morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-04-18
From: Zero Day (Damascas)

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

Left the Pond Campsite at 8:30, arrived at Lost Mountain Shelter at 10:40. We stayed at the Apple Tree Bed & Breakfast Sunday night. It was the first time I ever stayed at a Bed & Breakfast. It was great, our host was fantastic. We left Damascus at 10:00 and going down the road we passed an ice cream place and thought about stopping but didn't. As we went down the road we missed our turn. After about a half mile we weren't seeing any white blazes. We back tracked and found where the trail left the road and decided we might as well go back into Damascus and get that ice cream. We both got a double dip and I got a glass of water with mine. When I got done with my ice cream I still had a half glass of water so I told the lady at the counter I still had a half glass of water and needed another ice cream so I could finish my water. Old Yeller decided to get a hamburger and fries. We finally left Damascus at 12:00. It's a hard town to leave, very magnetizing.
Date: 2005-04-19
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: light rain

The weather has been clear and warm, maybe 70 degrees or more. I am carrying heavier foods now. I can't force myself to eat the dried trail foods. I am eating things like peanut butter, jelly, tomatoes, oranges and apples. Also honey buns, fig bars, tortilla shells and tang orange juice mix. It is heavy, but as super cheez says, It makes me happy.
Date: 2005-04-20
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Dicky Gap
Miles today: 21.2

It has been warm and dry the last few days and I have been sweating a bunch. I am sticky from salt and I stick to the inside of my sleeping bag. I stopped at a creek at 5:00 today and took a rinse off bath. The water was cold, but it sure felt good to get the sticky and stink off. When I left the creek the trail went up hill for about a mile, so much for the rinse off bath. At least it was new stink and not the sour smelling stink. I left Thomas Knob Shelter and 8:00 and arrived here around 9:00.
Date: 2005-04-21
From: Dicky Gap

To: Relax Inn, Rural Retreat, VA
Miles today: 26.1
Weather: broken clouds

I left Dicky Gap around 7:45 and arrived at the Relax Inn at 10:45 p.m. At 2:00 this aftermoon I stopped at a small creek and took a rinse off bath and ate lunch. Left there at 3:00 and arrived at Partnership Shelter at 4:30 to find out this shelter has a shower with hot water. So I took a shower with soap and headed for Chatfield Shelter around 6:00. Old Yeller and I arrived there around 8:40 and Old Yeller decided to stay here for the night while I went on to the Relax Inn and woke up the proprietor for a room for the night.Feeling great and having fun.
Date: 2005-04-22
From: Relax Inn, Rural Retreat, VA

To: Relax Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

The weather forecast is rain and snow. Temperature 30 degrees low and 40 degrees high the rest of the week until Thursday. We plan to be in Pearisburg Thursday night. I am meeting Donna there Friday and Old Yeller is meeting Susan. It is 7:30 now and it seems like the day went by very quickly. I ate breakfast, did laundry and ate lunch at 5:30. I bought the supplies I needed to get to Pearisburg and the day is gone. It rained most of the afternoon.
Date: 2005-04-23
From: Relax Inn

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: light rain

It was not raining when I left the Relax Inn. Temperature was about 40 degrees. I stopped at the Shell Station and bought a ham and cheese sandwich, three bananas and two bottles of chocolate milk for breakfast. I finally got on the trail about 9:30. About 10:00 it started to rain so I put my rain cover on my pack. It rained off and on until about 2:00 then turned to snow. I never did put on my rain suit because I get just as wet from sweat as I do from the rain. I got to Knot Maul Branch Shelter at 6:00. I set up my tent and ate. It was getting cold now and snowing harder so I didn't hang my food bag tonight. I left it in my tent. That is the first time I have not hung my food bag at night. I figured if something else wanted my food tonight we would just fight over it. Besides there were several other people around. The Shelter was full with about 8 people and 5 other tents. I went to sleep and woke up around 9:00 and the wind was blowing hard, the ground was covered with snow and so was my tent. I woke up several times thru the night to pee and it was snowing and windy.
Date: 2005-04-24
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: light snow

