morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-04-21
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: No Business Knob
Miles today: 20.7

Racing against the rain once again today. Woke up around 5:30, had my coffee, and got going. Today was all about the uphill again - Big Bald being the big obstacle. As I approached Big Bald, I could see how it got the name. It was a fairly large chunk of trail walking through the meadowy scenery that makes Balds what they are. Nice and exposed hiking. As luck would have it, they skies started darkening and you could here thunder occasionally in the distance. Normally, I love the balds, but today was nothing but bad omens so I set to finish that sucker as quick as possible. It really was gorgeous hiking. Wish I could have spent more time up there. I love that kind of scenery though there wasn't much of a view today.Trail magic made the rest of my day. There was a cooler full of powerade after Big Bald. It was perfectly timed. In my hustle up the bald I hadn't grabbed any water. I was pretty thirsty by then. Not long after a south-bound hiker tipped me off to some trail magic at Spivy Gap. I wasn't expecting much, but it put a little pep in my step. I will say what I found at Spivy Gap goes into something beyond trail magic. A trail miracle?Badger, who had thru-hiked the AT last year, set up a huge tent and had a grill going and everything. Badger and friends fed me til it hurt. I had: A burger, 2 hotdogs, a 6" subway sub, a donut, several cookies, moon pie, and doritos all washed down with Jack Daniels and a couple PBRs. It was nothing short of amazing. To really put things over the edge, it started absolutely pouring out. Underneath the tent I stayed completely dry. Best trail magic yet. Thanks so much Badger and crew!Reluctantly, I left Camp Magic and hiked 5 more miles to the shelter I planned on stopping at. Here with Pterodactyl, Rocketman, Greenbeard, Dustbuster, Cur Dog, and Grey Eagle. I will be in Erwin tomorrow!
Date: 2017-04-22
From: No Business Knob

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: moderate rain

Woke up early with Erwin in mind. Trail was pretty mild, but a few sneaky uphills seemed to stretch the 6 miles I had to do out. Made it to Erwin in time to get myself a bunk at Uncle Johnny's Hostel. Was planning on treating myself to a hotel room to myself, but the rates in town were super high due to a NASCAR race in Bristol. Beat the rain into town which was really nice. It's raining the heaviest I've seen so far. The river nearby is rising above the banks with all the rain we've had.Did my town chores: ate at a pizza buffet, resupplied at Dollar General/Walmart, and relaxed. A few familiar faces here. Pterodactyl, Frozen, Ounce, and Froggy are all here. Shuttlebug, who works at the hostel here is a riot. He let me play his banjo which was nice of him. Will zero here tomorrow!
Date: 2017-04-23
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

My first zero in almost two weeks. The rain is pretty bad today, which makes 6 days in a row. Feeling pretty good about that zero right now. Sitting in bed, reading and relaxing. I got in touch with Team PWL which was nice. Weather is just as bad where they are at in Hot Springs. Flash flooding there is making the trail dangerous. They are zeroing with me, just in the next town over. Wishing them more of the best!Planning on hitting the trail tomorrow. Rain or shine!
Date: 2017-04-24
From: Erwin, TN

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Here's todays summary:-Trail turned into a river. Gnarwhal says: "I surfed here!"-Day 7 of rain.-Lots and lots of uphill in the mud.-Walked through some really cool pine groves.-There was a christmas tree on the trail!-Shelter is full up on people. Glad I got a spot!-Going to bed early as there is not much to do in the rain.
Date: 2017-04-25
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: overcast clouds

