morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-09-16
From: Gooch Gap

To: Home
Miles today: 164.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Things definitely happen for a reason.Within 24 hours of leaving the trail, my sweet mother-in-law passed away. I think it was divine intervention that enabled me to be home when Laura got the call.Here are some things I will do differently when I get back on the trail.Don¢t try to do too many miles. 8 -12 per day is plenty depending on elevation changeDon¢t attempt too large of a section at one time. There were many hikers at Gooch Mountain Shelter who have completed many states in 3-4 day chunks.Don¢t carry too much food. I was never hungry on the trail and had to force myself to eat. I also carried fancy backpacking food. The freeze dried nighttime food is fine, but all the bars that were for lunch and breakfast were hard to eat. The next time I am going to carry Little Debbie oatmeal cr me pies, cheez-its, and other junk food that tastes good.Be mindful of how much water is available on various sections. There was so much water on the section I did that I could have carried 1 ¢ 1.5 liters instead of the three I was carrying.Go with a couple of friends. Everyone I met on the trail was nice and friendly, but going with your own friends will definitely make it more enjoyable.Take Ambien. Even though I was very tired, I never slept much. Mice are everywhere and you hear their pitter patter all night long. You also hear every other person in camp. Sleeping in the woods is not the same as passing out on my porch on a sofa after a big meal and several glasses of wine.Here are some things I did correctly.My shoes, socks, poles, pack, tent, cook set, stove, water filtration were all great. I think my sleeping pad is the right choice, but unfortunately, I ended up with a defective one. If the weather is going to be warm, I will only take a top quilt. I did not get inside my sleeping bag until 2-3am and never zipped it up. And my sleeping bag is rated for 30 degrees, so it was not a heavy bag.I look forward to a return trip either later this year or early next year. I will try to pick a 3-4 day window with moderate weather that is not in the thru hiker season. Evidently March, April and October get very crowded on the Ga section due to nice weather and the thru hikers.My sister and her husband have done this before me and want to go again, so they will be willing partners.
Date: 2018-03-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

A long-time dream is about to come true. An adventure I have been planning and preparing for over the last several months. On April 16, I'll embark on the five-month hike on the Appalachian Trail¢2,190 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine. My initial plan was to hike alone. Then I remembered that my friend Dan and I had once discussed hiking the Appalachian Trail a few years ago. I texted him last fall asking if he still wanted to do the AT. Apparently, earlier that same day, he and his brother had been talking about just that, while hiking in Washington state, where he now lives. He had to give it more thought. A few days later, he texted a picture of his new hiking shoes: "I'm in." We'll have more company along the way¢a couple friends, my daughter, and son are planning to meet us on the trail at different locations. It's a big deal to up and leave for five months. I'm thankful to have the support of my wife, Whitney, and the encouragement of my family and friends. I'm a lucky guy.y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-16
From: Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: overcast clouds

We're off! We started our hike in Amicalola Falls State Park, Georgia. This is where the "approach trail" to the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) begins. It's a 8.8-mile trail to the top of Springer Mountain (elevation: 3,782 ft.), which is the official starting point of the A.T. The approach trail was originally part of the A.T. in the 1930s, and besides, what's an extra 8.8 miles when we are about to do 2,190! I'm hiker number 2259 and Dan is 2260. 4,000 hikers are expected on the trail this year, and according to past statistics, only 25% will finish. Last night we stayed in a lodge in the state park. The sound of a cold, hard wind blowing outside kept me awake. The temperature was 31°F when we started at 8:21 this morning; it's another chilly and windy day with a high of 45°F. The approach trail began with 604 stair steps up the face of the Amicalola waterfall. With my 37-lb backpack, it was quite a challenge! After that, we had rolling hills, terrain with moderate climbs. Then, 2.5 miles in, it began to sleet and snow. We got to Springer Mountain at 12:40 p.m.--the official start. From there, we continued to Stover Creek shelter, making today's hike a total of 11.6 miles. We met a few people today, from Chicago, Texas, New Orleans, and other places. And found one gentleman sitting with his head down who said, "Don't talk to me!". Apparently he was having an existential crisis. Weird. A freezing night here in the Stover Creek camp ground, only able to sleep a little. We expect it to warm up soon.y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-17
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: clear sky

