morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-03-18
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night was one of the best I have had on the trail. I felt very rested in the morning and headed out around the middle of the pack. Thin Mint, Red Hat, and a few others were all headed to Deep Gap for the night so I knew I would see them soon.The day started out cloudy, but turned out to be absolutely gorgeous! Hit some great trail magic at the end of the day when S.H.O.E. (Slowest hiker on earth) who was at the bottom of Kelly knob handed me a bag of strawberries. Let's just say those strawberries were amazing and I probably couldn't have made it those last few miles without them I felt so spoiled.The shelter tonight was at another great location with a great group of people. Red Hat and I were the first to make it, then I noticed a girl coming in with a dog. Kelly was so happy to see a four legged friend that she got up from her mat I had place in the corner of the shelter (temporarily) to say hi. Turns out the girl's name was Addy and she was a section hiker heading to her hometown of Asheville, NC. Her and Beast (the dog) had left a day after us and were hiking fast and strong the rest of the way.Thin Mint and a couple of the guys also arrived at the shelter tonight as well as a few section hikers who kind of kept to themselves. It was a great night after a long day!
Date: 2010-03-19
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: clear sky

It was another beautiful day of hiking. Deep Gap shelter was in a very nice area once again and spent the night with a bunch of really great people. I'm not sure what time I started out in the morning, i've kind of just been waking up, packing up, and heading out. Red Hat was out before anyone else got up and almost everyone but Addy and I were heading into Hiawasee for the day. Since I was planning fifteen miles to Muskrat Creek shelter today I decided to take the day pretty slow and stop often to make sure Kelly was happy and hydrated. The day started with a climb (hate starting with climbs, I always get huffy and puffy!) but it was a beautiful morning which made me happy. After reaching the road crossing that leads to Hiawasee I found a nice little picnic area to eat some gorp. Addy and Beast came along and we hiked with eachother for a while. Addy is a faster hiker uphill than I am but I would often catch her at the creeks and ended up hiking with her for a good portion of the day. Both of the dogs really enjoyed being in each others company and I really enjoyed hiking with Addy. Since she had planned some high mileage days I figured today would be the last day I would get to hike with her but I definetely enjoyed the company of her and Beast!It was once again a warm day and we ate lunch with Razor, who was headed Southbound on his first run of the season. In the early afternoon we found a great little creek to rest at and the dogs seemed pretty dissapointed to be disturbed of their mid afternoon naps. So far we had climbed much of the day and according to the elevation profile of the guidebook, we had quite a bit more climbing to do. Quite a bit was an understatement. Once we reached North Carolina we came across the "Welcome to the North Carolina hill!". Very steep stairs that my short legs were not happy with. Boy were we glad to get done with that one... until we hit the next one that Addy so aptly called the "What the F North Carolina" Let's just say I was never so happy to see a shelter! I didn't enjoy the area as much as the last couple of shelters, kind of damp and closed in and my tent was set up on a bunch of roots, but it was nice to be done for the day. I also ran into most of the guys who had started a couple days before me that had stayed in the Hiker Hostel from Woody Gap the night before I started out. Most of them were at the shelter as well as Young One, Bulldog (Mike Hansen, the blind hiker), Gary (filming his documentary), Walking Man and Nobody (who I had met before at the Hiker Hostel), and a few other people I had just met.As usual, we settled in right after dark. Kelly knows her pad now and immediately lays down on it when she enters the tent. She has been quite the hiker dog and really seems to enjoy the trail.
Date: 2010-03-21
From: Betty Creek Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap/Franklin
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

