morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-03-23
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: light rain

I left Spence Field Shelter at 7:00. Old Yeller was packing and told me to go ahead and he would catch up. I thought I saw a chicken today, but I guess it was a grouse. It was about the size of a banny chicken. It blended into the background very well. It was grey with some brown spots on it, the same color as the woods. It was only about 15 feet from me when I saw it. I tried to take a video of it, but it was cold and by the time I got my camera out of the freezer bag that I keep it in to keep it dry, then dropped the camera on the ground, and got ready to video the bird, I had been watching all the while, it had wandered off in the woods too far and I couldn't find it again. It didn't seem to be afraid of me. I had lunch at Derrick Knob Shelter. It started to rain a little, while we were having lunch, but soon stopped. Went on to Silers Bald Shelter to spend the night. Arrived there about 5:30. I pitched my tent and Old Yeller, Ann and Pine Dragon and Pixie stayed in the shelter with a bunch of boy scouts. The scout leader told me they were from Jacksonville, Florida. He seemed to be a very nice fellow and he and I talked for quite a while.
Date: 2005-03-24
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Gatlinburg
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

When I got up this morning my tent was covered with ice inside and out. It was cloudy and windy all night. The temperature was about 30 degrees and the trees had about a quarter inch of ice on them. It didn't seem to be that cold. I got up at 5:30, packed up, had breakfast and waited for Old Yeller to get ready. We left Silers Bald Shelter at 7:00 a.m. heading for Clingmans Dome. On the way to Clingmans Dome the trail was covered with about 12" of snow and ice. It was very slow and tough going, but we there at 11:30 and had lunch and didn't leave until 12:30. Going down the other side was even worse than climbing up the other side. I slipped and fell one time, I think it was the same log I fell on in 2003 when I walked from Newfound Gap to Clingmans Dome.On the way to Mount Collins I met a young man named Buckwheat who had just gotten out of the Army. While he was in the Army he was a member of the Golden Knights parachute team. So needless to say he and I had a very long and interesting conversation all the way to Mount Collins Shelter trail, where I said goodbye to him and Old Yeller. I continued on with the intentions of getting to Newfound Gap by 5:00. When the trail came to a parking lot and then went back in the woods, in my hast to get into Gatlinburg, I took the wrong trail. After I went a little ways I realized I was not seeing any white blazes and also I didn't remember the trail going down the middle of a stream flowing with about 2 feet of water. I decided I was too tired to climb back up the hill to pick-up the A.T. and continued on down the Road Prong Trail to 441 where I met a very nice couple that gave me a ride into Gatlinburg. They had just been up to Chimney Tops. I got a room at the Bear Paw Lodge. I decided I was too hungry to take a shower before I ate, so I went across the street to Kentucky Fried Chicken and ate 2 dinners. I came back to my room and took a bath in the jaccuzi tub. (very nice) On Sunday after spending Friday evening and Saturday with Donna and Heather I will have them drop me off at the parking lot where I missed the A.T. and hike thru Newfound Gap to Ice Water Spring Shelter and spend the night there.
Date: 2005-03-25
From: Gatlinburg

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day in Gatlinburg, waiting for Donna and Heather to arrive this afternoon. They were held up in traffic on Jellico Mountain for four hours and didn't arrive in Gatlingburg until 7:00 p.m. I expected them around 2:00 and I got very worried. At 4:00 I started calling Donna's cell phone and finally got her at 4:15 and found out she was held up in traffic. I was sure glad to hear that. In the mean time I did my laundry and supply shopping. I stayed in the Bear Paw Lodge, it was a suite with couch, fireplace and jaccuzi tub. It was sure nice for $80.00. I had gotten up at 7:00 and went down and ate breakfast included in the $80.00. Took another bath in the jaccuzi, then checked in at the Clarion and was very disappointed with the rooms we got. I wished I had canceled the rooms and gone back to the Bear Paw Lodge.
Date: 2005-03-26
From: Zero Day

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

I spent the day with Donna, Heather and Anna in Gatlinburg. We went up to Oberer Gatlinburg for the day. When we got back to Gatlinburg on the tram that we rode up on, Donna and I went to Wendy's to get something to eat while Heather and Anna went swimming in the pool. We brought them something back to eat. I got my backpack all packed up and ready for Sunday morning.
Date: 2005-03-27
From: Zero Day

