morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-05-05
From: Damascus, VA

To: Campsite mile 478.1
Miles today: 18.3

May 5, 2004 ¢ Damascus, VA to Campsite mile 478.1 ¢ 18.3 milesUneventful hike. Good weather, cool and cloudy in the morning with the sun breaking through in the afternoon. Saw an 11 member trail maintenance crew out today working the section of the trail from Saunders Shelter to Damascus. Had some great smells today ¢ honeysuckle, and something in a low area with evergreens that was like spiced apples, like Allspice, or the Christmas ornament you make by sticking cloves in an apple. I didn¢t see anything blooming in the area, nothing to explain the scent. We were shooting for Lost Mountain Shelter today, but the weather was great and we were feeling pretty good so we decided to go an extra 2.5 and tent. Wild Horse is tented here too and three others arrived a little bit ago. Camping here also gives us a head start on the last 5000 ft ridge before New Hampshire.The AT followed and paralleled parts of the Virginia Creeper Trail today. It¢s part of the rails and trails system. We went over one really neat bridge on it. Also got to walk through another cow pasture and a bunch of cows today. At least these didn¢t have horns.
Date: 2004-05-06
From: Campsite mile 478.1

To: Campsite mile 494.1
Miles today: 16.0

May 6, 2004 ¢ Campsite mile 478.1 to Campsite mile 494.1 ¢ 16 milesToday we skirted the summits of White Top Mountain and Mt. Rogers, and walked through part of Grayson Highlands State Park. Saw ponies twice, just after lunch at Thomas Knob Shelter and again near the trail to Massie Gap. The north side of White Top Mountain is a ¢special salamander management area, home to sixteen species of salamanders, the greatest known diversity of salamanders in an area this size on Earth¢. White Top also marks the natural northern limits of Fraser Fir and the natural southern limits of the red spruce and is home to the northern flying squirrel. I¢ve seen several rose-breasted grosbeaks today and we¢re back up in the spring beauties, trillium trout lilies. Did see some Columbine today ¢ looks just like what I planted in my yard. It was chilly on the ridge today, especially when there were clouds and wind. We¢ve only dropped about 1000 ft to camp, but it warmed up quick and I finally took my fleece off. On one of the mountains today we went through a place called ¢fatman squeeze¢, a narrow passage through the rocks. I was bumping the sides with my pack going through. Got lots of views today, though the morning was cloudy and the afternoon hazy.
Date: 2004-05-07
From: Campsite mile 494.1

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: clear sky

May 7, 2004 ¢ Campsite mile 494.1 to Trimpi Shelter ¢ 18.8 milesWe had lots of visitors in our camping area last night. First we were serenaded, if you can call it that, by a pair of owls. Later in the night the deer moved in to munch on the grass and rustle in the leaves and brush. All amusing unless you¢re tired and really want to get some sleep. It was not the night to leave my ear plugs in my pack. This morning I followed a pony up the trail for a while. It took her a few minutes to realize that as long as she stayed on the trail I was going to keep following her.   Hiked across more open grassland and through the ¢scales¢, an area previously used to weigh cattle that grazed the high meadows. Hiked past Old Orchard and Raccoon Branch Shelters.
Date: 2004-05-08
From: Trimpi Shelter

To: Rural Retreat, VA
Miles today: 22.2

May 8, 2004 ¢ Trimpi Shelter to Relax Inn, Rural Retreat, VA ¢ 22.2 milesAnother day we decided to go long and head into town early. Leaving the shelter this morning, saw a small herd of deer. Most of them ran off up the hill. One hung around for a while and just looked at me, browsed some more and wandered on unperturbed. We hiked to the Partnership Shelter and the Mt. Rogers Recreation Area Headquarters and visitor center by 11 am. They have a pay phone and are only a few miles from town so you can order pizza from there. I called the Pizza Hut in Marion, Virginia, told them where we were, the Mt. Rogers Visitor Center, and ordered a large Supreme and a 2 liter bottle of Sierra Mist and paid with my credit card. They said it would be about 25 minutes. 45 minutes later I called back and asked where our pizza was. I was told that they don¢t deliver until 4 pm and I¢d have to come pick it up. Needless to say, I was a bit irked. I had them void the credit card charge and we had regular trail food for lunch and headed on. It was a nice long, pack off and boots off break.We made the next shelter by 3:30 and there were only 4.5 miles left to the next maildrop, a bed with sheets, not to mention a shower and laundry. With thunderstorms predicted for the afternoon and evening, the motel was a good bet. Had pot roast, mashed potatoes and green beans for dinner at a local diner. We¢ll probably have breakfast there in the morning too. Today was our second longest hike. My feet are killing me. I hope it¢s just the long miles and insoles that have given up and nothing more serious. I¢m going to put my metatarsal cushions back in tomorrow and try some longer breaks when I can get off my feet.Restocked from my maildrop and my food bag is stuffed to the brim and HEAVY. We won¢t be doing any more sections with more than 5 days food ¢ it won¢t fit in my pack and it would be too heavy. Tackling the stretch to Pearisburg, Virginia starting tomorrow.
Date: 2004-05-09
From: Rural Retreat, VA

