morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-15
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm Hostel
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Today was wet! And now here at Standing Ber Hostel it is snowing. It is not sticking to the ground yet but it may tonight.I was the first one up and out today. I always like to get a good start and hike in the morning. I hiked through lots of rhododendron forests today. The green was beautiful in the rain. It rained all day - kind of a steady but not hard Washington type rain. First there was a good climb and then LOTS of downhill coming down out of the Smokeys. I stopped for lunch at Davenport Shelter (7 miles)and met two guys slowly packing up to go to Standing Bear. They had gotten ahead of their schedule to get to Hot Springs and meet someone and were trying to kill time. Papa Bear and Ferrell came in just as I was finishing up lunch and getting ready to move out.There was a very pretty little stretch today coming down a little valley with a pretty stream and a number of waterfalls. Yellow Trillium, wild geranium and some little white flowers were blooming. It was a nice ending to the hike today. Lovely!I got confused with roads for a while at the end of the hike and actually used my Great Smokey Mountains map to figure out where I was going so I guess it was worth bringing it. I had not even looked at it for the rest of the hike through the Smokeys as the trail was so well marked.I am at Standing Bear Farm hostel. It is rather rustic but adequate. $15 for a bunk in the bunk house, free hot showers with towel provided(heavenly!)and free laundry and internet too. The shower was WONDERFUL! I usually clean up each day after hiking but it has been so cold I just haven't cared. So I had three days of hiker sweat and stink to gloriously go down the drain. I don't think I have ever smelled so bad before.Tonight we are being shuttled into town for Chinese. Sounds good!I am also doing Holden Evening Prayer tonight for those who wish to participate and for myself. It will be a good ending to a very wet Sunday.
Date: 2007-04-16
From: Standing Bear Farm Hostel

To: Hawk's Roost
Miles today: 10.0

Well, I did not go in to town to eat last night. There was a lot of confusion and a lot of people needing to go places and as the hour got later I just opted to stay at Standing Bear and buy a frozen pizza to heat up for dinner. Papa Bear and Ferrell decided the same as did David. After dinner Papa Bear and Ferrel and I did Holden Evening Prayer standing in the resupply building. It worked. Since they did not know the service I did the singing but Papa Bear chimed in occassionally and Ferrell did a bit too. Ferrell wanted a copy to show to his wife but I did not have any copies to spare. I suggested he find me in Hot Springs and I could show his wife there. Papa Bear had missed Easter services by being on the trail and he said he felt real bad about that so Holden Evening Prayer at least gave him a little "church" and I am always happy to sing Holden Evening Prayer.The morning started above 40 degrees at Standing Bear but as we climbed higher the temp dropped to 37 or so and the wind picked up too. Soon we were in a winter wonderland left by last night's storm. Papa Bear and Ferrell were first out and Papa Bear broke trail and knocked snow off the branches. I caught up to them but just couldn't stay up with them although I was never too far behind and could usually see them. Autumn Joy passed us. It was nice to see her again as she is a very fast hiker but she had spent two days in Gatlinburg visiting friends? relatives?. We hiked up and over Snowbird Mountain, walking through smallish drifts of snow of 8 inches or so. The wind was blowing hard enough to knock one off the trail again. But it was beautiful and it was beautiful looking back at the Smokeys which were dusted with snow, of course.I was just not hiking as well as the last couple of days. Superwoman had left and was replaced by extra pounds of tent, shoes and food from the first re-supply box. (Thank you, Kathy.) But it felt like lead.I said good-by to Papa Bear and Ferrell as they were pushing on and I wanted to stick to my planned schedule - especially since I did not seem to have energy to spare. I lunched at Groundhog Shelter. Grasshopper did too and boiled water with enough for me too so I had a hot apple cider with cytomax thrown in for good measure (replaces electrolytes) and I ate a BIG lunch. Seemed to help. I am tenting tonight by myself at Hawk's Roost. It feels good to be by myself and in my tent. I like company and the sociability of being in the shelters but I like privacy too sometimes.The wind is still blowing hard but I am toasty warm in what I am wearing and in my sleeping bag in my tent.
Date: 2007-04-17
From: Hawk's Roost

