morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-06-10
From: Sarver Hollow shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: scattered clouds

When I went to get water this morning the spring was rather unusual. It was surrounded by a five foot stone wall and was open on one side with steps descending a couple feet down to the water. Nearby were ruins of very old homesteads which I think were Sarver's cabin, thus the name of the shelter. I took my time looking around before heading out. It was a beautiful day for once, the sky was mostly blue and the sun was shining. Bucky, SnotRocket and I traveled together most of the morning talking about how we had a little time to make up and wanted to be up North with plenty of time to enjoy new england without having to rush the last leg of the journey to make it to Mt. Katahdin by Oct. 15 the day the state park closes. Bucky and I pulled ahead a little and discussed the blues I had been experiencing and our strategies and ideas about the months that lay ahead. We stopped at a shelter and when S.Rocket caught up he didn't look happy. He said that he was having a bad mental day and that he was stopping for the day. He said he didn't know what his problem was and that he needed time to think. We said goodbye and he made sure I had his home address before I went. Not a good sign. When I left there I thought that that might be it for a good friend. Bucky had left ahead of me and I was walking alone the rest of the day. I spent a lot of time thinking about myself and how I had been feeling lately. Why was I here. Was I having fun. Did I want to continue. What were my goals. I did a lot of introspection and tried to figure out why I had been in such a funk. I hit a large climb that I knew was coming up and I started charging up the mountain. I really tried to hit that mountain hard. My pace was as fast as I could manage and I enjoyed the hard work trying to fly up this hill. I couldn't keep up the same pace all the way up but I was still moving fast at the end. I reached the top at a monument for a war hero and I saw Wigglestick who had left Pearisburg two days ahead but we caught at the shelter last night. I had a smile on my face as sweat poured downa and exclaimed "I'm back in the game". He knew I had been having a tough time lately and realized at once what that meant. It was over. I had conquered the Virginia blues. I was as eager to be out here as the day I started. F*!# the rain, forget the pain and misery. Being out here was fun and enjoyable for me, I couldn't think of anywhere I'd rather be. How could I leave now. I had a new lease on life and my head was on straight. Forget the blues, I beat them. Time to hike!
Date: 2003-06-11
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: Four Pines hostel
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was the day I was to go past Dragons Tooth and McAfee Knob two popular places on the trail in this stretch. I walked a couple hours this morning to reach the tooth. Dragon's Tooth was a massive rock perched on the edge of a ridge. It was very wide at the base and gradually came up to a point some 75 feet in the air and resembled a large scraggly pointed tooth. It was cool looking and a nice day so I took the time to climb it. I scrambled all the way up as far as you could go. The view was very nice, but it was more empowering being perched up on top of that rock. The Virginia blues were like a distant memory that I was already downplaying like it never affected me. I felt good. I began the decent down Dragon's Tooth that was incredibly steep and became infamous. At some points a couple metal bars were bolted in a rock to act like a metal staircase down. At other points I had to stand there for a minute to try and figure out a way down that wouldn't hurt. At still other points I looked down and then back up and all around thinking that I had to be going the wrong way. It was fun. I reached the road at the bottom that was to lead to the Four Pines Hostel .4 down the road. That was where my new shoulder straps were sent. I forgot to mention the last several days about my broken shoulder strap. It was plenty uncomfortable but the strap at the top still made it functional so I was able to get by without too much soreness. Still I was very happy I would have a fixed pack soon. I had to wait for the owner of the hostel to get out of work since the packages were in his house. I took a bike to ride the mile down to the store to get a drink. I ran into Bucky and Wigglestick and told them I was going to be held up. The sky had been starting to darken and there was talk of just staying at the hostel and doing a really big day to get into Daleville. That way we didn't lose any time. We then heard some thunder and my mind was made up. The hostel was cool anyway, it had a horseshoe pit, darts, mattresses on the floor and a radio. It didn't get any better than that. On the way back up I saw Bearable whose birthday it was and convinced him to stay there too. After the first rain passed we enjoyed some horseshoes and went back down to the store to get some beers to celebrate. We had a good time that night with a very diverse crowd. We ordered pizza, played darts, played UNO, played chess. I got new shoulder straps which made a world of difference. Great time had by all. I can't believe I almost skipped this hostel.
Date: 2003-06-12
From: Four Pines hostel

To: Lamberts meadow campsite
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: mist

