morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-04-01
From: Kincora Hostel

To: Kincora Hostel (slack packing)
Miles today: 24.1

Day 31, April 1, 2004It turns out the roads were fine, and rain fell most of the night. Had a quick breakfast of power bars and we drove to the trailhead. It was only rain when we started. Hiked with Johnny Flash, who ran down all the hills, and Deja. Johnny Flash was leading and took off in a full speed run down the hill. Since our packs weighed near to nothing we took off after him. It was great fun! The majority of the hiking was in snow and slush. Overall it was a good hike. Was a little concerned about daylight but all was good. Not many high views today, but there were views with the snow and fog. It¢s so neat to see how the snow accumulates on the different types of trees. The depth of snow varied from less than an inch to five inches depending on elevation. Got back to the hostel and took a warm shower. I was talking to Bob and Pat who own this hostel and they said the water is 108 degrees! That¢s the perfect temperature let me tell you! Our hot tub is only 102!   I plan on slack packing again tomorrow, about 10 miles, and spending another night here. It will be an easy day, that¢s just what I¢m looking for! Then two twenty mile days into Damascus Virginia. Once I reach Damascus I will have hiked one quarter of the entire Appalachian Trail. That¢s pretty crazy to think about. Time is really flying fast. It¢s easy to get caught up in the high miles. Would love to write more tonight but I can¢t keep my eyes open any longer. It was a long day! Have hiked over 400 miles! Very thankful for a warm bed tonight - it¢s the simple things in life.
Date: 2004-04-02
From: Kincora Hostel (slack packing)

To: Kincora Hostel (slack packing)
Miles today: 7.0

Day 32, April, 2, 2004First things first. Yesterday when I was slack packing, we saw this horse running thru a field near the trail. Soon after we saw a dog. It looked at us and then took after the horse. Soon after that we saw it about 100 yards up the trail ahead of us. The black dog joined up with a group of 4 other dogs. So it turns out they were coyotes. They saw us and took off on an old logging road, and were not to be seen again. Today it was hard to get out of the warm sleeping bag here at the hostel. With a soft mattress and dry place to sleep it was hard to get moving. Oh yeah, I apologize if some of my journal entries have been hard to follow or lacking in detail - last night especially. I was totally zonked out. Today was a good slack packing day. Tomorrow I will be heading out with a full pack. As I was saying before it started out with rain and as Pilgrim Sole and I started climbing it quickly turned to a wet snow. Then as we climbed higher we were hiking thru 3 to 4 inches of snow. After about 2 hours we were out of the snow and back in the rain / sleet stuff. Saw a great view of a waterfall. This thing was one of the largest waterfalls only second to Niagara Falls. Check back for photos to be posted in maybe a week or two. It was nice to get back to the hostel. The trip today took exactly 4 hours. Got back and took another really warm shower then took a trip to town and had all you can eat lunch at 3:30 with Early Bird, Wicked Lobster, and Bob. Then ran to the store. It¢s a good thing I had lunch before going to the store or I would have bought twice the amount of food needed for my two day journey to town. Just got back a little while ago and was surprised to see Moonpie, and Sunshine at the hostel. They hiked through knee deep snow for most of the day. They had 65-80 mile per hour wind. The weather here is crazy. This is truly the best place to be in a hazardous weather situation like this. Bob was saying that there are massive pileups of hikers in Hot Springs, and Erwin. All roads in the Smokies are closed to vehicles without chains. This is something else. I have had some bad weather but consider myself very lucky. Wildcat, Swiss Miss and Mellow just walked in drenched like wet rats. I know how they feel! Am about ready to have a pint of Ben and Jerry¢s and a chocolate milk for dinner. Then, to bed. Respect the mountains!P.S Just incase you were wondering here is my fortune cookie reading. Not sure what to make of it, but it must be good."It is better to have a hen tomorrow than an egg today" daily numbers 9,3 and 1Lotto Six #'s 34, 39, 21, 6, 38, 43
Date: 2004-04-03
From: Kincora Hostel

