morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-05-27
From: Carver's Gap/Watuaga Lake Memorial Day Party

To: Jones' Falls
Miles today: 19.6

The party is over. Long live the party. Miss Janet drops our packs at the Beer Wash in Roan Mt. TN. That's right, a beer wash. We plan on hiking 13 miles to our packs and then doing a little night hike. I am with FB no more. He has found a softer and gentler hiking partner, Laughing Bird. It is now Pony Boy, Pit and I. We leave Carver's Gap with Sherpa, Chainsaw, and Moss and head out from Carver's Gap. This is my favorite section of the trail in the south. The day does not disappoint. Chill with beautiful Aussie, Walkabout at Overmountain Shelter. Pit is in love.Go over the Little Hump and Hump Mt as dark clouds approach. It is so cool to be out in the open, up high, and be able to see the weather pattern as it happens. Once we got high enough it was obvious that the front was not going to hit us. Get to the top of Hump Mt. Chainsaw ever the observant twelve-year old spots longhorn cattle up ahead. We head for them with great anticipation.Soon enough we are upon a field of 10 longhorn steer. Most of them laying in a field. But one, a golden momma is standing directly on the trail and staring us down. Ah, I see. Twenty feet behind her are two calves laying in the grass. We walk around them and stop for pictures. I cannot resist backing up as close as I can to them. I get close and the largest of the steer rises to its feet. "Take the picture, take the picture", I urge. Can't wait to see those pictures. Scared shitless. It's downhill from here to our packs. We get to our packs around nightfall. Down some beers, some free pizza donated by the owner of the Beer Wash and head out for a night hike. Ponyboy and Pit haven't night hiked before so it should be fun. After the initial climb out of 19E we are in good spirits. As we move up the trail, my headlamp catches two eyes 20 feet ahead. Horses. Three of them. On the trail. Headed north, just like us. So for the next half mile we follow three horse up the AT. We joke about mounting them and riding them for a while, but think better of it. Get to the field where they roam and are greeted by the rest of the horses. The stars are blazing, there are horses about, and we are having a blast. Stop for a break. A very long break. For whatever reason, the giggles ensue. We cannot stop laughing. "It's cold" "Yeah it is" "Let's just sit here and be cold" Not funny? Had to be there. Hike on to Jones Falls. Arrive at 1:30 am.Cook dinner, drink a beer I packed in and go to sleep right next to the waterfall we can hear but cannot see. Damn near a perfect day.
Date: 2003-05-28
From: Jones' Falls

To: Kincorra Hostel
Miles today: 18.0

Wake up to a most beautiful waterfall. Bob Peoples, the owner of Kincorra and the trail maintainer for this area, relocated the trail to the falls. It took years. God Bless him. The falls are at least 100 feet high. It isn't gushing water, it is more like a shower. In fact, I hiked up to the falls and took a shower under the falls. Refreshing. Took the largest shit of my life this morning. I would estimat that it was twice as large as any previous shit I have expelled. I feel reborn. Hike. Hike. Hike. 3 miles outside of Kincorra, Spiff calls down and has them order us pizza. I arrive to four large pepperoni pizzas and many trail friends, Phobia, Shankadelic, etal. Eat, shower, hobknob, and go to sleep. In a good group of people at the moment. Reminds me of old trail friends, Beer Styck, Heatmizer, Little Train, Sandfly, Duct Tape. How many friends can one person have? How long is the trail?
Date: 2003-05-29
From: Kincorra Hostel

