morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-03-11
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: overcast clouds

3/11 started poorly, as I woke up to a slight rain on my tent roof in the early morning. Hoping against my better judgement that the weather would clear up for a few hours, I doddled in camp until 11, when I finally accepted my fate and hiked into the rain. It was light rain, but still heavy enough and cold enough that a rain jacket was required. On my way up to the summit of Standing Indian, I met a guy hiking along in some driducks who was surely crazy. Not only was he planning on doing nearly 30 miles that day to get in to Franklin to treat his chaffing ass, he was also doing his hike with his pet ferret in the brain of his pack. I passed over Standing Indian for the second time in the rain in my life. I still haven't seen the veiw. Coming down was 5 miles of mushy trail in rhododendron tunnels. When I reached the shelter, I was too tired of the rain to carry on. I just wanted to be dry. The shelter was full when I got there, but luckily, Carter Gap has a basement (a few planks of wood laying down underneath the shelter). Timber and I did a bit of unauthorized shelter improvement, stealing some roofing from the old torn-down Carter Gap shelter to make a 3rd wall for the basement, keeping the wind out and making it a bit more cozy. It was cold and rainy the rest of the day, so we made a fire just outside the shelter so we could stand under the roof without getting smoked out. The shelter was very full that night. Powderpuff stumbled in a few hours after me, as did Starsky and Hutch, who I saw for the first time that night. I was the last one to leave standing indian, and no one really felt like pushing on. In addition to the platform being filled, Bison and myself were very tight in the basement, and several people were sleeping on the floor on the shelter porch. Starsky and Hutch ended up having a very rough night. Not wanting to sleep in their wet tent, and having no place to lay down in the shelter, they got in their sleeping bags and slept sitting up on a bench under the shelter awning. The basement was actually quite warm, since the ceiling was only about 2 feet high, and insulated by everyone above's sleeping pads. However, I didn't sleep very well after a mouse jumped on my head halfway through the night.
Date: 2013-03-12
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

On 3/12, I woke up fairly early, got out of the shelter, and started hiking. Not too far in, I came across a spur trail I wasn'texpecting, but didn't pay it too much mind, as the map I had wasa bit out of date. I went a mile further before I realized I washeaded south. Cursing myself, I turned around, doing about 3unnecessary miles before my day had even started. Thingsstarted looking up, though, when the day warmed up, and somegood veiws presented themselves, including the spectacular andwell earned veiw from the top of Albert Mt. On the way down fromAlbert, I stopped in to check out a the brand new Long BranchShelter. It was a bit far off the trail, but was very nice,and had an awdome staircase leading to the upper level. I madeit to Rock Gap Shelter that night, where someone had left sometrail magic of bacon and eggs. Seeing as there were about 10 ofus there, we felt justified in eating all of it, and cooked it upthat night over the fire. Good times.I woke up on 3/21, and promptly did not get out of my sleeping bag. Eventually, my need to urinate became unavoidable, though,so I went outside. It had snowed the night before, and there was 5 inches on the ground, fresh and powdery. And cold. I was down to one Seal Skin sock. Donning nearly all my clothes,and with only a pair of ankle high Darn Toughs and my Chacos, Istarted hiking. I considered trying to wait out the snow, butI had no idea if the snow would melt or get deeper the longer Iwaited. As soon as I stepped in the snow, my socks were soaked through. However, as long as I kept moving, I could keep the skintemperature of my feet just above freezing. I went 14 miles through the snow (luckily, Z, Sparks, and Hoosier, and people who had stayed in more northern shelters had already packed it down a bit), stopping only to urinate and hurriedly break my teeth on frozen food bars, until I got to Cosby Knob Shelter.There was still snow on the ground. It was 5 o'clock. It was 6 miles to Davenport Gap Shelter, about 1500 ft lower. I made the decision to once again be the last one on the trail, so I could get out of that goddamned snow. As the sun was fading, I zombiedon down down down. Eventually, the trail turned from snow toslush, from slush to mud, and from mud to dry trail, and I pulled into the shelter, once again, in the last of twilight.At the shelter, they had a fire roaring, and I met Panch, CarJacker, G, Candy Man, Nickelodeon, and Pack Rat. As I went tosleep that night, I inspected my feet: no frost bite, but a bitof trenchfoot, which is usually a precursor to it. At least I was warm and dry.
Date: 2013-03-13
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: broken clouds

