morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-05-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 1.0

An almost zero day again today as we wait for Timex to see the dentist on Monday. I hiked south on the AT in the rain looking for Granma Lala and sure enough there she was hiking down the hill with Denise. She looked at me and said "Annie?," recognizing me from the photos we'd exchanged by email. So now there are five of the Bandana Bunch in Hot Springs. It looks like we're going to head out tomorrow. I'm definitely ready! This has been a practice, yet again, in patience and flexibility. I'm rooming with Sabra, a great chance to get to know her. Breakfast at Elmer's was waffles with apple syrup. Yum! Thunderstorms are predicted for today so I'm lying low. Great chance to finish reading my backcountry first aid book (but of course I won't need it!). The outfitter here is terrific, complete with ATM and this internet access. Hikers, hikers everywhere. Erwin, here we come!
Date: 2004-05-04
From: Hot Springs

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

An absolutely perfect first day on the AT! After a great breakfast at Elmer's we said goodbye to Granma Lala (Laura) at the hotel. She's decided to yellow blaze to Erwin with Denise, maybe hike to Damascus and then get off the trail. I felt sad to say goodbye to her, having just met, but completely respect her decision.After one last stop at the outfitters, Timex, Bear Bait, Sabra and I set out about 10:00 am. The trail runs through Hot Springs, over then bridge, then takes an abrupt right turn over the guard rail. Sabra was concerned about the poison ivy; we all tried to avoid it as we walked down to the river. After a lovely stroll next to the French Broad river, the trail ascended steeply with a series of switchbacks for about a mile, then became a more gentle climb. Very shortly the differences in our paces created an increasing gap as Timex and I moved ahead and Sabra and Bear Bait kept their slower pace. It was a spectacularly beautiful day--sunny and clear with temps in the 60's. Perfect hiking weather. I felt like I was hiking in a beautiful garden all day--trillium, violets, huge rhododendrons, irises and many others I dont' know. We arrived at the shelter about 6:00 pm. The shelter's surrounded by trillium. Sesame Thai noodles for supper with hot cocoa/protein drink. Yum! It's dusk now. The owls are starting to hoot. My tent is calling me to bed.
Date: 2004-05-05
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night we had a small campfire as we watched the almost ful moon rise and saw the twinkling lights of a town down below. A mostly overcast day today with temps in the 60's and low 70's--another good hiking day. Down to Allen Gap then up and up and up, a long steady climb. We left about 8:15 am, arrived 2:00 pm. We seem to average 1.5 miles per hour. Walked through huge rhododendron tunnels again today--truly amazing. Spring Mountain shelter was surrounded by acres of trillium. I so wish Lucie could see them. The water from the springs is cool, clear and sweet. There are nasty "gnats" that bear an uncanny resemblance to Maine's black flies. Ugh! I'm gratful to be hiking with Timex. Sabra and Bear Bait caught up to us, arriving at the shelter at supper time
Date: 2004-05-06
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: scattered clouds

I woke up at 6:30, left just after 7:30 ahead of the others. I wanted to beat the day's heat some. As I was walking through a beautiful garden-like section with bird songs all around, I heard a whistling tune, "Over the Rainbow" behind me. A couple at the shelter last night recognized me as they approached. I replied "That's my theme song!" The day was warm and hazy with beautiful views. I arrived at the cliffs and was taking a break when Dr. Space Monkey 5000 caught up with me from the shelter. I asked him if he'd hike with me down the rocky trail since I'd heard there were some sections that were quite steep. He graciously stayed with me as we both climbed down, not as difficult as I had thought it might be. I then explained about the fall I took last November and that I didn't want to be alone when facing a steep rocky descent which he understood. As I was taking a long break at Jerry's Shelter (complete with a small picture of Jerry Garcia!) the rest of the Bunch caught up to me so I stayed a total of 1 1/2 hours. We arrived at Flint Mtn. Shelter about 6:00 pm, tired and sore after a nearly 13 mile day including a very steep 1000 foot downhill stretch near the end. I'm feeling a bit better after Ramen noodles and cocoa/protein drink. Life is good!
Date: 2004-05-07
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Low Gap campsite
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: clear sky

