morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-03-09
From: Neel's Gap

To: Wolf Laurel Campsite 
Miles today: 3.6

7 pm.   Clear, cool and tranquil. Bananas, Alaska, v8, Puppy, Cannibal and me hiked ourselves with packs over from Neel's Gap throughout the afternoon. Those of us from the Hiker Hostel were shuttled over to the outfitter/hostel at Mountain Crossings at 10:30 this morning. Last night was a festival of gear and stuff sacks and food, reducing my collection of belongings from my 10 day stay down to a sleek little kit for the AT. Oh, boy, this Pocketmail is going to take some practice!   Miles hiked: 3.6.      All systems functional and attitudes fair and sunny. It's too cold to type more, so 'til tomorrow,Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-10
From: Wolf Laurel Campsite 

To:  Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: clear sky

This was a Monday where being on the AT stood out. Sunday evening was our first night camping out, the five of us who gathered there after a morning spent at Mountain Crossings. I loved having time to watch Puppy's and Bananas' packs get the official shake downs. We finally got to meet Cannibal from Traljournals and Whiteblaze. For some reason we had hit it off online, and had been encouraging one another and other '08 hikers over the months. So V8, Bananas, Puppy, And now Viewfinder and Cannibal were well on their way. Mule surprised us with her stellar comeback, appearing before us like an apparition at Low Gap. She had rallied and hiked in from Neel's Gap today, lighter of pack and outlook. Jan renamed her "Phoenix".   Our hike today was steep to start but was punctuated with a bit of trail magic at Hogpen Gap. Trapper and his wife Myrtle had put up a bright green canopy and set out fruit and cookies and soda for passing hikers. The unexpected kindness was part of what made my stop there so heartening.    We hiked directly uphill past White Oak Stamp and Strawberry Top. A significant pull, but followed by miles of undulating terrain. We had lunch around 1:00, sitting on big logs overlooking a wooded ravine. Today's selection: a 3 oz pack of tuna, two mayo packs and a handful of Triscuits. That hit the spot. I am fixing a pint of iced tea with Tang, salt and potassium to carry while hiking. That is a tasty drink that, by afternoon, helps pick up the feet. I'm carrying a liter or so of water and a snack or two for the day. So far, so good.   Low Gap shelter is placed in a gap that has good afternoon sun. We came in at 4:30 with plenty of time to set up the tent, socialize and get dinners made. I am still having issues with my Vargo Titanium multifuel stove. Many minutes of fussing with it lead to close to an hour of dribbling alcohol, trying to prime the little fellow. I must have gone through a dozen wooden matches,and after holding my lighter under the stove to heat the fuel, bingo. Tonight it took slightly less time, as I tucked the fuel bottle into my shirt during the last 30 minutes of hiking. I still ended up using my emergency Esbit tab to cook with. Sigh. I am threatening to turn to the Jetboil out of spite, but will hold off until I crest the learning curve for alcohol stoves.   The Shires Double Rainbow tent is a spacious, airy rig for the two of us. I am content with my current pack, a Mountainsmith Boundary pack. It is carrying well and has the kind of pocket arrangement I like. Since I'm running a 25# load, I look forward to switching to the Vapor Ki in springtime, and carrying less in sleeping bag, clothing and maybe food. I need a good couple more rainy hikes and camps to determine Just what foul weather gear is called for.    Signing off from Low Gap shelter, Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-11
From:  Low Gap Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap 
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: light rain

