morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-16
From: Standing Bear Farm off Waterville School Rd

To: Couple miles past Max Pacth Summit
Miles today: 15.6

My belly cooperated better today, but I about keeled over from heat exhaustion. (I know...whine, whine, whine.) Temps from noon til around 4PM were in the high 80's, which is brutal for steep climbs. We caught up with John and Richard around 2PM and moved ahead of them as we're still hoping to reach Hot Springs tomorrow (and they'll likely take an extra day). Richard is sure getting a tough stretch of trail and hot conditions for his AT introduction! Encountered some wonderfully timed trail magic (is there ever a bad time?) right before the climb over Max Patch, which is a huge open bald that offers 360 degree views of all surrounding mountains. Fueled up on generously offered sugar and caffeine, we flew over Max Patch and hiked a couple extra miles to put ourselves in good position to reach Hot Springs tomorrow. Found a great stealth site to pitch our tent beside a babbling creek and hung our food bad from a decidedly NON-regulation tree. John may get the last laugh if a bear breaks into it tonight, but with just one day to go until town--who cares? If it's stolen, our packs will be lighter.In all of the adventures of the past few days, I forgot to mention that we've hit our third state--Tennessee. Of course, Gatlinburg is in TN. Pretty much from that point on, my left foot was traveling in TN and my right foot in NC. Last night's hostel was in TN, but I couldn't tell you where our tent is pitched right now. At some point, we'll cross back over nito NC when we hit Hot Springs.We plan to try something new schedule-wise tomorrow to beat the heat. I've set my alarm fir 5AM and we'll try to pack up and hit the trail by 6AM. The sun isn't even up til around 7:15AM. I figure more miles completed before the mid-day heat sets in might make me a more energetic hiker. We'll see.
Date: 2006-04-17
From: Couple miles past Max Pacth Summit

To: Hot Springs!
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: scattered clouds

There are few things more beautiful than climbing down from a mountain and seeing the town you plan to spend a couple zero days in. Ahhhh...Hot Springs. I may move here permanently. I am too tired, hungry, and filthy (not necessarily in that order) to write much now. Will catch up in the next couple deliciously restful days and comment on all the wonderful packages that everyone has mailed to me! For now, I will just say: Tonya, your chocolate-peanut butter cookies will never make it out of our hotel room. I may eat them all before nightfall.
Date: 2006-04-18
From: Hot Springs!

To: Hot Springs!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Hot Springs knows how to treat hikers. Woke up to a huge and fabulous breakfast at the Smoky Mountain Diner (where the fried chicken, greens, and mashed taters for dinner the night before were to die for). Hung out at the local outfitters for the rest of the morning, and Scott bought a new backpack that weights only 1.5lbs. (His current one is litterally coming apart at the seems after 10+ years.) I couldn't resist buying a bumper sticker that read: "My other car is a pair of boots." John and Richard reached town around noon and we had a nice liesurely lunch (emphasis on liesurely since there was only one bedraggled woman waiting on all the tables) with them and John's parents and Cocoa-dog at the Paddlers Pub. I spent most of the rest of the afternoon at the Hot Springs Library updating this Journal.A huge thank you to all of you sending me packages at my mail drops! These mail drops are my connection to the real world and it's like Christmas morning to visit a post office and have five packages stacked up on the counter for you! Corinne, the lotion was a heavenly treat and I've been wearing the UF t-shirt since I arrived. Jane, the book looks facinating (and light weight!) and will be added to my tent reading collection. (I must confess to being off schedule with my reading due to the DaVinci Code, but that's done now and I should be able to catch up during this next stretch. The 'Code' was, in my snobby English major opinion, a little too action-movie-script-ish to be considered really good writing...but it was a fun page turner.) In addition to sending the best cookies in the known universe, Tonya sends the best letters which catch me up on all the Gainesville happenings. It;s like receiving one of those wonderfully juicy notes we used to pass to each other in high school. And I laughed out loud to Helen's all-too-appropriate cartoon. To let you know how meaningful the packages are to me I opened them and read through everything BEFORE I showered and ate food here. Thats big!Tonight for dinner, I bought two pints of milk from the local grocery, brought them back to our hotel room, and Scott and I ate an entire box of Girl Scout cookies. Hey, we had no choice as they are too heavy for the pack. We all have to make sacrifices out here.
Date: 2006-04-19
From: Hot Springs!