My one month anniversary on the trail! Also one of the most mentally challenging days on the trail. I'm not sure there is any hiker who had a really great time on the trail today.The rain continued on from last night into this morning. It seemed considerably colder, though I didn't bother to check my thermometer. This makes 8 days in a row of rain. Let's rant about rainy weather. Rain makes for more than just getting wet, which is uncomfortable enough. Once your wet you can't escape the cold. Every breeze brings you right back to the point where you have goosebumps on your skin. Even if it's not raining heavy, the leaves above collect pools of icy water that wait for you to walk under them. Once you're underneath they spring their trap and you get yourself a nice mini ice bath with a shock. Packing up becomes much more of a chore as you try and fail to keep your stuff from rolling around in the mud. You regretfully just accept that you will be a muddy mess until you get to the next town. The trail itself becomes much worse too. Where it's not a running river constantly threatening to completely soak your feet, it turns to complete muck. Sometimes the muck is 3 inches deeper than it looks or sometimes hidden completely by leaves. On the uphill, for every two steps up you slide back one. On the downhills you can only pray that your footing will hold. Took a good spill or two myself on a downhill, completing my muddy transformation. That's been the trail for the past few days, and it definitely wears at you. Anyways!I hiked with Ghost and Cruiser for the morning. It was nice to have someone to talk to instead of constantly trying to avoid thinking about how crappy the trail is right now. Helped the time move along nicely. They were good company, hope I see more of them. I ate a hearty lunch and powered my way to the highest shelter on the AT at 6200 ft elevation. Only a few hundred short of Clingman's Dome which is the highest point on the AT. It was packed away in a really beautiful conifer grove. The shelter even had a full 4 walls to it which is a first as far as I know! There was a door on it. What an innovation! Here with Pippin, Rocketman, Rock, Greenbeard, Dustbuster, Bartender and I caught a glimpse of Murphy and Kinda as well.
Date: 2017-04-26
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Roan Mountain, TN
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Goodbye NC and goodbye rain streak! Today was a great day on the AT. It was a pretty chilly start to the day, but after over a week of overcast weather and rain we finally saw the sun and blue skies! They came on the perfect day too. Our morning hike offered some breathtaking views from the ridgelines. In front of us: fog covered valleys under blue skies while behind: clouds crashed and spilled over the mountaintops we came from. Ran into Toe again up here who jumped up from the rockies to take advantage of todays good weather.I got really hungry and at a massive lunch at 10AM. The hiker hunger is real now, but it got me ready for some challenging uphill. Little Hump and Hump mountain were the big climbs for the day. They were tough but gorgeous climbs all the way through. It was a couple o hours of hiking on a grassy ridge with views the whole way. It reminded me a lot of Entoto Mountain in Ethiopia. it was pretty neat to see hikers far ahead of you and behind you as well.I decided to turn a good day into a great day by eating dinner in Roan Mountain. I ate at Bob's Dairyland it was one of the best decisions I've made on the trail. They fed me the first real hiker burger I've had on the trail. It was truly massive, delicious and for a better price than any other place would offer. You better believe I ate the whole thing and had room for ice cream. I will have to upload a photo of that big boy soon. Every hiker should stop there. Best eating yet for me.After eating that big meal I got talked into staying at a nearby hostel. Stretching my wallet out a little, but the stay at Doe River Hiker Hostel was really nice. Practically got a private room. David who runs the place is great to hikers as well. Recommend staying there if you want to stop. Best hostel I've been to as well. Had I known about this place I would have zeroed here instead of in Erwin. Here with Pippin, Velveeta, Chip and a couple others. Rocketman and Bartender are somewhere in town as well.
Date: 2017-04-27
From: Roan Mountain, TN

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: moderate rain

Outran the rain today! That is to say: despite the high chances for rain, it seemed to miss me. Started out my day with a wonderful breakfast provided by David. Got french toast, sausage, eggs on toast, strawberries and fresh tomatoes. Served with some nice black coffee. Dave knows how to feed the hikers!Hit the trail around 9:30 AM feeling pretty good. Ran into Rock, who I first met at Spivy Gap trail magic, and we hiked most of the day together. It was cool getting to know him. Turns out we both spent some time in Chiang Mai, Thailand which is a neat connection.It was overcast all day which was actually perfect for all the waterfalls we saw. Nice diffuse lighting for pictures :). Jones Falls was gorgeous. Took a nice break there. It was one of the largest waterfalls I've seen, besides Amicalola Falls, but without all the tourists.Had lunch at mountaineer shelter and though about staying there to ride out the storms that were supposed to be rolling through. Wanted to get to a certain hostel by tomorrow however, so I decided to even out the miles I had to do and pushed for another 10 today. Left Rocketman behind at Mountaineer all on his own. I hope he survives! The rest of the hike took me generally uphill but was pretty mild. Ended up doing 10 miles in about 3 1/2 hours. Got myself a nice shelter spot and will be back at a hostel tomorrow. Look at me glamping!
Date: 2017-04-28
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Boots Off Hostel
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

