morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-06
From: Blood Mountain

To: View Entry
Miles today: 9.0

I had a cold morning and a long hike up blood mountain, then down into neels for a rest, laundry, and spaghetti dinner. I only made 7 miles today but im ahead of schedule and the downhill took it out of me. The knees could use some ice.Even as I write all this I am tempted to make a few more miles. I have a long 3 days to hiawassee.
Date: 2007-04-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 8.0

I decided to press on last night, my tummy was full, my body was clean and the weather was fair. My new friend brisket hooked me up, and after chatting with fox, jones and hippie I saddled up. I made another 3 miles before dark and made camp in a less windy gap, but I couldnt shake a lingering worry about my food bag. I woke up at 1, as I seem to do every night, and peered out to make sure it was safe... And saw only white. The snow continued for a few hours, and brought intensely cold air with it. Thus it is 630 and im still hunkered in my sleeping bag, hoping daybreak will bring a small respite from the wind, if not the cold.*****After a brutal but morally reinforcing morning hike, I made it to picturesque low gap shelter. I wasted the afternoon in the sleeping bag letting my legs heal. August built a fire, and we ended up with a full house.Tomorrow im going to try to make 15 miles to tray mtn, its supposed to warm up a little. Legs are feeling better already.
Date: 2007-04-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 15.0

Stayed at low gap last night to let the legs rest. Was a little bit down, the shock of this new life was setting in, but I had a good 15 mile day today including some ridiculous ups and downs, and am positioned to be feasting on mcdonalds in hiawasee this time tomorrow. Staying atop tray mtn with williegoat, traildancer, fox, and jones.Oh, my trailname has been modified slightly because no one remembers hoku to hoku the magic horse. Long story.Also, I smell really bad. Not like taxi driver bad, more like a wild animal. Tomorrow I will shower for an hour then wash my clothes while I sit around in my duct taped rain gear.
Date: 2007-04-09
To: Hiawassee
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Made it to hiawassee this afternoon, but my left knee wont bend very far anymore. Im going to try to see the doc for an appt.Lots of nice people here, and supposed to be a chicken fried steak dinner tonight.If necessary ill spend the morning getiing something for the knee but at this point I dont plan to go on until I get something. Until noon anyway...66 down, 3 percent! Nc is right around the corner.*****Im sitting in the emergency room in hiawassee waiting for someone to look at my knee, but all I can think about is how I havent eaten yet. Im going to grab some chicken before I hit the grocery store and get supper at the hostel.Update- he says im ok, prescribing me hydrocodone. A little help to cowboy up. God im hungry.
Date: 2007-04-10
From: Hiawassee

To: View Entry
Miles today: 17.0

Today was a good day on the trail, I made 17 miles and crossed into north carolina. I had a really efficient stay in hiawassee and was able to hit the trail early this morning. A bunch of other guys made it too... O2, snow, lumberjack, gforce, big p,   and chatterbox. It was pretty today. We are in good shape to hit franklin thursday.
Date: 2007-04-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 20.0

What a day. I awoke to the pitter patter of rain drops and looked out of my tent to find it sitting in the clouds - completely socked in. The landscape stayed surreal and it rained off and on all day. The roller coaster of georgia has smoothed out with the exception of albert mountain - the most difficult climbing section yet - and I must be getting stronger because I churned out 20 miles today! Im currently packed like a sardine in an overfull rock gap shelter, a leisurely 4 miles from the franklin gap. I plan to treat myself to a hotel room there tomorrow night.
Date: 2007-04-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 4.0

Im sitting in a laundromat in franklin wearing my rain suit while everything I own is being washed. I got my maildrops successfully and plan to enjoy a slow afternoon of pizza and tv to celebrate my excellent pace and rest my aching body. 4 miles this morning. Of course it is beautiful today, too... And supposed to rain this weekend, but after fidgeting with the schedules a nero today just makes the most sense.106 total miles, almost 5%!
Date: 2007-04-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 16.0

