morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-05-13
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Apple House Shelter
Miles today: 8.7

As we started climbing out of Yellow Mountain Gap, the wind was blowing pretty good. It had whipped the fly on the tent all night, but we still slept pretty well. Looking back on the barn, we could tell we were making progress going up because it kept getting smaller and smaller. We could see the gap the overmountain men had gone through in the cold to do battle with the British during the Revolutionary War.    Climbing Little Hump Mt. was not easy- There were some campers up there who were definitely getting the effects of the wind. The grass was blowing in waves. The sun was out and the sky was blue with a few clouds making shadows on the mountains. I could see shapes in them like when I would look at the clouds when I was a kid only these were the shadows.    When we got to Bradley Gap, the wind was so strong it was blowing us sideways. Now we not only had the force of gravity pulling us back down the hill but the wind pushing from the side. It even knocked me off my feet at one point and I couldn't get back up without help from Gary. It was the strongest wind I've ever felt, like walking through a wind tunnel. We looked like two drunks walking up the mountain laughing as the wind knocked us around.   The Roan Highlands are gorgeous! Hump Mountain is all green and grassy. The view is fantastic on all sides. There are big rocks at the top where one can stand to see the surrounding country side, roads and villages, mountains and more mountains.   Hiking down was pretty rocky and steep through the forest. Lots of roots too. Gary fell at one point but didn't get hurt. Slips can happen so fast and an injury can end the hike. We went past a field called Doll Flats and ate luch on some big rocks just beyond. The rest of the day's hike was fairly easy because it was down hill, but there were some pretty rocky places. We came to the Apple House Shelter and decided to go to the road about .5 miles beyond and hitch into town for some real food. Gary is always hungry. When a pick up dropped us off in front of a sandwich shop, we were greeted by a familar face, Baltimore Jack. He was there with Bob Peoples and some others. They had been working on the trail and had stopped for a snack on their way back to Kincora Hostel. Jack suggested we return to Apple House after dinner because there was no place to camp fruther on. So after a good meal we went back to the trail and camped by Apple House. We were tired and fell asleep before the sun went down.
Date: 2003-05-14
From: Apple House Shelter

To: Camp Site Before Moreland Gap
Miles today: 13.4

Today was pretty, and we had a nice easy trail. This was good because I didn't feel very well, my allergies were bothering me. Relentless was in good spirits though, and we got going at 9AM. The first part of the hike was through some pretty meadows. We saw a horse grazing with its foal. The little one had some really unusual markings., very cute. We also saw a couple of rabbits today, the first we've seen. Plodding Bear, a section hiker was on the trail with us, first we passed him then he passed us while we were having lunch at Jones Falls. The falls was really pretty, water tumbling from a huge rock and then over the face of the rocks below. The rest of the hike was through forest, everything from pine to tulip trees in bloom and Rhododendron. Right now we are camped next to a stream making a merry sound as it rushes across the rocks. Tomorrow we will be at Kincora Hiking Hostel.
Date: 2003-05-18
From: Dennis Cove- Kincora

To: Griffith Branch
Miles today: 10.3

We got off to a fairly late start, about 10 AM. It felt good to be on the trail again. We were beginning to get out of condition and the late nights though enjoyable, contributed to some fatigue as we started off. The first place we came to was Laurel Falls, a beautiful place, but the trail was pretty rocky and we lost it because we missed a sign on a post. From the falls, we followed the river for quite a ways,t ehn we did a lot of ups on our way to Watauga Lake. This lake is just beautiful and very large. We got to it about 5 PM and stopped for dinner in a picnic area where there was water and a much appreciated convenience, trash cans.   After dinner, we hiked on to a campsite on the other side of the lake. It really had looked like rain when we were eating, but we got our camp set up and ate some snacks and ther rain still hadn't come. About 8:30 PM we went to bed for the night; we were exhausted. We didn't get up until 6:30 AM- 10 hours of much needed sleep.
Date: 2003-05-20
From: Campsite

To: Low Gap US 421
Miles today: 14.2

We got an early start and made good time today. The trail was lightly traveled compared to the other days and except for a few section hikers heading south, I didn¢t see anyone most of the day. One young man named Ryan came by with a 15 lb guitar on his back plus his pack. It made me think of the guy who hiked the trail with his tubas. When I got to Double Spring Shelter, I was greeted by five or six young section hikers stretched out on the grass beside the shelter. Happy Feet was taking a nap inside recovering from Trail Days. He soon woke up and had lunch before hiking off. Relentless was about half hour behind me and another thru-hiker, 360 came down the trail before him with a message from him that he would be along soon. At this point we had already done 10 miles. When Relentless got there, we decided to get in four more and try to get to Damascus tomorrow. We are running a little short on food and very short on toilet paper. TP is one of those things one just takes for granted in civilization, but when thru-hiking every ounce counts, even an ounce of TP. Not having TP is worse than running short of food.         Tonight we are camped with 360, she is from New Brunswick, Canada. We made a little fire to chase off the bugs and enjoyed chatting with her before we went to bed.         It looks like rain, but it has all week and it didn¢t rain ¢ not that I am complaining of course. It¢s 7:30 PM- time for bed.
Date: 2003-05-25
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Grayson Highland State Park
Miles today: 10.0

