morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-03-07
To: Packing and Final Purchases
Miles today: 0.0

Over the weekend I was finally able to sit down with all my gear in one place and pack it all at once. While it all fit into my pack, the fact that this didn't include food brought me to the realization I have been dreading there is no way that I can make my huge car camping sleeping bag work. So I bit the bullet and ordered an REI Igneo Bag it should save me almost 3 lbs and about 10 liters of pack space. My final packed weight was at 32 lbs this weekend which included water but not food, I want to cut down to a base weight of 28 lbs. Next weekend I will head south to do my first official shake down hike. I was hoping to take my dog with me but the weather is looking pretty poor, which will make for good shake down conditions, but I'm not going to make Manny spend a weekend out in the weather. My new sleeping bag should be here Thursday and I will leave the house first thing Friday morning spending the night with some friends before hitting the trail Saturday morning.I had hoped to go for a short hike this weekend, since the weather is really getting pretty decent up here but instead I ended up getting a number of important items crossed off my seemingly endless to do list. I've quickly realized one of the most challenging and least fun parts of taking on an adventure like this is getting everything in order to leave your life for 6 months.
Date: 2016-05-01
To: Final crunch
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

It's crunch time working on making final preparations to leave in a couple weeks. My official and locked in start date is May 22 all the arrangements are made and the date will not change. This slight push back in dates will allow me to attend a few family events and also provide me with adequate funding to finish the whole trail. Though I will be starting late I now plan to definitely flip flop in August when I get back from Europe. Today I had slight panic as I realized that I will only really have one more free day with out work or obligation. I can't wait to go and now that my classes or done preparations are in full swing, oh yeah I graduated since the last post that's kind of a big step. Now it's just three weeks of non stop money making and miscellaneous chores. I'm antsy!!! Thanks to my parents who are going to give me a lift down to Kentucky to meet some friends that I will start the trail with. Additionally thanks to all the friends and hikers who have offered support and guidnece as I get ready for this adventure.
Date: 2016-05-16
To: Final Days 
Miles today: 0.0

Well I leave in just a couple days, seems kind of surreal after all this time spent researching and planning. Had a good weekend getting a lot of misc. projects wrapped up, I also got to spend a day with my friends at the track, and a blessing from the priest at our church. Still have a handful of items to take care of only about 4 of them absolutely have to be done before i leave but it would be nice to get more done. The weather in Kentucky doesn't look to good for this weekend with my friends, my first week on the AT looks to be pretty wet as well but I still can't wait. Thank you to all the people who have wished me well and prayed for me as I prepare for this trip. Special thank you to the members of the St. Kateri community for the blessing and prayers they have said for me.
Date: 2016-05-19
To: THE LAST DAY!!!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Well it's finally here, I leave early in the morning with my parents for Kentucky to meet some friends for some backpacking this weekend around Red River Gorge. Sunday night my friends will drop me off at Springer Mountain on their way back to Atlanta, and Monday morning is game time day one on the AT. Finished my final shakedown of my pack last night and everything is ready to go short of grabbing my hiking socks out of the dryer. Ended up at 38 lbs with everything except for water packed, including 4 days of food. I'm hoping to shave down another 3 lbs minimum in my first couple weeks.
Date: 2016-05-23
From: Amicalola Falls

To: Unnamed campsite
Miles today: 1.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Well I'm here first night on the trail just got dropped off by Heather, Tim, and Cheeks!! Spent the day cleaning up and drying out gear from an awesome but wet weekend exploring Red River Gorge in Kentucky. I'll type up some posts tonight or tomorrow about that. We got up to Amicalola Falls around 5:30 this evening and hiked together about 1.0 miles from the top of the falls. I already did the hike up the falls when I was down here in the spring so I chose to skip that part of the approach trail today. I am now about 6.5 miles from the start of the actual Appalachian trail and have already setup my site for the night, including hanging my food. I hope to get an early start in the morning with a goal of about 9.3 miles to Stove Creek Shelter, 2.8 miles past the start of the actual AT. Big thanks to everyone who got me here especially my parents and sister for all the support, Tim and Heather for everything, Hannah for answering all my questions the last few months. As well as everyone else for the encouragement.
Date: 2016-05-24
From: Unnamed campsite