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

I kept praying in the night that the gusts of wind that roared like frieght trains or landing airplanes would not drop a tree on my tent. But then I decided not to worry about it as I could not do anything about it anyway and I had a really good night's sleep. Ground is softer than boards of shelters even with a thermorest.Getting up was difficult. My sleeping bag was so warm. Outside was so cold. But my bladder made me get up. It was windy and cold so I packed up and went down to the gap where a trail angel had a big orange tent set up and I made breakfast there. I didn't see the trail angel as he was not up yet but I left my trash including some I picked up on the mountain and my thanks for taking it out.It was 37 degrees with strong winds in the morning. I walked through winter trees and small snow patches. Up and Over Max Patch. Max Patch was glorious! It is a big bald with grass growing over it - 4,629 ft. There were 360 degree views and especially nice views back to the Smokeys and Snowbird Mountain. The wind was nearly as strong as going over Thunderhead in the Smokeys. But down just a little bit on the other side out of the wind I sat down and ate a snack bar in the sunshine and enjoyed the views.The rest of the day until Lemon Gap was easy hiking up and down and the sun shown and the temp got up to the mid 60s. Nice. Up to the shelter from Lemon Gap was about an 800 ft climb and I actually got down to sports bra. At Walnut Mountain shelter, one of the oldest, I stopped with Not Guilty and Luna and Tony.Tomorrow on to Hot Springs, showers, laundry and a gormet vegetarian dinner at Elmer's. Yum.
Date: 2007-04-18
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I got an early start to the day and although rain was forecast only a few spits came and the raingear was not needed. The clouds had moved in during the night which had kept the temperature in the 40s. And there was no wind. It almost seemed strange but it was a welcome change.It was warm enough that I shed to a short sleeve shirt. I hiked very well today. I left at 7:40 and went up and over Bluff Mountain and down the other side - about 6&1/2 miles before taking my snack bar and percoset break. Then I went onward to Dear Park Mountain Shelter for lunch with Not Guilty. Luna showed up as I left for the last 3.2 miles down to Hot Springs. 13 miles for the day and I was there by 2:30.It was quite warm going in to Hot Springs and I in my sports bra. All the pounding down hill was hard on my feet and my left knee. I even took another percoset before hitting town as I had to keep walking after my shower.I was very disappointed to find Elmer's pretty much closed down for 5 days. First time ever from what I hear. He is getting ready for trail days and a big anniversary celebration for all his former staff. He honored the reservation for one night but no dinner and I had to find other accomodations for the next two nights which will cost more than twice as much. bummer.I did find a place to be though and was grateful to have done so. I looked around the local stores and talked with other hikers. Then some of us went to the Smokey Mountain Diner for dinner. And now I am settled in for the night at Elmer's in an antique bed in a room furnished with antiques.Tomorrow I will slack pack back to Hot Springs from Allen Gap. (A slack pack is hiking with only enough with you for a day hike, leaving tent, sleeping bag and most of your gear behind.)
Date: 2007-04-19
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: light rain

