morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-03-15
From: Fontana Dam

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

I entered Great Smokey Mountains National Park (GSMNP) today. A pleasant day. Footing switched from slimy mud to slush to ice as I gained elevation but I managed to stay upright. There¢s up to 4 inches of snow in some spots but it¢s tromped down on the trail. No problems with the foot, proud of myself for dealing well with that. My pack is very heavy due to a big food load. I have enough for 6-7 days and I could make it through the park without resupply although I might decide to spend a night in Gatlinburg to break it up. GSMNP requires everyone to sleep in the shelters unless they are full. Latecomers sleep outside. I got here before it was full so this is my first night sleeping inside one. It¢s full now and I could give up my spot and set up outside, one guy just did. I¢d be more comfortable in my hammock but I¢m gonna stick it out and see how well I sleep so I can decide what to do in the future. As I¢m writing this more hikers are arriving.All of the shelters are slightly different. This one has three walls with tarps hanging as a forth. It¢s about 25 feet wide with two levels - actually they¢re more like shelves. I¢m on the bottom with about 3 feet of headroom. Because of the roof angle upstairs guests have their noses against the beams, not exactly top shelf! (Sorry, couldn¢t let that one go by.) The floors have slats nailed down to designate 12 ¢official¢ sleeping spots. Almost everyone here tonight is new to me. Class Act is sleeping next to me but is headed down the mountain tomorrow and then home. He is an experienced hiker and has shared his knowledge with me during last few weeks. I will miss him. More miles tomorrow!
Date: 2018-03-17
To: Clingmans Dome
Miles today: 0.0

For My Nephew Cam:I was up before first light to prepare for a a lot of tough miles. The others were still snoring away as I organized my things and prepared breakfast on the bench outside the shelter. It was raining earlier and now a soupy fog hung in the air. That¢s when I heard it. Something in the bushes rooting around in the dirt and making soft grunting noises. Shining my headlamp towards the sound I was startled to see two green eyes staring back at me through the darkness. There was a flash of gold as the eyes turned away... Leprechaun!!He scampered away (NOBO) and I quickly packed up and headed up the mountain behind him. The chase was on! There was just enough light now for me to see the blazes marking the trail and I moved as quickly as I could. I rushed to get around each bend but he was never there. I knew he was headed for Clingmans Dome and if I could keep up I¢d have him cornered there. Through the rain and wind I hiked on. The mud turned to snow, then to ice. Up past the leafless oaks and into the pines where the ground was covered with emerald moss. I must be catching up!By mid afternoon the sun was out and I could see Clingmans Dome with it¢s observation tower in the distance. He has to be just ahead of me, a few more miles and I¢ll have him. Finally, after 9 hours, I arrived at the base of the mountain top observation tower. I was the only one around. Out of breath, I rushed up the long spiral ramp. He can¢t get away now! At the top! Nothing. Just a cold wind and a view of the valleys below. He must have continued up into the clouds but this was as high as I could go. Defeated, I followed the trail down the other side of the mountain and towards the next shelter. It was nearly dark when I arrived, exhausted. I rewarded myself with a pot of rice and beans. Another magical day on the AT.
Date: 2018-03-17
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mount Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.0

The weather went from a wet, wind blown rain to clear and sunny today as I chased a Leprechaun up and off Clingmans Dome, the third highest peak east of the Mississippi. Most of the people I¢ve been hiking with over the past few days decided to stay the night at Double Spring Gap, short of the mountain top. They figured tomorrow¢s weather offered a better chance of a clear day at the Clingmans famous viewing platform. There was no cell service at Double Spring and I still hadn¢t spoken with J about a time for tomorrow¢s pick up at Newfound Gap. I figured I¢d get reception from the top or on the other side of the mountain. The long climb led through changing terrain and the first stands of pine trees I¢ve seen so far. By the time I got to the top the sun came out and the view was fantastic! I enjoyed it alone; no other hikers around and the road up is closed for the winter. I hope tomorrow is just as clear for the others. The north face of Clingmans was a sheet of ice for the first 2 miles. For the first time I needed to use my ¢over the shoe¢ ice spikes and they worked as advertised. After 11 hours, nearly all uphill, I reached Mount Collins Shelter just before dark. There are only a few people here so I have to stay inside, at least there¢s plenty of room to spread my exhausted self out. Still no cell service but J will be there. I just don¢t know what time we¢ll meet up.PS: after 9pm, with a raging thunderstorm outside, a large group of hikers arrived at the shelter, stuffing it well beyond capacity. So much for spreading out...I slept, or rather did NOT sleep, nearly cheek to cheek with strangers
Date: 2018-03-18
From: Mount Collins Shelter

