morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-03-11
From: Deep Gap

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 24.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Broke camp at 7:35am and was going to try to do a 20 mile day. Tetras (male 23) caught up with me and we hiked together for about 4 hours...Roman Dude (male) passed us midday. I passed both up going up Bluff Mountain and never saw them again on the trail that day...30 years my junior...Go Daddy-O. I decided to make it for the Sunnybank Inn in Hot Springs, NC...heard a lot of good things about it...I made it into town at 7pm and got to the only restaurant in town at closing...had a large steak fajita skillet....ate every bit of it. Talked to the Hot Springs Police Chief (5 sworn officers) who was eating in the restaurant...He was envious that I was able to retire so young...he has to do 30 years to retire...I did 20, plus buy back of 4 years military time. Tetras arrived at the restaurant as I was leaving...he ended up staying at the Inn by working in the kitchen in exchange for a room. Across the street was the 175 year old Sunnybank Inn...a lot of history to the Inn. Its heyday was around 1900...when Hot Springs, NC was the place for the rich to come and soak in the hot springs. The Inn is an Italian Victorian House..very large...I stayed in the study...I fell asleep to reading "For Whom The Bell Tolls" 1940 by Ernest Hemingway...read two chapters...I will finish it in May when I return home for a 3 week break. Did 24.4 miles going over 3 good size mountains...not bad...but I felt it at the end of the day..Where are the hot springs to soak in.
Date: 2012-03-12
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Just past Pump Gap
Miles today: 4.0

Woke up to a outstanding breakfast...waffles, coffee, fruit, and cereal. Tempting to stay another day, but I must leave. Stored by pack at the house...and headed to the library to update this journal. Talking about a small world....I go to the local diner after updating this journal and an older couple from Hot Spring, NC comes in and asked if I was a hiker...I say yes...They ask where I from and I said near Ann Arbor, MI. The lady said, "My son lives in Saline, MI." For those of you not from Michigan...Saline is the next town to north/west of my town and the town just south of Ann Arbor, MI. The lady went on to say her son is a professor of history at the University of Michigan and her daughter-in-law used to work at the Ann Arbor News (right across the street from the police department I worked at for 20 years)when it was in operation. What are odds of that encounter!I left Hot Springs, NC after lunch and headed into the mountains. On may out of town, I went past the old Hot Springs Resort...where during World War l the US Government seized the hotel and used it to house 2700 German prisoners of war...who knew that! The Hot Springs Resort sits right on a large river, The Broad French River...big rafting outfitters utilize it. Took some pictures of it. About two hours into my hike it started to rain, so I called it a day and set-up my tent. Rained all night, but the tent stayed dry inside.
Date: 2012-03-13
From: Just past Pump Gap

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: light rain

Woke up to rain..waited until 9:30am for a short break in the rain...packed up everything while inside my tent..except for the tent. During the break in the rain..got my pack out of the tent..then used my large REI mirotowel to dry off my rainfly...you won't believe how much water is on your rainfly...the microtowel is very absorbent...it get the tent dry enough to to pack in my extra small Sea to Summit dry compression sack. Once everything was packed about 15 minutes, I was off. Of course the rain started right up again for another hour....not knowing it, I had camped right below a very old 30 foot dam...why many years ago they dammed up this small stream in the middle of the woods...I don't know...I did take a picture of it...it has almost silted over the top of the dam.Once the rain stopped, I went to short sleeve and shorts...sunny. I climber Rich Mountain Fire Tower, but it was overcast and could see nothing. I had some trail magic at Little Laurel Shelter...I stopped there for lunch and water. Someone had left a paperback book "Shadow Divers" 2005...it's a true story about how some local divers solved one of the last great mysteries of WWII...the finding of German U-boat of the coast of New Jersey in 1991 with all its 56 personnel....no one, US or Germany, knew why it was there or which U-boat it was. Good read...New York Times Best Seller.Packed the book and off I went for another half mile...called it a day set-up my tent...ate..turned on my headlamp and began to read my new book. I can see a paperback always being with me being a solo hiker...it takes on the form of a companion.More updates to come...have to get on the shuttle here at Uncle Johnny's Hostel in Erwin, TN to get some dinner....Be back!
Date: 2012-03-14
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: few clouds

