morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-03-24
From: Franklin, NC

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Ok, so my trail journal has officially become a hotel journal. Bummer.The Monday forecast for the mountain is a low of 5 degrees, high of 20. That's not wind chill, take another 10 degrees off for that, and snow.How many days in a row can I write: had breakfast at the amazing First Baptist Church, a local church that picks up and feeds hikers for the first 6 weeks of hiker season, or we walked downtown to the outfitters and cafe. Once I've written it, and once you've read it, it gets OLD.I will say that I've really enjoyed Franklin's historic downtown. They have a relatively new streetscape with bricks and banners, and a great gathering area for small festivals/music on Friday nights right next to the court house. The vacancy rate is about 3% from what I've seen. I took my first fall, not on the trail, but walking to the downtown! I was guilty of texting while walking. One minute I was walking, the next I wad flat on my face. Thank you Grits for not laughing....until after I got up.I cant say enough about Ron Haven (owner of 2 motels in Franklin, and another in Hiawassee) who takes the town's tourism van to the mountain gaps twice a day and picks up hikers and brings them back to his motels. Then at 5 PM daily he comes back and takes whomever needs to go, around town to theP.O, the outfitter, Walmart, etc. He's a one-man tourism department and one of the biggest hiker supporters on the trail.I will continue to wait out the bad weather and hope for warmer days....and nights in the mountains.
Date: 2013-03-27
From: Wayah Gap Shelter

To: Wayah Gap, NC
Miles today: 6.8

My morning started at 6 AM when the family above me prepared to go to the First Baptist Church breakfast. I can't hike on a full stomach, so I was skipping a big breakfast this morning.I showered, taped my big toes, pulled on the knee sleeve recommended by my brother, and dressed for the cold. There is a possibility of some snow in the upper elevations, but the wind chill is 30 degrees warmer than the day we came off the mountain almost a week ago.We're so ready to be hiking again! Thistle, Beerdra and I, along with several other hikers climbed into our 9 AM shuttle and headed up the mountain to Wayah Gap.Within 45 minutes we were hiking south on the AT as we had to go up to Silar Bald where we had gotten off a week ago. After a snack and a few pictures, we turned north, went back to Wayah Gap and went again headed north from there.The going was tough as I couldn't take a normal stride. Most steps were just 6-8" in length, and on the uphills, I slid halfway back down with each step. I fell twice, my first falls on the trail, but didn't get hurt. The "connectors" on the outside of my hips hurt (Barbara, John or Laura...what are they called?). They must be stabilizers, because I wore them out trying to stay upright today.In the afternoon the ice turned to 4" of slush, so by the time I hit the shelter at 6 PM, my feet were soaked. Chores were done quickly in the bitter cold and I was in my tent texting my good night to Jack at 7:30 and asleep soon after 8.
Date: 2013-03-28
From: Wayah Bald Shelter, NC

To: Cold Spring Shelter, NC
Miles today: 4.8

I slept warmly and soundly last night on my new, doesn't-lose-an-ounce-of-air Thermarest Neo Air. It was a day past the full moon, so my tent stayed bright all night, which makes it east to find things in there. It was bitter cold, probably in the single digits...or close to it, which makes breaking camp tedious, but it gets done and I was on my way by 8:50 AM.The trail was a bit easier than I expected this morning, but I still fell once, again not hurting myself.Arrived at Cold Spring Shelter very early, but decided not to go on because of the afternoon slush. I'll head out early in the morning and go all the way to Nantahala Outdoor Center. Snow expected for Friday night again...and I don't want any part of it!
Date: 2013-03-29
From: Cold Spring Shelter, NC

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center, NC
Miles today: 11.7

