morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-28
From: Wilson Creek Shelter

To: Bryant Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: moderate rain

It seems that it always rains when ever you don't want it, and never rains when you do. I did not feel like walking in the rain otday, and it poured for the vast majority of it. Today it was my turn to walk through el rio de Appalachia. Today I started the criss cross of the Blue Ridge Parkway(BRP). I will cross this raod many times between now and the northern terminus of Shenendoah National Park. I spent the first ten miles of today either crossing the BRP or being within 100 yards of the road on either side of it.Of course I could only see ten feet in front of me at any given time due to the cloud I was in, so my sense of distance may have been a tad bit off. Besides the rain, today was a fairly easy day. There were very few rocks, and the trail spent most of the day weaving around various mountains.There were no views along the BRP today, although the cloud I was walking in looked awefully nice for about three seconds.After lunch and a drying out period I began my march to Bryant Ridge Shelter. My descent into Jennings Creek represented the lowest elevation point of the trail thus far at a mere 951 feet above sea level.The climb up to Fork Mountain was not noteworthy. I merely mentioned it because it was the final climb before the descent to the shelter.Brant Ridge Shelter is quite large, its capacity is listed as 20 people, but you could easily fit 30 if you needed to.I am hoping it dries out a bit tomorrow, some sunshine would be nice. 2008 may very well go down as another rainy year on the Appalachian Trail.Tomorrow I shall aim for a 22.7 mile day, which would give me a short day in and out of town Wednesday.I think I shall continue reading "Atlast Shrugged", and then sleep for the night.Why am I out here? Why would I ever want to walk 2,000 miles through the mountains? Why do I insist on walking on when everything starts looking the same? Who is John Galt?Good night, and good luck.Kirby
Date: 2008-04-29
From: Bryant Ridge Shelter

To: Matt's Creek Shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: broken clouds

When I woke up this morning, there was a bitter chill in the air. I there for determined I would be eating breakfast in my sleeping bag.I hit trail at 6:45AM this morning with the realization that I had a lot of climbing, ten miles worth to be specific. The nice thing was that it was all in the morning, when I tend to have all my energy due to breakfast.The nine mile climb to the summit of Apple Orchard Mountain was quite easy, it was just long. There was only one view during the climb, and that was on the summit due to an open field created by a tower owned and operated by the military of the United States of America.I then passed under the famous "Guillotine", which is a large rock that's wedged between two rock faces, it hangs about ten feet directly above the trail. I'm convinced that rock will fall one day.After lunch at Thunder Hill Shelter, I began my tumbling descent towards the James River.Thunder Ridge overlook was nice, but that was the only good ciew on the descent besides the one I had on Apple Orchard Mountain.My home for tonight it Matt's Creek Shelter. Tomorrow I will either go into Glasgow for resupply or push onto Brown Mountain Creek Shelter and resupply Thursday in Buena Vista.I shall now cook and eat dinner, which is a fairly fancy way of saying I shall boil water and add pasta.Then I shall read.Good night, and good luck.Kirby
Date: 2008-04-30
From: Matt's Creek Shelter

