morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-04-20
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Green Corner Road/Standing Bear
Miles today: 10.4

Alright, today was the first full hiking day in the rain. Luckily, it was a fairly short day (10 miles) as I wanted to stop at Standing Bear to re-supply, shower, and sleep in a bed. Light rain in the morning and then some steady rain after noon. Got out of camp about 8:30 with hopes of reaching Standing Bear around 2. This was also our last day in Smokey Mountain National Park: gonna miss some of the great views and ridge walks, but not gonna miss all the rules around staying in designated places. First 5 miles of the day were basically uphilland then the next 4 miles were flat/downhill. Not much to look at with the rain/clouds, so just kept moving. Stopped at the shelter in the SMNP and had lunch. Big mistake! I knew a lot of people would be going to Standing Bear due to the rain, so I should have just skipped lunch and pushed through the last 3 miles and had a late lunch...but I was HUNGRY. I even heard Chili and Pepper go by the shelter about 20 minutes into my lunch...dammit! Anyway, just as feared, by the time I got there, the place was packed...Chili and Pepper got the last spots in the bunkhouse! Alright...I probably should let the 11 year old have the warm bunkhouse anyway. I could pay $15 just to tent in the rain in the guy's front yard or get a few more miles in down the trail and tent in the rain there for free. A few people (mainly Catfish) talked me into staying the evening even though I had to pay for a campsite...evidently there was going to be BBQ chicken dinner and a bluegrass band included in the price tonight as they were having their 2nd annual hiker bash. Nice set up at Standing Bear (a big farm)...everything a hiker needs...bunkhouse/cabins/tenting space, laundry, re-supply, shower, kitchen. Not a great looking shower...but hot...very nice on a cold, damp day. Also did my laundry...on an old washboard...electric dryer to finish it up. Also an interesting honor system Curtis has working here...just write down everything you owe him money for on the back of the envelope and settle up with him when you leave...this includes the "store" where he has all the food/supplies. In general, the hikers are a pretty honest bunch and Curtis is fair in the pricing...don't think he has many problems with it. Curtis also made a beer run for the hikers before dinner...I was in the shower and missed it! Luckily, I was able to buy a few beers off different people and got to try some blueberry moonshine...even more hair on my chest now...strong stuff. Last, but not least, the bluegrass band was awesome...had the porch rocking! Great night and tons of hikers there: Chili, Pepper, Tour Guide, Hans, Bobaloo, Red Stick, Bismark, Superman, Yoga Matt, Bimbo, Rock & Roll, Dilly Dally, Cubby, Rider, the Montana girls, etc. Cheers.
Date: 2010-04-21
From: Green Corner Road/Standing Bear

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Phheeewwww! That's all I can say about today now that I'm writing this from my sleeping bag. First, a story from last night...evidently it may have been a good thing I didn't sleep in the bunkhouse. Bobaloo had a bit too much Southern Comfort and they ended up leaving a bucket with him for the evening...which he used repeatedly. One girl left in the middle of the night and set up her tent. Looks like I lucked out with the whole tenting thing afterall. Bobaloo is going to hear about that one for a while. Back to today. Kind of a cloudy, cold day all day, but not bad to hike in because it didn't rain...messed up a good view atop Snowbird Mountain though. Got off to a 9am start...not bad after the night we had and getting a wet tent packed away. Got about 1/2 mile up the first hill of the day and remembered I left my rain jacket in the kitchen to dry...dammit! An extra mile I don't get to count on a 15 mile day...dammit! Lots of climbing today with the addition of an obstacle course...many blown down trees to go over/under as well as just poorly maintained trails. Did I say my legs were getting used to this a few days ago? Well, they're not used to 2,500 ft elevation gains over 4 miles...that was tough. We then went down 1,400 ft over 2 miles and then back up 2,000 ft over 5 miles. Knee felt good today...even felt better on the downhill...well, the front of the knee anyway. The last climb of the day was to a place called Max Patch...worth the climb! Back in the day, the pioneers cleared this mountain top for grazing sheep/cattle...the whole friggin mountain top! Anyway, they've kept it that way and you can see forever in every direction...awesome views and the sun came out while we were up there. I was actually going to camp at the top, but it was pretty windy and cold, so I nixed that idea. Also, a large group from the night before were planning a party up there and I didn't think I wanted to do it two nights in a row...I know, I'm getting to be an old man! I also wanted to get a big mile day in because I realized my itinerary had me doing 13 miles into Hot Springs on Friday and that is just unacceptable before a zero day. I like to have about 6 or so miles to hike in the morning before I hit a town because it feels like I've got some hiking in and I still get into town in time to do most of my chores so my zero day can be just that...me doing zero. So, I wanted to move some miles around...mission accomplished. Also, Hot Springs is have a Trail Days celebration this weekend...all I know so far is there is a spaghetti feed Friday night. Finally got a hotel reservation...thought I might get shut out due to the festival...no way I'm doing a zero day in my tent! Few people at the shelter tonight as some stayed up on Max Patch: Chili, Pepper, Smiley, Entertainer, Hollywood, Hedgehog, Stix, Funky Monkey, and a couple others. Cheers.
Date: 2010-04-22
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

