morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-05-31
From: Paul C. Wolfe Shelter

To: Rockfish Gap (Waynesboro, VA)
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: broken clouds

DAY 81Today was a short hike from Paul C. Wolfe Shelter to the Rockfish Gap Visitor¢s Center at US Route 250. Rockfish Gap, near Waynesboro, Virginia, is the southern entrance to the Shenandoah National Park. We will enter the Park tomorrow and begin a hundred mile traverse of the Park. But today has mostly been a rest day.We ran into Captain Patagonia and Quinn on the way to the Gap. At the Visitor¢s Center we were able to call a Trail Angel for a shuttle into Waynesboro. This is a wonderful program that the citizens of Waynesboro have to help hikers with shuttles.Our shuttler first stopped at an outfitter. There I bought a new water bag to replace the water bag that Rocky started the Trail with. Her water bag had gotten pretty scummy. Then we were dropped off at a Quality Inn in Waynesboro. We are checked into a very nice room here. I showered and then Rocky took a long luxurious tub bath. After we got cleaned up we were getting hungry for lunch. We walked to a nearby Pizza Hut. I was in seventh heaven. Pizza!Later this afternoon we went to a grocery store for resupply. At the store we met the same strange individual who spooked Rocky in the shelter last night. He was in town to pick up his welfare check. Apparently he is homeless and living at the shelter.Rocky changed into her ¢town¢ dress that she bought during Trail Days. It is a light weight print dress, sleeveless and short. She looks quite attractive in that dress. Still later in the afternoon we caught a bus to a nearby shopping center. We went to a Wal-Mart¢s and then to the nearby liquor store. Rocky bought a bottle of Sambuca for her evening relaxation, while I bought a bottle of Bailey¢s Irish Cream. We have different tastes. The Jack Daniel¢s I picked up in Roanoke is long gone. A very nice young lady gave us a ride back into town near our hotel. Her car had a wonderful smell of chocolate. Then we had dinner at a Chinese buffet. Pizza Hut and then an AYCE! Today has been a gastronomic treat for me. Back at the Quality Inn we relaxed with our beverages. No sense in carrying too much liquid back on the Trail tomorrow. We talked. Am I falling in love with her? Is this possible at my age? No matter what happens with our Trail partnership, she will always be a special person to me. I will have some wonderful memories of this Trail experience.
Date: 2005-06-01
From: Rockfish Gap (Waynesboro, VA)

To: Just past Sawmill Run Parking Area, Skyline Drive
Miles today: 10.0

DAY 82We lingered for awhile at our hotel room. I have never felt closer to anyone than my Trail partner, Rocky. I have shared feelings, emotions, and things about my past life that I have never shared with anyone previously. When I¢m with Rocky I feel free to be myself: silly, ridiculous, immature, dumb, wise, young or old. But the mechanics of the Trail intrude. It was time to leave Waynesboro and its friendly people. There was laundry to be done and Rocky had to go to the post office. I took our laundry to a local Laundromat. While our clothes were in the wash cycle, I went to a nearby store to purchase a birthday card and a little gift for Rocky. Her 43rd birthday is three days away. I am not very imaginative when it comes to gift giving, and there are problems with carrying a too heavy gift on the Trail. So I bought her a package of Star Wars M&M¢s. I wrote out the card and hid it in my pack. We met back at the Quality Inn and packed to leave. Then Rocky had to go to the post office a second time. The first time she had forgotten the money she needed to mail a package back home to New Hampshire. She went back the second time and enjoyed talking with two other hikers there: Spice Rack, who we met three days ago, and ¢One Thing¢, whom we had never met before. From our room we contacted a shuttler for a ride back to the Trail. We also saw ¢Draggin¢, who was in town. Our shuttler gave him a ride to the outfitter. We also saw Captain Patagonia and Quinn coming out of the woods. We asked our shuttler to give them a ride into town on her way back. There is a well organized group of Trail Angels in Waynesboro. They are truly awesome people.It was past 11 am when we finally started back on the Trail north into the Shenandoah National Park (SNP). A short distance later we came to the SNP Information Board. Here we obtained our free back country permits. These are filled out by the hiker, with a tentative itinerary, just as in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We hiked the seven miles to Calf Mountain Shelter under sunny skies. We stopped at the shelter to cook our dinners. It was early, but this was a convenient spot for dinner, and we had a chance to chat with some section hikers.We hiked on and crossed the Skyline Drive at the Sawmill Run parking area. We walked past the road into the woods and found a suitable spot for our tents. Setting up our tents has become kind of routine. In no time we were in our tents for the night.We talked back and forth between or tents as darkness fell. Eventually Rocky has stopped answering and she must be asleep. So ends our first day in SNP.
Date: 2005-06-02
From: Just past Sawmill Run Parking Area, Skyline Drive

