morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-05-01
From: Neel' Gap

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Left Neel's Gap after a good cup of coffee and a big fat muffin. Head up the trail. During our first break an excellent thing occurred. Our roommate's father, Regis Sr. "Buckeye Guy", comes a-runnin' up the trail. What are the odds? Just 3 days ago his son was driving me to DIA and now here I was with his father on the AT. Small trail world. We continue on up the trail and head for Tesnatee Gap. From there it is a roadwalk up 348. I will not climb to the Whitley Gap shelter trail again. At the top, Lt Dan and I are greeted by Regis's mother, who supplies us w/soda. After a brief conversation, the skies threaten and I decide to move on. Soon enough the rain is falling hard and fast. It boosts my spirits immediately. I write a song to sing while I walk."I'm hikin' in the rain, hikin' in the rain, all the way from Georgia and I'm hiking up to Maine, I'm soakin' up the water, and releasing all the strain, I'm hiking up from Georgia and I'm hiking on to Maine. There's lightnin' overhead, there's lightning overhead, and if I were a sinner man then surely I'd be dead, but I love my momma and I make my morning bed, so the dreaded lightnin' will strike someone else instead" Repeat. Over and over. Louder and Louder. With Gusto. Reach Low Gap as rains stop. Cook lunch and head for Blue Mt. Shelter. After the rain, the forest is glistening green and cool. The walk to Blue Mt glides by and soon enough I am there. Tony, Lt. Dan, Jesse, Widget are there. FB shows up. Eventually. Cook, eat, sleep.
Date: 2003-05-04
From: Bly Gap

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Really felt like thru hiking today. Nothing spectacular, just 15.5 of plugging along. Stopped for a long break on Standing Indian Mt with Flying Bear and Lt Dan. A little trail magic before the climb up. Un cervesa. Gracias. Reach Carter Gap. Tent by old shelter. Raining by nightfall. Like I said, just another day on the ol' AT
Date: 2003-05-05
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: light rain

Woke up in a wet tent to a pounding rain. If you want to kill a food bag just lay around in a tent for six hours in the rain. Have no problem leaving a shelter and walking into the rain but leaving a tent is a whole nother story.Ended up leaving around 4 pm. Thankfully the rain stopped just as Flying Bear and I were starting to hike. Beer Styck must have asked the weather gods to be kind to us. FB decided that Beer Styck must have been the one of us in 2001 with the weather touch. Anyways, we make it to the shelter just before the rains came. Elle is already in the shelter. We all get acquainted, adjusted, and acclimated. Here comes the rain. Short day, good walking.
Date: 2003-05-06
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: moderate rain

What a night! The hardest continuous rain I've heard in years. Unreal. The lightning must have been striking the summit of Mt Albert because the forest and the shelter would light up like day when it rang out. Several times the shelter shook with the blows. Looks like rain as we leave shelter. Feels like rain not long after that. The downpour begins. I have to laugh; it is raining ridiculously hard and I am walking it. Bully for me.Flying Bear and I reach Wallace Gap with our sights on Franklin. Only one problem. The downpour has been upgraded to a deluge. Unless Noah comes by looking for two thru-hikers for the Ark, our chances of swinging a ride are dim.We are thankful for small mercies, though. The rain is slanted into our backs as we face oncoming traffic with out thumbs out. So there we stand, FB and I, cold rain giving our entire backsides a full body massage while we accept our fate cheerfully. Our only hope, the pickup, appears and stops. we throw our packs in the back and I offer to ride in bed, but the driver will have none of it. "You boys will drown back there, get in." Sopping wet and grateful we hop in and head for Franklin. Book a room. Rain stops. Trail law. Time for a shower, to dry out everything I own. It's great to be dry. Even better to be a hiker.
Date: 2003-05-07
From: Franklin, NC

To: Tellico Gap
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: overcast clouds

