morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-03-05
From: Neels Gap, U.S. 19/129

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Making it to Neel's Gap is a big deal. An estimated 20% drop out by this point. Neel's Gap was my first big goal.   My next goal? Just getting back on the trail would be good.   Today is Day 5, and I'm already taking a "zero day" (a day in which no miles on the AT are hiked). I tried telling myself it was to rest the knee and update my journal, but I think I just really liked having a bed.    I made some phone calls last night. Parents. Brother, Jeff. And Amy. It was hard. Especially Amy. Actually, I don't want to talk about this. It's too damn depressing. Besides, it's really nobody's business.   I knew I'd face obstacles on the trail, but I didn't count on this one. And like I've said, this isn't my first time away from home. So why am I facing this issue THIS time?   I'm homesick. Really, really homesick.    Don't get me wrong; I'm not about to quit. I just had no idea how hard "homesickness" could be on a person.    Got a ride to Wal-mart from Bob, who was also staying at Hiker Hostel (thanks Bob) and decided to resupply with 8 days of food. That way, I wouldn't have to hitchhike into Hiawassee; I could just push on. What the hell was I thinking? 8 days worth of food is REALLY heavy.    Today was the first day I'd heard about a person I've met dropping off the trail. Remember Rob & Robin? ( Tweet...twi... okay, I won't.) Well, Nuffy just informed me that Robin had had enough. I think Rob is gonna keep going.   I really like Hiker Hostel. Leigh & Josh are great. But staying here much longer won't get me closer to Maine. And if I really want to go home, I'd better not waste too much time. Cause I'm only getting back home via Katahdin.(P.S. - If you ever get the pleasure of meeting Leigh & Josh, be sure to ask them about their visit to Pawling. Josh LOVES that town!)
Date: 2004-03-06
From: Neels Gap

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

Pack weight before leaving home: 28 lbs.   Pack weight at Amicalola Falls: 33 lbs.   Pack weight as I'm leaving Neels Gap: 38 lbs.    What the hell is wrong with this picture? At this rate I'll be lugging over 200 lbs up Katahdin. Of course, supplying myself with 8 days of food probably has a little to do with this problem.   It took me a while to leave Hiker Hostel. Matt gave me a ride to Neels Gap, and it even took some effort to get going once there. When I finally decided to go, it was announced that there would be a BBQ in just an hour or so. Mere $3 donation.    I had to stop finding distractions. Enjoy the BBQ guys. I have to get back on the trail. Once again, I was hiking by myself in the Georgia mountains. And for some reason, Dueling Banjos was stuck in my head. Not the first song you would want stuck in your head when hiking alone in the Georgia mountains.I haven't seen any of my original crew for 3 days. I like the people I'm meeting but I'm really hoping to catch back up with my original group eventually. Besides, I'm not thrilled with the idea of pitching camp alone.   Then I met met Bob, his daughter Kate, and their dog Sabrina. They were happy to have my company, and I hiked with them on and off.    I'm still stopping often to enjoy the views. On one hand I think , "If I keep stopping this often for views, I'll never make it to Maine." But on the other hand, if I don't stop to admire the views often, why am I even hiking to Maine. A hiker said to me recently, "You could probably run through the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 20 minutes, but why?"   I set up camp with Bob, Kate & Sabrina at Hogpen Gap just out of view of the road. Which reminds me... be sure to set up camp before nightfall. Finding a tree to bear bag your food in the dark really sucks.
Date: 2004-03-08
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Tray Mt Shelter
Miles today: 7.4

