morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-11-02
From: spring stealth site

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: overcast clouds

11/2/14 - day 1141554.0 Pearsiburg, VA8.4 milesWhat a cold night. The temp down in Pearsiburg was 26, so I have no idea what it was up on the mountain. Add in that cold wind. It didn't help that I had to pee every 2 hours because of all the water I drank. Brr!The goal was just to get to town and pick up my box. No dizziness this morning, but I did feel nauseous. The snow had compacted some and had a crunchy top layer. There was an area that looked like old fields, and just before I got there I saw some footprints in the snow, coming up from the valley and joining the trail. A little further on there were red drops in the snow, and it was smoothed down on the trail, as if something was dragged. It took me a minute to get a clue. A hunter had hiked in that morning to the old fields, shot his deer, and dragged it out. I followed the trail of blood along the trail for about 100 yards at least before it veered off. I never would have known if not for the snow. No worries, I've got my orange vest!Today's picture is the snow from one of those fields, as the clouds were clearing out.Made it to town, got my box, and I'm drinking gatorade to rehydrate in a warm motel room. Tomorrow, back at it.
Date: 2014-11-03
From: Pearisburg

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: clear sky

11/3/14 - day 1151571.6 - Wapiti Shelter17.6 milesDefinitely feeling the stress of the long trail. I told Laurie on the phone yesterday that if I had a good excuse I would come home. She said I was probably hitting "the wall" like a marathoner. I don't have a good excuse so I am still walking. The nausea and dizziness continue in the mornings.The change in the time screwed me this morning coming out of Pearisburg. I am so used to doing everything by the sun that changing the clocks shouldn't affect me, but I had the old times memorized. Now I have to shift everything back an hour. But the Hardees in Pearisburg didn't go along with my plan, but instead waited until 6 to open. So I was late getting out of town.No snow in town, but I climbed for an hour and was back in it. It wasn't long before my shoes were soaked with the melting mess. The picture is looking down on Pearisburg and the New River. I walked across that bridge.The rest of the day was not very exciting. One more excellent viewpoint, a view showing everything I had just hiked. Because of the time change I pulled into the shelter right at dark. There were 2 friendly section hikers from Florida there, the first hikers I had talked to in days. Hope I didn't seem too creepy. They had a nice fire going. They told me their names but I promptly forgot them. Sorry guys!I did see one other person today, a hunter with a shotgun looking for turkey. I had my orange vest on my pack, so I was safe!And the shelter area was at a low elevation and free of snow. I might really have hit the wall if I had to deal with snow again!
Date: 2014-11-04
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: stealth camp
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: overcast clouds

11/4/14 - day 1161589.9 - stealth camp18.3 milesI saw nobody on the trail today. The 2 section hikers from last night were asleep when I left at 5:30. I did see 2 hunters near VA606. I waved, they waved, but when I spoke they didn't answer. Whatever. I was probably spooking the turkey.I did walk a half mile down VA606 to Trent's Grocery and bought and drank a green Gatorade on the spot. I also carried a chicken sandwich back to the trail for lunch. It didn't help much with the queasy feeling.Today's photo is the taxidermy display at the grocery. Sad and pathetic, but also very rural America. They sold everything in that little store, from plumbing supplies to ammunition.Water is scarce over in this corner of Virginia. I got to Jenny Knob shelter at 2:30, but it was 9.8 miles to the next water. Too early to stop, so I loaded up with 3 liters and set out. Walked until 4:30, about 30 minutes past VA611, so the mileage today is an estimate.I'm camped on a narrow ridge line, just feet from the trail, and can see farmhouse lights below me on both sides. This area of VA has not been much fun - fairly boring, a lot of up and down and stony ground. Today there was a long descent along Dismal Creek that was a welcome change.Another odd thing about this ridge - I've seen population explosions of toads, newts, wooly caterpillars, stinkbugs, and walking sticks, but on this ridge its SPIDERS. They look huge in the light of my headlamp. Probably just looking for a warm spot to overwinter, but they can't stay in my food bag, pack, hammock, coat, or SLEEPING BAG! Yikes!Rain is in the forecast, probably starting tomorrow night!
Date: 2014-11-05
From: stealth camp

