morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-02-21
From: Just past Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: overcast clouds

My day started out on a funny note. In the process of breaking camp, I went to take down the bear bag from the tree (we hang our food up in a tree away from the ten to avoid any nighttime surprises from curious bears, etc.) and a man came walking briskly down the trail with his camera out and pointed at me. I was wearing all black, and he thought I was a bear.Not long after we set out this morning the clouds rolled in and the rain began. After hiking a few hours without seeing anyone, I was incredibly startled to see a man emerge from the fog and gloom about 10 feet in front of me... with an axe over his shoulder. It was terrifying! He turned out to be "Old Graceful," a trail maintainer with a sparkle in his eye who finishes section hiking the AT this summer. The AT is possible due to volunteers who keep it clear and in great shape--their hard work is so appreciated. The other thing to explain is his name. AT hikers are given a trail name as they hike. I don't know the history of the tradition, but it's a tradition that everyone seems to embrace. Some people name themselves, others wait and give other people the privilege. Josh and I are still "nameless." Due to the pouring rain, we spent the night at Low Gap Shelter with Dave and Kat--both from the UK, Dave has thru-hiked in the past; Chuck aka Lazerchuck, who sails and is from eastern NC; and Peiper aka Piper Hiker (www.piperhiker.com), who has a special bandanna for hitch-hiking. In total there were six of us, and it was a great group. We all shared a laugh about how spooky it had been to see a man with an axe and a rake on a day like today. We were lulled to sleep by the glorious sound of rain drops falling upon a tin roof. Everyone was snoring by 6:30PM. --Amanda
Date: 2008-02-22
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: 1 mile past Trey Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.6

Calling today a tough day would be an understatement. We woke up this morning 26 miles from the road leading to Hiawassee, GA. Our Thru Hikers Companion tells us that there is a trout farm with showers, washing machines, dryers, beds, satellite tv, etc. (all the amenities of the 'real' world) The only catch is that you have to show up before 6PM and even then there is no guarantee that there will be an available cabin. So we want to make the 26 miles in a day and a half arriving at the road early Saturday afternoon. We left the shelter at 7:45AM and began to climb out of Low Gap. The terrain was smooth and steady, so we made good time. Once back on the ridge line we began the very repetitive process of dropping down into a gap and then climbing back up the other side. This abruptly ended as we reached the 4025ft tall Blue Mtn. The trail summited this mountain and dropped steeply down the other side. The trail then changed from smooth and leaf covered terrain to something you would see a magician walk across barefoot. Rocks were everywhere. Covered in green moss these rocks were not only slippery, they were painful to walk on. After what seemed like forever we made it down to Unicoi Gap and crossed over GA 75 (road leading to Helen, GA). Sunlight was beginning to fade as we reached the bottom of Rocky Mtn (our second 4000ft mountain summited). We were both pretty disappointed that we had only hiked 10 miles when our goal had been 15. Needless to say, making it to Hiawassee by early afternoon the following day was not looking promising. This is when we decided to do something we had not yet done.WARNING: Please skip the next section of this entry is you are: my mother, father, grandmother, or grandfather, or Amanda's mother or father.We put on our headlamps and hiked in the dark. With fog restricting our view to only about 10ft and the sound of coyotes emanating from the valleys we began to climb Trey Mtn (4430ft) in the dark. The fog thickened as twilight faded. We talked loudly to each other in hopes of scaring any wildlife off the trail in front of is. After an hour of struggling up our third 4000ft+ mountain of the day we reached a large rocky area. While unknown to us at the time, we had reached the top. It took a bit of searching through the dense fog to find the white blazes painted on the rocks leading us across the peak. We set off down the other side, passing by the sleeping hikers in Trey Mtn Shelter. It's amazing how difficult foggy night hiking can be. Amanda and I found ourselves hiking off trial several times, mislead by the many water runoffs. As the exhaustion began to set in the ground leveled off and we began to look for a campsite. This too was surprisingly difficult. We eventually settled with a semiflat, briar dominated area only a few feet off the trail I'm so tired I can barely move the pen, but I had to write this to let you all know that Amanda and I had our biggest day yet: 16 miles.--Josh
Date: 2008-02-23
From: 1 mile past Trey Gap Shelter

