morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-03-22
From: Gooch Mtn Shelter

To: Slaughter Gap
Miles today: 0.0

Wow, it was another long day today. All three of us got up at 7am. I didnt sleep well. I couldnt get comfy. I felt like a rotisery rolling over all night. And, there was quite a bit of noise from the locals. Kevin was right, I listened to them rummage through my pack for most of the night. The only thing that I didnt open was my water filter bag and sure enough, they chewed holes in it.Kevin and I headed out together at 7:40am. His pace was faster than mine so we split up after an hour. The morning went very slowly today. My feet and knees continued to bother me. So, I took my time and made frequent stops. I only went about 5 miles in 4 hours. That was frustrating because I wanted to get to Neels Gap, which was 15 miles from my starting point.Todays mountains werent too tough. My feet were feeling horrible though. It felt like I was walking on hot coals. I continued and just endured the pain because Im quite sure that they wont blister on the bottom. At least I hope not. I hope that they feel better tomorrow.I had to stop 4 miles short of Neels Gap. I really wanted to go to a church on Sunday. It would have been easy to catch a ride into town from Neels. O well, I think it was a good decision to stop even though I was really hoping to do all 15 today.I ate a lot of snacks today. I was too lazy to stop to cook. Its really hard to get moving again when you stop. After ariving at camp at about 5pm, I made Asian noodles and some instant mashed potatoes. I also forced down some tunafish. Dessert was cookie crumbs. The weather continues to be awesome. I saw several day hikers today. They are all curious if Im a "through hiker". I tell them that Im not sure and most likely Im not. I pitched my tent tonight. I need to find someone to show me how to correctly flair out the rainfly.I dont think it will rain tonight so I should be ok.Although Im going slow, my spirits are pretty high. Hopefully, my feet and knees will toughen up soon. I may have to lighten the pack at Neels Gap tomorrow.I guess thats all for today.Peace,Scot
Date: 2003-03-23
From: Slaughter Gap

To: Neels Gap Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I slept a little better last night. I think that I got in a couple of 2 hour sessions of restful sleep. I continue to roll over a lot. It was neat to hear the wind blowing in the trees. I was pretty protected in the gap area where I camped.I woke up at 7:45 and made some oatmeal and hot chocolate for breakfast. I packed up and hit the trail at 9:15am after reading my devotions. It takes a long time to pack up. Maybe I will get faster at it. My feet felt good for the first 20 minutes. Then the pain slowly came back to life. I was wrong about my feet not blistering. Each foot has a blister in the middle behind my toes. I hope to just continue on and see if they start to heal. I did a short day today to hopefully help with the healing.I climbed Blood Mtn and took a break at the top. I turned on my radio just in time for the broadcast of a church service. After a 1 hour descent, I arrived at the Neels Gap Hostel. This is a nice place. Everyone is sending stuff home. I have a 4-5 lb box myself to mail out. I guess every ounce counts.I took a shower and did some laundry. I no longer stink..for a few hours. I packed my deoderant in the box to mail home. It doesnt really help much. Out here, everyone stinks. I feel like Im back in Europe (no offense bean).I guess that a group of us are going into town for dinner tonight. That will be a nice treat.Im hoping for 2 ten mile days Mon and Tue and hitch into the town of Helen. Its supposed to rain on Wed so I may take a zero day to stay dry. I continue to enjoy this experience. Im hoping to get into a routine and spend a bit more time with my reading materials. When my feet heal, Im looking forward to kicking out some serious miles. Hopefully, that will be soon.Thats all for now.Peace,scot
Date: 2003-03-24
From: Neels Gap Hostel

