morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-01-16
From: Wallace Gap (old US Route 64)

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 2.9
Weather: clear sky

Today was beautiful. The sun was shining brightly. The temp was just below 20. We were blessed having Double Healer and Susan join us for a short but beautiful section of the AT. We started climbing Rocky Cove Knob at 1:20. There was a water fall beside the trail with icicles above the water glimmering in the sun. I took a picture but I find the pictures never quite capture the beauty. The trail is covered in dry leaves. I miss stepped and ended up falling off the edge of the trail. No harm done. I made a stir fry for dinner and soaked in a warm tub, luxury. Tomorrow we will attend the Southern Ruck at NOC. Sunday it is back to the trail. Stay warm everyone.
Date: 2009-01-17
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Today was a great day. We went to the Southern Ruck at NOC. I had never been to the Southern Ruck. It was so worth going to. I had my picture taken with Gene Espy and heard him speak. How cool is that? I got to catch up with other hikers, some I haven't seen in years like Odessa 2005, Joe ___ 2005, Five Leaf Clover, and Mtn Squid. I met Mother Nature who made the most awesome deserts. It was great fun to share hiking stories. I met Mosey and Dulcimer Dave who will start their hike in March. I enjoyed talking about trail clothes with Mosey. Hopefully she will take only what advise works for her. Always feel free to not take advise that doesn't feel right to you. There is my trail wisdom. I also met a wonderful couple that day and weekend hikes named Farr Away and Quietly. Lastly I was able to talk a little bit with Kayak Karl. I was psyched to see that he was able to experience some of the hiker community at the Ruck that he would otherwise miss from an early start hike. He said that he saw no one for five days. That is brutal. I do appreciate Swampy's company. Tomorrow we are back hiking with Double Healer joining us for a few weeks. I apologize for anyone I didn't mention today. I loved talking to everyone. Rocky
Date: 2009-01-18
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 3.7
Weather: light snow

We left Double Healers in freezing rain. By the time we made it to Siler Bald Shelter there was two to three inches of snow on every thing. Double Healer wanted a low mileage day to get his trail legs. We made it to the shelter by 11. It is hovering around 30 degrees. The two guys are napping. I miss Susan and her hot soup. Rocky
Date: 2009-01-19
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Wayah Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: light snow

Today has been eventful. We woke before sunrise. The snow was coming down very lightly and we were reasonably warm. When we got back to the AT from the shelter trail, Double Healer told us his back was bothering him. He decided to hike back to Winding Stair Gap. We said our good byes and we were off. He got back home fine. We hiked through steady but light snow all day. We crossed paths with Achilles, a south bound young man finishing his journey. He said his Dad would be meeting him in Hiawassee to finish the trail with him. I enjoyed following his foot prints backwards throughout the day. He lifted my spirits. We reached Wayah Bald at 1:30. We were beginning to get chilled. We stopped for a bathroom break and for lunch. I thought the food would help us warm up, which I think it did help a little. We decided to call Double Healer to see if he could fetch us at a road crossing if we hiked to one. He thought the road conditions were too bad to drive in. So we decided to hike to Wayah Shelter. We set up the tent and had a warm dinner and peach tea. We feel better. Swamp Fox heated me a hot water bottle for the night. There is probably 4 inches of snow on the trail. It takes more energy to hike through. Hiker midnight is upon us. It is in the low 20's and we are ready for sleep. Rocky
Date: 2009-01-21
From: Franklin, NC

To: Franklin NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

This is the first of a number of Zero Days we will have between now and sometime in mid-March. Rocky and Double Healer are off to NOC to check on some correspondence we expected to receive there. I am here at the Macon County Library entering these notes and researching our travel options. We will continue to update this Journal, so that our friends can follow our wanderings in the South as we await a renewal of our hike. We will also keep everyone posted on our plans as they evolve. Our friends who also started on January 1st are apparantly still on the Trail. To Trek, Bluevist, and Kayak Karl, we wish God speed and please be careful in this difficult weather. Swamp FoxNote: We have entered photos of our first 12 days on the trail, with corrected dates and captions. Hope you find them interesting.
Date: 2009-01-22
From: Franklin NC

