morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-04-30
From: Cody Gap

To: Fontana Route 28
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: broken clouds

2024.5 miles to go.I woke up and (after breakfast and packing up) headed out with This Guy and Twister again. I only had one thing on my mind today: Fontana Dam.The usual leap-frogging occurred, and at one point I came upon a hiker oasis: where the trail crossed a stream, several hikers had stopped to get water, or take a break, or even rest their feet in the cool stream water.Later, near the top of some hilltop, I came across a 3x5 card taped to a prominent rock beside the trail reading: "4/30, 11:30 am - rattler ahead, 25m." I walked a little more cautiously, tapping my hiking stick a little more frequently, for the next few minutes, but saw nothing.I finally caught a glimpse of Fontana Dam. It was odd to see the lake so close, after seeing it in the distance from Wesser Bald and maybe even as far back as Albert Mountain. Back then, it was just a hazy blue blob in the distance, and over the past week or so it has gradually gotten closer, bigger, and more easily discernible ... all by me walking.Fontana Dam is the southern boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), about a 70 mile stretch of the AT. Since it's a National Park, there really aren't any places to resupply, sleep under a roof, do laundry, etc, (unless you leave the park) so hikers often do all of that at Fontana Dam in preparation for their 5-7 day push thru the Smokies. At Fontana Dam, Twister linked up with some of the others in the bubble to get a room, take a zero, and get ready for the Smokies. This Guy and I caught a shuttle to a nearby resort and grabbed some lunch. Twister, along with about five other hikers caught up to us later and joined us for lunch. After lunch, we parted ways - I had other plans.My buddy Eddie Brock met me there, and we are headed to Memphis to catch the Beale Street Music Festival this weekend. Afterwards, he'll drop me back at Fontana Dam so I can resume my journey along the trail. I expect almost all of my bubble will have moved on by then, so I will be starting out in a sea of fresh new faces.
Date: 2015-05-06
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

2000.2 miles to go.I was the last one out of the shelter again today. When I did get up and get started on breakfast, there was a ridge runner at the shelter. He introduced himself as Carl, and I realized that he is the infamous ridge runner of This Guy's story!When I finally did finish breakfast, packing, etc, I hit the trail about noon. Today was a beautiful, sunny day with clear blue skies and only a few scattered clouds. The views from Rocky Top were superb, and of course pictures just don't do it justice. I hiked pretty much alone all day, though I did leapfrog with Grasshopper and Mighty Mouse a few times, along with a few others from my new bubble, at the shelters and watering holes along the trail.A couple of ladies who left the shelter before me did see two bear cubs scooting up a tree, they shared while we were all stopped at Spence Field Shelter for a snack. I kept my eyes out for bears all day, but no such luck. I did see a couple of turkeys, but other than that, just the usual small forest critters. Maybe if I actually got out and did some hiking in the actual morning ..... nah!!!
Date: 2015-05-07
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.8

