morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-05-25
From: Daleville

To: Bobblets Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: scattered clouds

I loaded up on the continental breakfast before leaving the hotel. I'm pretty sure I doubled my pack weight with all this food I'm carrying. There is a trail behind the Howard Johnson that connects to the AT. My shoes are dry, my socks are clean, and life is good.Before I go on, I failed to mention a phenomena I've been experiencing along the trail. While walking along the ridge yesterday I could hear a constant "screeching" down in the valley. I assumed it was coming from the high voltage lines down there. I was wrong. For miles I kept hearing this incessant screeching. As I descended from the ridge I found out what was making all the noise. 17 year Cicadas, what I heard is that they are a weird insect that lives underground eating tree roots for 17 years. Then they dig to the surface, fly around, mate, and die. There must be billions of them. Some places in the trail have thousands of little holes that they've crawled out of. Thousands of dead ones litter the trail as well. The sound is loud and constant, sometimes it actually hurts your ears.  If you get near a group of them in a tree you notice the sound is actually pulsing like a heartbeat. Weird creatures. If that's true that they only do this once every 17 years I guess I'm lucky to see it.Anyway...I was moving up the trail slowly under the weight of my groceries. My bag was packed so full I had to strap my left over Shoney's and a bag of Cheetos to the top. I got to the shelter feeling hungry. I built a fire roasted some brats and ate a small loaf of bread. More hikers showed up at the shelter and I slid my stuff over to the wall to make room.I had a hard time sleeping. My nose is stuffy and my throat hurts. At 3:00am I still couldn't sleep so I took an ibuprofen (which is all that I have) and it seemed to help. While I was up I noticed a giant wolf spider on the wall next to me. It was about 3" around including the legs. I didn't feel comfortable sleeping next to that thing so I whacked him with one of my insoles.
Date: 2012-05-26
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter

To: Cornelius Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: few clouds

I was slow to get up this morning. I felt pretty sick. Eventually I did get up and start walking. There is a big "hiker feed" going on this weekend 23 miles ahead just before the Thunder Hill Shelter. It's from 2:00-7:00pm Saturday and Sunday. I could drag my feet and show up tomorrow but I'd like to get there today.This cold has me wandering down the trail like a zombie. I sorta want to just curl up somewhere. There was a nice swimming hole about 10 miles out. That was nice and refreshing, there should be more swimming holes along this trail. I looked at my watch and knew that I had to keep moving if I didn't want to be late for dinner. I looked at the elevation change in the guidebook and it looked like a giant heartbeat. The trail is coming back to life. I had a 3,000ft. climb ahead of me to get to the hiker feed. I went over a little 1,000ft heartbeat on my approach to the bigger one. After a 2,200ft. gain in 5 miles I'd had enough. It feels like I have a fever and although I could make it to the feed in time I'd be cutting it close. I stopped at the Cornelius Creek Shelter and I'm so glad I did. Flowering rhodadendron surround the path leading up to the shelter. It reminds me of "Angels Rest" overlook. There is a stream flowing right next to the shelter. I went down to the stream to wash up and discovered cold cans of Coke and Dr. Pepper. It's been a long day and I feel like crap. That little act of kindness brought tears to my eyes. I've really developed a taste for corn syrup out here. That sugary sweet nectar gives you a real boost. I had two Dr. Peppers with dinner (my favorite).Up at the shelter I disturbed a bird who had built its nest under the edge of the roof. To let her know I didn't mean her any harm I moved all my stuff to the far end of the shelter. I decided that since this was her place, I should pay her a rental fee. So I put a handful of sunflower seeds on the picnic table. That seem to put her mind at ease about me. After making multiple trips to the table she settled back into her nest for the night. I could see her tail feathers sticking out of the nest a few feet away.
Date: 2012-05-27
From: Cornelius Creek Shelter

