morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-06
From: Plumorchard Gap Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: light rain

Today I was a lean mean mileage machine. I saw blue skies and the sun for first time in 4 days. Nearly brought a tear to my eye. It's amazing how something as simple as seeing th sun or a blue sky can lift one's spirits. Being on the trail makes the hiker appreciate such small things (e.g. running water). I also completed my first state today: Georgia I hardly knew ya. In honor of this feat, I treated myself to a highly nutritious Snickers bar. In prison, cigarettes are used as currency. On the trail, Snickers bars are the equivalent. Snickers are in such high demand that hikers have been known to trade their first born or fianc© for one. Sorry Linds, you may now be bequeathed to a hiker known as Rocco who hails from the state of New Jersey. The Snickers was great; I regret nothing.
Date: 2013-05-07
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: thunderstorm

A perfect day for a hike. Mid 60's and plenty of sun. The trail was flooded from the week of rain, but other than this, there were great hiking conditions. I climbed one of the steepest mountains on the AT, Albert Mountain (aka Fat Albert). It was not a trail, but a series of boulders that I had to scale to reach the summit. I would compare it to hand-to-hand combat. It was only a 15 minute "hike," although it felt like a 2 hour hike. It was worth every ounce of sweat. At the top of Albert was a fire tower from which I could see for at least 100 miles. The views were picture perfect and a photo just doesn't do it justice. I met an older gentleman at the top named Loon. He is on his 5th thru hike. We crossed paths periodically throughout the day and at my stopping point, he let me know that he had arranged for a shuttle to take him to town and wanted to know if I needed a ride. I gladly accepted the offer and was dropped off in the town of Franklin, NC. I showered, and then did laundry. It's amazing how bad you smell when hiking for days at a time without bathing or changing clothes. I had Dominos for dinner: large pizza and 8 buffalo wings. I finished the entire meal in 10 minutes and was still hungry. Looking forward to a zero day tomorrow.
Date: 2013-05-08
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I bought a new air mattress from a local outfitter. The cashier was even kind enough to drive me 2 miles to the local grocery store for resupply. I iced the feet and knees for about an hour and then headed to Huddle House for a big lunch. Finished the evening off at a local sushi restaurant. Tomorrow it's back to the trail.
Date: 2013-05-09
From: Winding Stair Gap

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

I took a shuttle back to the trail today from Franklin, NC. Arrived at 11 am and got a late start. I was talking to a guy in the car who had a huge pack. I asked what he needed such a huge pack for. This guy pulls out a case of beer and a bottle of bourbon. I asked why he needed that for the trail. He said that he is out for a two week hiking trip. Basically, this guy hikes a mile to a camp site and then sets up and drinks for two days, then he hikes back to the trail head and shuttles back into town to buy more alcohol. His wife thinks he is hiking a 70 stretch of the trail, but he just shuttles up to the places he should be hiking. I asked why he's doing this. He said "Wife don't let me drink at home." Fair enough. I finished 11 relatively easy miles and tented, which I prefer to the shelters (no mice). Back at it in the morning.
Date: 2013-05-10
From: Wahay Bald Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Long hike today. The elevation dropped significantly from 5000 feet to to less than 1700 feet. Downhill hiking does a number on the knees, particularly when hiking downhill for 7-8 straight hours. I pushed myself this morning and made it to the NOC, which is an outdoor center focused on rafting and kayaking. I found out they rented bunks for $20, so I stayed the night. The shower was great and I had some wings and a burger for dinner. I shared a bunk with a kid (I sound so old) from Maine who is thru hiking. He goes by the trail name Thor. Good guy. Thor has been hiking 20 mile days everyday. Pretty crazy but he has the joints of a 21 year old. Me, not so much. Tomorrow will be a tough day with huge climbs and rain forecast.
Date: 2013-05-11
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

