morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-05-26
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: US Rt. 60
Miles today: 11.3

I didn't get much sleep last night because we had LOTS of noises all through the night. It started with bullfrogs and crickets. Then there were lots of birds singing. Next came a couple of different kinds of owls, some of them talking to each other. Then came an animal that I had never heard before. It had what sounded like a high pitched bark along with a guttural sound that sounded like a cross between a purr and a growl. Ashley was staying in the shelter by herself (the rest of us in our tents) so she started banging on the walls and yelling to get it to go away which it did...for awhile. It came back again awhile later. I took a video just to record the sound. We're thinking maybe it was a Bobcat. Then a bird started chirping over and over and I thought it was part of my dream at first. I had bought a new house and the door kept making a steady chirping sound and I was trying to figure out why. There was more to the dream, but I'll get back to you Frank to get your analysis. I woke up and realized it was just the bird. I had told Ed I would be at the road by 2 and he said he would be there about noon, so I wanted to get an early start. I headed out about 7:40. I knew there would be cold drinks waiting for me. The trail was really nice through this section. It was nice to start out downhill for a change, although it was uphill at the end. There was a nice suspension bridge and some nice streams along the way. When I had about 3 miles left, there was Ed hiking in to meet me! We hiked on to the shelter and took a short break with Sheephead and Dealer Dan. Ed had brought some extra drinks so we told them to join us at Rt 60. The cold soda hit the spot! Ed took me into town so I was able to get a shower and then get laundry done. I also got a nice juicy burger and a shake. We bought some chips and snacks and brought them out to Hog Camp Gap where we would camp for the night. What a nice spot for camping. It is a big open meadow, has a spring and 2 swings. There were 2 couples there to provide trail magic so there was lots of food and drink. Sheephead, Dealer Dan, Silver and Chocolate Bandito all joined us. It was really great to have chairs! I'm not used to that!
Date: 2007-05-27
From: US Rt. 60

To: Hog Camp Gap
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: broken clouds

Since Ed is here I decided to take advantage :-) I would walk from Hog Camp Gap back to US 60 in the morning and then we could hang out and do some stuff for the afternoon. It is certainly an easier way to do the 6 miles. I got started around 8:30 and got up to the shoulder of Cold Mountain to see some nice views. It was open there almost like a bald. However, going on to the actual summit there wasn't much of a view. I went on to Bald Mtn which is not an appropriate name. Maybe it used to be bald, but it isn't any more. I ran into Well Woman and Won't who are 10 day section hikers that I had met when they were dropped off at the James River. Won't gave his name as David so I questioned why Well Woman had a trail name and he didn't. She said he won't take one, so I said then we should call him Won't. I talked them into joining us at Hog Camp Gap tonight. He sounds like he actually WILL keep the name Won't. I made good time to US 60 and Ed was there waiting for me. We gave a hiker a ride into town and then I did my resupply. We drove all over in a nice air conditioned car. We headed back to camp with dinner to cook (steak, Vadalia onion and mushrooms...mmm). The bugs were out in spite of our efforts to keep them away. It cooled down nicely and we went to bed fairly early since I wanted to hit the trail really early in the morning. The 2 couples who were there providing trail magic talked about their experiences hiking and we had a lot of trail talk (I know, what a surprise). It was a nice evening and nice to have Ed here for a visit.
Date: 2007-05-28
From: Hog Camp Gap

To: Montebello, VA
Miles today: 10.0

I got up and on the trail the earliest ever for me - 6:36! My reason was to make it to the Dutch Haus in time for the free lunch and catch the 11:00 shuttle to get there. I had been hearing about this place from many hikers that you really have to stop there. It was a a pretty easy hike. I didn't see very many people. I stopped in at the Seeley-Woodworth Shelter around 9:30 and there was nobody there. However, there were directions on how to get to the Dutch Haus. Once I got to Fish Hatchery Rd I would have to go about another mile down that road to catch the shuttle. That was an extra mile I didn't realize I had to do, but I was making good time with 3 miles to go from the shelter. When I had about a mile to go I met Mike who is a ridge runner for the area. We talked for awhile. Earl arrived soon after I got there...a little early...so it was perfect. Chocolate Bandito and Laredo were already here. I had my lunch but a shower would have to wait while their hot water was being fixed. In the mean time I was able to get my online journal almost up to date and check email. My phone doesn't work here though. It's a beautiful place that feels very much like home. There are lots of bird feeders so it was fun watching the birds. Earl and Lois are wonderful people and hard working. Dinner was delicious! I'm stuffed. It's great having Laredo here to play piano for us and nice to get to know Chocolate Bandito a little better.
Date: 2007-05-29
From: Montebello, VA

