morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-03-17
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter 

To: Icewater Springs Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: overcast clouds

I tossed and turned all night then got up at 730am. The fire in the shelter keep it in the 30's. I had oatmeal and hot chocolate for breakfast. Early Riser was up and on the trail before 800am. before he left he showed me a gash on his forehead. he said he was going to the privy and there was a downed tree over the trail, he went to duck under it but he didn't duck low enough. he said he'd be alright and took off up the trail. I packed up my gear and left by 900am. I did stretch today and I felt better for it. I stopped at Clingsman Dome, and checked my blisters, threw away my trash in the trash bin, and had a snack. there is a tall tower i climbed to the top to take pictures. It was a very clear day and i got some good picture. there was a 360 degree view of were I've been and were I'm going. I got cell reception up there so I called Liz. It was nice to talk to her, I miss her everyday. After I was done talking to Liz I headed off to Newfound Gap for lunch. Newfound is a heavy tourist place. Lots of cars and lots of people. I never had to share the trail with so many people since I've been on the trail. I got to Icewater Shelter in no time at all. picked out a spot and ate dinner. A hiker there said early riser stopped in to eat then decided to hit the next shelter 8 miles away. Too rich for my blood. I'm staying at Icewater. For some reason I feel really tired today and I think I'm going to hit the sack early. A few more hiker just came in and I think there going to build a fire. Hopefully it will say warm in the shelter. All in all i can't wait to get out of the Smoky's. goodnight.
Date: 2008-03-18
From: Icewater Springs Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 27.4
Weather: overcast clouds

I just heard from Liz this morning that Kanati, due to shin splints, will be taking 1 - 2 weeks off to recover. It would be really nice if everyone would go over to his trail journal guest book (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=7083) and wish him a speedy recover so he can get back on the trail and finish what he started. That being said , I'm going to miss him and I hope we can meet up before Maine. Fester and I got up earlier than usual today because we have a big day ahead of us. Our plan was to get to Cosby Knob shelter and stay there the night, but plans change. The weather was awful. The mist was condensing like rain and so thick you couldn't see anything. The wind gust were so high that I nearly was blown off the mountain. When Fester and I got to Tri-corner Knob shelter we decided we were going to push to Davenport Gap Shelter. We made it there around 730pm and I was exhausted. My legs felt like jello so I stretched really well then set up for bed. I wasn't hungry but I forced down some food, what ever I didn't have to cook. Then I took some ibuprofen and hit the sack. It was fairly warm in the shelter and I slept half out of my bag. I didn't care if there were mice. I was tired. Kanati food tributeKanati special - crunchy peanut butter, raisins, honey and bread squished down flatChocoatmeal - handful of dry oatmeal with hot chocolate mix on top. Put that in your mouth and wash it back with some water.Poncho gator aide - stretch out you Poncho into a bowl, catch the rain water, then put a little gator aide mix in and there you have it. a nice refreshing drink.
Date: 2008-03-19
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farms
Miles today: 3.3
Weather: light rain

I got up this morning still feeling the effects of yesterdays big day. I had some oatmeal and hot chocolate for breakfast, stretched out and made my way up the trail. Fester and I decided that after yesterday we would take a nero and stay at Standing Bear Farms. On the way there we walked under I-40. This is the first time we crossed an interstate highway. We got to Standing Bear just as the rain started, lucky for us. The owner was really nice, he showed us around then left us to settle in. First I washed clothes. They had the old time wash tub, the ones were you use the was board to wash by hand and the crank wringer. It took me 20 minutes to wash my handful of clothes. Thankfully they had an electric dryer or it would have taken forever to dry. They had a food supply house so I stocked up on some food and bought a Pepsi and a Digorno's pizza. Fester and I shared the pizza and I had a few other snacks. A little later the owner took us on a beer run. Later on we just sat around shooting the breeze and swapping stores. a few other people showed up, some kids on spring break and a thru hiker from NY. All in all it was a lazy day. I ended up eating 5 hot dogs for dinner and went to bed a happy hiker.
Date: 2008-03-20
From: Standing Bear Farms

