morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-03-05
From: USFS road

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: clear sky

I woke up in the morning with a slight hangover, a hot grilled cheese in my face (thanks Otto) and the realization that nothing was going to cure my butterflies except putting one foot in front of the other and heading north. So we packed up slowly, ate some food, and got ready to go. What to my wonderous eyes should appear? but a man in a pirate had with six tiny reindeer.....wait....there was no reindeer, but Captain hook did show up!!   Hook hiked in 04' and although we had never met we knew many of the same people. He hiked with Ed and I all day, we gabbed liked school girls the whole way about what had been going on in our lives and who we had seen, the next thing you know...we're at Hawk Mountain Shelter!! Beautiful day, good company, that killed a lot of those butterflies.
Date: 2006-03-06
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: broken clouds

As Stumpknocker always says: Another great day on the Appalachian Trail. A little cloudy and windy at first, with two fairly good climbs, but again the company of some fun hikers won out over everything else and before you knew it, we were having fun! I found a vine to swing on, that made my day, and we got into the shelter around 12:30, just enough time to sit around and do nothing!! YAY! We talked, got to know our fellow thrus, and bugged Captain Hook to quit his job and thru-hike again (you still can man!!) Cassie scared the crap outta all of us by barking at Atticus when he went to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, but I slept like a rock.
Date: 2006-03-08
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Walasi-Yi Center
Miles today: 15.0

I am writing these entries with what i have in my paper journal, and i didn't journal on the 7th due to an AYCE in Blairsville.   On the 7th Ed and I hiked to the Walasi-Yi Center, somewhere around 15 miles. (I'm not sure how many exactly, I throw away old pages of my Handbook.) It really took a lot out of Ed....and maybe more outta me than i'd like to admit, but we decided to zero on the 8th. Awesome Philly Steak and Cheese in Blairsville, food shopping, and good times with good people makes me again want to steal Stumpknocker's saying: another great day on the Appalachian Trail.
Date: 2006-03-09
From: Walasi-Yi Center

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: overcast clouds

ok, I am still guessing on the mileage of most these days, i'll fix em later. We had to wait for the shop to open so Ed could send a package, and it was cold and windy so we waited another few minutes to see if it would clear up. It didn't so we hiked! Now, Ed is an extraordinary man. He has a power I've never seen in another individual. Whether he choses to use it for good or eveil he has yet to decide. Ed's power, believe it or not, is the ability to sweat more than an entire track team running 10 miles in a sauna. Now, sweat is designed to keep you cool, but when you are covered in it and it's windy and cold, you can get downright cold. This will have a bearing on our story in the furture. We made it to Low gap Shelter that day where we met the one, the only, Chainsaw!! Chainsaw got his name because of his snring ability (like a chainsaw) Thankfully, he had bought and hands out ear plugs at every shelter he gets to. Also at the shelter was Rat Puke and Wild Boy, Crumbs and her sister Sas (No way am i trying to spell sas-pur-rilla right) and Low Key and Lost Girl (soon to be 4-today thanks to all of our laughing at her constant name change.) We got some fairly heavy winds and rain that night, it was great being warm and dry in the shelter!
Date: 2006-03-10
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: clear sky

ok ok, i know what you are saying, I'm almost 24 years old, carrying less than thrity pounds and I only hiked 7.2 in a day? The answer is yes, and my defense is...shut up!! I'm having fun!!Besides, its the beginning of the hike, no need to fly untill we're in Olympian Shape. A former hiker named tater, with his dog Springer, walked up from Unicoi gap with soda's and the mouthwatering thought that he may be at the forest servioce road at Tray mountain with hot dogs tommorow moring. Low Key, 4 today, Sas, Crumbs, and several other hikers went on to the Cheese Factory site to camp. (where they apparently had a blast, i'm jealous.
Date: 2006-03-11
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: light rain

