morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-03-28
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

Wednesday, 28 March 2007 Day 12Once again we got on the trail by 9. We crossed Betty Creek, then hiked slowly along a steep side hill full of rocks and roots. Upon reaching Mooney Gap, we found no Moonies, but Chris and Claire had a grill going with hot dogs, chips, candy, cookies, Pepsi and Gatorade. That slowed the parade toward Albert Mountain, but eventually we headed into the heat and up the side of Albert. We reached the top about 1:30 and climbed the fire tower to enjoy the view and dry our sweaty shirts. We dropped down past Big Spring Shelter with some clouds keeping the temperatures in the 70s, stopping in the shade where the trail and a creek share the same space, with the creek at one point flowing under the roots of a big, old tree. We got into Rock Gap early, about 5:20, where we found Crutch, taking a short break from his potato-peeling chores in nearby Franklin. I was tired after a long, fast day, so after eating and hanging the food bags, and some conversation, I crawled into the sack, expecting an early start in morning.
Date: 2007-03-29
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Haven's Budget Inn Motel
Miles today: 3.8

Thursday, 29 March 2007 Day 13I crawled out at 6:20, trying not to wake anyone. Jeannie and I had planned to attempt to catch an early shuttle out of Winding Stair Gap into Franklin, but she changed her mind and slipped back into her sleeping bag. I packed quietly and left a few minutes before seven. Scholar left right behind me and caught up with me a short time later, between Rock Gap and Wallace Gap. At Wallace Gap we ran into the fruits of the same trail magic we had had at this spot last year--a supply of CapriSun juice drinks stocked in the creek. We paused to grab one each and drink it, then headed back up the hill, over the top and down to the highway. We arrived just after 8:30. A car with a slick road bike on the roof pulled into the parking area and the driver offered us a piece of candy, fig newtons, or water. We accepted some candy, and he pulled out. Matterhorn arrived, then Diesel. Another car pulled up, and the driver leaned her head toward the window and greeted Scholar. It was Chocolate Bandito, doing trail magic, with a gimpy hiker in the passenger seat on their way to Franklin. She pulled some donut holes, fudge and fruit out of her trunk, and we ate some of everything.Some time after nine, Ron Haven arrived from Franklin, pulled up to the other side of the road and disgorged a couple hikers headed up the trail. He pulled his mini-school bus into the pullout, and we loaded up. We headed downhill over to Rock Gap, then turned around and came back up to Winding Stair Gap. Waiting there was the mass of hikers from Rock Gap, save for Jeannie, Kids Meal, and Spicy Shrimp. Ron hiked up the hill and when he returned, the three were not far behind.It had showered a bit on us during the hike over, but the pavement at Winding Stair was just wet. We drove down into town and it was dry. The temperature was at 71 degrees as we got a room at Haven's Budget Inn, showered and headed to the laundromat. During the afternoon it cooled off until by dusk it was in the 50s.By 2 p.m. we were ready for some lunch, so the four of us headed to an all-you-can-eat Mexican buffet, pigged out, and strolled back to the motel. I spent much of the afternoon catching up my trail journal, which you now all have had the opportunity to check out. We really didn't need to have dinner after our big lunch, so we settled for milk shakes and back to watch Comedy Central.
Date: 2007-03-30
From: Haven's Budget Inn Motel

To: Haven's Budget Inn Motel
Miles today: 0.0

Friday, 30 March 2007 Day 14We spent a lazy day in Franklin. Weeks rented a car so he and Jenn could get to the airport, so when he returned we all went to the post office to ship some stuff home, then to Ingles to resupply. We found a Dairy Queen in town and resolved the issue of the unmet need for a Blizzard, then some more shopping before returning to the motel where I caught up on my trail journal and some old westerns. At 5:30 Jeannie and I repaired to the April Fools Hikers Bash in the parking lot of the Sapphire Motel, where we feasted on Cafe Crutch cuisine and some bluegrass/country music. We hung out for several hours before repairing to our digs for the night.
Date: 2007-03-31
From: Haven's Budget Inn Motel

