morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-04-09
From: Kincora Hostel

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: light rain

A lot of climbing up and down initially past a waterfall. Bob told us that around this shelter are emus- they got out of a farm and have been living wild for 3 years but we haven't seen any yet. Gonz rolled in late with some girl; don't look that prepared.
Date: 2013-11-04
From: max patch

To: davenport gap shelter
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

Woke to the most incredible sunrise of my life. Even beat out some mornings out at the trash fence in BRC. Packed up with reluctance, hiked over snowbird. Met up with woody and PT from Germany. Stopped by standing bear farm hostel to hang out, buy my stupid $20 permit to enter the smokies. They tried to make me take their six month old redbone coonhound who was tearing everything up and was being a little terror but took a liking to me. He followed me a half mile up the trail too after I left. Walked into the smokies and the shelter was caged in by chainlink. As dark fell a family of bears came right up to the shelter and eyed our dinners. We, being responsible thruhikers immediately opened the cage to try and get pictures with them. I think they heard from the ponies in greyson we might try to ride them so they took off. Spent the rest of the night joking around with woody and trapping mice with my new traps.
Date: 2003-04-11
From: Low Gap, US421

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Lone Wolf dropped us off for a slackpack (walking without backpack) so we could properly enter the State of Virginia and put NC & Tennessee behind. Did the 15 in about 2 and a half hours without a pack. Moved into a church hostel called "The Place" for the night. Beef Stick rolled in with two swolen ankles from walking on numb feet for 10 + miles. He's gonna have to take a few days off, but this is the place to do it.
Date: 2013-11-06
From: pecks corner shelter

To: double spring gap shelter
Miles today: 21.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Same crappy weather as yesterday. Can't see anything. Fog, wind, rain. Head down. At sunset I hear voices in the sky on a really hard hillclimb. Think I'm going crazy. Look up and its clingmans dome, the clouds parted, and the sunset comes out. Ran up the tower to catch a picture before the clouds came back but they didn't. They just evaporated into crazy rainbow mists, the wind hammered the tower and made it thump and echo like a bass bin. Made friends with a traveler kid on a hitchhiking trip to California, that was sitting there and he offered to hoist me onto the roof of the tower. I have no upper body strength but made it. Hollered and cheered and danced then teared up and had to sit down. People on the ground were cheering. I have less than 200 miles to go from this point. Took the traveller on his first AT section and showed him the shelters. Hopefully the cycle will continue.
Date: 2003-04-12
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Zero Day. Trying to hit every restaurant in town. Weather is really nice now, hard to believe how miserable it was a few days ago. Going to head out tomorrow. My plan is to kick up the mileage in Virginia and do the state (544 miles I think, about a quarter of the trail) in a month. This may mean leaving behind the gang so I'm enjoying the time.
Date: 2013-11-07
From: double spring gap shelter

To: mollies ridge shelter
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: light rain

Heavy rain and wind. Thankfully no snow. Head down. Shared the shelter with a dad and his three 20ish-old kids. They were shy so built a huge fire and fell asleep early. Overnight everything froze and the wind nearly ripped the tarps on the front of the shelter off. Ready to be done with the smokies.
Date: 2003-04-14
From: Lost Mtn. Shelter

To: Old Orchard Shelter
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Perhaps the most eventful single day on the trail. First was Buzzard Rock as we climbed onto the first bald, where we stopped for the first break of the day. We saw 5 buzzards wheeling in the thermals. Then I heard down below "HOLY ****!" Chaos had just broken onto the bald and was that impressed with the view and life and general. From there we climbed over Mt. Rogers and through some cool rock squeezes. Then the wild ponies of the Grayson Highlands- shaggy critters with bellies like barrels. They come up and lick you for the salt. In my case, they surround you and try to eat your pack and the bread you have strapped to the back as you try to take a picture and force you to run down the trail and take their picture from a distance. Leisurely lunch with a view. Rolled in late because of so many long breaks. This rocks.
Date: 2013-11-09
From: fontana dam

