morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-13
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

I headed out of Hot Springs this morning. The weather forecast wasn't the best, and it was tempting to stay another day, but it's too easy to sucked into the vortex of town. We headed out at 10am, and considering I'm carrying seven days of food (read: my pack is heavy!), I felt pretty good! I can definitely feel it in my feet though - they get a lot more sore when my pack weight is higher. It was flurrying on and off today, but that's better than rain. Rain saturates everything, while snow flurries you can just brush off. Still, I was relieved to make it to the shelter. I was happy to get my tent pitched before any really bad weather hit. To give you some idea of how much of the Trail is ahead of me, let me tell you this: if starting tomorrow I hiked 11 miles a day, every single day, I would finish the Trail in early October! Whoa, that's a little intimidating. I honestly don't know if I can do it. So I was telling V8 and Auntie Mame while we ate our dinners that maybe thru-hiking shouldn't be my goal. Maybe my goal should be to hike back to New Jersey where I live, and be able to take my time while hiking. V8 gave me a funny look, and I added, "Well, I probably shouldn't make any decisions now." She said very dryly, "That's a good idea. Nothing should be decided while you're sitting on the ground, freezing while you're cooking your dinner, as snow flurries fall all around you." Good point!I'm snug in my tent now, listening to some hail falling. The weather forecast was for a messy day tomorrow, but hopefully it won't be too bad. Then it's supposed to warm up and be nice the rest of the week!
Date: 2008-04-14
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: light rain

I woke up to some snow today! It was just light flurries and was barely sticking. Auntie Mame got the weather forecast on her radio and it didn't sound too bad: light snow showers and some sun. So we packed up and got on the trail.It's hard to believe four days ago I got a sunburn - it was COLD today! It flurries on and off during the day, but around 3 it started coming down a little harder and sticking. We got to the shelter and there was an inch of snow on the ground. There was a beautiful fire going in front of the shelter, and two guys staying there who gave us a warm welcome. We spread out our sleeping bags and put on our warm clothes. When I took my boots off, there was steam rising from my socks!It's not quite 5pm, but we're all in our sleeping bags, chatting. At some point I'll get motivated enough to cook my dinner and hang my bear bag. Then it will be right back into the sleeping bag!
Date: 2008-04-15
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Big Butt
Miles today: 9.2

I won't lie. Today was a very difficult day for me. My hardest on the trail. It was cold and snowy last night, so I bundled up in my sleeping bag and I did sleep, but I wasn't warm. I woke up this morning to two inches of snow everywhere, and it was quite chilly out. I got all ready, and started hiking with V8 and Auntie Mame. I was nervous about hiking in that weather, but I figured I'd feel better once I was moving. I didn't - an hour into the hike, I was uneasy.I had bounced ahead one fleece and my sleeping quilt - I still had my 20 degree bag, my down jacket, hat, gloves, Turtle Fur, etc. Those two pieces of equipment - the fleece and the quilt - seemed excessive, but without them I simply wasn't warm enough. I had assumed if I got cold hiking, I'd just hike faster to warm up. But the footing wasn't good enough in the snow to crank up the speed. I felt very uncomfortable to sleep cold, then to hike cold, knowing another night of sleeping cold lay ahead, just isn't good for one's mental state. If I had been heading into town that day I would have been fine, but I had 40+ miles still to get to Erwin. I had visions of my teeth chattering the whole way there! V8 and Auntie Mame weren't at all freaked out by the weather. V8 had an extra top layer she lent to me (a synthetic jacket), so I was warm while hiking.I had a lot of trouble accepting that jacket - I felt like I got myself out here, I should be totally self-sufficient, which is true to an extent. But, let's face it, I'm sure I'm not the first thru-hiker in history to borrow a piece of extra clothing from a friend to be a little more comfortable. Another thing I learned about myself today is how I see things in black and white when I don't have to. While cooking dinner tonight I was thinking, "Maybe I don't belong out here, maybe I should figure out a way home from Erwin," instead of just thinking, "Boy, today was a lousy day! Hope tomorrow is better!" The sun did come out in the afternoon and warmed everything up nicely. I'm snug and WARM now in my tent and sleeping bag. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a better day! P.S. Last night in the shelter another thru-hiker commented on how cold I looked. Then he asked where I was from, and I said New Jersey. He asked, "Doesn't it get cold in New Jersey?" I said, "Yeah, and I have this thing called central heating I use!"
Date: 2008-04-16
From: Big Butt

