morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-05-28
From: Bailey's Gap Shelter

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

7:01pm - Little WingI spent a bit of time this afternoon on a wild goose chase. I didn't catch him. He pulled the old limp wing routine to lead me away from his nest and eventually flew away after jumping off a cliff. I've been seeing a lot of birds these last few days. When night hiking I saw an owl and I saw a turkey yesterday. Today I saw a really cool hovering bird in addition to the grouse. I'm pretty sure it was too large to be a hummingbird but I've never seen any other type of bird that can hover.Today was a bit frustrating for the wrong reasons. It started out great - another early start followed by making good time. I crossed VA 613 around 10 and spent some time hanging out around Wind-Rock and enjoying the view. While up there I noticed a white Jeep pull up the road I had just crossed, but didn't give it much thought. Big Mistake. After I arrived at War Spur shelter for lunch, the others came in raving about this wonderful trail magic they had - soda, candy bars, and homemade brownies. Yep, it was the jeep I saw pull up. I know I shouldn't regret that magic I missed or expect it to occur, but for some reason it just sat wrong with me. Some days are like that.Indy and I hiked out and saw a minivan pull up right as we reached the next road crossing. Not wanting to repeat my earlier mistake, we took a short water break and watched the van out of the corners of our eyes. No dice, though. It was just some day hikers. We kept walking. Our faith, however, was rewarded. Part way up a pretty long climb we found a cooler left by "Super Dave." Inside were some cold sodas. The timing was perfect and even eased some of my bitterness about the magic I missed earlier. Sometimes a soda is all you really need.I also picked up a book at the shelter I stopped at for lunch - "Everything is Illuminated." It was dropped off somewhere earlier on the trail by Fester with a request for each hiker who reads it to sign it, and for the last hiker of the season to mail it back to him. I have no idea what the plot is yet, but I like the writing style. I'm also just looking forward to having some extra entertainment to pass the time in the evenings. The days are getting long more so than the time I spend hiking.Well, off to read!
Date: 2005-05-29
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

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

6:37pm - Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak TreeIt was a busy day today, especially for a 12 mile day. We're planning to camp on Dragon's Tooth tomorrow so we slowed down a bit to have reasonable mileage tomorrow. The trail opened around ten and we took our first break about twenty minutes later when we came across an old, abandoned house deep in the woods. It was falling to pieces but was covered in handprints, a la Blair Witch. I'm not sure which copied which.Another hour later we stopped again after finding some sodas on the side of the trail. Those cherry cokes carried us a half hour more to the Keffer Oak, our appointed lunch spot. The Keffer Oak, simply put, is big. As in really, really big. It measures about eighteen feet around and unlike the Wasilik Poplar in North Carolina, this tree has a full canopy of healthy green leaves. It's quite an inspiring sight. I long to see forests filled with such mighty trees; I long to see forests that are no more but shadows of memory.I was shaken out of my contemplation by a climb up to a ridge filled with crags and views. The climb was rough but rewarded by the vistas and a fun walk along a mild precipice. Unfortunately, the shelter and water up top was farther off the trail than I had realized. Laziness won out and I opted to walk the next 6 miles on half a liter of water rather than descend three tenths of a mile down a steep hill to the spring. Two hours later I was wondering about the wisdom of my decision. Two hours and twenty minutes later, I felt vindicated upon arriving at Niday Shelter.Vapors was hanging out when I got there. He was camped with us last night, too, but was planning to go twenty two miles today. Before long he took off. An hour later, Ug rolled into the shelter with a tale of stopping a dumbfounded Northbound hiker travelling in the Southbound lane. Yep, Vapors failed to notice he was hiking the same stretch again for thirty minutes. I guess he'll be hiking a long twenty two miles today.Turbo Joe just rolled in and is quite excited about the prospect of the Troutville Waffle House. Live Strong, Ug, Ski Bum, Africa, and Insanely Grateful are also calling this shelter home for tonight. The skies are threatening rain, but I maintain hope for a nice evening. But if it does rain, I'm sure I'll still enjoy myself. It's been too good a day.
Date: 2005-05-30
From: Niday Shelter

