morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-04-30
From: Campsite just before Lemon Gap

To: Elmer's Sunnybank Inn in Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 14.6

Got up early to make the big miles into Hot Springs today. Left camp at 8:20. Of course because we camped in a gap, first thing of the day is a big climb. Oh yea! Elevation chart showed a 700 foot climb, a 500 foot drop, a 900 foot climb, a 2300 foot drop, some varied trail and then an additional 1600 foot drop. Miles was thinking if she could just get through those first two climbs, the day would be enjoyable. Well that varied trail that didn't look like much was much. And all that downhill was killer on the knees and on Side's bunion. Thought we'd never get there and began to wonder if there really even was a town called Hot Springs.Saw many miniature irises along the trail today and thought of Bek and her Elmira College cohorts. They came in one of two shades of purple and were so delicate for trailside.We managed to get into town about 5:00 and went straight to the Sunnybank Inn where we had made reservations from a mountaintop a few days before. For twenty dollars a person we had our own private room in an 1840 home, done up in antiques. The wedding ring quilt on the bed reminded Miles of Gail. More on the inn tomorrow. Had a wonderful shower and a nice dinner. Always interesting to walk around a town you've never been to and know so many people. Ran into Noodle, our adopted daughter from back in Hiawassee weeks ago.Many in-town chores tomorrow. As usual, Side is sleeping through the journalling. Time to join him.
Date: 2013-05-01
From: Elmer's Sunnybank Inn in Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0

Had a good night's sleep at Elmer's 1840 Sunnybank Inn. Ate breakfast with Elmer and staff (those hikers who work for stay). Went to the outfitter to pick up the bounce box and Side's cell phone replacement. Then off to the library where Miles sent off camera photos for the online journal. Side worked on the replacement phone but something was wrong with it so they're sending another one tomorrow. Figures.Side called Granite Gear about the broken frame on his backpack. They worked with Bluff Mountain Outfitter to expedite shipment of the frame so that the outfitter felt comfortable giving Side a frame out of one of his packs in the store knowing the replacement would arrive before the weekend. Very kind on both their parts.Found an ice cream shop with yummy local ice cream. Back to the inn to set up the tent in the back yard so it can dry. Then off to do laundry, call Miles' neurologist to get her migraine prescription squared away, and call Icebreaker to find out why one of Side's Merino shirts has a dozen holes in it. Seems like a day in town should be so relaxing but there are so many things to do.In town we've run into a number of folks we haven't seen for a while. Noodle, one of the Johns of John and John (whose trailname is actually Doggie Daddy), and Story. And by the evening Cynical Indian, Low Drag and Jack Rabbit plus Mammoth have shown up at the inn where we're staying. Tomorrow we have to move to another place as there is a two night limit at Elmer's. Have made arrangements at the Iron Horse Station. Side's phone won't be in until mid to late afternoon so it will take a while to get that squared away.Received a yummy care package from Bek and Zac. Side got pinwheels and Miles got chocolate haystacks. Smelled the haystacks before the package was even open. How sweet to send some of our very favorites.Shared an entire pizza for dinner. Stuffed. Packing up our stuff in prep for the move tomorrow morning.Yesterday saw this new beautiful purple flower. Found it on the flower guide tonight. It's called a Gaywing. Believe this weird looking pinecone-like thing we've been seeing coming up out of the ground, not yet flowering, is called Squawroot and will eventually get little white flowers on it. We've been seeing red trillium and white large-flowered trillium for quite some time now. Thinking the little white flowers with purple stripes are called Spring Beauty.
Date: 2013-05-02
From: Elmer's Sunnybank Inn

