morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-03-13
From: nc

To: georgia, the hiker hostel
Miles today: 0.0

well, tomorrow is it, leaving on the bus at 2pm, get into Gainesville at 8pm, a shuttle to the Hiker Hostel and then boots on the trail saturday morning. some small pack refining tonite, well all nite i think. I doubt I will get any sleep tonite anyway so I might as well monkey with everything. I took some magazines apart and have about 12 articles to pack. I just ripped out the pages I wanted to read and tossed the rest. took some stuff out of the pack, two pieces of extra clothes, an extra flash light, etc. Still have a pretty tight pack. maybe too tight, but right now I can't see anywhere else to cut, but I'll bet in one week I'll see lotsa places!!!!So when I called the Hiker Hostel today, I got the last bunk space. Guess it is that time of the year. Wonder how many people they will have there and how many others will be starting the trail on Sat. might be a traffic jam getting our pix taken at the starting point!!! How many are thru hiking? how many will make it? will I make it?Thanks to all my friends and family for all your emails and support. I'm sorry I can't answer each one, but please know your support is much appreciated. Holy crap!!! I can't believe this is finally happening!pt
Date: 2007-03-17
From: springer

To: hawk mnt shelter
Miles today: 8.6

So I started. what an odd feeling knowing that all i have to do for the next few months is walk. the woods are so beautiful and quiet. 'cept for the wind. The wind is blowing like crazy and roaring thru the leafless trees. There is an odd abscence of wildlife other than a turkey we saw on the road on the way to the start. no birds, no chipmunks, no squirrels. When i left NC, spring was starting to poke thru, trees were budding and flowering, some had leaves, more animal activity, etc, but on this Saturday morning, nothing but grey and brown. The hike itself was fine the views great, met some folks. got to the shelter and set up the hammock then joined the 30 other people around the picnic table. yes 30. it was crowded. i had hardly any appetite and just talked with everyone for a while then went to bed, where i had the first minor disaster of the hike, it was going to be cold, under 30, so you sleep with your boots clothes water bottle etc in the hammock with you. well it seems someone forgot to tighten the bottle all the way closed and yes, it emptied into the bottom of the hammock. so now my ass is cold and i'm, not sure why so i reach under the quilt to check and of course there is a puddle. so luckily the peapod is water resistant and i was able to dump our the puddle, the sleeping bag would dry while i slept and the hammock was still soaked. but 30 minutes after crawling back in everything was dry and so toasty warm.pt
Date: 2007-03-18
From: hawk mnt shelter

To: gooch gap shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: clear sky

SO last nite when i went to bed i started coughing and having that heavy feeling in my chest. must have been the wind and the sweating. either way, had breakfast and got hiking. the mnts here in GA are not so bad comparably to some of the others that i will encounter, but let me tell you sassafras mnt is a climb of 657 feet in one mile. I don't know if that is a lot but it kicked my ass. i was having trouble breathing and getting a fulll breathe as my chest cold kicked in. hit the top and the discovered that the downhills can be just as troubling to my knees. Thank goodness for the trekking poles. i almost called it a day at justice creek but pressed on the 1.5 miles to the shelter where pickles and scoot (2 spring breakers). pootz and uncle buck, sky hiker, ninja, patriot(he is carrying a tomahawk), milk jug, sublime, smoke stack and mother nature and tom b were all eating dinner. there were others whose names I'm forgetting. Still too tired and sick to pull out the journal. but i have learned that i did way over pack, my pack was too heavy.pt
Date: 2007-03-19
From: gooch gap shelter

To: woody gap
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: broken clouds

so i decided i needed to get some medicine for this chest cold. the little hills i climbed today were just killers to me. i was so slow walking 50 steps having to stop to catch my breathe. i was going to stop at woody gap and make a short day and just relaxe and see if anything would change, but i found out that the Hiker hostel does a daily pick up at teh parking lot there, so i decided to take a ride with them, get some cough medicine and relax. It also would give me the opputuity to send some stuff back home , to lighten my pack, which i did to the total of almost 9 lbs. i don't see where i can go lighter until after the smokies when it warms up. So i got some 'tussen, a bbq sandwhich and a nite off.pt
Date: 2007-03-20
From: hiker hostel

