morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-06-12
From: Tye River

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: few clouds

   Slow start this morning. I didn't leave camp until 10am. It was already hot and humid. The trail was a steady uphill, another 3000' climb, with a small break at Harper's Creek shelter. Harper's Creek was beautiful; even had toilet paper in the privy. about 2/3 of the way up the climb, i start to hear thunder in the distance, but I'm too far along to turn back. The safest thing is to get over the top and down the other side. Lucky and i have been leapfrogging each other and this continues all day long. At about 400' before the summit of Three Ridges Mountain, the storms finally catch up with me. I try to sit out the worst of it, but I start to get cold, so I start hiking in the storm. Tree cover is pretty good on the mountain, so I don't feel too exposed as i cross over the top. The rain stops as I start down and hiking becomes pleasant even though i'm soaked. I reach Maupin field shelter, a large developed area at the trail junction of a popular loop hike. Hiking in wet boots has got my feet all soft and my plan is to get dried out here. I no sooner sit down to relax than I hear distant thunder. The storm is quick moving and catches me just before I can finish setting up. Now I'm soaking wet and stuck in my tent at 7pm. I end up eating hard-boiled eggs and lunch stuff. I'm finally bored, so I listen to some speakers Pat recorded on a nano for me. First time i used it.
Date: 2011-06-13
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Campsite with view
Miles today: 8.6

I wasted most of the morning drying out my gear from the last storm yesterday. i met caveman and Dirtnap as they were breaking camp. I finally got out of camp about 12:30. Hiking was a mix of rock and forest and overall fairly pleasant. The storms from yesterday really knocked down the temps and humidity. It's stayed right around 75 degrees today. I got to the campsite at 841.8 miles north around 6:30. The next campsite shown is another 7 miles and this is a gorgeous spot, so I decided to camp here. I'm camped on top of a cliff across the valley from Wintergreen Ski resort. The sunset is beautiful and I send Pat a couple of pictures and talk to her on the cell. It's cool and breezy here as i enjoy a big dinner: red beans and rice with spam. I trued to reorder boots but store closed at 4:30. I'll have to try again in the morning.
Date: 2011-06-14
From: Campsite with view

To: Waynesboro,VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

   I actually felt cold last night, mostly because the wind blew all night, pulling the warm air out of the tent. About 3am, I woke up from a stick snapping under my food bag. I came flying out of my tent cursing, grabbing a rock and turning on my headlamp. No bear was going to take my food. Standing under my bag was the most freaked out, scared deer I have ever seen. I apologized to the deer and went back to sleep. I hung out and enjoyed the morning till 8:30, when I could reorder my boots. Ina, the customer service person, remembered me and overnighted replacements to Rockfish Gap Outfitters in Waynseboro.    The hike into town took all day. Along the way, at the paul C. Wolfe shelter, I met Rat, a 2008 SOBO. I had to actually cook some lunch and as I was cooking, Circuit Rider and Sherlock came in. They had been off trail and were even with me again. About a mile or so before you get off the trail to go into town, I was passed by a day hiker. She asked if I was thruhiking and if I was going into town. I answered yes to both and she just kept trucking and was soon out of sight. As I get to the road, I start thinking about a ride. I look up and there is the woman who had passed me on the trail. She tells me to get in if I want a ride into town. On the way in, Nancy, the day hiker, stops and picks up another hiker named Whisper. Whisper goes to the church hostel and I go to the quality Inn to shower and get cleaned up.   After the shower, the next stop is Ming's AYCE buffet. I ate 5 or 6 big plates and left feeling a little sick from stuffing myselg. Stopped in Kroger's and back to the room to recover from dinner and ice my knee.
Date: 2011-06-15
From: Waynesboro,Va

To: Waynesboro,VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I decide to pay for another night at the hotel so I can rest my knee and finish town chores. I run into Sherlock and he invites me to lunch with him and Circuit Rider. At lunch, we run into Lucky, honeybee and a couple of other hikers. After lunch, I check out Waynesboro Art Center on the way back to my room. Next stops: laundry and Dollar general; they are next door to each other. Then back to the room for more RICE for my knee. Around 4pm, it's out to the outfitter to pick up my new boots. Then More RICE. Then Kroger's for some dinner and more RICE.
Date: 2011-06-16
To: Calf Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: light rain

