morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-05-05
From: Atkins, Va. - Relax Inn

To: Lynn Camp Creek campsite
Miles today: 15.2

I got up at daylight, but didn't get out of bed until after 8. The door to my room has what appears to be two bullet holes in it. May possibly be where someone with hiking poles stabbed the door. I am just not sure, but I had a safe night none the less. Packed up after making some calls about maildrops. Left the Relax Inn at 9:00, and went by Shell station for a snack. I didn't know the Barn restaurant was open for breakfast. Oh well, off up the trail at 9:30.   I walked through some beautiful pastures today. Rolling hills and pastures, with woods on the steeper slopes. I passed the Davis cemetery, and a historic sign that told of the settlement in 1748. Also lots of stiles today. Stiles are basically ladders that are angled upwards on both sides of the fence, to climb over without damaging it. I passed some farms right out of a picture postcard. One with an old mill right on the Holston River.   There was trail magic left by Lumbermack and Lab Rat behind the O'Lystery Pavilion. Thanks guys! Second time I have had their trail magic. Cold drinks and snacks.   This has been one of the most beautiful days, weather wise, that I have had out here   I passed the quarter of the way to Maine mark today! Whoohoo! Milestone.
Date: 2011-05-06
From: Lynn Camp Creek campsite

To: Jenkins shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I sent my base layer (mid-weight) home in Damascus. That has proved a right decision. I still have my silk base layer and will probably keep that. Weighs less than 5 ozs.for the pair. Now a base layer is a fancy term for what we call in south Alabama, longhandles.   Left the shelter at 7:00. I knew I had a lot of climbs and decents and a 6 mile ridge walk. I saw a raccoon and took a few pictures at 20-25 feet. Then I had a 4 mile climb to Chestnut Knob. It was cold and windy up there. I had a quick lunch in the shelter. Then started a long ridge walk, which was a rock scramble really. For six miles! To the left was Burke's Garden, or Gods Thumbprint. Named because it looks that way from the air, i'm told. Biltmore tried to buy it for his estate but they wouldn't sell, so he wound up in N.C. It is totally surrounded by mountains. A true bowl in the mountains. A neat and beautiful valley.
Date: 2011-05-07
From: Jenkins shelter

To: Jenny Knob shelter
Miles today: 23.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Yes! That's right! A new high of 23.8 miles!    Used the privy at Jenkins shelter this morning. 360 degree views ...no walls! The sun was coming up and pleasant weather. I don¢t know if the view was intended for me, or for someone else to see me.   Just found out Kelly and the kids and the dogs are coming to see me! Getting a pet friendly cabin around Harpers Ferry in June. Will spend a week there. Go into DC and maybe Antiem and Gettysburg.   Got to US 52 just as a shuttle was pulling up, so I went into Bland to Dairy Queen for a large cheeseburger and fries. Mug rootbeer. And then a large Reeses and Heath Blizzard. Hey, I am still losing weight. At 160 lbs. Then I stopped by Subway on the way back and got a foot long sub to go.   I got to the turn off to shelter at 3:00. .3 in and .3 to water, and then back out. Oh no. So I just kept going. I planned on camping a couple miles more, but just kept walking all the way to Jenny Knob shelter. Ate half the sub and crashed after a big mileage day.
Date: 2011-05-08
From: Jenny Knob shelter

To: Wapiti shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: light rain

Left the shelter at 10:20. Just had a nice lazy morning. Raining until 8:00. About 2.5 miles in, I saw a varmit that looked like a Siamese cat. A small one. It was quick and darted into a rock hole (where a pile of jumbled rocks are). There were no houses for miles. Not sure what it was.   More picturesque farms today. Stopped at VA 606, walked a half mile to Trent's Grocery. I had a cheeseburger and fries. Then back to the trail.   I walked another .3 miles off to Dismal Falls. Nice!    The shelter tonight is supposed to be haunted. Hmmm. A doe has been mingling around the clearing as we all cook dinner. I saw a smaller one off in the distance. Ghosts take many forms, so I'm told. Wonderful, slow day! Nice change.
Date: 2011-05-09
From: Wapiti shelter

To: Woods Hole hostel
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: clear sky

