morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-03-31
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

ESD: 0 ZERO!Temp: Cool (3,2) Raingear, Long underwear, fleece, and glovesIt snowed while we slept, dusting everthing with heavy, wet white. Though I am usually the last hiker, I managed to hike ahead of the rest this morning. I put the first prints in the snow and broke through the delicate skains of spider web stretched avross the trail with heavy snow crystals caught in the web.I imagined a spider couple at the base of the web, looking out at the saptured snow crystals: "I think we caught one Maude"               "Now, Earl. That ain't lunch, that's just snow"Earl Skips down the web toward the white mass.               "Earl!"As we decended, the snow turned to rain, and we were well satisfied to reach standing Bear Farm hostel.This is a great place to be for the night when it's pouring down rain. Slick, Yurtle, Moonshine, and Tumbling Joe are here with me. I think it will be a quiet (not including the snoring) night tonight. If it's still raining in the morning it will be difficult to press on.
Date: 2004-04-01
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: light rain

ESD: 0Temp: COLD-full raingear and long underwear.To all of you behind desks or otherwise completely unfamiliar with backpacking, I walked 7.2 miles today up 2,500 feet and down 1,300 feet, carrying a nearly 30 pound pack through rain and snow!To all of you familiar with backpacking, who may have even blown by me this morning, I just walked 7.2 miles today. The next shelter is 11.4 miles away, the weather is W.E.T., and I haven't the legs for 11 more miles or the savy to camp in the rain and snow.With that, let me say, before I forget:1)Standing Bear Farm was great. i highly recommend the hostel. Our hosts were far more than hospitable, the location was lovely, the facilities cozy and creative, and the company great.I shared the bunk house with Slick (former accountant, "never gonna work behind a desk again", 50-something), Moonshine, Yurtle (who's walking big, big miles), and Tumbling Joe. Tumbling Joe is an incredibly friendly, happy guy with the biggest blister I've ever seen in my life. I'm not talking about quarter size blisters. I'm talking about 4 quarters! HUGE. Curtis from Standing Bear Farm dubbed him "Mr. Foot." 2) The AT is B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. in dense fog blanketed in heavy snow. I walked with Slick today, out of early spring into winter and back into spring again. Visibilty had to be less than 20 feet, but there were more crystaline marvels in that 20 feet that anyone could begin to count. 3) There are some serious advantages to being tall. you can reach the top shelf, you have a long stride, and you can eat more. There are also advanges to being short. you can duck under the snow laden branches that dump snow down the backs of taller companions. Poor Slick. 4) The shelter is FULL tonight. The book says that this cruddy little shelter sleeps 6. We have eight. The thermarests are lined up edge to edge. there are 7 guys-the average age has to be over 45, probably over 50-and me. They are Long Shot (From Maine), Rumbler, Toe-ritis, Footloose (from day 1), Slick, Kea, and Kakapo (?). The last two are from New Zealand. 5) Everyone seems to like my name (Semicolon) initially, but isn't sure how to respond to the reason for it. It is a lesson for us all that diseased peoplel ike me are running around meeting challenges everyday! 6) Dried Michigan cherries rule.
Date: 2004-04-02
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Rearing Fork Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: snow

ESD: 1Temp: Cold-- raingear, long underwear and glovesSlick and I are sharing the shelter with Mr. Grumpy Pants and Mr. Flatulence, which could, indeed, be, and is, the same person. I gave him his name. He doesn't know.Mr. Grumpy Pants has been laid up here at the shelter with an injury. I hope he doesn't speak again for 16 hours.Today we climbed back up into winter and it may have been just as beautiful as yesterday. I couldn't really tell you though. the wind was blowing snow PELLETS sideways and up. I hardly lifted my eyes from the ground. There were a few breaks from the wind-- on the lee side of the mountains and in the tunnels of rhododendrons.Slick waited for me today, which had to have been a cold wait. He said that today was not a good day to walk alone. So whether he was doing it for me, himself, or both, I'm glad we walked together. The trail was slippery and crossing Max Patch felt perilous.ax Patch is a high bald and the winds were ripping across it blowing ice and snow so that visibility was very short. we climbed a set of "stairs" to the patch, and just as we reached the top, we were nearly blown off our feet. The wind ripped my pack cover off. I didn't even see or feel it go.We had difficulty finding the trail marked by a series of posts. We chouldn't see from one post to the next. Just as I suggested we turn back, Slick found the trail and we forged ahead. It was hardly life threatening, but the circumstances were such that I was VERY GRATEFUL to follow Slick's footsteps.According to the shelter register, the same walk I completed today is easy and the view from Max Patch is spectacular on a nice weather day. As it was today, however, I was tuckered out when we arrived.Plus, my fingers and feet were wet and cold from a fall. Yes! I finally fell in a creek on a cold day when it was snowing. ARGH!Mr. Grumpy Pants just spoke again. He's intolerable.
Date: 2004-04-03
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Spring, NC--Duckett House
Miles today: 14.9

