morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-10-28
From: Sam's Gap

To: Miss Janet's House
Miles today: 24.0

28 Oct (24 mi)I promised myself no 20+ mile days on the southern portion¢¦ no more after this one. We got a late start, after feeding another gang at MJ¢s, but we¢re walking over easy terrain, over big bald, and the sun beating on our shoulders. Decending from Big Bald, we saw a Subaru Outback parked down below ¢ it¢s an odd feeling to be climbing up a mountain and then to learn that one can just drive up it. On the slope, between us and the Subaru, there was a train of multicolored M&M-like figures ascending up the mtn side ¢ about 50 parents and children¢¦ no way all of them fit into that Subaru!! I began imagining how this group was playing Tetris with their bodies to fit in, or maybe they all fit in the manner that Merlyn (the magician from Disney¢s Sword in the Stone) packs?! Off the bald, we saw 2 school buses to our right ¢ that¢s how! No magic, just a bus driven up a mountain. On the next hill, there¢s a lawn chair ¢ now that¢s trail magic! Midnight and i took turns lounging in it and taking our pictures with this landmark. We then walk through a raptor-watch area, with nets and a plastic owl on a tree. There¢s a teepee-like tent, with 2 pegiouns in a cage next to it. ¢Hello pegions. How does it feel to be food for a raptor?¢ i ask. ¢Hi there,¢ the pigion answers. No joke ¢ that pegion spoke back!! Or so i thought, until i noticed a lady¢s face in the tiny crack of a ¢window¢ in the teepee. It was a great illusion! Gave her some Halloween candy ¢ poor folks spend day after day sitting in the tent counting the raptors that come by to look at the food-pegions. Ran into Skippy & Wobbles, and, after a sugar break, zoned out for the rest of the hike, with few views and few reasons to stop. Midnight is great company. He hikes in bunny ears and gets some curious looks from the local hunters, and we can walk silently for hours and still feel the benefit of each other¢s company. ¢Zenned for a long time without lights, peering through the tree trunks at the lights of the city (Erwin) below ¢ the city of Ewoks or Elfs? It looked rather surreal ¢ the stars above, and the stars (city lights) below, creating an abyss effect, and we¢re sliding through the twilight¢¦
Date: 2005-10-30
From: Devil's Fork Gap

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: clear sky

30 OCT (9 mi)Wobbles ¢ punk ¢ woke me up just a few hours after we went to sleep, for help with his famous pancakes. Luckily, the time change was this past night, so I get away with another hour of dozing before rushing out to the store. This morning, we are treated with Wobbles¢ famous pancake creations ¢ vanilla cinnamon apple! Watched Lion King¢s AT documentary, finally. Slow morning, and we¢re out the door way after lunch. Hiking SOBO from Devil¢s Fork, but we are tired and out of shape by now from all that slack packing and partying and eating! We pause for a good long while at the first shelter (if we stop here, it¢d be a 2.5 mile day and we could play chess and cards all afternoon, since there¢s a chess board carved into the table at the shelter)¢¦ then hike on. We were walking out to the pasture on this mtn when we saw two pink bunny ears ¢ ¢Midnight is already here,¢ we thought. Watched the sunset from Big Butt mtn, sitting silently under an oak. Spending the night at Jerry Cabin shelter, complete with a fire in the fireplace, journaling, and Moonshine-like questions.
Date: 2005-11-01
From: Rich Mtn firetower

