morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-04-05
From: Long Branch Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: broken clouds

Today we woke up early and got moving. We wanted to cover more than 12 miles to make it to Wayah Gap by 5 because we had a room booked at the hostel there. It was a drizzly morning. I finally broke out my homemade pack cover, and I have to say, when the rain started coming down hard, it kept my pack dry. It has a few design flaws that I will address with duct tape. At Rock Gap we tried out a little Yogi-ing on a nice couple out for a walk with their dogs. We asked how far to Frankiln, we told them we had to get there because Kats tent leaked. They told us how far Franklin was, told us they watched Wild last night, wished us luck and said goodbye. Clearly our Yogi skills need some developement. (Yogi-ing is acting pathetic so people offer you rides or food or whatever) We also met a guy doing his last 100 miles of an AT section hike. I wish I could remember his trail name! How exciting is that? On todays hike I saw some interesting plant life. The molds and ferns are pretty interesting. Also, the leaves that are coming in on some of the trees-they are white and wispy, almost transparent. So lovely. (see pics) the trail is also again covered with mica, which makes it sparke and shine, but only when the sun is out. After Kat and I both had slip and falls, we decided to call it quits about 6 miles short of our goal. We called the Saphire Inn in Franlin and they said they would send a shuttle. We waited a while in the rain, and suddenly the lady I had seen the day before at the foot of Albert Mountain appeared! BShe had Huckleberry and Jot in her car. We called Saphire, told them not to send anyone for us (and they hadnt yet) and we rode with them to the Saphire Inn. Then this lovely lady, Beverly is her name, drove us to an AYCE chinese buffet. I am now doing laundry and catching up on my trail journals.North Carolina- you have spanked me! Thank you sir may I have another!www.bigbigwalk.com
Date: 2015-04-06
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Wayah Gap
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: clear sky

Today was a great day. I knew there was a pancake breakfast at First Baptist Church, free for hikers, but the shuttle was at 7:15 for that. I had decided the night before that sleep was more important. My tummy, however, woke me up grumbling at 7:10am. I literally rolled out of bed, pulled on pants and crocs and headed down to the shuttle with minutes to spare. That's the awesome thing about hiking-no make up, no hair brushing, no problem! When we got to the church, they had tables with table cloths and flowers, hiker classes HUGE posters to sign, an army of friendly volunteers cooking bacon and pancakes. A special touch, they had envelopes and notepaper on the tables and they were taking and printing each persons picture in that room to mail home to family. They provided the postage. It was so warm and thoughtful, I am really grateful for the experience and the pancakes. Future hikers, definitely make this part of your hike. You won't be sorry!After breakfast, we packed up and headed out to Winding Stair Gap to finish the hike we had started in the rain the day before. I did the climb over the mountain and down, almost 6 miles, in just under 3 hours. Since I knew we had a short day I really pushed myself. I felt great! On the hike I saw a sign that pointed to Swinging Dick Gap (see pics). My curiosity was aroused (no pun intended) but I didn't follow that trail, thinking it probably led to Fox News.I waited for about an hour for the shuttle to the most amazing hostel- formerly Aquine now called Nantahala Hiker Lodge. Wiggy and Maggie run this hostel and it is a beautiful, clean, comfortable home. Love is in every detail of this amazing place, built by this very kind and knowledgable couple. Dinner was extra- but worth it! Yummy meatloaf, mashed potatoes, veggies, salad and apple pie.Tomorrow I head out, destination NOC, eta thursday. I snagged the last bunk in the hostel there, and Katwalk is slack packing from here for a few days. We may meet up again, we may not- but we have been a great team and have given each other the support we both needed to get through these first tough weeks. HYOH- so simple, yet so complicated. Favorite gear up to this point- most definitely my boots. They have saved me from countless twisted ankles. Next, my tent. It's a champ- never leaked, always keeps me dry and safe. Of course Wiggy says the most important piece of equipment is the one in your cranium. Lost my earbuds today, so I will be spending a lot of time in my cranium over the next few rainy days. Picture here is of me and Ice-fire. Great guy, career Army Corps of Engineers studying ice? And also a volunteer firefighter, thus the trail name.
Date: 2015-04-09
From: NOC

