morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-03-22
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

Day 30 - Icewater Spring Shelter to Tri-Corner Knob Shelter 12.1 miles 3/22/1612.1 mile day today. So cold this morning. It was definitely down in the teens last night so I actually stayed in my sleeping bag until 7:30am. We crawled out into a clear but frigid morning. I had a granola bar and dark chocolate for breakfast. Also "camel-ed up" which means I chugged half a liter of water (w propel in it) before leaving. Snow still on the ground and it was icy at first. But the sun was up so the snow on he trail soon turned to soupy slush that was 2-4 inches deep. Our 1st climb took us to Charlie's Bunyon which was unbelievably beautiful. Corncob climbed to the "second" bunyon and I about crapped my pants for fear of him falling. Great picture though! Cheetah and I didn't stop for lunch until 2pm at mile 7.7 (Pecks Knob Shelter). There was a Brazilian couple there who study at University of Wisconsin. So many Wisconsin Spring Break hikers. We've already met 3 other groups. By this point my feet really started to get painful. Right arch and heel has shooting pain at times. Cheetah and I hiked the last bit to the shelter together in breathtaking surroundings. We talked about the sense of calm and safety being around spruce trees gave us. We also talked about how well we work together as a pair. We have been described as velcro (I'm the sharp side, she the soft). I can see that being true. More Wisconsin Spring Breakers at this shelter. Full house but I like it cause more people means warmer shelter. I'm in good spirits even though my feet are in poor shape. We are going to try for a 14.8 mile day tomorrow so I will wake up early and go slow and steady. A lot of it is downhill. We will be out of the Smoky's after tomorrow. New thru-hiker faces tonight...Mulligan, Headstand, Justin, etc. Justin in from Lexington and went to Henry Clay! He knows my dad's cousin's children, William and Elizabeth Burke! His name is Justin Graff (shoutout to the Burke family)! Such a small world. He graduated from Emory this year and will be going to either UK or Cinci med school. Crazy. Cold night again but cozy.
Date: 2016-03-24
From: Standing Bear Farm Hostel

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: broken clouds

Day 32 - Standing Bear Farm Hostel to Groundhog Creek Shelter 6.9 miles 3/24/166.9 miles. Woke up and Cheetah and Rhodo made eggs with cheese. Had a little bit with a tortilla. Then sat by the stream and soaked my feet in the ice cold water which I think will help my heel and right arch. Rhodo bough a pizza and ate that with the others for lunch. The workers there were really nice. One of them had 3 dogs and one of them would fetch rocks. Her name was Lulu, so crazy. Headed out around 12:30pm and immediately began a step 4.4 mile climb uphill. We powered up the hill in 2 hours and made it to our first large bald. Very cool but mostly weird. Then downhill for 2.5 and made it to a trashed shelter. Supposed to thunderstorm tonight so we want to selter it. Only other person here when we got here was Old Fox. A Chinese mountain climber from Scranton, PA (shoutout to Micheal Scott and others from The Office). He's turning 60 soon and quit his journalism job in NYC to come out here. Eventually 2 section hikers with a dog named Joe (the Boxer) came in and we made room for everyone in the shelter. 13 miles tomorrow and then 13 miles day after next into Hot Springs, NC! Ria's co-worker Jen is picking us up and letting us stay at her place in Asheville for 2 nights. SO AMAZING AND CAN'T WAIT! Goodnight!
Date: 2016-04-04
From: Erwin, TN

