morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-02-14
To: Trip to Trail
Miles today: 0.0

I left with my mother from New York atbout seven am on the tenth. My mother started driving. I was curled up in the back seat of the Dodge minivan. I was asleep before we had gone ten miles. When I woke up at nine-thirty, we were already in Pennsylvania. My mother said that it was the best traffic that she had ever seen. After stopping at the rest stop, I took over driving. It was really exciting for me because I only have my learner's permit. That afternoon, we went to Harper's Ferry and picked up the newest edition of Wingfoot's book. That night, we stopped in Lexington, Virginia. The next day we encountered some bad weather (ie snow, ice and sleat), but nothing like the 27" of snow in NY. After a day of relatively slow driving, we arrived in Atlanta, pulling into the hotel at 11:00pm. The next day, we slept in until 10:30am. We headed up I-75 and I-285 to Stone Mountain Park to see the Big Apple Circus, because I new that I wasn't going to e around in June when it was coming to NY. The circus was amazing. Even though we bought tickets there, we got third row seats in the center ring. I really love the Big Apple Circus, because it is a small, not for profit show that is very artistic and nice to the animals. After that, we toured Atlanta and were amazed that 70mph seemed slow on their 16 lane highway through the center of town. The next day, we bought a couple of last minute things, and around 4:45 decided that we wanted to see the five-thirty showing of "Firewall" at a theatre that was only 3.5 miles away. We began heading up Hwy 400 and it came to an almost dead stop. We went off the Highway an exit before and made it to the movie at 5:38. Luckily, we came just as it began because of the previews. That night, we drove up to Amicalola Falls State Park (AFSP) and stayed at the lodge. It was really lovely with a great view of the mountains. The next day, we slept late again, ate lunch, and headed down to the visitor's center. With food, water, gear, and clothing, my pack weighed 53 pounds, a little heavy, but OK for the winter.    At the center, I met another man, a retired marine, who was going to start the appraoch trail. After buying a tee-shirt and a postcard, we headed up US42 to the Benton Mackaye Trail.
Date: 2006-02-14
From: Benton MacKaye Trail

To: Springer Shelter
Miles today: 0.0

I decided to take the Benton MacKaye Trail to Springer Mountain, because it is the road less traveled. The forest service road up to the trail was interesting because it was snowy and icy with several blind corners. However, by taking it slowly, we made it safely.      The trail only had one set of footprints in the snow when I started. I continued to follow the footprints for about .2 miles, until I saw a sign for an overlook. I continued to follow the footprints, until the trail ended in a cliff, and the footprints tuned around. Apparently, I had misred the sign. On the BMT, there are not many trail markers. I turned around and took the right trail.   For the next mile or so,I was making fresh footprints in the snow. I continued along and saw deer tracks following the trail. A little while later, I saw what seemed like fox tracks (or some other cat-like creature). As I neared the last half mile of the BMT, I saw footprints of a person who had suddenly turned around. It was interesting, possibly a person who realized that they weren't on the AT. When I hit the Appalachian Trail, I headed toward Springer. It was there, that I experienced my first AT sunset of the year. The oranges and reds over the mountains were amazing. As the sun was going down, I headed to Springer shelter, ate dinner, and was about to go to bed, when my mother met me there.
Date: 2006-02-15
From: Springer Shelter

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night, I woke up at 2:00 in the morning. Since I had gone to bed early, and there was a full moon, I thought that it was about dawn. I got up and was about to cook breakfast, until my mother asked me what I was doing. I was surprised to hear the time. It was so bright that I wouldn't have needed a flashlight to hike.    I tried to get back to sleep, but it took me more than an hour because I was so excited. In the morning, we got up and hiked back up to Springer Mountain. My mother took my picture and I took hers. I also grabbed two pebbles. When I get to Katadin, I am going to put one on top. The other one I am going to keep as a souvenir.   Just as I was about to head out on the trail, my mother surprised me by pulling out a bottle of sparkling grape juice. We split it while sitting on a rock overlooking the valley.    As I was hiking to Hawk Mountain Shelter, I met my first thru-hiker on the trail, 74 year old "Bull". He is celebrating his 75th birthday with a single-season thru-hike. At the shelter, I met three other people: "Crutch", who was injured for eight weeks last year and still made it to PA, "Nuts" who came all the way from Germany, and "Pilgrim" who served in the army. All three of them are exactly 40. Since I am 18, Bull is 74 and the others are three are 40, we called ourselves the 3G group for 3 Generations.    It was nice to have a lot of company. Tomorrow, we are all planning on going to Gooch Shelter. At this shelter there wassome really nice trail magic. The Appalachian Outfitters of Greenville, SC left boxes of items: hard candy, insulated mugs, hot cocoa, salt, pepper, sugar packets, first aid supplies, matches, fire starters, emergency purification tablets, pens, paper, Cracker Jacks, and more.
Date: 2006-02-16
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: broken clouds