Great day on the AT! Got to hiking around 7:30. Woke up to clear skies and fog in the valleys. My favorite! Hit another very large waterfall at Laurel Falls. Lots of people so I didn't linger long. Took a really peaceful lunch break further down the river. Met Odie and Sidetrail who are section hiking to Damascus. They're a really neat couple who run an agro-tourism farm down in Flordia. Pretty neat! I got to hike and talk with them which made for a nice morning. Hit a big mountain at Pond Flats. It was a pretty long climb. In 80 degree heat I ran out of water before I hit the water source at the top. But, I made it, filled my water back up and was on my way. Apparently, not 30 minutes later there was a very large rattler at that exact spot. A little bummed I missed seeing it to be honest!A quick downhill jaunt later and I was at the Boots Off Hostel. It's a really nice place for hikers and for only $10 a camping spot it was a steal. Spent the rest of my day resupplying, chowing down at both McDonalds and Subway (both restaurants not at all ready for an influx of hikers), playing guitar, and hanging around the campfire. A good night! here with Rock, Odie + Sidetrail, Fry, Loose Strap, and a few others.
Date: 2017-04-29
From: Boots Off Hostel

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

I survived the heat wave! Today was definitely the hottest day on the AT with low wind to boot. Didn't help myself any by getting to a late start. Got caught up chatting and having a nice breakfast at the Hostel. Hard to not linger when there's good coffee to be had! Didn't got on the trail til 10 and by then it was already 80 degreesThis section of the trial brought me around Watauga lake which was a pretty area. Had to take a blue-blaze due to the trail being flooded at some points. Was pleased at the thought this dilemma would create for the hardcore purists out there. I haven't got anything against purists necessarily. It's just that they tend to see themselves as above other hikers. Anyways Watauga was nice, but there are warnings everywhere not to linger due to lots of bear activity. The shelter there has been closed for over a year because of it.A good climb over 10 miles took me up to Vandeventer Shelter. I was bone dry on water at that point so I had no choice but too take the long sidetrail to water there. I did almost a mile of extra steep trail just for 1 Liter of water. I vowed to never drink water again.The heat kicked up to 90 after that and slowed me down quite a bit. Stopped a few miles short of where I wanted to be, but that's alright. Here with Fry, Texas Ranger, 7beer and his dad. Shooting for Damascus tomorrow.
Date: 2017-04-30
From: Iron Mountain Shelter

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 26.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Just like that I'm done with Tennessee and have moved on to Virginia. The trail spends more time in VA than any other state. I'll hike 500+ miles before I cross into another state. People don't always have nice things to say about it, but I'm looking forward to everything Virginia has to offer!Woke up early with Damascus on my mind. Was glad to get moving early as I've made a habit of late starts recently. Much better than starting in the heat of the day. It was a very quiet hike today. Saw a couple of people at the gaps that crossed roads, but not a single thru-hiker until about 16 miles in today. Met Rabbit at Abingdon Gap Shelter. Our meeting was brief as I made another monster descent to get water. She seems like a nice girl. Hope to see her in Damascus.Hitting the border was really exciting! However, having hiked over 20 miles in socks that badly needed washing left my feet more raw and sore than they have ever been. I was too close to Damascus to quit right then so I pressed on. It's one of the more famous trail towns and I've been looking forward to it for some time! Staying at a hostel called "The Place" tonight. Only $7 a night. No-brainer.Grabbed a really nice dinner with some of the what we'll call "Grizzled Vets" of the trail: Hunter, Growler, Cur Dog, BR, and Grey Eagle. We celebrated Grey Eagle's last day of being the most Senior ranked Colonel in the Marine Corp. Congrats on your retirement Grey Eagle! Hope civilian life treats you well. I was honored to be a part of this great mans night! Had a good time talking with them all. Staying at the Hostel with all of them as well as Ghost and Cruiser who I hadn't seen for a couple of days. Good to see them too. Will be zeroing tomorrow!
Date: 2017-05-01
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0

