morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2022-04-16
From: Weary Feet Hostel

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 16.25
Weather: overcast clouds

Weary Feet Hostel to Woods Hole HostelHard day today.  16.25 miles with 3,232 feet of elevation gain. The reason I think it was hard is that I didn¢t sleep well the night before. I had dinner at the Weary Feet Hostel and they had iced tea. I haven¢t had tea or coffee for a long time so I think the caffeine in even a little bit of tea kept me awake. No more tea before bed!Took a blue blaze side trail to Dismal Falls. Looks like a cool place to hang out in warm weather but not sure it was worth the 0.6 mile round trip. Got a really nice view of the Wilburn Valley. Did a video and some panoramic pictures as well. Also went through a number of rhododendron tunnels. I took pictures but the pictures always show it lighter than it is In real life. Last two miles were brutal. Just lots of rocks. It is just very slow going in long stretches of big rocks. Had to do some scrambling today too.  People said the first mile out tomorrow going north will be more of the same but then the trail improves.  At Woods Hole Hostel, one of the oldest and best known hostels on the AT. Saw a number of familiar faces. Ruby, Gary and Justin. Met a couple of section hikers from North Carolina, but they are leaving tomorrow.  Meeting Gary and Justin for dinner tomorrow night in Pearisburg.   Gary and Justin have been slack packing a lot!  They are slack packing 20 miles tomorrow. I have been carrying my pack since Monday. Arrived late for dinner but they saved me some. It was delicious!  It was a vegetable stew with rice and a salad. Lots of dogs everywhere. Met a hiker named Red Deer. He was a unique character. Said he bought a house in West  Virginia for $7,000.  He said he has hiked the section he was on today three times in the past. He is not a section or thru-hiker as far as I could tell. He is hiking with his dog.
Date: 2022-04-17
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Plaza Motel 
Miles today: 13.04
Weather: scattered clouds

Woods Hole Hostel to Plaza Motel Had an interesting breakfast at Woods Hole Hostel this morning, Easter morning. There were about 12 of us. We assembled in the breakfast room and then went around the room and introduced ourselves and mentioned one thing we are grateful for. After breakfast you were asked to take your plates to the sink, brush them off with a brush in a tub of soapy water and put them in the dishwasher. Neville, the owner and granddaughter of the original founders of the hostel, explained that there are laws about serving food to guests and she does not have a restaurant license. The health inspector told her communal meals (hence the introductions) were exempt if the people that ate the meal participated in the preparation or cleaning up of the meal. Since we cleaned up, and a number of the guests helped in the preparation, we met this exemption. She told us a lot about running the hostel. When it was founded in the 1980¢s they had outhouses. Virginia passed a law against ¢gray water¢ which soaks into the ground and eventually makes its way the water table. Gray water includes water from outhouses.  So she had to install a septic system but had no money, so she did a crowd sourcing effort to raise the $15,000. She was successful.  It was an interesting place - bare bones - but I am glad I stayed there.  Very nice people.  Hiked 13.04 miles today.  Over 2,600 feet in elevation gain. Very rocky again and slow going. I was tired by the time I got to the Plaza Motel in Pearisburg.  It was cold at the beginning but warmed up to be a beautiful day. Saw some deer and lots of wildflowers blooming. Had dinner with Justin, Lucky and Gary. We got to the only restaurant that was open at 6:50 and they closed at 7:00. At first they said we couldn¢t order food. Gary and Justin wanted a drink so they asked if we could go to the bar. The guy said yes. They ordered drinks. I got a water. Gary asked the bartender if we could order food and he said yes. So we ate at the bar and didn¢t leave until 8:00. There were some locals sitting at the bar too.
Date: 2022-04-19
From: Plaza Motel 

To: Peter Mountain Trailhead
Miles today: 19.82
Weather: light snow

Tuesday Pearisburg to Peter Mountain TrailheadLong day. 19.82 miles.   Snow!!  Very cold and windy.  Got into the 30¢s by the end of the day but very cold all day. Saw Reece, Bolt and a section hiker with the trail name Bad Decisions. Got a few pictures and videos from some of the views. Very rocky and slow going in places. Went through a few meadows, which make for easier hiking.  The AT goes across the bridge that goes over the New River. Nice view of the river from there.
Date: 2022-04-20
From: Peter Mountain Trailhead

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 12.53
Weather: overcast clouds