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 33, April 3, 2004Woke today and packed for the trail. My slack packing days are over. Time to head out from the comforts of the hostel. Tell you what, that hot shower sounds real nice right now. My fingers are just warm enough to type. Hiked all day in the cold sloppy snow. Can¢t avoid this stuff. At home I would always wish for lots of snow. Five inches was rare in Dayton and would shut the entire city down. I¢ve been hiking through that kind of snow for about a week. It was a long day, and will be an even longer day tomorrow. Plan to do 26.3 miles into Damascus. That will be my longest day yet. It will be worth it! This is just plain cold out here. Chance of rain tomorrow.... yeah enough said. Sharing the shelter with Moonpie, Sunshine, and Pilgrim Soul. Planning on taking a zero day in town. This cold weather is tough going. It¢s not just cold, but its wet. Will try to write a longer entry on my zero day - don¢t think tomorrow¢s journal entry will be very long at all. I know when I get in town it will be shower, eat, then sleep! Need to catch some zzzzzs. The moon is full and shines brightly over the glazed snow. It¢s a nice view here now that I¢m warm in this sleeping bag!
Date: 2004-04-04
From: Iron Mountain Shelter

To: The Place Hostel, Damascus, VA
Miles today: 26.4
Weather: broken clouds

Day 34, April 4, 2004Not going to write much - like I thought might happen. Walked 9 miles in the snow and the rest was fairly easy walking. But the last 10 miles my feet were screaming at me. My shoes did not get a chance to dry from all the slush yesterday. In fact they were frozen and were difficult both physically and mentally to put on. Started hiking around 8am and got into town at 7:30pm. Just got back from dinner. Had an entire 12" pizza! Would eat a pint of ice cream if I had it, but all the stores are closed. Need some rest now, will try to write more tomorrow. Oh before I forget, we saw a dead raccoon on the trail today. Were not sure how it died, it did not have any wounds, or leakage of blood. That was the most exciting thing today other than pulling into town. After that pizza I¢m feeling exhausted. The hostel is basically a house with a few rooms containing bunk beds. It does not have any heat, but I can't see my breath yet so it¢s not too bad. It¢s a step above a shelter. It does have a hot shower that I plan to use in the morning, and flush toilets! Ta Ta for now.
Date: 2004-04-06
From: The Place Hostel, Damascus, VA

To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Got out of town before sunrise today, did a whole bunch of miles... ha just kidding. Got out of bed around 8, ate the remaining inches of sub for breakfast and organized gear. Sent some gear back home. I visited the library to use the computer, and went to the outfitters to look at heavy gear I would like, but can't carry. Met up with Wildcat and Northern Harrier on my way to the post office. They had just gotten off the trail, and they were both glad to be in town. It¢s nice to be in town but to be perfectly honest the trail is where I want to be. Sure it can be miserable up at high elevations with a never ending rain storm, but that feeling of crawling into a warm dry sleeping bag is one of the best feelings in the world; falling asleep to the sounds of the night. Don't take me wrong, I don't need a rainy day to have a good nights sleep! Tonight is an excellent example. The stars are bright away from all the city lights. But let¢s not jump the gun.By the time I got all the things finished that needed to be finished it was 12:30. Moonpie, Sunshine, and I had planned earlier to hike 19 miles or so to a shelter, but with such a late starting time that would be rushing and pushing our limits a bit. It would entail night hiking for sure. So we decided to take it easy and hike 10 miles to the nearest shelter. We also decided to pack out hot dogs, and fixings for smores since it was so near a town. Before leaving I took a HOT shower and grabbed some lunch at subway. Had a 12 inch and Coke - ahhh the simple things in life. Soon after that I was on the trail. Deja ate lunch with me and was about a quarter mile down the trail when she decided she would take another zero day, so she turned around and headed back for town. Everything felt right so I headed on the trail. It¢s a very complete feeling. It¢s a level of confidence knowing that I can be completely self-reliant for at least a week, and more if needed. Food, water, and shelter is all in a tiny bag on my back. The hike was short and sweet, only one large climb at the end. We enjoyed our food over a nice little campfire. Met a teacher from Hamilton Ohio, and a family from Wooster Ohio. How cool is that! They are both enjoying spring break. Weather looks good till Thursday where there could be rain. The temps were in the upper 60's today, great hiking weather. Talking to other hikers there is still a good 6 inches of snow at higher elevations, so we are not out of it yet and expect to see it in a few days as we approach that section of trail. Tomorrow looks like a 19mile day, so it¢s most likely going to be an early start. Until next time!
Date: 2004-04-08
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Raccoon Branch Shelter
Miles today: 22.7