oh crap, i orgot to mention, Ed got a Trailname-baloo. You would understand if you knew him, he looks like a big cuddly bear. Baloo has some friends in Clemson who were gonna meet us in a few days at Dick's Creek gap. So we decided to do a big day to Deep gap Shelter. It was rainy and cold and the climb outta unicoi was pretty bad. All that was forgotten when we got to the bottom of Tray mountain and Tater was there!! I musta ate 6 hot dogs, I felt awesome!! Thanks so much tater, it really brightened our day! We fairly flew the rest of the way to Deep gap untill we got to the Climb up Kelly Knob. If Kelly knob was a person, i would spread mean rumors about her at School. It took us around an hour to do that last climb, with me carrying Cassie's backpack. We finally made it though, with another good crowd at the Shelter, including Chief, who i met on my 04' hike. Baloo and i slept on the porch of the shelter with Cassie and watched the moon journey across the sky as the night went by.
Date: 2006-03-14
From: Clemson

To: Plum Orchard Gap shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: clear sky

We took a nero the next day, hiking out to Dick's Creek gap and getting a ride to Clemson to visit some of Baloo's friends. It was awesome (yes, i know i use that word a lot, but this was super-awesome) it was my b-day on the 13th, there was much fun to be had for all, and the entire time i was there I only saw beautiful women, especially the ones living at the house we stayed at...damn. We hiked into Plum Orchard Gap Shelter the next day, where we met Frieght Train and the soon to be named Knight Rider.
Date: 2006-03-15
From: Plum Orchard Gap Shelter

To: Standing Indian
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

North Carolina!! WHOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!   We hiked all day with Knight Rider and Frieght Train, got our picture at the border adn met up with some old friends at Standing Indian. (Free Fall and Chainsaw) Funny thing about Knight Rider, he only had a 35 degree bag and fleece liner. it was suppose to get mighty cold, so i lent him my silk liner. i discovered my new favortie trail food too- loaded mashed potatoes with chicken. First: fry the chicken in some butter, then add water and the potatoes, heat, add butter and eat!! AMAZING!!
Date: 2006-03-16
From: Standing Indian

To: Big Spring Shleter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Our first snow!!! It was really cold when we woke up and it started snowing during our climb up Standing Indian Mountain (our first 5000 footer.) I didn't feel very well when we woke up (not sick, just in a bad mood) Thankfully good company made me cheer up, giving me hope, because good friends are the most important aspect of the trail. the snow changed to rain, cold rain, so we ate lunch fast at Carter gap Shelter and moved on. Everybody hears about Albert Mountain miles before they hit it, and we were a little apprehensive about the climb as we neared it. I'm not sure if you can see a mirage on a luke warm day in the mountains (it got warmer after lunch) but after we climbed big Buut mountain we saw hand carved sign that said trail magic...what was this...? An RV, with huge blue tarp set up and lots of food and drink!! Albert Smalbert, we were ready to go!! (Thanks Fishing Fred and Gatorade!!) The rest of the day we were eurphoric, Albert was beautiful, Casey and Doodle got lost, supper was great.
Date: 2006-03-18
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: baloo's place
Miles today: 11.1

We got up and left early in the morning and for good reason. baloo's mom was going to meet us at Winding Stair gap and let us stay at the family house just a few miles off the trail! We had a lot of time, so we took our time and enjoyed all the views, enjoyed our first 100 miles finished (only 21 to go!) and went down to see the Waslick poplar. I wionder if we're getting spoiled by Trail magic another hiker named Crutch (05') was waiting at the road to give out fruit and sandwedges! then we found capri suns in a creek just after Wallace gap. What a day!!
Date: 2006-03-21
From: Baloo's place

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

the next few days are a complete blur, awesome food cooked by Baloo's mom, beer, one short slackpack, and a lot of being lazy. I didn't want to zero as much as we did, I wanted to hike (still have butterflies i guess) but we had fun, so no worries. We stayed at Cold Spring our first night back out, a really old shelter that was infested with mice. I say was because Knight Rider had bought a trap and killed 4 of the little buggers in one night. it snowed our first real snow that night, almost 2 inches. And i had to where my balaclava for the first time to stay warm!
Date: 2006-03-22
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: NOC
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

