morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-04-06
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: clear sky

What a difference a night makes! Went from a beautiful sunny day yesterday to 28 degrees this morning! It was too cold to do anything but walk! I never imagined that it would be this cold every day and how uncomfortable that makes life on the trail. Hiking these mountains, both up and down, can be grueling but dealing with the cold every night makes life really miserable. Living in the tent has been working out ok, we have a three person tent as we are no longer nimble enough to move easily and tend to keep getting in each other's way. In addition, it looks like a duck lives in here too cause there are down feathers every where! I have been plenty warm most nights but Great Gramps is barely getting by, and that is with most of his clothes on and his sleeping bag completely closed. Our bags are rated at 20 degrees but right now that is not good enough. When we get to Franklin, we will go to the resupply store and see what we can find to make life easier and maybe trade out some items. Tonight we are at Standing Indian Shelter, have plenty of water and had a hot meal. And at 7:30, it is time for bed!
Date: 2016-04-07
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Carter gap
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I truly enjoy the physical challenge of hiking up and down every mountain. The weather has been really awful, way too cold with wind gusts easily topping 40 mph. Today we crossed five thousand feet for the first time. The elevations in NC are considerably higher than in Georgia and therefore colder. Looking forward to warmer weather and finding some good beer in Franklin, NC.Great GrampsThe rains and winds came in with a gusto last night and then the thunderstorms started! The lightning was so bright and the thunder was right on top of us and it was terrifying! This continued for several hours and I didn't sleep a wink. Fortunately it was a little above freezing and therefore we didn't get snow, just rain. Packed up a wet and muddy tent this morning and off we went. Standing Indian Mountain was wonderful to hike with lots of switchbacks. We crossed lots of little streams, some easier than others.. Almost made it to the campsite when the rain and hail started again but we got the tent set up ok under a groove of rhododendrens which should offer some additional shelter. We haven't had cell phone coverage for three days now and not having access to weather reports is difficult. Word on the trail is that from now to Saturday is supposed to be really bad...Can't imagine how much worse that could be!Farmor
Date: 2016-04-07
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Carter gap
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: light rain

I truly enjoy the physical challenge of hiking up and down every mountain. The weather has been really awful, way too cold with wind gusts easily topping 40 mph. Today we crossed five thousand feet for the first time. The elevations in NC are considerably higher than in Georgia and therefore colder. Looking forward to warmer weather and finding some good beer in Franklin, NC.Great GrampsThe rains and winds came in with a gusto last night and then the thunderstorms started! The lightning was so bright and the thunder was right on top of us and it was terrifying! This continued for several hours and I didn't sleep a wink. Fortunately it was a little above freezing and therefore we didn't get snow, just rain. Packed up a wet and muddy tent this morning and off we went. Standing Indian Mountain was wonderful to hike with lots of switchbacks. We crossed lots of little streams, some easier than others.. Almost made it to the campsite when the rain and hail started again but we got the tent set up ok under a groove of rhododendrens which should offer some additional shelter. We haven't had cell phone coverage for three days now and not having access to weather reports is difficult. Word on the trail is that from now to Saturday is supposed to be really bad...Can't imagine how much worse that could be!Farmor
Date: 2016-04-08
From: Carter gap

To: Long Branch Shelter
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up to snow! Most of the hikers that stayed in the shelter headed out very early this morning to try and get into a town and since they are young and can hike quickly, they stand a good chance of making it. We knew that we could not do that distance quickly so set our site on the next shelter which was 8.5 miles away. The trail was beautiful in the snow and we were warm as long as we kept moving. It hailed lightly most of the day and that was better than rain cause we could just brush it off but it made conditions treacherous and slow going in places. Albert mountain was very steep, rocky and muddy and the trail was literally on the side of a cliff and a long way down. We decided to bypass the lookout tower thinking it would be too dangerous in this weather. Good choice! (The bypass road was the same distance and uphill of course).We arrived at the Long Branch shelter and since there were not many tent sites, we decided to stay in the shelter. Tonight is our first night in an actual shelter and is newly built. It is two story and there are about 10 of us in all. It is a little noisy as it always is with any group of people, so we shall see how it goes. If we could just stay warm! Our new goal in life is just to be warm!
Date: 2016-04-09
From: Long Branch Shelter

To: Winding Stair gap
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: snow

