morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-03-28
From: Stover Creek

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: moderate rain

Got a late start this morning, by the time we woke up, ate, and broke camp it was about noon. Still, we managed to get in 4 miles so I'm not disappointed at all. We planned on doing 5-ish miles a day at first anyway so we're not doing bad. Would rather take it slow and give our bodies time to adjust than overdo it and hurt ourselves.Not too bad of a day, at least it didn't rain on us until we set up camp at the end of the day. The Trail was still a bit soggy so my shoes and socks are still water logged. We decided to try it a bit differently today and instead of wearing our raingear while we hiked we just wore shorts and a tshirt and kept the raingear dry for a thermal layer in camp. Worked out very nicely. We had a fair bit of uphill today and I must say...not a fan of that at all. I much prefer going downhill. At least for now, I'm sure my knees will grow to despise going downhill soon. We're camped tonight a bit east of Hawk Mountain shelter at a campsite near the ridge line. It's raining right now but I'm nice and dry under the tarp. So far I'm loving the hammock, just wish I could get it set up and taken down a bit faster but I guess that'll come with practice. I hope the weather clears up some tomorrow. It's been cool walking through foggy forests but I think I'm ready for some sunshine.
Date: 2009-03-29
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Cooper Gap
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The magic word for today was: cold. I was frozen this morning when I got up and it didn't get much warmer as the day went on. We camped on a ridge near Hawk Mtn Shelter and the wind howled all night long. We got another late start but managed to get in another 4 miles. Our biggest feat was making it up and over Sassafras Mountain. We're camped tonight at Cooper Gap and it feels like it's going to be another cold one. I learned a lot from how the hammock was hung so hopefully tonight will be bit warmer.
Date: 2009-03-30
From: Cooper Gap

To: Gooch Gap
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: broken clouds

The wind howled all night and it was a fairly cold one to boot so it was a very chilly evening. It was still blowing through the gap when we got up this morning and didn't stop until we got up and over the next mountain. This is the first sunny day we've had though so once we got away from that gap it was an absolutely beautiful day. We stopped at Justus Creek for lunch, and we couldn't have picked a more picturesque spot. The sun was sparkling off the water and the only sounds were the birds chirping and the creek tumbling over the rocks. We're starting to see a bit more wildlife now; chipmunks, squirrels, and lots more birds. The coolest today was a pair of vultures sitting in a tree. They were surveying the gap below and didn't move even though we got fairly close to them. The crow that followed us for a while cawing at us was pretty cool too.We made it further than we expected today but I think the nice weather had a lot to do with it. We hope to reach Suches, GA tomorrow and get our first mail drop. This has been the best day out here so far, hopefully tomorrow will be just as good.
Date: 2009-03-31
From: Gooch Gap

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: light rain

It was a bit chillier than expected this morning and stayed that way all day. There's a front moving in and every ridge we walked on today was directly in its path so we had a cool wind blowing on us most of the time.Which kind of sucked because we went up and over 6 small mountain peaks today and there were some incredible views that I would have liked to have spent more time at. The wind made it a bit cold to stop at most of them but I did manage to snap a decent pic of Liss Gap.We made it to Woody Gap, which meant a pretty short mileage day (3.5 miles), but that was our goal for the day. GA 60 Hwy crosses the AT at Woody Gap so we caught a ride from there into town. We were planning on staying at the Hiker Hostel but it was full so we ended up at the Super 8 Motel in Dahlonega for the night.We may end up taking a zero day tomorrow. I know it's a bit soon for that but there are a couple factors to go ahead and take one. Our drop boxes are in Suches which is a taxi ride away so getting there and back is going to take a big chunk of time. We should have sent the boxes here to Dahlonega instead of Suches but we can't do anything about that now. Plus we're both coming down with head colds so a day off might be a good thing right now.
Date: 2009-04-01
From: Woody Gap

