morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-04-03
From: Newfound Gap - North Carolina Tennessee Borders

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: broken clouds

Writing from Icewater Springs Shelter Smoky Mountains National Park. The shelters sleep from six to sixteen. This shelter has an upper level and a lower level. I like to sleep on the upper level because I feel less claustrophobic. One of my trail buddies WWW Wrong Way Wise, Leroy Wise, may never let me forget that I probably hold the record now for our group for going the wrong way. 9 miles! I know better. I charged forward and climbed Mount Lecont - not on the AT. I became too blade about blazes. Live and learn.Rained on Steamer and I almost all the way there and back. It did quit raining long enough on top of the mount to take a picture shooting towards Jerry & Sandy's home.It was great to get a hot meal and into dry clothes.Tomorrow is a clean slate.My cousin, Barbara (Bowman) Theile, sent me an email and said she had read the blog. It was great to hear from her.
Date: 2012-04-04
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Another great day for hiking the AT in the Smokey Mountains National Park.The best part is, we did not hike up the Mt. LeConte again today. Mt. LeConte is the second highest peak 6,593 feet in the Smokies. It is only surpassed by Clingmans Dome 6,643 feet.Nacho, a fellow hiker, responded differently than most as to our unplanned hike to the top of Mt. LaConte. His response was wow - you climbed Boulevard Trail to the top of Mt. LaConte - one of the most spectacular trails in the Smokies.The best moment today was many as we had incredible views on both sides as we hiked the ridge for the first seven miles after leaving Icewater Springs Shelter. By the way, Steamer and I would have missed these views had we not hike the wrong way yesterday. We only had one good view as we hiked the Boulevard Trail yesterday and it was at the very top. The rain broke just long enough at the top to see the valley's below. Thanks God!How do you keep your food bags away from bears and other citters at night while you sleep? Each shelter in the Smokey Mountains National Park provides cables to hook your bags to. The cables become quite colorful as all the hikes add their food bags.Remember I am hikin for HIM to raise funds to make capital improvements to United Methodist Church Camps in Indiana that brings youth in our state closer to Christ. You can make a pledge or gift by going to the www.rightfuture.org website and clicking on Hiking for HIM and making a pledge on line. Thank YOU!
Date: 2012-04-04
From: Seiverville, TN

To: Trail Mama - still at Seiverville, TN
Miles today: 0.0

I have waited...not so patiently at times...to hear from SOS before I wrote this journal but he hasn't called or contacted me since 7am this morning so decided to go ahead and write. Today's picture (as you can see, I finally know how to put pictures on!) is of our trip mascot, Shep from Good Shepherd Church in Ft. Wayne, IN. He now wears a hand knitted vest with an AT patch on his back that says 2000 miler..Georgia to Maine. I decided since he is snowy white that he needed something to keep him a little cleaner so I just started knitting and his vest turned out just right. Today was beautiful here with sunshine all day long after a weather report that said we had a 60% chance of rain. I watched the mountains, which are visible from my guest room, where I know SOS and Steamer are, and was so thankful not to see rain. SOS reported this morning that the shelter they were at last night had a fire so they dried out and were up and ready to go this morning. I am so proud of the fact that he does not complain even slightly about the conditions he is encountering. He just reports the facts and does what needs to be done which says to me that he will indeed make it for the entire 2184 miles. Your prayers and notes in the guest book are very helpful so keep up both! Sandy and I took a walk tonight and I couldn't help but wish I was up on the mountain top with SOS. I am hopeful that after he finishes the Smokies that I can get back on the trail. We will see...
Date: 2012-04-05
From: Tri-Corner Shelter

