morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-28
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 53   Friday   I'm hiking in memory of my Dad, who died a little over 14 years ago. I still miss him terribly. He would have loved following my adventure on the AT. He loved the outdoors-hunting, trout fishing, tent camping with the family, and Scouting.                                    HIKING REPORT: The day started early. I was on the Trail by 7:07 AM, under clear, sunny, cool skies. I did my first 20+ mile day today-actually 22.3 by the book. My day was even longer, because I went down to Sarver Hollow Shelter for a break and to get water; 1/2 mile steep down and 1/2 mile steep back up. The trail was more difficult also. I had to climb up two ridges, stumble in rocks along the ridgeline for awhile, then go back down. At least the second ridge had relatively well-graded slopes and a good walking surface. The first mile or two this morning was the best. I walked through pastures, meadows, overgrown pastures, etc. Lots of quiet, bucolic scenery and lots of dogwoods in bloom. Also passed the Keffer Oak, a huge white oak with 18 foot circumference. Walking 22.3 miles in one day leads to                        THE MEDICAL REPORT: HELP ME!! That's the sound of my feet screaming for mercy. Fortunately, I didn't twist either ankle today, even though I had plenty of chances. My knees and legs are kind of sore, but I think I'll do okay tomorrow.                                                                  NATURE REPORT: A fruit-like tree is in bloom, with pink blossoms that resemble apple. The leaves are not apple or pear, and the branches have thorns. The blooms smell somewhat like roses. Can anyone identify it?               WILDLIFE REPORT: I saw zero bear, deer, grouse, turkey, coyote, and fox. I saw one each of a squirrel, an eastern cousin of a western fence lizard, and a three-legged dog.                                                         HIKER REPORT: A big crowd is here tonight. A section hiker from NC named Carlton; Jebus, Grizzly, Granite, Yeti, Piece of Work, Thumper, Pebbles, Swansons, Kurly, Snake, and me. Piece of Work and I have caught up to this group of young people-we're all poised to go into Catawba tomorrow for dinner at The Home Place, reputed to serve the best food on the Trail. This is a six person shelter, so the rest of the group are tenting.
Date: 2006-04-29
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: Catawba Branch Shelter
Miles today: 14.6

Day 54   Saturday Today I am walking for 3 people, Debby Neves, Lynn Jeffers, and Tommy Riden. All 3 are battling various forms of cancer and need lots of prayers. If you know them, or if you don't, please pray for them and their families.                  After yesterday's long day, today was planned to be shorter-only 13 to 14 miles. I slept later, and I cooked oatmeal for breakfast. The weather was cool last night-so cool I got chilly in the sleeping bag. It stayed cool and sunny all day. I had a typical hiking day-two long uphill grades, some very rocky ridge walking, and one especially punishing downhill off Dragon's Tooth Ridge. The descent was slow, hand over knee over foot down vertical rock faces, with iron hand-holds in places.   NATURE REPORT: Saw the first Catawba rhododendron bloom; 5 pink lady slippers, dozens of pink flame azaleas, teaberry, and red columbine. The trees are almost in full leaf below 3000 feet.                                    WILDLIFE REPORT: Number of piles of bear scat seen: 1; Number of 3-legged dogs seen: 0; Number of squirrels seen: l                                       FOOD REPORT: I am at The Home Place right now, in Catawba. This old farmhouse is converted into a regionally acclaimed home-style restaurant. The word is that the owners are very friendly to thru-hikers. They even let you spend the night in a gazebo on the grounds. Most all the group that stayed at Pickle Branch Shelter last night will be here for a huge feast.                     POST-DINNER REPORT: About 12 of us had a great meal-11 hikers plus Granites's Mom, who is in the Foreign Service and just back from Nigeria. All the younger hikers are going into a nearby town to stay in a motel. Piece of Work and I hiked two miles up the Trail to the Catawba Mountain Shelter. "Mrs. Granite" gave us a ride up the road to the Trail crossing-Thanks, Granite's Mom. This is a small shelter but only 3 of us, so there's plenty of room. Styker was here when we arrived-he is older than me; from Marietta, GA.   Tomorrow we pass McAfee Knob, go over 700 miles, and stay in a motel at an I-81 interchange. What a great country!                                          BACKTRACKING: A note from several days ago- the postal clerk at the front desk at the post office in Pearisburg, VA, deserves a raise. She was friendly, helpful, and patient. Also, a belated "Thanks" to Bob, a Ridgerunner in this section, who gave Piece of Work, Snake, and me a ride from the parking lot down to The Home Place.
Date: 2006-04-30
From: Catawba Branch Shelter

