morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-21
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

The days go by really fast out here, I kind of hate that because every time I go or see some place I really like, I think to myself, "This'll be the only time (for a long time) I ever see this!" April 19 was my toughest day so far, not because of miles or terrain, but mentally, emotionally, physically... yes. First off, this person I was sleeping next to last night in the shelter repeatedly hit me through the night because I was snoring a bit (I got no sleep!). Second off, my sinuses and allergies think that Spring is hitting twice this year, which when you're on a mountain all the time after coming from the warm piedmont, it does! So I'm a bit puny feeling. And lastly, my body just plain hurts. My knees are aching, the body's stiff, and feet sore all the time. So... when the day was over and I got to Cold Spring shelter (@12.5 miles) I pitched my tent so no one would hit me in the night and slept for nearly 14 hours! April 20th was the start of a much better, fresh day. All is great now, today's April 21st and I've enjoyed an almost zero day (@1 mile) eating the AYCE (all you can eat) salad, taters, soup, and taco salad bar at the River's End Restaurant at the Nantahala River Outdoor Center (NOC). Oh yeah, and I drank some BEER!... so tasty, a bit flat though, but still great, it was Highland Brewing Co.'s Gaelic Ale, one of my fav's and a testament to my cousin Jonathan Cort's hard work and appreciation for good beer!! The rest of the day was spent watching the kayakers and rafters hit the last rapid, some falling in for a cold swim, me getting a laugh (not out loud), and sticking my feet in the fresh mountain water! Ahhh, so nice. I talked to Tina last night, and got a wonderful message from her at the Maple House, and one from my friend Wanda B. too! Very nice to hear their voices. Also, made a fire at Rufus Morgan shelter last night... with FAT LIGHTER I found in the woods...that was for the Long family, thanks guys. Talked to Grizzly too, thanks for being so excited Nick, I think about you a lot brother. Anyway, for now I'm going to get a lite dinner, catch some stars and then some Z's in the bunk house. Big climb tomorrow!
Date: 2007-04-22
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Well, the original plan yesterday was to stop at Sassafrass Gap shelter after the most of the dreaded climb out of NOC, but a 6.9 mile day seemed too puny considering the weather was beautiful, a little hot though. Back to last night... ate a small dinner, had 2 more Gaelic Ales, and listened to a little live music, really made me miss the days of playing with my buds back in Boone, that sort of time will come again some day though, no sadness! Big milestone tonight... camping in the tent with no one else around for miles! I'm on top a little knob with a 360 degree view, awesome! I took a good sunset photo with the tent in it, good memory. I'm right on the trail however, since there's not much room elsewhere on this little mountain top, if the weather wasn't nice I would not be here, and... I hope what I've heard about bears using the AT at night is not true. Good night!
Date: 2007-04-25
From: Fontana Shelter

To: Russell Field Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Days I've missed in the journal and things left out...4/23: Stecoah Gap to Cable Gap Shelter, nothing too interesting, just another hot day4/24: Cable Gap to Fontana "Hilton" Shelter, BIG BIG DAY... Everyone pay close attention, I AM NOW AN UNCLE! Carter Elizabeth Kincaid was born today! I got rained on pretty hard today, right after packing up the tent, it started, so at least I didn't have to pack things up wet, and it's a short day, @6.5 miles and resupply. I'll enter the Smokies tomorrow!For 4/25...The Smokies don't look so different so far, but today's section of trail was nice, nothing too steep or rocky and great hiking weather. I ran into my first AT Ridgerunner today, he was also a park ranger, nice guy, his name was Jim. He said that the park's population of hikers had thinned out a bit and I believe it, I haven't seen many other hikers lately other than the ones I've been camping with. Which reminds me... overall it seems as though the AT is thinning out in terms of thru hikers. According to books' statistics, at least 50% of those who started at Springer with thru hiking intentions have dropped out and gone home by now. I will not be one of those statistics, I'm really starting to feel comfortable, in my element or at home so to speak in terms of being out here hiking the trail. I'm adjusting to this new lifestyle fairly well, although I'm careful to say that. I also feel like I'm getting into "trail shape". Since leaving the NOC, I can tell I've gotten stronger as a hiker, much more so than when I left Springer. It's nice to feel some progress, however there's still much more to gain and the climbs up and walks down are not any less steep. This does make me think about my tentatively scheduled "go home" time... when I reach either Watauga Lake or Damascus. Hopefully the 4 to 5 days off the trail I'd like to spend seeing friends and family for the last time won't make me fall back out of trail shape. Enough of my babbling, I'm tired and it's supposed to rain tomorrow.
Date: 2007-04-26
From: Russell Field Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: light rain

