morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-04-06
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Wesser Bald Shelter
Miles today: 5.8
Weather: clear sky

We slept in today and left about 10:00 AM. Momma Bear and the cubs were still in camp when we left. We had only 5+ miles to do today as we wanted to time our arrival at the shelter so as to arrive early and get a spot due to the upcoming rain that was predicted. We met Gideon (takes his name after the fellows who pass out the Bibles) today who is a teacher from Georgia who is out section hiking. He knew us from Trail Journals and said he will follow our trip. We are biting at the bit to get to Nanthala Outdoor Center (NOC) where we have a bunk waiting and a cheeseburger and a coke AND hopefully a new stove!
Date: 2005-04-07
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: Nanthala Outdoor Center (NOC)
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: light rain

We were the first ones out of the shelter and on the road today. This was partly due to Fancyfree being unable to sleep all night due to a pain in her side and back. She sat up all night, dozing fitfully while someone snored all night. There were sever thunderstorms off and on all night and the trail was very wet and muddy. The terrain leads you over very steep, sharp downs and the fog was hanging very low adding to the mix. We wore our rainsuits but only received mist most of the day. We encountered an extremely long downhill, almost 4 miles, at the end. Footloose fell head over heels after slipping on a root. Fancyfree had to actually untangle him from his pack and hiking poles before he could get up. Of course Fancyfree, who has no room to talk, and could be called, "Falls Alot or Stumbles Alot", thought the site very humorous. We arrived about 11:30 AM, checked in, and went up to the area that is provided for hikers called, "Basecamp". The washer and dryer is located in the men's shower and so we had to hang out in our respective shower rooms with towels wrapped around us for two hours while we showered and did the wash. We then went to our room, which was a 12'x12', box like affair, painted battleship gray, with a bare bulld hanging from the ceiling and bunk beds made from 2x4's. We quickly dubbed it, "The Cell". It was small and not very fancy, but it was clean and dry and affored privacy. We then went and had one of the infamous cheeseburgers and a coke and picked up our new stove. YES! We watched the kyakers and tourists riding the Smoky Mopuntain Train and decided to take an extra day off, knowing the rain was on it's way.
Date: 2005-04-08
From: Nanthala Outdoor Center (NOC)

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

As the Appalachian Trail goes right through the NOC grounds and across the bridge, it is a good place to spend the day and catch up and socialize; which is what we did. But first, we ate fried eggs, which has become a trail craving of Footloose's. We shopped at the outfitter and picked up some fuel for our new Jet Boil. While there Footloose met a nice couple named Dane and Connie Ward, who are planning on doing a thru hike in 2 years. They were familiar with us through Trail Journals and had alot of questions about the hike so far and gear. We prepared and mailed our bounce box in preparation for the hike-out tomorrow with Momma Bear and the Cubs and Diesel and Walks with Grace (formerely known herein as Virgil and Betty Crocker.)We knew we had a long uphill out of NOC and were dreading it.
Date: 2005-04-09
From: Nanthala Outdoor Center (NOC)

To: Sassafrass Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: broken clouds

We had another good breakfast at NOC and hiked out around 9:15 AM. It was a very hard climb for the first three miles or so. We had a great lunch atop an overlook. Footloose had smoked oysters and crackers, a real treat for him. We got to the shelter and decided to tent on the ridge just above it. Once again, we tented on sloped ground. We had a good time around the campfire with the cubs roasting marshmallows and talking with the others. The weather was warm and it was beautiful out. We took some Vitamin I, (Ibuprofen) and went to bed early, to read and Fancyfree to work on a puzzle. P.S. We used our Jet Boil for the first time and it was excellent. Fancyfree made coffee with the french press with coffee grounds that Footloose has been carrying since Franklin and passed it around. As good as Starbucks! Fancyfree has been officially dubbed as the cook as Footloose has washed his hands of it since he sent the old stove back.
Date: 2005-04-10
From: Sassafrass Gap Shelter

