morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-09-06
From: Baggs Creek Gap

To: Rocky Mountain
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

I planned a few routes for today since I wasn't sure how my left foot would fare. I ended up picking the intermediate distance one after meeting another group at a trailhead. After a brief climb up Cowrock Mountain, the path got easier. I think the difference may be due to trail maintenance -- I'm now in Georgia Section 13. A few miles of section 13 are even an old CCC road, and since they were built for vehicular traffic, the grade is quite easy. I finally started paying attention to the elevations listed in the data book for other trail sections, and discovered, to my horror, that the last 3 miles of today's hiking consisted of a 2-mile 10% grade descent followed by a 1 mile 20% grade ascent. But then when I walked those sections, they seemed routine, so I guess I'm used to it. On the wildlife front, I saw a huge beetle, birds scuttling around in the underbrush, and a lot of crushed millipedes on the trail. I didn't see any people, though, until 2pm, when I ran into a couple of local day-hikers who must have been in their seventies. They were in typical old-man attire (and one was carrying a homemade-looking old-fashioned water sling), but as far as hiking is concerned, they're impressively sprightly. They were well-versed in trail lore, and fun to talk to. True hikers -- they reminded me of how unnecessary (though helpful) all of my newfangled equipment is. Thanks to the road, I quickly finished the first 12 miles or so, even with a long breakfast detour. But each mile after 12 was like pulling teeth. When I got to Unicoi Gap, 2 ladies in a car asked me if I wanted a ride into town, and I was tempted, but said no. Instead, I met a few men in their mid-thirties on a high school reuinion trip, and later joined them at their campsite 1.3 miles further.The festive atmosphere of the group site, with conversation, humorous bear-bag-hanging attempts, and a roaring fire definitely made me wish I had someone to do this trip with. I appreciate that they invited me over and we talked for a while by the fire. Even the superficial small talk can be nice. It's 15 miles to Hiawassee tomorrow. I think in my tired state, I've forgotten most of what happened today, so I resolve to keep a mental list of memories throughout the day tomorrow.
Date: 2005-09-08
From: Dicks Creek Gap (Hiawassee, GA)

To: Dicks Creek Gap (Hiawassee, GA)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I had a doctor look at my ankle in the morning. He took x-rays, and it's not broken, but he had no hypothesis as to what is wrong with it.   He prescribed lots of Aleve (which I thought was Naproxen sodium, but he spelled Naprosen), elevation, and hot or cold compresses. After he finished looking at me, he and the other employees of the tiny hospital rushed outside to watch a helicopter airlift a cardiac patient.   Apparently that kind of excitement is rare in these parts.So I stayed a second night in the Holiday Inn Express. During the day, I watched hours of TV about Hurricane Katrina, surfed the Web at the library, paid bills, and planned the trip David and I will take around the world in November and December.   Final list of destinations: Curacao, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Johannesburg, Bangkok, Cairns. I can't wait to work out the details and set off on that trip!   I'm definitely not tired of being on the road yet.I rode a loaner bike from the Holiday Inn around town just to check things out. Hiawassee is a nice town with a lake, pretty forests, mountain slopes, and attractive lawns and meadows.   It's clearly not wealthy, but everyone takes care of their property, and the atmosphere is definitely pleasant. You won't hear any Deliverance jokes about this community from me. But the trail beckons ¢ I can already feel couch potatoitis setting in.
Date: 2005-09-09
From: Dicks Creek Gap