Got a late start today, but today was a good day. Soon after leaving the shelter I was in an area called Grayson Highlands. This was a place and time that will not leave my memory anytime soon. This is a place where wild ponies run free. The sight was amazing. They came right up to me and allowed me to pet them. Hope the pictures come out. They should be up in a few weeks. They ate pieces of apple straight from my hand without hesitation. As put by Sunshine, the area looked like a scene from Lord of the Rings with its grass and high rocks.Everything was fine and dandy until somehow I got on the subject of music with Mellow. I asked him if he likes 80s music. He said he liked 80s country. I then proceded to ask what kind of 80s country. That is a question I should not have asked. He answers my question by singing Achy Breaky Heart. This song kept playing over and over inside my head. It was a painful experience. Almost as painful as when I had Bingo stuck in my head for half a day. Not much happened today. Had a few sprinkles the last few hours of hiking, but other than that it¢s been blue skies and joyful bright sunlight. Today while hiking I thought of an excellent idea that would be easy to implement. While loading my camera with film a thought occurred to me. Wouldn¢t it be nice to easily tell which film containers had exposed film, and which were fresh rolls. Then I thought it would not be too difficult to make a plastic that would change color when exposed to oxygen. The inside of the canister could be filled with some sort of other gas. Simply use a clear frosted film container and coat the inside of the container with the stuff that changes colors. If someone reading my journal thinks this is a good idea let me know and we can work on it when I get back from the trail. This would sure make things a lot simpler for photographers that carry multiple rolls of film at one time. Moonpie is leaving the trail for a wedding and Mellow left the trail to pick up a mail drop at the post office. He is staying at a hostel in town tonight and will try to catch up with Sunshine and myself at the n ext shelter. It¢s just Sunshine and me here tonight. Had a great fire, had some tunes playing on the ham radio, ate some smores, and even saw a shooting star. Life is good! I love this stuff. Tomorrow we are only doing 13 miles, we deserve an easy day! Night night!
Date: 2004-04-17
From: Doc's Knob Shelter

To: Holy Family Hostel, Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke at 5:30 to find that it was still pitch black outside. Tell It Like It Is, Moonpie and I sat around and talked a bit, ate, and were on the trail by 6:30. By this time there was enough light to hike without using a headlamp. My breakfast consisted of three Snickers bars, how about that for nutrition!The hike went well and was relatively easy. It was mostly ridge walking with a killer uphill climb and a two mile downhill into town. On the way down I passed a group of college kids out for a hike, and stopped to talk to a few. Apparently they are hiking for an Appalachian Trail class. The teacher described it as a social science. To me it looked like a gym credit. The whole group of students were climbing up that two mile climb to the top. Not a simple task even for some thru hikers. I¢m sure many wanted to stay and talk, and avoid hiking it, but the town was calling my name. Could hear all the hustle bustle of the cars, trails, and city traffic. Welcome sounds to any trail worn hiker. Flat out wonderful weather! Stopped at the post office to mail some film, then headed to the hostel. It¢s a converted barn, and is a nice place to stay. Did town things such as Pizza Hut, and Wal-Mart. One thing is for sure something I took for granted was having a car to drive anywhere anytime even if it was just down the street. The hostel is located on top of a hill and appears to be the tallest point in the city of Pearisburg. Sure it offers a killer view, but that has a cost! It¢s important to do all the eating, shopping, laundry, and phone calls in one trip using the most efficient routes. Time was rushed today, planning on taking a zero day tomorrow. It¢s nice to not have a schedule. Many hikers have already planned every single day of their hike in advance before even stepping a foot onto the AT. There is no correct way to do it really. It¢s all about enjoying the experience. I consider myself very fortunate to not have any certain day by which I must finish the trail. My schedule is completely open and only limited by my bank account.Just got back from Wal-Mart and enjoyed an awesome sunset on the way back. The air is warm and comforting. The sky is a soothing orange. Need to go cook my frozen pizza and start on this half gallon of ice cream. This is not what I expected at all. Things are going so smoothly. Already my poor feet have completed around 620miles of rigorous rocky terrain. It¢s quite amazing to think about.
Date: 2004-04-18
From: Holy Family Hostel, Pearisburg, VA

