morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-04-13
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 20.2
Weather: overcast clouds

All of us were huddled in our bags listening to the wind and rain as it grew dark last night. The rain quit towards midnight after 16 hours, but the wind continued.The hiking clothes were wet and the temps in the upper 30s, but I hopped out at first light because I had a big day, what with wanting to make up yesterday's lost miles. The wind was still present, but the sky was clear as could be and the sun about to make an appearance.Today's hike was for sister-in-law Linda. She is as sweet a person as you will ever meet.The trail today went over Clingman's Dome, the highest spot on the AT at 6600'. It was a winter wonderland with an inch of ice coating all the trees and snow on the ground from last night's storm. All of this was glittering in the bright sunlight. The view from the tower at the top was amzing: 70 miles to Mt Mitchell in one direction (NC's highest mountain) and all the way to Standing Indian Mountain in the other. Fontana Dam and lake were laid out below in one direction, and Gatlinburg (and Dollywood) in the other.This is a beautiful shelter with a fabulous view in three directions. In tonight are Socks, Sundance, Troll, Doublecheck, Charley (a Brit), and a family of four from Knoxville. Also Photon, Cauliflower and Doug Force One.I enjoyed walking down from Clingman's Dome for an hour with Hopeful who talked about his time on USS Midway as an avionics electricians mate during Viet Nam.From the IT'S A SMALL WORLD DEPARTMENT: Six years ago during my New England section hike, I arrived at Beaver Stream Shelter on the north side of Mt Moosilauke in New Hampshire; there was a family of three thruhikers. The husband was wearing a kilt, a wife and a 10-year old boy also in a kilt. The boy's trail name was Oblivious because he had fallen so many times. The man's trail name was Troll. The family so struck me that I took a photo of them before they went on their way. Well... three days ago I began leapfrogging with a group of three hikers (Sundance, Troll and Charley) and Troll was wearing a kilt. Last night as we were all talking around the shelter, Troll talked about how he had thru hiked a few years back with his 10-year old son. Suddenly... DONG! It all connected. Here was Troll whose photo I had taken in NH six years ago. What are the odds...?
Date: 2011-04-14
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: TriCorner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a stitch overnight. Two of the hikers go to snoring like there was no tomorrow. They would get into synch with each other like a duet, and at they would be opposites. Listening to them I came up with the trailnames of Chain Saw and Jet Engine. I stuck my earplugs deeper into my ears, pulled my three hoods securely over my head, and pulled the top layer of the bag over my head. I was so tired from yesterday's 20 miles that I was soon asleep. But one of the hikers went out in the middle of the night and pitched his tent to escape.I hiked today for brother Kevin. We get a lot of mileage out of our similar interest in wargaming. I appreciate him a great deal.The day was perfect for hiking. It was sunny, lightly windy, and delightfully cool. I alternated all day from a light sweat to dry and cool. First out of the shelter was Charlie's Bunyon, a rock outcropping on the side of the ridge at 6000' with a view forty miles north into Tennessee to around Knoxville on a clear day. And today was a clear day. The rest of the day saw moderate grades and outstanding views. Often the trail was on a knife edge four to six feet wide with severe drop-offs in both directions: North Carolina to the right and Tennessee to the left.It's going to be a full shelter tonight: Socks, Doublecheck, a severely obese but game John who has come 200 miles already (way to go John!!), Cauliflower, Doug Force One, six section hikers with reservations for this shelter (including the worst snorer from last night), a ridge-runner named Doug, and Fiber One whom I haven't seen in ages (he was in the bunkroom with me the first night before we began the hike.)A note on GSMNP. Thruhikers on the AT are allowed to go through the park without charge. Everyone else has to reserve space in shelters and pay to get into the park. This then means there's a pecking order: hikers with reservations always get priority over thruhikers. Puts us at the bottom of the food chain. So you may set up your sleeping arrangements in the shelter, but you don't know for sure you're staying there until late in the day when no one else is arriving. The system makes sense: those with reservations are not bringing tenting equipment with them and so need the shelter, while thruhikers are all carrying some form of sleep-in-the-open gear such as tents, tarps (me) or hammocks. Any rate, this is a low time of year for people with reservations, so it's no problem so far to find a place in a shelter if you want one.
Date: 2011-04-15
From: TriCorner Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm Hostel
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: clear sky

