morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-05-11
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Tru Brit's camp (US 52)
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: scattered clouds

After putting on my wet clothes, packing up my wet tent and damp sleeping bag and putting them in my damp pack, I headed out of camp this morning thinking I was going to hike to the next shelter. Fortunately, the sun was shining again and the trail today was easy on the feet for a change, with no tedious rocks to negotiate, slippery leaves, rocks or roots, or steep ascents or descents.Today was another walk in the woods kind of day. I've decided pine needles are the clear winner for "easiest on the feet." There is so much jarring on the feet and knees walking on rocks and hard dirt with a pack day after day, the cushion of pine needles underfoot is quite noticeable. I knew there were not a lot of water sources between shelters, so I made sure to pack out 2 liters this morning. I got to the 1st road crossing and some fellow hikers said they had just heard that the water source at the next shelter was dry, and there was no reliable water for the next 18 miles. Someone had called Tru Brit who offers a shuttle ride to his property to tent and provides breakfast, all for $7. I met Tru Brit when he arrived at the road crossing to pick up a handful of hikers and talked to him about my options. I waited for Just Paul and Tortoise to catch up and we debated the options given the water shortage. We ended up hiking another 7 miles and getting picked up by Tru Brit at the next road crossing. That way tomorrow we can carry enough water to go 12 miles and not have to carry enough to go 18 miles. Water is heavy, let me tell you. I am tenting on Tru Brits wilderness property in a pine forest with Willy Wonka, Tea Bag, Noro V, Pope, Rocky, Lone Star, Lost Boy, Just Paul, Tortoise, Bear Bag and others. Tru Brit stopped at Dairy Queen for us on the way to his place and I had a hot fudge sundae. Yum. There is pizza delivery, so most ordered out. I chose to cook a meal to lighten my food bag. There is always a trade off when there is the option of eating town food on the trail. It's great to eat something other then trail food, but it means carrying a heavier food bag longer. We sat under a huge tarp in front of a fire and I mean sat. Tru Brit has an assortment of chairs and I got to sit in a very comfortable upholstered swivel desk chair! It was devine. I'm looking forward to bacon and eggs in the morning and a shuttle back to the trail. Who knew when I got up this morning, this is how my day would turn out? Life is good.
Date: 2014-05-12
From: Tru Brit's camp (US 52)

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: scattered clouds

I was all packed up and ready when Tru Brit gave 1st call for breakfast at 7:30. Scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes and coffee in the woods is the best. I wish I could fuel my body every day with a hearty breakfast. Tru Brit drove Just Paul, Tortoise, and me back to the trail and I was hiking by 8:30. I started out ahead of them and hiked by myself until they caught up to me at lunch. It was slim pickin's for lunch. It always feels great to carry a really light food bag just before a resupply, but it usually means the more exciting food has already been eaten. I had the last of my wheat thins and peanut butter. I talk a lot about town food, but haven't talked lately about trail food. What I eat has evolved over the weeks as my taste and the weather changes. My breakfasts most recently have been instant breakfast or Muscle Milk with dried whole milk. My best lunches are cheese with either a tuna packet or hard salami on a tortilla. Tortillas pack well. The days are getting too warm for cheese (it gets slimy), and soon salami. Pepperoni and summer sausage work too. I still mostly eat Mountain House dinners. They cost more then Knor Pasta and Rice Sides, but they are so easy. I boil water and that is it. Just Paul introduced me to instant pudding. I just add cold water to instant pudding and dried whole milk, and wait 5 minutes. It's a great dessert in the woods. For snacks, I still like and eat Cliff Bars, trail mix, nuts, dried fruit (dried mango is my favorite), and jerky. Snickers bars and peanut M&M's are my reward for long, hard days. The trail was kind today, though water sources scarce. It was sunny and hot, so I was careful to ration my liter of water and liter of Gatorade. There were empty gallon jugs of water at one road crossing, but I did manage to pick up about a 1/2 liter of water that a trail angel had left across the same road.I'm tenting at the shelter tonight with Just Paul, Tortoise, Pope, Noro V, XC, and Sam. Tomorrow I am hiking to Trent's Grocery where I can get a 2 day resupply to get me to Pearisburg. Trent's is more than a grocery. They have tenting, showers, and laundry. I could really use the latter two!
Date: 2014-05-13
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: clear sky

