morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2017-05-06
From: Cantarroso Farm, Erwin, TN

To: Cantarroso Farm, Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

From Fatboy:Our day began with coffee in bed.  This is one of our rituals that means so much to us.  It just feels so wonderful to lie in bed and have coffee brought to you and spend a few minutes talking and showing our gratitude for the wonderful life we share.  We dressed and were shuttled to Huddle House for breakfast.  That's a real treat, too.  Ginger had never been to this restaurant and I knew she'd like it.  If it has biscuits, gravy, coffee and/or pancakes it's going to be a hit with her and Huddle House is one of the best at those things.  After our feed we walked through Erwin's downtown district because they were having an outdoor festival with lots of crafts vendors and even a petting zoo.  Ginger is one of the most sincere animal lovers I've ever known and baby animals bring out a very child-like joy in her that's a pleasure to experience.  There were bunnies, a goat, calves, and a sow with pigs for her to pet and talk to.  It was a great morning.  We walked to the library and called for our ride.  We made a quick stop at Food Lion and returned to our cabin.  We spent the rest of the day reading and laying about.  The weather was cold and rainy and we both commented several times how grateful we were to be in a warm, dry building. Dinner included a Stouffer's casserole that said "Family Size" on the box.  We must be a complete family because we didn't have any trouble eating all of it!  We went to bed and both slept very well.From Ginger:I splurged and bought knitting needles during our Wal-Mart run. I missed that from home.Never expected to be eating eggs or bacon with my morning starch, but here I am, petting baby chicks and eating unfertilized eggs. The hens at Cantarroso lay white, brown and blue-green ones! So cool to see the entire cycle ... as long as I don't think about it too much!Nell's Cabin is adorable. Mike and Peggy have it outfitted well, like a tiny house. It's best feature, in my opinion, is a composting toilet I'd love to have in our own home. You crank a handle to "flush," which mixes either liquid or solid waste with the compost material below. It's truly odorless. And expensive (I already scoped them out online). Anyway, while we're here, I'm using it as often as possible. It's fun to turn it.
Date: 2017-05-07
From: Cantarosa Farm, Erwin, TN

To: Mile 351.8
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: overcast clouds

From Fatboy:We were up at 0700 and enjoyed our morning coffee ritual.  That's one of the things I miss most when we're hiking so I really relish that opportunity every chance I get.  We had a breakfast of scrambled eggs with sauteed red bell peppers and sourdough toast.  I miss cooking for us, too.  We settled our bill with Mike and did some last minute mailings of Mothers Day Cards and postcards and packages.    Cantarrosa Farms and Apiary was one of our favorite places so far.  The owners are very helpful and our cabin was wonderful.  It's always a little hard for me to leave a comfortable place and get back to hiking but the weather was perfectly clear and warming up so it was time to go.  Mike dropped us off at the trailhead, we made one last quick stop at Uncle Johnny's Hostel, and we were back headed north.  The trail leaving Erwin heading north is quite gentle and even the climb out of town was easy.  Our packs were at their heaviest but the hiking was a pleasure.  We passed Curly Maple Gap Shelter and decided to press on for a stealth site further up the trail.  The water sources are a little scarce along this section of trail but we were gifted with three liters of water by a trail angel at Indian Grave Gap.  We eventually stealth camped on the fringe of a power line.  The sky continued clear but we found a flat soft site that was protected from the wind and offered one of the most spectacular sunset views we've seen.  As the sun set the temperature dropped very quickly and we were both ready to get in our warm tent and sleeping bag.  It was a beautiful day.From Ginger:I liked purchasing honey products from Cantarrosa's apiary -- we get to support a local business AND a hiker-friendly one -- and the materials were more personal that way, I hope, for the recipients. We covered the 9-plus miles all after 12 noon, which helps show just how gentle the terrain is coming out of Erwin! A generous rafter, stopped at an intersection, gave us six bottles of water, which allowed us to stop when we did. All those pretty streams were gone by evening.
Date: 2017-05-08
From: Mile 351.8

