morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-03-12
From: Unicoi Cap, GA

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 5.6
Weather: clear sky

Wow did I sleep well last night! I enjoyed the complimentary breakfast at the Hiawassee Inn, and Sam shuttled me to Unicoi Gap. I started hiking around 9 am and the weather was perfect: sunny, 50s, some breeze. When I hiked to the top of Tray Mountain and saw the view (you could see for hundreds of miles), felt the sun on my face, and saw a hawk gliding above me, it was euphoric. Today was one of those easy days where you don't have to struggle with anything.I got to the shelter and had just sat down and started wondering if I'd be the only hiker here tonight when Strides came into view. We had more company soon - Punchline and Tag came along, then THREE separate groups of college students hiking on their spring break showed up! Luckily almost everyone had tents, because the shelter only sleeps 7 and we had over 20 people.We built a fire and told some jokes, and David showed Punchline a Norwegain dance. (I spent 30 seconds trying to learn it and my flip flop flopped right off). One of the great things about the AT is how you get to meet people from so many different places.I saw a few birds today, which was nice. It's the end of winter here, the trees are bare and brown. I'm looking forward to witnessing spring unfold during my hike!It was a short day mileage-wise. I have a package arriving in Hiawassee on Friday, so I don't want to beat it there. I have two and a half days to cover 17 miles from Unicoi to Dicks Creek (where I'll get a shuttle to the post office). I'm glad I can take my time on this section, because it's been my favorite part of the trail so far. Plus a few more easy mileage days will help build up my base. My blisters cleared up, but my left knee has been acting cranky the last few days. Hopefully it will sort itself out and start acting like my right knee, which hasn't murmured a single complaint!
Date: 2008-03-13
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: broken clouds

The hiking was a pleasure today. It was in the upper 60s, the sun was shining, the birds were singing. There were a lot of people on the trail! The group from University of Florida passed me early on, then I caught them when they stopped for lunch. They were a really nice group of people. A few of them are thinking of thru-hiking after college.There was a point on my map labeled Swag of the Blue Ridge, which cracked me up. (What exactly is a Swag?). Sure enough, I'm hiking along today and I come across a sign marking 'Swag of the Blue Ridge'. I had to take a photo.I'm at the Deep Gap Shelter now, with Yuck and Glowworm. Tomorrow I'm hiking in to Dick's Creek, where I'll get a shuttle to Hiawassee. Time to resupply!In other news, I'm (finally) sleeping well in my tent. The first few nights out here, it took some adjusting to being in the sleeping bag, and I kept hearing all the things going Bump in the Night. Plus I wasn't used to going to bed at 9 pm! (You really have to go to bed then because it's cold and dark.) Last night though I crawled into my sleeping bag at 9:15 and slept like a log until 6 this morning.
Date: 2008-03-14
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Dicks Creek
Miles today: 3.5
Weather: light rain

Today was a 'nero' day, where you do hardly any miles. I got up early, had a nice morning hike, passed the University of Florida Students as they were breaking down camp, then had them pass me an hour later. I got to Dicks Creek around 10 and they were loading up their cars and had Led Zeppelin on. (I knew those kids had taste!) They gave me some energy bars and other snacks. Delicious!! Thanks!!I called the Hiawassee Inn and they picked me up. There was a bit of a problem with my room - it wasn't ready yet - so they insisted I use their private bath to wash up and feel free to sit around their living room! When I was heading out to run my errands, they lent me an umbrella. So nice!I was going to resupply today and get back on the trail tomorrow, but the weather forecast is for rain. So I may stay another night in town then hit the trail again on Sunday. North Carolina here I come!By the way, the library here (in Hiawassee) is VERY hiker friendly. I walked in, the librarian said, "Oh, you must be a hiker. You must want the internet." She handed me a guest password that was good for an hour on the internet - which can be extended if no one is waiting. Thank you library for letting me catch up on my trail journals!
Date: 2008-03-15
From: Hiawassee Inn

