morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-03-01
From: springer mountain,GA

To: Neels Gap, GA
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

03/01/2005, Hello journal readers. This is Crystal reporting in for Marvin. Marvin's sister & I dropped him off at the top of the mountain on Sunday, Feb 27 to begin the AT. It was an exciting moment although cold & windy. Temp was 37 F. He was planning on hiking for 4 days & 3 nights before reaching a town for real food & to use a phone to call home. He would have hiked about 8 miles the first day to Hawk Mountain Shelter, 7 miles the second day to Gooch Mountain Shelter, 12 miles on the 3rd day to Woods Hole Shelter, & finally on the 4th day, a 4 mile hike into Neels Gap where there is a store, food, phone, & a hostel to sleep in for the night. By the way, for all who don't know, shelters are on the AT about every 7 to 12 miles all the way to Maine. They are usually 3 sided structures & are big enough for around 15 or so people to cram into for a nights rest. In rainy or snowy weather, it is nice to know that they are there for protection from the elements. Unfortunatley, mice have discovered some of the shelters as a food source & can be a bit of a nusiance. When the weather is fair, I'm sure Marvin will opt for pitching his tent instead.So today being his 3rd day out I was suprised to hear from him. He called from Neels Gap. He made it there a day early, but as I discovered, this was by no choice of his own. Mother nature decided for him. He woke up early this morning in the crowded shelter after a fitful night of sleeping (can you imagine being crammed in with too many people like sardines?) He & another hiker began walking at 6am. It started snowing at 7am. After a while they could barely see the trail. The wind was blowing & it continued to snow harder. Marvin & the other hiker decided to stay together to navigate the trail & also figured that it would be best to hike the extra miles all the way to Neels gap so they could have a real bed & shelter from the snow storm. They hiked 15 miles in the snow.(sounds like one of my grandmothers stories about walking to school) Luckily they made it. Marvin called at around 7 pm tonight. He sounded very exausted & was getting ready to go to bed. It was still snowing at that time. He will stay at Neels Gap to rest up all day tomorrow & get started again on Thurs. morning. There is internet access there so he can check out this site & his guest book entries. Marvin also reported that it rained all night on Sun,and all day & night on Monday. Then the snow storm today! March sure is coming in like a lion in Georgia. I think if he makes it through this month he can do the whole trail. Springtime will be like a cake walk to him.   We will keep you posted.   crystal
Date: 2005-03-05
To: dicks creek gap
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Hello again. This is Crystal reporting in for Train. Well, he has made it thru the first week! Today he made it to Dick's Creek Gap on the 66.6 mile post. Marvin was able to slack pack today (hiked with only a day pack) so he was able to cover 16 miles. He stayed at a hotel last night in Hiawassee, GA. The owner shuttled Marvin to the trail early this morning & picked him back up this afternoon 16 miles later & took him back to the hotel. THe next town will be about 4 or 5 days away in Franklin, NC. He will probably cross the NC state line tomorrow. I'll be getting his journal tapes soon so you can get more detailed information then.
Date: 2005-03-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 6.0

Wow the Train is really clicking up the tracks now! I heard from Marvin this afternoon & he has made it to Franklin, NC. Sunday was a big day of hiking. Train said it was very nice weather & he and his hiking companions (Doc Holiday, OPa, & Bailey) were able to clock in 16.5 miles. They crossed the NC state border which Marvin said was very cool. They stayed in the Standing Indian Shelter. (I don't know if the Indian was standing, but I sure would have a hard time of it after that long of a hike with 40+ lbs on my back. whew!) After a night of rest they all got up & got back on the trail. They knew bad weather was coming their way so they got another long day of hiking in;14 miles. They stopped at Big Spring shelter for the night. It rained heavily all night. Marvin was again able to sleep in the shelter so he has not gotten to see how waterproof his tent acually is yet. When they woke up this morning it was snowing. The snow slowed the pace down, so only 6 miles were hiked today. They all four made it out to the road & got a ride into Frankilin, NC. When I talked to Marvin earlier, he had gotten a cheap hotel room & was headed out to a Mexican Restaurant. I'll bet Marvin never thought that he would be eating guacamole while hiking the AT. I guess he'll never know what to expect next... crystal,train spotter
Date: 2005-03-09
To: View Entry
Miles today: 10.8

