morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-02-27
From: Springer Mountain

To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Great first day on the trail. Got dropped off by my parents and a family friend walked the first two miles with me. Got some good photographs at the top of Springer Mtn. Hiked the first 5 miles quickly and then metfour students from Goshen (sp.?) College in Indiana, a Mennonite school. There was Matt, Henry, Micah, and Martin.Great guys who are Spring Break and doing part of the AT. Morning was cloudy and cool, but the cloud cover burned off andit was warm and sunny. Highs in the mid-sixties. Climbed some nice mountains. Only one good view but the trail was still exciting.Met several other thru-hikers: Skittles, Foster, August, Jake (no trailname), 2Gs, and Two Trees. I don't have a trail name yet.Army Rangers are in the area. Apparently there is a base nearby,and they frequently use the area for war games. Today we've heardautomatic gunfire, and just about an hour ago we heard whatsomeone said was a percussion grenade. Should be an interesting evening.In a tent tonight. Shelter is kind of full. Big day tomorrow. I'm climbingBlood Mountain.Shout-out to the Milford NGC staff and students for all their love.
Date: 2012-02-28
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Neel's Gap
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Another great day on the trail. Sunny and high in the mid-sixties. Woke up early and got packed up quickly. Had pop tarts for breakfast and then hit the trail. Hiked solo for most of the day. Ran into Easy Turtle, Hot Sauce, and Foo Fighter(who looks like Dave Grohl). Hiked up Blood Mountain. Beautiful views. I'm staying the night in a hostel at Mountain Crossings, an outfitter literally right on the trail. About ten thru-hikers here tonight.Going to make a big push tomorrow and try to hike 18 miles tomorrow.
Date: 2012-02-29
From: Neel's Gap

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light rain

Made it to Blue Mountain Shelter around 4:30 p.m. The miles weren't too bad. Started hiking this morning with Jake from Boston. The weather called for rain all day, but it only misted on us. We hiked in the clouds all day. Jake and I hiked the first eleven miles by 12:30. Then had lunch at a shelter and Patches and Gutsy (two of the few women all the trail). The four us hiked the rest of the way to Blue Mountain Shelter. Gutsy has thru-hiked before in 1996, so her presence has been great. She's been polite and answered all my questions. Also here in the shelter tonight is Standing Bear, Bull, and Andrew from VA. Andrew hiked over 23 miles today and is trying to finish by early June. And I thought my plans were ambitious. So far the hiking hasn't been too tiring. I'm nursing two blisters, one on each foot. The guys at the outfitter showed me a lacing technique. The good news is that the blisters didn't get worse today. Today I used moleskin, but tomorrow I'm going to just use duct tape.So far the trail has been exciting. Challenging but not overwhelming. Hoping my feet hold up. Tonight we've got a big storm that is supposed to hit around 1 a.m. It's a massive front stretching from Alabama to Maryland. Apparently it spawned tornadoes in the midwest. Glad I've got an iPhone with weather and radio apps.Tomorrow is another big day. Going to make the push to Dick's Creek Gap. About 18.8 miles. Hoping to stay at the Blueberry Patch, a hiker hostel run by two Christians.Thanks to everyone who is posting on my guestbook. Your encouragement means a lot.William (still no trail name)
Date: 2012-03-01
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: clear sky

Hiked a tough 18 miles today. Three big climbs: Rocky Mtn., Tray Mtn., and Kelly's Knob. The last climb seemed endless. Hiked with Jake from Boston and Patches. Jake is currently entertaining three potential trail names: Ziplock (he made a big mess with his dinner in a ziplock bag), Loat and Found (his propensity to lose things and then find them five minutes later), or Youngblood (he's nineteen). Since I'm 35, we make an odd couple.Supposed to stay the night at the Blueberry Patch, but the place isn't open. So the three of us are splitting a room at the Budget Motel in Hiwassee, GA. Ate dinner at a nice all you can eat buffet. Tomorrow we enter North Carolina.
Date: 2012-03-02
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

