morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-03-02
From: Hot Springs

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: clear sky

Not having to trudge through snow makes the hiking a lot easier, but I'm still not sure how I ended up hiking almost 20 miles today.I ate breakfast at the Sunnybank with Elmer, Shawn, and Paul, and stopped at the outfitter before hitting the trail a little after 9 p.m.It was a gorgeous sunny day and despite going as high as 3,900 feet I went through no more than a few minor patches of snow.Since I was close to the shelter at dusk I did nighthike for about an hour to get here.My legs feel tired, but my knee seems to feel fine. We'll see how it is tomorrow I guess.* * *Skit's bits:* Time I had to turn my headlamp on to see: 6:55 p.m.* Distance from the shelter I am sitting in that my GPS says I am: 0.7 miles* Books at the Spring Mountain Shelter: Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder Criminal Theories - Introduction, Evaluation and Application The last 110 pages of a book that ends with "He's straightened me out."* Other junk at the shelter: Mousetrap, Aquafina bottles, Coke can, empty Coke and 7up 12-pack boxes, lots of other wrappers and a roll of mouse-chewed toilet paper.
Date: 2008-03-03
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: scattered clouds

I've been hiking through death row for the past day and a half. In that span I've passed three memorials and two gravesites.The memorials were for Rex R. Pulford (Spet. 22, 1920 to April 21, 1983); Jackelyn Mae Kelly-Morris (June 15, 1940 to sept. 9. 1990) and Howard E. Bassette (age 83 of CT., died Nov. 9. 1987, hiked A.T. 1968, ashes on this spot 4-1988).The gravesites were for the Shelton boys, brothers who fought for the Union during the Civil War and were killed by Confederates on their way home for a family reunion, and the other gravesite was by an old farmstead with two graves whose headstones were hard to read.It was very windy, but sunny today. Decent amount of snow above 4,000 feet.Hiked my first 20 mile day and met lots of people. A group of 10-12 kids from a religious group in central Arkansas who were out for a four-day 36-mile hike, a day hiker, and upon arriving at the shelter I found Skipper, who proclaimed he was probably the last southbounder.* * *Skit's bits:* Skipper's first words to me upon arriving at the shelter after dark at about 7:30 p.m.: "You're kind of late aren't you" said in a tone as though he expected me.* Written on the Flint mt. Shelter wall: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift -- to which somebody added: (thats why we call it the present)
Date: 2008-03-04
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: light rain

It was a nasty, nasty day today.Heavy rain, strong winds, and the driving rain managed to not only soak me completely (all 3 layers I was wearing on top) it also managed to penetrate my backpack and get much of what I had in it (included my sleeping bag) wet.I'm lucky its a fairly warm night and I have a synthetic sleeping bag because my bag is cold and soaked but it is still keeping me warm.Instead of the normal thoughts of food and sex and whatever else is usually going through a thru-hiker's mind, my thoughts today pretty much ran like this: "I think the wind is dying down, I think it's getting lighter, I think the rain might be letting up, maybe that's a break in the clouds, at least it's not that cold out, holy crap that is cold" and so on, with the weather not abating until the end of the day.On top of Big Bald and Big Stamp I was pounded with a driving rain and the wind was so fierce I had to walk sideways to go straight. The snow last week was rough, but this weather was severe.The last time I crossed Bald Mountain in 2004 it was sunny and I lounged on top enjoying the weather with Night Owl and Fox Dog. Today, uh, there was no lingering. I was happy to get out of the wind as fast as possible.Still I got to the first shelter at 12:30 p.m., but didn't want to stop that soon so I pushed it to the next shelter arriving at dark.At the shelter was Bob, who had stayed there all day. He said there was a tornado warning and Obama was ahead early in Texas. Bob didn't know there was a town in 7 miles as he's hiking without a map or guidebook. He also doesn't have a sleeping bag, but is using a wool blanket.* * *Skit's bits:* Time Skipper's alarm went off: 6:30 a.m.* Time the first drops of rain fell: 6:41 a.m.* Time of first thunder: 5:15 p.m.* Time I saw a double rainbow and a drop of sunlight: 5:59 p.m.* Number of breaks I took all day: 2 (At the Bald Mountain Shelter and at Spivey Gap).
Date: 2008-03-05
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Erwin
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: clear sky

