morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-05-14
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Happy Birthday Glenda...I love you! Took a zero in Damascus, VA today. Up at 6:30am. Not much sleep last night...folks were partying long and loud. Tried to listen to my radio with ear plugs to drown out the noise with no luck. Eventually faded into a fit full sleep.Headed over to the Baptist church first thing to get a shower. What an operation. You get there they take your name. They then give you a towel and sundries you need and then you sit in a waiting area where they serve you coffee...awesome. then it is over to the laundry mat and in between washing and drying of course I get breakfast.Took a shuttle with MILES from the bike shop to the 17 mile marker of the Virginia Creeper Trail. Used to be used by Daniel Boone...and was also once a train track. It was either level or downhill. It was a nice diversion from hiking every day. Half-way through the bike ride we came upon a cafe...and no surprise to any of you I stopped to get something to eat. Got back into town around 2:00pm and went over top see the exhibits. Picked up 3 freeze dried foods...guarantee to taste great...we'll see!Next I went back over to the church. The were doing body mass index measurements...said my body fat was at 14% and my weight was 187...so I only lost about 5 lbs so far. The Dr. Said eat to your hearts content...it was music to my ears!Next I got my feet washed...the people who volunteer to do this need to be nominated for sainthood! Plus got my blood pressure checked...said it was a OK. I then went back over to the laundry mat to charge up my batteries.Had dinner with MILES and UGLY TUNA. Afterwords we were heading back to camp we heard from one of the store fronts an auctioneer. We went in and sat down. All the locals were there. The were bidding on boxes of 12 hostess cupcakes that went for $1.50. A case of water went for $1.75...a ham steak for $1.75...a knife for $5.00 and a vintage 1983 Richard Petty toy car that went for $7.50. It was really fascinating...capitalism at its finest. Then headed back to my tent as a thunderstorm hit. I don't think it is going to dampen the partying that will be going on in tent city!Exhibitors row at the Trail Day festival in Damascus, VA.
Date: 2010-05-15
From: Damascus

To: Lost Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 15.8

Left Damascus at around 9:00am. The rain of the previous evening gave way to a beautiful sunny morning...though on the humid side. MILES, UGLY TUNA and the rest of the hikers I have been with are staying in town for one more day. I wanted to avoid the mass exodus tomorrow and decided to leave today. The ups and downs were about average today. Stopped in Saunders shelter for lunch. Shortly after I got there a group of about 15 kids ages 12-16 and a couple of adults stopped in for lunch too. They were a church group out for a weekend of hiking and camping...some of the packs were bigger than the kids!!! Nice people who had a lot of questions about my hike. Left about 1:00pm and by now the day was hot and humid one. I think I drank about 5-6 liters of water today. I passed SCATTER who was doing a 23 mile slack pack. She needs to be in Bland, VA about 120 miles away this Sunday. Her Dad is picking her up to attend a wedding then he is going to bring her back to the trail and hike with her a few days. I had planned to do about 20 miles today but the heat and humidity zapped my energy so I stopped at Lost Mt. Shelter after 15.8 miles. WOODY and MORE TO DO both section hikers I had met previously were there. We are all about the same age and had a good conversation. Next inn was another section hiker ROMULUS...he has hiked about 1500 miles of the trail. Next in was WILDMAN...a young man about 25 who had tattoos all over him including the Mike Tyson look...ones on his face. He has been hiking the trail since sometime in March. Said he is able to live on the trail for $150-$200/month. He had saved up enough money to hike the trail...then he plans to canoe the Mississippi River. The trail has a VERY diverse group of people! Last to arrive was a small group of scouts and scout masters who are just hiking today and tomorrow. Around 7:30PM the skies threatened...we had a lot of thunder and lightning but just go5t a sprinkle of rain. Tomorrow is a big climb over 2000 ft. in about 3 miles.
Date: 2010-05-16
From: Lost Mt. Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

