morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-11-17
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I am trying to sleep and eat as much as I can. I am obviously going to continue losing weight while I am on the trail. I need to pack a few pounds on so I can afford to lose them later. What a problem to have!! Frankly, I am not complaining. But I am VERY worried about what will happen weight wise when I finish the AT, when I am not burning calories like crazy, but I have grown accustomed to eatting as much of whatever I want with no repercussions.While in town I ran into Graham. What a nice surprise!! Unfortunately he never found his tent poles. REI, the manufacturer of the tent, was no help in getting him new poles. His only choice seemed to be buy a new tent.Waynesboro has an area on the edge of town near the railroad tracks where hikers can camp. Graham was able to roll out his sleeping bag there under a picnic pavilion to sleep at night. He assured me that he has been able to stay warm at night. He was planning to get back on the AT the next day. At that point I was too. So I expected to run into him again on the AT.I also stopped in the Waynesboro museum. It was free, which was not the best part. It is a beautifully arranged museum staffed by a very lovely lady. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there learning all about Waynesboro.   I have enjoyed learning about the towns on or near the AT, and the people who live there. This was something that I was not expecting before I started the AT, but has been a very nice aspect of the AT journey.I spent the rest of the day in my room resting, pigging out, and putting my pack back together.The AT is calling. I am coming!!
Date: 2015-11-18
From: Waynesboro, VA

To: Waynesboro, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I woke up still feeling chest congestion. Then I checked the weather - the second storm system heading east had slowed. Instead of passing through last night it is going to pass through tonight. So all my dry clothes and gear potentially would get soaked. I also did not want to get soaking wet and cold when I was trying to get over the chest congestion.Yesterday I used the Waynesboro hiker shuttle list to make arrangements for a ride back to the trail at Rockfish Gap with a nice gentleman named "Yellow Truck". I immediately called to let him know I decided to stay one more day in town. He offered to take me to a clinic to have my chest congestion checked out. I had no fever and I was feeling better. I thanked him for his concern and offer, but decided it was not necessary. I ordered 2 more medium super supreme pizzas from Pizza Hut. (That made a total of 4 medium super supreme pizzas at 2960 calories each/370 calories per slice while in Waynesboro.) I rested and worked on my trail journal the remainder of the day.It did rain as promised. The wind blew, and the temperature dropped. I was very glad to be inside, warm, and dry.The AT is calling. I AM leaving Waynesboro tomorrow.
Date: 2015-11-22
From: VA 56, Tye River Suspension Bridge

To: VA 826
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: scattered clouds

There are pros and cons to slackpacking. The pros, obviously, are that I get to spend time with my husband, I do not have to carry a full pack, at the end of the day I get to sleep in a warm bed and have a nice dinner with my husband, and he does not worry about me (as much).One of the few cons is that access to the AT (road crossings) are not always conveniently located. Some days may have to be cut short, while other days may have to be extremely long.Today, based upon access points, was a short day. My husband dropped me off at the suspension bridge where he picked me up the night before. I was glad I was hiking south, climbing "The Priest" at 4,063 feet, first thing in the morning. The climb was long and steady. And it was still cold. But otherwise it was a beautiful day to be in the woods. I was glad for the steady climb. It kept me warm.I saw several weekend hikers, including a group of guys who had stayed in the Priest Shelter overnight and who had a little grade school aged boy with them. The little guy with his little backpack was so cute, but when i asked him, he was not at all sure he was having a good time out in the cold.My husband hiked in from the pick up point and met me at the summit. (There were great stealth camping sites at the summit.) On his way, he stopped at the shelter to look at the shelter journal but could not find it. Supposedly hikers write all sorts of confessions in the Priest Shelter journal, which makes for good reading.We stopped at the shelter and I too looked for the journal. Unfortunately it was nowhere to be found. After taking a brief break, we hiked down the mountain together, where my Subaru Forester, Maggie, was dutifully waiting for us.We enjoyed a nice dinner and went to bed early.The AT is calling. Tomorrow, with better road access, will be a longer day.
Date: 2015-11-23
From: VA 826