Unbelievable place! A must stop in my book. The are several restored, log structures. The log barn is the hostel and we sleep in the loft.    I lounged around in the sun all afternoon reading a book by Louis L'amour, 'The Tall Stranger'. Then treated blisters. Picked up my drop here that has my summer sleeping bag. Will mail winter one home in Pearisburg, along with down jacket.   I have averaged 15.2 miles a day the last 10 days, since leaving Damascus. That includes todays 6.4.    Tonight we had wood-fired pizza, cooked in an outdoor dome oven that they built. Also had organic salad, with most ingredients grown right here. And the most awesome homemade bread! Ran into Glide for the third or fourth time. He's staying here until his infected toe heals. Nasty looking...should be amputated, really! Noticing a trend here in the entries...either miles, climbs, and/or food hot topics.
Date: 2011-05-10
From: Woods Hole hostel

To: campsite 2 miles past New River
Miles today: 14.1

Another good meal this morning, and more of that great homemade bread. On the trail at 9:35. That doesn't include the half mile back uphill to the trail. Walked into Pearisburg, after the grueling downhill (always downhill into towns). I went to the Post Office to get my resupply, and to mail home my winter bag and down jacket (this was my pillow also). Then I stopped at riteaid, and then Dairy Queen for a cheeseburger and fries. Then it was back to the trail. I walked about four miles before thunder sounded. So I pitched my tent beside the trail and am in it now as it's sprinkling rain. Been thundering for an hour. I crossed the New River today. Supposedly the 2nd oldest river in the world. I know it's the largest I have seen since leaving Alabama.
Date: 2011-05-11
From: campsite 2 miles past New River

To: Pine Swamp Branch shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: light rain

A long climb after leaving @ 8:15. Rained last night but never real heavy rain. Had an early lunch at Rice Field shelter. Rice Field is an old mountaintop farm. Still cleared fields in some places.   At a spring about a mile and a half, I found trail magic in the form of a 24 oz refreshment. Back in L. A., we call them 'cowboys'. It was just laying in the cold spring water.   Then I walked through more old clearings. There were over a hundred old apple trees in bloom, along with some peach and cherry trees. And some fruiting shrub I couldn't identify. Anyway, there were at least that many more trees that has apples already forming.   Then I saw a large Groundhog. This one was much closer at 35-40', and ran into a hole in a rock pile.I am camped above the shelter on a ridge. It is a jungle up here, and not a good trail. Wait, what trail? I got up to pee in the night and it took 30 minutes to find my tent again. They should take down the camping sign or improve site a little. I had King Fu Chicken, with an extra can of chicken added. And my usual hot chocolate.    I saw more trilliums blooming today than ever! Wow! 3 predominant colors, from white to pink to purple, with some purple verigated.
Date: 2011-05-12
From: Pine Swamp Branch shelter

To: War Spur shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: light rain

It rained solid for a couple of hours before daylight, then off and on until 7:00. I cooked breakfast and broke camp at 8:20. I soon crossed Stoney Creek on a new, high class footbridge. Took a break with '3 Old Broads' from Florida. Really, that's what they dubbed themselves, not my observation! They were out for a week section hiking. Then uphill 1500' to Bailey's Gap shelter for an early lunch. Then a horrible SIRS (you know they call pointless up and downs 'PUDS'. Well SIRS is 'senseless, insane, rock scrambles'). Hey, I came up with it...although I called them worse names while hiking. These lasted almost two miles. Crazy! At one point I thought of bushwacking, but was afraid of getting lost.   Last half of the day was a lot better trail. 10 minutes before the shelter it started raining. I got wet, but not soaked. As soon as I got to the shelter, it started to hail. Pea size mostly, but some were pingpong ball size. Lightening was popping very close.   Walking Wally and TippyToes show up as soon as I get my tent set up. Awesome to see old friends. Old friends out here is anyone you've known for over two weeks. First met them in the Smokies.    I thought most hikers would be at trail days in Damascus. There are 11 here tonight, camped or in shelter.
Date: 2011-05-13
From: War Spur shelter

To: Sarver Hollow shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

Crossed another bald and up another long hill to another ridge walk. Halfway up I find trail magic left by SuperDave. Had an orange soda. Took a break at Laurel Creek shelter. After, I had about two miles of walking through pastures. Then came upon the Keefer Oak. Huge! The largest oak in the south, I think. Then up to Sinking Creek Mtn. Huge rock piles everywhere up there. It was like they were trying to clear for pasture many years ago. But there were still many more rocks laying everywhere.   A thunderstorm came through about 3:00, and I had to put on raingear and pack cover 20 minutes before shelter. Got much wetter than yesterday. Nice new shelter, but .4 mile down a steep blueblazed trail.    I forget to mention I saw a box turtle (Fred) on top of Sinking Creek Mtn. All box turtles are named Fred, male or female.
Date: 2011-05-14
From: Sarver Hollow shelter

