morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-04-10
From: Newfound Gap

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 0.0

As mentioned, I'm taking a zero day in Gatlinburg, TN., primarily for a day and a half of rest, and to do a light food resupply. I should be through the Smokey's in 3 more days, but I'm packing food for 4 days in case bad weather holds me up somewhere. I've been told the Smokey's are easier after Clingmans Dome, but we shall see.Ok so. Gatlinburg. I've been trying to figure out how to describe this place for a day and a half, and I think I've got it: If you built a town around a traveling carnival, you'd have Gatlinburg. It's sort of like Branson, but that's not quite the vibe I get from this place. It's very easy to get a ride INTO Gatlinburg, but difficult to get out. Fortunately, there is a gigantic NOC here, and they shuttle hikers back to the trailhead. Possibly for free, or possibly for a small fee. I'll know more about it tomorrow morning. I have yet to walk into the NOC and not spend money, so hopefully it's a "free" ride. A word about town days. Yeah, we call 'em zero days, but in reality, I probably walk 2-5 miles while doing chores (laundry, resupply, etc.). The zero goes by quite quickly. While the feel of this town is somewhat odd, the food here is awesome, and I've eaten a lot of it. And I do mean a lot. I've probably taken in somewhere around 6000 calories since I've been here, but what's sick is I'll be in a calorie deficit in less than 2 days hiking (I have dreams about bang bang shrimp tacos). Overall though, I feel pretty well. This damn foot only hurts when I lay around, or walk around tourist-trap towns in Crocs. When I'm on the trail, I don't have any major pain complaints. Aches and pains, sure. But not game ending pains. My gas stove ran out of fuel while cooking the other day. I expected it, and had a replacement canister to change it out. Without thinking, I unscrewed the stove from the canister and burnt the skin off my index finger. The crazy thing is, it didn't hurt at all, and two days later there wasn't even a mark where I'd burned myself. I actually saw my skin sizzling on the support arm of the stove, so I know it was NASA hot. Interesting too, all of my toes are numb. Some hikers will tell you the trail will heal...I'm back to hiking tomorrow, and I'm going to try to hold off on zeroing until Hot Springs, NC. In case you're wondering, I'm basically hiking on the border of TN/NC and will weave in and out of both states until I make it to Damascus, VA., at the 467 mile mark. So a ways to go here yet. Hope to have an updated trail journal in 3-4 days. Thanks to all who are following along!
Date: 2014-04-11
From: Newfound Gap

To: Icewater Spring shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 33Today was a planned short day, on the order of 3 miles. I was indeed getting a free ride out of Gatlinburg, compliments of the NOC, though the shuttle to the trailhead wasn't leaving until after 10am. While the downside was a Nero miles day, the upside was I would be able to hike a few side trails around Icewater Spring shelter. I made the 3 mile climb up to the shelter in about 1.5 hours, including a lengthy break while I chatted with some day hikers from Michigan. There were 2 remarkable highlights to the day, including the Charlie's Bunion loop trail, and the views from the jump off at Mt. Kephart. Both are well worth the time and effort.I took a few pictures from Kephart, though I don't think the pictures capture the vertigo inducing drop off that I experienced. Looking down, it's possible to see straight down into enormous pine trees for at least a mile. Quite impressive, and well worth the hike to see it. Of course, I went without my pack, which made the few miles seem like a cake walk. I'm still surprised by how powerful my legs feel when I'm not carrying the weight of my pack!Tomorrow I'm off for Tri-corner Knob, which looks like favorable terrain for a 12.6 mile day.
Date: 2014-04-12
From: Icewater Spring shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: few clouds

