morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-12-16
From: Abingdon gap shelter

To: Double springs shelter
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: light rain

well it started to rain last night about midnight and i managed to get up underneath the only leak in the shelter. usually you can tell, but i's been so dry lately there wasn't any sign of it. my bag got a little wet before i woke up but not to bad. glad it was warm night. it was raining pretty good when i woke up. i almost took a zero. i'm done hiking in the rain. unless i'm out of food, i'm gonna avoid it at all costs. i waited fo a break and made it to the first shelter just in time for it to open up. i was gonna wait for it to clear but i was cold and damp. it showed no signs of stopping so i called it a day and set up before lunch. i got some fancy coffee in town and made a pumpkin spice chia latte. that warmed me up. i read and finished my book and took a nap. its rained most of the day. in a break of rain, i went and got water. it was flowing really well. alot of the springs have been hurting lately. i didn't see a single person today. i don't think i'll see any more thrus. the closest one is 7 days ahead an i can't think of anyone close behind me. i got bored and drew some pictures in the log book. i suck at drawing. i think i'm gonna start the smokies on new years day. i hope there isn't a hint of snon just so i can tell all the people in towns who warned me about snow.
Date: 2012-12-17
From: Double springs shelter

To: Watuga Lake
Miles today: 21.6

Since i stopped so early, sleeping wasn't to easy. the sound of rain all night helped though. i was up by 6 and out pretty soon after that. i made the fist shelter in good time but got distracted in a field with a view of what i thought was a lake. turns out it was a massive amount of fog filling the lower part of the valley. walking the ridge line it was really cool being above the clouds. i read in the shelter log snow man is going home for the holidays and is considering finishing in spring. i need to text him at some point. i called rob from the bird cage. he's moved down close to to here. my family has to leave on christmas day so i told him i'd spend christmas with him. i figure he wouldn't know to many people close by and he sound super happy when i asked. i thought today was gonna be another day of no people but shortly after i got to the shelter a day hiker showed up. i was torn if i should push on. i got here in tons of time but it would of been 30 miles today and 26 tomorrow. i'll settle for two low 20's. before scarecrow left he gave me a big bag of dehydrated veggies. they make my rice sides so much better. i picked up another book back at a shelter today. its like a 2000 mile long book swap.
Date: 2012-12-18
From: Watuga Lake

To: Mountaineer falls shelter
Miles today: 26.1
Weather: broken clouds

i woke up in a bad mood this morning. it rained most of the night and the trail was wet and cold. by the end of the first 5 miles i was ready to quit for the day. but then the sun came out and the day got alot better. the rain just puts me off now. after that never ending month of rain and clouds and fog, the very idea of rain makes me cringe. there was a really big water fall and the trail followed multiple rivers. it was a pretty section. it took forever to get to the second shelter. it just wasn't there. i finally ate lunch on a log just to find the shelter 500 feet further. the last 10 miles was a quick an easy bit with good views and rivers. i started doing the figures in my head. it's 3 days till my erwin where my family picks me up, five days to the smokies, 5 days through those, then its 4 days to georgia and 4 days to done. i'm so close! give or take a day. it may still be a struggle, but i'll make it for sure. well as long as the rain stays away. it can snow all it wants but no rain.
Date: 2012-12-19
From: Mountaineer falls shelter

To: Roan high knob Shelter
Miles today: 25.5
Weather: overcast clouds

one thing i've noticed the past couple of days is how far west we came in virginia. almost to another time zone. it used to be light at 630 and dark at 520, it's not light at 650 and the sun doesn't go down enough to need a head lamp till 540. i can't decide if i like it. i have to use my head lamp in the morning. but the dark later is much better. but its hard to get up when its still dark. i jumped into roan for an hour. got a little more food and charged my phone at the dollar general. a pretty big cold front is coming in tomorrow. that's why i pushed for this shelter tonight. i'm at 6275 feet with snow on the ground. the last five miles had snow. this is the highest i've been since Washington and even then the highest i camped was 5000 feet. i'm in a really nice log cabin. its even got 4 walls thank god. its cold out side but in here its not bad at all. there was a ton of section hikers today. at le3ast 3 different groups all with 3 or 4 people. kinda odd for a wednesday. i haven't seen this many people on trail in weeks. someone must of forgot to tell them its cold i guess.
Date: 2012-12-20
From: Roan high knob Shelter

