morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-09-20
From: Camped out

To: Camped out again
Miles today: 20.0

Moving right along. Saw Eastern diamond back rattle snake and a black rat snake. Threw dirt at face of rattle snake to get him to move off trail - it worked eventually. Didn't want to risk walking off trail and running into a hidden rattle snake since they can occur in groups. Black snakes can get huge - over six feet and they can really move fast. They are a constrictor and non venomous. They aren't afraid of people and stand their ground.
Date: 2007-09-21
From: Camped out again

To: Calf Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Met a father and son from Texas. The father retired at 68 and thru hiked the AT in 2005. He missed two 15 mile sections and had driven back with his son to complete the missed sections. He recommended I don't take too many zero days. He only took 4 and did the whole AT in 5 1/2 months. I believe zero days are fine if you have the time. It gives you body a break to heal up. Also I've heard that muscles grow during rest time not when they are in use.
Date: 2007-09-22
From: Calf Mtn Shelter

To: Old woods road
Miles today: 15.0

Went into Waynesborrow, called trail angel at summit tourist info center who came and gave me a ride to town. Ate at AYCE Ming Garden restaurant. It wasn't the quality of food I would of hoped for and several of the hot dishes were a little cold but it was great for price and quantity of food. I felt a little off for three days after eating there. I heard later that a diner named Weezies was the place to eat in Waynesborrow. Stopped at shoe repair store nearby but they didn't have super feet which would give me arch support. I then started walking to Rockfish gap outfitters for insoles. Pebbles picked me up and gave me a ride to the outfitters and waited for me to then give me a ride to the trail head. She hiked the AT last year. The outfitters didn't have super feet but they did have Montrail insoles that worked the same way as super feet so I got those and my foot pain went away (like the beginings of shin splints). I then hiked on and camped at the OLD road at mile 1334 sobo.
Date: 2007-09-23
From: Old woods road

To: camped three ridges
Miles today: 15.0

Camped at three ridges and it rained all night. I had to pack up and carry my wet tent. I hiked the whole trail on the White Blaze section up over a steep climb but there was a blue blaze trail that went around the base of Three ridges Mountain that would have been far easier and less miles. I didn't have a map to know where any of the blue blaze trails went. A blaze is about a two inch wide by 6 inch tall painted mark on something like a tree, rock or bridge. The official AT is signed with White blazes that can be from 3 feet apart to 600 feet apart. Blue blazes are alternate trails that intersect the official White Blaze trail. I also saw Yellow blaze trails in the national parks where horses were allowed to be since they aren't allowed on the White Blaze trail. I think some people call yellow blazing people who hitch around difficult parts of the trail and don't hike them. There is one part of the trail where you can aqua blaze (take a rafting trip around the difficult Priest Mountain section in Virginia if you are going Nobo).
Date: 2007-09-24
From: camped three ridges

To: Dutch House, Montebello
Miles today: 17.0

Hiked up the 3000 ft climb of Priest Mt. and then down to the tiny town of Montebello (2.3 miles of road walking off trail). Had a great time at the Dutch house B&B hiker bunkhouse. $40 - bunk, shower, laundry, vcr-movies(matrix) dinner and breakfast by Lois the proprietor who was really nice and helpful to thru hikers. Got a ride to 1.3 miles below trailhead the next morning. Hung out with Highlife who was staying there too. Highlife is the one wearing the big hat in the picture. Highlife, Twix and Hot Pursuit were off and on running into me as I hiked south for the whole trip. All three of them were faster hikers than me but they liked to stop and stay in towns.
Date: 2007-09-26
From: Brown Mtn Creek Shelter

To: Johns Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

Got bitten about 60 times by no see ums during the night here. No one else at shelter. I had never had a no seeum bite so I didn't take it seriously when I saw the warning in the Shelter Journal. I don't like to bother setting up my tent if I can stay in a shelter. I definitely should have stayed in my tent here. I woke up with at least sixty no seeum bites on my arms and legs. You can see them -they are about a 1/4 the size of a mosquito and make a noticable buzzing sound as they fly around your ears. I would just advise other hikers to not stay at this shelter although it is by a creek with the largest Tulip Poplars that I saw on the whole trail.
Date: 2007-09-27
From: Johns Hollow Shelter

