morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-04-07
From: Fontana Dam Inn

To: Fontana Dam Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Day 19: April 7,2005Oh zero day....what a nice and boring day. Days like this make us miss the woods. We awoke to knocks on the door from Eagle Eye & Freightliner waking us up for breakfast. The gravy & biscuits were delicious! I got buzzed w/3 cups of coffee & also met Susan Nixon (Creeky Bones) @ breakfast. She was the first person to sign our guest book. She has been here, stuck b/c of injuries. We hope that she can get out there again soon!After breakfast we headed down to the General Store to get some supplies. It was quite a walk through the village. A walk that we would do many times today. We bought some snacks & headed to the outfitter where Dave bought new shorts. Then we went back to the room to organize our bags & figure out what we could send home. Then more errands..post office & laundry were tackled next. The most relaxing part of the day was the hour that we spent @ the indoor pool. The pool was the temperature of a hot tub so it was wonderful for our muscles.We joked around & chatted about our trek through the Smokies. Tonight it was all about thru-hikers @ dinner. We ran into some old friends who we hadn't seen since Blue Mountain Shelter. It was really nice to see Thunder & Buffalo Bob. Too bad the dinner wasn't that great. Gotta love the salad & the super sweet coconut cake! Eagle Eye, Dave & I will be heading out tomorrow. Tonight we will Veg out & watch Survivor & all my other favorite shows! Hell Yeah! It's all about the Smokies now!!!! Mckay
Date: 2005-04-08
From: Fontana Dam Inn

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

Day 20: April 8,2005Today we were psyched to get back into the woods. Coming out of town I always feel sluggish & as though I put a layer of fat on my body that is holding me back.It takes me a day to get used to being back out here. After hitting up the buffet one last time we packed up & ran some last minute errands. We waited for the shuttle & it came about 9 o'clock. We had our Backcountry Permit all set & we were dropped off @ the Visitor Center. The day was partly cloudy but we felt that it wasn't going to rain. We walked across the dam, which was pretty cool & we took some nice pictures. We have now entered the Great Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park!! It may be time to see a bear but today we saw some beautiful flowers. Little white flowers covered the trail & we felt that we were entering Alice in Wonderland. It was a really tranquil environment. We felt that at that point we had officially entered the Smokies. We arrived @ the shelter very early & secured our spot for the night which we were very happy about b/c it was suppose to rain(& of course it did). We collected wood & Dave made a blazer which kept us warm. We had a yummy dinner w/summer sausage. It always fills me up when we eat protein. Great Energy. It started to rain & we camped out in the shelter. Dave is taking great care of me & I am trying to make sure that he is eating enough. Can't let him get too thin. The terrain of the Smokies is pretty nicely switchbacked. We are healthy & happy. Hike On!!!
Date: 2005-04-09
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 21: April 9,2005Today we started our day off early waking up,having a quick cold breakfast & taking off by 8:00. We had no plan to have a crazy hiking day but the weather was perfect(which is so nice in the Smokies) & we were cruisin!!! We hit Thunder-Head which one of the rangers told us is the best view in the Smokies. It was warm & sunny & we had some really amazing views. The Smoky Mtns. have a different look from what we have been hiking thru. We have noticed that there are many more birds & wildlife & the forest has really come alive in the Smokies. Everything is getting green & by the end of our long day we changed ecosystems & the forest had become filled w/pine trees. That is what I thought the Smokies would be all about. About 1:45 we arrived @ Derrick Knob Sheltler(11.7 miles)& we decided to stop & recoup. I went to get water while Dave got comfortable(taking off pack & shoes!!) & then I relaxed while he made oatmeal & a mocha coffee. We hung out for about an hour, signed the register & headed back out. We had so much energy. Lunch & a break are very important out here. While we were doing all of this hiking we were eating a lot of snacks. We also had a great sports drink mix that seriously fueled us for the last push. We were getting pretty sore on the last few miles but it was just b/c we were out of energy. We walked up to the shelter @ 6:30. We were happy b/c when we walked up everyone told us that there was room in the shelter but then I was bummed b/c there were huge cages on the shelter. The bear cages had not been removed,they make the shelter seem really dirty & dark & scary, but... I am living in the woods..so it's not that bad. We did our chores..getting water & deciding on dinner, also securing our spot int the shelter by putting out our thermarests & bags. The shelter is small & we are on the top level which is slanted & half of it is cut off by the roof. This will be an interesting night..I am sure of that. We are also here w/all older folks. I hope the snoring doesn't keep me up all night. I'm wiped..SLEEP!!
Date: 2005-04-10
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Ice Water Spring Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 22: April 10,2005No sleep for the weary!!Last night was one of the worst nights that we have had out here. All I can say is mice, mice & more mice plus 4 different snoring beats. Can I say miserable!! There was one other thru-hiker there & he pulled out his knife to try & kill the mouse who kept jumping on his feet. I saw its tail & it was the size of a rat. Oh..was I freaking out. I insisted that I would rather see a bear than a mouse & I meant it!! Mice are just so disgusting, they carry disease & I do not want them near me. Apparently I had them really close to me last night. Dave informed me this morning, after I had completely vacated the shelter, that during the night he turned on his head lamp & there were 4 tiny mice by my feet. I would have really not been able to sleep if I had known that. I had my head ducked all the way in my sleeping bag and I was not going to peak my head out all night but I could still hear them which means no sleep for Mckay & I know that Dave didn't sleep @ all either. Our big plan the day before was to get here so that we could wake up early & head to Clingman's Dome for the sunrise. The horrible nights sleep put a bit of a dent in our plan, it was way too hard to get up @ 5 but we jumped up @ 6:20AM & started packing up to go. It took a short time to get out of the shelter, we downed some coffee & poptarts & headed out @ 7:00. The day began to get light & we were enjoying the environment change. All around us we had lush green pine trees & dozens of different varieties of moss. The forest began to remind us of Oregon. The climb to Clingman's Dome was pretty low key. Wonderful switchbacks in the Smokies but the view left a lot to be desired.The sky was completely overcast. It was like we were in the clouds, The Smokies were smoky. So no views from Clingman's but you can't always win. We kept on cruisin! The day seemed to drag a little b/c we were so tired. We stopped @ Newfound Gap for a snack stop. Today we basically hiked the trail that paralleled the road.There is a lot of tourism in the Smokies & today we saw it first hand. I wish the trail was further from the road. We had summer sausage(protein)& snickers & decided to push the last 2.9 to the shelter.It was hot & we were tired!We were the first two to arrive @ the shelter. A RidgeRunner(trail maintainer who works for ATC, he seems like a cop in this world!) was there.There is room for everyone in the shelter. The "cop" is sleeping next to Dave. It will be another interesting night. Hopefully filled w/a lot of sleep. Dave & I are pretty wiped from the past 2 days. We are going to take it a bit easier the second half of the Smokies. Happy to be together while cruisin the Smoky Mountains! Dinner time!!
Date: 2005-04-11
From: Ice Water Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: clear sky