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I got up Sunday morning, took another shower and got my stuff ready to hit the trail. We tried to wake Heather and Anna up. After trying for about a half hour by calling, I went and knocked on their door and woke the people in the next room up, but still could not wake up Heather and Anna. So I went to the outfitters and while I was gone Donna finally got Heather and Anna awake. Donna and I called the girls to tell them we were going to breakfast and they had gone back to sleep, so Donna and I went on down for breakfast without them. We were to meet Old Yeller at 9:00 to drop him off at Newfound Gap and me at Clingmans Dome Road. It was closed so I had to walk up the the parking lot where I left the A.T. on Thursday evening. Heather and Anna didn't get to eat breakfast before we left for the trail. Old Yeller had decided to come into Gatlinburg on Friday morning and go back to the trail on Sunday morning with me. So we dropped him off at Newfound Gap at 9:45 and me at Clingmans Dome Road about 10:00. I got on the A.T. where I left off at 10:30 and was at Newfound Gap at 11:00. I got to Ice Water Spring Shelter at 12:30. Old Yeller was already there and we decided to continue on to Pecks Corner. It rained all day and we got to Pecks Corner Shelter at 6:30. My clothes were soaked with sweat from wearing the rain suit all day and it was starting to get cool. I ate, took off all my wet clothes, put on dry underwear and t-shirt and got in my sleeping bag for the night. We had about three heavy thunder storms during the night. I only had to get up twice to pee. I got up at 12:30 and it was pouring down rain so I got a little wet. Then I got up at 5:30 and I could see the moon just above the horizon and thought it might be a good day.
Date: 2005-03-28
From: Pecks Corner

To: Tri Corner Shelter
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: light snow

I slept a little later this morning hoping the sun would come out. It was not to be. I ate breakfast and soon it started raining again. We left Pecks Corner Shelter at 8:00 and by 8:30 it started getting colder and the rain turned to snow. By 9:30 we had about an inch of snow on the ground. That made our progress very slow. We had decided to go to Cosby Knob, but when we got to Tri Corner Shelter at 12:30 we decided we could not get to Cosby before dark. We were both cold and wet. We ate lunch, put on dry clothes, got in our sleeping bags and slept until 5:00. We then got up, ate supper and got back in our sleeping bags for the night. The temperature went down below freezing, maybe 30 degrees. I am in my sleeping bag as I write. I sure hope Donna, Heather and Anna got home safely. They were supposed to have heavy rains on Sunday on their route all the way home. Donna is a good driver, but she doesn't like to drive in the rain.The topo map of the Smokies is not a very good one. It leads you to believe that the ups and downs are not bad. From Fontana Dam to Newfound Gap it was as bad as any we have hiked, just not quite as long of ups and downs. You are always going up or down a steep grade. From Newfound Gap to here it is not quite as steep, but always going up or down. I just got up to pee at 5:30 and it is snowing very hard.
Date: 2005-03-29
From: Tri Corner Shelter

To: Mountain Mommas
Miles today: 15.5

I got up at 5:45 and Old Yeller was coming back from getting his food bag as I was going to get mine. The sky was clear and the stars were out. The temperature was about 30 degrees, everything was froze. I had to knock the ice off my food bag and hold the tie string in my hand to thaw it out before I could get it open. We ate breakfast, packed up and headed for Cosby Knob Shelter at 7:20. Old Yeller left at 7:15. I caught up with him in about an hour and we stopped at Cosby Shelter for lunch at 11:30. About 12:10 we headed for Davenport Gap. When we got to Davenport Gap Shelter at 4:00 we decided to go on in to Mountain Mommas. Old Yeller called on his cell phone to see if they would pick us up and they said they did not do that but they would take us back to the trail in the morning. So we started walking down the road to Mountain Mommas. After about a quarter of a mile a fellow pulled up in a pickup truck and asked if we were going to Mountain Mommas. We said yes and he said hop in and he would take us there. He said he and his son were eating there when we called, so he got in his pickup and came to pick us up. He was here in the Smokies to hike and camp with his son, but his son got sick so they were just hanging around and bringing hikers in from the trail. He got us to Mountain Mommas at 5:00 and the grill closes at 5:00. We went in and asked if we could get something to eat and they fixed us the famous huge cheeseburger and it was good. About a half lb. burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and mustard and a big plate of fries. I also had a big kosher dill pickle. Stomach full and I was happy. Took a shower, did laundry and called and talked to Donna and Heather. Life couldn't be better. Well maybe it could if I didn't have to walk so much everyday. I am still enjoying it.
Date: 2005-03-30
From: Mountain Mommas

