morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-06-03
From: Lamberts Meadow campsite

To: I-81 Interchange, Daleville
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: heavy intensity rain

   I woke at 0330 to the sound of rain. Earlier in the evening the deer were still feeding around our tent area. They were not afraid of us being there.   It was a challenge to figure out the best way to pack up in the rain with the hammock. I got out and took down the clothes line to use for the rainfly but it was not long enough so I cut it in two to hang the fly separate from the hammock. It seemed to work out pretty good. The Bag lady and I were ready to go at 0800 in a light sprinkle. The coolness of the morning was great and we hiked at a comfortable 2.5mph pace. The Bag lady led all day and was really moving. The day was mostly foggy with light rain but we pushed on not worrying to put on raingear. It felt great to be cool and hiking. The map and Wingfoot data are incorrect for this section of trail. There are 7 times you pass under power lines before getting down to the interchange. On the way downhill it started to rain harder and stayed that way until we gotto the bottom. As soon as we exited the woods we saw Pizza Hut and the Econolodge to the right. As we were walking up to the Econolodge Tony Tiger and Benjali were outside and saw us coming. We were drenched from head to toe and probably looked like a couple of wet rats. We checked into the hotel, took showers, laid out equipment to dry, and went to Pizza Hut for lunch.   We saw everyone at Pizza Hut - Bludog & Diva, Not Guilty, Benjali, and others. We all had the same idea for food.    After lunch we relaxed and then went to Kroger's for resupply and then to a coffee shop for coffee and a cappuccino.   It is early to bed tonight for a couple of tired hikers. We learned that the rain was from Tropical Storm Berry. Econolodge: Handyman, The Bag Lady, Tony Tiger, Benjali Wx: rain early am - all day.
Date: 2007-06-04
From: I-81 Interchange, Daleville

To: I-81 Interchange, Daleville
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

ZERO DAY! It was great to sleep in a bed again. Our stuff is still drying out today after the soaking we took yesterday. Tony Tiger decided to take a zero too and will hike with us tomorrow. It was good to see him again.
Date: 2007-06-05
From: I-81 Interchange, Daleville

To: Wilson Creek shelter
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: broken clouds

It was great to sleep in for a change. I got up and started to get things ready to pack up and did some journaling too. I also called home to arrange the next mail drop in Waynesboro, VA. After getting things ready we went to the hotel lobby for breakfast. Mmmmm donuts! We started hiking with Tony Tiger at 1000. Our packs weighed a lot after resupplying. I hate this part of the hike after a town visit. Not only is the food bag heavy and therefore the pack, but the legs are rubbery and don't want to go. Since it was a short day we didn't push ourselves. We maintained a good pace and got to the first shelter pretty easy. As we approached the shelter we saw a young buck feeding nearby. We tried to get closer but it was spooked easily. After we snacked and rested we moved on to the next shelter. It was a slow hiking day as we all readjusted to the trail again. Arrived at the shelter, got water, cooked dinner, journaled, and as I was getting ready for bed it started to rain. The rain didn't last too long and it helped me fall asleep. Coach and Kimchi arrived just before dark and were just starting to eat dinner when the rain started. Tenting: Handyman, The Bag Lady, Tony Tiger, Genesis, Mat©, Coach, Kimchi. Shelter: Not Guilty, Aristotle. Wx: pt cloudy, breezy - am, warm -pm.
Date: 2007-06-06
From: Wilson Creek shelter

To: Jennings Creek campsite
Miles today: 16.9

Last night it rained some but not all night. This morning was a little cooler than normal for us. Today I had bagels and cream cheese for breakfast. Not bad for a change from pop tarts. As I was leaving the shelter area I rolled my right ankle again. What a way to start the day. During a break I got cell coverage and called Chris and Sherry back in Florida. It's always nice talking to both of them. Sherry always lifts my spirit.  The views on the Blue Ridge Parkway are beautiful and I'm going to have to come back here again and drive the road. There is a nice privy at Bobblets Gap shelter. The best one in a long time. We saw Barking Spider and Plodder slack packing again. Some parts of this trail require you to carry more water than normal and this adds a lot of weight. The farther north I go I see some different flowers and wonder what they are. My feet/blisters have been healing for quite awhile. I can't wait until the day I no longer have to tape or bandage them in the morning. Another day closer to the end. Tenting: Handyman, The Bag Lady, Tony Tiger, Genesis, Mat©. Wx: pt cloudy, cool/breezy - am, warm - pm.
Date: 2007-06-08
From: Thunder Hill shelter

