morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-05-01
From: Trimpi Shelter, VA

To: Partnership Shelter, VA
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: light rain

Cell noneOG notesPizza, Pizza what a life. We're at a shelter that is close to the road and we can have pizza delivered. We'll be calling the Pizza Plus with a combined order about 6:00 pm. Wahoo!We arrived at this shelter about noon. If this was a normal shelter we probably would have moved on. Staying here is a big deal thanks to the pizza. There are a few places along the trail where we can order from the shelter. The next one is in Pennsylvania and another in New York. Speaking of food, C6 and I have realized that we need to eat more food. I've been feeling weak as the day goes on and we think it's a food issue. We'll buy goodies in town and add to the food we have sent to us.We're with a new group of hikers tonight. The shorter mile days we're hiking are separating us from the two groups we've hiked with. Braid and Red Leg are behind us so hopefully they'll catch up and we'll start hiking the same distance they're doing. If that happens we'll be able to hike with them.C6 notesThe pizza was delicious! As a group, we bought 8 pizzas and one dessert pizza. There's part of a pizza left in case anyone wants some later, or if anyone gets here later. We heard there were 24 people here last night and they ordered 30 pizzas!!!OG and I put some pieces of pizza in our food bag for tomorrow's breakfast because we realized we didn't plan right and didn't have any breakfast or lunch food left for tomorrow. Lunch will be some trail mix and candy bars we were able to buy at the Mt Rogers Visitor's Center here. It's a short day tomorrow (10 miles), so we'll be at a motel mid-day and can buy a decent meal at a restaurant right near the motel, so we'll be fine tomorrow.OG's comment about the food is two-fold. I figure I've now lost the 20 pounds I could easily afford to lose and I shouldn't lose much more. To defer losing more weight, and to keep our strength up, we plan to buy extra food in local stores and eat that with the food that we put in our mail drop boxes Cindy is mailing to us. It's good to be proactive and not wait until there's a problem.It rained while we hiked today, and stopped when we got to the shelter. That gave us time to dry our things, and it's a lovely evening now. A group is by the campfire and OG and I are at the shelter talking with a couple older guys who are here. One is "Papa Doc," the man who drove us to Fatty's when we went to leave Damascus. He's a real nice guy; we're enjoying his company. He's hiking a huge section for about a month or so.Old Goat & Check Six
Date: 2009-05-04
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter, VA

To: Jenkins Shelter, VA 
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: broken clouds

Cell noneOG noteThe weather seeemed to be on our side today. We're supposed to have rain every day this week. It was raining while we were in the shelter packing up and eating breakfast. We figured we'd be hiking in the rain all day. Then the rain let up and fortunately stayed away all day.We had to climb Chestnut Knob at 4410 feet elevatin from Lick Creek 2250 feet elevation. We climbed for a couple of hours going 4 miles. As I said the rain stayed away but the clouds hung around.We reached the shelter on top of Chestnut Knob around 1:30 pm. We went inside, this one had 4 walls, 2 windows, and a door. Inside we sat down at the picnic table and ate our lunch. While we were eating lunch Red Leg packed up and started to leave. As he opened the door he said "It's sunny and nice out here". We thought he was kidding but he wasn't, we had about 10 minutes of clear sky and sun. Thanks to that clearing we had a really nice view of the valley below and the mountains that enclose it.We then finished our lunch and pressed on for the next 8 miles. These miles were difficult thanks to the many rocks in the trail. I remembered this from 2006 because they wrecked my feet. They didn't wreck my feet today but they certainly wore me down. The shelter is exactly like I remembered it but this time we were lucky enough to get two spots in it, did I mention we are expecting rain.We're cozy and warm in our sleeping bags and ready to fall asleep. Goodnight.C6 notesWhat a day! 19.1 miles! And they were hard miles...in the first 9 miles, 4 of them were up a large mountain. Then most of the last 10 miles were very rocky and a lot of ups and downs...very difficult hiking. I'm excited, however, because I had no problems with my pack, and my feet felt fine. YAY! We started hiking at 8:00am, took a short lunch break and had to refill our water bladders (adding up to about an hour all together), and finished around 6:45pm. It poured rain a lot last night. Early this morning a stong wind blew through the area where we were and took down an old dead tree. At first I thought it might be a large animal, but then saw the tree shift, so I realized the tree had just fallen down. Nancy was in her tent not far from where the tree fell. Experienced campers (which Nancy is) look above where they plan to set up their tent to make sure there are no dead branches overhead that could fall on the tent. People call such branches "Widow makers" because if they fall on your tent they could kill you. Can't predict when whole trees will fall down.By the way, my feet are fine now. I don't know what the pain was, but it's completely gone now. I haven't been at a store that sells the larger inserts yet (I wrote about that a few days ago), so I've been hiking with the green Superfeet inserts, and the pain has gone away. I'm excited to be able to hike mostly without pain finally. (Hiking for hours and hours is not completely without pain.)My apologies to "Joe Kick Ass." I found out tonight that I had his trail name incorrect in my entry two days ago.Old Goat & Check Six
Date: 2009-05-07
From: Wapiti Shelter, VA

