morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-07-15
From: Garfield Ridge Shelter

To: Guyot Shelter
Miles today: 5.5
Weather: overcast clouds

2012/7/15 5.5 miles +1Guyot shelterA group of college kids started cooking their dinner at 9:30 outside of the shelter, holding a lively conversation all the while. I was livid. When a hiker started cooking his breakfast before 5 AM, while chatting, I chewed him out. I don't do well on not enough sleep. As a result, I think, I was tired all day today. But then again, the terrain was really hard. Large portions of the day consisted of climbing rock falls and water falls. Or descending them. It was tough, and made tougher by looming clouds which prodded me to hurry. I wanted to get to shelter before thunderstorms hit. (Thunderstorms never materialized.)I stopped in at Galehead hut to get water and some gingerbread. I'd never been at an AMC hut before. It was pretty nice. I have pondered getting home a fair amount, and I'm still not sure how I'm doing it. Probably some combination of Concord bus lines, a shuttle, and Amtrak. And maybe the cog railroad on mt Washington. I'm still up in the air about that too.  It depends on my mileage over the next two days. And perhaps the weather forecast. About the only thing I'm sure of is I want to go to bed early tonight.
Date: 2012-07-16
From: Guyot Shelter

To: Ethan Pond Campsite
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: fog

2012/7/16 9 miles +1Ethan Pond Campsite, tentI slept SO WELL last night. I think I actually fell asleep around 7:30, long before everyone else. I didn't get up until 5:15, and I felt very nicely rested. I was amused to find that I was about two feet from where I started out the night before. The shelter was old and had a definite tilt. I slid a little every time I rolled over. We never did get storms, but it rained a fair amount overnight. All of the trees and undergrowth were heavy with water. Every brush against them yielded a soaking of cold. After the hot days we've had, it felt good to me. I put on my pack cover, rain skirt, and rain jacket so I didn't get too cold, but I enjoyed walking in a cloud for a while. After two hours the sun came out and began to dry and warm everything. Given the nasty sunburn I acquired yesterday, I wished it would stay cloudy. But at least the sun was pretty. I reapplied sunscreen and tried to keep to the shadows. Around lunch time I arrived at Zealand Falls hut. I was disappointed to see neither soup nor baked goods for sale, but I took advantage of their well water, and took off my shoes to let my feet dry out from their wet morning. Phat Chap had suggested putting Vaseline on if feet were to be wet for a long time. It seemed to work tolerably well. In the afternoon the AT was the Ethan Pond trail, which was easy and scenic. I should have had a fabulous time, but my stomach was unhappy. It felt that way after leaving Galehead hut yesterday, too. Maybe it doesn't like well water? Or maybe my hiker diet isn't agreeing with it. I know I'm looking forward to fresh fruits and vegetables in quantity when I go home. Mmm, the salad bar at work sounds fantastic. For some reason, two weeks of hiking seems like enough for me right now. Maybe it's because I haven't taken any days off. Maybe it's the heat, or the intense terrain in New Hampshire. Whatever the reason, I'm going to end this hike tomorrow at Crawford Notch. Probably. I suppose I could wake up on Wednesday all gung ho about hiking for three more days. But at the moment a few days of rest and an excessive amount of showering sounds more attractive to me. I'm also looking forward to cell signal or wifi. I haven't had any contact with JD in days, and I miss it. I really like being able to send him a daily text message, and getting the daily update on what's going on at home.
Date: 2012-07-18
To: Getting home, part 1
Miles today: 0.0