I'm glad last night started out warm because my body heat had time to dry out much of my sleeping bag before a drastic change plunged the temperature down below freezing. My raincoat and other items I had hanging up were frozen crispy by morning.Bob made a fire in the morning -- that's how he cooks, he doesn't have a stove -- and I hit the trail in a light snow, arriving in Erwin at 10:30 a.m.Elizabeth at Johnny's hostel said the Canadians (The Good, The Bad, The Ugly) had left that morning after waiting out yesterday's rain and the rest of the group ahead of me (Dr. Pepper, Stormin Normin, Vagus, Dozer, Rachel and Anne) was about 3 or 4 days out. They seem to be pulling big days so it might be awhile before I catch them, but I think I am getting a little closer.Lance was at the hostel, he came from Texas to hike but doesn't like the weather so has been hanging out here. Met Uncle Johnny, CB and Richard who were working at the hostel and Bob came in later -- Richard gave him a guidebook and Bob did work for stay.The rift between Uncle Johnny and Miss Janet's hostels in Erwin has been a major one in past years and Uncle Johnny managed to get himself cut from the ATC guidebook. But Miss Janet's is currently not running so I stayed at Uncle Johnny's and certainly was treated well. Eleven years ago Uncle Johnny was doing a section hike and was behind his buddies when hiking through Erwin. UJ looked tired and a guy on the porch of this house on the edge of the trail and the Nolichucky River invited him over for coffee and they talked a while. The guy said his daughter was getting married and he was going to have to move. UJ walked on, but the next day was thinking of what a great location the house was and walked back to Erwin. He asked the guy what he was going to do with the house when he moved and the guy said he was going to sell it. UJ fretted that he wouldn't be able to afford it, but the guy assured him he could and sold it for much less than would've been likely if it hit the open market and there has been a hostel right on the trail ever since.* * *Skit's bits:* Feet Elizabeth said the muddy, turbulent waters of the Nolichucky had risen in yesterday's rain: 6 feet* Inches of rain received in Erwin (they figured it was more in the hills): 1 1/2 inches.* People who helped Rachel and Anne who were stranded by last weeks snowstorm in the Bald Mountain Shelter at 5,100 feet: A local couple who were out snowshoeing and randomly came upon them.* * *"Ok so who has the compass?"Uncle Johnny gave a shuttle to four hikers from Nashville up to Indian Grave Gap. They were planning on hiking 2.5 miles north to Beauty Spot to camp. Just before dark they ended up back at Uncle Johnny's. They had not known they had hiked the wrong direction (about 8 miles) until they arrived back at the Nolichucky River.
Date: 2008-03-06
From: Erwin

To: Greasy Creek Gap
Miles today: 23.3

The forecast I saw yesterday at the hostel looked almost identical to the forecast when I left to hike the Smokies. One day of gorgeous weather, the next day rain that could be some snow higher up, and the third day cold and windy with snow forecast even at lower elevations.Seeing how things turned out in the Smokies I decided to get as many miles as I could in today with hopes of climbing Roan Mountain before it gets too bad tomorrow.I'm about 8 miles from the Roan Summit right now, but that includes a 900 foot climb followed by a 2,200 foot climb. And after Roan Mountain there is an open grassy ridge at 5,770 feet, followed by the open top of Little Hump Mountain and Big Hump. In nice weather this is an awesome section. I'm hoping the weather tomorrow is not as bad as the rain the other day and that it stays rain.I'm 14.8 miles from the Overmountain Shelter which I should be able to make easily, but then I still have the Hump mountains to go over possibly in snow.I'm another 23 mile day from the Apple House Shelter, which would be a very long day with lots of ups and downs, but would get me back down to 3,000 feet if it snows on Saturday.I took a long break today at Beauty Spot, an open grassy area with expansive views. Otherwise I kept moving most of the day after leaving the hostel at sunup.There is another hostel just 0.3 miles from this gap (the Greasy Creek Friendly), but since I'm here late and I want to get going early I'm camping out.* * *Skit's bits:* Roan Mountain is the last time the trail goes above 6,000 feet until Mt. Washington in the Whites.* I am less than a day behind the Canadians and Dozer. The rest of the main NOBO group ahead of me is actually 5-6 days ahead, not 2 or 3.* Marta/Five-Leaf Clover signed the Curley Maple Gap Shelter register on 2-9-08 (SOBO Pride, MEGA '06).* One of the favorite entries I've read in a shelter register was also at Curley Maple Gap. It read:"Hey My name is Caleb. I am 10 years old and I am having a blast on the (AT symbol). This is my first time on the A.T. It has been very changleing for me. Its been preaty cold in the mornings. I will be hikeing out in the morning of 1-13-07. My feet have been herting (he had harting, but crossed out the a and made it an e) sceance lunch time. I have never hiked this far in my life. I am so glad we will get to have some real food. Its hard to get up in the mornings.see you,Caleb Adcockp.s. I hiked 27 miles in 3 days"
Date: 2008-03-07
From: Greasy Creek Gap