To: Dragon's Tooth
Miles today: 14.1

7:30 pmIt was another beautiful, lazy day. The trail opened around 8:30 for me. I wasn't the first one out of the gate, either. Insanely Grateful was out first, followed by Ski Bum. We saw him pass by an hour later again after he realized that south ain't north. There's something fishy about that particular stretch of trail...I swapped lunch and dinner today so that I could do my cooking down by a river where I actually had water. We lingered for a long time at lunch - nearly two hours for me. But it was well planned. Dragon's Tooth doesn't have water up top so we tried to avoid hiking during the heat of the day. It was still a hard climb, though. The ridge up was rocky with many false summits.Dragon's Tooth itself is cool. It's this large rock rising to the heavens that, well, looks like a tooth large enough to belong to a dragon. We're camped in its shadow. The tooth provides great views. Right now I'm watching the sun slip over the horizon and hope to witness the reverse in the morning.Two more days to Troutville/Daleville. Though I don't need food, I'll still be stopping at a convenience store 2.5 miles from here (+ 0.4 miles on the road) in the morning. I take every chance I can get to eat non-trail food.
Date: 2005-06-03
From: Holiday Inn Express, Daleville

To: Holiday Inn Express, Daleville
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: overcast clouds

10:30 pm - Living and Dying in 3/4 TimeToday was a good day. I slackpacked 20 miles in the correct direction and ran into Gozor on the trail. When we got back we grilled some sausages for dinner. Life is sweet.
Date: 2005-06-04
From: Holiday Inn Express, Daleville

To: Marble Spring
Miles today: 9.6

8:48pm - Spare PartsWell, I've finally managed to escape Daleville, though not without a price. The day started innocently with a breakfast buffet at Country Corner. We then started the process of shuttling people to their put in points. Professor and Live Strong, neither of which slackpacked two days ago, were dropped off by Hot Crotch. However, when I tried to get a shot of them leaving, my camera started acting up. Some motor engaged and the field of view snapped upwards thirty degrees. A few seconds later it reverted, then swivelled again. The oscillation became more rapid to the point of vibration. I was forced to turn the camera off. I tried to call my Dad to check the troubleshooting guide in the manual but nobody answered. I'm afraid that I'll likely have to send it back to Sony for repair. I'm hoping that it's still under warranty.Lugging a worthless camera, I piled into Phoenix's car with Crazy Legs and Low Bridge. We dropped Low Bridge off a a point thirty miles up the trail. (We actually dropped him at a blue blazed side trail, the point at which he disembarked after discovering he went North instead of South.) Crazy Legs and I were dropped off on the Blue Ridge Parkway, thirty eight miles north of Troutville.We quickly made it to the Thunder Hill shelter where we ran into EZ Does It and Easty again. We pondered our strategy. I need to get to Glasgow tomorrow to make some phone calls; Crazy Legs needs to get to Big Island on Monday to pick up a package. They're both reached by the same road crossing fifteen miles past the shelter. In the end, Crazy Legs decided to wait up for Low Bridge at the shelter. They'll hike the full fifteen tomorrow and camp just past the road, allowing Crazy Legs to hitch to Big Island first thing in the morning. I hiked on halfway tonight, which will give me a short hike tomorrow and plenty of time to make my phone calls and top off my food pack. I'll meet them tomorrow night at the campsite, which will be convenient if I have to mail my camera to Sony on Monday. The three of us should be back together tomorrow, but when we'll next see Professor is anybody's guess. It may not be until Waynesboro or even later - I need to cover the eighty miles between Glasgow and Waynesboro in a mere five days.On another note, it's finally feeling like summer in Virginia. It's getting hot and humid and the bugs are starting to emerge. I cut up a mosquito net tonight and tied it over the ends of my tarp in an effort to keep the bugs at bay. It's not totally bug proof, but I'm hoping it'll at least keep the majority out. It'll be nice to have a bug free zone. They're only going to get worse. Maybe I'll even pick up some bug repellent while I'm in town tomorrow, too. So much to do, so little time.
Date: 2005-06-05
From: Marble Spring

