morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-02-16
From: fontana dam shelter

To: soence field shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: clear sky

2/16: spence field shelter - 17.3We slept in the heated bathroom. Totally worth it.Cold and windy all day. We followed the AT down the road a ways and crossed Fontana Dam. The uphill into the mountains wasn't that bad but it was cold.A few miles in we left our packs at the trail and took a quarter mile side trail to Shuckstack fire tower. We couldn't make it all the way up the tower with the wind and turned back near the top.Around noon we hit Mollies ridge shelter and met back up with the thru hiker "Young Blood" who we have been bouncing back and forth with. I ate potatoes and oatmeal and al had oatmeal.After the shelter it was 5.9 miles to where we stayed and it was much easier going. We took a break half way but still made it in before 4.In the smokies, all of the shelters have fireplaces in them and the front is closed off with a tarp. Ally wanted a fire so we gathered wood and made one. The shelter was a little smokey but it was a little warmer.Young blood (YB) was here too and we have the same plan as him, so we should be together for the next few days.
Date: 2017-02-17
From: soence field shelter

To: Mt. collins shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: few clouds

2/17: mt Collins shelter - 19.3Ally and I got up around 615 and so did YB. It was nice to not have to pack up a wet tent. The morning hiking was a little tough. There was ice on the trail in places. It was cold. After a steep climb, we saw the best sunrise on trail so far.We took a few breaks but pushed on to derrick knob shelter for breakfast. It was around 5 miles by 9:30 ish. I ate a bunch of Nutella, cookies and oatmeal.Everything after the shelter was much easier. The cold let up and the sun came out. The trail was much more gradual. Ally and I both put some tunes on and split up for the afternoon.We met back up at 12:30 at siler bald shelter about 11 miles in. We took a lunch break and Ally changed into her lighter weight leggings. Back on trail around 1 and it was about 4 miles to clingmans dome. We hiked together the rest of the way. We passed a big group of hikers heading south on the AT and we talked to a couple. The trail got a little icy and snowy on the way up but only small very light spots. It was really warm even as we got up into the pine forest.Clingmans done is the highest point on the AT at 6600 feet and there is a large spiral tower on top. It's looks like a big ramp or oversized slide. The road up to the tower was closed. No one else was up there and we hung out and read the description signs. We headed down through the spruce pine forest, went over Mt Colin's, then went half a mile down a side trail to get to the shelter. The way down reminded us of Vermont.Today was a great day. I never imagined we would have such warm weather and so few people. Tonight was not as cold as the night before. I ate 2 rice sides and ally ate one pasta side and some instant potatoes. Halfway through the smokies, and halfway to getting maverick back.As the sun went down a guy by the name of chuck came in for the night. He went to university of Tennessee and decided to set his hammock up in the shelter. It took some thinking but he did it. We had a few laughs.
Date: 2017-02-18
From: Mt. collins shelter

To: Tri corner knob shelter
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: overcast clouds

2/18: tri corner knob shelter - 19.46:15 out of the sleeping bags and 6:45 on trail. It was cold and dark walking the half mile back to trail. Any off trail walking is a bummer but the shelter was nice and blocked by the wind. You have to stay in shelters in the smokies. It was all thick pines this morning and a fair amount of down hill. A little kid asked me if it was really going to be 2.2 miles uphill. About 4 miles in we took a break at newfound gap and threw out our trash. Weather report was mostly a low chance of showers late in the afternoon.My mom said she would call mid way through to see how maverick was doing and we got a text update saying he was doing great and had another German shepherd to play with.A big uphill and crowded trails followed. We stopped for a breakfast break a little later at a shelter. It was crowded with people. We talked to a few of them and exchanged information about where we were from but we were on our way pretty quickly. It was icy on the way down the other side. It was around a mile further, and 13 miles in, that we hit Charlie's Bunion and we had some great views. You close climb out on this rock/cliff and look down into a valley.After that, it was all steep ridge walking and we had some great views of the mountains we just climbed. This was my favorite part of the smokies so far.A little after we were back in the woods and rolling over mountains. A few rain drops but nothing major. I rambled to ally to pass the time.We got to tri corner shelter early. It was about 3:45 and we were super hungry. Al ate 2 pasta sides and I ate one rice and a big bowl of oatmeal with almonds and dried fruit.Ally, YB and I sat and talked until it got dark.It rained a little around 7:00. A lot of downhill tomorrow.
Date: 2017-02-19
From: Tri corner knob shelter

