morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-03-29
From: Zero at the NOC

To: Locust Cove Camping Area
Miles today: 10.5

This morning was a wonderful way to start the day: up early, adjourn from the bunk room to the communal kitchen, make a pot of coffee and drink three cups, along with two bacon and grape jelly biscuits, washed down with a liter of peach tea; sit on a bench to put my socks and boots on -- rather than sitting up on the floor of my tent; and then visiting the heated, indoor bathroom instead of looking for a cold log in the woods, or at best an open-to-the-elements latrine in 30 degree weather. Very civilized!The Climb up to Cheoah Bald was very much as I remembered it -- 4,200 feet of up, the first four miles up to Sassafrass Gap more gradual, the next two rather demanding -- those 40-60 degree inclines that really make my calves burn, followed by another two miles of less strenuous trail up to the Bald. The good news is that my trail legs continue to strengthen, so I was able to average about 2 mph throughout the climb. I was also able to stick with my hike plan for this section, which includes a 10, 12, and 7 mile day, respectively, for the three days from NOC to Fontana. Others are planning to do it in two days, and I am strong enough this year to do that, but I'm going to save my strength for the Smokies. I still don't know how tough they'll be this year, with all the snow they've had, but the most current reports suggest I should allow 7 days to get through rather than the 5 days I did it in '05 and last year. Tonight I'm camped in a small gap with about 6 other hikers, including Loose and Akaedo Joe. It has been a cold and rainy day, so I've had an early dinner and am already in my tent and ready for bed, and it's only 6 pm. A good night's sleep will do me good, I'm sure. G'nite.
Date: 2010-03-30
From: Locust Cove Camping Area

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

Today was an atypical day in some ways, but a good one. I heard my watch alarm go off at 5:30, but just rolled over and went back to sleep. I finally got up at 7 am, after 13 hours of sleep. I'm thinking I might have been tired or something. Then, at the top of the first mountain, I got four bars on my phone, so I called the Hike Inn to confirm my reservation, and make one for Loose and Akaedo Joe. The plan is for the three of us to go through the Smokies together. I was also able to talk briefly with my wife and get a status report on things on the home front, where all is well. (Memo to self: count blessings.)The climb out of Stecoah Gap was as bad as I remember it, and came close to kicking my butt, but in the end I managed to come up with more climb than the mountain. It was a long 12 miles, but I just chalk it up to more conditioning for the Smokies -- coming up the day after tomorrow. I'm FEELING ready. Hopefully, with the warmer weather we're having, the snow won't be too much of a problem. I don't like snow. At all. The only bad news of the day we got as we descended into the Gap, when we met two local fire/rescue guys going up. They told us about an injured hiker who needed to be evacuated. When we asked who it was, they only had a "real" name, which isn't much use to us, but when they said he was 70 years old we figured it pretty much had to be old Buck Snort -- which was later confirmed. Broken ankle. Major bummer.
Date: 2010-03-31
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: broken clouds

This was another good day. An early start allowed me not just to reach Fontana Dam, but to hike the mile across the dam and up to the official start of the trail up into the Smokies. That will give me a head start on tomorrows challenges. It was also good to see my old friends again, Jeff and Nancy Hoch, who run the Hike Inn. I had a good time with EZ (another Tenner), Trail Trash (EZ's son), Loose, and Akaedo Joe. We are planning a Salsa Party tonight to sample some of Nancy's famous homemade salsa. Dinner will be at a Mexican Restaurant.   ON arrival at the Hike Inn, in addition to my mail drop from home, I found a package from Socks, a dear friend from my '05 hike. It contained six ever-so-yummy little Easter baskets! Thanks, Socks -- you SO ROCK! If course, they didn't exactly last until Easter. Ok, as a matter of fact, they didn't make it out of Fontana Dam. The did, however, make six hikers VERY HAPPY. Tomorrow we head into the Smokies. We're not sure what to expect. Latest reports say it's ok for the first 2 days, but day 3, from Clingman's Dome into Newfound Gap (and the road to Gatlinburg), was still a bit treacherous -- with snow covering the trail, to a depth of 3-4 feet. We'll see. We'll see.
Date: 2010-04-01
From: Fontana Dam

