morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-03
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning it was sooo cold and beautiful. Everything was covered with a blanket of snow. It wasn't bad hiking once the sun came out. I took alot of great pictures of the Smokies covered in the frost and snow. I may even make a Christmas card of of one of the shots...we shall see.   I hiked with Thunder and Camero today. We took our time and savored all the beauty. Everytime I saw a breathtaking shot, I would walk a little further up the trail and see another. I could not stop taking photos, it was absolutely beautiful! Camero and I kept leapfrogging as we wanted to photograph all the magnificence.   Today I visited Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT-6,643 feet elevation. Right before I got there the trail split off and I took the wrong trail down for .5 of a mile before I realized that I should be going up not down...so I guess I hiked an extra mile today. There are no feet-on-the-ground views from the tree-clad summit, but the observation tower provides 360-degree views that are worth seeing. There were alot of tourists in the area and many people had questions about our thru-hike. It was fun talking to them about it, and sparking there curiosity. I spoke with a family of four who had two teenages Brian and Rachel's ages. I was asking them how much they enjoyed the park just as much as they were asking me about my adventure. I would like to spend some time here with my family...I guess we would rent a condo like this family, because I know my family surely wouldn't want to backpack through the Smokies!   We continued on our hike to Peck's Shelter and had lunch, Camero (who is a day hiker) was going to a firetower to spend the night...he may have been bitten by the thru-hiker bug, as he spoke about doing this in the future. Good Luck Camero and thanks for the extra food...it was delish!   I finally made it to Newfound Gap only to find trail magic by Flame, Papa Smurf and Big Red who hiked in 2002. They had fresh fruit, alcohol for my stove, water, cola, fresh baked cookies and Easter Eggs! Man, that was so refreshing. I told them they were a sight for sore eyes. Trail magic is amazing, it happens when you least expect it and the people show you such love and concern, truly amazing that these people give so freely of themselves. It truly is a blessing to see and is renewing my faith in humanity.
Date: 2007-04-04
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning it was very, very cold. A cold front has moved into the Smoky Mountains. I have to admit that I was reluctant to move out, particularly after the other day when I got drenched from all the horizontal rain.    Hiking today was icy, so I had to be careful on my foot placement, as I didn't want to be injured from a fall. Every time I turned a corner it became more spectacular than before. On the south side of the mountains it was sunny and warm with flowers in bloom, then on the north side of the mountain, there was frost and snow and such brilliance. I've taken alot of wonderful shots. Hopefully, I can get them uploaded to this sight soon.   I've decided to take my time to hike throught the Smokies. A lot of people are trying to hike through the Smokies quickly so they can make big miles, so they breeze through in four to five days. But I am taking six days and I do not regret it at all. I have experienced such vast changes in weather from day to day it has truly been a blessing.   I hiked into Tri-Corner Knob shelter and it is located on the North Carolina side of the A.T., this is the most remote shelter in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The shelter was full and several people tented. Tobasco and I started a fire in the evening and kept it going all night long. We have been doing that to keep everyone warm in the shelters. I gather most of the wood (the smaller stuff and try to get others to help). Then when he shows up (with the saw) he gets the bigger stuff to keep it going throughout the night. I get up and throw a log on or some kindling, so when we wake up, we can stay warm before heading out into the cold to hike. It has been pretty nice so far.   Tomorrow I am hiking to the Davenport shelter. Named for William Davenport, who surveyed the state line in 1821. This will be the last shelter in the Smoky Mountains.
Date: 2007-04-05
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Hiked into Davenport Gap shelter. When I arrived, Ranger was laying in his sleeping bag shivering. It has still been chilly, which is great to hike in during the day but at night we definetly need a fire. I started to gather some firewood to get a fire going so he could warm up. After a while he got warmed up and seemed to be better.    I have been the fire maintainter during the night. I get up and tend to the fire and keep it going all night. I also stoke it in the morning so we can keep warm...especially after doing our dishes as fingers tend to get icy cold and need defrosting. Tobasco has asked other hikers to help pitch in by gathering firewood, but some are incredibly selfish and only tend to their own chores and do not contribute to the whole. It has been the same group of hikers showing up at the shelters because we all hike the same mileage generally and end up in the same place in the evening.    The views today were incredible as usual for the Smoky Mountains. This area is my favorite place to hike so far. I am not sure if it is because of the elevation or location, but the environment in unlike any I have experienced. It has a beauty all its own.   I am almost out of this park. I really think if you have not visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you will really be surpised by the beauty that surrounds you. Make it a point to visit this area...you will not be disappointed.
Date: 2007-04-06
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Brown Gap
Miles today: 13.4