To: Pickle Branch shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: broken clouds

Put on wet shirt, wet socks, and wet boots. My pack was wet too. I flushed a ruffed grouse coming out of the blue blazed trail from the shelter. Straight up .4 miles that doesn't count in the total of 2181. Then I flushed a turkey gobbler about two miles in. Saw my 2nd orange salamander today. Last one was back in N.C., I think. Had a long climb up Brush Mtn. I visited the Audie Murphy Memorial, which is near where his plane went down in 1971. It was a very moving experience. He was the most decorated WWII soldier. And later, a great movie actor. He did a lot of old western movies, which I have always loved.   Fifteen minutes later it started thundering, and rain in another five. It did not stop. Only got steadily harder. The trail was a river with all the runoff water. There was no way to stay out of it. I am soaked, along with most everything I have. The only dry stuff is in a garbage disposal bag in my pack, or in a ziplock. I just poured water out of my boots, and wrung some nasty liquid out of my socks. Yuck!    I was the fourth one into shelter. We wound up squeezing 8 wet, smelly hikers into a 6 person shelter. Cozy.
Date: 2011-05-15
From: Pickle Branch shelter

To: Howard Johnson's Daleville via VA624
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: light rain

We got up, and decided, after putting on wet clothes, socks, and boots, that this was enough. We were going to dry out. We (Walking Wally, TippyToes, and I) waited until after the morning rain had stopped. Then left the shelter around 8:15. It was a tough 6.7 miles to VA 624.   The highlight of the day was the Dragons Tooth. A tall, slender monolith, that sticks straight up into the sky. It's in the form of a fang tooth of......you guessed it, a dragon. Right when we got there it started to rain, and rains for an hour on the way down. Later, we are told by several people, that we should not attempt that decent in the rain. Bars have been embedded into the rock in places, for hand and foot holds.   We get to VA624, and immediately get a ride to a country store .4 miles away. Two hot dogs, a bag of chips, and a Mug root beer later, we are being offered a ride anywhere we want. Daleville, to the Howard Johnson Express! Yes! We check in and start drying out gear, doing laundry, and getting showers. Then we went to the Kountry Kitchen. All I could eat. Too much food to name.   I went back to my room and watched the Bulls and Heat in playoffs. I pull for the Bulls for their aggressive defense.
Date: 2011-05-16
From: Howard Johnson's Daleville via VA624

To: Howard Johnson's Daleville via VA624
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We all went down for the free breakfast at the motel. Then I got a shuttle with Delwood to Catawba to get my food resupply and my new Go-lite replacement pack. When I got back, I walked to the outfitter. I got a second pair of hiking shorts, and wicking tee shirt. I picked up two more pair of liner socks. And then purchased a Platypus hydration bladder. It slides in it's own sleeve inside my pack, and has a drinking tube and bite valve. Water is becoming further and further apart as we go North. Sometimes two liters is not enough. So I now have the two liter bladder, and the 2 one liter soft platy bottles, for a total of four liters. So, to compensate for that, I sent the four liter zip bag that I used for camp home. If I needed over two liters during the day, there was no way to carry the camp zip bag any distance. Too heavy to carry in my hand.I went thru my food drop after a good lunch at 3 Little Pigs BBQ. Then got another 2-3 lbs of stuff I wasn't using, together to send home. I walked down about five blocks to the UPS store and mailed that home. Now I'm taking it easy on what is left of my zero day off. Ha! Eating and town chores take up most of the day.Speaking of eating, I'm headed across the street to the Mexican restaurant.
Date: 2011-05-17
From: Howard Johnson's Daleville via VA624

To: Campbell shelter
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: light rain

I packed up this morning, and called Delwood, our shuttle driver, that I used yesterday. We were back at VA 624 by 10:30. When we got to the first creek, there was no footbridge. Actually, the footbridge was there, washed a ways downstream by all the recent rain. We had to ford the stream, or run as they are called from here up to Maryland.   We crossed VA 311 at the parking lot, after waiting out a light shower under a rock overhang. Then on to a break and water at John's Spring shelter. After that, the sky started to open up just as we ducked into Catawba Mtn shelter. After an hour, the rain stopped, and the sun came out. So we decided to go to McAfee Knob. Just as we get there, the rain starts again, and the clouds move in, but I get the picture of me on the knob. Besides Katadin at the end in Maine, McAfee Knob is probably the next most photographed spot on the AT.    Then we hurry on to Campbell shelter. The rain stopped long enough for us to get water at the spring, then rained all night.
Date: 2011-05-18
From: Campbell shelter

