morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-09-05
From: Rainbow Lake Campsite

To: The Birches
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

The morning of Sept.5 I'm hiking over Rainbow Ledges on my way to Abol Bridge.I pass the Hurd Brook lean-to(baseball bat floor)Looks uncomfortable.I continue on to the bridge and stop at the store for ice cream.Then I stop and register for a spot at The Birches campsite(you have to be one of the first 12 hikers to register that day in order to camp that night)I am number 7 on the list so I get to hike 10 more miles to the campsite and lean-to.The excitement of where I am at this point in time overcomes the physical and mental tiredness.We're talking pure adrenalin.The miles go by quick and I get to the Ranger hut and sign in .She tells me I have to hike up the road a bit and theres no water there.Huh?At least there's a nice privy.I have dinner and get under my quilt for the night when Elle sticks her head in the lean-to.Wow,amazing,haven't seen her since early Connecticut.Her parents put out a great trail magic spread at the rail station in NY.Never forget it.Been trying to catch up with her since.Amazing on the eve of the last day it happens.
Date: 2017-01-12
To: UNKNOWN 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Hi everyone, Happy New Year! I spent the holiday at ALLEGHANY STATE PARK.16 inches of fun on the ground made for a great weekend as Bodhi will vouch for that.Since being home from the trail I've heard from Quirk,Pinky,Tinker and Dr G their future plans.I might do some trail angel on the AT this year.Maybe do Trail Days in Damascus.Might like to do LONG TRAIL in fall for a warmup for a PCT attempt in April 2018.If anyone still reading this I would love to hear from you.Happy Trails.
Date: 2016-03-15
From: Springer Mt.

To: Hawk Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: clear sky

It was a beautiful day today, 76 degrees, sunny. Ihiked in shorts and t shirt. My pack on my bathroom scale weighed 40 pounds. On the hostel scale it weighed 46 pounds yikes. I had my first problem at dinner. I use a jetboil stove, with a very intense, laser like flame. One should ONLY use the Jetboil pot, but I didn't know this, so I put a big pan on the stove, which diffused the flame, melting the plastic band surrounding the stove, with the result that the stove no longer fit inside the Jetboil pan. I solved the problem by using my Bic lighter as a blowtorch, re-melting the plastic and scraping it away with my pocket knife until it fit properly back into the pot. I have never been a repair guy, so I got a lot of satisfaction from doing my own repair. It was all for nothing, as a few days later, I sent my Jetboil home in favor of an alcohol stove.
Date: 2016-03-16
From: Hawk Mt. Shelter

To: Gooch Mt. shelter,Lance Creek
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: clear sky

In the year 2000, I was part of a group of 250 people who did a one year around the world bicycle tour. Every nite, a different caterer (We cycled about 80 miles per day, and every nite we were in a new place) made dinner for 250 people. It was a HUGE task, so every nit we gave the caterer a standing ovation. Well, old habits die hard, so when I finished cooking dinner for myself on nite 2, I rose to my feet and gave myself a thunderous standing ovation. I pulled out all the stops, too. I screamed, I clapped, I whistled, I stamped my feet, then I finished it off by bellowing at the top of my lungs, "Bill, that was the GREATEST meal I have ever eaten!" Well, everyone else in camp was giving me VERY strange looks, and nobody would speak to me, and a few people even went so far as to take down their tent and moved their tents as far away from me as possible. Well, I learned my lesson, and the next night, at the conclusion of my dinner, I uttered not a single word of praise on my own behalf, and it sure did the trick. My camp mates were once again very friendly & cordial to me, but I went to bed feeling very hurt and resentful, because I worked very hard to prepare myself a good meal, and I received not even a single word of thanks for it. I tried to keep an open mind, but I couldn't help but think that I was just a selfish uncaring cad. The moral of this story is that everything on the Appalachinn Trail (AT) is a tradeoff.
Date: 2016-03-17
From: Gooch Mt. shelter,Lance Creek

