morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-03-08
From: Lowe's shelter

To: Unicoi gap
Miles today: 9.7
Weather: few clouds

Really felt exausted and stiff and my. Mental state is not so good considering that most hikers over 50 usually have no appetite for a week or so. Started slow, went up the hills slow, went down slow but must been faster than I thought because got to blue Mt shelter at miles bh noon.Now, to stay here at the top of a Mt ( old,windy) or hike down and hope to find camp sites. 6 of us oldies decided we needed to shake things up and try to force more food down. Besides we were short of water and last 2 supply points were dry and so we banded together and are sleeping in Helen, GA tonight. Hoping the extra calories helps us over 2 mountains tomorrow Tha traditionally causes a lot of thru hikers quit the trail.
Date: 2016-03-10
From: Addis gap

To: bly gap
Miles today: 24.4
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a hard 2 days with the many mountains. So far my hips have been the limiting factor with where we have camping but feeling good. The nights have been warm and no rain so far. Really foggy this morn and humid so was glad I was able to drink way more than usual, probably at least a gallon and would drink more but don't want to walk down 300 feet for more till tomorrow morn.Just before this campsite we crossed over to north Carolina and gotta say, Georgia was tough. In 3 days will take a zero day to recover and stuff some calories down.Sitting here with 7 other hikers and a fire and music playing.
Date: 2016-03-12
From: standing Indian mountain

To: long branch shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Absolute awesome day. Except for Albert mountain which was a scramble using hands and feet the slopes were gentle. Even the 4 mile uphill was nice and for first time didn't have to go in oxygen depletion. Started at 7:00 and thought old fox and three jack would catch up but walked 16 miles by myself and landed at long branch with nobody there though others showed up later.Stayed in the shelter because of impending rain and woke to lots of rain and scampering of little mouse feet.Views on Albert watch tower were awesome with miles of forest all around, worth the scramble but there are those amongst us who would dare complain os the difficulty. Makes you wonder why they would undertake a challenge of this scale and not accept what comes there way.
Date: 2016-03-14
From: long branch shelter

To: rock gap
Miles today: 3.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Hiked in the rain first thing and got picked up by a hostel shuttle so that I can take a zero day and let my body catch up with healing. The impending thunder storms helped with that decision but no doubt have to be careful making those calls based on 'chances' of rain.When I get back on the trail I have 4 days to fontana dam and then the smokies.
Date: 2016-03-15
From: rock gap

To: wynah bald shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

After getting shuttled back to rock gap I was off and succeeded quite nicely with underestimating the two hills. Silas bald went straight up the mountain and seemed to never end. Should have stopped at that shelter but all my hiking buddies said they were going to wynah. So much for hiking my own hike because got here at this shelter and I'm by myself.It was a good 14.4 mile day.There is a 70 year old hiking this year that goes by tinker. He averages 12 miles each day, sometimes pulls into camp after dark and eats then sleeps wherever he can find. So a couple nights ago there was rain on the way and tinker was leaving camp an hour before dark and we tried to talk him out of it. The next day in the pouring rain as some climbers were scrambling hand and foot up Albert mountain they came across tinker tucked under a rock overhang sleeping in the only dry spot around. He yawned, zipped up his jacket and told the hikers that he needed a full bag of peanuts and headed out. Quite the guy and turning into quite a legend.
Date: 2016-03-16
From: wynah bald shelter

To: Rufus Morgan shelter
Miles today: 15.5

Another good day for miles with a couple of mountains but ended with 5 miles of rough, rocky descent. When I got to the bottom at the shelter my knees were just throbbing. I kept looking at my altimeter app hoping I was close.I've done 32 miles in the last 2 days and actually left my bubble and caught the bubble of hikers that started 2 days before me. Tonight there are 14 thru hikers at this shelter and we are seeing quite a relentless withdrawal of hikers who have gone home. Tomorrow will be a very trying day with a 6 mile climb to over 5000 feet.
Date: 2016-03-17
From: Rufus Morgan shelter

To: sassafras gap shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: clear sky