Alright, going to try back to back 15 mile days so I will only be about 3 miles from Hot Springs...my first nero...then followed by a zero. Looking forward to second breakfast in HS...oh, what to have...pancakes, waffles, french toast, eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, hashbrowns, home fries, orange juice, hot chocolate, milk...maybe all of it! We think about food a lot on the trail! Good weather today...a bit cloudy to start, but then the sun burnt through and was probably around 70. Started off today about the same as yesterday...1/2 mile in the wrong direction! They've been doing a great job of placing blazes about every couple of hundred feet since we left SMNP, so I knew something was up when I didn't see any for a while. Unfortunately, I also saw a lot of footprints in the mud...many others had come this way as well. On my way back to see where I had missed a turn, I ran into a few more people, so we all turned around to see where we had gone wrong. Very well marked turn...we all just missed it...dammit! Anyway, lots of downhill today broken up by two good climbs of 700 ft and 1,000 ft. One stretch of downhill was about 2,200 ft in 4 miles...that was a bit tedious, but the knee handled it fairly well. Got into camp about 4...the downhill definitely helped speed up the day even with the bad knee. Sat around and BS'd with Tour Guide, Smiley, and Entertainer while others showed up: Chili, Pepper, Soul Patch, Rider, Cervesas, girls from Montana (Whitefish), and two women section hiking (met them at lunch...very nice). All the talk is about going into town tomorrow and trying to find rooms...all booked up due to hiker fest...also, just not a very big town. Glad I got my reservation early, although I may have a few people on my floor tomorrow...we'll see. Looking forward to the care package from Mom...she said she sent some Deet and the bugs are back today for the first time in quite a few days. Calling it an early night to make sure I get up and make it to second breakfast by 10 in HS! Cheers.
Date: 2010-04-23
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: few clouds

