morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-06-28
From: Bearfence Mountain Hut

To: Loft Mountain Campground
Miles today: 27.8
Weather: scattered clouds

I decided to hike big miles today and tomorrow. in order to make it to Rockfish Gap by Wednesday evening. Mom could not meet me Thursday morning, but I want to switch out my boots for my trail running shoes to see if it helps with the blisters. My feet just move too much in the boots. But, in order to make Rockfish Gap, my 22-mile days need to be two 27-mile days instead. But, I have yet to stop at the roadside "waysides" in Shenandoah National Park to get a legendary blackberry milkshake. I decided to wait for the final one at Loft Mountain as an act of self-control. I also decided that milkshake would be a good reward for a 27 mile day. I hiked through the hottest and most humid day on the trail from 0700, anticipating a cold milkshake reward. About two miles shy of the milkshake stand at 5pm, I was informed by a passing hiker that the stand closes at 5pm and that I missed the milkshakes. Disappointed, the weather joined me in darkness as a storm arrived simultaneously. I climbed the final two miles uphill in the rain, disappointed, hot, and with an increasingly agitated ankle. Upon reaching the campground at the top of Loft Mountain, though, I met two other hikers as we congregated near the coin-operated showers sipping our cold gatorades (the next best treat I could find). They invited me to join them at their campsite, reducing the cost to $5 a piece. Exhausted, hot, wet, and disappointed, I agreed. We then had a wonderful conversation after everybody took showers, about hiking. These teachers from Texas were not your usual hikers and had no agenda. We'll just hike until one of us gets tired of it, they said. We sat and talked and visited with our campsite neighbors into the night, while the sounds of fiddle music floated over from a distant campsite. My disappointing day ended up as one of the more pleasant evenings on the trail. I can't wait until I get home and complete my banjo string resupply so I can play music again. One more day!
Date: 2016-06-29
From: Loft Mountain Campground

To: Rockfish Gap
Miles today: 26.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Despite increasing soreness in my ankle (I might have to get that looked at when home), I made some good time hiking today. I was hiking at an almost 4mph pace! I also passed few hikers until late in the day. One, though, was Cold Turkey, the full time trail chaplain this year for the Appalachian Trail Chaplaincy! We knew of each other but had never met. However, our long awaited meeting occurred right on the trail about 5 miles north of Rockfish Gap. We talked about our experiences on the trail, and spoke of the expected and unexpected challenges of both hiking the trail and doing ministry on the trail. It was really nice to make the physical connection with the trail chaplain. I do not envy that job as much anymore. The trail is quite an undertaking and with the recent rain almost every day, downright demoralizing at times. However, Cold Turkey seems to be powering through the challenges. My prayers are certainly with him. After passing a few more snakes today (snake count:7, deer count: 7, bear count: 3), I arrived in Rockfish Gap early to meet mom. We grabbed dinner (where we had to sit outside due to my hiker aroma) and then headed for home. It'll be good to be home for a couple of days to change out shoes, get a break, and see if this ankle gets better.
Date: 2016-07-02
From: Rockfish Gap

To: Paul Wolfe Shelter
Miles today: 5.1
Weather: overcast clouds

After a days at home, I'm back to the trail today. Mom dropped me on her way to the coast and I took a short day to the shelter. There's a lot of hurt and pain and divorce on the trail. Both of my fellow card playing hikers tonight spoke of their divorces and ex spouses. Most intriguing though was one asking me if I knew why God made mountains. I thought it was the punchline of a joke but he then said, "it's written in the bible somewhere right?" I confessed I don't think it ever says. "I'm not religious, but I thought they were to challenge us ." Perhaps he's right. I don't know. Mountains certainly bring challenge, wonder, awe among other things, but I don't know why they were made. Maybe I'll have an answer to update in the morning. As for the logistical things, my ankle swelling was diagnosed as Lyme disease and I'm back on doxycycline. I've played this game before so no big deal. I got back on the trail today in my running shoes and it feels better. I walked a short 5 miles this afternoon and then read and visited with the other hikers (all weekend folks). Tomorrow will be another pretty short day as I prepare to meet Jeff on Friday.
Date: 2016-07-03
From: Paul Wolfe Shelter

