morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-02-04
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The last couple of days have been fun. This is the spending money portion of the journey. I booked my flight to Asheville, NC, reserved a room at the Amicalola Falls State Park, bought another pair of boots identical to what I have for when these wear out (got a great price on those - over half off), bought a new trail guide, some superfeet insoles, 2 Railrider adventure shirts (also half price) and a Birdiepal umbrella. The umbrella is new for me. We'll see how it works. There's no perfect solution for rain, but I'm a northern girl and I run really hot. It can be as cold as fifty degrees and I can't wear a rain jacket, so I get soaked. I tried a poncho, but was way too cold one day when it was raining, in the high thirties, and windy. I'm also too hot in the summer and I have very fair skin, so I got the UV resistant sliver coating. I saw a great tip online for attaching the umbrella to the pack using camelback tube trap clips. Something new to try. A learning curve. What fun!That's about it for new gear. I need a new hat, but I don't know what I want yet.My friend Dawn is picking me up at the Asheville airport on Saturday, February 27th. We'll drive to Amicalola Falls on Sunday and stay over. I can get an early start Monday morning and she won't have to do all the driving in one day.
Date: 2010-02-24
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I'm still planning to start hiking on Monday, March 1st.I've been reading other's journals here and the conditions out there sound pretty rough. I considered buying snowshoes, but decided against it. Its too rushed. I'd have to pay $90 for overnight shipping from Northern Lites. So I decided to start and either go slowly or stop if I have to. Sooner or later, the snow will melt. As I'm writing this, I'm thinking how much I would actually enjoy being out there in the snow with the right equipment. Maybe another year. Maybe this year I'll be out in the snow without the right equipment! I'll be warm and dry - that's all that counts.I slept out in my hammock last week using the top on the Stephenson sleeping bag that is rated down to minus 10 degrees. It was 34 degrees and windy. I slept in lightweight polypro long johns, wools socks, a fleece headband and a polypro balaclava. I had to keep my head and face covered up to protect them from the wind, but otherwise I couldn't feel any chill from the wind at all and I was on the borderline of being too warm.I haven't got an official base weight for the pack yet, but I've done this before and its looking like it will come in at about 20 pounds.
Date: 2010-03-01
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I'm sitting in the lodge at Amicalola Falls State Park. Dawn and I just finished breakfast and we'll be heading out soon. I was planning to start at the top of the falls, but there is no place to park there and Dawn wants to hike in a couple of miles with me. So we are going to drive to the forest service road just north of Springer Mountain (if it's passable). Dawn and I will hike south to Springer and back and then I'll take off by myself to the north.I'd write more, but I'm itchy to get started. The pack is packed. All we have to do get directions, go back to the room and check out. I'm not too worried about starting a little late because I just knocked of 7 (unofficial) miles. We are also going to go to the park office and weigh the pack. I'll just have a total pack weight with food and water because I'm not going to pull it all apart to get the base weight. I know what I'm carrying. Total weight is good enough.I'm very determined to meet my goal - walking from Georgia to Maine in one season - but I'm very flexible about how and when things will happen along the way.
Date: 2010-03-01
From: Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Dawn saw me off this morning at around 9:30. We stopped at the arch and she took a picture of me and one of another hiker, Friar Tuck. Friar told me an easier route to the falls, but I ended up taking the blue blazed approach trail.I walked for about 10 minutes and came to a paved area near a pond and couldn't figure out which way to go. None of the signs said "At Approach Trail." So I back tracked to the park office. Another hiker named Traveller came back with me because I told him I thought we were going the wrong way. Got back to the park office and the guy said, "You lost already?" turns out I was going the right way - missed two blue blazes.I ended up going up the 640 steps to the falls. Took it slowly, seven or eight steps at a time. It was worth it to see the falls. Hiked up to Ten Foote Trail.   Stopped in at the Hike Inn for a decaf. Toured the worm beds in the basement. Got to Black Gap Shelter around 6 PM.
Date: 2010-03-02
From: Black Gap Shelter

