morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-05-06
From: Spring Mountain

To: Flint Mountain
Miles today: 21.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Well the foul weather is still with us and there are rumours that it¢s here for the next 3 days. Nothing for it but to pack up and head out.The bad weather does bring out the worst in people though ¢ myself included. I get intolerant of people hogging the shelter space to get their gear in order, leaving others to sort theirs out outside in the mud and rain. Of course I¢m just hacked off because I want to use the space myself and then I become part of the problem.I was ready early so set off but after 10 minutes I feared I had left my soap bag behind. Due to the rain I didn¢t actually check but just headed back to ¢retrieve¢ it and of course I had it all the time and I had left nothing back at the shelter.I put my walkman on and hiked alone in the rain.   I decided that if it kept raining I would just keep going and get the wet miles behind me. I knew that this would mean I¢d be walking away from most of the gang and thought that even Mike would stay behind to play music with Rod, enjoy the beguiling charms of Anne and Amy and share in the easy going bonhomie of Mark, the ¢super macho hiker dude¢. While disappointed at the prospect, it was ok - it made sense and I was content plodding on,Around 2 o¢clock the rain stopped and lo & behold the sun came out, both drying me off and revealing some nice views of lowland farm land dotted with buildings. Just after the second shelter I found a nice rock to sit on and ate my dinner of cheese tortillas. As I sat there Mike caught up with me and said that he too was going to the next shelter.   On top of that when we arrived there he cooked a second dinner of pasta followed by pear halves and mint chocolate biscuits ¢ the last of which he shared with Constant Motion, Chaco, Papillon, Butters and the others at the shelter.He¢ll make someone a great wife one of these days ¢ Cheers Mate.
Date: 2003-05-07
From: Flint Mountain

To: Bald Mountain
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: overcast clouds

These are a few of my many smells¢¦.Today it was nice and warm but my socks and boots were nice and wet. During the day the old wet socks started rubbing on my old wet feet and I could sense the imminent disaster that would befall me.Anyway, midway through the afternoon I decided that I needed to throw down my pack and remove my socks and shoes to let my feet breathe for a while. It was then that it hit me ¢ now I knew what my socks smelt like¢¦Picture, if you will, being at home and going to the toilet just after someone has done a humdinger and tried to cover up the fact by spraying half a can of rose petal air freshener into the smallest room in the house. It disguises nothing but simply overlays a putrid sweet smell just above the surface of stench. I think you know what I am talking about. Anyway, if you take that scenario and replace animal slurry for the toilet smell you get pretty close to the current condition of my socks.Of course, it¢s not just my socks. When you put them on in the morning the smell gets onto your hands then I run my hand through my hair¢¦ You get the picture.This is needless to say all in addition to the stale vinegar smell by body odour has adopted. Even Mike said I really stank tonight.Shared the shelter with Chaco, Constant Motion, Papillon, Mike and others, or rather they shared it with me and my many smells¢¦Lucky them!
Date: 2003-05-08
From: Bald Mountain

To: Erwin, Tennessee
Miles today: 16.9

The Tale of the Incredible Shrinking ManToday started with an early alarm call so that we could head into the town of Erwin Tennessee and all the comforts of home. I, however, got an early start on those comforts by treating myself to a clean pair of socks. (Oh, that feels good)Saw my first bit of wildlife today but couldn¢t say for sure what it was. My first thought was a wild boar but then I started thinking it might have been a bear. I really didn¢t get a good enough look and for all I know it could have been another hiker in a gorilla suit.An easy walk took us to the outskirts of town and into Uncle Johnny¢s Hostel. Although we weren¢t staying there it seemed like the perfect place to splurge on a coke and snacks ¢ so that¢s just what we did.There was also a set of scales there and to my horror, and despite not having been hungry so far on the trail and consistent efforts to eat as much as possible, the scales read an unfeasibly low 156lbs (11stones 2). This is well below what I consider to be my fighting weight. I am hoping that they were wrong but I fear the worst.Anyway, we were away to walk into town when a car pulled up and offered us a lift and some lovely gooey chocolate cake. Turns out they maintain the trail from Erwin to Damascus and just wanted to share the joy and meet some of the hikers ¢ Thanks for everything you guys.They dropped us off at ¢Miss Janet¢s Hostel¢ which, after initial misgivings on my part, turned out to be a truly wonderful place to stay. We shared a room with Semi-sweet and Swamp Ass and you couldn¢t help but appreciate the warmth of the hospitality.In the evening we ate chinese to try and fatten me up (plentiful, but pretty average fare) before heading to the movies and the intellectually unchallenging but mindless fun of ¢X2 ¢ X Men United¢.
Date: 2003-05-09
From: Erwin, Tennessee