Had some nice views today of the Tennessee Valley from high up in the mountains. Passed some southbound thru-hikers....couple Splash and Cook...They are almost done. This was basically a mileage day...got to Hogback Shelter with 15 minutes of light to spare...The shelter was empty.
Date: 2012-03-15
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 20.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Saw no one on the trail today. Got caught in the rain and lighting storm the last 25 minutes of the day...carrying two lighting rods in both hands as walking poles made me very uneasy....but I made it to shelter just prior to the hail and monsoon type rain. A father, Dan, and son, Peter 30's, were at the shelter when I arrived. They were very nice...they were completing a 10 day hike. I came to learn that Peter had completed the Triple Crown of long distance hiking...Appalachian Trail (AT), Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). Peter is about to go back to China to study Chinese.I was worried about the mice in the shelter...they are in every shelter due to all the food hikers leave out or behind...I am more afraid of the mice than I am the bears...I am always listening for them and never get a good sleep. Someone had written in the shelter log that they had been bitten by one of the mice/rats while sleeping and their finger was bleeding...how can anyone sleep after reading that. That is why I prefer my tent.
Date: 2012-03-17
From: Uncle Johnny's Hostel

To: Unaka Mountain
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Updated online journal from Uncle Johnny's Hostel computer...too slow to upload pictures. Left Erwin, Tn (Uncle Johnny's Hostel) at noon. Hiked 15 miles and set-up my tent in an area I nicknamed the "Sherwood Forest" on top of Unaka Mountain (5,180 ft.) The forest was unique from I have seen on the trail so far in that it was a thick pine forest which limited the sunlight from penetrating...the ground was a thick layer of pine needles...I was waiting for Robin Hood to appear at anytime....it was pretty cool.
Date: 2012-03-18
From: Unaka Mountain

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: light rain

Woke up to rain...stayed in the tent and read my "Shadow Divers" book. The rain let up and I hit the trail at 11:38am. After hiking 12 miles, I saw no people at all....when is the last time you saw no people at all for entire day while you were outside all day...it is different.When I got to the Clyde Smith Shelter...I took my water bottle down to the water source...about a 1/4 mile downhill from the shelter...once I got there and filled up my water bottle...it hit me, this would be the perfect place to wash up and wash my clothes I was wearing(shorts and shirt...then they would be ready for tomorrow)...one problem, my other clothes were up with my backpack at the shelter and I was not walking back uphill to retrieve them...too far. So I said to myself...I haven't seen anyone all day...so screw it...I stripped down to my boots and washed myself the best I could with my bandanna and then proceeded to wash my clothes...oh yes I did...I did not put back on my wet clothes...I walked back up to the shelter with only my boots on (it reminded of the scene in Dancing With Wolves when Kevin Costner was swimming and Kicking Bird came and tried to steal his horse..Costner ran back to his hut with only his boots on...that was me. As I got close to the shelter, I stopped and listened for voices..not hearing any, I proceeded with caution to my backpack. Once there, out came my fresh shorts and shirt...next time I will take some fresh clothes with me! I ended up tenting just passed the Clyde Smith Shelter at the base of Little Rock Knob at 4,918 ft.
Date: 2012-03-19
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Buck Mountain Road
Miles today: 26.4

It was a marathon of a day. This day turned out to be my most exhausting day...did not plan it that way. I did start out today to do about 20 miles...not realizing the numerous climbes I had to do...Little Rock Knob 4,918 ft...Roan High Knob 6,285 ft...Little Hump Mountain 5,459 ft...Hump Mountain 5,587 ft and the climb out to Buck Mountain Road. It was a day full with beautiful scenery, but an a butt kicker. Towards the end of the day, I decided to try to hike the equivalent of a marathon 26.2 miles. I did so and for the first time I was really exhausted with an aching body...just as though I had run a marathon..yes, I have run some marathons to compare...the mountains and the 26.4 miles kicked my butt....I pitched my tent just below a Baptist cemetery...it was a nice grassy area and I was toooo tired to worry about the spirits coming to visit or the Walking Dead getting hungry...plus my wife said I was too skinny for their liking anyways. I had Michael Jackson's video "Thriller" going through my mind as I was falling to sleep.
Date: 2012-03-21
From: Kincora Hostel