This morning, my purifier broke, so I was really glad that there were Trail Magic water purification tablets. After I boiled my water, I went to get my hot chocolate, and realized that a mouse had eaten through the package and that chocolate powder was all over my stuff. I had hung the rest of my food but had taken out what I had wanted for breakfast. I had made the assumption that because the mice hadn't eaten through the Trail Magic boxes left by Appalachian Outfitters, that there were no mice. Boy was I wrong!   After breakfast, I headed out in only one layer on the top and two on the bottom. At dawn it was 48 degrees and in the day, it hit 64. I am told that this is very unseasonable. Saturday and Sunday, it is supposed to be very cold and rainy, and as the other hikers put it "normal weather on the AT". Crutch told me that when he was hiking last year, he encountered 6 days of rain from Cindy, followed by half a day of clouds, fog, and mist, followed by six days of rain from Dennis, followed by another half cloudy day, followed by 6 days of rain from an unnamed storm.    The trip today began with a fairly steep descent into Hightower Gap. After a couple miles of ups and downs, I saw ahead an unforgettable mountain: Sassafras. It was the first real mountain on the trail: just about a 1000' climb in a little more than a mile. Every time that I thought I was at the top, it started to go up agian. By the time I got up the next mountain, I was completely exhausted. I stopped to rest probably 4 times after that.   A little bit before I got to the shelter, there was a really nice campsite by Justis Creek. I sat down, got some water and just watched the running water for about 20 minutes.    I got to Gooch Mountain Shelter around 12:40pm. It was strange though; Bull wasn't there. He never came actually. He began about one hour before us. (We found out later that he decided to camp out a little bit past Woody Gap). Nuts, Pilgrim, and Crutch stayed in the shelter again. It was really nice company. For hours, we just sat there talking and cooking our food. I think that the best part of the trail so far is the people.   From our potential itineraries, it looks like we may be together for at least the next 5 days. That would be great!
Date: 2006-02-17
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Wood's Hole Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was really nice. At dawn, the temperature was 52. I gat a relatively early start (for me) at 8:00am. At 10:15 I made it to US60. It was an easy 5 miles. My Mom met me there and we went to the Super Walmart in Dahlonega. I nedded to buy only a couple of things like foil packets of tuna. After that we went to lunch at the Smith House. This place served authentic Sourthern cuisine family style. I ate the best fried chicken that I had ever tasted. I also ate collard greens, fried okra, creamed corn, yams, green beans, and strwberry shortcake with vanilla ice cream. It was a great meal. The big news in town was that an old gold mine had just been discovered under the Smith House. They are going to put plastic in front of the walls and have some sort of museum in the future. Before we left town we visited the site of the mint that opened in Dahlonega in 1838. It is located in one of the buildings on the local campus. We walked into an office and were directed to open big wooden doors which reveal the original foundation of the mint.Then I got back on the trail and hiked the more difficult 7.6 miles to Wood's Hole Shelter. Just before I hit the side trail to the shelter I met up with Nuts. He told me they had hitched a ride to Suches (the other direction from Dahlonega) and had each eaten an entire full sized pizza in addition too a liter of gatorade and 24 oz of coffee. On the way back, they met a man who had thru-hiked and was now here hiking with his family. When Nuts and I arrived at the shelter, it was almost sunset. There was a little trickle of water at the spring .3 miles from the shelter. There was a small (very small) pool of water at the top so we had something to drink and use for cooking.Nuts and Pilgrim and I were all wondering what happened to Crutch since he wasn't at the shelter. We hypothesized that he had continued on to Neels' Gap or Blood Mountain Shelter. However, when 18-yr-old hiker, Red Blaze came (all the way from Hawk Mountain Shelter), he told us that Crutch was waiting at tGooch Gap for a friend he had hiked with last year.So now our group is down to three, but I am having a great time on the trail.On my hike to the shelter there was this most amazing view on my hike so far. On one of the plateaus on the way up Big Cedar Mountain there was a cutaway that allowed us to see the entire valley and beyond, probably several hundred miles. On a clear day, you might be able to see all the way to the ocean.
Date: 2006-02-18
From: Wood's Hole Shelter