To: Jenkins shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: overcast clouds

11/5/14 - day 1171609.6 - Jenkins shelter575.7 miles to go19.7 milesI went over 1600 miles today. I have about 575 miles left. The terrain here is very boring - have I mentioned that? I can see why the northbounders get the Virginia blues and drop out in this state.Saw 3 hunters today, one after deer with a muzzle loading rifle, the other 2 said they were after bear. Not sure if they were serious about that, or just kidding the stupid hiker.I also saw 2 section hikers headed north and one thru hiker named Gearhead who was finishing up an odd flip-flop hike. Let me see if I have his saga correct: started at Springer going northbound. Had to get off in Atkins VA (my next resupply). After a delay got back on at Harpers Ferry and went north to Katahdin. Now he just flipped back down to Atkins and is going north to Harpers Ferry to finish. Got all that?I rushed all day, because there is another storm front coming through. It wasn't supposed to start raining until tonight, but it actually started to drizzle about 1PM, so my rushing did no good. I am paying closer attention to the forecast now since I was surprised by the Halloween snowstorm. When I called Laurie she checked the forecast and I have an app on my phone that uses my location to pull up the NWS forecast. Looks like it will rain all day tomorrow, then high winds and a cold front about the time I get to Atkins. Only if the rain lingers until the cold front arrives will there be frozen stuff.This shelter has warning signs about bear. Oh goody... My food is hung, but not out of reach of a bear. Its right over my feet on a line that runs under my tarp. I always do that, keeping everything within reach. It makes cooking at night very convenient to have everything within reach. I sent my food bag hanging rope home long ago, so I couldn't hang it if I wanted to, and there are no bear cables or poles here. Oh well, will report tomorrow.
Date: 2014-11-06
From: Jenkins shelter

To: Lick Creek footbridge
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: light rain

11/6/14 - day 1181625.2 - Lick Creek Footbridge15.6 miles560.1 to goFelt bad all day, so I had zero gumption. I had hoped to do more miles to make an easier day into Atkins for resupply tomorrow, but it didn't happen.But there were great views from Chestnut Knob of the mountains ahead. The Forest Service is cutting the grass to preserve the bald. The shelter on top has four walls and a door, but no water nearby.Didn't see anyone all day until just as I was setting up the hammock and two section hikers went by going north. They had more gumption than I did and were going to do another mile.
Date: 2014-11-07
From: Lick Creek footbridge

To: Atkins
Miles today: 17.4

11/7/14 - day 1191642.6 - Atkins, VA17.4 miles542.7 to goRough day. The weather started with fog and drizzle, then the temp started dropping. There were several climbs, but I had no energy. Then it started sleeting, and I actually saw some rime ice on one high ridge. Then it changed to tiny snowflakes as the clouds cleared away. Very pretty.Passed through several fields and over stiles. There is no fence between me and those cows in the picture.But my queasiness finally caught up with me just as I crossed under I81. I barely made it to the motel and got checked in before the vomiting and diarrhea hit. So that's it probably - norovirus. Hopefully it will work its course in a day or two. Thank God I made it to the motel - it could be much worse. There's no grocery or drugstore here, just 2 gas stations, but there's no treatment for norovirus anyway, just stay hydrated.So I am hunkered down, alternating between chills and hot flashes, staying close to the bathroom. This motel is cheap, so wireless doesn't reach to my room, but I am so thankful this happened in town.
Date: 2014-11-08
From: Atkins

To: Atkins
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

11/8/14 - day 1201642.6 - Atkins, VA0 miles542.7 to goNo vomiting today. Took two long naps in the warm motel room. Went up to the truck stop and bought cans of soup and heated them on my alcohol stove. So I ate very light until evening, 24+ hours after I got really sick, when I had an extra bag of homemade gorp and a snickers bar. So far so good. Tonight and tomorrow morning will tell.Guess who I saw checking in? Walky and Talky. Haven't seen them since PA. Then two other southbounders came in later. So I wasn't the last one on the trail. Its impossible to tell who is behind you, of course.But they are doing big miles now. They've done the math and realize they need to up the miles. Walky and Talky want to get to Damascus in 3.5 days - it will take me 5 days. We go back over 5000 feet for the first time since NH, including the VA high point. I'm not excited about sleeping that high, especially if there is wind.So if I set out in the morning and can't do it, I can bail to Marion in about 10 miles. That gives me an escape route if I need it.
Date: 2014-11-09
From: Atkins