To: Huges Gap
Miles today: 4.1

it was a little chilly last night. when i walked out of the cabin there was a few more inches of snow and the wind was just howling. i was out before dark. i wanted off that mountain before before the weather got any worse. tree's started coming down and i said screw this. the first road i got to i hung a right and stuck my thumb out for any car. a guy picked me up just before it stated to pour rain. the wind had gotten even worse. just walking down the road limbs were coming down. i got dropped back in roan mt city and i called rob. he was just a half hour away. he came and got me and i gave him a big ole hug. it was good to see him again especially on a horrible weather day like this. i got my first shower in at least a week. I kinda wanted my family to get the full on hiker stink but this is probably nicer for them. two finished thru's from the year before were coming to lunch with rob that day so we all went out to. it rained all day and wasn't even 40 degrees. good day to get off early and it makes it easier for my family to find me tomorrow. rob still smokes like a chimney. but i'm so grateful for him. this is twice now that he's pulled me out of the rain. 1200 miles apart and he's still the best hostel on the trail.
Date: 2012-12-21
From: Huges Gap

To: Cabin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

Woke up my normal time and said not today. i went right back to sleep. it snowed a few more inches last night and nearly all day. it finally slacked off round 4. as thankful as i am to rob its hard to be in his house. after so much fresh air 24/7 the smoke physically hurts me. i went and reada book in the bathroom pretending to poop so i could have the vent going. i was so happy to go to walmart just to be out. last time i stayed with him i was out slack packing all day and it was warm enough to go outside. its to cold to be out and not moving. my family got in at 530 and i was so happy to see them. big hugs and they all said i stank even after two showers. i didn't think i stank. not compared to coming in yesterday at least. they had gotten lost on the way up and stress levels were really high for them. at the grocery store they were so burnt out at each other and stressed it was nerve racking for me. when we all got back in the car piled in with the groceries and stuff for the week and everyone talking about which way to go it was so stressful. i haven't seen this many people in a week and it was such sensory overload. i freaked out and had a panic attack. i was hyperventilating and shaking and couldn't get a grip. i had them pull over and i was freaking out and couldn't break. i found a curb by a wall out of the wind and had a break down. someone called the police. looking back i look like a homeless young person freaking out in the corner on a cold winter night wearing shorts. i probably look like i'm coming off some serious drugs to normal people. this freaked me out even more and i started thinkig of if this is how i deal with m family how am i gonna deal with work and school and the panic got worse. i've never had a panic attack and never want one again. after i finally calmed down everyone was way more calm. m freak out took every bit of stress they and and put it out. we got to the place were were going to stay and a got a drink and food and everything was so much better. we had to leave the care down the mountain on account of the snow but i didn't mind walking. the lady we are renting from came and shuttled them and all our stuff up. i don't know how i'm gonna handle real life again, but it's gonna involve running and exercise. just walking up the mountain made me feel so much better. i didn't realized how raw this trip has left me. emotions for me are so much stronger. i kinda figured on a trip of this proportion you almost have to freak out at some point. i thought i'd of done it along time ago though.
Date: 2012-12-22
From: Cabin

To: Cabin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

mama made an awesome breakfast for us. egg scramble and bacon. we had to go back in town for more groceries. we walked down to the car. dad and logan were ahead of us and they stopped and said shhhhh. there was a small deer in front of them. i laughed and said watch this. i called him over and held out my hand. he came right up to me and let me pet him. he was so soft and had tiny nubs where his horns had started to come in. there's no way he was more than a year old. we were all standing around and he'd just walk in between us like we were bushes. we walked back down to the car and went to town. i think that grocery store stresses me out. so many people. we got our stuff and got back to the cabin for more great dinner.
Date: 2012-12-23
From: Cabin