To: Lick Creek
Miles today: 17.0

May 9, 2004 ¢ Relax Inn to Lick Creek ¢ 17.0 milesLeft the motel about 7:30 this morning and crossed under Interstate 81. We hiked through a lot of farmland today. Crossed about a dozen fence lines at ¢stiles¢. They are wooden steps or ladders that let a person, but not the livestock, cross over the fence. I think most of them are built by and for people taller than me. Feet are very sore so I took longer breaks today. Three breaks where I took my boots off and rubbed my feet. It¢s going to be a long 4 days to Pearisburg and my new insoles. Saw some more azaleas today (pink) and smelled lots of honeysuckle. Still waiting for the trees to fill out and offer some more shade. It was really hot again today.Had couscous, beef & mushrooms and rice pilaf for dinner. We¢re camped next to Lick Creek, so I got to stick my feet in and rinse the dirt off my legs. Too cold to really soak. Lots of birds and bugs today, crickets and grasshoppers were out. I¢ll be using my ear plugs tonight ¢ I¢ve already heard the owls. Another milestone today. We passed the 543.5 mile mark so we¢re one quarter of the way to Katahdin!
Date: 2004-05-10
From: Lick Creek

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

May 10, 2004 ¢ Lick Creek to Jenkins Shelter ¢ 15.9 milesHere tonight with NTN, Crash Bang, Beatbox, Jerry, Pablo and Laura. You¢ll have to check Beatbox on Trail Journals ¢ he¢s a bit of a poet. He also has a flower book with him! ¢Wildflowers of the Appalachian Trail¢ by Leonard M. Adkins. I got to look through it tonight and identify some more flowers I¢ve seen. Gay wings is one I¢ve been trying to identify for a long time. I have not seen skunk cabbage, must be something else. What I thought was Dutchman¢s britches is actually Squirrel Corn. [Rue Anemone, Bloodroot, Trailing Arbutus, Star Chickweed, Pussytoes, Wood Anemone, Mayapple, Wild Stonecrop, Cut-leened toothwort, white fringed Phacelia, several varieties of trillium, Lily of the Valley, Smooth Solomon¢s Seal, False Solomon¢s Seal, Galax, Canada Mayflower, Wood Sorrel, Spring Beauty, Ramps, Downy Rattlesnake Plantain, Trout Lily, Common Cinquefoil, Squawroot/Cancer Root, Wild Oats, Pink Azalea, Wild Geranium, Showy Orchids, Fire Pink, Columbine, Pink Lady Slipper, Gay wings, Crested Dwarf Iris, bluets, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Miami Mist]Saw half a robin¢s egg today, some baby fly catchers, a garter snake, tons of mustard grass. Walked across a grassy ridge for a while with a few views. Stopped at this shelter for a late afternoon break, cut with thunder rumbling in the distance, sore feet and a tough day, we decided to stay. Have good company. I just hope it¢s an early to bed crew.This morning at a USFS road crossing there were two people from the wildlife department. They had a cooler of beer for hikers. I declined, but a few others were thrilled at the trail magic. They were headed out to set gypsy Moth traps. They showed me the map. They¢ve had a problem in the area. They are going to be doing a lot of bushwacking to set all the traps. Next year they may be spraying the whole area. They said that if there is too much deforestation for two years in a row, it can kill huge tracts of forest. Well ¢ I¢m told the privy here is a must see, so I took my camera. (Make sure you look at all the pictures from 5/10)
Date: 2004-05-11
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 24.7
Weather: light rain

