morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-03-13
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: clear sky

DAY 2I was cold my first night on the Trail and didn¢t get much sleep. The temperature never got down to freezing, but I was cold despite my 15 degree sleeping bag, with a polyester liner. But nothing to get too worried about. I¢m a cold sleeper and I¢ll adapt or get smarter about my sleeping system. I cooked an oatmeal breakfast, and I was one of the last hikers to leave the shelter area. I am not a fast packer-upper and I¢m still a little disorganized. Eventually everything will have its place.Day 2 on the Trail has been relatively warm. It was a sunny day and temperatures climbed into the high 70¢s. This day¢s hike was much more difficult than yesterday. There were steep climbs up Sassafras Mountain, Justus Mountain, and Phyllis Spur. Additionally, the day¢s heat and my heavy pack made today difficult and tiring. I was ready for a break when I reached the Trail crossing of Justus Creek, six miles into today¢s hike. At the Justus Creek bridge, I came upon Rocky, Baby Steps, Wizard and Gazer, who were also taking a break. The company was welcome as I had been hiking alone. When I hike alone, as I have so far, I talk to myself, sing, and argue with myself. I often loose those arguments. So it was nice to have someone else to talk to for a change. After we were sitting there for awhile, enjoying this pleasant day, Gazer and Wizard got into a discussion about the merits of nuclear power. The discussion developed into a heated and ugly argument after awhile. Now I have my opinions about nuclear power, but decided this argument didn¢t need a third opinion. I got up and resumed my hike to Gooch Mountain Shelter.It was only an additional 1.3 miles to Gooch Mountain Shelter from Justus Creek. I arrived at the shelter at about 2 pm. I was fairly exhausted and surprised at the difficulty of a hike of only 7.3 miles. I have always been a strong hiker, even in my 60¢s, so today¢s difficulties discouraged me. On the good side, there was no one in the shelter so I claimed my favorite spot next to the right wall of the shelter. Gooch Mountain Shelter is a new, two level shelter, so there is plenty of room for all who will choose to stay in this shelter tonight. I do not want to be on the upper level, with the difficulties it would entail to get up at night to answer nature¢s call several times. I have no desire to step over other sleeping hikers and climb down a ladder in the middle of the night. Gazer played a hauntingly, beautiful melody on his flute after he and his three companions arrived at the shelter. Later, Gazer and Wizard said a tearful goodbye to Rocky and Baby Steps, as the two guys are getting off the Trail tonight. Rocky became surprisingly emotional at the parting, despite the fact that she has only hiked with them for three days. I am learning that Trail friendships form quickly on the Appalachian Trail.Once again, I had little appetite for dinner and I am feeling a bit queasy in the stomach.-Swamp Fox
Date: 2005-03-17
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap (Helen, GA)
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: light snow

DAY 6St. Patrick¢s Day on the Appalachian Trail has been as cold and rainy and miserable as yesterday. Once again, I didn¢t cook breakfast. I got packed up and left before anyone else left from the shelter or campsite. I ate my pop tarts as I walked. After about an hour of walking, I met two hikers coming from the opposite direction. I thought they were south bounders (SoBo¢s). They claimed I was the one heading south. A glance at my little compass confirmed that they were right and I was headed in the wrong direction. How aggravating and how dumb on my part!Apparently when I left Low Cap Shelter earlier in my haste, I turned left instead of right at the junction of the AT and the side trail from the shelter. There was no sun to help me get my bearings. I had blundered two miles in the wrong direction. I had to walk an extra four miles on a day when I am anxious to get to town as soon as possible. There was nothing else I could do except to turn around, retrace my steps, and head for Unicoi Gap. The distance from Low Gap to Unicoi Gap is 9.4 miles, but with my south bound detour, I hiked 14 miles today. The day¢s hike as been otherwise non-memorable, but at least now I have some confidence that I can do a 14 mile day if I have to. I reached Unicoi Gap at around 3 pm, and I was able to quickly hitch a ride into Helen. This is an interesting town as it is done in kind of a Bavarian motif. From past reading of Trail Journals, I know that the place for hikers to stay in Helen is the Helendorf River Inn. It looked like a nice place when I dragged my dirty, discouraged body into the lobby. I tentatively asked the clerk, ¢Do you allow Hiker Trash here?¢ She very warmly and enthusiastically replied, ¢We specialize!¢ For what I believe to be a very low rate of about $30, I have a very nice room in a very nice hotel. And I even get coffee and pastries tomorrow morning. As I went up to my room, who should I meet but Baby Steps. She wondered how I got in later, even though I had left Low Gap earlier this morning than she and Rocky had left. I didn¢t go into detail, as I am too embarrassed. I am flattered that she invited me to have dinner with her and Rocky. Later I bumped into Rocky who repeated the invitation. She told me that they were going to a ¢Big Daddy¢s¢, which allegedly has the greatest cheeseburger.Big Daddy¢s does indeed have great cheeseburgers, although I had mine without cheese. It was a most enjoyable dinner for me. Rocky is so enthusiastic about the Trail, despite the lousy weather of the past two days. I was thinking about getting off the Trail, but Rocky is already talking about getting into Hot Springs, 220 long miles away. That¢s what I call confidence. I decided tonight at that dinner table that I am going to stay on the Trail. -Swamp Fox
Date: 2005-03-18
From: Unicoi Gap (Helen, GA)

