morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-03-06
From: Woods Hole Shelter

To: Whitley Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: broken clouds

Left camp at 11. Dried some stuff. It was nice on Blood Mtn. When I got to Neel's gap I took a hot shower. I found out from about 10 different people that a ridge runner was looking for me. It started bothering me and led to a tough couple of days.It was nice to get to the shelter though. I expected it to be empty(1.2 off the trail) but there was 5 people and more importantly a fire going when I got there. It lit my spirits.
Date: 2004-03-07
From: Whitley Gap Shelter

To: Blue Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: few clouds

Everyone said this was supposed to be an easy section. I got in at 3 but it was a tough 12 mi. Everything everyone says about how cold that shelter is, is right! FLIPPING COLD! I used the wind chill conversion and it said -20. that's all I have to say!
Date: 2004-03-08
From: Blue Mtn Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 2.2
Weather: clear sky

The voices in my head were troubling me with all the ridgerunner stuff. At this point in time I had decided my girlfriend was probably dead. It's amazing were my head can go with a little info. So I got into town and called everyone I know and found out that there was no trouble. I got a room at the Helendorf. What great people! They helped me out with so many things its impossible to list. I left with high spirits.
Date: 2004-03-11
From: Dick's Creek

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: clear sky

ooh I forgot how steep and tall the mtns were in NC. Tough day but I crossed my first state line. When I got to the shelter sooo many memories from '02. Slim Jim wrote his name on the wall in nail polish and when I saw that everything came back to me. I remembered there was an airplane crash on a side trail and I took another hiker to see it. Great Day!
Date: 2004-03-12
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: clear sky

What a great/horrible day. It was my b-day. We woke up and Cosmos had popped out Mouse Trap's lens from his glasses. It was the last straw. I wanted sooo bad to hike the trail with my dog but it just wasn't working out. He was being good, just not good enough. I decided he had to get off the trail. I thought it was going to be my last day also, so I made it a good one! 19+ mis and over Fat Albert! I cruised into the shelter beforsunset. It wasn't the ending I was hoping for but I felt proud and healthy after my 2nd 19 mile day.
Date: 2004-03-13
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: Rock Gap
Miles today: 5.4
Weather: overcast clouds

A couple of great people gave me a ride to town. I stayed two nights decided that I couldn't stop hiking but needed to get Cosmos home.I hitch hiked to the U Haul guy. Rented a u haul to get me to Ashville. Rented a car from Ashville for a week to get Cosmos back to VT. I'll be back onthe trail the night of the 22nd.
Date: 2004-03-23
From: Rock Gap

To: cold spring shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: clear sky

Well I finally made it back on the trail. The week plus of zero's wasn't all bad. My sister had her first baby on St Patty's day, and I got an unexpected chance to see my niece. I got my dog home to Vt and got to spend three days with my girlfriend. On the way back to the trail I stopped in to see my mother and then spent that night at my sister's. I finally got back on the trail around 4:00 and I wanted to go down and check out that 26+ circomfrence tree, so I decided to stay at the shelter .1 south of where I got dropped off. The night was freezing and I woke up early and started hiking to get warm. I had made it to Siler's bald about 11. I stopped to eat lunch and decided I had to push on because it was so early, the only problem was the next shelter was 12 miles away. I had a really nice walk, the temp rose and the sky was blue. I snacked on Wayah bald and stayed for around an hour. The rest of the walk was a little tiring but I made it to the shelter befor sunset and was just pleased to be back on the trail.
Date: 2004-03-24
From: cold spring shelter

To: NOC, Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: few clouds

Up early again, but only a short day into the NOC. Lots of down hill, maybe too much. When I got down past the shelter all the little spring flowers were up and I enjoyed the last mile and the thought's of eating at the NOC's resturant. Unfortunatly it was closed until the end of the week. Since I saved a couple of bucks on food I decided to spend the night.
Date: 2004-03-25
From: NOC, Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: broken clouds

