morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-05-27
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: few clouds

Day 32: We awoke to a clear sky and a beautiful sunrise.. Packed up and hit the trail at 7:30am. We had an initial climb of 500 feet that ended in a rock scramble then a descent of 900 feet. We ate breakfast at this low point because we needed the rest and "fuel" for the upcoming big climb to the top of Roan Mountain. We had been hearing about this climb from other hikers. It was 2200 foot ascent with the last 1000 feet done in 1 mile. For a hiker, that's a steep ascent!! By the time we finally reach the top ET said her thigh muscles were "burning "...who needs Thigh-Master we have Roan Mountain!!There is a road to the top of Roan Mountain because there used to be a hotel there that overlooked the valleys called Cloudland. Apparently it was quite the place to be in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Tennesee/North Carolina stateline ran through the center of the ballroom. It was torn down in 1915 when the logging industry in the area declined.After a little rest at the top, we headed down the other side of the mountain to Carter Gap. After Carter Gap we entered the Roan Highlands which are balds covered here and there with clumps of Rhododendrons. Most were just starting to bloom. According to one of the locals we are about 2 weeks away from the full blooming of Rhododendrons...darn. The balds past Carter Gap were full of people day-hiking and enjoying what Rhododendrons were in bloom. There were also great views from the balds. We stopped for a rest after the balds and, since it was getting late, decided to have Spider rush forward to our destination shelter and grab a tent spot. ET was moving slowly due to the earlier steep climb. Spider arrived at the shelter at 6:20pm and had the tent set up when ET arrived at 6:35pm.This is an interesting shelter because it is an old barn that has been converted to a shelter. Where we are tenting appears to be part of what used to be a pasture. We are on a hilllside with open views to the distant hills. This is the first camp site on the whole trip where we haven't been surrounded by trees. Kind of appropriate for our last night on the trail!!
Date: 2012-05-30
From: Mountain Harbour B&B, Roan Mountain, TN

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 35: This is the day we journey home. We were awakened by our alarm at 6:15am. With an 8:45am flight and an hour drive to the airport, we needed to leave at 6:45am. We finished our last minute packing and headed downstairs for a coffee and OJ. Unfortunately we will miss the delicious breakfast this morning.At 6:45am we pilled in the car and Terry, one of the owners, who drove us to the Tri-Cities Airport. Ironically, within 5 miles of the airport, Spider received a text message from Delta Airlines that our flight had been delayed for 2 hours!! Darn...we could have slept later and had a great breakfast had we been notified earlier...Oh well.We checked in and waited the 3 hours before our plane finally took off. We bought a newpaper to continue trying to catch up on what was going on in the world...and the stock market!! It was a quick flight to Atlanta. Spider had his nose to the window as we flew over the Appalachians...we hiked through that!! We had about a 2 hour layover in Atlanta (even with our first flight being delayed) so we ate lunch. An uneventful flight to San Francisco. We used the Bay Area Rapid Transit to get to Orinda and the bus system to get us to within a couple blocks of our house. It was fitting that we had to strap on our packs and walk uphill those couple of blocks to our house. We finally arrived home at 7pm.Overall, we enjoyed the experience of the AT. Some things we expected happened, some things were different...and, of course, there was the unexpected. We had started, and continue to work on, a plus/delta list of what we will do the same for next year's AT hike and what we will do differently based on this year's experience...like carrying a small tarp came in handy many times, carrying a solar cell charging system we never used wasn't worth it!!We weighed ourselves when we got home...ET lost 9 lbs and Spider list 14 lbs...For the next 5 years we will call this the "AT Diet Plan"!!
Date: 2012-04-19
From: Spiringer Mountain