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Had a good first full day on the trail, got over Springer the approach trail is definitely a butt kicker. Got to meet some great people during the day especially Erik a local who was at the top of Springer with his Mom thanks for following my journal and taking my pictures. Kind of lonely at the shelter tonight only one other hiker in the shelter who's asleep, and no cell service so I didn't get to call home and let them know I'm fine. I also saw a rattle snake today sunning it's self on some rocks.
Date: 2016-05-25
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Cooper Gap
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: clear sky

Hard day today, got an early start and knocked out 9.5 miles summited Hawk and Sassafras Mountains, and am spending the night here at Cooper. Once again lonely campsite, there was another couple here when I got here but as soon as I showed up they moved to a single site on the other side of the road. Not sure about the road traffic at this site either seems pretty constant and lots of military trucks hope it doesn't keep up all night. Got to talk to all my family tonight though so that's good and have decent cell service. Didn't see as many people on the trail today, probably getting away from the touristy parts mess Springer.
Date: 2016-05-26
From: Cooper Gap

To: Wolf Pen Gap Country Store
Miles today: 8.5

Waiting for the shuttle into Suches for night in civilization, did 8.5 today summiting Justus and RamRock mountains the fourth and fifth mountains of my trip. I have now completed 28.5 miles of the trail. Road traffic kept up all night, had a hard time hanging my food last night too, so I kind of woke up in a crappy mood. But met two guys first thing in the morning who are planning to stay in the same bunkhouse as me tonight so that made me a little happier, but still got off to a pretty late start. Climbed Justus first thing I don't think I'll plan on having climbs to start the day anymore that was a little rough. Crossed paths with the two friends a couple more times once at Justus creek which was a perfect rest spot, stopped and soaked my feet for a bit. Later at Gooch Gap I meet Sott, Jake, and Ben who are also planning to spend the night in Suches. They are hiking the Georgia section of the trail really good guys had with them at the top of Ramrock with a great view. I hiked with them most of the afternoon, and we caught a ride into town with some generous hikers who we had passed earlier in the day they had 3 generations hiking together. Once we got into town we were somewhat disappointed in the store, no beer and the washing machine wasn't working. We ended up getting a couple pizzas and camping at the Biker Campground instead.
Date: 2016-05-27
From: Wolf Pen Gap Country Store

To: Atlanta 
Miles today: 0.0

Good morning everyone, had a great night at the biker campground in Suches, highly recommend this place great bath room facilities, really nice camping area, firewood, electricity and clothing available. $15 for a tent site. Tim picked me back up this morning so I can spend the night in Atlanta to work on some school work. Tomorrow I'll get dropped off at Woody gap again, hopefully making it to just before Jarred gap so I can be set to run through the bear canister area of Blood Mountain on Sunday.
Date: 2016-05-28
From: Atlanta 

To: Lance Creek
Miles today: 3.5

Headed back to the trail, thank you to everyone who has signed my guest book. I'm just looking at a quick 3.5 miles today to get into position to run over Blood Mountain tomorrow. Had a good but short hike from woody gap to Lance Creek, there was a beautiful view from the top of Preacher Rock. There was a lot of people out today both day and weekend hikers. The parking lot at the trail head was packed and all the campsites here are already full, so I'm set up on a hillside luckily that's not much of an issue since I'm in a hammock. Tomorrow is the big day 1600' climb up blood mountain the trail is gonna be busy with the holiday weekend.
Date: 2016-05-29
From: Lance Creek