About to leave franklin, glad I took a light day. I iced everything and ate way too much, now im ready to try to get ahead of this storm. With a bit of luck ill get to the noc ahead of the worst of it.*****Today I left franklin, it was nice to have a shuttle but I didnt get my normal early start. Still, I made a solid 16 miles to cold spring shelter. Theres a big storm headed our way so im not taking any chances, im staying in a shelter tonight and cruising into the noc tomorrow to stay the night. I have time to kill, Jocelyn doesn't get to fontana until tuesday. I felt fantastic, the ice and rest yesterday made a big difference. I had a little serious pain when it was time for advil but I didnt need anything stronger. The next 10 miles will be brutal.
Date: 2007-04-14
To: NOC
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today I am battened down at the nantahala outdoor center, a big complex right on the at 134 miles in. I had an endless 10 mile descent this morning, got my own room, and proceeded to eat a cheeseburger, chicken fingers, french fries and a salad, then two cups of ben and jerrys for dessert. Its raining outside, but not the big storm we are expecting yet.It is interesting how much more spring-like everything is at lower elevation... Everything is green here, whereas up at 4-5k where I have been lately it might as well be january in terms of foiliage.I got some blue superfeet inserts to try to keep my toes from bunching up, ive got a couple of blisters im watching but probably fewer than average. I was the food bag nazi today... I hate throwing away food ive been carrying, but like my friend brian keffer once said, "never chase bad money with good". He was talking about poker, but the same is true for backpacking- I cant be afraid to ditch perfectly good food just because ive already carried it 30 miles if I dont need it. I have wasted a lot of food so far, but my pack is staying light. I dropped down to 7 servings of trail food and 1 hot meal per day, no exceptions, and a reserve half ration day of 4 items and a hot meal in case I am held up. On a trail like the at this should be fine. Oh, and im still carrying jiffy pop waiting for a fire, so I guess one exception. Also I am cutting out meat packets from my resupply, they are just too heavy for their nutrition. Interestingly fresh cheese, bell pepper and onion are still ok as treats to use in cooking, and all bets are off for the first night out of town.Im planning to send my ursack home, maybe get it back when I get into real bear country later. I always hang it anyway, so its a pointless 8oz.I ditched my water bladder, it is nice to be able to drink and walk but I was always sitting down on the nozzle and it will be a sanitation issue on a long hike. Much easier to buy two fresh gatorade bottles at each town.My body continues to do fine, I have a fairly long list of things that are swollen, chafed, sore, strained, blistered or bruised, but nothing like before when my knee didnt want to move. I havent needed painkillers in 3 days, and continue to rip off big miles. If I wasnt meeting JC I would be doing even more but this is good, ill be fresh for the smokies.Getting hungry again... No kidding, ive gained weight so far. Thank you ben and jerrys!
Date: 2007-04-15
From: NOC

To: View Entry
Miles today: 16.0

Today dawned quietly in the valley, and I had a nice hot breakfast and started up the mountain. It started drizzling as I climbed, and as I got higher the rain turned to snow. The wind started to howl, but I pressed on, and on... The trail was horrible, too, up and down constantly after the initial 3000 ft climb. It quit being fun at some point... I remember cursing aloud at each new uphill, never switchbacked, straight into the wind.Finally I made it to the shelter, 16 miles on the day. I impressed my congenial new friends and am currently bunked down in my tent on the shelter sleeping platform. So far the temp is ok, we will see how cold the morning is. 12 miles to fontana and my first zero day.
Date: 2007-04-16
To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: scattered clouds

