morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-21
From: Gatlinburg, TN 

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Zero days are chore days. I was going to walk over to the library to use the Internet. But, I didn't have to. I was allowed to go around the front desk and use their computer. This was after I was told they had over-charged me by $10.00 a night¢¦ Would I mind if they refunded me in cash? I needed to go to the P.O. to pick up a bounce box. Why, I could go with the 4 other hikers Chuckles had brought to the motel yesterday. The owner is letting them use her SUV to run their errands. So, I hopped in the SUV with Bear Bait, Pony Boy, Half Ounce, and Pilgrim. We went to a pancake house for breakfast, the P.O., and Food Lion. Now I only needed a Laundromat. Why, I could go around back of the motel and use their machines. How nice. Later I had to make another trip to the P.O. I had a 2 lb box to send home of stuff I didn't need anymore, and a 3 lb bounce box to bump up to Hot Springs. I sent home my wonderful sleep sack because my new sleeping bag keeps me warm. The pillow also got sent back because now I don't need to wear all my clothes to stay warm at night.   My Snickers ball cap wasn't being worn enough to justify carrying it. And, I sent home the Great Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park map, a big heavy thing I wasn't using. All my chores are done. My food and drinking things have been washed. I'm ready to go back to the trail. Now just one question¢¦ How am I going to get back to the trail?
Date: 2008-04-22
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: clear sky

The first order of business of the day whenever I'm in town is to call the husband. After talking to him, I did a few postcards and headed out. I got on a trolley and got off at the Happy Hiker Outfitters. I asked where was the best place to catch a ride back to Newfound Gap (15 mi away). It was just a short walk away to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park boundary and huge sign. I spent a few minutes chatting up the tourists until someone offered this other guy hiker a ride. I just tagged along.When I got to Newfound Gap I asked a grandmotherly lady to take my picture by an AT signpost. She then asked me if I would pose with her grandson's "Flat Stanley". I was thrilled to do so. Only my teacher friends will know what I'm talking about.After I went up the trail a bit, I stopped to unzip and take off my pant legs. And then¢¦OH NO! My Nalgene water bottle was missing! It must have fallen out of my pack's side pocket in the car trunk during my ride up to Newfound Gap. That's half my water. My pack's hydration system only holds a one-liter size Platypus. I stop and refill it from my one-liter Nalgene. Then I'll refill my Nalgene from the next available water source. I usually drink 2 liters when I'm hiking. One thing I like about hiking the trail is that when I'm faced with challenges, I watch to see how I will face them. OK, it won't be easy but I can deal with it until I buy a new Nalgene in Hot Springs.Although I planned a short day today, it was the most perfect hiking day. The air was a pleasing temperature. I didn't break a sweat and there were no annoying bugs today.When I got to the shelter at 2:00 pm, there was one young guy here, Sam. I told him about losing my Nalgene and he offered me his one-quart V-8 bottle when he finishes drinking the contents. The trail provides. I washed it out. It will do fine. Later nine other hikers joined us, including Burrass, Scout, Harvest, Katie, Inchi, and You-Go-Girl, a 59-year-old woman mourning her husband's death.
Date: 2008-04-23
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: broken clouds

Icewater Spring Shelter has the best views. Sitting at the narrow table drinking in the views while I was drinking my coffee. I was feeling ambitious today. The last time I did this section was with my then teen-aged niece. I now know why she walked the ridgeline with her arms outstretched like a tight ropewalker. Without the summer plant growth and cover, the sides of the mountain truly go straight down on both sides. Cool. It was a great hike and another beautiful day in the Smokies. I was feeling good. I didn't stop at Pecks Corner Shelter because it was a half-mile off the trail. It would have been the only place to get more water in this stretch, but I figured I'd be all right with the 2 liters I had. Four miles from Tri-Corner Knob Shelter the trail got harder. So did the rocks. My feet took a pounding. I was so glad when I reached the shelter sign. I was delighted to see S.H.O.E. again. She was at the shelter with her friend, Mrs. Baggins. Also here is everyone from Icewater Spring Shelter except You-Go-Girl.Oh yeah, most people are still complaining about the detour at Fontana Dam. Then I find out some people didn't have to take it. They just walked across because there was no one to stop them. So unfair!
Date: 2008-04-24
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: scattered clouds

