morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-06-07
From: spring

To: Bear Branch Road
Miles today: 11.6

We stopped at a hostel today to resupply, get a shower and do laundry. Then got back on the trail. After hiking a while the sky in the distance was dark and it was obvious it was raining. We thought it would rain any moment so we quickly found a site and set up our tents in record time. By then the wind had picked up and it was dark, but it never did rain. So it was a rare night, us being in camp early, before 7:00. Doug, who can never ever sit still decided he would climb a giant pine tree on the other side of the barb wire fence. He managed to get all the way to the top, then back down again, exclaiming as he rejoined me, "oh, that was so much fun I think I'll do it again tomorrow night!" In the night I was awakened by some creature right under my head, rustling. Rustling, rustling. It was driving me crazy! I tried everything to get it to stop but was unsuccessful so in the end, after an hour of lying awake, I finally got out of the tent and moved it to another spot. Then before getting back in I took a walk to look out over the meadow...OH!!! the field was aglow with fireflies!! Beneath a star-filled sky, flashes of light broke the darkness. It was magical and I stood soaking in the silence and wonder of it.
Date: 2008-06-08
From: Bear Branch Road

To: White Rock Mt
Miles today: 17.2

I had an accident today. It was hot again and we took a blue blaze to a falls where Doug was excited with the idea of getting a shower. To get to where the water was pouring down we had to climb up a 30 foot steep rock face, which amazing I made with a bit of struggling. We took off our boots and Doug climbed up the 4 feet to stand in the path of the water. I climbed up to join him, and OH, it was so cold it took my breath away, making me cold and wanting to get back down. So I went to step down and the slippery rocks gave me no grip and I lost my footing and slid the 8 or so feet, came crashing to a halt at the bottom rock puddle. Oh, it hurt! At first I thought I may have broken something but after a few minutes everything seemed to work. I was lucky. Now I am a bruised mess! Bruises on my shin and knee and thigh and butt. After that Doug and I split up, he ahead of me of course. There was lots of uphill. I was exhausted by the time I met up with Doug and I knew it was bad when I saw him, standing on a rock wearing (don't forget! It's HOT, like 85 or 90 and humid as a sauna) long pants tucked in his socks, a long sleeved shirt and bug net. He says to me, "Might as well get right in full protection mode!" I did. But it was a miserable night. I ate dinner in my tent, then ran out and hung the bear bag and went to bed.
Date: 2008-06-09
From: White Rock Mt

To: Watagua Lake shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: few clouds

We hiked through the most beautiful place today! My favorite so far on all the AT. Down through a 400 foot canyon to Laurel Falls. Doug and I were together and stopped for a few minutes at the bottom to have a swim in the cold water. I sat in the rapids, like a whirlpool. My feet, (bare of course since I have no sandals) were screaming with delight. Nice. I wanted to stay there all day, but Doug, the slave driver made us move on. That kid does not know how to relax!
Date: 2008-06-10
From: Watagua Lake shelter

To: TN91
Miles today: 19.2

So I finally got the itchy rash associated with poison ivy. Though obviously I know what it looks like and am vigilant about staying out of it, its prevalance makes it impossible. In Georgia and parts of NC it was THE MOST COMMON plant beside the trail and sometimes, like today, I have to walk a virtual poison ivy gauntlet, with it on both sides of the trail and leaning in, touching in the middle. Avoiding it is not always possible. So I have it on my left calf, left knee and right wrist. Add to that the bruises from the other day, which, by the way, have turned a nice shade of purple, and the bee sting I got on my leg (when it became trapped in my shorts) and I have to say my legs are looking lovely. Late in the day I came to a giant meadow, the AT winding through it, a thin path of gray between golder grasses that swayed in the wind like waves on water. Mountains lay at the edges of rolling hills. At about halfway through there was a bench beside the trail and I joyously sat--content to watch the storm clouds gather in the distance. They swirled and churned like something in a blender, the sky growing darker and darker until it seemed like night. Thunder roared continuously and the wind picked up. Then from below, in the valley I heard the yipping howls of coyotes and even though rain seemed imminent I sat and listened, spellbound.Finally, the sky now dark with fury, I got up and hastily made my way through the rest of the field, which had turned from grasses to yarrow and clover and yellow hawkweed. I reached the woods and went as far as I thought I could, then quickly went about setting up my tent. Like the night with Doug only this time it did rain! But I was dry inside my tent, in for the night, with 19.2 miles on the day. Not bad.
Date: 2008-06-11
From: TN91