To: Matts Creek shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night I had some bad leg cramps from dehydration. My inner thigh muscles cramped and when you are laying in a hammock it is difficult to do anything except ride it out. Yesterday was a physically demanding day getting up the long uphill climbs and it left me drained. At least it is done for today.    The wind also kicked up last night too since the hammock was rocking back and forth and the rain fly started flapping.    I was the first one out and on the trail this morning. It was still breezy and cool but I knew it was going to be hot since it was more humid this morning. The first one out usually catches all the morning cobwebs too, which I did. As soon as I started down off the ridge where the breeze was it got hot. Oh boy, today is going to be a hot one! I reached a forest service road for my first break where Tony Tiger caught up to me. This was a good stopping point before climbing up Highcock Knob Mt. What a name for a mountain. The climb up wasn't that hard but the downhill was worse. The trail did level out for some long switchbacks until Marble Gap and a water source. It was also a good stop for lunch. After lunch we continued on during the hottest part of the day. It was scorching on the long exposed trail was up hill. Once we crested the ridge and started the down the other side, the breeze, what there was, disappeared. The downhill trail seemed to go on forever in the heat of the day with the long switchbacks. We kept going anyway since there was really no place to stop on the trail. We eventually reached the shelter about 1430 which has a small stream near it. It was time to jump into the water to cool off. It felt so good but it was so hot/humid that you started sweating again as soon as you got out. I tried to take a nap in my hammock but without any breeze it was like an oven. We all sat around the shelter until it started to cool off about 1800. Once it was cool enough it was time to cook dinner and wait for the rest of them to show up. Everyone finally made it in tonight, tired, thirsty, and glad to be here. They had a long hot day!   I found a tick on me today and it was the first one so far. I will have to look more often now. Today was a long day because of the heat and humidity. It's almost 2200 and it's still hot outside. I hope I can get some sleep tonight. Tenting: Handyman, Tony Tiger, Genesis, Mat©, Coach, Kimchi, Luna, Torpedo, Not so Easy, The Bag Lady, paul, and two section hikers. Wx: hot/humid - pm, temp - upper 90's.
Date: 2007-06-10
From: Swapping Camp Creek - stealth

To: Seely-Woodworth shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: clear sky

It was a slow start this morning. I¢m still tired from a long day yesterday. I pushed pretty hard to get here and can feel it now. Sometimes you have to test yourself to see what you can do. Hiking along the A.T is like a history lesson. Today I hiked through Brown Mt Creek Valley that has the remains of dwellings from a community of freed slaves during the Civil War to about 1918. It was very interesting going through this area and to imagine how they lived here during that time. Today it¢s hard going up Bald Knob. It¢s about a 2000ft climb in 2.5 miles and I have no energy left from the long day before. After I get over the top and on the way down the other side I stop at the trail head to Cow Camp Gap Shelter and eat a snack for some energy. Aristotle catches up to me here and I meet him again soon on Cold Mt taking a nap. It¢s an exposed bald with great views but I know I need to keep going because I¢m running low on water. I didn¢t want to take the .6mile side trail to the last shelter for water and took a chance that I will make it to Hog Camp Gap before running out. At least it¢s downhill so I won¢t be drinking as much then. I know I am getting close when I hear people in the distance and then see a road with vehicles. It looks like I got here just in time. Bag O¢ Tricks and Piney were just finishing packing up after a weekend of trail magic when I arrived at Hog Camp Gap. They offered me sodas, chips, snacks, cookies, water and a chair to sit in. I was in Heaven! I told them there should be a couple more hikers coming anytime. A few minutes later Aristotle shows up for the fun and so does Brisk too. We are all sitting in chairs and snacking and enjoying this time. Thanks Bag O¢ Tricks and Piney! As we were walking through the meadow we meet Crutch and Rutabaga. They said they were here all weekend and had a blast. There was also a rope swing here that I had to try out. Do not try to swing with a full pack on!! I almost fell off. I have renewed energy and attitude after this stop and leapfrog with Brisk along the trail for a while. The trail meanders through a wooded area along the sides of the hills and steadily climbs until the shelter. The shelter is nice and the area is clear with many tenting sites. I choose a couple of trees behind the shelter to setup the hammock before getting water and then eating dinner. Aristotle and Brisk are staying in the shelter tonight. I thought about it but I can never get comfortable on the hard floors. Besides, I like sleeping in the hammock and I get a better night¢s sleep. Two long days in a row and I feel pretty good. Tenting: Handyman, Brisk, Aristotle. Wx: hot/humid, temp - upper 80's.
Date: 2007-06-11
From: Seely-Woodworth shelter