Oof. I slept like crap. But at least my clothing dried! I was down for breakfast immediately upon the dining room opening. So were all the thruhikers and section hikers. The dayhikers, for some reason, were not ravenous like us.I actually ate a decent breakfast. Not like Stripper, who had about three times as much food as me, but a normal human being's amount of breakfast. Stripper, Lazerlegs, Mike, his hiking friends, and me filled up a table. I was happy to have one last meal with hikers. Stripper asked me to take her defunct camera home with me and mail it to her home, which I was happy to do.I packed up everything and moved back to the lobby, where I waited for my acquaintances from the night before. They came downstairs at about 9, like normal people. I had started to wonder if I'd missed them. I got a cup of coffee and sat with them while they ate.After they were ready, we got in their car and chatted while we drove to North Conway. They dropped me off at the Eastern Slope Inn Resort, where I had made reservations the night before. You might guess from the name that it's expensive, and you'd be right. But the bus stop is right there (they sell tickets in the lobby) and it's conveniently located to food, a gas station / convenience store, a bar, and a coffee shop. So it's pretty much perfect from my perspective.I couldn't get in to my room there, either. No surprise. They did let me put my backpack in their office, then I left to explore North Conway a bit. I had thought to try to see a movie, as my phone claimed it was only a mile away. But I walked for a long way, until my phone said I had gone past it, and never found it. My phone lies.After that I just wanted to be in air conditioning (it was SO HOT) so I made my way to the public library, where I read magazines for a while. I stopped by an ice cream joint for a chocolate milkshake, which was delicious. Earlier I had stopped by a great coffee shop for iced coffee and very nice scone. After all that I checked out the Mt Washington Museum. And finally it was mid afternoon, so I checked back at the Inn. And they let me in! I paid up ($160!) for a room so small, the bed was a Murphy bed. But it suited my needs. It had air conditioning.I just hung out in the room until dinner time. I wasn't hungry, but in the past I've skipped dinner and regretted it after the restaurants closed, so I went across the street for Thai food. I ordered some fresh vegetable rolls and pad thai, which I couldn't choke down. Weird. The owner made me take the rest of the food with me in case I got hungry.I got a Slushee at the gas station and that was going down okay, so I went back to my room to watch bad tv with my giant cup of icy sugar water. Which is when I noticed that at sometime during the day, my abdomen had blown up like a basketball. A PAINFUL basketball. Oof. I felt so bad that I almost called 911, but within a half hour or so, the dam broke. So to speak. And I was violently ill until very early in the morning.
Date: 2012-07-19
To: Getting home, part 2
Miles today: 0.0

My bus was scheduled to leave at 8:30, so around 6 I realized that I was going to have to take action if I were going to be on public transit all day. So I went over the gas station and bought a supply of imodium, ginger ale, and crackers. After the drugs stemmed the tide, I packed everything up and went downstairs to wait for the bus. The bus ride was unremarkable, except for the jerky guy in the chair in front of me who was nasty about me getting my backpack down from the overhead compartment. I swear it was an accident when it hit him in the head.At Boston's South Station, I got a banana and a plain toasted bagel, which hurt when I ate them.When my train finally came, I gratefully sank into the seat. Every jiggle hurt my stomach, but the contents stayed intact. I fell asleep for a while with my head on the window, but mostly I listened to "Stuff You Should Know" podcasts.When I finally, FINALLY reached my home station, I was so grateful and happy to see JD. More than usual even. For a pretty good hiking trip, the last little bit kind of sucked.
Date: 2012-04-10
To: Travel to Georgia
Miles today: 0.0

Flying to Atlanta this morning. Cindy drives me to airport. While flight is landing in Atlanta kid in next seat barfs all over his mother. Lovely. Take light rail train from airport to North Springs station. Meet hikers Phoenix and Tom while waiting for Hiker Hostel van. Hiker Hostel owner Josh picks us up and shuttles us to hostel with intermediate stop at Walmart where I get roll of plastic to make ground sheet that I neglected to bring. At hostel meet Tim from Ohio. Cut ground sheet. Ready gear. Shower. Call Cindy. Will spend the night at the Hiker Hostel. Next morning the hostel folks will shuttle to Amicalola Falls State Park where I will try to find my way to Springer Mountain and start following the white blazes north. If I can hack it and cross 14 states, after 2184 miles I'll end up at the top of Mt Katahdin in Maine. I've been doing a 13.4 mile hike six days out of seven for the last several months. For the last three weeks I've been carrying the trip pack with my trail weight of 30 lbs (17 lbs gear plus 9 lbs food plus 4 lbs water). They say to allocate about 6 months. I hope to do it in 5. Would like to be home about Labor Day to get the honey off and start prepping the bees for winter. I've decided on "Mudbug" as my trail name!
Date: 2012-04-11
From: Amicalola State Park, GA

To: Long Creek Falls, GA
Miles today: 5.2

At Hiker Hostel get picture of Mary (Phoenix) and Tom (Kayaker). Breakfast at Hiker Hostel. Get picture of Hiker Hostel owners Josh and Leigh Saint. Hiker Hostel shuttle to Amicalola Falls State Park. Sign hiker register inside AFSP Visitor Center. Buy cherry chapstick since I don't have any and this is the only option they have. At constructed stone arch behind AFSP visitor center get pics of Tom and Dillard. One of them snaps a pic of me. Chilly morning but clear sky with sun. Start with jacket. Ascend long wooden stairway adjacent to Amicalola Falls. Somewhere north of AFSP meet Johnathon, Josh and Shawn. According to Awol's A.T. Guide the Approach Trail is 8.8 miles, which doesn't count for anything. The official A.T. terminus (and mile 0.0) is summit of Springer Mountain. At Springer summit send text message and pics. Call Cindy. Make dinner at Stover Creek shelter. Make camp on my own at Long Creek Falls. Cold night. Owl hoots at dusk and dawn.
Date: 2012-04-12
From: Long Creek Falls, GA