To: Cabin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We were able to get the car up the mountain yesterday so we went for a drive today. i took them back to carvers gap where i was a few days go. it was the easiest hike i could think of and it had a great view from the top. there was over a foot of snow in places. it was a dry snow and fine for walking. i expected the cold but i forgot about the wind on the balds. it was fierce but beautiful. they all enjoyed it and we took some pictures. more good food and bad movies at the house.
Date: 2012-12-24
From: Cabin

To: Cabin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

MORE GOOD FOOD!!!! i'm eating like a king the past few days. mama just keeps on cooking and there seems to be a never ending amount of it. i called a few other thru's who i thought might be close so they could enjoy this if they didn't have family close. everyone is off. of everyone i've met i'm the only one left. i knew the holidays were gonna cut a few out but i didn't know everyone was gonna go. fungi, snowman, patrick, butters, sharkey. everyone is gone. i heard river dog was a day ahead of me but i don't have his number so no idea about him. "i'm all alone, there's no body here beside meeeeeee!" in town i got resupply and fuel. i'm gonna have rob slack me to erwin on the 26 and i'll probably be back to hiking on the 27th. this has been a great time to take off. its rained the past few days.
Date: 2012-12-25
From: Cabin

To: Robs
Miles today: 0.0

It's CHRISTMAS! i got caught up on my journals, sent out a ton of emails and ate more food. my family left earlier this afternoon and dropped me back off at Robs. i ate even more food. i weighed myself at 183. thats almost my starting weight. when i started 4 months ago i was mostly upper body strength. i lost all that and got down to about the 160's. the past month i've been butting weight back on in the form of lower body muscle. its like my body did a total flip upside down. weight wise i'm the same wise, shape wise is totally different. at rob's city slicker has been hanging out the past couple of days. they say its supposed to pour down rain tomorrow. i may take my 6 zero. in this whole trip before this week i'd taken 11 zeros. i've taken half that many in a row. i'm ready to be back out and hiking. but i remember the last time it rained an inch in one day. it was coming into graymore spiritual life center in new york. i might as well of jumped in a lake. tomorrow it's supposed to rain 2 inches. so maybe i'll just hang around one more day. or try and get the 10 miles from huges gap to here that i got out from. that or a 30 mile slack. we will see how bad the rain is.
Date: 2012-12-26
From: Robs

To: Robs
Miles today: 9.2

Race against the storm! I lost! i knew it was gonna rain today but when i woke up it was blue sky and warm. i went with the 10 mile section from huges where i got off to hike into unicoi where rob is. there was hardly any snow. and it shouldn't of taken more than 3 1/2 hours. i got dropped off at 8 and the rain started at 11. 1/2 hour of pouring rain. o well at least i was able to take a shower. mom left tons of left overs so i'm still eating good food. i found a spot of signal at the house and downloaded a book i've been meaning to finish. corey and napalm came over. napalm showed me how to make one of those para cord survival bracelets. way cheaper than buying one for 10 bucks at an outfitter. kinda fun to. i found out two of my really good friends got engaged. congrats to them. it's supposed to snow a bunch tonight. hope its not to much, i can't afford to take any more days off. i'm already a day behind and don't know where to tell Katherine to come. she's supposed to meet up and hike a few days with me. i think she has to go to school pretty early but maybe she'll make it halfway through the smokies.
Date: 2012-12-27
From: Robs

