morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-17
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: U.S. 19-74, Nantahala River
Miles today: 11.5

It wasn¢t nearly as cold as the previous night, and for once, I slept fairly well in the shelter. No doubt the sinus medication I took before going to sleep helped with that considerably. It was still very windy in the morning, and still feeling the effects of my cold, I took my time eating and getting packed up. The temperature warmed up very quickly in the bright sunshine, which in that combination has been lacking on this trip. After a long descent to Tellico Gap I made the long climb back up to the summit of Wesser Bald.   There is an observation tower on the summit, and the views from atop were outstanding on this bright sunny day. After spending a little time soaking up the sunshine and eating a snack, I began the very long descent to the Nantahala River and the Nantahala Outdoor Center. At times the trail was very rocky and steep, but the day had warmed up very nicely making the knee pounding descent less noticeable. It got warm enough that even my long-sleeve shirt came off for the first time since leaving Springer. I made it to the Nantahala Outdoor Center about mid-afternoon and once there checked into the bunk room for the night. Big Daddy, Ipod, and Sir Privywinks were also in the same room, and Iceman, Usual Suspect, and Mignon stayed in another. It really was a beautiful day, and I spent the rest of it doing the usual . . . relaxing, laundry, showering, and, of course, eating. I¢m looking forward to a lot more of this kind of weather!Total Ascent:        2,150'Total Descent:        5,200'
Date: 2007-04-18
From: U.S. 19-74, Nantahala River

To: Locust Cove Gap
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

After eating a great breakfast of French toast, eggs and bacon at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, I started the long climb up the mountain. I didn¢t sleep well during the night and was still feeling the effects of my cold. Those two factors coupled with a long uphill slog, generally speaking, are the ingredients for a very tough day ahead. There¢s not much to say about a 3000¢ climb except it slowly wears you down . . . especially when you didn¢t sleep well and are not feeling 100%. I stopped at Sassafras Gap Shelter just as Usual Suspect was leaving and decided to stay there for lunch and refill my water bottle. It was beginning to warm up in earnest now, and I went down to my hiking shorts and short sleeve shirt . . . . for the first time on the trip. I guess that says a little about how cold it has been since leaving Springer. After eating lunch I started the climb up to Cheoah Bald, and though it felt like I was operating on fumes at times, it was well worth the effort to experience the outstanding views from the top. However, I could see rain showers approaching in the mountains beyond so I didn¢t waste any time beginning my descent. On the descent I caught up to Iceman and Mignon, and we made our way to Locust Cove Gap, where Usual Suspect was waiting. I felt as though I should be pushing on, but still feeling drained of energy from my cold I decided to stay in the gap for the night with Ice Man, Usual Suspect, and Mignon. Yellow Jacket and Fred came by a little later and decided to stay for the night too. The rain held off long enough for everyone to eat dinner and get water out of the stream in the valley below. Eventually, it did come, and we were all in our tents for the night by 6:30 pm. Total Ascent:        4,200'Total Descent:        2,230'
Date: 2007-04-19
From: Locust Cove Gap

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The skies had cleared by the time we woke up in the morning, and it was pretty cool to see the sun coming up through the gap. My tent was soaked both inside and out from the rain and high humidity, so I delayed leaving camp to give my gear time to dry out. The problem with trying to dry out gear in the morning is it rarely works unless you want to wait until noon to break camp. The hike down to Stecoah Gap was really beautiful, and I took advantage of the picnic table at the gap for a nice mid-morning break. After leaving the gap the trail remained very nicely graded for about the next mile or so, but then I started on the most intense climb of the entire hike. The trail followed the spine of the mountain leading straight uphill at a very steep pitch. Eventually, I did reach the summit after a good deal of sweating. The rest of the day I spent playing leap-frog with others all the way to Cable Gap Shelter. Even though it was only 2:30 in the afternoon when I arrived at the shelter, I decided to stay for the night and finish drying out my gear rather than to push on. It turned out to be a good decision because by the time I had gotten my tent dried out, packed away, and dinner eaten it began to rain. Also in the shelter for the night were Ali-Baba, Yellow Jacket, and Fred.Total Ascent:           3,020'Total Descent:        3,800'
Date: 2007-04-20
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: broken clouds