Left the shelter today and headed for Standing Bear Hostel to resupply. Mountain Mama's has closed, but failed to post it, so somehow my maildrop was rerouted to Standing Bear, which worked out perfectly. I showered, did laundry, loaded up on water and tried to post to the internet, but everyone is hovering around asking when I am getting off (even though I had just gotten on 5 minutes ago) sheesh, it makes it hard sometimes.    I have been hiking with Ranger as his partner had just left the trail because of his asthma. He is showing me some backpacking skills and we talk about God alot, so it is rather refreshing. Its nice to get away from some of the drama that other hikers bring to the trail, such as how far did you go, where are you headed to, what kind of gear do you have, etc. I learned back at Nantahala that it doesn't matter. I am here to enjoy my hike at my pace. If someone wants to race ahead... go for it. It's easy to get sucked into that scene. But I am hikng this hike for me and I am listening to how my body responds so I am no longer getting caught up in that stuff. Thank you again Jellybean for setting me straight on this. I have also found that many guys consider themselves the authority on hiking and feel it is their place to tell (especially female hikers) how to hike. It can be annoying. But now I just say "oh thats interesting" and move on. It saves alot of wasted energy and they think they have helped.   We climbed Snowbird Mountain today. When we left Davenport Gap, the elevation is 284' and we went up to 4,263' in seven miles...whew! The problem is you have to go down into a town to resupply, and when you come out with all of your food and water, you always have to go up. Well, what doesn't kill me will only make me stronger, right? Tonight I am tenting and now that I am out of the Smokies I plan on using my tent more. I want to get used to using that and be more independent of the shelters. So Ranger and I hiked 3 miles past the shelter to stealth camp. It was getting late and I was tired, so we found a spot to camp, ate and retired to our tents. Later on, Sublime, Pack Rat and his brother showed up and pitched tents by us.
Date: 2007-04-07
From: Brown Gap

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 23.3
Weather: overcast clouds