Day 23: April 11,2005Last night we had a great dinner, thanks to Feelin' Free. She brought some barbecue chicken w/her from Gatlinburg. She gave us a piece & we added it to our mac&cheese. It made the meal so much better & we really needed the protein. Last night we also both had a great night sleep(which is rare for Dave) & woke up to an absolutely beautiful sunrise. We didn't get to see anything @ Clingman's but this morning made up for it. Dave woke me up @ 6:15 as the sky was beginning to turn a magnificent orange-reddish-blueish-purple hue. We snuggled as it got lighter & started getting ready @ 6:45. The sun came over the horizon and it was a ruby red glowing ball. Just Beautiful! We took some pictures while having breakfast & packing up. We are loving the morning hiking, so we got going @ 7:30. It was a nice clear day & the hiking was pretty easy going. We stopped to make lunch so that we could get some calories, mac&cheese w/summer sausage. Great Energy! We cruised into the shelter @ 2, we set up our things b/c it is suppose to rain & we want to be dry. We started a fun game today, counting the times we hear Grouse mating.The noise that they make sounds like a motor starting, you can feel it in you chest. Dave thought that it was his heart a few times. Those are the kind of games we play out here in the wilderness. Right now we are just hanging around the shelter. We are still pretty tired from the past 3 days..we have been pushing it pretty hard. We are going to slow down a bit & take our time getting out of the Smokies!
Date: 2005-04-12
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Mountain Moma's Hilton/Bunkhouse
Miles today: 15.7

