morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-05-22
From: Davis Path Shelter

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: clear sky

Such a difficult day. i was really dehydrated and had not yet recovered from the headache that started the day before. Pips was amazing but she had a goal of our first over twenty mile day and we were going to make it even if it meant death along the way! For much of the day we were in pastures and as i climbed yet another fence i begged with enthusiasm "Lord i could eat a cow". Over the next hil a cow stood right in the middle of the trail and stared at me. At this moment i decided that the next time i asked the Lord for something it would be Peach cobler! Much of the day was spent in and out of valleys. We went over five Mountain Ranges and although she spent most of the day ahead of me she waited at the pond and we shared the most incredible view. i could see every mountain i'd climbed and the satisfaction of seeing our accomplishment gave me the last little bit of energy needed for the last 1000 ft. climb. I should mention Pips carried four liters of water on her back for that entire 1000 ft. She is amazing and noone has any right to say different. If i was stranded on a island and had only one person to help me survive i'd pick Pips every time!
Date: 2008-05-23
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: broken clouds

Pips and i left an hour after Tetris but caught him at some trail majic. Jim, ET and Kentuky Jack had peacan pie and soda for us. It was verry pleasent. With full stomachs Pips and i didn't make it our 24 miles. Instead we stopped early at Jenkins shelter and made an outstanding fire to keep the bugs away. Pips started it because i couldn't and she made me so proud.
Date: 2008-05-24
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Helvey's Mill Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: clear sky

Pips and i had to go into Bland for a small resupply and it was an innapropriate place to hitch so it took quite a while. The first hitch was a couple of guys smoking weed in the front seat. The second was from the store to Subway and it was a young man who convinced his younger girlfriend that Pips and I weren't cerial killers. While at the Subway i ordered a milk shake and Pips spilled it. In my haste to save the delicious treat i pulled out my straw and slirped straight from the table. i didn't realize my edicate blunder until i saw the face of the teenager behind the counter. He'd obviously never wanted a milkshake that badly. The third hitch from Subway to the trail was in the back of a truck driven by a nice lady who said her daughter was a hiker. It is always nice when they understand the importance of a car ride. Pips and i hiked the rest of the way to the shelter and then i hiked another .6 getting water. I had an odd experience going to the privy that eventing. As i sat on the pot i heard banjo music comming from behind me in the bushes. i thought of the popular Banjo jokes about the movie based on the AT and pulled up my pants and sprinted for the shelter only to find out that Windup and Wildflower were camping there with a battery operated radio. Oh the Joys of technology!
Date: 2008-05-25
From: Helvey's Mill Shelter

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 25.0
Weather: clear sky

The terrain was wonderful, at least for the second half of the day. On out twenty-second mile Pips started acting peculiar and a combination of dehidration and more miles than we'd ever walked before sent her into what can only be described as a state of delirium. Walking in front of me she talked about her majic ability to make a shelter apear out of this air while waving her hiking poles in a circular motion. then when the shelter didn't come into view she started saying that she'd lost her powers and the only way to get them back was to sacrifice another individual. i looked around and realized I was the only other individual. i panicked for a second and then laughed. if you know Pips you know that for her to act this crazy she has to litterally be out of her mind! i walked in front of her and yelled back when we reached the shelter. she collapsed and i ran down to get the water. We ate some of the ready to eat cheesecake filling i'd purchased in Bland and then hit the sack.
Date: 2008-05-26
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Pearsiburg
Miles today: 20.0

Pips and i left the shelter at two in the afternoon. We were tired from the day before and each of us failed to wake the other up! We got to Doc's Knob shelter as the sun was beginning to set and decided that Pearisburg was our goal. I talked her ear off as we night hiked into town and then due to the late hour of our arrival we couldn't get a hitch from the trail to the hostel. It was a good extra three miles. We were going to stop at the post office and sleep in front of the door but unlike the library its illeagal. The library was just across from the hostel so it wasnt worth it to sleep there. Our feet were quite sore when we quietly set up our mats in the entryway of the hostel at one in the morning. What a day!
Date: 2008-05-28
From: Pearisburg

