morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-10-29
From: Microtel in Franklin NC

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 23.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 138 10/29/15From The Microtel to Rte 64 Winding Stair Gap and then to Standing Indian Shelter for 23.5 miles.Well the day was suppose to be rain free but it was raining when the transit van dropped me off at 7:30. I couldn't be the ride back to the top of the hill the transit company brought me there for $3. I made it to Rock Gap Shelter where I had to use the privy. When o was at the shelter I saw Ishba, Grouse, and Robyn. The day was filled with wet rocks, roots, and slippery leaves. I had to watch every foot placement so as not to twist an ankle or fall. By about noon the rain had stopped but the wind had picked up and it started getting colder. I got to the shelter at about 6 and was all alone. The wind was blowing directly into the shelter so I set my tent up in the shelter as a wind break, I then made dinner. As I was eating my dinner the mice made their appearance. They were very bold running right over my boots and then getting into my trash bag while I went to the privy. I worried about my tent getting chewed through but nothing happened during the night. I did get up a few times during the night and the stars were amazing but it had gotten very cold.
Date: 2015-10-30
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Dicks Creek Gap US 76 then to The Top of Georgia H
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: clear sky

Day 139 10/30/15From Standing Indian Shelter to Dicks Creek Gap US 76 then to The Top of Georgia Hostel for 16.7 miles plus .5 miles for free.When I got started it was cold, I would say in the 40s so I had to get moving to get warm. Eight miles into the hike I crossed the NC/GA line, leaving only one more state to complete. The terrain was up and down during the day but nothing complex. I made to the hostel early and saw Rescue, Cheddar and Mountain Goat. I hadn't seen Rescue since Waynesboro, VA. I went to town and ate out but came back and went to bed early because I was going to try to get off before sunrise. Only 69.6 miles to go.
Date: 2015-10-31
From: Dicks Creek Gap US 76 then to The Top of Georgia H

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 26.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 140 10/31/15From Top of Georgia Hostel to Dicks Creek Gap US 76 then to Low Gap Shelter for 26.7 miles plus .5 miles for free.I knew the day was going to be a big day for me so I planned to wake up at 5 and get started. However someone went to use the bathroom at 4 and I woke up and realized that I wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep so I got up and was on the trail by 5:15. I hiked for just over 2 hours with my head lamp until the sun camp up. The sun rise was a brilliant red, beautiful but not good in that old saying, red sky's in the morning sailors take warning. I was nervous about hiking in the dark because of all the pig rutting and Mountain Goat's story of being surrounded by pigs the day before. I didn't see any pigs during the day so I was very happy. During the day I passed several day hikers as it was the weekend and there were a bunch of people out hiking. My personal goal was to make it to Unicol gap by noon and I got there at 12:10. I also hoped to pass the gap before Mountain Goat passed me and I did that also but I found out later that he had started later in the day. I continued up Blue Mountain where I stopped for a bite to eat at the shelter. I met a couple out on a day hike and the woman gave me to chocolates for Halloween. I told the gentleman my trail name and he said well then you must know of plank's constant. I smiled and said that I had no idea what it was and he insisted that it was from physics and I had to know it so I just nodded my head. I continued on, the trail was a bit rocky at first and then changed to a cart path which led all the way to the shelter. The path must have been a quality road in its time as there had been some co side table stone work to build the trail. That night I spent with two fathers and sons, Sassafras and Ascot who were already at the shelter when I arrived, Mountain Goat, who showed up later, and Robyn, Grouse, and Ishba.
Date: 2015-11-01
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Neels Gap US 10 then to Blood Mountain Cabins
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 141 11/01/15From Low Gap Shelter to Neels Gap US 10 then to Blood Mountain Cabins for 11.5 miles plus .3 miles for free.The weather report stated that there was going to be a break in the rain and that it should be rain free from 900 to 1300 so I dragged my feet getting started. But with the time change at 8:00 I was getting anxious so I took off. I had mentioned to Ascot and Sassafras that I was getting a cabin at Blood Mountain Cabins fro the night and they were welcome to stay with me as the cabin held 4 adults if they wanted to. They left early that morning so they said they would meet me at Neels Gap. The rain did hold off until about 12 but I caught the beginning of the shower as I rolled into Neels Gap. During the day I saw several day hikers finishing up weekend hikes so the trail had quite a few people on it even with the rain. When I made it to Neels Ascot and Sassafras were waiting on me. We walked to the Lodge for the Cabins and had to wait on the owners as they only had the Lodge opened until 1200 on Sunday and it was 1300. They owners did however find us a clean cabin and we settled in for the night, drying off and watching the weather to see what tomorrow would bring.
Date: 2015-11-02
From: Neels Gap US 10 then to Blood Mountain Cabins

