morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-25
From: Tentsite near Tanyard Gap

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: scattered clouds

A clear start today, but then a sudden thunderstorm and downpour hurried us over the summit of Rich Mountain. Once out of danger of lightning, we stopped and donned ponchos that cover both our bodies and our packs, and continued on. The rain stopped after only a half hour, and the sun came out. Between Hurricane Gap and Spring Mountain Shelter, the open hardwood forests were carpeted with a wild forager's dream of wild edible plants. Sassafras leaves for tea, greenbriar shoots, young leaves and tendrils for munching, dandelion, violet, chickweed, plantain greens, and wood nettles for soups and tea. We kept stopping to look at different plants and trees, to point at gorgeous ridge top views, and to occasionally sample a leaf that we were confident was edible.At Allen Gap, we followed signs to the home of local residents and former thru-hikers "Fall" and "Hercules", who were feeding us and other through hikers in exchange for a chance to preach a little of the gospel to us. Given that they were offering fresh cooked Belgian Waffles with pecans, real butter, real maple syrup, barbecued beef sandwiches, ice cream sundays on a chocolate brownie, cokes, and other goodies, no one complained, no matter what their religious beliefs. Food is sometimes a thru-hiker's concept of religion. Jeanne and I have noticed that whenever we eat trail angel food, which is usually typical American fare (sugar, hydrogenated fats and salt), that we feel pretty lousy for awhile afterwards until our whole food and wild plants diet reasserts itself. Still, when you are staring at a Belgian Waffle smothered in maple syrup, the will is weak.From Allen Gap, we climbed and climbed and climbed, making for our biggest elevation gain day yet (4000'), hurriedly pitched our tent as another thunderstorm came in, ate a quick bruppa of rolled oats, cinammon and mixed nuts and raisins, and fell asleep.
Date: 2006-04-26
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Campsite 1 miles North of Flint Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 0.0

Today, we started the day with rain (and the beautful song of a Wood Thrush), and ended the day with rain. We got to our campsite just as it was starting to rain, and quickly put up the tent, threw in all our gear, and dove in ourselves before the downpour came. We ate our breakfast for supper while we waited for the rain to let up. When it finally did, we did our outdoor chores - hanging the food bags, brushing the teeth, putting our packs under the poncho-tarp to stay dry overnight, and then retired for the night.It was raining when we awoke, but then stopped, we packed up and started to hike. It started to rain again after 10 minutes, and we hiked with ponchos on for the rest of the morning. Thanks so much to Pebbles for the poncho she gave me to use until mine arrived - it helped to keep me and my pack dry during the steady rains today. The weather cleared up enough when we got to the section where you go over an exposed ridge, so that we were able to take that route rather than the bad weather alternate. We were rewarded with views along the way, and some fun climbing among the rocks - amazing trail work in that area. Se stopped in at Jerry Cabin Shelter to cook our supper for lunch and bake our bread, and watch the weather to see if we should hike on. By the time we got done, the weather looked okay, so we repacked and continued on our way to this campsite.We enjoyed hiking the trail over Big Butt (yes, Butt, not Butte) with its grassy slopes, and the gravelled old road on the other side made for some easy walking today.It continues to rain out there, and it is time for some sleep.
Date: 2006-04-27
From: Tentsite one mile north of Flint Mtn Shelter

To: 2 miles north of Sam's Gap, NC
Miles today: 12.1

Today started out cold (40's) and drizzly, but cleared early and rapidly, making for a nice day, sunny, 50's and 60's. Awesome hiking weather. Everything, plants, trees, rocks, glowed with newness and aliveness today, freshly washed and revived by yesterday's rain. The warm sun felt SO good after the cold and wet of the day before. Much (most) of the walking was up and down on high (4000'+), wide ridges of the now familiar open hardwoods with and understory of fragrant wildlflowers (foamflower, vilets, chickweed, blue and black cohosh, wood betony, indian paintbrush, wood nettle (lots of wood nettle!), mayapple, bloodroot and others we couldn't identify. Occasionally, we would amble through a gorgeous mountain meadow or an old cow pasture, past new green grass and glowing clumps of yellow ragwort. It was SO GORGEOUS!!! 19 years worth of springtime, wishing I could be out here again, hiking in spring along the Appalachian Trail, all satisfied in one day.We baked bread on our stove (no flat rocks to be found today) at a shelter with a group of young (20's and 30's) thru-hikers who were chattering loudly. We understand that the AT is a very social experience for most, but for us, we're here primarily to listen to the quiet noises of the woods and learn more about the natural world. So, when lunch was done, we were happy to slip back out into the forest. We climbed up one 4500' un-named summit at the end of the day, and were happy to find that the north side of the mountain was a meadow. We pitched our tent with a view full of mountains and vallies, and lay with our heads out of the opening, watching the day fade and the stars get brighter and brighter. Another good day on the AT.
Date: 2006-04-28
From: Campsite 2 miles North of Sam's Gap, NC