This morning was pretty cold, but not nearly as bad as the day before easter. I awoke scrunched down in my sleeping bag with only a hole the size of a quarter to let air in. It gives you a little bit of a headache from breathing too much co2 but it keeps you warm and the headache goes away in a few seconds of fresh air. Despite the cold and ice I made the steep 12 miles into fontana dam by 2:00. I ate a lot of snow on the way down, it kept me cool. The hike inn came and got me... It is a bit different but theyre quite attentive, and now I am all set up to enjoy my first zero day as I wait for Jocelyn. I am trying to arrange to go on the shuttle to get her, otherwise to try to lay perfectly still in ice packs all day. There is no question I am stronger now, but both ankles are a little spongy to the touch and the left achilles hurts. The down day will do me good. The smokies will be interesting, ive heard nothing but bad to be honest.So fontana dam represents the first leg is over, 163 miles. My resolve is stronger than when I started, and certainly my confidence. The snowstorms are bad for morale, and the people ive met have been good. Hiking all day doesnt really hurt anymore, but it is tiring sometimes and gets boring occasionally.Jocelyn is coming at a good point. I plan to treat it like a vacation, and if we make good time all the better. It can be hard to keep from getting wrapped up in a rut of my own thoughts spending day after day alone, and while it is wonderful to have so much time to think I can occasionally get locked into a pattern. It will help to have Jocelyn around for a bit, not just Wilson to talk to.She is the one who posts these, however, so there may be a gap of a week, but rest assured I will write each night.
Date: 2007-04-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Yawn, my big zero day entry. I am doing may part- listening to the radio, laying around reading magazines, icing my ankles and knees and eating an entire box of pasta for lunch with a pint of b&j ice cream for dessert. At 345 im going to hitch a ride on the shuttle to go get Jocelyn, who may have still more food. The motorcycles roaring by on the mountain road outside call to me... And of course the weather is gorgeous.
Date: 2007-04-18
From: Fontana Dam

To: View Entry
Miles today: 16.0

Today Jocelyn and I set out from fontana dam into the national park. About a mile in we saw a deer... It came right up to us. Jocelyn did very well, we had a tough climb with really heavy packs but we still made 16 miles to a really nice shelter with good thru hiker people.
Date: 2007-04-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 13.0

We woke up at dawn and tried to be quiet as we packed up and left. It ended up being a tough day of constant ups and downs, and we only made 13 miles. As we were pulling up to the shelter it began to sleet, then snow. We had discussed trying to make clingmans dome, the highest point on the at by dawn, but with the snow we will wait for light to start moving. We need to make tracks to reach hotsprings by tuesday.
Date: 2007-04-20
To: View Entry
Miles today: 21.0

Today was a big day. We woke up early and hiked through the snow up to clingmans, then fought through a forest of downed trees across the trail for miles. Last weeks storm that had me holed up at brown fork really slammed this area apparently. The trail club had cleared the wost of it (awesome job so quickly) but there were still sections where we had to get creative going over, under, or around the monstrous douglas fir trunks. This was the prettiest forest yet, in my opinion, all evergreen.We finally emerged at newfound gap, which was full of school kids and tourists. The shelters in the smokies are mandatory yet horrendously spaced, so each day seems to bring the same mileage dilemma, to do 13 and be bored or do 20 and be exhausted. Yesterday we went for the former, but today we went for the gusto... 21 miles and some amazing views rounded out the 12 and a half hour hike. Jocelyn is a tough cookie to be able to hang with me.
Date: 2007-04-21
To: Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Today we awoke with the dawn again, ready to put some miles under us. The snow was still around in patches as we continued the excellent ridgeline trail toward the east end of the park. We made good time, keeping to our 2mph goal pace. Jake said he was going to try to make davenport gap tonight and standing bear hostel the next morning, but it seemed like pushing another 3 miles to sleep clean in a warm bed would be worth it if we could keep the pace up. In the end we pushed right up to the edge of our abilities on a 23.5 mile day. Both of us had calf problems by the end, I got blisters on the balls of my feet, and Jocelyns knee started hurting. Still, we were happy we did it rather than spend a fourth night straight in the woods.Standing bear is charming and unique, I hope Jocelyn posts some pictures of it. Very rustic but with full amenities. There is nothing like clean pajamas and a real bed with a full belly. Speaking of, the hiker hunger is in full force. I can talk about food all day. I see rocks and sticks that look like food products and my mouth waters. There were some awesome trail magic sloppy joes 2 miles from the hostel, then some iffy gas station bbq that got me by.So we are done with the great smoky mountains. The draconian rules combined with the outright bad placement of shelters put us in a bind on whether to do lousy short or breakneck long mileage every day we were in the park. The first half was harder than I expected going in. The second half was awesome though. Easy miles and amazing vistas in the high country after icewater spring made up for a lot of the headache. I would absolutely come back for a trip from newfound gap or maybe clingmans heading east.Jocelyn is a soldier... I now assume anyone who comes to meet me will put up with me talking literally all day about all the different foods I like to eat, wake up at 6 am sharp and do 20+ miles of seriously rugged mountain trail each day.After 77 miles in 4 days we plan to coast out the last 32 over 2 days, taking another zero in hot springs before Jocelyn leaves on wednesday. Then ill do a push for erwin and damascus by may 4. I think if I make some cuts to the pack and my ridiculous blister problem clears up ill be able to assume 20 mile days from here on out, then rest for an afternoon at each town.
Date: 2007-04-22
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: View Entry
Miles today: 15.0

