morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-04-29
From: Daleville

To: Roanoke
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Today is definitely a zero! Rainy, overcast, and chilly all day. Got taken around to three different outfitters to get new gear. I was always into the mantra of "as light as possible" but these guys are nuts about it. They have scales that measure down to the gram. And the human sized one where I got to confirm the 21 pound loss. This after gorging on food for two days! I did so much today - re-waterproofed my jacket. Did all my laundry. Got everything in order. Still have some office like stuff to do and get food but I'm set. Looking like tomorrow is going to be even worse than today so seems odd but I'm going to take two zeros. Mariposa also texted - I knew she'd be miserable. She's hiking today what we did yesterday and wants to zero tomorrow, so we'll go pick her up this evening and have her get cleaned up. All and all a great day but filled with errands. Ended with us around the dinner table chowing down (clearly Mariposa was hungry!) and chatting and then crashing. Tomorrow I can finally get caught up.
Date: 2014-04-30
From: Roanoke

To: Roanoke
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

The forecast for today was 100% chance of rain. Today's a zero, duh. I woke up to a nice cool breeze and overcast skies. Still in the errands list is resupply and doing all my administrative stuff which involves paying a bill and finishing my taxes. Both done by about ten am. No rain yet. So we decided to hit Kroger for resupply. Really impressed. I am wary of everything in comparison to my beloved Central Market but they had everything! Mandy and Mariposa and I decided to end the afternoon with pizza at the local joint. I admit I am impressed by Roanoke. A city you don't think of often; but it's in a beautiful location and a couple of great neighborhoods including this one called I think, Grandin. Kind if like my own little Hyde Park but even better. Still no rain. So we headed home after buying an extra pizza to split on the trail tomorrow. Well folks looks like the weathermen were wrong again. No rain. But we did manage to eat some amazing food (thanks Mandy!) play some awesome cards, and drink a little too much. Awesome day. Rain or not.
Date: 2014-05-02
From: Cove Mountain Shelter

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: overcast clouds

After last night I was up at the crack of dawn. Actually I was ready at the crack. I had to hike a little to meet Mariposa and got there so early she was still just hanging out. Awesome shelter with two levels and the table in the shelter. Nice. Honestly I don't have much to say about today. It was all about the bear! Ended at a great little shelter and met Rambo and Mama Bear, two hikers whose entries we've read for weeks but never met. Liked a lot. Not much to report but we did hike way up high again and passed an NOAA Doppler radar and a rock formation known as the guillotine. Cool.
Date: 2014-05-03
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Johns Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

The mountains have come alive!   Finally spring is everywhere. Green. Green. Green. Birds everywhere. I had to put on Appalachian Spring. Moving. Fields of trillium and mandrake. This was all accentuated because we hiked to a lower elevation. Streams and leaves and moss dripping everywhere. Crossed a beautiful creek to a shelter that turned out to be the one where someone died a few weeks ago. Creepy and sad. He had a heart attack and was found by other hikers. Such a peaceful location to die. Eventually we went so far downhill to cross the James River. Goliath of a river that I think flows through Jamestown - the first real colony. Had to cross the longest footbridge on the trail and up these amazing rushing streams. Got to camp to find twelve tents set up. Great. Hate when we're forced to tent; but the reality was it was three Boy Scout troops who all tented and left the shelter to us. Awesome. They even made too much food and we feasted on stuffing. So great. Turned out to be very well chaperoned. Slept very well but heard my first whippoorwill. Loud.
Date: 2014-05-04
From: Johns Hollow Shelter