To: sassafras gap shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Yep, walked back in the dark to Fontana Hilton shelter. There were dozens of loud parties at various cabins around the resort but I could tell most were college students. Had the feeling I needed to get back among trail people. in the morning one of the two people sleeping in the shelter stayed to talk about his thru hike and how he was coming back to enjoy sections of the trail in quieter times.peaceful day, good weather for the most part. Long climb from 1800 to 5000 ft. The elevation slowed me down so didn't arrive at the shelter until just after dark. There were three section hiking ladies who were really happy to have company, I was thankful for their warm fire, and we chatted for several hours. It was another of those moments that everyone thinks is how the trail is all the time.
Date: 2003-04-15
From: Old Orchard Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 24.7
Weather: clear sky

I think this was the longest day yet, and the day I finally split with Rock Hound, Thin Mint and 3 Sock. See you guys in the registers! Hot day- had salt crystals forming on my eyelashes. Excited to get to Partnership Shelter- there is a phone in the neaby ranger station and we ordered pizzas. Killed an XL mushroom and pepperoni with two liters of citrus soda by myself. No problemo. I think I'm going to hike with a group of guys calling themselves the "Simian Death Squad": Nickle, Dime, SAM, and Demion a.k.a. Toe Cutter, Dead Boy, SAM, and The Demon Ishmael. Two of them have deer skulls on their packs. Nice guys, with a sense of humor. They crank some big miles too.
Date: 2013-11-10
From: sassafras gap shelter

To: tellico gap
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Woke up and said goodbye to the ladies. They gave me some used pepperoni, several snacks, and a block of slightly worse-for-wear cheese. Easy downhill into Nantahala Outdoor Center. The restaurant wasn't quite open yet so went to the small general store which was having its last day of the season sale and everything was clearance priced. Finally found drink flavoring that doesn't have propylene glycol as the third ingredient- dasani drops. Wandered back to the restaurant with a pint of ben&jerrys ice cream to eat for breakfast while I ordered lunch. Got a fantastic fried crab cake sandwich, some hot minestrone, and a probably too big salad. Finished up and poked thru the outfitter, sent some postcards, and headed back out on the trail by noon. [note: most of what follows, for the rest of the trip, was added post-trail.]Peaked out at the Wesser Bald observation tower, climbed up there getting cell service and messages, taking pictures, standing on the corner of the tower facing the wind and closing my eyes, and trying to just be. After a while, heard voices below talking animatedly like old friends, coming up the trail northbound. Yelled down to them to take the side trail and come up to see the tower. They had hiked in to take pictures with a cardboard cutout of their niece on the tower, so we took pictures and traded stories while watching the clouds and shadows move across the landscape as the sun set. The woman (Kismet) and her husband are both former AT hikers, met on the trail, and got married years later. They invited me to stay at their farm a few miles away. It was dark when we got to the farm but we put on boots and visited the barn, chicken, and cow enclosures. They introduced me to their first cow and her calf. Back in the house, Kismet prepared a great feast of roast chicken and I got the luxury B&B style guest room and shower. We stayed up late discussing lots of things, including economics and permaculture.
Date: 2003-04-16
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 25.5
Weather: clear sky

I think this is another mileage record day. Had a long lunch at the US11. Then had a second lunch. Chaos, who met her family yesterday at Partnership, has walked the skin off her heels and is going to go to Damascus to try to find some solution. Somehow we lost Red, who I've been walking with since Damascus.
Date: 2013-11-11
From: tellico gap

To: cold spring shelter 
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: clear sky

Got up at dawn, excited to be on a farm, rested both physically and mentally, and knowing I couldn't tell a single sobo how comfy the bed had been or how good the food was because it would break their hearts hearing what they missed. A farmer friend came to teach my hosts to operate their new milking machine. Got right out into the cold but pretty and sunny morning air and helped move the milker down to the pasture. Got a lesson in milking cows, then went inside for breakfast. Drank raw milk, didn't die, chatted with the lady and her daughters. Showed everyone a couple pictures from my trip and my chickens back home in LA, which are the extent of my farming street cred.After breakfast, they cleaned the milking machine, I worked on organizing the garage, sorting through egg cartons and cleaning up a little. Then I got suited up and we went down to winterize and inspect the bee hives. This was something I had no idea I'd get to do but was super fun. I was a little worried that the suit only went to my waist, and all I had on below that were shorts and thin base-layer leggings. The thought of angry bees in my shorts was unsettling. Kept the fire going in the smoker and watched how the work was done.Had another great meal, got a quart bag of pepitas to go, some more great conversation, and eventually got a ride back to the trail late in the day. Made it to the first shelter just as night fell.
Date: 2003-04-17
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Helveys Mill Shelter
Miles today: 32.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Hell. The first 25 miles were OK. Then it decided to start raining some more and we went over a few more peaks. Then my shorts started chafing... a lot. Definately not enjoyable. If I wasn't walking with the Death Squad probably wouldda wussed out and made a burrito of myself in my tarp and bag in the rain. Rolled in around 10 PM to the shelter.
Date: 2003-04-19
From: VA606