To: Hughes Gap (plus road walk to 143)
Miles today: 7.0

Well my plan didn't work. By the time I reached the base of Roan Mountain today the weather was something fierce. I was in strong winds and rain already at 4,000 feet and you couldn't see more than the base of Roan Mountain, which was in its own island of nasty clouds.So I skipped another section of trail but this time I should be back next weekend with Recess to hike this 18-mile portion of the trail as long as the weather is better then.Through a combination of a road walk and a ride I ended up at the Mountain Harbor B&B which has a beautiful rustic hiker hostel above its horse barn.Around 3 p.m. the Three Canadians and Dozer arrived. They had walked 15 miles from the Roan Knob Shelter and said conditions were horrible out there. The wind was incredibly strong on the open ridges.When I get to Damascus I need to get a new raincoat. The one I have doesn't keep me dry in these all-day rains. My undershirts end up soaking wet and not from perspiration.Tomorrow it is supposed to be cold, windy and snowy and I'm heading north from here with the Three Canadians and Dozer who plan on hiking the 24 miles to Kincora.* * *Skit's bits:* Number of weather bailouts I've had on the AT this year: 2 (I think I'm becoming a weather wimp).* What it is doing outside right now as I write this at 3 a.m: raining hard.* Language spoken most fluently by the Canadians: French (they are from Quebec province).* Name written on the receipts at Dairyland where we ate dinner: Diaryland (maybe we were supposed to keep journals as we ate.)
Date: 2008-03-08
From: Hughes Gap (plus road walk to 143)

To: Kincora hostel
Miles today: 23.8

After a fairly nice morning, it turned colder and snowed much of the day with a brisk wind. The snow didn't accumulate much -- about 2 or 3 inches -- but it was a good day to be hiking from one hostel to another.I made good time arriving at Kincora at 5:30 p.m., but Dozer (who never takes breaks) and the two younger Canadian brothers had already been there almost 2 hours. The older brother arrived just ahead of me.Stormin Norm and Waterbear were at the hostel, they said they knew I was coming because a friend has been following this journal. Dr. Pepper had left around noon. Baltimore Jack had been in for a visit the day before. Bob and Pat Peoples came over to talk for a while. The road is too icy to take a shuttle to town today, but I think I have enough food to get to Damascus.I think the Canadians names are Carl, Joe, and Jerry.* * *Skit's bits:* I saw my AT 2004 card and Wildcats on the ceiling at Kincora.* Day Wildcat summited Katahdin: August 23.* Day I climbed Katahdin: Aug. 22 (I flipped flopped, but took the 23rd off to spend with my parents so I barely missed Wildcat, who I would later hike with on the PCT in 2005).* Number of hikers at the hostel unaware that the time changes tonight for daylight savings until Bob told us: All 7 of us.* Number of hours we can hike more each day because of daylights savings: 0* The difference between a hiker and a bum: A hiker has a map and a credit card (heard this from Splash first).* What the Canadians call a hat: A toque* What Waterbear calls a hat: A toboggan* What the rest of us at the hostel call a hat: a hat.
Date: 2008-03-09
From: Kincora hostel