Today's hike went fairly well, with one notably challenging section of trail called "the sawteeth," which is a short length of up and down hiking. Today's target destination was to Tri-corner Knob, and to illustrate the danger of hiking in the Smokey's, I'll mention that someone died here last year from hypothermia. As the story goes, the weather was favorable during the day, only to give way to rain and snow later that evening. I spoke with a few locals who knew the story, who told me there were 6 foot drifts of snow the morning after. Apparently, the deceased was found outside his sleeping bag, stripped down to his base layer. Allegedly, it took park rangers a full week to recover his body. It's a great place to hike, as long as you're prepared for the unpredictable weather.Fortunately for me, the weather was perfect, if not a little hot, on the day I hiked this section. I've been hiking with a group of people who seem to have been hiking together for a while. Interestingly, it's been a unique experience meeting new groups (what we might call "bubbles") of hikers. New hiker bubbles seem a little clique-ish to me, and acceptance into a new bubble is not automatic or guaranteed. For the most part however, the people I've met in new bubbles are polite and friendly. Tomorrow I'll be doing my biggest mileage day yet. Primarily because I'm ready to be out of the GSMP and its associated rules, and also because my permit for being in the Smokey's will expire soon. Looks like another full house in the shelter again. I'd rather tent, but tenting spots are not the best here. Glad I got here at a reasonable time.
Date: 2014-04-13
From: Tri-Corner Knob shelter

To: Davenport Gap shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: few clouds

Today's hike was a scheduled 14.8 miles, which is roughly two miles from the northern border of the park, and out of the Smokey's. When I say I'm "out" of the Smokey's, what i really mean to say is I'm out of the national park. I'm fairly sure I'll still be hiking in the Smokey's for a few more miles. The Smokey's have been an incredible place to hike...and I'll be glad to be leaving the park in less than a day and a half. The emotional and mental highs here have been exquisite, while the lows have been tough.I'd hoped to be packed, and ready to roll around 8am, but for some reason, I wasn't on the trail until close to 9. I've been having a problem with breakfast lately, in that first, I have to force myself to eat it. Then it's a matter of keeping it down, as what typically follows breakfast is an hour of nausea. After I drank a package of Pop-Tarts (they were smashed into tiny fragments), I threw the pack on and hit the road. I've been a little disappointed that I haven't seen much wildlife to this point. I have however, heard several bird calls I've never heard before; seen some interesting red coated squirrels, and a few orange / red salamanders running across the trail. The scenery has more than made up for any other deficiencies, or complaints about the trail, and the weather has been perfect. I think it's safe to say when the weather is good in the Smokey's, one should take full advantage and hike. Probably the prime reason for pushing the miles today is the weather forecast, which is calling for rain (no, really) and lower temperatures. Since I wasn't looking forward to seeing 6 inches of snow on the ground, today was the day to get out. The highlight of today's hike was the long downhill hike, over loose rocks. The downhill sections of trail might cause me more issues than the uphills. The cardiovascular demands of downhill hiking are slight, and I can hike downhill indefinitely. Or until my knees explode. I skipped the Mt. Crammerer summit because it was getting late. Looking back, I sort of regret not doing the 1.2 mile loop trail, because other people told me the views were great. I'm fairly sure I'll be back again some day to catch that view.
Date: 2014-04-14
From: Davenport Gap shelter