To: Raleigh, NC
Miles today: 4.9

A beautiful day after vicious storms overnight. Several popular hiking trails come together in this area and many students are out in the woods for Spring break. Last nights weather drove them all into the shelters. It was a tight fit and I didn¢t sleep well at all. After hiking about 20 minutes I ran into J! Having not heard from me he drove into Cherokee, stayed in a hotel, and hiked in from Newfound Gap to meet me, reasoning that we couldn¢t miss each other. Sound logic but as last nights shelter was on a side trail, .5 miles off the AT, if I had left it 5 minutes later we might have missed each other. Luck? Trail Magic? Maybe. We figure that we¢re just on the same wavelength. I¢m at J and Maria¢s In Raleigh now. My indescribably smelly clothes and I are clean. Tomorrow I¢ll tend to my shoulder and plot my return to the trail. Meanwhile it¢ll be good to have some beers with friends.
Date: 2018-03-20
To: Raleigh
Miles today: 0.0

Today, my second full day in Raleigh, I went to an urgent care center to have my shoulder checked out. X-rays and exam found no serious damage so I¢m good to continue whenever I feel I¢m ready. While looking at the X-rays with me the doctor pointed to a spot on my collarbone and asked, ¢How long ago did you break this?¢. I have no idea. I guess if I broke my collarbone and didn¢t know it then hiking with a NOT broken shoulder shouldn¢t be a problem! Regardless it looks like I¢m gonna get plenty of rest due to a major snow event in the Smokies. The same storm affecting folks back home is gonna dump 10-20 inches of snow on the trail. Most of the other hikers are waiting it out while stacked up like cordwood in the hostels and cheap hotels around Gatlinburg. I get to chill here at Casa del J...Nice!!!Maria has been kind to let me use her car so I could get to the doctor, resupply, and make some minor gear purchases. I¢ll spend tomorrow reorganizing my stuff and making a few repairs so I¢m ready to go when the snow begins to melt, likely not until the weekend.
Date: 2018-03-24
From: Raleigh, NC

To: Cherokee, NC
Miles today: 0.0

After a 6 hour, occasionally white knuckle drive through heavy rain I¢m here in Cherokee at the pet friendly Microtel with J, Maria, and Marlin. It was much fun hanging out this week and I¢m glad to have them here sending me off to continue my trek. Can¢t thank them enough for taking me in and driving so far on my account. Truly Super-friends!My shoulder is still sore and tender but I¢ll simply have to deal with it. At least I know it¢s not broken.  It¢s a 30 minute drive to the trail at Newfound Gap tomorrow. I¢m guessing there¢ll be lots of other hikers joining me as it¢ll be the first weather break in the mountains after a cold, snowy week. Slush and mud here I come!
Date: 2018-03-25
From: Newfound Gap

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 3.1
Weather: snow

Starting back slow and slogging it out through the slush. Makes for cold feet! It will get warm out here eventually. I think. 15 or so peeps at the shelter tonite a mix of thru and section hikers. Some are tenting outside but I got here early and scored an end spot. I figure the wall won¢t ask me to scootch over. Some ambitious teens are starting a fire in the shelter fireplace. How nice! Sooner or later I¢m gonna have to really kick up the daily miles but conditions are too wet and the terrain too mountainous now. Tomorrow I¢ll do either 7.4 or 12.6 miles. We¢ll see how it goes.
Date: 2018-03-26
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: PeckÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Corner Shelter 
Miles today: 7.4