May 11, 2004 ¢ Jenkins Shelter to Campsite ¢ 24.7 milesToday would have been much more enjoyable if my feet didn¢t hurt so much. We ran the ridge most of the afternoon after spending about 3 miles going back and forth across Little Wolf Creek. I was kind of disappointed we didn¢t have to do any fording. Walked across on the rocks each time. Had a bit of trail magic when we reached Laurel Creek and VA 615. There was a lady who pulled up and gave us little bottles of orange juice. A great addition to the mid-morning snack break. We were headed for Jenny Know Shelter today. There really wasn¢t any place you could camp because there was no water on the ridge. When we got to Jenny Knob, mile 23.6, it was mobbed and we knew there were others coming in behind us so we hiked another mile or so to camp. Just hope those thunderstorms they¢re predicting blow by. It was a long day today and I¢m beat, not to mention my very sore feet. Only 30 more miles to Pearisburg. Boy I hope new insoles help.Sam more flame azaleas and pink azaleas in bloom today. Saw a black newt with white spots and an orange one and something with a blue tail. Also saw a little black snake, maybe a foot long. Lots of butterflies around today, the yellow and black ones and black with iridescent blue on the tail.
Date: 2004-05-12
From: Campsite

To: Woods Hole Hostel
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: few clouds

May 12, 2004 ¢ Campsite to Woods Hole Hostel ¢ 19.3 miles (plus 0.5 on side trail)A few hours ago I was horribly grumpy, my feet hurt and I was second guessing my decision to go on from Wapiti Shelter. I have since had a hot dog and hamburger with fixings, strawberries, brownies, root beer and get this - had a foot massage!! Queen Diva had arranged trail magic at the hostel which is an old homestead run by Miss Tillie. Her granddaughter, Neville, is training to be a massage therapist and will even touch hiker feet. She said they (the feet) aren¢t really as bad as last year when the spring was so wet. My first thought when I reached camp was to get my boots off, but the food won out.Anyway, the morning hiking along the river was nice. There was a 1500 ft climb after the first 13 miles but we got a great view down into the valley toward Pearisburg and got to see the ridge we¢ll be hiking tomorrow.I really needed the magic today and I know I got way more than I deserved after all my grumbling. I get to sleep on a mattress with a roof over my head. I¢m well fed and warm and dry, if not clean. Tomorrow is a short hike with a shower and clean sheets at the end.
Date: 2004-05-13
From: Woods Hole Hostel

To: Rendezvous Motel, Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: broken clouds

May 13, 2004 ¢ Woods Hole Hostel to Rendezvous Motel, Pearisburg, Virginia - 10.5 milesWell, we lucked out again. I¢m snug in a room at the Rendezvous Motel in Pearisburg, Virginia and it is absolutely pouring outside. Had a leisurely start to the day at the hostel and had a couple of views of the valley on the ridge coming into town. I was here by 1:30, averaging only 2 miles an hour with my sore feet. Mailman beat me by a solid hour. New insoles are here along with a batch of brownies, which are already half gone. I also think I¢ll try to pick up a pair of Dr. Scholl¢s air cushion insoles and wear those with my super feet. A couple people at the hostel last night have had good luck with that combination. I had planned 6 days from here to Daleville, but I think we¢re going to break it up with a stop in Catawba so we don¢t need to carry so much food. My fuzzy fleece pants and long sleeve polypro shirt and warm sleep socks are going home now. Can¢t part with my hat and gloves. I probably won¢t use them until New Hampshire, but I¢ve been taught to always carry them. My fleece pullover will stay in the clothes bag too, great on cool mornings and evenings. Long johns stay too. I¢ve done too much hiking in northern New England for my own good. I think mailman and I have decided to share a stove. That will save 3-4 oz. I can¢t come up with anything else to trim. Zero day tomorrow to give my feet a break.
Date: 2004-05-14
From: Rendezvous Motel, Pearisburg, VA

To: Rendezvous Motel, Pearisburg, VA - Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

May 14, 2004 ¢ Rendezvous Motel, Pearisburg, Virginia - ZERO daySlept until 7:30 today. Looked at maps and guidebooks for a while and checked the local weather. Then headed out to run some errands. A few hundred yards from the motel a local offered to shuttle me around. Given my feet I was very grateful. Melvin drove me to the post office and then to the library so I could do some e-mail and check the web site. He came back an hour and a half later, ran me to the pharmacy so I could get insoles and then back to the motel. Melvin has lived in Pearisburg all his 60+ years. He was once the self-professed town drunk and now shuttles hikers. He has his own register and a picture album with photos and notes from those he¢s assisted over the years.I was really lazy this afternoon. Read an alternate guidebook for the next section. The state-by-state guides have some neat historical and geological facts in addition to more trail details. Had a nap and watched some History Channel and the Country Music Station. Had brownies for lunch, an MRE for dinner, and will probably have a Snickers bar for dessert. Doing laundry and will get a shower, the last for another week, before bed. Off again first thing in the morning.
Date: 2004-05-15
From: Rendezvous Motel, Pearisburg, VA

