morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-03-26
From: Carvers Gap

To: Mountain Harbor Hostel 
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: broken clouds

Two FirstsMy first slackpackMy first state line crossing: NC/TNIn yesterday¢s post I mentioned that Darwood and I would hike the miles we missed yesterday from Carvers Gap to the hostel. It was both beautiful and difficult for me. The balds (open grassy round-top areas with amazing views) were beautiful with iconic vistas of the trail vanishing in the distance. But the trail was often ice or mud, so the footing was difficult and the going slow. And the wind was fierce. It took me eight and a half hours. I stopped at Overmountain Shelter, one of the most favorite on the trail, for lunch and ran into Miz Man and Hawk. Hawk had arrived there at 12:30 AM the night before after a long night hike using his head lamp. This guy is two years older than I and far braver. Check out ¢Hawk on the Appalachian Trail¢ on YouTube.This hostel was voted best breakfast on the trail. I can heartily agree.Planning 8.8 tomorrow and back in my hammock.PS Two more firsts today. Day 16 marks the longest duration backpacking trip for me. Last Fall¢s shakedown was 15 days. The second first was walking on a bed of icicles. The night before, freezing rain had accumulated on the tree branches and at some point during the day as the temperature increased the ice fell to the ground leaving sometimes as much as 4 or 5 inches of tubular ice cubes on the trail. It was kind of fun to walk on.
Date: 2018-03-27
From: Mountain Harbor Hostel 

To: Mountaineer Falls Shelter 
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Another amazing breakfast at Mountain Harbor. French toast, egg souffl©, tomato pie, ham, sausage, fruit, biscuits & gravy, two homemade pastries and cookies. Coffee of course. I can¢t imagine any other hostel beating them out for best breakfast on the trail.All this hostel and town food leaves me with a very heavy food bag to carry. I¢ll bounce the food box sent to Boots Off Hostel up to Damascus, VA.I ran into a trail maintenance crew cutting down dead trees when I arrived at the shelter. I spoke to a woman who appeared to be the foreman and she recognized me as Farfar from these posts. Pretty cool! Also working the site was the famous Bob Peoples. This gentleman is a major AT celebrity. Google away if you¢re interested.On a sad note, I¢ve run out of fuel. Pretty dumb on my part. It¢ll have to be cold food till Boots Off in Hampton, TN.
Date: 2018-03-28
From: Mountaineer Falls Shelter 

To: Stealth camp at mile 417.5
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

They say the Trail provides. Well I got two tastes of that. One last night and one this morning. Last night as the three of us were setting up for the night, a young hiker couple came down from the trail to ask if anyone lost a pair of gloves. It happens that my gloves have an optional wind-proof skin that I¢d been using that day, both of which had slipped off while my gloves were hanging from my water bottle. By the time I noticed they were missing I was in no mood to retrace my steps to go look for them. (It¢s a documented fact that northbounders are loath to take any southbound steps.) These young hikers went out of their way to see if the gloves belonged to anyone at the shelter.Then another example in the morning. As I mentioned yesterday, I stupidly ran out of fuel and had resigned myself to eating only cold food till my next resupply. My shelter mates, a retired couple, saw me drinking cold coffee and inquired. I explained my predicament and they pulled out a large fuel canister they said they could spare and gave it to me, even refusing my offer of payment. ¢I¢m sure you¢ll have an opportunity to help another hiker up the trail.¢ I¢m sure I will. Of course it¢s the people, the trail community, that provides. I hear and read about this all the time.I¢m stealth camping tonight for the first time. I got to my target shelter at around 2:30. Knowing I had a long day tomorrow to get to Boots Off Hostel, I decided to hike on till around 5:00. I¢m glad I did because now I have but 10.6 into Hampton, TN and the hostel. I¢ll try and get out early to get the most from Boots Off which I hear is a good one.I¢ll do some planning for the next leg of the journey into Damascus, VA where I¢ll take my second zero.
Date: 2018-03-29
From: Stealth camp at mile 417.5

To: Boots Off Host
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: broken clouds

