morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-08-22
From: Harpers Ferry, WV

To: Blackburn AT Center
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: overcast clouds

At Harpers Ferry, I went into the ATC for the first time. I was so focused on starting the trail last time I was in HF that I completely missed the conservancy! It was really great to go in after hiking this far because I knew and had hiked with tons of the people who had photos in the album, and got to see photos of many of the hikers that my friends had known further south that I never had the opportunity to meet. The woman who helped us at the ATC told me I was the 71st "alternative thru hiker," and that only 21 SOBO thru hikers had been in so far all year - I summited Katahdin with nearly that many NOBOs! After the ATC, I grabbed some pizza for lunch, packed a slice away for later, and went to the trail head. Goodbyes were even more difficult than I had imagined they would be - once I turned to leave, I made sure not to look back. I walked the first two miles with tears in my eyes, and for the first time in months, was feeling lonely on the trail! Beyond this, I found it extremely difficult to hike, as my legs felt very weak and I was dizzy and nauseous. The first climb out of Harpers Ferry - 800 feet over about 1.5 miles - should have been very manageable after 1200 miles on the trail, but I found myself stopping time and time again to rest, something I hadn't done since, well, the last time I hiked out of Harpers Ferry.The terrain eventually flattened out and was truly enjoyable walking. I ran out of water and realized I hadn't checked my water sources, a habit I picked up while hiking in Maine, where water was always abundant. The next water source was 0.2 miles downhill, so I decided instead to walk 0.3 to the gas station on flat concrete. I arrived at the Blackburn AT Center around 7 pm, and realized that the SOBO "Brightside" was staying there too. I had met him in VT, and had seen him in the book at the ATC. Interestingly, there was a NOBO "Brightside" who I followed all the way to Katahdin - I probably heard the phrase "Oh, you know there's another Brightside on the trail..." 100 times. I thought surely I would get to enjoy a couple of weeks without hearing that before the SOBO caught me - c'est la vie
Date: 2013-08-23
From: Blackburn AT Center

To: Ashby Gap
Miles today: 21.4

I hit the trail early, excited to go through "The Rollercoaster," an infamous 13.5 mile stretch of ups and downs. I was confident in my ability as I was approaching, but quickly found on the first climb that the fatigue I had felt coming out of Harpers Ferry was still present, and as I slogged through the day, it turned into an overwhelming, full body exhaustion. I knew I had climbed far more demanding sections of trail, and could not understand why my body was letting me down.I stopped at the Bear Ledges Hostel to grab some water and lunch and to take a short break. After that, I headed on down the trail and didn't see any other people all day - not a one! When I realized this, I was reminded of how many people I had been hiking with on my NOBO leg. Those thoughts, coupled with the physical difficulty I was having climbing, led me to call home after only 28 hours! What I wanted was a blessing to go see a physician in Front Royal. I had gone through the possibilities in my mind - Lyme disease? Giardia? West Nile, even? Unfortunately, the only symptom I could describe was utter exhaustion and occasional dizziness - no chest pain, cough, headache, diarrhea... Instead, what I got was practical advice - I was drained from so many goodbyes and such a quick turn-around, which was coupled with a dramatic temperature and humidity change, and all I needed was a zero or two to get me back on my feet. A few minutes after hanging up, my dad called with similar thoughts and suggested that he come spend a few days on the trail with me. At first, I was reluctant to accept the offer - I've always been an independent individual! - but I eventually agreed and planned to meet him in Front Royal the next day.That night, I picked myself up off the side of the road and crossed to find a place to camp. The first sign I came to notified me that camping was not allowed for the next five miles. I was drained. I camped anyway.
Date: 2013-08-24
From: Ashby Gap

To: Tuckers Lane
Miles today: 11.6

"Water" was the theme of the day. I realized before I left camp this morning that I needed water and was definitely not going to make it to the next source, so backtracked to a stream shown in the guidebook. I was alarmed to find that there was hardly any water running, but I patiently scooped it up a little at a time and was surprised to find it was clear and cold. I was feeling slightly better than I had the previous two days, but still not back to my old self. I kept telling myself I only had to make it 20 miles to meet my dad. After about 5 miles, I was caught in a lightning storm, accompanied with lots (and lots!) of rain. I hid under a rock outcropping and pulled out my guidebook to see if there was anywhere closer we could meet - thankfully there was! Throughout the morning I was looking for more water, but the rain had made the mud run into all of the water sources. I kept passing muddy streams, naively thinking there might be a clearer one ahead. Finally, I gave in and drank the muddy water - once a bit of the dirt settled out, it wasn't bad and only tasted a little earthy. Honestly, a little dirt never killed anyone... right?After I met up with my dad, we considered doing a couple more miles - the weather cleared up nicely - but decided to wait until tomorrow. It was absolutely the right decision. We drove into Front Royal, ate a good meal, got a full night of sleep in comfy beds, and I dried out my gear. All of this, combined with my new temporary hiking buddy, made me a very happy camper!
Date: 2013-08-25
From: Tuckers Lane