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: clear sky

I slept well last night. I opened my tent fly this morning and was surprised to see snow was still on the ground in some places. It was still chilly out! Auntie Mame fixed up her stove and we all had some hot chocolate, then hit the trail at 8:10. The sun came out and warmed everything up and I was so HAPPY. It just felt so good to not be cold anymore - to be able to stop and eat lunch and not dread taking your gloves off to unwrap your cheese!After lunch I told Auntie Mame and V8 to go on ahead, I wanted to take some photos. It was a beautiful day for hiking, so I just ambled along and enjoyed it. The last mile until the shelter though, my legs felt dead. They were just shot. I was so happy to see the sign for the shelter! It was a tough hike!It makes me realize though that I shouldn't focus so much on the miles, but to hike to how I'm feeling. After all, I can't hike any farther every day than I already am, so if at the end of it all that means I don't thru-hike but end up a few hundred miles short in October, that's the way it goes. All you can do out here is the most your body is willing to do!I'm looking forward to hiking some more tomorrow!
Date: 2008-04-17
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Whistling Gap
Miles today: 13.5

Had a good hike today! I wasn't feeling it in the morning, my body felt really drained, so I stopped for an early lunch and ate as much food as I could. I felt great after that, and really enjoyed the hike! Big Bald was amazing, nice views, great scenery!I had some GREAT trail magic today. Someone left a Dick Francis book - one of my favorite authors! He's a rather obscure author, so finding it was a welcome surprise. Yay trail magic!One thing I've been struggling with out here is the social aspect of the trail. Other thru-hikers have raved about how you meet terrific people and have such a great time and everyone I've met has been really nice - but the majority of them are a lot younger or a lot older than me. The hikers in their early 20s I just don't have much in common with - and even if I did, they hike too fast for me to find out! Ha! They sure do put the big miles down. The other predominate age group is hikers in their 50s and 60s who have either retired or feel it's 'now or never' time to do this hike. I also like chatting with them, but being significantly younger, I get the sense they don't see me as an equal.Well, maybe part of the my trail experience is just to enjoy the connections I do make when I make them, and be comfortable with my time alone. Everyone out here is really nice, but being a solo woman in her early 30s, I'm just not a majority group out here!
Date: 2008-04-19
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Zero day today! I did a load of laundry this morning, wrote out my resupply list, and got a ride into town for a late breakfast. I moved out of the bunkhouse and set my tent up, so at noon I crawled into it intending to read, but instead I fell into such a deep sleep! I woke up and thought hours had gone by, but it had only been 20 minutes! So I rolled over and slept some more. Now I'm sitting in the shade, writing and reading and eating Raisinets. A nice day!Ground Control and I are hoping to coordinate a visit when I get to Damascus in a couple weeks. It will be so nice to see him!
Date: 2008-04-20
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Erwin. TN
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: light rain

A great slackpack today! I got shuttled 19 miles up the Trail and dropped off, and I hiked back (southbound) to the hostel. Three miles into the hike I did a quick calculation and estimated I'd get back to the hostel at 9 p.m. Yikes! (I did have my headlamp with me just in case.)The Trail was mostly downhill and not rocky, so my speed picked up a bit - enough to make sure I'd get back before dark!One of the benefits of hiking southbound is you run into a lot of people you know going northbound! I enjoyed meeting Walrus, and Me who just recovered from bronchitis.At the top of Unaka Mountain, there was this really dense pine forest. It was freezing rain when I went through, so you could hear the 'pling pling' of the rain on the forest floor. It was like the world's most delicate percussion section!I got back to Uncle Jonny's hostel at 7:15 pm. It felt good to walk across that bridge to the hostel! The dinner shuttle had already left, so I ordered a pizza.Twice during the evening hikers came up to me and started talking, then stopped and looked at me, confused. I said, "Did you think I was Sunbeam?" Yes! She's here at the hostel, so I got a photo of us together. Can you tell who is who?It's Wildflower's birthday today, so there were candles and cupcakes. She blew out all her candles, so I hope she gets her wish!I'm excited to get back on the Trai, but I'll miss Uncle Jonny's. It's a very well-run hostel, I've been very comfortable and content here.
Date: 2008-04-21
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Carvers Gap
Miles today: 14.2