To: Damascus
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: broken clouds

I saw another bear!!!!I was up early today (nothing new there--saw the sunrise which was spectacular--an orange ball of fire reaching out above the horizon, fog over the field, everything sprinkled with raindrops. I was walking rather fast after passing Doug at the shelter where he had stayed the night and I started downhill, went around a bend and heard, then saw the bear crashing through the forest to make some distance between us. I obviously scared it! And bears make a lot of noise when hurrying! So he (or she?) ran a bit away, then stopped and turned to look back at me. Whoo hoo! How exciting! I waited to see if I would see him again but nothing. He had disappeared, just like that, melted back into the forest. A good moment!
Date: 2008-06-12
From: Damascus

To: Feathercamp Ridge
Miles today: 2.4

So we are in Damascus. Are both having physical issues, Doug, a bug in his eye that has scratched his cornea and me, multiple problems including what I will call severe shin spints on my left shin, a numb big toe on my right foot (that feels like there is a noose around it when I am walking and it is being pulled tighter and tighter and tighter) and the bottoms of both feet feel like they have been scraped over hot coals every time I take a step. For the first time I am worried about the physical problems and future health implications. I don't know if my body can take much more of this abuse. Or if it should have to. I question this giant hike. Don't know if we will get out of Damascus today and back on the trail. We're off! Hiked a whopping 2.4 miles to reach the first campsite we found. Tomorrow is a new day!
Date: 2008-06-13
From: Feathercamp Ridge

To: Spring
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: few clouds

So the new insoles I bought in Damascus solved some of my foot problems!!! I no longer have shin splits and the numb toe issue is not quite as bad. Doug's eye is all better. And as far as the bottoms of my feet getting hot...well it was hard to tell today since they were soaking in water all day! It poured! So my feet were cool all day, a massage. Doug says I should just add water to my boots everyday. Maybe not a bad idea. Hiking in the pouring rain is an experience. It was warm so today it felt good and I didn't mind. The trail becomes a torrent of water, only sound heard is the rhythym of the steady rain. And it's funny when you encounter others slogging away...they say things like "nice day for a hike, huh?" or "gotta love it!" or "great weather we're having huh?" and we laugh and go our separate wet ways. A good day. :-)
Date: 2008-06-13
From: Feathercamp Ridge

To: spring
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: few clouds

Doug picked the best camping spot! The best of the entire trip. We are at the top of a mountain, in a wonderful meadow with blueberry bushes, clover, rapsberry, grasses and lots of other variety. I love it! A few trees here and there.The view is indescrible, layer after layer after layer of mountains, as far as the eye can see. And if that's not enough, there is a spring, fresh and cold and floatie free just a few steps away. It is pouring, like being home and having a water faucet. Doesn't get any better than this! Of course there is no where to hang a bear bag as the trees are all kind-of mini. The bag would be right at eye level for the bear. Doug says, "bears don't like fields, right?" and we laugh!!! He puts his food in his tent and I, though it is not ideal, hang mine in a tree up on the hill. In the morning, our food is still there. And we hike on.
Date: 2008-06-14
From: spring

To: old Orchard Shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: broken clouds

