morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-03-29
From: Pecks Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 13.3
Weather: light rain

The plans have changed. Crutch, KTR and Elsa and I are meeting in Hot Springs on Monday or so and are going to hike together! I am so, so excited. I'll have my own little hiking group if eveything works out!I'm the only girl in the shelter/campsite tonight. OoOoOooo. The other day, on Clingman's Dome, I had a moment. I was, for a short period of time, at the highest elevation of anyone on any part of the Appalachian Trail. From Georgia to Maine, I stood tallest. It was very exciting. But I had to move on, and leave that moment to someone else. The is a world class snorer 2 people away from me. Real impressive stuff. At Newfound Gap there were hundreds of tourists who drove up in their cars to see the nature. I was a tourist attraction. My favorite question was, "Are you gonna sleep in the woods tonight?!"Yesterday I was terribly frightened by a thunderstorm. Or many. One came up on me, and I got down off the ridgeline and waited it out. The thunder echoed off the faces of dozens of mountains simultaneously, creating a great, resounding rumble that went on long after the original clap had passed. Then I started hiking again. And the thunder continued. But I couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from, and it wasn't raining, and it wasn't close enough to warrant climbing down a mountainside to escape it, and all I wanted was to be at the shelter as soon as I could. So I hiked as fast as I could, and ran some, and hated it. I truly cannot remember ever having been that scared. Just wait until I get caught in a storm that's actually significant. It's waaay past hiker midnight, which means it's 9:35. Come Panda, let's sleep.
Date: 2007-03-31
From: Standing Bear Farm

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Yesterday was an adventure. Not too long of a day, but entertaining anyhow. First I hiked to Mr. Cammerer, a 0.6 mile blue blaze. It was pretty awesome, 360 degree view. I hope it is the first of many exciting detours I will take this year. After Davenport Gap I took a full 10 min foot soak in a mountain stream. It's really hard to keep you feet in water that cold. It stings and burns and aches, but its supposed to be really good for sore feet, so I'm learning how to do it. Then, I had to cross under I-40. It was harrowing. The trail was hard to find, white paint on guardrails and concrete. It followed a road across the Pigeon River, then a stretch of freeway access road, then turned under the overpass. There were cars everywhere, and I was alone, and even though that may not sound frightening, after a week in the woods (and the Smokies, nonetheless) it was extremely foreign and uncomfortable. After the overpass, and a short walk up a gravel road, a beautiful, magnificent and welcomed set of stone steps appeared, leading back into the woods. I was overjoyed to return to the trees and leaves and insects, and that was the first time I truly felt that the woods were my home. It was wonderful. Then I walked into a plague of crickets. They were everywhere! For the better part of a mile, every step I took was preceded by the flight of a dozen or more crickets, escaping what most certainly would have been a terrible death under the foot of a hiker. If I was quiet, it sounded like it was raining as the little buggers landed on dry leaves all around me. It was an exciting day.
Date: 2007-04-09
From: Springs Mtn Shelter

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: broken clouds

I'm going to hit 300 miles soon! In about ten more miles! I can't believe I've walked 300 miles, over mountains nonetheless, and carrying over 25% of my body weight on my back. It's quite a feat, really. Also impressive, a pair of BOOTS cant make it as far as I'm gonna walk, but my feet will. Might. Will.So a short day today. A nero and two zeros in Hot Springs. Unexpectedly. But at 6:00 pm on the second day in Hot Springs we were about to go walk up a mountain, and then realized snow was coming, and it was a bad idea. So we turned around and went back to the campground. It was a good decision. I learned about a new bird today. According to my laminated Pocket Naturalist Appalachian Trail Wildlife pamphlet (an introduction to familiar species), it's a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis). It hops around on the sides of trees. Hops! Like a bunny! Like it's on the ground! But, really, it's on the side of a tree. And it can hop up, down, or sideawys! A cool little bird. I liked him.Also, I decided to name every bear I see. And the first shall be Clemens. Clemens the bear.
Date: 2007-04-11
From: Jerry's Cabin Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Rain. Rainy. And foggy. And kinda cold. And windy.Tomorrow I'm going to Miss Janet's. I am so, so very excited to meet her. She sounds like an absolutely amazing person. And a great cook. And a lot of people get stuck at her house for a very long time. Were going to stay for at least five days, and slackpack, and do lots of work to help her out. It's getting dark, and I'm feeling rebellious, and I'm not going to get my headlamp out tonight. So I have to stop writing. I'm so hardcore.
Date: 2007-04-12
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Miss Janet's
Miles today: 2.4

