morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-04-12
From: Lost Mtn. Shelter

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: clear sky

Today was such a bizarre day that it seemed to be two days in one. The morning started cool & dry with me being the last to leave the shelter around 8:40a. After losing the trail for about a half hour near an old brick house, I soon found myself stomping through snow, slush & mud on my long ascent of Mt. Rogers. The trail quickly turned into a river, sopping my socks & shoes to such an extent that every time I pushed off the ground water actually squished out of my shoes. By the time I reach Thomas Knob Shelter, my toes had turned to prunes & I had to wring my socks out before pushing on. I should have employed the ¢feet in Ziplock bags¢ trick but didn¢t know that so much snow still remained until it was too late.Only a couple miles down Mt. Rogers the slush began to dry up & after passing through the ¢Fatman Squeeze,¢ a tight rock outcrop, I entered the Grayson Highlands. Being a Saturday, there were hords of weekend & day hikers out. I ran into a large Boy Scout troop, a church group, & several others. It¢s no wonder there were so many people in this particular area as it¢s beautiful & teeming with wild ponies. I saw ten of them, in three separate groups. Two of the ponies walked right up to me & nudged my hands. No doubt they smelled the sunflower seeds in my pocket.At this point in the day, the sun continued to shine brightly with a considerable warm-up in temperature. Where as in the morning I was hiking alone, the afternoon brought the company of strangers & ponies. An interesting mix of experiences.
Date: 2003-04-13
From: Wise Shelter

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

Another day that began slushy but ended dry. I¢m discovering that the A.T. is difficult to follow in some parts in VA because the blazes aren¢t as frequent as they were in past states. However, one great bonus of being in VA is the reappearance of privies at the shelter. Tennessee didn¢t allow them in order to preserve the wilderness setting (yet they have shelters) and NC didn¢t always provide them. So bonus for Virginia! Although, funny enough, this shelter doesn¢t have one. But it has a sweet set-up with a fireplace & two top bunks for singles & two bottom bunks that sleep three apiece. Java & I snagged the top bunks so we don¢t have to worry about jabbing the person next to us. Maybe I¢ll get a decent nights sleep.This shelter also has wild daffodils growing around it. These aren¢t the first that I¢ve seen but they are a definite reminder that spring is here, despite snowy weather we just recently experienced. A full moon is drawing near, lighting up the night sky & illuminating the picnic table outside the shelter. Can¢t wait to get in some night hiking!
Date: 2003-04-14
From: Wise Shelter

To: Rural Retreat
Miles today: 22.2

A looong hiking day it was! Mother Nature has been kind to us, making for a beautiful day to walk. Stopped at the notorious Partnership Shelter for lunch. This shelter is seriously sweet, with two levels, a shower, a privy, & a nearby ranger station with a phone to order pizza. Unfortunately, the shower isn¢t yet hooked up for the season, but you better believe we ordered pizza for lunch. Grunt, A-Train, & I gobbled up two small pizzas & a 2-liter of pop. We didn¢t want to over do it what with our town stop later in the day so we made sure to sit around for a bit to let the food settle before moving on. We were on a mission to get to the Relax Inn to pick up drop boxes & celebrate Java¢s 21st b-day (that is technically tomorrow). After hiking over the rolling green hills of Virginia at the tail end of the day¢s hike, I was slapped in the face coming over the last hill being greeted by a Virginia interstate & the craziness of a truck stop. We all met up at the local dive for the salad bar, picked up supplies for Java¢s b-day celebration, & headed back to the hotel. I picked up my mail & found Easter surprises from my family & best friend Becky. How fabulous! I am so loaded down with candy now it¢s ridiculous! My sweet tooth will be satisfied for quite some time. Thank you guys!
Date: 2003-04-15
From: Rural Retreat

To: Knot Maul Branch
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: clear sky

