morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-23
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Gatlinburg, Tenn.
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Wo, the temps last night dropped and the wind screamed throughout the night! The tarp the park system secured to the front of the shelter crackled and billowed all night long, but at least no one could hear any snoring! Today we hiked for 7 hrs 17 mins. up and up to Clingman's Dome at midday under sunny skies again The Silers Bald Shelter didn't have chain link fencing across the shelter to protect us from the bears like the shelter(Russel Field Shelter) we stayed in the previous night. Knowing that it's bear country makes me a little more watchful at 2 a.m. when I have to go out into the forest to answer the call of nature. I make it apractice to never shine my headlamp around cause I don not want to see any eyes reflecting back to me! Sights today: snow along the trail in places even tho temps got up to about 63. The most amazing sight was the devestation caused by a powerful downdraft(according to the forest volunteer we talked with); it caused hundreds of spruce(young and old huge ones) to topple, with huge rootballs more than 15 feet diameter. We had to crawl under one, and over another, most blocking the trail have been cut and removed by park service volunteers-thanks! Got to the parking lot at the pass and talked to some tourists who approached us with loads of thru-hiker questions. Unfortunately, their cars were full of family so we couldn't get a ride down to town with them. Then we heard someone hollering to us--it was the park volunteer we'd chatted with way up the trail! He was quitting for the day and offered to take us into Gatlinburg-yippee! As he drove us the 15 miles to town, we passed by Blade and Hoshaniana(sorry about the certain misspelling of her name)as they tried to hitch a ride up to the trailhead. They were sitting on the road with smiles on and thumbs out. Surely someone will take pity on them and give them a lift-after all they're all cleaned up and sweet smelling now! We're checked into the Grand Prix Motel, doing wash, next taking showers, going to walk over to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner. Half Pint(a woman hiker) just checked in here, and supposedly Ghost is here also. There will probably be other hikers arriving shortly as dusk falls. Between us we should be able to figure out a cheap way to get a ride back to the trailhead tomorrow. Looking forward to a quiet night, a good sleep in clean sheets with a full belly tonight
Date: 2007-04-24
From: Gatlinburg, Tenn.

