morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-03-01
From: Springer Mountain

To: View Entry
Miles today: 8.3

We reached Springer Mountain around 10:00. The ride up there was bumpy and mucky. A lot of people were estimated to be leaving today. The group leaving today is referred to as Pack or Troup 31 - because the date. The parking lot was full. We were meeted by Swallowtail, a trail angel. A trail angel is someone who gives hikers goodies, drinks, and encouragement. All of us, along with our families hiked the .9 south to Springer Mountain, the starting point for Northbounders. It was a little tough. I haven't been working out in the last several weeks due to all the preparation. We signed the register book and took pictures. We then headed back down, made our last adjustments, said our goodbyes, and left. We have now hiked our first mile on the AT. I couldn't believe that I was actually here. I have been reading so much about the trail. I don't really know what all to expect. Hoping to take it just as it comes.I was the first of the group to fall. My ankle twisted. It turned out to be okay. Then, not even a minute later as the boys were crossing this bridge they both about busted it at the same time. We already have stories and the first day isn't over yet. Diesel's blisters were acting up right away. For lunch we had these sandwiches Mrs. Capes made for us. THey tasted great! We walked through mud puddles and streams. I was so happy! Slick Rock got her name after she fell on a slick rock. She did fall on her already sort of injured wrist...but was fine as well. We decided that Oopu was the comedian of the group. The quote of the day said by Oopu was...."So who filled my shoes with cinder blocks?" We passed Hawk's gap where most people were staying. We found a place to camp about 3 miles away. I was pooped. My feet and everything else was sore. Wow! Our first day is coming to an end. Good night to all!
Date: 2003-03-02
From: top of mountain past Hightop Gap

To: Gooch Gap
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I didn't sleep really well last night but I was warm. The wind was so loud this morning. Having sandles is a great idea out here. That way you don't have to wear your boots everywhere. I have two blisters on my big toes and am sore. I had Oatmeal for breakfast this morning. The cleaning part wasn't too great. The sun started to come out and the rain stopped. We had a good morning prayer...we decided to start everyday in prayer. Today we hit Sassafras Mountain which I remembered kicked my tail the last time I hiked it. It wasn't as bad as I thought. We had some really good views this morning. Everyone except Oopu and I ran out of water, and he soon ran out as well....so we all were drinking off of mine. Speck is calling me the water queen. We met a hiker named Pat and Carlie, her dog. Then ran across a group of boy scouts. When we reached this big creek tons of hikers were there and more were coming.....Red, Dimples, A-Train, Subman, Pringles, Denmark, Early Riser, and more. We decided there that our group's name should be 5 Alive. We ended up going to Gooch Gap and decided to tent again. We had an interesting bear hanging. Swallowtail, the same trail angel from day one built us a fire. Diesel got out his guitar and played, while hikers gathered around. Wench, Hotdog and Liteshoe were all there...the group that Ted-Soleman was going to be hiking with. It was good meeting all of them. The music was great. Wow! I am loving this already.
Date: 2003-03-03
From: Gooch Gap

To: .7 mi short of Slaughter Gap
Miles today: 10.3

Monday was beautiful! We woke up with ice on our packs and the ground but it warmed up pretty quickly. It was really tough but worth it! The climb up the mountain was gradual and at times seemed like it would never end but the views at the top were amazing! Lumber Jack hiked most of the day with us. He ended up throwing 15 lbs. of food plus an ax over the side of the mountain. We ended up staying at a campsite close to the shelter. We were exhausted! Diesel has been our inspiration. He has hiked 30+ miles with bleeding blisters on his heels. Our group 5 Alive has definitely become a family. When one person is down, there are 4 others to pick him up.
Date: 2003-03-04
From: .7 mi short of Slaughter Gap

To: Neels Gap 
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It was 32 degrees this morning but the sun warmed things up. We only had 3 miles to go today. Blood Mountain was amazing. There were many views of rolling mountains. We ended up staying at Walasi-Yi Crossing - at the Hostel. Wench, Hot Dog, Dimples, A-Train, Red, and several others are staying here. That's it for now. God is so good!
Date: 2003-03-05
From: Neels Gap

