morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-11-10
From: Deer lick shelter

To: Pine knob shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up on time today and was out at a really good time. i passed the mason Dixon line this morning.; i'm finally in the "south" again. still no sweet tea. apparently i have to go to Virginie to get that. but still i'm in the south. i did a little dance and played country music the rest of the day on my phone. one guy this morning had a fire by the trail. i sat down to talk and he just handed me a cup of coffee. thank you gus. i'd just ran out and that made my day. Maryland actually has some small climbs and some actual views. already beter than PA still some rocks but even those are better. you can tell the trail maintainers actually moved some out of the way. i'm amazed at the amount of people today. tons of people out for the weekend i guess. three troups of scouts. i'm camped with one and its small and very chill. the troupe leaders are a marine and a army et and they go back and forth ragging on each other. they pulled out some Madelins and started playing.it was so warm today that i actually took off my leggings. i've practically lived in them for the past week. its good to be warm. short day tomorrow with a town stop. i've been craving massive amounts of food lately. i'm going to destroy a bacon pizza first thing. also saw my first trail bear. he was huge! had a head like a basket ball. i heard something move up ahead of me and looked up expecting to see a deer. it was big black thing int hebushes. i moved around and saw it was bear. he was looking right at me about 20 feet away. we just stared at each other for a full minute. it was intense. so cool. we decided it would be bad for both of us if we charged one other and called it a stalemate and went our separate ways.
Date: 2012-11-11
From: Pine knob shelter

To: Rocky Run Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: clear sky

woke up this morning felling spry and chipper, so i did a short day. i got up and made breakfast. hung out with the scouts for a little more and headed out round 8. it was an easy hike in. i stopped at the Washington monument. fitting since today is veterans day and all. found out thats why there was so many people out. there was a family getting in their car on the road and they offed me a ride into town. i go dropped off at the grocery store. i order a pizza from the deli. charged my phone and got food for the next 4 days. all that grocer needs is a shower and laundry and it's a hikers paradise. i had a little more trouble getting out of town but a guy pulled over and dropped me off. i caught up with a guy and his three kids. two of them had ADHD and he was so patient. i hiked with them for a bit and talked. they were fun to be around. so much energy and they weren't shy at all. one of the girls gave me some of her sweets. the dad says he wants to thru hike when they are grown. i think the real reason i stopped early was just so i could hang out with them for a little bit more. most the time kids are shy out here with a smelly stranger. but these kids had no problem with me. i had planned for a short day anyway. i'll still make Virginia tomorrow and may just stop at the shelters 3 miles earlier. so its really no loss. also the day hikers here gave me a ton of food. this has been a weekend of food. everyone i talk to gives me food. maybe i look malnurished or something?
Date: 2012-11-12
From: Rocky Run Shelter

To: Harpers ferry 
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: clear sky