To: Matt's Creek Shelter
Miles today: 17.7
Weather: broken clouds

I didn't sleep good again last night. This cold is the pits. To make matters worse I must have carelessly squatted down to do my business in some poison ivy. It has appeared on my left butt cheek. I couldn't get comfortable last night. My weak comfort seeking mind is eager to point out that being here is a choice. In times like this testicular fortitude isn't enough. I need love, encouragement, and some good food. Luckily the hiker feed is only 5 miles away. Coming down Apple Orchard Mountain just past the FAA tower I saw a 4 foot rattlesnake crossing the trail. I gave him plenty of room and waited patiently for him to cross. When I was sure he was far enough in the weeds on the other side, I scooted past.I showed up early for the hiker feed. They already had sides and left overs out on the buffet line. It was fantastic, these ladies know how to cook. I'm embarrassed to admit I stuffed myself full before they even fired up the dutch ovens. They really put on quite a feast for Memorial Day weekend. This is by far the most amazing trail magic I've seen. I thanked the women and tried to excuse myself, but Annie asked me to wait. She said she had something for me. By that time there were at least 20 hikers sitting around feasting. Ann got everyone's attention and pulled out a bag of marbles. She explained that she's given these marbles to travelers for several years. People have taken them to Mount Everest, The Great Pyramids, and other places around the globe. She said it's like going along on the journey with us. She also said that when times get tough to pull it out and remember this day. Then she handed the bag to me and asked me to take one. These aren't your average marbles. They're made of different stones and crystals. I chose one made of rose quarts. Thank you Annie. You girls really brightened my day.The 3,000 ft. decent was tough. My feet would slide forward in my shoes and the pressure from the laces hurt the top of my feet. I toyed with the idea of walking down backward but it wasn't practical.I had a cool experience near the end of the day. A deer was on the trail ahead of me. When I noticed it I stopped. It stood there wagging its tail and looking at me for the longest time. Finally it turned around and started walking the other direction. I followed slowly behind him, trying not to startel it. It knew I was following him. The deer took a couple steps off the trail as I continued foward. To my amazement the deer just stood there eating leaves and watching me. I got within 10 feet of him as I walked by!By the time I got down to Matt's Creek Shelter I felt pretty ill. I want to get a hotel room till I get over this cold.
Date: 2012-05-28
From: Matt's Creek Shelter

To: Glasgow
Miles today: 2.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I am grateful to have gotten some good sleep last night, I need it. After two miles of walking I crossed the James River footbridge, it's the longest foot traffic only bridge on the AT. I talked with some nice people in the parking lot on the other side of the bridge and then hitched into Glasgow. A fellow hiker named Brad gave me a ride.For the record, the town of Glasgow is really cool. They built shelter for AT hikers right in town. It has a barbecue/fire pit, picnic table, hot shower, and a port-o-potty. This seems like the perfect place to hold up for a day or two till I get over this cold. The shelter is in a perfect location, it's an easy walk to everything you need.There is one other hiker here, he said he's been here for a couple days. I got some cold medicine and slept through the afternoon. When I awoke two more hikers had shown up called the "In Laws", they are on trail journals too. I like these guys, they shared chili dogs over the campfire with me. When I laid down to go to sleep the bugs were biting so bad I couldn't take it. I walked over to the Dollar General to find a solution. I purchased 24 citronella tea lights. It worked great until the early morning when they all burned out.My Glasgow experience was nice, except for one thing. The hiker that had been there for a couple days decided to stay one more night and get drunk. I had to go to the bathroom late in the evening and discovered he had puked all over the inside of the porta potty. It was disgusting, all over the toilet seat and walls. I ended up doing my business in the woods. I can't believe he didn't clean it up. This is a communal bathroom!
Date: 2012-05-29
From: Glasgow

