morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-03-19
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: light rain

The morning was pleasant as I rolled out before Survuvorman, although the clouds threatened, but did not deliver, rain. I got to the Fontana Dam shelter, known as the Hilton due to its size and oroximity to a bathroom with showers, to find Fresh Ground cooking lunch. After a massive lunch with the folks, we all went our own way. Columbus, Queen, Survivorman, Bismarck, Hopper, and Sir Laughs a Lot went to lodging, while Dinosaur and I went into the village for resupply. I picked up my mail, then did internet things in the general store until I caught a ride back with Fresh Ground and the four hikers I'd met before Grassy Gap the day before yesterday. Apparently they caught a ride from Stecoah.Anyway, dinner was great. The british fellow and his son were there, as well as the four hikers, Dinosaur, Stakes and Cliffwalker, an Australian girl named Bean Dip, and several others. Right good time, let me tell you, just shooting the breeze 'round the fire. I had a shower, then went to bed, although sleep was disturbed by a couple of very low-flying aircraft.
Date: 2014-03-20
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

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

Rolling out of bed to Fresh Grounds breakfast is a good way to start the day, and I got some cloth taoe for my feet, which felt pretty good. I left full of omelette and potatoes and bacon, and hiked up to the boundary of the Smokies only to realize that I'd forgotten to date my permit.I ended up whittling my pencil from my first aid kit sharp before Quickstep came up behind me and we discovered that there was a pen in the box. Yep, I'm an idiot.Anyway, the climb up Shuckstack, while long, wasn't bad, and it had some great views. I ate lunch with Dinosaur, Beandip, Quickstep, and an older couple named Grasshopper and Runaway at Shuckstack Firetower after climbing to the tower to take pictures of where I was and where I'll be.After lunch, I went on up to Mollies' Ridge to find Quickstep there with Fun Size. After waffling a bit on staying or going, I decided to stay with the group, as all hikers named decided to stick around. As the ridge is supposedly haunted by a woman who froze to death searching for her lover, it was ghost story time. I retold an Edgar Allen Poe short story titled "Metzengerstein", which would have been better had Grasshopper not been unable to zip herself into her sleeping bag and busted out laughing right in the middle--which is seriously what happened. Ah well. Such is a storyteller's lot.
Date: 2014-03-21
From: Mollies' Ridge Shelter

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

I woke up at 7:30 and was the last out, at around 9:15. Rocky Top had great views and was a good lunch spot, although coming down it was a pain in the neck. When I got to Derrick Jnob, I found two pairs of hiking buddies, Nordo and Radar and Glitter and April, who Fun Size wanted to meet and arrived in time to. The rest of the previous shelter crew came in until 6:30, when Grasshopper and Runaway arrived. Still a good time.
Date: 2014-03-22
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I got an early start this morning for the long march up Clingman's, which had a good view but was a little hazy. There weren't a lot of people, as the road up was still closed to vehicles, but it was still fun talking with day hikers.Anyway, Mt. Collins had a couple of section hikers there, but the crew from the last two shelters still all fit. I am eagerly anticipating Gatlinburg.
Date: 2014-03-23
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Icewater Springs
Miles today: 7.5

I got an early start into a dripping forest before everyone else, and realized that someone in the Smokies can't count, because at the trail it says it's half a mile to the shelter, but at the shelter it's three-tenths of a mile to the trail. I met some Scouts from Indiana who were hiking, and I had a moment of nostalgia as I remembered when my old troop tried to hike to Clingman's. Heh.Anyway, I tried to hitch a ride into Gatlinburg at Newfound, but the only person who offered was going to Cherokee. Quickstep, Bean Dip, and Dinosaur arrived, and it was Dinosaur who scored us a hitch with a girl named Kelsey who was traveling from California to North Carolina to take care of her father. Fun Size pushed on.I got dropped at the NOC outpost in town, left my stuff there, then walked over to the KFC across the street for wifi and electronics recharge. After that, I proceeded to have adventures in Gatlinburg as I searched for bagels. While doing this, I called my parents to reassure them that I was okay, as my SPOT apparently hadn't worked for a few days.Anyway, after having to go clear across town, I made it back to the NOC sometime after 5, then started hiking up the road trying to hitch a ride. At the visitor's centet, I met one guy who would've given me a ride, but wasn't going over Newfound, and another guy who would've been willing but had his family with him. About 10 minutes before I was about to go back to Gatlinburg in defeat, a local came by in a pickup truck, asked me where I was going, then told me to jump in the back. So, I made the ride up to Newfound getting a backwards look at everything.I got into Icewater by 8, and, although it was inhabited, there was still room.
Date: 2014-03-24
From: Icewater Springs