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 3.7
Weather: snow

Last night while I was reading the journal entries at the shelter, a mouse ran overmy hand. There seem to be a lot of mice in all of the shelters.In the night, I was awakened twice by all three of my sheltermates snorning. I am definitely going to use earplugs from now on.In the morning, I slept until after nine. By the time I got going at ten, the rain was coming down pretty hard. I put on my rain jacket and began to hike up Blood Mountain. However, in just a couple of tenths of a mile, I was so hot that I unzipped my jacket and was hiking in just a light shirt. On the top of the mountain, I met with Pilgrim and Nuts. We spent about 30 minutes just admiring the shelter. There would have been a great view, except there was so much fog that I could hardly see anything. The three of us hiked down to Neels Gap together. We are all staying at the hiker hostel in the Walaiyi Center. The weather was pretty bad when we arrived. There were icicles forming on my hair.However, the hostel nice, warm with hot showers, laundry facilities, and bunks. Once our stuff was set up, my Mom took me, Red Blaze, Nuts, and Pilgrim to Blairville for resupply /dinner. I was so hungry that I ate 6 slices of olive pizza and a King-size Whopper value meal. That was awesome.Oh yeah, the 3G group is reunited. Bull was at the hostel. He had hiked ahead, stayed at Woody Gap and hiked all the way through to Neels Gap. This is his second night at the hostel.Today I also met the famous Pirate. Tomorrow we will probably hike to Low Gap Shelter if the weather isn't completely horrible.
Date: 2006-02-19
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night I was very warm in y sleeping bag. Too warm actually. However, it was really nice to sleep in a soft bed in a cozy hostel with no mice.In the morning I was up at 6:30 and packed my gear up. Several of the other hikers helped me to lower my pack weight even further. At 8:30 I was about ready to go. However since I already had (and still have) a fairly large blister (see photo), I decided to wait until 9 whenthe store opened to have someone look at my blister. For the next two hours, they told me why the blister formed and what I can do to treat and prevent them ( beyond just moleskin). I walked out of there with six packages of Neosporin, five 2nd Skin blister bandages, and a new pair of boots, and a new water purifier to replace the old one which had problems I couldn't fix. I got back on the trail at 11:30.I started out with a lot of energy, but by about the sixth or seventh mile, I was pretty tired. At 5:30 I made it to Low Gap Shelter, the one that someone supposedly woke up in with a bear straddling them.When I got to the shelter, I cooked dinner, drank a cup of tea, and got ready for bed. Bull, Nuts, Pilgrim, and Red Blaze were all at the shelter.Tomorrow we plan on tenting out at the Cheese Factory campsite.
Date: 2006-02-20
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night we had a full house. Seven in a shelter that sleeps seven. Two more thru-hikers came down the trail with their headlamps.When we woke up, it was about freezing. There was an icy rain coming down, adding to the ice already on the trees. When we left at about 9am, there was a cold rain, but we put on our Gortex jackets and headed out.    As we hiked the rain got heavier. It was obvious that we wouldn¢t be able to camp out at Cheese Factory Campsite. When we passed the first shelter, we decided to push on to the shelter at Tray Mountain.The fog was really dense. At some points I couldn¢t see fifty feet in front of me. However, when we were at the top of some peaks we could see the other mountains like islands in a sea of fog. The whole thing was a little surreal.    When we arrived at GA 75, we expected my mother to be there. Bull had bought a replacement part to his stove at Neels Gap, but it turned out to be the wrong one. My mother was meeting us to take Bull to get the right part.I expected her to give me some water and maybe soda, but what she did blew us all away. She cooked pasta and tomato and meat sauce. She also gave us bread, soda, tea, and cocoa. We were stoked to go the last 5.5 miles which included the 1200¢ Rocky Mountain and the 1300¢ Tray Mountain.This day was the longest so far, 15 miles with 4400¢ of vertical rise.The whole day was marvelous. Great views, great friends, and great food. I love the trail!!!   Tomorrow we are off to the Blueberry Patch. Now it is time to sleep.
Date: 2006-02-21
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: The Blueberry Patch
Miles today: 10.6