Today worked out well! I hiked 4 miles and was just passing Greasy Creek Gap (which I keep almost calling 'Greasy Spoon Gap', but that's neither here nor there) when 2 hikers mentioned to me they had called Greasy Creek Friendly Hostel and found out they could get a shuttle to the top of Roan Mountain to slackpack back down. There was 1 vacancy left in the shuttle. Sold! We went over to the hostel, I emptied my (heavy) pack and put in just what I'd need for the day, and we got dropped off at Carvers Gap to slack the 10 miles back (southbound).It was a nice hike! I wasn't sure how I'd be feeling after such a big day yesterday, but my legs recovered during the night and felt fine today. Still, I have to admit the highlight of my hike was eating a homemade applesauce leather that my friends Boris and Natasha had sent me. Gosh was that good!I made it back to the hostel around 7 pm, got my tent set up (they have a bunkhouse, but I'm really comfortable in my tent - I feel like I'm 'home' no matter where I am!). We all had dinner, and I had an ice cream sundae for dessert.Ground Control will be coming to visit me this weekend! He's going to pick me up at whatever road crossing I'm at on Saturday, and we'll stay in Damascus, where I'll take a double zero. I miss him so much - I know when I see him on Saturday I'm going to start to cry!I have cell phone reception here so I just checked my voicemail and I got a VERY encouraging message from my friend Mike. Thanks a bunch - it's JUST what I needed to hear!
Date: 2008-04-22
From: Carvers Gap

To: Doll Flats
Miles today: 10.9

WOW did I sleep like a log last night! At one point I woke up and thought, oh I hope it's not time to get up yet. I looked at my watch and it was 2:30 am. YES! I rolled over and fell back asleep.When I woke up (for good) I noticed my legs were really sore today, and I've got a bit of a cold, so I decided to make it an easy day. I've been hiking solo these days as Auntie Mame and V8 have turned up their pace and miles (you go, girls!!). Having hiking partners is good for companionship and can be motivating, but hiking solo has its benefits too, and I have to say I've really been enjoying it. I like being able to set whatever pace I feel like, change plans on a whim, and while I'm hiking I have plenty of time to ruminate.I had a beautiful hike up and over two balds, with the late afternoon sun streaming down on the valleys below. I was going to camp at Bradley Gap, but frankly the tent sites weren't that inspiring (the tent equivalent of a basement apartment) so I pushed on, and made it to Doll Flats just as I was starting to worry about losing the daylight.Bearfoot and Gucci are here, a few other thru-hikers, and a group of about 15 high school students! I sat near their campfire to cook my dinner, and these kids give me hope for the future. It's nice to see 14- and 15-year-olds out backpacking and enjoying nature. They were very responsible campers too - keeping a clean camp and hanging bearbags. Seeing them interact reminded me of my high school days and high school friends - I'm lucky that a number of us are still in touch.I can hear the peepers! What a great sound to fall asleep to.
Date: 2008-04-23
From: Doll Flats

To: Mountaineering Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: broken clouds

I've been realizing that this may not be a thru-hike. It may turn out to be a long section hike. I don't want to say I "can't" do the daily miles needed for a thru-hike, because if someone offered me, say, two million dollars and a pony if I got to the top of Katahdin by October, I'd be able to muster the physical resources needed.It's just that I don't enjoy my daily hike as much when I put pressure on myself to do the bigger miles. Yesterday I was taking a break at a shelter, looking at my map and the ground I 'needed' to cover that afternoon, checking my watch to see if I'm on schedule, and it hit me - for me to hike that way it too much like work! I don't want deadlines and time crunches out here. I enjoy just ambling along, listening to the birds and looking at the flowers, and stopping for breaks when my body needs them. I've had to come to terms with the fact that if I want to hike this way, that means I may not have a thru-hike. I still may, but basically I've decided my priorities are: 1. Enjoy my hike 2. Thru-hike. Not the other way around. We'll see how it all unfolds!In other news, I saw a lot of bumblebees, including one who seemed to think my pack was a BIG red flower! Also a lot of butterflies who seemed quite interested in one another. Spring has sprung!
Date: 2008-04-24
From: Mountaineering Shelter

