morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-04-05
From: Lance Creek

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 7.4

Didn't even rain as far as I can tell.Awake at 3am and ready to charge up the mountain by 4:30am.Since I was not content with yesterday, I decided to get up extra early to night hike up the summit for sunrise. Dre wanted to join so we set our watches. I was totally stoked to do it. I liked the eerie setting of waking up in the pitch black darkness of the woods. We were surrounded by people in a tight place that shouldn't even have so many people, but still. Dre and I tried to pack up as quietly as possible which slows you down quite a bit. Next thing we know, Collin and Kathy are up too and they changed their minds - they want to come with and have their first night hike experience. Last night they were very adamant about not wanting to get out of their warm sleeping bags to face the chilly darkness that comes with the night. Everything also gets damp with the condensation. They sucked it up because this is an adventure after all. Why not?Next thing I know, it's 5am and Kathy can't find her headlamp. So we made a slow human train to help get our party safely up the mountain. I eventually convinced Kathy to take my headlamp so we can move faster than a turtle pace. Of course we didn't make it to the peak for sunrise but, I'm not complaining. I'm happy with the outcome of this morning minus smashing the top of my head on a low tree.Dre convinced me to join him, Barefoot, and Collin to rent a cabin at Neels Gap. Dre and Collin are two people I met at the Hiker Hostel and we've basically been ending up at the same spot within every other hour since. Dre seems particularly interested in keeping us all together as a group so that may be a huge factor. I'm not quite sure if he understands that my view of doing a solo thru hike means more than just hiking alone most of the time.But hey, Blood Mountain cabins are really cool for how cheap they are. I definitely feel like the mileage I did today was too low even though we went up and over Blood Mtn. What swayed me was the prospect of adventure: we hitch hiked into Blainesville in search of Chinese food because someone said something about it being good. It wasn't, but we had fun. A local guy who gave us a ride back pointed out what seemed to be really promising: Jim's Smoking Que off US19... dam
Date: 2014-04-06
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 12.6

Weather kharma has arrived. We may have missed the thunderstorm the other night but, this next storm coming can't miss. Will my tent will hold up? This is going to be a trial night...post trail update from my hand written journal-Another short hiking day (in my opinion.) In my tent right now with the rain starting to come down - the first serious rain on the AT for me! Could have done a lot more miles but oh well. I've got time. No aches or pains so far which seems to be abnormal when you take a look around at everyone hiking. This may be the night that tells me whether or not I can trust my tent...
Date: 2014-04-07
From: Low Gap

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: light rain

Tent semi survived. It's totally soaked but, I'm bone dry. Sleeping bag is relatively dry too so I guess my tent served its purpose! I managed to keep my feet completely dry all day too. My gaiters kept my boots from getting wet and my rain pants kept my gaiters from getting soaked. Aw yeah.Upon getting up this morning, I saw Wild Turkey with her dog Cormic thanking the MSR gods for their protection (her tent). She basically packed up in a swimming pool after all that rain from last night. Well it continued raining all day too, but last night was bad. There were so many people at Low Gap last night that it was ridiculous. Even more than when I was at Lance Creek. My guess is that a lot of people are calling it quits already. Though I have to say it was kind of ironic that I ended up at Low Gap for the storm. Low Gap sounds like a place that floods, haha. The hikers I've been particularly familiar with since we've been going at the same pace all trudged in the rain to Unicoi Gap. There we aimed to get a ride to Helen, GA in which Survivor Dave helped us arrange. He advised us to be careful about sketchy shuttlers who will double their fee halfway down the road. Hitch hiking was not working out so well on a muddy day like this.Anyways, the rain hike was really surreal. It was like walking in a moving box of white fog that walled you in a 5 yard perimeter. Made the trees look ghostly, the cascading streams more mysterious, and the mossy rocks look magical. Much of the trail was practically a river or basically a pile of rocks slick with wet moss. I loved it.(post trail from my personal journal) a note about the boyscouts who had some trouble last night. They stumbled into a shelter at night hypothermic. Soaked and chilled to the bone. All shelters would have been packed full even without the rain because of how many people are on the trail.
Date: 2014-04-08
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Our neighbors bought us beer at the bar last night and gave us a ride back to the trail this morning. It was a nice, pleasant, and warm ride. A true luxury. Once I got out of the truck I instantly announced it was chilly as (insert some clever explicative)! Collin who had been riding in the truck bed the whole time looks at me and goes (oh, you think!?)Haha... he was quite miserable back there. The chilly wind ripped right into you without the added velocity of a speeding truck. Despite Dre's efforts, our semi expanding "group" dropped a few members due to the rain and other factors. Some just got delayed or were picked up by significant others from a nearby town for a retreat from a retreat. Today consisted of the hardest part of the Georgia section, or so I hear. Kelly's knob did indeed kick my butt but, it wasn't too bad. I actually didn't even know I trekked over it because I don't pay much attention to my guidebook. I mostly open it to check out when I should figure out a resupply situation.. If you're attentive to the trail, you really don't need a companion book as long as you're vigilant about water and take what other people say with a grain of salt. A big grain of salt...
Date: 2014-04-09
From: deep gap

