morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-04-05
From: Palmerton, PA

To: Delaware Water Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

   Going up on to the ridge after Palmerton there was some crazy stuff. It's called the Palmerton Superfund Site. By-products of Zinc Smelting killed almost everything in site. There were signs that warned about bringing children to the area on a regular basis. Although it was wierd like that, it had a sort of unique beauty. It was barren: just rock most of the way up. You should read about it or something.    One of the most interesting things of that day was that on a BIG rock overlooking PA 83 and the Lehigh River, four 3-4' tall letters were tagged with white paint into the rock: COLE. I didn't know what to think of it. It WAS my name and it WAS in a place that most people wouldn't think of as aesthetically pleasing in the first place. It was so HUGE that I am sure that if you drove PA 873, you'd be able to see it clearly. On the other hand, I thought this was a beautiful place (even if many wouldn't agree) and it was also a REMINDER of how the consumer of today is so separated from the impact of the product (Zinc is used in a wide variety of things including grommets which are super common in and on the average backpack). I finally decided that I wouldn't take a picture because I thought that somehow I would be encouraging graffiti in wild places (a decision that have come to regret). I stayed at Kirkridge Shelter that night--a 30 mile amble. It was worth making a short day of the day before to stay in Palmerton Burrough Hall. The next day I woke up and walked out the 6-7 miles into Delaware Water Gap and waited for the folks to pick me up for the family reunion. I really enjoy going to the Young Family Reunion every year for the 4th of July weekend. It's my grandmother's side of the family. On friday night, we have a bonfire,a wienie roast, and fireworks at a log cabin that belongs to Aunt Floyd. I slept in the hunting lodge that's just across the ST. from the log cabin (something that I have only been allowed to do recently) with cousins that are around my age through college age and my grandmother and ussually a few more aunts and Uncles.    On Saturday, we have LOTS of food lots of volleyball, an auction, and more fireworks. The whole day is spent at the Young Family Homestead (on Young Rd.) which is where my grandmother grew up with all of her siblings. It used to be a dairy farm but now Uncle Roger (Granmother's brother) raises beef cattle and plants mostly corn and hay. Uncle Roger is amazing. I've bailed hay with him a few times and his ablility at that age is incredible. "FOREVER YOUNG" i guess.    Sunday I had to speak at church about my hike and the orphanage which went well because I raised at least $250!    That night we stayed at a hotel and layed over a lazy day including a tubing trip and my brother and I stayed at the Church of the Mtn hostel Monday night.
Date: 2003-04-21
From: Hot Springs

To: Allen Gap
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: light rain

What a weekend! It felt weird to stay in town for so long but good times were definitely had with the fam. The first post-town day is always harder than I expect it to be...maybe that has a lot to do with the significant climb out of every town. Also, some of the difficulty may be contributed to this COLOSSAL food bag. Tonight, the only familiar face in camp is Switchback. His preacher, "Rev," has come to walk a bit with him. Also in camp are Big Red, Starbucks, Tadpole, and Cookie.   Rich, who is going by Blue Sky, hitched to Allen Gap today, got out, and told us that he was off the trail and that he planned to hitch to Alaska. HOW RANDOM IS THAT?! He told me to leave a message for Roman, the guy who he started with. I really didn't believe him at first but when he started walking west down NC 208, I started to. (Two days later I ran into him on the trail again...not in Alaska. He said that when he got to the bus station, it was closed so he went to sleep there. He awoke and decided that he was drunk the night before but, now that he was sober, Alaska didn't seem like such a good idea. I wonder what would have happened had the bus station been open...)   The highway noise isn't the forest noise that I wanted to spend the night listening to but I'm sleepy enough to be able to handle it.
Date: 2003-04-22
From: Allen Gap

