morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-11-14
From: Erwin, TN

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

LB here, They are staying at Big Bald Mountain Shelter tonight after 16 miles today. They ascended 1,330 feet in 2 miles to "Little Bald". The fires are on all of our minds, I'm sure the guys can at least see the smoke depending on how the wind is blowing. They will be climbing Big Bald tomorrow morning at 5,516 feet. If you have an AT map, put your marker on "Big Bald". More pics received today from this past weekend. I have just now discovered how to change the gallery to thumbnails for better viewing. Tomorrow is November 15th. They have decided to hike until December 15th. Keep going guys. Get this thing done. 324 more to go. Stay safe. Keep hiking!!!!!
Date: 2016-11-15
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Laurel Trading Post Hostel
Miles today: 15.9

LB here, I believe the smoke from our state's wildfires have made it to the triad. They are staying at Laurel Trading Post Hostel tonight. It has a bunkroom, free shuttle to/from trail, shower, & a little resupply store. We'll keep you posted in their strategy to get around this mess. 310 more to go.
Date: 2016-11-17
From: Laurel Trading Post Hostel

To: Hemlock Hostel
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

They walked 20 miles to mile 1899 to "Log Cabin Drive" where the AT crosses. The Guidebook showed that Hemlock Hostel was to the west of this gravel rd. The guys slept there last night. They plan to walk 15 miles to Hot Springs, NC. today. We're waiting on a phone call from BK today to plan for this weekend.
Date: 2016-11-18
From: Hemlock Hostel

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

LB here,They walked 16 miles into Hot Springs, NC yesterday. Stayed at Elmer's Sunnybank Hostel last night. Today, 11-18, they finally decided to take a zero. They haven't had a day of rest in 37 days. It's confirmed that there is no AT closures in the Smokies! I think this is their last zero day. They need this day desperately. You are completely exhausted after hiking all day then going to town resupply, do laundry, plan your next few days, shop, shower, eat, & maybe you'll be in a bed by 10 or 11pm. I'm so glad they finally have a whole day to get all of this done, and are preparing to finish what miles are still open. Kurtis & I hiked south into this special town when Hurricane Sandy came. We hiked to Springer Mtn as we had to skip the Smokies section, due to being closed, & BK dropped us off at the north end of the Smokies a week later to finish the last 106 miles of the AT. We finally finished back in Hot Springs. The guys can keep on hiking south into the Great Smokies. For the time being we can wait until 106 more miles (about a week) to see if they need shuttling around possible future closings. Keep going guys!!!!! Finish strong! 273 more to go. It's the smiles, right?
Date: 2016-11-19
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Treehouse Property by Magnolia Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today is a double zero for Buffalo & Budget. They're staying at a Treehouse Property owned by Magnolia Inn. Text from Buffalo: "Real house with 3 separate guest quarters on a cliff perched over a stream." Their wives are visiting them today, spending the night, and returning home tomorrow. Buffalo said there is a big SOBO bubble all in town today. They've walked 1,914 miles for 143 days. Their average is still up at 13 miles a day. If they want to finish by December 15 all they need to do is 11 a day. Tomorrow they will head for the Smokies. Enjoy each other Mark, Sarah, BK & Deb!
Date: 2016-11-21
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Davenport Gap
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Budget here. I figured I need to make this entry myself. Thanks to LB for all the wonderful entries she¢s written for me.At 5:00am on Monday I realized I had to make a decision concerning the continuation of our Southbound AT hike. I had spent most of the night shivering in my 20 degree sleeping bag while wearing every piece of clothing I carried. I felt dangerously close to hypothermia. We were at Roaring Gap Shelter at 4000¢. The temperature reading from the little thermometer on my pack read 18 degrees and the wind above us was clipping along around 20 mph. It sounded like a jet plane flying through the trees. The thought of entering the Smoky Mountain National Park and camping at 6000 feet altitude the next week quite honestly concerned me. It was only going to get colder. When I heard Buffalo stirring in his tent next to me I told him my concerns and floated the idea of suspending our progress until spring. He had heard me rustle through the night, understood, and agreed. Buffalo wanted to get home to check on his Mom and again another tooth problem had been aggravating him. Although I¢m sure he would have wanted to continue on, the timing seemed right. Both of us made a promise to continue the last 240 (or 170 if the trails don¢t open back up) miles in the spring. I couldn¢t have asked for a better hiking partner than Buffalo. He has been a brother to me.A short text was sent out to LB for an extraction at Davenport Gap. She dropped everything and sprang into action. LB and Kurtis¢s support has been an absolute blessing to us. She met us at 4:00pm and we were on our way home. The 15 mile walk out on Monday was meaningful and full of poignant signs. We ascended Max Patch on a clear and smokeless day to a beautiful display of the Smokey Mountains in their full glory. All the peaks were clearly visible and gorgeous. There¢s no way I won¢t be back to hike them. Also, when we started in Maine the one animal that made its presence known every day were red squirrels. Most mornings in the 100 mile wilderness started with a red squirrel chattering at our tents to get out of his neck of the woods. On Monday morning the woods were full of red squirrels (known as boomers in the south). We had not seen red squirrels since New Hampshire. We also got to say goodbye to Hummingbird and Cucumber. These were two fellow SOBO hikers we hadn¢t seen since New Hampshire. Buffalo and I completed 1948.5 miles of the 2189.1 AT miles. Look for us in the future. It¢s still considered a thru hike if finished in within 12 months. Too many people have helped us too. We¢ll be back in the spring. There¢s too many miles hiked to quit. We¢ll even be nice to the newbie NOBO¢s. More to come in the next few days
Date: 2016-12-01
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Top of Georgia Hostel
Miles today: 16.0

