morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-03-16
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter 

To: Brown Fork Gap 
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: clear sky

After a night of restful sleep, I woke up to the sound of stoves cooking breakfast, the rustle of packs being stuffed, and a beautiful view of the Appalachian sunrise. I opted to take my time in getting up and 'out the door' since my hike would only be 9.1mi today. This gave me plenty of time to enjoy a large bowl of oatmeal and to pack up without any rush. Within an hour of leaving the shelter, I parked myself on top of Cheoah Bald for one of the best morning views I've had along the trail so far. I managed to find enough signal to purchase my Smokey Mountains hiker permit over the phone and soon continued down the trail. After a short break at Stecoah Gap, which consisted of me clumsily dropping a block of colby jack cheese in the gravel, I pushed up to Brown Fork Gap Shelter for the evening. Before I arrived at the shelter though, I had to traverse Jacob's Ladder: an infamously steep 0.7mi section of trail that features an average grade of almost 20%.Since I arrived at the shelter so early in the afternoon, I decided to fix up a bit of my gear and make sure everything continues in tip-top shape for the days to come. I'll be sharing the shelter with Greywolf, Loner Boner, Clockwise, and Long Stride tonight. Tomorrow I should be very close to the entrance of the Smokey Mountain National Park!
Date: 2015-03-17
From: Brown Fork Gap 

To: Fontana Hilton 
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The day started early today. I was walking by the light from my headlamp at 6:30, almost an hour and a half before sunrise. I knocked out a quick 6mi to the next shelter before 9am, and stopped to have breakfast. A few minutes later I was back on the trail. I didn't have a set timetable, so I took my sweet time and enjoyed 2 long breaks along the way to Fontana. Descending the last mile before Fontana, I tweaked my knee just a little. It was nothing serious, but I decided to take it easy anyways as a precaution. Today was a great day, all in all. And I start the Smokies tomorrow! I was able to charge my phone (no service though), topped off my food, and grabbed a 6-pack of local craft beer to share with the other hikers at the shelter. Tonight I'll be staying at the Fontana Dan Shelter, aka the Fontana Hilton! It has plenty of room, a place for a free hot shower, and magic!! Turns out that Fresh Ground is here... which means eating my weight in hot dogs and french fries. He said he'll be set up in the morning too, putting on trail magic with pancakes, omelettes, coffee, and more!
Date: 2015-03-18
From: Fontana Hilton 

To: Spence Field Shelter 
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: broken clouds

At the end of the day yesterday, I skipped a 1.2mi section of trail because the Fontana shuttle would drop me off right where the trail magic was happening, at the Fontana Hilton. Not wanting to skimp on my mileage, I went back this morning and completed it first thing. I even managed to catch a round of free pancakes on the way out of town! *courtesy of Fresh Ground, Coke Man, and the Leapfrog Cafe*After crossing Fontana Dam, I followed the service road for a mile and... finally entered the Smokies! Not even a mile from pavement, I spotted my first bear: a young black bear aimlessly piddling around in the leaves about 70yds down the hill from me. He didn't see me, and I barely caught a glimpse of him before he disappeared over the ridge. Neat! A long steady climb stood between me and the first of three available shelters. I set my pace and took off up the mountain, only stopping to apply sunscreen (the leaves aren't out on the trees yet) and to adjust my boot laces. Almost 10mi layer, I ran across the first shelter. I was still feeling fresh, so I grabbed a snack - two leftover pancakes that I had stashed in a ziplock bag - and pressed on. This time, however, I wasn't walking alone. I hopped along at a brisk pace with Not Yet as we talked about our lives back home and our experiences on the trail this far. We soon arrived at the next shelter, only to find it sparsely populated like the first. Two couples and a small group of guys - no thru hikers - were already set up. As I snacked (again) I answered the typical 'why' questions that they asked about my hike, but was quickly back on the trail as it was late afternoon already. Time seemed to fly as I made my way to the last shelter, partly because I was making up AT-themed limericks in to write in the hiker register. Upon arrival, making a grand total of nearly 18mi for the day, I found the shelter packed full of thru hikers which allowed me the opportunity to set up my tent a short distance away. Once I had consumed a pasta meal (marked as 'feeds 2-4' haha) and picked through my food bag for dessert, we all settled in around the campfire for jokes, stories, and similar merriment. Almost at dusk, I turned around and saw two hikers approaching - Plisken and Werewolf! I got distracted in conversation with them and soon noticed that everyone else had crawled into bed. Soon, we would do the same, but not before we laughed ourselves to stitches at the expense of a few spring break hikers who were attempting to hang an entire hiking pack from the bear cables!Anyway... I told you about my limerick, and I don't want to leave you in suspense. Hope you enjoy!Way up in the Smokies are bearsWho normally just chill in their lairs But when hikers do eat, they smell a good treatAnd come our to pillage our wares. The know that thru hikers taste funkyProbably because we smell skunky But the taste of weekender puts bears on a bender.They'll eat until they become chunky!
Date: 2015-03-19
From: Spence Field Shelter 

