morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-03-28
From: Hike Inn

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

March 28, 2009I was up at 0600 to finish packing and take my last shower for a while. Met Jeff at 0700 for a ride back to the dam. No cell phone signal at the dam. Began hiking at 0740. My legs felt a little heavy the first few miles but then eased back into gear and felt great. Passed Shuckstack at 0920 and the rain started. A short time later after climbing to a ridge the howling wind reached the surface. It was and still is blowing really hard. The trail was like a river in many places. If water wasn't flowing I was in mud almost over my shoes. Add to that, my shoes were soaked and seemed to weigh ten pounds each. I wasn't ever cold but I wasn't warm either. I arrived here at 1145. Carl (Graybeard), a ridge runner, was here. He had cleared a big blow down earlier in the day. I was going to eat lunch and move on but I couldn't get warm so I decided to stay at least for a while. Two hours later I decided to stay. This will mess up my schedule a little. It will now take about 6 days to get through the park. Two hikers (Chuckles and Knuckles) stopped in for lunch and moved on. Three section hikers just arrived and are staying. That's all for now.   Just finished another salami and cheese sandwich plus a Jumbo Honey Bun-all 760 calories and 45 grams of fat. Nobody new has decided to stay tonight so far. Just the 5 of us. Now I just need to look at my shelter options for the next five days. The distances between them mean I can do one or two more short days or a long day. I¢ll just have to wait to see how I feel. That's about all for today. Take care.   DaveMin Temp: 50.9}Max Temp: 65.1}Weather: Rain and very windy (>35)
Date: 2009-03-29
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

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

March 29, 2009It was a wild night. The wind blew even stronger than it was during the day. Around midnight the front passed before that the rain was coming down in sheets. Around 0200 I had a bathroom run and it was so foggy I could barely see my feet, even with the halogen bulb. Throughout it all I slept pretty well. Today's problem was temperature regulation. The first six miles was fairly easy. The next six was significantly more difficult. I stopped for lunch at Spence Field Shelter. Next was the trek up Rocky Top and Thunderhead. It was as difficult as I expected but unfortunately there weren't any views. Someday, maybe I'll see something from the top. The rest of the section was a lot of ups and downs. It was a little tiring. I'm here tonight with Tailwind and a father with his twin sons. Everyone is great company. It¢s supposed to be in the mid 20s in the morning. I'm still not certain about tomorrow. It will either be a 7 mile day to a shelter I'm familiar with or a 13 mile day to an unfamiliar shelter. The 13 mile shelter is 1/2 mile off the trail but would mean a shorter follow-on day. I'll probably decide on the way. I'm getting a little chilled so it¢s time to close. Take care. DaveMin Temp: 35.4Max Temp: 42.4Weather: Cloudy, windy, snow pellets
Date: 2009-03-30
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: scattered clouds

March 30, 2009Another good night's sleep, although I had to put my stocking cap on during the night to keep my head warm. I wasn't planning any big miles today so I didn't get up until 0730. I left camp at 0835 and shortly there after had to stop and remove some clothes. Despite the temperature below 30 degrees, you still work up a sweat and it¢s important not to let your insulation layer get wet. Made s quick stop at Silers Bald Shelter then pressed on. I stopped at Double Spring Gap Shelter and made some instant oatmeal. I'm not sure why instant oatmeal tastes better than the regular kind, but it does. Next it was on to Clingmans Dome. At 6643 feet it¢s the tallest mountain on the AT. I stopped and walked up the lookout and tried to get a cell phone signal but no luck. The long downhill that followed was fairly tricky. There was a lot of ice in places and you had to watch your step. I met five section hikers along the way. I arrived here at 1645 and had my water by 1655. I've never seen this shelter before. Unlike most shelters in the park, it has a bear cage in front. Tailwind is also here. No one else is here so far. Also, this is the most miles of the AT I've ever hiked. Although I made it to Newfound Gap before, at that time the mileage was less than it is now. That's 200.2 miles down and ¢¦.Tomorrow will be another short day. In order to go from shelter to shelter I need to stop at Icewater Spring Shelter. From there its two days to exit the park. That's about all for now. Take care. DaveMin Temp: 26.5Max Temp: 53.1Weather: Mostly sunny; windy before noon
Date: 2009-03-31
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: light rain