Apologies for the late update. Couldn't get service for long enough with Verizon in Nantahala National Forest. Now it's Sunday, and I'm in Franklin, NC. I've just now heard about all the devastation that tornadoes caused in Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, among others. My prayers are with the families of the victims and those who lost so much.Here's what happened on Friday, March 2nd:Hiked with Jake and Patches. Got a ride from the motel shuttle to the trailhead by a really nice guy named T.J. Humid day. Temps in the upper fifties. Hiked 4.6 miles to Plum Orchard Shelter to change socks and rehydrate. Started to rain hard about an hour before we crossed the state line in North Carolina. At the state line I let out a big old rebel yell. I finished my first state. Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina! Decided not to take a picture in the rain.The first couple miles of the trail in North Carolina seemed like they were straight up. The climb up Courthouse Bald was the steepest climb I've had so far.Eventually the trail settled down and leveled out. Stayed at Muskrat Creek Shelter with Jake and Patches. Also there were Old Boots, Malar, and Oatmeal Cake. We knew there was the potential for severe weather on Friday night. I was able to get service on my iPhone for about ten minutes and I saw the tornadoes on the radar. They weren't far from us, just aacross the state line in TN. We convinced Patches to join us in the shelter. The storms came in two waves. The first wave hit around ten o'clock and the second wave hit around 1 a. m. Strong winds and lots of rain and lightning. But everyone was okay.
Date: 2012-03-03
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: clear sky

Hiked a big day since I hadn't made it to where I wanted the previous night. Got an early start and hiked solo. Climbed Standing Indian Mtn. Long climb with gradual switchbacks allowed me to move fast. On the way up the mountain I thought of my trail name: Bluegrass. I think it's appropriate because I grew up in Kentucky, the Bluegrass State. When people ask where I'm from, I say Kentucky. Plus I'm a big Wildcat fan! Go Cats!Shortly after getting to the top of Standing Indian Mtn. I ran into Irish Charm and Falling Turtle. Later that day I ran into Rambo and Little John. Also ran into Easy Strider later that day. Climbed Albert Mtn. Steep climb but interesting. At the top was a firetower that offered clear views for at least 100 miles. Best view of the trip.Tented at Big Spring Shelter. Jake met me there. Little John showed up a little later. Met two section hikers named Jack and Raven. Made a nice fire. Great day.
Date: 2012-03-04
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: broken clouds

Got real cold last night. Maybe mid-twenties. Coldest night on the trail so far. Hiked in a strong wind with Jake to Winding Stair Gap and hitched into Franklin. Staying at the Microtel. Patches showed up later. Very clean. Nice place. Here to resupply and do laundry. NOC in two days. Also had our first experience with trail blessings. A previous thru-hiker named Gingersnap left chocolate cupcakes and cookies hanging on a rope system for thru-hikers headed into Franklin.
Date: 2012-03-05
From: Franklin, NC

To: Burningtown Gap
Miles today: 15.1

Easy day. Woke up at the Microtel in Franklin. Grabbed some food at the free breakfast. Then hiked the two miles to the Franklin post office. Afterward Patches, Jake, and I got a ride from Nancy and Mike, who belong to the Nantahala Hiking Club, to the trailhead at Winding Stair Gap. We started hiking around 9:30. The temp. was in the low 40s, but the high winds (15-25 mph) made it seem like it was in the 30s. Clear skies. Hiked up to Wayah Bald and saw amazing views. Ran into a thru-hiker named Odd Bird. Late in the day the three of us decided to spend the night in a hostel since the temps. were going to be in the high teens that night. So we stayed in this brand new hostel named Aquone Hostel. Very nice and clean. Deluxe accommodations for a hostel. The place is run by Maggie and Steve Bennett, a couple from Manchester, England.
Date: 2012-03-06
From: Burningtown Gap

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC)
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: clear sky

Another gorgeous, cloudless day. Temps in the high fifties/ low sixties. Met up with Gutsy at the hostel last night, so the four of us hiked together. Had views for 50 miles at Wesser Bald. Then hiked down into the Nantahala Gorge. I've spent a lot of time over the years canoeing the Nantahala River (class II-III), so it's great tone back. We're staying at the hiker hostel here, so that makes three nights in a row where we've slept indoors. Never mind, I'll be entering the Smoky Mountains in two days. Ran into Little John on the way down into the gorge. Plus we found Andrew, who's taking a couple of zero days here to rest his ailing shins. We all ate some great food at River's End restaurant. Definitely recommend!Feet are holding up. I'm liking my new Superfeet insoles. Blisters have healed. Tomorrow Jake and I are splitting off from Patches and trying for a big 23 mile day. Weather looks good. Thanks to everyone for the positive encouragement.
Date: 2012-03-07
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC)