When I tented last night and the temps went down to 15 degrees inside the tent! When I opened my tent fly it was a winter wonderland. Very Cold! We ate breakfast and packed up our gear and headed out to Max Patch Bald. When we arrived on top of the mountain it was 0 degrees with the wind chill. I took a couple of pictures and it almost looks like I am on Mount Everest. It was beautiful but cold. We were hiking through snow drifts over a foot deep. It was at that point that we decided not to stay at the next shelter and to hike all the way into Hot Springs so we would not have to deal with the cold temps, risk hypothermia, or even have to put on frozen boots in the morning. That meant hiking over 23 miles...the longest day for me ever. And it was the longest day.      We stopped at a shelter and made a hot lunch and still had 15 more miles in the cold to go. All I kept thinking about was a warm pillow to rest my head on and a hot tub to soak in. It was gruelling. I hope I never have to do that again. The views were amazing, and we kept warm as long as we were moving, but the last 10 miles were really wearing me down. I barely made it off the trail and I was feeling hot spots on my feet. I took off my boots and put on my crocs and we limped into town and into the diner for a hot meal. It was closing in 15 minutes so we just made it. We ran into Stealth Blue who had a hotel room and said we could sleep on the floor for the night, so we did. I took a hot shower and was asleep in minutes.   We had made reservations at Elmers for Sunday and Monday, so I will be there resting for the next two days until this storm blows over. At least we are out of it... all though it was long and tough, it was a good decision to get off that mountain.   As we were sitting in the diner, we ran into several other hikers. The A.T. runs right through town, so it is inevitable you will see someone you know.   Everyone was commenting on how exhausted we looked. it was great seeing everyone and being inside where it was warm and dry. It certainly will be a day I will always remember.
Date: 2007-04-08
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Sunnybank Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Ahhh, today I went to the Hot Springs and treated myself to an hour in the mineral bath. It was sooo relaxing to sit in a hot tub outside by a running creek. My body was totally relaxed by it. I feel so rejuvinated. At the northern end of town, on the southern bank of the French Broad River, the spa offers baths and massages at the famous therapeutic mineral baths for which the town was named. The springs were purchased in 1990 by Anne and Eugene Hicks, who developed the natural resource by adding Jacuzzi baths and piping in the 105-degree water. The springs have attracted people to the area since the late 1700s. During World War I, a detention center/prison was constructed on the spot to hold German prisoners of war, and many German-American prisoners enjoyed the springs so much that they stayed in the area after the war. During the 1800s, literature promoting the springs claimed the water could ¢bring vigor to a wasted frame¢¢just the remedy for a worn-out hiker.    I am staying at Elmer's and it is wonderful. I am updating my journal at the library and I hope to upload some photos tommorrow at the outfitters, but they are limited, so I will keep my fingers crossed. I did laundry today and tommorrow I need to pick up my mail drop and posssibly send some more things home. It is amazing to me that if you don't use something in a few days, you actually begin to wonder why you packed it in the first place. It seemed like a good idea at the time I guess. I am sending home my used maps, etc. Some things I will just leave in the hiker box, so if someone else needs it they can use it. All those "extra" things add up in weight, so you begin to scrutinize everything.    It was nice to have a zero day and give my feet a rest. I need to check the weather as I will be heading off to Erwin on Wednesday morning. So, I will get my gear in order and go from there.
Date: 2007-04-09
From: Sunnybank Inn

To: Sunnybank Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Decided to take a zero day and finish up my chores. I slept in the attic annex last night and it doesn't have heat, but at least there was a bed. My sleeping bag kept me warm. Tonight I am moving into my own room in the main house, that will be nice.   Elmer's is a great place. The house is over 160 years old and he lets hikers have free range of it. There is no internet or TV. But plenty of socializing and books. He thru-hiked in 1975 and the owners of the place wanted to retire and practically gave him the place...he has been running it for over 30 years and he loves it.      I am trying to lighten my pack some more and will be sending some more things home. I am getting better rain gear as mine is not adequate enough. I was considering a poncho tarp, but decided against that idea. It is difficult as gear is like blue jeans...its a matter of preference, but until you try it out, how do you know? One person will swear by tarps, and another will counter it with the issue of bugs. or backpacks. I do know this...weight DOES matter. So the lighter the better.   Tommorrow Ranger and I will head out. Tobasco made it in today. He was caught in the snowstorm up on the mountain along with Crankbait, Dogs Life and Buckles. They were freezing. They are doing better now. I am sooo glad we pushed and got down from that mess, even if it was painful.
Date: 2007-04-10
From: Sunnybank Inn

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

We left Hot Springs this morning, what a great place! Ranger and I headed out to the first shelter and had lunch.I wanted to stop there, but he said if I decided to move on he would be at Little Laurel shelter. After resting awhile I decided to move on. I could make it if I hiked slower.    Several miles later there was trail magic...AWESOME. I headed down the road 300 yards to Hurcules and Fall's beautiful log cabin where they made you Belgium waffles, beef stew, and bread pudding a-la-mode drizzled with carmel sauce! OMG it is hard to hike when you eat too much! Soon I made it to Little Laurel Shelter where Stretch, Ziplock and Nitro had set up camp, but no Ranger- he had hiked on. I guess he was feeling to good to stop.   Stretch had set up her tent in the shelter to stay warmer. I got out my sleeping bag, and set it up between Stretch's tent and the shelter wall. I used her freestanding tent as a windblock, I was too tired to mess around with my tent and it was looking like rain. We were the only two hikers in the shelter, because Ziplock and Nitro were in their tent. I went to bed with a full stomach. Life is good with a full belly.
Date: 2007-04-11
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: broken clouds

