morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-05-04
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Flint Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: light rain

So Running to the shelter yesterday did a number on my ankle (the right one this time), so I took an easy day.Got to the shelter to find two brothers still there from the night before. One was 17 and the other was 14. They are attempting a thru hike, but the younger one seemed to lack any motivation to move, let alone hike. The older brother decided that yelling and fighting with his younger brother all afternoon was the proper solution. Despite 5 other hikers being there plus an older women who was section hiking, they screamed and fought all day into the evening. I was very upset to have an injury that day.They were more out of place on the trail then a Nine Inch Nails concert in a library. I can understand why their parents sent them away for 6 months, I suppose it's cheaper than most childcare. I do understand that they're acting their age, but if that's the case THAT AGE DOESN'T BELONG ON THE TRAIL. What parent would send a 14 year old away for that long surrounded by 75% of people in their mid 20's? The amount of drugs, smoking, language, humor, and drinking is worse than most collages. The older brother wasn't much better off. He felt the need to Sharpie his name on every shelter and privy from here to Georgia. He also felt the need to 'rate' the privy on a scale from one to ten and write a review on the bathroom door.This isn't about him, it's about respect. First of all: don't deface the trail in ANY way. Second of all: This trail is maintained by volunteers, not janitors. They don't have to build a flush toilet. In fact, they don't have to build a toilet at all. They could just have you dig your own hole and squat in the bushes. Instead, they not only dig a hole, they put a toilet seat on top, put a roof over it, and are then forced to periodically shift around the PILE of human waste as it accumulates. And you think you have a right to 'rate' the work they've done?I think the worst part is the volunteers will eventually read the comments left behind. Whether it's on the wall of the privy or in the log book, please keep in mind the people you are 'rating'. This is not a hotel, you did not rent the shelter for $100.00 a night, you did not even pay to hike the trail that millions of VOLUNTEER hours went into maintaining. If you do or say anything negative against these people you will find an enemy in me. I get frustrated sometimes at the condition of the trail or the path chosen up a mountain, but I will never carve that opinion into the structures these people voluntarily build to provide us with shelter and comfort. Please remember how this trail remains intact for us to enjoy.
Date: 2011-05-05
From: Flint Mtn Shelter

To: Bald Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 19.1

So I didn't mention, yesterday I burnt a hole in all of my socks trying to dry them. Synthetic doesn't do well on open flame.Sooo I hiked almost 20 miles today with burnt socks. The edges were still sharp (like burnt plastic) and they ended up eating through my heels. I was out of duct tape so I just had to deal with the pain.Not much to say about the day. Just a lot of miles and a lot of pain. Welcome to the Appalachian Trail for the ill prepared hiker who doesn't have socks.
Date: 2011-05-06
From: Bald Mtn Shelter

To: Erwin
Miles today: 16.9

Cold Night again.So I hated my life coming down into Erwin. My heels were fully blistered plus another 4 or 5 on my toes. I actually hiked the last 4 miles in crocs just to avoid the pain of my boots. It was not very enjoyable but the view coming down was pleasant.Stayed at Uncle Johnny's hostel. Me, Fling, No Worries, and Trumpet snagged a 4 person lodge to ourselves complete with 12inch tv and vhs player. I can't believe I was so thrilled.We went into town and ate at a mexican restaurant. I think we had 20 plates of food due to the fact that each of us ordered 2 or 3 dinners each plus all the side dishes. Such a great meal!Resupplied with new socks, duct tape, ear plus, and enough food for 2 days. Went back to the hostel to repair my boots and repack for tomorrow. Watched SNL best of 1975/76. Quality entertainment.
Date: 2011-05-07
From: Erwin

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 12.1

Yesss... Up to date now! It's 11pm and I should be asleep (this took 3 hours to do on my phone).Beautiful hike to start out. Nice temperature and streams running along the trail. The trail itself was almost wide enough to drive a car down.Felt really good on the climb up. Got to the top around 4pm which was impressive only because I started at noon. I am definitely gaining more strength. Picked a beautiful campsite near the trail with the best water source and dry firewood I've seen all hike. It's the little things. Spent some time hanging out with Low Key who I met last night and is now camped next to me. I'm glad for the company. Spent the rest of the night updating and killing my phone battery. Another hostel tomorrow to charge up and get my mail drop!By the way: owls are a little frightening. They keep calling out at random times all around me tonight. I wouldn't mind if they were more consistent. I'll be wearing ear plugs tonight.Again I'm sorry for all the delay in posting. I know it's not required to post everyday, but your support and feedback mean a lot to me and I feel like each of you are sharing this journey with me. I will do my best to make sure you experience it the same day I do!Thinking about making it to Trail Days this year... We'll see if I want to put in the miles.Goodnight all!
Date: 2011-05-08
From: Deep Gap