1986.4 miles to go.Two milestones today: passed 200 miles, and less than 2000 left. Also, I hit the highest point on the AT (Clingmans Dome). It's all downhill from here, right? ;-)Of course, the view from the observation tower on Clingmans Dome was amazing, and the sun even came out full blast for me while I was up there, but what was really startling was the climb up Clingmans Dome. Well, not the actual climb, that was actually fairly mild. No, it was the transition of forests while going up Clingmans. Until now, the AT has passed through forests with a lot of red maple, and I believe oak, bare of leaves for the winter - open, bright, and airy. On the slopes of Clingmans Dome, within about a single mile, all of that changed into a forest populated by spruce and firs - dense, evergreen, dark and confining. It was an incredible glimpse into the infinitely complex system of systems that is out Earth.As I descended the far side of Clingmans Dome (after soaking in the view and the sunshine from the tower), I was treated to the orchestra of a thunderstorm. I could hear the storm raging to the south-east: an almost continuous performance of low, grumbling thunder frequently punctuated by the sharp, staccato cracks and pops. The storm was a rough one, to be sure, but the wind was pushing it away from me ... or so I thought, until I heard the wind whispering through the tops of the trees above me. At that point I knew it was headed my way, but I was less than an hour from the shelter. I could have donned my rain gear, but usually you just end up overheating and soaked in sweat instead of rain, so I pressed on. That may not have been my brightest decision ever.The first raindrops caught up to me not long after that, and then the full fury of the storm was upon me. I was soon soaked through with near freezing rain, and the lightning crashed maniacally all around me. I knew I only had about a mile or two left until I reached the shelter, but on the rough terrain of the AT, that can be 45 minutes or more. The trail soon disappeared under a gushing stream, which forced me to walk blindly through a series of puddles, one after the other, not know how deep each step would be. At one point, the cold rain began to sting the bare skin on my hands and the back of my neck, and then I realized: it was hail, not rain. I considered stopping to put on my rain gear, but at that point I was already soaking wet, freezing cold, and mainly I wanted to keep moving and get to that shelter!I finally arrived at the shelter, where there were a few other hikers already cooking dinner. I immediately got out of my wet clothes, dried off, and put on my cold weather gear (which was safe inside my backpack in a dry bag the whole time). After that, I started feeling better much quickly. By the time I had cooked and devoured a large serving of hot oatmeal, I felt right as ... well, you know the saying.
Date: 2015-05-08
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Cherokee, NC
Miles today: 4.5

1981.9 miles to go.Spent the night at Mt Collins Shelter, which I believe is the highest shelter on the AT (Mt Collins being the peak right after Clingmans Dome).Hung my stuff out to dry in the sun while I ate breakfast this morning. My shoes and socks were still damp, but the great part of them being so light is that just wearing them dries them out within an hour or so ... as long as you aren't tramping through a hail storm for that hour! Packed up and left while a small swarm of volunteers went to work doing maintenance on the shelter's privy. I'm starting to think that I'm going to owe a lot of volunteer time to the trail after this journey is over - I'm thinking one day of volunteer for one day of hiking? At least I can spread the volunteer out over a few years.Hiked down to Newfound Gap with relative ease. From there I was able to hitch a ride into town. Most hikers go to Gatlinburg, on the west side of the Smokies, but I've been there before ... and besides, Cherokee has a casino! I managed to get a room directly across the street from the casino for only $65; I think my over-powering 'eau de hiker' may have made the innkeeper a little dizzy and gotten me an accidental discount. After a good shower and dinner, I managed to hit the casino and make $460. Hey, I really like playing poker ... I should do it more often! I plan to do it again tomorrow, and if I get lucky again, I just might treat myself to a trip to the spa while I'm there!
Date: 2015-05-10
From: Cherokee, NC

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: scattered clouds

1966.3 miles to go.I'm back on the trail today; I'm not counting yesterday, April 9th, as a trail day. It was a side excursion, much like Beale Street, but this time to play poker. I played poker literally all night (didn't do as well this time, I lost $45), then headed out in the morning. I took one last hot shower and got one last hot breakfast, then packed my bag and started walking .... all the way to the nearest gas station. Well, I had to get my Mt. Dew and Reese's Cups!Once that was taken care of, I hitched a ride. Actually, I hitched two rides - the first lady wasn't going all the way to the AT. The second ride was in the back of a pickup, and it was one of those amazing moments that just surprises you with the intensity of the _goodness_ of life, if you just take the time to enjoy it. I was stretched out in the back of the pickup, leaning against the cab, with my arms outstretched across the sides. The day was warm, the sunlight was shining on me, and I could feel the air rushing through my fingers on each side of the truck. I tilted my head back, closed my eyes, and just enjoyed the contrasting sensations of warm rays, cool breeze, and the occasional flash of shade from a tree branch overhead as the truck wound its way up the mountain road, and in that moment - life was perfect.I started hiking about noon. After the requisite three miles uphill out of Newfound Gap, I was rewarded at Charlies Bunion with one of the most spectacular views that I've seen yet on the trail. Charlies Bunion is a jagged, pointy little rock outcropping where three sides drop steeply away for several hundred feet to the valley below, and it is an amazing view. I stayed out there for maybe an hour, just soaking in the view and scrambling up, down, and around on the rock outcropping. Finally, I tore myself away from it and headed on down the trail.Over the next seven miles I was treated to one spectacular view after another. I think I took more pictures today than I have any other day on the trail so far. I decided to pass Pecks Corner Shelter and keep going to Tri-Corner Knob Shelter. I knew I'd be racing daylight, but I still wanted to make some more miles before calling it a day, so I pushed on. The sun started slipping behind distant ridgelines, and the lingering light of dusk was just enough for me to find my way into the shelter at about 8:45. Everyone was already asleep, so I ate a quick meal and crawled into bed myself.
Date: 2015-05-11
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Cammerer
Miles today: 10.5

