morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-04-11
From: Damascus VA

To: Damascus VA
Miles today: 16.9

So I spend two nights in Damascus but no zero for Lone Wolf "55". Restless and I slack packed from U.S.58 Summit Cut VA. down into Damascus VA. Restless is 64 years old and I could not keep up with him on a good day. Any way I fed the mileage monster and got back to Damascus and had a shower, good meal, plenty of beer and gave away half of my mail drop to some young hikers. I call it, the great Lone Wolf food give-away. I simply can not eat it all on the trail and these young hikers are on tight budgets and can eat allot. Less for me to carry up those hills. I want to mention that today was around 80dgs. and sunny. Today I am in Damascus at 1,928 ft. Tomorrow I will reach Thomas Knob at 5,440 ft. and the weather will change drastically.
Date: 2011-04-12
From: Damascus VA

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Restless and I get dropped off at U.S.58 Summit Cut where we slack packed from the day before. The morning is cool. The streams are full of water. The climb up White Top Mountain is long, but something you expect and are fairly used to. It had switchbacks so it wasn't a killer. By the time I made it over Mt. Rogers near Thomas Knob the weather began a drastic change. The temperature dropped quickly and so did the rain which began freezing. I knew I was close to the shelter so I kept hiking in my shorts and T-shirt. The ice pellets were bouncing off of my face and body by the time I arrived. Just as I entered the shelter high winds and freezing rain came roaring in. I climbed up into the loft and put on my dry clothes. Hikers learn quickly that the first thing you do when it is cold, at the end of the day is change into dry clothing. We ended up with 5-6 hikers at the shelter that night. Vermont Dave and I stayed in the loft. The wind blew so hard that no matter where you were in the shelter you were covered with snow and sleet.The pony in the picture wanted to join us in the shelter. If you stepped out of the shelter you would fall because all of the rocks were covered with a layer of ice. I covered my bag with a tarp and stayed warm and dry through the night, but the bag was wet with condensation in the morning, and yes I was having fun.
Date: 2011-04-13
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Hurricane Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: broken clouds

Restless departed the shelter early, traversing the ice covered rocks. When I saw him at the end of the day he showed me his banged up shin as a result. Vermont Dave, Brownie and I got on the trail around 10 am, when the ice started to melt. My about picture was taken by Vermont Dave that morning in Grayson. We stopped for a break and thought a photo op. was in order. We took each other¢s pictures in front of that volcanic rock. A point of interest is that this area once had volcanoes. In fact the Appalachian Chain used to be as high as the Rockies if not higher. In a few more miles I me up with allot of ¢wild ponies¢. I stopped at Wise shelter for lunch. If you open the wrapper on a Snicker¢s bar these ponies will get very friendly. Brownie shoed up and we ate lunch, every once in a while having to tap our trekking pole when the ponies came too close to our food. I hiked on to Hurricane shelter. There are no flat spots for a tent in the shelter area, but next to the stream it is the best camping ever on the AT. A flat spot next to a roaring stream. What more could one ask for?
Date: 2011-04-14
From: Hurrucane Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: clear sky

Today is 19.7 miles to Partnership shelter. I hiked from 0800 hrs to 1800 hrs. This the second time that I fell down on the trail. I was moving fairly fast and the trail was covered in leaves. I caught a stick with my left foot and it stuck and wedged against my right foot. The next thing I knew, I was on my side pasted to the trail. I had leaves stuck on my face, hair and somehow in my sweatband. I still think, there must be an outline of my body in that spot. When I made to Partnership, I see Cosmic John. He looks at me. I look at him and we just laugh. Steady and Restless are eating pizza. They kindly offer to me, the rest of it. My appetite is not much on the trail, so when Vermont Dave arrived and I gave it to him. There is no camping allowed at this shelter so I shared the loft with Vermont Dave.
Date: 2011-04-15
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Atkins/ Groseclose VA
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: clear sky

