morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-06-09
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Atkins, VA
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The intersection of AT and highway I-81 is today's destination. There's a restaurant where we can pick up mailed packages, and of course eat. Lee mailed a 5-day food package here last week. That's a common way of reprovisioning. Someone mails a package with food and necessities to a prearranged address at certain intervals on the trail. My right boot had been leaking in rainy weather, and it's nice to have dry feet whenever possible. So I called the company (Lowa) and they offered to mail me new boots for free, I just have to send the old ones back. I'm picking those up today. Great service!We're staying at the 'Relax Inn', an old run-down motel. No mice, bears, a shower and bathroom - pretty luxurious. The four of us shared a room with two beds. Two per bed, in our sleeping bags, a lot of space for us. The son of the hotel-owner drove us to town and picked us back up a few hours later for 20 bucks. He's a young Indian guy who seems born for city life and is stuck helping his parents in this agricultural landscape full of cows, haybales, truckers, hikers and farmers, two gas-stations, one hotel, one restaurant.
Date: 2010-06-11
From: Atkins, VA

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Late start today. After a home made stew, and a home made peach cobbler at the Exxon Station of all places, back into the woods. Rainy day and I don't feel all that energetic. But it's only 14 miles to the shelter and the scenery is beautiful.
Date: 2010-06-12
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: moderate rain

I thought it was rainy yesterday. Well, today it really poured down. I had just made it into one of the few shelters with 4 walls and a door when the skies opened up. The five people that came in behind me were drenched. We stayed in and cooked for a while, and headed out again. I got wet anyway. Again a tiring low energy day, but the knee is gradually getting back to normal.
Date: 2010-06-14
From: Jenny Knob Shelter

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Had a refreshing dip in the cold water of Dismal Creek. Read in one of the shelters about a hostel down the road. I had read about it in my book but almost forgot. Woods' Hole hostel is about half a mile off the trail. It's a large log cabin main house, with a small log bunk house surrounded by woods. Three dogs, two cats, more hummingbirds than I've ever seen in one place, a vegetable garden, dinner and breakfast available, mostly home grown and local ingredients. It was my favorite hostel to date. The owners are a young couple who run the place by themselves. www.woodsholehostel.com tells you everything about it.
Date: 2010-06-15
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Holy Family Hostel
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: few clouds

Started a little late because I had a massage. Life on the trail is really spartan. The late start didn't matter, because I felt 20 again and walked down the trail with the elegance of an antelope. Until I slipped and fell on my ass.After that little reality check I limped into town, picked up my food package that Lee had mailed to me, and went looking for the hostel. I found it on the other side of town. The holy family hostel is a cute converted barn, next to the church that runs it. No set charge, just donations. No alcohol allowed, but I went to the Mexican in town and had 2 Negra Modelos with my dinner. They didn't say anything about alcohol that was already inside of you...
Date: 2010-06-16
From: Holy Family Hostel

To: Pine Swamp Branch
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: light rain

Today back out on the trail, a little sad because our friend Wizard is leaving. He ran out of money, earlier than anticipated, so he's going back to work and school and plans to come back next year or so to finish up. We'll miss his sense of humor and off-beat observations. Called a shuttle driver who just lives a few doors down. A very friendly recently retired guy who charged only $5 to take us the 3 miles to the trailhead, after stopping at the post office, and a last food festival at the local Hardees. My first fast food in about 10 years. Except for the day before.
Date: 2010-06-17
From: Pine Swamp Branch

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Every time I check this site I look at the counter keeping track of how many times this journal has been viewed, and check the guest book.Thanks to all of you who keep track, send emails, sign the guest book, or just look at the pictures.It takes quite a bit of time to keep the journal updated. It'll be a nice memory for later, but my motivation comes from knowing that some people actually are waiting to read what I've been up to.This is not exactly a normal vacation. Sometimes it feels like a really hard job. But then there are all the worthwile payoffs: beautiful nature, the time to reflect, lack of stress, the little adventures, interesting people, new friends, odd people, relaxing hostels, towns with all the food we have been dreaming of on the trail, the awareness of all the good things waiting for us when we make it back home, and knowing that in a few months we won't have to put a heavy backpack on our back and hike 20 miles if we don't want to...
Date: 2010-06-18
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