7:00 am. The many bird sounds are so wonderful, even if I can't identify them. I can hear the nearby stream and a faraway jet, one of the ever present reminders tha civilization is nearby. I kept the partial fly of my tent open last night so I was able to see the stars blinking down at me through the rhododendron leaves. I have so much respect and admiration for Yola, a woman with 5 grown children who started solo hiking March 15th weighing 300 pounds. She's lost 50 pounds and is still persevering. She covered the same 13 miles we did yesterday but arrived at the shelter at 9:45 pm with her headlamp shining. What an amazing woman!Another warm, sunny beautiful day. The Bunch wanted to sleep late this morning. Timex got up at 7:00 just as I was waking up. I was ready to go at 8:30 so told them I'd see them at the next shelter. After hiking for a half hour I stopped to stretch and unzip my pant legs, balancing my pack on a rock. As I stretched I heard a sound behind me, turned in time to wach my pack tumble off the rock and down the hillside out of sight. It took a bit to climb down the steep embankment and retrieve it, but all's well now. When I unzipped my pant legs I noticed the poison ivy rash on the back of my right thigh was MUCH worse--oozing and dripping down the back of my leg. As I hiked I debated what I should do and gradually decided to continue hiking to Low Gap so I could get to Erwin in 3 days instead of four. It was a beautiful hike with countless wildflowers and a beautiful waterfall. I arrived at a small bald (after Sam's Gap) at 6:00, then at the campsite at 7:15. Pretty good for an almost 15 mile day. After all my camp chores, I hung my food from a sapling, ate, washed dishes as it got dark and finally got into my sleeping bag after 9:00, again watching the stars up through the leafless trees.
Date: 2004-05-08
From: Low Gap campsite

To: Spivey Gap to Erwin
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: clear sky

Up at 6:30. I planned to hike up Big Bald (5516 ft.) this am so ate a protein bar for breakfast so I'm not doing an aerobic hike uphill with a granola-filled tummy.It was a long uphill to the Bald with great rewards of "spectacular 360 degree views" as the books say. I arrived at 10:30 and stayed for an hour while I soaked up the views, the sunshine, ate my granola, and chatted with a couple of hikers. I could see Roan Mtn. up ahead and glory all around. It's amazing to realize that this bald, with a fairly gentle climb is higher than Katahdin. It couldn't be a better day to be on top of a bald. The afternoon hike was up and down, getting very warm, possibly 80. The heat and whatever seemed to drain me more than yesterday but I kept on. I had hoped to make it to the next shelter, but felt spent so decided to stop at Spivey Gap. A day hiker gave me a tip of a sort of hidden camp site off the trail. I got there and began to pitch my tent as it started to rain, then huge thunder and lightening. I lay in my tent counting the time between thunder and lightening, realizing it was fairly close but grateful to be down in a valley and as safe a I could be. But when I looked at the poison ivy rash on the back of my thigh I saw it was very inflamed and swollen and realized I really needed medical treatment now and it couldn't wait till tomorrow. So as the rain let up some I packed everything up and went back down to the road to find a gentleman waiting there for his son to return from a day hike. His wife had taken two hikers into town so we waited for her to return, then they took me to Miss Janet's House hostel. I was so grateful. Polly and Timex were there to greet me. Timex had come in from Sam's Gap to get treatment for her black fly bites. I've never been so glad to take a shower and put on clean hostel clothes. I then got a ride to the hospital at 9:00 pm where the doctor told me I have cellulitis. He considered admitting me for IV antibiotic therapy, but decided since I'm a nurse he could trust me to take care of myself and return for a checkup tomorrow. After cleaning and dressing the site I was given prednisone, an antibiotic and prescriptions to get filled tomorrow for prednisone, antibiotic, zyrtec, and cimetatine. Wow! I'm not so pleased about the heavy duty meds, but it beats being in the hospital. So tomorrow's a zero day with a recheck at the hospital.
Date: 2004-05-09
From: Spivey Gap to Erwin

