morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-03-19
From: STANDING INDIAN SHELTER

To: BETTY CREEK
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: broken clouds

POLES ANYONE?We had perfect hiking weather today: sunny and cool. It's supposed to rain for the next three days though hopefully not too much. Besides great weather, the trail offered easy, rolling terrain through rhododendron "tunnels" and across trickling streams. The 11.3 miles rolled off rather quickly. It was not uneventful however. For the most part we kept pace with U-Haul, Possum and Eli all day long. We at least were usually within earshot of their continual uproarious laughter along the way. Early in the day, at the top of Standing Indian Mtn., we find U-Haul's trekking poles but no U-Haul. We figured he must have used the little boy's room and forgot them. So we began to call out, "U-HAUL!" No answer. "UUU-HAAUULL!" Still no answer. We then took the poles and quickened our pace to catch him. We never did. Instead, the three amigos came up from behind as we were taking a short break on a log. "Did you see the view?" they asked. "No, but we found your poles, U-Haul," we replied. "Oh, I was afraid that would happen," was his response. "Oh," said we. He was hoping some hiker sans poles would find them and use them. We suggested he give them away at a shelter so he gladly took his poles with him to do just that. Sometime later, Mudflap and I stumble across the same poles in the middle of the trail. I knew he dropped them accidentally this time from the way they were perched precariously atop his external frame pack. This time, we left the poles on the trail so that he could practice his own brand of "trail magic" after all. Later, as we were lunching on another log, along comes an athletic looking fellow who calls himself "Sir Hawk". "Do you know of anyone who is missing some poles?" he inquires. We told him the whole story as best we could. He then hiked on with a decided purpose in his step. We later found out that Sir Hawk caught up to U-Haul. Maybe he should keep his poles: they keep finding their way back to him.
Date: 2006-03-21
From: ROCKY GAP SHELTER

To: WINDING STAIR GAP
Miles today: 3.8
Weather: overcast clouds

MotelMiles: 3.8Destination: Winding Stair GapFRANKLIN, NCEven though it rained all night, we stayed warm in our down sleeping bags. Between the sound of the rain beating on the tin roof of the shelter next to our tent and the synchronized snoring of un-named hikers, there was little sleep to be had. By the time 5:30 rolled around, I was ready to go. Crutch, the shuttle driver, said he would be at Winding Stair Gap at 9:30 a.m. if anyone wants a ride into Franklin. "Say no more" I thought to myself; we'll be there. We were ready by seven. Max and his 14 year old son, Nathan, were also up before the dawn. I am very impressed by Nathan: he finished the eighth grade early in order to hike to Maine with his Dad. Is that cool, or what? We said our brief goodbyes as they left before us. They would not be stopping in town. With only one moderate climb in 3.8 miles, we arrived at the road with time to spare. We enjoyed conversing with four young men who were also waiting for the shuttle. Their names were Grey Fox, Night Rider, Freight Train and Baloo. Two of them were wearing men's hiking skirts. Pardon my ignorance, but if the skirt is not plaid, is it still considered a kilt? Also, aren't their legs cold? Anyhow, they all remind me of my son who I miss a lot, especially when I meet hikers about his age.Ronnie Haven, owner of a couple of motels in Franklin, picked us up in a little white bus and transported the load of soggy hikers to town. We checked in to the Budget Inn, got directions to the post office and walked the mile round trip to lug our over-sized, 37 lb. "bounce-box" duffle bag to our room. It was nice to see our stuff again. Among other luxuries, the bounce box contained my bath kit (read deodorant, lotion, and perfume) and town clothes. How nice it is to be clean and smell good. Next, we went to lunch at the Sirloin Buffet right around the corner. We ate 'til we could burst then waddled back to our motel room for a nap.After the short sleep, it was time to make phone calls and take care of business. Just like my last town visit, I have not been able to reach my daughter Alena. We are supposed to meet her in Hot Springs in about 3 weeks. We really need to be in touch. Besides that, I am crazy about my granddaughter Briauna and would really like to hear her sweet little voice. I did speak to my other daughter Emily and her children. Plus, I spoke to my son Bobby. Apparently, they haven't seen Alena for a few days. Naturally, I'm worried. I have to trust that every thing is fine until I hear otherwise. I doubt if I'll sleep tonight
Date: 2006-03-22
From: WINDING STAIR GAP