A beautiful day! It warmed up to 70°F, (after a freezing cold morning). Today we left Stover Creek shelter and hiked 12.9 miles to the Gooch Mountain shelter. It was very scenic and we saw several mountains--that is, we'd finish going down one mountain and then see another we'd have to go up. This is what they call P.U.D.S, "Pointless Ups and Downs". But it is really very pretty. We stopped at a couple rivers to replenish our water supply. Since it was warm today we got pretty thirsty, but there is plenty to drink. We came across a lot of people on the trail, and are spending the night among a group of about 20 here in the shelter and nearby tents. Nice day today and tomorrow should be just as nice! y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-18
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: clear sky

Today was a mountainous hike from the Gooch Mountain shelter to Neels Gap--another 15.4 miles. We started at 7:15 a.m. (earlier than usual because we knew today's hike would be an arduous one), and finished at 3:45 p.m. In the afternoon, we crossed Blood Mountain (elevation: 4,457 ft.) Blood Mountain is an appropriately named peak. It was tough going up; it was tough coming down. Back when I was reading about this trip, in the comfort of my own home, I read that 25% of A.T. hikers quit by Neels Gap and I always wondered why. It's only 39.9 miles from our starting point, Amicalola Falls State Park, and only 31.1 miles Springer Mountain, the official starting point of the A.T. ... Well, now I know. I can understand why people would quit after all that difficult hiking and climbing, especially when the weather is so cold at the beginning. By midday we had excellent weather: sunny, blue skies, so whenever we got to the top of the mountains, we were treated to beautiful views. And tonight we sleep in a hotel. Charlotte, Dan's wife, who saw us off at Amicalola Falls, is staying around for our first few days. Now that we've been hiking for three days, she drove up to pick us up at Neels Gap, and took us to a hotel. (I just had a shower. Comfort.) Tomorrow morning, she'll take us back to the trail where we left off, we'll hike for two more days, then another hotel stay, and then one day of hiking and one more hotel. It's a big help, and I appreciate the effort she has put into this¢thanks Charlotte! After day 6, she flies back home to Washington State and we're really on our own. p.s. I'm adding more photos each day, click on Photos on the left to see the whole gallery. There is also a Guestbook where you can sign and leave me a message. :)y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-19
From: Neels Gap

To: Lower Gap shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night we stayed at a Best Western in Blairsville, GA, a quaint southern town. I had a big burger and french fries for dinner--oh that was so delicious--and then all-you-can-eat breakfast at the hotel--waffles, eggs....... needless to say, we ate quite a bit before heading back out to the trail. As I looked at the plan for today all I saw were mountains and gaps--up a mountain, down a mountain, gap, up, down gap... and so on. But a couple interesting things happened along the trail. At 8:20 this morning we had picked back up at Neels Gap. Gap, which means, we started out uphill. It was 55°F and the wind was blowing close to 30mph. That all made it... not too much fun. We had to bundle up to stay warm but the funny thing is, on one side of the mountain it's windy and cold, then on the other side: no wind, and you're facing the sun, which is always welcome.Along the way, we found this... display, right on the side of the trail at the foot of a tree, (see photo), then later on, we experienced our first *Trail Magic.* Trail magic is when people show up at some part of the trail, usually where it meets a road, and set up a camper or van or table with all kinds of food and candy just for thru-hikers (thru-hikers are hikers who intend to make it the entire A.T., like us!). It's all free, so we took advantage, had some drinks and candies and took a break before heading back up the next mountain. We reached our destination: Lower Gap shelter, a total of 11.5 miles later, at about 1:20 p.m. We made good time today, getting in earlier than expected. We found a place to set up our tents and relax in camp for the rest of the day. We've been through cold weather up here so far, and hear that the temperature is supposed to go down to freezing tonight, to which we say.... BRING IT ON!y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-20
From: Lower Gap shelter