This was a wonderful day! It began with waking up on the highlands with ponies grazing in the field by our tent. We saw the mother nursing her foal and the little one even decided to investigate our tent by having a sniff of it. We were afraid he¢d take a nibble next so Relentless shooed him off. We didn¢t plan to make big miles today, but instead take it slow through the highlands because they are really beautiful, like stepping into one of those National Geographic photos. There are fields with big bolders and rock formations. The rocks take some care in climbing and after my previous experience we were very cautious. From the highlands we could see the mountains stretching far away like big green folds of earth with a slight haze covering them. We only went about 5 miles today because we took a blue blaze side trail to Grayson Highlands State Park. We were lucky to run into a thru-hiker who had done the trail a few years ago. He took us around the park until we found the campground. It would have been a lot of walking if he hadn¢t. Another thru-hiker who had done the trail twice came over to talk to us at the campground. He was car camping this year showing his wife some of the highlights of the trail. His trail name was Bamboo Man. He gave us some wine and another couple camped here gave us apples and bananas. Later in the evening there was a show in the amphitheatre, a couple who played blue grass music on guitar and fiddle. His name was Wayne Henderson. He made all the instruments they were playing and they were really good. The weather is a bit chilly and damp so it was nice to be under a roof and listening to good music. They also had a pay phone here and a little camp store. I got to call Jon and my brother, Rick. We even got beanie weenies for supper instead of our usual hiker food and ice cream, coffee, soda, cookies, potato chips. It was also great to be able to take a warm shower. Like I said, it was a wonderful day.
Date: 2003-05-26
From: Grayson Highland State Park

To: VA 603 Fox Creek
Miles today: 11.0

We got off to a bit of a late start today since we stayed up past our bedtime last night to watch the blue grass duo, and it was hard getting up to pack up the wet tent. We took advantage of water we didn¢t have to filter to have oatmeal and hot tea and also took advantage of the rest rooms with running water and flush toilets. We were really fortunate to get a ride to Mossy Gap where we came down from the trail. The camp host was nice enough to give us a ride up there so that we didn¢t have to walk the extra mile and a half or two miles. Everyone at Grayson Highlands Park was very kind to us. We really appreciate all the help people have given us! The first part of the day was spent walking through more of the beautiful bald highlands where we could see the mountains across the valley from us covered in misty clouds from time to time. The ponies were grazing in the meadows and we could hear cattle as we came down from the bald. There are a lot of people who ride horses here too! The park has a special campground just for them and horse trails that wind through the balds. It would be a great place to ride! The next part of the day was spent climbing and then coming down Pine Mountain. It was pretty rocky on the way down in places, but the trail really wasn¢t bad at all today. We are in bed early and hope to make more miles tomorrow. Relentless is thinking more and more about food. Trail food just doesn¢t fill him up. All the guys out here have the same problem. I eat candy all day. Jelly Beans and taffy this week. It¢s nice to eat all the candy I want and not get fat. It probably isn¢t good for my teeth though.
Date: 2003-05-27
From: VA 603 Fox Creek

To: South Fork of Holsten River
Miles today: 15.1

We got an early start and the weather was very cooperative. It looked like rain, but only a few drops fell on us. We are camped tonight with the same two section hikers we camped next to last night, Mike and Al. It has been great fun talking with them tonight. We¢ve discussed everything from politics to where to go in Chicago. They really made us want to visit Chicago again after this hike us over. They used to live there but are living in Atlanta now. We also met another interesting hiker today, Pirate. He has been living on various trails including the AT for 13 years. He goes to FL. in the winter and lives in the swamps. He¢s done some of the Buckeye Trail too. He carries a 60 lb. pack so that he can have lots of food and even a coffee grinder. He was very helpful, telling us places to camp and about places to eat along the trail. The trail was pretty easy today, just a 2 mile up to start out. Gary wants to hitch into town to get a milkshake tomorrow. McDonalds enters his conversation frequently.
Date: 2003-05-28
From: South Fork of Holsten River

