morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-08-23
From: Manchester, VT

To: Wingdale, NY
Miles today: 195.8
Weather: light rain

I have passed through Massachusetts and then Connecticut since I last wrote. Pretty incredible considering it took an entire month to get through Maine (not to mention VA coming up). Upper Goose Pond was a great place to stay. It is a free bunked cabin set on a remote pond equipped with canoes. Six of us took a pair of canoes to get some pizza delivery on the opposite shore of the Pond. The sunset on the water that night was quite a memory. The terrain has remained relatively flat compared to ME and NH. We have been able to push several 20 + mile days which has been a refreshing increase in pace. I had been hearing that Connecticut was the beginning of rattlesnake territory. She fulfilled her reputation. I was, as usual, hiking while listening to my audio books or music when I heard a loud rattle. I instantly knew what it was and, in order to find the snake, I carefully took off my headphones. I saw a 3 foot rattlesnake coiled up in strike position 16 inches from my left foot violently warning me that I was in his territory. Luckily, he was kind enough to let me back away and take some pictures. I am taking 2 weeks off trail for a family trip to France. I am thrilled to have hiked an entire 1/3 of the Trail so far. I look forward to getting back to the other 2/3. Life is tough, but somebody has gotta do it. Ill see yall soon.Oh, and no hitch hiking in NY? Come on guys.
Date: 2013-09-24
From: Wingdale, NY

To: Port Clinton, PA
Miles today: 238.6

It has been over a month since I last posted. However, in my defense, I was off Trail for over 2 of those weeks. I shaved the beard and the mohawk. France, NJ, DC and NYC were great by the way.The temperature on my first day back on the Trail climbed over 90 degrees and took quite a toll on me. I drank 8 liters that day and had a massive headache still from the dehydration. My trail legs had atrophied a substantial amount too. The first couple of days back on Trail were hiked in complete solitude. I had always thought that the Trail was a little crowded for my liking and I finally had a chance to spend several days in the woods without encountering any hikers. Despite the solitude being peaceful and relaxing, I found myself getting lonely and I decided to try and catch up with some Sobos that I had noticed were a couple of days ahead in the shelter logs. I finally caught up and it has been great to get to know some new folks. Since my time off Trail, fall has hit hard. The leaves are changing and the wildlife has been very abundant. I have seen bald eagles, a black bear cub, another timber rattler, two large rat snakes, a corn snake, countless deer, a peregrine falcon and several wild turkeys. I have also encountered some great hospitality. I was hosted by a hiking group at Greymoor spiritual retreat (who slack packed me), Heaven Hill Farms put me up in their green house, a couple treated me to a ride and meal at Burger King, Beerstein allowed us to cook an amazing breakfast from their well stocked pantry and fridge, and Pabst and Commissary's family has hosted me for three nights in PA (including a visit to the largest Cabelas). Thanks everyone.New York was surprisingly beautiful. I crossed over the Hudson River, saw the biggest tree on the AT, swam in Nuclear Lake, hiked through a trail zoo, and saw the NYC skyline. NJ was great as well. Sadly, Pennsylvania has been hellaciously rocky and destroyed my ankles and feet. I should be over halfway next time I write!
Date: 2013-10-07
From: Port Clinton, PA

To: Harpers Ferry, WV
Miles today: 194.4

I have been hiking mostly with Bluetick, Ado and Ninja since I left Pabst and Commissary's. We pushed a couple of big days with some nice stealth sites before arriving at the legendary, historic Doyle hostel in Duncanon, PA. It was old and dirty and cheap and perfect. There was a great balcony to hang out on as well as a restaurant/ bar below with a juke box. We had a goodtime to say the least. I also got to see some old friends...Mr. Blue Sky and Sumo there.Fall is in full swing. The forest has been so colorful and refreshingly cool. Hiking in it has been absolutely spectacular. It has not rained and the terrain has been relatively flat. The combination has made it a very pleasant past few days of hiking. We crossed the halfway point and then crossed the Mason-Dixon line into Maryland and then, just yesterday, crossed the Potomac River in Harpers Ferry, WV. Glad to be back in the South. Crossing the halfway mark felt a little bittersweet. It was very monumental, yet served as a harsh reminder that the end of the journey is ever approaching. The government shutdown has spread some pretty scary rumors about sections of the Trail being off limits. Lets hope that's not the case.A big thanks to Cub Scout Pack 1758 for the burgers and hospitality the other day!
Date: 2013-10-19
From: Harpers Ferry, WV