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: light rain

Everyone says Virginia is where it gets easier. They might be right, but it's not going to give up without a fight. The next few nights look brutal. Climb after climb. But there a bright side> .. It's Star Wars day! May the 4th be with you. I had to draw nerdpics in the logs. We hiked separate today. Mariposa is still recovering from her thirty miler and I'm still hiking fast so decided to just do our own paces. Passed by a great shelter with a swimming hole. Was there with five others and none of us went in but we talked about it a lot. . Just moved on through a wide field of sickenly sweet honeysuckle and made it to a really awesome shelter along a rushing creek with time to soak my feet and do laundry before Mariposa showed up and realized we crossed 800 miles. I mean really 800 miles! Crazy ridiculous. We stayed up late with a south bounder, High Hopes, playing cards.
Date: 2014-05-05
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: The Priest Shelter
Miles today: 22.4
Weather: clear sky

Well rain had to happen sometime and today was it. Chilly pouring wet rain. Off and on. No fun. I turn my phone off when it's raining so no pics. It would have been a really nice hike but no views and lots of careful steps. The final hike to the shelter was as usual uphill. It had just stopped raining so it was foggy, warm, and unbelievably humid. We got to the top drenched in sweat. I hiked with my shirt unbuttoned just to get relief. Yay for the shelter though. Got there with clearing skies and a very fun group. Everyone was changing into their camp clothes to get dry and hang their wet stuff. The shelter was like a laundromat. It was Half Moon (Mama Bears daughter), Red ( a fellow Texan) and Wrong Leg (a British kid not more than 18 who hikes like a rock star). Hawk was also there and of course Mariposa. We stayed up late playing a Russian card game called Durak that's fun! Good nights sleep and off to the next stop.
Date: 2014-05-06
From: The Priest Shelter

To: Laurel Springs Gap
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: clear sky

Big day! We heard about a brewery just off trail you can hike to. They'll let you camp for free, feed you, and take you back to the trail in the morning. Very tempting. Thought about normal night and in the morning but Mariposa is meeting her family and had limited time so decided to keep hiking. Good heavens what a day! Started with a 3000 foot descent followed right after with a 3000 foot ascent. Typical! There's this thing that they always take you to the tippy top. No matter how easy it would be to skirt the side it's always to the very top. Today is the benchmark for tough climbs. Exposed, hot, and unbelievably rocky. It was a scramble all the way up. Huge steps, turned ankles, tripping, grunting, panting, false summits. By far the worst climb yet BUT for what I hear and see in the guide this is the last real mountain until Massachusetts. Wow!!! Even though the rest of the day looked easy it was just a big rocky jumbled mess. We wanted to nero in Waynesboro tomorrow but just couldn't get where we wanted and found a narrow little ledge to camp at. Turned out perfect. Gorgeous site and long views up the valley. Both slept like babies.
Date: 2014-05-07
From: Laurel Springs Gap

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: clear sky

Town! I love hiking but I love heading into town more. Showers! Food! Beds! Good but long hike in. Found a trail angel on the trail who offered to drive us into town. Again I can't say enough about all the love. She was out checking on the flowers and we hit it off and bingo! Her name was Catherine and if she's reading...thanks again! Was so nice - she took us to the outfitters, an organic farm supply where she bought us organic bug spray, then a quick tour through the city and to the Tastee Freez! Had never been to one and of course hummed Jack and Dianne the whole time. When she told us she was a twin Mariposa lit up as she's a twin too! So she joined us in our scarf fest (for me a double cheeseburger, foot long hot dog, fries, Dr Pepper, and strawberry milkshake). Then took us to our hotels. Could not have been sweeter. So so nice. I cleaned up then joined Mariposa at the laundromat. They had a pay scale and Gheez if I didn't loose another five pounds. Down 27! Crazy. My legs are all muscle though. Loving guys. Kroger later then meeting up for dinner, beer, and shuffleboard and here I am, midnight in a comfy bed getting caught up. Life is good. Tomorrow I enter the Shenandoahs then another few miles to Harpers Ferry and the halfway point! I can't believe it. I also meet my dad, and Friday meet Doug and Mandy again. What a great adventure
Date: 2014-05-08
From: Waynesboro