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

One of my favorite week long bike trips is the annual Bike Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) Several hundred cyclists ride about 500 miles in a week. Every 25 miles, there is a rest stop, where cyclists can refill their water bottles and get tasty snacks. I was walking towards one rest stop. Directly in front of me was a newly married couple, cuddling with each other as they walked towards the refreshments. The young lady was EXTREMELY attractive. She stopped cuddling with her husband briefly. I was right next to her, thinking of all the good food I was about to eat. Life was VERY good. Suddenly, with no warning, the attractive young lady threw her arm around me, drew herself to me, and began snuggling. Life went from very good to heavenly. After a second or two, she screamed, pushed me away, and shouted "You're not my husband." Her husband and several hundred cyclists were giving me VERY angry looks. Life very quickly (in just a few seconds time) went from nearly heavenly to nearly hellish. Then the young lady began to apologize profusely to me, saying she was very sorry to have mistaken me for her husband, and I was off the hook. Life on the Appalachian Trail is very intense, and I have gone from "all is well" to "uh-oh" very quickly on 2 occasions. Both times I thought I lost an important piece of equiptment, when in fact I had not. Once I thought I lost my eating utensils, and once I thought I lost a piece of equiptment that I needed to pitch my tent
Date: 2016-03-18
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: broken clouds

I get my drinking water from streams. I have a Sawyer filter. I fill a plastic bag (with a screw top that my Sawyer filter attaches to) with water. Then I attach the Sawyer filter to the plastic bag. squeeze the water from the plastic bag thru the filter, and the water is ready to drink. The water is crystal clear, and delicious. Several years ago, while hiking thru the Colca Canyon in Peru, I had a very bad experience with drinking water from the Colca River (it tasted delicious, but the results were disasterous) I had water purification tablets with me that I used. What I didn't know was that those purification tablets work well in North America, but I guess the germs are different in South America because the pills didn't kill the germs in the water, and I became the proud owner of a raging case of amoebic dysentery. I asked my family doctor why my pills didn't work. His answer was, "Bill, you bought those pills here in the US, where the primary language is English, but you used them in South America, where the germs are all Spanish speaking. So the germs probably did not understand that your pills were supposed to have killed them." Shortly afterwords, I began to search for a new doctor.
Date: 2016-03-19
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap/ Top of Georgia Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: clear sky

On the AT, there is a term called Trail Magic. Trail Magic occurs when people (mostly people who have hiked the AT in the past) meet hikers on the AT (usually where the AT crosses a road) and surprises them with free food/beverages. My first Trail Magic (TM) experience happened on St. Patricks Day. There was a big group of exhikers camping out who were fans of the rock band called the Grateful Dead. At 10:00 Am, these guys were already plastered, (their motto was, if you're going to drink all day long, you have to get an early start) and listening to Grateful Dead songs. They offered all thru hikers hard boiled eggs and sodas. Later that day, an ex hiker offered hikers free hot dogs, chips, and some of the best brownies I have ever had. Immediately after gorging myself, I had a HUGE mountain to climb. My next TM encounter was with an extremely attractive young lady who offered me a Coors beer. My last TM encounter was when I was staying at the hiker hostel at Neels Gap. A local Baptist church brought in a free pulled pork dinner, complete with cole slaw, baked beans, chips, iced tea, and chocolate cake. TM really lifts my spirits.
Date: 2016-03-20
From: Unicoi Gap/ Top of Georgia Hiker Hostel

To: Rest Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

On the At you have 3 sleeping options. The first option is to sleep in your tent. The problem with this is that it is sometimes hard to find a level place to pitch your tent. The second option is to sleep in the shelters along the AT. The problem with this is 1) the shelters sleep only a small number of people. 2) The shelters have only 3 walls (of either wood or stone,) so they are very cold and drafty. 3)the shelters are overridden with lots of mice, which run all over you at nite 4) the shelter sleeping area is just a floor, so you sleep literally next to another person, who may snore loudly, and you have no privacy. I VASTLY prefer my tent to a shelter. Tents are also warmer than shelters, which is important. Last nite it was so cold that it snowed. The third option is to sleep in a hiker hostel or a hotel. hiker hostels/hotels happen infrequently, only when the At crosses a road near a town I plan to use this option whenever it presents itself, as I can avail myself of a badly neede shower, wash my clothes, visit with other hikers, and spend a night out of the cold, and go to a store to buy more food.
Date: 2016-03-21
From: Rest Day