To: Hiawassee Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

"We must be willing to get rid of the life that we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us." - Joseph CampbellIt was a year ago today that I found out I was going to miscarry. It was the beginning of such a sad time in my life. I had braced myself to be sad or melancholy today, but I actually feel really good. When both my pregnancy and Ph.D. fell through within six weeks of each other, I was essentially handed a blank slate - whether I wanted it or not. I could have railed against it and carried on about how I didn't want to lose those things, but that wouldn't have made any difference. So (eventually, after some mourning) I asked myself, well, what do I want NOW? I was lucky in that I had actually had an answer to that question: I wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail. And now I'm here doing it!I'm proud that during a difficult time, I changed my life to the one that I wanted. It's pouring rain here with a lot of thunder and lightning (and tornadoes in Atlanta). Puppy, Auntie Mame, V8 and I walked to a nearby restaurant for lunch. Walking back, I went to Puppy's room for a garbage bag to line my pack. I told her I feel like we're in college - going over to each other's rooms, everyone within walking distance. She said, "Better than feeling like you're in a rest home!" Enjoy today, everyone!
Date: 2008-03-16
From: Dicks Creek, GA

To: Bly Gap, NC
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: clear sky

Bagged my first state line today! Sam from the Hiawassee Inn dropped us off at 8:30 at Dicks Creek. Puppy, Auntie Mame, V8 and I headed off! Puppy went on ahead, I hiked with Auntie Mame and V8 all day. We went up and down and up and down, and at the end of the day we saw it: the STATE LINE! We're now in North Carolina!! It's a sense of accomplishment to make it this far, and still be healthy and motivated. We're camped right on the other side of the state line. There are a BUNCH of us here tonight: Driftwood, Pops, Brushstrokes, Leaping Turtle, Circumstance, Freestyle, Barley, Rain and Yellowstone D. A full house! Heading out today, my pack was HEAVY with 5 days of food! After a mile I told V8 and Auntie Mame, "I NEED to eat some of this food so it weighs less!" Then I thought maybe when I get home, whenever I want to eat something decadent, I have to put it in a pack and carry it for 10 miles before I can eat it! Ha!P.S.Q: Where does the king keep his armies?A: Up his sleevies.Also: A horse walks into a bar. The bartender asks, "Why the long face?"Jokes are funnier out here - we were all laughing up a storm over those after hiking all day! Ha!
Date: 2008-03-17
From: Bly Gap, NC

To: Standing Indian Shelter, NC
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

"Don't ask for a light load, but rather ask for a strong back." Anonymous I woke up this morning and the muscles in the right side of my neck and upper back had seized up. I'm not sure if it's because I slept wrong, or if it's because, you know, I'm backpacking the Appalachian Trail. In any event, it made for an uncomfortable day with my pack. It's only 7 pm now but I'm stretched out in my tent in hopes that a good 12 hours horizontal will let the muscles relax. Auntie Mame and V8 both offered to take some of the weight from my pack today, which was really nice of them, but I declined. (It just feels wrong out here to have someone else carry your stuff.) We had a doozie of a climb first thing this morning. Pops caught us at the top of it and said, "North Carolina wants to make sure we don't get cocky!" That's for sure! It felt good to make it to the shelter and set up camp. Rain is predicted for the day after tomorrow, but we should have good weather tomorrow.
Date: 2008-03-18
From: Standing Indian Shelter, NC

To: Betty Creek Gap, NC
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." -Herm Albright The wind started blowing after I went to bed, and I woke up at 6 to hear moisture falling from the trees onto my tent. A fog had rolled in and it was chilly. It was hard to get out of that sleeping bag, but I knew I would warm up as soon as I started hiking. V8 and Auntie Mame were all ready to go just as I was putting my pack on, so we headed out together. V8 said to me, "I know it's 'hike your own hike', but it's fun when we all hike together." I was like, "With this fog, if I were hiking alone all I'd be picturing is zoombies coming out of the forest." The whole trail was shrouded in fog all day. We didn't take many breaks, because we'd get chilled as soon as we stopped hiking. We got to the shelter around 2, and decided we'd rather hike (read: stay warm) another 3 hours than sit in the shelter all afternoon. We made it to the camping area at Betty Creek Gap (I'd prefer Betty CROCKER Gap, but what can you do) and set up our tents. Today was my longest day so far!! Several things helped: the terrain was very gentle, the muscles in my neck/upper back that had seized up unfroze (thankfully!), and it was REALLY COLD to stop which was excellent motivation to keep hiking. Also, I carried less water today, which really reduced my pack weight - I'm slowly dialing in to exactly what I need to carry to be prepared, but not overburdened.Tomorrow I hit 100 miles!
Date: 2008-03-19
From: Betty Creek Gap, NC

