morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2019-03-27
From: Newfound Gap

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 15.7

Left the hostel this morning at 6:30 am with the shuttle driver and made it to Newfound Gap at about 7:00am. Started out on yet another icy trail in the Smoky Mountains, this time with a heavy pack with 6 days of food and a full load of water. About a half mile up when climbing out of Newfound Gap, a group of day hikers stepped off the trail to let me by. I offered if any of them would like to accompany me to Maine, but all I heard were groans. I later climbed up on top of Charlie¢s Bunion to see the view and then pressed on. After a 15.7 mile day, I will camp at Tri-Corner Knob. I would love to go further, but it¢s 8 miles to the next shelter area and that would be pushing it. Although the Smokies are pretty, I look forward to getting out due to the requirement to tent near the shelters. This either limits your mileage or stretches your endurance as you try to reach the next shelter. Anyway it¢s good to be back on the trail after a zero. A question was asked about how I gather water. I use a Katahdin water filtration hand pump. I¢ll use a spring or stream to pump water directly into my hydration bladder using a quick connect fitting. I simply snap the mouth piece off and connect the fill tube. It takes about 70 pumps to fill the 2 liter bladder. Through a lot of the Smokies I simply ate a lot of snow. Sure it had frasier fur tree needles in it, but I just wrote that off as fiber. Others on the trail more commonly use a Sawyer filter. With this version you fill a bag and force the water through the filter and into a bottle. Several people had to replace theirs after the extreme freezing temperatures due to micro-cracks within.
Date: 2019-03-28
From: Tri-Corner Knob

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 20.5

Started my day on the trail at 4:30am and struggled through the first mile or so due to extreme icing on the trail. Each step had to be short and deliberate to prevent from falling. By noon I entered Davenport Gap which is the northern border of the Smoky Mountains. Although the Smokies were incredibly beautiful, I will not miss the sub-freezing temperatures and the miles of ice laden trails. At the Gap, there was a guy by the name of Tugboat who was granting trail magic by handing out soft drinks, chips and fruit. I dropped my pack and sat in one of the lawn chairs he had set out. We visited a while as I ate a couple of bags of chips, an orange and drank a can of sweet tea. Tugboat does tree monitoring for the national park service and when he comes out, he performs trail magic. Before leaving, I off loaded all of my trash, thanked him and pressed on. What Tugboat doesn¢t know is that I would have been happy just sitting in that lawn chair for a while. By 1:30pm I made it just passed the Pigeon River bridge where I stopped to eat while letting my feet soak in the running stream. This was at elevation 1,372 feet and the temperature had warmed quite a bit from the sub-freezing temperatures where I spent the night at 5900 feet. Once finished, I pressed on an under I-40 near Davenport, NC and began to climb elevation again. I finished the day with 20.5 miles and will spend the night stealth camping near the intersection of two streams at an elevation of 2845 feet. There will be much climbing to do tomorrow.
Date: 2019-03-29
From: Painter Branch

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 21.9

I awakened this morning at 4:00am as I usually do. I have not used an alarm clock during this entire journey, but I guess that¢s what happens when you go to bed at 7:30pm. Anyway I went about my morning routine of changing into my hiking clothes, loading my pack and breaking down my tent. I then walk over where I had hung my bear bag for the night. This is done by throwing a small sack, attached to a 50foot length of parachute cord over a tree branch preferably 15-20 feet high. A rock is used to weight the sack so that it¢ll reach the limb and then slide down the other side. I then remove the sack and attach my bear bag which contains all of my food, any trash and toiletries such as toothpaste. Basically anything with scent. Before pulling the bag up, I also pass the cord through the carabiner. I then pull the bag all the way to the tree limb. Now I take a stick and place it in a slip knot as high as I can reach. When I lower the bag, the stick stops the cord at the carabiner. This allows the bag to hang high enough so a bear can¢t reach it from the ground and low enough so a bear can¢t reach it from the tree limb. This is referred to as the (PCT) Pacific Crest Trail method. Anyway, I tell you all that to say that after lowering my bag this morning, the end of the cord with the carabiner got stuck in the tree. There was no other solution but to climb the tree to recover my carabiner and cord. Trust that I¢ll remember to take the carabiner off next time before I pull the cord down as climbing a tree in the dark is never in the plans after waking every morning sore and fatigued from the previous day. As I¢ve done before, I kept telling myself, ¢You wanted adventure huh? Get you some more.¢Once I got my pack together and pockets loaded with breakfast and snacks I headed out. I began with a 40 minute climb on a grade similar to that of the Mississippi River levee back home. This would be the first of four similar climbs before 9:00am. As I watch the lights of the city of Davenport flicker in the distance, I couldn¢t help but think that when Mr. Benton MacKaye, founder of the Appalachian Trail, planned the section between Davenport Pass and Hot Springs, NC he chuckled and said watch this. This section of trail has been some of the most strenuous of the 265 miles I¢ve hiked. Today¢s total distance was 21.9 miles which will set me up for a 9 mile trek into Hot Springs, NC. There I will resupply, clean up, do laundry and of course, eat.
Date: 2019-03-30
From: Big Rock Spring 