There's nothing like being warm and dry when it's cold, foggy, and rainy outside and you KNOW that you were supposed to camp out in it. Kind of makes you feel a bit guilty but then you realize how comfy it is Kelly was also happy to be in the motel for the night. She slept, ate, then slept some more. This morning I went into the bathroom and when I came out she was happily licking the wrapper of a reeces she had stolen from my night stand... BAD DOG!!!Anyhow, it was great to actually sleep without waking up every time I needed to roll over. It was great waking up and not being more sore than the night before! Today's gonna be a short day and the report is that it's snowing up in the mountains. As for a few of the questions I have gotten. The shelters have at least three sides and usually a covered picnic table. Some are fancier than others (i'll be uploading pictures), and some such as the Blood Mountain Shelter are very old (1937). Some have lofts but most are pretty simple. Kelly doesn't have a rain jacket, she just gets wet. She has a "waterproof" outer coating though that keeps her undercoat dry.
Date: 2010-03-22
From: Winding Stair Gap/Franklin

To: Wayah Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light snow

Headed out of Franklin this morning and got on the trail around noon. It was a nasty cold morning and the snow was starting to stick on the trail. I'm not much for cold, so the thought of hiking in the snow all day kind of bummed me out. Much of the hikers decided to stick around Franklin another day due to the weather so the trail was very quiet and didn't see a soul until I hit the Siler Bald Shelter. Two hikers, Doodlebug and Didgiree Dude, were huddled in there sleeping bags and had decided to hole up and take a zero in the shelter. It was pretty tempting to take out my bag right then and there and do a nero but the shelter was drafty and cold so I decided to move on. The snow continued to fall throughout the day, but fortunately wasn't sticking much to the trails. After a while my sullen outlook on hiking in the dreary snow had changed to a feeling of peace and serenity. It was almost too quiet so I ended up turning on my ipod and zoned out the rest of the day. Unfortunately the fog blocked views of Wayah Bald, but when the view of the shelter came in sight I was very happy. Fryar Tuck, Afroblaze, and a younger kid were already set up in the shelter, but there were no more campsites so Kelly and I joined them. Tango arrived about an hour later and we had a great night. We all ended up talking till real late. Dinner was kind of dissapointing though because my alcohol was too cold to light and I was patient enough to get it warm so I ate some gorp and reeces for dinner and went straight into my "warm" bag.
Date: 2010-03-23
From: Wayah Bald Shelter

To: NOC
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

Brrrr!! Last night was long and cold. I tend to curl up in my bag at night and bury myself underneath, but the condensation makes my bag pretty damp by morning so I was chilled despite my layers and silk liner. When we woke up, it was very windy, foggy, and cold so it took some courage to muster myself out of my sleeping bag to pack up camp. Kelly was great in the shelter. She did get up once, but came right back. She didn't do a very good job keeping me warm though. We headed out around 9:00 and Afroblaze hiked with us for the day. We got to a gap around noon where an AT thruhiker alumni, Grits, was doing trail magic. I had a soda and a ton of doritos before I started to get chilled and decided to get back on the trail. It seems that in the worst of the days there is always something that will cheer you up, thanks Grits!Not too long after the trail magic brightened our day the sun decided to show its face. The fog cleared up and the clouds parted ways and the day turned out to be beautiful! It was warming fast and wasn't long before the snow had melted and I felt like I was in a totally different world then that of this morning. The views from the firetower that day were stunning, we could see the Smokies and many of the mountains we had previously climbed. We laid around in the sun for a while and the temperature was pushing 70 degrees. It was hard to leave the trail and tempting to just stay up there for the rest of the day, but town was calling! Kelly was also enjoying a nice afternoon nap in the sunshine.The rest of the hike was a mix of ridgelines, and very steep downhills in which my ankled dissaproved. I was constantly rolling my ankles, fortunately my ankles didn't hurt but my feet were hurting a little. The last few miles my feet were screaming at me and getting to the NOC was very exciting. I was able to get a bunk with Kelly and will be taking my first zero day tomorrow. I mentioned the possiblity of going rafting and Little Brown offered to watch Kelly if I decided to do so, otherwise I will just relax, play ball with Kelly, and do some laundry.
Date: 2010-03-24
From: NOC