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: clear sky

Day 43 - Erwin, TN to Indian Grave Gap 4/4/16 8.4 milesDefinitely hard to get up this morning. We got moving at 9:30am. Cheetah told me that when she wakes up at home she and her mom make really quiet squeaky noises to one another. So we have started doing this to each other whenever we wake up and it makes me laugh everytime. Cheetah showered and we had breakfast at the hotel. Cheetahs brother had sent a jar of REAL maple syrup from Wisconsin so we all shared this on the waffles which of course was delicious.Tom brought up that he would just keep the hotel room for another night, so we wouldn't have to pack up all the dehydrated food he brought. Then we would get a shuttle from Indian Grave Gap at 9am tomorrow morning and divvy up the food then. We agreed so we will be back in Erwin tomorrow morning for a bit before he drives us back to the gap and we will begin our day from there. I'm thinking we will be doing a 9 mile day.Before heading back to Uncle Johnny's Tom drove us to the downtown area of Erwin so that I could ship my trekking poles back to REI. The broken ones, not the new ones. We got to Uncle Johnny's and saw Honeybuns along with a couple hikers from our slack pack day. Honeybuns informed us of some trail magic that's happening at Indian Gap tomorrow so we may be lucky enough to run into it when we're dropped back off. From there Rhodo, Cheetah, Tom and I started hiking. Crossed the Nolichucky River and then the train tracks. Nice and flat. Beautiful terrain. It reminded me of the first 3 miles in GA. Wide pine-needle covered trail, walking beside a large stream strewn with moss covered boulders. Absolutely perfect weather at 65 degrees and sunny. For lunch we stopped and ate on some of the boulders. I iced my right arch and heel in the freezing water. From there we hiked uphill. Hard incline. Major props to Tom for conquering today's mileage. This was tough terrain.We stopped at the first shelter for a break and Freud and Farasi were there. I really like these girls. They are 24 and 25 and from GA. They have a cool story of how they met but I'm getting tired so I'll leave it for another entry. We ate crab legs and then got moving. I was alone on nice flat trail for a while so I called Truitt and then called Andi. She got her brace off! (Recently tore ACL). Glad I got to check in with her. I miss our weekly phone calls.We all made it to the campsite by the gap and we set up shop. Farasi and Freud were already here. Made a fire, food, a little rain but not much. Tom made hot dogs. Nodding off. Having Tom here makes me excited for my dad to visit. Night!
Date: 2016-04-06
From: Beauty Spot Campsite

To: Clude Smith Shelter
Miles today: 16.0

Day 45 - Beauty Spot Campsite to Clyde Smith Shelter 4/6/16 16 miles (mess up in AWOL guide)6:45am wake up call this morning. Cheetah and I got out of camp at 8am. 38 degrees, probably 28 degrees windchill. We were 1st ones out of camp. Super windy but beautiful frigid sunny morning. Unaka Mountain was a favorite of mine. Around the summit a dense spruce forest spread in all directions. The light was mesmerizing. Cheetah and I stopped and appreciated the surroundings. This was a place to saunter...in the words of Journeyman (who we saw yesterday at Uncle Johnny's!!!!) 4.5 miles in 2 hours. It was just us today. We got to the 1st shelter. We stretched and I took a poo, hehe. Had to use the shovel. 3 more miles and there was trail magic. A trash bag at a parking lot. Cheetah and I shared a clementine and we emptied our garbage (it's the little things). At 2pm we stopped in a grass clearing for lunch. A section hiking Canadian couple was there and we made small talk. This is when the sun went away. 2pm and only 4.7 miles left of a 16 mile day. We did good. We are such a good pair. We listen to each other and I would say we share a sort of kinship. We know each other. She gets me and I get her. Finished our hike. Last mile was hard but we are first ppl to shelter. Possible rain tonight so we set up shop inside. Ppl began to arrive about an hour after us...Mambo, Snap, Honeybuns, Corncob, Rhodo, Nomad, Optimistic Dreamer, etc. Full house, new faces. Very very very cold. Had a Tom Keegan dinner. Delicious, yams, soba noodles, shallots, garlic, carrots, etc. Climbed into bed. Early night. Roan Mountain tomorrow.
Date: 2016-04-08
From: OverMountain Shelter