LB here,They hiked NOBO from Unicoi Gap to Dick's Creek Gap. Got a shuttle, & staying at"Top of Georgia Hostel". Below is an email from Budget:"I am going to slack pack to Unicoi Gap out of here tomorrow and then come back to the hostel. Its supposed to be very cold. It will be good to get out of the cold. On Friday we will move our cars to Springer Mountain to drop off our vehicles and then continue our journey south. We are at the "Top of Georgia Hostel". Kinda funny. Most NOBOs use this as their first stop.I had to buy a new raincoat. When I came out of the rain this afternoon I was wet. One more purchase! But at least I got 2000 miles out of the last one." Instead of driving their cars all the way to Springer, the further they hike south, they will leapfrog their vehicles instead of driving 5 hrs round trip.Keep going guys! 70 more miles to go.
Date: 2016-12-02
From: Top of Georgia Hostel

To: Springer Mountain Georgia
Miles today: 60.0
Weather: broken clouds

Budget here. LB's been on the mend from a horrible cold all week. On Monday Buffalo and I finished the last mile in Georgia. We ended up at Springer Mountain after a very hectic week. When we got back to the Trail last Wednesday it was our original contention to leave our cars at Springer and pay for a shuttle to Dick¢s Gap and hike south. A hiker we know, Kremlin, said we were crazy to pass up a chance at using our vehicles to leap frog on sections so we could slack pack. Not carrying our winter gear helped us to put in extra miles each day. It got us to a warm hostel every night too.We hiked from gap to gap. Each day we moved cars around until we got to some horrible Forest Service Roads. The longest day was 23 miles and the shortest was 16. Sunday was miserable rain and cold. The roads got slippery for Buffalo¢s Honda and my 1999 Silverado with 350,000 miles on it. Getting to Springer was very bittersweet because of the miles missed. The Smoky Mountains all the way to the Georgia/North Carolina line are shut down due to the fires. Heavy rains on the way have also made erosion the new villain in this tragedy. These sections of trails will not be opened for some time. Shelters, water bars, steps and outhouses have burned as well. The Forest Service and Park Service won¢t let the ATC trail clubs in to fix the Trail until safety from damaged trees is guaranteed. The maintainers I¢ve spoken with said that it may be late March or even maybe June before the Trail opens again. 2017 NOBOs will really be affected. Many of us have spoken of finishing the sections missed next summer. Life has a way of getting in the way of such plans but we¢ll see. At least Buffalo and I finished our 2,000 miles. I¢ll have more on my thoughts about equipment and our trek later. Thanks for the encouragement and support from everyone.
Date: 2016-12-18
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