I enjoyed my stealth camp last night. My hammock was set up less than 10 feet from the trail. It was nice to get up at 5:30 and break camp without disturbing anyone.Today¢s hike took my to Laurel Falls. Big, powerful, noisy water. Quite beautiful. It was a steep hike down to the falls. I marvel at how the trail builders fashion steps out of the rocks. Hiking over Pond Mountain was another matter. A seemingly endless uphill slog. I was exhausted. I stopped near the top for lunch which helped and the long hike down to the hostel, though long, wasn¢t too steep. I arrived before 3:00 and had a welcomed shower. I¢m waiting for the dinner shuttle into town.Yesterday and the day before I stopped and had lunch at a waterfall. Beat that, city slickers.I¢ve got two plans for getting to Damascus and my second zero. A 3 day plan and a 4 day plan. I¢d like to try for the 3 day but it has two back-to-back 16 milers. We¢ll see.I¢d love to hear from friends, family and followers. You can send me a message via the ¢Sign Guestbook¢ link.
Date: 2018-03-30
From: Boots Off Hostel 

To: Iron Horse Shelter 
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: light rain

Heavy rain in the morning followed by cold and wind. It¢s supposed to get to 32 degrees tonight. Tomorrow it¢s supposed to get into the 60s. Go figure. I¢m ready to say goodbye to the cold. I¢ve been having my own little Holy Week here on the trail. I¢ve listened to the Bach St. Matthew Passion and the St. John Passion as well as hymns and organ music. Really quite moving. The forest is my cathedral. Actually I¢ve been enjoying classical music in general as I have plenty of time to listen to multi-movement symphonies and the like whereas at home, who has the time to sit and listen? It makes me happy and I occasionally conduct with my hiking sticks. I¢m at the shelter with Durwood tonight. He¢s a retired Marine with whom I¢ve had the pleasure of sharing a number of hostel stays. So far my three day plan for getting to Damascus is working out. Another 16er tomorrow and a 10er on Sunday will get me there for my second zero.Another milestone today: 200 miles.
Date: 2018-03-31
From: Iron Horse Shelter 

To: Abingdon Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

Today marks Three weeks on the trail.Jack Frost paid a visit this morning. It was 25 degrees but fortunately the air was still. Everything sparkled in my head lamp.  Looks like my three day ¢Road to Damascus¢ plan is working out. Only 10 miles into town tomorrow. I¢m hoping to stay at Woodchuck Hostel two nights and enjoy my second zero. I should be able to get in by early afternoon so it¢s really a zero and a half. Will anything be open on Easter Sunday afternoon?Durwood is planning to do a resupply in town and move on, so I may not be seeing much of him up the trail. He¢s a far faster hiker. He thinks Miz Man and Hawk are a day behind us so maybe I¢ll see them in town on Monday. The water source at this shelter is described as ¢a steep .2 mile downhill¢. That¢s an understatement. It was a long tough climb back up with my water bottles. And there are no water sources before or after this shelter for miles.Today¢s morning hike was beautiful and easy. I was taken by surprise by the many steep uphills in the afternoon. Two days of nearly 10 hours of hiking is a challenge for this 66-year-old body.
Date: 2018-04-01
From: Abingdon Gap Shelter 

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Off early this morning at 7:20 for an easy 10 miler into Damascus, VA. I crossed from Tennessee into Virginia today. Durwood coincidentally caught up to me about 30 feet before the sign so we were able to take fabulous shots of each other. 10x12, you ask? Steve ¢Mighty Blue¢ Adams who thru hiked the AT a few years back had set a goal for himself of hiking 10 miles by 12 noon each day. I like that idea especially since I¢m a morning person. Today I hit that goal by hiking the 10 miles to Damascus by 11:45. Woodchuck is a nice hostel. I¢ll be here two nights, taking a zero tomorrow. Damascus is a quiet little town except for once a year it is host to Trail Days, when 10,000 hikers arrive over a weekend in May to celebrate their AT hikes and reunite with trail friends. Some alcohol is involved. Chores for tomorrow:Get to the outfitter to have my pack adjusted properly. I¢ve been fussing with its many straps in vain to achieve a comfortable fit.Trim my toenails Plan the next leg of my hikeResupply foodLet Joan know where to send the next boxEat a salad
Date: 2018-04-02
From: Damascus, VA

