morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-03-29
From: Elmer's Sunnybank Inn, Hot Springs, NC

To: Little Laurel Shelter, NC
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: light rain

As hard as it is to leave the comforts of civilization, it always feels good to be back on the trail again. There's something about walking into the woods that just feels refreshing.We didn't get out of town until almost 11:00 this morning, for a variety of reasons. The first was breakfast. The skillet breakfast at the diner had been strongly recommmended, but it took a while to come out, and even longer to eat. It was enormous! Even though I was humgry, I couldn't finish it. After that, it just took forever to say goodbye, plus we had a few things still to do in town.Even though we got a late start, we made good time, and got to the shelter with plenty of time before dark. It's crowded here, as a lot of the hikers who left town yesterday stopped for some first-class trail magic. Unfortunately, we knew that if we stopped, we probably wouldn't have made it to the shelter, so we just kept walking.There's a fire going outside the shelter, helping to take off the chill of the night air, but the smoke is blowing right at us, so I'm going to close my eyes and hope it stops making them water and itch. Besides, I'm tired! The BrainGarrett-One of the Riders of the Storm - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-03-30
From: Little Laurel Shelter, NC

To: Flint Mountain Shelter, NC
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a pretty mild day of hiking. However, breakfast did not ride well this morning so I spent the beginning of my day feeling sick to my stomach. Thankfully, it seems to have passed. The morning was also very misty and even though we did some climbing up to what I am sure would have been an impressive ridgeline, we could not see anything but mist.We spent most of the day hiking/playing tag with the Riders of the Storm, XI and Five-string. They have, however, decided to take it easy and spend the night at the shelter. We have been laying out in the sun and reading since about 3:30 pm. It was a nice change from the late hiking days we have been doing. I needed the break. Turning in early.Pinky
Date: 2007-03-31
From: Flint Mountain Shelter, NC

To: Bald Mountain Shelter, NC
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Trail Magic is a beautiful thing! As I was sitting at the shelter at lunch, a man came up and started pulling food out of his pack. I asked him about it, and he said he was doing magic. He had bread, snacks, and fruit-apples and oranges! Oh, it was wonderful.Bellies full, we decided to try to push all the way to this shelter, rather than camping a few miles back. When we got here, it was crowded. The Riders of the Storm were here, as were a large group of college students, out for a P.E. class trip. It's been fun to talk with them; it reminds me a little of Merrowvista. They did a debrief of the day, and listening to it made me think of camp.The BrainLimestone - Click picture to see full sizeLimestone & Pinky on Big Bald - Click picture to see full sizeJester and Longtall on Big Bald - Click picture to see full sizeThe riders of the Storm at Bald Mt shelter - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-01
From: Bald Mountain Shelter, NC

To: Uncle Johny's Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin, TN
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: light rain

Today we awoke early and had our bags packed and were on the road by 8 am. There was a lot of heavy mist atop the mountain and it rained intermittantly, but I could taste that soda all the way here. I have recently become a soda addict. I'm not sure how it happened. I wasn't before the trail but it is the first thing I crave when I leave town.We had a good dinner with the Bibs (Rhode Island Boys), who we caught up with today, at a Chinese restaurant.It feels good to be sleeping in a bed with four walls around. The people at Uncle Johny's are really nice and I feel like I could spend a few more days here. But it is back on the trail tomorrow for us. Looking forward to a good breakfast.Pinky1822.4 mi to Katahdin-Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel - Click picture to see full sizeSigns at Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-02
From: Uncle Johny's Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin, TN

To: Uncle Johny's Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We woke up and headed to breakfast, with the plan being to do some things around town, then get on the trail and go only a few miles to the first shelter. But, over breakfast, Pinky discovered the hard way that she couldn't keep anything down. So, we came back to the hostel, and she went to take a nap.While Pinky slept, I walked over to the Holiday Inn nearby to use their internet terminal. When I came back, Johnny was giving some people a ride to town to go to the Pizza Hut buffet for lunch. I went along, and after, we walked over to Miss Janet's, to chill out and say hi. Who should we see there but Fish and Chips! They'd taken a few days off to go to the Hiker Bash in Franklin, and were going to head out today, but Chips was feeling sick. It was good to catch up with them, and share stories. They told us Butch and Sundance had just left this morning, after slackpacking yesterday. Butch and Sundance, if you're reading this, we're coming for you!Dinner was at a Mexican place in town, while Pinky stayed back and ate crackers and ramen. In the restaurant, they had ESPN on showing the Sox opening in K.C. We got there in time to watch the end of what was an ugly game for the Sox. The Schill got shelled, and the bats were quiet, hopefully not a sign of how the season will go.The BrainShelley & Shadow-Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostell - Click picture to see full sizeBunkroom-Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel - Click picture to see full sizeBunkroom 2-Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-03
From: Uncle Johny's Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin, TN

