas money form all the hikers he gave rides through, and calling it trail majic. I;ve heard of people getting hitches drivng back and the driver just stops miles from the trail and tells them I'm not driving you unless I get 20 dollars from each of you. At the next shelter, where we would have had lunch, we ran in to Avalibility. I got rained on a bit, got kinda cold. The shelter Trimpi, is like a little house, we got a fire going. THere are section hiker in here, they are funny they had a 12 mile day. They tell a bunch of stories. The one is named snickers is a past thru hiker. The one has relatives in Denmark, I told them a bunch about my exchange. Delaware Dav told me about his snowy adventure in the smokey, he had knee high snow to break the trail trough, plus not lose the tail. He said he was scared of freezing to death, and at least getting frost bite, there was a night he went in his sleeping bag wet, good thing it was a zero degree bag. Once he got to newfound gap he hitched in, and an older couple picked him up, long story short, he found himself with a free room in a resort, and in a hot tub with ladies. He stayed three days. I'm kinda in a group with Count and Smurf/ Snickers said he started Feb 14th and his family came to see him for Easter in Damascus. I'm like twice as fast as he was, course he had bad weather in the smokes and other places, and he said he had knee problems. I've been independant for all it's worth,ran into count and smurf.In a day it gets cold and warms, we've benn through multiple thunderstorms.Hiked through the highlands,how it made my syes scan.Found a mouse all alone, I wanted to make it my own.I picked it up, it didn't bite,Ricky the mouse had left in the night.I pet a pony eatting grass,a top a mountain with a veiw so vast. I listen to the music of a guitar,and think of my family afar.
Date: 2011-04-13
From: Trimpi

To: Chatfield shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: broken clouds

40th day. It was chilly, but I was warmed by the pancakes snickers made for me, before I left. They had M&Ms in them. We headed off for pizza, were you could order from the next shelter. I got a small cheese, and a 4 cheese sub for supper. I ended up paying 3X the price of my order, which made me so upset. I headed off earlier then the others, as they had to digest. On top the ridge, I called my mom talked 25 mins, she says lots of people ask about me, she wants to send a package . Now thats exciting 11 days til easter. When they come to visit. Sadly eather Serena or Dan can't come. At the shelter there;s a guitar being played and passed around. There's also a hermonica being played.
Date: 2011-04-14
From: Not sure the name

To: crawfish campsite
Miles today: 10.0

I took my time meandering in the morning enjoying the general splender. I walked over rolling hills, and grassy feilds, and gazed at the flowers, and frosted grass. I got to the road where I was to resupply, I checked out the two gas stations, I was picking out things, I was like okay, I can do this, whenI found a chunk of cheese for 5$!!! then I was like no way. So I asked for the direction to the nearest grocery store, the lady said, down the road then take a right and it'll be on your left. I ad no Idea what the mileage was. I started walking and stuck out my thumb, took about the 10th car til I got a ride. Put my stuff in the back of the pickup, and we were off in a rush. The guy was a volenteer firefighter, I guess on duty cuz his radio would go off. I was SO happy, it was a long drive to the store. THe man was a bit worried about how I was going to get back. I didn't care I found FOOD. I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off, good thing the place was vacant. I'd run up and down ilse, grabbing this and that, fruit sousage, cheese, toreas, fig nutions, and chocolate. I took a parking spot to organise all my food into ziplock baggies. THen I saw I lost my bite on my camel back, must have come off when I unloaded my backpack. I found my pack weight increase significantly. I dined on fruit and walked down to the main road to work my thumb. It took a while, I got annoyed when people would pass. I was getting hot. Took 30mins or so, then I got picked up by this rusty truck on its way to drop somthing off to the trailor park, he said his gas gadge had broken years ago. He also made sure I had my seatbelt fastened becasue he got taken to court for such a incedent, and was left off, but still had to pay court fees. I asked him what the area was famous for he said what they see in the sky, UFOs have been spotted, and the airforce is out everyday. I hiked slow, I was feeling bloated. I stopped a lot, I even hiked a bit in my crocs, I have some blisters I put bandaids on, but those fell off then tried ducktape. I took a break right before a big up, and let me tell you th ehiking before this was not easy. I was encouraging myself to move on, when Count shows up, and the rest of the crew follow. Then I just wanted to stay. IT was 8 more miles to the next shelter. I built a fire, and set up my bivy while the others, mulled over the idea of staying. They decied to stay till backfilp showed up. Apparently they had celabrated the 25% and backflip had downed his four loco kinda fast. Count kept on repeating "this is such a great campsite" Two hikers passed through both saying backfip was taking a nap on the bottom of a steep hill, with his head downhill.
Date: 2011-04-16
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Healve
Miles today: 14.0