Got out first bit of snow last night and it was beautiful this morning. Being lazy, staying at the NOC. but plan on tommorow to start doing the mileage we know we can. Baloo wants to get his dog back and I wanna get moving so we'll pick up some speed. We're gonna get to Fontana friday for our mail drops, then head into the Great Smokey's Wednesday. I am loving this trip, everything is so much fun. The people, the views, the FOOD , I forgot how good food is when you are hiking. my next update will probably be from Hot Springs, pray for warm weather in the Smokey's!! -Long days and pleasant nights
Date: 2006-03-23
From: NOC

To: Stecoah gap
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: broken clouds

We had planned on making it to brown Fork gap Shelter today so we could get into Fontana the next, but, as everyone knows, the climb outta NOC is bad. We were pretty worn out by the time we got to Sassafras gap Shelter, but we pushed on anyways. Only 2 bad climbs stood between us and our destination, but when we were nearing the second one baloo could not go on. he had pushed himself too hard and couldn't make the last hard climb. So we set up camp near the road. It ended up being Baloo, Freight Train, me and two new hikers we met, Krush and Ryan. Almost four inches of snow during the night, but we stayed nice and warm in the Megalite tent.
Date: 2006-03-25
From: Stecaoh gap

To: Fontana
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up in the snow and cold the next morning and got hiking ASAP. As i have said before, Baloo sweats A LOT. This, combined with a long day and some bad climbs made for one unhappy blue bear. he was freezing his butt off the entire day and was too tired to hike, but if he stopped he would be freezing in just a few seconds. He pushed himself too hard, and even after we dried out at Fontana he was not able to hike the next day. So, we zeroed...again.
Date: 2006-03-26
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a sad day. As we left the Smokies and started up into the Smokey's baloo asked to talk to me. He said he wasn't feeling good and hadn't been for awhile. He decided to get off and call home to rest for a few days. He would meet back up with me at the othe rend of the Smokey's if he felt better. The rest of the day was sad. Freight Train, Ryan, Krush and I barely talked. There was plenty of snow the higher we climbed and we eneded up in the shelter with all of us, Holly and her mom and Little Engine and Gotta Go. Had a good fire that kept us warm and a beautiful sunset.
Date: 2006-03-27
From: Mollie's Ridge

To: Derrick knob
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

BOHEMIAN RAP CITY!! we started the day by singing our way up the Trail. It was beautiful, albiet hard hiking, and we were having fun! The view from rocky top was spectacular, except for the anatomically correct snow woman someone had built on top...disturbing. The snow started wearing us down afterwards, while hiking in snow you use all the stabilizing muscles you don't normally do. So by the time we got to Derrick Knob, I was more tired than at any othe rpoint on this hike. Freefall, the wonderful man, had a fire going, so we warmed up and had a good night.
Date: 2006-03-31
From: gatlinburg

To: icewater spring shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: overcast clouds

One thing I would like to tell everyone is that i met the sweetest person on the planet. Her name was Libby and I met her at Newfound gap in the Smokey's. I was talking to her parents about hiking and how hungry you get, and she brought me some cookies and crackers!! If that wasn't amazing enough she came back later with fresh fruit. It's people like her that make the world a wonderful place to live. Thank you Libby!! (hey libby's parents, send me your address and I'll mail Libby a postcard or something along the way) GreyFoxAT@hotmail.com there was also the sandwitch man (see guestbook) who brought me an amazing turkey sandwitch that perked me right up. Thank you too. we were down in gatliburg for a day and a half. that town is awful, i will say no more.
Date: 2006-04-02
From: Tri-Coner Knob

To: Standing Bear 
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: few clouds

We want to get ou of the Smokeys!!! they are beautiful, but I wanted no more of them. 18.1 miles at record speed thanks to Stumpknocker. I bought and ate some of those fruit pies he talks about. they're like crack and steriods all in one. 3 miles and hour for half the day. We hiked in rain for a good bit but it wasn't bad, because I was freaking out on fruit pie!! Called Baloo, he's gonna meet us in the morning. -PS-Standing Bear is scrumtrulesant (i had to invent a new word to descride how cool it is)
Date: 2006-04-05
From: Old Roaring Fork