To: Blood Mountain Cabins, Neels Gap GA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Day 142 11/02/15Zeroing at Blood Mountain Cabins at Neels Gap waiting for the rain to break will head out either way tomorrow.Today Ascot and Sassafras flipped back and forth on if they were going to hike but at 12:00 they decided to go for it and packed their stuff and left in a light rain.
Date: 2015-11-03
From: Blood Mountain Cabins, Neels Gap GA

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 23.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 143 11/03/15From Blood Mountain Cabins to Neels Gap US 11 then to Hawk Mountain Shelter for 23.6 miles.I headed out in the dark at 6 am. I climbed Blood Mountain in the dark and got to the summit as the sun was rising behind the clouds. The sun broke out for a brief minute but not enough to get any kind of a view. During the day I met several commiserating sole were bearing the fog, drizzle, and tree rain in order to long a few miles. I met a French couple from Texas while talking with them the husband said I was going to take my boots off to ford the next stream which I instantly took as a challenge. When I got to the stream there were to guys who just forded the river and put those boots back on. I was having no part of it. I saw two logs across the river and scampered across them like a squirrel even amazing myself. I told the two guys to inform the Frenchman that there had been no removing of boots for me. I then met a group of 6 guys from Louisiana out on hike together. They asked me about my trip and congratulated me but I told them I would have to save the congrats for tomorrow. They seem like a nice bunch of guys. They were headed to the same shelter as the French folks so I gave them the Frenchman challenge and we parted ways. A few minutes later I ran into 3 more guys from Louisiana that were with the earlier group. We also chatted about my hike for a few minutes before they headed off to catch their friend. One of the guys said he was going to look up my blog. I met a few other couples headed to the same shelter I think about 17 in total, going to be a tight fit. I then ran across a group of military guys doing some type of military training in the area of the trail and later heard machine guy fire and a few explosions, I would assume all blanks. When I arrived at the shelter there was one guy from Australia already there and later Ishba and Robyn showed up. Will probably be summiting with them tomorrow. I have only 8.1 miles to the end of the trail tomorrow and 8.8 miles of the approach trail.
Date: 2015-11-11
To: Thank You
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well it has come to an end. The journey was many things, it was both awesome and it was tough, it was both painful and it was fun, it was both sunny and it was wet, it was both lonely and and full of camaraderie but what I remember the most about the journey is the people. I remember the kindness of perfect strangers, people who were willing to go out of there way to help me succeed. With that note in mind I wanted to take a post and thank everyone who I met along my journey or that followed along online. Whether it was a conversation in passing, some trail magic, or just words of encouragement or congratulations, it was all truly appreciated. For those of you who congratulated me prematurely I took the above picture with the leaves symbolizing the saved up congratulations and me releasing them all at the summit Springer Mtn. You can tell by the smile on my face I am thankful and appreciative of every single one. In summary I would like to reiterate what I wrote in the final log book at Springer. I would like to thank all the people who played a role in my fantastic journey, both the people I hiked and talked with along the trail and the people that I communicated with online. Thank you all, for your support and kindness and may God bless you with any future journeys that you may embark on.On a side note I apologize for all typos in my blog. I went back to read it and didn't realize how many typos I had. I had entered all of the entries from my phone and didn't proof them as it took too much time typing and posting them. Also I plan on having one more post to wrap up , giving a bit of information for future hikers. Not that I am an expert but possibly others can learn from my mistakes.
Date: 2015-02-13
To: Springer Mountain, Georgia
Miles today: 0.0