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: few clouds

Last night was quite interest. A guy named Privy Monster, who we had meet the day before, and had went on the beer run with us the other day. Well he had quite a few beers last night and found a guitar in the bunkhouse and proceed to play it at 1130pm. We were all sleeping and even though he was in the kitchen located in the next building over, we all could hear him. I can't remember the song he was singing but it was funny. I wish I got to my camera faster so I could record it. Anyway, we got out of there around 1030am and headed off up the hill. we walk through, what I called "Dead Tree Hill". It was full of dead trees. some had fell and other waiting to fall. About the time we hiked through, the wind picks up and you can hear tree branches falling close by. I was glad to get out of there. I'm more afraid of getting hit by a tree than I am of getting attacked by a bear. It was a big uphill hike to the top of Snowbird Mtn, but it had a beautiful view so I didn't mind once I got up there. The next beautiful view was Max Patch. Even though it was extremely windy I managed to get some great pictures. After that it was only a few miles to Roaring Fork Shelter. When we got there it was getting cold so we made some dinner and quickly jumped in the sleeping bags to stay warm. A little later some guys we meet at Standing Bear, the one's on spring break, showed up. I stayed in my bag trying to get warm for the rest of the night. It was going to be a cold night.
Date: 2008-03-21
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night was an other interesting night. About 200am one of the guys in the shelter got up and started barfing over the side of the shelter, right next to my head. I quickly got up and asked if he was ok. He said no. By then everyone was up and we asked if he drank unfiltered water. He said yes. So we thought the best thing for him to do is to get it all up, and he did all night. In the morning we found out that he ate week old open tuna in a pouch. After he said that we gave him the trail name Bad Tuna. We left at 930am, and filled up on water on the way out, being sure to filter. Fester and I put in some miles today there wasn't much to see so we just pushed on through to Hot Springs. The trail runs right down Main St of Hot Springs, so we just followed it down until we found the Pub. Our plan was to get something to eat then head back to the edge of town to camp, but on the way to the Pub I hear someone yell "Hey Stovie". I look back in the Pub parking lot and I see Toddy Bear, one of the original Deutschmark team members, sitting on the tail gate of a pickup truck, drinks some beer with Night Terror. Night Terror started the trail a little before us but he fits in with our group just fine. They said that they had been drinking since 100pm and it was now 600pm. They also said they asked the owner of the bar if he had a radio they could listen to. The owner said yeah and came back with his pick-up truck, parked it and turned on the radio and said they could use it to drive around town if they wanted. Since they were drinking they decided that wasn't such a good idea. So we talked for a while and caught up on what each other was doing. Toddy Bear said that Bad Humus was around somewhere and he would be excited to see us, and he we was. He showed up a little while later and he was happy to see the team coming back together. We talked about Kanati, and we hoped that we would get to see him again. We all ended up walking over to the Pub for dinner. We talked about what seemed like old time and had a good time doing it. Toddy Bear offered us a spot on the floor at the hotel he was staying at. We gladly accepted and called it a night. We put on a DVD of Pirates of the Caribbean and I was out in ten minutes. That was a good ending to a long day.
Date: 2008-03-22
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I would like to tell you about a little known creature out on the trail. It¢s a sneaky, devious, and cunning creature known as the underpants gnome. They do many things to distract you and steal you underpants when you¢re not looking. For example, when your hiking along with your trekking pole and one gets stuck in the ground, you better keep grip on your underpants because that when one gnome grabs your pole while the other steals your underpants. I'm not lying. I've seen it happen to many times. The gnomes also cut down trees to fall on the trail, this way you have to climb over them or even take off you pack to get under them.   This is when they strike. You take off your pack throw it under the downed tree, you bend over to go under the tree and BAM, your underpants are gone and you don't even know it until you¢re at your next shelter. Too many poor AT hiker have had to go commando because of these gnomes. Once I was almost a victim myself. Rain had turned to ice on the trees and it was fairly thick on some trees. All of a sudden I hear the ice raining down through the trees so I did the duck and cover maneuver. Before I knew it my underpants were around my ankles, I had caught them in the midst of there thievery. They were my good underpants and I¢m glad they didn't get them. I don't know why they steal underpants. Some say they sell them on eBay. I¢ve heard they make clothes out of them. I think its just some sick fetish. But what I know for sure is they are real, I've seen them, well sort of. You can't see them in there live form because when you gaze upon them they turn to stone. Like those little garden gnomes you see in front of peoples homes. One time they turned the sign for water to point another direction, a little way through the wood I realized I'd been tricked and I looked down real quick and they were. I was surrounded by gnomes. They had all turned to stone and I nearly panicked, but luckily I was able to keep my cool. First I checked to see if they got my underpants, which is hard to do without taking your eyes off them. Yes! They were still there. I backed out slowly still keeping my eyes on them and made it back to the trail. For some reason they are less likely to ambush you on the trail as long as you¢re not distracted. Unless there's an underpants drought, then I think all bets are off. There have been some close calls but being focused and aware of there tricks is half the battle. Stay in groups, there less likely to attack then. Never be lured off the trail, they have greater numbers the deeper you go into the woods, and use common sense when your out on the trail. You never know when the underpants gnomes are watching.
Date: 2008-03-23
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Allen Gap
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: broken clouds