Someone brought to my attention that there are lots and lots of good people who read trailjournals, but unfortunately there are a few not too good people who read them, too. And, consequentially, it's not a terribly good idea to keep the journal exactly up to date, all the time, and let everyone know where you're going to be at every moment, because of those few people who don't have good intentions, or are just weird. So, my journal will never be exactly current, and there will always be a lag of at least a few days, but never fear! I will update the journal, eventually. I promise.
Date: 2007-04-13
From: Miss Janet's

To: Miss Janet's
Miles today: 8.3

Slackpack, slackpack. That's what I'm doing today. At 3. I've been all responsible lately. I contacted my new adviser. I submitted my class schedule. I wrote my request for a housing appeal. I'm getting everything done what needs doing. And I'm hiking! Thinking about school, and about writing papers, and just trying to manage my life from the trail in general stresses me out, but I know it's just stress from conditioning. Last year at school I was so stressed about everything that now just thinking about it causes me to become unnecessarily anxious. But it's good to work it out here. I can learn to be calm, so when I get back to Emory I can manage everything better. Hopefully.
Date: 2007-04-14
From: Miss Janet's

To: Miss Janet's
Miles today: 0.0

Miss Janet's daughter, Kaitlin, has a little doggy who was in the backyard yipping and yapping, so Ive come out here and I'm sitting next to her (the doggy, not Kaitlin), and even though I'm ignoring her she's much happier now. Puppies are funny. She's running around, pulling and wrestling with her leash, totally happy in puppy land. She looks like a dustmop. A very excitable dustmop.
Date: 2007-04-15
From: Miss Janet's

To: Miss Janet's 
Miles today: 0.0

Mountain weather is completely unlike any other form of weather I've ever observed. The mountains can trap storms, or create new ones from already charged weather systems. Clouds get pushed up and over ridges, or get trapped and fill entire valleys. An inch of snow at 3000 feet can mean a foot or more at 6000. I've been walking in the sun on the contour of a mountain, warm and no wind, then rounded a corner to be buffeted by an icy gale. There's no way to know what's going to happen next out here.
Date: 2007-04-20
From: Indian Grave Gap Campsite

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: overcast clouds

One day last week, I was sitting at a picnic table at a shelter, and the sky was a brilliant, clear blue. The blue of the sky here is really very stunning. I don't know if the quality of the blue is actually any deeper, or if it's just the fact that I get the opportunity to really notice it out here, or if the backdrop of golden dried grass makes it stand out more, but on cloudless days, I tend to stop more than once to admire its intensity. Anyway, the sky was awfully blue, and it was very windy. I was surrounded by tall trees, none of which had yet aquired any of their spring leaves. The wind blew up through the folds in the earth in waves, and as I sat and watched I could follow the wind by the bending and swaying of the trees, which would rise and subside as each patch of wind struck. And the best part was the sound, like a symphony of sticks being clacked together at random. It makes sense, really, since branches are really sticks. And I sat for a while just watching the wind rush up through those trees, and listening to the trees all simultaneously bumping into their neighbors.
Date: 2007-04-27
From: Kincora

To: Campsite
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: light rain

Well, I've almost left Kincora. I did leave, got driven by Bob Peoples to Wataga lake, got out of the truck, and realized I left my hiking poles on the hostel's front porch. So I went once more up the mountain, and now I'm awaiting another ride back down to the lake. So if I've learned anything today, it's don't forget your hiking poles. Because now I can't hike for a few extra hours, and might end up getting to Damascus a day later. I calculated that if I want to make Katahdin by Aug 20, I need to hike an average of 14.8 miles a day, every day, from here on out. So I definitely need to pick up the pace. But at the same time, I really need to remind myself of what I wrote at the beginning of my trip, that I'm going to hike for 5.5 months, and wherever I am then I'll stop. It would be awesome to make Katahdin , but it won't be the end of the world if I don't. Word of advice to future AT hikers- do a slackpack from Wataga lake back to Dennis Cove road! I did it, and it was, without a doubt, a great decision. I saw lots of people climbing up Pond Flats from the South, with full packs, and not a one of them looked like they were enjoying themselves. Not a one. But slackpacking it is awesome, a beautiful day, and Laurel Falls is along the way!
Date: 2007-04-28
From: Campsite