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: moderate rain

We left Pearisburg really late and i stopped to look through an old cemetary while Pips caught up with a few friends that hadn't gotten through in town. It poured and we decided that we had gone far enough. We met Bear Bate, Slow Train and his wife (its been three months and i cant remember her name). We all played Uno for hours. I won my verry first Uno game!
Date: 2008-05-29
From: Rice Field Shelter

To: Baily Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: few clouds

Pips and i were the last to leave the shelter (not a surprise) but before we left we met Excitable Hiker. Who clamed he got his name from the song Excitable Boy (describes a guy who raped his highschool date) and then told us about his "time served". Pips and i didn't think he was joking. he kept commenting on our lovely smiles. We decided he was harmless but creepy. We hiked to Rice Field Shelter and were going to go on to the next camp ground but were told that that was where he'd be. We stopped for the night!
Date: 2008-05-30
From: Baily Gap Shelter

To: Sarver Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

Our original goal for this day was twenty seven and I really thought we were going to do it but a steep climb up to the ridge line put me about thirty to forty minutes behind Pips. When I had to climb down the ridge line to meet her and get more water I was relieved to find she didn't want to climb back out either. It took over an hour for my potato soup to cook (new food) and I ruled it out for future food supply. There was a very large black snake that was trying to get a nest of baby birds and he was persistently coming inside the shelter. I was the last one to get in my bag and due to the potato soup it was dark. As i took off my boots I sat on the ledge of the shelter floor nearly on top of the Black snake. I didn't realize my blunder until it brushed quickly against my leg. After quite a lot of screaming and the tossing of sleeping bags Slow Train removed the snake from the shelter. Since the snake was sure to come back he killed it! We were sad about the snake but Slow Train made me promise to mention that he may very well have saved the baby birds. All in all it was an eventful evening.
Date: 2008-05-31
From: Sarver Hollow Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: broken clouds

Pips and I hiked separately for the second half of the morning. I met her at Niday shelter and we had a great lunch despite the dreadful gypsy moth catipillers . Pips had contact with her friend from home, who we'd planned to meet in Daleville and the plans had changed. Pips would have to do a thirty this day and a twenty the next in order to spend time with her friend. I wasn't planning on doing a thirty and so Pips went ahead and planned to meet me once more before we went our separate ways. I climbed up nearly two thousand feet to see the Audy Murphy Monument only to have it pour when i reached the top and had left my bag uncovered thirty feet downhill. However He was a really interesting topic for a couple of days. Pips met me at Trout Creek and I hiked ahead of her to the next shelter while she hiked on to do twenty eight miles. I caught the OSU boys and Pre and met Jerry Parker and a few of his friends. Jerry, thank you so much for the keo profin it helped immensly with the pain!
Date: 2008-06-01
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: Cambell Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: few clouds

