morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-11-19
From: Hwy 19E

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: broken clouds

"I had a great birthday with my mom! I pretty much ate the whole time. I wasn't motivated to hike at all this morning. It's always hard leaving town, especially when you have family there. When we got to the trailhead, Gospel was standing there. Looks like it was good timing! We started up the 5 mile, 2300 foot climb up Hump Mountain. I got way ahead of Gospel and didn't see him the rest of the day. On the way up the mountain I came across Buddy Backpacker! I haven't seen him since New Hampshire. The views were amazing on top! They are definitely some of the best of the trip. As I was climbing up Little Hump Mountain, I had another scary situation with wildlife. I was walking along and saw a black object standing perfectly still. Thinking it was just a stump, I kept moving towards it until I got about 10 feet away from it. I guess it hadn't heard me coming so I kind of spooked it. So the next thing I know, there is a big wild boar charging towards me! I stood frozen not knowing what to do. I held my poles out and yelled at it, and thankfully it ran off into the woods. I wish I could have gotten a video of it! The rest of the hike I half expected it to come back for revenge but it never did. I got to the shelter, which is an old red barn, at 5:20. Gospel showed up about 30 minutes later. He hadn't seen any boar. I can't wait to go over Roan Mountain tomorrow!"
Date: 2013-11-20
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Iron Mountain Gap
Miles today: 20.8

"Today was a tough 20 mile day. It was in the low 20s when Gospel and I left the shelter at 8:00. The views were really good going over all the balds. We stopped for a brief break at the Roan High Knob Shelter. It's the highest shelter on the whole trail, at 6100 feet. We arrived at the road around 5:30 and Rob Bird was there waiting on us. It was really nice to have a hot shower at the end of a cold day! For supper, we went to Hooters, where I consumed 40 wings! And all the waitresses sang happy birthday to me! I crashed when we got back to the house."
Date: 2013-11-21
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 20.6

"We took our time this morning before heading out. We ate breakfast and sat around a bit. We finally got on the trail at 9:00. The terrain looked pretty easy for the day so we were not worried about finishing late. We put it on cruise control the whole day! We knocked out 17 miles by 3:00. We were done for the day by 3:45. It was definitely the fastest 20 miles I have done on this trip. We returned to the house to have lasagna and salad for supper. Going to bed early tonight."
Date: 2013-11-22
From: Sam's Gap

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 24.1

Many thanks to the hospitality of Rob Bird for the last 3 days. It never ceases to amaze me how much support is given to hikers all along the trail. Southern hospitality is alive and well in NC and TN. Looking forward to meeting up with Crunchmaster tomorrow morning. Matt, Trevor's cousin, my nephew, will be hiking with him tomorrow. I'll slack them for the first half of the day and then meet up with them at Jerry's Cabin, hopefully with warm food and drinks when they get there. I'll need to drive about 37 miles and hike a little over 2 miles while they hike 8.8 miles. Matt and I will hike out after supper at the shelter. I'm looking forward to our SOBO Thanksgiving meal and celebration in Hot Springs at 2:00 on Thanksgiving day. Great food and fellowship is in store.Here's Trevor's FB post..."Well Gospel and I slack-packed north today. We normally don't like doing so but as long as we don't skip sections, we don't really care. We didn't get on the trail until 9:20. The first 6 miles were all uphill and it was very frustrating! We stopped for a break on top of Big Bald. We didn't stay long because it was really windy. The next several miles was much more forgiving so we made much better time. We got to No Business Knob Shelter around 4:00 and it started raining. So the last 6 miles we hiked in a steady rain. We got to town at 5:50. We stopped by the hostel to drop off Buddy Backpacker's glove. Then we hiked across the bridge to meet Rob. We had Little Caesars for supper. Tomorrow my dad and cousin are coming up to hike a little bit. Hopefully the weather gets better before morning!"
Date: 2013-11-23
From: Sams Gap