This morning when we woke up it was still foggy and wet. My hiking poles and everything else were dry when I went to bed, but soggy when I woke up.Today, though, we have to hike only 10.6 miles, mostly downhill. That was really good, because I was tired.   We arrived at Dick¢s Creek Gap just as the sun was coming out. It turned into a warm (over 50), beautiful day.Blueberry Patch is a nice hostel. There are triple bunk beds and a wood-burning stove. There is no running water in this area, but they have a small shed-like building with a shower and a toilet.   We all went into town and ate at Shoney¢s. They had a 12 oz. ribeye with all you can eat salad bar for just $8.99.   Tomorrow Nuts, Pilgrim and I are all taking our first zero day. It will give our muscles a chance to grow and day to rest. After this, we have 6 days without a stop until we come to Wesser. It will give my blister a chance to form a scab.   I am having a great time.
Date: 2006-02-22
From: The Blueberry Patch

To: The Blueberry Patch
Miles today: 0.0

This morning we woke up to a nice breakfast of pancakes with blueberry syrup, fresh squeezed orange juice, and coffee.   After that we loaded up the minivan and went to the library in Hiawassee to use the internet. We then went to Rose¢s where I had a pizza, Nuts had a sandwich, Pilgrim had a pizza, and Red Blaze had 2 dozen BBQ wings.   We then went back to the hostel where Nuts cooked us a really nice dinner of chicken and potatoes.   We are now ready for six days on the trail before the next hostel. A zero day was a really good idea.   Two new hikers just came and joined us at the hostel. Braveheart and Messenger had just graduated from college.
Date: 2006-02-23
From: The Blueberry Patch

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning after breakfast Wayfarer came to stay at the Blueberry Patch.When I headed out in the morning, I was at first very tired. It was difficult to push up the first couple of miles of hills. However, my muscles started loosening up and I caught up with Nuts and Pilgrim.   We met Peacemaker on our way to Plumorchard Gap Shelter for lunch. The shelter was huge. It could have easily slept 24.   When we progressed another 4 miles we hit the NC/GA state line. Everyone stopped, took off their packs, and snapped a lot of photos. There were six of us there, all at the same time ¢ Nuts, Pilgrim, Red Blaze, Braveheart, Messenger and myself.   It was very exciting to know that we had completed a whole state.Once we entered North Carolina, we had only 3 miles until Muskrat Creek Shelter, but the 3 miles were going to be tough. NC welcomed us with three 500+ foot hills.   When we got to the shelter, there were 3 other thru-hikers there with a dog. They had a fire going. It was nice.   As the sun was going down, we climbed up on to the ridge and watched the sunset. It was the most beautiful one yet (actually it may be tied with the one at Springer).   Having fun. Tomorrow should be great.
Date: 2006-02-24
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: scattered clouds

This morning after breakfast Wayfarer came to stay at the Blueberry Patch.When I headed out in the morning, I was at first very tired. It was difficult to push up the first couple of miles of hills. However, my muscles started loosening up and I caught up with Nuts and Pilgrim.   We met Peacemaker on our way to Plumorchard Gap Shelter for lunch. The shelter was huge. It could have easily slept 24.   When we progressed another 4 miles we hit the NC/GA state line. Everyone stopped, took off their packs, and snapped a lot of photos. There were six of us there, all at the same time ¢ Nuts, Pilgrim, Red Blaze, Braveheart, Messenger and myself.   It was very exciting to know that we had completed a whole state.Once we entered North Carolina, we had only 3 miles until Muskrat Creek Shelter, but the 3 miles were going to be tough. NC welcomed us with three 500+ foot hills.   When we got to the shelter, there were 3 other thru-hikers there with a dog. They had a fire going. It was nice.   As the sun was going down, we climbed up on to the ridge and watched the sunset. It was the most beautiful one yet (actually it may be tied with the one at Springer).   Having fun. Tomorrow should be great.
Date: 2006-02-25
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: light rain