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light rain

Wake up well rested and ready for the day. Wait out a bit a rain and head on out. Hang out at Laurel Falls for a bit and move on. At the 321 junction trail, Ponyboy and Pit give me all of their heavy shit so they can go up Pond Flats with lighter packs. I head off for Hampton, TN to get the boys some Subway and snacks. The 10th car that passes me picks me up to take me into Hampton. What ensues cannot be published on such a kind website. It involved a man on work-release, his sister/second-third cousin(huh?), a 100-year old invalid named Hazel and offers of drugs I haven't even heard of. If you see me ask me about it. Easily one of the most insane experiences of my life. As I finally get dropped off in town, I can see Ponyboy and Pit are getting crushed by rain on Pond Flats. I pick up there orders and a large cup of coffee. They must be cold. Don't have to hitch back, am offered a ride. If you ever have the idea to make fun of Southerners , remember you are making fun of the kindest and most open Americans I have ever come accross. Reach the lake, stash the stuff under a picnic table near the water and head up to look for PB and Pit. They arrive soon enough. When we near the picnic table we see that the ducks from the lake have already started eating without us. Bastards! They grabbed three glazed donuts and jetted. Mercifully, they saved us our Subway sandwiches. Eat up near the lake. Chill at Watauga Lake Shelter and move on for Vandeventer. It is dark and cloudy. You know what it is like to drive in the fog. Try hiking in it at night with but a headlamp for light. Slowgoing. Am standing two feet from the shelter and don't know it. If I wasn't looking for a white blaze I would havve walked right by it. Nobody home.We do our business and go to sleep. Crazy day.Quote of the day(at least one that is printable): Driver: Can't wait to get back to prison, it's the only way I get to have sex.
Date: 2003-05-30
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Damascus
Miles today: 33.0
Weather: broken clouds

33 mile day!! Finish arond 1:30 am. Mostly a blur. Roadwalk for 6.5 miles into Shady Valley, Tn to pick up foodstuff for Ponyboy and Pit.. Beautiful valley. Rivals the Catawba Valley. Load up on food. Order two cheeseburgers one for me and one for Ponyboy. Ponyboy's doesn't last ten seconds after I finish mine. Absolutely the best cheeseburgers I have had on the AT. And funny people to boot. Order him another one. While I am waiting, a woman sits next to me and starts sobbing. Suddenly, I feel even more blessed. If that is possible. Get back to Low Gap and wait on the boys. We grub and head on. It is five thirty and we have 14.8 miles to go before we sleep. Get to Abingdon Gap shelter around dark and cook a quick meal. Head out at 9pm with 10 miles left.By the time we have only 5 miles left we are all spent. It is all we can do to rise up from our breaks. My right knee is burning but the spirit is willing so on I go. We reach town, hit the Place and collapse into bunks. I know more happened today, but it is all a blur. Tomorrow, a zero day and one last party with Miss Janet. Copious amounts of alcohol will be consumed.
Date: 2003-05-31
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Zero Day. Plotzed and putzed. Chillin' like a Leadvillian. Dollar drafts at the Old Mill leads to late afternoon nap. Wake for shindig. Everybody was too tired to party, so it was an early night (1am). Zero day means zero to tell. Tomorrow we begin Virginia. "Oh, I creep, yeah, I creep".
Date: 2003-06-01
To: End of Creeper Trail
Miles today: 16.0

(Sorry for the delay in updates, the only time I have hit a comp since Damascus the site was down. The updates may be short on detail but I am on a time constraint.)      After breakfast at Cowboys, hanging at the Sidetrack, saying later to FB, I finally make my way out of Damascus down the Creeper Trail. It is a Sunday so the bike path is loaded with people. Sherpa and Chainsaw took the day off to bike and Chainsaw had made some friends his own age which made Sherpa a very happy camper. Talked to a gentlemen with a fifty-year old camera for a while.Basically, just meandered along at a slow pace enjoying the day and the walk. Made it to camp at the end of the Creeper and successfully set up my rainfly for the first time. Went looking for Shankadelic and Half-Pint to return a favor but they were nowhere to be found. Pit and Ponyboy showed up not long after dark. Fell asleep to the sound of the creek. Breezy easy day.
Date: 2003-06-02
From: End of Creeper Trail

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

Holy shit it was cold last night. Had to be in the low forties. Break camp and move on up the trail. Am met by Jonachi and Q, who say a ranger is looking for a hiker who fit the description of someone we had just met. Never good news from a ranger. Do the sweet climb up Whitetop. Spirits are sky high and for good reason. The sun is shining, we are in a new state, and the scenery is beautiful. Take a fat break at Buzzard Rock and move on up over Whitetop. We make it all of a half mile when we cross a gushing spring. Lunchtime. Sit in the open on top of Whitetop and max and relax. Finally pulling away from the spring we climb up Mt Rogers. Before we even make it to ThomasKnob shelter we see the ponies. Always an fantastic site. Roll up on the shelter where many hikers have decided to stay the night. Not us. The forecast is for rain and we want to make it thru the Highlands dry. Cook dinner on Wilburn Ridge as the sun fades behinds the clouds and two ponies fornicate. The sky is darkening and find that gear that gets me moving. I ve gone to 11. Make it to Wise shelter not long after dark and just as the rain begins to fall. Not long after Pit and Ponyboy arrive. Great day, good timing.
Date: 2003-06-03
From: Wise Shelter