To: Chattahoocee Gap
Miles today: 0.0

Have you told your feet that you love them lately? If not, you should...every day.Today was a great day. I showered, shaved, and hit the trail at 8:15am. I waited for my blisters to wake up like they have the last 2 days after about 20 minutes of walking. Today was different. After an hour, they still were not too painful. I could feel them, but not like the previous 2 days. The blister bandaids were working. Cool. I was loving my feet all morning.Notice how I said morning. Sure enough, Im now sporting 2 new blisters on my heels. They arrived shortly after lunch. Bummer. I tried to pad them but couldnt get the mole skin padding to stay put. I guess this is to be expected.There was nothing but sunshine and clear blue skies today. I had to bum some sunblock off of a day hiker that I met on the trail. I also put on my long sleeve soccer jersey and tied another shirt to my head (shiek style) to keep the sun off of my arms and neck. Luckily, there was a nice breeze to keep from getting too hot.I hiked hard today. I had only planned on going 10 miles. There were several places to stop and camp this afternoon but my mind just kept saying "go". I seem to be strongest on the uphill sections. After cresting a couple of mtns today, I felt like yelling "give me more". I have no clue where this energy is coming from or how long it will last? But, it feels great. I have some HK (hiney kicking) mtns to tackle in the next 2 days so we will see how that goes.Im finding that I mostly snack for breakfast and lunch. I try to eat something about every hour. Tonight, I cooked 2 packages of Ramen noodles for dinner. I also had a package of Tunafish. Dessert was some crumbled cookies.Tomorrow, I need to hitch to Helen, Ga to resupply the food. Im not looking foreward to hitching but its pretty common around here. Hopefully someome will feel sorry for the big tall hiker and give him a lift.O yea, let me catch you up on last nights dinner. I joined 6 others for a trip to the local buffet. It was a really fun time. There was a writer named Ken from Chicago, Ian, a math teacher from London UK, Will and Jennifer, a couple from S. Carolina, Roy from Kentucky, and Fred our driver, an employee of the hostle. We had our fill of food and some great conversation. Fred was really funny and told us lots of great stories about the local area. I kept telling myself that this is one of the reasons that Im on this trip. Meeting new people, from all over the country and world, is such a great experience.Im very lucky to have this opportunity.Ok,thats all for today. Its 7pm and that means bedtime.Peace to all,Scot
Date: 2003-03-26
From: Unicoi Gap-Helen, GA

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

"A guy can get use to anything, except a rock in his shoe," stated Jerry, a retired electrician from Atlanta. That was Jerrys reply to my comment about how Im just ignoring my blister pain as he drove me up the mountain.I decided not to pay the $20 for a shuttle back up the mountain from the Helen, Ga local outfitter. So, after my shower, I packed up and started my walk down the sidewalk at 9am.About 10 minutes later I noticed a retired man doing some yard work on what appeared to be a summer cottage on the edge of town. He looked friendly and I saw a truck in his driveway. Hmmm. Thats a good combination I thought to myself. I offered him a "good morning" and he replied with a genuine smile and greeting. The next thing that came out of my mouth surprized us both. "Would you like to make $10 by taking me up to Unicoi Gap?" I blurted out sounding more confident than I felt. He thought for a second, just as Ginger did yesterday, and agreed. BONUS FOR ME. I walked up his driveway, handed out my money, and introduced myself. Jerry declined my money offer and graciously motioned for me to hop in. And so it was, another prayer answered. At 9:20am I was once again trail happy. Nothing but sun and clear skies. I stopped and took a couple of breaks and talked to a few guys. One was a fellow Michigander and the another hails from Miami. They were very friendly. It was nice to learn that they are fellow Christians.I approached the first shelter at about 1pm after my first hk climb. I stopped for a snack break. At 1:40 I returned to the trail. Did I recently use the words love and feet in the same sentence? That was not too smart. I continue to have frustrations with the blister scene. But, Im moving on, limp and all.At about noon, the clouds rolled in threatening the predicted afternoon rain. It wasnt until about 4:20 that I felt my first drops. I had already wrapped my pack with the rain cover. It sprinkled for about 20 min and then let up. It actually felt refreshing. The next shelter had one spot left. I put my name on it. I considered going on the last 3.5 miles to the next road but that would mean hitching again, not my favorite activity. Nine others were just finishing their dinner when I began to unpack. After my dinner, I journaled a bit and hit the sack. Not sure how far Im going tomorrow.Still no trail name....Check in with "ya all" tomorrow.Peace,Scot
Date: 2003-03-27
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap-The Blueberry Patch
Miles today: 0.0