As per usual, took as much time as possible in hotel room. Head for Library but Trailjournals is down, so no shouts out to my trail peeps. Finally make it back to the trail at ~ 2pm. Late start, but we feel good and there are no worries. So onward we go. Loop around to Siler Bald Shelter, say bye to Lt Dan, for the last time--headed to Oregon, and move on. At Wayah Gap, FB points out a FS road. Why not? Ah, the unknown. Definitely walking the whole way from GA to ME, but blue blazing makes it all seem new again. Fantastic. We meet a ranger on the road who tells us that we are the right track. Bingo. Onwards and upwards. The bald has a firetower drawings to describe the mountains from each side of the tower. It's sweet to look at a mountain far away and know you'll be there in few days. From the fire tower we head for Cold Spring Shelter, which looks like it can be made by dark. We do, barely. When we get there FB asks me, "How ya feelin'?, which is hiker code for "I feel great, let's keep moving." I'm game, but the headlamp is not. Who needs light in the dark when the feeling overtakes you. Pishaw! FB puts on his headlamp and I follow close behind. 3.4 miles in the dark and our spirits are high. Reach Tellico Gap, Search out campsite, set up, cook, eat, and go to sleep.
Date: 2003-05-08
From: Tellico Gap

To: Sassafrass Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke up in Tellico Gap soaked in morning dew. Graciously, the sun is out and warm. Lazed about while the tent dried. Guessed right again on a FS road that turned out to be a sraight shot up to the Wesser Bald Firetower. Must have been the old AT. Good views from the tower. Having less & less of a problem getting up firetowers, but it is still not a joy. Headed for crash landing into NOC. These are my least favorite 4 miles on the trail and I am determined to travel them better this time. I do manage it better this time, taking well timed breaks and not trying to race the mountain down. Am rewarded my Mother Nature with the first mountain laurel, my favorite Appalachian flower, of the trail Reach Rufus Morgan Shelter, where I bathe myself(sans soap)in the stream. Water is the ridiculous elixir. Reach NOC and am immediately handed a Guinness by Peter, courtesy of Winnebago. Now that is a wlecome. Shoot the shit for a while, feast on a burger, soak my feet in the Nantahala, shoot more shit w/ Winnebago, Peter, Elle, Widget, Jesse, Peter and FB. Head for the uphill. The vaunted 7 mile climb from NOC has never given me trouble. Til now. Not much, but the climbs seemed steeper and came more often than I remembered. Raced up Swim Bald for what I could tell was a kick ass sunset. To no avail, Swim Bald is no bald at all. Dejected and tired, I stumble down to Sassafrss Gap Shelter, set up camp behind it, cook, eat, and try to go to sleep. The stars are raging though, so I am up a little while pondering the cosmos.
Date: 2003-05-09
From: Sassafrass Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Hilton
Miles today: 21.8
Weather: broken clouds

Good early start from the shelter. Up Cheoah Bald by 9am. Chill on top with Tony, Kundalini, Jesse and Widget. Pretty unremarkable views for al lthe climbing, but what can you do? The walking is a little tougher after yesterday's hike. The legs are not responding as I would like. The spirit and mind are willing though, so I bullhike my way to Stecoah Gap. Two park workers give us ice water and of we go. The climb out of Sweetwater Gap is infamous in my mind. It has stomped me both times I have hiked it before. Not this time. Heavy legs and all, I flatfoot my way up that hill and it is over before I know it. Better hiking management, that's what I say. kick it long and hard at the shelterand puch on for Cable Gap Shelter. Thankfully, the hike is mostly downhill. At the shelter, Icook up some mashers for the final push & off we go.At Walker Gap, we decided to push on all the way to Fontana. Headlamps in full glory, we reach the road, but can find nowheres to camp. After, 20.7 miles the last thing I want to do is hike another 1.1 uphill to the Hilton. But cowboy camping next to a road is not a wise idea, so upwards it is. Using mostly anger energy, I charge my way up to the Hilton. Turkey Bacon('02) is there, so I had something to shift my perspective. It worked. I set up camp infront of the shleter and bedded down. I can't even bring myself to sleep in the Hilton of shelters. Only rain and baseball can drive me inside. Tomorrow, my first zero day.
Date: 2003-05-10
From: Fontana Dam Resort

To: Fontana Dam Resort
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Zero day--no money. Ugh. Room with Tony and Kundalini. Passed out for the first time in my life today. Got up to shut the door and as the door shut, I fell. Thankfully, my face crashed into the bed. Nothing but a brushburn under my eye and a lost contact. Missed Beer Styck. I am sicker about that than the money. Sorry Bro'
Date: 2003-05-12
From: Fontana Dam Resort

