morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-08
From: Stecoah Gap, NC

To: Yellow Creek Gap, NC
Miles today: 7.6

I thought I heard a little hail last night from my hotel room and the trail was quite soaked today, so it's a good thing we got a hotel.Scott came up today. We net him in Yellow Creek Gap. He took us to get our first mail drop and then we came to Fontana where we'll stay tonight and tomorrow. Tomorrow, we will get a ride back to Yellow Creek Gap and hike back to Fontana.The restaurant at the Lodge here was great. I had a crab stuffed mushroom appetizer and we all got the locally raised trout with mashed taters and green beans. Scott and Jill split a chocolate cake and I had a bourbon pecan pie. QUITE YAMMA.Today was quite overcaast andwe got a little rain, but it was nice and cool for hiking. We gave a guy named Lothar a ride here to Fotana, and we've seen several other thru-hikers here.Driving around Fontana Village, I've been liiking around. Knowing somewhere here is the cabin my parents and I stayed in when I was quite young - probably 6 or 7. I don't remember much about the trip, but I believe that and other trips we took to North Carolina planted the seeds that eventually grew into my desire to do this hike. I remember walking throught the woods behind our cabin, following a stream. Unforunately, I was young and unaware of the fact that I was falling in love with the environment in which I was playing. Little did I know that 30 years later I would seek to sped 6 months trying to relive those times.
Date: 2006-04-09
From: Yellow Creek Gap, NC

To: Fontana Dam, Southern Boundary of the Smokies
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: clear sky

Since we were walking back to Fontana today and had a room here for a second night, we were able to "slack pack" and leave much of our stuff in the rooms. I'm a bit of a purest and it makes me a little uneasy-but not enough to carry all that weight for nothing.Next, we hit the Smokies, where we are required to stay in shelters unless they are full. Bears are all over and less timid than elsewhere because they aren't hunted, and we'll be camping in areas where people have left scraps of food all over. It should be interesting...Food for the night. Nice size filet, twice baked potato, greend beans, salad. We split a chocolate cake and I got another slice of the bourbon pecan pie to bring back to my room. Oh, and after our hike I was thirsty and wanted something sweet, so at the store I got a strawberry Yoo-Hoo and a Capri Sun.Mmmmmmm.We've got our first mail drops now. Tonight will be spent figuring out what goes into the packs, what comes out, and what gets tossed or mailed ahead. We both have too much food. I got my first box of Samoas and am enjoying them immensely. They apparently melted a bit, so the caramet has been absorbed into the cookie, but they've still got that sweet, crispy chocolatey-coconut flavor I look forward to every year.In case you haven't noticed, food becomes a obession when you are exerting insane amounts of energy everyday and eating oatmeal and Easy Mac in the woods.Oh yeah-we ran in to Old Drum this morning at breakfast. We're pleased to see he's still truckin'......
Date: 2006-04-10
From: Fontana Dam, Southern Boundary of the Smokies

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

Today was pretty much up. Yeah, we went down a little, and even saw some flat (which rocks) here and there, but we pretty much went up.We are officially in the Smokies. The rules you have to sleep in a shelter unless it's full, and then you have to tent right outside the shelter. Thru hikers cannot make reservations at shelters, but section hikers can. That means that if someone shows up any time of night with a reservation, then you may get knocked out of the shelter. I,m not too worried about bears here. I'm sleeping with about 12 of my closest (for now) friends, and there is safety in numbers of course. I expect some since they are always near the shelters. Now that I've slept in a couple of shelters, I think I'd rather have the mice running aroune me than counting holes in my tent (which would happed if I wound up tenting near ther shelter).The shelter is actually pretty nice. It's got 3 stone walls and a hge tarp covering the fourth side. What I really like is that there are dividers (strips of woodd-probably 1x3s which define the sleeping space.
Date: 2006-04-11
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