3/13 was my first real early start. We all wanted to get in to Franklin as early as we could, so we woke up at 5. I'd had a coldnight, since when I zipped up my sleeping bag, I'd grabbed thebottom zipper, so I ended up sleeping with an open sleeping bag.I packed up quick and got on the trail. I got to the gap and hitched a ride the 10 miles to Franklin within minutes of getting on the road. I picked up some mail, hit the outfitter, ate 2pizzas, and resupplied on food, then hitched back out to thetrail with a former thru hiker. I got back to the trail around 4,leaving behind everyone else, who were staying in town that night.I hiked up 4 more miles to Siler Bald Shelter. I was thinking ofgoing up to the bald for sunset, or even camping up there, but by the time I got to the shelter, I was so cold that any thought ofgoing to a windy bald was banished. At the shelter, I met the Colorado brothers: Long Spoon and Lazer Death Kill; as wellas Nomad. We stood around the fire as it got colder, and the humidity condensed out of the air, making snow flurries. As Igot in my tent, I realized it was going to be a very cold night,so I jumped out and cranked down every line on my tent, keepingas much wind out as possible. I also made a hot water bottle on the fire. About halfway through the night, I woke up cold anyway,so I did a shot of honey, which warmed me right up.
Date: 2013-03-14
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

3/14 started late, as I was reluctant to leave my tent due to how cold it was. I tried cooking underneath my vestebule for the 1st time and nearly melted it. After packing up, I summited Siler'sbald quick enough, and met Cricket, Yeblaze, and Cricket's dogRosco when I came down from the side trail to the summit. Not too long after, the good time I was making was spoiled asI had my second run-in with Fresh Ground, who was doing his magic just off the trail. While there, I mentioned that I wasdown to 1 pair of socks, and Bison gave me a pair. Apparently,he had gotten a pair in Franklin, but realized later that he hadgotten ankle socks for his boots. On the way up, I happened tolook at my map, and saw an old forest road connecting the trailwith something labeled only "tower." Hoping it was an obscure fire tower I'd not been to yet, I walked the 1/4 mile off trailto check it out. It turned out to be an array of radio towers,which was interesting enough to be worth the walk. I made it toWayah, and spent a few at the tower, but left not too long after,as it was cold, and getting late in the day. I pushed to ColdSpring Shelter that night, stayed with Starsky and Hutch, and Cricket, Yeblaze, and Rosco.
Date: 2013-03-15
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 17.0

3/15 felt good. I woke up, caught the veiw from rocky top, and descended the jump off into the NOC. I'd planned to camp there,but it was so early in the day, and I'd already gotten all my town chores done, so I filled up on water and decided I'd camp somewhere up the mountain. I couldn't do it, though. I couldn'tjust say my day was over any old time. I needed a marker of howfar I'd gone. So I pushed to the first shelter out of the NOC.I got there just as the last of twilight faded. Someone was camped up on the ridge right next to the trail where a side trailled to the shelter. As I approached, they hurriedly got out of their tent to inspect the large animal moving through the woodstowards their tent. Not wanting to startle the shelter as I hadthe tenter, I announced as I entered the shelter "Hey, I'm not abear".I cooked dinner and ate as quick as I could, and quickly fell asleep. I'd done my longest day yet on the trail at 17 miles.My knees hadn't been hurting too bad that day, but I figured I'd better take it easy the next day so they would be rested for the Smokies.
Date: 2013-03-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I got a lazy start on 3/16. I woke up and sat in my sleeping bag as the sun rose a bit higher in the sky. While sitting around,I met G. I also met Heartrock, so named because would pick up heart shaped rocks as he hiked, and leave them at the shelter at the end of the day. This explained the piles of heart shaped rocks I'd been seeing for a while now. He was zeroing that dayat the shelter, as he was waiting to meet up with someone at a gap just a few miles ahead. I made quick time to Cheoah Bald, then back down the mountain. Unfortunately, later that day I ascended Jacob's Ladder. As I stumbled to the top of the mountain after that ordeal, I stopped in at the shelter on top to get some water, where I met Rocky, Tracker, and Goat. I finishedup the day with a few more miles to a shelter that was just 6 miles out from Fontana Dam. I reunited with Dragon, Slapp, Lep, Fly, and Moxie, and there was much rejoicing. Tracker made it there too, as did Starsky and Hutch (who got their names that night), and Woodrow. The night got a little more exciting when Dragon accidentally threw a lighter in the fire, and then when Lepspotted a mouse running around the shelter and slapped it to death.
Date: 2013-03-17
To: Fontana Hilton
Miles today: 0.0

