morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-07-31
From: Harpers Creek Shelter

To: Rusty's Hard Time Hollow
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: light rain

Up at 6:30am, on the trail at 8:15. Weather mostly cloudy all day with some afternoon rain. Lows were in the upper 60s, highs were in the upper 70s.Decided to take a bit of a detour off the AT today. Went down the Mau-Har trail around the Three Ridges to the Maupin Field Shelter. It's was about 3 miles shorter and a bit easier. It also gave me extra time to get off the trail down to Rusty's Hard Time Hollow hostel. I got there around 2pm. Rusty's is an 80's slice-of-life. There is no phone, you wash your clothes in a bucket, hang them on a line to dry and bathe in a rainwater shower. There is electricity, but it is only there for the refrigerator, the microwave in the community kitchen on his back porch and a couple of lights. Sodas are kept cold in a spring fed cooler. There are pictures of every hiker who has stayed there. He has goats, chickens and a huge backyard (acres) for shooting skeet or maybe balsa airplanes. The only other hikers there when I arrived were Banana (NOBO) and Queen Becky. Banana and I slept on matresses in the loft over the barn. Queen Becky scored a bunkbed on the front porch.
Date: 2009-08-01
To: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: light rain

Up at 7:30am, on the trail 10...or so I hoped. Weather was clear to partly cloudy all day. Lows last night in the upper 60s and highs during the day in the mid 80s.When I woke up I rolled over and looked out the open loft window to see a doe and two fawns feeding in the grass next to the barn. At 8 Rusty fed us enormous blueberry pancakes make in a huge cast iron skillet on a wood stove. All in all a nice, lazy morning. Rusty then made ready to haul us to where ever we wanted to get back on the trail. Queen Becky and I decided to go 10 miles up the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) to the Humpback Gap wayside. Just after our goodbyes, and as Rusty was driving away I realized I had forgotten my hiking poles at his hostel. Queen Becky was amused by my language. So I bid Queen Becky farewell and went back out to the BRP hitchhike back those 10 miles. After about 10 minutes a guy from New Jersey let me ride in the back of his pickup. On the way he stopped at one of the overlooks to take some pics with a super zippy camera. He mumbled something to his kikds (still sitting in the truck) about "...you don't know what you're missing." We continued but he had to turn off after 6 miles. I caught a second ride from a guy in a classic red '62 Mustang. Seems he had one when he was a young but had to sell it to feed his wife and newborn child. Several years his wife and son got together, found another one on the internet and gave it to him for Christmas.After he dropped me off I ran down the rocky driveway to the loft, grabbed my poles and hustled back up to the BRP. Rusty hadn't returned from dropping off Banana so I stuck out my thumb. After a bit a vehicle quickly pulls over. I saw the couple in the car having an animated conversation and it's pretty obvious he wanted to pull over to pick me up and she didn't. He won. I asked them how far they were going. He said, "Buena Vista". I pointed out that Buena Vista was in the opposite direction. He then admitted there were a bit lost, but offered to take me all the way to Humpback Gap since it was "...such a nice day"...and then he offered me a beer. I then spotted two open bottles in the console cup holders...and neither one was hers. It was a jolly and at times exciting 10 mile drive on the 2-lane BRP, but I made it alive, a couple of hours later than planned. When I finally arrived at the Paul C. Wolfe Shelter I checked the ledger and found an entry from Queen Becky that she had gone on to Rockfish Gap to catch a ride into Waynesboro so she could attend a Sunday service "get down" Baptist black church with Rusty.
Date: 2009-08-02
From: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter

To: Rockfish Gap (Wayneboro)
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: light rain

Up at 7:30am, on the trail at 9:30. Cloudy, rain and fog all day with overnight lows in the upper 60s and highs in the mid 70s.Slept in a bit as it would be a short hike to Rockfish Gap. Arrived there in a very thick fog (the weather, not my head). I wandered over to the visitor's center where they had a list of Trail Angels willing to drop whatever they were doing and ferry a hiker around. Since it was the Sunday noon hour it took several calls before finding someone. I hooked up with Fred Reider who took me to the motel and offered to bring me back out Tuesday morning.
Date: 2009-08-03
From: Rockfish Gap (Wayneboro)