To: Green Corner Rd. Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 3.6

I decided to take a Nero, and do a 3 mile day. This to facilitate an overnight stay at standing bear farm. The day before wasn't a hard day, as much as it was long, and my knees were definitely sore from the long downhill hike out of the Smokey's. A word about Standing Bear Farm: I'd been told by a number of people to avoid stopping there. I won't go into all the reasons behind this piece of advice, though I'd already decided I was stopping there. First, I was ready for a bed and a shower after completing the Smokey's, and second, I needed a light food resupply before heading into Hot Springs, NC. The trail guide reports Standing Bear Farm is 1 mile of the trail on a gravel road. What it doesn't say is that most of that mile is uphill. I clearly remember being a little annoyed while completing this mile, and when I talked to other hikers about it, I discovered I wasn't the only one who felt that way. I'm guessing the common denominator was we were all tired, hungry, and dirty after coming out of the Smokey's, and this measly mile was almost an insult. It's a very minor gripe, and one that I'm only half serious about. I only mention it because hikers like to complain about small things sometimes! As I was walking into the Standing Bear "complex," I saw all of my day one bubble sitting on a porch outside one of the cabins: SuperFeet, Barnacles, Naffles, Meticulous, Dirt Bag, and Tuna. Actually, I was looking for the office of this place when SuperFeet yelled out my name while standing in the outdoor shower. It's difficult to express how happy I was to see these guys. It's remarkable, the fast bond that forms between people when exposed to hardship and pain. On the flip side, we've had the good fortune to see nature at its finest too.As it was, the rest of the bubble, excluding me and a newcomer, Bear (immediately accepted in this group) were leaving that afternoon. Of course, we all talked over a few beers for a few hours, before the rest of the gang threw on their packs and headed out.Bear and I continued to drink beer, and promised to catch up with everyone over the next day or so. These plans were complicated by unfavorable weather reports, including the possibility of temperatures in the low teens with rain and snow in the mountains. Bear and I discussed the impending weather at length, and vowed that no matter what, we were pushing off in the morning.
Date: 2014-04-15
From: Green Corner Rd. Standing Bear Farm

To: Green Corner Rd. Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 0.0

At 930, I was packed, ready to roll, and had my pack on my back. I was standing outside the bunkhouse at Standing Bear Farm watching dark clouds roll across the sky. One of the proprietors of the hostel advised us that it was going to start snowing around noon, but due to clear off around 4 pm. Bear came out of his tent around 10, wearing his pack and ready to go. When he asked if I was ready, I told him I wasn't going. I could tell he was little irritated, and I explained my logic: If it's 23 degrees at 1700 feet (our present elevation) then it's going to be at least 10 degrees colder at 5000 feet (our target elevation). Bear already knew all of this of course, but I was doing my best to sell him on NOT leaving warm and sheltered and into the unknown. He reluctantly agreed.Zeroing here was actually a painful decision for me; I didn't want to. I felt ready to go, and wanted to hike with my bubble. So, I sat around Standing Bear, pouting and drinking beer until about noon, when it started to snow. Bear appeared outside with a beer in his hand, and toasted to a well-played zero. Similar to the weather situation back in Franklin, if there was any doubt about making the right decision in not going, we saw a steady stream of hikers coming off the mountain into Standing Bear, looking pretty beat up. I'm guessing the hostel played host to around 35 hikers that night. From people sleeping on floors, and jammed into tight quarters, Standing Bear became a popular place.Personally, I enjoyed my stay there, despite warnings to avoid it. It's a unique place with a laid back feeling, and contrary to other opinions, the owners and management were accommodating and friendly. Now the bad news: It can get expensive staying there, particularly if you have a taste for beer and frozen pizzas. The trail guide suggests that resupplying here is "reasonably" priced, and I suppose that's true for some items. Resupplying a couple of days worth of food wasn't terribly expensive. However, eating microwaved food, frozen pizzas, and drinking beer, was expensive. The weather looks good for tomorrow, so this turned out to be a nice, unscheduled break.
Date: 2014-04-16
From: Green Corner Rd. Standing Bear Farm