To: Dahlonega, GA
Miles today: 0.0

We ended up going ahead and taking a zero day today in Dahlonega and we're both feeling better as far as our head colds go. I think we definitely made the right choice to take a day to rest.I'm sitting in a laundromat watching our clothes spin around right now. It'll be nice to start the day tomorrow with clean, dry clothes. It's amazing how much funk builds up after a few days.It looks like we'll probably be walking into a bit rain tomorrow but it's suppposed to be a little warmer so it shouldn't be too bad and we'll dry out fairly quickly.
Date: 2009-04-02
From: Dahlonega, GA

To: Slaughter Creek Campsite
Miles today: 7.4

Our zero day is over and we hit the trail running today. Well, maybe not running but we were both eager to get back into the woods. Through the Hiker Hostel, we were able to catch a ride from Dahlonega back to Woody Gap. The people who run the Hiker Hostel are extremely nice and we are very grateful to them for giving us a ride even though we didn't stay at their hostel. The day started with a hike up Big Cedar Mountain from Woody Gap. There were some great rock ledges at the top but unfortunately they were all obscured by a thick fog. I'm sure the views are spectacular though since it looked like they took in the entire valley.The fog lingered around all day. Mix in a cold wind and rain showers and that describes the day weather-wise. I didn't mind it too much though; walking through the woods when it's full of a thick, rolling fog is a pretty surreal experience. I enjoyed it quite a bit actually. And we had our biggest day yet at 7.4 miles! So overall it's been a pretty good day. I was a bit grumpy and tired by the time we got to our camping spot but it all got better once the hammock was up and I could sit down for a few minutes and rest.Tomorrow it's a short 3 mile hike up the rest of Blood Mountain anf then down into Neel's Gap for a quick re-supply.
Date: 2009-04-03
From: Slaughter Creek Campsite

To: Neals Gap
Miles today: 3.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night was horrible. We camped on the side of Blood Mountain at the Slaughter Creek Campground and a big thunderstorm rolled through. The wind and rain hit hard around 2am and sounded like a freight train blowing across the side of the mountain and it really chilled everything down. It was still cold and wet in the morning and it chilled us both to the core.When we reached the top of Blood Mountain the weather was still bad so all the views were obscured by fog yet again. The shelter up top was kind of cool though; it's an old rock building at the very top of the mountain and the fog made it feel like you'd stepped back in time into some pioneer building. Once we started down the other side of the mountain the weather cleared up some and we were out of the wind so it wasn't quite as cold. It's a very rocky descent though so it was a bit slower going than we expected. A bit rough on the ankles and knees, but I really enjoy walking on large stones and rocky ledges. We ended the day at Neels Gap so we had a fairly short day at 3.3 miles. We couldn't really go much further today since there's no camping for the next 6 miles due to bear activity. We're getting better but I don't think we're ready to try a 9 miler quite yet. Plus after the weather last night neither of us felt much like going far today. So we're spending the night at Neels Gap tonight and planning on pushing through the 6 mile no camping zone tomorrow. It's supposed to be a nice day tomorrow (finally) so we're looking forward to getting in a good day of hiking and views.
Date: 2009-04-04
From: Neals Gap

To: Hogpen Gap
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Well today more than made up for yesterday. Sort of anyway. It was a gorgeous day; the sun was out and the wind wasn't blowing much so we had some great views. The only problem today was the bugs. Every time you stopped moving you were swarmed by these tiny biting flies. My legs are covered in bloody bite marks from the things. Other than the mutant blood-sucking bugs the day was fairly pleasant. Cowrock Mountain had some great views and Wildcat Mountain was crazy steep, but worth it. We're staying at a cool campground near Hogpen Gap tonight, and we're both pretty tired from the bugs and heat today.Hoping to make it Helen, GA before the snow hits on Monday night so we've got a big day tomorrow.
Date: 2009-04-05
From: Hogpen Gap

To: Rocky Knob
Miles today: 10.7

Today was the longest day yet at 10.7 miles, and boy do my feet feel it. We probably shouldn't have pushed so far in one day yet but we're trying to make it to Helen, GA in order to beat the cold weather and snow chances in the forecast. We only have about 3 miles (and 1 mountain) to go to get there tomorrow so today's extra miles will be worth it.It was a rough day but I think it's probably the best one I've had out here so far. The bugs were back today but nowhere near as bad as they were yesterday. And the sun was out too, giving us some spectacular views of the mountains and valleys around us. This is probably the best day that I've had so far. It is by far the toughest, and I may pay for it with an extra sore body in the morning, but it's also shown me that I'm capable of pushing myself a little more than I thought I could and surviving.
Date: 2009-04-06
From: Rocky Knob