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: broken clouds

Got up at 6:00, took another shower, packed my backpack and was ready to go at 7:00. Had to wait for Mountain Mommas to open at 8:00. Ate breakfast (eggs, sausage, potatoes and toast) and was shuttled back to the trail at 9:30 and hiked to Groundhog Creek Shelter at 5:00. Very hard up hill all day.
Date: 2005-03-31
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: moderate rain

Got up at 5:55 and it just started to rain. As it turned out it just sprinkled and quit. Then it started to rain around 10:00 and we could near thunder in the distance. It stopped raining around 11:00 and just sprinkled now and then the rest of the day. The sky is clear this evening at 7:30 and I am in my tent, in my sleeping bag as I write this. We had lunch today just after crossing Max Patch around 1:00. We left Groundhog Creek Shelter at 8:00. We stopped at Roaring Fork Shelter at 3:15 for a break and went on to Walnut Mountain Shelter for the night. We got here around 4:30, pitched our tents and ate super. We didn't want to stay in the shelter. There were about ten mice laying in front of the shelter that someone had killed and left lay. We should get in to Hot Springs tomorrow evening. We hiked 13.1 miles today from Groundhog Creek Shelter to Walnut Mountain Shelter. It is 13.1 miles to Hot Springs and we don't have as many up hills to do to get to Hot Springs as we did today. It is 7:45 now so I will try to get some sleep now. Goodnite.
Date: 2005-04-01
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

I got up at 5:45 and it was daylight. I went to the privy and when I got back Oldyeller was up and getting ready to go. We got to Hot Springs around 2:00 and I went to the outfitters and bought my supplies for the next leg of our hike. I am staying at Elmers Sunnybank Inn. The only room they had left was in the basement, so I took it. It should be very quiet down here all by myself. Oldyeller said he was going to the campground and pitch his tent. We had a little rain today around 10:00. It rained fro about an hour. I didn't put on my rain gear because I get wetter with it on than I do from the rain unless it rains really hard. I will be leaving here in the morning and heading for Nolichucky River and Erwin, Tennessee. I don't get to diner here tonight because you have to let them know by 3:00 and I didn't check in until 4:00. But I will have breakfast here in the morning before I leave. I am still having a great hike, the weather has been great. A little rain, a little sun, a little cold and a little hot. What more could one ask for.It's 1:30 in the morning and I woke up with sore feet. I had planned to go to the Hot Springs Spa but they was booked up until 11:30 las night so I didn'g go. It started raining very hard around 8:30 and has been raining ever since. If I had gone to the spa I would have gotten soaked comming back. Everything always works out for the best on this journey. Carol your prayers are working very well, keep them comming. Thank you Donna and Heather for under standing so I could do this. I love you both very much. I wish you could have gotten the first journal entries I wrote. They had lots of feelings and emotions that I wrote that I can not duplicate, along with the video tape. Maybe they will show up some day. I sure hope so. What will be will be for what ever reason.I got up this morning 4/2/05 at 5:30 and took another shower and it is still raining. It is 6:15 now and I am the only one up. Looks like it may be a nice rainy day.
Date: 2005-04-02
From: Hot Springs