To: Double Spring Gap
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: light rain

Today is my 2 month anniversary of beginning the trail! It's also the day Laura (older sister) graduates college. And I only have 9.4 miles left until Virginia. AND it's been my longest day hiking ever! (Excluding my 17.2 mile slackpack.) It's been a very eventful day. I'm sad I didn't get to be there for Laura's graduation. It's the only event this whole trip I really considered getting off trail for. But I'm not even at Damascus, and there just wouldn't have been any easy way to get to Ann Arbor. I would have had to take at least a week off. But I wish it were easier, and I could have seen it. College graduation is a big deal, and Laura's only doing it once. Oh well.It's windy tonight. It sounds so...majestic.
Date: 2007-05-01
From: Campsite

To: Campsite
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: clear sky

I'm sitting right now with my feet in a river! It's quite nice. My toes really hurt, and I don't know why. Crutch and I hiked out of all the drama of Damascus today, and onto the Virginia Creeper Trail. Back in the day, it used to be the AT. Which brings up the subject of "Retroblazing". I've decided I am a retroblazer. And I don't mind. If there is a section of trail that used to be AT, and is more pretty than AT (or less exposed in bad weather), I'll take it. Not to cut milage off, not to cheat, but just because. Pirate once said that retroblazing is like wearing a 76 (or so) jersey to a baseball game, of the home team. No one is going to tell you to get out of the stadium because you're not a fan of the current team. Hiking old sections of AT is just like that. Anyway, a lot of the time new sections just put you over pointless mountains, with no view, that bring nothing to the trail experience, in my mind. I hear people say "hike your own hike" a lot, and this is my hike. So I'll retroblaze from time to time, and enjoy it. Anyway, at the end of my hike, when I look at the 3 foot long strip map of the AT, and have to shave off maybe 1/16 inch because of a different trail I took, I still will consider myself a thru-hiker. Wingfoot won't, but that's his problem. The creeper trail is level, and beautiful, and winds along a river. We stopped at a little beach along the river, and I swam, and washed my hair, and we relaxed and it was wonderful. It was so amazing, esecially since i twas so hot, and because we had the afternoon to ourselves. But when we started hiking on, I noteced that my toes were starting to rub together, and really hurt. I immediately stopped and tried to(drops pencil in river. pencil is retrieved, but wet. entry ends abruptly. if i had continued, i would have finished explaining why i only hiked 6 miles that day)
Date: 2007-05-05
From: Troutdale

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Tonight I saw something truly amazing. Scraps, the amazing Partnership shelter kitty. Scraps was hanging out, helping the hikers eat the pizza they had ordered, having a great time. Then, after it got dark, Scraps lept off the picnic table into the night. The hikers turned their headlamps to see Scraps with a mouse in his grasp. "Hurray!" the hikers cried, "You caught a mouse!" Scraps played with the mouse (as cats are wont to do) for several minutes, letting it run away and pouncing after it again. Then we saw chewing, and knew that the end was near. But how near, we had no idea. Scraps chewed once, twice, three times, four, then threw his head back in a magnificent swallow. He then proceeded to walk away, as if nothing had happened. "No!" cried the hikers, "Surely Scraps the amazing shelter cat did not just swallow a whole mouse!" But two of the hikers wandered over to the sight of the slaughter, and not a bone, nor scrap of fur, nor drop of blood was to be found. Scraps the shelter cat, truly did swallow a mouse whole. Not a small mouse, and not a huge cat. It was truly a sight to behold.
Date: 2007-05-07
From: Campsite

