morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-03-26
From: Wayah Bald Shelter

To: A. Rufus Morgan Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: few clouds

"You fill up my senses, like a night in the forest, like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain..." - John DenverDay 14It was a cold rainy morning as I climbed out of Burningtown Gap toward Cold Spring Shelter. My feet ached along with my left knee. To make matters worse, I switched my music to shuffle mode and Always and Forever came on...perhaps the worst song ever to listen to while hiking uphill. At the shelter a section hiking couple offered me a cup of coffee. Later, after the long climb out of Tellico Gap, I reached the Wesser Bald observation tower and was rewarded with arguably the most scenic, 360 degree view to date. As I made the long, wet descent, I came across my first...(drum roll)...snake! This black snake was just hanging out in a tree stump. I told him my name was Fob and took his picture.After a pretty grueling 15.5 miles, I arrived at A. Rufus Morgan Shelter and set up my tent downhill from there by a stream. Up at the shelter, T-Rev and The Hikers Formerly Known As ABBA were settling in for the night. A short time later, BooknBoot, the friendly Aussie who had slept in the bunk under me at Neels Gap, arrived and set up her tent. Later, Stitch arrived...she's a really cool former Army troop from Gainesville, GA (not FL) who laughs like Stitch...and does so each of the 10 times she's heard me tell the story behind my trail name.I built my first campfire of the trip and then retired to my tent to enjoy a heartwarming 28th Anniversary phone call with my wife. John Denver was right...nights in the forest are enchanting. Mountains in springtime are majestic. And walks in the rain are exhilarating. But nothing fills up my senses like a moment shared with Lil Jan, my best friend and love of my life.FobFob
Date: 2016-03-28
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 16I awoke on Sunday morning, Easter Sunday, and realized how weird it was to be out in the wilderness on Easter Sunday. As I crawled out of my tent, I heard someone talking over at the shelter and went over to investigate. Turns out it was Stone, giving a thoughtful, encouraging sunrise message about God's love, Christ's sacrifice, and the meaning of the resurrection. Great stuff! He also reminded us all that what Christ did is a gift, a present, and each of us has the option of whether to open/accept the present or leave it wrapped and in the box. What have you done with Christ's gift?Today I would hit the toughest, short, non-scramble section of the Trail so far...Jacob's Ladder, at mile 151.7. Brutal! As I gasped for air and felt the burning in my calves, I did what any child of the 80s would do...I put on some Def Leppard and climbed the ladder! At the top, I looked back and told Jacob I was his new daddy.After 15.2 miles I tented near Cable Gap Shelter with Stone, Moses, Stitch, the Hikers Formerly Known as ABBA, and Terrible Lizard...who got that name when a salamander somehow managed to crawl down into her 2-liter Platypus bag.As I crawled into my tent, two thoughts came to mind: 1) I was less than 6 miles from the Fontana Lodge and all that would bring; and 2) I had unintentionally and creepily placed myself directly below the privy, giving myself an awkward view of the knees and ankles of hikers doing their business. I quickly zipped up the tent and put in my earplugs.FobP.S. Thank you to all who have made comments in my guest book. I read and appreciate all of them. It's encouraging to know people are following my journey.
Date: 2016-03-29
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Lodge
Miles today: 5.5
Weather: clear sky