I traversed allot of puds,(pointless ups and downs) and made to Atkins/Groseclose.I booked a room at The Relax Inn. Not the Taj, but the people who run in it are improving it and very nice people. I picked up my mail drop at the Exxon. It was sitting on the counter. I had dinner with Restless at The Barn restaurant. They offer a one pound hiker burger, but serve no beer. I can't eat a one pound burger with no beer or ale. Come on. On the way to Atkins a trail maintainer warned me about predicted high winds at elevations above 3000 ft. (which most of the trail is). I watched the weather and talked to my wife and daughter who heard the same reports predicted for the area. I gave it deep thought and packed up ready to head out in the morning.
Date: 2011-04-16
From: Atkins/ Groseclose VA

To: Knot Maul shelter
Miles today: 13.9

I had breakfast with Restless and met two other hiker that I had met in Georgia the year before.It was good to see them. They have been section hiking the AT for years. It was raining. It was not going to stop, so I hiked. It finally stopped raining about an hour before I made to the shelter area. I set up my tent and dried everything out. Two other hikers had a clothes line set up, which I made use of.
Date: 2011-04-17
From: Knot Maul shelter

To: Jenkins shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

It is April 17th. And I have been hiking seventeen days in a row. I got up at first light, had my coffee and hit the trail intent on a 19.0 mile day. This would be a long day. Some big mile days just seem longer than others. I do not care to do big mile days just for the sake of doing it, but I am a section hiker and have to be back at my job by May 2nd. I need to average 12.6 miles a day to be successful. My goal is to hike 380 miles from Erwin TN to Daleville VA. My first week, I only averaged a little over 8 miles a day and need to make up for it. I knew the miles were tough miles, my the first week. I also knew my body had to adjust. I felt it had. When you hike long distances, over rough terrain, you know when you can go, go, go and you know when to hold back. Today¢s, hike involved hot weather an rocky terrain for long distances. I had gotten used to the plentiful water sources and had not been filling my camelback, only my nalgene bottle. I paid the price. On top of the ridges in VA, you will walk for miles without a water source. By the time I began my descent from the ridge line, I was completely out of water and very hot and thirsty. Then, all of a sudden I came upon one of my favorite things. A SPRING. This pure water coming from a mountainside. There is no habitation above it whatsoever. I drank until I quenched my thirst, filled my nalgene bottle and headed down the trail for the two or three miles to the shelter area. My feet were sore and I was tired. I had just enough time to get more water, pitch my tent and eat before dark. Before retiring Restless (who came up with the idea of this 19 mile day, suggested a 21 mile day tomorrow.) He admitted his pain from the rocks today. At first I said no and then, acquiesced and I might feel differently in the morning. I got into my bag. My feet were throbbing and tingling with soreness at the same time. I took two aspirins and within 20 minutes the pain was gone and I was in sleep heaven.
Date: 2011-04-18
From: Jenkins shelter

To: Jenny Knob shelter
Miles today: 23.8
Weather: clear sky

Nothing like a good night¢s rest to change your perspective. I am up and having my morning coffee and my morning cigar (which I hand rolled). And thinking about the 21 mile day. The biggest mile day, I have done before was 20miles between Unicoi and Neels Gap in Georgia, and that was slack packing. So hey why not do a 21 mile day with a full pack? Something we discussed the night before was the lack of water sources once you crossed I-77. It was pretty hiking all of the way to I-77. My plan was to get water from Kimberling Creek and I would be good for the last 11 or so miles till I reached Jenny Knob shelter. I finished the water I had just before the bridge over I-77 and was looking forward to getting more because the day was hot. I crossed over I-77 and re-entered the woods and came Kimberling creek. The first thing I noticed was that the water was discolored and had a nasty looking foam on it. It also appeared to come from a direction that ran directly underneath I-77. I decided I would take my chances and find another water source. After crossing the creek the trail ascends, cutting my chances of finding a water source. I did notice water flowing in a deep ravine to the left of the trail, but was entirely too steep to climb down. Hopefully there was a spring that fed it. I kept hiking and kept ascending. Then I spot the small streams source. It was a small spring. I still had to scale down a steep hillside to it, but I cleared the leaves out of it and it was good water. I drank as much as I could and filled my containers and headed to Jenny Knob. I arrived at the shelter about 7pm. Restless was surprised to see me and had already written in the shelter log that he had spent the night alone in the shelter. I decided to sleep in the shelter. About 7:30 Papa Muskrat showed up just as tired. We made room for him in the shelter. By the way, it was not 21 miles. It was 23.8 to be exact. That was my biggest hiking day of my entire hiking career.
Date: 2011-04-19
From: Jenny Knob shelter