The first topic of the conversation this morning was " Mr. Awesome" (not his real name), who joined us last night. He was so all about himself. Fortunately, he hikes 30 miles a day so we won't see or hear him again. It was humorous hearing each other quote his exact words to each other this morning. Do I feel ambitious today?We will see¢¦I was the only one who didn't hang my pack. There were not enough pack hangers (ropes tied to a beam with a stick tied to the end). So I left my pack on the ground near my sleeping spot. The mice left me alone but they went into Katie's and pooped. Of course the food bags are hung at every shelter on bear cables.To let Burrass (Male) know not to come into the shelter while they are changing their clothes, Harvest and Scout (females) tell him not to come in because they are having a naked pillow fight.In the Smokies everyone is required to stay at the shelters. So I could have done 7.7 miles or 14.8 miles today. I didn't feel ambitious today. An Up in the morning isn't as hard as an Up later in the day. Another beautiful day in the Smokies. The flowers of the day were Spring beauties, Trout lilies (those yellow ones I told you about), and violets. There were lots of flowers.S.H.O.E. and Mrs Baggins were at the shelter when I arrived. Everyone else went on to the next shelter. Later, new hikers arrived: Bogey and Bacall, Bama, L.B. Dutch (from Holland), Nicole, and 4 young men. The men are keeping to themselves and it is girl's night out in the shelter area.Oh Yeah, I missed it the last time I came through, but this time I saw the wreckage of a plane next to the trail before I got to Snake Den Ridge Trail. It happened sometime during the 1970's I'm told.
Date: 2008-04-25
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Breakfast at sunrise or sunrise at breakfast. The bench and table face east. Lovely. I got up early with all the ladies and I was hiking out at 08:05, the earliest for me. I was the last to leave (except for the young men who were just waking up). This is cool. How can I do this every morning? It was an overcast day¢hot and humid. My last day in the Smokies, I had been fortunate weather wise ¢ all beautiful days except for one rainy day. The sun came out in the afternoon. I caught up with S.H.O.E. before Davenport Gap. I had also hiked down into the Season of Spring. The trees are green and I counted 3 new yellow flowers, 2 new purple flowers (including Dwarf Crested Irises), and 3 new white flowers. We were also hiking along side a creek. It was a beautiful part of the trail. I was remembering how four years ago my brother had dropped me off at Davenport Gap for my attempted thru-hike. He had then driven to a parking area next to the Pigeon River and walked south with his dog (Lola) to meet me. We hiked together a short distance that day. I then hiked on to Standing Bear Farm for a 2.9 mile first day. Today I was dragging by the time I reached Pigeon River. I still had to go under I-40 and climb those stone stairs up from a road. S.H.O.E. had enough. She just sat down after the stairs. I worried about her the whole long last mile to Standing Bear Farm. When I arrived, there she was happily unloading her mail drop. She had called her husband in Atlanta who called Curtis at Standing Bear Farm who came and got her by car. I was relieved to see her and she had a present for me ¢ a Spam slice in a foil packet. Those are hard to find in stores. I'm tickled. She's getting off the trail. Standing Bear Farm has a well-stocked room of food for sale. It is all on the honor system.For dinner I cooked a frozen pizza ($10.00). I had that with a beer someone had brought. After my shower, I went over to the cabin porch and hung out with S.H.O.E., Mrs. Baggins, Dutch, Bama, and Bogey & Bacall. Bama had already thru hiked the trail. Bogey and Bacall had already section hiked the whole trail and now are doing the whole trail in one season. Dutch's son thru-hiked last year and now she is doing the trail this year.
Date: 2008-04-26
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: light rain

