morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-02
From: Walasi-Yi Center at Neel's Gap

To: Between Poplar Stamp Gap and Cold Spring Gap
Miles today: 13.0

Our spirits are very high today! We left Neel's Gap refreshed with 6 days of food. Call us crazy, but we aren't stopping in Hiawassee and will try to push right on to Franklin. To get our maildrop before Sunday (when the post office is closed) means increased miles for us.Have no fear, we're "troopers" as our kind friend Jake says. The day was extremely hot and the climbs were wearing us out. We had our first exposure to the elements today in the form of an afternoon cold front passing and the accompanying rain. Ooooh it was a much-needed shower! We made it to a shelter about 11 miles into our day at 4:30, but saw how packed it was and felt like we had more in us, so we rested then pushed on. Really, the miles do just come if you let them. I'm feeling more confident that we can make Franklin by Saturday by averaging 12.5 miles each day until then. Plus, with daylight savings we can hike later into the evening if we pace ourselves.Honestly, though we're always pretty exhausted at night, our bodies are adapting well. We can actually have conversations while climbing now. There are still so many kinks to work out, especially (still) trying to get pack weight down, but we're making progress and getting stronger and smarter.   Sorry to ramble, but we really are excited about any progress. It was an excellent first day back on the trail after a break. Hopefully we'll stay dry tonight.Cheers,Erin
Date: 2006-04-03
From: Between Poplar Stamp Gap and Cold Spring Gap

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: light rain

We keep getting more and more experience with different weather scenarios. Early this morning our tent got its first exposure to a storm. The wind was pretty serious and I had visions of our tent collapsing and a tree falling on us. Maybe working at the observatory has given me a greater appreciation for wind. Lots of lightning and thunder for a couple hours, but when all was said and done we were dry! Hoorah- I can't tell you how proud we were. It seems simple, but we really put thought into our tent location, how we staked it, and how we packed our vestibule.The other excitement for the night was Lindsay finding a mouse in her shoe. I fear she will start leaving treats so she can coo at more little rodents!   Today really took a lot out of us. Lots of ups and downs in the morning and our two most difficult climbs yet over Rocky Mountain and Tray Mountain, both at the end of the day. My feet are so sore! On top of that, the temperature dropped to where I can see my breath as I type this in our tent and the wind is whipping around. We're both bundled up in nearly every layer we have. However, it's been tough to avoid sunburns on our forearms and I think we're both radiating heat and will be warm tonight. Awful, I know, but true.We must seem so repetitive, but spirits are still high, even if bodies are exhausted. We manage to crack lame jokes and sing ridiculous songs on our toughest climbs, and we're very proud of our progress. These first weeks are supposed to be tough and we're not only succeeding, but enjoying it even. Hoping to stay warm tonight,Erin
Date: 2006-04-04
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Campsite just past Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.7

What a day for trail magic! After hiking 11 miles we came upon the Roman Noodles who were out on their yearly trip sharing their wonderful food with thru-hikers. We all had a small feast of cheese, peppermint patties, oranges, Oreos, chocolate Easter eggs, Hershey¢s bars, and bananas, not to mention drinks on ice. How lucky we were to catch them on the one day they did it this year! Thanks! Most people that we've been hiking with have stopped in Hiawassee to re-supply, but we're pressing on to Franklin. Hopefully they'll catch us there.We had a very cold and windy night last night atop Tray Mountain, but fortunately stayed dry, if not warm. Skies were clear all day today and we're always trying to fend off sunburns on our arms and legs. In other news, today Erin developed the biggest blister I¢ve ever seen - half the size of her pinky toe. But she's taking care of it, so it shouldn't be a problem. Tomorrow we hit North Carolina! - Lindsay
Date: 2006-04-05
From: Campsite just past Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter, NC
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: broken clouds

How to begin this entry?A man Lindsay and I met today at the Georgia/North Carolina border (yes, we're in a new state!) had a heart attack on his way to the shelter. Lucky for him, someone with a cell phone that got service was able to call in a rescue team. They were able to wheel him out 4.5 miles to a road, where he will be airlifted to a hospital.I don't feel like I'm writing about this delicately enough. I'm cold and it's late and our friend Jason is still out with the rescue team after already hiking a 12-mile day himself.So what of it? Thank god it seems he will be all right. And I have a new appreciation for cell phones on the trail. His thru-hike may be over, but this was one lucky man. Also, there is something to be said for hiking with a partner, telling people where you plan on camping for the night, and not hiking alone at the end of the day when no one will pass you by.Very tired,Erin
Date: 2006-04-06
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter, NC