To: Doc Knob Shelter, VA
Miles today: 8.4

Cell noneOG notesWe were going to get up early and hike into Pearisburg today. At 5:30 am the alarm went off and the sky was pouring water on us. We decided to sleep in and hike a shorter day today. This turned out to be an excellent decision. We started in the sunshine and a while later it started to rain so we had to stop and put on rain gear. A while later it stopped raining and we kept hiking in the rain gear. After a while I felt like I was in a sweat suit; I was soaked in my own sweat. Now I know how I'm losing my weight.After a while the sun stayed out and we had the confidence to take the rain gear off again. It stayed nice the remainder of the time we hiked and we arrived in the sunshine.Since we've been here we've seen sunshine, rain, cold wind and right now we're just cold. We arrived here about 2:15pm and are done hiking for the day. We've been in a rain belt all week and it has made things difficult. We've been lucky to get into the shelter each night. I'd rather stay in the tent but not in the rain.It's now 6 pm and we've already had dinner and we're ready for bed. Now that it's warmer, it's 66 deg right now, we can sit around and talk instead of climbing into our sleeping bags. Wahoo. C6 notesToday was a strange, and frustrating weather day. Beautiful sunshine for a while and then a rain shower. Then more beautiful sunshine and another shower. It rained often enough that we cannot trust the weather at all. We hoped to air things out in the sun when we got to the shelter, but rain showers kept happening on and off since we got here, so we can't keep things outside. Oh well. We're in the dry shelter so it doesn't matter if it rains or not.We're here with Adin (Red Leg) again. When we decided to do a long day yesterday, Adin decided to challenge himself and go to the Wapiti Shelter last night as well. He hiked 2 miles more than we did yesterday because he had stayed in a town the night before. So Adin hiked 26 miles!! As OG says above, we decided to make today a short day...partly because this way tomorrow we'll get into Pearisburg around noon and have a nice afternoon of getting clean, washing clothes, buying some things we need, and just plain relaxing.Old Goat & Check Six
Date: 2009-05-10
From: Dismal Branch, VA

To: Laurel Creek Shelter, VA
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

Cell noneOG notesHappy Mothers DayWe had an excellent night in The Captain's yard. We had the sound of the creek running on the other side of the yard. The water was receeding and we were in the high side of the yard. We didn't have any rain all night so there wasn't any threat of that changing. We started our hike with a road walk back to the trail. I have no regrets doing it that way as there were dangerous high water conditions. When we reached the AT we could see a brand new bridge where there was none in 2006. This bridge is well built and should last a long time.We hiked on lots of rocky trail today. The rocks are hard to walk on and hurt the bottoms of your feet. I also had a knee pain thanks to the rocks.We didn't have a lot of stream crossings today, which suited us well. We did have a number of places where there was water on the trail itself. We either had to walk through the water or find a way around it. In one place there was water gushing out of the ground. I was amazed to see water spouting 3 inch high. This was in a spot that is not a normal water source; there is so much water in the ground it's coming out anywhere it can. We used one of these sources to resupply our water, too.We're at a shelter that has a lot of places to pitch tents. The shelter is full and there are numerous tents and hammocks set up. We're glad the weather is nice and we can tent tonight. There is a slight chance of rain tonight but we are happy to be in our tent.C6 notesAs we were hiking today, I thought about some of our Trail Journal entries. We have had some wonderful experiences during this adventure, so it could read as if hiking the AT is always exciting and fun. I've tried to be very open and honest about what I'm experiencing, so if you have been reading our Journal you know I've had some frustrations.The highlights do outweigh the difficulties, but hiking for hours every day is hard. Today was especially hard hiking. My feet burned for the last couple miles. The last mile was all downhill, with some of it being quite steep, so our toes were pushed into the toes of our boots the whole time. The end result, for me, is new sore spots on my feet (especially my left big toenail tonight). We were happy to see some familiar faces at the shelter when we got here this evening...Newt, Miss Scarlett, Squeegie, Monkey Wrench, Spaceman, Rapunzel, Katchup, Gritty, Gromet, Sunbeam, and Half Moon. We haven't seen any of them in a while. They were ahead of us, but we've done some pretty big mile days lately so we caught up. We hear Old Gear (Neal) is behind us now. Apparently he took a couple zero days. I mentioned Braid a couple days ago. His shin splints are healed and he's hiking big days now (e.g. 19 mile days) and feeling great. He zeroed in Pearisburg, so we probably won't see him again for a few days. But with him doing big mile days, he'll pass us by in no time.Old Goat & Check Six
Date: 2009-05-13
From: Pickle Branch Shelter, VA