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: few clouds

1 NOV (8 mi)The wind died down towards morning, and allowed for very good sleep. In the wee hours, before sunrise, I heard Skippy¢s voice ¢ the guys planned to come up here to watch the sunrise. I choose to lay still and sleep another round. Woke up, again, to a pink sky, and Running Water, Skippy, and Midnight down below on the observation deck. I stood up in the skylight to let them know my whereabouts. ¢But where is Wobbles?!¢ the shouted! Apparently, he followed me last night, but couldn¢t find me at the tower. No one knows where he is. This morning, the guys also had a bit of a scare, as they arrived at the tower in reverse order than they left the shelter, and at some point thought that at least one of their crew is dead or hopelessly lost. Now, it¢s just Wobbles that we think is dead (or hopelessly lost), phew. Wobbles walked out of the woods, where he stealthed, thinking that I was dead, right before the cloud rims turned gold in anticipation of the sun. We enjoy another sunny morning, skipping and bouncing through the beautiful woods towards Hot Springs. I love hearing the leaves crisp below my feet and release that distinctly autumn aroma. When there was snow on the ground, the forest was particularly crunchy, with the ice pack on the snow and the dry leaves beneath¢¦ funny, now, just a few days later, it¢s like summer again. We have been very lucky with the weather ¢ it¢s as thought we had a 5-month long summer, so far! In Hot Springs, we visit the actual historic hot springs, get us a nice deal on tub #11 by a cold creek, and let our bodies melt. ¢This hiking business is some tough sh*t,¢ ¢ Midnight. After a lazy dinner at the Bright Leaf Jxn caf©, we scored us another deal at the Bright Leaf Jxn hotel with a work-for-stay for a bedroom with a 2-person Jacuzzi with headrests, where¢¦ hmmm, I wonder if I should tell here of Wobbles¢ genius with Jacuzzi use, or if he¢d be telling it himself on his on-line journal (if such exists). In any case, I was in the shower stall, and Wobbles was filling the tub up. I heard him turn it on, and then I heard a fountain splashing all over, and Wobbles running around like a chicken with its head cut off, screaming and freaking out. Then, Midnight walks in, calm as usual, and pushes the button to turn of what turned out to be Niagara in our hotel bathroom and bedroom!! A dozen of towels later the room looks presentable, but we now all know that there must be at least 2 inches of water covering the jets before you turn them on. After some extensive journaling, we arrange ourselves in tetris positions on the one king size bed in the room.
Date: 2005-11-02
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: new Roaring Fork shelter
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: clear sky

2 NOV (19 mi)I want an honest report of how many times I kicked Midnight in the head last night. He was up and out of the hotel room hella early, and I didn¢t see him all day! Hiking through the most sunny and colorful forest thus far! So stunning, in fact, that I lounge on a field, admiring this season, and take a nap in the sun. Feeling clustered by all the SOBOs on the trail today, and the nap put a good spacing between us. Taking my time today, picking leaves (is there therapy for that? Or is it a therapy in itself?). Found out that Rocco (another flip-flopper) and I went to the same high school and graduated the same year ¢ how odd is that, considering we attended a rather small school to begin with!! Battled with a mouse all night, eventually hanging up EVERYTHING right above my head so if the mouse shall jump to the hangings and miss ¢ he will end up in my mouth, eaten!!
Date: 2005-11-03
From: new Roaring Fork shelter

To: Davenport Gap
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

3 NOV (17 mi)We¢re all up early today so as to watch the sunrise on Max Patch. Ended up catching the sun solo in a gap between trees ¢ the way I preferred anyway. Breakfast (solo) on Max Patch, with the new sun just over the ridgetops ¢ surrounded by green (my fav color), mountains, sun, and¢¦ daisies (my fav flowers)¢¦ (someone had left concentric circles of daisies and asters on the top ¢ a wedding or a funeral?). I could have easily spent all day right here (why didn¢t I?). This place is definitely in the top 5 along the trail! Chose to move on, stopping for a lunch break at a sunny spot in the woods, reading a Christian brochure on how Lenin is the Antichrist ¢ not sure how to take it. Skippy, Wobbles & I concoct a plan of having dinner in Knoxville, so we hike on to I-40, hitch to get the car, and drive up there por una cena Mexicana deliciosa, bowling, and an evening with Skippy¢s former boss. I am not sharing any hitchhiking stories here; those that heard them ¢ heard them, and those that didn¢t ¢ didn¢t. I¢m not repeating them. I¢m not hitching alone (or with Skippy, sorry Skip) anymore either. I believe in communal wisdom and mass stupidity, and I¢m not repeating the latter.
Date: 2005-11-04
From: Knoxville, TN

To: Knoxville, TN
Miles today: 0.0

4 NOV (zero)This wasn¢t a planned zero, but after another doze of Wobbles¢ famous pancakes ¢ blueberry vanilla, this time, with a sauce! ¢ it¢s difficult to want to do anything other than lounge. Pit stops ¢ food, liquor, trail. I¢m skipping the Smokies this time around ¢ Dr. Jones and I hiked them NOBO in 2002 (and it snowed at the end of May!!), and I just won¢t finish ¢in time¢ (to fly out to Russia) if I try to plow through their snowy summits. [I later regretted this decision, and will return to re-hike them again and again.]Dropped off Skippy and Wobbles at GSMNP¢s northern entrance and drove over to Fontana Dam (GSMNP¢s southern entrance), star gazed at the dam, and passed out in the car.
Date: 2005-11-05
From: Fontana Dam, NC