There were rumbles of thunder on and off through the night. Awoke to cloudy skies...but dry. Hiked up Mt. Rogers when thunderstorms rolled in. I had to put my pack and poles down on the trail and sat and huddled in my raincoat until the lightning stopped. The rain was pouring down. I then made a mad dash over an open field to the shelter...which was luckily just 300 yards away! It continued to thunder and lightning and pour for most of the afternoon. About 14 people are holed up at the shelter. Forecast for tomorrow is not any better. My phone is dead and I have tried another person's cell phone to text home with no luck for service.BUZZ, MORE TO DO, ROMULUS, SCATTER and others are in the shelter. On of the hikers makes dehydrated food and sells through the Internet. It is now 7:30pm and the rain has not let up. Hope it rains itself out by morning. The ridge runner came in about and hour after I arrived at the shelter. He said a lighting bolt hit a tree and he could see shards of the tree on the trail. Glad I got in to the shelter when I did! It looks like a moat surrounds the shelter...too much rain to tent tonight...sleeping in the shelter.
Date: 2010-05-17
From: Thomas Knob Shelter

To: Troutsdale, VA
Miles today: 21.2

Rained hard all night long. The good thing is the thunder and lightning had stopped...just a good steady hard rain. Everyone in the shelter was not eager to leave but we can't make any miles unless we get out there. I am the second out of the shelter. MORE TO DO was first out...ROMULUS was third. Fortunately the rain stopped after about an hour. I got to the Grayson Highlands and saw many wild horses. I wish my phone was working so I could post a picture of them. I did take pictures with my camera...which was wrapped in a baggie. When I was opening it the horses thought it was food and started to come up to me. MORE TO DO and ROMULUS ended up hiking together for most of the day. It was the first time I actually hiked with someone. Most of the time people just hike by themselves due to everyone having a little different pace on the uphills, downhills and level ground. We just decided to maintain a steady pace for all and got a chance to know each other. MORE TO DO is a 61 year old semi-retired. He works a couple of days a week at his former employer...he retired at 56. He is married and has 3 boys in their 30's. ROMULUS is married, 44 years old and has two boys 13 and 10. He and his wife are professors at a small religious college in Georgia. The weather cooperated for most of the day. Just raining occasionally . I tried last night and again today to text home but no luck with a signal from MORE TO DO's phone. Initially I planned to hike 16 miles today to Hurricane Mt. Shelter but since I had not been able to communicate home for the 3rd day I decided to go an extra 5 miles to Troutsdale. MORE TO DO stopped at the shelter. ROMULUS who needs to complete his section hike by tomorrow followed me for a while but his knee started bothering him going downhill so he had to slow down. I told him I was going into town...he wasn't planning to since he was hiking out tomorrow. We split company as I was switching to a higher hiking gear. The last two miles before I got to the road to Troutsdale it started to pour again. Drenched when I got to the road I began hitchhiking the 2 miles into town. After walking about 1/2 mile I got a ride in the bed of a pick-up truck. He took me to Jerry's Grocery and Kitchen who advertise in the AT hiker book that they will do shuttles. I talked to the owner Susanne and asked if they would be able to shuttle me to a hotel. She said she would check on a room down the road about 6 miles for me. She then came back and said she and her husband Jerry would let me stay in their spare bedroom for $20. Sold! Susanne and Jerry have owned the Grocery and Kitchen for about 4 years. They cater to hikers as well as the local towns people. Jerry left Newport News VA after working in the shipyards for 30 years. It is nice to be out of wet clothes, showered and able to do laundry. I have now hiked over 500 miles.
Date: 2010-05-18
From: Troutsdale, VA

To: Chatfield Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 21.6

Up at 5:00am to pack my stuff and treat my feet. Jerry the owner of Jerry's Grocery and Kitchen leaves every day at 5:45am to open the store and get the kitchen going. I use their community computer to send my journal updates and then get breakfast. Around 9:00am just before Jerry is going to take me to the trail in walks MORE TO DO. He has a resupply package at Jerry's place that his wife had sent him. He also said SCATTER is at the post office picking up a package too. They both ate breakfast then Jerry took us to the trail.I take the lead and since I planned to go 7 miles past where they plan to stay I put it into high gear. I am sure I will see them up the trail. Covered the first 14.5 miles in 5 hours then slowed some on the final 7 due to picking up some blisters. It rained on and off again today....not good for feet. The plan is to hike 4.5 miles into Adkins and give my feet a rest until I hit the trail again the next day.I am the only one at the Chatfield Memorial Shelter tonight...a first! I am still sleeping in my tent. These shelters also have mice.
Date: 2010-05-19
From: Chatfield Memorial Shelter