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

Actually we did five miles today, but not on land. Scott and I rented a couple of inflatable kayaks and paddled down an easy class I-II section of the French Broad River. Very relaxing. During the flat water section, we reclined in our boats and nearly fell asleep.A big "AHH-H-ROOOO!" goes out to Auntie Jeanna...that's basset for "thank you for taking care of us while our parents seemed to have abandoned us forever!" Seeing John's sweet Cocoa-dog up here has made me miss my beasties all the more. Sounds like all the other dogs in Jeanna's care were wasting away while Maggie the Shark gobbled up all their food.We plan to meet John and Richard for an early breakfast at the diner tomorrow at 7am. Richard will drive Scott back to his car at Fontana Dam and then they will both return to Gainesville from there. John and I will return to the trail and freeze dried meals. We'll have about five days of hiking until the next trail town (Erwin, TN). We need to kick our daily average up to 14 miles a day in this section. I plan to invoke the start-hiking-at-6AM strategy again if the heat returns. At lunchtime, I'll chill out (literally) for a couple hours to let John catch up and then we can hike together to whatever destination we have for the day. If I can get past the spooky forest sounds one hears in the dark hours before daybreak, this plan might just work.
Date: 2006-04-20
From: Hot Springs

To: Just past Allen Gap
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Bade farewell to human and canine companions around 8AM and started back north on the trail. It was tough to leave a town as relaxing and welcoming to hikers at Hot Springs. Our dinner at Magnolia Mountain Inn last night ranks among the best meals I've had anywhere (and that's not just the hiker appetite talking).Thunderstorms were predicted for today, but so far we have only experienced about 20 minutes of a heavy drizzle. The cloudy skies have helped keep the heat at bay, which puts a little more spring in my step. Around our last mile of the day, John and I came upon a 'trail magic' sign directing us to a home about 300 yards east of the trail. It was nearing the dinner hour (and also looking like a storm might hit any moment), so we decided to check it out. After climbing to the top of a driveway that was steeper than any mountain we'd encountered all day, we were ushered into the beautiful log cabin home of 'FAL' (acronym for 'Free At Last') and 'Herculues', '99 thru-hikers. They started us off with a Belgian waffle with REAL maple syrup, followed by a BBQ pork sandwich, and completed the meal with a hefty slice of FAL's homemade pear pie with vanilla ice cream on top. They'd been feeding thru-hikers in this capacity since sunrise, and here it was 6:30PM and they were still going strong. They delighted us with pictures and stories (and good advice) from their own thru-hike, as well as from all of the interesting hikers they've been meeting since opening their home for trail magic last year. They also have the most adorable year-and-a-half old 'labradoodle' (Half lab, half standard poodle) named Heidi. I continue to be so humbled by the kindness and generosity extended to me by complete strangers simply because I decided to go for a long walk. I never anticipated that one outcome of this adventure would be to have my faith in humanity so bolstered! John and I are making plans to return to a gap somewhere in the north Georgia or NC mountains for a few days each spring to return some of the magic that has been so freely given to us.We're tenting tonight just past Allen Gap with Piper and Sweet Tea, who caught up with us during our log cabin feast. The four of us played keystone cops an hour or so ago during our attempts to hand all four of our way-over-stuffed food bags from one line. Better than cable TV.
Date: 2006-04-21
From: Just past Allen Gap

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

There's a saying out here: 'No rain, no pain, no Maine.' Today we experienced the rain part of that equation. All day. Our world is wet. Wet tent, wet clothes, wet pack, wet food and food bag, wet stove (which won't ignite without a lighter now), wet lighter, wet paper that I'm writing on now which is soggy and not working so well. I think we were supposed to have seen views of Mount Mitchell (highest US mountain east of the Mississippi River) when we reached the summit of Bald Mountain, but all we saw was a wall of wet whiteness which looked like the edge of the end of the world. Reminded me of when Jim Carrey's character bumps into the edge of his world in the movie 'The Truman Show.'I think I'll stop writing now to let the pages air out, read some, fall asleep, and dream of drier days. It took us over one month to expierence this kind of weather, so we really can't complain (but might anyway). We were probably due. Now that we've got that box checked, I'd like to move on.
Date: 2006-04-22
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Devil's Fork Gap
Miles today: 8.6

