morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-04-04
From: Strawberry Top

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

4/4 On the trail at 7:30 with several hills but with a lot more pleasant flat walking, a good day. Got to the final hill called Blue Mountain before the final 2 mile decent to Unicoi Gap where I was to meet with Errol, my father-in-law. As I climbed the last 100 yards I hollered and waved at someone who looked like him on the top of the mountain. It was Errol. He had hiked the 2 hard miles in to meet me and we had a great hike back to his truck and then into the Alpine town of Helen, Ga. We had some good talk, a nice meal and went to bed early.
Date: 2004-04-05
From: Helen Ga.

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

4/5 I set up a dental appointment for 10:30 since I had had a tooth ache ever since I got on the trail. We had breakfast and to the dentist who said it was an abscessed root that would have to be fixed by a specialist. I was lucky enough to be able to go to the next town and have it fixed by an endodontist 2 hours later. It was great to find someone who could do it so quickly and do such a good job. We then resupplied took a nap and had a great Mexican dinner, ready to get on the trail again in the morning. See you all down the trail, probably in a week or so.
Date: 2004-04-06
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Addis Gap
Miles today: 10.8

It¢s a shame that I can't keep all the journal entries complete and dated as I should so much happens every day but it tends to run together. I keep a tape recording each day but can't play it here in a library.4/6 Left with the tooth feeling better from Helen and my father-in-law Errol. Thanks for all the help in getting the tooth straightened out. I don't think I talked about going to the specialist but we had to wait with another guy in the lobby for about 20 minutes when he was called to in the office. He came out shortly with holding his wife up as she was staggering and slurring her words. We helped them out the door and wondered to each other if that's how they sent folks out the front door, we wondered what the ones looked like who went out the back. So when I was done, I asked the nurse if she ever played practical jokes and she said yes, on occasion. I gave her the truck keys and told her to give them to Errol and tell him that Bob was ok but if he would mind driving the truck around back while they carried me out since I couldn't walk. Oh, and by the way, for him to bring his credit card because I wasn't able to sign mine. I had to run to catch him as he went thru the front door. Ya gotta have a little fun. Thanks again Errol for the good time and help in Helen, Cleveland, and Gainesville. We got a late start at 10 and Errol walked the first mile up the mountain with me. We had a good time talking about family and hiking and I know as I travel he will be along in spirit. The weather was beautiful and I changed from pants to shorts on top of Tray Mountain to be more comfortable and to save the pants for the cold each morning. I came across a neat family who were hiking with their boys of 10 and 13 for a while before the father was being deployed overseas. The Mom and Dad were both in the service and all the family was very nice. I wish them well. I tried to get to Deep Gap Shelter but it was getting late and I wanted to camp before dark. I got tired and the trail word from some southbound hikers was there was trail magic at Addis Gap. When I got there, I went .5 miles off the trail to the right and came across a dozen or so tents and lots of strangers. They were set up around a campfire with a lot of food [and 3 kegs of beer] and was sponsored by some individuals for a whole week the 11th straight year. I guess it was just something they liked to do as former hikers. I found out it was something that would be done all along the trail. Most of the hikers set around the fire and played music, drank beer, and told tales. It was late when I got there but I ate and talked around the fire with them before turning in. I only went to sleep after they either wore out or ran out of beer at 11 or so.
Date: 2004-04-07
From: Addis Gap

To: Georgia-North Carolina Border
Miles today: 13.9

4/7 I got another late start at 9 or so to say good by and thanks to the trail angels and looked forward to another beautiful day of hiking. The weather was again very pleasant and a good day for shorts. I got in about 14 miles before crossing the Ga/NC border late in the day. It was getting dark and there was a nice campsite just inside NC so I set up the tent and started a fire in a fire pit near a spring. I later found out there were 3 other tenters up on the ridge who later came down for water. I was tenting by myself and before I drifted off to sleep the wind picked up again and as it blowed against the tent it was making noises that I couldn¢t identify. I must admit that twice I lifted the tent flaps to see what was making the noise-I was happy to find out it was only the wind and my imagination.
Date: 2004-04-08
From: Georgia-North Carolina Border

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

4/8 I woke up at about 7 and it was about 8 when I got started hiking. It was another great hiking day because it was overcast but still warm enough to hike in shorts. I made good time and was about 1 mile past Chunky Gal Trail when I came on a woman of probably 50 who looked 65 or so and a young gangly man of about 15 who didn't talk. I wanted to take a picture of the 2 because when I saw them I immediately thought of the characters in the movie Deliverance. I was wondering if it was Mom and Son, a couple or both. I guess I don¢t deserve to know because I didn¢t ask and they didn¢t volunteer any information. I didn¢t even get a picture of them. Most of the day was uneventful and I hiked off and on with young folks who stayed at the next shelter while I stayed in my tent 100 yards away or so. That way it was a little more peaceful, closer to the spring, and a lot less bothered by smoke, some of it from the campfire.
Date: 2004-04-09
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Rainbow Springs Campground
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: clear sky