To: Hazel Creek Trail
Miles today: 22.0

What a day! This is the Smokies thruhikers never see. Despite the "rules and regulations" Flying Bear and I will blue blaze in the Smokies. I am determined to see moving water in the Smokies this trip, so we take the Lakeshore Trail to Hazel Creek Trail. But first we are treated to breakfast by two Smokey Mt hikers. These guys have hiked over 500 miles of the Smokies--impressive. This trip is solely to feed thruhikers--more impressive. Fueled and bouyed we enter the park. The Lakeshore Trail is a realtively flat walk for 15 miles. We joke that 8 miles felt like 4 and 11 felt like 7.5. Being so low in the park, FB and I walked by rusted out cars from the 40's, old homestead remains, and finally the site of a defunct mill town, Proctor. We pass a Possum Hollow. At the Hazel Creek junction we stop for lunch. As we are finishing our lunches, two park rangers on horses approach. Busted!! Not. They pass right by us without saying a word. It's all a myth. The Smokies are as wild and free as we are. The Hazel Creek Trail parallels the creek the whole way up the mt. The rush of water fills our aural landscape for the rest of the day. As night falls we are met by a stream crossing. It is moving fast, and navigating it in the dark is no fun. We decide to call it a night. Find a stealth site. Set up cowboy camp, cook, eat, go to sleep. My first completely blissful day in the Smokies in 3 tries. Yeehaw
Date: 2003-05-12
From: PA 325

To: Short of Yellow Springs campsite
Miles today: 6.0

Ah, back on the trail. But at the last possible time. Chill out at the house til 5:30pm. Mom drives Pit and I to PA325. Pit and I take a minute to relax before we head back on the trail. Away we go. A steady uphill greets us. Laughably, not only the trail is rocks, but the trees seem to be growing out of them. Very weird. Get to where we are going and set up. Perfect little re-entry onto the trail.
Date: 2003-05-17
From: Damascus

To: just north of Painter Branch
Miles today: 0.0

Trail DaysAh, Sunday at Trail Days. Goodbyes and adieus. Even with no money Trail Days was fantastic. Must send shouts of love out to the following people:Wild Child for ride to and fro, goodies and vibes. Good luck bro'Mullah for breakfast every morning and "lightning" at night.Wise Owl and Ganj for various meals and proof I am not the most vulgar man on the planet.Flying Bear--well I'll shout in his face when he's sleeping.Jeannie for goodies and hugs. Love and good vibes her way.Beer Styck---sorry about Fontana --so sorry---whether you know it or not, me and you are going to hike all 900 miles of the Smokies together.Weighed 162 at Trail Days and was measured at 4.9% body fat. Take that Evander Holyfield.Make it back to Davenport Gap and ran to our packs 1.3 miles ahead at Rt 40When I arrive at Painter Branch, our destination for the night, I am greeted by a menacing growl. A couple and their dog have camped right on the creek in the passageway to the campsite. No passage. Apparently their dog doesn't like to meet people in the dark. They tell me there is a campsite up the trail. Biggest, most selfish assholes I've seen on the trail in a long time. 15 tentsites useless because of their inability to control their dog. First time I have raged in the mts this trip. On the way to next campsite, I stubbed my toe, lost a contact, and a water bottle while trying to save my contact. Every setback warranted a "from the toes" expletive shout. I know they heard me and were scared all night. Bastards. Get to site--set up "tarp" in the dark, crawl in, go to sleep.
Date: 2003-05-18
From: jDamascus

To: Damascus
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Trail Days. Mullah's for breakfast. Big Toe and woman arrive. Chill to bluegrass w/ Jeannie, Big Toe, Bucky and FB. Parade--stealth behind a car and unarm a local boy who is dousing us with a hose. He gets doused. Weather is cooperative during the day, but threatens ran at night, so no encore from Big Toe on the drums. Up all night around the fire. Settle down as the sun comes up.
Date: 2003-05-19
From: Painter Branch