Bubble - noun - "a good or fortunate situation that is isolated from reality or unlikely to last."Day 17I awoke, broke camp, and ate a granola bar dipped in peanut butter...another breakfast of champions. After climbing out of Cable and Black Gum Gaps, I began the long descent into Fontana Dam. Halfway through this 5.5 mile hike, Moses zoomed past me like I was standing still. (Moses was trail named by members of a church youth group as he sat in all his bearded glory atop Preaching Rock (mile 21.8). He's a Christian from Louisville KY who hikes fast and posts great AT thru-hike YouTube videos on the Phollowing Phil channel.) Initially troubled by the disparity in our hiking speeds, it occurred to me that in the wilderness, it's always best to let Moses lead. On the other hand, would following him result in 40 years of wandering on the AT? That's a lot of granola bars. Regardless, the plan was for Moses to get to Fontana Lodge first and book a room for me, Stitch, Robi Dobi (named after an elephant in her favorite children's book), and himself. He delivered as promised, as one would expect from a Moses.Fontana Dam is a great touristy place for families to vacation and for tired hikers to re-charge and re-supply. It's also a great place for hiking bubbles to take shape as you prepare to enter The Great Smoky Mountains. A hiking bubble is a group of hikers who will generally travel together over the course of several days, weeks, or in rare instances, even months. You may or may not actually hike near them during the day, but will camp with them near the same shelter or campsite at night. Being a part of a good, fun, mutually supportive bubble is, without a doubt, one of the very best things about hiking the AT. It's within those bubbles that friendships are forged, burdens are shared, and memories are made. With each successive shelter, campfire, or frigid morning shared, the bonds grow tighter. You tend to ride the bubble until your hiking pace, be it slower or faster, causes you to fall behind or get ahead. If you're fortunate enough, you'll eventually catch on with another bubble and ride it for awhile.At the Fontana Lodge, the first order of business was to pick up the second food package I had mailed to myself. It contained a 6-day supply of food...about double what I needed. (Lesson learned: no more food mailings.) I then took a long hot shower and ate fish n chips with Moses and Stitch. (To clarify, I was alone in the shower and together with them at the restaurant.) We then walked down a hill to do laundry and re-supply at the General Store. Later, we had dinner (Pasta Primavera!) and were joined by Patricia (trail name Mom) and Megan (trail name Orbit...because she has a big beautiful open-mouth smile like the girl in the Orbit gum commercial). This was the same mother/daughter team from Vermont that I had shared a cup of coffee with on Megan's birthday back in Hiawassee. As we enjoyed dinner and conversation, little did I know I was sitting in the nucleus of what would become my first incredible hiking bubble!
Date: 2016-04-01
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 20The cold, windy and rainy night carried over into a cold, windy, and rainy morning. I didn't sleep well because one of my shelter mates (whose trail name I won't mention but it sounds like one of the seven dwarfs) snored loudly and non-stop from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. It sounded like a freight train had gotten off track and was loose in his nostrils. Had he been next to me, I would have shoved a hiking sock down his esophagus. Of course, I would have used one of Deadwood's socks in order to maintain my innocence. Deadwood would gladly take the fall for his beloved Ironman.We hiked about 6 miles in the nasty weather and sought refuge at the Silers Bald Shelter. It was so cold that Stitch decided to build a very rare, midday fire inside the shelter. As we huddled around the fire, we checked the weather radar. A line of heavy thunderstorms was closing in...perhaps about 30 minutes out. Decision time: stay at Silers Bald by the fire and call it a day...or make a run for Double Spring Gap Shelter, just 1.7 miles away? I took one more glance at the radar and said, "I'm going for it!" I then took off hiking/running as fast as I could, with a few others behind me. We got to the shelter just as the thunderstorm hit. We were cold, tired and a little bummed over the wimpy 7.4 mile day. We were also very thankful to have dodged a massive thunderstorm.Fob
Date: 2016-04-03
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."   - Edmund HillaryDay 22It was another interesting night at the shelter, featuring a conglomeration of humanity brought together by a love of hiking. In addition to our core Great Smoky Mountains Bubble, we were joined by...- John E. Just from Peoria, Illinois - he's out here attempting a thru-hike to draw attention to a rare genetic disease that he has. It's called Fabry disease and it affects 1 in 40,000 people, including 6 in his family. To stay alive, he has to get an IV transfusion every 2 weeks for life. And he's hiking the AT! After each transfusion, he begins working the logistics for the next one. (And here I am complaining about a sore knee.). He said, "Fob, I hope my hike sends a message to people with this disease and others that you can still get out and do things and enjoy life. I want to raise awareness." Message received loud and clear, Mr. Just...hike on!- Kole McKeown from Union, SC, where Janet's family is from- A couple and their young daughter who mistakenly thought that when they reserved the shelter, they would have it to themselves. The mom was not a happy camper when she realized their family getaway trip would be shared with a dozen stinking hikers. They brought a guitar and a telescope but no sleeping pads...all marks of section hikers.The weather was slightly better for today's hike. It was arguably the best day in the Smokies in terms of stunning, mountaintop views...Charlies Bunion, The Sawteeth, Bradleys View, Eagle Rocks, etc. At Copper Gap, mile 218.9, I stopped and reflected on having reached the 10% milestone. That seemed like an awfully low percentage for what I had been through.After 12.1 miles, I arrived at the Tri-Corner Knob Shelter (elevation 5897 feet) for another fun night with The Bubble. Deadwood and Nesquick began doing Monty Python movie impressions, and soon everyone was saying those phrases and using those accents around camp. As the wind picked up and temperature dropped, we all worked our way inside the 3-sided shelter to eat and share stories. Oddly, almost everyone had some form of potato, including the highly popular Ramen Bomb (Ramen noodles with potatoes). At one point the sweet, kind, mild-mannered Master Wayne stepped just outside the hand-hung tarp which comprised the shelter's 4th wall. He then ripped the loudest, bat cave-shaking fart I had heard since the one Daniel, my brother in law, launched during Christmas week of 2012. We all started laughing and applauding Master Wayne for his Master Piece, even while he remained outside to compose himself and assess the damage to his hiking pants. It was unclear why he felt the need to step outside, since we are in a hiking environment where such grand noises are not only allowed, but celebrated.Fob
Date: 2016-04-06
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Stealth Campsite
Miles today: 18.4