To: Newland, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 47 - Overmountain Shelter to Newland, NC 4/8/16 10 milesI got pretty cold last night even with the enclosed barn. I had to pull my mid layer into my sleeping bag with me for added warmth. Not great sleep but pretty good. I did not hear a single mouse but I did hear a coyote or coyotes howling most of the night. Probably celebrating a kill. There were also 2 hikers that showed up around 9pm at night. Woof, no thanks. I'll pass hiking at night in the snow. Got going around 9am to a beautiful cold day. Someone said it was supposed to rain but the skies were bright blue. Immediate uphill and over amazing balds. It was crazy watching the hikers slowly climb up the bald ahead of us. They would turn into tiny moving ants silhouetted by the bright sky as they moved upward. Tan mountain, black slice of path, bright blue sky. Our next big climb was Big Hump. It was a mile and a half climb uphill and you could see your destination the entire time. One of the coolest parts was having a 360 degree view once at the top. Cheetah did a headstand and we took a couple pictures then headed downhill for the next five miles. The Roan Highlands are absolutely amazing. I think I told Cheetah ten times that I'm coming back to hike this section. Downhill was pretty uneventful. We crossed the Doll Flats and we were able to see Elk Park, NC in the valley. Lots of Christmas tree farms. At the edge of the flats we were greeted by a sign, "Leaving NC." Our 2nd state is complete! Now we have a couple more days in TN before VA.Made it to 19E and we were picked up by the owner of the Shady Lawn Lodge. 7 of us piled into his truck and rode 7 miles into town. Mambo, Cheetah and I shared a room while Honeybuns, Snap, Corncob, and Rhodo shared one. I was happy to be in a room with just girls for once. Filled up at the Mason Jar for lunch and then showers, washed clothes, grocery, McFlurry, dinner. The guys came into our room and we watched A Walk in the Woods. Pretty comical. Not similar to my experience at all. Then bed. Honeybuns is sick so he's been sleeping this whole time.
Date: 2016-04-09
From: Newland, NC

To: Vango Hostel
Miles today: 10.0

Day 48 - 19E (Newland, NC) to Vango Hostel 4/9/16 10 miles We got dropped off around 11:30am at 19E. Honeybuns stayed behind. Very cold and windy but clear. We got started and immediately saw a lot of signs about vandalism on that part of the trail. Apparently a lot of the trail that runs thru the northern section of TN was taken by imminent domain. We have seen a lot of memorials marking family land that had to be given up. Land that had been in families for generations. The landscape was not very memorable. We had a difficult up that went on a bald and it us a view of Roan Highlands. Cheetah sat down to take it all in. Went on and we came across Jones Falls which was gorgeous. There we met up with Rhodo, Mambo, Snap, Red and Blue. We sat down and had a fantastic lunch. I really enjoy the new company of Red and Blue. The falls were amazing. The sun was peaking over right at the top which helped with the cold. We ground out another 6 miles that were uneventful all except for being with Snap. We entertained ourselves with different versions of Queen songs. There's a running joke that Cheetah left Snap for dead so of course we incorporated that into our lyrics.At the end of our day we made it to the footbridge at Laurel Fork. Luckily someone had placed an arrow pointing out the side trail to Vango Hostel, owned by Scottie (4,000 miles of hiking). We were still anxious about the trail actually leading us to the correct location. It was supposed to only be .2 off the trail but it was more like a half mile. Finally, I saw a confederate flag and thought we were either coming upon private property or the hostel. Luckily, it was the hostel. Cheetah and I had reserved bunks but Scottie had given our spots to Red and Blue. Scottie very generously gave Cheetah and I the private heated room. It was wonderful we/Cheetah needed after an emotional day. Big double bed, tv with VHS, carpet, etc. We cooked a pizza then said goodnight to everyone in the bunkhouse at 8:30pm. Red was playing guitar and it was very soothing listening to him, great voice (apparently he writes all his own stuff). Cheetah and I agreed we could listen to him all night. Cheetah and I headed upstairs and picked out When Harry Met Sally to watch. It was fantastic to watch such a feel good movie. Fell asleep happy.
Date: 2016-04-10
From: Vango Hostel

To: Laurel Falls Campsite
Miles today: 14.7

Day 49 - Vango Hostel to Laurel Falls Campsite 4/10/16 14.7 milesWoke up around 8am. Room freezing bc the heat was on a timer. I slept well anyway. It was nice to make oatmeal in the microwave and it not be a huge production with a cookpot, stove, etc. suited up and got out of there around 9:30am. It was a day of puds, which are many "small" ups and downs. I am in the middle of my period so I am more fatigued than usual. My eyes are heavy and my mouth is dry.I got my ass handed to me on all the puds. We stopped at Moreland Gap Shelter for a long lunch and met River. He was fun to talk to. From Vancouver area of Canada and very funny. Got over the last two humps and then downhill (long) to Laurel Falls area. We kept playing cat and mouse with a section hiker named Mike. He's a reporter...his wife later told us that he is a Pulitzer Prize winner, wow!Finally got to Laurel River and it was beautiful. Large rock faces and cool stone steps down to the falls (300 of them). The falls were huge. We followed the river for a while. I think we missed the sign for the shelter. We found an amazing campsite right by the river and set up shop. It was just Cheetah, Corncob and Snap. Ate, started a fire, and then I climbed into my tent.Talked to dad on the phone for about an hour. I am really excited for him to come hike with us. He's coming April 22 thru the 24th and bringing John Carlin...possibly Joe Grider! I gave him a lot of tips and told him to be very judicious when picking out shoes. Luckily Brian has most everything for backpacking so he will be just fine. Went to bed very cozy. Also talked to Truitt!
Date: 2016-04-12
From: Vandeventer Shelter