To: Greasy Creek Hostel
Miles today: 12.2

So Again I am behind on postings.... I have a decent explanation, but I'll get to that later.Woke up very late due to the late night postings on here. I got out of camp around 11 or 12. Low Key left a good two hours before me but as I started to climb Unaka Mtn I saw him coming back down towards me. He was just as confused as I was until he realized he had gotten turned around at the top and started heading south bound down the mountain. I felt very sorry for him having to do the climb twice.The top of Unaka is a dense pine forest and there was a heavy fog, giving it a Sleepy Hallow kind of look. It was very enchanting.The rest of the day went horribly. I was becoming very frustrated with hiking for no good reason. I lacked physical and emotional strength to go anywhere. At least I was able to drop into Greasy Creek Friendly for a mail drop. My original plan was to hike back out another two miles but they had fruit and ice cream, which made it very hard to leave.I ended up spending the night there with Sarge and Weaver and Connie the owner. We watched movies and ate ice cream and decided to slack pack Roan Mtn the next day.
Date: 2011-05-09
From: Carvers Gap

To: Greasy Creek Hostel
Miles today: 9.8

Yes I said slack pack Roan Mtn. I'm sorry if you thought I was going to carry my full pack the whole way. For those of you that don't know, slack packing is when you only carry a small day pack with lunch, rain gear, water, and a camera worth you. You get dropped off at a far location then hike back to where your pack is (south bound). The next day you start where you were dropped off the day before (headed north again). It means you get to hike carrying 5 pounds instead of 35 AND we got to head south over Roan Mtn which is way easier elevation wise. There are some people against this form of backpacking, almost like it's cheating. I'd have to say I'm glad I did it and throughly enjoyed the day. I took more enjoyment out of the experience than I would have doing it headed north. The trip is about experiences for me and I definitely learned a lot by doing it, so I will not regret what I've done.We started at noon at Carvers Gap. The trail was very well maintained from the gap up to Roan. I took a long break at the shelter and went up in the loft with Sarge and Weaver. We ate lunch and read the log book.I stayed with them for awhile after that, and mentioned my thoughts about being okay with not finishing the trail. I guess I've just been doubting my resolve lately, especially after a bad day yesterday. I thought I would just walk home to PA and that would be the end for me. I'm glad I had Sarge and Weaver there to give me a wiser perspective on the trail. They said this was something that could never be taken away from me. Like so few things in life we concern ourselves with, this is one that can't be taken back or lost. In other words, it is something worth pursuing.I guess it may seem silly to the outside reader the idea that I would want to cut this trip short. You read about all the things I'm discovering and you think it would be crazy to leave that behind. It's easy to lose sight out here of what I'm doing. When you hike every day, it begins to lose it's charm. It's not an exact comparison, but it's similar to getting a new job. The first month or two is exciting. After awhile it all becomes routine and you lose sight of the thrilling fact that you have a job in the first place.Hiking feels like that to me at this point. It is now a test of constantly reminding myself that what I am doing is far more exciting than what I was doing our will be doing once I return home. I have a chance now to do something great for my life, and I'm out here acting on that dream. I have 2,172 miles to find out who I am and what I'm capable of and I have the chance to do that at age 23. So there's my current mental state a week later that was sparked by my conversion with those two. It took me awhile to get back on track but be sure I am back and my resolve is on firmer ground.The rest of the day went well. Nice weather and a warm bed to come back to. I decided to stay the week at the hostel doing work for stay until Trail Days. I'd get a ride with Connie on Friday to the event then pick up where I left off at Carvers Gap. More on that later.
Date: 2011-05-17
From: Carvers Gap