To: I-40 Underpass
Miles today: 17.6

Today was great day of hiking. Logged in the biggest miles day to date. Steamer and I hiked 17.6 miles in 7 hours and 50 minutes. The high moment on the trail today came just before I reached Cosby Knob Shelter. I heard the sound of a jet and looked in the direction of the sound. A US Air Force transport plane flew directly over me not more than 100 feet above me - wow I had to be just at the right place at the right time to see the plane. It was like I was getting my own personal fly by for hiking the AT. This makes the second time I have seen a plane go right above me on the trail - the first time was a glider as I was hiking South Central Virginia two years ago.George and I found four morel mushrooms on the trail. We were hoping for more but no success - really not enough to eat.Jerry and Trail Mama picked us up at I-40 and we came back to Jerry and Sandy's to spent the night. Trail Mama - my highlight of the day was when Jerry and I were on our way to pick up the guys. We stopped at two unique antique shops and then the best of all...the Bush Bean plant which has a wonderful general store in the front..and a restaurant also. Their speciality dessert is pecan pie with PINTO beans in the mix! I am considering stopping there on my way to pick up the guys this evening and getting a piece. I can't imagine those two things in a dessert together but as long as I am stretching my horizons..it might as well include trying a new food:-) Rog is worried about me finding them today as the location is rather remote. I assured him that I am a woman and therefore WILL stop and ask for help if I need to. As soon as I get the guys, we will head for the next stop which is Hot Springs, NC. I called our new friend Lyn and she is there!! So will get to spend a little time with her tomorrow and then we all plan on going to church somewhere on Easter Sunday.
Date: 2012-04-06
From: I-40 Underpass

To: Lemon Gap
Miles today: 19.5

It was a harrowing day for me (Trail Mama). Jerry drove Steamer and SOS back to I-40 to begin their hiking day. Meanwhile, I cleaned up the guest house, packed the car, said my goodbys and thank yous to my wonderful hosts, Jerry and Sandy and started out to pick up the guys at Lemon Gap. I started early so I could stop along the way. The first place I stopped was the Bush Bean general store where I had my picture photo shopped in with Duke, the Bush Bean dog. I also bought a piece of their famous pecan/pinto bean pie...(you really couldn't tell the beans were in there) On I went and what a surprise when I got to my turn onto Hwy 107. The road now became a very narrow, dirt and gravel path!..and it had a crazy amount of curves...like constant curves all the while climbing higher and higher up the mountain. This went on and on and on for 15 miles with me driving 10-15 MPH...very slow going. I finally got to where Rog had set the GPS and ended up at Max Patch which had a nice parking lot and big sign...but no SOS and Steamer. I asked 2 men with 2 kids where Lemon Gap was and they told me it was 6 MILES back on the crazy road I had just driven. They said they would drive there and see if the guys were there...so I sat and waited until I finally decided to drive back myself and try to find them. A mile down the path/road I found the 2 men who lied to me because they were now fishing in a pond by the road...not looking for the guys at all. So on I went and 4 miles down SOS was standing in the middle of the road at Lemon Gap which is not marked in any way, shape or form!! Rog drove the rest of the way down and kept saying that he couldn't believe I had driven this road. We got into Hot Springs about 7:20 and went straight to a restaurant to eat. After eating we took Steamer to the campground and tried to find a room...there were NO rooms to be found anywhere in town so we went back to the campground and decided to sleep in the back of the car because Rog was chilling and we decided the car would be warmer than the tent. After moving everything from the back into the front, we settled into our sleeping bags for the night.SOS here. Longest hiking day yet and just about exhausted at midday and what pops up but a Trail Angel, whose trail name is Apple. He told "Steamer" and I that he does Trail Magic full time. He spreads his time amongst four trails - the AT, the Continetal Divide Trail, the Colorado Trail and the Florida Trail. Trail Angels are fantastic and Apple could not have come at a more opportune time."Steamer" and I both agreed that the ribs we had for lunch on the trail, which came from our meal the night before, was not exactly the best hiking meal.We did the 19.5 miles in good time. We were absolutely amazed when "Trail Mama" found us. "Steamer" was ready to go into survivor mode when she was not there waiting on us. We were both worried about her. Big smiles were all around when she drove up - just another memory for the trip.
Date: 2012-04-07
From: Lemon Gap