Climbed a huge mountain, 3000 feet in 6 miles and it seemed it would never end. Put in low miles since I've done 39 miles in 3 miles. I am well seconded into another hiking bubble so getting to know a whole new group of people.This weekend is supposed to get cold and maybe snow when I get into the smokies. Hopefully this will only last a few days. We have been amazingly lucky with the weather this year. Last year with lots of snow for 2 months caused a lot of people dropping out.
Date: 2016-03-18
From: sassafras gap shelter

To: cable gap shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Trail magic. There are occasions when local people or past hikers will show up at road crossings with food and drinks and even with grills to make burgers and dogs. Well I have been amazingly unlucky at catching any of this trail magic but yesterday I showed up at the Nantahala outdoor center and went to the restaurant for breakfast. There was a person ahead of me with a nasty slogan on her hat which didn't leave a good impression but when I finished eating and asked for the check I was told that she had paid my and 5 others bill.Tonight we are camped at the last shelter before the smoky national park, warm out and clear so should be nice. My meal was a garlic hummus that was reconstituted with cold water and spread on tortilla shell. Also had a half pound of my homemade trail mix topped off with peanut butter and honey tortilla.
Date: 2016-03-19
From: cable gap shelter

To: Fontana dam resort
Miles today: 5.5
Weather: clear sky

Weather forcast for sunday, visious. 10 degrees wind chill, snow then rain and very windy. Needless to say most are zeroing tomorrow and when we showed up at the restaurant for dinner it was really interesting to see the hugs and excitement at meeting up with hikers that were separated for only a few days. And this is by people who have only hiked for a couple weeks.One piece of awesome news was the big Nora virus scare. A rumor that blew up and had everybody scared about staying at the shelters. Well it all Ryu red out to be only 1 person and the shelter he was rescued from was disinfected.There is absolutely no feeling like showering off a week of sweat and dirt and stink and all the salt stained clothes getting washed. Once things warm up I'm sure I will be much more stingy with zero days and will have to more cleaning on the trail. Right now though my legs are really getting tired and need a recharge. I've done something like 55 miles in the last 4 days and no serious aches.
Date: 2016-03-21
From: Fontana dam resort

To: mollies ridge shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

Beautiful morning hiking through fresh snow and not so bad temps, at the bottom of the mountain. Different story as we climbed 3000 feet and temps dropped and wind picked up and we were soaked from the effort. But we made it to the shelter to get a spot and the unlucky ones were over 20 in number of tents outside in the frigid 23 degrees. We were lucky where it was at least 25.Interesting tidbit that I read sometime ago in that there are always those who are so unused to the cold that they are the ones who will walk a half mile to collect firewood for a fire, which does very little good but it's nice that they are willing to do that for us others who just want to wrap up with our bags and listen to the talk of the trail. Hikers midnight is 8 o'clock and there is a lot of pressure to fall to a whisper or suffer the wrath of a full shelter.
Date: 2016-03-22
From: mollies ridge shelter

To: Derrick know shelter
Miles today: 12.0

The saga of the snow continues. Cold and very windy especially on the north side of hills so had to keep well covered but also means getting soaked from sweat. Stopped at a shelter to rest with 5 miles to go and when we started again I could sense some very real signs of hypothermia. Confusion and stumbling and horrid shivering. All that started leading to dehydration so I had to really buckle down and start drinking extra every time we found a water source. Also had to force feed myself energy bars and trail mix for calories. Arrived at Derrick know shelter soaked amidst windy conditions and here my saving grace in that I keep a dedicated pair of dry camp socks and long underwear. Also stripped off wet shirts and put on down jacket and fleece jacket then wrapped my wet hair in a wool hiking scarf. Someone gave me some hot water so mixed a pound of trail mix with oatmeal and was good to go.
Date: 2016-03-23
From: Derrick know shelter

To: Mt Collins shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: clear sky