To: Rockfish Gap (Wayneboro)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Slept in at the motel. Weather was mostly clear all day with highs in the mid 80s.Did my laundry at the local laundromat, picked up my package from home from the post office and bought some misc. groceries, all within easy walking distance of the motel. Just your usual zero day.
Date: 2009-08-04
From: Rockfish Gap (Wayneboro)

To: Calf Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Up at 6am, on the trail at 8:30. Weather clear to partly cloudy all day. Overnight lows were in the upper 60s, afternoon highs were in the low 80s.Fred picked me up at the motel at 8am and drove out to the Shenandoah National Park entrance. I hit the trail after filling out my Backcountry Hiking Permit.I stopped for lunch at the Calf Mountain Shelter. While looking ahead on my trail guide I noticed that there isn't much water for the next 13 miles to the next shelter. So I decided to stay her and "camel up" in the morning.
Date: 2009-08-05
From: Calf Mountain Shelter

To: Loft Mountain Campground
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Up at 6am, on the trail at 7:30. Weather mostly cloudy overnight with lows in the upper 60s. The afternoon weather was partly cloudy and muggy with highs in the mid 80s.Threat of rain (ie. thunder) overnight never materialized. A great day for hiking with lots of views....took lots of pics. Stopped at the Blackrock Hut for water. While there I read in the ledger that there is a raccoon that can climb the bearpole at this site and regularly steals food. I took this as a good reason to press on to the Loft Mtn. Campground.
Date: 2009-08-06
From: Loft Mountain Campground

To: Hightop Shelter
Miles today: 14.0

Up at 7:30am, on the trail at 11:30am. Rain and fog overnight with lows in the upper 60s. Partly cloudy and breezy during the day with highs in the lower 80s.Woke up to heavy fog and sprinkles. I knew the weather was going to break so I decided to delay breaking camp. Then had lunch at the Loft Mtn. Wayside restaurant. First burger and fries I've had since I don't know when. On the way to the wayside I ran into my first bear. It was feeding on a bush of berries.(I say "it" because I could not determine its gender...and I didn't want to pry.) As I passed it I turned and there were a doe and two fawns standing on the trail.The weather broke just after 12noon and I wound up doing some good miles. The past week I've seen shelter log entries by two women who call themselves, "The Nuns". Caught up to them at the Hightop Shelter. They are indeed nuns who have been section hiking the AT together since 1991. They live in Savannah, GA and are part of the same order as The College of St. Catherine's in St. Paul (where I live).
Date: 2009-08-07
From: Hightop Shelter

To: Lewis Mountain Campground
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Up at 6:30am, on the trail at 8:15. Weather clear to partly cloudy with overnight lows around 60 and highs in the lower 70s.Another cool, clear night. I woke up to find a deer feeding 10 feet from my hammock. After breakfast I bid farewell to The Nuns. Today was one of the nicest hiking days of the entire summer. Cool temps with a nice breeze and low humidity. I could have done more miles today but I decided to stop at the Lewis Mountain Campground to enjoy a leisurely afternoon. Unfortunately the campground was full. So out of desperation I walked over to a family camping out for the night and asked if I could share their site. (There were a couple of trees that were perfectly spaced.) That's when I met Dennis and Sandy, their son Daniel and "Granny". They were from nearly Elkton. I demonstrated my "rig" and my cooking setup. We even got Granny to try out my hammock...she now wants one.
Date: 2009-08-08
From: Lewis Mountain Campground

To: Skyland Resort
Miles today: 16.6

Up at 6am, on the trail at 7:15. Weather overnight was cloudy with a few sprinkles...lows around 60. Rest of the day partly cloudy with highs in the upper 70s.Woke up early to sprinkles in my face. Scrambled to get my stuff packed but there was no rain all morning, despite the threat. Knocked off three mountains (Bearfence, Hazeltop and Hawksbill) before deciding to call it a day. It was a Saturday with vacationers and weekenders all over the park, but I decided to take a chance and try to score a small cabin for the night at the Skyland Resort. When I got to the front desk they said they were full. Perhaps it was my look of disappointment (something I excel at) because the manager came out and found me a quaint little cabin overlooking the Shenandoah valley.
Date: 2009-08-09
From: Skyland Resort