This day is one for the books! I was out of the shelter by seven and I hiked straight into Catawba. My goal was to get there for lunch. I made it in by seven thirty just before the OSU boys and Pre. Bear Bate, Slow Trai and ... made it in about the same time so we all ate together. You won't believe what they had for dessert...Peach Cobbler! The verry same item of food i'd been asking for since my first twenty mile day. Amazing! I had walked the mile down into town but i had no desire to hike up out of town a mile and I was more than pleased when a pickup gave me a ride to the trail head. Ok, this is where it gets interesting! At the trail head was an ambulance that clamed they were trying to pick up a hurt girl but couldn't find out which trail entrance to be waiting at. I dismissed it as being Pips becuase the trail log on the south side of the street had her comming through at around 9:15. Never the less my pase quickened slightly. About a half mile in, I met a day hiker who notified me that water was scarce. He added a little story. He said that around noon there was a girl at the top who was severely dehydrated and had a coperhead wrapped around her waist. I asked him what the girls name was, he replied Pips. He also added that she was still at the top of McAfee Knob when he'd left at five thirty. It was now only six twenty. Dark clouds started rolling in and i needed to find water for the climb up. I ran to the first shelter. Mr. Parker and his crew were there and we exchanged pleasantries but i found no water and as the rain started to persist i started running again. I ran to the next shelter but less than 400 feet before a very large pine tree crashed right in front of me across the trail. I jumped and then took a minute to make sure it was the last tree to fall in my vicinity. Thank goodness there was water at the second shelter but no log and no Pips. I made a quick decision that i wouldn't stop until I'd found her. I am pretty sure the hikers in that shelter thought I had lost it! I ran up McAfee Knob and snapped two pictures of this orange sunset before the line of black clouds overcame it. The rock was slippery and I wasn't concerned enough about myself so i fell a few times before i slowed to a fast walk until I was on better jogging terrain. Malmot and his father were at the first campsight but had not seen or heard from Pips. I was getting some really bad blisters and fully expected to be running another six miles when i went into Cambell shelter for some water. I woke Pips! FINALY! She was fully entacked without a scratch. Apparently the Day hiker had been listening in on her conversation with his friend and had only gotten half of the story. This is why hearsay is so dangerous! Pips told of the night before's fun in with the coperhead and how a cancelation of plans with her friend led to a verry short day spent on the top of the Knob. All is well trail side.
Date: 2008-06-02
From: Cambell Shelter

To: Daleville
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Pre and the OSU boys woke us up with there incesant singing as they passed the shelter in the morning. We packed up and caught them by lunch. Pips hiked ahead with Pre, Quiet Riot, and Pathfinder while I laged behind waiting for snacks who never caught me. I needed water desperatly by the time i hit the road. Pips and I decided to share a hotel room and the guys shared one upstairs. We went out for great mexican grub and then called it an early night.
Date: 2008-06-04
From: Daleville

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

The OSU boys left early in the morning but Pips, Pre and I had to wait for the Post office to open so the three of us left around noon. It was hot! As we went down a hill Pre shouted ahead to me and asked "Do you want to take a detour?". Not having any idea what he was talking about I said "sure". He led Pips and I to a barbed wire fence which i climbed and then fell in the tall grass which scratched my arms from elbow to wrist. It was well worth the scratches when I saw this amazing little pond with a floating dock and zip line. we went to the front door of the owner's house but no one answered so we stripped (down to our underclothes that is) and took a couple hour dip. It was the most refreshing thing since cool aid. We stayed so long that we ended up night hiking into Wilson Creek Shelter and having to apologize for waking a dog which then woke two section hikers. They were cool about it.
Date: 2008-06-05
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Jennings Creek
Miles today: 16.9

There were a ton of road crossings on this day. Pips, Pre and I hiked together for most of the day. In the afternoon Pips was in the rear of the line and mid sentence she collapsed, hit her head on a rock. I thought she had merely fallen and asked her to take out her camera so that i could get a decent shot. When we realized she was out cold Pre shouted in her ear. She jumped and then pride had her in a seated position for a while. It wasn't funny at the time but now we laugh. She and Pre took a siesta at the first shelter and i hiked on to the second. Water wasn't great but I had a filter since Daleville and we put it to good use! I waited at Cove Mountain Shelter for a couple of hours and then the three of us night hiked to Jennings Creek. We got in the water for a few minutes, started a large fire, put up our tents, and Pre broke Pips' hiking poles (sorry i had to mention it).
Date: 2008-06-06
From: Jennings Creek

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: few clouds

Pips, Pre and I stayed really late at the creek. We found a swimming hole and took full advantage of it. We also sunbathed and then packed up in the early afternoon. Leaving in the middle of the hottest part of day really took a tole on me. After about fifteen minutes I convinced Pips and Pre that I would meet them at the first shelter for lunch. I got there only thirty minutes after they did and we stayed from around twelve thirty until six thirty in the evening. I left a few minutes after them and saw the sun set as i hiked up the ridge. When I reached the top of Apple Orchard Mountain it was very dark. Pips had let me borrow her I-pod since I would be hiking alone in the dark. I have a very vivid imagination and would have scared myself to death without it. Unfortunately I had the music up so loud that I missed the sound of a snakes rattle and it kindly struck my hiking pole. Whew! Thunder hill Shelter was vacant save for a few campers on the other side of the ridge and so I stripped down to my skivvies attempting to stay cool throughout the night.
Date: 2008-06-07
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Big Island, VA
Miles today: 14.6

