morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-03-20
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: snow

Woke up to a terrible day. It was cold and rainy and was beginning to snow. Today we were doing 12.5 miles to Newfound Gap to hitch into Gatlinburg. I am so glad we spent the night in Gatlinburg. Unfortunetly the spell of bad weather , the worst of the entire trip, coencided with us going over Cleamens Dome, the highest Mountain on the AT. I was the first to get to Cleamens. It was so cold, snowy, and windy that I was very chilled stopping for just a bit to wait for the others. Once everyone caugt up we took some pictures and headed onword. I was out in front for a while. Even with the bad weather there where still lots of other day hikers out. Pinky caugt up to me about 3 miles before Newfound Gap. We where flying down the mountain to the gap. We where so happy to see the road. We decied to leave a note for the others to catch up with us at the happy hiker which is the outfitter in Gatlinburg. Kaptain actually caugt up with us before we got a hitch. Just seconds after Kaptain shwed up we got a ride into town. It was from a very nice young women on her way to a job interview. Gatlinburg turly overwhelms the senses. The three of us got a room at the microtel, showered up and headed to the happy hiker. On the way to the outfitter we saw Tofurkey, Lockjaw, Bleach, and Slip-n-Slide chilling at a KFC, they didn't even get our note. We took the trollies to resupply and to go to the post office. After our errands we ate dinner at the Smokey Mountain Brewery. Great Beer. After we walked to the Ben and Jerries to get some ice cream. When we got back to the motel room we hung out and watched a movie. Towards the end of the movie Kaptain did not feel so well. Not Good.
Date: 2006-03-21
From: Newfound Gap

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

We've lost the Kaptain today. He was too sick to leave Gatlinburg. The shuttle back to the trail could only take ive of us. Without the Kaptain there where six of us. We drew straws (only the guys) and it was LockJaw who had to hitch. Tofurkey though announced she was hitching and left. What a stubborn girl. Our 'guide' in the shuttle gave us a lengthy history of the park. He was very informative, but it was odd. Our goal for the day was tri-corner knob shelter, 15.6 miles down the trail. When we left it was still very rainy and nasty, but it soon cleared up and became a very beautifull day. With all the rain and snow though the trail was very muddy. It was one of the best days of hiking yet though with beautifull views and plenty of sun. The best view of the day was from charlies bunion. when we got to the shelter there where some section hikers there but they all where very friendly and we all fit fine. My feet where so pruned they looked like very old persons skin, no offense to old people.
Date: 2006-03-22
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

We got snow last night. It looks beautifull, for now. Our group was the last to get out of our sleeping bags, it's so cold. 14.8 miles today to Davenport Gap shelter, we are almost out of the smokies. I cruzed by myself most of the day. Everyone was ahead of me especially bleach, he was doing a 19 mile day to get to standing bear farm hostel. The snow on the trees looked beatufifull but besides that there where no good views untill the end of the day. At lunch we all (Pinky, Lockjaw, and I) decided to meet up at some vistas 4.6 miles from Davenport Gap Shelter. We missed the sidetrail to the vistas so we ended up going .6 miles up to a fire tower on Mt. Cammerer. It was the best view of the entire smokeys. We chilled there for a while and Tofurkey caught up with us. She spent the prevous night 5 miles behind us because it took her 2 hours to get a hitch. She rolled her ankle and was going to get off the trail and take some zero's in Hot Springs. When we got to the shelter it was all the same people as the night before and more people quickly showed up. It was an early night, everyone was tired.
Date: 2006-03-23
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: broken clouds