To: just south of Big Rock Spring
Miles today: 22.0

Woke up raging still. FB agrees and I boom a couple more expletives into the forest for good measure. Spend the next few miles thinking of appropriately nasty register entry to write about them. But as I hike on, the anger dissapates. Hiking--the cure-all. The weather is lookin gperfect and my anger changes to anticipation for a good view on Max Patch. Like the Smokies, I hope third times the charm. It's pretty cloudy by the time we reach the top but the view is still magnificent. No wind to speak of. Perfect spot for a couple of shots of Crown Royal and a wiffle ball game. FB finds a campsite jsut north of Big Rock Spring. Set up my "tarp", Canyonlands rainfly, cook, eat, try to sleep. Wind is now howling. Don't get warm til my "tarp" collapses on me just before dawn.
Date: 2003-05-20
From: just south of Big Rock Spring

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Excellent morning for hike into town. Moving at a good pace and make it to Hot Springs by 11:30 am. No love from the Postman. But as I am standing outside Bluff Mt Outfitter bemoaning my fate, serendipity steps in. One of the workers at the outfitters hands me the phone. "Hello, you need work?" Do I! Get a job power washing the Mountain Magnolia Inn tomorrow. 10 bucks an hour. YeeHaw. Hang out the rest of the day. FB treats me to a Guinness. Slack back into town from Tanyard Gap. Retire under the bridge by the campground. My first night under a bridge in my life. I'm a real life blue-blazin' hobo now.
Date: 2003-05-21
From: Hot Springs

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Day off. Powerwashed the outside of the Mountain Magnolia in the rain. Peter and Karen Nagle not only run a first class operation, but are first class people. Climbed a 14 ft ladder and worked on a roof. Huh? Amazing what motivation money can be when you need it. Great time. Peter bribes me to stay another day. A room at the Inn. Unbelievable. Yesterday, I am sleeping under a bridge, today in the Magnolia Room of the nicest B&B in Hot Springs. Meet Pony Boy, Pit, and Kung Fu. Hang out at there cabin drinkin and chattin. Elle rolls in and the party is on. Get drunk, retire to my room. Made 65 bucks. I HAVE CASH!!!! Sleep better then I have in ages. The trail will provide, it always does.
Date: 2003-05-22
From: Hot Springs

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: light rain

Work a full day at the Inn. Pocket another 60 bucks. Finally!!!!!! My money arrives from Colorado. Thank You Shari!!! Cash it, grab a sub and head out of town for Tanyard Gap. It's 6:30 pm. The plan is to hike as far as possible. Move at a great speed for the first 9 miles and make it Allen Gap by dark. Eat my sub and prepare for a 5 mile night hike to Little Laurel. All is well until I hit a road in about 2 miles in. I hear the barking for 10 minutes before I hit the road, so the fear has already set in by the time I get there. I successfully cross the road only to see two eyes come running up the trail. Holy Shit!!!! I start running up the hill, but only before I grab two huge rocks with which to beat said dog. Thankfully, he stops before I do. Nothing like sheer terror to get you goin'. Pick up ABC on my radio and listen to the Nets crush the Pistons the rest of the way. Make it to Little Laurel Shelter around 11:30pm.   Crawl into the shelter. Try to sleep. Unsuccessfully. But a great day nonetheless. Aren't they all.
Date: 2003-05-23
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Erwin
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: broken clouds

