morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-04-20
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Slept in the tent last night in the front yard of the farmhouse. It was a warmish night. Woke up this morning to the promise of coffee and a big breakfast. So the ¢Crewe¢ (me, Opus, T-square, Hotfoot, and Soul patch) all raided the food closet for eggs, potatoes, onions, cheese, bacon and sausage with biscuits. We cooked up a feast in the hiker kitchen smoldered in bacon grease and butter and paired with cheap cans of beer. We were all happy as hell and soaking up all the irresponsible calories and morning drinking session. It feels really good to do this stuff after pounding out nearly 100 miles of hiking with a 35 pound pack in one week. Blissful and well earned.        I topped this blissful morning off with an afternoon nap in a queen-sized bed we paid for in the cabin. Hikers were in and out all day to re-supply and stay the night for the festivities. It was nice to have a place to withdraw to for some down time. It rained off and on all day and after my nap, I sat in a rocking chair on the porch listening to the river and watching hikers run off and back on the trail. Great way to spend the day!        At night, there was a big buffet on the front porch of the farmhouse and we all stuffed our faces and listened to the live bluegrass band, Mountain Edge, that played into the night. It was a very memorable evening with all the charms of a southern gathering.New people:        -Rider        -Leslie        -Sarah        -Annie and dog, Niko        -Barley        -Superman ¢06        -Granite Gorilla        -Red Stick
Date: 2010-04-21
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Max Patch Summit
Miles today: 13.6

We left out of Standing Bear Farms at about 9am with our sights set on Max Patch Summit. There were rumors of a campout on the summit with beers, whiskey and fire. We started the hike going straight uphill into a cloud. It was cool to walk through the forest encased in fog to the summit of Snowbird Mountain. It was a beautiful walk. The weather cleared up midday and just a few threatening clouds lingered around. The hiking was hard today. Both me and Opus were having a hard time coaxing our bodies to do the work of climbing mountains and covering miles. So when we hit the summit of Max Patch, we were happy to drop our packs and set up camp.        At around 6:30pm, Superman ¢06 pulled into camp with a rack of beer and a bottle of whiskey. He managed to hitch back to Fontana Dam to grab his jeep and drive up to Max Patch with supplies. We were all impressed by the stunt. He even brought up a shot-ski with glasses. A shot-ski, for those who don¢t know it, is a ski with four holes for shot glasses so that four people can take shots at the same time. So by the fading twilight sunset on Max Patch we did shot-skis, sat around the fire and talked into the night. It was a night for the books. Thanks Superman ¢06 and all who were there!         -T-square        -Hotfoot        -Soul Patch        -Rider        -Annie, Leslie & Sara        -Tour Guide        -Barley        -Opus!Weather: Beautiful sunset!
Date: 2010-04-22
From: Max Patch Summit

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: clear sky

Slept like a rock last night. It felt good and I felt great hiking today. Morning was beautiful on Max Patch Summit. We left camp about 9am and covered some good distance today. Beautiful weather. We are camped outside of Hot Springs, NC and are looking forward to the 3 mile trek to the diner in town for breakfast. Gotta sleep. Write more later.New people:        -Chili        -Pepper
Date: 2010-04-23
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: Rich Mountian
Miles today: 11.4

