morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-05-15
From: Birch Spring Gap Campground

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: light rain

A bear I metI thoughtMy assIs grassHe thoughtI think I'll passHe's got no fatGot up, had some breakfast and got on the trail. And who was there, in my way? It was our friend, the bear. I shooed him away, but he wasn't interested in moving very far. A nice close encounter with a very beautiful wild animal. They're mostly vegetarian and he didn't want me for breakfast.First full day in the Smokies. This park is 520,000 acres (200000 ha for the Belgians), with more than 100 species of trees, 1570 species of flowering plants, 60 species of mammals (1500 black bears), more than 25 types of salamander, and 2 types of humans. The ones in cars, and the hiker type. We had a brief encounter with an elusive third kind, a guy in running clothes with a bottle of water in his hand, running around, training for an ultra-marathon.A long hard day through some beautiful forest, got caught in a rainstorm right at the end. Blue and I managed to hit the shelter before it really opened up. CK and Cricket got soaked. The Smokies have very nice shelters. Three sides are rock wall, with a fireplace built into one side. The front is open, under roof with built in benches. It is so satisfying to arrive at a dry place, where someone already started a fire in the fireplace. Take off your wet boots, get into sandals, sweater, and cook some dinner. (for me that's usually a few courses: soup, freeze dried dinner, some type of dessert, and some hot tea)Tonight I tried a new dessert: Some guys gave me a bag of couscous at lunch, they had over packed. I boiled water with dried fruit mix and some freeze dried apricots, put the couscous in and some nuts and raisins, and voila: a nice dessert that stuck to the bones. It's these small things that can make for a happy evening.By dark everyone's in bed. I read a little, and usually sleep very well until the sun starts to rise.
Date: 2010-05-16
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: light rain

Some are youngsome old with a young soulthey all get alongand have the same goalOne of the people last night was Goldilocks, the youngest backpacker I've seen. She's 10, and is hiking a section with her grandmother, Greyhound. We're in a very pretty grassy area and are ready to see the views on Clingman's Dome, 6643 feet, the highest point on the AT. Of course by the time we reach it the sky opens up. Thunder, hard rain, and a view of about 10.5 feet. Blue and I find shelter under the walkway. We don't see CK and Cricket. They've skipped the top and moved on to the shelter. We arrive a little wet. Even our Gore-Tex lined boots couldn't hold up to this rain.At the shelter a nice fire is going in the fireplace. A happy place to arrive at. Another thru-hiker, 'Old School' tells us he started the trail with the 'Pink Panthers'. They're both 80, did a thru hike 16 years ago, and are now planning to do over 1000 miles on the trail. Old School is going off the trail for a few days to meet some family tomorrow. So he gives me a couple of pieces of left over gruyere. He instantly is my best friend. The quickest way to my heart is through food, as most of you know.
Date: 2010-05-17
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Tri Corner Shelter
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: moderate rain

Wet bootsSlippery rootsI aspire to a warm fireThis morning around 5 or so both Blue and I hear a hiker get up early and mess around in the shelter. When I get up I can't find my cooking kit. Neither can C.K. My platypus (flexible plastic water container) is empty and has holes in it. Well, of course the early bird we heard was not a hiker, but a hungry bear. Everyone had strung up their food with the bear cables, but the cooking gear must have smelled pretty good too.It was a considerate bear though, no important damage, just had to look and find the pieces.Rainy day, wet boots and feet, but pretty scenery, as always. Blue,CK and Cricket are headed into town, so I'm on my own again. Put in a lot of miles, and got to the shelter after seven, tired, wet and hungry.
Date: 2010-05-18
From: Tri Corner Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: overcast clouds

A bed over a creekGives me the peace I seekA beer and a talkGets me ready to walkThis northern part of the park is very pretty. Most of it you walk on the ridge, with views left and right. And then at the end is the Standing Bear Hostel, just off the trail. Very friendly, rustic, comfortable. The cabin I stay at is built on top of a little creek, very peaceful. I'm in time to join some people on a beer run, and happily have my first beer in a while. Nice people, talk until about 11. El Toro has already lost over 50 pounds, Captain Guts may have lost more. He's a recent retiree who sold everything, put his stuff in storage, and is hiking the trail for 6 months, as much as he can barefoot! He doesn't care how far he gets, just wants to hike and get healthy. He's planning an adventurous life for the next ten years.
Date: 2010-05-19
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: light rain

