morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-04-02
From: Our hotel

To: Right where we are, Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Hey, guys and gals! We are in Hot Springs, NC (or as Jan keeps referring to it, Hot Dam, NC). We spent 2 nights at Elmer's Sunny Bank Inn but left with Ichabod, Rex, and K-Less after feeling less than "comfortable". Staying at a hotel down the block, we'll try to push the 2 beds together so all 5 of us can sleep on a bed for 1 last night! No phones in any of these places. Only 3 pay phones down the road between 30 hikers who haven't talked to home in weeks! We are 1 or 2 days behind schedule but have had 2 full days of rest in town and some great food. We did an 18 miler to get into Standing Bear Hostel off I-40 somewhere a few miles back. Rex and "we" had been talking about the way we are all supposed to make "life long friends" but we couldn't figure out how that would work when we lost all the great folks we'd met up with! Lo and behold.....(or whatever you old timers say) here comes this big van up the road and who do we find but our original hiking group: K-Less (Florida), Sweet Cheeks (Vermont), Willow (Maine), Quincy Girl (NH), and a bunch of new people. Hugs all around and the biggest warm feeling...made Jan want to cry (I probably did but it's happened enough that I'm losing count). You never know how much little things can really matter until they happen and that's when you realize that you really WERE homesick, lonely, and a little down. A soda and a note laying in a frozen patch of stream, hot dogs and oranges when you're ready to gnaw your wrist off for some meat, a hug when you see someone again that you figured you lost last week, a loaf of beer bread and some Slim Jims from the Bear when you think everyone at home has forgotten you....the list could go on and on. We really appreciate all the little things out here. And, we want to know where all the cookies and letters and stuff are that we haven't been getting!!!As far as mail drops/packages go, the schedule we sent out that says NO in the column is for our benefit, meaning we haven't sent ourselves a resupply package. It doesn't necessarily mean that you can't send us stuff, it just means we won't know about it unless we're told. Most places won't go looking for you if you get a package unless you tell them. As for Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel in Erwin, TN, we aren't planning to stay there but will be at Miss Janet's, 220 N. Elm Ave., Erwin, TN, 37650. If you sent a package to the first place, please email Gary immediately or call him and give him a list of the contents...there are rumors flying that there might be some "mail fraud" and it would help to know if anything might be missing, etc. Ok, so that's about it. We hope everyone is well and we miss you all. Jan got her old boots back and went to the local clinic for the gaping holes in her feet and should be ready for a 40 miler right outta here tomorrow. Did I say 40, I meant 4...P.S., Jan has no say in the pics that go online, talk to Gary! Oh, and he's usually the one with the camera!
Date: 2004-04-07
From: No Business Shelter