It poured rain last night. Our tent stayed relatively dry inside minus some floor seepage. We woke up at 6:15am to no rain and fog clearing into blue skies. We got up and out of camp by 7:30am with the promise of a hot breakfast at the Smoky Mountain Diner. It was 3 miles into town and we arrived by 9am. As we were approaching we were surprised to hear how loud the trucks, lawn mowers, highways, cars, etc. were for a town of only 600 residents. We followed silver AT symbols in the sidewalk through town. There were a lot of hikers at the diner including Hotfoot, T-square, Pepper, Chili, Annie, Sara, Leslie, Barley, Rider, Babalou & Tour Guide. It was good to see T-square on his last day on trail. His wife was coming to get him today. Now Hotfoot is on his own. I am looking forward to trail magic from him in Shenandoah National Park up north if I make it there at the right time.        After breakfast we ran into Soul Patch and I-40 whom both decided to stay in town with Hotfoot. It looks like we have lost our group since Opus and I are the only ones to move on from town. You see, a rain storm is brewing for tomorrow night and we wanted to get some miles in before it started. So we ran around town re-supplying and shipping unwanted gear home. I am now using a Marmot Crystalline rain jacket. It is very lightweight and supposed to be breathable. I¢ll let you know tomorrow when I¢m hiking in downpours in 80 degree heat. Wheee! I also bought a rain wrap which is more like a rain skirt. Super lightweight too. I also switched from a water filter to Aqua Mira tablets. The filter was time consuming and clogged all the time. Not to mention cartridges are pricy. I am now a water treating kind of hiker. Quick and easy. ?        After our town chores, we stopped into the Rock Bottom Pub on Bridge Street for some draft beer and lunch. There we found Leanitus, Jibbets, Lowrod, Gonzo, Sara, Leslie, Annie and Rock ¢N¢ Roll. Sara and Leslie are getting off trail as well due to the summer working season coming up at Glacier National Park in Montana. Annie (the other Montana girl) will be staying on trail with her dog, Niko. Leanitus is only going to be on trail for three more days to Erwin, TN before flying back home to Britain. So many people are leaving. It was good to shoot the breeze over a few beers on such a nice day.        We took off out of town at about 3pm in order to hike the 8 miles to our campsite on Rich Mountain. It was a hot rest of the day with a total of 3,000 feet elevation gain with heavy packs full of four days of re-supply. It was a trying climb for both of us.        We pulled into camp at about 7pm, cooked dinner and called it a night. Tomorrow we are hiking only 8 miles to Log Cabin Drive where we booked a cabin to ride out the thunderstorms moving through tomorrow and the next day.New people:        -BabalouWeather: Hot! Humid! Sticky and mucky.
Date: 2010-04-24
From: Rich Mountian

To: Log Cabin Drive (Hemlock Hollow Hostel)
Miles today: 8.1

Well my little plan worked out excellently! We skipped past Hot Springs yesterday to take advantage of the good weather. We hiked 11.4 miles yesterday and 8.8 miles today to Hemlock Hollow Hostel just an hour before the sky opened up and started pouring. We are currently held up in a cozy little cabin on a cute little creek watching the rain pour down. We have little wooden chairs on our covered porch in front, electricity, and heat. It¢s really cute and country. Only 0.7 miles off of the trail, too.         We expected it to pour last night and this morning, but it was a warm, cloudless night and a sunny morning. So we covered our 8.8 miles in about 4 hours and enjoyed hot showers, sodas and microwaved cheeseburgers. When I went to the ¢washhouse¢ to see if there was a washer & dryer where the showers were, I saw none. I asked the lady in the front office, ¢Excuse me, do you have laundry here?¢ And she grinned and replied, ¢We have a bucket and a washboard.¢ Ha, ha. So this is the second time we had to do laundry in a bucket with a washboard and air dry our clothes. Its kind of fun. I just took my laundry into the shower and washed it there to save water.         Oh! I also saw a HUGE black snake when I was walking to the ¢washhouse¢. It was just as scared of me as I was of it. The woman up front said it is harmless though. Pretty freakin¢ cool!        I also discovered that I have a huge rash spanning the entirety of my lower back, butt and upper thigh. It doesn¢t itch or hurt. I¢m thinking it¢s a heat rash from having my backpack belt on 10 hours almost everyday. I have started putting Goldbond on it, and I hope it gets better. I can¢t really do anything about it since I can¢t get to Maine without a pack. Any suggestions?        Well, Opus and I have had it really hard this evening between eating, playing cards, eating, watching movies on his phone, and eating. Back to the grind tomorrow.Weather: Gorgeous and windy this morning. Heavy rains since 3pm though.
Date: 2010-04-25
From: Log Cabin Drive (Hemlock Hollow Hostel)