To: FRANKLIN, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

OUR FIRST ZERO DAYWe needed another day to take care of all our business. We still didn't get everything done, there's just not enough time. We try to respond to all of our e-mails which we receive after we connect our pocketmail to a phone. I want to thank all of you for being interested in our journey. We love hearing from each of you. Your messages are very encouraging and we also appreciate your support of the Brookwood Girls. Please be patient if it takes several days for us to post new journals or get back to you. So far we have reached a phone every five days. Once we get into the Smokies, it may take a little longer.One of today's highlights was that we walked through the delightful town of Franklin to the local library. There, we were finally able to get some of our pictures onto the website. Now we do realize that some of our pictures are sideways. We couldn't find any option on the computer that would let us flip them upright. Some of my favorites are the length-wise ones. Maybe during our next internet opportunity, we will contact the guys at Trailjournals to see if they can fix that for us.Meanwhile, we found 'ol Frosty here at the Budget Inn. He's been sick for several days with a bad chest cold. Ronnie took him to the doctor to get some medicine. He said he's starting to feel a little better and will probably hit the trail on Friday. Once he gets going, he'll catch us in no time: he's a really strong hiker.On the home front, we did find out where Alena is. She just up and took off for Tennessee to see her boyfriend who is at Tusculum College in Greeneville. For Pete's sake, she should have told someone she was going! We were all worried sick for a while. Mudflap and I discussed going back home if no-one could find her. I'm glad she and Bree are alright. I still haven't been able to talk to her though. Next phone: NOC.
Date: 2006-03-23
From: FRANKLIN, NC

To: BARTRAM TRAIL CAMPSITE
Miles today: 10.5

ON THE TRAIL AGAINI finally spoke to Alena and Bree this morning. She called just in the nick of time as the little white shuttle bus sat idling in the parking lot, waiting to take hikers back to the trail. It was such a relief to talk to them and Alena did apologize for causing us to worry. Now we can turn our full attention back to the hills ahead of us.The weather was beautiful for hiking at 9:30 a.m. when we started out at Winding Stair Gap. Our energy was high after a day of rest and we felt like we could make it to Maine in no time! We practically flew up the mountain at a speedy 2mph! Then, around 11 a.m. as we approached Siler Bald, the temperature began to drop along with my zest. We stopped for a lunch of cold cheese and tortilla wraps by a chilly stream. The sun had disappeared leaving the sky a dingy grey.We made it to the top of Wayah Bald by 2:30 p.m. Fellow hikers Headin Out and his wife Tag Along were there. They informed us that it was 44 degrees when we got off the bus this morning, but it was now 36 degrees out. There was a Tower at Wayah Bald's summit with maps indicating the names of many of the mountains within view. You can also see part of Franklin from up there.The views were lovely, but it was cold. Our designated campsite was only about a half mile away so we turned to the next white blaze and followed it into the woods.Just as we set up our home for the night, it began to snow. The snow was coming down in tiny little hard beads, kind of like miniature hail. Mudflap is wearing shorts. He always does. I don't know how he can stand it: I'm FREEZING!
Date: 2006-03-24
From: BARTRAM TRAIL CAMPSITE

To: WESSER BALD SHELTER
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: overcast clouds