To: 3/4 mile North of Temple Hill Gap
Miles today: 0.0

Wow, out longest day yet (maybe we should have gone another 1/2 mile to make it a 20, but we weren't sure we would find another campsite, and this one is a fine one on a ridge). We awoke this morning on our grassy, high campsite to a Rufous-sided Towhee singing right outside our tent just before sunrise - he sounded beautiful and so close. This helped us to get out of our sleeping bags and tent before sunrise, which was beautiful to watch as it rose above the horizong of the mountaintop east of us.Today we hiked and hiked and hiked, up hills, down hills, side hilling, through all kinds of scenery, trees and balds, taking few rest breaks, hoping to get as close to Erwin, Tenn. as we could. However, this did not stop us from taking our almost two hour midday break to cook supper for lunch and bake our bread on a rock on a twiggy fire. That rest break is what helped us to be able to walk another 8 miles.The view from the top of the Bald was quite nice (except for the condo development nearby), with lots of mountains all around. We were rewarded with lots of intoxicating spring beauties again as we climbed up to and down from the Bald.We almost camped about a 1/2 mile south of this ridgetop campsite, in Temple Hill Gap, but opted to try to find a campsite up on the ridge so we could get the early morning sun. We were glad we did, since it makes for a warmer start to the day.As we were approaching our campsite, though, Linc scared up a bear that was on the trail ahead of him. The bear had no interest in getting to know us, taking off at a fast gallop down the 45 degree slope (so much for bears not being able to run downhill), trying to get as much distance between him and us as he could. We wondered if we should actually camp that close to where we saw a bear, but we didn't know if we would find another site, and since the bear had no interest in getting to know us, we decided to give it a try. Linc found a really good tree to hand the food in, and as soon as we closed our eyes, we were both asleep, obviously neither of us worried about the bear.
Date: 2006-04-29
From: 3/4 mile North of Temple Hill Gap

To: Near Curley Maple Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke to mostly sunny skies and temperatures that warmed into the 70's. The walk down towards Erwin was spectacular, with views out over the Nolichucky River from the top of a high cliff, then switchbacking down a steep mountainside with the sounds of town getting closer and closer. As we approached, the birds changed from forest (wild) birds to those we associate more with people (bluejays, crows, and english sparrows).We walked and hitchiked from the AT into Erwin (4 or 5 miles), and spent much of the day doing town chores including email and journal updates at the library, food resupply at the store, mailing and receiving letters at the post office. We got a little carried away at the grocery store, and left town carrying enormous packs with lots of heavy fresh and canned food.After getting a ride back out to the trail, we struggled a few miles of steep uphill to the shelter, where we pitched the tent, built a small twig fire, and cooked up four pesto pizzas with sourdough crust on a flat rock over the fire.
Date: 2006-04-30
From: Near Curley Maple Gap Shelter

To: Near Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke to light rain after rain overnight, temps around 50, strong south winds.We set off into the rain, wearing ponchos that cover ourselves and our packs. The rain stopped by mid day, but the temperatures dropped, making for some chilly hiking over Beauty Spot Bald, and up over Unaka Mountain (over 5000'). I started feeling pretty run down, looking forward to taking a zero day tomorrow.After setting the tent up in a beautiful, private spot a little away from the shelter, I noticed that there was a huge, dead, rotten tree, leaning towards our tent and groaning noticeably as the wind swayed it. Not a good place to camp! By the time I'd noticed this, the other tentsites had filled up with other hikers, and we were forced to pitch our tent in a lumpy spot off in the woods. We curled our bodies around the lumps and slept fitfully.
Date: 2006-05-01
From: Near Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Near Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: broken clouds

