morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-14
From: Spring Mt. Shelter

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: light rain

Snow flurries continued thru the night, ticking on the tent. I was cold - missed the little down quilt and the powerstretch shirt that I'd sent away (more weight than I felt was justified by how often I used them). But by adjusting the hood of the sleeping bag more snugly, I was tolerably warm - it was probably about 30f, keeping the precipitation all snow, which is actually better to deal with than 33f rain. At least it is dry, and blows off most surfaces, rather than soaking in.Woke up to fog and more flurries. The grim mood of yesterday was somewhat lifted by the good sleep I had, after all, and Auntie Mame getting a weather report on her tiny dollar-store radio. Flurries, patchy sun, cold tonight and sunny tomorrow.Got a latish start, aiming for Little Laurel Shelter, some 8 miles - now considered a modest day! The fog and cold lifted somewhat, and eventually there actually were patches of sun - brief but encouraging.We had lunch by the trail, passing up a great offer by some former thruhikers, because we had so much food we needed to get eating it. At the turnoff for the hostel it seemed safe enough to continue hiking. After that, of course, it started snowing again and we had slippery footing the rest of the way to the shelter siteThis was a stone shelter, like in the Smokies, and fairly large. It wasn't crowded (yet) so we decided to stay in it. Later, more and more hikers came in, discouraged by the snow, and eventually there were 9 or 10 in the shelter built for 7, and 5 or 6 tents around the perimeter.Getting water was a challenge - down a slanted side-hill path covered with snow, with water bottles in arms - to a little spring forming a pool in the rocks. Scoop by scoop into the bottles. And teetering back up with full bottles weighing you down funny. Quite a sight.Feeling better than yesterday, but still a lot of undecided stuff about goals, pace, etc. It will unfold somehow.
Date: 2008-04-15
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Big Butt
Miles today: 9.2

It kept snowing lightly during the night but we woke up to clear blue sky - 4" or so, just enough to cause us to slow down hiking. Risky because we didn't know the trails ahead - might be fine, might be hazardous. But it was a long walk either way we went, back to the hostel or ahead to a campsite, and it was looking like a sunny day with a chance to warm up and dry out in the afternoon. So, on we went.I scraped the snow off the picnic table (oh rare luxury!) so folks could use it to make their breakfasts. Nice to be able to stand while cooking.Hiked to the famous Jerry's cabin shelter which is described in the old AT hiking books as being quite splendid with mailbox, telephone (fake) and electric outlet (fake). Alas, it is no longer, if it ever actually was, splendid. But the setting is nice, grassy lawn, sunshine and room to dry out the tent which was still soaked and heavy from snow two nights ago. Yay! Light tent again!Very beautiful morning with snow sticking to everything. But as it warmed up the trail grew slick with partially melted snow and mud. Later in the afternoon it got better, and we decided to go further to a tent site mentioned in the guidebook, and be a few miles closer to Erwin.This was another time we were likely to land in town on a Saturday, which is hard because Post Offices often close early, and stay closed til Monday. If you pick up a package on one day, it is nice to have an overnight to decide what to ship on, or to keep out - sometimes its spare food or clothing, or items you won't need on that particular leg. But until you have figured just what the next leg of the hike is going to be, you can't fully decide what you do or don't need.Hilltop campsite turned out to be lovely, even though by the time we were setting up, the residual snow was getting quite crunchy again, after the warmer afternoon. After a night in a shelter, especially a crowded shelter, a quiet night in your own tent is luxury. We really appreciated it this night.
Date: 2008-04-16
From: Big Butt