Probably my worst 16 mile day ever. After taking it easy for 2 days I decided to hike 16 mi not really knowing what I was up against. Constant steep ups and downs ALL day long. By the end of the day I had a pain in my left arch. Because of the constant up and down I got to see the sun set 4 times. I was reaay pushing it by the end of the day to get to camp befor dark and I happily made it for one last sunset.
Date: 2004-03-26
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: broken clouds

A sore long day for me. The pain in my left foot migrated to my left knee. I decided I really didn't like this section of the AT (NOC-Fontana), nor the people who routed it. I made it to the phone off NC 28 and got a ride from the Fontana outfitter. Two really nice people. Since the villiage grocery store was closed we stopped at the gas station where I spent $2.49 on a loaf of bread. Once back at the outfitter I then spent $4.00 on 10 ounces of gas. That's 40 cents an ounce! After I pulled my pants back up I cought a ride back to the phone and hiked 1.1 down to the shelter. once again making it just befor sunset.
Date: 2004-03-27
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: clear sky

A big up day but I was expecting it. I was totally favoring my one knee and needed my poles to get me up the mountain. Because of the big climb and and the slow speed I was going I didn't take a lunch break which was a pretty dumb idea. I realized why some people don't like to hike because I was in pain all day. It was a beautiful day none the less and the view from Shuckstack's fire tower was grand. I was happy to hobble into the shelter around 3:00, I ate two hot meals and just took some time to rest.
Date: 2004-03-28
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: overcast clouds

A super day on the AT. The sky was clear and the temp was in the low 60's. I don't remember why, but I decided to hike the 2.5 to the next shelter for breakfast. My knee was still sore but I was taking it easy. I got down to the shelter and started cooking. I think it was sunday morning anyways there were three guys leaving the woods that day and they decided to give me all their extra food. They had precooked bacon, tuna in a package, and a 1 ounce bottle of Tabasco. Anyway, bacon for breakfast, in the middle of the woods!So it was a great morning now that I had bacon so I pushed up the trail. Rockytop was great! I was healed! I didn't realize that I was getting better and when I got on Rockytop I took off my pack and took some pictures and when I started hiking I realized my knee wasn't sore anymore. I really enjoyed walking the rest of the day.
Date: 2004-03-29
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: broken clouds

A good fealing day both physically and mentally. I got to the top of the trail at Clingmans Dome and although the weather started cooling and the clouds were moving in, I still had a good time and views from the tower. I felt so good that I didn't want to stop hiking that day but I had already been talked into going into Gatlinburg so I had to stop.
Date: 2004-07-10
From: Newfound Gap

To: Great Barrington MA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well it's been a very long time since I've posted an entry. With all the walking, filming, and picture taking I've been doing, I've realized I hate running into town and looking for a computer to type entries. I've got more then enough to do just trying to get by.But all is well. Well...almost.I'm up in MA now. Who would have thought it. It's a long trail and I've had lots of ups and downs but what a great time I'm having and what a great group of friends I've made this year.The filming stuff is going pretty well. I have around 40 hrs of tape so far. My camera is getting repaired this week. It's taken alot of abuse these past 1500 mi.Everything is starting to break on me recently. I took a fall in PA and snapped one of my hiking poles. My headlight just crapped out in CT. Both cameras stopped working in NY. I guess you just have to expect this stuff. Luckily I haven't broke yet.I've seen 8 bears, 6 rattlesnakes, and a copperhead so far.My longest day was 30 miles, and I don't see me passing that.OK well thats the quick wrap up. I probably won't post another entry until I'm done. We'll see.Thanks to everyone that signed my guestbook especially my '02 friends. I wish I enjoyed corresponding more there is so much I'd like to say to you guys but I guess I'll just leave it with thanks.
Date: 2004-04-03
To: Chance of a Lifetime
Miles today: 0.0

