morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-04-15
From: Springer Mountain

To: hawk mountain shelter
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: clear sky

A successful start to my AT Thru-Hike at Springer Mountain, meeting great people, enjoying beautiful weather, and seeing lovely scenery. I began the day in a state of panic,fearing I wouldn't fit everything Into my backpack. I sent home a silk sleeping bag liner and a few other things because they were too bulky. I thought I lost my cash and credit cards at the Hostel until I discovered I had already put them in my secret place. Then I settled down. On the drive to Springer Mountain I learned a good bit about how the Appalachian Trail Conservancy   is coping with the increasing popularity of the trail. Josh, the Former owner of Hiker Hostel,is on the ATC board of directors. It felt good to hike off the nervous energy. On the trail Adam my hiking partner today found a salamander giving birth. I video taped it for FB. I stopped by a pretty stream for brunch- my dehydrated polenta and scrambled eggs with red pepper salsa a day cheddar cheese. Very tasty!Kept the hike short today with 10 miles, finishing at Hawk Mountain Shelter about 3:00. While preparing my dinner of dehydrated shrimp etc a "thru hiker" told me he was planning to start with a 72 pound pack. fortunately a park ranger reduced it to 32 pounds once he confiscated two machetes and advised leaving behind, among other things, three knives and ten pounds of marbles to kill squirrels with his sling shot. The hiker admitted he much preferred raccoon. I plan an early start tomorrow to put in longer miles.
Date: 2017-04-16
From: hawk mountain shelter

To: Ram Rock Mountain
Miles today: 11.5

Hiking today was more of a challenge than yesterday because I didn't get much sleep. It takes me a while to become accustomed to sleeping in a hammock. Of course the scenery was beautiful. I continued hiking with the hikers I started with on Day 1, Adam and Rebecca. As is typical on the trail, we didn't always hike together but would meet up for lunch and at camp in the evening. It's comforting to have co-hikers who look out for each other, share the experiences, and plan out each day. There is no guarantee that we will stick together due to differing hiking paces, goals, or possibly injuries. Hopefully we stick together.
Date: 2017-04-17
From: Ram Rock Mountain

To: Neel Gap
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a beautiful day for hiking. It was sunny to partly cloud, but a cool breeze. The sunrise was sweet. And hiking up Blood mountain was easier than expected. Upon arriving at Mountain Crossing, Neel Gap, thru-hikers were treated to "trail magic." I crossed the gateway from my pescitarian diet and ate two sausage burritos and washed it down with two Coca Colas. The bearers of such treats were a 2014 thru-hiker and his parents who traveled some distance from out of state. A few hours later, Oak Hill Baptist Church, Griffin, GA, had a contingent, including Shelly, serve up vegetarian and meat lasagne, French bread, dessert, and tea to the thru-hikers. There generosity was amazing, given that they drove nearly three hours to get here. And they are going to do it again at Unicoi Gap. The generosity and support of people associated with the Appalachian Trail will restore anyone's faith in humanity.
Date: 2017-04-18
From: Neel Gap

To: Poplar Stamp Gap
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: fog

Started the day with fog and heavy mist. Yet the cool breeze made hiking very comfortable. Stopped on top of a mountain for brunch and couldn't get my alcohol stove to light in the strong wind. I'll choose a more protected place next time. Stopped for the night at Poplar Stamp Gap which had a beautiful stream nearby, allowing me to do my laundry, top off my water supply, and put water in my "kitchen sink" to soak my feet. Adam, with all of his backcountry skills, built a nice campfire in no time. Rebekah kept the conversation flowing. And Kevin "White Squirrel" has joined us to complete his section to Dick's Creek Gap.
Date: 2017-04-19
From: Poplar Stamp Gap

To: Cheese Factory Site
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Had a good day hiking. The day started again with fog and misty rain, but burned off later. Although I left camp 45 minutes after Adam, Rebekah and Kevin, I nearly caught up because of the promise of trail Magic at Unicoi Gap. Oak Hill Baptist Church, Griffin, GA, provided the trail Magic, this time with grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, etc. they were an awesome group. We ended the day at Cheese Factory Site, a lovely campsite once occupying a cheese factory in the 1860's.
Date: 2017-04-20
From: Cheese Factory Site