We slept in this morning as a reward for our big miles yesterday; I ate a frozen pizza and some pudding for breakfast and we left about 10 am. We started off slow, but as we warmed up the aches and pains   from the previous day abated and we made 15 miles despite the opressive heat. My short shorts made an appearance, and I drank a ton of water. The steri-pen decided to work again, it probably heard me talking about the aqua mira I was going to buy, but it is too late, the steripen cannot be trusted. We appeared out of the woods at max patch mountain, a wonderful, surprising high point of the trip. It is an enormous bald, that is a mountain covered in grass, so you could see for miles and miles, a full 360 degrees. We descended and are now camped at roaring fork shelter, 18 miles from hot springs. With an early start we should make it to hot springs by mid afternoon. I am looking forward to soaking my now completely blistered feet in a hot spring tomorrow night.
Date: 2007-04-23
To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today we woke up with the dawn and hiked the 18 miles remaining to hot springs. It is becoming clear that the heat of summer will be a bigger issue than the cold was. It really affected Jocelyn, who started looking a little pale with about 2 miles to go, but some water and a rest and she was good to finish.Hot springs is a cute little town that reminds me of downtown taylor, tx. The at runs right through main street. The guidebook recommended a bed and breakfast, the duckett house inn. It is a stately century old manor house with an enormous porch surrounded by a large field. The interior looks like a restoration hardware ad. It is a great home base for the zero day I am going to spend resting after our 110 mountainous miles in 6 days. Also jocelyns shuttle isnt until tomorrow so she can listen to me whine about my aches and pains for one more day.We had supper at a cute little cafe which featured one of my very favorites, fried green tomatoes. I ate too much, im still getting used to this hiker hunger. The trick seems to be to eat normal person meals every hour or two, so you can eat the 10000 calories your body needs without completely hurting yourself.I shaved tonight so I look like me again. A little browner, a little thinner, but me. I also poked all my blisters so they can heal tomorrow. It took awhile. My shoes are fine, I went over 100 miles before I got any, but now my feet just need to toughen up. My left knee is doing so much better im sending home the second brace. The right knee still hurts a little but it is always the ok hurt not the bad hurt. I am sending most of the lortabs home with Jocelyn, I don't need them anymore. Also going home are both my foam pads, for a few ounces the air matress is much more comfy. The tweezers I never use, the cozy that got a crack in it, the thomas pink handkerchief I never use (I prefer to blow my nose on places ive been on the mapdanna), my rain pants and a few rubber bands and other odds and ends are all going home. I have gotten fanatical about weight, even more than before. With my tighter 6-6 hiking schedule I should have no problem doing 20s every day, so I am carrying less food (though still an entire reserve day at all times), then cut rations and mileage expectations on the days im entering and leaving towns. I think it gives me a more realistic kit - I have yet to arrive someplace without a pile of uneaten food. Erwin should be ean easy 70 miles, but the next two after that are 100+, where every ounce counts. My vapor trail pack is awesome as long as the load is under about 27 lbs... After that it gets stiff and hard to adjust. Which is fine, I should be able to go for a week on 27.
Date: 2007-04-24
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

