morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-03-31
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: light rain

When we woke up this morning there were hikers all over the place that had come in late last night. Some were in tents, some were just lying in their sleeping bags on the ground, and then a couple were lying on the benches in front of the shelter. It was hectic trying to get packed up around everyone and their gear. But we managed to get to the trail head by 8:30. The shelter was 1/2 mile down the mountain so we had to hike that back up to the trail. There were a lot of climbs this morning. We started @ 5280 feet at the shelter and climbed to 6395 feet eventually after going up and down a few times before getting to that altitude. The shelter we are in tonight is @ 4700 feet. Tomorrow we will be going down to 1975 feet to Davenport Gap which gets us out of the park!!! Then we will hike on to the hostel another 3 miles. Besides the rough climbs today was the trail that in places was like walking in a dry creek bed filled with all sizes of rocks and roots. Hard on the feet, ankles, and knees. This shelter is expected to be full. Thru-hikers have to tent if the shelter is reserved for hikers out for a shorter hike. The ridge-runner told someone that this shelter has 9 reserved spaces so 3 thru-hikers get to stay in the shelter since the shelter holds 12. The lucky 3 are Magellan, Toto, and me. We were going to tent but it is being said that it is supposed to rain tonight. One of the hikers that is here is from Chicago and out for just a few days. Listening to these crazy thru-hikers talk about their experiences and their trail names has been an eye-opening experience for him. He seems to have enjoyed listening to all of it. He said he would be better prepared the next time he came out. Someone asked if he was going to bring a microphone with him and he said no one would believe it anyway.Well, that's about it for today. We are looking forward to getting to the hostel and a hot shower and laundry tomorrow.   Life is Great!
Date: 2007-04-02
From: Green Corner Road

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

Toto had a spring in his step today. We both are so glad to be out of the Smokies. Have I said that before? The woods were so beautiful and the trail much nicer compared to what we've had. The profile map was daunting to look at and I was so sure we would not be able to make these miles. But the climbs were gradual and there were switchbacks which made for easier climbing. We were at the first shelter at 7.2 miles at noon and felt good enough to go for the last 8.4 miles. So we had another climb but this one was much tougher. It was Max Patch, at an altitude of 4629 feet. It was clear and beautiful with wonderful views. It was so windy that our sweaty clothes dried quickly. After taking pictures and resting for a bit we were more than ready to hike the last almost 2 miles to the shelter. In the shelter tonight are No Problem and Mr. Easy who we met hiking out of Fontana Dam the same day we hiked in. Also, Magellan and Footpump are here and in the shelter. Tenting are Cedar and Flower Lady and Sixty. Pooch and Tom Dooley came in last with their dogs, Roxie and Pete, and are also tenting. A fire was made by No Problem and Mr. Easy and everyone sat around it cooking and eating.      We have decided that tomorrow we will go to the last shelter before Hot Springs and get up the next morning and hike the 3 miles down the mountain to the Smoky Mountain Diner for breakfast. Today was a great day although my feet are sore. I hope my feet are ready tomorrow for an almost 15 mile day. We are close to having our next day off in Hot Springs and we are ready for it!Life is Great!
Date: 2007-04-03
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