Today has been interesting. i meant to do 25 mils which was totally with in grasp. but i got to talking and then got lost in town and then decided to sleep under a bridge, which when it started to rain so we hopped a fence and are in some cave like thing under the train tracks. and this also leads up to a zero tomorrow. today started out so normal to. i woke up and made coffee. i got a different kind and its amazing. stared out and the up hill was easy. two runners "lightly" passed me. i say lightly because my walking speed was enough to only slowly pull away. i caught up to them on the hills twice before they turned around. other than that it was uneventful. the last few miles of Maryland was a walk by the patomic river and to canal. it was super flat and pretty. i got into harpers ferry and it was cool historical town built on a hill. (who builds a town on a hill?) i went to the ATC headquarters and signed in., i'm number 171 for SOBOs this year. there was 1018 NOBOs who made it. up to this point the day was still normal. i got to talking with one of the guys at the atc and talked to long. i got directions to the outfitters. i've been wearing the same two pairs of socks for nearly 1200 miles. they aren't really socks at this point. my toes come through all the toe slots in my liners. i killed a pair of dern toughs. it is possible. very difficult though. anyway i couldn't find the outfitter and it was getting to be to late to hike without doing some major night hiking. i hate night hiking. i saw magpie and decided to get a hotel with him and scarecrow. well because today is veterans there was no such thing a a cheep hotel so we went to dinner. found out no one in this town knows ho t to take money. the tavern, ice cream shop ad out fitters (that i finally found) all had to ask for someone else to come work the money machine. we found a trail angles number at the ATC office and i left her a message. she called back and said she was out of town tonight but would be happy to have us tomorrow night. i said i'd call her tomorrow. we went to the train trestle and that would of been fine to sleep under except for it started to rain and it was to high of a bridge to really do anything. we went ot a lower bridge but it had slats instead of a solid bridge so we were still getting wet. we saw a fenced off cave that was dry and decided that would be perfect. we hoped the fence and made our way to the back. it was a cool cave that was man made. had a smooth floor and wasn't covered in trash (should of been a clue there) the trail angle called me back and we talked for a bit and she offered to cook for us tomorrow as well and we decided to take a zero day and stay with her. i haven't had a shower in a while. the cave is kinda sketchy. theres some weird bug that none of us have seen before. like a spider but has 30 legs. we called it a silly bug since i found it and decided it would kill us instantly if it bit us. (this turned into a very long, night. the bugs were the least of any problem)
Date: 2012-11-13
From: Harpers ferry 

To: Harpers ferry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

The cave was a disaster. we settled in and fell asleep to the sound of the rain outside and the drip of a puddle. the dripping sound got kinda loud and magpie then says "uh guys, it's filling up with water" i sat up and reached for my head lamp and my hand goes into the water. the whole cave is filling with a half foot of water. luckily i was on top of my tarp and it floats. my phone stayed dry as well as my journal and most of my books. a series of expletives was said as we quickly shoved everything into our bags. the other two guys had totally soaked their sleeping bags. mine was floating on my tarp so it stayed dry. my shoes went floating down stream but were stopped by scarecrow. my food was totally flooded and everything is covered in mud. we found a gazebo a little way from town with a sign that said no we clothes. we laughed and just kinda huddled together i made some fortified hot chocolate and we all just laughed . I had kinda wondered why the cave was so clean. no trash or signs of camping. turns out the cave was the drainage ditch for the town. all the water running through the town came through our cave. finally the sun came up and we went for breakfast. we hung out all day at the ATC and i finally go caught up on trail journals. we had called Lindsey the trail angle the night before. one of her friends picked us up and we went to her house. it was awesome. we played cranium she made dinner and we just had a normal night with some cool people. also washing off the mud was great.
Date: 2012-11-14
From: Harpers ferry

To: david lesser memorial shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: clear sky

We all stayed up way to late last night so we opted to have Lindsey take us back around lunch, instead of the super early we had planned. we hung around and watched a movie. went back to the country cafe and go some sweet tea again. I've missed the sweet tea. i drank five glasses yesterday at breakfast. i got some food at the 7 eleven to replace the stuff ruined by the flood. today is the first time a friend has decided to get off trail. magpie is going home. I'm glad he left on a good day. and I'm glad to of gotten to know him the past few weeks. him and scarecrows started the day before me but we didn't meet for over a month. but the past week I've really gotten to know him. I'm gonna miss him. i told him good luck and to keep in touch. he made the joke that 1200 miles wasn't bad for his first back packing trip. apparently he had never been before he came out here. i think me and scarecrow are gonna stick together for a while. we hiked out and it was easy trail. I'm finally in Virginia. the big one. i got to the shelter just before dark which is good cause my headlamp is fried. I've got a back up flashlight which takes winding. it works but i'm getting a new had lamp first chance i get. on a side note the iced honey bun i got at the 7/11 is so bad for you. one serving is over 800 calories and has 31gs of sugar as well as 176% of your value of saturated fat. they are two for a dollar. it should be illegal to sell food like this . i never realized how bad for you most food is until i came out here. i have no idea what I'll eat when i get back but it will be none of this stuff.
Date: 2012-11-15
From: david lesser memorial shelter