To: U.S.F.S. 39, Little Irish Creek
Miles today: 17.2

After waking up this morning, I did a food inventory to see how much food I need to buy in Glasgow, VA to get me to Waynesboro, VA. It turned out I almost had enough food on hand to get me there. I only needed a jar of peanut butter and one dinner. I packed way too much food out of Roanoke.I arrived at the outer banks of the James River and US route 501 at 7:45AM. Cookie and I hitched a ride into Glasgow with Hummer and Henry. Henry is slackpacking Hummer for about 150 miles on this section hike. When we arrived in Glasgow, Henry and Hummer offered to treat Cookie and I to breakfast, which we gladly accepted. We ate at the only restaraunt(sp?) in Glasgow, which is Howard's. The food there was quite good.H and H then offered to slackpack us 11 miles, which was quite nice. Cookie and I quickly resupplied, after which we were dropped off at US route 501 to start our slackpack.I spent the entire day hiking with Hummer. We talked about the many random things that come up while you hike, which today included a conversation about how the bloated and pointless United Nations came to be.The climb out of the James River Valley up to the ridge was not all that hard. There were plenty of switchbacks, and the ridge offered plenty of nice views.Towards the end of the ridge the trail takes you up and over Bluff Mountain, which takes you by surprise because it really comes out of nowhere. On the summit there were the remnants of some sort of tower, and there was a view of the valley below.We arrived at BRP mile 51.7 around 2:15PM, which is where we collected our packs and said out thanks and goodbyes to H and H. I do owe them a thanks for everything they did for me today, it helped out tremendously.Tonight I am stealth camping along the Little Irsh Creek with Cookie. We found a nice campsite here, which is key to stealth camping.Hardbound is ahead of us now. He decided he would go into Buena Vista tomorrow for resupply instead of Glasgow today. I'm not sure when I'll see him again, but I don't think it will be for a while/Tomorrow I will aim for around 21 miles. It's now looking like I'll be in Waynesboro early Sunday instead of Monday. Shenendoah National Park is now on my mind.And that's the way it was.Kirby
Date: 2008-05-01
From: U.S.F.S. 39, Little Irish Creek

To: Seeley-Woodworth Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: broken clouds

May 1st, 2008. I have now been on trail for two full months, with today representing the start of my third. What a miserable way to start May.The walk from the Creek to US route 60 was not all that bad. I walked along a stream for most of the walk, concluding with a gentle uphill leading to the road.At US route 60 I bumped into the General. He flipped up to Front Royal from Damascus the same time I was there, he's hiking south into Trail Days. I stopped and chatted with him for a while, it was nice to see him again.The climb from the road to the top of Bald Knob was the worst climb in a very long time. There were numerous false summits, and it just felt like the climb would never end.The trail the dips down to Cow Camp Gap, and immediately went up to the top of Cold Mountain. The climb took me by surprise, so it was mentally grinding.The summit ridge of Cold Mountain has a long and open field with plenty of nice views. This is where I decided to eat lunch. While eating lunch I met a trail maintainer from Maine(forgot his name). His section of trail(Elephant Mountain) is overseen by a man I did trail work with last summer(Tom G.).There was absolutely nothing good about the rest of the day. There were no views, but plenty of rocks though.Tonight I am sharing a shelter with Cookie and two section hikers.Tomorrow I shall attempt to march over and down the Priest, and go straight back up to the top of the Three Ridges.Dinner time.Good night, and good luck.Kirby
Date: 2008-05-02
From: Seeley-Woodworth Memorial Shelter

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: broken clouds

I no longer try to assume whether a day will be easier or harder in comparison to the previous day, I always seems to be wrong.The trail today was once again very rocky, which drove me insane. Virginia has been a very rocky state thus far.Once I hit the top of the Priest, it was a sharp descent to the Tye River. My toes were jamming quite a bit into the front of my boots.After lunch at the Tye River, I began the death march to the top of the Three Ridges. This climb was long, steep, and hard. Plenty of rocks and 80 degree heat made me a very miserable hiker.After that it was "smooth sailing" to the shelter.Physically, I am perfectly content with how my body is performing. Mentally, I am exausted. Virginia has been a very tough state, and I have been feeling the effects of it lately. I have not been enjoying the hiking lately, which is very unfortunate.Tomorrow is a new day. I think I will walk 16 miles, giving my body a little break. That will put me five miles south of the road crossing for Waynesboro, giving me a short day Sunday.Time for dinner number two.And that's the way it was.Kirby
Date: 2008-05-03
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: US 250/Waynesboro, VA/YMCA tenting
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a day where I really had no idea where I was going to end up at the end. My orginal intention was to stay at the shelter five miles out of town, allowinf me to walk in tomorrow morning. So much for that plan.The walk today, in comparison to the last two days, was fairly easy. There was the unsual assemblance or rocks and more rocks, but it smoothed out significantly after the cut off to the Humpback Rocks.I arrived at the shelter around 12:00PM. After lunch I determined it was too early to stop, and Cookie was dead set on making it to Waynesboro, VA, so off we went.We arrived at US 250 at 2:10PM and proceeded to hitch into Waynesboro.In town we got some tenting spots at the YMCA tenting sites. After showers at the Y we walked up to Kroger(grocery store for you northerners), where I proceeded to buy a half gallon of ice cream and eat 3/4 of it in one sitting. I did, however, fail in my attempt to eat the whole thing in one sitting.After a little lounging around, I went to the chinese restaraunt for the all you can eat dinner buffet.Tonight I am tenting in town. Tomorrow morning I shall move over to the Tree Streets Inn, where I am staying courtesy of the Appalachian Pages.My morale is a whole lot higher now. Towns are good at revitalizing one's spirit. I shall zero tomorrow, much needed in my humble opinion. I need to hit the Post Office Monday morning. I shall hike out early Monday afternoon.Time to read and relax.Good night, and good luck.KirbyPS: I took a nasty fall today, hard enough to draw blood. There was a nice view though, so as I screamed in pain I had a nice view of the Virginia valley.
Date: 2008-05-04
From: US 250/Waynesboro, VA/YMCA tenting