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Yay Hot Springs!! I had the power of cheeseburgers floating in my head to power me on, unfortunaly Baloo woke up and puked a couple of times so we had to go slow. Knight Rider and I split up most of his gear for the day. I didn't feel a thing though, i had Smokey mountian Diner on my mind. Krush sister showed up with some kegs to celebrate Krush's b-day. and we had a blast.
Date: 2006-04-09
From: Boone

To: Danny and Kay's
Miles today: 14.5

I had trouble getting ahold of my hiking buddy's on the 8th (we were suppose to leave today.) Thankfully they called me and we were heading out today. We got kinda a late start but we were just slackpacking so it wouldn't be a bad hike. Before my first hike, my uncle had introduced me to some friends of his who live just off the Trail near Allen gap. Danny and Kay are some of the nicest people I've met in my life. They are always very giving, even to a smelly guy like me that they've only met sveral times. We dropped off our gear at their house and drove to Hot Springs. It was about 3:30 when we left (otherwise I would of popped in to say goodbye Dragonslayer! sorry!) Without packs, we were supermen, hills were nothing, flatland went by in a blur, all in all, it was loads of fun. We got to Spring Mountain shelter and were flabergasted at the amount of people there (at least 20) we had never seen so many people on the Trail! We decided then and there we have to bust a lick and get ahead of this group. We made it to Danny and Kay's at about 9:30 and slept on their porch for the night. (I wouldn't allow any of us stinky fellows to remain inside for long.) They even fed us homemade biscuts and sausage in the morning..mmmmmmm....biscuits and sausage........
Date: 2006-04-10
From: Danny and Kay's

To: Jerry Garcia Shelter
Miles today: 10.0

Welp, with the good company we had, and the late night of hiking, we got off to yet another late start. We only had a short ways to go though so it was alright. Wait....whats this sensation?!?! tiredness?!?! lazyness?!?! wow...pack..heavy ..with gear in.....it. Baloo made it for about 30 minutes and then just went to sleep right on the side of the Trail. The rest of us made it to the shelter for lunch, feeling very lazy (damn zero days) I left the guys behind to finish the hike by myself, but soon ened up with Wondering Bill and another fellow whos name I forget (although he was a lot of fun) No one believed me when i told them we had some hard ridgeline walking on rocks, but memory didn't fail me, by the time we got to Jerry Cabin we were bushed. I made everyone jealous with my dinner of fried potatoes and onions that my Dad taught me how to cook on my first camping trip. probaly had 15 tents set up around the shelter, gotta get away from these people!!
Date: 2006-04-11
From: Jerry Garcia Shelter

To: Boone
Miles today: 10.7

Because of how tired we were yesterday we decided we might not make it to Sam's gap, we might just make it to the second shelter. As we were hiking though, Baloo started thinking about pizza and cheesburgers, so he started busting it out (after throwing up three times.) So the plan was to make it to Sam's.......the best laid plan of mice and men right? We made it to Devil's Fork Gap and then hitched into Boone. Huzzah for lazyness!
Date: 2006-05-01
From: Jenkins Shelter

To: ?!?!?
Miles today: 0.0

Wow, what a day! After starting back on the Trail and immediatly doing big miles a few days in a row, i find myself worn out at Jenkins Shelter. What to my wondering eyes do appear? but a sign for AYCE and eight tiny reindeer...well, no riendeer. The Appalachian Trail Outreach Ministries holds an AYCE breakfast every Monday for most of the hiker season, including free shuttle! Just imagine, that all the best cooks in your hometown got together and decided to treat you like royalty. Omelets, grits, sausage biscuits, bagels, strawberries, and all the Orange Juice I could handle. I didn't move for 2 hours! Thank you so much ATOM! When you start doing all the fall work you mentioned, email me, I live in Boone and would be gald to help!
Date: 2006-05-03
To: View Entry
Miles today: 24.0