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

Wow!! What a day! We had planned a 14.9 mile hike today but when we got to the shelter, everyone else that was at the same shelter as us and ahead of us had hiked on into town. No Problem had written in the shelter register a note to Toto that we were still on for breakfast in the morning. It was only 4PM and we were only 3.2 miles from town so we decided to go on, also. It was all downhill, right? NO!!. The first thing was a somewhat long climb for me--at the end of the day and after already hiking almost 15 miles. I was the one that had said, "Let's go on in. I'M OK. I can do it." When I saw the climb I said to Toto, "What did I do??" But before long we were going down and we could see the town forever before getting down to it.At about 5:30 when we got here we went to the Sunnybank Inn to see if there were any rooms left. Elmer said he had just given the last one away but that in the morning there most likely be one open up. So he took our trail names and told us to come back between 10:30 and 11 in the morning. We tried the small motel but he told Toto they were full. It didn't look full. We think he took one look at us (or one whiff) and just did not want any hiker trash. The only other place was the campground so we came here for a tentsite for $20. Sixty was already here and at the same time we came, No Problem, Mr. Easy, Mingus Khan, Goldster, Billy the Kid, and Footpump ended up getting a campsite. They were going to split the cost of a tiny cabin but changed their minds when they found out they would have to share beds. We took showers and went immediately to the Smoky Mountain Diner. We sat near Barry Manilow (trail name) and Owl. They did not have a place to stay yet. They may be here at the campground now, though. If they are they probably sneaked in because the gate shack closed at 8pm.Today we saw many flowers and took pictures of some of them. Toto says this is the most beautful part of the trail so far. Probably because there are so many blooming flowers and trees, grass, and bushes are starting to show lots of green, especially in the lower elevations.Yesterday we started at 1800 feet and went as high as 4629 at Max Patch Summit. Today we started at 3950 feet and climbed to 4686 feet over Bluff Mountain, but that was, of course after dropping down to 3550 feet at Lemon Gap. We have ended up here at 1326 feet. So you can see that we have been doing some ups and downs. And my feet feel it. But our stomachs are full and we are clean.When we got to the campground and just as we were paying for our campsite I began to get dizzy. I think I had gotten too dehydrated. I had to sit down on the ground and drink some of my water. I had run out of water in my water bladder in my pack on the way down the mountain and my water bottle was in a side pocket of my pack that I could not get to while I was hiking.We have town chores to do tomorrow--laundry, post office, resupplying, etc. A busy day tomorrow and then we will hike out the next day and head for Erwin, TN.      Life is Great!
Date: 2007-04-04
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night was a very interesting night. After we got in the tent and were ready to go to sleep neither one could get to sleep. It must have been the coffee and Pepsi we drank with our meal. At 10:30 a train came through on the tracks that Toto said were about 50 yards from the tent. It was approaching the street that goes down the center of town and blew its whistle just as it got right across from us. Then at midnight just as we were both drifting off to sleep a strong wind came up and the sides of the tent started fluttering like a flag on a flagpole. We had our packs outside the tent with plastic bags covering them to keep rain and/or moisture off them. Toto unzipped the tent and pulled them in because it sounded like we were in for a storm. Soon the thunder, lightning and the rain came, with the wind still blowing forcefully. We lay awake for some time listening to it all and wondering if this was the tornado that would take us from "Kansas". Just as soon as we were asleep, it seemed, another train came through, only this time it was coming from the opposite direction and thankfully blew its whistle on the other side of the street to warn of its approach. At about 4:20AM (I looked at my watch) a rooster started crowing, it was as close or closer to us than the train was, and it kept it up the rest of the morning. It sounded like other roosters answering back from a distance, also. On top of all this we had to sleep with our legs out-stretched over the length of our packs or curled up on our sides with no way to stretch out our legs. The rain slowed up after a few hours but water kept dripping off the trees onto the tent. Everything in the tent was damp due to condensation.   Today we had to hang out the tent, sleep pads, and ground cloth over a clothes line to dry. There was no more rain today and the wind blew enough to dry everything fairly quick. I had intended on washing the sleeping bags anyway because they were beginning to have a distinct odor about them. So, most of the morning was spent drying things out and doing laundry after breakfast.We are nestled happily above a work room that is reached by a wooden ladder through a trap door in the ceiling. Walking Cowboy was in here last night, but got a better room for tonight. It has turned colder today and the word is that it will be cold in the mountains when we hike toward Erwin, TN. We are taking another zero day tomorrow to rest our feet and legs and to do town chores that we were not able to do today. We picked up our stuff from the P.O. and just have to purchase a few meals to get us to Erwin. With the snacks we had our daughter send us, what our friends from Kirtland sent us, and a few more snacks we bought today, we have plenty to keep us going throughout the next 4-5 days.We are ready for a good night's sleep and I hope neither of us falls through the trap door during the night if we have to get up.      Life is Great!
Date: 2007-04-06
From: Hot Springs

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

After the big meal Elmer prepared last night we were not very anxious to put food into our stomachs again this morning, but we went to the diner anyway and had toast, oatmeal, OJ, and coffee. On the way out of town we picked up another fuel canister at the outfitter and sub sandwiches for our lunch at the campground store. There was a lot of climbing today but at the beginning it wasn't too bad--there were switchbacks and they were not too steep. Toto had a hard time getting his hiking rhythm after 2 zero days. By around noon he was hiking like always. The afternoon gave us more straight up climbs but they were manageable--small ups over ridge tops. By 3pm when we reached the shelter we were tired and it was cold. The wind was bitter, especially on one side of the mountain. Flint, Calamity Jane, Hobo, and 2 other hikers started out from Hot Springs this morning also, but at Tanyard Gap Flint's wife, Paws, met him and provided some trail magic of cold sodas, V-8 juice, muffins cookies, donuts, etc. Paws then took the packs of that group of hikers and they then were able to slack-pack from that point to Allen Gap, about another 10-11 miles. Paws will be in Erwin for a few days to slack pack him and others from trailhead to trailhead and then take them back to Erwin for food, a warm place to stay and a shower. Sounds good but we've been in a town for 2 full days and though I do not relish being out here in this weather that's turned cold I don't want to be in town either. I want to have something to look forward to after being out here in the cold for the next 4 or 5 days. We saw dwarf iris on the trail for the first time this year. They are a beautiful litle flower. We saw several others that I am not sure what they are--I think one was a buttercup. Still no wildlife. but hikers that were here yesterday wrote in the shelter register that they saw a bear leaving the shelter area yesterday. So food bags are hung high from a tree branch.Hikers in the shelter tonight besides Toto and me are Signage, a retired 8th grade school teacher from Virginia and Sticks, an older hiker like us, from Indiana. Rockhound is tenting. He made a nice fire when he came to the shelter so it felt really nice when it got colder as the sun went down. Others that were here, The Owl, Dan, and Fidel, had fixed something hot to eat but hiked on. A couple stopped by but went just a litle further on to find a camping spot-their names are Toe Jam and Nit-picker. We thought there would be more hikers showing up but they must have decided to not hike out of Hot Springs or they stopped before the shelter. It's early, but cold and has started to snow so am going to snuggle into my sleeping bag and try to get warm. Toto is already in his.
Date: 2007-04-08
From: Allen Gap

