morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-04-23
From: Wise Shelter

To: Hurricane Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: clear sky

"500 MILE MARK" The weather was much better this morning. It was cool, but the winds had died down. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. The hiking today went great. The climbs were not steep at all. The trail was a little rocky in places. I passed the 500 mile mark finally. In a couple of days I will be at Partnership Shelter. That¢s were you can have pizza delivered to the shelter. I have been hiking with One Stick since Damascus. He has had knee problems so the miles are a little low right now. I'm good with that right now. Growler is trying to catch up to me anyway. The shelter looks new, but it was built in 2004. My journals are delayed due to no signal up here. That¢s to be expected out here in the mountains. Take it easy. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-04-24
From: Hurricane Mtn Shelter

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: clear sky

"HITCHING FOR A BURGER" We woke up to a beautiful sunrise over the mountains. It¢s going to warm up today. Less than two days ago we had snow flurries. The sky was clear and there was a slight breeze. We decided when we got to the road we would hitchhike to Troutdale to pick up a little food. We would really need to cut back to make it to the next resupply. We also knew the little store had a restaurant. How could we pass up that! We decided to try (hitch hiking) for a half hour. We mostly had commercial vehicles go past us. We said we would give it another half hour. With five minutes left, a red Jeep came back. He was a section hiker going home. His name was Whippoorwill. All three of us squeezed into the front of his Jeep. He took us to Jerry's Kitchen and Goods. The place was very hiker friendly. We were welcomed in. I had a half pound burger with fries and sweet tea. The food was great and the store had everything we needed to get to the next stop.Before we left, Loon came to our table and asked if we needed a ride back to the trail. We ended up splitting between Whippoorwill and Loon¢s boyfriend¢s vehicles. Loon¢s boyfriend hiked with her for several days. We said thanks and hiked up the trail. Trail magic comes in all kinds of forms out here. THANK YOU, Whippoorwill and Loon¢s boyfriend. We did the almost 4 miles to the shelter with full bellies and smiles on our faces. There are a lot of people at the shelter tonight: Loon, Tagless and Tagalong, One Stick, and several more hikers whose names I can't remember. Everyone is getting ready for pizza at Partnership Shelter. It's like Christmas for a little kid. We are just waiting to pig out. There¢s also a shower at this shelter. Food is more important than a shower. I had a shower 5 days ago anyway. I smell bad after only 1 hour of hiking. I'm proud of my hiker funk. It takes a lot of hard work to get this aroma. It's dark now so it's time for all the sweet smelling hikers to put their heads down.
Date: 2009-04-25
From: Trimpi Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

"TRAIL MAGIC & PIZZA" Today was a nice warm day. It was beautiful. One Stick¢s bad knee has been getting better. The trail was pretty good today. Virginia has had great trails overall so far. We took a break with only 4 miles left to go. I had some beef jerky, trail mix, and a Snickers bar. We did the last 4 miles in the hot sun. The temps are in the 80's now. Three days ago we had snow flurries. This has been a crazy spring. We got to the shelter and there was someone grilling. It was Daddy O doing trail magic. He thru hiked last year with his son. We ate hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, soda, Gatorade, and brownies. THANK YOU, DADDY O: GREAT TRAIL MAGIC! I emailed my journals to my transcriber today. I have not had a good signal on my phone for several days. The hikers moving on left and the rest of us rested until dinner time. We all decided what we wanted from Pizza Hut and ordered it. I ate a whole large pizza and drank some soda. I was stuffed and happy.While I was finishing my pizza another hiker showed up. It was Growler. He finally caught up to me. I figured he was a day or two behind me. He had all kinds of crazy stories. It's good to see him again. Well, today was a big day. I'm tired from all the eating today. I should have lots of energy tomorrow. Good night from the trail. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-04-26
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Groseclose
Miles today: 11.6