To: Adkins
Miles today: 4.5

Not sure what time I left camp. My $2 Dollar Store watch did not survive the rain. It was my replacement after losing my watch in Gatlinburg. Arrived in Adkins at 9:10am. Checked into the Relaxed Inn...circa 1950's. Then I am off for breakfast at the Exxon station just up the road. It has a rep for good food. As you can see from the picture I did not leave hungry. The food tasted great!Came back to the room and relaxed and watched a movie with Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence which was funny. Next was the Mummy 2. Then I did laundry.The weather was threatening all day...with rain coming late. Tomorrow should be a nice day...then more rain is in the forecast for the weekend.Was checking outside my room on how my tent was drying when MILES walked up. He hiked in about noon today.   His plan is to go to NY to visit his fiance...then back to Georgia to visit his kids. He will be off the trail for about a week.An old school house that is apart of the Settler's museum The schools outhouse.The menu at the Exxon station.My breakfast.
Date: 2010-05-20
From: Adkins

To: US Forest Service Rd. 222
Miles today: 19.3

Had breakfast with MILES. He is leaving the trail for 10 days to visit his fiancee and his children. I left Adkins at 10:30AM. A late start. The weather was beautiful today. A very good day to hike. Met ORBIT and BOOMER...a mate from down under, CHEF GLEN of backpackingchef.com plus a section hiker named Eli. Walked through forest and farm meadows. Got to walk through a herd of cows. Luckily they were not aggressive and let me pass while mooing at me. A very small percentage of the AT goes through private land as it did today for about 4 miles. Got some trail magic!...a person left a cooler of cokes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made fresh today. They sure did hit the spot. I went about 5 miles further than I initially intended. It was 4:15pm when I arrived at the shelter...just too early to stop. I hiked on and ended up camping just off the trail about a third of a mile from a US Forest Service road. Tomorrow will start off with a 2000ft. climb. A good way to start the day...a big climb when you are fresh.Listened to the radio while preparing diner. The rain is supposed to start tomorrow now. Showers and thunderstorms. I plan to get up at daybreak and hopefully make some miles before any thunderstorms hit.Trail magic cooler!
Date: 2010-05-21
From: US Forest Service Rd. 222

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 25.4
Weather: light rain

On the trail at 7:10AM after a good night sleep. Had a big climb to start the day...good to get that behind me early. I could already feel I did not have my normal energy level. Hiked past RAMBLER going up the big climb. He is a section hiker heading to Pearisburg. Next I passed Dwayne who had hiked well into the night. He was just breaking camp. He had hiked by my tent at about 9:00PM last night. Met up with him later in the day. Turns out he hikes 30-35 miles per day. He has only taken 3 zeros so far...a hiking machine. I told him his trail name ought to be CAN'T SIT STILL. I felt fatigued most of the day. Not sure why...also had a headache...just not 100%. The weather held off today...just a few sprinkles. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain all day...will see! That is the reason I did a big mile day today...25+ miles. My feet feel it. I got to the road that goes to Bland at 6:50pm. The road wasn't very busy so I was a little worried about getting a ride. The motel is about 4 miles away and I was not prepared to hike those additional miles! Well as luck would have it...the third car pulled over and picked me up and took me right to the motel! He is the towns only surveyor. His wife and son are hikers too and often pick up hikers...glad he did too!
Date: 2010-05-22
From: Bland, VA

