morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-03-12
From: Walasi-Yi Hostel at Neel's Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

Woke up to a cold, windy, and foggy morning. There was a bit of miscommunication because all of us hikers thought Pirate was cooking a hot breakfast at 7 a.m. , but he opted to leave out honey buns and coffee. I'm learning that hikers never pass up a food opportunity so we quickly snarfed everything up. After some pictures we gathered our packs and were hiking by 7:45 a.m. The trail was totally fogged in, with a strong and bitter wind blowing. Due to the below freezing wind and the rain from last night everything was coated in a layer of ice. We had no views, but the icy trees were spectacular. At Testanee Gap King Tut and his friend were stationed with trail magic. It was so cold that we passed up the soda but helped ourselves to nutritious food such as candy bars, Doritos, and Cheetos. On we hiked, up Wildcat Mountain , where we came upon self-service trail magic of Kool Aid jammers and Little Debbie snacks. Again, I'm learning to never pass up free food.As the weather warmed slightly and the sun came out we were pummeled with ice shards from the trees. The lovely vistas reappeared in the sun and by 2:30 p.m. we reached Low Gap Shelter, our destination for the day. It's going to be a cold night and Infinity and I are staying in the shelter. There are lots of people tenting, including Supermom and her 3 kids (Snowflake, Duckbill, and Mufassa), Techie, Lentil, Cub, Alex, Nomad, Postman Dan, Wheels, Pattycake, and Supermom's dog, Charlie. Today's highlight: a tie between the frozen landscape and two trail magics.
Date: 2013-03-13
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: few clouds

Woke up to another cold morning, this time after spending the night in the shelter. Just to give you an idea of how cold it was, here was my nighttime attire: two pairs of wool socks, long johns, rain pants, wool long sleeved shirt, fleece, down jacket, neckwarmer, fleece hat, and gloves. I stayed nice and toasty with all of this on inside my down sleeping bag rated to 15 degrees, although my nose was a bit cold whenever my head emerged from the bag. It was that cold and I've decided that sometimes it's just as well to not actually know the temperature .After a bite to eat and a cup of Lady Grey tea (thanks to Baltimore Jack at Mountain Crossings for the tea bags) we packed up and headed out on the trail by 9 a.m. The first 5 miles were gentle ups and downs, with a warming sun on one side of the ridge and that same bitter wind as yesterday whenever we dropped on the other side of the ridge.We stopped for lunch at Blue Mountain Shelter, after which we ascended the final climb to Blue Mountain, only to then descend fairly steeply to Unicoi Gap. I'd hoped for trail magic or at least a garbage can at the gap (a major gap), but no such luck on either count. Maybe this was our payback for the double round of trail magic yesterday - I was getting greedy. Anyway, Infinity and I took a nice break at the gap in the warm sunshine with some of the fellow hikers we'd been leapfrogging with all day. It's only day 6 of my hike and I'm already a big fan of the hiker community.By now we were 10 miles into our hike but decided to push on to some campsites at Indian Grave Gap. Of course to reach this point we had to first ascend Rocky Mountain (4017 ft.) where we were rewarded with splendiferous views. In spite of the cold, we've had blue sky weather.We then descended to Indian Grave Gap, set up our tents, made our dinners, had a campfire, hung our food bags, and I'm now typing this from the comfort of my tent. There's a father and son camping here as well and they're sleeping in hammocks, which must be super cold. We're hoping that this is the last of the cold nights.... I have all of my layers on again and am hoping to stay warm!Today's highlight: the hiker community; we're meeting so many great people.
Date: 2013-03-14
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

