morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-04-01
From: Betty Creek Gap

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.4
Weather: overcast clouds

It rained all night! I've had enough!! I'm done!!Got ya. April Fool's :pI broke the 100 mile mark today.YAY. I celebrated by have two little thingy singles drinks. Mmmmm But really it did rain all night and sometimes a down pour. I had set up my tent under a line of thick Rhododendron bushes and that kept a lot of the water off me. I packed my bag inside my tent but by the time I was ready to take my tent down the rain turned to a drizzle and stopped by the time I started hiking I went over Mooney Gap and Big Butt Mountain. Now I think there is a tradition to moon Albert Mountain from Mooney Gap. Well it was foggy and I couldn't see Albert Mountain so I didn't moon it. Anyway this is Prime Time Trail Journalism and you guys might change the channel if I do things like that. But I did slide down Big Butt Mountain on my butt in one place. Those wet rocks can throw you right down on the ground. Albert Mountain! Whoa nellie! I was wondering why a mountain would have a bypass to go around it. Now I know. It was hand over hand pulling on trees,roots and rocks just to move only a few feet at a time. I would have to throw my poles up above me and climb to them. If this rock climb was covered in ice I would have slid all the way back to Springer. Wow it was so steep. I was sweating canon balls. I got to the top and saw the fire tower. I would have liked to have climbed it but it was foggy from the rain earlier. I dreaded the going down side but it was a walk in the park. I took a lunch break at Big Spring Shelter and as I was leaving Kim showed up for her break. She was at Standing Indian Shelter two nights ago. Nice young lady. The rest of the hike today was fairly easy but my feet are sore tonight. At the shelter are Two Packs,Kim,Steve and Uncle Walt. Uncle Walt sleeps on the picnic table because he snores and doesn't want to keep the others in the shelter awake. I have decided to go into Franklin after all. I wanted to just go to the Nantahala Outdoor Center to resupply but I am nearly out of food. And I want to check out Ron Haven's Budget Inn I have heard so much about. So a short day tomorrow.
Date: 2009-04-02
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Road
Miles today: 0.1

I packed up in a drizzling rain this morning. It was nice having the shelter right there beside my tent so I could use its dry space to set my pack while I took down my tent. It's really amazing how such a small thing can make you happy out here. But I did just kind of stuff everything in my pack because I knew I didn't have to carry it far. Heck I could have dropped kicked that pack the 0.1 mile to the road. LOLTwo Pack decided to go into town also to get some food and then go back to the trail. Ron Haven of Haven's Budget Inn was very nice and gave him a ride to and from town for free. I knew I wanted to come to Franklin because I had heard so many good things about them here and it's all true. They know what a hiker needs and they don't make you feel like a free loader for having those needs and that is a good feeling. And to beat it all you just follow the blue blazes to the laundry. Ha, too cute. My room is nice and smells nice. Good deal. In this inn is a small room with two computers and free online access. No walking to a library. BIG BONUS!! I updated my photos while my clothes were washing and drying. Take a look. Then I went back to my room and ordered a Vito's pizza. This was per the clerk David's suggestion. And he didn't lead me wrong. It was the best pizza I have ever eaten. I know you think it was just because I was hungry but no kidding it was the best. They even brought me an ice cold bottled diet coke. Yummy. I'm loving it here. About my tent Norsewoman. I have a MSR Hubba HP one man. On the downside it has some condensation issues and tends to be a little wetter in a lot of rain than I think it should be but on the upside it is warm and really breaks the wind. It is light at 2.6 lbs if I remember correctly so that's not bad. But I may just go back to using my regular Hubba in Gatlinburg. We'll see after this cold and snow blows through in a few days. HaCONGRATS LAUREN!!! My granddaughter's team won their first fast pitch softball game of the season. I am going to really miss watching her and her sister play this year. Lindsay her older sister plays volleyball but they have only been practicing so far. Good luck you guys. You're the best granddaughters ever. Love you both much!I went on the bus ride to town for resupplies,post office,drug store,outfitter,etc. On the bus also was Hopscotch(I met him at Betty Creek),Nightblind,John now named Trigger(he I met at Standing Indian Shelter)and Joe(the guy early on with the big knife) who named himself Superballs. Hmmm. All these young guys were way ahead of me and now here they are. Ha. But whatever anyone needed Ron helped them to get it. Truly amazing generosity. I got food for the next four days and a bigger gas can. I'm all set to get back on the trail tomorrow. I am glad I visited Franklin,NC.
Date: 2009-04-03
From: Rock Gap Road