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

DAY 83It started raining this morning not long after we left our tent site. At least we were able to pack dry tents. It has been a cold, wet day as we hiked to the next shelter, Blackrock Hut. We arrived here around 12:30 pm. At the shelter we changed into dryer clothes and had lunch. Then we got into our sleeping bags and took a nap for about two hours.Later in the afternoon, we had company in the shelter. An older section hiker, Frank, arrived with his younger and very athletic sister, Anna. Frank had been an aviator during the Vietnam War and used his call sign ¢Nomad 6¢ as his Trail name. His sister, Anna, was new to long distance hiking. Frank is showing her the ropes. Later ¢Nameless¢ arrived. He has a guitar and Rocky is loving his music.A warm sleeping bag, music, good company, and good conversation. This is a perfect evening on the Trail.
Date: 2005-06-03
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Pinefield Hut
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: light rain

DAY 84Once again today was a rainy day, although perhaps warmer than yesterday. We left the shelter in the rain and hiked a quick seven miles to the Loft Mountain Campground. There is a Laundromat at this Campground and a bathroom with a shower. It was a good place to get out of the rain. We did laundry and took showers. We got warmed up a bit.Then, what to do? Go back into the rain? No, getting restaurant food is always a good morale booster. We walked the mile or so to the Loft Mountain Wayside on the Skyline Drive. There we had a lunch snack. Rocky had her usual cheeseburger. With my lunch, I ordered a blackberry milkshake. The blackberry milkshake is kind of unique to SNP. I gave Rocky a sample taste and she loved it. She would have drunk my whole milkshake if I had let her. Then it was time to go back out into the rain to walk six additional miles to Pinefield Hut.Rocky had a sad morning. Later I realized she was crying as she walked along. I couldn¢t tell as she always hikes in from of me, so I couldn¢t see her face. I didn¢t pry into her feelings. Maybe it has been two days of miserable weather, or maybe it is the fact that her birthday is tomorrow and her husband won¢t be here with her. Or maybe she is tired of me. I will never know.The weather improved by the time we got to the Pinefield Hut. Frank and Anna were here at the shelter before us. Rocky had a little Sambuco to drink before dinner. I think that has brightened her mood. We cooked dinner and have enjoyed a fun evening with our shelter mates.
Date: 2005-06-04
From: Pinefield Hut

To: Baldface Mountain
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: broken clouds