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We finally got out of Hot Springs, NC and started hiking again. We spent 4 nights and five days in Hot Springs. The first two nights were planned. The last 2 were not. After our second night we saw a lot of hikers leaving town only to return an hour or two later. They were telling tall stories of mountains of snow, white out conditions, losing the trail, etc. It had been raining in town since we got there and it was cold. So it was easy to believe the stories and it didn't take much persuasion to convince us to stay another night and wait out the storm. Well the next day wasn't any better, again hikers left and came back. Some were able to make it from Hot Springs to the first road crossing and then hitch a ride back to get dry, warm up and spend a night in a real bed again. We elected to stay put again. Finally on Saturday we left town. It was sunny but cold. The temps the first two nights were very, very cold. We hiked about 11 miles on Saturday and didn't see hardly any snow. The next day we in hiked snow the whole time. The trail was covered in ice and snow. Off the trail the snow was easily a foot deep. We could only imagine what the previous hikers were going through while trying to hike in this snow storm. We hiked over one ridge that was all rock and ice. There was a blue blaze "by-pass" trail aroung the ridge but that seemed rather boring compared to hiking the white blazes over the exposed ridge. It was very tricky hiking and difficult in a few places but we made it. The views were just incredible. Now we are in Erwin at the Holiday Inn Express, showering, doing laundry and heading out to get food. We will make some phone calls tonight and head out tomorrow morning. Notice, after today we should have PocketMail, this is a device that will allow us to receive emails whenever we get to a phone. Once I active the device and establish our email address I will post it here. Take care and happy trails.Dances with Wolfcookie & Wolfcookie
Date: 2004-04-08
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We now have pocketmail. Our email address is wolfcookie@pocketmail.com We can only receive text emails. Please do not send us pictures or chain letters. We look forward to hearing from everyone. We will be able to get the emails whenever we get to a phone. We will try to respond to everyone when we get time. Also, our journal entries should get a little more detailed since we can now send emails to the folks and they can copy them into the journal.Thanks to all who sent us packages in Erwin. The treats were great. Jan had tears in her eyes reading the cards and sorting through all the great stuff we got. We will be wearing the bunny ears on Easter :-)The Wolfcookies
Date: 2004-04-08
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Hello, All! Got 4 packages and 1 letter today at Miss Janet's. THANK YOU ALL SOOOO MUCH! I cried and cried sitting on the stairs as I saw what was in the boxes. Mom & Cher Bear, you are the best! You don't know how good it felt, how cared about I felt. I have no idea how Tom felt, he isn't that emotional. The picture of Grover, The Best Dog In The Whole Wide World, was great and will go to Maine with us! And, I even got a new Tigger to keep Tigger B. Mascot company! Wait til you see the Easter pictures we took! No hints, you'll have to wait a few weeks! Pam, thanks for the note and warm fuzzies and bandaids, you're wonderful! Treats to share, full fat milk, letters of encouragement! Dally D and Shelks, we love you and miss you! I don't know what else to say to you all! Thanks for your support and love. I'm so grateful that we haven't been forgotten! Now, on to the baked goods! Where are they!?!? Cookies, rice crispy treats, etc!!!! Don't forget to email us on our new ewail. PLEASE, NO junk emails. Short text emails are good but no attachments or pictures and remember that we don't have alot of extra time in towns...Love to all, Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-04-09
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I would like to thank everyone for the Birthday cards and well wishes! We did something really special on my birthday...we hiked! I love hiking and that's what we did. What made it different or special? I guess it was knowing that I was on the AT and attempting to fulfill a life dream on my 31st birthday with my wife. All the cards and special emails really made the day special. Thanks again everyone!Regards, Dances with Wolfcookie
Date: 2004-04-09
From: Erwin,TN

To: Curly Maple Shelter
Miles today: 4.2
Weather: clear sky

Day 40Start: Erwin,TNDest.: Curly Maple ShelterMiles: 4.2 milesSlept pretty well last night at Holiday Inn in Erwin. Shared room w/Rex, who loved being able to sprawl out! We left the room with a terrible hiker "funk" that will take days to air out! Got a free pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, that we never ate. Went to A&W/Long John Silvers where they ran out of beef patties 2 orders before us [last night]! Mailed a package to ourselves at Kincora Hostel 5 days out. Getting new boots from LL Bean, like my old ones but 1/2 size bigger. CSR that helped me, Cheryl, will be following our trip through our journal. Her husband wants to thruhike someday. Hiked 4 miles out of town to the first shelter. We are getting behind now and I feel bad since it's cuz of my feet. This past week has been kinda crappy since I can't seem to keep from tripping, slipping, and rolling my ankles to the point of crying. Had days where I get grumpy and want to sit in the middle of the trail and cry. Not that there aren't good days but the pain tends to warp my "view" of events. Tom has been a trooper but I'm sure there are times when he wants to shove me off the nearest cliff. Tonight we are having marshmellows, courtesy of Ichabod. Can't wait to have some treats from our maildrops for dessert & to read my SooNipi mag! Goodnite & I love yous! P.S. Spoke w/Grammy Mabe today, please pass on some XOXOs!
Date: 2004-04-10
From: Curly Maple Shelter