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Hitched into Glasgow to resupply. This is a hard hitch ( I heard some people even had to hike many miles to get to the town) but I got lucky and had a ride in fifteen minutes from a retired school principal. Ate Mountain Breakfast at Tired Feet cafe, sent excess camping gear home at PO and resupplied at expensive market. Hitched back to trail head and continued on still getting 17 miles in on a town day. Big climb up to shelter. The longest hiker bridge on the whole trail goes across the New River here.
Date: 2007-09-28
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Cove Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Wasted time walking two miles to a closed store at va614. Didn't need to go to park pavilion to get water as the guide recommended since the well there was disabled. You could just get water from a creek at the trail crossing. big climb up to shelter but it was a nice setting. I liked this shelter on top of Cove Mountain.
Date: 2007-09-29
From: Cove Mountain Shelter

To: Fullhardt Knob shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

Upon leaving the Cove Mtn shelter in the morning, I heard bear wailing as hunting dogs had treed him ( this was down below in a valley so I couldn't see it). Two bear hunters came by on the trail going to the dogs. They weren't armed since they were only allowed to train the dogs how to tree a bear till hunting season. They made comments to each other that I looked like a bear. They had large chain leases slung over there shoulders. I met four different sets of bear hunters on the trail and none were hiker friendly. The deer hunters were all hiker friendly. There was a 17 mile waterless stretch today. At Fullhardt Knob Shelter there was a large group of boys from New Dominion Wilderness School, VA. These kids were well behaved and friendly. They are sent to the school for a year from courts or parents or foster homes. They live in large tents like a military MASH unit and also go on week long back packs like when I saw them. They had 50 lb packs and went about 7 miles a day. I met Mocha Motion, Snailman, Rhino and Touch ( a grafitti person from Miami). I realized that these kids had been sent to this school due to emotional problems. You could tell that they thought that their parents didn't want them. This would be hard on one's self esteem. They all wanted to hang out and talk to me about backpacking. One had me autograph his hiking stick. They gave me some dried apricots and gorp. This shelter had a cistern that collected water from the roof of the shelter. It rained during the night.
Date: 2007-09-30
From: Fullhardt Knob shelter

To: Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

Trail went through Daleville so I ate breakfast at Bojangles, then went to Outdoor World and bought a MSR Pocket Rocket and Isobutane fuel cannister for it. I have been stoveless up to this point just eating snacks since I didn't think I would need hot food during hot weather also I could eat hot food at some places along the way. It was cooling off some now though. I then went into Kroeger and bought food for the 96 mile stretch to the next resupply town of Pearisburg. There was another 14 mile water less stretch going south out of town. The water smelled bad at Lamberts campsite and shelter but I had enough to skip that water. I have been carrying 3-4 liters of water. I'd rather carry a lot of weight in water than drink bad water.
Date: 2007-10-01
From: Lamberts Meadow Shelter

To: campsite sobo mile1487.3
Miles today: 18.0

Tried to hitch to the Homeplace Restaurant at VA311 but couldn't get a ride so I kept hiking. I was disappointed since it is an AT tradition to eat there. I should have just hiked the mile to the restaurant since it is so good. Got to VA624 and tried again to Hitch back to Homeplace with no luck. This is a more affluent area and it seems that the more money people have the less likely they are to help out a hiker. Ate at gas station mini mart. Ice cream, chicken salad sandwich, soda , hot dog. I hiked up a hill to camp for the night.
Date: 2007-10-02
From: campsite sobo mile1487.3

