morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-03-27
From: Wayah Gap

To: Wayah Gap
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 15: Yay! We were finally able to hike today. We hooked up with three other hikers aqua man, candu, and whynot. They told us about a hostel that they were going to stay at the next 3-4 nights and the owners will take us to the trail everyday so we can get our miles in but stay in a warm dry hostel every night. What is better than that?? We decide to jump on that wagon. We walked to wayah gap. The majority of the trail was submersed in snow and ice. It was much harder to hike. It seemed like for every 1 of my normal steps I had to take 2. I would take a step and my foot would slide back a few inches. I was even able to ski through parts of the trail (and luckily I brought my skiing poles!). The weather was cold at the beginning but once we began hiking we were warm. The day went by really fast and before we knew it we were at the gap ready to be picked up. Maggie and Wiggie, the owners of the hostel, picked us up. They were a sweet British couple with southern hospitality. They showed us around the hostel. It was a beautiful log cabin with a fire place for heating. They made dinner for us at 530, ham, sweet potatoes and broccoli. The meal was amazing! We came back to the living area, hung out for a few hours talking about strategies for the trail, stories of our lives, joked around and went to bed by 9.
Date: 2003-05-03
From: Home

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We made it to NC28, the road going into Fontana Dam, around 10 o'clock, and found T-Bone and Red Dirt sitting at the road, waiting for the shuttle into town. They had been there almost an hour, walked down to the parking lot to register for the Smoky Mountains, called for the town shuttle, and had been waiting for the shuttle for about 45 minutes. Magic Rat, Moss, and myself went ahead down to the backcountry registration area, registered...and then I spotted a soda machine. Sodas! How did they not notice this when they were down here in the first place! The soda machine, right next to the PUBLIC BATHROOMS! Jackpot! We soon joined T-Bone and Red Dirt at the road, and waited for the shuttle for a few moments. Then, the decision was made to call the shuttle again. First off, in the previous phone call, the shuttle person didn't ask them where they were. Of course, nobody thought anything of it, as the phone's main purpose (it wasn't a public phone) was to call the town for a shuttle. This time, the guy actually asked where we were, and then said he'd pick us up in the parking lot (where the sodas were). So, we walked down, got another soda, and waited. Almost half an hour later, the shuttle shows up, but didn't even realize he was supposed to pick us up (he was there for another shuttle), so told us to hold on...and he'd be back shortly. More time clicks by (we then start worrying if we're going to make the PO at this point), and the shuttle finally gets back to us. We get into town, and I run into Lee again (who has now become Cloudwalker), who I've been tailing (1/2 a day to a day behind) for a good week now. Of course, he's hiking out today, and we're getting a room to dry out. We do the laundry, hit the AYCE buffet (twice), Moss, Magic Rat, and myself get a room, and then we relax (and dry off). You can always tell when there's a hiker in town at the motel rooms, as you'll usually have tents drying, rain gear hanging, and boots sitting outside the door. The buffet's usually empty, too! On to the Smoky Mountains tomorrow!!!!
Date: 2013-03-28
From: Burning Town Gap

To: Burning Town Gap
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: broken clouds