To: Tri-corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: few clouds

I got some food from a pair of section hikers named Andrew and Christy at breakfast--brownies packed with coffee and protein powder. I also got some snack food from them at break time,although I lost them when I lunched at Eagle Rock. I got into the shelter at 4:00, where arrived Zeno, the Machine, Snorlax, Dinosaur, Bean Dip, Radar, Nordo, Red Beard, Professor Turtle, and a ridiculously blond half swedish half german named Ginko.Zeno was named after the paradox thereof, and was somewhat gratified to find someone who actually knew about the philosopher. Anyway, it was fun listening to Red Beard and Professor Turle talking about hiking while Dinosaur and Ginko talked of Germany in German. Then, after we got into bed, I retold "Metzengerstein" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", both of which were well recieved.
Date: 2014-03-25
From: Tri-corner Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

Woke up in the morning to snow and cold, which meant that I had a slow start. It was a bit of a time, pushing through the snow, which blew fierce more than once. I took lunch at Cosby Knob Shelter with Radar and Nordo, who decided to put in to Newport for a hotel. I made it to Davenport Gap at 4 and found no one I knew and lots of cold, so I decided to push on to Standing Bear. Within half a mile I found no snow on the ground and pleasant temperatures, and while it was a bit of a climb up from the interstate, it wasn't too bad. I ended up getting the last bunk in the house to find almost everyone from Tricorner there, in addition to Midnight Sparkle, Fun Size, and Survivorman. A fellow named Rocket was managing the place for Clive Owen, the other--and Rocket is...a character, let me tell ya.The shower was running out of hot water when I got to it, which was bad but survivable, the library was decent, and the table conversation in the kitchen was pretty good. The laundry was a little primitive, but no matter. The bunkhouse was wood-stove heated, and I slept warm. Right good feeling.
Date: 2014-03-26
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: clear sky

I woke to the sound of a rooster crowing, and I'm not sure whether it was recorded or live. I was the last to roll out due to cooking breakfast and trying to dry out boots, although this meant I was in a position to eat some of Plan B's extra food. Snorlax, Red Beard, and two section hikers decided to zero, while Bean Dip came in as I left. The climb out was a bit arduous, although the view at the end wasn't bad. I planned to take lunch at Deep Gap Shelter, but managed to mistake a trail to water a tenth of a mile before for the shelter trail--stupid.The trail was snowy and slushy and muddy practically the whole day, and getting up Max Patch was a pain in the neck. Fortunately, someone left some trail magic in the gap before--just some Cherry Coke and seaweed, but it was free. View from Max Patch was gorgeous, though.I ended up taking the last slot in Roaring Fork shelter with the rest of the crew.
Date: 2014-03-27
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

I woke to frozen boots and a cold as ice morning, which meant I had to convince myself to get out of my sleeping bag, which meant a late start. I broke and watered at Walnut Mountain Shelter, which is a terrible one, and lunched on Bluff Mountain, which was a nice spot for it.I hiked with Survivorman from there to Glenfor Gap, where along the way we met a group of weekend hikers who were aiming for Damascus is a few days. One of them was from Florida--as you can imagine, he was not enthused about the snow, although the day was warm--which meant slush and mud going down the mountain and up the mountain.By the time I got to Deer Park, the shelter was full, so I set up my tent, as did Survivorman. About twenty minutes afterward, however, Quickstep and Dinosaur pulled out, as they were creeped out by this guy who was obviously not a backpacker--his food was in a water jug and a trash bag, and he seemed a little strange. On the other hand, he gave me Slim Jims.Anyway, I tried to plan to meet BCM at Trimpi Gap in 18 days, and came to the conclusion that it would be possible, if difficult. Meantime, my fuel was uncooperative, so I borrowed a Jet Boil from Tuesday and Whiffle to cook supper. Once I placed it in the warmer I brought, I passed the time by reading Song of Solomon.The main narrators are--enthusiastic.
Date: 2014-03-28
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: light rain

