morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-04-11
From: Mollie's Ridge Shelter

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 5.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was by far the worst day of my life on the AT. I had a breakdown in the middle of the trail. Big tears came out and I would've loved for the Air Force or Coast Guard to save me. The snow, ice rain, and mud were a nightmare. We normally go about 2 miles an hour, but today it was about 1.2 miles an hour. It was so frustrating because you slide all over the place, your ankles rolled, and your knees took a beating. There were broken trees and limbs all over the trail from the ice and wind that you had to maneuver around. There's approximately 8 inches of snow, 12 inches in some places.So we made it to the second shelter and we called it a day. It sucked we didn't make more miles, but there was no way today. We have to make it to town in 2 days because our food and fuel is getting low. It's supposed to be sunny and in the 50's tomorrow and even better on Sunday. We are praying to God that the trail will be kind and we can get to town.We have a full shelter again tonight--Rockie, Blip, Charity, Moose, Last Minute, Hopeful, Sprout, LeeAnna, Bag, and 3 day hikers.So far I really hate the Smokies. Don't get me wrong I don't want to leave the trail, it just realy stinks right now.
Date: 2003-04-12
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Siler's Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

The sun was shining all day and the skies were blue. No rain, no snow, and it was great! It was still a tough day though, hiking through the snow, mud, and gigantic puddles on the trail. Poor Wrong Way Brown fell about 5 times because of sliding on the mud. The last time she landed on her right elbow and was in a lot of pain. She's okay now.Felt like we walked 25 miles today because of how difficult it is with mud, water, and snow up to your ankles. We are hoping to get to town tomorrow, which shouldn't be a problem.Rockie and Charity had to leave the trail this morning for a few days because Rockie hurt her foot. They left with the 3 women day-hikers that were in the shelter with us last night--who all happen to be nurses. Hope her foot heals fast.In the shelter tonight we have Blip, Two Speeds, Wounded Knee, Moose, and Just Justin. I'm happy that we caught up to Two Speeds because he is hilarious. He has a very dry sense of humor and cracks everybody up. It was nice to see a familiar face after such a long day. The bad weather has left a lot of hikers very cranky, so you never know the response you'll get coming into a shelter.
Date: 2003-04-13
From: Siler's Bald Shelter

To: Clingman's Dome
Miles today: 4.6

Ahh, civilization. We got up this morning and hiked to Clingman's Dome as fast as we could. Dave (a day hiker) we'd met at Siler's Bald Shelter gave us a ride to Galtinburg. Thanks Dave! As soon as we got to the hotel room, we order a large pizza. We ate that entire pizza in about 20 minutes. We were starving! And boy, did it taste good.It appears everyone is here. Even if they weren't planning on coming to Gatlinburg they just couldn't pass up the opportunity to dry out and have some good food. Besides the trail is a mud pit. Guess no one made good miles in that weather.I know my journal entries have been pretty dark and negative lately. I think it's part of the process. There's got to be a transition period, at least for me. Two Speeds and I were talking last night about how the trail is really about conquering your fears. And it seems like you have to get your fears under control and that's when all the good stuff is revealed to you. I'm sure I'll look back some day on my first 5 days in the Smokies and laugh, but for now the pain is too fresh.
Date: 2003-04-14
From: Clingman's Dome

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

You guessed it, we took a zero day. We had to re-group and recover from all of the snow. It's amazing the change in weather down here. It was almost 80 degrees and no snow here in Gatlinburg. And there's so much color here compared to the mountains. Spring is just starting to hit at these lower elevations.We had fun today scooting around Gatlinburg. We went to the post office, grocery store, No Way Jose's (to have a margarita), and the library. It was a big day. We ran into Carnethy Bob and Verity along the main strip. We got their perspective on the snow, which was pretty much the same as ours. So we all decided to go to the brewery to have dinner. It was me, Wrong Way Brown, Justin, Two Speeds, Charity, Rockie, Verity and Carnethy Bob. We got a special treat at the end of the night when Charity and Two Speeds sang karaoke. They sang "I've got you Babe" by Sonny and Cher. It was great! Two Speeds said it would be great therapy for him.Gatlinburg has been fun, but it has the worst service in the restaurants. I have never had such poor waiters in my life. But it was nice otherwise. Off to the trail tomorrow!
Date: 2003-04-15
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 3.7
Weather: few clouds