To: US 220/Daleville
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 55 Sunday A very busy day, no rain, high overcast clouds, cool temperatures. The hiking highlights were McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs-great views and sharp drops from high rocks. The lowlights were steep, rocky descents. I had rocks on the uphills, the downhills, and the ridgetops. They really slow down the pace and keep your eyes on the Trail, not the scenery. I saw 365 this morning and two hikers he is moving with...Solo from Maine and Waldo from Norway. Saw my first chipmunk today and 15 pink ladyslippers. I went over 700 miles today-another milestone. Doing about 100 miles a week now. Staying at HoJo Express in Daleville, VA. Will try to get to the local outfitter and replace one of my shoulder straps on my pack. A grommet is separating at the top of the strap.   Talked to Jane, Mom, and Mary Dew tonight; great to hear their voices. Their support means everything to me-I couldn't do this hike without their love, help, and support.
Date: 2006-05-03
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter

To: US 501/Glasgow
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: broken clouds

Day 58 Wednesday Got an early start on a long day-left at 7AM, intending to do 19.9 miles and hitchhike into Glasgow to pick up a maildrop. It's now 9:30 AM; taking a snack and water break at Thunder Hill Shelter. Saw hundreds of thousands of white and pink trilliums and thousands of Indian Corn blooms. I passed several trillium patches of at least one acre each. Also I saw 1 woodpecker pecking and 1 FAA Transmitter (transmitting, I guess). Weather is partly cloudy, very windy,and quite cool. One of the joys of the AT is visiting America's significant landmarks-right now I'm in Lew's Laundromat in Glasgow, VA. I crossed the James River and started hitchhiking on US 501 into Glasgow at 4:15 PM. If I had gotten a quick ride, I might have been able to get to the post office for my maildrop before it closed at 4:40PM. Alas, I didn't get a ride until after 5, so the post office visit will be tomorrow morning. Staying at Mom & Pops Motel, a relic from the motor court days. The "double" room has two twin beds, no phone, a small bathroom with shower stall, and a TV that might work. The restaurant that was part of the enterprise has closed, so the best place to eat is the gas/convenience store down the road. I hiked under threatening skies all day, but fortunately it never rained. Met two groups of section hikers who are southbound and Fantasy Feet, who is an older guy who says he has been hiking the AT or some other trails since last August. He may quit because his feet hurt. D u h h h !   Saw the rear foot or so of a brown snake darting into the rocks as I approached; otherwise, a few salamanders were the extent of the wildlife today.
Date: 2006-05-04
From: US 501/Glasgow