To: Dennis Cove, TN
Miles today: 15.6

Last night I woke up around 2 am - I thought a night hiker had come in and was shining a headlamp on my face. I opened my eyes and it was the moon - it was full and so bright. I've never been woken up by moonlight before!I started hiking at 7:15 this morning, but felt really sluggish. So I took a lot of breaks, drank a lot of water, and ate some high protein snacks (beef jerky made by my friend Natasha!) After a few hours I started feeling much better.I got to the shelter at 2:30, and thought 'I've still got plenty of daylight!' So I ate a quick lunch and hiked another 6 miles to town (Dennis Cove). I walked over to the Kincora Hiking Hostel and the joint was jumping! A LOT of hikers here, it was nice to see so many friendly faces! Bilge Rat and Turtle baked a '400 Mile' cake that was delicious.At one point today I was hiking along when I heard voices ahead on the Trail. I turn the corner and see Leaping Turtle, Auntie Mame, and V8 hiking toward me. For a split second I had a panicky thought that I was going the wrong way on the Trail! But no, they were slack packing south today.Today was my longest day yet with a pack - 15.6 miles! (I had that one 19 mile day, but that was hiking without my pack.) I feel really good!!
Date: 2008-04-25
From: Dennis Cove, TN

To: US 321
Miles today: 8.9

I felt really sluggish again the first couple hours of my hike. The weather was nice, the Trail was good, I didn't even have much weight because I was slackpacking, but still I just felt really run down. I'll be taking 2 days off from hiking this weekend (GROUND CONTROL IS COMING TO VISIT!) so hopefully that will recharge me. It's probably normal to feel a little depleted - after all, if I was running a half marathon every day for a month and felt sluggish, I wouldn't be wondering why, I'd be like, dang, I need some time off! Also now that it's getting warmer out, I'm going to make it a point to drink a lot more water, it's possible I'm getting dehydrated. (I like to blame a lot of things in life on dehydration!)Energy level aside, it was a nice hike. At one point the trail was on a road that ran along a pasture, and this beautiful horse ambled over to say hello. His owner came out and said he was a Palomino-Quarter Horse stallion, and his name is Slim!The hike took me past Laurel Falls which was just beautiful - very relaxing.I'm taking a VERY short day tomorrow: 4 miles. I'm just hiking to the next road crossing so Ground Control can pick me up!! I hope he can find the trail -- I can't wait to see him!!!
Date: 2008-04-26
From: US 321

To: Watauga Dam Rd
Miles today: 4.4

I woke up in my tent this morning, with all the birds in the trees singing away, and I thought: GROUND CONTROL IS COMING TODAY!! I got all packed up and got shuttled back to the trail, and backpacked north a few miles. I stopped at Watauga Dam to enjoy the view, and had a nice chat with Shiloh and Me. I hiked another mile to the next road crossing, put my pack down, and sat on the beautiful green grass to enjoy the sun and wait for Ground Control. (Note: I normally wouldn't hang around a road crossing, but try to cross them quickly and disappear back into the woods for safety, but this road had little traffic, and the cars that did drive by were families going on picnics!)Every so often a hiker would come along the trail and ask if I was taking a break, and I'd practically jump up and down and say 'My husband is meeting me here!'Poor Ground Control had trouble finding me (this happens often when a civilian tries to rendezvous with a thru-hiker!). He got to the lake okay, which sounds like he couldn't be too far away as I was also on the edge of the lake - but, well, it's a BIG lake. He asked some people for directions, and found some Trail Angels of his own - they were heading to within a mile of where I was, so they invited him to drive behind their truck and they'd wave him to turn down the correct road. Thank heavens, because these back roads are tricky!! Thank you, friendly Tennessee people!!He pulled up at 2 pm and it was SO GOOD to see him!! We gave each other a big hug, he commented on how fit I was, and I apologized for the fact that I stank. (You just can't keep that shower fresh feeling on the Trail!) He said, "Oh honey, you don't stink exactly...you're just not your normal perfumey self!" (Meaning: I stink! Ha!)We got some pizzas to go and dropped by the Kincora Hostel so he could meet some of the other hikers. And he baked BROWNIES that we all devoured. Then we headed up to a Holiday Inn Express, and let me tell you - after 55 days of my tent, shelters, bunkhouses, and motels, it feels SO luxurious to be in a hotel. This evening I took both a shower and a bath!! And Ground Control thought to pack my favorite soap and shampoo. What a guy!I have to admit I was nervous that once I saw Ground Control, I'd think, "424 miles is enough to hike, I'll just climb in the car and go home with him." But I'm happy to report that I'm looking forward to getting back out on the Trail on Tuesday morning. I'll enjoy every minute with Ground Control until then!P.S. Ground Control just opened a suitcase FULL of 'town stuff' for me (clothes, Tevas) and resupply items (fresh batteries, new maps). He said, "I'm a living mail drop!"
Date: 2008-04-27
From: Holiday Inn Express, Abingdon VA