Hotel breakfast with Sherlock and Circuit Rider. Then back to the room for a shower and more RICE for the knee before I have to head out. I end up walking to the outfitter, then getting a ride from this wild guy, TB, who runs me out to the ranger's station on the parkway. The hiking today is pretty much like the rest of VA, except there are no real climbs. Camped at calf Mountain shelter after hiking 7 mi today.
Date: 2011-06-17
From: Calf Mountain Shelter

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up late to a light drizzle. Decided to wait for rain to pass before packing up. I finally got out of camp around 10am. Because today has a 12 mile stretch with no water, I'm carrying 3 liters of water and my pack weighs a ton. After a mile or so, the condition of the trail improves noticeably. I think I just crossed into the actual park. My knee is feeling much better and I only need two ibuprofen in the morning to get going. About 1pm, the first thunderstorm catches me. I hike through the rain and just as I think it's going to stop, the pea sized hail starts. I run to the thickest cover I can find to get some protection from the hail and hope it doesn't get any larger; pea sized hail stings bad enough. Once the hail stops, it's back to hiking. I get caught 2 more times by thunderstorms, but each time the rain is lighter. By the time i get to Blackrock shelter, I have started to dry out from the last storm. It's pretty much the same bunch as last night: Turtle Feet, Hot Drinks, Bismarck, Hopper, BoKnows, Ice Box, Creepshow, Dude and Torch.
Date: 2011-06-18
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Whisper and Gumby back in camp this morning as I was heading out. Apparently, they had tried camping about 3 miles north of me, but had an encounter with a bear while cooking dinner and were unable to run the bear off, so they came back to the shelter late last night. Weather was great in the morning, but clouds and humidity dominated the afternoon. I got to sample my first wayside food today. Waysides are restaurants along Skyline Drive in the national park. It was tasty, pricey and small. Because of a mistake on someone else's order, I got a free blackberry milkshake, so that helped take the sting out of the price. They charge $4.25 for these shakes. My knee is holding up well. Only 2 Vitamin I this morning. None the rest of the day. Humidity this afternoon wiped me out. Time to crash.
Date: 2011-06-19
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Bearfence Mountain Hut
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: broken clouds

   Today's big news is I passed the 900-mile mark. I don't understand why everyone says this stretch is so easy. I still had to climb over 4000' vertical over the course of the day. I will admit that much of the trail is smoother than the trail outside the park. Today was heavily overcast and I was in and out of the clouds as I hit the mountain summits. It started fairly cool today but the humidity ranged between 80 and 100%, so I still spent much of the day drenched in sweat. My knee seems to have almost completely recovered. I'll know better in the morning. And although I was nervous a couple times yesterday about them, my new boots seem to be working just fine. There were only 3 usable tent sites here and all were taken by the time I got in, so I'm set up on the service road, since it's the only flat and dry spot I could find here. I'm really not impressed with the huts in the park. They are not spaced well and the locations generally suck. Also, many don't have a reliable water source. Enough complaining! I'm finally good to go again. Rain just started falling and I'm snug in my tent. Torch just stopped by. He took a nasty fall and split his eyebrow open. I'm doing a lot better than that. Today's mileage 20.6.
Date: 2011-06-20
From: Bearfence Mountain Hut

To: RockSpring Hut
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: broken clouds

   After 3 days without a breath of air moving, there was a gentle breeze an hour or so before the rain started.It was a steady rain all night and hasn't stopped yet. It's 8 am and I'm looking for excuses to stay in my tent, hoping it will stop, so I don't have to pack up in the rain. My knee feels good but I may have spread poison ivy from a small patch on my hand to my chest. I slept last night without a shirt on because it was so stuffy in the tent. Stopped by Big Meadows Wayside for dinner and resupply. Had a 2-piece chicken dinner with fries, slaw and a biscuit and a double cheeseburger for dessert. I could probably have spent less and made better choices during the stop but it is what it is. I didn't start hiking until 11:30 today and the rain ended around the same time. The first half of the day was heavily overcast, with the sun breaking through in the afternoon. I called mu son, Andrew and set up meeting him and Casey, his wife, on the 4th of July weekend. As I got into camp, i noticed a blister on the bottom of my foot. Every day it seems there is something to deal with. Either equipment is breaking down or I am. Camp's really noisy tonight with a bunch of section hikers up way past hiker midnight. Overall, today was a good day in spite of the low miles.
Date: 2011-06-21
From: RockSpring Hut