Last night was cold again. And by that I mean REALLY COLD (caps intended). It was in the low 20's with a sharp wind. I stayed warm in my tent with the added warmth of the hood to my down jacket (in addition to my other nighttime attire) although Infinity and I found it hard to get moving this morning. We packed up quickly and were on the trail by 8:20. The trail took us up immediately, so we soon shed our down jackets in spite of the cold wind. Along the way we ran into some other hikers in our hiker bubble who'd camped higher up and they'd really frozen. The sky was blue once again and we saw pretty hoar frost ( at least we think that's the term), which seemed to grow up from the ground in vertical wisps.1300 feet and about 2.5 miles later we reached the summit of Tray Mountain. Great vistas once again. From there it was back down through several gaps and some ups and downs before a 1 mile/850 ft. elevation gain to Kelly Knob before ultimately heading down to Deep Gap Shelter, our stop for the night. We'd hoped to sleep in the shelter, which is a double decker, but the second level looked as though it's used for mice contra dances, so we decided to set up our tents. Another cold night, but we believe a warming trend is headed our way.We're here tonight with the hikers we've been leapfrogging with: Logan, Whiteout, Techie, Jordana, Lentil, Zen, Peanut, two really nice University of GA students out for spring break, and a few others whose names I don't yet know. Everyone is planning on heading into Hiawassee tomorrow to resupply, eat, and get cleaned up (yes, we're all thoroughly disgusting).I'm posting a picture of a typical Georgia AT privy. When I saw the first one and it was roofless, I thought it was an anomaly. I now know,however, that this is the style down here. Although it would be a drag to use one in the rain, at least they don't smell.6:30 p.m. and once again SO COLD, so I've already eaten my dinner and am in my tent, looking forward to town food, a hot shower, and laundry tomorrow. All is good on the AT in Georgia!Highlight today: once again, the gorgeous Georgia views.
Date: 2013-03-15
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: broken clouds

First of all, thanks to everyone for their continued support and well wishes for my AT adventure! Your Trail Journals and Facebook messages really keep me going.In case you were feeling sorry for me in the cold weather, let me give you an update. I'm writing this from a Starbucks Cafe within a huge Ingles grocery store in Hiawassee, Georgia. Free WiFi so I'll be here awhile. Infinity and I ate a lovely lunch here an hour ago, and then we meandered up the road to the Dollar General. She went in pursuit of a computer at the local library and we'll meet up later.We're taking what's called a "nearo" day in the hiker world. This means you're nearly at zero miles for the day, as opposed to a true zero day, which I hope not to take for awhile yet.Last night was cold once again, but thankfully the wind let up and I slept without my neckwarmer and only had on one pair of wool socks. Ah, the simple joys. We got up at 6:30 and were packed and on the trail by 7:15. Our goal was to make it to Dick's Creek Gap, where Gary from the Blueberry Patch Hostel would make a hiker drop off/pick up at 9:30 a.m. We beat it out of there, hiking through a spectacular sunrise, and made it to the gap by 9 a.m. 3.6 miles plus .3 miles from the shelter, so almost 4 miles up and down. Not bad.Gary arrived right at 9:30 and loaded 5 of us very smelly hikers (Jordana, Peanut, Techie, Infinity, and me) into his vehicle. The Blueberry Patch is a very special hostel for hikers that Gary and his wife run in a cabin behind their home. There are bunks, a common area, cokes in the refrigerator, and a bathhouse out back. Gary thruhiked in the 90's and he and his wife open the hostel every year during thruhiking season. And as if that isn't enough, Gary also does your laundry and makes a hot breakfast before depositing you back on the trail the next morning. He does all this on a donation basis - thank you, Gary!So after we all had showers and some clean clothes, Gary took us all into town and dropped us off. Here we are, clean, fed, and relaxed, with my biggest worry being what food I need to buy for the next leg of the trail and what I'll eat for dinner.Two notes for friends: Susan, I ate a bag of Lay's Classics in your honor. Nancy, remember Earl Grey from Upper Goose Pond Cabin last summer? He was just leaving the Blueberry Patch this morning as I arrived and is northbound thru-hiking this year since he had an injury last year and had to get off of the trail in Harper's Ferry. Such a small world!Today's highlight: What's not to like about a day like today? And I forgot to mention it's sunny and in the 60's...
Date: 2013-03-16
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