To: Campbell Shelter, VA
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: broken clouds

Cell goodOG notesWe had an excellent day today. McAfee Knob was on it's best behavior and I had a chance to see the view. It was as nice as I had hoped it would be. We could see Roanoke and the runways at the airport. I hope we have a nice view from Tinker Cliffs tomorrow. This is my third time and the first with a view. The first time was my 2006 thru-hike and it was raining, cloudy and cold. The second time I hiked to the shelter 1.5 miles from the Knob. We had thunder showers the night I was in the shelter and in the morning when I awoke. I hiked back to the car instead of going up.We had a nice lunch today of hamburgers, cold drinks, cookies, and I topped it off with an ice cream. We stopped at a store .3 mile from the trail. We saw Old Gear, Hellbender, and Leon there. It was good to see them and talk about the people we know in common. We all like to know how far ahead or behind our friends are. Damascus is holding Trail Days this weekend and many hikers are getting off the trail to go to them. They'll be off trail 3 days or more for this. We are not going to Trail Days, but we'll be off the trail for Memorial Day weekend. We'll probably get back on and see most of our friends again.   C6 notesAnother amazing day today. We went over the mountain that has a peak called Devil's Tooth on the top. The hike down had some rock climbing that was fun. Later we were at McAffee Knob...a fabulous vista. The mountain ridges are spectacular. Some other folks were there when we were, so they took some pictures of us with our camera and then we took some pictures of them with their cameras. The nicest thing about hiking up the mountain to McAffee Knob was that it's a huge attraction for day hikers, so the path was nice. For folks not in shape it is a fair challenge; for those of us who have been hiking for 2 months, it was lovely!Another beautiful weather day today - sunny, breezy, and comfortable temperatures. We were surprised how cold it was these past two nights...in the 40's. It warms up nicely during the day though.Old Goat & Check Six
Date: 2009-05-16
From: Wilson Creek Shelter, VA

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter, VA
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Cell noneOG notesWe started hiking at zero dark thirty. That's military talk for very early, I think it was 6:35 am.The early start allowed us a chance to hike while it was still cool. Then the day warmed up and eventually got hot. One situation was we were on a dry ridge in the middle of the day. Fortunately we managed our water well and didn't run out.C6 found a tick on her leg this morning. She got it off and we inspected it to see if it still had it's head. If the head stays imbedded in your skin it can still cause you harm. We think it still had its head so we think she's safe. She also took her pen and drew a circle around the spot where it was. We'll keep an eye on her leg and make sure it doesn't show signs of infection.The weather forecast said we would have thunder showers this afternoon. We dreaded the idea of hiking in the rain and fortunately didn't have to. We heard thunder in the distance and I kept saying it's coming soon. C6 kept telling me to keep hiking, the sun is shining. We've been here at the shelter 4 hours and it still isn't raining. We would prefer it not rain, but if it does we hope it happens overnight and not during the day.This shelter is listed as having space for 20 people to sleep. There is so much space it could probably sleep 40 using the porches and common space. Right now there are only 9 of us here and there's plenty of room here.   C6 notes20.6 miles today...and mostly reasonable terrain. There were two challenging uphills and it was 86 degrees out. A good day overall. I love knowing we can do big days like this.It was supposed to rain today and tomorrow, but we were being watched over...sunshine all day today. We did hear thunder in the distance. I expect it will reach us tonight, but we're in a terrific shelter, so it doesn't matter if it rains tonight. We are hoping for no rain tomorrow, but I think the weather predictions called for rain.The shelter we're in tonight is the nicest shelter I've seen so far. It sleeps 20, on two levels, and has a large covered porch. I really like it when shelters have covered areas where we can sit and be dry.There are two teens here tonight. They are hiking the AT for 26 days to do a report on the AT for school. They go to a private school, so being on the AT for so long right now fits in with their progressive school schedule. One of their dads hiked with them for the first week, and now the other dad is with them for the rest of their hike. They are counting down...9 days left. It was fun talking with them about their experience.We're looking forward to next weekend with my family. Red Leg's wife will meet us on Friday, and then we'll rent a car and drive to my mother's house for the weekend. We'll get back together again Monday afternoon and be dropped into the woods to continue on. It will be nice to have a few days off and see family.Old Goat & Check Six
Date: 2009-05-19
From: Campsite where Matts Creek enters James River, VA