To: Wapiti shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: clear sky

I had my coffee and was getting ready to hike. I told Restless that I was only doing the 14 miles to Wapiti and probably would not see him again since he planned on 20+ miles every day at least to Daleville. I hiked to Trent's store and had a fish sandwich and several cold drinks. I bought two 20 oz. Coors and carried them to Wapiti. For the first time since leaving Springer,there were sections of the trail that were almost flat as far as you could see. I made the 14.2 miles so quickly, I could not believe I was at the shelter already. After 23.8 miles it felt like a breeze. I set up my tent and ate my dinner and drank my two 20 oz. Coors beers. I am an ale drinker, not real fond of beer. Man, were they good. I enjoyed the company of other hikers who I realized have probably been hiking within a day or two of one another for quite a while. On the AT you can be a few minutes ahead or behind someone and if you don't stop or camp at the same place you will never see them. Although i never saw these hikers again, by the shelter logs and talking with other hikers, we were never too far apart.
Date: 2011-04-20
From: Wapiti shelter

To: Va. rt. 634
Miles today: 16.1

I was on the trail at 7:30 am. I have reservations at MacArthur Inn at Narrows VA.Jeremy from MacArthur Inn picked me up and took me to the Inn. He drove to convenience store so I could buy beer. No ale in these parts. I was happy to have it. I did my laundry across the street and had a dinner of liver and onions. I can not compliment the friendliness of the people in this area enough. Alan who owns the inn and Jeremy did everything possible to make me feel comfortable. I had cell service and was able to talk to my wife. She started to cry saying it was time to come home and that a month on the trail was too long. She was happy to know that I felt my section hike would be complete in seven days. I spread out my maps and plotted the next seven days.
Date: 2011-04-21
From: Va. rt. 634

To: Symms Meadow Gap
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: clear sky

I crossed the river on the Shumate Bridge and made the climb out of Pearisburg VA. It was a 1600 ft. to 3,375 at Rice Field shelter, where I noticed someone left a sleeping bag behind. I hiked the 12.4 miles to Symms Gap Meadow and set p camp. I found a small spring to get water. I was joined by two hikers ¢Hellion an Finn.¢ Finn grew up in the Pittsburgh PA area, so we had allot to talk about. All of us noticed several items of clothing and camping equipment abandoned along the trail. We could only surmise it was from an over-equipped, inexperienced hiker discarding items just to shed weight. Finn built a fire. I told him it was a Pennsylvania thing to always build a fire. Hellion laughed and said Finn always has to have a fire. When I told him that I have never started a campfire on the AT he questioned my Pennsylvanian roots.
Date: 2011-04-22
From: Symms Meadow Gap

To: War Spur shelter
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Over night, rain and extremely high winds moved in. I did not want to get out of my warm and dry tent and sleeping bag. It was so windy that we could barely hold onto our equipment as we were packing it up. My goal today is War Spur shelter 20.1 miles. It rained the entire day. It was so cold and foggy that I had trouble seeing the blazes on the trees. When I arrived at War Spur, I got just enough reprieve from the rain to set up my tent and get water. I was offered space in the shelter but, being a lone wolf prefer my tent. ¢Feisty¢ was there, who had changed her trail name to ¢Amish¢. I first met her on my second day out of Erwin, TN at Cherry Gap.
Date: 2011-04-23
From: War Spur shelter

To: Sarver Gap
Miles today: 12.2

More rain over night. I packed up my wet tent. My clothes and sleeping bag were very damp. I gave away more food to some other hikers before I got on the trail. My goal today is Niday shelter 18.2 miles. By the time I had hiked 13.2 mile to Sarver Gap, I was hot, tired, and out of water. I knew I did not have another 5 miles in me. Especially with no water. The shelter is something like 12 mile off of the trail and the water source another 14 . I had no choice and still needed to dry out my equipment. I descended the trail to the shelter and set up my tent and hung everything out to dry. No on else was at the shelter. But I was visited by two very nice VA Tech students out for a day hike. I enjoyed meeting Cody and Elizabeth. They reminded me of another young couple from VA Tech that I met hiking the trail. Positive, friendly, intelligent young people, what more could you ask for? Our future is bright.
Date: 2011-04-24
From: Sarver Gap