To: Salt Log Gap, USFS 63
Miles today: 5.7

The plan for the day was about 20 miles, from VA 826 to US 60, Buena Vista. According to the profile in the AT guide, most of the day the trail would have only slight ups and downs, with a long decline off Bald knob at the end of the day. But best laid plans rarely work out completely as planned.It was a beautiful day and the trail was relatively easy, but it was bitterly cold. Although I was dressed in layers, it was very hard to regulate my body temperature. The slight climbs warmed me to a point, but then I froze on the declines - over and over again. I had to hike as fast as I could to try to keep warm. (I could have dressed warmer, but then I would have been too warm on the climbs.)The trail was also not well marked in a few spots. At trail intersections, such as at the Spy Rock campsite, it was not immediately clear which trail was the AT. More than once I used Guthook to confirm I was still on the AT.Rod met me at a couple of the early road crossings - Cash Hollow Road and Spy Rock Road. At those points I was a little cold, running a little later tjsn i expected, but otherwise doing fine.I stopped briefly at the Seeley-Woodworth Shelter to take a break and to check for trash (when I slackpack I pick up trash). There, to my great surprise, I found Andrew, still in his sleeping bag. with the contents of his pack spread all over the floor of the shelter - as if his pack had exploded. Andrew explained that he was getting too cold at night so he decided to try hiking at night to stay warm, and sleeping during the day when it was warmer. Not only did he risk falling and getting seriously injured by hiking in the dark by himself (with no one hiking by and finding him during the night), but he would miss seeing the beautiful scenery during the day.Andrew simply did not have the right gear or clothing to hike the AT during this time of year. But I am not sure that he had anywhere to go to wait out the winter if he got off the AT. Unfortunately I could do nothing more but wish him luck and move on. I was getting chilled and needed to go.The elevation changes were not great and the tread was relatively smooth, but some how I managed to turn my left ankle several times. My left foot/ankle never fully recovered from the injury I sustained hiking the steep rocky decline into Duncannon back in June.   Rolling the same ankle over and over today just added insult to injury.By the time I reached Salt Log Gap, USFS 63, where Rod was waiting to check on me, I was in quite a bit of pain and noticeably limping. It would soon be getting dark. We were both worried about me climbing down Bald Knob in the dark with a bum ankle. So we decided to call it a day. It was just not worth the risk of me getting seriously injured.I enjoyed a nice dinner with my husband, a hot shower, and a warm bed.The AT is calling. Tomorrow will be one of the very best days on the trail.
Date: 2015-11-26
From: James River footbridge

To: Petites Gap
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Slackpacking an AT hiker is hard work and involves a lot of driving. Each day my husband gets up early, drops me off on the trail, and then he drives ahead, using the AT guide, GPS, and maps, to find and confirm access points further along the AT. He has to make sure that when he drops me off in the morning he can pick me up at the end of the day. (Access to forest roads can be blocked by gates, especially during winter, or the road may be too rough.) After scouting an access point it is saved in the GPS so he can find it again the next day. Then he drives back to pick me up at the access point he scouted the day before.In addition to his trail duties, my husband is also responsible for finding our lodging for the night and a place for us to have dinner. My husband has done amazingly well finding/confirming trail access points. And he hit a home run finding us a nice place to stay with a huge Thanksgiving buffet. We had reservations at 3 p.m., so we purposely planned for a lighter day - just 9.7 miles.We had a bit of a drive back to the bridge. I did not hit the trail until 8.It was another cold day, and there was a bit of a breeze as I walked across the long footbridge - so I walked VERY fast. Fortunately, once again it was a clear beautiful day.At the other side of the bridge there is a large plaque explaining how the bridge came to be. Although it was a bit chilly, I greatly appreciated the bridge and the efforts of the man to whom the bridge is dedicated. Once across the river, the AT hugs the river bank for over a mile before turning and following a creek up into the woods. I stopped briefly at the Matts Creek Shelter to take a break and check for trash.The AT began to climb back up into the mountains. Thankfully the climb was relatively easy, mostly up ridges or along the side of a mountain. I saw no other hikers, and I saw no critters. I imagined everyone was off somewhere getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner.The climb up to "Highcock Knob" (wonder how that mountain top got its name???) was a bit stiff (pun intended). At the top, to my great surprise, I found my husband. We hiked down together, reaching Maggie by 1:30. We had just enough time to drive back to the hotel and grab a quick shower before dinner.The buffet was great. I had 4 heaping plates of food!!! What timing! Thanksgiving AND I literally could eat as much of whatever I wanted, and still lose weight! I definitely made the most of the situation.   The only problem I had, and it really wasn't a problem, was that my clothes were way too big on me. I have never had that problem before - especially on Thanksgiving! After I pigged out for 1 & 1/2 hours, we went back to our room and crashed for the night.The AT is calling. I will be back out there in the morning - after this food coma wears off.
Date: 2015-11-27
From: Petites Gap