To: Rest Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

My deffinition of luxury has changed since I began this trip. I used to regard an outhouse/privy as a very smelly, disgusting edifice, to be used only in an extreme emergency. On the AT, I have 2 bathroom options. 1) use an outhouse (that is located only where there is a shelter.) This is the luxury option. 2) Have you heard the expression "Does a bear sh#t in the woods?" Well, guess what. When a hiker is in the woods for an extende period of time. he/she is also going to need to use the bathroom, and if a luxury privy is not available, the poor hiker is going to drop his backpack, fish out his/her garden trowel, dig a hole 8 inches deep, and take care of business. Yes siree Bob, an outhouse is a luxury. Everyone has a secret fear of what is the worst thing that can happen on the AT. My worst nightmare is to be walking along during a driving rain storm and have an urgent need to use the bathroom. Toilet paper turns into a soggy mess in a driving rainstorm very quickly (sigh)
Date: 2016-03-22
From: Unicoi Gap/ Top of Georgia Hiker Hostel

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: clear sky

Bears can be a concern on the AT. There are 2 common kinds of bears in the US 1)grizzly bears, that are very big & very dangerous. There are no grizzly bears on the AT 2) black bears These bears are generally harmless if people have not been stupid and fed the bears, causing the bears to lose their natural fear of humans and become aggressive & dangerous to people. Tourists who think they are being kind to bears by feeding them are actually condemning these bears to death, as bears who have lost their fear of people become aggressive, dangerous, and have to be destroyed. The only other time a black bear will be aggressive towards people is if a person is foolish enough to be close to bear cubs. Then mama turns into a raging maniac. On day 3 of my hike, the shelter I wanted to stay at was closed, due to aggressive bears in the past. Only hikers who carried a big, bulky bear cannister with them were allowed to camp at this shelter. I talked to people who stayed at nite at this shelter, and they said they did not see any bears. I walked thru this 6 mile stretch of bear danger territory and saw no evidence of bears. Every nite, all hikers put all of their food into containers and hoist those containers 20 feet in the air via "bear cables" that are installed at shelters. If "bear cables" are not provided, I have to find a tree and hoist my food bag up. I want to protect my food from being eaten by bears, racoons, or mice
Date: 2016-03-23
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Top of Georgia Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I have decided that since hiker hostels are infrequent and luxurious, I will utilize them every chance I get. I had the chance to use the Top of Georgia hiker hostel at 2 locations Unicoi Gap, and Dicks Creek Gap. Did anyone see a movie about the AT that came out a few months ago starring Robert Redford/Nick Nolte called "A Walk in the Woods?" They show these guys hiking across some very level, easy hiking terrain. Although there are stretches of the trail that are flat and easy, they are relatively rare. The AT is infamous for 3 things: rocks, roots, and ruts. You hike 2200 miles thru the woods. Some people think this hike involves wonderful scenery that a hiker enjoys as he/she strolls along the trail. The reality is a bit different. Yes, there is spectacular scenery, but due to the CONSTANT rocks/roots/ruts, a person who attempts to take in the sights while walking is going to be flat on his/her back very quickly due to tripping over a rock/root/rut. If I want to enjoy the scenery, I have to come to a complete stop from walking to enjoy the view. There are very few level stretches on the AT. One of the acronyms used on the AT is PUDS. It stands for "Pointless Ups & Downs." The other day, I descended 700 very sttep feet to a road. Once I got to the road, I immediately struggled with an equally steep 400 foot climb. Contrary to popular belief, it is MUCH harder to go downhill than uphill (although neither direction is a whole lot of fun). Going downhill is MURDER on your knees, plus there is a far greater chance of falling while going downhill as opposed to falling while going uphill.
Date: 2016-03-24
From: Top of Georgia Hiker Hostel

To: Muskrat CreekShelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: scattered clouds