What a wonderful day! It was so beautiful--the weather was amazing! We (me, Wrong Way Brown, Two Speeds, and Justin) got a late start out of Gatlinburg, but we sure did have a good time.We got a lift from a lady named Kim. We all piled into her black Toyota truck and soaked in the sunshine. She got a bit lost so our trip back to Clingman's took about 1 1/2 hours. But we weren't complaining. We had a nice easy hike and I think I'm starting to be more at peace with the trail. I'm trying to take things as they come and not get all upset when it's not the way I would like it to be. Wrong Way Brown is a shining example for me. She can laugh off most situations and just go with the flow. I know it's no mistake she is with me. She's the greatest!Man did we load up on food! Our packs feel like they're at an all time high as far as weight is concerned. I think we over compensated because of our 5 days in the snow. We want to make sure we have enough food. The good thing is that the food weight will decrease as the days pass.
Date: 2003-04-16
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Peck's Corner Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Another gorgeous day! Blue skies and sunshine were with us all day. This section of the Smokies is different than the first part. There's a lot more pine trees and just large trees in general. It's really beautiful. We did a lot of ridge walking and we could see for miles.Justin finally got his trailname--Sparky. Two Speeds gave it to him, although he wanted to call Justin Chafe Master Jay. Justin said no to that one.We got into camp pretty late tonight. It was around 8pm. We got our tent up before dark, but had to cook with our headlamps. It's not too fun getting in that late. I feel rushed to eat and then go to bed. The last few hours were tough hiking today because we were so hungry. We left camp this morning at 9:30am. So we'll have to shoot for an earlier start tomorrow or else take less breaks.We're in our tent for the first time in days. I sleep so much better in the tent compared to the shelter. I'm looking forward to a good nights sleep. Plus the weather is mild temps. Good night.
Date: 2003-04-17
From: Peck's Corner Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Well so much for the early start. We didn't leave camp until 11:15! We just felt lazy and it felt good to just take it slow. We had some sun, but that slowly faded, the clouds came and the wind was blowing like crazy. It started to sprinkle and then it would stop and then sprinkle a little more. It was a race for us to get to the next shelter before it down poured. We had big plans to go 13 miles today, but once we got to the shelter and had some lunch (and we were persuaded by Moo and 42) we caved. It turned out to be a very good decision because 20 minutes later it poured. It's 6 hours later and it's still raining. The shelter is packed. I think at last count we had 22 and I think the shelter holds 12. Good thing the fire marshall won't be coming here because I'm sure we're breaking fire codes left and right.So the people in the shelter that I know are Wrong Way Brown, Two Speeds, Sparky (Justin), Verity, Carnethy Bob, Moo, 42, and Run-Away. There's a lot more here, but I didn't catch their names.We were shocked that Carnethy Bob and Verity caught us. Poor things were soaking we when they walked through the door. I was not envious--being cold and wet is miserable. I'm so glad we didn't head out to the next shelter, which is almost 8 miles away. We wouldn't have arrived until 8:00pm, and there wouldn't have been any room left in the shelter. I'm thanking God for being dry and having shelter. We are going to have a big day tomorrow. We want to go 15 miles, so we can stop at Mountain Momma's for a cheese burger. If the cards are in our favor it will happen. The sun is supposed to return tomorrow. We will see...I forgot to mention that we broke 200 miles yesterday! Yeah us! I also have been meaning to mention our bio-hazard suits and free range chickens. Our bio-hazard suits are me and Wrong Way Brown's rain suits that are bright yellow and they make us look like we're here to clean up a spill. And Two Speeds has name the little birds that hang around the shelters free range chickens. Apparently they know how to open the fenced doors to the shelter.
Date: 2003-04-18
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, it rained hard all night long and when we woke up (all 22 of us) there was a pond on the shelter floor. I felt like I was on Noah's Ark. The sad part is that there were two people sleeping on the floor.We didn't make it completely out of the Smokies. We are at the last shelter in the Smokies and we have a mile and we'll be free! We were trying to make it to Mountain Momma's, but Wrong Way Brown's stomach was upset and it didn't look like we'd make the 5:30 deadline. We're just happy to be almost done with these mountains cause we don't think they like us. We are grateful to be at an elevation of 2600ft tonight instead of 5900 which we were at last night. It's also nice because there is only ten of us here.Justin (aka Sparky) has decided to take the the trailname Chafe Master J afterall. Nice remodeled shelter and a roaring fire for us tonight. Yipee!
Date: 2003-04-19
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Painter Branch Campsite
Miles today: 5.6