To: NOC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Yay for another beautiful day!Took my first zero day today at the NOC and it was a great choice! There were quite a few of us there taking the day off including Afroblaze, Young One, Little Brown, Diamond Digs, and more, Woke up and headed to the River Restraunt and ordered there "Fontana Hash"; sauteed veggies on top of hashbrowns and it was amazing! I'm trying to get as much veggies in town as possible so this was a great choice After breakfast I went to pay for another night and apparently the after hours check in people had put me in a room where dogs weren't allowed so I had to move to a room with one bunk instead. Fortunately, I found someone to share it with so I didn't have to pay for both beds. The rest of the day was real nice. After I got my laundry done, Kelly and I played ball by the river which made her very happy! The NOC was full of dogs so Kelly had many opportunities to make friends and had a great time.Today was the warmest day yet and the majority of us hikers hung out on a bench in front of the river absorbing the Vitamin D we had been lacking lately. Tonight I feel more tired than any other day full of hiking. Who knew sitting in the sun all day could be so exhausting! I had decided not to go rafting because I didn't want to spend the extra money.
Date: 2010-03-25
From: NOC

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: light rain

Back to the trail!Ate at the River Resteraunt once again this morning. I have yet to have a meal there that isn't absolutely amazing! I then headed out around 10:30 and about .25 mile up the trail I realized my rain pants weren't attached to my pack! Fortunately they were just at the entrance to the trail, it would have been hard to go on without them.Today was ALL about climbing and there wasn't much water along the trail so I had to stop and pour some in Kelly's bowl. The day started out pretty warm, but the clouds rolled in and sprinkles came and went and a few hundred yards from the shelter a cold breeze picked up. I stopped along the trail to put my coat on and as I slung my pack over my shoulders I looked down and realized the shelter was right there! It was pretty early in the day, but with the threat of thunderstorms I decided to hole up in the shelter for the night, I wasn't expecting it to be very busy (and it wasn't when I arrived), but by the time night rolled in we were jam packed. Tomorrow I am going to try and head to the shelter fifteen miles down the trail.
Date: 2010-03-26
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Campground
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: light rain

Today was my longest day so far at eighteen+ miles, but at the end of the day I felt great, like I could have continued on if it weren't for the limited daylight. The day was foggy, cold, and damp once again and in the morning I felt pretty miserable. My stomach wasn't agreeing with me and I felt like I didn't have much energy climbing hills. I thought I might have been lacking in calories since I had skipped dinner the night before (alcohol stove kept blowing out in the wind) and only had a couple of pop tarts for breakfast so when I hit a gap I ate as much as I could and headed back out. I hit the Brown Fork Gap shelter so Kelly could get some water and I quickly continued on. I still felt pretty miserable, but about ten minutes down the trail I all of a sudden felt a surge of energy and felt amazing! I hiked right past Cable Gap shelter, let the guys know I was headed a few miles down the road and hiked on.I reached a camping spot near a creek three miles past the shelter and two and a half miles to town and set myself up for the night. I was the only one here, but fortunately I never feel alone with Kelly by my side. The weather was finally cooperative enough to let me use my finicky stove so I ate a hot meal on the trail for the first time in a while. I figured Kelly would be pretty tired after today but when I threw my stick over the tree to hang my bear bag she thought it was play time. Everytime I pulled up on the string she would grab the stick and pull it back. In the end I had to find a new stick and shoo her away quickly. I was glad to see her still feeling energetic though and I was glad to be feeling energetic as well. Tomorrow is going to be a big day and my last day hiking with Kelly for almost a week
Date: 2010-03-27
From: Campground