Not all miles are created equal. Although today was not the most miles hiked, it was by far the most difficult day on the trail. The elevation changes were enormous. I hiked straight up hill for the first 5 hours and went only 4 miles. Elevation went from 1700 to 5000, and back down to 3100. If that wasn't enough, it started pouring around 3 pm and I was soaked. The final stretch of today's hike is called "Jacobs Ladder." Brutal, so brutal. You know a section will be tough when it has its own name. This section consists of 0.6 miles, but it is straight up. The angle of the trail was so extreme that the ground was near my face most of the hike. It took me over an hour to finish the 0.6 mile. I was cursing the whole way up the hill, while my lungs and quads burned the entire time. I nearly lost it and considered beating a tree with my trekking poles. I reached the shelter just as it was getting dark. One of the guys there was a 2010 Sewanee grad, which was cool. I got out of my wet clothes, ate dinner and went to bed. Brutal day, but I survived.
Date: 2013-05-12
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

I made it to Fontana Dam, NC. I found out there is a lodge resort there that will pick you up at the dam for $3. Done. The lodge is actually a resort with pools, tennis courts, and cabins. I got a really nice single room with balcony for $50, which was a real steal considering I have been sleeping in some pretty ghetto hotels. This place was like a palace. I walked to the local general store to buy supplies and a six-pack of Busch Light cans that were on sale. I split the beers with some other thru hikers while we did laundry. I had no clean clothes so I sat in the laundromat in my rain pants and no shirt. The locals gave me some strange looks, but what could I do? I ended the day on a high note: I had a 16 ounce ribeye steak and some fried green tomatoes. Clean sheets, tv, and a shower capped my day. I love running water.
Date: 2013-05-13
From: Fontana Dam, NC

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: clear sky

I entered the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. The park service requires thru hikers to get a backcountry permit for $20 and finish hiking the park within 8 days of entering the park. The AT goes about 68 miles through the park, so I should finish it in about 4-5 days. Today's hike was pretty hard because the first 8 miles were all incline going from 1700 to 4600 in elevation. It felt good reaching the Smokies. I also ran into a hiker names Goose who I met on several prior occasions. That's one of the great things about being on the trail: each day is different and you run into people repeatedly on the trek. Meeting people and talking to them is the best way to learn about the trail and figure out how to improve your own hike by using others experiences as a guide.
Date: 2013-05-14
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

Long hike today. I started early this morning knowing how far I had to go. The key to hiking long miles is not to hike fast (that will just wear you out). Rather, it is time spent hiking the trail that will lead to higher mileage days. I try starting by 7:30 am and finishing by 6 pm. Many hikers don't get out of camp until 9 or 10 am. These are mostly college age kids who are not used to waking up early on a daily basis. Being a bit older and having work experience helps me in this regard. I approach each day like it is my job and I set a new goal each day to achieve. I found that taking the hike one day at a time is the only way not to become overwhelmed by the hundreds of miles I have left on the trek. In the Smokies, thru hikers are required to give up their spot in the shelter to section hikers if it is full. We had a full shelter so I gave up my spot and tented. I definitely heard large animals moving around the camp site at night. Not sure if it was a bear or another animal. I just put earplugs in my ears and try to ignore the sounds (which is a lot harder than it seems). If a bear wants to get me, I have little to offer in the way of defense.
Date: 2013-05-15
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: few clouds

I conquered Clingman's Dome today, the highest point on the AT at 6655 feet. There was a group of 5th graders from Indiana on a field trip to Clingman's. I struck up a conversation with their teacher and when she found out I was a thru hiker, she asked me to speak to her class. I reluctantly accepted the request. The kids sat around in a semicircle while I told them about life on the trail. I then opened it up for questions for 20 minutes. Here is a short sample of questions I answered:How many bears have you killed? (None.)Have you seen any salamanders? (No.)Do you have money? (Are you asking for my net worth or do I have money on me?)Do you eat any bugs for food? (No.)Where is Maine? (About 2,000 miles north of here.)After fielding their questions the teachers took some pictures of me with the kids. I then signed several autographs for the kids (I was kind of a big deal). I then took leave of my fans and headed back to the trail. I then ran into an old couple who asked if I was a thru hiker. When I said yes, they asked to get some pictures of me. My ego was really inflated at this point. I finished the hike before getting a ride to Gatlinburg, TN for a zero day tomorrow.
Date: 2013-05-16
From: Newfound Gap