There are lots of tiring moments on this trail and sometimes it really gets to me. But on most days there is some redeeming moment, some small amount of time that makes it all worthwhile. Usually the moment comes when I am stopped for a break or when I stop on the trail to take time to look around.Here are some from recent days: *Today I reach this rocky ledge overlooking the valley and one row of ridge beyond. It is mostly forested, though I can see three large patches of field sprinkled with some pines and shrubs. I sit on the lichen-covered rock ledge, backed by flowering laurel teeming with insect life. Below and to my right there is another ledge, this one shaded by oak trees and only visible when I stand.I hear a noise below and stand and strain, see two black vultures tucked among the shade. And possibly, knowing they've been spotted, one takes off, not above where I can see, but through the canopy of trees. I hear it as it travels through until finally, 30 seconds later it bursts into open sky and SOARS. A slight turn and it sails left, out above the valley, the white patches on the end of its wings catching the sunlight, a vivid contrast to the black feathers on the rest of its body. And it soars! And I watch and am mesmorized, wishing for such freedom. Oh to fly like that! The second vulture joins the first and they float together. Effortless. No flapping, just subtle movement, left then right. Silent and free.When they are out of sight I sit quietly and take in the moment. And then! A hawk, small and graceful flies into view, soaring up the valley in silence, visible for only a few seconds. Then gone.*With the rain pouring down around me I make my way through the forest. As I round a bend I look right, down into a tiny clearing in the trees and there I see a mama deer and her very young fawn! So tiny the babe is! Just a few steps away from mama. She lifts her head and looks my way but I am still. She looks back to her fawn and they step closer, touch noses, then move apart and after a few seconds, step through the trees and disappear.*On rainy days I always expect to see newts and salamanders. They are especially common by streams and it is not unusual to see several wiggling wildly as I pass by. I sometimes bend and gently, pick one up, hold it in my hand. Such tiny toes! 3 on the front legs and 4 on the back. So delicate and perfectly formed. 2 black beady eys. I love looking closely at them, feeling their tiny bodies on my hand.I imagine them underground stuck there for days and days and days. And then, one day the rains come, wetness seeping into the earth. And the salamanders, at the first drops, are up and anxious. "Whoo hooo!!! " I imagine them saying, "It's party time! " they shout with glee making their way from their dark hiding places to the open air. Whenever the rain gets me down I try to think of the salamanders and how rainy days are party time. And I will enjoy the rain as they surely do!
Date: 2008-06-15
From: old Orchard Shelter

To: Holson River
Miles today: 17.0

Today we saw a rattlesnake!!!! Finally. I have always wanted to see one and wondered if I would on this trail.I was behind Doug by 5 minutes. As I rounded the bend I saw him stopped in the middle of the trail and I heard a weird noise, constant rattling. But I couldn't imagine what it was, having never heard a rattlesnake. I thought a snake would rattle a few seconds and then stop, then maybe do it again. This was constant and loud!!! A crazed cicada?? Doug was grinning wildly so I stepped closer, peered around him and whoa!! There smack dab in the center of the narrow trail was a big snake, rattling its tail madly. Such noise!! He was obviously happy with his spot in the sun and not willing to let us by. We watched for a few minutes. I marveled over the constantness of the rattling and the volume. So loud! And unmistakable now that I could see the cause. We decided to try and scare him so we might pass by, continue with our hiking. Doug threw a couple of rocks towards the snake, hoping that would do it, but nothing. The snake stood his ground. A few more attempts and finally we stepped off the trail and into the woods to make a pass around, give the snake plenty of room. He was still rattling as we passed and then continued hiking. The high of my day!
Date: 2008-06-16
From: Holston river

To: just past railroad tracks
Miles today: 18.6

Doug and I hiked together much of the day as we were planning on having lunch together at the Mt. Rogers Headquarters. We had heard and read that we could get pizza delivered from the nearby town of Marion. Pizza! We were excited and really looking forward to a good lunch. We arrived there at a great time, 11:30. Checked the menu and took care in deciding what to get. They had a $25 minimum for deliveries. I was all set to get a tomato salad and pizza. We dialed and the phone just rang and rang and rang. Maybe not open till 12? So I ran back (not far) through the parking lot and to the shelter, which amazingly, had a shower, as I noticed when we walked by earlier. I took a quick shower, had no towel when I was done so resorted to drying off with my shorts. Got dressed again (in my dirty clothes) and ran back to the building, hoping for good news. Still no answer at the pizza place.So it was the old standby trail lunch for us, no pizza. Disappointing. The hiking for the rest of the day wasn't bad and went fairly fast. Late in the day when I was ready to be done, I found Doug in a giant field at the top of a hill, overlooking Atkins and the main road through town. We flattened down some grass and set up our tents. It was a noisy place, between the traffic from Route 81, the train just over the hill and the lumber company. Not like most nights. A thunder storm rolled in a little later, after dark and I crossed my fingers it wouldn't be close. Camping in a field in bad weather is not recommended! We were lucky and it passed quickly. Another night survived!
Date: 2008-06-19
From: VA623