To: Cow Camp Gap Shelter
Miles today: 25.6
Weather: scattered clouds

This morning I asked the hiker who drank too much last night if he had gotten sick. The other hikers and I commented about how disgusting the bathroom was. He admitted he puked but denied doing it in the porta potty......Come on, really?.....The decision to rest here another day was decided for me by the condition of the bathroom. It doesn't bother me to be around someone that has a couple drinks, as long as they keep their head on straight. But I am losing my patients for sloppy drunks. The boy scouts built the hiker shelter for us in Glasgow. It really makes us look bad when they come to pick up the garbage and it's full of empty beer cans. A bathroom covered in puke doesn't do much to bolster our image either. Please, if all you want to do out here is party do us a favor. Get off the trail and do it at home.I stopped at the Grocery store and bought some food. I didn't take the time to plan how much I would need or how far I was walking. I just grabbed what looked good. It didn't take long to hitch back to the trailhead.An attitude followed me into the woods. Rather than doing something positive like praying for that guy, I focused on how it affected me. My thoughts revolved around feeling sorry for myself and not having a comfortable place to rest. I ended up having my worst moment on the trail so far. Things can get magnified when your alone with your thoughts. Between being sick, having poison ivy on my butt, the bugs, and the poor experience at the last shelter I reached my breaking point. I started to think about quitting. But I decided that if I was serious I should walk another 200 miles to make sure. That would put me at about a 1,000 miles, a little further and I'd be at Harpers Ferry (the unofficial halfway point). So I made up my mind that If I really wanted to quit, I could get off at Harpers Ferry. Once I allowed myself the freedom to make that decision a weird thing happened. It was as if a pressure valve had opened up. I seriously felt better in a matter of moments. Suddenly I was enjoying the walk again and had no desire to quit. I realized I felt better too. The day of rest I took in Glasgow really helped. Refocused, I took out the guide and tried to figure out where I was going. It's 77.2 miles to Waynesboro. I thought about stopping at a town called Buena Vista along the way to buy more food. 21.8 miles later I stood at the crossing of US 60 with my thumb out. Nobody would pick me up. I took stock of how much food I had. If I walk 25 miles a day for the next three days I think I'll have just enough to get to the next town. I decided to go for it and went back into the woods.It started raining just before I got to the shelter but my attitude has remained strangely positive since this morning.
Date: 2012-05-30
From: Cow Camp Gap Shelter

To: Harpers Creek Shelter
Miles today: 24.4
Weather: overcast clouds

While I walked I reflected on what went through my mind yesterday. I had been treating that subtle voice calling for comfort as the enemy of my adventure. Two distinctly opposite personalities live within me. One is goal driven thinking very little of food, shelter, or bodily comfort. The other is soft, critical of rash decisions, and constantly returning to memories of being comfortable. The battle inside me was almost like an argument between a married couple. Perhaps that's not so far fetched. We are all made from male and female genes. The male side just happens to dominate me. Instead of treating the softer side as an enemy, I realize that it needs to be embraced. That saying "if mama isn't happy ain't nobody happy" comes to mind. You really have to keep yourself happy and comfortable out in the woods. If you don't, that subtle little voice can get pretty loud. Maybe this is obvious to other people but it's only becoming clear to me. I need to develop a better relationship with myself.I made my miles to the Harpers Creek Shelter. I met "Cheese It" and "Flash Gordon" there. We built a fire and I cooked some noodles in my cup. A friendly little dog showed up. He has a collar, but no master. The tag has a number on it. Maybe I'll take the dog to town tomorrow and call the owner. I fed the dog some noodles and half of a peanut butter sandwich.
Date: 2012-05-31
From: Harpers Creek Shelter