Well today was another slack packing day for the Train. He was able to get a lift from the owner of the Haven Motel back to the trail. Train & his friends hiked 10.8 miles without their packs today. It was a good thing to be packless because most of the hiking was uphill. They had over 1300 ft of climbing. At the end of the climb, the owner of the motel, Ronnie, came back to pick Train up at a road crossing. OPa, Doc Holiday & Bayley picked up their packs & kept hiking in search of the next shelter or tent site on the trail. Train is staying at the motel for one more night. Yes, you could say the Train is living in luxury these days. He even got to go on a limo ride this afternoon. Ronnie also owns a limo service and had an appointment for a birthday. He picked up a kid & his friend from school along with the boy's mom & grandmom & took them all to a fast food restaurant for the boy's birthday. Marvin somehow got invited to ride. Ok , what's next Train?signing off...crystal
Date: 2005-03-10
To: Burningtown Gap
Miles today: 6.9

Today Train hiked 6.9 miles to Burning Town Gap. At this point there is a guy who has a very large dome tent set up for thru hikers. He has a stove, a heater, and lots of food. Everything is free. This man does this trail magic every year for about two or three weeks. He enjoys helping out the early hikers on the trail. Of course the Train pulled into the station here for the night. He ate many hot dogs & had fresh cinnamin buns the next morning morning.
Date: 2005-03-11
From: Burningtown Gap

To: US 19 Wesser, NC
Miles today: 12.6

Train hiked 12.6 miles today in some rain & snow. He ended up in Wesser, NC on US 19. This is where Nantahala Outdoor Center is located. There are showers, hotel rooms, bunkrooms, and a restaurant or two. Train got a bed in a bunkroom for $15. The next stop in a few days should be Fontana Dam & the begining of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
Date: 2005-03-12
From: US 19 Wesser, NC

To: Sassafras Gap Shleter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Hello again to all of the Train followers out there. I spoke with Train & he said that he is still greatly enjoying his hike & looks forward to getting to a place with internet access so he can read all of your guest books entries. Saturday was a beautiful day for hiking. It was so nice that he was able to walk in only shorts & a T-shirt. Also the mountain views were excellent with good visabilty.(he is sending pictures soon) Train has been hiking with "Not Yet"(trail name) from Birmingham, Alabama. They climbed about 3500 ft today. They ended up at Sassafras Gap Shelter. Train said it was an especially good night in the shelter because they got to have a campfire. This is the first time for this because on previous shelter nights the weather has been to wet to get a fire going. Also it was a good sleeping night because they were the only two in the shelter & there was an absemce of late night talking & snoring. (Well, Train may have sawed a log or two, but I guess he wouldn't have noticed)
Date: 2005-03-13
From: Sassafras Gap Shleter

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: clear sky

Suday 03/13/2005. Today was another gorgeous day of hiking similar to Saturday. (shorts & t-shirt weather, views, & another campfire at night) Train is still hiking with Not Yet & since he is familiar with the terrain, he pointed out the mountains in the distance that make up the Smokies. They should be there in a couple of days. The word on the trail is that Train & Not Yet are about a day or two in front of a large crowd of thru hikers. Train is trying to keep up the pace in order to enjoy the solitude that the AT offers. They both hiked 15.2 miles today and slept in the Cable Gap Shelter.
Date: 2005-03-14
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Monday, 03/14/2005. Train woke a very thick fog cover today, but it burned off & the sun eventually came out. Train & Not Yet hiked 6.2 miles into Fontana Dam. They will stay there for the night, shower, have a good meal & re-stock their food bags for the trek through the Smoky Mountains. Train says he is getting very tired of his freeze dried foods. He is picking up some cooking tips form fellow hikers. He is now trying to diversify his meals. He is going to start eating flour tortillas stuffed with pepperonis, cheeze & salsa for lunch. And for dinner there is creamy Lipton Noodles with added chicken from a pouch. Also Pink Salmon on crackers will make a good snack. He is also finding that bagels hold up well & are very filling. I'm sure he will get sick of these foods as well & have to change up again. But for now, I guess I'll hold on to all of this Mountain House freeze dried spaghetti, lasagna, & beef stew that I was planning on mailing to him.Train has run into lots of college students that are on Spring Break hiking & was very impressed with some of them that were doing volunteer maintenance on the trail. Students from Warren WIlson College in Asheville were doing a lot of hard work. Train wants to say thanks to all of the volunteers all along the AT who go out and spend hours working to make the trail what it is today. Now, on to the the Smoky Mountains!!!!!!!
Date: 2005-03-15
From: Fontana Dam