This is the first entry in the Trail Journal for Ryan Stimmel. My name is Donna Stimmel. I'm Ryan's mom, and he has entrusted me to be his scribe. Ryan is 24 years old and is a recent graduate of Texas A&M University. He has a degree in Sociology and is basically unemployable......just kidding. He has planned for at least a year to hike the AT so he didn't really look for a "real" job after graduation. Instead, he did some substitute teaching around the local area of Hurst, Texas, some carpentry work and also "waited tables" in order to earn money for his venture. He has spent the last couple of weeks tying up loose ends and packing up his gear. He will be traveling with two of his friends from Texas A&M and one of their cousins.    Ryan has previously hiked the Grand Canyon and camped at the bottom for a couple of nights on a family vacation, and has spent two summers backpacking around Europe. The AT is the next step in the adventure that is Ryan's life. I envy him. Maybe living vicariously through this hike, I'll get the urge/courage to do one of my own someday when I have the time. Like the song says, "It's the chance of a lifetime, in a lifetime of chance." The next entry should have Ryan at the trail's beginning....
Date: 2004-04-04
To: He's off!
Miles today: 0.0

Well, Ryan hit the road at 9:22p.m. to head for Atlanta. He is traveling, in my car, with the three people that he will be backpacking with plus a driver. They will spend the night in Atlanta at the home of a member of the Texas A&M rugby team's parent's house, then head for the trail the next day. Thanks to Joel's parents for putting them up, or putting up with them, whichever may be the case. Also, thank you to Sean for being the driver. I'm sure it will be a fun trip there, but a lonely one back. I know the guys appreciate you, hope they let you know! I can tell you that I am glad that I am not making that trip. Well, actually I would have loved to, but am not able to get away from work. So for now, the plan is to start the trail on Tuesday, April 6th. I will type another entry as soon as I know more. The game is a-foot, as Sherlock Holmes would say......or a-wheel at this point!
Date: 2004-04-05
To: Arrived Atlanta
Miles today: 0.0

   Well, just got a phone call from Ryan and they've made it to Atlanta. They drove the 13 hours straight through and arrived tired, but happy. They hope to hit the REI in Atlanta when it opens on Tuesday the 6th and then head off to the trail head. The plan right now is to be there by noon. Of course, that is subject to change. So far, so good! Counting down!
Date: 2004-04-07
From: Springer Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Ryan's Trail Notes. 4-7-04 2:10p.m. 2nd day on the trail. First impressions....WOW! and OUCH! Actually, "wow" shouldn't get top billing over "ouch!" I'm experiencing at least an equal amount of wonder and pain so perhaps "Wouch!!" would do better. Wouch, what beauty! Wouch, what burning! Wouch, at the affective power of nature! Wouch, at the patches of skin missing from my heels!   Yesterday we thanked the Engleson's for their hospitality and drove out of Atlanta towards the trailhead. Sean dropped us off as close as he thought he could get us and we started our summit approach, 8.8 miles with packs ranging in weight from 43lbs. to 57 lbs. We left the national park around 2p.m. and reached the trailhead just after sunset.   Off to a slow start today. I've hiked about 7 miles today and sit at a shelter with a retired Navy Captain and a USAID retiree. We all sit and decide whether or not to try to make the next shelter. Tom is retired USAID and hikes with a younger guy, probably around my age. His trailname "chasque" is an Incan word for messenger or longrunner.   Frank retired a Captain in the Navy after 27 years of service. He is traveling alone. He told me that he only decided to hike the trail a couple of weeks ago. Apparantly he retired and asked himself what now and came up with the AT as his answer. Frank won't let me take his picture since he's 'just another guy who won't make it.'
Date: 2004-04-11
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: light rain