To: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 59 Thursday   The heaters at Mom & Pop's Motel may work great- I don't know. Couldn't get them to turn on, so slept cold all night. Had breakfast at the local convenience store-coffee and muffin were good; egg,cheese, sausage in a hamburger bun was soggy.                                                The post office opened on time and I got my maildrop, which included copies of recent postings in the Guest Book section of my online Trail Journal. I want to thank everyone for the messages. Even though I read them a week or two late, I do read them and am encouraged by your support. Please keep "signing in, please". I hope to find someone to shuttle me back to the Trailhead pretty soon. I hope to do 18 to 20 miles today, so I can get to Waynesboro on Monday.                                                                     2:30PM- Eating lunch at Punchbowl Shelter, an older, ordinary shelter at a great location. A good-sized pond is only 50 ft away - about 1/2 acre. Lots of frogs and other wildlife gather around, I bet. We got a very quick ride out of Glasgow with a guy who sells water works equipment to utilities. I was hiking by 9AM under beautiful blue skies. Had two or three long climbs; one was graded very well, but the last one was long AND steep. At least there was a view there, and a monument to a child who was found dead there in 1891, less than 5 years old. Missing other details, but sounds like a compelling story.   365 caught us a couple of hours ago and is walking with Piece of Work and me for now. He'll probably move faster and leave us behind soon.                                                                        At the Brown Mountain Creek Shelter: Piece of Work, 365, and I hiked together this afternoon into the shelter, with clear skies all the way. The walk was mostly in deciduous woods along creeks, with some pine/rhododendren corridors. Grade after Punchbowl Shelter was mostly downhill and/or level, with only a few short uphills. Some rocks and roots - just enough to remind you they're there. I am camped just above Brown Mountain Creek and can hear it gurgling and churning. Maybe it will cover the sound of mice scurrying around. When I got here I went down to the creek to soak my feet and ended up soaking my tee shirt and using it to wipe off my head, face, arms, chest, back and legs. Felt sooo good! Saw one little snake on the Trail. By tomorrow it will be 2ft, then 3ft, then 6ft long. Probably no more than 18", but lively. I plan to make a B&B tomorrow night, a full day ahead of my schedule outline. Making 18 to 20 miles a day is getting easier.
Date: 2006-05-05
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: Fish Hatchery Road/Dutch Haus B&B
Miles today: 18.1

Day 60 Friday   This shelter is near the middle of what was once a small mountain farming community of freed slaves. From the late 1890's to the early 1920's, several sharecropper families tried to make a living here. It is so steep and rocky I don't see how they could put in a crop, even with mules. A couple of Forest Service Information Boards with 2 or 3 paragraphs of history and quotes from a former resident are at each end. Along the way you see remnants of rock fences and a couple of chimneys. The echos of that past chapter are almost too faint to hear anymore-even if you stop and strain to listen. After leaving the creek, I had a long uphill of 2600ft in 4.5 miles. Sweating is fun! Sky is almost completely clouded over, which helps.      The midday and afternoon walking was easier, with few long uphills. I stopped above 3000ft in elevation, so the forest was thin with few leaves. One ridgeline was a bald/pasture area that the Forest Service keeps mowed-a welcome change from mile after mile of woods.                              NATURE REPORT: Saw my first jack-in-the-pulpit today. Also saw a yellow finch or warbler and a scarlet tanager, with fluorescent red feathers. Tried to get some pictures but not sure how they turned out. At about 3PM I stopped at a shelter for a break, before doing the last 2.3 miles to a road where I intended to go to a bed and breakfast for the night. While I was at that shelter I heard thunder in the distance, so I put on pack covers and took off. It started raining lightly while I was on the Trail. 365 was able to contact the Dutch Haus by cell phone, so the proprietress was at the bottom of the hill to meet us, wet but glad to be heading to a shower, bed, and meals. This is a small but very attractive B&B, with interior pine paneling, vaulted ceilings, lots of quilts, and hummingbirds out front. I am also having dinner here, which will be Mexican since it's Cinco de Mayo. The only drawback to thelocation is that I will have to climb 1.4 miles back up to the Trail tomorrow morning,from the parking lot (with an 800ft climb).                           I won the lottery-I got the individual room, and Piece of Work and 365 are sharing a room with two bunk beds. I have done the section from Glasgow to here in 2 long days instead of 3 shorter ones, so I am ahead of the schedule I had drawn up. I'll be at Rock Fish Gap on Sunday night rather than on Monday. Back to the B&B: The price includes laundry service, and they provide heavy terry cloth robes while your laundry is being done. I ate dinner in the robe, with the owners and their parents, who live on the grounds.                  6AM...Really enjoyed talking to Jane last night. Keeping in touch with her frequently is reassuring and useful, but it also reminds me of how badly I miss her and love her. If things go well, I'll be back in Johnson City for a wedding/family reunion in less than 3 weeks. I'm writing this last note for 5/5 on 5/6, early in the morning. Laying in bed listening to birds and (I think) a coyote howling.
Date: 2006-05-06
From: Fish Hatchery Road/Dutch Haus B&B