To: Hiawassee, GA
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke up this morning to find that we were only yards from an incredible campsite... guess that's what happens when you're trying to set up camp and all daylight has faded. We got up and moving earlier than usual in hopes of making it to the nearby town of Hiawassee, Ga--we had big plans to stay at a trout farm hostel, and to make it to all all-you-can-eat (AYCE) buffet. It had been 8 days since we'd showered--we weren't stinky yet though compliments of the cold and merino wool (best stuff on the planet)--and we were quite eager to make it to town. That really made hiking tough. We could even see the road into town a few miles before we were able to reach it. We were ready for a break, and my knee was giving me a good bit of trouble, so the steps were grueling. Alas, we made it to the road!We were greeted by a Sheriff who was in the process of clocking the speed of cars. Josh asked him about the hostel, and whether hitchhiking in GA was illegal, to which he responded with a wink and a "yes, but it's not enforced." Hitchhiking is our mode of transportation into towns for the next 6 months.While he was talking to the Sheriff I said hello to a man who had been doing trail maintenance. His name was "Tater" and he thru-hiked in 2000. Then came our first trail magic experience! Trail magic is something unexpected, an act of kindness performed by a trail angel(s). Tater invited us to stay at his cabin for free. We were concerned that his wife wouldn't be too keen on the idea, but it turned out that he frequently lets hikers stay over. When Diane showed up she wasn't the least bit surprised. They offered their home to us so generously... we were able to take showers, do our laundry, and they even insisted on driving us to a grocery store where we picked up pepperjack cheese, crackers, summer sausages, apples, dried fruit, and peanut butter amongst other things. We all shared a great meal at a local steakhouse AYCE as well. The night was incredible, and the people could not have been any nicer. It was so fantastic to see what such a simple common interest can create between people. We loved hearing all of Taters stories about his hike, and seeing his pictures. He said that it has "gotten into [his] blood" and there was no doubt about that. His wife had great stories too about camping and other trail magic they'd performed, such as cooking hot dogs for thru-hikers--she said a man from the UK had eaten 9!I can't say enough about the day or the people. Diane and Tater have given us memories of extreme welcoming and generosity that we will never forget. --Amanda
Date: 2008-02-24
From: Hiawassee, GA

To: Bly Gap, NC
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke up this morning in an astoundingly warm bed, to the irresistible smell of bacon, eggs, and toast. Tater had fixed a glorious breakfast for us, and it even included apple juice, which I'd been craving! It was so appreciated. We packed up and got dropped off at about 10:30AM where we'd left off. We decided to take it easy today, and intended to camp a few miles short of NC. The food and quality sleep really fueled us, and before we knew it we had accidentally passed the place we planned to camp at. To our surprise we came upon the GA/NC state line sign. We were all smiles--we had made it through Georgia!In celebration we had a delicious lipton teriyaki noodles and thai lemongrass noodles meal, paired with a campfire. As soon as the campfire started we were met with unexpected rain. It has continued all night long... but hey, at least we're in our home state of NC!--Amanda
Date: 2008-02-25
From: Bly Gap, NC

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: clear sky

We woke up this morning as we have so many mornings before: in a dense fog. This, combined with the cold, made it difficult to leave the tent. We eventually cleaned up the mess from the previous night's campfire disaster and left camp around 9AM. The fog was cold, dense, and relentless. It looked like it was going to be another day of climbing to the top of a mountain only to see the same view we saw in the valley: fog. Amanda and I found the twisted oak and I took her picture as she hiked past. We then began to climb. It was sa steep climb with many switchbacks.It was only about two tenths of a mile into the climb when it happened. It was an eerie sight to look all around and see fog, but to look up and see blue sky. We hiked a little higher and found we were above the clouds. It was a spectacular view. It was as if were were standing at the shores of some mystical white ocean. NC greeted us the rest of the day with a temp of 65 degrees F and clear Carolina blue skies. Amanda and I took it easy today and stopped just short of Standing Indian Mountain. We will leave this towering 5498ft mountain to be conquered tomorrow.So here I sit in the shelter. Clouds are moving in and the temp is dropping fast. While in Hiawassee we heard a cold front is expected to push through the area tonight bringing much colder temps and thunderstorms. We hope the rain is done by morning so we can have another dry day.--Josh
Date: 2008-02-26
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: light rain

This journal entry is going to be very short considering I can barely move my hands. I woke up this morning at around 5AM to the sound of rain dancing on the tin roof of the shelter. Then came the thunder. it's sound rolled through the mountains making it sound as if it was all around us. It took over 3 hours for the storm and rain to pass. We set out soon thereafter (around 9AM).I have an amazing wife. She impresses me more everyday. in fact, even you would be impressed with her today. She hiked carrying 30lbs basically nonstop for 9 hours summiting two mountains both above 5200ft. She climbed rocks twice her height and is now braving the cold in a sleeping bag that's not keeping her warm. She is tough. Including the approach trail, we've hiked over 100 miles across seriously difficult terrain. She's simply amazing.The two tall mountains we summited are Standing Indian Mountain (5498ft) and Albert Mountain (5250ft). As a general rule of thumb, you would expect the taller mountain to be more difficult. not true in this case. We flew over Standing Indian with no problems. When we approached the top of Albert we were greeted with rock climbing and what felt like a million wooden steps. In fact, we passed by Zeus on our way up and hung out with him for a little while before continuing to the top. Once again, a view of nothing but clouds was our reward once we reached the top. Exhausted, we hurried down the other side and stopped at the Big Spring Shelter. The sun hadn't even set and it was already 28 degrees F. It began to snow and sleet as we unpacked our sleeping bags. It's cold, so off to bed I go. Goodnight.--Josh
Date: 2008-02-29
From: Franklin, NC