To: Holy Family Hostel, Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Woke up today and had a home made breakfast consisting of pancakes, whipped cream, strawberries, eggs, and bacon. The bacon was prepared by yours truly. All in all it was great. I went to the church just a few yards away and was glad I did. Back home it was something we all did as a family every Sunday. But ever since I¢ve been on the trail it¢s difficult to be in towns or near a church on Sunday. This was a catholic church so the songs and style of the service was familiar. The number of members is a lot smaller than our small church back home. One thing that stuck out as being different was even though the songs were familiar, they were in different tempo and tune. It was neat to see the same material presented in a different way. I also believe that spending so much time on the trail makes the experience a richer one. Today I was flipping through the books in the hostel library and could find nothing but old romance novels. But what did I find? A book of magic! Slight of hand has been an interest of mine for as long as I can remember. The big stunts that famous magicians would pull off were cool, and impressive, but did not impress me. It¢s the close up magic which is simply amazing to watch. You are merely 3 feet away from the performer and yet you can't figure out how he made the salt shaker disappear before your very eyes even though you were watching his every move. Most of the tricks require simple items commonly found just about anywhere. Little or no preparation is required, just good old skill and a ton of practice. So I read book after book on close up magic, but lacked in the practice department. Could never find the time to practice the tricks even though the infomation and exact procedures were in my hands. So I made some copies and my goal is to master the tricks before the trail is over. Time is something I¢ve got! It would be so rewarding to see the smiles and amazement on others faces as I felt as a kid.Just been chillin¢ today. Another great day in town. Went to Subway for lunch with "The Lost Boys" and Kung Fu. Deja, Tell It Like It Is, and the people at subway are leaving for the trail today. It¢s just Briar Rabbit, and Moonpie here at the hostel tonight so far. Looks like Captain Hook will be chasing The Lost Boys, that¢s how the story goes right? :-) Tonight the plan is to head down to Wal-Mart tonight for some last minute items. Worked a little more on that half gallon of ice cream, will finish it tonight for sure. Think I¢m going to go pack and organize my food and then squeeze a nap in before dinner. Might write more later, for now I bid you farewell.
Date: 2004-04-19
From: Holy Family Hostel, Pearisburg, VA