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Spent a zero day in Gatlinburg. I ate a good steak dinner. The restaurant had a bucket of peanuts on the table. I went through at least 100 peanuts. Soon after a bus boy taps me on the shoulder and says "We don't do that here sir." He then proceeded to sweep up all the shells I dumped on the floor. I was pretty embarrassed and made sure to tip the guy $5 before I left. I guess that's why they had an extra empty bucket on the table for shells. Such an idiot. I went back to my fancy hotel and called it a day. Back home, if I saw a hotel like this one I would have assumed prostitutes and drug addicts stayed there. Still, it beats sleeping in the woods with smelly hikers, bears, and mice.
Date: 2013-05-17
From: Newfound Gap

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The shuttle from the hotel left late so I didn't get to the trail until 11 am. Today's hike was pretty easy and painless. Met a couple of section hikers: T-Rex and Wiki Witch. Wiki Witch has thru hiked twice and was section hiking the smokies to spread the ashes of his brother who recently died. He is a former Army guy who carries a 65 lbs pack, yet is the fastest hiker I have ever seen. Even though he is 50 years old, he sprints up and done mountains at a pace that would kill me (literally). He also wears jeans and a cotton t-shirt in the rain, no jacket. Tough SOB. I'm a bit of a tenderfoot compared to him, but I'm doing my best.
Date: 2013-05-18
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Brutal descents today. Went from 6300 to 2500, with many ups and downs in between. Again, a relatively short mileage day was more difficult than a higher mileage day. On the bright side, I finished the Smokies today. The Smokies were damn tough: steep climbs and decents, cold rain, and unreasonable camping restrictions imposed by the park. I'm glad to be out of the park so that I can camp where I choose, opposed to the "Man" telling me where to sleep. There is my libertarian rant for the week. The shelter I slept in was the only one I have seen that has bear fencing. Apparently, the bears are really active in this area. When I'm hiking, sometimes I thing about what I would do if a bear attacked me. In my mind, I would go all Daniel Boone on him, wrestle him to the ground, and cut him with my 2 inch pocket knife. In reality, the bear would f*** me up bad and I would just play dead.
Date: 2013-05-19
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 18.7
Weather: light rain

I'm definitely getting my trail legs. I did over 18 miles with high climbs and big declines, yet still felt strong at the end of the day. Unlike the first two weeks on the trail, I have no knee or ankle pain. However, I still have day-to-day soreness in my feet and legs. This is normal for thru hikers. I've come to rely on Vitamin I (Ibuprofen) for any swelling and soreness. I take 2 in the morning and 2 at night. Also, I'm pretty stiff in the morning (my legs, not other parts of my body you perverts), but once you get hiking, the legs get loose and the soreness goes away. At the shelter, I met a guy named "Hillbilly." He just got out of prison after doing a bit of time. I didn't feel like asking for what. Nice guy, although he had a lot of gear he was trying to unload because his pack was too heavy: lantern, hatchet, fishing tackle, 3 sets of clothes, 10 days worth of food, etc. All types of people here on the trail. Trust me, when I tell people that I'm a lawyer who quit his job at a good firm to hike the AT, they look at me any wonder what is wrong with me.
Date: 2013-05-20
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

Made it to Hot Springs. Along the way, I ran into a rattlesnake on the trail. I immediately considered two courses of action. Plan A: I remember watching Bear Grilis encounter a rattlesnake in Utah. He decapitated the snake, skinned and gutted it, and threw it around his neck. Bear later cooked the snake for dinner over an open fire. I thought to myself, "If Bear can do it, why can't I?"Plan B: Walk 15 yards off the path around the snake and move on. After contemplating my options, the coward in me went with Plan B. I've never killed or gutted an animal before (let alone a poisonous snake). Why start now? Once I got to Hot Springs, I got a hotel and ate some dinner at a hiker bar/grill. Will see Lindsay in two days. Hope I don't smell too bad for her sake.
Date: 2013-05-21
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Zero day in Hot Springs. Bought new show inserts, some food, and Hunter Thompson's "Hell's Angels." The book totally reminds me of my life, except for the whole biker badass part. I also had my first coffee in about a month. Tasted so good. Other than that, nothing else to report. Except getting a photo of the coolest dog in the world (see photo above).
Date: 2013-05-22
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