We have finished the smokies! We woke up this morning and rushed to davenport gap, the northern boundry of the smokies. From the gap it was a bit over a mile walk down the road to Mountain Mammas. Here we could get a hot breakfast, I had pancakes, and resupply for the two day hike into Hot Springs. When we got to Mountain Mammas we found a note from Tofrukey telling us she got out ok. They shuttled us from Moutain Mammas back to the trail head, from wehre we still had 17 miles to hike to our planned shelter. It was a long day of climbing till we all met and ate at the first shelter. After quickly munching down some food and filling up on water we pushed out for the next 7.4 miles to roaring fork shelter. Pinky quickly took the lead over everyone as it was a lot more uphill. I just kept moving up the mountain and passed slipnslide, Lockjaw, and Thumper. I caught up to Pinky about 1.5 miles before Max Patch. Max Patch is an amazing bald with a sensational view. When we got to the top it was so different to be on top of a mountain with so much empty space. At the summit Ramble on, Treefingers, Don Johnson, and Brian had there tents setup. It was also starting to snow, we would not be staying long. Once the weather really started to roll in Pinky and I actually rant the 1 mile to the next shelter. There was only one person in it, Team Steve. We got all setup and warm and watched the snow start to fall faster and faster.
Date: 2006-03-24
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Elmers (Hot Springs)
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: light rain

We woke up to about 3-4 inches of snow and it was still falling. A quick decision changed our plans and we decided to head directly to Hot Springs, an 18.8 mile day. I ate a big breakfast and filled up on water, I wasn't going to stop untill I got there. After about an hour or so I got in front and stayed there for most of the day. Going down a hill I heard "Sunshine," it was Pinky. We sped down the moutain for a while but eventually she turned on the "Pink Moter" and I didn't see her untill Hot Springs. I got to Elmers, a big victorian style house, which is a hostel. Fantastic Place. I got warmed up , got my dry clothes from the post office, and had a very hot shower. The big day was very woth it. Pinky and I got in early enought so sign up for dinner. Best vegeterian meal of my life. To make the day even better, Kaptain caugt up with us. He did some huge days to be here. Tofurkey is in town and we are staying at her place tomorrow. We ended the night at the paddlers Pub. It's so great to be warm drinking cold beer.
Date: 2006-03-25
From: Elmers (Hot Springs)

To: Tofurkey's House (Hot Springs)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

A day to relax, how pleasant. The sleep at Elmers wasn't excellent as I am rather tall for the antique beds. The breakfast however more than made up for it. After breakfast we went down to the outfitters to use the internet. Afterwords we checked out of elmers and moved all our stuff over to Tofukey's house. We would be bunking down at her place for the night. We basically hung around for most of the day just goofing off. For dinner we went to an all you can eat buffet in Ashville. It was really good. In Ashville we also resuplied and then headed back to Hot Springs. Back at Tofukey's we watched Napoleon Dynamite, Kaptain had not seen it before. After the movie I said I was going to the pub to get Pinky's spork, Ramble-On had it. I was in an odd mood and really just wanted to get drunk. On the walk to the pub I ran into Don Johnson and Brian. We had a couple beers and then moved to the bar accross the street. Thats when things got fun. All total we had a bottle of win, 3 bottles of champaigne and a bunch of beers. I was trashed. I now refer to Don Johnson as "shit puddles" and Brain as "chunks." Shit puddles went straight back to elmers once the bar closed. chunks and I took the long way back to Elmers and had some tea with a local. It was an interesting walk. Back at Elmers I wlke up Ramble-On to get Pinky's spork. When I finally stumbled back into Tofukey's it was about 2:30 AM. According to Kaptain I just laid down on the kitchen floor and started to snore. He have me a pillow and a blanket and I guess sometime in the night I got my sleeping bag out cause I woke up in it. What a night.
Date: 2006-03-26
From: Tofurkey's House (Hot Springs)