To: Robs
Miles today: 20.1

I realized today i am not prepared for the snow in any amount over an inch. thank god i found this out while i was slacking with rob. it snowed a ton last night. my first mistake, short socks. i wear trail runners and i only have one pair of boot length socks. my second mistake, no gators. it hasn't really snowed on this trip, i don't have gators to keep snow out of my shoes. my third mistake, i have nothing to keep my face warm. all this adds up to a long and painful day. because of my short socks, my ankles are exposed. because of my lack of gators, snow and ice get packed around my exposed ankles. it was cold and painful. my ankles could never warm up. they ache and hurt now. i've been using a bandanna to cover my ears and face. it froze thanks to the moisture of my breath. it also causes my glasses to fog and then freeze. that said, today was BEAUTIFUL. like walking in narnia. all the trees were encased in snow and there was a thick blanket the entire day. it was beautiful. the normal mundane forest was a sea of white and quiet. i didn't even care about my cold feet it was so pretty. well until i stepped in a foot deep drift. that brought me back. but i got rob to take me to an outfitter. i got some gators, rob gave me a face warmer and i'm wearing my boot socks from now on. the short socks have been turned into camp socks.
Date: 2012-12-28
From: Robs

To: Robs
Miles today: 11.2

Today i was supposed to leave robs. city slicker had left his head lamp so i brought that for him. he had camped not to far in. after the first few miles both my ankles were hurting. not the normal hiker hurt. i made it the first five mile in slower time than normal, but not to bad. they were hurting. i ate an early lunch and started again. after a few miles i felt like throwing up. both my ankles hurt so bad. i was limping on both feet. i made it to a road and saw it was still 6 miles to the shelter. i went back and forth trying to decide if i should hitch out or make it to the shelter and hope for better in the morning. i decided to call rob but i had no signal. i started to walk up the road and could make it a hundred yards. i sat down on my pack and waited for a car. a guy stopped but wasn't going to town but he drove me to a house with a land line. i called rob and told him where i was. thank god for rob. i sat on the porch and waited for rob. i called mom and she said go to the doctor. i said i would tomorrow. i'm hoping they are better in the morning and just a day or two off and i'll be better. my ankles creak and crack. they hurt in different places to.
Date: 2012-12-29
From: Robs

To: Robs
Miles today: 0.0

i slept till lunch today. i didn't realize i was that tired. i woke up a few times in the night cause my ankles were hurting. on my right foot it seems to be the bones connecting my big toe. it hurts but my left foot feels worse. it seems to be the top of the arch. if i point either foot down it hurts. we called a few doctors offices but everyone is closed till after new years. great. i want to know if i just need some time off or if i'm screwed and need to go home. i'm so close i don't want to go home. so they better be messed up bad. i'm tired of being in a house. i want to stay in a shelter again. i want to make a fire.
Date: 2012-12-30
From: Robs

To: Robs
Miles today: 0.0

didn't do much today. we went to walmart and just that little bit of walking around had my left ankle hurting. but it didn't hurt just sitting around like it did yesterday. so i guess thats better. robs neighbor doug comes over every morning for coffee. he's a good ole boy. doesn't say much but is nice. i made some phone calls to people. thats about it. i'm worried.
Date: 2012-12-31
From: Robs

To: Robs
Miles today: 0.0

i wish i was out hiking today. it would of been cool to bring in the new years while i was out hiking. i called my dad and asked him to send out a pair of boots for me. i really wanted to finish in my trail runners, but with the snow and the major holes in them its just not gonna work. if it were dry i'd be ok but with temps at night rarely above freezing i can't have wet socks and shoes anymore. also the ankle support may help my feet. they feel better today. i walked down the road a little and it didn't bother me. watched a bunch of foot ball. rob's from up north where professional is big. i care more about college foot ball. thats tomorrow with all the bowl games
Date: 2013-01-01
From: Robs

To: Robs
Miles today: 0.0

Woo brand new year. it feels better with out the impending doom lingering around like last years did. i watched 3 bowl games today. georgia won woo! the south Carolinian game was awesome and i saw my friend lilly on tv at the rose bowl. i get to grab my boots and hike tomorrow. thank god. i've gotten used to the smoke and that worries me. i'll get to be in a shelter again and if the ground isn't covered in snow maybe make a fire. i'm curious to check the shelter logs. maybe some one caught up to me. i'd be cool if there had been someone just behind me that i never met. i won't get my hopes up though.
Date: 2013-01-02
From: Robs