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 23.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Slackpack in to Pearisburg to stay at the Catholic Church hostel and go to Easter Mass. The Death Squad was already at the hostel- turns out they got up at 5 PM that day intending to walk throught the night but stopped at 20 miles, pitched camp in the rain, then did the rest into town. The church hostel is the coolest hostel setup I've seen- it's in an old barn with the sleeping up top and the kitchen, bathroom, and common room downstairs. Across a grassy field was a Super Wal Mart so we ate and ate and ate. Going to take a 0-day tomorrow for sure. Starting to get shin splints in my right leg.
Date: 2003-04-20
From: Pearisburg, VA

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

Happy Easter! Went to Mass- the priest handed out chocolate easter eggs to the children and thru hikers at the end. Saw the most excellent mullet in the world. Chilled with the Death Squad on the grassy hill behind the hostel and read an entire book. The shin is still hurting.
Date: 2013-11-15
From: plum orchard gap shelter 

To: unicoi gap hiawasee
Miles today: 21.2
Weather: clear sky

Got up early trying to do a 23 mile day. Ready to be done. Passed a sign that said "Cowart Gap" so I drew a picture of a cow and taped it to the sign. Found a spot with cell reception after a few hours and spent an hour on the phone with Tmobile going over a problem with my phone which turned out to be I was in the woods and there's no reception in the woods. Embarrassingly got passed by a sobo while I was on the phone, named Chicory who I remembered from somewhere. Caught up to her later waiting for a hitch into Hiawassee, chatted for a while, turns out we met on my northbound section in the summer but she didn't remember me. She seemed ready to finish too. The rain was back. She got her ride and I headed back out to the trail, and the rain just got worse.I was making decent time but I knew the water would wear my feet down faster so decided to just take the next road which would lead back to Hiawassee. Unfortunately it was almost dark and I sat shivering in the wet and cold for an hour trying to get a hitch. I ate dinner standing in the dark with my thumb out and finally got a ride from a trail maintainer from the local AT club. I thanked him for his work and the ride and he dropped me off at the first motel we came to. I found Woody using the internet kiosk at the front desk. They let me drop my stuff in their room. Decided I needed more food, specifically warm food, walked into town in the dark wearing flipflops to dry out my feet. Got delicious warm fast food, went back and got a warm shower, and crashed on the floor of their motel room.
Date: 2003-04-21
From: Damascus VA

To: VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

458 miles down! I got hit with a slugh storm coming into town, perfect hypothermia weather. My hands were white and I couldn't feel my legs or feet. A large pizza and warm motel room fixed that. Two more states down and I want to blow through Virginia in under a month. Hope every one is well.
Date: 2013-11-16
From: unicoi gap hiawasee

To: neels gap walasi-yi
Miles today: 21.2
Weather: clear sky

Rainy fog again. Got breakfast at a strip mall diner, there is something magical about fruit filled waffles. Woody spent half an hour making a sign to get us a hitch back to the trailhead because he was in a hurry to get going. While he ducked into CVS I got us a hitch from the town doctor and IT guy. Felt bad Woody didn't get to use his sign, but hey.After a small 1000ft hill, the terrain got super easy and flat. Rained on and off, passed several groups of Boy Scouts and day hikers, must be a weekend. Days are kind of running together at this point from mental exhaustion so I have no idea. Passed a scoutmaster with a U-Dig-It shovel strapped to his pack like Cheryl Strayed had, which seemed really funny at the time.Arrived at Neel's Gap, the historic outfitter that the trail runs through- the only covered portion of the trail, around 5pm. I planned to keep going so I could be finished tomorrow but Woody, PT, and the fun staff at Mountain Crossings talked me into staying at the hostel and watching movies instead. I was heavily influenced by the toasted frozen enchiladas, and the girl working there being really hot. The rain got pretty severe as the outfitter closed and we headed down to the hostel, kinda glad I stayed now.
Date: 2003-04-21
From: Pearisburg, VA