To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: snow

Stayed at the Black Gap Shelter today. It has been snowing. Firar Tuck put up a piece of plasic over half the opening of the shelter, but the snow blew in anyway and our sleeping bags got a little wet. Friar realized he could pitch his tent in the shelter today so our gear would dry. Granite Gorilla and Set in Stone were camped outside overnight. In the morning they moved their tent inside the shelter with us. We melted some snow for water. A few hikers passed by during the day and Sajuarro and Scruffy spent the night.I dubbed the shelter "The Geezer Freezer."
Date: 2010-03-03
From: Black Gap Shelter

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 4.3
Weather: broken clouds

Left Black Gap Shelter a little before 8:00 AM. There was about a foot of snow on the ground. The trees were covered. The trail was easy to follow having been broken by several people the day before.Took it slow up to Springer Mountain. It was bitter cold and windy. Stopped at the shelter to eat breakfast. Called Steve to have him send the tent. The Rock Couple had a ride at USFS 42 that I could have hopped on but I kept on going.Stopped at Stover Creek Shelter for lunch. I was about to head out to Hawk Mountain Shelter when Sajuarro and Pilgrim showed up. They said that Friar was on his way, so I stayed. Stover Creek was a nice shelter and not too exposed to the elements. Friar pitched his tent again and I slept in that.I reorganized my pack, ate supper, hung out by the fire a little, then turned in. Slept well, but woke up a couple of times with cold feet. It was the coldest night so far.
Date: 2010-03-04
From: Stove Creek Shelter

To: Horse Gap
Miles today: 6.4

Got out at 7:40. It was still gray outside, but felt warmer than last night. The sun came out about 10:00 AM, preceeded by some bird song. Sajuarro passed me and said it was 22 degrees at the shelter when he left.The trail was snowy, the trees still loaded with snow. I made it the 5 miles to Hawk Mountain Shelter in 4 hours. Andreas followed me for the last hour or so which spurred me on and made the time go faster.Ate lunch and got water at Hawk Mountain. Got to Horse Gap at 2:00 PM. The trail was snowy, slushy and muddy by the turns. I was planning to hike 5 more miles to Gooch Shelter. I sat on a log (the first dry spot I'd seen) for 5 minutes when a car pulled up. It was Melissa - out scouting for a group day hike. She couldn't get her SUV up the hill. She made some calls. Several other hikers went to the Hiker Hostel. Melissa and I got a ride with Cool Breeze to Neel's Gap.
Date: 2010-03-05
From: Horse Gap

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 4.9
Weather: clear sky

My tent hadn't arrived at Neel's Gap. I got some food out of my resupply box. Bought a "pocket rocket" stove and fuel, some polar fleece knee-high socks, and warmer long undies. Cool Breeze got me back up to Horse Gap at 1:00 PM. I hiked pretty much straight through to Gooch Mountain Shelter. It was still very cold. Friar Tuck and Pilgrim were there. Also a couple of week-end hikers and thru-hikers Gary and Olaf.Cold, Cold Cold, I stayed warm all night but had to scrunch down in the sleeping bag to close it completely. Slept fitfully. Pigrim said it went down to 26 degrees during the night.
Date: 2010-03-06
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Dockey Lake
Miles today: 8.0

Got out at 9:00 AM. Hiked for about an hour, then took a 50 - minute break!I caught up with Friar Tuck on Ramrock Mountain. He showed me the Atlanta skyline through his eye piece. On the way to Woody Gap we met Grizz heading north with some beer for trail magic. At Woody Gap a 2009 thru hiker gave us some fruit.It was an eight mile day. Friar and I camped at the turn-off to the Dockery Lake Trail. I felt pretty good until the last uphill push. I thought maybe I didnt' have it in me and then I though "Of course you do."I pitched the hammock to stow our packs and we slept in Friar's tent. It was warmer. I could stick my head out of the sleeping bag. I slept really well.
Date: 2010-03-07
From: Dockey Lake