Day 16: Maggie and Wiggie made waffles with strawberries and blueberries. We had several waffles until we were full and ready to hit the trail. The trail was a form of snow, ice, slush and a few dry spots. There were some areas where the snow came up to our knees. About halfway through the hike Salsa fell down the mountain. Luckily there was several inches of snow to give her a soft landing. Every time she tried getting up she would slip further down the hill (I'm sure all her laughing didn't help). She finally had to get on her stomach and crawl back up. Candu also fell. I didn't see it but hearing her story it sounded just as epic as my moms. We reached Wayah Bald Tower by noon. I got to the road first and saw the white blaze up the road so I followed it to the tower. I took a few pictures but then I had to use the restroom so I started walking back towards the woods waived at Salsa and Candu telling them the trail was this way. I slipped into the woods for a few seconds to take care of some business when I came back they were gone. I figured either they slipped passed me somehow or they got lost. So I took off just incase they were ahead of me. I left my trail name in the snow in several different areas to let them know I was ahead. After not catching up with them I slowed down and ate a cliff bar. It was too cold to stop completely so I took baby steps. A hiker by the name of Great Legs met up with me and said my mom said Hi about 10 minutes back. We stopped, talked for a bit and my mom finally showed up. great Legs is a fast walker so he took off shortly after. The rest of the way I walked a little bit ahead of my mom but i didn't let her get out of my sight. I felt like my dog Bently when i was watching over my mom. One thing I have notices is I enjoy walking by myself. It makes the trail harder if I'm trying to talk and walk up hill at the same time. Maybe once I get my hiker legs and lungs then I might enjoy walking with people but for now I enjoy solo hiking.It was only a few miles further and we had reached our destination, burning town Gap. As we were waiting for Wiggie to pick us up Aqua man received an email from a friend stating the Smokey's are waist deep in snow and the rangers are advising hikers to not hike there until Saturday. We're hoping to take our time for the snow to melt. Locals around here say this weather is a fluke. This time last year it was 80 degrees. Hopefully it will warm up soon. We are so thankful to be staying in this hostel. We feel spoiled. However, we keep saying Awols words of wisdom, "pain is inevitable but suffering is optional."Twix
Date: 2003-05-04
From: Fontana Dam, NC

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: few clouds

Once again..out of town late. We were separated from T-Bone and Red Dirt yesterday, as they had decided to stay at the "Fontana Hilton" shelter. We got back to the trail, and had a BITCH (pardon the language) of a 2 miles in between NC28 and Fontana Dam. I didn't care for it too much. After checking out the Dam (yeah, the dam jokes came out), we hit the Smokies. It was exciting, but the road walk sucked. We had a good 2-3 miles alone of walking on asphault. Road walks are never a good time. Anyway, the climb into the Smokies was a little tough. Add to it, my allergies started kicking in for the first time on the trail. I couldn't breathe up half the trail. We stopped at Birch Springs Campsite, and I decided to make a big lunch...and the boys walked on. Soon after leaving the campsite, I spotted a bear! He was maybe 50 feet from me, drinking from a stream, and we spotted each other at the same time. Luckily, I was higher on the ground than himself, and he took off running....away from me. Good thing, too, because those things can book. I suddenly started hiking faster, while nervously giggling for about half an hour. The walk up, overall, was beautiful. We started hitting nice ridgewalk-ish areas, and got some great glimpses of what is to come in the next few days. We made it up to Mollies Ridge, ran into Tito and Cardinal again, and had a peaceful night of sleep. Can't wait for the rest of the Smokies!!!
Date: 2013-03-29
From: Tellico Gap

To: Tellico Gap
Miles today: 4.8
Weather: clear sky

Day 17- Had a wonderful breakfast and a short hike today. There was still snow on the trail but a beautiful day. We took our time walking enjoying the short day. We stopped to snack at the top of Rocky Bald Mnt. Aquaman and I were behind so mom wrote in the dirt, twix and a water symbol with a sign pointing off the trail so we knew where to find them. We sat at the top then as we were heading back to the trail Catnip and PS came up. We later found out they saw Twix in the sand and they thought there was trail magic at the top of the Mnt. When we got to Tellico Gap it began to rain and snow. We were so thankful to be going back to the hostel. Several other hikers passed us and were jealous to hear we were going to a warm place. The weather dropped in the 30's and I'm sure it dropped way below that night but I didn't check since I didn't have to sleep in it. Later that night AT (Annie and Teddy), 1-2, Phys Ed and Sequoia joined us. They told us it unexpectedly snowed at the shelter so they walked back. We all talked about strategies for the smokeys and what we might have to do if there is still snow. (Possibly skip the Smokey's and do it later.)I turned in early that night. I watched one movie on my phone then quickly fell asleep.
Date: 2013-03-30
From: Telico Gap