To: Derrick Knob Shelter 
Miles today: 6.3

I only did 6.3mi today. The weather was easily the worst I've seen on the trail - near zero visibility, high winds, horizontal rain, and a temperature in the mid 30s. Werewolf and I talked a bit to ease the suffering, but it was still decently unbearable. This kind of weather is borderline dangerous.We stopped at the first shelter we ran across, both very chilled. I made hot chocolate and then a couple pounds of oatmeal. In an attempt to warm up, I changed into some dry clothing and crawled into my sleeping bag. I slept for 3 hours. Because today was so short, I have to make an 18+ mile day tomorrow to get to Newfound Gap, where I can hitch a ride into Gatlinburg to meet Evan. The forecast is nearly identical to today. Wish me luck. I'll need it.
Date: 2015-03-21
From: Newfound Gap (Gatlinburg, TN)

To: Newfound Gap (Gatlinburg, TN)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

In order for her to make it back to work on time, I had to bid Evan farewell not even 15 minutes before my dad and sister arrived in Gatlinburg. I hate that. But it was very emotionally recharging to see her and for us to spend time together. Hopefully we can find another time for her to visit during June or so!Today will be spent fixing up my gear, stocking up on food, lounging in the hot tub, doing tourist-y things, and likely stuffing my face full of whatever food comes within arm's length. This hiker hunger is real! Haha.Hoping to work out dinner plans with Werewolf, Bismarck, Hopper, and others. Looking forward to a short day tomorrow, which will hopefully leave my legs fresh and ready to hammer out a quick few days to Hot Springs. There, I will take a day to soak in the mineral springs and enjoy some hot food and cold brews with my friends Melody and Adam, who live in Asheville.
Date: 2015-03-22
From: Newfound Gap (Gatlinburg, TN)

To: Pecks Corner Shelter 
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: overcast clouds

For some reason, I wasn't able to get to sleep last night. I want to blame it on not wearing myself out hiking like I've been used to lately, but I'll never know. It did allow me some late night texting with Evan, which is something I haven't been able to enjoy much while on the trial. But despite my late bedtime, I was wide-eyed and bushy-tailed at 8am and was soon headed down to enjoy a hot continental breakfast. Upon returning to the room, I packed up my hiking gear and took a quick trip to the hot tub for a bit of last minute relaxation and then stopped by the breakfast buffet again on the way back to the room. Soon, I was riding back to Newfound Gap with my dad and sister. We stopped for a few minutes to take pictures and for me to answer questions from curious passersby, and then I was back on the trail. During my zero day, I talked to Melody (my friend who, along with her boyfriend, Adam, will pick me up from Hot Springs) and bumped up my arrival date from Saturday to Wednesday. Because of that, I had intended on pushing for about 15mi today. Due to my late start and the distraction caused by my new audiobook (Waking Up by Sam Harris), I didn't make super time... but that's nothing to worry about. I ended up only making 10.4mi to Peck's Corner Shelter. The shelter is much like the other in the Smokies, but when I arrived Brightside and Rolling Thunder had the beginnings of a nice fire going. Soon, we were joined by others, including Bismarck, Hopper, Banana Boat, Mrs. Dash, and two spring breakers all joined us before nightfall.Tomorrow's mileage should be right around 20mi, but according to more experienced hikers than myself, it shouldn't be too hard of terrain for that kind of mileage. I'm looking forward to it!
Date: 2015-03-23
From: Pecks Corner Shelter 