To: Reeds Gap
Miles today: 19.9

Laredo signed up for a slack pack today from Reed's Gap back to the Dutch Haus. It sounded like a good way to not have to do the extra 1.1 mile and extra 800' climb that doesn't count. It was a big day - at least 5300' of elevation gain and over 21 miles of actual hiking (only 19.9 of trail miles though). We got dropped off and started hiking around 8:30. After a brief stop at the Maupin Shelter, I started the climb up to Three Ridges. There was a nice lookout on the way up where you could see the whole ridge you are about to do. It wasn't too bad of a climb - fairly nice grade. It was steep coming down and quite rocky in places. There were a few nice views at the "ridges" on the way down. The Harpers Creek Shelter was a nice break with the creek for getting water. I had lunch there with Laredo. Then another short climb and then the drop down to the Tye River with a nice suspension bridge. Now I had to climb back up 3100' to the top of The Priest. First I had to go up on Cripple Creek :-) It was a long steady climb and felt good to get it done. I didn't bother stopping in at the Priest Shelter since I was getting tired. I still had 5.7 miles (including the walk down Fish Hatchery Rd) and about another 1000' of climbing left to do. It felt good to get back to the Dutch Haus and get some dinner. What was even better was to see Kiwi, Dog's Life, Well woman, and Won't when I got there. By the time I had dinner, shower, and got stuff ready for tomorrow it was getting pretty late. And I had another long day planned tomorrow.
Date: 2007-05-30
From: Reeds Gap

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: light rain

Laredo and I got dropped off at Reeds Gap with the plan to hike into Waynesboro. It was almost as many miles as yesterday, but it was less climbing. We ran into a guy who was SOBO who had some of his things stolen in Waynesboro while he camped at the YMCA. The Y helped him file a report. He said they were very helpful and the town is very hiker friendly otherwise. What a shame someone had to spoil his experience. On my way to Humpback Mountain, my phone rang and startled me. I didn't realize I had it and and son't usually hike with it on. It was Bluebelle so I was happy it was on. Humpback had a few rocky spots and some rock cliffs with views. I picked some rocks on top for a lunch break. The rest of the day went well with minor ups and downs (although more ups than the map profile seemed to show). Laredo and I stopped in at Paul C Wolfe Shelter for a final break and water refill before the last 5 mile push. There was a convenience store at Rockfish Gap where we came out so we got a soda. Laredo had reservations at a B&B so he called for a shuttle. We were picked up by Bill at Tree Streets B&B. We figured we would share expenses. Once we had our showers we walked into town to Chick Peas for dinner. It was not so great. I was in no hurry to run out of town and Laredo is taking a zero so we left stuff for tomorrow to get organized and just relaxed for the res of the evening. They provide a CD player with some music CDs to listen to. It's a nice touch and a very nice place.
Date: 2007-05-31
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

It was just too nice staying in the B&B to go on today. Laredo was taking a zero so I decided to join him. We had done 39 miles in the last 2 days and my toe was hurting. Zero days are never really zero though. You walk to the Post Office, the store, the laundromat, the outfitters (although we got a ride there), places to eat, going through dumpsters (Laredo needed a box), etc. Then in between you go through your stuff and organize it. If I have a signal on my phone or access to a PC (not this time) then I spend time updating my online journal, checking email and checking in with the people who are helping me. So a day off is not really a day off - not even from walking. You have no car to get around to all the places you need to be. In spite of all of that, we had a really nice day. It is never quite as relaxing as you'd like, but it gives your body a bit of a break. Tomorrow we will head out from Rockfish Gap and enter Shenandoah National Park (SNP) in about 7 miles. They say there are lots of places to get food so we should be able to travel a little light on food. I ten to err on the cautious side though. The stores close early so you have to be careful to either plan for when they are open or have enough in case they're closed. We will cross the Skyline Drive 28 times as we pass through the park.
Date: 2007-06-01
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Wildcat Ridge
Miles today: 13.0