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

This was one of the most perfect days to hike I've ever experienced. The bright sun, clear blue sky, temperatures starting in the mid-40s and rising to the mid-70s, topped off by a cooling breeze to keep me from over-heating during the 4,200 foot climb up into the Smokies. As planned, I reached the firs plateau at Mollies Ridge in time for lunch, and then made it two shelters beyond to Spence Field. The shelter had enough people in it that I could legitimately tent (otherwise, you have to stay in the shelter because of the bear potential). With me tonight, in addition to Loose and Joe, are EZ and TRail Trash, Stumble Wolf, Christine and John -- a young couple as yet without trail names. Tomorrow will be a tough 12 miles -- normally the hardest 12 miles of the AT in the park -- to Siler's Bald Shelter. Hopefully, this good weather will continue. As far as ol' Longhaul goes, all the parts are still attached, adn seem to be in working order, which is good. It only takes one false step, however, to end yorur hike, as Buck Snort demonstrated a couple of days ago. I heard it took over nine hours to get him down off the mountain, but last report was that he is doing ok. He'll survive, but his hike is done, at least for this year. I think of him, and wish him well, and I count my blessings...
Date: 2010-04-02
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Double Spring Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: clear sky

A second perfect day to hike in a row. I don't want to jinx anything, but I'm beginning to get just a tad spooked. When Second Stage got to Fontana Dam, the Smokies were essentially impassable, so she, being a very sensible person, bailed. He I am, a few weeks later, going through the Smokies worried more about how my sun-screen is holding up, and congratulating my self on having added some bug protection to my pack back at the NOC. Somehow it all seems just a bit too good to be true.   I did today's planned 11.8 miles into Silar's Bald shelter, but then decided to keep going another 1.7 miles into Double Springs. I got word that the early report of snow on the trail from Clingman's Dome to Newfound Gap were true, so I thought it would be good to get a head start on tomorrow's hike. I suspect it's going to take me longer than in the past two hikes to reach the Gap. Wish me luck!
Date: 2010-04-04
From: Newfound Gap/Gatlinburg

To: Zero Day at Gatinlinburg
Miles today: 0.0

While others hiked out before noon today (Loose, Roughin' It, Christine and John, etc.), I'm staying put. In addition to resting up, I'm trying to get totally caught up on my journaling. The -)(_^%$&)& Pocketmail company seems to have gone totally caput, so I'm going to have to find another way to get my journal done. I may have my wife send me my blackberry and attachable keyboard, and see if I can get that to work. I'll see. Meanwhile, I'll do the best whenever I get to town and can get my hands on a computer for long enough. So, anyway, here's my plan for dealing with the remaining 34 miles of the Smokies. In he past, I've done it in two days: 15 miles from here up to the third shelter in -- Tri-corner Knob; and hen 18 miles from there into Standing Bear Farm, a hostel just a couple of miles beyond the Park. That, however, is under decent trail conditions. I know I'll hit snow on the trail, I just don't know how much or how difficult it may be to get through. So, I'll be getting an early start tomorrow morning -- like first light! I will then hike as far as I can get, as long as it's safe for ME to continue. I will have supplies for four days, but will stop and return to Gatlinburg if I encounter any section that I consider not sensible for me to go through. If that happens, I will simply catch a shuttle north to Standing Bear Farm, which is near an inter-state highway, and then keep going north. That's the plan...Meanwhile, here's wishing you all a very happy Easter.
Date: 2010-04-05
From: Zero Day at Gatinlinburg