I woke up early to beat the predicted rain, although I didn't really need to, then trucked into Hot Springs after eating a light breakfast. Survivorman, myself, and another fellow had second breakfast there after talking with Fun Size outside.There I met back up with Joules and Canary, and found out that Sun Bear and Grease had gone night hiking.I got into Elmer's Sunnybank Inn to find that Elmer tilts so far left that he's almost horizontal and that I was confused about my maildrop. Turned out it was at Bluff Mtn. Outfitters, so all was well.I tried to use the laundromat, but there was no one to get detergent from. On a happier note, I hung out at Hiker's Ridge Ministries with the woman who runs the place, whose name is Queen Diva, along with One Day, Dinosaur, and Snorlax, and assorted others.Apparently Hot Springs is in the poorest county in North Carolina--it shows, particularly in their library, which I went to at 2:30 to work on questions for the National History Bowl Tournament. I left there at 5:30 to drop off my stuff that I'd picked up at Bluff Mountain at the Inn, then went down to Spring Creek Tavern for supper. Most everyone was there, and we had a right good time, as Red Beard had brought his wife, and several of us stayed for hours, talking, eating, and listening to some live music. I spent some time weather-checking and hike-planning before I went back to the inn at 10 to have the best night's sleep I'd had in weeks and to finish recharging things.
Date: 2014-03-29
From: Hot Springs

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

After settling up with Elmer, I went over to the Smoky Mountain Diner for breakfast again, where I met and ate with Grasshopper and Runaway and Bismarck and Hopper, as well as a long section hiker named No Poles. Getting out of town took longer than expected, as I had some issues refueling at the outfitter and getting questions off for the History Bowl at Hikers¢ Ridge, so I left around noon. The climb out of town was a pain in the neck, but it wasn¢t really bad until I took a fall going downhill that ended with my left foot under me and my right leg extended and then it started raining about a half mile before the shelter. Then, when I got there, the shelter platform was full to bursting, so I slept under the platform, as I did not want to have a wet tent or bag when the snow hit, as the forecast said.
Date: 2014-03-30
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

It was cold and wet out, and there was snow on the ground, and I didn¢t get out ¢til around 10. It felt bitter cold for the first thirty minutes or so because of the wind, but once I got out of that it was okay, at least until the snow started falling off the trees around 11. I started kicking myself when I saw the sign for Hemlock Hollow Hostel a few miles up the trail. I took lunch at Little Laurel Shelter, and ended up slogging through snow and slush and mud the entire afternoon except for the trail up Firescald Knob, which had a lovely view despite being quite rugged. When I got to Jerry Cabin Shelter, which was full well before I arrived, I set up my tent on snow. ¢Twas there that I found Blazes¢ name was now Haiku. I must confess to having been in a bad mood for much of the day, due to the cold, the wind, and leaving all of my friends behind in Hot Springs. Also, I went to sleep with cold feet.
Date: 2014-03-31
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 24.8
Weather: clear sky

It was a right cold morn, and my boots were frozen solid. After I finally got them on, I talked a bit with Sharp Knife and Hiccup, a couple from Illinois, and a fellow from Hoover named John, although he hadn¢t lived there for a while. I had lunch at Flint Mountain with Sharp Knife and Hiccup, then pushed on to Hogback, which I got to at 5 to find full. While I could¢ve set up my tent, I met Pack Rat again there, who planned to night hike up to Big Bald. So, I ate supper, then hiked up to Big Bald with Pack Rat. While the view wasn¢t as good in the night as in the daytime, seeing the lights of the Tri-Cities area and Erwin was quite lovely. Anyway, I didn¢t get into Bald Mountain Shelter ¢til midnight, which fortunately was not full, as the ground was not fit to tent on.
Date: 2014-04-01
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Erwin
Miles today: 16.4