I was lazy this morning. I took my time getting ready. I went shopping for food in the storeroom. I put my stinky shirt back on. I could have washed my clothes here, but not in a regular washing machine. They had a washboard and a wringer. I'll just wait until I get to Hot Springs. I began hiking a little before noon. I saw a new white flower and new yellow flower, and Pinks, which are red. Also budding trillium and blooming dogwood. I love dogwood. It looks like floating clouds in the woods. I also saw Mayapple plants for the first time. They look like Barbie-size leafy umbrellas.The high spot (literally) was Snowbird Mountain. On top is an alien spaceship. You can't fool me, because I seen "Men in Black". The sign says it belongs to the FAA. This is the second time I've gone by it and not taken a picture. Today it was raining and I didn't want to get my digital camera wet. Four years ago I didn't dare take off my backpack to get my camera because I didn't have the arm strength to pick up my pack from ground level.
Date: 2008-04-27
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: light rain

1:19 am. A light flashing around. Bap! Bap! Whaa? The lady sleeping next to me is hitting her hanging backpack with her Crocs. She had mice running all over her pack. Sheesh. Well, since I'm up¢¦ pee run.The trail is so different from what I remember from '04. I'm hiking exactly 2 weeks later in the month than I did in '04. What a difference 2 weeks make during springtime. The budding trillium of yesterday, were blooming today. Three perfect pure white petals on hundreds of flowers, even though I saw exactly 3 pink trilliums and later in the day, several deep red ones. I also saw Squaw Corn plants. During the rain this afternoon, I passed thousands and thousands of Mayapples, all standing like umbrellas.Earlier in the day, when I came to a road crossing, I saw a large white & orange Tennessee Volunteers tent set up. Hey, trail magic! Everything¢¦ Hotdogs, hamburgers, sodas, brownies, Girl Scout cookies, candy, fruit, veggies with dip, Pringles, etc, etc. Several canvas chairs were set up and filled with hikers. What a nice surprise. Thank you Ox and Rice Krispy! After I left, it soon started to rain. So I mostly hiked in the rain today. Rain is good. It fills the springs and streams, where I get my water. Today's high point (literally, again), was Max Patch, a lovely round bald. No trees, just grass. Some day I'll have to come back when it isn't raining or foggy. Think: "Sound of Music."Another difference from four years ago is that I had snow in this section. That was when the tiny picture on my Trail Journal was taken. Then when I came to Roaring Fork Shelter, it was different too. It had been rebuilt in 2005.All new people here. Lots. I'm feeling shy, but lucky to get a spot in the shelter. Everyone else had to tent in the rain. Why does that young man think we all want to hear his music ¢ loudly? In all my years of hiking, this is a first. Some people come out here to get away from electronic devices. (Note to self ¢ Make sure I never share a shelter with him again).
Date: 2008-04-28
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 4.9
Weather: light rain

6:00 am. The rain had let up a little and it is light enough to go out without my headlamp for a pee run. Everyone is still sleeping. I walked outside the shelter and Whoops! Slipped in the mud and landed on my bottom. It was so slippery that I had to crab walk to a dry area under the eaves to be able to stand up again. My hands were caked with mud. So I held them under the gutter to rinse them off. After getting out my other pair of long johns from my clothes bag, I used my hiking poles to walk through the mud to the privy to change. I crawled back into my sleeping bag after I made it back and went back to sleep. Two hours later I woke up. Most of the people are still here. I'm wondering what to do for today's mileage. Maybe I'll just go to the next shelter even if it is only 4.9 miles. If it weren't raining, I would have tried to tent somewhere. Having to set up a tent in the rain isn't my first choice. It's a good day to go back to bed¢¦But I didn't. I packed up and left 5 people still in the shelter. After the rain stopped, it became foggy, the spooky kind. I crossed an area in the fog that only had wooden posts with the white blaze on them. I could only see 2 or 3 posts at a time.I reached the shelter around 2:00 pm. It was disgusting. Trash everywhere. There were three non-hiking types in the shelter. Their used Mountain House bags were all around them. Soon after I arrived, a couple from the last shelter arrived. They decided to tent and I decided to tent too. We are up on a ridge away from the shelter. According to the guys in the shelter, there was bear activity last night. (No Wonder!) The area around the privy was worse. Trash everywhere. All food wrappers. More hikers came and tented. It is a regular tent city up here.I ate dinner early and bear bagged my food bag. If you have been paying attention, you may also have noticed I don't usually do that. It was the first time for this trip. If the shelter does not come with bear cables, and if there is sign of bear activity, then yes, I'll bear bag. I use a rock in a sock tied to my rope. I looked like a pro. I even took a picture of my hanging food bag. I got into my tent around 6 pm and then the sun came out for the first time today. It is suppose to get down into the 30's tonight.
Date: 2008-04-29
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.9
Weather: broken clouds