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 3.7
Weather: overcast clouds

We took our first zero day yesterday, meaning we didn't hike any miles. We were hesitant to stay in Franklin, NC an extra day, but due to my sleeping bag situation it wasn't really an option. I had tried to save money and weight by using a kids sleeping bag, and I think I was a little too big. The sleeping bag was stretched a light tight, and I had trouble sleeping any time the temperature dropped below 45 degrees F.When we went to Franklin I had high hopes for finding a new sleeping bag at the outfitters, but that place left a lot to be desired. They only had one women's specific bag, and only carried North Face brand bags. So I found a bag online and had it overnighted. Now I am warm and comfortable in a shelter and on the trail once again.Yesterday we relaxed a lot, and watched some tv,which we never did at home since we didn't have cable. We also walked to Ingles grocery store and resupplied. We bought a few bananas, poptarts, red beans and rice, frosted animal cookies, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips for our trail mix, teddy grahams, snickers, tuna, and tortillas. We were also able to spend some time talking to family, which was nice.Today we mailed home my old sleeping bag and as soon as we started discussing how to get back to the trail a woman began apologizing profusely that she couldn't take us, as she was heading to Georgia and her car was too small. Before even a minute had passed a couple asked us where we needed to go and immediately volunteered to take us. Their names were Joe and Judy, and it turned out that they are members of the local Nantahala hiking club. When they dropped us off, it looked like they headed back in the direction we came from, meaning they went up to 20 miles out of their way to help us out. The people in these small trail towns are absolutely incredible.We hopped out of their truck and into the snow... the weather forecast said rain but it has been snowing for hours. Maybe it's lucky leap year snow: ) We called it a super-short day today because we wanted to stay dry and in a shelter. Hopefully we'll get a good workout tomorrow.-Amanda
Date: 2008-03-02
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: clear sky

Today was exhausting. 12.6 miles doesn't sound like much compared to the 17.9 we walked yesterday, but today was much more challenging. We started out at 4115ft, dropped to 1740ft, and then spent the rest of the day climbing to 4330ft. No flat ground today.It got up to 80 degrees F this afternoon on the sunny sides of the mountains, but each time we rounded a corner to the sunless sides it was 55 degrees F and there was still snow on the ground. What a drastic difference rays of sun make.We had an incredible view at the Nantahala Gorge overlook. Other than that we just enjoyed the sun and took the uphill one step at a time.I'm off to enjoy a tasty meal of red beans and rice in a tortilla... yum!-Amanda
Date: 2008-03-03
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

It's not the aching feet that is tough to handle. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying my feet don't hurt because they certainly do. They hurt a lot, every single day. If you want to know how they feel, I would suggest taking your shoes off and running across a bunch of sharp rocks repeatedly for 24 hours. But anyway, it's not the pain that really gets to you. It is the vicious cycle that this pain perpetuates. As your feet start to hurt, you get sloppy. You drag instead of lift and often choose less than ideal foot placement. This leads to further slips, stubbed toes, stressed ankles, and overall more sore feet. This simply repeats. The hard part is overcoming this.We hiked 15.2 miles today and the terrain was a lot tougher than I had anticipated. The climb out of Stecoah Gap was brutal. We were both exhausted so this entry will consist of just a food recommendation.Food Recommendation: Mahatma Red Beans and Rice WrapsI suggest adding your favorite hot sauce to spice up this delicious meal. Just cook the red beans and rice as the directions state then add the hot sauce. Place desired amount on tortilla and wrap it up. Mmmmm Good.Warning: This meal has one very undesirable side effect. I recommend eating this only on a warm evening because you will want to unzip your sleeping bag for exhaust purposes. I woke up at 5 AM to what I thought smelled like burning rubber. I thought for a second that the previous night's cooking fire had come back to life. I quickly realized that when I moved around in my bag, the smell became stronger. Needless to say, that was just the beginning. I had gas all day. I also learned from experience that my Amanda's mom was right; Never pass gas on a wooden floor. I let one go while sitting on the shelter floor and as Amanda put it "It sounded like a warzone." Goodnight.-Josh
Date: 2008-03-05
From: Fontana Dam Shelter aka the Fontana Hilton