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 161.5

This last week has had some serious ups and downs...figuratively of course. Bluetick, Ado, Ninja and I left Harpers Ferry and crossed into Virginia. Its pretty crazy to think that, including VA, there are only four more states to hike through now. I hiked the infamous "Roller Coaster" which is what it sounds like...a 15 mile long stretch of back to back up and down hills. I must admit that it was tough for this section of the Trail. However, it would have been an easy day in Maine. I arrived at Rod Hollow Shelter that evening just in time before some rain hit. Ninja and I woke up the next morning to more rain. It was very cold and I did not have the tenacity to continue hiking that day. I ended up taking a full zero day at Rod Hollow Shelter. Luckily, Hawk, Phoenix, Ninja, a section hiker and my Kindle were there to help pass the time.Front Royal was 24 miles away. I said that no matter what, rain or shine, I would push out the next day and not take another zero in the same 12 x 8 foot wooden space. Yet, once again, it was raining the next day. I think all of us hiked one of our fastest days that Friday. It was simply too cold and wet to stop. I was borderline miserable hiking that day. Nothing was dry and nothing was warm. Arriving in Front Royal was epic. Hot showers, cotton sheets, greasy food, cold beer AND an awesome bluegrass band to boogey to with Afternoon Delight, Hoverjob, Fives and Ninja. Ah...the luxury of towns. The rain persisted and we gave it a day to pass. It still hadn't ceased and it was time to push on to the Shenandoahs.Yes, the Park was closed. But, admittedly, I was not ready to forfeit an entire 100 mile section of the Trail because of Congress' inadequacies. We did some night hiking to avoid the rangers and had some thrilling bush dives at the road crossings. The rain finally, after 5 days, let up and provided me with some amazing scenery. Fall painted the hillsides red and yellow. There were tasty fresh springs and countless bear, owl and deer sightings. The Shenandoahs was undoubtedly one of my favorite sections so far. Abundant wildlife, vast overlooks and complete solitude. The section was concluded with a well deserved Chic-Fil-A meal...the first one on the Trail so far. Life is good. And thanks to my wonderful mother who so patiently loaded up my new iPod with my music. Cheers.
Date: 2013-11-02
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Newport, VA
Miles today: 186.4
Weather: clear sky

The smoking room in Waynesboro was slightly disgusting, yet inexpensive and adequate. The climb up The Priest was one of the longest ascents in several hundred miles. Thankfully, Virginia does a superb job with their switchbacks and it was not too steep. I think it is safe to say goodbye to Fall now. The temperature dropped significantly after Buena Vista. I simply did not want to stop hiking during the days because it was too cold to risk losing some expensive body heat. There were a couple of nights that sank into the teens. In order to prevent them from freezing, we slept with our water filters inside our sleeping bags. Fires were made every night and every morning. The fire heat was crucial while setting up and breaking camp as well as for enduring the elements while cooking. Those cold nights convinced me to cough up some dough for an extra wool layer at the outfitter in Daleville.On a more positive note, McAfee Knob was incredibly moving. I did not realize that we were approaching the iconic spot until we were literally on it. We sat up there for hours soaking it in. Some locals down in the valley entertained us by yelling back to our echoing howls from our perch. A lot of people seem to have gotten off recently and the Trail seems to be more desolate, and almost lonely, than ever. Freerange, a section hiker from back in PA, lives near Newport and has been so kind to host Ninja and me for a couple of days. 671 more miles to go. Slow down and enjoy these last weeks or hurry up before winter gets brutal? Hmmmm....
Date: 2013-11-17
From: Newport, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 204.5

