morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2022-03-29
From: Mountain Harbor 

To: Tentsite at mile 408.0
Miles today: 12.97
Weather: clear sky

Today was a good day. Hiked 12.97 miles.  It was cold in the morning - 35 degrees - but it finally warmed up as the day went on.  For the first time since I started the AT I was able to cook and eat dinner outside my tent in relative comfort.  I had on my down puffy jacket over top of a hoodie but I didn¢t have to wear gloves to eat. Things are getting better!  Passed the 400 mile mark today!  Someone had a marker made out of sticks to mark 400 miles. It was right on with the FarOut (Guthook) app. I took a picture and video. Only a little less than 1,800 to go!I passed 2 noteworthy waterfalls today.  Jones Falls and Mountaineer Falls. I took pictures and videos of both. Jones Falls was larger. I am camping beside a stream and the sound of the water is very comforting.  There is a sign. On one side it says Laurel Fork and on the other side it says Upper Laurel Fork. Met a number of interesting people on the trail today.  I met an older couple who are thru hiking but have two cars and stay in hotels or hostels most nights. The guys trail name is Steamer and the lady¢s trail name is Ohdi, which she said stands for ¢out here doing it¢. I finally talked to a younger guy I have seen several times whose trail name is Giggles. He is hiking with 3 other guys and they have been slack packing for a couple of days. I also ran into Bolt, whom I have talked with before, as well as Reece and Amanda.  I never saw Reece without his hat so when I saw him today I didn¢t recognize him. He is bald as a cue ball!  Super nice guy.  Has a ZPack similar to mine.  Amanda wasn¢t feeling well and that is why the three of them were slack packing too. The breakfast spread this morning at Mountain Harbor B&B was over the top. An egg souffl©, potatoes, tomato pie (I had a piece-it was quite good), as well as pastries and lots of other stuff.I sat with a couple from Poland. They live outside Chicago now. I told them all 4 of my grandparents came from Poland but they didn¢t want to talk about Poland.  We talked about hiking instead. I showed the wife the FarOut app and she said she had been looking for it. The husband¢s English was not that good. They kept asking me if I was worried about getting eaten by bears. When I finally convinced them bears were not a big concern they switched to snakes. I told them the biggest hazard was ticks.  They were unimpressed.  There was a flock of wild turkeys feeding behind the B&B this morning.There was lots of rhododendron on the trail today and a number of rhododendron tunnels. I tried to take pictures but they don¢t do them justice how cool they are.
Date: 2022-03-30
From: Tentsite at mile 408.0

To: Black Bear Hostel 
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: broken clouds

March 30Weather wise, today was the best day yet.  Today was the first day I could drink water at a water stop and not get the chills. Water is one of the heaviest items to carry in your pack. Three liters weighs more than 6 pounds.  So when you are trying to keep your pack under 30 pounds, or at least under 35 pounds, you don¢t want to carry much water. Hikers employ a concept called ¢cameling up¢. The way it works is you stop and filter water along the way and drink as much as you can - something like one to two liters- to get you to the next water stop. Water stops are generally 3-5 miles apart, so you need to drink enough to hold you for the next 1.5 to 2.5 hours, sometimes longer.  When the ambient temperature is cold, the water is freezing cold, and every time I drink it I get chilled and immediately have to start hiking to get warmed up. Today, finally, I was able to sit by a nice clear mountain spring and drink water slowly and not get the chills!  Things are getting better. The high was supposed to be 64 today and it was a beautiful day to hike. Sunshine and a blue sky. It was still windy but the wind felt great. It helped cool us down.Hiked 12.40 miles today to end at the Black Bear hostel. Not a lot of climbing, but still over 2,600 feet in elevation gain. Got some pictures of a stream and water rushing over boulders called Hardcore Cascades. Also got a picture of the white blaze for mile 420. Someone wrote the numbers in the blaze. 420 means something in the stoner culture but I am not sure what. The only reason I know is Outside magazine had a little article about people stealing the sign for mile marker 420 repeatedly in Colorado so they now put up a mile marker that says 419.9. Got some pictures of wildflowers coming up and saw at least two butterflies today. Saw the same crew as yesterday. Steamer and Ohdi, Bolt, Reece and Amanda and a woman that passed me yesterday named Annie. Steamer and Ohdi are the people with two cars who stay in hotels every night and Bolt, Reece and Amanda are slack packing out of a hostel up the road called Kinkora. Annie stayed at one of the shelters before my campsite last night so she was not slack packing, but she was still flying, despite a full pack. She started 3 miles behind me and met up with everyone at the Moreland Gap shelter at lunch and then took off again never to be seen for the rest of the day. Steamer and Ohdi were doing 17 miles today, their longest day yet. Supposed to rain tonight, all day tomorrow and most of tomorrow night. Then it is supposed to get cold again. In the 20s at night. So I am slack packing tomorrow, doing about 13.4 miles. Then I¢ll have to see what¢s next. There is a hostel half way between Black Bear and Damascus, but the second day I¢d have to do 16.4 miles with a full pack and a 2,000 foot climb at the start. I¢ll figure it out.
Date: 2022-03-31
From: Black Bear Hostel 

