morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-03
From: Sams Gap

To: Erwin Tn
Miles today: 24.1
Weather: clear sky

After a great night in a nice cozy bed I decided I would walk back to the trail today (only 1.1 miles) and hike 11 miles to Spivey Gap where Jim would pick me up and I would hike the remainder of the 24 miles on Saturday. Had a great breakfast where I was very excited to meet Stephanie from the Warrior Hikers. I have been following them on Facebook. They are a group of former military that are participating in a charity walk along the trail. Any proceeds raised along the way are used to purchase adapted vehicles for seriously wounded veterans. If you know me, you know I love my soldiers so I was very glad to meet a few of them. After breakfast I headed down the road towards the trail. After only about .25 of a mile Cozy and an older gentleman in a van pulled up and offered me a ride. I gladly accepted. Apparently this gentleman, Gordan, just offers assistance to hikers out of the goodness of his heart. He was very kind. They dropped me off at the trail. I stopped at the hostel to make sure nobody wanted to hike with me and get a ride back with Jim but they had all already left for the day. Hiking south out of Erwin is a big uphill but has some beautiful vistas of the Nolichucky River. I had brought several bottles of water and lots of snacks but no pack today. I felt really good walking today and thought about knocking out the whole 24 miles today so I could take the day off on Saturday. After all, kind hearted Gordan had saved me almost a mile I like walking south sometimes because I can catch up with people heading north that I havent seen in awhile. I passed many people heading into Erwin and met some new people along the way.I met another of the Warrior Hikers along the trail. I had to stop and chat because he was accompanied by an adorable chocolate lab. Made it to Spiveys Gap before 2:00 and wasnt expecting Jim until 5 so I decided to go on. Still had 13 miles to go and I was a little afraid it would get dark before I was done but I knew Jim would walk in with a flashlight and find me if he had to. I hadnt anticipated walking the whole thing so I hadnt brought my head lamp. As I got withn a few miles of Big Bald it got very windy and cold and rain was threatening. Had to put my hood up to block the wind. Everybody who had come over the bald stopped to tell me how bad the weather was up there. Too late, I was already committed. I was going to get to Sams Gap today. I got rained on a little but it wasnt bad. It was a longer walk across the balds than I thought it would be but fortunately by the time I got there the weather had cleared a little. It was till cloudy but I had a little bit of a view. After the initial rocky downhill I was actually able to jog some of the downhill. Sometimes it actually feels better to jog than to walk. Jim walked in and met me with about 2 miles to go with a resupply of gatorade and snacks. Made it back to Sams Gap at about 7:30 with at least an hour to spare before dark. Woohoo, day off tomorrow!! Thankful today for the kindness of strangers. Amazing what a lift it can give you to know there are such good people out there.
Date: 2013-05-04
From: Erwin Tn

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Enjoyed my day off today with Jim but it was very busy. I am so fortunate to have Jim meet me along the way to resupply and drive me around while in town. I feel like it's cheating a little bit to not have to worry about getting around or hitch hiking to get my stuff accomplished. Spent the morning updating my journals for the previous week which took me at least an hour an half. Then we drove into Johnson City to a very nice outfitter called Mahoney's to replace a few things. If Jim wasnt here I would have had to make arrangements for a shuttle that would have probably cost me about $30-$40 to get there. (just to give you an idea of what the average hiker has to do) I replaced my walter filtration system because Im tired of pumping water. I also replaced my stove with a lighter stove than the one I currently have because Mahoney's had the one I originally wanted on clearance. So by being a cheapskate and going with the heavier, cheaper stove to begin with I have paid more in the long run after replacing it. Made time to eat at Logan's Steakhouse and to get birthday presents for our favorite son-in-law. He's also our only son-in-law, but even if he wasn't he'd still be our favorite Came back to the hotel to plan my itinerary for the week. I'm one of those people who has to have a plan. Suppose to rain for the next several days so I figured out my milage to put me at a B&B/Hostel on Tuesday so I could dry out. The B&B rooms were booked because of the anticipated rain. Everybody wants to get out of the weather. I was able to book a "semi-private" room in the hostel with a king size bed. Apparently, semi-private means separated by a curtain for privacy. I'll take it if its warm and dry! Next I had to plan my food for the week. I figured out what I had and what I still needed and we headed to Walmart to resupply. Again, if Jim wasnt here I would have had to figure out how to get there and back. Came back and packaged up my food for the week. I like to keep each days food separated in individual gallon size zip lock bags so I can just pull out my food for the day. Finally, I had to make sure I was comfortable with the new stove and water filtration system. I would rather figure it out in my hotel room than while Im in the woods with no other alternatives. So by the time we went to bed last night it was 11 o'clock. So thats a typical day off for a hiker. Today I am thankful for days off to get all this stuff done so I am well prepared when I am on the trail.
Date: 2013-05-05
From: Erwin Tn