To: VA 614, Jennings Creek
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: clear sky

My husband has to go back to work next week, so I will soon be losing my trusty shuttle driver. I can stay on the trail and hike 2 more weeks (my husband is willing to drive back up to take me home), or I can ride home with him on Sunday. The weather for the next 2 weeks is not looking good - lots of rain (possibly snow) and plummeting temperatures. Also the days are growing noticably shorter. If I stay on the trail, with that weather, I doubt I will make a lot of miles. In addition, we have a snowmobiling trip in Yellowstone planned for over Christmas. I do not want to be sick over the holidays. I am watching the weather predictions very closely.We decided to maximize the miles over the next 2 days and continue watching the weather. Thankfully today the weather was perfect for hiking - clear skies and cool, not cold. I started the long climb out of the gap at about 8:15. Fortunately there were plenty of switch backs. The AT crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway several times through this section. Rod met me at the Thunder Ridge Overlook/BRP 74.7 and again at BRP 76.3. I took short snack breaks and then kept moving.I stopped to take pictures at the Guillotine (a large rock stuck between 2 giant boulders) and again on top of Apple Orchard Mountain. The trail was very easy. All day I saw 6 deer, a handful of people, and no bears. I stopped briefly at the Thunder Mountain, Cornelius Creek, and Bryant Ridge shelters to collect trash. I also checked the shelter journals, there was no sign of Andrew. (I hope he had a nice Thanksgiving.) But in scanning the journals I learned that the Cornelius shelter is full of mice and the Bryant shelter is supposedly haunted. I reached Jennings Creek at 6:00 p.m. just before dark.The AT is calling. For right now at least, the journey has to be more about making the miles and watching the weather.
Date: 2015-11-29
From: Salt Pond Road, USFS 191

To: US 11, RR Tracks, Troutville, VA
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Neither of us slept very well in the car. It started raining about midnight. We were glad we were not packing up a wet tent.It was lightly sprinkling when I hit the trail just after first light. The morning started with a climb, but was relatively easy. I stopped at the Fulhardt Knob shelter to use the privy. The shelter is located at 2651 feet, and has a cistern as the water source, which is unusual. Apparently there had previously been a fire tower on the site, and the cistern had been the water source for the fire tower. After a brief break, and after collecting trash from around the shelter, including a heavy champagne bottle, I continued on.It was a cold, damp, gloomy day. The day reflected my feelings about leaving the AT, albeit temporarily.   I had been on the AT since June 1. I knew I was going to miss being on the trail.From the shelter I had a long steady decline into the valley below. I stopped in the middle of a field to take pictures of some thistles and slow moving honey bees, which I was very surprised to see this time of year. Some day hikers headed north had apparently met my husband waiting for me at the parking lot at the road crossing. They teased me that my husband got tired of waiting and left without me.I reached the road crossing and got into the car. It was hard to leave the AT, but under the circumstances I knew it was the right thing to do. We drove like crazy the rest of the day so my husband could get back to work the next day.The AT is calling - I will be back!
Date: 2016-02-07
From: US 11, RR Tracks, Troutville, VA