To: painters branch campsite
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: overcast clouds

2/19: painters branch campsite - 20.5It rained most of the night. Everyone got up at 6 again this morning and Ally and I were on trail at 630.it was rainy and super foggy.The sun doesn't rise till around 7 and Allys headlamp died a little before that.The fog and drizzle stayed for a while and we were just cruising down hill. I was really excited to get out of the smokies.We saw a few day hikers on the way down but didn't really stop for anything until Davenport shelter. It was about 14 miles. We made it there a little after 12 and ate breakfast and killed some time before finishing off the last 3 miles to standing bear.Somewhere on the way down I called Lisa at the kennel and asked if she could meet us at 230. She sounded inconvenienced by the call but assured me that her grand daughter and "baby daddy" would be there and quickly ended the call. I called back to remind her to bring out drop boxes, as she told me to, and she again seemed inconvenienced and irritated.We made great time on the last 3.6 miles and the sun came out. It got pretty hot!We passed our first major interstate. I-40. We walked under it. Everyone at standing bear was pretty friendly to us. Especially the guy out front. I don't know his name but he showed us around and told us to get comfy even though we were passing through. Ally scoped out the resupply and I sat in a rocker out front waiting for maverick. We were looking forward to moving on and sleeping in our tents again.Lidas grand daughter showed up with maverick around 245 and was just as unprofessional as Lida. Maverick was back though.We packed our bags and pushed on uphill for 2.1 miles. It was hot and we were both really tired and sweating. Maverick was happy.We got to the campsite at 4 and chilled out with a campfire and felt happy to be back in a national forest and out of the national park.
Date: 2017-02-20
From: painters branch campsite

To: walnut shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: scattered clouds

2/20: walnut shelter - 17.9It took me till 11 for me to realize it was Presidents' Day. There were a ton of people everywhere on trail.I woke up feeling a bit groggy and the uphill didn't help. It was about 2000 feet of climbing till snowbird and then another 2.4 miles till water.There was a great view on top and it started to get warm on top but cold on the other side. We took a break at the water source and I ordered mavericks dog food for hot springs. A little further was a shelter a quarter of a mile off trail. We skipped it and later found out there were 22 Boy Scouts there. Ally and I split up for a while on the uphill. We cover more ground separately. Later in the afternoon I saw a guy at a road crossing and thought it was for the Boy Scouts. It was trail magic and I walked by. Bummer. More uphill to max patch and Ally and I regrouped at a water source around lunch, talked to another thru hiker for a while, and then went on and walked over max patch together. It was packed with people.We took another break on the other side because maverick was hot, but overall, he was doing great today even with the people.Everything died down after that. We did meet a trail maintenance crew and talked to a couple at the shelter 4 miles before our stop. Everything after the shelter was easy and there was one last climb up to walnut shelter.It's on a ridge and we camped on a ridge. It wasn't windy so we started a fire and then it got windy around 730 and we put it out early and went in our tents.The other hiker, YB, has been on the same schedule as us since the day before the NOC showed up a little before we wrapped up the fire. It might rain tonight? Not sure but we will be staying in Hot Springs, NC tomorrow.
Date: 2017-02-21
From: walnut shelter