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

   Got started at a decent time this morning. Slight overcast made for pleasant hiking. much of the day spent in the woods with the views reserved for traffic on Skyline Dr. Met Possum from Australia today. She was hoping to meet Taz and Roo and was disappointed to find they were off the trail. Had a nice lunch at Pinnacles picnic area and a short nap. Thunderstorms threatened after lunch but nothing came of them. The last few miles of the day, from Byrd's Nest #3 Hut to Pass Mountain Hut was a miserable rocky downhill. The kind of trail that just abuses your knees. Luckily my knee is holding up well and and I'm down to 1 or 2 vitamin I per day. Oh yeah, today was naked hiker day, but noone here in the park saw any naked hikers. I'm having a problem with some blisters with my new boots. Hopefully, this will sort itself out shortly.
Date: 2011-06-22
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

   No overnight rain despite a good lightening show. Overcast skies made for comfortable hiking the first half of the day. The real destination of the day was Elkwallow Wayside, a tourist trap/convenience store with a grill. Although it's pricey, it's hard for a hungry hiker to resist. I got a pint of chocolate ice cream and a banana to start, followed by a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a coke. hung out with other hikers there for probably 2 hours before hiking out. I also used the time to let my boots, socks and feet air out. The hike into camp after lunch was easy and on good trail, the kind of trail the park is known for. I'm reallt looking forward to a shower and laundry tomorrow. I'm up late writing this hoping it will cool off enough to sleep well. Right now, it's still pretty hot in the tent.
Date: 2011-06-23
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Front Royal Hostel
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: moderate rain

   Today was overcast and threatening to rain all day long. Blisters on my feet are killing me and my morale is low. The only thing driving me on is the thought of a shower and clean clothes. It seemed to take forever to get to the hostel, but I was in by 3pm. Did a load of laundry with Torch and jumped into the shower. Just as the washer was finishing up, Mike, the hostel owner, asks if anyone wants to go into town for food and resupply. Torch volunteers to finish our laundry so I head in with Mike and Hotpants, a hiker I met yesterday at the shelter. Mike is a former AT and PCT thru-hiker. It's buy 2 get 1 free at the AYCE Buffet so Mike ends up joining us for dinner. I weighed in at only 205 when I got into the hostel, so I eat as much as I can without getting sick. then its off to Martin's Grocery store for resupply. They have rosemary olive oil bread, so I get some for later. Fresh bread is a real treat. Back at the hostel, I eat a pint of ice cream and drink a coke before bed. I hope some of this food will stick. Comfy, but loud, air mattresses beat sleeping on the ground.
Date: 2011-06-24
From: Front Royal Hostel

To: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: scattered clouds

   At 8am, Mike is downstairs asking who wants to go into town for anything. He doesn't have a full car so he looks at me and asks, "you in a rush to get back on the trail?" As a matter of fact, I'm not. Breakfast in town and a trip to the bank for more cash sounds like a lot more fun, so off to town I go. Mike has to do a shuttle run, so we end up hanging out in town until 11am. When I get back to the hostel, everyone from last night is sitting around watching movies and goofing off. Lucky came in while I was in town and i got to say Hi to her again. I take my time packing and am still the first to leave. Hiking is easier today. I feel better and long sections of the trail are rock-free.I walked for miles along a 6' tall chain link fence that went around some "US Government Property". I wonder what it is. I'm tented up because of bugs at this very nice shelter. It's just me, Gumby and Matt. My blisters are staying dry and I think I may be starting to heal already.Also. I saw a large bear about a mile before camp and got a picture. I almost forgot: sugar ants got into my peanut butter today. That really pissed me off so I ate them!
Date: 2011-06-25
From: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter

To: Dicks Dome Shelter
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: overcast clouds