Last one in and the first one out. Burly! The view from White Rock Cliffs was spectacular. The fog hadn't lifted yet, I was above the clouds. Glory be. The first 12 miles to Flint Mt shelter were a beautifully easy ridge walk. Kicked it at the shelter w/ Curly Dan and Coke Fiend. Elle showed up and chilled with her for a while. Got inspired and hiked naked down to the next road. Everyday is Nude Hiking Day as far as I am concerned. At the road crossing, I saw my first spectacular wildlife of the trail. On a wooden post on the side of the road were two 7 foot black snakes just chillin' out. Or so I thought. Actually, they had found a bird's nest inside the pole and one of the snakes had its head down in and must have been eating them. Two little birds, obviously the parents, kept swooping down and trying to scare them off. To no avail. Got two great pictures(to be uploaded in Harrisburg) and touched one of the snakes. Thought it would be hard, but it was soft and gushy. The rest of the day was a tribute to Peter Jenkins of "Walk Across America" fame.I road walked five miles down to an intersection that headed for Erwin. Passed by families on their porches having snacks, dodged more wild dogs than I care to remember, and had an incredible view of the mts. I walk in. Sometimes, you have to step out of "the green tunnel" to appreciate the beauty of what you are walking thru. Get down to the intersection and head for Erwin. Soon enough, a gentleman whose family I conversed with on my walk down, pulls over and offers me a lift. Tells me about spending days in the mts as a child and picking huckleberries for the winter. Good people. Get dropped off in town and head for a soda. A local space cadet asks me for weed, sulks at my answer and directs me to a room in a hotel where hikers have just checked in. Might be FB, Pony and Pit. Not. It's Gypsy Wind who instantly offers me a Milwaukee's Beast. Sure. Within five minutes the conversation turns to little white entities that fly around in the forest and track his movements. O.K. Time to go. Head to Miss Janet's. Arrive. Instantly handed a Long Island Ice Tea and home made lasagna. Know this, Miss Janet is a beautiful saint. There are know other words. She is a saint. Eat, meet, and greet. Phobia is a Leadvillian as well. The party has arrived.
Date: 2003-05-24
From: Erwin

To: Erwin
Miles today: 7.0
Weather: broken clouds

Chill all day long in Erwin. Do nothing. At 3:30 Coke Fiend drives me out to where I was picked up yesterday. Walk 7 miles into town. Dreary boring roadwalk. Get back. FB, Ponyboy and Pit are there. More partying to be done.Pretty much a zero in town with two and a half hours of walking for good measure.
Date: 2003-05-25
From: Erwin

To: Erwin
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: broken clouds

Slack 19 miles back to Miss Janet's. Get to know Ponyboy and Pit a bit better. Ponyboy is a lawyer form Houston, TX. He went to high school with Matt Alexander, my best army buddy. Small trail world. Pit is 5 year Navy vet who can eat non-stop. His stomach is a pit. Get down to Erwin in good time. Hitch a ride in a dune buggy. No bullshit. A dune buggy. Not even street legal. Get to Miss Janet's as the rain begins. Chill. Drink. Watch Big Lebowski for the second time in two days. The party continues. Help Miss Janet cook up dinner for everyone. Gourmet tortellini with meat sauce. Scrumptious. Party. Sleep. Party in my sleep.
Date: 2003-05-26
From: Iron Mt Gap

To: Carver's Gap/Watuaga Lake Memorial Day Party
Miles today: 13.0

O.K. I'm out of town today. Not even Miss Janet's party can keep me here. Overbudget and getting behind I must move. Um. Not really. Miss Janet, besides being a saint. is also a genius. She concocts a plan. Slack FB, Pony, Pit, Laughing Bird and I over Roan Mt., pick us up, and take us to the party. I have always been a sucker for impervious logic. Rock on. Make great time early in the day, with only 13 miles to do, there is no rush. Fly up Roan Mt on pure testosterone. That has to be an advantage for men out here. Piss yourself off and rage up a mountain on a hormone high. Get to top in great spirits and wait for the rest of the crew. And wait. Must have been some rush of testosterone that propelled me up that hill. Head to the bathroom for a growl. My metabolism is truly scary. I am shitting five helathy shits a day. Five! I am a machine. Finally, Pony Boy shows up and we head down to Carver's Gap where Miss Janet is waiting for us. Go to party on Watauga Lake. Huge campfire, good tunes, great people, copious amounts of whiskey. Meet lots of new people, Sherpa and Chainsaw, a father and his twelve year old son who are hiking the whole trail, Spiff, Paddler, Johnny Llama, and about 30 other people whose names I can't remember. Am also intoduced to the comedy stylings of Boomhauser, a hiker who looks remarkably like the charachter from "King of the Hill". Party til the party ends. Lay down for sleep on my pad, sans tent, in the middle of the campsite. It starts raining. I laugh to myself. Not because I am drunk, but because I know the rain can't get me down.Sensing the futility of her efforts, Mother Nature calls it a night as well. It rained for about 5 minutes. I sleep for about 4 hours. The trail life is the life for me.