To: Franklin NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

We will be leaving Franklin on Friday (January 23). We are going to pick up a rental car in Asheville NC and drive to Orlando. Enroute we will be visiting Kim and his wife. They live near Helen GA. We have become good friends over the internet, ever since Kim delivered us to the Trail at Unicoi Gap back on January 7th. We will keep everyone posted on our where abouts and plans as we await a resumption of our AT hike in early March. Keep Warm, Everyone!
Date: 2009-01-23
From: Franklin NC

To: near Clarksville GA
Miles today: 0.0

Double Healer drove us to the Asheville airport this morning. There we picked up a rental car for two days. After saying a goodbye to Double Healer we drove right back through Franklin NC enroute to the home of Kim and Janice, near Clarksville GA. Kim had delivered us to the Trail on January 7th, out of Helen. We have since become great friends over the internet. Kim had invited us to their home near Clarksville GA, and we were anxious to renew our friendship in person. We arrived at their home in the woods in mid afternoon. Their home is beautiful. We enjoyed pleasant conversation and then Kim prepared us a wonderful dinner. Then, we got to do the hot tub. We were reluctant, at first, because it was fairly cold outside. But once we got in the tub and felt the hot water, many trail aches and pains left us.Our accomodations for the night were a beautiful loft suite in their home. This has been a wonderful day. We will sleep quite well tonight.Thank you so much for your hospitality and friendship, Kim and Janice. We hope we can reciprocate some time soon, whether it be at our NH home or a future home in Orlando.
Date: 2009-01-24
From: near Clarksville GA

To: Orlando FL
Miles today: 0.0

We said goodbye to our new friends, Kim and Janice, at about 9 am and drove the 513 miles to Orlando FL. It took us 10 1/2 hours. When we reached the home of Rocky's daughter, Angie, in Orlando, we were beat. Our purple bedroom was waiting for us. Swamp Fox lasted until about 9 pm before going to bed. Rocky was so tensed up from doing the driving that she was up until after midnight. Well, we are sort of home for awhile. We will keep everyone who has been following our adventures and mis-adventures up to date on our plans for getting back on the Trail.
Date: 2009-01-28
From: Orlando FL

To: Orlando FL
Miles today: 0.0

This is the fourth day of our Orlando "vacation" from the Trail. We are getting kind of bored. It is very pleasant here compared to the Trail in NC. Daytime temps have been in the 70's and the nights have been pleasantly cool. We made an offer on a home here in Orlando. If our bid is accepted, we won't be back on the Trail until mid-March. Rocky is tired of the cold and high taxes in NH, so we will see what happens.Swamp Fox's left knee became very painful last night. This is the "real" knee, not the "bionic" right knee. It was so bad, he was thinking about going to the local Veterans Administration facility. However, the VA facility is miles away and not easy to get to by public transportation. So we will take it easy another day and see what it feels like tomorrow. Some Vitamin I has already helped.We have some additional Trail photos to be picked up at Walmart, which we will post with our next entry.
Date: 2009-01-30
From: Orlando FL

To: Orlando FL
Miles today: 0.0

We are still chillin' in Orlando. We are getting close to a deal on a house here in Orlando. If the deal goes through, we will settle in late February and be back on the Trail by March 1st.We'll see. Today could be the day the bank responds favorably to our offer.We have loaded more pictures of our hike up to our temporary departure from the Trail at Burningtown Gap in NC.
Date: 2009-02-02
From: Orlando FL

To: Orlando FL
Miles today: 0.0

MANATEES!Where else but Florida do you get to see Manatees on an AT thru hike? We are looking for things to do while we wait out the worst of winter. So two days ago we drove to Blue Spring State Park north of Orlando, with Rocky's daughter, Angie. A large artesian spring feeds a stream which empties into the St. Johns River. The water temperature is 72 degrees year round so manatees come up river to winter here. Manatees can't live in colder water. Manatees (ocassionally called "sea cows") are about the size and weight of pick up trucks. They are docile and slow moving mammals, which makes them subject to hits by boats and boat propellers. Anyway, it was something to see these large mammals lazily swimming around in a safe habitat. They are endangered, but their numbers are increasing. The stream is also a habitat for gar fish, which can be three feet long, and large Large Mouth Bass. All are easily visible in the crystal clear water of the stream. It was an interesting day, marred slightly by the minor car accident we got into as we left the park. But there was no great damage and police where quickly on hand to assess responsibility (not us). If we are not on the Trail, this is sure a more pleasant place to spend winters, based on the comments of friends and family back home in NH.   The nights have been in the high 30's the last few days, but daytime temperatures have been quite pleasant. And yesterday we got to make fresh orange juice and grapefruit juice from the fruit of the trees here. It is delicious. I could get to liking Florida. We are both getting a little bored and we both wish we could be back on the Trail soon.Swamp Fox
Date: 2009-02-09
From: Orlando FL