To: campsite north of Max Patch
Miles today: 13.8

Day 38While it was hard leaving the comforts of Standing Bear Farm, it was time to get back to this whole business of hiking. The trek today featured a nice 4.5 mile uphill hike to start the morning. There was still a little snow on the trail, though the temperature was just right for hiking--about 38 degrees. The reward for making it to the top of the first climb was trail magic. Apple (I forgot where he's from) had a large tent-like shelter set up, complete with a full sized Coleman cooking stove, several folding chairs, and a cooler stocked with sodas and water. Apple was gracious enough to offer me a cup of (real) coffee, a 600 calorie sticky bun, and an Orange Crush. Thank you, Apple! And, I'm not sure how this happened, because I'm certainly not the fastest hiker, but I made the 4.5 mile climb in an hour and 45 minutes, with one 45 second break for the lungs! Granted, the trail featured favorable switchbacks, and little in the way of rocks and roots. There's an FAA tower at the end of the climb, and another hiker (Big Spoon) explained how it was used for air traffic control. I don't remember all the details, though it sounds like this particular tower was used as a backup, to the more advanced GPS technology. Either way, the Feds had signs posted all over the place advertising the use of deadly force as a penalty for screwing around with the tower. For the record, I just took pictures. Outside the deadly force boundary. Today also took me to Max Patch, a bald at about 4600 feet. Luckily, it was a clear day, which made it possible to see for 90+ miles in any direction. Just before I got to Standing Bear Farm, I met a local lady takin pictures, who told me I should try to tent on Max Patch, but only if the weather permitted. I almost tented there, but the wind gusts and the cold weather forced me to tent about half a mile below Max Patch. It was still a good night to see stars, and I slept with only half of my tents rainfly down. It made for cold sleeping conditions, but not unbearable. Max Patch might qualify as one of the best summit views I've seen so far. Tomorrow I'll be pushing to within striking distance of Hot Springs, NC. It certainly looks like a full day of hiking ahead.
Date: 2014-04-17
From: campsite north of Max Patch

To: Deer Park Mtn shelter
Miles today: 16.1

The thing I remember most about today was making it to a campsite, tossing my pack down, and collapsing on top of it. I don't think the trail offered any new or unique challenges...yes, the standard fare of uphill / downhill hiking, though possibly more down than up today. I did manage to score a nice spot to tent, close to a water source, with only two other hikers in the immediate area. I've pitched my tent so many times now, that setting it up is almost automatic. I count this as a good thing, particularly when you're blind tired. I had a quick dinner of some kind of pasta side (I think broccoli and cheese rice), talked with Bear and Fuzzy for about 30 minutes, and was in bed before 8pm. I've found that I can easily sleep for 10-12 hours after a full day of hiking. Part of sleeping so long is a product of being tired, while another part is having comfortable gear. I had to replace my sleeping pad back in Franklin, and now use the Static V sleeping pad. The Static V is durable, and fairly comfortable, but not as comfortable as the Thermarest NeoAir. Also, the R rating on the Static V is not known, but I don't think it's very high. Briefly, R rating measures how much protection the pad has against ground heat loss. The higher the number, the warmer you'll be. I've had to use my down jacket between my torso and sleeping pad to stay warm. I've tried slipping the pad inside my sleeping bag, but then I can't zip my sleeping bag fully closed, and lose a lot of heat from the bag. I think this will be an excellent sleeping pad when the weather is warm, though I regret not getting the (much heavier) Big Agnes sleeping pad. On another note, I've been reading the shelter logs, and my group of friends are only half a day ahead of me. They report taking a zero in their tents during the bad weather that rolled through while I zero'd at Standing Bear. I should see them tomorrow in Hot Springs. I plan on getting up early enough to hike into town for breakfast. I can wait to eat!
Date: 2014-04-18
From: Deer Park Mtn shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC.
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I didn't get out of my bag until after 9am. I stuck my hand outside my sleeping bag, felt how cold it was outside, and decided to sleep in. Remarkably, I blew up the 3ish miles into Hot Springs, and made it in time to eat a ridiculously large breakfast platter at the Smokey Mountain Diner. When I went to the cashier to pay, I apologized for smelling so bad, and the cashier just laughed. She said, "We've been waiting all winter for you guys!" To which I replied, "We're here. And we're hungry." Hot Springs is a very hiker friendly town. I've mentioned to a few friends outside the hike that hikers are treated wih celebrity status here. I had complete strangers shake my hand, high-five me, and just walk up to me and ask about my hike. In fact, one guy I met walked up to a group of us, and asked a lot of questions about hiking the AT. When I asked what brought him to Hot Springs, he said, "the hikers." He and his family drove from Ohio to see the hikers come into Hot Springs! Of course, I arrived in Hot Springs at the height of hiker season, and there was not a single hotel / motel room available. Hot Springs is a small town. I could stand at one end of Main Street, throw a rock as far as I could, go pick it up, and I'd see the entire town. I asked the owner of one motel if he had any rooms, and he politely told me no. He also told me that I was welcome to sleep on this mobile trailer, which had been converted to a sound stage. I met my entire gang of pals there, who were mostly drinking beer and lounging around. We agreed "the stage" would here forth be known as the Hot Springs shelter. And we did all spend the night there. Never mind the fact we were less than 50 yards from the railroad tracks. And never mind that a train went by every 4 hours. I'm going to take a zero here and hang out with friends, and enjoy the hospitality of this cool little town.
Date: 2014-04-19
From: Hot Springs, NC.