More gear reviewsThermarest X Lite Air Mattress- Gotta tell you, I loved this thing. After a long day on the trail I found my mattress to be my refuge. Although used and bought off a gear swap page, the thing never let me down. Only when it got cold did it deflate a little. It is a necessity for the older hiker. The young kids looked at me blowing the mattress up and roll their eyes as they lay down on their cut to torso length foam pads. Not this fat boy! Arcterrex Shirt- Dried out much faster than the silky synthetic stuff. Ball Cap- Couldn¢t keep the sweat from running down to my eyes. Hiked most of the trail in a dew rag. The ball cap worked great in the morning or evening when the sun was low in the sky and would blind me. REI Dry Bag- In the end I had all my stuff in these green stuff sacks. In a hard rain it was what kept my stuff dry. Even when some gas came out of my MSR stove it never penetrated the bag. Mountain Hardware and Etowah Gear pack covers. Neither kept the water out of my pack if it rained hard. I wound up putting a trash bag over my pack and then the pack cover.Cabela¢s Rainy River Gore Tex rain jacket- We were in a drought most of the way but I can tell you that the thing never kept me real dry. Either I was sweating underneath it or the rain came through. It did protect me from the wind and never got a tear in sharp brush. By the time I got to Georgia I had to buy another rain jacket from Light Heart. It was a sauna suit. Bugle Boy Fleece shirt- My wife¢s great uncle wore this while in a nursing home and I inherited it. It worked great. Although light it was a great layer under my puffy but over my long johns. I also felt honored to wear something from Uncle Thomas as he was crippled all of his life. He climbed Katahdin with me.Darn Tough Socks- I started with light weight Darn Tough and Heavier Smartwool Socks. I replaced the thinner Smartwool with heavier Darn Tough socks. Worked pretty good. I have a hole in the pair I wore the most. We¢ll see if they replace it. Most outfitters wouldn¢t.Sony Walkman- Yup that¢s right! I carried this thing for night time use. I could drown out the snoring of fellow hikers or the coyotes yipping at night. It kind of kept me in the world no matter where I was. I listened to French Canadian radio in Maine and NPR most other places. Nothing puts you to sleep like BBC. One of my favorite nights was when Buffalo and I were camped on a pond on the NJ/NY border and saw the din of New York City while listening to an all night Sinatra tribute on WNYC. It also broke my heart to listen to the stations here at home while I walked past them. It only took 1 AAA battery for 16 hours of listening.
Date: 2017-01-14
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

I have been asked many times since coming home as to why we started from the north and headed south and would I do it again? In a word, "NO!"Starting at the hardest places on the Trail is especially hard on a senior hiker. I was sadly mistaken as to my condition and experience for such conditions. My feet got blisters early on in the 100 Mile Wilderness. The rough conditions of roots and rocks came right through the soft soles of my Merril Moabs. My feet weren't ready for it yet either. I pounded 18 miles the first day. Then struggled to make 10 thereafter.Its tough. You spend days trying to make good mileage on trails that are steep and sometimes the trail is straight up and hand over hand. Buffalo and I called it "A Maine Mile" because we could only average one mile per hour until Vermont. Again, I'm no rooky here. I thought I was ready and I wasn't. There's a great reason to start from the south. You will be ready by the time you get Maine and New Hampshire.Trail legs are a real thing. In the end you will feel cheated if you don't at least finish 18 miles a day no matter the terrain. I never felt I got the legs until we finished the Whites. I'd much rather have found them someplace else. As we started south we had a saying, "walk like a NOBO". This meant you eventually developed a sixth sense of stepping on the right place in the right way at the right speed. When I took my eyes off the trail in Maine I'd trip over something. The NOBO's all talked about how tough the mountains were in Georgia. By the time I got there I thought they were hills probably because I had 2000 miles before it. If I had my choice I would start in the middle in May. Its just warm enough. You get good terrain to start on. You will complain of PA but in the end its not that bad but each step you take will prepare you for New Hampshire and Maine. They are beautiful! Take the time to enjoy it.By flipping south at Harpers Ferry you can see the beauty of leaves changing in Virginia. The weather usually stays warmer into November and you are not dogged by an October 15 due date at Baxter State Park. The fires and drought sucked this year but this was unusual. By now you've probably made up your mind which way to go. For me, flip in Harpers Ferry starting in May. Good luck to all that hike this wonderful trail and take the time to enjoy it!
Date: 2017-05-22
To: Damascus- Trail Days
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Well sure enough I was training to do my Fire Miles in March and I tore my miniscus enough that I had to be evacuated. It was damage probably done while on the Trail but I finished it off in our own Uhwarrie Forrest. A scope surgery repaired the problem on April 25th but the recovery hasn't been fast enough to get back on the Trail in May as hoped. I'm still awaiting some healing. I have to hike with my Philmont crew  on Mount Mitchell this weekend. Lets hope it goes well.Trail Days were a blast. I got to see many of the SOBOs I traveled with. Many had finished their fire miles the week before. I miss the Trail and its people. I look forward to hiking the AT soon.
Date: 2017-06-20
From: Davenport Gap