I woke up at 6:00 and it was just beginning to get daylight. The wind was blowing and it was snowing very hard. At 7:00 it was still doing the same. At 8:00 it had let up a little so I ate breakfast in my tent and then got out of my tent and packed it up after shaking all the snow off and headed up the trail. It snowed all day and the higher I went in elevation the harder it snowed, the deeper the snow got and the harder the wind blew. The last five miles was just about all up hill stepping in snow 6" to 8" deep. I got to Chestnut Knob Shelter at 3:00 and decided to stay here for the night. This shelter is out in a open grassy knob. It is a building fully enclosed with a door. Not a bad place to spend the night with the wind blowing and snowing. Everything is all white and very pretty outside, just like Christmas in the country, but the wrong time of the year. It's after 6:30 now so I'll go out and pee and go to sleep. Everyone else in the shelter is already asleep. Good night All. I love you, Donna and Heather.
Date: 2005-04-25
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: campsite
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: broken clouds

I got up at 6:30, the wind was still blowing very hard, it was not snowing but the wind was blowing the snow that was on the ground. The sky was clear and when the sun came up I put my face close to the opening at the door and the sun shining on my face, really felt good. My feet stayed cold all night. I got in my sleeping bag at first with my wet pants and socks on and could not get warm so I took off my wet pants and socks, but then the inside of my sleeping bag was wet from my wet clothes, but it was better than with the wet clothes. I stayed warm enough to sleep, but not very good. The temperature was 30 degrees when I got ready to leave the shelter. I was the first one out so everybody told me to break a good trail for them. As the day went on and I got lower in altitude it got warmer and the snow melted away. At 3:00 it was about 65 degrees and the snow at lower altitudes was almost gone. The weather is supposed to be pretty good except for a chance of a few thunderstorms. When I got to the campsite about 6:00 there was a big cooler here full of cold drinks with the weather report for the rest of the week. The cooler had apple juice, orange juice and V-8 tomatoe juice in it and it sure was good after nothing to drink but water for three days. This week I have been camping with Gravity and Danger, Senator, Jerry and Spoony. Tomorrow they are all going into Bland to resupply and I am continuing on to Pearisburg. I'm goin to go to sleep now, so good night all. Having a great hike.
Date: 2005-04-26
From: campsite

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: broken clouds

I left the campsite at 9:00 and arrived here at 6:30. The hiking today was up one side of a hill and down the other all day long. I crossed Rt. 77 today around 12:00. The weather was windy and cool and it started to rain just before I got to the shelter. Senator passed me just before I got to the shelter and when I got there Senator and three other gentlemen from Gainesville, Florida were there and a little later Geri came in. The three gentlemen from Gainesville were section hiking from Adkins to Pearisburg. Geri is also from Gainesville so there was some discussion about if they knew any of the same people, and they didn't. The five of us guys stayed in the shelter and Geri pitched her tent. She says she can't sleep with all the snoring. The six of us hiked to Wapiti Shelter and the three gentlemen from Gainesville stayed there for the night and Senator, Geri and I headed on up the trail. Senator and I were going to Doc's Knob Shelter and Geri said she was going to go about four and a half miles and pitch her tent along the trail.
Date: 2005-04-27
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: two miles past Doc's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 24.6

When I arrived at Doc's Knob Shelter at 8:20 it was getting dark, the temperature had dropped, I was wearing a tee shirt and my leather gloves. I was cold, my fingers were numb from the cold and I was out of water. I asked if there was room for me in the shelter that will hold six people and they said not unless I could be real small, because there was already eight people in there. I told them I would just pitch my tent. I put on my jacket and warmer gloves, got a gallon on water from the spring and started looking for a flat spot to pitch my tent. There was not a flat spot around, so I decided to hike on up the trail to find a spot for my tent. I hiked for two miles in the dark, no moon and the batteries in my light were weak. I had fresh batteries, but I didn't think I would be able to change them in the dark and if I tried to change the batteries and couldn't then I would be without a light at all. So I went as best I could trying to make sure I didn't miss the trail. One place the trail went down a creek for a little ways and I couldn't see any white blazes and thought I had gotten off the trail, so I back tracked to find white blazes, found them and decided to go down the creek. The trail come out on the other side. My light was so weak it would not shine that far. About 10:00 I found a little flat spot beside trail just big enough for my tent. Life is great now.
Date: 2005-04-28
From: two miles past Doc's Knob Shelter