Well, Chain Saw got cranked up again last night. But he wasn't quite as bad as the night before: maybe he was missing his duet partner Jet Engine...Today's hike was dedicated to sister-in-law Diane. The way she has mellowed Kevin has me in awe. She's the perfect wife for him, and Lyn and I enjoy hanging out with her (and Kevin too) when we get the chance.There's yet another major storm front pushing through the southern states due to arrive here late afternoon with rain well into tomorrow. So I changed my plans: instead of 15 miles to Davenport Gap Shelter (Davenport Gap is where I-40 from Knoxville TN to Asheville NC goes through) and then a 3.4 mile short hike to the hostel tomorrow, I chose to do it all today. I got up at 6:30 and was gone at 7:00. With only two significant ups to Mt Guyot and Mt Cammerer, and with a nonstop 5-mile descent dropping 3500' in elevation out of the Great Smoky Mountains, I made great time. The 18 miles was done by 2:30 despite three pack-off breaks along the way. Upon arrival at this hostel I got the last bunk in the bunkhouse that was available. Thanks to God for answering my prayer! Fiber One who had left 20 minutes before me was already here along with a large group of others whom either I don't know or haven't seen in a long while. I think my 50 miles in three days has caused me to overtake a number of people. Tomorrow I'll write more about this interesting place.
Date: 2011-04-16
From: Standing Bear Farm Hostel

To: Standing Bear Farm Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

It began raining around 7pm and continued off and on until 9 am. When it rains here in the southern Appalachians, it rains! This is the seventh major system of rain/sleet/snow to pass over us in these three weeks, and that's not counting the days of nonstop fog and drizzle early in the hike.The bunkhouse was full with 14 hikers, the cabin was full, and there were more hikers in the barn. Quite a crowd, due largely to the rain.It's a lovely though quite windy day that would be nice for hiking, but having hiked 23 of the first 24 days I'm ready for a full day off.Yesterday I promised I'd write about this hostel. It falls into the category of "You-Know-You're-in-the-Tennessee-Mountains-When..." When the AT reaches the gravel road a mile after going under I-40, you go up that road about 200 yards. The hostel is on a former farm in a hollow with steep hills on each side. First thing on reaching it, you see eight pairs of hiking shoes on the ground each with flowering plants growing out of them. There are several small buildings: the bunkhouse, the cabin, the shower, the kitchen/dining room/laundry room, the internet shack (one terminal, where I am now seated typing this journal entry), the barn, and the "general store". The toilet is in an outhouse with a sign that has "open" on one side and "in use" on the other. (Of course, some people are so oblivious: one guy opened the door on me while it was definitely "in use" as the sign duly said.) The laundry facility features a washboard and ringer to get things clean. At least they do have an electric clothes dryer. The entire hostel is run on the honor system. So at the conclusion of my stay tomorrow I'll total up all my purchases (including the bunk at $15 per night) and pay up. One thing charming about it: there's a very active stream tumbling right through the middle of it all, so there's the constant sound of water.The day has been delightful: enjoying a cup of coffee for the second time in the hike, journaling, updating the online journal for everyone to read, reading a John Grisham novel, consuming copious amounts of calories to ward off the incessant weight loss (I've taken in more calories than burned off on only 3 of these 24 days), and drinking a variety of fluids to get well hydrated (I've had a quart of apple juice, a quart of milk, and a quart of orange juice).Tomorrow begins the very pleasant week first to Hot Springs NC then Erwin TN, each with a zero day. That should put me in good shape for the final two weeks of long miles to Bland VA.Many thanks to everyone who's been praying for me. God has been answering your prayers.
Date: 2011-04-17
From: Standing Bear Farm Hostel