To: Rod hollow shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: overcast clouds

i had to get water this morning and it was a ways down a hill i also didn't wear my gloves. i never wear my gloves when i get water and everyday i think don't forget to put on your gloves when you go for water. but i never do and my hands always freeze. the morning was nice. we came to the 1000 mile sign. only a thousand more miles to go. there was a view and through the trees you can actually see mountains. its not a flat world after all. today was the "infamous" roller coaster that all the NOBOs complain and warned about. 10 assents and descents in 10 miles. it was nothing, just normal stuff. i guess it would be worse with all the leaves on the trees and not being able to see anything, but i had plenty of views. plus after 200 miles of nothing but flat it was good to feel my calfs burn again caught a SOBO named Hobo. i hiked the rest of the day with him. i got a fire gong at the shelter. its nice when other people gather massive amounts of wood and leave it for us. scarecrow hasn't rolled in yet, but i figured that. he seems to like night hiking.
Date: 2012-11-16
From: Rod hollow shelter

To: jim and molly denton shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: scattered clouds

I did not feel like moving this morning. i was sleeping so well. but i reached over and started the coffee anyway. it was cold starting out today. there was a thousand foot climb today. that dwarfs any up hill in the longest time. all day you could see actual mountains in the horizon. the trail is about to get good again and i can't wait. there a 3000 footer soon. hasn't been anything over 3 since mass. the trail today was also really good. switch backs and not so many rocks. i came up on an older guy named bubble gum and his friend turtle. he gave me a piece of bubble gum and we talked a bit. he asked me if i knew caboose, he had been following him on trailjournals. it was so cool to meet someone who has been following me the whole time. i almost didn't have any stores to tell him since he's read all i've already done. he caught back up with me at lunch and we started talking about food. i usually eat two packs of pop tarts, 2 snickers, t2 nature valley bars, 2 cliff bars, a 3rd of a jar of peanut butter, half a pack of dark chocolate peanut M&Ms, a korr's pasta side, a pack of tuna, 4 oatmeal cream pies, and coffee in the morning and tea at night. plus what ever any section hiker gives me. i'm usually starving when i get to town. at the shelter me an hobo got a huge fire going and the stars are out tonight in droves.
Date: 2012-11-17
From: jim and molly denton shelter

To: gravel springs hut
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: clear sky

last night was so clear i decided to sleep on the deck of the shelter so i could watch the stars. it was really pretty and any time i woke up in the night i could see tons of stars shifting across the sky. the temp dropped quite a bit last night. when i woke up there was a layer of ice on my bag from the condensation. luckily i was warm inside. the 5 miles into front royal was easy and me an hobo got a ride pretty quick. scare crow was still in bed when i left. he likes to sleep. we got dropped off at the food lion. good resupply. we start the Shenandoah today. 120 miles without easy resupply, so my backpack is filled to the limit. it weighs so much! the entire pie i packed out for dinner isnt helping. after front royal it was up up and up. got back to 3000 ft in elevation. it was great! actual mountains again. i got to the first view and it just blows the past month out of the water. i love being up high again. i also feel like my legs might get a work out again. i watched the sun set from a rocky out cropping. its amazing. after it went behind the mountains everything was a shade of red and orange. i ate my pie for dinner. i didn't have a chance to get alot of fire wood so it's a small fire tonight. i think i'm gonna turn in early and read. only a hundred and five more miles to waynesboro and the Ming garden buffet.
Date: 2012-11-18
From: gravel springs hut