To: .5 mile past Helveys Mill Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: scattered clouds

There was actually a section of trail that was completely level and it lasted about 2 miles. !!! This is a first for the AT so far and I was more than thrilled! The guy who winds and twists and veers to take us up every single hill must have had the day off. Thank god. I was loving it, cruising along without my pack. I did not make it to wherever Doug was camped. Instead I set up just past the shelter, at a tiny clearing in the woods, overlooking the mountains in the east. Had a good dinner of freeze-dried lasagna, hung my bear bag and went to bed.
Date: 2008-06-20
From: . mile past Helveys mill Shelter

To: mile 602.6
Miles today: 18.7

Today was a hard day--not so much physically as mentally; I did not want to be here on the AT. I was missing home and lamenting all the things I won't get to do this summer. In addition it was bad news at the camera shop--at least 3 more weeks for some part to come in. I being without a camera--it is ! Between those two things and some challenging trail conditions including sections of poison ivy and rocks, I was not moving very fast. Rocky sections are the worst and lately I am worried about my "bad" knee as I have had several close calls where I thought it was going to dislocate like the old days. Yikes, that would not be good. So I am trying to baby it lately and that means going especially slow in rocky places. So the day was dragging on. AT 3:30 I was feeling so tired, had only come 11.7 miles. Took a long break on the powerline, overlooking the mountains, thinking it would be unlikely I would catch Doug tonight. I called and left a message for him saying I was having a hard day, was moving slower than molasses uphill in winter. I got water for dinner at Kimberling Creek, crossed over a cool suspension bridge and kept on--uphill, uphill and more uphill. At around 7:30 I found a possible camp spot, contemplated stopping there for the day as I ate dinner--a mountain houst lasagna that was delicious. Finished dinner and decided to hike some more, try again to catch up to Doug so he would not have to wait for me again in the morning. For the next hour the trail was fairly level and I felt I was making good time. Still no Doug. I called and asked him to call and let me know where he'd made it to. At a little past 8:30 I came to a site too hard to pass up--right beside the Dismal Creek, pine needles for a bed and a branch perfect for a bear bag close by.I had gone 18.7 miles, not bad. I was disappointed to have not found Doug though and not looking forward to getting up early to try and catch him. I was mystified as to why Doug had not taken this site! It was next to the creek, a nice spot to get clean cold water and plenty big enough for both of our tents. Hope I find him tomorrow.
Date: 2008-06-21
From: Dismal Creek 