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

First consecutive 0-day. The Death Squad and I rolled into the PO to get our summer gear and mail home fleeces and anything else we could part with. I mailed home my fleece, soap and winter bag in exchange for my lighter and smaller summer 40F bag. Then it started raining outside. With lighter packs and an intended 200 mile week ahead, we decided that we could take another 0-day. So we did. I ate a lot and read another book. I don't know about a 200 mile week, but if we pull it off I'm going to enter the eco challenge!
Date: 2013-11-17
From: neels gap walasi-yi

To: hawk mountain shelter 
Miles today: 23.6

Lots of rain.Just cold, cloudy, relentless rain. Tried to take pictures of Mountain Crossings but still too wet to get it to focus right.   Climbed Blood Mountain, a fairly steep 1300ft ascent into wet granite face. Tons and tons of weekend hikers, I don't understand why so many people are out in this rain. Lots of older people slipping on rocks. I walk around everyone and stay far away from them so they don't get distracted and fall, but I must look like a goat climbing a dam the way they watch me moving on the wet rocks.Make it to a dripping wet stone cabin on the summit in an hour, tents pitched inside, dogs, children, equipment everywhere, water blowing in through the windows. Took a picture of the summit geomarker under 2" of water, then got moving to get out of the crowd as yet another boy scout troop shows up. By the time we got to Woody Gap, Woody was tired of the rain and was calling it a day. Got a picture of him looking hilariously miserable at his sign, and left them to hitch out to the hiker hostel nearby. A group of military looking guys were huddling under a covered sign, clearly waiting for a ride out, and I took off out into the woods again.Met a former thru-hiker from Georgia who was out trail-running in the rain wearing only tshirt, running shorts, and running shoes. Nice guy. He came back up the trail an hour or two later and stopped to talk for a while. He told me how much he loved Georgia and NC that after his hike he couldn't stay away, so he moved there. I can see why; everyone I meet down here is really kind and genuine. I think about how different that is to the city I'm from and how poorly I'm prepared to go back to that. I want to stay here, in Appalachia. My friend in PA sent me a Yonder Mountain bluegrass song "40 miles from Denver" that I've been playing a lot lately. Even though it's raining, suddenly I'm in a good mood and enjoying being lucky enough to experience this whole thing.Got to Gooch Mountain shelter, spent some time talking to the guys sheltering there, ate lunch and they gave me some great trail mix. Decided I could make it another 7.7 miles to the next shelter before dark. Once again, that was inaccurate. The rain kicked up good and it made it impossible to use my headlamp due to the glare. The days just seem impossibly short now, got to Hawk Mountain shelter at least an hour after dark. The mice were so thick I had to lay traps before dinner. By the time I got to sleep I had a pile of them and the traps kept snapping but I was too tired to reset them.
Date: 2003-04-22
From: VA

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 32.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Almost another record mile day but wiped. Demion and I rolled into camp around 9:30 and he got the idea to just sleep under the picnic table, which worked out really well. He just put his tarp over the top, pinned it down with some rocks. We cooked while under the table and slept pretty well despite the tarp blowing off during the middle of the night. A bit concerned because Nickle never showed up and we even waited for him a while at the last shelter. The shin splints are really making every step miserable. I think the 200 mile week is toast.
Date: 2003-04-23
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

Got a late start but had a pretty easy and relatively short day. Dime stayed back at the shelter to wait for Nickle. Demion and I pushed on; the plan was to stay at a hostel another 20 further on if they didn't catch us before. But Nickle & Dime came into the shelter before dark. Nickle had gotten some bad calf cramps only 9 miles in yesterday and had to stop at that shelter, so he did 30 already today. We could have pushed on and gotten back on track for the 200 mile week, but that would have meant Nickle doing a 40 mile day. We've been hearing rumors about an AYCE at the hostel 20 miles on; according to some it's the best AYCE eatin on the whole trail. It's tempting.
Date: 2013-05-01
To: Training for the Trail
Miles today: 0.0