Wednesday Peter Mountain Trailhead to War Spur Shelter 12.53 miles. Very rocky and slow for long distances today.  I had just hiked through a long stretch of rock and stopped at a spring to get water and this young lady came up to me and said ¢do you believe those rocks! They went on forever. I hate those rocks¢.  I agreed the rocks were challenging and went on forever.  I introduced myself and she told me her trail name was Marathon. I saw later her when I got to the shelter as she tented there also.
Date: 2022-04-21
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Stealth spot on Sinking Creek Mountain
Miles today: 15.94
Weather: overcast clouds

Warspur Shelter to Stealth spot on Sinking Creek Mountain 15.94 miles. Hiked some today with Rhino, a guy that stayed at the shelter last night. We passed the Keffer Oak today, the largest oak tree along the AT in the south. The tree is estimated to be about 300 years old.  Got a picture. For almost a mile along the crest of Sinking Creek Mountain, the AT passes by dozens of huge stone cairns, supposedly built by early farmers.  I got a picture of one of them.   They are called the Bruisers Knob cairns.
Date: 2022-04-22
From: Stealth spot on Sinking Creek Mountain

To: Stealth spot at mile 699.2
Miles today: 14.77
Weather: overcast clouds

Friday Stealth spot on Sinking Creek Mountain to a Stealth spot at mile 699.2. Medium, hot day. It¢s hard to believe there was snow on Tuesday and today it was in the 80¢s. Lots of climbing today.  3,260 feet in elevation gain.  14.77 miles.  It was really hot when we were going uphill in the sun. Also water is far apart here. We got water right before our climb and the next water is over 8 miles away. We tried to camel up every time we came across a water source. We crossed the Eastern Continental Divide this morning. Rhino took my picture by the sign. Got some pictures and videos of some of the views.   I also got some pictures of the Audie Murphy memorial. He was the most decorated soldier in World War II. He died in a plane crash in 1971 near where the memorial is. He was from Texas. Lots of wildflowers blooming.  Got a picture. I have been hiking with a guy trail named Rhino. I have no idea what his real name is.  He is a very successful software engineer who started a number of companies and sold them and apparently made a lot of money. He is a super nice guy. We have a lot of the same views. He also was raised Catholic and grew up in New Jersey.  He got Covid-19 and almost died. He recovered and said that¢s it. I am retiring. He said he sold his home in Atlanta and moved to Tennessee and then sold his business. He is 59. He said his wife is still working as a realtor.  He is not a through or section hiker but is put hiking for 30 days to improve his health. There is a whippoorwill right near where we are tenting. It making a LOT of noise.Found my first tick today on my shorts.
Date: 2022-04-23
From: Stealth spot at mile 699.2

To: Johns Springs Shelter
Miles today: 12.09
Weather: overcast clouds

Saturday Stealth spot at mile 699.2 to John Springs Shelter. Hard day. Climbed Dragon¢s Tooth today and made it to Johns Springs Shelter.  12.09 miles. Lots of rock climbing and scrambling.  Very slow going. Passed 700 miles today!  Someone arranged sticks in the number 700. Rhino was already down the hill so I didn¢t want to ask him to climb back up to take my picture so I tried a selfie.  Did not work well. I did a short video. Started out hiking with Rhino.  He was doing a 30 day hike, he said to lose weight and get into better physical condition. He said he achieved his goal of losing 20 pounds. He was really pushing himself the last two days and I think it took its toll. He was not sleeping well and had been off his arthritis medicine for the last two weeks.  Anyway, today was day 28 and he declared victory and got off the trail when we crossed one of the roads.  The last I talked with him he was going to meet us at a brook where we were getting water.  A lady that was section hiking with us was going to give him a ride.  While we were getting water a guy we had been yo-yoing with came by and said Rhino told him he was walking to a hostel up the road and was going to order a pizza and an Uber.
Date: 2022-04-24
From: Johns Springs Shelter

