morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2021-10-10
From: StanimalÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs in Waynesboro, VA via Dripping Rock Parking Area

To: Rockfish Gap
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: scattered clouds

October 10 - Dripping Rock via Stanimal¢s Hostel in Waynesboro, VA to Rockfish Gap - 14.2 miles (132.3 trip miles) - 31791 steps Slack packing is nice. I was up early but the ride wasn¢t until 8. I made some eggs and bacon for breakfast. I was back at Dripping Rock parking area and hiking at 845. With the light load the rocky gradual ascent was not too bad. The rocky trail went on for about 3 miles. After that, the rest of the day, 11 miles, was very easy. It was cloudy and rainy again and everything was soaked. The sun showed up for about 10 minutes early in the afternoon. With the low grey clouds there were no views. I stopped at a shelter for a quick lunch then pushed on. I made it to my pickup spot by 230 and was at the hostel just after 3. A good day overall. I got a shower and will do laundry again so I start with non-stinky clothes tomorrow. The forecast is great. Hopefully it it accurate. I will head out for a food resupply soon and find some dinner. I¢m about 1 day ahead of my original plan. If the Shenendoahs are as easy walking as the last 11 miles today, I should be doing near 20 mile days through the park. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-11
From: Rockfish Gap

To: Blackrock Hut
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: overcast clouds

October 11 - Rockfish Gap to Blackrock Hut - 20.8 miles (153.1 trip miles) - 46898 steps Only 4 or 5 hikers at the hostel last night. Much quieter and easier to get into the bathroom. I was up by 6. I got packed up, inhaled some Pop Tarts, grabbed a Gatorade and was driven to the trailhead at Rockfish Gap. I was hiking by 710 into Shenendoah National Park (SNP). The first 6 miles was up over rocky terrain. I also had to fill out a permit upon entering SNP. Once I made the ridge the rocks lasted about another mile then smooth sailing. I was going to go into the first shelter to eat lunch but it was .3 off trail. Too far so I kept going. I ended up eating lunch at one of the Skyline Drive pullouts. Unfortunately, there would be no water for 13 miles at the shelter I would stay at. The trail crossed Skyline Drive many times and will continue to do so the length of the park. SOBOs had said the trail in SNP was like someone raked it and cleared the rocks. At times that almost seemed true. There were many ups and downs but they were all gradual. And the sun tried to make an appearance around 3. A couple times I came across deer in the trail. They had no fear or interest in me. I did startle 1 that scared me when it jumped away. No bears or Bigfoot. Tomorrow the trail grade looks good. I will stop at the Loft Mountain camp store for an ice cream and drinks. I won¢t need to carry as much water because I can top off there.  There are 2 possible shelters tomorrow. One at 13 and one at 21. I¢ll just wing it and choose when I need to. Today was a good introduction to SNP. Now that the clouds have lifted maybe the views will improve also. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-12
From: Blackrock Hut

To: Hightop Hut
Miles today: 21.7
Weather: overcast clouds

October 12 - Blackrock Hut to Hightop Hut - 21.7 miles (174.8 trip miles) - 48126 steps Big day. I was up at 640. A bit late for me but it¢s real obvious the days are getting shorter. Sunrise is not until about 730. I had a Pop Tart, packed up and was out the door. There were 2 huts today but one was too short and the other too far (I thought).As every morning, the fog was thick. It¢s a half mile climb out of the hut (notice they are huts, not shelters, in SNP) to the top of Blackrock Mountain. At the top there is a huge pile of boulders. The view from the top would be excellent if not for the fog. I passed on the tough rock climb over wet jagged boulders for no view. From there the trail was mostly flat for about 7 miles to the Loft Mountain camp store. The trail goes right by it so I might as well get some snacks. I ate some of my cheese and pepperoni and had one of those ice creams with the 2 chocolate chip cookies and ice cream in the middle. Tasty and lots of calories. I also got a Milky Way and Gatorade for later. After the store, it was a series of short ups and downs to the first shelter. This was at 13.4 miles. Good distance but it was before 2. Way too early to stay. So I topped off my water and continued for 8.2 more miles. These miles were a series of 3 peaks each progressively longer. There were some areas that were surprisingly steep. By this time the fog was settling back down, humidity was way up and the sweat was pouring out of me. I also crossed Skyline Drive about 10 times today. I got to the shelter at about 530. I was going to stay in the shelter but it looked like there may have been recent mouse activity. Tent it is. There are 5 other hikers tented around me. It was a good day but the climbs were tough. 22 miles in these hills is about my limit, especially with the shorter days. Tomorrow I would like to go 20.5 and get to the Big Meadows campground. There is a lodge with a restaurant and tap room nearby as well. The climbs look smaller so I should be able to make it. No critters at all today.Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-13
From: Hightop Hut

