morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-06
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

Today was really exhausting...my first 15 mile day, and I started feeling really sore and tired around 8 miles. I made it though. Got a couple 12 mile days coming up I think. Today I pretty much just ate dinner and passed out in my tent. I actually caught up to Greg/Hokewa/Gobbles...I thought they were long gone...Oh, I also picked up my second state today - North Carolina! Pretty exciting to walk across state lines.
Date: 2008-04-07
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 24.6
Weather: clear sky

Holy crap - I just did the two days I was planning in ONE DAY. 24.6 miles...insane. But I've figured out the trick to big miles, I think: don't hurry, but NEVER stop. Wake up early, quickly eat, get on the trail, and don't stop moving until about 6 pm. Don't hurry, don't strain (you'll burn out), just find a natural, consistent rhythm and stick with it. I figured out how to filter water while moving. I pack my lunch in the morning in my external pockets so I don't need to stop or take my pack off, I just eat while walking. I am exhausted and stiff but I did it. I have to admit that I think most hikers did more than they thought they were going to do today - the trail was quite flat except for Albert Mountain, which is probably the steepest thing I've encountered so far. It is crazy steep. I would often look up at the trail and think "No...the trail doesn't go up there, that would be crazy...," but I would see a white blaze and sure enough would have to go up it. It was more of a rock scramble in some places, I couldn't even use my poles. At the top of the mountain was a firetower, which I climbed...that was probably the highest I've been on the whole trip. Really great views of the Appalalachians, you could really see a lot.I met quite a few people today. I think I may have left my old group behind for the time being. Notably I met brothers Daniel and Thighs...we are going to Franklin together tomorrow. They are fast, consistent hikers too.
Date: 2008-04-08
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Campsite 0.5 miles before Wayah Bald Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Hey - another town entry. This time I'm in a library in Franklin, NC. Yesterday was my big 25 mile day...surprisingly I'm not that sore today. We all woke up early, like 6:00am, at the Rock Gap Shelter, and hiked the 4 miles to the road. We got there about 8:00am...everyone wanted to wait for this shuttle, but I figured why wait an hour when we could just hitchhike? Noone else wanted to though...I hitched by myself, it took about 15 minutes for someone to stop...he was a nice old southern guy who said he picks up hikers there a lot. It was great, when I got in: "Watch yer stuff, that's where I keep my gun." Haha...everyone has a gun here. He was a good old guy and dropped me off in town on his way to a construction job he was doing. I ate breakfast at a diner...I had already eaten breakfast on the trail but I ordered a waffle platter with two eggs and a sausage...then when I was done I said "Can I have another one?" The waitress was like "Another egg?"..."No...the another one of the whole thing." It was funny. She thought I looked like Matthew Lillard, the actor from Scream, SLC Punks, and Hackers.I've just got to get to the post office to mail some things home...then an outfitter to pick up a couple little things, plus some more denatured alcohol for my stove. I'm anxious to get back on the trail and put miles down before I run out of sunlight.That's all for now, thanks for all the encouraging stuff you guys keep sending me.Oh, also - I just added a picture to my first journal entry showing me at the beginning of the trail. Still don't have my camera cable to add my own pics though.
Date: 2008-04-10
From: A. Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: Brown Fork Shelter
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Today felt long...got up and walked 0.7 miles to NOC, got breakfast with Aaron and Vivian - I have a good time with those guys. My body felt sort of strained today. I should say that I think this was the hardest day yet in terms of terrain. From NOC, it was straight up for about 8 miles. Extremely steep. Very tough. Then a steep descent to a road where some guys were doing trail magic with hot dogs and chips and soda. From there it was straight up again. Dan/Thighs and I were passing each other all day, but at 5:00pm, they wanted to hike 9 more miles. I said no way...I respect what they're doing, but they have to get to Maine by the end of July and I don't.Tonight I met Robby, Solo and Rainbow, and I played a lot of songs for them. They really liked it. Rainbow's favorite song is "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Isreal K and was thrilled when she found out I could play it. I would say that is my number one most requested song out here.I'm feeling a twinge of regret that I didn't just slow down and stay with Aaron and Vivian.
Date: 2008-04-11
From: Brown Fork Shelter