To: USFS86
Miles today: 13.1

Today was a beautiful sunny day and a fairly easy one. We had a climb at the start of the day, but then it was all downhill to Partnership Shelter and the Mount Roger Ranger Station and visitor center 8 miles from where we started. We made this by 1:00. The Partnership Shelter is unique on the AT because it has a warm shower. The ranger station has flush toilets and a pay phone where hikers can order pizza. Actually, the phone doesn¢t even charge for local calls, so it is free to order pizza. We took full advantage of this option and ordered one along with salads. It was great! The delivery came right to the parking lot and for the first time in a week we felt full and content. The ranger station also sold pop and snacks. After our feast we hiked another 4 miles to the FS road and camped. Tomorrow we will be at I-81 and stay in a hotel, do laundry and eat some more real food. We¢ve hiked 523 miles so far, 25% of the trail.
Date: 2003-05-29
From: USFS86

To: I-81 and 11
Miles today: 7.5

About 4AM I woke up to the gentle drumming of rain on the roof of the tent and Gary and I had a little conversation. There was some animal outside our tent earlier in the night making grunting or coughing noise, but we didn't look to see what it was. The next time I woke up it was 8AM and the rain had stopped. We packed up the wet gear and went to the Relax Inn at VA 11 and I-81. The AT goes right by it. The walk here was great. First we went through a trail lined with Rhododendron trees in bloom, then through a pine forest and then fields of hay to an old school house that is part of an historical exhibit. We enjoyed visiting the school and took some pictures. When we got to the motel we went to eat at the Barn Restaurant just down the road. They had a good salad bar and a yummy hamburger. Right now we are waiting for a shuttle to Atkins VA where I will mail this, go to the grocery store and eat supper at the retaurant that provides the shuttle. It's good to get cleaned up and well fed. So far, I really like VA. It's a little easier to get 12 miles a day and towns and restaurants seem more available.
Date: 2003-05-31
From: I-81 and 11

To: Still at the motel
Miles today: 0.0

We had some bad news about our dog last night. He has managed to survive his previous illness, but has now developed a blood clot in his leg which has cut off the blood. The vet in Columbus wants to amputate the leg. He also has some problem with his kidney function, but that may be due to all that he has been through in the past few weeks. We are trying to decide what to do. Snickers is 13 years old. Should we have the leg amputated or put him down? We decide that we have to go home to make this decision. We just cannot leave it up to our children to deal with this. If we decide to put him down, we need to say good-bye. If we decide to have the surgery, he will need care that our children will not be able to provide while they are working. We call a car rental place, but no cars are available until tomorrow. It is a hard day and a sleepless night. I have everything packed to go home as soon as we can get a car.
Date: 2003-06-01
From: Still at the motel

To: Medina
Miles today: 0.0

We got a car from Enterprise Rental about noon and headed back to Columbus and then to Medina. Leaving the trail is discouraging because it almost ensures that we will not complete the thru-hike this year. We are beginning to revise our plans and talk about just making it half way this year and finishing it up next summer. The trip went well. We picked up the dog from the kids. He looked very weak and sad with the collar on his head to keep him from biting his infected leg which looks really bad. I feel so sorry for him. It will be good to get him to the vet, but we will have a hard decision to make. Once again our neighbor, Jackie had stocked the kitchen with food. She had called Kristen to find out how Snickers was doing and learned that we were heading home.
Date: 2003-06-04
From: Medina

To: Medina
Miles today: 0.0

We make the decision to have the leg amputated. A costly decision in terms of money, but an easier one for us emotionally. Snickers will have to be kept from pulling out the stitches for the next couple of weeks. Since he is only too capable of getting out of the collar that prevents this, it means he will need to be watched and can't be left alone at Jon's house. This decision means that we will be staying off the trail for two more weeks and ensures that we cannot finish the hike this year. If we get back on the trail by the end of the month, we should be able to make it to the half way point in PA and this becomes our new goal.   Tomorrow is the surgery, and it can't come too soon because the leg is getting worse all the time.
Date: 2003-06-05
From: Medina

To: Medina
Miles today: 0.0

The surgery for out dog, Snickers went well. He will be at the vets until tomorrow morning, so we spend the day taking the rental car back to VA. It is a rainy day and we are glad not to be on the trail today. On the way home, we hit a fawn that appeared suddenly in the middle of the highway, which only adds to our gloomy ride home.
Date: 2003-06-06
From: Medina

To: Medina
Miles today: 0.0

We got back from VA late last night. Today we picked up Snickers from the vet. He seems to be feeling better now that the infected leg is gone, but he need to get his strength back and has a lot of pills to take. He was in such good shape when we left. It is hard to believe getting into the trash and eating pork fat could have led to all of this. We had the cable turned off for the summer, so Gary and I have no computer or cable TV. The weather is still pretty bad, it would be harder to be off the trail if it was a bright sunny day.
Date: 2003-06-17
From: Medina

To: Medina
Miles today: 0.0

We took the dog back to the vet today to get his stitches out and get some blood work done to check his kidney function. I hope that the vet can give us some ideas about how to get him more interested in the food that he is supposed to eat. He is also going to get a bath. We plan to go back on the trail this coming weekend if all goes well and the dog can go back to Columbus to stay with Jon.
Date: 2003-06-18
From: Medina

