morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-03-02
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Cheese Factory Site
Miles today: 13.0

Sunday March 2nd,There was only one mouse occurence during the night and I chased it out of the shelter and didn't hear from it again. Apparently it hadn't cultivated the brazeness (sp?) of the long time shelter inhabitants yet. Woke up to 38 degrees. I had slept in my jacket again, and by the time I packed up my gear I was hot. I took my time and actually had breakfast this morning, since I only had plans to go to Blue Mountain shelter which was only 7.2 miles away. I didn't get started out until 0900 and a little after I hit the trail, two men came up the west side of the trail and asked me if I had seen a yellow dog. They had some kind of tracking device, but were having trouble locating him. I hadn't seen their dog, but I told them if I did I would blow my whistle. After hiking for an hour or so I started not liking the thought of being out on the mountain when that 20 degree/rain snap came in on Thursday morning...so upon reaching Blue Mountain Shelter at 1:30, I decided to go as far as I could to get to Dicks Gap and Hiawassee by Monday evening.Along the way to Unicoi Gap, I met the same two men still looking for their dog. They told me that the trail was mostly downhill to Unicoi and they were right! It was pretty steep and the rocks made footing a little precarious. I made it down to the gap in between 230 and 3, and had visions of making it to Tray Mountain shelter which was 5.6 miles, but after starting up Rocky Mountain, I soon learned that I was being a bit unrealistic. It probably took me about an hour or longer to get to the top. At about 5pm I reached the Cheese Factory site camp spot (it's just a brick remnant). I was a little leary about the spot because less than a half a mile away I had passed by an abandoned tent. It was not a very comforting sight but since I didn't want to be hiking in the dark up Tray Mountain for 2 more miles, I reluctantly pitched my tent, ate a kashi bar, hung my food bag, and crawled into my tent without even taking my cho-pats off. Long day, but at least the weather was good.
Date: 2008-03-03
From: Cheese Factory Site

To: Dicks Gap (The Blueberry Patch)
Miles today: 13.0

Monday, 3/3/08Woke up at 6:38 and packed up everything. I had to filter water since I was too tired the night before,and headed out at 7:30. Hopefully, with time I will become more efficient at packing up and getting out faster. Tray Mountain was a little less strenuous than Rocky Mountain. Maybe because you start at Rocky Mt. at Unicoi gap at 2949' elevation and then climb up to 4017'. At about 10:30,in probably Steeltrap Gap,met Longskirt. She is section hiking(3 weeks).We stopped for lunch and water at Deep Gap shelter.I headed out before her, but told her I would wait at Dicks Gap and call for the shuttle to Cloud 9 hostel for her. Got to the road at about 4:00, and after about 15 minutes another hiker made it to the gap and I asked if he had passed Longskirt. He said he had and that she wasn't too far behind. When Longskirt arrived I called Cloud 9 and got a voice message. As I was attempting to call the second number the Cloud 9 SUV pulled up to the parking area. They were out for a hike before the bad weather came in. So Longskirt and the male hiker who was unsuccessful at getting a hitch, were dropped off at Cloud 9, and I was shuttled to the Blueberry Patch. I'm glad I didn't have to try my luck at hitching a ride.
Date: 2008-03-04
From: Dicks Gap (The Blueberry Patch)

To: The Blueberry Patch (zero day!)
Miles today: 0.0

Tuesday March 4th,I could tell you that the only reason I'm already taking my first zero day is because my maildrop of food hasn't made it to the Blueberry Patch. But my feet and my knees are more sore than I can remember ever feeling before. Yesterday I was feeling a little down, and out of my element. Then Gary Poteet, the owner of the Blueberry Patch told me that when he and his son had thruhiked in 1991, they did a lot of shelter hopping and did quite a few short days. He said that it was more important to them that they experience their surroundings then to just plow through it so that they could say that they did it. So, in order for me personally to fully appreciate this journey I will be doing short days and I will be exploring the towns that I go through. Hey, I might want to live in one of them one day. What would I find out about a place if I zipped in one evening and headed out early the next morning. Seems more like a business trip than something I dreamed about doing for years and years. I had a job that I didn't care too much for and I don't want this to be a continuation of an empty obligation. (Thank you Gary)Even though the weather didn't pan out to be half as bad as everyone was saying, I was glad to be here to meet Nightstalker, and have the opportunity to listen to him and Gary talk of their experiences on the trail. It was nice to be out of the rain and I may even take a nap.
Date: 2008-03-05
From: The Blueberry Patch (zero day!)