Today was a 14.7 mile slack pack day. It still seemed rather strenuous to me even without a full pack. The shuttle dropped 5 of us off at Allen Gap ($7.00 each) and three of the guys took off like Billy Goats. I was next and Grasshopper was somewhere behind me. He is having trouble with blisters.As M&M, Butch and Retriever disappeared up the hill I had to remind myself not to get sucked in to the "how fast can I go for how many miles compared to other people" game. I was out for an enjoyable day of hiking, not running a race.So I enjoyed myself. It was a lovely day in the 60s, warm enough to want to be down to the sports bra while hiking, especially going up hill. The sweat was pouring off me before I shed some clothes. I went up Spring Mountain and Rich Mountain today. I saw Butch and Retriever briefly at the Spring Mountain Shelter and Grasshopper caught up there too.It was kind of fun slackpacking southbound back to Hot Springs as I got to see a lot of people heading the other way. I saw Carpenter, G-Smurf and Lala, Charles and Nancy (a mature couple who do really big miles 18-20 a day), Wiley Coyote and Roadrunner, Dave, Step and a Half and Gus (a mature couple from Wisconsin) and a few others whose names I did not know. The AT is a very social place.I stayed ahead of Grasshopper until I reached a pretty little pond behind a dam and it started to rain - just as I had decided to stop for a late lunch. I ate a few cheese crackers and oreos and cytomax drink in the rain and hiked on. It was not too bad hiking. My pants got wet but after the rain stopped I dried off pretty quickly. I took pictures of flowers today. Especially nice were the little dwarf iris that grew in clumps on the side of the trail. They made me smile every time I saw them. I came over Lover's Leap and down into Hot Springs by 4:00.I am in more expensive housing since Elmer's is closed. But it is nice to have privacy, a shower and an alarm clock ( I still can't get the alarm on the altimeter to work right.) However I do not intend to use the alarm tomorrow as I am taking a zero day. (For those not used to thru-hiking lingo, a zero is a day in which no miles are hiked.)I had some of the best chili I have ever had tonight for dinner and a lovely salad followed by a huge ice cream and brownie sunday with hot fudge. Yum.Grasshopper's wife came to get him tonight. They will be staying a few days in a condo. Grasshopper is a retired judge, by the way, and his wife an attorney too. Tony's girl friend is also taking him away for a few days and Papa Bear and Ferrell got off the trail today too. Sad to see those guys go as I have enjoyed their company. The AT is a mobile and moving, ever-changing community. There will be others to meet and hike with as I go onward.
Date: 2007-04-20
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, today was my zero day. It is nice to have a day off but it seems rather strange. The weather is pretty nice, sunny with big fluffy clouds and I feel like I should be hiking.I picked up some bagels and cream cheese and orange juice to have for breakfast today and tomorrow to keep expenses down a bit. It was tasty too. Also bought stuff for resupply and lunch today. I am at the library typing away right now and I have a date with a hot springs tub at 3:00. This place used to be a resort when such things were popular 50 years ago or so and hikers still appreciate the hot springs when they can.It has been rather strange today as I don't know as many people in town. There are lots of hikers here though. Everyone is kind of bummed out that Elmer's is closed and more hikers are camped in the campground by the river as all the places to stay are full.Hot Springs is a very little town - a village in the mountains. There is one main street in town, a few convenience stores, a Presbyterian and Baptist church, the outfitter and a few other small places, eateries and such. It is tucked away in the mountains on the banks of the French Broad River. Interesting. It is one of only two towns that have the AT running right through the middle. (Damascus, VA is the other one.)So, it is a lazy day. My feet and knees are having a rest and then I will be off tomorrow. It will be four hiking days to Irwin and then a number (9?) more until I reach Damascus. I will update whenever I have internet access but I do not know in advance when that will be. The cell phone service here is not too good either. My phone keeps saying roaming so I am reluctant to use it. Thank you to all who sign my journal or otherwise keep in contact with me. I appreciate it greatly. I pray that all is well with everyone, that Sara and Andrew are finding out where they are going, that William and Matthew are doig well, that David is fine and Yuki and Hanna and Cai are traveling safely to Japan.
Date: 2007-04-20
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, today was my zero day. It is nice to have a day off but it seems rather strange. The weather is pretty nice, sunny with big fluffy clouds and I feel like I should be hiking.I picked up some bagels and cream cheese and orange juice to have for breakfast today and tomorrow to keep expenses down a bit. It was tasty too. Also bought stuff for resupply and lunch today. I am at the library typing away right now and I have a date with a hot springs tub at 3:00. This place used to be a resort when such things were popular 50 years ago or so and hikers still appreciate the hot springs when they can.It has been rather strange today as I don't know as many people in town. There are lots of hikers here though. Everyone is kind of bummed out that Elmer's is closed and more hikers are camped in the campground by the river as all the places to stay are full.Hot Springs is a very little town - a village in the mountains. There is one main street in town, a few convenience stores, a Presbyterian and Baptist church, the outfitter and a few other small places, eateries and such. It is tucked away in the mountains on the banks of the French Broad River. Interesting. It is one of only two towns that have the AT running right through the middle. (Damascus, VA is the other one.)So, it is a lazy day. My feet and knees are having a rest and then I will be off tomorrow. It will be four hiking days to Irwin and then a number (9?) more until I reach Damascus. I will update whenever I have internet access but I do not know in advance when that will be. The cell phone service here is not too good either. My phone keeps saying roaming so I am reluctant to use it. Thank you to all who sign my journal or otherwise keep in contact with me. I appreciate it greatly. I pray that all is well with everyone, that Sara and Andrew are finding out where they are going, that William and Matthew are doing well, that David is fine and Yuki and Hanna and Cai are traveling safely to Japan.
Date: 2007-04-21
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