4/9 I had another decent night in the tent with the wind picking up occasionally enough to wake me from a sleep. I also found I got to hot in my 20 degree bag when it was 35 or 40 outside and I started sweating in the bag. I finally found if you opened the bag a little from the bottom and a little from the top I could sleep better and the bag wouldn't be as sweaty when I slept. When I tossed and turned the bag stuck to me and twisted so when I wanted to get out of the bag I never knew where the zipper might be. It also solved the anxiety of being stuck in the bag and not being able to get out of the bag and tent in a hurry because you didn't know whether the zipper was on top, under, or on one of the sides. So I think I have that problem solved. Another tent dilemma is how to stay in it all night when it is bust ass cold outside and you have to water the trees. You may be able to hold off for a while but after waking a second time or 2 you know you're going to have to go. Some folks carry a container for such events but that is way to messy and bulky for most thru hikers. My solution is to tent in a strategic location and designate one side of the tent as an entry and exit door and the other as a restroom door. The entry/exit door it towards other tenters and the restroom door is away and preferably just a little downhill from the tent. The restroom door doesn't have to be opened very wide nor do you have to go very far on the other side of said door to find great relief and be a great contributor in the recycling of the resources of the great outdoors. It does seem a little dangerous to risk something dear to you and you only have one of to the weather and whatever else may be on the other side of the tent. If I ever get cold nosed, I swear I'll never do it again.It was another nice warm day of hiking and I went 13 miles to Wallace Gap where there was a campsite 1 mile down the road. I was behind the others but it was a great relief to camp at Rainbow Springs where several of us set up our tents by the river and then got a nice hot shower. I had pizza with hot sauce but could only eat 3 pieces before bedtime and another at bedtime. I had the other two for breakfast. They tasted great. When I woke in the morning, the inside of the tent was very humid. In checking around, all the other tents had the same condensation. It was because we were next to the river and the air was just too humid. I also had water under my pad and finally figured that I had laid on top of the mouth piece of my water bag which let out about 3 cups of water onto the tent floor. No harm done but another lesson learned.
Date: 2004-04-10
From: Rainbow Springs Campground

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

4/10 I got another late start at 10 AM because we wanted to wait for the ride back to the trail since it was more than a mile uphill. We got another nice magic break when we crossed the road to Franklin and someone had left a cooler full of cokes and beer and other treats. It was another good day of hiking and I stopped after 15 miles and stayed with one other tenter at a campsite just beyond Wayah Bald.
Date: 2004-04-11
From: Wayah Bald 

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: light rain

4/11 I took another day to hike from the campground near Wayah Bald to get to Nantahala Outdoor Center where I got in at 4 after a long hard day. I was looking forward to a good meal only to find out that it was Easter and all the restaurants were closed. I did get a place to stay in a hostel with 3 others. One a young guy named Father Ounces and two others who were 50ish brother and sister who were out hiking for a month. I went to the rest room to brush my teeth and by the time I got back to the room, the sister had the heat up to 80 degrees because her sleeping bag was too thin and she had been cold each night for the last 4 days. In addition, the brother had put on some mentholated icy crap all over his sore body that stunk up the place badly and so I smoldered and sweated all night. There is no linen in most hostels so you have to at least sleep on the sleeping bag-not a good night but I did eventually get a little sleep when I opened the window.
Date: 2004-04-12
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Simp Gap
Miles today: 13.7

4/12 We hiked hard for the next 2 days to go 30 miles to get to Fontana Dam. The climb out of NOC was 3000 feet over the first 6 miles that is tough going. I was hiking with Spot, a 5 time to thru hiker, and a young man named Bigstick from Boston. We tented on a ridge after about 14 miles because it was the only flat spot we had seen for quite some time. After dinner, we had a great time talking into the night [8 PM or so] and were then kept awake by lots of wind, lightning, and storms all night long. We worried about the tents being blown off the ridge but we survived and it turned into good as well as interesting night. You feel a degree of accomplishment and success to weather a storm, no matter where you are.
Date: 2004-04-13
From: Simp Gap

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: light rain

4/13 We hiked hard all the next day in storms and cold weather before finally going the 16 miles to the dam. It was freezing and snowing as I got there at 5 pm and thankfully there were trail angels from Indiana who had a trailer set up for hot dogs, hamburgers, and in my case, peanut butter and jelly. I went directly afterwards to the Fontana Hilton, a very nice new shelter nearby and stayed in my sleeping bag all night long in order to keep warm.
Date: 2004-04-14
From: Fontana Village