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

I¢ve enjoyed my day off. Funny how I woke early and couldn¢t get back to sleep, worrying I¢d forget some things I needed to do today. It¢s much easier on a hiking day: just pack up and walk. I was really impressed with Mt Rogers Outfitter today. Lumpy took real good care of me, fitting my pack and doing a repair on my hammock. Wouldn¢t take any money either. The Trail provides. Trek is here at Woodchuck today. He¢s 63 and is hiking his tenth AT thru hike. He knows a thing or two about the trail so it¢s been fun and informative talking with him. I also heard today that Mountaineer Shelter where I stayed and met Bob Peoples was built in one day by 150 hiker volunteers.I enjoyed a nice chop salad lunch at Mojo¢s. One doesn¢t often get salads on the trail. Tonight there¢s a shuttle to the grocery store where I¢ll fill out my food bag and grab something for dinner. I want to get out early tomorrow. I need to get up and over Mt Rogers on Wednesday as the forecast calls for cold overnight temperatures and 56 mph gusts. That means 16.2 tomorrow and 17.6 on Wednesday, and that over some very long climes. I do have a backup plan if that turns out to be too difficult. Both plans have me camping at Fox Creek, 42 miles out where Fresh Grounds will be serving his trail magic in the form of dinner and breakfast. The Trail provides.
Date: 2018-04-03
From: Damascus, VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: light rain

I¢ve been a bit out of sorts today thinking about the two big days of hiking and the coming winter weather tonight and tomorrow. It took me nine hours to get here today. Tomorrow I need to get up and over Mt Rogers to Wise Shelter, 17.5 miles. There¢s a shelter atop Mt Rogers 12.3 miles away. It would be a perfect distance given the long and steep climb, but I simply can¢t camp on top of the highest peak in Virginia when the forecast calls for temps in the 20s and wind gusts of 56 mph. What makes this worse is that the miles after that shelter to the next one includes passing through the Grayson Highlands, a section I¢ve been looking forward to for years. The area is home to the famous wild ponies and some beautiful countryside. Maybe I¢ll get lucky and the weather will have passed by the afternoon when I hike through there. It¢s 7:00 and I¢m tucked away in my hammock. Tomorrow may be the first morning when I¢ll need to take down camp in the rain. I hope I can keep my hammock and underquilt relatively dry. Sadly I have no cell service tonight so I can¢t call and wish my 91 year old mother a happy birthday.The AT shared some pathway today with the Virginia Creeper Trail, a popular trail for bicycling. It¢s a rails to trails conversion. I need to do some research, but I think you can pretty much coast downhill all the way to Damascus. I saw lots of families out riding it.
Date: 2018-04-04
From: Lost Mountain Shelter 

To: Wise Shelter 
Miles today: 17.5

Longest day yet, both in terms of miles and hours hiking. I left the shelter at 7:20 AM and pulled in here at 6:40 PM. Eleven and a third hours, 17.5 miles. That¢s a measly 1.54 mph. Though I did have to climb over Mt Rogers, that wasn¢t the worst of it. Coming down from Mt Rogers into the Grayson Highlands was probably the longest sustained rock hopping I¢ve yet to encounter on the AT. And, because it rained pretty hard in the morning, the trail was very wet and muddy. There was a lot of hopping about to try and avoid soaked feet. The forecast had promised rain in the morning and cold and high winds in the afternoon and night. A park ranger was citing 60 mph winds. I would have preferred a nicer day to see the Grayson Highlands, though the afternoon did offer clear blue skies. Did I see the famous wild ponies? No. Not until I got to the shelter and Gazelle told me there were three of them hanging out by the privy. I quickly snapped som pics. Gazelle is a fellow northbound thru hiker (NOBO).I¢ve got an easy 8.4 into Fox Creek where Fresh Ground has his Leapfrog Cafe set up. I can use an easy day after these last two.I hope I don¢t blow away tonight in this crazy wind.Oops, I just heard from a southbounder that Fresh Ground has packed up and moved farther north. I guess I won¢t be camping at Fox Creek (sad face). I think the bubble of NOBOs he¢s been serving move a bit faster than old Farfar.
Date: 2018-04-05
From: Wise Shelter 

To: Hurricane Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: scattered clouds