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: clear sky

With the return of dry weather, most of the hikers appeared to be heading out of the hostel. The wood-burning stove in our bunkhouse kept us all warm throughout the night. The morning dawned crystal clear and chilly though without frost. Apparently there were a number of tornadoes on the other side of North Carolina over the night, but we were spared anything nasty.Today's hike belonged to the Great Smoky Mountains Hiking Club. You have built outstanding, large shelters with tarps covering the fronts and fireplaces inside. I loved each of the five I used. Thanks GSMHC volunteers for helping make a superb hiking experience! Now we've passed into the stretch maintained by the Carolina Hiking Club.The day began with a three-mile up to Snowbird Mountain which is bald on top. A cloudless sky gave great views. Then came several shorter but sometimes very steep ups and downs: seemed like little of the hike was level. The last of the day involved getting up to the peerless Max Patch at 4300', the biggest and best known of the balds. What a view! There were a dozen day hikers also on the bald. All of us got into warm clothes due to the cold wind despite a cloudless sky. I enjoyed half an hour looking back to see days of hiking through the Smokies and ahead to future days, all while enjoying a Snickers Bar.Thus far I'm the only one at this shelter. My sleeping gear is laid out on the platform, I'm changed into camp clothes, I've gotten water for the night, I recorded my presence in the shelter register (most AT shelters have such registers: it's how we often communicate with one another as hikers), and now it's time to write in my journal. In a bit I'll get out my John Grisham novel and enjoy a rest before dinner and bed.
Date: 2011-04-18
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night I was eventually joined by Walking Man, Cope, Henrik (from Germany) and Craig (a Brit who has been living in Germany for a number of years) in the shelter, and Hawk, Sundog and Where-in-the-Blazes tenting nearby. We had a nice fire until hikers' midnight shortly after 8 pm. A good night's sleep, too, with no mice in the shelter.Today's hiking was dedicated to niece Jennifer and husband John. One of these decades she's going to finish her PhD in the highly marketable field of archaeology. :-) We're so proud of her.It was a straightforward hike today beginning in delightfully cool air but ending very warm, especially as we declined in altitude toward the French Broad River valley. It was a very healthy up to Bluff Mountain (4600') and prior to that we ascended a bald with decent views on this sunny day. Because of the warmth I sweat a good bit, a harbinger of things to come unfortunately. We alternate from wintery vegetation at higher altitudes to Spring vegetation at lower, because we're anywhere from 2,000' to 6,000' over this stretch of 150 miles. So it's kind of like having Spring arrive half a dozen times!I'm looking forward to Hot Springs tomorrow bit time. There's not a single item of food left in the bag, so I'll dash the three miles to town, stash my backpack somewhere safe, and make a beeline to a restaurant serving breakfast. YOW!
Date: 2011-04-20
From: Alpine Court Motel in Hot Spring NC

To: Hemlock Hollow Inn and Hostel
Miles today: 16.3

One of the delights of hiking the AT is to enter into the culture of the people who live along the trail. Today has given me such an opportunity.In honor of the delightful people of Hot Springs, today's hiking was dedicated to them. From the postal clerk to the waitresses at Smoky Mountains Diner to the librarian, it was an outstanding visit with people who seemed to truly want you there. Hopefully I dropped enough cash Hot Springs to reward their exuberance.Breakfast consisted of eggs, bacon, pancakes and coffee at Smoky Mountains Diner in the company of Sundog. I took off from the motel at 7:45 with ominous clouds in the west. Sure enough, fifteen minutes after departure the rain began. My pack was snug under its rain cover, but I had only my hiking clothes which were soon soaked. This was intentional: it was a warm morning, and I'd rather be soaked with rainwater than with my own sweat under a raincoat. As long as it's not a cold rain with wind, the strategy actually keeps the hiker pleasantly cool. The rain fell off and on for three hours with two claps of thunder, so the strategy worked perfectly. After the rain my clothes slowly dried, keeping me cool much of the afternoon on an otherwise warm and muggy day. Hiking up and out of Hot Springs (past Lovers' Leap, of course)I passed Sundog, Turtle Feet, and Socks now accompanied by her dog Doobie, all of whom had gotten out of town ahead of me.My plan at the end of the 16 miles was to divert .7m off the trail to the Hemlock Hollow hostel. And here the cultural experience has begun. It's run by Fred and Hattie and is located midway between Horsehitch Gap and Licklob Knob. There's a delightful clear-water river running through the property with Rainbow, Brown and Brook trout all native to it. Across the road is the Upper Paint Creek School, a former one-room schoolhouse now badly in need of repair. A couple of cattle are grazing on the grass 150' away. And inside for sale for a mere $2,000 is a crazy quilt made in 1880 by Fred's great grandmother. What a shame I don't have room in my backpack to take it along with me!What a great place to stay! I've had a shower, and an upper bunk in the 8-bunk cabin awaits me. Looking forward to their breakfast, too!
Date: 2011-04-21
From: Hemlock Hollow Inn and Hostel