To: Standing Indian shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Total miles so far - 69.6Not the actual exact miles of course, just what the guide marks dicks creek gap as.Caught a ride from dicks creek gap into hiawassee for a resupply but I'm about to stuff myself at the huddle house restaurant. At some point ill update this journal day by day. Keeping a handwritten journal but I've been indulging in trail life and staying off my phone. Not like there's any reception with Sprint anyway. I'm taking advantage of WiFi while I'm at this restaurant and hammering out this quick update. It's funny because all the hikers are more social on the trail. Normal people in this restaurant are all talking to each other. And here we are, the hikers completely sucked into our phones...Georgia is beautiful and ill be entering North Carolina either today or tomorrow. Hopefully I actually start doing bigger mile days instead of finding excuses to kick it!More to comeEdit/update: my first 20 mile day. Packed up and left camp by 7am. Skipped breakfast so I can get my butt to dicks creek gap (I kept calling it Richards crevice) in order to catch a ride into Hiawassee for food and a small resupply. Hitching has been really easy and people are super cool. Didn't even have to thumb my way back to trail. I couldn't help but think about the wagon scene in the movie Year One with Jack Black. Cars go really fast when it takes all day just to go the distance a car does in a few minutes. Side note- a lot of people are missing out by not having the will power to get up early and witness the transformation of the woods. What happens when the sun starts to shine first thing in the morning is incredible. Of course my highlight of the day was hauling ass over an extra 5 miles at the end of the day to make it a 20 mile day. This meant night hiking solo on rugged NC trails. It seemed to be a lot more than 5 miles even after I accounted for the lack of light and the tough trail. But a lot of the older people who have a relationship with this trail have pointed out to me that some of these trail signs and markers are older than me. With all the reroutes and changes, there could be a chance the mileage is wrong. It's not about the mileage though. It's about the experience to me.The people at Standing Indian shelter still sitting around a bonfire after hiker midnight were very surprised when I walked up. First time I introduced myself as Affirm instead of my actual name. Seemed appropriate.
Date: 2014-04-10
From: Standing Indian shelter

To: Rock Gap
Miles today: 19.7

Just going an extra couple miles puts you in a totally different hiker bubble. It's a trip. Really cool to get to know as many people as possible.Will be taking a real nero tomorrow because it seems like a good idea after doing big mile days back to back on these trails. Plus it will be a good opportunity to explore Franklin, NC. Guess I'm celebrating the fact that I'm past the 100 mile marker. I've been enjoying all of this so much more than I expected because you kind of have to assume the worst when you look at the statistics of how many people get this far. Today I thought a lot about what it would be like to go hunting. I've never been and I would like an experience of sitting in the woods for a long period of time in silence. Just observing, watching, and stalking. This is the main reason I enjoy hiking alone - I can pause for a second and take in the undisturbed scenery like I'm the only person in the world.A note I jotted down in my other journal: "The AT doesn't get easier, it just gets less hard"
Date: 2014-04-11
From: Rock Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 3.8

In Franklin, NC.Crossed the 100 mile marker yesterday doing 20 mile days back to back. Haven't had a bad day yet. Or even general bad moments. Zero aches and pains as well. Life is sweet. Will be zeroing here tmrw so ill be updating previous day journals tonight or tmrw.More to come.
Date: 2014-04-13
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: clear sky

Glad to get out of Franklin. A nero there was good enough, zeroing was overkill. It felt so wrong not getting any hiking done especially when my body felt like the extra rest was unnecessary. After getting Ron Havens 9am shuttle back to Winding Stair Gap, it was a long day of ball sweaty hiking. It kind of sucked to miss a trail magic opportunity but, it also seemed counter intuitive. That was a scheduled trail magic appointment announced via a cardboard sign strung up at a road crossing. I thought trail magic was supposed to be magical in a way that it just happens in a way you never expected it to come. Thus, extra happiness and gratitude?Well, all day I listened to the Army Rangers training off in the distance all day.It was actually a great day despite my ramblings. It's just that while hearing gunfire echo through the woods I thought about how strangely detached we are from the real world. Not just as hikers, but the fact that there are sounds of violence happening nearby and we just feel indifferent about it. I know its just training but one day some of those Rangers may actually be fighting for their lives. We don't have to experience their struggles and seeing the news doesn't do the reality any justice. Its one thing to know that people have life or death struggle in their lives, its another thing to actually understand the reality of the situation. We're so far removed.
Date: 2014-04-14
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 11.7