Stretch and I hiked together today. She has blisters on her feet and alternates between hiking in Crocs and Nikes. I don't know how she does it but she does, and she moves quickly! We went over Blackstack Cliffs and the winds were so great at one point I looked up and Stretch was crawling so she wouldn't get blown off the trail! We eventually made it to Flint Mountain Shelter and I decided to stay, Stretch moved on another 8 miles to Hogback Ridge shelter. I was tired and took a nap and it looked liked rain, plus it was cold. I don't hike very good in the cold and I don't think I got a very good night's sleep last night.      When I awoke, Otter was there, he is section hiker with a great sense of humor and a lot of great stories. Beth and her Dad are section hiking also. Beth is a massage therapist and, well, one thing led to another, and well...THANK YOU Beth for the great foot massage!!!! In the morning, Otter and I headed out. Beth and her Dad headed Southbound...good luck you guys!
Date: 2007-04-12
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: clear sky

So today I hiked very slow and took my time. It was sunny and nice. I enjoyed myself...it was relaxing to hike alone at my own pace. When I got to Big Bald my feet were beginning to get sore from being on them all day. I wanted to get to Whistling Gap and tent, but when I went over the Bald, the wind was blowing so hard I could hardly stay on the trail. I decided to shorten my hike and stop at the shelter. By the time I made it to the shelter, Otter had just arrived 10 minutes earlier. It was really cold. So I made dinner, got water, and went right to bed.,      There were three section hikers there who were clearly upset about being out in the cold and they didn't seem to be enjoying their time out on the trail. You could almost cut the tension with a knife because they didn't talk to each other let alone talk to us. All night long they kept tossing and slamming things around. Kind of strange.    Later on Speedy came in. I named him Speedy because he is trying to finish his hike by July becuase he has to go back to school. It was fun talking with him.    In the morning I got up and headed out right away so I could warm up. Otter was right behind me.
Date: 2007-04-13
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Erwin,TN
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

Otter and I started hiking and we crossed Spivey Gap and ran into Diamond. She joined us while we took a break. She had stealth camped just beyond the shelter. So we headed into Erwin where Otter had parked his car. Otter was in the Peace Corp and was entertaining us with his many stories and adventures while he was abroad. It was fun to hear him tell about some of his adventures and mishaps. He also is a teacher, and it was interesting to hear how he teaches so creatively and it is clear how much he loves his students.   We arrived at the trailhead and saw Ranger at Uncle Johnny's. His feet were a mess. Two of his toenails were bloody and his heels were torn up. He still insisted on hiking tomorrow. To each his own.    I had to stop at Uncle Johnny's and get my mail drop and that is where Otter had left his car. Along with my mail I had another package. It was some candy from Larry and Sue Dotten. I was going to stay with them in Erwin on the 6th, but I was off schedule from my injuries. Thanks for the nice gesture you guys!      We went over to Miss Janets, but it was full. They wanted us to stay on the couch for the same amount of money as a room. So, we decided to split the cost of a hotel and between the 3 of us, it was cheaper and more private, than Miss Janets. We stopped by Miss Janets and she was helping us arrange slack packing. Long story short: The weather is going to rain and then snow. So,we are driving North to Carvers Gap and hiking South over Roan Mountain (the high part where it will be really cold and windy) and hike to Iron Mountain Gap. Then the next day we are hiking from Iron Mountain Gap back into Erwin (thats when the snow will hit). After that we will pick up from Carver Gap and head North again. This way we won't get caught in the snow.   We did our chores and headed back to the hotel. It sure was nice to have a car to get around Erwin as it is spread out compared to Hot Springs. Otter you ARE the best!
Date: 2007-04-14
From: Carvers Gap, TN