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

Blisters, Thunderstorms, Hiawassee We left Walasi Yi on Wednesday. I didn't get much sleep because Hot Dog snores so loudly. We were rested and smelled somewhat better. We had about 11 miles to do so we pushed it hard. We were dealing with cramps and blisters. The coolest thing was seeing a rock face off in the distance - several mountains away - and then actually being on that mountain that you saw.   Jason's (Diesel's) blisters got so bad we had to stop and he made the decision that he needed to take several days off so they could heal. God was definitely with us because we were in the middle of nowhere and his cell phone got a signal. 5 Alive split up after lunch. Emily (Speck) & Diesel were going to get picked up the next day by a friend. A guy named Dale A. gave us some Trail Magic - cookies & hotdogs & pop ~> what Julia calls it. He told us that the shelter we were to stay at had had bear sightings all week and there was going to be a bad thunderstorm.   We made it to the shelter but it was full. We set up our tents and Smooth Navigator and Fly by Night gave us some sausage and cheese. The three of us ended up sleeping in a small 2 person tent - putting all our gear in my tent. It was a tight squeeze. The thunderstorm came and what a storm! The thunder echoed and was so loud!   I was scared but so tired that I quickly fell asleep. We didn't get wet! Thank goodness!
Date: 2003-03-06
From: Hogpen Gap

To: .5 mi past Low Gap
Miles today: 4.7

We made it 10.6 miles yesterday and had to go 14 today. The first 5 miles went fast. All I have to say is that Georgia is rocky! Rocks and downhills are the devil!! The downhill before Unicoi Gap is steep, rocky, and hard on the feet and knees. Julia (Slick Rock) ended up blowing out her knee. So, we caught a shuttle into Hiawassee so we could get a knee brace for Julia. Joyce gave us a ride - a real nice lady. We are now sitting outside the post office in Hiawassee, hoping to run into Speck and Diesel. Pray for Diesel's blisters and Slick Rock's knees!   -Frigid Air
Date: 2003-03-09
From: Dicks Creek Gap

To: Bly Gap Campground
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: few clouds

Numb Toes, Sunsets, German Food, Angels, North CarolinaI guess my name should be changed to numb toes. My feet and legs look rough--from bug bites to blisters to numb toes. We are a day behind but we are all back together.On Friday, we took it lightly cause Speck was trying to catch up with us. We reached Tray Mountain and set up camp just as Speck caught up. We hiked back to this rocky part of the mountain. It was the absolute top of the mountain--felt like you were on top of the world. The sunset and sunrise were beyond words.We met up with Diesel at Dick Creek Gap and we got our group back together. A special trail angel met us there (second time we've seen this angel) and took us to Helen, GA. We had a feast of German food. I had Schnitzel, salad, 2 rolls, and about 6 glasses of ice water.We have been so blessed so far. God has been pouring out blessings--from beautiful weather (a week-end in the 70's) to trail angels to our great group.We reached the Georgia/North Carolina border. I feel good about getting through one state. I liked Georgia. It was a beautiful place with many nice people.
Date: 2003-03-10
From: Bly Gap

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

COLD, FROST, BIG MOUNTAINSWe woke up to frost, our coldest night so far at 19 degrees. We stayed at Blys Gap. We had 2 huge mountains right away--what a wake-up call. They were straight up! The day soon warmed up and we made good timing. There weren't as many good views. We passed a trail named "Chunky Gal Trail" and got to climb our first 5,000 ft mountain--which wasn't so bad. We did 12.1 miles today and my feet are throbbing! It is going to be another cold night.We are staying at Beech Gap--the biggest I've seen so far. We've been hiking along with Bearcat, Wench, Denmark, and Early Riser. It was another good day.
Date: 2003-03-11
From: Beech Gap