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: clear sky

Woke up today to a beautiful morning! The fog had cleared out overnight causing the temperature to drop, and my tent was covered in ice. It had been a chilly night, but Kelly helped me out by laying next to my shoulder which makes a huge difference! I felt very chirpy this morning and was happy to be getting to Fontana. The first view of the Smokies was amazing! I could see the dam amidst islands of hills peeking out of the fog, it was so beautiful that I emptied my bag right there on the trail so I could get my camera.After crossing highway 28 John met me at the parking lot with food and a slackpack the next mile. Kelly also got a bunch of treats too of course Young One caught up and so him, Kelly, and I all slackpacked to the Fontana Dam parking lot where John and Jane gave us a ride into town.I picked up my resupply at the parking lot and was impressed with the selection at the Fontana general store- was even able to pick up some water treatment tablets (thankfully since I only had one left). The only thing i wasn't able to pick up was a battery for my hat light. John had brought his laptop with him so he let me use it to update this last week of journals and later we will be heading over to the Fontana Hilton where hot showers are waiting!I am sad to be hiking without Kelly this week, she has been the greatest thing I have brought along the trail with me but John and Jane are amazing people and I can't believe how helpful they have been. They brought breakfast and lunch, copied some pages of the guidebook I was missing, brought me quarters for laundry, and even got some reeces I am confident Kelly will be on a doggy vacation! There is talk of pontoons and golf carts and Kelly has already made friends with their dog "Buddy". For now, the trail calls and my next update will likely be after the Smokies. The weather looks fairly promising so lets all hope it holds!
Date: 2010-03-28
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter (Smokies)
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: moderate rain

What a night!We had set a mouse trap up yesterday afternoon at the Fontana Hilton after seeing a mouse scurry across the floor. We caught three mice and a RAT! Yes, a huge rat scurrying the floors of the hilton looking for crumbs left behind. Got a little nervous and had some trouble going back to sleep after that, but Little Brown was the brave one who threw the rodents out the shelter everytime the trap snapped.Early in the morning there had been a little bit of rain but when I headed out the clouds had parted slightly so there was hope for decent weather. I reached the trailhead where I was to begin my journey in the Smokies and was playing with the zipper on my rain pants and they broke! Oh well, I figured I would try to get them back on the track that night when I hit the shelter, big mistake. Not long after I got to the end of the climb up Shuckstack Mountain the sprinkles started. It had been windy and the trees had been creaking- I was a bit worried they were going to blow down on me! I figured a few sprinkles wouldn't be a big deal, but then the rain started. Today I experienced the worst weather I had yet experienced on the trail. The drops were huge and the 30mph winds caused them to pelt sideways. It wasn't long before my hiking pants were soaked and despite all the hills I was still cold hiking at a brisk pace. It seemed like a long time before I hit the first shelter (Molly's Ridge) and my concern with the cold kept me holed up for the night. I had initially planned on doing at least another 2.5 miles to the next shelter, but I was concerned about being so cold. Not long after I had arrived the thunderstorms started and it rained pretty consistently throughout the night.Overall, the hike was pretty difficult. It was the first day I had hiked without Kelly and I didn't see a single person that whole day hiking. I felt pretty lonely and could only hope that things got better. I just couldn't figure out what was so great about the Smokies; the hills were bigger, rain heavier, wind stronger, and soon the snow would be deeper. I do admit though, the shelters in the Smokies are pretty nice and it did feel wonderful to finally be warm and dry after a cold, wet day. I was a bit worried about all my wet clothes, but I always keep my camp clothes in a dry bag deep in my pack so I know I can get warm despite the conditions and after a hot meal it felt good to crawl in my bag.
Date: 2010-03-29
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter (Smokies)

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter (Smokies)
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: light snow