Heralding in the month of May with all my town chores! Had breakfast with Grey Eagle and Cur Dog before they hit the trail while also taking care of my laundry. Also made a few new friends at Mojos Coffeehouse: Captain Planet (Happy birthday!), Oscar, Up'n'Down, and Fry who I did meet a few days ago. Seems like a cool crowd. Maybe will be seeing more of them.Made my way through town doing what I usually do. Used the computer here at the library, picked up my amazing trail drop from No Worries (I walked around town like a king with that package under my arm), got food and so on. I may have done something a little impulsive too...I've missed music quite a bit on the trail and when I spotted a travel guitar at one of the outfitters I couldn't help myself. I bought it. Needless to say, I will be living a little less luxuriously in towns for the next month or so. Now I only need to figure out how it will actually fit in my pack.Spent the rest of the day reading "The Alchemist". I didn't think it was a terrible read - it got me to think about some things. Maybe a little overly positive for a cynical stoic like me. As I write this I realize I forgot to do some of my other important tasks like make some warranty claims. May take another zero tomorrow to really rest up and get that all done.In other news, drama is unfolding in the town of Damascus tonight. An ordinance is banning all tenting except for very few special exceptions within the town. Many hostels benefit from being able to sell camping spots, and they seem to be half of the business it town so it's a big deal. There are already lawsuits in motion against it. I'm witnessing some trail history right here!
Date: 2017-02-25
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Hi folks. Welcome to the trail journal for my AT hike. Getting ready to go...starting March 8th at the Archway. A list of some of my equipment (at least starting out).Pack: REI UL 60Bag: Marmot Plasma 15Boots: Merrell RidgepassPad: NEMO Tensor 25LStove: Pocket RocketTent: Big Agnes Fly Creek 1I will eventually change my bag to a Mt. Hard Wear Phantom 32 then a Phantom 45, then back to a Phantom 32 in New England. I have used the Big Agnes Fly Creek 1 on one trip, but like my side entrance MSR Hubba. I'm going to start with the Fly Creek to see how it goes since I can save a bit of weight.
Date: 2017-02-26
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Since I live in the low country of South Carolina, I usually jog about 3 times a week to get my heart rate up to simulate elevation and hills.   Now that I am retired, I also have been going on 4 hour walks with my full pack including water and food.   I alternate jogging days and the walking days.I have access to a 4000 acre wooded area that is crisscrossed with dirt roads and fire breaks. My hope is these 4 hour walks will smooth out the transition as I start the AT. Time will tell!
Date: 2017-02-27
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I truly appreciate the ultralight direction equipment has taken especially when I remember the equipment I have used the past 45 years as a hiker. I admire the folks that get their base weight in the 10 pound region. I have benefited from this as well, but my base weight is closer to 20 pounds. However there are a few luxury items I plan to take on my hiking vacation.   I plan to use my Galaxy S6 for camera, GPS, etc and will bring an Anker Astro E1 as a backup charger.   I do plan to keep my phone in airplane mode most of the time and hope to get 3 to 4 days between charges, so we'll see if I keep the backup.   I will also bring a flash drive to backup the photos from the phone.The rest of my luxuries primarily have to do with sleeping.   In my youth, I could easily fall asleep on my closed cell foam pad. When I hit 40, I had a difficult time getting comfortable on it, so switched to a self inflatable.   With the self inflatable I thought it could not get better! Well, when I hit 50, I found out that logic was was incorrect and moved to an inflatable.   Not only that, but I use the full big boy size to cover my height.   For a pillow, I use to use clothes, boots, etc, but now use a Sea-to-Summit Aeros. Finally I will bring mt Kindle paperwhite. I find that reading is the great way to put me to sleep once I crawl into my bag. The paperwhite is nice since the battery life is good and you do not need external light to read. If I find I don't use it that often, I will ship it back home to save the 1/2 pound.
Date: 2017-03-01
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