To: Byrds nest #3 shelter
Miles today: 17.5

i slept great last night. and no ice on my bag. there was a few actual climbs today. its good to stretch. my bag still weighs a ton and i just realized i packed way to much. i'm putting a dent in the food bag now. the views today were great and i met a bunch of section hikers who gave me food through out the day.. i did a short day cause it was 17 or 30 and with my giant pack of food i was not feeling a 30 at all. i ate 6 pb&js for lunch today. i forgot how much i like jelly. i got to the shelter just after two and there was a guy named david that came in shortly after. we got a big fire going in the fire place inside the shelter. which is good cause it's snowing out right now. i kinda hope it sticks. there were a few patches of snow today on the ground. 2 days ago i camped at 1200 ft, yesterday 2200 feet, and tonight 3200 feet. tomorrow? not sure yet haven't looked that far ahead.
Date: 2012-11-19
From: Byrds nest #3 shelter

To: bearfence mtn hut
Miles today: 22.4
Weather: scattered clouds

No snow this morning at camp, but on top of the mountain there was about 3 inches still left from sandy two weeks ago. all the mountains above 3500 ft still had large amounts of snow and ice. the clouds were thick this morning but they cleared just in time for lunch. good thing cause it was cold with out the sunshine and i wasn't thrilled about the idea of stopping to make lunch. i ate lunch at big meadows, i camped here one night 4 years ago with a school trip and my dad. it was cool to be back in a familiar place after so many months of totally new things. after lunch the sun stayed out and the hike was really nice. i met an older couple and they gave me a whole bag of dried apples they'd made themselves. sweet i love dried fruit. the last up seemed like it took forever but it had a great view. in camp there was a bunch of fire wood to be found. hobo showed up just after i had all of it collected. he's been good about that. but i know its not on purpose. today i was thinking about writing letters to gear companies. some of my gear has preformed way beyond what i ever expected. i'll write a bunch of letters when this is over thanking them. i've had the same pair of Columbia shorts since day 1 and they still look new. and my north face trail runners have over a thousand miles in them and are still going strong. it'd be cool to finish in them. even if they do have holes.
Date: 2012-11-20
From: bearfence mtn hut

To: Pine field hut
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I didn't want to move this morning. my bag was so inviting. there wasn't snow on the ground but the frost was so think it might as well of been. i hiked out with hobo and hung out with him till lunch. then we kinda spread out. its nice to have a hiking partner like him and scarecrow. hang out some time but mostly just meet up at camp. ate lunch on a really nice rock bluff with a great view of everything we had done the day before. after that the day was relatively normal. got to camp and there was two really nice section hikers who gave me tea. i had to go way up the hill for fire wood but we got plenty. i was tired today. i don't think i slept well last night. the mice were annoying. they chewed up my fork and kept me up. i was thinking about setting some traps tonight but i'll give them one last chance. then its war.
Date: 2012-11-21
From: Pine field hut

To: Calf mountain shelter
Miles today: 26.2
Weather: clear sky

I did a marathon day and i'm beat. all normal tasks at camp just seem harder. i wasn't even going to make a fire, but someone left a big pile off wood. woke up early today and was on trail before my normal time. it was a beautiful day. i think my favorite section of the Shenandoah. lots of vistas and the weather was perfect. warm and blue. i'm so happy with the weather lately. i didn't see any other hikers except for hobo. i did 16 miles y lunch and ate 4 pb&js. had a nice sitting tree and it was almost a shame to get up. i did the next 8 miles real quick and lost all momentum on the last two. i turned into a shuffler. there was just so much up and down today. it takes a toll. but it's an easy 7 to town tomorrow. Ming garden buffet. i've been hearing about this place since Maine. this place has a 1300 mile long reputation. it has a lot to live up to. i saw a bear today. way down the hill. i think i'm gonna eat two dinners tonight. i'm pretty hungry. tomorrow is thanksgiving and my sisters birthday. i'll have to call her. don't know how town is gonna work. i'm expecting a lot to be closed.
Date: 2012-11-22
From: Calf mountain shelter