March 31, 2009 I had another good sleep last night and left the shelter again at 0835. The hiking was pretty easy to Newfound Gap. Meet two section hikers. They offered some treats but I really have everything I need to get out of the Smokies. Took a break and waited for Tailwind at Newfound Gap. While there I sent two journal entries, a text to Judy, and a phone call to Judy. The tourists were everywhere and taking pictures--some of me. A few came up and asked what I was doing and seemed amazed that I'd hike over 200 miles. When Tailwind arrived he said his leg was still bothering him and he had decided to go into Gatlinburg to get it checked. I found a man and his family who has a brother who thru-hiked a couple years ago. He said he would be glad to drive him into town. After saying our goodbyes, he left for town and I continued north. This is the place I got off the AT in 2002. The hike to this shelter was uphill but fairly easy. I arrived here about 1315. Two other hikers who spent the night in town are also here. Not much to do except rest until it's time for dinner.   More later.   DaveAs requested, here's more of my equipment. I have an Osprey Aether 85 bag. Most people think it¢s too big but I don't like jamming things into my pack. Pushing is ok. Jamming is not. So far it's working great. Over 95% of the weight is on my hips with very little on my shoulders. Shoes are made by Keen. The model begins with a T. They have Keen's version of gortex. I'd prefer no gortex but they were the only low cut Keens in my size at Neels Gap. My tent is a Big Angus SL-2. I originally started with a hammock but switched at Neels Gap. I wish it was a little longer but it¢s worked well do far. My sleeping bag is a Western Mountaineering 20 degree mummy type bag. It¢s called Alpinlight. It¢s worked well so far but the temperatures haven't been below 20 degrees yet. I also have a silk liner that lowers the rating by about 10 degrees. Two section hikers arrived around 1600. They immediately got out their sleeping bags and went to sleep. They mentioned something about 12 tough miles and collapsed. Also, earlier a trail angel poked her head in the shelter and asked if we were thru-hikers? When we said "yes" she yelled to someone else that there were thru-hikers in here. A few seconds later she came in with a bag of blueberry muffins. She truly seemed excited at finding us. The muffins were fantastic.   Anything you don't need to add water to is always welcome. That's about it for now. This entry is longer than normal for two reasons. First is that I had a lot of time today. Second is because I'm trying to use up this battery. And wouldn't you know it, it insists on not dying. I should know by now it will only die when I'm doing something important, like talking to Judy. Anyway, take care everyone.   Dave Min Temp: 36.1Max Temp: 46.5Weather: Cloudy, occasional rain, windy at elevation
Date: 2009-04-01
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

April 1, 2009Another crazy night. The wind was howling again and then around 0200 we had a thunderstorm pass through. The rain was coming down in buckets.   A couple hours later another thunderstorm hit and between the rain on the roof and the wind, it sounded like the shelter would be blown away. Everything turned out alright, but it was an experience I'll remember for a while. Because of the rain, I got a late start, finally leaving at 0905. Even though there were a lot of ups and downs, I thought it was fairly easy hiking. The trail was well graded and it didn't seem overly difficult. Unfortunately, because of the fog there weren¢t any views from Charlies Bunion. The clouds didn't break until noon. At 1205 I passed the trail to Pecks Corner Shelter. If I had known the trail was that easy I would have continued on yesterday. The rest of the day was similar to the first part. We climbed up to 6400 feet but again the grade made it seem easier than I expected. I arrived here at 1430. I probably could have continued the next eight miles to the next shelter but I'm not in a hurry so I decided to call it a day here. Crispie, Almond Joy, and Smurfette were at the shelter last night. So far both Crispie and Almond Joy have arrived and decided to press on. That will give them 20+ miles for the day.I can't get a signal here. I'll try later. Take care. DaveSmurfette just arrived (1725). It looks like she'll be staying. I just heard on the NOAA radio that there will be severe storms tomorrow night with possible tornadoes, followed by good weather on Friday. I'll probably go to Davenport Gap Shelter tomorrow and wait out the storms there. Hopefully the clouds will allow good views from the tower on Mt Cammerer. Since every "scenic overview" has been socked-in so far, I'm due a good view. On Friday I plan to be at the Standing Bear Farm hostel in the morning. There should be a mail drop there for me with three days of food. Also, probably wash some clothes, eat lots of food, and spend the night. Then it¢s on to Hot Springs. That's about all for now. Take care.   DaveMin Temp: 40.2Max Temp: 57.9Weather: Thunderstorms early morning; Fog and low clouds until noon; increasing sun thru afternoon.
Date: 2009-04-02
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