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: overcast clouds

I slept well in the little bunkroom. Unfortunately for the 3 much younger women, I snore a little-maybe a lot. My husband is too gallant to tell me. I don't know for sure. Its a 50s thing. One of the women in the room was 30 year old Beast Bison. She is a long distance runner and backpacker, and the Bison is her running spirit animal. Beast Bison has been her nickname for many years. She had completed in one week what it took me two weeks to do. Wish she had a journal- she was so positive, cheerful, and quite an athlete. It would be great to read her journal and be inspired by her. Her husband did a thru last year, so this year it is her turn.I was meeting Ice Fire and Gorp Gobbler for breakfast so I packed up and headed down to the restaurant. Met Gorp on the way. We enjoyed a delicious meal-that restaurant really is the bomb! Weather forcasts called for wicked thunderstorms all day, so we hemmed and hawed and finally the boys hiked out around 11:30. I went to the little outfitters store and bought a hiking skirt and a different shirt. I was getting hot on the trail. I wrote out and mailed 14 postcards. I waited around to see if the lighting was ever coming and it didn't, so I finally hiked out around 12:30. I had a nearly 3000 foot elevation gain over nearly 7 miles. It was a long tough climb. I was inside my head, and my head was going places I have avoided for a quarter of a century. I thought about Brian, about our tumultuous relationship. What he said, what he did, what I said what I did. I cried, I raged, I totally went down the rabbit hole that opened up while I watched the kayaks the day before. I let the shame of my own immature behavior wash over me. owning it, finally. When I reached Sassafras Gap Shelter, I was totally spent, emotionally and physically. "Bon Bon!" Gorp cried out cheerfully when he saw me. It made me feel so good to be welcomed enthusiastically. I got a spot on the top and laid out my sleeping pad and gear. A great guy named Cheese Steak (yep, he's from Philly) made a nice fire and there was lively conversation, we all ate dinner..it was a nice end to a challenging day. I was drifting off to sleep when I heard a new voice join in the campfire conversation. A soft spoken guy had come down to the shelter, his name is SOBO HOBO. He is nearly done with a southbound thru hike. He told stories, gave advice. His voice was mesmerizing and I had to get up to see who this person was. He was lean, quiet, sage like. I felt like we were children of a lesser god compared with this guy. He never hikes in the rain. Cool. I can embrace that advice. I wondered if and when we would morph into mountain Gods and Goddesses. We were all destroyed by our hike of the day, and this guy got up to leave ,in the black of the night. We asked where he was going- he said "NOC, its not far, right?" Right on brother. Hike on.
Date: 2015-04-12
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Woke up today planning to head out after I got my re supply box from the post office. I brought my laundry too, since the laundromat was next to the general store and post office. Alas, my box would not arrive until after 2:30. I finished laundry, bought a razor and shaving cream- because I am a wildebeast and I can't take it anymore! Then I went and had a cheeseburger and an India pale ale. My box finally came in and I had fun doing show and tell with Slouch and Mellow, who got their box too. Caught the shuttle back to the Fontana Hilton, as the shelter is called. It is called this because it sleeps 24, has access to showers and also outlets, which I'm sure you can imagine are a very big deal out here. I was not staying in the shelter, however, I was in a very nice tent spot next to the shower room and bathroom and with an incredible view of the lake. By the time I got back to my tent, it was around 4. I decided to hike out the next day, so I got an unplanned zero day. I took an unfortunately icy cold shower and removed 6 weeks of hair from my legs and under my arms. The last time I had hair on my legs I was 14 and it was blond and smooth and grew in one direction. Now, it is brown and not smooth and grows in all directions. I thought that freedom from the shaving mandate was something I wanted, but no, I didn't like being a hairy girl. Cosmo- you win this round!Michelle's questions- what do I miss most besides my family. That's easy. Toilets. What do I eat for lunch: it varies. Sometimes a snickers bar, sometimes a tortilla with peanut butter, whatever is easy. Yesterday I made a wrap with peanut butter, trail mix, and turkey jerky. It was oddly delicious. What do I think about while I am hiking: well- that runs the gamut. Besides what I have already shared, I think a lot about when my kids were little, my first date with Mark, a running replay of my last 20 years with him, I think about my friends and things that make me laugh. I spent an hour wondering if I truly am Team Jacob or if that is just residual admiration for Taylor Lautners performance as Shark Boy. I might be Team Edward so I could be immortal and live in that house. I do think that Bella should have protested the little shack in the woods and held out for the mansion. I mean, what the heck. So yeah, the brain goes all over the place. Heading out bright and early to go through the smokies! So excited!
Date: 2015-04-13
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