We all became so content with our stashes of food/candy from our mail drops & the warm weather & most likely our late night prior, that we didn¢t hit the trail until 2p. We¢ve all become a bit cocky with our hiking abilities & stretch the limits of our hiking hours. Knowing that a full moon awaited us tonight, we figured a late start to be permissible. And that it was. The scenery has definitely become greener & the warm temps allow for comfortable hiking later in the day.After hiking solo for the majority of the day, I ran into A-Train later in the evening & we were able to catch the last of the sunset atop the last climb of the day as it dipped below the mountains. We reached the shelter around 8:15 as the full moon began to shine in full force.It¢s a late night for me tonight ¢ 10:30 already! And also the first night that I haven¢t needed to wear my long underwear & fleece hat to bed. I could definitely get used to this.
Date: 2003-04-16
From: Knot Maul Branch

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: scattered clouds

An unexpectedly long mileage day. The plan was to camp out a few miles past Chestnut Knob Shelter after taking in the beautiful view of the valley below aptly named ¢God¢s Thumbprint,¢ but after running out of water because of poor planning, Java & I were on a mission to rehydrate ourselves. By the time we reached the first water source we were only a mile & a half from the shelter & decided it would be silly to not push on. Plus, there were no good campsites since we had been following the ridgeline for the second part of the day (hence the water shortage). A-Train, Grunt, Red Streak, & Squirts must have camped because they haven¢t shown up here & it¢s already 10:40p. Tonight I share the shelter with Java, Subman, & Pile Up & will most certainly see the rest of the crew tomorrow.
Date: 2003-04-17
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: US21/52
Miles today: 11.5

What a sweet looking privy the Jenkins Shelter has, grafitti put to good use. Check out the pic!Met up with A-Train, Grunt, Squirts, & Red Streak this morning after they camped a few miles short of the shelter. Experienced a bit of trail magic in the form of cold drinks from a local Methodist Church. Oh how Java & I could have used that yesterday when we were out of water, but it was great to have today nonetheless.We all hot-footed it to US21/52 to meet A-Train¢s mom & stepdad. They are incredibly kind & generous, setting us up in the ¢Big Walker Motel¢ & taking us out to dinner. Thank you so much! I¢ve been spoiled by trail magic left & right.
Date: 2003-04-18
From: US21/52

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: moderate rain

Oh me oh my, back to the fleece hat & gloves I need to keep reminding myself that it is only mid-April & as the saying goes, ¢April showers bring May flowers.¢ A bit of steady rain came my way & pelted me all day long with 40 degree temps to compliment it. That & a late morning start prompted an earlier than desired stop at the Jenny Knob Shelter. How fitting, though, to stay the night at a shelter bearing my name (minus the ¢Knob¢ of course).It¢s been an amazingly lazy afternoon/evening as I¢ve already had 5 12 hours to sit here with nothing to do but talk, read, eat, & sleep in this dry, three-walled structure. Java & I are going to get an early morning start tomorrow in an attempt to cover 23 miles in order to get into Pearisburg Sunday morning to make it to a church for Easter. A-Train & Grunt slack-packed today & we¢ll see them in Pearisburg. Red Streak & Squirts stayed behind in Bland to get Red Streak¢s foot x-rayed because he injured it on the trail. I hope nothing bad show up. We¢ve been rough on our bodies the past couple weeks & really need to watch ourselves. The last thing we all need is to be thrown off the trail due to injury. My left knee has been acting up lately which is a bit scary. Not to self & other eager hikers: stretching & keen eyes on the trail are essential.
Date: 2003-04-19
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Doc's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I am totally pooped tonight. The last eight miles really did me in for some reason. It didn¢t help any that the weather was cloudy & foggy & the terrain desolate with very little greenery.A full shelter tonight with a few weekend hikers. I suspect I¢ll get little sleep with all of us packed in like sardines, but as least I¢ll stay dry. Clean clothes & Chinese food await in Pearisburg.
Date: 2003-04-20
From: Doc's Knob Shelter