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: few clouds

Went over Dragon's tooth mt. Slow going and dry for about 12 miles. Got into Niday shelter and met Trip and Daisey thru hiking Sobo. Both live in Maine. Three other people doing a 5 day backpack were in the shelter too so I camped out. These backpackers had loads of equipment and food. Saw one of the most audacious Yogi's I've ever seen. The two thru hikers had two food bags between them of which only one was empty. I had stopped and talked with them earlier as they snacked out of one of their food bags. One of the through hikers held up the empty food bag to the other three backpackers at the shelter and she announced "my food bag is all empty" - oh poor starving thru hikers!!! the three section hikers must have felt.... They opened up their packs and let the two through hikers pick out two Mountain House meals and then gave us oreo cookies. I really appreciate trail magic and people giving me food but I avoid trying to Yogi things. The previous shelter had had a huge tree fall on it and had a caved in roof. Met a person from France who was hiking the trail Nobo. I met two people on the trail from France and both were reluctant to say where they were from.
Date: 2007-10-03
From: Niday Shelter

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Washed clothes in creek - no soap. I don't carry any soap when I backpack. There isn't any safe way for the environment to use soap while on the trail and its heavy. Its always disappointing to see soap bubbles from people washing pots and pans or clothes in mountain streams. Instead, just put rocks on top of your clothes in the river in a part that has fast moving water. This will clean your clothes in about one hour. I then have a safety pin on the back of my pack that I attach the clothes to so they can dry while I hike. Works great!
Date: 2007-10-04
From: War Spur Shelter

To: campsite 1540.6 sobo
Miles today: 20.0

Got in good mileage. camped on windy ridge 7 miles from Pearisburg,VA. Only had one ramen and a cheese stick to eat for the day in my food bag. Lack of food made it harder to walk. One can definitely feel one's body struggle to do good mileage if you aren't fueling it with adequate food. I actually made it to Pearisburg Holy word Hostel on 10/3 so I am off a bit on dates I hiked. Had trouble finding trail going into Pearisburg - ate at Wades Market. Hiked two road miles off trail to get to church hostel. Am at Pearisburg Library now typing in these journal entries. Am taking my first Zero day of the trip for a total of five for the whole trip. Cloudy skies but a good forecast. The people have been nice to me in this town. there is a big cigarette filter making factory here called Celco. Had to road walk two miles off trail to $4 a night Hostel. It was worth it. Great place and views. Most other hikers stayed at Hotels. Plaza Hotel across from Food Lion looked liked the best one to stay at. Holiday Lodge looked dingy.
Date: 2007-10-05
From: Pearisburg

To: campsite 3 miles south of Wapiti shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: light rain

Trail Angel Cheesewhiz who stayed the night at Hostel (thu hiked AT in '06) gave me ride to trailhead and bought me breakfast at Hardees. I resupplied at Food Lion. You really appreciate people willing to reach out and help AT hikers. It can be really hard sometimes to get a ride to and from a trailhead. Road walking on pavement also really kills my ankles for some reason as opposed to hiking on dirt. I did a 2 mile road walk to the hostel when I first got to Pearisburg. Enjoyed my zero day at the Church Hostel in Pearisburg. Had a good Gyro at Queenies Restaurant by Walmart. Yellow Bird, Juice, Caveman and Salty Dog passed me on the trail. Most of the shelters are dry in this section.
Date: 2007-10-06
From: campsite 3 miles south of Wapiti shelter

To: Helveys Mill Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Hiked out to gas station for breakfast and filled my water bottles since today had a 17 mile dry stretch. The lady making the biscuits and gravy put a huge amount of black pepper in the gravy so it was hard to eat. I talked to nobo's to get water info to figure how much to carry. I am carrying about 3L of water to be safe but it is heavy. Helveys Mill Shelter is nice - no bugs or rodents - doesn't look like it is used as much as other shelters - was about .4 miles off trail and was dry too. A lot of the Shelters that were a longer way off the trail turned out to be worth it - having nice settings and such. The new picnic table there was an Eagle Scout project. Most of the picnic tables are marred by burn rings from certain types of homemade alcohol stoves especially the Anti Gravity design.
Date: 2007-10-07
From: Helveys Mill Shelter