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 9.0

Set out this morning at 5:00am and walked the trail right into Hot Springs where the AT runs through the center of town on Main St. I dropped my pack at Elmer¢s Sunnybank Inn where I¢ll be spending the night. The Victorian style mansion and grounds date back to 1840, and was used as an interment camp for 2,700 German naval officers captured at the beginning of World War I. With all the history and antique furnishings, $25.00 a night will work just fine. My next order of business was to eat, of course. I then walked down to the outfitter to address my nagging foot issue, the pain in the knuckle of my right big toe. I began this trek with a pair of boots that I had faithfully broken in with about 200+ miles. They became too small and I was lucky that Sue was in Louisiana at the time. When we met in Gatlinburg, she brought me my larger backup pair, size 10.5, which I had also broken in and planned to transition in to later down the trail. Although better, the problem persisted when on the punishing downhill sections. I purchased a size 11 Altra Lone Peak and put them through the paces on the rock incline and decline deck at the outfitter and couldn¢t duplicate the pain, but of course nothing will mimic the trail. I sure hope this solves the problem as it¢s the only issue I¢ve had thus far.I shared dinner tonight at the Smoky Mountain Cafe with a double, Triple Crown Hiker by the name of Thirsty Boots from Vermont. He is 66 years old, married for 43 years, retired at the age of 50 and has been hiking and biking on and off since. Thirsty Boots has completed the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail each twice. He is hiking the AT for the third time. His answer to all of this is that he just likes walking. He¢s a well rounded, polite, soft spoken guy and a book of knowledge when it comes to hiking. It was a beautiful, sunny day today in Hot Springs with a high temperature of 76 degrees. I will set out again tomorrow morning to continue my adventure. There is a 100% chance of rain after midnight which should break at about 9:00am. Temperatures will then get down in the low 20¢s again. Adventure I tell you!Thanks again to all who have taken the time and effort to leave a note on my guest book. You will never know how much this means and motivates me after a long day.
Date: 2019-03-31
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 19.6

Left the hostel this morning at 7:30am and walked across the street to the gas station where I got a cup of coffee and waited for 8:00 for the next door store/ deli to open. I normally like to leave early, but I will comprise for a egg, cheese & bacon biscuit and a pint of milk. I then walked north on Main Street and resumed my hike. The climb out of Hot Springs did not disappoint as with other towns and gaps. I continued on and at about 11:00 am, after crossing a road and a mile or so out of Tanyard Gap, there was an an eight pack of 8oz Pepsi colas sitting next to the trail. More trail magic and it amazes me to the extent that people go out of their way to help hikers. I drank one, crushed the can and carried it off in my trash bag.The weather was mixed today, ranging from light rain, fog, sleet and snow. I completed 19.6 miles today and will tent near the Little Laurel Shelter. It¢ll be another cold night with temperatures predicted to get down into the upper teens.
Date: 2019-04-01
From: Little Laurel 

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 22.8

It was a long restless last night with wind gusting and temperatures down to about 15 degrees. Even with earplugs in I could hear the wind roar. When I did get up, everything was frozen, including the items in my food bag. Hit the trail at 4:30am and with every step it sounded as though I was walking on broken glass. The trees were still covered in ice from yesterday¢s precipitation and as daybreak came it looked like a winter wonderland. The sun eventually warmed things, but it was a tough day on the trail. I did accomplish 22.8 miles and will camp tonight at Hogback Ridge which is mile 317 northbound on the AT.
Date: 2019-04-02
From: Hogback Ridge