To: Carter Gap Shelter, NC
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I'm not sure we can actually say we're IN the shelter tonight. There¢s a makeshift platform underneath it that we're sleeping on, so the snores are coming from above tonight. Though we love our tent (el duomo, as Lindsay fondly calls it) it's a treat not to set it up once in a while, especially with a chance of rain in the forecast.While we're usually able to make a milestone out every day, farfetched as it sometimes is, today was not remarkable. It was an easy 12.5 miles, and had we left before 10 am this morning, we'd have made it further. Earlier starts will be key to us getting in more miles each day.So on this unremarkable day I thought I¢d come up with some generic discussion: trail names. Frankly, it seems a bit silly to us. But it's apparently part of the fun of thru-hiking and people are constantly trying to give hikers with perfectly good names like John and Sam silly names based on just about anything and nothing. Day 1 I wore a blue shirt, Lindsay purple. We don't want to be called Purple and Blue! My cheeks are pink from the sun and tough climbs, but Rosy Cheeks just won't do! Generally, people just call us The Girls, but that won't work either.So to please everyone and to avoid getting stuck with something worse, we are Cabernet and Chardonnay! Has a nice ring, yes? The truth is that we whine a lot. We like to think we¢re informing each other of our ailments, but it's mostly common whining. I¢m blonde, so I'm the white wine; she¢s red by default.So that's it. I'm not sure how we'll go about using these, as many people already know our real names. Can I really introduce myself as Chardonnay? At any rate, it¢s a good way to sign trail registers and join in the fun.Definitely give us ideas about topics for other unremarkable days. Questions about privies? We¢re all over it! Time for earplugs and sleep. We may just be warm tonight.Cheers,Erin...errr.... Chardonnay?
Date: 2006-04-07
From: Carter Gap Shelter, NC

To: Rock Gap Shelter, NC
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

It was 85 degrees at 4 p.m. and was hotter than that earlier in the day. Despite the heat and lack of breeze, we had a wonderful day. We climbed to the top of Albert Mountain and had a long lunch under the fire tower. The miles keep getting easier but we're still fighting off sunburns and blisters.Tonight we're supposed to have thunderstorms and hail, so we're piling into the shelter. We had some more trail magic when we got to the shelter and Crutch was there with ice-cold sodas. He also volunteered to give us a ride to Franklin in the morning. Crutch is a past thru-hiker and has spent the last month or so spreading trail magic in the area. But we were still lucky to find him! We¢re thrilled to be in Franklin tomorrow - looking forward to showers, pizza, and clean laundry. :]~Lindsay
Date: 2006-04-08
From: Franklin, NC

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

This entry has to be short and sweet, as we're both looking forward to a full nights' sleep on a real bed with no snoring, no cold, no rain, no rodents, no constricting mummy bag, etc.It was a lovely zero day full of laundry and errand-running at the local Wal-Mart, an all you can eat buffet, and BOWLING!Back on the trail in the morning,Erin
Date: 2006-04-09
From: Franklin, NC

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: clear sky

Brrrrr! Another chilly night for us.  It¢s tough to imagine being colder than this our whole time through the Smokies.  Maybe our luck with the weather will follow us north.We had a busy, fun time in town.  We did all our normal town chores, ate, went bowling, and had a great breakfast this morning.  However, town tends to suck you in a bit and we didn't get on the trail until almost 1 pm!  We had hoped to make more miles today, but got a late start.Many thanks for the generosity of Ron and Crutch at the Budget Inn.  They made everything so easy and enjoyable for us.Also, the motel had free Internet service, so we finally got to check out how our Trailjournals site is looking.  What fun to see entries in the guestbook from family, friends, coworkers, hikers we've met on the trail, and other people following along for fun.  Because people seemed curious, here's the deal: we type up these e-mails each night on a pocketmail device  and they sit in an outbox until we reach a phone. We hold the device up to a phone receiver and it works like an acoustic modem (Is that the right word? I¢m not very technically inclined).  So be patient with the delays, since we can only transmit when we have access to a phone. Finally, my generous and patient boyfriend Leon (he deserves the plug) fixes all of our typos and puts the entries up on the site.  We're happy to let people follow along, and it helps us keep a record of our trip.There isn't much else going on tonight.  Great company as always at the shelter.Cheers,Erin
Date: 2006-04-10
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: A few miles past Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 14.3
Weather: clear sky

We had another beautiful day of hiking! Today was our highest mileage yet.According to Wingfoot, who writes the thru-hikers handbook, after 7-9 weeks of hiking [1 less for men] we will suddenly turn into hiking machines, almost overnight. We can't wait for that to happen! The miles are definitely coming easier, but it would be nice if they were almost effortless.The weather forecast is clear and cool for the next few days. We¢ve been a little cold at night but we're trying to figure out ways to stay warmer by the time we get to the Smokies.~Lindsay
Date: 2006-04-11
From: A few miles past Cold Spring Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: clear sky