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Today we hiked in pretty good weather, sunny and warm (we actually got a little sunburn on our arms and face) and only a little over 9 miles, of course with our track record, that could be considered a banner day as far a miles go. The big milestone of the day came right before the shelter at an area listed in the "Thru-Hiker's Handbook" as "Unmamed Knob". I would like to go on record as naming that knob, as, "The Knob from Hell". We thought we were going to die, it was so steep and straight up. It rates right up there with the climb out of Bly Gap right after the Georgia/North Carolina border. Of course we are tenting on a slope again, near the front of the shelter, as are Mama Bear and the cubs and Diesel and Walks with Grace. Upon arrival at the shelter we encountered a fellow thru hiker, who shall go unnamed, who was smoking grass and was high as a kite. He was staring very intently at what turned out to be a yellow jacket and thought it was a humming bird. Another hiker tried to tell him it was a bee but Footloose, being the way he is, convinced the hiker that it was in fact a hummingbird and that there was a whole flock of hummingbirds, that he just couldn't see them and that the other hikers were just, "messing with his head". We had received some "Trail Magic" earlier in the day when we came down from the mountain to the road. There were cold cokes and power bars supplied by a former 2003 thru hiker. What a treat. Long day, though, and early to be. Hiker's midnight, 8:00 PM.
Date: 2005-04-11
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Resort
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: scattered clouds

We awoke after a night of sleeping tilted to the left and downhill. Hikers Note: If you've never done this, don't. Anyhow, we got off to a late start about 9:30 AM after making the decision to hike better than 11 miles into Fontana Dam. The first half of the hike was okay, the ups and downs were graded very well but the last half, by now we were tired and worn out, was a bear. Incidentaly, "Miss Laughs Alot At People Who Fall", fell herself, today. Yep, right on the ol' tush, big bruise and everything. Of course, "He Who Fell On The Downhill Into NOC", restrained himself and appeared to be only concerned for the safety of the clumsy. Official Fall Tally: Footloose 3, Fancyfree 2. We arrived at the road which intersects with the trail that leads into Fontana Dam Resort at 5:30 PM and tried to call for a shuttle and found out that the shuttles quit running at 3:00 PM. The lady at the resort suggested that we hitchike the 3 miles to town, "like everybody else". Okay, but the only problem was that no cars passed us in 40 minutes of standing alonside the road hitchiking. Fancyfree then walked down to the marina and saw three fellows loading up a boat and asked them for a ride. While she was gone, Momma Bear and the cubs arrived and now we had 6 to get to town. When Fancyfree came back she said the fellows were nice retired men who had been fishing and would gladly give us a ride. We put all the gear into the bass boat and Footloose and the cubs sat in the bed of the pickup truck with 2 of the fishermen while Fancyfree and Momma Bear sat in the front of the truck. They took us to the registration point and we registered and then they took us to the actual inn itself. They were very nice, local folk. They related the story of how the government came in during the 1940's and took the land from some of their ancestors and built the dam and how the resort was the headquarters for the project. We barely made it to the restaurant in time for a supper of hamburgers and a coke. Diesel and Walks with Grace arrived as we were eating. We retired to watch the Miss America Pageant and the weather channel. Rain on the way for the next 2 days.
Date: 2005-04-12
From: Fontana Dam Resort