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

Wake up to rain. All motivation to move is sapped and we lay around a while. Finally the rain slows and we move on out. Take the Scales trail to the Scales.It is nice to hike alone and this is a great day to do it. The fog is overwhelming, the forest is quiet, and my spirits are high. Make it to the Scales just as a hard wind begins to blow. Find refuge next to a campground host s RV and wait on the boys. Man it is cold. This is June? The boys arrive and their spirits remain as high as mine. I found a blue blaze on the map and decided to take it and head into Troutdale. Good move. Instead of climbing up and over Iron Mt, I slab it on a Forest Service Road. Incredible sites. It is basicaly a horse trail nowadays that lies on the backs of the surrounding farm properties. The only building I passed was the Comers Creek Baptist Church. Next to it was a cemetery. Possibly the most beautiful setting for a resting place as one could imagine. An unassuming meadow nestled within small mountains. As quiet as a church mouse. Make it to the main road and catch a hitch into Troutdale. Food glorious food. Have a couple of burgers, chat w/the locals, eavesdrop on conversations and basically just enjoy my stay in town. Make my way back up to the trail via some partying forest service workers. Yeehaw. Meet up with Pit and Ponyboy at Dickey Gap. Nighthike into Trimpi Shelter. But only ater Ponyboy has convinced me that we are being stalked by two lights down in the woods. I carry a rock for two miles. Turned out to be lights from town. Good laugh. Thankfully, Trimpi is empty so we don t disturb anyone with our after midnight arrival. The bugs are out. Try to sleep.
Date: 2003-06-04
From: Trimpi Shelter

To: Atkins (Pearisburg)
Miles today: 22.0

Didn t wake up cos we didn t sleep. The bugs won the battle. We are stirring at 6 30 and hiking by eight. A record for us. But another record was about to be set. I hiked from Trimpi to Partnership, 10.7 miles, in 2 hours and 35 minutes. That s over 4 miles an hour. Amazing what Pizza will do for a soul. Get to Partnership and order our pizzas. Eat pizzas. Sleep. For 5 hours. Start moving around four and head for Atkins. Thankfully, the walk is easy and we are well-fed and well-rested. Ponyboy, with a look of fear in his eyes, busts out for Atkins to hit the DQ before it closes, while Pit and I relax at a 100 year old schoolhouse. Make it Atkins in time for DQ. Place my order. Two hands cover my eyes. Who can it be now? Miss Janet. Party in Pearisburg. Will we go? After hearing that no thruhikers were up for a party decided to go on principle. Make it Pearisburg and proceed to drink copious amounts. First beer, then whiskey, then Boone s Farm. Yes, Boone s Farm. It is the law that when a pretty girl offers you a drink you must accept, right? Tasted like a jolly rancher. Much drama. Too much. Finally at 3 30 am we go to sleep. Long day. Hiked hard and played hard.
Date: 2003-06-05
From: Atkins (Pearisburg)

To: Lynn Camp Creek
Miles today: 14.3

Shhh! Very hungover. Too hungover. Wake up early and ride w/Miss Janet to take the Mrrrnt crew on a yellow-blaze north of Pearisburg. Takes over an hour. Poor Miss Janet. Last night, somebody stole 46 dollars from her and today she is on a slack from hell. And I am along for the ride. Finally make it back to Pearisburg. Before we head back to Atkins, Miss Janet drives to the house where the thieves from the night before are supposed to be staying. Pit, Ponyboy and I are all laying incapacitated in the van wondering what the hell we are supposed to do if she finds them. I can barely walk let alone kick someone's ass. Thankfully, nobody home. We are on our way. Get to Atkins around 4pm w/a plan of doing 24 miles. Haha. My hangover will not go away and the boys aren't doing so good themselves. We make it to Knot Maul Shelter around midnight and get lost trying to find the trail. Head straight down a hill to a spring. This misdirection saps whatever will I have. Walk another .2 of a mile and I just stop. This is it for me today. No more. Right here. Thrown down the tarp and go to sleep. A hard days' night, indeed.
Date: 2003-06-06
From: Lynn Camp Creek

