morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-04-15
From: Campsite after Dickenson Gap

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: snow

After setting up our tents in the high winds last night, the rain started in earnest. It poured most of the night, with the wind just howling. I slept pretty well, and so did a couple of black beetles who spent the night with me. I had a lot of condensation in the tent and had to wipe the walls with my camp towel. Things still got pretty damp in there. This morning we packed up our wet things and tents and started hiking again. It was so cold with the wind-driven rain. We stopped at the Rice Field Shelter for a lunch break. We couldn't stay long because of the cold. We then hiked through some boulder fields. The rocks are slippery when wet and covered with wet, slippery leaves. We did pretty well except for the one rock that I slipped on and went down. Luckily I landed on my pack, and so no injuries. As the afternoon went on we hiked in rain,sleet, hail and snow. The trail kind of winds through Pearisburg and around it through the hills. We hiked over the Senator Shumate Bridge, which runs along the interstate. Finally we came down a hill, and there was Foodwalker. We are going to take a zero day to give my feet a break and to eat. I have to find some kind of food that I will be able to eat on the trail. I am losing weight rapidly and getting too exhausted.
Date: 2014-04-16
From: Pearisburg

To: Pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was spent doing little. We dried our wet things and Foodwalker did our laundry. I did some shopping to try some different foods. Last night we went to a very good AYCE. I had a long conversation with my sister, Breezy, who has hiked two long sections and she gave me some helpful tips and ideas. Tomorrow we will set back out.
Date: 2014-04-17
From: Pearisburg

To: Viewpoint before Wapiti Shelter
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Thank you to everyone who is reading my journal and for your comments. I have added new photos under the photo tab. Today we started out from Pearisburg by going through some yards and between houses. A woman who was taking out her dog showed us where the trail continued. From there it was a long uphill from town. Eventually we came to Angel's Rest, a pretty viewpoint with large boulders and rhododendrons. Later in the morning we went through rhododendron tunnels for miles. It was like being in the Twilight Zone. Everything just continued looking exactly the same, like we were in a big loop. By lunchtime we were out of the tunnel, and stopped at Docs Knob Shelter to eat. We met a few Nobos and more later in the day. The afternoon walk was a pleasant, easy path. We climbed to the viewpoint and found a little campsite, so we set up our tents. The view here is magnificent. I snuck over to see it again at dusk, and it is all misty, and the lights have come on in the valley below. I can see a lot of farms and mountains, and at least two small towns.
Date: 2014-04-18
From: Viewpoint before Wapiti Shelter

To: Lickskillet Hollow Campsite
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning we looked out at the overlook where we slept last night and the whole valley was gone. It looked like a sea with all the clouds floating below us. We hiked through more rhododendrons and lots of streams today. Many people were going to Trents Grocery, which is near the trail. They have food, showers, laundry and camping. We went over a long suspension bridge, then headed up the mountain. I met a couple with a cute little dog while I was taking a break. The dog snuggled right up with me and didn't want to go on. Tonight we camped by a pretty little stream. It is Good Friday. We are planning to spend tomorrow night in Bland and then go to church on Easter morning.
Date: 2014-04-19
From: Lickskillet Hollow Campsite

To: US 52 Bland
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: light rain

We packed up this morning and hiked the mile to the shelter. We stopped in for a few minutes. All the guys were still eating breakfast. We talked to them for a few minutes and then headed out. We met many Nobos today. A few of them had met Foodwalker who was waiting for us. We hiked up and down a ridgeline for most of the day, then started a long downhill. At one point we had to climb down a steep slope of very loose dirt where a tree had fallen. The slope below it was also very steep. We wound up kind of crawling on our hands and knees, trying to grab roots to keep from sliding all the way down the hill. Shortly after, we saw the road and Foodwalker's blue van. Foodwalker then took our packs and we walked up the road, which was also the trail, and met him again. Now we are in a motel, clean, fed and ready for church tomorrow. We will slackpack in the afternoon.
Date: 2014-04-20
From: US 52 Bland