April 2, 2009Another great day to hike. I was up at 0645 and started hiking at 0810. After a long steady climb around Mt Guyot it was generally downhill to Cosby Knob Shelter. I arrived there at 1110. I met two day hikers who told me the severe weather would arrive sometime after 1900. I wasn't able to get a good signal this morning so I appreciated the information. About three miles later I took a side trail to the fire lookout on Mt. Cammerer. Since I hadn't seen any good views while in the Smokies, I felt I was owed at least one. The trail was 1.2 miles round trip. It was definitely worth it. The lookout was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It¢s still in great shape and offered a 360 degree view. I took a couple pictures but they won't do the view justice. While there I met two more day hikers who said the weather will get bad anytime after 1800. The rest of the day was all downhill. The grade was pretty good but all that downhill is still tough on my knees. At one point I saw Mt Cammerer then when around a corner. Sort of a fitting end (almost) to my time in the Smokies. I'm at Davenport Gap Shelter tonight. Tomorrow I'll head the 3.3 miles to Standing Bear Hostel where I'll pickup my mail drop and spend the night. The plan all depends on making it through the night. The forecast is for severe thunderstorms with 60 mph winds and hail the size of pennies. Just for good measure there is also the chance of isolated tornadoes. Could be a fun night. Not much else to say except that in less than a mile I will be out of the Smokies. Never thought I would do it. I'm feeling good. My toe socks are working great. Never thought I could hike without getting blisters on/between my toes. Till tomorrow (assuming I don't get blown away tonight). Take care. DaveMin Temp: 44.2Max Temp: 63.8Weather: Cloudy, becoming mostly cloudy
Date: 2009-04-03
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farms
Miles today: 3.3
Weather: light rain

April 3, 2009A short but refreshing day. But first things first. Last night was a total flop. I went to bed expecting to wake up to a big storm. Instead, it began raining around 2330 and lasted about four hours. I heard the wind above the trees about the same time getting louder and louder, but it never reached the surface. There also wasn't any lightning or thunder. My luck, the next time a light shower is forecasted I'll be in my tent and a huge thunderstorm will pass by. Since I knew I only had 3.3 miles to get here, I took my time and didn't leave the shelter until 0910. Within 25 minutes I was out of the Smokies. I passed a couple small waterfalls and took some pictures. Next I crossed the Pigeon River, then I-40. This is the second trail that I've hiked that also crossed them. From there the trail led through an area that was burned and finally arrived at Green Corner Rd. About 200 yards later I was at the Standing Bear Farm (hostel). This is definitely a unique place. They have a bunkhouse, a cabin with two twin beds plus two single beds in the loft. I'm staying in one of the beds tonight. They also have a well stocked food area with just about anything you would want from frozen foods to drinks to snacks. Definitely enough to get to Hot Springs. I was able to continue my eating frenzy here. I immediately ate a chicken and roast beef sandwich, an apple pie, two drinks, cookies Judy sent me, and some candy. For dinner I had a pizza and another drink. Next up is a pre-bed snack. In between eating I took a shower and washed my clothes. The shower was great! Washing clothes was a new experience. They had two tubs with lye soap and a hand wringer. It took a little longer than I thought it would but everything came out ok. They do have an electric dryer. In the afternoon I got a ride to the school bus stop with Curtis. Across the street was a food mart. I got a few things for later tonight and for breakfast. Tomorrow the plan is to get near Max Patch or Roaring Fork Shelter. That's about half way to Hot Springs. One more thing. There seems to be an intestinal illness making the rounds. At least three people have become sick (not as bad as giardia) after entering the Smokies. Each has stayed at the same location while in/at Fontana Dam. Not where I stayed. That's about all for now. Take care. Dave Min Temp: 52.1Max Temp: 56.3Weather: Cloudy, light ocnl sprinkles
Date: 2009-04-04
From: Standing Bear Farms

