morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-03-29
From: NOC, still!

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: light rain

Three days at NOC, I had to hike out today... so I did. But what is it with this weather? Rain, more cold rain... I thought it was supposed to be beautiful for the next week. Oh, well. Thank goodness for good rain gear. Started in light rain, finished in buckets... sound familiar?Word of the Day: Bearbag. When in the woods, proper protocal calls for hanging one¢s food to avoid attracting bears. Some shelters have bear cables so it is relatively easy to hang your food, pull the cable up, and hook it. If there are no cables, you should throw a line over a tree limb, then hoist up your food bag. Today I was bad. It was wet and I was cold. I just put my foodbag up in the shelter and hoped no bear in his right mind would come out in this weather. Lucky for me, they must still be hibernating.Character of the Day: Tuff Enuff. Leslie started hiking sometime in February. She is a little younger than me, and a slow hiker. Since she started, she hikes from shelter to shelter, about 5-7 miles a day. But she is still out here hiking! She was discouraged and considering quitting. I told her that if she is out here after one month, in the weather she has seen, then she is ¢Tuff Enuff¢ to do it all.
Date: 2010-03-30
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

Hooray! The nice weather the weatherman promised finally arrived! I left Cold Spring Shelter in the cold fog of morning. As the ice began to melt in the trees, I was showered with dripping ice. But eventually it all melted and the sun came out. Birds began to sing. Squirrels began to play. I almost skipped down the trail! I arrived at Wayah Bald in time for lunch. A local photographer took photos of the hikers there. Then I scurried down and soon was at Silar Bald where I saw a sign for the shelter. Wow, it was only 4pm, and I was already near the shelter. Okay, so it¢s at least half a mile down... but plenty of time, I decided. So I headed down. The shelter is not so desirable, but the area is beautiful. There was a city of tents already. I put up my hammock, fixed dinner, and settled in for the night. What a great day!Word of the Day: Boy Scouts. I was a Girl Scout for years. Scouting is a great activity. Unfortunately, sometimes Boy Scout groups leave bad impressions because their leaders are clueless. But not today. A group of scouts is hiking during their spring break. They are fifteen and sixteen years old. Their leader is great, and the boys are wonderful.   Character of the Day: Abe. Funny about hikers. On the internet there¢s a site called Whiteblaze.net. It is where AT hikers hang out when they¢re not hiking. We talk about the trail, hiking and sometimes gear. A lot of times gear. Anyway, last year I found a pack for sale on Whiteblaze.net. It is the ULA Catalyst that I had been wanting, in size small. So I bought it. Today, Abe said, ¢are you Red Hat?¢ When I said yes, he said that he was the one who sold me the pack. Here he is hiking the AT with me, and we just happened to run into each other. Funny about hikers.
Date: 2010-03-31
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Franklin/Otto, NC
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: clear sky

I climbed out of my hammock about 8am. The Boy Scouts were cooking breakfast around the fire. A photographer was there with a huge camera on a tripod. He was from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy just taking pics along the trail. He got my permission to do a photo, and I had my picture taken. Then I ate breakfast, packed up, and headed down the trail. More gorgeous weather today, of course, since I¢m headed back to town for the Hiker Bash. I got down, and waited for Ron and his big bus. Now I'm safe and comfy at the home of Dave and Kim Lippy who live in a cabin in the woods just outside Franklin in a little area called Otto. Word of the Day: Character of the Day: Wee Willie. Pirate, Wee Willie, Mala, Fat Chap, Packrat... these are names hikers come to know. These are trail guys. Who knows how much they¢ve hiked? But year after year, they are out there. Sometimes on the trail. Mostly in town. But hikers just the same. So I hop on Ron¢s bus and grab a seat. Then I notice the familiar faces in the front seats... Wee Willie and Pirate. They¢ve come into town for the Hiker Bash, and decided to take a ride with Ron on the shuttle. I casually mention that my car is at Fontana and that I could use a ride if they have a car. Wee Willie says he does and will drive me. So after lunch at the Mexican Restaurant in Franklin, he drives the hour over to Fontana. We talk about family (Kids), home ownership (pros and cons), and, of course, hiking. Spend some time talking to the trail guys. You might find out how smart they really are. Who would have thought that Wee Willie used to be in robotics? Cool...
Date: 2010-04-01
From: Franklin/Otto, NC