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 27.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I wanted to take that little stray dog to town today but he wouldn't behave on a leash. So, I left him in camp. I wrote the owners number down so I can call and tell them where I saw the dog. It was a long steady day. I was excited to meet Blake on the trail, I hadn't seen him since my first time through Damascus. My cell phone hasn't had any service in a long time, Verizon seems to work way better out here then AT&T.I saw another big rattle snake on the trail today. I came up on him fast and he scared me when he started rattling. It stopped me dead in my tracks and I started backing away. The snake must have had a recent meal because it's got a fat bulge in the middle. I actually took some video of him but I didn't provoke it to rattle a second time.There is a trail angel phone list at Rockfish Gap for rides into Waynesboro. I borrowed a Verizon phone from some guys sitting in the parking lot across the road. By the time I secured a ride three more hikers came out of the woods. We all went to town together. Our first stop was a legendary Chinese buffet. To my surprise I met "Tarp Water" in the parking lot, too cool! He was headed in to eat too so we all got a table together.The Grace Lutheran church in Waynesboro has provided an awesome hiker hostel, certainly one of the best!! They have showers, a hiker lounge, a kitchen, wifi, and lots of cots. It's very comfortable here.
Date: 2012-06-01
From: Waynesboro

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

The church allows you to stay at the hostel for two nights, but you have to be out between 9am-5pm. They let us leave our packs inside. I have a little sea to summit daypack for days like this, it weighs less then 3 ounces. Anyway, Tarp Water and I walked to a diner and got breakfast. We then walked to the outfitter where I hoped to find yet another pair of shoes. I met a long distance hiker from Lithuania a couple days ago. He showed me some real specific things to look for in a pair of trail shoes that will support my feet better. I didn't find what I was looking for from the selection of shoes at the outfitter. But, I did find a Sawyer Squeeze water filter and some freeze dried food.I really want to look at some more shoes. The guy from Lithuania pointed out how my shoes were too flexible under the arch. He then showed me his pair of La Sportiva trail runners and how they flexed only at the toe. It's supposed to rain today and Tarp Water suggested we go to the movie theater until the church lets us back in at 5:00pm. I suggest we rent a car and go look for shoes. He was nearly as excited about the idea as I was. I have found that while you are on the trail, renting a car can really lift your spirits. Walking across town takes forever and if you want to look for shoes in the next city over, forget it. It would take you a whole day to walk there. It's liberating to have a car, real freedom. I asked for a compact, but they only had a passenger van available today. He rented a full size 2011 Chevy to me for the price of a compact car. It sorta reminds me of driving my own big van, which is kind of fun. We drove to Charlottesville and checked out an outfitter, then a sporting goods store (where I got a bigger bug net), and lastly a specialty running shoe store. It was at the Ragged Ridge Running store that we struck gold. These people know their stuff. A young woman asked me about my foot problems, then asked to observe me walking bare foot. She told me a little bit about my feet and the type of shoe that would work best for me. She brought out two types of trail runners and an insole designed to prevent plantar fasciitis. I didn't realize that life could be this good, I found my shoes. Tarp Water found a pair of shoes too, which is great because he had been looking for new shoes since I first met him in Damascus. He had searched in at least six different outfitters without success. A specialty running store is the best place to get your shoes. They don't sell clunky boots, only trail runners.We stopped at an awesome buffet afterwards, then went back to Waynesboro. At the church hostel we picked up another hiker. Then I drove us to the cinema. "Avengers" in 3D was a nice treat. It's been a great day!
Date: 2012-06-02
From: Waynesboro

