morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-08-07
From: Grounhog Creek Shelter

To: Deer Park Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: light rain

Thursday August 7 I am up early and on my way at 7:55 AM as Walt and Tim are fixing their breakfast. There¢s a few rain sprinkles so I put on my poncho. It¢s hot so I remove my shirt to stay cool. Later when I take off the poncho, the hiking sans shirt feels great. I will hike many miles on this trip topless, tho when I know I am coming upon people I put it on since I am self conscious of my man tits. I am undecided as to today¢s destination. The Roaring Fork shelter is 11 miles away which isn¢t far enuff for a full day hike but there may be another shelter at 13 miles. Walt had a recent information source that doesn¢t mention it and the trail signs don¢t either. But the AT data book does. After 5 miles I pass Max Patch Road and then up to Max Patch Summit, a clearing at 4,629¢. I do pass a few other people making the trek up and down the summit. It¢s nice to speak to someone even if it¢s only ¢good morning¢. The view is fogged in but the claustrophobic feel of being in the forest is gone as I hike across about a mile of non-treed ridge. It¢s the wonderful, freedom feeling. Like being released from something. There are some wild blackberries growing along the path. Good food for bears I reckon. I reach Roaring Fork Shelter at 1:15PM and take a lunch break. I¢ve convinced myself that Walnut Mt Shelter, possibly 2 miles further, probably doesn¢t exist so since I am feeling fine, I set my sights on Deer Park Mt Shelter which is 12 miles further. But in 2 miles I come to an OK condition Walnut Mt Shelter. It¢s too early to stop and my mind is now fixed on Deer Park Shelter, so without stopping I press on. There are plenty of water sources along or near the trail so I only carry 3 bike bottles of water which weigh only about 3 lbs. My entire pack weight is about 25-28 lbs so my load is light which greatly eases my hiking effort. My thinking is the lighter the pack the better I will feel and the more miles I will cover. I see three big wild turkeys and a black snake as I hike today. After another ascent to Bluff Mt (4,686¢), I descend to Deer Park Shelter (about 2,400¢) at 6:30 PM. Surprisingly, there¢s a crowd there and I immediately worry that there won¢t be space in the shelter. Since I am not carrying a tent, it worries me since there are frequent sprinkles. But of the 8-9 people, only 2 have gear in the shelter. The rest have tents set up nearby. Lucky me, the 2 are college girls. But after I plunk my gear down in the 6-8 person shelter, they suddenly decide they will set up their tent. So, I have the shelter to myself.SUMMARY AUGUST 7: GROUNDHOG SHELTER TO DEER PARK MOUNTAIN SHELTER ¢ 23 MILES, CUMULATIVE 31 MILES.
Date: 2003-08-10
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Sunday August 10 I start the day with a 700¢ ascent that warms me up and open the eyes. The weather is nice. I soon come across a deer that is ahead of me on the trail and just looks at me as I approach. I talk to it for a few seconds before it bounds away into the brush. It was so tame looking. I also pass 4 fellows hiking the opposite direction. By 10:30 I reach Jerry¢s Cabin shelter that has a stone fireplace in it. Very nice during the cold weather, I am sure. The AT proceeds on an old wagon trail. I always wonder who the original path finders were and what they were doing. I also see a bear paw print and some fresh scat on the trail. I lunch at Flint Mtn. shelter. Soon after I leave it, the sky starts to darken considerably. I question whether I should have left that last shelter. Rain begins to fall and my poncho keeps my pack dry but my legs and the bottom of my shorts soon are wet. I kinda enjoy walking in the rain. But I am happy to reach the HogBack Ridge (4,000¢) shelter at about 6PM. It is still raining when I arrive and I walk about 14 mile to the water source, strip naked and wash off in the rain. I return to the shelter and barely a minute after I have dry clothes on, a petite, young lady named Brenna comes around the corner of the shelter looking like a puppy that had fallen into the creek. She¢s a vet student at the University of Georgia. It¢s the first time she has backpacked alone and has that doe-in-the headlight look in her eyes. I do my best to put her at ease. I think I succeed as when I offer to turn my back so she can get out of her wet clothes, she quickly agrees. She is a cutie and speaks like my favorite actress Jodie Foster, so I have to admit I tried like hell to see out the back of my head as she changed clothes. No luck tho. We are both worn out and are fast asleep after a hot supper.SUMMARY AUGUST 10 LITTLE LAUREL SHELTER TO HOGBACK RIDGE SHELTER 21.3 MILES, CUMULATIVE 75 MILES.
Date: 2003-08-11
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: few clouds