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: clear sky

Train is hiking in the Smokies right now. He's got about 70 miles to go before he makes it to the next town. Waiting to hear from him then.Attached is a pictue of the dome tent he stayed in on March 10. Also check out the photo gallery. Just added more pics.Hello every one. This is Train checking in. Today,Tuesday march 15th I started hiking from Fontana Dam NC which is a very cool place. It is the largest dam on the East coast. I would like to come back here with Crystal sometime. At this time of year,Fontana Dam is still closed for the season. Today was pretty much a steady trudge uphill, straight up in to the Smokies. I'm hiking with "Not Yet". It was a cloudy day with no views because visibility was bad. We hiked 11.3 miles today & slept at Mollies Ridge Shelter. We saw no other people on the trail. Temps in the 40's in daytime & 20's at night. I'm glad I have a thick, warm sleeping bag. It is worth the extra weight.
Date: 2005-03-16
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light snow

Wed, March 16. Woke up today to a thick fog. Hiked in this fog all day long & again no views & we encountered no one else on the trail. Also, there was right much snow on the ground from the previous snow storm. It was pretty easy to hike in though, because it had been packed down from other hikers before me. We are now on the Tennessee border. The trail divides Tennessee & North Carolina. (Left foot in TN & right foot in NC.) We walked for 11.7 miles & stayed for the night in Derrick Knob Shelter. Temperatures were same as yesterday. Very cold at night!
Date: 2005-03-17
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: snow

Thurs. March 17.   Today was what we hikers call a nero day. (It wasn't a zero miles day of hiking but close to it.) I only hiked 7.2 miles. Last night & this morning produced about 3 inches of fresh snow. Hiked all day in snow/sleet mix. I could haved walked on a few more miles but wanted to stop because Clingman's Dome is close & I want to hike to the top of it on a clear day for the views. Happy ST. Paddy's Day. No green beer for me.
Date: 2005-03-18
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Fri March 18. Today was a great day. Not Yet & I got an early start at 730am. Clear day. Came upon Clingman's Dome. Not Yet got off the trail here to stay with friends for the weekend. Clingman's Dome is at elevation 6640 ft. I walked up to the observation deck for a look. It was outstanding. I am glad I waited until this clear day to see the sight. The trees look like Christmas trees at this elevation (spruces & firs?), plus they were covered in snow. Crystal & I have been here before in the Fall & it was packed with people. But, at this hour in the morning, I had the whole place to myself. Also, the road leading up there was closed off because of the snow. Took lots of pictures. Hope they turn out ok. I hiked through Newfoundland Gap & there were tons of tourists with tons of questions for this strange person I must seem to be. I happily answered them, took a break, used the facilities that were there, & got back on the trail. After 13.8 miles of hiking today, I made it to Icewater Spring Shelter. It was a nice one that had just been remodeled & it had a fireplace. I was the only thru-hiker in the shelter. There were 9 students on Spring break (5 from Alabama & 4 form Ohio). Unfortunatley, no one was able to start a fire because of the wet wood. Better luck next time.
Date: 2005-03-19
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Sat March 19. Woke this morning to another beautiful clear day only to find out that my boots & socks were frozen solid. I finally wedged them onto my feet & got off to another day of hiking. Today there were lots of nice views. I forgot to mention in yesterday's journal that I strapped on my in-step cleats & they really worked well in the snow & ice. They probably saved me from falling more than a few times. I will have to remember to thank the owner of the outfitter in Harpers Ferry ,WV (when I get there) for recommending them. I slept in the Tri-Corner Knob shelter. Again, I was the only thru-hiker in the shelter. Tom & Jack from Ohio made a nice fire in the fireplace while I warmed up in my sleeping bag. I finally got my boots dried out by the fire, however, a pair of socks were burned. Crystal will have to send me more. Also in the shelter were a father & son, Floyd & Ben from Ohio. And there were the 4 crazy college guys from Wisconsin who arrived at the shelter at 9pm after a 17 hr drive then a 18 mile hike. whew.
Date: 2005-03-20
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Green Corner Road
Miles today: 18.1