To: Pickle Branch Shelter
Miles today: 22.5
Weather: broken clouds

Yesterday started off pretty good. We hiked a mile over to the Captain's, a private house that is always open to hikers, even when the owner's not there. We made a pot of coffee, and screwed around for a couple of hours eating breakfast. Of course that made us have to walk a lot harder the rest of the day. Today was a higher mileage day, so we left early in the morning. It was nice and cool, with beautiful rural landscapes, meadows to cross, a huge oak on the way (18 feet around). Then as the sun rose, the temperature did too, up to 81 (30 C). A few long uphills along with the high temperatures made it into a pretty hard day. We felt we deserved pancakes for dessert, so I got to try out my new little teflon pan. A warm sweaty night, if you stayed out of the sleeping bag the mosquitos and tiny little flesh eating flies got to feast on your body, if you got in the bag sweat streamed off fast enough to raise the water level in the creek. I'm going to have to start using my tent on these warm nights.
Date: 2010-06-19
From: Pickle Branch Shelter

To: Campbell Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: scattered clouds

The plan was to get up early and leave to get some breakfast at a grocery store just off the trail about 7 miles further, and move on for a relatively easy day. The plan was good, but the trail wasn't. Big rocks, small rocks, sharp rocks on their sides like blunt knives, uphill rocks, downhill rocks. We've done this before, but today we were hot and hungry. Restless Legs has been fighting some bad blisters, and decided to skip the store and get on to the next shelter. Cricket and I took about two hours to sit down, eat biscuits burgers, ice-cream and drink lots of juice and coffee. Then suddenly the day became great. The terrain was easier, we were energized, and with the blue sky and clear skies the views and landscape were exceptionally beautiful. We even had a perfectly timed thunderstorm right after dinner when everyone was getting ready for bed.
Date: 2010-06-20
From: Campbell Shelter

To: Daleville
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: scattered clouds

The mosquito insistently buzzed in my ear. Not usually a welcome sound at 5 on a Sunday morning. But this mosquito was different. She was my wake-up call into a perfect Sunday. The first one up, I moved as quietly as my creaking joints would allow, and just sat on the steps watching the sky get lighter and listened to the birds waking up. When it was light enough I read a little while until others started moving about. Then my favorite morning ritual, cooking oatmeal, making coffee and talking to other campers. When we hit the trail the air was still cool, the forested path taking us along the ridgeline to Tinker Cliffs at the opposite end of the valley. A hawk was floating below, looking for a meal on the valley floor far underneath him. Standing on the cliffs, looking 1300 feet below at a rural valley surrounded by wooded hills, no sound but the wind and the birds, gives you a sense of peace that is hard to find in modern life. Then of course it got pretty hot. Ten miles to town, thinking about food, and pretty soon, after my water ran out, thinking about drinks. Juice, gatorade, water, smoothies, and above all: a cool beer. And I had it all and a margarita after a long hike down to the town of Daleville.
Date: 2010-06-21
From: Daleville

