morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-04-07
From: Newfound Gap

To: Pecks Corner 
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

I got up yesterday and drove down to Miss Janet's. My plan is to park at her place and have someone run me down to Newfound Gap (where I got off last spring.) I want to pick up there and finish that leg to Erwin where I can then jump ahead to 10 miles north of Kincora and continue to fill in up to Big Meadows in the SNP.Right away I met a hiker called Dad's Grin who needed a ride to the Super 8. We got to talking and he realized he had followed me on my '03 thru-hike here on Trailjournals....had even signed my guestbook. He looks in good shape and seems to be enjoying his hike. I will look forward to following his progress when I'm near a computer.This morning we had one of Miss Janet's great breakfasts...ham & cheese omelet, toasted rolls, and real strawberry smoothies. Miss Janet asks everyone to introduce themselves and answer a question. I made the mistake of reminding her of the question she used back on my thru-hike...who would you like to hike with as long as it was non conjugal. I thought JC would be interesting to hike with.We decided that it might be just as easy for me to park at Newfound Gap so I took off. I stopped at The Happy Hiker and the SMNP Welcome center at Gatlinburg. Both thought parking at the Gap would not be a problem.I got up there around 2:30; used the bathroom and walked back to the Blazer to get my pack and who do I see but CuppaJoe. It was great! We met on trailjournals in '03 and in person on the Trail last spring. He is hiking with a nice young lady, Break-A-Leg plus a gang. I had some extra food in the back of my Blazer that I unloaded on them.We all left Newfound Gap at 3:15 and arrived at the next shelter, Icewater, at 5. I wasn't ready to quit and someone said I should be able to just make it to the next shelter by dark. Well I didn't hike nearly as fast as I thought and ended up getting to Pecks Corner Shelter after dusk. The shelter was packed and there were no tent sites...although a couple of tents were pitched at the place to tie up horses. After looking all around in the dark for 20 minutes I ended up sleeping on the ground under the overhang in front of the sleeping platforms. I couldn't find a place to hang my pack so I ran it up one of the bear bag cables hoping it wouldn't rain...and it didn't.I apologized to everyone for coming in late and making so much noise...so if they weren't awake yet they would be. I spread my tent out over the tyvek, then the pad and bag...worked out okay and nothing got real dirty. Kinda wished I had stayed behind and shot the sh!t with CuppaJoe but was glad to get some miles in.
Date: 2005-04-09
From: Pecks Corner 

To: Cosby Knob
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Weather: Beeeeautiful, warm and sunny¢¦just like summer.I forgot to mention that yesterday at Newfound Gap I met this couple with a beautiful year old Pug. She was really cute and so friendly. If you want to become attached to your dog get a Pug. Mine sits on my lap while I¢m on the computer, loves to go for walks but I would never take her on a hike¢¦would be too much stress.Hit the Trail today at 8:20¢¦a little late for me. Like yesterday, I didn¢t feel full of energy and was wondering why I wasn¢t ¢humming along.¢ I wasn¢t hiking as fast as I usually do either. Oh well, we¢ll see.Met a couple on the Trail, ¢Brownie and Soleman¢ who asked me to take their picture. Lots of hikers on the Trail today, Graybeard, Pathfinder and Red Hat are a few who are on Trailjournals.At about 1:30 we came to the site of a plane crash¢¦to the immediate right of the Trail¢¦lots of wreckage strewn down the slope. I honestly don¢t remember this from my thru-hike. There was a place where there were only a few pieces of scrap from an old wreck, but not like this one. I must have had my eyes on the trail ahead and missed it.Arrived at Cosby Knob Shelter just before 4. Could have taken a place inside but decided to tent. Unless it¢s really looking bad, I¢m going to tent this trip. The shelter filled up plus 8 or 9 tents. Like the early days of my thru-hike I wasn¢t that hungry. At first I wasn¢t going to cook but then decided it had cooled down enough outside that I needed to get something warm in me. Had the split pea soup with added bacon bits¢¦goooood!
Date: 2005-04-10
From: Cosby Knob