To: NOC
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 18:We packed our bags this morning as it was our last day for being spoiled at the Aquone Hostel. We had waffles again with a mound of fresh strawberries and blueberries on top. They took us to the trail and we said our goodbyes. Wiggie and Maggie were absolutely wonderful. It was a beautiful day for hiking. The trails didn't have much ice, snow or mud. The views were incredible. We reached the top of Wesser Bald Tower by noon. We were above the cloud line. We took several pictures due to the cloud formations and the way they hit the mountains, it was gorgeous. As we were walking Aquaman said something about burgers and from that point on we did nothing but talk about burgers. How they taste, smelled, what we like on it, what we don't like on it, the best burger we ever had, etc. We were going to be at the NOC (Natahala Outdoor Center) today and heard they have excellent burgers. The beautiful weather held up all day. It was still hard to stop because the bugs were out and want to bomb dive right into your face. We decided instead of stopping and waiting for everyone to catch up we would call out with a random noise and they would call back to let us know they were okay. We arrived at the NOC around 2:30, checked into our bunk house which looks like a jail cell without the bars (and is probably smaller) then went to eat. We were at the restaurant for several hours it probably appeared we hadn't eaten in days. Each of us (Candu, Y-Not, Salsa, Teddy, Annie and Aquaman) consumed an appetizer, meal and a dessert. Aquaman had two meals (I've never met someone who could eat as much as he does). By the time we were done eating it was time to go to our 5x5 cement block room and get ready for bed. Twix
Date: 2013-03-31
From: NOC

To: Locust Cove Gap
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: light rain

Day 19: I woke up several times through the night with the rain pouring on our tin roof. We stayed at the Natahala Outdoor Center (NOC) hostel. I could hear the sounds of bullfrogs in the distance. I looked at the weather and it appears it should rain until 10am then sunny until 4pm. This should give us plenty of time to hike past the first shelter and to the next camping area. On today's agenda, a 3,000ft climb over a six mile period. It will take most of the day and will be our biggest climb yet. Once we get to the top, the camp grounds are four miles past that.Later that day: Today was the toughest day yet. The climb was frustrating. I was never able to see the top of the hill. When I thought I was almost to the top there was another hill right after it. When we finally reached the top of that 3,000 ft climb I was relieved with joy but felt several areas of pain, especially in my right foot on the side of my big toe. We walked straight and down hill for a bit only to find ourselves at the bottom of another hill. Up we went again slowly putting one foot in front of the other. The words of Silly Sobo kept popping in my head "there will be tough days on the trail but never a tough week." I was hopeful tomorrow will be better. As my mom and I were about two miles from our campsite we could tell that it was about to rain. Mom gave me the tent poles so I could race ahead to set up the tent. It was no longer than 10 minutes and it began to rain. I quickly put a garbage bag on my backpack to shield it from the rain (we heard it works better and is lighter than an actual rain cover). I didn't mind the rain. It was warm and it cooled me off. I was very fortunate when I got to the campsite because the rain took a break. I set up our tent without it getting wet. When Mom got into camp, it began to rain again so we jumped in our sleeping bags by 4pm. We strung a line several directions in our tent to hang our wet clothes for the night. We had to be careful when we sat up so we didn't get a wet clothing article in our face. Our dinner special was tortilla with peanut butter and honey (Never again will I eat that combination). I got in my calories but it was not satisfying. It was by far the warmest night. It was wonderful! I was able to use the restroom without freezing or dreading to get out of my sleeping bag. I actually enjoyed taking a midnight hike. Also, in camp were Private First Class Snow and Chicago (both from Chicago) and Snail and Turtle (a super nice couple from Germany) Twix
Date: 2003-05-07
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke up today to sunny skies, for the first time we have been in the Smokies. It was quite nice. Moss, Magic Rat, and I (after a late start) started up to Clingman's Dome. It was a nice climb; not as daunting as climbing the tallest peak on the trail would seem. We had some awesome views on the way up, but got fogged in as we reached the top. It figures. We took quite a bit of a lunch break at the top, and then ran into Nova and Tito, who were trying to get into Gatlinburg, and wanted to know if we would join them. At first, we declined. Then, we started back, and the drizzle and sprinkles began to cover us. I took a few more snack breaks, and eventually came upon everyone (Moss, Magic Rat, Nova, and Tito), stopped at the path to the Mt. Collins Shelter. Nova and Tito, once again, beckoned for us to join them and to go into Gatlinburg. We pondered the notion for a few moments, as it was only 4.5 miles away, then decided to join them. We took a few signs of the weather as omens...the drizzle, rain, and high winds, and also a particular clump of trees, by the path to the Mt. Collins Shelter, which kept rocking back and forth with the wind, and being partially uprooted. If these trees fell, we'd have quite a hard time getting out of this shelter in the morning...and it wouldn't hurt to do a little re-supplying anyway. We got a great hitch into town, and Magic Rat, Moss, and I split a room, while Nova and Tito shared another, at the Grand Prix Motel. Magic Rat, Moss and I ended up going out to grab some Italian grub, and a few Mexican beers (late Cinco de Mayo celebration), and came back literally stuffed. The weather report is something we have decided to boycott...we just don't want to know the bad news anymore. Hopefully we'll have blue skies tomorrow!!!
Date: 2013-04-01
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: broken clouds