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: moderate rain

TRAIL MAGIC! Some of you reading this are quite familiar with trail magic, while others have no clue what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about magic tricks (though I did encounter a hiker today who was trying to entertain us with tricks at the shelter). "Trail Magic" is an occurrence of unexpected kindness from a complete stranger to hikers, often in the form of food, beverages, rides, etc. I had my first true taste of trail magic today. On a gray day of hiking with a dense fog present all day and a light drizzle throughout, I passed through Reid's (Reed's) Gap on the Blue Ridge Parkway to find Ewok, a 2012 thru-hiker, sitting by his car with music playing and an array of food on a towel: beer, ice cream, apples, bananas, mangos, avocados, cherries, mixed nuts, and candy bars. After protesting slightly as unworthy to receive as a non-thru hiker, Ewok insisted. I took some fruit and a snickers bar and talked with my new hiker friend for a while, exchanging stories about the trail, Virginia, and travels. Ewok's friends who had asked to help out with his trail magic then showed up and began a 4th of July cookout (a day early). I ended up spending about 4 hours with Ewok and crew, eating homemade potato salad, burgers, strawberries, and more of Ewok's cherries. After a dreary and drizzly day, I couldn't have imagined a better experience for my first trail magic. I needed the pick-me-up....and I think Ewok and friends needed an appreciative, listening visitor.I got up to the sound of rain, continuing from most of the previous night. Thankfully the shelter was a nice one. I continued to talk to the 4 others at the site over breakfast, but took my time getting ready since I was in no rush to be anywhere as I'm wasting time in order to meet a Trail Chaplaincy Board member for a hike in a few days. I waited until the rain let up and then began my hike up Humpback Mountain in the fog and misting/drizzling rain, which continued all day. Thus, the beautiful views along the parkway were nothing but fog. Oh well. At least I saw another bear! And, I ran into Cowboy, a hiker I met in Tennessee in June! We had a brief rendezvous, but he was anxious to get out of the rain and into Waynesboro (the big destination in this part of the trail). I arrived to Maupin field and visited with my 4 other sheltermates: a thru hiker, a long weekend couple, and a long weekend Marine. We had some nice conversation about jobs, the military, hiking, and church before calling it a night as the rain picked up yet again.
Date: 2016-07-04
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: The Priest Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: light rain

"Remember your baptism and be thankful" repeated through my mind as I ascended The Priest today, one of the longer Virginia climbs on a Southbound (SOBO) hike through Virginia on the AT. The baptism reminder seemed only fitting given the mountain's name being "The Priest". It was further appropriate due to the weather. Shortly after descending the rocky Three Ridges peak in a drizzle, the sky opened up into an all out downpour. This rain continued for the next couple of hours: enough time to reach the summit of The Priest, almost perfectly. This was the type of rain which relentlessly soaks to one's very core. As I hiked upward on the manageable, but steady climb, my attitude changed from disgust to amusement. Being so soaked that each step causes bubbles in the trail/spontaneous creek given the fact that the water was above my ankles forced me to chuckle. The more I hiked, I found myself enjoying the waters, the refreshing and renewing water of the rain. It felt like a baptism. "Remember your baptism and be thankful," I began to think. I was hardly thankful for the rain, but felt a renewed sense of mission. Hiking the Appalachian Trail as an intern trail chaplain is ministry. And baptism, among its many meanings, is a commissioning to ministry of sorts. I needed that reminder from The Priest today.For the details, in no need of rushing onward due to the Friday rendezvous near Buchanan with a Trail Chaplaincy board member, I waited to leave the shelter until the rain took a break. After a leisurely breakfast and conversation with the fellow hikers and the Tye River Ridge Runner (a trail employee), I began the drizzly/foggy walk up Three Ridges, down to the Tye River, and back up The Priest. These climbs, two of the more notorious in Virginia should have been accompanied by beautiful views due to their height (~4000 ft) and rocky outcroppings. Sadly, though, I was surrounded by a dense fog, high winds, and rain on both peaks, with no view beyond a few feet. Further, I passed 5 day hikers out for a 4th of July walk, but no other hikers during my hike. I got to the Priest Shelter on the summit around 2pm, completely soaked. I decided to stop for a little while at least and found 7 other hikers doing the same. Some eventually moved onward, but four of us decided to stay for the day despite the rain letting up. I ate my patriotic military issued MRE (from the previous day's trail magic) and visited with my fellow hikers (two thru-hikers and a fellow SOBO section hiker). It was an odd, wet, and pleasant 4th of July.
Date: 2016-07-05
From: The Priest Shelter