To: Wilbur Dam Road
Miles today: 13.66
Weather: scattered clouds

Black Bear hostel to Wilbur Dam Road. Today I planned for rain based on the forecast but ended up with a great weather day.  It was in the mid 60s and generally sunny, although it did cloud up at times. Hiked 13.66 miles.  I generally went up and then down one mountain - Pond Mountain, although on Guthook they show it as Pond Flats. I did get a short video showing how flat it is on top of the mountain. I saw some very beautiful waterfalls. They are Laurel Falls and maybe the best yet, although Amacalola Falls on the approach trail were pretty spectacular.  Laurel Falls are wider and shorter.  Near Laurel Falls was a second waterfall.  It didn¢t have a name.  Guthook just said Laurel Gorge. It reminded me of Clifton Gorge in Ohio, but a lot bigger. I got a video of that too. The trail goes around Watauga Lake, which was created when the Tennessee Valley Authority dammed up the Watauga River.  That was a beautiful part of the hike. Very flat and it reminded me of Caesar¢s Creek Lake in Ohio.  At one of the places where the trail went around the lake they had picnic tables and since it was a warm, beautiful day I sat there in the sun and had snack. There were geese close by and they were upset at first that I was invading their territory.  Saw most of the same crew from yesterday.  Got passed by Annie first, then Bolt, Reese and Amanda. They are all staying at the Boots Off Hostel tonight.  Did not see Steamer and Ohdi. I know Steamer was concerned about rain and they were trying to do as short a hike as possible just getting up and over Pond Mountain.  I heard him say they were going to hike between 11 and 3. I¢ll probably see them tomorrow. Spring is definitely arriving. Lots of green.  Saw a large snail on the road leading down to Watauga Dam.
Date: 2022-04-01
From: Wilbur Dam Road

To: Rabbit Hole hostel
Miles today: 16.16
Weather: broken clouds

Wilbur Dam Road to Rabbit Hole HostelIt was a long day today. 16.16 miles and over 4,800 feet of elevation gain. I felt good all day but was exhausted at the end. It was very cold today. I started hiking at 8:10 AM and about 8:30 it started raining and then it turned to snow and then to sleet and then back to rain. The good news was it only lasted about an hour and then there were a few 5-10 minute rain events up until about noon. Around 2 PM the sun came out but the wind was still very cold. The trail was in excellent condition. Not too rocky or rooty and I was able to make good time. Got some pictures and videos of views of Lake Watauga and some rhododendron tunnels. I saw very few people on the trail, and none of the crew I was used to running into. When I got to the first shelter around 11, there was a guy and his dog there. His trail name is Tennessee Slim. He had just come back from getting water. He said he was going to make coffee and oatmeal and then start hiking and planned to stay at the next shelter. I ran into a couple that looked like day hikers and near the end ran into Figs. I have seen him before. He was stopping at Iron Mountain Shelter and said there was a group behind him and that he expected about 12 people at the shelter.  I told him Tennessee Slim said he was coming and Figs said when he passed the shelter Tennessee Slim was back in his sleeping bag. Staying at the Rabbit Hole hostel. The owner, Rabbit, is an interesting guy. He hasn¢t worn shoes since 2017. I got a picture of him in bare feet. The temperature had to be in the 40s. He said he only wears shoes if it¢s below 20 degrees.
Date: 2022-04-02
From: Rabbit Hole hostel