To: Fontana Village
Miles today: 11.6

Got up and hiked out 11.6 miles with Robby to Fontana. We got there at about 2:15pm. We walked for a while with our thumbs out but didn't get a ride for about 0.25 to 0.5 miles along. A lady in a white van that worked for the lodge we would stay at gave us a ride.In the village, we met up with Dan and Thighs and we all agreed to split a room which made it only $17 each.We got hamburgers at the restaurant and ice cream at an ice cream place.Tried to watch King Kong on TV but fell asleep early...
Date: 2008-04-12
From: Fontana Village

To: Fontana Village
Miles today: 0.0

Aaron, Vivian, Fish and Bobcat showed up and I decided to take a zero day with them. This is mt first real zero day where I haven't actually done any miles at all. It was fun but we spent quite a bit of money on food and ice cream.I forgot to mention that yesterday I got my maildrop with way too much food - I even gave some away. I can't fit it all in my food bag. To top it off, you don't really need a mail drop sent here. The general store has a lot of stuff.We have 5 people in this room and I have to sleep on the floor - it costs only $12 each this way.I think I will do the 12 miles tomorrow to the next shelter...not sure.They are calling for bad weather, possibly snow...even so, I should be in Great Smoky Mountains National Park tomorrow. That is a 70 mile stretch. I hope to make my food last for 100 miles - to Hot Springs, NC.
Date: 2008-04-13
From: Fontana Village

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Up early, writing with my headlamp on in the motel room...4 others are asleep so I can't get up and get my stuff together yet.Funny story to relay - I just tried to get into the rec center to use the computer and accidentally set off an alarm that the whole village could hear...I just casually walked back to the room. Sounds like they've turned it off now.==It's evening now - is it monstrously cold out here. I'm warm - I'm wearing all my clothes and I'm in my bag with my silk liner, but it is windy and snowy and cold as hell outside. Supposed to be below 20 degrees tonight.Today I did the blue blaze around the closed dam (it was like 3 miles to go across a 0.1 mile bridge). I caught up with Fish and we passed the miles by doing hours of trivia for the movie The Princess Bridge. Turns out we're experts. I played my uke for a while as a morale booster.P.S. Also had to road walk from Fontana to the trail...2 miles...I did about 17 miles today but only 12 on the trail itself.
Date: 2008-04-14
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light snow

Freezing. Woke up to 3 inches of snow...took forever to break down my tent and get going - my hands kept going numb. Stayed warm all night though.I think a lot of people, including me, had aspirations to go 18 miles today. None of us made it. We did the 12 to the second shelter and came in cold, wet, and tired.When I first started hiking in the morning I thought it would be impossible to warm up. My fingers were especially frozen. But after a mile or so the blood was flowing and I was warm. I actually took off my fleece and hiked in a t-shirt and rain jacket. Then the temperature dropped even further, the wind picked up, and it *really* started snowing. I put my fleece back on. In the seconds it took me to do that, my pack was covered with snow.It was slow going all day, and I fell once. The shelter actually had a fireplace which completely saved us. I can't tell you how valuable it was. It dried us and warmed us. There are 20 or more of us in crammed in here. There are also people tenting outside because we can fit no more in here. Section hikers with shelter reservations graciously tented...very, very nice of them, though I doubt any of us would have left.Without the fire, I bet we would have had cases of hypothermia.It is supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow...52 degrees. I hope it is not like today.[Note: I heard the temps that night went into the single digits...it was by far the coldest thing I've experienced out here]
Date: 2008-04-15
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: few clouds

