morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-06-10
To: Zero Day 2
Miles today: 0.0

Saturday, June 10: A second down day at Fontana Lodge wasgreat. Marilee and I went to breakfast at 8:15 AM. She helped me work on myfeet. They're a lot better. I sorted through my stuff and rearranged the order I pack mybackpack since I wont be able to use my tent through the Smokies. You have tosleep in a shelter. We went to the general store to pick up a few more items andheard more discussion about  bear sightings. After my daily ice cream werode over to Fontana Dam Marina to look around. I showed Marilee where I cameoff the trail and she actually hiked one of the trails a short way. We spentthe day just hanging out and resting. The Wi-Fi and phone service is almostnonexistent. You would think in this day and time you could have Wifieverywhere.
Date: 2017-06-11
From: Fontana Dam 

To: Russell Field Shelter
Miles today: 14.1
Weather: broken clouds

Sunday, June 11. Fontana Dam (166.3) to Russell Field Shelter (180.4) for 14.1 miles today.My last day at Fontana Lodge. I really appreciate Marilee coming to meet me. It was a great 2 days. My physical and mental state is so much better.Marilee took me to the AT at 7:00AM. It was hard to say goodbye.I hit the trail at 7:20AM. There was a 2800 ft elevation gain in the 1st 4 miles. I was going from 1700 to 4500 ft. About 30 minutes into the hike a black bear cub jumped across the trail about 30 ft in front of me and went up a tree. Only a couple of seconds later, the upset mama bear jumped on the trail facing me in a defensive position and was growling. Mama Bear was not moving since the cub was in the tree. She took up the entire 2 1/2 foot trail and then some. I decided to back track 20 yards and go up and around (the choice was a cliff on one side and a steep climb on the other). I did not get a picture since my phone was turned off but I was able to move around the bears and get back on the trail about 80 yards up.I was making great time and my feet felt good so I went past the original shelter I had planned to stay at and went to Russell Field Shelter at the 180.4 mile marker.There were some great views along the way today. The trail has been mostly dense and shaded so that the sun and views are a treat. I arrived at the shelter at 3:43 PM. I was on the trail for 8 hours and 10 minutes. A fellow hiker's fitbit says we did 540 flights of stairs and 34000 steps today from Fontana to the shelter. In the Smokies you have to stay in a shelter. (They do not allow tents.) The gnats are so bad. I set up my tent without the fly in the shelter to keep the bugs out. I got water and had dinner by 6 PM. Since 3 other people have shown up at the shelter, a college student from Germany and 2 former army buddies who are in their 30's, we are going to build a fire in the shelter fireplace. We had 2 more hikers join us at the shelter. It is going to be a full house. (shelter). I am heading to bed as soon as it gets dark.(9PM)
Date: 2017-06-12
From: Russell Field Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Monday, June 12: Russell Field Shelter (180.4) to Derrick Knob Shelter (189.3) for a total of 8.9 milesNot a lot of miles today but a lot of climbs up. There were some great views as I went over Rocky Top (you can see 360 degrees since it is a rocky top with no trees) and Thunderhead Mtn. Rocky Top was 5440 ft and Thunderhead is 5527 ft. These climbs are straight over the top and created straight up climbs and lots of boulders. Also today about 4 miles of the AT allowed horses on the trail. The AT connected with another trail. This part had great terrain to hike. You are supposed to sleep in shelters in The Great Smokies but the shelter was full so I volunteered to pitch my tent (less bugs in the tent vs shelter). Marilee went to Knoxville today for an early morning flight to KC. I really appreciate her coming to meet me. I went days not seeing many people but there are a lot of people who come from all over the world to hike the AT through the Smokies. There are 12 people in our shelter tonight and I think they are from 6 different states (none from NC)A good day even though it rained for 3 hours today but it is clear tonight. I am heading to bed early tonight.
Date: 2017-06-14
To: Gatlinburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Wednesday, June 14: Zero Day in GatlinburgI decided to give my body a complete day to rest. I had noticed after resting at Fontana Dam I was great the first day out but the next day my body tiredearlier in the day.I feel great now. I had a huge breakfast at Crockett's Camp BreakfastHouse. I had 2 eggs, bacon, grits, biscuits and the largest single (thick)pancake I have seen. When I saw the amount of food I ordered I was thinking, noway I could eat all of that. I ate it all. Of course on the trail, mybreakfasts and lunches consists of granola bars and peanut butter mostly.After breakfast I went to the laundromat. It was 3 miles from the Days Inn(the hotel washer and dryer were not working). I stood on the street with mythumb out and finally caught a ride. Most places I've been are more oriented tothe AT traffic and hikers are looked after a little more. Gatlinburg is reallytouristy with all the usual tourist stuff. The rest of the morning I spent talking to Marilee and planning out myfinal 6 days. It is calling for rain over the next 6 days so I want to plan astay in a shelter each night and that makes it a little harder to schedulesince the shelters are 6 to 9 miles apart. Also if it does rain some everyday,my stuff will not dry out. I will just have to go with the flow. This afternoon I went to NOC outfitters and Walgreens to stock up on foodfor 4 days. This will cause my pack to be heavier since I have only carried 3 daysworth of food max. I just rested this afternoon. I went to dinner at 6:00 PM toCalhouns and had trout. Back to the room for my final prep for tomorrow. The car is picking me upearly and there is a 60% chance of rain so I will have to prepare for it.I am heading to bed. Thanks for the support.Gordon
Date: 2017-06-15
From: Clingsman Dome 