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

Day 61 Saturday   Today I walked for Jennifer and James, my children. They are both experienced at camping, backpacking, canoeing-someday I think they both would like to thru-hike the AT. I am proud of them both.               Today started with an 800' climb up to the Trail from the shuttle drop-off point, then I had another 600 ft climb to the top of The Priest, a mountain with an unique clergical name. Then down more than 3000 ft to the Tye River, then back up to almost 4000 ft again over Three Ridges. That climb was very difficult due to some extremely precarious rocky sections. It was hard to balance on the rocks, avoid stinging nettles on one side and poison ivy on the other, all the while watching for snakes (saw none). After climbing the Three Ridges, we had another 1200 ft descent (rocky, of course) to this shelter. The weather was sunny and mild most of the day. Saw lots of section hikers and trail maintainers-weekends are prime time for them. I saw two groups of Scouts training for Philmont this summer-one from Fredricksburg and one from Richmond. A family of 6 ( mom,dad, 2 boys, 1 girl, 1 dog) is tent camping about 50ft away. They are from Chesapeake, VA and very quiet and apparently experienced as campers. They had about a 3 mile hike to get here. Tomorrow I do over 21 miles to Rockfish Gap, where I'll catch a ride to Waynesboro. Piece of Work will be meeting his wife there; he hasn't seen her since he left for GA. I doubt I can keep up with him. Only 3 of us here tonight at the shelter-Piece of Work, 365, and me. Cool night-the sleeping bag will feel good.
Date: 2006-05-07
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Rockfish Gap/Waynesboro
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 61 Sunday Last night was cold, probably around 40*F, but I was warm in the sleeping bag. I definitely am not sending it home tomorrow. If the nights stay cool, I may keep it for the whole trip. Today's walking started with a clear purpose-get to Rockfish Gap. Piece of Work's wife was meeting him there, and they would provide a ride down into Waynesboro. The weather was clear and cool; I got out at 7:10 AM. The first 10 miles or so to the vicinity of Humpback Rocks was very difficult due to lots of rocks, trimmed by the delicate green of poison ivy. After I passed Humpback Mountain a relocation trail was much easier-well-graded with few rocks. Unfortunately, a steady rain started about 1 PM and continued the rest of the day. Thank goodness I was headed for a motel rather than another small shelter.                     James, I went through the camping area where you and I tented one night during the Lake Sherando trip. Remember?                                          WILDLIFE REPORT: Yesterday a young fawn crossed the Trail a few yards in front of me and disappeared. Today 2 grouse flew up right by the Trail as I passed. Also saw a deer, several chipmunks, and a large pileated woodpecker.         At the Visitors Center at Rockfish Gap I met two NOBO thru hikers who were getting back on the trail (in cold rain). Applesauce (a girl) and Cruise (a guy) have been several days ahead of me. He is from Abingdon.   I'm sharing a motel room with 365. By coincidence, next door are Waldo and Solo, two hikers that 365 walked with for several days.   Piece of Work's wife, Nancy, is very nice and obviously glad to see her husband after two months apart. We all went to dinner at an all-you-can-eat steak house. For the first time in several days I am genuinely stuffed-it's great! Right now I'm sitting in a laundromat, doing one load for 3 of us. I love laundromats on Sunday night-you meet such interesting people. Tomorrow the "To Do" list includes picking up postal packages, sorting through them to decide what to carry and what to send ahead, and going to the outfitters to try some hiking poles.
Date: 2006-05-08
From: Rockfish Gap/Waynesboro