ESD: 0Temp: Cold to Mild, full rain gear and long under to just long underwear.We climbed Walnut Mountain and Bluff Mountain in 4 inches of slush then descended rapidly into Hot Springs and a beautiful day.Hot Springs is a great little twon with one of everything. One grocery, one outfitter, one pub, and so on. It was "put on the map" by its natural hot springs and the wealthy folks who visited them in the early 20th century. It is a hiker town now. A sign in the laundromat says, "please stay dressed . . ." I guess so hikers wash ALL their clothes at once I'm staying at the Duckett House, a great bed and breakfast at the hiker rate. It's twice as much as the hostel, but immeasurably more comfortable. We've reunioned with many speedier hikers who "zeroed" here--Moonshine, Mountain Man, Mo, Hoplight and more. The town is full of hikers and most of the reasonably priced rooms are taken.True to his fatherly form, Slick continues to keep an eye on me. He paid for my dinner tonight and walked home with me from the Paddlers Pub well after dark.Dinner at the Bridgestreet Cafe was great, plus we go free dinner from the owner who we met on the trail. Trail magic! if only I drank beer!A blues band played at the Paddler's pub. I got some dancing in with some old guy bent on pressing his luck. Hiw antics were funny . . . knowing I'll be leaving him behind.I will zero tomorrow. Looking forward to the rest.
Date: 2004-04-04
From: Hot Spring, NC--Duckett House

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

ESD: 0Temp: Chilly with the wind (long underwear, fleece and rain jacket)I'm sitting in the Smoky Mountain Diner and must be invisible. This ticks me off. I'm starting the countdown. Just got some help. Ugh.My first zero day. It is a bit strange. Not like vacation. not like a lazy weekend. But it does feel lazy. And lazy feels alarmingly good. And anything that is "alarmingly" so isn't relaxing. It's got me wondering what in the sam hell I am doing. As with anything, it's easier to pursue one's goals with blinders and without interuption, but we are rarely well served to seek without vision.So here I am, with all kinds of vision, wishing my butt were next to my boyfriend's butt on my sofa at home.Speaking of buts, the men on the trail are dropping weight like money falls out of your pockets in New York City. That is, in tens and twenties. me, I don't think I've dropped any weight at all. My appetite kicked in right away and now is in overdrive. Grrr.I attribute this to a) the general phisiology of women, aimed at sustaining the specis. Think about it. b) years and years of training at the dinner table.Here is a sample from my trail menu:Breakfast:   two packets of oatmealSnacks/lunch: two Milkyway bars            two cliff barsDinner:      one pack ramen laced with dehydrated vegies and TVPDesert:      one Milkyway barNote the following:1) This is not healthy and 2) double it in town. I was taking one vitamin a day. I've bumped it up to three, including calcium.If I am losing weight, it's in my butt and legs. I may smell like a man, be hairy like a man, and even be shaped like a man by the end of this-- so much for the "unexpected" (and surley hoped for) side effect of ending the trail gorgeous.
Date: 2004-04-05
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