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

I'm lying in my tent trying to remember some of the stories I've heard. It's a warm clear night, I left the rain fly off and can see the moon through the trees. Everyone's gone to bed. I'm sipping a little wine from a box I got at the supermarket yesterday. There's a nice breeze blowing through the leaves. Earlier, Gipcgirl, an Australian lady who's hiked and lived all over the world was describing the unfortunate exploits of a would be outdoorsman. A few weeks ago they were watching this guy prepare his throw line to put up his bear bag. He put a rock in a bag that had a rope attached to it and threw it high up into a tree.It was a good throw, the bag went over a branch and swung right back down in the middle of his face to the great amusement of his shelter audience. He got to continue the trail with his broken nose all taped up.Flip flop hiked the first several weeks of the trail in flip flops. Pincushion had many body pearcings. He got rid of most of them after his lip ring got caught between his teeth while eating, chipping two front teeth. Wizard tells the following story about his first bear encounter. He was walking down the trail, minding his own business. He glanced behind him, and there's this large bear going the same direction. Wizard took off like a bat out of hell. He imagines himself looking like a cartoon character: eyes wide in terror, arms pumping, legs high. After a while he looked back, and there's no more sign of the bear. I can just see both of them walking along, then noticing each other, and getting the hell out as fast as they can in opposite directions, eyeballs popping out of their sockets.
Date: 2010-06-22
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Got up early with a great plan. Yesterday we (that means I) saw in the book that the AT crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway right next to the Lodge, about 10 miles from here. So the plan is to get a great lunch at a real restaurant. This morning I noticed the fine print, it's about 5 miles between the crossing and the lodge. No problem, we'll just hitch hike (illegal on the Parkway). Within 15 minutes after putting our thumbs in the air, we caught a ride with a radar service man in the back of his pickup truck. Stuffed ourselves at the lodge, and expected a swift return to the trail. An hour and a half later, we were still baking in the hot sun (over 90 that day). Very few cars, and almost no pickup trucks. The few middle aged, middle class people in their brand new SUV's weren't about to let three sweaty, stinky hikers and their packs in their pretty little vehicles. Finally Restless Legs got kind of restless, and started walking the 5 miles back. I went to get an icecream at the gift shop, and Raylene behind the counter offered for us to use her car, take ourselves and our packs back, and just one of us would have to bring her car back and run to the trail. Right then I spotted a pick up truck, asked the man for a ride, no problem, and he picked Restless up on the way back. Great. Now another 10 miles to the shelter and it was pretty late. Six miles later, there's a swimming hole. What can we do but jump in, clothes and all. Heavenly! A few minutes later Pale Blue Dot showed up, and got wet too.As we get out of the water, we hear someone holler: " Any AT hikers want a ride to get a Subway sandwich? " You know what the answer to that was. The hero of the moment was 'Roadkill', a Texan who had driven up on his week off to do some section hiking. We'd met him the day before on a break at one of the shelters. The 4 of us, and our packs got in his car for a joyride towards subways and ice-cream.So that made us really late for the last 4 miles. We had a night hike in our future! Great news to me but I don't think Restless was as excited about arriving at the shelter in the middle of the night.Hiking at night is really wonderful. We had a full moon, so didn't need any light. The blazes on the trees are clearer than during the daytime. The trail is a faint, winding image stretching out before you. Lightning bugs are twinkling in the dark woods. It's perfectly quiet, no birds, just the sound of your footsteps.
Date: 2010-06-23
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Blue Ridge Parkway 71.0
Miles today: 14.9

Today started with a long uphill in already hot morning weather. I've got music on my phone and headphones, but hadn't used it yet this trip. I figured I'd try to listen to some David Childers while slogging up that 4 mile hill.Let me tell you, David can get a man up a hill. I must have been an entertaining sight: sweat splashing, head shaking, butt wiggling, feet stamping to the rhythm of 'I think I'm gonna make it'. That little hill ain't nothin', just bring em on Virginia baby, I've got DC in my ears! Hell Yeah! Thank you David, you're my trail angel today, just needed a Newcastle in my hand and I could have been right at the Comet Grill, it can get just as sweaty.The day ended in my trusty support team (Lee) picking me up on the Blue Ridge Parkway for my limo ride back to the Lodge. She even had a four-pack of one of my favorite beers: Duvel!
Date: 2010-06-24
From: Blue Ridge Parkway 71.0

To: VA812
Miles today: 11.0

After my usual screwing around in the morning, and of course a large breakfast and lunch, we made it to the trailhead around 1:30. Lee dropped me and my backpack off for a relatively short hike, and would pick me up late afternoon.Another dinner in comfort was waiting for me at the end of what turned out to be a very hot and tiring afternoon. At least there were blueberries on the slopes.
Date: 2010-06-25
From: VA812