I awakened at 6 AM, but waited until 7 to start packing up. The birds were back to singing again and I even heard a ruffed grouse.I headed out alone at 7:50 AM to do the 11.7 miles into Nantahala Outdoor Center where not only a bed, but a restaurant and an outfitter awaited. Thistle would follow later and Beerdra had gone on yesterday to the next shelter and would meet us at NOC.When it wasn't icy, I moved along at a great pace, rarely taking my eyes from the trail as the mud, ice, roots and rocks were waiting to trip me up. I fell once, but again didn't get hurt.I stopped once to take off my rain pants, jacket, hat and gloves and hiked in my fleece for the rest of the day. It was a wonderful day to hike, temperatures in the 40s with the sun going in and out at will. The wind was completely still and the forest was dead quiet. I only saw 2 hikers the entire day.At 1:30 I met up with Beerdra at Rufus Morgan Shelter, just one mile from the road and the NOC. Beerdra called and got the 3 of us a bunk in the woman's bunkhouse, and we were off down the mountain as the rain began to fall.We got our bunks, did laundry and ate while we waited for Thistle to descend from the rainy mountain.We're fed, clean, and laying in our bunks catching up on journals. Tomorrow we'll do it all over again.
Date: 2013-03-31
From: Locust Cove Gap Campsites, NC

To: Cable Gap Shelter, NC
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night I barely survived the night from hell. A hiker pitched his tent just a couple of feet from my tent without asking. Proper Protocol would have been for him to ask me if I minded, and follow it up with, "Oh, and by the way, I snore WORSE than any snorer you've ever heard. Ever". But he didn't and I didn't find out until the rains came and there was no way I was going to move my tent at that point. WITH earplugs shoved in so far I was sure that they were touching, I could still hear every noise coming from the tent just feet from my head. I tried putting my hat on and covering my ears with my fingers and that didn't work either. It was a LONG miserable night that I thought would never end....but it did finally at 6 AM when I began packing up for the day. I needed to hike, just so I didn't have to hear him any longer....and hike I did. (later in the day, I told him that I was concerned for his health and he told me that others had told him the same thing.)My bottom feels 2 inches higher this morning from yesterday's 6 mile uphill. Move over Tina Turner.I saw buds today on the vegetation along the side of trail, so spring must finally be on its way. I sure hope so anyway.Today's hike was a nice combination of ups and downs, although I prefer the downs and strait aways the best. I fell again today, on a rock scramble (perfect place to break a leg or arm), a mossy, slippery rock sent me flying and I was able to catch myself, but since my 23 lb pack had the momentum going, it carried me all the way over and planted me face first on the rocks. I hurt my ankle, but walked it off and was fine soon after.I went through Stecoah Gap an hour before wonderful trail majic showed up, and got to hear all about it from other hikers through out the day. Had I known, I would have waited Around 1:30, I reached Cody Gap, where Beerdra and I had planned to tent for the night, leaving less than 10 miles into Fontana Dam for tomorrow, but when I got there, the wind was whistling through the gap and it was cold and miserable, so I hiked on the 3+ miles to Cable Gap Shelter. I'm sharing the shelter with Tom and In Progress, a nice young couple that plan to open their own outfitters when they get off the trail. Tenting is a nice fellow from Jersey called Bones. Beerdra, if she decided to move on, should be here soon.Another good day on the trail, now I need a good night's sleep. Where's my benadryl?
Date: 2013-04-01
From: Cable Gap Shelter, NC