To: Cherry Gap shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

From Fatboy:Our tent site was fabulous.  We were warm and out of the wind on a secluded old overgrown service road that ran parallel to a major power line.  We slept until the sun was up enough to warm the chilly mountain air.  You could just barely make out the steam from your breath for the first few minutes outside our tent.  We dawdled over breakfast and coffee but enjoyed the peace and quiet.  We started hiking North around 1000, slowly as usual.  We did see some interesting features today.  There was a large spruce forest at the top of Unaka Mountain that seemed as though it was dropped there from some foreign spot.  The ground was covered with pine needles and the trail was almost difficult to pick out at times.  We saw a spruce tree with Christmas ornaments hanging in it near the trail.  It was dedicated by the family to a young man who died.  There was a notebook for hikers to leave messages, and Ginger made an ornament for the tree from a can lid and some duct tape.  The family requested that photos be posted on Facebook and I'll do that as soon as we have internet capabilities.  We discussed our plans for Trail Days in Damascus and maybe will be able to hike there by 5/19.  It depends on the weather and if my legs and feet hold up to the distance.  I seem to be strong for the first day after a stay in town but then I tire pretty easily after that.  Ginger is supportive and understanding so we're having a good time enjoying the journey.  We stopped at Cherry Gap Shelter and found a good tent site and an easy place to hang our food to keep it away from bears.  We ate dinner and tonight was a special treat.  We had Pad Thai that was a hiker meal we ordered from Amazon.  It wasn't like any Pad Thai I've ever had before but it was pretty tasty anyway and a welcome relief from Knorr sides with ramen noodles, something hikers refer to as a "ramen bomb."   The temperature started to drop quickly when the sun started to go down so we retired to our tent to read and stay warm.  It was another beautiful day with my best friend.From Ginger:Our gratitude goes out to Max Norrell's family and friends for sharing his story and memorial with us. I hope you feel the peace and comfort we did. Together we can do what none of us can do alone. http://www.legacy.com/obituari...
Date: 2017-05-09
From: Cherry Gap shelter

To: Clyde Smith shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: few clouds

From Fatboy:It started to rain in the middle of the night.  Not a hard rain but enough to soak our tent so I wasn't looking forward to breaking camp and stowing a wet tent.  The rain did stop early in the morning so we didn't have to deal with cooking or packing in the rain too.  We were on the trail at 0930 as usual and the day stayed overcast, windy, but dry.  The temperature must have stayed in the 50s because I was able to hike most of the day with two layers of t-shirts (one long sleeve) comfortably.  We had a contingency plan of going to a hostel at about 7 miles if the weather turned bad but the day actually turned partly sunny and we made it to Clyde Smith Shelter.  The last couple of miles were difficult for both of us.  There's something we both experience around 1400 when we both get a little sluggish and everything seems harder.  We know this happens but it still makes the early afternoons a difficult time for making more miles.  We found a great tent site right along the approach trail to the shelter.  It was flat and slightly sloped with a couple of large downed trees to sit on and serve as a wind break for cooking.  It was also away from the other tent sites and not too close to the shelter.  I walked to get water while Ginger was hanging our rain fly in the trees to dry.  I hit the lottery too!  The water source was so secluded that I was able to wash a little and enjoy being in the sun.  It's always a bonus for me when I get the chance to bathe.  I returned to our camp and made us large cups of decaf instant coffee.  It's always a nice way to end our hiking day with coffee.  I fixed a special dinner too.  Ginger claims to have never eaten Spam so we had cubed Spam in garlic mashed potatoes.  It was delicious and very filling.  I'm sure she'll want that again.  We spent the evening talking with some other hikers we'd passed during the day and retired to our tent while the sun was still up.  We were tired.From Ginger:I might even want to try FRIED Spam when we're off the trail! Nathan tried to fry it for me, but you can't do anything but boil water in our stove set. (He is so good to me!) We discovered that others tried, too, when we were talking to other hikers this evening. Just burns the bottom of your pot. I couldn't bring myself to look very closely at the Spam container (we picked up two of the four tins someone discarded by a tree yesterday), but once Nathan told me it was just "ham in chicken broth," I decided I could try it. Just don't watch it pop out of the tin. Disguised in potatoes, I can handle it. Yum!
Date: 2017-05-10
From: Clyde Smith shelter