To: Davis Farm Campsite
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

Didn't stay at Jenkens Shelter due to some entries in the Shelter journal - a person called 'Hunter Dan' had said he wanted to shoot a hiker in the calf with his bow and arrow to see how well they hiked after that - he felt that long distance hikers thought they were too good for the rest of the people on the trail. The bow hunters are out for a few weeks before they allow rifle hunting for deer season. Black powder hunters are also allowed to hunt earlier but I never saw any of them. Black Powder guns are like muskets and shoot lead balls at a much lower velocity than bullets. Other than Hunter Dan, Bow Hunters are a nice group of people and are very hiker friendly. They have to get within 90 feet of a buck. This takes a lot of skill and really good cammo clothes. Pictured is a bow hunter who was great to talk to and hiker friendly.
Date: 2007-10-08
From: Davis Farm Campsite

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

I liked this shelter - it was the standard issue USFS wood shelter but it had no bugs or rodents and was right by the trail. Got water from the spring box by the pond below Chestnut knob shelter (this was a great stone shelter but It was way to early in the day for me to stop). This Shelter was dry like the rest of them. What water there was was also of low quality and I was glad I had my water filter to make it taste better. I'd hate to have to drink smelly bad tasting water with only aqua mira to treat it. To me wilderness is an area that is too far away from road access for the majority of people to get to. It's too far for day trippers or weekend backpackers to get to. You don't see human impacted or heavily worn areas. In these areas you feel safer from the human related problems that you see in urban areas. You feel that you have escaped the zones of modern populated areas. A person is a mammal just like other denizens of the forest but this is completely forgotten by most urban dwellers as they watch TV and such. In the wilderness you feel the more primitive side of being a creature of the land like people used to be. This part of us is still there and stronger in some of us who seek it out. We need wilderness areas for these reasons as our society becomes even more modernized.
Date: 2007-10-09
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Chatfield Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Lack of water made it so I only drank about half the water I needed to drink to be healthy. I became very dehydrated on the trail but there wasn't much I could do about it. I could tell it made my body struggle to get out the miles - not having the water it needed. Got to US11 and ate late lunch at 54 roses restaurant attached to Exxon station. Had cheese burger and onion rings (took about 6 minutes to eat - I was famished) after 45 minute wait with only 2 other customers in the small restaurant. Paid $.89 for a snickers bar at the adjoining Exxon Gas Station - highest price on the AT that I saw. Walked down to Shell Station and had ice cream and pizza and bought some supplies to get me to Troutdale. The Shell Station here is vastly better than the Exxon station for eating and resupply. The Barn Restaurant nearby is the best and I should have eaten there - oh well. Started raining so I hurried the 4 miles up to Chatfield shelter. I hoped to not stay at any motels or hotels on my trip and instead spend money on eating out when ever I could. I missed a poorly blazed turnoff and got a 1/3 mile off trail before turning around and finding the turnoff. I got soaked from thunder showers but made it to the shelter before dark and hung up my clothes. The clothes were still totally wet in the morning though. When it is raining the shelters are a dream come true to hikers. Setting up and breaking down a tent in pouring rain is no fun and carrying a wet tent is heavy.
Date: 2007-10-10
From: Chatfield Shelter

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

Stopped at Mt. Rogers Visitor center and bought a Pepsi. They also sold candy bars. Lady at visitor center wasn't hiker friendly. Hung out at Partnership shelter for an hour with Godfather and another hiker who was doing a study on native brook trout. It was too early in the day to stay there unfortunately since this is one of the best shelters on the AT. You can order out for Pizza here. I continued down a big hill and started getting Achilles tendon pain in left leg - got worse by turnoff before Trimpi shelter so I called it a day and limped in there. It was like getting a flat tire. Wasn't able to walk properly. Probably due to quickly getting to Chatfield Shelter the previous night in the rain. Lots of rodent and other wildlife noises during the night. Things falling off trees and hitting the metal roof made for little sleep.
Date: 2007-10-11
From: Trimpi Shelter

To: Church Hostel Troutdale
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Walked to VA650 and got a ride right away to Troutdale. My Achilles tendon is hurting and I need to find a fix for this if I am to continue my hike. I had breakfast at Jerry's Kitchen Restaurant and posted questions on the internet to see if anyone knew what to do about Achilles tendon pain - hope I get some advice. Will take a zero day here maybe even two and am taking ibruproprin. Troutdale is the friendliest town I have been to so far on this trip. Great food at reasonable prices at Jerry's. I really started enjoying the scenery more from Troutdale south.
Date: 2007-10-15
From: Church Hostel Troutdale