I'm in the short rows now. Tomorrow, Donna and I are going to Charlotte. Early Sunday morning Dave is going to drive me to Springer Mountain, Georgia, and then the game begins.Am I excited?Has a cat got a climbing gear?I've been getting ready for six months: reading, trying to learn from hikers who have done what I want to do, and exercising, lifting weights and hiking with my backpack, gradually increasing the weight.Since late December Donna and I have dehydrated well over 100 pounds of food, enough to feed me for the first couple of months.My training hikes, back and forth to the "fat farm" where I lifted, have been a hoot. One dear lady I had never met stopped her car during a downpour and offered me an umbrella. Two guys in a pickup stopped and the driver asked, "What are you doing? I can tell from the pants you're wearing that you're not a bum." Another fellow who runs an auto repair shop would yell the same question when he saw me, "How many miles?"I walked 1,000 miles getting ready for this hike, actually, 1,000.7 miles, but who's counting. And, oh, yes, I am well aware that walking around the gently sloping hills in my neighborhood is nothing like hiking the Appalachian Trial. But I figured that was better than nothing. I've section hiked almost 500 miles of the AT so I know what to expect from the trail. But I've never hiked for more than seven consecutive days. So what is it like to hike for seven weeks? Or for months on end? I have no idea.
Date: 2015-02-15
From: Springer Mountain, Georgia

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: clear sky

Day 1 ¢ Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015There were no bells or whistles, no flashing lights went off in my head when I reached the summit of Springer Mountain, Georgia, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and the start point of my thru hike to Maine. Maybe the bells and whistles will be waiting on the other end, on Mt. Katahdin.Brother Dave drove me here from Charlotte and he got me here on time in spite of a tree that blocked the dirt and gravel forest road three or four miles short of Springer. We had no chain saw, of course, and no chain and come-a-long, but we did have fifty feet of parachute cord which I had brought to hang my food bag to keep it away from bears. We doubled it, doubled it again, and used it to pull the limb backwards until it broke.Cary Tucker, a kinsman from Gadsden, Alabama, arrived about that time and we drove on to Springer together. Cary hiked to the top with me and we took a few pictures. I signed the register and that was it. Time to go.It was cold, about eight degrees when we got our of our cars, and the wind was blowing hard. But the sun was up, the sky was blue... a great day to go hiking.Cary had intended to hike with me all day and then turn back the next day and hike back to his car. But he had heard a report of bad weather coming in Monday morning. Ice. So we said goodbye at Three Forks, 4.3 miles north of Springer.It was a beautiful day but no one else seemed to be on the trail. I didn¢t catch up with anyone, and no one caught up with me. Was I the only one who thought this was a good idea, the begin a thu-hike in the dead of winter?I did meet my first NOBO (northbound thru hiker), a fellow whose trail name is Felix. But he was headed south to Springer, to touch the rock and then head north.I also encountered my first trail magic ¢- an unexpected kindness -¢ at Hawk Mountain shelter (mile 8.1) where I was having lunch. Three day hikers arrived as I was eating my Raman noodles and dehydrated corn, and one of the them gave me a soft drink and offered me a sandwich. That made him my first "trail angel."When I arrived at Gooch Mountain shelter (mile 15.8), about 5:30 p.m., there were three people there, a section hiker and a couple who seemed to be homeless, who were just hanging out. They had set up their tent INSIDE the shelter. I pitched my tent nearby and went to bed without supper. I wasn¢t hungry.
Date: 2015-02-17
To: SKYCOM
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Monday, Feb 16, 2015 (email)Good Morning Bo,I deposited your Dad on Springer Mountain yesterday morning. He kissed the rock and turned his face North at 8:00 A. M. and by now has completed .666% of his journey. I hope you get the video of of us pulling the limb off the tree that had us blocked.Uncle Dave(SKYCOM note: Uncle Dave drove Dad on USFS 42 to the parking lot at Big Stamp Gap, about a mile north of the Springer Mountain southern terminus of the AT. They encountered a downed tree en route, dispatched it, and met Kerry Tucker on Springer Mountain. After the obligatory pictures, they headed north.)
Date: 2015-02-17
To: SKYCOM
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