To: Franklin/Otto, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

When I woke up the morning at the Lippy's, they asked if I wanted to take a hike today. Knowing it was April Fool's Day, I thought it was a joke and laughed. But they were serious! So what did I do on my zero day? I hiked, of course! We drove up to the Bartram Trail and hiked out to Jones Knob. There we had a wonderful lunch of fried chicken, potato salad, apples, and oranges. Then we hiked back down. On the way home we stopped for ice cream at a little creamery in Georgia, just south of Otto, which is just south of Franklin. It was a great hike, a beautiful day, and lots of fun. Word of the day: Post Office. Let it be known that the Franklin Post Office is a bit out of the way for hikers. I suggest you send your packages to one of Ron Haven's motels instead. That said, the post office is large and well staffed, even if it is a good ways down Depot St. from the motels. Characters of the Day: Dave & Kim Lippy. They moved to the Franklin area last year, put everything in storage, and started to hike north. Dave's knees gave out and they got off in Damascus. But now they do everything they can to help hikers coming this way. Kim rescued me from the ice and snow a couple of weeks ago. They are taking good care of me for the next few days until the Hiker Bash starts. tonight we went to the library where Michael M. Rogers (www.sharethebeauty.com)presented his wonderful photos of the AT in NC. What an amazing talent! It's great to have hiker friends! Thanks!
Date: 2010-04-02
From: Franklin/Otto, NC

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

After breakfast with Dave & Kim Lippy, I headed to town. I did my post office business, bought a few supplies, then checked in at the Sapphire Inn. Hikers are already in abundance. My room was empty, so I was allowed to check in early. Lunch, a nap, visiting with hikers, then the Bash officially began. The plug for the music was in my room... so my door was open most of the evening. The dinner was great, donated by the Natalana Hiking Club. The music was a pleasant surprise, being a nice mix of country and folk music. We listened to music and visited with each other till about 11:30.
Date: 2010-04-03
From: Franklin, NC

To: still Franklin
Miles today: 0.0

I woke up early so I could attend the free breakfast at the First Baptist Church one more time. This time I was pleased to meet Bark and Berry, who hiked last year. I also visited with Clay and Branch again, and talked with Llano a while. Then it was back to the motel, coffee with some hiker friends, and then a short walk over to the town celebration. Jen Pharr Davis was there to speak about her two hikes (2005 and 2008) and then Gene Esby talked about his 1951 hike. I bought Gene's book. Everyone was having a great time at the park. All the arrangements have been made to move my car forward again, and to get me back to the trail. My pack is nearly ready... after the rest of the party tonight, I'll be ready to get back to the trail.
Date: 2010-04-03
From: Fontana Dam

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 45.0
Weather: overcast clouds

No, I didn't do forty miles in the Great Smokey National Park in one day! But I did do these miles in 2005. Since I kept hearing horror stories about the high drifts of snow, I decided to jump ahead and start at Newfound Gap. I will probably come back and hike this section, but I am putting the mileage in to keep my mileage up to date.
Date: 2010-04-04
From: Newfound Gap