   Doing all these low mole days is getting me down. My knee seems to have fully healed, my poison ivy has dried up, but the foot blisters haven't gone away yet. I was hoping to hike another 8 or 9 miles today, but after only 10 miles my feet had had it. Once again, I had to drain the blister on the bottom of my foot. If I have to drain it again, I'll try Cope's trick of running a piece of floss through it to keep the hole open. I awoke early to a beautiful morning, but still didn't get on the trail until almost 9am. Gumby and Matt were still asleep when I left. I wasn't moving too fast today partly from sore feet. Met some dayhikers at the next shelter and traded some questions and answers for some snacks. A good deal for me. I also ate the last of the ants in the peanut butter, I think. I'm done with dinner and camp chores and it's still early, so I think I'll listen to a speaker Pat recorded for me on my Ipod. I almost got the whole story on Turtlefeet's bear encounter from her. The bear tore up her campsite while she was at the shelter. She had left her toiletries in her hammock. That's all it took.
Date: 2011-06-26
From: Dicks Dome Shelter

To: Bear's Den Hostel
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night I listened to Bill Wilson on my Ipod. He was talking about learning humility. I had thought that the reason the first part of my hike had gone so well was that I was doing things right. The reason other were having problems must mean that they were doing something wrong. The last couple of weeks have finally taught me some empathy for my fellow hikers and this morning the lesson became obvious. My current problems were caused by a small defect in my boots and could not have been detected before causing my blisters. How many others had similar problems? At least some I would think. Once again the real problem for me has been ego or self. Even out here on the trail, the battle is not against the trail, weather, miles, etc. The battle remains the same, the conquest of self. Having learned the lesson, the pain serves no more purpose and as I suspected, I was able to hike the 18 miles to Bears Den without further irritating my blisters.    The hostel is a fantastic stone building built in 1933 as a summer home. It's now owned by the ATC and run by the PATC as a hiker hostel. For $27, you get a bunk, shower, laundry, a pizza, a soda, and a pint of Ben and Jerry's. The bunk's have real mattresses!. I couldn't pass this up. Even though I just had a shower 3 days ago. I also got to meet the other Hopeful (not the one I was hiking with). She ahd her husband live there and run the place with their two small kids. There was almost noone here. I shared the whole upstairs with one other person. An older (yes older than me) fellow from England named Ted. I managed to get all my chores done tonight, but I'm so wired from sugar, I'll have to read a little until I calm down.
Date: 2011-06-27
From: Bear's Den Hostel

To: Campsite at mile 1010N
Miles today: 0.0

   This morning we had free coffee and AYCE pancakes, courtesy of Bear's Den hostel. There was only one catch, you had to make them yourself. Ted, Sundance and Pacemaker joined me and since I cooked, they volunteered to clean up. After breakfast I had a short talk with Hopeful. It's funny how people of faith keep showing up on my hike (a real positive thing). Today a lot of great stuff happened. First, I got out of VA!!!. That felt great. Then I crossed the 1000 mile mark, and I finally finished the roller coaster. The roller coaster got its name from the 13.5 miles of short, steep ups and downs. It's not the hills that get you though, it's all the rocks and erosion. I stopped by a gas station/convenience store for dinner and to resupply on 2nd breakfast for tomorrow. I'm camped about a mile past the Keys Gap, WV road crossing at a campsite I found along the trail. Feeling strong again, mostly healed up. Tomorrow, it's on to Harper's Ferry and the ATC headquarters.
Date: 2011-06-28
From: C15ampsite at mile 1010N

To: Ed Garvey Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: light rain

Today was a busy day. I didn't get out of camp as early as I should have but I still made it in to the ATC Headquarters in Harpers Ferry, WV before noon.I got my picture taken and was the 623rd NOBO this year. Lori from the ATC said this might be a record setting year for the number thruhikers.The number of hikers that skip sections of trail is amazing. There were a whole bunch of hikers that paddled the river from Waynesborough to Front Royal or even Harpers Ferry completely skipping the trail in Shenandoah NP and then some. They called it aquablazing, skipping a 120mi section and still thruhiking,I don't know? But hey hike your own hike. My hike is turning out to be a purist hike so far. I've carried my pack the whole way and stuck to the white blazes except for taking a bad weather route around Max Patch because of a thunderstorm. I caught the shuttle bus from the ATC to Walmart for resupply then hung out around the ATC to soak up some more air conditioning before heading out around 4:30. Harpers Ferry seems worthy of a trip in the future just to check it out. In spite of the temps in the 90's and high humidity, I made the 7 mi. to the Ed Garvey shelter before dark. Then it was a 1/2 mi. downhill to get water before I could settle in for the night.
Date: 2011-06-29
From: Ed Garvey Shelter