To: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: overcast clouds

May 15, 2004 ¢ Pearisburg, Virginia to Pine Swamp Branch Shelter ¢ 19.6 milesI know, I know. I¢m supposed to be babying my feet. But, the choice was haul 4 pounds of extra water 8 miles so we could camp, or hike an extra 3.6 miles. Some of the water sources along this stretch aren¢t spaced to our ideal hiking distances, so we adjust. Anyway, my feet did better with today¢s 19.6 than with Thursday¢s 10 so we¢re making some progress. They still hurt, but I wasn¢t cursing under my breath today and got to enjoy some of the scenery and wildlife. I saw a bunny rabbit, a big toad, a black snake ~4 feet long, a small garter snake and one VERY stupid deer.   He had no fear of me at all. I was able to make noise and move around and it only seemed to make him curious. He got to within ten feet of me, and yes, I got a picture because me rummaging in my pack didn¢t phase him. He wasn¢t even bothered when I threw my pack up on my back. I finally told him to shoo and banged my hiking sticks together. He just looked at me. If he doesn¢t wise up, he¢ll be in someone¢s freezer a week after bow season opens. I saw a new flower today that I couldn¢t identify and took a picture of it.Quiet at the shelter tonight ¢ just me, the mailman and ChoCho, a section hiker. This weekend is ¢Trail Days¢ in Damascus, a big hiker festival. Most of the thru-hikers try to make it there. They got off the trail wherever they were on Thursday or Friday to catch a ride and will be back on the trail Monday. Luckily, we¢ll be between towns on Monday and shouldn¢t get hit with a wave of hikers. Hopefully they¢ll be a bit spaced out by the time we reach Daleville.
Date: 2004-05-16
From: Pine Swamp Branch Shelter

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: light rain

May 16, 2004 ¢ Pine Swamp Branch Shelter to War Spur Shelter ¢ 12.7 milesA short day today. Feet are a bit sore and didn¢t want to push it. It rained last night. Glad we were in a shelter. Water can add pounds to your pack. Have been hearing thunder most of the day today. Forecast when we left Pearisburg was for showers and thunderstorms all week, so we¢ve been shooting for the shelters. Next one is 5.8 from here. We didn¢t get here until after 2 so another almost 6 miles would have made for a very long day. Listened to more thunder, watched it rain a bit and had a nap. It¢s cooled off some so I put on my pant legs and fleece and made some tea. Highlights of the day were seeing a Scarlet Tanager and the view from Wind Rock on Potts Mountain where we had lunch. Only problem with getting in to camp so early is that there¢s nothing to do. We¢ve been joined by ChoCho, Toebreak, and Homeboy for the night. Oh, there was also a neat section of trail today where the ground as far as you could see was covered with ferns.
Date: 2004-05-17
From: War Spur Shelter

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: light rain

May 17, 2004 ¢ War Spur Shelter to Niday Shelter ¢ 18.2 milesA rather uneventful morning. Went by the Keffer Oak, one of the largest standing blazed trees on the trail. Back near Watauga Lake when we had avoided getting caught in a downpour, I told mailman I was glad I hadn¢t had to ring out my socks yet. Well, this afternoon I did. Those afternoon thunderstorms finally caught us and with a vengeance. It poured and hailed, pea to marble size. I was soaked to the skin in short order. Spent about an hour and a half in it until it let up and I got to the shelter. We have a clothes line up, but I don¢t think it will do much good. It will be days before my boots dry out. I¢ll be putting damp clothes back on tomorrow. Pack cover let quite a bit of water through ¢ guess that¢s why you put everything in plastic bags. Sleeping bag compartment soaked through from the rain running down my back. Luckily my sleeping bag was in an extra plastic bag too. It will take the pack a long time to dry out. Meantime I¢m carrying the extra weight.On the plus side, my feet don¢t seem to be any worse today than they were yesterday. I would have liked to walk the ridge in nice weather. There were lots of fire pinks and white fringed phacelia and honeysuckle shrubs. You could see some of the parallel ridges even with the storms. Rain almost made me forget ¢ we had trail magic this morning. About 8:30 we came across two coolers stocked with beer and soda. I had an orange soda and signed the register. Thanks to Dave from Blacksburg!
Date: 2004-05-18
From: Niday Shelter

To: Four Pines Hostel
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: light rain