To: Stealth Camp after Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 13.1

Happy Easter! Today started witha sunrise service at a cemetery. It was a joint service of a couple of churches. Then breakfast at one of the churches. Afterward I went to a regular church service. We then slackpacked for seven miles. What a treat! We found trail magic of plastic Easter eggs filled with candy. We met a hiker who was feeling blue about missing the holiday with her family. We tried to cheer her up and told her about the trail magic. We met Foodwalker again at Laurel Creek, got our packs and continued on. It was a beautiful, sunny day. We are now camped about a mile south of Jenkins Shelter. Tomorrow we will be doing more slackpacking.
Date: 2014-04-21
From: Stealth Camp after Jenkins Shelter

To: O'Lystery Pavilion Campsite
Miles today: 20.1

We started this morning with a very long, hard uphill. After about three miles we met Foodwalker. We decided to extend our slackpack today to 17 miles, making today my longest hike ever. The ridgelines make me crazy. They go up and down for miles but there are few views. Most of the day we just walked fast. It was hot today and we were concerned about having enough water. We saw many Nobos. We did walk over a bald with magnificent views. As it started to get late we were concerned about getting back to Foodwalker before dark. We hadn't thought to bring headlamps, although we both had flashlights. We got back just before 8:00 and Tracy& Foodwalker set up his four man tent. He also brought us some pastries. Yum! Both a good and bad day. It was a very hard physical challenge but victorious in that we did it!
Date: 2014-04-22
From: O'Lystery Pavilion Campsite

To: Atkins
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: moderate rain

We had planned to do more miles today, but as we were looking at our guide, we noticed that we walk right into Atkins and that there is a restaurant and motel right on the trail. We texted Foodwalker and he obliged by getting us a room. The trail tomorrow starts right across the street. Back to today...This morning we were tired from our long hike yesterday but planned a 14 mile slackpack. We hiked through cow pastures again, but this time there were cows. A lot of them were young and they were quite excited by our presence. They ran from us and all gathered together in a group. When they felt safer, they followed us up the hill from a distance. When we got to the top of the hill, they were all gathered there, and that's also where the trail petered out. We had taken the cow path instead of the AT! So back down we went and followed the right trail this time. It started raining and I put on my new Frogg Togg poncho. It worked pretty well. At lunch we stopped for a few minutes at a campsite that used to be a shelter. There is a picnic table, privy, and steps. It looks like a giant tree fell on the shelter at some point. We hiked the rest of the way into Atkins in the rain. Tomorrow we slackpack about 12 miles to the Mt. Rogers Visitor Center. So tired today. Hope I feel better tomorrow.
Date: 2014-04-23
From: Atkins

To: Camp near VA 601
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: clear sky

We left from the motel with our slack packs this morning. I tried to eat a better breakfast. I had a package of oatmeal and some cheese crackers. I put some ginger snaps in my pocket to munch on if I got hungry. Before very long we cave to the Lindamood School, a one room schoolhouse from the 1800's, which is now a museum. We stopped in and the door was not locked. A sign on the door invited hikers in. It was in very good shape, but the best part were the apples, oranges and sodas for hikers. There was also a hiker box with all kinds of things a hiker might need. I ate an orange on the spot, and took a coke for later. I also took a toothbrush, a few ziplock bags and some antiseptic wipes. Thank you West End United Methodist Church of Wytheville. A little further down there was a farmhouse and farm museum. We looked around there for a few minutes. There was a lot of antique farm equipment and buildings. I sat on the porch swing and put a bandaid on my toe.I try to use every swing I can. We met Foodwalker at the Mt. Rogers Visitors Center and took our packs again. There were a lot of hikers there waiting for a shuttle into Marion. After that it was a pleasant walk to our campsite, which is at the bottom of a hill. No phone or internet tonight. Just as well. I'm ready for a long sleep.
Date: 2014-04-24
From: Camp near VA 601

To: Fox Creek Campsite
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: broken clouds