Brrrrr! My shoes were frozen solid this morning. The only way to thaw them out is from the inside...that makes it difficult to get going. It was very windy and overnight fog had crystallized on the tree branches making the mountains look like a big fake Christmas tree display for most of the day.Soon after I started out I came upon one of our Nation¢s most beloved Natural Wonders: Charlies Bunion. A short side trail led to the iconic protuberance. Another hiker was snacking upon it and asked if I wanted him to move over so I could join him. I declined. I took a few chilly pictures from the foot of The Bunion and, as my shoes and feet were still frozen, I hiked on. Most of the snow is gone and the trail is drying out but there are still icy sections at higher elevations. I chose not to push on to the next shelter today because it¢s higher up, best allow more thaw time for safe passage. I was glad to find this shelter crowded so I can sleep comfortably in my hammock. Some hikers I haven¢t seen in weeks are here tonite. There¢s talk of large numbers of thru hikers calling it quits during the snowstorms last week. I¢m SO lucky to have missed all of that. Thanks again J!
Date: 2018-03-27
From: PeckÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Corner Shelter 

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

A foggy and wet morning turned into a dry sunny afternoon. Good hiking weather over moderate terrain although the trail resembles a stream sometimes because of all the snowmelt. There were still some icy sections but not enough to warrant my ice cleats. Tonite there was more chat at the shelter about the many hikers who went home because of the bad weather. Tomorrow I continue downhill and out of the Smokies.
Date: 2018-03-28
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 10.4

This morning, for the first time, there were birds singing at dawn and they delivered a warm mostly sunny day. There¢s more life at lower elevations, I saw wildflowers, squirrels, and a garter snake. This afternoon I exited GSMNP. Good riddance, I did not like it there. The shelters were overcrowded because everyone was required to stay at them. Hence they were beat up, filled with graffiti and the areas around them were muddy, trampled down, and stripped bare for firewood. I just can¢t imagine the mess when the real crush of hikers comes next month. It seems to me that with an ever increasing hiker population there would be less severe impact if they dispersed along the trail at smaller, more numerous campsites, perhaps with campfires prohibited. Just sayin...A few hundred feet outside the park boundary ¢Smokey Mt. Angel¢ (a Class of 2019 hopeful) was set up with much appreciated Magic. She had soda, chips, fruit, candy, cheese, doughnuts, etc.. There also were 2 boxes of Mountain House hiker dinners donated by ¢Halfback¢ (Class of 2017). They¢ll enable me, and some others, to get to the next town without resupply. Thanks Angels!!While I feasted away Sub Man came up the trail. I hadn¢t seen him in a few weeks. There was more talk of the snow and word that Plodalong and G-ma Shortie passed through here 2 days ago. I¢m staying at Standing Bear Hostel tonite. It¢s a very cool place, old wood cabins with a kind of artsy feel. Lots of rocking chairs, bookshelves, and stonework. There¢s a laundry room equipped with a dryer, a deep sink, and a washboard! Joyce: I thought of Gran as I toiled away. It¢s about 30 miles from here to Hot Springs, NC., supposedly a ¢can¢t miss¢ sort of place. I¢ll try to time my arrival so I can enjoy it a bit but I¢m not keen on taking another zero so soon. Not that there¢s a hurry but I feel I¢ve got to start doing bigger miles so I¢m not rushed later.
Date: 2018-03-29
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Trail mile 255.0
Miles today: 13.9

Ground it out for 10+ hours today going over big mountains with nice views. Trying to get to Hot Springs by noon on Saturday as resupply might be difficult on Easter Sunday. This morning I chatted over breakfast with SOBOer Slow Motion. He¢ll soon complete his 2nd complete AT thruhike. He went NOBO 18 years ago. He shared info on trail conditions north of here and said he¢s been passing about 30 NOBOers every day. Holy cows, that¢s like swimming upstream! All the little introductions and exchanges of ¢How¢s it goin?¢ and ¢Happy hiking!¢ must be exhausting. I hardly see anyone all day unless they (or I) are taking a break. Swim WITH the fishes, that¢s the way to do it. On top of Snowbird Mountain there was an unmanned FAA air traffic radar facility silently watching the skies. I waved. At the end of the day on a grassy expanse on top of Max Patch someone proposed to his girl as I passed nearby, I clapped. They were with a small group of people (not hikers) and had a big tent set up for a celebration. It was a great idea, timed for sunset on the mountain top. But it was overcast and dark rain clouds were rapidly approaching across the valley. I hustled off the summit and ducked into the woods on the downwind side. As soon as I finished setting up a wicked wind kicked up and it began to pour rain. It will be a memorable engagement party - there¢s no way that tent is still standing. Guys, this is important. Check the forecast, have a backup, do better. PS: After midnight the rain stopped and the moon came out so bright it almost kept me up. In the morning the sun lit up the tops of the trees briefly before clouds moved in again. When I emerged from my little sheltered wood I could see the low budget tent still standing with the group gathered on the hillside having just seen what must have been a spectacular sunrise. So THAT¢S the plan. My apologies and a hearty ¢Well done¢ to you, Sir! Maybe I should rethink that ¢swimming with the fishes¢ thing.
Date: 2018-03-30
From: Mile 255.0