To: Shelton Gravesite
Miles today: 13.6

Woke up late-ish today at about 8am. It was so blissful to sleep in a screened in cabin by a creek with the night breeze blowing in. Very peaceful. I got to take another shower this morning and sip a couple cups of coffee by the creek. We finally got all packed up and ready to go at about 10am, right as Leanitus and Jibbits pulled into the front office for some coffee. They left a day after us and still caught us. Those two are fast!        It was REALLY humid and hot as we started our climb up on the AT this morning. Both Opus and I were pouring sweat and creating our own orbits of gnats. It was awful. I was just dreaming of being at that creek again. It was a hard morning to hike the Appalachian Trail .We gained some reprieve when we got to the top of the climb and the wind picked up and dried our faces. The gnats disappeared as well.        The rest of the day was a little better; minus the face-plant I took. First one of the trail. Pretty good for almost 300 miles in so far. It is true that you can¢t get up when you fall with a pack on. I was stuck and had to unclip all the straps to escape. But not before Opus got a picture. Thanks for the hand up Opus.         The prettiest part of the day was definitely Big Butt Mountain. Yes, you heard right. Someone climbed up to this mountain some time ago, saw how beautiful it was and named it Big Butt. LOL. It was a grassy summit lined with flowering trees and awesome views of fat, puffy clouds. It was gorgeous. I definitely like Big Butts¢¦Mountain.        We walked until nearly 7pm before finding a grassy spot near the Shelton Gravesite to make camp. A bit spooky but still an adventure. New People: 0Weather: Humid, stagnate, hot.        THEN, Breezy in the evening. It¢s nice now that it¢s dark and dry out.
Date: 2010-04-26
From: Shelton Gravesite

To: Hogback ridge shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: light rain

It rained over night¢¦lots! We awoke this morning to fog all around our tent making the grassy patch we chose to set up camp near the graves even spookier. I slept in ¢til about 8am and we took our time being extra lazy getting out of camp. It was one of those days. We finally took off at about 10am and made quick time to Flint Mountain Shelter just 2.4 miles away. There we were joined by Funky Monkey, Low Rod, and Hotfoot. The gang that we thought we had lost was catching up with us. It¢s nice to have a crew to hike with again.        After a quick snack we were off for another 8 miles to the next shelter for ¢lunch¢. Our plan was to make it another 5 miles after that but as the day wore on¢¦we wore out. You see, it was kind of a Winnie the Pooh day today. Blustery, cold, wet, foggy, and grey. So by the time we got to Hogback Shelter at 4pm, we were cold, wet, and tired of the strong gusts of wind blowing cold rain in our faces.        So we made a mad dash to set up the tent and salvage what dry gear we had left. EVERYTHING is wet and we still have 26 miles to hike before Erwin, TN. We each, luckily, have one set of dry, warm clothes and dry sleeping bags to crawl into. These things are mandatory in order to be safe out here in these conditions.        More rain in the forecast tomorrow and we hope to stay in one of the shelters tomorrow night so we can dry out our gear.Weather: foggy, wet, rainy, cold.        VERY WINDY!
Date: 2010-04-28
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: clear sky