A couple milestones today:1. We are officially over 200 miles from Springer Mt.2. We climbed to the highest point on the entire trail, Clingmans Dome (6643')I passed Ref today, he seemed really run down...unfortunately I heard his thru attempt is over - he hitched into Gatlinburg and doesn't plan to return. Reminds me of a hiker from the other night when we were miserable:"Are you a thru-hiker?""Yeah, I'm through!"Fish (aka MuffinPaste - he tried to make muffins and they came out as paste) and I were the first in the shelter and started a fire. Toots, Holler, Sweet Potato, BearPack (his pack was stolen by a bear), Mosey, and Bramabull are all here...far less than last night. We are cozy here. I've learned that it is better to sleep in the shelter when it is this cold and snowy.Today's weather was great - 50 degrees and sunny - the snow melted a bit. So glad we climbed Clingmans today when we could actually see.The scenery was also really beautiful today - I feel like I'm seeing the Smokies for the first time.This place feels more remote and solitary than the rest of the A.T.The trail was quite slushy today...
Date: 2008-04-16
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: clear sky

Got to Tennessee today, at least for a little while. I don't really know whether I'm in NC or TN right now...technically the Smokies are just on the NC/TN border. TN isn't even in the guidebook, it just says NC/TN for this section. The next official state is Virginia but I'm still a ways away from it.I think today was the most beautiful day on the trail yet. The views were amazing, the sun was out, there was hardly a cloud in the sky. The snow adds a very picturesque element to the already beautiful scenery...it's really a paradise here. Only problem is the trail itself. There were 2 kinds of trail today:1. Ice where the slush from yesterday had frozen.2. Slush where the ice/snow had melted.It made for harder hiking, for sure. But the views in the smokies are spectacular...especially Charlie's Bunion...you could see everything.Today I got up early and found that my socks, which I had hung to dry, were literally ice cubes - I couldn't bend them at all. Same for my shoes, so I wore my extra socks and after a mile my shoes had broken in.Right now I'm trying Bravefoot's technique of putting wet socks under your sleeping pad, because now every sock I own is wet.Vice nice weather today - like 60 to 70...gonna go down to 30 to 40 tonight...not bad.I got an early start today and felt great - I had so much energy and felt sure I would do more than 20 miles. After 17 though, I suddenly hit an energy wall and rolled into the shelter at 4:30 dead tired. I think I ate enoiugh on the trail but I still had a huge dinner. I was craving carbs for lunch but didn't have much on me. 20 miles is still a big day. Hope to sleep in Standing Bear hostel tomorrow and resupply for the short trip to Hot Springs. Tomorrow should be my last day in the smokies - cool to think that I have traversed the whole thing, without resupply too.
Date: 2008-04-18
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Walnut Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Well, this is kindof funny...we're all huddled together in a shelter right now, scared of a bear.We meant to do 15 miles from Standing Bear hostel, but when we got to the shelter, the register warned of bear problems for the past 3 nights...we moved on to the next shelter, 5 miles away, and found no register but 3 notes from 3 days ago, saying they had bear problems. It is the same bear for sure...we are just hoping he has moved south to the last shelter.I don't hang my food, I have a bear resistant sack, but I don't think I tied it to the tree correctly. There isn't much inside, the bag is worth more than its contents.Ironically, I am sleeping next to BearPack, who has already had his pack stolen by a bear once.Hot Springs tomorrow...with any luck tonight will be uneventful.Oh, I also saw Max Patch today...very beautiful.I am here with Jackaroo, BearPack, and Bravefoot.Today was long, didn't get here until 8:20pm...I walked alone, the other guys left before me.
Date: 2008-04-20
From: Sunnybank Inn (