Yesterday I did a zero day at the Sunnybank Inn. It was a nice place and I got a good vegetarian meal. Ran a few errands, got new shoes and did laundry. Today I got up, checked my blisters, they seem to be getting better, and packed up my stuff and hit the diner for breakfast. At the diner I ordered what I thought was a regular size meal called the skillet. But when they came out with it, the breakfast was huge. The waitress said there was a disclaimer on the meal. If you don't finish, you have to stay and wash dished until the end of her shift, 500pm. Needless to say I finished the whole thing and I was stuffed to the gills. On the way out of town I stopped by the outfitter and checked the weather. A couple of cold nights but over all nice weather. Then Fester and I left for our next destination. Originally we were heading for Little Laurel shelter but at Allen Gap, around 430pm, we see a sign that says "Trail Magic" and we followed the directions on the sign. We got to this beautiful log cabin and a nice married couple, John and Jodie, greeted us. They quickly invited us in and handed us a menu of things to eat and drink. I had a coke, breakfast casserole, pecan Belgian waffle, and a brownie sundae. Fester ate about the same except he had a Cuban dish after the waffles and this specialty desert I never heard of. They had thru hiked the trail in '99 and they have been doing this trail magic since 2002 ( I think). They have pictures of all the hikers that come through there and they have them write something in a registry book. It was cool to see who was in front of us. Some hikers I have met and other I haven't. We had a good time there and I got some pictures of there home. They have dog named Heidi and she's half golden retriever, half poodle. I recorded video of her playing soccer. We left there at 830pm, it was dark so we put on our head lamp and headed up the trail to find a good camping spot. We found a half decent spot pitched our tents, hung our food and called it a night.
Date: 2008-03-25
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Staying in town again today. We moved to the Super 8 Motel and we are staying in Room 111. Weird coincidence. I be back to edit this page later. Maybe you'll get another trail stories. Give me some feed back on the guestbook. If you guy like it I'll keep posting them.Last night we stayed at the best Southern Hotel. I got some weird bug bites on my feet last night (I think they were bed bugs). We had pizza last night so I finished that for breakfast, then we check out and headed for town. We stop at the Super 8 to check in, then I went to Walgreen's to get batteries for my steripen (sterilizes water with UV light). I walked around town for awhile. I took a picture of myself under one of the street signs. then at 330pm we hit the Sonic for half price drinks and at 500pm we got half price burgers. I got 4 burgers and a chili cheese wrap. I was full but we got ice cream at Walgreen's to take back the hotel. Then we watched Jeopardy and ate ice cream.
Date: 2008-03-26
From: Erwin, TN

To: Cherry Gap shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: scattered clouds

I got up at 730am and hopped in the shower. It was really hot and I didn't want to get out. After that I went down the lobby to get breakfast. Then we hung out waiting for a ride to the trail. We finally got a ride at 1100am and we were drop off in front of a hostel. We saw a hiker we met at hot springs named Other Jake and another hiker, named Launch Pad. I meet him in New York at the local outfitter. He actually sold me the back pack I'm wearing. We talked a bit and Fester and I left at 1145am to hit the trail. About an hour later we hit curly maple shelter and had lunch. Launch Pad showed up a little while later and we talk to him again. Then we busted out our big boy shoes so we can get to the next shelter 12.7 miles away. there was a lot of uphills but they were broken up with some flat sections in between. We made it to Cherry Gap shelter at 600pm. Pretty good time. I fixed chicken and rice and had a caramelo for desert. After that I set up my bed, hung my bear bag and brushed me teeth. Pretty easy day . I hope tomorrows the same.
Date: 2008-03-27
From: Cherry Gap shelter

To: Carvers Gap
Miles today: 16.7

Temp: 55I got up at 730am this morning. It wasn't to bad of a sleep last night but there were two hike that snored. Two guy set up mouse traps and caught 3 last night. Oatmeal and carnation's for breakfast, then hit the trail at 900am. Fester left a few minutes after me. We meet up at the next shelter for lunch. I had two bagels with peanut butter and honey with two grandma cookies to top it off. Water has been sparse on the trail. I went 150 meters down a blue blaze for water only to find that it was a stagnant pool, with kermit the frog living in it. I don't like using my steripen on stagnant water. I feel better when the water is moving. I thought I was going to have to huff-it 5 miles to the next watering hole but Fester offered to pump some water for me using his filter. I was grateful. We took off at 130pm and were dreading the climb ahead. After Hughes Gap we climbed 2200 feet over 3 miles. About quarter of the way up I saw a man napping in a field to the left of the trail. I didn't disturb him I just kept hiking. At about half way up I ran out of water. I saw on the map that there was water 150 meters down a blue blaze, yeah right more like 300 meters. This one had a tiny trickle but I managed to get water. Well I finally got to the top of Roan Mountain. That was a rough climb and I'm glad its behind me. I stopped at the shelter, got some water at another sorry excuse for a water hole , and headed down to carvers gap. We read that there was a good water source and bathrooms there. We got there and set up camp. Fester found a great water source and I was happy to see that. We ate dinner, brushed our teeth, said a prayer and hit the sack. It nice to be in a warm sleeping bag.
Date: 2008-03-28
From: Carvers Gap