To: hiker hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

decided to take a zero day, a day with no miles hiked. i need to kick this cold, now i have headaches to go with it. the calves are tightening up from nto hiking but they should be ready for blood mountain tomorrow, as long as i can breathe.I hate taking a day off so early, but you have to listen to your body. one day off now might prevent me from having to take off 3 later. so hopefully tomorrow i will be feeling ready to go back to woody gap and up blood mountain onto neels gap.pt
Date: 2007-03-21
From: hiker hostel

To: slaughter creek campsites
Miles today: 7.4

a day off sleeping really helped the chest cold. took off for Slaughter Creek camp sites, but followed slaught creek trail at a junction thinking it would go to the camp sites. nope. 3/4 mile later and stragiht down hill i found the creek and set up thinking it was a great site to stay, but no one showed up in 90 minutes and i thought i'd better go back up. of course the REAL campsites were 200 yards up the trail from where I turned. need to pay better attn. meet a couple of cool guys from FL. the Tic and the Duck. the are pretty funny dudes. showed up with 40lbs of food each thinking they would not resupply at all. oh, and 60lb packs. about half a day into the hike they were giving stuff away left and right. they got it pretty dialed in at this point.
Date: 2007-03-22
From: slaughter creek campsites

To: Baggs Creek Gap
Miles today: 7.4

Stopped at Neels gap at the out fitters and the store. planning on staying over there in the hostel, taking a short day to help the knees. ate 2 hot dogs slice of pizza, bought a patch and a shut off valve for the camelback, some candy and then decided to take off. had met MArk and Jerimiah brothers from wisconsin doing a section hike. they were pushing out so i kinda just followed. missed the first place i wanted to stop and met them and Andy and Paige from Ralieghh at the next spring. pleasent nite with a small group and a nice fire.
Date: 2007-03-23
From: Baggs Creek Gap

To: Low Gap shelter
Miles today: 6.4
Weather: scattered clouds

short milage day but i'm still getting into hiking condition. a full shelter and many tents.spotted - tic and duck, aussie and biker barb, smokestack, pipi and buttercup, scholar, foot machine, j beard and his boys, milk jug, mama, sister and baby monkey, seattle sailor and grammy hero and bill the pony
Date: 2007-03-25
From: blue mountain shelter

To: Tray Mountain shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: clear sky

so far the best site to camp, killer views, but what a hike to get up there. killer climbs and descents, still killing my knees. taking 10 ibuprohin a day. ran out of food excpet for one pack of mashed potatoes. smoke stack gave me a pack of chicken and it made a meal! It was record hot today 85 degrees, made the hiking hard for some folks but i handle the heat pretty well. on to town tomorrow and a zero day at Cloud 9. I also started ataking a 45 minute boots off lunch break and that helps a great deal.mother nature hiked up to meet smokestack and we all had a quiet nite.
Date: 2007-03-26
From: Tray Mountain shelter

To: Cloud 9
Miles today: 10.6

longest milage day, more climbs but it didn't matter, the prize at the end of the day was an awesome place called cloud 9, a hostel in hiawassee, ga. so much fun, so many people. too many to list.i stayed two nite and am getting ready to leave this afternoon, trying to get to franklin by sat or sunday.i did some light plumbing work and got a free nite. the owners Laura and Frank are awesome and run a great place. everyone needs to stop here. this is how a hostel should be.getting into shape looking to stay over 10 miles a day from here on out, but i know there are some big climbs to com in NC, only 9 miles from the border btw. my first state almost done! knpocked out 67 miles and am having a blast. taking pictures, will post when i figure out where and when.so back to the trail. later.
Date: 2007-03-27
From: Cloud 9