To: Iron Horse Station
Miles today: 0.0

Started the day hanging out in the common room at Elmer's chatting with other hikers. When the breakfast bell rang, we headed for the table - twelve altogether including Elmer and staff. The table was filled with healthy food (granola, homemade biscuits, Amish apple butter, cantaloupe, grits, scrambled zesty eggs, apple juice, coffee). From there we moved out of Elmer's, left our packs at the desk of our new place (Iron Horse Station), went down for a latte and did our resupply for the next five and a half days, and then back to move into our room. Kim at the front desk asked them to clean our room first so we could get in early. Very sweet of her.Okay, you can't come to Hot Springs without going to the spa. The natural hot mineral water is piped in - from a quarter mile away and two miles deep - into a hot tub. We relaxed for an hour.Went for a pizza lunch with the guys and then for our last shot at ice cream. Miles went to the library to do some work on the computer. Side's phone came in so he spent a few hours getting it set up.Miles hit Dollar General to grab something to take to the community potluck dinner - a couple of bags of miniature candy bars. Elmer had told us this morning that the community did a potluck dinner on Thursday nights and all the hikers were invited. There were probably 70 hikers there. Imagine a town doing that for you. Mighty nice trail magic. So nice to chat with the townsfolk.Back to our room to be lazy for a while. Back to the trail tomorrow, finally.
Date: 2013-05-03
From: Hot Springs

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Went to the Smoky Mountain Diner for breakfast. Mailed three packages at the post office. Went to the outfitters to pick up 3 bottles of gatorade to carry along. While there, the owner helped make adjustments to Miles' backpack so hopefully it would be more comfortable. Finally got on the trail at 10:30.Hiked up to Lover's Leap. Chose not to participate. Nice view of the town from above. A lot of ups today. Hiked past a pond where Side saw a 16-inch large mouth bass. Passed two separate gravestones today right along the trail - a woman aged 50 and a man aged 62.The caboose had no energy today. After all that town food, one might have thought differently. Packs are heavy with five and a half days food. Have 67 miles to our next stop, Erwin, TN. We continue to flip flop between NC and TN. Camping just past Spring Mountain shelter with many other tents. It's been quite windy this evening. Had Mountain House spaghetti and the fantastic Mountain House raspberry crumble again.
Date: 2013-05-04
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Jones Meadows Campsites
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Get well message for Logan!So windy all night long and continued when we got up. Packed up as quickly as possible and had breakfast down the trail.First four miles were easy. At Log Cabin Drive we had trail magic. A young lady with knee trouble was being picked up by her parents and they were set up cooking hamburgers and hotdogs. What a nice treat. Drinks, fresh fruit.Had a tough next four miles of mostly ups. Notices on trees told us that a local hiking club was doing trail magic all weekend. We stopped for hamburgers and hotdogs again plus homemade cookies, candy, drinks and so many other things. So lunch and dinner got taken care of today. We camped just below the trail magic location because we're supposed to have wind and lots of rain. Would have liked to have gone further but wanted to be sure the tent got put up before the rain started. They're doing breakfast so we may have to stop up in the morning. Warm coffee sure tasted good tonight and would taste good in the morning as well. Guess they're making pancakes in the morning. Doesn't get much better than two trail magics in one day.Sat around the campfire tonight and chatted with the others staying here. We have about eight tents and a hammock here. Hope it doesn't rain !
Date: 2013-05-06
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Campsite just short of the Meadow
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

Started the day slowly as the rain couldn't decide whether to keep going or to stop. Every time we made an attempt to start packing up, the rain would start again. Finally by 11:00 we were moving down the trail. At 12:30 we stopped at a breezy, sunny spot to hang the tent parts to dry as we had lunch. The weather took a turn for the better and it turned into a lovely hiking day... one that would make you decide to hike the AT. It was quiet on the trail with very few folks passing by. When we stopped to set up camp along the trail, a number of others came by and either continued on or camped on the hill above us.Side is having sciatica problems that he hopes resolves itself.
Date: 2013-05-07
From: Campsite just short of the Meadow