Monday August 11 Before I hit the trail at 7:40 AM, Brenna tells me she feared the lightning at Big Bald yesterday and left her hiking poles by the trail. She asks that I look for them and mail them if I find them. The morning is clear and the rain is gone for now. I come to Sam¢s Gap, Highway #23 which is under heavy construction. It¢s not clear where the trail is due to the road work but a workman in the distance waves at me and I head in his direction. As I approach he tells me a number of hikers go the wrong direction so he keeps an eye out for them. A good ole boy. About a mile before Big Bald, a hiker slightly older than me approaches. As we greet I notice he has a pair of new hiking poles. Yep he just found them, he admits. I explain the situation but I can tell he likes using them. He suggests that he mail them to Brenna, so I give him her address. Honor among hikers I hope. Not far after Big Bald (5,516¢) the sky darkens and a gentle rain begins. It actually causes me to slow my pace and hike more peacefully. But near Spivey Gap it pours and lightening strikes so close and loud that I consider getting religion. I take respite nearby in an old barn for about a half hour, relax, calm down and postpone that religion conversion.   The rain subsides and I reach the No Business Knob shelter (3,400¢) (I have no idea where that name comes from) at 5:15. I have it to myself. I hang my wet or damp clothes from the different mice-resistant hangers. I¢m not sure why I bother as nothing dries in this damp, humid forest. Also a dreaded blister has developed on my left foot so I doctor it. I can¢t stomach any Top Ramen for supper tonight so it¢s a Snicker¢s bar, 6 cookies, a cup of coffee and some Gatorade. Sounds like a Miller High Life commercial without the beer doesn¢t it? I am in the bag by 7PM, it¢s not even dark but I am tired. I awaken a few times in the night but I carry a small radio with an earphone and usually catch some music or if lucky, I get a baseball game. SUMMARY AUGUST 11 HOGBACK RIDGE SHELTER TO NO BUSINESS KNOB SHELTER, 20.7 MILES, CUMULATIVE 96 MILES.
Date: 2003-08-12
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Nolichucky River
Miles today: 6.0

Tuesday August 12 I slept really good last night. Three 20 mile hiking days in a row on the up and down AT probably helped. I¢ll solve that by having a short trip to Erwin, TN this morning. The trail crosses the Nolichucky River 6 miles away and the town of Erwin is a few miles off the trail. No breakfast before I start as I think about some restaurant/waitress served food. The morning air is damp and cool. The path is in the trees as usual and turns onto another old wagon trail. And it¢s downhill to Erwin. There are several scenic overviews of the Nolichucky and then as I reach a paved road, I come upon Johnny¢s Nolichucky Hostel. Charlotte¢s sweet southern drawl warmly greets me in a small hiker gear store/registration area. The hostel has a bunkhouse type building or I can get a room for $15. She shows me the room which has 2 beds, TV, VCR, microwave and a small refrig. There¢s a community bathroom/shower in the center of the complex. She will do laundry for $3 a load. Plus she says she¢ll drive me to town and pick me up later. It¢s a great deal. I shower and rest awhile before Charlotte takes me to an all-you-can eat pizza parlor buffet. I am there about 1 12 hours. Then after a trip to a next door dollar store and an across the street grocery, Charlotte picks me up and I return to the hostel. There are no other hikers at the hostel today. So it¢s a quiet afternoon of resting, reading, walking, planning and then a couple of movies on the VCR. I slept too well at the No Business Knob shelter last night as this night, on a large mattress I toss and turn all night. SUMMARY AUGUST 12 NO BUSINESS KNOB SHELTER TO NOLICHUCKY RIVER (AND HOTEL), 6.3 MILES, CUMULATIVE 102 MILES.
Date: 2003-08-15
From: Dennis Cove, Kincora Hostel

