morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-03-26
From: Muskrat creek shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

We are at mile 91.8 miles. We hiked 12.5 miles today. Last night there was a terrible storm. We were glad to be in a shelter.We hiked over Standing Indian Mountain at 5500 feet. There was about 12 inches of snow packed down on the trail. All day int sprinkled or threatened rain. Finally when we reached camp it became sunny. The temperature has hovered just above freezing at night and in the low 40's F. during the day.We are now in a bear santuary so all food stuffs including our toothpaste and cooking post are hung in the trees. Tomorrow we will hike to mile 104 and go into Franklin to celebate Carol's birthday.Richard and CarolNever quit on a bad day. (Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-03-27
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap USFS road 67
Miles today: 12.2

We got out of camp early 8AM. We are getting better at packing up and setting up. Today the big challenge is Mount Albert. Another 5500 foot mountain. We made very good time for the first part of the hike. We were starting to feel a little tired and knew we still had the top of Mount Albert to hike. Right before we headed into the most challenging portion there was trail magic.Fishin Fred had a tarp set up and was serving pancakes, pop tarts and coffee. What a gift from God. We sat and talked to him for a about 15 minutes, ate some pancakes and them were ready for the final push up the mountain. The last 300 feet of the mountain were the toughest yet. It bordered on technical climbing and took us quite a bit of time because we were being very careful. It is amazing how your balance is affected by our packs. Carol was leading up the mountain and turning back to encourage me. I must say it took me 6 year to to convince her to do this hike and now she is really into it. She enjoys talking to the other hikers and checking out their equipment etc. She usually leads on the trail and at any time I expect her to turn and turn and give the Marine yell "whooa".When we got to the top of Mount Albert we climbed a 60 foot fire tower to get a better view. It was absolutely spectacular. The camera we have will not due the view justice. Fire towers are no longer used, because fires are now spotted by satellite.We hiked down the mountain and got a ride into Franklin to celebrate Carol's birthday. We went across the road to a Mexican Restaurant. What a great meal.We fell asleep early.Richard and CarolNever quit on a bad day. (Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-03-28
From: Rock Gap USFS road 67

To: Franklin NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

We got up early and the local Baptist Church picked us up hikers for a pancake breakfast. The community is really into supporting the hikers. Yesterday I walked down to a gas station for a 6 pack of beer and 2 cars past by and honked and waved at me. (I had rain pants on, I guess that indicates hiker.)We are going to do our laundry today, get a ride to Walmart, and do some shopping. Apparently the snow in the Smoky mountains is not stopping and the rangers have had to hold the hikers up at Fontana Dam. We have been advised to mail a food drop to Fontana Dam due to scarcity of hiker food in the stores. We will be mailing 4 days of food to get us started on the Smoky Mountain leg of our journey. We plan to exit at New Found Gap, go to Gatlinburg to rest, and resupply.Tomorrow is Monday and we will walk to the post office to mail the food and them hit the trail at 1130 AM. It should take 3 days to go the approximately 32 miles to NOC. (Nantahala Outdoor Center)Richard and CarolNever quit on a bad day. (Bison 2009 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-03-29
From: Franklin NC

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: light rain

We are at mile 111.4. We only went 7.4 miles and it was very enjoyable. We hiked all day with Joe and Jerry. Joe is a 62 year old former marine, and Jerry is a 60 year old retired plant engineer at a Kentucky hospital.We are tenting tonight and expecting rain or snow. At the shelter are town young couples and a dog who are thru hiking. Dogs need to be kenneled and shipped around the Smokies as no dogs are allowed. We averaged 2 miles an hour today which is fast for us over this terrain. We are two days from Nantahala Outdoor Center (N.O.C.). Previously we white water rafted here when the kids were younger. We passed a place called Winding Stair Gap where Desoto passed through in 1540 on his way to the Mississippi River. No doubt he followed the Little Tennesse River which flows through Franklin and into the Mississippi.Richard and Carol(Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-03-30
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

We woke tho cold, frost on the ground and ice on the tent. We were up at 7 and packed up by 8 AM. We are getting better at this. The trail was clear but after a couple of miles we encountered lots of tough ups and downs. There were lots of small streams to cross and patches of snow on the trail. We seemed energy depleted today.We stopped at Wayah Observation Tower on top of Wayah Bald. From here we could see a speck in the distance that was the fire tower we climbed at Mount Albert. It was warm and sunny and a shame to move on but we did. We saw a star shaped mushroom and took a picture. We have never seen anything like it before. We set up our tents and ate two meals each hoping it would bring back some energy. The temperature was in the high 60's today so it was ideal for the hike. It is suppose to get cold tonight. The rhodedendrum are ready to burst into bloom. We can hardly wait as they are so beautiful. I have mentioned mountains called Balds in the journal before. The balds are in N.C. and Tenn. They are mountains that have no trees on top. They have a rough kind of grass. Scientist do not know why. It could be white settlers burning and grazing, insect infestation, or something the Native Americans did for ceremonial purposes. The most famous is Max Patch, which I have read is awe inspiring.
Date: 2010-03-31
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: N.O.C.
Miles today: 11.5