When I first told my friend Jon about my plans to hike the AT starting on March 1st, he said "March 1st? That's gonna be cold."   "Bring it," I said "I want it all. I want the cold and the heat. The hunger, the pain, the rain. I want it all"   I take it back, Jon. I didn't know what I was saying.   Today was miserably COLD. With merciless winds and unforgiving climbs, today was the most challenging day yet. I didn't care about views. I didn't see beauty in anything. I only wanted to be warm.   Today was the first day I actually thought. "What the hell am I doing out here?"   I felt a little better once we were in the shelter on Tray Mt. Grabbing the shelter's register, I wrote a limerick about my day:      The wind made the cold even meaner   But I guess the "grass always is greener"   Cause if it were warm   the mosquitoes would swarm   But at least I wouldn't freeze off my weener.(thank you very much)   I've also realized how much it sucks to get hungry in the middle of the night out here. At home, you just get out of bed and enter the kitchen for a snack. Out here, you crawl out of your warm sleeping bag, slip on your cold clothing, enter the freezing wind, lower your food bag from the rope or cable that it's hanging from in a nearby tree and eat your snickers bar before repeating those steps in reverse.   Or you starve until morning.    I wasn't that hungry anyway.
Date: 2004-03-10
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Plumorchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 4.3
Weather: clear sky

Castro left town before we did. He simply had nothing left to do in town, so he moved on. Probably see him at the next shelter.   Getting out of Hiawaisee was interesting. Joy, Bloody Cactus, and I walked down the road with our thumbs out. None of us had ever hitchhiked before. The first vehicle to pick us up brought us as far as she was going, and then we got out. A pick-up truck brought us the rest of the way. After dropping us off, he pulled out of the parking lot and drove toward the direction we'd just come from. Well, that was nice of him.   I don't feel like we really got to relax in Town. Doing errands the whole time didn't allow for much relaxation.   We're hearing about more people leaving the trail. Nuffy almost did. If we didn't get dropped off right when we did, she might've been on her way back to Australia. But she decided to hike a few more miles.   While hiking, I like to see what kind of time I'm making. At one point, I looked at my watch but there was nothing on my wrist. Dammit. I'd left it in the hotel room. I'll have to call them from the next Town.    Getting to the shelter, we found no Castro. He had signed the register letting us know he was moving on to the next one, and we should too. But we were just fine with a short day today. I'm sure we'll run into him eventually.
Date: 2004-03-11
From: Plumorchard Gap Shelter

To: Standing Indian Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

Something is different today. I could feel it as soon as I woke up. It wasn't the weather or the way we went about our morning routine. That was all usual. But something FELT different.   And we were all very excited about it.   While hiking, I am usually behind everyone else. Even if I am one of the first to leave camp, I'll be one of the last to arrive at our destination. It's not that I'm all that slow (except on the uphills...those kill me); it's a number of things. For example, I don't have gaiters. So, occasionally something gets in my shoe and I have to stop to take it out. Also, I don't have a hydration system. While others can drink while they walk, I have to stop to drink from one of my bottles. So, there's those examples, and...ok fine. Sometimes I'm slow.   But not today. I was too excited today.   And all morning I looked for it. Kept a sharp eye. It was very important I stop and wait for everyone else once I find it.   And then, after a few miles, there it was. A small wooden sign attached to a tree along the trail.   N.C./GA.   I was looking at North Carolina, the second of the 14 states the AT touches.   I sat down and ate a Snickers while waiting for the others. A few minutes later, Bloody Cactus came down the trail. Then Arwen with Sasha, and Heather, and then Joy, and finally Nuffy. Joy was dissapointed.   "That's it?"   What were you expecting?   "I thought there'd be a gate we could walk through with a big sign that said 'Welcome to North Carolina!' There's not even a phone for us to call our parents."   Joy might be kinda fun to hike to Maine with.   So, we all crossed into North Carolina, leaving Georgia for good.   One down. Thirteen to go.                   .   .   .   .   .      North Carolina didn't welcome us. Not in a sign, and definitely not in the first climb immediately after we entered the state. The climb was the steepest section we had seen yet. There were no switchbacks to make the climb easier; it just went straight up. It's as if the trail maintainers knew how high our spirits would be after making our first state border crossing and wanted to CRUSH our spirits instantly. The trail itself was trying to remind us that Georgia was just the beginning. The BEGINNING of the beginning. We still had almost 2,100 miles to go.
Date: 2004-03-12
From: Standing Indian Mt. Shelter