I was out of camp at 7:30, ahead of Just Paul and Tortoise. I made it to the road crossing at 10:30 and waited for them to catch up at a very cool suspension foot bridge I'd just crossed over. We headed .5 miles off the trail to Trent's Grocery where I did a small 2 day resupply to get me to the next town. Trent's offers tenting on the lawn, showers, laundry, a deli, and a limited resupply selection. You can also get fishing gear and hardware supplies which I passed on. I felt gross, so I took a $3 shower. I splurged and bought a bar of soap since that wasn't included in the cost. It felt great to be clean even though I knew that 30 min after being back on the trail, I would be hot, sweaty and dirty again. For clean hair and shaven legs, it was well worth it. There were benches out in front of Trent's and we spent 2 hours relaxing, eating (cheeseburger, fries, iced tea, ice cream and soda), and socializing. Sam, Nora V, And Pope were there too. We then headed the .5 mile back to the trail. When I add miles to my day that are not part of the trail, I'm always weighing the pros and cons. This definitely was worth the diversion. Two miles down the trail was a .3 mile blue blaze trail to Dismal Falls (the chamber of commerce needs to change the name). It is a lovely spot and I spent an hour there with my feet in the water, soaking up the rays. After a climb this morning, the afternoon hike was relatively flat. At one point the trail went under a number of sweet smelling, blossoming trees and they hummed from all the bumble bees. I put in good miles today, but it felt like a relaxing day with stops at Trent's and the falls, especially on such a hot day. It has been in the mid to upper 80's for days. I'm tenting at the shelter tonight with tent fly off. It was another great day on the AT.
Date: 2014-05-14
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: campsite at mile 628.2
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: fog

I was packed up and on the trail at 7:45 this morning. I had a moderate uphill climb early that went straight up through rhododendron tunnel after rhododendron tunnel. That is not anything new. The rhododendron are not yet blooming, but I have walked many miles under them on this trail, not to mention hid behind them to pee. By the way, peeing in the privies is discouraged because it affects the decomposition of waste. Who knew? I can't squat as low to pee as I did in the beginning of my hike because my poor knees don't bend and straighten as easily as they did. Once again it was hot and sunny today. I had some great views of rolling hills and grasslands this afternoon. I've been much better about using sunblock and am wearing a hat. I came across trail magic at Big Horse Gap. Gabe and Shadow, who thru-hiked in '04, were offering soda, home made cookies, and water to replenish my water bottles. Gabe gave up his chair for me, and I sat and chatted with them for a while. Like me, Shadow said what she missed most on the trail was a chair to sit in. Gabe insisted I take a 2nd soda for lunch down the trail. It was still cold when I stopped later to eat. A cold beverage is such a treat. Now that it has gotten hot, unless I am cameling at a stream, I'm drinking the warm water I carry. Thank you Gabe and Shadow for the sustenance, short respite, and conversation. I'm tenting at a campsite 3 miles outside of Pearisburg. Heavy rain is forecasted for tomorrow, but I'm hoping to get out early in the morning and beat the rain. I'm ready for a zero and some town food.
Date: 2014-05-15
From: campsite at mile 628.2