To: Neel's Gap
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Got on the trail at 8:20 AM. I was intending to start earlier but opted for the extra hour of sleep. I had decided to make it into Neel's Gap Today. Lula is meeting me next Saturday night at either Dick's Creek Gap or Deep Gap. It's going to be a little challenging lining it up.It was a beautiful hike up Blood Mountain. There's still a lot of snow on the ground, expecially higher up. The trail was snow packed most of the way up. The view was spectacular. The ridges were outlined with trees, and down below the outlines were the snowy areas striped with the trees. The tops of the ridges look like they had a bush cut, spectacular. I never saw anything like it.The trip down was sometimes rocky, sometimes, slushy and sometimes very wet and muddy. I got to Neel's Gap at a quarter to four. My tent is still not here. I got organized, ate dinner and Friar Tuck and I did laundry.
Date: 2010-03-08
From: Neel's Gap

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I decided to stay a day here at the hostel, rest and see if my tent would arrive. It didn't, so I'll press on with the hammock. I bought a bag liner yesterday that will give me another 10-15 degrees.I called Lula and arranged to meet her the weekend after next somewhere near Franklin, NC. I'm going to carry 4 days food and resupply in Hiawassee. I can average 7 miles a day and take one more zero day to line it up to meet Lula.It's beautiful out today and I was itching to move, but I'm tired and I could use the day off. The cold and the hard walking on slush and snow are tiring me out. I'm averaging a little over a mile an hour which is slow, even for me.It's time to go mail some things back home. I'll take off again tomorrow morning. Sajuarro, Scruffy and Friar Tuck all left this morning. Gary and some others whose names I don't know are here today.
Date: 2010-03-09
From: Neel's Gap

To: Sapling Gap
Miles today: 8.0

I left Neel's Gap at 7 a.m. Nice day, sunny, not too hot. There's rain in the forecast so I attached my umbrella to my pack for a literal dry run. It worked great. The only issue is with brush along the side of the trail. When I bought it I thought bigger was better - wider coverage equals less rain on Jane. Now I realize that an inch or two smaller might be o.k. The umbrella is attached to the left shoulder strap of my pack. That means its slightly off center and tends to brush up against trees and bushes on my left side.I stopped to eat lunch and get water at 11:30 at Bagg's Creek Gap. The springs along this stretch seem drier than I remember from three years ago. I sat for and hour and a half, took my boots off and ate my cooked meal for the day. I was joined for a while by No Tech, Rehab and Afro Flame. Then they went on ahead.I ran into some trail magic and Tesnatee Gap. King Tut was there with drinks and snacks. He is with the church that runs the showers (among other things) at Trail Days in Damascus.The climb out of Tesnatee Gap was one I remembered. It was pretty steep, but I was feeling good. IEven though I've been starting out more slowly (I'm only averaging 1.25 miles per hour and I usually average 1.5), I actually feel stronger than I did the last two times I hiked. Well, not stronger exactly. I started out in worse shape, but I feel like its coming back faster. Maybe its because I'm not pushing it too much.Some of the slow going is due to the conditions. There is still snow and ice on the trail in places, especially descending into the gaps. And there is a fair bit of muddy trail.I stopped for the night at 4:20 p.m. I was planning to hike until five, but I saw a nice spot about and hour and a half out of Hogpen Gap. It was cloudy and threatening to rain. I pitched the hammock for the first time. It went fine. I was a little too warm (which is better than cold). I pitched the foot end too high - still on the learning curve - but it felt good to have my feet elevated. I tried to set the alarm on my watch. I have no idea if it worked. The directions I have seem to belong to some other watch. They sure aren't working for this one.
Date: 2010-03-12
From: HIawassee, Georgia