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I scheduled an early shuttle back to the trail, and was deposited at Newfound Gap at 7:15. It was a bit difficult to keep a positive mood, as I was not sure what to expect in terms of snow and ice on the trail. All I knew for sure was that I would only hike until I reached a point where I was not comfortable with the safety of of the conditions, at which point I would not hesitate to return to Gatlinburg and come up with a new plan. I had heard the trail was "passable", but with certain "challenges" in the area of Charlies Bunion. The test would be weather those challenges represent simply an inconvenience to be overcome, or a problem -- meaning I would not want to deal with hiking back over the trail there if I had to bail further up the trail. Within 20 minutes of hiking I began encountering patches of snow covering all or part of the trail. I as able to keep going for the first three miles, past Ice Water Springs shelter, but came to a serious decision point not long after -- as I approached Charlies Bunion. The trail there is cut into the very steep slope of a hill side, with a major drop-off to the left, with no vegetation to speak of to stop a fall or to grab onto in the event of slipping off the trail. My assessment was that I would not stop falling for several hundred feet, and that could leave a mark. Or two. Not to mention the challenge of trying to get BACK up that slope to the trail. The right side of the trail was covered with a very unstable snow drift, while the left few inches of the trail was exposed rock and mud. Next to the mud was the icy lower shelf of the snow pack. I backed up to reconsider the options. After a minute or two, I decided to get a bit closer, just to confirm my judgement. Yep. No doubt about it: too much of a risk. I did, however, stick my hiking pole into the ice to see how deep and strong it was, and succeeded in breaking off a piece. Which encouraged me to chip off a bit more. Long story short: I managed to clear a wide enough path to accomodate my size 13 boots, with a small margin to spare, and was able to keep going. Fortunately, that was the only place I felt was unsafe. All the rest of the snow was just an inconvenience, slowing my progress but not stopping me. I arrived at Tricorner Knob Shelter after hiking for nearly 10 hours. A long day, but a satisfying one. Rumor has it that the snow disappates quickly as I start down into Davenport Gap tomorrow. Hope so. It's going to be an 18 mile day, my longest so far this year. Still, not counting the zero day in Gatlinburg, I will have gone through the Smokies in my usual 5 days of hiking.
Date: 2010-04-06
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: scattered clouds

This was a long day, so it's going to a short entry. I made it all the way down (over 4000 feet) to Standing Bear Farm. I ran out of water on the last uphill mile to this hostel, so I was really glad to get here. Most of the gang I've been hiking with are either staying here or going on a few miles to the next camp site. Three days from now I'll be in Hot Springs. My wife has sent me my blackberry and attachable keyboard, but I don't have cell phone coverage here so I don't know how soon I'll be able to swap out phones and change the services to be able to journal using that method, but the pocketmail device is history. Otherwise, all is well on the trail. And a special thank you to my wife for her constant love and support!
Date: 2010-04-07
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Another good day. It started with coffee, hot pockets, orange juice and yogurt for breakfast at Standing Bear Farm. Thanks to my wife, I also got my Blackberry and was able to send home my old phone. If I can download the software successfully so that my attachable keyboard works, I'll be back in the journal updating business. Which would be good as my transcriber has absolutely nothing to do with her time and thus is going crazy without my journal entries to "edit". Plus, of course, we are all still waiting for her to finish her "research" on that SNP story of the alien love child....I was able to get a 15 miler in today, and if I'm lucky, I might do an 18 miler tomorrow getting me into Hot Springs a day early. Which means: a zero day! I'm optimistic. The weather has been beautiful, but there's supposed to be a storm coming in tomorrow, so that will give me the added incentive.
Date: 2010-04-08
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: moderate rain

This was a LONG DAY, but a good one. I managed to do the 18 miles, mostly due to an incredibly kind and gentle trail for most of the way, aided and abetted by a thunderstorm that moved in about 10:30 this morning -- just as I was about to climb the highest mountain of the day -- Bluff Mountain.With that incentive, I actually completed the 18 miles in 8 hours and 20 minutes, including breaks -- a new ground speed record for ol' Private Longhaul. On arrival in Hot Springs, I found Elmer's full, and the main motel full, but managed to find a rather nice (read "pricy") room at the Iron Station Inn. It was another of those "stand in on the polished hardword floor of the upscale establishment, stinking, dripping water like a drowned rat, and inquiring innocently about the availability of a room". One credit card swipe and a long flight of stairs later, and I was stripping off my soaked clothes and installing my tired body in the shower for an indecent about of time. After that, I found a cup of soup in the downstairs pub to tied me over until dinner, and visited the laundry mat conveniently located right across the street. While the clothes dried, I found a sweet shop and downed a double dip ice cream cone. Life is sweet...I had dinner in the same pub -- a larger than life angus bacon cheese burger, with more of that great mushroom soup, a salad and an ice cream/brownie Sunday. Then to bed... with the prospects of an even better day tomorrow -- a zero day!
Date: 2010-04-09
From: Hot Springs