"HAPPY HIKER HOLLOW" We left at 7:30 a.m., trying to beat the heat. The start had us doing some climbing right away. We walked on ridges in the beginning of the day. Then it was down in the woods and right back up a steep mountain. It then was a gradual downhill overall to Groseclose. One Stick and I got a cold drink from the store. We called the Happy Hiker Hollow Hostel to be picked up. Aqua picked us up and took us to their place. We were showed around and we got cleaned up. Rambunny came home and asked how our hikes were going. She then left to pick up the rest of the hikers. Loon, Steamboat, and Growler came to stay the night. Three of us were taken to Marion to resupply. We came back and packed our food. This means getting rid of most of the packaging and repack the food. We then had a AYCE Dinner. We had salad, vegetables, bread, a pasta/meat dish, a non-meat dish, and three deserts. The meal was great and they treated us like family.This place is a must stop on the trail. They both know what hikers need out here. Remember to call ahead if you¢re headed here; space is limited. Today was a hot day with an ending in a nice, refreshing place. THANK YOU, RAMBUNNY & AQUA, FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY! My food bag is over-filled again. My pack is going to be heavy tomorrow. Time to pack my pack. See you later. MUDFLAP.
Date: 2009-04-27
From: Groseclose

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: clear sky

"HEAVY PACK TOO MUCH FOOD" This morning we had a big breakfast at the hostel. We had French toast, pancakes, bacon, potatoes, cantaloupe, juice, and chocolate milk. The Happy Hiker Hollow was a great stop. One Stick and I were taken back to the trail just after 8 a.m. I knew my pack was very heavy today. I bought too much food at the store. All day I could feel the weight on my back. One Stick had the same issues I had. The day was filled with fields and small ups and downs. There were maybe three good climbs today. We took several breaks. The temps are in the mid 80's now. We must¢ve climbed over a dozen stiles today. Stiles are usually ladders over fences so animals can¢t get out. I was tired at the end of the day. GOOD NIGHT
Date: 2009-04-28
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: clear sky

"GOD'S THUMBPRINT" Today we didn't go far due to the distance between camp locations. The views here are beautiful. There were a couple of good climbs today. The second one was over 2000 feet. Parts of it were pretty steep and it was hot. We have been drinking a lot of water due to the heat. The views from Chestnut ridge were just great. You could see all the mountains we climbed for the last two days. There were old fields on the ridge and a spring fed pond. It looked as if there was a small farm up here a long time ago. The climb to Chestnut Knob Shelter from the ridge was easy. Again, the views were great. There is a valley that¢s called God¢s Thumbprint. The valley is surrounded by mountains all around. It looks like God made a thumbprint from above. There is farm land down below. It is very beautiful up here. GOOD NIGHT. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-04-29
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

"RIDGE WALKING" The sunrise this morning was obstructed by clouds. The same thing with the sunset last night. Growler left first this morning. One Stick and I left after we dried our tents. Today¢s hiking consisted of mostly ridge walking. We had small up and downs all day. Parts were very rocky, some were as big as a house. The temps were cooler today due to the cloud cover. Later in the day we could hear thunder. As we got closer to the shelter, light rain came down. We got there before we got too wet. Later some thunder storms came through. We saw several deer at the shelter while we did our chores. We found out from a section hiker that Growler got a ride to Bland,VA. He has a mail drop there, but he went in on a low traffic road. He YOGIED a ride from the section hiker¢s brother. He may have a hard time hitching or getting a ride back there. YOGING is like Yogi the Bear, hiker slang for getting something like food or a ride. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-04-30
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: Helvey's Mill Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

"GREAT TRAIL WITH TRAIL MAGIC" Today the trail was great. There were a couple of climbs. The trail was not hard. We didn't even get rained on. We had a little trail magic, too. One Stick and I split a Gatorade out of a cooler. It was ice cold. We saw a snake on the trail and a turtle. At the shelter tonight there are three section hikers. Kattie, One Stick, and I are the only thru hikers. The weather is cooler tonight. It should be better sleeping weather. Time for Mudflap to go to bed.
Date: 2009-05-01
From: Helvey's Mill Shelter