To: Blackrock Shelter
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Waynesboro is a great town. So much hiker love. Everyone's very friendly and knowledgable. And it's got everything we need to get back up and running. Took my time getting ready in the morning including shaving my neck beard! That was tough. You know when you've waited about a month too long to mow the lawn in Spring and it takes five swipes over each strip to get the job done? Times ten. I resorted to my moleskin scissors to quicken the job. It's patchy but so much better. And good thing because suddenly it turned Africa hot. Near 90 and supposed to be the same for tomorrow. Got dropped off by a very nice local named Dubose. He said "I don't want to know your name or you trail name. I want to know where you're from and what you do". When I told him a landscape architect he drove me all around town showing me their parks and asking questions. Apparently he's on the city council. A character for sure. Shenandoah is not what I expected. I thought very very lush and wet but it was like home. Very arid, but green, and a little dusty and yet again up above leaf line so extremely hot. And water was scarce. It's also very rocky and gravelly, the worst! Doug is meeting me tomorrow at a drive-in campsite and I had intended to make it a short day but when you get to shelter at one, it seems a waste so I hiked on. Instead of eight miles I did twenty! Glad I did. Makes tomorrow much easier and the shelter was populated. This is serious bear country so after last week I prefer neighbors. Best part was Mariposa was there and her dad and brother coming later so I got to squeeze one more day of hiking with her. Also Low Gear who's back on the trail, Professor T, Tender, and Deep Blue who I just met the night before and I can tell I'd be good friends with. But they're all hiking long miles tomorrow and I'm not so I guess I'll need to start socializing again. And FYI the bugs have made their presence known. There isn't enough deet in the world.
Date: 2014-05-09
From: Blackrock Shelter

To: Loft Mountain
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Party time! Excellent! Short hike today. Woke up late. Breakfast with the crew then most departed for the day. such a short day I'm in no hurry. Played one last canasta game with Mariposa and her brother Chip then off. Hot again. But a pretty easy hike to the campsite. Odd being around such development. RVs and generators and cars and park rangers. But managed a great walk-in site and now have all day until Doug comes. A few things that Shenandoah has that the rest of the trail does not....campstores and waysides (restaurants!) Skyline Drive runs the length of the park and the trail meanders back and forth along the drive. Nice to have services. I walked the half mile to the campstore to check it out (trouble...they have beer and wine) then the further mile down the path to the wayside. A little unimpressed but had a cheeseburger and sweet potato fries followed by blackberry ice cream. Also ran into Deep Blue and Professor T.Here's where the fun begins. I was strolling along a good mile when I noticed a car on the road adjacent was just sitting there in the road and she had her camera out taking pictures of something in the woods between me and her. In the back of my head I knew exactly what this meant; but I ignored it and kept walking. Why?! She sees me and yells out "there's a mom and two cubs directly in front of you!" to which I replied "where?" and kept walking forward. Smart. Right then out of the woods popped a cub not more than twenty feet away Then another. They saw me and immediately treed themselves. Then mom stepped out and looked at me. My bear training went into full effect and I started backing up. And also got out my camera. The lady yelled "wanna get in my car?" To which I replied "Hell yes!" I had to keep backing up until I found a spot I could cut through the woods and hopped in. We both sat there, me with a quickened heart, and watched. Mom didn't seem to care in the least so I got a good picture while still on the trail. Drove up to the camp store - very nice lady from Baltimore - and dropped me off. Got three beers to calm my nerves and headed back to camp. Mentioned it at the ranger station as I walked by and they said pretty much to get used to it! Around the camps they just don't have fear. Nice.
Date: 2014-05-10
From: Loft Mountain