To: cloud 9
Miles today: 0.0

spent the day drinking beer. when i said back to the trail in yesterdays post i meant it for the 28th, the day i am typing all these. so i am leasving to hike again today, the 29th. will post more in a few days.laura and frank run a trout farm here and cooked a huge smoked trout dinner for everyone. we helped frank catch the trout from the pond. i used a fly rod and got 2 17 inch rainbow trout. since i don't eat fish, tic and duck and i did a big chili dog thing on the grill, it was a big hit too.
Date: 2007-03-28
From: cloud 9

To: Plum Orchard Shelter
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: broken clouds

Took a lazy morning and made a four egg scramble. Finally took off about 1pm and hike din 4.5 miles to the first shelter. Easy hike but the knees were still a little sore after resting for a day and a half. Only 4 people at the shelter, me, Chipmunk Whisperer ( who hates that trail name, but is all I know him by), Silver Cloud and 'young n dum' ( who lived up to his name. He is 19 and had just spent 4 days in Hiawassee with a strained achilles tendon, but then came right back out and hiked 20 miles in his crocks (plastic camp shoes) as his boots were falling apart. he planned on hiking 35 more miles to franklin in the crocs!) Mice, Mice Mice in the shelter. saw 7 of em as a light evening rain shower came in for 20 minutes. glad I was hanging in the hammock. saw a red-headed woodpecker today, along with junco's and all kinds of other birds. The grouse are in mating season and you can hear the males thumping thier chests all day. I might think they serve as bear calls but I think a bear woudl have trouble catching one.
Date: 2007-03-29
From: Plum Orchard Shelter

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: broken clouds

WOO-HOO!!!! made it through GA. first state done. Sleeping in NC tonite.Pulled into the shelter after 7.3 miles of walking in the rain, i was cold, wet and sweaty, perfect combo for being miserable. changed into dry clothes and contemplated going back out, then the rain started again. I was concerned about not having dry clothes so decided to call it a day at 3pm. a bit early and short but safe. had a feast the rest of the afternoon. hot chocolate, tea, snacks. i couldn't stop eating. the 7 miles went fast and i felt strong and as if i could a few more. after i set up the hammock IN the shelter and got ready to stay, it, of course, stopped raining for the rest of the nite! oh well. The Monkey family was there for thier last nite on the trail as tey were getting picked up and heading home the next morning. Wroong way, duct tape, bottle cap circuit rider and vermont pete also camped for the nite.Looks like I will have to pick it up to make the party in Franklin.
Date: 2007-03-30
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

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

Biggest mileage day yet. 12.5 miles. wasn't sure I could do it but it worked out just fine. wanted to go further, but my feet just wouldn't go any more. they threatened to leave the trail without me if i didn't stop!! more rain to start hard to dress, too little and you got chilled, too much and you sweated. i was a mess whne I reached the top of Standing Indian Mntn. but the sun came out and there were rocky clear areas, I stripped down and dried out all my clothes and me. Of course, they and I still stink, but we were dry.had two close calls toady slipping on roots. one i fell uphill and was fine the other was while crossing a creek and me foot went into a hole and i fell backward. landed on my pack with a normal bent knee. SO LUCKY!. I had a slo-motion moment think oh shit I just broke my loeg and am falling backward and will smash my head. but neither happened. i just landed on the pack and took 10 minutes to get back up, i was like a turtle! saw a bear footprint inthe mud near a creek, but no bear. there are signs all over that say 'NC Wilderness, Bear Sanctuary'!!!Only Vermont Pete and I at the shelter. Hung inside again tonite. want to hit franklin tomorrow and might go out at Wallace gap.
Date: 2007-03-31
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap / Franklin, NC
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