Woo...hoo! Town day! I enjoy the hiking and all, but town days are the best! You meet up with hikers you've met on the trail the week before, you shower, you sleep in a bed, you eat something that can't just be boiled in a pot...it's all good! It rained all night long, so things were a bit wet out this morning, but the day turned into a bright, sunny one in the low 80s. Actually got out of camp around 8 this morning...didn't sleep well for some reason. Usually the patter of rain puts me right to sleep, so I don't know why I kept tossing and turning. The 3 miles to town went very quickly. This may sound a bit funny, but one of the sounds I'll most remember from the trail is the sound of large semis gearing down to go up/down a steep mountain...this means you are getting close to a larger hiway and a town day! Of course, you hear it long before you actually see the road and see the road long before you actually reach it...gives you a little extra incentive to speed up though. Got into town around 9:30 and went straight to my hotel to make sure I still had a reservation...they didn't seem very well organized when I called so I had some concerns. No issues though and they let me drop my pack off until check-in at around 11. Headed for second breakfast and ended up with pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns, and sausage...good stuff! Checked in and then headed to the post office...care packages from Mom and JJ! JJ gets the nod for first care package even though I didn't get it in Bryson City and had to forward it here...brownies were still good, JJ, and thanks for the catch up letter! Thanks to Mom for the Deet, sock liners, and all the cookies, bars, and trail mix...shared the cookies with a few of the hikers in the hotel...rave reviews! Thanks, Mom and JJ! Did some of my chores like showering, laying out my gear to dry and laundry...also called/emailed/texted people during laundry...always good to catch up with you all...I'll try to get some more in tomorrow. Also, passed a nice covered patio bar filled with hikers on the way to do laundry...they had already done their chores because they didn't have to watch Days and were a little ahead of me. Joined them after laundry for a few beers...patio right on the river on a sunny day...doesn't get much better than that. Had to go run a few other errands, but then headed back to the patio for dinner and a couple more beers...decided to skip the spaghetti feed as I eat some type of noodle almost every day on the trail and wanted a burger. Joined Bismark, Hedgehog, Gibbitz, and few others and afterward we headed over to another bar where there was some live country music...good night all around. Looking forward to tomorrow...treating myself to a hot springs soak and full body massage at the spa for my one month anniversary...well, almost. Cheers.
Date: 2010-04-24
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Alright, a zero day in Hot Springs. Didn't sleep that well last night again...think I ate too late. Got up and headed to breakfast...Hans was there, so ate/chatted with him. Found out they have a clinic open in this morning, so went by to see if they could give me a cortizone shot for my knee. As I checked in, the nurse weighed me...down 12 lbs...177 to 165! The PA said they wouldn't give me a shot as you have to wait 3 months between shots...my doc in Atlanta specifically told me you had to wait only a month before getting another one...need to call her and find out what the story is. They have a larger clinic in Erwin where I'll be in about a week, so I'll try there. Hope my doc is right...the cortizone feels so good! I might have a problem...   Anyway, also ran into John and Just Lisa at bfast this morning...I was hoping to catch up with them here. Unfortunately, John's father passed away last night...again, my condolences to John, Lisa, and his family. They are going to be off the trail for a while, but vow to return...hope to catch up with them when they do. Also heard from Sid, Ratman, Tumbler, John through this site, but Sid didn't leave an email address, so hope one of you read this: you guys are machines and I can't keep up with you! Hopefully y'all are coming back to Damascus for Trail Days and we can hook up then. Went to the PO again today to mail my bounce box to myself in Damascus and what did I find...another care package from JJ! You rock, JJ! Some fresh brownies even though the other ones were still good and a couple of magazines...I've been craving some reading material on the trail at night. Thanks, JJ! After eating a few brownies and a couple of sugar cookies, I headed up to the spa...time for my hot tub soak and full body massage! The tubs are basically outdoors by the river...very cool setting and relaxing. Then went in for the massage...awesome. My massage therapist was Jeannette...nice lady, but very new age. Kept talking about my aura and how I would now have time to commune with the angels/nature/cosmos while I walked the trail...she was so happy for me and beating me into a pulp, how could I not be happy as well. She did give me a great massage! It was a nice one month anniversary present to myself...now I'll have to figure out what my two month anniversary present to myself will be. Cheers.
Date: 2010-04-25
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Slow start today as I think I was subconsciously hoping for a very stormy Sunday so I could spend it in my room just watching tv and lying around...haven't done that in a while now...great on rainy days. Everything dried out, so I packed it all up and was ready to go by 10. Couldn't take all the cookies/brownies (thanks again Mom and JJ) with me or I might get a hernia to go along with the bad knee, so I left the remains in the hiker box for the upcoming hikers. May have mentioned this before, but most places that cater to the hiker crowd have what they call a hiker box where hikers put items they no longer want or have extra of...then other hikers go through the box and take what they want/need. Lot of people leaving Hot Springs today, but most left a bit earlier than me. Only did about 10 miles today because I'm always a bit sluggish after a zero day. Actually a very warm day after all the rain yesterday/last night...very muggy. Gained about 1,200 ft in the first 5 miles today...nice warmup. I was sweating up a storm in the muggy weather...so much for that morning shower! 1 mile of downhill to Tanyard Gap and then another 1,300 ft gain up Rich Mountain over the next 2 miles. The rest was small ups and downs until I reached the shelter...a very old, 5 person shelter. Many are wondering if the roof is water-tight...lots of the hiker's best tool (duct tape) on the inside ceiling. Looks like only Hollywood and I are brave enough (or stupid enough) to try it...suppose to rain tonight. More room for us! Also in camp tonight: Bismark, Chili, Pepper, Hedgehog, Sticks, Bobalu, and Popcorn. Bismark got a nice little fire going...might be our last for a few days as it's suppose to rain off and on for the next few days. We got lucky today, so maybe our luck will hold out...we'll see. Cheers.
Date: 2010-04-28
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Low Gap Campsite
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: clear sky

Wow...can I say how great the sun is!?! After two days of hiking in the cold and rain (ok, only a day and a half), it was so exciting to wake up to clear skies this morning. OK, it was probably in the mid-twenties, but it didn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm for a great day of hiking. Turned out to be a great hiking day: sunny skies, breezy, and about 65...a little chilly when you stopped for a break though. And it was just an awesome walk today...don't know if was seeing the sun again, the nap from yesterday, or just an easy section, but it was just an enjoyable day! We only had one major climb and it was in the morning: 1,600 ft gain over 3 miles to the top of Frozen Knob. Some decent views, but, really, everything looked great today after the rain...fresh, greener, brighter...or maybe somebody spiked my water with something this morning. Actually, everyone's water...stopped and talked to various people throughout the day and everyone was remarking on how great the hike was today. Evidently, none of us like the cold, wet weather very much. On my way up Frozen Knob, I had it in low gear and was just taking the climb slow and easy. I start to hear a low engine noise and think maybe a small plane may be coming overhead soon. It begins to get louder and I determine it isn't a plane...more like a smaller engine...maybe a lawnmower? Then it sounds like it's right behind me on the trail...I turn and look...nothing. What the !#*? As I turn around, I see a guy in coveralls riding a quad-runner parallel to the trail about 10 feet away from me. Not sure what he is doing, but he's just got it in low gear and crusing up the mountain. He waves, I wave back. I'm pretty sure he's not supposed to be driving something like that in a national forest and he certainly doesn't look like a park ranger. Hmmmm...wonder what he's up to...   Got into camp about 5. Logos and Earthling were already there as we had discussed camping in this spot earlier in the day. Bismark soon arrived as well. Kind of cold and windy in the gap, so after dinner we all just jumped into our tents (Bismark his hammock) and called it a night. Cheers.
Date: 2010-04-29
From: Low Gap Campsite

