morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-04-26
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Hilton
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: clear sky

Today was the epitome of what the Appalachian Trail represents. We had a late start this morning, the guy sleeping next to me in his hammock sounded exactly like a bear growling and I had Icy Hot on so I was scared the smell would attract the bear, it kept me up for a bit.    Delaware, Inspector Gadget and I left around 8:30, it was a six mile hike to Fontana Dam and it was pretty easygoing. We got to the Fontana Marina around 11:30, Guppy and Mouse were waiting for a shuttle to town. The marina had a bathroom and a soda machine so it was a good spot, a lady came over and mentioned she left a crate if oranges by the trail so I went over and picked some up for all of us. The plan was to go to the bait shop, resupply a bit so we can get halfway through the Smokies before resupplying again. So we picked up good and beer as were staying at a shelter dubbed the 'Fontana Hilton'.   The Fontana Hilton is a shelter with 24 spots and little picnic area with a firepit and access to Lake Fontana. Up the road about quarter of a mile is a bathroom and shower for thru hikers. So we lugged the beer and backpacks up to the shelter and then took advantage if the free bathroom. Past the bathroom is a visitor center for the dam that sells little trinkets and ice cream. While walking there a car full of women said that they would be serving lunch at the picnic area in fifteen minutes. Gadget and I went over and what a sight to see. This church group from Tennessee who's comprised of widows came and were serving thru hikers lunch. One of the widows husbands thru hiked the trail before he died so his wife picked this place to serve lunch and honor his memory. They served ham and turkey sandwiches, chips, soda or water, fruit and even gave us ziploc bags full of snacks and dinners. They even had empty ziploc bags and a table to make your own bag, it was crazy. They were such nice people, they loved my accent, when they asked where I was from I just have said Long Island in such a way that they instantly knew I was a New Yorker. I hung around for while, had a few sandwiches and Sun Drop, which is the Southern's version of Mountain Dew.   After stuffing out faces, we headed down to the shore of Lake Fontana and chilled while having some beers. Some people went swimming, I laid there and stared at the clouds smiling that this is my life for now and it's great. While there, jet fighters zipped by a few times over the lake,it was pretty cool.   The night went on and while going to the bathroom, I saw a Gadget and another guy at the bathroom saying they were going to cowboy camp near the dam, I had my stuff out and passed, I hope to meet up with them tomorrow before entering the Smokies. The Smokies is the first big place I wanted to see on this trip and can't wait until tomorrow, weather is good forthright beginning of the trip but suppose to get worse later in the week. Just have to take it one day at a time.                                                                              Keepin' It Steady
Date: 2014-05-01
From: Mount Collins Shelter

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Today is my three week anniversary on the Appalachian Trail and what a day it was. We started out early, Yogi woke me and Delaware up around 6:30, it took me a bit to get out of bed, it's been a bit cold in the higher elevations but the thought of a honeybun for breakfast soon got me out of my quilt.    Our plan was to have a big day considering we had such a shot one yesterday. We were aiming for a fifteen mile day, our biggest to date and we were off around 7:20. The beginning of the hike was beautiful, we were in the old pine forests with the sun poking in wherever it could and the fog burning off, it was a such a beautiful sight. We were making great time, the trail was pretty flat so we had a good pace. We stopped at the first shelter for lunch and met some thru hikers, one being EZ does it, who is on his seventh and final thru hike.    We were hoping to get to have a real good view of the Smokies at Charlie's Bunion but the fog was too thick but we got great views while we were up on the ridge, on one side was beautiful views and the other was complete fog and that's how it went for the rest of the day. Yogi and I separated from Delaware and we pulled ahead and made it to the shelter and we thought we could go the extra five miles to the next shelter but we decided to play it safe and stay here.   It was good to see familiar faces as we saw Atlas and Trucker at the shelter. Everyone separated at Gatlingburg as we all took different shuttles at different times, hopefully I get to see most of them again. Hunger has been hitting hard lately and it seems all info is eat at the shelters but have to still ration enough for the remaining days. We have a few days left in the as Smokies and there's a hostel with a resupply before hitting Hot Springs so I have some leniency with the food I have, Snickers and PayDays all night long.   The shelter got really full, Gadget showed up not too long after us while Tim and James showed up later, I was glad to see them, they're definitely some of the best people I've met on the trail so far, I usually hang out with them after dinner for a bit. It seems my New York accent had been a source of entertainment out here. It all stared about a week ago when it was real buggy and I started flailing my arms to get the bugs away and I yelled 'Get Outta here' in such a New York accent that everyone stopped and couldn't stop laughing, it's now my saying that's said a few times a day. Also I went on aren't about something minute the other day and my accent came out thick which everyone finds amusing, at least I can make people laugh out here.    Tomorrow we might go bigger than today and try to do twenty miles. There's a long steep downhill towards the end of the hike out of the Smokies so we're trying to get some of that done tomorrow rather than do it all in one day, we'll see how we all feel in the morning. Three weeks in, feeling good, have good company and great scenery, a guy can't ask for much more.
Date: 2014-05-02
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Davenport Shelter
Miles today: 20.0

