morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-09-28
From: Brown Mountain Creek Shelter

To: Matt's Creek Shelter
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 119 (Thursday)Up @ 8am - breakfast - muesli (double portion). On trail @ 9 am after saying goodbye to No-load. Averaged 3 MPH past a trail relocation near Pedlar Dam which added about a mile to the trail. Passed a group of about 20 older women out doing trail maintenance w/ a few clippers and a folding saw. Reached a crossing of the Blue Ridge Parkway @ 1pm & met a section hiker, Ronnie out slacking his brother & friend after hurting himself the day prior. He said he camped w/ Easy Rider & Degobaa the night before & that Rat Dog was sprayed by a skunk. Also, gave me a pepsi & cherry pie. Hiked on, stopping in @ Punchbowl shelter briefly before reaching the summit of bluff mtn at about 2pm. The Daleville P.O. still didn't have my mail drop, but I spoke w/ Kellee & ate some summer sausage before it started to rain. Passed a monument marking the site where 4 yr old Ottie Cline Powell's body was found 5 months after he wandered 7 miles from school after going for firewood in 1890. Passed 2 NOBO section hikers Mike & Mic (Ronnie's friend & brother) & thanked Mike for his cherry pie, per Ronnie's instruction. (Mike was dismayed until I told him there was fried chicken waiting for him). Hiked on & passed NOBO section hiker Atreyu holed up under a cliff waiting out the rain (thunderstorming). Passed some views of the James River on the descent before reaching Johns Hollow Shelter @ 4:40. Stopped in for a break while a hailstorm passed over. Considered staying, but decided to hike on. Trail was poorly drained on flats after descent ended & feet got thorougly soaked. Paralleled a medium sized creek for about a mile before reaching US 501 & the Foot bridge over the James River (Named after an '87 thru hiker named Bill Foot). Reached Matt's Creek Shelter @ 6:20 after following the trail along the James River for a while & was suprised to find Tentpole there (delayed by town stop & need to get internet access) along w/ 3 section hikers, Rockdancer, Bobby & Toadvine, who Jack ranted about @ Brown Mtn Creek's register for adminishing thru hikers for failing to comment on the historical signifigance of the Brown Mtn Creek Valley sharecropping community (civil war-1918). Dinner - BP Thai Peanut Sauce. Rockdancer tented to make some extra room in the shelter. In bed 8pm.P.S. Tentpole repeated a story about his dinner misadventures from 2 nights ago that No-load told me last night (mac & cheese clumped in a ball followed by one of Blind Monkey's meals which he couldn't stomach either so he ended up eating cocoa puffs for dinner).
Date: 2006-09-29
From: Matt's Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 120 (Friday)Up @ 6:45 am. Breakfast - peaches 'n cream oatmeal w/ extra peaches & milk. On trail at 8:20 after learning that Rockdancer did some contract work for the makers of the Roomba vacuum cleaner, iROBOT. Got passed by Tentpole shortly after. Hiked into 2 sunrises climbing out of ravines & passed some decent views of the James River. Reached Petite's Gap around 11:45 (8 mi from start). Moving slowly due to fatigue - probably calorie deficit due to increasing calorie demand from cold weather, or maybe just allergies (temp 58 deg on watch @ noon). Anyway, continued on, passing 3 NOBO section hikers, one of whom said, "Great minds think alike" after we stopped to yield trail simultaneously. Stopped for a break near the Blue Ridge Parkway around 2pm & saw Tentpole, who stopped to make some phone calls. Forwarded my Daleville box to Catawba (still have extra food thanks to stay @ Rusty's). Summit Apple Orchard Mtn at about 3pm after stopping in @ Thunder Hill shelter & passing under "the Guillotine" (pics)/ Also refilled water @ Thunder Hill (a bit dehydrated from the day prior). Passed 2 college student weekenders & reached Cornelius Creek Shelter after stopping @ Black Rock overlook @ 5 pm. Continued on to Bryant Ridge Shelter, arriving around 7pm where I found Tentpole, 2 weekenders from Durham-Chapel hill, NC (Bob & Dale), & a NOBO section hiker named Butternut. Also, 2 bear dogs w/ radio collars were hanging around camp. Dinner, turkey stroganoff. Had some blackberry white lightning, wild turkey mixed w/ hot cider & peanuts courtesy Bob & Dale & learned a bit about bear dogs and the Smokies. In bed @ 9pm. (Shelter is huge 20 person capacity w/ 3 levels, btw).