At 1AM last night, the skies broke loose once again and we were treated to pounding rain, thunder, and lightening until dawn. Then just rain. Packing up a wet tent inside a wet pack added about five pounds to my load and the continuing morning rain did little to lift our spirits. But as the wise sage John Laibson once said, "There are many roads that lead to Erwin TN." We chose the first possible one about eight miles down the trail, and I now sit in a warm, dry Holiday Inn Express room with wet things strewn about drying out. After two days of rain, it's become pretty apparent that I am a fair weather hiker. Rain sucks.Hiking in a downpour in rain gear is like trying to walk inside a large wet ziplock bag. All you hear is the patter of loud raindrops on nylon and the 'swish' of rain pants with each step. Eventually, the 'waterproof' rainsuit gets thoroughly soaked and sticks to your bare, clammy skin (that's steadily growing clammier with each challenging ascent). There are no views, as everything is shrouded in a veil of mist. Much of the trail is flooded, and that which isn't is slippery with mud (as my hindquarters got to experience up close today). Several days of this weather in a row may have me laughing maniacly en route to an asylum. One bonus about Erwin is that the AT crosses many roads in this section (as the wise sage pointed out earlier today). We plan to meet for breakfast at 8AM to strategize our next few days. There is more rain predicted, and the trail offers many opportunities to slack-pack this section...or at the very least, grab another hotel room in a couple nights to RE-dry everything out.
Date: 2006-04-23
From: Devil's Fork Gap

To: Just before Big Bald Mountain
Miles today: 14.3

Mother Nature did her best to make up for the past two rain-sooked days today. After a shuttle back to the trail around 9:30AM, we began hiking in sunny skies and a windy 60 degrees. Became cloudier and threatened to rain as the day wore on, but it never did--offering us one full day of comfortable, dry hiking! We are truly grateful.To top off a great day, we stumbled upon a super place to tent tonight just over the lee side of a ridge which puts us out of the wind and right beside a spring for easy water access.   The site even afforded plenty of Laibson regulation foodbag-hanging trees, though we weren't in top form on that score tonight. It was nearly dark before we managed to get the blasted bag hung right.Bonus for the day: I learned that freeze dried feta cheese mixture and freeze dried mashed potato 'pellets' (really, that's the only way to describe them) are two great tastes that taste great together.
Date: 2006-04-24
From: Just before Big Bald Mountain

To: Temple Hill Gap
Miles today: 14.8

Woke up at 6:15AM to the sound of rain drops pattering on my tent. "I refuse to accept this," I muttered to myself and rolled over and went back to sleep for over an hour (which is like sleeping til noon out here). At 7:30, the rain stopped and the skies began to clear. Don't know if this strategy will work again.Today turned out to be a great hiking day with temps in the 60's most of the day, a cool breeze, and mostly cloudy skies. The hike over Big Bald Mountain was stunningly beautiful, with the morning's sun rays shooting down between clouds over a 360-degree vista of surrounding mountains and valleys. It looked like a religious painting. The scene actually brought tears to my eyes (or perhaps that was from the 50-60 mph winds blowing at us)...it's something I will have etched in my memory for the rest of my life.If *I* were in charge of designing a long hiking trail, I'd put a cool stream at the base of every toe-crushing descent from mountain peaks. That's exactly what we found today and were able to soak our pummelled feet while lunching on the remains of my feta cheese/mashed potatoes combo. (John agrees that it's a winner.) Later on in the hike, the stream widened and provided an opportunity for a refreshing head dunk during the hottest part of the day. Ahhhh.One upside of the recent rains has been the explosion of wildflowers and new tree growth out here. We've been passing whole mountainsides full of white, yellow, and red trilliums and a smaller white flower with tiny pink pinstripes that nobody I've met knows the name of. Dogwoods and redbuds are in bloom in the lower elevations. Violets line the trail, as well as a blue and yellow flower that I think might be in the iris family. I consider wildflowers to be a gift--especially those right beside the trail. Hikers spend an inordinate amount of time looking down to avoid tripping over loose rocks, roots, or slippery mud. Wildflowers on the trail offer a welcome momentary distraction from pain and exhaustion. It's like they're whispering, "Forget your aching shoulders and feet and look at me! Aren't I cute?"Tomorrow we have 12 or so miles to go until we hit the last possible road which offers an easy (7-mile) shuttle back to Erwin. The AT sort of wraps around Erwin in this section. We need to resupply for the march toward Damascus VA (our fourth state!) and I'm sure we'll find a way to combine that errand with a hot shower, lots of greasy fried food, and a soft hotel bed.
Date: 2006-04-25
From: Temple Hill Gap