To: Calf Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 63 Monday Discovery-I sleep better in a bed than in a sleeping bag on a wooden shelter floor outside. Go figure. The weather forecast here is rain all day and very cool-highs in the 50's. I have several stops to make before checkout time 11AM-grocery, outfitter, card shop, post office(twice).   5:30PM The weather was misty, cool, and threatening rain all day, but fortunately I got to the shelter without having to put on rain gear or getting too damp. This is the first shelter in the Shenandoah National Pak, an older one but fairly roomy.   I left Rockfish Gap with 365, where we met up with several thru-hikers who had been ahead of us- Bugs, Tree-Girl, Mr. Rogers, and the Wrens(a married couple).   In town I bought a pair of trekking poles at the outfitter, who agreed to send my walking stick home in one piece. As it turned out, one of the adjustment screws in the handle didn't work properly, so I had to go back down to the outfitter's from Rockfish Gap for correction. It turned out to be defective, so I got a free replacement set. Charlie(Piece of Work) and his wife, Nancy, were so considerate to drive me up and back and up. Using the poles for the first time went pretty well. I can tell an improvement in going uphills and downhills, when the rocks aren't too numerous. More on this in the future days.
Date: 2006-05-09
From: Calf Mtn Shelter

To: Pine Field Hut
Miles today: 26.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 64 Tuesday Today I'm going to walk in memory/honor of several men who inspired me and taught me to love and appreciate the out-of-doors. Without them I would not be doing this hike. These men are my father, who took the family camping often and spent many hours with the Scouts; my Scoutmaster at Troop 116 in Athens,TN, "Prof" Powers, who dedicated his life to setting an example for hundreds of young boys; and 3 Scoutmasters who were patient enough to let me serve with them as an Assistant-Al Hamer in Newport News,VA, and Tom Dosser and Billy Combs in Johnson City, TN. The trail in the Shenandoah is pretty easy, at least so far today (13 miles to Blackrock Hut for lunch). The ups and downs are well-graded and fairly short; the walking surface is mercifully free of obstacle rocks for the most part; and the width is enough to keep wet leaves and grass away from pants and socks(mostly). At Blackrock Gap on the Parkway I stopped to refill a water bottle and a Ranger pulled off, got out, and came over to check me out. After verifying that I had my permit and asking me where I planned to camp, he updated me on the status of various facilities up ahead. Like Piece of Work said, they'll check you out closely here. Interesting note: early this morning I was crossing Skyline Drive at a parking area and paused to look for a garbage can. While I was standing there a guy pulls over and asks if I need a ride. If I were hitchhiking, I would have stood there 30 minutes without a ride. Weather report: Started very cool and foggy, with leaves dripping from last night's rain. By 9AM the fog had lifted and the clouds started to break up. Mostly sunny the rest of the day; warmer, too.   Hiking report: The afternoon walk was as easy as the morning. Very few hazardous rocky areas and well-graded ups and downs. The only difficult section was a side trail down to a "Wayside", a restaurant/gas station/gift shop-0.5 miles down, then back up. But it was worth the extra mile-a cheeseburger, fries, large coke, and chocolate milk shake. That was my supper. After that I had about 4 miles to this shelter. Here are 365, Fly By(a section hiker who was with me last night), and 2 section hikers from Michigan, Hippie and Optimist. The 5 thru-hikers who we were with last night have moved on ahead, using the Skyland Drive for segments. Today was my longest day by far-over 26 miles. If the trail stays this easy, 20 plus days could be routine without serious pain or exhaustion. I am tired now but feel pretty good, considering. WILDLIFE REPORT: Saw no wildlife to speak of. However, I did see 3 deer ar the Wayside as I was leaving-they hung around the cars in the parking lot and came toward me looking for food as I left. If those deer thought they were getting my chocolate milkshake, they were crazy! P.S. Cantaloupe came in late, about 9PM.