To: Flint Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 17.5

   This journal entry, along with the next two, were written atop Big Bald. Even though it was a bit chilly, I thought it'd be a good time to catch up on the journal. After the night at Allen Gap, I leap-frogged with the D train (what the Bobs call cookie, Tadpole, and big red), Switchback, Rev, and Starbucks. There was a rendesvous at Jerry Cabin Shelter for 2-sies and 3-sies. Cakilaki was there as well as Spielburg, two local females, and Phsycho Hieko with Deysman and Homebound. I may not see those last three again. They move. (I did run into Deysman again..he took a week off in Damascus). I headed out of the shelter in the cold rain and did about 6.2 more miles as the weather improved. I made camp at Flint Mtn. Shelter where Thirsty, Oopala, Llama, Snack Attack, Cuss, Wild Flamingo, Soynut, the starbucks D train, Puffy, Stumble, and the Healer. This was the crazy night when Healer snapped puffy's ankle back into place and then insisted that we learn tai chi. Healer has Multiple Sclerosis and is raising money for MS research. If you'd like to learn more about that, go to www.MSfocus.org. He's quite a character.
Date: 2003-04-23
From: Flint Mtn. Shelter

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

   Breaks were the story the day after Flint Mtn Shelter. We got a fairly late start and stopped for a LONG break at Devil's Fork Gap. It was a grassy hill--great for lounging, snacking, drying, and PLAYING FRISBEE--especially since it was so sunny. These guys are great. I stayed for a while until Puffy and Stumble got a ride. The guy who pulle over to give them a ride opened the bed of his truck and pulled out a cooler. Cold Cokes for all!   About half an hour later, I ran into Thirsty, Snack Attack, and Cuss who were taking ANOTHER break on the way up Sugarloaf Mtn (Frozen Knob). I plopped down and started talking about how good that Coke was (even though I'm not that big of a fan of coke, I wanted to rub it in). We went on and I ended up camping with Scubaman, Cakilaki, Oopala, and Healer. While we ate supper, we discovered that Healer has quite a different sense of humor when females aren't around. He's hilarious. After supper, I went .2 miles down the trail to Low Gap to chill by the fire with Llama, Thirsty, Snack Attack, and Cuss.
Date: 2003-04-24
From: Low Gap

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: overcast clouds

   This morning is a bit chilly--especially up here on Big Bald. It was a nice morning climb. (Later, I learned that I lost my toiletry bag earlier in the morning). There are a tremendous amount of Spring Beauties...they are like carpet for the forest floor. There are also a lot of trout lillies and Trilliums. Around here at least, Trilliums grow in groves of a single color. Red and white are never mixed. I imagine that that's a pretty general rule with all wildflowers though. These Trilliums are different from the ones that were around Fontana Dam because these have a stem between the tri leaves and the flower and on the ones at Fontana, the flower seemed to come right out of the intersection of the three leaves. There are also lots of flowers with triple lobes on triple leaves. I wonder what they are (I later learned that these were cut-tooth tooth-wart.
Date: 2003-04-25
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Back to Erwin
Miles today: 8.3

Last night, we got to No Business Knob Shelter at about 6:30, cooked supper, aired out our feet, and left an hour later to hit Erwin. It was well worth it. When we got to where the trail meets the road to the bridge (beside Uncle Johnny's), there was a note that was left for everyone I was hiking with with a number to call for a shuttle to a party at the Holiday inn. Apple Chillin rolled up in the passenger seat. Liz (I forgot her trail name agian) was driving. Burn was along for the ride. Apple Chillin's wife had come and their party at the Holiday Inn was off the hook. I met lots of people at the party. Too many to try to list. Maybe not. Sticks, Buzz, Burn, Clover, Snort, Apple Chillin, and more. This week, since I took 4 days in Hot Springs, I've met a whole new group of people. It was AWESOME to find Thirsty, Llama, Snack Attack, and Cuss. We all had a great time with Healer as well.    Today, Miss Janet insisted that I slack pack back to her place tonight. I'm glad I did. When I finished the hike with Puffy, Stumble, Switchback, Charity, and Miss Janet's dog, I went to the Elm where I had the biggest Hamburger I've ever seen. I couldn't even fit it into my mouth; I had to go at it at an angle...it was just what I needed. After the monstrous burger, I went to see Anger Management. It was good but I wish ol' Adam wouldn't try to be so serious; he's better at being silly and entertaining. After the movie, I went and found Dirty Frank at the bar. We showed up some locals in pool and earned a bit of respect from the regulars right off the bat. It was good times--the only actual bar I'd ever been in for more than a minute or so. After the bar closed, we headed back to Miss Janet's and I cooked some noodles for us both. We ate noodles and chatted with 1/3 and Miss Janet.    Although I'm enjoying all of the flowers, my nose and sinuses aren't. I am feeling sort of weak and a bit sick, with a sore throat and an odd pressure in my head. It'll go away soon though (hopefully). I'll get some drugs today to take care of it a bit.
Date: 2003-04-26
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: light rain