To: Jerrys Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 17.1

It is Sunday evening around 6:00. I'm guessing and hoping that Crunchmaster and Gospel are close to Hot Springs. Matt and I left them at Jerrys Cabin Shelter yesterday evening about 30 minutes before sunset. We had carried their packs up from a side trail about 3 miles below the shelter. We got to the shelter about 15 minutes before they did. The temperature had dropped to about 27 degrees by the time we left and they were expecting it to drop another 10 or 15 degrees with some snow showers possible. They were planning on getting up as early as possible, not easy when it's really cold and hike 26.4 miles into Hot Springs. The high today in Hot Springs was 32 degrees, which means it was much colder at elevations. The high point for their day today was 4750 feet. Matt and I returned to our homes last night and I have not heard, nor did I expect to hear, from Crunchmaster today. His plan is to make it into town in time to watch the game between the Broncos and the Patriots. Sometime this evening, maybe late, he'll post yesterday's and today's photos and his journal.Here's Trevor's FB post for Saturday..."We met my dad and my cousin, Matt, at Sams Gap around 9:20 this morning. It was raining and in the 40s when we hit the trail at 9:30. The rain let up shortly after leaving but the fog stuck around all day. We went 8 miles and my dad was there waiting in the car. We drove down to a little convenient store to get a snack. Once we were back on the trail the sun came out just for a few minutes. When we got to Flint Mountain Shelter there was trail magic waiting! Someone had left tons of Mountain Dew and Coke in the spring so they would stay cold. They had also left a bunch of Little Debbies hanging from the bear cables. It was some awesome trail magic! We got to camp around 4:30 and tried starting a fire but had no luck. It's supposed to get down in the teens tonight with a few snow showers. Tomorrow, Gospel and I are hiking into Hot Springs."
Date: 2013-11-24
From: Jerrys Cabin Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 26.4

"Once again, it got extremely cold last night! It was 12 degrees when we woke up this morning. Gospel and I woke up around 5:00 and couldn't really sleep so we decided to hit the trail. My boots were frozen solid and it took me 15 minutes to get them on. He was gone at 5:45 and I was gone at 6:00. The first 45 minutes or so I was using my headlamp because it was still dark. Just as the sun was coming up, I was going across the ridge of Big Firescald Knob. The views were some of the best in a very long time! I had a sunrise, city lights, and it was snowing all at the same time! The trail was relatively easy all day. However, the temperature never got above 30 degrees all day. I passed several section hikers throughout the day. I walked into town at 5:00 and headed straight for the hostel. After cleaning up, Gospel and I headed down to the local restaurant to get some supper. We sat and relaxed for quite some time while watching the 1st half of the Patriots game. We had to leave early because the restaurant closed. I really wish I could have seen the rest of the game! Tomorrow we are taking a zero. It will be my first zero in over a month. I almost forgot what a zero feels like."
Date: 2013-11-25
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Winter storm Boreas has hit the southeast. It is raining and in the mid 30's here in Southeast TN, near Chattanooga. Here is Crunchmaster's FB post:"Today, Gospel and I took a zero to slow down for the Thanksgiving Celebration. We also caught up to Buck, Stub, Afternoon Delight, Sherpa, and Delta in town. We are all going to be taking a zero tomorrow as well, to wait out this big winter storm. It is currently snowing here in town! I don't like taking this much time off but sometimes the weather can change your plans."My advice to all hikers is to hunker down in town, kick back, rest, and enjoy the moment. Trevor is capable and competent in dealing with these conditions, but is on no strict schedule to finish by a certain date. He is capable of long days when the weather is good, and if miles need to be hiked he'll be able to knock them out.Last Christmas, during his school break, he and I hiked the northern (or western) half of the Smokies. The first day we hiked up from Davenport gap in the steady rain at 35 degrees. When we reached Mt Cammerer it changed to snow. The worst conditions, in my opinion, is a cold and rainy day or a heavy wet snowy day. Without the right kind of gear conditions like this can be life-threatening. Tomorrow will be that kind of day. If it were a scheduled weekend outing we would go up into it. We would take extra fuel and extra clothes. The thru hiker pack and gear doesn't afford some of these luxuries due to weight limitations. I'm looking forward to some interesting photos coming our way as winter weather sets in. If there is snow predicted in the valleys, which is currently the case, then conditions up above 5000 ft will be interesting. We will keep you posted.Many thanks to all who have made kind and encouraging comments on Crunchmaster's guestbook. Nothing posted goes unnoticed and is very much appreciated.
Date: 2013-11-26
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0