To: Harpers Creek shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: broken clouds

Slow start this morning since I¢m still a little tired from a long day yesterday. Feel drained but need to get moving anyway. The trail is a rocky road trail from fish hatchery road to Tye River. Especially going uphill to Spy Rock, Main Top Mt and the ridge line was mostly rock walks. After a short break at The Priest Shelter the trail starts going down a steep and rocky trail. I have been thinking of trying to make it to the Maupin Field shelter past Harpers Creek Shelter but it is an extremely steep climb over Three Ridges and I can hear thunder in the distance too. I will have to play it by ear and see how I feel at the VA 56/Tye River road crossing. Awesome!! For the second day in a row we run into trail magic and it¢s great. Peyton, from the Sierra Club, was there grilling some cheeseburgers for us tired and hungry hikers. Aristotle, Bloody Nose and his friend were already there. So was the ridge runner Mike. Just scream out for a Pepsi when you see him. Peyton was grilling these huge cheeseburgers and I ended up having two with, chips, sodas, Little Debbie snacks, and it was all mmmmm good. Hope the rest of the gang also gets to enjoy it too. I don¢t think I will make it over Three Ridges after these cheeseburgers and the booming of thunder in the distance too. I will stop at Harpers Creek shelter and get a good nights rest for the climb in the morning. After a long day of hiking over rocks my feet are pretty sore and I¢m glad to have a creek to soak them in at the shelter. On the way to the shelter I saw another deer that just stood there about 30ft away looking at me as I walked by. This has been the case numerous times the past 2-3 weeks. A short mileage day today is what the body, feet, and spirit needs. Tomorrow may be a 22.0 miler. We'll see how I feel. Need rest so it's to bed early tonight. Shelter: Handyman, Aristotle. Tenting: Worm. Wx: humid, overcast for most am.
Date: 2007-06-13
From: Paul C. Wolfe shelter

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 5.6
Weather: light rain

I slept in today since I was still feeling tired from yesterday and it's a short walk to Waynesboro this morning. I filtered 4 liters of water for everyone in the shelter this morning. They were boiling water to drink and they were nice enough to share dinner with me last night. It was the right thing to do I felt.   I started hiking about 0915 and it was already going to be a warm day. The short hike wasn't bad and was mostly a warm-up stretch if anything. I passed by some more rock walls and a fireplace. It makes you wonder when these were built and who lived here. That is the general feeling I get when hiking everyday out here. Wondering how life was for people during the infancy of the country. Who lived here, why, and what did they do to survive. Amazing people is what I think.    I got to Rockfish Gap and went to the visitor¢s center and was delighted that Sherri, a trail angel, was there to shuttle hikers. How fortunate I was here at the right time. Sherri gave me a ride to the Quality Inn, Waynesboro since this is where I decided to stay. It's more secure than the YMCA from some of the stories I've heard. I was pretty tired and just wanted a place to sleep and leave my gear so I wouldn't have to worry about it. The rest of the day was a post office visit for my mail drop, lunch, some shopping, and relaxing. Wx: warm/humid
Date: 2007-06-14
From: Waynesboro, VA