Today was a long hike down to the NOC.  It got hotter as we descended, my face got redder from the sun, and my poor toes got jammed in my boots with every step for 6 miles.  You can see why we were given our names now, right?  Thank goodness for some new wildflowers to keep me going!  I have to look up a few more tomorrow, then I¢ll fill you in on what we saw.So the plan was to relax at the NOC for a few hours, have a shower, eat, take care of a couple gear issues, then hit the trail for a few miles and get part way through a big ascent.  However, Lindsay really wanted to go rafting while we were here.  It¢s always a compromise with two people hiking together, so here we are overnight at the hostel.  While I really had wanted to make miles and stay focused on the trail, I can¢t complain about a warm place to sleep tonight, running water, and a break for my feet. We've seen how difficult it is for pairs to complete the trail together, but are confident that by communicating our goals to each other we'll stick together.  In general, we're better matched than most pairs we've met out here.It¢s always exciting, if not expensive, to visit an outfitter.  Lindsay is trying out a full-length sleeping pad to keep her legs off the ground and hopefully stay warmer, and I needed to replace the knife I lost. We were also extremely excited to weigh our packs, which had no water but 2 more days of food, and found we were both carrying a very comfortable 20.5 lbs.  Amazing!  Maybe we can add a layer for warmth in the Smokies, and I definitely need a paperback.Cheers,ErinPS:  Happy birthday to my cousin Meredith!
Date: 2006-04-12
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: overcast clouds

My legs are tired! Our entire hike today was uphill. There were very few downs to offer any relief. Fortunately, we hiked in the late afternoon and early evening, mostly avoiding the blazing heat.The Nantahala Outdoor Center [NOC] was the best place we've stayed at so far. Erin didn't want to take the time off, but I appreciate it because I got to go rafting with our hiking buddy Jason down the Nantahala River in a "ducky" [more or less an inflatable, yellow kayak]. It was cloudy and the water was freezing but we had fun. We might as well enjoy the places we pass through because we'll probably never be there again.I¢m really looking forward to the Smokies. They¢re supposed to be beautiful. ~Lindsay
Date: 2006-04-14
From: Cable Gap

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: clear sky

What a lovely relaxing day! We hiked almost 7 miles with the plan of possibly entering the Smokies in the early evening. However, we met up with lots of people we hadn¢t seen in a while, so decided to wait until tomorrow to enter the national park.To begin, thru hikers get FREE showers! It really is a service to the public if we wash up, so I understand the incentive for their generosity. Granted, we had just done laundry at NOC, so all we had was dirty hiker clothes to put back on, but we felt clean nonetheless.I also forgot to mention all the wildflowers that finally have popped up. Different types of Trillium and Yellow Trout Lilies and wild Iris. The trees even have leaves. The change of scenery is welcomed.Perhaps the most exciting part of my day was picking up our mail drop at the post office. It¢s the first one my mom sent out, and I tell you, it brought tears to my eyes. Who cries at a post office?! The outside of the box was covered with notes from my parents, cousin, aunt and uncle, grandmother, and neighbor. We¢re spoiled rotten: inside was homemade jerky and cookies, as well as our favorite Easter treats, a National Geographic, some crossword puzzles (I'm addicted), and even a newspaper article about the Red Sox opening game. Ooooooh, and a fresh apple! Some lucky girl I am. Lindsay and I skipped lunch in lieu of Easter treats, but we still needed help finishing everything. Many thanks to all involved, especially Mom. In return, just to make her day, I shipped home some dirty hiker shorts that I've worn for 2.5 weeks. I bet she'll be thrilled.Finally, tonight we had a lovely dinner at the Fontana Inn, where we were clearly underdressed. How lovely to feel almost civilized. I'm sure the napkin got dirty from sitting on my lap, but I had a delicious dinner and even a glass of wine (merlot, not chardonnay: sorry to disappoint!). That¢s it for today. We¢re excited to enter the Smokies with lots of friends we've met.Cheers, ErinPS: I wasn¢t going to address it, but our trail names were in fact given to us. However, even if we had chosen them ourselves, I'm not sure it makes a difference. Hooray for everyone who chose theirs (seems to be the majority), everyone who was given one, and to those who don¢t have one and will wind up in Maine without one! It makes no difference to me.
Date: 2006-04-15
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Spencefield Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was pretty exciting all across the board, even if we didn¢t recognize it at the time. Not only was it our biggest mileage day yet(!), but we entered the Smokies!The Smokies have definitely been hyped up quite a bit. It is a national park, after all, and it¢s well known for its wildlife, especially black bears. Upon entering the park this morning we were greeted by a doe and her fawn! We also came across a Copperhead snake, which was a bit unnerving. It rattled at Lindsay and she gave it some space. Also very memorable about our first day in the Smokies were the fields of Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Is there a local name for these guys? That¢s just what my flower guide called them). Really, the ground was covered with these little white wildflowers, and it looked like a dusting of snow. A nice way to make up for the lack of snow this winter in New England. Last but not least, the bugs were merciless today. They seem to be a bigger variety than what we¢ve had previously, certainly more persistent buggers with nasty bites. So it was overall a good welcome into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We haven¢t figured out how they got their name, by the way. Fog? Actual smoke? Haze? I'll try to figure it out and let everyone know.Good night,Erin
Date: 2006-04-16
From: Spencefield Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Happy Easter to all!Easter might have been more of a celebration, but one Cadbury Egg was the last of my chocolate last night, so I devoured it. I had hoped that the Easter Bunny would come through, but I'm still chocolate-less.While everyone else was having Easter dinner, we were getting hailed on! Easter dinner consisted of a chicken flavored instant soup with added peas. We¢re developing our hiker appetites, and think tomorrow in town we'll each just have a pint of Ben & Jerry's for dinner. Can you see a theme here?I guess I was a bit mopey being away for a holiday, but I haven¢t been home for the past two Christmases, so there could be worse things. I do hope everyone had a lovely Sunday. I promise you, even without a Cadbury Egg, I did as well. We hiked over some gorgeous balds this morning, had a really nice ridge walk this evening, and the wildflowers were still everywhere. Minus the short hailstorm, our luck with the weather is still persisting. I've certainly had less scenic Easters and count myself lucky to be out here, even if I miss my family.No more rambling from me.Good night,ErinPS: They are SERIOUS about bears up here. You are required to sleep at shelters, and most are actually caged in to keep us safe! No bears will get us tonight.
Date: 2006-04-17
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: light rain

