morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-03-15
From: Max Emmerson Shelter

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 2.8
Weather: clear sky

On the morning of March 15th I officially started my ascent of Springer Mountain and the Appalachian Trail. I waited until 8:30am when the state park HQ opened to officially register and get my number. We were quickly given a tag noting our thru-hike attempt, offered a Snickers bar in good faith (which I happily took!) and wished the best as we began our hike. No ceremony, no warnings-- just a tag and a Snickers.I began my hike about 8:45, first tackling the 600 or so stairs that line the water fall in which the park gets it's name. They were a quick kick in the butt to start. From there, I began my 8 mile ascent to Springer mountain where the AT officially begins. That means I did over 8miles extra before even touching the trail in which I came to climb. Crazy right? But seemed tradition.I hiked another 2.8 miles from Springer and stayed at the Stover Creek Shelter. Temps were in the 60's and the sun was beaming. Couldn't have asked for a better day! I met a few wonderful people and set up my stuff in the shelter by 3pm. I almost pushed on with a nice gentleman named G-Bolt to a campsite just a few miles away but I stopped myself from going too fast too quick and stopped early. Happy I did!I filtered water, took care of bodily functions and cooked an early dinner-- daily chores. I had the remainder of my sub that night and the Snickers bar I had gotten right in the beginning. Not a bad start!Myself and only one other person slept in the shelter with a capacity of 20 or more for the night. I love the shelters only because I 1.dont have to set up a tent 2.enjoy the ease of packing up of gear in the morning and 3.enjoy the camaraderie of those who cook and hangout under the roof of the shelter at night. More people would enjoy the comforts of the shelter as the weather changed. Even when we have to face the mice!
Date: 2018-03-18
From: Neels gap

To: Blue mountain shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Today I pushed myself hard. I had the goal of going 11.5 miles to Low Gap shelter. This mileage was doable with not any crazy significant climbs. Myself, Mr Brazil and G-Bolt all left the hostel early in the morning ready to go from our wonderful stay. We powered through the 11 miles and reached the shelter by noon. Being smart, we may have slowed our pace prior but we each pushed ourselves and continued the extra 7 or so miles across somewhat easier terrain to blue mountain shelter. I was one of the first to grab a spot in the shelter to sleep and I went about my chores. There were tons of people here tonight and the shelter filled up with tons of tents around as well.I had the honor this night of watching the Chef Gordan Ramsey, as he is called on trail, cook an amazing trail casserole out of the crappy food we all carry! Anyone who contributed got a piece and I wasn't going to miss this opportunity! He used his stove to cook a ramen packet and instant mashed potatoes together (a ramen bomb). With the Noddles being his base, he whipped out a cutting board... Yes a cutting board and fresh onion and pepper. He chopped them up and added a pasta side to the mix. Using some of his specialty spices, grated fresh cheese and pretzels as bread crumbs, he topped off his amazing concoction. Then he went as far as to toast the top by flipping over his jetboil and melting the cheese. This was the best food yet! No wonder he has the trail name he does!I also met a guy named Ryan who doesn't carry trekking poles but instead carries a small guitar. As we all sat around the campfire eating a wonderful casserole, we listened to Ryan play some songs. One of my favorites was "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor. I fell asleep listening to some original JT in the woods of Georgia... What an amazing thing to say.
Date: 2018-03-19
From: blue mountain shelter

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up as the remainder of the people in the shelter rose. It had rained during the night with pretty significant lightning! The morning was beautiful and the view from Blue Mountain Shelter was beautiful overlooking the mountainside. Today's hike was what we kept calling the W. It was a sharp down hill to Unicoi Gap then an uphill to Rocky mountain. From there another drastic downhill to Indian Grave Gap and another uphill to the peak of Tray mountain. After that a series of ups and downs for another 5 or so miles until the shelter- which was almost half a mile off the trail alone!The climb was not as bad as anticipated. The downhills hurt the knees but the uphills feel good for the most part. Makes me think Miley Cyrus wasn't totally wrong when she said "it's the climb!" Good temperatures and sunshine helped with this task. The crew that was spread about doing the same trek as myself were all treated to a cooler full of sodas at Unicoi Gap left by a trail angel. Every small gesture like that is huge and gave us an energy boost for the climbs! A few people took off into the town of Hiawasee, GA as the remainder of us continued on. Myself and many hikers avoid attaching to one specific group. Doing so forces a certain expectation of mileage and, honestly, you get pretty sick of the same people over and over. Most cultures seem to have a way of saying live your own life the way you want. Pura Vida in Costa Rica touches on this, pop millennial culture has brought about YOLO or "you only live once" and the trail has HYOH which means "Hike your own hike." It's important to do this, take breaks, hike at your own pace and do what you feel is right. Listening to advice can be good but often, there are some hikers who constantly imply "you're never going to make it" based on gear, hiking style or any variable possible. You have to do what feels right.This night I got to a small two story shelter around 4pm. We milled about, avoided the rain that spit from the sky and enjoyed our food. At night I slept on the top floor of the shelter as rain fell. It was essentially an attic but I didn't have the luxury of any mice running across my face as some hikers had reported while in shelters. You can definitely hear them though! Today I had made it 65 miles in! A fair amount in it itself!
Date: 2018-03-20
To: Muskrat Creek shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: moderate rain