To: .5 mi past Glassmine Gap
Miles today: 14.3

OH WHAT A DAY!No one wanted to get up this morning. It was another cold night but I slept the best I have slept yet. I was really tired today with sore and throbbing feet. I have decided to buy knee braces because the pounding of coming down the hills puts a lot of pressure on my knees. My trail name should be roley poley because my ankles continue to roll over--need ankle braces, too.We ate a big lunch to give us strength to climb Big Butt Mountain--what a name--followed by Albert Mountain. Climbing Big Butt made me feel like I was a kid again. We climbed up rocks, slid down rocks--it was fun! Then came Albert Mountain. We had to go up 500 feet in .2 miles. Oopu made us laugh as we slowly made it up.We made it to the top and it was so worth it. For all you thru-hikers who are reading this--CLIMB THE FIRETOWER--the view is amazing! Diesel played his guitar as Speck sang. Oh, what a life that I'm living! I feel so blessed. I wrote a poem about the view...calledUNBELIEVABLEGod, you melted my heart todayAnd left me with no words to say.A mountain that at first I dreaded to climbBut it is one that will forever remain in my mind.The climb was hard, the mountain was highBut you rewarded us with a sight of rolling mountains and endless sky.To see where we have walked and the mountains that lie aheadI felt at that moment that there was no other place that I'd rather be instead.To hear beautiful voices and the rhythm of the guitarTo close my eyes and feel on top of the world, with God saying this is your life,This is who you are.I felt so empty and tired earlier today.God refilled me at this moment and allowed me to continue on my path,With You leading the way.I hated to leave, but I left with a smileKnowing that many more views lie ahead and that I can carry their picture with me for allThe rest of my 2,000 miles.We reached 100 miles today. We ended up staying about 1/2 a mile from Glassmind Gap. We had our longest hiking day--14.5 miles....my feet are feeling it but that just puts us with less than 5 miles until Franklin.
Date: 2003-03-12
From: .5 mi past Glassmine Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: clear sky

Franklin, NCWe hiked about 5.5-6 miles today. We quickly caught rides into Franklin, NC. It is beautiful around here--mountains everywhere. We are staying at Microtel (some volunteers we met today on the trail suggested it). It's a really nice place. We ate so much pizza and cinnamon sticks and garlic bread and salad. The outdoor store here is really nice. We are showering up--first one in 5 to 6 days, then doing laundry and resting. We'll hit the trail in the morning.
Date: 2003-03-13
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Lick Log Creek
Miles today: 12.2

We ate a huge breakfast at Shoney's. That's the advantage of being a hiker. You can eat all you want! We got a ride back to the trail by a guy named Charles. He is a volunteer who works on the trail and gives rides.It was an overcast day. The climb up took forever! It was the first time seeing balds--which were pretty cool! We were going to try to go 13 miles but only made 12.2. We were all tired and sore. We only ran into a group of hikers at the beginning of the day. I like hiking when there aren't too many hikers around. It was really windy today--kinda spooky because the trees would creak and make all sorts of noises. We had snacks for lunch with an amazing view. We stayed at Licklong Gap--fell asleep to the rain. The rain relaxes me.
Date: 2003-03-14
From: Lick Log Gap

To: A. Rufus Morgan
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I slept really good last night--the rain stopped. I decided not to eat anymore oatmeal. I HATE OATMEAL! I had my usual poptart. We were aiming to make it 15 miles to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC). It was cooler today and today was going to be a tough day. I could tell today that my body is getting really tired. When you're out here, you begin to understand the necessities of life--food to fuel your body and water, an absolute important thing--and shelter.We climbed up to Wesser Bald, which had an observation tower. There was a good view--would've been spectacular if it was a clear day. We played guitar and rested as it was getting colder and about to rain. We had 6.5 miles to go before the NOC. It was supposed to be all downhill--from 5,000 ft to 1,700 ft. There were ups and downs for several miles, then came the straight downs.Yea, it kicked all our butts! Sometimes, I enjoy the downhills better than the uphills. Sometimes I can't stand any of them.We made it to the A. Rufus Morgan shelter close to 6:00. It was full of spring break hikers. As we were setting up our tents, they moved out and gave the shelter to us! Wow! Blessings keep on flowing. So it was our first time staying in a shelter. Lumberjack stayed there with us. Apparently Tatooed Casper dropped off of the trail in Franklin. It was now raining and it felt so good being in that shelter. We played the ABC game and some more to pass the time. I was worried about having mice run over me. I guess that is just part of it. Hopefully, I'll sleep good tonight to the songs the rain is playing on the tin roof of this little cozy shelter.
Date: 2003-03-15
From: NOC