To: Peck's Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

Wish the shelters were spaced differently. We could do more mileage, but the shelters are spaced so widely apart it's often way too far to try to skip shi\elters sometimes. Fred set his watch for 6:30. Got up, went to the grocery mart, got food to hold us til Standing Bear Farm Hostel. hal Pint(home care nurse from Michigan), Copperhead(27'ish y.o. 18 wheeler long distance driver), Tango(acupuncturist), Portland(55 y.o. New Yorker), and us are waiting for the shuttle van to take us back to Newfound Gap. Owner/driver has to wait for key to be delivered by wife who has it . Finallly we depart the hotel, not at 8 a.m., but 9 something. Dizzly, misty skies. Temp steady in low 50's. Heard the bass percussion of grouse thumping wings against chest in mating rituals all day. The sound is like a deep vibration similar to a distant helicopter, but only lasts 5-10 seconds. Ridge walked with STEEP dropoffs on both sides. Great day, fairly easy hike. Got to shelter. Portland habbled into shelter saying he needed to be evacuated cause of severe left knee pain. He was in terrible pain. Fred couldn't get cell phone reception. Half Pint helped Portland get settled in and elevate leg, I went to stream for cold water for compress but just as we were figuring out what to do, in walked a park ranger, Matthew Overstreet toting a long barreled gun and radio! He was just checking on the shelter and occupants prior to starting his night vision boar hunt. Ranger Matthew contacted the park management by radio and arranged for Portland to be evacuated by riding horseback tomorrow. All of this is so astounding...quite a miracle. We's only been brainstorming our way thru the challenging situation of how to get Portland(Greg) off the mountain without damaging his knee further for 10 minutes before Ranger Matthew's arrival! Portland was aptly named for his focused intractability. Portland willed himself to walk the tortuous miles to the shelter where he knew we would more than likely be since we were ahead of him on the trail. The shelter's full no, Gopher and Mack(hiked 22 miles today!), the Goble's, Roast Beef(commercial real estate investor), Laura, Half Pint. Portland is calm and not in severe pain now thanks to ibuprofen and getting off his feet, eleveating, and cold compress.
Date: 2007-04-25
From: Peck's Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Foggy skies, slight chill in the air. Hiked 6hrs50mins after filling Portlands water bottle and saying goodbye. He took our picture and thank us for our care and looks forward to his horseback ride out. Ranger Matthew left yesterday saying he'd be by in the morning to check on him before the evac team came to get him later on. Sunny day developed, lovely smell of spruce in the air, lots of blow downs. Fun hiking day. Now we're at the shelter; this one has no fence across the front to keep bears out, just a rolled up tarp to lower if high winds. Fog is forming and we all have our fleece jackets on. Here for the night are Tango, Half Pint, Further(teacher-male),Bigfoot, Roast Beef. Big problem here: since 4'ish a bear is loitering within 50 yds of shelter and closer. While we took pictures and whispered , Fred bravely stepped out and down the path toward the bear, yelling and throwing some of the baseball sized rocks at it. The bear would back off, but return after a minute. Bigfoot joined Fred in his rock throwing and intimidation stradegy. Fred was doing exactly what they(rangers, wildlife experts say to do). You have to be boldly assertive in order to intimidate the black bear, or else the bear will feel empowered and may very well attack you. Further went up the privy path around 7 and hastily returned; the bear was there! Fred called the park emergency number(another miracle-cellphone reception!)and reported our problem. Park ranger said to start a fire, hang all food, etc., throw rocks, yell, and he'd alert Ranger Matthew, but Matthew probably wouldn't get to us tonight cause he's in the Peck's Corner area, many hours away. Guys spent evening fending off bear. Finally we turned in around 10p.m. Half Pint and Tango who were on the sleeping platform below the rest of us, asked us what was leaking. They had water dripping onto them thru the floorboards above their heads. Wouldn't you know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING we had was dripping! They had a puddle forming, and no source was apparent(and it wasn't raining)!!?? Very mysterious. It definitely added to the fodder for scary camp tales. The other super-eerie element of the situation is the solitary shoe with a partially chewed up hell that is on the path to the privy----quite spooky!
Date: 2007-04-26
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm Hostel
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Excitement during the night! When I got up at 1:30a.m. to go for a privy/woods run, as I rounded the shelter to exit what did my headlamp reflect: 2 beady eyes and a black bear just 30 ft away! The bear turned and scampered off and so did I once I was sure it was going down the slope! I hustled back into the shelter and with a loud voice told everyone the bear is here, right here! Everyone raised up to try to see him as he was barely visible in the rhododendron bushes about 50 yds away. Fred escorted me out to the woods edge(not all the way to the privy cauese it's way too far!). Once we safely returned everyone settled back down until...we awoke to hollereing from Roast Beef, "The bear, the bear!". Further turned on his headlamp and scanned the forest, but no bear. Turned out that Roast Beef was having a nightmare. All went back to sleep til 6. Bear was right there when we woke, about 20-30 ft from shelter, near privy path. He left a pile of scat on that path. The solitary shoe was placed next to the scat for pics the guys took. Further said we should leave a note next to it all saying there's an extra space at the shelter now. Fred called the ranger again to report all of the persistent nightime bear activity. Ranger says Matthew will come later today to take care of it. I left message in shelter register for arriving hikers about the prob and the emergency numbers to call. Guys complimented Fred on his take charge leadership concerning the bear. It was suggested that Fred's trail name be "Dances With Bear". Sounds good. Today's hike mostly down with steep climb to hostel. Lots of bear scat on trail. Drizzled last hike hour. Hoping to slack pack 19 miles tomorrow.
Date: 2007-04-27
From: Standing Bear Farm Hostel