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I decided to stay in town yesterday, mostly because I was tired. I figured that a day of rest after a day where I pushed it would make me stronger, faster. Joyce met me at 8 a.m. driving her 1970 Volkswagon camper. I felt very privileged to get a ride to Neel's Gap in her beloved vehicle. I got the box with my tent and even found my headband that I had left under the bed in the hostel. Joyce came down and we chatted with Miss Janet a bit before we headed back to town.I took a morning nap, then ate lunch at Daniel's Steakhouse, an all you can eat buffet. It was good, but I decided that from now on I will try to eat in restaurants less. I can get good food at the grocery store.It took me about 3 hours to do all my shopping and mail my hammock back. I got sundries at the pharmacy and food at Ingles. I wanted to support the local supermarket, but the logistics worked out better for me to go to Ingles. They had a great selection of stuff I could eat. I bought a deli chicken that I took the meat off of this morning. And fresh-made guacamole and salsa. Also, some carrots and apples.I resupplied for the next eight days, but with all the fresh food the pack would be too heavy, so I am going to hike the 19 miles to Dick's Creek Gap and come back here to the Holiday Inn on Monday morning. It's expensive, but they will hold the box of food for me. So even with the fresh food, I should be heading out of here pretty light today.Trail Update: Ron Havens has bought the Hiawassee Inn. The word is that they will be open next Friday. I believe they are already letting people stay there, even though they are still painting and fixing it up. No TV, phone or internet yet. They can't be reached by phone yet, either.Thanks for all the comments in the guest book. Tim, you always make me laugh.I will try to post a picture of the umbrella set up. It may take awhile. All I have with me is a disposable camera, so maybe I can get someone else to take it and send it to me via email so I can post it.Essentially, I have the umbrella attached to my left shoulder strap in the front. I have two camelbak tube traps mounted on the webbing on the front of the strap, the bottom one opens to the right and the top one opens to the left. My umbrella handle is too big for them to hold it securely, so I took a strip of velcro tape and wound it around the strap and the umbrella handle to hold it in place.The umbrella covers most of me and my pack. I may have said this already, but it kept the pack straps dry, my shirt and pants mostly dry and my boot tops a lot drier than they would have been without it.
Date: 2010-03-14
From: Addis Gap

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 5.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Stopping at Addis Gap was hands down the best decision.I got up about 4:30, was out at a little after six to meet Joyce at Dick's Creek Gap at 11:00.I cruised up the hill to Kelly Knob. It was snowing and cold enough to hike comfortably in the rain gear. It took a couple of hours before my fingers completely warmed up.It started snowing as I hiked up the hill. The tree branches were covered with a layer of ice. As the snow started to stick to them they got fuzzy and looked like moose antlers. Later, the snow was sticking out from them in a flat blade that got wider and wider until the branches started to look like they were the wings on a glider.It was a good hike even though I did the whole thing without stopping. I met some day hikers coming up from Dick's Creek Gap. One couple was out doing trail magic and they gave me an apple. I was coming up on the gap early, so I slowed a bit. I was afraid I would get cold standing around for half an hour waiting for my ride. I checked my phone just before I got to the gap. Joyce had said there would be no signal, but I was early so I decided to try anyway. The phone said it was 11:38, an hour later than I thought it was. I thought maybe I had done something to screw up the time on my watch. I hurried into the gap and Joyce was already there. I asked her if it was 11:30 and she said the time had changed. She figured I didn't know, so she had waited for me. Very, very nice of her.I went back to the Holiday Inn. My gear was pretty wet, so I spread it out to dry. I think the tent was about 2 pounds heavier with all the water. Also, the day before my pack had gotten pretty wet. It wasn't the fault of the umbrella. It was the first time I had used a pack cover and it didn't cover as well as a garbage bag, which I will go back to using. I still had a dry sleeping bag, dry clothes and a dry tent on the inside, so I was fine.I went out to a coffee shop, had a cup with a salad. I sat and finished my book, then went to Ingles for trash bags, bungee cords, some more guacamole and fresh fruit smoothie. I came back to my room called Lula, took a hot bath, called Steve, called Naomi, watched a little TV and went to bed.I arranged for Joyce to pick me up at eleven tomorrow morning.
Date: 2010-03-15
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Plum Orchard Shelter
Miles today: 4.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Spent the morning doing town stuff - laundry, going online, etc. Gave myself an accupuncture treatment and took another bath in the jacuzzi. Joyce was late to pick me up. Her rider before me held her up so I didn't get started until 12:15.Sunshine! Finally! It was good hiking, but the wind was still cold. My pack is too heavy. I was going to mail some stuff home but opted for the bath instead. I didn't carry water. I stopped at Plum Orchard Shelter because I needed some. It was 4:30 so I decided to stay. I tented out back, hung out by the fire with three young guys from Rochester, NY. I looked in the shelter register and Saguarro and Friar Tuck are only about a day and a half ahead of me.
Date: 2010-03-16
From: Plum Orchard Shelter