This post features some of the better photos Crunchmaster has taken, in my opinion. I will feature 10 photos today and another 10 tomorrow. I'd like to hear which one is your favorite. Feel free to look at his photo's and pick another, should I miss the one you like best.I will be leaving Chattanooga around 5:00 tomorrow morning. Hot Springs is calling for 3-6 inches. I'm hoping I'll be able to provide shuttle services, but will have to wait to determine road conditions.Reflection on Pond taken on July 16Trees and Pond Reflections taken on July 17View from 1/2 way up Avery Peak taken on July 19Lake and Clouds in the Mahousac Range taken on July 30Mt Washington as seen from the Wildcats taken on August 3A scene from the Whites taken August 6Another scene in the Whites taken August 6Reflections on a Vermont Pond taken on August 28Streams of Sunlight taken on September 11Pennsylvania colors and simple bridge taken October 3
Date: 2013-11-27
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Crunchmaster posted a photo...showed here.This is the the 2nd batch of favorite photos...interested in hearing which is your favorite......Dead tree and low lying clouds taken on October 23View from overlook taken on October 25Another view from overlook taken October 28View of Wrinkled Ridge taken November 2Cold day on Mt Rogers taken November 13Campsite by lake taken on November 16View from behind Vandeventer Shelter taken on November 16Low clouds in valley taken November 16Hiker and tree in fog taken on November 23First peep of rising sun and lone pine taken November 24Sunrise from ridgetop taken on November 24
Date: 2013-11-28
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Lot's of good food and great fellowshop. Here's hikers and support staff that attended.: : : : : : :Hiney and Skeeter Bait, ages 12 and 14, section hikers with about 1700 miles in last 3 years.Keri and GospelCrunchmaster and SeanMcLovin and CrunchmasterHoverJob and MilkrunBreeze and Smooth (with Crunchmaster Crackers and Little Debbies in background)Stub and BuckWooly and SkunkNinja and El FlacoThe legendary Rob BirdMoe, Buddy Backpacker, and AliceDion and Andrea, Buddy's parentsCerveza and FivesBrittany and Travis (Dirty Moose)Captain and ChrisMama Bear and Farmer ChefShelob and Forever SunriseBuddy Backpacker and CrunchmasterAndrea, Buddy, and DionMama Bear, Farmer Chef, Hiney, Moe, and Skeeter BaitFarmer Chef and Miss JanetThe legendary Miss Janet and Iris
Date: 2013-11-29
From: Max Patch Road

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 20.5

"Gospel, Buck, Stub, and I slack-packed today. The weather was sunny and was actually pretty warm today! There was still quite a bit of snow on the ground. On top of Max Patch, there were still drifts up to my waist! In most places, it was up to my knees. We stopped at Roaring Fork Shelter for a short break and a snack. The snow on all the trees was very frustrating because we kept knocking it off with our packs and it would fall down our back. We kept a really good pace going all day, and knocked out the 20 miles by 3:30. For the rest of the afternoon I hung out with my family. My grandma, mom, brother, and sister in-law are headed back home tonight, while my dad and brother in-law are staying with me until Sunday morning. Only two more weeks till Springer!"
Date: 2013-11-30
From: Max Patch Road

To: Davenport Gap
Miles today: 15.3

"Had another day of slack-packing today. There was still several inches of snow at the higher elevations. It was a short day so we got done fairly early. Tomorrow, Gospel and I will be entering Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The weather looks pretty good while we are in the park. Two more weeks!"
Date: 2013-12-01
From: Davenport Gap