One week to go. Today I drove to Fort Mill, SC to visit my brother and to deliver some gear that he and his daughter will use for a trip later this month. While there,, I took the opportunity to take my pack by the REI Pineville store to make sure all the adjustments were made. Thanks to Rob with REI for taking the time to load my old UL60 up with some weight and fine tuning and adjusting.
Date: 2017-03-02
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Finished another 4 hour prep walk today. We finally had a chilly morning to prepare me for the cooler days in the mountains. After my walk I went by my old work area to eat lunch with my former colleagues.Being retired from a "Monday to Friday Job" has changed my outlook on the days of the week...really no surprise there. I haven't lost track of what day it is, but Fridays are now like any other day...and that is a good thing!
Date: 2017-03-06
To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

Today I finished my last training walk. My support team/wife and I leave tomorrow for the state park lodge so I can start at the archway on Wednesday. While walking, I clearly remembered my first "backpacking" trip. I was a 13 year old Boy Scout with Troop 48 in Fountain Inn, S.C. A couple of times a year we would car camp at a local pasture about 5 miles from our Scout Hut. On one trip, a group of us decided we wanted to pack our personal items, sleeping bag, etc into our packs and walk the 5 miles. It was a challenge with my old canvas Yucca Pack (sans hip belt), but I was hooked! From there, bigger trips were planned and money from after school jobs went to better equipment: an external Camp Trails pack, a down sleeping bag (from Sears!!), an Optimus 99 stove, a Gerry rain parka and so forth. As I start this journey, I hope part of my teenage self still resides deep in my soul. As my legs burn going uphill and as a cold rain trickles down my back sending chills to my core, I need that teenager to remind me to bear down and not quit. For around the next bend in the trail, there are others waiting to teach me new skills and to share life experiences.
Date: 2017-03-08
From: Archway

To: Hawk Mtn Camp
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: few clouds

Started from archway this morning and got into Hawk Mtn Camp. Weak signal here so will not add a lot of details....but weather was fantastic.Updated 3/9. Have a better signal so updating this entry. After my wife dropped me off, I went up the trail a bit so I could watch her drive home. It was sad, but I know I will see her soon.Once I got about a mile off Springer (at the parking lot), the trail was like a highway and I made good time. There were about 15 tents at Hawk Mtn camp...and I think all of us were in our tents by 8:00 pm.
Date: 2017-03-09
From: Hawk Mtn Camp

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: few clouds

Another beautiful day, but the word on the trail is it will be wet and cold this weekend.   The trail is crowded, but you can still have solitude while hiking. A big group here at Woody Gap. We took full advantage of the picnic tables and we all cooked dinner there. My table was Superfly, Sunshine and Nature Boy. I am sharing a campsite with Bucky from Burlington, NC.   He first did a thru hike in 2002 when he retired at 65. He told himself then that he would do it again when he was 80. Well, it is 15 years later and he is 80 and still going. What an inspiration! Don't think for a minute that his equipment is old school, he has a brand new Big Agnes Fly Creek Platinum.
Date: 2017-03-10
From: Woody Gap

To: Neel Gap
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: light snow

Bad storm last night from 2:00 to 6:00 am. Tent was very wet outside, but I stayed dry inside. Before heading out, Superfly, Aslan, Bivy and myself decided to split a Blood Mtn cabin at Neel, so called to make a reservation.   It will nice to have a place to dry out equipment. Made good time to Jarrard Gap, small up and downs mixed with level walking. The hike up Blood Mtn was slow, but not too bad. The view on the top was great since the weather changed from overcast to sunny. Going down Blood Mtn was tricky due to the grade and slippery rocks.Picked up supplies from Mountain Crossings.   Headed to the cabin where the pizza and shower were great
Date: 2017-03-11
From: Neel Gap

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 11.5

Started from Neel Gap about 8:30. Weather was a bit cool, but the sun was out in the morning. At Hogpen Gap, Bobby from Blairsville was set up for some trail magic. I had some home made oup, strawberry short cake and candy. The clouds started coming in during the afternoon and the temperature dropped. I was able to get a spot in the shelter, sharing it with Wild Thing, Rockhopper, Mandrake, Red, Lung Cookie and Alex. Wild Thing and Alex are both from the UK. I will write more about Wild Thing at a later date. I also spoke with Speckled Hen and her husband G2. A big crowd at Low Gap with about 15 tents. Frozen precipitation came in about 8:00 pm, so most of the camp were out for the night.