Day 20: Much better day. We woke up refreshed. The morning was still warm. We packed our tent in comfort and delight. Our legs were still exhausted from yesterday but the hills weren't nearly as bad in the morning. "In the morning" is the key word. We didn't eat breakfast. We wanted to get to the next shelter and have a warm brunch but I quickly lost energy so I pulled over and gorged myself with several calories, half being Twix. We got to a hill called Jacobs Ladder it was only a 600 foot climb but it was straight up. There were about six hikers attempting this hill at the same time. We got to moan and groan together. When we got to the top the only words we were able to say was, "Wow, that was intense" Then we hiked on. We stopped at Brown Fork Shelter for lunch. I ate two bags of oatmeal, one bag of mashed potatoes, one bag of pasta and a scoop of peanut butter. Mom doesn't eat nearly as much as me but I figure her appetite will catch up to mine. I just have the mind set if something feels wrong with my body it's because I need to eat. It's interesting the difference food makes on your body. Obviously, food gives us energy but the way it makes you feel on the trail, I would compare it to a car. When my gas meter is on empty I feel sluggish, exhausted, drained, etc. after eating several calories, my gas gauge goes to full and I feel unstoppable. I never had this feeling during my everyday life. I guess if I was hungry back then I didn't need those calories to get over a hill, I just needed them to feel full so I could sit at my desk and work a few more hours. I could get by with skipping a meal but out here I run out of gas. We made it to Cable Gap Shelter and wanted to stay in the shelter so we wouldn't have to set up our wet tent and secondly it will only take a few minutes to get ready the next morning. We can't wait as Uncle Jim and Aunt Ann is meeting us in Fontana Village the next day. At camp were a whole lot of folks that we have been seeing on the trail such as Oops (Trevor), Angus, PS, Catnip, Flipper, Crash, Duct Tape, Bubble Gum, Starman and Home Brew. Always good to see familiar faces and good company. Twix
Date: 2003-05-08
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Pecks Corner Shelter 
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Wow, Gatlinburg....don't need to go back there. Talk about sensory overload.Well, after laundry, drying out, phone calls home, stops at the Outfitter, Post Office, and grocery store, we got a ride back to the trail from the same people that picked us up yesterday. They were even nice enough to run us around town to all the above mentioned stops beforehand, and got us each a snicker's bar before we hit the trail!! Yum!Oh, and we read, in a local newspaper today, that the storm we weathered was one of the worst storms the region had seen in years. Hundreds of tornadoes had spawned in Tennessee alone, flooding had occured in most cities (including Gatlinburg - just a day or two prior to our arriving), hikers were being cautioned not to enter the Smoky Mountains, the lower portions of the park were being evacuated, and several hikers had to be air-lifted out of various portions, because of flooding. Nice!Today was a beautiful day to be hiking. We really lucked out. We passed some great scenery, ridgewalks, and Charlies Bunion. Charlies Bunion is this rock formation that overhangs one of the ridgewalks. We ran into a few section hikers, and got some great pictures and playing time on the rocks. I believe we made the section hikers nervous, though, because they took off once Moss and I climbed out to the second overhanging rock. It was nice. I started feeling a bit run-down and stuffy during the end of the hike today. I guess it may just be allergies, or the start of a cold. My throat has been a bit sore, as well. Hopefully it will pass!
Date: 2013-04-02
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Village
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 21: Today we got up earlier than we have in the past - 7am. Since we didn't have a tent to pack up, it was fairly quick before we got out on the trail. Today is a special day as we are to meet my brother Jim and Ann in Fontana Village for a couple of days. They traveled from Michigan to see us and then they will forward on to Georgetown University to see their son, Evan. It is a beautiful morning and should be all sun and in the 50's. We only had one 600 foot climb out of camp and a bunch of little ones and then all down hill to Fontana Dam. Cable Gap Shelter was a really neat area nestled in a gap that was surrounded by creeks and streams. The trail and footing was really good with quite a bit of streams, creeks and rocks to step over. We are staying at the Fontana Lodge and hope to start the Smokies either Thursday or Friday. We heard rain/snow all day on Thursday but good to go on Friday...we will see. We can't wait to get started in the Smokies!Salsa
Date: 2003-05-09
From: Pecks Corner Shelter 