To: Tri Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.7

This is a short post and will be added to later once Crunchmaster posts his photos and journal on FB.Internet connections in the Smokies are not always reliable so not sure when we'll hear from him. He plans to take 4 days to hike through, which will put him in Fontana on Wednesday afternoon/evening.Projected summit day for Springer is Saturday, December 14.I will be connecting with him next weekend around Franklin, NC, close to the place where, as a freshman in high school I hiked a 25 mile section of the AT that included Standing Indian and Mt Albert. It was on that outing that a classmate and good friend, Mike Witt, and I vowed to someday hike the entire trail. I have not yet made good on that vow, but plan to do so sometime in the next 10-15 years, the Lord willing.Here's Crunchmaster's FB post and photos..."Today was one of the hardest days I have had in a long time. Gospel and I started at Davenport Gap, which is the northern boundary of GSMNP. To start, we had a 5 mile, 3000 foot climb up Mt. Cammerer. Once we reached the top we hiked .6 miles down a side trail to the fire tower on the summit. I had been there many times but decided it wouldn't hurt to go again. We saw Sherpa and Delta on top, along with a few other day hikers. We stopped for a break at Cosby Knob Shelter. After the shelter we had another mountain to climb. We had to get over Mt. Guyot! It was a 2000 foot climb over 4.5 miles. We reached the shelter around 4:45. Altogether, we gained over 5000 feet in elevation today! As I was hanging my bear bag we had an unexpected visitor show up at the shelter. Buddy Backpacker came walking into the shelter around 6:00. He was all smiles even after hiking in the dark with ice and snow covering the trail! He is one tough kid! I'm going to bed early tonight just because I'm so exhausted."
Date: 2013-12-02
From: Tri Corner Knob Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 15.6

"Gospel and I got on the trail by 8:30 this morning. The mountains were covered in fog when we started. The trail conditions were absolutely terrible all day long. The trail was either muddy or a solid sheet of ice. The sun came out for a grand total of about 10 minutes for the whole day. We got to Icewater Spring Shelter at 3:00 and still had 7.5 miles to go. We decided to go into Gatlinburg instead of hiking up Clingmans Dome in the dark. We got a ride from the third car that came by. We got to ride 15 miles in the back of a truck in freezing temperatures. When we got to town we found that Sherpa and Delta were staying at the same motel as us. After supper at KFC we came back to the motel and are resting up for tomorrow! "
Date: 2013-12-03
From: Newfound Gap

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

"Today was another rough day! The Smokies haven't been very kind to us the past couple days. After eating at Shoneys for breakfast, we started to hitch back to the trail. We waited for an hour and a half before someone picked us up. By the time we hit the trail it was noon. Our plan was to go 18 miles to Derrick Knob Shelter. We knew it would take quite a bit of night hiking to make it. The first 8 miles was all uphill to the summit of Clingmans Dome. It was extremely foggy all day so there were no views whatsoever. We didn't leave the top until about 4:30. We made it to Silers Bald Shelter by 6:15. We were still considering going on to the next shelter but the visibility was zero and we couldn't see the trail at all. So we are staying here tonight and then going to try and and pull a 28 mile day tomorrow to Fontana."
Date: 2013-12-04
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 28.5

"Today was one of the hardest days of the whole trip. Gospel and I got on the trail by 7:30. We were still hiking in dense fog for the third straight day. The trail was a lot rougher than we had anticipated. It seemed like we were going uphill the whole time! We stopped at Derrick Knob Shelter for a break. The climb up Thunderhead Mountain was a killer, and to make things worse, it started to rain a bit. We reached the top of Rocky Top and has zero visibility. Our next break was at Russell Field Shelter. We pushed as hard as we could from there and still had to night hike the last 2 hours. Coming down Shuckstack, my legs and feet were in excruciating pain! I wanted to just stop and quit right there. We finally reached the dam. It was pretty cool crossing it in the dark and seeing it lit up. When we reached the shelter, Sherpa and Delta were already in their sleeping bags. We also saw 6 wild boars today! All of them ran off as soon as they saw us. Tonight will be the last night I'm with Gospel. He will be skipping ahead 95 miles tomorrow because he did this next section just a couple months ago. It's been fun hiking with him, but I'm going to have to finish up on my own. Time to get some sleep."
Date: 2013-12-05
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: light rain