To: Ground Hog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Weather: Ditto yesterday¢¦of course, that¢s why I picked this week to hike based on the long term forecast.Got an earlier start today¢¦started hiking out of Low Gap by 7:30. Am I¢m feeling much much better...back to my old hiking self. There is a nice gradual climb out of Low Gap with switchbacks that went well. I reached the Davenport Gap Trail at 8:52. As the morning turned into afternoon things heated up.I don¢t remember at exactly what junction it was, but I thought I had gotten of the AT and on a side trail. The reason: I hadn¢t seen any white blazes for some time and at this junction there were none. So I started to backtrack when I ran into Red Hat. She said she had seen a white blaze and assured me we were on the AT. When I got back at the junction where ¢I was lost,¢ there it was on the sign, ¢Appalachian Trail¢ as plain as could be¢¦.duh¢¦how I ever made it the first time is a wonder.Arrived at Standing Bear Hostel at 1 o¢clock feeling hot, dehydrated and tired. Met Yappy who was relaxing in the sun and a young black man in army fatigues who goes by ¢August.¢ This guy looks like a drill sergeant¢¦lean and mean. I don¢t remember when it was but he told me in so many words that he was not as young as I thought he was¢¦he has a daughter in her 20¢s¢¦I said, ¢what?...you get the mother pregnant when you were 7. I decided to shave but not shower. After an hour or so's rest, a couple of cokes and a fudgesickle I was ready to roll. The others were debating on what to do when I left by myself. Since they were calling for some rain sometime in a day or so I wanted to ¢beat¢ it into Hot Springs. I left at 2:45. I am a ¢fair weather¢ hiker in that I prefer dry hot to cool rain.I forgot about the climb out of Standing Bear¢¦four plus hours of up, up, up and up. 1600¢ to 4265' on Snowbird Mountain. It was hot an instead of using by bandana to shield my neck I left it exposed and got sunburn. It was 6:30 when I arrived at Groundhog Creek Shelter and I was whipped. Had enough energy to fix Ramen and chicken even though I wasn¢t starved. Tenting again on a decent spot. The shelter is full and there are many tents. A young man called Captain Chaos is in his hammock. His dad is hiking with him until Hot Springs¢¦just like Driver did with Mule.I almost stayed in the shelter being the first to arrive¢¦but it only sleeps 5 or 6 and I love my tent. It is supposed to get windy as a cool front moves in¢¦also some rain tomorrow sometime.
Date: 2005-04-11
From: Ground Hog Creek Shelter

To: Walnut Creek Shelter
Miles today: 13.1

Weather: Still warm but changing¢¦after a warm night a cool front is moving in¢¦clouding up late and getting windy.Got going again by 7:30. Tented next to Hairball and Rocky last night and that¢s the last I saw of them. It was warmer getting packed up this morning¢¦didn¢t leave on the silk long underwear while packing up that I wear to bed. I could have sworn Captain Chaos and his dad left before me but I never passed them and I was the first to arrive at Walnut Mountain Shelter. I think I did pass Crazy Katie and Radio. We were all going to sleep in the shelter since the rain might move in over night. But it was another small one and I do like my tent. So, I found a good spot on some high ground, not remembering it would be windy and a not so good place if the storm arrived overnight¢¦but it didn¢t. Another couple who got in later found a place to tent on an old forest road next to the Trail shielded by the hill but it wasn¢t as level.It was a good hike today. The terrain seemed more moderate and the highlight was going over Max Patch with some great views. It was so much better than my thru-hike in ¢03¢¦really made it worthwhile to re-hike. Reminded me of Roan Mountain which also was a ¢cloudy, foggy, cold, 50 mph windy mess¢ in ¢03 and beautiful when I returned that fall. I was by myself again. I thought the climb up was easy and was thankful the weather held out the day.It was mashed potatoes with the rest of the bacon bits for supper. Again, not starving to death but had no trouble finishing it. I think it was today I ran into a young guy stopping to eat 2 Ramen¢s just for lunch¢¦didn¢t ask him what he was having for supper.
Date: 2005-04-12
From: Walnut Creek Shelter