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Again there was no Verizon service for the last several days so sorry for the delay. Jake and I left the NOC around 7:30 a.m. We had planned to do a big day, and we had our first 3,000 ft. climb today, Cheoh Bald. The climb to Cheoah Bald was about seven miles, and we did it in a little under three hours. Didn't see anyone else on the trail today except for some section hikers at the first shelter. Overall tough day. We both had sore feet by the time we got to the shelter.Jake built a fire really quick using some dead hemlock twigs. Spent a quiet night at the shelter.Btw, Jake has a trail name: Achilles. He gave himself that named because one of his ankles is particularly troublesome although I think he's recovered quite nicely from his ankle sprain.
Date: 2012-03-08
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up to a partly cloudy day. Highs were in the fifties. Achilles and I hiked the seven miles down to Fontana Lake. We got the shuttle over to Fontana Village, but unfortunately the General Store and outfitter were not yet open. These stores were actually supposed to open the next day. Achilles picked up a mail drop at the Fontana Resort and we stopped at a convenience store named The Pit Stop for reapply. Picked up some Ramen noodles, poptarts, and a Power Bar. We also had some pizza for lunch. Got dropped back off at the marina and didn't skip the 1.8 miles to Fontana Dam. A lot of thrus skip this part of the trail either inadvertently or intentionally. We got the forecast: a big rain storm wax headed out way. Talked to a ranger before heading into the Smokies. He told us that more thru-hikers quit after trying to hike up Shuckstack mountain. Achilles and I hiked up the mountain with no problem. We're starting to get our trail legs.Made it into the shelter before the rain hit. We were joined by two other thrus: Tater Tot and Big B. They're buddies from Destin, FL. Both in their late thirties. I've certainly met a lot of interesting people on the trail. Almost all with few exceptions have been polite and friendly. There've been some thru-hikers that would certainly fall into the hippie group, but most are just ordinary people who want to hike the trail. Almost all the thru-hikers I've met are makes. Only three female hikers that I've come across. I've only met one non-white hiker, a black man named August, who is a former soldier in the US army. Ages vary though most thru-hikers are in their twenties and single. I've met men as old as seventy attempting a thru-hike. Most are college graduates or are currently in school. This is an educated group. Some are married and have left behind spouses and children.
Date: 2012-03-09
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

It rained all night. We have been so blessed with the precipitation coming at night. Woke up to a completely fogged in mountain. Winds were gusting 15-25. Temps right around 40. Felt like 30. Tough morning. Basically followed the ridge line. When we climbed Thunderhead Mtn., we started to see signs of the clouds breaking up. By afternoon the clouds left and the sky was clear. Still a very brisk day. We made it to Double Spring Gap Shelter just before 5. At that point Achilles and I had hiked 19.2 miles. I decided to push on to Mt. Collins Shelter so that I could attempt to hitch into Gatlinburg the next morning and make it to the post office before it closed. So I ascended Clingman's Dome at sunset. Didn't go to the overlook tower. I wanted to get down the mountain with as much lIght as possible because the trail was icy. I made it to Mt. Collins Shelter just before eight. Basically the last 45 minutes I used my headlamp to hike. No one was at the shelter except for a mouse. Made dinner and was horizontal in an hour. About ten o'clock I heard a coyote directly in front of the shelter. There was a tarp covering the entrance, so I couldn't see the coyote, but I definitely heard him. I shouted at him after he did his coyote yelp, and then he yelped again. I heard his friend not too far away, so I shouted again. Same effect. The coyote didn't leave and the friend appeared closer. So I jumped out of my sleeping bag and grabbed one of my trekking poles uncertain if I was going to have to defend myself or chase them away with my pole. By the time I pulled back the tarp, they were gone. Would be lying if I said I wasn't scared. Never encountered coyotes in the wild. Needless to say, I had trouble falling asleep. Wasn't bothered by the shelter mouse. Just kept praying that the coyotes wouldn't return.
Date: 2012-03-10
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Coyotes never did return. Got a few hours of sleep. Some up around 5:45 an was on the trail by 6:20. Prayed about a ride from Newfound Gap down into Gatlinburg, and I got picked up by a Christian man within 10 minutes. He brought me all the way to the post office. He even offered to give me money, but I declined. As soon as I walked into the post office, another man approached me and asked me if I was hiking the trail. He offered to wait for me and then drove me to my hotel. What blessings!Stayed at the Family Inn Motel. Okay. Jake got in around 3. Watched UK beat UF. Did laundry and grocery.
Date: 2012-03-12
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Tri-corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