What a beautiful day! We hiked to Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT at 6643 feet. Today was the first day that we saw stands of pine and spruce trees and it felt like hiking at home. The weather was cool and just perfect for hiking.We hitched into Gatlinburg, TN, a "tourist mecca" and supposed Vegas of the south or east or something like that. It¢s touristy, but I haven't seen many casinos, although there is a wedding chapel. We¢ve stuffed ourselves on pizza and ice cream and are ready to hit the trail in the morning.~Lindsay
Date: 2006-04-18
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Peck's Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

I wasn¢t going to write tonight, but I might as well include the not-so-fluffy parts of this trip.The problem is that I've lost Lindsay.I know, it sounds awful. However, I think she¢s with at least 4 other people at the first shelter coming out of Newfound Gap. And I'm obviously all right typing away at the next shelter 7 miles away, albeit toilet paper, water purifier, tent, and fuel-less.So I guess we'll meet up in the morning and discuss a better communication plan and know we both got lucky this time. God forbid it's something more than miscommunication and she is injured or something, but I promise promise promise that she¢s with good people.We¢ll get it all figured out tomorrow and I¢ll try to get some sleep tonight.Very worried,Erin
Date: 2006-04-19
From: Peck's Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I know everyone must be waiting anxiously to know what became of Lindsay. No worries, if she¢d had a bad run-in with a bear you¢d have heard about it already.I awoke in the morning to Lindsay and Jason (the guy she¢d been hiking with) asleep on the lower level of the shelter and heard reports that they had arrived at 1:30 am! I couldn¢t make any sense of it...why would they decide to hike so late? It was only an extra 7 miles, so what took so long? The answer is pretty amusing and people have been teasing them about it all day. I¢ll try to make the story brief so I don¢t rub it in more. They accidentally got off the AT and hiked 5 miles up a mountain (only 0.3 shy of the summit) before realizing their error. Generally the white blazes on the trees give that sort of thing away, and there was no mountain on the map...haha, some very dumbfounded (and likely amused) weekend hikers let these two thru-hikers know they weren¢t hiking on the AT. So at 6:30 pm they backtracked 5 miles, then hiked the extra 7 in the dark and finally made it to the shelter where I was at 1:30 am. They¢ve been teased mercilessly all day. I bet they¢ll be more blaze-conscious in the future. Now the really funny part is that they had their first 20-mile day, all after a late start of 3 pm, but only 10 miles of it counts for being on the AT!!! Something to be proud of, for sure!Really, I¢m glad it turned out to be something so silly, and they¢ve been good sports. I was definitely confused last night, and extremely worried.Besides that, there was a huge thunderstorm this morning. Lindsay was clearly in no shape for an early start, and I wasn¢t going to do a ridge walk in a storm, so we hung around, ate, and stayed dry until it passed. Cold soggy hikers were filtering into the shelter for a break, and we were still in our sleeping bags close to noon!I actually have more stories, but this is getting lengthy.Cheers,ErinPS: I must mention this before it gets too far back, but we got another wonderful mail drop. Thanks for inspirational notes from the plumbers! Some of the chocolate never made it out of the post office. What a great breakfast!