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 12.5

Had a full day of hiking 12.5 miles to Dick's Creek Gap with steady rain for several hours. As usual, I was the last to leave camp in the morning,so I had catching up to do I order to get to the Top of Georgia Hostel by3. We planned to shower and change before taking the hostel shuttle into Hiawassee for supplies and dinner. I was afraid I might not meet the others ahead of me in time so I jogged the last 2+ miles downhill. When I Reached the road I stuck my thumb out and immediately got a ride to the hostel, passing Adam, Rebekah and White Squirrel along the way. They were incredulous seeing me sitting in the lobby when they arrived.
Date: 2017-04-21
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Whiteoak Stamp
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: scattered clouds

While at Top of Georgia Hostel I met Little Red Caboose from Baltimore, MD. She was SOBO (southbound), having started her thru-hike in June 2016 at Mt. Katahdin and stopping at Damascus, VA, for the winter and then resuming in March. She said she had extensively researched her gear selections before beginning and had chosen the Warbonnet Blackbird hammock and Hammock Gear Cuban fiber tarp-- the same gear I chose for my hike. She was very satisfied with their performance. Before starting the day, Bob, proprietor of Top of Georgia Hostel, gave a presentation on successfully completing an AT thru-hike, based on his experience as a Triple Crowner (thru-hiking the AT, PCT, and CDT). We said goodbye to Kevin and welcomed J¶rk into the group.Throughout the day, we generally gained elevation while entering the Southern Nantahala Wilderness in the Nantahala National Forest. We were elated when passing our first state line from Georgia to North Carolina. We felt like we were actually making progress. We ended the day at Whiteoak Stamp.
Date: 2017-04-22
From: Whiteoak Stamp

To: Betty Creek Gap
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: few clouds

For these last two days we have been hiking through forests damaged by forest fires. Because the forests are in the Southern Nantahala Wilderness, no effort apparently was made to fight the fires. Most of the rhododendron groves will likely die off, along with many of the trees which were burned through the cambium layer. We continued to climb in elevation to about 5,500 feet and noticed the temperatures dropping and the wind picking up. At times the sun came out and provided some warmth. We eventually stopped at Betty Creek Gap. That evening at 7:30 p.m., a woman named Stretch rolled in, still full of energy, even though having hiked 28 miles for 12 hours that day. We learned that she had previously hiked the PCT and CDT and was working on achieving the status of becoming a Triple Crowner (thru-hiking the AT, PCT, and CDT). Our conversation was interrupted by an approaching storm which delivered heavy rain throughout the night. Fortunately the hammock and contents stayed dry.
Date: 2017-04-23
From: Betty Creek Gap

To: Moore Creek campsite
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

After waking in the morning, Rebekah found her tent submerged in a huge puddle of rain water. Surprisingly, her sleeping bag remained dry. Adam and J¶rk also had wet tents and J¶rk announced that he was a little bit dry. Discussions then ensued about going to the nearest town,Franklin, to check into a motel and dry out all their gear and belongings. Because my gear and belongings were relatively dry and I didn't need anything from town, I chose to continue hiking North in the rain, while Adam, Rebekah and J¶rk caught a shuttle at Rock Gap after saying goodbye, not knowing if we would ever see each other again. It was a sad farewell since we had formed a close bond as a group. We hoped we would see each other again along the trail. While hiking, I passed the 100 Mile marker. Now I only need to repeat that distance 21 more times. The rain continued most of the day, turning the trail at times into flowing streams or completely submerged. As luck would have it, the rain fell harder upon reaching my destination, Moore Creek campsite, and made a challenge in keeping mud from splattering on everything. Fortunately my waterproof socks kept my feet dry while wearing trail runner shoes throughout the day. All in all, I feel pretty fortunate that the hike of 13 miles went well despite the rain. I could have gone further to Siler Bald Shelter but the rain and cold wind at the higher elevation would have made for a miserable night.
Date: 2017-04-24
From: Moore Creek campsite