To: Muskrat Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: scattered clouds

I was tired and slept in until 7:00. I didn't get out on the trail until 10:00. Stopped after 10 minutes to dunk my water and eat mor food to lighten the pack.It was suny and fairly warm, although it cooled off some after 2:00 PM. I stopped at Bly Gap for water about 2:30 just after I crossed the line into North Carolina. Spoke briefly with smokie by the gnarled oak. He and Bandid were enjoying the sunshine, taking a zero at Bly Gap.The trail out of Bly Gap was very difficult, very steep which I remembered from 2007. It seemed much harder for me this time, although I am consciously going slowly and not pushing myself too much. There was snow again at the higher elevations. I walked the last couple of mile to Muskrat Shelter with Soul Searcher. Hyway, Dr. John and some others are at the shelter with me tonight. I'm in the tent. It's much warmer or at least less windy then last night. It was 48 degrees when I got here, although its cooling off now that the sun has gone down. Hope I don't need my gloves tonight because I can't find them.
Date: 2010-03-17
From: Muskrat Shelter

To: Beech Gap
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: light rain

I tried to set my watch ahead an hour for daylight savings time last night, but was too tired to make it work. So I set the alarm forward a half hour to 4:30 AM. Darn thing went off at 4:00 AND at 4:30!Couldn't drag myself out of bed this morning. Started out about 9:00 AM. Made good time the first couple of miles, but then slowed down. It was drizzling and the umbrella came into its own again. I hadn't eaten a proper breakfast - just snacks on the trail and I started to bonk about 12:30. I had planned to stop and eat at Standing Indian shelter, but I had to stop before I got there.I stopped at the shelter for a brief break a little later and started up the mountain a little after 1:30. It had stopped raining but was cold enough to wear the rain jacket all the way up. Mercifully, there was very little wind. It took me an hour and a half to do the 1.5 miles. It was well-graded but much of it was covered with slushy snow. No views at the top unfortunately.It took me 4 more hours to reach Beech Gap, just under 3 miles. The last couple of miles were a gift - downhill, not too steep, not many obstacles in the path. I managed to put on a little speed, which has been pretty rare for me this trip.It rained the last half hour or so. I felt badly, but I put my tent up right next to a couple that was already there. I scouted around a little, but it was raining and the best spot seemed to be right there. I hung up the bear bag, went back to my tent and realized I had missed some food that had come out of the food bag in the pack. I sucked it up, went back out in the rain, took the bag down, put the food in, hoisted it back up and secured it. I got into the tent, took my boots off and saw there was more food I had missed. It was just a little baggie of dehydrated food, so I closed it in a ziplock container and put it oustide the tent. Then I found that I had missed the olive oil and a bag of nuts that was in my pocket - outside the tent they went.I tried to read but the book was too big and too cold under the sleeping bag- like trying to warm up a block of ice. I was bored, loney and tired of being cold. I wanted a hug. I wanted to read. I thought, "If I was home I could read." When I was home I wanted to be here. Here, I wanted to be home. I thought I need to do something about that. I decided I needed a reason to be out here. I want my hiking body back so I decided to stay out here until that happens. Vain, but true. I decided I would at least try to make it home.I'm going even slower than my usual and I've been getting discouraged about that. I need to settle in and stop worrying about the end of the hike. Maybe I'm not fast enough to do the whole trail in a season. There's no shame in that. One of the highlights of the day was a narrow bridge over nothing, over air, connecting 2 sides of a steep ravine.