To: Wayah Crest Picnic Area
Miles today: 9.5

I was on the first bus run back to the trail.Ron's first stop was at Winding Stair Gap. About ten hikers were there getting trail magic. But they soon boarded the bus(as the wind was blowing cold) and we went to Wallace Gap where two hikers got back on the trail. Then onto to Rock Gap to let little ole me off to start where I had stopped yesterday. I wanted a picture of Ron and I in front of the bus. So he agreed and we did. I got to hiking quickly to stay warm and it was a great hike uphill to get the fuel a burning. I went over Rocky Cove Knob and then I was back at Winding Stair Gap where the trail magic had taken place earlier.I thought they might be gone already as it was nearing noon,but there they were. Bill and Ailene from a church group. They didn't tell me what church and I forgot to ask but thanks for the chips and coke. There was another load of hikers waiting on Ron's next run. A lot of hikers are going into town for the annual Hiker Bash this weekend. Ron shows up and they all haul in. He is really doing a great help to hikers. Thanks again Ron Haven for all you do. May it come back to you a hundred fold. As I was going through Panther Gap I noticed in had been burned.I don't know why. I went over Siler Bald and to the turn off to the Siler Bald Shelter. I didn't stop at the shelter because it was one half of a mile off the trail. At the top of the bald it was foggy and no views except a pair of overalls hanging the tree. With the fog and these overalls made it kind of eerie. lolI got water at the next source I found because I had planned to stealth camp(which means to camp in a non designated site). I think the real term means to lie in wait to ambush. Ha. But I wound up stopping at the Wayah Crest Picnic Area. I looked all around for a sign to say no camping but I didn't find one so I set my tent up in the wooded area.It is very chilly with the wind chill added. But I have had me some taters and I am calling it a day. Nite.
Date: 2009-04-05
From: Cold Spring Shelter Camp site

To: A.Rufus Morgan Shelter Camp Site
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

Do you know what a grouse is? I had never heard of one myself until I started hiking. It is a turkey/pigeon like bird that makes a drumming noise by flapping its wings. They do it trying to mate and also as a warning to stay away from their nest. This drumming I've heard in a distance almost everyday. But last night there was a bird not ten feet away from me in my tent doing its drumming every few minutes. It was very loud and annoying. I had ear plugs in and could still hear it. After about two hours I got my head lamp and went looking for him. I never did spot it but something took off flapping its wings with all of its might. Ha I scared me up a bird. Then I was able to sleep after that. Another beautiful day to take a walk in the park. The landscapes were gorgeous to look upon. I shot many pictures. They will be posted soon maybe.I went over Copper Ridge Bald,Rocky Bald then down into Tellico Gap. It was so steep going down that I felt like I was on my tip toes the whole time like a ballerina. Then came the really amazing part. I climbed up Wesser Bald to the fire tower to simply stunning views. I could see miles and miles in very direction. What a treat to have such a clear day like today. The sun was warm and the wind was blowing. What more could one ask for. On my way back down the tower someone yells ¢Trekkngirl!¢ It was Mocs from thebackpacker.com trail talk forum. I had never met him but seen him post on the forum. He was with Creek Dancer(who has been reading my journal) and 32oz Gatorade who were all out doing a section hike. It was so cool to meet this guys finally. My plan today was to camp north of Wesser Bald Shelter but as I was taking a break Go Gator and his son Baby Gator passed by and said rain was coming in tonight. Just a note to Baby Gator. Maybe you should change your trail name to Little Gator because there is nothing baby about you. You are one tough little backpacker. So I made the decision to try to make it down the very steep four mile descent off Wesser Mountain.I didn't want to have to be coming off the mountain sliding in mud in case it did rain. Wow, my feet felt like mush when I got to the shelter camp site. What a day! I put my pack down and went to filter water and just soaked my feet in the ice cold water until they hurt from the cold. Ahhhh There were a few people at the shelter but I was too tired to walk up there as it was already getting late. I ate some very tasty Veggie macaroni and a Zone bar. I was famished. While I was eating I was entertained by Yak(Hi Mrs.Yak) and Black Cat hanging their bear rope and food bags. Now here I am after a long hard day in my tent cozy in my bag going to sleep to the sound of light rain gently hitting my tent.   I sighed relief to be off the mountain. Ahhh the life
Date: 2009-04-06
From: A.Rufus Morgan Shelter Camp Site