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 20.7

Hit the trail at 5:00 this morning and the 28 degrees was quite a contrast to the night before. Unlike other mornings, I noticed a lot of deer tracks on the trail. The transition to the trail runner shoes have made a remarkable difference in my feet. The only time I feel the toe joint pain is when I stump my toe or land awkwardly on a rock or root. These shoes have a zero drop, so unlike a running shoe the sole is flat. This takes some getting used to as my Achilles¢ tendon feels like a banjo string. Other than this, I have no blisters, just sore, tired feet at the end of the day. I keep telling myself that I¢m sure Jesus had issues when walking through the dessert, at least I could go to a local outfitter and get some advice.Ran into Thirsty Boots at about 9:00am this morning and we hiked together for the remainder of the day. He¢s a low keyed, intelligent and common sense kind of guy. There was conversation on and off throughout the day, but never on the uphill climbs. At 4:30pm, I reached No Business Knob and told Thirsty Boots goodbye. He continued on into Erwin, TN. I completed the day with 20.7 miles. This will set me up for a 6 mile nero (as opposed to a zero) trek into Erwin, TN where I plan to resupply, and spend two nights. This will be my third zero of the trip.
Date: 2019-04-03
From: No Business Knob

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 6.2

Hit the trail this morning at 4:30 and covered the 6.2 miles in two and a half hours. Sat on the porch at Uncle Johnny¢s Nolichucky Hostel until folks began stirring. I eventually checked in and caught the 9:00am hostel provided shuttle into Erwin to eat. The options were limited, so I opted for McDonalds and then walked over to Dunkin Donuts for dessert. The shuttle picked us up at 10:30 and I headed back to shower and do laundry. I ate lunch out of the little general store and will go into town for dinner. My original plan was to spend two nights for a true zero, but I will adjust and leave tomorrow morning. This will allow me to meet two friends on Friday at about midday coming up from Louisiana.
Date: 2019-04-04
From: Erwin, TN

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 24.6

Fell asleep at the hostel last night and woke up shortly after. Apparently the 2 inch vinyl covered mattress had little stuffing left in the mid section where your hip would rest. I tried to place my down jacket there to fill the void, but nothing seemed to help as I tossed and turned. I could have remedied this by using my air mattress, but it sounds like a Sunchip bag and would have been inconsiderate for the other 5 hostel guest. At 12:30am I gave up, got up, grabbed my sleeping bag and headed out to a hammock which was hanging outside on the porch. I slept there until 3:00am at which time I got cold from underneath. I put my down jacket underneath my bag, but it didn¢t help. At 3:30 I gave up, got up and packed up. Headed out under a clear sky and it was 35 degrees in the mountains. I can¢t describe the tranquility of the morning in writing with the stars shining brightly with a slight breeze. The morning was great accomplishing 8 miles before 8:00 am. I saw turkeys and grouse. With warmer temperatures, and the first one out, I was a spider busting machine. Later in the morning, I stopped in a thick large stand of fraiser fur trees on Unaka Mountain, laid my footprint down, ate a pop tart and took a quick nap. It was beautiful as I looked upward at the dark brown bark, deep green leaves against the deep blue sky. I finished the day with 24.5 miles and will sleep tonight at the Greasy Creek Friendly hostel to escape rainfall tonight. I will trek 5 miles tomorrow morning to meet my Louisiana friends at Hughes Gap. A question was asked about whether or not I listen to music on the trail. While some do, I do not. I like to keep my ears open to hear birds and other animals. I normally say my prayers in the morning, and sing out loud on and off throughout the day. A really can¢t sing so I limit it to the shower, the tractor or the trail. My song selections vary widely, but I try to think of songs with references to the state I¢m in. My other pastime is self reflection and to daydream, but I¢ve got to be careful not to detour off the trail as other trails intersect the AT at various points. On several occasions I¢ve walked for a while without seeing a white blaze which designates the AT. The last thing I want to do is burn leg energy trekking up the wrong trail. Thanks Kara for the question. This question and others will help me document and recall my journey for years to come.
Date: 2019-04-05
From: Greasy Creek 