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: clear sky

Terrible night's sleep last night...couldn't find a flat tenting space anywhere. Thought if I slept with my feet at the low end I could minimize the damage...wrong! Every time I woke up, I'd slid down so that my feet and legs were wedged at the bottom of my tent...all...night...long. I should have had a video running...good fun for everyone. I'd wake up with my legs scrunched up at the bottom of my tent and desparately pull/scramble/claw my way back up to the top of the tent...funny when I look back on it, but boy was I getting pissed. Logos and Earthling had the same issues...fun stuff. Anyway, cold morning, but as soon as the sun hit the gap, it was gorgeous...probably 70-75 today. Started off right away with a 3 mile climb of 1,200 ft up Big Bald...not a bad climb and great views. Except the East side where one mountain top had been completely clear-cut to put up a bunch of townhomes...very nice. Again, just a nice day of walking...some small ups and downs and great weather. Bismark and I dropped our packs and took a small side trail up to High Rocks...basically huge rock slabs that had been pushed out of the top of the mountain...pretty cool and decent views. We then had a late lunch at Spivey Gap and met Mayberry Pete who was parked there waiting for some friends who were slack packing. Slack packing is when you hike a portion of the trail without your pack...someone is meeting you at the other end of your day with your pack. Good guy with some good info...even shared some fresh water with me. Got to camp about 4:30...about 1/2 hour faster than I thought we would...easy terrain helps. At the shelter tonight is Bismark, Logos, Earthling, Crispy Critter, and Truth. Truth and Bismark got a nice fire going...love a good fire. Getting up early tomorrow to get into Erwin, TN for second breakfast...only 6 miles. Hopefully get to the hospital to see about this whole cortizone shot...maybe tomorrow is the day. Also have a free cookout for thru hikers tomorrow night in Erwin by the river...free food brings out all the hikers in the area, so should meet up with a few people I haven't seen in a few days. Cheers.
Date: 2010-05-03
From: Erwin, TN / Iron Mountain Gap

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Alright, the plan was to get up, pack my crap up, go see the dentist, and then find a ride to the trail and hit it around 3 or 4...at the latest 5. The first part of the plan worked out fine: got up and was showered, packed, and ready to go by 8. Weather update: it rained most of the night as the storms hitting Nashville began to show up...trying to look on the bright side...good day not to be hiking. Walked down to the dentist office and was waiting when they opened at 9. Unfortunately, no appointment until 2:30...body blow! Again, looking at the bright side...gives me time to get my dental insurance in order and do a few other computer chores like check bank balances, pay bills, etc. Also remembered the doc at the hospital telling me the ortho guy visits on Monday, so thought I might finally be able to get that cortizone shot...could be working out for me. Called the hospital...unfortunately, the ortho guy is on vacation this week...body blow! Again, looking at the bright side: Days runs from 1-2, so I can catch an extra episode and see how some of the cliffhangers from Friday are resolved. Unfortunately, I checked out of the hotel, so couldn't go to my room and the tv in the lobby was on the weather channel with a few people watching it...body blow! Anyway, it was time to go see the dentist and then get the hell out of this place. Dentist was great...basically patched up the tooth and said it should last until I can see my dentist when I get back...and it only cost me $76 (actually only $26 after insurance)! Uppercut to you, bad day! Took a little longer than expected (3:30), but still doable. As I'm walking back, I hear the train whistle...NNOOOOO! That's right, Erwin is the the train capital of TN, evidently. Another train is blocking the road to the hotel...going back and forth getting loaded/unloaded. Body blow! Body blow! Body blow! This lasts for 45 minutes. Body blow! OK, OK, OK! I give up. I can NOT leave this town! Finally get to the hotel around 5...too late to get a ride to the gap and make it very far before dark. Brigth side: looks like the rain is still hanging around over there, so maybe for the best (or this could just be my imagination to make myself feel better). So, I'm going to watch some tv tonight and I have a ride scheduled for 7am tomorrow...I will get out of the town! Cheers.