To: Davenport Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

I hit the trail around 8am this morning. It was chilly, but the clear blue sky gave promise of a warm day ahead. Most everyone left within a few minutes of each other this morning, which meant I was bumping into people all day. After lunch at Tri-Corner Shelter, I said goodbye to Bismarck and Hopper and headed out. Banana Boat and I have the same schedule to Hot Springs, so I'm sure we'll either be walking together or leapfrogging each other for the next two days. Apparently if you have a similar pace as someone, that's about how it goes until one of you takes a zero day. Either way, my 20.0mi hike to Davenport Gap Shelter was winding down by mid-afternoon, when a short side trail to an old fire tower offered a detour. After at least a half-mile walk, I spied the Mt. Cammerer lookout. A bit of scrambling allowed for a wonderful 360° view of the northern Smokies from about 5,000ft.Checking my watch, I noticed that there was only a few hours of daylight remaining and at least 4mi of trail left to go. I took off down the trail at above-normal speed and knocked out the final leg of my day with just enough daylight to eat and settle in before dusk. Comparing schedules, it looks like Brightside, Rolling Thunder, Roadside, Banana Boat, and I all have the same plan to take a zero day on Thursday in Hot Springs. After consulting the trail guide, it appears there are 5-person cabins than can be rented for a cheap price. Excellent! Sounds like a perfect fit!
Date: 2015-03-24
From: Davenport Gap Shelter 

To: Max Patch
Miles today: 16.9

Davenport Gap Shelter is one of the only shelters in the Smokies that has a fence in front of it. The purpose of this fence is to keep bears out. So, instead of hanging our food out of reach, we keep it in the shelter with us (and the mice). It's weird. But anyway, I was soon headed out in the morning, making my way underneath I-40 and stopping a few miles down the trail at the Standing Bear Hostel. I took a short break to relax, enjoy a few cold sodas, and restock on some food before Hot Springs. All in all, it was a really cool place & I wish I had the chance to stay there. It seemed like I was climbing almost the entire day, but it was not without its rewards. I stopped for a warm, sunny lunch break on top of Snowbird Mountain. I got a chance to see where I had come - the ominous Smokies to the south - and to look ahead to Max Patch, where I'd be staying for the night. About an hour before sunset, I arrived at the large bald known at Max Patch (a homophone for the original name, Mack's Patch) which stands 4,600ft above sea level. I was somehow able to dry out my sopping-wet tent (I had forgotten to dry it out since it last rained on Thursday), eat enough food to subdue my hunger, and enjoy the scenery as the sun slowly retreated being the mountaintops.
Date: 2015-03-25
From: Max Patch

To: Hot Springs, NC (Asheville, NC)
Miles today: 19.8

One thing that I didn't really think about, staying on top of a bald, is that there aren't any trees to break the wind. I soon realized this, however, when I was awakened at 1am by the wind attempting to forcibly remove both me and my tent from the top of the bald. I quickly snugged-up the guy lines for my tent to prevent this and crawled back inside. The wind continued - at times likely exceeding 30mph - until I packed up my gear and continued up the trail at 7:30am.Once out of the wind, I greatly enjoyed my hike to Hot Springs. About 6 miles in, I bumped into the Leapfrog Cafe for some trail magic. Fresh Ground and Coke Man were ready with chocolate chip walnut pancakes (I had 6), coffee (I had 4 cups), and homemade french fries (I might have eaten enough to cause a world potato shortage). Soon after, but not before I had a chance to sit and talk while I ate, I began trudging up the final hill before the long descent down to Hot Springs, NC. Eventually I arrived, almost exactly on time, to meet Melody at 5pm, where she would pick me up and take me to Asheville where her and her boyfriend Adam live. Upon arrival, I was surprised to find how nice it is in the city. I quickly found myself thinking how much I would like to live here one day. Asheville is a really neat place! Thankfully though, I was soon able to shower and do laundry. Almost immediately afterward, I was treated to some of the best (and spiciest) Indian food I've ever eaten. It was amazing! Almost on cue, they offered to go and check out a few of the local breweries in town. I provided no resistance to that idea. By 11pm, far beyond my usual trail bedtime, I found myself full of delicious food and unique craft beers, a little tipsy, tired, and ready for bed.I love Asheville.
Date: 2015-03-26
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0