To: Betty Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: clear sky

We woke up to some pretty cold weather. The campsite we'd selected last night looked appealing for it's protection from the wind. This morning we learned that "protection from wind" usually equals "no sun in the morning". Damn double edged swords.   The registers in each shelter that we pass or stay at keep us informed of how far ahead people probably are and how they were doing when they passed through. Burn is about 2 days ahead of us. He'll mention that he's planning on hiking a 20 mile day, and then tell us to catch up. It might be a while before I see Burn again. But just seeing his name in the registers is good. Let's you know a person is still out there. Still on their way to Maine.    During our hike today, we came to a huge log stretching across a stream. The water ran down a slope creating miniature waterfalls and rapids. It wasn't the stream that stopped us; it was the lack of trail. Did they really want us to high-wire this icy, wet, moss-covered log? Or do we take the low road and cross the stream, risking our balance on slippery rocks, running water and angled ground? Of course, I'm making this sound more dramatic than it actually was.    I've learned that there are going to be some areas where you have a couple of options, and it won't be clear which option is "the trail". These sections are usually only a few feet long and a normal person wouldn't even pause in thought. I, however, am ridiculous. Since the log SEEMED more likely to be "the trail", that's the road I took. Of course I crossed safely and, one way or another, we all got across.    We ended our day at Betty Creek Gap just before what looked to be a steep climb up Albert Mt. Our nightly recreation has been crossword puzzles, but we were all out. So I made a small one for everyone else to do together. It seriously took forever to finish. I have a new respect for crossword puzzle makers. Keep up the good work guys. So I never have to make another one in my life.
Date: 2004-03-13
From: Betty Creek Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: overcast clouds

And steep it was. The climb up Albert Mt. was probably our steepest climb yet. First time I had to use my hands. (But only for one boulder).    At the top of Albert Mt. Joy was disappointed to find no soda machine but we did find our first fire-tower. Climbing it offered a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. It was amazing to think of all the distance we've walked so far, and how much more we had yet to walk. In fact, shortly after the fire-tower, we officially completed 100 miles of the AT. 2,074.1 to go.    We also came across a section of trail that was actually a stream. I was walking down the middle of a stream for about 40 or 50 yards.    And we saw the second largest Poplar tree in the United States, the Wasilik Poplar. It was half a mile off the trail and I'm not quite sure it was worth it.    At Rock Gap, we met Nightstalker. He made some small-talk with us and knew a few people we knew. He wasn't a thru-hiker; he just hiked around this area. After a little more conversation, he offered to take our packs for us and bring them around to the next road crossing 3 miles up the trail. Referred to as "slackpacking", many hikers take advantage of this kind of opportunity as a way to cover some miles without the burden of a heavy pack. And we may have also... until he mentioned a 5 buck charge per person.   Forget it.   We hiked the 3 miles to Winding Stair Gap excited about heading into town. I was not surprised to find Nightstalker waiting for us there.    5 bucks for a ride into Franklin. 5 bucks each.   "It just barely covers my gas expenses".   25 bucks just barely covers his gas expenses? This is Franklin, North Carolina you're talking about, right?    Anyway, I'm sure we could've talked him down to 2 or 3 bucks a person or just hitched in for free, but Joy was already putting her pack in the truck and everyone except Arwen seemed to just want to get to town. Even for 5 bucks.    I'm going to be kicking myself in the ass for a long time about this one.    So we stayed at the Franklin Motel which was very hiker-friendly. Had an amazing shower, did laundry, called home and called the Holiday Inn in Hiawaissee. They found my watch. I'll have it back when I reach Erwin, TN.    Oh, and thanks to Dylan for the ride to Western Sizzlin. Tell your Dad and sister "Good Luck" for me. (They're attempting the Triple Crown within one year. Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail. No, I have no plans for the other two).
Date: 2004-03-14
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Joy and Bloody decided to start their zero day off by going to church. I decided to sleep longer. It's a good thing their better Christians than I. Otherwise we would never have met Joe & Frances Kossan.    The Kossan's approached Joy & Bloody after the service and asked if they were hikers. When told yes, they invited Joy, Bloody and any of their hiker friends to come over for dinner that night.    "Just call and let us know if you'll be able to make it".    After being treated to sweet tea and some appetizers by a couple friends of Seeker (Thanks guys), and after Arwen helped Nuffy get rid of a ton of weight (Nuffy has decided to continue after almost quitting), we called Joe & Frances to accept the invitation.    Joe picked us up, drove to the house, and explained there was only one demand:   "Make yourselves at home".   The Kossan's and all their guests were wonderful. We were treated like old family friends. I can't even possibly begin to describe how impressed I was. I truly believe that God put Frances Kossan on this planet to be a host. She is amazing at it.    And the FOOD! Oh Wow. It was all so good. We stuffed ourselves, and then had more. The sweet potato cassarole was probably the best dish I've ever tasted. I told Joanne I'd be sure to hunt her down for the recipe.    At the end of the night, Joe brought us back to our motel and offered to bring us back to the trail tomorrow. Just give him a call.   I have no idea why I should bother hiking after this. How could the experience get any better? Sure, I know there will be more Trail Angels along the way, but I have a hard time believing we'll meet any as pleasant as Joe & Frances. Southern Hospitality is DEFINITLY alive and well.
Date: 2004-03-15
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Silar Bald Shelter
Miles today: 3.7
Weather: moderate rain

