morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-03-27
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Dicks Creek Gap
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: clear sky

If you look at the cloths in my gear list you can see what I wore to sleep in last night. Well, that's not EXACTLY correct, I did not have on my third pair of socks (but wished I had). If I thought it would have helped I would have worn my rain suit too! I thought I was going to freeze! I don't know what the temperature was but it was cold enough for my water bottles to freeze INSIDE MY TENT and I hear it is a little warmer in a tent (but not much).This morning I was packed and on my way by 7:30, hurrying to get to the trailhead at Dicks Creek Gap (US 76) for the Budget Inn shuttle at 9:45. I had several mountains to climb which caused me to doubt whether I would be there on time. Unlike yesterday the trails were hard packed, and frozen, so the footing was pretty firm and I literally flew on the downhills and walked out at the Gap at 9:43. The shuttle driver said his watch showed 9:44,,,meh.We waited until 10:00 but no one else showed up so I was the only passenger back to the motel.So, here I am, all clean, fed (a big ole country breakfast), resupplied from the Ingles store and ready to hit the trail again tomorrow. It is a gorgeous, sunny day and I hate to lose such a good day to hike but I needed this day to re-supply and re-adjust my schedule for this next leg into Franklin NC. If I had carried out enough food, yesterday, to get to Franklin, I would have been carrying food for five days, over 10 pounds, and that's not something I want to do just yet.Tomorrow the shuttle will leave at 9 am and I should be back on the trail by 9:45. Hope to be in Franklin on Sunday.
Date: 2003-05-24
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: broken clouds

Long Day. At least I wasn't the one the mice chose to pick on at Low Gap Shelter last night. Poor Homegrown had mice running over his head and around his pillow and was bothered all night. My food, even though up on a bear cable, was molested by rodents last night. Just the pita bread fell victim. So I kept the bread and made it easily accessible to any rodents that can get up to it on the bear cable tonight. I wasn't sure how well I'd fare today, but I ended up walking 23 miles. That's a confidence booster. To keep my shoulders happy I paid close attention and switched the pack from shoulder to shoulder often. The views around midday were pretty good, in the morning a haze kind of voided them. I'm at Deep Gap Shelter tonight, but I'm not going to sleep in the shelter. The family in the shelter said they knocked out the mice's nest, so I figure they'll be everywhere. I decided to sleep on the picnic table! -applejac
Date: 2013-03-28
From: Dicks Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

Goodbye Georgia, I'm glad to leave you in my rear view! You were not very kind to me and my friends, I had originally planned to stop at the Ga. border but arrived there much sooner than anticipated, plus the wind was howling through the gap there so I decided to push on the additional 2.8 miles to Muskrat Creek.Look in the dictionary and see the definition for gap, see if it makes any mention of a mountain. Well, out here it always means you are about to climb one and I climbed from 3833 to 4666 in 2.8 miles,, needless to say I am pooped.Temps tonight are not supposed to be as low as it has been but I'm taking no chances, once again I have layered up And my cloths bag is empty except for one pair of socks. It would be nice to sleep warm for a change. On-on
Date: 2003-05-25
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: broken clouds

Slept out on the picnic table last night- no disturbances. No rodents went after my stuff. Saw stars in the sky for the first time this trip, albeit just a small portion of the sky through the tree canopy. Got up and had breakfast and left before the family in the shelter stirred. Another hazy morning, a little sun midday, and a period of rain about 4-5 pm to cool stuff down. When it started to rain I was cooking dinner at Muskrat Shelter, in the company of some venture scouts or something whose members were mostly eagle scouts and even had their cards on them to prove it! It was nice spending an hour there and then on for a walk in the intermittant rain to where I am now, Standing Indian Shelter. I'd met two other thru-hikers earlier, Emmans & Max Power, that I planned to camp here with tonight. I was to meet them here because they go down the trail with trekking poles flailing and leave a trail of flames behind. But they end up doing the same mileage as I. They are here and others are also, two of the others are Karen and Jane, two nice women from Idaho here going for a month. Karen and Jane had seen Rabbit one night, and Emmans & Max had seen Kitchen Sink last night. Kitchen Sink was at Low Gap Shelter a few nights ago along with me, Frugal, Homegrown and Someone with No Name. Kitchen Sink had tied up a hammock to a previous shelter and had fallen, taking a piece of the shelter with him. He almost did that at Low Gap too, but he ended up moving the hammock to the trees. Since the shelter is full I decided to sleep on the picnic table again- still roofed by the shelter but I feel like the mice won't pester me here. I seem to have held up to yet another 20 mile day and will do another tomorrow. Today I actually arrived with enough daylight left to bathe and launder clothing for the first time this trip. (yeah!). -applejack-
Date: 2013-03-29
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Carter Gap
Miles today: 12.5