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: broken clouds

April 4, 2009Hello everyone. Today was one of my most enjoyable hiking days ever. I had a fairly good sleep last in my flannel sheets. Woke up early and was on the trail by 0805 after a breakfast of chocolate milk and Hostess cupcakes. Good stuff!Even though there was a 5 mile uphill to begin the day the slope seemed nice and I made good time. Betcha the cupcakes had something to do with it. First stop was on top of Snowbird Mtn. The views were great. There was also an FAA tower on top. Next stop was Groundhog Creek Shelter for lunch. It¢s an ok shelter with a fine picnic table. The shelter log book mentioned a bear problem in late March. Being in no hurry, I took an hour to eat and read the log. The climb out of Brown Gap seemed longer than the book showed, but eventually I came to Max Patch Road. There's a creek nearby and I tanked-up and filled my 1/2 liter bottles. I forgot to mention that instead of water, I drank orange Gatorade the first part of the day. I still have a bottle left for tomorrow. Next was the trek up to Max Patch. It was another easy grade to the top. Max Patch is something special. It¢s a huge area on top of a hill with no trees. I took another hour break to soak up the sun and talk with people. A lot of people asked a lot of questions. Most didn't understand why we hike on the AT. One man didn't understand why it takes so long. Duh!There was also a wedding at the top. Two thru-hikers who met and hiked the AT together last year. We were told about it at the "Farm," and expected there to be a reception. Unfortunately the reception was "on the other side of 'that' mountain." I also met a couple from Chicago who wanted to read my journal. From there it was off to this shelter. Arrived here at 1645, made my water run, and had a great dinner. Once again Judy out did herself with rice and barbecue pork. Her dehydrated meals are really good. There supposedly is bear in this area that is tolerant of people and likes hiker food. Fortunately there are bear cables that deter bears.One more thing, the wild flowers are beginning to bloom. Anyone know of a descent and lightweight guide to wildflowers along the AT?I'm not certain about tomorrow; it¢s about 18 miles to Hot Springs. With cold and snow expected on Monday and Tuesday I'm debating about taking a couple days off in Hot Springs. I hate to waste the time (and expense), but why hike in the really nasty weather if you don't have to?That's about all for now. Take care. DaveMin Temp: 45.1Max Temp: 64.5Weather: Sunny all day
Date: 2009-04-07
From: Log Cabin Drive/Jonesborough TN

To: Jonesborough TN
Miles today: 0.0

April 7, 2009Great day at home!It was nice to sleep in my own bed last night. After breakfast at Bob Evans, Judy and I ran some errands. The straps on my gaiters broke yesterday so I needed to replace them. I also copied all my pictures onto a CD. Next was a trip to Mahoney's for some Revivex. I want to be able to wash my sleeping bag when I finish the next section of my hike. Next it was a visit to an orthotics store. My orthotics are topped with leather, which when wet, take a long time to dry on the trail. I've been using SuperFeet for the past two weeks without problems but I don't want to push my luck. I made an appointment to have them completely redone when I get to Erwin. This evening we went to Erwin and picked up High Top and Boomer, and went out to eat. We had a good time discussing our adventure so far. They're heading out tomorrow. I'm taking another zero day tomorrow. I felt tired all day and despite the forecast for a good hiking day, decided another day of rest would be better than beginning a tough three day section. As of now, I'll begin hiking Thursday morning at Allen Gap. It should take 3+ days to get to Erwin. I was surprised to hear that Robbinsville NC received 12 inches of snow. I hope everyone in the Smokies is doing ok. That's about all for now. Take care. DaveMin Temp:Max Temp:Weather:
Date: 2009-04-09
From: Log Cabin Drive/Jonesborough TN

