morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-03-27
From: Mooney Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: light rain

Today was my second day of slackpacking with a scheduled 11.4 miles. I got a late start because of the heavy burden of travelers on the shuttle drivers but it made for a very pleasant start to the day - warm and sunny.Today's challenge was up and over Mt. Albert. It's known for its tough climb near the top where it becomes a large pile of boulders that in parts require short spurts of vertical climbing up through the rocks. I was glad I didn't have my full pack as I made my way up through the rocks.I have to admit that I wimped out originally and decided to find the Mt. Albert bypass trail to avoid the rocks and the steep climb but I didn't trust my directions to the other trail, got a little confused and figured it would be safer just to go over the top. In the end it was worth the extra effort. The climb peaks out at an old fire lookout tower and some great views to the east.I started the day with a young man who came off the trail with us several days earlier. The young man had been hiking the trail with little gear and clothing, packing all his gear into a couple small duffel bags. In the time we were down, Miss Beverly had arranged for several donations, including a pack, a sleeping bag to replace the blanket he was sleeping in, more suitable clothes and some other gear to help him along the way. I stayed with him for about the first mile but then he took a break while I kept walking and I didn't see him the rest of the day. We're scheduling one more day off tomorrow for one last day of rest for John's shoulder and then we'll move on. I'm sure we'll see the young man again during that stretch.Tomorrow we start a three day hike to the Nantahalla Outdoor Center, one of the landmarks on the trail. I'm hoping John's troubles are behind him and that he'll forgive me my clumsy feet.Until then...
Date: 2017-03-29
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Wayah Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

After a final zero day yesterday, today is our first test of John's shoulder and we started the day off with a free breakfast of pancakes and bacon at the First Baptist Church of Franklin. This is a ministry they started ten years ago and provides a good ht, free breakfast to any hikers who show up. We enjoyed the pancakes and the fellowship of like minded hikers and church members. At the breakfast a church member takes a picture of each hiker and provides the picture and an envelope with note paper to send home. I jotted a quick note to Linda and hope she'll be surprised.The walk was pretty uneventful and John's shoulder seemed to be OK. We were one of the first to reach the shelter and with room aplenty we moved in. This will be our first night sleeping in a shelter and it will save us the time and trouble of pitching and packing tents. We should be able to get out a little earlier in the morning.We walked through miles of burned out forest with all the undergrowth and many small trees burned away. Larger trees survived the fires from last year but the fire damage extends over miles and miles of the forest. I'm wondering what things will look like when we get closer to Gatlinburg, the site of the largest of last year's forest fires.Until then...
Date: 2017-03-30
From: Wayah Bald Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a sad day. After a very bad night with his shoulder John thought it best that he leave the trail, return home to see his doctor and understand the extent of his shoulder injury. We hiked to the first Forest Service access road and called Beverly, our favorite volunteer shuttle driver, to take John back to Franklin.It's hard to convey how hard that decision was to make for John. Three years of talking and planning and for now the adventure is over - until he can figure out whether his shoulder can be rehabbed enough to return to the trail.I decided to go on, although I have to say I was somewhat conflicted about the trip at this point. I walked through the day and made pretty good time. We had intended to stop at Wesser Bald Gap Shelter but I hit there a little after 1:30 and decided to just keep hiking. Before the day was over I made it to Nantahala Outdoor Center, a multi-use outdoor sports facility near Wesser, NC. I found room in one of their bunkrooms and spent a fitful night after a quick dinner and what turned out to be an ice cold shower.By Thursday morning I had decided to leave the trail and made preparations to return to Franklin. Like John, I found the decision to be very hard but for the present time I have to say my heart wasn't in the walk. I returned to Franklin and made plans to rent a car for the drive home.A funny thing happened, however. The longer I was away from the trail the more I wanted to be back out there. In the end I decided I'd go home for a week, spend some time with John to see that he's on the road to recovery, talk through any plans for him to return, catch up on things at home, resupply, change out some gear and I committed to being back on the trail Friday morning, April 7.I apologize for the long time it took for me to update the blog but I had to think through everything to make sure I'm making the right decision. As it stands now I'll be driving back to the NOC on Thursday and plan to start walking early Friday morning. Linda has been supportive and agreed to drive me back and I"m certainly grateful for her understanding.My next post will come sometime after Friday, probably at my next stop in a town where I'll have access to a computer. Again, forgive my uncertainty over the last week but it looks now like I'll be back at it and make myself proud - at least for the near term. I plan to evaluate how I feel each week and I truly hope John can join me somewhere down the road.Let's get back to it!Until then...
Date: 2017-04-07
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: snow