To: Long Creek Falls
Miles today: 5.2

I was dropped off by my brother in the Springer Mountain parking lot at 1:00 P.M. Thursday April 19. Started my .9 mile hike up to the top of Springer. At the the top I was given a matchbook by Jonathan (Ridge Runner) to swap out at Katahdin ME for a diploma. Jonathan works for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy as a volunteer. I had my picture taken with Jonathan receiving this matcbook by a young Christain day hiker from Montana! After chatting for several minutes and signing into the log I began my hike. On the way back down the trail I stopped by Springer Mountain Shelter just to snap a picture for those who may decide to take the 8.8 mile approach trail to the top and spend the night there. While at the shelter I kept hearing a lowg growling noise like a dog that was mad, weird! As I circled to the front of the shelter for a picture looking inside the shelter I saw my friend that was growling... a hiker in his sleeping bag sound asleep sawing the wood as some might say at 1:45 in the afternoon! Strange! On the way down I also ran into this darling of a woman from Wyoming, she informed me that she thru hiked all the way to Maine when she just turned 67! At 81 years young & all by herself she was comming back for a visit to Springer. I gave her an easier route back down 42, hope she made it ALL BY HERSELF - simply amazing!"Everywhere is walking distance, if you have the time." ~ Steven Wright
Date: 2012-04-28
From: Neels Gap Mtn Crossings Hostel

To: Wolf Laurel Mountain
Miles today: 3.7

I had a business deal spring up that I had quoted two weeks earlier so I dropped off the trail it took 5 days to complete. I was dropped off at Neels Gap by my Brother In-law on 04/28/12 at 5:00 P.M. not a lot of daylite hiking time left but I would be able to get a early start on the trail Sunday morning. Managed to hike to a nice mountain top campsite with a great view on Wolf laurel Mountain. Slept warm, a little windy and some moister (clouds) that night.
Date: 2012-04-29
From: Wolf Laurel Mountain

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

Woke up to a beautiful Sun rise. The birds (my alarm clock) were chirping and singing Good Morning so very happy that it influenced my mood... I knew it was going to be a good day! I stopped by Whitley Gap Shelter just to get a look although it was an extra 2.4 miles out of the way off of the AT. I saw beautiful Rododendron in full bloom on the trail plus Toad & Snail. On the way to Low gap Shelter at Hogpen Gap I passed several hikers taking a break at the bottom of Wildcat Mountain. I followed a young female hiker down Wildcat Mtn gaining on her with each switchback and passed her (Lyn from Texas) when she stopped to chat with the resting hikers. Not far into the trail (2.5 miles) I ran into two day hikers (couple) traveling south bound, they were full of questions... turned out that the man delivers mail for the USPS in my neighborhood. United States Postal Service have been feeding me for 35 years (I do business with them) anyway Lyn from Texas passed me while I chatted with the day hikers. I began to catch-up with Lyn she was about 20 yards ahead of me she suddenly stopped dead on the trail... as I approached her she turned with her index finger pulling her jaw down and asked "what do you do when there is a bear on the trail!!!" LOL sure enough a young male yearling looking at us just as confused as Lyn! LOL So Lyn from Texas became "Spiritbear" she I had seen my name Spiritwalker written on the trail and that sort of spooked her a little so she morphed into Spiritbear! Cool! Some hikers who sayed at the Low Gap shelter Aqua Man from Ga, Iowa from Iowa, Spiritbear from Texas, Boom Boom from Alabama, Scotty from Scotland, Ashley from VA Hawaii from California, Eric/Icy Hot ?, two guys section hiking from Cumming Ga
Date: 2012-04-30
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Gap Mtn Rd USFS 79
Miles today: 14.1

I could not make it all the way to Tray Mountain Shelter I learned a very important lesson on this day about proper hydration and the proper meal prepration needed to slay these mountains. I thought I could just blow my way though but I quickly became Dehydrated and no gas in my tank, so I camped by myself down by the road 1.3 miles short of Tray Mountain Shelter. Rocky Mountain kicked my butt at 4,017 ft elev. dropped to Indian Grave Gap at 3,113 ft elev. then Tray Mountain at 4,199 ft elev. I couldn't make the 1.3 mile climb straight up Tray. Lesson learned! it's not about a sprint... it's about the journey. Boom Boom from Northen Alabama stopped by my campsite to check on me and I appreciated that very much!
Date: 2012-05-01
From: Tray Gap Mtn Rd USFS 79