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 5.8
Weather: scattered clouds

I left my camp site at 8:00 and after hiking an hour I came upon a rock outcrop overlooking the valley and Rt. 460 below so I stopped there for 45 minutes, shot some video and just sat there and enjoyed the view. On the way into Pearisburg ElJefe caught up with me and we hiked into town together. We both did our laundry then went to Pizza Plus for an all you can eat buffet where we met Geronimo and Flip, the two other hikers that ElJefe has been hiking with. All three of these young men are very nice. While we were eating, Red Rover came in to eat and shortly after Geri showed up too. I went to my motel room at the Holiday Motor Lodge and laid out all my gear so it could dry, then went to the store across the street to buy supplies for my next leg of the hike. Donna is coming to Pearisburg tomorrow evening to spend the day together on Saturday.
Date: 2005-04-29
From: Pearisburg

To: pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I left my motel room at the Holiday Motor Lodge at 1:00 and went to the library to wait for Donna to pick me up. It has been raining all morning and just before 1:00 it stopped raining. Donna got to the library at 2:20. We took Senator and Sunset Screaming to the Wal-Mart and dropped them off there. Donna said she saw Old Yeller walking down the road as she came thru town so we drove back thru town to see if we could give him a lift anywhere before we headed for Radford. We did not see him anywhere so we headed on for Radford.
Date: 2005-05-01
From: Pearisburg

To: camp site
Miles today: 8.7

Donna and I got up in Radford at 6:45 and arrived in Pearisburg around 11:00 where we met Gravity, Danger and Spoonie. After we had a sandwich at Wendy's Donna dropped me off at the trail at 11:45. After we said our goodbyes Donna headed for Ohio and I headed up the trail. After two and a half days off the trail I dreaded the climb up the mountain. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. At 5:00 I pitched my tent, ate supper, wrote this and went to bed at 8:15. The weather is cool but clear. About 45 degrees.
Date: 2005-05-02
From: camp site

To: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: broken clouds

I was the last one to leave camp this morning. It was cold and I didn't want to get out of my warm sleeping bag, but I finally did and left camp about 9:00. It was an overcast day and cold. About 11:30 Oldyeller caught up with me and we hiked together the rest of the day. It started to rain at 11:30, a light rain and then around 1:00 it turned colder and the rain turned to snow. Very light and no accumulation. I finaly found a spot in the bushes flat enough to pitch my tent. Every time I would wake up during the night I would have to scoot myself back up to the top of my air mattress. I was on a slight slope, but that was the best I could find. The shelter was full and five of us had to pitch tents. I prefer sleeping in my tent anyway unless it is pouring down rain or there is no place to pitch a tent. If there is no place to pitch a tent I usually move on down the trail until I find a spot.
Date: 2005-05-03
From: Bailey Gap Shelter

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: clear sky

When I woke up this morning about 6:00 there was ice all over my tent and it was cold outside so I didn't get up until 7:00. When I got up Doc was the only other one up and he said the temperature was 29 deg. Soon after Iron Lung got up he started a fire and it sure felt good. I ate breakfast and left the shelter about 8:30 and by 9:30 Oldyeller caught up and we hiked together to War Spur shelter where we had lunch. I left there before Oldyeller and arrived at Laurel Creek Shelter at 6:00. Oldyeller sent me word that he would catch up to me later, he was going to help Spoonie get to a road so she could go home. She said her feet were hurting so bad that she couldn't stand the pain any longer and was leaving the trail and going home and would come back in a couple of years and try it again. My feet have been hurting pretty bad since I got my other shoes at Pearisburg, but I will tuff it out until I can get some super feet insoles and see if that will solve the problem. Every thing else is going great. It's 9:00 now so I'm going to sleep. Good night all.
Date: 2005-05-04
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: scattered clouds