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: broken clouds

After a solid breakfast in town, we hit the trail and I felt like a completely new person - my legs were finally feeling strong again! It was also really fantastic to have someone to hike some miles with. I gabbed for hours, telling stories from my trip north that I hadn't had time to share over the phone. Relating the experiences and describing different hikers' personalities helped remind me that there are awesome people and adventures waiting to be met and had on the southern leg of my hike as well - it IS the Appalachian Trail after all!I did a better job of checking my water sources today, but another thing I had forgotten all about while in the northern states was poison ivy! Hiking with a horticulturalist today was beneficial, as he was quick to point out that it was, well, everywhere. It's a mystery to me how I am not covered in a poison ivy rash at this very moment. Hiking across a field of telephone wires, he pointed out another plant of interest growing in the wild - perhaps some of you recognized it from today's picture?I've found in my time out here that the trail has a funny way of giving you what you need, and for me, Shenandoah National Park came at just the right time. In Maine, falling about five times a day was the norm, which was exhausting and sometimes defeating, but here, the trail is so beautiful (read: root and rock free!) that I haven't fallen, can easily average a decent pace, and can even look around instead of staring at the ground. The park is also full of visitors who are genuinely interested in my hike and ask lots of questions, which reminds me how lucky I am to live on the AT.
Date: 2013-08-26
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Pinnacles Picnic Area
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: overcast clouds

The guidebook showed that I was about to hit a wayside, and breakfast was calling my name! I was out of camp early and covered the miles quickly. I noticed on this section of trail that there was quite a bit of bear poop, and, while I'm no expert, it appeared that rather large, healthy bears were the culprits. At one point, I heard a very loud crashing in the woods, and while the canopy was high, the underbrush was thick and I couldn't see where the noise was coming from. It was then that I realized the noises were coming from above - I looked up in time to see a large bear moving along a branch toward the middle of the tree, then half shimmy, half fall, hind end first, out of a very high tree! I was in shock - " Was that...? Is that...? What on earth...?" I then realized the bear was probably in such a hurry because I had scared him, and I didn't know if he was so scared that he would run in the other direction or if he was going to come and try to scare me back! I waited to see what he was going to do, and apparently he was doing the same thing because once at the base of the tree, he stayed very still. I took that as my cue to continue on my way down the trail, and as you might imagine, I was on high bear alert. I guess it paid off because about 0.5 miles later, I looked off into the woods to the left and saw a little baby bear sitting there. It didn't run away - instead, it just sat there and watched me while I watched it. After a bit, I continued on to get that breakfast I had been so excited about before all of the bear drama in the woods.I must say, it was a fantastic day foodwise! I had a breakfast sandwich at the wayside, then we managed a quick side trip into Luray for a late lunch. We finished the afternoon with 8.5 miles and decided a beer might be nice. I had seen that morning that the waysides sold 6-packs, so we headed to the nearest one, but at 8:15, we were just a few minutes too late! The restaurant, however, was still open, so we enjoyed live music and a cold beer before cowboy camping (my first time ever!) nearby for the night.
Date: 2013-08-27
From: Pinnacles Picnic Area

To: Big Meadows Lodge
Miles today: 13.1

Shenandoah National Park continued to feed me well today. This could be the first week on the trail where I actually gain weight! The first stop was the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet at Skyland Resort and a burger served as a late lunch at Big Meadows. This park is spoiling me!Time out on the trail in the park has been really fantastic and enjoyable for a number of reasons. First, as I've mentioned, the trails are really well maintained - they are wide, well marked, and mostly clear of hazards (anything that will trip me, which is pretty much most things). Second, there are lots of AT section hikers who are working on completing a piece of the trail. They are awesome because they understand what thru hiking entails, but I don't think they realize how in awe of them I am! Their devotion to the goal of finishing the trail isn't just tested for 4-6 months; it has to be strong enough to last for years, and through the frustrating period of regaining "trail legs," and through the difficulties of logistics. Hiking the trail in sections is a huge accomplishment, and reminds me of four men who were finishing their last section, the 100-mile wilderness and Katahdin, at the same time we were. After 17 years, the four friends completed their journey, standing atop Katahdin, in tuxes no less, with tears in their eyes. What a day for those four men!!In addition to section hikers, the park has a number of people who are out hiking in the park during their vacation. I have a theory that people who hike just for the fun of it are happy people, and I got to meet a number of them, especially while hitchhiking throughout the park. It's great to be surrounded by such people all day! Finally, the park is full of wildlife, a topic I am asked about all the time but rarely have a whole lot to report. That will never happen again after walking through here!! While walking today, we came upon two baby bears in the trail. After locating their mama, we got a closer look at the three of them, standing probably about 100 feet away at our closest. Later, we walked by deer that didn't mind us in the least bit - even as I approached to within 10 feet of the doe, she continued to graze as if I weren't there at all. As I was driving down Skyline Drive later that evening, I came upon a car in the other lane that was stopped. The little boy in the backseat had his window rolled down and was motioning for me to look into the woods - another bear, what looked to be a yearling this time. Bear count: 6!
Date: 2013-08-28
From: Big Meadows Lodge