To: McQueen Gap
Miles today: 10.14
Weather: clear sky

Rabbit Hole Hostel to McQueen GapToday was a very easy day.  ¢Only¢ 10.14 miles. Trail was in great shape and the day was much warmer and less windy than yesterday.  I got a few videos and pictures of the scenery.  Ran into some trail magic after a little less than 4 miles.  A dad who was a retired teacher and his teenage son whose trail name is Hawkeye were putting on the spread. It was very good. I had 2 cookies and cream pop tarts and a Gatorade. The trail went through a cow pasture today. I took some pictures and a video of how the had the trail marked with huge boulders and also the step up device they have for crossing the barbed wire fence.Saw a lot of the same crew. Saw Figs and Tennessee Slim again. They were both moving steady. Saw Bolt and Reece but Amanda was not with them. Bolt made reservations for Reece and him to go downhilling on mountain bikes on the Virginia Creeper Trail. Bolt said he has ridden it three times before and it is 16 miles of barreling down hill. They are doing that on Monday. They are stopping at the last shelter before Damascus tomorrow and then will do a short hike into town on Monday. I also ran into Annie. She was ahead of everyone again. I asked her where she was staying in Damascus and she said a friend is picking her up and she is through with her 75 mile section hike. I asked if she was going back to school or work and she said no, she was just going home. She said she lives in a tent in her friends backyard. I was speechless. What do you say when someone tells you they live in a tent is a friend¢s yard?  Do you say ¢oh, that¢s nice¢ or ¢oh yes.  We have a number of people in our neighborhood who live in tents is people¢s backyards¢? All I said was ¢maybe I¢ll see you in Damascus¢.  She is a very nice person.
Date: 2022-04-04
From: Damascus (Lady DiÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs B&B)

To: Damascus 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Took a zero at Lady Di¢s B&B. Got to see Damascus. It is very small. About 650-700 people live here. Lady Di has two bikes she lends to guests. I took one for a ride this morning and went to the post office to mail home stuff in my pack I wasn¢t using. Then I rode to Food City on the Virginia Creeper Trail. They closed their salad bar when COVID hit but they had prepared salads in the refrigerated section of the deli, as well as cut fruit.  I brought it back and ate at Lady Di¢s. I walked around downtown Damascus a little and checked out some of the outfitters. I bought a new pair of Injinji socks because mine have a hole in them already There are 3 restaurants in Damascus and they rotate days they are open so at least one is open each day. Went to the Damascus Diner for dinner with 5 other people staying at Lady Di¢s.  When we came back there were 3 other guys about my age and Lady Di and we watched 3 episodes of Downton Abbey. One of the guys, Gary, knew all about it and explained everything to us. No new pictures or videos.
Date: 2022-04-05
From: Damascus 

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.56
Weather: overcast clouds

Damascus to Lost Mountain ShelterTough day. 15.56 miles with over 4,000 of climbing and it started raining around 2 PM. I thought I was done with the elevation changes. Everyone said you still have Mt Rogers.  It is just below 6,000 feet of elevation and the highest point in Virginia.  I thought it was later in VA but it¢s right near the beginning. Will summit Mt Rogers tomorrow but did a lot of the climbing today.  The trail was very rough today. Lots of rocks and roots. I think I got spoiled by the compacted earth trail I had from Watauga Lake to Damascus.At the Lost Mountain Shelter. Shelter was full when I got here so I am in my tent. Many other tents too - at least 5.   Has been raining nonstop and now the wind is really picking up.  My tent is right by the shelter to try to block some of the wind.  Lots of signs by the US Forest Service about bear activity but I have not seen one yet. Put my food in the bear box. It is full to the brim because of all the people here. Not a lot of pictures today.  Some Ridge walking but no views. Got a picture of my breakfast from Lady Di¢s. It was excellent.
Date: 2022-04-06
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter 
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

Lost Mountain Shelter to Thomas Knob Shelter Very hard day today. Not sure why.  12.2 miles with over 3,500 of elevation gain. At Thomas Knob Shelter with 4 other guys. 2 from the UK. One is Taffy from Wales.  I expected him to be way ahead of me.  He pushed too hard and strained a tendon and ended up spending 5 days in Damascus waiting for it to get better.  I am in the upstairs of the shelter by myself. I could have squeezed in on the bottom but it wasn¢t worth the effort. Also the upstairs is much cleaner. Supposed to get thunderstorms tonight and then very cold through Monday. Back down in the 20s with sleet and snow. Then Monday it¢s in 60s. I might stay at the Sufi Lodge during the cold spell. Sufis are the ones that do the whirling dervish. It¢s run by a husband and wife. Mixed reviews on Guthook.  All the meals are halal.
Date: 2022-04-07
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: VA 603
Miles today: 12.73
Weather: moderate rain