DAY 85Today is Rocky¢s 43rd birthday. Earlier this morning, while she was at the privy, I prepped my shelter mates to sing, ¢Happy Birthday¢ to her on my cue. Rocky was happy and quite surprised by our little serenade. I gave her the birthday card and the M&M¢s. We had a little ¢Little Debby¢ cupcake for a birthday cake. It was a low budget birthday, but Rocky seemed happy.We had a deer right outside our shelter when we got up. Deer are all over SNP and seem quite used to people. Thus far we haven¢t seen any bears.We expected a long day¢s hike today as we are hoping to make it to the Big Meadows Lodge tomorrow. Fortunately the Trail through SNP is well graded and well maintained. It appears to be designed more for tourists, as compared to other sections of the Appalachian Trail. We stopped at bug infested Hightop Hut for lunch, after walking eight miles this morning. A little later we stopped for awhile at an overlook on Hightop Mountain to dry our tents that were still damp. Then onward!We stopped relatively early, six miles later, at the South River Picnic area to cook dinner. There was water and a picnic table there. Our reasoning was that if we cooked dinner here we wouldn¢t have to worry about finding water at tonight¢s campsite. There were also some touristy people at a nearby table. I was hoping that thkeky might invite us over to share some of their food. A Little Trail Magic! But no luck tonight! So after finishing our meager hiker dinners we were on our way to look for tonight¢s campsite.Rocky loves to forage for mushrooms and this afternoon she found what she called a ¢chicken mushroom¢. It was kind of orange. She added it to our dinners. I am dubious about eating a wild mushroom, but I have found tonight that it didn¢t kill me after all. Rocky got this crazy idea (at least to me) to go to the top of Baldface Mountain and sleep in the open on a rock. That way she could see tomorrow¢s sunrise. I told her she had no idea what was on top and that it was a stupid idea. She said she would go on to the top herself. This really incensed me, but common sense ultimately prevailed. We have found a suitable tent site in the woods, and called it a day.I hope Rocky had a Happy Birthday. I think she is disappointed that her husband had not come to meet her for her birthday. But I¢m not.
Date: 2005-06-05
From: Baldface Mountain

To: Big Meadows
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: scattered clouds

DAY 86Today¢s hike was not particularly difficult, but Rocky has had a rough day. Her legs and feet hurt. Her shoes are worn out, and she has to keep adjusting them. It will be another fifty miles before she can get them replaced. I was a bit frustrated today as I wanted to get to Big Meadows Lodge as soon as possible.We finally got here at Big Meadows Lodge early in the afternoon. I was frustrated and angry at the length of time it took to get checked in. The clerk seemed to be exceptionally slow and inefficient. All Rocky cared about was would there be a tub in our room. I just wanted to get in the room and relax. Finally, we got to our room which is a comfortable little cabin unit in a building adjacent to the Lodge. And there is a tub, so Rocky is happy.After we moved into our room, I went to do our laundry. I also took our tents to dry them out. It took me a long time to get the laundry done, because of the number of other people using the facility. While I was working on the laundry, Rocky came by and was as happy as I had seen her all day. She told me Sowega had arrived at the Lodge. She wanted to share our room with him to save him a few dollars. While I am happy to see Sowega, I am less than overjoyed at having him in our room. Rocky even suggested that one of us sleep on the floor, so that Sowega could have a bed. I told her in no uncertain terms that she could do what ever she wanted to, but I am not giving up a bed that I have paid good money for.Sowega is an amazing hiker. He can turn it on and off at will. He had previously spent three Zero Days at Rusty¢s Hard Time Hollow. He loved it. Even with three Zero Days he has managed to catch up with us.I continued to work on the laundry and drying out our gear. Rocky came back later and told me to hurry up as she wanted to go to dinner with Sowega right away. I told her to go without me, as I had work to do. I will come when ever my work is done. I am also quite annoyed that Sowega suddenly seems to be controlling our day¢s agenda.The three of us eventually did go to dinner at the Lodge tonight. It was a very good meal. Later we went downstairs in the Lodge where there was live music. It was enjoyable, but I left before the end of the show as I am tired after what has seemed to be a long and slightly aggravating day. Rocky and Sowega have come back to the room, and Sowega will sleep on the floor after all.
Date: 2005-06-07
From: Campsite just past Stony Man Parking Area

To: Stream at Jeremys Run Trail
Miles today: 15.5

DAY 88Another hot today, in the 80¢s.Sore legs and feet slowed us down. It made the day¢s hike almost mechanical, almost like work. However, there is no place I would rather be. And, I might add, there is no one else I would rather be with than my pretty hiking partner, Rocky. It is a pretty self centered life for us right now. But we both know there will be a day of reckoning when we have to face the outside world. We both know that we will have to part someday, and that parting will hurt like hell. But in the meantime, we try not to think too much about the future. Every day in the present is a new adventure. After seven and a half miles, we reached Thornton Gap. We had looked forward to a lunch or a snack at the Panorama snack bar. We walked the short distance off the Trail to Panorama and were disappointed to find it was closed. We talked for a short time with another hiker by the name of ¢Clockwork Orange¢. Naturally, he is wearing all orange clothing. Then we went on and walked another eight miles. We crossed a stream where the Jeremys Run Trail goes off to the left. A short distance later we decided this was the spot for our camp tonight. We have set up our tents, cooked our dinner, and called it a day. Rocky is really beat and my right knee is sore. We both need a Zero Day.We hope we can make it to the Terrapin Station Hostel by tomorrow night.
Date: 2005-06-08
From: Stream at Jeremys Run Trail