Today was magical, and here's why:1. The day started at The Blueberry Patch with a wonderful breakfast cooked by Gary and his wife, Lennie. We all ate pancakes with homemade blueberry syrup, hash browns, cheese biscuits, sausage, scrambled eggs, orange juice, and coffee/tea. What a feast! After we ate Gary loaded 5 of us in his car and took us to Dick's Creek Gap to start our hike.2. It finally feels like spring. I hiked in shorts for the first time today and it was lovely to feel a warm breeze at last. I saw the first butterflies of the season, walked through many rhododendron thickets, and looked out for miles through the leafless woods. 3. I made it out of Georgia and into North Carolina! Before I left I told everyone that my immediate goal was to cross the state line and I did it. Next short term goal is to make it through the Smokies...So here I am, in my tent at Muskrat Creek Shelter, which sits at 4,580 feet. The 11.8 miles I covered today included 4,079 feet elevation gain and 2,154 feet elevation loss, so there were a lot of uphills. I also can't figure out why the creek is named Muskrat Creek, since all the muskrats I've seen inhabit low-lying swampy areas, but whatever.I'm separated from Infinity for the first time... her knee was giving her trouble so she sent word through Gypsy and Hancock that she was camping a few miles back. We'll see what happens tomorrow. Camped here tonight are some familiar faces, including Techie, Pain, Gypsy, Cub, Logan, Whiteout, Hancock, and Ned. There are also a bunch of new folks such as Maineiac, Blue Deer, Yonder, Folsom, and several others whose names escape me.Today's highlight: walking in the sunshine and listening to my IPod for the first time since I've been here. The song "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield came on and it was a transcendent moment. If I wasn't typing this with one finger I'd share some of the lyrics, but I'll let you google them yourselves. Good stuff.
Date: 2013-03-17
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Carter's Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Up and on the trail by 9 a.m. Not as cold of a morning, a little more overcast but nice nonetheless.The trail climbed for 6 miles, although it went up in a series of gradual switchbacks. We climbed to the top of Standing Indian Mountain, at 5,400+ feet the highest summit we've reached so far. Pain, Maineiac, Blue Deer, and I all headed up the .1 mile side trail to the very top. Ate lunch there and explored the rock outcropping off to the side where we had spectacular views.On down for the next 6.5 miles to the shelter. A lot more down than up, and reached the shelter by 3:15 p.m. Infinity arrived within an hour... she'd hiked 15.5 miles to catch up. Full house tonight with a threat of rain, and I managed to get a space inside. Great campfire in the evening with lots of stories and jokes.Today's highlight: summit of Standing Indian Mountain
Date: 2013-03-18
From: Carter's Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

So last night presented a bit of a dilemma... since I knew rain was coming in, the question was whether to stay in the shelter or put up my tent. While the privacy of my own tent was appealing, I didn't relish the thought of packing up in the rain. On the other hand, shelters usually include snorers and mice. Blue Deer, who'd stayed in this shelter last November, said that there was a resident mouse couple who liked to peer down from the rafters and ultimately wreak havoc.The mice and snorers won out, and there were some of both, but it was so nice to hear the rain start in the middle of the night and know that all my gear was dry. We woke up to a wet and foggy morning, packed up, and I was on the trail by 8:15 a.m.Walked in the foggy mist all day over a moderate terrain. There was one short and steep climb over Albert Mountain, but aside from that it was a 12.1 miles walk in the woods.Arrived at Rock Gap Shelter at 2:15 p.m. and my timing was great. Within the hour the rain started in earnest, so I'm once again relieved to have claimed a spot in this small and crowded shelter. We're packed in, with Maineiac, Techie, G Sprout, Folsom, Infinity, and myself. There's also two tents and a hammock. I think we're in for a long evening of rain so I'm thankful to be dry. Here comes the thunder and lightening...Today's highlight: after I wrote this entry we had a great time in the shelter... 6 of us in our sleeping bags by 6 p.m., propped up against the back wall of the shelter watching the rain, lightening, and hail. We were pretty punchy and decided we were watching reality TV outside and had a good time. Love the hiker camaraderie.
Date: 2013-03-19
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Aquone Hostel (pick up at Wayah Gap Rd.)
Miles today: 9.0