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 5.5
Weather: broken clouds

DAY 7I didn¢t sleep well last night despite the comfortable bed. I had a cup of coffee in the hotel lobby before going to bed. I don¢t drink much coffee, so a little caffeine goes a long way. Not a smart move on my part. However, the bed was wonderful, compared to the previous night on the edge of the Low Gap Shelter floor. Breakfast today was just coffee and danish in the hotel lobby. It has been a nice day for a change: cool and clear. A great day for hiking. I was in a great frame of mind this morning to continue my hike. Last night¢s dinner with Rocky and Baby Steps was a real morale booster for me.I walked up the main drag of Helen to Betty¢s Country Store, where we met Pittsburg for our shuttle back to the Trail at Unicoi Gap. Also gathered at Betty¢s were Rocky, Baby Steps, Yellow Jacket, Red Hat and Double Healer. While waiting, Baby Steps, a nurse, noticed my ears were very red. I thought it was sunburn, as my ears also itched. She asked if I had been taking anti-biotics, which I had for the aftermath of a respiratory illness I had before the Trail. Apparently, anti-biotics make you prone to sunburn. She gave me her bandanna to wear around my head to keep the sun off of my ears and neck. What a kind gesture on her part. She is getting off the Trail today, after spending the past seven days with Rocky. I will miss her. We all left Unicoi Gap together and started the thousand foot climb of Rocky Mountain. I soon left the others behind, thanks to my renewed energy and enthusiasm. During the climb up Rocky Mountain, I was passed by the trio of Sandman, Cubby and Boston. They are an unusual group. Sandman is an old guy like me, and I can¢t figure out if Cubby and Boston are male or female. But they are all strong hikers. I arrived at Tray Mountain Shelter early in the afternoon. I am set up in my usual right side of the shelter next to the wall. Soon I was joined in the shelter by a section hiker, who is a male nurse. Later Rocky and Double Healer came into the shelter. They are also nurses, so tonight I am spending the night with three nurses. Other hikers showed up during the course of the afternoon. Some have gone on ahead, while most have set up tents in the vicinity of this shelter. It¢s going to be a cold night.-Swamp Fox
Date: 2005-03-19
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