To: Pine Knob Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: clear sky

The last 2 days have been all about the Civil War, or as my friend Hopeful would put it, the War of Northern Agression. Harpers Ferry was an important transportation hub and a number of battles were fought along the AT corridor. Today I stopped for lunch at Gathland State Park home of the Civil War Correspondents Memorial. Between Gath, the writer who built the place, and the battle that took place there it was too much to take in during such a short stop. In the midst of all these battlefields and historical markers I ran into Cookie, who I had not seen in quite some time. I stopped for dinner at the Washington Monument, the one in MD. It was quite impressive and there was a great view from the top. Just before Pine Knob shelter you cross I-70 on a footbridge. It's wierd to watch people moving so fast once you get used to life at hiking speed. I can't be more than a couple hundred yards from the interstate and the highway sound drowns out the usual sounds of night in the woods.
Date: 2011-06-30
From: Pine Knob Shelter

To: Raven Rock Shelter
Miles today: 31.1
Weather: haze

Last night must have gotten colder than I expected, I woke up in the middle of the night with chills so I put a top on and went back to sleep. There were no spectacular views today, just walking. I was feeling a little lazy, so I took a good long nap at Ensign Cowell shelter before hiking on to Raven Rock shelter. Spicoli showed up as I was getting up from my nap and I asked him to check my forehead to see if I had a fever or I was just sunburned. He said I might be a little warm but he couldn't tell. The climb up up to Raven Rock is wicked steep and water is a steep .3 mi. downhill instead of the .1 the book says. I didn't get set up till after dark and ended up eating a bunch of trailmix because I was too tired to cook.
Date: 2011-07-01
From: Raven Rock Shelter

To: Pen Mar County Park
Miles today: 4.6

I had horrible chills last night and no energy this morning. I found it really tough toget out of camp even though I only have to go 4.6 miles to meet up with Andrew and Casey for a couple of zero days. Part of the trail was a rock hop making it take even longer. When I finally got into Pen Mar Park a trail angel named Pat drove me into town to get something to eat. I ordered a large pizza but was only able to eat 3 slices. Then I just hung out at the park until Andrew and Casey picked me up. While I was hanging out I learned that Pen Mar was once a huge Amusement park built by the railroads for customers from the big cities on the east coast. It recieved 10-15 thousand visitors a day at the turn of the century. I even met an old fellow who worked there when he was 12. The sunset was beautiful and there was a great nightime view. I finally got picked up around midnight and we went to Casey's brother Jeremiah's house for the night. I finally went to bed around 2:30 am totally spent.
Date: 2011-07-02
From: Jeremiah's House

To: Jeremiah's House
Miles today: 0.0

I had terrible chills last night even though I was covered with a heavy quilt and it was warm out. I was shivering uncontrolably and it was more like convulsions then shivering at times. I'm hoping a short rest from the trail will get me feeling better, right now I'm pretty miserable. We all went out to a late breakfast ( Andrew, Casey, Ceci and myself )then took a trip over to see the new property that Jeremiah and Ceci just bought. As soon as we got back to Jeremiah's house I want back to bed. After a couple of hours of sleep we all went over to the hollow for dinner and a soak in the hot tub at Robert and Bim's. I'm worried that I may have Lyme Disease from as puny as I'm feeling. I feel better after the soak and we go back to Jeremiah's to crash.
Date: 2011-07-03
From: Jeremiah's House

To: Jeremiah's House
Miles today: 0.0

The chills were finally gone last night. Instead I woke up soaked in sweat and actually had to take a towel and dry myself off a handful of times during the night. Today we went to Bim's brother's house for a barbque and to pick up puppies. Uncle Tommy is a great guy and a lot of fun to hang out with. Also Tommy bakes a great pie. I'm feeling pretty good and we also run over to Shepardstown, WV tomeet Jay at O'Hurley's General Store. An hour after pigging out at Uncle Tommy's we're sitting down to dinner with Jay, pretty cool!