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Wow, what a hangover this morning. I woke up in Tofrukey's kitchen with Kaptain standing over me. "Feeling perky this morning mate?" I quikly went through the four stages of a propper hangover. 1. Still Drunk 2. Pending Doom 3. Death 4. Reserection Stage three took place at the breakfast table. I couldn't eat a thing. reserection took place in the shower. I felt much better. Tofrukey then gave us great news. She and stewball would slackpack us to Allen Gap, about 14 miles north of Hot Springs. I left Tofrukey's house and went to Elmers to see how Shit Puddles and Chunks where feeling. Chunks was getting some breakfast and Shit Puddles was still in bed. I talked to shit puddles, treefingers, ramble-on, and Pirate before leaving. I stopped at the outfitters, checked my email and bought a Gatorade and snickers for the slack pack. I was on my way. It was pleasant to hike without a pack, but after a while the previous night caugt up with me and it was just like hiking with a pack again. About three miles or so before Allen Gap I caught the others standing with Tofurkey and Stewball in the trail. We all hiked together down to the gap. At Tofurkey's van we ate some food, then said our goodby'es and headed for little laurel shelter, about five miles away. It was burdensome hiking with the pack again and I quickly realized just how tired I was. The shelter was small and it was just us. It got cold so we all got into our sleeping bags to read and write journals. Hot Springs was a fun town. I'll have to go back sometime.
Date: 2006-03-27
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: clear sky

Short day today, only 12.7 miles, but it felt real long. The snow which we have just been hiking right on over is starting to turn to slush. It's slowing us up real bad. At the first shelter, Jerry's Cabin, we stopped for lunch. We where all pretty beat, and talked about stopping short at the next shelter. Pinky and I hiked together pretty much all day. We talked a lot and I found out some pretty interesting stuff about her. She's a cool girl and even though we tease her a lot it's great to have her around. Towards the end of the day Pinky and I stopped by waht looked like a road so she could pee and I could check the book to see where we wehre. She walked up the trail a bit and screams back, "we are at the shelter!" We where both lac, It's very tiring walking in the snow. It was sunny out so we hung up a clothes line to let the socks dry out. It was nice to sit around a while. Pinky even built a snowman. I later gave the snowman some arms so it could hold poles for a picture. I caught up on some of my reading which was also nice. Once we wehre all starting to doze off Team Steve arrived followed a little later by Treefingers and Ramble-On. It was a full shelter and I actually slept very well.
Date: 2006-03-28
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: light rain

Slush is the word of the day. We feet is the motto. Today we made up for our shorcomings yesterday. We all stopped to have lunch at hogback riidge shelter. I hiked with Pinky most of the way again today. The only meorable part of the day was big bald mountain. It was big, and it was bald. The view from the top was pretty awesome and we hung up there for a while. The slush and mud on the way down from the summit was terrible. Once at the shelter we dried off, ate some warm food, and got into our sleeping bags. Everyone and there mother for some reason got up to pee. It was rather distracting. The symphone of snoring didn't help either. Lovely day on the AT
Date: 2006-03-29
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Miss Janet's House (Erwin TN)
Miles today: 16.9

Quick day into town today. Got into Erwin TN from BAld MTN Shelter, 16.9 miles. Slip-n-Slide woke up much earlier then the rest of us to get a head start. Even so though he only beat us to Rewin by 5-10 mins. It was a very nice day of hiking. We finally dropped out of the snow and slush and had very nice trail. It was quite warm too. All in all an excellent hike into town. There is a hostel, uncle Johnny's, that is right at the gap into Eriwn but it is near nothing. We instead went into Miss Janets. Her house was very full but we all foudn spots. After shwering up Katain, Pinky, and I went to Erwin Burrito. I ate so much, it was great. Afterwords we met SlipnSlide, Lockjaw, and Team Steve at the Sonic for milk shakes. Back at Miss Janet's we hung around and I waited for Bliss and Chunky to stop by. They wehre supposed to hike with us for a few days but decided to go meet up with Swanson's and Kurly instead because they wehere doing smaller days. I was pretty bummed, but what can you do. It was pretty awesome to see them. After Bliss and Chunky left I ended up staying up pretty late drinking beer. At one point I alked to the gas station to buy more, but they stopped selling. This was at 1 AM. Miss Janet said I was "sad." She made me a long island iced tea. Team steve was the only one awake with me and we ended up calling a friend of mine named Kate. She was drunk. At 2:30 AM we went to bed. Gotta hike tomorrow. Weather is supposed to be beautiful.
Date: 2006-03-30
From: Miss Janet's House (Erwin TN)