DAY 8Last night was cold in the shelter. Rocky positioned herself between Double Healer and me to try to keep warm. At least we two Vietnam veterans were of some use last night. During the course of the night I had to get up several times. I was surprised by all the lights below that seemed to surround our mountain. I had thought we were in the middle of a wilderness. It was a beautiful star lit, cold night.This morning Rocky and I talked about our plans for the day. I wanted to stay at Blueberry Patch Hostel. Rocky heard somewhere that the Blueberry Patch was booked for the night. She intended to camp somewhere short of Dick¢s Creek Gap or go into Hiawassee, GA, for the night. I¢m not a believer in Trail rumors, so I am heading for Blueberry Patch. The day¢s hike had its usual ups and downs, particularly Kelly Knob, which was a hard climb. The weather has been dry and mostly cloudy. In the last few miles of the hike I caught up with a 40 plus hiker from somewhere down South. I never did get his name, but we chatted as we walked to Dick¢s Creek Gap. At the Gap we caught a ride together. I got out at the side road to Blueberry Patch, while my trail companion continued into Hiawassee, where he was going to stay at Mull¢s Motel. Blueberry Patch is quite a rustic hostel. It is also a working blueberry farm. There were two people there already when I arrived. They were ¢Spartacus¢ and ¢Rainbow¢, who had taken a zero day. Surprise, they were from my old neighborhood in Philadelphia. Gary Poteat, the hostel owner, took me on a tour of the hostel, and pointed out the free food and equipment I could take. He did my laundry and told me breakfast would be tomorrow morning at 8 am. I asked him if I had to register and how much would my stay be, considering all the amenities. I was astounded by his reply, ¢There is no charge to stay at Blueberry Patch¢. Later this afternoon, Double Healer showed up, along with two younger hikers, ¢Yardsale¢ and ¢Cory¢. A female hiker athlete is also here: ¢Darcy¢ from Maine. She has hiked the 66.6 miles from Springer to here in only four days. This is amazing as it has taken me eight days to cover the same distance. There is plenty of room in this hostel tonight, despite the information Rocky had.My hiker appetite has finally kicked in. I consumed quite a bit of the chicken-rice casserole that members of Gary¢s congregation donated. There was quite a bit of junk food available. I have added some of the available food items to my supply. Once again I am accumulating trail food faster than I can eat it.-Swamp Fox
Date: 2005-03-20
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: broken clouds

DAY 9Last night I made the mistake of having a cup of hot chocolate before going to bed. As a result I had difficult falling asleep again. This morning, Gary and Lennie Poteat served a wonderful breakfast in the porch next to their home. I had seven pancakes (blueberry, of course), and four sausages, along with orange juice. I think my appetite is back with a vengence. Next to each plate was an envelope with a note inviting you to leave a donation if you so desired. Gary never mentioned this throughout our stay. I am so much in awe of the Poteat¢s hospitality that I left a $25 donation and I¢m not sure it¢s adequate. This covers the night¢s stay, snacks, shower, laundry, breakfast, and a shuttle back to the Trail. There are Trail Angels along the Appalachian Trail, but Gary and Lennie Poteat are close to Trail Saints. The Blueberry Patch is a ministry to them.As it is a Sunday, Gary could not deliver us to the Trail until almost noon, due to his church obligations. This is much later than I would have liked to start the 11.6 miles to Muskrat Creek Shelter. It has been another day of ups and downs. Today I reached the gnarled tree that signifies the border between Georgia and North Carolina. Hooray, I have just completed my first state. Only 13 to go. After crossing into North Carolina, the fun really began. It got steeper yet. It was really painfully steep on the uphills for the last three miles to the shelter. I was having thoughts of getting off the Trail again. This was perhaps the hardest day yet. Eventually I got to the shelter. The shelter was pretty well filled up to capacity when I arrived as it was late in the afternoon. However, ¢Lumbermack¢ invited me it and said they would make room for me. I had corresponded with Lumbermack during the month before I left for the Trail, so it seemed like I knew him even though we never met in person. Also in the shelter were Lumbermack¢s wife ¢Sunshine¢, Spartacus, Rainbow, and Darcy. I met Spartacus, Rainbow, and Darcy yesterday at the Blueberry Patch. It is a mild day, and I don¢t want to impose, so I am setting up my tent instead. This will be the first time I am using my tent, a REI Quarter Dome. It is supposedly a two-person tent. It seems small for two people, but it is quite adequate for me and my gear. So ends a hard, but satisfying day on the Trail. The soft forest floor is a lot softer than the wood floor of the shelter. It should be a good night.-Swamp Fox
Date: 2005-03-21
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