1955.8 miles to go.After my long day yesterday (playing poker all night, then hiking all day), I slept in today. I think I finally dragged myself out of bed at about ten, and saw that I had the shelter to myself. As I was eating breakfast, other hikers started dropping in for lunch. First three, then another pair, then Pete and Paul, then another pair ... it wasn't long until we had a shelter full of people, with plenty of chatting back and forth. It was a pleasant morning. Many of them had spent the night in Pecks Corner Shelter, the one I had skipped.Most of them had moved on by the time I finished eating, packing, etc, but I passed all but one couple on the way to the next shelter. We all stopped in at Cosby Knob Shelter - them to spend the night, me for a snack and a weather decision. I knew that I wanted to continue on, but I wasn't sure if the weather was going to cooperate; we had been hearing thunder rumble all afternoon.It did sprinkle for a few minutes while I was eating, but afterwards I could see breaks in the clouds and patches of clear blue skies and sunshine, so I decided to make a break for the next location: an observation tower on Mt Cammerer. I bid goodbye to my impromptu trail family for the day, and set out.After about 30 minutes there was another brief sprinkle, but I made it to the tower without serious incident. Five minutes later, the rain arrived. It continued for about an hour, off and on, but I was snug inside the tower with door shut and all but one of the windows intact. I set up my bedroll for the evening and waited out the storm, which broke in time for me to watch the sun set behind the Smoky Mountains.
Date: 2015-05-12
From: Mt. Cammerer

To: Ground Hog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: broken clouds

1941.0 miles to go.I woke up this morning to a beautiful sunrise on Mt Cammerer - lucky, too, because about 45 minutes later a cloud rolled in and engulfed the entire mountain and observation tower. It was so thick that at one point you could actually see the cloud drifting into the open door of the tower.I went ahead and hit the trail, and passed out of the Smokies, still without seeing a bear. Seems like most of the bear sightings (if not all) are by groups; my theory is that groups make more noise and therefor 'spook' the bears into action, which is easier to see. Anyways, I bid farewell to Miranda and Susan (who were done with their section) and pushed on. After crossing Pigeon River and I-40, I reached Standing Bear Farm at about 1 pm.They had my package! It was the shoes I had ordered last week. I opened them up and tried them on right away, and they felt pretty good - I was greatly relieved! They are definitely a little more substantial than the 'barely there' shoes I was wearing, so hopefully these hold up better. I also charged my phone and indulged in some junk food and drinks while catching up with old and new friends (including Pipi, who I finally caught back up to!). Finally though, I made my goodbyes to some of the people who were getting off the trail, and I headed back out.Within the first mile, Hawk (who was not far ahead of me) stopped suddenly. I came up next to him, and he pointed out a nice 4-5 foot copperhead sunning itself on the trail. I used my hiking stick to 'coax' him off the trail (Mr Copperhead was NOT happy about that), and Hawk and I edged around him carefully and continued on. That was actually the third snake I saw today; I guess it's getting warm enough for them.I'm going to rack out early tonight: I think if I get an early jump tomorrow I can make the 26 mile push into Hot Springs, where I can get a hot meal, shower, and clean sheets before catching a ride into Trail Days!
Date: 2015-05-13
From: Ground Hog Creek Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 26.2