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: clear sky

Big day - 300 miles hiked, and first trout lily blossoms! There have been trout lily leaves everywhere for weeks now, but this was the first blossom. They're really small, not like you think of lilies as. Yellow, turned outwards - very cheerful.Great hiking day, gorgeous dry air, clear sky, bright sun. Nice trail from the hilltop campsite off Big Butt (where do these names come from??) past wooded ridgetops where we stopped at the Shelton gravesite. Very moving, this old Civil War era stone. Yesterday we passed the gravestone of Howard Bassett, a hiker whose journal I have read many times, and it was also moving to see (Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Rodale Press, 1972). Along this two-day stretch are several other markers, some hiking-related, perhaps most. Against this backdrop of forest, hills, earth, flowers the gravestones have unexpected impact.After these very long miles (for us), I was flat out exhausted - set up the tent, ate and fell into bed. Amazing how restorative a night on the ground can be! Hoping for such restoration, since we're planning 10 miles tomorrow.
Date: 2008-04-17
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Whistling Gap
Miles today: 13.5

Another beautiful day, which really helped with our hiking plans. We kept a reasonable goal of ten miles, with the option to go on if we had the oomph. Nothing like the promise of a town stop to help with the oomph. The high point, literally, of the day was Big Bald - a huge mountain with satisfying baldness. Most "balds" are pretty tree-covered, but this was more like Max Patch, grass covered and providing 360 degree views of unlimited mountain ranges. At least that's how it looks. Amazing. The hiking involved MUCH climbing - sometimes steep, but mostly just long, long climbs up fairly gradual slopes. By now I can handle almost anything without stopping, or only for ten seconds or so, which is a good thing - there are so many of these long climbs every single day that I wouldn't be here if I couldn't walk them fairly easily. Here's where pack weight comes in - it mainly bothers on the climbs. Every long climb has me figuring what I can do without, or can modify to reduce weight. Then when we hit the crest and start the usual ridge walking, I forget all about that. Until the next long climb.We were pleased to note that at the proposed shelter we had enough energy to consider 3 more miles, which would make it POSSIBLE to get to Erwin tomorrow. If we weren't completely fried by today's efforts. The trick seems to involve getting into bed early, and being flat and still for 11 or 12 hours. When I do this, my feet, legs and wind are ready to do it all again the next day. You'd think it would be boring, but it isn't. I sleep from 8 to 6 or so, and usually am in my sleeping bag from 7 to 7. I hear this changes, as you toughen up, and as the days grow longer, so we'll see what happens.We found the campsite to have many good tenting spots and a decent water supply - all we need to consider a place home for the night. Auntie Mame and I got there, then Bananas rolled in, then Barley and Rain, who we hadn't camped with in some time. But with one of my longest days behind me, and a similar day ahead, I hit the hay before it was even dark.
Date: 2008-04-18
From: Whistling Gap

To: Erwin, TN/Nolichucky River, Mile 339.8
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: broken clouds

Whew! Big miles for us, but somehow I am waking up rested and ready to hike. The bottoms of my feet feel it, especially after 5 miles into the day, but not terribly - just so's you'd notice. Anyway, I woke up before light and tried to figure what time it was - my watch stopped yesterday - and I didn't want to wake Auntie Mame. I dimly remembered that mp3 players sometimes have clocks in them, so I dug mine out and nearly blinded myself when it's little light came on...and yes, there, buried in the menu options, was a clock, and it was 2:50am in California. Um, 5:50am here, I guessed, and felt glad, since I was thoroughly awake at this point!Good thing to get up early today, with long haul ahead. Another blue sky day, only warmer than the previous ones. Soon time to get a t-shirt, I think. I had raisin bran for breakfast, which is good on the trail. I use whole powdered milk mixed in with the cereal, then put the water in, stir it, and it's a pretty good resemblance of the real thing. Today the food bags were nearly empty, almost a ten pound difference from when we started on Sunday. It was a quick 2-plus miles down to Spivey Gap, where we encountered Mango and her mom, with vehicle, and asked if they would be willing to take some of our pack contents to Erwin, allowing us an even lighter load for the last 11 miles. They graciously agreed, and we were off up the trail, hoping this measure would make it possible to accomplish our goal without too much more wear and tear on the bodies.Fewer flowers today - the past two days had some incredible displays of carpets of tiny wildflowers, greenery and blossoms, laid out for acres it seemed around the bases of the bare trees, and poking up from the brown oak and beech leaves on the forest floor. Although forest is not quite right - it is more thin than forest suggests, the trees are quite widely spaced and you can see through easily. (In fact, it has been very hard to figure out how to go pee discreetly, since there is often no cover as far as the eye can see!)By afternoon it was quite warm, indeed, on the sunny faces of the mountains, and I was glad it was not yet summer with high humidity, too.We actually made it into Erwin by 3pm, some sort of record for us, no doubt. A good feeling, since although I was tired, I was far from exhausted - maybe this is going to work out, after all!I don't yet know how long the next leg will be, but it might be a week or more before you see new entries. I write them every day, but can only transmit on a regular telephone, and those have been few and far apart recently. Now, we'll see what a couple of nights in a real bed will do for the body!
Date: 2008-04-19
From: Erwin, TN/Nolichucky River, Mile 339.8