Thomas Knob Shelter to VA 603Slow day today. 12.73 miles. Went through the Grayson Highlands.  The rocks were very hard to navigate.  It was not a particularly hard day just very slow going through the rocks. I tried to get pictures of the rocks and roots to give an idea how rough the trail was. Slept in the Thomas Knob Shelter upstairs by myself (other people on the lower level) and there was a fantastic thunderstorm at night.  I was about two feet from the metal roof and it was very loud. After a while it just became white noise. I had no problem sleeping and it was probably the best night I had sleeping on the trail. The lighting was spectacular. There were two windows upstairs and at first I thought someone was climbing up the ladder with a headlamp on because it was so bright and lit up the upstairs. When I left the shelter two ponies came up and I talked to them for a little bit. There is a herd of wild ponies that live in the Grayson Highlands. I crossed over 500 miles today. There were a couple of markers. It¢s hard to believe I am over 20% done. Hopefully hit 600 miles next week. Stayed at the Sufi Lodge.
Date: 2022-04-08
From: VA 603

To: VA 670
Miles today: 14.44
Weather: clear sky

VA 603 to VA 670Spent the night at the Sufi Lodge. It is run by a husband and wife team - James and Suzzanne. It was a very nice place to stay. I talked with James to understand the Sufi religion but didn¢t get very far. He converted to Sufism when he became very sick and was praying for a return to health. I don¢t know how he got pointed to Sufism but he said it answered all his questions and saved his life. His kidneys failed and he has to do dialysis regularly.  His wife Suzzanne cooks and made very good halal meals. She is legally blind and can only see out of the center of her eyes. No peripheral vision. I had two dinners and two breakfasts for the two nights I spent there. Hiked 14.44 miles today. Got some pictures of waterfalls. It was a medium day. 2,654 in elevation gain so not bad. The first half of the hike was fine but after noon it started raining and kept up the rest of the day. Just a cold steady rain with lots of wind. Some snow mixed in too. Wore my poncho most of the day. I hiked some with Gary, a guy I met in Damascus. I think he is a couple years older than me. Very nice engineer who worked for the NSA. He is in one of the videos I took and also stayed at the Sufi Lodge. Suzzanne took our picture when we were eating dinner. We are both in thobes because that is what the Sufi Lodge uses for loaner clothes when you get your laundry done.
Date: 2022-04-09
From: VA 670

To: Mt Rogers Recreation Area HQ
Miles today: 7.86
Weather: clear sky

VA 670 to Mt Rogers Recreation Area HQShort easy day today. Only 7.86 miles. The reason I stayed at the Sufi Lodge was because the weather turned very cold with lots of rain and snow.  The hike today was a winter wonderland. It was very beautiful as the snow blanketed everything. It was only an inch or two deep but the wind blew it so it stuck to the trees. It snowed most of the time I was hiking. I wore my poncho almost the entire hike. Got picked up by James at the Mt Rodgers Recreation Area HQ, which the AT goes right by. Got dropped off at the EconoLodge in Marion, VA, about 6 miles away. Going to zero here tomorrow. It¢s ok. It¢s old but clean and I can walk to Walmart and Ingles.
Date: 2022-04-11
From: Mt Rogers Recreation Area HQ

To: Tent site at mile 547.4
Miles today: 13.34
Weather: overcast clouds

Mt Rogers Recreation Area HQ to tent site at mile 547.4Good day today. Hiked 13.34 miles. Lots of climbing at the beginning and then a long down hill and then some rolling hills. 2,724 elevation gain.  Totally different day than Saturday with the snow and wind. Today was very spring like. Got pictures of May flowers coming up already.  Saw other flowers poking through too. At a campsite at mile 547.4. Six other tents here. I know most of the guys. Giggles, Shepard, Reece, Ken Again and a few others. Giggles and Shepard and their crew are much younger. They have to finish the AT by August so they can go back to college. I think they¢ll make it. It¢s amazing how much energy they have. After dinner, they organized a game, kind of like corn-hole.  It involves trying to throw a rock into your shoe from about 20 feet away. They developed this elaborate scoring system if it hits the shoe and double points if it goes in and I don¢t know what else.  They are also drinking beer and smoking cigarettes and vaping.  I think they are having a good time.  It¢s supposed to rain tonight. We¢ll see. I don¢t think it will be bad.
Date: 2022-04-12
From: Tent site at mile 547.4