To: Deep Gap Campsite
Miles today: 12.1

Woke early and ate a fabulous breakfast at ¢Miss Janet¢s¢ before showering, shaving and putting on my now clean clothes to go and pick up some groceries that would see me through the next few days.We were being taken back to the trail around 1pm so I just lounged in the hammock in the garden and read a couple of chapters of my book.It was lovely and warm for reading but I couldn¢t help thinking that it wasn¢t lovely and warm for the 12 mile walk we had planned for that afternoon. Boy was I right.   I even ended up walking in shorts for the first time. It had been my plan to try and wear trousers for as long as possible and therefore lessen the chances of insect and tick bites. Of all the things that could go wrong out here my biggest fear by far is Lyme¢s Disease.The rhododendrons are starting to come out and add a new dimension to the trail but generally it was more of the same ups and downs until we reached our planned campsite. We shared the site with Papillon, Constant Motion, Hoops and Mothman. We had a nice time sitting around the fire that Papillon built until it was time for bed and the land of nod.
Date: 2003-05-10
From: Deep Gap Campsite

To: Roan High Knob
Miles today: 19.4
Weather: light rain

Application considered for a new Appalachian Trail Logistics Officer.I had been warned, I knew it was going to be a big day, it was all part of the master plan to get into Damascus on the Thursday before Traildays (the hikers gathering/festival thing that goes on in Damascus). I had full trust in Mike¢s, so far excellent, planning abilities but today I think he got it a little wrong.If I am honest the past couple of weeks have seen me abdicate all detailed planning to Mike. We talk about the big picture and he comes up with the detailed plan, including daily mileages and resupplying stops. So I shouldn¢t really complain.I awoke prepared for a full day at the coalface. 19.4 miles in what looked like bring hot, hot, hot conditions. The hike broke down into 3 main parts and as always the first pitch to Cherry Gap Shelter seemed fine. It¢s the middle bit that¢s hard mentally. You feel like you have put in a good effort and then realise that you haven¢t even covered half of the day¢s planned miles yet. I slogged on uphill towards the second shelter knowing that 6 more miles and a steep climb still lay beyond it. Today I managed to put that old trick of stopping for a rest 100 yards before the second shelter in but to be honest I didn¢t care too much.Late afternoon saw the long, slow slog up Roan High Knob which probably wouldn¢t have been so bad early in the morning but last thing at night it was hard going and as a result things like stopping for the views went out the window.Oh well it¢s behind me now and on up the trial to Maine. As for Mike? Well everybody deserves a second chance¢¦.p.s Also here tonight ¢ Laffy Taffy, Pace, No Pain, Litebrite and Etan
Date: 2003-05-11
From: Roan High Knob

To: Apple House
Miles today: 14.6

Treated myself to a long lie today after yesterday¢s efforts and hit the trail at 9.10am just as the rain started. It didn¢t last for long though and it turned into a really nice day for hiking.The first of 2 highlights for the day occurred at lunchtime with a stop at the Overland Mountain Shelter which was unique in its own was as it was a converted barn but also had a great view down a really rather pretty valley.We ate and I cleaned out my water filter before taking some photos and continuing along the trail toward the day¢s second highlight - a herd of long horned cows. When I say long horned I mean looooong horned. There were about a dozen cows just sitting by the trail and with the knowledge that they could smell fear Litebrite, Mike and myself put on our most nonchalant air and strode confidently through them.Well we arrived at the campsite safe and sound and I turned in early for the night.
Date: 2003-05-12
From: Apple House