Holy crap! I did a 16 mile day! I couldn't believe it. And I broke the 100 mile mark!!! Do I win the over? I know you all thought I'd be home by now!!! got to wallace gap and it was 5pm and figured I could get the last 3.1 miles to WInding stair before dark and I did. I did the last 3.1 in 90 minutes with a long uphill. What a great day. Felt good all day. Climbed Mt. Albert, 5,250 feet, 410 steps of straight up hand over hand climbing, well in some parts, but still VERY steep. got to the top and vermont pete had just got there and there was an older man who hiked up the back way and he was handing out apples! trail magic! man that was a welcome and good apple. hiking was fast and easy for most of the day. hitched a ride into town and rode in on the back of a flat bed F350. it was windy but aired out most of my hiker funk. The hotel was full because of the hiker party. I saw two hiker sI knew, weeks and leafer (spicy Shrimp) walking to the party so I followed and on a whim checked if they had any rooms at this motel and they did as it was past reservation time, man! i was lucky. took a shower and visted with a bunch of folks i know. I didn't know I knew that many hikers already, had a couple of hot dogs, couple of cheese burgers and a couple of beers. hung out then hit bed at 12, a late nite these days.hikers ( and friends of hikers) spotted at party - hangman, combat, sugar grits, Michelle and Alicia, Thersea and April, Ninja, Jake, Baltimore Jack, Pirate, skidster, smokestack and mother nature, mntn. man. crutch, KTR, bottle cap, wrong way, duct tape, chris, hemlock, rio, serial, coach, fish, ox, wonder, laura and fran of cloud 9, ron haven, whose hotel hosted the event and many others.
Date: 2007-04-01
From: Winding Stair Gap / Franklin, NC

To: Sapphire Inn
Miles today: 0.0

took a zero. I was planning on a short day, under 4 miles today any way but since i got here early last nite, i get a whole day off. Had breakfast with Smokestack and mother nature, then smoke took me to pick up my packages at the budget inn.went to the outfitter and picked up some small stuff, bug spray with out deet( it kills plastics, like cameras) got some trail food and some ice cream. Did laundry, ate a hamburger, took a soak in the tub. I am so glad to be here today as it rained all day, must be pouring in the mountains. many folks took off this am, I am leaving tomorrow. the forcast is for some more rain tuesday or wed then clearing up but turning colder, lows below freezing. that is fine, just no rain plaese!My feet and legs feel fine after the big day yesterday. I have lost weight, but am not sure how much, at least 10 lbs. need a scale at some point. well back on the trail tomorrw and off to the NOC about 2-3 days away.take it easy everyone!
Date: 2007-04-02
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Wine Spring Campsite
Miles today: 8.0

Back to hiking, only 8 miles, but I was tired and we got a late start. Ron Haven dropped us off with his school bus. I had a maildrop that didn't arrive and he said he would forward it up to the NOC. Wore a new knee brace today, seemed to help.
Date: 2007-04-03
From: Wine Spring Campsite

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

a longish day of hiking. have a wicked ingrown toenail, had to stop and do some minor surgery to it in the middle of the day. Also have a blister that covers the whole of my pinky toe. FUN! Rain coming tonite, a good test for the hammock system since, if it fails and gets soaked, I will be walking downhill to the NOC in the AM where I can dry it all out.
Date: 2007-04-04
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: the NOC
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: scattered clouds

A short five mile walk down hill, a drop of 4000 feet. toe crushing. and of course I get to climb back up the other side when I leave. The hammock and tarp performed perfectly last nite in a huge thunderstorm that last 4 hours, lots of thunder, rolling thunder and lightening. the ends were very slightly damp but not me, i slept thru most of it. 4-5 trees were down along the trail, a big storm. slept in till 9am since I had the short hike. At the NOC I am in a bunk house with 6 bunks. it is 15 bux and has heat. lotsa people here vermont pete, luna, sandlewood, karma, yogi, bottle cap, duct tape, wrong way, etc, etc.picked up my mail drop, boy, did i over estimate what i need. gave some extra toyogi as his food bag got soaked last nite and ruined most of his food. the maildrop from franklin was also here. did laundry, chilled, etc. I will probably zero so that I can get to the fontana post office on monday and they are closed on sunday, no sense waiting there. took care of my feet and toes but they are still painful.
Date: 2007-04-06
From: the NOC