To: TriCorner Knob
Miles today: 16.1

Thursday, June 15: Clingsman Dome (201.5) to TriCorner Knob (217.6) for 16.1 milesI was feeling great after my day of rest. The car picked me up at 7:00 AM and I hit the trail at 7:30. Hitch-a-Hike driver, Carol was my driver today and she told me the story of how she got her business started 7 years ago. The story is too long for the journal but it was very interesting. That is some of the best parts of my trip, the great stories that people will tell. I usually ask "So what's your story?" and people are happy to share. Everyone has a story.There was a little climb to start the day but the trail was in good shape. It started to rain about 1 hour into the hike and it rained for about 2 hours. It was not hard but I put my rain jacket on because it was cool.About 30 minutes into the hike a couple in their 30's from Dayton, Ohio met me on the trail. There are lots of day hikers - there is a 4 mile loop that people can take. They asked a lot of questions about the trail and they asked if they could take a selfie with me so they can tell their friends what I was doing. I also took a picture on my camera with them.Almost all of my hike today was over 5000 feet so there were lots of cedars on the trail. The views were also outstanding today and I took several photos.Something happened again today that has happened before. I was hiking through a grove of flowering trees for about 1/2 mile. As I was hiking about 15-20 butterflies started following me down the trail. They were small butterflies (1/2 to 1" in size). They flew right in front of my face for 200 ft. It reminded me of a cartoon when birds or butterflies fly around someone's head.I made great time today. I think I'm getting my hiking legs. I reached the shelter I was planning on staying at tonight at 2:15 PM so I decided to go to the next shelter 4.8 miles further down the trail. I arrived at TriCorner Knob Shelter at 5:15 PM. It rained hard the last hour of the hike. It felt good to arrive at the shelter to get my stuff dried out. There are 11 people in the shelter - a group of 5 (dads and sons from Cleveland, Ohio) who are doing a 4 day/ 30 mile hike, a group of 4 from Virginia (mom and dad in the group who are 62 and 63 years old and started in March to do a thru hike but had to stop. They are back to do a 60 day hike.) Also there is a 37 year old woman from Liverpool, England who is doing a thru hike. She started on June 4 and plans to finish Sept 10 (I think 100 days) which is about 1/2 the time most thru hikers allow. She does podcasts and she is recording this hike on her GoPro. I think her site is called "Tough Girls". I did the same amount of miles today that she did. : )I had dinner and am getting ready for bed. Bedtime is always when the sun goes down. I try to write my journal in the evening but it is hard to find a comfortable position to write. It's the little things that you notice. I am hoping for good weather tomorrow. I did complete 10 % of the total AT (2098 miles) today and I only have 57 miles to Hot Springs.Thanks for following.Gordon
Date: 2017-06-16
From: TriCorner Knob

To: Standing Bear Farm Hostel
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: broken clouds