Date: 2006-09-30
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Fullhardt Knob Shelter
Miles today: 26.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 121 (Saturday)Up @ 7; out of bed @ 7:45; temp 43 deg on my watch (chilly). Breakfast - double portion of muesli - on trail @ 8:15, last of everyone except Tentpole. Started hiking w/ Jacket (Thermawrap) & rainpants on due to cold weather, but shed them both within the first mile. Hiked at a leisurely pace while climbing out of Jennings Creek & back onto the ridge & made a few calls (Dung, Kellee, Melissa & 'rent's (not home)) & arrived @ Cove Mtn shelter around 11:45. Got passed by 2 dayhikers while at the shelter (1 very loud) & followed them for a few hundred yards before passing them. Passed a bunch of hunters out training their bear dogs on Cove Mtn, also picked up a voicemail & returned a call to Jack's dad. Crossed the Blue Ridge Pkwy a few times before reaching the jct for Bobblets Gap shelter @ 2pm. I was debating stopping in (0.2 mi off trail) when Tentpole came up from the shelter & said it wasn't worth the stop but that there were some scouts there who had stayed w/ Jack the night before 8 mi south. Hiked on & took a break @ Montvale overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway @ 3pm & decided to push for Fullhardt knob shelter, another 10.5 mi south. Did 4 mi to Wilson Creek shelter in 1 hr 6 min & met "Uncle Walt" (SOBO tour hiking since April) who just yellow blazed 40 mi to be in position to hit the ALDHA gathering in Pipestem, WV. Also saw a note in the register from Jack saying he was finally slowing up after a mad dash to Buchanan & that he left some homemade hot chocolate for me & Tentpole (not to be found). Hiked on to Fullhardt Knob shelter, arriving 7:15pm. Water source @ the shelter is a rainwater cistern (pretty neat). Tentpole was out of stove fuel (& aqua mira) & needed to borrow my canister, but said he would "let" me use it first (nice of him). (I had offered it to him @ the last shelter since I knew he would beat me in, which he did by 1/2 hr, but he declined). Dinner -turkey, garlic couscous V3 (good). In bed 9:30 pm. Also, found out the outfitter @ Daleville is closed Sunday, but managed to arrange a ride to the outfitter in Roanoke from a local trail angel, Del Schechterly.129.1 mile week (trail miles) including plus day @ Rusty's (not bad).P.S. Trees starting to turn color.P.P.S. Saw 1 blacksnake on trail today (pic) and about 7 deer.