Today was a delightful day. Barking Spider and I shuttled to Allen Gap. He is nursing injured achilles tendons so he goes pretty slowly. I seemed to have good energy even with a pack with 4 days food in it.I stopped at the first shelter for a snack and to put second skin on my heels.I met Green Hornet - young guy in a hurry. Barking Spider caught up before I left. Then I went up over 1200 ft. Down the other side a while was a lovely spot to lunch in a rhododendron grove with a spring. The flowers were lovely - mainly spring beauties and yellow lilies.Then Barking Spider and I took two side trips to White Cliffs and Black Stack Cliffs. One view was to the right with great mountain views and the other was to the left with views out of the mountains to the plains of Tennessee.It was great to have company and to have someone to chat with. With company you have someone to take your picture so Sara will be happy.Then - 1.6 miles of "open" ridge walking - oh, but it was on "trail" that was clambering and scrambling up and down countless knobs and knolls on heaps of rocks. It took a lot of energy -but it was still good hikiing.Here at Jerry's Cabin either in the shelter or tents are JP, Barking Spider, Phil, Luna, a local hiker named Randy, and Swamp Fox and Blue Sky (mature couple.) We have a nice fire after dinner, thanks to Randy, and I even got here soon enough to sort of bathe before dinner. So even if I sweated a lot in the day I am now clean.Tomorrow will be longer - 14.7
Date: 2007-04-22
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

I got dunce of the day award for today. Barking Spider says it is dunce of the week. I got up and got a good early start to the day. And when I got to the top of Big Butt Mountain I discovered that I had left my water bottle back in the shelter two miles back. Everyone thought I was crazy to go back to get it but I did. It is an important part of my water system. So I doffed pack and went as fast as I could back to the shelter to get it.And that is how one turns a challenging 14.7 mile day into an extremely challenging 18+ mile day. Oh well, it was still a good day. It all went pretty well, surprizingly. While hiking in the morning I went by a beautiful meadow on top of a hill with trees all around and three graves. The gravestones were errected for two men who were in Northern Companies from North Carolina in the Civil War and tried to go home for a visit and were ambushed. The AT is a walk through American history as well as a walk in the woods.I had a really hard time for a couple hours in the afternoon from the extra miles and from the heat. It got up into the 80s. I soaked my foot in a cold stream at 3:30 and that helped a lot as did the drop in the temp in the afternoon. I did not get to the shelter much later than everyone else. Barking Spider said he did not think I would make it but I did.I got cleaned up and had dinner and did Holden Evening Prayer with Barking Spider and Luna and some others listening and now it is after hiker midnight (9:00) and I am crashing. I am tired and tenting and looking forward to sleep.
Date: 2007-04-23
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Whistling Gap
Miles today: 13.4