To: Pickle Branch shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: clear sky

I made the climb out of the shelter area. It is about 7.3 miles to the next one. I had plenty of water to make these few miles. I learned my lesson the day before. Till central Virginia I was only filling my nalgene bottle at the water sources, not my camel back to save weight. There are no water sources on these ridge lines, so I started using my camel back again. At Niday shelter I met Allan and Jenny, two trail maintainers and had a nice visit with them. I replenished my water supply and made the long climb up to the Audie Murphy monument. I hiked to Pickle Branch shelter. The water source is a stream down a long steep hill just like the day before. I really know how to pick them. One of the other hikers asked why I filled my collapsible water bucket so full. Well this trip for water, I only wanted to make once.
Date: 2011-04-25
From: Pickle Branch shelter

To: Catawba Mtn. shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: clear sky

April 25, 2011Today is a big deal for me because I pass the 700 mile mark when I cross over VA rt. 311. I almost got hit by a small pickup truck while crossing. I arrived at Catawba Mtn. shelter and planned on camping just beyond the shelter. It was just as well since the shelter was occupied by two families. I could hear them chopping wood with a hatchet. That is something very few long distance hikers would carry. This is my last night on the AT for this section hike. I set up my tent, fired up a cigar and thought about the over 700 miles I had traversed. There were times when I would stand on a mountain peak and look back at mountain ranges as far as the eye could see and wonder how I actually hike all of that.
Date: 2011-04-26
From: Catawba Mtn. shelter

To: Daleville VA
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: scattered clouds

I packed up at first light and drank some cowboy coffee and began the 17.4 trek to complete my section hike. McAfee Knob was so cloud covered that I had no view, so I headed to Tinker Cliffs where the fog had lifted and the views were spectacular. I tinkered around in this area taking quite a few pictures. I made it to Daleville about 5:30 pm and got a room at the Super 8. I got cleaned up and went to the Mexican restaurant for dinner. I got a lot of looks when I ordered and drank an entire pitcher of beer by myself. I am happy to be a section hiker. One month on the trail away from my family is enough. I am looking forward to going home. I arranged for a shuttle to the airport for the next day.
Date: 2012-05-05
To: Roanoke Air Port
Miles today: 0.0

May 5, 2012This is my third section hike of the AT. I hiked from Springer Mt. Ga. To Erwin Tenn. In 2010, from Erwin to Daleville Va. In 2011 and this my attempt to pick up in Daleville and hike to Harper¢s Ferry WV in 2012.I consider myself a careful planner. The first snafu was when my wife booked the flight from Pittsburgh to Roanoke at an 8pm arrival instead of an 8am arrival. This put in me the airport around 11pm. I had arranged for a shuttle back to the trail at 6:30 am the next morning. My wife and daughter argued for me to get a hotel room and not sleep in the airport. I would have gotten maybe two hours sleep in a hotel room and been $100 lighter in cash so I made the best of it at the airport. I decided to use my time wisely and study my maps and trail companion while waiting. I searched my entire pack and realized I had left these crucial items at home. Anyone on a long distance hike knows how important knowing exactly where you are and having the ability to plan mileage is. But on the other hand anyone who has done any long distance hiking knows that things go wrong and you adjust. My wife tried to talk me into turning around and coming home. I was disgusted with myself for making such a blunder but knew I could still make this hike.I slept not half bad in the airport. I knew in the morning that I had a friend who would help. Last year I was shuttled from the Super 8 to the hotel by a trail maintainer and all around good guy named Homer Witcher. I thought well he will know where there is an outfitter and I can just buy a new companion book. He gave me his data book instead. Just like Mike Wallace who shuttled me in Erwin Tn. He went out of his way to help me.Thanks to him I was back on the Appalachian Trail by 6:45 am the next morning.
Date: 2012-05-06
From: Daleville VA