We hiked over Wesser Bald. There was not much water the last 6 miles. We went from 5,100 feet into the N.O.C at 1.740 feet. The down hills are not as tiring but hurt your feet and knees. We go slowly down hill as to protect our knees. I take much weight on my poles. The problem being that my hands go numb sometimes. I guess i aggravate a nerve in my hand.It was very quite today except for our footsteps and song birds. We are beginning to see wild flowers at the lower elevations. We met with other previously known hikers (G-hippi, Rawhide, Joe, Jerry and Grapevine). We have been given the trail name of The Canadian Geese, because we mate for life, are always together and are heading north.We could see Fontana Dam and Clingmans Dome from a very far distance. We slept in a private room in the bunkhouse. It was the size of a jail cell. We fell asleep to the sound of frogs.The Canadian Geese.(Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-02
From: N.O.C.

To: Cheoah Bald 
Miles today: 8.1

We climbed the legendary climb out of N.O.C. and went one better by going up to Cheoah Bald to tent. The views were unbelievable. The camera does not do the long shots justice. It was very hot today in the 80's. Very strange for the time of year. We drank large amounts of water, but still seem a little dehydrated. We did not bring warm weather clothes on this initial leg of the hike. We are hiking with King Crawler, B.J. and one other And a young man named AD. He brought his traveling guitar and is serenading us. We walked in recently purchased shorts and used sunscreen as the sun is intense.Jerry and a hiker named J.B. had a Bible and we read the passage from Mathew (the last supper to Jesus crucifiction.) We found it moving in this beautiful place. I took a picture of the sunrise on Cheoah Bald.The Canadian Geese(Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-03
From: Cheoah Bald 

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This was our longest day yet. There were lots of steep ups and down that seem to go on forever. Our feet were sore and tired at the end of the 9 hour hiking day. Remember there is a one hour of work to get hiking and an hour to an hour and a half at the end of the day. This makes for a long day.Today coming southbound we met a hiker from Quebec. His trail name is Spaz McGee. He is making a movie and interviewed us, and took our photos. We he found out we were Canadian he gave us a big hug and pointers on what to expect on our trek north. He has been hiking for 204 days and is hiking to Key West Florida.The Canadian Geese(Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-04
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Visitor Center
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: clear sky

We finally arrived at Fontana Dam. We are still tired and sore from yesterday's hike. The map was deceiving as the profile showed almost all down hill. Lies, lies, lies. There were many steep ups and downs (500 to 800 feet elevation change). There also were lots of boulder fields to traverse. Tonight we are staying at the Fontana Village Resort. It is really a little town right in the resort. It includes a post office, laundry, outfitter and general store along with pool etc. It is off season so is very reasonably priced. Today we saw lots of wild flowers on the lower elevations. Yellow violets, purple violets, purple trillums, and many white petaled flowers.We hiked to the Dam at mile 164 as it was a short day and the I yogied a ride back to the hotelYoging is a hiker tradition. It involves getting a non-hiker to do something for you without asking. You approach them and engage them, if things go right they ask what they can do for you. At that time you tell them what you need and they oblige. In this way it is a win win situation. They feel good because they helped you and you feel good because they are helping you. The trick is not to ask for help.The Canadian Geese(Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-05
From: Fontana Dam Visitor Center

To: Fontana Dam Visitor Center
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

We took a zero day to do laundry, resupply and rest. We also hit the AYCE (all you can eat buffet. The amount we can eat is embarassing.Carol got her birthday gifts. She says thank you girls. We have shared some cookies with other hungry hikers. The Canadian Geese(Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-06
From: Fontana Dam Visitor Center

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We hiked across the Fontana Dam steadily up hill for 11 miles. The views were absolutely spectacular. The Dam itself is part of the Tennessee Valley Authority. The TVA built Dams in the mountains here in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corp. to prevent flooding, provide water and recreation opportunities. The Smoky Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in the USA. It was dedicated in 1934 by president FDR. Each national park has something special that makes it unique. The Smokys are known for their bio-diversity. There are over 300 species of trees in the park. That is more than in western europe. In the lowest valleys sub tropical pants grow and at the top of the highest peaks sub alpine plants grow. For every 1000 feet in elevation the climate on the mountains is similar to the climate 100 miles to the north. This means that the climate on Clingmans Dome is similar to lower Canada. There are also 1600 black bears in the park. Hikers must stay at the shelters due to the bears. We met some interesting people at the shelter Trooper, Yule, Veto, and Robo among others. The shelter was very crowded and sleeping for me is always problematic. All in all it was a great day of hiking on a warm sunny day. The Canadian Geese (Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-07
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: overcast clouds