FB IM from Cary Tucker:It was a rough go Sunday morning, temps around 8 degrees with wind chills near 0. Pat and Dave had to clear a tree off the road in order to get to the parking lot. I hiked in about 7 miles with Pat leaving him at Three Forks. I had to head back up trail to stay close to my car due to the incoming snow and ice. I set up camp at Stover Creek shelter. The weather zaps the cell phone battery and I think that frustrated your dad. I know that he was supposed to make it to Neels Gap by yesterday [Feb. 16] but I'm not sure with the weather if he would have made it that far. I pray that he finds shelter and takes a zero day with subzero temps coming tomorrow. Keep me posted if you hear from him.We ascended to the top of Springer and back down to the parking lot which took about an hour then walked about 4.5 miles to Three forks I say it was around 11 eastern time when we parted directions. He was hoping to make it to Hawk Mtn shelter for lunch which was a couple more miles up the trail.(SKYCOM note: If Dad made Hawk Mountain (8.1) by lunch, he might have been able to make Gooch Mountain Shelter (15.8) by supper on Day 1 - Sunday. Since we have not heard from him yet, I don't believe he made Neels Gap yesterday. Blood Mountain (29.3) is a tuff climb - I'm hoping he made the shelter there last night (Monday, Feb. 16) and is heading into Neels Gap as I type. The weather today in Neels Gap is cloudy, 39-19 and low winds. Higher elevations will be colder, of course.)Dad is planning to meet Christian and his roommate at Dick's Creek (69.6) on Friday, Feb. 20.
Date: 2015-02-17
From: Blood Mountain

To: Neel Gap (Mountain Crossings)
Miles today: 1.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 3 ¢ Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015There was light coming through my tent when I woke up. It was 6:40 a.m. Time to move. I had to get off Blood Mountain today.My pack and all my gear were trashed ¢- wet or frozen, and disorganized. Zippers were frozen and could not be opened, or closed. I could not open bags that were closed with frozen drawstrings. My tent was frozen to the ground cover, and the ground cover frozen to the ground. My tent frame was stiff with ice, I huffed hot air on each joint to warm them enough to pull them apart.Worst of all, I had left my mittens outside and they were frozen stiff. I should have slept with them.That was a problem. Unprotected in this weather, fingers start to freeze in a few minutes and stop working the way they¢re supposed to. I couldn't just put my hands in my jacket pockets because I couldn't walk on ice without my trekking poles. So I stuck my frozen mittens under my belt, next to my belly, to melt the ice so I could put them on. My plan was to walk down the Freeman Trail until I found the AT or I found civilization, one or the other. No more turning back. I jammed the rest of my frozen gear in my backpack and headed down hill.Two hours later, there it was: a beautiful white blaze ¢ I had intersected the AT. In another 45 minutes, this little adventure was over. I had arrived at Mountain Crossings hostel at Neel Gap.First order of business: a hot pizza in front of a warm fire. Second: clean, dry clothes. Third: one of the longest, hottest showers on record.
Date: 2015-02-18
From: Neel Gap (Mountain Crossings)

To: Neel Gap (Mountain Crossings)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

Day 4 ¢ Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015This is my first zero day or, as a thru hiker would say, ¢I took a zero.¢ I hiked zero miles.What about yesterday, you ask?I hiked yesterday, from about 8 a.m., when I broke camp, until 10:45, when I arrived here. And what a blessed sight it was, the roof line of the Mountain Crossings hostel, when I first saw it through the trees.For the record, no one else moved out today either. There are six NOBOs ¢ northbound through hikers here now: Felix, two guys who haven¢t taken trail names yet, Dakota and Tim; me, and two women, Griswold and Scout. There a guy named Red here too, who is just hiking.It snowed off and on today and it is bitterly cold. The expected temperature tonight: zero. Thursday is supposed to be much the same.People who know me may be surprised to learn that I¢m going to stay here at least one more day. Why? Didn¢t I sign up for a winter hike? Isn¢t this the army I joined?I did. It is. But I¢ve already learned a good lesson: you¢d better use a little judgment. I don¢t want any more Blood Mountain-like adventures.I've learned a few things in my first three days on the trail:1. Don¢t go cheap on gloves or mittens. I did, and ended up with frostbite on the thumb and two fingers of my left hand. Nothing serious I don't think, but a good warning. I bought a glove-mitten combination today that should fix that problem.2.In icy weather you need ¢- NO, YOU HAVE TO HAVE -- some sort of crampon-like device for your boots, like Yaktrax. I hope I¢ve solved that problem. At Griswald's suggestion I called an REI store in Atlanta and asked them to overnight me a pair.3. Better develop a healthy respect ¢-fear is even better ¢- of wet AND cold. Wet isn¢t so bad. Cold isn¢t so bad. But together they are deadly. In freezing weather, you must stay dry.Got to go. Got to have supper. I¢m having what I had for breakfast ¢ hot dogs and milk.
Date: 2015-02-19
From: Neel Gap (Mountain Crossings)