To: Bland, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Up at 6:30am and down to a gas station for coffee. Then relaxed and caught up on the latest news. Found out a number of hikers are here today. BUZZ, RESTLESS LEGS and MORE TO DO are among the hikers here at the Big Walker motel. MORE TO DO section hike ends here. His wife is driving from the Detroit area to pick him up. RESTLESS LEGS is going to stay through Monday. He has something wrong with his leg and is going to get a doctor to look at it. BUZZ and I are back on the trail tomorrow. Bubba who works for the motel also does shuttles. He will take us back to the trail at 7:00am.I hit the library to email journal entries. Also ate breakfast at the local gas/convenience store...a lot of these places in Virginia have cafes in them. Subway was for lunch and a hogie and salad from Pizza Plus rounded out my last meal of the day. I also picked up a few things at the grocery store and washed my dirty clothes in the bathroom sink. All in all a good day to re-energize.MORE TO DO at the Big Walker MotelRESTLESS LEGSRollieFirst Previous Next LastHiker Entries May 22, 2010JournalistDestinationTrailTransientSaufleys Hiker HeavenPacific Crest TrailGranbobHawk Mountain ShelterAppalachian TrailDidgeridude and DoodlebugJenkins ShelterAppalachian Trail "Dances with Wolfie"501 ShelterAppalachian TrailOhibroChillicothe, OhioAppalachian TrailJerry from KentuckyDalevilleAppalachian TrailLocomotive BreathHappy Hiker Hostel, AtkinsAppalachian TrailPeruCherry Gap ShelterAppalachian TrailDilly Dally & CubbieHarpers Creek ShelterAppalachian TrailSlow Walker DartmouthOther TrailsMore...Grouped By Trail... It warmed up to perfect hiking weather under the beautiful clear blue sky. The PCT crosses the picturesque Tuolumne River several times before falling into a pool at Glen Aulin. ...    Whisper ¢Pacific Crest Trail2013HikingTrailsJournalsPhotosCalendarGearLinksPartnersULA EquipmentREIPatagoniaNetworkTrail ForumsTrail NewsAbout UsContactDonateJoinLoginHelpFollow UsFacebookInstagramTwitterPinterest LinkedinTop Photo © Jan Leitschuh - Appalachian Trail, 09/16/2003 by Jan LiteShoeTrailjournals LLC © 2024All Rights Reserved. privacy policyNewburyport, MA 01950Terms under which this service is provided to you. Build: 20210226:165913Manage Settings
Date: 2010-05-23
From: Bland, VA

To: 1 mile south of Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 25.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Bubba picked up HOPPER, TROLL, Ben (HOPPER'S dog) and me at 7:00am at the motel. I am getting shuttled to the trail in Bland. HOPPER and TROLL are slack packing so they are being driven up the trail. They will then walk back to Bland and stay the night at the motel again. HOPPER and her husband thru-hiked the AT in 2005 when her husbands cancer was in remission. He died last year of cancer related to agent orange that he was exposed to in the Vietnam war. He died last year and asked HOPPER to spread his ashes along his favorite spots along the trail. TROLL is hiking with HOPPER as a friend. I was glad to get out of Bubba's pick up truck it had to be 30 years old held together by bond. When I was sitting in the bed of the truck I could feel the bed getting very hot. Not sure if it is his transmission or differential that is causing the intense heat...I just was wanting to get out! A very nice day to hike. Clear and cool in the morning. Also I got some trail magic right from the start. A trail angel had left cokes and apples right at the spot I began hiking! NICE! I met and passed STICK WALKER and his dog Belle hiking. I had met him on a previous day. Also met a section hiker named BUCKEYE...you guessed it...he is from Cincinnati, Ohio. The gentleman had to in his mid-seventies with a full white beard. It was nice to chat with him. Pasted HOPPER and TROLL on the trail. I must have been making good time since they had only gone a little over 6 miles and the their hike back to Bland was over 18. At the 18.4 mile mark for today's hike a road crosses the AT. To the west about 1/2 mile is Trent's Grocery/Gas/Cafe...as usual a cafe in a gas/convenience store in rural VA! I had a double cheeseburger, potato wedges, rootbeer and Gatorade...and while eating and drinking all that I noticed on their menu board the serve milkshakes...so I had to order one of them too! Full to the gills I hit the trail again and go about 8 miles and camp. My feet are sore and needed a break. I found a nice camp area and set up camp at 6:00pm. My dinner tonight was just some peanut butter crackers...believe it or not I was still full from my late lunch! Will be heading into Pearisburg tomorrow. Also I am over the 600 mile mark!HOPPER, Ben (her dog), and TROLL on the trail.
Date: 2010-05-24
From: 1 mile south of Wapiti Shelter

