morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-03-26
From: Franklin, NC

To: Cold Springs Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: broken clouds

Day 133.26.042:30pm72deg.F!What a day! I¢m at the Wayah Bald Observation Tower getting a distant glimpse of what is to come in the Smokies. Absolutely gorgeous day. I still have moments every single day when I can¢t believe that I¢m really here. This is one of those moments. No real ill effects from the zero yesterday. A little stiff coming up from Winding Stair Gap, but once my muscles warmed up and stretched out, all was well. The miles seem to be getting easier, even the ones uphill. Not easy, but easier. I think I¢m doing about 2mph, maybe slightly more on the flatter terrain. Started at 9:30 this morning, have done 10 miles. I think I¢ll try and push on to Cold Spring, another 5.7 down (and up) the trail. That way tomorrow won¢t be as long, and I can get NOC out of the way. My first maildrop. Don¢t even remember what¢s in it. Well, I¢d better get going, so I can be at camp at a decent hour. Ran into Spirit here at the Tower; Steven and Dan 2 miles back; Ranger at 10; and Adam just after. (Des Moines Dave stuck in Rainbow Springs waiting for a package.)6pm60deg.FWell, this is a first. Just me here at Cold Springs. Kinda hoping someone else shows up, just for the company. Pretty, genuinely pooped. That last climb up to the shelter was tough. Another 16 mile day. Yeah! Somebody just showed up. Selma. Very chatty, sorta manic. He attempted in ¢02 and is pushing hard thru NC to get to untraveled lands. Maybe we¢ll hike together into NOC. Would be my first daytime hiking partner. I¢m not sure if I¢ll stay at NOC or push on a little. There¢s a campsite a few miles past. Wouldn¢t have to pay that way. Plus, I was just in town this morning, hard as it is to believe. Today has been a long day. Ready for some bed-time reading and then sleep. Finally feel tired, for the first time. No dinner tonight, though. Couldn¢t force myself to eat. Try and have a hot breakfast in the morning. Fuel me up. If I do a little more than NOC, it¢ll make Sunday shorter. And, since I¢ve been surviving 15+ mile days, it looks almost possible for me to reach Newfound Gap by Thurs night. That way, I could see mom, G & G, Jon & Kelly for 2 full days. We¢ll see how the bod holds up. Feet didn¢t do too badly today. The blisters didn¢t worsen, but my arches started aching for the first time. Think it might have been too many miles after a day of rest. Tomorrow¢ll be shorter.PS -- Officially took the trail name -- Scholar
Date: 2004-03-28
From: NOC

To: NOC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 153.28.041pmSorry about the reticence of yesterday. Just wasn¢t feelin¢ it. I needed some time to clear my head. So, another zero today. Restin¢ my feet. Gonna do some raftin¢ in a bit. Decided to slow things down. Rather than pushing onto Gatlinburg by the weekend, I¢m going to take it slow to Fontana and rest 2 or 3 days w/ Grandma and Grandpa. I think it¢ll be best. I¢ve really been missing family and familiar faces, and today I got to see a lot of those. Just hangin¢ around N.O.C. Spirit and I are sharing a room. Heather¢s here, but she¢s getting off the trail. Her knee blew out on her. Slainte stayed for lunch. Met Just Wandering and Turbo Tom. They headed up the mountain a few minutes ago. And I¢m sure others will be showing up soon as well. It¢ll be good for me, although I fell sort of bad, guilty in a way, for taking so much time off. But hey, HYOH, right? If resting is what it takes to keep me healthy, then rest I will. Dad told me Peak-A-Boo dropped out w/ stress fractures. How depressing would that be? So, I¢ve got to slow down. I think I¢ll have more fun and appreciate the whole experience more. Won¢t feel pressured to ¢make it to that next shelter.¢ Have time to actually stop for lunch. Lounge around at night and chat, rather than collapsing into bed. I¢m not on a timetable, so I need to stop acting as if I am. Bryson City was pretty much a waste of time and $. Had trouble hitching a ride in, even more difficulty getting out. No shuttles or taxis in town. The N.O.C. outlet was closed. Eventually, I just hung around the Shell station, asking anybody and everybody if they were head toward N.O.C. George, retired Navy 23 yrs, gave me a lift. Super guy. Trail magic is everywhere. Well, I gotta get ready for rafting. More tonight, when the latecomers arrive.7pmNOC feels like summer camp. The bunk bed cabins, the separate bathrooms w/ concrete floors. Feels like I¢m back in Conneaut Ohio, at Calvary Camp. It¢s been great to see all the familiar faces. Herman¢s here, as is Easy Does It. Talked to Matt a bit. Am cooking dinner, on a real stove. Maybe what I needed was a healthy dose of normalcy (as my life used to be) to get me over my glums and slumps. Looking forward to an easy (relatively) day tomorrow. Only aiming to do 7 miles, maybe as much as 8.2 to a camping spot. Will have b-fast here, take off by 10 or 11. It¢ll be good for me, both physically and mentally. Even as late as 6pm, I was still thinking about pushing on to Gatlinburg. Not worth it. Rafting was a blast. Not as much whitewater as the Yough, but it numbed my feet for 3 hours, took away the pain of the blisters. Money well spent. Feel tired, like I could sleep a full 8 hours. Hope my roommates aren¢t noctural noise-makers.
Date: 2004-03-29
From: NOC