The stay in Hot Springs was nice. I am taking a planned week long break from the trail to attend a wedding and close on my house. The next two days will be short mileage days since Lindsay will be picking me up at the Hemlock Hollow Inn. Today was fine until the rains came in the afternoon. The thunder was pretty severe. I was hiking up a short side trail to a old fire tower when lighting struck fairly close to me. I stopped in my tracks and decided that being on the top of a mountain with two metal polls in my hands was probably not the smartest thing to do. I did an about face and headed back down to the AT and made it to the shelter around 4 pm. Met up with Cliffnote and Cupcake who were trying to hike the entire AT in 3.5 months. Good people. The bugs were terrible so we got a fire going to smoke them out. Wet wood will burn eventually, just as long as you have patience.
Date: 2013-05-23
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Hemlock Hollow Inn
Miles today: 5.3

It rained all night and did not stop until 10 am. Since I have a very short hike today, I waited in the shelter until the rain stopped. I made it to Hemlock Hollow Inn around 1 pm and showered. Lindsay is driving in from Ohio to pick me up, so I had plenty of time to relax. I finished reading Hunter S. Thompson's "Hell's Angels." Great read and I would recommend it to anyone. Lindsay finally got in around 9 pm. It was great to see her and give her a big kiss. Driving to Lexington, KY for Lindsay's sister's wedding, then going to Dayton, Ohio to move out of and close on my house. Will be back on the trail next week. The break will be good for my sore feet and knees.
Date: 2013-05-29
From: Hemlock Hollow Inn

To: Dayton, Ohio
Miles today: 170.0

Closed on and moved out of the house. Goodbye 9 Tecumseh Street. Will be back on the trail tomorrow. Since I took a week off the trail, I plan on leap frogging to Dasmascus, VA to ensure I finish on schedule. Once I finish in Maine, I plan on hiking the section in NC that I leaped with an ending in Damascus.[Note: In Spring 2014 I ended up hiking the remaining section I had leap frogged]
Date: 2013-05-30
From: Damascus, VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: scattered clouds

It was good being back on the trail. The week off gave my feet, ankles and knees time to recover. It's amazing how you can lose your trail legs in a matter of a week though. I felt pretty weak on the hike today and struggled with my climbs. I didn't push it today and finished early. I will get back in the groove tomorrow and gradually increase my mileage. I want to average about 20 miles/day in Virginia, which is entirely reasonable given the terrain here is less demanding than anywhere else on the AT. Just hope my body holds up.
Date: 2013-05-31
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: light rain

I had some tough climbs today. Summited Mt. Whitetop and Mt. Rogers. Both were extreme climbs going from 3000 to 5000 feet in elevation. The views were well worth it. Unlike Georgia and most of North Carolina, Virginia has more rolling hills with farms and ranches spread in between mountain peeks. It's refreshing to seek cattle and wild ponies roaming the mountain sides. It creates the appearance of a time when agriculture and cattle were staples of the economy. A lot has changes since 1800, but in this part of the country, the country-side has remained the same. It has made quite the impression on this city kid.
Date: 2013-06-01
From: Wise Shelter

To: Trimpi Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

The lean mean mileage machine was back today. My legs felt great and the terrain was cooperative. One of the highlights of hiking the AT is going through Grayson Highlands State Park. The park is littered with balds that are maintained by wild ponies that graze on the land. For the first 17 miles I did not see a single pony, but ran into a herd towards the end of my hike. As soon as they saw me, they charged me and started to lick my arms and legs (for the salt I assume). This exercise lasted for about 10 minutes. I was hungry, so I decided to open a Clif bar. Bad idea. The ponies pounced on me and wouldn't let me go until I dropped the bar. They then fought over the scraps. Although the ponies are cute, they can be mean SOBs when food is involved. Rather than press my luck, I decided to move on (although the hungry warrior in me wanted to fight the ponies to the death for that energy bar).
Date: 2013-06-02
From: Trimpi Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: scattered clouds