To: Fontana Village
Miles today: 0.0

The morning of the 14th I called to stay at the Hike Inn, a little motel near Fontana Dam. They ran me by the post office and I got a great package from my family with notes, cookies, and dried fruits that work great on the trail. I got cleaned up and they dropped us off in town where we had lunch, did some internet at the library, resupplied, and had dinner before being picked up again to go to the hotel. The owner¢s hobby was collecting indian arrowheads so it was interesting to see all of his 20 or so years of wandering around in the fields of North Carolina in his spare time. Staying in one of the rooms was a father and son named Diego [son from San Diego] and the father tOM [the Old Man], a 65 y/o who were hiking together. They seemed to get along but I could see they were tested on occasion by their different needs, speed, and style. Since Diego was faster, I saw in one place where he had gone 14 miles but left a note in the shelter that said Hey Pop, it's only 3 so I went on to the next shelter [4 more miles], and I don't think Diego was thinking since the tOM may not have wanted or been able to hike that much father. Since one carried the food and the other the tent he had no choice but to go on.
Date: 2004-04-15
From: Fontana Dam

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 30.2
Weather: clear sky

4/15-4/16 I left Fontana in the morning and spent the next 5 days and 4 nights hiking in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It had snowed up to 18" in some places the 2 days before but today was warm and pretty. As we started up the mountains it was very pretty at first but that turned into an aggravation as the snow melted and the water started running down the very trail that we were trying to go up. Then the ground turned to slippery mud so progress slowed and the clothes were a mess. The second and 3rd days were the same but things got better as the snow was gone and the water would soak into the ground a little more each day. On the 2nd and 3rd day I did find a way to have a little treat and a little change of pace. I would scrape off the top layer of snow and then scoop a clean handful of snow to have a snow cone as I hiked. Yes, plain flavor and with only white snow, thank you. You do what you can to make things amusing. They wanted you to stay in the shelters when available but they are usually dirty and you have to compete with the current residents [mice], plus there always seems to be someone who snores so I tented almost every night.
Date: 2004-04-17
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: clear sky

4/17 One of the highlights in the Smokies is to go to Clingman's Dome, the highest place on all of the AT. There were lots of people around the dome that was fun to see but it was nice to get back to the quiet of walking in the woods again. Diego was still there watching the young ladies go by when I left and he said he planned to fly down the mountain at 3-4 MPH to get to Newfound Gap by 1 PM. Four hours later [3 PM] I got to Newfound Gap where a lot of folks stop at the overlook coming and going from Gatlinburg or Cherokee. There sitting along the highway was tOM, fuming mad since he had been there over an hour waiting on his son. They had planned to go to Gatlinburg to celebrate the trip so far but I bet it was a silent hitch-hike into town.I was really hoping I looked badly enough as I walked thru the parking lot that someone would be sympathetic and offer me a coke. No such luck but someone did give me a very nice pear that tasted great and my only fresh fruit over the 5 day span thru the Smokies.
Date: 2004-04-18
From: Icewater Spring Sheltrer

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: clear sky

4/18 The shelters often had bear fencing around them but you still get more sleep in a tent. The last shelter in the Smokies where we tented was Tri-Corner Knob Shelter. The shelter was badly run down and being remodeled by 4 volunteers who stayed in the shelter that night. The next day they were sending in supplies by helicopter to finish the shelter and bring in telephone poles to make a pulley system to hang your bags to keep your food away from the bears.The other person in the shelter that night was a 72 y/o section hiker from California named Jo Ann. She said she was just sampling the trail so I thought her trail name should be Whitman. When you meet others on the trail you introduce yourselves by your trail name and I'm always happy when people say Quest, what a neat trail name. Doesn't take much to make you feel good when you're sleeping in a tent in the mountains.
Date: 2004-04-19
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I got out of the Smokies on the night of the 19th and finally wound up at a hiker hostel named Standing Bear. It was a 10-acre farm with many small rustic [old and run down] buildings that each had been turned into a usefull enterprise. A smaller building was a bungalow, the big one was a bunkhouse with 2 rows of 5 double bunk beds [where I stayed], a medium building that was an open kitchen-eating area, and another medium one with 2 refrigerators that was stocked with pizza, ice cream, frozen sandwiches that you cooked yourself as well as other dried things to supply you as you go down the road on the trail. The final classic building was about 4' by 8' and was the internet, phone, and washer and dryer room. All the buildings were unpainted with rusty nails holding the boards to the leaning frames. The owners lived with their 3 kids in the house nearby on the other side of the stream that went thru it all. It was a great place and the owner was a previous thru-hiker. You got the food on the honor system and kept tabs on a sheet of paper, tallied it up at the end of the stay with the $15 for the shower and bunk, put the cash in an envelop and drop it into a slot. Yep, I'm sure that would work everywhere. It did seem that all the hikers I've met so far have been very nice, sincere, and honest and everyone leaves their packs laying around as you wander about and take care of all your needs. You really have little choice but you do get comfortable with that even though you would be lost for many days if someone walked off with your pack.
Date: 2004-04-20
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Max Patch
Miles today: 14.2