To: US 220, Daleville VA
Miles today: 1.5

I am back on the AT today with mixed feelings. I was supposed to be done hiking the AT last fall. This week I was supposed to be preparing for the Florida Trail Association (FTA) annual Ocean to Lake Hike (OTLH). I missed the OTLH last year due to illness.I was supposed to be researching and preparing for a 10 day paddle trip down the Buffalo National River in Arkansas this spring. Instead, I am back on the AT, adding to the pressure the AT is expected to feel due to movies like Wild and A WALK in the Woods. The ATC, AMC, and ALDHA (I am a member of all of these fine organizations, plus I recently joined the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club too.) expect record numbers of hikers on the AT this year. ALDHA reported that poor hiker behavior was at an all time high in 2015, and it is expected to increase this year. Some folks who ran hostels and provided other hiker support services had enough and closed or stopped providing services.   The outfitter that provided the ferry service across the Kennebec River in Maine likewise had enough. There is a big difference between hiking your own hike and just being a jerk on the trail.Given the portion of the AT I have left to finish and the time of year I am hiking, I hope I will have little impact on the AT and also avoid the "bubble."I stepped off the AT in late November at US 11, RR tracks in Troutville. Logistically it was easier for me to hike northbound today from US 220 in Daleville to US 11, a distance of just 1.5 miles. We drove most of today just to reach the AT, so I only had a few hours of daylight to hike. The trail was stark and gloomy. The trees were bare. Several trees were blown over, and there were lots of tangled bare vines and bushes. Unfortunately there was also plenty of trash. I managed to collect more than a pocket full of loose trash and 6 plastic bottles in just 1.5 miles.For a while the AT paralleled I-81, and I could hear the traffic noise during most of the short hike.It was a beautiful cool day for hiking. I was wearing a wonderfully soft cashmere sweater. (My friend Gail reintroduced me to cashmere last year. I last had a hand-me-down cashmere sweater in college and loved it.) I was glad to be back on the AT, but this portion of the trail is certainly far from scenic or tranquil. For me, the next portion of trail is 19.8 miles because there is no road access in between. That is a huge chunk of trail to tackle tomorrow in light of the fact that I have been off the AT for over 2 months. I hope I am up to the challenge.The AT is calling. It is good to be back.
Date: 2016-02-10
From: Daleville, VA

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 0.0

We were watching the weather very closely. Unfortunately, the forecast was correct. Described again as "dangerously cold", the high temperature in the valley   was in low single digits without considering windchill. Schools were closed. Air temperature decreases 3 to 5 degrees for every thousand feet of elevation. Up on the ridges, without taking into consideration windchill, the temperature would be zero or below.I was still pretty sore - ALL over, not just my knees and left foot. Over the last 2 days I covered 33.7 miles under not the best of conditions. I should have eased back onto the trail. Under the circumstances the safest course of action was to take a zero. I spent the day resting, hydrating, and looking for new knee braces. We also went to Outdoor Trails in Troutville, where I got a stamp for my AT passport and a Buff with a microfiber section, which works great for keeping my head and neck warm while allowing the sweat to evaporate.We also scouted upcoming road crossings, and we stopped at Woods Hole hostel to check it out and get a stamp for my AT passport book. Near the hostel we saw but did not talk with a northbound thru hiker with a dog which was wearing a doggie coat to keep warm.The AT is calling. The weather is not looking good, but I am here and I will keep trying.
Date: 2016-02-13
From: Blacksburg, VA