To: Erwin, Miss Janet's
Miles today: 0.0

The doctor told me to not hike for a day or so and to stay clean, so I took a zero day at Miss Janet's House, a hostel filled to brimming with hikers. Large group breakfast in the back yard with lots of people and Miss Janet in attendance. Lots of fun to see familiar faces and new ones. It's a bit chaotic but warm and loving. And I was so happy to read my daughter Kate's wonderful Mother's Day card. I really waited till today, Kate! You're the best daughter!!! I walked to the local CVS to fill my four prescriptions and was able to get my digital photos processed to CD's to send home and to brother Dave to put on the journal. Erwin is a small Tennessee town with many small homes with porches and gardens, quite pleasant with the exception of the moment when I was walking to the drug store and an angry growling voice called out from a car "Hiker" with the venom of someone who was yelling "nigger" or "fag." It made me realize that locals have very mixed feelings about hikers coming through their towns and that hate-filled people can find any reason for hating someone who threatens them because they're perceived as "different." I went back to the emergency room for a recheck and got the go ahead to slack pack tomorrow as long as I keep the cellulitis protected and clean. Nice small hospital. It's so ironic that after all I've done to prepare myself for this hike by healing and training that the first thing that happens to me is a trip to the ER for poison ivy! Who would have guessed? Miss Janet is full of friendly conversation and helpful information. She'll shuttle me back to Spivey Gap tomorrow so I can slack pack 10 miles back to town. Polly and I walked to the grocery to get salad and frozen pizza for supper, cooked it and ate a very pleasant supper. Nice to phone home and family. I'm glad to have a bunk. There are people sleeping on the floor and sofas. The weather prediction is for 40 to 50% chance of rain for the next week or so. Could be interesting.
Date: 2004-05-10
From: Spivey Gap 

To: Erwin, Miss Janet's
Miles today: 11.2

A delightful day slackpacking from Spivy Gap back to Erwin. I was shuttled to the trailhead at Spivy Gap after breakfast, started hiking just before 11:00 am. Another warm, rather humid day with a half hour afternoon shower with rumbling thunder in the distance but nothing too threatening. I was alone all day, which I really enjoyed. Such a contrast from Miss Janet's House with so many hikers around. It took me a while to adjust back to the quiet of the trail, listening to the birds and enjoying walking along the side of the mountains through rhododendron tunnels again, past hemlock groves. And then walking up to ridgelines where I could see the Nolichucky River down below and Erwin off in the distance. I felt like I was home again in Maine when I found moss, lichen, and wild blueberries nestled among hemlock and spruce on top of the ridge. I returned to the river about 4:20 and waited under the pavillion until the shuttle guys returned an hour later. Back to the hostel for a hot shower to clean up the cellulitis site; I am so grateful to be here and be able to get clean. I plan on doing another slack pack tomorrow so I can keep the site clean one more day.
Date: 2004-05-11
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Erwin, Miss Janet's
Miles today: 8.3

Summertime and the slackin' is easy! I got a shuttle today to Indian Grave Gap and had a delightful mostly downhill slack pack heading north to south. I'm beginning to learn what a close community these AT hikes are. I met up with a delightful couple, Mother Nature and Smokestack, who I had sat next to at the restaurant the first night I was in Hot Springs. They greet me and immediately asked "How's the poison ivy?" Word travels quickly up and down the trail! I saw a number of other people, some who've been staying at the hostel and others I've met at shelters or othe places and it's beginning to feel very friendly and comfortable along the trail. I also met up with a beautiful long black snake, a yellow-tipped turtle, and a bright red salamander as I walked among the rhododendrons and tall trees today. It was very warm and humid, the lower parts with the large rhododendron leaves felt very jungle-like. Then I came back into town and went into a massive poison-ivy clean-up. I took my sleeping bag to the laundromat to put in the front-loading washer, washed my tent and the rest of my clothes. So I'm ready to hit the trail again tomorrow, ivy free! The slack packing has been a good compromise to keep hiking while keeping the poison ivy site clean and dry. But it's back to higher ground tomorrow!
Date: 2004-05-12
From: Erwin, Miss Janet's