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 2.0
Weather: clear sky

After having breakfast with Rich and Wendy Keddell at Dad's house I headed for Fontana Dam to meet Ron who gave me the two hour shuttle to Davenport Gap. Unlike the day before Thanksgiving the weather was hot and the air sticky. Rafters were riding down the Pigeon River and I was ready to go. It took only an hour to get to the shelter which had a fence over the front of it. Two section hikers came in around 5:00pm. Another NOBO came in later. I could hardly sleep. I forgot about mice and bugs. They were everywhere. But I was back on the Trail and happy to be there.
Date: 2017-06-21
From: Davenport Gap

To: Mount Camerer
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I awoke at Davenport Gap Shelter ready to go. My knee felt great and I wanted to put in some serious miles with an incoming tropical storm on Friday. After my hike up the Black Mountain Crest I figured I'd be ready to go. After just two hours of hiking with five miles and 1500' in elevation gain I stepped on a rock that tore twisted my ankle in a way God never intended. The full weight of my body and pack (with 6 days worth of food in it) twisted it so bad I could hear the bones crack. I screamed so loud I'm surprised nobody heard it.  After regaining my composure I made a call to my son Kurtis to let somebody know my situation. He said to give it a try hiking on so I did. I've been taught enough First Aid to know I was going to have to end the hike. I also knew that nobody was going to haul me out either. I called my wife, Deb, and she immediately left work to come and meet me at Davenport Gap. So I headed back for Davenport Gap a good solid 8 miles away. After about a mile I ran into GSMNP Volunteer Tom Harrington. He was on a wild flower inventory hike and suggested hiking back out the way he came in only 5 miles away and he'd give me a ride to Davenport Gap. I took him up on the suggestion and he patiently followed me for 5 hours of painful walk out to his car. I was amazed at the number of NOBOs still making their way going past me. There were also many day hikers. I didn't have cell reception until Tom got me back to the road. We met Deb right where I gave told her. Within an hour we were at a motel in Bryson City. I still had to get my truck back from Fontana Dam. Fortunately I hurt my left ankle and the truck is an automatic. For first aid on the trail I tried to fashion a splint but I didn't have enough tape to finish the job. I did tighten my bootlaces very tight to restrict swelling and protect my ankle. Once the boot came off it became apparent that I was hurt pretty bad.
Date: 2017-06-22
From: Davenport Gap

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Well it looks like I'm going to be in a cast for awhile. There is a fracture in my fibula. Deb says I can forget going back out on the Trail. After her rescue and six months abscence I can't argue with her,.....well at least right now. I'm lucky to have herI once again have to thank GSMNP Volunteer Tom Harrington for getting me out of the park that day. I don't think I could have gone one more mile. He was so patient and kept my mind off the injury by identifying the wildflowers along the way. He is a dedicated volunteer who works many days as a tour director and docent at the Primitive Baptist display in Cades Cove in the Park.  As funds keep getting cut for this, the most visited national park in the country, we are all lucky to have him there. May God bless him.
Date: 2017-07-11
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0