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: light rain

I woke up this morning being steamrolled by Oopu. I didn't see a single mouse--whew! It didn't take us long to pack up. We headed downhill another .7 miles to the NOC. Boy, were we glad to get there. Someone found Speck's lost camera (lucky lucky), and it felt like Christmas time as we opened our mail drops and found all our goodies. It is really nice here--still a little cold. We might stay here for their hamburgers and chili, then we have a 3,000 ft uphill climb. We are all doing good--sore and tired but we are making it. Well, we did stay at the NOC for their hamburgers. We all got the big Wesser burgers--boy were they big! We had a great table that overlooked the Nantahala River. People were out kayaking. The waitress sat us in the very back of the restaurant, I guess because of our no bath in 4 days smelling bodies. We headed off after 12:00 to a day full of uphills. It was tough and very humid. The cool thing was once we got to the top we could see the NOC & all the cars - they looked so small. We had gone up close to 2,000 ft. We had uphill after uphill after uphill - thank goodness for switchbacks (trails that don't go straight up or down)! It began raining. We also ate a little too much which caused Slick Rock to throw up & the rest of us had heavy stomachs. To let you guys know how it feels - going up those mountains causes a burn in your legs, one that is constant and after a while burns no more cause you get used to it. Everyday brings its struggles. It's not easy. We stink so badly. I'm trying to figure out what we smell like. Basically, we reek. Imagine how you've smelled when you've smelled the worst; it's 100x worse than that. You get into a wet tent & wake up to the dripping from the rain. You have bruises on your shoulders & hip from your pack. When you get to see your reflection, you are shocked at how different you look - you think you're getting a tan until you bathe & realize it's a thick layer of dirt. But it's all worth it & part of the experience. We only went 7.7 miles. We decided to stay at Sassafras Gap Shelter. It was fairly new & big. Eric for the moment & Mr. Cranky Pants stayed there too. There was even a privy - it didn't smell too good. It rained & rained. Diesel pulled out his guitar. It was a perfect night for the guitar. He played for two hours. Totally amazing moment. We heard mice but never saw any.
Date: 2003-03-16
From: Sassafrass Gap Shelter

To: Cody Gap
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: overcast clouds

It rained all night - thank gooodness we were in a shelter. Everything was so wet. It felt like we were hiking in the Smokies. At Cheoah Bald we looked out, only seeing fog. Every now and then you could see the mountains peek through. It was a dreary day all day long. Right before we got to Stecoah Gap we recognized orange chairs - it was Ox. Boy were we happy! Our first Trail Angel in North Carolina. We had donuts and Girl Scout Cookies - Yum Yum. We ended up eating lunch there with him. The climb right after Stecoah Gap was a mountain that I'm glad I'll never have to climb again. I was pouring sweat, out of water - only drinking gatorade. 30 minutes of utter pain and torture. We made it 11.9 miles to Cody Gap and camped. Squirts and Red Streak stayed with us. It rained some but I was so worn out I slept good.
Date: 2003-03-18
From: Fontana Dam

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I am really enjoying this zero day! We ate all you could eat breakfast. We are going to sleep and rest all day long. I have written something else titled ..."I love the way." I love the way the mountains look - so blue until they fade away. I love that when I see an amazing sight I have no words to say. I love the way the light shines through the trees, and dances on the ground. I love the peacefulness of the woods and each and every sound. I love the way my body feels after I climb a mountain that is so high. I love the way the stars come out and fill the dark dark sky. I love the way that my life is so plain I love the way the trees and grass are so green after the rain. I love the way that God has been molding me. I love the way I feel - I feel so light and free.
Date: 2003-03-19
From: Fontana Dam