To: Campsite past Wayah Bald
Miles today: 10.5

Saturday, 31 March 2007 Day 15After breakfast at the hiker bash, Weeks and Jenn drove us to Winding Stair Gap and we said our goodbyes. We headed up (always up, out of gaps), passing a group of day hikers on the way. After pausing below Siler Bald for a snack, we pressed on to Wayah Gap, where I emptied two cartons of yogurt I carried from town. We stopped for water at Wine Spring, where last year we camped for a night, then topped out at the stone tower at Wayah Bald, which features a privy and trash cans, two highly desired objects on the trail. We met three hungry-looking dogs at the bald. They sniffed at our packs, but wouldn't let us get close to them. Apparently, someone had abandoned them in the woods, and they were pestering hikers. A half-mile below Wayah Bald we arrived at a campsite to find several hikers, including Birch, Northstar, Sleeping Beauty, Couch, JP and some others settling in for the night. We joined the crowd and pitched our tent for the night.
Date: 2007-04-01
From: Campsite past Wayah Bald

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 5.3
Weather: light rain

Sunday, April 1, 2007 Day 16It rained during the night, and everything was a little bit damp. Birch, Northstar and JP were gone shortly after 8, and we got going about 9:30. We hiked through an extensive area that had recently burned. Several rain showers hit us, and when we arrived at Cold Spring Shelter about 12:30, we were a fair bit wetter than we had been earlier. JP and Northstar had arrived earlier, and we all decided to stay put. It was a chilly afternoon, sitting around the shelter drying my clothes while wearing them, but we had a nice time visiting. Jay and Hiker Pole, from LaCrosse, pulled in later and we ended up with seven in a six-person shelter. A couple of section hikers set up tents on either side of the shelter, while some late arrivals kept on going in the on and off rain. Unfortunately, the three dogs from Wayah had followed Jay and Hiker Pole up to Cold Spring, so we had to deal with three hungry dogs digging through the fire pit, looking for scraps.
Date: 2007-04-02
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Monday, April 2, 2007 Day 17We had to stand in line to get space to pack up this morning. Jeannie and I finally got out after nine. The sky was beginning to clear as we reached Tellico Gap where we met a reporter from the North Carolina magazine, Our State, and chatted for a time. The section hikers from the shelter, Shoto and Crusty, showed up with the three dogs behind. The dogs got ahead of us, but we met them on the way to Wesser Bald where I backed them off the trail and left them behind. (The last we heard, the dogs followed other hikers down to NOC some time later, and were taken in by someone.) We began the long downhill to the Nantahala Outdoor Center, finally getting to the river shortly before six. I ran in to the outfitter and got stove fuel and checked out their selection of food. We ate at the River's Edge with Sleeping Beauty, Hungus, Earthquake and some other hikers, then got Jeannie a room in the NOC dorm/hostel. She headed up while I hitched to a small store a mile up the highway to resupply. When I got back I walked downriver and found a quiet place to lay out my sleeping bag for the night.
Date: 2007-04-03
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Tuesday, April 3, 2007 Day 18I was up early waiting by the river bridge when Jeannie showed up. She had decided to send her sleeping pad, hiking poles, and camera home to lighten her pack. The climb down the day before had been a rough one, and her shoulders were hurting. We shipped the poles UPS from the NOC shipping room, and put the rest of the stuff into the hands of the USPS from the NOC headquarters. We grabbed a bite to eat, Jeannie bought an emergency bivy sack to replace the pad, and finally hit the trail up about 1:20 pm. It was a very long uphill, about 3,000 feet total, and we reached Sassafras Gap Shelter about 6:30. Wonder, who we had met last year, was there, along with a couple other hikers. We settled in for the night. Jeannie is doing better without her poles.
Date: 2007-04-04
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Cody Gap
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Wednesday, April 4, 2007 Day 19I was feeling smug about 1 am when a big thunderstorm hit. It rained hard, then settled down to a steady rain until about 4. It was done by the time we got up. We hit the trail about 9:15, and by the time we reached the top of the climb at Cheoah Bald about 10, the sun was beginning to shine. We made our way down to Stecoah Gap where Bare Bear and Jellybean were doing trail magic. We missed lunch, but got in some four bean salad, and some other stuff, including jelly beans. There's a long climb out of Sweetwater Gap (I call it Stinkwater Gap), but we finally reached the top and made our way to a campsite at Cody Gap, where we set up the tent down a bit out of the wind, cooked dinner and crawled in the sack.
Date: 2007-04-05
From: Cody Gap