I feel like these last few journal entries will have a common theme...that it is getting colder and colder. These past 200 miles have had nights consistently in the teens and some in the single digits. It all seemed worth it though because I finally got my first snow day. As we descended into Marion last week, it began to sleet and hail and eventually snow. The snow stuck on the hills for days. The higher ridge lines were pretty beautiful with the white snow contrasting the lush evergreens. It looked like how Christmas is supposed to look. Sitting on the cold, exposed privy seat has consistently been a refreshing way to start my day. There has also started to be frozen condensation lining the seat. And yet even more comforting is the thought of what the privy condensation is comprised of. Lovely. I bought another thick fleece liner for my bag and some glove liners. Woodshole hostel was an experience. It is an old log cabin set deep in the woods built in the 1880s. Natures Way was possibly my favorite resupply so far. It is an Amish owned and operated organic grocery. We got some great sausage, cheese and apples there. With the cold, we were able to pack out some ice cream too.Greyson Highlands was amazing. The Park is mostly open pastures hovering around 4,000 ft in elevation. The weather was clear enabling some great sunrises and sunsets. On top of the great scenery...Greyson Highlands State Park is home to several herds of wild ponies. We sat down, fed, pet and played with nearly 20 of them for hours. There are less than 500 miles to go. It seems like this is a magic number for things to start breaking and tearing. My bags pockets, my pants pocket, my jacket sleeves and my socks have all been ripping and needed sewing. My hiking poles have worn off all metal on their tips and are merely plastic nubs now. Damascus has been a great town to zero in. We had one of the largest thru-hiking crews Ive seen in months at dinner last night. I think 13 of us were bumming around the restaurant and eventually the bar last night. I am thankful to get some socializing in. Cheers.
Date: 2013-11-29
From: Damascus, VA

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 176.4

...AND finally out of Virginia! That state was 1/4 of the entire Trail. I had my first 30+ mile day. Ninja and I got an early start the day after Damascus and pushed 30.6 miles to a stealth site on Watauga Lake. I just wanted to say that I did at least one big day before Springer. However, I was beat the next day and decided to nearo into Hampton. Laurel Falls was my favorite waterfall on the Trail...at least so far. ...AND, not surprisingly, the weather has gotten even colder. There was a nasty, windy rain while climbing up the exposed ridge line on Hump Mountain. The 34 degree temperature was not cold enough for snow, but plenty cold enough to be miserable in the mud and rain. I slipped and slid down to the Barn shelter in the dark and foggy evening. A sign from above linked us up with TrailAngels Gordon and Judy the next day and got us a warm place to sleep, a dryer and a fresh, hot meal. They slackpacked Fives, McLovin, Ninja and me for two days in single degree weather. We hiked for awhile above 6,000 feet on Roan Mountain and passed the highest shelter on the AT. The Spruce forest on top of Unaka Mountain was something from a winter wonderland. It was cold beyond cold up there and everything was brittle and glazed white.We had more luck with TrailAngels. Rob Bird hosted El Flaco, Fives, McLovin, Ninja and me for a night before we headed out into this horrific rain storm. We hiked a measly, sopping wet and cold 11.2 miles to Flint Mountain Shelter. Everything froze that night...including our clothes on the dry line. My shorts and socks could stand up freely. The snow had begun to blow into the shelter around 3 AM and, thanks to McLovin, the tarp prevented us from being swamped. Our packs, however, hanging outside, were not so fortunate. I could barely buckle my hip belt because it was so frozen. My rock hard shoes were nearly impossible to unlace and squeeze my numb feet into. The snow had blanketed everything...nearly knee deep on the ridgelines. I must admit, despite the conditions, it was possibly the most beautiful day I have ever hiked in. It was also extremely draining. I had to lift my feet much higher on every step. We made a proud 17 miles in it though.Thanksgiving was awesome. Miss Janet and Crunchmaster's family hosted about 30 of us homeless hiker bums for a massive feast in Hot Springs yesterday. So much fun seeing some old faces. We had a few beers last night and are enjoying a nice warm Zero in town today. Maybe one more entry before Springer. Pretty crazy. Cheers yall.
Date: 2013-12-12
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Franklin, TN
Miles today: 180.4
Weather: few clouds