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 5.3

I slept well last night and once again made an incredible decision to seek shelter at a hostel to escape the rain. It rained all night with the wind blowing. I woke up at 6:00am, got my things together and headed over to the main house to settle up with the elderly lady that runs the hostel. I paid $15.00 for the bunk and $9.00 for a large pizza and a couple of soft drinks. What a bargain and the weather made it that much more special. It was still raining when I headed out to meet my friends Allen Carpenter and Taylor Moss at Hughes Gap. I got there at 9:30 and stood at the county roadside. Stills raining and now that I stopped moving, I began to get cold while my mind began to wonder if I had given them the right location. We had originally talked about Carver Gap which was another 6 miles of hiking, but I was certain there was no miscommunication. I¢ve worked with these guys for years and if they said they were coming, I knew they¢d be there. Shortly after 10:00, they pulled up and man were they a sight for sore eyes. Taylor put my pack in the cargo area and we were off to go get breakfast. We then traveled to a cabin that Allen rented in the mountains. I determined what I needed for food resupply and they headed out, while I stayed back to do laundry and get some rest. They¢ve made trips before as Allen enjoys photography and Taylor locates old woodworking tools to purchase and refurbish. Regardless of their side interest, they drove 15 hours, with me in their plans. Once back, they had all of my resupply items I needed. Later in the afternoon, Taylor started a fire in the fire pit and Allen cooked dinner. We had steaks, corn on the cob and mashed potatoes. We shared beer and enjoyed conversation around the fire pit. The visit was an incredible morale boost that will propel me to conquer Roan Mountain tomorrow morning.
Date: 2019-04-06
From: Hughes Gap

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 20.8

Woke up, packed up and the guys and I headed out. We stopped to pick up breakfast then drove to Hughes Gap where we met up yesterday and I¢ll resume today. I thanked Allen & Taylor for everything, gave them a bear hug and hit the trail at 9:00am. Their visit was incredible and the effort to come out to see me truly moving. I hit the trail and summited Roan Mountain, elevation 6200 feet, at about 11:00, but was in a cloud bank so I was unable get any photos. There was still plenty of ice remaining at this elevation, but nothing compared to the Smokies. I pushed on and made it to Carvers Gap to find Ms. Pat granting trail magic. I ate three ham & swiss cheese sandwiches, a bag of Funyuns and a coke as we visited briefly. The only negative to happening upon trail magic is your food bag/pack don¢t get lighter. That¢s okay though. I¢ll hump the weight as the magic breaks up the monotony of eating the same thing again and again. Plus the interaction lifts your spirits during the midday slump. I eventually made it to Hump Mountain and after a strenuous climb there were exceptional views. I originally planned to camp at Doll Flats, but pressed on another couple of miles and camped at Wilder Mine which is about 1000 feet lower in elevation. The significance of Doll Flats is over the last couple of weeks I¢ve been hiking in and out North Carolina and Tennessee. Reaching Doll Flats means that I now bid North Carolina farewell and finish the day with 20.8 miles. I am tenting tonight near the Gambs family. Shortly after dinner, myself and another thru-hiker Giggles, were invited over for roasted marshmallows. The marshmallows and company were absolutely great as we visited around their campfire.As I go to bed, I continue to be amazed and am forever thankful for the kindness of my friends who made the trip from Louisiana and the generosity of people on the trail. May God bless them all.
Date: 2019-04-07
From: Wilder Mine