To: Punchbowl Shelter, VA 
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: clear sky

Cell noneOG notesWe started our day by crossing the James River on the William Foot Memorial Bridge. This is a million dollar bridge that crosses a very wide river. Mr Foot was instrumental in getting this bridge. It is the largest bridge that we cross that is totally an AT bridge. The weather today was perfect for hiking. The sun was shining and the temperature was very comfortable. We were able to hike and take breaks in comfort. The climbs were either gradual or short and we took them in stride.We are in our tent again tonight because it is bug free and comfortable. We will try to use the tent more now that the bugs are out. It also allows us more privacy and we can get up without disturbing others.C6 notesNice day today, even with 5 miles of uphill hiking. Sunshine, comfortable temperature, and a stop in town to get our next food box and fresh food (breakfast and sandwiches to go for lunch!). We hiked about a mile to a road and hitched a ride into Big Island, VA. It took about 20 minutes to get a ride into town. The guy who gave us a ride took us to the Post Office, waited while I went in and got our box, and then brought us to a convenience store that also has a restaurant attached. We were so touched that he did that (PO and waiting for us). We were even more blown away by the ride we got back to the trail. We were finishing putting everything in our packs when a man in a white car stopped next to us and asked if we needed a ride back to the AT. We had just begun to try to figure out where we should be to hitch a ride, so his stopping like that was wonderful. (Thank you SO MUCH for being so kind!!!) He told us he saw our packs and figured there were hikers there (we were inside the store). He went past the store, but then turned around and came back to offer us the ride. I can't thank that man enough for his (your, if you're reading this) kindness!We heard from another hiker a short while later that the same man turned around the other way and gave that hiker a ride back to the AT, also, but from the other direction. The driver saw him and turned around and came back to give him the ride. Wow! (That hiker had gone into a town in the other direction, getting a quick ride as we were trying to get a ride into Big Island in the morning.)Yesterday I wrote about section hikers versus thru-hikers. There are some section hikers we gladly accept into our fold and treat as if they are thru-hikers. Those are the folks who have hiked a lot of the AT (and some have hiked other trails as well) and are wonderful people with great attitudes (absolutely no arrrogance!). Two section hikers we've met who stand out as being part of our fold are Nancy and Papa Doc. You are terrific people and we truly enjoyed our time with you!Old Goat & Check Six
Date: 2009-05-22
From: The Priest Shelter, VA

To: VA56, Tye River, VA
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: broken clouds

Cell goodOG notesThere were only three of us at the shelter last night Red Leg, C6, and I. Trail Days scattered the hiker pack for a while and we're reaping the benefits. We'll probably have many friends pass us by this weekend though. The Priest Shelter is on the south side of the mountain and it sits a little lower than the peak. That meant we had to first reach the peak before we could hike down to the Tye River. Fortunately the climb wasn't too bad and we got off to a good start. The hike down was steep at first and then became more gradual. I have very little recollection of this section as I blew by it in a half panic in 2006. I had just missed the turn for the shelter and it was starting to get dark. I pushed hard to get to the Tye River to find a place to camp. Some hikers like hiking at night and set up camp at all hours in the night. I prefer to stop earlier in the evening and casually set up camp. After reaching civilization we took a quick shower at the hotel and arranged for Enterprise Car Rental to pick us up. The fellow came at 12:30 and off we went to their office. We rented the car and then the shopping started. We stopped at the GNC store and bought two jars of whey protien powder. We are going to start taking this twice a day to keep our energy level up and the stop the weight loss. I used protien powder in 2006 from Pennsylvania to Maine. I had a lot of energy during that part of the hike. I don't know if it really helped or not, but it didn't hurt.We also stopped at a mall for a few smaller clothes items and a quick lunch. Then on to Culpepper and the rendezvous with the family.Our son and his family were already here, as was C6's mother, sister, and her husband, who live here. Our daughter and her family arrived a few hours later. C6's sister and her family will be arriving later tonight, well past hiker midnight, and tomorrow. One niece is stuck in Washington DC traffic and the efficiency of our nation's capital. C6 notesWe started Mrs. Red Leg was meeting us. She arrived around 9:15am and walked to the AT sign when she got to the parking lot. Red Leg arrived at the sign at the same time! What timing! We were only a few minutes behind.Mrs. Red Leg took us all back to their hotel, and they offered to let us get cleaned up before we headed to our destination. That was a wonderful treat! Thank you so much for picking us up, the cookies, the showers, and being so kind. We rented a car, did a few errands (bought some things we needed), and are now with my family. Our son and daughter and their families are here, so we have been loving time with them and our grandchildren. The rest of my family arrives tomorrow. We're in a bed tonight and get to wear normal clothes this weekend! Old Goat & Check Six