To: Apple House Shelter
Miles today: 13.9

So I'm back out hiking again after all that time off. I don't regret staying for so long, and I'm looking forward to going back for a visit when I finish. A few changes to my pack. I sent home my stove, crocs, thermals,water filter, and random little spices and food. I'm going cookless and switching to water drops to purify. After my slack pack I realized the importance of a light pack. I've talked with a few hikers this year who are doing it fire threw second time and I kept noticing that experienced hikers generally have a very light pack. The easiest way for me to do this was by cutting the things already mentioned. By going cook less I can convert the weight of my cooking stove into food weight. I now have a 15lb base weight and a 25lb full pack with 3 days food. Actually doing the math I have 8lbs of food for 3 days (2.6lbs of food per day). That's a lot of calories!So I started my hike in rainy weather and 40 degrees in the mountains. I was really happy about my pack all day but I have no clue how I was in such good spirits given the weather. It rained all day (and still is) and temperatures went from 40 as a high down to freezing. Ice started to form today at the top of Little Hump Mtn. The wind was at a constant 25-35mph. Half the day I couldn't feel my legs at all. I'm currently in my sleeping bag still wet but at least I'm somewhat warm. I'm hoping my sweatshirt will dry in my bag overnight.I couldn't see anything all day because of heavy fog. Apparently I missed some beautiful outlooks. Luckily, I am still in good mood! Today I was just happy to be out and was thankful to experience such a miserable day and still complete my goal. I didn't feel at odds with the weather, merely an observer of it at peace with whatever it happen to do. I felt confident that I had the knowledge to survive the conditions, so I saw it as an extra challenge today. It was one of the hardest pushes I've had to do out here, but I feel happy with how well I did it. I've found a new level of strength in me today.Apparently I was the only one stupid enough to hike to this shelter tonight. I am all alone for the first time and it is pouring rain. I couldn't get a fire going. I've been in my sleeping bag since I got here at 6. So glad I didn't have to cook. I ate cheese, crackers, tuna, pepperoni, and peanut butter. So nice to have a lot of food.I finished reading ' The Story of B' yesterday before I left the hostel. I'd have to say I couldn't imagine a better book to read on this journey. I have a newfound love of animism and feel it brought me through the day with a positive mind. Looking forward to another week of rain. 19 miles tomorrow, better rest up.
Date: 2011-05-18
From: Apple House Shelter

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Ugh! It was a longer day than I expected. The temperature isn't much better tonight and I could really use some gloves.I wish the weather was sunnier, this section of the trail is probably quite beautiful when the sun is out. I passed a few waterfalls and dozens of creeks. Yesterday I passed over two balds that apparently had a great view. All I've been seeing is fog.Not many people out on the trail here anymore. I must be really behind. I ran into one NoBo hiker and two section hikers all day. I'm alone at the shelter again. I was desperately hoping someone would be here with the fire going, but no such luck. I crawled into my sleeping bag and ate dinner there. I'm still a fan of cookless meals, especially since you can eat them from your bed. Very glad no one was here to see me crawl around the shelter while trying to eat/prepare for tomorrow. I'm sure it would have looked a lot less coordinated than a caterpillar. And my guess is I won't look like a butterfly tomorrow.I spent most of the day concentrating on walking. I know this sounds like a given, but I mean really think about the foot, leg, knee, hip, and arm alignments on each step. I figured if I'm going to be walking every day I should probably make sure I'm good at it. I found my right leg wants to point out when I'm walking, so I practiced walking in ski line all day. My feet also hit the ground differently (inside of the foot, not heel to toe evenly) so I balanced that out as well. Also concentrating on forward motion seems to help. Instead of wasting effort going side to side, I set in my mind moving forward at a fluid rate. All of these things seemed to work and I averaged a nice pace all day (2 1/2 to 3 mph) going uphill.So that's what I got to think about today, along with a few other less interesting things. I do hope the sun comes out tomorrow so I can mention something about nature. On the plus side, I just met Chimp. I'm not going to be alone tonight!
Date: 2011-05-19
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Watauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: scattered clouds

So I HOPE to make it there by the end of the night, but right now I'm at a bar in Hampton, TN. Beer has a fantastic taste after hiking. I have maybe 3 more miles to do today, hopefully I'll get there before dark.The morning started cold again but the sun was showing promise. I did the 6 miles into Kincora Hostel in decent time. Once there I did laundry, got a shower, charged my phone, and ate some day old spaghetti left in the fridge. Ran out of spaghetti sauce so I used mayo with salt and parmesan cheese. My hunger has hit a new level of desperation and I still have over 3/4 left to do. After I got my stuff dried and repacked, I headed out. Laurel Falls has to be one of the prettiest sections of the trail. It's all but flat and follows a wide stream for a good for miles. Huge cliffs flank the trail and what little elevation there is is in the form of well made natural stone steps. I was upset to be on a time limit going through that section. I could have spent a week there.I decided to blue blaze over to Hampton for a resupply. That trail also followed a stream and then turned off into a honeysuckle garden. It was almost perfect till I got too busy looking around and fell off the trail. I went down on my arm and hip. I came out with only two cuts and was very happy no one was around.So that brings me up to now. I'm resupplied and just got my food at the bar. Two beers might as well be 10 now with my metabolism. Go figure I can have a day like this two days after freezing rain on top of Little Hump Mtn. My life has become far from ordinary.
Date: 2011-05-21
From: Iron Mtn Shelter

To: Damascus
Miles today: 26.1
Weather: clear sky

I Hiked a marathon!On a whim I decided to go for the ' Damascus Marathon' which is the exact distance of a full marathon from Iron Mountain Shelter to the town of Damascus. I started at 7am and finished by 4pm (averaging 3mph). The day was beautiful and more importantly I felt incredible afterwards. I actually hiked an extra mile and a half strait through town to get to the Subway on the other side. I ate two foot-long subs right in a row. It was a great way to celebrate my day.Yoga Boy and Strider ended up doing the marathon as well. We all met up at ' The Place' hostel and had a mini celebration that night at Quincies bar and restaurant playing pool and drinking beer. We joked that instead of gatoraid and towels for marathon runners, hikers want beer and cigarettes.Zero day tomorrow!
Date: 2011-05-22
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0