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles today: 22.4
Weather: clear sky

"When I grow up, I want to hike the whole Appalachian Trail." I stopped for a food resupply at 3 Springs Hostel near Buena Vista today, and was greeted by the owner and her upper elementary aged grandson. While she was preparing for their departure to town for errands, the grandson and I began talking as I repacked my pack with new food. "When I grow up, I want to hike the whole Appalachian Trail", he told me. "Really? The whole thing?" He nodded and smiled. "That's quite a goal." "I think I can do it. I'll be ready and I'll be bigger then." As we talked for a few more minutes I began to think of my hike, by this point getting a little old. The routine of waking and walking in rain (lighter but still present today) was hardly something I was enjoying. And yet, it was this child's dream. He dreamed of doing the exact thing I was doing at that moment, except more. Maybe I should try to appreciate it a little more, for him if nothing else.The day began in as dense of a fog as I've had so far. It almost felt like night in some of the dense groves of trees. In fact, I think I even saw a coyote wandering around confused about the time of day. Almost perfectly, though, the fog lifted and the sun came out right as I reached the meadows of Cold (Cole) Mountain, my favorite place on the AT that I've ever hiked. I took advantage of the sunshine and sat on the summit for a while, talking with family (there's actually cell service there!) and giving my wet feet and gear a chance to dry a bit. I had been informed earlier that the meetup near Buchanan had been postponed so I was given the green light to pick up the pace as I wished. It felt good to hike a few more hours today, though the rain is starting to wear on my feet and soul alike.
Date: 2016-07-06
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: Matts Creek Shelter
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: broken clouds

Near the top of Bluff Mountain, between Buena Vista and Big Island, there is a marker on the side of the Appalachian Trail as a memorial to Little Ottie Cline Powell, a child whose body was found at that "exact spot" in 1891 after disappearing from school more than 7 miles away 5 months earlier. My dad had long told me about finding a marker for Little Ottie Cline Powell in that area many years ago, but he could never remember exactly where. Sometimes the monotony of the trail makes it feel as if it's another world entirely. Markers like this one, or the tale of the Brown Mountain Creek community (an early freed slave community) serve as good reminders that these hills and trees and rocks are not another world, but have in fact been a part of history in this very world for some time. Some of those rocks or trees may have been present to the goings on of the community, or some may have even served as witnesses to the life of Little Ottie Cline Powell. After a brief prayer, I left the marker and continued in a much more somber mood. I had my first truly solo shelter night last night. Nobody else ever arrived at the Brown Mountain Creek Shelter. Given the looming clouds, I slept in the shelter yet again, but not until after spending some quality time reading and playing my mini banjo. After a quick breakfast, I began hiking into a hot and humid day of climbing, back up and over the Blue Ridge Parkway to Bluff mountain and along the ridge until I descended towards the James River near Big Island. The trail was largely empty today, though I passed a handful of late through hikers before meeting a gentlemen out hiking for the week, his first backpacking trip in 30 years. Sharing in his experience and his first day on the trail since his youth was a really special time. We visited for a while before he retreated to his tent to work and I moved on to the next shelter. I crossed the James River Bridge (the longest footbridge on the trail) before getting to the Matts Creek Shelter. I arrived before 4pm, but given the climb and distance to the next shelter, I decided to call it a day early with a "bath" in the swimming hole and a lot of reading with my feet in the cool creek waters. Three other hikers arrived later in the evening and we enjoyed some nice conversation before everybody headed off to bed.
Date: 2016-07-07
From: Matts Creek Shelter