To: Erwin Tn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Yesterday we came down into Erwin for miles, snaking back and forth on long switchbacks that kept giving glimpses of the Nolichucky River, the train tracks and very long, slow, serious trains, and the town itself. When we finally came out onto the street, the first thing we came to was the Nolichucky Hostel, also known as Uncle Johnny's. Welcome, welcome sight. There's a distinctly organized feel to it, despite the fairly laid-back and chaotic character that large numbers of hikers bring along. It's a compact little compound with everything a hiker needs - roofed patios, coke machines, pay phone, store with an amazing amount of excellent gear, cabins with various configurations of bunks, a larger bunkroom, nice lawns, flowering dogwood and very tidy, simple shower houses for men and women. Outdoor kitchen area, outdoor sink, indoor washer/dryer complete the amenities. Auntie Mame had to pick up a package and we also reserved cabin space for the next night - we had reservations already for the Holiday Inn Express, also known to be hiker-friendly. And it was - the folks at the desk were chatty and friendly, which given our 6-days-on-the-trail aroma was very generous of them!So this morning we woke in the hotel, got breakfast downstairs and worked on our resupply lists and itinerary for the next leg. At noon we went next door to the Long John Silver's and got fried fish meals which were delicious...then went over to Uncle Johnny's and our little cabin.I had got my tent in the mail, and it needed seam-sealing. The lawn had plenty of space to set it up, and it held off raining til nearly 6, which gave the sealant some time to cure. 24 hours would be better, but this will have to do for now. This tent is the single Rainbow Tarptent, like the double Rainbow we have been using so far. Sharing has worked well, and we're both strong enough to take our own tents now. It's very light, and will be good to have my own "room".Oh, as for the change in sleeping mats, I like the smaller pack size and somewhat lighter weight of the thermarest prolite 4, but enjoyed the cushiness of the down mat very much. I will probably switch (again) to the non-insulated air mat which is smaller when packed and also lighter than the thermarest. It is only for warm weather, though, so probably mid to late May for that switch.Contemplating at that time going back to the ULA catalyst pack, when the stuff I am carrying has less volume. It's a pound and a half lighter than the Boundary Pack, and with mat change, switching to down quilt instead of full sleeping bag, and losing a heavy set of long underwear it should bring the overall weight down nearly 5 pounds. Went on the town run tonight, ate in the Mexican restaurant and completed the resupply shopping. Erwin is very spread out, like Franklin, and shuttle service is very helpful. Thanks, Johnny and Charlotte! Now, as we wind down for the night, folks are singing along with a mandolin outside one of the cabins. It's very cheerful.Goodnight!
Date: 2008-04-20
From: Erwin Tn