I woke up from my second night in the tent, pretty well rested and ready to go. This would be our 7th day hiking. Haven't done that many days on a trail since the 100 Mile Wilderness in '94.    Had my second bag of cereal flakes with bran and Nido, and had the same reaction as Monday: yuck. I have to work on the breakfast menus.    It doesn't get light now til after 7 am, so I got up about then and slowly started the morning routine. Low Gap is in a kind of bowl formation, so the sun wasn't really on us til after 8. We were ready to hike a little before 9, and since the time change, that allows us over 10 hours of daylight.   We set out with Bananas, with Viewfinder and Cannibal ahead,and Phoenix coming up behind us.   The Trail was a mixture of undulating terrain and rather rocky, rooted ups and downs. By 7 miles, when we hit Blue Mtn. shelter at 2, I was getting cranky and tired. It had been raining lightly for a couple of hours, giving me a chance to wear my voluminous blue poncho. I didn't know they were that big! I have used it as a ground cloth each night, so it had dusty dirt marks artistically embedded in it all over. So, at Blue Mtn. I ate the rest of my lunch and sat a bit and felt a lot better for the final 2 mile section down to Unicoi Gap.    V8, Bananas and I heard a rousing cheer from the valley as soon as we were within view. Cannibal, Sean and three other delightful young men were our welcoming committee. Jan called Sam at Hiawassee Inn, and he arrived promptly to ferry us there. We settled into our room and immediately went next door to Dairy Queen, where we devoured our biggest burgers yet, plus sundaes for dessert. Heaven.    I turned in at 8pm and slept soundly til 7. Tomorrow, our first real zero day!Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-12
From: Hiawassee Inn

To: Hiawassee Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I awoke this morning sprawled out like a starfish in a double bed with clean white sheets and perfect pillows. The motel provides a breakfast to hikers, so we joined others for toast and cereal and coffee, while chatting with Sam who co-owns the Inn. Others were going back to the trail then, but I went back to bed and logged in another hour and a half of sleep. Yummy!    The day unfolded with a lunch up at Shoney's, a foodstore run, some time on the library computers, and a supper at the Chinese Buffet next door. This evening Jan (V8) and I have been dithering about with our gear, packing up for a two day stretch on the Trail, a night back here, then a 4 or 5 day stretch to Franklin, NC. Neither of us talked much as we sorted and bagged and boxed various foods and gear, some to stay here til we get back, some to carry with us. Its kind of like the stress of moving, but smaller and shorter.   It's the part I like least about long distance hiking.   It's taking me some time to master the Pocketmail [ handheld e-mail machine- Editor] so please bear with me til I catch on. Hopefully my entries will color up some once I know my way around the keyboard and transmitting. Love from Georgia, Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-13
From: Unicoi Gap 

To: Sassafras Gap campsite 
Miles today: 10.0

I have come to the conclusion that there are some specific requirements for the last two hiking miles of the day, which seem always to feel like the last four miles of the day... For example, I need to tighten my boot laces, because it somehow lightens the step.   Then there's remembering to keep drinking water and keep bits of snacks going in, because the very tired muscles appreciate that.   Two Advil can help.   I have to rememberto stop and breathe a bit earlier than I absolutely have to, when my leg muscles feel weird or my lungs complain.   Visualizing dinner in sensory detail motivates me pretty nicely, I might add.   So here we were, back on the trail after a day off, ready to go a little over half way along a 17 mile stretch between Unicoi and Dick's Creek Gaps.V8 and I were dropped off at Unicoi at 8:30 a.m., by the effervescent Lisa from Hiawassee Inn. Puppy was with us, but planned to do the whole 17 miles today with a day pack. My heart went out to her as that was a longggg, steep hike. We met Leaping Turtle, Pops, Brushstrokes and Glo-worm there, and crossed paths with one another off and on through the day.   Leaping Turtle was most complimentary, with comments about our capable hiking. He had been at Hiker Hostel when I was sick, so the contrast from feeble and bed-ridden, to actually doing sections of the Trail, must have been significant. It was good to have the encouragement, no matter its origin!         Weather in the high 60's, we marched along shedding layers as we went.   We got to Tray Mtn shelter a little before 2, and took a socks off break in the warm sun. I stuck my damp socks on my hiking pole handles and set them in the full sun, where they dried nicely in 15 minutes. Had a bite to eat, drank up the last of the iced tea with Tang, and set off for Sassafrass Gap. It was a couple of miles longer than I thought, and I had to dig down deep to toddle my way over hill and dale, staggering into camp with as much good will as I could muster.   Water was down a steep incline about 2/10 of a mile total, but I had to go fill up our platys [plastic canteens-Ed.] to get dinner started. This is the part of the movie when my sense of humor came in handy.   It's 10 of 8 now, and the sun is setting with a salmon and violet display to the west. Three tents are set up here, with Pops and Brush Strokes our neighbors. It felt like the low 50's outside, not at all bad for camping.Today's good news trivia: I got the bear bag line over the limb on the first throw tonight! Warm thoughts to all, whatever your journey. Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-14
From: Sassafras Gap campsite 