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

After another great sleep in a nice warm bed I was up and ready to go by 6:45. The plan was for Jim to slack pack me to the first road crossing, deliver my backpack to me and then I would go on and he would go home. The weather was not looking great but I cant stay in Erwin forever. At a breakfast full of fellow hikers trying to stay dry from all the rain I asked around about who was heading out today. Nobody was and advised me not to. Apparently the weather on the mountain is really bad. One hiker told the story of having to hang on to a tree to keep from blowing over yesterday. There is a wind advisory in affect with gusts up to 30-40 miles per hour, temps in the 30s and rain and sleet. Decided it was in my best interest to stay put. These decisions to stay in town longer stress me out a little because there are things I have to take off for on this journey so I started thinking about running out of time. Made the decision to not worry about that today. If this is as far as I ever get its been a great experience so anything further is just icing on the cake. A fellow hiker, Cozy, who helped convince me to not go out on the mountain today mentioned she was going to church. Prayer gets me through everyday out here by myself (and helps me realize I'm never truly by myself!)but I am ashamed to say until Cozy mentioned church I hadnt even thought about that it was Sunday. I think its possible to be a Christian without going to church but it sure makes it a lot easier to go have your spiritual tank refilled. Apparently, the Lord sent me Cozy to nudge me in the right direction this rainy Sunday Morning. Cozy, Jim, Slow and Steady and I went off down the street to the Baptist Church. Listened to a great sermon by a very animated dinamic preacher. He talked about Christians having to live in this world and all the worldly things this world throws at us while walking a very narrow path that the Bible spells out for us. Reminded me a little of this trail. There are a lot of negetive influences on the trail. Sometimes I wonder if this is really where I should be. I just have to choose to associate with the good and hope to be a positive influence on those who can use it. Today I am thankful for the people God puts in our lives, no matter how briefly, that nudge us in the right direction when we need it in our journey through life. Just a thought, how often have you been that person in somebody elses life and didn't even know it? More than you realize, I bet.
Date: 2013-05-06
From: Erwin Tn

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: moderate rain

Finally left the comfort of the Holiday Inn today. Walked the 1.1 miles from the hotel to the beginning of the trail. If we really kept track of the total miles walked instead of just trail miles I can't imagine what that would be. The weather is still sketchy but it was time to move on. Started out with all my rain gear on to be prepared. When you turn on to River Road heading to the trail you follow along the Nolichucky River. The river was very high, full of debris and really raging. You could see the tops of trees that line the bank on the far side but that was now in the middle of the river. Several locals were out there with cameras or video filming the river. I stopped to chat with one who said this was the highest he's seen the river in 25 years. Jim said the rain yesterday in Western NC was really bad. He had to pull over on his way home one time and Jim never pulls over for rain! He passed an accident on I-40 in Ashville were a car had just gone through a barrade and down the side of the mountain. Really bad weather! Headed up the trail at about 8:45. It was a wet muddy mess. All of the streams were overflowing and the trail itself had become a stream in many places. Many streams we cross have rocks strategically placed so you can cross and stay dry however all those rocks were now submerged. One stream there was literally no way across without just going through with water well above the top of your boot. Luckily the sun came out and we had no rain the rest of the day. Had to stop and remove the rain pants. They are very hot when the sun is out. Trudged up Unaka Mountain. For some reason the uphills have really been exhausting me lately. Stopped for lunch at Curly Maple Shelter and to let my feet dry a little. That was a waste of time. There will be no dry feet on the trail for many days. All these wet boots make for really smelly boots and socks. I have second guessed my decision to not hike on Sunday many times because the weather in Erwin never got that bad however after talking to several very experienced hikers along the way today I am very grateful I made that decision. I was told by one hiker that Sunday was the closest he has come to hypothermic and the most fearful he has ever been on the mountain. He was totally unprepared for the difference in weather at that elevation. Debated on whether I should sleep in the shelter or tent based on the weather. It is convenient to use the shelter but I sleep much better in my tent and I know nobody with the virus has slept in my tent. The decision was made for me. Cherry Gap Shelter is one of the smaller shelters and it appeared to be full when I arrived. Luckily there are lots of good tent places at this shelter. Unluckily, I picked the one next to a snoring, belching, farting man. In spite of that I slept pretty good and it didn't rain so it was a good night. Thankful today for sunshine to dry up some of this water.
Date: 2013-04-12
From: Springer Mtn