To: Fontana Hilton
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Thursday, April 5, 2007 Day 20It was 25 degrees when we left the gap shortly after 9. We reached Yellow Mountain Road about 10:30, only to meet Mala. Wonder was having some trouble, so she had called and asked him to meet her and shuttle her to Fontana. We continued to Cable Gap and stopped there for lunch, then headed up and over the ridge to views of Fontana Lake. The trail down was as beautiful as last year, with trillium and other flowers blooming due to the early heat. We reached Highway 28 about 3:30, and as we walked through the Fontana Marina parking area, the shuttle from the village pulled up. Deciding to get our parcels from the post office, we climbed on board. My maps were waiting, but Dennis Boyer had let us know he had sent some trail magic to Fontana, and his parcel wasn't. Jeannie had bounced a box from Neels Gap to Fontana, so after stopping at the general store and the outfitters for some food, we climbed to the lodge. There waiting was not only the bounce box, but the shipment of treats from Dennis. (UPS will not deliver parcels to general delivery at the post office, or the post office won't accept them, or some such nonsense.) Anyway, we decided to do laundry, but when we got to the small laundromat, found that soap and change were only available from the general store, which had closed a few minutes earlier. We walked down to a place called the Pitstop, which didn't have soap, but had hot dogs, so we had supper?, got a ride from the store manager to the hostel at the dam (the Fontana Hilton), shared Dennis' gift of popcorn from Rural 1 Popcorn in Livingston with everyone at the shelter, and relaxed.
Date: 2007-04-06
From: Fontana Hilton

To: Birch Spring Gap
Miles today: 7.0

Friday, April 6, 2007 Day 21We got a ride back to the village from Mala and got to work on our laundry. We saw JP and Northstar. They had decided to hole up at Fontana, as the forecast was for low temperatures in the teens for the weekend. We finished the laundry and our resupply at the general store and outfitters, got another hot dog at the Hellbender Pitstop, and called for a shuttle. We shuttled back to the marina about 12:45, and hiked back over to the dam, where we stopped for a permit for the Great Smokies, and for free showers at the TVA dam. We finally got on the trail to the park about three. We climbed steadily, nearly 2,000 feet in the next few hours, and with temperatures in the 30s, reached a campsite a few miles into the park about 6:30. We pitched our tent on a designated site, cooked, ate, put some rocks and the packs around the edge of the tent to cut the wind, and crawled in. Light snow was peppering the tent as we fell asleep.
Date: 2007-04-07
From: Birch Spring Gap