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

Wake up early and hit the trail. Bust out a quick 9 miles to Chesnut Knob Shelter, with its open views of the valley below. "God's thumbprint" is the valley's moniker and was Vanderbilt's first choice to place the Biltmore Castle.Chill at the shelter w/ Snail, Orlando Jack, Wildflower, Family Man and others. Chill for a while, the boys are moving slow. So slow, in fact, that I wait 4 hours before they get there. They finally arrive, add another hour to my break and finally move on from the knob. Roll down to Walker Gap and take another break. Notice a pattern? Get moving up Garden Mountain. For the first time in five long-distance trips on the AT the rhodendendrums are in bloom and stacked nine deep in the forest. The beauty is shocking. I used to think man invented god to explain misery, disease, tornados, etc., but know I believe that man invented god to have someone to thank for beauty such as this. The weather is perfect, the natural surroundings are gorgeous and I feel perfectly gorgeous. The effects of the Hurricane have completely worn off and everything is coming up rhodies. At the top of Garden Mt, we chill on an outcroppping and watch the sky go dark. We have 4.6 to go and easy trail ahead.Bitchslap! The trail is rocky and slow, it takes forever to get any marked pts. to see how far we have gone, and when we reach them they seem like they have to be wrong. On top of that, the rains are coming again. Losing my patience, I begin to truck, thinking the shelter cannot be far off. And I truck and I truck. I am cursing and screaming and bitching and moaning. "Where the fuck's the shelter?", I lament at the top of my lungs as the precip turns from mist to rain. Finally, I give up mentally. Must have passed it in the dark. Will just settle in before the next climb, get wet and head into Bland early. Nevertheless, I keep up my ridiculous pace. Fall off the trail, break my walking stick, boom a couple more expletives out, and keep going. Voila, the shelter. Roll up in the rain, to 6, maybe 7 hikers in the shelter sprawled out. Several are awake, none offer to make room. Selfish bastards. The thruhiking ethos ain't what it used to be. Cool. Make as much noise as is humanly possible, for as long as possible. The boys show up, they thought they had passed it, as well. Set up camp under the 6 inch overhang behind the shelter, with my legs stuffed under the shelter floor. Pit lets out two loud "Fuck"s since he has just spilled his entire dinner inside his tent. Bad for Pit, but I hope it wole some more of the bastards up. Snuggle in and go to sleep. Today was much like the trail. Up and down.
Date: 2003-06-07
From: Lynn Camp Creek

To: Bland
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Wake up early and head for the P.O. in Bland. Take first right and walk dirt road into town. Take wrong turn and walk away from town. Not a soul in sight. No cars on the road. Here comes the rain. Pouring rain. I give the please hitch (hands pressed together instead of thumb) to the first car that passes. He stops. Young man on his way to church. I was really far away from town, it would have take at least an hour to get there by foot. Thank you. Get to town, head to the diner/gas station and grub. Widget and Jesse roll in with friends from Maine. Head over to the IGA for a little grocery shopping. See a sign for George and Murray Ann Ziegenfuss'. These are the two Pentecostal ministers who drove me over 100 miles to Trail Days in '99. George was shot by a hunter while taking his daily AT walk on New Year's Day 2003 and I have been anxious to see how he has been doing. Give em a ring. Within five minutes Murray Ann is at the IGA and taking me back to their place. Get a shower, a second breakfast, lunch, laundry done, and most importantly get time with George. Physically, the effects of having a .50 caliber pierce his side, clip his spine, puncture his lung and lodge in his ribs are evident. But his spirits are high and he is determined to hike again. Last week, he did his first 4 mile hike since the shooting. God Bless 'em. They offer to let me and the boys stay so I head back to the trail to see if that is what they want to do. Of course, it is. We catch a quick hitch back to town and head for the Ziegenfuss'. After being swept up by Hurricane Janet, the quiet time is not only enjoyable but needed. Spend the evening talking w/George about the trail.Can feel the batteries recharging as we sit there. Sleep inside out of the rain. Things are looking up.
Date: 2003-06-08
From: Bland

To: Dismal Falls
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: light rain