In the morning at deep gap, I awoke as many other hikers did. I was lucky enough to be on the trail by 745 or 8 and on my way. Today was a 15 mile day and I would cross into North Carolina! A good morale boost for sure! The forecast was iffy for the day so I wanted to try my best to get to Muskrat Creek Shelter and stay inside tonight. Today's hike was physically tough. I pushed myself hard but made it to my goal.Around 1pm I managed to cross into North Carolina while surrounded by a few other hikers. We took the ceremonial pictures then got our butts kicked up the climb of Courthouse Bald. This mountain sits at 4800' but the climb seemed to never stop. At this moment I was rethinking my statement about Miley Cyrus being correct about the climb.The clouds began to darker and winds picked up as I neared the shelter. I rolled in around 3 and contemplated pushing on another 5 miles to the further shelter to put me in a better spot for tomorrow. I'm sure glad I didn't! Around 4 or 5 the sky unloaded a flurry of rain, then sleet, then hail and then snow. It was insane! Myself and a few others had been lucky enough to be under the roof of the shelter as we watched the commotion but other unlucky hikers came running in soaked and cold from the sudden change. This was nothing to mess around with. We hunkered down trying to stay warm and eat before bed. Hikers kept coming in for shelter and were forced to set up tents or hammocks as the shelter was full. I felt so bad!I curled up in my sleeping bag dreading the idea of having to go hang a bear bag in this weather. NC so far differs from GA in that they don't seem to provide bear boxes or cables at the shelters and instead everyone must hang their own. I managed to sink my cable over a branch on the first try and pulled myself and another hikers dry bags full of food as high up as we could get it. Then, we ran back to the safety of our shelters and did our best to sleep and stay warm. We were in for a long night! The only good thing was we had Rob from the UK who seems to always be in good spirit and made us all laugh at our own misery.
Date: 2018-03-23
From: Franklin, NC

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Today was a good day of rest. I need to force myself to stop and slow down so I don't injure myself. Franklin, NC has treated me well and I've enjoyed my stay so much! I had a wonderful sleep last night and woke up to the free all you can eat breakfast at the Baptist Church in town! Bacon, pancakes, coffee and legendary orange juice! Amazing! I got back to the hostel around 8:30 and did laundry. A small load but definitely necessary with the sock smell and shirt stench. Much needed! I caught up with journals, took care of small chores and enjoyed the morning.Around noon I received a ride from the hostel owner to the local grocery store. On the way, we stopped at the local dump which seems so simple but offered me more of a firsthand look at local culture. I resupplied on food at the grocery store then walked the mile back to the hostel. I met Samesies and Rob who now goes by green grass (he's always so happy and notes the grass is always greener on the other side so it fits!) at the local restaurant for a grilled chicken sandwich. We drank at the brewery and met other hikers just getting into town at the Lazy Hiker brewery. What a great night! A trail angel from Montana bought five of us beers in good faith that we'd make it to Katahdin! Hopefully! The people in Franklin are amazing.I took another shower for the hell of it and dried out my tent. I want to take this time to talk about the trail legend named Squatch! Squatch is a southbound hiker who has probably finished the trail by now. North bounders talk about him with a sort of stigma and legend surrounding his name. He is a beast. I passed him a few days ago as I peaked a mountain and he called me bubba. I feel honored. At the moment I had no idea who he was but soon learned. He is a man who wears only a loin cloth and hoodie. His thighs are massive and people say he hiked south in the snow of the northeast. He has been known to just carry a box of frosted flakes and peanut butter through the 100 mile wilderness where you are advised to carry at least 10 days of food through the desolate part of Maine. He rolls into camp, demasculates everyone there then continues on as his legend grows. What a story to pass along! Not sure it is all true but definitely fun to think about! The next Journal update will hopefully be within the next week!
Date: 2018-03-24
From: Franklin, NC

