morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-07
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: clear sky

Received a quick phone call from a pay phone at the Fontana Dam! A day early! She was supposed to be at Cable Gap Shelter tonight. Not sure yet how she got there, but it might have had something to do with the approaching severe storms and a desire to get off the ridge tops and out from under trees. All predictions are for very, very bad weather tonight and all day and evening Saturday.I'm sure she got some good rest at the NOC hostel, even though everything didn't work as hoped (phone, washer, etc.) but it could have been worse. On Saturday I will drive to see her at the AT crossing at the Fontana Dam Marina and bring her some real Trail Magic, me! But seriously folks, I am really looking forward to seeing my lovely wife and my wonderful partner in all things. My ten to 12 hours a day at work are not nearly as fun, or challenging, or difficult or satisfying as the ones she is spending on the trail. I am so pleased that she is pursuing one of her passions in life and I hope that she goes all the way to Mt. Katahdin! If she makes it, she will be joined by me and her son for the summit and the celebration. If she doesn't, then her family will respect her just the same for attempting the challenge. She is a tough and determined woman and I suspect she will give it her all in spite of the hardships - she is that kind of person. Now I pray that Fontana Village has decent cell phone service so I can download all the encouraging notes and email she has received from all of you on her trail journal guest book. You GO, Bama!BillAdded note from Bama:I arrived at the Fontana Marina about 3:30, and put a dollar in the drink machine. I could just taste the diet coke. Well, the drink machine was empty, but took my money. I called the machine a few dirty names & slapped it a couple of times. I got back on the trail for the 1 mile to the Fontana Hilton. When I walked up to the Hilton, Identity Crisis handed me a cold beer. The beer was much better than that old diet coke. He saved my day!! About an hour later I walked about a half mile to take a shower at the Fontana Dam Visitors Center. I didn't have a towel, so used paper towels. The weather was beautiful and you wouldn't know a storm was coming later. I heard the Rangers were going up the trail warning people to take cover. I settled in with about 25 people who were all drinking heavily because the general store would only sell beer by the 12 pack. All had a good time & we voted the Hilton as having the best view.
Date: 2006-04-08
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Village
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I drank coffee & watched everyone leave for the trail. It was too early to leave the shelter, and Bill wouldn't arrive until lunch. The storm wasn't as bad as we expected, so we were all happy. I finally got tired of hanging around, so caught the $2.00 shuttle to the village to check out the Village Outfitters. Went to the post office to see if my package arrived and it hadn't. The postal worker said she would forward it on to Hot Springs.Bill arrived about 12:30, and boy was I glad to see him! We couldn't check into our cottage until 3:30pm. I introduced Bill to some of the other hikers that were also waiting for check-in or buying trail food. I left my tent ground cover at the Fontana Hilton Shelter, so I took Bill on a tour. There were a few guys at the shelter that had just arrived that I met at the NOC on Wednesday. Everyone I have met has been so nice.Our cottage (Bill called it the Fontana Ritz) is very nice and the first thing I did was take a tub bath. We sat on the front porch & had happy hour. It began to get chilly, so we went inside and Bill made a fire for me and started the charcoal for my steak.Dinner was great, and I promply fell asleep at my usual bedtime, 7:30.
Date: 2006-04-09
From: Fontana Dam Village

To: Fontana Dam Village
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We had a great breakfast at the Village restaurant and it was AYCE with eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, grits, oatmeal, biscuits, gravy, fruit, coffee, orange juice and cherry cobbler (good lord!). Bama and I talked with Little Wing, Flat Rocks, Martin (from England), Shortcut and were lucky to meet the legendary Stumpknocker. There were a number of other thru-hikers there, too. The Lodge was full of Mazda and Audi enthusiasts that had come to "run" the Tail-of-the-Dragon, an eleven-mile road from Hell with over 300 turns! Otherwise known as US Hwy 129, thousands of sports car and motorcycle owners risk their lives seeing how fast they can do the 11 miles up and down mountains and around hairpin curves. Many die or are seriously injured each year and the police can only look the other way. It's was fun in my F-150 pick-up, too. Thank God I don't own a sports car.Bill Bama Update: We had no cell or internet service at Fontana Dam Village and the public library in Bryson City and Robbinsville do not open on Sundays. So after breakfast, we drove to the NOC which now has a public Wi-Fi Internet connection for $9.95 a day.Tomorrow I leave for the trail at 7:00am and Bill will head back to Birmingham. My morning treat will be a climb straight up in the sky to the top of Shuckstack Mountain, the first leg of the Smokies. I worked on my trail journal and looked at my guest log. Thanks to everyone who has left the nice notes & encourgment. It really helps knowing others are interested in my journey. For the next few weeks Bill will continue working on my journal for me from my now resurrected cell phone. Love to All.
Date: 2006-04-10
From: Fontana Dam