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

The Fontana Dam Resort Inn is a strange place. It is a huge hotel/inn that is empty during this off season except for a few of us hikers. It gives off the feeling of something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Anyway, our first task was to wear our rain gear to breakfast, a common hiker practice when all of your clothing is dirty, and then walk down to the outfitter and buy some laundry soap and on to the laundry. While at the laundry, Diesel came by with his bounce box and tried to cut it open and cut his hand very badly. The medic was called and he was to be transported to the local hospital for stitches. We checked out of our room and called for the fellow from the Hike Inn, a nearby hostel, to come and pick us up. We had originally intented to go there in the first place but we couldn't get in touch with them yesterday. We had a bounce box and a mail drop awaiting us there. The hike Inn is a late 40's early 50's era motel of about 6 rooms, some with kitchenettes, that has been converted into a hiker hostel of sorts. We lucked out and got a room with a kitchenette. However, the rabbit ears would only bring in one fuzzy channel. Luckily, the owner had to take a hiker to town so we got to go into town where we got dropped off, to do as we pleased, until they picked us up at about 5:30 PM in front of the grocery store, a period of about 4 hours. We went to a mexican restaurant, which turned out to be authenic, the library and to the dollar store and purchased an umbrella for $5 since it was pouring the rain. We must have walked 10 miles, back and forth around town. We went back to the grocery where we purchased the makings for Taco salad, a favorite of Fancyfree and some steak and eggs for breakfast in the morning. Oh yeah, Babe! Fancyfree felt like Martha Stewart as she put together one good Taco salad complete with avacoda. While we were eating, Mama Bear,(who had remained at a cabin at Fontana Dam Resort)called and said that Diesel, who had cut himself earlier, had to have 6 stitches and was going to have to get of the trail for at least a week. They were going to go to Pigeon Forge and skip ahead on the trail at the Smoky Mountains at Clingman's Dome. They were going to have to leave their dog, Harley, in a kennel in Pigeon Forge anyway, since dogs aren't allowed in the Smoky Mountains. Wow, we felt bad for them but we were glad that the cut wasn't any worse. Snacked on Oreo cookies and chocolate milk as we listened to the thunder and saw the lightening flashes of the approaching thunderstorm. Glad we were not in a shelter or our tent somewhere.
Date: 2005-04-13
From: Zero Day

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

Slept in today and awoke to the sound of rain on the roof. Ate steak and eggs. We caught another ride to town and mailed our bounce box off and repeated yesterday's routine; the library, walked about a mile and a half, one way, to the local clinic where Fanncyfree got a depo shot, stopped along the way at a produce stand and bought ears of corn and tomatoes, back to the Texaco gas station where we ate Broasted Chicken and chicken livers while we tried to see how many vehicles and/or people we could count that were displaying/wearing some sort of Rebel/Conferate logo or item. We purchased some last minute food items for the trail and on the way back to the hostel, received a briefing by the Hike Inn owner about the dangers of bears and hiking in the Smoky Mountains in general, to include a tally of 2 hikers already struck by lightening so far this year. He also said that by this time on the trail 2/3 of the people who start a thru hike, have dropped out. He says he takes people to the airport or bus station all the time, people who mostly overdo it and hike too fast, too soon and wear their body out or hurt themselves. We certainly are not guilty of that and gave each other a raised eyebrow look. Incidentially, he also said that it was snowing up on the mountains, above 3,000 feet in the Smokies; our goal for tomorrow. By the way, we are going to miss the Ramp festival, which for you lowlanders is a type of wild spring onion favored by the locals. Gosh darn it, anyway!
Date: 2005-04-14
From: Fontana Dam Resort

To: Birch Spring Gap
Miles today: 7.0

Up at the crack of dawn, eggs n' porkchops for breakfast and out on the trail by 8:30. It is a nice, clear, crisp, sunshiny day. We hiked across Fontana Dam and on "oficially" into The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Bears on every corner. Oh, yeah, we've had our bear briefing, we've written our interinary out on the official form and dropped it off in the ranger's box and now we're ready to hike some "real" mountains, all 70 miles of them, we're cyked. We made it 7 miles and gave out. But, the good part is that we tented at a campsite, the only time you will be allowed to sleep in your tent in the Smoky Mountains and we got there and enjoyed a beautiful day laying on our sleeping mats reading. Actually, we had pre-arranged to meet Mama Bear and the Cubs there and when she showed up several hours later and elected to move on, we opted to stay. Around dark several hikers showed up and tented as well.
Date: 2005-04-15
From: Birch Spring Gap