To: Carvers Gap then Mountain Harbour B&B
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: scattered clouds

From Fatboy:We were packed up and on the trail by 0900.  The morning was clear and the weather was perfect.  We had about 10 miles to hike before our scheduled 1600 pick-up at Carver's Gap.  We paused to talk to several hikers throughout the day and really enjoyed a leisurely stroll through some more gorgeous mountains.  We paused multiple times for photos and made sure to enjoy our journey.  We paused to visit the highest shelter on the AT.  The Roan High Knob Shelter is at 6193 feet elevation and it was a climb!  We got a little off trail on the way to Carver's Gap and managed to use a forest trail road to make it by 1557.  We were three minutes early but we really hustled the last 45 minutes.  It was all down hill and mostly rocky so it required my full attention to keep my knees and feet from self destructing or me finding myself sprawled on my back on the trail.  We had reservations at Mountain Harbour Bed & Breakfast for a room with a king bed and a hot tub.  This B&B has been mentioned by several people we've met as having the best breakfast on the trail.  There was a food truck on site that we visited after our showers and we both got hamburgers and sides.  It was a great meal and we both enjoyed sitting at the picnic table in the sun watching the dogs on site play and chase bees.  The room we had was comparable to the best places we've ever stayed and the hot tub felt glorious.  We made a great choice!From Ginger:FATBOY CAN HUSTLE! I don't know how we made it, but we did. He led us right up to Roan High Knob shelter in what had to be record speed. I literally could not keep up ... but he made me smile. I'm so deadline-oriented that I almost suggested skipping a peek at the shelter, but I'm glad we didn't. We won't likely be back here; we're out here to see things you can only walk to; I won't grow if I don't do things that are uncomfortable; we weren't actually late yet ... and it turned out we weren't anyway. "Breathe in faith, breathe out fear." We made it!The shelter was pretty cool: a two-story one with a ladder and hatch for upstairs and windows that open out. Also, four whole walls and a door. Where was this place during our snowy days?!I marveled at how Mountain Harbour has evolved as a business, with Mary and her late husband at the helm. You'll have to check it out yourself for the full experience, but you could easily enjoy this place whether you ride in on a motorcycle or trudge in from the AT. The main house (B&B) and the hostel facilities are well-run.The food truck is genius and showcases David's talent as a cook (so will breakfast, we hear!). The general store is stocked with food that isn't all sugar-laden (God bless Shannon, who moved here from Wichita Falls, one of the cities whose newspapers the Central Desk produced!). They have a goat as a lawn-mower.What a wonderful way to wind down from the heat going over today's mountains. It was Texas hot!
Date: 2017-05-11
From: Mountain Harbour B&B