To: Andy Laine trail
Miles today: 12.43
Weather: scattered clouds

April 24Sunday Johns Springs Shelter to Andy Laine trail12.43 miles. Hot today. Really had to manage our water closely. Today we climbed McAfee Knob. Was not super crowded. I got there around mid morning and got some amazing pictures and videos.  It is one of the iconic views on the AT and is supposedly the most photographed spot. We also went past Tinker cliffs. They are cliffs on the other side of the valley from McAfee Knob and have similar spectacular views. On the hike between McAfee Knob I passed a hiker going southbound who was hiking with a goat. The hiker¢s name was Feathers and her goat¢s name was Little Leaf. Feathers said Little Leaf was a rescue animal and is a Pigmy goat, but is a runt. She said she was a smaller by 20 pounds than other goats her age.  They were hiking to Damascus for Trail Days. Feathers said Little Leaf can¢t do a lot of miles, so they would have to ¢yellow blaze¢, which is hiker talk for going by car on the road. When Rhino left the trail I met two women, Tracey and Kelly, who were doing the Virginia Triple Crown for a 3 day weekend.  They stayed at Johns Springs Shelter.  They gave me a ride to the Super 8 at Daleville at the end of the day.  I got a picture of them.
Date: 2022-04-25
From: Andy Laine trail

To: Super 8 at Daleville, VA
Miles today: 13.46
Weather: overcast clouds

MondayAndy Laine Trail to Super 8 at Daleville, VA13.46 miles.  Very hot today.  Not a lot of people on the trail. Ran into three guys in their early 20s - Bounty, Stringbean and Stick. They were the only people I saw all day. When I got to the Super 8, it was totally different. I saw lots of people I know. I saw Gary, Reece, Old Goat, Linus, Squirrel,  Gandalf and Ken Again.
Date: 2022-04-26
From: Super 8 at Daleville, VA

To: Super 8 at Daleville, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Zero day. Did laundry, went to Kroger and tried to get caught up on my journal. I am not able to upload videos to Trail Journals.  It looks like they are uploading but when I go to the site, they are not there.
Date: 2022-04-27
From: Super 8 at Daleville, VA

To: Bear Wallow Gap
Miles today: 21.94
Weather: light rain

Super 8 at Daleville, VA to Bear Wallow GapSlack packed today. 21.94 miles, my longest day yet. Was not planning on slack packing but I ran into Gary and he convinced me it was good idea. He slack packed this section yesterday. Near the end of today¢s hike, the trail followed the Blue Ridge Parkway, often abbreviated as BRP. It ran along side it for several miles and crossed it several times. The views were amazing. You can see way down in the valley and it seemed like it went on forever. I had to go further than I wanted too because parts of the BRP were closed to automobiles because the National Park Service was doing a prescribed burn along the road. The burn area was not near the AT. Passed a sign that said 1/3 to Kathaden. Not sure it is still in the correct location but I am now definitely passed 1/3 done with the AT. Lots of wildflowers blooming. Saw a big black snake and got a picture and video. There are lots of lizards all along the trail, much more than I ever see in Ohio. Passed a pit where they used to make charcoal in the 1780¢s. There was really nothing there that I could see but I got a picture of the sign.
Date: 2022-04-28
From: Bear Wallow Gap

To: Sunset Field 
Miles today: 17.95
Weather: clear sky

April 28Bear Wallow Gap to Sunset Field Slack packed again today, again following what Gary did the day before. Hiked 17.95 miles. I saw Logman again. I ran into him earlier when we both tented at one of the shelters. He was an Air Force Medic who is carrying a log on his shoulder the entire length of the AT to raise money for charities that help veterans. I gave him $20 to donate to his charities and he asked me to sign his log with a sharpie. He is a super nice articulate relatively young man. He said he has 6 logs that he trains with and the one he is carrying now weighs 20 pounds. He said he started carrying logs to help him train for Tough Mudders races and expanded it to the AT. In a few weeks he is leaving the trail for a few days so he can participate in a Tough Mudder race!  Saw the most unique shelter on the trail so far. It was huge and had a very unique upstairs that held at least 10 people. Tried to get a picture but it really doesn¢t convey the concept very well. Lots of wildflowers blooming all along the trail. I took a video and some pictures. I looked them up and iNaturalist said they were rhododendron and azaleas.
Date: 2022-04-29
From: Sunset Field 