To: bald mt shelter
Miles today: 5.7

i woke up ready to go. some times leaving a house is hard, but i was ready to be on trail again. i fried some eggs and called the post office to make sure my boots were there. they weren't. but said they would be in an hour or two when the truck arrived. after lunch i went and got them. they felt restrictive and stiff. totally different than my well worn in trail runners. but i got some magic bars in the box as well and thats amazing. rob dropped me off, hopefully for the last time. I told him i wanted to be able to call him, not to have to call him. i started hiking in mushy snow melt. i was already thankful for the boots. NO WET FEET!! actual waterproof shoes! as i got higher the snow melt turned into snow, then deeper snow, then deep snow encrusted with ice. in one place it was well over 2 feet deep. i was following a set of foot prints and they looked really fresh. i caught up to a section hiker named poet. he said a thru named butters was just ahead. i thought holy crap i could of sworn patrick said they got off. when i caught up to him it was a different butters who had NOBO'd and was back out on winter break. still really cool. i wasn't expecting anone at all. especially not two people. walking through the thick snow i'm really glad i have boots now. every step my feet shift until the snow packs enough to hold. i think thats what stressed my ankles. i don't think i'm gonna have a fire fora while. all the wood is 4 inches under the snow and ice. but dang is it nice to be in a shelter again.
Date: 2013-01-03
From: bald mt shelter

To: Hogback ridge shelter
Miles today: 10.1

I woke up last night cause my ankle was hurting. hiking today was fine till the end. it was giving me a little trouble by then. starting this morning was interesting. there was a foot of snow on the ground in most places. i was the first to leave so i was post holing for most the day till i hit someone else's tracks. it looked like they had a sled with them. at the top of bald mountain was really cool. i was above the clouds in the blue sky but only by about a hundred feet. every where around was a sea of clouds. it was beautiful to be above it. at around 4400 feet most the snow turned to patches and the walking became easier. going uphill in the snow is exhaustive. going down hill in that much snow and ice is terrifying. sliping everywhere. i'm so glad to have boots and gators. i got to the shelter at lunch. i'm still talking it easy for another few days. the waster was forever away. i should have brought my sticks. poet and butters showed up a few hours later. i was totally mummied in my bag. its cold when your not moving. it's nice having butter to talk with. some one to reminisce and trade trail stories with. i think i'm going to try for 15 miles tomorrow. if my ankle is still hurting by hot springs i may have to bite the bullet and consider getting off. i figure the smokies in january is not a place to be with a bum ankle. i'm hoping it will work itself out by then though. it'll kill me to get off whhn i'm this close.
Date: 2013-01-04
From: Hogback ridge shelter

To: jerry's cabin 
Miles today: 14.7

burr it got cold last night. one of the few times i was totally in my bag. the mice were acting up really bad last night. i actually pulled one out of my back pack. i set my traps and killed five before i got bored of it. they shelter was much quieter after that. my camel pack kept freezing today. we went pretty low in elevation today. the downs really hurt my ankle. i was debating just getting off it hurt so bad. luckily uphill doesn't hurt and most of the day was up hill. it was cold on top of the mountain but absolutely beautiful. the trees were coated in ice and totally amazing. it was a clear blue sky and sunny. everything sparkled and shimmered in the light. i came to one snow covered field that had a view of the next mountain over, it was breath taking. i think my ankle popped some where today cause it started feeling better. its still a little sore but nothing like last night and this morning. i hope it stays better. maybe i just needed to work a kink out. i got to this shelter and its the only one i can think of that i had to go up hill for water. there is a thermometer and it sad 21 degrees at 2 in the after noon. i checked the weather and its supposed to be a low of 21 in the valley. so if its 21 at two whats it gonna be tonight? probably freaking cold. butters got up his tarp on the front of the shelter. it makes a huge difference. my hands hurt they are so cold when i got here, but now its not to bad.