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Alright back to some miles. I've had this great mantra lately that things just work out. I remember when I was a kid I never much studied for exams. I thought I either know it or I don't and a all will be fine. Whenever something goes wrong I just think - well you're not gonna die. Forgot to pack enough food? You'll just be hungry. It rains? You'll just get wet. Things will work out. Today things worked out. The plan was Doug and I drive all the way up to Big Meadows - about twenty miles - then hitch back. We got all the way there (after stopping to give Professor T some trail magic) and did a quick stop in the camp store. Just when it was time to look around for a ride, in drives Mariposa's dad and brother. Perfect! So we chatted and I asked and sure he'd drive us back the twenty miles. Sweet. Hike was pretty good. Changed from that arid stony area to something a little more lush. Got to a shelter and beat rain by about ten minutes. Awesome. Things work out. Overall we got a good fifteen miles in. Stayed at a hut one mile before 900. I really can't believe it's been this far already. Rained at night so hopefully that means clear skies tomorrow.
Date: 2014-05-11
From: Hightop Hut

To: Big Meadows Campground
Miles today: 19.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Alright alright alright...not a bad day. In my notes I wrote one word...easy. Nice to finally have a nice long day of relatively level hiking. Shenandoah is definitely spoiling me. The trail basically parallels Skyline Drive so there are many opportunities to stop at campstores and restaurants. A real treat! Today we stopped for lunch at Lewis Mountain camp site. Still ate our packed food but supplemented with beer! Seriously how amazing. Three Buds later and were off to finish the day. Hiked all the way to Big Meadow where Mariposa and family are staying. Got the site next to them and found out Low Gear had the other side. One big happy family! The camp has showers AND laundry. Another luxury. So I threw my laundry in and took a quick and cold shower. As I waited for the laundry to dry something happened I hoped never would. I have been sooo good about filtering water. Only once have I drunk unfiltered and it was over a month ago. But dang it all if I didn't have to race to the bathroom. Nothing like doing that shortly after your first shower in days. Felt ok but I just knew this was it. Ugh! Walked back to camp where there was more beer and now hotdogs. It's funny, when you hike everyone knows you're hungry. You're expected to eat eat eat and food is offered often. Odd to not want it. Still managed to have two hotdogs and a sip of PBR and whammo back to the bathroom. Ick. Well this meant time for bed. I took two very expired peptos, then Doug gave me two very expired immodiums. Hope they work. I suspect a little it might be the beer. I've never been much of a beer drinker and frankly they always give me the beer sh*ts and I'm sure having three then hiking ten more miles in the heat is going to cause some kind of problem so please let it just be this and not giardia.
Date: 2014-05-12
From: Big Meadows Campground

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Morning. I'm up early and slept well with no urgent runs because of the runs so let's hope this is over. Of course with all the pills I'm also completely constipated. No matter what you might think, you really don't poop in the woods all that often. I've even sent my spade home. I've found that just moving a rock is much easier. The reality is you're usually at a shelter and they all have privys so you get to poop the refined way. I'm sure hoping whatever I have doesn't hit while hiking. It's rough enough sweating and stinking and huffing and puffing; I'd rather not have to quickly stop and unhook my pack and get my toilet paper and find a secluded spot. I'm A little bit mopey and Doug decides it's probably best to head on home so I head on out. Actually not a bad day. The terrain never seemed that rough and I felt ok. Stopped at a wayside for a raspberry danish and headed out again. I could smell rain and soon enough it hit in the afternoon. Nothing scary just a nice shower. I didn't even put my rain coat on. Something pretty awesome did happen though. While hiking along the side of a rocky mountain the rain moved east and left me with the most amazing rainbow. I don't think I've ever seen one at that level before. I was almost above it. And the colors were so distinct. Even the two shades of purple that usually blend together. I almost felt I could reach the pot of gold. I really wanted to get some miles in. Dad is flying in in about a week so I have a deadline; and a little down time before he gets here in Harpers Ferry would be nice. Ended the day at Pass Mountain hut. Again I'm the only person there and I can just feel the bears everywhere. Decided to stay in the shelter and not camp but within minutes, even in the early evening, I could hear the scurrying and scratching of mice. I really can't. When there are other hikers I can tolerate; but, alone I just imagine what they're doing when I'm asleep. Grabbed my gear and set up at one of the camp sites. I also managed to get a new book in this shelter. I haven't been reading in years and loving doing it again. So far I've read Dolores Claiborne, Dorian Gray, and most recently Julia Child's biography which I'm now obsessed with. In the shelter was Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff. I have A very obscure connection to Chuck Yeager so should be good. Luckily for me after about twenty minutes I hear someone at the shelter. Shybear! Company. He's had a long day too. He sets up camp near mine and we both pass out. Well, I did, and assume he did too. Still no pooping.
Date: 2014-05-17
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 0.0