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Happy Easter! I hiked with Java today into Pearisburg & we got tons of stuff done without even staying a night in town. Arriving early in the morning, we were able to attend a service at the Episcopal Church. The small congregation & pastors were extremely welcoming & even invited us for snacks following the service. We then did our laundry, ate a fabulous Easter dinner consisting of Chinese food, & went grocery shopping. Back on the trail around 5:30p. to finish off another 8 miles.It was odd not being home for Easter, knowing that my family were hunting for hidden Easter eggs & baskets, dressing up for church, & eating Easter dinner. But, I got a taste of Easter ¢at home¢ with the baskets of goodies my parents, grandma & friend sent to Atkins. My parents enclosed bunny ears & I¢ve been wearing them for the past two days. They helped us get a quick hitch into town!In the end, a very good day. I prefer scooting through towns if possible because they drain me if I stay too long. The way I see it, I¢m out here to be on the trail. I left all that town/city stuff behind purposely. This actually has been a source of frustration for me lately because of the numerous town stops. Not only does it take away form being ¢on the trail,¢ but you spend a lot of money staying in towns. Granted, town stops are necessary given the fact that I resupply there, but from here on out I¢m going to attempt to cruise trough them & stay at hostels more often for showering, laundering, etc. I think it will be a much better experience this way.
Date: 2003-04-21
From: Rice Field Shelter

To: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Evenings are absolutely the best time to hike. The temperature drops, the sunlight begins to cast beautiful shadows, and a calmness spreads across the land. It¢s almost as if you can sense everyone & everything preparing to go to bed for the night.I¢ve been fortunate enough over the last week or so to be able to walk in the evening light, but tonight has been by far the best yet. The morning started out wet & foggy & persisted this off & on throughout the afternoon, but the early evening brought out the sunshine & created a wonderful hiking atmosphere. I pass early spring flowers & crossed over the Stony Creek bridge with tree branches shadowing th ewater. A rough climb led me to the shelter with a swiftly running spring. I spent a good deal of time relaxing & enjoying the remainder of the evening. Bliss.
Date: 2003-04-22
From: Bailey Gap Shelter

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day! Alright, I know April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but cut me some slack Mother Nature. Yet another day of hiking in the rain, this time with little reprieve the rain was pretty constant the whole day through, though luckily minus any thunder & lighting.The plan was to get in 21 miles, heading to Saver Hollow Shelter, but upon running into Java sitting alongside the trail in the rain complaining of light headedness, I decided to wait for him at Laurel Creek Shelter to make sure he was ok. By the time he made it it was getting quite late & I decided to stay here. Not a big deal given the crummy weather & the company of two section hikers, Joe & Collin, which was very enjoyable.I forgot to mention yesterday that I have been on the trail for 52 days (53 days today). Fifty-two is my favorite number. Neato!
Date: 2003-04-23
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: clear sky

Yesterday¢s chant about the rain must have worked because the weather was perfect today. I¢m glad I saved the big miles for today; they were much more enjoyable. Saw a turkey vulture, lot of lizards running from the trail, & handfuls of wild flowers bordering the path. Had my dinner with Java alongside Trout Creek before heading the last mile up to the shelter. Owls have been talking to each other tonight & a meteor shower is on the horizon. An early night for me for an early morning hike into Catawba & Four Pines Hostel.
Date: 2003-04-24
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: Catawba, VA
Miles today: 11.9

Today was a good prep for the rocky hiking in Pennsylvania with the ridge walking. There were points after ¢Dragon¢s Tooth¢ where I had to descend the rocks using metal rungs stuck in the side of the rock face. It was extremely slow going, but a nice change of pace.The second half of the day¢s hike consisted of rolling green pastures, creeks & much milder ridge walks. The cows were great fun, there were so many of them. They all just stared at Java & I when we passed. I would have taken a picture if it weren¢t for the large bull grunting at us, most likely to protect his herd & calves.We hit the small town of Catawba in the early afternoon & grabbed a hitch to the Four Pines Hostel with an older man in a pick-up blasting the Beatles. The hostel is merely a three-bay garage with cots, bathroom, table, refrigerator & kitchen area run by Joe Mitchell for donation. A great place to stop & in close proximity to The Homeplace Restaurant, by far the best eating establishment I¢ve ever visited. They serve all-you-can-eat family style dinners & tonight happened to be southern fried food night. Let me tell you, my stomach had been acting up a bit before leaving for the restaurant, but I wasn¢t going to miss this meal after all the great things I¢d heard about it up & down the trail, so I popped some Maallox & was on my way. Mmmm, it was all I could ask for. Let me run down the menu for you: fried chicken, pork BBQ, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, biscuits, gravy, pinto beans, green beans, apples & sauce, lemonade, sweet tea, coffee, & peach cobbler for dessert. As soon as a platter was empty another was brought along. Simply one of the best meals I¢ve ever eaten.Got back to the hostel & went through all my boxes & letters. The hostel owner thought it was my b-day what with all the mail. How exciting it is to receive so many goodies from family & friends. You guys are awesome! Another fabulous day on the trail.
Date: 2003-04-25
From: Catawba, VA