DAY 10Last night was quite pleasant and I was in a better frame of mind when I left the Muskrat Creek Shelter area. This was to be my longest day yet: 12.5 miles to Carter Gap Shelter. That is not counting my 14 mile fiasco going into Unicoi Gap, only four days ago. It seems much longer. This is life on steroids, it seems. I have met so many wonderful people, seen so much beautiful scenery, overcome so much and learned so much. I thought I was an experienced hiker before March 12th, but I hadn¢t seen anything yet.This has been a cloudy day, but it was a good day to hike. I reached the Carter Gap Shelter site in early afternoon. I was the first of the group that left Muskrat Creek Shelter to get here. There are actually two shelters at this site.I elected to go to the newer shelter. When I got to the newer shelter there was a hiker asleep there. He was somewhat annoyed that I woke him up, even though it was afternoon. It turned out he was a SoBo who started his thru hike in Maine last year. He has a harrowing tale of snow in the Smokies, where he had to walk the twenty some odd miles from New Found Gap into Gatlinburg, Tennessee. He has a wild look about him, like he¢s been on the Trail too long. Soon the shelter filled up. Lumbermack and his wife Sunshine arrived, as did ¢Vitaman¢ from Indiana and ¢Tim¢ from Ohio. Spartacus limped in along with his wife Rainbow. They have set up their REI Half Dome tent under the shelter overhang to keep out of the rain we expect tonight. Yardsale and Cory came in and decided to sleep under the shelter, so as not to crowd the shelter. This has been a very pleasant evening in this shelter. This is a great group of people.
Date: 2005-03-24
From: Silar Bald Shelter

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

DAY 13The three of us (Cory, Yardsale, and me) left Siler Bald Shelter at about the same time this morning. The two youngsters soon left me behind. I caught up with them while they stopped to rest. I am now at the stage of my Trail development where I don¢t need or want to stop very often. I went on ahead and they soon passed me again. I would catch up with them when they stopped and they would catch up to me soon afterwards. This was the pattern of today¢s hike.The three of us stopped for lunch at the Wayah Bald tower. For once there was a good view of the surrounding mountains on a beautiful day. The night stop for us is this Cold Spring Shelter. This shelter is a log shelter and one of the oldest on the Trail. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the 1930¢s. Besides Cory and Yardsale, my shelter mates tonight include Spartacus and Rainbow. There are quite a few other hikers tenting in the vicinity of the shelter. Today¢s hike from Siler Bald to Cold Spring Shelter was a relatively easy 12.1 miles. I¢m getting my Trail legs.
Date: 2005-03-25
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: clear sky

DAY 14Another nice day on the Trail. In fact a Great Day! Today¢s hike was 11.4 miles to NOC and it turned out to be relatively easy. The last four miles are all down hill starting from the Jumping Off Point. Some of it was very steeply downhill, which can be very difficult on the legs.I got into NOC shortly after noon. There is a hotel here, as well as a hiker hostel. I had intended to go first class here. My philosophy is becoming, ¢Why tent when you can stay in a shelter? Why stay in a shelter if you can stay in a hostel? Why stay in a hostel if you can stay in a hotel?¢ When I went to check in at the office, I was informed that the hotel was booked solid because of an adventure race. As a result I am in the hostel tonight, which is quite adequate, although a bit too warm.I saw an announcement on the NOC bulletin board which stated that there would be a Hiker Feed this afternoon, leaving at 3 pm. It is being put on by a former thru hiker named ¢Ox.¢ I had talked with Ox briefly a few days earlier when he stopped by the Blueberry Patch. He warned me about how steep the Trail would be upon entering North Carolina. He was accurate. Naturally, I went, along with Cory and Yardsale, who have also arrived at NOC. All together, I¢d say 25 hikers attended the Hiker Feed. The Feed was held at a home in a very rural area, quite some distance from NOC. Ox drove us there. It was quite a spread. All kinds of great food and there was a hot tub as well. It has been a grand afternoon. I got to soak my sore feet in the hot tub, enjoyed great food, and enjoyed the company of many other hikers.I got back to NOC late at night in a carload of hikers driven by Ox. It is great to be with a group of hikers after such a wonderful day of Trail Magic. John Denver music was playing on the car radio as we drove back to NOC. In our carload was a former thru hiker: ¢Chestnut¢, I believe is his trail name. He was expounding on how much easier the Trail had become since his previous thru hike. He said trail improvements have made the Trail much faster, and there are more support facilities. I replied, ¢If I am fortunate enough to complete this Trail in my 65th year, I am not appologizing to anyone for how easy it is, because it takes everything I¢ve got every day.¢ That kind of ended that conversation. I think I spoke for everyone.When we arrived back at NOC, I thanked Ox for a great day. I asked if I could make a cash contribution. He declined to accept my offer and said to me, ¢That¢s not what this is about, Swamp Fox.¢ He gave me a good bye hug that damn near crushed me. Ox is a big guy and a nice guy.
Date: 2005-03-26
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: scattered clouds

