morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-03-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

In 3 days I will be setting off for a thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. This has been a dream of mine for several years and it just so happened that in 2014, all of the cards fell into place. The only obstacle left was my job/career, but I have decided to put that on hold for a while to do the trail and some other traveling.Here is a brief summary of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.)for any family and friends that are unfamiliar with it. The A.T. is a 2,180 mile long footpath that passes through 14 states including: Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, & Maine. In total, the hike should take 5 to 6 months to complete. With the exception of a couple longer stretches, every 3 to 5 days the trail passes nearby or though a town, so that I can stock up on food. I will be filtering my own water along the way from springs and streams. I am starting off with a pack that weighs 26 lbs with 2 liters of water and 4 days of food. I expect that as the trip goes on, my pack will lighten as I mail home unnecessary gear, and swap out for lighter insulation. The shelter I am carrying consists of a hammock and a tarp. This shelter will shield me from bugs and the weather. Most nights will be spent camping in my hammock. Occasionally, I will spend the night in town at a hostel/hotel. I expect this to be every 10 to 12 days, to recharge my camera batteries, rest, and dry out my clothing/gear.I want to thank my friends, family, and coworkers for all of the encouragement and support. Specifically, I want to thank my friend and roommate, Rich, for keeping an eye on the house while I am gone and for driving me the 14 hours down to Georgia. I also want to thank my friend and ex-coworker, Don, for offering to help manage my gear. He will be mailing me new pairs of shoes as I burn through them, sending me my 40 degree insulation as the weather warms up, and whatever else I need/want to switch out. Well, the start of my trip is drawing near. I have a going away party with my friends tonight and another with my family tomorrow, and then I'm off.Stay tuned and I'll do my best to keep everyone updated on my progress. Thanks!!-Jim
Date: 2014-03-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Here we go!We are officially on the road. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that I just left the last Wawa I'll see for the next 6 months. After a 12+ hour drive, I'll be in Georgia. This time tomorrow, I'll be hiking.I had an amazing weekend. Thanks to everyone that came out to The Vault for my going away party on Friday. A big thanks to my cousin Bethanne for hosting my family going away party on Saturday. It was really nice being able to see everyone before I left.
Date: 2014-03-31
From: Amicalola Falls Visitors Center

To: Springer Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

Giant thanks again to Rich and Kasey for taking the time to drive me to Georgia. I really appreciate it. Yesterday went well as we made our 14 hour drive down through 7 states. That included dinner at the Sagebrush Saloon in North Carolina. Today started with a "gourmet" breakfast from the Super 8, before we finished the 30 minute drive to Amicalola Falls State Park. Rich and Kasey grabbed a few photos with me and then I was on my way. The weather was perfect, 70's and sunny. The hike up along Amicalola Falls was beautiful. The first thru hiker I ran into was Bama and we ended up hiking together for the rest of the day. I made it to the summit of Springer Mountain (the official start point of the Trail) by about 2:30. Then made my way a little farther to the Springer Mountain Shelter. There I met 10 or so other thru hikers. It's been a rough start for some people. Today I ran into a guy that lost his wallet, and another who's airline had lost his pack. Things are off to a great start and I'm really enjoying myself. I'm typing this post from my very, very comfy hammock. Thanks for following along. -Jim
Date: 2014-04-01
From: Springer Mountain Shelter

To: Cooper Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: few clouds

Day 2! In the traditional Jim fashion, I started today by oversleeping the 2 alarms I had set on my watch. Shortly after I set out from camp, I ran into my first trail magic. A man that goes by Mountain Squid had some snacks and those little hugs drinks. He keeps a catalog of the thru and section hikers that pass by.This morning I hiked with Bama and Dale. Today was another 70+ degree day with no rain. The first half of today's hike was breathtaking. The trail followed a babbling creek through a stretch of woods filled with rhododendron and pine trees. This afternoon kicked my ass a little bit. My legs were getting pretty tired and sore as I finished the last few ascents and descents. I stopped at Cooper Gap tonight after a 12.1 mile day. I'm looking forward to developing my "trail legs". I added a picture of my setup today. I'll add my tarp before bed.
Date: 2014-04-02
From: Cooper Gap