To: Cherry Gap Shelter, TN
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: broken clouds

I was still feeling a little under the weather this morning when we set off from Erwin. I felt just kinda slow and tired, but the day was beautiful and we had plenty of time to make the shelter so I just relaxed and enjoyed it.There were two sections of the trail I particularly enjoyed today. One was Beauty Spot, a grassy bald with a beautiful view of the mountains and Erwin. I was tempted to force Karl to stop and camp up top, but I was glad I didn't when I later met a group of obnoxious boy scouts whose destination was that spot.The second section of the trail I enjoyed was the wooded summit of Unaka Mountain. It reminded me of the forests in Norway. Pines and hemlocks covered the summit, and it was darker than the woods leading up to it. The green moss was thick and coated two feet up from the ground. I sat for about 20 minutes and enjoyed the cool under the trees.Well, I need to think about bed because I think we are looking at tome big miles the next couple of days. The good news is we are only one day behind Butch and Sundance.PinkyErwin, TN - Click picture to see full size5-String & Daisy on Beauty Spot - Click picture to see full sizeLimestone on Beauty Spot - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-04
From: Cherry Gap Shelter, TN

To: Clyde Smith Shelter, TN
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up just after midnight, to a flash of lightening and strong winds. There'd been a chance of thunderstorms, and we were about to get one. My pack was hanging, along with my boots, right near the edge of the sheter, so I dragged myself out of my bag to move them farther back. It turned out to be the right choice. Within a few minutes, the sky opened up as the storm moved in. For a while, the thunder was crashing directly overhead, as the rain came down in torrents.Fortunately, by the time we got up this morning, the storm had passed. For the first few hours though, we hiked through fog and mist, with a stiff wind at the tops of the hills. The sky has cleared now, and hopefully will stay clear for the next couple of days.When Pinky got here, she was not feeling very good, just kinda drained, so we decided to call it a day. We both took a nap, and read for a while. Unfortunately, I've already finished the book I picked up in Erwin, so I've been a little bored this afternoon. I've spent a lot of time staring at the map, ready the milage book and notes, and staring out of the shelter at the trees. It's been a fun little exercise in maintaining my sanity. I've discovered that writing helps, but trying to sleep doesn't. See what you can learn about yourself while hiking?The BrainDaisy - Click picture to see full sizeTrail Snail - Click picture to see full sizeDutchman's Britches - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-05
From: Clyde Smith Shelter, TN

To: Overmountain Shelter, TN
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: few clouds

We had a hard time getting out of our sleeping bags this morning. Since the storm blew in night before last, a cold front has moved in, and the temperatures have dropped. The good new was that the trail climbed steeply up Roan Mountain, very first thing. The climb would have been difficult, if not for how beautiful it was. The trees were all covered in rime ice, and as we climbed, a light snow started falling. On top, the sun was shining, sparkling off the ice. I took some picutres, but nothing can convey just how beautiful it was.There wasn't a great view from Roan, but after a leisurely descent, the trail crossed two beautful balds, with views in all directions. We took our time a little bit, but there was a good breeze and it was cold to stand still for too long.The shelter here is an old barn that's been renovated to be a shelter. There's a cooking area downstairs, and a sleeping area in the loft. The wind blows through the walls a little bit, but it's not too bad; certainly better than a normal shelter. The Riders of the Storm showed up just as it was getting dark. They had camped on top of Beauty Spot during the storm, and had gotten soaked, so they went to a hostel last night to dry out and pulled a long day today. They have a fire going downstairs, and I doubt they'll be going to bed anytime soon.The BrainRoan Mt, rime ice-Rachel - Click picture to see full sizeRoan Mt, rime ice-2 - Click picture to see full sizeRoan Mt, rime ice-3 - Click picture to see full sizeRoan Mt, rime ice-4 - Click picture to see full sizeRoan Mt, rime ice-Karl & Rachel - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-06
From: Overmountain Shelter, TN