Looks like that was serious rain two nights ago. The Shenandoah and Potomac rivers are flooding heavily and Harpers Ferry is where they merge. Unfortunately that means they have closed the footbridge the trail uses to get to Maryland as well as about two miles of the path on the Maryland side. Looks like well have to shuttle. Dad flies in today which I'm really excited about. Wish he could get to see a more typical part of the trail but will be nice for him to hike a flatter section for his first time out. Headed down to the old town via the section of trail we may miss tomorrow and had a little lunch. And beer. Tee hee. Strange how much alcohol affects me now. Not only because I don't get it too often but also I've lost so much weight. Three beers and already listing when I walk. Headed back to hotel and shortly after dads here! Got him all set up and we got resupply. Went to dinner at a great little restaurant called the Anvil. Very recommended. The day was spent eating crab. Did you know they have keno in bars in West Virginia?! Off to bed and ready for the muddy trail tomorrow!
Date: 2014-05-18
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Crampton Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: broken clouds

Hey Dad! Here we go. Dad's first time on the trail. And first time hiking. Not sure what to expect. The good news is the elevations have really flattened compared to the first half so it's an easier jumping off point but the sad news is the bridge over the Potomac into Maryland is still closed so we'll have to get shuttled. After the bridge is a towpath for a few miles that has been submerged so they drop us off at the end of the towpath. Hiked down to find it well above water so I made him hike it in reverse. A good way to start though - extremely level. As luck would have it, the only section of the AT I've hiked is the very bridge that's closed (thanks Kevin!) so we get about there then turn around and head north. It really is difficult to remember how hard it is at first. My first day was about ten miles and I thought I'd die. Now I'm tacking on three to my dad's! Poor dad. Finally made it to the drop off and there was a group of four ladies hiking and fascinated that I'm doing it. They make me take a pic with then. Celebrity. Now the fun begins. The only real climb of the day. And it's a good one. Lots if switchbacks and rocks. I don't think he liked it. But we finally made it to the top only to find it tent caterpillar central. They were on everything! And ended up all over you. Rest of the day was as Mariposa calls it - piddle farting. Nothing big. Ups and downs. The hike down to the shelter though was something else so I scouted ahead to check out the terrain. Very nice place. Way down the mountain. Recently redone. Deck. Bear pole. Luxury. It would have been great apart from two things - a guy staying there was the worst snorer ever and dad had a mouse run across his hand. Nice. Broke him in! I ended up sleeping on the deck to get some distance from the snorer.
Date: 2014-05-19
From: Crampton Shelter

To: Pine Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: clear sky

Well not a huge amount to say about today. I convinced Dad to go on a longer hike so we did a little over 12. I like that he got to see the variety of the trail. From ridge line through state park then state camp ground then back up to ridge and shelter. It's a lot of fun watching someone get used to it all. Things like how the weight of you pack keeps throwing your balance off until you remember to steady yourself. Or the rhythm to camping and decamping and remembering where stuff goes and changing up. Oh and the poles. Hiking poles are a huge help but can make you a total klutz until you've learned when to use them or how. It was all a great easy day until the end. This shelter - why?! For one you hike across I-70 - yes a full fledged interstate. Then you hike along it up high. Cars roaring by. Not pleasant. Then you hike up a hill not far at all and there's the campsite. Must have had 50 or more people at it. Two big groups. The shelter itself was a dump. We camped. And you could hear the highway all night. But luck with have it that Mariposa showed up so we got to hang out again and play a little cards. Slept like a rock though.