   I woke up at Miss Janet's and helped cook breakfast. Then I hit the town. I got some supplies and got back to Miss Janet's just in time to pack quickly -and head on out. Snack Attack was in the car--he'd been sent by the crew on a Sonic run. I felt pretty weak while we walked; at one point I just sprawled out in the leaves beside the trail. When I got to camp, I was feeling worse. I'd caught the Erwin Ugly for sure. That bug is crucial. I just set up my tarp and pulled out my sleeping bag and went to sleep. No supper, no bear bag, no goodnights; all I had to eat were some pharmies.
Date: 2003-04-27
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Roan Mountain
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: clear sky

   Erwin Ugly still had a grasp on me the next morning at Cherry Gap shelter. At least now it was more throat, cough, and sinuses rather than stomach drama. What a climb we had that day! I leap frogged with Spiderman, Smokey, Llama, Haiku, and Rubberband Man. Llama got up to Roan high knob a bit before I made it--I took a break about 5 minutes from the summit. When I did get up there, I sprawled out beside Llama on the soft, warm grass and we layed there for a good 2 solid hours. Then we went to get wood (although we didn't end up having a fire). We all slept out under the starts: me, Llama, Thirsty, Snack attack, Cuss, Buzz, Burn, Sherpa, and Otter.
Date: 2003-04-28
From: Roan Mountain

To: Apple House Shelter
Miles today: 15.2

   There's never been as much dew as there was the morning on top of Roan Mtn. It was CRAZY; there were PUDDLES of dew. Everything was wet. We were all jealous of Llama and his tent until he awoke complaining about his platypus leaking and spilling all over his stuff. hah! We hung everything in the sun to dry (mostly) and Sherpa told me that his folks were coming into Carver's Gap and that they could give me a lift to the P.O. I was delighted. Sure enough, after a 40 Minute walk off of the knob into Carver's Gap, Sherpa's parents show up in a diesel truck with a comfy-looking sofa in the bed. I had a luxurious ride in the back of the truck on the sofa to the PO where they dropped me off and I did my thing and they came back and picked me up and we headed back to the trail as luxuriously as we'd come. Great deal! North of Carver's Gap is GORGEOUS. There are balds to begin and then a bit of woods and then a shelter and then a bit more woods AND THEN a BEAUTIFUL shelter--overmountain shelter. It's definitely a place I'm planning on visiting again when i'm at school. It's an old barn that's been hooked up into a shelter with the open side facing a spectacular view. I would have loved to stay there but it was early and I still had walking in me. I promised myself at least one night there in the future though.    After overmountain shelter, I ran into some hikers from the CMC. That's exciting...I had just been thinking about my first semester at college and here comes the CMC who are based right out of asheville. I need to get into that stuff. Some of the hikers showed me some of the flowers that I was curious about, including cut-tooth tooth-wart and squirrel corn.    Then came the humps which are practically balds. Between the humps, I ran into Healer and hiked with him up Hump Mtn. where we met Snack Attack and Burn taking a break. We trudged on as the sunset and we hiked in the dark a bit. We got to the Apple House Shelter at 9 and called it a day.
Date: 2003-04-29
From: Apple House Shelter