Today was by far the best day on the Appalachian Trail and also the longest. Sleep was nonexistent last night, the shelter was crowded and this was the first experience I've had with mouse in the shelter (one ran across my feet), it was also cold as the temperature dropped below freezing. Regardless, we all woke up at the crack of dawn and prepared to do a twenty mile day.    We all hiked together until we hit our first descent, for some reason the women thru hikers fly down them whole the men look a like old men trying to climb downstairs but the situation is the opposite on the uphills. Delaware flew down the trail while me and Yogi took our time, this was the last time we saw Delaware for the rest of the day. While she went and took a break at the first shorter, Yogi and I moved on.    We had a great pace going and got to the second shelter which is about thirteen miles away in about five hours. On the way there we passed the wreckage of a place crash from years back, it was pretty cool. There we caught up with Guppy, PocketFire, Grizzly and others where everyone had lunch and were aiming for Davenport Gap or a campsite just over the boundary of the park so they could camp, our time in the as Smokies is just about over.   So we were heading to Mount Cammerer which has a fire tower with a 360 degree view of the the Smokies. On the way there we passed through some awesome areas with spectacular views. We has beautiful sunny weather with minimal clouds and a slight breeze, it was getting warmer as we descended into the valley. We got to Mount Cammerer which actually was 1.2 additional miles to the twenty miles but it was worth, the views were gorgeous as a sea of mountains all the way to the horizon, it was a parting gift from the park.    We arrived at the shelter around five and Guppy and his friend were there along with Little Guy and Wild Child. The shelter was definitely interesting as there was a chain link fence across the front of the shelter instead of that tarps so it looked like we spending a night in jail. Only one more thru hiker came to the shelter that night, Fire Fox who few up on Long Island and instantly knew I was from there by my accent, who knew it would be so popular. There's a fireplace in the shelter so Guppy and Little Man got some firewood and made a fire that's burning through the night, perfect way to end the time here. Firefox said that Delaware, Gadget, Trucker and Atlas were cowboy camping at the Mount Cammerer fire tower, Yogi and I were disappointed we didn't do the same.   So on the final night in the Smokies, I spend the night in an empty shelter with a fire roaring and a beautiful night. The Smokies is a beautiful park that I recommend for all to visit. This was the first big event of the trail that I wanted to hike through and it's crazy that's it over already but there's still over 1,900 miles left and plenty to see so the adventures carries on.
Date: 2014-05-06
From: Hot Springs,NC

To: Rich Mountain Lookout Shelter
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Today felt so laid back and lazy today that the decision whether to take a zero day wasn't answered for most of the day. Guppy and Gamma Ray needed to pick some snacks up, we had about 5 days until the next resupply so we headed to the Dollar General, I picked a package of cooked bacon in a sealed pouch and two Powerades. I switch them out every town, they're usually else than a dollar each and the bottles are strong. We then continued our shopping at the outfitter where a bought a new fuel canister and water treatment drops. I think I'm going to switch to a mini Sawyer squeeze, it worked just as well as the drops and would be cheaper in the long run. While at the outfitter they had a pack scale and my bag is brimming with food that my pack is 38 pounds, the heaviest it's been all trip.    After sulking about my pack weight, we went to lunch at a restaurant, the food wasn't great and the waitress wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but we hung out there for awhile on the porch watching people walk by. The plan was to hike to a fire tower, it seemed to be the meeting sport for everyone.    After much procrastination,new heaved the packs on our backs and headed down the road. It was hot and the beginning of the trail was uphill so it was a sweaty, messy hike for awhile. Combined that with the fact that I walked into a sharp tree stump and gashed my leg open pretty good, it was a great start to the day. The cut should leave a good scar and maybe impress some of the ladies, I'm still waiting for the beard to grow in fully.    We walked for a while and hung out at a long for awhile. It was teeming with life with bullfrogs croaking in the reeds to the bass jumping out of the water. Guppy is an avid fisherman and found a stick with fishing line on it and also a lure so he almost caught a foot long bass but the lure got snagged. It was a somewhat strenuous hike but we finished the day in good time. We were planning on camping near the tower but it wasn't the prettiest of areas. A cell phone tower nearby and a dirt road nearby so locals came here and it showed as there was trash everywhere and the fire tower itself was in bad shape. We found a campsite not too far down the trail and cooked some dinner, it was getting late and I didn't expect to see the rest of the group. Eventually Trucker and Atlas showed up and later on Delaware and Gadget did as well. Apparently they got a job in town for a few hours so they hiked out late. So most of the group was together again, Yogi, Tim and James are ahead of us but shouldn't be too far ahead. Tomorrow we should be hitting the 300 mile mark which will be close, we're getting that much closer to Maine. It's getting late, time to eat some of this food and lighten my bag. I weighed myself at the outfitter and apparently lost a few pounds so that just means I need to eat more honey buns
Date: 2014-05-08
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Erwin,TN
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: clear sky