Another short day in terms of miles. It was an early morning. Many of the guys were up before dawn for reasons unknown to me. I was the last one up and nearly the last to leave at 7:15. A short 3.5 miles later I came to the road crossing. Most people go into Hiawassee, Ga to restock food. I considered continuing on to the NC state line but after checking the guidebook, I decided that I didnt have enough food to get to the next resupply town. So, I caught a ride with a returning shuttle to a place called The Blueberry Patch. I arrived at shortly after 9am. I think it will be good for me to chill out and do some reading today.This place is really unique. The owners have everything a hiker could need here. I took a shower and gave the owner some laundry.Im currently trying to type around a friendly cat. I could have used this cat this morning at 2:10am when a mouse was running up the outside my sleepingbag on top of me. Im still not used to being on such close terms with those critters. Cold weather, as in rain and snow are forecasted for this weekend. This will be the true test for me. Im a bit nervous about it. Once again, Ill be stepping out of my comfort zone.Well, it looks like a group of us are going into town this afternoon for an AYCE buffet. I may get in what I hope will be a mouse-free nap before then.It will probably be 3-5 days before my next checkin.Peace to all,Scot
Date: 2003-03-28
From: Dick's Gap- Blueberry Patch Hostel

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Goodbye Georgia, hello North Carolina. I crossed into NC at about 1:15pm today. Unfortunately, NC welcomes you with a couple of hk mtns right away. Wow, that was not what I'd call a good ole southern hospitality type of welcome. But, it still felt good to be in a new state.I had a great day today. My feet were fine all day which allowed me to cover 16.5 miles. I could have easily done a 20 today but needed to stop because of the time. We got a late (9:30) start.I was hiking like a madman passing everyone. I guess the awesome pancakes that Lennie made us this morning kicked in because I was really hiking strong and felt fantastic. WooHoo, now this is hiking.I'm at a shelter tonight with 3 other guys. They are a lot of fun. We've laughed and joked all evening. It's now 7:30 and we're all in our bags ready for a chilly night. Rain is predicted to start at about midnight. Not sure what tomorrow will bring for weather.I saw 2 big turkeys and a red headed woodpecker. There's a sign posted in this shelter about a bear in the area that "shows no fear" of humans. Gggrrreeeaaattt! The guys here said that they had a skunk walk inbetween them last night IN their shelter. They are not kidding either. I'm hoping that I stink enough to deter both a bear and a skunk from coming anywhere near me. I suspect that the locals will be out again tonight. I would have pitched my tent if it weren't for the weather forecast.That's it for today. Time for bed.Peace to all,Scot
Date: 2003-03-29
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: light rain

Wow, my first 20+ mile day. Twenty-three and one-half miles to be exact. It really felt great. The last time that I intentionally chose to walk 20 miles was when I did a walk for charity in 5th grade. I carried a backpack then too with my snoopy radio in it, but it certainly didn't weigh 60 lbs.Thankfully, I kept warm during the night. The locals left me alone for the first time. Perhaps it's because of my "less than clean" body odor. Fish, the guy sleeping next to me, reported that a mouse brushed by his face during the night.I was up at 7 and on the trail at 7:45. It had rained off and on during the night. The morning air was moist and chilly. Fog held the visibility to about 30 yards. The trees were dripping water but it wasn't raining.I once again quickly got into a steady walking pace, stopping only for water and short snack breaks. I've learned how to take my coat and sweatshirt off without stopping. I also read and thought about my devotionals while walking. You've got to love multitasking.Today I climbed the highest summit so far, Standing Indian Mountain. It crested at 5,498 feet above sea level. The climb wasn't bad considering the shelter was at an altitude of 4,760 feet. Albert Mountain, a few miles later, was a different story. This climb went up 500 feet to an altitude of 5,220 feet in three-tenths of a mile. There were times where I had to basically rock climb. At the top was a fire tower which was fun to go up and explore. I cooked my rice and pasta lunch while on Albert Mtn.CHECK OUT THIS STORY.... Some guys at lunch told me about Gonzo, a gal on the trail. Earlier in the day, Gonzo hopped off the trail a few yards to take a "nature call" break. When finished, she turned around and saw a full grown black BEAR looking at her. At first, she didn't panic. Then, the bear reared up and slammed it's front paws down and charged towards her a few feet. Gonzo panicked! She waved her arms, screamed, turned around and ran back to the trail. The bear ran too, thankfully in the opposite direction. Can you believe that?? She now has the story of a lifetime. Later in the day I caught up with her and gave her a high five. Completely amazing.I hope this story doesn't deter anyone reading this from hiking the trail. The benefits of this experience, in my opinion, far outweigh all risks. I think that Gonzo would even agree. After hiking almost 10 hours, I arrived at the Winding Stair Gap road at about 5:30. There were 2 hikers waiting for a ride and offered me a lift into Franklin. Bonus for me. Twenty minutes later, I was pigging out at the KFC buffet. Double bonus. I ate 3 full plates of food and a large dessert. It tasted fantastic.The guys (thanks Dave and Bob) dropped me off at a hotel in town. I checked in and took a long shower. Then, I tried to find a laundrymat but was unsuccessful. I guess I'll have to wear the raingear to church.After making a few phone calls, I caught up on the news and crashed in bed. A full belly, clean body, and warm bed have never felt so good.Peace,Scot
Date: 2003-03-30
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Franklin Inn Hotel
Miles today: 0.0