i'm working on a new system of updating this journal, which will hopefully allow me to finally catch up, and also update more frequently. I'm typing up journal entries on the text editor on my phone, then copy pasting to tj when I get internet,instead of waiting until i have a connection to write the entries. This may lead to sloppy formatting, but I'm not too concerned about that.Since I don't currently have a connection, and it has been so long since I've updated that I forgot where I left off, I'll pick up from St. Patrick's Day, and fill in the rest later.On 3/17, I woke fairly early and made a quick 6 miles to the Fontana Hilton. Just before the shelter, I chanced to run in with Megan (whose last name I forget - sorry Megan), whom I had been distant coworkers with last summer. She was thereleading a trip with her college's outdoors club going sobo. When I got in, I found Crow already there, as he had zeroed the day before, as well as the illustrious City Slicker, who had been hiking on the traill continuously since last March. Also there, was a bag of grapes, which were tasty. Itook a hot shower, inventoried my food, gear, and water, andgot all packed up to push on to either the first campsite in the Smokies, or Mollies Ridge Shelter. Just as I was about to leave,however, I was reminded that it was St Patrick's day. So I emptied my pack, hitched a ride to the gas station, and got a 12 of Corona (I'll have to get Guiness for 5/5). I caught a rideback with Curtis of Standing Bear, who was down kenneling Roscoe from Cricket and Tricia. As the day progressed, the shelter drew quite a crowd. Lep, Slapp, Dragon, Moxie, Woodrow, Fly, the Colorado Boys, Firehands, and Cat, as well as several others who escape my memory, made it in that night. The Colarado Boys, Firehands, and Cat had pulled a 20 to get in that night, drawn by the rumors of pizza delivered too the shelter. They were then disappointed when the graffiti on the floor informed them thatthis was not the case. Regardless of the lack of any real town food, I managed to celebrate the holiday, and went to sleep slightly more inebriated than I had been when I woke up.
Date: 2013-03-18
From: Fontana Hilton

To: View Entry
Miles today: 17.0

This morning, I hiked out of the Hilton fairly early. I ran into trouble,however, when it came time to deposit the much bemoaned thru hiking permit to enter the smokies. It wasn't at the visitorcenter where the Companion had said it would be. Several of uswandered around looking for it for a while before a governmentemployee of some sort happened by and told us that the depositbox had been relocated to the trailhead in the park. They could've at least put a sign up.I made it up the 5 miles to the fire tower on the south end of the park. The weather report said rain in the PM, and it looked like the report would be correct. I got to the top of the tower, had a snack, and decided to descend before the storm winds blew the tower off the mountain. I made it to Mollies Ridge before the rain started too much, but I decided to push. I made it 2 sheltersfarther before I was tired and wet enough to call it quits. Theshelter was full of section hikers who'd managed to get a fire going. Starsky and Hutch showed up just after the heaviest downpour of the day finished up. Turned out alright, though, asthe section hikers were all leaving the next day, so we go someextra gorp and oatmeal.
Date: 2013-03-19
To: Mt Collins Shelter
Miles today: 21.0

3/19 started out sunny, but chilly. Starsky and Hutch were planning on doing their 1st 20 that day, and I was considering following them, depending on how I felt when I got to Double Spring Shelter. When I got to Double Spring, the answer was: tired,but not that tired. It was 5 when I got there, and Mt Collins Shelter was just 6 more miles. I decided to go for it. I learnedfrom some sobo section hikers that there was a bit of snow on Clingman's, but nothing to worry about. As I climbed themountain, I agreed with them. A few patches of snow, but nothingtoo bad. As I summited and started hiking down the north sideof the mountain, however, I heartily disagreed. The first real patch of snow I canme to, I chose a place to put my foot, and sank down to my theigh. After that, the path down was pure, continuous ice. It occured to me at this time that I was probably the last one on the trail as the sun was setting. Andthat if I were to slip and bust my head right now, no one wouldfind me until the next morning. In the best case scenario, I would wake up a few hours later very confused and very cold on a very dark mountain. The ice slowed me down a fair bit, andI slid my way into Mt Collins Shelter in the last of twilight.For the second time, I was a large animal coming close to the shelter just as everyone was in their sleeping bags. So I alerted them that I was not a bear, and decided that sometimesyou just have to recognize when your name has come to you.
Date: 2013-03-20
From: Mt Collins Shelter