Date: 2006-10-01
From: Fullhardt Knob Shelter

To: Lamberts Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: few clouds

Day 122 (Sunday)Up @ 7:30 am; chocolate pudding for breakfast - leisurely morning due to 6 mi into town; on trail 8:45. Crossed under I81 after passing dead deer w/ bloated tongue (no pic) @ US 11 around 10:05 & called Del to give a 10:30 ETA @ Rt 220. Actually arrived @ 10:20 & waited for Del until 10:45. Over to Roanoke (12 mi) for Cici's AYCE $3.99 pizza, arriving just as they opened @ 11am. Del is apparently a regular there. He declined to eat w/ us but kept us company while we (Tentpole & I) each ate about 4 plates full of pizza, pasta & salad. Went over to Backcountry ski & sports (outfitter) where they also know Del & picked up new Vasque velocities (3rd & hopefully final pr - 2nd worn since Dalton, MA), fleece hat (lost mine near Port Clinton, PA), gloves & insoles, all at a 10% discount, & then over to Blue Ridge outdoors @ the mall for a large (8 oz) can of MSR stove fuel to last to Damascus (255 mi south). To Walmart where Tentpole resupplied & I picked up some $2.99 Gel insoles & a pack of Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies (2000 calories for $0.95!) & then over to Radio Shack where Tentpole & I both picked up AM/FM radios. Next over to Brewster's Ice Cream (I had choc chip cookie dough & Tentpole had pumpkin cheesecake) & back to the trailhead @ Rt 220. T.P. gave Del $20 for gas & we thanked him profusely & signed his register. Back on trail @ 3:45 pm & met a '95 thru hiker out walking w/ his dog (didn't catch name but will edit it in if he signs my guestbook). Hiking in Earnest @ 4pm. Passed 2 NOBO sectioners as T.P. passed me. On the ridge around 5pm, hiked leisurely until dark, making a few calls & stopped to climb a very large boulder (possibly Hay Rock). My headlamp was very dim, so I swapped batteries with my radio - it made a huge difference (like night & day). My old headlamp batteries weren't even strong enough to run the radio. Reached the shelter @ 8:45 to find T.P. asleep w/ Gentleman Jack, who stayed in a sketchy hotel in Cloverdale the night before after getting sick off of Bojangles food. Dinner B.P. Jamaican BBQ chicken (mostly rice & beans, but good). In bed 10:15 pm.
Date: 2006-10-02
From: Lamberts Meadow Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: clear sky

Day 123 (Monday)Up @ 8 am - breakfast -0 5 little debbie oatmeal cream pies (heaviest & easiest). On trail 1st @ 9:15 am. Slow & leisurely morning, got passed by Jack & TP quickly & reached Tinker Cliffs & enjoyed some great views. Hiked along listening to some classical music & stopped at Campbell Shelter & found a register going back to the beginning of the year & spent some time reading it. Saw a black bear 1/2 way between Lambert's Meadow & Campbell shelter @ 15 ft range - we startled each other after I walked around a blind corner of a rock cliff. It growled & I backed off & started talking out loud & banging my trekking poles together. When I went back around the corner, it was gone, but it had my adrenaline flowing. Closest I've ever been or care to be to a bear in the wild. I could see the frown fur in its undercoat around its nose & ears. Estimated weight 250-300 lbs (female?). Passed over McAffee Knob around 1 pm. Great view, but standing water in rock depressions caused a huge swarm of flies.   Passes 3 dayhikers on Summit & descended to Catawba Mtn Shelter. Read another register going back to the beginning of the season & did the same at John's Spring Shelter, where I saw a black snake climbing the outside corner of the shelter (2 pics). Reached rt 311 @ 3pm (10.4 mi in 6 hrs-pretty slow), & saw TP & Jack just having returned from town. Walked into Catawba & picked up maildrop from P.O. & then went over to the general store for lunch (P.O. had a hikerbox & register, btw - nothing great in the box excfept fo microwave kraft mac & cheese (left it). Had an italian sub, potato salad, cream soda, chicken parmesan sandwich, chips & 2 Hershey's peanut butter ice cream bars & 1 pint of milk for lunch & also bought 5 snickers bars & a bag of beef jerky for the trail (great old fashioned general store w/ working gas pumps out front under a wooden awning). Hitched back to trail w/ 2 VA tech seniors, 1 of whom is consideringthru hiking next year (I advised him to consider going south) on their way to a dayhike of McAffee knob & got back on trail @ 5pm. Talked w/ a local dayhiker who does the same short section S. of rt 311 50-75x/yr instead of going to the gym. Followed ridge S for a while & crossed a rural valley @ dusk before night hiking up dragon's tooth (very cool). Reached Pickle Branch Shelter @ 11:30 P.M., where I found Jack, Tentpole & another guy asleep (Zach) taking up almost 1/2 of the shelter. Ate a snickers bar for dinner (still pretty full from town) & managed to squeeze into the shelter after hanging my foodbag about 12" above Zach (no other good place there)(didn't learn his name until the next morning). in bed 12am. 10 minutes later, I heard Zach get up & bang around my foodbag before going out to visit a tree.
