morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-03-24
To: One Step Closer
Miles today: 0.0

Greetings family and friends   ...Made it safe and sound from Wyoming to Georgia yesterday. Sure going to be nice hitting the trail after the crowds at the airport and all the traffic here. Hardest thing I've done in a while was saying good bye to my partner, soulmate and best friend   ...Leslie. Oh yeah, did I mention she's my wife too. But, we got through that process and off I flew.Here are my first observations after landing in Atlanta   ...Who turned up the humidistat ?? Things here are REALLY green (compared to Wyoming, that is)!Why is everyone here wearing jackets   ...this isn't COLD !Other than that everything is right on plan. Waking up in a strange house with a 2 hour time change was a bit amusing this morning. Couldn't find the light switch and the bedroom door wasn't where it was supposed to be. And then came the joy of trying to find the bathroom. I'll probably just get the lay of the land here and it will be time to drive up to Springer and start my hike. At least I know where everything is when I'm on the trail !!Anxious to be hiking but then again I'm glad to have this opportunity to see my kids and visit with my many friends in the Atlanta area before disappearing into the woods for 6 months.I'm thinking the next journal entry will be after I start hiking and more than likely it will be made by Leslie. As many of you know   ...her trail name on the AT in 2001 was BA Turtle (the BA standing for BAD ASS). She often signs her e-mail entries "BAT" for short. Well, we got to talking the other day and since she's going to be transcribing my journal updates it only seemed fitting that she continue to use that signature. However   ...we've modifed its meaning just a bit to suit the purpose. When you see that "BAT" at the bottom of my journal entries it will really stand for BAD ASS TRANSCRIBER !All for now      ...lots to do and the clock's a tickin'
Date: 2003-03-29
To: BA Turtle
Miles today: 0.0

FOOTSLOGGER PLANTS HIS FOOT ON SPRINGER MOUNTAIN!This is BA Turtle, Footslogger's transcriber (and wife). Footslogger got on the trail this morning, after a week spent in the Atlanta area visiting his kids, former Scout troop, and other friends. He did finally receive his Wanderlust tent (thanks Kurt), although due to the severe winter weather here in Wyoming and Colorado, it arrived after he left. I had to forward it on to him in Atlanta, and he is carrying it with him now. Even as I write this, Footslogger should be setting out on his life-long dream. He should arrive at Neel's Gap by Monday or Tuesday and will be mailing home his first set of journals from there. I'll be sure and get them online as quickly as possible. Keep him in your thoughts!BAT
Date: 2003-03-29
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: broken clouds

Great surprise. My son, Ike, called and said he wanted to see me off at Springer. This really meant a lot to me. Ed, Ike and I arrived at FS42 around 10:00. We climbed Springer and signed the book. Took some pictures and then at 10:45 I began my thru-hike. Ike peeled off and drove home. Ed drove around to Three Forks while I hiked down to that part on the trail. We did lunch at Three forks and then headed for Hawk Mountain. Got to Hawk around 3 PM. Met some hikers at the shelter. Most don't have trail names, but I did meet Mrs Gorp, who I knew from Trailjournals.At dinner, we chatted for a bit and then I turned in. Most of my thoughts today were about how lucky I am to be doing a thru-hike and how much I love Leslie and wish she was here with me. The weather today was cool and drizzly. Gonna be cold tonight. All for Day 1 -- Lights Out.
Date: 2003-03-30
From: Hawk Mtn Shelter

To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.1
Weather: broken clouds

I was awakened during the night by the clanking sound of the bear cable. I turned on my headlamp and pointed it in that direction --- WRONG DECISION! There was a big bear there, and he seemed to be attracted to my light -- ah, shit!! I turned off the light and just sat quietly watching its shadow as it wandered off into the woods -- whew!I didn't sleep too well the rest of the night. It was drizzling on and off but somewhere along the way the sound changed and got lighter. Daylight cam and to my surprise -- I looked outside the tent and realized the temperature had dropped and we had gotten about two inches of snow. This made crawling out of the sleeping bag a tough call, but I wanted to make some progress today so I forced myself to get up. I had eaten, was packed, and on the trail by 8:30. Cold and very windy. The trail was muddy and I had a couple "near falls." I made Justus Creek for lunch. The temperature started to drop and light snow started to fall. I packed up and headed for Gooch Gap. Rolled in around 1:30 and decided to stay. With the weather looking pretty bad it seemed like the smart decision. Since my tent was still wet from last night I opted to sleep in the shelter. I don't like shelters much but I think it will be warmer and more secure than my little Nomad Lite.I reflected as I hiked today about Ike showing up to see me off. This was apparently something he believed was important -- and I'm very glad. It meant a great deal having him give me that big "Bear Hug" at FS42. I will carry that memory with me fondly -- all the way to Katahdin.
Date: 2003-03-31
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Bird Gap
Miles today: 12.1