Last night we fit 9 in an 8 person shelter. I started out in the rain. Then it poured, well I guess I got the needed shower, just forgot the shampoo. I was fine except when it poured, it got chilly, my feet stayed dry for a bit but the puddles got bad. I was regretting leaving the shelter, I was dead tired. Later the sunshone, I was getting real bad shaffing, so I had to dry out, and change to pants. Trailmix, scavenger and Cops passed seperatly. They said they were going to take lunch on the road in Bland. I was a walk, I got there finally, and they were all sitting in the back of a pickup. I was so lucky, got a ride just in time. I needed more food too. We were dropped off at a gas station, I got chips and salsa. They got hamburgers, scavenger drank tons of soda. There was a little girl 8-12 years old, she had us playng hangman, she was real friendly. The guys all played teh lottery, 72 million stakes, I was like if you win give me a million, but I'd rather buy food with my money. We hitched back, and the wife of the man driving us, gave us each a cupcake. The sky was dark with rainclouds. The guys brought out Four locos, and scavenger got one with caffeine. At the shelter there were three guys who had taken a zero because of the rain, they had started in Feb and taking their jolly time. Skippy and Kelsey showed up, close to dark. Trailmix and skippy were like wow, last time I saw you was a month ago at neels gap, and they told each other their trail names.
Date: 2011-04-17
From: Heleve

To: Wapiti
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: clear sky

Was a long day, I did 10 miles to the next shelter for lunch. I loved seeing the trees begin to bud. Flowers blooming, butterflies, critters....The spring I saw in GA before I hit the trail has finally made it's way to the mountains in VA. I've had the longest extended spring. I talked to a Section SOBO at the shelter, and Kelsey came by. I told her I was planning on going to trents grocery store. Which I wrote in the register, about it being Amish and how i was getting a bit of home, apparently, after that entry people were discussing weather I was Amish or not, apparently I am. People are always asking if I'm Amish. I walked the .25 to trents where Kelsey was I got a pint of chocolate Icecream and two bananas, I wasn;t quite full, so I got a half gallon of chocolate milk. I was so full, I laid on the bench a bit, then decided to hobble into the woods. It was flat! a 7 mile strech of flat, and it was weird like when the guide book read flat you never ever expect it but, overall, yeah. but even though it was flat it took a long time, and there were so many muddy, wet, spots. There were also a ton of bridges. I walked as the sun was going down, I walked when the sun went down, I walked in the dark. I had my headlamp on, and was worried I missed the shelter. I finally found it!!!!!! Skippy and Kelsey where there. I had brought marshmellows and hotdogs to roast over a fire. So I made a fire skippy helped. Kelsey was freaked out, going to the privy, she saw eyes looking at her, we all went over "come look its a cayote!" Turned out to be a deer. We love the marshmellows. Trailmix, and them showed up later.
Date: 2011-04-18
From: Wapiti

To: Woods hole hostel
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: few clouds

I got up, right off the bat had a steep climb, but I booked it, I wanted to get to that hostel and rest. On top was a wonderful view. I finally go to the gravel road and walked down to the hostel, I said bye to Skippy who I hiked the last couple miles with, he's slow on downhill rocky sections. I met into butter, she told, I should take a zero a the hostel cuz its amazing. I asked her about Diva, happens he's off the trail, he got shinsplints when they did 30 miles to get pizza. That really upset me. Indie is now hiking with the group, he did a 36 to keep up with them, or butter I should say, he's a pink blazer. Peach has been getting preasure from her parent to get the trail finished early, Andy is hanging with it, I'm happy I can relax, and I've been taking more pictures. At the hostel was Count and Smurf, they had taken an unexpected zero. patches and backflip where there too. We played some root ball, I wasn't very good, but patches racked in the points, and I scored the winning point! They walked around in their rain gear because their laundry was getting washed, Count was sporting a towel skirt, I laughed at him.We got a ride into town, to resupply. I got a weeks worth of food, I had been getting not enough food, I ended up getting 80$ worth of food. It weighted 18 pounds. cheese, hotdogs, torteas, bagels, pita bread, peanutbutter, nutella, chocolate, nuts, fig nutions. It probably enough. Count and Smurf were freaking out "You have SO much food" but they were the ones who carried unnessasary amounts of food. Supper was great, had homemade bread, and salad, and porkchops. pasta, icecream. We had medatation for a 20 mins that was hard. I had missed the yoga earlier in the day when I took a shower.
Date: 2011-04-19
From: Woods hole hostel

