morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-04-08
From: Low Gap

To: Damascus
Miles today: 126.6

It has been several days since my last entry. Unicorn recovered and he, Alpha, and I got back on the trail after a couple of zeros in Erwin. The first day out was nice and went smoothly. The second day out we were all supposed to meet at Roan High Knob Shelter to camp. The day was cold and windy and I was hiking fast. Some days it's so cold that all I can do to stay warm is to hike fast and non stop. When I got to the top of Roan Mountain I was surprised at the ease it took. I had heard so much hype about it. I arrived at the shelter at around 3pm and my fingers were already numbing from the cold. I wrote in the journal to everyone that I was pushing on to lower elevations. After climbing down Roan Mountain I had a series of balds to climb. The wind was so strong that it was blowing me off the trail. I ended up hiking 25 miles to Overmountain Shelter where I camped for the night. The shelter was full so I pitched my tent. This was a bad idea. All night the wind pushed my tent on top of me and I feared my tent poles were going to snap. I hardly slept all night due to this. The next morning the wind was blowing even harder and it was bitter cold. I have a Nemo 1 person Hornet tent. This tent is super durable. It held up to 50 mile per hour gusts and has been an all around great tent. I highly recommend it especially for a thru hike. I packed up camp as best as I could considering how windy and cold it was and the lack of feeling in my fingers. I had 5 miles of high balds to climb and it was going to be brutal. The next 2 hours was hell on earth surrounded by gorgeous views that could not be admired. I hiked fast all day until I got to a nice little camp by a stream where I slept like a baby. The days continued to be cold and windy while I got closer and closer to Damascus. Wednesday the 6th we decided to hike 31 miles from the shelter to a camp spot a mile and a half from Damascus. The wind and cold was still pestering and the day was long and tiring. We made it to the camp spot in eleven hours. I had gotten a 30 plus mile day under my belt not to mention entered my 4th state Virginia. Yesterday I hiked into Damascus and am staying at the Hiker Inn Hostel. It is nice and clean and I am so glad to be out of the cold, wind, and rain.
Date: 2016-05-14
From: McAfee Knob

To: Front Royal
Miles today: 257.4
Weather: clear sky

Virginia has been a humbling state for me. It started out so perfect. I had a great new hiking partner(P. Stout). The weather was beautiful and the temps so mild. The terrain was getting easier but definitely not flat. The views were plentiful and beautiful. First came the change in terrain. The long hauls up to the top of a ridge where I would then traverse rock riddled ups and downs for miles with no water sources only to be dropped right back down hammering my knees. The water quality dropped tremendously with all the cow pastures. Then came the rain. Then came the noro virus that put me off the trail only to be followed closely by the IT band injury that sidelined me. I am now days behind P. Stout and my trail family(ratturdz). I'm in Front Royal right now spending some time with my wife. We took a side trip to DC today. I will be getting back on the trail tomorrow and should be in Harpers Ferry on Tuesday and at the psychological half way point. The future looks bright and hopefully the weather will be too!
Date: 2016-05-18
From: Front Royal

To: Harpers Ferry
Miles today: 53.3
Weather: broken clouds

I'm finally done with Virginia and am now in Maryland (just outside Harpers Ferry). The injury is getting better but the rain keeps on. I'm in the perfect camping spot and just got done collecting wood for a big fire and guess what happened. It started raining. Does anyone know how to do a reverse rain dance?
Date: 2016-08-04
From: Harpers Ferry

To: Katahdin
Miles today: 1166.7
Weather: few clouds

I have finished my thru hike of the AT. It took me 5 months and 9 days. It was an amazing journey full of highs and lows.i didn't update this site much but if you are interested in my journey you can look it up on Instagram under quicksand_game16.
Date: 2015-12-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I am happy and excited to join the AT thru-hike Class of 2016! I am an experienced hiker with some winter-travel mileage; nevertheless, I plan to come off the trail when weather prevents safe or reasonable progress. The secret to this non-schedule is to be retired! But we'll see what I signed up for...I hope my journal is engaging and interesting to read. Keeping a journal for others to read is not something that I've done before. Let me know if I am boring you to tears or not providing information that you want to read about. You can help me on this hike: If I start to report about big-mileage days, please tell me to stop! I want my hike to be about the journey and this older body needs TLC to make it to Katahdin!
Date: 2015-12-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