To: Moreland Gap
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Glad it¢s all over ¢ well for today anyway.Today wasn¢t a particularly hard day but it was certainly one of those days that drags you down in the dirt.The trail had recently been rerouted and it was nicely graded walking and passed a really nice waterfall, followed by a river and passed lots of little streams. However, the constant, although short, ups and downs of the afternoon eventually wore me down.I was certainly glad to reach the shelter. Funny things happen at he end of a day¢s walk as you get near to the shelter. Litebrite describes it as ¢shelter hallucination¢ when you start wishing the shelter nearer and suddenly certain trees look like shelters, or their blossom looks like the shelter¢s roof. Or you think you hear voices of people hanging around the shelter.As it was this night turned out to be fun with a mixed and varied motely crew of individuals, including Duvall Downhiller, Sparrow, 4 girls out for a weeks hiking and Constant Motion and Papillon who rolled in after a 27mile day.I ended the evening by doing my party piece of banging my head on the roof of the shelter. Usually these are minor collisions, but tonight was a real whack that had me seeing stars ¢ but no harm done and I¢ll live to fight another day.
Date: 2003-05-13
From: Moreland Gap

To: Watauga Lake
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

Cold night last night ¢ coldest one so far if you ask me.A short walk this morning would bring us to Denis Cove and the Laurel Fork Hostel for breakfast and use of the inside plumbing (the ¢push for porcelain¢ I call it).I don¢t think I¢ve mentioned much about toilet facilities so far and perhaps you wish I wouldn¢t now but it¢s an important part of the trail and worthy of a few column inches. Anyway, my impressions have been very favourable. The early days of the trail found most shelters with some basic form of toilet - rustic perhaps but much better than I had hoped for ¢ not too smelly and many with lovely views of the surrounding countryside (as often they didn¢t have doors). Even then an imminent town stop and the prospect of a flush toilet would inevitably bring a smile. I think everyone tries to use these facilities to the full before heading out again (old habits die hard and all that).Recently though less of the shelters have had facilities and the need to dig a hole has grown and any last trace of self consciousness goes out of the window. Anyway I did mention that breakfast was nice ¢ or is this not the best time.Today was the best day¢s walking I¢ve had in ages ¢ although there was a long uphill after Denis Cove. I felt good as we wandered on down to a lake and then onto the shelter.Once again Mike treated me to his wonderful and imaginative culinary skills as he prepared fried spam and melted cheese tostados polished off with some snack pack puddings.
Date: 2003-05-14
From: Watauga Lake

To: Double Springs Shelter
Miles today: 21.6
Weather: clear sky

Early start for my biggest miles day this far and we were lucky with some nice cool but bright weather and some easy going terrain.The day broke down into 3 nice sections with 7 miles to Vandeventer Shelter (for snacks), another 7 miles to Iron Mountain Shelter (for a latish lunch) and then 7.6 miles to Double Springs Shelter and the blessed relief of removing my boots for the day. Each section went quite quickly and just as I was flagging (with a couple of miles still to go) I met Tarot who I had seen on the trail a few days earlier. He was doing the Trail Magic thing with sodas and beers. So I had a coke along with Lightbright (only just found out that is how she spells it), Indiana Slim and Papillion. The caffeine helped me up the final hill to my planned destination.The evening had much the same format as so many others ¢ setting up camp, eating (the cupboard was very nearly bare ¢ but Mike and I still had 2 snack pack puddings each ¢ mmmmmm) and idle chit chat. This time we were teasing Lightbright about some throw away comment she made about dead bodies along the trail. Oh well it¢s off to bed to get some sleep before the walk into Damascus tomorrow.
Date: 2003-05-15
From: Double Springs Shelter

To: Abingdon - Days Inn
Miles today: 18.3

Woken at 5am by thunder and lightening but fortunately it had blown over by 6.30am when I was packing up to hit the trail for the 18 or so miles into Damascus (and all the goodies that town promises the hungry, smelly and slightly dishevelled hiker).Strangely, although I thought I was early, there was no sign of Mike. I assumed he had been woken by the storm and got an early start, but more details later.Again the walk proved easy and I was way ahead of schedule for reaching Damascus although not enough ahead of schedule as it turned out. With 15 minutes to go to town the heavens opened and I got completely soaked leaving all my plans in turmoil. I had planned to go to a restaurant, find Mike at my leisure and then set up my tent for the days ahead. Now I was just a little boy lost, feeble and pathetic with no clue as to what to do next.Fortunately I bumped into Mike, who does a good impression of me in these vulnerable and pathetic moments, and he took over¢¦.We went for some food and then to the laundry (note laundries are excellent places to go when you are wet, vulnerable and pathetic ¢ just getting dry makes soo much difference). Next Mike said that a friend of his Sarah was in town and we would meet up with her later. He also told me where he was this morning. Apparently he was awoken by snoring at 11pm and had decided to walk to Damascus during the night probably arriving before I had even woken up this morning. Mad as the ship¢s cat that boy!Anyway, Sarah arrived and we decided to seek shelter from the storm by heading into Abingdon and a hotel!Civilisation ¢ a shower, tv, pizza, beer and Mike even came up with a bottle of Balvenie 10 year old single malt whisky for the days ahead. So in the end this little boy lost, feeble and pathetic went to bed quite a happy bunny.Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Date: 2003-05-16
From: Abingdon - Days Inn