The only way to describe today is by saying I was wet, cold, wet, walked a long way, oh.. and did I say wet? A typical day in the Smokies I think. Today I certainly tested the limit once again. More appropriately, God was testing my limit and close to me throughout the hike. Like always, the Lord looked after me today and helped me open my eyes to see what it's going to take to finish this journey. Things are so mental out here. Today could have truly been miserable, but it wasn't. It was almost nice in a strange way. I'm seeing that things have to flow out here in a way nothing else in the world does. Optimism, perseverence, faith, and understanding that you have to deal with the trail in a way IT demands are keys to getting by from day to day. Like the paper that Nick passed to me says, "The trail knows no prejudice and does no favors, you can't control it, you have to flow with it, not fight against it." So true.
Date: 2007-04-29
From: Tricorner Knob Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Once again, some days I've left out of my journal, it's easy to let the days go by without writing in it. 4/27: Double Spring Gap to Icewater Spring Shelter. A decent day, not as wet, but my feet were soaked all day from the day before. The sun came out in the afternoon for just a bit, not before I climbed Clingman's Dome however, the highest point on the AT and foggiest. Sorry Dad, no pics from the top. I went through Newfound Gap also, the place where people hitch to Gatlinburg, NOT ME! I had enough supplies to last through the Smokies and skipped that nightmare. I can see why people say it's such a touristy place, even the parking lot at Newfound Gap, 15 miles from Gatlinburg was filled with tourists taking pictures, motorcycles, and blue collar America's finest sporting their "Gatlinburg" logoed apparal and taking day hikes on the AT for about a mile or two, all asking me how far I've been and how far I'm going. I don't mean the last lines to sound negative, I just got a kick out of it really. Thanks Mom and Lee, Dad and Ann for never taking us to Gatlinburg, hahah! 4/28: Icewater Springs to Tricorner Knob. Around 13.8 miles today, not so nice like the ranger said. It was another wet one, not much rain, mostly damp fog, walking in a cold cloud all day. 4/29: Nice Day! @ 14.8 miles. Last one in the Smokies. Tomorrow will be a short day (@3.3 miles) to Standing Bear Hostel where I'll eat some food, have a shower, and let my body rest up for the 33 mile stretch to Hot Springs. I didn't take too many pics in the Smokies, sorry everybody, it was just too cold and wet and I was tired and didn't want to fool with the camera most of the time.
Date: 2007-04-30
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 181.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Today, I'm at Standing Bear Hostel 4/30. I'll be hitting the trail tomorrow and updating in a few more days. The weeks are still wrong on this thing, so... everyone know, I'm in week 4, not 6. This hostel is really cool! Just inside the TN state line, the folks that run it are great, very hospitable... Love to everyone!P.S. pictures are on the way, the computers I've been using are having a hard time uploading the ones I've wanted to post.
Date: 2007-05-01
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night was a lot of fun! Several entertaining events occupied my time at Standing Bear Hostel. First of all... I 'sort of' earned a new trail name, at least it was one to add to my repertoire of names which could grow further. The name would be "Tuna the Barber" or somewhere along the lines of a name that contains 'barber' in it. The story behind the name = Stewart thought it was time for his annual summer buzz cut. "Wow, Stewart (Tuna) can cut his own hair! And do it so it looks so nice and even, hmmm, I may want a hair cut," says 3 other hikers at the hostel. So I gave 3 more buzz cuts and the name just naturally fell into place. Continuing with the entertainment... it was time for the hostel's shuttle to take the hikers to the store (= beer and food). On the way back, Curtis, the hostel's owner/operator, stops the van along the trail to pick up a weary hiker who goes by the name of 'Baltimore Jack'. For those of you who don't know, Baltimore Jack has hiked the AT nearly 10 times successfully from GA to ME, in simple terms, everyone knows of him and I considered myself lucky to meet, chat, and have a drink with such a celebrity. Finally, I just plain enjoyed an evening by a campfire with good people, spirits, and stories... so that's it for the list of entertaining things which I thought would be longer. Well, I did forget to mention that today's hike was long, hot, and mainly uphill. But no hike is ever not worth the work because the rewards are great. Max Patch bald was the highlight of the day's hike and its reward. I wish I could have shared it with everyone, but there's a couple pictures I'll be posting that give ya'll a little taste... enjoy. Next stop = Hot Springs where I'll get to see Dad, Aunt Sissie & Uncle John, Hamilton and Jonathan.
Date: 2007-05-02
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Wow, long day today, the second longest I've hiked so far (18 miles). What a neat feeling it was to see Dad pull into Hot Springs as I waited on a Main Street bench outside the outfitters store enjoying a Ben and Jerry's Icecream bar. The reason the feeling is so 'neat' as I put it... I haven't seen Dad since he dropped me off over 250 miles away on a remote GA mountain in the middle of nowhere. Now, here he is pulling up to greet me in NC, I walked all the way here. I guess it's just one of those things most people have to experience to understand, and this won't be the last of such a similar or same feeling/experience. So off to Asheville we went, what a treat. I got to see an Asheville Tourists baseball game (minor league pro ball), drink beer of course, eat a LOT of food, (both popular recurring themes) and spend the next day and night being treated as a king (Thank you once again Aunt Sissie for the wonderful breakfast and dinner!). So May 3 was a zero day... nice in a sense but kept me nervous/anxious at the same time... Reason being that my mind NEEDS the trail. I've become fairly well adapted with its lifestyle and its requirements, therefore long breaks from that new lifestyle give me 'seperation anxiety'. Hah, I've never used that term before now! As mushy as it may sound, it's true.
Date: 2007-05-04
From: Hot Springs