When will the cold stop? We slept in the shelter and the tarp that was hung over the opening of the hut did nothing to keep the wind and cold out. We froze! It was so hard to get out off the sleeping bags but on the plus side, it was easier to pack up without having to take down a tent with frozen fingers. We started hiking quickly just to warm up and stopped at the next shelter (about 3 miles) and took a break, made coffee and had something to eat. Had two big climbs today but only one was really steep and when we got to Winding stair gap, there was trail magic!!!! Plus we got a ride 11 miles into Franklin by a volunteer! Unfortunately, most of the rooms were already booked because of the influx of hikers trying to avoid the cold weather but we finally were able to get a room on the outer edge of town. The laundromat is two blocks away and there is a Mexican restaurant just a little farther...and they have booze! All is good with the world tonight. We are warm!
Date: 2016-04-10
From: Winding Stair gap

To: Franklin
Miles today: 0.0

Had a great day today in Franklin. We walked down to the laundromat this morning and now everything is clean including us! Great Gramps is able to watch the Masters golf tournament and is very happy. We ordered pizza to be delivered tonight and bought a bottle of wine from the store at the gas station so we are living high and appreciating luxury at its finest. Tomorrow is our resupply day and hopefully our choices will determine our comfort level for the near future and make life a little less miserable on the trail.Happy birthday Erik!
Date: 2016-04-11
From: Franklin

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Rented a car today in Franklin, headed to the post office to pick up our resupply packages and then to the main part of town for lunch and finally to the outfitters. After a couple of hours of shopping, Great Gramps had a new back pack, sleeping bag and sleeping pad plus a few other items. We will be mailing the old equipment home in the morning and then off we go, back to Winding Stair Gap to continue on the trail. Of course it is supposed to rain tomorrow!
Date: 2016-04-12
From: Winding stair gap

To: SILAR BALD
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: light rain

Went to the post office and mailed home all the old equipment, returned the rental car and had them drop us off at Winding Stair Gap.The drive back to the AT was an adventure as the driver began to talk about alternate universes, Lucifer and the Bible and a whole lot of stuff I never heard of. The more he talked, the more animated he became, waving his hands around rather than keeping them on the steering wheel and the less focused on driving he became. He almost hit one car but fortunately the other driver was able to avoid a collision. We were pretty shaken up by the time we got to our destination and were happy to finally escape into the woods.The weather was muggy but no rain today! It is always a little difficult to get back into the rhythm of hiking but we managed to trudge along most of the morning and early afternoon. We got to Silar Bald and decided to be content with a short first day back on the trail. We needed water so we followed the signs to the Shelter. That was a mistake! The blue blaze trail was so steep and so long...we finally just took off our packs and left them on the trail and brought the filter and containers the rest of the way to the little creek by the shelter. It literally took us about two hours to get back to our packs and the Bald where we set up camp and just collapsed on our pads for a while. Finally summoned up enough energy to cook supper, eat a few Oreos and bed down for the night. Great Gramps is very happy with his new sleeping pad and bag and passed out immediately. Gonna be a good night!
Date: 2016-04-13
From: SILAR BALD

To: Wayah shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Woke to birds singing and sun shine. Took our time packing up, had breakfast and headed back to the Bald. This is an area on top off a mountain with no trees, looks like a big meadow. I hiked to the summit from there and could not believe the panoramic view of the mountains! Just spectacular! We then headed back on the trail north to Wayah gap and mountain. It was such a steep climb the whole way and the only view was of the bare trees. The trail was so rocky, with smaller rocks that just cut into your shoes and make your feet ache. We heard lots of woodpeckers all day which was unusual and saw new little flowers that are beginning to bloom everywhere confirming the beginning of spring. There was trail magic at the top of Wayah Bald and an amazing stone fire tower. Again, the views were magnificent and we could actually see the summit at Silar Bald where we had started our day. We finished the day in the area of Wayah Shelter, set up our tent and cooked dinner. We eat in the tent with the pan set between our sleeping pads cause it is warmer inside. Some nights I take a few bites and then am so tired I lie down to chew. Great Gramps eats more than I do and I know we have both lost weight so it is important we try to take in more calories to keep our strength up. Unfortunately, food weighs a lot and it is hard to keep the weight of the packs down. Another incentive to eat and therefore lighten the load.
Date: 2016-04-14
From: Wayah shelter

To: Tellico gap
Miles today: 0.0

It didn't rain overnight but it was very overcast this morning and cool so we started the day with our rain gear on, just in case. We found water early after using all of ours for coffee and cereal. The morning remained cool which is good hiking weather and we slowly discarded layers as we warmed up moving uphill. Great Gramps likes the uphill as do most other hikers but I hate it unless it is just a mild slope. There are no mild slopes on the AT! Downhill is easier for me mainly because of my hiking poles which I highly recommend. They are called Pacer Poles and I had to order them from the UK (thanks Ellen!) They are ergonomic and allow the user to lengthen the poles for the downhill thus putting your weight on the heels of your hands and not your knees when you steep down. Shorten the poles and they will take the burden when you need to step up. They have been so valuable and I don't think I could do this hike without them.We stopped at Cold Water Shelter for a snack and more water and then headed off thinking we would find a campground along the way as the afternoon wore on. We made it all the way down the mountain to Tellico gap and decided we could not go any farther today. There is a small parking area in the gap and we set up our tent in the corner, made dinner and called it a day.
Date: 2016-04-15
From: Tellico gap