To: hot springs
Miles today: 12.7

2/21: hot springs - 12.5It was wicked windy most of the night but both of our tents did fine. I slept really warm. We got up at 545 and started moving in the dark around 6. Ally and I split up.We met back up mid climb on bluff mountain and we walked a bit together but split up again on the other side.The weather was great this morning. A little windy but it let up as the day went on. Around 5 miles in we stopped for a breakfast break as we normally do and split up for the last 7 miles. I showed up to the hostel around 12. It's the first building you see when the trail hits hot springs. Then the trail walks through hot springs.I found the manager and settled up for our room. There was another dog here and maverick was getting rowdy. The other dog was far less energetic and playful.Ally got in a little later and we both hung out in the room at the hostel for a while. We both felt tired and didn't feel like doing much. Maverick passed out like always.Eventually, ally went to the store down the road and picked up stuff to make quesadillas, home fries, and breakfast burritos in the morning. I hung out and when she got back I went and picked up a few things.We mostly just hung out for the evening. We shared a tub of ice cream and had a beer. It was nice.
Date: 2017-02-22
From: hot springs

To: hot springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

2/22: hot springs - 0First zero day! We didn't do any hiking, but walked around town a bit.Ally made corn bread, breakfast burritos, and home fries for breakfast and we hung out and drank coffee with young blood. He got in a little after us yesterday.That killed most of the morning, till about 10.We both went to the outfitter and store a few times. Ally played some solitaire and bought some shorts and socks.. Mavericks dog food was set back by Presidents' Day so it wasn't going to arrive until late today so we waited.It didn't get there till 4 and we had to mail half of it out. It's a 15 pound bag. So we'll have to make a stop tomorrow. They open at 9.We are also sending some gear home: our micro spikes and I'm sending my trekking pole home.We did some other small stuff but had a nice relaxing day. Crank pants, another thru hiker, showed up early in the morning and we talked with him a lot today. I trimmed my beard short, sewed up a few things, packed my food out for Franklin and walked maverick around. He got a little restless inside all day, but he made his way around hot springs a few times.
Date: 2017-02-23
From: hot springs

To: painter creek trail
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: few clouds

2/23: deep gap/painter creek trail - 13.2It was nice to sleep in until 730 and make breakfast. Ally finished off the home fries and eggs and I made pancakes and had some cereal. A pipe busted during the night and the water cut out mid breakfast so we tried to wrap everything up the best we could and got out of there.We both really enjoyed our stay at the hostel. We were a little bummed that we couldn't go to elmers because of maverick, but found the laughing heart to be an awesome alternative.Around 9 we made our way to the post office, which is on trail and in the direction we were going. One box to Damascus with half the dog food, and another with gear. Along with the micro spikes, ally and I both sent home an extra layer. We both still have some cold weather gear and plan to keep it for most of march.It's suppose to be 79 degrees tomorrow.After the post office we walked the rest of the way through town and got back on trail. As always, maverick was happy to be back off leash and walking.On our way up the mountain, cranky pants was walking back towards us. He said he just wasn't feeling it and was going to set up camp by the water for a bit.He also gave ally the trail name Little toe because she was telling him about her problems with her little toe the night before.So we will go by Iceman, Little Toe, and French FryMaverick was given the name French fry because one of the guys who gave us a ride was feeding him French fries while driving and he about climbed up in the font seat to take them from him.After saying goodbye, we kept going. It got pretty hot and we found a cold beer at the top.About 8 or so miles in we hit a side trail to the Rich mountain fire tower. It was about .2 of a mile to the tower and we went to check it out. It was pretty good. The fire tower was a little sketchy with holes in the floor.We planned on staying at the shelter 11 miles in but it was only 330, it was on top of a windy mountain, and there wasn't much for tent spots. So we kept going to the gap and it was mostly out of the wind.The water was a little bit of a walk down the side trail, but it was there. We got to camp at 5, made a fire, cooked on the fire, and hung out till about 830 then went to sleep.
Date: 2017-02-24
From: painter creek trail