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: clear sky

It was hard to get up from my nice warm spot in the tent this morning. We got up early, 6:00 a.m., ready to head out by 7, and hike the 9.7 miles to Unicoi Gap. As we left the shelter and began our ascent, we saw the most beautiful sunrise right above the mountain. You could see the sunlight reflect off the other mountains behind. The green of the trees against the golden glow of the sun was amazing. No picture would do this justice. We looked. We enjoyed. We continued on, and witnessed the sunrise again over a second higher mountain. At Unicoi gap, at noon, Charlotte picked us up to take us into the town of Hiawassee, GA to ressuply. We went immediately to a mexican restaurant. Then, after cleaning up and resting in the hotel room... we pigged out again at the Hawg Wild BBQ and Catfish House. Now we're getting ready to go to sleep before another early start. Tomorrow we will "slack pack"¢that is, leave our backpacks behind and just carry lunch and water. It will be our longest day¢16.7 miles, but without the heavy pack, should be great.  y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-21
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Dicks Creek Gap
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: clear sky

We started from Unicoi Gap at 7:40 a.m. and hiked all the way to Dicks Creek Gap by 2:24 p.m. for a total of 16.7 miles. Since this was our slack pack day, it was great! Whenever we saw a mountain coming up, we didn't think twice¢no 35-lb backpack to haul up this time. We hiked about a mile with a volunteer from a group in Georgia who helps maintain the trail. Cool! And later on, in a clearing, we met Keith, who was there with his wife, providing *Trail Magic!*¢an assortment of hot and cold drinks and goodies to eat. It's always nice to see that, and it's awesome of him to be out here on this windy, chilly day. We stopped and chatted with him for a bit. Thanks Keith! Overall, an uneventful day of great hiking and beautiful vistas. Charlotte was waiting for us at the end of today's hike, and now I'm in a hotel with my legs up on a pillow, resting before dinner. y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-22
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today we are taking an unplanned zero. A "zero day," as you might guess, is a day on which you do no hiking. Strong thunderstorms and heavy winds have moved in. Last night we knew there might be some weather, but still planned to leave in the morning. Then at breakfast I said to Dan, "What's plan B?". He said "Let me get my coffee, then we'll talk about it." Dan had been up at 2:00 a.m. already thinking about this. At first we considered hiring a car service to pick us up later in the day so we could slack pack, but without cell-phone coverage there would be too much risk missing the meeting point/not being able to contact the driver, and being stranded without our supplies. And we looked at the radar and forecast, and decided it was too dangerous to be out there at all, especially when the storm is more extreme up on the mountains. So as I sit here in the hotel, some thoughts about the A.T. so far:When we started, back at the lodge at Amicalola Falls, there was a 3-story tall map of the entire A.T. in the lobby. On day one I knew what I was getting into, but standing at the bottom floor looking up at the end point I thought-- "holy moly that is so far away!" ... And I was excited. Excitement got us up those first 604 steps. Excitement helped us set up camp after that first cold and snowy day. Every night as we arrive at our campsite after a long, tiring hike, we think, "I could be home in bed right now, instead I'm freezing in the woods, what are we doing here?!" Then I fall asleep, wake up the next morning, and have the answer. It's awesome being on the trail. So beautiful. Often while we're hiking we're just looking down, being careful where we step, and we have to remind ourselves to look up, look left, look right, so we don't miss the beauty that is all around. So, we get up, get hiking, warm up. Then go through the cycle again. I consider myself to be physically fit, and mentally strong, and hiking the A.T. takes both, (more-so the latter). By the second day, my body started asking, "What are you doing to me?!" My shoulder aches, though I keep adjusting the straps on the backpack; my left knee is tired of coming down steep hills; my right calf.... Suffice it to say, the body is complaining. As a long-distance runner, I expected this, and am able to manage it. As the days go on I feel stronger. After five days of hiking, 78 miles covered, I'm feeling good. Tomorrow by 9:00 a.m. the worst of the storm will have passed, and we'll trek on, taking it easy if need be. Every mile is one closer to our destination. There will be miserable days, there will be awe-inspiring days, and through it all, I'm enjoying this. y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-23
From: Dicks Creek Gap