To: Spring Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

I got up early to organize my gear, breakfast isn't served until 8:30.Hot Springs was a good chance to go through my stuff and think about what I want to add/throw out/change.So far, I've done the following:* Switched to drinking from a tube by buying a tube attachment for my water bladder* Got camp shoes, really light flip flops that say A.T. on them...these, I realized, are a necessity, not a luxury* Got this tiger balm stuff to rub in my feet* Threw out my lighters and matches and got this magnesium thing that throws out 5000 degree sparks...simple and bombproof* Switched to a small, more durable fuel bottle* Cut off the top of a 1L Platypus bottle to use for filtering water with my UV light SteriPen* Got running shorts so I have something light and packable to wear while washing my only pair of clothes* Showered/did laundry/massaged the muscles of my legs and feet* Got a truly waterproof stuff sack for my sleeping bag* Threw out some stuff I didn't need like:1. Extra roll of gauss2. Too many IBUProfen pills3. Too many vitamins4. Ziploc with gold bond powder in it5. Busted "odor proof" liner for my food bag* Put new batteries in my headlamp* Cut my toenailsThe outfitter here is probably the best one I've ever been to...it's amazing. It's not that it's a big store (it's not), it's that the selection is amazing in terms of quality. They sell thru-hiker gear. I've never seen a store carry what you can usually only get online - gear made by small local gear designers like ULA (Brian Frankle from Utah who made my pack), TarpTent (Henry Shires who made my tent), Six Moon Designs (Ron Moak...don't have his stuff but love it), plus they carry a selected of Western Mountaineering sleeping bags, the creme de la creme of sleeping bags that thru-hikers are so fond of. It's all just good, no-nonsense, functional gear made by thru-hikers for thru-hikers. They also have a computer there but it's really popular so you have to sign up for a 30 minute timeslot and might not get on for hours.I had a really nice sleep last night...this is the first time I've had an entire room to myself. This is a really nice room, there's even a desk here where I could write.===It's evening now, I'm in my tent...today felt *long*, as days often do when they have a lot of parts and changes. Waking up early [I'm writing this part the next day because last night as I was writing I heard a large animal walking near my tent as it was pitched far from the shelter], doing laundry, eating breakfast at Elmer's, doing resupply, getting ice cream, having beers with Lone Wolf, then finally hitting the trail.Tonight I met up with Oof-dah and the "Early Risers" and we finally did our ukulele/mandolin collaboration around the fire, which was pretty successful. They had a funny time trying to bear bag like 10 bags on one rope.
Date: 2008-04-21
From: Spring Mtn Shelter

To: Flint Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 21.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Another long day...woke up early (the "Early Risers" do not, I can attest, wake up at 6:00 as they claim).Early on, I saw a sign for trail magic, just up the road at a crossing - it's funny, after just 0.1 miles I crossed the state line into NC (and crossed back afterwards). I have to admit that the trail magic was both good and bad. I followed the directions and went up a steep concrete driveway to a very nice house nestled on the mountain. I knocked on the door and a guy answered and said "Welcome home" and introduced himself as Hercules. He and his wife Fal thru-hiked in 1999 and have been doing trail magic every season and everyday except Sunday for the past 4 years. The food was awesome - free waffled, soup, they even had a menu! And on the back was a weather forecast. Their house was extremely nice. Oof-dah and the crew arrived shortly after. Then they asked us if we wanted to hear their "dinner question." I already suspected something and sure enough, they were asking what we thought was going to happen to us after we died. My stomach sank - I hate these situations. There I sit in polite and embarassed silence while simultaneously thinking 1) How to pretend that I'm listening while really 2) Thinking about how to get out of there as quickly as possible. Honestly, they should put that they're evangelists on the sign so I know beforehand. Then I wouldn't mind so much. Because this is like a sting operation. They tried to get me to take a book, but honestly, I'm not even carrying toilet paper...I'm certainly not carrying a 2 pound tome entitled "Why I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist." For the next 3 hours or so I walked down the trail preoccupied with the insanty of the world and all its parts.Anyway, the rest of the day was very solitary - I saw noone all day. It looked like it would rain all day but it never did and at about 4:00 the sun came out. Should be nice weather for a while. The trail today was extremely varied...rock scrambles, road walking, steep ups and downs, flats...it was very eclectic. It's a nice day though. I'm in a shelter now with DustInTheWind, Liberty and Faithful.
Date: 2008-04-22
From: Flint Mtn Shelter

To: Campsite 5.6 miles past Bald Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 24.5