I was surprisingly fresh feeling when I woke up in the morning, I thought the 24 miles would leave me stiff and sore. After doing some stretching and Tai Chi, I felt like a new man. The wind had blown so hard the day before it had blwn itsewlf out. We all knew today was going to be hot and humid. Poles and I were the second ones to leave the shelter, behind Miss Parkay. There is a lot of ridge walking in Virginia, but when it decideds to climb up to a ridge, it takes its sweet time. It was up in the seventies by the time we reached a view from a cliff to rest at. The hike along the ridgeline was fairly easy, except for the fact that it was gettinbg hotting and hotter with each passing minutes. No complaints though, I'm definately used to the heat thanks to Barnhardt. (The Boy Scout camp I work at.) We stopped a few times because Poles had been havin trouble with her boots, causing her a lot of pain. We think she needs new insoles, but we can't get any till Daleville. We c! aught up with Miss Parkay at Doc's Knob Shelter. After a bit Leprecan (spelling?) and Billy Goat joined us. We hiked most of the rest of the way with Parkay, then she just disapeared all of the sudden. I started feeling worn out by the end of the day, but we made it down ok and got a couple of beds at the Holy Family Hostil. (Super cool, extremely beautiful place.) Ate pre-supper at Papa's Pizzaria (awesome philly steak and cheese.) and supper at Pizza Hut. As we headed to bed I was having trouble walking, thanks to my ingrown toe nail and some new blister that just randomly formed. Till tommorow!!
Date: 2006-05-04
To: Helvey
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

May 2, 2006 9.3 miles-Poles and I were not traveling very far today so we decided to sleep in. The sky couldn't decide weather it wanted to be cloudy or sunny, but it stayed nice and cool for the entire hike. As I stopped to change my shirt a plane flew over and scared op a turkey that couldn't have been sitting more than 15 feet away. We would have never seen it if it wasn't for the plane. There was no water for miles between our campsite and the next shelter, so many thanks goes to the Trail Angel who left the water near the forest service road in honor of Solomon 03'. I can think of no better eway to honor and former thru than to help out current ones. We hitched a ride down into Bland for some lunch, email, and goofing off, and then hitched back up for a short few miles to Helvey's Mill Shelter. (Water aource is a hike here!) Just hanging out now, eating supper. For me its three bags of popcorn....it seemed like a good idea at the time. Silly moment of the day: Me iro! nically asking how to spell illiterate. As we waited for the day to wind down a bunch ofus played slap jack and some other card games-hilarity ensued. We're now all laying in the shelter as a thunderstorm rolls towrds us.(Glad I'm not in a tent!) As Stumpknocker would say: "Another great day on the Appalachian .Trail
Date: 2006-05-08
To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

We kept the fire going almost all nightlast night so the shelter was much warmer than outside. Poles was still feelingsick when we woke up so we took our time again to leave. As we were hiking shewas having dissy spells and trouble focusing her eyes. She's a trooper though,and trudged on dispitre my attempts to carry some of her wieght. The bridge atStony Creek was out, a sign said we could attempt fording, but since it was 40degrees and we didn't know how bad the ford would be, we took the road crossingback to the Trail. At the road crossing was some great trail magic, sodas andzebra cakes. (I was just saying the day before I would love to have a zebracake.) Took it nice and slow getting to the shelter, didn't want Poles to overdo it. (Not because I'm nice, because I didn't want to have to carry herhaha.)We took a long lunch at Bailey Gap Shelter with Crake, then headed out to get towhere we are. Kind of a blah day, slo! w moving, everything covered in fog. Idid get some awesome pictures of someorange salamanders though (forget what they're called.)
Date: 2006-05-09
From: War Spur

To: Niday Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Poles was feeling better today and I'm running low on food so wedecided to do 18 odd miles to Niday Shelter. We had a good bit of fog in themorning again, but we were hiking fairly fast even for the dreary weather. Mostof the day went by really fast because Poles and I played a game where we askrandom question like: "Would you rather live in a world where people talked in amonotone voice or wore mirrored sunglasses all the time." The sky cleared upafter we passed the keffer oak- a really big oak tree almost three hundred yearsold.   There was some beautiful ridge walking to towards the end of the day,then an easy climb down to the shelter. Hanging out with Tortiose, Miss Parkey,Barefoot Nate, Sherpa Chef, Sanford, Little Engine and Gotta Go.