The reward of a thing well done is having done it. - Ralph Waldo EmersonDay 25I got an early start this morning and was thankful the pain in my left knee had subsided. As I began the descent into Brown Gap, I came across an old man with a white beard just wandering along the trail. He had no pack or gear and we were several miles from civilization. We exchanged hellos and he smiled and told me he was fine. I found it kind of odd but I hiked on.About 10 minutes later, I caught up with Lindsay and we discovered some Trail Magic! Yes, there was a case of cold Cokes along the side of the trail by a tree. I can't be certain but I believe the bearded man was a Trail Angel who had hiked way out into the wilderness carrying a case of cold sodas for me and my fellow hikers. I suspect he wasn't looking for praise, which explains why he had walked southward from the Cokes. His reward was intrinsic, because he knew that he had refreshed and encouraged some hikers. That might also explain the big smile he gave me as I passed by.The highlight of the day came at mile 253.9 when I summited Max Patch Bald. Several years ago, my family decided on a Christmas vacation in the mountains. I insisted we take a day trip to Max Patch, a place I had read about in various AT books. The family was reluctant to say the least, but I told them the view would be well worth the 30 or so minute trip to get there. It ended up taking an hour and a half to get there. When we arrived at the parking lot, the temperature had dropped to 20 degrees and the winds were gusting. Half of those in our group refused to get out of their cars. The other half begrudgingly followed me up the bald. With each step, the temperature dropped a degree and the wind picked up. At the summit we all were frozen to our core and looked like Jack Nicholson in the maze at the end of The Shining. We took a two second look at the view (which was spectacular!), and then rushed down the mountain to get in our cars to warm up. The family was not happy with me. I knew this because they told me so. I was the butt of jokes for the rest of the vacation and still get grief over Max Patch. So it was great to return on a somewhat warmer, low 40s, day and think about my sweet family.As I descended toward Lemon Gap, I entered a beautiful section featuring rolling hills, stream crossings, birds chirping, and mountain laurels. I remember thinking that the place looked like how I would imagine the Garden of Eden. Ironically, not even 5 minutes later, I came across my second AT snake! He was a little fellow, scurrying across the trail. Had he offered me an apple, I would have been really tempted to go for it.After a personal best tying 18.4 mile day, I stopped at a stealth camping site on a ledge by a stream. I was alone, but fortunately Rocky, a really cool section hiker, strolled by to snap a photo of me and the site. I dozed off to the sound of the stream, with visions of Hot Springs dancing in my head.Fob
Date: 2016-04-08
From: Hostel at Laughing Heart Lodge, Hot Springs