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 25.3

Hit the trail early this morning and all in all had a productive mileage day. For some reason it felt as though I was dragging an anchor. Some days are like that, but I really can¢t put my finger on why. Couldn¢t help but think of my friend¢s visit yesterday as I snacked on and off on Allen¢s homemade beef jerky he made for me. Sometimes during mid morning I passed mile 400 and that¢s progress. At lunch, I set the footprint for my tent under a tree and took a nap. I really don¢t know how long I slept, but had to pickup and get moving when a light drizzle began to fall. I crossed several streams and waterfalls today and their beauty never gets old. Regardless of my mileage goal or time of day I always take time at each as they¢re all unique in their own way with a special character. Finished the day with 25.3 miles and will spend the night at a hostel about 15 miles outside of Hampton, TN. I had a conversation with another thru hiker today who also started on March 11th. We were comparing notes and strategies. He commented that I seemed to stay in hostels a lot. I explained to him that I have walked in the rain for about 12 hours since I started, and that I¢m not opposed to it, in fact I don¢t mind hiking in the rain, it¢s the setting up on a rainy evening and breaking down on a rainy morning that gets challenging. For instance today I planned to trek 20 miles, however due to the rain, I hiked further and will sleep in a hostel near Dennis Cove. I went on to explain to him my thought process in that it¢s not how much misery you sustain, it¢s about maintaining morale while achieving the ultimate goal and getting to Mount Katahdin. The other advantage is that you don¢t have to stop when the weather clears to dry out your tent. As I write this, it is raining tonight and I¢m dry in the hostel. The other hiker I referenced is me. Yep, I had a long conversation with myself.
Date: 2019-04-08
From: Dennis Cove

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine
Miles today: 8.5

Left the Dennis Cove area at 7:00 this morning and hiked the 8.5 miles over Pond Flats Mountain to the Boots Off Hostel off of Shook Branch road. The weather forecast remained consistent in that rain will begin at 1:00pm and it was correct. I have just eaten a pizza with a coke, then some leftover black beans and rice that was in the hostel refrigerator along with a large glass of whole milk. I followed this up with a pint of Blue Bell buttered pecan ice cream and a cup of coffee. I caught up on the phone with my wife and kids and later rode the shuttle into Hampton, TN for dinner.As I prep to leave tomorrow morning there are no more butterflies caused by thinking that there is something I might need or have forgotten. I¢m focused and ready to resume this great adventure. To answer Mick¢s question as he plans for 2021, my original pack weight was 38 pounds and I¢m down to about 33 pounds. At orientation, 36 was about average. This was mostly due to excessive food. Instead of 5-6 days, plan on 3-4 days. A quick resupply is easy especially early on, but you have to be disciplined. Never resupply when you¢re hungry. Regarding the sleeping bag, I have an Enlightened Equipment 20 degree bag that doubles as a quilt. The nights in the Smokies were cold, but I had one 16 degree night after that. Tights, socks and a good puffy jacket will get you through. March 11th was my start date to avoid colder weather, but also to stay ahead of the crowd. Stay organized, by that I mean know where everything is and everything has a place. If you take something out put it back, if you unzip a pouch on your pack zip it back so nothing will fall out. When it¢s cold, dark or raining there is no time to fumble around looking for things. When you commit to move in the morning, move!  Don¢t underestimate the need to prepare mentally. There are other notes that I¢m compiling that will help friends with their planning that I¢ll post at the conclusion. Thanks for your interest and know that every bit of preparation will pay dividends on the trail.
Date: 2019-04-09
From: Shook Branch

To: Mount Katahdin, Maine 
Miles today: 23.7

Woke up this morning after a great nights sleep. I believe the curtains covering each individual bunk opening made it feel like my tent. Sleep is one of several major factors required for a positive attitude and successful day of hiking. Before setting out, I drank a couple of cups of coffee, ate a bowl of corn flakes with milk and grabbed a half dozen of the hostel¢s complimentary donuts. I was concerned about the number of donuts, but that¢s all I could carry. It rained for the first 4 hours out of Shook Branch and the trail was foggy. Ben, from southern Georgia, was hiking with me today. He used to be referred to as The Bens when his son was hiking with him, but his son left the trail and went home about a week or so ago. Sometimes during late morning, we stopped to navigate and noticed two deer about 20 yards away. They were browsing and would occasionally look up to ensure we were not a threat. We continued on and at about noon the weather broke and eventually the sun came out.The sun cheers me up and I soon began to sing. Apparently the sun cheered the grouse up also because I could hear them throughout the mountain side as they make a sound similar to a base drum. I sang a song that Thirsty Boots recommended. The group is the Tabasco Donkeys and the title of the song is, I Don¢t Mind. I shared it with a couple of friends back home because I really love the lyrics. Look it up.It was a good day on the trail covering 23.7 miles making it to Double Springs by 6:00pm.