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: moderate rain

We got up, went for breakfast at the lodge and checked the weather: two more days of rain. Having already taken a zero yesterday because of heavy rain and wind, we decided to go. John, a resident of Hiawassee had a van service that took us back to the trail for a fee, and we picked back up at Dicks Creek Gap at 8:50 a.m. On the way to Standing Indian Shelter, we will get to North Carolina. Yay! One state down, 13 more to go! We were welcomed to NC by a doozy of a climb. It was harder still since it rained all day. After 16.7 miles, the usual: set up camp, cook, eat, go to sleep.p.s. Sorry for the delay in updates, there's no wifi in the woods! I'll be catching up over the next couple days.y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-24
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Long Branch Shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Today we go from Standing Indian Shelter to Long Branch Shelter: 16.3 miles. Also in the rain.So far, I have made three mistakes. The worst was coming out of the shelter back to the trail¢we made a wrong turn and it was about 2 miles before re realized; thats 4 additional miles today. We'd previously agreed that the person following should double check the turns, so this one's on me.A couple days ago, I was cooking mashed potatoes, and was hungry so I reached over for tuna to mix in and accidentally knocked over the pot. This little stove is pretty unstable so just barely touching it, it goes down. No dinner that night! Then, when trying to inflate the airpad, I noticed it was taking too long... because I hadn't plugged in the hole that lets the air out. Welp, I will be making a lot more. Onward!y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-25
From: Long Branch Shelter

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Long Branch Shelter to Siler Bald Shelter: 11.4 miles. The rain stopped and today was partly cloudy which made for a better hike. We tried to stay in a shelter for the first time. A shelter is a structure with three walls and a roof and floor, where hikers can sleep, one next to the other. This shelter accommodated eight people. One of them was called Fright Train (his trail name), and soon it was easy to figure out why. Freight Train is the loudest snorer I have ever heard! Dan left the shelter and set up his own tent in order to sleep. I, on the other hand, decided to stick it out, too tired to set up my tent. What. A. Mistake. Barely slept last night. y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-26
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Wesser Bald Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: clear sky

Today was a long day¢17.4 miles from Siler Bald Shelter to Wesser Bald Shelter. Long, especially since it rained and rained and of course it was cold cold rain. The trail was slippery with water running down it. Socks, shoes, everything wet. I slipped and fell about three times. Not a good day. Tent, dinner, sleep. It was particularly nice to get in the tent tonight. The rain continued but I didn't care since I was warm in my sleeping bag.y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-27
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: light rain

Today was a short day¢6.7 miles from Wessar Bald Shelter to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC)¢but a hard downhill, and we couldn't wait to get to NOC for a burger and fries. Oh boy, burger and fries never tasted so good! We will spend the night here in a motel for supplies, showers, and laundry. Looks like the next few days will be sunny. Finally, nice hiking weather. y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-28
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

This morning at the NOC, we got up, had a good breakfast¢french toast, potatoes, and hot chocolate for me, and eggs, hashbrowns, toast, and *tons of coffee* for Dan¢and headed out for a beautiful sunny day of hiking... and quite a climb. We went from an altitude of 1,732 ft to 5,062 ft in four hours. Cheoah Bald is the name of the peak. From there a few more ups and downs til we got to the shelter at Brown Fork Gap. Since it was so nice out, we actually hiked 5 more miles than planned, for a total of 16 miles.y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain
Date: 2018-04-29
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Village
Miles today: 12.0

Today we woke up early, and it was really cold out¢low- to mid- 30s. But no cold rain! :D The chilly morning turned into another beautiful, sunny day. We continued on an uneventful 12-mile descent from yesterday's peak down toward Fontana Village. We were looking forward to getting there for a re-supply. A clear view of Fontana Dam from the trail gave the illusion that we were always so near, so it felt like forever. From our stopping point on the trail, we were going to call for a car into town, when a guy named Two Sticks, (he hiked the AT last year), came by and offered to take us to our lodge. Thanks for the lift! Tomorrow we'll be taking a zero before we enter into Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the location of four of the tallest mountains on the AT. We'll get enough supplies for the next five days, and have plenty to eat before heading back out. The trail picks up again with another big climb, up to 4,400 ft. p.s. Thank you everyone who has been commenting! Your encouraging words help us a lot, keep 'em coming! Once we're in the Smokys there is definitely no connectivity, so the next entries will take a while. Stay tuned!y not¢Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn¢t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.¢¢Mark Twain