To: Rufus Morgan Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Fire towerLong downhill. Pack off twiceBeautiful viewsExhausteThese were my only notes from yesterday before I passed out. I will expand a little, before I pass out again! Our early morning hike brought us up from Tellico gap to the fire tower and offered 360 degree views of the mountains. The majesty of this mountain range is amazing with views that will take your breath away every day (along with the uphill climb to view it!).Then we started the long downhill to the NOC and the descent lived up to it's reputation. Twice I had to take my pack off and sit down to safely get down the rocks. We both had sore feet by the time we got to the last shelter but we made it in one piece and will save the NOC till the morning and have a short day before the 7 mile uphill climb.
Date: 2016-04-16
From: Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: NOC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Woke fairly early and excited about arriving at the NOC, getting our resupply package and enjoying the easy day.However...There is always a hiker with an attitude and I met one this morning. A solo male hiker came in a little later than most last evening and choose to set up his tent right in front of the central fire pit. We had cooked our dinner there, chatted a moment before we turned in. Some of the hikers had a fire going and chatted into the night but it was not a problem. This morning most of the younger hikers got an early start as usual and we packed up most of our stuff and decided to have coffee and breakfast. I brought my whisperlite stove, water and two cups to the fire pit to heat (8:45) and this guy comes out of his tent demanding to know why I was cooking in his campsite! Really? He proceeded to smoke, cough, spit and stomp around but we just ignored him, finished packing our things and escaped to the woods. Arrived at the NOC at short time later, got a room and picked up our resupply box and of course, showered and did laundry! This is a center for rafting and zip lining and it was fun to watch all the activities. Food was good as was the beer and wine and now it is early to bed as we have the long uphill (7 miles) to start tomorrow. Ugh!
Date: 2016-04-17
From: NOC

To: Sassafras gap shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: clear sky

Decided to get up early (for us) and go to the NOC restaurant for a hearty breakfast when it opened at eight o'clock before we hit the trail. The coffee was great! Went back to our room and packed up and headed out to do the long climb out of the NOC. Everybody had been talking about it and how hard it is and they were all correct. But we did it! And it was exhausting. And it took us all day! The weather was warm and there wasn't any breeze and not much shade but we kept plugging away, one foot in front of the other. Definitely an accomplishment!
Date: 2016-04-18
From: Sassafras gap shelter

To: Stecoah gap
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Started the morning with oatmeal and coffee. It is truly amazing how important water has become and how everything we do on the trail revolves around the availability of water. What we cook and eat, what we need to drink, where we stay the night and the proximity of available water and how far off trail we will go to get it. Everything we do depends on water. The handle on our water filter broke again and we duck taped a rock to try and substitute for a handle, so far it is working pretty well. It was a very warm day today with very little wind which made the uphill climbs a little harder to do. Took lots of breaks, tried to eat lots of snacks and of course, drank a lot of water!Finished our day at Stecoah Gap and there was trail magic which was left on the picnic tables. Water, apples and bananas! Yummy! We had walked for about 8 hours today and are now stealth camping (again) on a closed service road that is no longer being used. For the first time we were too tired to cook supper so had some fruit, nuts and jerky. Will make it up at breakfast time.
Date: 2016-04-19
From: Stecoah gap

To: Cody gap
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Had a great breakfast of hash browns and bacon bits with melted gouda cheese since we did not eat a real dinner last night. And of course, more apples left over from the trail fairy. We really have to pay attention to nutrition or we won't have the energy to make these climbs and miles.Started up the stairs across the hwy and about a mile later came to a section called Jacob's Ladder. It didn't look too bad on the map but it was bad. Real bad!The trail was lovely in spots but then handfuls of rocks, boulders, downed logs and muck were thrown in for good measure. Never a dull moment.Tonight we are camping at Cody Gap with precious water a steep .2 miles west. We will replenish in the morning before we leave.
Date: 2016-04-20
From: Cody gap

To: FONTANA village
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: clear sky