To: Brown Mountain Creek
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Another end of my spousal visit. This time it was about 12:00. Next time I'll see Lee will probably be Harper's Ferry, the psychological mid-point of the trail. (There's nothing going on 75 miles further at the real halfway point)This was again a very hot day, it's been 90's here, someone was even claiming 100. I was a hard hike, until in the early evening I came to a lake. The swim revived me and I went a few hours more until after dark. Set up the tent (screen only) by a waterfall and cooked a satisfying dinner. Fell asleep reading and ran down the batteries on my headlamp.
Date: 2010-06-26
From: Brown Mountain Creek

To: Dutch Haus Hostel
Miles today: 19.1

Woke up around 4:30 and decided to pack up and head to the next shelter for breakfast. Then another long hot climb. Had been hearing about a nice hostel the last couple of days, so of course I needed to check it out.This is a very nice place. Got picked up near the trailhead, had lemonade waiting for us, dirty clothes in the basket-they do the laundry, bathrobes for the hikers, nice rooms (I've got one to myself, which is unusual), great home-cooked dinner. And all this on the day of the host's wedding anniversary. They even serve free lunch to any hiker in May and June, even the ones that don't stay there!
Date: 2010-06-27
From: Dutch Haus Hostel

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

Moss and I left Dutch Haus with a full stomach weighing us down. Big Ooh and his wife left earlier to get shuttled further up the trail where they'd left off. She had been sick for a week, fortunately at this great hostel.The day was very hot (high 90's) and the hills steep. Back in Tennessee we'd been hearing how easy Virginia was. I think everyone expected it to be flat, but it's a lot of ups and downs, sometimes very rocky. Then with the hot weather of the last week it's been pretty hard work. On one downhill I saw the rear end of a bear as he was racing away from me. I think he saw the dangerous look in my eyes. When I'm suffering I don't put up with any crap from anyone, not even a big bad bear. When he was a little ways into the woods he turned sideways, so I'd get a nice profile view, and then just stayed there. If I hadn't seen him earlier, he would just have looked like a dark shadow between the trees.When I got down one steep hill, after a mountain called 'The Priest' (clergy likes to make us suffer for our sins; I felt like I was on the hot road to hell), I arrived at the clear, cool river Tye. I thought I'd dip my overheated feet in the refreshing water. Instead my whole hot body got cooled down instantly when I slipped and went head over heels into the river. My shirt and pants got an instant wash.Then of course, after every long downhill to a river or town there's the inevitable uphill, just as long. And this one was a big bad mean you know what. Three thousand feet up, six miles to the top. By the time I got there I looked like an old dried up prune on two legs. The downhill to the shelter was on auto pilot. Dinner after sunset never tasted this good. Put up my tent in the dark and watched the stars come out through the netting for about 2.5 minutes before I fell asleep.
Date: 2010-06-28
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: broken clouds

Got up before five, packed up my tent, and started hiking around 5:30. Had my oatmeal at one of the Blue Ridge Parkway crossings. Called Lee and she decided to drive up today.Waynesboro is about 4 miles off the trail and the junction of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Shenandoah Skyline Drive. Hitchhiked for about 15 minutes before I got a ride with a very nice and talkative guy. I asked if he knew a good burger place in town. No problem, he drove me right to an intersection where I had lots of choice: Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy's etc.. My yuppie sensibilities were disturbed, but when I developed a nervous tick and stutteringly told him I was thinking of a local restaurant where I could wait for my wife he drove me straight downtown.Had a late lunch, (if you're headed there, 'Chickpeas' is a nice Mediterranean restaurant) checked into a B&B and waited for Lee.
Date: 2010-06-29
From: Waynesboro

To: Turk Gap, Skyline Drive
Miles today: 11.4

I saw a bear I saw a bearWith pretty dark brown hairJust like mine though now it's whiteSign of wisdom, Sign of fright?My usual morning delay until 12, and then a short four hour hike to a prearranged pick up spot and time. Saw two bears on the way! One didn't notice me, and I just walked along with him, he was about 20 feet into the woods. When I stepped on a twig, his head popped up, he saw me and got out of there as fast as he could. I thought I must look pretty impressive, until the next bear started huffing and snorting and stood up against a tree staring at me. I figured I'd just act innocent and keep on walking.
Date: 2010-06-30
From: Turk Gap, Skyline Drive