To: Pass Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.9

Up at 9am, on the trail at 11am. Weather was clear all day with overnight lows in the mid 60s and highs were in the upper 80s.Took advantage of the resort's breakfast buffet before hitting the trail. Biggest climb of the day was over The Pinnacle, but that was less than 500' over one mile. The only people I am seeing on the trail are tourists and weekenders. At the Pass Mountain Shelter I saw in the ledger that one person had been hauling "War and Peace" on the trail as reading matter. He had just completed it and was leaving it in the shelter for someone else read and lug up the trail....and someone else actually took it intending to leave it at a shelter when he had finished it. Good luck with that.
Date: 2009-08-10
From: Pass Mountain Shelter

To: Chester Gap (Front Royal)
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Around 10pm last night I decided to do something that others I have met on the trail have done, but I have yet to try....night hiking. It was a clear night with a nearly full moon. But rather than stumble along on the trail I backtracked 3/4 of a mile to Thornton Gap and hiked right down the middle of Skyline Drive. I started down the road at 11:30pm and did 7.5 miles to the Elkwallow Wayside and didn't see a single vehicle. On the way I did have a buck walk right out in front of me, I saw numerous pairs of beady little eyes peering at me when I shined my headlamp into the bushes and one large animal (bear?) that grunted and went crashing further into the forest.I arrived at the wayside at 2am. There are no campsites there. Exhausted and basically out on my feet I found a picnic table and "crashed" there until about 4am when I was awakened by a small creature creating a racket trying to get into one of the trash bins. It was too far away and too dark to get a good look at it even with my headlamp...and there was also the skunk. I spotted it while trying to figure out what was trying to get into the trash can. I scrambled to get my gear together in case it decided to head in my direction, but it went back into the woods. I got some more sleep after they left.Left Elkwallow at 8:30am for the Gravel Springs shelter. When I got there I decided I had had enough of the Shenandoahs. I went out to the road and caught a ride to Front Royal to the motel where my box from home was sent. I will bed taking a zero tomorrow.
Date: 2009-08-12
From: Chester Gap (Front Royal)

To: Manassas Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: light rain

Up at 7am, on the trail at 9am. Overnight lows around 70 with light rain in the morning. Partly cloudy most of afternoon with highs in the mid 80s.After continental breakfast at the motel they shuttled me out to the trail. No serious ascents or descents but it was warm and muggy through the day. Arrived at the Manassas Gap Shelter around 5pm with the idea of cooking dinner and then hiking 4.5 miles to the Dick's Dome Shelter. Just as I was finishing eating the temps dropped, the winds grew and the sky opened up. Decided to stay put until morning.
Date: 2009-08-13
From: Manassas Gap Shelter

To: Rod Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Up at 6:30am, on the trail at 8:15. Clear to partly cloudy all day with morning lows around 70 and afternoon highs in the low 80s.Today was a nice hiking day on one of the flatter sections of the AT. That will change tomorrow when I enter the 13.5 mile section known as "The Roller Coaster".According to my maps it is a series of 200-500' ascents and descents one right after the other. Not looking forward to that.
Date: 2009-08-14
From: Rod Hollow Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Up at 6:15am, on the trail at 7:45. Weather partly cloudy all day with morning lows in the upper 60s. Afternoon highs were a muggy upper 80s.I started out early thinking it would take extra time to deal with the Roller Coaster. There were some strenuous ups and downs but it was nothing I hadn't seen before. And the number of ups and downs didn't approach my expectations. All in all the Roller Coaster's reputation is overblown.I arrived at the Bears Den Hostel at 2pm It is a beautiful hostel that looks like a castle. I took advantage of their $25.00 deal which included a bed, shower, laundry, pizza and Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I was the only one in the bunkhouse section of the hostel.
Date: 2009-08-15
From: Bears Den Hostel