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

I slept in today since I was still feeling tired from yesterday and because I could. I have some more things to do but rest is still the priority. I get my shopping done and also decide to get a haircut since the temperature is hotter. It¢s still cloudy so a swim in the pool is out of the question for now. I decide to take a walk to the outfitters at the edge of town. I need to get denatured alcohol and also look for a pre-filter for the water filter. It seems like this one is clogged and I end up taking it off to get water. The water filter gets dirtier quicker but it is faster than pumping a liter every 10 minutes with a clogged pre-filter. I also plan to carry only two days of food through the Shenandoah National Park since there are waysides with stores and restaurants throughout. It will make the pack much lighter this way too. I get to the outfitter and talk to the owner about my pre-filter problem and he says I should be able to clean it with alcohol and a brush to clear up the problem. I will give it a try. As I was getting ready to leave the store Tony Tiger walks in and has a taxi waiting while he grabs a couple items before heading back to town. He is also staying at the Quality Inn and I accept his offer for a ride back and split the fare back. Awesome!! We talk about hiking together through the Shenandoah¢s and that he is meeting a friend the second day out at Pinefield Hut. We look at the maps and decide to hike 20 miles the first day so we can be at the hut early enough to meet his friend the next day. The rest of the day is relaxing and getting ready for the next few days. Wx: cool, possible rain
Date: 2007-06-15
From: Rockfish Gap, VA

To: Blackrock Gap shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

Picked up at Quality Inn and shuttled to the trail at Rockfish Gap. Tony Tiger and I hiked together today. The weather was foggy and cool. The first stop was at the registration station for Shenandoah Nat'l Park. You have to basically tell them where you will be during your trek through the park. That is harder than it seems since you may deviate from your plan anyway. At least they will have an idea where you are if they need to contact you. The trail wasn't bad today. It helped after a town visit to ease back into the trail again. The trail was wet from the fog and even wetter through the tall grass areas. A short lunch stop at the first shelter was perfect timing. Unfortunately, it was full of trash from other hikers (day hikers most assuredly) but it got us out of the drizzle that was happening then. After getting back on the trail we saw Barking Spider and Plodder slacking south again. It¢s great seeing them anyway and it¢s almost become a game for us to see where we will meet next. I still wish they would bring me a Mountain Dew with them. Oh well. We also saw a dead deer on the trail today. It was about 50 yards from the road and must have died in the past few days. The trail kept crossing Skyline Drive on our way and we counted at least 7 crossings. Here is a funny thing after the fact. When hiking on wet ground and down hills that have log steps for erosion purposes ¢ do not step on the wet log! I did, slipped and I almost fell on top of Tony in front of me. When it happened it scared the hell out of me but afterwards it was just funny to laugh at. Repeat - do not step on the wet logs!! Shelter: Handyman, Tony Tiger, Sid. Tenting: The Bandaid Kid. Wx: cool, foggy
Date: 2007-06-16
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Started earlier today than yesterday but we are planning on a short day to the next shelter. Tony Tiger is meeting another hiker somewhere near the shelter he had hiked with before. It was a cool start in the fog again. The trail continued up to the top of Blackrock Mt where the peak is covered in large boulders. It was pretty cool up there with the rocks, the trail, and the fog. After a few photos it was time to move on again. The trail continued down after getting back into the forest. A few minutes after crossing Skyline Drive I was stopped by a 2pt buck near a trail intersection and we both stood there for a couple of minutes. It didn't fear me and continued to feed where it was and I continued up the trail. Most of the deer I've seen recently have been like this. I passed a weekend hiker named Mike and caught up to Tony Tiger at the next road crossing. The Bandaid Kid also caught up to us and then we continued on to Loft Mt Campground with a camp store and restaurant. We made a quick stop at the store for a soda, Gatorade, and post cards before moving on to the restaurant another mile down the trail. Ah, the anticipation of getting a cheeseburger is driving us down the trail now at a pretty good pace. Once we get to the restaurant and eat our meals we also try one of their recommended blackberry shakes. Excellent!   Tony tried to contact his friend while here and thinks we may meet somewhere around Simmons Gap. We head down the trail to the Pinefield Hut before stopping for the evening. We meet up with General Tso, Matlanta, Worm, Meghan, and ??. They all plan to move on to Hightop Hut. We were still at the shelter after dinner when a couple deer start wandering around the shelter trying to figure out who we are. They get as close as 30ft before going back into the woods. They do not fear us at all. Tenting: Handyman, Tony Tiger. Shelter: Ben, Pikes County - late arrival. Wx: cool, foggy-am, warm, pt cloudy-pm
Date: 2007-06-17
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Bearfence Mt. Hut
Miles today: 20.6