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 0.8
Weather: light rain

It rained off and on all night but not hard. But it did start turning off colder about four AM. Everyone in the shelter had left for the trail already. I was taking my time because I knew I was going to stop at the NOC for the night.It was really cool to see the NOC. I have been wanting to stop here for years while on my way to hike in the Smokies but just never took the time. It was always packed with rafters,canoers, cyclers,etc. Even today this was a very busy place. After arriving here I was told that 2-4 inches of snow was expected in the next two days.Aaaaiiihhh...means¢Oh Butter¢ I'd better book another night. Now I love snow and don't mind hiking in it and would like to tent in it,but I am not ready to backpack on this terrain in snow or worse than that,ice. I ate a real breakfast with eggs,bacon,home fries,toast,butter,jelly and coffee. Yummm. I got a bunk room. It only has four bunk spaces,a heater and a fan. Nothing else.No TV,No computer (except a laptop at the outfitter which I didn't know how to use). Yeah that's right!! But it is four walls and warm whatever happens outside. I dried my tent and checked out the place that has a community room with a complete kitchen on the second floor but under that is the restroom/shower/laundry room. And I used all facilities. I just hung out the rest of the day catching up on emails. Watched as some newbie canoers,kayakers were learning how to paddle,float in the water and tie specific knots to use in the sport. Ha. I watched for free. No telling what they paid for the course. I went for supper at the Rivers End Restaurant (where I had breakfast since that is the only place open) and had pulled barbque,french fries and cole slaw. Again very good. Back to the bunk room after that and this time I had a room mate.. She is Madelyn Given no trail name yet hiking with her son. She is a little older than myself. She was cold, wet and needed to dry out her gear. So I just told her I was going to the community room for awhile. There I worked on a five thousand piece puzzle and got three pieces. Ha. I was very distracted as I didn't want my hike to be delayed for another zero day.    Back at the bunk room Madelyn and I had a very interesting conversation about ours lives. I wish she wasn't so fast of a hiker. Snow is falling like crazy. Nite all.
Date: 2009-04-07
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