This was a tough day -- my first double digit hike. My left knee started to talk to me a bit, it was not really painful -- more like discomfort. It comes and goes, and seems to respond to Motrin.My target destination was near Woods Hole Shelter. I didn't really want to stay at the shelter because it's 3/4 mile off the trail. So I got 4 liters of H20 at Jarrard Gap. That might end up being the most stupid thing I will do on the trail. then again, I know that the water is "iffy" at Wood's Hole so that was my decision. One of the toughest miles I've hiked lately. Good news was that when I got to Bird Gap I was good for the night. Set up my tent and at first I thought I would be all alone, but within an hour or so there were 8 tents set up around me -- great group!
Date: 2003-04-01
From: Bird Gap

To: Neel's Gap
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: clear sky

It wasn't so cold, so I got a good night's sleep. I woke up super early and was on the trail by 7 AM. Made it to Neel's Gap by 8:45. I sat and relaxed for an our or so, and then Toni and Jennifer arrived. They brought me some popcorn and oatmeal cookies -- YUM! We took some pictures and then they left. I need to do some laundry and get a shower.I was really spooked when I first got to Neel's Gap. My mail drop was not there!! Neither was the letter from Les with the newspaper article. I was starting to really get bummed and then all of a sudden the guy in the store yelled "Hey, your box just arrived!" Talk about RELIEF -- Even better news. . . the letter from Les arrived. I got to read about myself in the newspaper -- Woohoo!!Later on in the afternoon Winton said he would run a shuttle into Blairsville. But then he realized he couldn't and he called me over -- Guess he really trusts me because he gave me the keys to his van and asked me if I could handle the shuttle. Naturally I said YES!! Got a group of hikers together and we went into town for some pizza -- YUM! Nice to be friendly with the owner at Walasi-Yi. That's all for tonight. I plan to get an early start in the morning.
Date: 2003-04-02
From: Neel's Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

Very long and hard day, especially after relaxing at Walasi-Yi. I found the spot where Turtle and I stopped for lunch in 2001 -- this was where Slow & Steady passed by while we were eating. I took a picture of the spot to keep a remembrance of it. The temperature was in the 70s and the hiking was hard. I reached Tesnatee Gap and decided to make the climb toward Whitley Gap Shelter. I got to the top of Wildcat Mountain and had lunch where Turtle and I had spent the night in the snow in 2001. It sure brought back a lot of memories. While I was sitting there eating my lunch this hiker walks up and says "Are you Footslogger?" Here it was EZ-Does-It (Michael) who I have known via email for a couple of years but never met. I originally wasn't planning to go all the way to Low Gap but EZ was headed there so I said OK. That meant a really long day for me but I was willing to give it a try. We got to Low Gap shelter around 5 PM, totally exhausted. I felt better after dinner and was proud of my accomplishment. EZ is talking about hiking to the "Cheese Factory" campsite tomorrow. That would mean a 13-mile day -- my longest yet. YIKES!!!
Date: 2003-04-03
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Cheese Factory
Miles today: 13.0

Woke up early and talked to EZ. His rationale was that in order to make it into Hiawassee on Saturday morning we had to position ourselves close to Dicks Creek on Friday night. This made sense, but I wasn't sure if I could make the 13+ miles??? I decided to give it a try -- it really wore me out, though. EZ is my age but carries a 22 pound pack. i fell off his pace pretty early in the day but just kept plugging away. So now here we are at the base of Tray Mountain. Just finished dinner and met a nice young couple named Jonathan and Jane. Jane reminds me a bit of Leslie and it really made me miss my sweetie! In 2 days I'll be in Hiawassee where I can call her and hear her voice.My hike is going well. Still no blisters -- just a little tenderness on the soles of my feet, but that's natural given the pounding they are taking.I'm getting my rhythm and organizing my stuff better. I plan to send some things home from Hiawassee. That should help lighten my load. Unfortunately I am not reading the book Leslie bought me. I'm just too tired at night and can't justify the weight. Also, I am sending home the AT maps. I'm just not using them. I only want/need the handbook pages. I may want the maps again in New Hampshire and Maine but otherwise not.That's all for tonight -- I'm pooped!!
Date: 2003-04-04
From: Cheese Factory