To: Low Gap Campsite
Miles today: 17.9
Weather: light rain

Day 51 - Vandeventer Shelter to Low Gap Campsite 17.9 miles 4/12/16Woke up to rain falling on my tent. Such a soothing feeling to be in your tent when it's raining. About 55 degrees outside so not bad. We took our time to get going bc of the rain and we weren't exactly set on an 18 mile day yet. One of the shelters was 15 miles from us so that was also an option. Got going at 11am. Cap'n Red was still asleep in his tent which was funny bc Blue told us that he was wanting to push a 24 mile day. Blue was up and ready with us and just shaking his head and laughing. Even if they get going at 1pm I bet they'd still push through, they're not averse to night hiking. It was foggy and spitting rain. I had my shorts on so that kept me moving. I sent my rain pants home after the Smokies due to their weight and I haven't had a problem with not having them yet. Now that it's warmer it's easier to just wear shorts and not worry with wet pants. We did 5 miles in no time and got to the next shelter. Had a short 15 minute break and got moving to a road crossing 5 miles from there. We heard there's trail magic there and were thinking of eating lunch there. The sun finally came out and the terrain was so nice. We got to the trail magic around 4pm.There were mountain dews, dr peppers, Sierra mists, star crunches, tuna, safety equipment, etc. While we were there the trail Angels came to refill it and "made" us take more food. Cheetah and I both had 2 sodas so we were bouncing off the walls. Got moving around 5pm with 6 miles left. We went across grazing land and it was gorgeous green rolling fields that were fenced in. The sun was at the perfect angle so you felt as if you were in a movie. Corncob went on ahead. Cheetah and I finally got to the shelter at 15 miles. I consulted with Cheetah and we decided to hit the 18 miles we had originally intended to do. Just a couple of puds between us and the campsite. Snap was also ahead of us. We saw T and Elusive at the shelter and said hello. The last three miles weren't bad. I had to do my business but wanted to hold it until we got there bc the sun was on its way down. Also we were in bad trail for any bathroom shenanigans.Got to camp and Snap and Corncob were there. There was a piped spring down by the road and we ran around the curve of the road to catch the most beautiful gold and magenta sunset. It was Snap, Cheetah, and myself. We filtered water and then set up camp in the dark. Dinner, then bed.
Date: 2016-01-18
To: Getting ready.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

After following others, via Trail Journals, I will now be the one posting my activities prior to and during my hike. Yes, I am nervous about everything that goes into preparing for the trail. From; gear, clothes, food, logistics to retiring, from work, at the end of March and beginning the trail in April. I feel lucky and very blessed to have the support of my family and friends for this adventure I have thought about for so very long.
Date: 2016-01-21
To: Getting ready.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

As my "getting ready" phase moves forward I feel blessed to not be on the trail at the current time. The cold weather is quite crippling. I did a simple two hour hike yesterday and the water line, from bladder, froze. One of my favorite things to do is to hike with Chrissy and our dog, Sammi. Neither will be joining me on the hike and that brings a bit of sadness to my heart. But, the good news is they will try to meet me in different sections around the Virginia area. As I mentioned in my, about section, I am not only preparing to walk the trail, I am also retiring at the end of March. I think this too has my head and stomach in a bit of a knot. I have loved my job but there are so many other things I want to do...... So, I have to practice that thing called, trust! Trust that things will work out just fine, fall into place and I will be able to explore so many other life opportunities.
Date: 2016-01-23
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: snow