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: scattered clouds

We intended to hike a short 4 miles today to the next shelter, since the shelter beyond that was too far, so we puttered around the hostel, went on the breakfast run with CB and Faithful, and eventually hiked out about 11am.It began to rain soon after we left, but the forecast was pretty good for the afternoon, so we just put on rain jackets and pack covers and hiked on. The trail was good and we got to the shelter for a lunch break - and decided we had plenty of energy to hike further.As we were leaving Erwin we stopped to wait for a train to pass and chatted with Red and Aries, who have apparently been a day or two behind us for some time now. Frog was at the shelter with Craig, doing a short section of AT on the weekend - with a 6 hour drive on both ends! THAT'S dedication! A few hours later we met Walrus, hiking up to Beauty Spot. He is on Trail journals also and is resuming a thru hike that was ended last year by a broken bone. Go, Walrus! The afternoon turned out cool but not rainy, and we ended up going past Beauty Spot to Deep Gap - we couldn't find a campsite mentioned in the guidebook so had to press on another mile to a water source and camping area. The good thing is that now we are strong enough to do this. Found a flattish area above the spring and set up camp. I used my tent for the first time, and it was great. The seam sealant had set up enough so that it did not stick to itself, a problem I was hoping to avoid. Only problem I did have was too much slant to the ground and so I slept a little awkwardly, not wanting to slide thru the foot of the tent...the new nylon floor is very slick, and although I put stripes of seam sealant on it for better traction, the slant was just a little too much for it. Maybe some stripes on the underside of the sleeping mat would help, also. Anyway, it was great having space to fuss with clothing and gear in a relaxed manner, and not worry about bothering Auntie Mame.Oh, today we saw tiny blue irises along the trail, and the first mayflower blossoms, after weeks of seeing what I thought were their leaves - they were! Various birds sing from time to time, but most are unfamiliar. Either they are migrating through or are southern types that I don't know. Juncos continue to be the most frequently sighted bird so far.It's cold tonight - I'm going to bed!
Date: 2008-04-21
From: Deep Gap

To: Campsite, mile 363.8
Miles today: 11.9

Cloudy, foggy and almost cold this morning. Had the thick long underwear bottoms on and my padded jacket inside the sleeping bag - it worked well. I've been hiking most days in shorts with tallish gaiters, but today I pulled the rain pants on over my shorts - couldn't tell if it was going to get sunny and warm up, and the morning's hike involved going up over Unaka Mt. Got going at almost 9am, late for us but the idea was that we had gone many more miles yesterday than we planned, and got in late (6-ish) so we'd have a semi-relaxed departure today. Our goal was to get to Cherry Gap shelter, 5 miles or so, for lunch break, then decide where to aim for the afternoon. Depending on the pitch and condition of the trail we can go as slow as one mph or as fast as 2.5mph. We're experimenting with the concept of hiking for 8 or so hours, and seeing what that does, rather than setting mileage goals. Recently, 8 hours is getting us around 11 or 12 miles - plenty!Unaka Mt, Little Bald Knob and Iron Mt took plenty of energy today, although the trail profiles did not indicate this very well. We have ended up camping in the woods, an open, flat woods, near a water source and the sun is finally breaking through the clouds for the first sustained time all day. Supper is done and I am writing this in the tent with my sleeping bag like a lap robe. The first thrush of the season is singing almost out of earshot, but what a beautiful sound!Tomorrow we climb Roan Mt, over 6,000 ft, but thankfully we are starting at nearly 4500 ft. But it is still a lot of climbing in 3 miles. Looks like there's a chance of sun and views, but in these mountains both of those are sometimes hard to come by. As for mood, it is still incredibly nice to get back on the trail after a night or two in town, just as it is fun to go to town after a week or so on the trail. It is wonderful to have the benefit of nearly 7 weeks of conditioning - the hiking is so much less taxing when you are in shape!It interests me to see what more in the line of fitness lies ahead. The steep curve of improvement is leveling out, and I guess now it is just slow steady progress.
Date: 2008-04-22
From: Campsite, mile 363.8

To: Overmountain shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: light rain