To: Log Cabin Road
Miles today: 1.6

Not big miles today but we had planned to spend 2 nights here. When we got the wonderful invitation from Hercules and Fal we decided to split our time up betwee the 2 places. Eleven hikers, 10 males and one female--me--stayed over last night and were up for breakfast, which was delicious and very filling and off to church by 8:30. It was a congregation of 400 people and bigger than any church that I had ever attended. After church we went to the AYCE Chinese Buffet and were filled once more. After returning to the home of our hosts we grabbed our packs and continued on up the trail until we came to the road this hostel is on. Sixty is still here and she said she and Fabulous were in our cabin last night but were kicked out because we had called to get a reservation for tonight. She laughed, though, and said she was glad it was us. Tonight there is supposed to be record low temperatures in the area. Tomorrow night it is not forecasted to be as cold, although still in the 20's at night. If we can get 16 miles up the trail we will be down in a lower elevation and hopefully be a little warmer. We'll be a bit later getting into Erwin than we thought but we knew that sooner or later the cold and snow would catch up to us.This is a nice little place. We had to walk at least 1/2 mile down the road to this place. When we got here Hattie told us we were just in time for dinner of garlic bread, spaghetti, and tossed salad. We were still full from Chinese food so passed on the dinner. Tattoo came here, too. He said he did not want to be in the mountains again in the very cold temperatures again. Sticks had left ahead of us but wasn't here when we got here. When he did arrive we guessed corectly what had happened to him. He had gotten on to Log Cabin Road too soon. The AT did not cross where he had gotten off onto the road--he had to hike further on the AT before the AT crossed the road. We almost made the same mistake and Sixty said she had made the same mistake yesterday and had walked a good ways before some boys that were fishing walked them up in the other direction. Anyway, Sticks is sharing our cabin because the bunkhouse is full. They had to put an extra cot in there for Tattoo.
Date: 2007-04-09
From: Log Cabin Road

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: broken clouds

We left the Hemlock Hollow Cabins at 8am after buying a couple of bananas and some sausage, egg ,and cheese biscuits. The trail was a mixture of just about any kind of trail we've had so far. We had some exposed ridge walking on rocks which gave us a beautiful view both east and west. To the east were mountains everywhere you looked and to the west were lowlands with farms, towns, etc. There was an alternate bad weather trail but most of the snow was gone and the wind was not bad. When we started out there was no snow on the ground but the higher we got the more small patches of snow we saw, especially in shaded areas and on the north side of mountains. It also was colder the higher we got. We are at 3570 feet tonight, the lowest we have been all day. We wanted to get as low as possible to be as warm as possible. In the shelter tonight are Sticks, Dude, Toto and me. Dude was going to hike on but decided to stay after we built a fire. He only hiked from the last shelter (5 miles) and didn't leave from there until 2PM when we were there for a break today. Quarter Moon and Ohm stopped by and talked of hiking a lot more miles or a little further, at least, since they had also just hiked 5 miles from the last shelter. Later, just as it was getting dark Tattoo and Drip-Dry (with her dog, Boris) stopped by briefly--they plan to do a 52 mile day into Erwin. CRAZY!! Sticks saw a bear today a few miles back. He was ahead of us but we did not see it. It was an adult bear.There were no flowers to speak of today because of the cold weather. There were some spring beauties that survived the frost and snow and were making an attempt to open and decorate ground along the trail.   Hopefully it will not be too cold tonight. It is cold and the fire has felt great but I am tired and am ready to lie down. Toto is still up and talking to Dude and the hikers that have stopped by on their way on up the trail. Sticks has been in his sleeping bag for a while. Sixteen miles is hard on us older hikers, especially with all the climbs we have had today.
Date: 2007-04-10
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Sams Gap
Miles today: 11.2