To: Knot Mail shelter
Miles today: 13.08
Weather: few clouds

Tent site at mile 547.4 to Knot Mail shelterMedium day. Hiked 13.08 miles. No big climbs but 4 sizable climbs so that total elevation gain was 3,309. Got a picture of the other tents at the campsite this morning. Passed the 1/4 done sign!  Got a selfie with it. Flowers are starting to blossom. Got a picture of a rhododendron bud. Saw 3 deer.   The trail went through several pastures today.  That always makes it interesting.  Apparently it¢s still private land but the AT Conservancy or the US Forest Service has an easement to let us pass through. At Knot Maul Shelter. Eight other people here, including Trimpi from the UK.  Met Linus, Gandalf, Survivor and Squirrel.  When I asked Squirrel about her name she said it had something to do with her attention span.
Date: 2022-04-13
From: Knot Mall shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter 
Miles today: 20.04
Weather: overcast clouds

Knot Mall shelter to Jenkins Shelter Today was the first day I hiked more than 20 miles. 20.04, so just barely over 20, but with a full backpack!  I started from the shelter around the time the others started so we ended up at Lick Creek around the same time. The bridge at Lick Creek is out so we had to ford the creek.  It was not dangerous but more of an annoyance. We had to change out of our hiking shoes and boots and everyone that had them put on their camp shoes. I have a pair of Xero shoes as my camp shoes. Only one guy, Gandalf, didn¢t have camp shoes so he wore his waterproof socks. It wasn¢t cold or slippery and was quite refreshing.  I got a video of Squirrel crossing the creek in her crocs. There was a lot of elevation gain today. 4,810 in elevation gain. Just as I was getting to the top of the highest climb I saw Trimpi walking towards me. He left earlier than everyone else so he was ahead of me. He asked me how I had gotten ahead of him and why was I hiking south?  As soon as he said it he realized he had gotten turned around and was the one hiking south. His reaction was hilarious and we both had a good laugh and then he took off mad at himself for getting turned around at the shelter at the top of the climb. It is very easy to get on the wrong trail at a shelter because there are typically many trails going to water, a privy, tent sites and the AT. Very tough ridge walk near the end. It was very rocky on the ridge line and I had to go very slowly. Someone put up a gnome village on the trail. I got a picture. Stayed in my tent at Jenkins Shelter. At least six other tents. No one stayed in the shelter. It was a very clear night and the moonlight was so bright i could see inside my tent without a headlamp.
Date: 2022-04-14
From: Jenkins Shelter 

To: Big Walker Motel
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: overcast clouds

April 14Jenkins Shelter to Big Walker MotelRelatively easy day. 11.20 miles. The trail was in great shape and not a lot of rocks. Took a few pictures and videos. Lots of wildflowers starting to bloom. Saw a strange plant so looked it up on iNaturalist. It¢s called American cancer root. I am in Bland, Va at the Big Walker Motel. Just for the night. Leaving tomorrow at 7:00 AM.  Got here at 5:00. Walked to Subway and Dollar General and got a shower. No laundry here.Our shuttle driver was named Bubba and he looked like what you would expect. He was a super nice guy and very knowledgeable about the area.
Date: 2022-04-15
From: Big Walker Motel

To: Weary Feet Hostel
Miles today: 18.78
Weather: clear sky

Big Walker Motel to Weary Feet HostelLong day today. 18.78 miles. Passed 600 miles today!  Slow but steady.   Another very tough ridge walk today. Lots of rocks on the ridge. Stayed at the Weary Feet Hostel. Run by a very nice lady, Julie.  Met her husband too. One other hiker there, Dale. He is afraid he has developed plantar fasciitis. We talked a lot a about foot problems. I was the only one in the house. It was built in 1907 and I think it has no insulation and was quite noisy in the wind. Julie and her husband live in a house next door and Dale was staying in the bunk house.  An employee, Robert, cooked breakfast for us. He is a super nice guy and is a farrier. He explained that a farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves, if necessary. A farrier combines some blacksmith's skills with some veterinarian's skills to care for horses' feet.