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Ahhh, back on the trail. A fairly short day today (11 miles) and a short journal entry as well. A few new names to mention... I finally met up with Rosie, a hiker I've heard wonderful things about from J.B., Thumper, Flaxseed (pardon me if I misspelled) and Melk. I'm tenting tonight and the rain has just started to come down right as I've nestled in my little dry spot with all my gear around me. I'm reading a good book too, one by an author I enjoy and have been thinking of... Bill Bryson's, The Lost Continent. Of course Bryson is the author of, A Walk in the Woods, which I was also recently informed that a movie was made of it starring none other than Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Paul Newman and Robert Redford). Sounds good, I'll catch it when it comes out. However I have been thinking a lot since I heard this news about the growing popularity of the AT and how it makes me feel... a bit broken hearted and disappointed. I remember my brother, sister, and I giving my dad a map of the AT as a gift back around 1995 that had some interesting statistics on it. (In case you want to know Dad, it hangs in the stairwell leading to the basement at home). Up to about that year, only an estimated 3,500 or so people had ever thru hiked the AT. Bryson's book came about @'98 or 2000, and by that time the number had drastically increased to nearly 9,000. Now, with a movie coming out about such a place as the AT, I have this terrible feeling that 2008 onwards will mean that there will be thousands upon thousands that head for Springer Mtn. in March/April. I think most people can understand my concern. The trail cannot and was not meant to accomodate and attract such mass quantities of people. Well... getting off my soap box now, but it is something that obviously concerns me.
Date: 2007-05-05
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: light rain

Rain today, not too fun but not so bad, just like I mentioned in my journal back when I hiked in it for so long in the Smokies. The good thing was that it wasn't so cold. I can stand either the cold or the rain, but the two together and you have a dangerous and most uncomfortable situation.
Date: 2007-05-07
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: spivey gap
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: clear sky