To: Helen, GA
Miles today: 0.0

We've been in Helen, GA for 2 nights letting some of the bad weather blow through. Not a lot to talk about while in town...we did laundry, got our drop boxes, and ate a whole lot of food. It was pretty interesting getting to town. Since Helen is 9 miles from the AT we got to try our hand at hitchhiking for the first time. It took about 20 minutes, but eventually a nice gentleman picked us up and drove us to town. It was very weird but much better than walking the whole way.We did meet up with some other hikers while doing our laundry (Liz & Mark) and they told us about a ride for getting back to the Trail tomorrow, so I guess we won't have to hitchhike again. At least not for a while.Helen is a very cool town where most of the buildings are done in a Bavarian-Style so it feels like some weird European village nestled away in the mountains. Of course the majority of the businesses in town are geared towards tourism, but it's still a cool little place.
Date: 2009-04-07
From: Helen, GA

To: Steeltrap Gap
Miles today: 7.3

Today was absolutely perfect...temperatures in the upper 50s to mid 60s, sunny skies, and no blood-sucking bugs. We started the day in Helen and met up with Liz, Mark, and a few other hikers and caught a ride back to the Trail on the "Party Bus" for a few bucks a head. The first mountain of the day coming out of Unicoi Gap wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be. The slope up was gradual enough and made good use of switchbacks so we made much better time than we expected. There was still some scattered snow and ice around in the woods, which was cool to see but made me glad that we weren't hammocking in it when it fell. With the ridgelines we'll be walking there's still going to be plenty of opportunities to hike and camp in the snow, but I'll deal with that when it happens.The biggest obstacle of the day was making it up and over Tray Mountain. Not a huge mountain by any means but it's big enough when you're on foot. As soon as we started up the mountain I knew it was going to be a good one. The Trail started uphill through a rhododendron tunnel and there was bright green moss growing on both sides if the Trail too. I know the pic I took of it won't do it justice, but it felt like I was walking through a cartoon. The cool, twisted trees, the almost glowing moss framing the Trail, the sunlight scattering through the branches...it was simply stunning.The top of the mountain was just as nice; more rhododendrons and a good view of everything around us. It was a little too hazy for pictures, but we could actually make out Fontana Lake in the distance. Pretty cool since we know that's where we're heading and will be crossing over the lake in a few weeks time.All in all the perfect weather and scenery made today a great day. We went on a couple of miles after Tray Mountain and are camped at Steeltrap Gap tonight. A 7.3 mile day altogether so we made it a good distance today to boot. I'm sitting in the hammock staring at the full moon rising in a crystal clear night sky and can hear wolves howling in the distance. The owls are hooting and the stream at the bottom of the hollow is doing its best to sing me to sleep. It doesn't get much better than today.
Date: 2009-04-09
From: Steeltrap Gap

To: 'Vista' Campgroung
Miles today: 6.7

Well the wolves I heard on the ridge behind us came a bit close to camp last night. We heard them moving around and making wolf noises at the bottom of the hollow early in the morning (down where I got water from the stream last night). I don't think they came over to our campsite but just knowing we were that close to a wild wolf pack is very, very cool. It's a huge highlight of my trip so far.Another gorgeous day today. The sun was out and temps were in the upper 60s most of the day. The big workout for the day was making it up and over Kelly Knob. Kelly *@! Knob. I thought I was never going to make it over the thing. It took me a while and just after making it over and starting down the other side, a fighter jet flew almost directly overhead and buzzed the mountain. He was only a few hundred feet above me and the noise it made as he flew over was deafening. While it was kind of nifty to see a jet in action the noise and disruption he caused by flying that close to the ground was a little annoying.We ended the day at "Vista" Campground just a couple hilltops away from Deep Gap Shelter, giving us a 6.7 mile day. The campground's on the top of a little knob so we have a nice 360 degree view of the sky tonight. There's a great view of the valley to the south and it looks like the clouds are moving in, so we may be in store for some rain before morning.
Date: 2009-04-10
From: 'Vista' Campgroung