To: Moreland Gap
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Great night at Cheese Factory. Nice water source and stream. Gathered water and then took a little "bandana bath" -- ah, so refreshing. got a fairly early start -- thank god -- this is the day I climb Kelly Knob. Still the absolute "ball-buster" I remembered from '01. Kinda felt like a "death march" at times but I just leaned into it and put one foot in front of the other and I made it!! Gnats and black "deer" flies are out in force already. Must be due to all the moisture or something. All I know is that my legs are covered with very itchy and painful bites. Can't wait to sit in a hot bathtub in Hiawassee and then get some ointment on them. I've even got a bite on my forehead and one right on the top of my head -- OUCH!Anyway, after Kelly Knob came the steep downhill into Deep Gap Shelter. Got water at Deep Gap and rested a bit before continuing on to Moreland Gap. Wanted to get an early start toward Dicks Creek in the morning and then hitch a ride into Hiawassee. There are 3 other hikers in our little group today -- EZ-Does-It, Snipe, and Semisweet. The latter 2 being a couple. They all hike faster than I do but I always seem to catch up to them at night.Got into camp, set up tents and made dinner. It started to drizzle so we all cut our dinners and evening socializing a bit short. Moments after crawling in my tent the sky opened up and serious rain started to fall. Sort of therapeutic, laying in your sleeping bag being lulled to sleep by the sound of rain drops.That's all for tonight. Hot showers and a real bed tomorrow -- Woo-hoo!!
Date: 2003-04-05
From: Moreland Gap

To: Hiawassee
Miles today: 1.2
Weather: moderate rain

Woke up to the sounds of silence. Everything was soaked but it appeared (at least for a moment) as if we were going to have a nice hike down to Rt 76 at Dicks creek Gap -- NOT!! Just as I was tightening the last buckle on my pack the rains came -- even worse than last night. We all got our raincoats and pack covers on and started hiking . . . or should I say "mud-slogging" down toward the highway. The muddy water was over ankle deep at times but we just splashed through it. By the time we got to the road my pants were totally saturated with water and it had run down into my boots. I was certain we would never get a ride, being all wet and muddy, but after about 20 minutes a good samaritan in an old jeep wagoneer pulled over and told us to hop in -- thank goodness too, because we were all starting to show signs of hypothermia.He took us straight to the hotel (Holiday Inn Express) and we checked in. Ez-Does-It and I shared a room. I knew that once I got into the bathroom I would be there for a while, so I gave EZ first dibs. He showered and was out in 10-15 minutes. NOW IT'S MY TURN! I filled the tub with the hottest water I could stand and just soaked for about 30 minutes. I dozed off a bit, I guess, and when I regained consciousness I found myself sitting in a tub of nearly black water. I pulled the plug, scrubbed out the rub, and then proceeded to take a nice long shower. Man, that was NICE!!I had a little snack and then crawled under the covers for a nap. Woke up several hours later and walked over to the "Front Porch" restaurant with EZ for a pizza and beer -- Good Stuff!!Walked back to the hotel and crashed!!
Date: 2003-04-06
From: Hiawassee

To: Hiawassee
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

EZ's wake up call came very early, plus we had the 1 hour time change over-night. i was semi-coherent as he got his pack together and said farewell. He's moving on today but I'm taking a much needed zero day. I'll relax, get my re-supply together, and then head out in the morning. Also have to repackage my bounce box and put together a box of stuff I'm sending home. After 8 days on the trail I am already starting to reconfigure my pack and lighten my load. I just have to get my pack weight down so the knees don't take such a beating.The zero day was fun but I'm looking forward to being back on the trail again. Of course they're predicting RAIN for tomorrow, though. Oh, well, such is life on the AT.
Date: 2003-04-07
From: Hiawassee