Date: 2006-10-03
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 22.3
Weather: clear sky

Day 124 (Tuesday)Up first @ 7:20. Noticed my food bag was missing from its hook. Thinking Zach might have thrown it in the woods in anger last night, I took a look around but didn't see it. Did see a buck deer behind the shelter, tho (4pt - still velvet on the antlers). Zach was awake when I got back & I asked if he had seen my foodbag. Turns out he was using it as a pillow & apologized saying he didn't know what he was thinking in the middle of the night. Breakfast - extra dinner from last night - beef & potatoes. Found out Zach used to be an actor in NYC, moved back to VA & went section hiking. (Found out later he was Jewish & could tell I was too, somehow. Quoted by Jack as saying, "It takes one to know one." First on trail around 9am; reached Audie Murphy monument & got the dogface soldier song stuck my head for the rest of the day w/ memories of my time in 3ID @ Ft. Stewart. Reached Niday Shelter & read the register. Was finally caught by Jack & Tentpole after an hour at the shelter (Turns out they had a good time w/ Zach after I left). Climbed up to Eastern Continental Divide (Atlantic Ocean & Gulf of Mexico) & took a leak, half of which will end up in each. Got passed by Tentpole on the ascent. Jack caught me on top & mentioned that he wasn't feeling well. Reached Sarver Hollow Shelter around 6pm (nice shelter) 0.3 mi down a steep hill, met a section hiker who gave us cookies & got water (I'm deducing from Tentpole's guest book that this was Stuart Johnson of Murfreesboro, TN --thanks for the cookies e.g. 4/27/07). Jack & TP stayed & I hiked on to Laurel Creek Shelter, arriving @ 10:30 pm (Left Sarver Hollow @ 7pm) after another nice moonlight valley hike & passing the Keffer Oak (Largest on the AT in the south-300 yrs old). Had the shelter to myself. Dinner - BP Red beans & rice & pudding for dessert (pistachio). In bed 11:30 pm.P.S. Saw a 6pt buck early this morning on trail
Date: 2006-10-04
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: broken clouds

Day 125 (Wednesday)Up @ 8 am - breakfast - granola w/ butterscotch pudding (excellent). On trail at 9:15 am. Hiked alone all day, past War Spur Shelterwhere a local H.S. had a quilt project going & asked each hiker to draw a quilt square w/ markers (I did) of their name, hometown & impression of the AT. Shelter register asked peoiple to draw a self portrait (left by a couple thru-hiking on their honeymoon) so I did that too (1 for me & 1 for Wyoming Jones). Hiked along ridge past wind rock (pics) & met 2 dayhikers (1st people I'd seen in almost 24 hrs). Passed Bailey Gap shelter around 6pm & spent about 45 min reading the register (left War Spur around 2pm). Arrived @ pine Swamp Branch Shelter @ 8:30 pm after crossing "put" bridge @ stony creek on an iron frame. Arrived to find the shelter empty, but a new entry from "T-man" signed in that day, but dated his entry 10/5 (still 1 day behind easy rider, btw). Dinner - BP Jamaican Jerk Beans & Rice. In bed 9:30 p.m.P.S. Bad seal on pepperoni in lunch today; had to trash.