Last night my feet hurt so badly that I had to take my socks off in bed. Oh well.I got up and out by 8:00 - a little late. It seemed kind of hard to get going. There were lots of wildflowers today. Spring Beauties were so thick in some spots that it looked like snow under the trees. There were also yellow lilies, huge purple violets and tiny yellow ones and three or four other kinds of white and yellow flowers.We saw Big Bald Mountain when we came over the ridge in a pretty open meadow. It looked very far away and like it would be a lot of work to get on top. But I made it by 1:30 and it was truly glorious. There were 360 degree views everywhere. Others caught up with me and we all sat in the sun for at least an hour and a half.Then it was downhill mostly for 3-4 miles more. My feet were screaming by the time we got to Whistling Gap. Swamp Fox and Blue Sky, Luna, Barking Spider and I camped here. It is a very congenial group. Sometimes people use the term "trail family" to describe the groups that form and then break apart and reform . It is a constantly mobile community. I think I have had 3-4 "trail families" so far. It will be interesting to see what forms next as I leave Irwin. I think Luna and Barking Spider are taking zeros.We are having a nice campfire in an old washtub someone left here for a fire pit. Sleep will be good. I hope my feet survive the downhills tomorrow. Today was a two percoset day and that was not nearly enough.
Date: 2007-04-24
From: Whistling Gap

To: Super 8 Motel in Irwin
Miles today: 13.5

Well, the main thing about today was I tried to get through it as fast as possible. That is not really the way I like to hike but I am a bit worried about my feet. Not only do the balls of my feet swell during the day while hiking, the swelling is not going down all the way over night. So I and my feet had a conversation.You really hurt, right?Owiee Zowiee, yes!You would like to get the weight off and get put up somewhere, right?Oh, please, please!Well, if we go as fast as we can today we will get to Irwin sooner and be able to do that.Oh, It does not sound like fun but OK.So I zoomed as fast as I could and we got to the end of the trail in Irwin at 2:30. Yeah!I am now clean. Hooray! and caught up on journals and am ready to go eat several whole cows or whatever we can find here. Oh, and hopefully do my laundry. The hike - Oh, there were pretty wild flowers and nice views coming into Irwin. The trail had less elevation gain but a fair amount of loss. There was a lovely stream I followed up hill for a mile or so. But today, mainly I am glad to now have my feet up.
Date: 2007-04-25
From: Super 8 Motel in Irwin

To: Super 8 Motel in Irwin
Miles today: 19.1

Well, my feet were hurting so I went on a 19 mile slack pack. It seemed like a good idea when I planned it and tomorrow my feet will agree, even if they are not too sure about it tonight. You see, by taking a 19 mile slack pack I got to cover 19 miles WITHOUT 34 pounds of pack on my back and tomorrow I will only go 4 and a half miles to reach Greasy Creek Friendly, the hiker hostel at which I plan to stay. All the rest of the day I plan to rest.So, Uncle Johnny's shuttle picked me up at 7:15 or so and dropped us (Butch, Retriever, Foot Machine and me) off at Iron Mountain Gap at 8:00 and we walked back to Irwin.I don't think I walk much faster slack packing, or at least I did not today. The big mountain today was Unaka, 5,180 ft, There was no view from Unaka as it is heavily wooded. But it was pretty nice anyway with a thick stand of firs and open fir needle floor to the forest. It was peaceful and quiet and cool. Most of the rest of the hike was downhill. There were a few wildflowers but not any big display. However the views from Beauty Spot were quite lovely. The hardest part of the hike, besides being 19 miles long, was the heat. It got up to 88 degrees on my altimeter. And this Northwest old lady does not like to hike in heat. I did not take my water filter. Bad mistake. One liter of water was not nearly enough. After walking for a very long time down from Unaka and Beauty Spot I finally came to a wonderful stream. I dunked my head with the help of bandanas and then put my shirt in the water and then put it on and became somewhat human again. And then shortly after, Swamp Fox and Blue Sky came by and they had extra water which they shared with Foot Machine and me. Thank you, God!The rest of the hike out was just more downhill, which my feet did not like but the trail was very nice going along beside a pretty mountain stream. I think Foot Machine and I were glad to see the end, though.Tonight I had MacDonalds - not as exciting as the food at Azteca last night but it was closer and the large milk shake was wonderful. It is after Hiker midnight now so I am going to sleep.