To: VA 601 stealth camp
Miles today: 15.4

11/9/14 - day 1211658.0 - VA 60115.4 miles527.3 miles to goWas up at my usual time and packed and ready to go, but the Barn Restaurant didn't open until 7. My plan was to eat a normal breakfast and see what happened.I felt OK, not great, but no hot flashes or chills and no vomiting or diarrhea. So I got back on the trail by 8AM, a very late start for me.Felt weak and tentative all day, but also hopeful. Every time there was a gurgle or cramp in my tummy I hoped for the best.A nice spot was the Lindamood one room schoolhouse ( see picture ). It dates from 1895 and you can go inside. So I made it to a camping spot OK, not big miles, but decent considering how weak I feel and the late start.Passed the Mt Rogers Visitor Center, which was closed, of course. Winter hours - closed on Sundays. Southbounders can't catch a break. But the shelter there was impressive. It must be a very popular place with the NOBOs, since you can get pizza delivered to the visitor center. But I just passed through quickly.Just as I was setting up my hammock, Walky and Talky went by. They are going 2.5 more miles to a water source. I carried 2 liters up here from the last spot, knowing I would have to stop.But there are cows done in the valley below me that are moaning and bellowing. They are probably penned, awaiting transport to auction, and are not happy about it. I don't blame them!And a family of coyotes on the hill above me is yipping and yowling at the bright moon. They are probably praying to the Great Coyote to help them catch one of those cows.
Date: 2014-11-10
From: VA 601 stealth camp

To: Marion, VA
Miles today: 0.0

11/10/14 - day 1221658.0 - VA 6010 miles527.3 miles to goUp at midnight with cramps and diarrhea. I will spare you the details. It is as bad as you can imagine in the dark cold with no privy or running water.Decision time. I either got back on the trail too soon or I have something besides norovirus, like giardia. So I decided to see a doctor. I went backwards on the trail 4 miles to the Mt Rogers Visitor Center. That was a tough thing to do, to go backwards over trail I just did the day before. From there I caught the 50 cent shuttle bus and it dropped me right at the urgent care facility at the hospital. But it was closed until 4 PM, so they sent me to the emergency room.They topped off my fluids with an IV, drew blood, and took xrays. I also produced a stool sample, which wasn't that hard. But it takes 3-5 days to get the results back. He said my bowel was inflamed, which shows norovirus, but the other symptoms pointed to giardia. So I talked him into giving me a prescription to treat giardia that I will take whether I need it or not. I'll know for sure when the test results come back.But the doctor was very concerned about my weight loss. I am down to 154 with my clothes and shoes on. Not good, less than I weighed in High School. He thinks the dizziness and fainting back on Nov 1 may just be due to weight loss. I started at 178. That's a lot to lose quickly. My 4 month anniversary is in 2 days.So I am in a motel now and have to make a decision about the future of my hike. Laurie thinks I should go home and recuperate for a week, but I know it will take longer than that. Just walking around from the hospital to the motel to the drugstore made me dizzy and weak. I got soup for tonight and will try to regroup. But this is a much better town to be sick in, with a hospital and drugstore, WalMart and Ingles.In any case, I can't sit in this expensive motel room and wait to get better...7PM Update: the doctor called to say the stool sample was positive for rotavirus. That will take 3-10 days to clear and there is no treatment. I'm already in the 4th day. He also said that my weakened state doesn't help any. The results for giardia will not be in for a few more days yet.So where did I get the virus? Hikers never shake hands and I never share food. The only thing I can think of is some trail magic on the day into Atkins. There were 2 coolers at a stile near an old mill. I opened the coolers and took a bag of salted peanuts. And ate them.
Date: 2014-11-11
From: Marion, VA