To: VA 606
Miles today: 16.3

"GOOD TRAIL, GOOD MILES" Today we were only going to do about 11 miles. We made such good time we did over 16 miles. One Stick had a great day. His bad knee wasn't bothering him too badly today. We were both tired and our feet were sore. Since we made such good time, we decided to push on. We knew we would resupply at VA 606. There is a store called Trents about a half mile off the trail. You can camp, shower, and do laundry for $6. We could also get some real food like burgers, pizza, and cold drinks. Hikers find it hard to pass up real food. We can even have breakfast in the morning. The weather was good today for hiking. It looked like we were going to get wet, but we got just a couple of raindrops and wind at times. The temps were in the upper 60's. There were showers near us, but they never reached us. Hopefully the temps won¢t get back in the 80's for awhile. I hope to be more consistent with the miles in May. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-05-02
From: VA 606

To: Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: light rain

"SHORT HIKING DAY" Last night there were 3 of us at Trents: Safari, who is a section hiker from Punta Gorda,FL, One Stick, and me. We all had breakfast at Trents plus I packed out a turkey sub for lunch. We left kind of late. One Stick and I were only going to the next shelter. We took a side trail to Dismal Creek Falls. It's a cascading waterfall. The trail was real easy today, no big climbs. Tomorrow we have a 1200 foot climb right out of the shelter. We plan on camping 3 miles from Pearisburg, VA. While I'm typing this journal I saw a large black animal running 150 feet in front of the shelter. It look like a wild boar to me, but it could have been a bear. I'm not sure if there are wild boars in Virginia. Tonight there are 5 hikers here: Jetti, Maggie, Red Bear, One Stick, and me. I was up late last night. Tonight I will be asleep by dark. Good night. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-05-03
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: moderate rain

"ALL WET GOING TO TOWN" Early this morning the rain started to come down. We left about 7:30 with our rain jackets on. That was a mistake. We got hot in no time. We stopped, took our jackets off, and just got wet. The rain slacked off quite a bit. We had a 1200 foot climb right out of the shelter. We had some rocky sections today, which slowed us down. There were huge rocks that looked stable, but when you stepped on them they tilted. These are rocks that weigh maybe 300 lbs. Plus, they are wet and slippery. The rain picked up and we got cold and soaked. We stopped at Doc's Knob Shelter for lunch. We pushed on and talked about going into town if the rain did not quit. We were in the clouds so we decided to do the last three to town. We got to town wet and tired. We got a room at The Plaza Motel. We showered and headed to the Chinese buffet. My left foot has been bothering me the last few days. I hope a zero day helps the foot. It's after midnight, so good night. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-05-04
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Pearisburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

"EATING AND RESUPPLY" One Stick and I spent the day eating and doing chores. Chores are the things that you have to do when in town. We went to the post office multiple times to pick up packages and mail gear ahead and home. We went to the drug store and bought items and tried to put pictures on a disk. I could not get the machine to read my pictures threw the USB slot. I will have to do it down the trail. We made several phone calls to family and friends. We also had to resupply until our next stop. We had to eat between all this running around town. That¢s about the norm when in town. This is my final chore at 1 am. I am done. I don¢t even feel tired. I could watch TV for a while. I need to sleep because I have some mountains to hike. I guess I¢m not tired because I did not hike today. When I¢m in the woods I usually go to sleep at sundown. Good night. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-05-05
From: Pearisburg, VA

To: Rice Field Shelter
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: moderate rain