To: Wolf Laurel Top
Miles today: 11.0

Had a great day, did 11 miles including Blood Mountain, Neel Gap, and Levelland Mountain. This has been my longest day so far and I felt strong the whole day, I can definitely feel the difference from when I started to now. The views from Blood Mountain were amazing, and the shelter up there was really cool can't imagine what it to build it back in the 1930's. Coming down from Blood I got an awesome pano from one of the lower balds I'll try to post it. Stopped at Neel Gap for awhile to rest and browse ended up buying some new super feet inserts for my boots, thanks to the store employees who helped me make sure I got the perfect ones. I also stuffed my self with multiple hot dogs and a candy bar. I pushed on from there doing another 3.6 to reach Wolf Laurel Top, there's an amazing site up here that has a great view of the mountains I heard about it from Clay at Red River Gorge. After leaving Neel I felt a little bloated but still strong, I haven't been able to find any water since Neel though which has me worried 4 springs in a row have been just mud. I'm a little worried about water I'm down to about half a liter and the next water is at Whitley Gap Shelter 3.1 away but then it's another 1.3 to the shelter, Hog Pen Gap is 3.3 and on the trail so I'll shoot for that in the morning. I'm camped with one other person tonight David I think he's good to hangout with doing big miles on a short vacation from work. As we were eating dinner it started to cloud up and drizzle so we scrambled to put up our flys on the hammocks. Of course it stopped 5 minutes later, not enough to feed the streams that much. Right as we were going to bed another hiker walked up and asked if we knew where Bull Creek was, it wasn't in my guide book but after comparing notes and looking at his map it should be about .5 down the trail from Wolf Laurel so maybe I'll find water early tomorrow after all. Oh yeah I forgot where it fits into the day but sometime this morning I saw what we decided must have been a wild hog, something big and brown got startled a couple hikers ahead of me and we all saw it disappearing into the brush.
Date: 2016-05-31
From: Helen, Ga

To: Helen,GA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Had a good day in town, sleep in a little then wrote a paper, did school work, and laundry. Afterwards we went and wandered around town some and had lunch at Bodensee the German restaurant across from the hotel was really good. In the afternoon I shook down my pack setting aside a bag of stuff to give to my friends this weekend. I've also gotten to the point that I'm comfortable enough with my pack to cut the straps down to save some weight. I'm starting to feel really good about where my pack is. Tomorrow I will try to get in about 5 miles before I get picked up for one final weekend off.
Date: 2016-06-06
From: Atlanta 

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Thanks to John for dropping me off at the same place I left the trail, I knew we'd get to the trail late so I planned to do a really short 4-5 miles. Of course as soon as I got dropped off it started pouring, just like when I left the trail. But I felt strong and pushed out 8.7 miles to Deep Gap Shelter, had quite a bit of company in the shelter and a good night of chatting with Cherish, Deisury, Kaitlin, and Paul.Added 7/8/2016:Side note because this will become a story frequently retold later: I went and helped Dex hang her pack on the Bear cable tonight, I was lifting it from below while she pulled the cable and hooked it to the tree. She missed clipping it and the full pack fell from the top of the cable and hit me in the head.
Date: 2016-06-07
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Headed out of Deep Gap for Muskrat Creek Shelter. Had trail magic of Ice cold coronas at Dicks Creek Gap, before saying good by to Dez and Cherish who are headed to the top of Georgia Hostel. before pushing on with Kaitlin and Paul. We crossed the border around 4:45 crossing the first state off the list! At the border we were joined by Anon, Brandon and Nipples, after taking the obligatory photos we headed on, I scrambled up the slope to get some pics of the border from above and nearly took an express ride to the bottom of the mountain lucky Paul caught me and I only scrapped up my arm a little. We had been warned by multiple sources that right after the border we would come to a knarled old tree that would signify the beginning of a massive climb. The tree was pretty cool but the climb was nasty 3 individual 500' foot climbs with 200-300' descents in between all in about 1.2 miles. But the view from the top was incredible and eventually we made it to the shelter which was crowded with boyscout troop taking up much of the good sites by the shelter so we ended up setting up on the other side of the trail along the creek. Brandon built a fire and we all had a good time hanging out and eating around the fire. But feels like it's going to long cold night.
Date: 2016-06-08
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Betty Creek Gap
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: light rain