It rained cats and dogs last night. I love my tent- I stay cozy and dry. I packed out and hit the trail by about 8:30. I road walked about a mile and got to Fontana Dam. If the word awesome- meaning awe inspiring, magnificent, was not so overused ( as in- "I'm getting us both big gulps." "Awesome.") that is the word I would use to describe the massive feat of engineering known as Fontana Dam. It was being repaired at the access point when I got there so I was routed around a bit. There were men busy working on repairs to the asphalt. The whole scene reminded me of the old Gary Larson cartoon of the aliens watching earth intently, the earth being the alien's ant farm. I represented the errant ant walking in the wrong direction with a heavy load on her back. Build build, repair repair. Men are busy creatures. I walked another mile or so and finally found the trail, just past the welcome to the Smokies sign. Hello trail I said. I'm back. I don't care said the trailI walked a few miles on the trail and started wondering if the terrain would change. Besides the grass or moss lining on the sides of the trail, there was little variation on scenery. I thought of the guy who quit in Franklin because he said the trail was boring. About 5 miles in, I went around a bend and suddenly found myself in what seemed like a magical forest. Deep green moss on trees, blown down trees with gnarled branches reaching skyward, and a lush carpet of tiny white flowers coverings the misty ground. They were so cheerful and encouraging that I felt as though they had congregated to cheer me on. It was truly lovely. Shortly after, it started to drizzle. The last 6 miles were tough- in muddy wet conditions.finally I reached the shelter.I secured my place to sleep by laying out my pad and sleeping bag. Around 5:30 i was thrilled to see Seashell and D.No come walking up! When they came in the shelter, Cheese Steak had arrived and was working his magic on making a fire. Sweet Time entertained us with stories of her "Bo-jangling around and taking her sweet time, and Pockets broke out his stash of marshmallow peeps, courtesy of his Mom. We roasted them on sticks in the fire and they were amazing! D.No pulled the duct tape brace off of his leg and screamed like a little girl as it ripped out his leg hair. Today was a good lesson for me in how to live in the moment. From uncomfortable from rain one minute to enchanted by the scenery in the next and laughing hysterically at the antics of other hikers the next- it's all about the moments.
Date: 2015-04-14
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: derricks Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: moderate rain

I slept well and warm in the shelter last night. a light rain made soft putter pats on the metal shelter roof. Then I took my earplugs out. It was a hard rain making a big noise. I waited for it to subside, then I headed out. It rained on and off all day, mostly on. I slipped and fell on the muddy creek like trail 3 times. The third time I just sat in the mud and hoped my fundraiser was going well. The trail deteriorated as the day went on. I should have stopped at the shelter about 6 miles in, but it was .2 off the trail so I plodded on. Finally, after the most difficult 6 miles I have hiked so far, I came I got to the shelter at around 6pm. No room. I was early hypothermic and my spirits sagged when I realized I would have to set up my tent in the rain. I did that, only got a little water inside, cooked a warm meal and ate it standing in mud and wind, then I got into my tent. I changed into my dry sleep clothes and warmed myself in my bag. I could not get quite warm so I wrapped up in a Mylar emergency blanket. That did the trick! Next day- all my stuff was damp and gross and I smelled like a sweaty donkey. my first completely miserable day on the trail. I thought about the kids I walk for. They can't snap their fingers and have their lives back and neither shall I. Other than the misery of being cold and wet- the Smokies are glorious, breathtaking, humbling. I am grateful.
Date: 2015-04-15
From: derricks Knob Shelter