I was up early to get on the trail a little more quickly than usual because I had a food resupply to pick up in Fontana Village and there are always many chores to do when going into town. I really didn¢t sleep very well during the night because I was coughing from my cold having settled into my lungs. I just hope this doesn¢t slow me down too much longer. After making the initial climb out of the gap, the rest of the elevation profile looked to be relatively easy going into Fontana Dam, but about the time you rely on an elevation profile to give you an idea of what is to come, rest assured that what is shown on the maps will be significantly different than what you actually traverse. The one uphill that was shown on the profile turned out to be a series of ups and downs, and, of course, the one long downhill turned out to be much of the same once you crossed NC 28. Eventually, I made it to the Fontana Dam Shelter around noon on what turned out to be one of the most beautiful days of the trip so far. After going through my gear at the shelter and picking out some things to send home I took the shuttle into Fontana Village to pick up my food resupply and grab a bite to eat. When I got back I spent the rest of the afternoon checking out some of the sights at the Fontana Dam Visitor¢s Center, chatting with other hikers, and of course, eating.Total Ascent:        1,550'Total Descent:        2,690'
Date: 2007-04-21
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: broken clouds

I took a cold tablet before going to bed last night, and it helped tame the cough I have been battling and allowed me to get a restful night¢s sleep. It was another picture perfect day for hiking, but it felt really strange hiking across the massive Fontana Dam first thing in the morning. The area is really beautiful, but the structure is so huge that is seems to be out of place with what you normally see while hiking on the Appalachian Trail. The trail gained over 2,000¢ in elevation in the first two hours after crossing the dam, and, at times, climbing steeply uphill. After that the grade of the trail moderated considerably, and it was both pleasant and refreshing to get some miles behind me. It feels as though I am beginning to get over my cold and feeling much stronger hiking today, so I pushed on to the Spence Field Shelter for the night. The shelter was packed when I arrived, so I opted to sleep in my tent near the shelter. Now it¢s time to sit back and watch the sun sink behind the mountains to the west . . . a perfect ending to a very good day on the trail. It just doesn't get much better than this.Total Ascent:        6,150'Total Descent:        3,040'My second webshots album, which covers Fontana Dam and beyond, is:Gforce on the AT - Part 2
Date: 2007-04-22
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: clear sky

I woke up to sunshine and warmer weather than we have had for some time. After eating breakfast, I was on the trail by 8:00 am, but still a little tired from the previous day¢s long uphill climbs. From the shelter, the trail climbed straight up to the summit of Rocky Top Mountain and then after a small dip between the two summits, on to Thunderhead. The views were just fantastic. For the remainder of the day the trail followed a series of steep ascents and descents that turned the day into quite a challenge. I stopped at Derrick Knob Shelter for lunch and to just kick back and soak up the wonderful sunshine. The elevation profile showed the trail becoming much less steep than it had been before reaching the shelter, but that turned out not to be the case because most of the elevation gained and lost occurred in relatively short distances. Later in the afternoon I stopped at Siler Bald Shelter to get more water and take a break. I considered staying there for the night, but decided to push on to Double Spring Gap Shelter since it was only an additional 1.7 miles. It was a good decision because the views in that stretch of trail turned out to be some of the best I¢ve seen in the Smokies. After eating my dinner the temperature began to drop off quickly, so after taking care of the usual chores I¢ll be in my sleeping bag and off to bed for the night.Total Ascent:        4,440'Total Descent:        3,810'
Date: 2007-04-23
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Peck's Corner Shelter
Miles today: 21.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up to a clear and very cool morning but had not gotten a very good night¢s sleep. Some of the hikers at the shelter decided to get up around 4:00 am to try to be on top of Clingmans Dome by sunrise. They were quite about getting out of the shelter, but before leaving they stood outside talking next to the shelter and were not very quiet. I only wish I had the ambition to get up so early. Of course waking up like that prompted a need to get up and water the trees. I really didn¢t fall asleep after that so I got up when it was light outside and cooked a nice hot breakfast. The climb going up to Clingmans Dome was spectacular with intermittent views in all directions. I¢m glad I didn¢t hike it in the dark and miss the views, but I¢m sure seeing the sun rise from the top was beautiful too. Once on the observation tower I didn¢t spend a lot of time there because I was on Clingmans Dome last Thanksgiving weekend with my nephew. I started the descent to Newfound Gap where over 100 trees had blown over in a recent ice and wind storm. Fortunately, they had been cleared from the trail, because some of the trees and root structures were massive in size. I couldn¢t imagine the work involved in cutting just one of them out of the way, let alone all of them that I passed. I must say a big thank you to what must have been an army of maintainers and volunteers that accomplished that feat in just one week. I stopped to eat lunch at Newfound Gap and watched all the tourists going back and forth on this beautiful sunny and warm day. I could have stayed there all afternoon, but decided to push on to Ice Water Springs in case the shelter was filling up early. Much to my surprise when I got there no one else was there for the night yet, and it was early enough in the afternoon that I decided to push on to Pecks Corner Shelter for the night. The rest of the trail to the shelter was nothing short of spectacular with much of it running along the crest of the Smokies. I rolled into Peck¢s Corner at 7:45 and had just enough time to eat and jump into bed before dark. The shelter was almost full and among those there for the night were Wolverine, Ipod, Big Daddy, and Glenn.Total Ascent:        5,280'Total Descent:        5,440'
Date: 2007-04-24
From: Peck's Corner Shelter