To: Dennis Cove
Miles today: 24.0

   Cereal and Tai Chi are a great way to start the day! Healer is something else. Llama and Buzz and I all gathered 'round him and mimicked his moves. All of the guys went to Elk Park for a hot breakfast and Healer stayed and waited for his friend, Solar Steve. Buzz, Burn, and I kept moving. I hiked with Buzz for a good while, trying to keep up with her "never been backpacking" self. In the early morning, we passed the notorious places where the locals dump trash on to the trail. That and other town disdain for the hikers is what prompted a relocation of the trail in this section. It was a nice section, with a river and a couple grassy ridge/meadows but since it WAS where the relo was, you never knew where you were. It was also one of the first hot days. The townsfolk's disdain is well founded, says Bob Peoples, because, back when the ATC didn't have much money, they and the government gave the farmers a sore deal on their land. Now a good number of them are land broke so they go out of their way to put trash on the trail as a sort of revenge.    Anyway, I passed Truckin', Lemming, and Switchback doing trailwork. After that, I met Soul Train, Digger, the brittish girls, glide, and disco. I finally made it to the shelter where Digger, Jack and Mr. Spencer, and Smokey were all chilling. There was also another guy who i'd not met. I introduced myself and it turned out to be SOLAR STEVE, the same guy who healer was waiting on 18 miles back. HAH! Buzz rolled in and I rolled out. It was supposed to be 6 miles of down hill from there but, as strappy would say, PROFILE, SHMOFILE!!! It was all gravy though. I got to Kincora at 630 or so and made myself at home. Hover and Strappy were there so it was good to see them again. I got up with Smitt who said that he could come the next night for Beltaine, the scottish new years. Bob said, "OK so you're here tonight. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the dam and you can hike 9 miles back to here and then we'll have the Beltaine soup" and he started going on about everything that we were going to eat.
Date: 2003-04-30
From: Dennis Cove

To: Back to Kincora
Miles today: 9.0

3 cheers for hover and strappy for convincing Bob to run the shuttle later in the morning!!! I had time to eat breakfast and everything! We piled into Bob's truck and headed up to Watauga lake. It was a warm morning so we decided to head North to check out the rope swing before heading back South. I'm glad we did too because the rope swing was a blast. I took the first chilly plunge. Truckin', Cloudwalker, Switchback, and HOVER also had some rope swingin' fun. Strappy, Lemming, Charity, and Overshot all just watched. After we took our dip, we went around to the south side of the lake and had a lazy lunch. Clover, snort, buzz, and burn were all there as well as all the rope swingers. Switchback had me take his picture with a local woman wearing a confederate flag as a bathing suit. heh...   Then we headed south. I ran into Maryland Mike again...he ALWAYS catches me slack packin'! We hiked through some hail and rain...our first thunderstorm was had on top of Pond Flats. I enjoyed the heck out of it. I reminded myself of LT. Dan in Forrest Gump on top of the shrimpin' boat during the hurricane. We got down off of the flats and checked out the falls. Then we headed on down the trail to find the skinny dippin' hole that bob talked about---not to swim--just to find it to know where it is...to take a "note to self." We found it alright. I remember EXACTLY where it is..he he   When I got back to Kincora, Smitt (Steven) was already there. We chilled around and then dug into the Beltaine feast: cock-a-leekie soup, corned beef, onion pie, cabbage/potatoes/carrots, green beans, beer bread, Irish Soda bread, tea, and trifle for desert. It was awesome. I got my new camera in the mail. I looked forward to catching some of the beauty of the trail.Smitt headed back and I stayed up and caught up on some journaling.
Date: 2003-05-01
From: Kincora

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 23.2
Weather: scattered clouds

May began early in the morning. While I was eating breakfast, Bob gathered everyone together. That morning, he and Jo Jo had gone out collecting the morning dew--May Dew. "This is the last of the Scotch-Irish festivities," Bob said, "A sprinkle with the May dew is good for a year's worth of good fortune. That means that none of you here have any reason not to make it to Maine!" Bob is great. We were all sprinkled with the May Dew and I went back in to breakfast, feeling wonderful. After I'd eaten and packed, Bob's shuttle had already left...Hover and Strappy weren't there to persuade everyone to get a late start. It was all gravy though; Pat ran a second shuttle for all of us. The Peoples are good people for sure! I passed Buzz drying off from swinging off of the rope swing in to what must have been FREEZING water. And we thought it was cold at noon the warm day before...I walked on to Vandeventer shelter where I had a beautiful lunch. Later I heard that I missed 2 rainbows going down into the valley by about 2 hours. Thirsty got a picture though. I moved all the way to Double Springs Shelter where Buzz and Burn and I held it down that first night of May.
Date: 2003-05-02
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: DAMASCUS
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: broken clouds