5:20 am. Pee run. Good God, SNOW! What a wicked night. The wind blew in waves all night long (and still is). It was as if I had tented on a highway and one semi truck after another went past me. I feel that the tent would blow away if I weren't inside. The wind dies down between trucks. Add rain, snow and sleet. My water bag is frozen solid outside. The white stuff hasn't covered everything. And it's 32 degrees inside the tent. It's still dark outside. Nothing to do except go back to sleep.8:30 am. No delaying it, another pee run. I also went to take down my food bag. My rope was frozen into whatever shape it took. For a while there I thought my food bag and rope was permanently frozen in place. I keep tugging until it came loose. By now my fingers are frozen numb inside my gloves. I hurried back to my tent. It was a very painful experience to warm my hands back up. After they were warmed, the pain stopped in my fingers. Decision time. Stay? Go? 10 miles to the next shelter. 13 miles to the town of Hot Springs. Hmm...Since hiking is a heat producing activity, I decided to go. No coffee this morning, I just wanted to get going. I was on the trail by 11:15. I was out of sorts all day. Maybe because I didn't get as much sleep as I thought I did with the storm going on. Definitely because I didn't have the several cups of coffee. I didn't care about the scenery or taking pictures. My feet were hurting and my goal was the next shelter. When I got to Deer Park Mountain Shelter at 7:00 pm, I just wanted to crawl into my sleeping bag and collapse. Papa Sarge was concerned because I didn't want to eat dinner or even hang my food bag. Top Shelf shared a large portion of his Lipton side with Salmon and hung my food bag with his. Thanks guys.Also in the shelter was Sprite and Freckles. That makes five of us and this shelter only holds five. So when Wavepool comes and asks if there is any room in the shelter, Papa Sarge says, "Sure, there is always room for one more." Fortunately Wavepool is very skinny, although he is 6'9". We were all very, very close.
Date: 2008-04-30
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: clear sky