Unpredictability is a big part of thru hiking and today I got blindsided by it and still feeling it. It was a normal night, we stayed up a bit late and were kept up by a couple of owls squawking for awhile. Guppy and Gamma Goat left first and I waited around for Delaware but she didn't seem to be in a hurry to head out so I ventured out on my own.   The hike was nice and flat for a while going through old farm fields and a road so I was making some good time. I finally caught up to Guppy and Gamma Goat and they were talking about going into Erwin early and since I was pretty disappointed in Hot Springs, the idea seemed like a good one. I would be there in 3 days but for some reason it seemed like a good idea to go in now. So in the end Guppy, Gamma Goat, Tim, James, Grizzly and myself made the decision to head into town. We called a shuttle and we headed into Erwin. The drive was interesting, an older Southern gentleman drove us and had interesting stories such as getting into fights with black people in Birmingham, Alabama during the Civil Rights movement. He dropped us off at a nice hotel a few miles outside of Erwin, something he failed to tell us so we would need to find a ride into town. The hotel was super nice and pretty cheap plus they had a killer breakfast menu. We got two rooms and soon after we're itching to go eat so we asked the front desk and they gave us the number for Miss Janet, a famous trail angel who drives up and down the trail shuttling thru hikers to wherever they need to go,she's a really amazing lady. Since Erwin is a dry county, she drove us to the next county and left us at a Mexican restaurant where I had a beerarita and a quesadilla, it was heavenly. We stuffed ourselves and picked up some stuff from Walmart and the liquor store.    We ended up spending the night at the motel watching some playoff hockey. I found out that most of the group isn't planning to go back to where we got picked up and just get back on the trail in Erwin. I feel real conflicted at the moment, I planned out to hike the entire trail, see every blaze and now I'm faced with hiking the trail and leave the group or just enjoy the adventure and stay with the group. I need to come up with a decision,time to sleep on it.
Date: 2014-05-09
From: Erwin,TN

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

I ended up taking my first zero of the trip on my one month anniversary, it was unexpected but fun. We ended up back at the trail but decided to take a zero before hiking, we ended up taking a shuttle to a motel I the actual city of Erwin.    On a Friday night, there wasn't much going on in Erwin, actually it was a ghost town with no one walking around and all businesses closed before 8. Eventually after walking around for a hour, we found a China Buffet that let was BYOB so that was something different. We ended up back at the motel and we just hung out, I iced my ankle as it swelled up a bit but doesn't hurt. Something bit me a lot of times and all on my right leg so I think that had something to do with it. Back to the the trail tomorrow.
Date: 2014-05-10
From: Erwin,TN

To: Beauty Spot Gap
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

After going back and forth all night, I decided to stick with the group and yellow blaze the 30 miles from where we got picked up the other day. It's a decision that I'm not fully comfortable with and feel like it will bother me for a long time but at the same time it's done and I have to focus on the remaining part of the trail.    We were dropped off early to the trail and were ready to get back to it. We started hiking when we came upon a nice creek which had some trout in it so Guppy and Tim started fishing but it didn't have much success. We took a negative and turned it into a positive and gave up on the trout and when after the crawfish which were plentiful. We caught about 20 and boiled them up on someone's stove with some seasoning. It was a great day to start the day. We had a good pace and took a few long breaks but we eventually made it to Beauty Spot Gap which was a bald with great views so we camped there for the night, only disadvantage was the water was a half mile away.   Few people volunteered to go on a water run and came back but with no water, apparently there was some trail magic near the water source and we all invited. Homebrew and a few others hiked the trail the previous year and were out celebrating when they decided to make some trail magic near our campsite. He had burgers,hot dogs, beer and numerous unhealthy snacks. While having a beer, I saw Hikerboy who lives a few towns over from me and whom I met at the a Hiker Hostel the day before I started my hike. It was some great trail magic and even had some banjo playing but soon enough we all went back to camp and bunkered down in our tents as a storm passed through. Once it went away, we hung out and talked over the fire with the lights of the cities flickering in the valleys below. I missed the trail and was so happy to be back on it.
Date: 2014-05-11
From: Beauty Spot Gap