WIMPING OUTThe day flew by in a snowy 'blur'; or should I say snowy 'brrrr!'? We barely stopped for lunch at Cold Spring Shelter. Headin Out and Tag Along were just leaving as we arrived. They didn't bother to eat: too cold.As fast as our numb hands could manage, we slapped together our cold cheese and tortilla wraps. I was tempted to walk and eat at the same time to stay warm.Near the end of our day, we reached the fire tower at Wesser Bald. Upon our arrival there, we met a young lady named "Slaphappy". She, like Mudflap, was wearing shorts. Personally, I don't get it. I'm wearing long pants with gaiters that cover my calves plus three layers on top and I'm miserable. We spent about 3 seconds admiring the panoramic vista from the tower: time to go, must keep moving.There are several other hikers at Wesser Bald Shelter this evening: three college kids from Iowa, Sandman, Goliath, Headin Out & Tag Along, and 3 others with a dog who are just passing through.The three college kids from Iowa had a nice fire going so as soon as we got the tent erected, I went to join them. They're out hiking while on spring break. Wow, I bet they came south to get away from the snow back home. Welcome to spring in the Blue Ridge Mountains! Meanwhile, the heat from the fire felt so good it was almost intoxicating. When several others came over to the fire, I ended up in the smokey spot. After a couple of minutes of stinging, watering eyes, I decided it was time to go cook. As I stepped away from the warm fire, the chill returned to my bones almost instantly. So I made a mad dash up the hill and dove headlong into the tent. The plan was I was going to put on warm, dry clothes, then go cook at the shelter. Forget it. I couldn't stop shivering. Instead, I slid down deep into my sleeping bag trying to find a warm spot.Poor Mudflap is out there in the cold, fetching the water, cooking our chicken and rice dinner, hanging the bear bag and everything else while I wimp out in the tent. I can also hear stories and laughter coming from around the campfire. I admit, I am envious of those who can stand the cold weather enough to still have a good time out in it.At this moment, I have come to the conclusion that I, Daisy, would not survive alone in these woods without Mudflap. Either I would go hungry, or wind up eating uncooked, dry ramen noodles in the cold.
Date: 2006-03-25
From: WESSER BALD SHELTER

To: N.O.C.
Miles today: 5.6

WE'VE GOT MAIL!Everything was frozen this morning making it difficult to get started. Mudflap took care of the frozen tent poles by cursing and banging them on a tree. Likewise, by banging and cursing, I managed to shove my feet into frozen boots. Our spirits improved once we were on our way, knowing that a warm room awaited us down at the Nantahala River. We tromped through a few miles of snow on the 2,365 ft. drop into the Nantahala Gorge.On the way down, we saw many gorgeous views. The best view got the best of me however. There's a place part way down Wesser Bald called The Jump Off, aptly named for its precipitous drop of several hundred feet over the edge. As I came to the rocky clearing by stepping down from small boulders on the trail, I said, " Oh loooo....K!" Boom! Down I went straight onto me arse. It just figures; the minute you take your eyes off the trail it'll gitcha! When I fell, my left foot was only inches from the edge of the cliff. Boy, that was close!Moving on down the trail, the snow had melted in the lower elevation and little wildflowers began to appear beside the muddy trail. There were whites ones, yellow ones, purple ones and lavender ones. The only ones I could identify for sure were the asters. This must mean spring is on its way.Once we got down to the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center), we crossed U.S.19 into "tourist central". First, we sat down to a hot meal at the River's End Restaurant. From our seats we watched kayakers work their way through the rapids on the swift-moving river. Next, we went next door to the outfitter store where we were expecting to receive our first mail drop. It was there with an extra package and a card. The extra box and card came from the Fouts Family in Florida. They have been sending moral support via e-mail and now a care package too! We opened the box and what did we find but chocolate chip cookie bars; lots of them! Plus, Mudflap's parents sent Keebler Fudge Grahams in the other box. These will make us very popular with other hikers:-) Thanks for "trail magic" from home!!
Date: 2006-03-26
From: N.O.C.

To: LOCUST COVE GAP
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: broken clouds

HERE COMES THE SUNWhat a beautiful, beautiful day of hiking we had. The sun came out, but there was still fresh snow on the mountains. The trail offered an interesting contrast of scenery all day long. The north sides of the mountains we traversed were completely blanketed with powdery snow. Then as we made our way around to the south sides, the ground was dappled brown and white with last season's fallen leaves and patches of melting snow.With such pleasant surroundings to enjoy, it made the 3,312 ft. climb out of the gorge bearable. Ironically, this section of trail had caused me considerable pre-hike anxiety. After hearing the stories of how rigorous this, and yesterday's hike was from former thru-hikers, I wondered if the ol' bod has what it takes. Now we can say "been there, done that, and movin' on!The view from the summit of Cheoah Bald made all the effort since day one worth it. At elevation 5,062 ft., we could see for miles. We looked back over where we had come from feeling a sense of great satisfaction.In addition to the beauty of the hike this day, we did have fun sharing those delicious chocolate chip cookie bars with fellow hikers. We met up with Goliath and his dad, Deja vu, who were going south on this section. Deja vu was happy to exchange a Coor's Light and a Coke for a couple of cookie bars. Then at lunch, we met up with Earthbound, Snickers and Turtle, the three college kids from Iowa. They too lightened my load by eating lots of chocolate chip cookie bars. We made camp in a gap where it won't be as cold as in the higher elevations. We are here with the group from Iowa and a young man called Moat. Hasta manana.
Date: 2006-03-27
From: LOCUST CAVE GAP