I forgot to mention that yesterday I woke up to the first mouse trouble I've had on this whole trip - my brand new drinking tube, the mouthpiece at least, had been completely chewed up. I only got to use it for one day. I've heard of mice going after drinking tubes...I think they like anything salty...I've even heard of them earting the handles of trekking poles for the salty sweat. It's actually not even a disappointment...it had this annoying leak where it would drip on my arm all day and I'm glad for a reason to get rid of it. Shame it was like $20 though.Did a big day today - 24.5 miles...didn't even wake up that early, maybe 7:30...everyone else in the shelter slept in a bit too...I think it just felt like a morning for doing that.Trail was extremely steep all day, so this was harder than the last time I did about 25 miles. There was a lot of hard climbing today.Didn't see many people today, but near the end of the day I met Blues Traveler, Nyquil, MotorButt and Freebird. Freebird and I made the last 5.5 mile stretch from the last shelter together and the miles went faster talking to him.At the campsite, we saw Bravefoot! Can't believe I caught him...he is going so fast. He started April 2nd so he is going just as fast as the brothers from Seattle who are sort of famous on the trail now for their speed.This is my first time camping at a campsite on purpose.
Date: 2008-04-23
From: Campsite 5.6 miles past Bald Mtn Shelter

To: Curley Maple Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: scattered clouds

We just got into the shelter and got settled, and it's like 11:00pm...Freebird and I walked into Erwin, TN in only 11 miles, spent the day running around town, it was really spread out and impossible to get a hitch. First we got chinese food, then resupplied at the grocery story, then had a funny situation where we were sitting on the sidewalk sharing a half gallon of ice cream, pausing only to dump chocolate syrup over it. We couldn't eat it all after all the Chinese food and Freebird had to remind me that were weren't on the trail, I wanted to just give it to some random stranger. We were cracking up about that - two dirty hikers giving a stranger a mostly eaten carton of ice cream: "Hey, you want some ice cream?"Then we went to the library, then went to Sonic for burgers. The outfitter wasn't technically open, but he let us buy some stuff. I needed a tent stake that I had lost, some fuel, a bigger food bag and a new water bottle.We hit the trail and had our first night-hiking experience, it was pretty cool, hiking in the dark. Luckily when we arrived at the shelter the two people already there were still up and talking so we didn't disturb them. We met Mary Poppins and August.
Date: 2008-04-24
From: Curley Maple Gap Shelter

To: Cylde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 20.9
Weather: broken clouds

Wasn't able to write in my journal on this day so I'm writing this on Friday.Today I hiked out with Freebird, we got a late start, like 9:00. Unfortunately, he has some problem with the skin on his heel and we had to keep stopping. Eventually we had to separate...I went on to the shelter, he planned to hit a nearby hostel to try and heal up his foot.
Date: 2008-04-25
From: Cylde Smith Shelter

To: Apple House Shelter
Miles today: 21.1

Well, there's no use denying it anymore...my feet are in a state of extreme soreness, not just what is expected when hiking, and today it really hit me. They were sore all day but at the end of the day I could barely walk. Either my feet need to heal on their own or I need new insoles or shoes. We'll see...there's a hostel just a mile away from here, I need to go anyway for fuel, I'll see if they have any suggestions. If not, I'm 100% sure the guys at the Damascus outfitter will be able to help me, though that is still a ways off, though not by much.Damascus...everyone is thinking and talking about it. Crazy to think that we will be there soon. *Major* trail milestone. If you can make it there, good chance you can make it the whole way. I have to remember that I'm not even a quarter of the way done, though...Today, Bravefoot passed me again, doing like a 27 mile day. I'd really like to be in that kind of shape when I'm 62.Met some new people today - New York Minute, Butterfly Moon and Firesocks, southbounders Ember and Scrabble, Bearpaw and Windjammer.Climbed Roan Mountain today, one of the highest points (second highest?) on the A.T. - that was a huge, ass-kicking climb that everyone was talking about afterwards. Then the trailed leveled a bit and there was some very interesting hiking over these bald grassy hills. It was different and cool because I could look back and see people on the trail miles behind me, inching along like ants.