Well I got my cast off today and replaced it with a boot. The bones seem to be healing well and the swelling is almost gone. For the past three weeks my wife Deb has waited on me hand and foot while I wheel around the house in my wheelchair. Now I can walk at least a little. Thank the good Lord for internet and air conditioning. I'm ready to get out of this house though. Saw on TJ the other day that AT16 Bombadil was on the Trail again. I last saw him in the Whites where he was nursing a bad knee. I had no idea he came off the Trail the day after we spent the night with him and fellow SOBO Kremlin. Good luck Bombadil!Buffalo is still in Ohio looking after his mom. He sat out a bad storm while his mom was in the  hospital in Columbus. He's been gone since the day we finished our miles in Georgia.
Date: 2017-07-26
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

News from Doctor yesterday. I have two more weeks of wearing the boot then I've got some strength building. When I asked him when I could go back on the Trail again he said,"When its cooler,...much cooler".  Looks like I got a ways to go before I can return to my fire miles.I got this picture today from the gentleman who shuttled me between I-40 and Fontana Dam named Ron McGaha. Thanks Ron. He's great resource if you ever need a shuttle in the area. He's in the AWOL.
Date: 2017-12-01
From: salisbury

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Well I'm coming up on a year since I stepped off of the Trail at Springer on December 5 2016. So many changes since that time. I've made 2 attempts to get back on the trail to finish my fire miles resulting in knee surgery and a broken ankle. Although I've got my certificate I feel I'm a LASH because I never finished the full 2189 miles. I really thought I'd get back on the Trail after my disaster in the Smokies. But after just a 4 mile hike in the Uwharries the day after Thanksgiving my ankle was swollen to twice the size and that was without the weight of a backpack. Hiking six miles out of the Smokies with a fractured and sprained ankle did much damage. Over the year since I've kept in touch with the many hikers that touched my life. Buffalo's mother passed away in October and he finally came home from Ohio in November. Its been great getting caught up. His daughter married a great guy and Buffalo has gone back to work. We see each other at scout meetings every week. Its good to have my friend back. Trail Days gave me the opportunity to catch up to the many folks I didn't see at the finish. Cock Block Moses has finished the PCT, Kremlin has finished the Sheltowee Trace plus wears out the trails in New York, and Thorny climbed Mount Kilamanjaro then proceeded on to the Camino Santiago.  I provided trail magic for Grandpa in Virginia. He was finishing his fourth AT trek with two young hikers who started in Ohio of all places. I felt so at home at Partnership Shelter with the 11 hikers that came and stayed as they headed south. I cooked them supper and then breakfast. I forgot just how important real warm food was to a thru hiker especially as they finish and are under weight and burn up calories. These folks were awesome and I'm glad I met them. I never close my eyes at the end of each day without thinking where I was on the Trail a year earlier. The Trail stays with you forever. God I miss it all.
Date: 2018-02-02
From: Home

To: Salisbury, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Plans have been set for Buffalo and I to go back to the Trail on May 20th after Trail Days. My ankle has healed sufficiently and Buffalo has a part time job he can take time off from. We hope to have a third person join us. Plans are to leave from Dicks Creek and hike NOBO. There's about 120 miles left. Its taken us two years to get back together and a lot has happened since then. My lovely wife said I couldn't go back after my broken ankle, but with Buffalo back she said ok.I've included a picture with this entry of the very first day we left from Baxter State Park in June 2016. We were so nervous and excited. Of the 10 of us SOBO's that started that day only Buffalo and I made it 2000 miles. I am getting that same excitement again.
Date: 2018-05-19
From: Damascus- Trail Days

To: Dicks Creek Gap
Miles today: 0.0

What could be more fitting than to go to Trail Days in Damascus before heading out to Dicks Creek Gap. We saw John Haile Young while there. It was great to see our old boy scout and Trail Angel. Looked like the NOBOs were settling in for a wet night when we left. Main purpose was to get my poles fixed and pick up a few items we needed before we go.Its funny how just the direction you walk in defines you. SOBOs are known as a little quirky. This time we will hike north with the migration of NOBOs. It just worked out that way and we are fine to do so but Buffalo and I are feeling a little backwards. Also joining us is Gyrene. He's an old friend and Buffalo's neighbor. Just a good guy who wants to give it a try. This will be my third try. First cold and fires, then a broken ankle. Hopefully third times a charm.If anybody's actually reading this please let me know. Budget