First of all, I've had almost no cell phone connection for the past few days, so that's why I haven't posted my entries. Each day I type my entry in the notes section of my trusty IPhone, but since entering NC the cell service has been really spotty. I have AT&T, which tends to be thoroughly dissed by hikers as not good in the south, although last night at the shelter we had AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint all represented and none of us had service. So there! My photos are on my phone, so I'll post those eventually when I get good cell reception.I'm typing this on the computer at Aquone Hostel, since they also don't have cell service. I was so glad to be dry after last night's wild thunder/lightening/rain/hail storm, so it was easy to pack up and get on the trail by 8:15 a.m. I knew that my goal for the day was only 9 miles to reach the pick up spot for Aquone Hostel, so that was a great motivator. Three days out in this cold and sometimes wet weather and the thought of a shower and laundry really spurs one on down the trail!Beautiful weather once again, and a truly lovely walk from Rock Gap Shelter to my pick up point at Wayah Gap Road. Climbed and descended, as usual, all through the woods but with views out through the leafless trees in every direction. At about 7.5 miles climbed to Siler's Bald, my first experience with a bald. Balds are essentially grassy summits and oh, they're wonderful. Rested a bit there, waiting for Son Driven, who is also at the hostel tonight. Chino came up to take a break and he decided to head to the hostel as well. On the way down to Wayah Gap Road we saw a tent and someone yelled "come on over... hot dogs, hot chocolate, soup" so of course we had to check it out. The legendary Fresh Ground, who I've been hearing about, was stationed there with a full trail magic set-up. Yummy chicken noodle soup, chips, apples, etc. Thanks, Fresh Ground!The three of us were picked up by Wiggy at 2:15. Wiggy thruhiked in 2010 and decided to open a hostel in this area to give back to the hiking community. This is the hostel to end all hostels... a gorgeous log cabin with all the amenities. Wiggy and his wife, Maggie, offer resupply items, a full dinner, laundry, common areas; it's trutly more of a 5 star hotel than a hostel. So here I am, clean, my laundry is in the washer, and I just polished off a coke. I'm finding I need to be eating more to keep my energy up - what a chore! I walked into the hostel and there were Fortune Cookie and One Foot, two of the women who I started hiking with on March 8 and haven't seen since the 10th. Infinity and I sadly parted ways this morning since she decided to rest her knees up and take a zero day in Franklin. With the way this hiking community is so fluid, who knows who I'll cross paths with again?Highlight of the day: being here at Aquone Hostel. If you plan on hiking this stretch of the trail, don't pass it up.
Date: 2013-03-20
From: Aquone Hostel (drop off at Wayah Gap rd.)

To: Nantahala Outdoors Center
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Fueled by an excellent ham and baked ziti dinner, some fun conversation while half-watching "Dual Survivor", and a full breakfast this morning, off to the trail I went. Chino and I were the only 2 leaving from Wayah Gap Rd. who weren't returning to the hostel (Fortune Cookie and One Foot were slack packing), and we talked about just how many miles we might put in for the day. My original thought was to hike to Wesser Bald Shelter, about 15 miles, but Chino pointed out that if we hiked a bit further we could make it all the way to the NOC. Feeling good, I decided to go for it and the 20+ mile personal challenge was on.It was cool this morning but the sun was shining, so great hiking weather. Once again I am so grateful to be out here at this time of the year. With the leaves still off the trees you can see for miles in every direction and this is spectacular country. I finally realized how the woods here are different from home; there aren't any conifers at the higher elevations. Aside from the brown trees, there's green in the rhododendron thickets, mountain laurel, and holly (seen in GA but not so much in NC). For any of you thinking of hiking the trail, I'd recommend you think about starting in March so you can experience the open views. I imagine that in less than a month the trail will be a long green tunnel.We first climbed up to Wayah Bald, with a stone tower and observation area. Up and over the ridge lines, some of the trail above 5,000 ft., and later crested Wesser Bald, with its rickety observation tower. All I can say is "wow"! Not very profound but that's how it is.From there I just kept hiking, and hiking, and then I hiked some more. It's amazing how one can hike for miles without seeing another hiker. Chino was a bit ahead of me so I just kept hiking. Finally the trail started the long (6 miles) descent into the Nantahala Outdoors Center. The thought of a bunk in the bunkhouse and a burger in the restaurant on this bitterly cold night kept me going. When I reached the NOC at 6:30 I found out through Chino that there wasn't a way to check in at the bunkhouse because we were after hours. We decided to eat and sort out our plans, and we brainstormed with some other hikers and the waitress . We ended up in Bryson City at a motel thanks to our waitress and two kind people who gave us a ride. The AT certainly seems to provide adventure both on and off the trail. One thing is certain - I'll be walking fewer miles tomorrow.Today's highlight: climbing the balds.
Date: 2013-03-21
From: Nantahala Outdoors Center