To: Lance Creek Campsite
Miles today: 12.0

Another day finished!Last nights camp site was right along a forest service road and an army potable water trailer was parked a few hundred feet from camp, so I got to start the day off with water I didn't have to filter myself. This morning's hike was through another rhododendron/pine forest along a rocky stream. There was some nice shade and cool air. Bama and Dale started hiking before me, but I ran into them at Justice Creek. We hiked together for a bit then split ways when they stopped at Gooch Mountain Shelter. I hiked the rest of the day on mine own. I had lunch on a small footbridge over a creek, and topped off my water there. The rest of the day was pretty harsh. There were some steep stretches and my body is starting to feel the beating it's received over the last few days. I'm camping tonight at just north of Lance Creek. It's one of the last camping sites before an 8 mile stretch that for all intents and purposes is a no camping area (bear canisters are required and I don't know a single hiker that carries one). I'm not the only one with that idea, so this place is a tent/hammock city. This photo doesn't do it justice, but here is the part of the tent city that I am in. I'm the tarp hanging on the hillside on the right.
Date: 2014-04-03
From: Lance Creek Campsite

To: Bull Gap
Miles today: 8.5

I was one of the last people to leave The Lance Creek campsite, but I made good time on my own in the morning and caught up to Bama and Dale by 10:30am or so. We stopped at a spring for some fresh water before heading to the summit of Blood Mountain. This was by far the best view along the trail so far (and all the good pictures are on my camera, not my phone). The trail then descended to a road crossing. The descent was harsh on my knees, but at the bottom was a wonderful place called Mountain Crossings. It's an old rock building with trees filled with blown out boots and shoes around it. They have gear, hiker groceries, showers, and a bunkhouse. I stocked up on food, ate 1.25 Red Barron pepperoni pizzas, and got my first shower. Outside they had a giant version of Jenga made with 2x4's. As we geared up to leave, we found out Dale might be getting off the trail tomorrow. I'll be sad to see him go, but he said to give him a call when we get near Roanoke. Bama and I hiked about a mile past Mountain Crossings before setting up camp at Bull Gap. For everything I've seen today I should have a better picture for you, but my phone was off, so here is a picture of the inside of my hammock. Tomorrow should be the first rain I see on the trail. Wish me luck.
Date: 2014-04-04
From: Bull Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

Good news! Dale, henceforth Earnhardt, texted Bama first thing this morning to say he was hiking up to join us. Bama and Earnhardt took a head start. It was drizzling as I packed up camp. There was some fog, wind, and rain, but it never really opened up. I came up with two summaries for my thoughts on hiking in the rain. "I prefer precipitation to perspiration." And "If I'm gonna be wet, better rain than sweat." I caught Bama and Earnhardt around 10am and hiked the rest of the day with them. There was one great view way out into the valley where the fog was starting to dissipate. We got to Low Gap Shelter around 2:30 ( Bama & Earnhardt were hoping for space in the shelter, but it was already packed. We camped just outside the shelter. There was a huge crowd, 3 tiers of tents set up, easily 30 people. I got to meet 3 more hikers tonight, Walkabout (from Florida), Rambler, and Jillesa (from NH).
Date: 2014-04-05
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Cheese Factory Campsite
Miles today: 13.4

We spent the morning hiking with a long train of hikers. Bama was up front with Earnhardt, myself, Bottlecap (another hammock camper from Michigan), Barking Spider & his dog Charlie, and a few other people. We kept a quick pace through most of the morning and covered some solid distance. Shortly after the hiker train broke down, Jillesa joined Bama, Earnhardt, and myself. We stopped at a spring right along the trail and had lunch, before finishing our hike down into Unicoi Gap. Jillesa got picked up by her cousin to run into town. Bama and Earnhardt stopped for a break and I started pushing up the next hill. I ended up hiking to the next overlook on Rocky Mountain with Bottlecap. I kicked off my shoes and waited for Bama and Earnhardt to catch up. We started the next downhill stretch and started hearing some music as we neared a dirt road. Turned out to be a Georgian man sitting in the bed of his pickup truck playing a fiddle. He had his 2 dogs and grandson with him. We stopped and listened for a while.We started the last uphill section of the day and hit a convenient water source along the trail, where 2 hikers asked if the 3 of us were a family. Bama and Earnhardt stopped to camp with Walkabout, who had carried up a 6 pack, 10 lbs of ice, bratwursts, buns, and BBQ sauce. Total beast to carry tht stuff up there. I continued a bit further to the Cheese Factory Campsite, where 10 or so other hikers were camped out. I hung out around a campfire with MRE and Mundo, 2 church buddies from Florida.
Date: 2014-04-06
From: Cheese Factory Campsite