My first "zero day" as the hiking community calls it. I woke up to 3 inches of snow today. It was nice to be seeing it through a window rather than brushing it off my sleepingbag. However, the beauty of the snow must have been amazing in the mountains. It was beautiful in town as well.I showered and headed up the block to the First United Methodist Church that I spotted last night. I was early and there were no cars around. So, I looked for a coffee shop. This place is a ghosttown on Sunday mornings. Ten minutes prior to the early service, a car pulled in the parking lot. A nice couple got out and welcomed me to the church. We entered and discovered that the early service was canceled. So, we had some coffee and chatted for few minutes. Others drifted in and joined us. It was then that I received some "trail magic". A woman named Kathy offered to take be back to the trail Monday morning. Cha-ching! Thanks Kathy.I then went back to my hotel to check in for another night and hit the grocery store for some goodies. At 10:50, I returned to the church for the second service. Many thanks to the Franklin First United Methodist Church. You have a very friendly and welcoming congregation. I enjoyed the service very much.And then, more "trail magic". A nice couple named Malcolm and Mae Marsh offered to take me to Shoneys. WooHoo, another AYCE buffet! I really enjoyed getting to visit with them. I'm meeting so many wonderful people. This trip is like no other that I've taken.I'm now back in my room ready for a big ole nap. Tomorrow, I hope to buy a sleeping bag liner and mail some food ahead before hitting the trail again. My next town stop will be Wesser, NC. I hope to be there on Wednesday.Peace out,Scot
Date: 2003-03-31
From: Winding Stair Gap-Franklin, NC

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: few clouds

Today went pretty well. Cathy, from the church picked me up at 10:00am. We made a stop at the outfitter store to get some gaitors. I decided against spending $60 for a sleeping bag liner. I was on the trail at 10:50. There was still about 3 inches of snow on the ground when I started. It was really beautiful so I took several pictures.I came across the first shelter at 12:15 and decided to press on to the next shelter which was 12 miles further down the trail. I figured that I could make it by 6pm which would give me enough time to set up camp if the shelter was full.The snow was 10 inches deep in some spots. Several people had gotten an earlier start so the trail was easy to follow. It was muddy in several spots. I slipped and fell twice today. They weren't bad falls, I just lost my footing in the snow and mud.I had lunch on the go today. The menu was crackers, cheese, and a pepperoni stick. Somehow, I was able to carry my poles under my arm and hold the food in my left hand while eating with my right hand. I guess I was somewhat like a walk through buffet, minus the dessert.I rolled into camp at about 5:50 after a long, 1.2 mile uphill walk for the last 30 minutes. It felt like I'd never arrive. As I had suspected, the shelter was full. So, I got started setting up the tent.I've never winter camped so tonight will be interesting. I was worried about it earlier but I came to peace with the concept while walking today. I reminded myself that God would take care of me. And He will. So, it's time to zip up the bag and get some zzzzz's.Peace to all,Scot
Date: 2003-04-01
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center-Wesser, NC
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: clear sky