To: Howard Johnson's Daleville via VA624
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: light rain

We left the shelter around 8:30, and hiked up to Tinker Cliffs. Unlike yesterday, we had clear views for the .5 mile cliff walk on the edge of the cliffs. Right before the climb up to the cliffs, I heard a turkey gobble.   Stopped at Lambert's Meadow shelter for lunch. TippyToes needed to get to the post office in Daleville before it closed, so I set a blistering pace all day. 16 miles in 6 hours. We made it to Daleville at 3:30, and are all sore from the pounding of feet and knees.    Got a room, shower, and went to eat at the Kountry Kitchen again. Now I'm full, fat, and happy! Actually I'm pretty skinny from all the weight I've lost. We were here two nights ago, when we came in to dry out. But, we went back to hike the miles we skipped first time. No yellow blazing here.
Date: 2011-05-19
From: Howard Johnson's Daleville via VA624

To: Wilson Creek shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: broken clouds

I got up and went to the breakfast bar at the motel. Then back to the room. I was dozing when TippyToes and Walking Wally got me up to go to Kroger's. I needed a battery and some ibupropren and a few more trail bars.   We got back and all took a short nap before we left for the trail at 11:10. It was uphill, of course, to Fullhardt Knob and had lunch at the shelter by the same name. Then it was a pretty easy trail down to Curry and Wilson Creeks. It was a hard day out of town as usual because of the weight of resupply. I hiked behind everyone and by myself today and listened to my Ipod that I just got sent back to me.   Bears are starting to be sighted and reported more the past few days. Maybe they'll leave my food bag alone tonight.    Oh! I amost forgot. Drumroll please.....I passed the one third mark to Maine today. Yippee! And there's probably only a third of the hikers left also.
Date: 2011-05-20
From: Wilson Creek shelter

To: Jennings Creek campsite
Miles today: 16.9

A whippoorwill came in at dusk, singing, or in our case, hollering it's song. Then it kept coming back, time and again, all night. At times it sounded like it was running along the forest floor. Then it made one last stand a little after dawn. I slept quite well, though.   Up and cooked breakfast. Cranberry pomegranite oatmeal and coffee. On the trail at 7:45. Hit the Blue Ridge Parkway around two and a half miles in. Then crossed it several times in the next 8 or 9 miles. We had five overlooks. At the fourth, a couple in a Mazda Miata from Florida, took our picture and gave us a ton of fruit.   Camped tonight are Walking Wally, TippyToes, Buckeye (a five week section hiker from Ohio), and Daydreamer (a young German girl). There are alot of Germans on the trail this year. Twice as much as all other countries combined. Supposedly, there is a documentary out in German that has inspired the phenomenal interest.   I fear any day might be the last time I see any of these people again. I must push ahead to Harpers Ferry, as I am meeting my family in 15 days. TippyToes is slowing because she is meeting her boyfriend in Harpers Ferry a week after I am meeting family. Buckeye has been hiking on and off with me since Pearisburg. He's doing great out here, but is getting off in another week. Daydreamer and Walking Wally don't seem to have a timetable. Two guys were walking South on the trail without packs, so I waited on Daydreamer to catch up. I am cautious out here. Her and TippyToes are like daughters to Wally and I. We are protective, and I'm sure they appreciate it.   We met up at Cove Mtn shelter, to decide where to camp for the night, and a doe walked up about 30' away. I got three good pics, and Wally even got video.   We were almost in camp, walking across the bridge, and I saw a guy fishing. I asked him if he had caught anything, and he said one strike was it. I told him I could see fish in the current right below. He caught a Brook trout on the third cast!    A camp store sign was misleading. Said .2 miles, but in .2 there was another sign with one mile on it. I sure wanted a refreshment!
Date: 2011-05-21
From: Jennings Creek campsite