To: Augusta's Appalachian Inn, Damascus VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up in the middle of the night last night and thought, "I'm not used to sleeping in all this COTTON!" It felt so weird to be wearing cotton clothes and sleeping with normal sheets. We woke up around 8 and Ground Control went downstairs to the complimentary breakfast bar and brought back breakfast in bed. Yay!We drove over to Damascus and got lunch. We had reservations for a bed and breakfast here, and they told Ground Control that they'd do a load of laundry for me since I'm a thru-hiker. My laundry was SO DISGUSTING that I pre-washed it first. We went to the laundromat and ran it through the washer and dryer. Then when we checked in to the B&B, I gave it to them to wash again! (And it honestly needed it - coming out of the dryer the first time, it still smelled!) And it's not even summer yet!We had a nice afternoon - we took a nap, sat on the porch of the B&B and watched the world go by, ate a pizza, and watched a movie ("All About Eve"). I realized halfway through the evening why this visit is so nice: it feels good to just kick back and relax with my husband. Leading up to this trip I was so wound up, anxious and excited, that we weren't having a lot of mellow relaxing evenings together!I talked to my sister, and her and my dad and Ground Control are going to try to visit me in Harpers Ferry. It will be nice motivation! I'll try to get there an hour early so I can do my laundry.
Date: 2008-04-28
From: Augusta's Appalachian Inn, Damascus VA

To: Augusta's Appalachian Inn
Miles today: 0.0

We had a delicious breakfast to start the morning. I'm really impressed with Augusta's Appalachian Inn - the food is wonderful, the house is so clean it sparkles, and the owners are very thoughtful and hiker-friendly!Ground Control and I went to the post office to get my mail drop. Thank you Rachel, Becky, Pops, Nina, Aunt Janet & Uncle Tom, Headlamp & Funny Girl, and Natasha & Boris! It's so nice to get mail from the real world! Next we went to Food City ("Can I be mayor of Food City?" Ground Control asked) and resupplied. Back to the B&B, where Ground Control took a nap while I organized my pack, and plotted out my mail drops from Damascus to Harpers Ferry. It feels good to have made it so far!!This hike from Springer Mountain to Damascus was the first leg, and I'm really pleased with how the hike went! The next leg of the journey is here to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, which is considered a 'psychological' half-way point of the trip. One foot in the front of the other!
Date: 2008-04-29
From: Watauga Dam Rd

To: Iron Mountain Shelter, TN
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Oh, I had to say goodbye to Ground Control today! We got up at 6 am, loaded the car, and left at 7. Sissy and Terry (at Augusta's B&B) packed us breakfast-to-go since we were leaving so early, and it was delicious. Egg and bacon biscuits, homemade bread, granola bars, fresh fruit, and bottled water - it was a breakfast picnic! We munched away happily as we tried to find our way back to the trail - it's a wonder Ground Control ever found me on those back roads!As we were getting close to the trailhead, I was a cauldron of emotions - excited, sad, anxious. I turned to Ground Control and asked what he was feeling. "I feel full!" he declared happily as he polished off another egg and bacon biscuit. I have to say in all seriousness that I'm so lucky to have such a supportive spouse. As we said goodbye, he said, "I miss you at home, but I'm so happy knowing you're fulfilling your dream!" We gave each other a big hug and he watched me hike into the woods, a minute later I heard the car driving away.The hike today was nice, but after two days off I was STIFF. So I applied my universal solution: hike slower! I moseyed into the shelter around 6. A cold front moved in last night! All day today it was in the 30s and 40s. Glad I have all my cold weather gear! Lots of hikers are getting sick, which is too bad as it's hard enough to do this when you're healthy! So far I've managed to avoid these bugs, hopefully my luck holds.