The Smokies are knocking our butts. It doesn't seem like the ups and downs are that much worse the Georgia, but somehow they are wearing us out. The map isn't very heplful. The elevation profile is too small of a scale, so you don't see alot of the hills and you can't really tell how bad an up or down is going to be. We were hoping to be done in 5 days. Knowing it might take us 6. Now we're thinking 7.Another problem is that you have to stay at the shelters, so they determine what your daily miles will be. For example, the next 3 shelters are 5.5, 7.2 and 13.3 miles north. We definitely want to go more than 7.2 miles, but we're not sure we can make it 13.3, especially since that involves going over Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the AT. We've got Richard coming to join us after the Smokies, but we're not sure when we'll be there. Also, we want to take, at least, one zero day in Hot Springs. (2-3 days after the Smokies), but there is a big hiker festival going on right around the time we get there, which means rooms may be hard to come by.Well time for a foot massage, stretches and the next installment of THE DA VINCI CODE!
Date: 2006-04-12
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Hotel in GatlinburgLong Day. At around 3:00, we were at the top of Clingman's Dome, The highest point of the AT. Jill and Scott weren't into doing any more miles and got a ride from the parking lot int gatlinburg. I was feeling good and really wented to take advantage of that, so I went on without them. When I got to the next shelter, it was only 4.5 miles until 441 and a ride into Gatlinburg. I couldn't resist, so I kept going. By the time I got into town, showered and washed some colthes in the sink, it was about 9:30. I went to like 5 restaurants and they were all closed. I finally found a place with famous ribs which was open. I had been hoping for a steak - so I got both! A 7oz. filet, half slab of baby backs, baked potato, bread, salad and brought back to my room - a pecan pie with Jack Daniels and Chocolate chips, carame; sauce and ice cream. Though I am very full, I am not as stuffed as I should be. I think that may be the most I've ever eaten. It is now very late. Richard is coming to join us (now me) for a section and will be bringing Cocoa to visit too. I'm trying my best to get to the rendezvous soon (over 30 miles) but I'm going to need to slow down a bit. I'll sleep in tomorrow, and figure out th e best plan for the next few days. I've got things happening to my skin in various parts of my body that I won't discuss here. Let's just say that I'm soping a shower and being dry for a whole day will make things better.I'll meet up with Jill and Scott in Hot Springs, where we're looking foward to a jacuzzi and a massage. But first, a good night's sleep and a big breakfast....
Date: 2006-04-13
From: Newfound Gap

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: scattered clouds

After allowing myself to take my time to gather my things together this morning, I got a very late start. It took me an hour to find a ride back to the trail. A very nice local woman picked me and 2 other hikers up. She was a retired chef, and I had a nice time talking to her. Back at Newfound Gap, there were dozens, maybe even more, of tourists stopped to see the views and/or to take a walk along the trail. I was stopped several times during the first couple of miles to answer questions about my hike. There were some teenagers who were quite well intrigued (i.e. they thought I was crazy). I met a great couple who bought a condo in Southern California at the right time. They sold it last year, and now live out of their 5th wheel RV. He was as accupunturist and she was a teacher, but now they're having fun. They are thinking about starting a small farm when gas prices get too high. I was really trying to get moving, knowing I would get to camp late. However, I so enjoyed talking to the people and others, that the extra few minutes here or there didn't matter.I met a juy on his 5th thru-hike-J-Bird. He starts late and hikes into the night. Last night he got to camp at 1am. He was going on to the nwxt shelter (5+ more miles) when we arrived here right before dark. I seriously considered going as well, I would have hiked the extra miles and the moon is full tonight. However, I got to sleep late last night, and couldn't sleep past 7 this morning, even in a hotel. I figured I'd rather get a good night's sleep.Amazingly, Just after I started setting up my tent, Jill and Scott arrived. They put in a huge day and caught up. I'm considering doing the 20+ miles tomorrow to get to Davenport Gap and meet Richard (and have another night in a bed before he joins me for the next leg). I am tired of these shelters and the rules-needing the shelters to be full to camp,etc.We'll see how for I get....
Date: 2006-04-14
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: I-40
Miles today: 22.8