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: clear sky

This was suppose to be an easy day...No-Hear-Up left to go back home...his heal was hurting too bad to continue hiking...we exchanged info, shook hands and said good-bye...hopefully I will see him again...he was on planning on hiking the AT to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The plan today was to hike to Vandeventer Shelter to meet up with other thru-hiker to do a 33 mile hike into Damascus, VA the next day. Well..I left the shelter at around 10:45am...I first hiked soen into a gorge of the Laurel Fork River...very nice...especially the Laurl Fork Waterfall...hiked along the river for some time and THEN...the climb out of the gorge...STEEP...swithchback afer switchback. Once on top, I made my way down to the Watauga Dam. Walked along the Watauga Lake for a long time...very nice...large lake. Once I crossed the northend dam...the climb out to the Vandeventer Shelter began. I did not reach the shelter until after dark..around 8:30pm...used my headlamp to hike in the dark. Once I arrived, a total of 7 of us thru-hikers and one section hiker were there for the 33 mile hike into Damascus, VA. This was Sharkey's (male..50 years old) club (the Twinkletoes Yellow Shoelace Club). The club started when Sharkey thru-hiked the AT in 1992...back then Damascus, VA was first palce along the AT going northbound that wasn't a dry county..where alcohol was sold. The group he was hiking with had stopped for the night at the Vandeventer Shelter...someone in his group said we can have a beer by tomorrow night if we hike into Damascus, VA...the AT goes right down Damacus' mainstreet...so his group got up at 3am and did the 33 mile hike into Damacus and had their beer...two of the people in the group needed shoelaces and all the outfitter in Damacus had were bright yellow shoes laces...so they named their new formed group the "Twinkletoes Yellow Shoelace Club.".
Date: 2012-03-22
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Damacus, VA
Miles today: 33.0

Our alams went off at 3am and the 8 of us hit the trail at 3:46am. We were like a bunch of coal miners hiking with our headlamps on along a mountain ridge looking down at town lights lights way below us. We hiked together for abut an hour and then due to individual paces we began to split up. My feet and legs told me right away enough of these long a.. days...so I backed down my pace and let the others go by...a lot of them did not do the hike I did the day before...were well rested and young...it was a long day to say the least...15 hours of hiking...I made it to Damacus at 5:50...14 hours of hiking with a 35 pound pack. My feet and legs were beat.I am now the 20th member of the exclusive club. Best of all, as a new member Sharkey bought dinner for all the new members...section hiker Ed (triple crowner AT, PCT And CDT from Toronto, Canada...That is Pat Hughes territory for the uninitiated...Pat is also a triple crowner himself in the NHL....20's couple Ol'Timer and Maybe from Wisconsin, Groundhog: male 20's, Zoso: 20's male from Philadelphia, and Sharkey and girlfriend Rummy 20's.I checked into the Hikers Inn...run by Paul from Belgium...a psat thru-hiker who came back to the area and bought the Inn 2 years ago and refurbished it. It was just Ed and I in the very nice bunk house. Ed made it into Damascus 3 hours ahead of me...one fast Canadian...everything he had was ultra light...a well experienced long distance hiker. Called home and advised them that I made into the club. Had no trouble falling asleep.
Date: 2012-03-23
From: Danacus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Taking a Zero Day...as thru-hikers call it....had breakfast at a gas station/ restaurant...blueberry pancake special...the young lady at the restaurant addressed me as Honey...got to love the South...now I am now at the Damascus Library updating this journal...uplaoding my pictures is next.I am trying to talk my wife and two daughters into coming out with me for one week each...my 10 year is all in...working on my wife and 13 year old...how else to better understand what it is like on the AT. My friends from Michigan work on them for me...Yes Honey I will arrange for airdrops of Tim Hortons, McD's and Starbucks lattes Glenn Stahl great hearing from you..absolutely will get together when you return from Afghanistan...a lot to catch up on...are you with Tom Tanner?
Date: 2012-03-24
From: Damascus, VA