On March 11, the evening before my wife (Ginny)and I left Miami to travel to the AT starting point, the two of us went to see Frank Sinatra Jr. (with a full orchestra backing him up)do a tribute concert , singing his dad's signature songs. Junior not only sang his father's songs, he told the story of his father's career. My wife and I sat in the nosebleed section, and it still cost an arm and a leg. The concert was GREAT, junior sounded just like his old man.It was one of the few concerts I've been to where there was no encore. (Perhaps Junior was not feeling well.) A week later, while talking to my wife on the phone, after the start of my hike, Ginny informed me that Frank Sinatra Jr. had suffered a massive fatal heart attack just 5 days after we saw him in concert. I've been giving that startling news a great deal of thought.If just a few more music legends cash in their chips a few days after Ginny & I see their concerts, Ginny and I could be getting paid a GREAT deal of money from the stars to AVOID their gigs. Hmmmm.It's just a thought.
Date: 2016-03-25
From: Muskrat CreekShelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I have read all kinds of horror stories about weather along the AT until the end of April. However,I have been very, very lucky with weather so far.For the first 5 days, the weather was GREAT. It was warm, sunny, and temperatures ranged from the mid 70's to the mid 80's.In fact, it was so hot that I was drinking a gallon of water a day and hiking in shorts and a tshirt. The trees do not yet have leaves on them, but some low growing bushes have HUGE green buds on them that grow larger every day.Dogwoods, plum, and pear tress are very beautiful and in full bloom. On day 6, a cold front blew in. I reached the shelter where I planned to stay that night, and it was beginning to snow. There was a hiker hostel (Top of Georgia Hostel) just a few miles away, so I walked a few extra miles, to where the AT crossed the road, and the hostel van was waiting. I had no reservations, but it was possible to pitch my tent on the hostel grounds for a reduced fee. The wind still blew fiercely, and I still got snowed on, but due to the fact that I was 1000 feet lower than I would have been in the shelter up in the mountains, I escaped some of the cold. (A friend who camped that nite in the shelter said his water bottle froze solid.) At the hostel, we got just a dusting of snow. Two days ago, I got my first taste of rain, but it happened at nite. I put on extra clothes the nite it rained, and the nite it snowed,and I was reasonably warm.
Date: 2016-03-26
From: Carter Gap Shelter

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

For the first few days on the AT,everyone introduced themselves by their first names (Bob, Barb, Pete, Rose, etc.).On about the fifth day, magically, everyone started introducing themselves by their "trail names." a trail name is a nickname that you either give yourself, or other hikers assign to a person, based on a funny characteristic of that person, or a humorous incident that happened to that person. Some of the names are hilarious. For example,one hiker smelled VERY bad, (due to no fault of his own, as he showered as often as it was possible for him to do so). His trail name was Ivan Odor. One fellow, who whined FAR too much, earned the trail name of Crybaby. After very careful thought (and to avoid the possibility of my fellow hikers assigning me a trail name I might not necessarily like), I have assigned myself the trail name of Marshmellow. (The only two things I fear are a campfire and a sharpened stick. I also try very hard not to hang out with Hersey chocolate bars and graham crackers.) Yesterday I had my first MURDEROUS climb.I climbed 400 feet in three tenths of a mile. At times, the trail was so steep that I could not use my hiking poles, and had to use my hands to pull myself over the rocks.(Albert Mountain) Although it was a very cool day, by the time I reached the top of the mountain, I was sweating so bad that I thought I had sprung a leak!
Date: 2016-03-28
From: Winding Stair Gap/Haven's budget Inn

To: Wasych Bald
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

Yikes! I had no idea that my choice of Marshmellow as my trail name would generate such a firestorm of controversy. I had to hire a secretary just to keep track of all the protest emails I got (100.000, and still counting.) The overwhelming majority of them expressed disapproval of my trail name choice. Yep, I even heard from THE MAN himself, (ie Donald Trump) Here's what he had to say:" Wassup, Dog? I hate to be the one to have to lecture you about political correctness, but don't you think that the name "Marshmellow" just reeks of in-your-face machismo? I'll tell you what, Bill. Tone it down a bit, come up with a new trail name, and not only will I make your hike great again, but to sweeten the tweet (I mean treat) I'll appoint you to my Cabinet when I get elected as President." Well, NOBODY says no to THE DONALD, so after long and careful thought, I have decided that from this day forward, my new trail name will be Earthworm. And readers, if you find my new trail name to be culturally irresponsible in any way, be sure to let me know. Not only is THE MAN going to make my hike great again, but he's going to throw in a Cabinet post as well. How cool is that?
Date: 2016-03-29
From: Wasych Bald