The obligatory zero day entry. We had an excellent breakfast at the b&b, then I annihilated a pint of ben and jerrys while we browsed the outfitter. I got some aqua mira and loaded up on triscuit, cheese, and salami sandwiches for trail snacks. Then we went to the hot springs spa for massages and a soak in a real hot spring. The massage was above average for a big city - exceptional for hot springs nc. Ask for ashleigh. The spring was less remarkable, the water felt interestingly mineral-rich but was tepid and we had some gnat issues. After that we went and ate again, fried mushrooms and a double cheeseburger. Now we are back at the b&b where I am preparing for the next hump to erwin. Im going to try to do it on 3 nights in the woods. After that we will eat at least once more, then get some sleep. I will eat breakfast here in the morning then head out. Feeling really strong, ready to turn up the pace with my rested legs and trimmed pack. August 18 could be on the table if things go well.
Date: 2007-04-25
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: View Entry
Miles today: 27.0

Bears! I was coming up a steep grade on camp creek bald and there he was, blacker than black. A juvenile, about 150 feet ahead and above me, right by the trail. Id seen him first. I clattered my poles together in the international bear rousing mauneuver. He casually looked over, fozzi bear ears lazily pointed down the hill. Hmm. I decided my best approach would be to try gusto, so I took a breath and gave my best yowlping war cry. HEEEAAAOOOOOWWAAAA! This did the trick, and he shot off with an uncanny lope. He was gone across the ridge much, much faster than id expected, even having read innumerable admonishments about the futility of attempting to outrun a bear. This bear could have intercepted low flying aircraft. Well I was very pleased with myself. I set off around the ridge and down the other side. About 2 miles later I came yowlping around a bend ( I had been practicing my yowlps ever since), and there was another bear! He must have heard me coming though, because he was already headed for the rhododendron thicket I was about to walk by. I yowlped again very loudly for good measure, which sent him into a panicked run. This one was smaller, not much more than a cub, and more brown, with a lighter brown butt.now what had been a freak bear sighting had become a foray into the heart of the ursuin empire, and it was getting dark. So I did what any reasonable person would do, I picked up an enormous branch and a heavy rock to go along with my leki poles which had already been appraised as "fine spears", yowlped myself hoarse, and walked another 5 miles in the dark to the next shelter. This capped a monster 27 mile day that didnt even start until 845. Frankly the night hiking wasnt nearly as bad as the heat of the afternoons have been. I drank six liters today, and ran very low in the late afternoon. Crazy!27 is more than I planned, but puts me in certain range to hit erwin day after tomorrow.
Date: 2007-04-26
To: View Entry
Miles today: 24.0

Today I woke up and felt different. I am discouraged by the monotony and want to reassess what im doing here. I feel like Ive gotten some of what I came for, but I also am lonely with Jocelyn gone too. I need to ease up on the miles, 24 today. My body can hack it but it tires me out and frankly bores me. I am going to wait for erwin and take stock.
Date: 2007-04-27
To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Ive been thinking about what has been getting me down, and I have some ideas. Im a pretty driven person, and in a situation like this thru hike my instinct is to attack it as quickly as possible. My body is now strong enough to carry a backpack up and down mountains from dawn till dusk every single day, but themonotony is killing me. I have to slow down.More bears! I was about 4 miles from erwin, lost in thought trying to decide what I was going to eat first, when I noticed that the stump up the hill was awfully black... Then it moved - bear! It moved again, revealing a little black furball - a cub! If they saw me they weren't acting like it as they wandered languidly up the hill. I decided discretion was the better part of valor and opted not to yowlp at them, and hurried on instead.So now I have seen four bears. Having seen a cub I can say for sure the first two were definitely adults, though not quite as large as the mother. It is hard to imagine these cute, docile fraidy cats stalking, mauling, and eating people. The deer have been MUCH more agressive, walking right up to us in the smokies.Im staying at miss janets tonight, then off to damascus via kincora tomorrow.