I couldn¢t sleep at all last night. I think the really hard surface of the shelter keeps me awake. I know that sounds weird, but the ground is softer and more forgiving. A wooden board has its resolve and doesn¢t give an inch. So up early we were and on our way into the town of Erwin, TN. It was less than 6 miles to hike and for the first time in days it was sunny. The last couple of miles of the hike were a ton of long switchbacks that gave good views of Erwin. Once we got down off of the hill we saw Uncle Johnny¢s Hostel on the corner. It is right on the Nolichucky River. Right when we pulled up to the front, Uncle Johnny came out and introduced himself and shook our hands. I liked him immediately. We also lucked out since the lunch shuttle into town was leaving to an all you can eat (AYCE). We had just enough time to take showers and then jump on the shuttle. Hotfoot, Opus and I stacked up 15 plates of pizza before we called it quits.        On the way back to the hostel I asked Uncle Johnny how long he¢d had the hostel and if he still liked running it. He said he¢d had it for 13 years and that the day he stopped loving it, he¢d stop running the hostel. He also told us that he acquired the hostel when he came off of the AT at Erwin and the gentleman that owned the property asked if he wanted a piece of cake and a glass of milk. Uncle Johnny responded that of course he wanted some cake and sat with the gentleman for awhile. He discovered that the man was remarrying at the age of 86 and selling his property. Uncle Johnny also learned much more about the man and his life and when he set off to hiking again the next day he kept thinking about that property and how much he liked the town of Erwin, TN. So he hiked all the way back to town and knocked on the man¢s door to inquire about the property. The man said that he would sell it to Uncle Johnny because he liked him. And he¢s had the hostel ever since. He could make a lot of money selling it, but keeps it for hikers. Pretty cool story.        The rest of the day breezed by with town stops for re-supply and eating.Weather: Sunny.
Date: 2010-04-29
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We spent all day yesterday trying to dry out our stuff and we woke up this morning to torrential dew. Is that a real thing? Well, there was a LOT of dew anyways. And it was all over our tent and stuff again. So we booked a cabin and decided to stay the day.        We caught the breakfast shuttle out of Uncle Johnny¢s at 9am and went to JD Market. There we had the best home-style breakfast at a little lunch counter in the back. The Biscuits! OMG the Biscuits!        We then went to the Post Office where I was able to pick up the medication my sister had sent me because I was about to run out.        Thanks, Katy!        When we got back to the hostel we took a couple bikes from Uncle Johnny¢s and rode four miles into town. It was a beautiful day and the ride took us along the Nolichucky River. Our first stop was the library where we caught up on emails and uploaded our pictures. I was having a hard time with mine, so sorry there aren¢t many pictures.         When we got back to the hostel, Gonzo¢s sister and mom were there to drag him off of trail for four days for a wedding. Hope we see you again soon, Gonzo!        We then grabbed a couple Subway sandwiches and watched a couple movies at the hostel. It was excellent.Weather: Sunny. Pretty day for a bike ride.
Date: 2010-04-30
From: Erwin, TN

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

Our ¢early¢ start turned into late breakfast and a 11:30am start. It was a scorching hot day with no wind and we had a 3,700 ft. elevation gain before we reached camp. It was brutal. What made it worse was that we ran out of water four miles before the next source. I was pretty dehydrated by the time we hit camp and chugged water when we got there. I then passed out for a 30 minute power nap before feeling somewhat better this evening.Weather: HOT! Windless!NOTE; There is NO WATER at Beauty Spot Gap like the book says there is!
Date: 2010-05-01
From: Deep Gap

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: broken clouds

I guess it was an eventful night at Deep Gap last night with a group of Yahoos driving their jeep all over Beauty Spot nearly taking out hikers sleeping up there. We were right by the road and I guess they came tearing past us and somehow lost a phone. Then the phone went off all night when they were calling it to find it. I slept through all of this because I was still recovering from the dehydration and heat exhaustion.        I wake up this morning refreshed and ready to take on the mileage.        We were waiting for the rain to hit all day but the most we heard was some thunder before we hit the shelter and then nothing. I spent most of the day listening to my IPod and most of the evening reading a trashy novel I picked up at the dollar store. See what hiking the AT does to you? Pretty uneventful day.Weather: Hot, humid. Some threatening clouds blew over.
Date: 2010-05-02
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

Woke up to a dry tent this morning. Score! Got out of camp at about 8:30am and started our approach to Roan Mountain, our big 2,200 ft. climb for the day. There is again a big thunderstorm scare for today, so we were trying to get over Roan Mountain before it hit. The climb was brutal and I was having a hard time keeping up with Opus. This was a sore reminder that even though I quit smoking 34 days ago, it would still be awhile before my lungs fully recovered.        When we got to the top we found the site of an old hotel called Cloudland which thrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s. We even found an old chimney from the hotel. It was pretty cool.        From Roan Mountain, we crossed a series of balds that stretched for a few miles. It was that classic view of the AT trail running along high, grassy hills. It was very beautiful to walk the AT today. It was also VERY WINDY! When we got to the top of Round Bald, the wind was blowing upwards of 50 mph. Wearing a pack in these conditions aids in pushing your body over with every step. It was fun to mess around up there.        Tonight we are staying in an old barn with 20 other hikers. There is still howling wind outside but no sign of the thunderstorms yet. I highly recommend staying here to any future hikers. Weather: Windy!! 70 -75 degrees. Sunny.
Date: 2010-05-03
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: 19E Mountain Harbor B & B
Miles today: 9.2