Thrushes! Lots, singing first thing this morning. What a great way to start the day. This site is near what the guidebook says is an "old homestead", and in fact it is an unusually flat area, several acres, that has now grown up to open forest. But there are signs of old fields - the songbirds and even some young thistle plants among the wildflowers.Got an early-ish start, 7:45am, to try to get over Roan Mt. as early as possible. First, Little Rock Knob got our attention with a lot more climbing than we expected. Then we began the long climb from Hughes Gap up Beartown Mt, down to Ash Gap, and then up Roan. Roan is absolutely beautiful. It's high enough to have balsam fir trees, and is rocky like so many trails in Maine. It was fairly cloudy up that high, although the sun was shining on the distant hillsides. We visited Roan High Knob shelter, which is right up there on a piney knob, but is fully enclosed and dark inside - probably not a place to stay unless you had to. No views from there, either.Then down to Carvers Gap, and the start of these gorgeous rolling balds, which the trail climbed over fairly gently. A good thing, since we were into our 10th mile by then, and deciding whether we had the oomph to go all the way to Overmountain Shelter, which I knew was particularly lovely.We decided to stop and fix dinner at the Stan Murray shelter, which was uninhabited when we got there around 5pm. It was a long way down to a marginal water source, and the ambiance was a bit gloomy. But we sat there and cooked supper and said hello to C4, Garlic and Pickle, who passed by as we were eating.Supper done, we pulled up our socks and booked it the 1.7 more miles to Overmountain Shelter. Great trail made for a fast hike, and we got in before 7pm. It's an old barn in a scenic field setting with views of mountain ranges off to the east and south. Plenty of great tenting areas,and I am set up so that I can see the sun rise when I wake up, just by unzipping the flap.Several hikers we know are here as well, and it is a very pleasant end to an astonishingly long-mile day, for us! But we did it, and are fine. We can take an easier day tomorrow, and also stay overnight in a B & B - another wonderful reward for pushing hard today.
Date: 2008-04-23
From: Overmountain shelter

To: Rte. 19e, mile 386.9
Miles today: 8.7

Owls call when it just is beginning to get light, but before the sun is actually up. Then the turkeys start, then everybody else - this morning a chorus of cheeps, tweets, coos and trills of all kinds. And the occasional dog barking down in the valley - made me miss my dog! Fog had rolled in overnight, but cleared back out as the sun came up. Nevertheless, a wet tent to pack. Worth it, though - this shelter site is probably the best so far, in views and general ambiance. Don't miss it if the weather is halfway decent.We set out in the sunshine to climb a couple of spectacular balds, Little Hump and Hump mountains. Lots and lots of long climbs, which we definitely felt after pushing so hard yesterday. Incredible payoff, though - true grassy balds, with a little path of earth in the golden grass, winding its way up these massive flanks, giving awesome perspectives of tiny villages below, or tiny hikers miles away, or clouds shadowing acres and leaving big sunny patches elsewhere. Words truly fail here. It is like the White Mountains before the glaciers scraped all the earth off. This area is called the Roan Highlands, and it has been set aside in some way from development. Extremely worth a visit!Although this was an "easy" day, after yesterday's excess, it turned out to be quite demanding, and took us 6 hours or so to go those 8-plus miles. I don't think you can hurry this - unless the trail and terrain are very forgiving, you pay for any excess by being tired or burnt out the next day. But it continues tobe the most amazing adventure of my life!We got to Rt.19e and walked up to Mountain Harbor B&B and Hostel, which we had reserved a room at yesterday. They have both hostel and inn accommodations, in a very lovely setting. Our room is lovely, such a contrast to our tent and shelter lives! Our laundry was done before we knew it, and we got a ride to supper and resupply in the village of Roan Mt. A stream runs thru the property, trees are in flower and horses graze the steep fields. We hear the breakfast is wonderful - and plan to partake first thing tomorrow!