To: Flint Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 16.0

April 9, 2009A tough day of hiking. After breakfast at Cracker Barrel we left for Greeneville and Allen Gap. Even though I had already done 2.2 of the miles to Log Cabin Drive, I started at Allen Gap again because I wasn't certain how to get to Log Cabin Drive. The first hour was on fairly level trail. The trek up to Little Laurel Shelter was steep. Add in snow and mud and you have a good time. The snow especially made it difficult to keep a good tempo. It took a long time to go between Little Laurel and Jerry Cabin shelters. The views from Big Fireside Knob were fantastic. Unfortunately, getting up to and down from the knob was difficult. Lots of large rocks and snow and ice forced me to be very careful and cautious. The footing was treacherous. Once on the knob, there were many places where I had to put the poles away and use my hands. Overall, the views of Tennessee made it worthwhile. The rest of the day was also tough. The downhills were mostly muddy so I had to slow down significantly. Anyway, I'm still on track to be in Erwin on Friday evening. I'll know for sure tomorrow. The forecast is for rain in the morning and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. Hopefully, we won't receive a lot of rain because there are some steep climbs. That's about all for now. Take care. DaveMin Temp: 49.6Max Temp: 66.9Weather: Sunny all day
Date: 2009-04-10
From: Flint Mtn. Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: overcast clouds

April 10, 2009Its now 9/2300   Why don't I ever learn. There are four of us in here. One arrived after dark. It sounds like a race at Bristol. Everyone snores a little bit. I understand that. Why does it seem like the person who arrives after everyone else is in bed snores the loudest?   Just my observation. I'm only staying in here tonight because I knew the other two guys slept fairly quiet and I also wanted to get as quick a start as possible. The quick start may happen sooner than I thought. From now on I will be tenting unless I know for certain it will be raining before I get up. Even then I may still tent if I'm not trying to be somewhere and am in a hurry. While I'm at it, I¢ll add some things about yesterday's hike. Once I left the first shelter I had snow on the ground all day. Most of the time it was 1-2 inches. There were places with about 6 inches and a few with 8-10 inches. It must have been quite a storm up here. Got a good start this morning. The forecast was perfect. Unfortunately, I didn't believe it. Within 45 minutes the rain started. A few minutes later the thunderstorms began. I didn't wear my rain suit because it was fairly warm. Most of the time you either get wet from the rain or from sweating. About two hours into the hike I began gaining altitude and the temperature began dropping. The rain was still falling. I was beginning to feel cold so I stopped and put on my rain jacket for warmth. It felt much better. I was really moving trying to get to the shelter as fast as possible. There was one flash of lightning that lit up the forest and was within a mile. I finally reached the shelter at 1105. I attempted to change into dry clothed but my fingers were pretty cold. It¢s not easy working zip locks and zippers with cold hands. It took a while but I finally changed and began to warm up. Shortly after, the rain ended and the sun came out. I was then able to hang my clothes out to dry. One of the hikers started a fire and we were able to dry out, at least somewhat, our socks. Even with mostly dry clothes I decided to stay here the night. Severe weather was moving this way and I didn't want to take a chance on getting caught outside again. I just finished eating and the rain just started. The forecast is for severe storms with hail, high winds, and possible tornadoes. It¢s moving through the Knoxville area now. There wasn't a lot of scenery today. If there was, I missed it. Besides, my only goal was to get to the shelter. Now I won't arrive in Erwin until Sunday morning. I have about 28 miles to go. If I can get in a good day tomorrow, I should arrive by noon on Sunday. The shelter is packed tonight. It holds six and there are eight so far--with a few more expected. "There's always room for one more on a rainy night." I can't think of much else to say. Hopefully everyone on the trail will survive the night. Take care. DaveMin Temp: 45.1Max Temp: 64.4Weather: Thunderstorm this morning then rain thru noon; partly sunny then cloudy