To: big rock
Miles today: 16.0

2/24: big butt/rock peak - 16 There was a long uphill after a bit of downhill today. We passed Allen gap early and debated if it was worth it to walk .2 of a mile to see if a store was open to try and get breakfast sandwiches. We didn't go and stayed on trail. About 6 miles in we took our breakfast break at a shelter. The wind was picking up and it was warm but not hot. We both made oatmeal and maverick took a nap. He got a bit tired early this morning and stopped again at a water source close to the top. There was no view at the summit but a little further and we made it to the firescald.The firescald is a really awesome rocky ridge with crazy good views. It was about 1.5 miles and much harder than the rest of the day. Ally and I split up a bit before it and we ended up taking breaks at different times, and we didn't meet back up until the shelter.Around 14 miles in, i met a group at the shelter. There was one guy going sobo on the AT, (finishing a thru hike I think?) and 3 other day hikers. We didn't talk much and they all took off.I hung out then went to get water and Ally was there when I got back. As we sat and talked, Red, a section hiker we met in hot springs came up. We talked for a bit and he told us about a couple he met last night going from hot springs to Erwin. They also had a dog. As he told us, they came walking up.Maverick has mostly gotten over his over protectiveness on trail, but still gets really excited to see other dogs. The puppy in him just wants to play, and he plays hard. Most other dogs, like this one, are older and not nearly as interested in interacting. It makes for a tough time and I normally just have to keep him separated. This is something he does off trail too, he's a young energetic dog, and that's why he's here.They didn't talk much though and we mostly walked to red and hung out till both groups left. We got enough water to camp where there was no water and continued another 2 miles.Our campsite was a small field. It was windy all day, and it was windy here too. We made a fire, cooked dinner and crashed out. Ally checked the weather and a possible storm tonight till 7-8 AM. A cold night tomorrow around 25 degrees so me might stop at a hostel 16 miles in.
Date: 2017-02-25
From: big rock

To: hogback ridge shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

2/25: hogback ridge shelter -13.6I didn't sleep much last night.It was so windy in the field we camped in. It went all night and turned to thunderstorms towards 7 when we woke up. We caught a break around then and tore our tents down. It started to rain pretty hard after we stepped out.It was down hill for a while and about 5 miles to a shelter. We made it there around 9. As we walked in, another couple with a dog, left heading north. The ones from last night.The rain let up right after we got to cover, and right as they left it. Full sunshine.We dried out for about an hour and ate some oatmeal. I spilt hot water on myself because my stove is old and has needed to be tightened since summer. Around 10 we continued going uphill for a while, then back down and we crossed a few roads. We passed a group of 5 wild pups and maverick was wicked stoked. We thought about walking to a hostel for some pizzas. They had signs posted for a ways.Ally ended up walking 150 yards to one while Maverick and I waited at a creek. She didn't get anything and we kept moving. The trail was steep and it was windy with full sunshine.We didn't plan on staying at the shelter we slept at, but it was stocked with good, dry, split wood and a tarp by the maintainer. We were going to pack water and stealth it in a few miles but there wasn't anything listed. So we made a fire and I practiced a few knots I learned by putting up the tarp. I've been getting better at starting fires. Weird to think that I didn't make one fire while hiking in 2015 and only sat at a few.A couple who was about our age came in a little later and I set up my tent so maverick wasn't in the shelter. They were getting ready to hike the PCT and had 3800 miles logged. It's gonna be a cold one tonight and we are planning to push as far as we can get.I'm not sure how much further I'm going to get with maverick. He's doing the miles, but he is still acting overly protective when people approach us. Once they are settled in, he is extremely nice as he always has been. It's disappointing because he's never done this and I thought I would have broken it by now. He's never acted like a guard dog but maybe he's still just too young. I'd rather stay, but I don't want this behavior to stick so for now I'm trying to make it to Damascus.Early update: we have made it to Erwin
Date: 2017-02-26
From: hogback ridge shelter