Today was not a good day and I don't expect tomorrow to get any better. I thought at first we would get a sunny morning but clouds moved in right away and stayed that way all day with intermittent snow showers.I am at carter gap and have my tent set up and dinner cooking. It is snowing pretty hard to boot. Rain was predicted so I guess I would rather have the snow instead of rain. Hope to have a better report tomorrow.On-On
Date: 2003-05-26
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Siler Bald
Miles today: 27.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Yet another LONG day. Walking today was easy- mostly consistent gradesfollowing elevation contours around the topography. 27 miles today! Mostyet! In the middle was Mt Albert- a disappointing 20 minute climb. I expected more from the warnings of people and literature. A neat steelfire tower on top, though, and with wonderfully blue skies all day theview on it was grand. At 20 miles was Rocky Gorge Shelter. Emmans & MaxPower (who chickened out on Mt Albert and took the bypass) stopped therefor the night. Emmans is leaving the trail, and Max Power was hoping I'dslow down a bit so that he'd have someone to hike with, but I had todepart and go on as I am hiking strong and would like to keep up with myschedule for at least two weeks and give it a chance. So I went onanother 7 miles to the top of Siler Bald (mtn). I'll camp tonight- hopefully under the stars, but there are clouds in the distance. I have a little wood for my stove for other entertainment. -applejack-
Date: 2013-03-30
From: Carter Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Spent the night above Winding Stair Gap in order to be down at the Gap in time for the free shuttle to the Budget Inn. Started raining sometime during the night and by the next morning everything I owned was wet. Oh joy, nothing like packing up a wet tent.The 9 am pickup turned into 9:45 but I'm in the motel and have all my town chores complete now except for a run to Wally World to resupply.Weather is looking iffy so I might stay another day to let this weather move out. Undecided right now. On-On
Date: 2003-05-27
From: Siler Bald

To: Nahantala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 24.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Nice night last night under stars. Only one cloud, most of the sky wasopen to view. Woke up to a normal view, but clouds hid the sunrise, and fog soon moved in. Hit a few balds on todays 24 miles, but the term "bald" must have reflected a previous condition for Wesser and Wayah.Something I've noted yesterday and today over 50 miles; all of a sudden, no Poison Ivy! In 50 miles, I only saw about 300 ft of it at most. Quite an abrupt change from having it at all times trailsidesince the beginning of the trip. And another thing- is it me , or where are the insects that God sends to pester me? Mosquitos? In-your-eye Flys?No-See-Ums? I do have a few bite marks, but I don't remember being bit.Not that I want these bugs around, don't get me wrong!I am staying tonight at a bunkhouse at the Nahantala Outdoor Center. I'veseen this mentioned in other peoples' journals, but never read on to findout about it. It's a pretty cool sports resort, come to find out. When I'm not busy walking the AT, I may consider a trip here for whitewaterkayaking.The NOC's River Edge Restaurant served up great portions and I actuallywas able to order more than I finished (after hiking 24 miles)-I only left 1 1/2 buffalo fingers. Tomorrow morning I'll be good and excited for the $6.99 breakfast buffet!I've been having a lot of thoughts today about extending my trip a little, to bring my scheduled miles-per-day average lower. I've provedto myself that I'm capable of meeting my initial schedule physically,now maybe it's time to mentally have the wisdom to adjust it to createoptimum enjoyment. After all, how often does the average person get towalk the AT? Never? Here's my chance to get something out of it. So farit's just been walk, walk, sleep, walk, walk. It's so rushed.I think I need to make enough time that I can chill for a half hour in the morning before I have to pack and walk. I need to be able to take a nap in the afternoon if I want, or even take rest breaks, which I reallyhave not been doing by habit. This is a journey of choice, I'm not getting compensation for doing it more quickly, so I should be enjoying it. I think it too closely resembles my working life back home and I want toslow down. I'm pretty sure that the only thing that will affect is my job waiting for me back home for which my return will be delayed only 2 weeks. I'll have to think about that over the next day and if I do decide to reconfigure my itinerary, I'll do so upon reaching Fontana Dam.-applejack-
Date: 2013-03-31
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Wayah Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