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Oh what a day to go hiking... not really. When I woke up the last thing I wanted to do was leave my bag. The mattress was soooo soft compared to my wimpy lightweight sleeping pad. Moonpie was up early and had cooked a batch of rolls for breakfast. Jokingly I suggested it would be nice to have breakfast in bed. Without delay she rushed up a burnt roll to Swiss Miss and me. The plan was to get on the trail before noon. That did not happen. Had to organize my food, and pack up gear, it took longer than expected as always. Just as I was leaving the hostel a kind "trail angel" (person that helps out hikers) offered me a ride to the trail. Started around 1, and that sun was a blazin! Most of the day was spent climbing up a very steep incline. Pulled into the shelter a bit before 6 and spent the rest of the night talking with Moonpie about life over a fire. Had hot dogs and smores... without the chocolate. Would love to write more but I can barely keep my eyes open.
Date: 2004-04-21
From: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke up at 5:30, ate breakfast, then went back to bed. Did not get up till 7:30. So the early wake up did not work too well. Will try it again in the morning. Today involved a lot of ups and downs - very little ridge walking. Felt like I was back in Georgia. The weather was hot and very muggy. Felt like I was back in Ohio :-) Last night I had another strange dream. I had dreamed that my friend Jake back home in Ohio got a tattoo of a rhododendron leaf. Now I know I¢ve been on the trail too long! Received some kitchen trail magic today about half way up a large mountain. It was the last climb of the day, and all I could think about was the shelter. There were two coolers full of pop and candy. We were asked to take a picture with a provided camera and then sign a book with our trail name. Such a small favor to ask for such a rewarding treat! From that point there was only 500 feet of elevation till the top of the mountain, and only 3 miles till the shelter. Once at the shelter fixed a dinner consisting of plan uncooked ramen.Just saw two lights coming down the hill but they did not stop at the shelter. Moonpie and I are both wigging out because its 10 o¢clock and we were just reading about how the next shelter is the "Blair Witch House". It¢s about six miles away and has hand prints in blood or paint on it. It¢s rumored that if you take a picture of the shelter you can see ghosts. It¢s bed time yeah!!!
Date: 2004-04-22
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Camping near monument on Brush Mountain
Miles today: 18.5

Today we woke up again at 5:30, but instead of sleeping in we were on the trail by 6:30. Started walking and within half a mile I spotted a house in the woods. This was one scary looking house! No way would I be around it anytime at night. It was a two story house and was still in decent shape. Nowhere in the guide books did it say anything about this house. It was only feet off the trail, and very easy to get to. It also had hand prints on part of the ceiling and walls. It was done as a joke for sure, but does add to the spook factor. The trail passed right thru a cow pasture, but they paid little attention. Got to the next shelter which is supposed to be haunted because down by the water is the "blair house cabin" All I could see was a stable, and a caved in log cabin. Not even coming close to the scare factor of the other house. Did not stay around long to see if it was haunted tho. Had lunch, took a quick mid afternoon nap, and was headed on. The shelter was one of the best, would say it¢s in the top 5. Oh I forgot about the tree! I climbed one of the largest oak trees today! Forgot all about that. It was right near the trail. The tree was not marked with a sign but a blind man could have seen this thing! Moonpie climbed it after me, and it was such a funny sight to see her climb it in her skirt. So I was climbing this last hill when a runner passes me, then another runner! This was a mountain, 3.8 miles of up. What¢s impressive is they do this five times a week. Both attend Virginia Tech which apparently holds the third largest super computer. The largest is Los Alamos in located in New Mexico. The second largest is located in China, and the third largest in a Virginia school, that¢s kinda odd. It¢s also pretty super if you ask me. We tented because the sun was setting and our feet could take us no further. Headed to a hostel tomorrow for the night. Mmmmmm shower and real food!
Date: 2004-04-23
From: Camping near monument on Brush Mountain

To: Four Pines Hostel
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Just too tired to write anything today. It¢s already 12am. Just took a much needed shower. It was wonderful! Glad to get at least one layer of hiker funk off! It¢s been so hot these past few days, and oh sooo sticky. Climbed Dragons Tooth for some of the best views yet. Had to do some hard core rock climbing to get on top of it. Last night I did not sleep very well. The hammock was not set up exactly as it should have been setup, and two hound dogs were barking all through the night, and were still barking in the morning. But plan to catch up on some sleep tonight. Nice place to sleep. Cots with mattresses now that¢s luxury. Ate at an all you can eat home style cooking restaurant (Home Place Restaurant) and have a full belly. It is rumored that this restaurant has the best food on the trail, and I would believe that! mmmmm blueberry pie served with vanilla ice cream on top! Off to bed, more later, plan to head back on the trail in the morning.