Friday, June 16. TriCorner Knob (217.6) to Standing Bear Farm Hostel (237.2) for 19.6 miles.Last night was the first time I had slept in a shelter with just with a pad and sleeping bag. I was hesitant to get moving as early as I normally would since I did not want to wake anyone up. The sun is up at 6 AM and the people in the shelter started to move so I started to pack my stuff . I slept on the lower level so I could get up during the night and not disturb anyone. The lower level in the shelter was not high so I could not sit up making it hard to get my stuff packed. I still was able to hit the trail at 7 AM.I am excited about my day on the trail. I hiked over Mt Guyot early in the hike. I continued at the 5800 to 6200 foot elevation of the mountain which means most of the trees are cedar. After the rain yesterday and early morning dew the forest smelled like Christmas. The terrain was good and usually some up and downs. I started out today thinking I was hiking to Davenport Gap Shelter which would have been 14.8 miles. When I arrived at Davenport Gap Shelter the gnats and black flies were very bad so after sitting at the shelter for 30-45 minutes I decided to hike to Standing Bear Farm Hostel. I am very excited I covered 19.6 miles today, the most I have ever backpacked in one day.I am also excited to be leaving the Smokies covering the 74 miles in only 5 days of hiking. I also crossed over the Pigeon River and under Interstate 40. There were white water rafters right next to the trail and I40. (pictures)I arrived at Standing Bear Farm Hostel at 6:45 PM. The caretaker, Clark checked me in and gave me a tour. I got a single cabin for $30. I am hopeful I can post pictures of this tomorrow.I was able to take a shower. The hot water is heated by propane as you shower.I wanted to mention the speed hiker from England, Sarah is also here tonight. That means I have hiked at her pace the last 2 days. (34 miles in 2 days.)The views were outstanding all day. Since I was at the hostel today I was able to have frozen pizza for dinner. Only 37 miles to Hot Springs. Did I say only? And I will meet Tyson on Sunday afternoon. I am very excited about my last 4 days on the trail. Thanks for following.Gordon
Date: 2017-06-17
From: Standing Bear Farm Hostel

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: broken clouds

Saturday, June 17: Standing Bear Farm Hostel (237.2) to Groundhog Creek Shelter (247.5) for 10.3I woke up several times during the night. It was bright outside since it was a clear night and over the creek, next to my cabin were thousands of fireflies/ lightning bugs going off. I was almost like a light show and I had a window view of it.At 6 AM I got up and washed my clothes. I got in late last night since I hiked a lot further than my plan. There was no washing machine, just a washboard. They did have a dryer. This place is rustic. (See the photos)I went back to my room and packed since I was not having coffee. I had a regular coke from the little honor system store (since I could) to get my caffeine fix for the day. When I went to the kitchen to fill my water bottles, Jim, the dad who is hiking with his son, James asked if I want a cup of coffee. I noticed James had a scout shirt on and I asked about it. I found out James was an 11th grade Eagle scout. I sat there another 45 minutes to discuss scouting. And forgot my water bottles in the process.I left at 8:30 AM. The climb out of Standing Bear Farms was almost 2500 ft elevation gain. The positive part is they did have switch backs and the terrain was good. (In GA and Southern NC there were very few switchbacks, just straight up and straight down.) At the top of Snowbird Mtn there was an FAA station. I was told it was one of the first to use satellite to track planes. It was still in use. Because of the FAA station the top of the mountain had been cleared of trees making for great views. I was the first person to our shelter since I arrived early afternoon. It did rain very heavily for awhile. At the Groundhog Shelter tonight are Jim and James who I talked about earlier and a girl from Asheville out for a 1 night hike. I am 5 miles from Max Patch where I will meet Tyson tomorrow. I am really excited to see him. And I really miss Marilee.I am going to bed early.Thanks for following. Gordon
Date: 2017-06-18
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Sunday, June 18: Groundhog Creek Shelter (247.5) to Walnut Mtn Shelter (260.6) for 13.1 miles today.After I went to bed last night we had 4 more hikers arrive at the shelter. It was already dark and it was pouring down rain. The shelter was full so they had to pitch their tents. The shelter had a slant to it and it was very uncomfortable but it was dry. When I sleep in the shelter I can not start as early since I do not want to wake the other hikers.I did start moving at 6:15 AM since the sun was up. One of the people who showed up yesterday was a girl from New Hampshire, a freshman at Vassar. She is going to see how far she can hike during summer break. She thought she would make NY (that would be a fast pace).I left the shelter at 8 AM heading for Max Patch to meet my oldest son, Tyson. It was 6.1 miles to hike over 2 big elevation gains. I arrived at 11:30 AM. Tyson called and said he would be there around 2 PM. I just made myself comfortable and had lunch. He arrive at 1:55 PM. It was great to see him. He brought me an Italian wrap. It was delicious. We were at the 252.5 mile marker. We hiked to Max Patch. The AT goes right through Max Patch. It is a National Park Service area that is mowed. It was an old farm and they used the land for grazing their livestock. At the summit you can see a 360 degree view. It is stunning. A lot of families were having picnic lunches at the summit. After a few pictures Tyson and I took off for the first shelter that was 2.5 miles away. We got there at 3:15 PM and decided to go to the next shelter that was another 4.9 miles. It was a great hike with Tyson except for the part when it poured rain. We arrived at Walnut Mtn Shelter at 6 PM. Tyson had hiked over 7 miles in his first day on the AT. We got water and had dinner. Tyson is currently playing War, the card game with an 8 year old in our shelter. It was a great day with Tyson arriving and I got text or phone calls from Graham, Gordon and Dani. Plus I got to talk to Marilee. Happy Father's Day.
Date: 2017-06-19
From: Walnut Mtn Shelter