I woke up to the topic of discussion of the morning¢¦ the three squatters at Walnut Mountain Shelter. More hikers came in after dark. The squatters had moved to a tent a mile away but it was easy to follow them by their trash in their wake. The guys who came in late had picked up the trash at the shelter and privy. They get a big Thank You! And I believe the proper authorities have been notified. As soon as I was awake, I was packing. Breakfast and real, hot coffee were only 3 miles away and mostly downhill. It was a beautiful day. I hiked it in less than 2 hours.I went straight to the diner and found everyone from the shelter already there. I sat with Snowflake and Muffin Man, who I met in the Smokies, and Newt (another one) who was the last one to leave the shelter this morning. (He came out of the privy and everyone was gone). After breakfast I got the last available room at Elmer's, signed up for one of his famous dinners, and went to go wash my clothes at the Laundry. It has one of my favorite signs on the trail: "Please keep clothing on while doing laundry. A towel is NOT acceptable!"After I took a lovely, hot shower at Elmer's, I managed to break my glasses by sitting on them (I forgot I placed them on the chair). The plastic line holding the lens broke just like it did with my glasses in 2004. I'm better prepared this time; I carried a spare set of glasses with me. They are an older prescription so I feel like I have vertigo right now. The broken pair got mailed home. My husband will get them fixed and send them back to me up the trail. I also set up my tent in Elmer's back yard to dry it out.I plan to take a zero day tomorrow to catch up on writing postcards. I also still need to wash my food and drinking things.Today was a much better day.
Date: 2008-05-01
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I had breakfast alone at the Smokey Mountain Diner. I could actually leave today and not spend a zero in town. All my chores except for washing my dishes are done. But I needed to do some correspondence and I wanted to go check out the hot springs the town was named for. I waited until later in the afternoon.It was the best $12. I ever spent for one hour of happy. I was led outdoors to a Jacuzzi surrounded by a privacy fence and facing Spring Creek which joins the French Broad River. The tub was filled with natural hot mineral spring water. The good news was that I didn¢t have to rent a bathing suit. Hey, who is going to see me? It was lovely and mellow. I watched the creek ripple over the rocks in the sun. A small breeze shook dried maple seeds loose and sent them fluttering like butterflies towards the creek. I was so relaxed as I floated back to the building for my $40. foot massage. So professional, so well done. Soft lights, soft music. First a foot bath and then on the table for an extensive foot massage. Supposively, according to reflexology, getting a foot massage is the same as getting an all over body massage. I highly recommend the Hot Springs Spa to everyone.Afterwards I headed back to the Smokey Mountain Diner for dinner. I was invited to join Powder River and Zeke at their table. It seems almost everyone coming into town had a bear getting their food bag story. I was lucky. Either my bag at Walnut Mountain Shelter was so well hung or the bear had enough sense to hunker down during the storm. The town consensus about the three squatters was that they were just ignorant. I saw them in town and heard that they were looking for a ride to Florida.
Date: 2008-05-02
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Campsite
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: clear sky

I was up early and packed up all my gear that I had spread about the room. Called the husband and then went down to breakfast¢¦waffles, granola, cantaloupe, juice, and coffee. Afterwards, paid Elmer for my stay and headed out. One stop at the Post Office and one stop at the outfitters, and then I was headed out of town.I felt good and noticed that I¢m getting physically stronger. Everyone, of course, still passes me except for one guy today. His name is Shellback and he just started hiking out today. We hiked together awhile and then he took a break and I didn¢t see him again.It was a hot, sweaty, buggy day. My whole body became crusty with salt. I noticed many springs had dried up. North Carolina has been in a drought. I also noticed how all the new leaves on the trees looked the same spring green color. I saw two chameleons and one had a dark blue chest and throat. I had never seen that before. The flower of the day was the Dwarf Crested Iris. They were sprinkled along the entire trail today. I also saw a new pink flower on a single plant.The last mile is always the longest. My feet were hurting. Oh, why didn¢t I see about getting insoles for my boots? The next outfitter isn¢t until Damascus, VA. I wonder if Dr. Scholl¢s would have something that would work.The destination today was a campsite near Rich Mountain Fire Tower. When I arrived, You Go Girl was here with Wookie, Wasabi, and D. Nicole joined us later. Three of us have Hubba tents. D has a bivy sack. And Wasabi decided to cowboy camp¢¦sleep under the stars in his sleeping bag. The water source was yucky. A definite drawback of having a SteriPen versus a water filter. I just used the water I had to cook dinner. Instead of cooking my heaviest meal, I cooked Ramen to hopefully replace some of the salt I lost today. I added a 3 oz. can of chicken to it. On the subject of bear-bagging, Wasabi and I don¢t hang our food if there is no sign of bear. He did expertly help You Go Girl hang her food bag. D did such a pathetic job that we had to get out our cameras. It wasn¢t hung high enough and it was on a little tree. No bear would have any problem getting it down. Later he took it down and hung his food with You Go Girl¢s. Nicole who has faithfully hung her food was having trouble. She uses her water bottle to toss her rope over a branch. This evening it got tangled in the tree. Wookie got it down for her later.After dinner I re-laced my boots to see if I could take some of the pressure off my toes.