To: Dick's Creek Gap ( Rt. 76) 
Miles today: 7.0

I am sitting on a double bed in a motel room, sleeping bag bundled about my legs, after a brisk trot/slog up and down today's 7 miles of the AT. We had heard last night, through Brush Strokes' call to his wife, that thunderstorms and high winds were moving in this morning.We awoke to a dark but clear sky a little after 6 am, and began to organize and stuff gear into our backpacks. With my little Petzl e-light, I could see quite well, even angle the bulb downward so it didn't shine in V8's face or eyes.I had slept fitfully, possibly some combination of worries about boars, bears and bad weather coming. Parts of the Trail sides had been heavily torn up by what one fellow had said were turkeys. Since oak trees line the trail, there are acorns buried in the leafy, humusy mass all along the trail. A few days ago the scratching and digging marks were certainly turkeys, but yesterday the swaths of upended plants and bowl sized holes broadened out to 6 or 10 feet into the surrounding woods. Something bigger, confirmed by some grunting and squealing in the woods this morning, had been feasting in the area.I don't know about you, but the image in my mental files of "wild boar" is of a hump backed, nasty looking critter about four feet tall, with tusks and a bad attitude. So my unconscious seems to have grabbed onto that and kept me just the teensiest bit vigilant in the night. When I let go of the boar idea, then bears would loom up, so I really couldn't win. V8, bless her practical little heart, slept like a rock, so was a positive influence on me today. We were packed up and setting out by 8 am, a good time to be hiking as there were 4 hours before noon, and it does seem as if the more miles done before noon, the easier the day can be. We decided to hustle, limit sit-down breaks, and try to get out of the mountains before the storms. As it was, we only needed rain gear in our last hour or so, so Mother Nature was kind to us.The terrain included some lengthy uphill pulls, one of which took a solid hour of pacing our way upward. I would find that kind of going tough without a pack, so with packs and a storm on our heels, it was a demanding experience.We got down, and I do mean down, to the parking area at about 12:15,in light showers. V8 noticed a hiker, Chris, getting dropped off there and before I knew it, we were climbing into Everett's black pick-up. Former police chief of Hiawassee, he now sometimes shuttles hikers {hah-kurz} to trails and back. Given the rain, we just grabbed the opportunity, and were ferried right to the Hiawassee Inn.Co-owner Ron was back from his travels, and we finally got to meet his gregarious and engaging self.On the to-do list: edit and cull a four day menu and gear assortment, ship a box ahead to Franklin and send a few more things home. Can you believe we've come 67.5 miles?! YES!!!Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-16
From: Dick's Creek Gap ( Rt. 76) 

To: Bly Gap 
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: clear sky

Sam Duke took Bananas, Puppy and the two of us on an early run to drop us off this morning. We started out after warm hugs all around, and resumed our northward march. Sunny and in the 50's, I enjoyed being back on the trail and moving along through the dry brown leaves. The trees are tall, and leafless but majestic. Slopes run dramatically down from the trail, and loom largely ahead. Because the trees are still bare, the geography is visible at every point. I had had lots of sleep in Hiawassee, which helped me to feel that my body was ready to get back in action. This section had a lot of significant ups and downs, which by our fifth hour of hiking, began to wear out my legs.    The all purpose remedy for this condition was 2 Advil, an Almond Snickers bar and a long drink of lemonade. It was very effective, as we found ourselves at the GA/NC border sign before long and within 2/10ths of a mile, at the campsite for the night.   To pull in before 4 allowed us a very leisurely evening routine. The sun was slanting across the trees, cheering us considerably. Bananas made herself a nook from two logs, and luxuriated in taking off her boots and socks. V8 set up the tent, and I fetched water, this time from a piped spring within 100 feet of the site. Ah, good living!   People came in as we puttered around, small groups of hikers who had started out at different times from Dick's Creek. Probably 14 campers are here now, with another crew over the rise and down the trail at the next shelter.Its 7pm, and I am sitting in the tent after a mashed potato, split pea and ham dinner, which despite its unassuming aura, was filling, fast and tasty. Food bags are hung from a tree limb about 30 feet away, and I expect to be asleep within the hour after a brief read. V8 gave me the front half of the Scott Turow novel she's been reading, which lets us carry one book between us.Goodnight, and safe hiking to you wherever you walk.Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-17
From: Bly Gap 