To: Knot Maul Branch Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

Today we tried an experiment. I got up right when I first woke up. It was 6:30. I didn't go back to sleep. I only got 8.5 hours of sleep, instead of the 10 I've been getting. So it was a much earlier start. But it turned out to be a failed experiment, because I was so tired. We hiked for longer, but didn't even go as far as normal. So the verdict is: I need 10 hours of sleep. Which kinda sucks. I wish I could be awake for more of my trip! But...gotta listen to my body. So recently I've seen new wildlife! Like fireflies, two warm nights in a row. A big ol' toad. A deer muncing leaves in the woods. A painted turtle, trying to dig a hole IN THE TRAIL to lay her eggs. (I stomped my feet next to her to show her that people walk there and it's not a good place for baby turtles.) Lots and lots of butterflies. Cows in the trail (not technically wildlife but cool anyway). The first rhododendren bloom of the year! Lily of the valley. A bird nested inside a shelter who got all tore up when we went inside. Caterpillars. Assorted birds. A trout swimming in a river that got scared when I approached and splashed off. A beatle with a pattern on his back that looks like a kitty cat face. Wild ponies, and wild pony colts. A shelter kitty who swallowed a mouse WHOLE (see 5/5 entry). Baby trout that nibbled at my toes. And more. It's been eventful!But still no Clemens. Soon, Clemens, very soon.
Date: 2007-05-10
From: Bland, Va

To: Bland, Va
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I was planning on hiking today, but I woke up, stood up, and was reminded by my feet that I've hiked 9 consecutive days, and it's about time I took a zero day. Bland is a wonderful place. There's no laundromat, no hostel, but such nice people! The couple who own the grocery store are amazing. Last night we were hanging out in from of the store, and Ruth (the lady owner) asked if we'd gotten dinner. I said yes. She asked what we ate. I said "...ice cream and chips." She sighed, and walked into the store. When she returned, she had an armful of food. There was mac and cheese, fried chicken, salad, maceroni salad, potato salad, cole slaw and dinner roles. And she said, "Eat." It was awesome. That's real trail magic. I could have resupplied for half the price at the dollar general, but I like supporting local businesses like that. I hiked 19 miles two days ago! That's the longest day yet! And it wasn't so hard. I did feel a little Jello-y at the end, but it was worth it. Hiking is getting easier, slowly. It's still hard work, but I'm getting so that I can climb hills without feeling completely exhausted, and I can keep a good pace for a longer time. It's still not extremely easy, and I still have to push myself, but it is getting better, slowly.
Date: 2007-05-15
From: Holy Family Church Hostel

To: Campsite
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: clear sky

So I've decided not to go to trail days, for a few reasons. The first being we're pretty far north by this point, and it might be a little hard getting a ride to and from Damascus. Not impossible, but just difficult. The second and more important reason is that I'm really enjoying my time on the trail right now. When I was last in Damascus, things got really stressful, and altogether unenjoyable. I don't want to risk having other peoples' opinions influence how much fun I'm having. So, perhaps next year I'll travel to Trail Days. I think that would be a lot of fun. But for this year, I will just keep hiking north and enjoy what I'm out here to do, namely hike.
Date: 2007-05-17
From: Bailey Gap Shelter

To: War Spur Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: clear sky

Another short day, oh well. I want to do 19 tomorrow! 19 would be respectable. No bear yet.The mountain laurel are in bloom! They aren't supposed to bloom until after the rhododenderons, and the rhodos have hardly started blooming yet, but I guess no one gave the laurels the memo. They're incredibly pretty though, and I really can't say I mind that they decided to bloom early. The azaleas are blooming too. The best are the flame azaleas, bright orange. The blackberries are berrying, tiny nubs that are hardly distinguishable as the bottoms of berries. Some blueberries, too, are now little green pinhead berries. Not quite ripe. It's pretty exciting!
Date: 2007-05-19
From: Niday Shelter

