morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-04-26
From: US-19 and 74 (Nantahala Outdoor Center)

To: Stecoah Gap, NC 143 (Microtel Robbinsville)
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: few clouds

We left the NOC at 8:22am. Barb was not pleased with the NOC. They cater well to the kayakers, white water rafting and bicycle folks - but in her opinion not well to the hikers. The resupply is very sparse - and it wouldn't take much to do a better job with that. I didn't use the outfitter but Barb did - she said they were under par and more into rafting. Oh well...We had our longest mileage day yet - and we survived!! It felt great to do some "respectable" AT mileage :-). My legs are getting stronger. Half way through the day we stopped and had our leftover pizza. That must be what contributed to the big mileage day. :-)We didn't see many people on the trail today - but there was one group of hikers who were the kindest of guys. They all belong to the same church and have hiked together for years - and their Pastor was one of the hikers - cool! Two of them are thru hikers. The rest of the group hiked along for support and fellowship. There is inclement weather on the way tonight. We knew before we left the NOC. Plus (and this is the biggest factor) we are not re-supplied correctly to start the Smokies.So, when we got to Stecoah Gap we had a decision point. We could try to stealth camp at the Gap picnic area (big sign - no camping allowed) and take a chance on Fontana Village re-supply tomorrow, or go into Robbinsville (6 miles west) and get a motel and resupply properly (Ingles Grocery - yeah!).Remember the group of guys? Well, they were loading up their van and headed to....Robbinsville! They let us ride with them. We are at the Microtel (a little pricey) and....right across from Ingles!It's after 9 - our bellies are full and we are set to go into the smokies!Oh, one other thing that was so cool. Marilyn, the front desk clerk, let us use her computer and printer (behind her in a back room) to go online and print our Smokies permit. Woo Hoo!! Hats off to Marilyn - I gave her a big hug!! (Yes, I was already showered.)So, we are ready for the Smokies. Now, we have to see what the weather is like. Oh, the guys are going to run us back to the Gap after breakfast tomorrow!!Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-04-27
From: County Rd 1242, Yellow Creek Mountain Rd 

To: Stecoah Gap, NC 143 (Microtel Robbinsville)
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Yesterday we went over 150 miles! Barb told me last night after I sent in the Journal to Jenny. Wahoo!Today at breakfast a plan was agreed upon by the guys from yesterday. They are known as the "Bama Boys." We were again invited to join them on their adventure. What a great group. 100% rain was in the forecast. Their plan was to slackpack southbound for 7.7 miles and spend another night in the motel. It was a great plan. We all had a great time starting dry, getting soaked, and then coming back to the motel again and getting dry. Those guys are fast! I did the best I could to keep up. Barb did better. :-)And, to top it off, free lunch was included! A couple guys from Mountain Khakis Company had trail magic set up under a rain canopy at our pick up point!! We feasted on burgers, hot dogs, cokes, brownies and cookies. Yum! Thanks Mountain Khakis!Shortly after we got back to the motel, the Pastor of the Bama Boys dropped off a big box full of food for us to choose from! All of the group except for the two thru hikers are heading home tomorrow.Barb and I rested in the afternoon and dried our stuff. Our shoes are pretty soaked. But, that is part of thru hiking for sure. Oh, I saw Trillium in bloom for the first time. Such pretty flowers - all different colors. For dinner we got nice inexpensive dinners from the Ingles deli. Loving Ingles!Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-04-28
From: County Rd 1242, Yellow Creek Mountain Rd 

To: Fontana Dam Shelter (Fontana Lodge)
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: moderate rain

Our trail angels, the Bama Boys came through for us one more time. Amazing. The group was ready to split up. Three of the five were headed back to Alabama with the van and the two thru hikers were continuing on. The thru hikers were being dropped off at the Fontana Shelter. The section we did today is going to be completed at the end of their thru hike. So....they dropped us off at the start point from yesterday and dropped our packs at the Fontana Lodge for us!!! We slack packed again. Great guys. Our hike was slushy, mucky, and slippery with steady rain the whole way. It was nice to not have our packs on. I did fall once - but I landed on my soft cushy rump!We are at the Fontana Lodge all checked in, showered and drying our clothes, especially our boots and socks - soaked again. Oh well....Tomorrow - Smoky Mountains! Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-04-29
From: Fontana Dam Shelter (Fontana Lodge)