To: Locust Cove Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 163.29.047pmTent city here at Locust Cove Gap. I hiked the last bit w/ Beast. Got here around 5pm. Then Deer Hunter and Squirt came in, followed by Lil¢ Bit, Moonstone, Adventure, and Easy Does It. Pilot and Vapor Trails just rolled in. Nice to have company. Today was a great day. Slowed down and enjoyed it. Had breakfast at 8 w/ Hermann, Spirit, and Easy Does It. Down at the River¢s End, which wasn¢t all that great. Had pancakes, which sat in my tummy the entire climb up. Met a ton of hikers -- all the above, Ross & Grace, Zack and lab, Papillion, and many others. Just heard that Krispy Kritter et al got into NOC today. Everybody¢s catching up. And¢ll pass me soon. Oh well. I¢ll catch them someday. Or not. Beast was a good hiking partner. Seems a lot like me. Planning a European journey after the AT. Really into permaculture and sustainable ag. Might try and hike w/ him tomorrow. There¢ll be a lot of people to hike w/. 3 students from U of Alabama w/ puppy dog Millie. She almost abandoned her owner and hiked w/ Beast and me. (Courtney, Tallie, and John). It¢d be nice to walk w/ a 4-legged companion for a while. Today was my shortest day yet, I think. Only 10.5 miles. Felt good though. Stopped twice for 40+ minutes. Tomorrow planning another short-ish day -- about 11-12 miles. Then, a quick jaunt into Fontana. Make a call home to get G & G¢s #. Then get picked up Thursday morning, probably at the dam, to cut down the miles on the first day of the Smokies.
Date: 2004-03-30
From: Locust Cove Gap

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 17.1

Day 17A Misty Morning3.30.0410:15am58deg.FFirst real, continuous, steady rain last night. Started around 3am or so, stopped just before 9. (Right after I¢d started, w/ all my rain gear on, so I had to stop and de-gear myself almost immediately. Figures.) Got a later start than I¢d planned, due to the rain and a headache/stomach ache. Not a migraine. May have been dehydration, but I drank buckets during the night to no avail, other than considerable discomfort to my bladder. Also a possible contributing factor was the dinner I had -- the first normal-sized evening fare I¢ve had to date. Whatever the cause, it¢s subsided somewhat. Still lurking though, so I¢m taking it slow. At Stecoah Gap right now. Another 8.5 to the shelter. But, I can see the climb in front of me, so I¢m in no hurry to get going. This morning was so misty and fog-shrouded, and now the sun¢s out. Coming up the first (mini)climb of the day, looking west (I assume) it was fairly clear, a few isolated spots of fog rising from the valleys. But to the right, it was a sea of mist. I stayed up there for a couple of minutes, and then this peak just appeared out of the fog. One of those moments out here. Well, the mountain awaits¢¦
Date: 2004-04-01
From: Fontana Dam