My most compelling reason for an early start date is simply to provide myself a maximum amount of time to reach Katahdin. I am retired now, so I may as well use this advantage to slow the pace of my hike and provide some breaks along the way and perhaps avoid (another) over-use injury too.I fly into Atlanta on 1/7. If the Forest Service road to the top of Springer is open, I will start from Springer on 1/8. If it is closed I will use the approach trail on 1/8.I am looking forward to seeing who else will be on the trail enjoying the winter wonderland in the southern Appalachians!
Date: 2015-12-15
To: Pretrip
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I have been rehearsing on the AT in the Green Mountain National Forest for my upcoming AT thru hike. The elevations here don't have the sustained elevations of the mountains in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park or the White Mountains, but their elevations are similar to other sections of the AT. Unfortunately for my rehearsals, we've had an unusually mild and dry November and December here. Our mild weather got me to wondering if this weather-charm might follow me to the southern Appalachians this January and February, which would be a nice surprise.Anyway, I am getting final details in place for my big adventure, which is less than a month away now. I can't believe that I will have this wonderful opportunity!
Date: 2015-12-27
To: Pre Hike
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I have enjoyed a wonderful Christmas at home with family. It was great because I got to see them all assembled in one place at one time and just days before I start my thru hike.Thank you to everyone who signed my guest book and provided support and encouragement for my great adventure.My plan is still to fly into Atlanta on 7 January and start hiking on January 8th or 9th. It's a busy time of year and there are so many loose ends to tie up before I go, so there is limited time for further rehearsals on the AT here at home, although the weather remains extraordinarily mild.Happy New Year's!
Date: 2016-01-06
To: Pre hike - I fly to Georgia tomorrow
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I am relieved that the planning, equipping, and rehearsing phases of my thru hike adventure are over! It actually became easier when I realized that it wasn't possible or necessary to make every decision for the entire hike before leaving.I decided that I wanted a mantra for my hike and I decided it will be, "Stay Healthy." At the end of each day the first question I should ask myself is how well did I care for myself today and then I can ask how far did I travel today. If I stay healthy, I will stay on the trail, and if I stay on the trail sufficient trail-progress will come my way without chasing miles, or worse yet, chasing other hikers, both of which are past habits that I'd like to change. An important part of my staying healthy will be to stay in contact with family and friends at home and to make many new friends on the trail. For all the horrors of cell phones, they are still the best invention for staying close to people, except when driving (take note my daughters.)Anyway... I have been studying and I now know Georgia's state flower, tree, bird, and motto and I hope the Georgians I meet know them as well because I plan to quiz them when I get there.
Date: 2016-01-07
To: Pre hike - travel day to Georgia
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was all trains, planes, and automobiles, but I am now at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega, GA, which is operated by Josh and Leigh Saint. It's a beautiful hostel! Tomorrow morning they will shuttle me to Springer Mountain and I'll start my hike.Thanks to everyone who has signed my guest book! Your encouragement means a lot to me.I think I will go to bed early tonight. I have a big day tomorrow...
Date: 2016-01-08
From: Springer Mountain, GA

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter, GA
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