ESD: 0Temp: Chilly (long underwear and rain jacket)Calories: Lots + 1375I weighed myself at Bluff Mountain Outfitters and confirmed (more or less) that I haven't lost a single pound! Ah! Not a single stinkin' pound!. Let me remind you that I am a girl. Hello. This matters.Now, that's not to say I haven't noticed a change in the shape of my body, but I've nevertheless decided to count calories, literally. I'm not going to "count calories". I have no intention of limiting my consumption with the exception of limiting it to what I can carry, but I'll be keeping track. This morning, I had a HUGE breakfast at the Duckett House and don't knowo the count - probably don't really want to.The walk today was a nice one. We climbed 2000 feet under sunny skies with a chill wind. We climbed once again out of spring into chillier weather, but were nevertheless treated with wild flowers.Now here's the thing. I've never really given a hoot about wild flowers. But the ground is a lot of what I see, and those bits of flashing color have taken on a whole new meaning - brilliance. And I can't name species. If I could I might tell you that the candied ewe's ears and the cotton palms were blooming. But this would be meaningless to anyone remotely like me. FYI: these names are meaningless.So to remeber what I saw, I have to describe it. There were 7 petaled white flowers about as big as my thumbnail. 7 whole petals seems extravagant campared to the 4 and 5 petaled variety. But the center was a stingy green. I also saw 4 petaled, tiny blue flowers. The bloom was no bigger than the trimmed nail of my pinky finger. And I saw purple flowers - crayola purple. Just before they blooming, they're heads hang. But when they bloom, they turn their heads up like smiling shy children. Breathtaking. If I were to name a flower a "violet" this would be the one.
Date: 2004-04-06
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

ESD: 1Temp: Chilly to Warm to ColdCalories: 2300 (I ought to be a waif!)Early in the day ...Prepare yourself because I'm in a sour mood. I'm walking alone today to spare us all.Let me first say that the AT is a social trail, just as it's been described a million times. It's full of wonderful folks - hikers, thruhikers, trail maintenance crews, B&B owners, and so on. These folks whose happy, king company I truly enjoy are the same folks who make me a bit nutty.I am in a pack of men. All are truly lovely folks. But why must they all get up at 6 am and bolt to the next shelter. It's like hitting 60 between two red lights. And why ... o why ... do I even care.   Most of the hikers are men - older white men. And I've got nothing against them. Love them. But bluntly, this crowd is not diverse. I have met a few women, but there aren't enough of them. WOMEN! THROW OFF YOUR BURDENS. ADVENTURE IS YOURS. IT IS NOT THE REEEALM OF MEN ALONE. JOIN ME!Late in the day ...I recovered from my lousy mood for a while today and really enjoyed the beautiful warm weather at the lower elevations (<4000 feet). I hiked in shorts and a t-shirt all afternoon and wore them even when there was snow on the ground.Hiking became tough after 9 miles, a steep climb, mud, and slush slowed me down. But my dreadfully sloggin was rewarded with a fabulous ridgeline fewer. It brought an easy smile to my face and tears to my eyes.But upon leaving the ridgeline, I was spent. I instead fought back weary tears of frustration. I was cold, hungry, exhausted, and lonely. After the ridgeline, the trail rolled easily of small hills. But as I crested one hill after another and saw to the crest of the next hill with no shelter in between, I lost it. I threw a tantrum - a fit. Pack off. Poles flyin'. Hollering profanities at the the mountains.I arrived at the shelter exhausted and grumpy. I can hardly believe that I have planned to hike 14 + miles tomorrow. I must be mad.
Date: 2004-04-07
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: overcast clouds

ESD:2Temp: WarmCalories: 2600 (svelt, I tell ya. I ought to be svelt!)Mismash of topics todayMENTAL STATEI contiued to be grumpy for the first 6 miles but I eventually came aroundSHELTER GRINCHFor those of you who might be wondering, the shelter grinch survived. I saw him inHot Springs just as I was leaving town. A day hiker found him limping along the trail and helped him out. The grinch is in much better spirits for obvious reasons, and planning to continue on to Erwin, TN. Now he still wasn't moving so well, but he had plans to go on ... I hope he doesn't find himself holed up in anoter shelter.INJURED FRIENDSSpeaking of injured folks, Tumbing Joe is heading home with a fractured foot. His gargantuan blister was a symptom and not the ailment. He needs to take 6 weeks off, but we all hope to see him back out on the trail. He may flip flop (start at Katahdin) or get back on the trail in Virginia after he has healed.PLANT LIFEThe forest floor was covered in white 5 petaled flowers, their green leaves just barely peeking out from under the leaf litter. Thee petals were varigated with violet. Some were so richly varigated that they seems to blush while others were so delicately varigated you could see it only on inspection.HUMAN BEHAVIORHere's something to think about. Brian at the Duckett House told us that the locals hunt bear. They do it with dogs with radio collars. The dogs corner the bear, the hunters find the dogsby radio signal (probably on ATVs ... eating bonbons) and shoot the bear. It seems to me that they've take the "sport" out of "sportsman" and turned "hunting", which implies seeking, into plain old killing.Even more despicable is that sometimes, according to Brian, they chain up the bear (how I can't imagine) and let the dogs attack the bear as a training exercise. If you ask me, and if you keep reading you're asking, this "training" is merely a facade for grotesque pleasure.Now this could all be false, but not beyond imagination.
Date: 2004-04-08
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Spivey Gap
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: overcast clouds