Beautiful Zero day!Sunny and warm, I spent the day in a coffee shop and outside the outfitters hanging with other hikers. Met Holler and Counterweight along with Leapfrog and Yoga Boy. Tri-dub was in the coffee shop with me arguing with a local that didn't believe in global warming... It got a bit heated.Yoga Boy and I went to Quincies for a calzone and soda, vowing not to drink tonight because of the hike tomorrow. Everything was going well until Kong came in and told us we had to go with him. Kong has been staying in town for a week or two due to an injury and apparently has made a good impression on the locals (yesterday he attended a local wedding as a guest). So today he found us a local party to go to. All he said was "Get in the truck". So with the chance of a new experience, we got in the truck.We were taken 5 miles up the road to a farm that had a picnic setup in the field. Picnic may be too reserved a term for the food there. They had 4 full racks of bbq ribs with corn on the cob, onions, potatoes, two kinds of pie, and cases of beer. There were only 6 or 7 locals there for all that food! We were welcomed in as part of the family and soon had all we could handle of the bbq and corn.A thunderstorm broke up the party 2 hours later, but again we were invited to another house to continue the evenings festivities. So five of us and a driver pile into a four seater car and drive back towards town.The house ended up being owned by someone at Quincies, and eventually the staff ended up at the house with us. We were led up to the second floor of their garage which turned out to be a music room! Apparently the former tenants (or current?) used to be in a band and had this space for practicing. It had three or four stacks of amps and a twelve piece drum set!!! For those that don't know, I've played drums for fourteen years. Yoga Boy conveniently played guitar and found one in the house with three strings. We ended up jamming for three hours and going through more beers than we had planned to. Totally unexpected night, but one of the best experiences out here to date. Ended up in bed by 2am... Rough day for hiking tomorrow.
Date: 2011-05-23
From: Damascus

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up at noon... Did not feel like moving. Ended up taking the Virginia Creeper Trail up to the shelter. It would have been the easiest day so far except I was hungover. The trail follows a stream for 12 miles and had a 3 degree assent. It allowed us to miss two mountains on the AT, which was definitely for the better. Even with the Creeper being flat, I still found excuses to complain about walking... I'm glad Yoga Boy could put up with it. At least I had a sense of humor about it.We jumped in the stream in the afternoon, but the water was way too cold to stay in. We passed a construction zone on the trail. If you really think about it, it was an odd encounter. Here we are in the middle of the woods and we come across a bulldozer, jackhammer, and steel cutter. The bulldozer was right in the trail moving piles of dirt. We had to get the other workers to stop the driver before we could safely pass. Very odd experience.Spent the night at the shelter with plenty of friends. Looking forward to bigger miles tomorrow.
Date: 2011-05-24
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Feeling Better today.Counterweight and I climbed Buzzard Mountain together through pouring rain. It wasn't too bad now that it's warmer, it's like and unexpected occasion to get clean.Took lunch after the rain stopped and the sun came out. I'm glad it did come out because we hit the Gracen Highlands in the afternoon! It's a beautiful landscape with wide open rolling hills, perfectly strewn boulders, and wild ponies. At first I thought we would only catch a glimpse of the ponies, I was wrong. We had to actually walk around the ponies because they were walking up the A.T. towards us and NOT getting out of the way. Some hikers were petting them. One pony ended up coming into Thomas Knob Shelter and started licking the building. It was a very close encounter to say the least.After all the scenery and horses Yoga Boy and I made quick time to the shelter and arrived seconds before a rain storm. We sprinted the last 200 yards to make it in time. The guys behind us weren't so lucky and ended up soaked within minutes of the rain starting. The storm lasted 15 minutes but forced most people into the shelter. One guy took the picnic table.Wonderful day all around. I strongly encourage a visit to the Highlands!
Date: 2011-05-25
From: Wise Shelter

To: Campsite 512.7
Miles today: 16.1

I Need to speed this up, I'm not in camp yet and more pouring rain is coming fast...Ran into more horses in the morning before leaving the Highlands. Took a shower in the steam across from Hurrican shelter, it's nice to have hot weather sometimes! Stopped in Troutdale for a resupply. The store vender gave us a ride back to the trail. I apologized for our smell. She said "You just smell like money to me". That has to be the most honest person I've ever met.Packed out some beer and had a great night hanging out with Yoga Boy. Side note: saw a small bear today... He ran away before I could really process what I was seeing. I thought it was a stay dog and whistled after it. Luckily it didn't come back