Sorry for the long delay but I quit blogging while I went home to reconsider my fate on the trail. But this morning I am back at it. My lovely bride Linda drove me back and helped me get an early start.The day started with a long climb out of the Nantahala Outdoor Center - up Sassafras Mountain. I had another piece of great fortune. I'd been watching the weather all week and a pretty good storm was forecast for today. But the storm had come through the day before - so for the third time I weathered out a storm in a warm hotel room.Not far up the mountain I ran into the snow on the ground, plenty of cold and with howling winds (they literally howled through the trees and up the mountain). The total snowfall was about two to three inches and I tromped through fresh snow for several hours. At the top of the mountain there were places where the snow had drifted to eight to ten inches. But I just made my way through - with toes as cold as they've been for quite some time.I met Grey Beard today. He's 81 right now and if he finishes in Maine he'll be 82 and officially the oldest person to complete the Appalachian Trail. I left him behind near the top of the mountain but he passed me half way down which caused me some reflection and great consternation that the 81 year old is hiking faster than me. Good luck to Grey Beard!I thought after a week off that my legs would be rested and strong but the almost 16 mile day turned out to be a little too much. I struggled into the shelter a little late and resolved to cut back my mileage a bit until I'm certain my legs have 15-16 mile days in them.Until then...
Date: 2017-04-08
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 12.8
Weather: light snow

My goal today is to make the Fontana Dam Shelter - a famous spot on the trail. The Shelter is called the Fontana Hilton because it is the most luxurious shelter on the trail. It includes the usual shelter structure but it sits in a very commercial area near the Fontana Dam Visitor Center and has a heated bathroom with an actual shower! And the shower had plenty of hot water. It also has benches, tables and other comforts of home.But it's also a haven for the young folk - and their beer and their marijuana. I know I'm an old curmudgeon, but I (along with several other curmudgeons)went to bed early with the intent to get out early the next morning. The partying went late and several hikers got really drunk - and sick. I actually witnessed a drunken argument between two young men about what an ounce of weed SHOULD cost.One person rolled out of the upper bunk in the middle of the night - the bathroom was sprayed with someone's. All said it was a little bit of a slap in the face to what I think of as the culture and traditions of the hike - but that's just me being an old curmudgeon.So now I can say that I've stayed in the famous Fontana Hilton, but I'm pretty sure it won't ever happen again.I was able to hop on the shuttle early in the evening and go to the Fontana Lodge and have a sandwich and a Diet Coke for dinner. It's always good when someone else fixes your dinner.I did meet one very interesting young man who showed up in the Fontana parking area, asked me whether he could leave his car there while he walked to Maine. I said why not and he and his girlfriend unloaded a very large dog, about 100 pounds of gear and a rifle! He said he woke up one morning a little ways back and decided to hike the Appalachian Trail. He said his plan is to live off the land and "do it like in the old days."I didn't have the heart to tell him that the Great Smoky Mountain National Park prohibits dogs and firearms - I figured he would just have to learn that on his own. I wish him well but I think I need to get out ahead of the guy - at least out of range of that rifle.Until then...
Date: 2017-04-09
From: Fontana Dam Shleter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: clear sky

I left the shelter as early as I could and hit the best part of the trail - a flat, wide dam that forms Fontana Lake. I say it's the best part because there are no rocks, no tree routes and the dam is absolutely flat - I could actually walk at a brisk pace without looking down at my feet!The walk in this area is beautiful as you traverse the lake for a couple of miles. For most of the day we (I always think 'we' because you end up walking with other people pretty much every day) had views of the lake for miles up the mountain. The sun was bright today and for the second time I was able to get down to my T-shirt.The wildflowers are coming out and in places they just cover the landscape - it's one of the treats of hiking in the mountains in the spring time. The day was short, in terms of miles, but long because it was an all day climb up from the lake towards Clingman's Dome. The Dome is the high point of the AT at about 6600 feet and I'll be climbing toward it for the next couple of days.Near the top of the climb I met a Ridge Runner - these are employees (some are volunteers) of the AT Conservancy who roam the trail making sure everyone is good. He said that a virus was circulating and to make sure you tended to your hand hygiene as you traveled. I had caught up with our old friends Taylor and Kurt that morning and they said they shut down for three days at the Fontana Lodge because Taylor had some sort of stomach virus. Other hikers told stories at the Shelter about friends who had to shut down for a few days so the stomach virus story seemed real.I stayed in the Shelter tonight for the fourth time in a row but resolved to sleep in my tent for the near future until word of the stomach virus went away.The walk was strenuous but beautiful. It feels like it's finally Spring with much warmer temps both day and night.Today is the first of what will be about six days in the Smokies. The Smokies are the last big mountain range for a long time and I'll be glad to get out of them. there are big mountains ahead but they are stand alone and not like the ranges where you spend every day going up and down ranging from 3000 to 6000 feet. My thighs will enjoy that for a while.
Date: 2017-04-10
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.0