To: Blacksburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0

The air temperature, with the windchill, was around 0° (even less at elevation), with wind gusting to 30 to 40 mph.The next portion of the AT would take me close to 4,000 feet. I could not imagine trying to safely hike up on a rocky exposed ridge under those conditions. Based upon recent experience, cell coverage was likely to be very spotty if I needed help. Under the circumstances, I decided the safest course of action was to take another zero.We ran a few errands, but otherwise stayed inside. I iced my knees and worked on my trail journal entries. We could hear the wind howling outside most of the day and into the night.The AT is calling. Unfortunately my hope of making lots of miles while my husband is slackpacking me seems to be blowing in the (very cold) wind.
Date: 2016-02-15
From: Blacksburg, VA

To: Blacksburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0

The weather forecast was right. It snowed all last night and a good portion of today. Schools were closed and people were told to stay off the roads.We did not want to risk ending up in a ditch, or worse. It was also unlikely that we could get up the dirt road, which according to a sign, was not maintained in the winter. So I took a zero.I iced and elevated my knees. I also worked on catching up my trail journal entries. In addition, my husband and I played lots of rummy. (Thankfully I keep a deck of cards in Maggie.) My husband and I are so competitive with one another that we Googled the rules, read each of them out loud together, and negotiated any rules we felt were vague.We walked next door to a Mexican restaurant and had dinner. It was not all bad. Since neither of us were driving, we both enjoyed a REALLY large margarita.The AT is calling. The snow storm was just the beginning. Tomorrow we are supposed to have freezing rain (it started to rain before we went to sleep). I suspect I will have to take yet another zero.
Date: 2016-02-16
From: Blacksburg, VA

To: Blacksburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: snow

Once again schools were closed (even some businesses were closed), and people were told to stay off the roads.I continued to ice my knees and work on my trail journal. We also played a lot more rummy.The Mexican restaurant next to the hotel was closed. Pizza Hut was not delivering. But we were able to have Domino's delivered - it took over an hour for the food to arrive.We swept the snow off Maggie early in the morning before the freezing rain hit hard. By the end of the day she was encrusted in about 1/4 inch of solid ice.The AT is calling. Unfortunately it is tough answering the call when we cannot safely get to the trailhead.
Date: 2016-02-17
From: Blacksburg, VA

To: Blacksburg, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

The freezing rain and cold temperatures continued through the night and into the morning. People were asked to stay off the roads until after noon, when it was expected to warm up and melt the black ice on the roads.We played so much rummy that the cards were starting to look a bit tattered. Fortunately the rain stopped and the sun came out. Once we confirmed the air temperature was above freezing, we decided to take a drive to scout out a road crossing and check out the snow depth.We attempted to drive out to the road crossing on VA 613/Mountain Lake Road, which is gravel where the AT crosses. From Blacksburg to the beginning of VA 613, we were very encouraged when we saw the roads were all well plowed. Unfortunately, where the road turned to gravel, the road was not plowed.Someone had already driven through the snow on the gravel road, and we thought we would be OK as long as we stayed in the wheel tracks. Afterall, we have an all wheel drive Subaru. It was about 5 miles, on the unplowed gravel road, to the place where the AT crossed.Maggie got stuck going up a small hill. As Rod backed her down in an effort to get her unstuck, Maggie started to slide backwards towards a ditch. It was after 3:30 and would be getting dark in just a few hours. It was also getting colder.I confirmed we had cell service in case we could not get out of this on our own. I also took a quick mental inventory of the gear, food, and water we had in the car if we had to wait, perhaps overnight, for help. We had everything we needed and would be OK. Then we worked together as a team to get Maggie unstuck.My husband was waiting for me to chew him out for getting us stuck in the snow (afteral, it was his idea and he was driving). But I remembered the lessons learned on the AT, such as "it is what it is - just deal with it."We had Maggie unstuck, turned around, and back on dry plowed pavement by 6:00 p.m. When we got back to the hotel we walked next door to the Mexican restaurant for dinner and large margaritas - we figured we earned them.The AT is calling. So far we have had bone chilling temperatures, high winds, a snow storm, freezing rain, and got the car stuck in the snow. I cannot imagine what is next!