To: Rocky Row Run
Miles today: 7.9

8:57pm - If The Phone Doesn't Ring, It's MeJimmy Buffet once sang, "There's good days and bad days and going-half-mad days." Today was a bit of each, but mostly the first. I started early and made excellent time, but was a little bummed about not being able to shoot any of the fantastic scenery I passed by. About halfway to the road I passed Vapors slacking south. His pack broke and he's marking time while waiting for the new one to arrive.I made it to the gorgeous James River before 11:30 and planted myself by the side of the road. Fifteen minutes later, I caught a hitch and headed in to Glasgow. The "supermarket" I went to was beyond disappointing; they had more empty shelves than full ones. Still, I was able to scrounge up a few days worth of food, though I pity the hikers who scavenged after me. I'll certainly be having a few meals slightly different from my usual patterns.After repacking my food I found a pay phone and settled in for the long haul. The first order of business was my camera. I called my parents who found me the Sony technical support line. After about ten minutes, the technician I spoke with had me try a reset procedure - remove the battery, turn on the camera for twenty seconds, and turn it off again. Miraculously, it fixed my problem. Papa Razzi was back in business.I then began making a series of calls to friends who wanted to meet up for hiking in the Shenandoahs. It took a while and involved many complications such as callbacks to the payphone, passing messages through third party channels, and emails between complete strangers. Still, I'm cautiously optimistic that I'll soon be introducing a few new characters to all you faithful readers.At long last I hitched back to the trail and hiked in a whopping fifth of a mile to rendezvous with Crazy Legs and Low Bridge. They beat me to the campsite by an hour or so. I ended up reading my book for a good long while and watching over the campsite while they hitched to town. Crazy Legs's thumb is rapidly enlarging and he went in search of a doctor. He found a clinic that opens tomorrow morning, so he'll try again then. In the meantime, he returned with hot dogs.I dragged myself away from my comfortable reading spot overlooking a mountain stream and headed down to the James River instead. We swam for a bit and then played some hacky-sack with Dirty Girl and Elf. I need to get a hack. I felt a wave of nostalgia as the old skills slowly began to awaken from the dormant state. Plus it's a great time killer and it stretches you out well.We also ran into Gozor again at the trailhead. He came back with us to our campsite and helped us polish off the dogs. It's great to have him around - he's a riot. He's been having fun naming groups - the Dream Team, the Hack Pack, and the Raging Cajuns are just a few of the ones he's handed out. To top off the evening, a certain nutbag came strolling in just before dark. He looked quite Professorial, so we welcomed him with open arms. Hail, hail, the gang's all here.
Date: 2005-06-06
From: Rocky Row Run

To: Little Irish Creek
Miles today: 14.7

9:10pm - KameraThe camera is dead. Long live the camera.I got an early start today and was glad for it. It was a real scorcher and I was feeling the heat well before 9am. I left camp alone - the other dream team members all had town errands, except for Bridge, who volunteered to guard the packs. I soon caught Gozar and ended up hiking with him up today's climb. We had a vertical rise of over 2,500 feet up Bluff Mountain. Anyone want to climb a half mile tall ladder while carrying 30 pounds?At the top was a monument to a little boy named Ottie Powell who died in the late 1800's. He was lost and his body was found near the top of the mountain. His ghost is rumored to haunt a nearby shelter. The monument is covered with coins and toys left as a tribute. I pulled out my camera to take a picture, and my day went downhill. The camera problem returned and the reset trick didn't work.There wasn't much else to do so Gozar and I walked down the hill. We stopped at a spring just across the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was well timed - I had just run out of water and was thirsty as all get out. We spent about a half hour discussing the new Star Wars film when we were interrupted by a swarm of slackpackers. The Dream Team had combined forces with the Hack Pack and were awaiting their respective pickups. We joined in a game of hacky sack until Phoenix arrived. Apparently Crazy Legs's package hadn't arrived yet so everyone else decided to slack today and wait around. Yep, they've been sucked back into Daleville for another night.I took advantage of Crazy Legs's cell phone and called Sony back about my camera. I need to send it back in for repairs. Unfortunately, my 1 year warranty only covers parts, not labor. It's not going to be cheap to get this camera repaired, but it's better than having an unfinished project eat away at the back of my mind. Phoenix was kind enough to take my camera and ship it back tomorrow, allowing me to continue hiking toward Waynesboro without an extra delay.Two hours later, I once again set off alone, minus four pounds of camera gear. I reached Little Irish Creek an hour and a half later under threatening skies. As raindrops began to fall I hurriedly pitched my tent, an action that promptly scared away the rain. Too bad it didn't scare away the ticks. I've probably plucked nearly a dozen off me over the course of the evening.What was once a quiet campsite is now a bustling metropolis. Turbo Joe arrived at the same time, and we've since been joined by Dandy Lion, Cowboy, Wilderness Bob, Domino, and Live Strong. No matter - company is always appreciated and tonight is no different.
Date: 2005-06-07
From: Little Irish Creek