I'd just as liefHave jerky made of beefIt gives me gasBut that will passThis morning my friend Jon Owen (J.O.) is joining me until Hot Springs. He's done lots of hiking before, so we're going normal speed, talking and having fun. It's nice to have a friend along for a while. He's also brought lots of goodies. Home made gorp (for the Belgians: a mix of peanuts, raisins,chocolate) and also home made beef jerky (dried strips of beef). Very nice snacks. I find out that eating a bunch of jerky can be a gaseous affair, but we're in open air, nobody cares.
Date: 2010-05-20
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

It's fun to hikewith friends you likeWe laugh and talkAnd still we walkAnother beautiful day on the trail. Jon is good, cheerful company, and we're moving along. Max Patch summit gives us a nice 360 view on a grassy field, perfect to lay down on our packs, have a little snack and talk about life and hiking. That night Jon makes a little campfire to eat dinner by. I'm not much of a firestarter, so it's nice to have an expert along.
Date: 2010-05-21
From: Walnut Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: moderate rain

Down the hillwe're flyinggonna eat our fillno more crying Today is Lee day and burger day. We hike through a soft rain, enjoy the cool weather, and when we get to Hot Springs Lee's walking up to meet us. Perfect timing. And then the Buffalo Burger with Fries are only a breath away..
Date: 2010-05-22
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

No miles/Lots of food/No trials/feels pretty good/Staying for a zero day. The hotel's nice and comfortable, there's laundry,repacking,journal writing, etc.. The day fills up quickly, and I feel I don't spend enough time with Lee.The trail's like a big elastic band, you get behind, or ahead of people, and then at the next town everyone straggles in. I take a day off everytime Lee comes up, so I'm in town long enough to see everyone come in and leave. Lee gets to meet some of my old trail friends. We saw Blue, my young, always cheerful friend from Indiana flat country, last night, he leaves early this morning. I may not see him again, as strong a hiker as he is. Then we see Cricket and CK in the laudromat. Cricket's here for a quick stop, and CK is leaving us, going back home to his family in Texas. We'll miss him, he was a very pleasant, always helpful companion. (CK, get home safely, and once in a while, think about your suffering backpacking friends.)
Date: 2010-05-23
From: Hot Springs, NC

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

Leaving the cozy little mountain town of Hot Springs today. This was a pretty big resort town earlier in the last century with the natural mineral hot springs attracting people from all over the region. Of course my first and second breakfast, and the company of Lee delay my departure so I leave with a full pack of food for an 11 mile uphill walk on a beautiful, warm day. Eleven miles uphill, and I get a chance to exercise one of my favorite hobbies: make pancakes for dessert (from a package) with some raisins and nuts thrown in, brown sugar on top, and share them with my fellow hikers, Pale Blue Dot and Clarissa. Her dog wants some too, but he's had dinner already.. Sorry Mochi, it's not good for you anyway. By the time my dishes are clean it's dark. Another good evening in the woods..
Date: 2010-05-24
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 21.3
Weather: light rain

Long day today. At dinner time at the shelter Pale Blue Dot decides to go on to the next shelter, anoter 6 miles or so. Sounds like a good idea to me. I'm still cooking, so it'll be a night hike for me. By the time I'm done eating and talking to the ridgerunner, it's after seven. No problem, it's almost a full moon. It's a beautiful time to hike: sunset, dusk then dark, great visibility with the moon shining through the trees. I might even go past the shelter and sleep at a further campsite. Then a cloud passes in front of the moon. Great, I've got a little headlamp with a red light (better for night vision). There are whole fields of lightning bugs out. Then, when I'm pretty close to the shelter, a raindrop, then a few more. I get my pack cover and rain jacket on, and hurry the last mile in the pouring rain. I arrive, a little wet, but happy with the first night hike of my trip. There will be more to come, but hopefully on clearer nights.
Date: 2010-05-25
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: broken clouds