DAY 15I had breakfast this morning at the NOC¢s River¢s End Restaurant with five other ¢old guys¢: Lumbermack, Vitaman, Tim, ¢Jersey Judge¢ and ¢Acronym¢. I think I am the oldest. It was great sharing a meal with a group of guys who have some of the same physical limits as I do. I think we may appreciate the Trail experience more than younger hikers, for whom the physical part comes so much easier. All of have looked forward to this AT hike for years.As I am still ahead of my projected (¢not to be taken seriously¢) schedule, I was thinking about taking a Zero Day at NOC. There certainly is plenty to do here. All the hikers I know are leaving today, and the weather continues to be good. Why waste a good hiking day? So I decided to leave after all and hike the 7.0 miles to Sassafras Gap Shelter. As I had a mail drop at NOC I couldn¢t start hiking until after 11 am, when the NOC post office opens. After about four miles of walking, the going got really steep. The climb out of the gorge of the Nantahala River is 3000 feet in less than five miles. It has also been a warm day, so I took my time. On the climb, I passed ¢Colorado¢ and his girl friend ¢Marshmallow¢, a young couple. It was about 3 pm when I reached the Sassafras Gap Shelter. Most of the guys I had breakfast with were here already. Also at the shelter tonight are Spartacus and Rainbow. Yardsale came into the shelter, but without Cory. He has decided to go on ahead so that he can reach Fontana in only two days, instead of the three days I am allowing to get to Fontana. I have enjoyed my time with Yardsale. He is a nice young man from New Hampshire, and I hope I cross paths with him again.I talked at some length with Jersey Judge, as he is New Jersey resident, as I am. He is in fact a municipal judge in one of the New Jersey shore towns. His nephew is a civil engineer, as I am, and in fact I have had past dealings with him. It¢s a small world!Later this evening a young hiker by the name of ¢Bodie¢ came into the shelter. He bragged about how he had hiked the downhill and dangerous drop into NOC the previous night. Then, he said he got drunk at NOC and climbed out of the gorge to this shelter, while still under the influence, and with only a few hours sleep. None of us seemed to be impressed. My only comment to him was, ¢Are you trying to tell us how stupid you are?¢Anyway, it has been a good day on the Trail, with great company tonigh
Date: 2005-03-27
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: overcast clouds

DAY 16It rained overnight breaking the stretch of four rain free days since I left Franklin. As a result the Trail has been kind of muddy since I left Sassafras Gap Shelter. However, despite the grey skies all day, it didn't rain during the nine mile hike to Brown Fork Gap Shelter. I hiked this morning with Lumbermack, Vitaman, and Tim from Ohio. We all descended into Stecoah Gap at about the same time. There was a picnic table at the road where we all had lunch. The other three guys had a pow-wow that I didn¢t intrude into. Afterwards I continued across the road and started a climb. Apparently Vitaman has some sort of injury and he got off the Trail. The other two guys must have hitched into town with him, as I didn¢t see them again today. I am disappointed that they didn¢t continue with me to the next shelter. Soon after I left the Gap and resumed my hike, I was passed by ¢Senator Daniel¢ from the Pacific Northwest. He is kind of a heavy guy and I was surprised at how fast he moved. I chatted with him for awhile, but I could not stay with him and I didn¢t see him again today. Eventually I got to Brown Fork Gap Shelter. There was no one here. Then later in the afternoon, ¢Bones¢, a very tall and skinny hiker arrived. He seems like a good guy and an obvious believer in Leave No Trace hiking and camping. He chastised me, with good reason, for trying to burn trash in the fire ring. Guess I'll have to carry my trash out to Fontana tomorrow. There in no one else in the shelter tonight. It is raining tonight.