To: Iron Mountain
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Otter, Diamond and I ran into Amoeba who is assisting some section hikers with their hike. She offered to shuttle us to Carvers Gap so we could head South over Roan Mountain before the snow comes. I am so glad we did this as it was very beautiful but cold up there and there was still ice covering the trail as we hiked. For northbound hikers this will be the last time the A.T. climbs above 6,000 feet until Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. Roan Mountain is arguably the coldest spot, year-round, on the southern A.T. Upon reaching the top of the main climb (for northbounders), enter a clearing, and pass the foundation of the former Cloudland Hotel. The Tennessee¢North Carolina state line ran through the center of the hotel¢s ballroom when Cloudland was a thriving resort during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was demolished in 1915, after loggers completely harvested the fir and spruce on the mountaintop. Much of the Catawba rhododendron was dug up and sold to ornamental nurseries. The remaining rhododendron flourished after the logging and quickly covered the slopes of Roan, hence the famous rhododendron gardens. They would be great to see when they are in full bloom.   It was fun carrying a day pack only with our rain gear and water and lunch. We ran into many thru hikers who are in front of us but we only knew their names from journal entries. It was nice matching faces to the names. I also ran into many hikers who went on before me while I stayed back from my blisters and ankle injury. They are only a couple of days ahead as many of them took zero days in Hot Springs and Erwin. So it was fun to hear "Boo-Boo!" as I approached them. We chatted a bit and I told them I am only a couple of days behind them.   Then we came across Trail Magic, so as we ran into the hikers who were headed North: Tin-Tin, Pythagorus, Joeseph Stalin, Calamity Jane, Dude, Bonnie Carolyn, Stubbles, Ohms, Quarter-Moon, Sixty, One-Third, Pooch and Tom Dooley, sheesh and sooo many more, we were able to tell them there is Trail Magic ahead.   It was cool to motivate them! With our day packs, there were times we were running down the trail...and our knees didn't even hurt! It was awesome. I have to lighten my pack somemore, that's for sure...I can't wait to get my trail runners and ditch my winter gear!   As we hiked into Iron Mountain we felt a few rain drops. We had missed the rain. And on top of it we went to a AYCE (all you can eat)and pigged out! Life is good!
Date: 2007-04-15
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Erwin
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: light rain

Otter, Diamond and I went up to Iron Mountain Gap where we left off yesterday. We are heading southbound toward town into Erwin, this way if the weather gets really bad, or there is a problem, it will be easier to get us.    When we started, it was cloudy but soon began to rain. We crossed over Unika Mountain with a large stand of red spruce atop its 5,180-foot summit, Unaka looks like the Maine woods. Unaka is the Cherokee word for ¢white.¢ It was raining but I I had on my Frogg Toggs and was warm and dry for the first seven miles. Then when we reached the bald Beauty Spot... it was anything but beautiful. Otter ran across the field to keep the rain from stinging his face. We had horizontal rain again. I was drenched, even with the Frogg Toggs. Come to find out that others have had the same results. Again, NOTHING is waterpoof! There are just different levels of water resistance. Anyway, from that point on, my hands and feet were cold, but as long as I kept moving, my core stayed warm. It was warmer to remove my soggy gloves than to keep them on. Then it stopped raining and turned into snow. You could feel the temperature drop. We finally reached Curley Maple Gap Shelter where Ziplock and Nitro had set up a tent inside the shelter. When we arrived, they didn't even know it had snowed! We gave them a hard time about how they may have been distracted. Ha ha!       We had four miles left before we reached Erwin. Along the way we were singing Walking in a Winter Wonderland. At one point we found a Salamander on the trail in the snow, Otter moved it to a safer place. It was getting hard for me to walk as I was rapidly getting colder, but all I could do is walk. It was nice to know that even though we were cold and wet, we can get a hot shower, eat a hot meal and have a warm place to sleep.