To: Rock Gap, NC
Miles today: 8.4

I woke up to the sound of rain. V8 was already up and said it was warmer than yesterday - and she left my food bag (which I hang from a tree every night so the bears don't get it) outside my tent door so I had breakfast in bed! I ate my Pop Tart and changed into my hiking clothes, and packed everything up. It takes longer to pack up in the rain because there are some things you need to make SURE don't get wet (sleeping bag, change of clothes, camera, map) so you have to reconfigure your pack a bit. I called out to Auntie Mame and V8, "Breaking camp is hard to do!" We left at 9 and hiked 3 miles to Big Spring Shelter so we could get out of the rain for a snack. There was a group of volunteers doing trail maintenance, when they saw us arrive at the shelter one of the guys said "Look, we have new customers!" We chatted with them a bit -- really NICE people -- then headed back out to cover some more miles. The rain really was relentless. It didn't let up all day, and after half an hour I was SOAKED and getting cold, which concerned me. (It was classic hypothermia weather: 40s, rainy, and windy.) I added my turtle fur neckwarmer, and put my rain hood over my fleece hat, and tried to hike just one notch faster, and I warmed up enough. Thank heavens! We got to Rock Gap Shelter (eventually) and tried calling the Budget Inn (in Franklin, NC) for a shuttle but couldn't get a signal. We hiked out to the road, thinking we might be able to get a hitch, but there was NO traffic going by. We tried our cell phones again, and had one bar, so V8 quickly called and arranged a shuttle. (The alternative would have been hiking 3.7 miles to another road that has scheduled shuttle service. We could have done it if we had to, but in that rain and wind it would have been a struggle.) We checked in to the Sapphire Inn (Budget Inn is full) and ordered Pizza Hut. Delicious! We had it delivered to Auntie Mame and V8's room, so I said, "I'm going to run back to my room and get my water bottle." They pointed out they had plastic cups and a faucet, I could help myself. I said, "Oh, that's right - I don't have to go find a stream!" It's always a slight adjustment between trail life and normal life.I hit a big milestone today: the 100 MILE MARK!! Hooray!
Date: 2008-03-20
From: Rock Gap, NC

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

Man! Calling this place "hiker friendly" is an understatement. "Hiker enthusiastic" is more like it! Ron Haven owns both the Budget Inn and the Sapphire Inn (where I'm staying), and he knows what hikers need!At 7:45 this morning we all climbed on a big yellow school bus that he uses as a shuttle, and he drove us over to a diner for a great breakfast. When we got back, I walked to the post office, and hit the laundromat. I've never been so excited in my life to do laundry!At 4 we all climbed back on the school bus and went to Three Eagles Outfitters. I got more fuel, a new pair of gloves, and badly needed "snack sack" that I can hang from my backpack and graze on throughout the day. I ran across the street to the drug store, where I plugged my memory card into the computer and burned my photos to a CD, which I will mail home to Ground Control. Soon there will be photos up on this journal! Then we all went to the grocery store to resupply. When we all climbed back on that bus to go back to the motel, everyone was excitedly showing each other what food they bought. I've never seen adults so happy about groceries. Someone bought a tray of deviled eggs that made its way up and down the bus. It was a very jovial atmosphere. Who knew running errands could be so fun! Not only were these shuttles super-convenient, there was NO CHARGE for them! We're heading back out tomorrow, and I am just so excited. The weather forecast looks good, so I anticipate rolling into Bryson City on the 24th. Little by little, I'm moving my way up the map!
Date: 2008-03-21
From: Rock Gap, NC

To: Siler Bald Shelter, NC
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: clear sky