To: Hiawassee, GA
Miles today: 2.4
Weather: light rain

Took a short day today, only 2.4 miles. We were planning on stopping in Hiawassee, GA anyway to pick up a maildrop but we were thinking of just stopping in town long enough to goto the post office and then getting back on the Trail this afternoon.The hail that started falling as we were breaking camp in the morning changed our plans a bit. We knew a front was going to move in but we didn't know how big it actually was. We got a room at the Hiawassee Inn (they have a shuttle to & from the AT) and by the time we got to the gap where they picked us up we were soaked to the bone. I felt like I was moving a bit faster than I should have been but 2 miles in the rain while lightning crashes down around you is a big incentive to walk fast.When we got to the room and flipped on the Weather Channel we saw how bad the front really was. In a few hours we were under a Tornado Warning (I think one touched down briefly in Rome and/or Helen) so we were very happy to be off the Trail for the evening.It seems to be easing off some now but I feel bad for the hikers who get to brave the storm tonight.
Date: 2009-04-11
From: Hiawassee, GA

To: Wheeler Knob
Miles today: 6.8

There were quite a few other hikers at the Inn last night doing the same thing we were and skipping the bad weather. Liz & Mark (and their dog Einstein) were the only ones there that we knew.Since we're moving at a slower pace than most of the people out here it's been hard for us to get to know anyone. I'll see people when they pass me on the Trail or see them in town and then never see them again. It's not really a big deal; we're getting faster and will eventually fall in with a group or two going our speed, it's just kind of odd seeing so many people out here only once.Today was kind of a blah day. The weather was chilly and overcast all afternoon, so there were no real views or anything very interesting to see. There weren't many switchbacks on the mountains today so it was pretty much straight up and over, which alays makes them feel a lot steeper. Combine that with a pack full of food and water from town and it makes for a very tiring day.We stopped at a cool little campsite a few miles short of the state line near Wheeler Knob and have set up the hammocks there for the night. Tomorrow's supposed to be a nice sunny day so that will make the uphills a little easier to climb.
Date: 2009-04-12
From: Wheeler Knob

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was a gorgeous day. We ended up sleeping in and taking our time around camp so we could enjoy the sunlight and recharge a bit before heading out. A Ridgerunner stopped at camp as we were packing up and we had a nice conversation with her for a while. I'm afraid I don't remember her name, but she's a very nice lady and extremely knowledgeable about the Trail through Georgia.We got our latest start yet at 2:00 in the afternoon but still managed to get in 5 miles for the day. And we crossed the NC state line, so one state is now officially behind us for good! It's hard to believe I've walked over 80 miles through the woods and crossed over into another state.The biggest difference between the two states so far is elevation. We're camping over 1,000 feet higher tonight than we were last night, and the Trail after this keeps going even higher. Which should make things a bit interesting since there's supposed to be a front moving in tonight and tomorrow.We've got the hammocks set up in the camping areas around the Muskrat Creek Shelter tonight. So we have easy access to water, a privy, and the shelter is close if the weather gets too rough.
Date: 2009-04-13
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

We ended up taking a zero day today at the shelter. The front that moved in last night dumped a fair amount of rain on us and made for a nasty day today. Temps are in the low 40s, a thick fog is everywhere, and there's a constant wind blowing that's keeping everything cold.Neither of us felt much like walking in yet another dreary, cold day so we decided to stay here and do as little as possible. Plus BigFoot hurt his toe yesterday while we were helping the Ridgerunner dismantle a firepit. He says he's fine but I think it's a good thing that he's not walking on it much today. His toe is swollen and it's turned a nice black/blue shade.Our next town stop will be Franklin, NC where we'll pick up a maildrop and take some more down time. The weather's supposed to be on the damp side for most of tomorrow but clearing up after that. We're going to try to push up and over Standing Indian Mountain tomorrow and shoot for some bigger mileage days.
Date: 2009-04-14
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Asheville
Miles today: 4.0