The rules of shelter use in the smokies are very biased against thru hikers. In the smokies a thru hiker can hike hard and fast to make it to a shelter before it fills and a day or short section hiker that has reserved a spot beforehand can show up, late, as the sun is going down and demand the last hiker to show up leave and set up their tent in the dark. We had that happen and it just so happened the last thru hiker believed he could demand that he didn't have to leave because he doesn't carry a tent so couldn't sleep elsewhwere. What a mess but you meet all kinds on the trail.The hiking today was even slushier with 2 steps forward and 1 step back. Talking to others tonight everyone admitted to multiple falls myself included. My last was in camp while barefoot in my soaked freezing shoes and I slipped and landed on my back in the mud, ugh!The shelter is .5 miles off trail and to top it off the water source was labeled as .1 miles but was at least half mile and dow n steep icy slope. The pines around the shelter made for a cozy setting.Went up cling man's dome which is the highest point on the AT and the views were awesome and the climb was actually quite easy though 6 miles of climbing in mud took its toll.
Date: 2016-03-24
From: Mt Collins shelter

To: newfound gap
Miles today: 4.3

Hiked a nice 4 miles to newfound gap to hitch into town to pick up my Resupply box. Tried hitching on a very busy road while shivering. I finally called the outfitter where my box was and they sent a van which I had to plead with the mad rush for a spot since I had called. It took long enough to get in town that there was no way I could get back on the mountain and hike the 5 miles to the next shelter. In the smokies you have to stay at the shelters or face a 400 dollar fine.So I have food for next 9 days, (heavy) and ate at a family buffet, ohhhh so full. Back to the trail tomorrow and unfortunately it looks like snow. Hopefully 3 more days in the smokies and then down a bit in elevation
Date: 2016-03-25
From: newfound gap

To: pecks corner shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: moderate rain

Picked up mu Resupply box I n gatlinburg and while it's nice to have more food, ugh it's so so heavy so I'll start with eating the heavy foods. The day was beautiful and trails were nice. One negative though and that was doing a full body knee plant onto a rock and tore the skin over my knee cap with lots of swelling so loaded up with vitamin I (iboprofin).
Date: 2016-03-26
From: pecks corner shelter

To: Cosby know shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Really great day for hiking. I started a new technique in that I start my days now cold. I start with my running shirt and Patagonia under layer, no long Johns and a hat. Since I know that I'll be heated by the first big hill I can take off the hat and pull my sleeves up. Went up 4 mountains today and felt great but the last 2 miles of my 12 there were a lot of rocks I started tripping over.My swollen knee from falling on a rock was pain free and normal size but after 12 miles was starting to twinge so stopped for the day. Tomorrow I will leave the smokies and soon will go down a bit in elevation so warmer but more rainy,
Date: 2016-03-27
From: Cosby know shelter

To: green corner road
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: overcast clouds

A tough stretch of trail but mostly because of the weather. This last day was mostly downhill which is tough on the knees but the day was nice and will spend the night at the standing bear hostel. My only other choice is a 5 mile climb of the next mountain and that in the rain. I'm having a tough time connecting with other hikers around me. I have only counted 6 others older than I and I hike as fast as most of the younger crowd but of course cannot fit in there. I do enjoy my solitary time hiking but it gets very lonely.
Date: 2016-03-30
From: green corner road

To: Flint mountain shelter
Miles today: 64.2
Weather: broken clouds

I was hoping on copying journal entries that I had been keeping until I had a signal to upload but I lost everything from the last 4 days.So went 5 or more days with no or little contact with family and to sumarise I have done 4 days of 15 miles and one of 12 so I've been making good miles and lately have been catching up to others that started In February. My legs feel good and feet are a bit sensitive after a hard day over rocks and roots. I keep rolling my left ankle but so far haven't been lasting overnight. I updated the miles to reflect my total miles. Today went over 300 miles.
Date: 2016-03-31
From: Flint mountain shelter

To: hog back ridge shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

Rained like mad last night and we did get wet before reaching the shelter but thank goodNess for extra changes of clothes. Was only going to go 6 today because otherwise would have to climb a monster mountain but couldn't sit there and though it was supposed storm I wend to the next shelter at 15 miles and not a drop of rain.We have hit a lot of trail magic last fee days including one guy that had vegan hot dogs and baked beans and chili. I will try to write more tomorrow since it should be an easy day of 11 miles.
Date: 2016-04-02
From: hog back ridge shelter