It was absolutely freezing last night camping at 4500' it had to have gotten down into the low 40s. I really need to figure out some kind of hammock liner to keep my back warm, when I'm laying on my sleeping bag all the down gets compressed and air flow under my hammock freezes me.Paul had the same problem and actually moved up to the shelter during the night. Side note all the shelters in GA had these awesome beat cables which are steel cables suspended from trees for hanging food. We didn't expect them to all disappear in NC but I guess they do, as a result me and Kaitlin were trying to hang bear bags in the dark, Kaitlin showed me a trick of putting a couple rocks in a small bag on the end of your rope and we were able to get a line set on the first throw. We got a really late start because none of us wanted to get out of our sleeping bags me and Paul hit the trail at 9:30 headed for Betty Creek Gap 16.2 miles away. The rest of the group is planning to take a side trail cutting off about 15 miles so that they can get to Franklin sooner. The whole time I've been hiking with Paul he's been saying how he wishes he could have a Botanist and a geologist along to explain things along the trail. Well he got half his wish as we lunched on top of Standing Indian with a SB Boy Scout troop from Florida, two of the troop leaders are geologists and were explaining a lot of the rock formations. The views from Standing Indian were very impressive providing a new view of lake Burton, I've started using the Guthook app as much as the AWOL guide and its definitely worth the cost, but me and Paul came up with the idea that it needs to show a picture naming all the mountains at these overlooks and saying which ones are on the AT. All in all today was pretty easy terrain wise it was just the carry over soreness from Bly Gap yesterday that made it rough. We got into Betty Creek around 7:00 and meet Trapper a section hiker from Georgia headed to the NOC. We got set up near Trapper and walked down to the creek which had awesome flow and was deep enough to soak our feet, me and Paul are both dragging this evening. After watching Trapper try to hang his bear bag for about 10 minutes I walked over with my pack cover and rope to show him Kaitlin's trick, got both our bags hung on the first throws. Afterwards we all sat around eating and talking trapper is a middle school teacher and owns a BBQ joint outside of Atlanta. Sounds like we're going to try and get an early start and hike to Winding Stair Gap together in the morning. Paul is leaving from there to go help his daughter move and so his car is parked there, he said he'll give me and Trapper a ride into town if we want. As we were sitting talking just after dark we realized Paul's hammock was set up under a big widow maker (a dead tree that fell and got hung up in another tree), so we scrambled to move it in the dark a side effect of setting up so tired. It looks like it's going to be another cold night and we have a monster climb up Mount Albert first thing in the AM.
Date: 2016-06-09
From: Betty Creek Gap

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 8.4

Was indeed a cold night that kept up all awake tossing and turning most of the night. Which made it easy for Paul, Trapper, and I to get an early start headed to Winding stair and then into Franklin. Paul has his car parked at winding stair no has offered Trapper and I a ride into town, Trapper had planned on going on to the NOC to meet his sister for hiking this weekend but after last night has decided to have her pick him up in Franklin. We pushed hard getting up Albert mountain by 10:30 and enjoying an incredible view from the fire tower. After a bit of a rest we pushed on making it to Rocky gap around 11:30 where we found a retired sheriff just leaving and he offered us a ride to Paul's car. We gratefully accepted and after getting to Paul's car we all stuffed in and headed to the budget inn where I planned to spend the night. After getting a room we all showered and went to lunch and Kmart, then went back to the inn where we found that Anon, Bookbag, Brandon, and Kaitlin were also staying. The rest of the afternoon was spent saying goodbye to Paul and trapper, avoiding taking my test and cleaning gear.
Date: 2016-06-10
From: Franklin, NC