To: Cable Gap shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: overcast clouds

5 NOV (7 mi)The morning stroll over the dam was quite fruitful ¢ saw a large bear just 30 feet away; he scurried up a hill a bit, but then turned around and examined me for a long time ¢ examined him right back. I walked along the side of the lake, and he walked along the side of the hill in the same direction ¢ I¢m not sure who was spying on whom! Eventually, he went off on his own business, and I continued the SOBO trek ¢ back across the dam, past the Fontana Hilton, and up, up, and away into the woods. I am dragging today, out of breath on the uphill, and stopping every quarter mile or so. It starts drizzling in the early afternoon, so I stop at the first shelter, and am asleep by¢¦ 5pm, maybe? (no watches are involved on this trek). Could¢ve made the 6.1 mi to the next shelter, easy, but I had a point to prove ¢ I am capable of hiking single digit days solo.
Date: 2005-11-06
From: Cable Gap shelter

To: Sassafras Gap shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: scattered clouds

6 NOV (15 mi)Awake in the dark and ready to hike on, but am sooooo lazy!! It¢s raining, of course, because I freaked out and hung a bear bag instead of a mouse hang. Decided to wait out the rain, which stopped at exactly breakfast-time. Real slow-moving today. The forest is beautiful, as it has been for over a month now, there¢s a warm breeze, and the sun is welcoming. Ran into a former thru-hiker doing the Bartram Trail ¢ Jake Brake, just before watching the sunset at Cheoah Bald. Mosey on down to Sassafras shelter (which is very nice) and call it a day. Insight of the day ¢ Led Zepplin¢s ¢Ramble On¢ has the best bassline ever recorded!!
Date: 2005-11-07
From: Sassafras Gap shelter

To: Cold Spring shelter
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: clear sky

7 NOV (17.5 mi)Watched the sunrise from the Nahantahala Gorge overlook ¢ the clouds in the valley, the sunrays broken over the mountain tops, silence, except for the road and the river below, which I hear but cannot see. Been seeing NOBO sectioners each day, but hiking solo and loving it. It¢s a lot more meditative, but having a great conversationalist is swell, too. NOC. Warned about a rabbied raccoon wobbling around these woods. Wesser Bald overlook tower ¢ too bad I¢m hear so early in the day, too early to stop. On and on, till a hot peach sunset between the black webs of tree silhouettes, to a rinky dinky Cold Spring shelter with broken bear cables. Trailside paranoia ¢ made a net of poles, shoes, shoe laces, mouse hangs, rope, benches, broom, and pack around the place I was to sleep ¢ if anyone tried to get through to me in the night, it would shake the net, the mouse hang cans will clank, and I¢ll wake up. Of course, if I get up in the night to visit the woods for any reason, the same fate awaits me on the way out and on the way back in.
Date: 2005-11-09
From: Franklin, NC

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

9 NOV (zero)I have a feeling there¢ll be more zeroes on this 350-mile SOBO trek than there were on the 1850-mile NOBO section. That¢s fine. This morning, though a late and lazy one, leads to an adventurous afternoon of jump-starting Stinger¢s car, driving around (¢we have to go north first before we can go south, because sometime you have to do that,¢ thank you, Stinger), and being silly. Little reunion with Mtn High and Green Bean at Fontana. End up sleeping in the car after Stinger left¢¦ too lazy to go hiking with me (I¢m only saying this to get under his skin; he really had his reasons).
Date: 2005-11-10
From: Franklin, NC

To: Cable Gap shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

10 NOV (16 mi)On the trail early, leaving 4 guys at the parking lot. They looked like they were out for a weekend hike or so, but were all bundled up, drinking their coffee in the car, procrastinating the walk out into a cold November morning. They hadn¢t left still when Witch Doctor set out from the trailhead an hour after myself! The woods are such a sacred ground¢¦ so beautiful and full of energy. Witch Doctor caught up to me and we hiked up to lunch on Albert Mtn only to find the tower locked! Ahhh!! I guess I¢ll be moving on, then. I keep up with WD for another 20 minutes or so, and then he¢s out of sight. In a week¢s time, this will be the only hour that I have another SOBO¢s company. I arrive early at Carter Gap shelter, but I don¢t feel like moving on. It¢s quite chilly, so I reach the register on a sunny log, worried that I may not be warm enough tonight. Funny how thru-hikers and non-thru-hikers differ in subtle, almost unnoticeable ways¢¦ watching the sunset, for instance, take precedence over whatever other camp chores there may be. Using an emergency (foil) blanket as a sleeping bag liner tonight and sleeping in all of my clothes.
Date: 2005-11-11
From: Cable Gap shelter