To: Greasy Creek Friendly
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: light rain

Greetings from the Greasy Creek Friendly which they named so there'd be no confusion with hostel/hostile. Wicked (as in Wicked Good) shuttled me back to the Indian Grave Gap trailhead early this morning. Thanks, Wicked, for all the great shuttling you did for me the last three days! He's going to Trail Days this weekend and hopes to get a ride west to start hiking the PCT. Go Wicked! I started hiking about 7:30 am, arrived at the Greasy Creek Gap at 4:15 pm, not too bad for my second week of hiking! I wanted to come here just so I could get one more shower to keep clean. The day was absolutely lovely, walking through diverse ecosystems from the grassy bald at Beauty Spot where Flash Hand (who's hearing impaired) had spent the night and was just packing up as I arrived at 9:00 am, to a thick pine grove, to ferns and hemlock, to tall deciduous trees with again multitudes of trillium. I chatted with trail friends along the way, but also had long episodes of solitude which was lovely. When I arrived at the hostel, Larry showed me to my room, explaining that another lady was staying there too. After a minute or two I realized I recognized the sleeping bag on the bed, then the pack and the jacket. It's Timex's stuff! She and Larry's wife, Connie, had gone into town and are expected back later. She's apparently going to take a zero tomorrow and then yellow blaze to the Apple House Shelter on Friday to meet her husband. I'll keep on hiking, going up and over Roan Mountain tomorrow. I've been invited to join these friendly folks for supper, which will be nice. I've showered and watched the latest atrocities in Iraq on the news. It's so hard to believe human beings could treat each other so badly. I think I'll just stay on the trail and away from "the real world."
Date: 2004-05-13
From: Greasy Creek Friendly

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke at 6:00 a.m. and was ready to leave the hostel at 7:15 a.m., hoping to be up and over Roan before the afternoon showers arrived. I felt sad saying goodbye to Timex; I hope we see each other soon. She's going to yellow blaze north a ways and meet up with her husband Myron on Friday.A couple of minutes after I started hiking, I noticed a couple of large animals running in the woods to my left. I could only catch glimpses of them, but one looked like a dog and the other perhaps a large fox. I felt a bit frightened, wondering what I would do if they approached, but they were more interested in each other than in me.I reached the Gap and resumed my hike on the AT, grateful for another day to hike. I love the feeling of moving my body all day, and today was a real workout, climbing over 2000 feet in elevation up Roan Mountain. As I climbed higher and higher, the landscape became steeper and rockier and the ecosystem was dominated by sweet smelling spruce. Lorax passed me on the way up and chatted a bit, sharing that he had worked at Madison Hut in the Whites last summer. I told him later that I felt as though Scotty of Star Trek fame had transported us to NH and Maine. I arrived at the shelter at 2:00 p.m. It used to be a ranger station so it has four walls and a loft. The mountain was cloud-bound with no visibility. But the cozy shelter and the spruces beckon me to stay the night at the shelter at the highest elevation on the AT. An hour later Mother Nature and Smokestack arrived and decided to stay as well. After I cooked my supper, five others showed up, so it will be a livelier night than I'd expected. I'm sleeping in the loft!
Date: 2004-05-14
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Apple House Shelter
Miles today: 14.7