Today was 12 miles up the side of Clingman's Dome. A long slow walk of ups and downs, but mostly up, as we approached the 6000 foot mark for the first time.I can't say that anything from the day stands out in my mind other than I caught up with DR, an excavator from Massachusetts. He's a hoot and I really enjoy spending my hiking time with him. He's full of stories and really appreciates life. He is a walking billboard for the 'Life is Good' philosophy although he always grousing about something in a light-hearted way. It's this kind of encounter that makes the trip all the more special. DR is someone I would have never met if not for the trail.Sleeping in a tent tonight to protect myself from viruses and I also seem to sleep better in the tent than in the crowded and noisy shelters. The shelters are easier to get in and out of because you don't have to deal with the tent but I think I'll be limiting my time in the shelters for a while.Until then...
Date: 2017-04-11
From: Derrick's Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Today's the day to go over the high point of the Appalachian Trail. Clingman's Dome is the highest point on the trail and the second highest point east of the Mississippi River.I shouldn't say this but with the two prior days of climbing this day seemed a little easy. I made it to the top much faster than I thought I would, took some time at the top to stop at the Gift Store for a candy bar and a comfortable rest. The trail comes close to the top of the dome, near the observation tower, and I forgot that it's a good quarter mile down the mountain to the gift store (which means a 1/4 mile back up, of course), but the chocolate was calling! I left my pack at the top, tucked under a tree and walked down to the store for a couple of candy bars.One treat of the walk to the top was the old growth hemlock forests we walked through. The smell from the trees and the dense shade made for a wonderful walk up the mountain. The moss grows so thick on the trees that you can actually describe them as shaggy. Overall I have to say today was the best day on the trail. Warm sun and blue skies and the biggest climb is now behind me. I finally unzipped the bottom of my zip-off pants and walk in my shorts for the first time. I've heard that a time comes on the trail when you finally start to feel the experience as normal and I think I've hit that part. For the first time today I started to seriously think about Maine, but I don't want to jinx anything so I'll say I'm still going one day at a time and I'll see what tomorrow brings.Tonight in the tent and tomorrow in a hotel in Gatlingburg (yeah!!!)Until then...
Date: 2017-04-12
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 4.3
Weather: clear sky

Got up early this morning with a short walk (4.3 miles) down to the Gap. And after that we hitch hike into Gatlingburg for a zero day tomorrow.As luck would have it just as we (I was walking with 'Grateful' today) walked into the Gap we saw a car with a couple of hikers pull up. A conversation ensued as the other hikers got ready to hike on from the Gap and before long a nice lady (I've forgotten her name already!!) from Toledo, OH offered to drive us into town. We are always grateful for the generosity of others on the trail and it seems to happen regularly which I think is testimony to the goodness around us all the time.I had leap-frogged with Grateful for the last couple of days and today we decided to walk out together. During one of our breaks we talked about his trail name and he explained that he had retired just a little ways back and he aspired to walk the trail for decades. He chose the name Grateful as his trail name because it aptly describes his approach to the trail and where he is in life. He mentioned that I hadn't picked up a trail name yet and I told him that I was waiting for an inspirational moment to see what feels right.I shared with him that one lady I walked with for a few days suggested I take the name Mr. Magoo because I remind her of the cartoon character. I cannot at all fathom how I remind someone of Mr. Magoo but I smiled at her and said I would consider it. If someone out there can give me any insights into how I can remind someone of Mr. Magoo I would certainly be interested in hearing it. (I also want to share that a lady walking with her offered that maybe I could meet up with someone named Wimpy - you know, the guy who will pay me Tuesday for a hamburger today - and we could team up again. I wanted to let her know that she has her cartoon characters a little mixed up but I didn't.)Grateful said I didn't remind him of Mr. Magoo but that when he met me and watched me hike the last several days he noted that although I walk slower, I always show up sooner or later and he offered that I should call myself Persistent. The moment seemed right and I shared with him that persistence is one of my mantras - I believe that success comes mostly through persistence, not necessarily through talent or knowledge or any of those other things we are taught. So I thanked Grateful for the name and said I'll introduce myself as 'Persistent' from now on. I'm grateful for Grateful.Tomorrow will be a zero day in Gatlinburg - a resupply day, a chance to get caught up on baseball standings and a day to rest my legs. And then I'll be on to Hot Springs and out of the Smokies!Until then...
Date: 2017-04-14
From: Newfound Gap