To: Damascus - The Place
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

¢Take two bottles into the shower?¢ I wish I could!This morning Sarah let me use her shampoo ¢ so no more rebellious hair for your truly. Next off to Cracker Barrel for a good old southern breakfast and a couple of bags of malt balls.Another trip to the movies was on the cards today so after a trip to the shops for food it was off to ¢Matrix Reloaded¢. We met Ethan and Lightbright in the car park and settled down for much gratuitous violence and a really bizarre dance scene (a description of the movie not some strange mid afternoon hiker ritual). At the end everyone seemed very happy with their morning¢s entertainment and as we stood around the lobby I met ¢Pushing up Daisies¢ going in which was nice as we had e-mailed a few times before the trip and she was good enough to answer my inane questions. Unfortunately we didn¢t really have time to chat.As I was in the car park I heard my name being called and there was ¢Poetry in Motion¢ a 2002 thru hiker whose trip I followed on Trailjournals last year. It was a treat to say hello but again unfortunately we didn¢t have time for a real chat.Next it was off to Damascus to sample some of Trail Days and to hopefully meet a few of the folks that had helped keep a smile on my face during the first couple of weeks. Fortunately I bumped into Scott (Moss), Mark (Magic Rat, Brian, Asaf and some of my more recent compatriots ¢ Anne, Amy, Swamp Ass and Semi Sweet, Jamie, Rod, Mark, Doug, Ben, Mole, Adam and Eli (he who managd to catch a malt ball in his mouth ¢ which is no mean feat as the circumference of a malt ball is measured in inches!).We stayed at ¢The Place¢ and ate at Scicilies where the waitress came out with the quote of the day when she asked ¢Is that accent real or is it fake?¢A strange end to not a bad day.
Date: 2003-05-17
From: Damascus - The Place

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: light rain

And then there were three¢¦Don¢t know if we have broken some hiker taboo here but we decided to leave Damascus on Saturday morning before all the fun of the Trail Days Grand Finale. However after two nights it was time to go and this way we thought we might avoid some of the crowds leaving Damascus.Today, however, ¢we¢ had a different meaning as Sarah is joining Mike and myself for the next 5 days and 75 miles of the trail. It will be nice to have someone nearer my own pace to walk with for a few days.The day didn¢t quite match Sarah¢s sunny disposition but it was dry and cool so after a trip to the post office and breakfast at the garage it was off on the trail again at 10am.A nice walk with lots of breaks ended reasonably quickly and we settled in at the shelter with a few other early leavers ¢ Rod, Fox, Cornpatch and Jane with Jeff arriving later so I pitched my tent to make room in the shelter. It was getting chilly so I turned in and read before sleep caught up with me again.
Date: 2003-05-18
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Wise Shelter
Miles today: 17.3
Weather: light rain