Bald mountain is a beautiful, grassy mountaintop with a great view. A nice way to end a long hike. I debate staying on top of the bald and watch the sunset and sunrise. But after yesterday's rain, I'm decide to walk another mile to the shelter, I haven't heard the weather forecast. Of course it is a great sunset, visible through the trees, and a clear night.
Date: 2010-05-26
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Uncle Johnny's hostel
Miles today: 16.9

I get up early, and start hiking, eating a couple of energy bars on the way. I love these cool early hikes. Today's burger day, heading to the town of Erwin, TN and the famous hostel of Uncle Johnny's. I eat my regular oatmeal and coffee breakfast after 10 miles and feel strong and energized. Get in town around 2. I use one of uncle J.'s free bicycles to ride into town, about 4 miles or so. Get a tasty burger and fries at an old timey lunch counter type place, with neon everywhere. People keep on dropping in for a chocolate Sundae dessert. I feel like I stepped into the fifties. Nice bike ride back.Then of course the evening dinner shuttle to the local Mexican, and a supermarket reprovisioning stop, with a milk-shake stop on the way back. After a few days of hiking and eating less calories than you spend, your stomach becomes a bottomless pit..
Date: 2010-05-27
From: Uncle Johnny's hostel

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: light rain

Stuffed with foodHead emptied of talkFeeling pretty goodAnd ready for a walkLeaving Uncle Johnny's today, of course after 2 great breakfasts and 6 cups of coffee at the Dari Ace, the '50s diner.I unexpectedly found the pink panthers here again. They had to come off the trail in Fontana because his knee was giving him trouble. It was her 80th birthday yesterday. They'll come back next year and finish the 1000 miles they had planned. I talked with them over breakfast. In the 27 years they've been together they climbed Denali twice, Mount Rainier and anything else worth climbing. Hiked long trails in South America, Australia, NZ, all over this country. And at 80 they are still going full speed ahead! Met two people I'd been hearing about for a while. She's deaf and he's deaf, blind in one eye and gradually decreasing tunnel vision in the other eye. A disease called Usher syndrome. They are pretty incredible people. Some young guys hiking about the same speed have been hanging out with them and gradually learning sign language. I had heard the following story before, but didn't realize it happened right here in Erwin. In 1916 a circus elephant named Mary killed its keeper. As punishment they hung the elephant using a crane! details here: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tnunicoi/mary.htmHad a beautiful but hard hike the rest of the day: more than 16 miles after 1pm. Got to the shelter just when it was getting dark. There was a couple from Asheville about my age who were doing this hike as preparation for a bicycle trip around the country: 10000 miles..
Date: 2010-05-28
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: light rain

Maine where are youIs it only in my dreamsThat your woods I'll ever get toAnd swim in your ponds and streamsThis may have been the toughest climb yet, 2200 feet in 2.6 miles, but a very beautiful hiking day. At 6275 feet the shelter is the highest on the trail. We met some nice people with a strong-hiking three-legged dog and told stories around a cozy campfire. And right when we got ready to go to bed, a group of parents and kids came in. The more the merrier, especially during a cold night!
Date: 2010-05-29
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Mountain Harbor Hostel
Miles today: 15.9