I woke up and started playing with the camera. I got a shot of Buzz as she made her breakfast. I got out of my bag and started to get breakfast when Switchback and Lemming rolled up after doing 15 miles. They'd woken up at 4:00 AM...poor critters. So I started walking. When I got to Abington Gap shelter, I discovered that Buzz had finally gotten the bug. The Petes were there as well. I left Buzz behind and walked toward Damascus. It started raining just as I crossed the state line. That made the 3rd state line that seemed to trigger precipitation..NC brought snow and TN brought 2 days of rain followed by 3 of snow.      As soon as I got into Damascus and started down the sidewalk, the nylon of my umbrella flew off, leaving me with a handfull of metal tines. Dead soldier...he served me well though--Springer to Damascus. Then I headed to The Place. When I walked in to the living room, I spotted someone that I'd met at Todd General store one bluegrassy Friday night about a year before with Steven Smith. Sure enough, when I called her by her real name, Sarah, she responded. Her trail name is Sunkist and she's hiking with Tim "Night owl" and her sister, "knuckle." I'd also met tim that night in todd. Soon after, we went to a cookout at Dave's place. Then I headed over to the side track and played some chess with Steppenwolf and Dragonfly. Since my ride to the bluegrass place left me, I headed back over to Dave's place where there were a couple of guitars being passed around. Don't let Genesis fool you...he can PLAY some guitar.
Date: 2003-05-04
From: DAMASCUS

To: Spring N of White Mtn.
Miles today: 2.7

I failed to record my ramblings on the 3rd and most of the 4th. I do remember that they were lazy days. The Weaverville Trio had plans to get a ride from their pap up to Newport VA. He got there around 6 and agreed to drop me off at Elk garden which is 24 miles N of Damascus. He's a story teller. I hope I'm able to hear a story or two when I'm living around his neighborhood next year.    I got out at Elk Garden and it was really foggy. I hiked about 3 miles to a spring and set up my tent in a sloped grassy field in the fog--really low because I could tell that the sky was about to fall in. Boy did it! It felt like a hurricane that night. I was super glad that the tarp was pitched low.    I've included a picture of the Petes in this entry because I've got another one that I'm gonna put in tomorrow's.
Date: 2003-05-05
From: Spring N of White Mtn.

To: back to DAMASCUS
Miles today: 21.1
Weather: light rain

It stopped raining for a while the next morning which was good because I got to pack up without rain. It started again as I started over white top Mtn. I wouldn't recommend taking small children or pets over that Mtn...I'd be afraid that they'd be blown away. It was so windy, I couldn't take long mountain main strides because I'd have gotten blown over; instead i took short, deliberate steps. It felt like I was leaning into the wind. After I got off Whitetop it calmed down a lot. When I got to Lost Mtn. Shelter, Duck, Shocked and Awed, Healer, and the 2 Petes were there. Healer was running around trying to get someone to find him a broom so he could sweep the diseased dust out of the shelter. There definitely wasn't a broom. When he realized this, he went out and collected some pine boughs and sweeped the shelter. heh...he's funny. I kept walking after I'd had 1st lunch. I got to Saunder's shelter and lost hope of getting to Damascus before the Outfitter closed. I stayed for a luxurious break in the sun and dried out my stuff. Then I headed to Damascus, passing a crazy number of NB hikers on the way, wishing everyone I saw a happy cinco de mayo. When I got back, I took a shower and went to the laundromat to wash clothes and towels. Then I went to the side track where the Beer poet was teaching everyone a game called bluff. I played bluff with Kumugwee and the Weaverville Trio and Body until the side track closed and then we took the game to The Place. This is the picture you see. Fubar and his soon to be bride came and visited with the cinco de mayo spirit. I went to bed.