Food glorious food¢¦¢¦..Food is on my mind even more than usual today. I am carrying lots of it at the moment as we have just left town and the weight is more that a little noticeable when I am toiling uphill.So far I reckon I have eaten pretty well (Mike would have it that we eat like kings) and my constant search for variety has thrown up winners, losers and those that the jury remains out on.That search for variety has at least partly been necessitated by the fact that I don¢t have a stove and eat only cold food. Believe me there is only so much tortillas and tuna and tortillas and cheese you can eat. So a little something to get the taste buds going is always welcome.So here are the scores on the doors so far:WinnersGinger SnapsA one pound bad may be heavy but they go a long way, are great for sharing and appear to be practically indestructible. They also leave that linger in the mouth flavour.FruitI don¢t eat a lot of fruit at home but boy out here it¢s the bees knees. Tinned it is heavy but again delicious ¢ drink the juice, eat the fruit, drink the rest of the juice. Pear halves have proved an unexpected pleasure mmmm.Snackpack PuddingsA flavour explosion and a civilised way to round off the three course dinner. All flavours are good but you can¢t beat butterscotch which brings back memories from my youth of Instant Whip.Milky Way Chocolate SpreadSurely the best thing to come out of Poland since Kazimierz Denya. Spread between two crackers this does a pretty good impression of a penguin biscuit (or timtams for any antipodean readers). A firm favourite with everyone who has tried them.Blue CheeseA personal favourite, with the added benefit that it smells worse than my socks.LosersVanilla Nutrigrain BarsLightBright summed it up when, desperate to get rid of them, I gave her one and she said it was like ¢eating a vanilla scented candle¢.Mozzarella Cheese You just can¢t beat cheddarMixed CookiesIf any of them were any good you wouldn¢t have to mix them! Also lack the durability of ginger snaps.MaybesMalt BallsA little rich for some but 50 calories each!Ginger and Lemon Tea BiscuitsLovely but no good without a brew up.So there you have it. As for today? Life¢s good with a nice open ridge to walk along, some ponies wandering about and some rocks that Sarah liked and Mike and I hated. Oh! and I got a slap on the wrist from Karen, the ridge runner, for pitching my tent where I wasn¢t meant to ¢ sleeping in the shelter as a result.Catch you all later.
Date: 2003-05-19
From: Wise Shelter

To: Raccoon Branch Shelter
Miles today: 17.6

OK then, clear your throat, put on your National Health spectacles, put on your best Auchtermuchty accent and give it laldy with ¢¦..¢and I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more, just to be the ¢¦¢¦.¢OK it¢s not very original, but who said anything about originality and at least I am from Scotland.In case anybody missed the point of the above today saw us complete 500 miles of trail which left me pretty happy as it was the first real milestone I had set myself and because we celebrated with a drop or two of Balvenie 10 year old single malt whisky that we had been carrying with us since Damascus.Mike, Sarah and I hit the trail at 8.30am today and slowly but surely covered the miles to Racoon Brach.Today I bumped into Pushing Up Daisies again which was nice as I wasn¢t sure our paths would cross after Damascus and we met a group of kids out on a 5 day hike. When we arrived at the shelter we found Jeff wrapped up in his sleeping bag feeling unwell and Simone, a german girl, who lit a mean campfire and remembered Nena¢s ¢99 Luft Ballons¢.But today is not about 1980¢s europop, so let¢s hear you one more time¢¦.¢and when I haver I¢m going to be the man who¢s havering with you¢¦¢¦¢¦¢
Date: 2003-05-20
From: Raccoon Branch Shelter

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today we reached the famed and fabled Partnership Shelter and my experiences, although wide and varied, were not good.1.Partnership and the WildernessGiven that there are so many people who are ¢seeking fellowship with the wilderness¢ out here it is surprising that so many people end up concertinaed at Partnership. Sampling wilderness pizza, wilderness soda, a wilderness shower and a wilderness phone.Don¢t get me wrong I ¢m included (to my shame) in that group. Not only did I go along with the plan to stop here but I actually promoted it. Salivating like all the other pavlovian puppies.So if you really are out on the AT to ¢seek fellowship with the wilderness¢ skip Partnership Shelter (you will get food 12 miles later anyway).2.Partnership and Monty PythonAll that said I did indulge in a pizza and adopted a new diet - eat until I am completely stuffed (or sick). In this way I hope to stave off the ¢human skeleton¢ physique I am rapidly heading towards. After about 95% of a 14 inch Hawaiian pizza, some garlic bread and about a litre of coke I was completely stuffed and resembled Mr Creosote from ¢The Meaning of Life¢ in that I couldn¢t even manage ¢one teeny weeny wafer thin mint¢.3.Partnership and MeThis could be more to do with me than with Partnership but today I broke the only rule I set myself when I set out on this trip ¢ ¢to be courteous to strangers I meet along the way¢. Maybe I¢ve just been out here too long and was spoiling for a fight but tonight I just couldn¢t sit and listen to some guy playing to his captive audience without heckling. I¢m sure I looked a goat but I couldn¢t help myself.Oh well, been there done that.