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Chino and I regrouped this morning to plan our strategy. He was fighting a bad cold but managed to call home and arrange for a prescription to be picked up at the local pharmacy. He headed into town to resupply and pick up his medicine and I hung out at the hotel, making the most of the complimentary breakfast. Luck was with us and we scored a ride back to the NOC with a local transit service.I picked up my mail drop at the outfitter's, bought a few things at the convenience store, and was on the trail by 11 a.m. Chino called this a "reverse nearo", meaning a leisurely start to the day and not many miles. The trail goes UP from the NOC for 6 miles, starting at 1,749 feet and climbing to 4,710 feet at the top of Swim Bald. It was a long walk up, but much of the trail included switchbacks to climb. I hiked by myself, enjoying the sun, views, and tunes on my IPod. I arrived at Sassafras Gap Shelter at about 3:30. This is a luxurious double decker shelter ( not really) and it is absolutely freezing. I forgot to mention that in spite of the sun, it is bitterly cold. Snow dusted the ground here last night and I think more's on the way tonight.So here I sit, in my sleeping bag, with my down jacket and all the other layers of clothing. Here tonight are Hot Dog, Whistle, Wild Blue, Seventeen, Disciple, and his dog. I've eaten my instant mashed potatoes and we're swapping stories and trying to stay warm... ah, living the good life on the AT.One last thought before my fingers freeze and I can't type anymore... I've only been at this a bit under two weeks and the trail has already taught me flexibility and trust. I'm quickly learning that logistics have a way of working out, and that people on the trail are some of the most kindhearted people I've met. Okay, all for now since I need to get my hands warm...Today's highlight: waking up clean at the hotel after a good night's sleep and drinking 3 cups of English Breakfast tea.
Date: 2013-03-22
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I know I've talked about the cold already, but last night was the coldest one yet. Sassafras Gap Shelter sits at 4,400 feet, and although it wasn't windy, it was a clear night and the temperature plummeted. I woke up twice during the night to put even more clothes on and still didn't stay completely warm. When we woke up this morning our water bottles were semi-frozen and Wild Blue's thermometer read 20 degrees. We were all reluctant to get out of our sleeping bags and start our morning routines, believe me.I headed up the trail at 9:15 and soon came to Cheoah Bald, yet another lovely view. No sun today and the morning stayed cold, so I hiked for much of the day in my down jacket. The trail undulated up and down as usual. It occurred to me today that the trail through this part of NC stays at a high elevation for the most part. It meanders along ridges and then invariably comes upon a "knob". Every time I see a knob approaching I hope that the trail will take me horizontally along the side of the knob, but alas, 9.9 times out of 10 the trail climbs up and over. I sat at a picnic table alongside NC Rte. 143 and ate lunch with Wild Blue. Disciple came along and mentioned the upcoming climb up "Jacob's Ladder", which we'd reach within a mile. I'd already heard this was a challenging stretch of trail and envisioned a hand-over-hand rock scramble. It wasn't anything like I'd anticipated, instead it was simply a really steep walk in the woods. About a 600 foot elevation gain in half a mile. Not hard, but just gasp inducing.I finally stopped tonight at Cable Gap Shelter. This shelter sits at 2,700 feet and seems warmer than last night's location. Only Wild Blue and I are here (well, except for the mice), there's a pleasant stream out front, a relatively new privy, and room in the shelter, so I'm hoping for a good night's sleep. The AT crowd seems to be thinning out.Today's highlight: finding out that Jacob's Ladder is quite manageable.