To: Blackburn Trail Center
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: broken clouds

Up at 7am, on the trail at 9am. Clear skies all day with morning lows around 70 and afternoon highs around 80.Finished the Roller Coaster (4 hills in 3 miles) on a very pleasant, low humidity day. Decided to continue "hostel hopping" and stop at the Blackburn Trail Center. While it is a nice place as hostels go it doesn't offer much. You can set up you gear in a campsite or sleep on the porch of the main building. There are no supplies available for purchase. It does have a solar shower. What it boils down to is a nice, comfortable place to just kick back and relax.Tomorrow is my last day on the trail as I should get to Harpers Ferry.
Date: 2009-08-16
From: Blackburn Trail Center

To: Harpers Ferry, WV
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: clear sky

Up at 6am, on the trail at 7:30. Clear, warm, muggy day with morning lows in the upper 60s and highs near 90.My final day on the trail was an enjoyable gradual descent from 1650' to 270' into Harper's Ferry. And it was on this final day of my hike that I saw without a doubt the weirdest looking person of the summer. He was a small man with a pack on his back. The pack was the kind your kids haul books to school in. In each hand were large, clear plastic bags from some department store. And he was wearing safety goggles. Not glasses, goggles. I said howdy, he just grunted. I gave him a wide berth and continued on.Since it was a Sunday there were lots of day hikers and even joggers on the trail. Crossing the US 340 Shenandoah River bridge into Harpers Ferry I saw a lot of folks lazing in the water below.My summer hike ended at the ATC Headquarters. They have a computer for hikers which I used to book my Amtrak ride tomorrow from Harpers Ferry to Washington, DC as well as my flight from D.C. to the Twin Cities. Once that was done I wandered down to the historic section of town and the Towns Inn Hostel. The rest of the day was spent packing a box I got from the restaurant next door with all the stuff that I couldn't take on my flight...and sitting on the 2nd floor balcony sipping a beer watching the Sunday tourists wandering up and down the street.Tomorrow.....home.
Date: 2009-08-17
From: Harpers Ferry, WV

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Up at 7am. After breakfast walked the mile plus up hill to the Post Office to send most of my gear home. Caught the Amtrak at 11:30am for Washington, DC. The day before I had made my reservation and, since there was no ticket office in Harpers Ferry I was told I would pay the porter on the train. By the time I got to DC I still hadn't seen anyone collecting money. So thank you Amtrak for the free ride. My flight home (with one stop in Milwaukee) was uneventful.So what is there left to say. When I got home I thought I had completed about 1300 miles but it turns out I have only done a bit over 1100. That leaves about a thousand miles to finish...and I plan to come back to finish. Right now I am thinking about returning in 2012 or 2013. Can't do it next year as I am committed to working on the radio station staff at the 2010 100th Anniversary Boy Scout National Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia. When I go back I have to decide whether to start in Duncannon, PA and go north or go to Katahdin in Maine and hike south. Well, I've got several years to figure that one out.Stay tuned......RadioFreq signing off.
Date: 2009-02-22
To: Arlington, Va
Miles today: 0.0