To: Campsite
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: clear sky

Last night was extremely interesting. We had a big day, 18.2 miles. We were going to do another 18 today. But at around 11:45 pm, long after we'd been asleep, the boy scouts arrived. I really have nothing against boy scouts, and I would guess Troop 33 can be reasonable sometimes, but when they all trooped into the Niday Shelter at a quarter to midnight, it was a bit frustrating. There were sixty of them. That is not an exaggeration. That is an exact figure we obtained from one of their leaders. Sixty. At one shelter. In case anyone was curious, yes, there is a limit on group size on the AT. It's ten.So anyway, these sixty boy scouts show up at 11:45 pm and start setting up camp. For the next hour and a half, all we could hear were tent poles clanking, fabric rustling, and a pathetic attempt at speaking quietly. Finally they settled in for the night. Then, at 6:45 am, they were up. And not so quietly this time, as they figured everyone should want to wake up at that point. Remember that whole thing about me requiring 10 hours of sleep every night? Yeah, that didn't happen. So the 18 miler was not going to happen. When we got out of the tent in the morning, it was so much worse that we'd imagined. There were tents EVERYWHERE. On the tent spot we had chosen, there were 3 other tents with us. We hung our bear bag up over a laurel bush, and someone had managed to set their tent up under that laurel bush, under our food bag, crushing all the young plants there. The worst part was one of the leaders was a former thru-hiker from 2005, Pacman. Really, he should have known better. And there were 20 more boy scouts meeting them a mile up the trail to hike that next day, so the plan was they were going to have 80 camped at Pickle Branch shelter that night. As far as I know that's what they did. It frustrates me because what they did was completely irresponsible. Not only was it an inconvenience to the people staying at the shelter who didn't get much sleep, it was detrimental to the area they stayed in. They were setting tents up in locations tents should not go, because the shelter area was just not designed to support that many people at a time. If you are planning a boy scout outing for 60 people, here's a word of advice. Don't do it. Or, go ahead and do it, just stay in a location that's designed to accomadate that many people. A campground, perhaps.
Date: 2007-05-22
From: Pig Farm Campsite

To: Campsite
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: clear sky

I've made a decision. My chances of making Maine this year are rapidly decreasing. So, instead of killing myself to try to make it, I am changing my plan. I'm going to do a two-year thru-hike. This year will last until mid-August, as I had originally planned. And next summer, guess where I'll be...yep. Hikin' the rest of the Appalachian trail. This way, I'll get to go to DC, I'll go to the beach, I can take zeros, and stop stressing about miles! It's taken me a few days to accept it, but this is how I want to hike. I want to have fun!
Date: 2007-05-25
From: Daleville, Va

To: Wilson Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: scattered clouds

It's incredible how big of a role transience has come to play in my life. I'm constantly on the move, never in the same location for more than a day or so. For one thing, it has definitely changed my view on posessions. I am surviving, even arguably thriving, with only what I can carry on my back. And I don't miss any of my other posessions. I don't need them. They don't make me who I am. When I get home, I might try to thin out some of what I own, simplify things a bit. I know I can live without all that junk. At the same time though, all this moving is making me appreciate the comfort of stayhing in one location for a while, having a sense of home. It hit me today as I was leaving the hotel room I've lived in for the past 40 hours or so. I felt like I was leaving some place that was special to me, which was strange becausee room 153 at the Econolodge should not have any meaning for me. It was mine for such a brief time, I was just another hotel customer passing through on the way to anywhere. But in the time I was there, I became at home with the generic bedspread and framed art on the wall, some flower, maybe near water, I don't even remember. And I became attached to this, somehow...it will be nice to have a place that is truly mine again.
Date: 2007-05-27
From: Bobblets Gap Shelter

To: Jennings Creek
Miles today: 9.6

I saw a box turtle on the trail a few days ago, and feel I should share his story. His name is Walt, I've decided. Walt, like me, carries his home on his back. And like me, he was on the Appalachian trail. So I've come to what is really the only logical conclusion. Walt, like me, is trying to hike the Appalachian trail. I figure he's not dumb, and is pacing himself to finish within one box turtle lifetime. He's about a third of the way through the trail, and I figure he'll live about 30 years, so he's probably been out here around 10 years or so. Although he won't finish the trail in one year, I don't think it's fair for people like Wingfoot to discount this as a thru-hike because he's not going to finish within one calendar year. He's a turtle, and just can't physically complete a 2174.9 mile journey in a year. So in my heart, I consider him to be a true thru-hiker. Walt, the thru-hiking turtle. GA->ME, 1997->2027. It's really quite touching. I think someone should make an inspirational movie about the little bugger.