Editors Note: Ryan doesn't always chronologically list where he stays or the mileage he did that day, so from looking at the 2004 AT shelter, mileage and info sheet, I'll just list his total miles to this point based on the location he mentions for that day. Blue Mountain Shelter is 48.5 miles from Springer.Ryan's Trail Notes: 4/11/04 Today is day 05 and I'm writing this at Blue Mountain Shelter after a 7 mile hike from Low Gap Shelter last night. This morning was the first real rain we've experienced so we stayed in our tents until it lightened up. Yesterday has been our longest hike to this point by just a little; we hiked nearly 11 miles. Yesterday was Blood Mountain, the highest peak in Georgia, and then into Dahlonega. We stayed the night at Hiker Hostel for $21 total and got a shower, a bed, and breakfast as well as rides to and from the trail.    The hostel is run by Lee and Josh (Almanac & Profile) and had a long-term guest named Paul (OldMan). Almanac and Profile run the hostel and have been open for 7 weeks now. They thru-hiked in 2000 and are willing to help the thru-hiker in any way they can.    OldMan is a tall, white-haired man probably between 50 and 60 years old. He walks with a slight limp on a leg that has a couple of holes in it from Vietnam. He plans to start a thru-hike attempt today.    Another hiker we met at the hostel was Skipper. He served as a translator in Vietnam and I loitered around the two of them while they were talking about the war. Skipper has neuropathy in his feet due to diabetes and has no feeling the ankles. If these guys with their handicaps and their advanced age can handle the pain and frustration that is the AT, then so can I.
Date: 2004-04-17
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Franklin North Carolina
Miles today: 0.1

After a week I finally heard from Ryan again. Was getting a little worried since I had been reading about all the thunderstorms and snow that he would be encountering. Unlike the 1st phone call when he sounded tired, he sounded very energetic and well-rested. (Might have something to do with the 13 pieces of pizza and Blizzard that had been consumed the night before.) He was calling from a store in Franklin, North Carolina while he was getting some laundry done. He said the hiking had been going great and wasn't really having too many problems health-wise, (blisters not-withstanding). He was changing out his foot attire on a regular basis to keep these under control.    He said they had encountered some snow, but while hiking it wasn't the pretty fluffy stuff, more like stinging pellets of ice. They put on the most protective clothing they had and marched on. The snow day was the only time he has encountered "trail magic" thus far. He was trudging along in the stinging snow storm and happened upon a beer sitting on a log covered in snow. The thought of a cold beer on this frigid day apparently didn't appeal to him so he passed it by. Let me tell you this, that has probably never happened before!    Ryan and his hiking buddies are staying more in the shelters now instead of putting up and breaking down camp daily. The snoring doesn't bother him, and the mice are active, but he doesn't care. He said the time saved every morning was worth putting up with the mice-capades.    The hiking pace is increasing to an average of 12 miles a day and Ryan is still usually the first one in to camp each day. Must be those long legs of his......tattoo and all. He mentioned that while in Franklin, he had bought all the necessary items to be completely self-sufficient. He is happy to hike with his friends for now, but the urge to hike his own hike may be overwhelming before too long.    He is getting to know his trailmates a little better since he has been staying in the shelters. Some of the people on the trail with him at this time are: Caveman, Arnott, Cliff Dancer, Thumper, Lumpy, Red Beard, Cosmo, and Bunny. He also mentioned Murphy the dog and his owner Mini. They go by the trail name M&M. Mike is no longer "tenderfoot", but now has the trailname "Wilson" due to a headband he wears while hiking. (Ryan still thinks that "tenderfoot" is more appropriate. He also mentioned that John from Minnesota was still traveling with them and was sharing the efficiency room at the Havens Inn with them in Franklin, NC this evening.    He is amazed at the amount of food that he now eats. He said they went to an AYCE Pizza Buffet last night and he ate 12 to 13 pieces of pizza and then they went to the Dairy Queen for Blizzards. He was looking forward to an AYCE Mexican Food buffet later this evening. Wouldn't want to be in that room tonight.    Well, that's all for this update. Ryan promised that he would forward his journal pages while he is in Franklin so that I can fill in the empty spaces between posting dates with Ryan's words.
Date: 2004-04-19
From: Wayah Gap Shelter