To: 2.5 miles north of Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: clear sky

Pond Flats Mountain has to be one of the more frustrating climbs on the AT.After a few miles of cutting through the beautiful Laurel Fork gorge, including Laurel Falls which was running high today, the trail makes an abrupt turn and climbs 1,800 feet up Pond Flats.It's not an especially tough climb, but what makes it frustrating is that you can look down and to your left and see Lake Watauga, which is where you are headed after going to the top of the mountain then following the next ridge right back down, making a horseshoe that puts you only 1.5 miles from where you started the climb.I think the rest of the crew is staying at Lake Watauga Shelter tonight. I decided to keep hiking until just before dark, which now is close to 8 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.Stormen Norm and Waterbear had planned on hiking further, but Waterbear was suffering severe calf cramps in the gorge. Dozer left after me, but passed me at Pond Flats. I caught up to him at the shelter and he was planning on staying there as were the three Canadians.* * *Skit's bits:* Number of times I've boiled snow to get water to cook with: once (tonight)* Number of dayhikers I saw today: 14 (a woman with 2 daughters, a large group of AT "oldtimers" who were checking out the section, and a couple who when I asked if they were with the AT group said, "do we look like oldtimers to you?"* Bear prints seen in the snow today: 2.* Don't mix Lipton cream of chicken soup mix and beef ramen, it's not a good combo.
Date: 2008-03-10
From: 2.5 miles north of Vandeventer Shelter

To: Tennessee/Virginia state line
Miles today: 26.7

Tonight my feet are in Tennessee, but my heart's in Virginia.I'm camped right on the border (and I hope nobody is night-hiking tonight because I'm also camped directly on the trail).It was a fairly uneventful day. I saw zero people, four turkeys and five deer and may have heard a bear crashing down the hillside. The trail was easy, no big hills. There was some snow on the trail, but not a lot and I followed Dr. Pepper's footprints all day. My feet are a little sore and I have some minor chafing issues, but don't feel that fatigued.There is a bit of a tradition on the AT of people pulling an Iron Mountain marathon into Damascus as it is 25.9 miles from the Iron Mountain Shelter into town.I was camped a little more than four miles from the shelter, but managed to do a marathon day to the border. Now I can sleep in, hike 3.5 miles to town, do a bunch of town stuff and then still hike to the first shelter on the other side of town.But right now I'm going to eat. I'm hungry!* * *Skit's bits:* Miles Dr. Pepper hiked yesterday: 30 (I haven't met him yet, but have been reading his shelter register entries).* Amount of food I have left after eating a Lipton, a 7 ounce tuna, and two cheese-cracker packages for dinner: One Knorr-Lipton dinner.* Last time I resupplied on food: Erwin - 120 miles ago (I did eat out once, skipped 18 miles and got some tortillas from Stormen Norm and Waterbear).* "AT becoming handicap accessible"There was a handicapped parking sign at one of the trailheads today and a bit of a ramp that a wheelchair could use to get through a gate. After that they would've had trouble going anywhere, though. Bob Peoples said that when the AT builds new shelters now they have to be made handicap accessible (spots for wheelchairs at tables, space and solid ground for them to get around the immediate shelter area) even if there is no way a wheelchair could get to the shelter. The money for building shelters is filtered through a government agency, which is the reason for the rules. A hut had been built in the whites that was not handicapped friendly and there was a lawsuit even though there was no way for a wheelchair to get to the hut.
Date: 2008-03-12
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: a little past "the Scales"
Miles today: 21.0