Last year to train for the trail I quit everything (except beekeeping) and hiked 6 days in 7. In retrospect, I think this was too much and had me peaking physically at the start of last years hike. At the beginning of the 2012 hike I was very strong and was leaving most everyone behind. But as the younger folks got into better shape they began leaving me behind.Training for the trail was much different this year from last year. This year I only hiked half as much, 3 days in 7. It took me longer to get in-shape, but now that I'm ready to depart for the trail, I'm feeling pretty strong. My standard training hike is the same this year as last, an out-and-back walk that covers a total of 13.4 miles in the local mountain parks. The hike is on rolling terrain with gentle ups and downs. The largest continuous climb is about 800 feet.In addition to my hike training I'm riding my bike up to the local college campus twice a week where I'm auditing a history class on western civilization. Until recently I was also continuing my twice monthly waltz dance classes on Sunday afternoon. Because of these activities, I've been telling friends I'm "cross training".Training went more smoothly this year. I did not have any heal pain, which I battled for many weeks last year. I also did not have any muscle spasm in my shoulder, which was an acute issue last year. I did a better job this year, gradually increasing my pack weight from my day hike gear (15 lbs) to my trip pack and it's max weight (30 lbs). The 30 lb max weight of the trip pack breaks down as follows: 17 lbs gear, 9 lbs food (1.5 lbs/day for 6 days), 4 lbs water (2 one-liter bottles).
Date: 2003-04-25
From: 4 Pines Hostel, VA311

To: Daleville
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: mist

Met Java & Dimples today on the trail. Everyone from 4 Pines is going to town to split motel rooms. Did the 20 miles by about 4 PM with them shin splints laying a big hurt every step. Split a double room between 6 people: the Death Squad (minus SAM who we lost a few days ago), Ben & Wit, and myself. Dime got a case of Schlitz 40's to split. We watched 4 episodes of Blind Date then some HBO shows. To give you an idea of what happens to your appetite, here's what I had for dinner: 4 small microwaveable pizzas (all supreme of course), a big bag of marshmallow cereal, a half gallon of milk, and 2 liters of root beer. For breakfast I had 6 microwaveable sausage, egg & cheese biscuits. I think I'm going to have to take another 0-day tomorrow to let the shin splints heal, because they aren't getting any better walking 20 miles a day.
Date: 2013-05-03
To: Travel to Pennsylvania
Miles today: 1252.9
Weather: overcast clouds

For my return to the Appalachian Trail I'm flying to Newark, NJ this coming Tuesday May 7, 2013. At the Newark airport I will board regional bus Trans Bridge Lines to Allentown, PA. I'll spend the night in Allentown at Holiday Inn. Next morning I'll take local Lanta bus to Slatington, PA. From there it is a short 2 mile hitch or walk to the AT at Lehigh Gap. So, my return to the trail, will be by similar means to that by which I left the trail last summer. If all goes as planned, I will be in Slatington, PA at 7:00am on Wednesday May 8, 2013 and back on the trail an hour after that.The first couple days on the trail I have an plan which is both ambitious and cushy. First day walk 20 miles and spend the night in a hotel. Second day walk 17 miles and spend the night at a hostel. After that I'll be in New Jersey and mostly camping.
Date: 2013-05-08
From: Travel to Pennsylvania

To: Wind Gap, PA
Miles today: 20.8

A mostly drizzly day. Stopped for lunch at Smith shelter. Met 3 sobo hikers, Humble Pie, Dream, and New-De-Knee. Saw many Red Efts, 2 snakes, and a box turtle. Spent night at Gateway Motel. Hard rain with much thunder in the evening. Day 1. Actual miles today 20.80, returned to trail at 1252.90, ended today at 1273.70.
Date: 2003-04-26
From: Daleville

To: Daleville
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Taking it on the chin and spending the day in the motel alone. It would be ridiculous to keep walking on these shin splints and the ice last night seemed to help. Sat around eating, watching TV (which I'm already sick of), keeping my leg elevated and iced and calling up follks. I don't know if I will be able to catch the Death Squad again, we'll see.