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

11 NOV (20 mi)The emergency blanket was a great idea!! Out into the sunrise to a second breakfast on Standing Indian Mtn next to Lindsey¢s gravesite. No water in Deep Gap, no matter how many times I read and re-read Wingfoot¢s notes on the subject. An anorexic-looking hunting beagle followed me for 8 miles all the way into Georgia today. Shortly after crossing the state line (which should really be done up nicer ¢ it¢s the first one for the NOBOs and the last one for the SOBOs, and, really, a place for celebration), ran into an older section NOBO ¢ ¢You¢re Cucumber Girl!¢ Uh, maybe; who¢s asking? ¢Pastor John. Recognized you by the tiara. Just saw your tiara photos on-line.¢ There¢s no way ¢ I hadn¢t updated any photos since I got the tiara, but I let it slide, and hike on with my new beagle friend. I love this shuffling in calf-deep dry leaves; still warm and sunny. Georgia is amazingly green ¢ the moment you cross the line there are green shrubs, violet flowers, green rhododendrons. Just a day or so ago, all the leaves just turned brown and fell off. Now there are panoramic views thru the naked trunks and branches all along the trail, and an ocean of crunchy leaves below. The sun makes the ocean shine golden. Watched the sun set down in the valley thru the now-naked silhouettes. Sleeping solo, again, at the Plumorchard shelter, which is one of the nicest shelters on the trail, I think. There are three levels, and I¢ve got this autopilot routine of stealthing up in the corner of the top level so as to make it look like I¢m not even there. The moon is very bright, and the ocean now shines silvery. If the shelter wasn¢t so nice, I¢d keep walking, because it¢s beautiful out there, and bright as day.
Date: 2005-11-12
From: Plumorchard Shelter

To: Tray Mtn shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

12 NOV (10 mi)Mad mice in the shelter, running all over everything (and any ONE that sleeps there). Up and out with the first rays ¢ the forest is on fire in bright orange glow. Singing in the sun, just singing in the sun¢¦ Thought of duct-taping beer and canned peaches to a tree as a form of trail magic for the SOBOs behind me, but ran into 40+ boy scouts (it must be the weekend), so thoroughly forgot the idea. Hitched back to get the car from Franklin over towards Unicoi ¢ not telling any hitching stories, like I said. These folks are all crazy, nice, but crazy! From Unicoi, hiked up to Tray Mtn Shelter, with wonderful views to both sides of the trail thru the naked threes and into the valley. At dawn, could see town lights in the valley, and the moon was very bright again. At the shelter, met an ¢04 thru-hiker, Lazarus, and it¢s funny how hikers are such a tightly bound crowd ¢ we were the only ones in the shelter (everyone else tented) and talked all night!! Ha, and I convinced him to hike the 10 miles with me to Dick¢s Creek gap tomorrow (you can imagine that I actually didn¢t really have to do any convincing ¢ this was his first time on the trail since the thru-hike).
Date: 2005-11-13
From: Tray Mtn shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

13 NOV (11 mi)Easy going today ¢ 10 miles by early afternoon ¢ cake. Lots of breaks and chatting to other SOBOs ¢ ¢Y¢all are going the wrong way!¢ Ran into Midnight, who was raving about Gatlinburg, where he was (self-)proclaimed a Bunny King.Tonight I¢m staying with Linus (NOBO ¢05). She is so kind to take me off the trail and give me a rest in civilization! The only time I had s¢mores on the trail was at her house!!
Date: 2005-11-14
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Low Gap shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