We've decided to go ahead and take our break now and head to Asheville for a few days to take care of some home stuff. I need to check on some auto-bill pay stuff that's not working as well as I hoped and work out some gear stuff (trying to lighten the load a bit more, possibly switch to a tent, etc.). Plus BigFoot should let his foot heal up a bit before trying to walk a lot on it. Although he won't tell you any of that since it's "fine". I'm not really worried about it much either, but you rely on your feet more than anything else out here and if something goes wrong with them you're screwed.Anyway, we'll back on-trail in a few days once we get things sorted out.
Date: 2009-04-17
To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We're off to get back on the Trail tomorrow. We're leaving Asheville and heading to Winding Stair Gap so we can get back on in Franklin, NC. We made some changes to our packs while we were on "vacation", the biggest being the switch from the hammocks to tents. I absolutely love the hammock; the comfort level for sleeping can't be beat and once it's hanging at night it's a wonderful way to camp. But the big issue we were having was the set up and breakdown times. Since it's been raining and cold almost every morning we've been out there, we've been pretty exposed to the weather while taking everything down. So we decided to change over to a quick setup tent instead. It won't be nearly as comfortable as the hammock, but right now we need easier instead of comfort. I may switch back to the hammock once the weather warms up a bit but for now I'll be going to ground.Changed out a few clothes as well (got rid of all the cotton stuff) and shaved a couple more pounds from my pack weight. Every little bit counts and I'm sure my back and knees will appreciate the lighter load.
Date: 2009-04-18
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Siler Bald
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was our first day back on the Trail after our little break and it was a gorgeous one. Sunny & clear with temps in the upper 60s. We got back on the Trail near Franklin a little after lunchtime so we only got in a half a day of hiking but it was worth it. It was nice being in "civilization" again for a few days but being back out here feels great. The sense of satisfaction and happiness I have on the Trail is a hard feeling to describe. You get sucked into so many things without realizing it when you're in the "Real World"...television, radio, the internet, basically anything you want at your fingertips. And while being constantly connected like that's a cool thing for a geek like me, being able to turn it all off and walk into the woods for days at a time is a hugely freeing experience. Walking up and over mountains every day is kinda cool to boot.Anyway, we only did 4 miles today since it was a half day. We started at Winding Stair Gap near Franklin, NC and stopped at Siler Bald. We decided to see the view from the top (a few hundred yards from the Trail), so we're camping on the very top of the bald tonight at an elevation of 5,216 feet, our highest sleeping elevation so far. Hopefully the storm coming in will wait til we break camp tomorrow before it decides to blow through.
Date: 2009-04-19
From: Siler Bald

To: Burningtown Gap
Miles today: 10.0

We timed it almost perfectly this morning with the rain. A few light drizzly showers were coming down as we were breaking camp, and then it bumped up to a blowing, sideways downpour just as we hit the Trail. It rained all morning and most of the afternoon so we got a touch wet today. It's still coming down pretty hard right now as I'm in the tent but hopefully it'll switch back to showers by morning.It was foggy most of the day with the rain so a lot of the views we had were obscured and we couldn't really see much. The highlights of the day for me were Wayah Bald and the ridge line just before we got there. The ridge was cool because all the trees growing there were covered in a white lichen which made the forest almost glow in the dim light. They also had this cool dried moss hanging from their bark that looked almost like hair. It all combined with the foggy day to give the entire ridge line an ancient, almost mystical feel to it. Of course the pic I took of it did it no justice at all. Guess you just had to be there to see how beautiful it really was.Then at the top of Wayah Bald there's a really nifty 2-story stone fire tower that has a 360 degree view of the mountains around it. All I could see was fog of course but on a clear day you can see the Smokeys from there and even catch a glimpse of Clingman's Dome.Altogether a pretty good day, even though I stayed soaking wet and couldn't see much besides fog for most of it. We did 10 miles today and are shooting for 7-8ish tomorrow so we can be at the NOC by Tuesday.