To: Standing Indian Mountain
Miles today: 18.0

Today was supposed to be an easy jaunt to Muskrat Creek Shelter (<12 miles), but I got there at 2:30 and decided it'd be much cooler to camp on a mountaintop and watch the sunset from my tent.   Somehow I finished 18 miles by 6pm without rushing, and now I have a bunch of idle time before twilight and cooler temperatures. It's too hot to have dinner now ¢ still at least 80 degrees. I got exactly the tent spot I dreamed of. I am literally on the summit of the mountain in a small, grassy patch.   I'm all alone here, and I have been all day, but I just heard 2 male voices, so I'm guessing I will have company for the night. As long as the company isn't ursine, I'm happy with that. I passed my first state line this afternoon. At Bly Gap, Georgia became North Carolina, and I took a picture of myself next to the sign.   The terrain there changed abruptly from a nice, easy path to a climb so steep it needed anti-erosion steps. That made me worry about the subsequent 3 climbs, but the trail got easier after about a mile or so.   I can't help but wonder whether the North Carolinian trail maintainers were trying to one-up the Georgians with that initial stretch.Today's wildlife sightings: 1) Exotic feces. Dog-like, but large. In several places, sometimes with berries in them. 2) A dog with an antenna. At Deep Gap (the second so-named locale so far), the dog approached me and licked my hand.   He had a collar with his owner's name. He followed me for a minute, then turned back to the gap where he came from.Today's song: "I'll be Home for Christmas," triggered by my thought that I probably won't since the round-the-world trip terminates in Austin.   We might want to change that. Also, "Movin' Right Along" from the Muppet Movie.Most parts of the trail today lacked distinction. I passed a brand-new sign indicating Raven Rock Trail; I hope I didn't miss anything by skipping it.   It wasn't in any of my books.Standing Indian Mountain is definitely today's highlight. The rock I'm sitting on affords a view of several dozen mountain peaks and a distant lake, but not a single sign of civilization.   Yet my cell phone works!
Date: 2005-09-10
From: Standing Indian Mountain

To: Winding Stair Gap (Franklin, NC)
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: clear sky

I woke up to a view of fog rolling through the mountains, cold (45-degree) air, and wetness ¢ condensation everywhere.   Any touches to the tent fabric sent a dewdrop shower down on me. I went back to sleep at 7, hoping that the sun would rise and dry the tent.   But since my spot was sheltered on the eastern side, it stayed soggy. Finally, I got up at 8:30 or so and just packed everything wet.I had trouble picking my destination for the day. I wanted a shower, only to be had in Franklin, after 23.5 miles of hiking and 10 miles of hitchhiking. But that seemed too ambitious, so I decided to take my time and head to Rock Gap Shelter. But since my first footstep, I couldn't shake the stretch goal of getting into town. The hike was spiderwebby ¢ I had to brush a couple out of my hair and stop one spider from building a web on me.   It was easy until I got to a forest service road at about 2, with 0.3 miles to go up Albert Mountain. I think those 0.3 miles were the steepest yet ¢ mostly log stairs and stone scrambling.   Albert Mountain got no descriptive mention in my guidebook, so I didn't expect much. But the summit surprised me with its "hydrological laboratory," a tower on top that looked like an observatory to me.   I was stunned by the 360-degree view, and it touched me emotionally. I suppose I had strong pent-up yearnings for views, and I stood in awe for a full hour before coming down. When getting water, I met a woman out for a weekend camping trip after having hiked the whole AT last year. She explained, "Once you spend six months in the woods, you will always want to come back." I didn't have the heart to tell her that that transformation hasn't happened to me yet. I reached Rock Gap Shelter at 5:30pm and probably should have stopped, but at that point Winding Stair Gap (and a ride to Franklin) was only 4 miles away.   I was afraid of hitchhiking after nightfall, so I put the adventure-racing pedigree of my backpack to the test and ran most of the way there, arriving 1 hour later.   I got a ride within 10 minutes with a woman and her baby, and they dropped me off at the Franklin Motel after rejecting a dumpy-looking place. It appeared to be stuck in the 1950's, but was clean and cheap.   I showered, dried my tent, rushed to do laundry and grocery shopping, then walked up the hill to Main Street, bought a chili dog, and listened to the final strains of a country music concert in the town square.   The fresh smells of the air and the small town atmosphere, complete with cute diner, bookshop, and historical museum, enchanted me. The day was satisfyingly full.
Date: 2005-09-11
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