To: Pecks Corner
Miles today: 15.0

I was quite tired waking up after my 20 mile day. It was also quite cold. So I was the last one out of the shelter as I ate ahot breakfast for once. I was worn out, and I had a day of ridgewalking over the sawblade in a cold wind. I was uncomfortable enough that the great veiws available to me werewasted. I really only stopped at a veiw at charlie's bunion, where the mountain blocked the wind and the rocks were warmed by the sun.The temperature continued to drop as I made my way toPeck's Corner Shelter. I attempted to make a fire in the shelter'sfireplace, but either the wood was too wet,or too cold, or I'm just not that great a firebuilder, but my fire never became more than enough embers to boil a bit of water. I was told later that the temperature probably dropped into the negatives that night, but I only felt a little cold. I spent thenight with Hoosier, Sparks, and Z.
Date: 2013-03-21
From: Pecks Corner

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up on 3/21, and promptly did not get out of my sleeping bag. Eventually, my need to urinate became unavoidable, though,so I went outside. It had snowed the night before, and there was 5 inches on the ground, fresh and powdery. And cold. I was down to one Seal Skin sock. Donning nearly all my clothes,and with only a pair of ankle high Darn Toughs and my Chacos, Istarted hiking. I considered trying to wait out the snow, butI had no idea if the snow would melt or get deeper the longer Iwaited. As soon as I stepped in the snow, my socks were soaked through. However, as long as I kept moving, I could keep the skintemperature of my feet just above freezing. I went 14 miles through the snow (luckily, Z, Sparks, and Hoosier, and people who had stayed in more northern shelters had already packed it down a bit), stopping only to urinate and hurriedly break my teeth on frozen food bars, until I got to Cosby Knob Shelter.There was still snow on the ground. It was 5 o'clock. It was 6 miles to Davenport Gap Shelter, about 1500 ft lower. I made the decision to once again be the last one on the trail, so I could get out of that goddamned snow. As the sun was fading, I zombiedon down down down. Eventually, the trail turned from snow toslush, from slush to mud, and from mud to dry trail, and I pulled into the shelter, once again, in the last of twilight.At the shelter, they had a fire roaring, and I met Panch, CarJacker, G, Candy Man, Nickelodeon, and Pack Rat. As I went tosleep that night, I inspected my feet: no frost bite, but a bitof trenchfoot, which is usually a precursor to it. At least I was warm and dry.
Date: 2013-03-22
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

3/22 had precipitation predicted, so I got out of Davenport Gaparound 10, as usual, hoping to beat it. As I came down the trailto the bridge that crossed the Pidgeon River, I saw Fresh Groundfor the 3rd time, and filled up on hot dogs and other snacks on hand. Just over the river, some more trail magic appeared. I hadknown my father was coming up for the weekend, meeting me by hikingSoBo from Hot Springs to Standing Bear, and I'd asked him tobring me some food. I checked in at Standing Bear, mostly to see if he'd left my socks there. I asked around, and my socks were in the back of the car that he'd driven up and parked there.In addition to the socks, there was also more food than I couldpossibly carry. In addition to my usual stockpile of mountainhouse meals and food bars, there were also 2 grocery bags filledwith junk food. I packed my bag to the brim, then called over the others who were lounging on the hostel porch to come over andtake all they could. With my pack weighing about 70 lbs, I hikedthe 6 or so miles to Groundhog Creek Shelter. On the way, I raninto the local trail club, who were doing maintainence, and whoinformed me that I need not worry about the rain, as it was forcast for the evening, not the afternoon. I made it to theshelter with time to spare, along with Candy Man, G, Pack Rat,Nickalodeon, Panch, and Car Jacker. The fire wood was surprisinglyplentiful, and that night we sat around the fire feasting on brownies, brats, and wine. Everything got serious for just a moment when it started to rain, but the rain soon let up, and weresumed our fire gazing.
Date: 2013-03-23
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 23.3