To: Moreland Gap, GA
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I got a solid nights sleep last night. Felt great this morning. It was a brisk morning and I made breakfast with all my layers and gloves on. I got moving by myself in a long sleeved thermal and my rain shell. On my first big uphill I met a couple named Jade and Steady from Michigan. Cool people. They hiked the John Muir Trail a few years back. I continued on, passed some other hikers, and met 2 ridge runners (employees/volunteers that hike along the trail, clean up shelters/campsites, and help point people in the right direction). Around 3, I stopped at an overlook for a snack and Bottlecap, Drag'in, and Rambler caught up with me. I hiked with Bottlecap to another campsite, but there was some nasty weather coming and the site was pretty exposed, so we pushed on closer to the next road. I ended up in a campsite with Bama, Earnhardt, Bottlecap, and Drag'in. We had a fire going for a bit but it started pouring around 8, so I retired to my hammock.
Date: 2014-04-07
From: Moreland Gap, GA

To: Dicks Creek Gap, GA
Miles today: 1.0

It ended up pouring all night, but I stayed pretty dry under my tarp. Some of my gear caught a misting from the strong wind. We packed up and hoofed it down to the next road crossing. Then Bama, Earnhardt, and I walked a half mile down the road to the Top of Georgia Hostel. They were still cleaning, but we were happy to get on their porch and out of the rain. Shortly after we got in the hostel, I jumped in the shower and we gathered our dirty clothes to have them washed. Then we caught a ride into town and went to an all you can eat buffet at Daniel's Steakhouse. It was cheap and filling, but the food left a lot to be desired. Afterward we stopped in a few stores, ran into some other hikers, and picked up more food at Ingles. The hostel picked us back up at 5pm. At 8pm the hostel had a hiker foot wash. They gave each person a tub with hot water, marbles, and Epsom salts and the owner walked us through his Top Ten Tips for hiking the A.T.
Date: 2014-04-08
From: Dicks Creek Gap, GA

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter, NC
Miles today: 11.8

Breakfast at the hotel really hit the spot. 2 sausage patties, 2 pancakes, a Danish, juice, and a cup of coffee. Then we packed up and caught the 8:30am shuttle. 2 guys, Kevin & Dustin ended up hiking with Bama, Earnhardt, and I. The 5 of us crossed the Georgia/North Carolina state line together. State 2 of 14! NC gave us quote the greeting with strong, cold wind and 3 rough climbs, before we got to Muskrat Creek Shelter. Temperatures started dropping so I ended up collecting a bunch of wood for a campfire. It took forever to get going, with the wood and fire ring being so wet from the previous days rain. Once it got going, we had a crowd around the fire for a few hours, but as it got old cold I jumped in my hammock.
Date: 2014-04-09
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter, NC

To: Carter Gap Shelter, NC
Miles today: 12.5

I started this morning hiking with Bama, Earnhardt, Kevin, & Dustin. As we left camp, it started to hail. Small hail but hail nonetheless. The climb up Standing Indian Mountain looked foreboding on the elevation profile, but ended up being pretty easy going. The A.T. bypasses the top of the mountain, but we took a side trail to check it out.The view from the top was a fitting reward. The top had a flat, 50' diameter patch of green grass, a fire circle, and a beautiful view. Would make a perfect campsite if it was a little warmer out. We had lunch up there and relaxed for a bit. I distributed some of my moms ashes from the overlook before we left. We ended up by the Carter Gap Shelter. It was a quiet night and I was pretty beat, so I turned in early.
Date: 2014-04-10
From: Carter Gap Shelter, NC