Day 24: April 12,2005Last night a section hiker pulled out a "Lightweight traveler" 750ml bottle of Jim Beam. Everyone's eyes lit up and a bit of a gathering started around the benches. A shelter version of quarters began and cupful shots were passed around. Dave slept very well last night & slept in until 8AM. We were planning on a short day so we took our time getting out of camp. Dave made coffee & grits & we took off out of camp @ 9:30. The sky was partly cloudy & we were ready for rain. We looked @ our guide book & saw that there was an opportunity to get "real food" & our wheels started turning. We arrived @ the first shelter @ 12;30, had a little lunch & our mouths would not stop salivating for Mountain Moma's "huge cheeseburgers". With our buddy Nate,from Maine who is walking for the Cancer Society, we decided to push on for the burgers. The rain was off & on as we booked it to Davenport Gap. We walked out of the Smokies@ 4:00. We got through the Smokies in 4 nights and 5 days. We were pretty proud of ourselves. We hadn't even pushed it, we were keeping up a very comfortable pace. We are feeling very strong! We walked out of the Gap & realized that the Grill & Mtn. Moma's closed @ 5, so we began booking it down the road @ full speed so that we would be there in time for food. The 1.5 miles went very fast & we walked up to the stone building of Mts. Moma's @ 4:30. I thought about calling my dad b/c I knew that he would still be @ work but I needed a bacon cheese burger first. Sorry Dad, but I was not going to let the grill close w/out getting our much earned burgers. We both put in our orders & grabbed 2 Mountain Dews. We sat @ a table and waited for our feast! Shortly one of the ladies came walking over w/3 huge plates w/large burgers & tons of fries. The burgers really are "huge" piled high w/lettuce,onions, tomatoes,cheese,bacon & mayo. After cleaning our plates we decided that we would stay the night @ this little unique mountain oasis. We checked out the resupply and stocked up on supplies for our trek into Hot Springs and also paid for our bunks. Fifteen dollars each got us our beds (foam mats), 2 loads of laundry, showers & a shuttle back to the trail. We met some really nice people @ Mtn. Moma's, thru-hikers Hooky & Tiny Dancer who are really fun to be around. Everyone @ Mtn. Moma's was very delightful & friendly, we had a great experience there! There were 2 dogs there that were really cute, Bullet & Sweet Abigail,who follow you all around the compound. It was a great time. One of those unique places that you never would walk upon if we were not on the wonderful AT. After showers, 2 loads of laundry and phone calls home we went to bed @ 10. Bodies were aching & rest was the best medicine!
Date: 2005-04-13
From: Mountain Moma's Hilton/Bunkhouse

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: light rain

Day 25: April 13,2005Last night was a pretty interesting evening. Tiny Dancer was snoring & felt bad about it so he went outside & slept on the porch. When Dave got up to go to the bathroom he nailed him in the head w/the door. There was a bit of commotion in the middle of the night! We slept in until 8 o'clock & it was so nice to wake up & take a shower. Oh the little things in life. We packed up & headed in for breakfast. We were well rested I think b/c there had been a huge thunderstorm during the night & I always sleep so well during a big storm. Low on cash we opted to split a big croissant w/egg, bacon& cheese, coffee & choc. cookies 2/$1.We were in the shuttle by 9:15 & hiking by 9:40. Today we decided to do a short day & we finally stuck to our plan b/c it began to rain & we wanted to be under a roof tonight. The hiking was easy going to start. Everyting was lush, green & blooming. We walked thru numerous creeks & by some really beautiful rocky waterfall spots. Since we had been in a Gap we also had quite a cimb today. The summit was a huge bald that we did not get to really see b/c it was totally foggy as if we were in a cloud. As soon as we were out of the woods on the bald a huge bolt of lightning & a thunderous roar occurred. We knew that we were conductors w/our poles so we scooted fast to get back in the woods. Today we also met the cyclehiker who is carrying his 18lb bike to Katahdin. With his wheels strapped to his back he was more of an electrical attraction than we were. We got to the shelter @ 1:30 & it was just about full, we got our spots & then had some lunch. The rest of the day consisted of watching the rain & people rolling in & out deciding where to camp for the night. We made a discovery @ dinner, crackers in ? is really good and also peanut butter on strawberry pop-tarts is delicious. Dave & Apos finished off the Beam & I had a great cappacino thanks to Apos. Hopefully it will be a good night sleep & sunshine in the AM!
Date: 2005-04-14
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Deer Park Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 26: April 14, 2005Last night we decided that we were going to push it a little today so that we would have a short walk into Hot Springs. We woke up early & had a quick breakfast & we were on the trail @ 7:45. We were very excited b/c today was the day we hiked Max Patch which is a huge grassy bald that gives you a magnificent 360 degree view of all the surrounding mountains, including the Smokies. The 6.6 mile hike up to the Patch woke us up quickly & we were on top @ 10:30. We lucked out & had just gorgeous weather. Clear blue sky w/the sun just beating down on us. It could not have been any better! We stopped @ the summit to take pictures & had a snack & then decided to keep moving b/c we still had a lot of hiking in front of us. After the Patch we went through a beautiful part of the trail, nice flat winding footpath over multiple streams & creeks. The forest is coming alive w/fresh buds everywhere we looked. Today we saw many different species of flowers blooming. Each day brings more & more signs of spring. We decided that since we were hiking big miles today that we would stop & take a nice lunch break, shoes, socks & gators off break. About 2:00 @ Kale Gap we found a grassy area w/little flowers everywhere, it was just the perfect lunch spot. We shed our packs & crashed to the ground. It felt pretty darn(edited) good to take a load off. Our feet were feeling it. Lunch consisted of mac & cheese w/tuna. A stick to your ribs energy meal,followed by granola bars for dessert. We lounged in the sun for about an hour & decided to head out & tackle the last 9.1 miles. We let our quaint lunch spot @ 3 & arrived @ the shelter @ 6:30. As Dave, Nate & I rolled into the shelter we were wiped. As soon as Dave sees the shelter he yells to me "Visual" & @ that instant my body starts to relax b/c it knows it is done walkin',it's a funny thing. We all sat down on logs that were surrounding the fire & no one uttered a word for about 5 minutes. Sometimes out here we are literally too tired to talk. It was just the 3 of us for the night, which was pretty sweet b/c the shelter was old & tiny. We got settled & started dinner. We chatted as the sun went down & got settled in the shelter shortly after. As I was falling asleep we heard huge foosteps, Dave flicked on his light & whatever was around us scurried to the back of the shelter. Dave & Nate were talking but I was ducked under my sleeping bag. Dave turned the light off & we heard the foosteps again, Dave shined the light & "it" ran away again. Between that & the nice scurring along the tin roof it was a pretty miserable night! Although at least we didn't see the beast....whatever it was.
Date: 2005-04-16
From: Duckett House Inn