We had planned to do 18.8 miles today to Bald Mountain Shelter. However, the word was that there are to be thunderstorms tonight and rain all day tomorrow. So many seem to be headed for the shelter that only holds 10 people and the area around the shelter is fragile and tenting prohibited. So, if the shelter is full we would have to find a tenting spot either before or after the shelter or tent around the shelter which we are not supposed to do.The elevation at this shelter is 5100 feet and it would be colder possibly than the one we were in last night. We were not anxious to be cold and wet so we decided to get off the trail at Sam's Gap and get into Erwin until the rain is over. We called Miss Janet's to see if we could get someone to come and get us. She said Redneck, who is helping out for a few days would pick us up. We met him in 05 at Wayah Bald--he gave us some pizza and cold drinks and then again at some trail magic where a group of thru-hikers had gathered at one of the gaps to give a monstrous bunch of trail magic with food and drinks of all kinds. It was good to see him.Before we even hiked into Sam's Gap Toto started seeing the front moving in that is to bring the rain. We are both tired and even if it does not rain we will get rested. We did not get much rest even though we took 2 days off in Hot Springs.I got my new insoles and am anxious to try them. I also received a box from one of our trail angels from Fl. Though I have never met her I have decided that somehow I will need to go to Florida to see my son-in-laws parents and then make a trip toward Coral Springs. She has section-hiked the whole trail and wants to do a thru-hike in 08.Today there were many climbs and 18.8 miles would have probably been too much for us. We would have made it to the shelter around 5 or 6 but my feet would have really been hurting after 11 miles.Tonight is going to be a wonderful time to rest and yet we are anxious to get back out and finish this last section we skipped over today and get on up the trail. Erwin is a great town and here at the Super 8 we are near everything we need.
Date: 2007-04-11
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Nolichucky River
Miles today: 8.3

It is amazing what unexpected opportunities come our way out here. This morning we met Amoeba, a section hiker who is hiking with Grey Feather and Memere. They have 2 cars and do as much slack-packing from trailhead to trailhead as possible. They asked us if we would like to go out with them and do this section of trail north of Erwin and, of course, we did. It is not raining, although it rained a little during the night. The TV says showers and some thunderstorms this evening. We departed at 8:45AM and returned to the motel at about 1PM. We reached the trailhead before Grey Feather and Memere so we hitched a ride for the 3 miles to Erwin. Grey Feather, Memere, Toto, and I hiked from the north end at Indian Grave Gap south to the river because we did not want to climb up the mountain from the river. Amoeba likes the climbs better so she hiked the opposite direction. The man that picked us up, Doc Shelton, had coached the motel owners' son in football.   The trail was very nice today. (How often do we say that?) There really were not any climbs today---very nice. We had a downhill which was a bit steep in one spot but was not bad. I believe my new insoles are going to do much better than my old ones. Of course, only going 8.3 miles with a light pack (without sleeping bag, sleep pad, tent, poles, vestibule, clothes, and all the extra food) probably kept my feet from hurting as much. Tomorrow will be the day that will let me know how they really work since we are going back to Sam's Gap and are hiking back to the river here in Erwin. That's 24.5 miles! But, as soon as we start hiking we are committed to doing the whole thing because our ride is gone; we don't have a sleeping bag, pad, or tent. But it will help knowing that we have a shower, bed, and food to come back to. It will certainly be a challenge! We did not pass as many north bounders as we thought we would today. At the shelter we met Fidel, Dan, and Lee. On the trail we passed Cheerios and Laces, and Walking Cowboy. When we got to the motel Stubble was in the lobby. He hiked in from the first shelter south today. He is expecting his wife, his mother, and a sister this afternoon. We all decided to go to the River's Edge Restaurant a little over a mile from here. We went twice in 05 and loved it. Then we asked Amoeba, Memere, and Gray Feather to join us. I don't think there will be the bluegrass band and singers tonight since I believe they only played on Saturday and Sunday in 05. Later: Our evening meal was great and the company even greater! What can I say! The people on the trail are a huge part of the trail experience and the part we will remember long after we forget how difficult the trail was or how the weather did not give us the kind of day that we wanted for hiking. It is almost 9:30 and we need to get our packs ready as we are leaving at 6:30 tomorrow morning. It did rain this evening starting at about 5:30 and it rained hard!!! When we came out of the restaurant it had stopped and tomorrow is supposed to be a great day.   Life is Great!Dorothy & Toto