I didn¢t start until 9:00, but found out I¢d caught up with several people I knew, such as Joules and Canary. I found out that Pack Rat had moved past the shelter when I saw his hammock on the way down the mountain, and had lunch at No Business Knob with Baird and Dragonborn, who got her name due to her Skyrim obsession. Unfortunately, I got to Uncle Johnny¢s Nolichucky Hostel 30 minutes late for the shuttle into town, but I caught a ride with a dayhiker to the all you can eat KFC. I ended up eating with Gandalf, Rockfish, and Two Putts for a bit, and then proceeded to walk halfway through Erwin in the dark trying to get a ride back until I caught a ride with Anna, an evangelist who wanted to go to Africa but who felt God calling her to Erwin. I was glad I was the one looking for a ride instead of some of my compatriots, as she did casually drop the fact that she was called in for exorcisms into the conversation.
Date: 2014-04-02
From: Erwin

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: light rain

I caught the morning shuttle to Erwin to get breakfast and bagels, and didn¢t end up leaving ¢til 12. This did not concern me overmuch, however, as I knew that Fresh Ground was at Indian Grave Gap, about 10 miles from Erwin. I broke at Curley Maple Gap, then went through a controlled burn area, then ate too much at Fresh Ground¢s and got my knife caught in a tree using it as a bear bag rope weight. Fortunately, Rambles was able to get it out. It was a good crew there¢One Day, Fun Size, Haiku, Sun Bear, Grease, Canary, Joules, Ramble, Wrong Leg, Journeyman, and Whiffle and Tuesday.
Date: 2014-04-03
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: overcast clouds

As I heard it was going to rain early, I got up early, almost in enough time to get everything packed before the rain hit. I ate, used the bathroom, then left in the rain, which stopped right before Beauty Spot Gap. Apparently some locals attempted to rob some hikers there¢unfortunately for the would-be robbers, or so I was told, one of them was a Marine. The bald had a good view of Roan Mountain, where I would be in a couple of days, and I had to go again at Deep Gap, muttering about collard greens the entire time. I then went up Unaka Mountain, which had a lovely spruce forest on top, then took lunch at Cherry Gap Shelter with Fun Size and One Day. Moving on from there, I found myself confused as to where Greasy Creek Gap was, which was odd, considering that there is a hostel about a mile down. While I wasn¢t planning on staying there, the gap was a good landmark. I got to the shelter, where Four Fingers¢John from Hoover¢Pickles, Ice Cold, and My Way were staying, and eventually everyone from Fresh Grounds except Rambles came in. Four Fingers had decided to sling his hammock in the shelter across the entrance to the main sleeping area, which was a massive pain in the tail for everyone.
Date: 2014-04-04
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

I woke up and got out early, and proceeded to climb up a brutal pointless up before Hughes Gap, where I met a couple of weekend hikers and heard that there was a thunderstorm coming in that day. However, the pointless up before Hughes Gap made the climb up Roan a bit more bearable, at least until I came up after dipping into Ash Gap. It started raining from the moment I hit the top of the mountain, and so, fearing the storm, I hurried on down the mountain. There were several places I couldn¢t really hurry, though, due to there being ice on the trail, in one place for nearly a hundred yards. The rain stopped when I got to Carver, so I took a brief rest there and swung out over the balds with my pack cover still on. I had a bit of a time trying to keep the pack cover on, however, as the wind was blowing hard enough to push me off the trail, much less the cover off my pack. I finally ended up tying the thing on, and swung into Overmountain Shelter, a converted barn near the route the ¢Overmountain Men¢ took to destroy Patrick Ferguson¢s Loyalists at King¢s Mountain, around 4:00. I know that middle bit because there¢s now a trail that follows said route, known as the ¢Overmountain Victory Trail,¢ and it crosses the AT at the shelter turnoff, and there are historical markers there. That¢s a trail to add to the list. Anyway, most everyone from Clyde Smith came in, with the exceptions of Four Fingers and Journeyman. Sun Bear and Grease had a fun time trying to explain the theory of relativity and why FTL travel is impossible to One Day, and everyone else had fun listening.
Date: 2014-04-05
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 18.0