To: Allen Gap
Miles today: 14.8

"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts." - Edward R. MurrowDay 28Refreshed and recharged, I crossed the French Broad River, hiked along it for a few hundred yards, and then climbed the mountain out of Hot Springs. At mile 278.5 I came across Dammed Pond, the first mountain pond on my journey. It was the kind of place where you'd want to get engaged, catch a fish, or spend a Sunday afternoon reading a book.At Tanyard Gap I passed Tree Hugger as he stopped to pray and hug a white-blazed tree. If he completes his thru-hike, he will have hugged 165,000 trees and offered 165,00 prayers in about a 6-month period. Let that sink in for a moment. A while later, I came across several miles of a controlled burn area on the west side of the trail. Controlled burns are a technique used in forest management to reduce fuel buildup (leaves, brush, dead trees, etc.) and decrease the likelihood of serious hotter fires. It also stimulates the germination of some desirable trees, thus renewing the forest. I was impressed to see hundreds of square miles of burned forest to the left of the trail, while the right side was untouched. I was also impressed with the placement and wording on several tombstones/memorials at scenic spots along the ridge.As the day progressed, the temperature dropped and light snow began to fall. At Allen Gap, near the conclusion of a 14.8 mile day, I headed .2 miles west on NC 208/TN 70 to get water under a bridge at Paint Creek. (That's just water under the bridge now.) I found a campsite nearby around 5:00 p.m. and checked the forecast. The snow had stopped but, here at lower elevation, rain was expected in 15 minutes. Three minutes later, as I was unpacking my backpack, the rain started to fall. Quickly setting up a tent in the rain, while keeping your gear as dry as possible, takes some practice and precision. The goal is to get your tent, gear, and self under the rain fly as soon as possible. I did fairly well but will become more proficient with practice. I sat there in my tent, feeling cold, wet, and alone...holding my food bag as a special invitation to bears to come get me. Fortunately, I had warm, dry clothes to put on and a warm sleeping bag to crawl into.Fob
Date: 2016-04-11
From: Low Gap

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 31I began this thankfully warmer day with a 1200-foot climb up to the incredible Big Bald, every bit as scenic as Max Patch. After taking a few photos, I descended toward Bald Mountain Shelter and felt nature's call. As I approached the shelter, I asked a fellow hiker if there was a privy. He told me no. Bummer. So, for the 3rd time on my AT journey, at mile 325.3, I found a nice secluded spot behind a tree on a hill to take care of business. Upon returning to the shelter, that same hiker said, "Oh yeah, there is a privy...just found out. My bad." Seriously?! Before departing, I renamed the area Mount Unnecessary 90 Degree Angle.Just after noon, I descended into Spivey Gap and discovered some...Trail Magic! Yes, Trail Angel Bob was serving drinks and goodies, and my Coke and Twinkie hit the spot. Thanks, Bob! A couple of hours later, I came to No Business Knob Shelter and visited with Poptart, SpongeBob, and GungaDan, who had stopped for the night. Poptart, a fellow Air Force retiree, was having the common hiker problem of too much food based on unnecessary or poorly timed food mailings. I ended up trading some of my tortillas and pepperoni to him for some of his excess electrolyte tablets and Gatorade mix. Lewis and Clark would have been proud of me.With my legs feeling good and a trail town just ahead, I decided to push on. After hiking a personal best 20.8 miles, I arrived in Erwin, Tennessee and took a shuttle over to the Super 8. This economy hotel beat out camping by the river or staying at a hostel, because rain was in the forecast and I wanted a hot bath. As I was doing laundry, I noticed a hiker box, where hikers leave items they don't want/need for others to have for free. In retrospect, I made one really good selection from the hiker box, and one really bad one. The good one was an unopened bag of Epsom salt, which I would use in three hot baths over the next 36 hours, much to the pleasure of my aching feet. The bad choice was the package of Bear Creek Country Kitchens Darn Good Chili Mix, 9.8 ounces, 8 servings. I'll come back to that later.After doing laundry, cleaning (back-flushing) my Sawyer Squeeze water filter, taking a shower and bath, and cleaning my cookware, I walked to Erwin's Huddle House restaurant, adjacent to a gas station. I feasted on a rib eye steak, 2 eggs, hash browns, bread, water, and Mountain Dew. It was marvelous! Not wanting to walk further to the grocery store in Crocs, I got the few crackers, energy bars, and Ibuprofen I needed at the gas station, then returned back to the hotel. I then called my wife and both sons to check in and get updated on their lives. It was great to hear their voices and know they are doing well. I dozed off for a Super 8 hours of sleep.
Date: 2016-04-12
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 32I began my zero day with the hotel breakfast, specifically a waffle, cereal, and several cups of coffee, milk, and orange juice. I then took another Epsom salt bath, blogged, and got caught up on the news. As a bit of a news junkie, I'm surprised I haven't missed daily dosages of news, and I certainly haven't missed politics and election coverage. I care about elections and world events, but hiking the AT consumes most of my physical and mental energy. Television wise, I've only missed watching some March Madness tournament games and watching Survivor with my wife while eating a big bowl of buttered popcorn. Oh, and I miss watching sappy Hallmark movies with Ken and Syndi Butler and saying "see, I told you so" when they invariably kiss at the end of the movie. I finished off my day at McDonalds, where I consumed a high calorie large double quarter pounder with cheese meal, 10-piece McNuggets, and hot fudge Sundae. Lil Jan told me I need to eat more, so I'm just following orders.Fob
Date: 2016-04-13
From: Base of Unaka Mountain