To: Lemon Gap
Miles today: 18.8

Up at 6:25; shuttle pulled out at 7:05 to drop soome off at Max Patch and us, with Half Pint and Further at Lemon Gap to slackpack back to the hostel. Foggy, 54 degrees, windy, later partly cloudy in 70's in lower elevations. Long downs, few short steep ups. Great views from blads of Max Patch and Snowbird. Trail majic!!: Ox, a former thru hiker from Atlanta had several tents set up and an 8 ft long table, grill, coolers of soda, sweet huge strawberries, bananas, apples, oranges, salad & dressings, Girl Scout cookies, Pringles, lawn chairs at the road where the trail crosses! We got there around noon-perfect timing for lunch. We wolfed down 1/3 lb hamburgers, and lots of the other food. Ox is there thru the wkend, serving a breakfast menu, lunch, and dinner. His generousity is apprreciated. It hit the spot and fueled us up for today's remaining hike. Departing his tents when we got there were The Singing Sisters(2 ladies who greet all hikers with a rendition of "Happy Trails" sung in harmony, Talkerman, and Young Eagle whom we met and chatted with briefly. Copperhead arrived during our meal. She said she saw a bear scoot away from her on the trail after she'd left S.Bear yesterday afternoon. Half Pint and Further got to the tents just as we finished our lunch. This morning around 9 who shgould come trotting up the trail looking perky with her ready smile and laugh, but Mignon! She lead the way northbound to Hot Springs with Iceman's brother and Iceman not too far behind. It's good to see her. She has such a cheerful spirit. We also ran into 2wks&3Days. Good to see him again, too. During our hike we heard lots of birds singing, saw 2 pileated woodpeckers, lots of goldfinches, a few robins, and saw only onoe scat pile(coyote). Where are all of the animals? Today's scat total was an all time low for our hike. Upon returning to Standing B. Hostel we discovered Just Jack is here now! He's a humorous gentleman whose company is quite pleasant. We're glad to see he's still hiking and that he's still optimistic about eventually finding some pleasure in hiking the AT. Hope it comes soon, for his sake. Half Pint and Further just got in. In a few minutes Further is going to drive her with him to Hot Springs in his car that was shuttled to him here last night. This way they'll be in place for the hiker festival in Hot Springs tomorrow. Then they'll figure out how to get back to Lemon Gap to hike the distance to Hot Springs later. It's 7:15 now. Curtis the owner here took a bunch of us to the deli store in town. Now we're sitting on the porch of our little cottage, eating sandwiches on the porch overlooking the gurgling stream that flows under our porch. Hummingbirds are feeding from the feeder hanging above the railing; the sun's setting behind the mountain; the other hikers are laughing and eating around the campfire next to the bunkhouse next door to us. Life is grand
Date: 2007-04-28
From: Lemon Gap

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Hiking speed is picking up-guess we're getting a little bit stronger and have more stamina for the mountain climbing. Internet weather forecast for today was 80 degrees and sunny--WRONG!! It was very overcast, temps in low 50's, rain began at 12, lasted til we were a mile from town around 3p.m. Arrived in Hot Springs in time to catch all of the hikers gathering along the main street for the hiker festival today. Gots to see lots of people we've met along the trail. Backing up to our hike: Saw Brady, Blaze, and Hoshaiana who'd gone into Asheville to stay with Jake, along with Laura who broke her ankle when hiking to an Asheville waterfall with Jake and the others, also saw Further on the trail as he was hurrying to switch his gear from the pay campground to the free campground via his car, he said Half Pint was somewhere shortly behind us-both of them got shuttled to Lemon Gap to hike into Hot Springs where they'd stayed last night, passed Copperhead at the shelter she'd stayed in overnight-she was having her late breakfast. First thing we did when we got to town was to buy new large-size pack covers. The ones that came with our packs don't cover the sleeping pads and full outer pockets. Now we're set with new ones that can be popped over the packs in under a minute. That'll save us much frustration. All the stores/restaurants are along a one block area on the main street. After the outfitter, we had a drink at the Pub, walked toward the free campsite, but the road is covered by a stream several inches deep that would've soaked our shoes, so back to the campground next to the restaurant/shop block. The campground we're staying on has sites spaced about 60 ft apart, with a nice mowed lawn, some trees, and best of all, nice shower/bthroom buildings. Pitched our tent, moseyed back to the restaurant area, pasta dinners at the Bridge Street Inn and Cafe, with a calamari appetizer for starters. Half Pint and Copperhead joined our table. They shared a room above the restaurant for the night(both heading back to the trail on Sunday). We had a great time at dinner. Half Pint tasted calamari for the first time and declared them "interesting". Ron Haven stopped by our table to chat and showed us all the bear pictures he'd taken on his digital camera. He sure was close to a ighty big bear-at least a 400lb-er! Bigfoot is at our campground, Iceman&Usual Suspect talked to us on the rd-they're staying in Newport and being shuttled around by Mignon's husband. Clearing skies tonight. Tomorrow should be pretty.
Date: 2007-04-29
From: Hot Springs