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: broken clouds

I awoke feeling much better after resting all night, Coyotes woke me in the middle of the night scurrying around my campsite. After I watered a tree as I made my way back to the Hammock I became dizzy (from Dehydration) and actually fell underneath my hammock landing on my ty-vek, I just lay there for awhile enjoying the coolness of the mountain air before returning to the inside of my hammock. I made it to a deserted Tray Mtn Shelter made a warm brunch and drank a ton of water. Fully revived I made it to Deep Gap Shelter met up with Monk, his cousin Whistler both from New Hampshire, both also sleep in Hennessey Hammocks, Boom Boom, Iowa, Scotty, an asian couple who broke camp at 3:30 AM, and another female thru hiker (very quite) This Deep Gap shelter is a very nice two level shelter. Tomorrow I hike to Dicks Creek Gap and try to hitch a ride into Hiawassee Ga (I can't remember the last time I hitched hiked) to shower, do laundry and grocery shop! Real food! Hot water!
Date: 2012-05-02
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To:  Dicks Creek Gap - Hiawassee
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Slept good at Deep Gap Shelter looking forward to a short hike to Dicks Creek Gap and then hitching a ride into the town of Hiawassee to shower, launder, grocery shop and eat some restaurant food. I made it To Dicks Creek Gap at about 11:34 AM but it took me over an hour to hitch a ride into town. I was picked up by Kevin a local who lives in Young Harris Ga West of Hiawassee. A very nice man who does bounty and repo type of work his family has deep roots in Young Harris. Kevin dropped me off at the library in the center of town. On the way to the Library I noticed a Zaxby's... Trailjournal would have to wait to be updated, I headed straight to Zaxby's for food! After eating I had to decide where to stay for the night and I needed a hot shower bad. I had passed a Budget Inn on the way to Zaxby's it seemed to be central located in the middle of town so for $39.99 I was going to check it out. When I entered the small lobby I saw Boom Boom on the computer checking his e-mail. This Inn caters to hikers so I checked in, showered and did my laundry. Then I was off to the Library again but found out they close at 5:00 PM and would not open until 10:00 A.M. the next morning so I walked back to the hotel. I ran into Rain Catcher and her husband Bunky from VA I first met them at Gooch Mountain Shelter. Boom Boom and I decided to eat at Monte Alban a Mexican restaurant all the way across town (maybe a mile) it was really authentic mexican food and really good too! The walk back to the hotel was pleasant low humidity temperature about 65 degrees. I noticed one restaurant parking lot full of local Towns County vehicles so I decided that is where I would eat my breakfast tomorrow morning at Georgia Mountain Restaurant. Hikers sat around in the parking lot of the hotel drinking beer and swapping stories I met Thunderfoot from Florida he had factured bones in both feet and his trail hiking days were over. He was waiting for a friend to pick him up the next day. Hikers go to bed at dark thirty and get up at first light when the birds start to chirp.
Date: 2012-05-03
From:  Dicks Creek Gap - Hiawassee