To: Hot Springs - Zero
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Breakfast at the Smokey Mountain Diner -- a big one with eggs, ham, hash browns, sausage/gravy and biscuit, O.J., cofffee, etc. Notice how food has become the featured interest of my journal recently. There's a reason for that...Resupply done -- including new socks (see, a whole sentence without food in it0. I also bought food for the next five days into Irwin, Tennessee. THEN, Christine (Dormouse) and her boyfriend (Dirt Stew) and I hit the actual hot springs spa and enjoyed an hour in a hot tub. VERY relaxing. This was followed by a haircut -- mostly a trim -- since appearances on the trail are, like, EVERYTHING. Oh, before the haircut, another double-dip ice cream cone. Later tonight, we're doing dinner at the Iron House pub, with Loose and others. Should be a great way to end an incredibly relaxing zero day here in Hot Springs. Tomorrow -- at the crack of dawn -- it will be back to the trail. Over 250 miles so far, and all my body parts are still attached and in good working order, so that's good. Knock Wood!
Date: 2010-04-10
From: Hot Springs - Zero

To: Hemlock Hollow Hostel
Miles today: 16.3

I love almost everything about starting a day's hike in town. I wake up in a bed, with my pack all packed up and waiting for me. None of that getting dressed inside my tent and packing my pack from there, collecting my food bag from whatever tree I hung it in the night before, taking my tent down (sometimes in the rain), and eating a cold breakfast, before heading out on my day's journey. No, it's better in town. Just get dressed, head to the nearest diner for a hot, nurishing, tasty, cooked-by-someone-else breakfast -- with O.J. and unlimited cups of coffee. Gotta love it. Then it's back to the hotel/motel/hostel to collect my pack, and "hi ho, hi ho, it's off to hike we go" !There are only two things NOT good about starting your day's hike like that. First, there's the fact that the town is located in a gap somewhere. Always will be. Georgraphy and human nature at work. What that means, of course, is that I will spend much of the morning climbing OUT of that gap. Oh well. The price one pays for a visit to civlization. The second thing is that my food back will contain enough food to last me until my NEXT town stop, which will be 3-5 days later. That means my food bag/pack will be 6-10 pounds heavier than when I arrived in town. Then there's the three liters of water I'll be carrying when I leave town -- another 6 pounds compared with what I hiked INTO town with. That's a difference of 12-16 pounds, which is a lot if you have to hump it up and over mountains, starting with a big one right at the edge of town. It's still worth it.Today's hike was not too bad. Frankly, not too interesting, but with a happy ending at the Hemlock Hollow Hostel. Their camp store was out of ice cream (BOOOOO!), but had cold sodas. It was almost as convenient as a town stop, as I could cook on the stove in the hostel and use their tap water to refill my camelback, so there were those conveniences. And hot coffee on tap for tomorrow morning, so that's good.With me tonight are Red Hat, my old friend from '05, two new guys in the hotel (DR. Evil and Grateful), and tenting outside were Dirt Stew and Dormouse. After dinner we looked at the maps and guidebooks to try to figure out what the plan might be for getting to Erwin, and then on to Kincora Hostel at Dennis Cove - the last stop before Damascus.The main question is whether to try to do 3 or 4 more days into Erwin. We layed out the options, but agreed that we'd just have to see. It depends on how we feel as each day unfolds -- how bad the climbs are, how much energy we have left, how the feet and knees are holding up, that sort of thing. We'll see. My original plan for this section was five days, but I think I've managed to beat about have of those original plans so far. I'm definitely feeling stronger this year. The problem will be not letting that go to my head and doing something stupid. It happens. It a risk. Always a risk...
Date: 2010-04-11
From: Hemlock Hollow Hostel