The shuttle for Winding stair gap left right on time this morning which was a bit of a surprise as most of the announced shuttle trips for other things in town had been somewhat lax.We pulled out from the motel and turned down the street and then drove onto the lot for the Saphire Motel. As we did Ron, the owner, announced that we would all have to sit with our backpacks on our laps because he expected the bus to be at capacity. Peanut, one of the young ladies in our group asked if she could come over and sit with me which would free up her seat for the newcomers. Without thinking I replied, "why yes, don't you know it would be an old mans dream come true to have a pretty little girl sit with him." Which drew howls of laughter from the whole bus. Peanut turned to her boy friend (husband?), and said, I think I'll hike with Sparky." Which drew more laughter and ribald comments. This hiker community is a great bunch! There are no socioeconomic lines, we are all hikers and that's all that matters. Young, old, city, country, it's all the same.Ran across some fantastic "Trail Magic" today from the "Sunshine Club" (I think that's what the guy told me) in the form of beer, cokes, cookies and hotdogs. Thanks guys, that hit the spot.Had trail magic this morning, too, from the Franklin Baptist Church. They picked us up from the motel, took us to the church and fed us Pancakes with bacon, orange juice and coffee then shuttled us back to the motel. All free. A ministry the church has been putting on for years. Great Christian Ministry.I don't know if it was the pancakes or the nights rest but I felt GREAT today. Although there were two tough climbs I never struggled at all. To top it off it was a beautiful day. Hope this weather holds until we reach the NOC. It is supposed to rain on Thursday and with luck I should be there before the rain moves back in.On-On
Date: 2003-05-28
From: Nahantala Outdoor Center

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: few clouds

Another nice day to be out here, but then again, I seem to think that about every day! Turned out, by the way my right knee felt today, thatI may have beat on it a little too much on the descent from Wesser Baldto NOC. The previous few mornings it would be sore and I could walk it off in a hundred feet. Today it was painful. After about 4 miles of ascent out of NOC, it subsided some, but never completely. I probably really shouldn't have but I did anyway do 22 miles. I'm at Cable Gap Shelter now and there's three other people here. Hephzibah is in a tent around the corner, and Barbara and John are in the shelter. I'm on my plastic in front of the shelter under the stars.Now I want to mention some other character. There is this "Blue Tarp Man" person who apparently has always been ahead of me in the trail, soI've only heard of him. I guess he's some dude who preaches about Jesusand wraps himself up in a blue tarp. A bunch of people have stories about this dude, but I guess he's still ahead of me yet. I thought by the way I read an entry from Hephzibah at Brown Fork Shelter that she and BTM were pals. But I met some other people on the trail who told me the story and it seems BTM is all by his onesies.So, tomorrow I'll walk 6 miles into Fontana Dam and spend the day reconfiguring my schedule and getting supplies ready for the smokies. Ihope Fontana Dam isn't in a "dry" county like the NOC. I could use a couple Rolling Rocks after this wicked week. -applejac
Date: 2013-04-01
From: Wayah Bald Shelter

To: Rufus Morgan Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

I had planned for 2 1/2 days to get from Franklin to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) but I'm tenting just one mile away tonight,,, and I'm bushed. I gave in to peer pressure so we can have breakfast together at the NOC in the morning. I don't need to do that, I'm too old to be trying to keep up with these kids! Just this once won't hurt. I'm planning to stay over at the NOC and most everyone else is going on. Rain is predicted and I will probably stay til it passes.On-On
Date: 2003-05-30
From: fontana village