To: Winding Stair Gap, NC
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

Started early this morning with Bama, Earnhardt, and Walkabout. Weather was perfect, warm, sunny, and blue skies. We decided to hoof it to winding stair gap and take a zero mile day tomorrow. Give out bodies and feet a break. Terrain was easy going until a steep, strenuous, rocky climb up Albert Mountain. There was a fire tower at the top that gave a great view of the surrounding landscape. We stopped there for lunch and Jillesa, henceforth Cheesepuff, caught up with us. The rest of the hiking was fairly uneventful, but the 5 of us made it to Winding Stair Gap around 4:30pm. Cheesepuff continued ahead, and the four of us tried to hitch a ride the 10 miles into Franklin, NC. There wasn't much traffic headed east into town, so eventually we called Larry's Taxi Service. They brought us to the Microtel. We ran to the adjacent gas station and grabbed some beers and went about washing clothes and showering. Around 8:30pm, we ran next door to Fatz Cafe and I tore into a delicious bacon cheese burger and a beer to round out the night.
Date: 2014-04-11
From: Winding Stair Gap, NC

To: Winding Stair Gap, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Decided to give my body a break and take a zero in Franklin, NC with Bama and Earnhardt. Today we stopped at the local outfitter and I picked up a pair of silk liner socks. I've only had one blister so far, but some days I feel like I'm pushing my luck. I spent a good chunk of the day getting caught up on my written journal and this one. We also made our way around town and picked up supplies and whatnot. We ended the day with dinner at Fatz Cafe. Back to the trail tomorrow.
Date: 2014-04-12
From: Winding Stair Gap, NC

To: Spring/Campsite, NC
Miles today: 8.2

Excerpt from my current book Big Sur by Jack Kerouac. "There's the simple woodfire and the careful yet absentminded feeding of it which is an activity that like all activities is no-activity yet it is a meditation in itself especially because all woodfires, like snowflakes are different every time."Today started with a waffle, yogurt, and oj from the hotel breakfast. We packed up and headed up the road to Three Eagle Outfitters. After some computer difficulties, Earnhardt and I were able to purchase and print our permits for the Smokey Mountain National Park. Then we set off to get back on the trail. We decided to walk down towards the highway entrance and thumb a ride the 10 miles back to the trail. Within 5 minutes, a nice woman named Anette picked us up, even though it was totally out of her way. She was a member of a local hiking club and super nice. We started hiking by 1pm and were immediately greeted with a small waterfall. We ended up hiking 8.2 miles and grabbed a campsite with a nice fire ring along side a rocky creek. We started up a campfire and cooked the hot dogs we had carried in from town, a nice deviation from my typical trail dinner of instant mashed potatoes or instant noodles. My hammock is set up about 15 feet from the creek, so I'll enjoy the pleasant sound all night. Forecast is looking pretty clear, so I'm gonna try tonight with no tarp so I can enjoy the stars and the crazy bright moon. Fingers crossed it doesn't rain
Date: 2014-04-13
From: Spring/Campsite, NC

To: Wesser Bald Shelter, NC
Miles today: 13.4

Stayed pretty dry in the hammock with no tarp, a little dew, but I had great views of a bright, almost full moon and the stars. Two miles into today's hike we were greeted with a 360 degree view from an old stone tower (built in the 1930's) on top of Wayah Bald. While taking pictures, I met 3 other hikers: Lumberjack, Mailman, and Chile (could also be Chilly I suppose). Sky was overcast, but visibility was still pretty good. Midday we stopped at, the appropriately named, Cold Spring Shelter for some ice cold spring water. Very refreshing considering the temps were up near 80 and I'd been sweating all day. From there we hit our second overlook of the day, Rocky Bald. The A.T. doesn't go directly over it, a side trail does. So we dropped out packs and took our cameras up a stretch of open rock to the view. After rocky bald was a steep descent followed by a steep ascent. But that brought us up to Wesser Bald with its rickety old tower. This was previously a fire tower, but they removed the enclosure to leave behind an open observation deck. So, another beautiful, 360 degree view.We ended the day at Wesser Bald Shelter. On the hillside above, there was a spring flowing into a concrete basin, so I grabbed water there. Despite there not being much in the way of flat ground, there were tents everywhere and almost no one in the shelter itself.
Date: 2014-04-14
From: Wesser Bald Shelter, NC