Today's goal: Get to the intersection with 19E, go 0.6 miles east to 'King of the Road' steakhouse, stuff ourselves. Then check in to Mountain Harbor, 1 mile back, and tomorrow enjoy the best breakfast anyone we've talked to has ever eaten. Breakfast only is served if there's a minimum of 4 people. So there are 4 of us: Pale Blue Dot, Cricket, the Wizard and me, Skink. We are hungry and energized.The trail from there to here was absolutely beautiful, and so was the weather. The best day on the trail yet. Halfway we had lunch at the Overmountain shelter, a red converted barn with a gorgeous view.The barn was named after the 'Overmountain Men' (incidentally the name of my favorite local band). These militia men walked 170 miles over the mountains, without support, through wintry weather, to defeat British loyalists in an important battle at Kings Mountain, NC during the revolutionary war. When we finally arrived at the road intersection, the sky suddenly opened up. By the time we got to the restaurant we were soaked. Took off wet clothes, boots etc under the roof in front of the interested customers. Put our sandals on, and ate the roof off the house. One of the great eating accomplishments of this century.. We're all still perfectly sober, they don't serve beer in this county ('Dry County', look it up Belgians, it's a concept we've luckily never imagined in our land)Now I'm typing this up in a very cute barn at the hostel. Two new people, an old friend just wandered in, there's a comfortable living room/kitchen, we're talking, writing in journals, drinking some tea. Laundry will be done for us, and we've got a shower and dry sheets. Life is good once again.
Date: 2010-05-30
From: Mountain Harbor Hostel

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: clear sky

Well, breakfast lived up to all the hype and more. The owners are a retired couple. He's a taciturn, one word kind of guy who makes one hell of a french toast. She's a little doll of a woman who clearly loves the daily hosting of a group of voracious and adoring hikers. I think I was unofficially declared the winner of the eating contest. Excellent quality, large quantity, great variety of food: what else does one need in life? I'm going back there for a day hike with Lee after I finish the trail!Just in case you wonder why I (and most other hikers) think and talk about food so much:On a 20 mile day, depending on terrain and individual, we probably burn 5000-7000 calories.You just can't carry that much food in your pack. I usually eat more than 2000, probably less than 3000 calories/day. So you quickly build up a deficit. If you're overweight it's a great way to quickly lose a lot of pounds. You meet people that have already lost between 50 and 70 pounds at this point in the trip. But if you're lean to start with, you will soon end up burning muscle mass, and quickly get weaker. So we need to regularly stop anywhere we can get a few decent meals and extra calories, and a beer or two.Up to now I'm still at the weight I started with. It'll go down until I hit a town, and then go back up to normal. This seems somewhat unusual, I've talked to one other person that hasn't really lost anything. So my great capacity for eating is coming in handy after all!
Date: 2010-05-31
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Somewhere in the woods
Miles today: 20.7

Trail Magic. I've been waiting to explain the concept until I experienced it in a significant way. Trail magic is unsolsicited acts of kindness towards hikers, generally expressed in food at road junctions. You might find a cooler with snacks or sodas. Maybe someone will be at a junction giving out muffins, cooking burgers, passing out beer and soft drinks. It comes in many forms.I had seen a jug of water on the steps after a hard climb, and a guy in a pickup truck offering a beer, but the fabled acts of giving real quantities of food remained a dream outside of my grasp.Today my luck changed. Had a rainy morning hike to Kincora, where we stopped for coffee, and met the legendary nice guy, Bob Peoples. I took off (four hours later, after Bob gave me some great inspiration for a 500 mile hike in Spain), my friends stayed there for a night. At Watauga lake I took my long anticipated swim, and asked a picnicking family if there was any restaurant close by. The offered me a plate, and anything I wanted from their picnic table. Southern hospitality at its best!Then a late evening hike around the lake. Crossing the dam under a beautiful starry night sky, with the silhouette of the valley and mountains in the background. Then a peaceful nighthike until about 1:30 and finally another night in my comfortable tent.A great day in the woods!
Date: 2010-06-01
From: Somewhere in the woods

To: Somewhere else in the woods
Miles today: 22.9

Nice long day. A few days ago my right knee got a little jolt on a rocky part of the trail. I was hiking without trekking poles. Now I'm paying the price. It's stiff and a little swollen. I'm going to give the poles another try, and relieve some of the pressure. Set up my tent around 9 PM and had a quiet solitary dinner in the middle of nowhere.
Date: 2010-06-02
From: Somewhere else in the woods

To: Damascus
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: scattered clouds