To: Whistling Gap
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Got out of camp at 8:45 in spite of the fact that Side didn't wake up until 7:20. Miles had already packed up her sleeping bag, air mattress and everything else the sleepy time boy didn't have tied up. Thinking this mountain air suits him well.Had a high climb today up to Big Bald at just over 5500 feet. The views were just incredible. We continued up Big Stamp saddle and hiked across the ridge. Passed Bald Mountain shelter since it's another one that was suggested to avoid due to the virus. Hey folks, we're seeing dandelions and you probably all are too. Started to cloud up and we donned our wet weather gear and covered the backpacks. Soon a light rain started for a couple of our miles and then let up. We came to Whistling Gap campsite where Side decided we should get the tent up before it started raining again. Not quite. The fly can be put up before the tent to try to keep the tent dry. Got the fly half on before the wind picked up and made a big windsock out of it. Then the rain came. Now dirt is splashing in, the tent isn't up and two big people in their rain gear and dirty boots are trying to huddle inside. So we have a wet, dirty tent again. Wonder if other campers have this much fun.Miles is going to revolt if she doesn't get lots of hot food tonight. Last night we shared instant mashed potatoes. Not enough to supply the energy we need. But it was getting dark and Side was in severe pain from sciatica so that was the best we could do.Tomorrow we have just over 13 miles to get to Erwin, TN. Yeah. Shower and clean clothes and town food.Warming up some - now that we shared chicken couscous. Next course shrimp ramen. Then it rained until the very last second to be able to see to put up the bear bag and wash the dishes. In for the night.
Date: 2013-05-08
From: Whistling Gap

To: Super 8 in Erwin
Miles today: 12.9

We were able to pack up this morning before the rain started but things were wet and dirty from the rain we had on and off all night. Hung parts of the tent in trees so the breeze could dry them some before we started out. We had camped alone for the first time in a long time. It was nice. We leap frog hiked with Doggie Daddy, Pushup and 22, all folks we've hiked with before.It's hard to describe the beauty of seeing the flowers growing along the trail. Even though we've been seeing the same flowers for days, seeing another one is still a breathtaking thing. Loved the Gaywings and Dwarf Irises all day again. With the rain they were wet and had drops of water on them. Such a lovely sight.The trail was somewhat muddy today but nothing like a couple days ago when the trail was like 'A River Runs Through It' and 'On Golden Pond'. Makes it quite dangerous since the tree roots are so slick and the mud can be slippery. Really takes a lot of focus. Today's trail was going pretty well but then there was a long stretch of slanted trail which puts a lot of pressure on the feet. Then there was a long section of somewhat rocky trail which hurts the already sore feet. The trail was a lot of down which Miles usually loves but by the end of 12.9 miles, her feet were in misery, she had patches on the patches on her feet, and she was moving super slow. Definitely a zero day tomorrow. Side had sciatica problems again today. Seems to bother him most on the uphills.Had great views down to the Nolichucky River and the town of Erwin. Saw Azaleas blooming for the first time along the trail today. Once the Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron start blooming it will be a sight to see. Might not make much headway because Miles will be busy taking photos.Went to an authentic Mexican restaurant with Doggie Daddy and Allison. This town is pretty big so you have to be shuttled most places. Tom and Maria (10K and Jaywalker) are great folks to shuttle you places. Maria picked up four of us from the trail and delivered us to the Super 8. We made plans with Maria to return later to drop us off for dinner and then cart us back to the hotel, which she did refusing to take any money - she said to consider it trail magic since she was doing other shuttling for us. She even pulled over to pick up a couple of backpackers walking along the road who happened to be going to the hotel too. Turned out to be trail friends Sly Fox and Moonflower who we've hiked with on and off for a long time. Being picked up by Maria at 8:00 in the morning to go resupply. Making plans to do our first slackpack on Friday. Hoping it will give Side's sciatica and Miles' feet a bit of a break.
Date: 2013-05-09
From: Super 8 in Erwin