To: Fontana Village, NC
Miles today: 5.5

My morning started at 6:50 AM with one of my favorite views: the shelter opening lined with packs, food bags, and jackets, hanging from nails placed in strategic places. I had slept like a log, most likely due to the lack of sleep the night before and the 2 downed Benadryl before hitting my sleeping bag by 7 PM.By 8 AM I was up and out for the short 5.5 mile mostly down hike into Fontana. Although I started with my jacket and gloves, it wasn't long before the sun welcomed me into another beautiful Appalachian Trail day, and the jacket and gloves took their place on the top of my pack.I saw Spring Beauties and Trillium for the first time today, two of my favorite woodland flowers. Spring has finally sprung in the south, and I enjoyed the beautiful weather and the views of Fontana Lake and Fontana Dam on my 3.5 hour hike.I fell twice today, only hurting myself on the second fall. There are roots that I call knuckle roots as they are small and stick up just an inch or two. Had I fallen just an inch in either direction, my knee would have missed the root, but I did not, and I landed on my already cranky knee. For the rest of the hike I couldn't stoop for water without using my hands to get up.As I walked, I thought about my fellow '03 hikers and how their lives touched me and shaped me into the hiker I am today. I thought about the hikers that I have met so far, fine people that touch my life for a moment on the trail while passing, or sleeping shoulder to shoulder on a 5 degree night. I can only hope that my 2013 friends will stay in my life as my 2003 friends have. Oh my, Trail Days will be exponentially better knowing TWO classes of AT hikers!I arrived at the Fontana Marina, used the service phone and within minutes my shuttle had arrived and I was checking into the Fontana Lodge for a much needed rest after 6 days on the trail.First on the list of to-dos was take a long hot shower, then I took a bath, then I let half the water out and refilled the tub with more hot water, then I did that again a half hour later. It felt so good and I was exhausted, but the Post Office and laundromat were calling so eventually I pulled myself from the water, donned my skanky, muddy rain gear (it's what we wear when we do laundry) and hiked down to the General Store complex to do my errands. While the washer was running I had a nice conversation with Edna, who works in the General Store. They have really changed in the past 10 years and had great resupply choices and free coffee and Internet for hikers. I ate a banana and popped a hot pocket into the microwave before heading to the PO to collect my bounce box and mail drops. Wow, what wonderful surprises awaited me when I got the boxes back to the laundromat, took a seat, and began going through them.Continued tomorrow...too tired and not feeling well~J
Date: 2013-04-02
From: Fontana Dam Village

To: Fontana Dam Village
Miles today: 0.0

April 1st, continued:I sat in the laundromat for a half hour while my clothes dried, and opened my packages; my bounce box, my mail drop of food from my bro John and my niece Kylie which was put together perfectly, a package from Trail Sister Bluebird (AT '06), and a package from a hometown friend, Gloria. It felt like Christmas morning! I felt so loved. The gifts and kind words lifted my feet and carried me to the top of the hill in spite of the probable 40 lbs that I carried up with me.I called Jack early, then went to bed. I had not felt 100% for a couple of days and that, coupled with a tough few days of trail had left me exhausted.I slept well, awakened and ran another hot bath, which I sat in for an hour. I never take baths at home but they're like comfort food for me, so in the absence of friends, family and my pets, the warm baths fill a void. AfterI went to the dining room, ordered breakfast and took it back to my room to eat.I drank as much water as I could this morning and had scheduled an hour and a half massage to help clear this crud from my body. After the massage I continued to drink copious amounts of water with lemon or lime essential oils in it. A couple of hours later, I was feeling more like myself and walked to the General Store and PO to send my bounce box up the trail. Next stop: Gatlinburg, TN.Dixie Grits had arrived in the village, so plans were made for Gritz, Beerdra and I to meet for pizza. We were joined by 50/50, a pleasant fellow that I had helped with some food and weight issues on Trail Journals. A good time was had by all. At 5PM, we walked back up the hill and went our separate ways.Talk at the lodge is of the poor motorcyclist that lost his life 4 days ago on the curve near the Village. He was only 30 years old. I thought of our friend John Stanley who wrecked his cycle in the same area just a few months ago and how lucky we were to have a much different outcome. John still has lots of good work to do in this world!Tomorrow will be another zero day to rest my knee and back, and hopefully kick this sinus thingy I have going on. I need to be 100% when I hit the Smokies, and I want the weather to be 100% too.
Date: 2013-04-03
From: Fontana Dam Village