To: Woody Gap, GA
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

Meet Kevin from Parma, OH. Meet Rob and Gran from Hiker Hostel. Meet Emory and Tom with their two dogs from Houston, TX. Meet four young folks including one woman with absolutely no money and apparently no food. They were planning on living off the hiker boxes at various stops but have been coming up short. Give them a few pieces of my hard candy. Lunch at Gooch Mountain shelter where I meet Eddie and Kyle. Later in day meet up again with Eddie and Kyle. The three of us set up our tents to camp among rock outcrops just off highway at Woody Gap.
Date: 2012-04-13
From: Woody Gap, GA

To: Baggs Creek Gap, GA
Miles today: 14.7

Hike over Big Ceder Mountain. Meet Brownie Brittle, Sparky Dave, Tom and Billy Goat. Hike over Blood Mountain to Neels Gap. Make lunch on terrace adjacent to bunk room at Neels Gap. Meet Mary (Phoenix) who is staying in the bunk room. Meet up again with Eddie at Neels Gap. Hike with Eddie thru afternoon. Fantastic bloom of Trilliums along trail. Also see Flowering Dogwood in bloom and purple Violets. Camp in trees at Baggs Creek Gap with Eddie. Get water at spring downhill and off trail from gap.
Date: 2012-04-14
From: Baggs Creek Gap, GA

To: Rocky Mountain, GA
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Hike over Cowrock Mountain. Morning stop at Low Gap Shelter. Meet Jack Sr and John Jr. Was thrilled to see tall Pink Lady's Slipper Orchid in full bloom near Chattahoochee Gap. Meet Brad, Kevin, Trip and Crooked Sticks at Blue Mountain Shelter. Fill water bottles at spring near Blue Mountain Shelter without filtering. Worry about giardia for next several days. Get pic with Swallow Creek Wildlife Management Area sign at A.T. crossing of S.R. 75 at Unicoi Gap. Camp with Eddie on grass at summit of Rocky Mountain. Discover odd cord with hanging stone tied at end of cord wrapped in tree limbs above tent. An attempt to hang a food bag that didn't work out.
Date: 2012-04-15
From: Rocky Mountain, GA

To: Hiawassee, GA
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

At Tray Gap meet the B-Team who is camped there and hosting a big Trail Magic feed for hikers. Their associates on the A-Team are on the trail. Talk with Trail Magic host BOHICA (Bend Over Here It Comes Again). At Tray Mountain Shelter meet hikers High Gear, Snack-O-Saurus and Sassafras. Shortly after leaving the shelter bump into Mary (Phoenix) on the trail. This is our third meeting. It was great to see her again. Arrive with Eddie at Dicks Creek Gap at 4 pm. Call Hiawassee Budget Inn for ride. Van comes to pick us up. Stop at Blueberry Patch Hostel to pick up my mail drop. At Hiawassee Budget Inn share room with Eddie. Get Subway sandwich for dinner. Shower. Do Laundry. Call Cindy. Type update on PC at Inn and send out to my email list. This is day 5 of the hike. Tented out the first four nights, the last three with Eddie who is from Virginia. Our hiking pace is very compatible and that is what has allowed us to stay together. He is section hiking to the Nantahalla Outdoor Center in NC. So we could be hiking together until next Friday. This is my first night off the trail. It is a quick stop as we will only be here one night. Since we walked more than ten miles today this stop wouldn't count as a nero. The weather has been great - no rain. The Georgia mountains have been fantastic. On the mountain peaks and ridges spring is just starting to come on. The trees are just leafing out. So there are good views through the branches of the lightly leafed canopy. The spring wildflowers are in full bloom and have been fantastic including old friends May Apple and Trillium. Flowering Dogwood in bloom and Flame Azalea with florescent orange blossoms. Also a locally know species of dwarf iris about 3 inches tall and 3 inches across. After spending tonight in the Hiawassee Budget Inn we will cross over into North Carolina in the morning. I will be sad to leave Georgia so soon. Every day I have met at least a half-dozen new people on the trail. Curiously, a lot of people do NOT have trail names. The hours of the day fly by. We are covering about 15 miles a day. This seems a good pace to me as we are also doing 3000 to 4000 feet of elevation gain too. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow and the next couple of days before more dry weather. Managing myself on wet days will probably be the next test. Of course I have my umbrella, so I am feeling confident.
Date: 2012-04-16
From: Dicks Creek Gap, GA