To: CABLE GAP SHELTER
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: clear sky

MUDFLAP'S WEEKLY INPUTIt's time for Mudflap's Weekly Input, formerly known as Mudflap's Weekly Review. This way, I won't repeat everything you have already read. On March 24th, we received some early trail magic at Tellico Gap. Grey Blazer gave us some snickers bars. It was Friday and he was making 4 or 5 trips up the mountain taking supplies for trail magic up on the mountain. He even had a guitar and a flute. Today we left late; we waited for the sun to warm us up. It's been cold with snow on the ground at higher elevations. We did the normal thing - up a mountain then down - over and over. We came upon two trees where a large limb merged with another tree. We went down to Stecoah Gap (NC 143). Earthbound, Snickers and Turtle were there. They were waiting for a shuttle to take them back to their car. We said goodbye and headed on our way. We had a climb that felt like it was straight up. Usually there would be some switchbacks, but not on this one. Somebody must¢ve thought it was real funny to put hikers through this steep grade. We went to Brown Fork Gap to eat and use the privy. Let me tell you, Mudflap loves privies! It sure beats digging a hole 50 feet from the trail and 200 feet from the water source.Due to the snow, the trail was muddy and slippery in places. Toward the end of the day we met a father and 12 year old son on their first hike together. We were down to the last half mile when it happened; I took a big tumble off the trail! I came down hard on my right ribcage. I ended up facedown in the leaves and bushes. Daisy hurried over and asked if I was okay. I said my ribs hurt but I thought I was okay. As I got up she retrieved my water bottle from further down the hill. How I landed on my ribs, I don't know. I don't understand with all this gut I carry around how come it did not break my fall. Well, we made it to Cable Gap Shelter without any more incidents. At the shelter were dad and son Evan, father Tim and daughter Bridgette, and Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers is the only other thru hiker here tonight.The others are out hiking while the kids are on Spring Break. It's pretty special for these young people to experience this with their fathers. We ate dinner by the fire and shared the fudge graham cookies we were sent in the mail.The last two days the weather has been great, especially for the views. One more thing: while I'm writing this, every half hour these loud planes are flying above the tree tops. They sound like big military cargo planes. They must be training. Well, that's it. Be back in seven.
Date: 2006-03-28
From: CABLE GAP SHELTER

To: FONTANA DAM
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: light rain

TRILLIUM AND WHITE LINENThe lure of a hot shower had us up and moving early this morning. We enjoyed the camaraderie of the bunch at Cable Gap Shelter last night and I would have liked to spend more time with them, but Fontana awaits.My legs felt as if they were made of lead today. The trail has been merciless as of late. It reminds me of that saying "What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger." In that case, we oughta be superhuman by the time this is all over!As we came down the mountain, the dam was often within sight. It was always partially obscured by trees so we couldn't get a good picture. An even more exciting sight to me though, was the profusion of trillium just beginning to bloom in the lower elevations. Most of them were a deep burgundy color with a few white ones interspersed. Then I spotted all kinds of little yellow and purple flowers. Yea! Spring is on the way!!!Once we got into Fontana Village around noon, we had to wait until 4 p.m. to get a room. This was disappointing because we would rather be clean before going to the post office and general store. We had no choice, so we went to the post office first. We re-supplied our packs with vitamins, food and toiletries from our bounce box and mail drop. We also got another surprise package from the Fouts Family. This box contained a big batch of brownies and comic strips: great stuff!After we got our room and a shower, we topped the day off with a nice dinner at the Peppercorn Dining Room next door. We felt out of place dressed in crocks and zip-offs as we were seated at a lovely table complete with white linens and candlelight. It was comforting to see other hikers at the table next to us. The Wrens, Chris and Jenny, are on their third thru-hike. They seem like very nice people whom I would love to hang out with some more. I doubt that will happen since they are very strong hikers. We might see them first thing in the morning, but they will be out of sight in no time.
Date: 2006-03-29
From: FONTANA DAM