I left Laurel Creek Shelter at 8:30 and arrived at Niday Shelter at 6:00. Hiking went very slow today over lots of rocks and boulders slopped at a 45 degree angle. I stopped on top of the mountain and laid down on top of the rocks and took a nap for about an hour thinking Oldyeller would catch up with me there. He did come into Niday Shelter that evening. We will be hiking together tomorrow. There was only three of us at the shelter tonight, me, Oldyeller and a section hiker named Don from Gainesville, Florida.
Date: 2005-05-05
From: Niday Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Today we walked by the Audie Murphy Memorial. Jimmy if you read this journal entry, the day Audie Murphy's plane crashed in these mountains was the day you, Jewell and I were flying to Virginia and got caught in those same rain storms. We tryed to land at Beckley and could not get below the clouds enough to see the airport and had to turn around and head back west to better weather. The hiking today was good, the weather was cool and overcast. The trail was good, no big rocks and boulders to climb over.
Date: 2005-05-06
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: Catawba Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The weather has been great, no rain and cool, great hiking weather. I slept in the shelter at Pickle Branch and Oldyeller tented. He said it was too crowded in the shelter for him. There was six of us plus one dog in the shelter, so seven would have made it crowded, but it could have been done. We stopped in at Catawba and picked up some more supplies, we both had enough food to make it to Daleville, but decided to get a few more things. I think our packs were were getting too light and Oldyeller and I both seem to want to carry a heavy pack. We seem to always carry more food than we need. The main reason for going to Catawba was the Home Place AYCE restaurant. It's a real nice restaurant. They bring a hole bunch of food out and set it on your table and if you eat all of that they bring more until you have had all you want, then bring out blackberry cobbler with icecream. As we were leaving the restaurant a young fellow that works at the hospital stopped and took us back to the trail. It was a mile back to the trail up hill. We were sure glad to get a ride. He said he walked the trail in 1997.
Date: 2005-05-07
From: Catawba Mountain Shelter

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: clear sky

Oldyeller and I were the only ones at Catawba Shelter so we both slept in the shelter last night. We hiked across McAfee Knob this morning. McAfee Knob is the place where the rocks stick out over the cliff. Really great views from there. We took pictures and videos but the best pictures would be in the afternoon because of the sun angle. We decided to hike on intot Daleville today. The weather was clear and about 60 degrees until late evening when thunderstorms came up, but it never did rain where we were. We left Catawba shelter around 9:00 and got into Daleville around 8:00. We had a mixture of hiking conditions today, most of the trail was very good and some rough areas with rocks and boulders to climb over. All of it was exciting and fun, but very hard hiking. Looking forward to the zero day tomorrow.
Date: 2005-05-10
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: scattered clouds

We left Bobblets Gap Shelter at 7:30 and arrived at Bryant Ridge Shelter at 4:00. On the way we stopped at Jennings creek for lunch. After lunch Vapor, Heald, Biscuit and I went for a swim in the creek. There was a good size area that was over my head. It sure felt good to cool off and rinse off. Today we saw some lizards, a redish colored toad frog and a black snake about 30" long. The weather was warm, sunny and very little breeze.
Date: 2005-05-11
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Marble Spring Camp Site
Miles today: 17.2

We left Bryant Ridge Shelter at 7:00 and I arrived at Marble Spring Camp Site at 7:00. Oldyeller got into camp around 8:30. The weather was warm and clear most of the day. Then in the afternoon there was a thunderstorm off behind us, but all we got was a few sprinkles. Later that night around 11:00 we got a light rain shower. Having a great time, but miss being home with family and friends. I have not lost the desire to finish this hike.
Date: 2005-05-12
From: Marble Spring Camp Site

To: Glasgow, Va
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: broken clouds

I left Marble Spring at 6:45 this morning and arrived at Matt's Creek Shelter at 9:00. I ate breakfast and left there at 10:00. I arrived at the James River Bridge at 11:00. The James River Bridge is the longest bridge on the A.T. that is for traffic only. I walked about two miles toward Glasgow and a man that had brought some hikers down from Waynesboro stopped and picked me up. He said Oldyeller told him about me and he said he had seen me on the way down and if I was still walking to Glasgow he would pick me up. I got to Glasgow at 12:00. If I had to walk all the way it would have been 2:00. Waiting for my sweetheart and Heather to pick me up tomorrow. I love this stuff (most of the time).
Date: 2005-05-15
From: Glasgow, Va