Sleep in Mom and Dad's in Asheville.I'm not sure how, but I did it. I just kept walking and walking. Richard picked me up at I-40 and drove me over to Asheville to my parents' house. I wanted to have the Smokies overwith, so I ignored the pain and exhaustion and just kept plugging along. I will probably regret it tomorrow. We'll see. Right now, I pretty much hurt. Period.
Date: 2006-04-15
From: I-40

To: Somewhere on Snowbird Mountain
Miles today: 4.0

I'm not really sure on the miles here, as I have no idea just where we are. Anyway, I woke up at my parents' house absolutely exhausted after the big hike yesterday. My feet, legs, and knees were pretty sore. I decided to take it really easy and get a really late start on the trail. My right knee (the bad one) was scaring me a little bit, but once the Celebrex kicked in I decided it would be OK to just do a few miles today.Richard is joining me for this section. He says to put in here that he's blowing me away and I can't keep up, so that's the story... What' nice is that we're so worried about him hurting his back after 2 surgeries that I forgot about my knee. It's a little sore now, but I'm hoping the light day will mean it will be better tomorrow.My Cocoa-dog is staying with Mom & Dad and will be joining us in Hot Springs for a few days. She recognised my voice right away, but I think the beard, smell and pure salt taste when she licked me threw her off a bit. Richard brought a 2-man tent so I'm able to like without mine for a bit, saving a little weight. Quite nice.
Date: 2006-04-16
From: Somewhere on Snowbird Mountain

To: Just past summit of Max Patch
Miles today: 10.2

Two highlights of the day:1) Trail Magic at Max Patch Road, at the end of the day. A nice couple from Asheville, who thru-hiked in 2001, had curried chicked/curried tofu salad, bread, cheese, Doritos, Gatorade and soda. I forgot his name-it was something like Get Up and Go. Hers was Walk It Off.2) The summit of Max Patch. We reached it right before the sun went down. The view was amazing. You could see for miles in every direction. Unfortunately, we needed to move forward and set up camp, eat, clean dishes, hang food etc., so we couldn't stay long. Hovever, since we know we can drive here, this will definitely be on the list of places to visit in the future.Richard did very well today. He's given himself a trail name - Slow Up.I keep meaning to do a journal entry all about the fun things happening to my bode, but I haven't gotten around to it. For now, I'll mention that last night, sitting in the tent, I touched my leg and noticed it was numb. I figured I was sitting funny, so I readjusted. No change. The front of my left thigh has been numb for about 24 hours. It works OK and doesn't seem to be getting worse, but is a little disconcerting. I may go see a doctor in Hot Springs to make sure there isn't something seriously wrong.Little Wing and Toppush (Scott) passed us today. They'll probably get to Hot Springs a day ahead of us.
Date: 2006-04-17
From: Just past summit of Max Patch

To: Grassed over USFS road leading to Garenflo Gap
Miles today: 12.3

O.K. Now that I am well out of the Smokies and I complained enough about them, let me just say that while they were hard and the camping rules were a pain, I am glad I hiked through them. After having walked the first 100 miles of the AT before, I was really looking forward to getting beyond that and seeing some new scenery. While much of the Smokies was similar to more southern AT terrain, a good portion was a nice change. Much of the area around Clingman's Dome was more lush and shaded. (Right now, fow areas are shaded since most of the trees are still bare from winter). There were some nice flat areas, with moss growing all over the place. It gave you more of a feel like you were in a "forest" rather than "the woods".Before I started the AT,I had finished the Smokies as a personal mini-goal. I really felt like if I made it that far, that I will have gone on a pretty significant hike. I also will have gone a good chunk further than I've gone before. I won't go as far as to say that I now think I can really fo the whole thing. I've still got a long way, with some even more challenging terrain. Also, I've got some friends who would tell me saying so would jinx it, so let me just say that I've reached a big milestone on this hike and for this and other reasons, I'm glad to be done with the Smokies.
Date: 2006-04-18
From: Grassed over USFS road leading to Garenflo Gap