To: bald mountain shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: light rain

Very cool day for hiking and planned on short day. Started out with awesome trail magic after 2.5 miles of 4 scrambled eggs, heaping helping of hash browns and onions, walnut muffins, orange juice, and huge orange to go. Later as we climbed bald mountain two ladies hikers passed me and gave me bottles of gatorade, bananas apple, mandarin oranges so two in one day.It was so cold on bald that we couldn't stay long but the views were amazing and met 3 hikers I thought were days ahead. Today hiked with mom bought from new Hampshire and walnut from Virginia who carries a huge walking stick that is a branch from a walnut tree and we all call it the staff of life and knowledge.It will be a very very cold night at the shelter, around 27 and the wind i $ howling brrrrr.
Date: 2016-04-03
From: bald mountain shelter

To: erwin TN
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: clear sky

It's been 1 month on the trail and total miles are 342 miles. Slowly it is becoming a bit easier, both because of gaining what people call trail legs and the terrain is changing. One thing that has not gotten easier is what we endured last night. One hiker with a thermometer said the temp had bottomed out at 20 degrees so it had to be in the mid teens. All our water froze and luckily I kept my filter in my pocket or it would be useless. The wind howled all night and I had every bit of clothing on and the down jacket and fleece and rain jacket but shivered all night. I wasn't alone in that.When we woke we hurried to pack and hit the trail running. I did the first 3 miles in 1 hour just to get off the ridge and down in elevation, (we were at 5500 feet.) The rule of thumb is add 5 degrees for every 1000 feet down.I am still relatively pain free but in bad need of a zero day to eat and recuperate so hiked 17 miles down to erwin, TN and got a room with co-hiker dusty at uncle Johnny hostel and tomorrow will pick up my mail drop of food for next section. Met up with some good friends here, Captain, man-child (17 year old) and bubbles. They hike as a team and work very well together with captain as their leader.Laundry is done, showered and will try to shove 5 or 6000 calories down my throat tomorrow. I've lost 29 pounds so far and that has to stop.
Date: 2016-04-04
From: erwin TN

To: uncle Johnny hostel
Miles today: 0.0

There is a father / son team hiking the trail from Israel that I have had the pleasure of hiking with for a couple weeks now. The younger is Elan and the father's trail name is teacher. There have been several instances when it was cold that teacher would make me a cup of coffee and it was a delight. We are usually the older of the group and enjoyed our talks around the fire at night. Today teacher drove up to the hostel and told me that he had been to a doctor and that his ACL was torn on the knee that was already damaged from his years in the Israeli army. So he is dropping out of his lifelong dream of an epic hike and our hearts go out to him and we all hope that he can follow his dreams to the next adventure in his life.Goodbye teacher and for all rhe others that have chosen this point of the journey to go off trail we hope that the williness to follow opportunities for other adentures stay alive.
Date: 2016-04-05
From: uncle Johnny hostel

To: cherry gap shelter
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: broken clouds

Today's hike out of erwin was good. All that eating and a zero for resting I blew away the hills, including the mystery Mt unaka. There was no reason for going up that 1000 feet. It was not part of the appalachian ridge and was not in the way of natural travel but we did figure it out. The trees here all have moss and lichen patterns and so we were climbing to see a very special tree at the top that had a lichen pattern of elvis. I knew there had to be a reason for that climb.
Date: 2016-04-06
From: cherry gap shelter

To: Roan high know shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: clear sky

Had every intention of pulling up short with 9 miles and hammock in a gap before the Roan mountain but the wind picked up so up 2500 feet we went. The old timers talk of how hard the trail was 20 years ago well as we were climbing we would see remnants of the old trail and wow, no switchbacks and the trails were 3 feet deep from erosion. The trail maintainers have really done an awesome job.The Roan mountain shelter is the highest shelter of the trail and it was so so cold and windy but the shelter has 4 walls and a door so we survived, wearing ALL my spare clothes and it snowed and rained and the wind roared something fierce. These mountains used to have a lot of inhabitants and we every so often come across Graves or still standing chimneys, even a set of front door steps from a house. On top of the mountain there was a clear spot that was a hotel in the 1800's that the rich would visit in the hot summers.
Date: 2016-04-07
From: Roan high know shelter