What a spectacular day! I awoke at 6:00 with Roan Mountain still in the clouds. The trail descended Roan and the clouds continued to hover, but the further down I went the sunnier it got until the day was a mix of sun and threatening dark clouds that only showered a bit. I stopped for an hour's lunch break at Overmountain Shelter, soaking up the pastoral beauty of the hills and valley spread out below me, It must be one of the most idyllic sites on the AT. A Forest Service person and a person from the Nature Conservancy stopped by and chatted a bit. I left a bit after 12:00, heading uphill. It began to look like it might rain so I hiked quickly up Little Hump Mountain. At Bradley Gap I ran into the two men I'd seen at the shelter. The Conservancy gentleman said they're trying to negotiate with the owners of the land around Hump Mountain to protect it. I thanked him for his efforts.I kept moving up Hump Mountain, snacking on dried pineapple for energy. The views going up and at the top were spectacularly beautiful. I raised my arms heavenward, praying simply, "Thank you. Thank you for this life, this love, this beauty, this incredible opportunity to be here. Thank you for a second chance. Thank you." The views coming down Hump Mountain were equally awe-inspiring. And then I reentered the woods and the many miles of down, down, down through rhododendron groves, hemlock forests, over countless rocks and roots and around many switchbacks until I arrived at Apple House Shelter to find Timex sitting on the stoop reading a book! I cleaned up a bit, pitched my tent, ate supper and was just cleaning up when John and Mary arived at the end of a more than twenty mile day up and over Roan! A while later Jojo Hiker arrived, having done the same. These folks are incredible! Now I'm in my cozy tent next to the stream who will sing me her sweet song all night. "I've got peace like a river..."
Date: 2004-05-15
From: Apple House Shelter

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

What a great way to celebrate Trail Days: a day of hiking on the AT. Today was a long woodland walk through diverse forests. I said a sad goodbye to Timex who is waiting for her husband Myron and son Chris to arrive today to hike with her. The Bandanna Bunch all have different hiking styles and speeds so we're now spread out along the trail.As usual, it was a steep climb up out of the gap, rewarded by lovely views up above. At 10:00 a.m., I encountered John and Mary, who had been at the shelter last night and left a while before me. I joined them for a morning snack break when several trail maintainers approached. They explained that the AT was rerouted two years ago, adding four miles and now passing near a waterfall and a river. So the day's hike was a lovely meandering through the woods. I stopped at Laurel Fork just after 3:00 p.m. and soaked my legs in the cool, quickly moving stream.I knew it was going to be a long day -- eighteen miles, my longest yet. By 4:00, I was getting tired, but I kept plodding along. Around 5:15 I heard a giant clap of thunder. A short while later I heard on my little radio that the National Weather Service had issued a thunder storm warning, telling people to get indoors because extremely high winds were predicted that would cause falling tree branches "the size of your arm". As the thunder continued to grumble in the distance, I tried to keep going as fast as I could, saying little prayers that the storm would pass me by. I was so relieved when I came down a steep hill and saw the shelter just ahead. John and Mary were there along with Delta, who'd passed me earlier. Sixty-five arrived just after I did. So here we are, the five of us, getting snug in our sleeping bags after a warm meal.
Date: 2004-05-16
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Kincora Hostel, Hampton
Miles today: 6.1

Awoke at 6:00 a.m.,out just after 7:00 with the sun just starting to climb above the hills. Last night's storm blew through leaving the air cool and dry. I hiked for an hour and a half up and down a ridgeline with the sun shining then descended into a deep forest glen between the mountains. The air became warm and humid so that I felt like I was strolling through a tropical jungle of huge, tall trees, lush ferns, and rolling streams cascading downhill. I sang "Morning Has Broken", knowing that my church friends were gathered at that moment. I arrived at the Kincora Hostel just before 10:30. A shower and laundry return me to humanity. A short mileage day to balance the eighteen miles of yesterday. I'm content to sit on the porch swing and watch the afternoon pass while I chat with the people coming and going. I spent a quiet afternoon at the hostel. Golden Sun, a former thru-hiker and now beaming mom-to-be, generously shuttled Jojo Hiker an I into town for groceries and a drive-thru stop at Arby's. Star ___, one of the Garland 5, a family hiking the AT, came along as well. I chatted later with her mom, Clothesline, who was doing laundry while the others worked on the work detail. Bob and Pat Peoples, who run the hostel, had organized "Hard Core," recruiting 75 volunteers at Trail Days to do two days of trail maintaining work. Around supper it began to rain hard. I stood on the porch and watched it pour, grateful to be under a roof. A while later the Hard Core folks descended on the hostel, dozens of them seeking refuge from the rain and hungry after a hard day of work. It was fun to see people again I'd met earlier on the trail. The hostel became packed with people. I retreated to my bunk, organized my food and pack for the next day and read a magazine until I went to bed at 9:00.