To: Compton Gap Trail (Terrapin Station Hostel)
Miles today: 15.9

DAY 89Another hot day on the Trail. Today we saw our first black bear of our entire hike. We also saw other wildlife: deer, rabbits, snakes, butterflies and all kinds of birds. However, we have started to encounter swarms of bugs. The black flies fly right into Rocky¢s eyes as she walks out in front of me. They were driving her nuts today. My eyes are somewhat protected by my bi-focals and the fact that she leads the way. And then there are the ticks. We have both pulled several ticks off of our bodies today. We were in need of showers and a thorough scrubbing. From last night¢s campsite in the woods, it was only a short distance to the Elkwallow Wayside. We stopped in the store to see what was available, which was very little. So we continued on our way. It was late in the afternoon when we reached the Compton Gap Trail that leads to Terrapin Station Hostel. We had a few false starts on the Compton Gap Trail as it is not well marked. Eventually we figured out the correct route and walked the half mile to the Hostel. Or rather, I walked and Rocky was almost running on her sore feet. She was anxious to get to the Hostel after a long day.The hostel is the very first building you come to as you enter a residential development. The owner, Mike Evans, is a former thru hiker. He has converted a regular bi-level home into a hostel. Here at the hostel we met Sowega again, along with ¢Draggin¢, who we met earlier. Also here are ¢Jersey Fresh¢, ¢Pacer¢, and ¢Deep Sea¢ and a few others. It is refreshing to be among other hikers again. We have gone quite a few days without seeing other thru hikers in the SNP.It has been great to get a shower and cook some dinner on the hostel facilities. I am looking forward to a good night's sleep. We are both looking forward to a Zero Day tomorrow.
Date: 2005-06-10
From: Compton Gap Trail (Terrapin Station Hostel)

To: VA Routes 55 & 725 at Manassas Gap
Miles today: 12.0

DAY 91Today we did a somewhat relaxing slackpack southward back to the Compton Gap Trail to Terrapin Station Hostel. In has been another hot day, in the 80¢s. Mike shuttled Rocky, Frank, and I to Manassas Gap and we headed south. There were some up and downs but it has not been too difficult a hike, considering we had no packs. The problem was the heat and we sweated like mad. We stopped for lunch at the Jim and Molly Denton Shelter. It is a beautiful shelter. It has a front porch with seats. We enjoyed sitting on the porch, but we won¢t have the opportunity to stay there.Later in the afternoon we were joined on the Trail by a SoBo section hiker by the name of ¢Mule¢. He is a recent veteran of the Iraqi War. He literally had some ¢war stories¢ to tell us as we walked with him. I guess he hadn¢t seen much in the way of women lately, as he became infatuated by Rocky. He walked close to her and listened eagerly to her every word. It was kind of comical to watch the attention he paid to Rocky. I can¢t say I blame him. We suggested he come back to Terrapin Station Hostel with us for the night, which he did. Sowega and Jersey Fresh left this morning hiking north. We didn¢t see them on the Trail today as we walked in the opposite direction. Wonder if we will ever see Sowega again. Tonight will be the last of our three nights at Terrapin Station Hostel. It has turned out to be a pretty nice stay, after all. Mike has taken excellent care of us, and has gone above and beyond with the shuttles he has provided.
Date: 2005-06-11
From: VA Routes 55 & 725 at Manassas Gap