To: Green Corner Road
Miles today: 23.3

We woke up to grey and overcast skies in the morning, and I was a little slow to get moving after the previous day¢s long hike. Just as I was about to leave the shelter it started to rain, so rather than getting wet right off the bat I threw on my rain gear. With the fog and occasional light rain there were no views to be had, but I¢m sure they would have been spectacular hiking along the crest of the Smokies once again. It never really rained a lot, and, eventually, the fog began to lift so I stopped at Cosby Knob Shelter for a late lunch and to dry out my rain gear. I thought about staying there for the night, but decided to push on to Davenport Gap Shelter for the night since there was only one major climb in the way before beginning the very long descent to the gap. When I did get to the Davenport Gap Shelter it was packed full, and there really wasn¢t anyplace to set up a tent either. So after taking a short break I decided to push on to Standing Bear Farm for the night or the first suitable campsite once outside the park. It was just about dark when I got to Standing Bear Farm and the bunkhouses were full there too, so I pitched my tent in a nice grassy area for the night. I never really intended or wanted to hike so far today, but sometimes it just works out that way. After buying some food to eat for dinner and visiting with others there for the night, I decided to retire to my tent for the night.Total Ascent:        4,290'Total Descent:        7,850'
Date: 2007-04-25
From: Green Corner Road

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I didn¢t sleep well through the night as the live music went on until early in the morning, and then people were up and leaving very early in the morning. Since there was no use in trying to sleep in I got up and bought enough food to last until I could make it to Hot Springs. After eating breakfast and doing laundry I finally left Standing Bear about 10:30 in the morning. It was definitely the warmest day on the trip so far, and with two climbs to make before beginning the major climb up to Max Patch, I was struggling with the lack of sleep. Later in the afternoon the sun was not as intense on the climb up to Max Patch, but the climb was still very difficult and steep. The effort was certainly not without its reward as the views from its grassy summit were outstanding. I wish that I had gotten there much earlier in the day but with the daylight fading I had to press on to make it to the next shelter before dark. I finally made my way to Roaring Fork Shelter for the night where I decided to tent. I had just enough time to set up and eat before it was dark. Also there for the night was Big Daddy and Ipod.Total Ascent:        5,400Total Descent:        3,140
Date: 2007-04-26
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up early and left camp by 7:30 since I was planning on the push to Hot Springs for the night. It was still warm and overcast when I got up in the morning. The first 3.5 miles on the trail went by very quickly without any major ascents or descents in the way. In fact, there were only two major ascents all the way to Hot Springs, and the grade of the trail made them seem much easier than yesterday. After summiting Bluff Mountain the rain that was predicted began very lightly and intermittently. With all the wildflowers in bloom and the easy grade of the trail, much of the afternoon was like a walk in the park. Eventually, I made my way to Hot Springs and got a room at the Alpine Motel for the night. After eating dinner at the Pub I worked on the usual in-town chores and took the time to catch up on my journal. Also in town I saw Sven, Uff-Da, Ipod, Big Daddy, Glenn, One Day, and many others I had met earlier on the trail.Total Ascent:        3,310'Total Descent:        5,820'
Date: 2007-04-27
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

When I got up in the morning I still had food resupply to take care of before getting back on the trail. After eating a good breakfast at the restaurant I went to the Dollar General and got enough supplies to make it to Erwin, my next planned town stop. I had an ¢easy¢ day of hiking planned, so I was in no hurry to leave town. Once I had all my gear cleaned up, I packed up and began the hike out of town about 11:00 am. After crossing the French Broad River there were several spectacular views as the trail climbed out of the valley and up the mountain. As I approached the top of the climb somehow I lost the trail and ended up scrambling up a rock face to catch the trail up above. It wasn¢t easy, but after I figured out I was no longer on the trail it was easier to just keep climbing up rather than try to descend on the loose rock. Later in the day I took a side trail to the top of Rich Mountain where you could see for miles in all directions from the old fire observation tower. Eventually, I reached Spring Mountain Shelter for the night where Tony, April Showers, Montreal, and Patches were also there for the night. Although the day had started out real warm, the north winds had taken over, and it was beginning to cool down considerably. Needless to say, with the cool weather moving in everyone was in their sleeping bags for the night rather early.Total Ascent:        4,110'Total Descent:        1,980'
Date: 2007-04-28
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 21.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I finally got a good night¢s sleep in the shelter, and it made me feel a little stronger than I had been feeling. I¢m beginning to learn that a good night¢s sleep and plenty of food are the two key ingredients to a good day of hiking. Unfortunately, it is rare that I do sleep well in shelters because, being predominately a side sleeper, I can sleep only so long on one side before I wake up with a sore hip or shoulder from sleeping on the hard surfaces and have to turn over. Generally speaking, I do tend to sleep more soundly in a tent but only marginally so. It was partly sunny and brisk in the morning, so I was hiking in long pants and a fleece top again when I left the shelter. When I got to Allen¢s Gap I was tempted with trail magic, and most notably pecan waffles. Too bad it was nearly .5 mile down the road to get there, or I couldn¢t have resisted. Shortly after crossing the road at Allen¢s Gap it began to rain, lightly at first, and with the very cool conditions I decided to stop and put on my rain gear. As I made my way up the mountain it got colder and the rain intensified. I had to keep moving just to stay warm because, by now, I was also wet underneath my rain gear from the continual uphill climb. Once up on the ridge I had to pick my way through the rocks, which was fun, but the fog and rain didn¢t reveal what was sure to be some magnificent views of the valley below. The rain had stopped by the time I reached Jerry¢s Cabin later in the afternoon so I decided to push on to Flint Mountain Shelter for the night. When I reached the shelter late in the afternoon, One Day was also there for the night. Hopefully, I¢ll sleep well again tonight.Total Ascent:        5,460'Total Descent:        5,440'
Date: 2007-04-29
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: broken clouds