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 3.1

It started to rain during the night. I slept with Rosie since rain was forecasted. That way I could fully pack her up, minus my tent, before facing the elements. It was only lightly raining when I crawled out, packed up the tent and headed off to town. I hadn't gone a mile before the downpour began. Once again, I was drenched, my clothes and pack were soaked (the latter despite my pack cover), and my feet were squishing in my boots. I was careful on the rocks and roots, but couldn't help slipping in the mud. I managed to stay on my feet until my 2 foot skid. I landed on my butt, could only laugh, get up, and try to clean the mud off my hands and pole with wet leaves. Hiking in rain is miserable, but knowing I would be in town, and clean and dry soon enough made it bearable. I did the miles in just over an hour. Just Paul, Tortoise and I are in the new hiker "bunk house" at the Holiday Lodge in Pearisburg. It is a large room with 17 twin beds, 2 showers, 2 bathrooms, a TV, microwave, computer, and lots of outlets for charging cell phones. Long Bow says the room reminds him of being in the army. I'm here with Long Bow, Sam, Wrong Way, Stargazer, No Name, Salty Hat, Siesta, 12%, Morning Wood, and others. I'm clean and dry, laundry is done, and I've been to the post office to pick up my mail drop from Houdini which includes my summer sleeping bag. There is not enough room here to dry out all my gear, so I am upgrading to a motel room tomorrow night. I can spread out, dry my gear, decide how I am going to pack my summer gear for optimal room and efficiency, and send the last of my winter gear back home. The grocery store is across the street for a needed BIG resupply tomorrow. Ugh. Heading out soon to the Mexican Restaurant for dinner with Just Paul, Tortoise, and Long Bow. It's been too long since I acknowledged those of you who are signing my guest book. I thank you all for the encouraging words and advice. I always look forward to checking my guest book when I have internet access.
Date: 2014-05-16
From: Pearisburg, VA

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

For 17 hikers together in one room, it was a very quiet night in the bunk house at the Holiday Lodge. The TV was on until 10, but most everyone was tending to their cell phones or reading, or like me, trying to go to sleep. Even with the lights off, the room was lit up like a Christmas tree all night from the two soda machines in the room. No head lamps needed. There was essentially NO snoring. This morning Long Bow, Just Paul and I went to Dairy Queen for breakfast. I then went back to the bunk house, gathered up my stuff, and hauled it to my motel room. It was cool, in the high 50's to low 60's only, but the sun was back out and I was able to put my wet gear outside on the balcony to dry after yesterday's drenching rain. It took my boots all day to dry. Long Bow had to get his last fix of ESPN Sports Center and cup of coffee, then headed back out to the trail. He'll be a day ahead if me again, but I will see him in Daleville I am sure. It was soon time to eat again, because that is mostly what you do in town other than town chores. I went to the AYCE (all you can eat) Chinese buffet with Wrong Way, Stargazer, Just Paul and Tortoise. From there I did my resupply at the grocery store next door, and then walked to the post office and sent home my winter sleeping bag. Ironically, tonight and the next two nights are the coldest we will have had for some time, but I will be warm enough with the gear and clothes I still have. First Gear, my 2013 thru-hiking niece, in Damascus for Trail Days, drove up for a quick visit this afternoon. We of course talked trail non stop as we always do. It was great to see her. We had dinner and made a quick Walmart run, then she headed back to Damascus with So Heavy, a SOBO who needed a ride to Trail Days. I spent some time this afternoon trying to figure out the best way to pack my pack with my change into summer gear. I'm experimenting with a pack liner, gallon ziplock bags for clothes instead of dry sacks, and carrying my tent in the bottom of my pack below the liner. It will be another work in progress as I figure out what works best over the next few days. Of course I have a full six day resupply of food to deal with which is always a pack hog. Such is life on the trail when leaving town. I have some mountains to climb before Daleville-Troutville, the next hiker towns 96 miles away. I'll be back at it in the morning. Zero days go by very quickly.
Date: 2014-05-17
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: campsite at mile 645.0
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: overcast clouds