Today I had a lot of energy. It might have been the coffee-like substance I consumed at breakfast or the almost 10 hours of sleep I got, but boy was I jumping.    I made it to the first view, 1.7 miles away in just about 35 or 40 minutes, and when it came to rock scrambling up Albert Mountain, I was bounding up.   I probably yelled ¢whoo hooo¢ really loud about three times.The view from the top of Albert was incredible. From even half way up the fire tower yu could see 360 degrees.. Using Nuts¢s map, we could tell which town was which. We probably spent an hour on top just admiring the view.   In fact, it started snowing, which was interesting because it was 40 degrees when we woke up.   At Rock Gap Shelter we met two other hikers. They were on a week-long section hike. My mother tried to surprise us by cooking dinner, but my dad spoiled the surprise when I called him on top of Albert Mountain.   Tomorrow we plan on camping somewhere about 12 miles away. Nuts, Pilgrim and I are still together.
Date: 2006-02-26
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Wine Spring
Miles today: 12.6

Today is a day of firsts.   Up to this point, we have gone over many hills called balds.   However, until today, none were actually bald: no clearing, no grass, nothing. Siler Bald was a different story: this was a real bald. There were acres of grass and 360 degree views. I would probably have to say that the view at the top of Siler Bald is by far the most magnificent that I have seen so far. But that also might be because there was no fog and not a cloud in the sky.   This is also the first night that I am camping in a tent. Until now, I have been in a shelter every night that I was not in a hostel. Hopefully it will be very warm in my tent, considering that it was 23 degrees at 6:30pm.   This is my first time sleeping above one mile on the AT ( I am at 5290¢). In fact, this is my first time that I have slept above 5060¢.
Date: 2006-02-27
From: Wine Spring Campsite

To: Wesser Bald Shelter
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: clear sky

Today was the second longest day yet at about thirteen and a half miles. I walked alone about half of the day. It gave me a chance to think about how lucky I am to be able to travel the trail, to experience the 2000+ miles of joys and wonders that it offers.   There were many views that made me say ¢Wow, this is incredible¢ several times a day. I would find a point that would be worth a journey of hundreds of miles.   The 360 degree views from the top of the stone tower on Wayah Bald, and the top of the observation platform on Wesser Bald were amazing, beyond any type of description.   I was trying to find a section of trail that I could describe as a ¢must see¢, but every section has something beautiful and unique.
Date: 2006-02-28
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: NOC - cabin
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: clear sky

Today, we thought we lost Nuts or that Nuts was lost. Last night, we figured that he would get in late, since Pilgrim and I arrived at 5:00pm and Nuts left about an hour after us. However, he never showed up at the shelter. This morning we were thinking ¢Did he follow the Bartram Trail?¢, ¢Did he camp up on Wesser Bald after watching the sunset?¢.   We weren¢t sure what to do, we had planned to stay in a cabin at the NOC, but if Nuts wasn¢t coming, it would be a bit too expensive.   We arrived at the NOC at about noon after traveling about six miles. We decided to go ahead and check-in. At 12:20pm Nuts comes walking through the front door of the cabin.    Apparently, he was really tired yesterday and decided to camp at the Cold Spring Shelter. He woke up at 6am and hiked 12 miles to the NOC in less than six hours.   The cabin was really nice: we all slept in beds with sheets, there was a full kitchen and a patio, there was even a bathroom with a bathtub!!My mother met us there and cooked falafel. We also had humus and tahini. It was great. We then walked by the river, did our laundry, and went to the camp store. After that, we went to Bryson City for resupply. When we got back we lit the barbeque grill and cooked hamburgers, hot dogs, and beef ribs. We all ate ¢til we were full.   Tomorrow, we will be ready to face the 3000+ foot climb. This was a wonderful place to relax and just sit around. The company of Nuts and Pilgrim is great.