To: Atlanta
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: haze

11/11/14 - day 1231658.00 miles527.3 miles to goAs I write this I am in a Greyhound bus headed for Atlanta. For the price of a motel room I can be home in 12 hours and do my recuperating in comfort. I haven't ridden a bus in 40 years, but it hasn't changed much. The bus has wireless and power outlets, and maybe more leg room, but its still just a bus. And the people on the bus haven't changed much either. We were delayed leaving Knoxville so that security could remove a woman from the bus!I'm depressed that I am going home, and I fully realize how tough it will be to come back to do the last ~500 miles. But I can't really justify the cost of sitting in a motel room for a week while I get my strength back. At home I can relax and eat what I want. And get some much needed time with Laurie - that will really recharge the batteries. An advantage of hiking home is that its getting much easier to get help when I need it, or to go home to recover from illness.
Date: 2014-11-12
From: Atlanta

To: Atlanta
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

11/12/14 - day 1241658.00 miles527.3 miles to goMy 4 month anniversary!I played piano today! My old 1927 Bechstein model L. I slept in my own bed, cooked my own breakfast, and got plenty of moral support from Laurie.I'm still feeling a little shaky, but no diarrhea or vomiting. Still feeling nausea at odd times. But I'm sure I am on the mend.Laurie ran me up to REI where I replaced some gear. New shoes - almost the same as the old shoes, but water resistant for the winter. This is my 5th pair of shoes, and hopefully the last. A new pair of gloves, since I lost one. A new pack liner since the old one was full of holes I patched with duct tape.When this is all over (if it ever is!) I will do another gear post describing the successes and failures.So Laurie and I talked it over, and we both think its best to get it over with now, so the tentative plan is to get back to Marion VA this weekend and get back on the trail. Hopefully I will be recovered enough by then not to be dizzy and nauseous all the time.
Date: 2014-11-13
From: Atlanta

To: Atlanta
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

11/13/14 - day 1251658.00 miles527.3 miles to goGood news from the doctor - negative result for giardia. So it was just the rotavirus. I've stopped taking the medicine and am feeling much better. Making arrangements to get back on the trail this weekend.The photo is me "testing" my air mattress for the smokies. You have to stay in the shelters in the Smokies, so I can't hang my hammock unless the shelter is full. And I have to stay at the shelters - no stealth camping. I got my permit online and printed it out since I am home. If the weather cooperates and I can keep hiking I should be crossing I40 around the first of December.I've hiked the AT through the smokies several times, including last year in December, so I will try to make good time through there if I have a good weather window.
Date: 2014-11-14
From: Atlanta

To: Atlanta
Miles today: 0.0

11/14/14 - day 1261658.00 miles527.3 miles to goNot exactly a "masterchef"! I've been doing nothing but eating and napping. Eating nothing that comes in a foil wrapper, but only things I can cook: chicken fingers and waffles, cheeseburgers and fries, and today a big plate of broccoli and mac and cheese!Got everything cleaned and packed. My old buddy Bill is going to drive me back to Virginia tomorrow and I'll start south again on Sunday. Hopefully I haven't lost my trail legs!
Date: 2014-11-15
From: Atlanta

To: Marion, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

11/15/14 - day 1271658.00 miles527.3 miles to goHopefully tomorrow the "0 miles" will change and I will make some forward progress. I am feeling much better now. The virus seems to have worked its way out and I am eating and doing normal things.So today my old friend Bill drove me back to Marion VA. I had a good time catching up with all the latest gossip - we have a lot of friends in common! We ate several times and are now in the same motel where I stayed after my visit to the emergency room. Its deja vu all over again.In the morning Bill will drop me off at the Mt Rogers visitor center (near Partnership shelter). I'll have to do that 4 miles again (for the third time) south to where I got really sick before I am on new trail.We got a glimpse of what I think was Mt Rogers from I-81. Looked cold, with a dusting of snow on top. The Weather Channel has been hyping the latest "Arctic Blast" all week. It is what it is. I will just take it a day at a time...
Date: 2014-11-16
From: Marion, VA

To: Fox Creek stealth camp
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: overcast clouds