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: broken clouds

I just spent four days in Troutdale at the church hostel recovering from tendonitus in my left achilles tendon. I wasn't sure how it would go since the internet said that that tendonitus can take several weeks to a couple of months to heal. In my case it went away after only four days and I was fine the rest of the trip. I researched on the internet and posted on trailforums.com to find out how to fix it. I didn't go to the doctor. Taking four zero days did the trick and I am back on the trail. Thanks to Pastor Ken and Jerry from Jerry's Kitchen for being so helpful and supportive of me and getting me back on the trail. I am now taking smaller steps going up hill and down hill and doing calf stretches three times a day. In addition I try to walk more flat footed when going downhill. I am staying with the same shoes - low top NB trail runners. Beautiful fall color views up on Mt. Rogers getting to the shelter. Fed the wild ponies along the trail. The ponies are trucked down to lower elevations in the winter. They help maintain the balds which aren't natural. They are grassy areas created by ranchers from a long time ago on the top of mountains.
Date: 2007-10-16
From: Wise Shelter

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Great day hiking and seeing the scenery. Met Marilyn and her children from Florida. She and her husband are really interested in the AT and follow trailjournals. I didn't have a digital picture for my trailjournal so she took one and emailed it too me and now it is on my journal - thank you Marilyn! Mt. Rogers was one of my favorite places on this trip. I would recommend this section to weekend backpackers. You can park at a place called the scales inside the fenced in circular area that has a restroom. This shelter had a pulaski (like an ax) on the wall that I didn't feel safe about so I put it under the shelter.
Date: 2007-10-17
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: The Place Hostel Damascus
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: clear sky

Came into Damascus today. Stayed on the White Blaze trail as usual but was very temped to hike the Creeper Trail that was more scenic and went along the river and had a deli along the way. Eternal Wanderer invited me to stop by his house and gave me soda's and free long distance calls on his phone. They invited me to dinner and bible study at the One Way church which I attended. Ate dinner number one at Baja Cafe - a great burrito then headed later over to the church for dinner number 2. Great fellowship from the people there made my day. The creeper trail looked like fun to bicycle. I wish I had taken one or two zero days in Damascus - it is one of the best trail towns on the AT but I had just taken 4 zeros in Troutville and wanted to get in some miles. My Achilles tendon was holding up and not hurting too. Stayed at the The Place church hostel - $4 a great bargain - good showers.
Date: 2007-10-18
From: The Place Hostel Damascus

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: light rain

Left the Place Hostel early this morning and headed out. Tough climb out of Damascus. Hard to find AT going south through town. Hiked in the rain. Didn't take a zero in Damascus since I had just taken four in Troutdale. Met section hiker who owns Supercut Franchises in Altlanta. He is a marathon runner so I suggested he use Marathon Man as a trailname which he did.
Date: 2007-10-19
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Watuauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 21.2
Weather: moderate rain

Long day. Had trouble finding shelter. Small sign away from trail ( a 4" by 4" hand lettered piece of plastic. Hiker gave me directions and I hiked back to it. An earlier hiker had broken his foot there since the last stair was missing. By a road crossing I met thru hiker Farsang's parents. They have been putting out jugs of water for all the through hikers along the dry stretches. I had heard a lot of scare stories about the up coming Smoky Mountains being dry so I suggested they might want to help slack pack Farsang through there. After having hiked the Smokeys I can safely say that Farsang can get through there fine without any slackpacking since there was enough water especially for the type of mileage a thru hiker can do. I stayed on the white blaze trail the whole trip and never slack packed - this is also the best way to go if you are on a low budget. Almost everyone slack packs on the AT though. This is probably due to the hostel owners all offering shuttle services to points on the trail. That way backpackers can stay in town and do large parts of the trail and still eat at restaurants and stay at a hostel.