To: Neel Gap (Mountain Crossings)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 5 ¢ Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015Will this weather never give us a break?!Got here on Tuesday morning so that¢s the best part of three days down the toilet. It¢s just too cold ¢ single digits, high winds, dangerously cold.It's cold inside Mountain Crossing¢s hostel, too. How cold? So cold I wore a toboggan when I took a shower. Okay, I made that up. How about this: the water in the dog¢s bowl froze. No, it wasn¢t on the porch. The bowl was sitting on the living [room] floor. And, no, I didn¢t make that up.Most of the hikers here are determined to leave tomorrow. That includes Dakota and Tim, who are hiking together; Scout; Griswold; Felix, and me. Red, who is just hiking, is leaving too.Highlight of the day: the YakTrax I ordered from REI in Atlanta arrived. Yay! I leave here tomorrow!
Date: 2015-02-20
To: SKYCOM
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

After R&R with a gang of NOBOs waiting out the storm at Neels Gap (31.7) from Tuesday, Feb. 17 through Thursday, Feb. 19, Dad plans to hit the trail tomorrow morning (Friday, Feb. 20). Here's his plan:I am going to head out in the morning for Low Gap shelter (43.2). I'll meet Christian somewhere south of Hogpen Gap (38.6). On Saturday night, Christian and I plan to be at Tray Mountain shelter (58.6). By Sunday night, we want to be at Dicks Creek Gap (69.6). Christian will go back to Clemson and I'll spend the night at Top of Georgia hostel (topofgeorgiahostel.com).Weather forecast for Neels Creek, GA tomorrow: mostly sunny, temps 25-36, winds 4 mph and zero precip.Saturday forecast for Hogpen Gap, GA: rain and snow, temps 38-44, winds 5 mph and 50% precip.Sunday forecast for Hiawassee, GA: rain, temps 31-49, winds 5 mph and 90% precip.
Date: 2015-02-20
From: Neels Gap

To: 2.25 miles north of Low Gap Shelter (Tent)
Miles today: 13.75
Weather: clear sky

Day 6 ¢ Friday, Feb. 20, 2015It feels so good to be moving north again. Thank goodness for the yaks for my boots¢ the trail is completely iced over and without them I would be stuck at Mountain Crossings another day, maybe two.Ran into three day hikers a few hundred feet of the mountain, north of Neels Gap. How they got there I don¢t know -- they had no Yak-like device on their boots. One fell on the ice as I approached and another one said to me, ¢This is the worst place.¢ They were standing, or trying to stand, on a sheet of ice trail-wide and 15 or 20 feet long. I nodded, but I didn¢t say anything. But I wanted to. I wanted to say, ¢Oh, no. It¢s not the worst. There are a 100 more just like this, waiting for us.¢Highlight of the day: met Christian, my oldest grandson, and his roommate, Jason, on the trail a couple of miles north of Neels Gap (mile 31.7). They put in at Tesnatee Gap (mile 37.7) and hiked south toward me, so we got to hike three or four miles together back to their truck. Christian gave me his Yaks, just in case.It was cold, and windy. Still, it felt so good to be back.My goal today was Low Gap Shelter (43.2) ¢¢ 11.5 miles. Not a bad day¢s walk in this ice. But I actually hiked past Low Gap about 2.25 miles where I ran into Griswold and Felix. Good to have company on a bad night like this.For lunch I had two oranges and some cookie Christian gave me, but no supper. I'm still not hungry.