The forecast was bad for today. The rain started at 10 am and did not stop all day. Long story short, I knew I was going to go into town and my only goal was to make it 11 miles by noon. Done. Once I hit the main road, I hitched a ride into town. The dude who picked me up was a section hiker who just finished 10 days on the trail. He drove a black Jeep liberty. Irony? For those of you that don't know, I have a Jeep Liberty and my friends have ripped me non-stop for driving a "chick" car. They even named it "Sporty Spice." I take a lot of abuse, but damn that car has been good to me. I'm man enough to drive a Jeep Liberty, are you?
Date: 2013-06-03
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Marion, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Took a zero day in Marion, VA. In true thru hiker fashion, I went to the store and bought the cheapest beer I could find: Old Milwaukee ($4 for a six pack of tall boys). It says on the can that its "America's Best Tasting Beer." I have to disagree. More like sewer water. Maybe it will be the next PBR and hipsters from Brooklyn to San Francisco will be drinking it soon? I will take full credit.
Date: 2013-06-04
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Davis Path Campsite
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: overcast clouds

The local town shuttle picked me up at the hotel around 11am. The fee was only $.50 and it dropped me off at the trail head. Given the late start, I didn't get many miles in today. The AT ran through several fields that were filled with cattle. Up close and personal views of the cattle. Luckily, no bulls. I stopped at a local grill just off the trail and ordered a 16 oz. cheeseburger. It wasngonenin less than 3 minutes. After drinking 3 cokes, I was back on the trail and camped alone at a small campsite. I definitely prefer tenting to sleeping in shelters, although it does take longer to break camp in the morning.
Date: 2013-06-05
From: Davis Path Campsite

To: Chestnut Knob Shelter
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: broken clouds

Long hike today. The weather progressively got worse throughout the day. By 8 pm, the fog rolled in and I had very little visibility. I made it to the shelter just as the rain came. The shelter was located on top of a 4000 ft. mountain and was the only one I have seen that was totally enclosed and had a door. Other hikers made it to the shelter throughout the evening. Each one was short of breath and soaked. So goes life on the AT.
Date: 2013-06-06
From: Chestnut Knob Shelter

To: US 52 Campsite
Miles today: 21.3
Weather: light rain

Rain, rain, rain all day and night. Hiking in wet socks and shoes does a number on my feet. Not much to report, other than doing a high mileage day. Rain is forecast for the next couple of days. Hopefully it won't be too bad, but there is a tropical storm coming this way. The next few days should be interesting.
Date: 2013-06-07
From: US 52 Campsite

To: Campsite
Miles today: 17.0

My feet are wrecked. Three straight days of hiking in wet shoes has caused my feet to crack all over the bottom of them. The pain was so bad, I had to quit hiking early today. This is by far the worst my feet have felt since I started hiking. I've been rubbing lots of Goldbond on them to help with the cracking and pain. I plan on taking a zero once I get to Pearisburg, VA, but that is a couple of days away. I need to have a big mileage day tomorrow. Hopefully my feet hold up and the rain isn't too bad.
Date: 2013-06-08
From: Campsite

To: Docs Knob Shelter
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: scattered clouds

The hike was fairly easy today. I made it to the shelter around 6pm. Rather than pushing on, I decided to call it a day. I was alone at the shelter until three hikers came in around 10pm. Another reason I hate shelters, people come and go at all hours and wake you up. Tomorrow I hike into town. I will have been on the trail for six straight days without a shower or changing clothes. I smell ripe. I hear there is an all you can eat China buffet in town. I've been thinking about it for four days. I'm going to do my best to eat them out of business. Can't wait.