To: Woods hole Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I had my own breakfast, strawberries, peach yogert, and chocolate almond milk. I did anything I could to help out, did the list of chores in the bunkhouse, cleaned up breakfast. Neville and Michal are the owners a young couple, Michal was happy to see me help out, later in the day I helped rack up the backyard, of sticks and leaves, and chip it up, and haul the maulch, we had ear plugs in. I told him how I was used to this kind of work, from working with my dad. The chipper would get clogged, and he said, that's why people hired people like your dad, when can he come over. I was like he's coming for Easter. He yells over to Neville Feisty is staying til her dad comes, the funny thing was I was thinking about staying. We got free lunch and dinner for helping out, I helped make pizzas with homemade dough. That they baked in a brick oven. Was so cool. Ducky showed up I chatted with him. He told me how he was hiking because life is short, and it something he wanted to do, he told me how over the years, he's seen so many young people die. One got hit by a train, another, got hit in a crossfire.
Date: 2011-04-20
From: Woods hole Hostel

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

i got up at 7. I decided to go for a run, since I was incedibly stuffed from supper. i saw the sunrise: an orange globe with a pick sky in the background. I attemped to take a shower, since it was one of the first times I could smell myself, but the water wasn't turned on. I called my mom to figure out where to stay. I decided to keep hiking. She prayed the short prayer, she would always pray over me before I'd leave for the day. That brought tears to my eyes. i then payed the thin bill, I saved $25 by working the day before. i also finally got cought up on trail journals. I left @ 10. I thought about how I overly stuffed myself, and decided I should probably work on my glutony. I came to a sweet veiw on the ridge, V8 came by, he's japenese, and has a lighter pack then me, 15lbs. he's tripple crowner, once he finishes. He doesn't have hiking sticks, and carries an umbrella. I surprised him by quoting the jappenese I knew, he said I had a very good pronounceation. He started march 24th , he only been hiking for 27 days, and only had one zero day in damascus. He said in the start were tons of people, he said he counted 90 people in one day. In town we parted. I hiked a bit before I ran out of water, it took a while before I found a little stream, and used my aquamira. Had to be pacient in letting the aqua mira settle. At the shelter where the Maine boys, backflip, and patches were all strewn out, all taking a nap, apparently they took a zero day. Cops trailmix amd scavenger were there too as well as skippy and kelsey. It was like a reunion. There was quite a walk to the water source, insainly long and steep. I steped above where we were getting the water so I made scavenger wait for the water to clear. Scavenger made a fire, and Count and Smurf both bought hotdogs from me. I made 3 dollars. Apparently they had been eating all day, patches was conplaining how count would just take his food. My trail name in now Amish, since people always ask, if I'm amish after I tell them I'm from Lancaster PA.
Date: 2011-04-21
From: Rice Field Shelter

To: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

News is lama legs is off the trail, he ran out of money. He had lost his wallet in Damascus, and I guess he was running out anyhow.I took my time. I ate lunch with Kelsey on a rock. It was ridgeline walking most the way. I was videotaping an interseting blue bug, when skippy came by and told me I should pick it up, and have bug battles. So I did, I then picked up a centapede. Later I came across a small snake, I tried to catch it with out touching it, it didn;t work. Skippy is scared of snakes. I lost the blue bug but named the centapede Charlie. There was a steep climb tothe shelter, and a walk to the water. I chatted with trail mix, till I got to tired. He told me how he was a naughtly kid in school, and how his principle spit up him from his friends once he got to High school. He said how he gave a 2nd grade laxitives and told him it was chocolate, he got suspended 3 days for that.At the shelter, we played rootball, the first 2 games me and scavenger lost terribly to Cops and trail mix. BUt the last game we played in the dark we won. I made a tuna melt. and V8 passed through, I told him to stay, but he didn;t.
Date: 2011-04-22
From: Bailey Gap Shelter