To: Hendersonville, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Day 194.1.049:30pmWay past my bedtime. The sun hit the snooze button hours ago. Laying here in Hendersonville, after being positively spoiled all day. Food forced (hah) on me -- fresh fruit, fresh coffee, cake, pistachios, dinner, dessert. Three days of this and I may not be able to get back on the trail. Might certainly undo any small progress I may have made on getting in shape. Good for my psyche though. Mental healing, to see the family faces again. Even suffered several of Woody¢s slobbery kisses. Didn¢t manage the 2-mile hike to the dam this morning. Too rainy and cold and miserable. Didn¢t really see the point in getting all nasty. Plus, Papillion offered me a ride there. Everything fell too neatly into place for me to have hiked. It wasn¢t meant to be. Pretty much everyone felt the same this morning. A lot of zero-ers. Everybody, actually. Too icky out. ¢Course, tomorrow may be the same. Saw snow in the Smokies driving here this morning. Don¢t know if the zeroes were b/c of the weather or the alcohol consumption last night. A combo of both, I suspect. Would¢ve liked to have hiked a few w/ Pegasus, Gaia, et al. Maybe I will when (if) I catch up to them. Who can say. Hopefully see Sweetleaf in the Smokies. And Spirit, Slow Walker (Irish, I discovered), who knows -- maybe Papa Bear will encounter me again. The trail is funny that way. Serendipity rules. I¢m just going to bask in the luxury of central heating, indoor plumbing, television, kitchens equipped w/ spices and fresh produce, and simply being w/ family for a few blessed days, before being thrown back into the cold, harsh reality of life on the trail. Which is better than the best luxury money can buy.
Date: 2004-04-05
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Day 234.5.047pmBloody cold. Darn cold. Bloody darn cold. Ah heck, it was friggin¢ freezing. Jumped into my bag by 7 ¢cuz it was so cold. Couldn¢t drag myself out of bed until after 8. This daylight savings thing is messing w/ us. At 7, before the sun even set, the temp was 35, according to my (inaccurate) thermometer. Not factoring in the wind though. Sounded like a freaking freight train all night. And the backdraft came right on my head. Burrowed down deep in my bag, like a turtle. Didn¢t even hear the snorers last night -- too many layers over my ears. Getting started today was tough too. My stove wouldn¢t start, the little bugger. Fuel was too cold. Surprise, surprise. Warmed it up under my jacket. Added 50% extra fuel, got it reved up. Just before the water boiled, out it went. Had to add another oz of fuel. But, the hot breakfast was worth it. Needed something warm in my tummy. Morning was just as cold and windy as the night. Wore all my clothes last night, and into today. Then, and soon as I took my fleece off, the wind picked up again. Figures. Didn¢t hit the trail ¢til 9:30. Caught Sweetleaf after a few minutes, Socks after half an hour. Met up w/ Dingle on Rocky Top. Took a breather there. Then, we hiked together for a couple hours, through the really rough stuff. Snow, ice, and mud. What a combo. Slip ¢n slide. Took another 2 spills. Caught myself w/ my poles, then the weight of my pack brought me down. Only 11 and change today, _______________________________________________________________________________¢It better be this next hill or else¢¦or else I¢ll keep walking¢-- Kickstand ¢04_______________________________________________________________________________but probably the hardest miles so far. Realized yesterday camped on the cusp of a milestone -- 174.1. The ¢chump change.¢ Into the 2000 miles now. Pretty crowded at Derrick Knob tonight. 13 of us. Hope it¢s not as cold as last night. Saw my first real wildlife today -- a coyote on the privy trail here. Only about 10 feet away. Just stared at each other for 30 seconds. Forgot I had my camera in my pocket. Fairly big -- probably 50 lbs. Light brown coloring. Well, getting a little chilly. Stopping for the night. Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow. Goin¢ over Clingmans. May push on to Gatlinburg, time willing. Be nice to thaw out after this cold.
Date: 2004-04-08
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 0.0