To: Russel Field Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: clear sky

We woke up well rested at the "Fontana Hilton." Best view from any place I've ever spent the night, except maybe the rim of the Grand Canyon. We set off across the Fontana Dam, which Josh especially loved, and we talked about how it is the perfect place for a school field trip.Even more exciting, today marked our entrance into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Almost as soon as we set foot into the Smokies alight snow began to fall, despite the fact that we were supposed to be precipitation free for two days. Which reminds me; snow flakes can actually fall in the shape of snowflakes, like the kind you cut out of paper in elementary school. Josh and I had no idea that was the case. We'd only ever seen the wet. melty snow ball-type snow that falls in eastern and central NC. Today the snowflakes looked like very fine pencil shavings, so we are up to three ways in which snow presents itself.As we hiked along the 2870 foot climb straight up to the shelter, the sun began to peak out and the layers of ice on the tree branches began to melt. For 30 minutes we were pelted with chunks of ice the size of quarters. It was the closest thing to a blizzard we have ever experienced and it wasn't even actually snowing. It was really bizarre.We made it to the shelter earlier and more energized than expected, so we went an extra 2.5 miles to the next one (you are required to sleep in shelters in the Smokies.) Tonight we are spending the night in a caged shelter -- safe from the 400 to 600 bears that live in the park. Keeping us company are Traveler, Grasshopper, and Breakman. Traveler says he snores... we'll see how this goes. He is a retired radiation oncologist who says his picture is on the wall at the Atlanta REI because he spends so much money there. We've been hiking about the same speed as Grasshopper and Breakman for a few days now, and it has been great having their company at night. They are truly kind and generous people with a great sense of humor.-Amanda
Date: 2008-03-06
From: Russel Field Shelter

To: Siler's Bald Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

Today was way harder than expected. The southern Smokies are tough and filled with what Traveler calls PUDs (Pointless Ups and Downs). Now don't get me wrong, some of them certainly aren't pointless. Amanda and I saw our best views yet; Stunning 360 degree views from balds were frequent and much appreciated. However, there seemed to be a lot of hopping up and over ridges. To summarize today, we worked really hard and only made it 14.7 miles. Not bad, but we were hoping to do more. Rain is expected all day tomorrow and we are dreading it.Now, back to how we ended up at the Fontana Village's General Store. We crossed the road and that's when I saw the Fontana Village's Dock bathroom facilities for thru-hikers. I went into the men's and it had to be 80 degrees. I was ready to throw my ThermaRest down next to the urinal and call it a day. We regrouped in the bathroom, hanging up wet things on the stall doors. I noticed there was a phone with a number you could dial to reach the Fontana Village shuttle. For 2 dollars a person they would pick you up. We called and a nice lady by the name of Tina was there within 10 minutes. She took us to the general store and showed us around the village. She recommended hotdogs from the HellBender gas station and told us to let the lady in the store know when we wanted a ride back out to the trail and she would be notified via walkie-talkie.We found everything we needed at the general store. With respect to price, yeah.. things were more expensive, but well within reason for a small store so far out in the middle of no where. I definitely recommend the place to all thru-hikers. We had a great conversation with Susan, the manager of the general store, about here job and the commute each day. She even gave us two pumpkin spice cappuccino. Thank you!We walked down to the HellBender and ate four hotdogs, nachos, and a large bag of chips. Once again we were greeted by another extremely nice lady. I love Fontana Village! We conversed with her for about an hour and a half while a nasty line of storms swept through the area.Finally, we were shuttled back to he boat dock where we found the skies clear and the temperature warm. We walked the last mile to the shelter, enjoyed the view, took free showers at the dam's visitor center and had a great night. What an amazing turn of events.-Josh
Date: 2008-03-07
From: Siler's Bald Shelter

To: Icewater Springs Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: moderate rain

It was an uneventful day minus the fact that the rain was out to get us. We read online that rain gear is useless if it rains for any extended amount of time, but we thought 'what foolishness! It's rain gear - certainly that's nonsense.' After 30 minutes of steady rain, rain gear is indeed useless after all. Lots of walking on a trail that was essentially a creek bed and lots of soaking wet clothes today too. I suppose I should make an effort to appreciate the rain... it melted the knee to thigh high drifts of snow that were here only last week (hence the flooded trail.)We noticed many uprooted trees just south of Newfound Gap. These were very old trees with large root systems. In fact, anything growing around the trees, above its roots was also uprooted when they fell. We joked with one other hiker that there were more tree horizontal than vertical. If anyone knows the reason for this, please leave us a comment in this journal entry. We would love to know what led to their demise.-Amanda