To: Orlando FL
Miles today: 0.0

We got back last night from a four day road trip to and from NW Mississippi. It was quite unexpected as we had to attend a funeral in a small town just south of Memphis. Despite the reason for the trip, it was a very pleasant trip through the deep South. The weather has been very pleasant lately. Daytime temps are in the 60s and 70s and the nights are cool. We also got to meet Captain Blood and his wife, Snow P, at their home in Alabama. We had a very nice dinner and a great evening with them. We hated to leave, but we had to make some miles so as to return our rented car on time. We are managing to keep busy with miscellaneous projects around our temporary home. Tomorrow we will make fresh squeezed grapefruit juice from the fruit on the property. We have made fresh squeezed orange juice as well, and it is a wonderful treat, fresh from the trees. We are getting quite anxious to be back on the Trail. Reading Kayak Karl's TrailJournal has left us with mixed feelings. We miss the Trail, but not the extremes of weather he has encountered.We expect to drive back to Franklin NC on March 2nd and be back on the Trail by March 4th. Good luck to all the hikers who will be starting before we get back to the Trail. You will probably catch us.
Date: 2009-02-22
From: Orlando FL

To: Orlando FL
Miles today: 0.0

SIX DAYS! In six days we will be on our way back to the Trail. We will leave Orlando on Feb 28th and drive through to Franklin NC. We have to do the drive of about 580 miles in one day. Our friend, Double Healer, will put us back on the Trail on March 2nd, where we left off, at Burningtown Gap. We expect it will be a little warmer than the 3 degree temperatures we left the Trail in on Jan. 20th.It has been quite pleasant here in Orlando for the last month. The weather has been fantastic. Locals complain about the cold, as we have had several frost. To us it has been wonderful, with cool nights and days in the 70's. It has been a little boring, and we are anxious to be back on the Trail. Should be more company on the Trail by now, with warmer temps. The daylight will be longer also. We have been to the Orlando Veterans Administration Hospital twice to have Swamp Fox's left knee looked at. The diagnosis is either inflamation or a partially torn meniscus (the meniscus is the pad that separates the two bones of the knee). The VA scheduled a CAT scan of the knee for March 10th. By that time we should be in the Smokies, so we had to cancel. The Trail will be the test.We want to thank everyone who signed our guest book during our Trail hiatus. We have appreciated the email contacts as well. It has kept us thinking about the Trail. Congratulations and best wishes to Capt. Blood and Snow P on the birth of their son, Grayson, a future AT hiker, we're certain. See you on the Trail.
Date: 2009-02-27
From: Orlando FL

To: Orlando FL
Miles today: 0.0

Tomorrow morning we start the long drive back to Franklin NC and back to the Trail. Hopefully, Double Healer will be hiking with us as we restart our hike at Burningtown Gap. We should start out the morning of March 2nd and be in NOC in two days. Then, we expect to take three days (or four, if the weather is bad) to get to Fontana. We have a mail drop at the Hikers Inn, near Fontana. Then it's time to tackle the Smokies. In 2005 we both, though separately, ran into nasty weather going through the Smokies. This delayed our progress. Swamp Fox ended up with an unexpected zero day in Gatlinburg. This time we plan on stopping in Gatlinburg, as Rocky has never seen this town. Gatlinburg is an interesting town in its own fashion. The Grand Prix Motel there is very Hiker Friendly.The weather in Orlando has been just great. We have had warm days and cool nights. We have had very little rain. We will have to acclimitize all over again when we hit the Trail. We probably have gained a few pounds.We want to thank everyone in the Trail Journal community who has kept in touch with with during this extended stretch of Zero Days. We are anxious to get back. Our next Journal entry will be from the Trail. It will probably be brief as Rocky will be using the Blackberry again. See kyou up the Trail.
Date: 2009-03-02
From: Burningtown Gap