To: spence shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

things went pretty nicely today, as they have been most days. i endt up waiting for the store to open before i made off because i wanted to get some alleve. people have suggested all kinds of stuff, but ma suggested alleve, and there is no advice like that from your mother! i was a little confused coming into the smokies as i'd thought there would be a more regulated or overseen permit system. i just stopped at the trailhead kiosk, put my name on a piece of paper, and into the woods i go. there did not seem to me to be any particularly noticable difference between the gsmnp and the last woods, the nantahala forest. not naturally or physically, anyway. the human impact is different, everyone camps in the shelters and there aren't any random campsites, as before there were many. the animal presence is already apparently more so.   i've seen a bear cub while walking and heard something else, and a deer was grazing around our campsite while we conversed. my knee did well today and i went about 18 miles. 16 miles are on tomorrow's schedule, at the end of which is clingman's dome, the highest elevation on the a.t. i hope to spend a night under the stars up there and i believe the weather should be good for it.
Date: 2013-04-04
From: Stecoah Gap (NC-143)

To: Robbinsville, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

Holed up since last night at a Motel in Robbinsville NC. Waiting for the weather to clear. Will probably head out in the morning. Looking to be in Fontana by Saturday morning. Nothing else going on.Kristen, (from my first hiker bubble), now known as Siren, came in this afternoon. She will go out with us in the morning. Thanks to everyone for the comments, I seldom reply but read, and appreciate all of them. On-On
Date: 2003-05-31
From: spence shelter

To: mt collins shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

what can i say, yet another day i'm loving life here on the trail. i'll let ya know if it changes to otherwise.did 20 miles today, my knee felt better than recent days, and my food hasn't been molested by mice yet since, like, sunday night. i guess i've got the rodent prevention thing down. i bought a stuff sack for the food and placed a can inline on the string it hangs and do the same with my pack.it was a very comfortable day for hiking; cool weather and some intermittent sun through clouds.i originally hoped to spend tonight atop clingman's dome for a night under the stars. unfortuneatly, it's too cold for my equipment up there, there's alot of fog, and there is some goofy roof thing on the tower up there which impedes my full-sky view.so i walked on, another 4 miles to mt collins shelter. barbara, with whom i've been loosely travelling, is here and so is an amusing group from atlanta. they shared with me a few shots of something called everclear- a 190 proof alcohol. tomorrow should be an easy day after doing extra walking today.
Date: 2013-04-05
From: Stecoah Gap (NC-143)

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: scattered clouds

I am at 165.8 miles and am spending the night in my tent up the hill from the shelter known as the "Fontana Hilton" because it is huge and has water, toilets and showers available.We were deposited at the trailhead by the owner of our motel. The sweetest, funniest little old lady I've ever been around in her E320 Mercedes! What a blast. She was not afraid to throw that Mercedes into a curve either!!So, as expected, after we climbed out of the car and got our packs on we started up, up, up the mountain. After all, it was out of a gap.Except for a section of switchbacks known as Jacobs Ladder, a mile of switchbacks that seemed to go on forever, today's hike was pretty good. Of course it was all ups and downs, which is normal for the trail, except for the last few miles that was all down coming into Fontana, which was pretty tough on the feet and knees.Tomorrow starts the Great Smokey Mountains National Park (GSMNP). I will probably go into Gatlinburg, Tn in a couple of days for re-supply.On-On
Date: 2003-06-01
From: mt collins shelter