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there, the weather was beautiful down here and I hope it was wherever you live. I wished my mom a happy Mother's Day via text, I didn't have much luck with cell phone service. It was a slow morning with a later than usual start, we all slept in for a bit. It rained throughout the night and I must have not staked my tents as taught as I though and the bottom of my tent was a little wet as well as my sleeping bag but it held up like a champ.    We all started around the same time and followed each other in a loosely organized fashion, no one seemed to be in a hurry this morning. The whole skipping miles thing is still on my mind and bumming me out, I know I let some people down and let myself down so it was a black cloud hanging over my head in an otherwise sunny day. We got got the first shelter in good time and hung out for awhile, it was that kind of day.   At the last gap of the day, there was more trail magic (we're getting spoiled), Rob Birdman who used to run a hostel in Massachusetts was there with soda, fruit and snacks. There was about ten of us there and it was pretty quiet and the sun heated down on the asphalt and made everyone and hot and smelly mess, it was time to finish the last six miles of the day. I hiked solo for the last part, I just wanted to hike by myself for awhile and while list in thought, I finished the last 6 miles in a heartbeat. There was only one person at the shelter but I needed to dry out my tent so I went around back and picked one of the number of decent campsites there. It was about an hour before anyone showed and I got worried they went to the hostel that was off the trail or camped in one of the random campsites. It was good to see them at the shelter.    Trail Days is coming up this Friday and it seemed that's the subject of choice. Trail Days is a three day festival in Damascus, Virginia for thru hikers and former thru hikers and sounds like a plan. Still figuring the logistics out but it will be good to catch up with people I haven't seen for awhile, Delaware texted me the other day and seemed she's a day behind me so I'll most likely see her at Trail Days.
Date: 2014-05-12
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The ritual of the mornings is pretty set at this point. Guppy and Gamma Goat are up around 6-6:30 and have their set routine, something ingrained in them from their military days. The rest of us wake up around 7-7:30, we all hear each other move around and until the first zipper of the tent is pulled open, no one leaves their tent. We had a steep climb today right off the bat and it got hot real early.    Tim and I were in the front and hiked fast and quick. We got to the first shelter, Roan High Knob Shelter which just gave off a creepy vibe. Its a two story shelter and is the highest shelter on the AT, it also has an insane amount of flies buzzing around the area, the only positive was the spring was really cold and fresh, best water on the trail so far. Despite the negatives the place had, we had a long lunch and stayed there for about an hour and half. We had about 7 miles left and most of it was downhill so we weren't too worried.    The next portion was through Carvers Gap which has a really beautiful park with great views of the mountains all around. It's all interesting hiking on part if the trail that has a lot of day hikers on it as well. Everyone was real friendly to us and one guy asked if we were thru hikers and when we said yes, he took out a bag of chocolates specifically for thru hikers and gave us some, it was a really nice gesture. When we got to the she get before the one we were staying at, the sky was darkening up and thunder began to rumble. It was only two miles away and downhill so we went for it.   We did those two miles in record time and the the rain began to fall when we got for the approach trail to the shelter. We started jogging down the hill towards the shelter, getting some water along the way for dinner. The Overmountan Shelter is an old converted barn that has been turned into a shelter. It's two stories and holds 20 people with the whole second floor open and the first floor having an porch with room for hikers to sleep with a view looking out over the mountains. It's by far the best shelter so far. When we got there Guppy and a Gamma Goat were already there and soon enough it started to fill up. There's a hiker here who has been sick and has link eye so he keeping himself away from everyone. This norovirus has been popping up recently in areas around us so people are a little skittish,it has the potential to knock you off the trail. The rain tapered off for a bit and we sat there enjoying the view and eating dinner.    There's a nice cool breeze filtering in lightning illuminating the sky in the valley. This made me realize why I'm out here and not to take anything for granted. This is why I love it out here.