Joe picked us up and even brought us to the Post Office before heading to the trail. While at the Post Office, Joanne from last night walks in. I told her not to forget that I would be finding a way to contact her for the Sweet Potato Cassarole recipe.    "You know what? I have a copy in the car. I was going to bring it to a friend today, but I'll just give it to you instead".    O.K. Aunt Susan. Now I have no doubts. There is a God; and he gave me Sweet Potato Cassarole.    When we got dropped off at the trail, it was raining. No Pain. No Rain. No Maine. Let's get going.    It was only 3.7 miles of hiking today and the shelter was a little crowded, but most of us were able to squeeze in. Fingers pulled out a bunch of food, including a sack of potatoes. Damn, Fingers. That stuff is HEAVY! He offered his food to everyone. I had an orange and we all had some cookie dough. Thanks Fingers.    We all stayed up for a while talking and laughing and quizzing each other on 80's TV and movies. Honey Pie is a wealth of knowledge on the subject. Hey, can anyone name the eight professional sports teams (Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey) that don't end in the letter "S"?
Date: 2004-03-16
From: Silar Bald Shelter

To: Burningtown Gap
Miles today: 10.9

It rained hard last night. Real hard. I woke up at one point and couldn't believe how loud the rain was as it hit the roof of the shelter. I'm glad I didn't have to tent.    It was still raining a little this morning, but you still gotta walk. So we did.   Most of the day was extremely foggy. When we got to Wayah Bald, instead of a beautiful view, we saw only white.   And the trail was muddy. If the trail hit any kind of angle, the mud itself seemed to push you downhill.    With just a couple more miles left, we were beat. Our feet were sore, we were tired, and we didn't really feel like moving. There was a nice area to sit at, and a small group started to congregate. As we were all talking, a gentleman comes up the trail from the north.    "Ah, so this is where everyone is" We didn't recognize him nor have any idea why he would be looking for us. "My name is Apple; I'm a Trail Angel". He then told us to come down to the road where he had hot dogs, sodas and candy.    My foot didn't seem so sore anymore.    Upon getting to the road, we saw a big geodesic dome. On the door it said "The Dome. A hiker rest stop". We all felt like idiots for stopping just a quarter of a mile before THIS.   Inside the dome were chairs and hot dogs, soda, candy, hot cocoa, hot cider, and then he made us fresh cinnamon buns. Apple seriously went all out.    As if this wasn't enough, he offers the place for us to sleep in. Hmmm... hike another 2 miles to a small 3-sided shelter, or sleep in a fully-enclosed dome where we can make popcorn & hot chocolate?   We squeezed in eleven of us. Me, Joy, Bloody & Nuffy. Honeypie, Hoss, and Eric the Red. Wolfcookie & Dances with Wolfcookie (her husband). And Heather & Arwen (with their dog Sasha... so you could argue we had 12 if you're an animal lover).    Apple, THANK YOU.   I think I could get used to this Trail Magic Stuff.
Date: 2004-03-17
From: Burningtown Gap