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

I really can't believe the number of beautiful days hiking weather we've had this year. Last year, we had something like four days of sun in the first 30. This year it is exactly the opposite. I've almost forgotten what it's like to hike with my shoes and socks going squish, squish, squish, all day. It's been clear blue skies, low 40s to start the day, and high 70's or low 80's by the end. It's like we went from winter to summer overnight. (Topo: if you're readying this, Dude, you should have waited for THIS year!)The trees and shubs in the lower elevation towns are all in bloom, but when you get up to 4,000 feet and above, the trees are only now coming into bud, and not all of those. There are increasing numbers and variety of flowers blooming along the trail. I don't know their names, but there are white and blue and yellow ones of different shapes and sizes. I like the trumpet-like yellow ones the best. Spring is coming!I did do one thing this year that I didn't in '05 or last year: I took a blue-blazed "bad weather trail" to get around about a mile of useless, all-rock walking exposed ridge line. The fact is, until a few years ago, the blue-blazed trail WAS the AT, but the local trail powers-that-be decided that the trail wasn't hard enough on our knees so they decided we needed to do a mile of rock climbing. Well, they have their priorities, and I have MINE. No appologies. They can stick it.   Opps. Sorry. Can I say that on a family channel? Never mind. You get my point. We were only four at the shelter tonight, and none of us used it! Red Hat hung her hamock, Dirt Stew and Dormouse tented, as did I. Tomorrow will be the test of whether we end up doing a four or five day trip into Erwin. If we stop at Low Gap to camp, then we'll do No Business Knob shelter the next night and a short six mile day into Erwin. If we do a 19 mile day to the Big Bald shelter, then we could do a 17 mile day into Erwin and be done early. Who knows?
Date: 2010-04-12
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

I really can't believe the number of beautiful days hiking weather we've had this year. Last year, we had something like four days of sun in the first 30. This year it is exactly the opposite. I've almost forgotten what it's like to hike with my shoes and socks going squish, squish, squish, all day. It's been clear blue skies, low 40s to start the day, and high 70's or low 80's by the end. It's like we went from winter to summer overnight. (Topo: if you're readying this, Dude, you should have waited for THIS year!)The trees and shubs in the lower elevation towns are all in bloom, but when you get up to 4,000 feet and above, the trees are only now coming into bud, and not all of those. There are increasing numbers and variety of flowers blooming along the trail. I don't know their names, but there are white and blue and yellow ones of different shapes and sizes. I like the trumpet-like yellow ones the best. Spring is coming!I did do one thing this year that I didn't in '05 or last year: I took a blue-blazed "bad weather trail" to get around about a mile of useless, all-rock walking exposed ridge line. The fact is, until a few years ago, the blue-blazed trail WAS the AT, but the local trail powers-that-be decided that the trail wasn't hard enough on our knees so they decided we needed to do a mile of rock climbing. Well, they have their priorities, and I have MINE. No appologies. They can stick it.   Opps. Sorry. Can I say that on a family channel? Never mind. You get my point. We were only four at the shelter tonight, and none of us used it! Red Hat hung her hamock, Dirt Stew and Dormouse tented, as did I. Tomorrow will be the test of whether we end up doing a four or five day trip into Erwin. If we stop at Low Gap to camp, then we'll do No Business Knob shelter the next night and a short six mile day into Erwin. If we do a 19 mile day to the Big Bald shelter, then we could do a 17 mile day into Erwin and be done early. Who knows?
Date: 2010-04-13
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Campsite near Big Bald
Miles today: 17.0

Now THIS was a long day! For the second year in a row, I somehow missed seeing the camp site at Low Gap. I must have blinked. Oh well. I was a bit tired, but I used a spring to replace my water supply and "cameled up" on a full liter. I then set out for the Big Bald Shelter, another four miles away. Having already done 15 miles, I would have preferred not to, but I also knew there was a campsite just this side of the climb up Big Bald, so that became my new destination. Long story short: I stopped at the camp site, which was enough for me. Dirt Stew and Dormouse hiked on, Red Hat stopped somewhere short of where I was. Mine was a beautiful site, and I got to watch the sun set in the western sky. I knew it was the west because, well, the sun was setting over there. Did I mention it was a long day. Ok, now the question for tomorrow is: will I stop at No Business Knob -- a 13 mile day, or go for a 19? Another night on the trial, or a night in town, probably followed by a zero, since a long day into town means there isn't enough time to get all the chores done and hike out the next day. It's also what I call an "earned" zero. I'm still hiking according to my original plan, even with the extra day off.