To: US 250/Waynesboro, VA/Tree Streets Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I have come to the realization that it's not that I sleep poorly on the trail, it's that I sleep poorly in shelters. I slept amazingly well in my tent last night.I was packed up and on my way to Weazie's for breakfast by 6:45AM. I stopped by Kroger's to purchase a Washington Post on my way there.Weazie's has good food, but it's over priced in my opinion. I spent way too much money on breakfast this morning, it should have been a lot less for what I got. Lesson learned.Since I had sometime to kill before my 12:00PM check in at the Tree Streets Inn, I decided to take care of resupply before I checked in.After eating some ice cream and relaxing some more, I meandered my way up to my home for the night.My room here at the Tree Streets Inn is pure amazing. I am located on the top floor of a gorgous 100 year old three story house. I have my own bathroom facilities, and there's plenty of room for me to spread out. The Inn offers plenty of snacks and coffee to keep any guest satisfied.After setting up headquarters and completing my food consolidation task I met Cookie at the Y and we walked to Rockfish Gap Outfitter's, which is roughly one mile out of town.Once Cookie completed what he needed to there, we walked back towards town where we ate dinner at "Mi Rancho", a local Mexican restaraunt. The food there was good bang for the buck. A taco sald and a taco did the trick for me.It was then time to return to the Inn tp update my journal and prepare to hike out tomorrow.I owe a huge thank you to the Appalachian Pages for putting me up here. This place is absolutely amazing.I think I shall watch Sunday Night Baseball. The Red Sox(the greatest team in MLB history) are not playing, but it's better than no baseball at all.Good night, and good luck.Kirby
Date: 2008-05-06
From: Stealth camp south of Skyline Drive MP 92.4

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: few clouds

It was 1:07AM, and I awoke quite suddenly to the crunch of leaves outside of my tent. My body suddenly froze, wondering what could possibly be out there. After calming myself down a bit, I poked my head outside of my tent to discover a deer eating some leaves and sniffing around my camp spot. I relieved the tension in my body and slept until 5:50AM, when I awoke to start my day.The trail from the campsite to Blackrock Gap, for the most part, was very nice. There were very few rocks or roots, and the elevation gains rarely took more than ten minutes to complete.At Blackrock Gap Cookie and I decided to be rebels and walk Skyline Drive for a change of pace. Skyline Drive used to be the route the AT took, but with the creation of SNP came Skyline Drive, and the AT was forced to move. There have been numerous parts thus far where the AT parallels the road about 150-200 feet in the woods.Skyline Drive provided a nice change of pace. All ups and downs were gradual, and there were plenty of nice views. SNP was essentially designed so that you would not have to leave your car to take in a nice view.At Doyles River overlook Cookie ad I rejoined the AT. Our plan was to use a connecting trail to get to Loft Mountain Campground, where we would use the campground road to reconnect to SKyline Drive. At this reconnection point there is a wayside where you can buy cooked food. This is exactly what we did.We arrived at the wayside around 12:00PM. I used extra change I've been carrying for a while to buy a bottle of root beer. I enjoyed my bagel and peanut butter with this root beer, and Cookie shared his chips with me. It seems that Cookie found ten dollars today while walking Skyline Drive, so he treated himself and me to SNP's famous blackberry shakes. It hit the spot and it was quite good.In order to return to the trail, I had to walk Skyline Drive 1.5 miles to the next AT junction. Along the way I met two people from the Berkshire region of Massachusetts. I chatted with them for a bit then continued north.There must have been some sort of Maine convention happening today because I saw four cars on Skyline Drive with Maine plates.At the junction it was 1.6 miles, easy miles, to my home for the night.I rolled into the shelter at 2:45PM, and I was perfectly content with stopping.I have no need to make this trip end as rapidly as possible. This trip is my summer, so I will drag it out as long as possible once I am in northern New England.I suppose I shall eat dinner now, as it is that time of the day once more.Tomorrow I shall walk north once again.Good night, and good luck.KirbyPS: I have seen three deer in camp thus far tonight. That brings my total for SNP up to six deer.
Date: 2008-05-07
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Bearfence Mountain Hut
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: clear sky