To: Super 8 in Erwin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Had a quick breakfast at the hotel and then got picked up to go to Food Lion to resupply (focusing on food with more calories) and then off to the laundromat. Now it's normal to see hikers in their rain gear doing laundry as they are washing everything else. Miles couldn't wear her rain pants because they were too muddy from her slip a few days ago and needed to be washed also so fortunately she still had some pretty clean long johns to wear. We both had to strip off our socks when we got there. Gotta do what you gotta do.Walked back stopping at Huddle House for brunch. Spent quite a bit of the day cleaning up equipment and making sure that everything is dry. Planned out the next few days making all the necessary arrangements.Tomorrow morning we'll have breakfast at the hotel and then get picked up at 7:00 to go drop off our backpacks at Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel (where we'll be staying tomorrow night) and then we'll be driven north 20 trail miles and then slackpack south 20 miles back to the hostel. Saturday we'll get shuttled up the 20 miles north again and hike north with our full backpacks for about 9 miles where we'll get picked up and driven ahead another 20 trail miles to Mountain Harbour Hostel where we'll spend the night. Sunday morning we'll be driven 20 miles south to where we stopped hiking the previous day and we'll slackpack back to the hostel and spend the night again. Okay, that's really confusing to us too. Hope we can keep it all straight and that we made the correct arrangements. And hope it will give our health problems a break. We'll see.Eating bad stuff all day - all the things you really miss on the trail - ice cream, candy, popcorn, cookies. Yea, really bad.
Date: 2013-05-10
From: Super 8 in Erwin

To: Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky
Miles today: 20.6

Graduation Congrats to Shawn !!Had breakfast at the Super 8 and got picked up by the lovely Maria of 'Shuttles by Tom' and were shuttled 20 miles up the trail to Iron Mountain Gap. We chatted the whole way there about this and that.Today there was a great spruce forest at the highest point of our hike. There were so many colors of green - the older trees, the younger trees, the moss, the Christmas tree ferns, the grass. And there was such a nice smell. After some downhill we made it to Beauty Spot Gap which had nice views. The rest of the day was downhill, downhill, downhill. We hiked a total of 20.6 miles made possible by us slackpacking. We only carried what we needed for the day. It was a lot easier on our backs and feet but they were still hurting. It started rumbling and raining about two thirds of the way through our hike. Never did storm but it rained for a while making the trail trickier and then stopped raining for the last few miles.The nice thing about hiking south today was that we kept passing all the folks we've been hiking near or haven't seen for a while who were hiking north. Side's favorite trick was to ask them why they were hiking south and there would be a look of panic on their face fearing they actually were hiking the wrong direction. Passed High Tide and Blockade Runner who we haven't seen since the NOC. Passed Marshmallow, Cool Whip, Moonflower, Sly Fox, Allison, Flatfoot, Noodle, and many others.Checked into our cabin which is very small and rustic (putting it kindly). Had a shower and ordered a pizza delivery. Waiting to use the one washing machine since our clothes (which were so nice this morning) are sweaty, stinky and muddy. Seems to be the way it goes.Maria will take us back up to Iron Mountain Gap again tomorrow. Doggie Daddy will be going with us.
Date: 2013-05-11
From: Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky

To: Mountain Harbour Hostel
Miles today: 9.2
Weather: light rain

Really glad to be leaving the last hostel. It was not very clean and there were way too many people there, some camped right outside both our windows. We did at least have a decent sleep (except for the train rumbling through) which was surprising.Didn't have time for breakfast because the room was so small that only one person could be packing up at once so we ran out of time and didn't want to keep Maria waiting. She shuttled us back up to Iron Mountain Gap where we set off with Doggie Daddy for an easier day of hiking. Stopped shortly after to wolf down some 20 gram Clif bars and then continued on.Doggie Daddy pointed out some flowers - Dutchman's Britches and Mayapple. It was raining most of the hike and was foggy. The top of Little Rock Knob was a rocky climb reminding us of the mountains in the northeast. On top it was totally foggy, no view whatsoever. We had made plans to get picked up at 3:00 but realized that we would be done with today's hike way earlier than that. Side called our shuttler and arranged a 1:00 pickup. It was close to 1:30 before Mary arrived and was starting to rain harder so we were all happy to climb in. Mary told us she had 50 for breakfast this morning. Because of the rain, there were many tenters set up all over. The hostel is the top of a barn and only has four beds up in the loft plus the king size bed we are in tonight which is on the same level with the sitting area, kitchen and bathroom.Got showers and dropped off our clothes to be washed yet again. They were filthy because of the rain. Munched on some of the nice snacks they have available for purchase. There will be a 5:00 run to town for dinner. There are an awful lot of folks here all wanting to go. Guess they load everyone in the back of the pickup. Should be exciting.Seeing many folks we haven't seen for a while - Fabian & Dream Catcher, Mammoth, and many others. Quarters are small but everyone seems to manage.Okay, the ride into town wasn't so bad but it was cold. This update is coming from Miles who rode in the cab of the truck. However, coming back there were 14 hikers in the back all carrying bags of groceries and pizzas. They were packed in on top of each other like sardines. Where else can you have fun like this?
Date: 2013-05-12
From: Mountain Harbour Hostel

To: Mountain Harbour Hostel
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: few clouds

Happy Mother's Day to Miles' Mom, our girls, all the Mothers in our family and all the Moms we know !!We had the most fantastic gourmet breakfast today at Mountain Harbour Hostel. Mary and the crew gave us some amazing food. When Miles saw a fillet of salmon on the table, she was real happy. Even Side who is most picky had a big plateful of delicious food. There were cheesy eggs, French toast, sausages cooked multiple ways, strawberries and peaches and melon, fancy ham and cheese buns, potatoes, grits, cinnamon rolls, and more. There were about 35 hikers there. Can't wait to see what we'll have tomorrow.After breakfast Mary shuttled us out to Hughes Gap where we left off hiking yesterday. We enjoyed our rides with her and had some engaging conversations. Our plan was to slackpack 20 miles today but it would be no easy day. Didn't even get to the trail until almost 10:00 so we were really going to have to be hiking in high gear to get back to the hostel before dark and the temps were supposed to be dropping to freezing tonight. We hiked again with Doggie Daddy.First thing had a soupy, muddy climb of 2150 feet up to Roan High Knob. Passed a trail maintenance crew including Bob Peoples from Kincora Hostel. Side went off trail to where he was working to chat with him. We had met him at the Gathering last October. Visibility was very poor. Hate to make a big climb like that and not see anything. Passed a tall chimney along the trail that looked out of place. Passed cutoff to Roan High Knob shelter which we had been warned not to consider staying at because it's way too cold at an elevation of 6194 feet. Later talked to a lady who had stayed there and froze. Then we hit a number of different balds just shy of 6000 feet. Dropped down to 4650 feet to the turnoff to Overmountain shelter which is a converted barn but it was 0.3 miles back to it and couldn't afford the time. Climbed back up to 5400 feet to Little Hump Mountain, dropped down to 5000 feet, and then climbed a steep climb back up to 5600 feet to Hump Mountain, thought we'd never get to the top. It was cold, the wind was blowing you sideways on the trail. Then we dropped down to 3000 feet over 5 miles to the hostel. It was a big, big hiking day and it needs to be said that Miles did a decent job on the uphills. Makes a huge difference dropping over 25 pounds off your back. And her feet did well until the last five downhill miles which included a lot of rock walking. Side had sciatica problems all day. Got out of the woods at 8:00. Side lead us at a rapid pace all day. Doggie Daddy said he was a slave driver. But his drive got us off the mountains before dark and before the temps got too cold. Kudos to him. Got back to the hostel, showered, ate something quick and headed to bed.Okay, just have to talk about the beauty of today's hike. Teasip and Javaman, you were right. This day had the most beautiful views and so many views making it our most beautiful day on the trail yet.