I started hiking north from Springer Mountain, Georgia at 10:20 this morning. Within the first hour I met my first trail friend/angel, Sunflower. She was in the last hour of her SOBO thru hike and I was in the first hour of my NOBO thru hike, which I thought was cool. We hiker-chatted briefly and then she gave me her water bottle strap. I haven't heard of an AT custom of keeping mementoes in perpetual motion up and down the trail, so evidently the inaccessibility of my water bottle was concerning. Anyway, it was sweet of her. I will consider the strap a good luck charm until I fall or a bear takes my food, which ever comes first. I was in my weather suit most of the day, but it was a good hiking day as the trail was still firm. I am socked-in with mist and fog so I didn't see these beautiful north Georgia mountains in their glory today.Tomorrow I will get an earlier start on the trail
Date: 2016-01-09
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter, GA

To: Woody Gap, GA
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Thank you to the many people who have signed my guest book! I try to write back to everyone but I may have missed some people.Tonight I am tented at Woody Gap, GA which is five miles north of Gooch Mountain Shelter, GA. Tomorrow night I plan to be at Neel's Gap, GA. I just heard by email from Subman that the hostel at Neel's Gap is closed for renovation. I had planned to stay there and recharge my phone! Perhaps I can tent there and make arrangements to recharge my phone overnight at the store there; otherwise, the next opportunity to recharge is Hiawassee, GA at mile 70. On Monday morning I will meet Subman at Neel's Gap and we'll hike together for a few days. It will be nice to have company with local knowledge of these mountains.I met one hiker today, a SOBO thru hiker (trail name Carpenter) from New Hampshire who flip flopped from Massachusetts to Maine and then Massachusetts to Georgia. But it's the weekend and there may be more people out there to meet tomorrow, although the weather isn't great.This evening I performed the second most dreaded trail-skill: putting a fly-tent up in the rain (most dreaded is putting a fly-tent up in the rain and in darkness.). Hopefully in the morning I won't need to perform the third most dreaded trail-skill: taking a fly-tent down in the rain. But these are skills that I will need regardless of where I am in the trail.The first few hours today I thought I was hiking in fog, but then I realized that I was actually hiking in clouds! It gave the trail a very cozy closed in feeling, although I would have liked to enjoy the vistas I passed.There is the pitter-patter of rain on my tent tonight, but I am safe, dry, and warm...
Date: 2016-01-10
From: Woody Gap, GA

To: Neels Gap, GA
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light snow

Today I met many Georgians for two reasons: it was Sunday and I hiked over Blood Mountain, which I could tell must be a popular day-hike destination given the number of people I saw hiking to the summit (that was fogged in.) Even so, it was nice to have company on such a weather-day!When I got to my destination at Neel's Gap, I met a NOBO thru hiker named "Berserker" (I didn't ask!) Tonight we are sharing a cabin at Blood Mountain Cabins, which are only a quarter mile from the AT. As it coincidentally turned out, we are both veterans of the Afghanistan War so we had war stories to tell that always started: "This is no sh*t, there I was..." Tomorrow I am hiking with Subman, who lives locally and completed an AT thru hike a few years ago and is starting another one in March with his close friend Suds.In a few days, my first town-stop will be in Hiawassee, GA. It's such a fun word to say: Hiawassee. I like to put the inflection on the "wassee" part.Thank you to all who have signed my guest book and provided me with encouragement and advice that I value so much.
Date: 2016-01-11
From: Neels Gap, GA

To: Low Gap Shelter, GA
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: fog

Today the air was cold and crispy-dry and the sky was deep blue, which made me feel like I was hiking in a post card. It was a day of excellent long views of these beautiful north Georgia mountains. If you are curious about the weather I am hiking in, go to atweather.org and enter the state I am in and the shelter I am at or near. My cabin mate from last night, NOBO thru hiker trail name Berserka, and I went our separate ways first thing this morning. He did a zero morning at the cabin and was planning a lower mileage day today. I met Subman at Neel's Gap as planned and we started hiking north at 9 a.m. Along the way Sub pointed out in a distance Brass Town Bald, which is the highest point in Georgia. Sub and I also saw a large buck from less than 100 feet away who was not in the least concerned about us. We met three SOBO thru hikers: Butter and McGee and Frisbee. Astonishingly, McGee was hiking in a tee-shirt and without a hat or gloves. We also met Winkle, who is a local trail maintainer and angel but out hiking today. When we arrived at our destination at Low Gap Shelter, we met AK who is a young NOBO thru hiker who is also keeping a journal. Sub will stay out for two more nights, as this is only a tune-up for his upcoming thru hike starting this March.I am safe, dry, and warm tonight.
Date: 2016-01-12
From: Low Gap Shelter, GA