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter, NC
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Walk with Eddie to local breakfast spot near Inn and eat with a couple other hikers. Visit outfitter shop setup at Inn. Ride in van packed with hikers back to Dicks Creek Gap. Talk with hiker Crooked Sticks in van during ride. Along trail see two groups of blooming Pink Lady's Slipper Orchids. Three in 1st group and four in 2nd group. Just past next campsite see group of 21 blooming Pink Lady's Slipper Orchids. Hiker Chicken Feathers takes my picture at GA/NC state line. Big climbs just north of Bly Gap. Stop with Eddie for night at Muskrat Creek Shelter. My first night in a shelter.
Date: 2012-04-17
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter, NC

To: Big Spring Shelter, NC
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: light rain

Depart Muskrat Creek Shelter at 7:30 am. Make good time over Standing Indian Mountain. Stop for lunch at Carter Gap Shelter. See honey bees in privy. Stop for water at Betty Creek Gap. Meet hikers Teddy Bear Randall, Tug Boat, Chris and Kit. Press on over Albert Mountain. Thunder at top. Spend night with Eddie at Big Spring Shelter. Rain on and off through the night, some heavy.
Date: 2012-04-18
From: Big Spring Shelter, NC

To: Bartram Trail Junction, NC
Miles today: 19.8

Hard rain overnight. Glad we were in the shelter. Rainy morning. Fog, mist and drizzle on and off all day. Long descent to Wallace Gap, then climb over Rocky Cove Knob and descend to Winding Stair Gap. Looking for Eddie make maddening descent of rough, rocky, rutted woods road to Siler Bald Shelter. Shelter is all closed in with tarps across entrance. Seems to me perhaps a homeless person is living there. Actually is a hiker Hot Shot who got totally soaked last night and is trying to dry out. He didn't seem like much of a Hot Shot to me. (Update: Did not see Hot Shot again until much later in Shenandoah National Park, where he impressed me much more. Shortly after SNP in southern Maryland Hot Shot passed me again, and left me in the dust, for good.) Disappointed I did not find Eddie at Siler Bald Shelter I climbed back up to the trail and then on up to the summit of grassy Siler Bald. Hike over Wayah Bald in fog. Parking lot, picnic tables and observation tower at top. Absolutely no view in the fog. Hike to Wayah Bald Shelter. The shelter is full and there are an incredible number of tents pitch in the immediate area. Talk with Eddie who is tenting near the shelter. Disappointed at the extreme congestion hike back up the trail to grassy campsite near Bartram Trail Junction. Local father and young son out for the night come in and setup their tent nearby. Just the three of us here for the night. Much better than the zoo down at the shelter.
Date: 2012-04-19
From: Bartram Trail Junction, NC

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center, NC
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

A bit of drizzle early in the night. I am snug and dry in my tent. Woods are dripping wet in the morning. Fortunately only a light, intermittent drizzle is coming down. So am able to pack up without getting too wet. Shake off and carry tent fly in mesh pocket on back of pack. From trail call Fontana Post Office and ask them to transfer my mail drop to Fontana Lodge, which they agree to do. Call Fontana Lodge, Cindy and Mom (who just happens to be visiting my sister). Hike over Copper Ridge Bald and Wesser Bald. Make lunch at Wesser Bald Shelter. Hang tent fly and ground cloth at shelter lunch stop so they can dry. Hike down big descent to Nantahala Outdoor Center (The NOC, like nock). The Nantahala Gorge area is hot and humid. The trees are completely leafed out down here. Arrive at NOC late afternoon, about 5 pm. Was concerned outfitter would already be closed. Outfitter is open, but it's obvious they are ready to close up. Ask for space in bunk room. Am told it is full. (Update: Learned later from Eddie that he stayed in NOC bunk room that evening and there was plenty of room for others. They were getting ready for a big event that weekend. I guess they just didn't want to bother with me.) Staff at the outfitter directed me to hike down river, to camping in National Forest land, off their property. At bridge over adjacent Nantahala River meet and chat with hiker Sicilian Gypsy, a woman possibly in my age bracket. I am intrigued because she is carrying the same pack as me the ULA Catalyst. I did not meet many people carrying this pack. She decides to go on. I will not meet her again. Before leaving Sicilian Gypsy she tells me of others at the Forest Service campsite down river, who would be partying (smoking dope). "Great", I thought, I don't want anything to do with that. I started down river, but didn't know how far the public land was. I was tired and didn't want to waste time fooling around. Came upon a nice flat area of mowed grass, which was still NOC property. Adjacent there were some small cabins occupied by a university kayaking group. They had one tent pitched in the grassy area. I asked a couple of the students if it was OK for me to pitch my tent. They said "sure". As it was late in the afternoon, there wasn't much activity in the area. So I quickly pitched my tent and got all my stuff and myself inside as efficiently as possible. I figured that once I was in the tent, it wouldn't be obvious I was a hiker. So I wasn't too worried about being discovered as a squatter and being booted out. I did hear one or two vehicles on the road that evening, but was otherwise unmolested through the night. The students, who went out, came back late in the evening. Fortunately, they settled down pretty quickly.
Date: 2012-04-20
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center, NC