Today we passed the 500 mike mark! We met Foodwalker early this morning and traded our packs for slack packs, and off we went again. We started again through pastures, and this time the cows weren't afraid of us and only moved a little off the trail. We stopped at the shelter and met Goat and Hey Everyone. Turns out Hey Everyone and Tracy knew each other from last year. At lunch we stopped at a beautiful cascade with a footbridge. We sat up on the rocks for quite a while. The afternoon got quite warm and we had a long uphill. Eventually we got to the top. I called Sheryl since we don't seem to get much signal recently. We started down, and on the way I took another tumble. After clearing the leaves and dirt out of my mouth and hair, we continued down. Foodwalker had already set up his four man tent for us, so we just had to cook dinner and go to bed. Rain is expected tomorrow.
Date: 2014-04-25
From: Fox Creek Campsite

To: Elk Garden Campsite
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning we through a beautiful pine forest. It was so serene and quiet, with green moss and little streams. It started to rain off and on as the day went on. We went through a stile into a bald, and there were four wild ponies and a foal. We tried to go near them but they would always back away. They were very pretty. We then went through a section of corral where livestock were once weighed for sale. We didn't stay, as rain was now pelting us and the wind was strong. We hiked over a windy bald, and came to Wise Shelter, where we stopped for lunch. As we were ready to leave we heard thunder and decided to wait. Good decision. A wicked storm blew through with lightening and hail. After it was over we moved on, over balds and up mountains. Lots of rock climbing. We went through Grayson Highlands State Park, but didn't see any ponies, just rain and tremendous wind. When a second thunderstorm caught us on a bald, we pushed into a stand of pines and sat in it while that storm went through. A bolt of lightening hit close to us but we were safe. Shortly before we came to the Thomas Knob Shelter we saw a pony right in front of us on the trail. I went to get my phone out of my pocket for a picture, and it came right over and started to check my pockets for food. We finally just pushed past it and went on our way. At the next shelter we stopped for a minute to put on more clothes and gloves. There were already lots of hikers in sleeping bags. We went on down a rocky trail for about five more miles. At the end we crossed a bald where the wind was so strong it was hard to even walk. We got to the road and climbed a fence to get out. Foodwalker met us with Subway sandwiches and had already set up his tent for us. Thank you Foodwalker!
Date: 2014-04-26
From: Elk Garden Campsite

To: Feathercamp Branch
Miles today: 18.1

We woke up this morning damp from the heavy mist that blew through all night. We were undecided over whether to hike 10 or 18 miles. Foodwalker agreed to meet us at 10 and we could decide then. We went up a very pretty mountain with lots of green moss, then down a very long downhill. We happened to step out on a road at the exact moment that Foodwalker was driving by! After lunch the Lost Mountain Shelter, we crossed a footbridge which was on the Virginia Creeper Trail. It is a very nice, smooth bike trail. There were many bikers out today. We saw Foodwalker's van below but could see no way to get to him. We walked down the trail for a little way, then Tracy went back and climbed down the bridge to tell him we would go on. He sent back two Mountain Dews for us. We walked through the afternoon, and towards the end we could see the bike trail again. The walking was very long today. I have new blisters and my shin is very sore from the fall a few days ago. Foodwalker picked us up where the AT intersected the bike path again and took us to a motel where we are drying out our wet things from yesterday. Thank you Breezy for the nice note and to everyone who is following my journal. At times this journey seems incredibly hard but I am still glad to be on it.
Date: 2014-04-27
From: Feathercamp Branch

To: Damascus
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

We headed out this morning thinking that my leg would be okay. The plan was to hike into Damascus for lunch, retrieve our packs and head out for the night. We climbed up the first hill with no problems but as soon as we headed downhill I knew I was in trouble. I hobbled all the way down and into town. We walked pretty slowly through town and met Foodwalker. We decided to take at least one day off to let my leg heal. We went to lunch at the Blue Blaze Cafe, where we each ordered our own pizza, and then headed to the outfitters. I bought a new Mini Sawyer water filter for my slackpack, and after much thought, bought new trail runners and lighter weight socks. I'm hoping this will help with the foot problems. The outfitter also strongly suggested taking some time off the trail to let my leg recover. We plan to take at least one day. Damascus is a delightful town and a fun place to spend the afternoon. Now we are back at a motel and I am icing my leg and not moving around much.
Date: 2014-04-28
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a zero day. No trail miles. Tracy and I went through our things again. We read and watched tv, and went to Kmart. Lots of eating too. We had tornado warnings today but the storms blew past and now the sun is shining. Foodwalker did our laundry for us. I guess in the morning I will see whether I can walk on this leg. More storms are in the forecast for tomorrow.
Date: 2014-04-30
From: Damascus