To: silers Bald shelter
Miles today: 5.5
Weather: light rain

I hiked out of the shelter in my dry sleep clothes- a big no-no. I couldn't bring myself to put on my wet clammy hiking clothes. Seashell told me they warm up in about 39 seconds, but she is way more hardcore than I am. I headed out with a goal of about 10 miles to Double Spring Gap Shelter. It was on and off light showers, but not the down pour of yesterday. The little white flowers that had cheered me a couple of days ago were all over the forest floor but their tiny petals were bowed in a sweet slumber. The trail has over ankle deep in thick gooey mud, and I started to rethink how much I really love the stuff. A random gleeful step or two is one thing, but boots with a thick and heavy layer of it over many miles is another. The views were not great, mostly cloud cover, but it was spooky- dreamy- and utterly silent other than my boots making squishing noises. I got about 5 and a half miles in to Silers Gap Shelter, and it felt like 10 miles. Seashell and D.No were there and as we discussed the possibility of moving on, the rain and wind came in with vengeance. We decided to stay since we had a spot in the shelter and no guarantee of a spot at the next shelter 6 miles further. Many waterlogged and cold hikers came in, quickly filling all of the spots. We squished in and made room for more. Lucky us, Cheesesteak showed up and made a fire. We strung our para cord all over the shelter and attempted to dry out wet clothes, boots in front of the fire. My nose suddenly started feeling itchy and then got stuffed so I'm pretty sure I snored all night. If you hike the AT, make sure earplugs are on your gear list! Almost everyone snores at least a little, especially people who claim they don't.I made the decision to go in to Gatlinburg tomorrow to dry my gear. And find a cheeseburger.
Date: 2015-04-16
From: silers Bald shelter

To: Clingmans Dome
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: light rain

Woke up today excited to hike to Clingmans Dome- highest point on the entire AT and also the 200 mile mark. 10% of the trail hiked! Even though I was disappointed with the low miles day yesterday because of the rain, today I was so grateful to be able to hike the 6 mile section we did without rain. It would have been miserable yesterday and I would have missed the absolutely enchanting scenery that I was treated to. It was seriously straight out of a fairy tale. Rich colors, spruce trees, exciting mountain views on both sides of the trail because we were hiking on a ridge. After 3 days in shelters inhabited by young people, I was beginning to think the Smokies got their name because of a recreational reason, but soon I was walking in the mist- I was in the clouds, the reason the smokies are called what they are. It was exquisite with dew and cloud moisture kissing my face. The trail started easy but soon went up and up, of course, you can't hike down to the highest spot. The mud was thick and grabbed my feet, making me work harder. The colors are hard to describe here, and I can't capture the beauty on my iPhone camera. Trees with blood red roots, white flowers, deep and fluorescent greens on leaves and moss, it was truly a walk through a fantasy. We finally reached the road to Clingmans Dome. It had started to drizzle so we decided to go to town and save the dome for the next day. My brother Tom and his wife Meg are my hotel room Angels, through their company, PenTech International. Gatlinburg was sold out of rooms, but they found me one. Gatlinburg was about 20 miles or so away and C.Shell, D.No and I planned to hitchhike. In the visitors center, a guy walked up to me and asked if I need a ride to town. Sure do I said, but I have two others with me. No problem! He and his wife led us to their car, put our stuff in, gave us snickers bad and gator aid and generally floored us with their kindness and generosity. Turns out they hiked about 400 miles of the AT in 2010 and had to leave the trail because he broke his foot. They have two little ones now but dream of the day they will try again. Their trail names were Driver (her) and Shotgun (him). They are a serene couple who love to hike and give back to the trail community. How lucky we were to meet them! We got dropped at our hotel, showered, packed up our dirty clothes and walked about 3 miles to a laundromat. Then we took the convenient trolley back downtown to a restaurant where we met up with Acorn and Oak for dinner. I had a cheeseburger! Gatlinburg is a crazy tourist/ carnival like town with lots of stuff to look at. I tried the 9 baby shots of free moonshine, all kinds of flavors. Back at the room, the bed was crazy comfortable- best bed ever. I slept like a middle aged snorer and was happy happy happy.
Date: 2015-04-17
From: Clingmans Dome