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: clear sky

We got on the road at about 9:00 AM, clear day and good hiking weather, not too hot, not too cold. The second 5 miles was all uphill, but pretty steady. We slowpoked along but felt that we made pretty good time. We saw a buck and a doe deer and three wild turkeys today. We saw the forest floor covered with little flowers, which we believe are called, "Mountain Beauties". We were surprised to see Momma Bear and the Cubs camped out at the shelter, in their tent. She said they overdid it yesterday and she was giving the kids a rest. We, too, opted to live on the wild side and sleep in our tent, as a half a dozen others were doing as well. Only one person slept in the shelter. The shelters were built by the CCC workers way back in the 30's or 40's and they have wire fencing over the front and fireplaces inside. You are suppossed to sleep inside the shelter, unless the shelter is full, then you can sleep in your tent. You could face a fine if caught by an official or worse yet, Smoky could catch you and well you know know the rest. We ate a dehydrated meal of spaghetti and meat sauce, excellent, actually. We retire early to read the thru hiker's handbook which says that this particular shelter has a higher rate of bear incidents that most others. At least they won't get our food which is hoisted up on a bear cable.
Date: 2005-04-16
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Siler's Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

We shall refer to this day as the day that Fancyfree encountered the worse water source or the day OR the day we were busted by the trail police, take your pick. The day actually began quite pleasantly, no one had been attacked and mauled by Yogi, Boo Boo or their little friends, it wasn't raining and we got off before 8:45 AM. The hiking was very hard, straight ups, reminded us of a baby Georgia. As we rounded a corner about noontime,we were stopped by a Trail-Runner, what amounts to the POLICE to hikers. They are fellows who are employed by the Appalachian Trail Conference to police the trail areas in the Smoky Mountains and among other things, enforce the rule that all sleep in the shelters. The first thing out of his mouth was a question about where we slept at the shelter last night, in the shelter or in our tents. We looked at each other, gave each other the raised eyebrow look, and very hesitantly, but defiantly admitted that we slept in our tent. He already knew it. He was knocking us off, one by one as we hiked along. Momma Bear and the Cubs were in front of us and he had already questioned her. Actually, someone, do the math here, now, had ratted us out. All our money is bet on the one fellow who slept in the shelter. He cautioned us and made several notes and complained what an unruly bunch of shelter shy hikers were out this year, as he had had a run in with about 26 hikers two nights ago. Fancyfree relates in her journal that, "we got to the shelter at about 6:30 PM and I had to get water in the worse water source yet that I've seen on the trail. I had to dig a spot just to get water in the bottle, then skim for debris. I was so tired, I was so cold. I had put my jacket on but I still had my shorts on. My hands were frozen, working with the water. It was getting dark, just as I was done. Heck, I had been down there for at least an hour. Footloose came down finally, looking for me. I had the 6 liter water bag full, went to get up and it tipped over and all of it spilled out." The rest will remain as written in the journal. Needless to say, it was a very trying day for Fancyfree. Footloose met a fellow thru hiker, Spicy Thighs (it's a long story) from State College, PA, which was a nice surprise and they got to talk about Bellefonte and some of the changes with police work and so on. We also met Freight Train, who, you guessed it, got his name by snoring like a freight train. We all slept in the shelter.
Date: 2005-04-17
From: Siler's Bald Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: broken clouds

We got an uneventful start from the shelter at about 8:30 AM. It's very cold, though. We climbed up to Clingman's Dome, the highest point on the Appalachian Trail, 6,643 feet, and celebrated that we had completed half of the trail in the Smoky Mountains National Park. And, the East side, which is coming up, is reportedly much easier, grade wise, than the half we just completed. We encountered pockets of snow as we climbed. We elected to not go up in the dome as we have already been there, done that, and would have bought a T-shirt if they had sold one. We had town fever and were headed, at almost a downhill run, as it's pretty much all downhill, to the road at Newfound Gap and of course, town. In this case Gatlinburg. After a cold lunch along the trail, where we both felt sick, we decided to get off at the next road crossing. We got off the trail right before Indian Gap and caught a ride to Gatlinburg with this real nice fellow who lived near there and his family who were visiting from Alabama. We sat in the back of an old GMC on some carpets. We were dropped off in Gatlinburg, walked to the Microtel Motel and checked in. We took a shower, put our rain gear on and caught a street car to the laundry. We did our laundry and caught a series of street cars back to the room, seeing the entire town in our trip out and back. They have a really neat street car system there, you pay a quarter and ride till you get off. If you get off and get back on you pay another quarter. They have numerous color coded routes which take you all over and come back by about every 20 minutes. As we neared our motel, we saw Mama Bear and the Cubs, treking up the sidewalk. They too took a room and we all met at the local microtel brewery for pizza and beer. We stayed there for over 5 hours, eating, drinking, socializing with other hikers and listening to a local band. Much fun! Such is life on the open road.
Date: 2005-04-18
From: Zero Day