May 18, 2004 ¢ Niday Shelter to Four Pines Hostel ¢ 15.9 milesAnd it was a tough 15.9. Put on wet clothes, socks and boots this morning and headed out. We left the shelter about 6:30. I¢m usually not that quick to get out of camp, but the earlier you start, the less likely you are to get caught in thunderstorms. Hiked past the Audie Murphy Memorial today. It¢s the site of a 1971 plane crash that killed Murphy ¢ the most decorated U.S. soldier of WWII. After Trout Creek there were some interesting white flowers on long stalks. Hiked over Coke Mountain and had lunch by Dragon¢s Tooth overlook.   Laurels and Rhododendrons are blooming. Also saw lots of lady slippers. Hike down from the ridge was rocky and steep. They had metal hand holds fastened to the rocks in spots and I had to sit down on my butt in places to get down. Feet are sore. A day in wet boots didn¢t help, and I seem to have developed a rash all over my back and legs. Hopefully it¢s just a heat rash. Got to VA 620 today and walked about a quarter mile to a little grocery store to pick up some supplies to get us to Daleville. Then back to the trail and a quarter mile down the road in the other direction to the Hostel. Had pizza for dinner ¢ leftovers from a pizza party the hikers here last night had. Showered ¢ that was nice! Two more days of grubby clothes and then laundry in Daleville.
Date: 2004-05-19
From: Four Pines Hostel

To: Lambert's Meadow Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: broken clouds

May 19, 2004 ¢ Four Pines Hostel to Lambert¢s Meadow Shelter - 16.1 milesGot a ride to the trailhead this morning from the guy who came to help Toebreak and Homeboy slack pack. It was a pretty uneventful morning. This afternoon we went up McAfee Knob. A very famous place for pictures and a great view. Didn¢t stay long ¢cause it was thundering and starting to rain. Luckily that storm was short-lived. From there it was ridge line hiking to Tinker Cliffs. For about a half mile the trail runs right along the top edge of the cliffs ¢ there are great views the whole way. They say that Tinker Mountain got its name from some deserters from the Revolutionary War who hid out here and made pots and pans for a living. Saw some deer just before getting to the shelter. I¢ve heard they just get tamer until you get through New Jersey. Feet and rash are bearable today though I¢m still hiking slower than normal ¢ or maybe this is my new normal. 16.1 miles in just over 8 12 hours including breaks isn¢t that bad. So far tonight it¢s just me, mailman, SlimFast, a section hiker, and Wonderlost. SlimFast only has the hundred mile wilderness to Katahdin left to do. Wanderlost is hiking with two broken ribs. He had sausages over a campfire for dinner tonight. I¢m going to have do to that one of these days.   There is a pair of peewees who have built a nest in the shelter eave here. Neat to watch them fly in and out to feed their babies. I expect they¢re much happier during the day when there isn¢t anyone here.
Date: 2004-05-20
From: Lambert's Meadow Shelter

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: scattered clouds

May 20, 2004 ¢ Lambert¢s Meadow Shelter to Daleville/US220 - 9.4 milesShort day into town today. More ridge running, but we were above or in the clouds most of the way so the views were limited. Saw a great view of the Roanoke Reservoir, but by the time I got my pack off and camera out it was fogged in again. Saw three turtles today. Just seems funny to me to see them on top of mountains. Have a nice room at Howard Johnson¢s (formerly Best Western). The room and shower are so nice we¢ve decided to stay another night and slack pack tomorrow. Have laundry going and will head off for lunch, post office and outfitter when it¢s done.
Date: 2004-05-21
From: Bearwallow Gap

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 21.7
Weather: few clouds

May 21, 2004 ¢ Bearwallow Gap to Daleville/US220 ¢ 21.7 milesContinental Breakfast at the hotel, shuttle to the gap and hike back into town. It¢s neat to hike south ¢ you get to see all the northbounders. We saw a bunch of folks we¢ve hiked and camped with before and lots of new faces too. Saw Ranger Jim, Laura and Pablo, Mouse, the two Brits whose names I can¢t remember, CNN (Charles & Nancy), and Gadget. Also bumped into Diesel and Tank in the laundry room and the Ramen Noodles and Slim Fast at the Pizza Hut. Today was reptile day on the trail. We saw several lizards and a tree frog, and there were some minnows in one of the creeks where we got water. Took a long break in the late afternoon while it tried to decide if it was going to dump on us. We got mostly wind, but I¢m glad we were near a shelter for cover. There were several new blow downs on the trail when we hiked out again.Tried about 3 different combinations of insoles today and haven¢t found anything better. I¢ll keep trying. Best thing at this point is to take some long boots-off breaks and more often in the afternoon.Pizza Hut for dinner, the Super Supreme and Root Beer!