To: Hickory Flats Cemetery
Miles today: 6.2

Well, here we go! Dreamed about being on top of Springer forever. Boxman and I got shuttled up FS42 and reached the summit about 2:00pm. We snapped the obligatory photos and headed out by 2:30 and had a nice hike reaching the cemetery by 6:00pm, had the place to ourselves. Supper, bear bag up and in bed by 8:30. Weather was great!
Date: 2013-04-13
From: Hickory Flats Cemetery

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: overcast clouds

On trail by 8:00, got down to 42 degrees last night, pleasant sleeping. Climbed Sassafras and Justus mtn's, otherwise pretty gentle trail today, met a number of hikers today including 2 hikers from Germany who met at Springer (what are the odds?). Camped at Woody Gap next to old quarry tonight. Into Neel gap tomorrow.
Date: 2013-04-14
From: Woody Gap

To: Neel's Gap
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: light rain

On trail again by 8:00, bit warmer last night, slept well. Both Boxman and I heard critter noise's throughout the night, probably either mice or racoons, Nice trail, climbed up and over Blood Mtn, cold and windy up on top, views only marginal as sky became overcast. The climb was really not as bad as I thought, trail well graded, back side a little steep going down as we'd heard but really not as tough as I was expecting. Rolled into Mtn Crossing's about 1:30 with chance of rain in the forecast. We picked up our mail drop, checked into Blood Mtn cabins, showered, laundry in process and watching the Masters! Frozen pizza for supper so all is good.
Date: 2013-04-15
From: Neel's Gap

To: Cold Springs Gap
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Got onto trail a bit later, 9:30 after a 2nd cup of coffee- Blood Mtn Cabins are really nice for the price. Was a bit drizzly and fogey to begin but quickly turned into another beautiful day! We had planned on stopping at Poplar Stamp but somehow missed it , found a nice spring off the side of trail and found a decent spot a couple miles later. Our international friends came by soon after but kept going as our spot was fairly small, had a great bear hang! For those of you not familiar with food protection there are two schools of thought, either sleep with your food on the premise that bears want to avoid human contact more than the desire for your food-the other argument is that you always hang your food BUT you need to do it properly. On the way out of Neel Gap we ran into a young couple headed back southbound to resupply after a bear stole all their food.. Mid morning Boxman and I gave a demo on the PCT method of hanging to the Germans and Austrians and an American hiker.its important to share the proper technique as the more bears are successful stealing food they are more inclined to try harder. Another great day!
Date: 2013-04-16
From: Cold Springs Gap

To: Steeltrap Gap
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Rained a bit overnight so a bit soggy packing up but fortunate that it quit around daybreak, got on trail about 8.00, sky quickly cleared for yet another beautiful day. Today was a bit challenging with a steep drop down into Unicoi Gap and then right back up Rocky Mtn, back down to Indian Grave Gap and then a tough pull up Tray Mtn before finally dropping into Steeltrap. It's a nice little spot with a great water source although a long way done to get it. Our Sawyer Squeeze filters are working great! Soon after our new international friends pulled in to camp with us along with a solo hiker from Tampa. We had a great conversation after supper and off to bed! Should add a bit about 4 hikers we have been hiking off n on with, Anna and Christopher ( brother-sister ) from Austria and two hikers from Germany , Thomas and Michael who coincidently met on Springer. Since the4 all speak German they have been sticking together thus far. Anna had boot problems today so we were all trying to help with a solution. Another great day on the trail!
Date: 2013-04-17
From: Steeltrap Gap

To: Dicks Creek Gap, Budget Inn-Hiawassee GA
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: clear sky

Woke to another beautiful day, Boxman and I were out first on trail by 7:50- destination Budget Inn and a shower/mail drop .Medium pull up Kelly Knob where we got cell reception and dialed up the Budget Inn to reserve a room and requested a shuttle as the trail crosses US 76 11 miles from the small hiker town of Hiawassee. Shuttle arrived 5 minutes after we hit the trailhead, Two hours later great lunch, showers, laundry done and a couple cold beers watching it rain outside. Forecast sounds good for tomorrow. Another great day!
Date: 2013-04-21
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Had breakfast with Anna, Christopher and Boxman at McD's , then headed back to Winding Stair Gap in Boxman's van,we embarassingly got a bit turned around on the roads driving which we won't go into so a bit later start than we'd planned. Started hiking around 10:20. I was sorry to see Boxman drive away as he had to return to work, he has been my best friend for 42 years, however I was a bit excited to be solo for this upcoming week,it turned out to be a beautiful day and I quickly got into a zone with the miles flying by. Hiked on and off with Anna, Christopher and 9 Lives, Camped high on a ridge above the shelter with the temperature dropping g fast. Another great day!
Date: 2013-04-22
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center)
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Great weather, cool but perfect hiking weather, hiked with 9 Lives for a bit but soon pulled ahead. Saw only 1 other hiker the whole day, great views after the fog burned away, especially at a spot aptly named "the Jump Off". Also climbed up an observation tower atop Wesser Bald - really breath taking. Made it into the NOC around 1:30, immediately ran into Joseph and Thomas who were just leaving to head out. Said goodbye as this will probably be the last time I see them as they are putting in bigger miles than I am.Was then also surprised to see Anna and Christopher who were also leaving. I was sure they were behind me, turns out they hiked 20 miles yesterday almost running at the end to catch me. Unfortunately I had climbed a ridge above the shelter last evening and they blew right by me. Said final goodbyes to them as well. Checked into the base camp cottage which is pretty spartan although there is a much needed shower, picked up my food drop at the outfitter and had a nice lunch accompanied by a couple cold beers. Right now drying out my tent and getting food organized. Will get a quick breakfast in the morning before heading out- next stop at Fontana Dam
Date: 2013-04-24
From: Cody Gap