To: Plumorchard Gap Shelter
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up a 5:30 took another hot shower and was at Ingles a 7:00 AM to do my grocery shopping walked to Georgia Mtn Restaurant to eat breakfast. It was full of locals no other hikers around. I soon as I walked through the doors all eyes were on me, the stranger in the group, I learned a long time ago eat where the locals eat. I chose the breakfast bar, scramble eggs, tomato's grits, biscuit & gravey, potato's, cantaloupe, blue berry muffin, orange juice and water. I left that restaurant feeling quite full. I walked back to the hotel dropped off my Ingles shopping bag then walked to Three Eagle outfitters to check on some insect repellent and freezed dried mountain house food kits. I tried to upload some photos to my journal I thought 77 uploaded but only two made it through. Check out was a 11:00 AM so I got my pack and started to walk toward Main Street for the hike out of town. On the way I passed a Subway Hmmm yeah I stopped I was not hungry I was just thinking ahead for when I reached the shelter. While standing in line I watched as Iowa apporached Main Street stuck his thumb out and just like that a red pickup truck stopped and picked him up! I was already a little miffed last night when I found out that Monk got picked up immediately at Dicks Creek Gap, the day before, by a Mercedes Benz. While it took me a good hour to hitch a ride in!!! Anyway I gently tucked my sandwich under my top lid of my backpack and started my hike out of town. I walked what seem like a mile and then suddenly two trucks stopped to pick me up... take that Monk, two trucks should equal one Mercedes right? Fishook from Ballground Ga picked me up, turned out he was headed in town to pick-up his friend Thunderfoot who I met the night before at the hotel. I was very thankful for Fishook's 11 mile ride, thanks again Fishook! We (Boom Boom, Iowa, Beeman) all ended up getting to Dicks Creek Gap about the same time. Iowa saw a bear on the way, somehow I passed Iowa and Beeman because I was first to arrive at Plumorchard Gap shelter to find Monk and his cousin Whistler already there.
Date: 2012-05-04
From: Plumorchard Gap Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Plumorchard Gap Shelter was an awesome three story shelter with a great close by spring. Monk and Whistler both sleep in Hennessey Hammocks like a do except mine is a Warbonnet Blackbird (www.warbonnet.com) I met Beeman for the first time last night, Beeman is from Nevis in the West Indies. He can tell you all there is about Honey Bees and he is British with his accent he had us laughing all night long! His vintage cook pot that he found in a home that he bought on Nevis is now strapped on the back of his pack, a little rust, a little out of round it does not matter to Beeman! His stories about monkeys and mangos were hilarious. Beeman is from another world! Today when we passed the border from Georgia into North Carolina I used my Survival Stik as a mono-pod with stake at the bottom and a stainless steel 1/4-20 Poly-Nut inserted in the top of the Stik to mount my camera so I could to a self photo. This took some time to put together then take apart again before I finished here comes BeeMan up the trail asking if I wouldn't mind taking a photo of him and emailing it back to him after all this is a very important moment crossing state borders is big stuff for hikers! I snapped his photo like a champ, while gathering my stuff together BeeMan asked if I had ever heard of a store named WalMart! LOL He was impressed with WalMart! Like I said BeeMan is from another world. Monk and Whistler decided to stay at Muskrat Creek Shelter Boom Boom and I decided to push on to Standing Indian Shelter. Met Ryan a 22 year old NC State student which I tagged his trail name as Rocket and Mando from Knoxville TN he played a mean Mandolin. Rooster and Smiley both from Pennsylvania tented and BeeMan showed up too! I tried to photo the Super full Moon over Standing Indian Mountain that night it was so huge and bright you didn't need a headlite.
Date: 2012-05-05
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 19.7
Weather: clear sky

Trail today was really nice Standing Indian at 5,498 ft elev had some ups to it but pretty much we stayed on a ridge all day with the exception ot Albert Mountain there is a 0.3 mile section that gains about 409 ft of elev so it's like climbing a ladder. I had planned on staying at Big Spring Shelter but became confused about which shelter was closed down, turned out Long Branch Shelter was closed, so I hiked on to Rock Gap Shelter. I met Mr coffee from Connecticut, Professor from Pennsylvania, Reggie/Captain 74 years experience from South Carolina by way of VA (the way he said it) Sling-Shot, and Boom Boom from Northern Alabama made the same mistake I did. Rock Gap Shelter is a vintage shelter with some years on it. I slept ok there.
Date: 2012-05-13
From: Telico Gap

To: Sassafas Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: moderate rain

This was my first time to spend a night in a shelter. It had rained all day long and it was 49 degrees so it was a pretty easy choice to stay where it was dry. A good choice too, because twice during the night a huge storm beat down on that shelter with heavy rain and high winds, while all hikers inside the shelter were warm and dry! A very good crowd of hikers too! There was Rangely a female age 65 from VA, Greywolf from Charlotte NC what a character he was.. I dub-ed him Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn, fast times at ridgemont high) because Dude had that demeanor down pat, right down to the PBR beer that he lined up right next to him in the shelter and that familiar smell of smoke coming from his direction! I give him credit he was the first up and on the trail next morning! Jaybird a hipster ?, Kanga & Roo a mother & son team from Gainesville GA, Drifter & Strutter husband & wife from Michigan, Drifter videoed taped and recorded each hiker! Calimine ?, Brown Trout Great Britain United Kingdom, Blue Jay & Bug-Bite from Kansas, 70% ?, another guy that I am drawing a blank the shelter was full so we had three tents in the area! I had a good first stay in a shelter!
Date: 2012-05-14
From: Sassafas Gap Shelter

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: moderate rain

This was one of the most unusual shelters that I have stayed in vintage old shelter that needs to be modified whoever built it came up short on the floor about 3 feet, there was this big gap in the floor ....Strange! Rangely, Drifter & Strutter, Happyfeet from Miami tented, Sherpa Mom tented, Sojourner tented both from Pennsylvania
Date: 2012-05-15
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Lodge
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: light rain