After a 3rd morning of bacon and eggs at DQ (it still tasted good), and savoring my last cup of coffee for a while, Just Paul, Tortoise, and I hit the road, literally. It was a .8 mile walk on Main St to get back to the trail. For the 1st time, I didn't have that usual feeling of unease leaving town and I'm not sure why. Maybe it was a good nights sleep (for me), my visit with First Gear, and the fact that all my gear and food resupply fit in my pack much better with my summer gear. The temperature is about 25 degrees colder than last week. It struggled to reach 60 degrees today. The trail took a very circuitous route out of Pearisburg, and it seemed to take forever to get to the big climb of the day. It was a 2000 ft ascent over a section of trail that I will be one of the last hikers to traverse. In a couple of weeks a newly built section of the AT will replace it. Once at the top, I walked on ridge line for the rest of the day. The early warm sun disappeared behind a gradually thickening cloud cover, and it was chilly when we stopped for lunch at the 1st shelter. There were only a couple of views of the countryside and surrounding mountains today, as the trail stayed mostly in the woods. Just Paul saw a bear cub, but the cub was gone by the time I caught up to Just Paul. We were ready to quit for the day, and I'm settled for the night in a small campsite near Dickenson Gap. It is cold. I put on my warmest camp clothes (I'm glad I didn't send home my last set of polypro), and made fast work of dinner prep so I could get in my tent and sleeping bag to warm up. I was flinching a little over having my new summer bag when I knew in my winter bag, I would have been toasty. I am in fact warm in this 40 degree bag with my 15 degree liner, but it did take a while for my hands to warm up. Time to hunker down for the night. It is only 7:30. Lying horizontal feels wonderful, but it is early even for me to go to sleep. Hiker midnight is getting later and later as the days are getting longer.
Date: 2014-05-18
From: campsite at mile 645.0

To: campsite at mile 659.6
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

I am cold, am trying to get warm in my sleeping bag, and have a headache. I've just taken some ibuprofen, for my head, not my sore muscles for a change. This will be a short and sweet entry. Today I didn't like the AT. Maybe that's why I have a headache. I was on a long stretch of very rocky terrain, the kind that requires constant vigilance so as not to trip, stumble, twist an ankle or fall. All the while I was getting annoyed at what I thought was the ridge line above me, but the trail kept skirting. Were it not for white blazes, it would have been hard to distinguish the rocky trail from all the other rocks. Oh, and I did fall (that makes 9 total) today. Not on the rocks though. The trail went up a stream bed and I fell trying to negotiate a large rock and a log. The bad news is the weight of Rosie took me down, but the good news is I landed on her instead of the rock or in the water. On a positive note, trail angels left ice cold cokes and a trash bag for hiker trash. Later we met the trail angels coming SOBO. They are former section and thru hikers who now do trail maintenance for the local ATC. Thank you for the soda and the hard work you do maintaining the trail for all to enjoy. Today the trail got the best of me. Tomorrow is another day.
Date: 2014-05-19
From: campsite at mile 659.6

To: campsite at mile 672.5
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: few clouds

First off, I have to say Happy Anniversary to Houdini. We have been married 35 years today. He is making his third trip to see me this weekend, and will meet me in Troutville. I'm looking forward to celebrating our anniversary and Houdini's birthday with some good town food, and am hoping to do some more slack packing with his help. It was cold again this morning and it was hard to get out of my sleeping bag. Fortunately, the sun was shining and the forecast was for warmer temperatures today. It must have gotten into the low 70's by afternoon, but my fingers were freezing when I was breaking down my tent (tent poles hold the cold) and filtering very cold stream water at 7:30 this morning. After yesterday's miserable rocky trail, today's was pleasant for much of it. The biggest climb of 1,800 ft was this morning. I much prefer big climbs in the morning when my legs are fresh. Both Tortoise and Just Paul were listening to music on their iPods, so I decided to give music another try. I definitely picked up my pace with it and it did take my mind off the drudgery of the uphill. I guess I'm a convert or at least will listen to music more often to break up long days of endless hiking. There were switchbacks on the descent, more trail covered in pine needles, and a lovely stretch over open fields today. I now check for ticks after walking through grassy areas. I found one on my tent last night. They are out and I will have to get vigilant about checking for them as they become more prevalent. It's warm enough tonight to try sleeping in my summer sleeping bag without the liner. There are ultra light hikers out here who have been very cold the past two nights, not having anticipated such a temperature swing. I, who have always packed to my fear of being cold, have held onto enough gear to have stayed warm enough. Soon enough I will be complaining about the heat again.
Date: 2014-05-20
From: campsite at mile 672.5