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: broken clouds

yes it was only 7 miles, but all uphill. what a climb, as the all do, this one seemed to go on forever. a cold day and the shelter was crowded. we had a big fire and tried to stay warm. I hung the hammock in the shelter. we were all abit nervous about the cold. I decided to head into town at the next road, 6 or so miles the next day. it was really cold, under 20 degrees. I'm not out here to be comfortable, but i'm not here to be miserable or to get frostbite. some of these guys are hard core, like they need to prove they are tough. I already did that, I have been colder and wetter than they will ever be and I don't have to anymore, so I am going to the hotel!
Date: 2007-04-07
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: overcast clouds

we woke up to 10 degree temps and 4-5 inches of snow. I had snow on me in the hammock. not fun. most everyone else decided that maybe I was right and we all headed to the road, Stecoah Gap. It was a hard walk, ice and snow covered the trail. I was sliding down the trail as much as walking. roots were ankle breaking slippery. at the Gap JellyBean and Bare Bear, former thru hikers, had a trail magic station set up. water, hot chocolate, hamburgers, chips, etc. it was great. I hit the gap with Coach, Matea, and peer pride. four others came before us and they got a ride to the NOC. we decided to go to Robbinsville and got a ride in a little Toyota truck with 2 others, Ron and Kelly. got to the microtel, 4 of us in the room at 25 bux each and we had our own bathroom ( the noc has a community one you need to walk to) and a tv. showers and the spreading out of gear soon followed and a pizza. that room stunk so bad. we watched the weather channel all day, the talk was of the record lows in the south east. um. yea! no kidding. I hate an unscheduled day off the trail, but it was a safety issue as well as comfort. all my clothes were wet and they needed to dry.
Date: 2007-04-08
From: Stecoah Gap

To: Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I took another day off to escape the weather. got my own room. it was easter so i had some mexican food. LOL! not too many choices in Robbins ville, NC. washed my clothes in the sink, took a nap. watched the weather channel. the forcast is not good. more cold and rain. this down time is bad for my mental frame of mind, too much time to think. taking days off means the folks I've met are now ahead of me, but I know I will meet new folks. I have decided to come off the trail for Aris's wedding at the end of the month. should be fun trying to figure out how to get there and how to get some clothes there.
Date: 2007-04-09
From: Stecoah Gap

To: Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Got all ready to hike today and hitched a ride up to the gap. took 30 minutes and 79 cars, but I got a ride! got there and I was cold cold cold, chilled to the bone. Just couldn't motivate myself to go. sat there for an hour getting colder then called the Hike inn and got a room and a shuttle. what a drag. feel like a big wimp. I could see the trail, just couldn't force myself to go. the Hike Inn is a nice place and Ron and Nancy are great. I sat around and watched tv napped. decided to do a slack pack ( hiking without your full pack) tomorrow. to Fontana dam. need to get walking. I feel like crap taking another day off, but man I HATE the cold.Ran into a professor from RIT, Skip Bataglia, at the trail magic spot. I remember his name but didn't take any classes with him.
Date: 2007-04-10
From: Stecoah Gap

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: light rain

man you can really fly with out the full pack! a good hike and the hike inn was waiting for me at the end ( she randomly stopped by while on another shuttle) a couple of big climbs and it was so much easier without the full pack. but I don't want to do this too often. met a bunch of new hikers. There is a 90% chance of rain tomorrow, so I will probably lay low again. yes, I am a fair weather hiker. I need to get another insulating layer, a fleece. I can't get all my clothes wet and not have dry stuff. everything is ready to go, got the food set, the back country permit for the smokies, just need to get moving.Happy Birthday Mom!!!
Date: 2007-04-11
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Hike Inn
Miles today: 0.0

well the cold and rain forced me back to bed, well forced might be too strong a word, I just went back to bed. rain was spotty and cold all day. I should have gone, but I didn't.Sent some extra food from my mail drop ahead to standing bear. I will hike tomorrow. for sure!
Date: 2007-04-12
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: clear sky

yes, back on the trial. feels good other than the f'ing cold wind!!!!! got to the shelter and it had a huge tarp over the front and a fireplace inside, like a castle. so nice. warmed up a bit and set up my bed on the platform. I have no pad so it was pretty uncomfortable, but I was very warm. there was a ridge runner there who spends 5 days a week on the ridge between the shelters, counting hikers and he has a radio for emergencies. Ran into Tik again. good to see him.