To: Vicinity Tray Mtn Shelter, GA
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: clear sky

Tonight I am tenting two miles south of Tray Mountain Shelter. It's roaring windy here but the temperatures have moderated some. I am safe, dry, and warm snuggled in my tent for a long winter's nap. The coldest part of the day is the morning transition from sleeping bag to hiking, which I call camp fuss time. But nothing drives stream-lining fuss time like cold mornings.Important question: If a friend of mine has a quest to complete an AT thru hike without falling, but fell on a 0.2 mile blue-blazed side trail to a water source, would that fall count as falling on an AT thru hike even though he was not technically on the white-blazed AT trail? My friend is anxious to know. Maybe whiteblaze.org has had this as an important forum question in the past? ??Today's hike was another picture perfect winter's hike in the north Georgia mountains. I shed and or added layers all day depending if I was on the sunny or shaded or lee or windward side of mountains. This is the first day that I didn't meet any SOBOs; however, I met Winkle on the trail again, which was a pleasant surprise. I think the word is ubiquitous?Since Subman is on a conditioning hike for his March thru hike, hiking in any direction will do, so first thing this morning he headed south back to his truck parked at Neel's Gap. Tomorrow he will drive north to Dick's Creek Gap (US 76) and start hiking south to meet me. After we meet, he will hike back north to Dick's Creek Gap with me. But the best part: after we reach Dick's Creek Gap, he will then turn into a trail angel and drive me to Hiawassee where I will pillage restaurants and stay the night. Today, AK and I hiked north but he headed into Hiawassee after we reached Unicoi Gap ( GA Highway 75.). Last night I had Subman and AK as camping buddies, but tonight I am alone.The number one reason to bring a stove on a winter's hike: boiling water in the morning to thaw tent pegs frozen into the ground (part of morning fuss time.)Thank you to everyone who has signed my guest book. I try to respond to everyone, but I know that I have unfortunately missed some people.
Date: 2016-01-13
From: Two miles south of Tray Mtn Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap ( US 76)
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

I am staying in Hiawassee, GA tonight. Last night the wind never abated but it became white-noise after awhile as I drifted off to sleep. Today was another clear blue sky day of hiking. This was the second day of my not seeing any SOBO thru hikers, so I wonder if the season is over for them? I met one NOBO thru hiker just north of Tray Mountain. His trail name is Otis and he started north on January 1st. Subman and I went to dinner in Hiawassee and then I thanked him for coming out for a couple of days to hike with me and for the ride to Hiawassee, and then we parted ways. I may link up with AK tomorrow. We are 30 years different in age, so we may not be well-paired hikers.
Date: 2016-01-14
From: Dick's Creek Gap ( US 76)

To: Plumorchard Gap Shelter, GA
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: clear sky

Last night I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Hiawassee, GA and then got a shuttle back to the trail, arriving back at the Dick's Creek Gap trail head at 11:00 a.m. It was a beautiful, warm, short mileage day to Plumorchard Gap Shelter where I linked-up with AK, as we had planned. AK started a campfire, which isn't something I was expecting to see on the trail until late Spring. We will hike together tomorrow, which really means linking-up again tomorrow night. Tomorrow morning I will likely leave early then he will leave, but arrive later due to our different pacing. Tomorrow starts another weekend so hopefully I will see many day and weekend hikers as I did last weekend.By the way, my post from two days ago about blue vs. white blaze falling was hopefully understood to be tongue-in-cheek. But, I haven't fallen yet! I should stop talking about it as it can only jinx me.I have unusual but long practiced pacing in that I hike for exactly sixty minutes and then I rest for exactly ten minutes, regardless of where I might be on the trail. For each sixty minutes that I hike I put an overhand knot into a short shoelace attached to my pack belt. Each knot is about two miles. Hikers often ask me if I am okay when they see me sprawled out in my unlikely rest spots. Anyway, for me this pacing technique provides a comforting trail-rhythm to my day that is independent of location, terrain, weather, or trail conditions.
Date: 2016-01-15
From: Plumorchard Gap Shelter, GA