Last night was windy! Camped on the side of a ridge for an awesome view and escape from the gnats. They were coming out in force - Collin got a pending trail name: Fly Punch.Cool guy named Viking was the only one hammocking among our tent city. He got to see/feel the gusts all night. Told us about watching the bear bags swinging like crazy and bending the trees they were hanging off of. His bear bag was right over some poor hiker's tent that's been crapping out. Surprised it lasted the night!I woke up every hour throughout the night. It was kind of a 2 second situation check to see if my stuff was holding up okay. The winds weren't that bad but its hard to have total faith sometimes. I also only use 2 stakes instead of the 6 or 7 my tent comes with... But really, the winds sounded like a unrelenting ocean. The gusts came in waves and it sounded just like the ocean does when it breaks onto shore. Pretty cool with the full moon out which eliminated the total darkness you'd normally get sleeping inside of a tent in the woods.Left camp by 7am to get to the NOC fast - storms are coming and I wanted to get a bunk to stay dry. Well I got there before noon and the bunks smell terrible. Its $20 a night and not really worth it if you're just passing through. Oh well, took advantage of the shower and will get a solid night of sleep despite the cramped bunks.The general store is pretty cool - mostly because of the non existent open container policy. You can basically pop a beer open in the general store and drink it while waiting in line to pay.
Date: 2014-04-16
From: Locust Cove Gap

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: clear sky

Slept next to the most hardcore snorer I have ever encountered in my life last night. Luckily I'm a good sleeper and can usually adapt to whatever situation I end up in. Ear plugs were utilized to some effect. Upon waking up to the evidence that the sun was indeed shining through, I had to physically pound at my tent to break off the ice that formed outside. Everything was frozen over so I was impressed to see that the Germans had a fire going nearby. They claimed that only a German could make it with German engineered toilet paper. Hopefully they didn't use all of their toilet paper. A morning poo thirty appointment would be rather complicated trying to wipe with frozen leaves. While making my own breakfast, I was genuinely concerned that the man next to me was literally dying. He was still snoring. Except snoring implies that air exchange is still somewhat happening. Oxygen exchange could not have been happening based on the sounds I was hearing. He shook my tent with snores throughout the night which was furthermore impressive since my tent was frozen stiff. He may have even snored the ice off his tent - he was still asleep when the sun started melting away the frost.And yes, I survived the freezing night. Was actually very comfortable despite my wet sleeping bag. If you didn't know this already, learn it now. A wet sleeping bag made out of down material = not having a sleeping bag. A synthetic bag can still retain warmth. It kind of sucks but, I never got cold when I settled in. What I did was sit in my sleeping bag for 2 hours before actually going to sleep. Trying to dry everything with just my body heat wasn't going to work but that was all I had. So it was uncomfortable. I'm sure there are many other kinds of uncomfortable to come so whatever. This morning my hands were pretty much frozen by the time I finished breakfast and finished packing. Hard to do anything with gloves on so I can't imagine what a winter hike is like. Took my time to get started with hiking since I have to wait for a package at Fontana Lodge. It's the last stop before hitting the Smokies which is why I prepared a mail drop ahead of time with resupplies.
Date: 2014-04-17
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