To: Wesser Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Backdraft's Journal Entry:   4/19/04 (Day 11) On the shuttle into town, we were let in on some local mythology. Apparently that all-too American sect or cult or whatever, snake-handling came out of Franklin, NC, and Timothy McVeigh (sp) hails from nearby Rainbow Springs. The local Dairy Queen had "Worthy is the Lamb" spelled out on its marquis and the Ten Commandments pasted on its walls. With as many churches facing the street as businesses, we knew we were at the buckle of the Bible Belt without having to be told.    We checked into Ronnie's Havens Motel and were greeted by Bearbait, Dutch, and Cliffdancer and One-Stick and Lumpy. We passed the day resupplying and running errands. One errand took me to the local laundromat with another hiker whose name I soon learned was Two Dogs Fucking though he usually goes by Two Dogs. He's an older man with a bald head who was doing some section hiking for conditioning as he was planning some sort of intense rafting trip in the near future. I asked him how he got such an unusual trail name, as anyone with any curiosity might, and he told me. Earlier in his hike, he met another hiker who started telling him a joke that he already knew the punch line to. Before the other hiker could finish he interrupted him "let me guess,.....two dogs...", and that became his trail name.   One Stick carries one hiking pole and one long stick he found on the ground. If you want to know the origin of his trail name please refer to the previous sentence. One Stick was half drunk when we arrived at the motel (before noon) and by midnight was three-sheets-to-the-wind hammered. My conversation with him was short and to the point. He would talk and I would say, "Shh, people might be trying to sleep."   Lumpy is a good-old boy with a beard you might expect to find on a Civil War soldier, big and wild. He's been laid up since Hawk Mt., GA with some serious knee problems and plans to rest until Trail Days in May. He's from Richmond, Virginia where he works as a repo man, towing defaulted vehicles back to the dealership. He said he's been hit, shot, stabbed, and run over in his line of work, but the one thing that hurt the most was being pee'ed on by the former owner of a car he was towing. If you want the full story, you'll have to talk to the man himself as I can not do it justice.
Date: 2004-04-20
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: Nantahala River
Miles today: 5.7

BackDraft's Journal Entry: (Day 12) We rolled out of town after eating a total of three AYCE meals, which coincidentally is the number of cat-holes I dug before noon today, and got back on the trail. Pretty uneventful day, trying to get our legs back after our zero-day.
Date: 2004-05-13
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Dennis Cove Rd. (Kincora)
Miles today: 5.9

This is Donna, Ryan's mom, just wanted to let you know I talked with Ryan on Thursday 5/13/2004. They finally left Miss Janet's in Erwin Tenn. and are about 50 miles from Damascus Va. To me that looks to be about Dennis Cove Rd. not really sure about the exact location. They are planning to hitch a ride into Damascus to experience Trail Days and plan to hitch back on Sunday (today)5/16/2004, to resume the hike on the trail where they left off. Ryan sent me some more trail journal entries and lots of pictures. I have uploaded all of the pictures and plan to type his journal entries as soon as time allows. Who knows when this will be as I began Maymester tomorrow and will be at one school or the other from 7:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. for the next two weeks. But once that is done, I'm pretty much done, with both schools for a while. So, the journal entries will be more prompt. Be sure to look at the photo section of the journal as there are many really nice pictures. Ryan really has an eye for taking photos. Also, check out the mail drops. He wrote that many people that he talked to were getting goodies from complete strangers that were following along their hikes via the internet, so how disappointed would he be if those he knows and loves didn't send a little trail magic his way. Make sure it is tasty and low in weight, (that is not the same thing as low in calories, something thru-hikers have no need to count). The arrival dates on the maildrops are subject to change, so be sure to read to keep up with his whereabouts or call me if you want to check about where and when to send something and be sure to put on the boxes or mail that you send to "please hold for two weeks for thru-hiker". There is a web-site set up to automatically print out labels for maildrops. It is: http://www.appalachianweb.com/index.php go to the label maker section. Anyway, check it out and sign his guest book. He was wondering why no one was signing it anymore. He says the messages were very encouraging to him so let's keep it up. Come on you guys, do your part! I'll do my best to keep up with mine. Later! Donna