Sunday, March 20. I left the Tri-County Shelter this morning at 730 am. Everyone else was still asleep. Hiked 18.1 miles, mostly downhill, out of the Smokies to Green Corner Gap. It was a nice day with temps up in the 50's. Lots of dayhikers on the trail today. I am staying at Standing Bear Farm Bunkhouse/Shelter. I caught up with a friend, Paladin. Also met Hippie Long Stocking & Stump Bumper. I washed my clothes, had a much needed shower, & had a Digorno Pizza for dinner. Good night.
Date: 2005-03-21
From: Green Corner Road

To: Ground Hog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: broken clouds

Today is Monday March 21. I'm headed towards Hot Springs. NC. Should be there by Wednesday. Crystal will be meeting me sometime on Friday!Hello again. It is now Monday night & I can fill you in on my day's events. I Left Standing Bear Hostel at 1130am. It was a pretty big climb for the first 2 hours. I chatted with a couple (Chris & Lindsay) for a while who were on the side of the trial doing some foot maintenance. They are out here doing a 33 mile trek to Hot Springs. After talking with them, I hiked the rest of my 7.2 miles for the day to Ground Hog Creek Shelter (mp 244.5). Had a short day today since I got such a late start. I spent the morning re-supplying & re-organising my backpack. I also spent an hour on the phone with Crystal to update the past journal entries. It only took me 3hrs & 15 min to get to the shelter. When I got there I saw a guy in the distance waving. At first I thought it was my nephew, Stephen Blue (nickname-Crumb). But it wasn't him. It was a thru-hiker named Corduroy. He's 21, from NY & talks alot, but is very smart. Chris & Lindsay showed up around 5pm. Chris had a flask of rum & shared. Two Spring breakers arrived in the dark at 730pm. Also very nice young men (Serge & Toby). We had a big fire. Outstanding weather today. Temps in the 50's & sunny. Moving onto Hot Springs tomorrow.
Date: 2005-03-22
From: Ground Hog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

710pm, Tuesday, March 22I am now sitting in the smallest shelter yet. (Walnut Mountain Shelter) It only sleeps 6 people. Did 13.1 miles in 6 hr 45 min to get here today. Great hiking. Max Patch, which is a big open bald on the top of a mountain was phenomenal. The 360 degre views from up there were spectacular. It is a big open field where farmers used to take the cows up to graze. I had to enter old turn styles to hike through it. Also hiked beside Roaring Springs all day. When I got to the shelter, the wind was blowing straight in. I thought that I was going to be the only one here so I set my tent up inside. Then thru-hiker, Mark showed up. So, he is sleeping behind my tent to stay out of the wind. Soon after, Serg & Toby arrived, then another thru-hiker, Max joined us. We all have squeezed into the small shelter & I am still in my tent. Max put up a large tarp to block the wind. It is blowing about 30-40 miles per hour! We are hoping the storm will pass so we can get to Hot Springs in the morning. Except for this rain & wind, this was an overall great day. Only 3 more days before Crystal will get here.
Date: 2005-03-23
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: few clouds

Awoke this morning to blue skies breaking through big white puffy clouds. Max's tarp was ripped form the storm, but we all made out OK. There was a major thunderstorm with lightning. We were worried about the metal roof. Had a very nice hike today, mostly downhill into Hot Springs. On the way down I stopped at the Deer Park Mountain Shelter to get water. I stayed there for about 20 minutes & talked to some boy scouts from Indiana. From there, it was about a 1 hour hike into the town of Hot Springs. During that hour, there were some awesome views from above of the town. It sort of reminded me of my small home town of Urbanna, minus the mountains. I guess the only way to descibe it, is charming (I usually don't use that word).As soon as I made it to Hot Springs, a big thunderstorm hit. I stood under an information kiosk while it passed & read my guide book about the town. When the storm ended, I went into the Smoky Mountain Diner & had a ceasar salad, a 1/4 pounder hamburger, french fries, peach cobbler, water, pepsi & coffee. (I forgot to mention that yesterday I only ate poptarts, peanut butter & crackers, & oreos).While I was eating, I saw Corduroy and he explained why he didn't stop to stay in the shelter last night. He came across a fallen tree which had killed a flying squirrel. He looked in the hollow of the tree & found her two little babies that were only 2 & 1/2 inches long & had not even opened their eyes yet. Corduroy put them in his pocket & continued on to Hot Springs. He took them to the hostel in town. He and another guy are taking care of them & feeding the miniature squirreels with an eye dropper. I am staying in a motel tonight. Good night.
Date: 2005-03-24
From: Allen Gap