If you were to be able to look up "easy hiking day" in the dictionary, today's hike would most certainly be listed.I hit trail at 6:40AM and cruised 14 miles by lunch. The trail was nicely graded, and the ups and downs were not all that difficult.The climb out of Powell Gap to the top of Hightop did feel like it would never end though, but it eventually did, and I was perfectly content when it was.I arrived at the South River Picnic Grounds at 11:45AM, perfect timing for lunch.After lunch I hit cruise control and arrived at the shelter around 3:00PM.It seems Cookie somehow got ahead of me today, not really sure how. Tomorrow I shall try a 26.8 mile day, which will hopefully allow me to catch him.26.8 miles would be my longest day thus far, but I am physically and mentally prepared for it, and am actually looking forward to it.My deer count now stands at seven, I saw one today.As of today I have walked over 900 miles. That's a very long way. It's hard for me to really comprehend how far that truly is. When your goal is to walk 2,000 miles, 900 miles is less than half way to your destination. This is the part of my hike where I really feel like I am getting somewhere, and I feel like I might actually finish this trail.It's and odd sensation really.Good night, and good luck.Kirby
Date: 2008-05-08
From: Bearfence Mountain Hut

To: Pass Mountain Hut
Miles today: 26.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Physically exhausted. Mentally fried. This is my body's current state. And it feels absolutely amazing.I woke up at 5:45AM and was on trail at 6:15AM. I forgot to mention Hardbound was with me in the shelter last night. However he was meeting Angie(wife) at Big Meadows Lodge so he can return to Roanoke for his nurse's retirement dinner. I said goodbye this morning fully knowing I won't see him again on trail for a while, if at all.For those of you that were interested, I stayed on trail all day yesterday. That was not the case today.In fact, I spent a vast majority of the day walking Skyline Drive. The only downside to road walking is that it does hurt the bottom of your feet after a while. Small price to pay for effortless walking.I rolled into Skyland Lodge around 11:00AM. The lady at the gift shop was very rude, so I left there quickly. I was back walking at 11:30AM. I started out on the actual trail, but quickly hopped back on Skyline Drive for the rest of the day.At Thorton Gap I rejoined the AT for the 1.2 miles walk to the shelter. At the shelter I caught up with Cookie, who did a short day(15 miles) to let me catch up with him. Also at the shelter are two section hikers from Baltimore, Maryland whose names are Zack and Emily.Tomorrow I shall aim for 23.6 miles, allowing me to walk to the road crossing for Front Royal the following morning.Fatigue is starting to set in, I think I shall lay down.And that's the way it was.Kirby
Date: 2008-05-09
From: Pass Mountain Hut

To: Tom Floyd Wayside(Shelter)
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: light rain