To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: moderate rain

Scattered T-storms today...want to headout and get on the trail at some point...its been raining off and on. Could be a while until my next update..about 75 miles to tne next small towm..unsure what services they have. Damascus, VA has been a good stay...met a lot of people and resupplied. Take Care everyone.Took shelter early due to the oncoming rain...just made it to the shelter and the rain began. I was the only one at the shelter. I set up my tent inside the shelter due to the mice...worked great...slept well. It rained all night long and no one else came. I pulled out my paperback book and read most of the night.
Date: 2012-03-25
From: Saunders Shelter

To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Took a zero day due to the rain/thunder. It rained all day...no use hiking in the rain/thunder...it's miserable doing so. I worked on the planning of my Newphews Nate and Arnie hike with me...I will talked to them and see what works best for them.I also spent a lot of the day reading my book "Shadow Divers"...once again great read...perfect for raining days. One thru-hiker, Silent Sam...male 20's, stopped by for about 30 minutes for lunch...at first I thought his trail name was the "Son of Sam" after the New York serial killer...OK...Gerber knife at the ready...turned out that he wasn't wanting to be a serial killer...just a college graduate hitting the trail. That was about it for a raining day...I checked my miles for arriving in Harpers Ferry for my schedule flight back home...and I am right on schedule.
Date: 2012-03-26
From: Saunders Shelter

To: Mt. Rogers
Miles today: 18.6

Woke up to sunny day...no rain...walked along the "Virginia Creeper Trail"...which use to be train tracks utilized by a lumber train (Virginia Creeper) that creeped up the mountain to bring down the trees for the mills below in Damascus, VA....peaked period was from 1900-1930's...at one point the area produced more board feet of lumber than anywhere in the U.S. With the close of factories in Damascus, VA in the 1960's the town smartly changed to ecotourism....replaced the tracks with a nice bike path...now there are a number of bicycle outfitters that take customers up to the top of the trail and let them lose to ride down the Creeper Trail....and the AT goes right down main street Damascus....Damascus all hosts the largest AT event...Trail Days in May.I ended up tenting near Mt. Rogers (above 5,000 ft)....very cold night.
Date: 2012-03-27
From: Mt. Rogers

To: Dickey Gap
Miles today: 21.0

What a Day...first stop was the Greyson Highlands where there are wild ponys running around. I never thought I would see one, but as I rounded a corner there stood the most beautiful pony (see pictures) standing in the most green grass....remember...I have been hiking in dead leaves, rocks and dirt since Georgia. It was a cool experience....I was even able to touch the pony. The ponys were introduced to the area in the 1960's to keep the mountain tops bald in the area...just like the livestock did centuries before. The next stop was Wise Shelter...the 500 mile mark! I celebrated event with two junior high school students, Charlie and Corbin, from Brooklyn, NY...who were hiking in the area during their springbreak.I ended up tenting next to a stream right at sunset...Great Day!
Date: 2012-03-28
From: Dickey Gap

To: Chatfield Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: clear sky

This day was mostly putting in milage...stopped at the Mt. Rogers Visitor Center and had a couple of Dr. Peppers and called home...ended up staying at Chatfield Shelter with Peach Fuzz (can't grow a beard 20's)and Mace (retired firefighter). Both were very nice. Washed my clothes and bathed in the stream below the shelter...this time a had my bedtime clothes with me.
Date: 2012-03-29
From: Chatfield Shelter

To: Lick Creek
Miles today: 21.8

Had breakfast with Peach Fuzz and resupplied at a gas station in Atkins, VA. Met Woodchuck, Mickey and Firepit today. Once again...this was mostly a milage day...had a great lunch on top a grassy farmland hill...the smell of the pasture grass..not the cow patties...was great to the senses. I just kicked back and just took in the beautiful scenery as I ate a high calorie lunch. I stopped and took a picture of an old flour mill...just happened that the land owner stopped by in her truck..wearing her western leather gloves...she gave me the history of the area (big cattle county) and she stated that all that I could see belonged to her family...she just retired from Grummen after 40 years of commuting to Baltimore...she would coming back to the farm on the weekends.I ended up stopping and tenting next to a large stream. The sound of the stream put me to sleep.
Date: 2012-03-30
From: Lick Creek