To: Gatlinburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Ate at one of the, at least, all-kidding aside, 20 pancake houses, in Gatlinburg. And, of course, Footloose passed up probably the best chance he'll ever have to eat the best pancakes in the world and opted for the eggs over easy. Fancyfree looks a little peaked around the gills, could be from too much liquid refreshment at the brewery last night. Anyway, it didn't effect her appetite, three steak and egg biscuits and an order of fries. Off to the outfitters to pick up fuel, then across town to the grocery store, back across town to the outfitters to get Gatorade which the store didn't have, lunch at the salad bar at the barbeque place, back to the room to rest and then out to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner with Momma Bear and the Cubs. We had so much fun, we decided to stay one more day. Fancyfree's ankles and feet are so swollen she can hardly walk.
Date: 2005-04-19
From: Gatlinburg

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0

Slept in and visited a second pancake house. We then went to the library while Fancyfree sat outside beside the ice cold mountain stream and soaked her feet and ankles. A very hot and beautiful day. A 60% chance of rain tomorrow, but we gotta move on, come rain or shine. We got our packs ready and did some laundry by hand and spread it on the fence next to the motel to dry while Footloose read the newspapers waiting for it to dry. Then we went on what turned out to be a trek all around town to look for a Subway, a cloth embroidered patch and a book for Footloose. Back to the room to soak the ol' ankles. We made arrangements for a local shuttle service to pick all of us up and take us up to the trail. We watched a special presentation on the top 10 best country western bands of all time on CMT and called it a night.
Date: 2005-04-20
From: Newfound Gap

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: clear sky

Well, we finally left Gatlinburg. We got a ride back to Newfound Gap with a shuttle service provided by A Walk In The Woods. We also got the nickle tour the whole way up to the trailhead. We started hiking about 10:00 AM, ups and downs the whole way. Additionally, we had to hike .5 of a mile off the trail to get to the shelter. We met a hiker named Africa and his son who was section hiking with him. We also met up with Bell and another pot smoking hiker who shall remain unamed, who was a card, to say the least. Needless to say, we all slept in the shelter except Ying and Yang, who refused to do so. We ran into a Southbound hiker (forgot his name) who was hiking to Fontana Dam who passed on that Diesel and Walks With Grace were back on the trail and would see us up the trail in Hot Springs, NC.
Date: 2005-04-21
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Crosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: light rain

Alot of rocks on the trail today along with the standard ups and downs. We started at 8:30 AM and ended up at about 6:30 PM. Not too bad. And who should be waiting on us at the shelter but the trail POLICE. Yep, ol' Shatter (trail name)in the flesh. Boy, you should have seen Mamma Bear when she came in, talk about fur rising on the neck and then in came Ying and Yang, who absolutely refuse to sleep in a shelter. Not the case tonight guys. Shatter was going to stay at the shelter and all the rules would be obeyed. We cooked spaghetti and dropped a few pieces on the ground and yes, we had to pick them up. No cooking or eating in the shelter either. Ying and Yang, who had already hiked almost 13 miles, packed up and left, saying that they would rather hike all night than sleep in the shelter. We bantered back and forth with Shatter and teased him and accused him of being anal and in the end, ending up liking him. He is simply a by the book sort of guy. He takes his job very serious. We all went to bed around 9:00 PM awaiting a forecasted rainstorm.