It was another hard day of hiking uphill. There was bear scat all along the trail. We left at 8 AM and arrived at 4 PM. We ate some of the snacks our children sent us for Carol's birthday. All day long we had one foot in NC and one in Tennesse. The gnats were out in full bloom. For some reason they were biting Carol but not me. Others also claimed they were being bitten. We met Mrs. Joy a very large woman who was hiking. I kind of admired her for getting out and hiking. We are making good progess in the Smoky's and are enjoying the views. The mountains are much bigger and the climbs tougher but we are starting to get fitter as we go. At first our hamstrings and thighs hurt but that disappeared after a week. Now all the little stabilizing muscles are being stengthened. The trail is so rocky and covered in roots that each step is uneven. We have had a few minor falls but we are being really careful about foot plants. The weather report calls for rain tonight but so far it has not shown up.(Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-08
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: moderate rain

The rain showed up with a vengence one mile into our hike. The rain was coming down so hard it penetrated our rain suits. It was coming down, sideways and even up as we crossed the ridges. It turned to sleet and even hail at times. The the storm turned into a thunderstorm and the lightening was flashing over the ridges. Here we are on ridges during a thunderstorm. This is the only thing on the trail of which I am afraid. We stopped at Silers Shelter to dry out and get Carol's hands warmed up. I have lost weight and my rain pants were falling down so I had to pin them up. After about a half hour we headed out to go the 1.7 miles to the next shelter. We got to Double Gap Shelter and it was built to house 12 hikers. Within a few minutes of our arriving the shelter was at capacity. As the night went on the shelter built for 12 had 23 hikers in it. At one point I commented that it looked like a consentration camp with everyone hanging packs and wet clothes all over the shelter.When we arrived Carol's was very cold and got into her sleeping bag to warm up. We did not cook an evening meal. We ate some crackers and cheese and peperoni sticks.Interesting that during the storm a wild turkey came into the shelter with all the hikers present to get out of the rain. He would come very close to people and had no fear.All in all it was a frightening day.(Never quit on a bad day. The Canadian Geese (Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-09
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: New Found Gap
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: few clouds

When we awoke it was 25 degees F. and our wet clothes were frozen. It took along time to pack up because our hands were so cold. Our gloves were frozen and, or wet. I gave Carol my warm gloves and used socks on my hands for some of the day. We put on our remaining dry clothes and started hiking at about 830 AM. We made good progess hiking up Clingman's Dome, the highest mountain on the A.T. at 6643 feet. It is only 30 or 40 feet shorter than mount Mitchel which is the highest peak in the eastern USA.We went up the observation deck of Clingmans Dome and my hat blew away never to be seen again. It was very cold and windy. We started down the mountain and it was very harrowing. There was alot of snow that had been fozen and was very slippery. Every once and awhile we would break through the frozen snow and were constantly at risk of falling. Farther down the trail we were walking in mud. It was slow going down the mountain because it was very slippery. The forest itself reminded Carol and I of Canadian forests with short needle pines that smell great. There were many blow downs (trees blown down across the trail). We had to climb over, under or go around. A trail angel named Judi Crup and her husband Gene had been following our journal on line, and had contacted us about meeting us at New Found Gap and giving us a ride the 15 miles to Gatlinburg Tenn. When we arrived at the gap there they were in their truck. They greeted us warmly and offered us drinks cookies and fruit. It really is amazing how wonderful people are along the trail. The Canadian Geese (Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-10
From: New Found Gap

To: New Found Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We are staying in a very hiker friendly hotel called Grand Prix. Today we are resting, along with doing laundry, shopping for the next section of the hike and going to the outfitter for a new hat and fuel.The Canadian Geese (Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-11
From: New Found Gap