To: Mountain Harbour B&B
Miles today: 0.0

From Fatboy:I flopped around on the bed all night.  I always have trouble sleeping in a new place the first night but it doesn't bother me to sleep in our tent because that's "home" no matter where we set up camp.  It is strange though to go from sleeping in small bag liners with long johns on to being in a bed that's much larger than your entire tent.  It was glorious to be able to shower and sit in a Jacuzzi tub right in our own private room.  I will be convinced until the day I die that indoor plumbing is one of the greatest inventions of all time!  We even watched a movie.  We're not very big into television but we did enjoy Tom Hanks in "Bridge of Spies." Ginger was particularly interested in the story because she spent her teen years in Germany and remembers some of the landmarks portrayed in the movie.  I thoroughly enjoyed being clean and well fed.Breakfast was everything we wished for and more.  We're both kind of foodies and the dishes we were served rivaled anything we have ever eaten for breakfast anywhere.  I mean ANYWHERE!  We had great conversations with our table companions and completely enjoyed spending about 90 minutes savoring our food and community.  We met Michael, who is planning a thru-hike with his son in 2019 and had a good time talking about hiking and life in general.  He had his car and kindly offered to take us to Dollar General so we could resupply.  Ginger and I have continued to be so blessed by the kindness of the people we meet on or near the trail.  The true trail magic I've found is a renewal of my feeling that people are inherently good and kind.  The saying I heard was: You get what you give.  I think I must not have been giving out very good things for a lot of years but I will do better with that in the future.From Ginger:Have to note more ingenuity from Mountain Harbour:In the vending machine outside, for after-hours, Shannon put in Knorr pasta sides for hungry hikers and protein bars. First time I've seen that. Also, I made of list of what was offered at breakfast. Check out the spread: egg casserole with Perogis and chives, eggs with onions and hashbrowns, eggs with cheese and hashbrowns, sausage links and patties, biscuits, sausage gravy, fresh strawberries and pineapple, roasted potatoes, blueberry pancakes, juice, coffee, monkey bread, breakfast pastries. There was something for everyone, and all of it was timed to be served hot and together. What a challenge to master.
Date: 2017-05-14
From: Doll Flats

To: Slide Hollow
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: light rain

From Fatboy:Happy Mother's Day! We mailed gifts to our mothers about a week ago and both felt good about remembering to take care of this detail.  It's easy to get lost in the trail experience and forget that the rest of the world is still living the lives they always did.  I usually have to look at my phone to even know what day of the week it is.  We had a goal of about 12 miles for the day and we left camp at 0910.  That's about normal for us.  We had reasonably easy hiking today.  No huge climbs or descents and we both felt pretty good.  There was a very pretty waterfall that we passed and I enjoyed showing Ginger some new bugs and we took lots of pictures.  We ended up camping on an old logging road near a stream.  It was safe and comfortable and had a good water source.  The only drawback about the site was there wasn't a decent tree to hang our food in within sight.  I finally got our line secured in an old half dead pine tree about 15 feet up but only about 4 feet from the trunk.  The bears could likely get to our food here but at least I was going to make them work for it.  We had a chicken fajita meal with tortillas and some hot sauce I bought at our last resupply.  Our water needs were taken care of and we retired to our tent.  We plan to hike about 15 miles tomorrow and have reservations for a cabin at a highly recommended hostel near the trail.  We'll be up and out earlier tomorrow.  I hear a shower, a good meal, clean clothes, and a soft bed calling me.From Ginger:We hit 400 miles today!! We've been going back and forth between North Carolina and Tennessee, but the sign at Doll Flats tells us we are officially leaving N.C. The Appalachians don't recognize state lines, so we were never quite sure which state we were in unless we looked at the guide book. The walk alongside Elk River was especially pretty today. Come summer, these waterways will be fun to dip into.Today I learned about golden-wing warblers (and saw two cruise by!), spittle bugs -- literally, they create spit, or foam, on a leaf, and saw another little brown snake. Probably a garter. Tiny guy with a pretty pattern. Nathan offered to catch it and let me hold him ... maybe eventually.And, of course, again: happy Mother's Day, (God)mother's Day, (Dog)mother's Day to all those special women in our lives!
Date: 2017-05-15
From: Slide Hollow