So my day started at the hotel. I hiked the 1.5 miles to Sugarlands Visitor Center where I hoped I would have an easier time hitch hiking to Newfound Gap. Within 10 minutes I got a ride from a professor at Virginia State who was on vacation and heading into the Smokies to do some hiking. The professor was able to get me 2/3 of the way there, and then another Christian couple picked me up because it looked like it was going to rain When I got to the top the trail was fogged in. Some light rain fell. It was my first day in my trail runners. I shipped my boots ahead to Hot Springs. I was hoping that I would feel a difference, but the only difference was that my feet got wet when i stepped in puddles. The trail through the Smokies has been really wet.Stopped at Peck's Corner Shelter for lunch. Terrain was fairly flat for the Smokies. No climbs more than fifteen minutes. Lots of up and down ridge walking. No views because of the clouds. Saw some day-hikers but no thrus. Around 3 p.m. I made it to Tri-corner Knob Shelter. I had designs on making it another 7.6 miles to Cosby Knob, but I ran into Big Band Tater Tot, two thru-hikers I had met previously in the Smokies. They're both in my age bracket, so we hit it off immediately. Catching up with those two was fun, and then it started to rain, so I decided to stay after hiking only 15 miles.In the shelter were several Spring Breakers. Two students from Iowa University and two German students who were grad. students in electrical engineering at Purude. Then around 6 p.m. 9 Texas A&M students showed up plus two more thru-hikers, Flow and Veggie, both really nice guys. In total we had 18 people in the shelter.
Date: 2012-03-13
From: Tri-corner Knob Shelter

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 25.3
Weather: light rain

It rained last night, and we were hoping that all the rain would stop by morning. Didn't happen. Shortly after waking, the skies opened up and it poured. Four of the thrus including me waited for about 45 minutes hoping it would stop. Eventually, we just tired of waiting and headed out into the rain. I had on my rain jacket and rain pants and pack cover, but my feet became soaked within 5 minutes because I was wearing trail runners instead of my boots. At first I tried to avoid puddles and stading water on the trail, but after 15 minutes it didn't matter anymore. It rained for three straight hours. Sometimes heavy and sometimes light. The trail was literally a stream in some places. Really the hardest part if my journey so far. I was really regretting my decision to switch to trail runners. Your feet start to hurt more quickly with wet socks, and my socks were saturated. At one point I stopped at a shelter and rung them out.Hiked around 15 miles to get our of the Smokies, and I was so happy to leave that foggy, soggy place. Only one half-day of good views and the rest of the time in the clouds and rain.About the time I left the park, the Rain stopped and the sun came out and the weather changed for the better. I took a nice leisurely lunch at the edge of the park, and dried most of my gear out. My trail runners almost completely dried out in 45 minutes, but my wool socks were another story. I changed into a totally dry pair of socks later in the day when I was climbing Snowbird Mtn. Ran into a section hiker named Darryl. He's headed to Pennsylvania. He started on Feb. 16th.I've been passing most people on the trail. I'm in good shape, like to push hard, try to do big mileage, and am traveling with a pretty light pack, though not as light as some. But the biggest reason I'm catching people is because I have a deadline. I'm trying to finish by mid-July at the latest. My biggest regret is that I didn't give myself more time. Would have liked to have scheduled this for six months. I think that would greatly improve my chances of making it to Katadhin.Last night I shared the shelter with 17 other people. Tonight it's just me at Groundhog Creek Shelter. Tomorrow is supposed to be a glorious day for weather.
Date: 2012-03-14
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 26.2
Weather: few clouds