When we woke up the morning there was only one thing on all of our minds--Mountain Momma's cheeseburgers. We walked the mile to the road and then 1.3 miles on the road to Mountain Momma's. Those cheeseburgers were huge! It hit the spot and we were all rolling around like fat cats. I think everyone wanted a nap after eating such a large meal.It was a beautiful day, so we all took our time getting organized and also to allow our food to digest a bit. Verity and Two Speeds had a fierce game of frisbee going with a disc the size of your hand. I think they pegged every car in the parking lot.So we didn't get back to the trail until 1:30. Another late start, but well worth it. It was me, Wrong Way Brown, Two Speeds, Chafe Master J, Verity, and Carnethy Bob. It was a gorgeous hike along a stream. We are finally starting to see some green and some wild flowers. Unfotunately as we were crossing a stream, Verity took a nasty fall. Her foot slipped on a wet rock and she went down so fast on her left side. It was a bit scary because as we were all racing to get to her she was struggling to get up because her pack was weighing her down. And from our perspective it looked as though her head was submerged under the water. She did say her left side of her face was in the water. Poor thing bruised and cut up her left hip. And her left arm and hand took the brunt of the fall. She was badly shaken by the fall as anyone would be. We were all thankful that nothing was broken. Another good thing is that her and her Dad were only 200 yards from the hostel they were staying in, so at least she didn't have far to go. And there was a bed and hot shower waiting for her. We all hope she feels fine in the morning.I hope these entries make sense. I'm usually pretty tired when I write them, so if they sound elementary that's why. Well, off to bed...
Date: 2003-04-20
From: Painter Branch Campsite

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: broken clouds

What a beautiful Easter Day! It was a gorgeous hike. We went on top of Max Patch Mountain. There were no trees at all on it--just lush, green grass. It was a very active place. People painting and hang gliding. The four of us hung out there for about an hour soaking in the views.We got our picture taken by some grandparents who want to encourage their granddaughter to hike the trail. I forgot to mention how at Newfound Gap thru-hikers are like celebrities. We had so many people come up to us and ask us questions and wish us good luck. It was cool.Well tomorrow night we'll be in town. I'm so ready for a shower it's unbelievable. We were only going to do 10 miles tomorrow, but we all agree to just do 14.9 miles and be clean. Yep, you guessed a zero day is coming up!
Date: 2003-04-21
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: light rain

We set our watch alarms to 6:30 am, so we'd be sure to get an early start on the day. Although we didn't really need it because it started to rain at approximately the same time. Got up and ready as fast as we could. Luckily the rain only lasted a couple of hours and eventually the sun came out. We made good time and were very happy to get to town. We went to the nearest restaurant and got food and drinks.We ran into Moo and 42 and we barely recognized them because they were clean and had cotton clothes on. They are married and in their early 30's and they are from Montgomery Alabama. They are great! They are so much fun to be around--so full of life and energy. We had dinner with them tonight. It was a good time.So trail towns are interesting. They are all unique in their own way. Hot Springs is really small, which is nice for us since we have to walk everywhere. The locals or townies are fun to watch and listen to with their southern drawls. It's easy to get sucked into these towns and their way of life and forget about the rest of the world. I'm still trying to get used to the fact that in small towns the restaurants run out of things like milk, coke, and pizza. And not every store takes credit cards.The big news of the day is that the four of us weighed ourselves. Wrong Way Brown has lost 12 lbs, Two Speeds lost 30 lbs, Chafe Master J lost 40 lbs, and I lost 20 lbs. Combined we lost a small person! We were all laughing because we sounded like a weight loss program advertisement. One by one we'd come back to the table and say how much we lost. I must admit it is pretty cool to eat whatever you want and still lose weight. Although I do try to eat as healthy as possible. It is neat to see your body reshaping itself. My deltoids are becoming very define and pretty soon my leg muscles will be strong enough to kick down walls.
Date: 2003-04-22
From: Hot Springs, NC