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: moderate rain

I hit the trail just after sunrise. The windy rain soon returned and it Got colder as the day went on. There were fewer big up and downs making for easy miles although it was very muddy. I slipped and fell three times bringing my total to four, but who¢s counting. I wanted to go all the way into Hot Springs and called ahead to reserve a bunk. None were available so I set my sights on a shelter a few miles short of town. I arrived there wet, cold, and tired. Rather than set up in the rain I decided to sleep in the smallish but dry shelter. There¢s room for five and there¢s five of us. The weather tomorrow should be nice and if I get to town early I¢ll have good odds of landing a bunk
Date: 2018-04-01
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: Laughing Heart Hostel
Miles today: 4.7

I arrived at Laughing Heart Hostel Saturday morning. There was one bunk available but I opted to hang my hammock outside between a pair of flowering trees. There¢s no rain in the forecast but I put up the tarp anyway to keep the falling pink petals off of me and my stuff. Three restaurants with local brews suggested a two night stay and hostel manager Jeffs announcement of Easter dinner for all sealed the deal. Twenty five dollars for the weekend covers two tree trunks, shower, laundry, use of the kitchen, and a meal. A less comfortable communal bunk inside would have been ten dollars more, worth it if it were raining.The AT follows the sidewalk through the small Hot Springs business district. I saw lots of familiar faces milling about buying food and gear and looking for WiFi (it¢s at the library). The local economy is dependent on passing hikers, bicycle riders, and motorcyclists. Hikers seem to be the largest group and are the ones most likely to spend the night. Those who can¢t find or afford lodging set up just outside town - literally ¢down by the river¢ - and use the public bathrooms in the business district. I twice overheard locals talking about a proposal to close the bathrooms to discourage what, understandably, looks like a homeless camp. If they do that I think most of the hikers will still stay in the surrounding woods but the bikers would be less likely to stop on their way through. Oh the politics of public bathrooms, just like home. On Saturday night I excused myself from the hostel campfire to check out some live music at the tavern. As I left there were taunts of ¢Oh, you¢re too good to hang out with filthy hikers¢. At the tavern the music was outside on a deck overlooking the mighty French Broad River. I ended up inside, away from the music, at a big table with a bunch of filthy hikers.On Sunday some continued NOBO while others arrived carrying Easter eggs that had been Magically hidden along the trail. I spent the day tweaking my gear, making phone calls, and chatting with several gentlemen thru hikers. One in particular, Cowboy, is a retired cowboy who is thru hiking despite some serious injuries from a tough career raising steak. I enjoyed learning about the beef industry from his hands on perspective. He is the second hiker from Nebraska I¢ve met this week. The first, Kylo, indeed looks like the Star Wars guy. Easter dinner featured all the trimmings and the best ham I¢ve ever had. An hour after dinner a Magic car pulled up and an anonymous couple unloaded boxes of hot food, cakes, and pie. There are no leftovers. The evening was topped off by an instrumental performance by Slide. She¢s headed to Maine with an ultralight trombone strapped to her pack.Tomorrow I head back up into the mountains with enough food to get me to Erwin Tennessee, 70 miles away. Let¢s continue...Note: It is April 1st but I¢m not fooling: she¢s hiking with a trombone.
Date: 2018-04-02
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Mile 289.1
Miles today: 14.1

Back to work! A pleasant day for the climb out of Hot Springs. It started tough but got easier. I¢m not staying near a shelter tonight. I just walked till I was tired and found a nice spot near a water source. I¢ll have to do this more often as I slowly raise my daily miles. My feet are a little sore, maybe because my shoes are beginning to loose their cushioning, so tomorrow I¢ll dial it back a bit. I expected these shoes to last at least 500 miles. The soles and uppers are holding up well so I¢ll try to get new insoles in Erwin. Zzzzzzz...
Date: 2018-04-03
From: Mile 289.1