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Saturday, April 7, 2007 Day 22It was about 15 degrees when we got going about 9:30. There was about a half-inch of snow on the ground, and a lot of frost inside the tent from lack of ventilation. We climbed to Doe Knob and stopped for a snack. Where last year we were greeted with a carpet of spring beauties which looked like a field of snow, we were met by a field of snow. We reached Mollies Ridge shelter about 1:30, but it was too cold to stop, except for water, and to discuss how it was too cold to stop. We finally left there about three, and made our way past Russell Field shelter and on to Spence Field shelter, where Rockman and Foot Machine had built a fire. We heard that several hikers had fled for Cades Cove and warmer weather, but we had zero degree sleeping bags, and we persevered.
Date: 2007-04-08
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Sunday, April 8, 2007 Day 23The nice thing about Spence Field shelter is that it's close to Rocky Top and Thunderhead. We got over the top and down, and over narrow and steep trail made our way to Derrick Knob shelter. I stopped long enough to filter water and talk Jeannie into continuing on to the next shelter. After some not-too-difficult climbing, we reached the Silers Bald shelter shortly after 7. Rockman and Foot Machine were there. We cooked, ate, and crawled in. It's still cold, about 25 degrees.
Date: 2007-04-09
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Monday, April 9, 2007 Day 24The filter wouldn't work for me this morning, so after watching a whitetail deer, we took off and up to Double Spring shelter. We stopped long enough at Double Spring to get water and watch another deer, then it was up to Clingmans Dome, the high point in Tennessee, and the highest point on the AT. We climbed the space age viewpoint, paused briefly, then headed down. The trail was terrible. The one to three inches of snow had melted enough to cover the trail in ice in numerous places. In one spot the ice covered the trail side-to-side and down for nearly 200 feet. I figured we'd never reach our goal for the day, which was to get to Gatlinburg by dark and resupply. We labored on down the intermittently snow-covered, ice-covered, and not-too-bad trail. It took us three and a half hours to go the 3.3 miles to the turn for the Mount Collins shelter, which we reached just at five. Jeannie was up for continuing, so we headed down better trail, reaching Indian Grave Gap before seven, and Newfound Gap at 8. It was nearly dark by 8:20 when we got a ride to town. The folks who picked us up were in town for a convention, and they drove across town before we figured out the place we wanted was right up the street from their hotel. We couldn't rouse anyone at the Grand Prix, which caters to hikers, so we ended up down the hill at the Family Inn. We showered at got to bed late, after finding a late dinner in town.
Date: 2007-04-10
From: Gatlinburg, Tennessee

To: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 Day 25We slept in, checking out about 10:45. I was sore from three falls in the previous two days. On Sunday I slid in the mud, my left foot hitting my right, twisting my knee slightly. On Monday, a foot slid out underneath, and I went down easy on my chest, then later went down rather hard on my left hip. When I woke up I was stiff from all that abuse. We asked at the desk about a laundromat, but the clerk was rather uncertain, so we walked up to the Grand Prix. They have machines on site, so we did our laundry, then hopped the shuttle across town to the Food King and the post office. We got back across town about four, stopped at the Happy Hiker, because it's a thru-hiker requirement to stop at every outfitter possible while on the trail. We picked up a couple of hydra-sacks to help keep gear dry, a new pack cover for me, 'cause the one I have doesn't seem to be doing the job, got their last two packages of Gatorade, and at 4:40 were ready to leave town, hitch back up the mountain to Newfound Gap, and hike three miles to the next shelter. But screw it. We're tired of these long days and late arrivals to shelters. Lots of hikers hit the trail after hiding out in town for a day or two or three, so we decided to follow their example and stay in town for the night. We walked back up to the Grand Prix, where I now sit catching up my trail journal. It's 8:10 pm, and time for supper. I'm outa here.
Date: 2007-04-11
From: Gatlinburg, Tennessee