4/20 I left Standing Bear at about 8 and had another pretty day of hiking for the next 14 miles. There were 4 of us who tented just beyond Max Patch, a huge round mound of dirt with grass all over the top of this big hill. They don't know for sure why they are there but there are many scattered in N.C. and maybe beyond. Some think the indians may have grown their crops on the balds after they cleared the trees but that is only speculation.
Date: 2004-04-21
From: Max Patch

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: overcast clouds

4/21 Most of today was downhill so I managed to hike almost 20 miles to get to Hot Springs by about 4 PM. It was a tiring day but I enjoyed getting another package of Snickers and cheese and crackers that are both good trail treats. I got a room at Cody's, a small house with 6 beds and small kitchen with a bath. It was spartan but clean and nice. I cleaned up and went down for a great vegetarian meal, followed by an ice cream sundae.
Date: 2004-04-22
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

4/22 Today is a 0 day, a day to catch up online, rest, resupply, and make contact by phone where needed. They have a mineral springs spa here in Hot Springs that I'll try if I get enough time. I also moved to Elmer¢s Hostel, a huge Victorian house with many rooms on 2 stories that is run by Elmer Hall, a '77 thru-hiker. It's one of the classic places to stay on the trail since Elmer cooks only organic vegetarian meals that will be served at 8 pm-in about 3 hours. We finished a great veggie meal at Elmer¢s and then most of us went to the music room where many of the hikers showed their talent at playing the guitar and piano. It's always amazing the things some people can do. Many were drinking beer but I declined all offers and told them I was waiting for them to catch up from my previous years of college weekends. In the morning I'll pack up again and hit the trails for Erwin Tn., my next stopping place. So far, so good. Quest
Date: 2004-04-23
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: overcast clouds

4/23 I headed out of Hot Springs with 5 days of food that was one meal more than I thought I would need. The first mile or 2 going into and out of the towns seem to be extra hard since it is almost straight up or down and take a long time to travel. Most of the towns are in the gaps that are the low points between the mountains and seem to be a natural place for them to locate thru the years. There was a great view of Hot Springs when I got near the top of the mountain and I took a rest to enjoy the view. It was a rugged long day and I was very glad to see the shelter at the end of the 20 miles. Most everyone plans to go a certain distance to get to a shelter when you're healthy so you can get to a town on a certain day. It seems like 20 miles is about all I can do in these rugged mountains but I hope to do a little better when I get more in shape and a little further in the hike. The mountains are supposed to get easier and flatter in Virginia and hopefully the 20-mile days will be more common.
Date: 2004-04-24
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: light rain

4/25 I headed out again for another long 21-mile day so the next day into Erwin would be short and I could get there by noon the next day. It's surprising how little wildlife I've seen since there are so few people seen in the mountains. Part of the problem is the terrain since most of the area is almost straight up and down and may not be the best places for food and water. You mostly see deer, squirrels, snakes, birds and insects. There are small flies that bite and draw blood which are very annoying and will leave you alone only if you're around a smoky fire or if the wind is blowing. I guess I don't hike fast enough to outrun them. I haven't heard of anyone who has recorded a sure sighting of a bear. I was hiking about the same speed as a couple where the lady was wearing bear bells. She told me that they were to keep the bears away and I told her that was how the rangers identified bear scat [bear poop]. When she asked what I meant, I told her they would always know what was bear scat because it always had those little bells in it. She gave a nervous laugh but when I passed her for the last time a little later she no longer had the bells on. We actually do see a fair amount of scat on the trail that has a lot of hair in it-no bells.
Date: 2004-04-25
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: overcast clouds

4/25 I headed out again for another long 21-mile day so the next day into Erwin would be short and I could get there by noon the next day. It's surprising how little wildlife I've seen since there are so few people seen in the mountains. Part of the problem is the terrain since most of the area is almost straight up and down and may not be the best places for food and water. You mostly see deer, squirrels, snakes, birds and insects. There are small flies that bite and draw blood which are very annoying and will leave you alone only if you're around a smoky fire or if the wind is blowing. I guess I don't hike fast enough to outrun them. I haven't heard of anyone who has recorded a sure sighting of a bear. I was hiking about the same speed as a couple where the lady was wearing bear bells. She told me that they were to keep the bears away and I told her that was how the rangers identified bear scat [bear poop]. When she asked what I meant, I told her they would always know what was bear scat because it always had those little bells in it. She gave a nervous laugh but when I passed her for the last time a little later she no longer had the bells on. We actually do see a fair amount of scat on the trail that has a lot of hair in it-no bells.