To: Fontana Dam (The Hike Inn)
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: clear sky

Quite a few tents packed into little Cody Gap last night, must have been 10-12 hikers arrive after me which was 7pm. I was up and first out this morning at 8:00 as I wanted to beat the rain and check in as early as possible. Pretty day although the clouds started ing in a out 10:30. Passed several senior lady hikers today as well as Easy going from Ft Worth who I stopped to chat with a bit. Sky continued to darken enough to cause me to put on my pack cover. I soon began catching glimpses of the water (from the dam) on the right side of the ridge. Soon the dam itself became visible through the tree line, it is the largest dam east of the Mississippi. I arrived at Highway 28 shortly after 12:00 and used the house phone at the Marina to call The Hike Inn and let them know I could be picked up. Shortly thereafter Phil, Andy, Speed and Easy Going arrived, turned out Easy Going was also staying at the Hike Inn which is a nice little hostel ran by Jeff and Nancy Hoch who have been catering to hikers for more than 30 years. When Nancy pulled in to pick up Easy Going and myself, out jumped Marathon John who we had met back T Neel Gap. He was staying there as well. We quickly loaded up and headed to the hostel but not before we stopped at a small diner to pick up a delicious pork BBQ sandwich, chips and a couple Gatorades. We visited a bit on their front porch before heading off to our rooms for much needed showers. Laundry service is also included in the price as well as a shuttle to Robbinsville for dinner and a chance to resupply before heading into the Smokies.
Date: 2013-04-25
From: Fontana Dam (The Hike Inn)

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: clear sky

Another big mileage day for me! Jeff shuttled us back to the marina and while on the way gave us some very specific instructions regarding GSMP regulations. I have been somewhat dreading this portion of the trip because basically everyone is required to stay at the shelter which I typical avoid along the trail. There is so a bunch of noise going through the hiker community about a new regulation requiring AT hikers to not only get a permit but have begun charging $20 for it-I won't comment on that issue. Regardless it was a beautiful day starting out from the marina where Jeff dropped us off, crossing over the dam and climbing back onto the ridge. Hiked by myself virtually the whole day. Speed caught up with me as we approached Mollies Ridge shelter- there were Two Park Rangers present as well as an AT Ridgerunner. We were both required to show our permits. I proceed on past Russell Field Shelter and worked my way up to Spence Field Shelrer at 4921'. There were several section hikers there and I made new friends with a number of thru hikers. A quick meal and off to bed.
Date: 2013-04-26
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: scattered clouds

I did no sleep well last night in the shelter, just matter of personal preference but lots of snoring, being Afraid once you do fall asleep YOU will be snoring , folks getting up all times in the night to pee, mice running all around- I personally prefer to tent, however you may only tent in close proximity if you are a thru hiker and the shelter is full. Today was supposedly the toughest hike in the Smokies and I could tell right off that all my cylinders were not clicking with the lack of sleep. I fortunately ran into a kcal day hiker who I hiked with for part of the morning and pointed outs all types of land marks I otherwise would have been clueless on. We climbed up and over Rocky Top, Thunderhead and Derrick Knob before ending the day at Double Spring. A full shelter again tonight and weather moving in-hope I sleep better?
Date: 2013-04-27
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 11.0

I slept MUCH better last night, although I did wake to hear the occasional forecasted rain hitting the roof. Fortunately it let up to a drizzle/mistby daybreak. Everyone scrambled around to try and put in some dry miles, half the shelter had opted to cut up to the Clingman Dome parking lot and call a shuttle into Gatlinburg while the other half (including myself) opted to plow on to Newfound Gap. The first couple hours were fine but soon thereafter the sky opened up to a pretty solid cold rain which quickly turned much of the trail into a river. The parking lot at the gap was a welcome sight and we were fortunate for a trail angel husband/wife with two vehicles which shuttled us down the mountain.