To: Stealth campsite at mile 782.5 
Miles today: 12.55
Weather: clear sky

Sunset Field to Stealth campsite at mile 782.5 Hiked 12.55 miles. Got a late start because I went to the post office first thing before getting on the trail. Was at the top of a ridge and I saw an owl fly from one tree to another. I tried to get close enough to take a picture but every time I almost got close enough it would fly another 20 yards. Had some trail magic today. A guy named Allen had vegetable soup, hot dogs and lemonade. It was very good. There were several US Forest Service employees there as well as a Ridge Runner and a thru hiker. The thru hiker was Pi±ata. I had met her before at one of the shelters. One of the Forest Service employees was from outside of Athens, OH. She went to Ohio University and worked in Wayne National Forest before going to the White Mountains in Vermont and then finally to Virginia. A Ridge Runner is a person employed by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to walk the trail and report any problems and do light trail clean up. She has a lot of miles of the trail she is responsible for and spends most nights sleeping on the trail. She had a fully loaded backpack. A guy walking his dog came over. Apparently he knew Allen. His dog was very friendly and everyone made a big fuss over her. Got a picture of the trail magic while in progress.
Date: 2022-04-30
From: Stealth campsite at mile 782.5 

To: Punch Bowl Shelter 
Miles today: 15.53
Weather: clear sky

Stealth campsite at mile 782.5 to Punch Bowl Shelter Hard day. 15.53 miles. Over 3,271 of elevation gain. Lots of views of the James River Valley   Crossed the longest footbridge on the AT over the James River. Got pictures. Rained a lot of the day. Light rain. Lots of climbing at the end and it finally stopped raining. Stayed at the Punch Bowl shelter. About 10 people in total. Sleepy, Viking, Roadrunner, Shepard, Tomato, Frostbite, Jeff and Rob and a couple others that arrived late.
Date: 2022-05-01
From: Punch Bowl Shelter 

To: VA 60
Miles today: 11.36
Weather: clear sky

Punch Bowl Shelter to VA 60. Hiked 11.36 miles. Passed 800 miles. Someone arranged pine cones to make the number 800. Right next to it someone arranged sticks to form 799.9. Got pictures and a video. Saw my first bear! Actually saw two bears. The first bear was running away from me up a hill and was over the hill before I could get a picture. He was small to medium. I don¢t think it was a cub but it looked like it was maybe a year old. It wasn¢t tiny but not big either. The second bear was bigger and on the other side of the trail. While the second one was bigger, I am not sure it was full grown either. I saw the first one for maybe 3-4 seconds and the second one for maybe 5 seconds. It ran along side the trail and then went down the hill and into the underbrush and I lost sight of it. Was unable to get a picture of either one but very excited to see them. Amazed at how quiet they were. Sometimes I am hiking and I hear sounds like some huge animal is ahead and when I get there it¢s only a bird or chipmunk vigorously churning the leaves. Both bears made hardly any noise at all. Was foggy in the morning and I had some nice forest views. Passed the remains of what was called the Brown Mountain Community. Freed slaves lived there in the early 1900¢s. Now all you can see are a few foundations, a partial stone fence and a few cairns. They were predicting bad thunderstorms for Sunday night so most of the people at the shelter got a shuttle where the AT crosses VA 60, so I did the same. I think everyone is at the Super 8 in Lexington.
Date: 2022-05-02
From: VA 60

To: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 14.47
Weather: overcast clouds

VA Rt 60 to Seeley-Woodworth ShelterMedium day. 14.47 miles with over 4,500 of elevation gain.  Got a late start. We didn¢t start until 10:30 because the one shuttle driver in Lexington, VA had something he had to take care. So 4 us went at 9:30 and another 4 were going at 10:30. Had some nice views. While the mountains in Virginia are not as high as the ones in Tennessee or North Carolina, I will say the views in Virginia are the best I have seen so far. Saw a huge area covered in May apples. It looked like a field of May apples but it was in the forest. They were not blooming yet. Pretty cool. At the Seeley-Woodworth Shelter. My last night sleeping in my tent for a little while. Getting picked up tomorrow and driven to Salem, VA where I pick up my rental car on Wednesday and head back to Ohio to begin our journey to Texas and back. Looks like 11.3 miles to the pickup point.
Date: 2022-05-03
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: VA 56
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