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: clear sky

Back on the trail again, yep yep. What a day. Susan woke us at 6 am for the yummiest cheese grits of my life. What a way to get ready for the trail. Susan drove Double Healer, Swamp Fox, and me to Burningtown Gap for an 8:30 am start. It was so cold. We guessed around 12 degrees. My toes, fingers, and thighs hurt with the cold for the first 1.5 miles. The sun was bright which slowly warmed the trail. It was warm enough that by noon some of the snow melted from the trail. We climbed up Copper Ridge (5080) and Wesser Bald (4627). In the afternoon we dropped over 3000 feet into NOC. First thing at NOC we met Pound Hound, Garage Man, and Hot Chocolate. It is great to see other hikers. We got in for the day at 5:15 and Double Healer came in at 6. I had a hot shower and nursed my toe blisters. I am exhausted. Think I'll call it an early night.
Date: 2009-03-03
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Locust Cove Gap
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: clear sky

We had a very eventful day. For starters Double Healer decided he didn't want to hike 10 mile days and went home. We looked for him to say bye but I think he got a ride with Ron Haven or didn't want me to talk him into continuing. Hopefully he got home okay and will come visit in Hot Springs. We had to wait for the store to open in the morning to get our food drop before we could leave. We started the long climb out of the valley at 9:20 am. The climb was so hard and long. We reached Sassafras Shelter at 2:50. It took until 3:40 to finally reach Cheoah Bald (5062). We had decided to come here today so we can reach Fontana Dam in three days. I didn't make the campsite until 5:40 pm. I rushed to cook dinner and get my stuff in the tent before dark. Swamp Fox had already gotten the water and the tent set up. We have four camp site mates: Pound Hound, Garage Man, Hot Chocolate, and Tuts. It is in the teens tonight and no one can visit. It is just too cold. I'll have to nurse my blisters in the morning. I'm told a warm spell is coming. I should also mention the views today the rolling mountains went forever. Nite all.
Date: 2009-03-04
From: Locust Cove Gap

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: few clouds

I hobbled most of the day. My right big toe has been swallowed by a blister. Then to top it off I stubbed my toe on a root in the trail. Ouch. We got an early start at 8 am. We enjoyed a 20 degree morning that turned into a 50 degree day. It was a clear sunny day. We enjoyed all kinds of trail company. Pound Hound left us candy in the trail. It gave me motivation to keep going. Tonight we are in the shelter with Tuts and Hot Chocolate. I have my hot water bottle for the night. Life is good. PS This shelter was built in 1939 by the CCC, way cool.
Date: 2009-03-05
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Visitor Center
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: scattered clouds

We woke to a beautiful morning at 6:30. We were packed and on the trail by 8. One of the first things I noticed was the smell of a skunk. Peeuu. I know I have a little odor but I'm glad I didn't add skunk to it. It was above freezing because our water didn't freeze. The temps were up to 50 by lunch. We are loving this. I actually have a sun burn on my nose. We had some frustration this morning trying to get a message to The Hike Inn that we would arrive at the dam by 2. And also I wanted to get yesterdays journal sent to my daughter. There was no signal until we were on the highest point of the ridge and then again at the parking lot of the Fontana Dam Shelter. Data service has been pretty good on the trail so far. Frequently you can e mail when the signal isn't strong enough to call or check voice messages. Anyway we arrived at the dam by 1:25, which was closed. Pound Hound, Garage Man, Hot Chocolate, Tuts,and, Journey Dog were returning from picking up mail drops when we got to the marina. They will be at the Fontana Hilton, shelter. The Hike Inn was prompt picking us up and we were settled in our room by 2 pm. Nancy showed us to our room. I requested a room with a tub, so awesome. She took our laundry and will return it to us before they shuttle us to the store and out for Mexican. The cost for everything including shuttling us back to the trail is 75 for two. The Hike Inn is a cross between a motel and Hostel with more services. Today has been a small rest on my big toe blisters. The blister that swallowed my right toe is mostly deflated and slowly improving. I'll be glad when my feet are used to the steady pounding. Tomorrow we begin the Smokies. The day is predicted to be warm. I am so excited to have a clear day to climb to Mollies Ridge Shelter. That's all for tonight. Rocky
Date: 2009-03-06
From: Fontana Dam Visitor Center