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 41Start: Curly Maple ShelterDest.: Cherry Gap ShelterDist.: 12.1 milesWe startd hiking today at 8:30am. Before we left the Curly shelter a local Erwinite came by with 3 boys. They had camped about .5 miles North of the shelter. The man was very nice but he gave us some info that made all of us a little uncomfortable. He told us that the area we were about to hike through was a dangerous part of the trail. He told us about 2 17yr old boys that had been murdered execution style on Beauty Spot. He told us there had been lots of murders up there over the years and that we should watch ourselves.   As you can imagine this was very comforting information. It also sat well with another warning we got from Tacoma Ted yesterday. Tacoma warned us about camping or even trying to hitch near Apple House Shelter. It appears the government took land from 3 families to establish the national forest. This land had been in the families since before the revolutionary war. I guess the families are still a little pissed and they burnt the shelter down, vandelize cars at the trailhead, and harrass hikers trying to hitch rides into town. So we headed out on our 12 mile adventure a little scepticle of the information we had just obtained. When we reached the days first road crossing at Indian Grave Gap we met some people on horses who confirmed the stories and also told us about some Devil worshiping animal sacrifices that have also taken place. So, we are all feeling really safe about now. Then they tell us that the areais safe during the day but we shouldnt hang around there at night. Boy! isnt that a relief! Luckily for us we were hiking a good 6 miles past the "bad neighborhood".Off we went without incident all the way to the Cherry Shelter. Along the way we saw Mickey One Sock, Woody, and GG slack packing South from Iron Mtn Gap to Indian Grave Gap. We also ran into Hoss, Honeypie and Wounded Knee. They were slacking from Iron Mtn to Erwin. Everyone is staying with Miss Janet in Erwin. At the Cherry shelter we met Footloose, Rumbler and Mountain Man. So tonight its them plus Rex, Ichabod and us at the shelter.~DancesNot a bad day, 'ceptin fer that ol' hillbilly warnin' we done got right affer our mornin' supper! Talk about creeped out! It also appears that we aren't outta the woods just yet, seems there's a roadcrossing coming up where they aren't very hiker friendly! I guess we'll know for sure on that part when we get there. The only thing we met up with was a "carefree" couple on Beauty Spot. Mountain Man is from Burlington! There's also Ashtray, who's from S. Strafford [only 2 years but knows the Linehan name], and Rex knows one of the horse farm families!Roasting marshmellows and sharing easter miniatures! Didn't bring easter Tigger since I couldn't figure out how to attach him without losing him, bummer! Burst into tears at the thought that Grammy Mabe might be alone on Easter. I seriously hope she wasn't. Gotta go, tenting tonite.~Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-04-11
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: moderate rain