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

It's been a few days now since Tracy and I have been walking. My leg seems to have a worse injury than I originally thought and a few days of rest are not going to be enough to be able to head back to the trail. We spent a day and a half at a motel in Abingdon and then headed to Weaverville NC, where a good friend of mine, Chris, graciously put us up in his house for as long as we needed to stay. His daughter, Aeryn cooked a delicious meal for us the night we arrived with no notice, and Chris cooked us meat and spinach lasagnas tonight. So good! They have a beautiful house and we have enjoyed their company. However, it is time for me to go home and get my leg back into shape for walking. I tested walking today on the local hills and while I can walk, the pain in my leg is too great for comfort and I don't want to take the risk of a permanent injury. I still hope to go to Baxter State Park in June to start the northern part of our journey. Tracy will be going on without me in the meantime. Check back from time to time as this adventure is only on a temporary hiatus.
Date: 2014-05-13
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Well, it's almost two weeks since I have posted anything on my journal. I have been at home, resting my leg, eating, and getting back into life at home. I had a great Mother's Day with my two daughters, my son, my daughter-in-law and son-in-law, as well as my husband and father-in-law. Quite a crowd. My husband gave me flowers, and the kids made a great brunch and then stayed all afternoon. I didn't expect to be home for Mother's Day, so it was a great treat! When I first came home, I felt so tired and sore. It almost felt like I was recuperating from an illness. I slept a lot and could never seem to get enough to eat. I felt a little out of place and even shy of seeing people. My leg was sore, and walking was hard. My feet were covered in blisters and sore spots. When my leg started to feel better again, I started to use it a little more, gradually beginning to go for walks around the neighborhood. I have been doing little chores around the house, cutting grass, clearing out our storage unit so that we can close it, some planting and weeding, etc. It's been nice to be outside. I miss being in the woods every day. Today I went for my first hike at South Mountain Reservation in Millburn, NJ. Sheryl came with me. We did the easier Rahway River Trail from the parking lot to the river and back again, about 4 1/2 miles. My leg felt fine while walking, and still feels fine a few hours later. We will start doing progressively harder hikes over the next few weeks, before I return to the AT. Tracy has also unfortunately had an injury to her ankle. She sprained it on Sunday while hiking, and has once again returned to Ohio to let it heal. We plan to meet again on June 5 at Baxter State Park to climb Katahdin. It looks like our flip-flop hike will be even more jumbled than we planned, but we still are planning to complete it. It's been fun to read other people's journals. As the NOBO's get further north, they are hiking the areas that Tracy and I hiked in March and April. It's interesting to see the pictures and how different it looks now. When we went through, it was still winter and much of it was covered in ice and snow. Now there are green leaves and flowers, and hikers are complaining of the heat.
Date: 2014-05-24
From: Home