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: overcast clouds

It was an excellent night of sleep in the bunkhouse with four other hikers. Three of them were staying multiple days, having gone to see the doctor for various ailments. I enjoyed a breakfast of coffee (2 cups!) and a stack of Hattie's pancakes. WHOOP!Today's hike was for Faith and Cory. I look forward to getting them on the trail someday, but Cory's need for a shower and clean sheets each night is problematic. Sounds like a number of people I know...It began cloudy and turned to partly cloudy with cool air in the 60s though a bit humid. I alternated from low sweat to dry. The single toughest mile of the hike so far was the ridgeline a mile west of Jerry Cabin Shelter, a continuous rock scramble but with fabulous views particularly to the north into Tennessee.At Jerry Cabin Shelter I met two guys at 1:30 p.m. who were just getting started for their day's hike. Five miles later I passed them taking a break, then they came here for 'lunch', and finally left at 5:15 p.m. hoping to do another 8-10 miles. Not surprisingly they've been hiking two weeks longer than me to only get this far. On the other hand, a hiker named Bam has just pulled in having done 22 miles today and having started a week after me. So he's done in three weeks what I've needed four to do. So you meet all kinds.Today I passed the graves of the Sheltons, an uncle and nephew, who as members of the Union Army but from North Carolina were coming home on furlough to see family and were ambushed and killed by rebels. Both were in North Carolina Union regiments (2nd Infantry and 3rd Mounted Infantry).
Date: 2011-04-22
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Big Bald Shelter
Miles today: 18.5

The number of hikers on the trail continues to decline as evidenced by only three of us at last night's shelter: Bam, Bearbait and me. Showers and drizzle settled in after midnight, and at first the air warmed but chilled off by sunrise.I hiked for nephew Aaron today. He managed to get the Welsh singing voice to keep it going in the family. Keep on singing, Superstar Scrabble Pro!The day was pretty much in the hands of the weather. Showers and fog ruled much of the day, pushing me back and forth from raingear off and on. Trying to keep from getting too chilled was a challenge. Big Bald turned into Big Disappointment because of the fog. I'm sure the views are great.It was a gloomy, somber day quite appropriate for a Good Friday.
Date: 2011-04-23
From: Big Bald Shelter

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: clear sky

It was a cold, windy evening at 5100' last night. The guys got a massive campfire going to stand around, but I stayed snug in my bag, with most of my clothes on to help out. In camp were One Step, Uhaul, Bam, Twoper, Bairbait and me.We had the extreme in hikers overnight. Bam is an ultralight hiker carrying less than 20 pounds and cutting every corner he can. This led him to two problems: he's shivering in his 45 degree bag having already sent some of his cold weather clothing home, and he has run out of food, only having dried milk and honey for supper, breakfast, and the 17 miles to Erwin today.Then there's Uhaul who left Springer on February 5, 46 days before me, and carrying over 100-pounds in his pack. He is now 'pared down' to 90 pounds, having disposed of his laptop computer (!) So you can see how Uhaul has gotten his trail name. He has everything imaginable to keep you safe, warm and fed n the trail, but between the weight and his decision not to hike on any day that rains (like yesterday: he zeroed at the shelter) it's not surprising he's averaged less than four miles a day. Not getting yo Maine like that!The hike today was for Office Manager Marisa. She's kept me out of trouble for seventeen years, so what can I say?It was a straightforward hike with an overall decline of 2000' under gorgeous clear skies and light wind. The valleys of North Carolina were filled with clouds, the valleys of Tennessee were clear. I'm looking forward to an easy six miles into Erwin TN tomorrow for Easter Sunday church, good food, and cleanliness.
Date: 2011-04-24
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Erwin Uncle Johnny's Hostel
Miles today: 5.9