To: Dennis Cove Road + Black Bear Resort
Miles today: 14.7

From Fatboy:We were packed and out of camp by 0810!  The alarm went of at 0600.  Yes, it does take us that long to get on the trail every morning.  I refuse to forgo hot coffee and a hot breakfast.  It's an important reminder for me that our hiking experience may be difficult at times but that's no excuse to not have the things you enjoy.  I didn't sleep very well because I was thinking about how many miles we planned to hike and knew we had a long day of walking. The area we were entering had lots of water sites listed on our maps and we planned on having more food for snacks and lunches because we knew we were going to need the calories.  We hiked, and hiked, and hiked.  There were places where I had a sense of deja vu.  How many mountain views and rhododendron bushes can you see before they generally begin to look alike?  I kept track of our progress with the Guthook app on my phone and Ginger checked off our locations on Awol's guide.  And we hiked.  The final section of our hike passed through areas that were deep green and shaded with a full stream running through the valley.  It was beautiful and cool and had the feel of a spooky movie.  We eventually exited the forest and followed the road that would lead to our cabin.  The final 0.4 miles was walked on pavement.  That sounds like it may be easier than walking a path in the woods but it isn't.  The pavement is hard and each step pounds your aching feet.  Ginger was a good sport about it and never complained but I knew she was hurting too.  We found our hostel and checked in to their best cabin.  This was the place we were told was special by a hiker who had completed this section of the trail in the past.  The cabin was quaint but didn't include any bathroom facilities and the bed was a mattress on a wood bunk frame.  Ginger tried to call a taxi to take us to town so we could eat in a restaurant but there wasn't any cell service either.  The showers were clean and the resupply store had a better than average selection of packaged and frozen foods so we made do.  It was something to laugh about and include in our education about hiker facilities.  We at least had our evening coffees to keep us sane.  It was a good (but tiring) day.From Ginger:We did 14.7 trail miles and 15.1 total. Ouch! This was our highest mileage day yet. The day had several distinct segments, which made it feel even longer. In the morning, we got to chat with a fellow hiker from Roan Mountain B&B. His name is Heel-Toe. We hiked a piece with Solar Fox, who has a camper, which allows him to slack-pack periodically. He hiked in SOCK FEET for a few miles. We played leap frog with two different pairs of gals. The chatter helped pass the long miles. I especially enjoyed a downhill stretch loaded with an aroma I'd describe as lush, fertile and dewy with flowery scents that might be wild rose, honey suckle and/or magnolia. All of it together create a scent I want to roll around in. I inhale deeply and smile in these areas. And try to remember them when I'm dragging ass. Nathan is so patient with me at the end of the day.
Date: 2017-05-19
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA - Woodchuck Hostel
Miles today: 0.0

From Fatboy:This is a Saturday and Sunday combo entry. These two days kind of blended together for me.  The Trail Days festival was in full force and we walked everywhere.  There were lots of vendors selling everything imaginable related to hiking as well as religious organizations and education opportunities.  It was fun but tiring to walk around and see old-new friends and laugh and joke.  We had our photo taken for the hiker yearbook and ate well.  We decided to move to Woodchuck Hostel so we packed all of our stuff and walked across town to get to our private cabin.  It was rustic but we both felt at home from the start.  Some of the places we've stayed on our journey have been a little disappointing because we catch a funny feeling that they don't really like hikers.  It's frustrating to find that places refuse credit cards or don't serve breakfast when their advertisement states differently.  Woodchuck Hostel is very hiker-friendly and Chuck, the owner, really seems to get it.  The place is friendly, clean, drug- and alcohol-free, the bed was amazingly comfortable, and he served one of the best hiker breakfasts we've had anywhere on the trail.  We enjoyed our stay so much that we're going back on Tuesday night when we walk back in to Damascus.
Date: 2017-05-22
From: Damascus, VA - Woodchuck Hostel

To: Abingdon Gap shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

From Fatboy:Our bed was amazing and we slept very well.  Our breakfast was amazing as well.  Waffles, eggs, potatoes, bananas, juice, coffee and good fellowship.  Woodchuck was a hit.  We visited the post office and mailed some extra clothing and other unnecessary stuff home.  It was good to lose the weight.  Ginger's pack baseweight (without food or water) is 26.5 pounds and mine was about 32.  I know we've carried more than that in the past, and it feels pretty good now.We were shuttled back to TN91 about 20 miles south of Damascus to resume our journey and started walking about 1000.  The terrain was easy and we traveled 11.3 miles to end our day at Abingdon Shelter at about 1700.  Spam and mashed potatoes was our dinner and we retired to sleep in the shelter.  We have a short day planned for tomorrow and we'll try to get started early so we can avoid the likelihood of rain tomorrow afternoon.