Today was a long day for anyone just coming back onto the trail after about a month off. We are up early to get started and so are the deer at the shelter. They are still hanging around waiting for us to pee. The trail crosses Skyline drive about three times in the first 5 miles and another time before we get to Hightop Hut for an early lunch break. We need water anyway because it is already warm out. The trail is also exposed in spots so the sun beats down on you as you hike. After hiking in a covered forest for so long it¢s different being exposed to the sun for any period of time. We saw some deer and one rabbit but no bear ¢ yet. And yes, we saw those slackers again today and still no Mt. Dew. One of the strangest things we did see today was some ¢stuff¢ in a small bush that looked like ¢pooh¢. I started calling it the pooh tree and we all started laughing and then kept going while still laughing. We started slowing down around the 16 mile mark and running low on water after the long climb up from Swift Run Gap. I checked the map for the next water source and it is at the Pocosin Cabin. I¢m feeling like my second wind has kicked in and decide that the last mile I will ¢sprint¢ to the water source and have it ready for them when they get there.I took off and was just finishing the water when I heard them coming down the trail. We needed some liquid to make it the last few miles. It is getting late and the trail seems to take forever to get around Lewis Mt. Campground. What made this even worse was the smell of food being cooked. What torture for starving hikers!! We find the side trail down to the Hut and get there tired and hungry. To tired to even think about setting up tents or even my hammock. We all decide to stay in the shelter tonight and get an early start in the morning again. A quick dinner and some relaxing is all we needed to finish this day. What a great day!! Another milestone was completed today when we passed the 900 mile point on the trail. Shelter: Handyman, Tony Tiger, pikes county, loose gear (oscar). Wx: warm, pt cloudy-pm
Date: 2007-06-18
From: Bearfence Mt. hut

To: Rock Spring hut
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: few clouds

We started early today but only are planning a short day since the shelters are spaced far apart. The first one is about 12 miles and then about 15.5 miles after that. We will stop at the first one today and take an easy day and enjoy the hike. As with every day out here it seem like you are always going up the first thing in the morning. It is kind of planned that way too because I would rather tackle some of these climbs while fresh in the morning after a good nights rest. It just makes it more fun to be hiking when you enjoy it. We get to the Big Meadows Wayside in time for a long, long lunch. We relax and enjoy our time here eating great food and then enjoying some blackberry cobbler. As we begin to get ready outside a group of tourists ask us if we are thru-hikers and how far we have come. One family wanted to have their photo taken with us. We thought it was pretty funny that someone would want a photo with some smelly, scraggly looking hikers. Anyway, it was a good time but we needed to get going to our next stop. We stayed at the wayside for almost 3 hours. We saw more deer and a turkey but no bears. I hope to see a bear before I leave this park otherwise I may turn around and hike it again until I do see one. It seems that other hikers are seeing them all over the place. We reach the Rock Spring Hut area and it is packed with thru-hikers, weekenders, and just about anyone else. The shelter is already crowded and we look around for at least two tents sites to set up tents. I can set my hammock up anywhere there are two trees close together so it doesn¢t matter if I have level ground or not. We walk past one of the privy¢s and are greeted with a foul stench and pass up the closest sites near it. After we setup, get water, clean up, and eat dinner we relax the rest of the time while visiting with the other hikers at the shelter. On the way back to our sites we continue with the one arm pole challenge of hanging our food bags on the bear poles. There are poles with hooks to hang you food bags on with a long metal pole to lift them up to the hooks. My bag is heavier than the other two so it¢s always a challenge anyway. The metal pole doesn¢t help either since it weighs at least 5 pounds too. Tenting: Handyman, Tony Tiger,, and many others. Wx: warm, hot-pm