14 NOV (9.5 mi)Slept in ¢ soooo comfy! One thing I miss (sometimes) on the trail is a soft, warm, dry bed that I don¢t have to stuff into my pack in the morning. A breakfast of champions ¢ 1L soy milk, 2 doughnuts, b/e/c biscuit, crossant w/jelly ¢ later I am huffing and puffing up Blue Mtn. Is this a joke? You¢d think that by now, having walked all these miles, I¢d be in shape, but I¢m out of breath on every uphill! Dragging, especially with such a full stomach. Of course, second breakfast at Blue Mtn shelter, and I¢m off into the morning drizzle, dragging my feet once again. Summersault, Sarge, and Sock catch up, and we march ourselves to Low Gap shelter on a very easy trail. These folks are marathon runners ¢ in real life (they confessed) ¢ and they are still steaming down the trail, whereas I¢m in the process of taking as long as possible, barely moving. My body feels more and more still, and less and less coordinated. Reader and Spaceman join us ¢ they¢ll be with us for the rest of the trip. No sign of Midnight. On 09/25 there was a bear/hiker incident reported at this shelter, so we cautiously hang out food bags. Spaceman¢s snoring, however, is so loud that no bear would dare come close.
Date: 2005-11-15
From: Low Gap shelter

To: Walasi Yi, Neel's Gap
Miles today: 10.5

15 NOV (10.5 mi)Reader and I talked of Russian food last night, and I had some delicious dreams that were difficult to awake from. Hiking in a warm cloud this morning. The S/S/S marathon crew passed me early on, but the highlight of the day was seeing an ear-less bunny shadow in the fog ¢ Midnight! We hike on in intermittent cloud/rain/wind the rest of the morning to Neel¢s Gap. Pass a sign for a shelter that is 2 miles off the trail ¢ is that a joke?! Does anyone ever go to that shelter? (I realize this comment is a bit close-minded, I¢m sorry.) We¢re at Neel¢s Gap by 1pm, and even though the marathon crew has dried their clothes (I¢m not sure why) and are heading back out into the rain, I am fully content at staying indoors, where though not too warm it is at least dry, and there are shelves of movies to watch. We call it a day, and spend the rest of the afternoon watching movies, eating pizza, and being silly ¢ what we do best. Lazarus joins us, too. Pass out around midnight (the time, not the man) in a dark, dank, unventilated bunkroom, but at least it¢s dry. Hear the wind howling, thankful for the roof and the 4 walls.
Date: 2005-11-16
From: Walasi Yi, Neel's Gap

To: Walasi Yi, Neel's Gap
Miles today: 0.0

16 NOV (zero)I am the last one up. Indoors I think I can sleep forever. I am willing to make a bet ¢ I can sleep for several days straight, maybe several weeks. I might have to test this when I get home. We eat breakfast at a diner, which is delicious, hang xmas lights as work-for-stay, and spend another afternoon watching movies, staying dry, and being silly. Wobbles and Skippy roll in, with the intent to move on, but we know what¢s best for them, so they stay.
Date: 2005-11-17
From: Walasi Yi, Neel's Gap

To: Gooch Mtn shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

17 NOV (15 mi)Hiked out of Neel¢s Gap (Walasi Yi) into the blowing cold, but at least it¢s dry and sunny. Blood Mtn is a killer climb, and it¢s icy windy on one side of the mtn (put all clothes on) and sunny calm on the other side (take most clothes off), and the trail runs switchbacks up the mtn going from one side to the other half a dozen times, so you can imagine the dressing and undressing that went on every hundred yards or so. But the views¢¦ the views are spectacular (is that a redundant statement, English majors?), and were, as always, worth the climb and everything that comes with it. The slabby rock trail reminds me of Maine ¢ I miss the fun NOBO crew that I hiked with in Maine! After Blood Mtn, the trail is flat, and we joke of making a 30-mile dash to Springer today. About 10 miles into the day, however, we walk up on a rocky ledge with ¢ what a view! ¢ so we choose to lounge on it way past lunch, and forget the 30-miler. We mosey on to a very nice, brand new loft shelter (Gooch Mtn), where Hiker X 05 (some of you know him, and for some of you he is a hero ¢ Mr. Lucey?) already has a fire going. We debate whether to stay or move on ¢ it¢s still early. Toss a leaf, but it¢s bottom heavy 3:0 for going. Toss a penny, but it lands on its ridge against some leaves, so we stay. I¢m asleep about 2 hours later, after Reader, Spaceman, Green Bean, Skippy, and Wobbles roll in, for a 14-hour night of sweaty sleep.