To: Wayah Bald Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning I woke up to more free pancakes. According to the Baptist Church, if we were staying another day in Franklin, we were EXPECTED to be back for breakfast. They didn't have to tell me twice! I rode the shuttle which we made into a clown car and we unloaded for all you can eat!After breakfast, we went back to the hostel and prepared our packs for the 9am shuttle. Jumping on the shuttle, everyone was pumped and excited to get back on the trail even in the sprinkling rain. Our shuttle stopped at Rock Gap where we had left off and before we could comprehend the drastic change from society to our reality, we were back in the woods hiking the trail we had become so accustomed to already.The day went on extremely slowly. Rain came off and on and the temperature was hovering around 40. I hiked for hours looking like a cross between the Michelin Man and the Jolly Green Giant wearing a poncho that covered me to my knees while also draping over my pack. I went over the top of Wayah Bald which is a mountain with a grassy top. Signs noted it could be from either insects, drought, disease, fire or settlers who cleared it. Either way, I followed the trail and had no views as the summit was socked in.Just past the summit a few miles I arrived at the Wayah Bald Shelter which was filling up quick. I claimed a spot in the shelter as other hikers came in. Many set up tents but rain was in the forecast for roughly 7pm so more of the latecomers opted for shelter space. Almost promptly at 7pm the rain began as I struggled to hang a bear bag. My rope kept getting caught in the tree and I cursed myself for not hanging it earlier before the rain. Typically I do chores as soon as I get to camp in order to relax and socialize during the evening. I finally got it after some crazy mcgeivering and hung around for the remainder of the night before having one of the best sleeps of the night! Town is tiring!P.S: thank you for all the comments on my guest book! Unfortunately I have no way to respond to them directly but I read every one of them! Thank you for the support! I invite you all to look at my photo section as well to check out some of my pictures and see examples of the shelters, trail life, and beautiful scenery which I love photographing!
Date: 2018-03-26
From: The NOC

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The climb out of the NOC required us to gain roughly 4700' in elevation over the course of 6 miles. This called for the iPod. I plugged in, put my head down and pushed through the climb. The wind was blowing and the temperature was low so moving was our primary attack at staying warm which benefited us greatly for this climb. We hit another bald peak and the temperature slowly began to rise as the sun got higher! Another nice day!Green Grass was cruising and by the time I reached Stecoah Gap, he had wizzed right by. I sat for lunch at the gap with a group of other hikers who said that Green Grass had indeed come by and described him as the "energetic Brit who was dancing with his poles in the air." That sounded like him!I met Train Wreck who was a hiker not much older than myself who had fallen down a mountain, gotten a weird rash and broken a trekking poles all within the first few miles of the Springer approach trail. Sounded like his name fitted him haha.We rolled into Brown Fork Gap Shelter really early and hung out. Armor was here and began building a fire. Once a fire is built, everyone there stays and most hikers coming in smell the smoke and divert course to stay at that shelter. We had a great night and Shiver, Honey Bun and Soothe Sayer reunited with us here later that afternoon! Our mini Tramily was back together!
Date: 2018-03-27
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: few clouds

Today we all planned on a very short day over fairly easy terrain. A rough 12 miles allowed us a late start and the opportunity to resupply on food in Fontana Village when we arrived. I hiked the mileage fairly quickly and enjoyed the views of the dam and lake that had been created. We arrived at the Fontana "Hilton" early. It's literally noted as the Hilton in our guidebooks and someone took the liberty to create a wooden sign saying the same thing. It's essentially a huge shelter with access to bathroom facilities and a shower. Crazy luxury for us hiker trash!Green Grass and I claimed our spots inside and planned our trip to town. We got a $3 shuttle ride in and quickly raided the tiny country store in town. Prices were alright except Green Grass accidentally bought two packages of beef jerky each $14. $30 on jerky is crazy but it was an accident!We walked around the corner to the local gas station and got the last of their nachos with chili on top. The town is TINY! And nothing else was available. We loitered outside devouring our food and waiting for the shuttle. We arrived back at the Hilton overlooking the lake and enjoyed a 6 pack of beer we had bought in town. The rest of the night included charging our phones in a secret outlet in the bathroom, maintaining a terrible fire and hanging out with the 30 or so other hikers as we drank beer an enjoyed the night. The next day we would hike into the infamous Smoky Mountains!
Date: 2018-03-31
To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 23.4
Weather: broken clouds