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

I'm a little ashamed right now. Had breakfast a couple hours ago and I've been sitting/waiting/bull shitting at the Fontana Lodge for a mail drop to come. Just ate half a jar of Nutella with a granola bar then got into the hiker box and ate some candy out of it. That included a whole bag of marshmallows. I'm not even hungry... That's so much sugar I just shoved into my mouth. For all you people not familiar with hiker boxes - just imagine what it's like to eat out of a box full of discarded stuff from an unknown time period carried by dirty backpackers that don't really have a means for cleanliness. I just ate out of that. I've also been eating off the floor a lot since you tend to drop stuff when sitting on a log with no table in front of you. People make you laugh hysterically at random and most of those random times you're holding food you can spill.Oh yeah, yesterday I saw some spilled M&M's on the trail. Things got weird because little things here and there will trigger all kinds of memories when you're out in the woods hiking all day by yourself. The colorful M&Ms dropped by some hiker who was probably throwing snacks into the gaping hole of their face while trying to drag their feet through the miles reminded me of several things. Not thoughts one after another though. More like one big mish mash of strange. There was a peculiar episode going on in my head that had me thinking about a really old skittles commercial in the jungle. The one with the whispering "taste the rainbow" catchphrase. This was mixed in with Mayor West from the Family Guy tv show. Particularly the "ooh a piece candy" scenes that has him stopping at every step to pick up every individual piece of candy one at a time. I probably was stopped right in my tracks staring at the unnatural colorful bits of candy for an ungodly amount of time. Truly a very special moment that involves drooling at the thought of food and simultaneously drooling with the lack of thought going through my head as I reverberated into some nonsensical daydream. I think I'm getting a little trail loopy. Things get trippy out here.I think I feel a sugar rush coming... Such fatnessUpdate/edit: So I should have sent the mail drop to the Post Office, not Fontana Lodge. The Post office opens at 11:45 and the package then has to make it from there to Fontana Lodge. Spent all day hanging around in the area. Can't complain though. Sat around with a bunch of hikers, what's wrong with that?Didn't leave the area until after 4:30pm. Of course I took the side trail for the fire tower. It just may be the sketchiest tower of them all. Half of the steps look like they're ready to rot right off. It also feels like an earthquake if you're at the top and someone is climbing back down. How is this thing still standing? Sweet views though. Ended up finishing the day by night hiking until 11pm.
Date: 2014-04-19
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 10.8

Kevin Bacon has got to be the funniest person on the trail.Anyways, last night I woke up to the sound of a pack of wild hogs tearing up the ground all around my tent. Snorting, grunting, and general deuschebag pigheadedness you don't want to stick your head out and confront. My plan was to B-line out of my tent like Houdini and leap onto the shelter roof if they decided to start tearing my stuff up. All I could do at the moment was basically just make it extra clear there's a thing inside this flappy unnatural material that doesn't want to be messed with. I said to the boars "If you don't f___ with me, I won't f___ with you!" and just went back to sleep like a boss. Some time later I woke up again to the sound of rain splattering down. No sound of boars though so I went back to sleep again. At 7am I did a situation assessment - still raining and I didn't feel like moving. So I sat and did nothing for 40 minutes waiting for a pause in the rain. Luckily there was a pause long enough for me to spring out, wipe everything down, and pack up to minimize wetness. It worked out beautifully which was why I decided to hang out in the shelter until there was another break in the rain. I was not too far from Clingman's Dome, the highest point of the AT. Why not give sunshine a chance while getting to know some fellow hikers? The thing about this section of the AT is that you are required to stay in the shelters overnight. I'm not particularly keen on using shelters so that's part of the reason I have been night hiking these parts. Obviously if the shelters are full, I have no choice but to pitch a tent outside. So I miss all the fiasco that occurs when you cram a group of strangers together but I also miss out on getting to know some cool people. When I did get going, I hit the peak in no time. The sun shone through for a moment too. Just not for long. The rain came back in abundance and I ended up hiding in Mt Collins Shelter for way too long. Finally discovered a downside for my rain poncho too - I wish it extended down past my knees where my gaiters rise up to. As I continued hiking in the rain, my pants were starting to soak since I was too take everything off and slip on rain pants. Despite the increased wetness though, I'm still dam proud of bringing my mountain gaiters. Its kind of like driving a really big truck and you feel powerful. You come across huge puddles and you get this sensation like "Why yes, not only will I step in you, I will SPLASH in you" muahaha. Yeah, I'm weird. I could not say no to a ride into Gaitlinburg when two confused tourists spotted me crossing Newfound Gap. Of course I found the free moonshine upon securing a place to crash and I had a blast exploring this peculiar town.
Date: 2014-04-21
From: Pecks Corner

To: Cosby Knob
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: broken clouds

Ran into the biggest group of thru hikers I have yet to see. I'm not talking about a bubble. This is a group that hikes together. They make their own bubble. I woke up to, "where's your oatmeal at? Is it before or after the used condoms?"They're pretty funny and loud. They also move really slow apparently. After doing a majority of yesterday's progress in the dark, I got up at 9am which seems to be the normal start time for these guys. There's a big perk to getting up this late - you can lay out your gear in the sun to dry out while having breakfast. Condensation alone can drench your rain fly on this trail. I hear rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast so I made sure I enjoyed this very nice and sunny day. Tonight I am sleeping early. Thought I'd be getting over 8 hours of sleep every night on the trail but between the night hiking and waking up sporadically to wildlife around my tent, I get maybe 6 hours of sleeping lightly in case I need to punch a bear in the face or something.