To: Peck's Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

What a beautiful Easter Sunday! Mala drove me from Franklin to Newfound Gap with the help of Tucker Dog. There must have been 200 people at the Gap enjoying the sunshine! I found a few hiker friends to share some Easter candy with, then started up the mountain. There was snow and ice beginning well before Charlie's Bunion. A mother out with her family for the day was freaking out and trying to go back down, but her husband wanted her to go on. The three kids were having fun, just not Mom. Anyway, I had a great day in spite of the deep snow.Word of the Day: Easter. I got up before 6am to walk to the Sunrise Service in Franklin. What a beautiful day and a wonderful service. It was over just in time to get back for the First Baptist Pancake Breakfast. Then I headed back to get ready for my hike. People everywhere were enjoying the day. But as nice as it was, it is better to know that He is Risen, Indeed!Character of the Day: On the Loose. She is one of my young hiking friends and comes from Georgia. Some people thought we were together because we both wear the same red Smartwool shirt and hiking skirts. But she has almost no hair, while I wear mine quite long. She is a fun character, with a dramatic flair for everything.
Date: 2010-04-05
From: Peck's Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Oh my goodness, what a day! I skipped what I thought would be the difficult part of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, planning on doing it in the fall. But what I found was still unbelievably difficult. Talk about snow and ice! (see my word of the day) Tough!Word of the day: snow. This has been one big snow year for the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Hikers have turned around because it was simply too deep. Others made it through using snowshoes. I had heard it was better. It was, but that doesn't mean it was easy. Imagine walking for literally miles in snow two feet deep. Sometimes you are lucky and can step in someone else's footprint. Sometimes you step and boom! post hole! Sometimes you slip and slide on the wet snow. I fell several times. I was lucky and feel backwards, like a turtle with my pack. But it could have been worse, if I fell forward on my face or sideways, off the mountain.....
Date: 2010-04-06
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Since the shelter was full, I had hammocked. It was nice to have a bit of privacy here. I got a fairly early start. More snow to start, at least for several miles, but finally we were down far enough that it was melted. Then it was really warm! Word of the day: memories. Since I did this in 2005, today really flooded my mind with memories. Like sitting for lunch at a spot with Gypsy Lulu, when she saw a crashed airplane in the woods below us. Then a bunch of us just sat there for like an hour talking and thinking. I remember the folks I spent the nights with in the shelters (you are supposed to be in a shelter here, unless it is full). I met Dorothy and Toto here in the Smokys. I met Rainman here. Wow, this park has a lot of memories.Character of the day: Doofus. Doofus is another mature hiker. He is somewhere around my age (but only admits to 35 yrs...lol) He is so funny! We seem to play leap frog as we take turns resting during the day.
Date: 2010-04-07
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Base of Max Patch
Miles today: 12.0

Wow, was it ever hot today! From snow to 90 degrees! I had that huge climb up over snowbird mountain in the morning. The bugs were out in full force... Hot and needing water. Could have been a bummer, but not thanks to my friends. I decided to save Max Patch for the sunrise and hang my hammock at the base of the mountain.Word of the Day: friends. Just when I'm sucking bugs as I hike open mouthed, gasping for air on the climb, I hear laughing. One of my friends is sitting in the grass, smoking a pipe, watching. The pipe keeps the bugs away, he tells me. Then as I wander a little further, needing water, I see another friend hiking towards me. He knows of a wonderful water source, just off the trail, with clear cool water. Trail friends make what could be a miserable day, memorable.Character of the day: Pirate. Trail guys again. Pirate is a former Navy Seal. But folks mistake him for a homeless person all the time. He is a wealth of AT knowledge. He worked down at Neels Gap for the past few years, but decided not this year. So he hikes a bit, rests a bit, and moves on up the trail with the hikers. He wears a red bandana that makes him look like a pirate. And he smokes a pipe.
Date: 2010-04-08
From: Base of Max Patch

To: who knows were?
Miles today: 10.0

Started out as a gorgeous day. Climbed Max Patch and watched the sunrise. Loved it. Then down, with memories of hiking with Blue Eye, No Worries, and Draggin back in 2005. Down winding with the streams... when it hit... my stomach, oh no.... where to go? Word of the day: restroom. Well, there aren't any... oh, maybe an occasional privy, but not usually. Proper procedure is to #1 in the woods, and #2 in a hole. The hole should be 6 inches deep, away from the trail, and away from water. Well, that's a problem when you are following a stream for miles. So, without any more details, let's just say, it was unpleasant for a bit.Character of the day: no one... why? well I certainly didn't want anyone to see me in my delicate condition....
Date: 2010-04-09
From: who knows were?