To: VanDeventer Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Friday August 15 Well the pee is clear this morning. Must be the pills I have been putting in the water I conclude. Bob drives me to Wautauga Lake by about 8AM. With the divided hike day ahead, I feel like I am going on a day hike. The trail is good as it ascends about 1800¢ to the Pond Mt Wilderness area before it quickly descends alongside a rushing stream and by a approximately 100¢+ waterfall. This section really is a good day hike. I pass a half dozen people doing just that. I get back to the hostel at about noon. After a hot lunch, a 10 minute rest and getting my backpack together Bob and I stop by a grocery store and then by 2:10 I am back on the AT at the same spot where I headed the other direction this morning. Bob makes me promise that I¢ll send him a card. The trail is a pleasant hike along a littered path that skirts the large Wautauga Lake and crosses the dam. Then just past the dam, I think the large lunch takes over as the 1200¢ climb up to Vandeventer Shelter feels like a forced march. I get there about 6 PM. There are 2 guys a few years younger than me there but they are tenting it so I have the shelter to myself. Behind the shelter there is one of the best views from a shelter that I have seen. It looks down into the Wautauga Lake area and also a small village. And when it is dark the lights from below are like far off twinkling stars. Chris and Jim and I sit on a large rock in the early evening and enjoy it. With the large lunch earlier, I settle for a Snicker¢s bar for supper. While there was no rain today, at 2:30 in the morning a deluge of rain pelts the shelter and a lightning show illuminates the forest. I am dry and safe in the shelter but I feel a part of the powerful storm. What a show! That exhilarating feeling is within me again. It¢s why we do these outdoor adventures. I wonder how the guys are doing in their tents but after an hour I go back asleep.SUMMARY AUGUST 15 DENNIS COVE TO VANDEVENTER SHELTER, 17.5 MILES, CUMULATIVE 162 MILES.
Date: 2003-08-17
From: Hgwy #421, Shady Valley, Tn.

To: Damascus, Va.
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: broken clouds

17. It¢s D Day for me. My target date for returning to Damascus is today and I will be there by mid day. It¢s breakfast just after 6 AM at the Cranberry Caf©. Yesterday¢s helpful waitress has the day off but is replaced by another one who is just as friendly. After breakfast, the manager of the Inn, a very friendly, religious type interrupts his early morning bible reading and takes me the 4-5 miles to the trail. It¢s a thick, low cloud, foggy day that promises rain as I start hiking at 7:50AM. After 5 miles, I reach the Abingdon Shelter and get out of a pouring, gentle rain for about 5 minutes. The rain is soothing, so after a snack, I am back on the trail. My simple $3 poncho has done me well on this hike. It¢s a long one and covers my pack well. So much for my expensive pack cover and rain jacket that I no longer carry. They add weight and take up too much space in my small backpack   I don¢t worry much about my legs and shoes getting wet. I had a plan to use the poncho as a tent if it rained and I didn¢t get in a shelter, but the situation never happened. Dumb luck is the best kind. The trail is mostly down hill as I am pulled to Damascus. No particular great views but some singing birds make for a fresh early morning feel. As I approach the Tennessee/Virginia state line I am surprised there isn¢t a sign denoting it. Entering another state is a milestone for a hiker. Maybe it¢s where the Mt. Rogers National Park boundary sign is. The trail enters Damascus. I pass a man sitting on a porch who greets me. Then a large entry arch in a park makes me feel special. My feet have an extra spring to them. That hiker sense of accomplishment is with me. It¢s 1:15PM. I walk down the main street and see my Honda parked in front of the hostel. Across the street, three fellows are sitting on benches in front of Mt. Rogers Outfitters. I sit down with them like they are old friends. Soon Simmer, a hiker who I know only because I have been reading her notes in the shelter logbooks, walks up with the dog she found on the trail. She finished an hour before I did. We all converse before I head for the showers. This year¢s Appalachian Trail hike is over. It was a good one. I enjoyed it more than last year¢s hike. I¢ll be back.SUMMARY AUGUST 17, HIGHWAY #421 TO DAMASCUS, VIRGINIA, 14.8 MILES, CUMULATIVE 188 MILES.
Date: 2002-08-30
From: Springer Mountain, GA