We had intended to stay put today, but the weather forecast called for nice weather today and rain tomorrow, so we elected to hike on to the next shelter. It was a slow sorry trudge, especially for me, feeling totally out of gas and in need of a zero day. Still, it was a nice, sunny day, and nature had that fresh, glow that everything gets the day after a good rain when the sun comes out again. We passed through one beautiful little meadow that was full of blossoming apple trees and an abundance of dandelions awaiting wild edible foragers like us.At the shelter, we cooked pesto pizzas and baked bread on a stone over a fire, and chatted with other hikers around the fire until fairly late. Lots of hikers here tonight, around 20! Bluebird, a thruhiker from PA, showed us wild ramp onions growing in the woods near the shelter. Cool!
Date: 2006-05-02
From: Near Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Near Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Finally, a zero day!!! It didn't rain as forecast, just sun, clouds, and strong winds. We slept late, ate breakfast, then lunch, went back to sleep for the early afternoon, repaired some gear, looked at plant ID books, took sponge baths, sat out in the woods for awhile, cooked dinner, sat about the fire with other thruhikers after dinner, and back to sleep. A good, lazy, much-needed rest day.
Date: 2006-05-03
From: Near Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Doll Flats
Miles today: 18.6

Woke to cloudy skies, strong north winds. We had a 3000' climb ahead of us up to the top of Roan Mountain. Up and up and up. Near the top, I started dragging, and Jeanne took advantage of our "whoever is fastest gets the tent" rule to take the tent back from me, which I appreciated. It was cold up there on the summit, with winds blowing and our breath visible, and looked like northern Maine, with Spruce, Fir and Yellow Birch trees in abundance. We stopped briefly at the highest summit on the AT at something like 6300', then down 700' to Carvers Gap, up 400' over Round Bald and Jane Bald with great views, down to Stan Murray Shelter to cook Sunch (supper for lunch).After lunch, I started feeling better, and we picked up the pace, up and down to Buckeye Gap, up 700' over Little Hump Bald (more great views of the surrounding mountains and rural towns), down to Bradley Gap around 6:30pm, then 700' up over Hump Bald, down past grazing longhorn cattle (where'd they come from?!), then a few more rock hopping mountain-contouring miles to beautiful Doll Flats, a flat meadow and wood in a gap overlooking a high mountain dairy farm. We ended up climbing a total of 5,400 feet, our highest elevation gain day so far!!! We fell asleep to the singing of dark-eyed juncos, towhees, grosbeaks, and ovenbirds.
Date: 2006-05-04
From: Doll Flats

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 20.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Wahoo!! Our longest day and our first 20 miler of the trail!! Not sure how we did it, but it sure did hurt, especially the last five miles. The day started out warm and sunny, and we climbed up through a beautiful, steep old mountainside dairy farm, called Bishop Hollow, featuring overgrown fields full of wild edible dandelions, burdock, plantains, wild rose bushes, violets, and an enormous abundance of bird and animal life. We're starting to think that the places that have the most abundance and diversity of animal, bird and plant life are old meadows, not virgin forest. What this world would be like if we humans could learn to become caretakers and be part of the natural world, not keep trying to make it all flat, mowed, sprayed lawn!We continued on, down along a river, and then up and down, through afternoon thunderstorms and downpours, stopping only to snack, determined to get to that shelter. It was so nice to come into a dry shelter, change into dry clothes, cook a hot meal and climb into toasty down sleeping bags. The only other shelter occupant was Bluebird, who was decidedly jealous when she heard we were giving eachother much-needed foot rubs. What a day.
Date: 2006-05-05
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Kinkora Hiking Hostel, Hampton, TN
Miles today: 6.1