To: Jennings Creek
Miles today: 26.4
Weather: overcast clouds

"I'm hiking home". "Where is home?" "Massachusetts." I took a Snicker's bar break at the Bryant Ridge Shelter this afternoon and there were two older hikers there. One was a woman who began in Georgia in March and is trying to make Harper's Ferry by the end of August. She just hikes a few miles a day but enjoys being outside in retirement. The other was a gentleman who is from Massachusetts. Last summer he had a friend drop him at the trail in Massachusetts and he hiked south to Georgia where some other retired friends picked him up. He lived with them over the winter and is now back on the trail to go home to Massachusetts. I asked if he ever intended to hike the New England portion of the trail to finish it. He said, "No. I don't have any friends up there." Most of the hikers care about how far one goes, whether one makes the whole trail or not. This gentleman was hiking to get from one place to another. "I'm not in a rush to get places." I've said from the beginning that there are all sorts of people on the trail, but that took on a whole new meaning today when I met a commuter on the trail. That's quite a way to get where you're going.As for the details, I got up later than planned from the shelter and didn't get on the trail until almost 9. In a light morning drizzle I climbed up Apple Orchard mountain, reaching the summit by early afternoon with now sunny skies. From the climb up Apple Orchard, I had some beautiful views to the west from the Parkway. Most of the trail was densely wooded, today, though. I passed a few shelters today, hoping to get enough miles to make it to Daleville tomorrow to meet Alan for a resupply and to meet mom for a night at home (read: shower and laundry). I took a lunch break at one shelter and a snicker's break at another before deciding that my feet had enough walking around 6pm at the Jennings Creek crossing near Buchanan. I set up my tarp in a large tenting area near the creek. After dinner, reading, and getting my sleeping pad bag (also my rock bag for bear bag purposes) stuck in the tree, I called it a night. I hope that I won't need to patch my sleeping pad, because the patches were in the bag I had to cut in the tree. :/
Date: 2016-07-08
From: Jennings Creek

To: US 220, Daleville
Miles today: 28.2

Back to the Sacred Harp Singing, I was so excited for laundry and a shower at home that I found myself singing variations of "I have but one more river to cross" today. This is another Sacred Harp tune expressing the desire to reach the heavenly home of rest, but for me I decided that I was excited to reach my own home of rest. It became a counting song as I moved from about 5 more rivers to cross to just one and then "no more". It helps the time to pass on the rolling ridge walks like today to sing of some progress being made when each ridge looks alike. Maybe that's the reason the hymn was written in the first place. The community might have felt as if their lives of faith were taking them nowhere. Creating a life milestone countdown made the hurdles and obstacles of life seem more meaningful in their passing, perhaps. At least they were getting somewhere. When they had but one more river to cross, they had almost made it to heaven. I got up early after a restless night of sleep given I could hear noises all night. Upon emerging from my tarp at first light, I realized that the noises were from a gentleman who had set up his hammock adjacent to my tarp in the middle of the night, despite the room for probably 30 tents at the site. When I began to pack up, he woke and began to visit with me. As we talked over my breakfast and packing, we moved from conversation about backpacking gear to his ongoing divorce. Whenever I stopped my chores to look at him, he'd change the subject back to my gear. But, when talking while occupied in other matters, he told me all about his divorce, his job, and his coping with life's unpleasantness in the current. I slowed my chores and we talked for almost an hour until he packed up to leave himself (his car was parked nearby). I offered continuing prayers for him before leaving for a big day of hiking. Recognizing a late start on a day that I had to make Daleville by 5:30 with a dead phone and no way of knowing the time, I took off up Cove Mountain in a power walk. I passed just a handful of hikers during the day, so my pace continued to quicken. I eventually reached the Fullhardt Knob Shelter where my view west revealed darkening storm clouds. I practically trail ran down the mountain to Troutville and Daleville where I sat down at 3 Lil Pigs Barbeque, plugged in my phone, and realized it was only 4:30! I had made great time! I drank about 8 Sierra Mists and downed most of a table serving of BBQ Nachos before Alan, Mary, and Mom arrived for dinner. We had a great dinner and then I got to go home for laundry and a shower!
Date: 2016-07-09
From: US 220, Daleville