This morning I awoke to the sounds of water dropping off the side of the shelter. The grass was wet and the trees were damp. Rain had made its presence known once again.I was on trail at 6:35AM this morning after a 5:45AM wake up. The trail from the hut to Elkwallow Gap was fairly typical SNP terrain. I spent the entirety of it walking in a cloud.At Elkwallow Gap I treated myself to some real food. Before I entered SNP, I determined I would stop once and buy real food, and today was that day.I spent a vast majority of the day walking with Zack and Cookie. Even though Zack has only been on trail for two weeks, he can already cruise down the trail faster than myself. I think I shall put a bowling ball in his pack when he's not looking.We determined that we were no longer going to walk the trail today, opting for Skyline Drive instead.The walk was easy, boring, and wet. There were no views, there was actually nothing interesting at all day long.I rolled into the "wayside" at 2:50PM, bringing to an end to my hiking day.Tomorrow I shall walk 2.9 miles and then hitch into Front Royal for resupply and a meal. I will then hitch out of town in the early afternoon and walk to the first shelter.It's hard to believe I've come this far.Good night, and good luck.Kirby
Date: 2008-05-10
From: Tom Floyd Wayside(Shelter)

To: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Town is always good incentive for packing up quickly and hitting trail. I was on trail at 6:45AM this morning.I rolled into US 522, the road crossing for Front Royal, Virginia, around 7:45AM this morning. After getting a quick hitch into town, Cookie and I hit the local coffee shop to kill tome before the visitor's center was due to open.At 9:10AM we waddled our way over there to receive some more information about the town and to request permission to leave our packs there while we completed some town chores.After breakfast at L. Dee's Pancake house, I walked over to the outfitter's so Cookie could make a couple small purchases. Afterwards I picked up my pack from the visitor's center and walked to the Food Lion for resupply.I did not need that much food, just a few small things that will enable me to get to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia.After a quick hitch, Cookie and I were back on trail by 1:00PM.The walk from the road to the shelter is pretty easy. There is one uphill, but it's fairly easy to complete.I am looking forward to Harper's Ferry. For northbounder's, this town represents the symbolic halfway point of the journey to Maine. I am contemplating going to Washington, DC VIA trail from Harper's to visit a friend who will be there. DC might also give me time to truly comprehend how far I've come, and the journey that will lye ahead.So often on this trip are we consumed with the distant goal of walking 2,000 miles that we forgot how far we've already come, and what we've been through to get there.Good night, and good luck.Kirby
Date: 2008-05-11
From: Jim and Molly Denton Shelter

To: Rod Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: broken clouds

Today was just one of those days. I did not feel like hiking today, but that's just part of the game.I was up and on trail by 6:45AM this morning. The trail today, on an overall level, was fairly easy. There was some uphill, but nothing that required a trip to the emergency room.I was particularly fond of the stretch from Manassas Gap to Dick's Dome Shelter. In the stretch I had it all. I saw birdwatchers, plant photographers, and a group of Asians out on the trail. Not to be rude, but one of the Asian hikers looked like she has had tons of plastic surgery, I held my composure long enough to not laugh in front of her. This was the highlight of my day.There were a lot of strange sounds in the forest today. It felt like with every step I took I would hear a different sound, it was really quite odd.Sky Meadows State Park was an interesting walk. I spent most of it walking through an open field with trees placed randomly about, it was a nice change of pace.At Ashby Gap I had cell phone reception so I called my Dad to check in.Tonight I am at Rod Hollow Shelter, and we are almost full. It is raining quite heavily right now, so everyone decided to ride out the chaos here.It seems I have found myself in a thru0hiker void. Besides Cookie, I have not seen another thru-hker in 3-4 days. There is one other thru-hiker here tonight through. It's nice having section hikers around, they seem like real human beings. Thru-hikers are starting to feel more and more like robots, it's as if the trail has taken away their personality.Tomorrow I have a couple of big landmarks. First, I will cross into West Virginia, brining the 535 mile march through Virginia to an end. Tomorrow I will also cross the 1,000 mile mark of my journet. It's hard to believe I'll have come 1,000 miles by the end of tomorrow.Tomorrow I will walk through "the rollercoaster", which is a 13.5 mile stretch with roughly 13 pointless ups and downs. Since the trail corridor through the stretch is so narrow, maintainers have no choice but to route the trail up and over the PUDS. Should be a fun experience.I would like to wish my Grandma and Mom and Happy Mother's Day.And that's the way it was.Kirby