To: Spy Rock
Miles today: 23.3

I couldn't sleep last night. I don't know if it was the rocky ground, the bugs, or the humidity but I never got comfortable. I got up at 6am this morning. I was hiking 40 minutes later.It was a slow but enjoyable start as I wound around Brown Mountain Creek, looking for signs of the community that existed until the 1920's. It was a gorgeous morning. The air was cool and crisp; the sun streamed down from pine boughs. Then the fun began. I climbed up Long Mountain Wayside and kept climbing. Yesterday I had a vertical ascent of 2,500 feet - today's was 3,000 continuous feet up Bald Knob.Let me set the record straight. Bald Knob isn't bald, but Cold Mountain is. However, Cold Mountain was hot. Neither Cow Camp nor Hog Camp Gaps had cows or hogs. The trail seemed mislabeled. Still, even with its flaws, it was a pretty awesome day. I watched distant thunderclouds while eating atop Cold Mountain and caught up to Gozar (the Gozarian) at Hog Camp. Hog Camp Gap itself was very cool - it had two swings hanging from oak limbs, one of which I tested out. It's been a while since I last had a good swing.This afternoon's hike led us over Wolf Rocks, a spectacular vista overlooking a high elevation valley. From its rhododendron shrouded boulders I surveyed the valley floor and distant ridges without a single man made object in sight. It was awe inspiring. Though there were some good campsites nestled in the lush forest (except for a lack of water) we pushed on. It was too early to stop.We soon crossed the North Branch of the Piney River, where I saw a huge tree growing on top of a ten foot boulder. Its roots slid across and down the rock to the earth below. We rolled into the Seeley Woodworth Shelter at 4:30. I had travelled 20.5 miles so far. Ravished, Gozar and I cooked dinner and rested a bit before pressing on. I'm thinking about pushing for Rusty's Hard Time Hollow tomorrow which is still a good distance off. Every mile walked today is one less for tomorrow.We only went another 2.8 miles to Spy Rock. How had I never heard of this place? There are campsites nestled in plush grass between majestic oak trees, ferns, and incredibly fragrant azaleas. Spy Rock casts its shadow over these sites, looming at the edge of a ridge. A short rock scramble leads one to the summit to be treated to a spectacular 360 degree panorama. Wolf Rock was nice; Spy Rock is a highlight of the entire trail. I need to come back here in the fall when the leaves are changing.The best things in life are seldom planned. When I awoke I had no clue I'd hike 23.3 miles (my longest day) to one of the most spectacular camping spots I've ever seen. I like surprises.
Date: 2005-06-13
From: Calf Mountain Shelter