I had a heavy breakfast this morning at the B&D Restaurant across the street from the motel. Typical small-town diner atmosphere, with a cabiny feel and black bear tchotchkes as d©cor.   "Grits or gravy?" asked the waitress. I chose gravy and got a great big bowl of white gravy that I wasn't sure what to do with.   I dipped my biscuit liberally, but still had to leave most of it on my plate.A woman named Kathy shuttled me back to the trailhead. Her son thru-hiked in 1996.   She and her housemate, Anne, are retired and take any hiker who asks from Franklin to the trail in exchange for a donation and promised postcard. Kathy is working on a book based on her trail shuttle experiences. When I got to the trail it was 9:15 and very quiet. The surface was soft dirt, so I cruised up the switchbacks in near silence, surprising a snake, a frog, and some birds early on.   When I got to Siler Bald, I saw another hiker in the distance, but moved on before he caught up with me.Wayah Bald was the best sight today. This part of the trail was developed with a paved trail leading to an observation tower with a panoramic view and some explanatory signage.   While the views were good, it was the signs that made my day. They taught me how the bald was named (after a man named Wolf in Cherokee), the mysterious origin of balds in general (natural or man-made?), explained which mountains were which, pointed out Asheville, and even included some interesting political slants. One offhand comment mentioned that the European settlers of Franklin just happened to build in the same place where the Indians had settled. Another sign described the hydrological and biodiversity benefits of controlled clear-cutting, but did concede that clear-cutting has recently diminished in popularity because "some people" don't like the appearance.At Wayah Bald, the backpacker I had seen in the distance this morning showed up. It was a welcome distraction to have someone to talk to. At dinner time, he, his hiking partner, and another group of two all ate with me around Cold Spring Shelter. My most social night so far!
Date: 2005-09-12
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: clear sky

My tent was on hard ground last night, so I didn't sleep that well. I dozed until 8 and was on the trail at 9. Today involved the most elevation change yet: around 5000 feet to around 1700 feet, then back up again. Early on, I reached Wesser Bald and another observation tower, but it was hazy and there were no information signs, so it was just a pretty view.I took some Aleve for my sore knees (my ankle is better, though) and the downhill was a breeze. I got to Nantahala Outdoor Center, an outfitter, restaurants, and lodgings on a river in a canyon, by 1:15 ¢ 12 miles in 4 hours! I took a long lunch break there watching kayakers go through their obstacle course and soaking up the sun from a park bench. I had half a mind to buy a kayaking lesson, but had heard the coming climb was hard, so pressed on. The first 4 miles uphill were pretty easy, so I quickly branded the old man's warnings at hot air. Oops ¢ the last 3 miles to the shelter today were the hardest I've done yet.   Up, up, up. Phew. When I got to the shelter, there were 2 other parties there, both pairs of middle-aged men.   Since there were no good tent sites there, I decided to sleep in the shelter.I did my first bear bag hanging tonight, using the PCT method. It looks good to me, but I'll have to see if it survives the night. I haven't yet decided whether to shoot for Fontana Dam tomorrow. It would be ~22 miles of mountains.
Date: 2005-09-13
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 22.1
Weather: clear sky

My food survived the night, but I didn't sleep well, thanks to someone's squeaky air mattress. So today's hike was a grind.   The whole day I toiled toward the Hike Inn in Fontana, since the people at the Hiker Hostel in Georgia had recommended it. The hills weren't as tough as yesterday, but they were tough enough for me to have to play mind games with myself, picking out a tree far ahead where I would take a break.   The area near the Brown Fork Gap shelter seemed to have especially pointless elevation changes.I did see a wild turkey at the end of the day, so that made me feel a little better. And I noticed some changes in the vegetation ¢ drier, almost Sierra-like piney woods at the higher altitudes, with a carpet of needles to walk on; moister, deciduous trees lower down. I arrived at Fontana Dam at 5:30 and made a beeline for the pay phone, where I called the Hike Inn and found that they were full.   Instead I booked at room at Fontana Village, a resort community that reminded me of the environs of Dirty Dancing, but more run-down. I got a dilapidated, thoroughly stained motel room in which I luxuriated until bedtime after a shower and 8 slices of pizza. Big milestone today: this is the first time I've ever eaten a heavy, thick 10" pizza all by myself!
Date: 2005-09-14
From: Fontana Dam