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Thurs, March 24 I will be slackpacking today and coming back to Hot Springs again for the night to stay in a hostel. Planning on taking a zero day tomorrow, washing clothes, re-organizing, & waiting for my wife Crystal to arrive. We will stay here for 1 night then head to friends' house (Dave & Page) in Asheville for the weekend. May be do some hiking with Crystal on Sunday & Monday.Today I did a backwards hike. Instead of going North from Hot Springs to Allen Gap,I did the opposite. A very nice man by the name of Harry Dropped me off at Allen Gap, & then I hiked the 14.7 miles back to Hot Springs. I figured this was the best solution since I was staying here again tonight. Although I hiked South instead of North, I still covered the miles on the AT. It was a nice day for hiking & I passed by a pond along the way (picture attached). I am staying in the Hostel in town which is a very neat old house (built in 1840's)with antiques. The owner cooks tasty vegetarian breakfasts & dinners every day for who ever signs up early enough for a seat at the large table.
Date: 2005-03-25
From: Hot Springs

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Had a zero day today. I got some things organized & waited for Crystal to arrive. She got here at 2pm. I showed her aroung Hot Springs (that didn't take long, it's pretty small), introduced her to some of my thru-hiker friends, & we had a nice dinner at the Cafe in town. Since we had use of the car we helped Opa slack pack today. We picked him up at Allen Gap & brought him back to Hot Springs. We will shuttle him back to the trail tomorrow morn.
Date: 2005-03-26
From: Hot Springs

To: Asheville
Miles today: 0.0

Another zero day. Crystal and I had a large breakfast with Opa at the Smoky Mountain Diner. After dropping OPa off on the trail, we drove to Dave & Page's house in Asheville (about 30 min away). It was great to see them. It's been a while & it was great to catch up. They have an awesome hot tub so of course I had a wonderful soak. Dave & page showed us where to find sushi which was a treat & then later Dave & Page cooked some awesome cheeseburgers & fries. It was strange having another day of not hiking though. I enjoyed reading all of my guest book entries today. Thanks everyone for all of your support.
Date: 2005-03-28
From: Allen Gap

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 4.9
Weather: light rain

Ok, finally back on the trail. It was hard for me to get my groove back today. 3 days off really took it's toll. I only hiked 4.9 milkes today but it was a struggle. It rained, sleeted & snowed today. Crystal dropped me off at Allen Gap & started her long drive home. I made it to Little Laurel Shelter in about 2 1/2 hours. Also there for the night were The Lone Ranger, 67, Peter Pan, 45, & Traction, 19. Traction's real name is Ken Seals & he is from Surry County, Va. I was amazed to discover that he knows some friends of mine back home in Urbanna, Judy & Howard Adams. Wow. It's a small world.
Date: 2005-03-29
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke to 38 degrees & fog today. Got on the trail early at 715am. The fog cleared eventually, the sun broke through & it reach 65 degrees. I finally got my hiking rhythm back at around 12 noon. Along the trail today we came across a fork. A blue blaze trail lead to the left if the wether was bad. For saftey reasons, I guess this would be the better route. Today was nice so I continued down te white blaze AT. I walked above the clouds today & the views were great atop the ridge of Big Fire Scald Knob. Hiked 12.8 miles & ended at Little Laurel Mountain Shelter. Also in the shelter were Lone Ranger, Peter Pan, Claire & 3 guys that were collectively named Useless Items.
Date: 2005-03-30
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Sams Gap
Miles today: 11.2

Nice hiking weather today. Temps started in the low 50's but got up to 70. Ran into some trail maintainers along the way(The Carolina Mountain Trail Club.) Dave picked me up at Sams Gap this evening & took me back, yet again, to his home in Asheville. Had more sushi (just can't get enough), & a delicious dinner at Dave & Page's.