To: War spur Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: moderate rain

It's late so I;ll sum up. It rained, I put a trash bag on to keep from getting soaked. I tried to get service, I Ran up to the highest point 2 times, and I was about to turn the phone off, when I got service. I made it to the shelter and relaxed for lunch, trail mix, cops and scavenger showed up. then it started to rain, so we played a card game, I went into my sleeping bag, in the end we dicided to stay, and ended up playing poker and gambeled our snacks. I lost the first two game but was real serious about the last game and won!
Date: 2011-04-23
From: War spur Shelter

To: At a little campsite off the road close to 42
Miles today: 7.0

It was hard to sleep, half way through the night, I couldn't get comfortable, and was excited for family time. The other three wanted to catch a ride to Catawaba, so they got up early to join me. They had a cold breakfast, they liked the "eatting in bed" but Trailmix missed his morning tea, "I'll just put a tea bag in my mouth." I climbed a mountain, was beautiful in the valley with blooming dogwoods. On the top it was foggy and drizzly. Got to the shelter at 8:20 two miles before the road. The landscape coming out was beautiful with feilds and cattle. At the road we played rootball while we waited for my family to show up. At 11:30 a green van swerved by us, next cam hugs and laughter, then introductions. I gave some of my new food to Trail mix, Cops and Scavenger, bananas and muffins. I teased them "haha look at all the food I got, I didn't have to carry or buy it!" My dad kindly gave them a hitch. The others wanted to hike, hike? I though. We hiked a mile I didn't carry my pack. I taught my folks rootball. It wasn't a total fail Isaac would just throw the pinecone at people not knowing you can't even get points that way. We soaked our feet int henearby stream. Later we located a campsite like .08 from the road, grabbed stuff and hauled it up. I was weird to wear jeans. And It got really hot. I set up a ahmick, that I'll be using, Dad's using it tonight. The string I used to tie it up wasn't strong enough and broke twice. We roasted steaks on the fire. I mine was bloody good, Serena used a leafy stick to roast her's, she looked ridiculous. Isaac's was burnt. We're cowboying it tonight, under the stars, the others don't have sleeping mats, I feel a bit sorry for them. I've been having a blast joking around and educating my is siter in how to use a headlanp and what a privy is: an outdoor toilet. There are bugs everywhere, one scared me.
Date: 2011-04-24
From: At a little campsite off the road close to 42

To: Niday
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a cold night, Dad forsook the hamick and hobbled inside his sleeping bag and joined my mom on the ground. in the morning I got a fire going, we later toasted bread and spread peanutbutter and nutella. i aslo had a mango, grapeswith milk. We had a little sunrise service, around the fire. Serena and Isaac took their time getting up. Serena would complain in an in computable groggy fashion and roll over. We discussed hiking, jews, and things happening back home, Mary being sick. Mom sang some easter songs and started catching up with all the kisses she missed giving me. We packed up and drove to Woods Hole to get my food, I had left. We waited a while for Neville and Michal to come back from church. My family liked the place, Dad really liked it. The dog of course was loving fetch, and was following Isaac everywhere. Legion was there and gave a speal about his name and how the world had issues. When Isaac heard his name was Legion he said " So your deamon possessed, and waiting for Jesus?" Legion left before we had lunch with a 50lb pack. We had Ham and black Olives with cheese cake for dessert. Soon Nevvile and michel showed up. I organized mt food, and michel got advise from my dad on his tree. we left and stopped at a dollar store. Where I picked up rope for my hamick and a frying pan. The goodbye was hard, I teared up. I'm so happy they visited me. Too bad Dan couldn't make it, my other brother. Sounds like Caleb, my older brother will hike with me some later. So I hiked, there was a bunch of up hill and I was running low on water, It was hot. I listened to music on my newly obtained Ipod. When i got to the 1st shelter, I was out of water, unfortunately, the shelter and more importantly the water were half a mile downhill. First I though I could do with out water, but, It was seven miles I hiked a bit then threw down my things, and ran down the hill to the water. I found a man at the water hole, which was pathetic, but water is water. I wished the man a happy Easter. Once I got back on the trail, a mile later of walking, I ran into Jeff. We chatted for a couple miles, he doesn't stay at shelters. Later when I was hiking by myself I decided I wanted to listen to music and I reached for it but it was gone. I search all over my pack. gone. So I dropped my pack once more and backtracked. Good thing I found it and not all that far too. "Few" (wiping of brow) I got to the next shelter where Bluemoon and spartan, turkey feather and super Dave where. i made a fire and roasted marshmallows. I'm in my hemick, Sparten helped me Tie a decent knot after I fell. i set up a tarp over the top. We will see how this goes,