To: mountain memorial b&b
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: moderate rain

Another supposed short day turned long, not sure why but arrived at a hostel after 17 miles of wind and cold. Had a 1000 and 600 foot bald we climbed and since no trees on a bald we could see 1000 feet up and that was a nauseating sight. Anyway was told there were no open bunks and my heart sank because it starting to snow/rain when all os a sudden around the corner came trail legend tinker. He grabbed me and said, "have I got some trail magic for you."He was in the fancy Jefferson room and I am sharing with him at no cost. The room has a hot tub and four poster bed and comfy chairs, it's just the bees knees. Went out to eat and got back when all the lights went out and here we are, a bunch of hikers with headlamps and all catching up on journals.Still no major physical pros but a bit tired in the knees from three 17 mile days. Tomorrow will be rainy but will try to reach next shelter at 9 miles.
Date: 2016-04-08
From: mountain memorial b&b

To: upper laurel fork
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: light snow

I will abbreviate this day since had no signal and now doing it late. We knew that this night would be snow and 22 degrees so we hiked till we realized we had passed the turn off a mile back. It was hike 3 miles to shelter and sleep in 22 degrees or retrace which we did.
Date: 2016-04-09
From: upper laurel fork

To: kincoro hostel
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Visciosly cold day hiking in the snow and ice and every time I tried to vent my clothes or remove any base layer items I would walk around to the cold side of the mountain and freeze. I knew the Temps tonight would be in the teens so third night chose to stop at a hostel which only cost 5.00. It was nice to walk in the door and have 12 people I knew all yell, "ghost!"The owner is a trail legend named Bob people's who has been doing trail maintenance and trail magic for many years. The choice was a good one because it was soooo cold outside.
Date: 2016-04-10
From: kincoro hostel

To: Vandeven term shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

Had an accumulation of almost 5000 feet of climbing today and goodness, my knees are killing me tonight. It was much warmer today and wore my t-shirt.Most of the others I started with today pushed on for 24 miles and the next shelter but I have to be very careful about hiking my own hike and not trying to keep up with the youth of the trail. We hiked above lake Watauga all day and the views were very nice.
Date: 2016-04-11
From: Vandeven term shelter

To: double spring shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: scattered clouds

It is a never ending war with myself to accept the fact that I'm not so young anymore to try and keep up with the youth of the trail. I realize I have to hike my own hike but the thing is that usually I can keep up and then one day I just bonk like today and had to call it quits at this shelter while everyone else did a 24 mile day to the next shelter. I was the first to decide to stay and the updated forecast showed windy and rain so I stopped hanging my hammock and a good thing, it poured.Hopefully my competitive spirit doesn't do me in and I can learn more to enjoy the moment.
Date: 2016-04-12
From: double spring shelter

To: damascus
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up this morning to pouring rain and during a 3 minute break was able to get up and relieve myself then poured again while everyone was in agony. Was slow at getting packed up but still finished before anyone rolled out of their sleeping bags. Decided to minimize my clothing so hiked in shorts and t-shirt with rain jacket over that. As long as I didn't kill rhe hills I didn't sweat roo much and though soaked it was quite nice hiking. I realized when I got to the next shelter how lucky I was to not go there. I had to Resupply my water and it was way down at least .3 miles and down an extremely steep hill.Was not planning to go to Damascus but trail was good and by 2:00 the sun was out so soon was dry except my feet. This was my third day with new LA Sportive and wore them 20 miles with wet feet and no blisters. Amazing shoes.Arrived in Virginia and have completed 3 states, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Found a hostel for 7 dollars and decided to maybe zero tomorrow, we will see. I would like to do laundry because my clothes are starting to freak me out.