I only have a few minutes to write this. But, I did not want to pass up my last opportunity for an entry. There are only 109.8 miles left of the Trail. I am leaving Franklin, TN now after my last shower, my last resupply, my last laundry and essentially my last trail town before Spinger Mountain. I think this last leg will be pretty emotional for me. I intend to spend most of these last precious days of hiking reflecting on everything Ive learned, enjoyed, hated and simply experienced so far in the woods. Six months ago to the day I was in the hostel in Millinocket ready to start this journey. Pretty incredible to think back on. I look forward to following up when I finish in a week. Cheers.
Date: 2013-12-27
From: Franklin, TN

To: Springer Mt, GA
Miles today: 109.8

Well its over now. The last week was pretty surreal. I never seemed to feel rushed or mind hiking late at night those last few days. My everyday worries of the weight of my pack, my sore muscles, the approaching cold weather, my hunger and my lack of quality sleep seemed to fade away. I was not sure what or how to feel on the last day of the Trail. Ninja and I had an easy 15 mile hike on the 17th to make it to Springer. It was a nice, cloudless day that felt just like any other. It wasn't until I actually saw the sign at the end (or beginning) of the Trail at Springer that it hit me. It was one of the most emotional moments of my life. A strong sense of accomplishment and pride along with a turmoil of sadness and confusion filled me. I was so happy to have overcome all of the obstacles, yet so sad to be departing from my comrades and my recent home. The mysteries of the Trail that had intrigued me from childhood, sadly, did not exist anymore. Despite the chilly wind, we decided to stealth on top of Springer for our last night. It felt like the proper way to say goodbye. I dont think I slept for more than an hour at any time that last night. It must have dropped below zero and I could barely keep warm...much less sleep. Even the next morning, as I waited for my parents to come pick us up at Big Stamp Gap parking lot, I was shivering wrapped in any and all garments. It was great to see my family, get in the warm car, and drive to a breakfast feast.It has been a little strange being back at home and off of the Trail. The strangest transitions have been: wearing a wide variety of clothes in cotton and denim, consuming many gallons of water a day (whether it be for showering, washing dishes, or brushing my teeth), not filtering water at all, having the ability to control the temperatures of my food, eating fresh fruits and veggies, shaving, driving a car, going into walmart, having internet and phone access, not worrying about charging up all electronics whenever an outlet is available, having a trash can, talking a lot, resting, maintaining a 70 degree surrounding at all times and sleeping on a bed with cotton sheets. I guess some changes have been nice and some not so nice.It was a great adventure. Many thanks to all of those amazing folks I hiked with along the way and to all of those amazing folks who helped me out along the way. And a particular thanks to all of those folks who risked so much by picking up my dirty, unshaven, smelly hitch hiking self in exchange for so little as a good conversation. Hopefully, this is not the last of my life's adventures. Thanks for following. Cheers
Date: 2013-04-30
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring at Mile 282.7
Miles today: 8.8