To: Plumb Orchard Shelter
Miles today: 4.5

Wednesday March 5th,Slept in this morning. It was already 7:15 before I woke up. Got everything packed up and loaded in my backpack. If I didn't have to carry food, my pack would be so much easier to pack...and carry for that matter. Gary came to get me for breakfast at 8:30. This morning he made sausage gravy and biscuits. I was a little amazed that the grocery store in Hiawassee had canned sausage gravy. When I mentioned this to Gary and Linnie they both said, "You mean ya'll don't have canned sausage gravy in Texas?" I'm just glad that Gary made it homemade, and not from a can. After breakfast, got everything ready and walked around the Poteet's property and read a little until it was time to go pick up another hiker from Dick's Gap and drop me off at 11:30. Since I was planning on doing 4.5 miles today, I didn't want to have Gary make 2 trips.Made it to Plum Orchard shelter about 2:30 and I decided to stay because it was 7.2 miles to the next shelter. This shelter has 2 lofts and the top one has plexiglass on both ends. Loft with a view to end my day.
Date: 2008-03-06
From: Plumb Orchard Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

Thursday, March 6thMade it to the GA-NC tree around 10:30! One state down, 13 more to go! Was intending to stop at Muskrat Creek Shelter, but previous people had been very bear unsafe and left food thrown in the campfire. Since it was still fairly early I decided to see if I could make it to the next shelter. Along the way I met up with Long Skirt again. She was planning on the next shelter also. The shelter was one of the better ones, but it didn't have bear cables. I have learned along the way that sometimes finding a tree to hang your food from can be a little frustrating. The branches, for the most part, either seem to be too low or too high. In the end we found a branch in the right location, but it was dead. After getting both of our food bags up, it remained attached to the rest of the tree.
Date: 2008-03-07
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Friday, March 7th,Started raining early this morning. It didn't look like it was going to let up anytime soon, so we start gearing up for a wet hike. I was lazy and instead of walking back down the trail to get water, I took out my handy First Need purifier and sucked water right from a puddle that had formed at the edge of the shelter roof. It was actually very tasty.Long Skirt and I head out in the rain. It rained the whole day, but wasn't that cold until after we got to Carter Gap shelters. I say shelters, but really the older one looked about ready to collapse. We were both thinking that it would almost be better to walk another 6.8 miles in the rain, because that shelter wouldn't be very sheltering. Then I realized that the guidebook said SHELTERS, so I started looking around for the other one. It was just a little farther up the trail with Lady and the Tramp already trying to dry all their wet gear...including their tent. The only real damage for me was that my improvised plastic bag waterproof socks didn't seem to be that waterproof. Luckily, I had my dry wool socks for the night, but putting those wet socks back on the next morning was like a cruel slap in the face.
Date: 2008-03-08
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Franklin, North Carolina (Sapphire Inn)
Miles today: 15.9