To: Big Meadow Campground 
Miles today: 20.4
Weather: few clouds

October 13 - Hightop Hut to Big Meadow Campground - 20.4 miles (195.2 trip miles) - 47752 steps Another big day. Last night was incredibly foggy. The moisture was dripping profusely off the trees. I was up about 615 and could barely see with my headlamp to pee. I broke down camp, ate a Pop Tart, topped off my water and was hiking by 725. There was little noteworthy during the day today other than the sun. The fog burned off quickly and most of the morning was sunny. Unfortunately, the trail did not take me to any views. The drier air was welcome. Before 1 I stopped on trail and ate the last of my cheese and pepperoni as well as some M&Ms. After lunch there were two long climbs. Water was scarce and I hadn¢t eaten enough, and I could tell. But once I reached my destination I would resolve both. At the summit of the final climb of the day I was rewarded with a nice view to the west. After that it was just get there. I arrived at the Big Meadows Campground about 430. Checked in at the ranger station and got a site. I set up my tent and sleeping gear. I then had a 2 wet wipe shower to get the salt and funk off of me. It actually worked pretty well. I put on my clean (formal?) clothes and headed up to the lodge. There is indeed a taproom in the basement of the lodge. It¢s quite good for being in a National Park. I had a personal pizza, a very large piece of blackberry ice cream pie, and an assortment of craft beers. That was a quick 2500 calories that I definitely needed. It¢s a bit chillier tonight, probably due to less moisture in the air. My next resupply will be Front Royal, VA in about 45 miles. After 3 20+ mile days I will back it off a bit and try to get to a hostel on Saturday. Tomorrow I should be able to stop at the Skyland Resort for lunch. That should give me the fuel for the afternoon. The trail in SNP has been excellent. I just wish there were more views to make the climbs worth the effort. It¢s 8pm. I am beyond exhausted. 3 straight 20 mile days will do that to an old guy. And, there was trail magic when I got back to my tent. Someone left a protein bar on my tent. That¢s it. Good night. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-14
From: Big Meadow Campground 

To: ByrdÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Nest #3 Hut
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: scattered clouds

October 14 - Big Meadow Campground to Byrd¢s Nest #3 Hut - 14.4 miles (209.6 trip miles) - 36823 steps The campground worked out fine although there were some kids up until about 2. I started stirring at the usual time of about 630 but laid in the tent a while as I was in no rush. When I finally got out, everything was soaked. The condensation was incredible. I shook the tent and ground cloth out to lose some moisture but it wasn¢t doing much. I ate some Pop Tarts and a breakfast bar, packed up, topped off my water and was hiking by 830. Late for me. Today was wonderfully sunny. Warm with a slightly cool breeze. The terrain was good all morning with gentle up and downs and few rocks. I should have felt good but was just tired. I¢ll blame it on the 3 previous long days. Today did have some great long range views to the west. About noon I got to the Skyland Resort. There was a wacky detour due to some water work near the resort. Signage was tough to follow. I eventually found the restaurant and got right in. I had a meatball sub, fries and blackberry lemonade. It was all good. I was also able to get a freeze dried meal for tonight, a 3 Musketeers bar and a Gatorade. The sun was warm so I took out my tent and ground cloth and let them dry off. Around 2 I hit the trail. It would be only 6.5 miles to the Hut for the night. It was a long 6.5. Very rocky terrain the whole way. The rocks wear you down and slow you down. On the plus side there were quite a few great rock outcrops looking west into the valley. I arrived at 445, set up in the shelter and ate the freeze dried meal. Water was .3 miles down a very steep forest road. It was flowing great but that walk back up was the toughest climb of the day. I plan to go 17 miles tomorrow. I need to set myself up to get into Front Royal, VA as early as possible on Saturday because a line of thunderstorms is forecasted for early afternoon. At least if I am close I won¢t be on any open ridges. The hostel I wanted to stay at is full so I will have to find a ride to town to stay at the Super 8. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-15
From: ByrdÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Nest #3 Hut