To: Hot Springs Public Parking Lot 
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: light rain

Walnut Mtn Shelter (260.6) to Hot Springs Public Parking Lot (274) for 13.4 miles today.It rained throughout the night so we were glad we chose to sleep in the shelter. Well at least I was. Tyson is 6'5". The shelter was not wide enough for him so his feet hung over the end of the shelter platform. We were on the trail by 7:15 AM. We started out with a 1000 feet elevation gain. Tyson could move up the mountain faster than me. (I am not fast up the elevation gains.) So he lead. We hiked over Bluff Mtn, talking and taking pictures as we moved up and down the trail. It was such a joy to have Tyson doing the last day on the AT with me. During the day we had 2 more good elevation gains. The terrain was good so we moved at a fast pace. Tyson said the downhill bothers his knees (most people say this) plus his feet and shoulders were a little tender from yesterday's hike. We reached Hot Springs in record time at 2:15 PM. We covered the almost 14 miles in 7 hours on the trail.I did a little celebration dance and got a big hug from Tyson. The trek was COMPLETE. We went to get Tyson's truck and then went to have lunch at Iron Horse Bar and Grill. I got a huge hamburger and Tyson had a catfish sandwich. I was starving so I ate all of mine in just a few minutes. Tyson did great the 2 days on the AT and I am so appreciative of him doing this with me.We did the 3 1/2 hour drive to Oak Ridge NC (north of Greensboro) to Tyson's house. We took showers and Tyson, Mel (Tyson's gf), and I went to The Stokeridge Tavern (their local hangout) for the Monday night special - wings and a pitcher of beer. I talked to Marilee and Gordon Jr.It was a long day but I feel great. I am so appreciative of all the support I received during the trek. It really helped especially on the days when things were not going great or I was very tired. I also could not have completed this if it was not for Marilee's support, the nightly calls (when I had service), texts and especially the visit to Fontana Dam. I can hardly wait to get home to see her.I will do a little summary of the hike in the next few days on the journal (mostly for my benefit so I can remember some of the facts and my final thoughts). If you are interested check back in about a week.The next few days I am going to rest, enjoy hanging out with Tyson, Mel and Stella and visiting my mom in Sanford, NC. I will land in Overland Park on Sunday. It was an unbelievable experience.Thanks for following.Gordon
Date: 2018-09-20
From: Home 

To: Starting my 2nd Trek on the AT
Miles today: 0.0

Overview of my 2nd AT Section Hike:On Friday, Seot 21 I will fly to Bristol, TN and catch a shuttle to Dennis Cove Rd at mile marker 418.2 on the Appalachian Trail (AT). The ride from the airport is 31 miles/43 minutes. Dennis Cove Rd is 144 miles from Hot Springs (where i ended my 2017 Trek). I am skipping this section this year for several reasons (will explain later). Mike Pearce will be my hiking partner this year. Mike has done several AT Treks in the past years. Mike and I met and became friends through Scouting. We will cover 171.7 miles on the AT (walking approximately 185 miles with the side trips). Our 2018 Trek will start in northwest Tennessee close to Hampton, Tenn. and  after hiking 47 miles through the Cherokee National Forest we will cross into Virginia (my 4th State on the AT). We'll hike through the Trail Town of Damascus, Va and go through Grayson Highland State Park (herds of miniature horses). We will go over Mt Rogers, hike through Jefferson National Forest and end up at Bland, Va (60 miles west of Blacksburg, Va) at AT mile marker 589.9 on Sunday October 7.As in the past you can view my/our progress by clicking on the Entries by day. I will try to update the Journal and post pictures each day but could be limited by phone/wifi service.Wish us luck...¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦¢¦..
Date: 2018-09-21
From: Dennis Cove Rd