Saturday March 8th,It was with great reluctance that I unzipped my sleeping bag this morning. The thought of putting those wet socks back on was very distasteful to my senses. To put another stick in the spoke was the fact that it was snowing. To my surprise my feet actually warmed up pretty fast and my damp shirt dried out rather fast under my rain gear. Being from Texas, I haven't done a great deal of transporting myself through snow. But it was kind of like walking in clay mud that keeps sticking to your shoes, and you have to fling it off every so often. Other than that, it was pretty fun plodding along in the snow. When I reached Big Spring Shelter at about 1:30 it was freezing inside the shelter. I was there less than 10 minutes and everything that had warmed up during the day refroze. There was a group traveling south that said the next shelter, which was 5.3 miles ahead, was mostly downhill...then they said that anyone alone shouldn't stay there. I'm thinking GREAT. I decide to head along to the next shelter and Long Skirt gets there just as I'm starting to leave a note telling her I'm moving on. She said she would follow after she had lunch. I arrive at the next shelter and it seems just as cold as the last one. Everyone had said that the 3.7 miles after that, to Franklin, was a piece of cake. Well, I'm sorry but I beg to differ. There was a wee bit of a climb up from Rock Gap. I had waited near the last shelter for Long Skirt to see if she was game for another 3.7 miles at 4:30. She was so inclined, so I called ahead to Ron Haven's Budget Inn to see if there would be the possibility of a shuttle to Franklin once we reached Winding Stair Gap. The man, not Ron, said he would have someone there in about an hour. I told him that we were slower than most...We start going up steadily and I start to wonder if the man on the phone had ever done the hike from Rock Gap Shelter to Winding Stair Gap in an hour. Then I start to wonder if the man ever even hiked...then I started getting pissy. I had to talk myself out of the pissyness, and by the time I started hearing road noise and saw a highway I was just happy that I wouldn't have to sleep in some more 20 degree weather again. Sorry I got mad at some man that I didn't even know who will NOT be named by ME.
Date: 2008-03-10
From: Franklin, North Carolina!

To: New Shelter at Wayah Bald
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: clear sky

Monday March 10th,At shelter with Lady and the Tramp, Long Skirt, Catfish and Use to Could. Nice new shelter, but no bear cables. The privy, however, had several handicap rails and a ramp. I don't know how many people with disabilities are going to be able to make use of this facility.
Date: 2008-03-12
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: NOC
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: clear sky

Wednesday March 12th,Arrived at the NOC about noon. Checked into the hostel and rented a towel. Resupplied at the Outfitters. Food selection was not great. Had a cheeseburger at the restaurant. That was lunch, and for dinner I had Blackberry cobbler and coffee. Cobbler was good, but not as good as Granny's. Met Loafy, the twins, and Bushwacker.
Date: 2008-03-13
From: NOC

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

Thursday March 13th,A long day today. The climb up to Brown Fork Gap shelter from Stecoah Gap was probably the toughest uphill so far. A large portion had no switchbacks and all the leaves caused you, at times, to slide back down. Finally made it to the shelter at about 7:30PM. Twelve hour day today.
Date: 2008-03-14
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Resort
Miles today: 13.0

March 14, FridayGot in too late to get laundry detergent from the general store. Roomed with Long Skirt again. We both had decided to do a zero the next day because of the rainy weather. Glad we did because it rained all day. Dinner at the resort was just okay, and no vegetables. I feel vegetable deprived. I need a farm so I can graze on green stuff. Met up with Chili Mac, Toad, and Half Brew.
Date: 2008-03-16
From: Fontana Resort Zero Day!

To: Russell Field Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: scattered clouds

March 16, SundayFirst day in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. First impressions were not that great. I kept noticing a larger number of dead and dying trees. I can't help but think that humankind, for the most part, is responsible. What will we learn? On the bright side, the day was beautiful. I had intended to stop at Mollies Ridge Shelter. When I got there, there was a Lacrosse team on Spring Break already there. I decided to take my chances at the next shelter. Thankfully there was room at the inn.
Date: 2008-03-18
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

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

March 18th, TuesdayNothing to see on Clingman's Dome. Foggy and high winds. Periodically went through sections of conifers. They made great wind blockers. I love conifers. The wind has almost blown me over a couple of times today. I love conifers. Today was the first day that I really smelled the true forest smell that I've been craving. I love conifers.The wind was blowing so hard that everyone cooked inside the shelter. A bear would be crazy to be wandering around in this dreary weather.
Date: 2008-03-19
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Newfound Gap/Gatlinburg
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: light rain

March 19th, WednesdayJust made it to Newfound Gap as it started to rain and temperatures started to drop. Loafy was able to talk 3 guys into taking us into Gatlinburg.Gatlinburg is a rather strange place. Kind of like a family oriented Las Vegas. For some reason fudge is big there. I almost felt I was obligated to buy some, but fudge is heavy.Walked to the Happy Hiker for trail food. They had a crappy selection. Maybe it's too early in the year. Then decided to try out the trolley system and go to the grocery store. I wished that had been my first stop. Instead I paid $6.99 for mac & cheese. I don't care if it was Inertia Trail food. It was still mac & cheese and I paid $6.99 for it. Damn it.
Date: 2008-03-20
From: Newfound Gap/Gatlinburg