To: Tinker Creek 
Miles today: 19.1

Today¢s hike ranks up there with Max Patch in terms of beauty & uniqueness. I walked along the jagged rocks of McAfee Knob & followed the ridges of Tinker Cliffs. It would have been wonderful to just sit at both these spots staring out at the views, but the misty, rainy weather prevented that. No matter, I had fun nonetheless. This is an area I would love to return to someday to share with others.The day ended at Tinker Creek, only a short distance from the city of Daleville. Java & I had joined up by this point & were both excited to see the creek as I¢ve been reading a wonderful book by Annie Dillard entitled, ¢Pilgrim at Tinker Creek,¢ which Java turned me on to. Dillard grew up in this area & details her perceptions of it in extremely fabulous descriptions. Using great insight, she incorporates ideas of nature, metaphysics & philosophy into her recollections & experiences. Take this quote of the appearance of praying mantis eggs as an example: ¢It is over an inch long and shaped like a bell, or like the northern hemisphere of an egg cut though its equator.¢ Isn¢t that fabulous? Her thought process is simply intriguing. I highly recommend this book.Our excitement over seeing the creek was a bit dampened, however, when we discovered it wasn¢t as picturesque at this exact portion as Dillard had so vividly described. A cement bridge with metal bars immediately erased our romantic notions. We have found a great campsite in very lush undergrowth though & have settled down to a comfy nights sleep.
Date: 2003-04-26
From: Tinker Creek 

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

An early morning into Daleville to pick up my new kicks that awaited at the local outfitter. My old shoes have had it after traveling 700 miles or so. I¢m talking gaping holes in the toe area & worn soles. I took a pic before returning them just so you guys can see what my poor feet go through out here. So now they¢ve been lovingly encased in a new pair of snazzy Lowa Tempests that my mother kindly mailed to me. Lookin¢ good but still feeling a bit tender.Prior to hitting the outfitter, which didn¢t open until 9a.m., Java & I grabbed breakfast at the nearby coffee shop. It was amazing how easily both of us fell back into that comfortable feeling of hanging out at such a place, even after being out on the trail for all this time.Back on the trail already after a shortened day due to a late start out of town & a threatening thunderstorm. Unfortunately, no big thunderstorm, I simply love them this time of year. Of course they¢re always nice when you can appreciate them under cover. Rain it did & has just started up again, right when I need to make a trip to the privy. Perfect timing. The dripping raindrops are not making it easy to wait. Concentrate¢¦ concentrate¢¦ & still no break in the rain! Oh, the trials & tribulations of trail life.
Date: 2003-04-27
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: clear sky

It¢s great to be able to put in a decent amount of miles & still get in rest & play. I hiked alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway for the better part of the day, stopping to see a deer looking at me from ten feet away & taking lunch with Java at an overlook with the James River passing below. A group of day hikers stopped at the same spot & offered us trail magic in the form of fruit & a Power Bar. Fruit is always welcomed on the trail. Any trail magic is welcome!The day wore on hot with a 70 degree temperature & blazing sun. Lucky for us Jennings Creek crossed the A.T. a few miles from our final destination. Java & I were the first to get there & dove right in followed shortly by Shifty & Eggman. Flick & Subman forged on to the final ascent. We dried off on the rocks after spending an hour & a half relaxing.Now I¢m ending my day at this sweet two-story with a wraparound deck & plexiglass windows. What a simply marvelous structure; the Taj Mahal of A.T. shelters. The creek below my head will soon lull me to sleep
Date: 2003-04-28
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Marble Spring
Miles today: 17.2