I have thought about walking the AT for quite some time. Always putting it on the back burner due to other chapters in my life....mainly work!   I plan on retiring at the end of March and begin walking the trail in the first week of April. I am very fortunate to have the support of my best friend and partner, Chrissy. Without her and the support she will provide, along the way, this adventure would only be more difficult. A little about myself - - I am 55 and currently live in Fredericksburg, VA. After teaching school for 9 years in the New Orleans area I changed careers and took a job that has afforded me the opportunity to live in several different states. I have lived in Texas, Kentucky, Vermont and Virginia. While Vermont was my favorite I was able to make great friends and experience so much in each state. I followed and learned so much through the journals written by several previous thru hikers (Jericho, Lady Grey, Left Turn, Bon Bon, Kat Walk, Elaine, Airlocks, Wired - to name a few). Because of their shared words, feelings, suggestions, successes and struggles I feel as though I have learned so much....and now I will be the one on the trail sharing my adventure.   My trail name will be, Bunkie. This is a small town in Louisiana where I was born and raised. I identify with it as the place that "made me"....where I learned the value of hard work, friends and family.
Date: 2016-01-31
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

In approximately 2 months I will begin my walk towards Maine. I am both excited and nervous. I find that I can't turn my mind off... Thinking about/---being prepared, having the right gear, food, rain... Etc!   I have to stop my thinking and learn to trust that I have prepared and continue to prepare for this adventure . This past week I was in Tucson and had the opportunity to hike in The Sabino Canyon Recreational Area with one of my best friends and his wife. What a treat to hike among the rock cliffs and desert vegetation. I would highly recommend the area for anyone passing through the Tucson region. While I am very excited about my upcoming hike I also know that I will miss my family and friends tremendously.   But I also know they will all follow my journal and support me the best way they can.I continue to hike with my pack making sure things feel right. My shoulders sometimes bother me after 2 hours ... So I have learned to stop...take the pack off and do a series of stretches and then start again. Hopefully that 2 hour range will go to 3, 4, etc... I do a lot of walking/hiking with my dog, Sammi, who I will miss so much! I wish she was joining me but I think it will be hard enough for me to make this trek much less adding food and water for her. Besides, she is 11 and I don't think it is a great idea. Good luck to all the others who have started their hike! And to the rest who are preparing ... I hope you all stay injury free.
Date: 2016-02-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

After reading Wired's blog and researching her suggestions on gear I decided to purchase the go lite umbrella. There is actually a video on you tube on how to secure it to your packs shoulder strap. So, while it was raining yesterday, I secured my umbrella to my pack and walked in my neighborhood for two hours. Let's just say ... I'm so glad Wired listed that as one of her favorite pieces of gear. Yes, it is considered a luxury.. But not having the rain pelt me in the face was great. It might not be for everyone.... But I'll be sure to carry it. As more and more of my family and friends hear about my plans to walk the trail ... The more REAL this decision becomes. Everyone has wished me well. I appreciate all of the votes of confidence and the support.   It really means a great deal to me. Recently I was toying with the idea of doing a flip flop hike (Harper's Ferry to Maine then Harper's F to Springer Mountain) but I have scratched that idea and plan to do my hike... Starting at Springer and walking North!! For those who have already started your journey... Happy Safe Trails to you. Looking forward to following in your footsteps.
Date: 2016-02-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

9 mile training hike with my retired colleague and heart dog, Sammi. I point out retired as I will also bare that description in 19 days.. Retired! And heart dog.. Simply means Sammi is such a big part of heart. I'm lucky to live a short hour from the Shenandoah mountains. I try to do a lot of my training hikes there. It was a beautiful but a tad cold hiking day . Of course it did not help that we had several water crossings causing us both to have wet feet. I did learn however.... I will keep a dry pair of socks in my outside pocket of my pack. Making it easier to change... If I choose to do so.I recently switched to a ULA Circuit pack and really like how it is designed. I had 27 lbs which felt good... Realizing that I will probably range from 27 to 35 (ish) lbs depending on food and water weight. I do find that I do best if I concentrate on taking my pack off... Every now and then throughout the day...and do a few stretches. That might change on the thru hike but I don't want to be in such a hurry on this hike that I ignore the small things that might help me in the long run. I may be young at heart but.... Reality is I am 55.I have found myself thinking more and more about leaving my family for 6 months to follow my dream. Without their support and understanding.. This would be so much harder. I am both lucky and forever grateful!!! Thanks!!