To: Mollie's Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: clear sky

After two great zero days at Fontana Village, Bama was back at it this morning at 0 dark-thirty (6:30 EDT). We got up (very) early and got everything packed and loaded into the truck and off to the Dam in the dark. The sky was just barely lightening when she headed over the dam. True to her nature, she didn't want to ride the mile from the Dam visitor center or slack pack so she hiked the 1.2 miles across the dam and up the road to the first AT Smokies trailhead. Meanwhile, I followed her in the truck as her Pace Car (we laughted about how this looked). At the trailhead, about 1.2 miles from the Dam visitor center, we again said our fond farewells and up she went into the woods.She called me to say that she had arrived at 1:15 at the Mollie's Ridge Shelter & decided to call it a day. She was surprised to see the shelter had space for 12 hikers - it was very nice. She learned that all the shelters in the Smokies were this big. However, in the Smokies, only three AT thru-hikers are allowed in the shelters if it is full with others who are section or weekend hiking. We feel this is unfair given the number of thru-hikers who are coming thru this time of year, but then, we don't run the park. Fortunately, this is usually a problem only on weekends. But Bama laughed that she was the first thru-hikers in the shelter today and nobody had better try to get her to move out and into a tent. Bears!!On the way up she met Carl Goodman, an AT ridge runner who was already up on the trail to make sure everyone was ready to do their Smokies leg. Bama saw no bears and Carl said not to worry too much about them - they were pretty timid. Also, he said it was too early in the season for them to be at this elevation. Hmmmm, I guess that's reassuring, but Bama still had her bear bell I bought her for luck! She is wearing her lighter boots and wanted to try them to see if they would be as useful as her others. So far, OK, no problems.At the shelter she met Fish, Carl & Joe, Hey Man, Mamma Moose & Rusch Hour. Later Peter Rabbit,Trusty, Tyson, Oly, Little Wing, Flat Rocks, Scott, Piper & Snickers. They had a full house & tent space. The weather was absolutely beautiful and it is supposed to stay this way all week with no rain or storms. Mamma Moose had marashmallows to roast after dark around a fire, but Bama was too tired to enjoy since she got up at 4amAnother good day and tomorrow on to Derrick Knob Shelter, about 11.7 miles.Bill
Date: 2006-04-11
From: Mollie's Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Bama called around lunch time today - no update tonight, probably due to the lack of cell phone towers in the Smokies. This should improve as she gets close to Newfound Gap and Gatlinburg. She said the shelter was really full last night at Mollie's Ridge, almost all thru-hikers. There was also a camp fire and roasted marshmallows, but Bama had decided to hit the sack (literally) at her usual 7-7:30 pm bedtime (we got up at 4:00 am that morning).She got an early start today and had lunch at Rocky Top (of the Tennesee Bluegrass song fame) past the Spence Field Shelter - the AT thru most of the Smokies runs right on the NC-TN border.Tomorrow she is scheduled to go to the Mount Collins Shelter where the AT crosses the Sugerland Mountain Trail, about 13.5 miles. But that means going over Clingman's Dome at an elevation of 6,643 feet, the tallest peak in the Smokies. Fortunately, she gaining elevation steadily on trail, but we'll see . . .Bill
Date: 2006-04-12