"An army marches on its stomach." -Napoleon BonaparteThe hike today was a delight. Cold in the morning, but it warmed up to the low 60's (I'm guessing). I hiked today with Auntie Mame and V8.Yesterday I realized something: I'm just not eating enough. You burn a LOT of calories backpacking. I ran into another hiker in the laundromat yesterday who said he eats almost 7,000 calories a day, and he still loses weight hiking. So I decided I'm going to eat double what I've been eating. DOUBLE! And let me tell you! I felt GREAT today. I usually fall behind Auntie Mame and V8 in the afternoon. I thought it was because I wasn't fit enough, but I think I was just running out of fuel. I kept pace with them today and it felt great. Ground Control (who also loves food) was all excited about this new eating plan. He suggested he eat double also in solidarity! (I think he decided against it when he realized that would mean buying a lot of new pants.) I've added a "snack sack" that hangs off my backpack, since it's hard for me to reach my water and snacks otherwise (unless I take my pack off). I realized today I'll need to add another little pack to put my camera in (it currently lives in my jacket pocket, but today was too warm for a jacket). I mentioned I'd have to buy one at the next outfitters. I added "By the time I get to Maine, I'll be pushing a shopping cart!"
Date: 2008-03-22
From: Siler Bald Shelter, NC

To: Licklog Gap, NC
Miles today: 8.6

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." -Cynthia OzickTwice during the night last night I heard coyotes howling! But there were some little baby coyotes involved, so it sounded so funny - like a poodle trying to imitate a coyote. In the middle of the night, I got up to use the "ladies' room" and the moon was full and so BRIGHT I didn't need my headlamp. It was also at least 10 degrees warmer than when I went to bed but when I woke up in the morning it was back to being really cold. I had no idea the temperature could shift so much like that in the night. (V8 confirmed it got a lot warmer in the middle of the night, so I wasn't imagining it!)We had a beautiful sunrise this morning - and we didn't have to get up early to see it, right now the sun is rising around 7am. We hiked a few miles and at a road crossing we had TRAIL MAGIC! Narelle gave us 'Easter baskets' - Ziploc bags filled with Snickers, raisins, and dyed Easter eggs! When we stopped for lunch we all ate our eggs - I named mine "Eggbert", V8 dubbed hers "Eggcellent", and Auntie Mame ate hers too fast to name it. (Call it "Gone", I said.)We got to the Wayah Observation Tower and there was a garbage can, which thrilled us to no end. (You have to pack out everything, so we were each carrying 2 days of garbage that felt good to throw out!) A little later on the trail, we found a banana someone had dropped, so I picked it up and ate it!We got to Licklog Gap, which had some beautiful camp sites, and we decided to stay there - but we weren't sure if there was any water. V8 went off on the hunt and came back with 6 liters of water, so we let out a big cheer. Then I pointed out: the 3 things that we got really excited about today were a garbage can, water, and a banana I found on the ground and ate! What a wild life we have! I managed to burn my dinner, so my pot wouldn't clean out. I needed to let it soak overnight but I didn't want to have it sit near the tent in case the smell attracted wildlife. V8 suggested I leave it on the ground a healthy distance away from our camp. When we were tidying up after dinner, I said "I just have to hide my pot! Wait...that didn't sound right!"One thing I learned today is you really have to see how the day unfolds to see how many miles you can cover - there are so many factors: the terrain, the weather, your energy level, your food/water situation. It's so different from the other "sports" I've done - crew and cycling - where you have a set workout and you do it! If you need to ride 40 miles, you ride 40 miles! But, you're also going back to a climate-controlled environment where you can eat, sleep, and have access to water with little effort. Here you have to make sure you've got enough gas in the tank (so to speak) to get through the evening.
Date: 2008-03-23
From: Licklog Gap, NC

To: Wesser Bald Shelter, NC
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: clear sky

"What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment." -Author UnknownWow! This morning I climbed out of my tent to see a glorious sunrise to the east. I turned to get my food bag down and the full moon was setting in the west! I got my bag down, and ate my Pop Tart admiring both the sunrise and the moonset. Unbelievable!I was a little sad packing my tent up, thinking how today is Easter and I'm away from my family. We started hiking, though, and 2 miles into it was some AMAZING trail magic! Apple and Brave Friend had a roaring fire going (which felt nice, it was cold today). We took our packs off and sank into folding chairs (itself a treat, to have a chair to sit in), enjoyed the warmth of the fire while sipping some hot chocolate they provided. There was also food - Easter candy, fruit (I had a banana!), and some Krackels that I gobbled up. They even asked if I we had some trash we wanted to unload! They had coolers of sodas to enjoy then or take for later. They said they'd be starting some burgers soon, but we had some miles to cover today, so we regretfully left - with me shoving one last Krackel in my mouth. That trail magic put us in such a great mood, the miles flew by! The trail was a dream - not rocky, the only steep incline was up to Wesser Bald. A wonderful hike.We heard a grouse beating its wings, and saw a mayflower. Spring is on its way! Hard to believe - my water bottles were frozen this morning, and it's supposed to get even colder tonight. Tonight at the shelter is Auntie Mame, V8, Mozzie, Sprite, Barley, and Rain. A fun group! But because of the cold, it's 9pm and we're all curled up in our sleeping bags for the night. Happy Easter!
Date: 2008-03-24
From: Wesser Bald Shelter, NC