To: Standing Indian Shelter 
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up in the dark, but as we packed up and got breakfast,the sky turned sunny and hazy. I tried making instant grits since I had liked them a lot at Hiker Hostel. I dumped a little package into my bowl, added water a pat of butter and a tsp of sugar. Not bad, but definitely not as good as "real" cooked grits. When its cold in the morning, hot food or drink is a big help in getting going, but it takes longer to fix, and time is often at a premium.    I packed up the lunch food and trail snacks I wanted for the day, as I keep those in a bright green sack on the outside of my pack. A 3 oz pack of tuna, mayo packs, pecan-cranberry-cheese pretzel gorp, and a Milky Way Midnight bar. I made up a pint of lemonade, which rides right next to the trail food bag. in the other side pocket I keep a 20 oz Coke bottle with fresh water in it. All the rest of the food rides inside a waterproof bag in the backpack itself.   The climb out of Bly was intense, more rugged than others, making me think NC was all about challenge. @2 miles in we took a break at yet another "Sassafrass Gap", munching down some gorp and lemonade.    We passed the sign for the infamous Chunky Gal Trail, where Bananas took some pictures to immortalize the moment.    By 2 pm we took a break amidst beech trees on a cliff side trail. The papery leaves left clinging to the delicate branches stood out against the ivy green of the rhododenrons, and the electric green moss on fallen logs.I could experience the scenery as deeply engaging or as repetitive and uninspiring, depending on my outlook. The leaves along the trail included tones of cocoa, bisque, tan, russet, oyster white and pale salmon. Today we would shuffle through ankle deep leaves, and later walk on a kind of crushed layer of trodden leaves. All around us were the sloping mountainsides, so much more sweeping in scale than up north. Skeletal trees allowed us expansive views that in a few weeks will be blocked by greenery.   The skies darkened and winds picked up as we walked up the nicely graded trail to Standing Indian shelter.   Bearpaw and Windjammer, Hair Bear and others were sitting around a fire that was fed til after dark. I stood there off and on this evening to soak up some btu's. V8 and I set up the tent beyond the shelter, which was reputed to be the coldest one on the AT. When rain came in the night, we could hear the drops hit that metal roof like gunshot,and were happy to be in the tent, with only a soft, "thock, thock" above our heads. The winds had picked up by midnight, and created a roaring that sounded more like jet engines, up close and personal! It must be the altitude and bare limbed trees, that creates that deafening roar? Bananas, Rain and Barley and the two of us had tented there out back, fairly well protected from major blasts of wind. That morning we saw Leaping Turtle, Pops and others who were preparing breakfast and heading out.One state line down, coming up on our first 100 miles!   Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-18
From: Standing Indian Shelter 

To: Betty Creek Gap 
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Long day on the trail, with light rain and condensation flinging itself from the trees all day. It stayed cool and dark and wet, so I used my pack cover, thin tights under my hiking pants, and a rain jacket with warm hat under the hood. We kept our breaks short, mostly just standing in place to eat a little something.   To get an idea of what this hiking thing is like, imagine this: Go to the gym at 9, sign in, go use the Stairmaster for about an hour, sign out, step outside, sip on a bottle of water, go back in, sign up again, then this time use the treadmill on variable incline for an hour. Go have a snack. Then come back and repeat 3 or 4 more times, varying your drinks and snacks til 4pm or so.   Jeepers, that sounds hard! I have to say, its a lot nicer doing this outdoors on the AT but its still pretty darned hard. I thank my sturdy legs everyday!Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-20
From: Franklin

To: Zero day at Franklin, NC 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Woke up in a queen sized bed to a room full of drying gear. We decided last night to go on the 7:45am bus to breakfast at a local diner, figuring we would see some friends from the other motels.    The diner was ready for us, with a long table for 18 set up right in the middle of the room. All I can say is: coffee, eggs, grits and bacon, with biscuits to die for!   We hope to get some Thai food for lunch, and there are rumors that we may go to a Cuban place for dinner.    Later that evening: Thai restaurant for lunch it was, which we found about half a mile from the Inn, on foot. After such culinary indulgence, we voted to eat last night's remaining pizza in our motel room for dinner.    Jan went to the laundromat with our clothes this morning, thank you, V8! Life is good, clothes are clean, gear is dry... hiking out tomorrow to Nantahala Outdoor Center.Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-21
From: Rock Gap, NC 