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

Weather: Overcast, drizzle in the morning, rain in the afternoon. Windy overnight flapping the tent.Woke up several times during the night wondering if the rain would arrive before morning. Woke up the last time at 4:30 a.m.; heard some others packing up and decided to take off in the dark. I never did this once during my thru-hike but, since I was awake and I felt it was going to rain sooner or later I thought I¢d just try it. I would stop and eat something after dawn.When I left, Captain Chaos¢ hammock was down and he was gone. Although I saw some lights in the tents I hiked out by myself. I think Graybeard was still around somewhere. I was wearing my rain pants for the first time this hike. It never did much more than a few spurts of light rain. The hike into Hot Springs is fairly easy with a lot of switchback downhill.Got in around noon and went to the Alpine Court Motel where Harold, the owner, instantly recognized me (spent 3 nights there in ¢03) and welcomed me back¢¦got the same room¢¦#13 on the end¢¦only now there is no TV reception where there were 3 channels before. He says they will be getting reception this summer but for now they have a nice tape library for our viewing pleasure¢¦didn¢t check to see if they had ¢Private Duty Nurses.¢Got cleaned up and did my laundry. It was getting cold and wet outside so my timing was right. Headed for The Smokey Mountain Diner where I was joined by a real nice young gentleman hiker, Tomcat¢¦had a great diner together and a great chat.I think if it is supposed to rain tomorrow I¢ll hitch to Newfound Gap and bring up the Blazer. I did stop by the outfitter and spread the word in case anyone was going that way.
Date: 2005-04-14
From: Hot Springs

To: Tent Site 3m N of Little Laurel
Miles today: 22.6

Weather: Nice again. Sunshine, warm and breezy.Got up early and drove to Hot Springs. Got there around seven and ate breakfast at the Smokey Mountain Diner. Pancakes this time and they were good. Did see Yappy and August there just before I left at eight. Parked the Blazer at the motel¢¦Harold said no problem and seemed happy to accommodate me.About two hours into the hike I came to this nice dammed up pond with a couple of benches on the shore/trail. Ran into Greybeard and the two guys from N.Y. State. The minute I got there I remembered it from ¢03. I should have hung around but didn¢t. Instead of taking my time and relaxing I¢m hiking along worse than my thru-hike.Just before 10 I passed the Mill Ridge Protected Area on my right. The sign says it was purchased as a plant and wildlife inhabitant type area¢¦I remember hiking with Just Do It along here in ¢03. Nice hiking. Stopped at Spring Mountain and Little Laurel Shelters. I ran into Crazy Katie with Radio and we passed each other a couple of times. When I met them at Spring Mountain Shelter it was around noon and I believe they said they were just getting started for the day. Little Laurel Shelter I remembered right away¢¦not the cleanest and somewhat exposed and weathered. I felt good and decided to hike on until around six to six thirty.About 3 miles past Little Laurel you get to a series of ledges with some rocks. It was getting late and I found this perfect campsite next to the Trail where I camped by myself. I had Ramen with chicken¢¦I¢m beginning to like it better than mashed potatoes, especially when the temp is cool. I have been hanging my food¢¦throwing a rope up and over a limb. On my thru-hike I¢d always use Charlie¢s rope and didn¢t have to mess with it. I really haven¢t heard of any bear activity in this area this early but you never know. The last few shelters have not had bear cables which usually means there isn¢t a bear.
Date: 2005-04-15
From: Tent Site 3m N of Little Laurel

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

Weather: Great weather¢¦cool dry mornings, warm-up in the afternoon.Up and out by 7:30¢¦a little cool but perfect once you get moving. I must have had bad weather here in ¢03 on White Rock Cliffs followed by Blackstack Cliffs cause I don¢t remember these views. The views were great followed by a nice decent into the woods and out of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.I hiked by myself all day. I stopped at every shelter for a break but other than that I was just doing miles¢¦you¢d swear I was a thru-hiker on a mission. When I get back on after I go home for a break next week, I¢ve gotta slow down and see what kind of difference it makes. The rest of the day I just pushed out miles getting into Hogback Ridge Shelter by five. There are some ¢day hikers¢ tenting and some in the shelter. Crazy Katie and Radio show up so maybe there were a few more than I thought. I pitched my tent right behind a downed tree behind the shelter. I am in the sack by eight after eating a Mountainhouse lasagna dinner in had purchased in Hot Springs. Warning, the cheesy stuff sticks to the spoon and you cannot get it off.
Date: 2005-04-16
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Erwin Holiday Inn Express
Miles today: 27.0