To: Big Cedar Mountain
Miles today: 21.0

APPALACHIAN TRIAL HIKE 2002Friday August 30, 2002. Two years ago on a visit to Georgia, I made a stop at Amicalola Falls Park and spent 3 days on the trail to Springer Mt. and a few miles on the Appalachian Trail (AT). When I returned to my home in Arizona, I was motivated to do some long distance hiking. As a result I hiked the Arizona Trail (AZT) in 2001 (www.geocities.com/davehicks01) but itched to spend some more time on the AT. Today I return. I meet a Knoxville, TN. area fellow named Will Jorgensen in a church parking lot a few miles from Springer Mt. Will and I only know each other from emails when he ventured on the AZT last year. He will hike 4 days with me on the AT. My plan is to spend about a month on the AT with a goal of reaching Damascus, VA which is over 450 miles from Springer Mt. Will and I begin our hike at a FR #42 trailhead a mile or so north of Springer Mt. So we hike south to begin our northward adventure. At 8:30 we are at Springer Mt. with its famous plaque and window view to lush, green forests. The view is limited by fog but for a desert dweller like me it¢s breathtakingly different. Naturally, we take a few pictures and then we are off. Back past the place we started. Will is easy to talk to and we enjoy the new friendship. Will has hiked a number of the AT southern sections and racks up a lot of miles per day, usually up to 30. Tho more than I usually hike, we have decided to hike 20-25 miles per day. By 10:35 we break at Coopers Gap and have a lunch at Coopers Gap. We are both pumped so the miles are coming easy. We don¢t have a destination for the night. Will has a small tent. I don¢t as I plan to sleep in shelters or wherever if necessary. Just after our lunch, we come upon a group of late 60¢s age folks who have just driven up to a clearing and are having a picnic. They are just enjoying the outdoors. One of the men wistfully tells me years ago he used to hunt this area. Surprisingly we don¢t see a lot of hikers on the trail. We have seen only 1 long distance hiker who started 5 days ago at Standing Indian Shelter. Georgia is in the midst of a drought and water isn¢t as plentiful as I expected so at Woody Gap late in the day we take some water from a near trickle. I didn¢t heed my wife Patricia¢s advice to always fill up when you get to a good source and passed up refilling at Justus Creek several miles back. Being from the desert I should know better. We hike a mile or two past Woody Gap. It¢s looking like rain so at about 7:30 PM, Will and I find a spot on the trail and pitch his tent. After supper and some light conversation, we are in the sack. I¢m not much for small tents and I sleep fitfully. Will is a good companion, interesting and tries not to walk too fast for me. The day is a good start for my month on the AT.SUMMARY AUGUST 30: SPRINGER MT TO BIG CEDAR MT, 21 MILES, CUMULATIVE 21 MILES.
Date: 2002-08-31
From: Big Cedar Mountain

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 20.0

Saturday, August 31 We leave our space by the trail and are on our way by about 8:30 AM. We find some water at Miller Creek. After a few miles with Will in the lead, he brushes a stump by the trail and when I pass it a few seconds later I am attacked and chased by a hive of bees who are looking for a fight. Will is startled by my hollering and running and can¢t figure out what the hell I am doing. They don¢t chase me very far but I get 8-10 stings on my legs. At least the weren¢t the aggressive African bees like we have in Arizona. Soon we reach Blood Mt, the highest point on the AT in Georgia. Several people are there. A cool stone shelter but the view is fogged in. It will be a common occurrence on the AT for me but one that I don¢t get used to. I think often about the clear vistas that are commonplace in the Arizona mountains. A young AT thru hiker named Radar joins us for a few miles. He hiked the trail earlier this year and still has that hiker high from it. We take a long break at Neels Gap a popular stop on highway #19. There¢s a hiking store, food, hostel etc there. Lots of local tourists stop there too and like talking to the hikers. I meet my first ¢trail angel¢, Richard Horn from Clarksville, Ga. He, like others along the AT, offers assistance and rides, etc to AT hikers who need a hand. We stay at Neels Gap until about 2:15 and after a few miles on the trail are deluged with a rainstorm that I wasn¢t prepared for. Hiking on this part of the AT is quite humid so my clothes have been quite wet since we started. I am not used to that but the rainstorm soaks me. My rain jacket and pack cover help but not enuff. My morale drops quickly. The trail seems a lot more difficult. I anxiously look forward to getting out of the wet clothes and spreading out and drying out in a shelter. We press on and late in the day finally reach Low Gap Shelter. Ugh, the shelter has six 30ish people from Atlanta out for a 1 night stay. They have crap all over the shelter and selfishly refuse to give us any space (¢sorry, there are six of us and our dog¢). We don¢t wish a confrontation and fortunately we have Will¢s tent. (FYI several of the people worked for Turner Broadcasting). The shelter and area is a good one with water and food hangers which allow you to attach food and gear to a long guy wire and pulley it up about 25¢ high. Supposedly the bears can¢t get to it. Neat.SUMMARY AUGUST 31: BIG CEDAR MT TO LOW GAP SHELTER, 20 MILES, CUMULATIVE 41 MILES.
Date: 2002-09-01
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.0