It was hard to get started, but as always, it felt good to get moving. Bill took us back to the trail. We stopped at the Visitor's Center to see the 3D map of the area. It's not quite to scale, but it was fun to see the overview. On our way to get back on the trail, we ran into Signage. Then we were finally on our way. It started out with a bit of a road walk and then a steady climb. It wasn't long before I got to the kiosk where you have to sign in and get a back country permit for SNP. It is still several miles before actually entering the park though. This section is not marked very well. There are a bunch of towers on Bear Den and confusing spots for the trail. At Beagle Gap I met Homer and Thumbs. Homer was just about to finish up with a backpack of the park. Thumbs had some problems so used his thumbs to get off the trail. They gave me a sandwich and something to drink and some useful information about the trail ahead. Homer said he would be camping at Loft Mountain the next night and maybe we would see him there. I didn't bother going into the first shelter since it was 0.3 off the trail. Once in the park, there are "shelters" which are day use only and "huts" which are meant for overnight use. Once you enter the park, the trails seem to be well marked and maintained. I didn't really want to try to go all the way to the next hut so I got water at a creek and then walked up on Wildcat Ridge to find a place to camp. It was fairly open as Homer had said so I found a spot that would follow all the rules of the park (on how far away you have to be from things). Laredo showed up as I was getting camp set up and joined me. We had stopped at a road crossing to eat dinner about an hour earlier so I didn't need to make dinner at camp. I had gotten some dice in Buena Vista (or where ever Ed took me!) so I showed Laredo how to play Cosmic Wimpout. All you need is 5 dice and something to keep score with so it is a lightweight game to carry. For the last few days it would threaten with thunder most of the afternoon and evening. However, it only seemed to sprinkle some each day and stop. Today was no exception. It cooled off fairly nicely for the night. It was a nice night.
Date: 2007-06-02
From: Wildcat Ridge

To: Loft Mtn Campground
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: overcast clouds

We packed up and headed out for maybe 0.3 miles and came to a road crossing. There were 3 people there doing trail magic. They were offering burgers and soda and beer but we had just eaten breakfast. However, we sat and chatted for awhile and they shared some of their coffee with us. Laredo had some watermelon. Very nice people who have been doing this for a few years. Thanks! I continued on and went on by Blackrock Hut to the summit of Blackrock. It was an interesting summit with lots of rocks piled up almost like a mini Mount Washington. The views were quite hazy today. The terrain was fairly easy. I wanted to make it to the Loft Mtn Camp Store before they closed at 5:30. I had been told to wait for the third sign to turn since it was the closest to the store. Everything in the park is marked with big cement posts with a strip of etched metal telling directions. The 3rd sign was just to the campground, but I went up just in case. A woman told me I could get to the store down the hill or walk around on the AT. I walked around on the AT to the next junction which brought me right up to the store. I got there about 4:30 so I had lots of time. Laredo got there soon after. While we were there, in comes Homer! He had said maybe we would see him there, but I thought the odds were likely against it. He was camping with his wife (Greta) and son (Traz) and invited us to come back to his campsite for dinner. We accepted and set up our tents there for the night. Boy, what a dinner! We had a salad, potatoes and corn that had been cooked in foil on the grill, and steaks the size of Texas! It was delicious! Traz made a roaring fire for us to enjoy for the evening. We really had a nice time and hope to keep in touch. If you're reading this...thank you!!
Date: 2007-06-03
From: Loft Mtn Campground

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

I woke up in the wee hours of the morning, looked out of my tent and saw nothing but fog. Not too long after that it started raining so I got up and grabbed the clothes I had hanging out on the line. As I've said before, it's hard to get started hiking when it is raining. I finally got things packed up and Greta gave us a ride back to the store. We used the driers there to finish drying some clothes and we spread our tents in the breezeway to try and dry them a little while we had coffee. The rain would come and go and the wind was pretty strong. We finally packed up our tents and got on the trail about 9:30. I was pretty wet in no time at all. Of course there were no views all day on this Wallygator day. I stopped in at the Pinefield Hut and had a snack break. I couldn't stop long though because I was getting cold. Hiking in the rain is fine while you're moving, but you get cold when you stop. I met Hand Glider there. He, Laredo and I were going to head for Hightop Hut since it was raining. I felt strong enough to continue further but with the rain, I would rather stay in the hut. The next hut was another 12.6 miles away and I didn't want to go that far. It felt so good to get dry clothes on. Every once in awhile the rain seems to let up but then starts again. There were 5 people here when I got here: Lion King, Harley Hogpit, Pita and Bob (I can't remember his trail name). Hand Glider had set up his tent. Danny and Laredo came in too so it was a pretty full shelter. I stayed in the top bunk which is difficult to get up into, but at least there was room for everyone. Danny came from town and said he heard it was suppose to rain all day tomorrow too.
Date: 2007-06-04
From: Hightop Hut

To: Big Meadows
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: few clouds