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: clear sky

It was warm last night when i went to bed and cold when i woke up. i think my stove is about out of fuel. it hasn't been working with the gusto it normally does. coffee took forever to boil this morning. i was out of breakfast stuff so i just ate the last of my peanut butter. not enough for the big hill today. it wasn't really big, but with no food it seemed to go on forever. we got an easy ride into town and were early for the Ming garden buffet. so we sat around and waited. we started to notice police cars tend to circle us in towns. the past few towns they just drive up and down the street if we sit on the corner or in front of a building. well it turns out the buffet was closed for thanksgiving. a guy from a church invited us to a lunch but we couldn't find it. after that we called scarecrow and they came to pick us up. we went to the grocery store. i was so hungry. but i knew i'd be eating soon so i was super careful to only buy my normal food. a list helps. scarecrows mom put on a fine dinner for us. huge turkey all the fixings and a great bottle of wine. they are amazing. we hung out and played games. got in the hot tub for a while. they even gave us some extra clothes for while were doing laundry it was a great Thanksgiving and i could be more thankful for the people i have in my life and the ability to do what i'm doing.
Date: 2012-11-23
From: Waynesboro

To: waynesboro
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Slept in and woke up to a great breakfast. we hung out and went to town. there were two collages in the town. there were well dressed clean people everywhere. we got some amazing Thia food and found an outfitter. got some water purifying drops and a can of fuel. there was a lot of cool coffee shops and it was just a pretty town. i was going to do trail journals but the library was still closed for the holidays and wouldn't be opened again till Saturday after we headed back, scarecrows mom made another awesome dinner. some of the best crab cakes ever. we watched movies and had a good time. holidays on the trail are actually really awesome. i think we are gonna do something really similar for the week of Christmas. can't wait for that now.
Date: 2012-11-24
From: waynesboro

To: Maupin field shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: clear sky

Woke up before everyone today. i went down stairs and made coffee and ate a banana. people started waking up and we made omelets. scarecrows mom gave me and hobo a bunch of food and we made turkey sandwiches for lunch. they dropped us off on a super windy cold mountain. a cold front is coming in. opening the car door was hard it was so windy. today hiking was pretty nice but there was at least half a foot blanket of leaves on the trail. couldn't see any roots or rocks. id step in and not be able to see my feet cause the leaves would cave in around them. got to camp later than i expected. i read the book wrong. but there was guy named joel from Richmond and he had a big pile of fire wood already. i was glad cause i wouldn't of had enough time to get it before dark. the cold came in quick. one moment it was normal the next super cold. hobo split some water and with in a few minutes it was solid ice. the water in the line of my camel pack froze. when i went for water the droplets on my gloves were ice by the time i got back . but i happily didn't feel cold. I've got all my layers on and I'm pretty comfortable. i think i'm finally getting used to the cold which is amazing. also today is day 100 on the trail. woo!
Date: 2012-11-25
From: Maupin field shelter

To: Seeley woodworth shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: scattered clouds

i stayed warm last night but dang it was cold. hobo had heated some water and put in his bag to help stay warm. one of the caps came off and he pretty much had a block of ice in his bag. i left my pull over on for most of the morning. the wind was blisteringly cold. there was a ridiculous 3000 ft climb up the priest today. nearly lost my religion on it. it went on forever. i wanted to eat lunch at the top but it was so cold at over 4000 ft it wasn't worth the view. i went a half mile further to the shelter where i could at least have a wind break. i felt drained after that. it was only 6 miles further but every up and down just seemed exhausting. a girl at the road did give me a protein bar . that was nice and it helped. at the shelter there was a bunch of fire wood and it was actually sizable. i told hobo i'd have a big fire so he could dry out his bag. it does not disappoint. the fire last night just wasn't enough to keep warm by. i couldn't even write by it. i had to get in my bag super early. i won't have that problem tonight. but i'm expecting 20s again tonight. least its not teens like the night before.