Woke up today and had to take advantage of another game of horseshoes before I started out. It looked like rain again but I wasn't going to hide another day. I left out in what looked like rain. It sprinkled a tiny bit, but nothing substantial. I just hoped it would be dry at the time I was at McAfee's Knob. Some people told me that it was the nicest spot in VA and others the nicest spot on the whole trail. McAfee Knob is a large rock overhang over a set of cliffs. From the rocks to the side you can clearly see that there is no support out under most of the rock. It is an awesome photo op where every hiker must get a picture of themselves out on the rock with nothing underneath. Wigglestick and I took those pictures and noticed it was about to rain as we could see the lightning rolling in. We took a few minutes to enjoy the spot, put on our packcovers and headed out. The sprinkles started moments after we left. There was a shelter .7 from the top and if we hurried we could miss the worst. Our pace was about the fastest you could walk without running. The rain picked up and we walked faster almost running. The rain picked up a little more and we were into a little jog. The rain was starting to come down harder and harder and our legs were moving faster and faster. We were in an all out sprint a second later as really hard rain began. We made it to the shelter without getting very wet. Luckily there was no one there since we came barreling in. We waited it out and got ready to leave. Just after the shower passed a strange man came walking in. He asked us where the water was and we directed him to it. When he came back we were snacking on some candy bars and he asked for one. He explained that he was on a day hike of 20 miles and didn't bring a water bottle, or food. He apparently didn't bring any raincoat either as he was hiking in jeans. He asked how far to the road and we told him he would be there before dark to which he was happy since he brought no flashlight or sleeping bag. He had a daypack on which clearly had a bunch of stuff in it, but what? I began to fear for my life so we put our packs on and quickly headed out. We had to hurry if we were to make it to the half mile cliff walk over the tinker cliffs which was five miles away. We barely made it there in the twilight. It was a beautiful sight. The lighting made for an incredible picture of clouds, ridges and valleys. It was one of the times that I wished I could have taken a picture and had it look anything like what I was seeing. It was amazing, we looked down on clouds drifting thorough valleys where lights were just coming on. Once again I am at a loss of words to further describe how awesome this sight truly was, but I don't think that anyone who walked by there in the last month had seen as good a sight as I was seeing. After all who was dumb enough to go over the cliffs at night but me? The trail really did go within a couple feet of deadly drops, but I made it through and finished the last two miles down to the evening's campsite.
Date: 2003-06-13
From: Lamberts meadow campsite

To: fullhardt knob shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: light rain

I woke up and did what I could to put the nine miles between me and Daleville behind. I got there early enough in the afternoon. I began to walk the mile to the post office since I figured it would be quicker than hitching. I tried to stick my thumb out, but everyone drove by and pretended they didn't see me. I got my package and sat down right outside the door of the post office so people could smell me as I packed up my food. I walked the road back toward the trail to where the outfitter and grocery store were. It started to rain again as I walked inside. I used the computer at the outfitter and watched it pour down rain then went over to the grocery store to pick up a few things. By the time I was done the rain had moved on. Missed me again. I walked over to the truck stop next to do my laundry and get dinner. I was out and hit the trail again to do another five miles two hours before dark. Along the way the trail passed through a couple cow fields. I met a cow in the middle of the trail that was staring me down. I yelled at it to go away for awhile and it continued to stare at me with a murderous look in its eye. I took a few steps forward like i was continuing on and it made a snort took one step back and stomped. I turned right around and got the hell out of there. I was just out of sight. I waited for a minute to give it time to leave and walked forward again. There it was staring me down again. I continued yelling at it. Just as I started to get frustrated it turned and scampered off. Stupid cow, I hope I eat it someday.
Date: 2003-06-14
From: fullhardt knob shelter

To: Cove Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: light rain

Woke up fairly early and walked on. Bucky had left really early, he was excited about the fact that he was finally breaking new ground. He had tried to hike the trail in 2001 and made it to Daleville before he ran out of money. I know several people who had to drop off the trail for that reason, too bad. Its hard not to spend a lot of money in towns even if you are there only for a day. Things tend to add up, and if you are in a town for three days...Not Daleville however, I was able to get in and out in the same day. Exciting. I crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway several times today which means opportunities for yogi-ing food from picnics and tourists. It was a hot day and I would have liked to get a soda. Instead a couple gave myself and Backdraft a bag of salty potato chips. Oh well. They were good if not thirst quenching. The shelter that I was going to was one without a water source so I stopped at the shelter six miles before it to cook dinner and conveniently wait out a thunder storm that rolled through while I was there. It's nice to be at a shelter when it pours for a brief period. Often what happens is that I know a storm is bearing down on me and that I am close to a shelter so I will race forward hoping I can avoid a good soaking only to get poured on 15 minutes before reaching the shelter. The storm passed and I hiked on to the next shelter. I reached a road crossing that was about three miles from the shelter I was going to and I realized another storm was coming. I moved forward at an extremely fast speed even though three miles is too far to race to a shelter when you can hear the storm coming. It must have just missed me because all I got were a few sprinkles and made it to the shelter and set up my tent before a real storm came through. I hope my luck avoiding storms continues.
Date: 2003-06-15
From: Cove Mt. Shelter