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke up pretty early this morning at Miss Janet's. Only four hours of sleep but I'm feeling pretty good. Spent the morning getting my stuff together. I forgot to put my socks into the laundry the night before, big oops. So I washed them and it was all good. At 8:30 we walked over to the post office to mail out some things. When we got back from the post office breakfast was ready. We ate out side on a long table. It was really a fun breakfast. Quickkly after breakfast Miss Janet gave us a ride back to the trailhead. It was a late start for a 16.4 mile day. It was already 10AM by the time we started hiking. We all met up at the first shelter about 4 miles into the hike for lunch. It was a beautifull day, and we where all feeling good about the hike. We all me up again at beauty spot. It was our first bald where the weather was actaully nice. Pinky, Lockjaw, and I stayed on top the longest, lounging in the sun. From beauty spot was a big climb up Unaka Mountain. I wasn't feeling so good and had to stop a few times. Unaka had snow on the top so it was even harder going. I was last to arrive at the shelter and it was almost dark. After cooking my dinner I checked the shelter and there was no room left. It looked to be a nice night so I found a flat spot right outside the shelter and laid right out. Slept Great.
Date: 2006-03-31
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Over Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 21.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Big day today, 21.7 miles. Our first day as a group over 20 miles. We left Cherry Gap Shelter pretty early, around 7ish. We stopped for an early lunch at Clyde Smith Shelter. After clyde Smith we had our monster up for the day, Roan Mountain. It was one hell of a climb up. The top of rain still had snow on top of it and some parts where very slick. Pinky, SlipnSlide, and I stopped at Roan High Mountain Shelter but we didn't stay very long. After Roan Mountain it was a down and then some up over a vew balds to the shelter. The trail was very muddy and lockjaw fell twice. The second time LockJaw fell Pinky fell down just a few feet from him while he was still on the ground. It was very funny. About a mile from over Mountain shelter it started to drizzle. We all picked up our pace and booked it to the shelter. Over Mountain shelter is an old red barn converted into a shelter. It is very cool. There where lots of people there but the shelter was very roomey. A little while after arriving it really started to rain and the wind was blowing hard. It was nice to be warm and dry.
Date: 2006-04-01
From: Over Mountain Shelter

To: Campsite ( mile 398.4)
Miles today: 21.6

Except for the constant banging of the tin roof in the wind I slept quite well last night. The weather cleared up pretty nicely in the morning. Early in the day we passed over some extrmely windy balds. The wind was literly blowing 40 MPH. If I didn't have my poles it would have probably toppled me over. We stoped at Apple House Shelter for lunch. From then on I hiked seperatly from the group with only Slip-nSlide and Lockjaw behind me. Out plan was to do around 16 or so to a campsite. I stopped by Mountaineer Waterfalls to take a break 1.9 miles before the campsite. Slip-n-slide caught up to me there. I got to the campsite ahead of Slip-n-Slide to find no one there. I set my pack down and hiked a bit further to see if maybe i was just in the wrong place. I didn't find anyone. Just before I got back to my pack, Slip-n-slide comes around a turn in the trail and asks if that was the campsite. I said I believed it was. He gave me this blank look, asked what I was doing. I told him I didn't know. I sat on a log and looked through my guide book. It was almost 7 miles to the next shelter. I decided to keep walking till I found them or reached the shelter. Just as I was about to leave Lockjaw showed up. He agreed to keep going. I was really worried while I was hiking. I kept thinking someone might of gotten hurt and gotten off the trail. Pinky's ankle had been bothering her a lot. Finally I rounded a turn in the trail and saw a bunch of tents set up. It was them, I was very relieved. Turns ou tthey had missed the campsite and just kept on going. It looked to be a very clear night so Team Steve, LockJaw, and I cowboy camped. There where various jokes about brokeback mountain. The one good thing about the bigger day was it was only 10.9 miles into Kincora hiker hostel tomorrow.
Date: 2006-04-02
From: Campsite ( mile 398.4)