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

My Favorite Trail ThingsBy: Sir Fob W. PotWritten: At midnight at Kinkora Hostel, mile 418.2, with apologies to Julie AndrewsTo: All my fellow hikers...Keep hiking and never give up on your dream!Switchbacks and privies and gaps with Trail MagicHitchhiking, hostels, Gold Bond for butt rashesA trail town buffet that is all you can eatThese are a few of my favorite trail things...Tortillas for dinner, with oatmeal cream piesNose ran so much that it drowned 2 black fliesTook Vitamin I for the pain in my kneeThese are a few of my favorite trail things...'Twas cold in the Smokies, could not feel my fingersEight servings of chili, the pungency lingersMet Lumpy, Ron Haven, and Bob Peoples tooThese are a few of my favorite trail things...Chorus:When the bears bite, when my tent leaks,When I'm feeling sadI simply remember my favorite trail thingsAnd then I don't feel so badHiked 400 miles, every blaze, not a cheaterMap must be wrong, I've gone one centimeterA family of field mice now live in my beardThese are a few of my favorite trail things...Read Dave Miller's AWOL, like it was the BibleSlept in a barn's loft, And it all felt so tribalWhen I need water, I give Sawyer a squeezeThese are a few of my favorite trail things...I pee in a bottle, at midnight and laterEat spuds with my Ramen, and poop 'em out laterKatahdin is calling, I'll hike til I'm thruThe AT is one of my favorite things...Chorus:When the bears bite, when my tent leaks,When I'm feeling sadI simply remember my favorite trail thingsAnd then I don't feel so badFob
Date: 2016-04-14
From: Near Unaka Mountain

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 34After a long, miserable night, I crawled out of my pungent tent, removed my nose plugs, and took a deep cleansing breath. I had survived and had learned a valuable lesson.Powered by Darn Good Chili after shocks, I began the climb up the enchanting, extremely cool Unaka Mountain, which would turn in to my favorite forested summit hike of the first 400 miles. Half in Tennessee and half in North Carolina, it featured dense spruce and hemlock forests, grassy patches, and fog and mist. I kept expecting Frodo Baggins to emerge from behind a tree, on his way to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Near a campsite at the summit, around mile 355, I stopped to take care of AT Business #4...at the recently named Darn Good Patch.I descended Unaka Mountain and then began a series of ups and downs, including the picturesque Little Bald Knob. After a 13.9 mile day, I rolled into the Clyde Smith Shelter with Tetris, Mumbles, and Old School. After the noises coming from my tent last night, I was surprised Tetris and Mumbles let me stay in the shelter.Old School is a dentist from North Carolina who recently moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. He began a thru-hike attempt last year, going from Harpers Ferry to Maine, and then heading southward from Harpers Ferry. Unfortunately, severe winter weather ended his bid, so he's back this year to finish his hike to Springer. He got the trail name Old School because most of his hiking gear is from the late 70s/early 80s. In fact, he said he went into some museum along the AT that showed a sampling of hiking gear by decade, and several of his items were in the 70s and 80s cases. Around the campfire, he not only answered questions about brushing and flossing, but a series of questions about what we should expect in New Hampshire and Maine. He said the AT in those final two states is every bit as tough as hikers make it out to be.Fob