"Today happened to be another really tough day. Gospel left at 7:30 to go meet his ride. I didn't leave until Sherpa and Delta did, which was at 8:30. We had a big climb right at the beginning of the day. It was a really long climb but it never really got too steep. We all three stopped at Cable Gap Shelter for a break and to eat. When we left it was another pretty decent climb. We took an even longer break at Brown Fork Gap Shelter because the heavy rains had set in. This is the fourth straight day now where it has been rainy and foggy. It also looks like the next four days it's going to rain as well. After passing Stecoah Gap we had one last climb for the day. And that last one sucked! It was a long and steep climb to the top of Cheoah Bald. I had to take several breathers before reaching the top. I had to night hike the last mile to the summit and another mile down to the shelter. The night hiking was really scary in the rain because the fog made it incredibly hard to see. I finally stumbled into the shelter with the rain pouring down! I got water and cooked supper and jumped into bed. Tomorrow, I'll be meeting my dad and he will be with me for 2 nights. This will be the last time he comes to meet me on the trip until I reach Springer Mountain next weekend."
Date: 2013-12-06
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Tellico Gap
Miles today: 14.8

Thanks to all who have signed Crunchmaster's guest book with positive and encouraging comments. Let me start this post with Crunchmaster's short FB post and several photos. Then I'll respond to no name's guest book entry earlier today."Today went pretty well. I hustled the first 7 miles to the NOC. While I was there I ate lunch with Sherpa, Delta, and Breeze. Then I had the long climb to the top of Wesser Bald. No views on top because of the rain. My dad picked me up and we came to Andrews to stay in a motel. Just one week left."Here's no name's post to the guest book:Tough climb for sobo booo try going north the whole way then you would be a real hiker.as a sobo u had a 6miles down hill out of the smokies must be hard to walk down hill on your gang green feet.ha sobos boooooooooFirst of all, I find it interesting that those who share negative comments and opinions rarely have the courage to share their name. People with low self-esteem sometimes feel the need to tear others down as a way to build themselves up, or to look better or feel more superior.No name, do you think going north is uphill and therefore harder? I fail to see your line of reasoning. You obviously haven't hiked the trail or you would realize that the elevation gains and losses are the same going either way. Does the color of one's skin make them a good or bad person? You would probably say yes. In reality it's a person's behavior, attitude, and the way they treat others that make the difference. Skin color has absolutely no affect on whether a person is good or bad. Hiking as a NOBO or a SOBO does not make one a good or a lousy hiker.No name, if you are a NOBO thru-hiker, where in the world did you get your opinion of a SOBO thru-hiker? I suspect you ran into a SOBO who is like you and had an attitude of superiority. If so, don't judge all SOBO's based on one person's lousy attitude. Likewise, I'm not going to think any less of NOBO's as a result of your comments or point of view.I have respect for all thru and section hikers, regardless of the direction they are going, regardless of their age, regardless of the time it takes them, regardless of their economic status, regardless of their race or skin color, regardless of their educational achievements or lack there of. I respect them because of what they have accomplished, what they have endured, and that they share a common love for the woods and the mountains. When they choose to downgrade others, then I begin to lose respect.No name, I don't know you, and I suspect you may be suffering from post-hike depression, or maybe you've never hiked the trail and are jealous of those who are. Whatever the case may be, I wish you well, and I hope you learn to get along with others who may differ from you. It will serve you well to learn this as you journey down life's pathway. I hope you get to feeling better soon.
Date: 2013-12-07
From: Tellico Gap

To: Winding Stairs Gap
Miles today: 19.4

"The weather was great today! It was the first good day in 6 days. I hiked with Breeze all day today. We got great views from Wayah Bald. We must have spent an hour on top! We got to Franklin around 4:00. The evening hours were very eventful. I decided to attempt the Franklin food challenge. The challenge is to eat one item from every fast food restaurant in the whole town. Here is a list of what I consumed:Sonic- Cheese sticks; Arbys- Curly Fries; Wendys- Bowl of Chili; Dairy Queen- Ice cream cone; Bojangles- Egg and cheese biscuit; Burger King- Onion Rings; Subway- Cookie; KFC- Chicken Little; Taco Bell- Nachos BellGrande; Hardees- Small Cheeseburger; McDonalds- McChickenIt was tough, but I did finish all of it! I will be doing a very short day tomorrow so I can relax tomorrow morning."Jersey Skeeter, Pierogie, and Vicki: very good advice, you are right.Here's some great photos from Crunchmaster...