To: Big Branch campsite
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I arrived the night before at Moore Creek campsite in a heavy downpour. Fortunately I stayed relatively dry. It's a simple fact that you will get wet and dirty backpacking and learning to accept the wet and dirt makes life on the trail easier. I never saw the hiker in my neighboring tent from the time I arrived in the late afternoon until I left the following morning even though we spoke briefly through his tent wall. I suspect he was resisting the rain. By midday the skies began to clear and even show some sunshine. So I took the opportunity to spread out my clothing and gear in the sun at Wayah Bald outlook to get rid of some of the dampness. I really felt like a homeless person with all my worldly possessions layed out while tourist, including a school group, walked by. I continued hiking until 6 p.m., racing to Big Branch campsite to beat the rain because the skies were looking ominous. I also wanted to put in more mileage so I could arrive earlier the next day at Nantahala Outdoor Center, 10 miles distant. At Big Branch campsite, I met up with a group of young men and women I had previously seen on the second day when I had given them food because they had lost some of their food. I was surprised to see them at the campsite since I hadn't seen them in the interim. They explained that they took one of the women to a doctor to treat a sprained ankle and had then jumped ahead on the trail, skipping a big portion so they could meet their objective of hiking to Damascus for the Trail Days Festival. I rather doubt they will make it unless they jump ahead again. It goes to show that we all hike our own hike in the way that suits our own goals and objectives.
Date: 2017-04-25
From: Big Branch campsite

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: light rain

Departed Big Branch Campsite at 8 am and hustled to Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) 10 miles distant, arriving shortly after noon. I procured a private room at a cabin with laundry facilities so I could thoroughly clean and dry everything. But first I had lunch at River's End Restaurant, eating a one pound cheeseburger and two Sierra Nevada IPAs. I'm consciously trying to maintain high protein and carbohydrate intake to avoid loss of weight and muscle. I then made a visit to NOC Outfitters to buy a replacement pair of Superfeet insoles and denatured alcohol for my camp stove. I also picked up my Dropbox of resupplies. To my surprise I saw Adam, Rebekah and J¶rk arrive about 5:30 as I was headed back to the general store to buy a new toothbrush. I had inadvertently thrown out my old toothbrush with my trash since I had stowed it in my odor proof bag to deter bears. J¶rk shared his beautiful photos taken at Wesser Bald. When I passed through in the morning, it was still socked in with heavy fog, so there was nothing to see. But later in the day, when J¶rk passed through, the sky had cleared beautifully. His photo showed on the horizon the Great Smoky Mountains, our next major destination.
Date: 2017-04-26
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Stealth camp north of Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

I met up with Adam, Rebekah and J¶rk at the Nantahala Outdoor Center so Adam could buy some trekking poles at the outfitter. Up to now, Adam had been hiking with a walking staff he had carved. Adam has quite a talent for carving, having carved a spoon for Rebekah to replace her lost spoon and having carved wedding rings from antler and walnut for his former fianc© and himself. The day quickly warmed up to 86 degrees as we climbed more than 4,000 feet in elevation. The blue skies were welcome, as were the occasional cool breezes on the mountain tops, including Sassafras Mountain. Walking in the shade of the rhododendron groves also provided some relief from the heat. We took a longer than usual lunch at Sassafras Gap, enjoying the lively and colorful conversations. After such a tough climb, none of us were in any hurry to resume climbing more elevation. After topping off with water from the spring, we set off for more grueling work. We finally made it to Stecoah Gap about 6 pm and flopped down at a picnic table near the highway pullout. I tried to manifest a man driving up with an ice chest full of cold beer for us. The man did ultimately arrive, but apologized that he only had enough beer for his hiking friends he intended to meet there. Hikers Emily and her boyfriend "Willie Nelson" whom I'd seen over the last few days decided to hitch a ride to Stecoah Diner. Meanwhile Adam unsuccessfully tried ordering pizza for delivery to Stecoah Gap while Rebekah was exhausted to the point of incomprehension. Nobody seemed willing to do or decide anything, yet it was now 7 pm, with sunset only a hour away. So J¶rk and I pressed on, hiking another mile to stealth camp. Lite Weight from Alberta Province, Canada, who we met at Stecoah Gap, arrived shortly thereafter. By the time we finished setting up hammocks and a tent, Adam and Rebekah arrived with two large pizzas, one vegetarian and one a meat extravaganza. Adam explained that the owner of a new hostel that hadn't got listed in the AT Guidebook offered them a ride to and from a nearby pizzeria. We gorged ourselves on pizza and trail food and promptly went to bed.
Date: 2017-04-27
From: Stealth camp north of Stecoah Gap