To: Tinker Cliffs
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: broken clouds

After a night at home, mom joined on the trail today! She will accompany me to Rt. 311 after McAfee Knob, giving us two days to hike together. After grabbing a couple of provisions and a new filter squeeze bag at the outfitter in Daleville, we took off up the trail to the nice ridge walk North of Tinker Cliffs. My feet much appreciated the slower pace, as we were only aiming for 10 miles or so each day. Having company on the trail is so much nicer than not. I think I had not really become aware of how solitary hiking by oneself all day, every day can be. Just having mom behind me even if not talking was a really pleasant treat. Plus, breaks and meals have company again. Having somebody else to interact with is not something you can take for granted on the trail. Details: The storm the night before blew down a bunch of trees along the ridge. Today's hike required lots of crawling over down limbs and trees (probably part of the reason I pulled off 4 ticks today!). We couldn't camp near Lambert's Meadow because of the continued bear problems, so we pushed onwards past Tinker Cliffs, but not before enjoying the beautiful views from the cliffs. We watched at sunset as the storm clouds blew just around us, giving us a pleasant breeze as we pitched our tents (my tarp and mom's tent) for the night.
Date: 2016-07-10
From: Tinker Cliffs

To: Campsite before Rawies Rest
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

"We try to get away as much as possible" said one of the hikers with whom I shared a small tent site. They lived in Washington D.C. and leave the city and urban/suburban lifestyle to go hiking every vacation they take. "I can't blame you. Maybe you should move, though. Wouldn't that be nice?", I replied. And then we all three acknowledged the same predicament: there just aren't the jobs and opportunities in rural areas. One of them was an intensive care nurse in a major hospital, the other, his partner, an immigrant from Eastern Europe. They loved to travel and have done so frequently, but did not always find opportunity or welcome in more rural locations. At least in DC, they had a good, stable income and could largely be accepted as a gay couple. In less urban places, they did not have either security. I felt bad for their situation, but they didn't seem to mind. They plan to move to another country in the future anyway. As we talked more, I found that one of them was also United Methodist. Well, he was formerly United Methodist. The same church that we both loved ceased to be hospitable to him and after advocating and praying for change from within the structures of the church, he had given up hope after suffering too many blows and left. He no longer went to a church routinely. Maybe this is another instance of "getting away as much as possible" from a lifestyle or church which is too overbearing. Just as they needed a break from the city, I suppose they needed a break from our church: and I can't really fault that.Details: Mom and I got up pretty early, greeted by a friendly deer. After breakfast we began the ridge walk up the steep slope to McAfee Knob. There was quite a crowd at the top for a Sunday morning. The local Ridge Runner was up there keeping an eye on things as well, having made the hike from Rt. 311 to see how the "blow down" cleanup efforts were going after Friday's storms. Reaching Rt. 311 in the early afternoon, mom and I went to lunch at Hardee's in Salem where we could grab food, I grabbed a light resupply, and then we got milkshakes (mom had dreamed about them the night before) before I was dropped back off at the trail. I hiked for a couple of hours until around 7pm, passing just two hikers heading north. After lovely conversation with my campsite pals, it was time to call it a night.