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Slack-packing is DA BOMB! After an unprecedentedly early start for John and I (7:45AM), we reached the Nolichucky River around 10AM. The trail offered super views of the river on the descent into the river basin. At river's edge and across the street fro the trail is a neat hiker hostel and outfitter referred to locally as 'Uncle Johnney's.' We purchased a few items and were getting ready to pack up and head on when one of the guys who works there suggested we leave our heavy packs behind, borrow their light-as-a-feather day-packs, and slack-pack the remaining 8.5 miles up to Indian Grave Gap where he'd pick us up and shuttle us (and our real packs) to a hotel in Erwin for our final night in this fine town. Say no more!The mid-morning rain lasted only about an hour, but heavy storms are predicted tonight and through most of tomorrow. So it's good to be indoors tonight, and we'll see how things look before heading out tomorrow.On the north side of the Nolichucky, the trail followed a beautiful tributary for a couple miles (unusual for the AT which generally sticks to peaks instead of streams). And we spotted the ellusive orange salamander that Bill Bryson describes in 'A Walk in the Woods.' I managed to snap its picture before it scurried back into the woods. (I know I'm a big old nerd, but this really made my day.) We also nearly stumbled into a pair of snakes (not sure what kind, but I heard no rattling) who appeared to be getting to know each other better beside the trail before we interrupted their triste.Being able to slack-pack this section with its considerable climbs was a HUGE treat. Without 30 pounds on my back, I feel like I can float!
Date: 2006-04-26
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

John and I headed out of the hotel at 6AM to get an early start today, but within the first mile a huge black bear came out of nowhere, attacked John, and ate him. Since I can't carry two packs, I decided to return to Erwin to mail John's pack back home. Since I did little to save my hiking buddy, the other hikers out here voted me off the trail. Now, all that's left on the AT are Kat, Elliot, Paris, Chris, and Travis...cuz I KNOW that blonde chick ain't long for this trail. She couldn't carry a tune IN a backpack. (Good lord, I have been in too many hotel rooms.) That first paragraph is fictional and offered up to Tom, who is bored by our apparent lack of drama out here. It's rainy and generally miserable outside and predicted to remain so for the rest of the day. So being the decisive Scorpio, I talked John (the decision-tortured Libra) into taking a zero day. He didn't put up much of a fight. I'd like to have half a shot at STARTING our march to Damascus with dry gear, though chances are we'll get hosed on at some point. So far, TN has been the Rain State.
Date: 2006-04-28
From: Campsite past Greasy Creek Gap