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: few clouds

March 20th, ThursdayDidn't get started till almost 2pm. The trail was covered in ice and snow. Took my time today and took several pictures. It was nice not to feel pressure about making it to the shelter 10.4 miles away after I decided that the 3 mile shelter would suit me just fine. Icewater Spring shelter had 4 men there when I arrived. Two thru-hikers, Napalm and his son Craig, and two section hikers, Ray and Jeff. Soon afterwards the shelter began to fill up with mostly section hikers. I heard someone mention that today was the first day of spring. Well, you could have fooled me. In Texas we are already having 80 degree temperatures. Even though it's not exactly spring-like to me, here's a poem. I actually found it in the into to Barbara Kingsolver's book "Prodigal Summer".Aaron Kramer "Prothalamium"Come, all you who are not satisfiedas ruler in a lone, wallpapered roomfull of mute birds, and flowers that falsely bloom,and closets choked with dreams that long ago died!Come, let us sweep the old streets - like a bride!Sweep out dead leaves with a relentless broom;prepare for Spring, as though he were our groomfor whose light footstep eagerly we bide.We'll sweep out shadows, where the rats long fed;sweep out our shame - and in its place we'll makea bower for love, a splendid marriage-bedfragrant with flowers aquiver for the spring And when he comes, our murdered dreams shall wake; and when he comes, all the mute birds shall sing.
Date: 2008-03-21
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: scattered clouds

March 21, FridayA lot of ice on the trail still. Had to wear my Yak Trax for most of the day and still had a few instances where I was sliding about. I wondered how bad it was for the people in just boots or sneakers. I was glad that I had packed them all this way. Hopefully I won't need them past the Smokies, but I've been thinking how they might fit on my crocs for water crossing. It's a thought.After a couple of miles or so there was a freshly blown down tree across the trail. It was a Spruce or Fir tree, so you had to climb through the branches. I'm sure it was the most graceless episode yet, even more that the 2 times I've fallen flat on my stomach. Neither of which were pretty sights, although I'm sure, fairly laughable.About a mile later I reached for my nalgene water bottle and it wasn't there. I thought either it had fallen out at the tree, or I was a total dumb-ass and left it at the shelter this morning. As it turns out I WAS a dumb-ass this morning and left my nalgene bottle at the shelter. Luckily a group of section hikers who spent the night there happened to see the bottle, and yes, also happened to be going to Pecks Corner shelter, so I don't have to get by with just 1 bottle. (Still had the water in it when it arrived)Met The General tonight. Let it be said...he has some very interesting stories.
Date: 2008-03-22
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: few clouds

March 22, SaturdayStarted at 7:30 this morning. I still haven't gotten any faster packing up in the morning. If I have breakfast, I'm really far behind. The General passed by me after about an hour. There were still patches of ice and snow on the trail, so sometimes footing was a little precarious. I arrived at Tri-Corner Knob shelter about 11AM and went inside, it's been a long time since I've smelled pot, but the shelter reeked of it. I had just finished getting water when Jeff showed up. He had lost one of his water bottles and didn't have a filter or any chemical treatment, so I let him use my filter and gave him a few chloride dioxide tablets to get him through the end of his section. Had lunch on a small bald, and basked in the sun for a few minutes.Ran into 6 horseback riders who asked about any fallen trees on the path. I know they were there for trail maintenance, but it seemed the horses were doing quite a bit of damage to the trail themselves. Some of the trail wasn't really suited for where the horses were traveling downhill, and there were 2 flat rocks jutting up about 3 feet high across the trail. Added to that was the fact that it was fairly muddy. Despite the fact that I had to walk through their "business" I felt sorry for them.
Date: 2008-03-23
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: broken clouds