To: MOLLIES RIDGE SHELTER
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: clear sky

HEADIN' UP & LOADED DOWNWalking along Fontana Dam this morning, we caught a beautiful yet ominous view of Shuckstack Mtn. with the fire tower on top. This mountain is notoriously difficult to climb and we were heading straight for it. Besides that, Mudflap's ribs are still sore from his tumble down the hill the other day and our packs are loaded down.It should take seven days to get through the Smokies and about ten days to get to Hot Springs for our next re-supply. Our packs have never been this heavy before, especially mine since I carry most of the food. It was hot out today too. We pushed hard all day long. By the time we got up to the fire tower, we still had 6.3 miles of uphill to go. Mudflap climbed the steep steps up to the top of the tower to see the great views from up there. I chose to stay below: there will be other views. Perhaps my expectations are unrealistic, but prior to beginning our hike, I thought we would be in much better shape by now and thought the Smokies would be easier hiking.We were so relieved to finally reach the shelter at Mollies Ridge. In the Smokies it is a requirement to stay in the shelter unless it is full. In that case, you can tent. There was plenty of room for us in the shelter. The only other hikers there were Mad Dog, whom we had met previously, and a young man named Parkay. We had received some home-baked brownies in the mail, and were glad to have someone to share them with.As usual, there was little time left for leisure after our dinner time chores were finished. This will be our first night sleeping in a shelter. I hope the mice leave us alone.
Date: 2006-03-30
From: MOLLIES RIDGE SHELTER

To: DERRICK'S KNOB SHELTER
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: broken clouds

THINGS THAT HOWL IN THE NIGHT         Today's trail was as brutal as yesterday's. At the same time, the views were spectacular. We earned each sight we saw. One place I especially liked today was Spence Field. We stopped there at the shelter for lunch. I guess you could say it's a Bald but I'm not sure. It is a huge area covered with yellow mounds of long-bladed grass. What makes this spot particularly interesting is there are rows of short, bare trees that appear to be some sort of orchard. The thru-hiker's handbook doesn't mention it, nor do any of the hikers around here know anything about it. The field stands out in contrast to the thick woods we have been traveling through most of the time. Another great spot was the top of Rocky Top Mtn. You can see for miles around up there. The problem is, by the time we got up there I had been stumbling over everything,   including my own two feet. My pack continued to weigh me down. At the top of the next peak which was Thunderhead Mtn., Mudflap offered to take some weight off my pack for the sake of moving forward at a faster pace. It hurt my pride, even bruised my ego, but I was struggling so I let him take some of the food so we could get through the day in decent time.Once we arrived at the shelter, I felt much better for two reasons. For one, we didn't have to hike anymore today and secondly, Mad Dog, who is a strong hiker, said the trail was especially hard today. Everyone was talking about it. There are several hikers here tonight. Three of them are just out for a few days in the Smokies. Then there's Rob, who is hiking to Virginia; Mad Dog, who is also thru-hiking; and Bemis & Southpaw, two late season south-bounders. I wonder how many of these guys snore. We'll soon find out.Last night, it wasn't the snoring that kept me awake. All day long we had been seeing animal tracks in the muddy trail. We were trying to guess at what they might be. So far we hadn't seen any wildlife other than birds and insects. So, after dark, when all the hikers had settled into their bags, an eerie howl pierced the quiet night. There was more than one of them; must be wild coyotes.
Date: 2006-03-31
From: DERRICK'S KNOB SHELTER

To: DOUBLE SPRING GAP SHELTER
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: overcast clouds

SHELTER FROM THE STORMToday, we gave the ol' legs a break. Maybe we can rejuvenate ourselves a little by doing a short day. Even so, the past 7.2 miles were equally as tough as any before. Besides, the ridgerunner Jim told us this morning that thunder storms would be coming in this afternoon or tonight. Tomorrow, we go over Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the entire A.T.! We would rather do that early in the day before exhaustion clouds our outlook. Hopefully it will be clear out so we can get good views.Here at the shelter, we are joined once again by Moat and Rob. We've also now met Goggles and Andy.There are several deer walking around the shelter, apparently not afraid of people. We have not seen any rain yet as of 6 p.m.