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Bama called around lunch time again today and she was at the Double Spring Shelter for a break and a quick lunch. She was with Oly, Peter Rabbit and Trusty. Skunk had passed on by and was a couple of shelters ahead.Today must have been tough hiking over several progressively higher mountains until Clingman's Dome and on to Mt. Collins. Haven't heard from her tonight, probably due to no nearby cell phone tower, but I assume she made it to the Mt. Collins Shelter.Not sure, but tomorrow she crosses Hwy 441 (the Scenic Parkway) and a side trip to Gatlinburg (about 15 miles) for food restock. Her plans are to get back on the trail and get to the Icewater Spring Shelter tomorrow night. She'll probably hitch hike in with someone or maybe be able to call a shuttle from town. We've learned that there are local people who make a living shuttling hikers along the AT or following them on slack packs hikes. Bama and I may have found a way to make a living after retirement!Update note: Bama said that several of them going to Derrick Knob has stopped at Clingman's Dome for a well-deserved break. The tower is closed for repairs and there were a couple of workmen in a truck hauling rocks. Bama wondered if they had lunch boxes and anything to eat or drink. Peter Rabbit laughed and said if they did, they were probably sealed up in bear-bags to protect them from being eaten by thru-hikers. It cracked Bama up.BillUpdate: Bama had a great night of sleep. Only Oly, Peter Rabbit, Rusch Hour,Piper, Trusty & later Lowtar were in the Shelter. The rest of the group traveling through the Smokies got off at Clingsman Dome & yellow blazed to Gatlinburg.
Date: 2006-04-13
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Newfound Gap/Gatlinburg
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Bama called at lunch today. She said the trip from Derrick's Knob to Mt. Collins was a killer. She reached Clingman's Dome at 2:00 yesterday and didn't get to the Mt. Collins Shelter until 4:45. This morning was the warmest she's had yet and she said the first she didn't wear her down jacket to fix breakfast.She and Oly hiked to Newfound Gap to hitch a ride into Gatlinburg because she's out of food and stove fuel. They tried for an hour to hitch a ride, but the tourists won't generally pick up thru-hikers (can you blame them?). The locals usually will, but they had no luck. After an hour, a guy (Scott) Bama met the first week hollered out Bama's name & said his Mom would take everyone to town. (Nell Akins) provided the trail magic and said she would take them to Gatlinburg (yea!).Bama, Oly, Peter Rabbit, Rusch Hour, Piper & Trusty were at the Happy Hiker trying to decide where to go for lunch; it's Oly's birthday (a young 70) and decided on Mexican. They were really hungry! After re-supplying and going to the grocery (which is miles from "downtown" Gatlinburg) they will figure out some way to get a ride back out to Newfound Gap and go to Ice Water Shelter - a relatively short hike - because they are worn out from the previous day's climbing. Bama said it seemed like about all they had done besides eat was either look for or ride on a trolley.The group could stay in Gatlinburg and leave tomorrow for Peck's Corner Shelter - not sure. Received another call about 7:15 pm her time and Bama and the group decided to stay in Gatlinburg at a small motel because they had spent the day waiting on shuttles, so it was too late to leave. It is hard to believe, but the Happy Hiker doesn't offer shuttle service. In fact, the only phone reference they gave Bama for Walk-in-the-Woods Shuttle went to voice mail and said they were booked up thru Sunday! Amazing! I offered to get her a taxi, but found out that Gatlinburg has no taxi company and the one I called in Knoxville that services Gatlinburg (All Right Taxi) wanted $55 to carry one person 16 miles to the Gap - what a rip-off - he said it because it was uphill! I talked to Steve, the owner of the Grand Prix Motel, and said he usually runs a shuttle for up to four hikers for only $40, but he had a manager walk out on him yesterday and there was no one to drive the van - but he was very nice and apologetic. Oh well, at least everyone is well-fed and has had a shower and a chance to shop and wash clothes. Bill
Date: 2006-04-15
From: Peck's Corner Shelter