Miles today: 0.0

Today was a great zero day. I slept in, went to the post office, did laundry, and got on the internet. And most importantly I took a nap. It was an overcast day and very cool--perfect napping weather.The post office was fun because I got goodies from my cousin Michele and Yogi and a letter from Hils. Mail is the best--thanks you guys!Dinner was fun tonight. We ate with Verity, Carnethy Bob (who just arrived in town tonight), Moo, 42, Two Speeds, and Chafe Master J. We all had some good laughs. Two Speeds was impersonating Sean Connery, which he does rather well. And then we had to laugh at Verity and Carnethy Bob because they actually have plastic plates and silver ware that they eat with on the trail. Verity always uses the red plate and Carnethy Bob always uses the blue plate. The rest of us basically eat off the ground. It's scary how many germs and bacteria our bodies are now processing. So anyway, we all get a big kick out of Verity and Carnethy Bob's properness. They say it's because they are British; although they're really Scottish which is a whole other conversation.The other fun news is that Moo and 42 have a friend named Ted who Moo went to college with that has a pool set up in his home which is titled "Moo and 42's AT fiasco". He has 7 big, office sized calendars on his walls and friends of Moo and 42 are buying dates for $10 a pop as to when Moo and 42 will quit. So far, Ted has sold $1000 worth! And I guess Ted sends out emails as to Moo and 42's progress, which are hilarious. It's as though it's Ted's second job coordinating this fiasco. It's a riot and Ted is a real character. I guess he does the weather for a TV station out west and he knows nothing about the weather. He just makes things up. It's great. And if you'd like to purchase a date for Moo and 42 I'm sure you can go to their journal on this site and inquire.The big question of the night at dinner was "Who's hiking tomorrow?" You should've seen the diverting eyes. We all laughed because the answer was obvious, so looks like we might all be taking another zero day...
Date: 2003-04-23
From: None

Miles today: 0.0

Affirmative. We did indeed take a zero day. The Hot Springs vortex has sucked us in. It's kind of like the space shuttle re-entering the Earth's atmosphere--we have to find a window to escape out of. We will be back on the trail tomorrow with happy feet and strong legs. Like milk--rest does a body good. And town food does a body bad. We find our stomachs more sensitive to the greasy town food.So today was abosolutely beautiful. Sunny with clear blue skies. Our hotel is right by a small river so we sat in lawn chairs and watched the day float on by. It was so relaxing.I slept so hard last night. Didn't wake up this morning until almost 10:00 am. I didn't even hear the mouse or rat or squirrel that lives in the ceiling running around like I did the previous night. We can never seem to get away from those critters. So I know I need to describe more of the hiker's in my journal to give a more complete picture of them. I will soon. I'm usually so tired when I'm writing that the words are not there.I would like to share some words my cousin Michele wrote to me recently I hope they warm your heart as they have mine. "I salute the sun as it rises in the east, already warm on your shoulders. I send to you goodness and blessing on the wings of the wind from the west. Breathe deeply. Drink deeply. Live deeply. Love deeply. Namaste."
Date: 2003-04-24
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Rich Mountain Campsite
Miles today: 8.3