Day 264.8.042:40pmChange of plans today. Zeroing again in Gatlinburg. Wish I wasn¢t, and yet sort of glad. Woke up w/ a nasty feeling in my stomach. Tried some hot tea. Felt worse. Hoping it¢s only a 24-hour bug. Or just psychological. Wasn¢t feeling the trail today. Could be the depressing cloudy, foggy, raining morning too. Never really rained, but it¢s been overcast and threatening all day. Just couldn¢t motivate myself to get moving. On the plus side -- I think I actually got 8 consecutive hours of sleep, which I can¢t even remember the last time that happened. So, despite the fact that I feel like a total bum for taking so many zeroes, it¢s good for my body. I didn¢t even sleep this well at Grandma¢s. Too much stress, even though it was heavenly to spend time w/ family. Too much hovering around me. Felt constantly on display and under observation. It¢s amazing how easy it is to accept the solitude and anonymity out here as the status quo. Readjusting to life after the AT is gonna be one heck of a struggle. But, that¢s months away, barring a calamity. Right now, I¢m just hoping my stomach get under control by tomorrow. Was going to call home and tell mom, but think I won¢t. Would only worry her (more) unnecessarily. There¢s nothing she can do. Have been wholed up most of the day in my room, watching bad TV reruns. Saw the hockey highlights from last night. Lang had a killer goal. Looks strange in a Redwings jersey. Now, I¢m sitting on main street, people watching. All these people wandering around, wasting time, squandering money on cheap, touristy kitch, when they could, if they spent only another 20 minutes in their luxury cars, see truly magnificent views and create meaningful memories. Sorry, being in nature so much has made me become more and more appreciative of it, and increasingly frustrated w/ cities, and lazy Americans, and the whole American way of living. Breakfast yesterday, my server was a young Polish woman, in the States only 8 months. She sat and talked w/ me a bit. Said every day she gets off work, she goes up to the Smokies and hikes. She wants to travel across the country and see everything. How come most Americans don¢t have that interest in their own nation? What¢s wrong w/ our country, and our priorities. Seems like everything¢s going to heck. Just glad I don¢t have to hear about it every day. This morning, I may not have been ¢feeling the trail,¢ but I do now. Hope my body¢s up for it. May hang out in the lobby for a bit and see if anybody rolls in¢¦
Date: 2004-04-09
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

Day 274.9.042:30pmTaking my sweet ol¢ time today. Told myself I wouldn¢t push it, and I¢m not. Only doing 10 or so miles today. Guess who I bumped into on the trail -- Papa Bear, Dennis (Badger), and Peter (Spoonman). Was wondering how many days off I¢d have to take for them to catch me. Here they come again¢¦6:45pmUnparalleled, beautiful day for hiking. Sunny and cool. No clouds. Couldn¢t have planned better weather. ¢Course, it¢s supposed to rain tomorrow thru Monday night. Hope they¢re wrong, again. Short, easy hike today, just 10.4, plus 12 mile down to shelter. Aiming for Cosby Knob tomorrow, only 12.9. Today was great, didn¢t feel rushed at all. Spent time hiking w/ Badger, Spoonman, and Sweetleaf. Hiking w/ others is good, especially today. Suffered my first crisis of confidence today. This morning, more than wanting to be on the trail, I wanted to phone home and have mom come get me. And, when you¢re hiking solitary, once an idea gets fixed in your head, there it stays. So, the company helped. Plus, I enjoyed catching up w/ them. I just can¢t imagine how hard it would have been had today not been so spectacularly beautiful. But, things are picking up. Gonna stay w/ this bunch, at least the next day or so. Full house tonight -- close to 25 here: me, Sweetleaf, Larry (section), Alex, Caroline, daughter Gimpy, 2 sectioners, John (ridgerunner), Mockingbird, Papa Bear, Badger, Peter, Sherlock, DC, KP, Sunset, Circuit, Bear Behind, 4 unknown others. Sox is expected. Mumbles pushed on to the next shelter, as did Jester. Dingle and Skirt, who knows? Had errands to run this morning. Poor Cuppa Joe. Still hobbling around the Grand Prix. He said it¢s getting better, hopes to set out either tomorrow afternoon or Sunday. Last night, went out to the microbrewery w/ a bunch, celebrating Mumbles 36th and Sweetleaf¢s 44th. I¢m still a young ¢un, a spring chicken. Feeling sore today. Not muscles, but in my bones. Along my arches. Hope not indicative of preliminary stress. Ankles are hurtin¢ too. And the knees. Another reason to slow it down. Not a race, I tell everyone. Very true. Just need to listen to my own advice. Sox and Mainsail just strolled in. Getting¢ a little tired. Gonna do some reading and try to sleep.
Date: 2004-04-12
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Newport, TN
Miles today: 0.0