Weather: More nice weather with some afternoon breezes and evening cooldown.Up and out again by 7:30¢¦a little cool but perfect once you get moving. I hiked by myself all day. I¢m over Sam¢s Gap within the hour. Later in the day, just before the road crossing (Rt 212) a nice lady is sitting, leaning on a tree and says there is some food at her car coming up. It was great¢¦fresh water, some apple slices, cookies and carrots¢¦.at least that¢s what I ate. She is out with a section hiker friend who is on the Trail somewhere. I kinda felt sorry for her there by herself as it didn¢t seem like there would be much hiker traffic until later and then only a few. One other guy was there with me and that was it (I don¢t know what I did with their names¢¦I apologize.)The next stop was Big Bald just before noon. A nice climb up to this large mowed pasture like field with road access for non-hikers. Again, views I never had in ¢03. As soon as I plopped down, put on my stretch top and pulled out some food this guy comes over and asks me to take a couple of pictures of his group¢¦his family and friends. I oblige and he invites me to lunch in Erwin day after tomorrow at his church across from Miss Janet¢s. ¢No problem¢ I reply. I rest for 20 minutes or so and am the only hiker on Big Bald. Where is everyone?As I drop in on Bald Mountain Shelter to use the facilities where there is a young man just packing up to leave. We briefly introduce ourselves and he takes off.   On my way out, I pass the Japanese hiker I talked about in earlier entries. He¢s eating his lunch in the middle of the Trail and I have to step around him. This is no big deal but I couldn¢t understand why he wasn¢t eating at the table in the shelter that was just off the Trail, practically in eyeshot.The rest of the day I just pushed out miles getting into Erwin by dark. My toes start to hurt as I put in the longest backpacking day ever, 27 miles, when I reach the Nolichucky River before 7:30. its been 12 hours of hiking and I am tired. I try to hitch into town. The few cars that pass me don¢t seem interested in giving me a ride. So I start walking towards town. (No way am I staying at Uncle Johnny¢s) Down the road a mile of so is the Holiday Inn Express where I check in; do my laundry and get cleaned up. After some Long John Silver¢s and A&W Rootbeer next door I go back to my room, call Julia and crash. What the hell is wrong with me?
Date: 2005-04-17
From: Erwin Holiday Inn Express

To: Hot Springs/Amherst OH
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I took my time getting around as the plan today was get the Blazer and go home to take care of a few things and return to the Trail by Trail Days.So, I think it was after 7 when I took in the Holiday Inn Express¢s great continental breakfast. They had these fresh warm cinnamon rolls under a heat lamp that were worth the price of admission. The coffee wasn¢t bad and the orange juice good too.Went back to the room and turned on the TV while packing things up. The movie, ¢Spy Hard¢ with Leslie Neilson was on¢¦I love that movie and stuck around the room laughing my ass off until it was over.As I¢m exiting the front door to hitch into Erwin to Miss Janet¢s, who is loading up another hiker in her car?...none other than Miss Janet herself¢¦my timing is incredible. She is running a hiker to the Trail and says she has plenty of time to run me down to Hot Springs. Only problem is the Chevy Suburban she is driving belongs to Mountain Dew...and I¢m not sure he would want me riding in it.   Oh well, I filled it up with gas anyway and I¢m in Hot Springs in an hour or so. Miss Janet had her camera had got a shot of me ramming one of my Leki¢s into the side of the Suburban while gouging a nice long scratch with the other pole. I was gritting my teeth and smiling at the same time. It already had some kind of bullit hole in the side anyway¢¦was someone using Dewey¢s Suburban for target practice or did it happen while he was he trying to outrun the law?So I¢m back in Ohio after a short but fruitful hike. I see I am over 1,000 miles for the section hike and should be over half way when I get off to do the Colorado Trail in June.While I¢m here we get an unusual April snowstorm and I¢m reading about it¢s affect on the AT.   Sometimes it¢s nice to be home.
Date: 2005-05-06
From: US 321 out of Hampton