On 3/23, I did 23 miles, my first real 20+ day. Awaking that morning, we all agreed that, although it was quite foggy, sinceit wasn't freezing and it wasn't precipitating, it was excellentweather. I crossed snowbird mt, which had some good veiws, andMax Patch, which was coverd in fog, and reached Roaring Fork Shelter. I have fond memories of Roaring Fork, where I'd neroedonce on a scout trip, and spent a day throwing knives at a watermelon and making a makeshift bow and arrow. The shelter provided more memories, as my father and his friends were set up there, doing a bit of their own trail magic. They'd packed in about 2 liters of hard liqor, including about a tenth of some very strong absinthe. After a nice reunion, where my fatheronce again added to my load by feeding me lunch instead of lettingme eat the food I was carrying, I left the shelter quite inebriated, and flew down the trail for the first time in a longtime. All my knee pain was gone, and I was cranking 3 miles perhour until lemon gap. I managed to make the magic last to the top of the mountain after, but by the time I topped out, I hadsobered up, and I managed to slip and hobble the remaining milesto the shelter just before Hot Springs, where I set up my tent(I was the last one there, full shelter) and collapsed to sleep.
Date: 2013-03-24
To: Elmer's
Miles today: 0.0

On 3/24 we all neroed into Hot Springs. We got breakfast at theSmokey Mt Diner, and I got a breakfast skillet, as is tradition.I then checked in at Elmer's T my father's reccomendtion. I spentthe day doing laundry, updating my trail journal for the 1st timesince I started, and drinking and entire gallon of whole milk.My father and his friends came by later, and we had dinner at theIron Horse Station. I stumbled back into the hostel, drunk on calories, and sat on my bed. I inventoried my food, and found I had enough to make it to Erwin. I then made possibly the worst decision of my hike: I decided to take onelast draght of milk before I went to sleep. It filledmy stomach to the absolute brim.I had to wait the longest 15 mkinutes of my life before enough fooddigested before I could lay down without vomiting of not beingable to breathe. Did I also mention that this was the most tired I'd ever felt in my life?
Date: 2013-03-25
From: Elmer's

To: View Entry
Miles today: 20.0

On 3/25, 6 inches of snow was predicted for Hot Springs, and 6 inches the next day. Being from Florida, I couldn't reallyconceptualize what 1 foot of snow meant. For clarity: it meant a lot of goddamned snow. I left Elmer's at my usual 10 o'clock, and hiked up to the 1st shelter. Car Jacker, Pack Rat, Pack Rat'sfather, Nickalodeon, and Roadrunner were already settled in,and attempting to make a fire. As tempting as the prospect of firewas, I decided to push a 20 to the next shelter out. The snow gotdeeper as I got higher, and the wind, colder. I was running outof steam as I reached the shelter. I had had a fire every night on the trail thus far, excepting mt. collins, and I could only imagine that on such a cold night, the people arriving before me would already have a fire roarong when I got there.Much to my dismay, when I got there I found none else but no one. Absolutelyno one. Not even footprints in the snow or an abandoned piece ofgear. And what a night for my first night alone. Cold as all get-out,and a dusting of snow on the shelter deck. Unnerved for a second,I decided I'd just have to make the best of it. I laid my gearall the way on the back wall of the shelter, and strung up my tentin the rafters as a block for the wind and snow. Unfortunately,I had been naive enough to forgo drying out my tent and sleeping bag at Elmars from the rain on the night of the 23rd. As I got in my bag, I realized it was a bit damp, not good news for a downbag. As I sat all alone in my bag cooking dinner, every once in a while, I'd notice the snow flakes creeping in through the gaps between the walls and the ceiling. I tried plugging them with rocks,my rain gear, and anything else on hand, but I couldn't stop noticing the steady trickle of precipitation coming in, despitemy best efforts. In exsasperated desperation, I decided to set mystill damp tent up inside the shelter, using some rocks I stole from the fire $it to hold it up. It would offer me bothadditional convection protection, and stop the increasing wetnesssof my sleeping bag, as long as I didn't touch the sides. I left?y food out that night in case I needed a boost mid-sleep, made ahot water bottle, and hoped all the other animals had decided it was too cold to come out and eat my food.