It rained all night last night or at least off and on. I was sleeping in the loft so it was no fun getting up in the night. There was no ladder...only a board to use for a step. By the time I got up the rain had stopped and it was only dripping. I got packed up, put on my wet clothes and headed out around 8:30. It ended up being a nice day. My clothes dried as I walked and my shoes were only damp by the end of the day. I did end up with a couple of small blisters (common when you walk with wet shoes) but not really a big deal. The first stop of the day was at Lewis Campground Store. As I was sitting outside eating some lunch, Calamity Jane came over to talk. It was the first I had met her. She was staying in a cabin waiting for Signage to catch up. She was nice enough to offer to let me shower or whatever, but I wanted to get some miles in today while it was nice. It felt like it had been mostly uphill so far today, although the terrain was nice. There were a few rocky spots but not bad. I passed by Bearfence Mtn Hut and just kept going. It felt good to get to Big Meadows and do a 20 mile day. I had a nice dinner at the lodge (although expensive) with Laredo. I was pretty tired and my feet were sore, especially my toe. It was a good day though. I saw a couple outside that I had seen walking around at Lewis Campground. The woman asked how many miles I had done so I told her 20. She asked when I started and when I said about 8:30 she said "you mean today??" We see a lot of people here in the park and many are curious about thru hikers. It's fun to talk to them. I remember when I visited in the mid-90s and was the same way. I think that is when the original seed was planted for me. It took awhile to germinate, but I think SNP is where it really started. I can still picture seeing this guy crossing the road a couple of times and asking why.
Date: 2007-06-05
From: Big Meadows

To: The Pinnacle
Miles today: 13.8

I didn't sleep well last night so I was slow going this morning. We had breakfast in the dining room and then got resupply and finally headed out about noon. It was a perfect hiking day. THe sun was out most of the day, but it wasn't too hot. There was a nice breeze blowing most of the day. And there were lots of great views! The best view during the day was at Little Stony Man Cliffs. I stopped at Skyland Tap Room for a burger and chocolate milk. Here again a couple started asking questions. They couldn't believe I had hiked over 900 miles. She had just turned 50 and couldn't imagine doing it herself. Even though I had a late start, I wanted to get some more miles in. I stopped at the Pinnacle picnic area where they had restrooms and a drinking fountain right on the trail so I filled my water. Then I headed up to The Pinnacle. It's hard to find camping spots like we usually have outside of the park. Fortunately, I found a spot back in that was pretty good. I got camp set up and then took my phone, a chocolate chip cookie, maps and headlamp up to a rock on the top and watched the sunset. I had a good signal so I made a few calls to catch up on things. What a great view and nice evening!
Date: 2007-06-06
From: The Pinnacle

To: North Marshall
Miles today: 21.0

I got up and going early today leaving around 7:30. I was looking forward to finally getting one of the blackberry shakes everyone talks about that you can get at one of the waysides (store, grill, gas). I was finally going to hit one at the right time. Plus, the Elkwallow Wayside is the closest one to the trail. So I wanted to get there for lunch. For the first hour or so, I was in and out of clouds. I stopped to take a picture of Mary's Rock since that's my mother's name so it seemed appropriate. I had also stopped to take a picture of Byrds Nest #3 Shelter - nothing special, just thought I would get a picture. The clouds started burning off as I was coming down into Thorton Gap. I started getting a few views. I climbed Pass Mtn and passed on Pass Mtn Hut. Most of the huts in the park are 0.2 off the trail so I haven't been stopping. As the day progressed, it got nicer and nicer. The views were less hazy than they had been yet in the park. I got to the Wayside about 12:30 and ordered my burger and shake....mmm! I had plugged my phone in to charge it in the bathroom and then realized there was no power to the outlet so that didn't do any good. I wasn't getting a signal most of the time in the park anyway. I hung out for awhile and talked to some nice people - Theresa and her parents - who were interested in my journey. Theresa (sp?) had moved to Virginia from Texas recently so was getting to know the area. I was back on the trail around 1:45 ready to head up Hogback Mountain. The views were so great up there that I could finally see the valleys and ridges without any haze! This was the best day yet for weather and views. I got to the junction for Gravel Spring Hut, but I still had some energy left (in the form of peanut butter fudge I got back at the Wayside). I decided to put in a couple more miles to make my day shorter tomorrow for getting into town. This meant I had to go over South and North Marshall (funny Harry, we were just talking about Marshall in the Dacks last night on the phone), but it looked pretty easy. As I headed up South Marshall, I heard a noise off to my left. There stood a bear cub about 40' off the trail. I got a picture, but is was fairly low light so I doubt it will come out very well. I was thinking as I was walking today about how others were saying they had seen several bears in the park and here it was my last night and I hadn't seen any. So, at least I got to see one finally! I didn't hang around too long after taking the picture though since I didn't see the mother anywhere. It was a nice easy climb up South Marshall. I met 2 men who said they couldn't find the spring at Hogwallow Flat which is where I was thinking of going. I had some water and could go to the Compton Spring in the morning so I decided to check for a place to camp on North Marshall. There were nice view points on both peaks. I found a great spot for the night, and it was still fairly early to relax for awhile. The site was close to a nice Westerly view so I can watch the sunset again tonight before I go to bed!