Yet another cold morning in the mountains. I had stove trouble, so I had cold instant grits¢ugh¢then had a windy and foggy hike up Little Hump and Hump Mountains, which are both balds. However, things got warmer and calmer as I went down Hump, and I had a nice hike to the Tennessee border as I left North Carolina for the last time. Coming down from the border, which is at the end of a clearing known as Doll Flats, I met a large party of Boy Scouts¢around 30 or so¢clambering up the long climb from Highway 19. I was not overly impressed with their organization¢I met members of the troop for twenty minutes going down that mountain, with the least fit of the dads bringing up the rear. This struck me as a very bad idea, although there were a couple of scouts every five minutes or so waiting for people.I got trail magic at 19 from Sawgood, a fellow who¢d tried to make the hike before but got off due to life stuff. Either way, I got a chicken salad sandwich and a Coke, and was joined by a Sobo named Bartender, who got a sandwich and a Sprite. The grade was a bit uneven going up and out of the gap, with some parts being very gradual and others being nearly straight up the hill¢it did not help that the day was considerably warmer than it had been recently. I took a light lunch at Buck Mountain Baptist Church, then swung down into the Elk River valley. Right lovely spot. I got into Mountaineer Shelter to find¢much to my and their surprise¢Kaylee and her mother, now known as Half Moon and Mama Bear, as well as Live ¢n Learn, Handsome/Dapper Dan, and a Sobo named Boots. Interesting fellow. Good to see folks again.
Date: 2014-04-06
From: Mountaineer Shelter

To: Kincora Hiking Hostel
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

: I got an early start and had snacks for breakfast, then struck out for Kincora hostel, stopping only for lunch at Moreland Gap Shelter. Now Kincora is an interesting spot, as Bob Peoples, the owner, has been running it on donations for a couple of decades now, and it and he have become trail legends--which is appropriate, since he got the name for it from the hall I had some misadventures with a frozen pizza I found in the fridge, as did a fellow hiker named Rambo¢they weren¢t labeled, but it turned out they belonged to someone. However, most everyone from Mountaineer except for Sun Bear and Grease came in, as well as a couple named Cheeseburger and Baggy, so the times were good. There was also a bit of a problem at the Food Lion at Elizabethton that Bob shuttled us to, as I ordered some food at the caf© and it did not come out until it was near time to go¢partially my fault, as I ordered later than I should have, but it also got finished later than I was told.Anyway, we¢d made plans for supper, so we all chipped in a few bucks and ended up with chicken alfredo cooked by half moon and a right good salad provided by Rambo, and we spent the night merrily. I¢ll be hanged if I¢d trade that for most anything.
Date: 2014-04-07
From: Kincora Hiking Hostel

To: Kincora Hiking Hostel
Miles today: 8.6

Had grits for breakfast, and, in an effort to avoid getting caught in a thunderstorm, slackpacked with my pack from Highway 321 over Pond Mountain and into Laurel Falls and then back to Kincora. I met Sun Bear, Grease, Haiku, and Blink on the way down Pond Mountain, and found the falls to be beautiful and the weather much better than expected. When we got back to Kincora, Bob shuttled some of us to Brown¢s in Hampton, which had a limited selection, but it did for us. I replaced the pizza, as the one I¢d eaten had come from there, cooked up the mac ¢n cheese from my supply box for whoever wanted some, and settled in for another good night. Fun Size dipped out to spend a few days with her fianc©.During that night, Bob explained some of the stories about local animosity towards hikers, which has included hanging fish hooks at eye level and vandalizing cars parked on Highway 19. Apparently, when the Forest Service took over a lot of the land the trail now goes through in the 70s, they took over an area that the local sheriffs wouldn't enter. The resultant dispossessed locals took it out on the hikers, but the animosity has decrease over the years as the dispossessed ones died or were mollified by things like Bob getting a bunch of hikers to save a farmer's sorghum crop from freezing.