To: Siler's Bald Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: few clouds

KTR drove us to breakfast today. He is a former distance hiker whose trail name comes from Kicks the Rocks. He's a lean, thoughtful fellow, in his 20's. He used to take 6 and 7 year old kids on backpacking trips, and he spent a lot of time clearing rocks from the one or two miles of trail for his little band of campers. He said that a LOT of stuffed animals went on those trips!    KTR has a twin brother whom we met at Ron Haven's. His name was Solace. They have come to Franklin for several years now during peak hiking season to help out with shuttling and so forth. They aren't paid, but rather do this as volunteers.   Maybe these two fellows had the sensitivity and warmth in their eyes before they did the trail, but clearly their trail experiences fostered those traits. KTR said that the trail really changes you. From my perspective I can see how that can be. On the trail we alternate periods of self sufficiency with strands of interdependence, while traveling in a slow and often watchful way through areas of profound natural beauty.   We had to go .5 miles on a side trail to get in to Siler's Bald shelter, but it was worth it. The approach brought us down a sweeping country lane, into a former apple orchard, or so it appeared. We were attracted immediately to a sturdy cement picnic table outside the spacious shelter overhang. The evening chores commenced, and we set up tents in a manner such that we could catch the sunrise. No one else showed up that night, and the peacefulness was lovely. The log book indicated that we might be growing closer to actually meeting up with Sprite, the elusive but charming fellow Trail journalist, whom we had met briefly at Neel's Gap. Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-22
From: Siler's Bald Shelter

To: Licklog Gap
Miles today: 8.6

Highlight of the day: Easter candy and hard boiled eggs given to us by a cheerful Nantahala Hiking Club member stationed at Wayah Gap.   The slow and steady program has been paying off, as none of us have injuries or blisters. I can feel my muscles complain after 5 miles and extensive uphills. But my shoulders are fine, and even my legs recover with a good night's sleep. At this stage of the game, I am very pleased. Speedier miles will come later. Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame
Date: 2008-03-23
From: Licklog Gap

To: Wesser Bald Shelter 
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: clear sky

Hope springs eternal: V8, Bananas and I thought we might get to NOC in two 12 mile days. We woke up on Sunday morning on a piney ridge, directly facing the sunrise. Bananas has a taste for holiday festivities, and it has been delightfully contagious. We hiked out refreshed and ready for the day, when in about 2 miles I saw an orange fabric through the trees. Lo, it was a huge gray and orange dome tent, a blazing campfire, and, wonder of wonders, a ring of chairs encircling it.Major, serious trail magic!   Apple and Brave Friend welcomed us and invited us to sit down. It was a cool and breezy morning, so the fire felt wonderful. We met Barley and Rain there, who had the foresight and foreknowledge to arrive there last night. They reported being given hamburgers and hot dogs and Italian sausages... Apple came around with hot cocoa packs, cups and hot water,urging us to drink up. They had a table with cookies and fruit, and two other treasures: jugs of drinking water, and a big trash bag!   Thank you, Brave Friend and Apple!   The trail climbed steeply next, so we formed a little line behind V8, put our heads down and our shoulders to the wheel, so to speak,and slowly made it up the hills. We would come to rely on this technique in the days to come. Frequently.We sashayed into Wesser Bald Shelter at mile 129.2 around 4, and were beyond delighted to find Sprite and Mozzie [Mosey] in residence. A good time was had by all, catching up on   the details of our recent weeks. V8 and I slept in the shelter for the first time on this trip, as did Rain and Barley, Sprite and Mozzie.   It seemed a little chilly as we put away food and readied for bed. Mice get a bad rap in AT shelters, but none showed up this particular night. The frozen water bottles in the morning, and Rain's read out at dawn, "almost 20 degrees!" let us know why. Maybe the mouse mothers had optimistically put away their childrens' winter jackets. Or something. Stay tuned, more to come.Marcia JamrogAuntie Mame------------------------------Have a spare PocketMail laying around, sell it back to us and help those in need.