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter, NC
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: light rain

Warm and humid overnight. Much condensation inside tent in the morning. Mostly cool and overcast day. Monster climb over Swim Bald. Nice view of NOC on climb of Swim Bald. Climb over Cheoah Bald. Meet Matt from Kansas. See first blooming Jack In the Pulpit flower. Drop to Stecoah Gap and then steep climb over "Jacob's Ladder". Spend night at Brown Fork Gap Shelter. Only one other person here, Nick, who is a Brit. Climbed about 5000 foot today.
Date: 2012-04-21
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter, NC

To: Fontana Village, NC
Miles today: 12.7

Depart shelter 7:30 am. Couple of ups, but mostly down. See two pileated woodpeckers. See large rodent run downhill away from me. Probably a big Woodchuck. Pass Cable Gap Shelter. Pass no hikers today on five hour walk to Fontana Dam. Arrive at dam about 1:00 pm. Get shuttle to Fontana Lodge. Check in, get my mail drop, shower, do laundry, shop, eat, compose and send email update on lodge PC. Call Cindy and Carolyn. Will spend single night here at the Lodge. Since leaving Hiawassee there have been some firsts. On Monday I crossed my first state line moving from Georgia into North Carolina. The North Carolina mountains have a more remote feel - fewer road crossings. They are also higher. We have touched 5000 feet elevation a few times. On the higher ridges there have been many big oak trees 2-3 feet in girth, a few at 4 feet and 1 or 2 at 5 feet. It's nice to see the big old trees reaching into the sky. My birding friends would be in paradise here. The one constant along the trail are the calls and songs of many different birds. The birds are dispersed, so you hear each individual bird, the direction of their call and nearer - louder or farther - softer. There always seems to be 3 or 4 tweeting away. I can always tell when it's first light in the morning, when the first bird of the day begins to sing. I've seen big pileated woodpeckers flying thru the woodland understory at least four different times. Most nights at some point I've heard owls hooting - hoo hoo hoo hoo-hoo. Usually 5 beats. One night there was a different owl with a more stacatto call. Today for the first time I heard a bird who's song reminded me of the Hermit Thrush, one of my favorites. I've seen several hikers with their ear-buds in. I just can't understand that. Another first this week occurred on Tuesday evening when I hit the 100 mile mark. That same evening was also my first shelter stay - Big Spring shelter just off the summit of Albert Mountain. That was lucky because we had our first hard rain that night and into the following morning. This week I tented out two nights and had three shelter stays. Every day am meeting more people: Piedmont, John, Metric from Australia, Bliss, Guano, Sunbeam, Matt from Kansas, Sicilian Gypsy, Cheetah from Canada, Nimbus and on and on. My trail buddy, Eddie, who was section hiking, left the trail two days ago at the Nantahala Gorge, 1700 feet elevation, a popular white water area. Last night at the Brown Fork Gap Shelter it was just me and Nick who is a Brit. Am staying tonight at the Fontana Lodge, on Fontana Lake, adjacent to Fontana Dam, which I think is the highest dam east of the Mississippi. We had a little rain this evening with more predicted for tomorrow. Tomorrow I will start climbing the backbone of the Southern Appalachians through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I'll visit the highest peak in the east, 6600 foot Clingman's Dome, in the next few days.