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: scattered clouds

8:14pm - Seven Nights to RockSometimes you just have to do a double take. For instance, Rob and I were strolling along this morning when I spied a patch of colorful feathers off to the side of the trail. "Check out the peacock!" I exclaimed. "The what?" "The peacock." I don't know where it came from, but a large peacock was in the process of slowly waddling away from the trail.We enjoyed a hot, humid hike before reaching Rob's ride at the Riprap Trail parking lot just before 1pm. I presented Rob with my gratitude for coming and my trash; he presented me with a bag of fun-size Snickers. I only had another 3.5 miles to the shelter and an entire afternoon, so I decided to explore a side trail. I stashed my pack in the woods and marked the trail with a cairn so I could find it again later. With only a camera (I borrowed my Dad's while mine is being repaired) and a water bottle, I set off for Calvary Rocks.I reached them after a mile of mostly downhill walking. There were a few white rocks on the side of the trail overlooking a valley, but the larger rocks loomed above me without a trail leading up. No worries, I made it up anyways with some bushwhacking and rock scrambling. I was treated to a nice panoramic view. As I surveyed the valleys below, I thought about how our relationship to the wilderness has changed. Once upon a time, towns and cities served as the havens from the encircling wilds. Today, it is the wilderness that serves as a refuge, allowing us to save our souls from the all-pervasive hallmarks of civilization.Seven is a lucky number. There are seven deadly sins, seven sides to a seven-sided die, and seven nights to rock. It is a number of hope; a number of salvation. Atop Calvary Rocks, I found seven ripe blueberries. For weeks I've been watching the bushes grow darker, with some even reaching a greenish purple. None, however, had reached the right shade, not until today. It is a sign of things to come, very tasty things. Sadly, I could find no more berries. Though my gaze followed the side of the trail, no amount of peering or praying could coax the always green berries into maturity.As expected, I arrived at the shelter on the early side, around 3:30. I didn't mind, though. The skies were darkening, thunder rumbled and some drops began to fall from the sky. While it never really cut loose, I was still content to play rummy with three fellows out on vacation. I narrowly lost a close, intense game 540-535. By then, the skies were again clear and it was time for dinner.I had a Backpacker's Pantry meal I rescued from a hiker box in Waynesboro. Though easy and convenient, I honestly think that the packaged backpacking meals don't taste that great. Give me Liptons or give me death, I guess.Besdes the three vacationers, a southbound section hiker (Melanie/Bumps) is here tonight, along with a lot of the section hikers who camped around the shelter last night. Rumor holds that the Bruce pack may show up later. I hope so - I'm ready to hack, but daylight is fading fast.
Date: 2005-06-15
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Bearfence Hut
Miles today: 20.6

7:48pm - Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!Today I hiked 20.5 miles and didn't see a single person on the trail. Instead, I saw four bears.As I was walking up Hightop Mountain, I heard a crashing about twenty yards away. Sure enough, I saw two black fuzzballs scuttling up a tree. Then Momma stood up, and she was huge! She looked at me for twenty seconds or so. When it had been determined I was harmless, she gave an unobserved all-clear sign. Her two cubs scurried back down to the ground and the family disappeared together into the brush. Making eye contact with a full grown black bear standing on its hind quarters certainly reminds you that they aren't overgrown dogs.I pushed on to the South River Picnic Area for lunch, arriving right before two o'clock. I thought it might be another blistering day so I tried to hike as much as I could early on. By then I had hiked nearly fifteen miles, but in the end it was unnecessary to rush. It turned out to be a rather pleasant day with a nice breeze. However, my early mileage did allow me to get to the campstore at Lewis Mountain before it closed. I treated myself to ice cream - after all, I had hiked nearly twenty miles and it wasn't even four thirty.I also ran into Peanut at the campground. She, too, was headed for the shelter tonight. She was also at the picnic area for lunch, but I didn't know it was her at the time. As advertised, she was at the shelter when I arrived.It's only the two of us here. Well, there's also a very tame deer that hung around when we were cooking dinner. It's very odd - I seem to be in an isolated hiking pocket, separated from the other thru-hikers. I know there's a huge pack one day ahead of me - the shelter registers hold accounts of their nightly readings from 'The Hobbit.' I suspect there's probably another wave just behind but I don't know for sure.Oh, yeah - there may be one more resident. The register mentioned that a bear came through camp this morning and drank a beer that was in the stream. Maybe the buzzed bear will return tomorrow.Speaking of bears, I almost forgot my other sighting. Just before the campground I heard some crashing in the brush. A decent sized bear was busy bounding away. It was nowhere near as exciting as today's first encounter, but bear sightings are always fun. As long as the encounter doesn't involve stealing my food, that is.