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

The day started with a great breakfast at the Holiday Inn Hiawassee. Then John (Snipe), Jean (SemiSweet), and I went to the Post Office to mail off our boxes. I sent one home to Leslie with things I no longer need and the other was my bounce box, which I sent off to Kincora Hostel. We then got out on the road and started to hitch a ride out to the trail crossing at Dicks Creek. Within a few minutes a woman in a pick-up stopped and offered us a ride.We hit the trail at around 9:45 and by noon we were at Plum Orchard Shelter. We stopped for a snack and signed the shelter register, but we all agreed that it was too early to stop for the day. We decided to hoof it another 7.5 miles to Muskrat Creek Shelter. It was tough hiking. They went on ahead and I just stuck to my own pace (SLOW!). Reached the GA/NC state line about 3:30 and took a picture of the gnarly oak tree there. I sat and had lunch there too. Then came the agonizing climb out of Bly Gap. I had forgotten how hard it was. But I just stuck to my pace and around 5:45 I rolled into Muskrat. To my surprise and pleasure, there was "Jersey" setting up his tent. I hadn't seen him since Neels Gap! He's a great guy and about my age. I decided to set up my tent near his. We started a nice fire and made dinner. After dinner, John and Jean came over and we chatted for a while. I told them all about Leslie, the love of my life. They're all looking forward to meeting her in Damascus. That about wrapped up today. I'm a bit tired from today's hike but otherwise feeling great. I need to get out my handbook and see what tomorrow holds for old Footslogger.
Date: 2003-04-08
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 4.9
Weather: light rain

Well it turned out to be a rather short day. I woke up in a heavy fog. Not really raining -- more like tree drippage. Everything was wet so packing up was pretty miserable. Finally got ready to go. Started off in shorts and t-shirt even though it was cold and wet. I felt ok for a while, but then the temperature started to drop and it started to rain. I got to Standing Indian Shelter around 2 PM. It was really too early to stop for the day but then all of a sudden the rain started coming down in buckets and my decision was made -- I would stay at (and IN) the shelter. At least tonight I will stay dry, although I will now have to deal with the shelter mice.Today was an interesting day in that I had to deal with mixed emotions over doing a short mileage day versus doing what would be BEST for me -- I made the right decision.As the day went by, several other hikers arrived including Jersey. The shelter filled up quickly. Staying here tonight were Tank, Blue Bird, Hep Kat and many others I did not meet. Hoping for better weather tomorrow. I'll get 3/4 of the way to Wallace Gap and then the next day I'll hike into Rainbow Springs Campground, where I will overnight, shower, do laundry, and re-supply. Also met a young girl in the shelter named "Find Me." She is hiking all the way from Key West to the end of the IAT.
Date: 2003-04-09
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: light rain

Huge day (20 miler). I didn't really have a specific goal other than to get close to Rainbow Springs Campground for my re-supply. It pretty much rained all morning and was cold/foggy. The trail was wet and muddy and the going was pretty rough. Then all of a sudden the sun came out and it started to warm up. I stopped for lunch at Carter Gap Shelter and while I was eating it clouded up and got cold again. It was probably a good thing that I had eaten a hot supper meal for lunch because the rain started again.By mid-afternoon I was on the approach climb to Albert Mountain. I had forgotten how hard and steep that stretch of the trail was. I made it over the top and rolled into the Big Spring shelter at around 5:15. For some odd reason I seemed to have a lot of energy and the Big Spring area looked pretty packed so I decided to push on to Rock Gap. I really had to hike hard in order to reach Rock Gap while there was still daylight. It was around 6 miles beyond Big Spring and I made it by 7:10 PM. Snipe and SemiSweet were the only ones in the shelter. It was great to see them again but I was really whipped. I ate some p-nut butter crackers and had a cup of hot peppermint tea. That was about all I could manage. The bottoms of my feet were aching from all the pounding and my body needed some "down-time." Enough for today. Tomorrow I hit the campground for a shower, laundry, and re-supply.
Date: 2003-04-10
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Rainbow Springs Campground
Miles today: 1.7
Weather: light rain