We slept well, serenaded by the singing of a whipoorwill and a wonderful chorus of Barred Owls talking to eachother near the shelter as the rain pattered down on the shelter roof.Then, a shortish hike down to Kinkora, one of the most famous, friendlies hiking hostels on the AT. During the walk, we ate raw wood nettle leaves (you can do it without getting stung if you are careful!), greenbriar shoots and sassafras leaves. At the hostel, the owners, Bob and Pat Peoples, took great care of us, driving us and other hikers into town for groceries. At the hostel, we took turns with other hikers in taking care of the luxuries of hostel life, hot showers, laundry, fresh food cooked in the kitchen, and conversation from comfortable chairs around the place as the rain came down outside. We cooked up six large baked potatoes and smothered them with refried beans, cheese, butter and salsa, and managed to finish all but half of one. This was quickly gobbled up by the closest hiker at the table. We pitched our tent on a tent platform in the forest up and away from the hostel, where we could sleep undisturbed by late night conversations or snoring hikers, and slept like zombies.
Date: 2006-05-06
From: Kinkora Hiking Hostel, Hampton, TN

To: Beside Laurel Fork River
Miles today: 2.0

We woke to fog and light rain, and took our time eating and packing up at the hostel, before ambling slowly north on the AT. We down-climbed into Laurel Fork Gorge, visited the enormous, rain swollen waterfall there, and walked a narrow stone catwalk at the base of the cliff along the river before finding a nice, pine-needle soft campsite alongside the river. Two miles of hiking, an official "nero" (near zero) day. We spent the afternoon cooking pesto pizza and baking bread on a stone over a twiggy fire, before crawling into the tent.
Date: 2006-05-07
From: Beside Laurel Fork River

To: Near Watauga Dam Road
Miles today: 11.1

We woke to a steady light rain and temps in the 50's. Having just taken a nero day, we couldn't justify (and didn't have enough food for) another zero day. I set up my poncho as a temporary shelter to work under, and we ate and packed up under its minimal protection as the rain dribbled all around us, then put it on and off we went in our ponchos into the deluge.Up 1500' to the viewless summit of Pond Mountain where the rain stopped around noon. We stopped for a quick snack, got chilled, put on dry clothes and continued on to Watauga Lake Shelter where we managed to get a fire going with totally soaked wood, baked bread and cooked an instant potato meal, then continued on into the evening, choosing a campsite around dark near the dam road.
Date: 2006-05-08
From: Near Watauga Dam Road

To: 1 mile past TN highway 91
Miles today: 16.7

Woke to cloudy skies and cool temperatures, had a glimpse of sun towards the end of the day. We foraged our way up onto a dry, rocky, forested ridge overlooking Watauga Lake, chewing on violet leaves, cleavers, new hemlock tree shoots (very lemony), and stopping to harvest a quantity of wood nettles to add to our cooked meal. We spotted flowering magnolia trees, and saw our first mayapple plant flowers today. Our midday stop to bake bread and cook a meal took a long time (2-1/2 hours) due to the wood being so wet. We were happy with our progress for the day.
Date: 2006-05-09
From: 1 mile past TN highway 91

To: 2 miles south of Damascus, VA
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: overcast clouds

We entered Virginia today, our fourth state on the trail! It looks like we'll be in Virginia for a long time.We both felt good physically today, and really churned up some miles today, which was satisfying. Despite that, we still managed to bake bread, harvest nettle greens to cook with our midday meal, and forage on some violet and greenbriar leaves. A good day. Damascus tomorrow.A few hikers passed by our end of the day tentsite, heading for town, many of them wearing Ipod headphones, and in one case, wearing a radio on his backpack blaring music. I totally don't understand how someone can come out on the AT for six months, immerse themselves in this wonderful world full of bird song and whispering wind, and spend their day with headphones in their ears. It's so sad!
Date: 2006-05-10
From: 2 miles south of Damascus, VA

To: The Place, Damascus, VA
Miles today: 1.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Got to Damascus about 10:15, dropped packs off at the Place, and wandered around doing errands - internetting, post office and grocery shopping. We bought lots of food to eat while we were there, and the food we would need for the trail. Eaten immediately outside the grocery store: most of a bag of Garden of Eatin' Red tortilla chips with salsa, an apple each, a banana each, and shared a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream - yum. Bought refried beans, whole wheat flour tortillas, eggs (scrambled 'em) and greens to eat for supper. Stopped at the outfitter shop and started looking for a new pack for Jeanne (not real serious, as I'm still hoping mine will make it through to Maine), and tents (again, just browsing, hoping ours will make it to Maine). Went to bed with full stomachs and happy taste buds.
Date: 2006-05-11
From: The Place, Damascus, VA