To: Wessor Bald
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

There is a man who is a legend among AT hikers. He has hiked the AT 8 times. His trail name is Baltimore Jack. Guess what city Baltimore Jack hails from? Give yourself 5 points if you said Boston. Also, his name is not Jack. Other than that, that trail name describes him perfectly. In January, my wife Ginny and I drove all the way to Franklin, N.C. to hear Baltimore Jack give a talk on how to prepare to hike the AT. So, imagine my surprise when I arrived at the hiker hostel in Franklin NC, and found Baltimore Jack there. One of Baltimore Jack's (BJ) parents is catholic, the other one is Jewish, so he said he felt he had permission to tell this slightly politically incorrect joke. Because I KNOW someone whose parents are Christian/Jewish, I feel I also have the proper moral authority to relay BJ's joke. On a cold, snowy January day, a Protestant minister and a Jewish Rabbi(both were wearing their appropriate religious garb) were traveling in opposite directions on a snowy, icy road. One of the vehicles hit a patch of black ice, spun out of control, and the 2 vehicles collided in a head on collision at 70 mph. Both cars were totaled, but miraculously, both men escaped without so much as a scratch. After ascertaining that they were both unhurt, the Protestant minister said, "Rabbi, although we represent different religions, we both worship the same God. Our survival is nothing short of a miracle. Could I ask you to join me in a prayer of thanksgiving to our common God?" The Rabbi said he thought that was a fine idea. So the 2 men knelt in the snow, and the minister launched into a very long winded prayer of thanksgiving. But instead of using the word "God" in his prayer, the minister slyly inserted the word "Jesus" in its place. The wise and kindly Rabbi said nothing, merely bowing his head in silence. When the prayer was concluded, the Rabbi asked if the minister would be interested in participating in a Jewish thanksgiving ritual. "I'd be delighted," responded the minister. The Rabbi then took out a bottle of Jewish wine from his totaled vehicle and explained that it was a Jewish tradition to drink wine to offer thanks to God for his blessing. The minister then took a small sip of wine, and tried to hand the bottle to his host. "No, no, no," exhorted the Rabbi. "God has not granted us a small favor, but a very great miracle, therefore, in order to not offend God, we must drink deeply to express our gratitude for God's great miracle." Not wanting to offend Jewish traditions, the minister guzzled half the bottle, then tried to hand the bottle to the Rabbi, who shook his head ruefully. "I'm puzzled, Rabbi," said the minister. "You did not hesitate to pray with me, yet you are declining to participate in your own Jewish custom. Why is that?" "The police will be here in just a few minutes," replied the Rabbi. Do you really think this is a good time for us to be drinking?"
Date: 2016-03-30
From: Wessor Bald

To: Stecoah HGap
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Today is a "nero" day (near zero) day. My destination is a hikers hostel called Cabin in the Woods. Tomorrow will be a zero day for me. There are sections of the AT that are nothing more than a series of boulders, very treacherous. Many years ago, a blind man, with his seeing eye dog thru hiked the AT I can barely manage the tricky sections of the AT, so I can't figure out how a bling guy did it
Date: 2016-03-31
From: Stecoah HGap

To: Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 0.0

LAST NIGHT, IT RAINED CATS AND DOGS ALL NIGHT LONG. AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, I WAS SNUG AND DRY IN A HIKERS HOSTEL. However, my luck ran out in another area. I have come down with a stomach virus. Yesterday, I thought I was going to throw up. I also have severe diarrhea. I could hardly eat any dinner last night. Today I feel slightly better. I am eating more and taking Pepto Bismal. I am going to take a second zero day tomorrow at the hiker hostel to get my strength back. In a few days I should be entering Smoky Mountain National Park.