To: Kincora
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: clear sky

Had to set our watches ahead last night, so there wasn't as much light early in the morning. It was an easy 4.8 miles in the begenning of the day to moreland gap shelter. Pinky, Lockjaw, Team Steve, and I stopped there for a bit because honestly we just didn't feel like hiking. We finally set off to do the 6.1 to the get into Kincora. When we got to Denis Cove Gap Kincora is .2 miles to the left, Pinky went right. She hiked .5 miles before realizing she went the wrong way. Team steve and I reached the road together and as we where walking up the road we saw what appeared to be section hikers heading towards the hostel. They where actually thru-hikers, they wehre just very weird. There was plenty of room at the hostel. The hostel is owned by Bob and Pat peoples. They are an older couple who are vey kind to hikers. There hostel is an awesome place. We went into town and ate some pizza on the benches infront of the supermarket. We then shopped for food plus for a big dinner for the evening. Pink was cooking. While Pinky was whipping up he gourmet feast, Kaptain and I tried to figure out a good slackpack for tomorrow so we could afford to take a day off to do trail work. We found it. A 28 mile south bound hike from 91 back to Kincora. Huge day, but for a great cause. Pinky's meal was absolutley amazing. We all ate very weel, which is a good thing before a 28 mile day.
Date: 2006-04-03
From: TN91

To: Kincora
Miles today: 27.9
Weather: light rain

Holy Crap! Wat a huge day. The plan was to leave by 7:30AM. It was an hour drive to get to the trailhead at TN91. Bob put out a bunch of day packs for us to use. After a hectic rush to get ready all of where in the pickup. Along with our group was wayfarer and a section hiker who we now call fully loaded. They weren't doing the d8 with us but where doing a fairly big 19 mile day. Pretty much the day was a cruse untill the end. The trail was mostly flat and the weather held out except for a few spats where it seemed like it might storm. We crossed over Watuga Dam, which was pretty neat. The lake was massive. The big up of the day was up to Pon Flats which is basically a Mountain with a pond at the top. Over the other side of Pond Flats was laruel falls, an impressive watefall followed by a huge rock staircase. It was a very long and excellent day of hiking. Pinky got cranky towards the end, but she pulled it off just fine. When we got back to the hostel there where more people. We ordered some pizza but of course mine came with pepperoni on it. Sometimes it sucks to be vegetarian.
Date: 2006-04-04
From: Kincora

To: Kincora
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Took a zero day to do trail maitnence today. It felt really good to give back to something that has given so much to us. It was especially cool because we got to work on a new shelter. What we actually did was level ground, build a rock wall, collect rocks, and skin tress that will be used as support columns. It was the most exhausting zero day we've ever taken, but it was lots of fun. Besides us hiker trash there where some older men from the trail club working. It was amazing to see how hard these men worked. For our effort we got a patch which I will put on my pack. Pretty cool. When we got back to the hostel there where even more people there, it was pretty crowded. Fully loaded wasn't able to go and do maitnence so he took everyone in the hostel out to dinner at a chinese buffet. Pinky, Bleach, and I didn't really like the look of the buffet so we went to the mexican resturant next door. The food was reallly good and the margaritas where very strong. Accross the street was a supermarket so we walked over to resupply. I decided to carry a watermelon in for lunch the next day. When I told Kaptain his eyes got wide and he said "are you serious?" I assured him that I was and he asked what goes good with watermelon? The obscene lunch was born. Everyone else also got obscene food times. Back at the hostel we gave Fully loaded both a pack shake down and a trail name. Damn he had lots of useless crap. We had a good time with it and he took our critizisms very well. He was very pleased with the pack lighting. We also helped him with packing his pack and he said it felt much better. Once that was over there was a pretty intense game of Jenga. Team steve lost miserbly. After the tower fell pretty much everyone went to bed. 22 miles to Damascus tomorrow, with a nice obscene lunch to round out the day.