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: broken clouds

Finally make it to Hot Springs, where Jill and I have both been looking forward to taking a zero day. She and Scott got here yesterday so she'll get two.Richard and I are staying at a great place - Moountain Magnolia Inn. They are a Bed and Breakfast, but we got one of their cabins next to a stream and are being decadent. The Inn has a great restaurant. He got the filet and I got pork medallions. Scrumptious. We brought dessert back to the cabin. (I really like to bring dessert home). Apricot cheesecake and Belgian dark chocolate cheesecake. I ate my half of each. When Richard tried the chocolate he said it was too chocolately for him, so I got the rest. Now I know he's not a chocoholic or anything, but too chocolately? Is there such a thing? I think he was just being nice now that he knows how much I am exerting myself up here and how many carbs I'm going through.We met up with m parents - who brought us back Cocoa - and Jill and Scott - and we all had lunch. Burgers, they were fine.Exhausted now. Going to enjoy a night in a real bed....
Date: 2006-04-19
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs - Cabin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Got on to see the doctor. He thru-hiked in 1980. He said I've got a pinched nerve in my hip which is common in people who wear hip belts such as carpenters and policemen. Not a huge problem since it's a sensory nerve and not motor, but it could take up to 6-8 weeks to get the feeling back.One month has gone by since I started, so I was ready for some indulgence. Richard and I did the hot springs baths for an hour, then got a deep tissue massage. Aaahhm quite nice and needed despite taking a zero day. I still feel overwhelmed with how much there is to do. Aside from the couple of hours at the spa and eating, I pretty much spent all my time doing chored - laundry, grocery shopping, sorting through my mail drop and reorganizing my pack, etc. It's amazing how busy you can be when your goal most days is to just walk from one point to the next.Our cabin was ouned by a B&B, so we got breakfast there-great homemade quiche, oatmeal, etc. We went there for dinner again and I had roast breast of duck with apricot glaze, local sweet potatoes and broccoli. Salad had a homemade vadalia onion dressing and we split 3 desserts (hey, they were really tiny servings) - a repeat of the apricot cheesecake, chocolated oblivion truffle torte ( which is the exact same torte as the one I've makde from my Cake Bible), and an almond something cake. Mmmmmmmm..........
Date: 2006-04-20
From: Hot Springs - Cabin

To: Just past Allen Gap
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

We had breakfast in Hot Springs and said goodbye to Richard (Slowup) and Scott (Toppish) and Cocoa and got on the trail around 8:00 AM. 5:00 PM, we get to Allen Gap planning on finding a campsite soon after the road. Right before the gap, there is a sign telling thru-hikers to walk 300 yards down the road for all kinds of trail magic. Though we wanted to eat some of the weight out of our packs, we went for it.A couple of thru-hikers from '99, Fal and Hercules, bought an incredible log cabin 2 years ago just off the trail. They were hosting Trail Magic daily for a while from dawn to 6:30 PM. They had fresh Belgian waffels, bbq pork and turkey sandwiches, potato salad, a couple of cobblers, pear crumb pie, all homemade, plus chips, pickles, sodas, tea, lemonade, ice cream, etc. It was quite the spread. They were great hosts and made us all feel very welcome. They were truly an inspiration.Little Wing and I, along with Piper and Sweet Tea, were the last to leave and all found a spot to camp together. We had an interesting time trying to hang our food. I can't even explain how rediculous it was trying to get the cord over the branch for my and LW's food, but we finally did. We agreed to let Sweet Tea and Piper hang their food on the line as well, knowing we would probably never get another line up there. Well we all have a lot of food. When pulling the food up, you can give it some help by heaving it, but then you just have to pull hard. Let's just say that we hope any bears in the area aare really short. If not, we know where we can get belgian waffles for breakfast....
Date: 2006-04-21
From: Just past Allen Gap