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 101.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Decided to take a "zero" day(no hiking-just resupply and rest). Got up before 7a.m.. Strolled over to the diner for pancakes with strawberries(me) and pnacakes,bacon, eggs(Fred). Brady, Blaze, and Hoshaiana were in the diner. Blaze and Hoshaiana bought hiking sandals, lightening their loads somewhat. Brady told us more about Laura's ankle breaking. It's now held together by pins. She hopes to return to the AT once it's healed. Staying in their camper next to us are the goat people! It's the two owners, Elvin(wife) and Thomas, both are massage therapists. The goats aren't with them right now. They use two cars and a trailer to section hike the AT, avoiding staying at shelters with the goats cause they're too much trouble and might attrract curious bears. They often put the goats into the goat trailer at night, while Elvin and Thomas sleep out near shelters under a tarp.Elvin invited us to a big breakfast she's cooking up, but we'd already pigged out at the diner. Thomas and Elvin are nice poeple to pass time with during our zero day. Half Pint, Copperhead, Quick Toes, and a few others are hanging around here at the outfitters getting some extra food and supplies before hitting the trail. The day is very sunny and in the low 70's, breezy. Half Pint just told me she's staying overnight at Elmer's(a hostel) so she can go to the post office across the street and mail some stuff home. That's what we're doing, too. Post office opens at 8a.m. so we'll be there mailing back our old pack covers and some other unneeded gear. Having fun and feeling good.
Date: 2007-04-30
From: Hot Springs

To: HemlockHollowHostel
Miles today: 16.3

Learnedthatping pongball sizednujtswith thethin mahagony skin are calledbuckeyes up north. Saw them the lastdayin Smopkies. Had biscuitsatstore near campground. Headed onto trail at 8:30.Clearsunny skies all day--HOT and windless, 80 degrees. Mostly uyphill all day. Got to Spring Shelter at 3p.m."Free" was sitting in shelter, said he heard mice. Shelter very old and bleak. Watered up at spring there then trekked on. Had to walk more than the advertised .5 miles toHemlock Hollow Hostel. Got saodas from her store. Staying in very nice, newish cabin beside the stream. Further and dog, Kelsey are here and so is Free. Good facilities- bunkhouse and cabins have microwaves, frig, and ELECTRICITY! and so do the showers and bathrooms(gender-segregated). Niceplace. Super. Ate Lipton noodle dinner atpicnic table while visiting with Freee and Further. Free'sgetting picked up by Miss Janet tomorrow, then taken toJohnson City tocatch a bus home. We're tired now cause hiked a lot longer than we'd wished in the heat. Not going as far tomorrow.
Date: 2007-05-01
From: HemlockHollowHostel

To: camping between Jerry Cabin Shelter&Flint Mt.Shelt
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Had good night's sleep. Further and usshuttled to trailhead at 8:30. Long day uphill, lots ofboulder hopping on ridge. Hiked8hrs.,45mins. Hot, near80 degrees, agina therewas no breeze til after 2p.m. or so. Saw1 coyote scat, 1 bear scat, Baltimore Oriole looking bird, robins, bluebird. Got off tack bygoing acroos 2nd bald'sfield, but saw Further who'd been sleeping in JerryCabin, talked, then sawwhere trail blaze was on tree 100ft away. Camping listed on sheet does not exist, but camping not listed sometimes pops up. We walked and walked, finallyfound a site just off the trail that's flat and had a campfire ring of stones. Gothere about 5:30, tired. Grizzle, Sideshow, and Chacz(girl) justhikedpast. They'd all taken a midday siesta at Jerry's Cabin Shelter and were walking on to Flint Mt. Shelter. 6:25 temp is 73 and falling. Lots of flies here. Mashed potatoes for dinner. Saw lots of wild celery and strawberries.
Date: 2007-05-02
From: camping between Jerry Cabin Shelter&Flint Mt.Shelt

To: HogbackRidgeShelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Heard owls, heardcoyote around 4 a.m. approx. 30 ft. away from our tent last night howling at the full moon! That was incredible experience, knowing he was within a few feet of us. Started hiking at 7:35. Long 7hrs 4mins.uphill mostly, very littledown. Satdown at logs for lunch and saw a coyote loping acroos about 50yds away! Grizzle, Sideshow, and Chacz jopined us for the lunch break. Dayis hot, 80 degrees, but there is a breeze to cool us throughout most of the day. Got to shelter around 3 p.m.At shelter are Bear Killer(respiratory therapist nurse), sonScout(painter), Persistent and Certain(two great personality ladies), HurdyGurdyMan(very nice guy, Half Pint, Joe(retired pediatrician),& Almost Lucky(neat guy). Another evening at a shelter with entertaining, good conversation.
Date: 2007-05-03
From: HogbackRidgeShelter