"WE BEAT THE RAIN, KIND OF" We stopped and had breakfast at Hardees. We didn't start hiking until 9 a.m. We were working our way down the trail when I fell down. I was trying to talk to One Stick when I fell. I guess I can¢t do two things at once. One Stick was having some problems with walking today. We came to a creek crossing where we had to rock hop across. One Stick slipped. He tried to keep his balance, but he ended up falling in the creek. He was not hurt, but he was very wet. We went a little farther and he went down again. He was okay. He just had a loose round rock under his boot. We got to the ridge after some steep climbing. We got to Rice Field and went to the shelter to have some lunch. After we sat down, it started to rain hard. There were already 2 hikers here to stay. We already had a rough start to the day. So we decided to stay due to the rain. Hiking in 50 degree temps in the rain is not fun. The shelter is full tonight. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-05-06
From: Rice Field Shelter

To: Bailey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: light rain

"AFTERNOON RAIN" This morning there were 12 people in a 7-person shelter when I woke up. There was someone even sleeping on the table. I got up early to use the privy and I had to step over people to get out. Then I had to find the privy in the clouds. I used the snoring of tenters to guide me to and back to the shelter. We got going and had a mostly ridge walk in the beginning. We took a break before the first shelter. Before we could get to the shelter it started to rain. I had a rain jacket but I still got wet. We stopped there for another break; the shelter was full with other hikers doing the same. We only had 4 miles to the next shelter, but it took us forever. We crossed a new bridge over Stony Creek. The old bridge was not there in ¢06. It was washed out in ¢04. We got to the shelter finally. We were both tired and wet. I cooked and ate and fell asleep. I even slept with my food bag instead of hanging it. Time for me to go back asleep. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-05-07
From: Bailey Gap Shelter

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

"Sunshine and Rain" It rained most of the night. We waited till the rain stopped to pack up. The skies started to clear and we saw blue skies. There was a long rocky area on a ridge. We had a long level section after that. We got wet on that section when some afternoon showers came through. The sun came out after the rain and we dried out. We took an hour lunch at War Spur Shelter. We pulled out our tents plus any wet gear so it would dry out. We headed to the next shelter after our long lunch break. We had a 1700 foot climb up, then another 1000 foot decent to the next shelter. Some of the climb was pretty steep in places. We got wet again from a late after noon shower. Like before the sun came out and we dried out. Laurel Creek Shelter had plenty of good tent sites around the shelter. That¢s another exciting day on the AT. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-05-08
From: Laurel Creek Shelter

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

"NO RAIN TODAY" We woke up this morning and packed up. I then had my usual breakfast of three Sweet & Salty Granola bars. We came to Laurel Creek. Due to the rain we were going to get a little wet. Both our boots got a little wet in the crossing. We then came to this old two story house. It had hand prints at the entrance doorway. It also had them on the walls and the ceiling. It looked like something out of Blair Witch Project. Very Spooky: BOO! We went through some pastures and crossed a bunch of stiles. Stiles are used to cross fences. There are several kinds. Today we also passed the Keffer Oak. It's a White Oak, 18-plus feet around. It's estimated to be more than 300 years old. We had a good steep climb to the ridge of Sinking Creek Mtn. We walked along the ridge for a while when we saw big neat piles of rocks. There was no sign of an old road up there. Most of the piles look like they have been there a long time.We also walked on large rocks on the ridge. Most were at an angle, like 45 degrees or close to that. It made my left foot and ankle sore. I rolled my left ankle yesterday, twice, so it was sore when I got up this morning. The top of my foot has been sore for awhile. I will try to be careful with it until it feels OK. For now, I will take a lot of Ibuprofen to dull the pain. We also crossed the Eastern Continental Divide. That¢s where one side, the rivers end up in the Atlantic; the other side ends up in the Gulf of Mexico. Well, it¢s still light out but I'm going to take some Tylenol PM and go to sleep. Good night everyone. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-05-09
From: Niday Shelter