To: Fontana Village Lodge, Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Another day of rain with scattered thunder storms. I had to pack up in the rain, but am able to keep everything pretty dry under the tarp as it goes into the backpack in a dry compactor bag. The tarp is the last item to disassemble and then goes in an outside pocket of the backpack. Once on the trail, the rain made it increasingly sloppy and slippery. Because of the steepness of the trail coming into Fontana, I had numerous slips and slides but fell only once, face first into the brush. I was surprised it hadn't happened sooner. While hiking during the day I met two women and a man hiking in the opposite direction and greeted them as SOBOs. The immediately asserted that they were NOBOs heading north, in the opposite direction from me. I thenCursed myself, thinking I had screwed up. However, after talking with them, I became more confident I was heading in the correct direction. I ran into them again later in the day at a shelter where they admitted they were in error. I finally arrived at Fontana a little after 12 p.m., lagging behind Adam, Rebekah and J¶rk, who were waiting for the shuttle to Fontana Village Lodge where we were sharing a room, with J¶rk being my bedmate. It was quite a change of circumstances to have a comfortable four poster bed.The skies ultimately cleared to beautiful vistas of the Smokies, so we spread our gear and clothing out in the sun to dry out once again. We meet up with Emily and "Willie Nelson" at the grill for a lively dinner.
Date: 2017-04-28
From: Fontana Village Lodge, Fontana Dam, NC

To: Fontana Village Lodge, Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today at Fontana Village is a Zero, a day of rest after hiking for two weeks straight. The last two days were particularly demanding to the point of exhaustion. We rose late and had a buffet breakfast at the Fontana Village restaurant before catching a shuttle to Robbinsville for shopping. I bought a new USB charger and a knee brace for my right knee which was wrenched in the previous day's fall. I then bought fresh vegetables, fruit and red wine for dinner before returning to Fontana Village. Yet I never had time for a nap that afternoon.  Our shuttle driver Phil and his wife have been renting cabins to tourists and hikers for about 14 years, having moved here from Florida. They're ready to sell their business and resume his deep sea charter fishing business in the Gulf of Mexico off of Florida. One point of interest from our conversation during the drive was that Phil is a life-long Republican, yet couldn't vote for Trump and is anxious for Trump's departure. I told Phil my hope is that by the time I finish my hike in mid-September, Trump will be out of office. Is that wishful thinking? If you like the great outdoors and the treasures of our national parks and forests, you might want to visit them soon. There is no telling what Trump will do with them.
Date: 2017-04-29
From: Fontana Village Lodge, Fontana Dam, NC

To: Birch Spring Gap campsite
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I left Fontana Village hiking at a slower pace because of my right knee and because I was carrying all the ingredients for a picnic in a bag strapped to my chest. After crossing Fontana Dam I settled into a picnic table savoring the view overlooking Fontana Dam. Adam, Rebekah and J¶rk weren't interested in eating and continued hiking. Nevertheless, Tin Man, Fancy Pants, Clementine, and Low Key soon joined me and I was happy to share in the picnic which would have gone into the trash otherwise. Continuing on, progress was still slow because of my knee. I came to a complete standstill though once I learned from another hiker that a mother bear and cubs were very close to the trail. On further inspection I saw two cubs 75 feet up a tree right next to the trail and the mother bear hovering nearby. More hikers came along, assessed the situation and decided I should lead the group, blowing my bear whistle loudly to drive the bears away. We progressed some distance, making a big ruckus, but retreated when the mother bear stood in an offensive position. We retraced our steps around a bend in the trail out of sight to the bears. One couple asked me to call the park'sranger "bear expert" for advice because they saw I had an iPhone as I was documenting the events. The expert told me we needed to wait one to two hours for the bears to disperse or we needed to return to our morning's point of origin. The later option was unacceptable so we waited for an hour further back on the trail, with more and more hikers adding to the road block. After some time a hiker volunteered to scout the situation and determined that the cubs and mother bear had all climbed other trees a little more distant from the trail. So we decided to move en masse along the trail in the hope the bears would scatter. We proceeded with some hesitation, while one hiker drew a handgun (illegal and ill-advised in national parks) from his backpack. Initially it was uncertain whether the mother bear was moving toward us, but we pressed on nonetheless, anxious to get on with our hiking. Some of the hikers tried to take photos of the bears while rushing and stumbling forward. The bear and cubs ultimately climbed further up the mountain away from the trail and reduced the risk of an encounter. Due to the bear road block delays, which lasted more than two hours, I knew I couldn't catch up with Adam, Rebekah and J¶rk, so I decided to stay at the next available campsite because it was already past sunset and hiking at night in the Smokies is risky, due to the prevalence of bears roaming at night.
Date: 2017-04-30
From: Birch Spring Gap campsite