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

What a day. The weather was predicted warm, clear, and sunny. Well it wasn't even close. The day started cloudy and went down hill from that. The climb up Shuckstack was long and hard but I felt so accomplished. We started at 7:15 and we were at the turn by the fire tower by 10:18. I tired as the day went on. We arrived at Mollies Ridge Shelter at 3:34. The weather turned cold, windy, and misting. We are here at the shelter with Carl Goodwin, trail runner, Gray beard. It is not cozy but it's home for tonight. Rocky
Date: 2009-03-07
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: broken clouds

I would like to catch up a little from yesterday. The shelter was so cold that I was having trouble typing. When we were hiking up Shuckstack I got this great idea to leave some peanut butter cups on a rock for Pound Hound and the others coming up behind us. About 30 minutes later I started worrying about a bear getting them or a ridge runner arresting me for feeding bears or littering. I had myself all worried. Thankfully my little magic went as planned. Phew I avoided jail until we stopped for a break at Russell Field Shelter which has a bear cage. Yesterday we started the trail with orange juice in our water bottles. What a treat for the climb up Shuckstack. The ridge runner suggested we continue on to Russell Field Shelter yesterday but we were too beat and the weather was cold and windy and misting. The wind stopped early in the night. On to today. It was 45 degrees when we got up. We started hiking at 8 am. We reached Russell Field Shelter at 9:30. It had already warmed up to 60. We hiked on to Spence Field Shelter at 11:45. There were lots of people and it warmed up into the 70s. Two nice men recognized us from our journal and gave us a suggestion for where to eat lunch. We took their suggestion and went past the shelter up on a forest field it was beautiful. After lunch we climbed up Rockytop. There was the best view back over Shuckstack and Fontana Lake. It was so far away. We continued on to Derrick Knob Shelter. I was so tired. We have lots of people here at the shelter including Pound Hound, Garage Man, and Hot Chocolate. Life is good. Rocky
Date: 2009-03-08
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was a great day. We planned a short day because we have 10 miles to town tomorrow. So we looked at the shelter placement and left 10 miles for tomorrow to Newfound Gap and into Gatlinburg TN. I am so looking forward to a bath and clean clothes. Today was awesome. The sun came out shortly after we started hiking at around 8 am. It was in the 40s in the morning and then warmed up into the 60s in the afternoon. We climbed up to Jenkins Knob (elevation 5650), then dropped down to the shelter for tonight at elevation 5505. We have enjoyed the views. We saw three deer almost in the campsite. We had plenty of time to hang around with the other nine hikers here at this shelter. There are now plenty of spruce trees and the forest smells so good. Swamp Fox seems to be the oldest hiker here, as is often the case. However, we have a young thru hiker here who is just out of high school. He is Rail, from Georgia, a nice, quiet young man.Rocky
Date: 2009-03-10
From: Newfound Gap (Gatlinburg TN)

To: Newfound Gap (Gatlinburg TN)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Zero Day in Gatlinburg! Some hikers we know have disparaged this town as touristy and glitzy. However, I have been here twice and we love it. It has everything a hiker needs: cheap motels, food, resupply, outfitters, bars. What more do you need? Since we are on a rest day from hiking, today, naturally we walked. We also took the great city trolley system at 50 cents a ride to the post office and Food City store that are about three miles away from the center of town. We did Zero day stuff: resupply, clean up gear, waterproof boots, and souvenir buying. Rocky bought about 15 patches that signified different points on the Trail. If she sews them all on her pack, the pack will weigh ten pounds, empty. We also had to eat Mexican. Rocky continued her streak of eating Mexican in every trail town so far. She claims that today's meal at "No Way, Jose's" was the best ever. However, I don't know about that as there are so many we have eaten at along the Trail. The Grand Prix Motel has been very helpful and is near the entrance to town. Tomorrow we will hitch back to the trail. The good weather we have been blessed with since we resumed our hike is about to end. Rain predicted for the next few days. Today is about 75 degrees and sunny in Gatlinburg. Our bodies are feeling the rigors of the Trail. Our legs are sore. My knees ache but at least I haven't aggravated the problem I had with my left knee.Swamp Fox