I was just about warm enough last night to get some sleep. I don¢t know that I¢ve ever heard wind like the wind last night. Constant and loud, sometimes roaring. It was pretty exciting being out there in my hammock. It was 15 degrees in the morning so breaking camp and making breakfast involved short bursts of activity followed by walking around like a vagrant with my hands in my pants pockets to defrost my fingers for the next burst. My gloves were wet from yesterday¢s rain and I can¢t do much in my mittens.I arose late this morning to full sunshine, a first for me as I always get up in the dark to get an early start. Today was just 11 miles so no need to start early.Cold and wind aside, the day quickly warmed and the hiking was easy. I saw some beautiful sights along the way. Trek passed me today working on his 10th AT thru hike. I walked through ¢The Scales¢ where once upon a time the cattle ranchers would weigh their livestock for market.Brief history of the Grayson Highlands: First the area was harvested for lumber. When the trees were gone the area was used for grazing. The cattle ensured these high ¢balds¢ remained tree free with spectacular views. Then after the Forest Service took ownership of the land and the cows left, the trees started to return, threatening the uniqueness of the high balds. So in the 1960s ponies were introduced to graze and keep the trees from returning. They¢re hearty enough to withstand the harsh winters and, of course, the tourists love them.I have two relatively short days into Marion where I¢ll stay at the Econo Lodge and retrieve a box from Joan. And eat restaurant food!
Date: 2018-04-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I¢ve heard from some readers asking about how my right foot is doing. I¢m happy to report it¢s doing pretty well. I think the biggest contributor is the custom orthotics I¢m wearing inside each of my trail runners. Not only do they correct for my super high arches, but being fairly substantial inserts, add a measure of protection from the countless rocks and roots I step on.Both feet and legs feel great with no notice at all of PF pain for the first five hours or so of hiking. In the afternoons my feet start talking to me and my pace slows somewhat. But what¢s great is that the pain free hours are getting longer. A night of rest always puts me right.I¢m alternating taking one 15 mg Meloxipan (a prescription anti-inflammatory) each day for 5 days, then 5 days with none. On the off days I will occasionally take 1 ibuprofen one or two times a day.My trail runners are Altra Lone Peaks 3.5
Date: 2018-04-06
From: Hurricane Mountain Shelter 

To: Partnership Shelter 
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

I hadn¢t planned on 19 miles, but I got to my target shelter at 1:00, had lunch there, and the college kids I¢d shared last night¢s shelter with encouraged me to hike on to Partnership. It wasn¢t till late in the day that I checked my location and realized I could make it. It helped that the weather and terrain were perfect for a long hike.This shelter is 0.2 mi from the road west to Marion, VA. I¢ve planned to spend tomorrow night at a hotel there and pick up the box Joan sent. It will be, I¢m sure, the shortest nero (near zero) of my hike. It¢s too soon to take a full zero being only 5 days out from my day off in Damascus. I¢ll use the day to plan my next section, do laundry, eat in restaurants, and fill out my food supply. I¢m happy to see Tennessee here tonight along with a couple of other guys I¢ve met before. Then two young women who hiked the trail last year showed up with trail magic in the form of a case of PBR.I¢m sleeping in the shelter tonight. It¢s supposed to snow. There¢s a bus into Marion tomorrow morning at 8:45.
Date: 2018-04-07
From: Partnership Shelter 

To: Marion, VA
Miles today: 0.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I¢m calling this a nero rather than a zero. Don¢t judge me. It¢s too soon for a true zero having recently enjoyed one in Damascus. My plan, such as it is, is to take a day off once every 10 days or so. I¢m sitting at a Mexican restaurant here in Marion having dinner and watching the snow fall outside. So it¢s been a good day for a nero. I¢ve sketched out a plan to get me to Pearisburg a week from today. It includes my first 20 miler. I¢ll be staying at Woods Hole Hostel there. I carry with me a list of the most popular AT hostels compiled from the opinions of 2017 thru hikers. So far I¢ve stuck to that list and have not been disappointed. This morning I got a ride into town from the two young 2017 thru hikers who brought the case of PBR to Partnership Shelter last night, Keg Leg and Wrong Way. I had planned on using Marion¢s public transit bus but later had the opportunity to do so around noon when I used it to get to the laundromat. What a trip! It took a full 45 minutes while I got to tour every square inch of Marion. The people who use this service are locals who either can¢t afford a car or are unable to drive. Their accents so thick I had a real hard time understanding them. I¢m glad I was paying attention when the driver drove right past the laundromat. When I pointed this out, he gladly turned around and took me there. It¢s been maybe 45 years since I¢ve visited a laundromat. I got my stinky hiking clothes into the wash and headed out to Wendy¢s for some takeout which I wolfed down while keeping a close eye on the washer and dryer. Next I walked to Food Lion where I filled out my food supply for the coming week. They were well stocked with hiker food. I walked from there back to the hotel in about 10 minutes. Definitely a better choice over the bus. But I¢m glad I got to see where people live in this town and I certainly wasn¢t in a hurry.Ive reserved a taxi tomorrow morning at 7:30 to get me the 6 miles back to the trail. Hopefully the snow will have stopped by then.
Date: 2018-04-09
From: Atkins, VA