Day : 42Start: Cherry Gap ShelterDest.: Clyde Smith ShelterMiles: 8.8Total: 364.0Awoke to owls hooting closeby. It must be maiting season because they were making quite a ruckas...hoot...ho..ho..hooo..hoot. For some reason the hooting owls must attract woodpeckers because we could hear 2 of them peckering away. One was almost right above the tent. So we finally got up at 7:45. We hit the trail at 9:15am. Since we were only doing 8.8 miles we were not in a hurry. We hiked in the Bunny ears and bunny visor that Cherbear sent us to celebrate Easter. The day was overcast with light rain on and off. We had lunch with Rex and Ichabod at the Rock Overhang around 360.3 miles. We made it to the shelter at 3pm, had an early dinner and watched it rain. Gearguy, Gumby and Gumbo (a dog) showed up just as it started to rain hard. They started on March 14th. Wolfcookie and I are sleeping in the loft of the shelter. Hopefully we wont get wet since it looks like the roof leaks. It may also be a sleepless night with the rain pounding down on the metal roof [among other noises]. Off to read a little and plan the hiking for the next few days. Tomorrow we will go above 6200ft. for the last time until Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. -Dances w/Wolf CookieNot a bad day, kinda short considering we are behind. Staying in the shelter, not the one that we planned. Had a bit of rain but not to bad. Missed some trail magic, just a bag full of trash by the time we got there. oh well...Feet are getting better, think there is definitely something not right "inside" my right foot. I think we've spent $150 just on boot inserts and now $100 on new boots. Not to mention the $$ on a new pack, etc but it sure lightened my load! Might even get a new sleeping pad that's lighter. I'm the butt of all the jokes about light packs but even 25 lbs is heavy for me in this terrain. Nothing too exciting happened 2day, except that Dances and I discussed our schedule and I feel better about it. We plan to pick up the pace after our zero in Damascus, VA this weekend. We might get seperated from Rex and Ichabod at that point if we go faster than they can keep up. Had an ok Easter. Wore the getups Cher Bear sent but had to take my ears off due to the rain. Shared the m&ms my mammy sent, they all send thanks! Had the option to spend 2day at Miss Janet's but we chose 2 hike. Hope everyone had a great holiday!Gotta get to bed since all are in their bags.-Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-04-12
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: moderate rain

Day 43Start: Clyde Smith ShelterDest.: Overmountain ShelterMiles: 12.9Total: 376.9I think this has to be our worst day yet, both weather wise and terrain! Woke up to rain, wind, crappy weather. Found out that it really is easy to get hypothermia, although we both escaped it. Now we also know why they say to wait on sending your winter gear home for a few more weeks. Snow was a worry but we never figured in the cold, wet spring storms. My gloves got so wet I had to put on socks and I was pretty much soaked from the skin out. But, we made it out unscathed.Tonite's shelter is an old barn converted to house hikers. Really not much better than other ones but huge, drafty, dark, etc. Put the tent up for extra warmth it's so cold! Laying in my bag to warm up and T is making couscous. Oooh, he just threw me a cheese stick! Yum! Went through some great pine forests today, as well as over the past weeks. Sometimes you get the best whiff of the needles and I'm transported back to "someplace". I say "someplace" because it took me days to determine why I love the smell so much. When I was little, Grammy Mabe had pine sachets that smelled so wonderful and she would send me home with them occasionally. I have a candle that smells just like those sachets and I never knew why I enjoyed the scent so much. All of my memories that involve Grammy seem to be warm and cozy and I associate those smells, etc. with the best ever. Even toast tasted better when Gram made it! Mmmm...Speaking of tastes, that white chocolate cocoa my mother sent was to die for, but I wasn't thrilled with the mint. We are going to try and go back and make journal entries since we have the pocketmail but I don't know how much I'll be able to remember.~Wolf Cookie
Date: 2004-04-13
From: Overmountain Shelter 