To: past Doc's Knob shelter
Miles today: 18.2

I set my alarm for 5:15 today so I could get an early start to reach Doug. Was hiking by 6:15, feeling good and moving quickly. I skipped breakfast, figuring I'd eat when I caught up to Doug. At 7:45 I still hadn't found Doug so stopped in a nice pine forest to eat a quick bowl of cold cereal and then was back hiking. When it was nearing 8:30 and I still hadn't run into Doug I decided I must be ahead of him--for surely he wouldn't have come this far? I was over 20 miles now (from where we started yesterday) and why would he go further than that? I decided he must have camped on the blue blaze, back a ways, a side trail to a falls that I hadn't gone down. Thus, I must be ahead of him. I stopped and scribbled a quick note that I left on the bridge in a spot he couldn't miss. Then I hiked on, confident he would catch up to me soon, as he always does. I hiked and hiked and hiked, eventually arriving at Wapiti Shelter which was up on the hill set back from the trail. I decided to walk up, just for a break and to see who had written in the journal. I was shocked (and hurt) to see Doug had stayed there the night before--that he had taken the time to write in the journal about the trail, the weather and the shelter, but made no mention of me, left no note for me. He said he was heading in to Pearisburg. It was as if I didn't exist. How hard could it have been to write a quick note--"Shar, was feeling ambitious, hiked 23.2 today! Will wait for you ahead." But nothing. I was fuming. Why would he have gone that far? Was he trying to make me mad? I surely am capable of doing the math--the plan was to make it to Pearisburg on Sunday. Why the urgency to suddenly get there now? I am a slower hiker than him. Despite years of working out at the gym and years of jogging, I am not as cardiovascularly fit as he is--that's obvious from the way he goes up hills. Of course he's fit! He's been running marathons for years. And though I weigh 40 pounds less than him, my pack weighs about the same, if not more as I have not gotten rid of my warmer clothes. So between the weight difference and the cardio shape, he moves faster. Fact. It cannot be disputed. Plus my breaks are longer as I want to see what's around me. I feel strongly that having hiked 567 miles to get here I darn well am going to sit down and enjoy the view before rushing to be somewhere else....Mad, I hike all day. In the afternoon I get a voice message from him saying "Shar, I'm in Pearisburg. Let me know if you're going to make it in." I did not call him, nor do I ever feel like calling him. Late in the day I find a spot to get off the trail, hike way down into the woods where I can be all by myself. I set up my tent, eat dinner and hang my bear bag. Don't know what I will do tomorrow but I know one thing: I will be in no hurry to do it. For the first time I am going to sleep in. I don't care if I ever get to Pearisburg.
Date: 2008-06-22
From: woods 

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: few clouds

I will save you the gory details. Suffice to say I did go to Pearisburg eventually, after a long and relaxing moring. AFter a giant blizzard at Dairy Queen and lots of time I had cooled off and was not so mad. Doug was at the hotel waiting. He took a zero day so I could catch up. I resupplied and got ready for the next leg of the trip. Time marches on.
Date: 2008-06-23
From: Pearis Mt. powerlines

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: few clouds

Hello everyone! I don't have a lot of time and the computer situation is far from ideal but will do my best to update...just wanted to send a hello and thank you to all who have signed my guest book--it is such a nice treat to read your thoughts. THANKS! It means more than you could ever know. Sean, the trail is 2175 miles and will take us just under 6 months!!!!So Doug and I are in Pearisburg, Virginia. We are at mile marker 624!!! Hiked only 5 miles yesterday to get here and didn't even leave to hike until just before noon. But made it the short way and passing Dairy Queen, stopped in for a yummy blizzard that hit the spot! Then up the hill to meet Doug, who'd been waiting. Today we will have a quick breakfast and then head out... hope to be in Daleville, Va on Friday so will likely have more of a chance to update next weekend...stay tuned!!!
Date: 2008-06-24
From: Rocky Gap

To: Dickenson Gap
Miles today: 20.0

The most noteable thing about today was that we were showered nearly all day with capterpillar crap. Really. It fell from the tree tops like rain, piling up on the ground. Officially called frass, it was from the hundreds, likely thousands, of gypsy moth caterpillars. There are entire sections of forest devoid of leaves. It is obvious they aren't fussy! Oak, maple, chestnut, ash, they eat and eat and eat(and crap) until every last leaf is gone. Then they move to the ground cover, go for the blueberry, ferns and even the waxy leaves of the laurel.Now, at night and in my tent, if I didn't know better I'd swear it was raining lightly. The frass is dark green colored and the roughly the size of a grain of rice, slightly thicker. You can hear it hitting the ground, just like rain. The caterpillar itself is black and hairy with some red and blue dots in rows along its body.So all day I've been singing the tune, "It's raining men!" only of course I sub in poop. You gotta laugh! And maybe it's good luck, to be showered by caterpillar crap? My high today came late in the afternoon when I was hungry and tired and completely out of gas and climbing yet another mountain. I noticed lots of ripe blueberries on the bushes lining the trail. Yummy! Not all that many were ripe but enough for some sampling. Delicious! I will look forward to more soon!