To: Mt.collins Shelter
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: broken clouds

This morning was pretty and warm! Got up, packed my gear, grabbed a Krispy cream from the lobby, then headed out for all you can eat breakfast. We had decided to hitchhike back to Clingmans, but D.No still had Drivers and Shotguns phone number. He handed me the number and said hey, give them a call and see if they are still here. C.Shell and I were like no way- you call! So he did, and they were just leaving their hotel and heading up the mountain for a hike. They said they would be happy to pick us up. We were ecstatic and had a seat on the ground at the marathon station like hobos. Driver and Shotgun soon pulled up and we all piled in to their car. They gave us some info about pretty places they had seen on the trail. What an awesome couple they are. When they decide to hike again, I don't care where I am- I am going to drive somewhere to intercept them and give them the same magic they gave us.When we got to Clingmans, we had to walk half a freakin mile UPHILL to the trailhead. Oh that killed me. I hate off trail miles, especially uphill. I went to the top of Clingmans, no view, but I was happy to be enveloped in the smoke of the smokies! Castaway and Pockets were up there entertaining Chinese tourists by letting them try on their packs and also drinking moonshine procured from town. So many great characters on the trail.We hiked out in decent weather- rain was looming but had not arrived. We hiked for about 3 hours- about 3 and a half miles mostly steep muddy Rocky downhill- and made the shelter by 4. We had planned to go another 8 but the rain started in cold and sideways, so we stayed at the shelter. We are a little frustrated with the short days, but the weather is horrific and because we are forced to stay at shelters it dictates how much or little we can hike. Good news- we stayed dry, we slept well. The sun will come out.....tomorrow? It's cats and dogs right now.
Date: 2015-04-19
From: icewater Spring Shelter

To: tri corner knob shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: light rain

When nature called last night, I saw stars through the mist. I took that as an excellent sign for the day. That was around 2am. At 7 am the sky was howling, rain was pelting the tarps that protected the front of the shelter, and the wind was so strong it was beginning to tear the tarps from the structure. Thunder and lightning completed the weather show, and I started to think we had another rainy hiking day. People hung out, waiting to see if it would clear. I bit my lip and put on my cold wet hiking clothes. Argh! Really unpleasant! I squeezed the water out of my thick wool socks and put them on, followed by my waterlogged waterproof boots. For a brief moment around 9am, the sun broke through the cloud cover. The shelter filled bright light and all of us whooped and cheered- then the sun went away and the rain continued. We finally left the shelter around 10 and the rain suddenly stopped. Happy were we! The trail was a torrent of water most of the day, which I prefer to heavy mud. For the first time in days we were treated to fabulous views. Definitely worth the wait! We didn't dawdle much though, because while the meek may inherit the earth, the strong and the quick inherit the shelters. The forecast called for rain overnight so we were hoping for a spot in the shelter. It felt so good to be hiking through the beautiful woods on a sunny day. The temperature would go from cool to warm and back to cool in a span of 10 minutes. The hike was a lot of uphill and I definitely worked hard. The last mile always feels like 5 and I was happy to see the shelter. Great news for us, there was room! I love the shelter culture. We have been to shelters that are filled with kids chilling and getting high and telling bad jokes, we have been to shelters with older folks like us and in the wee hours it sounds like a snoring opus, and luckily for anyone.who needed knowledge, last night we had a very young man who knew everything there was to know about anything.We put on our cozy dry sleep clothes, cooked dinner, and went to sleep around 7:30. Another day in paradise!