Made it to the Iron Horse Hotel in Hot Springs, NC. Marathon day. Hiked 26.2 miles. Started around 7:40 a.m. and arrived in Hot Springs around 6:15 p.m. Three big climbs, the toughest of which was early in the day when I hiked to Max Patch Summit, a bald top. Got some awesome views. Took some pics.Before I go any further, it's hard to type with an iPhone. So any grammatical or spelling errors should be excused. This is a first draft stream of conciousness type journal.Met a large Spring Break contingent fromAppalachian State headed down from Max Patch Summit. And there were females in the group. Something you rarely see on the A.T. Later I passed a father daughter team out for Spring Break. Trail was dry today. I loved it compared to yesterday. Highs were in the mid-seventies, which is a bit warm for March in NC. At least it's not snow. Happy to have made it this far. Thanking God for my health. Shared dinner with Achilles. He made it here a day before me.Thanks to everyone who responds to my journal. Ms. Hockzema, I'm not quite educated enough to identify the wildlife around me, except for the obvious. Lots of ferns in the Smokies. In terms of animals, I've seen squirrels, insects, and lots of blue jays.
Date: 2012-03-15
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Amazing day. Had a good night's rest at the Iron Horse. Headed over to the Smoky Mountain Restaurant for some breakfast. Thought I was ordering a manageable size breakfast, but it turned out to be too enormous for even hiker hunger. Then headed over to Post Office to pick up resupply. Mailed some extra food ahead to Damascus. And I mailed home some extra gear. Yeah, my pack weight is dropping!After post office, I met four thru-hikers that I had been chasing for two weeks. There's Spoon, the only Asian guy on the trail and from Louisville, KY. He's a U of L grad. Moses, from Austin, TX. He hikes in Chaco Sandals; hence the name Moses. Moses just got accepted to Columbia Med. School. Headed there in the fall. These are smart folks on the trail. Almost all college grads. Also met Green Bean, the fourth female thru-hiker I've met. She travels with her dog Fern. They're fromNH. And finally, Huckleberry, fromBoone, NC. He's a UNC grad. This foursome was great to hike with. Extremely friendly and welcoming. Fine folks. Forgot to mention that I ran into Achilles, Diesel, and the Kid last night at the restaurant. They left town at sunrise.Hiking was great today. Lots of climbing, which usually happens when you leave a town. Highs were in the upper seventies. Didn't think I would more than ten miles because of my marathon day yesterday but wound up hiking around 18 miles.With about five miles left to hike, our group of five encountered the most magnificent form of trail blessing. At a road crossing, there was a sign pinned to a tree that invited thru-hikers to walk about 350 yards down the road for food galore. We only hesitated one second before we set off down the road. We walked up a driveway to gorgeous log cabin style home and were invited in by two former thru-hikers who lived just about 1/4 mile from the trail. They fed us Belgian waffles, corn bread, beef stew, and ice cream sundaes. I could only handle the waffle and the stew because I was still trying to work off my breakfast and lunch, but everyone else pigged out.At the end of the meal the couple shared their testimony about being Christian. They basically have set up a ministry for hikers. Everyone in our group was polite, even several of them later said they would never be Christians. But everyone understood that their intentions were good. I was very moved and am happy this couple is ministering to thru-hikers.After the meal and many heartfelt thanks, we returned to the trail and hiked the last 4.9 miles. The last hour was in the dark but we had headlamps. The shelter was full, so I pitched tent. It rained for about an hour and a half, but I stayed dry in my tent. At the campsite I met two new thrus: Roaming Dude and Murdock. Murdock is from Boone, WV, so we immediately hit it off telling WV stories.
Date: 2012-03-16
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 21.5
Weather: light rain

Very tired today. Two big climbs. I'm somewhat familiar with this section of trail because I hiked it this last December. Chose to hike by myself all day. Yesterday, I went too fast, and today I wanted to pray and hike own pace. Made it to the shelter and found it full again. Set up my tent and quickly cooked my dinner because a thunderstorm was coming. Got everything done before the storm but some of the thrus were eating dinner when the storm hit. I helped out as best I could to help everyone get their chores done before the storm.Now I'm in my tent. Dry. Worst of the storm has passed. I used my weather radar app. on my iPhone to see his bad the storm was. Good thing I have Verizon and a strong signal. Good night.