To: Franklin
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a typical town day with errands and gear maintenance, was surprised to see Dez and Cherish show up around noon. Along with them came Dexter, the Sam's, and green blazer. Also staying at the hotel is Kevin and Le Roy, it's crazy how close we have all become so fast and have been hanging out talking in the hotel parking lot into the early hours of the morning. We're all headed out in the morning and planning on spending the night on Siler Bald.
Date: 2016-06-11
From: Franklin

To: Siler Bald
Miles today: 4.2

Today and tonight was the most incredible time I've spent on the trail. It was all the right people in the perfect place. Siler bald is beautiful with nearly 360 views and a sunny pasture on top. It was a grueling climb to get up there and thank you to Dave for the shuttle ride to the trail with out people like you none of us would be able to hike. Everyone made it to the top of the bald early and set up makeshift shade shelters from the blistering sun we then spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out, napping and dragging fire wood up the mountain. We're ready to watch an awesome sunset over the Nantahala River in the distance. There is also a group of engineering students from Georgia tech up here they spent an hour building a shelter out of their hammock rain flys, it actually came out pretty good. Most of our group plans on just cowboy camping under the stars. The sunset was incredible colors, the fire and conversation were amazing and the company was unbeatable. One of the Sams gave a great ode to the night speech, just can't get over how great of a group this is. I also got an amazing timelapse of the sunset, hopefully the sunrise will be just as good. And of course don't forget to roast your avacados, you had to be there.
Date: 2016-06-12
From: Siler Bald

To: Rocky Bald
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: few clouds

The sunrise this morning was less impressive than the sunset last night but was still impressive. I got up early and was really motivated so I set out at 7:15 with most of the crew still in their sleeping bags. I definitely didn't want to spend the day hiking alone though so after 5.5 miles I set up my hammock at the Wayah bald tower and took a 2 hour nap. While I was sitting there several day hikers stopped to ask me questions and take pictures of my hammock set up. The stone tower on Wayah bald shelter was very impressive and should definitely be a shelter. Eventually the rest of the crew caught up and we headed on toward Copper Ridge bald where we planned to spend another night unfortunately the bald was less then impressive in that Dez, Dexter, and I didn't even notice we walked past it. So we ended up on Rocky Bald which has another tough climb from the trail to the bald but is worth it with great view of the valley below and trees behind you with tent and hammock sites. We built a fire in the pit on the bald and had another great night of conversation, unfortunately Brandon didn't make it this far he is planning to leave at the NOC to go rafting with friends. But we were joined by Dancing Bear and Magic Hat. Magic hats immense knowledge on the topic of edible mushrooms added greatly to the conversation. Unfortunately we didn't get a sunset tonight with trees on the west side of the mountain but we should get a good sunrise.
Date: 2016-06-13
From: Rocky Bald

To: NOC
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: clear sky

Long long decent into the NOC spent most of the day hike with Dex and Dez. we did some trail running including 3 miles in half an hour at one point. Running down hill with a full pack on a narrow trail sure is an adrenaline rush. Tats was ahead of us the whole day and the last couple miles into the NOC dragged on, when we got into the NOC the three of us tried to get ahold of Tats while we hung out outside he general store. We finally got ahold of her and sorted out housing the group reserved two full bunk houses. We all headed over to the BBQ place to eat some food I devoured a plate of nachos before running to jump in the river to cool off. I should of waited until I was in a little deeper water before I dove in because I ended up with chest full of scratches from the Rocky River bottom. There is a hiker kitchen and a grill here so some of the group went into town with a resupply list that included steaks for a cookout tonight. I had them get me two and I'll freeze one to carry to the top of Cheoah tomorrow. Later that evening Dez, tats, one of the SAMs and I were sitting on the rocks soaking our feet and a lady brought us pizza; trail magic!Leroy cooked all the steaks up along with salad and potatoes it made for an awesome feast, and I'm crawling into my bunk with a full stomach tonight. I also bumped into one of the Rangers I met in Suches he works at the NOC now.