My zero day was very eventful and relaxing at the same time. Melody left for work early, so Adam was in charge of returning me to Hot Springs. Before we left Asheville though, we stopped in at a local diner where I gorged myself on an omlette and assorted breakfast foods. Great coffee too!Once back in Hot Springs, I spent a little money at the outfitter to streamline my sleeping pad setup and to resupply on food. After a brief self-shakedown of my pack, I weighed everything and came in at a light 23.5lbs, including water and food for 3 days. I'm loving that! I should be able to get under 20 (which is super light) once I mail home all of my winter gear in a month.Brightside, Rolling Thunder, Roadside, Banana Boat, and I all decided to split a cabin which was right across the road from the hot springs and about a block from the 'downtown' area. It set up for a perfect trip over to the springs (a very relaxing way to spend downtime) and then dinner & drinks at the tavern nearby. My hiker hunger is really kicking up now: I polished off the special off-menu  AT burger , a fully-loaded bacon cheeseburger with THREE 1/2lb patties and all the fixings, in just a few minutes. The included order of fries were also put away without second thought. Delicious!!
Date: 2015-03-27
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0

I woke up early and packed my things. The Hiker's Ridge in Hot Springs was feeding hikers at 11am, so I wasn't in much of a hurry. While I sat, I probed the minds of former thru-hikers Neema and Outside Dog. Along with some help from Queen Diva, I was able to figure out the perfect time to have Evan come and hike with me! I decided to take the day to plan out the section, which kept me busy in town. I think that the plan will be for her to meet me in Damascus, VA (about 200 miles from here) and for us to hike 3-4 days through the Graceland Highlands before she is picked up. I can't wait!I settled in at the Laughing Heart hostel on the south end of town and repacked my gear for a little more efficiency. I managed a return trip to the local tavern for dinner and some social interaction. Despite the funky hiker smell that permeated the hotel's bunkroom, I managed to fall asleep and sleep restfully through the night. Looking to make it to Erwin, TN in about 3 days!
Date: 2015-03-28
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Waking up in the morning, the sour feet smell of the bunkroom had all but disappeared. At least that's what I thought until I returned from a trip to the bathroom. The combined stench of 6 thru hikers and their gear hit me like a tsunami. We stunk! Haha. Soon, I was packed up and headed to downtown. A prolonged stay at the Hikers Ridge allowed me some last minute in-laws time. I ate lunch, updated my trail journal, snacked on cookies & coffee, and socialized with other hikers. Around noon, I gave my farewells and headed out. It still felt surprisingly cold outside, especially when the wind picked up. In fact, there were a few places where the ground was still frozen and nearly an inch of snow remained from last night! I settled down at Deep Gap (there seem to be a lot of gaps with this name) after a short 12.8mi. No sooner had I finished cooking my dinner and climbed into my sleeping bag did Jared & Erika (who now go by Blackbeard & Hot Pants, respectively) come down the trail. They apparently were racing another 4mi ahead to a hostel and encouraged me to join. Although the thought of a warm bed sounded nice, I had already spoiled myself in Hot Springs and didn't feel like rushing ahead with daylight quickly running out, only to spend more money on a hostel. I'll tough out the cold weather tonight for free. I mean, heck, the low tonight is only 22°!
Date: 2015-03-29
From: Deep Gap