To: JerryÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 12.3

Really good hiking weather today: sunny, breezy, and cool. Much of the first 6 miles were uphill. It was steep with almost no switchbacks or ¢steps¢, just a long steep ramp up. Walking uphill like that is hard on your feet, particularly your achilles because it¢s stretched to the max with each step. I was careful to stop and stretch my calfs and hamstrings frequently to keep things as loose as possible. Nonetheless my left achilles is now a bit tender. I¢ll have to monitor that very closely. But I digress...After the long climb the trail followed a rocky ridge line with a broad valley to the west. The scenery was spectacular but the terrain was torturous. The white blazes had me scrambling over and between boulders; up into the sun for a view, then down into the rhododendron thickets, then back up again, over and over. It went on like that for miles so by the time I got down into more reasonable terrain I was exhausted. Passing the 300 mile marker gave me a brief lift as I dragged myself to the shelter. Everyone there was beat up too and for the first time in weeks the nightly chat session did not include tales of how awful the snowy Smokies were. I got a text from Plodalong today. He too has a sore achilles, probably from the same climb I did today. They are a few days north of here approaching Erwin. I also heard from John, he got back on the trail several days ago and is just leaving the Smokies. I¢m battened down tight in anticipation of a stormy night with rain ending mid morning. Should I pack out in the rain or sleep in? Decisions, decisions...
Date: 2018-04-04
From: JerryÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Cabin Shelter

To: Mile 312.6
Miles today: 11.2

It rained hard last night but I stayed dry. At dawn I decided to trust the forecast and sleep in till it stopped. As predicted it stopped at 10:00 and by the time I hit the trail it was sunny although very chilly. Soon after I started I came upon the world renowned and much studied rock formation: ¢Big Butt¢. Once again a short side trail led to the iconic protuberance. When I arrived at Big Butt I took some pictures then had a snack at the foot of The Butt (not on The Butt because it was windy there). Had it not been so early I could have called my day complete but there were miles to go...with a Queen song in my head.By 6:00 I was ready to stop and began looking for a suitable spot. The trail at that point followed a stream up a mountain for almost 2 miles. There were several beautiful, moss covered areas to camp and others had set up in some. It is always cold and damp in the mornings anywhere near water so I filled my water bag and kept climbing until I found a suitable dry spot for my hammock. There¢s a couple in a tent nearby who reasoned likewise. It was almost dark by the time I got organized. I ate some cheese and a Cliff Bar, called Joyce to get the weather forecast (no internet the last few days), and here I am.Most of the other hikers I¢ve met on this stretch are stopping at a hostel tomorrow. I¢m planning to push on to Erwin. I¢ll try to time my arrival there for Saturday morning, it seemed to work well in Hot Springs that way.Musical reference:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMnjF1O4eH0
Date: 2018-04-05
From: Mile 312.6

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

Sunny, calm, and chilly day, perfect day to bang out some miles.Double bonus Magic! Where the AT goes under Interstate 26 at the TN/NC border Paul (Class of 2007) was set up cooking scrambled eggs and hash browns. It was mid afternoon and hikers ahead of me told him I was coming so he kept the griddle hot just for me. He packed up as I feasted. Thanks Paul!! As I left Paul¢s buffet Stan Ward and his wife Judy(?) pulled over and opened their hatchback full of candy and mini pies. Having just eaten I gratefully put a boxed pecan pie in my pocket and moved on. A few hours later as I climbed Bald Mountain I began to fade so I got out the pie. It was delicious but more importantly had 400 calories! It powered me up and over the grassy summit and I made the shelter just before sunset. This is a 12 person shelter but there are only three others here: Sparrows, Duracell, and Murphy. I don¢t recall meeting any of them before today. There¢s room to spread out in the shelter so I decided not to set up my hammock tonite. That¢s  a good thing because Sparrows had a hot water bottle spill in her sleeping bag and it¢s soaked. She was trying to dry it out over the fire with little success so I lent her my hammock under quilt, which I don¢t really need when sleeping on the ground, to get her through the night. Magic!I¢m undecided about how far to go tomorrow. I¢ll figure it out as I walk.