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: light rain

After another delicious breakfast in the park, we hit the trail for a quick 8 miles. We hitched back to the truck with an oceanographer who asked me to send him a postcard at some point in the future - I promised him one from when I finish the trail in two months. I said goodbye to my dad as he had to go back to the real world (but don't think I didn't invite him to stay and finish the trail with me!), then hit the trail for another couple miles before dinner. It started to sprinkle a little, but quickly stopped and I had a really nice hike over Hightop Mountain and into the hut for the night. On my way, I caught a glimpse of another little baby bear looking at me before he ran off into the woods. Shenandoah bear count: 7.I was surprised to find quite a few people at the hut when I arrived. There were two best friends who had started a thru hike last year and were now completing the trail in sections, a guy practicing for his thru hike in two years (all three were heading north), and Bernie, a long-distance hiker who started in New Jersey and is heading to Springer. After making dinner and collectively attempting a crossword puzzle that had too many pop culture hints from before our time, we all hit the hay quite early, especially given that we were all in our 20's. Hiker midnight has a strong hold on all of us out here!
Date: 2013-08-29
From: Hightop Hut

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 21.4
Weather: overcast clouds

We all knew it was going to rain today, so when I heard Bernie rustling around at 6:15, I decided to get up and get out before it started, reasoning that the rain is more welcome after I've worked up a sweat. I hiked 8 miles in the rain before stopping for a break at the first shelter I came to. Motivated by the upcoming wayside, I headed back out into the rain. In the park, the AT crosses Skyline Drive numerous times, and I decided to road walk to the wayside to avoid a 0.5 mile side trail. While road walking, I looked to my left and there, peeking up over the edge of the road, was another bear! Shenandoah bear count: 8.At the wayside, I enjoyed a cheeseburger, fries, soup, Gatoraid and coffee and grabbed some food to hold me over until Waynesboro tomorrow. I hiked the rest of the way to the shelter without incident and was surprised to find, after having hiked a full day AND eaten lunch at a wayside, that it was only 2:30 - SNP has been good to me!A very good friend of mine sent me a text today with a short quote to ponder while I hike and I thought I would share it: success is not in what you have achieved, but rather in who you have become.
Date: 2013-08-30
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Waynesboro
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: light rain

I woke up to rain, but it stopped as I was packing up. Excited for town, I headed out of camp early and hiked along at a steady pace. The last couple of miles on the elevation profile looked to be mostly downhill, but it seemed I overlooked a couple of steep inclines that took me by surprise! Eventually, I reached the road where there was a long list of trail angels who were available to shuttle hikers into town. I've had good success hitching in the past and didn't want to interrupt someone's afternoon, so I headed out to the road to try hitching. A couple of cars went by before one stopped. When I got in, she explained how dangerous it was to hitch at that intersection, hence the list of trail angels (which she was on!). I apologized and promised to tell other hikers that it is very important to use the numbers on the list!!I made it into town by 3:30, got cleaned up, walked 0.6 to the Kroger for a resupply, and spent the rest of the evening relaxing and enjoying the comfy bed I had for the night.
Date: 2013-08-31
From: Waynesboro

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: broken clouds

This morning, I made sure to utilize the list of trail angels! After a breakfast of biscuits and gravy (it's so good to be back in the south!), Tom picked me up to take me back to the trail. We stopped at the outfitter where I purchased a 3 oz luxury item - a camp pillow. Gone are the days of sleeping on my clothes bag!While hiking today, I saw movement in the grass on the edge of the trail and jumped back when I realized it was a snake. I stepped back even further when I saw the tip of its tail - a rattlesnake, the first I had seen on the trail. Thankfully, it didn't rattle at me, and I watched it until it disappeared back into the woods.I shared the shelter tonight with a young couple and their three kids. They explained how much they enjoyed hiking and that they hoped to get their kids excited about the activity as well - this was the first time they had brought their children out. A whole new generation of AT hikers
Date: 2013-09-01
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: light rain