Spent the night at Fontana Lodge at $59.00 a night a special hiker rate which was a really good price for the facility. I was totally disappointed with the whole Fontana resort area while it was extremely beautiful and quite most business' closed at 6:00 P.M. making it hard to do business and the restaurant at the Fontana Lodge closed at 9:00 P.M. selection of food was very limited so I ordered room service the most common thing on the menu a Dam Burger and a house salad with honey mustard dressing well the burger was still alive (bleeding) no table ware to eat the salad & different dressing three trips back to restaurant I just settled with what they gave me! Total price for the Dam Burger and salad $17.00 thumbs down for service! Breakfast was a little better I had a cheese omelet that was very good... price $13.00 Laundry was opened till 9:00 P.M. but didn't sell detergent so I had to walk down to the General Store to buy some... I was told they were closed the lady running the store was very polite she told me she was just selling a couple of guys two cases of beer! I told her my plite... hiker needed to do laundry before 10:00 A.M. tomorrow and the laundry did not sell detergent! She was an Trail Angel she gave me a small box of Tide detergent out of the trunk of her car! My first Trail Magic! Thank You! I would not consider Fontana Lake resort to be a hiker friendly town I would skip it, if could
Date: 2012-05-18
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Clingsman Dome Tower
Miles today: 10.3

Derrick Knob Shelter was the standard shelter for the Smokies, Stone with inside fireplace, two story, and modified from an early age to accommodate 12 hikers. Here I met the six University of Tennessee Alumni who were hooking up for the week, to re-bond, as they were when they were college students. Quality guys, looking for the adventure of nature together! Speaks volumes for their character! Adam F., Jason C., Chris R., Smorl E., David C., Chris W. also camping at the shelter, Drifter & Strutter from Michigan, Connect-A-Dot & Bird Kicker from FL, Pac-Man from Pennsylvania, a couple that tented who kept to themselves. Pac-Man and I were the last two to leave the shelter, he was in the first stages of a cold virus and was thinking of staying at the shelter to restore his strength. when two deer suddenly appear in the grassy area right in front of the shelter! This is how it happens, out here, all of a sudden the wildlife cross our paths with their daily purpose, we both acknowledge each other but go on peacefully about our own duties. Really Cool! Enjoyed the company at this shelter as we had a very nice campfire started by the TN group!
Date: 2012-06-02
From: Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel

To: Home for business
Miles today: 0.0

I want to thank all of those people who have taken the time to sign into my guest book, with such kind words of expression. It's this display of mankind that has caused my Spirit to grow each day, as I hike on the trail! You take this recipe, mix it with the beauty of nature that God has truly created, you can climb any mountain and receive their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows through the trees. The wind will blow it's fresh joy into you, and the storms their heighten Grace of energy, while the stress & cares, of the world, will drop off like the leaves of fall. "Each day walking alone, I meet it everywhere I step, it is the same as me, yet I am not it. Only if you understand it in this way, will you merge with the way things are" ~ Tung-Shan ----- Thanks, once again friends and fellow hikers!
Date: 2011-08-03
To: Welcome to my trail journal!
Miles today: 0.0

Here it is, my first official entry on TrailJournals! Long story short: I'm Jen and I'm 27. I met Odyssa at a book signing this year in April where she announced her speed record attempt. She now holds the AT speed record, men's and women's. She was such a nice woman and totally deserves the record, but I digress. Odyssa really inspired me to take on the trail. I originally set the goal to thru hike before I turn 30. I quickly decided that a goal like that was too broad and that I'm going to bite the bullet and start my thru-hike of the AT in 2012. In early 2010, on the last day of February, I tweaked my knee and ended up breaking the back of my knee cap. Painful surgery and rehabilitation got be back on my feet quickly, but I wasn't really the same. Short backback trips of 7 miles were really tough and I gained a lot of weight. It quickly brought me down. Finally, in late 2010, I started to lose the weight and really get back to "normal." My knee will never be the same, but I think maybe it was the best thing that could have happened for me. It really humbled me and taught me patience, especially with something I couldn't control. I've got a tumblr blog I've been using since I've decided to start hiking on the AT, and on the blog I detail all of my outdoor activities, not just limited to hiking. I really look forward to meeting new people on the trail and my thru-hike. http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/jenhikesHappy trails!