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Here is is, Memorial Day weekend. I am still at home. I have been off the trail so long now that it seems like I am finished. I'm not, though! My leg has been doing well. I went with Sheryl and James to do a hike at the Delaware Water Gap. I have been up Mt. Minsi on the PA side several times, so we decided to to Mt. Tammany this time. It didn't seem very hard, although it is listed as a strenuous hike. The views were beautiful, as always. The downhill trail was very rocky and steep, so a good test of my leg. When we got to the waterfall, James went out on a log that had fallen across it and laid down on it. I was quite impressed. He will be going with us to Katahdin too. Speaking of Katahdin, the Hunt Trail, and all of the trails up that mountain are still closed. Apparently, the ice and snow are hanging on there, making the trails hazardous. The delicate plants are still fragile too, and would be damaged by hikers. We are still hoping the trails will be open in two weeks, when we have our reservations at the campground. I am not sure if the road to the campground is open yet either. Just have to wait and see what happens. I have been working on my gear. I bought a larger daypack, which I hope will double as a lightweight summer pack. I would like to lighten my load as much as possible without leaving behind essential items. I also bought a tent footprint, which I will use as a tarp to make an emergency shelter for my slackpack. I would like my slackpack to be fully stocked for an unexpected emergency overnight. I have an emergency bivy, water filter, headlamp, matches & lighter and raingear. I also plan to put in a sweater, socks, hat and gloves. I know that sounds like a lot of gear, but it is all very lightweight and not too bulky. If we plan to do longer days with slackpacks, there is always the possibility of injury or fatigue, bad weather, unexpected difficulty. Being a Girl Scout growing up, we used the motto, "Be Prepared." It's a good motto and one I have tried to live by. Hiking this past winter, I learned the value of being ready for adverse circumstances.I am enjoying my time at home, but ready to go back to the trail and get started again. Thank you to Tamara for your note. I will definitely read Grasshopper's journal, which I have been looking at from time to time, as well as many of the 2014 hikers. It would be very nice to meet both of you if we wind up near each other at some point. Also, thank you to everyone who is reading my journal.
Date: 2014-06-05
From: Home

To: Baxter State Park
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I left home at midnight with my daughter, Sheryl and her boyfriend, James. We were headed for Katahdin Stream Campground in Baxter State Park. We reached Millinocket about 9:30 in the morning and stopped for breakfast at the AT Cafe. We went to the food store for supplies, stopped at the Baxter State Park HQ, and then went on to the campground. After setting up camp, Sheryl and James made a fire, and I read a book from under my bug net. Foodwalker and Tracy McG, and their son, Jack Rabbit Slim, arrived about 6:00. We had already finished dinner. We went to bed a little after 7:00. Katahdin tomorrow if the weather is good enough.
Date: 2014-06-06
From: Baxter State Park

To: Abol Bridge
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: light rain

We got up very early for our hike up Katahdin, but it was a rainy, overcast day, so we put the mountain off for a day. Today we hiked from the campground to Abol Bridge. It was rocky and rooty, but fairly flat. We had to cross the Nesowadnehunk Creek twice. The water was high and swift. It was hard to find footing on the slipper rocks. On the second crossing we wound up in water that was nearly waist deep. It was scary, but we all got across. Jack Rabbit Slim has joined us for about a month. Tracy's ankle held up well, although it still slows her down a little. My leg seems to be fine. It was great to be back on the trail. Sheryl and James picked us up at Abol Bridge, and after a stop in Millinocket we came back to camp. I read for while and took a nap in the van. We will do Mt. Katahdin tomorrow.
Date: 2014-06-07
From: Abol Bridge

To: Katahdin Summit
Miles today: 5.2

Sheryl, James, Jack Rabbit Slim, Tracy McG and I started up Katahdin about 5:30 this morning. It was a very difficult climb. We hiked up to the falls and took pictures. We climbed for a long time through boulders, up and up. When we reached the handhold, James & JRS were waiting to help us up. It was a very difficult part of the trail. After that it was technical climbing for hours. A little below the Tableland, Tracy decided to turn back. JRS went with her. Sheryl, James and I went on toward the summit. We were very tired when we reached the Tableland, but determined to summit. We stopped a little below the summit to eat so that we would have enough energy for the last climb. We finally reached the summit! Hallelujah! It was well past our designated turn around time. We had something to eat, took our pictures and headed back. The climb down was difficult and treacherous. By the time we got back past the handholds, the light was fading, and we put on our headlamps. We got near the bottom and found JRS and a woman for the campground hiking up to meet us. Another group of hikers was coming down too. It was about 10:00 when we finally reached the campground again. We had a quick dinner and went to bed, tired but triumphant.
Date: 2014-06-08
From: Katahdin Summit

To: Massachusets
Miles today: 0.0

We took a zero day today and drove to Massachusetts. We decided to put off the northern section of the trail for a little while and hike south from here. We will start out again in the morning. I am having trouble with my phone and can't get any of my pictures from it. I will add them whenever I can get it resolved.