Waking up on the ground of a one bedroom hotel room with five other hikers surrounding you is a rare and disorienting feeling but any decent sleep is worth it. Running water becomes a huge commodity when you normally have to filter everythingWe made a quick breakfast in the room, scrounged around for our gear then called a ride from the same guy that brought us down into Gatlinburg. He picked us up at 815am and we were on the mountain by 9. Surrounded once again by the crisp mountain air we had failed to reintegrate our bodies to the temperature outside before stepping out of the extremely hot car. The three of us stood there shaking back in reality. We each hiked at our own pace for the day enjoying the minimal climbs and beautiful picturesque ridge lines that define what many think of the smokies. The day started off cold with ice covered trees and wind but turned into a 50 degree day with sun that we were lucky to enjoy. 23 consistent miles ended at the Cosby Knob Shelter where Green grass and I tented while Soothe Sayer stayed in the shelter. We all arrived by 630 and enjoyed the remaining day and hopes of sleeping well in our tents under the bright moon. We ate well, chatted with a new group of hikers then settled down in our respective beds for the night by 8 for a long and restful night.
Date: 2018-04-01
To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: scattered clouds

After a long, fast day yesterday, green grass, soothe Sayer and myself all started the morning out slow. We got up around normal time because it's tough to avoid rising with the sun. We embraced the hiker hobble around camp and enjoyed the sun shining on us once again.I managed to wolf down 1000 calories in breakfast alone! 450 in Pop tarts and 550 in a honey bun! Amazing! I packed up my tent, planned out my day and vowed for a slow hike. The interior of my right ankle had started to hurt by the end of the day yesterday and I wanted to nurse it without over exerting myself again.I made it out of camp around 9 (late for my standards!) And made the roughly 8mile trek out to the northern boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains. The sun shine and the temperature remained around 55-60 all day! Towards the bottom near Davenport Gap I ran into three horses with their owners! They were volunteers trimming the brush above our heads. I got to pet the horses my favorite being Boomer. Horses are not typically allowed on the AT but they were an exception.The hike continued and as I neared Davenport Gap I ran into an Easter egg hunt! After all it was Easter! I grabbed a few eggs before making my way into the small gathering of trail magic below. We had all officially hike through the 75miles of the smokies and two wonderful women had brought sodas, chips, candy and most importantly fruit to the gap for hikers to enjoy! What a treat! I devoured food. More than you're probably thinking then hiked a few more miles down hill.The climb uphill began once more as I went under NC I-40 and passed a variety of hikers and vacationers and roamed the realities of the real world looking like a lost soul on the side of the road as people started at my appearance and smelt my stench.I climbed another mile until hiking 100 yards off trail to standing bear hostel. This place was literally heaven. They have treehouses you can stay in, resupply, showers and best of all-- a creek runs right through their property perfect for me to soak my aching feet! I couldn't help but stay and I payed for a bunkhouse and a pizza with beer to hangout by the fire. I enjoyed great conversation with the 15 or so other hikers staying and got a chance to catch up with family, look over pictures and charge my phone while performing everyday tasks like filling water, throwing out trash and resupplying. It was a great night and rejuvenated me for tomorrow and the multi day hike into hot springs, NC.
Date: 2018-04-02
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up at Standing Bear Hostel in an old rustic barn to the sound of a Rooster! It was amazing. We all slowly trickled out into the kitchen area where coffee was brewing. I had a wonderful cup with cream and sugar, a plain bagel with cream cheese toasted and of course-- a poptart! It was a wonderful morning for sure. We slowly packed our bags and Soothe Sayer, Shiver, Honey Bun and I all planned on doing 15 miles and sleeping at Roaring Fork Shelter. We had some substantial climbs ahead of us and I continued to nurse my ankle. We all set out at different times knowing we all have different paces. The day was gorgeous with overcast skies and 60 degree temperatures.We climbed up to Snowbird Mountain which was our first chance to look back at the daunting smokies. Continuing on we eventually reached Max Patch. This is a popular day hike for many so we chatted with many locals as we crested the top of this grassy, bald Mountain. On top, Honey Bun and I got our pictures taken by a nice man then layed on the grass avoiding the winds for an hour or so. It was a wonderful break. We tried our luck at "Yogi-ing" which is when thru-hikers attempt to sound desperate for food around day hikers in hopes of scoring some good treats we haven't had in a while. We made great conversation with some nice people but we definitely aren't cut out for begging and didn't score anything.On the remaining 2 miles of our hike we enjoyed the views of farms and mountains in the distance. I rolled into the shelter around 3pm and was able to grab a nice tenting spot. Everyone is excited to be out of the smokies and able to camp at their own will so tent sites filled up way quicker than the shelter. Hikers continued to roll in and both filled up eventually.I set up tent, enjoyed the afternoon sun and began eating around 530pm. Two wonderful hikers (one of which had hiked south from PA) had brought a bag of wine and apples. They shared both with us and I hung out drinking red wine and eating a delicious gala apple. Healthy food! I went into bed early in preparation for the 18 miles hike tomorrow into Hot Springs, NC to enjoy a night off and a zero the next day. Oh and a shower+laundry because I smell horrible.