ESD: 4Temp: Warmish (shorts and t-shirt with exertion)Calories: 2750Holy snoring! By 3 am last night I couldn't take it anymore. I left the shelter and put up my tent and slept peacefully for 3 hours. Earplugs, you say? Right. Those things get NASTY right quick and fall out if they're not touching in the middle.I left my fine hiking companion at the Bald Mountain Shelter. He's pacing himself to meet his wife who reportedly "wants him all to herself". Woo Hoo.It's sad to quit such good company, but I'm sure our paths will cross again. The walk was nice today. Big Bald was just a described, huge with 360 degree views. Countless panaoramas to remind us why we call it the BLUE ridge.I am camping at Spivey Gap with Footloose, Rumbler, and Happy Feet. The gap ios "well" used. In fact, some weekend warrior/day hiker/thru-hiker/backpacker pooped right next to the water source. Go ahead. Ask me how I found it! Stepped in human poo! GROSS. To that idiot and others like you, I say GO HOME YOU F***ING MORON!!!!! To those of you only slightly less guilty, disgusting pigs - burying your poo in shallow holes - I say, get yourself a one ounce trowel and dig a freaking six inch hole and poo in it!
Date: 2004-04-09
From: Spivey Gap

To: Uncle Johnny's
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

ESD: 0Temp: WARMCalories: 3000 ish (so I could be a little chubby)ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARYI can't believe the freaking snoring. I can't begin to imagine not just WHY but HOW wonem manage to live with these monsters.   I'm a fairly peaceful person, but want to toss the newest Mr. Snorey Pants in my life out on his ear - alone in the cold. O. And just as I pen these words a masterful snoring cohort chimes. Two of them holy hell.I'm staying at Uncle Johnny's a place that was supposedly removed from the AT guide books because the host was so inhospitable. Miss Janet's Janet's was full. So far, this place has been great. Clean, reasonably priced, convenient, comfortable, and great company. I haven't met the owner's, but Hillbilly, a hiker whose running the hostel is super.There's a belligerent sort of rivalry amongst the hostels in town. I don't know the stories, don't want to, but I'm sure there's a lot of history.But whatever .... Uncle Johnny's has been great for me. I hope others who follow have a good experience too.
Date: 2004-04-10
From: Uncle Johnny's

To: Curley Maple Gap
Miles today: 4.2
Weather: overcast clouds

ESD: 0Temp: warm (shorts and shirt)Calories: gazillionsIt was hard to leave the fun crew at Uncle Johnny's- Hillbilly, Harmony, Whetstone, Numbas, Long Shot, and Hop Light- but I'm glad to be back on the trail. I'm elated to be walking just 12 miles tomorrow rather than 16.I've chosen my stopping point, so that I can return to Michigan for my brilliant boyfriends graduation from U of M's School of Natural Resources and Environment. It's lit a fire under my butt. The sooner I get to va 16, the sooner I see my bebe.The shelter is full tonight, but not "roll on each other" full. Wolf Winer is here-- a cool 30 something I met at the hostel. Shenabi (sp?), another thruhiker is here too. Plus, there are 3 weekend packpackers which includes a man that miraculously knows everything. My favorite.Today was a good day-- wonderful conversations with hikers and with my far away lover, lots of laughter, and a great short hike. My spirits are high and will hopefully sustain me through a rainy 5 day forecast.
Date: 2004-04-11
From: Curley Maple Gap