BIG ZERO. Well I couldn't help it. Ha. Better safe than sorry I always say.Just a slip slide down/off the mountain could ruin your whole day. It snowed here off and on all day. Total white out at times. We had an accumulation of about an inch here at the NOC this morning but it melted as the day warmed. But reports from people coming off the mountain and going up where I will be headed in the morning was snow above their boots with snow drifts to their knees. A little more than I care to play in. I just ¢hung out¢ again.I really need to move along now. This dilly daddling is for the birds. I did get to eat a great meal at the Rivers End Restaurant again. It was called the Sherpa (stir fried rice with lentils,onions seasoned very well and curry chicken.Doused with teriyaki sauce. Sweet tea..mmmm. And then I got dessert. That I rarely do. But this was my only meal today. I gotta tell you about it. Hot fudge brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream,covered in chocolate and caramel sauce,topped with walnut halves. It almost made me sick it was so rich but I ate it all. I guess you guys will be glad when I get back on the trail so I will talk about something besides puzzles and food. I did resupply for the next few days. The General Store had a few things to pick from and what they didn't have I was able to get at the Outfitter. I mailed my maps of Georgia,North Carolina and the Smokies home. It cost nearly ten bucks but they alone weighed about a pound.I don't need them to get through the Smokies as I have hiked all in there. I'll decide later if/when I need the other ones. I rarely had to look at them and when I did it was just to check out a mountain over yonder or compare the elevation profile with my guide book.   Madelyn my room mate just got back in from her slack pack(that is where you get a shuttle ride to a start point and hike back only carrying water and snacks) and said the snow was up to her hips in places and the white blazes were hid under the snow that had blown and hung onto the trees. She was with her son though.They came back to the NOC tonight because it is suppose to get real cold on the mountain. Tomorrow should be interesting.Ready to go!!!
Date: 2009-04-08
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Sassafras Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: few clouds

After a very restless night I packed up and went to have breakfast with Madelyn and her son Mike. Very nice people. I felt like I would need the extra fuel to get out of the mountain today. It was only a small amount of snow as I got started going up but that changed a lot. I did stop to take a break at an area called the Jump Up. I actually lingered there for about an hour. The views were stunning. The sun was shining keeping me warm while I looked way down to see what I think was the NOC. I could hear the Smoky Mountain train blow away in the distance. And on the other side of my view was high mountains with a lot of snow on them. I hope they show up well in my pictures. Then was the climb over Swim Bald. This is where all the snow was hiding. There were lots of long stretches where the snow was knee deep. Granted paths had been made already but it was still very slick and slushy to maneuver through.I almost fell a few times. I thought I was going to have to stay in the shelter when I first arrived. The snow,ice and mud had consumed any possible camp sites. But I was able to find a tent spot level enough and without snow to set up my tent. This is a huge shelter and quiet nice as far as shelters go. It had about ten men in it so I was glad to tent. It was getting cold so I resided to my tent and had some noodles to warm up. Glad I am out of the NOC. That climb is said to be one of the hardest on the AT. Yay,I did it!
Date: 2009-04-09
From: Sassafras Shelter

To: Brown Fork Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: overcast clouds

I went to get my bear can this morning and I always put it away from my tent and close to where the others hang their bags. But this morning a hiker had put his hammock on the tree that I had put my food(bear can) under. That was a funny sight. It was probably dark when he came in and set up. He had to have seen it though. Oh well. I'm just glad no bear came sniffing around. I would like to take this moment in time and space on this line to say that I am thankful for mud. Yes mud. Todays hike took me over Cheoah Bald. It's elevation gain and loss were made so much more intense by all the frozen slush and snow. There were slabs of ice to try to work around over steep rocks,roots and even the mud was ice. So that's why I am glad for mud. It far better than ice. The trail has a way of making you see the better side of things. Then on top of Cheoah Bald there was a register to sign inside a ammunition box.It had the type of ammunition written on the outside. It was really cool as I have never seen a real bullet box. Sure shooting. By the time I got to Stecoah Bald all the snow was gone. I was glad because that made for an easier hike.I could see off in the distance a view of what I think was Fontana Lake. I stopped at Stecoah Gap and sat at a picnic table and ate a poptart. The sun was nice and warm with a nice breeze. I had only about a half a cup of water and over two miles to go. And it was up and up and up.I got very thirsty before I got to the to the shelter so I was cleaning off the snow that was left from the huge snow drifts and making a snowballs to eat. It was great. I would make one and keep hiking then another until I ran out of the snow. I had about five of them. They sure it the spot. I got to the shelter and no one was here and as I was looking fior a flat spot to set up my tent and Peacemaker came. He set his tent up in the lower area because of no flat places around the shelter. I went to get water and filtered and drank and filtered and drank until my thirst was satisfied right there. Mmmmm Water is good stuff!! I always understood why people in the hospital wanted water when they weren't allowed to have it due to a test, surgery,etc. I have had people offer me $50.00 for a cup of water before. HaHa. I wish I could have taken it.I did have compassion on them though.   Get this, the privy is a toilet without any walls. Ha. It has a roof and a great view of the mountains but no walls at all. That is so funny. Then others began to come in Robo,Gayle and John.I ate some Loaded Baked Potatoes(instant of course) and went to my tent to journal and get ready for bed. Then none other but Greyson now trailnamed D'artagnan and Micah now Treebeard came hiking in. Remember these guys? I last saw them in Helen,Ga after we had gotten off the trail at Unicoi Gap. That was about a hundred miles ago. Wow!It was great to see them again. I'm hoping for a long day tomorrow to get me to Fontana. It's suppose to rain so we'll see. Nite all.
Date: 2009-04-10
From: Brown Fork Shelter