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

Thanks Ewker & Debbie for the trail magic & taking this picture. After the noisy family incident yesterday morning, Bama and Piper finally got some solitude in what everyone voted the most beautiful section of the AT so far, Newfound Gap to Peck's Corner. The air was clear and the vistas were magnificant. However, Bama says that anyone afraid of heights would hike this section very carefully. The trail is very narrow and there are very steep drop-offs on both sides. You are literally walking the knife edge on the ridge in places. They were also treated to some trail magic by Debbie and Ewker who had hiked up from Cosby Knob trail head. They had Pringles and string cheese and then moved on.She and Piper reached Peck's Corner Shelter about 2:30 and found Oly, Trusty, Roush Hour, Peter Rabbit and Oyster. There was also Carl and Joe who were section hiking. The shelter was pretty full, but at about 6:30, this couple and their two guy friends arrived and since there were hiking the Smokies only, had preferencial authority to stay in the shelter because the Park requires them to. Somehow, they all managed to squeeze in.Today they are on their way to Cosby Knob. Bama says the trail is very different today after Mt. Sequoyah and they're hiking on the shady side of the slope - headed toward Tricorner Knob Shelter. The footing is very rocky and tough on the feet - someone said "If you like this, you'll love Pennsylvania which is very rocky." There are also still large snow patches and ice on the trail in places, one section was six feet of solid ice. This section of the Smokies was something else to hike about a month ago according to others' journals that had passed this way in early March.Bama is getting farther away from major highways or towns and she is having a lot of trouble finding a cell phone signal. After she gets to Cosby Knob, she'll only be about 10 miles - as the crow flys - from I-40 out of Ashville, and the signals should pick up.Bill
Date: 2006-04-17
From: Standing Bear Campsite

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Bama called to say how much fun this day was at Standing Bear Campground and wants the two of us to go back there. The bunkhouse was almost full when Bama and her group got there so Curtis put Bama, Oly, Trusty and Piper in a cottage with two full beds and a bed in the loft. She met Curtis' wife, Maria, and their family after her trip to town and sat with them for a while (talking, what else?) about flowers and stuff on their porch - really nice people.That night most of the younger folks were having a big campfire (as we would say in Birmingham, a Vulcan Trail Association campfire and in a party mood. Bama, as usual, hit the sack about 9:00. Her cabin had a double french door which she left open, and she found out later, had a stream running underneath. At one point she woke during the night thinking it was raining, but realized it wasn't - only the babbling of the stream. The moon light was streaming into her room thru the open doors. Ah, sweet sounds and sights. She drifted quickly back to sleep.This morning she said was one of her best. She got up at 5:00, went to the kitchen/library and turned on the coffee she had prepared the night before, and read a book on Wildlife in North Carolina and had her three cups of coffee. She was out on the trail at daylight ahead of the others. She had half her pizza left over stuffed somewhere in her pack for lunch and a diet Coke stuffed into one of her Croc camp shoe wannabees (Nothinz - they have more accurate sizes than Crocs) mounted to the back of her pack. With her internal pack, there's not much room for outside packing, but the shoes work great for cans an' stuff. Soon, Comfortably Numb strode by her and they had their "War Eagle-Roll Tide" exchange and off he went. A few minutes later, Oly passed her and at 70 outhikes a lot of younger folks. I thought maybe he had a Norwegian background, but his name is Lee and he says he is old, so Ol' Lee. There ya go.Bill
Date: 2006-04-19
From: Hot Springs

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

After a good night's rest at Cody's, she had breakfast at the Smokey Mountain Diner about 8:30 with Little Wing, Toppish and Snickers. Fish, Outlaw and Good Time Charlie were finishing breakfast. Piper and Trusty came in around 9. They had spent the night at Deer Park Mtn. Shelter, so they had hiked in the rain. The rain started about 6:00 am, and continued until about 11. She went back to the Cody House about 10:30 to get her stuff so she could move to her room at Elmer¢s. Piper and Bama shared a room and later shared a washer, and then went to the post office to pickup their food supply boxes. Trusty wanted a room to himself, so he got a room at the Alpine Inn. She went shopping at the outfitters and bought a short sleeve shirt. Later, Snickers and Bama went to the grocery store and Bama bought a pint of ice cream and a pint of milk. She sat on the upper balcony Elmer's and watched the other thru-hikers come in to town. She said the ice cream was soooo good!The Sunnybank Inn/Elmer's is an AT staple. Bama got to know Elmer a little better and the two of them talked about his flower garden. She told him if she had a week, she would get in there and help him with it. Hmmm ... Maybe next spring to work for room and board work in his garden (but not the house). She also met Bryan, who works with Elmer and is a former AT thru-hiker. Elmer and Bryan cooked a wonderful meal for everyone at 7:00 pm. Peter Rabbit, Rusch Hour, Oyster, Piper, Comfortably Numb, Indiana, Sweet Tea, Snickers, SamIam and Origami. They served soup, then a salad (wonderful), lasagna, cake, ice cream and spiced tea.Snickers and Bama watched Part One of the AT video Elmer had in his den. Later most all went to the music room to see if anyone had any music talent. Peter Rabbit and Oyster tried the Australian didgeridoo. Piper and Rusch Hour tried their hand at a duet on the piano. No one else had a talent, so everyone just talked. Earlier in the week when Banjoman was there, he played for everyone. Cash came in with some interesting stories. Matt McQuire (Sunnybank staff) from Birmingham, Alabama came in to meet Bama in the music room. Happy 19th birthday to Oyster!The next morning about 6:15, Bama walked over to the Smokey Mountain Diner for breakfast. She cancelled her breakfast with Elmer¢s because they don¢t serve until 8:30. Bama is a very early morning person and wanted to get on the trail quickly to beat the incoming thunderstorms and get to Spring Mountain Shelter before it fills up. It looks like her good weather luck has finally run out. Storms are expected for the next three days.Bill
Date: 2006-04-20
From: Hot Springs