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center, NC
Miles today: 6.1

Got an early start today hoping to get to the NOC before the forecasted thunderstorms started. For being nearly 6 miles long, it was a consistently steep hike downhill. We beat the rain and got there by 11:30am or so. The NOC is primarily a whitewater kayaking/rafting getup. The Nantahala River runs right through the center of their property and they have bunkhouses, cabins, an outfitter, a general store, and a restaurant.First thing first, I grabbed a refreshing 22oz beer from the Nantahala Brewing Company (though the name of the beer escapes me). The side walk was lined with hikers drinking beers and kicking off their shoes. We had caught up to our bubble of hikers and saw a lot of familiar faces. Earnhardt had booked bunks for Bama and myself, and eventually we started the walk up the hill to drop our packs in our respective bunkhouses. Then I went about my trail chores: laundry, organizing my gear, and picking up food/supplies. We met back up for another round of beers while the laundry was running. And then grabbed dinner at the riverside restaurant. Our table was right against the glass, alongside the river, ANDDDD they had bottles of my favorite beer! Breckinridge Vanilla Porter. I had their Tail of the Dragon burger with fresh cut jalope±os, pepper jack cheese, and a spicy sauce. Fantastic dinner. We wrapped up the night hanging out in the common area building, Bottlecap hung out with us for an hour or so before we retired.
Date: 2014-04-15
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center, NC

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Woke up at 8 this morning to rain tapping on the metal roof of my bunkhouse. I packed up to leave the NOC and headed down to the general store. The rain was supposed to clear by 11am so I was waiting out the bad weather. While waiting on the weather, I pulled out my hacky sack and ended up with a circle of 6 to 10 hikers. The forecast kept getting worse so I kept playing and eventually bought a beer. Eventually the forecast said rain all day and a delivery driver said it was snowing up at Fontana Dam. At that point I caved. Despite really wanting to get moving, I booked another night at the NOC and bought a 6 pack. Turns out there is a Ska Brewing Company based in Colorado and they make pretty good beer. My new bunk ended up being a full sized bed! I ended up going back down to the restaurant for dinner and had another Breckenridge Vanilla Porter and a bacon pizza. I ate with Earnhardt, Bama, Zone, Chili, and another guy. While I was at the NOC, there was a class of future raft guides getting certified. At night they got a raging bonfire going along the river, so I headed down there. It was cold out, 40's and the river wasn't much warmer than that, but I watched 2 hikers swim across and back at about 11pm. An acoustic guitar came out and a bunch of hiker and prospective raft guides hung out around the fire until 1am. Damn, I have to hike tomorrow lol.
Date: 2014-04-16
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center, NC

To: Stecoah Gap, NC
Miles today: 13.2

Slept like a corpse after the late night of drinking. Woke up and was feeling pretty damn good after some pop tarts, water, and caffeine. The bad weather had finally passed, so I ran around the property taking pictures.Down by the river I met up with Earnhardt, Bama, and Rambler (who was coming off a zero day also). We set off a little before 10am, hoping to do a 15+ mile day. The climb out of the NOC was steep and rocky. Over 3000 feet in elevation gain.We stopped at a rocky overlook for lunch with 10+ other hikers. You could see the NOC and the river down below.   On the way up, parts of the trail had a light coating of snow from yesterday. Glad I waited the extra day.The highlight of the day was Cheoah Bald and that's where our mileage plans feel apart. It's a beautiful patch of green grass at 5062 feet above sea level. It was warm and the sun was out, so we ended up laying in the grass for an hour or so. Steady, Jade, & Bottlecap were also there. From there we started the 2000 foot drop into Stecoah Gap. Terrain was rough, lots of rocky stairs, so my knees were killing me. We made it to the gap around 6pm. There wasn't much in the way of camping options, and the next 2.5 miles packed a steep climb, so we ended up getting a ride into Robinsville, NC and staying at the San Ran Motel. I don't like the idea of 3 consecutive nights with no camping, but it is what it is.