To: campsite at mile 687.6
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a good day on the trail. It was a little warmer this morning and a little easier to get out of my sleeping bag. Everything was damp though, including the tent, sleeping bag, and any clothes or gear that I hadn't secured in a stuff sack or a plastic zip lock bag. Even if the sweat in my hiking clothes dries out before I get into my tent for the night, by morning the clothes are damp just sitting in my tent. Sometimes I'll tuck them into my sleeping bag to keep them dry like tonight, but some nights I just don't feel like sleeping with wadded up clothes in an already cramped mummy bag. In any event, putting on the same damp, cold, stinky, yucky clothes every morning gets old, but the good news is my body heat warms and dries them, so when I start hiking, they can get all sweaty again. It will be 8 days between showers, my longest stretch since getting on the trail. It is a good thing I live in the woods. I am not fit for the civilized world. Just Paul, Tortoise, and I left camp just before 8:00. We had two significant climbs today. This mornings was shorter, but steeper, and this afternoons was a gentler two plus mile climb up Brush Mountain. There were several wooden benches along the ridge after cresting the mountain. I get very excited over chairs in the woods, and I made sure to sit in every one of them. We stopped at the Audie Murphy Monument located near the site of the plane crash in which he was killed. He is the most decorated American soldier of WW II. How ironic that he survived the war only to be killed in a civilian plane crash. We are camped tonight at the top of Brush Mountain. It is a beautiful, warm evening. I am back to sleeping in shorts and a short sleeve shirt in my new summer sleeping bag. The rhododendron are finally blooming and the mountain laurel are not far behind!Life is good.
Date: 2014-05-21
From: campsite at mile 687.6

To: Four Pines Hostel (US 624)
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a spectacular day on the AT. It started with breaking up camp this morning fighting off daddy long legs. I've never seen so many in one place. They were in, on, and under my tent, in my shoes, and on my pack. We must have set up our tents on a nest. Just Paul, Tortoise, and I were on the trail by 8:00. We made quick work of the first 2 miles to the road. Sitting there waiting for me was Jimmy, the husband of I Believe, a fellow thru-hiker I first met in the Smokies. I Believe is my age and we are among a small group of women our age out here. I met Jimmy in Hot Springs where he was helping I Believe slack pack, and I recognized him immediately. Today Jimmy was my trail angel. He had done some trail detective work and figured out where I would likely be, and was there with cold soda and an offer to slack pack me over the next 8 mile section which included the strenuous and rocky Dragon's Tooth. Jimmy generously offered to slack pack Just Paul and Tortoise as well. While we were there Wrong Way and Stargazer, who I haven't seen since Pearisburg, hiked out of the woods and were two more lucky recipients of Jimmy's trail magic. Stargazer has been nursing shin splints so jumped at the opportunity to slack pack. We rigged up small packs for snacks and water using our food bags, and the 5 of us headed off. It was a fun hike, especially the descent over rocky cliffs. Coming down off the rocks would have been difficult and slow going with our full packs. We stayed together the whole time and I enjoyed the company. And finally, the rhododendron are in full bloom and I walked through a forest of them! It was magical. We hiked out to the next road and met back up with Jimmy at a small grocer in Watawba. He patiently waited for us to pick up a small resupply, and food to dampen our voracious hiker appetites. I devoured a pint of ice cream before we left the store. Jimmy then drove us to The Four Pines Hostel where I am tenting in a large freshly mowed field. Others are sleeping inside the three bay garage which serves as the hostel. I had the luxury of a shower which I thought I'd have to wait until town for. How divine to be clean. It is a warm night, and I sat outside chatting with Jimmy and fellow hikers. Joe, the hostel owner, and Donna his significant other who bakes delicious hiker bars, are very personable and accommodating. Joe has a well used van which he lets hikers use to drive to the store. Chance drove us back to the small grocer where we picked up a pizza for dinner. Besides Just Paul and Tortoise, Chicken, Rooster, Owl Bear, Chance, Stargazer, Digger, Indy and Forty Two are here. Jimmy is also spending the night before meeting I Believe tomorrow in Daleville. He has offered to slack pack us the first 6 miles tomorrow morning, so I'll be packed up and ready to head out at 7:30. Jimmy, you are the best. Thank you so much for all your trail magic today. I Believe, you've got a keeper.