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up this morning to loud clashes of thunder. Glad we were inside. We had another huge breakfast and took our last warm showers. We got shuttled back to the visitors center around 11:00. It was very cloudy - forecasted to be a rainy day w/possibly thunderstorms - Yippy! We ran into a Park Ranger as Speck, Diesel, and Oopu were registering at the Fontana Hilton. The Dam was closed to automobiles because the country is under Code Orange. He said that as soon as the war begins that the dam will be closed to everybody - meaning that the trail will be blue blazed - making hikers hike around the lake an extra 3 miles. I'm glad we made it. It's kind of weird not knowing for the next week what is going on in the world. In a way it's good not having to see all that's going on but also I want to make sure my family and everyone else is safe. We started hiking at the visitors center crossing the deserted dam. We soon entered the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The weather was playing games with us. At times the sun would come out and it would be extremely hot; at other times it would be windy and cold. It was weird having our packs on. They were really heavy, causing my shoulders a lot of pain. It was good being back on the trail again. We moved really slowly at first. I felt good and rested. The wind was so bad. At times I felt like I was going to get blown over. It did cause Oopu's first fall. It was so bad that we couldn't even climb the fire tower. It caused me to be so cold, a cold that I felt hit my bones, so we had to keep on moving. We hiked much closer together - because of the bears. At times it would be so eerie - so smoky looking you couldn't see anything except the path right in front of you. We were trying to reach the shelter before it got dark so we didn't stop for lunch. We hiked in mud so thick that at times it would suction your feet, causing us to use more energy and slowing us down. We did make it to the shelter. I believe it hailed some before we got there but not too bad. Mama Lipton, Flatlander, Chaos, Eric, Mr. Cranky pants, and the 5 of us all stayed here. There was a fire going. The shelter had 3 walls but there was a chain link fence covered with plastic. It is now really cold and windy. Every now and then a big gust of wind and rain will pound on the shelter's tin roof. It is kind of cozy. So far we have seen one mouse and heard them several times.
Date: 2003-03-20
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

Woke up this morning to a bang but I was too scared to look. Apparently a mouse chewed through this rope that was hanging a hiking bag, causing the noise. Today was a long long day for me. I decided to hike in my rain pants b/c of the light rain and possibly more later. Just about the whole day all we saw was smoky clouds. It was a messy day. The mud was much worse - everything was damp and wet. It felt like my shoes had no traction cause I'd slip going up and coming down. Physically I hurt a lot today. My knees hurt mostly on the going down and the heaviness of the pack caused my back and left rib cage to throb. I had my usual feet problems - who doesn't. Spiritually God told me one important thing today. I have become the one person of the group who tends to hike slower, sometimes a long way back. At first I felt that a weakness b/c at times my body can't go as fast as the rest of the group. God told me to set my own pace. One of the things I'm trying to get away from is living or trying to keep up with the fast pace of the world. So it no longer bothers me to be the "slow" one of the group. I really enjoy my pace - a pace where I am able to look and see everything. It also allows me to concentrate more on God and not trying to worry about people on my tail. We finally made it to the shelter. I think the miles here are stretched out. There was just enough room for us. We met this southbounder from Israel. He said his favorite place so far was Maine...cool! Getting used to staying in the shelters. It is much warmer.
Date: 2003-03-21
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Didn't sleep good at all - kept up by coyotes and the squeaky door. The sun was shining when we left the shelter. We could actually see lots of mountains. I can't believe this is the third week. The day was beautiful! There were evergreen trees that smelled so good - like Christmas trees. The grass was so green. There were beautiful views. I stopped often taking pictures (I had 3 cameras for the Smokies.) Today was the day we were climbing Clingman's Dome. Oopu said that he had never been to Clingman's Dome when it was clear. Well, today it was crystal clear. It wasn't that bad of a climb up there. We reached the top and climbed the tower. It was almost freezing by then - really cold! The view was really nice. On one side we could see Tennessee and on the other North Carolina. Speck had prayed today that we would see something that was unexpected. We ended up actually seeing it. There was ice and snow on the ground. I like it better on the ground instead of falling from the sky. We all put our boots in it so that we could say that we hiked in snow. Slick Rock got sick - felt like she had flu symptoms. We had 4 miles of tough downhill to do in several hours. It was getting darker - especially in shaded areas - and I walked, scared that some animal would jump out. We made it to the shelter. There were 2 groups of spring break hikers. These 2 men had a hatchet and ended up taking 2 slabs out so we could fit more people in the shelter. Our same group stayed there. 16 people stayed in a 12 person shelter. We slept really close. The spring breakers gave us a hotdog each and they had a radio. It was cool hanging out with them. They even had a black dog that reminded me of Rosie (my dog). We went 13.7 miles staying at Mt. Collins Shelter.