I QUIT. I HATE THIS TRAIL. THIS WAS A STUPID IDEA. IM RETURNING ALL OF MY EQUIPMENT AND GOING TO THE HILTON IN HAWAII.Ha, April Fools! Did I get ya? Happy April to everyone. Today was a long day. I did stay warm last night, for the most part. I'd guess the temp to have been in the mid 20's. I could see my breath inside my tent, bbrrrr. I closed my sleeping bag around my head so that there was a breathing hole the size of an apple. Thank goodness for my Thermarest matress which kept me off of the cold ground.This am, I was up at 6:50 and on the trail at 8:40. It still takes me forever to break and pack up camp. I had a hard time keeping my fingers and toes warm before I got moving on the trail. It did warm up pretty quickly today. I was hiking in only a tshirt by 10:15.The 11 miles today felt like 20. I'm not sure why. I thought that I slept ok but maybe I didn't. I rolled in to the NOC shortly before 2pm. I booked a bunk in the hostel. This is a neat place. It is on the Nantahala River. There are tons of rafting, biking, hiking, kayaking activities. I'm considering a rafting trip tomorrow.My body is stiff this afternoon. I'm not sure what's up. Hopefully, a good night's rest will help out. There is a group of us having dinner together in a few minutes. I'm having the biggest burger that they have.Check in with you tomorrow.Peace,Scot
Date: 2003-04-02
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center-Wesser, NC

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Didn't sleep great last night. I think that I was on a sugar buzz from my brownie and ice cream dessert after dinner. But, it was worth it!I was headed north at 9:40am. I had to climb from 1,750 feet to 4,750 during the first 6 miles. The middle part of the day was up and down some and then I encountered a DHK (double hiney kicking) mtn. Wow, I basically went staight up for what felt like hours. It was probably only 30 minutes or so but after 15 miles already traveled, it was tough.I made it to the shelter at 6:10. It was full so I pitched my tent and made some rice for dinner. My lunch today was disgusting so I was hungry.I resupplied water, hung my food in a tree and bedded down just as it was getting dark.Im hoping to do 19 miles tomorrow with another tough several mile climb out of Fontana Dam into the Great Smoky Mtns National Park. If I can do 17 miles on Fri and 18 on Sat, I'll be in Gatlinburg on Sunday for church. Mom is also planning to be in Gatlinburg about the same time so I hope to spend some time with her.I spent some time today thinking about if I want to go back home with mom or not. Part of me wants to and part of me wants to continue hiking. I'll have to sort that out. A few days ago, I decided that this hike has been a successful experience regardless of how long/far I go.Well, I guess I'll close for now.Peace,Scot
Date: 2003-04-03
From: Brown Fork Gap 

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: clear sky

I woke up at 6:30 and was on the trail at 7:20am. There were a couple of climbs today but most of the day was downhill into Fontana Dam. I played leapfrog all day with Ian and Zanadoo, two nice guys.I was climbing a small hill when I nearly stepped on the tail of a snake. When I recognized it as a snake, I froze in mid-step. Adreneline shot through my body. My eyes slowly traced the black body about 5 feet over to it's head. The snake didn't move so I watched it for a moment. Then, I took a picture just as Ian and Zanadoo came up. They were impressed with it too.About 1pm, I took a shower at the Visitors Center at the dam. I had planned to continue the next 6 miles up into the Smokies but after the shower, I decided to chill out for the afternoon. Ian and I booked a motel room at the resort. We got a few groceries and did laundry.After a nice AYCE buffet, we watched the news and went to bed. Tomorrow is AYCE breakfast buffet and off to the trail ay 9am. We are hoping to get to the 2nd shelter about 13 miles from here. Rain is predicted for Fri night and Sat night. I hope that there is room in a shelter??Peace,Scot