March 23rd, SundayStayed at the bunkhouse with The General, Shepherd, CJ and friend, Poncho, Jessiah, Travis, Wrong Way, and Lady and the Tramp. Hostel was very rustic and the location was ideal. How can I find a location like that? Had a great time, but don't expect any luxuries here.
Date: 2008-03-24
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: light snow

March 24th Monday,It snowed all day today. Thud and Max and Wrong Way were coming out of the shelter as I was going in. They said there was a fire at the shelter. That sold me on staying. I started collecting more wood when I got there, and Lady and the Tramp showed up. They were debating about moving on, but the fire I think, enticed them to stay. Spock and Twiggy showed up, and the snow really started coming down for about 30 minutes then it stopped and the sun actually came out for a bit.We kept the fire going until dusk, and pretty much everyone hit the sack. We were happy that Tramp hung up 2 tarps across the front of the shelter to block the wind.
Date: 2008-03-25
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: few clouds

March 25, TuesdayStarted out a little later than usual this morning, but still was first out of the shelter. Soon Al, Kirby, and another thru-hiker passed me by. It's always nice to follow others in the snow, because you can tell that you're going the right way, and they pack down the snow for you. Since hikers seem to zip right past me on the trail, I started thinking about a Robert Frost poem..."Closed for Good"Much as I own I oweThe passers of the pastBecause their to and froHas cut this road to last,I owe them more todayBecause they've gone awayAnd come not back with steedAnd chariot to chideMy slowness with their speedAnd scare me to one sideThey have found other scenesFor haste and other means.They leave the road to meTo walk in saying naughtPerhaps but to a treeInaudibly in thought,"From you the road receivesA priming coat of leavesAnd soon for lack of sun,The prospects are in whiteIt will be further done, But with a coat so lightThe shape of leaves will showBeneath the brush of snow."And so on into winter Till even I have ceasedTo come as a foot printer,And only some slight beastSo mousy or so foxyShall print there as my proxy.I get to the summit of Max Patch a little before noon. The sun is out, but the wind makes it a bit chilly. Spock and Twiggy had stopped for the view, where I had just gazed at the surrounding mountains, and walked on until I got down into the next gap. The sun was coming through the winter barren branches and the wind was blocked. Not only that, but I almost had the essence of waterfall owing to a 3/4 inch piece of PVC pipe spouting out a small stream of water. Sometimes you have to create mountains out of molehills...Right?I was, to put it mildly, a little directionally challenged today. I took 3 wrong turns today. Two were minor, but one was about 30 minutes that I wasted time and energy on. Sometime during this Spock and Twiggy passed me again. At about 2:45, I started to think that if I can't do the 8.2 miles from 8:30 till then, then maybe the trail is beyond my abilities. I was feeling a little dejected and a little pissy too. So, at 3:00 I chanced upon Spock and Twiggy, who asked how they got ahead of me. I told them that I was momentarily lost. When he asked if I was headed for Walnut Mt. shelter I said that since it was already 3:00, and I still hadn't made it to the Roaring Fork shelter, there was no way I could make it another 5 miles. Spock then told me that I had already passed it about 2 miles back. Rather than feeling pretty stupid, I was quite relieved that the trail might not be beyond me. (There is still time to disprove this.) So...I headed on to Walnut Mountain Shelter and, of course, Spock and Twiggy passed me on the way up. I will never win a race, but I intend to at least cross the finish line, even if I may be the last one to do so.
Date: 2008-03-26
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC/ Elmers 
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

March 26-28 Wed, Thurs, and FriArrived at Elmer's a little before 4pm. Luckily he had room, because I really wanted to see the inside of the house. It is amazing. Built in 1840, and it has not been too modernized to detract from the original character. It must be a proud feeling to own such a piece of history and fully understand and appreciate that honor. The kitchen stove is awesome. I dont' think it's the original, but it's not too far off. After checking in, I went to the outfitters. Another bonus it was. Got my maildrop and some pommagranite (sp?) juice and an orange. Toad was also at Elmer's and I was surprised to hear that she had decided to leave the trail and work for Elmer. I can't think of a better reason to deviate from the trail, however...Good Luck Toad!