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

After sleeping in the car overnight, we got up and rearranged everything from the front to the back of the car again. What a surprise to find that Steamer was camped in the very next space to us! We picked him up and all went to breakfast at the Smoky MT. Diner. We then drove back the crazy road to Lemon Gap where I dropped off the guys and drove back down the crazy road...which was getting somewhat familiar by this time! I went immediately to the Alpine Inn on arriving back in town. After 2 employees there argued in front of me as to whether they had a room or not, the man won and I got a room for more money than we had yet paid and it was the worst room yet! Lyn called so I met up with her and her husband, David and Penny, her dog (who looks exactly like Duke, the Bush Bean dog!) While waiting on the guys to come into town, I went to a flea market, visited some stores, and watched the town Easter parade...which went down the short street one way and then turned around and came back down the street. The parade consisted of 3 flag bearers, a bagpipe player, 5 church sponsored floats, and the Easter Bunny! You have to love small town America!! The guys appeared at 4:15 and Steamer went to his tent. We went to our room. Rog was cold and the windows were open so when I tried to close them the crank was broken so Rog had to go outside and push them shut while I latched them on the inside...just one small example of what was wrong with this room:-) We picked up Steamer to go to dinner and saw the two brothers who are hiking together, with next to no money, so we took them along to dinner and gave them some trail magic in the form of a free meal. While at the restaurant, a lady asked about Rog's Hiking for Him sweatshirt. She was born in Ft. Wayne and gave us a $5.00 contribution for the camps! Back at the room we settled in for a somewhat chilly sleep since the heater in the room didn't work well either. We ended up getting our blankets from the car which helped. And so ended another day in our journey north...
Date: 2012-04-08
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Easter Sunday 2012 was unlike any other Easter we have experienced. We woke up in our least favorite room and checked out as soon as we could get things together! We went to breakfast and had our first wonderful experience of the day. As we were paying the bill, a lady sitting close by asked me what my shirt said...(we both had on our Hiking for Him sweatshirts which we always wear to churches on Sunday). I told her what we were doing and her husband immediately handed me a $20 bill and said that it was for the camps! We couldn't help but think about being at one UM church along the way where no one even wondered why we had on bright orange shirts or asked us anything and here were complete strangers contributing to camps in another state! So that is $25 more for the camps from complete strangers who live in North Carolina! Way to GO, North Carolina! On we went to church at Antioch UM church which is a two point charge. They were doing a play about the life of Christ from birth to resurrection. Again, like last Sunday, it was a church of less than 50 but they did a great job with the play....and the pastor spoke to us and welcomed us to their church. After church we drove back to town to do laundry. We also got a room for the next two nights at the Iron Horse Inn for considerably less than last night's room. It is a restored 1890's building which is beautifully done and has great hiker rates:-) We were both hungry for fresh fruit so went to the store and bought an orange for Rog and a grapefruit for me. We sat on a bench in the sunshine waiting for our laundry and eating fruit! (haven't done that before on Easter!)Later we took a drive out of town to see where I was to pick up SOS tomorrow. We got to where we thought we should be but saw no sign of the trail..but did see a lost hiker who was also looking for the trail. After walking around and looking awhile, a man stopped by and knew what we were doing and also knew where the very poorly marked trail was...so the lost hiker went on his way and we headed back to town. We took a long walk around town and down by the beautiful river which flows thru town. Dinner was just soup and salad as neither of us was very hungry. Back to our room to catch up the journal...by the way...Hot Springs is one of the few places that the AT goes right through town. HAPPY EASTER TO ALL
Date: 2012-04-09
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Allen Gap
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