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: few clouds

I arrived in Hot Springs feeling much better after a restful night. Seems everyone is here! I checked into the Duckett House Bed and Breakfast to treat myself. I also bought a new Mountain Hardwear kilt. This one has pleats in back and covers my rear a little better. Lunch with Longhaul and friends... Dinner with On the Loose, her dad, Itrod, Persistent and her husband.   Great day.Word of the Day: Lucky. I am very lucky to be out here and realize it all the time. Hiking the AT takes three things: health, means, and time. The younguns have to worry about means (finances). The older ones have to worry about health. The ones in between have to worry about time because they are usually commited to jobs and families that don't have time for six months or so of hiking. They also have to worry about means, because they need their money for their families. So the folks on the trail are a mixture of younguns and older ones. We are lucky that we have the health, the means, and the time to take a hike. Character of the Day: Persistent. I remember reading her journal. She was the optimistic one. Her hiking partner was the realist. Together they hiked, separately they journaled. Persistent finished her hike the year she started. Her partner ended up getting off trail, but finishing the next year. Persistent was busy with wedding plans then. She and her husband decided to do some trail magic this year. They were passing out goodies when they met On The Loose. Loose invited them to dinner, which is where we met. They had so much "magic" left, they ended up passing goodies around the restaurant where the hikers had gathered. I couldn't resist taking a Hostess cupcake...
Date: 2010-04-10
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Log Cabin Road (Hemlock Hollow Hostel)
Miles today: 16.3

What a day! I felt like I was flying! Planned on doing a 14 mile, but things happened. I love the climb out of Hot Springs overlooking the French Broad River. Then the turn from Lover's Leap hikes up to a great pond where I stopped for lunch. A few brave souls even took a dip. Next it was up and over the highway where I saw Mala and Fred's trucks. I knew I'd be seeing more of my hiking buddies. They came down from their hikes and we visited a short while, but I had miles to make. So on I flew. I hoped to get to Fal and Hercules home for dinner time. That was my plan... but something kept telling me I needed to be more an encourager for them, than them for me. Word of the day: Creation. One can not spend time out doors without an awe for creation. Even folks who don't believe in creation are awestruck by nature. Saw a bumper sticker that says "It's not Mother Nature, It's Father God". Today was one of those days that keeps me in awe of Father God.Characters of the Day: "Fal" and "Hercules" Nelson. I met them in 2005 when I hiked into Allen Gap and saw the sign for trail magic. Turn right and go to their house. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day during hiker season for the last 10 years or so. They feel called by God to serve hikers. They do so for free and asking nothing in return. Occasionally they may start up a conversation about spiritual things, but they are not pushy. Today there was no sign for magic. Their driveway was empty. I wrote a note of encouragement and moved on. Later I found out that there was a death in the family so they won't be doing it this year. May God bless them in their future endeavors.
Date: 2010-04-11
From: Log Cabin Road (Hemlock Hollow Hostel)

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: clear sky

I can't believe I did another 16 mile day! The weather continues to amaze me. Winter has really become spring here in the mountains. Flowers are blooming, trees are starting to bud, the grasses are green, the bees are busy... I came up on Seminole just as her husband was letting her out at the Log Cabin Road. He is dropping her at gaps when he can, and meeting her when there is more than a day's walk. She always carries a full pack. She passed me on the first up, I passed her on the first down, she passed me again on the second up, and I didn't see her again. Today was more rocky than yesterday, but the elevations changes weren't so much. I was able to pretty much cruise all day. Longhaul and I arrived at the empty shelter about the same time. He put up his tent, and I my hammock. The "kids" came in a bit later and pitched their tent. It was the first night I was at an empty shelter. Not one person slept there...Word of the Day: Organization. My backpack is my temporary home. It is organized into several rooms (sacks). My kitchen sack (pot, stove, etc) is the largest, along with my pantry (food). My bedroom is next with my sleeping bag and hammock. (I keep my tarp outside my pack in case of rain) My bathroom sack has my personal stuff like toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, etc. My closet sack has my extra clothes. That's pretty much all I have, and all I need. Characters of the day: Dormouse and Dirt Stew. This couple from Charlottesville, VA could be any young couple out on the trail. They are young, and strong. They hike fast and do big miles. But when we sat down to talk I found out that she is a chemical engineer and he is an environmental scientist. They met at a juggling festival. You never know about the folks out here. Each one is amazing!
Date: 2010-04-12
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Sam's Gap (Erwin, TN)
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