A quick downhill into Damascus and to Quincy's portabella mushroom burger! Met our friend Johnny who was already in the mountains at the coffee house, and Lee and Sherry drove in together. We rented a great house, right on the Virginia Creeper.The Creeper is one of the old railroad lines that is converted to a bicycle trail. Very pretty. We had a great evening, good friends, good conversation, plenty of alcohol and meat. Fun to see our good friends again.I went to bed happy and full and with a little bit of a buzz.
Date: 2010-06-03
From: Damascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

My knee needs a couple of zero days. It is getting better, but some rest will do a lot of good. After a bit of whining on my part, Johnny and Sherry decide to stay another day. Great decision, I love their company, and they need a little extra vacation.I've invited some of my trail friends: Pale Blue Dot, Cricket, Wizard, Watermelon, Hat Trick. We all sit outside on the deck and have Belgian beers, wine, and a dinner and grilled meat prepared by Johnny and Sherry. My excuse for laziness is my recovering knee! An injury can come in real handy at times!
Date: 2010-06-05
From: Damascus

To: Grassy Creek Rd.
Miles today: 14.6

Some Trail terminology:Zero day: a day without hiking any miles. Those days are fun and a welcome relief of the daily strain of backpacking.Slackpacking: hiking without a backpack. Usually you leave your backpack in a hostel, and at night get a ride back to the hostel.Purist: There are different levels and different degrees of obnoxiousness. A nice purist sets a certain set of rules for himself, such as walking every inch of the trail and always wearing a pack. An obnoxious one has those same rules, but not just for himself, especially for all other thru-hikers.Flip-flopping: some of the slower hikers, and late starters will go a certain distance north, and when fall approaches, go to Katahdin and start south from there until they reach their last northbound part of the trail. That way they can still do the whole trail in one season. Katahdin closes around Oct. 15 because weather conditions get too dangerous after that.
Date: 2010-06-06
From: Grassy Creek Rd.

To: Massie Gap - Greyson Highlands
Miles today: 16.3

Yesterday and today the trail stayed pretty close to Damascus. So we rented a room in a hostel and extended our visit. I'm not slackpacking, but wearing my full pack with just one day of food and no tent (I've decided to walk every step of the trail with a backpack). In the evening Lee picks me up at an arranged spot and takes me back to Damascus. After today, I'll be on my own again.The pickup point yesterday was close to the Virginia Creeper, so Lee brought my bike and I rode it back to town, about 12 miles or so. Half way down I had a flat tire. No cellphone communication so I thought I'd have to walk the last 7 miles. Not a happy prospect. Luckily I had a small pump and a spare tube in my saddlebags, they've been there for years and I didn't even remember I had them. So with only 15 minutes of delay, but a lot more dirty, I rode into town before dark. Riding a bike is a lot of fun after walking up and down hill with almost 40 pounds on your back.
Date: 2010-06-07
From: Massie Gap - Greyson Highlands

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 2.2
Weather: broken clouds

Screwed around all morning in Damascus, doing a little computer work for a customer, having coffee, omelet, muffin at the coffee shop. Talking (with gestures) to my new non-hearing friends RamSham and AdCane (they stayed in our hostel). So I finally got to Massie Gap at 6 PM. Just enough time to get to the Park Shelter a couple of miles further. It was a beautiful and mercifully short walk.
Date: 2010-06-08
From: Wise Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 30.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Yes, you read correctly: 30.6 miles!Everyone in the shelter - except one - got up around 5 am. It's very different day to day. Some mornings everyone's out of there by 7, other days it's after 9. Weather, different shelter mates, maybe the day before was harder or easier.So by 6 am I was on my way. Stopped after 6 miles for an hour long breakfast, then just kept on going with the occasional break. Almost stopped at the shelter at 20 miles, but it was only around 4. I knew some of my friends were at the next one, so I thought this was a perfect opportunity for a 30 miler. Rolled in around 9 PM, missed the pizza call at the nearby visitor center, but had the satisfaction of a long hard day and a little personal milestone. The knee held up very well. It's recovering despite my unwise persistence in hiking long distances. I think using the two hiking poles has helped. I'm getting the hang of using them..