I began the day believing that Pips and Pre were seven miles ahead of me. I hiked as quickly as I could but I was in a lot of pain and my stomach hurt for some inexpiable reason. I stopped for over an hour at Petites Gap and called my Dad who is always a help when I'm feeling low and need to hike high. After postponing the rest of the hike in for as long as I could I hiked on to Marble Spring Campground where I got a call from Pips. She was at that time seven miles behind me so I took off my boots and attempted to take a nap. When they reached me we all got water and I hiked with them for about three miles before their pase was too fast for my foot. I met them again at Matts Creek shelter but we didn't even have time to stop for water. We had Mr. Webb picking us up at six thirty. I arrived at Big island only ten minutes after Pips and Pre and Pre's mother (lovely woman) handed me and ice cold coke. It was Bliss. Mr. Webb came shortly after and took us back to meet a slew of people
Date: 2008-06-09
From: Big Island, VA

To: Webb House
Miles today: 0.0

Shortly after getting to the Webb house I was convinced that I needed to see a doctor about my right foot which had been bothering me for about a week. Mr. Webb arranged for me to see Dr. Keirnan Monday morning but to my dismay I was ordered off my foot and off the trail. I broke my fifth metatarsal on my right foot and had posterior tibialis tendinitis in my left ankle this with the already stress fractured left tibia sent me back to the house on crutches. I swear I drink a ton of milk and take my vitamins I am just UNLUCKY! I was heartbroken but Pips being the wonderful hiking partner and friend that she is helped me devise a plan to finish with her in Maine and then complete all of the trail that i would miss in the coming months of rehab. The Webb family let me stay at their house for an entire week adjusting and then arranged with some friends to get me to Charleston. The girls and I had a few wonderful outings. They are the most unselfish girls on the planet (they let me borrow their clothes all week). I could never have asked for more than what the Webbs did for me. I will be paying it forward for the rest of my life!
Date: 2008-08-29
From: Rutland

To: Rutland, VT
Miles today: 0.0

Pips comes in to town TODAY! I am so utterly excited to start hiking again. Imagine the worst case of cabin fever and that might give you a slight understanding of my suffering. No physical pain I could endure while hiking could amount to the agony of being so close to the mountains and not being able to conquer them. I got into town on Monday after an early flight from GA to Burlington, VT and two car rides from the airport. I've spent my time working with the lovely community of the Twelve Tribes hostel and reading a much too heavy novel. That¢s right; I¢ve begun measuring the importance of reading material by its weight. Prep vegetables tonight, stomp the ground tomorrow!
Date: 2008-08-30
From: Rutland, VT

To: Gifford Woods State Park
Miles today: 3.3

I spent the morning resupplying with Pips, Dirty Girl, and Truckin. We did the usual laundry and then headed for the transit station. There is a bus that takes you right back to the trail. While waiting, a wobbly, very intoxicated lady came up to Shwa and he offered her a cigarette to go away. All of a sudden she starts digging in the front of her pants for something. This process took a few minutes and then finally she pulls out an entire roll of toilet paper and offers it in exchange for the bummed smoke. Pips, Dirty, Shwa and I look on in amazed confusion as she rambles on about her boyfriend coming to get her in twenty minutes. Shwa hands her the cigarette and attempts to light it for her. She then proceeded to walk toward me and ask if she could sit down. As I started to move the pack next to me she looked to Shwa and asked if it was all right for her to sit next to his girlfriend. Shwa, very kindly said "NO, IM REALLY PROTECTIVE OF HER". Dirty stifled a laugh and continued his fake conversation with Pips. The drunk walked away and we all had a good laugh as I told Shwa that I owed him one. Sure enough ten minutes later a man on a bicycle rode into the station and took a sloppy kiss form the lady as they awkwardly walked away.The others were enticed by news of a cheep hot tub hotel on the outskirts of town but I had waited too long to hike and so I started out on my own. It began to sprinkle shortly after I left and I ended up sleeping under the pavilion in front of the campground office.
Date: 2008-08-31
From: Gifford Woods State Park