Back on the trail again. It was a good day except my stomach was rejecting the town food all day. That made for some slow hiking, but we covered a good distance anyhow. Some people are very strong coming out of town. I have discovered that I am not. That is usually my hardest day.We are now starting to call Chafe Master J Grace because he has fallen twice. I'm not talking about the little spills. They have been big, clumsy, crowd attracting falls. The first time was at the shelter with 22 people and the pond on the shelter floor. It was early in the morning and he was putting on his rain pants and he somehow got his feet all tangled up. The next thing the rest of us know is that it sounded like a large tree just crashed in the pond. It scared the crap out of me. Luckily he was fine. The next fall happened yesterday. Two-Speeds thought it'd be funny to moon us in front of the Post Office. So we all laugh and as Grace was laughing he started walking backwards and trips over a concrete block and falls butt first into the street. Cars are wizzing past his head and he just lays there and laughs. So he's not liking his new name, but he's earned it so that's what we're calling him.
Date: 2003-04-25
From: Rich Mountain Campsite

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: light rain

We awoke to the sounds of rain drops falling on our tent this morning. Nobody wanted to get out of their tents to face the foggy, wet morning. We had a nice campsite and a nice fire last night. Carnethy Bob and Verity were with the four of us, so we had good company as well. I think me, Wrong Way Brown, Carnethy Bob, and Verity left camp about 10:30. Two-Speeds and Grace (aka Justin, Sparky, Chafe Master J) left an hour after us. They finally caught up to us around 3:00. It was a nice day of hiking. The weather actually cleared up and no more rain for the rest of the day.So I'm going to attempt to describe Two Speeds I really don't know if I can because he is very complex. He is 34 years old and from Tampa, Florida. He was in the Army for four years and was a medic. He was stationed in Korea for a year. Two Speeds loves movies--seriously loves them. He can imitate almost any actor and can recite verbatim lines from movies. His best imitations are Sean Connery, Hank Hill, Beetlejuice...the list goes on. We spend most of our time while hiking talking about movies. I told Two Speeds he should be a comedian because he is so funny. And although he is very funny and has that side of him, he can also be very serious, caring, and compassionate. He is very kind and always willing to share or help someone out. He doubts himself a lot, but he shouldn't because he has many endearing qualities. His real name is Gordon, which is funny because it really doesn't fit him. Perhaps it did when he was younger, but not anymore. He claims hat he was a big dork when he was younger and there are times you can see that little, awkward, dorky boy reappear. He is very honest and will tell you he's been depressed for the last year and didn't go out of his house much. He'll be honest with you about many things. He doesn't try to be something he's not and that is refreshing. I feel very safe and comforted knowing that Two Speeds is a member of my hking family. He's a great person and I hope he finds that out for himself out here on the trail.
Date: 2003-04-26
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Past Flint Mountain Shelter by 0.9 miles
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: light rain

We broke 300 miles today! Yeah! Way to go us! Someone had put in the middle of the trail 300 made out of little rocks. It was cool. We stopped and took pictures.So we woke up again to rain drops. So again another late start (10:30am). But I'm proud to say that we still stuck to our plan and we went the distance. The rain held off the rest of the day and the sun shone a few times. Overall it was great hiking weather. It was a really nice hike today. We went over a bald, through rhodo tunnels, and rock slides. It was a great variation of terrain. I had a great day and really enjoyed myself. My body is getting stronger and my knees and feet don't hurt so much anymore which is excellent.We got sprinkled on while eating dinner, so we all made a mad dash to our tents. Someday the weather will be warm and dry.
Date: 2003-04-27
From: Past Flint Mountain Shelter by 0.9 miles

To: Sam's Gap
Miles today: 10.3

The six of us (me, Wrong Way Brown, Two Speeds, Carnethy Bob, Verity, and Chafe Master J) made it out of camp this morning before 9:00 am. It was a miracle. We say it's because it wasn't raining this morning.It was a beautiful day. We made it to Hogback Ridge Shelter and that's where our hike took a little detour. A hiker named Parkway had a brilliant idea. He shared his idea with everyone and we all thought it was excellent, so we copied it. He suggested to hike the 2 miles to Sam's Gap, go into Erwin and then slackpack the 24.5 miles into Erwin tomorrow. So we have a ride arrange to pick us up tomorrow morning at 7:45 am and then we'll just hike into town. We should be able to go a lot faster since we won't have 30+ pounds on our backs.When we got to Erwin we went to Miss Janet's Hostel. She's a great lady who has opened her home to hiker's. She was already booked but she invited us to stay for a taco dinner. It was so good. We left fat and happy.