There ended up being seven of us at the shelter last night including Uhaul, John and Kiddo. It was a beautiful, cool and still night for sleeping.The hiking was in honor of the volunteers of the Carolina Hiking Club, maintainers of the trail from GSMNP north border to just south of here. Thanks, guys! But you have major trail maintenance to do with 15-20 blowdowns and a lot of nasty overhanging rhododendrons. Are the trimmers all 5' tall?Up and gone shortly after 7 a.m. It was mostly down to the Nolichucky River for the six miles, but there were a number of MUDS. They had to take the trail straight up and over every knob in the ridgeline. I got here to Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky hiker hostel around 9 a.m. My goal was to get to a church for 11 a.m. Easter service. But I needed clean clothes and there's only one washer and dryer here. So my clothes were washed by 10:30 (and I'd had my shower), but the dryer was in use. So I hung the clothes I didn't need on a clothes line and put on a wet shirt and pants, heading out by foot to a church five minutes away counting on the bright sun and gracious breeze to dry my clothes as I went.It was a Missionary Baptist church, about 55 people people (including 3 hikers) in a very new building with a very tall steeple. Virgil was asked to come forward and lead the singing (about 75 and very rotund). We sang "There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood". Then anyone who wanted to come be a part of the choir was invited up to the loft to sing the three songs, directed by Virgil. And 17 people including one hiker responded. Prayer requests were taken, then the visiting preacher prayed. Then came the sermon -- the only thing remotely Easter -- about Peter being singled out by the angel at the tomb (Mark 16:1-7). It was all KJV, and most people had their Bibles. An altar call at the end. It was very homey, like my parents church in Missouri.After the service I started walking into town. Erwin is anti-Hot Springs in that Hot Springs has everything a hiker needs within about three minutes of walking. I heard of the AYCE Chinese Kitchen on the far side of town and walked about four miles, but it was closed for Easter. So I stopped at Food Lion on the way back and bought (and then consumed) one sandwich, 2 bananas, pineapple and orange juice. About 2:30 I continued on to McDonald's with a USA Today paper and had a salad, shake and coffee. Then I finished the walk through closed-up Erwin back here to the hostel, having added about nine miles of (largely effortless) walking to my day. Now I'm consuming the bag of popcorn I picked up at Food Lion for my normal Sunday evening supper. Such a creature of habit!A lot of walking under a warm sun, but really very relaxing. Tonight I'm in the bunkhouse with 15 others among the 40-50 hikers staying here. At one of the AT's best know stops: most are in cabins or camped out (the cheapest way to go.)
Date: 2011-04-25
From: Erwin Uncle Johnny's Hostel

To: Erwin Uncle Johnny's Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

It was a pleasant zero in Erwin. The shuttle took a dozen of us to J.D.'s Cafe for breakfast where I enjoyed a large biscuits and gravy breakfast for $1.39. I spent the day wandering around Erwin visiting the public library for internet services, and taking in the Choo Choo Cafe for triple chocolate cake and coffee. (The name of the cafe comes from all the train paraphernalia -- my brother Kevin would love it -- as this is a major train town with CSX being the biggest employer.) Hey! I'm down to 167 pounds so I need to do something to keep my weight from dropping out of sight!Tonight will be an AYCE pizza place. The shuttle to tomorrow's 20.2 mile slack pack leaves at 7 a.m., so it's early to bed. Hope all the others in this bunk room will quiet down early.