To: Cheteauguay Rd
Miles today: 11.4

I really expected Pips to catch me but I walked most of the day without seeing anyone. I talked with a few section hikers at Stony Brook shelter and planned to hike all the way to Wintturi Shelter. I was really sore toward the end of the day and my hiker legs were obviously still on break. I can't believe how hard it is getting started again. Georgia was so much easier! The fact that we climb thousands of feet every day because of the rolling mountains without ridgelines was overlooked by the writers of the "Companion". They listed the elevation for every road crossing but what they neglected was how high one climbs in between. I consider this very lazy of them! So when my legs were about to give out I stopped at the road next to the creek and set up camp. I gathered a ton of wood, set an amazing log/lean 2 fire in the pit and went to strike my match. Unfortunately in my haste to pack for the trail I left the match box in GA and therefore had nothing to light the match with. So ended my first official day back on the trail!
Date: 2008-09-01
From: Cheteauguay Rd

To: Random Mountain with great view
Miles today: 12.7

I woke up to the sun at around five a.m. It was WONDERFUL! An angry SOBO who had gotten lost the night before stomped through my camp a few hours later and I started up to the lookout. I ate lunch at Wintturi Shelter and waited for the gang for about an hour before hiking on. Still no sign of Pips... I was really disappointed when I left the trail in June and one of the many reasons was that I would miss berry season. To my delight I found an entire field of blackberry bushes and I could have been describes as rivaling a bear in my eagerness to eat them. After I¢d had my fill I went down the hill only to find myself surrounded by a herd of cattle looking eagerly at me! Uh oh!!! What now? As I began to weasel my way through the cows I cooed softly to them. Unfortunately I was followed down the trail and all of a sudden felt a slimy, leathery, long tongue stroking my arm. Another caught me near the nape of my neck and when I thought I couldn¢t take any more of the nonsense, I turned around to have a nice wet one planted on my face. Oh the joys of hiking! After a couple more ups and downs I began to get really nauseous. I hit the peek just after South Pomfret Rd. and collapsed at the top. Then I threw up! This continued to occur until around five in the morning and I was miserably ill. A good note: I just happened to collapse on the most beautiful peek just as the sun was disappearing under the horizon, What LUCK!!!
Date: 2008-09-02
From: Random Mountain with great view

To: Cloudland Rd.
Miles today: 1.8

Not a good morning. I walked the mile or so down to the road and the wonderful Emmons family got me an appointment with doctor Hermann in Woodstock, VT. He determined that it was probably a bug but I had blood-work done and sent away. When Bill Emmons and I returned we found Pips and the guys just turning toward the farm. Pips was really sick and we turned around, back to Dr. Hermann. She has Lyme disease!!! I swear that girl has the luck of the draw when it comes to diseases and deterrents. Nothing is keeping her from Katahdin. He advised we take the day off and so Pips and Kraut hung around the farm and watched the horses, pigs, and chicken mosey around the farm.
Date: 2008-09-03
From: Cloudland Rd.

To: Hanover, NH
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: few clouds

After spending the night in the stables with the horses neighing in the other stalls, Pips and I woke just in time to see the little piggies go to market! I arrived at a road crossing with a deli just after Pips and we ate sandwiches and caught up with Pilot, who had arrived there the night before. I left about an hour before Pips with the intention of stopping at Happy Hill shelter. I didn't look very hard for the water that I couldn't find and decided to hike until I hit a stream. There wasn't one until the road walk into Hanover and so my day was lengthened by about six miles. Baltimore Jack found our group in the Dartmouth courtyard playing Frisbee and invited us to camp behind his house. He and Dave (owns the property) set a fire explaining that that was the way to "prevent forests (...)" Pips passed out that evening and we sent her to the VA hospital. She was ordered to take a zero and get some rest.