Day 304.12.047:30amWell, it wasn¢t a long night, it was an interminable one. Might have dozed off for an hour, but nothing more. Never really knew what it meant to be ¢sandy-eyed,¢ but I¢ve got a good idea now. My eyes were so heavy, they inexorably drew closed. But, the positive cacophony of snoring reversed the welcome depths of slumber. It was like an orchestrated chorus. Everybody performing at their own tempo and pitch, but it all came together into one medley of sound. So, now, on top of feeling run down, not hungry b/c my stomach¢s revolting food, achy from sore muscles (and the ensuing onset of my period), I¢m physically exhausted from lack of sleep. So, against my wishes (but not my better judgement -- reason wins this battle), I¢m gonna try to get to a town, any town, that has a motel, any motel, and sleep. Blissful slumber, how I miss thee. Just had a terrifying, horrible thought -- what if my headaches are becoming associated w/ my menstrual cycle. God, that would suck. Argh. I hate being sick. Detest it. ¢Course, no one likes being ill, but it seems like I¢m in this state all too often. I have this physical ennui, but my mind is racing. Still kinda down about the hike too. Don¢t know which was the instigating factor, the physical illness or mental fatigue, but now they seem to be in an exacerbating cycle. What I need, and would like to do is just get on the trail for 5 days, no stops, and regain my rhythm. Maybe once I get past Hot Springs. Maybe. One day at a time. Can¢t look beyond that. May end up seeing Sweetleaf.4pmInteresting day. Radar, who¢s preparing for the PCT, was getting picked up by his dad. Offered me a ride into a motel. Just before his dad arrived, he smacked his head in the laundry hut. Did a real number. Came over to the bunkhouse, hand over his scalp, looking for a rag. Head wounds bleed, a lot. Too bad Slow Walker, the trauma surgeon, had already set off. It actually stopped bleeding fairly quickly, but it¢s quite a gash. Will certainly leave a scar, if he doesn¢t get stitched up or something. When they dropped me off at the Super 6 in Newport, there was a Pediatric center. Think his dad was going to take him over, just to have a professional check it out.9pmSittin¢ in the Motel 6 Laundry room. Just couldn¢t work up the motivation at Standing Bear to do it. Plus, the dryer sounded like a bummer. So, stylin¢ in high fashion in my rain gear. Getting some pretty odd looks too. Don¢t really know why I bother. They¢re gonna stink in a day again anyway. At least I¢ll have one set of clean clothes. And that skunk smell? Not me after all. Turns out to be a plant, quite possibly skunk cabbage, if you can imagine that. Wild flowers are springing up right and left. Saw Jack-in-the-pulpit, more trillium, flowering cherries. An explosion of color. That wildflower book¢ll be great. Well worth the extra weight.
Date: 2004-04-13
From: Newport, TN

To: Newport, TN
Miles today: 0.0

Day 314.13.048:45amCan¢t understand this fatigue and lack of appetite. At least mom and dad are being incredibly supportive. One positive result in this is that all this forced inactivity has made me realize that I really, really want to be back out there. No sense in forcing an early return. Better to be fully better. And I¢ll get there. Otherwise I¢ll end up in another hotel a few dozen miles down the trail. Or worse, back in Ligonier. The headache¢s gone, at least. And anyway, it¢s a crummy day for hiking. Rain, rain, rain. Unfortunately, nothing to do in Newport, TN. No bookstore. Library¢s a full day¢s hike away. Only thing it has to offer is Wal-Mart. Whoopee. Last place I¢m gonna go. Just read Zen all day. Rest and try to get all systems functioning and fully operational. Poor Cuppa Joe. Totally sympathize. Will probably run into him tomorrow. B/c I am leaving tomorrow. Bar total systems failure.5pmFeeling 100% better. A day of vegging out, tuning out, lounging about, really works wonders. Walked around some, when the rain held off enough. Giant strip of fast food chains, but past the motel was a nice, less-trafficky road. Hilly, naturally, but what else is new. Getting really nasty looking out. Headin¢ back to the hotel before I end up soaked.7pmPower just went out. People wandering aimlessly in the halls. At least there¢s still enough light to read by. And, always have my head lamp. Should get to bed early, if power isn¢t restored. Hope I sleep better than yesterday. A few hours is better than none, but 8 is best of all. Apparently over 12 the city is w/o power. Good times. Maybe I¢ll meet someone who can drive me to Standing Bear in the morning.
Date: 2004-04-16
From: Max Patch

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 19.8

Day 344.16.047amSun popped up a few minutes ago. Wasn¢t spectacular. Way beyond spectacular. A good omen for today. Got a little chilly last night. Broke out my fleece liner, again. Maybe didn¢t need it, but it kept me toasty and warm. Wonder when I¢ll feel comfortable sending it home? Trying to get as close to Hot Springs as possible today. Wayne and Snail are planning to cover all 19+ miles. Don¢t think my body¢s up for it. I did sleep considerably better than any night in the Smokies. Quiet¢ll do that for you. Helps having a good book to curl up w/ too. Managed to find Dan Brown¢s Angels & Demons. Not a candidate for the Nobel Prize, but a page turner.