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Wednesday, 11 April 2007 Day 26After a stop at a market, we walked up the road into the Smokies. We stood there 45 minutes or so before someone pulled over. They were headed to Cades Cove, so we said thanks and waited some more. A few minutes later a couple stopped and said they were going to the park headquarters, so we jumped in and got a ride to the turnoff to Cades Cove and got out, where we finally got a ride to Newfound Gap. Halfway up, there was a bear jam, so we pulled over and peered into the woods to see a mother black bear and her two cubs. I never saw the cubs, barely saw the mother, but Jeannie saw it all, so I¢ll testify to it.The weather turned from fairly nice to really foul by the time we got to the gap. I put on my fleece and rain gear and we headed up the trail towards Icewater Spring shelter. It was blowing hard, but only a bit misty, so we had a decent walk the three miles up and got there shortly after 1 pm. We stopped for lunch, and before we could get going, it started to rain pretty hard, and we ended our day there, hanging out, visiting with wet thru-hikers, passing the time. Jay (The Music Man) and his wife, the Hiker Pole, caught up with us there after fleeing the cold from Spence Field. Jay made a nice fire. Another fellow we had been seeing a lot, Foot Machine, also got out of the weather with us.
Date: 2007-04-12
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: clear sky

Thursday, 12 April 2007 Day 27The weather, although still very cool and quite windy, took a turn for the better. The sky cleared during the night, and we had a sunny day for our ridgewalk to Tricorner Knob shelter. We stopped at Icewater Spring for water, then encountered more ice covering the trail. It was nasty, and we were forced into the woods trying to get around. I have a great picture on slide film, yet undeveloped, of Hiker Pole trying to get past the ice. Below that the trail improved, and we made good time along the ridge. We stopped for lunch and continued on for more water at the turnoff for Pecks Corner shelter. It was still early, so we pushed on to Tri-Corner Knob, arriving about 5.
Date: 2007-04-13
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

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

Friday, 13 April 2007 Day 28It was frosty, but we got warmed up on the first morning climb right out of the shelter. Four miles out we stopped to readjust, and realized my knife was missing. Oh, well. I wasn¢t about to hike eight miles to attempt to recover a $20 knife, even if it had one of the last P-38 military can openers in existence attached to it. A bit further down the trail I lost a rubber tip from the end of my hiking pole. I thought it must be Friday the 13th, as much trouble hanging on to gear as I was having. I searched through the mud at the edge of the trail for a few minutes, finally spotting the tip in the center of the trail. Hooray! We didn¢t even slow down as we passed the Cosby Knob shelter, where we had stayed last year, the site of the infamous lost Katie Katadyn episode. (Harley Hogpit, like a lot of others, had a Katadyn water filter, had set it down, and it disappeared. After a frantic search lasting the better part of an hour, it turns out another hiker, thinking he had set HIS Katadyn filter down, had put her filter in his pack. Katie was found. This episode can be found featured in an unreleased film, not yet titled ¢The Perilous True Adventures of Katie Katadyn, Nancy Nalgene, and Freddy Fuel Bottle on the Appalachian Trail¢.)We did stop for water, then pressed on over Mount Cammerer, and down to the Davenport Gap shelter, less than a half-mile from the boundary of the national park, which we shared with Foot Machine and Echo.
Date: 2007-04-14
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Saturday, April 14, 2007 Day 29I decided to check my sleeping bag for my knife. I had been keeping the knife in my shirt pocket, and the night before I lost it had been turning my shirt upside down trying to find the sleeves in the dark (to get up and visit Mother Nature, if you must know.) After I got up, I started to reach down, and brushed something in the little hood at the top. MY KNIFE!!! Hoo-ray, hoo-ray!!! Who¢s afraid of Friday the 13th? So far, the only thing I¢ve lost is a pack towel I left in Franklin, mixed in with the hotel towels. Replaced.We got on the trail and headed for Standing Bear Farm. We stopped long enough to resupply and put out an email, then another big climb, 2,500 feet up and over Snowbird. The weather was deteriorating, and by the time we were on the downhill past Snowbird we began to hear thunder. We endured some rain as we reached the Groundhog Creek shelter, the site of the infamous ham in the vegetarian¢s boot incident of last year, involving Step ¢n¢ a half dropping a couple bits of ham, resident mice finding them, and then hiding them in the boot of vegetarian hiker buddy Weeks. Once again Echo and Foot Machine were in the building, along with Crazy Bear and two section hikers, Boots and Froggie, and their dog.