To: Medina
Miles today: 0.0

The vet had some bad news for us yesterday. Snicker's kidney function was worse than before the surgery and that is the reason he has not been eating well. The vet gave him fluids by injection. He may need these weekly for the rest of his life. We took Snickers home and enjoyed a good day with him. The fluids and some new food seem to perk him up a bit.
Date: 2003-06-23
From: Medina

To: Medina
Miles today: 0.0

Snickers is so weak that he cannot stand up and has been this way since the previous night. We took him to the vet and made the difficult decision to put him to sleep. Anyone who has shared the unconditional love and affection of a beloved pet will know how hard this was to do. Gary and I took a long walk through the park afterward and remembered all the good times we had going for walks with Snickers. He had a good life of 13 years and was a true and good friend to our whole family. We will miss him.
Date: 2003-06-25
From: Medina

To: Medina
Miles today: 0.0

Only one more day until we return to the trail. We are both looking forward to it. From reading other trail journals and looking at the weather reports while we have been home, we missed a lot of rain. Now it looks like we will be in for some hot weather in VA. I went swimming this morning with my friend Karen and then worked out at the rec center. I love being in the water just gliding along swimming laps. I will miss that when I return to the trail, but perhaps we will find some swimming holes along the way. I have really appreciated all the support and encouragement we have gotten from those of you reading our journal! The e-mails and guest book entries have really been a help.Thanks!
Date: 2003-06-26
From: Medina

To: columbus
Miles today: 0.0

I took one last session in the rec center pool with my friend Karen and packed up the backpacks. It seemed strange to be doing that again but very familiar at the same time. Jackie and Sherri took us to the bus station. We grabbed a McDonalds dinner while we waited for the bus to come. The trip to Columbus went quickly and our son, Jon was there at the station to pick us up. I was glad to let him lift my heavy pack for me. We had to weigh them at the station in Akron and mine was 37 .5 lbs and Gary¢s was 42. That was without water. We are packing a lot of food. We spent the layover with Jon, Kristen, and Jay. Kristen showed us around her new apartment and made us pizza and coffee. She got a new piano which will certainly come in handy when she starts her job as a music teacher this fall.
Date: 2003-06-28
From: Davis Hollow

To: Campsite Rt 42
Miles today: 10.0

We slept in this morning, but I¢m not sure what time we got up because I left my watch back in Medina. We hiked the mile to Davis Path Shelter where we found Half Step still asleep. We had met him last night as he made the trip to Groseclose for cheeseburgers and beer and then came back to spend the night at the shelter. He woke up and chatted with us a bit complaining about all the rain and his lack of motivation to hike. He has a drop coming to Ceres 12 miles from the shelter and can¢t get it until Monday. We leave Half Step trying to decide if he wants to hike or take a 0 day. The day is overcast, few bugs, and fairly cool. The trail is fairly easy, but we are not making quick progress because we¢ve lost our conditioning. We pass through a lot of private farm land, fields and woods. Finally we go up a small mountain where there is a pretty view. Everything is posted no camping. A sudden shower caught Relentless off guard so he got pretty wet. I just managed to get my gear on before I was soaked. It stopped quickly and we found a campsite about an hour before dark. It is close to a stream ust before Knot Maul Branch Shelter. The rain held off until we set up camp and ate. While I was bear bagging the food, the lightning started and I just made it into the tent when the rain began. A couple about our age is camped just south of us. They are section hikers going from Mt. Rogers to Pearisburg. Their trail names are High Heel and Trip. We passed by one other hiker, Mariner, who was going on to the shelter for the night. Traffic on this section of the trail is very light.
Date: 2003-06-30
From: Campsite

To: VA 623
Miles today: 8.5

We made the climb to Chestnut Knob Shelter and got water by a spring fed pond on the way up. The climb was 3.5 miles but gradual for the most part, much of it through beautiful meadows with lots of butterflies. Chestnut Knob Shelter is really nice, all enclosed with a picnic table inside, windows and a cement floor. The view from the Knob us very pretty, but it was a bit hazy today. The valley is called Burk¢s Garden because the first white man to come here was named Burke. He dug a hole and buried his potato peelings on his first visit. When he came back the next year there was a potato patch there. There are only about 300 people who live in the valley and when you look down there from the Knob you can see their beautiful farms. The AT goes all around the valley on a ridge but there are only a few places to get a good view because of the trees, It was pretty rocky and rough going today. We called it quits early because of thunder in the distance and rain signaling breeze. We didn¢t even cook because of the storm that seemed ready to pounce on us at any second, but now we are here in the tent and no storm has come. Oh, well, we are prepared.