Okay folks, let me tell you, this has had to be the most AWESOME day so far... one of true overindulgence and gluttony in the life of an AT hiker, oh yeah, and LUCK too. I hit some great trail magic at Sam's Gap this morning. Since Hot Springs, I've been passing these flyers all through the woods advertising that trail angels will be at I-26 (Sams Gap) on May 7 from 10:30am to 3:30pm serving Hot Dogs, Burgers, and all the works... for free of course. So luckily, my schedule coincided with this event perfectly! So what all did I eat... one hamburger, one hot dog (both with all the condiments available on them, there were even fresh tomatos!), baked beans, potato salad, two Krispy Kreme donuts, one cup cake, several strawberries, an orange soda, and one banana I stuck in my pack for the road. While I was stuffing my face there, a journalist from the Johnson City Press showed up shooting pictures and taking interviews from hikers. Several shots and quotes were taken of yours truly along with several other hikers, but this is not anywhere close to where my cockiness begins or the story ends! (Details in the next Journal) So off I went with a full stomach to make a big climb up to Big Bald, a hike of around 6 miles all uphill, from an altitude of @1700 to 5500 feet above sea level. On the way up, I was surprised to find a cooler on the trail that was filled with cupcakes, hard boiled eggs, bottled water and a few other goodies. I just thought, "wow, two trail magics in one day, that doesn't happen very often." I politely passed, stomach still full, thinking of other hikers behind me that may have missed out on the magic at Sams Gap. I pulled in to take a pit stop after I crossed Bald Mountain (which was awesome!) at the Bald Mountain Shelter to get some water and sit for a spell. Right as I was about to resaddle myself with my pack, a man with a decent sized day pack comes bouncing into the shelter and asks if anyone would like a beer. I thought, "Wait, either this guy's nuts, I'm dreaming, or this could be the 3rd bit of trail magic I've seen in only about an 8 mile stretch." He was serious! Turns out he was the neighbor of the people responsible for the trail magic where the cooler was placed on the trail. He not only had beers, but also hot dogs and oatmeal creme pies. Since I wasn't staying the night, I turned down the hot dog but gladly drank a beer and took the creme pie for the road. So it started getting late and I still had 5.5 miles to go before I had met my daily goal. I made it, no trouble, it was nice to hike in the late afternoon because it was so cool in the shade of the setting sun and the smell of the woods just bursted with that aroma of early summer. What could be better!
Date: 2007-05-08
From: spivey gap

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

I made it to Erwin and was greeted like a celebrity. The first words I heard as I came off the mountain and into the outfitter/hostel right by the Nolichucky River were, "hey man, you made the front page of the paper!" Two hikers I had met a couple days ago shouted this to me as I thought, "no way, well... actually, ... yes way." Right there on the front page of the Johnson City Press for Tuesday, May 8, 2007 were J.B. and I in the food line where a story followed containing the interviews from Rosie, he, and myself. (Copies are in the mail to Mom and Dad, please share with Uncle Buh, Carla, Thom, Margaret and all else who I couldn't buy papers for!) Anyway, the afternoon's been great and tomorrow's back to the trail. Time for me to quit hogging the internet and let others update their journals.
Date: 2007-05-09
From: Erwin, TN

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

I'll have to say that my stay at Ms. Janet's house was "interesting", further reinforcing the fact that the hiker sub-culture is made up of people from all types of personalities. It was certainly an entertaining place, reminding me of the set to a TV comedy. Actually, I think hollywood could really have an opportunity there! But looking back to my previous journal entries, I don't want to re-neg my thoughts too much... however a TV show about a hiker hostel could have nothing to do with the AT, it could be located on a fictional trail! Anyway, the main thing is that I had a real roof over my head, got some groceries... most of them for free since I raided the hiker box***, and had some good warm, filling meals. Leaving Erwin today was a late start, J.B., Melk, and I didn't hit the trail 'til about noon, but it was good to see that 12.1 could be done in such time. I'm at a nice little camping spot tonight, except for the dirt road that's right beside us leading to the top of Beauty Spot Mtn. 14 miles or so tomorrow, time's looking pretty good to make it to Damascus in 8-10 days.*** For those of you (most readers) that are unfamiliar with a hiker box, it's a place where hikers put there surplus food after they have either left the trail or are sick of eating it and need some new flavors.
Date: 2007-05-10
From: Deep Gap