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: light rain

I was awaken at 3:30AM by a night hiker. He missed the turn on the trail and was walking around my tent looking for it. I wonder how many folks hike at night? The headlights that you can buy now a days put out a lot of light to be able to do it. It rained a little last night and was drizzling when I broke camp at 7:45am. the rain gradually increased in intensity throughout the morning. By mid-morning it was a steady rain. The trail was very rocky which spells trouble when it rains. The rocks become very slick and falls can happen before you know it...I am speaking from experience...I slipped and fell for the second time on the trail. Luckily I fell on my butt and not my head! I saw a deer today...I forgot to mention in my last two journals that I spotted 2 deer yesterday and a 5 foot black snake the day before. Still I have not seen as much wildlife as I thought I would on the hike. The rain let up in the afternoon and the sun came out. The climb down into Pearisburg was a steep and slippery one. My 17+mile hike today took about as long as my 25 mile hike the day before. The trail conditions really dictate your speed along with the changes in elevations. I came out of the trail in the town of Pearisburg, VA and had a 1/2 mile uphill climb to my motel. Like Hot Springs and Damascus the trail goes through part of Pearisburg. It is nice not having to worry about hitching a ride.
Date: 2010-05-25
From: Pearisburg

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I had always planned to fly home on 5/27 for my son Eric's graduation. Pearisburg had been my goal...since it is about 66 miles from Roanoke, VA and easy to get a flight to Houston. The next town up the trail was another 100+ miles. I have decided to end my thru-hike at 625 miles and not fly back after my son's graduation. I have been thinking about this for several weeks now. To thru-hike the Appalachian Trail it has got to be the most important goal/thing in your life...when I started I thought it was. That has changed for me...I miss and need to be with my family...and I believe they miss and need me to be back with them. I have a lot of respect for thru-hikers who have family's they are missing but continue onward to achieve their goal of hiking the AT. While the physical part of hiking the trail is difficult the mental part is the toughest.   I just do not have the passion for the trail to overcome my feelings of wanting to go home. Some may say I will regret having given up on the AT challenge. While I may think about it for a few days...I have never been one to live with regrets. I will look back on my AT hiking experience with a lot of good feelings. I had the opportunity to meet many great people...seen the beauty of the southern Appalachian Mountains...and was able to endure the physical and mental challenges of hiking for 625 miles and 51 days. I want to thank all of you who have followed my journey...especially those who signed my guest book giving me encouragement to hike on. Special thanks to the following people:- to my wife Glenda for supporting me on my goal to hike the AT- my son Eric who did a great job updating my journal- my son's Alan and Danny for their encouragement- my brother and sister's for their many e-mails and guest book postings- NedtheFed for his help in my hike preparation as well as advice while on the trail I plan to do a post hike entry next week to give my thoughts on hiking the trail as well as a gear critique. Thanks again for following along on my trek!
Date: 2010-02-13
To: Springer Mtn. GA
Miles today: 0.0

I'll be ordering my FD food for the trail today. I plan to purchase a 28 day supply at this time, and will reorder as necessary from the trail. AT articles have been very helpful concerning the cost of meals on the trail (Higher cost, fewer choices and availability) vs. maildrops (shipping costs, addidtional miles to the PO, and potential downtime awaiting the PO to open). I've found an excellent cost per meal and variety source at cocstcodotcom sold as an emergency food kit at roughly $3.30 per meal, which should make the maildrop more cost effective.
Date: 2010-02-13
To: AT
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I have all my gear at the ready, including summer switchover clothing via planned maildrop. I'll be taking my gear data from my spreadsheet and transferring it to this web journal once I reweigh eveything (again). Obviously gear selection and the weight vs. comfort vs. cost, makes gear selection an important one, and from what I've read is typically an issue for anyone attempting their thru-hike.
Date: 2010-02-15
From: AT

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I took a short hike at a quick pace Saturday in Shelby Farms (approx. 8 miles) mainly to continue breaking-in my boots. Muddy but great hiking weather. Mainly trail runners and bikers on the trail. Most of the trail was flat (it's like that here in Memphis) and those sections that weren't were under water due to the melting snow run off. Oh yeah, Rusty (my border collie) loved the mud and water sections. My wife Diane ran a practice half marathon so we met up foloowing our run/hike. Today I went to the gym for aerobics and the stairmaster, since it's so flat here it's really the only way to prepare for the mtn.'s. Tonight volleyball with the group.