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Blake now known as "Trick Candle" told me that plantain leaves can be used to treat poison ivy. It works! The poison ivy I had on my backside is gone!! Blake became known as "Trick Candle" because he has wanted to quit several times but some kind of trail magic has kept him going. At one point he actually went so far as buying a bus ticket home!According to Appalachian Trail Conservancy statistics 50% of thru hikers make it to Harpers Ferry and 25% will make it to Katadin. Wikipedia says traditionally only 10-15% make it to Katadin. Whatever it is, I hope God chooses to keep me physically and mentally strong enough to make it there.Since I still had the rental van I shuttled some hikers back to the trailhead from the Church this morning. A group of us then went out to breakfast. As it turns out "Mr. Fabulous" was able to get that stray dog to follow him all the way to rockfish gap using spam and tuna fish. He contacted the owner and the dog has been reunited with its family.I saw an AT&T store yesterday and figured that they must have towers here. I stopped in to find out what was wrong with my phone. It turns out that it was stuck on a tower and just needed to be reset, no big deal. It sure is nice to have service again. I dropped hikers off in different places around town, then I returned the rental car.A couple of us decided to double zero here. Waynesboro is an awesome hiker town. I fell asleep in the grass behind the church while waiting for them to let us back in. This is a really great hostel. Even though you're only supposed to stay two nights, they let a few of us stay 3. After getting our cots, five of us walked to the Chinese buffet. Mmmmm!I went to a study group at St. John's episcopal  church tonight and I believe I will stay for regular church service here at the Lutheran Church tomorrow morning. I've learned that when I put some effort into maintaining my spiritual fitness things tend not to bother me so much. I feel that the trail is a mental and spiritual thing for me at this point. My body is plenty strong enough to make it to Maine. I just need to maintain a positive attitude while I'm out in the woods. Outward circumstances do not dictate what kind of a day it's going to be. Whether a day is going to be good or bad depends upon my internal spiritual condition. The sunlight of the spirit shines for everyone, we only have to choose to stand in it.
Date: 2012-06-03
From: Waynesboro

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Mr. Fabulous let me know he called a trail angel to shuttle some hikers back to the trail this morning. I said thanks but I'm going to stay for church. I like what the pastor preached this morning. He said that learning about faith by listening to men is like eating watered down soup. To get real substance you must get it directly from the source. He encouraged us to work on developing a personal relationship with the lord. After Church I went to Weazie's for lunch. By the time I caught a hitch up to Rockfish gap and got back on the trail it was nearly 2:00pm. Just as I was crossing into Shenandoah National Park I met "Trick Candle" walking south bound. I said "hey man you're going the wrong way, Maine is that way" as I pointed up the trail. He seems pretty serious about getting off the trail today. We talked as I filled out my backcountry permit. I managed to get him to walk a couple miles further up the trail with me. We stopped and took a break where he had earlier decided to turn around. When I first met Blake back in Hot Springs he said he didn't really want to be on the trail. The fact that he's walked 500+ miles since then is remarkable. I realized that I wasn't helping by trying to push him to go further. Blake originally planned to hike with his friend for awhile who has since gone off ahead. He never set out to do the whole trail. I think he's making the right decision for himself. I'm glad I met Blake. He helped me get my pack weight down early on and the tip he shared about getting rid of poison ivy was priceless.It's not as if you get a cash prize or something for reaching Katadin. I'm not sure that becoming a thru-hiker earns you any bragging rights. All it really means is that you have a few screws loose upstairs. Seriously, you have to be a little crazy to subject yourself to this kind of punishment and call it recreation : P I believe I might just be crazy enough to pull it off.P.S. I almost forgot to mention I saw a bear cub at 6:00pm. That makes 5 I've seen.
Date: 2012-06-04
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 21.4

There are lots of tame deer in Shenandoah National park. They don't run away from you, I've been able to get very close to them. There are also stores and restaurants along the trail here that make it easy to resupply. The trail itself is pretty flat compared to other sections. It's just right for trail running. I like to run on the flats and downhills. All you have to do is move your feet really fast and gravity does the rest.After stopping at the Loft Mountain restaurant I got back on the trail and decided to run for awhile. I hadn't run for very long when I rounded a bend and came up on a bear. I wanted to get a picture before I scared him off. I backed down the trail and got my phone out. After snapping a couple photos I thought it would be fun to make a video showing how easy it is to scare them off. The video turned out to be quite humorous. The bear did not react the way I thought it would. When I started yelling at it the bear actually turned around and started up the trail towards me! I started throwing rocks at it while yelling. That got the bear to get off the trail, but only about twenty feet. I literally walked past the bear with my camera in one hand and a rock in the other. I've never been that close to one before. If I had a can of bear spray I would have sprayed him.A lot of hikers showed up at the shelter tonight. I got a stomach ache after eating a Mountain House "chili mac and beef" dinner. I fell asleep in the fetal position while listening to my earbuds.