I learned back in 2008 about trying to keep up with the younguns! Two sixteen mile days and I am tired. So when Longhaul got up before 7 to do the 18 long miles today, I thought "no way!" I laid in my hammock and got up about 8am. I hiked and hiked and decided that I would go to Sam's Gap and see. If I could get a ride to town, I'd take it. I was sure that I can get a shuttle to slackpack back to Erwin. I got there and saw a short while before an elderly (even older than me!) gentleman came up. He offered me a ride to town, and I graciously accepted. Now this may shock folks not acquainted with the trail, but offering and accepting rides is pretty important here in the trail areas. One must use good judgment and "trust your gut". My gentleman was quite harmless and wouldn't even accept any gas money. He delivered me to the Super 8 motel where I cleaned up and went out for dinner. Now here I am using their computer to update. What a great day!
Date: 2010-04-13
From: Sam's Gap (Erwin, TN)

To: Spivey Gap (Erwin, TN)
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: overcast clouds

One month on the trail. I wanted to take a zero so badly, but no one would let me. Last night the hotel manager told me that he could give me a ride to Sam's Gap (for a charge). I politely refused and explained that I'd have to do about 14 hours to get the 25 miles in from Sam's to Erwin. Then some guys I've been hiking with offered to drive me up. Again, I politely refused and explained I couldn't do the long walk and would need to divide it into two days slacking. But then I got the call from David (Seminole's husband). He had seen my post and said he would drop me off at Sam's and pick me up at Spivey. I couldn't turn that down! Two free shuttles! So I got up early this morning, went to breakfast, then to the grocery, then to the post office, then back to get my pack ready. David showed up about the time I walked out to the lobby. Quick drive to Sam's Gap, and I was off! I only saw one other hiker walking today, which is strange since we're in prime hiker season. He said that On the Loose was just behind, but she never showed up. Probably tomorrow she'll hit Erwin and I'll find everyone I lost when I didn't go for the 18 miler.Word of the Day: Slackpack. This is the term for emptying everything out of your pack and hiking with only a day's worth of supplies. I bought potato salad, chicken salad, grapes, and sodas. I took the ice bucket from the motel and filled it about 3/4 full of ice and put the salads on top. This went into the plastic bags from the grocery store, along with the sodas. Then it all went carefully into a garbage sack, and then in my pack. Total weight: about 5 lbs. My plan was to share a picnic with friends on the trail. I stopped at Big Bald for lunch, but it was too cold and windy, so I moved on down a little. When I saw Absent, I sat down and shared lunch with him. Then it was mostly down for the rest of the day, till I met David and he brought me back to the motel. Character of the day: Absent. Another youngun, this time from Massachusetts, but residing in California. He took a leave of absence from his construction job to hike the trail, but needs to get back by August to start a new subdivision. That means long days to get to Maine. He'll do it.
Date: 2010-04-14
From: Spivey Gap (Erwin, TN)

To: River Road, Erwin,TN
Miles today: 11.2

The hotel owner had said that he did shuttles to the trail crossings in the area, but when I asked about Spivey Gap, he said no. So I packed up my stuff and checked out. PS, the single hiker room rate was supposed to be $45, but it was $59.95 plus tax (neary $70)a night. I was not pleased... I thought maybe I could get a ride from someone down at the McDonalds or the Shell station. I tried for over an hour. Finally a lady at the Shell station overheard me ask another driver and said she would take me. We had a nice visit as we drove up, and she invited me to her church for Wednesday night services. I said I would be there. My hike was pleasant. I stopped for lunch at the No Business Shelter where I found On The Loose picking up trash. I helped her pack some of it out. When we finished the neverending swithchbacks into Erwin, we checked into Uncle Johnney's Hostel. On the Loose and I decided to share a cabin, rather than sleep in the bunkhouse. It was a good decision, since the bunkhouse can get rowdy.I took the dinner shuttle to town, got some barbecue at Hog&Dog, then walked over to the little Baptist Church to meet my new friend. A lady there said that she had called and her son was injured at school so she couldn't be there. There were about 10 in attendance for the prayer meeting. Everyone was very welcoming and I enjoyed the country preacher. One of the ladies from the church drove me back to the hostel for the night.