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: broken clouds

We awoke to another BEAUTIFUL day! Luck is definitely with us on the second leg of the Smoky Mountains. We had more spectacular views, and definitely took our time, enjoying the scenery.We arrived at Old Black Mountain (Moss, Magic Rat, Nova, Tito and myself), and decided to just chill a while. We shared stories, napped, snacked, basically just enjoyed the beautiful scenery and weather we were being handed today. After a good 2 or 3 hours, it was time to move on. We made it up to Cosby Knob Shelter in time for all of us to get a space in the packed Shelter, cooked out, talked to a few different thru and section hikers, and eventually drifted off into a restless sleep; the last night in the Smokies! I'm still feeling quite run-down, and my throat is not feeling much better. It may be dehydration, but I'm just not sure. It's becoming hard to swallow any food, which is annoying - - since I'm hungry all the time now!!! I really, REALLY hope this funk clears up soon!!
Date: 2013-04-04
From: Fontana Village

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 23: It began raining at 3am and didn't stop until 4pm. Again, mom had to sleep in her sleeping bag. We were able to spend a few hours with Jim and Ann then unfortunately had to say our goodbyes. Today was pretty simple, we went to the general store for some alcohol (for our stove) and one more Mountain House. We later went to lunch at the new restaurant that opened just today. I had a bowl of chili and was able to put anything I want in it that was at the salad bar. I loaded my chili bowl with broccoli, carrots, green peppers and cheese. I have to admit, i haven't been eating very healthy, as you can tell by my trail name. So I made a commitment that I will start eating healthier after the smokies. I ordered some dried vegan meals from outdoorherbivore.com. Every meal is load with protein and has several vegetables as well. I'm shipping our first package to Hot Springs, NC. My Aunt bought some grapes yesterday and it was the most amazing taste. I couldn't stop eating them. Surely I can pack those out too!Now we want to inform everyone that we will be entering the Smokies tomorrow and won't be posting or calling anyone for up to 8 days. No need to worry. We will be hiking with a group and we will all be looking after each other. We are also looking forward to some nice weather. If you want to follow along, here is our itinerary for the week of the Smokies:Friday, Day 1: (12.2 miles) to Mollies Ridge ShelterSaturday, Day 2: (12 miles) to Derrick Knob ShelterSunday, Day 3: (7.2 miles) to Double Spring GapMonday, Day 4: (6.3 miles) to Mt. Collins ShelterTuesday, Day 5: (7.5 miles) to Icewater Spring ShelterWednesday, Day 6: (7.4 miles) to Pecks Corner ShelterThursday, Day 7: (12.9 miles) Crosbey Knob ShelterFriday, Day 8: (7.1 miles) to Davenport Gap ShelterPhew, we are done and I am out of breath. Twix