1914.8 miles to go.I was the first one up and out of the shelter this morning. That's a first, but I wanted to get to Hot Springs. The climb up Max Patch was a long one, but well worth it for the spectacular 360¢¢ views. I ate lunch up there while I soaked in the view and the sunshine - it was one of those bright, sunny, clear, "blue skies as far as the eye can see" kind of days.There were several 'weekenders' on and around Max Patch, but aside from that, I didn't run into any other hikers until I caught up to Hero and Fruit Snacks about three miles outside of Hot Springs. We exchanged greetings, then I continued on ahead of them.Maybe five minutes after passing them, a flash of motion ahead caught my eye - a good sized bear was loping down the trail away from me. He was very quiet until he decided to make a right turn and get off the trail, then he sounded like ... well, like a bear crashing through the woods at full speed. It was all over so quickly, I couldn't even grab my camera. I continued walking, and a minute later I came across a pile of bear scat where he had been on the trail. I'm not sure if I interrupted his bathroom break, or if I scared him so bad that he pooped his little bear pants, but at least I can answer the age-old question: a bear DOES poop in the woods!Just a half mile farther down the trail, I passed a different bear, this time on the LEFT side of the trail! Attention, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - I want my money back! I didn't see a single bear while I was there, then I saw not one, but TWO, the day after I left!
Date: 2015-05-14
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.4
Weather: scattered clouds

1914.4 miles to go.I woke up and showered again (I find that I tend to want two or three showers a day while in town), then went to the diner for a chicken fajita omelette. After taking care of the most important meal of the day, I wandered down the main street (the trail literally goes right THROUGH the town, which is where I got my .4 miles today) and picked up my resupply box from the post office.I stopped in the outfitter, where I bumped into Tortoise and Hair. I spent the afternoon between shopping and doing my laundry at the laundromat across the street. When it was time to leave, I made sure I hit up the Take Out Grill for their famous Laurel sandwich. I've been hearing about this sandwich from other hikers for weeks: two grilled cheese sandwiches smashed together with a cheeseburger in the middle! I got mine with bacon and a fried egg on it as well, because .... yeah. Amazing.We hit the road in a rented van, and after a few stops (gas, food and drinks, and to pick up other hikers), we made it to Damascus, VA, site of the infamous Trail Days! By all accounts, it is equal parts: party, yard sale, and hiker reunion. What could possibly go wrong, right?Well .... the first night was pretty epic, and that we only the pre-party! One of the biggest bonfires I've ever seen (and I've seen a few); a drum circle; a guy wearing a strand of Christmas lights, a wizards cloak, and a plastic squirt gun; a tribal dance / conga line around the bonfire; and Superman _running_ across the bonfire!
Date: 2015-05-19
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Between Spring Mt. Shelter & Allen Gap
Miles today: 12.4

1902.0 miles to go.Stayed in Hot Springs again last night with Twister, Foxfeet, and Half Full. We were all trying to get back on the trail, but one thing led to another, and next thing you know it's afternoon and pouring down rain, and staying in town one more night is sounding preeeety good. I did manage to ship back my old, hole-y shoes, as well as ship a box home with all of the extra stuff I had from Trail Days.After renting a room, I scheduled us an appointment at the Hot Springs in the town of Hot Springs, NC. We went down to the river, where the Hot Springs were, and they piped a bunch of hot mineral spring water into a hot tub. We had hit the gas station on the way and loaded up on snacks and drinks, and Twister brought his iPod and a speaker, so we just soaked in the Hot Springs for an hour while eating and drinking and relaxing - it felt amazing!The next morning, I wrapped up some more encroaching life details from that outside world while my companions headed out, then hit the trail at about 2 pm. The hike out of Hot Springs was mostly pleasant; it followed the river for a while before heading up to Lover's Leap. Of course, the views from Rich Mountain Lookout Tower nice. I stopped in at the first shelter, but it wasn't a very appealing one and I had some daylight left, so I pushed on. I caught up to Half Full, Twister, and Foxfeet about a half hour before sunset, and decided to stay with them.They had already gotten water, so we all ate dinner together and then I went down to the creek to fill up on water. It had gotten dark, so I took my headlamp. After filling up, I headed back up the hill. At one point, I stopped and turned my headlamp off, and saw that the hillside was covered in lightning bugs, all glowing and dancing in the breeze. I just stood there for a minute, soaking it all in, before heading back to the campfire and turning in for the night.
Date: 2015-05-20
From: Between Spring Mt. Shelter & Allen Gap