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: broken clouds

Long and Hot today. The mileage wasn't as high but the energy exerted certainly was. Tomorrow will be just as tough because we'll be climbing the "toughest mountain in the south", so everyone says... Roan Mtn. Roan is the last of the 6,000 foot peaks that I'll walk across until I get to New England... off the top of my head, it may be last one above 6 grand period. I'll have to do a little homework on that one. Nothing much else to say about today, but I did see Yellow Snowman and one of his friends he's recruited to hike for a few weeks. He was slack packing southward and I was surprised to see him ahead of me. Turns out he skipped about 60 miles and jumped ahead, so he'll be coming back at the end of the year to do those missed miles. Good to see him! Hopefully I'll catch up with him again soon.
Date: 2007-05-11
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today was really nice, I'd say it was a picture perfect poster child for the AT. You had almost all the stuff you could imagine to expect... wildlife, great views, sunshine, and some STEEP climbs. As noted from yesterday, I climbed the dreaded Roan Mtn. today. It was certainly tough, but not as bad as everyone had hyped it up to be. Since leaving Erwin, it really feels like the trail has been taking me uphill for the past few days. I finally saw my first deer, hard to believe I've been walking this far/long and haven't seen one yet, but I did and she was BIG. I saw her cross the road just before starting the big climb today. Also, I came across three big rabbits, just hanging out in the middle of the trail when coming down from Roan Mtn. This was a funny coincidence because last night I actually had a dream that I had a pet rabbit, but I remember in the dream I couldn't keep it because I couldn't put it on a leash or something strange... haha! On a little tangent... I do have some strange dreams out here. I also found a buckeye on the ground, passed a buckeye tree I guess... so I picked it up for good luck. The day ended by arriving to the most picture perfect shelter I've seen on the trail so far... Overmountain Shelter. A neat bit of history to it... the place it's located is where volunteers from TN came across the mountains to meet up with other NC volunteers on their way to the famous Revolutionary War battle at Kings Mountain where the colonists defeated the British. Also, the shelter was built as a movie set for the Hollywood film, "The Winter People." I've never heard of it, but still kind of neat. So I don't think it was ever an actual barn, but it was the kind of place I'd love to revisit in the fall because the foliage colors would be spectacular!
Date: 2007-05-12
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountaineer Falls Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: scattered clouds

First thing I have to mention is the excitement I experienced this morning approaching the top of Little Hump Mountain... there it was, Grandfather Mountain. I had no idea that I'd be greeted by such a familiar place. It was such an uplifting surprise, I couldn't stop staring at it off in the distance. I almost cried with joy. Seeing that mountain was like being greeted by an old friend you haven't seen in a while at a least expected time. It was like arriving in the airport after a long flight home and there's your family waiting with open arms. Certainly it was the highlight of my day. When I caught up with J.B. at the top of the next bald mountain, Hump Mtn., I told him, "That's where I've spent my best days up 'til now." I said this because I remember him talking about how Overmountain Shelter reminded him of where he spent similar days up north when he was young. So... just goes to show, simple things can really excite a weary hiker! Towards the end of the day it started raining, but it was not a cold rain so it was quite comfortable. When I got to the shelter I was really impressed... Mountaineer Falls Shelter is the newest on the AT, built by Bob Peoples and volunteer hikers last year. Bob Peoples is the fellow that, along with his wife Pat, run the famous Kincora Hostel. I'll be there in another day! I can't wait. This is also the only section of the AT that I've ever hiked before... that occured only a few months ago when Nick took me on a little 'training hike' back in January.