To: Burke Garden
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I was trying to get close to Bland, VA 26 miles away. Well...I mentally got wiped up at around 12 miles and ended up calling a number on a card that was left on the trail for a place to stay, hot food and shower...run by Peter and June of a Luthern Church in Burke Garden. Peter is doing his one year intership in becoming a pastor in the Luthern Church...Peter and June are from Pittsburg, PA but was assigned to Burke Garden, VA for the internship...population 300...cattle ranching is the business....has a congregation of 18 on a good Sunday.Peter took me into Tazewell, VA for resupply and dinner. What more could I ask for...I was blessed...they just open up their house to hikers and feed, house and laundry them for free...other memebers of the congregration will also take in hikers. I did sneek and pay for Peter and my dinners...he wasn't happyNow they are letting me use their computer to update the journal...picture uploads are next...but I am going to grab a second dinner made by June first. I hit the jackpot...now I do not have to go into Bland, VA to use their library to update the journal and resupply...Peter and June THANK YOU...THANK YOU...VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 2012-03-31
From: Burke Garden

To: Helveys Mill Shelter
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: light rain

I woke up to a fantastic breakfast made by June..waffles, omelet, coffee, sausage and glazed dounuts....once I couldn't eat anymore, Peter took me to the trailhead where he had picked me up yesterday...a physically and mentally tired hiker. I hit the trail at about 9:40am. What a difference with real food in me and rest...I can't express enough THANKS to Peter and June..and the Lutheran congregation of Burke Garden, VA. for their generosity. The hiking today went pretty easy...stopped at Helveys Mill Shelter...I was first one there...later on Moses, Tebow and Zoso showed up. It was nice having company and conversation.
Date: 2012-04-01
From: Helveys Mill Shelter

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: clear sky

Long day, but a good day. Wanted to make to Wapiti Shelter so that I would be set up to make it into Pearisburg, VA tomorrow (17 miles)for a motel, resupply and to watch the NCAA Basketball Finals between Kentucky and Kansas. About halfway through the day, a young group of college age hikers passed me going the opposite direction...they told me not to miss Dismal Creek Falls which was located .3 miles on an side trail from the AT...they said there was a great swimming hole there.I decided to take the trail and rush to the Wapiti shelter like everyone else. I am glad I did...I went swimming...YES it was mountain water cold! But I was the only one there and had this beautiful place to myself..check the photos once I get them uploaded)...Something wrong here...I am 52 and swimming...where were my 20's year old fellow thru-hikers. The Wapiti Shelter was full..6 of us in it(Moses, Bluegrass, Zoso, Turtle, Mule and me) ...plus 3 tents (Goose, Maverick and Tebow)...All in their 20's, except Tebow. Once Bluegrass and Zoso took of their shoes...we all gaged...worst smell in the world...we all laughed and laughed...Thank God their sleeping bags kept most of the smell in.They all asked me the "what if" questions involving police work, when getting pulled over what do officers really get to see about an individual, on and on. They all had to tell their experiences in getting tickets...I really got the 20 year olds going when I told them I did drunk driving patrol for 2 years..Did you sit on bars..YES! Once again..on and on with questions. Finally, we all went to sleep.
Date: 2012-04-02
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: clear sky

Rain during the night...nice to be in a shelter. Woke up to overcast skies. We were all excited to get to Pearisburg, VA, so we all got up at 6am and were on the trail by 7am. Had some early rain on the trail..I was saying "Great 17 miles of rain", but the skies opened up and the sun came out...YES!!! Had some great views of the valleys below..rich green farmland...remember...I am up in the mountains with a leafless trees and dead brown leaves and rocks covering the ground..lots of browns...so seeing green is something special. I took some photos of the views.Made it into Pearisburg, VA at around 3pm. Checked into the Plaza Motel with everyone else..small, local and very clean. Showered, the office took my laundry to do...and off to the library to update this journal. Looking forward to a good dinner and watching the NCAA Basketball Finals tonight...just lucking timing being in a town when game is played. I had dinner with Spoon (recent University of Louisville grad) at a Chinese Buffet...had just met him today on the trail. Tomorrow I will resupply before hitting the trail.