To: Campsite near Bishop Hollow
Miles today: 11.1

Day 44Start: Overmountain Shelter Dest.: Campsite near Bishop HollowMiles: 11.1Total: 388.0What a day! Last night produced rain, lightning, thunder, and snoring! The converted barn really sucks in a storm. The rain blew in through the floor and walls and even though we set up the tent inside, it was still wet. My earplugs helped a bit but they hurt my ears, can't wait to get some like GLW provides!Decided to wait out the storm to see if the weather would improve and it did around noon. We wanted to get as far as possible from the shelter and on the other side of Appehouse, where they warn thruhikers not to stay. Seems there was a shelter burned down by the pissy locals and the ATC chose not to rebuild it. Lucky us...Had my scariest trail experience today. We hiked through a cattle field, not the Bessie milker sort but the kind Rufus T. Rich would have mounted on the grill of his gold, diamond encrusted caddy. You know the ones I mean, the long horn steers, with rings through their noses! The pasture part wasn't bad and we were told they were docile and would ignore us. Bull shit! Literally! Seems I did something to threaten or anger the alpha male and he decided to show me who was boss. I'm not joking, it actually started to charge me! I kept putting my hiking stick up and yelling and he'd jump back but would keep coming at me, head down, horns pointed at me, and grunting. I was seriously scared and started yelling at Tom, thinking it would decide the mini charges weren't enough and come at me full force! My heart was racing and I was close to tears. It finally went away after I put Tom, some rocks, and a little distance between us. Then I had to watch Rex come over the hill but he left her be. Had 2 dogs at the shelter last night, a rotty mix with a hurt paw and a St. Bernard minus the hot toddy. The hurt one followed 2 hikers over 9 miles to the next shelter! Going to try and call the Spca to get them picked up since we figure they have no home, after watching them eat dried fruit like it was steak. Camping now and expecting another storm, this time maybe snow, too! Very long day planned for tomorrow, 21 or so...Discovered my feet can hurt 43 days after they started. Think my boots are so old that they've lost all internal support. New boots, mmmmm...~Wolf CookieYou would have thought we slept in a tin-can last night the way the rain pounded down. It was very loud at times. Somehow I still managed to get a pretty good nights sleep. Today may have been the worst weather day yet but it as one of the more exciting days hiking for me. It seems the worse the weather the more I enjoy it. There's just somthing about rain, cold high winds, hypothermia and the possibility of being blown off the mountain that really bring the senses alive. But dont get me wrong, I am looking forward to the nice warm, sunny summer days that lay ahead. Hopefully tomorrow will be nice. We are planning to do close to 20 miles so we will have a short day into Kincora on Wednesday.~Dances
Date: 2004-04-14
From: Campsite Near Bishop Hollow

To: Kincora Hostel
Miles today: 21.2

Day 45Start: Campsite Near Bishop HollowDest.: Kincora HostelMiles: 21.2Total: 409.2Its April 14, we are in NC/TN and it snowed last night!! We woke to a pile of snow weighing down the 4 sides of our 3 season tent. What a surprise. A hiker we saw yesterday mentioned snow and freezing rain but we figured that we wouldnt be high enough to get the snow. Guess we were wrong. The day started out really good. It was a little cold but we warmed up quickly. As we walked we were signing christmas carols and enjoying the snow covered trees that were bowing over the trail. Fast forward a couple hours...the precipitation is a mix of snow and rain and our rain gear is beginning to get saturated. The thoughts of x-mas carols are now long gone. The boots are also starting to get a little wet. Fast forward another couple hours... everything is soaked, jackets, pants, boots, all inside and out. The trees bowed into the trail are no longer "pretty". They have become a massive pain, dropping snow down our backs each time we pass under them. We typically come out of the trees looking like soaked snowmen. We reached the shelter at 4:40pm. We were cold and wet. The wind was blowing, the shelter was full of snow so we decided to push on another 6 miles to the Kincora Hostel. We made it there by 7:30pm. What a welcome sight the hostel was. Hot showers, laundry and a dry bunk were waiting for us. The hostel was nearly full with Camera 1, Camera 2 & Sasha, Nuffy, Flora & Fauna, Ashtray, Rambling Man, Sweet Cheeks & Willow, Gearguy, Gumby & Gumbo, Grass, Uncle Ben and Country. We are saddened to hear Nuffy is leaving the trail. We really enjoyed spending time with her. She's from Australia and has been with Camera Crew since day 1. Well off to get a hot shower and get into some clean clothes.~Dances with WolfCookieWhat a day! I left camp before Rex and T, they were soaked from taking down the tents. Nice hiking to start, not at the end of the day with tired feet and legs. Discovered that I'm building scar tissue in both knees, mostly my left. Hurts like hell on the downhills. Haven't been stretching enough, trying to get better about it. Nice to get to the hostel and a HOT shower with a HAIRDRYER! Didn't get in in time to go to town, par for the course! Getting to bed really late, very tired...Tomorrow is my Poppy's birthday!!~Wolf Cookie