To: Dragon's Tooth
Miles today: 14.3

"DRAGON'S TOOTH" Last night after I finished my journal, the storm rolled in. There were thunderstorms all night long. I was dry and comfortable in my tent. The lightning lit up the sky and the hard rain pelted the tent. About 6 a.m. the rain was a light drizzle. One Stick and I packed our tents up and prepared to leave. The trail was a creek in places; our boots got wet from the standing water. We crossed several creeks that were overflowing due to all the rain. Our first climb had a memorial for Audie Murphy. He was the most decorated WWll vet. He became a famous movie actor. He died when his plane crashed on the mountain. There is a wood bench when you get to the ridge and one at the memorial. We also met Madelyn of Maine. She started hiking a month after I started and she is 64 years old. She is a strong and consistent hiker. We decided to push on to Dragon's Tooth. There is no water up there, so we had to carry enough water till late the next morning.The packs weigh about 7 to 8 pounds more due to the extra water. The climb was long, but we made it. Dragon's Tooth is where these huge rock's that are maybe 40 or 50 feet in the air. They do look like a dragon's tooth in a way. Some day hikers came up and gave us some oranges, thin mint cookies, and some trail mix. I had some cookies and One Stick had the rest of it. The wind is blowing up here and we may get some rain tonight. Well, its getting late. Time for me to go to bed. GOOD NIGHT. MUDFLAP
Date: 2009-05-10
From: Dragon's Tooth

To: Johns Spring Shelter
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: few clouds

5/10 Dragon's Tooth to Johns Spring Shelter 9.4 miles tent "MOTHERS DAY" The day started with a beautiful sunrise from Dragon¢s Tooth. We left about 6:30 so we could resupply and hitch to Catawba to eat at the Homeplace Restaurant. The first mile had us doing a lot of climbing down rock faces. You could break something if you fell on some of those rock faces. It takes a little while to work your way down this kind of trail. We walked down the road .3 of a mile to resupply. First, I ate 2 sausage-egg-cheese-and-tomato biscuits plus chocolate milk and a Gatorade. Then I went back in and bought 2 days of food to get me to Daleville to resupply again. This lady came to the store and said she was headed in to work to fry some chicken. I asked her if she worked at the Homeplace and she said she did. She said there would be a long wait due to it being Mothers Day. That¢s OK. It's worth the wait from the reviews I have heard from other hikers. We headed up the trail to where we planned to hitch in to Catawba. We saw some pink Catawba azaleas on the trail in full bloom. We went through several pastures today. We had some short up-and-down climbs before we reached our road. One Stick got us a ride with two marines who were on a short hike. We got to the restaurant and boy, did we look out of place! The place was packed with people in their Sunday best. The last shower I had was 6 days ago. I smell like a homeless person. I have the hiker funk. We all have it. You get used to it. We went over to where all the hikers were sitting in the grass. Most were recovering from overeating. They gave us the lowdown on the food. We put our name on the list and were told about 1&1/2 hours. We sat in the grass and rested. We had some people ask us about our hike. Then some, I think, were afraid of the dirty, smelly hikers. That¢s OK. I can smell clean people, like day hikers, on the trail. We were seated at our own table. For $14 (including tax) you get beverage, 3 meats (chicken, ham, and roast beef), mashed potatoes, green beans, pinto beans, coleslaw, apples, gravy, biscuits, and cherry cobbler with ice cream. They keep bringing the food as long as you can eat it. The food was great and the people were friendly. We had full bellies, but we only had to hike a mile to the shelter. Don¢t miss the Homeplace. It's a great place. We got a ride back to the trail from another hiker. Today is Mothers Day. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL THE MOMS OUT THERE. My mother passed away in 2003. I have brought some of her ashes with me on this hike. I spread a little bit in places I think she would like. I miss her very much. She was a great lady. She was very proud of my sister Debbie, who is also a great mom and business woman. I'm proud of Debbie too. I know Mom was proud of me, but all I am is a truck driver who works too much. Happy Mothers Day to my stepmother, who is also my transcriber. Thanks for all you do. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL THE MOMS! MUDFLAP