To: Zero day
Miles today: 0.0

Stayed at Sunnybank Inn last night. When I got up this morning at 5:30 and took a shower. I went outside at 6:00 and it was pouring down rain. They served breakfast at 8:30, so I ate and told them I was not staying another night. I told them I was going to do my laundry and then pack up and leave for the trail. While doing my laundry and going to the post office I met Deep Sea and Pacer and they told me the weather was supposed to get colder and high winds and snow at the higher elevations. I decided to take a zero day after meeting Oldyeller at the laundry and was all for it. I couldn't get in at the spa last night til after 11:30 so I didn't go there last night. I was able to get in the spa at 1:00 today and a sone hour massage at 5:15. The hot tub was great and it is 4:30 now so I'll be going for the massage in about 15 minutes. When I was comming back from the spa I met Ann comming back off the trail. Dorothy had taken her about 5.9 miles up the trail so she could hike back in to town from the north and she said the wind was blowing the snow against the trees that she she had a hard time following the trail. It has rained all day here in Hot Springs, so it was a good zero day today and I got to go to the spa and get in a hot with mineral water. I tried to get in to get a massage right after the hot tub but I could only get the hot tub at 1:00 and the massage at 5:15.Will head out for the trail early in the morning. Pine Dragon and Pixie left this morning. They were going to go up the trail a ways and camp out. Two other young guys left this afternoon. Everyone else stayed in town and are planning to leave in the morning. The first shelter will probably be crowded. I just got back from my massage and stopped at the store and bought a snack to eat, an apple ugly, a sunkist orange drink and a yellow apple. The rain has let up to a light rain now and turned cold and windy. I seen the snow plows and salt trucks leaving town this evening to plow and salt the roads up in the mountains. As I look at the mountains I can see snow about half way down the mountains. As we hike up out of Hot Springs I expect we will be hiking thru snow and ice as we go thru the higher elevations.
Date: 2005-04-03
From: Zero day

To: Allen Gap
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: clear sky

We left Hot Springs this morning at 9:00 after we ate breakfast at the Smokey Mountain Restaurant and checked out of the Alpine Court motel. It was a hard climb up out of Hot Springs and as we clumed higher up in the mountains we started to have to walk thru snow. It was 6" to 8" in places at the Rich Mountain fire tower. Late this evening as we came to Allen Gap there was a sign that said to come down the road about 300 yards and up the cement driveway and they would feed you sandwiches, soft drinks and pie and icecream. we did and it was great. This couple had hiked the trail in 1999. His trail name was Hercules and hers was Fal. As it was getting dark he took us back to the trail and we hiked up the trail until 9:30 before we stopped and pitched our tents for the night.
Date: 2005-04-04
From: Allen Gap

To: Flint Gap
Miles today: 16.7

Happy birthday Heather! I love you so much!We camped last night just beyond Allen Gap. We left camp around 8:30 and hiked on the Flint Gap and made camp around 6:00 and camped with Deep Sea and Pacer. Hiking thru the snow the last two days has been pretty slow. The snow has been 6" to 8" deep. Where there is no snow there is mud.
Date: 2005-04-05
From: Flint Gap

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We left Flint Gap around 8:00 and stopped around 7:45. Oldyeller said he got here at 6:30. He had gone on ahead of me today. I seen him at breaks and at lunch. We pitched our tents just before we got to Low Gap tonight. About 16 miles today.
Date: 2005-04-06
From: Low Gap

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Left camp around 8:00 and stopped at Bald Mtn Shelter at 11:20 and had lunch. This afternoon about 4:00 I stopped at a stream that crossed the trail, took off my boots and socks and washed my feet, legs, arms and face. Needing to take a shower or bath. I am so sticky from sweat that I stick to my sleeping bag at night. Very uncomfortable sleeping. As I went by Ogelsby branch there was some very nice places to take a bath, but I decided not to because it was going to be dark by the time I got to No Business Knob Shelter the way it was. I arrived at the shelter at about 7:30 just before dark. It was supposed to rain so I slept in the shelter.
Date: 2005-04-07
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: light rain