Woke up and realized that the "dripping" sound had stopped. I peeked out the small breathing hole I had made in my sleeping bag and to my surprise it had SNOWED about 3-4 inches. I was really glad at that point to know I had walked those extra miles the night before. My walk into Rainbow Springs Campground should be pretty easy. I was anxious to get a warm shower and clean clothes, not to mention REAL FOOD. I ate a cold breakfast and had a cup of coffe. Packed up my belongings and skedaddled toward Wallace Gap. I ran into a hiker named "Blue Bird" (she's from Wyoming -- Jackson) and we hiked into Rainbow Springs together. As we walked into the campground, I heard someone yell "YO SLOGGER." It was Nemo. She came running up and told me that the bunkhouse was full but that she had gotten a cabin and was filling it up to spread the cost. I told her to "count me in"!! It was a fun night. We all got hot showers and pizza and then sat around singing songs and talking about the trail. The list of hikers included Nemo, T-Bird, Cuz, Snipe, Semi-sweet, Tank, and me. We all started to fade around 8 PM and called it a night.
Date: 2003-04-11
From: Rainbow Springs Campground

To: Bartram Trail (after Wayah Gap)
Miles today: 11.3

The day started off pretty nice. Got a shuttle back to the trail crossing by the owner of Rainbow Springs Campground. I started the climb toward Winding Stair Gap. Hiked along with T-Bird and sang a bunch of Bee-Gee's songs. She's amazing -- 24/25 years old and knows all the words. The best I could do was hum the melody and every once in a while chime in with a word or two. Before I knew it we were at Rt. 64. This place brought back a lot of memories from 2001. I let everyone pass me by and I just stood there for a while thinking about that morning in April 2001 when I watched my "Turtle" disappear up that trail toward Siler Bald. I thought of that scene from "Lord of the Rings" where Sam tells Frodo that if he takes one more step it will be further than he has ever gone before. With that ithought in mind I began my hike up to Siler Bald. I ran into Jack, Cuz, Nemo, and T-Bird just before reaching the base of the Bald. They all wanted to climb to the top of Siler Bald and so I agreed to stay behind and watch the packs. The slope up the bald was covered with at least a foot of snow. The temperature started to drop while I was standing there waiting and I had to put on another layer of clothing. They had a riot up on the bald. I could hear them laughing and saw them throwing snow balls at each other. They finally came down and we resumed our hike. They are all faster hikers than I so pretty soon I found myself hiking alone. I actually like being alone on the trail at times. I feel as if I can hike as fast or slow as I'd like and not interfere with any other hikers.The higher we climbed the colder it got and before long we were hiking on a snow covered trail. I was cold and hungry and really needed to get to our camp-site. We finally got there and all the tent sites were snow covered. Found the best site I could and got my tent up. Threw a bear line and started my stove. While the water was boiling I got into dry clothing. I was very near hypothermia at that point. This was a no-nonsense night and there was very little talking or humor. When dinner was over I made some warm cider and then crawled in my sleeping bag -- Tomorrow will be a better day!!
Date: 2003-04-12
From: Bartram Trail (after Wayah Gap)

To: campsite after Cooper Ridge Bald
Miles today: 9.8

Woke up and found that the cold front had blown through and the snow was beginning to melt. Still cold and not much fun getting up and pulling our packs together but the sky looked clear and all indications were that it would be a nice day once the sun got high in the sky. And so it was . . . a nice day.At one point I stopped for a break and saw some hikers coming up the trail. As they got closer I recognized one of them -- Tim Black, my old buddy from REI. He was hiking with Jane, his friend. They had started at Springer one day after I did and had just now caught up. Tim and I pretty much hiked together the rest of the day. Jane hiked a bit slower but would catch up when we took a break. I introduced them to "the gang" and they agreed to stay at the same place tonight. Was a good hiking day. Weather turned pretty and trail started to finally dry out -- speaking of which, the last 3-4 days it has been an absolute mud puddle. Hard to make progress uphill and dangerously slippery at times going downhill. Anyway, we got to the intended campsite and found that the tent spots were all slanted, but there was a good water source. We set up camp and started dinner. Just as I was finishing my dinner, 2 hikers approached the site from the south -- all of a sudden I realized that it was Ed Holsworth and a scout named Jamie. After the necessary introductions, Ed told me to close my eyes and he handed me a container. I opened my eyes and realized that it was a big batch of homemade cookies -- YUM, Trail Magic!!Ed was a hero and the cookies lasted all of about 5 minutes. We even gave Spencer the dog a cookie. The sun set and we had a 3/4 moon -- Life is GOOD!