To: Gravel Springs Hut
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

October 15 - Byrd¢s Nest #3 Hut to Gravel Springs Hut - 17.5 miles (227.1 trip miles) - 39809 steps The other guy staying in the shelter last night planned to get up at 530. That was fine by me as I wanted the option to get to the next shelter or continue on and stealth camp further up trail. I was up when his alarm went off. I packed up, took care of all the usual morning chores then waited a bit for some light. I could hike by headlamp only but no need. After about 20 minutes I was hiking. It was about 640. The trail started with a short rocky climb to the summit of Mary¢s Rock. There were some good views to the west into the valley prior to the sun rising. On the way down, the rocks got worse. I started thinking this may end up being a miserably slow day. Luckily, after about 2 more miles the rocks stopped. There wouldn¢t be any more really rocky sections the rest of the day. My first goal was to get to the SNP Elkwallow Wayside. It was just under 12 miles. Once the rocks were done I was really moving. The grade was quite easy all the way to the Wayside. I got there before 1130. There¢s a grill and a small store. I got a cheeseburger, fries and the SNP famous blackberry milkshake. They were all good. I needed the calories. I had been hearing about these milkshakes for some time. It was good, not great. I also got a large Gatorade to take with me. That was a mistake as it was very heavy. I was also able to put a bit of charge into my electronics. I only need 1 more day until town. I left the Wayside before 1. I felt like I was struggling after all that food. The terrain was easy and I got to the shelter turnoff about 315. I hemmed and hawed about what to do. I knew I would tent because this shelter probably has a couple of bats living in it. I finally decided to stay. Down the side trail I went and . . . WHAM! Down to the ground I went. Landed on my left wrist and I think my left chest caught a (luckily) flat rock not far out of the ground. Both are sore but nothing seems broken. There was a large stick in the trail. I guess my shoelace may have gotten caught around it and to the ground I went. A couple of Ibuprofen (vitamin I) should help. I suspect in the morning I won¢t be happy. I¢ve hiked around 1500 miles now and this is the first ¢real¢ fall I¢ve had. Not too bad. The tent sites at this shelter area are pretty lousy. Small and up a rocky trail. Oh well, it is what it is. So the wind and rain are forecast for about 1 tomorrow. I hope to wake early and get moving. I plan to make it out of the park and to either the road to Front Royal or just beyond to the hostel that was full. I have a reservation at the Super 8 and the woman I spoke to at the hostel implied they could shuttle me there. If not, I¢ll find a local shuttle person to get me there. Until tomorrow.Update: the wrist is a little sore but fine. The ribs hurt. But I made great time to town so it must not hurt that bad. More tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-16
From: Gravel Springs Hut

To: Front Royal, VA
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: scattered clouds

October 16 - Gravel Springs Hut to Front Royal, VA - 13.4 miles (240.5 trip miles) - 36270 steps The tent sites around this hut we¢re pretty lousy. They were small, rocky and up a rocky trail. I was afraid of killing myself stepping out of the tent. Combine that with sore ribs and it was clear I should have continued on yesterday. Every time I moved in the tent my ribs screamed. A bruise hurts more the next day than when you hurt it. That was very true today. I got packing before 6 and just left. I had water and would eat some breakfast bars when it was light out. I was walking by 640. It was a climb to start but not long or steep. There were some views at the top, similar to yesterday. From there it would be almost all downhill today. The tread was good all the way to the SNP boundary. On the climbs, leaning over, my ribs hurt a lot. Down and flats were not too bad. Shallow breathing was the key. Heavy rain was due at noon. I kept up a good pace all day. I got to the kiosk for the SNP permit. Deposited my copy in the box. About a quarter mile later was the sign for the official park boundary. Then the rocks showed up in force. I just had to laugh. Either the park boundaries were set based on the terrain or the rocks were cleared from the trail. All I know is the trail in SNP is pristine in most places. And the club that maintains that section does a great job. Also, I did 12 by 12.  Meaning I hiked 12 (actually 12.5) miles before noon.I got to the road crossing for Front Royal but continued on to the B&B Hostel I had hoped to stay at. Maybe there was a cancellation. No such luck. I did have a glass of very tasty lemonade and Lisa was kind enough to bring me into town to the Super 8. The rain started in force 5 minutes after I got to the B&B. Good timing. I did a small resupply at the market and went to the brewery for beers and dinner. The brewery has a room with washer, dryer and shower for hikers, all free. All was good because my clothes stunk. I have coordinated a ride back to the trail in the morning. 4 days to go. I am going to set my mileage for the next 2 days to try and stay at the Bear¢s Den Hostel. Everyone has been saying good things about it. That would leave me 2 short days into Harpers Ferry. The weather is supposed to be excellent the next 4 days. Day 5 is rain all day. We¢ll see how it goes and if my ribs are up to it. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-17
From: Front Royal, VA