To: Thunder Hill shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I had 3246' of elevation rise today. That's from lowest point to highest point. I stopped at Bryant Ridge shelter for a break. Too early for lunch. What a nice shelter! Then I met a large group of trail maintainers out for just 'a fun hike', no work. There were nine I think. They belonged to the Natural Bridge A T Club. Then it was on to Cornealius Creek shelter for lunch. I was getting water at the spring after lunch and almost stepped on a snake. Scared me to death. That afternoon it heated up in the 80's, and made for a tough climb up Apple Orchard Mtn.    The highlight of the day was the Guillotine. Two massive rocks with a smaller rock wedged between them about 12' high. The trail, of course, goes between the boulders, and under the smaller one. Kinda neat...looks as if it will fall on you as you pass underneath.    Camped at the shelter tonite are a group of Boy Scouts and their troop leaders. Why don't they wear uniforms like they used to?   The flies are horrible here! In my tent, and I hear them buzzing.  Hiked with Bearbag again today. Have seen him off and on from the start.
Date: 2011-05-22
From: Thunder Hill shelter

To: Glasgow, Va.
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: broken clouds

Hahahaha! One of the scouts came up to me, with a large bag of trash, and asked where's the garbage can. Hahaha! I told him he had to pack it out. Should have seen the look on his face. Priceless! But, to their credit, they did.   I did 15.5 miles in 5 1/2 hours. Folks, that's flying for 52 years old. But the long downhill at the end to the historic James River did me in.    A cloud came up out of nowhere this morning, and rained on me for about 45 minutes. I stayed fairly dry with raingear. Just hiked through it. I saw a small, ten inch garter snake after the rain. I stopped at Matt's Creek shelter for lunch. What a great site for a shelter, with the creek right there.   Then I had a nice one mile hike down the creek to the James River. Then down beside the James River for another mile. I crossed the longest footbridge on the AT. Wow! Young local boys were jumping off the bridge into the James. I would guess 30-35 feet drop. We got a hitch into Glasgow from Willie Nelson. No kidding. The guy's name was Willie Nelson. I immediately had a snack, then walked 8 blocks to the Family Inn. I had fried chicken, cause I hadn't had any since being on the trail. I resupplied at Dollar General (which is all hikers favorite supply place).    I had a cold shower, which is a water hose behind a consession stand, then did laundry. The laundry mat was two blocks. I was watching a storm come in from under a pavilion on a picnic table. Decided to move my tent under the pavilion. Good thing cause the storm hit an hour later.
Date: 2011-05-23
From: Glasgow, Va.

To: campsite on the Pedlar River
Miles today: 15.7

I left the shelter and went down to the gas station, which was supposed to have a deli. They did have biscuits in a warming rack. What won't a hiker eat? I had an OJ, coffee, and cookies.   We walked across the bridge about 3/4 mile away, to US hwy 501. Got a hitch in 8 minutes, from a guy who moved here from Denmark in 1969. Nice guy.    Out of the James River bottom, I climbed Little Rocky Run, Big Rocky Run, and Powell Mtn. On Powell Mtn, there is a monument in the exact spot they found little Ottie Cline's body. He had lain down after wandering over seven miles from the schoolhouse where he was helping to gather firewood. He was 4 years, 11 months old. He had been eating chestnuts. He died apparently of exposure in November. They found him after snow melt the following spring.    Camped on the Pedlar River. A shower came before I could set up my tent, so I quickly went under the suspension bridge. Then another shower. I finally got set up and cooked. Very tired, and extremely thirsty and hungry, still. Even after dinner and several snacks.   I think I'm missing my raingear. Yep. Left it at Punchbowl shelter where I had lunch.
Date: 2011-05-24
From: campsite on the Pedlar River

To: campsite at Hogpen Gap
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: broken clouds

I didn't sleep well thinking about my raingear. I got up and broke camp, stashed my pack, and took off for Punchbowl and my raingear. I saw a couple of hikers, who told me Chupa was bringing it up the trail. I walked down to meet him, after about 3 miles. Then I walked the three miles back to my pack, which I had stashed in the thicket along the river. I did 6.3 dummy miles which don't count. 12.5 that does. Officially. Total was 18.8 miles.   I hiked past a beautiful lake, then up to a place called the Brown Mtn community. A sharecropper community that dissipated after the forest service bought the land. Lots of visual remains. Then a 2500' climb. Here, I caught back up with Tippy Toes, Walking Wally, and Daydreamer. Really, I think they were waiting for me. Said they were tired and were going to camp early. How nice of them to wait on me! Thanks! Camped in a beautiful meadow, after soaking my feet in the spring.