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I awakened early as always and went up to the lobby to see who was headed back to the trail today. Several that I knew were Diet Coke and 50/50, both of whom I had met yesterday.After breakfast, Dixie Grits and I got shuttled to the Fontana Dam and hiked back to the Fontana Marina. That way when we leave Friday morning we can skip that 1+ mile and be shuttled right to the dam. Then if it's still raining hard, we can hang out, undercover at the overlook, until it stops. The prediction is for the rain to stop between 10 and noon.It was a nice walk, with hiking sticks but no weight on our backs. The sun was shining and I was overdressed in my zip off pants, long sleeved shirt and jacket. With no pack to to attach my jacket to, it got tied around my waist for the duration of the walk.When we arrived at the Marina where I called for our shuttle back to the Village, I went on down to the boats and walked out onto the dock and talked to some nice, old timers for a few minutes before returning back to the parking lot to our ride.Beerdra, Gritz and I had lunch then went to a Village sponsored movie about George Lassa, a Japanese photographer that played a huge part in the mapping and naming of every inch of what was to become The Great Smokey Mountain National Park.Don't know that I want dinner tonight, I'm tired and my knee is a little cranky, so I'll hit the ice machine and put my leg up for a bit. Tomorrow we're going to a documentary about the building of Fontana Dam.
Date: 2013-04-04
From: Fontana Dam Village

To: Fontana Dam Village
Miles today: 0.0

Today was spent getting ready to head out tomorrow; tasks like laundry, food resupply, going over mileage and lining up a shuttle from the Smokies down to Gatlinburg for my next resupply were all completed.We watched a great half hour documentary made in the 40s on the making of Fontana Dam. The Village we stay in housed the many workers that came for the 3 years it took to build the dam.I'm fed, called Jack, sent birthday wishes to our daughter-in-law Kelly and am ready to hit the sheets. Tomorrow will be an 11-mile day.....and I can't wait to be back on the trail~J
Date: 2013-04-05
From: Visitor's Center, Fontana Dam, NC

To: Mollie's Ridge Shelter, GSMNP
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

My morning began at 6 AM when I showered and readied my pack to hike out of Fontana. After a breakfast of oatmeal with brown sugar, butter and granola, Beerdra, Gritz and I met our shuttler at 8 AM and were at the Dam and hiking by 8:10.It was chilly going over the dam, but once over and out of the wind, we comfortably hiked the 1 mile road walk into the park and turned left up into the forest. 1st stop was at the metal GSMNP box to drop in half of our thru-hiker permit that we had purchased (1st year they have charged thru-hikers for going through the park) for $20.00.The day was chilly but the sun was shining brightly and we moved along smoothly throughout the day. We took several breaks and lunch, reaching Mollie's Ridge Shelter at 4:10 PM. My bed was arranged in the shelter, dinner was made, food and toiletries hung from the bears and at 7:45 PM I retired for the night to write my journal. With me in the shelter are 12 other hikers, many who I am meeting for the first time. Outside there are 2 hammocks and at least 14 tents. The Trail Maintainer said that was a record for this year. It's way too crowded for me, but unfortunately it will be this way for the duration of the Smokies.Tomorrow is another 12-mile day, so hopefully I will be asleep soon...and stay asleep in this crowded shelter.
Date: 2013-04-06
From: Mollie's Ridge Shelter, GSMNP

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

I awakened at 7 AM in the packed-to-the-gills shelter, packed up, and was the first one out at 8 AM. The air was chilly, but the sun greeted me and kept me warm enough in my hat, gloves, and light fleece. It was a short 3 miles to the first shelter where I stopped to take a break and wait for Gritz and Beerdra who left after me this morning. I dropped my pack and said hello to the Ridgerunner who greeted me. A big smile crossed my face as I realized that it was my fellow 2003 thru-hiker buddy Hopeful....one of the nicest people ever to walk the Appalachian Trail. We greeted each other with several big hugs and had a great 40-minute visit before he went on down the trail to do oh-so-important trail maintenance and I left to continue north on the trail.I forgot to mention the other day that I had caught up with Double Dare, another fellow 2003 thru-hiker that is out this year, like me, doing a 10-year reunion hike. He was as pleasant and positive as I remembered him to be and hope I get to hike some miles with him again somewhere down the trail.As I hiked today, I saw plenty of Russian hog tracks along the trail. We use it during the day....they use it at night. A Park Ranger told me that their numbers may be going down as they had only shot 11 of the hogs since January.The first bear sighting was yesterday, but not by me. There's still plenty of time though I did however have my first deer sighting, ironically it was at Doe Knob. There were two and they weren't afraid of us so I was able to get some good pictures.We climbed good 'ol Rocky Top today...and it was a killer, but the reward at the top was worth the climb. We took some pictures, then a nice break at the top, enjoying the warm temps and sun for the first time this hike.I didn't arrive at the shelter until after 5 tonight, tired but happy from two twelve mile days. Tomorrow will be an easier 7 mile hike. I'm looking forward to that. I'm tenting tonight, in a grassy field with about 20 others. The wind has picked up, but it's supposed to be above freezing tonight, so that will be a treat. I might even be able to sleep without a hat!
Date: 2013-04-07
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Double Spring Shelter
Miles today: 7.2