It was sunny and breezy in the morning, and, still being a little tired from the previous day¢s hike, it took me a little longer than usual to get back on the trail. Today¢s hike would prove to be no easier. After making the short descent to Devil¢s Fork Gap I began a very long ascent to Frozen Knob. Along the trail I passed a beautiful falls, and when I reached the top the forest and the views opened up as I walked along the ridgeline. I stopped to eat lunch at Hogback Shelter and then began a long descent to the highway crossing at Sam¢s Gap, where there was a commanding view of Big Bald looming in the distance. It took considerable effort on the long uphill climb to get there, but once on Big Bald¢s grassy summit I was rewarded with views that were nothing short of spectacular and some of the best of the trip so far. The views were unobstructed looking in all directions, and, in the late afternoon sun, it was a sight to behold. I didn¢t have time to stay as long as I would have liked (you never do in a spot as beautiful as this), and the temperature was beginning to drop. So I slowly made my way to Bald Mountain Shelter for the night. When I got there I decided to tent for the night because the shelter was nearly full. Among the crowd of hikers there for the night were O2 and One Day.Total Ascent:        5,750'Total Descent:        4,280'
Date: 2007-04-30
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Nolichucky River ( Erwin, TN)
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

I was up early today because we were heading into Erwin for the night and a sorely needed zero on Tuesday. Overall the hike into Erwin was rather uneventful being mostly one long downhill slog. Of course, it¢s never quite that easy because there is always a considerable amount of uphill travel embedded within the overall downhill travel. I stopped at No Business Knob Shelter for lunch as the day really began to heat up, and it got even hotter in the afternoon as the trail descended into the lower elevations. Couple that with the heat radiating up from the rocks exposed to the sun only made for a very hot descent, and, to make matters worse, I was beginning to feel the effects of the heat from not drinking enough water. Needless to say I was glad to finally reach Uncle Johnnies on the outskirts of Erwin where I immediately slammed two cans of ice cold soda. Shortly after recovering a little in the shade I made a phone call and had Miss Janet pick me up at a church next to the Nolichucky River. After getting settled in and taking a quick shower, Miss Janet drove a group of us to the Golden Coral in Johnson for dinner. I had not realized how hungry I had become as I literally inhaled plate after plate of food with very little trouble. Ordinarily I would have felt miserable eating so much food, but today I was feeling pretty good with my full belly. When we got back to Miss Janet¢s place I was eager to go to bed but others were not. Also among those there for the night were One Day and O2. I hadn¢t seen O2 since leaving Standing Indian Shelter, and he had lost enough weight that I didn¢t recognize him at first. I¢m sure I¢ve lost a little weight too.Total Ascent:        2,480'Total Descent:        5,680'
Date: 2007-05-01
From: Nolichucky River ( Erwin, TN)

To: Nolichucky River ( Erwin, TN)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

It was nearly 1:00 in the morning before the noise finally subsided last night and I drifted off to sleep. Trying to sleep on a couch next to a door where others are going inside and out is not conducive to getting a good night¢s sleep, but with today being my first zero in a while I didn¢t mind. I couldn¢t believe the breakfast, or should I say feast we had for breakfast this morning. It was fantastic. For lunch, One Day and I wandered over to the local Mexican establishment where I continued to try to satisfy my stomach¢s never ending desire for food. The remainder of the day I spent just relaxing and getting groceries for the next leg of the trip.