To: campsite couple miles after High Rocks trail
Miles today: 15.7

Short drizzle during night, ground just a little bit damp. All in shelterupat 6:30. We leftat 7:05. Trail majic!!!--Container with sugar andcinnamoncoated graham crackers, coffeein a large Thermos, with sugar and creamer, jugs of water, and hardboiled eggs were on the trail near a road access!!! We missed out on the eggs; theywere gone when wegotthere. I ate 4 large crackers--sodelicious!Fred(Take It Easy= his trailname now) had crackers and coffe as we talked with Moosehead, Stroker, and The Band-Aid Kid(just as he was finishing). What a greatboost for hiking. It's so generous of people to leave trail magicforhikers. Itis appreciated. Today we hiked over a huge, undulating bald. Made really good time til thunderstorms rooled in. As wegot readyto climb a rocky precipice to go over and down to the campsite gap a few miles away, boom-crash, lightning and thunder beganwith a fury! There was a blueblaze sign to another trail, thinking it was a foul weather alternative wetook it---bad midstake--it led to a hugerock slab on TOP of the mountain! so down we went lickitysplit. Take It Easy decided tostayupnear thetop, but I high-tailed it to low ground wherethere werelots of trees. Rain, lightning, and thunder were heavy, the forest wascompletely cloud enshrouded--we were up in the storm(above 4000 ft).It was scarySeveral bolts came down near the peak where I left Take It Easy(to clarify the situation:he chose to stay put- I chose to run down). After about 30 minutes the storm noises calmed enough I could hearhim yelling. After a few more minutes he came down the trail to me. Whew! Along came Almost Lucky who asked about what lay ahead. We told hbim it was a rocky peak. He said the odds were in his favor and scooted along upward. I didn't waqnt to dampen his confidence by mentioning that his trailname wasn't exactly an optimistic name We waited a few more minutes and decided to risk the climb.Up andover asquickly aswe could, the lightning a few miles away, butstill raining hard and thundering. Hikied until we found a capsite near SpiveyGap; pitched our tent in the pouring rain, got dry clothes on. Hurdy Gurdy Man arrived around 5; said he'dbeen roadside trying unsuccessfully to get a hitch into Erwin, so now he was resigned topitching his tent while sopping wet.
Date: 2007-05-04
From: campsite couple miles after High Rocks trail

To: Super 8 Motel, Erwin, Tenn.
Miles today: 11.3

Note: somehow mileage wasinaccuratelyposted. Now it's updated, but doesn'tinclude the8.5 approachtrail to Springer Mountain in GA. During night it rained hard at times. Fred heard a tree fall down. Condensation on tentceiling rained on our trashbag covered sleeping bags all night, but we slept pretty well. We(Hurdy Gurdy Man, too) got up by 6:30. Leftat 8:15 with cloudy, foggy skies, 50+ temp. Ladiescamping nearby left justbefore us. Further and dog came along just as we were going. They'd camped out too, just a little bit before our site. Great trail today-only a few steep uphills anddowns, lots of winding around-not up!!- mtns. Fred almost stepped on a 7inch long skinny gray snake with a yellow cirlce on its back behind itshead. Saw more chipmunks and a lizard with dark gray and red flame-stitching patterned skin. Lots of streams and blowdowns to cross. Our room here feels palacial: clean and comfortable.Spread our sleeping bags and tent outto dry. Fred had fun calling Allen to rev him up about the Derby.We hiked the mile to the laundromat(wewore ourrainsuits there so we could wash ALL ofour clothes). While at the laundromat, Take ItEasy read the newspaper sports section for info, so get set Allen, Fred is going to chose the best horse! Met Walker and Mello Yellow while walking back to hotel. Also here are Certain and Persistent and Scout and Bear Killer. Hotel mgmt said last night they had 40 hikers here-tonight about 20. Got back to room about 6, ordered pizza delivered to room. Now it's way past hiker bedtime(9) so I'm going back to the room for a good night's sleep. We're taking a zero day tomorrow. Will resupply and enjoy Cinco de Mayo in comfort, good spirits and good health!