To: Loft Mountain
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

When you're facing the choice between staying another night at a comfortable B&B with your wife, or hike five miles further to stay in the woods and eat freeze dried food, sometimes you are inclined to go the comfortable route. So we're staying another day. Lee dropped me and my pack off at the trail and picked me back up in the early evening about 16 miles later. The only trouble, I was at the Camp Store waiting for her, she was at the Store on the Skyline Drive waiting for me. No phone reception, so when I figured out what was going on I had to walk a mile or so down the hill to find her. Not exactly what I was hoping for, but there was a bottle of wine and a meal at the end of the road, so all was good in the end.
Date: 2010-07-01
From: Loft Mountain

To: hightop hut
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

After breakfast, 2nd breakfast, a detour, a stop to talk to Moss, who was having a snack by the side of the Skyline Drive, I got started even later than usual. It was 2 pm and I had 14 miles to go. That of course meant another arrival after dark. Luckily everyone (about 20 people, among whom Cricket, who I hadn't seen in a while and Thor, who Lee had met before). Stayed up late talking to Thor, enjoying a cornbread made on the campfire in an oven-like contraption invented by one of the '3 chefs'.
Date: 2010-07-02
From: hightop hut

To: In the woods at Fishers Gap
Miles today: 22.0

With a stroke of lack of genius I sent my sleeping bag back home with Lee to save 3 pounds. So I froze my ass of the last 2 nights when the weather turned cooler. At least I woke up earlier and enjoyed the sunrises. Last night I camped in an open spot virtually on the trail. I'd been looking for a flat spot for miles, and gave up when it started getting dark. I had a nice view of the valley below, but realized I'd camped just underneath an overlook off the Skyline Drive. I don't think they could see my tent behind the shrubs. I had bought a bottle of beer earlier at a little park-store so I enjoyed it in my tent watching the sunset.
Date: 2010-07-03
From: In the woods at Fishers Gap

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

It's getting hot again, no more chilly nights for a while, but plenty of sweaty days. While I was passing through a picnic area, some guys offered me a hot dog and some canteloupe. I accepted out of politeness... They were very nice people with all kinds of questions about the trail.I saw two more bear today. One of them popped his head above a blackberry patch a few yards away, noticed me, and got the hell out of there. I think it's my beard. Makes me look rugged and dangerous.
Date: 2010-07-04
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Compton Peak viewpoint
Miles today: 20.2

Today is America's birthday, 234 years old. I always marvel at the great fortune of having the brilliant minds of people like Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, Washington working towards the singular goal of creating a democracy without inherited leadership. Maybe a common enemy and dire circumstances bring great minds to the fore. (Sometimes)It is also Hard's birthday. The Italian long time hiker, and ex rock-climber turns 70 today. He's hiking the whole trail, and has hiked thousands of miles in Spain, France and Italy.Hot, hot, hot. Left PBD behind at a shelter and kept on going a little further.Finally towards dark, on a rocky trail without any place to put up a tent, I went to a viewpoint on one of the peaks. There were great slabs of rock jutting out with a 180 degree view over the valleys and ridges below. There was a small patch of gravel between the rocks, just enough to roll my sleeping pad out. The sky was perfectly clear, and at 3000 feet there were no mosquitos, so I didn't need my tent - no room anyway. Watched a beautiful sunset while cooking dinner. I'd put 2 beers in my pack, so when the 4th of July fireworks started I sat on the rock, sipping beer and watching more fireworks than I've ever seen before. All over the valley, on and behind every far away ridge. There must have been over 100, from a few miles away to 50 or 100 miles in the distance, there was no way to count. At the same time the colors of the sunset were fading into the night as the stars got brighter. You get a real sense of scale. The tiny explosions of color below, with the limitless dark blue expanse of the universe above.I had a happy evening and with a six-pack it would have been even happier...