To: Intersection of VA Creeper Trail (trestle) and AT
Miles today: 14.0

Didn't get out of town until almost 10:30 - you think your're all organized and ready to go the night before, but it takes longer than you think to get going from town - had to go to the post office again, and saying hellos and good byes to many other through hikers as we walk through town. We also stopped at the outfitters and weighed our packs. There were hikers there before us whose pack weights were 24 lbs and 26 lbs. Our weighed 50 lbs (Linc's), and 43 lbs (Jeanne's), a bit heavier than modern lightweight throughikers, but we eat better! It started to rain as soon as we got off the road and onto the trail - boy these ponchos are real nice. It rained on and off for several hours, and turned very windy. We stopped at Saunders Shelter to cook our supper for lunch, and bake our bread. While there, it poured, and we had thunder and lightening. After our "sunch" and breadbaking, we packed back up and headed out for a few more hours of hiking - it rained a little, but mostly it started to clear up and we saw some sun. Got to our tent site near dark, set up, had our evening snack (breakfast for supper), and hopped into the tent - and it's raining again. Today we saw Rhododendron and Mt. Laurel flowering - pretty.
Date: 2006-05-12
From: Intersection of VA Creeper Trail (trestle) and AT

To: Campsite near Thomas Knob Shelter, Mt. Rogers
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Lots of climbing today - 4,200', but most were gradual climbs. The weather was mostly cloudy (rained when we first woke up, but quit), and we got a few breaks of sun, and now there are stars out. It was cold today, especially the higher we got. We feel like we have reentered early spring, both in terms of the temperature, and the flora we are seeing - blooming spring beauties and trout lilies. We both hiked with our long sleeved shirts on all day, and our gloves on and off all day. It's very windy up here at the Knob, and we are glad we will be sleeping in the tent and not the shelter. Heard winter wrens again today as we got up into the conifer region. Today, Linc found and harvested ramps and wood nettle, which we added to our rice, and made a soup (also had green peppers and mushrooms in it. It was delicious, and really good to have soup on this cold, blustery mountain. Glad to snuggle into our warm sleeping bags.
Date: 2006-05-13
From: Campsite near Thomas Knob Shelter, Mt. Rogers

To: Campsite near Hurricane Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: broken clouds

An absolutely beautiful day today - mostly sunny and warm, but now, just moments after we slipped into our bags in the tent, the oh too familiar sound of rain pattering on the tent has begun again. We had great views from Thomas Knob shelter all along the balds down the five miles to Wise Shelter, and then again shortly after there until the area called the Scales. Great views, lots of rocks to hop over, and many wild horses to see. Last night when Linc went to the water source to get our water, some of the wild horses followed him, expecting a handout, and when we failed to come through, one of them nipped him on the calf. Saw lots of other hikers today - many day hikers, some section hikers, a few northbounders, and quite a few northbounders who are temporarily southbounders, having gotten a shuttle north and are backpacking south back to Damascus for trail days next week end. We again had ramps in our dinner - yum.
Date: 2006-05-14
From: Campsite near Hurricane Mt. Shelter

To: Campsite 1 mile south of Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: light rain

Wanted to get close to Partnership Shelter, and the road to our next resupply, but did not want to sleep at the Shelter. The day started out beautiful and sunny, we were able to eat our lunch for breakfast, and pack up a dry tent. We stopped at a stream to pump water about a mile from our tentsite, and about five minutes after we left there, we heard thunder rumbling in the distance, and dark, dark clouds were moving in. We decided to stop and drape our rain ponchos over our packs to be ready for when the rain hit. Linc helped me get mine over my pack, and just as I finished helping him straighten his over his pack, the skies opened up and it hailed and poured - we were just in the nick of time. It rained and thundered on and off until about 4:00 p.m., then just mostly cloudy and cool. Today we saw Mayapples flowering. Last night after we settled in, we could hear a Veery saying his good nights to the day, and he was calling again welcoming the new day this morning. Tonite at our campsite, we have several wood thrushes and a whip-poor-will.