SOS got up early and was preparing to go while I was snuggled into the wonderful bed. While he was showering, I decided I should get up and walk a little ways with him so I surprised him and was ready when he came out of the bathroom. We walked to the bridge that he had to cross to continue on the trail...I watched him until I couldn't see him anymore then turned and went back to the room. I spent the day reading ( a Sue Grafton mystery that I picked up somewhere in a free book pile) and working on my rug. I decided to eat some trail food for lunch so fixed a freezer bag lunch of rice, veggies and German soup mix. This was all put in a freezer quart bag and hot water was poured on top. (sounds good..right Nick??):-) The bag was put into an insulated bag I had made and sealed up. While it was "cooking", I went to the library (a most popular place with hikers) and the post office. I also went to the bank to ask for a sign that was in their window yesterday about the church we attended on Sunday. It was gone but the bank manager retrieved it from the trash can for me without laughing outloud! The other customer was struggling not to laugh...but I just smiled and went on my way with the poster that I wanted to keep with our leather journal of memories. I left town about 2:45 to pick up SOS who said he would be at the pick up point at 3:30. Another drive on winding twisting roads...I arrived early so wrote in my leather journal and read some more. At exactly 3:30 SOS appeared...I don't know how he hits the time so exact! He wanted to go to a hiker hostel he had read about so I drove on until we found the remote hostel/cafe/general store in a delightful location by a stream with a small water fall. We bought drinks and sat in rocking chairs on the large porch and soaked up the beauty of God's creation. To further astound SOS, I drove him back to town on the windy, twisty roads which I am getting quite comfortable with!! More after dinner and Rog's surpprise for the evening...stay tuned...
Date: 2012-04-11
From: Devil Gap

To: Sam's Gap
Miles today: 8.5

43 years ago at 6:40pm in a room at the Caylor-Nickel Clinic in Bluffton, IN...I fell in love. I was not supposed to be there and the baby wasn't supposed to appear for 5 weeks. When I saw the 7# 6oz. dark haired baby boy that arrived 40 minutes after I got to the hospital, it was love at first sight. He was not only beautiful...he looked at me with wisdom in his eyes. He still has wisdom and is everything a Mom could ask for in her first born son. Happy Birthday, Jeffrey Lynn. I love you still and for always my baby you'll be. More laterLater..I drove Rog to his start point and then started back the 17 miles to town..mostly interstate so it was an easy drive today! Stopped to take a picture and 4 ladies stopped to ask ME directions to the AT. Amazingly I was able to help them. Back in town I went to the grocery to get Rog a few things like drink mix and candy bars. My next stop was at a pottery place where I was the only visitor so I got to talk to the potter and watch him work for awhile. David Stockton was making a beautiful bowl with handles and leaves. We talked for a while and then another employee came along and we all talked about the AT and our walk. After leaving there, I decided to make some lunch (chicken noodle soup in my microwave) before I went to pick up Rog. He is only doing 8.5 miles today so will be a short day for him. He wanted picked up around 2:45 so I got there around 2:15 and there he was! He got done at 2:10 so I was glad that I planned on being early because it is in the 40's here today and the wind is really blowing hard. We drove to where tomorrow's spot would be and marked it on the GPS. Back in town we went to a place that TB recommended...the Dari Ace which opened in 1960. We had cheese sandwiches and Rog had a strawberry shake which you can see us sharing in the picture. We drove downtown to the ChooChoo Cafe/antique store. The dinner menu is most unusual. Anyone can tell the cook what they would like to eat and she will fix it. If no one does, she cooks what she wants to! We plan to go to the movie theatre tonight and see The Hunger Games...if Rog wakes up from his nap! He did and we did.
Date: 2012-04-15
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Iron Mountain Gap
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: clear sky

Well, Leroy (WWW), I have to admit that I joined your club in a big way today! I took Rog to his start point which is a paved road with a dirt road leading off of it up to a place called Beauty Spot. After SOS left, I got the bright idea of driving up to Beauty Spot Gap and hiking back towards SOS and surprising him. SO I started out following the white blazes...and I walked and walked and walked...about a mile and a half before it occurred to me that MAYBE I was going the wrong way. After finally getting Rog to answer his phone, he confirmed that I was indeed going the wrong way...so being the wonderful man that he is...he turned around and hiked to me and then we hiked back the one and a half miles back to the car. Then..part two..I started down the 2 mile long dirt winding twisting road and came to a fork...sure enough I turned the WRONG way again! I drove about a mile (there is NO place to turn around on these narrow roads) and realized that I was going uphill instead of downhill. I finally came to a spot that I thought I could turn around without going over the side and started back down the road. When I came to the fork, I took the correct one and finally got back to town. I am directionally challenged and for once Edith Chloe wasn't helpful. (I may have to quit trying to surprise SOS since it seems like I end up surprising myself!) Later I drove back to pick up Rog and 4 passengers who wanted a ride to town (Tortoise, Hare, Deisel, & Big Sky). Rog and I ordered pizza delivery and ate in the room.SOS here. Yesterday I was ask by a young mother who was hiking with her husband and her red headed toddler what I like best about the AT? I reflected and said the balds. The balds give you an unobstructed view in every direction and show the awesome world in its grandeur. I have never lost my amazement when surrounded by the power of nature whether it be crashing of waves against the shore, the depths of the Grand Cayon or seeing mountain top after mountain top as far as the eye can see. It is at times like these, that I feel closest to God.The best part today about Trail Mama hiking the wrong way, was she was hiking for the right reason and that was to surprise me. As I told Tortise and Hare, how blessed am I to have a spouse who is willing and wants to share this hike with me. I hope she continues to surprise me!We only have 1,822.1 more miles to hike.
Date: 2012-04-16
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Carvers Gap
Miles today: 14.8