To: uncle johnnys 
Miles today: 26.9

2/26: uncle johnnys - 26.9Last night was the coldest night on trail. My platypus with water for the morning was frozen. I set my alarm for 5:50 and got up quick. I saw ally packing up beside the shelter. We body met up around the same time and started moving in the dark. It was too cold and windy to stop.So we kept moving all morning and made it to the top of big bald pretty quick. It was one of the best views yet and was one of our longest walks on a bald. It was still wicked cold. We stopped for water on the way up and we kept our filters in our pockets so they didn't freeze.On the other side we took our first break at a shelter about 10 miles in. It was about 10:00. We met 3 guys who were south bounding the AT from august till now.It was warming up but still to cold to sit for a while. We moved on and took another break for some water and I brought up the idea of pushing all the way to Erwin.We did around 14.5 miles by 12 and had about 6 miles to the shelter. We talked about it over a water break and then made it to the shelter around 3.Ally made potatoes and someone left garlic salt in the shelter. We moved on at 330 and it was 6 miles to the hostel.We didn't have a solid plan for when we got there but we wanted tot try to get our box at the hostel and hitch into town. There was a motel there and we didn't think the hostel was cool with dogs.When we showed up at 545 they were having a little party on the deck and invited us to join. We got our box and talked with everyone for a bit. Red, the guy we met in hot springs, was there.We didn't know they had them, but we ended up getting a room there and it was really nice and warm.
Date: 2017-02-27
From: uncle johnnys 

To: 351.9
Miles today: 9.1

2/27: 351.9 - 9.1Everyone slept great in the room last night and we slept in and woke up with the sun a little after 7.We took the breakfast shuttle into town with red and another thru hiker who hitched in from sams gap (2 miles after where we stayed yesterday night)We all ate breakfast at huddle house together. It was really nice to sit down and eat breakfast with other hikers. Ally loves huddle house too.It's a short 5 mile ride to town but it took a while. By the time we ate and stopped at the store, it was almost 11. Ally and I packed up and finished up some planning for the next few stops, and left around 1230.It was real easy hiking out of town and that's always nice. It was all slow and steady up hill for the next 15 miles. We were planning on making it about 12 miles but ended up stopping at a nice camp spot around 9 miles in because it was blocked from the wind. There wasn't any water listed by we checked the maps and found some right in the woods. It worked out really well, and we hunkered down with a fire and relaxed. We were both feeling a little tired after yesterday.There are suppose to be thunderstorms tomorrow around 4 and we are planning on hiking 15.2 + .6 on a trail to Greasy creek hostel. Hopefully everything works out and we get to sit the rain out!
Date: 2017-02-28
From: 351.9

To: greasy creek hostel
Miles today: 15.1

2/28: Greasy creek hostel - 15.1Last day of February and ally got up early to go to the bathroom but we were just chillin and didn't get up. I was pretty tired.But we got on trail around 730 and it was suppose to thunderstorm around 4. So we called the lady at Greasy creek hostel mid day and kept moving to get there as early as possible. It was a pretty easy day. The hostel was .6 of a mile down an old dirt road/trail/creek bed but it wasn't too bad.We were the only ones there and CiCi and Gadget, the owners and managers of the place, took good care of us. They had two dogs and maverick got along really well with one and the other one barked a lot but was friendly. They have a shed in their front yard for hikers with dogs. It was nice to be out of the rain, but it was pretty bare. We were totally happy though.Ally ordered some takeout from a small place down the road and we got our two boxes. One with our food and the other was a small envelope with warm weather clothes. They were suppose to be sent later, but there have been a few warm days. Other than that, we just hung out and ate food. We tried to make a plan for the next few days. They were talking on the news about major storms tomorrow but we will see.We will go over roam mountain tomorrow, which is one of the few times over 6000 feet.