Date: 2006-10-06
From: Pearisburg, VA (Holy Family Church Hostel)

To: Docs Knob Shelter, VA
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 127 (Friday)Slept in until 10:30 am & packed up - left some insoles, 1/2 full jetboil fuel can & 8 servings of powdered milk in the hiker box @ the hostel & walked over to Pizza Hut for lunch (was a bit suprised nobody ever came in to check on the hostel). Had lunch & caught up on photo logging (behind since Shenandoah Nat's Park) & went over to Rite Aid for some Sudafed, cough drops & an extra strap type knee brace (have been suffering allergies w/ post-nasal drip for 2 days (probably ragweed)). Went to the post office to bounce about 3 lbs of extra maps to Damascus & noticed Jack had signed their hiker log earlier in the day. Walked over to food lion to resupply for 4 days, & spent $38, including a new 2pk of AA e2 batteries for $5. Walked back to trailhead from there & was on trail @ 3:10 pm. Cloudy, cool & drizzly out. Climbed up to Angel's rest & took pic. of Pearisburg/New River & headed on to Doc's knob shelter, arriving at 6:40 pm & ran into Uncle Walt, who had hitched to Pearisburg in order to make the Gathering in Pipestem, WV this weekend, & a SOBO section hiker w/ a 40 deg sleeping bag & heavy propane stove who had just abandoned a plan to section hike to Damascus after deciding he was not properly equipped & was looking for a place to go camping after zeroing @ Docs' knob. Dinner - knorr (Lipton) broccoli & cheddar noodles w/ 2 packs of tuna (bought 4 after forgetting I had a pack of freeze dried chicken), & little debbie star crunch brownies for dessert (an idea I got from Degoba via Tentpole). In bed 9pm. Temp 42 deg f.At 2 am the section hiker woke up & started boiling water- apparently not warm enough in his 40 deg bag w/ alll of his clothes on.
Date: 2006-10-07
From: Docs Knob Shelter, VA

To: Jenny Knob Shelter
Miles today: 22.6
Weather: light rain

Day 128 (Saturday)Up @ 7:30. Outside temp 40 deg. Breakfast - Bob's 10 grain cereal w/ some honey roast peanut butter mixed in (hit the spot). Gave Uncle Walt Bling Monkey & Bonzo's #s for a ride to the Gathering. On trail 9:30. Easy ridgerun / descent to Wapiti Shelter, a few rock hops notwithstanding,   (Wapiti is a type of elk that used to inhabit the area) & met a couple from NC, Flossman & Annie Oakley (originally from Austria). Nobo section hikers who reorted passing a guy matching Jack's description (young, red beard), but whom I later found out must have been Easy Rider. Trail crossed lowland all afternoon & I ran into a hunter @ White Pine Horse campground who told me it was bow season for deer (no warnings to this effect at any trailhead - luckily I was wearing my blaze orange packcover due to rain anyway). Took a 0.6 mi side hike to Dismal Falls (not the most impressive this trip, but the first in a long time) & crossed Kimberling Creek Suspension bridge after VA 606 where a guy in a red sports car (firebird?) w/ 2 kids pulled over to ask if I was thru-hiking, when did I start, etc. & to say, "That's great! Congratulations!" I thnaked him & he drove off (there was a car stuck behind him). Reached Jenny Knob shelter around dusk @ 7:15 & spent the next 45 min looking for water on 2 different blue blazed trails after reading comments in the register about how difficult the water was to find there. Finally found a small pool w/ a few crawfish in it after thinking about collecting raindrops from all the leaves, setting out my groundcloth to collect precipitation overnight (it was dusting sleet) & wringing water out of my socks. I then thought about the time my friend Aaron descried "Survivorman" (from the TV show) as a Canadian version of me. (I was down to 1/2 L of water at the time- enough to drink, but not enough to cook dinner). Got water & cooked dinner (fettucinne alfredo - knorr/lipton whole grain) which I accidentally spilled 2/3 of by knocking over my Jetboil (1st time this trip) & tuna. Ate as much as I could off the ground w/o eating dirt & shoveled the rest into the woods (not exactly LNT, but that stuff is heavy & I expect mice ate it before anyone noticed). Ate a snickers bar to supplement. In bed 10pm. Read Star magazine & Appalachian Times in the shelter before going to sleep. Apparently Brittney Spears has a new "Manny" (male nanny).P.S. Easy rider wrote in the register that he was planning to split a hotel room w/Reils in Bland (12 mi S) that night.P.P.S. Saw 1 Pheasant? fly out of a tree & descend @ a 45 degree angle 15 ft.