Goodness, my feet are sore. Somebody needs to design a hiking shoe that has no break-in period & fits everyone perfectly. If there is such a shoe out there already, please let me know ASAP. Gracias.Tenting out under the stars tonight after a great campfire courtesy of Java & Eggman. A nice way to end the day, especially with the ascents & descents we had. My poor feet were really aching & with only two miles left to the campsite I had a ferocious craving for a Pop Tart, so I stopped & ate two of them. Just as soon as I stopped, a swarm of flies & gnats surrounded me like I was a piece of cattle in a large, stinky herd. The warm weather is bringing out all the insects & it¢s already getting freakin¢ annoying. And there are some weird looking bugs down here; bugs I¢ve never before seen like big metallic looking suckers & huge arse cricket looking things with antennae. Bizarre.Tonight we are surrounded by curious deer & can hear them walking along the camp¢s perimeter. They are awfully bold in these parts & will come within feet of you.Relating to deer, those indigenous to this area say ¢deer meat¢ as opposed to ¢venison¢ back home. I learned this the other day. Just an interesting tidbit for y¢all.
Date: 2003-04-29
From: Marble Spring

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Headed into Glasgow, VA by following the James River, enjoying the Huck Finn like appeal. I was tempted to rig up a rope swing along the bank. The weather would have been perfect for it. But we (Java, Shifty, Eggman, & I) decided to push on to town for a good lunch & resupply.Glasgow is a quirky little mountain town with large dinosaur models placed outside its grocery store & restaurant, apparently done as an April Fool¢s joke & since turned into a tourist draw. We marveled at the ¢artwork¢ for a bit & got to our errands. Opted to have a little party at the shelter tonight following two tough climbs & packed Sangria, beer & a 34 oz. plastic jug of party mix. Good times. Shifty was a trooper to strap the jug to his pack. It¢s all about teamwork.
Date: 2003-04-30
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Cow Camp Gap
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: light rain

I took my first pain reliever. I prefer to know how much pain I¢m in & not mask it with a pill as there is the possibility of causing more damage. But once my left hip & knee began to lock up on me halfway through my hike & I was biting my lip in agony, I figured popping an Alleve was the smart thing to do, especially with another 2300 foot climb ahead. It did the trick. I suppose this injury, which is similar to my illiotibial strain a couple years ago, comes at a good time since I have a zero day planned this Saturday & will be cutting back on mileage in the Shenandoah¢s when my friend, Jeff, comes out to hike. Maybe it will heal & I¢ll be as good as new!Lucky for my bum leg, another impending thunderstorm cut the day¢s hike a bit. No biggie, we were only going to camp a couple miles past the shelter anyway. The sucky thing about the shelter is that it¢s .6 miles off the trail. That¢s a far side trail, man! And according to the shelter register, the mice here are crafty little buggers. They better not keep me awake tonight because I have an early morning to make it to a B&B in Montebello for a free lunch!
Date: 2003-05-01
From: Cow Camp Gap

To: Tye River 
Miles today: 21.9
Weather: broken clouds

Out of the shelter by 7a. this morning in order to make it to that free lunch at the ¢Dutch Haus¢ B&B run by Lois & Earl. Just as the notes in the registers stated, Earl picked us up at the designated spot at 12:30 & ushered us back to a beautiful two-story log home for a free lunch. His wife, Lois, prepared soft tacos, corn on the cob, sliced oranges, & brownies. After we finished, Earl took us by the P.O. & general store before dropping us back to the trail. It was absolutely wonderful. I¢m still amazed that there are so many kind people out there.Java, Shifty, Eggman, & I carried out S¢mores & sparklers for the night. What a combination, eh? It¢s the last night the four of us will camp together for a while as friends & family are coming out to visit in the next week or so. We figured we¢d have on last fire & tent out.The original hiking crew has spread out tremendously, but Pop Tart caught up today after going home for Passover. It was good to see her. I also learned that Red may not return to the trail after leaving due to her Grandfather¢s death. I know I¢ve said this before, but sometimes it¢s hard to imagine life going on outside the trail, which makes Red¢s situation a snap back to reality. I hope all work out for her.On a more positive note, today marks my two month anniversary on the trail. To date, I¢ve traveled 816.5 miles of the Trail & am more than a third done. That just blows my mind. Every day I¢m getting closer & closer to Katahdin.