To: Glasgow, Va
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

I had breakfast at 7:00 this morning with Ron & Char then went back to Damascus to get my feet fit for super feet insoles for my shoes. Came back to Abingdon and saw Dave & Carol off for home and Donna, Heather and I headed for Lynchburg to spend the night.
Date: 2005-05-16
From: Glasgow, Va

To: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Donna and Heather dropped me off at Route 501 at 1:30. It was very hard to leave them, but once I started hiking I was ok. I got to Punchbowl Shelter at 7:30. It is 9:00 now and I am the only one here, so it looks like I will be spending the night alone. I'm going to bed, my feet hurt. I saw another deer today. Good night.
Date: 2005-05-17
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Cow Camp Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I left Punchbowl Shelter at 7:40 and arrived at Cow Camp Shelter at 7:00. I met the first black thru-hiker I've seen on the trail today. His trail name was August. He seemed to be a nice guy. He just got out of the Army in June of 2004 after serving 16 years. He said he had written a book called "Person to Person" and was going to move to Hawaii and become a publisher and publish his own book in a couple of years.My feet hurt, everything else in great.
Date: 2005-05-18
From: Cow Camp Shelter

To: Priest Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I left Cow Camp Shelter at 7:00 and arrived at the Priest Mountain Shelter at 6:45. I stopped at the Seeley Woodworth Shelter at 1:30 and ate lunch and rested my feet. My feet are starting to feel better a little each day after I had the superfeet insoles custom made for feet, put in my shoes. My feet were starting to hurt really bad. I think I'll be ok now if I can stay focused on what I'm trying to accomplish, which is to do a thru hike of the A.T.This morning I didn't have any energy and could hardly keep myself walking. This afternoon my energy level picked up and I felt alot better. I sure would like to be home with my family and friends. I also want to finish this hike. I have never given up on anything I started yet, so I will stay and finish this hike to Maine. Just feeling a little low right now. It will pass and things will be better.
Date: 2005-05-19
From: Priest Shelter

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: light rain

I stayed at the Priest Shelter by myself. I slept late this morning and didn't leave the shelter until 9:30. As I was leaving Biscuit and Mountain Dew were coming in for a break. They caught up with me just before lunch at the Tye River and we had lunch together along with some other hikers that stopped by. After lunch, Biscuit and Mountain Dew hitched a ride into Waynesboro and I hiked on up the Three Ridges Mountain to the Maupin Field Shelter. In the afternoon it got foggy and started to drizzle a light rain. Around 10:00 it started raining hard and rained all night. My energy level was back to normal today and I felt pretty good. My feet are hurting less each day, so I think the superfeet insoles are helping or maybe its just the shoes.
Date: 2005-05-20
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: heavy intensity rain

It was raining this morning when I woke up at 5:30. Some of the other hikers in the shelter were getting up, so I decided to wait until some of them cleared out so it wouldn't be so crowded with everyone trying to leave at the same time. After four of the other hikers left there were only two of us left in the shelter at 7:30, so we got up ate breakfast and I left the shelter at 8:30. It had stopped raining at 8:00 so I just put my pack cover on and not my rain gear. Around 9:30 it started raining steady and I thought it would stop in a little while so I didn't put on my rain gear. It rained steady until 1:30 and I got soaked. The wind picked up and it got colder. I was climbing over slippery rocks and boulders at 4,000 feet. All I had on was my tee shirt, pants, socks and shoes. I thought it would stop raining and the sun would come out, but it never did. My hands got so cold I could not manipulate zippers or buttons so I just kept on walking to keep my body temperature up. Finally at 1:30 it stopped raining and my clothes started drying out. I got to the Paul C. Wolfe Shelter at 3:50. I ate a snickers bar and decided to go on to Waynesboro. I got to I-64 at 6:30. Six miles in two hours. Caught a ride into Waynesboro to a motel and everything is great.