To: Pond Mtn Flats Campsite
Miles today: 5.8

Friday, Sept 21: Dennis Cove Rd (418.8 mile marker) to Pond Mtn Flats Campsite (424.6 mile marker) for 5.8 miles. (My trail counter says 280 miles which includes the 274 miles of the AT that I hiked in 2017.)What a great day to start a trek on the Appalachian Trail.Marilee took me to the airport this morning for my 7:05 AM flight to Charlotte NC connecting to Bristol TN. I met Mike Pearce (MP) at the airport. We are both excited to get started and looking forward to the adventure that is in front of us.My thoughts on the flight this morning as we start our 15 day trek - I feel prepared since I know from my previous experience what lies ahead. I have trained hard the last 30 days. In addition to my normal workout of running 10 miles per week and doing core body workout 3 days a week (which I have been doing for the past 2 years), I have walked 150 miles the past 4 weeks on non-paved trails with a 38 pound pack. I also did some hill climbing (Lowe's Hill) and added the stair climbing machine at the gym to my routine.The unknown is how the terrain will be on this trek, how it will be hiking with a partner, the weather, and just the day-to-day things that will happen that will be part of the adventure. We landed in Bristol, TN at 12:15, our packs arrived and Bob, our shuttle driver was already at the airport waiting for us. Bob and his wife are the owners of Black Bear Hostel located .4 miles from Dennis Cove Rd. We arrived at the hostel at 1:15 and were able to buy fuel for our stoves and fill our water bottles. Bob drove us down to the AT and we started our trek at 1:50 PM. We hiked down to Laurel Fork Falls (2.0 miles) and walked along Laurel Fork Creek with several wooden bridge crossings until we reached the base of Pond Mtn, a 2.6 mile, 1800 ft climb. We met a south bound hiker at the spring from Madison, WI. His trail name was Cliff Hanger. He had started in Harper's Ferry, WV (the half way point on the AT). He had interesting stories about being on the trail during Hurricane Florence. This mountain kicked my butt. The temperature was about 85 and I got overheated. So for me the climb was slow. Mike Pearce (MP) did great. At 6:15 at the top of Pond Mtn, we stopped to fill our water bottles. MP arrived about 15 minutes before me.We camped at Pond Mtn Flat campsite about .2 mile from the spring. We set camp, hung our food bags, had dinner and went to our tents at 8 PM. It was a long first day, but good. I'm excited about getting started tomorrow.
Date: 2018-09-22
From: Pond Mtn Flats

To: Vandeventer Shelter
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: few clouds

Saturday, Sept 22, 2018: Pond Mtn Flats (424.6 AT mile marker) to Vandeventer Shelter (436.9 AT) for 12.3 miles.  We were up at 6 AM. Both of us had leg cramps during the night. We need to drink more water. But today is a beautiful day. We packed our stuff and had breakfast. I was not very hungry so I only had a protein bar. We hit the trail at 7:30 AM. Our first stop was going to be Shook Branch Recreation Center where they have bathrooms and water. This is only 3 miles and downhill. It was closed and locked for the season so no water and no bathroom. The next 4 miles we hiked around Watauga Lake and passed Watauga Lake Shelter which was closed because of heavy bear activity. The rest of the day is mostly uphill. We met a thru hiker heading south to Springer Mtn. His name is Sandals, he is hiking the entire AT in sandals! He is from Florida and started in Maine on May 29. We met another thru hiker at the spring getting water. His name was Jet. He was in his 20's. He started in Damascus VA and hiked to Maine then caught a ride to Springer Mtn GA and was going to finish in Damascus. He only had 30 more miles to complete 2170 miles. Wow!We got to Vendeventer Shelter at 5:30 PM. 10 hours on the trail today. We have done 5900 ft elevation gain and 18 miles in our first 1 1/2 days on the AT. Pretty good.However, we are exhausted. A quick meal and to bed at 7:30 PM. A good challenging day. Thanks for following.