Me and Oldyeller left No Business Know Shelter at 7:30 and arrived in Erwin about 10:00. There was six of us in the shelter and Oldyeller and I were the last ones to leave. That was a first, because we are usually the first ones up and the first to leave. We are staying at the Holiday Inn. They have a hot tub here and that sure feels good after hiking 5 days. When we got in to Erwin we met Miles McDuff, Ranger and Buckwheat. Buckwheat was one day ahead of us and Miles was 5 days ahead. Miles had gotten an upper resperatory infection and had to go to a clinic. He also has bruised ribs where he had fallen and a partially torn achiles, so he had to rest up for a few days. He left for the trail around 11:00 today with Ranger. I may take a zero day tomorrow because I still have a lot of things to do and we are supposed to have thunder storms tomorrow. I may buy new shoes tomorrow because my feet are getting longer and my toes are starting to push against the front of my shoes.(note to Quickstep) Hang in there buddy, maybe things will turn out better than the doctors think and just maybe you can get back on the trail with me. After all we did do a lot of work together in planning this trip. It sure would be nice if you could be here for some part of the finish.(note to Donna and Heather) It helps to know that you both are going to be just fine. I didn't doubt that for a moment or I would not have taken this trip. I look forward to seeing you both toward the end of this month. I love you both very much. Thank you both very much for understanding.
Date: 2005-04-08
From: Erwin, TN

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day today. Walked up town 3 miles away from the Holiday Inn where I am staying. Mailed journals and video tapes home. Ate lunch while I was up town and bought a few supplies at Whites Grocery Store. Came back to the motel and got in the hot tub for about an hour. (Mandatory after being on the trail for 5 days. Plan on leaving for the trail at 7:30 in the morning.
Date: 2005-04-09
From: Erwin, TN

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

We had planned to go to Cherry Gap Shelter 16.4 miles, but when we got to Deep Gap, Deep Sea and Pacer were there setting up camp. I was so tired that I told Old Yeller that I wanted to camp here. We left the Holiday Inn at 7:30 and stopped by Uncle Johnnys to pick up a few things. Uncle Johnnys Hostel is one mile from the Holiday Inn and on the A.T. Johnny didn't get there until 8:30 so we didn't get on the A.T. until 9:00.   I weighed my pack and it now weighs 52 pounds, with two bottles of water. The kind of food I am eating now weighs alot more. Peanut butter, jelly, tortillas and tang. I have lost 15 pounds since I left home and my pack has gained 10 pounds. In May I am going to reduce my pack weight by sending home clothes I don't need for summer and changing to a lighter sleeping bag.
Date: 2005-04-10
From: Deep Gap

To: campsite 1.2 miles south of Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: few clouds

The hiking today has been up one side of a mountain and then down the other side. Very little level ground. I can't tell the hiking has gotten any easier, but then I am carrying more weight. We left our campsite this morning at 8:00 and arrived here at 5:00. When we got here I went down to the little creek, dug out a hole in the stream, stripped off my clothes and took a bath. It sure felt good to wash the sweat off me. Now I don't stick to the inside of my sleeping bag. I don't sleep with any clothes on now because it is too hot in my sleeping bag with clothes on. I also quit wearing any underwear because it is too hot and when I sweat my backpack belt would press the elastic on my underwear into my skin on the sides of my waist. So sleeping nude in my sleeping bag is more comfortable and maybe hiking nude would be more comfortable too. (just kidding) I might just wear shorts and shoes only this summer though. Its 8:30 and the sun has gone down so I will go to sleep now. Good night Donna and Heather. I love you both.
Date: 2005-04-11
From: campsite 1.2 miles south of Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Stan Murray Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: clear sky

Old Yeller left the campsite this morning before I did and hiked on to Over Mountain Shelter. I stopped here because I did not want to pitch my tent tonight with there being 90 percent chance of rain. There was only four of us in this shelter that holds six. Four others pitched tents. I did not know if there would be room for me at Over Mountain Shelter or not. It was only two more miles away, but at that time I didn't know it was a big barn.
Date: 2005-04-14
From: Dennis Cove

To: Watauga Dam
Miles today: 11.8

We tented tonight on the Dam Maintenance Road. The trail left the road here and we missed the turn earlier and had to backtrack about a half mile. We could have went on down the road about 500' and picked up the trail again, but then we would not have had the fun of going up over that big hill at the north end of the dam. We would have known that we didn't walk the whole trail. It was tempting, but thats not the way I want to do this walk. Its either the whole trail, past every white blaze with full packback or nothing for me.
Date: 2005-04-16
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Damascus
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

We left Double Springs Shelter at 8:00 and arrived in Damascus at 5:00. The first thing we did was to have a snack until we could have a chance to get something good to eat.We got a ride to Abingdon and got rooms at the Holiday Inn Express. I got a room with a jacuzzi and that sure felt good. Crossed into the fourth State today.