To: Cherry Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: moderate rain

ESD: 1 (if I'm wearing my walking clothes)Temp: warm if you're movingCalories: 2200I'm at Cherry Gap Shelter with a full house with three thruhikers-- Wold Wind, Shinobi, and Slick-- Plus 2 section hikers, Mike and John. It's a nice crew. Mike is super industrious and made us all hot tea, coffee, adn cocoa. Ym!The walk today was very nice, especially Unaka Mountain. The summit was a rolling spruce (pine at the least) forest of wet chocolates, brilliant greens, and deep autumn oranges of --ting wood. Man, it was gorgeous. Serene. Stepping into it was what I'd call trail magic.
Date: 2004-04-12
From: Cherry Gap

To: Roan High Knob
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: snow

ESD: 1Temp: Chilly and wetCalories: 2150Bramble entry . . . Everyone here is hiking for a reason. Some for adventure; some to fulfill a lifetime dream; some for physical health; some for spiritual health; even some to prove something to themselves, to their mom, dad, girlfriend, wife, etc.Bramble, who I met on a south bound slock pack, is hiking for the millions who have cancer and will develop cancer. When Bramble started the trail in early March, his aunt was llosing her battle with breast cancer. Her struggled motivated his AT hike as a way to raise money for cancer research. His aunt died while he was on the trail-- March 15.Last time I visited my site on trailjournals.com, there were nearly 7000 visits to my site. If every one of those visits were a dollar given to cancer research, we'd be $7000 closer to curing cancer.Bramble has arranged for donations to be sent to:                        UCONN Foundation                        Cancer Care Fund                        263 Farmington Ave.                        Farmington, CT 06034-4032Include: "In Memory of Marie Colligan" on your check.Cancer touches us all. My parents both lost their mothers and a sibling to cancer. I believe their grey has never fully left them. The fewer to suffer the better. Please consider sending a donation. Thanks.Hiking:It was a satisfying hike today despite crummy weather in the morning and a 2300ft cllimb to end the day.I am spending the night at the highest shelter on the tral. It is storming tonight. Thankfully the Shelter is fully enclosed.
Date: 2004-04-13
From: Roan High Knob

To: Apple House
Miles today: 15.2

ESD: 2Temp: coolCalories: 24509 a.m.:Still at Roan High Knob Shelter hoping the weather (rain, rain, rain) will break for a walk down the mountain. This is the hightest shelter on the trail and rully enclosed. It even has a door which makes this place nearly impossible to leave.Plus, I have a terrible headache either from dehydration or from reading the shelter book late into the night. Summer sisters by Judy Blume. I nearly finished it, but am glad I didn't. Some shelter ewasel tore out the final pages-- a frequent phenomena on the trail. I guess people seem to revel in aggravating strangers. To them I say, "you're not clever or funny, you're an ass." Nighttime:The trail was a river leaving the shelter, making for very slow going. Walked over several balds-- very windy- and photographed some longhorns. finished a long hard day in the good company of Ashtray!
Date: 2004-04-14
From: Apple House

To: Moreland Gap
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: light snow

ESD: WHO CARES!Temp: Cold (rain gear and long underwear)Calories: Who knows?I left the Apple House Shelter RELUCTANTLY. There is a stray dog at the shelter that I shouldn't have left. I've fallen in love with it and wish I hadn't left him behind. I've thought about him all day. My boyfriend and sister in Michigan and Ohio are helping me track him down. I'm taking him home if he is still there tomorrow.I am pooped. The shelter is wet. It is cold. But I have good company-- Wounded Knee, Pilpro, and Rex.
Date: 2004-04-15
From: Moreland Gap

To: Kincora
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: clear sky

ESD: 1Temp: COLD to WARMCalories: Town Day-- GazillionsA quick walk out of the snow into a warmish (high 50's day) at Kincora Shelter.Thanks to the efforts of my boyfriend, the humane society checked for the dog at the Apple House Shelter. He's gone! O, I felt terrible. But I later learned from Seiko (a 13 or so time thruhiker and section hiker extraordinaire) that the dog is likely owned by a fella by Over Mountain Shelter, whose dogs trail hikers all the time. He's probably gone home. The best case scenario. Phew.Thanks also to my kind sister Jeane for her willingness to help me save the "stray."Knocora is a lovely hovel. I highly recommend it. I am again surrounded by excellent company-- Flora, Fauna, Wounded Knee, Wolf Wind, Carefree, Freedom, Rex, Pilpro, and Seiko.I'm planning big miles to Damascus-- 17.5, 14.8, and 16.4. Now that I've walked 18, I think I can do anything. Plus, I'm dying to see my darling sugar.