To: Campsite 4 M north of Vandeventer
Miles today: 12.2

I did not get back to the Trail as soon as I¢d hoped. I was sprucing up my garage at home and waiting for a nice stretch of weather. Actually, I wanted to hike around Trail Days anyway. I made a deal with Iron Horse Campground to get a reduced rate to park my motorhome since I wouldn¢t be in it overnight while I was out on the Trail. I drove down from Ohio yesterday (Thursday the 5th)This morning I thru my pack in the Blazer and drove down to Kincora to see Bob Peoples about possibly parking there and getting a ride back 10 miles north. I had left the Trail there in the fall of ¢03 when I came back to re-hike Roan Mountain starting at Erwin. Bob was in town but Pat and I chatted for a few minutes. She invited me to park there but when I asked if there was anything down in Hampton she suggested Brown¢s Market; a safe friendly place right on the highway.Before I left for Brown¢s I checked to see if anyone needed a ride to the Trail. A nice young man, Mr. Sweepers, was going to slack pack back to Kincora (like I did on my re-hike) and get back to the point where I dropped him later and resume his thru-hike northbound. So, I dropped him and parked at Browns. Since Browns is 3 miles to the Trail I had to hitch back from there. It only took about 15 minutes and a nice young lady hiker, Phoenix Rising, picked me up. She had gotten off the Trail earlier in the spring and was back doing trail magic. So I was hiking by 10:30.The sun came out and it warmed up nicely¢¦gorgeous and in the 70¢s. At noon I stopped in at Watauga Lake Shelter for some cookies. Some guy was leaving just as I walked in.   About 1:15 I met Bearbait resting on ridge. One thing that I missed on the thru-hike was the view all day to the right of the Trail. You look down a chain of lakes full of marinas (Watauga Lake). I arrived at Vandeventer around 3. There I met Papa Bear. He attempted a thru in ¢03 and only got as far as Damascus. He is out doing sections¢¦taking his time as he wants to arrive in Damascus on Friday.I was the first one to arrive at the fairly well used campsite 4 miles north of Vandeventer. Actually, this is where I stayed on my thru-hike. There is an excellent piped spring here and I have a great tent site. It was cooling down and there was so much dead wood around I built a nice campfire. I think I only built one on the thru-hike. A younger Dutch lady, Apple Pie (get it?) hiking with her mother showed up and tented next door. I was surprised when Mr. Sweepers walked in at 7:30. There was just the four of us. In ¢03, the place was so full I was camped 30 yards up the hill with another guy. Apple Pie is on Trail Journals and quite the hiker. She said if she gets bored with the AT I may just see her on the Colorado Trail later this summer.It was a great day of hiking and I am ¢beat¢ so I should sleep well.
Date: 2005-05-07
From: Campsite 4 M north of Vandeventer

To: Campsite N of Abbington Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.8

The weather today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday¢¦nice in the morning and clouding up in the afternoon. I was hiking by 7:30.After stopping for a few minutes at Iron Mountain Shelter for a snack I passed the Nick Grindstaff Monument. It read, ¢Uncle Nick Grindstaff Born April 25, 1861 Died July 22, 1923 Lived alone, suffered alone and died alone.¢This part of the Trail is excellent for getting miles in for a couple of reasons. First , the terrain is not that difficult as the climbs are not that steep and/or long. Second, there are plenty of water sources and places to camp so you can keep hiking without having to worry about making it to the next shelter or water source. In fact, the 3 days before Damascus are great mileage days.I was at Cross Mountain Road by 10:30. After Low Gap there the Trail leaves the woods and crosses some open meadows next to an old weather-worn livestock corral and loading platform. This is new this year and really adds a nice dimension to the hike. I believe the AT purchased this land and rerouted the Trail last year.I stopped at Double Springs Shelter for lunch at 11:30¢¦about ten and a half miles in four hours. Around 2 p.m. I passed one those stone fence walls that you see so many of in Virginia. I always wonder who exactly put the sweat in to build them and when. I reached McQueen¢s knob at 3. After clouding up for awhile the sun has suddenly reappeared.As you can see, I¢ve not mentioned any people because there haven¢t been any. It¢s been one of those days where I¢ve enjoyed hiking alone all day. Found a place to pitch the tent at 5; fixed the boneless rib military meal, yawned and called it a day.