Date: 2006-10-08
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 129 (Sunday)Up @ 7:45 am. Breakfast 3 pks maple & brown sugar oatmeal. On trail 9:40. Passed 9 NOBO section hikers (all 1 group but spaced @ about 5 minute intervals) in my 1st hr on trail. Didn't see anyone else all day. Easy ridgewalk to Helvey's Mill Shelter (0.25-0.3 off trail, depending on the info source) where I stopped for lunch. Cold & rainy out all morning, hiked in my rainjacket some of the time. Lunch- honeyroast PB on whole wheat wrap (same as yesterday). Took a "shortcut" trying to get back to the AT from the shelter "& ended up inadvertently crossing some poorly posted private property before returning to the AT again (thought it was a shelter loop at first). Crossed I7 on an overpass & then "forded" Laurel creek at the bridge out which ostensibly closed the trail & forced a detour (didn't even get my feet wet - more of a rockhop than a ford). Also drank some OJ trail magic left by the Green Mtn Valley Church (Thanks!) - hit the spot. Reached Jenkins shelter about 7:30pm after getting my feet wei 3x on the AT after opting not to thake the high water trail (water wasn't too high, but the stepping stones were slick), & met Reils (SOBO section hiker WV-GA & web developer from near Dalton, MA) who said Easyrider was at the next shelter S. Read a great journal entry from Degoba about how he passed out on the trail 200 yds short of the shelter (Easy commented that this was typical Degoba & I agreed). Dinner - Lipton clicken flavor noodles & tuna. In bed 9:30pm reading an Oct '06 backpacker magazine left in the shelter (issue dedicated to survival).P.S. Have been having allergy problems (ragweed) for last 5 days - taking Loratidine, benadryll & pesudo-fed; sleeping very soundly.P.P.S. Saw a group of 7 wild Turkeys near the Trail Boss trail today.
Date: 2006-10-09
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 130 (Monday)Up @ 7:45. Reils on trail @ 8. I ate breakfast in my sleeping bag (3 quaker oatmeal breakfast cookies) while reading more of the backpacker magazine. Cooked up some hot gatorade (47 degrees out) & got on trail @ 10:30 - slow start due to allergies. Covered 4 mi by 1pm; great vierws of Burke's Garden, a large (8 mi) valley depression surrounded by high ridges on all 4 sides. Passed a family of 4 section hiking & did my first intentional push climb up Chesnut Knob; 900' ascent over 1 mi in 25 min, arriving at 3:40 pm. Had lunch @ the shelter & the family of section hikers (Mom, Dad, & 2 kids, 9 & 11?) from Atlanta caught up to me after an hour. Found out then were Jewish after noticing they were packing an etrog & lulav for sukkok (a jewish holiday celebrating the fall harvest - the etrog & lulav are essential props - see wikipedia for additional details). Apparently, I'm the first Jewish person they have ever met on the AT (they've been section hiking N. from Springer for 5 yrs at about 100 mi/yr). Left Chesnut Knob around 5pm & descended the ridge over an open meadow before reaching lick creek near dusk. Picked up 2L of water & hiked over Lynn Camp Mtn before reaching Lynn Camp Creek where I picked up an extra liter of water. Reeached Knot Maul Branch Shelter around 8pm where I found Reils & 2 SOBO section hikers (didn't get names). Dinner Knorr/lipton creamy chicken & rice w/ freeze dried chicken added. Caught up on 3 day journal backlog & noticed some guy in the register 9/3 named Yisrael who signed off "Shalom", and assumed there is at least 1 more Jew out here on trail. In bed 10:30 p.m.