What an awesome day to be hiking around Mt. Rogers and the Grayson Highlands. It was sunny and relatively warm all day. The wind was strong in the morning, but calmed down by afternoon.The Mt. Rogers area features a couple of higher wooded mountains followed by some rugged rock formations the trail winds around and, at one point, through.As you can probably tell by the mileage I've been doing lately, my knee has been feeling better. On some of the rocky downhills today it still gave a bit of pain, however, but the pain went away as soon as the steeper stretches were done.One of the highlights of Grayson is the "wild" ponies. The first two groupes of ponies I saw were away from me and I thought I was going to end up without seeing any close up, but at "the Scales" -- a horse corral used in the summer -- three were hanging around and allowed me to shoot some video of them on my camera.I ended the day by taking another blue blaze -- the horse trail between the Scales and the Crest Trail follows the top of a ridge and has views back toward the highlands, the AT follows the north side of the ridge (they are basically the same distance). So I'm cowboy camping in some pines on top of the ridge. It's the first night I've tried sleeping without a tent or a shelter.* * *Skit's bits:* Where I met random hiker guy: At Thomas Knob shelter at 1:30 p.m.* Where random hiker guy had come from: Wise Shelter* Distance from Wise to Thomas Knob: 5.1 rocky miles* Distance random hiker guy said he had wanted to cover today: 25 miles* Quote from random hiker guy: "I may have miscalculated." But at least he assured me I should be able to make it to Wise Shelter since I would be going downhill.
Date: 2008-03-13
From: a little past 

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 26.8
Weather: clear sky

It was a devastating day on the AT today.I reached the Trimpi Shelter around 4 p.m., but I had 10 more miles I needed to go. My knees began to be a bit balky, but I had to press on trying to beat the encroaching darkness.Finally, sore and stiff, and tired, I reached my goal: the Partnership Shelter, just a bit after dark, about 8:15 p.m. There was only one thing that had kept me pushing to my longest mileage day on the AT this year. The promise of pizza.Just one tenth of a mile from the Partnership Shelter is a park visitor center. Outside the center is a phone. Six miles away is the town of Marion, where there are several pizza places that are supposed to deliver to the visitor center.I dropped my pack at the shelter and ran up to the phone. There was a phonebook and a dozen fliers for the Tuscan Grill. I called them and was told they weren't delivering "at this time."I called Pizza Hut. They didn't deliver up there after it was dark and the gates closed, even though I would meet them at the gate. I called another place. They didn't deliver.No pizza.26.8 miles and only another Lipton dinner to eat.Devastating.One good thing about hiking by yourself is that when you take an unexpected tumble nobody is there to see you fall.Coming down a gentle grade today I caught a short stump of a bush with my left foot and went down in a flash. I landed half on my stomach, half on my side, water bottles flying, hand scraping the ground and feeling like a clumsy oaf. My first reaction was to look around and make sure that nobody was around to see the nosedive even though I had not seen anyone in half a day. It is usually at times like those hat you see a day hiker, making you feel like an idiot, but there was nobody around.* * *Skit's bits:* Number of pizza places I tried calling: 3* Number of phone calls I made from phone outside visitor center: 9 (pizza places, 2 pocketmail calls, mom and dad, sister, Jay and Jolie, and Recess).
Date: 2008-03-14
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Atkins, Virginia
Miles today: 11.0

For the third day in a row I ran into Tortoise and her golden retriever. This time I also got to meet her husband Pooh Bear and their other golden retriever.The two are section hiking the AT and often one will start on one end of a section and the other will drive to the other end of the section and they will hike in opposite directions. I ran into Tortoise on Tuesday by Wise shelter, on Thursday by Trimpi and then today just south of Chetfield.I also ran into two trail maintainers today. The number of people who volunteer to help keep up the AT is amazing.Only walked 11 miles today, but that might be good as my left knee was hurting on the downhill so half a day off may help.I changed shuttle arrangements with the Mountain Harbour B&B twice. I moved it to earlier tomorrow, then discovered there are supposed to be severe thunderstorms tomorrow so I changed the shuttle to Sunday when it is supposed to be warmer. So Recess and I will hike somewhere around here tomorrow and then do the Roan Mountains as a day hike on Sunday.* * *Skit's bits:* Last time I took a shower before the hotel in Atkins: At the Mountain Harbour hostel, 8 days and almost 150 miles ago.* I hiked this exact distance -- from Partnership to Atkins -- in 2004.* There is a major NASCAR race in Bristol -- the Food City 500 -- on Sunday and the entire area is abuzz about it.* I had two Mountains Dews, a quart of chocolate milk, two huge slices of pizza, a bag of chips and an egg salad sandwich from the minimart next to the hotel. Everything was gone in 2 hours.