To: Whiskey Hollow Shelter 
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: clear sky

October 17 - Front Royal, VA to Whiskey Hollow Shelter - 15.4 miles (255.9 trip miles) - 36463 steps The Super 8 worked out fine but pricey.  Very convenient to everything. My ride showed up 5 minutes early and I was hiking by 8. It was a day of no views. At all. Just walking through the woods. The terrain was mostly mild with a few rocky areas. I made good time all day. The ribs still hurt but at least not on every step like yesterday. I rolled into the shelter at 330. There are now 5 in the shelter and 2 hammocks set up out back. Took care of chores and am in my bag at 7. The weather today was finally fall. Cool, breezy and clear with just a little bite in the air. It¢s cold tonight. I put on my long underwear that I¢ve been carrying and I may need my puffy jacket to sleep in. Tomorrow I hope to push to get to Bear¢s Den hostel. That¢s 18+ miles. The first half should be easy. The second half is the Rollercoaster. More on that in tomorrow¢s entry. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-18
From: Whiskey Hollow Shelter 

To: BearÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Den Hostel 
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: clear sky

October 18 - Whiskey Hollow Shelter to Bear¢s Den Hostel - 18.6 miles (274.5 trip miles) - 44841 steps It wasn¢t a buzz saw. It was more of a chain saw that never needed to refuel. A guy in the shelter last night snored ALL night. No breaks, no roll over and pause, constant. Rather miserable. I was up and packing early. I just wanted to get out of there. I was hiking by 650 and glad to move on. The climb back to the trail was tough then a gradual climb to Sky Meadow State Park. Nice sunrise. From there it was a gradual descent to US50. A few more miles of easy ups and downs got me to the start of the Rollercoaster. This is where you put your pack in a cart and it¢s wheeled along a track for you. Or, it¢s a series of steep but relatively short (?) ups and downs with lots of rocks. I completed 9.6 miles of the 15 in the coaster. It was tough but no worse than some sections of GA or southern NC. No views at all, again. At the summit of the current peak is the Bear¢s Den Hostel. The former home of a doctor, it was sold at his death to a development company. They had grand plans but couldn¢t get something to do with septic systems approved and gave up. Eventually it and the property were purchased by the ATC and now the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club maintains it as a hostel. Nice stone building and nice grounds. I got the whole deal: bunk, shower, laundry, pizza, soda, ice cream, all for $35.  Pretty good. I was going to walk to a nearby brewery but it was dark and down a busy road  so I came back to the hostel and finished my ice cream.I was going to finish tomorrow with a 20 mile day. That would mean rushing all day. Instead I will go about 15 miles to a listed tent spot. Then I will have 4 miles into Harpers Ferry the next day. I¢ll take the 1130 train into DC where J will pick me up at a metro station. Retirement and flexibility go hand in hand. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-19
From: BearÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Den Hostel 

To: 4 Mile Campsite 
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: clear sky