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: fog

Homer picked me up and shuttled me to the trail right on time. By 7:30 am I was back on the AT. I have nearly 100 miles to hike to Montebello VA where I have a mail drop at the Dutch Haus. My goal for the day was an easy 11 miles and would be the second shelter I would come to. I decided to stop at Fulhartd shelter and start meeting some of the other hikers. Most of these hikers have been hiking for over 700 miles and running into each other off and on so they kind of know each other. When a brand new face shows up the first reaction is well who is this guy. But after just a few short days you are familiar with quite few people and quickly form friendships on the trail. I met many hikers this morning that would meet many more times on the way to Harper¢s Ferry. I was going to get water at Fulhardt shelter but the water supply came from a cistern and had a yellow cast to it. I decided that getting water at Fulhardt shelter might be a foolhardy thing to do and opted for an upcoming stream. As a result of getting an early start and only hiking 11 miles I arrived at Wilson Creek shelter late afternoon. A hiker showed up who I could tell had been in the military by the way he was dressed and some of his equipment. He was the first black man that I had met on the Appalachian Trail. He said that he had been sick the last day or two and did not seem vary friendly. I learned a long time ago not to go on first impressions and to give people a chance. His trail name was August. He began set his tent next to mine. I warned him about my snoring. He thanked me and moved his tent.I enjoyed meeting the other hikers as they arrived at the shelter.
Date: 2012-05-07
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: broken clouds

I feel completely handicapped without my companion book and maps. I am dependent on other hikers for info on planning my daily hikes. I will adjust however, necessary to accomplish this hike. I planned on hiking the 12 miles or so to Cove Mountain shelter, but just as I realized there was no water at that shelter, two hiker¢s that I met the night before Sprite and Snag suggested Bryant Ridge which added another 8 miles to the days hike which I was up for anyway. I politely thanked them for their advice when I arrived at the shelter area and set up my tent.
Date: 2012-05-08
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Marble Spring Campsite
Miles today: 17.1

So I pack up and leave Bryant Ridge shelter. I am already getting to know some of the northbound hikers. The problem that I run into today are south bound section hikers who want to stop and talk. I want to do 17 miles today and have a fair amount of ascent to deal with. It is cool and lightly raining so I just want to enjoy a steady pace. One south bound couple stopped me and asked where I was from. I wish I would have said anything but Pittsburgh because they were from Cleveland and apparently did not believe me when I said that I did not follow the sports teams because they insisted on talking about baseball. I know people like to live their lives vicariously through these sports figures. I just want to live my life vicariously through myself by hiking the trail and would like to get on with it. As much as I want to believe the AT is about the trail it becomes as much about the people that you encounter. That is one of the great things about hiking the AT. You get to enjoy each experience for what it is and move on.Anyway I made to Marble Spring campsite and got my water and set my tent up just before it really started to rain hard. This was an excellent campsite with a great water source.
Date: 2012-05-09
From: Marble Spring Campsite

To: Punch Bowl shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: broken clouds

Today I am excited to cross the James River. It is one of those mile posts that you read about in the journals and books written about the AT. I packed up my wet tent and began the hike to the James. The descent involves following and crossing a beautiful mountain stream. As soon as I see the James River I am taken aback by it¢s size. It is much wider than I expected. I am comparing it to the Monongahela, Allegheny, and the Ohio rivers in Pennsylvania. I decided to take a break before crossing the foot bridge. Just as I was getting up a female hiker showed up. She introduced herself as Mouse. I told her that I had just read some of her journal entries a few days earlier. I told her my new trail name Sundance and we took each other¢s pictures on the bridge. I ran into again later that morning at John¢s Hollow shelter when I stopped for water. She told me that I had a couple good climbs ahead of me and she was right. I trudged on through the rain and wind to Punch Bowl Shelter. I set my tent up during a small break from the rain. I can¢t say how often it is that I will arrive at a campsite in the pouring rain but somehow God will give me those precious few rain free minutes to set my tent up and get things inside before it pours again. There were a lot of hikers at the shelter area. Some of them were Rook, Napoleon, Chicken, and Snag and Sprite.