To: Cornelius Creek shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: moderate rain

I managed to get up pretty early today but took my time making breakfast and a cup of coffee and didn't get going until 11:00. The day was very overcast. I was sure to get wet today. I was annoyed greatly by the large horseflies recently and today was especially bad. What happens is you will be walking along and a fly will take a particular interest in you and fly in a constant circle around your head. It doesn't matter how fast or slow you move it will always be there. I would walk along waving both of my arms and trekking poles furiously around my head screaming deleriously and stumbling along with no regard for where I was stepping. This did absolutely nothing to fend them off. I realized the only thing to do was to stop completely and allow them to land and kill them. The only problem being is there are plenty more to take its place, but this usually buys you a few minutes of peace. I passed by a palace of a shelter that was three stories and could sleep 25, one of the largest shelters on the trail. I hiked on making the couple hour climb up the mountain after this shelter and reached the next shelter. It had been sprinkling on and off and I wasn't in a good mood. I had been planning to go farther but decided to call it a day. I got my tent set up and cooked dinner. Halfway through dinner it started to really pour. I'm glad I decided to stay. It poured all night.
Date: 2003-06-16
From: Cornelius Creek shelter

To: Matt's creek shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: light rain

I awoke at various points in the night to pouring rain. I awoke at various points in the morning to pouring rain. It was a constant rain that didn't seem to be letting up. It doesn't do much for my motivation to get out of my tent and pack up in the rain. I kept waiting for it to stop to no avail. It was never going to stop. I packed up all my belongings inside my tent and made a dash for the shelter with them. Everyone was long gone of course. I made the decision to do something that I have thought of in the past which was take out the middle part of my tent between the groundcloth and rainfly to keep it dry. I partly worked but was still wet from the constant rain. I finished packing up and continued to watch the rain fall. This was rediculous, there was no avoiding this rain. I briefly thought about staying, but that was a stupid thought. I said to myself "start walking or go home now" I had already forgotten that I just needed to bear it when it rained and I would be fine but the constant rain washes that away from your memory. I set out and was soaked within a couple minutes but then it stopped being uncomfortable and I finished my ascent up Apple Orchard mountain and under the well know Guillotine which was one of only a couple spots on the trail in which it actually goes under a rock. This was aptly named since it looked like it could come crashing down at any second. It wasn't held up by much. I walked with a purpose all day to make my destination by dark since I had wasted the whole morning fretting about the rain. Since the rain was pouring down and my tent was pretty wet I decided that the bugs couldn't be bad since it was raining so hard so I went to bed in the shelter despite my better judgement.
Date: 2003-06-17
From: Matt's creek shelter

To: Johns hollow shelter
Miles today: 3.9
Weather: light rain

Last night was the worst night of sleep I had on the trail. I was wrong about the rain keeping the bugs down. They were awful. It was no-see um season and these things were killers. It was too hot to be all the way in my sleeping bag but too buggy to be out of it, and when you were in it they still had the open skin on your face to munch on. I was tossing and turning all night alterating between being overheated and eaten. I put some bug spray on in the middle of the night but that provided little relief. I was awake with the other two people in the shelter before seven o'clock. I re-applied bug spray and tried to get a little sleep when the others left. It was still pouring when I woke again a couple hours later. Oh well, it was time to walk. I crossed the large and very swollen James river. There was a shelter a couple more miles and I went down to check the register. I had fallen behind Bucky and Wigglestick a couple days earlier and was just checking the register to see if they had been through. They hadn't. I decided to stay for lunch and see if they came by. I waited for a little while and sure enough they came down with Happy Feet who I hadn't seen since I took up residence in Pearisburg. Coincidentally the bridge over the James river I had just crossed was named for a guy named James Foot who had done a thru-hike with his wife and they were known as the happy feet. Anyway we got to talking and made the decision we were going to stay. Big four mile day. It wasn't currently raining and I went to the task of trying to start a fire with wet wood just to spite the rain. I got it going and we all began gathering wood. Happy Feet went across a small stream and began climbing a steep embankment to a dead tree. He started pulling on a dead limb and next thing I knew he had flipped the entire tree over his head and it came crashing down. He slid down the hill a bit but was unhurt and he had gotten a whole tree worth of wood. He broke off all the branches and we carried them over into a pile. We had enough wood for a bonfire for hours. This was the biggest fire on the whole trail so far. As people began to come in for the night they all were impressed with our firemaking skills. We told them we were trying to burn the rain out of the sky. All in all a very fun and memorable night.
Date: 2003-06-18
From: Johns hollow shelter

To: Cow camp gap shelter
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: overcast clouds