To: Bryson City, NC
Miles today: 5.7

WOW! I hiked in to the Nantahala Outdoor Center today and asked if I had any mail drops. I gave my name, and they presented me with an award! For receiving the most mail EVER at this center! THANK YOU to Patrice, Big, Bob, Boris & Natasha, Nina, Helen, Mike, and Ground Control! I was so excited to get my mail!Today was a great day. It got down to around 20 degrees last night, so I burrowed under my sleeping bag and quilt and stayed "warm enough" (not exactly warm, but not exactly cold). When I got up there was a sheet of ice on my tent, and it was flurrying out! It was all downhill today, which sounds nice but is VERY hard on the knees. I just took it really slow. V8 left camp ahead of us, so Auntie Mame and I hiked together for a few miles, then I dropped back and hiked alone. Despite the potential for straining knees, it was a very blissful hike. The air was crisp and cool, the sun was out, and I enjoyed every step going down the mountain! At one point I came to a Snickers bar and a Hershey Kiss sitting on a log with a note, and I thought, "Oh, I hope that's for me!" Sure enough, the note said, "For Bananas" - Auntie Mame left it for me!When I arrived at NOH, I went into the office and V8 and Auntie Mame had already rented a bunkhouse for us and left me a note. I was crossing the bridge to make my way to the bunkhouse when Auntie Mame caught me - they were eating at the River's End Restaurant and saw me at the window! I dumped my pack outside, joined them, and vacuumed down a root beer and a grilled cheese. We went to the bunkhouse to plan for the next leg of our trip, and let me say again: THANK YOU for the mail drops! Groceries out here are extremely limited, so I was really saved by those wonderful packages. Thank you, friends!We had dinner with Barley and Rain (again at the River's End - it's the only game in town), and now we're all ready for bed. It's going to be cold again tonight so we're all happy to be someplace heated!Back to the trail tomorrow! Can't wait!
Date: 2008-03-25
From: Franklin, NC

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter, NC
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: clear sky

I was a disaster today! We were eating breakfast at the River's End Restaurant, when I realized I left my bandanna and pack towel hanging on the hooks outside the bunkhouse. So I'd have to run back there before we hit the trail. As we were leaving the restaurant, I can't find my glove liners - they're not in any jacket pocket. With a sigh, I head into the outfitter to buy a replacement pair, take my hat off as I walk in - and there are my gloves - tucked inside my hat, while my hat was on my head. Oh heavens! (I had tucked them in there when we were in the restaurant, so they wouldn't go missing.)We left Franklin around 10:15, and one mile into my hike I realized I had left my safety whistle dangling from the curtain rod in our bunkhouse. (I told you I was a disaster!)It was all uphill today, but the first half wasn't too steep, so it was quite enjoyable. When we got to the lookout point, there was a man there with his 2 sons day hiking - and he grew up in New Jersey, one town over from where I live! We discussed weighty matters like our favorite pizza place (DeLorenzo's, of course).After that we had some steep sections. It was slow going, but I finally made it up and over and into the shelter. There are a number of hikers here tonight, but this shelter is two levels and sleeps 12 comfortably, so I'm going to try sleeping in the shelter for the first time. (It's going to be quite cold tonight, so the thought of not having to pack up a tent in the freezing cold tomorrow was just too appealing). As usual, I packed too much food heading out of town. (I can't help it, I LIKE food.) I munched steadily all evening so my foodbag (and in turn my pack) should be lighter tomorrow!I texted Ground Control and he's already on the case of finding me a camera that won't freeze. The only way my current camera will work reliably out here is if I keep the batteries in my pants pocket, load them in when I want to take a photo, then take them out. I've been in relationships that are less work than this camera! It will be nice to have one that's not so high maintenance.