To: Flint Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

According to another hiker (who I'm assuming had a thermometer) it got down to 11 degrees last night. Not sure how accurate that is, but I stayed surprisingly warm in my tent. This was the first night that I didn't have any wind while tenting. I woke up a few times during the night and was surprised to hear literally nothing. Just silence. It was pretty awesome. When I got up in the morning, there was a sheet of ice lining the inside of my tent, probably from the condensation of my breath, and my water bottle was frozen solid. It took almost 3 hours of walking before it thawed enough to drink! Although I woke up feeling warm and toasty, I soon found myself cursing the temperature as I tore down my tent and packed everything away. My extremities were all frozen for the first mile of my walk. I was just getting all warmed up when I arrived at the Hemlock Hollow hostel for a food resupply. I ran into Blackbeard and Hot Pants there and we hiked together for a few miles until we stopped for lunch. I was able to get just enough signal to send out a few texts, all of them to Evan, before no more signal could be found. This is getting very frustrating and I'm glad that I have a sim card on the way that will allow me to roam on other networks. Hopefully that will allow me a better connection to both Evan and my family when it arrives in a few days.Alone after a quick lunch, I pressed on. For a solid 4-5mi of the trail today, my pace was significantly slowed by large rocks & boulders which I had to traverse. The unsure footing and large steps that accompanied this terrain also did quite a number on my feet and knees. I'm sure that this soreness will be at least somewhat noticeable tomorrow.The sun was quickly retreating as I rolled into Flint Mountain Shelter. Today's total mileage is exactly 20mi, but I definitely exceeded this number with my off-trail wanderings in search of cell signal and mountaintop views. I made light conversation with Signage, Biscuit, Mozart, and Alex (a spring break hiker from Chicago) while I cooked and soon the lack of daylight drove everyone into their bags for the night. Hopefully there are no mice in this shelter, but I kinda doubt it. There are mice in EVERY shelter. But hey, as long as they don't eat any more holes in my stuff, I guess don't mind too much.
Date: 2015-03-31
From: Big Bald

To: Nolichucky River
Miles today: 18.0

I woke up as the sun hit my tent in the morning. After a few minutes of silently debating whether to get up or not, I got up and packed everything away. I was quickly on the trail and arrived at the Bald Mountain Shelter in less than an hour. After signing the register, I had a quick chat with Banjo Jack and got to meet his dog, Notorious D.O.G., before I skirted up the trail. Due to either a rapidly increasing appetite or improper planning (perhaps a bit of both), I was running dangerously low on food. After a meager breakfast, I was down to 6oz of honey to last me the next 16mi into town. Not good! Thankfully though, the trail provided. A few section hikers accidentally left some tortillas at the next shelter. That, along with some tuna from Romeo, was enough to get me the last 6mi into "town". Not long after I arrived and threw my stuff into the cabin, it was time for dinner. We took the free shuttle 3mi from Uncle Johnny's hostel into Erwin for dinner and gorged ourselves on Mexican food and then did a bit of grocery shopping at Walmart. Soon, we were headed back to Uncle Johnny's. After a bit of creative squeezing, we were able to set the cabin capacity record - 7 hikers and gear into a 4-person, 200sqft cabin. But hey, there were no rats and some of us even got mattresses. That's good living on the trail! Tomorrow's plan is to hit up Huddle House for a big breakfast and then make an easy 8mi to Indian Grave Gap where Fresh Ground will be set up with some trail magic.P.S. Still no word about Signage. I heard from Biscuit, Blackbeard, and Hot Pants and they had little to report other than she was okay and had likely suffered from a sprained/broken ankle.
Date: 2015-04-01
From: Nolichucky River

To: Indian Grave Gap 
Miles today: 8.8

The free shuttle to Huddle House left at 9am, so everyone slept in far past the normal sunrise wake-up time. After eating my fill on a smorgasbord of breakfast food, we piled back on the van and returned to Uncle Johnny's to pack up. One by one, everyone began trickling out of the hostel towards Fresh Grounds at Indian Grave Gap. I got preoccupied fiddling with my gear and then spent time waiting on my phone to charge. Sitting on the front porch, I got caught up in an enjoyable conversation with Silverheels and Mrs. Dash and didn't leave until mid-afternoon.The short 8.8mi to the gap was the easiest mileage I've done on the trail. I arrived to the greeting of a solid 15 of my fellow hikers and a plate of four hot dogs and homemade fries. I was soon filled to the point of self-loathing, when we decoded to throw around the frisbee. I knew that thing would come in handy! Tomorrow sounds like it should be a great hiking day, if the forecasts play out correctly. I'm only 2 days away from staying at "the barn" and I'm looking forward to it.