To: Mountain Harbour B&B
Miles today: 13.7

It was a little breezy last night. I slept ok, but it was hot in the sleeping bag and when I unzipped it to get air it got too cold. It was just one of those nights. I made oatmeal and carnation's again and filled up on water. I left about 930am. Fester said he had to tape up some hot spot and he would catch up. It was a bit of a climb to the next shelter. We went over 3 hills, every time I was half way up the hill I would look back and see Fester in a distance, each time getting closer. By the time we got to the shelter he had caught up. I asked him if he was using the same wind as me. ( Princess Bride reference) The next shelter was about 2 mile ahead. It's an old barn converted into a shelter. I didn't stop there but I did get pictures from the top of the hill. The climb over Little Hump & Hump Mtn was nasty. If it wasn't for the wind and driving rain it would have been a nice climb. I was happy to get over those mountains and out of the wind and rain. We stopped at Apple shelter for a late lunch then headed for the hostel to pick up my package. When we got to the road, we stashed our packs and walked down the road to the hostel. I picked up my package and then headed back up to a little grocery store to resupply. We were going to go up the trail to camp, but we heard it was going to rain tonight, and I hate packing up a wet tent, so we made an executive decision to say at the hostel. About 600pm we dropped our pack at the hostel, got situated and went down the road to the diner and got here at 730pm. I had a bacon cheese burger with fries and a chili cheese dog with chip and the sweetest ice tea since Bojangles. Fester had a steak burger with onion ring and a bowl of chili. He finished it off with a piece of butterscotch pie. While we were eating a band was practicing. They played some classic rock like, sweet home Alabama and Rolling on the river. After that we saw a place called The Beer Wash. Its an old car wash converted into a store that sells beer. We went in to check it out. There was a wall of fridges stocked with beer and they had Southpaw. I haven't had Southpaw since I lived in South Carolina, so I bought a six pack. I wish I brought my camera, I have to remember to take it were ever I go. I never know when something cool is going to happen. By the time we started heading back it was dark, and it was a little scary walking on the side of the road, but we made it back. At the hostel we put in the movie Billy Madison and had a few beers. After that we listened to Delilah on the radio and packed up our resupplies. It did start raining after we got back from the diner. I'm glad I didn't have to tent in that.
Date: 2008-03-29
From: Mountain Harbour B&B

To: Moreland Gap shelter
Miles today: 17.8
Weather: light rain

I got up at 730am and milled around getting ready to leave. It was raining so we put off leaving until 1100am. The rain had let up and we were ready to put in some fast miles. We did 8.5 miles to the shelter in 2.5 hours. We took a short break at Mountaineer shelter. There was a hustler magazine in the shelter, I'm not sure how it got there but no one at the shelter would look at it. We hustled out of there and made it to the next shelter, 9.5 miles in 3 hours. Man my doggies were barking! I made some dinner and relaxed, then when Fester and I were hanging our bear bag, Toddy Bear and Bad Humus came rolling in. We were happy to see them. They put in a 27 mile day to catch up. I think were going to put in a 15 mile day tomorrow, and hang out at the hostel.
Date: 2008-03-30
From: Moreland Gap shelter

To: Hampton, TN
Miles today: 8.8

Last night it rained and at 300am a mouse jumped on Bad Humus's head. He said it tried to climb in his sleeping bag. I forgot to tell you that last night a couple came in with a dog and said that another dog had been following them for a few miles. Well the dog stayed at the shelter and we named him Rocket because he took of down the trail after the other dog (Abe). Rocket slept by my head last night. In the morning Rocket left with Chris and Lacey (Chris and Lacey is one person. There uses to be a Lacey until see dropped out and Chris keep hiking. They still call him Chris and Lacey). We headed out at 930am and put a 8 mile day. We stopped at laurel fork falls to take pictures, then headed to Hampton, TN. We hitched a ride to brown's grocery but it was closed on Sunday. Then we looked for the hostel. The book said it was a block away but we didn't know which direction. So I called up the hostel but there was no answer. Bad Humus and I went walking around looking for it. We found it eventually. The guy that runs the hostel also owns the grocery store so he said he would open the store so we could resupply. So we dropped off the packs and headed to the grocery store. After that we hit a diner called Copper Kettle. I ate a bacon cheese burger, a chili cheese hot dog and onion rings. We went back to the hostel with full bellies. Then we ordered 2 pizza and hit the sack. I'm glad to be with the team again.