To: Rod Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

DAY 92This morning, Mike Evans drove us to the trailhead at Manassas Gap on a hot, muggy day. It was slow going, initially, with a climb. We haven¢t carried a pack for three days and needed to get used to the load all over again. At one point in the Trail, Rocky had a shock when she suddenly came upon a long black snake in the middle of the Trail. She screamed and jumped backwards into me. No harm done, except for the sudden fright. The snake slowly slithered off the Trail.We continued past Dick¢s Dome Shelter and passed through a part of Sky Meadows State Park. There were a lot of grassy fields that would be great places to camp, compared to some of the more ridiculous campsites we have had. Rocky thought this would be a great place to watch the stars at night, but no camping is permitted along the Trail in this Park. We soon descended to Ashby Gap, where the Trail crosses US Route 50.As we climbed out of the Gap, we came upon a blue cooler, courtesy of ¢Funk¢ and ¢Dizzy¢. There were sodas, candy bars, and fruit in the cooler. Another senseless act of human kindness on the Trail. And very much appreciated by us. It was around dinner time and the Trail Magic came at a very opportune time for us. We were so hot and tired by this time in the day. It was still almost four miles to the Rod Hollow Shelter, and it was getting dark. We had to break out the headlamps and hike in the dark for the last couple of miles. I had a hard time following Rocky in the dark. I hate night hiking and I was quite aggravated that we had dawdled so much earlier today. It should not have been necessary to night hike had we pushed harder earlier in the day. By the time we reached the Shelter, I had calmed down. After all it isn¢t Rocky fault that we had such a long day. At the shelter there are two section hikers already here. A little later Freeze Dried came into the shelter. It was good to see a familiar face as we have not seen him for days. We are not cooking dinner tonight as the Trail Magic constitutes our dinner. We will not be using our sleeping bags tonight as it is so hot. We are laying on our thermorests, instead.
Date: 2005-06-12
From: Rod Hollow Shelter

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: scattered clouds

DAY 93This has been a challenging day. It has been very hot, in the 80¢s, very humid and with little breeze. Also this is the day we tackled the infamous ¢Roller Coaster¢. The Roller Coaster is a series of eight climbs and descents. None of the climbs is much over 500 feet, but they are fairly steep. At the entrance to the Roller Coaster is a sign that says, ¢Welcome to the Roller Coaster. Enter if you dare.¢ So we dared to enter.On another day, the Roller Coaster would not have been so bad. My right knee was hurting at the start of the day. About half way through, my right foot twisted on a rock and a sharp pain shot up through my knee. This slowed me down even further. The day got so hot and tiring that Rocky wanted to stop and take a nap. Last night was uncomfortable and neither of us slept much. I laid my tent on the ground for her to nap on. She never did fall asleep, but the rest perked her up. Eventually we continued on. Later this afternoon we climbed the final 600 feet to the side trail to Bears Den Hostel. Some one had dumped ice on the ground near the hostel. Rocky was so hot that she ate a chuck of ice right off the ground. Bears Den Hostel is a stone building. Once inside it is much cooler. The hostel is run by a very assertive woman, named ¢Queen Diva¢. She insisted we take showers immediately, which was fine by us. We were dirty and hot when we entered the hostel. I weighed my self and found that I was down to 129 pounds. I haven¢t weighed that little since I was in 8th grade. This is a little scary.Rocky is having a hard time emotionally, as she misses her daughters and activities that she did back home. I am having a hard time physically. I am going to have to see a doctor when we get Harpers Ferry, assuming I can still walk that far.Bears Den Hostel serves a dinner to hikers, presided by Queen Diva. Dinner was spaghetti and salad which we appreciated very much. What I found most welcome was a cold drink that was served. I don¢t know what it was, but it was pink and cold and very refreshing. I must have drunk half a gallon to make up for the sweating I did on the Trail today.Tonight we also got the disappointing news that B-Money has gotten off the Trail due to a foot injury. It is sad to hear that another member of our Trail family is gone from the Trail. Earlier Jukebox got off the Trail. Sowega and Tomcat have gone on far ahead of us. It seems like a lifetime ago that we were hiking together in southwest Virginia. Both Rocky and I miss them.Rocky has issues back home. Both she and I will both go to bed tonight in an unsettled state of mind.