To: Peck's Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: clear sky

After the zero day in Gatlinburg we got back to it thanks to a free shuttle ride from the 1st Baptist Church of Sevierville. They do this as a mission to support the AT thru-hikers. When we got back to Newfound Gap they also had some tables set up with fruit, snacks, drinks and other trail magic. It certainly was appreciated.We're half way through the Smoky Mountain National Park and so far the weather has been great. Today looks like it might be the best weather of the hike.No tough climbs today and the day seemed a bit easier than the last week or so. Some trail veterans told us that things would get easier after Newfound Gap and for this day I think it's true.There were still about 15 people at the shelter in the evening which seems like a lot this far into the hike. The trail seems almost crowded at places, which is good for the fellowship but bad when you're hunting for a flat spot to pitch a tent.I've pretty much made up my mind to forego the shelters and pitch a tent every night. It's quieter and you don't have the problems with mice and other contagious vectors (humans).Tonight should be the warmest night in the tent so far.Until then...
Date: 2017-04-15
From: Peck's Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

The highlight today was crossing the 10% mark. We did it early in the day and t about 220 miles it feels like a long way. But I'll have to pick up the miles soon or I'll never get done in time!Yesterday coming out of Newfound Gap, just in case you get a little over-confident, the Park Service has posted a sign reminding you that you only have 1976 miles to go to get to your goal in Maine. Thanks for that!!Today is the last full day in the Smoky Mountain National Park and that's a good thing. The Park has very strict rules about camping only at shelter sites which fixes the length of your day so it's hard to make up time without doing really, really long days. But tomorrow we walk out.This shelter seems like quite a bottleneck as everyone tries to get here so that tomorrow they can walk out of the Park. I didn't count exactly but I'm guessing there were about 40 people at the shelter and in the small tent city that formed around it. These days always have a side benefit because you typically meet old friends - people you hiked with for a day or two and because of the luck of good timing you meet up with them again. That's what creates the sense of community on the Trail and it's one of the best parts of the experience.We're still seeing fire damage from the fires last year but we'll leave that behind in a day or two.One benefit of staying at the shelters is that you get the use of a privy. I much prefer privies over the 'dig a hole in the woods somewhere' method and I've been lucky with my timing for the most part. Privies are pretty primitive, but they do provide peceful plce to sit and ponder why in the heck you're spending all your time tromping around a forest. I'll try to upload a picture of one if I can.We spent most of today between 5000 to 6000 feet but the sun was out, strong and warm. For the first day I hiked in my shorts and t-shirt only.We've been in the Smokies for five days now and not a single drop of rain. And I'm thankful for that.Until then....
Date: 2017-04-16
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 10.7

Today was another short day down and out of the National Park and we were glad to leave it behind. The climbs on the upside were a challenge and the placement of the shelters limited our chances at trimming a day. The crowds at the shelters created some challenges but also brought many benefits. Trail veterans tell us that getting through the Smokies is a signficant landmark on the way and that people who walk out still in good shape are likely to finish the entire trip. Let's hope so!We walked out of the Park and down to the I-40 underpass. I've driven over this point many times in my life and at the big brown sign announcing that you are passing over the Appalachian Trail I always strain to see the trail and never do. But I often thought that someday I would see it from below. And indeed that happened today.From there we walked on to Standing Bear Hostel, including a section of the trail that was prolific with poison ivy. We stepped carefully through that part and I'm hoping I didn't inadvertently walk through any.Standing Bear is a unique spot. Grateful and I opted for the $25 option which gave us a private room for two. Everyone else bunked in the big dormitory for $20 and we thought we got the bargain. No plumbing at the hostel - just a privy and some porta-potties. We were instructed to do number one in the porta-pottie and number two in the privy because the moisture slows down the decomposition process in the privy. Who knew hiking would be so technical! (I might have cheated a bit - but don't tell them).They also offered a unique kind of hospitality - it involved getting yelled a lot for breaking some unknown rule and threats of charging double if we didn't follow all these unknown rules. AND! The hostel is best described as being on the rustic side of very rustic. A good scrubbing down might cause the place to crumble away to dust! But the bed got us through the night.And on this Easter Day we were blessed with a proper Easter dinner prepared by some of the staff at the hostel. Late in the evening they announced that an Easter dinner was on its way. It was a little odd because almost everyone had eaten already but when the food arrived everyone, including me, lined up too eat again. We sat in the last light of the day eating ham, green bean casserole, baked beans, mashed potatoes, fruit, and some left over cake from a previous birthday party. It was wonderful and one of the unexpected and special moments that happens on the trail. So,I have to say that I'm thankful for Standing Bear Hostel.Until then....