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: broken clouds

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Of course, it would have been happier with a few beers to celebrate with.    I woke up last night a few times to water dripping on my face. I was afraid the Dome was leaking. It turned out to just be condensation from eleven people breathing.    I guess Apple didn't think he'd done quite enough, because when he showed up this morning, he brought with him a ... SEVERED HEAD!   I mean donuts. Umm.... just donuts.   Seriously though, thank you Apple. Your trail magic is amazing.   The trail was beautiful. We rounded a bend and were surrounded by ice covered branches and flowers. Everything had a thin layer of ice covering.    I think I'm finally getting my trail legs. I'm suddenly able to keep up with people. Sometimes.    I saw Brother Nature today. I can't believe he already caught us. He came up to me as I was treating a hot spot on my foot.   And let's talk about that quickly. Everyone in "my group" was SHOCKED when I said I didn't have liners. They ALL were using sock liners. I figured that said something for them and picked up a pair in Franklin. Suddenly, I have a hot spot. If it's not broken, Chris... you know?   We hit the Wesser Bald today. 360 degree view from atop the fire tower. The trail after the Bald was beautiful too, with occasional views on each side.    When we got to the Nantahala Outdoor Center, there was no more lodging available. We ended up finding a place that rented houses by the night. Ten of us pitched in to rent a house. Wolfcookie gave an AMAZING massage. We all ate pizza and watched movies til way past bedtime. It was a good night.
Date: 2004-03-18
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: light rain

My first official blister. DAMN THOSE LINERS!    Before starting out into the rain, I checked out my foot to see how that hot spot was doing, and sure enough there was a blister there. I stuck a Band-Aid medicated blister pad on it and then some duct tape to keep it put. Hopefully these things work.    Well, the good news about today's hike is that there was only one "up." The bad new is the friggin' "up" was SEVEN MILES LONG! That's all we did. All day. Up.    Up Up.    Up Up Up.    Up Up Dowwwww....oh no wait. That's an up.    At one point we got to a sign that read "Nantahala Gorge Overlook." I'm sure behind that think curtain of fog was quite a view.    Honestly, I have never been so excited to see a three-sided shelter in my life. You mean I'm done with this HELL of a day??    Takoma Tedd was there as well. He took out his backpacking guitar and confirmed the rumors. The man is an amazing musician. This was the first time I've heard him play. I'm really hoping that it's not the last.    Castro signed the register here, "Maybe I'll quit today." Got us kind of concerned. We haven't seen him since just before crossing into North Carolina, so maybe he just hasn't found any other people as cool as us. I can understand why a person would get depressed about that.
Date: 2004-03-20
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: N.C. 28
Miles today: 5.5

Amazing. Only 5.5 miles today and my feet are killing me. KILLING me.    Also, I forgot to put my knee strap on yesterday, but my knee did really well. So, i didn't bother putting it on today either. Ouch. It started to hurt pretty bad as we decended the slopes. It's amazing how many mountains they can manage to find in just 5.5 miles.    Heather and I were the last to arrive at the road that marked the end of our hike. We saw a note posted for us to use the "shuttle phone" to call the shuttle.    Good thing they left us that note, huh?    We didn't even have to call though. Mala got to the parking lot just as we were getting to the phone. He gladly gave us a ride to Fontana Village.    Joy's parents came down. Mrs. Hensley made Monkey Bread. I love Mrs. Hensley. I love them both. They brought so many goodies for us to eat and are just a pleasure to be around.    They also brought Bushwhack and Bramble, who thru-hiked a few years ago. They are going to be doing the Smokies with us, but with the miles per day they're planning on doing, I think the group might be splitting up for a while.    Dogs are not allowed in the Smokies, so we had to say goodbye to Sasha today. It was just easier to put her down.    (KIDDING. A lady from a local kennel came to pick her up and we'll see her again after we finish the National Park.)