Woke up to a heavy rain drumming down on the roof of the barn we slept in last night. It made it hard to get up and get busy hiking. The rain stopped by 9am and we got started hiking the 9 miles to 19E where the Mountain Harbor Bed and Breakfast is.        Our hike today took us over the rest of the Roan Highlands as the clouds faded in and out of the valleys. The section of trail we did yesterday and today is my favorite so far. I highly recommend this part of trail to anyone who happens to be in this area in the future.        Once we got to the B & B, we took showers, re-supplied, and sat chatting with hikers. This place has goats and horses and dogs running around everywhere. It¢s pretty southern. And the hostel (which is the top part of the barn) is really nice with fresh linens & towels, food, movies, and it all smells so good and clean. Mary is an excellent hostess. We also signed up for her breakfast in the morning which is rumored to be the best on the trail. I¢m looking forward to that.        Now in bed wishing the day weren¢t over. I feel pretty tired and a few days off in a real house would be nice. But there is trail to hike and adventures to be had. Onward Ho!New People:        -Superman 2010        -City Slicker        -Grizzly        -Cope        -River        -SockeyeWeather: Cool with dramatic clouds moving in and out all day. Very beautiful.
Date: 2010-05-04
From: 19E Mountain Harbor B & B

To: Upper Laurel Fork
Miles today: 12.6

Woke up early this morning at 6:20am to try to snag one more shower before all the guys woke up. I¢m the only girl in the bunkhouse again but there are two more camped out back, City Slicker and River. After a shower, I headed up to the main house for coffee and some porch rocking while the sun rose. By about 7:30am, the 14 hikers at the hostel were up at the main house as well. We were all eagerly awaiting the legendary breakfast the Mary makes every morning. And Mary didn¢t let us down! Fresh fruit, coffee and cream, eggs Benedict, quiche, blueberry muffins, pancakes with honey and pecans, fresh OJ, strawberry pie, coffee cake and potatoes! It was awesome! After that breakfast, Opus and I had to roll ourselves out the door and back onto the trail.It was a hot one today and moving fast just meant sweating more. By the time we hit our lunch spot 9 miles in; our 20 mile day was seeming more and more impossible. So by the time we hit Upper Laurel Fork River 3 more miles past our lunch spot, I was ready to call it quits. My feet have started hurting lately along with my ankles and knees. I pop ibuprofen everyday now so that I can push my body. I feel like an old lady. The only thing I can think of to help this situation out is to lighten my pack and resupply more often to lessen food weight.Getting into camp early was nice and we both had time to relax. Gotta get an early start tomorrow.Weather: Sunny and hot!P.S. Hit the 400 mile mark today!
Date: 2010-05-05
From: Upper Laurel Fork

To: Pond Flats
Miles today: 17.5

True to my word, we got up and out of camp by 7:45am. We were hoping to cover 22 miles today. But it was another scorcher and we also had a 2,000 ft. climb up Pond Mountain as well. We stopped by Kincora Hostel for lunch to check it our. It was pretty cool and nice for only $4.00 a night. They also had a tree house with a queen sized bed in it. Pretty nice.        Once we left Kincora, we came across Laurel Fork Falls about 2 miles down trail. It was a huge waterfall that created a windy, spraying mist at its base. We really enjoyed that because it was so hot out today.        We finished out the day with a trudge up Pond Mountain where we are now.        For anyone who may be wondering, the rash on my back is almost completely gone. Turns out that this thing is common among distance hikers and is dubbed ¢The Hiker Rash¢. Gold Bond or Neosporin work great to get rid of it. Also, Wet ones to keep it clean and wash your clothes in every town. A combination of not doing all of these things made mine really bad. But now it is almost gone. Future hikers, Beware!Weather: Hot, sunny.New people:        -D©j -thru        -Dragontail        -Sherpa        -Muddy        -Walking Too