To: Mollie's Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

I made today an easy day, partly because my laundry couldn't be done until 9, and partly for my general exhaustion and lack of motivation.   After scavenging the breakfast buffet leftovers and buying more food and snacks, I got a $1 shuttle back to the dam and started hiking around 12:30.The dam visitor's center is modern, but still has some vestiges of political incorrectness. They portrayed the WWII workforce as a bunch of ne'er-do-wells, rejects, and disinterested Cherokees.   (It takes some reading between the lines to get this, but it's there.) The dam is distinctive by virtue of its 480' height and all-concrete construction.   It was built quickly, 24 hours a day, and without steel because of the war effort. The informational films lovingly portrayed it as the centerpiece of the TVA's coordinated public works, and as the benefactor of electricity for the poor, independent rural farmers of the region. After I had enough of the visitor's center, I walked across the dam and into Great Smoky Mountains National Park.   I expected a spontaneous change in scenery, but the transition toward more diversity was gradual. I saw a white-tailed deer for the first time, another turkey, a grouse, a black bird (woodpecker?) with a bright red head, lizards, caterpillars, and lots of bugs.   The trail was easier than before, although it was uphill almost all day. I walked slowly and made it to the shelter at 5:30 to meet a group of three men, I think a father and two sons.   The shelter is nice and clean, and the father, a scoutmaster, built a great campfire. We sat around it, and I enjoyed his reminiscences of past camping trips. The companionship of strangers on the trail can really feel meaningful after a day alone, even if there's nothing to it but small talk and sitting around. My emotions have been somewhat manic lately. This hasn't been as consistently "fun" or "scenic" as I had hoped, but this evening, things are looking up again.
Date: 2005-09-15
From: Mollie's Ridge Shelter

To: Siler's Bald Shelter
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: scattered clouds

I broke 200 miles today! Still not halfway to Damascus (which I'm now announcing as my goal), but at least a respectable distance.   I had a hard time again today, especially for the last 6 miles. I feel worn down, so I ate way too much for dinner hoping that would help. The highlight of the day was Thunderhead Mountain, a tough climb to a beautiful, clear view of the Smokies.I also had my closest bear encounter yet. I heard rummaging around in the bushes, and while I couldn't see the animal, it sounded quite large.   Then, a minute later, I came across fresh bear droppings on the trail. Finally, proof that a bear wasn't a figment of my imagination!I saw a chipmunk loudly and messily building a nest in a tree hole, and some monarch butterflies and interesting footprints, but nothing else new.I'm now at Siler's Bald Shelter with a group of six guys from Ohio who make too many fart jokes. The spring flows drop by drop, but is surprisingly adequate if you filter from a Ziploc collection bag.Tomorrow will be an easy 13 miles, including Clingman's Dome, and a ride into Gatlinburg. I'm looking forward to it.
Date: 2005-09-19
From: Waterville School Road