To: Yellow Mountain Gap
Miles today: 14.0

During the past 48 hours, I've learned that it's possible to hike and cry at the same time. Here's the thing. If Frankie were out here with me (and he essentially has been for the past two days--in my thoughts anyway), he would tell me to stop snivelling and get moving. Frank loved to work hard, mainly because he nearly always loved what he was working at. That's a little bit like the experience out here. It's hard, sometimes unspeakably hard, but at the moment there's no place I'd rather be. I think Frank would understand that--embrace it even. For that reason, I am dedicating my Appalachian Trail hike to Frank K. Spain. Each day, I will do my best to bring to it the same level of energy, curiosity, and passion that Frank expressed in his life. Even when it rains. I won't stop bitching altogether though, as Frank did a little of that during his life, too. Despite my mood, the past couple days have offered up nearly flawless weather over some challenging terrain. Today's miles appear average for this section, but they included a beast of a climb over Roan Mountain--the second highest peak on the southern AT at 6,285', just 400' shy of Clingman's Dome. The views from the balds following Roan Mountain were spectacular (and spectacularly windy). We've also enjoyed catching up to Old Drum again, who we bunked with in one of our few shelters on our first night on the AT. (Mouse over head night.) He's 60 years old and we work hard to keep up with him. Old Drum is one of many retirees out here who continue to inspire me.Tomorrow's journey involves a five-mile descent, with the possibility for a hostel near the trail if our knees are screaming. Rain is predicted for tomorrow night, so we're trying to maximize mileage while the weather is cooperative.
Date: 2006-04-29
From: Yellow Mountain Gap

To: Campsite beside the Elk River
Miles today: 14.9

Went to sleep last night wearing nearly every article of clothing I have with me and hiked much of this morning in the same. CHILLY morning. Woke up to temps in the 30's and a biting wind, which increased to 50+ mph as we climbed over several more balds. Warmed up mid day and ended up in shorts. The terrain today was interestingly varied. For most our 300 or so miles, we've seen woods, woods, and more woods. Today's hike encompassed high treeless balds with 360-degree views, wide open meadows dotted with wildflowers and small creeks, and now we're tenting down low in a gap beside a whitewater river. The Elk River looks like one that Scott and I should explore further with our kayaks.Big 'wildlife' sighting this evening! A stray cow spotted a few of us tenting, crossed the river (it's under a foot deep), and wandered over to see what was for dinner. Each of us took turns shoo-ing it away. She hung around all night and even into the next morning. Definitely wasn't shy and permitted me to take a rather fetching photo of her.Seeing tons of buttercups and dandelions all over the place and a gorgeous big yellow butterfly keeps flying just ahead of me. Frankie's favorite color was 'yaller' (he's a MS-boy). I promise I'm not turning into Shirley MacLaine, but I do feel his presence out here with me and it makes me smile (and cry).Met a hiker today whose trail name I really enjoy. She used to have dreadlocks, but shaved her head before coming to the trail. She calls herself Rapunzel. Other than chilly morning conditions (which really aren't so bad when you're moving), today was a picture perfect day. Hopefully, we can continue to hold off the rain. If we can knock out big miles tomorrow (17+), we can reach a hiker hostel with cabins, hot showers, and food resupply before the final push to Damascus.
Date: 2006-04-30
From: Campsite beside the Elk River

To: Dennis Cove Road
Miles today: 17.6

We've passed the 400-mile mark! The rain predicted for today sputtered a little this morning. Skies were gray until about 2PM, then it cleared but stayed comfortably cool. Dodged another full-on rain day and made good mileage. Today's terrain assisted us quite a bit in that regard--the ups and downs weren't nearly so steep or long in this section. After a beast of a climb first thing tomorrow morning, we should encounter more of the same rolling terrain. Tonight we're staying in a cabin at Laurel Fork Lodge, situated on the banks of a roaring creek. So I sit here fully showered and stuffed to the gills with pizza...mmmmmm. One of the managers here was kind enough to shuttle us into town (Hampton TN) to get groceries and eat dinner.We can reach Damascus from here in three days if we make good daily mileage and the weather (and John's leg holds). Tomorrow's terrain may not permit more than 14 miles, but the more gently rolling hills of the following two days should help us pack in 17-18 miles each day. If not, I'm sure we loaded up on enough oatmeal cream pies, Mounds, and Kit-Kat bars to get us through an extra day.Speaking of which, I weighed myself here today and I haven't lost (nor gained) a pound. Everyone I talk to out here has lost at least five pounds by now--some as many as 30. Any weight I may have lost around my waist has moved south to my calves, which appear thicker than I ever recall them being. No more chicken legs for Jill! Or at least I'll have meaty chicken legs now.