To: Tri-corner gap shelter
Miles today: 15.6

We got a shuttles ride from the outfitter and hiked out of New Found Gap at 830 AM. We hiked hard all day and made it to Tri-corner shelter. Thank goodness the shelter was full at 530 PM when we arrived. I can't tell you how much I dislike these shelters. They fit 12 people each person has a 3 foot wide space for a sleeping bag and the ceiling on the top or bottom is about 3 feet 6 inches high. It is like sleeping in a drawer at the morgue except everyone is snoring or passing gas. When mom and I slept in the shelter we listened to the radio with headphones all night to drown out the noise. The rule is you must sleep at the shelter unless it is full. Tonight we tent.All shelters have a note book in which people leave messages for other hikers up and down the trail. As people take a day off, others can see where they are and speed up to catch up etc. The gossip or word on the trail passes incredibly fast. The storm we endured and subsequent suffered with 23 hikers in a shelter is legendary now. We are constantly being asked, by hikers we had never met, if we were in the storm in that shelter.Todays hike was a lot of ups and downs with fantastic views from the ridges. There are still snow fields to cross at the 5800 foot level and higher. We stopped and took some pictures at a famous trail location call Charlie's Bunion. What a view! The weather today was fantastic. It was around 60 degrees F on the mountain, with low humidity. Today we saw a wild turkey making a big display and a white tail deer on the trail. Not as much bear scat on the trail today.We met an Australian and 5 Chinese hikers today who are on a promotional tour to sell their products to Osprey, a backpack producer. They asked a lot of questions of everyone and photographed everything. They made us some jasmine tea that was delicious.There has been bear activity at this shelter so we hung our entire backpacks not just our food bags.This was our longest day. I can't decide if it is our "hiker legs" kicking in or the town food we at in Gatlinburg Tenn.Gear review.Marmot rain suits failed during the big storm but so did everyone all the rain suits. They did keep us from being hypothermic while hiking. Big Agnes SL2 tent works fantastic. No humidity dripping on you as you sleep. It fits 2 normal size adults of 160 and 130 pounds respectively.Asolo boots with gortex have not leaked and we have not been bothered by blisters. The Canadian Geese (Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-12
From: Tri-corner gap shelter

To: Green Corner Rd. Standing Bear hostel
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: clear sky

Big tough day today. We started at 800 AM and arrived at 500 PM. When we got up this morning it was 32 degrees F and it was over 80 degrees F near the end of the day. Hot and dry. The Standing Bear Farm Hostel is a restored 1920's backwoods homestead. Carol calls it summer camp for adults. The hostel has a separate cook house, a store which is on the honor system. You are given an envelop to write down what you took (and the cost) and at the end of the stay you deposit your money in the envelop, and put it in a box. The hostel has tent sites, a bunkhouse and a cabin. Carol and I slept in the bunkhouse. There are 2 showers, one outside and the other a little bit more inside. Clothes could be washed using a scrub board and then dried in a clothes drier. Carol washed a few items of our stuff. She said it reminded her of when she was growing up. This got the attention of some of the younger hikers. You could see them thinking, "how old is the woman".Someone from the hostel made a beer run and we all enjoyed a few beers around the fire. We thoroughly enjoyed ourself. We are still the oldest couple we have met on the trail.We are going to hike our a little later tomorrow and not push as hard. It is good to be out of the Smokies and all the restrictions on where you can camp. The Canadian Geese (Never quit on a bad day. Bison 209 thru hiker)
Date: 2010-04-13
From: Green Corner Rd. Standing Bear hostel

To: Brown Gap
Miles today: 10.1

The temperature has been steadily climbing and it has begun to affect the miles we can hike. When we get to Hot Springs I am buying a lighter shirt. The temperature ranges have been 42 F to 82 F today.We got a late start from Standing Bear Hostel. We started at 11 AM and endured the heat as we climbed Snow Bird Mountain. There was an FAA radar installation on top of the mountain that looked like an alien space ship.We are consuming huge amounts of water due to the heat and the water sources are becoming drier and drier due to the hot weather and no rain. For this reason we are carrying more water when we find a good source. Water is very heavy!The Authorities are doing some burning to prevent forest fires but we did not know that. We saw smoke all day as we climbed the mountain. Then we became a little concerned when we heard propeller air craft flying around. We thought there was a forest fire and they were trying to put it out. We met Graye and Silverback at Brown Gap and they explained the autorities were doing the buring. Blue Sky also joined us and we camped in a gully at he Gap. We had a great time sitting around the camp fire talking and taking a few pictures.It is very interesting how you see the same hikers on the trail and a loose "trail family" emerges. You look out for one another and know where they should be on the trail. Everyone hikes at their own speed and meets up at camp. Eventually someone takes a day off and the others get ahead. A new "trail family" emerges and then when you get to a trail town suddenly everyone you know is present. There is great comradery.The Canadian Geese (Never quit on a bad day Bison 2009 thru hiker.).
Date: 2010-04-14
From: Brown Gap

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: few clouds

Still opressively hot. We started earlier but so did the heat as we hiked up to Max Patch. It is the most famous of all the bald mountains. It has 360 degree views and Carol said it reminded her of Switzerland as we looked down upon the odd patch of pasture below.More and more plants are out including the poison ivy. We plan on picking up some sun screen and benadryl cream when we reach town. We met a young highschool graduate. Her trail name is Nap Time and she is hiking alone. We are so impressed with her as she hikes 20 plus miles per day and is so self confident. She is taking time off before she enters the University of Vermont to major in Nursing.Tomorrow we plan on making it to Hot Springs NC.The Canadian Geese (Never quit on a bad day Bison 2009 thru hiker.)