Head out of the Ziegenfuss' early and head back to the trail. The day is pretty much a race to get to Dismal Falls and enjoy it. Roll the whole 20 miles with nary an interference or obstacle. Get to the store before the falls and pick up a sixer of 24 oz. Buds and head to the falls to wait for the boys. Several kids from WV are jumping off the falls into the pool below. Looks like fun, but I limit myself to a nice dip under the falls. So much more water everywhere on the trail this year. Rain. The boys arrive and we drink our beers and have our fun. Ponyboy sees something stirring in the woods and freaks us out again. I head up toward his "sighting" to alleviate any fears, his and my own. Nothing. Get back to the boys who are laughing hysterically. Nervous energy and Budweiser, I guess. Here comes the rain, again. It has rained all but one day so far in VA. Hovel under a rock outcropping for a short time. The rain passes and we go to sleep. I sleep under the rock overhang next to the falls.
Date: 2003-06-09
From: Dismal Falls

To: Just outside Pearisburg
Miles today: 22.5

Wake up early and head out early. Today, I was on my own since I took the Ribble Trail around Wapiti Shelter. Straight up instead of around and up for a while. Not nearly as bad as I remembered from '99. Get to the top and cruise.Have a great time hiking easy trail while listening to tunes. Meet Elle at Angel's Rest, hang out there for a while and head into Pearisburg. The rhodedendrum coming off of Angel's Rest are even more breathtaking than those on Glade Mt. Glory be. Reach Pearisburg. Have a couple of hours to kill before the boys get here, so I stop at a hotel to use their comp and journal. Alas, trailjournals is down. This might be it until Harisburg(It is, that is where I am now). Mow some Hardee's and head down to Wade's Grocery to wait for Pit and Ponyboy. They need to resupply and the store closes at nine. At 8:50 Pony arrives. At 8:56, Pit. They run thru the store, buy an absurd amount of food, and drink an absurd amount of 25cent sodas. We head out of town and camp jsut off the road near the chemical plant. Good day.
Date: 2003-06-10
From: Just outside Pearisburg

To: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke up as the early hikers passed us leaving Pearisburg. Morning climb out of Pearisburg was the first haul in a while. Break w/hot section hikers at spring near top. Reach Star Haven Shelter as John Denver sings "Country Roads" on the radio. Head off of the ridge abit down into WV for a break. West Virgina, Mountain Momma, indeed. The rest of the day is a long ridge walk. Take a nice break at Wind Rock and pick up some snickers and oranges. Climb up to Bailey Gap Shelter in the dark. Very tired and irritated by the time it takes to reach the top. Miss the shelter and walk .3 past. Am now very irritated. Finally reach the shelter, set up and go to bed. A mid-to-rough Virgina day. Just walkin'.
Date: 2003-06-11
From: Just outside Pearisburg

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

Wake up to the threat of rain. Head out for War Spur. Make it to War Spur in a lite drizzle. Cook lunch and chill, expecting the rains to come. No such luck. Without a serious rain, we pack up and decide to leave. Here comes the serious rain. Thoughts of staying at the shelter that we had no more than a minute left we quickly dispelled by forward momentum. But the rain had momentum, as well. It stormed. We had a rather long climb where the rain was ain aid, keeping us cool. But after the climb, the rain became tiresome. Then the downhill. The trail is a stream. The trail is a stream. No waterbars to guide the water off the trail. Actaully there was one. And it worked. It was near the bottom. Get to Little Laurel Shelter very early. There is little talk of moving, though. Pit and Ponyboy have had enough of the rain. The only problem with stopping short is a food shortage on mine and Ponyboy's part. That will be dealt with tomorrow. For the time being we are staying put for the rest of the day. Mother Nature strikes again. And again.
Date: 2003-06-12
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Catawba
Miles today: 28.0
Weather: mist

After going back and forth, deciding what to do about food, I decided to hitch to Catawba with the boys' packs so they can slack there and get to the Home Place for dinner. It is ambitious, but all other alternatives aren't as feasible or appealing. What the hell is a purist blueblazer anyway. Takes me two hours to get my first hitch. Second hitch not as long. First thing the second hitch says to me as I get into his truck, "Ain't no colored folk in the county." What the hell do you say to that? Other hitches go well and I am at the general store for the remainder of the day. Alas, the boys miss The Home Place by 10 minutes. We grub on Ice Cream and go to sleep in the gazebo outside the Home Place. A disappointing day in several respects, yet spirits are high. It felt good to aid the boys on their thruhikes. Tomorrow, McAfee's Knob.