Brrr!! It was another dreary morning and I was dreading the moment where I had to put on my wet hiking clothes and boots. I finally managed to muster up the courage to put on my wet shirt but I just couldn't bring myself to put on the pants so I ended up hiking in my baselayer bottoms and the rain pants that I had managed to fix the night before. I reluctantly pulled on my hiking boots and my dry socks immediately soaked up water and I started the day with squishy wet boots. The rain had lessened overnight and today consisted only of a light, but steady drizzle and fog. The terrain was difficult and the miles longer then posted, but I was in a much better mood and was able to make up for the short miles I had done the day before. I don't remember much from the hike and i'm pretty sure it was one of those experiences where your brain protects your psych by purposely making you forget the events of the day. I did use my microspikes for the first time coming down Thunderhead Mt. though I only needed them for a small section. It started snowing once I hit Siler Bald Shelter, and although Young One, Tick Bite, Prophet, and most of the other guys I had been sheltering with were there, I decided to move on to the shelter just a mile past. It was practically empty except for a couple who were section hiking, Hermit, and TP who showed up a bit later.Tomorrow will be the day for Clingman's Dome, there is hope for better weather so lets all keep our fingers crossed!
Date: 2010-03-31
From: Icy Spring Shelter (Smokies)

To: Tricorner Shelter (Smokies)
Miles today: 12.6

What a beautiful morning!Today I saw the first sunrise since I started my journey. A few hikers got up just before the sun came up and as if it were a novelty none of us had experienced, pretty much the whole shelter was up just to see the sun come up. The few days the sun had shone down on us we were usually hidden in the trees, but today was absolutely perfect.After the sunrise I packed up my things and headed out. The melted snow from the night before had turned into packed ice and I put my traction on for most of the morning. Today was mostly ridgeline hiking and the views were outstanding. I must admit, some of the trail was a bit sketchy with the trail at times a foot wide and a steep dropoff to one side, but I had a lot of confidence in my microspikes and as long as I kept them on, I wasn't too worried.It wasn't long before the ice had started to melt and turn slushy which at that point I was able to just use my boots. I admit it was still slick, but after a while the microspikes feel pretty heavy- especially when you hit a patch of mud and rock. The day was absolutely beautiful, and for the first day since I had entered the Smokies I was very happy I had come out here and up in the pines of the higher elevations. Spring was in the air and the smell of the forest was amazing.I got to the shelter around four to see most of the guys lounging around soaking up the sun. After I set up my bed I found a nice patch of grass to lay out on for a couple of hours until the sun started to drop and it started to get chilly. It had been an amazing day, and with the exception of the snow and ice (which makes travel much harder) and missing Kelly, the best hiking day so far.
Date: 2010-04-02
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Brown Gap
Miles today: 10.1

What a great night! I was so happy to be able to sleep in this morning and on a real bed to boot! The cabins at Standing Bear were very nice and cozy I ended up getting on the trail pretty late this morning, it was probably close to eleven. I ate the leftover pizza from the night before and a few more snacks for breakfast and then Kelly and I headed out.Sleeping in and heading out later sounded nice at the time, but I realized a bit later that it was quite the mistake. Today was the hottest day we have had yet and climbing out of Standing Bear was probably the worst hill we have had to climb yet. Neither of us were acclimated to the mid-high eighty degree temperatures so creeks were our haven! The first creek I came to I soaked my shirt and bandana and Kelly certainly enjoyed standing and sitting in the creeks on the hot day. The climb was very difficult but it was great to reach the top of Snowbird Mountain where I found not more trees but a lovely open field with a wonderful breeze. Snowbird has an FAA tower up top and although it was tempting to take a break underneath it in the shade, it was fenced off and had some pretty stern warnings about entering, so Quarter Pounder and I decided to just take a break at the edge of the bald where the breeze was blowing through. I could have stayed on top of that bald for quite a while, but had to get moving eventually.Snowbird mountain wasn't the last climb of the day, I am sure we climbed over 4000 feet in the heat and ended up only going about 10 miles. We were planning on staying on top of a mountain where a bunch of other guys where planning on camping but when we got there we couldn't find them so we headed down to Brown Gap. Although we were camped next to a road and a little nervous when a vehicle pulled up, it turned out it was just a trail maintainer and they left some trail magic in the form of ice cold soda! Guess it was a great place to stop for the night!