Beautiful morning at Cody Gap and we refilled our water supply and headed out, not sure if we would make it to Fontana village tonight or not. We knew that we would have two climbs today but neither one looked too bad...steep but short. Ha! Nothing on this trail is easy and when it does start to get really pleasant, there will suddenly appear some obstacle to overcome. We were almost at the top of the second climb, it was high 80s and I was running out of gas. Great Gramps was ahead of me still charging up the hill when a young male hiker came up behind me to pass. Panting, I asked him to please tell the man up the hill that his wife wants him to take a break. The young man looked confused and then said "so sorry, I am Japanese and do not speak English". My heart sank and if I had phone reception I would have called Lina and asked her to translate! But alas,I was doomed to hike on. I lived...barely.For the first time there was an obvious burst of spring everywhere! So many different flowers in bloom and trees with sudden green growth. At one point it felt like a magical forest and the only thing missing were the little fairies. Enchanting!We made the decision to try and get into Fontana and so we really had to hustle to get down of the mountain before dark. The trail was pretty mild and all downhill so our toes took a hit. We made it safely to the parking area at the base just as a shuttle was pulling up and we hopped in and went to the Fontana Lodge where we got a room for two nights (taking a zero tomorrow) to take a recovery break and get our resupply box. Accommodations are very nice and we get a discount as we are "thru hikers". Just wish they had better internet access here, Verizon is the only working phone/network here and unless I am in the lobby or restaurant, I can't connect to the wifi. I am so spoiled!One month today!!!
Date: 2016-04-21
From: FONTANA village

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Great Gramps here. Some random thoughts after a month on the trail. First, not that Georgia is easy, but North Carolina is tougher, much more so in my humble opinion. Both the ups and downs are steeper and longer. "Jacobs Ladder" is a true challenge. Regarding challenges, a major reason for me doing the trail is to confront the pure physical challenges faced every day. The only comparable physical challenge in my life was USMC Boot camp in 1968. Next, the trail always offers up a surprise to test your endurance both physical and mental. Rocks, boulders, roots, mud and the combination of all these often complicate what seems like an easy stretch. The trail demands focus and concentration. Relax for a moment and the danger of a slip or worse increases significantly. Trying to maintain focus through intense physical exertion is draining. I was fortunate to have had the ability to do some pre-trail training which had proved to be very beneficial. Unfortunately, Farmor didn't have the same opportunity for a variety of reasons. Watching her sheer determination to overcome the most difficult sections of the AT over the last week has been pure inspiration for me. Finally, making the descent into Fontana was magical. For the first time, green was the predominant colour of the forest. A multitude of flowers covered floor and the air was filled with a sweet fragrance. Appalachian spring!
Date: 2016-04-23
From: FONTANA LODGE

To: Smokies campground 
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: light rain

Woke to a clear day, the storms had passed and the weather was cool, perfect for hiking. Called for a shuttle from the lobby and we were delivered to the AT crossing, exactly where we had gotten off the trail a few days ago. It was interesting how quiet it was for a Saturday being at a resort and on a lake but there was nobody around...except the bikers. Fontana Village is very close to an area called "Tail of the Dragon". There are 318 curves over eleven miles. Almost every guest was a motorcyclist and looking forward to a ride. We could hear the shifting of the engines long after we entered the woods.We crossed Fontana Dam and entered the Smokie Mountains, dropping our permits for backcountry hiking in the box. There were a fair amount of hikers on the trail today, both thru and day hikers. It was quite a climb (of course!) Up out of Fontana but not nearly as bad as the climb out of the NOC. Thank goodness! We hiked about seven and a half miles, stopping at the only legal campground entering the Smokies. From here on, we are required to stay in shelters and only unless they are full can we set up a tent near by. This changes our routine a bit from being able to stop whenever and wherever we can to making sure that we are hiking early enough and hard enough to make the next shelter. I have heard that fines for not complying can run as high as$600 and I would rather save my money for town expenses. We are also required to hang our food bags in the Smokies which we have not always done before. Haven't seen any bears yet, just one snake which we think was a baby rattler. We have heard about the wild fires in the area and that sections of the trail are closed, at least temporarily. Hopefully, we won't be affected by any of this.
Date: 2016-04-24
From: Smokies campground 

To: Russell shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: clear sky

The Smokies have been good to us so far. We found a good level spot at the camp ground and had water available so we were happy. Decided to try and make it to the Russell Shelter today and with the nicely graded trails and switch backs, we did fine. There were some steep ascents and declines but nothing too bad. Parts of the forest floor was covered in small wild flowers and it was stunning. There were lots of places where the soil had been dug up, probably by animals looking for grubs but we still haven't seen any bears. That is a good thing! We were supposed to sleep in the shelter but we decided to tent nearby mainly because of the norovirus that seems to be a problem in the Smokies. There wasn't a ranger here today ago we got lucky, will see what tomorrow brings!I am going to adjust the miles so the total number of miles is more accurate. Ignore the daily miles.