I had a restless night in spite of being dead tired and taking a Benadryl. I would have thought that after two very tiring 12-mile days, I would have conked out as soon as my head hit the pillow, but I wasn't that lucky.The wind roared through the field in front of the shelter where most of the tents had been erected for the night. I could hear leaves blowing about, fabric flapping and the bear cables groaning as they bounced about in the wind. I hadn't checked for widow makers before I chose my tent site, and worried about a large branch crashing down from above. I have to be more careful about such things.Because we had a short day today of only 7.2 miles, I didn't start to pack up until 7:30 even though I was awake at 7AM. It was cold and windy, even in the tent, and the climbing-out-of-the-warm-sleeping bag process was just not appealing to me this morning.By 8:30 I was on the trail and moving north. From my right came a cold, steady wind that at times pushed me off the trail. I was back in my winter hat, gloves and jacket. The beautiful, warm day that was forecasted never came. Well, the warm temps never came, but the sun delivered, so I won't complain.Yesterday when I pushed up my long sleeves, I realized that my farmer's tan had already begun. My hands are tan, in contrast to my pasty white arms. I also zipped off my pant legs yesterday for the first time and enjoyed the sun on my equally white legs.Because we are required to stay in designated camping spots at shelters in The Great Smokey Mountain National Park, I have met a whole group of new hikers with which I move from shelter to shelter nightly, some old, some young, but all enjoyable company.It's 6:30 PM, and I've already been in my tent for an hour. I'm tired and was more than ready to be in a prone position. Tomorrow is a 10.7 mile day and we go over Clingmans Dome, the highest point on the Appalachian Trail, at 6655 feet. I'll bet it'll be chilly up there!P.S. My next mail drop has been listed
Date: 2013-04-09
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 2.7
Weather: broken clouds

I didn't really hike any miles today, the 2.7 are Monday's miles that didn't make it into Monday's journal, but I can't get online to fix it.Today was spent doing town chores that included laundry, decisions on what food to eat for the next 4 days, then buying it, a trip to the P.O. to send my bounce box to Hot Springs, and making our schedule for the next 4 days.It was Free Cone Day at the Ben and Jerry's ice cream shop in town, and since it's impossible for a hiker who's hiker appetite has kicked in to pass up free Ben and Jerry's, of course Beerdra, Grits and I had to go get one. This is a yearly event for B & J's and if you gave a donation, you got upgraded to a waffle cone, which of course I did.I have been hiking with Beerdra for a few weeks now, and we've been hiking with Grits since Fontana. We rarely hike together during the day as our hiking speeds are different, but we break together and end up at the same shelters at night. We have music likes in common and share the same weird sense of humor, so I'm hoping this trail relationship continues since we have great fun together and have each other's backs.I have purchased a new rain jacket in anticipation of Thursday's rain, as I got wet during the rain in Fontana. Beerdra and I each also purchased a pair of Yak Traks for the dangerous ice north of Clingman's Dome. There have been many injuries (sprained ankle, broken leg, and dislocated shoulder, to name a few) in the past 2 weeks and we weren't interested in being part of those statistics.The shuttle is ordered for 7:30 tomorrow morning, my pack is packed, and as always after a day off, I'm anxious to get back on the trail. I'm looking forward to seeing what the northern end of the Smokies has to offer~J