To: peck's corner shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

this is beginning to get ubiquitous. is there going to be any days i don't enjoy?it was particularly cold last night, the coldest yet i believe. of course, the elevation at the camp was over a mile high.the day's hike began and seemed like an ordinary day's hike. you know, a trail- goes through the woods. after the road crossing at newfound gap the trail went on an ascending trend. from about there for the next 6-9 miles walking the trail was a beautiful ridgewalk with miles of mountains and spacious blue skies on display. just about the most view-filled day on the trail yet! it was real ridgewalking- steep slope on both sides of the trail with 4-7 feet of top on which the trail ran. man, that was great. it was fortunate for me that both i planned only 15 miles today so i could relax and enjoy it and that visibility was so great today. i can only hope that every day's journal entry will rave about the hike like this.staying at peck's corner shelter tonight, and as usual the shelter is filled with wonderfully pleasant people. this shelter is one of the nicer i've seen- roof overhanging over benches, skylights, well cleaned.planning on a 20 mile day tomorrow to davenport gap (shelter) which is on the border of the great smoky mtns park. it seems like i just got in here and now tomorrow's my last day!
Date: 2013-04-06
From: Fontana Dam

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

Nothing spectacular about today except that we entered the GSMNP. A group of us crossed the Fontana Dam together then deposited the required tag from our GSMNP permits into the "new" receptacle as we entered the park. A $20 investment into the government juggernaut for seemingly zero return on the dollar. The trail in the GSMNP is some of the worst I have encountered so far!As we entered the park I bid adieu to Pacemaker, Runner up, Siren, Yank, Blue Bonnet and Monk, friends that I had been hiking with, off and on, for the past few weeks. I had decided that the mileage from the past week was beginning to affect my Health and so had decided, as much as I hated it, to let them go on ahead and I would hike a shorter day and hope to see them further up the trail. The trail has this odd way of bringing slow and fast hikers back together and I am counting on seeing my friends again. I hiked an 11 mile day to a shelter called Mollies Ridge where I spent my second night of this hike in a shelter. The GSMNP requires that you stay in a shelter unless it is at capacity and only then are you allowed to tent. They have these people called Ridge Runners that loosely oversees the trail and there was one at the shelter so everyone was on their best behavior and everyone slept in the (shudder) shelter. I don't mind telling you that I literally HATE sleeping in shelters and was more than a little irritated to wake up the next morning and find that three trail volunteers had waited until everyone had turned in for the night and THEN set up their tents! Ok, so tell me it's just sour grapes but I don't like the Idea of special privileges.I packed up my bag and headed out for the day I. A foul mood!On-On
Date: 2003-06-02
From: peck's corner shelter

To: davenport gap shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: overcast clouds

beautiful day- i almost begin to think it'd be nice to have some different weather, for some variety. rain is easy to come by, that would be an easy wish granted. i could go for something a little more interesting though, like maybe hail or a rainbow or something. anything worth noting in my journal. i'm trying to convince cheeseburger (barbara's new trailname) to lose it mentally and present herself to strangers in some mentally-ill-like way. you know, just so i have some good material for my journal. this "it was a beautiful day" stuff is gettin old. tonight cheeseburger and i are in davenport gap shelter, one mile from the boundary of the great smoky mtns park. being only 37 miles from hot springs, we are planning our plunder on this trail town. she has a book that tells all about what services any trail town happens to hold. we feel an intense need for oven-cooked pizza pies, cheeseburgers, and beer. there was an entry in this shelter's register from someone who'd been on the trail 34 days and was leaving, expressing incredible enlightenment and self-betterment having been attained. i've done as many miles but not yet as many days, i have about 22 more days to match that, but i don't see my thoughts going in that direction, yet. they just seem to re-iterate things i've thought about before, already know, or the theme tune from the atari game pitfall. but if my outlook changes, journal 'ol buddy pal, you'll be the first to hear!
Date: 2013-04-07
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: broken clouds

Shelters in the GSMNP are spaced at odd intervals. the next one past Mollies Ridge is only three miles and the next past that one is only three miles also. Everyone hikes more miles than that. It really makes it confusing to try and set a schedule with the shelters spaced at such odd intervals.Another night in the (shudder) shelter! I'm not exaggerating when I say shelters are the last place anyone should want to spend the night but yet there are MANY people who come into camp each night looking for a slot in them!! Nasty, stinking, noisy shelters!!! But, alas, I had to spend another night in one because it was not full and I did not want to take a chance on a Ranger showing up with me in my tent and the shelter not full. That's a $250 fine!On-On