To: Elmer's 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 28: April 16,2005Today we had a very nice day off in Hot Springs but at the same time we are extremely anxious to get back into the woods. I miss the exercise & the "bloat" from too much excess(food & beer) has my system all messed up. I am craving a night in the wilderness under the stars. This morning we leisurely woke up & I had to take another shower, since it was so nice. About 8:30 we were called down for breakfast. A delicious family style meal w/grapefruit, juice, eggs, grit, biscuits w/melt in your mouth herb gravy & cherrios w/bananas(my favorite). We had a lot to do in town today so after our nice meal we packed up & headed to Elmer's. We enjoyed the Duckett Inn very much but also wanted the experience of staying @ Elmer's. We stopped in & our room wasn't quite ready so we headed down Bridge St. to take care of our errands. We hit the post office & then the Outfitter. We finished our resupply & looked on-line @ our journal & tried to download pictures. After half an hour & multiple errors I realized it wasn't going to happen. Now that technology had totally stressed me out I could go on with my day. What a bummer. After that I decided to head to the laundromat and make our clothes smell nice again. While waiting I called my mom & she calmed me down about the picture fiasco. Aren't moms the best! After laundry we headed down to the pub for beers w/our buddy Eagle Eye who just caught up w/us yesterday(we hadn't seem him since the start of the Smokies). It was a little family reunion. After Porter & splitting a Buffalo Burger we headed back to Elmer's. John, one of the employees, told us that we have the nicest room. We lucked out again. The room is larger than last nights w/a connecting bathroom. We were really happy. We spent the afternoon relaxing. I sat on the big porch in a rocking chair w/my feet on the banister in the sun writing my journal. It was a beautiful day. Dave found a book in the library,"Walking on the Happy Side of Misery", and hasn't been able to put it down since. We had a very nice dinner here. My favorite part was dessert, carrot cake...my all time favorite! We had nice company @ dinner & they were not lying, no one went away hungry. After soup,salad,pasta & dessert & tea the "bloat" was in full effect & may stop us from venturing out to the Pub tonight. Live music is calling me but I don't think I will be able to tear Dave away from his book & even after a 2 hour nap today I am yawning while writing my journal. If I do not get to use the internet tomorrow I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for our wonderful guest book entries. The encouraging words & support mean so much to us out here!Unfortunately round one w/pictures didn't work out but I will give it another go in Erwin,TN @ Miss Janet's. We will be staying @ her hostel & receiving our maildrops there. Hoping for a great nights sleep here @ Elmer's & a sunny send off as we continue our adventure tomorrow!
Date: 2005-04-17
To: Dave and McKay
Miles today: 0.0

We are about to depart Hot Springs North Carolina after a wonderful 2 days off. We are still bloated from all of the food and beer that we over indulged in since being in town. We had a great stay at the beautiful Duckett Inn and then a real hiking experience at Elmer's "Sunnybank" Inn. The woods are calling us and we can't wait to get out there. Dave just bought some new shorts and we weighed our packs: Mine weighs 35lbs and Dave's weighs 39. Our resupply totally upped our loads, but after one day out there we will be loving all of the food. Thank you to everyone for all of the wonderful words of encouragement and the support that has been shining through all of our guest book entries. All of the kind words mean so much to us out here!!! Thank you to our familes for their continued support. We could never do this without you, Mommy and Daddy Levey, Mom and Dad Steady and of course Samantha and Ali!! We miss you all very much and will catch up again when we get to Erwin. In Erwin we will be staying at Miss Janets and will be getting our maildrops there. We couldn't be happier or healthier, life is splendid and we are enjoying every minute. Cheers!!With Love,Piker and McKay