To: Knot Maul Shelter 
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

I was happy to leave that crappy hotel despite the weather I faced: snowing and cold. Then I discovered that the coffee machine at the gas station next door was broken. There stood the Barn Restaurant just up the hill with their lights on. It was 6:53 and they opened at 7:00. Score! I ordered the ¢hungry hiker special¢. Eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries and pancakes. Did I mention the real reason I¢m hiking the AT? So I can eat whatever the heck I want. But then, an hour and a half into my hike, I reached into my back pocket for my AT Guide. I must have left it at the restaurant. It¢s my main planning tool and I refer to it frequently throughout the day. I called the Barn and asked them to send it along with a northbound hiker. Sure enough, just after dinner a group of hikers arrived including Zello who asked if Farfar was here. I expressed my gratitude and offered to pay her in trail currency: a Snickers bar. She readily accepted. Today was snowy in the morning with only a light drizzle later on. It was very overcast all day. But that can make for some nice atmospheric photos. You know there¢s a photo gallery in addition to the one I post with each journal entry. Today I passed a sign marking the quarter way point of the trail. Of course for me it wasn¢t the quarter as I will be going back to hike the first 214.4 miles of the trail at the end of this month. While stopped for a lunch break I had a phone chat with my brother Dan. He wants to hike a section with me during the summer, possibly starting in Salisbury, CT. He¢s an avid hiker himself. My brother Nate has also expressed interest in joining me, perhaps at the top end of Virginia starting at Front Royal. Their company will enrich this experience, no doubt.Tomorrow is my son Ryan¢s 29th birthday. I wanted to call him tonight in case I had no cell service tomorrow. But alas, no service tonight.Tomorrow is also my first planned 20 miler. There¢s big ol¢ Chestnut Mountain in the way with 2000 feet of elevation over 4 miles. Hopefully that means a sustained, but not too steep of a climb. It¢s nice to be back in my hammock after three days away in a shelter and two hotels. Don¢t get me wrong, I like sleeping in real beds. But compared to trying to sleep in a shelter, my hammock is a dream.I love hearing from you so please click the ¢Sign Guestbook¢ link. And a hearty thanks to those of you who have written. Your words are motivating.
Date: 2018-04-10
From: Knot Maul Shelter 

To: Jenkins Shelter 
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I started my AT hike on March 11. Today is April 10 so today is my one monthiversary. It also happens to be my son Ryan¢s birthday but with no cell service again tonight I can¢t call and wish him a happy. I did manage to get a text message to him earlier.It also happens to be my first 20 mile day. Boy, did I pick the wrong section of trail for that. I knew I¢d be climbing up Chestnut Mountain in the morning. It was long and often quite steep but I was rewarded with lovely views up top and the shelter up there where I and others stopped for lunch was quite unique. It was completely enclosed, unlike most shelters which are three sided. It had bunks and two tables inside.The afternoon wore me out. From the elevation profile it looked like small ups and downs, but reality had me ridge walking over and in between never ending rocks and the trail chose to go up to the top of every little peak. There was scarcely any smooth trail for me to make good time on. There¢s a term on the AT, PUDs. Pointless Ups and Downs. I lost steam and began thinking I¢d need to stop early. Finally late in the afternoon I got a second wind when the trail leveled out a bit. I rolled in just before 8:00 after more than 13 hours of hiking. So it¢s not 20 miles as much as what kind of 20 miles. I ran into Peewee a mile before the shelter at a water source so we both ended up eating dinner in the dark. She kindly let me share her bear bag line so I wouldn¢t have to string mine up in the dark.