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

At 7:00 am Bama was walking across the French Broad River to climb over the guard rail down to the trail. It was a beautiful morning with the birds singing and it was so quiet with no talking or music or traffic! She was the first person to get on the trail because she got the task of knocking down the spider webs from the night before. She got to the Spring Mountain Shelter about 1:00 pm, a few hours later, she borrowed someone's cell phone who could get a signal, and called me from the shelter for the weather update.There were powerful storms sweeping in from Nashville and Knoxville and she decided to wait out the night rather than hike the remaining 5 miles to Hemlock Hollow Farm (http://www.hemlockhollow.net), about a half mile off the trail near Greenville, TN. They have cabins, camping, a store and are AT-friendly. She put her gear down and watched all the slackpackers come by.Granddad and Eel came in and joined Bama and then Indiana and Snickers. Rainbow Kid and his son Wes decided to stay and tent. Later Peter Rabbit, Rusch Hour, and Oyster came in and tented. Meletonin arrived and also tented since there were no more room in the inn (shelter).Bill
Date: 2006-04-21
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Log Cabin Road (to Hemlock Hollow Cabins)
Miles today: 5.3

Friday morning everyone left the Spring Mountain Shelter about 8:30 except Granddad, Eel, Melatonin and Bama. She wasn¢t in a hurry since she only had to go about five miles. At 9:30 she left after the rain slacked off. At Allen Gap she had a wonderful trail magic!! John and Jodie Nelson (thru-hikers in '99) live on the trail at the NC-TN state line in a beautiful log home. They cooked Belgian waffles, bacon, special bread with apple butter, barbeque sandwiches, potato salad, Watergate salad, all kinds of desserts, teas & coffees. When Bama arrived, Peter Rabbit, Rusch Hour, Oyster and Indiana had been there for some time and were still eating! You just can¢t fill these guys up.Bama waddled to the trail and hiked the two miles to Log Cabin Road that leads to Hemlock Hollow Farm & Shoppe where Bama and I are going to spend the next 2 nights. I got there before Bama about 1:00. It was raining but not storming and I had been in rain from Chattanooga all the way to Knoxville and then here. I hoped Bama wasn't soaked. I got to know Hattie and Fred Kinsey, the owners. They're originally from New Jersey, but fell in love with the area and retired here about 15 years ago. Fred has restored an 1840's house and built everything on the property himself with his two sons and the wood he's harvested off the property. Hattie runs the store which includes crafts, gourmet coffees and teas, and she also makes and sells quilts and has classes. Very nice people.Granddad and Eel decided to follow Bama to get out of the rain, so they got the cabin next to ours. They're coming off the trail in about a week, so they're in no hurry. Later Windtalker & Mom came in and tented under the picnic pavilion. Bama and I took them all a glass of wine for happy hour. Thankfully, the rain from earlier today had stopped.I cooked Bama a Boston Butt steak and we had baked sweet potatoes and Vidalia onions. Too late and too tired for a fire . . .Bill