In March I will be leaving Federal Government service after an exciting and rewarding career, one that far exceeded my expectations and allowed me to travel the world and observe some of the major world events of the last couple decades from the inside. For the last two years, I have been at the State Department in Washington D.C., and prior to that I worked for various congressional committees. Throughout the process I've been associated with absolutely fabulous and dedicated people; but, with change in the air and a new Administration in place, now seems to be as good a time as any to shift gears and try something completely new. I¢ve been reading people¢s on-line trail journals for years, and the thought of a long-distance hike has always been intriguing. Attempting a thru-hike always seemed a bit of a far-fetched fantasy, one that I never really took seriously. But suddenly my circumstances changed, and I started to think "Why not?". After spending long hours sitting behind a desk, the physicality of an AT hike is undeniably appealing. I like the notion that each individual is responsible for his or her own daily success (the whole "hike your own hike" thing). There is no "trail monitor" to make sure that you don't cheat, so if you hitch-hike and skip a stretch, the only one you really have to reconcile it with is yourself. A hiker travels in a day only as far as his legs will take him; what you eat and what comforts you enjoy depend on how much you¢re willing to carry; you choose whether to continue hiking or get off the trail. I hope to begin my hike at Springer Mountain the first week of April. My intention is to start walking and see how it goes. Realistically, I'm not sure what that means. It's been decades since my last serious hike that went more than a weekend, and I've only camped a handful of times in the last few years. Most of my gear was ridiculously heavy (do they even make 7 pound packs any more?), and the last 6 months I¢ve been upgrading and lightening up. The plan is to head to Atlanta around April 3, stay with my nephew Joel, and head out as soon as possible. Being severely technologically challenged, my sister Barbara and niece Katie has volunteered to help transcribe journal entries. Many thanks and love to you all.In the meantime, I¢ve been working out regularly at the gym, gone on a handful of hikes in the Shenandoahs, and lost a fair amount of weight. I just had a stress test that turned out better than I had any reason to expect (thank you Dr. Paul). Still, I¢ve no doubt the first week will be pretty miserable. So, having announced my departure date at work and told friends and family of my plans, I¢ll do my best, with niece Katie¢s assistance, to maintain the journal that follows. I'll try to post pictures as soon as I figure out how to use my new camera
Date: 2009-02-25
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

As the days count down, I've pretty much finished gearing up. Most of my equipment is new, as much was American-made as possible. I've become a regular at the local REI, where they clearly see me as a major part of the company's recession recovery program. Without food and water and the clothes on my back (and feet), the load is approximately 22 lbs. Major items that I've got includes:Pack: Granite Gear Nimbus MeridianPack Cover: From ULATent: Henry Shires Tarplet ContrailCold Weather Sleeping Bag: Feather Friends Puffin 20 degreeWarm Weather Bag: Moutain Hardware (old)Sleeping pad: Gossamer Gear 3/4 padStove: Brasslite alcohol stoveCooking Pot: Evernew Titanium .7 ltrCup: REI TitaniumSporkWater bottle: Platypus 2+; and gatorade bottle General Purpose Jacket: Cloudveil Koven PlusFleece Jacket: Patagonia R-2Long Sleeve Shirt: Patagonia Capiline 3 w/ 1/4 zipperShort Sleeve Shire: Patagonia Capiline 1Pants: REI Sahara (28 in. leg)Shorts: Nike Running shortsLong Johns Pants: Patagonia Capiline (2 pair - 1 light; 1 heavy)Gloves: REI UltraliteCap: REI fleece SkullcapSocks: Thorlo Hiker Thick (3 pair, one to wear, 2 in pack); sock liner (generic, 2 pair)Boots: MontrailHiking Poles: LekiClogsMed KitHygene KitCamera: Pentax Option W60Appalachian Trail CompanionBaseball capSea-to-Summit Compression Sacks for Clothes and Sleeping BagPlus a lot of little stuff....
Date: 2009-03-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Washington got 6 inches of snow on Sunday and Monday, and the tempatures have dropped into the teens. It's been a good test of my Patagonia R2 fleece jacket and my Cloudveil outer shell. I'm pleased with the way they work. I've opted for some ultralight gloves that were recommended by Chris at the local REI, and they seem to work well also. I've got a generic fleece skullcap that works just ok, so I'm still considering other options. I've got a little bit more than two weeks until I leave work. I've got to be honest, with the economy the way it is, I'm wondering what in the world I was thinking to so enthusiastically and voluntarily choose to stop working. For thirty years, I've been defined by my work -- a teacher, an analyst, a congressional staff director, a foreign affairs officer -- and I was comfortable with who I was and the work that I did. It's a scary thing, locking your front door, leaving comfort zone and voluntarily giving up the security blanket of job and friends. At the same time, I know deep in my soul that committing to a long hike can shake off my cobwebs open new horizons. Time will tell.