To: Moreland Gap Shelter, TN
Miles today: 26.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I don't know how marathoners can do it. Twenty-six miles is a really long way to walk, let alone, run. Then again, they don't have to carry 35-pound packs up and over mountains when they run.We got up early and had a cold breakfast of granola and gorp. It was cold again, so we wasted no time in getting out of camp. As we climbed over two beautiful balds, the wind tore at us as it whipped across the frosted grasses. We hiked in all our layers, shielding our faces as best we could, but it was too raw to stop for any longer than it took to try to get what water we could out of our frozen bottles. Did I mention that it's been cold lately?In the afternoon, the trail wandered up, over and around hills, and we cruised along. We got to the Mountaineers shelter around 4:00, and decided that we were feeling good enough to do the 9 miles to the next shelter. Besides, the days have been getting longer, and it doesn't get dark until 8:30 or 9:00. In retrospect, it was probably a bad choice.Around 7:00 or so, the sky, which had been clearing as the day went on, clouded up and a light snow began to fall. I figured it would pass, as it did on Roan Mountain, but it steadily got heavier. By the time I got to the shelter, around 8:15, there was about 1/2" on the ground. To my dismay, the wind was blowing directly into the shelter, and the front half was already dusted with snow. I dropped my gear at the back wall, and went to go get water. The water source wasn't running, so no water for us tonight. We would have to make do on what we still had (and wasn't frozen in our bottles).By 8:30, it was dark, and Pinky hadn't showed up yet, so I was starting to worry. I tossed on my headlamp and set off back up the trail. The snow was now coming down fast enough that my foot prints from earlier were gone. I got to her about ten minutes later. In the dark, she'd missed a turn and gotten lost for a few minutes, but quickly realized where she'd gone wrong and backtracked.Together, we hurried down to the shelter and set up. It was too late to pitch the tent, so we hung the groundtarp across the opening and huddled into the back while we cooked and ate dinner. After dinner, we covered ourselves with the tent fly, and prepared for a long, cold night.The BrainJones Falls - Click picture to see full sizeControlled burn warning - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-07
From: Moreland Gap Shelter, TN

To: Kincora Hiker Hostel, TN
Miles today: 6.1

When we woke up this morning, we didn't want to move. We were both as deep into our sleeping bags as we could manage, and if I tried to look out, there was snow in my way. We finally managed to get upright, with our heads poking out of our bags, and surveyed the damage. Both our sleeping bags were covered in snow, and there were a couple inches in the shelter with us. We decided that a short day, ending in a warm bed and a shower, was in order.Putting my boots on was one of the hardest things. They were frozen solid, and as soon as I stuck my toes in, they started to go numb. My hands were so cold, I could barely tie the laces. When we'd jammed everything into our bags, we set off, only to discover that we were the first ones out of camp, so we had to break the track through 4-6 inches of snow, with drifts up to a foot. We made slow progress, and fell down a lot, as the snow over the leaves made for treacherous footing, but we eventually made it down to the road.When we got to the hostel, we found Butch, Sundance, Fish, Chips, Limestone, Jester and Longtall all here. Fish and Chips had come off this morning from Overmountain Shelter, and hitched around, and Butch and Sundance had taken a couple days off to go to the Hiker Bash in Franklin, then had slackpacked a half a day to spend another night here.We were so glad to be inside. We hung up all our stuff to dry, and spread out everywhere. There was even some food up for grabs in the fridge. Then we got even better news: tomorrow, there's going to be an enormous Easter dinner, and anyone is welcome. With record lows in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, it wasn't hard to make a choice. We were staying here for a day.The BrainSardine's new 'do - Click picture to see full sizeCleaning duty - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-08
From: Kincora Hiker Hostel, TN

To: Kincora Hiker Hostel, TN
Miles today: 0.0

Easter dinner was delicious! Jester and Longtall spent several hours in the kitchen yesterday, baking pies and preparing foods, and then several more today putting on the finishing touches and cooking the ham. Nobody left this morning, and during the day a bunch more hikers showed up, so it was a crowded room, but lively. I ate until I couldn't move.After dinner, Pinky and I assess our options. Unless we want to do either a 35 or 40 mile day, it's going to take three days to get to Damacsus. So we decided that we'd do our first slackpack tomorrow, doing the 9 miles from Hampton back to here, picking up our box on the drive over and sending it back here with the truck. That leaves us with two very doable 20-mile days into Damascus.I spent a good long time on the phone with my dad. He and my mother and sister are going to drive down to Virginia next week and spend three or four days hiking with us, so we talked about the logistics of that, where we might be by then, and what they were doing to get ready. I'm looking forward to it; I haven't seen them since we left, back in February.Before I go to bed, I think there's still some apple pie left in the fridge downstairs. I can hear it calling to me.The BrainKincora-2 - Click picture to see full sizeOtto, Sundance, Grey Wolf - Click picture to see full sizeOtto carves the ham - Click picture to see full sizeTrivial Pursuit at Kincora - Click picture to see full sizeGame of Euchre 2-Goldenboy, Backbend, Flick, The Brain - Click picture to see full sizeHappy Birthday Backbend! - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-09
From: The Lake, TN