Seeley-Woodworth Shelter to VA 56Harder than I anticipated. Only 11.60 miles and 2,008 feet of elevation but 4,718 of descent. The descent was 4.4 miles. That long of a descent was very hard on my knees and and the bottoms of my feet. Anyway. I made it. I stopped at the Priest Shelter and had just told a fellow thru hiker that everything had stopped hurting. My IT band, my knees, everything! After that descent the front of my knees hurt. At the Priest Shelter I met a hiker with the trail names Lazarus. He lived for 20 years in Pittsburgh and was a trauma MD in the emergency room. He said he had been hiking the AT for 30 years but never thru hiked. Both he and his wife quit their jobs, sold their house, then bought an Airstream and spent 6 months touring the western US and then he was taking 6 months to hike the AT. He said they owned property in Asheville, NC and were building a home there. He pointed out that the Log book at Priest Shelter was very special. Most log books are pretty mundane. Because this was the Priest Shelter (named after Priest Mountain) every entry starts out ¢Bless me Father for I have sinned . . . ¢ and then people confess sins they have committed on the trail. Most are scatological in nature like ¢I have failed to dig my cat hole 6 inches deep¢, but others are otherwise entertaining. One talked about not wanting to talk for 5 minutes with every day hiker that wanted to know about thru hiking (I need to get to Maine!) to evaluating every hikers outfit and whether they were fashionable. It was pretty cool. Got picked up by a shuttle driver named Homer (he¢s 80!) and dropped off at a Holiday Inn Express in Salem, VA. Pick up rental car tomorrow at 9:00. They have Uber in Salem. Then drive to OH through southern Virginia and West Virginia. Apple Maps says 6 hour drive. Homer and his wife and two youngest children (a boy and girl) thru hiked the AT as a family in 2002. They wrote a 3rd grade book about the children¢s experience. The book publisher interviewed the children about their experience and then produced a book to be read by third grade students (their age at the time). Again, pretty cool. I was shuttled on different rides by Homer, his daughter and his oldest son. They all very nice people and I am happy I had the chance to meet them.
Date: 2022-05-20
From: VA 56

To: Harpers Creek shelter 
Miles today: 2.87
Weather: overcast clouds

VA Route 56 to Harpers Creek shelter Made it to Virginia and dropped off the rental car. That was another story. Hertz closed the drop off location (it was at a airport for private planes and jets) but didn¢t take it out of their directory or prohibit you from booking it as a drop off location. The lady I finally ended up talking with said they have notified the ¢higher ups¢ several times and have asked them to remove that location but nothing ever happens. Finally was able to leave the car at Freedom Aviation and they sent someone to pick it up. My shuttle driver was not happy. It made him late for his next shuttle. Got dropped off where I left off earlier in May and hiked 2.87 miles to the Harper¢s Creek shelter. The creek is very nice. Lots of flowing water and babbling brook noises. I am going to set my tent up, make some dinner, filter some water and try to go to sleep early.  Hung my bear bag in a tree. So far one other guy here. He is in a hammock and has a gear hammock under the hammock he sleeps in. I got a picture. Two people just came to the shelter. I am across the creek from the shelter in my tent.The trees and plants are all green. Rhododendron is in bloom!  I got a couple of nice pictures.Saw an enormous fat groundhog running along Harpers Creek. I got a picture but it¢s out of focus.
Date: 2022-05-21
From: Harpers Creek shelter 

To: Stealth camp site at mile 850.9
Miles today: 13.63
Weather: broken clouds

Harpers Creek Shelter to stealth camp site at mile 850.9Hiked 13.63 miles. Very hard day. Over 4,000 of elevation gain and very hot and humid. There was a big climb at the beginning of almost 4 miles. The trail usually starts with switchbacks at the beginning and then just goes straight uphill. Because today is Saturday lots of day hikers. Had some nice views.  Got some pictures. I keep seeing millipedes on the trail. I¢ll post a picture. Today I saw a snake eating a millepede. I got a picture. . I met a couple from Solon, OH. Both graduated Kent State in 2016. He is ¢Flash¢ (for the Golden Flashes) and she is Pink (because she has pink hair). I met an interesting person hiking the trail today. His trail name is Naturist Dave.  I¢ll try to post his picture which will explain everything. He said he is ¢pushing 80¢.I actually talked to Dave for quite a while. He was an ¢engrosser¢. He said I bet you don¢t what an engrosser does. I didn¢t. He said he designs certificates, like stock certificates or graduation certificates. He said he ran his own business in Washington, DC for over 40 years.  I asked him all the regular questions- what about bugs etc. he answered them all and said don¢t knock it til you have tried it. The tradition on the AT is that everyone is supposed to hike naked on the first day of summer. He said he will be out then for sure. He said in the past it has varied with some years lots of naked hikers and others not so much.Lots of people tenting around me.