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 18.6
Weather: clear sky

I slept well last night. I woke up only once, and slept through the sunrise. I took my time getting up, and hit the trail around 10. The hike was fairly uneventful - I-40 traffic marring the first 2 miles, then dry pine forest, then a wetter forest with plentiful streams. The highlight was Max Patch, an old grazing area atop a mountain with, of course, panoramic views.After a sudden emergence from forest, the land turned to a dry, sloped meadow with yellow wildflowers and berry bushes I couldn't identify. (I ate some, and they were a little sour.) After 1/4 mile or so, the natural-looking dead grass gave way to mowed green grass. I learned that Max Patch is actively tended to preserve the view and the historical meadowy state. The other interesting feature of the day was the nebulous location of my target shelter, Roaring Fork. My Data Book and Thru-Hiker's Companion listed it as 14.6 miles, and my MapDanna listed it as 18.6. The MapDanna proved correct; apparently they're building a new shelter 4 miles south, but it's not done yet.Part two: At nightfall, another hiker joined me at the shelter. He said he had a trail name but didn't want to perpetuate it. (I still don't have a trail name myself; it seemed improper to come up with the name on my own.) Eventually it came out that he had thru-hiked the AT in 2000, although this was just a four-day trip for him. He was quite talkative, starting out with questions about gear, then offering his expertise on the road ahead. He peppered his conversation with musings on his thru-hike ("I met a girl at that shelter; I wonder what happened to her...on yeah, that shelter was really crowded because it was raining..."). He said he remembers the trail getting rougher and less maintained after Erwin, and told me to look up a mysterious character called Bigfoot in Hot Springs. His habit of talking threw me off kilter. He'd sit in the dark, silent and motionless for a minute or so, then continue on with his last comment, or start up with a new conversational thread, always talking slowly. I found I could read about half a page in my book before he made his next comment. I imagined his deliberation and calmess as results of his inner peace achieved while thru-hiking. At 9pm, I called it quits, put my earplugs in, and drifted off to sleep in the shelter.
Date: 2005-09-21
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Elmer served a sumptuous breakfast of omelets, toast, melon, granola, coffee, and juice. All ingredients were local and organic...and delicious. Of course, I ate a ton despite the large pile of pork still in my stomach.Over breakfast, we chatted for an hour, and before I knew it, it was 10:15 - quite a late start given that I had planned a 20-miler. So I set off, stopping a few doors down at the Welcome Center, a caboose populated with an energetic elderly volunteer who explained every black and white photo in the place. ("This is the 1927 high school baseball team from the back; this is them from the front...") She insisted I sign the trail register there and at the post office. By the time I got out of town and across the river, it was almost 11...and a blue blaze beckoned. While white blazes indicate the direction of the AT, blue ones are more ambiguous. They often represent worthwhile diversions, like water sources or spur trails. Sometimes the Data Book or a sign indicates where they go, but it isn't always clear. This one was next to a tall rock which I assumed was Lover's Leap, so I took it. However, it quickly became rock-climbing, and I had to discard my backpack. With a lot of exertion and some near falls saved by rhododendron roots, I got to a cliff with a good view of the town, only to return to the AT, walk a mile up a gentle grade, and get an even better view. Oops. Although I was tired from the ill-fated climb up Lover's Leap, I was happy -- the night at Elmer's had somehow satiated me. I chugged along, hardly noticing the elevation changes. The hike did seem physically tougher than normal, though, and I think it's because I have finally crossed the line and eaten too much for even a backpacker! I wasn't hungry for lunch until 5pm, at which point, after a Pop Tart, I hit my groove again. I finished the ~20 miles around 7. I think I heard and smelled a bear again today, but who knows? I tried to put my new botanical skills to the test on the trail today, but all I managed to identify was goldenrod, stinging nettles, and sassafras. At least I know now what *isn't* poison ivy. The unfortunate thing about this shelter is that every 20 minutes or so, an acorn falls on the roof with the noise of a gunshot. But I am optimistic that I'll sleep through it, given how tired I am. I'm thinking of going 27 miles tomorrow, so I can get to Erwin in 3 days instead of 4, so I need my beauty sleep.
Date: 2005-09-24
From: Nolichucky River (Erwin, TN)

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Beeeeeaaar! (Pronounce that like a soccer announcer calling a goal.) I *finally* saw one about an hour after I started hiking. I startled a lone cub while it was drinking from a creek and heard it crashing through the underbrush as it ran away in profile up a rhododendron-covered slope. Unfortunately, I wasn't a quick enough draw with the camera to document the event. My sensation was 100% excitement, 0% fear. I waited breathlessly for several minutes for signs of the cub's kin, but didn't see or hear any more. Although I still have a week left, I feel like my trip is beginning to draw to a close. For one thing, I now know I can make it; my morale is better, the time on the trail passes faster, I'm fit enough to hike 20 miles without much fatigue, my ankle is mostly healed, and I've learned to cope with my other aches and pains. The bear sighting contributed to the feeling of imminent closure (that box is checked off the list). The errands I did in Erwin reconnected me with life off the trail too. I rescheduled my flight home to October 3rd since I'll be done early, and worked a little on arrangements for my round-the-world trip to come.The errands, a big diner breakfast, and a bike ride around town absorbed me until 2pm, so today was a very short and easy hiking day. Part of me is aching to go further, but it's dark, and I think I'd trip over something if I hiked with my headlamp at night. (As it is, I have near falls about twice a day since I hike without poles and look around a lot while walking.)The scenery out of Erwin was utterly parched, although the water sources were still running. Even the ubiquitous rhododendrons were wilting. The trail followed a valley, then climbed some hills and emerged in a meadow aptly named "Beauty Spot." I chose to camp shortly after that, at the next water source. Unaka Mountain looms overhead in an oddly triangular shape for the Appalachians. My guidebook says the spruce at the top reminds people of Maine, so perhaps I'll contemplate thru-hiking as I ascend...