It seems that our fire burned some of the rain out of the sky since it was dry all night and still that morning. We made the hard couple hour climb out of the shelter, up and over and up past the monument of a four year old, Ottie Kline-Powell, who was sent out for wood over a hundred years ago from school and never made it back. He went several hours away and his body was found on top of Bluff mountain. His spirit is said to haunt the Punchbowl shelter that was shortly after the spot. I didn't see anything as I ate lunch. I walked on and came to the Pedlar Dam. There was a trail relocation just after this point that was a year or two old. It was a two mile long stretch of mud. It was a reddish clay mud and was unavoidable and unrelenting. It was without any kind of break and stuck to your boots, then stuck to the mud that stuck to your boots. I had a three or four inch mud extention off both sides of both shoes, not to mention the couple inches under my boots. It was miserable and lasted forever. When it was finally over I walked the last couple miles to the next shelter. We had kind of decided to try for a big day to make up for yesterday and get to Waynesboro by Saturday for the post office. Bucky, Wigglestick and I cooked dinner there and got ready to go. Happy Feet was in for the night. It was getting darker and as we headed out the next six miles it started to rain. We had a big climb to make and hit the trail to the shelter just as it was too dark to see. It was a half mile off the trail and when we got to it we saw about ten tents. It was a girl scout troop that was taking up all the good tenting and the shelter was full so we had to pitch our tents in uneven and rocky spots in a light rain. I still slept great. At least there were no bugs in my tent.
Date: 2003-06-19
From: Cow camp gap shelter

To: The Priest shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: light rain

Woke up fairly late (9:30-10:00)as usual but not unexpected after walking late. Read the shelter log to see how far ahead some of my friends were, many that I haven't seen since trail days. This had been bothering me quite a bit at times and was part of the reason I had been down. I now realize that some are more than a week ahead and I would probably never see them again. Oh well, nothing to do but hike on and take things as they come. Wigglestick was intent on doing huge days to get to the post office in Waynesboro by Saturday morning. As I hiked on I kind of abandoned hope for that idea and conceded I would want a day or two off anyway. Bucky didn't do maildrops so he was in no hurry. We took a long break on a large boulder called spy rock because it was a confederate spy point. The sun had peeked out from the clouds and I wanted to stop and enjoy it since its appearances were so few and far between. The two of us decided only to hike a few more miles and do a 14 mile day into a well known trail hostel called Rusty's Hard Time Hollow. I could wait for my mail. Stayed near a gnat-ridden shelter. Horrible conditions for cooking dinner. Thank god for my tent, my only refuge.
Date: 2003-06-20
From: The Priest shelter

To: Rusty's Hard Time Hollow
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: light rain

Woke up to a few sprinkles. what a surprise. It seemed to stop almost immediately so I decided to make a move to pack up before real rain. It was fairly early (8:30) and I hurried to pack my stuff and good thing because it started to pour shortly thereafter. Bucky had left about twenty minutes earlier so he was getting soaked. I was going to try and wait it out. I gave it about a half hour but then grew tired of the little rain avoiding game I had been playing lately. If it rains I must still walk and set out. It stopped about ten minutes later. I had a long several thousand foot descent down the Priest which was a massive mountain and it continued to sprinkle so I sang some songs. I started with Don't Worry Be Happy and realized I was no Bobby McFerrin. I passed Cripple Creek on the way down, I don't know if it was THE Cripple Creek from the song but when I tried to sing that all I knew was the chorus. I've come to realize on the trail that I don't know the words to as many songs as I thought I did. I got to the bottom and looked up at the long hard climb up Three Ridges. A hard climb is always the reward for a long knee breaking decent. I slowly worked my way up the mountain. Along the way I met a section hiker who was calling it quits because of the weather. He said that we must be masochists. Masochists maybe, but wimps no...go home to your flushing privies and bed. I eventually made it to the top and descended down to the trail to Rusty's. It was two miles off the trail but was said to be worth the walk, which by the way it rained during. What an amazing place. I walked down the driveway to see a runway of crushed cans. I found out that Rusty always had cold soda floating in the spring and that when you were done with the soda you would place it on a post and hit it with a wiffle ball bat. If you can hit it past a certain point he will buy you a pint of Ben and Jerry's. He immediately asks you to sign the book and have a polaroid taken. YOu sign your polaroid and it goes on the roof of the back porch next to hundreds of other hikers who had been there over the years. The walls were covered with pictures of hikers that he had taken in since the place opened in 1983. I met two guys who had been staying there for a week. Uh Oh not another one of these places. He had a rainwater shower, a hot tub, a sauna, frisbee golf, horseshoes and roosters running around everywhere. There was no way I was leaving this place tomorrow.