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: broken clouds

When I started the day, I was still about 6 miles behind Adam, Rebekah and J¶rk and didn't think it likely I could catch-up with them. J¶rk had sent me a text advising that they intended to stay at Siler Bald Shelter. To hike that far would be 23 miles, which was out of the question. So I resolved to hike to Derrick Knob Shelter. Based on my AT Trail Guidebook, I crossed from North Carolina to Tennessee at Mile 173.9.Toward the end of the day, the trail came to open balds, including Rocky Top and Thunderhead Mountain, with panoramic views. Since it was Sunday, some day hikers were on the trail too. Before sunset I was glad to see "Willie Nelson" and Emily pass me as they were headed to the same destination, Derrick Knob Shelter. I arrived about 9 pm as hikers were heading to bed. I set up camp fairly quickly and downed a tortilla and peanut butter to give me some heat for the night, as the wind was blowing hard and the temperature dropping. I didn't bother to gather drinking water because I didn't want to disturb the sleeping hikers. I put my backpack and bear bag on a bear cable and went to bed.
Date: 2017-05-02
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Newfound Gap/Gatlinburg
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

I started the day early knowing I would eventually be trailing behind Adam, Rebekah and J¶rk, due to my tender knee. I set off at 7 am, while J¶rk later informed me that he left at 8 and Adam and Rebekah not long afterwards. J¶rk caught up with me shortly before Clingman's Dome. The hike was interesting because of the changing vegetation at higher elevations. Hemlock and firs became the predominate trees toward Clingman's Dome. Of course, the temperature dropped and the wind became much stronger.  Once I reached Clingman's Dome, the highest elevation on the AT at 6,643 feet, I ascended the observation tower.         To my surprise the nearly 200 Feet height of the tower is officially counted in the dome's total elevation (at least according to a local). The views from the tower were interesting, but not spectacular, like in Western Mountains. Because the Appalachians are the oldest mountains in the world, they are remnants of their former majesty once towering the heights of the Himalayans.  On the descent to lower elevations, the forests looked more like rain forests with moss and ferns covering everything. When I walked off of the trail into the forest, the ground was a thick mat of spongy decomposing vegetation. Once I reached Newfound Gap, Adam, Rebekah and J¶rk were already gone so I hitched a ride to Gatlinburg with Emily, "Willie Nelson," and three other hikers I knew in the back of a pickup truck. The driver was very gracious, hailing from New Orleans, LA, and said he wanted to pay forward the favor. Upon arriving at the NOC Outfitter to pick up my drop box mailed by my life partner and Trail boss Lynda, I checked into Travelodge Motel, hand washed my laundry, and cleaned my gear. Through a phone conversation and texts with J¶rk, I determined that they had other plans and I was happy to move on. What were once plutonic relations among the group appeared to be changing, with one member becoming an "item," as it's said on the Survivor TV series. Once that happens the whole dynamic of the group changes, in my opinion, for the worse. Therefore, I said goodbye to J¶rk, whom I hold in high esteem. I had dinner at a local restaurant and literally stuffed myself. After making it back to the room, I resolved to eat out less often.