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

Today, we woke up, and it was raining. We ate breakfast in out tents, packed up our wet tents in the rain and walked in the rain. Then we made lunch in the rain. Before getting to Big Firescald Knob, we reached a "bad weather route" - a trail you are supposed to take around the knob in case of bad weather. The area is very exposed and lightning is a risk. We hadn't heard any thunder for a while, so we stayed on the AT. As we got near the top, the rain pretty much stopped and tturned into wind. You know how sontimes you look up to the sky and see clouds rushing by unusually fast? That's where we were. Visibility was probably about 50-70 feet, and winds were easily over 40 mph. This knob was actually a very sharp ridge - so sharp that we actually felt the wind could have blown up off. There were supposed to be magnificent views, but we saw nothing but white. I did see one really cool scene though. Standing on a rock, I looked down the ridge. All I could see below me was white, with te tops of two dead trees sticking up. It was kind of creepy. We decided to stop early and camp near a shelter. Setting in to camp is much more involved when everything is wet. Luckily, it's warm enough that we're able to move about pretty well and I was able to let my skin air out for a minute befor putting on some dry clothes. It hasn't rained anymore-just a lot of cool wind and so sun. I'm hoping everything dries oujt by morning.In my rush to pack up in the rain this morning, I forgot to put away my headlamp, so I stuck it in the pocket of my rain jacket. At some point the thing popped open and moisture got in on the batteries, which are now corroded. I've wiped it out and am letting it air dry before I put in my spare batteries. I hope it works. Aside form needing to journal and read at night, it would be nice to be able to see if I need to got to the privy in the middle of the night. I finished "The Da Vinci Code" and am about to start "On The Road" by Jac Kerovac. I've always wanted to read it. It's a little more weight than I would like, but I will probably throw away sections as I read them. I'd like to keep the whole book, but it's already damaged form all the moisture anyway.
Date: 2006-04-22
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Devil Fork Gap
Miles today: 8.6

We thought last evenings winds were blowing the storms through. We were wrong. Lingtning, thunder and rain around 1am for a few hours. Rain upon sunrise. My wet pants, which I had hung to blow in the wind for a while last night, I place in my sleeping bag around 3am in hopes my body heat would dry them further. It did not. I put on my dry pants hoping my rain gear would do it's job today.As we started hiking, in the rain, I was telating to Little Wing that I believe we had witnessed the scietific phenomenon we learned in school years ago - I believe it's called diffusion. It substance will move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. The air was so wet through the night that anything dry sucked the water straight out of the air-my books, my almost dry underwear, which had been hanging inside my tent, everything. Jill made a comment about us being trapped inside a giant science experiment. Something about this made me laugh Alot. I fell into on of those uncontrollable fits of laughter which takes control of your entire being. This one was a little different, though. Walking uphill, carrying a heavy backpack(weighted even more by the extra water I've absorbed) I was forced to stop, lean on my poles and let go with what breath I had. What came out was maniacal in tone. It was hysterical. Jill said something about crying and I suddenly realized I didn't know which I was doing. I was on the edge. I believed, and knew I had to choose and emotion. I chose to be happy - sad as the morning was, and I finished my laughter.We decided we need to dry everything - us and our gear - out. We got a ride into Erwin, TN, and have the heat on high to suck every drop of moisture out of the air. Tomorrow is expected to be nice. Then rain. Then not. Then rain. We shall see how the week progresses. The highlight of the day is that we are staying next to an A&W, so I've already had a root beer float in a frosty mug.Oh, and at 1am, I was dreaming, I don't know what about, but at some point I was coming out of my dream and I realized I was dreaming. I said to myself, : Yeah, but do you know where you are?" My eyes popped open and I saw absolutely nothing. Normally, in a tent, there is enough light to see the roof of the tent. However, the dark clouds and the trees above made it literally pitch black. Entombed in my mummy bag, seeing nothing, waking from a deep sleep I truly had no idea where I was. Then, suddenly a light flashed. I saw the white triangles on the roof of my tent, and the reverse image of the MSR Logo and I remembered. It was then that I heard the thunder.We weren't planning on gettint to Erwin unril much later in the trail, but luckily I saw in the guide book (wet though it was) that the trail crossed several roads which could get us there. My deep thought that began the day- "Many roads lead to Erwin".