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: broken clouds

1888.4 miles to go.Half full, Twister, and Foxfeet woke up and started packing up, so I got up as well. They headed out about 30 minutes before me, so I hiked alone for the morning. At a gap a few miles in, I ran into Grasshopper and Mighty Mouse breaking camp. I caught up to, then passed, my three companions from last night. When I walked up to the next shelter, Hair and Tortoise were there! By evening, all of them, as well as Highlighter, Gimli, and Walks Softly, all ended up at the same shelter for the evening.One part of the guidebook cited "rocky and strenuous" terrain during a particular 1.5 mile stretch. We have all been curious / dreading what that meant for the past few days, and today we got to find out. It certainly was rocky and strenuous, but mostly that just meant large, blocky steps that are unusually large. It was great for me, with my long legs, but others in the party didn't fare so well. There were a couple of spots that almost required a little bit of rock-climbing, either up or down for about five feet. That night, at the shelter, Tortoise called it "The Winding Staircase of Doom!"Tonight for dinner I had THE best meal I've had so far while on the trail (on the actual trail, not in towns): mountain beef stew. I've been avoiding the typical ramen noodles, instant mashed potatoes, and pasta and rice sides that most hikers view as a staple. I haven't had a single one, and my plan is to do the entire hike without eating one ... but that is a BIG constraint when planning hiker meals.
Date: 2015-05-21
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: light rain

1873.2 miles to go.I think everybody's plan was to get up kind of early this morning and get some big miles today. Weeeeeeelllll, at some point last night it started raining. And it was still raining his morning. I heard the gang in the shelter talking and what-not, but every time a gust of wind blew the rain harder, I just rolled over and went back to sleep. It's a good thing I hung my tarp last night, "just in case", because the "in case" was VERY present. Still, I didn't pitch the tarp very carefully last night and it is considerably smaller than my previous one, so my shoes, socks, and backpack were all soaked this morning. I stayed mostly dry in the hammock, although the cloud that enveloped the mountain did a pretty good job of getting dew all over everything.When it finally started sounding less wet at about 10:00, I finally stuck my head out of my hammock just in time to see Twister, Half Full, and Foxfeet heading out down the trail. I put my socks and shoes on so they would start drying, hung everything else in the now empty shelter, and then sat down for breakfast. By the time I finished eating, packing up, etc, it was noon when I hit the trail - but at least this time there were still four others packing up!At Devil Fork Gap, I called a nearby hostel / resupply store for a ride. Ten minutes later, Mark the owner picked me up in his camouflage jeep, sans doors. I threw my pack in the back, and he drove me to the store. They didn't have any of the three things I went for: hand sanitizer, insect repellent, and AAA batteries. Still, I enjoyed a Mt Dew, a bacon double cheeseburger fresh off the grill, a bowl of watermelon, and a pack of Reese's Cups. Luckily for me, Hair had extra batteries (mine in my headlamp ran out later that night while making dinner, so yay! Timing!), and Tortoise had an extra bottle of sanitizer (which I was completely out of) ... and I think I might actually have enough bug spray to make it into Erwin.I hiked alone pretty much the entire day again; I guess people are really thinning out and spreading out on the trail. I saw a few south-bound (or SOBO, for AT shorthand) day / section hikers, hiked a short stretch with Grasshopper and Mighty Mouse, and that was pretty much it until I got into the shelter at 9pm - this shelter is the most crowded that I've seen since the one back in GA where I met the pod. There must be 25 people camping here tonight!Best part of the day: blasting down a mountain road in a camo jeep without doors, feeling the wind gust across me and the sun on my face, while singing along at the top of my lungs to the radio playing AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long!"