Sunday September 1. The condition of the trail is good and the signage is excellent on the Appalachian Trail. One hardly needs a map and I think just the AT data book would be enuff to get one along the trail. But, I like the maps with the elevation profiles and always carry some. They are what I look at during breaks and the evening. The Georgia Mts have a reputation for being challenging. Today they live up to their reputation. The ups seem a lot more frequent than the downs. After 9 miles today we reach Unicoi Gap. Another trail angel has heard that water is scarce on the trail and drives up just as we begin a break. He has several gallons of fresh water, gives us some and places bottles in conspicuous places. These trail angels are appropriately named. We drink the water and bask in the warm sun at Unicoi Gap. Then it¢s back on the tough trail for a long hike to Deep Gap Shelter. Fortunately the weather is good and trail is too. I am so enchanted with all the green. What an inviting atmosphere to hike in. We reach Deep Gap Shelter late in the day. It¢s another very fine shelter. There¢s water, picnic table, even an upstairs, and it¢s clean. What more could a hiker want? Peter, a hiker from New York, is the only other person there. Yippee! I get to hang some clothes and also spread out while I sleep. SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 1: LOW GAP SHELTER TO DEEP GAP SHELTER, 22 MILES, CUMULATIVE 63 MILES.
Date: 2002-09-02
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap/Hiawassee GA
Miles today: 4.0

Monday Sept 2 Overnight I decided that I needed a break from the trail to rest and dry out. So today I am going 3.5 miles to Dick¢s Creek Gap and from there hitch a ride to Hiawassee, Ga. Will is going on to a spot 15 miles ahead where his van is parked. I feel bad leaving him but I¢m in need of some waitress served food. It¢s Labor Day so I have no trouble catching a ride with a fellow dropping off his hiker wife and son at Dick¢s Gap. 11 miles later he drops me off in front of the Hiawassee Inn. I get a room and soon shower, wash clothes, eat and wander around the town. Hiawassee is a clean little town but nothing special. I get some needed rest.SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 2: DEEP GAP SHELTER TO DICK¢S CREEK GAP 3 12 MILES, CUMULATIVE 67 MILES.
Date: 2002-09-04
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Wallace Gap/Rainbow Sp Campground
Miles today: 21.0

Wednesday September 4 Standing Indian shelter has an Oak tree hanging over it. Its acorns drop infrequently right down on the tin roof of the shelter. When the first one fell (PANG!) last night, it sounded like a bullet hitting the shelter. I knew someone was shooting at ¢one of theym thar goddam vironmentalists¢. I jumped up like a scared rabbit with visions of a Deliverance scene about to happen. About the time I got my nerves and imagination under control, the same thing happened. ¢Shit! What is that?¢ I say aloud. Finally after 4-5 shots, I realize what is happening. I warily settle back into the sleeping bag and soon fall into a deep sleep until 7:20 AM. So it¢s a late start and I soon come to another trail that heads more directly to Wallace Gap, cutting 15 miles off the AT. It¢s tempting but I stay the course and head for Rock Gap Shelter. Immediately it¢s obvious that many take the short cut as the AT gets a lot less used ahead. But it¢s not a difficult route and there¢s many beautiful Mountain Laurel lining the way. I break at Carter Gap Shelter which is kinda hairy looking. Glad I¢m not staying there. The miles start to click off and I start thinking about a cold Pepsi and a shower at the Rainbow Spring campground which is a couple of miles past Rock Gap Shelter. I am glad I stayed on the AT today but it¢s nearly dark when I reach the campground. I roust the owner who kindly welcomes me, sells me some goodies and points the way to the showers and bunkhouse. The bunkhouse has 12 bunks, 4 sets that are 3 bunk high. Cost $13. I have the place to myself. It¢s worn and ragged but I like it. Home Sweet Home.SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 4: STANDING INDIAN SHELTER TO WALLACE GAP, RAINBOW SPRINGS CAMP, 20.4 MILES, CUMULATIVE 104.