October 20 - Bear¢s Den Hostel to 4 Mile Campsite - 16.2 miles (290.7 trip miles) - 38939 steps The hostel worked out well. I slept better. Certainly compared to the previous night. In the morning they have pancake mix and a griddle so you can make your own. I made 5 large ones and inhaled them all. I gathered up my things and hit the trail at 820. It was a perfect hiking weather day. Cool with a light breeze and sunny. Right back on the trail and there is Bears Den Rock which has a good view to the west. From there it¢s back to the Rollercoaster. I had 4.5 more miles of the ups and downs with 4 peaks to make. There was a nice view at Raven Rock but the rest was in the forest. The trail for much of the morning was very slow and rocky. Once out of the coaster, the elevation changes the rest of the day were minimal. With one exception. I planned to stop for the night at a dry campsite. I stopped at the David Lesser shelter to get water. The spring was .25 all down steep trail from the shelter. Neither down or up were fun. But now I have water to get me to Harpers. After the shelter the trail really flattened out and the rocks were minimal for about 6 miles. My feet were happy. The I crossed the road at Keys Gap and they started up again in force. The last 2 miles to the tent site were rough. I was tired and sick of the rocks. The tent site is right next to the trail and quite flat. Some deer were wandering nearby while I was eating dinner. I hear something moving in the trees near me I should check out. . . . More deer. I¢m in my tent ready for bed at 6pm.  Yikes!Today was tough. The rocks really take their toll, both on the feet and tiredness.  Tomorrow is a short 4.2 miles, mostly downhill into Harpers Ferry. I need to be there by 11 and it should take about 2 hours, depending on the rocks. I already bought a ticket for the Capitol Express to Union Station. I¢ve hiked enough. BTW, the ribs still hurt but continue to improve. Until tomorrow.
Date: 2021-10-20
From: 4 Mile Campsite 

To: Harpers Ferry, WV
Miles today: 4.1
Weather: broken clouds

October 20 - 4 Mile Campsite to Harpers Ferry, WV - 4.1 miles (294.8 trip miles) - 17450 steps The final hiking day. The campsite was fine last night. It was a full moon and the sky was clear so it was bright all night. I was up early, as always, and packed up quickly. I noticed on my phone I had a new voicemail. Cell coverage was great at the campsite. It was Amtrak telling me there was a delay. No information about how long so not very useful. Without an estimate of the delay I still needed to get to town. The first 2 miles were very rocky but flat. Slow going. The rocks subsided and the trail headed down. Eventually I crossed a major highway bridge over the Shenandoah River. I then turned towards town and up. Once near town I had good cell coverage again so I downloaded the Amtrak app hoping it would give me the length of the delay. It did. 2+ hours. So, I would see the town. I went to the ATC office in town. Checked out the college for former slaves, walked around the old cemetery and walked through the old Armory. I still got to town by 10. I got a snack and soda and hung out in the warm sun. Checking the app often, the delay kept increasing. I got some lunch and a beer, wandered some more and got a milkshake. I finally headed to the station to wait. The train showed up almost 3 hours late. That seems to be the norm on this line. Oh well. The ride was nice but slow. I learned the delays are because the freight rail companies own the track. They are supposed to give Amtrak some priority but don¢t. We got to Union Station about 5. I went to the Metro station and hopped on the red line then switched to the silver line. My ride was waiting for me at the end of the line. Dinner, a couple of beers and bed was calling by 9, like on the trail. It was a good hike overall for 19 days. I ended up 2 days ahead of my plan. I definitely underestimated mileage for a couple of days coming out of towns. I had great weather overall, some humid foggy days to start then brilliant sunny days to end. I never hiked in rain, although it did rain some at night. The one day it did rain hard I had just made it to the B&B outside Front Royal. I have now completed through Duncannon, PA. Perhaps next year I¢ll pick up there and do battle with the rocks of eastern PA. Until next hike.
Date: 2021-04-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Heading to the trailhead was one of the most stressful days I've had in quite awhile. Upon heading towards Gainesville on a claustrophobic near 24 hour train ride, I was anxious to say the least. I had barely slept the night before leaving for the Portland, ME Amtrak station and still had not had a full meal upon arriving into Georgia. I had ate a pack of peanut M&Ms, a 10pc McNuggets, and a cranberry juice. The nerves were at an all time high, my mind was racing. I booked a shuttle last minute only to realize in the middle of the night, my train was stuck in North Carolina and subsequentially would be 2 hours late, causing last minute panic and finding another shuttle. I had already booked with one company and prepaid and they were more than nice about the late train and scheduled me with another driver. Finally, on the morning of the 14th, I arrived around 8AM and was picked up by a guy named Brett from Suches, GA. He told me stories about his SOBO thru a few years ago and I felt like I had so many questions but I just couldn't get them out. Once he picked up other thru hikers, the shuttle just went silent. People were less hesitant to talk just on the fact that I couldn't relate to these people (yet) that had been hiking for a few days on end. It was a forty minute drive and my mind raced as we approached Amicalola.