To: Standing Indian Shelter, NC
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: fog

Today was a perfect all-day winter's rain on the AT. Last week my weather suit held up nicely in intermittent rain, but today not so well. Franklin, NC is two days away and I will go into town and dry out and make improvements to my weather techniques.I am in North Carolina now! This is my first night sleeping in a shelter. It was raining way too hard to get my tent up. I am alone tonight. I passed AK six miles south of here in a shelter trying to warm up and I am guessing he pulled up there for the day.I saw two SOBOs today but it wasn't good weather for chatting. After they've hiked so far I can appreciate their focus on finishing. I hope one day to move as effortlessly as they seem to move. One of the SOBOs was a woman from Colorado who was hiking without trekking poles, which I can't even imagine. She told me there were about ten NOBO's ahead of me, which is nice to know. The journal in this shelter was signed by a NOBO yesterday.I am safe.
Date: 2016-01-16
From: Standing Indian Shelter, NC

To: Carter Gap Shelter, NC
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: light rain

Today was a gorgeous day for hiking my first full day in North Carolina: clear blue sky, lots of sun, very little wind, moderate temperatures, and a good trail. I stopped early in the day and set a line to dry clothing after yesterday's rain. AK started his day five miles behind me and zoomed by me on his way to trying to hike a 25+ mile day! I would be off the trail in less than a week if I tried to pace that. I only saw one pair of weekend hikers today. I can't believe that I have been on the trail for a week already. It doesn't seem possible. But I do miss home. I have to go take my laundry down now.Thanks to everyone who has signed my guest book. Your support means so much to me.
Date: 2016-01-17
From: Carter Gap Shelter, NC

To: Rock Gap Shelter, NC
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Today's hike was spectacular! Lots of sun, clear blue sky, very little wind, plenty of water, moderate temperatures, and a dusting of snow to give it all a wintertime flavor.After I posted my journal last night, Butter arrived at the shelter. I have met Butter twice, once in Georgia when he was SOBO and last night in North Carolina when he was NOBO. This unusual occurrence happened because Butter bypassed the last 100 miles of North Carolina on his SOBO trip and then flip flopped to NOBO to finish the miles. Butter started a fire and I finished drying my socks by the fire with my feet still in the socks. It was fun to see the steam coming off the socks and feel my feet warm up. I met one young SOBO named JT today. He started on June 11th but had to leave the trail for six weeks to recover from an over use injury. In a moment of self reflection, he said that if he just hiked 12 miles a day he'd be finished by now. I loved hearing that! He was very encouraging by telling me that once I shed my winter-travel pack the trail would become even more fun. Tomorrow is a short day and then I am getting a shuttle to Franklin, NC to resupply. Tonight I am alone but safe, dry, and warm.
Date: 2016-01-18
From: Rock Gap Shelter, NC

To: Winding Stair Gap, NC
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was a short day on an otherwise beautiful hiking day. I had many long views for the short time I was on the trail before heading into Franklin, NC for resupply and a night in a motel. Tomorrow I will go back out in the afternoon for another short day and then start full days after that. I didn't meet anyone on the trail today, but Butter and I may connect for dinner this Thursday at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, which is right on the AT. AK is taking a short break. It may take some time for me to respond to everyone who has signed my guestbook, but thank you for your encouragement. It means more to me than you know.I am safe, warm, and dry tonight.