To: Kincora Hiker Hostel, TN
Miles today: 8.9

At 8:30 this morning we were dropped off 9 miles North of Kincora to do a slack pack back. It was a beautiful but crisp day. We got to see some of Bob's (Kincora's owner and head of the Hard Core Crew) handiwork with the bridges and staircases along the trail.We stopped for about an hour at a waterfall towards the end of our hike. We took a side trail and climbed up to the top. It was wonderful sitting there and listening to the rushing water as it fell down the falls.Karl and I talked this evening about a few things that have been bothering me. I have felt as though I haven't been able to hike my own hike and that I couldn't see it improving without one of us compromising how we wanted this trip to go. The discussion led to the possibility of us splitting up. I am excited and intimidated by the prospect. My parents are not thrilled. Alone however, I think we are each more likely to find hiking "families" suited to our priorities. I have enjoyed the benfits of partnership and I am sure I will miss it at times, however after talking to Karl I think this is probably the best thing for the two of us to do before we start resenting each other. There are still many things to work out. Things could change, but for now it is time to sleep in my cozy bunk one last time. G'night.PinkyButch & Sundance - Click picture to see full sizeRachel at Laurel Fork - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-1 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-2 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-3 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-4 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-5 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-6 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-7 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-8 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-9 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-10 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-11 - Click picture to see full sizeLaurel Fork Falls-12 - Click picture to see full sizeMiss Janet at Kincora - Click picture to see full size
Date: 2007-04-10
From: Kincora Hiker Hostel, TN

To: Double Springs Shelter, TN
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: clear sky

When Pinky asked me about splitting up last night, I was quite surprised. The idea had crossed my mind a couple times, but I'd never given it any thought. It had never seemed to be a reasonable idea. But once I actually started thinking about it, I wasn't so sure.After some discussion, I told her that I'd have to think about it, sleep on it. I spent a good portion of the hike today thinking about whether or not we should.   I was excited about the possibility, but had some reservations. "We started this together, so we should finish it together." Another of my worries was that I've never done something like this on my own before. Having someone else with my gives me motivation and keeps me realistic.However, Pinky seemed to want it, and honestly, I agree that it might be better for us. I've been frustrated occasionally by having to wait, and she wants to be able to enjoy the experience her way. On the last part of the hike today we talked about it, and decided that we would get all the extra gear we'd each need (another stove, tent, water filter, etc.) and try it out, hiking the same days until after my parents have joined us next week, then go our separate ways if it's working. I'm excited to give it a try. We'll see how it works out.As for the hike today, it was the easiest 20 miles I've ever done. After a moderate climb from Watauga Lake up to the ridge, the trail followed the ridgeline the rest of the day, often along old roads. The grade was easy, and the day was warm. There was a view to our right pretty much all day long, and it was neat to watch it slowly change from the lake,to forest, then to fields and villages.The shelter here is another of Tennessee's finest: small, dingy, concrete walls, and infested with mice. I can hear them running around on the roof and in the rafters. But the worst is that there's no privy. Does the TEHCC have something against privies? I haven't seen a single one since we crossed into their territory. Fortunately, we'll be out of Tennessee tomorrow, and on to Virginia, our 4th state!The Brain
Date: 2007-04-11
From: Double Springs Shelter, TN

To: Dave's Place Hostel, Damascus, VA
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: broken clouds

It seems to be set: we're going to split up after my parents come down and hike. When I got into town today, I went to the outfitter and started looking for gear. I am now the proud owner of a Pocket Rocket stove and a titanium pot. We both looked at tents, but couldn't decide between a traditional tent or a Hennessy Hammock. We'll decide tomorrow and buy them then.While in the store, Sundance came by and told us that he and Butch had zeroed here, and were going to slackpack tomorrow, and offered us a ride as well. So tomorrow we'll hike about 20 miles back into town, buy a tent (or two), and get ready to hike.After a quick shower, we went out to dinner at (yet another) Mexican restaurant. Butch and Sundance were there, as well as Grey Wolf and Backyard Boogie, who we'd met at Kincora. Also there were Twofer (last seen near Franklin) and his wife, and Stumpknocker and Mrs. Gorp, who are biking coast-to-coast, and happen to be in town. After dinner, we went over to the bar,where large quantities of cheap beer were consumed (not by us though), and we hung out until they kicked us out and closed up.The BrainWelcome to Virginia! - Click picture to see full size