Being our first night out we crossed the French Broad River and only hiked a short distance before setting up camp. This gave us time to read our books and reflect on our stay in Hot Springs, NC.In Hot Springs we spent the night at the Laughing Heart Hostel and met its hosts Chuck Norris and Tigger. Hostels being hostels we had a long philosophical discussion with one young thru-hiker about the impact his journey would have on his life. Even though he was in his mid-twenties he talked of someday returning to the Appalachian Trail to hike with his grandchildren. He said, "If I keep up my new level of fitness maybe I will 'smoke-em' on the uphills!"We watched Jan, a young hiker from Germany, pre-crush packages of Top Ramen and place them into a large ziploc bag. The noodles still weigh the same but they take up much less space. Another hiker passing through the room asked the question, "Do you always cook your Top Ramen or do you sometimes soak the noodles and eat them uncooked?" Jan replied with a laugh, "I'm not there yet!"Realizing that we no longer needed our swimsuits we placed them into a mailing envelope to send home. The postal clerk asked Angel, "Is there anything flammable or liquid inside?" Angel replied, "No ma'am, just our swimsuits." You know you are in the South when the clerk asks with a smile, "Does this mean that for the rest of the trail you'll just be skinny-dipping?" Guardian chimed in, "Yes ma'am, skinny-dipping is so much more fun!" At that point Angel wished that she had left Guardian outside with the packs.
Date: 2013-05-01
From: Spring at Mile 282.7

To: Jones Meadow
Miles today: 12.9

The Appalachian Trail is so important to the people who walk up its mountains and down its valleys. We passed several small memorials today where people who had previously hiked the trail have had their ashes placed. One memorial to a man who had hiked the trail in 1968 stood out. After he died at the age of 88 he requested that his ashes be placed up on this ridge. As we walked along enjoying the wildflowers we imagined that throughout his long, full life he kept the pride of his early accomplishments close to his heart.
Date: 2013-05-02
From: Jones Meadow

To: Viewpoint Camp
Miles today: 15.4

Before the Appalachian Trail was created there were many small family farms along these ridges. The grave sites on these farms are still maintained.In the late afternoon we stopped at a shelter and cooked an early supper, cleaned up, and were on our way hiking into the early evening. We came to a spot overlooking a big broad valley that took our breath away. The valley was so lush you couldn't have fit one more tree into it if you had tried. With supper already eaten there was nothing to do but set up camp, hang our food, and enjoy the view.
Date: 2013-05-03
From: Viewpoint Camp

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: overcast clouds

We never had the pleasure of meeting Edna Boone but we certainly wish we had. In the words of one local, "That woman could flat out make biscuits."Early this morning at Sam's Gap we crossed TN23. Our guidebook mentioned that down this road was Little Creek Cafe. After three days on the trail we had a powerful hankering for a country-style breakfast. When Angel ordered a veggie omelette with a biscuit the waitress apologized, "Sorry darlin', today's biscuits aren't out of the oven yet. Do you mind if we heat up one of yesterday's biscuits?" That's when we knew we'd come to the right place.With her own family already raised, Edna's husband passed away. She had to do something for money so across the road from the family farm she started the Little Creek Cafe in 1951. It's a good thing that she did because soon after her two oldest sons died unexpectedly and left her five grandchildren to raise. We read an interview with one of her grandchildren and one quote that stood out was, "Grandma wasted nothing." She'd raise animals and grow vegetables and fruit on the farm and then serve them fresh in her cafe. When the unpaved country road became the paved TN23 Edna housed the work crews in the basement of her cafe at night and fed them upstairs in her cafe during the day.In the back area of her cafe, where we had our meal, she set up a small living space for herself. She worked seven days a week because she knew that even on Sundays some people depended on her for their meals. Down the road there was an older gentleman, Lawrence, who had lived with his mother. When she passed away he'd come to the Little Creek Cafe every night for dinner. Her grandson remembered one evening when his grandmother looked especially tired. He said, "Grandma why don't you close up early and get yourself some rest?" She replied, "I will, but first I have to wait for Lawrence to come. I don't want him to go without dinner." Edna ran the Little Creek Cafe for 43 years. She was in her late 80s when she passed away. At her funeral her grandson remembers many people coming up to him and saying, "Your grandma kept me. She fed me when I didn't have money to pay."In a place of honour at the front of Little Creek Cafe there is a large framed photo of Edna in her house dress and apron smiling from inside her kitchen - fittingly we could smell the biscuits baking.