To: Hot Springs, NC.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Before I started this trip, I sat down one night and figured that by day 41, I should be in Damascus, VA. So much for that. I'm probably another 2-3 weeks away from Damascus, and yet I'm not that concerned about how much time I've got left. I still technically have to make it to Maine before the middle of October, but SuperFeet assures us we still have plenty of time. Super thru-hiked in 2005, took 50 zeros, and still made it to Maine in time. The worst thing about zeros is the cost of being in town. This is especially realized in the cost of food. The amount of food I can eat borders on silly. I could easily eat 4 full meals a day, if not more.In health related news, I feel okay. I still think there's an issue with my foot, but I think the pain receptors in my foot finally gave up. Until I go to bed, and then it hurts. Additionally, a new pain has cropped up in my right knee. I don't think it's serious, and I'm content to just monitor it for now. Hot Springs is home to a former thru-hiker, Ronnie. By my account, Ronnie lost his marbles 6 years ago when he hiked into Hot Springs, and never left. Ronnie claims to be Jesus, albeit a beer guzzling version of Jesus. His role also involves speaking in tongues, and offering unsolicited advise on life. I suppose it's possible that Ronnie will throw his pack on one day and finish his hike. But probably not.The rest of the group I like hiking with is leaving tomorrow after a double zero, and I've decided to skip another zero and leave as well. I'm mildly concerned if I take more than 2 zeros here, I'm in jeopardy of becoming a resident of Hot Springs. With much sadness, I'm outta here tomorrow. Oh, I forgot to mention I had the best cheeseburger ever in Hot Springs. I can't remember the name of it, but it was a cheeseburger between a grilled cheese sandwich on Texas toast. Easily 2500 calories of goodness.
Date: 2014-04-20
From: Hot Springs, NC.

To: Rich Mtn Look-out tower
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: clear sky

The bad news is, I didn't get out of Hot Springs until almost 2pm. I had a few loose ends, and a few errands to do before I left. Before I knew it, it was 2pm. The good news is, I only planned on a short 8 mile day, with a stay at the Rich Mtn look-out tower. Unfortunately, when I checked the elevation profile in the trail guide, I noticed a brisk 3.5 mile hike out of Hot Springs, and I have to admit, it was not all that fun. About a mile into the hike, I ran into Dirt Bag lounging against a tree. I decided it was a great opportunity to throw the pack off and lounge around too. We'd been sitting there for about 45 minutes when another hiker, Bo, walked up on us and asked if we'd like to have a couple beers that she didn't want to pack out. Yes, we would like them. Which burned another 20 minutes of daylight. The next seven miles seemed like a struggle; my pack didn't seem to be riding well, I felt sluggish, and it was hot outside. And despite the late start, the many, many breaks throughout the day, I still made it up Rich Mtn about 40 minutes before the sun went down. We all hiked up to the look-out tower to watch the sunset (sans backpacks), and then back down to camp where another hiker had a roaring fire going. The past three days I've felt like I've had a difficult time hiking. There could be a number of causes, though I suspect I could be mildly dehydrated. With a few exceptions water has been readily available, so at least it's an easy fix.