11/16/14 - day 1281677.2 - Fox Creek stealth camp19.2 miles508.1 miles to goBill dropped me off this morning about 7, and we were lucky enough to find where VA 601 came out on VA 16. It started out as a narrow paved road, then changed to gravel after it passed the last house. Soon it crested the ridge just at the spot where I had given up a week earlier and gone in search of a doctor. That saved me from doing those 4 miles from the Mt Rogers visitor center yet again. We said our goodbyes and he took my picture for today. It was really great of him to do this for me. Thanks Bill!The rest of the day went downhill from there. Cold, gray, then rain in the afternoon. Bill advised me not to do too much on my first day back, but what else is there to do when its raining but walk?Saw no one all day, but there were some registers for Mt Rogers, and I could see who was ahead of me. Walky and Talky are a week ahead, of course. But big surprise - Tom Sawyer and Ricki Ticki Taxi are just a couple of days ahead. If these are the people I think they are, I have not seen Tom since ME and Ricki since PA. I may be last now, but there are some people just ahead.Anyway I should be set up for the ponies tomorrow and then getting over Mt Rogers. It all depends on how much snow there is up above 5000 feet!
Date: 2014-11-17
From: Fox Creek stealth camp

To: Elk Garden stealth camp
Miles today: 17.0

11/17/14 - day 1291694.2 - Elk Garden17.0 miles491.1 to goLess than 500 to go! Yeah!But today was tough. It was pouring down rain at 4, so I slept another hour. Still pouring at 5. But I got to thinking about it, and knew I had to get over the 5000 footers today before the rain changed to snow.So I got over the first one in the rain, but no views. Everything was totally fogged in through the Grayson Highlands. No ponies - they must have been sheltering somewhere. Somewhere around Thomas Knob Shelter it started to snow. Tiny, hard pellets. The temp dropped through the floor. Managed to cross the road from Elk Gardens (there was a snow plow idling in the parking lot - I thought about asking for a ride to town!) and into the trees out of the wind to camp.But everything that was soaked from the rain is now frozen solid. And the tiny snow pellets are blowing under the tarp. Not much I can do but zip up the hammock and hunker down.Saw no one today - big surprise. And there was no cell phone reception all day.
Date: 2014-11-18
From: Elk Garden stealth camp

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: overcast clouds

11/18/14 - day 1301717.7 - Damascus, VA23.5 miles467.6 to goMiserable night, with the temp in the low teens and blowing snow. It was very fine snow, so the tarp did nothing to keep it off. I'm using a 20 degree bag, so I had to use all my tricks to get any sleep. Underquilt + pad, and all my clothes except the coat. Clothes bag under my feet. Ate a snack in the middle of the night. So, while I wasn't comfortable, I got some sleep.Packing up was a nightmare. As soon as I put on my shoes I lost all feeling in my feet. The tarp lines and hammock webbing were frozen to the trees. My hands were too numb to pack the hammock or tarp, so they went in the pack loose.I debated going back to the road, but I had heard no cars since the snowplow. So I climbed up above 5000 feet and actually started to get feeling back in my toes.There were spectacular views of the snow covered meadows on Whitetop Mt (appropriate name), with the dark stormclouds in the background. But the camera was frozen and refused to cooperate and the phone was buried under multiple layers of clothes. So you'll just have to take my word for it.When I stopped to get water I realized my Aqua Mira was frozen. OK, how cold is it when chlorine freezes? I had to move it to an inside pocket and wait until later when it defrosted.Saw no one all day, except a local at a road crossing who said it was going to be single digits tonight on the mountain. So I just kept trucking, although as the temp dropped again I could not go fast enough to stay warm, and that was with all my clothes on. Frigid.So my longest day yet. I pulled into Damascus about 5. This is supposed to be a hiker friendly town, but every hostel was closed except for Crazy Larry's, and he was full of all the SOBOS I've been chasing. Finally found a spot in a B&B. When I walked back over to the Blue Blaze cafe it was closed! So Jenny at Lazy Fox B&B made me a bowl of soup and a sandwich. Now that's trail magic.But Damascus is basically shut down for the late southbounders.And AT&T doesn't work here. I had to borrow Jenny's phone to call Laurie. I've had no coverage since before Mt Rogers.Now my fingers and toes are very tender and swollen. Too much cold - my new gloves were no match for the cold and wind.