SOS here.Total elevation change today was in excess of 3,452 feet. The Eiffel Tower is 1,050 feet tall or the equivalent of an 81 story building. This means I could have climbed the Eiffel Tower three times today or a 243 story building and still had 300 more feet to climb.The best memory of the day was when I reached the summit of Roan Mountain and knew it was all down hill from there and Trail Mama would be waiting for me at Carvers Gap.Trail Mama had purchased for me two special items at the gas station next to the Holiday Inn Express. Little Debbie Apple pie to eat at lunch and Strawberry Twizzlers to snack on as I hike. It was a great hiking day.Trail Mama now...After dropping SOS off at Iron Mountain Gap, I drove on to our next overnight stopping place...the Mountain Harbour Hostel in Roan Mountain, TN. I checked in and found our "room". It is a small space with a slanting ceiling so you can only stand up at the end of the king size bed. It does have a beautiful stained glass window and a wicker chair! Outside the room is the main living space with kitchen, living room, dining room, etc. all in one. The loft has 4 single beds and there is a couch which makes a double bed outside our curtain/door. It is full of hikers tonight. I drove to the post office and picked up our guest hiker, Flat Stanley, for the next few days. He arrived in an envelope from Fort Wayne, Indiana and was so glad to get out :-) Our granddaughter Tessa's kindergarten class are all sending Flat Stanley's to different parts of the country so he can have new experiences. The first thing I did for him was to put an AT tattoo on his shirt so he would feel right at home among the hikers. I also had made him his own hiking stick and knitted him a hat for the cool temps in the mountains. Flat Stan and I drove to NC so he could "claim" another state. We went to Elk Park, NC and explored the only store open which was a hardware store. Back in Roan Mountain, we returned to our room where I read a new book that Jane Moody gave me...Fannie Flagg's Can't Wait to Get to Heaven...it is interesting as all her books are. Soon it was time to drive back to pick up SOS at Carver's Gap...new territory for me but the same winding, twisty roads...BUT the blessing was...GUARD RAILS!! That was a first in these mountains for me. I was early as usual so explored this Gap which was the first one that was marked with a real sign. I drove SOS down the mountain to our room so he could shower before we went to dinner at Bob's Dairy Bar (most things here were closed on Monday). Many hikers are sitting around talking in the shared space. It is interesting to listen to their versions of the trail.
Date: 2012-04-17
From: Carvers Gap

To: Mountain Harbor Hostel & BB
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: light rain

SOS here.The first 10 miles of the trail today was awesome. The view was unobstructed in every direction for nearly the whole 10 miles. Flat S aka Flat Stanley hitch-hiked along for the whole 15 miles. He did not complain once.I stopped for many photo ops with Flat S, but at the end of the day there was none on the phone.I missed my pickup time by a 1/2 hour ! It was great to come back an take a shower! We went to a local pizza place where I had a calzone and Trail Mama had a salad. We treated Soleman to a medium pizza. He ate 3/4ths of the Pizza and an outrageous calorie filled cookie. It was 2 m&m cookies with white frosting in between.There is a 90% chance of rain tomorrow. I am not good at being cold so I will zero tomorrow and wait for a more favorable forecast. I will enjoy spending my day with Trail Mama.