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: light rain

Did I say I like mud? I take it back. :pI got up this morning early with the plan to go into Fontana to get a few things to get me to Gatlinburg. I did get my tent packed up dry and started hiking at 7:30. Then the rain started as a thunderstorm. Lightning strikes were everywhere and the trail was going up and up into the lightning. Rain was coming down in torrents. I needed to get out of the rain and lightning so I came upon a huge blown down tree that had been uprooted leaving a big area under it. It even had a rock that I could sit on. How about that? I had to sit there for about thirty minutes until the lightning subsided then I began to hike on in the rain. A dayhiker passed by and said another severe storm was moving in this afternoon. I arrived at the Cable Gap Shelter about 1:00 and decided to just stay here for the night. I was the only one here for a long time then many others started coming in and filled the shelter and many also tented.Among those here are Two Shoes,Flyby,Dorothy,John,Denver Dave,Honeydew,Bruiser,Mule and many more. The storm hit about 5:00 and it was severe.The sky was a pink-orange color. Very omnious lookins. The kind of sky to pay close attention to. Large claps of thunder and lightning with torential rains. I am glad I am in the shelter tonight. This is the first shelter I have stayed in so far.I had a nice spot next to the wall but it was packed with cold,wet backpackers. It would have been a great shelter experience if one guy didn't smoke in there. Even when asked not to he continued to smoke.In an enclosed area this was pretty sufficating. I don't mind people who smoke. But most are considerate of those who don't.   Oh well. All in all I'm dry,warm and safe. All is good.
Date: 2009-04-11
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: FontanaÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂHiltonÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂShelter
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: light rain

Funny,funny children.But I agree totally. I hope to get more photos up while I am in Gatlinburg.Trust me I am not at the Budget Inn still. It was very difficult for me to pack everything up this morning as I felt very disorganized having everything strewn out in the shelter instead of the my compacted area of my tent.I was afraid I would leave something behind in a dark corner of the shelter or something. I counted every glove,sock,etc. Turns out I did get everything that I know of. It was still drizzling rain when I left for the trail and continued until late afternoon. I enjoyed the hike though going over High Tops then into Black Gum Gap. I even went over a mountain called Summit. Hmmmm. I thought all mountains were summits eventually.I had a few rock scrambles but not bad at all. Then, when I got to NC 28 road crossing I called for a shuttle ride into Fontana Village.There is a phone at the Mountain Crossing restroom area that is for shuttle use only. Just dial zero and they will send a vehicle for you and take you where you need to go. Really cool. I went to the General store/Outfitter to get my supplies for the next few days. Then I walked down to the service station and got a sausage dog and some nacho cheese and chips with peppers. Yum Yum. I called the shuttle and they again took me back to the Mountain Crossing area where I again picked up the trail and continued on to Fontana Shelter. This is a nice shelter but I set up my tent anyway. I sat around the campfire with the others hikers until it got dark. It's a lot of fun when hikers can congregate around a fire and talk about their hike so far. Nice night. Tomorrow the Great Smoky Mountain National Park!