Today's hike included The Priest, a 3000 foot climb over four miles that took us above 4000 feet. The SOBOs I've been hiking near - the other Brightside, DD, and Righteous - were very excited to be back in an area with real climbs and it hit me that I've been in mountains far more recently than they have, even though it feels like it's been a long time for me too, given that the 100 mile wilderness and the Shenandoah were relatively flat. A fun fact I learned the other day is that Shenandoah National Park encompasses only the upper half of the mountains it spans, which is why the climbs aren't very big despite the higher elevation. But now that we're out of the park, we have mountains such as The Priest to climb, which turned out to be far more enjoyable than I was anticipating given the switchbacks and mountain breeze.While coming down Three Ridges (and looking at The Priest), I came across two men coming up the trail. We got to talking, and it turned out that they were ultra marathon runners training for a race. By the time I met them, they had already been up and down The Priest (eight miles), were on their way up Three Ridges (twelve miles and another 3000 feet), then were going to go up The Priest again - 28 miles in all. Incredible.There is a tradition at The Priest Shelter on the opposite side of the mountain - hikers write their "confessions" in the shelter log, with many of the entries beginning "forgive me Father for I have sinned..." One of the best parts of hiking south has been reading the log entries of all of the people I knew hiking north, and this log was my favorite so far! I found myself laughing out loud at all of the goofy trail confessions and added one of my own.Another fun fact I learned recently is that due to all of the rain this year, the spiders are far more numerous than in other years. When I started in May, it was normal to walk through spider webs if you were the first person up the trail in the morning, but after passing someone going in the other direction, they weren't a bother for the rest of the day. Now, if someone is more than an hour in front of you, the spiders have already begun to rebuild their webs - I've found myself thinking these last couple of days about that scene in Shreck where he wraps up spider webs like cotton candy for Princess Fiona. That is what my trekking poles look like.My friend sent me another thought for the day that I'll share: in dance, no movement or direction is better or worse than another. This too is a way to view all of life. See all the 'good and bad' things that happen to you simply as movements in the dance of life.
Date: 2013-09-02
From: Seeley-Woodworth Shelter

To: Buena Vista
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: light rain

I woke up this morning to someone wishing everyone in the shelter "happy September" - where has August gone?! I often can't believe how quick the miles go these days. There was a time when I would look at my guidebook and could not even comprehend how far I had left. I was 1,000 miles from either end of the trail! Just making it to one end seemed unfathomable! Now, with less than 800 miles to go, I can begin to imagine how the day I stand on Springer will simultaneously be one of the happiest and most difficult days of my life.While hiking along today, I came across one of the most dense blackberry patches I have ever seen! I took out my camera, and as I was taking the picture, I heard a rustling in the brambles; a medium-sized, very fat black bear stepped out of the patch and onto the trail. He looked up at me, turned around, and went right back into the patch.At Route 60, I decided to hitch 10 miles into town to stay at the hostel. It was a difficult place to hitch, and I was surprised when a car I had seen go by earlier reappeared and honked at me. It was a couple from Richmond who had section hiked the trail, finishing in 1996. They went out of their way to pick me up and take me into town, then stayed to make sure I was ok. It turned out that the hostel I was going to stay at was closed for Labor Day (I completely forgot it was even the weekend, let alone a holiday weekend!). I ended up eating a hot meal then hitching back to the trail. The couple who stopped to take me back to the trail were also hikers, but hit the trails in a slightly different way; they explained how they were "geo-cachers," using GPS coordinates to find certain locations where prizes are hidden. It sounds like a blast!
Date: 2013-09-03
From: Buena Vista

To: John's Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I was struck today by two polar opposite moods. This morning when I started out, I couldn't shake the realization that I actually really, really enjoy walking through the woods. That may seem strange to some - why would you commit to hiking 2000 miles if you didn't absolutely love the activity? When I started this trip, I didn't know if I liked hiking or not, and it wasn't so much about the hiking as it was about the adventure, the experience, and the people I would meet along the way. As I was walking along this morning, I realized that I have come to appreciate the challenge hiking poses as well as the empowering feeling of getting from point A to point B using only my body as a means of transportation. So that was the mood I was in this morning...This afternoon, I was a bit more frustrated with things! The trail was overgrown with weeds and under blazed. I was walking along what appeared to be the trail - there was nowhere else to go - while trying to push my way through eye-level weeds. The weeds were full of nettles, which stung my legs and arms as I walked. There was no avoiding them! When I emerged from the mess after about 3 miles, I itched from head to toe and was thankful when the nettles worked their way out and that I didn't develop a rash.Aside from those few miles, however, the day was quite enjoyable. I have been listening to Dan Brown's "Inferno" as a book on tape and it was fantastic! I swear I walk faster up hills during the exciting chase scenes, and the book had plenty of those! I finished the book today and will start "A Game of Thrones" soon. Fellow hikers were in agreement, when they heard this was my next novel, that I'll want to hike extra miles just to find out what happens next!