To: Russell Field Shelter
Miles today: 13.8
Weather: light rain

(Note: Lots of pictures added. See all 04/29 pics.) At dinner time last night we ran into Oak again. He is fun to talk to. We knew he was here because we read his TJ and saw that he was taking a zero day at the lodge. There is a picture of all of us around a dinner table at the lodge. Search for "Oak" on the TJ main page. Go to the entry for 4/28. Oak is the tall guy next to me in the picture. :-)This morning I had my first cup of coffee since we started the trail. Not sure why but I haven't really had a craving or desire for it. The lodge had a free dispenser in the lobby. It tasted good!We took the morning shuttle and began our Smoky Mountain hike! Part way into our morning we were greeted by a really nice ranger. He asked us if we had our permits. We told him we did and he was satisfied with that - he didn't need to see them. He really reminded me of Jenny's Uncle Trent a lot. :-)Tonight we are at a nice shelter that has two platforms and sleeps 14. In the Smoky Mountains it is mandatory to sleep in the shelters. The exceptions are: 1. If the shelter is full or 2. If a non thru hiker shows up and has a reservation and the shelter is full - then a thru hiker has to give up a spot. Non thru hikers have to reserve to stay in the Smokies.We are now seeing more of the same folks and slowly forming our "hiker bubble" of folks that pretty much hike the same distance each day. Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-04-30
From: Russell Field Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: scattered clouds

What a great group of hikers at the shelter last night! Everyone talked and laughed and joked. Of course Oak and Tuesday (one of the Bama Boys) were a big part of it. :-) And, of course, everyone was quiet and sleeping by hiker midnight - 9pm. :-)What a view from Rocky Top! And, great cell service too. :-) I was able to send in yesterday's journal and a bunch of pictures. It was a warm one today - almost 80. We skipped a water source and should not have done that. :-( We took a nice mid afternoon break at Derrick Knob Shelter and got well hydrated. I even waited a good 1/2 hour before starting to hike, to give the fluid a chance to soak in. All along the trail for several miles there were hundreds of crickets! They were jumping around so much that it sounded like rain! Barb was surprised that there weren't birds feasting everywhere. :-)Many of the same group at the shelter tonight. Great folks. (Note: Multiple pictures posted.) Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-05-01
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: overcast clouds

*******200 Miles!!!*******We started the day off by seeing a very graceful deer near the shelter. She bid us good day and we headed on. Shortly into our day we entered an evergreen forest. It accompanied us almost all day. Even here at the shelter we are surrounded by large Christmas trees!Today we played tourist and visited Clingmans Dome. We mingled with all the sweet smelling folks that drove up there. I didn't smell as sweet as they did. :-) The views were tremendous. We also walked down the hill to a shop near the parking lot. We heard there was a snack bar there. NOT! It was a gift shop that also sold bottled water and candy bars. Catskill was not amused. We should have only read and believed the AWOL guide. Oh well. I did enjoy seeing and saying hi to people and lots of small kids around too. A couple folks asked about our hike and were amazed that we had already hiked 200 miles. :-) Well, I am too, actually. :-)Someone said they saw a bear near the paved path - but we didn't catch a glimpse. :-(We have a different group at the shelter tonight. Most likely because we are heading into Gatlinburg tomorrow. We opted for a shorter day today. And, this shelter is .5 miles off the AT. :-( Jury Duty hiked with us today. Very nice guy. He is going into Gatlinburg too. The three of us are the only Thru hikers here. There is a group of super nice young guys here. One of them is an Eagle Scout and built a nice fire in the fireplace. Cool!Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-05-02
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Newfound Gap, US 441 (Gatlinburg)
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: overcast clouds

It was a misty typical "Smoky Mountain" hike this morning. Soon after we left the shelter we saw a mist of "smoke" gently swirl through the trees. Today we are in Gatlinburg to resupply, do laundry and get clean. Gatlinburg is not a "Hiker Town" but if you look beyond the tourist type stuff you can definitely get what you need. We walked through main street and past all of the fancy restaurants for lunch and found....Shoney's!!! Yeah, baby did we take advantage of that. I sure got my money's worth and had two cold lemonades too! Catskill was right behind me and put a dent in that buffet too!We also rode around on the really neat trolley system here. It goes a long ways - even all the way to Dollywood! We only went as far as the Food City for re supply though. :-) $2 lets you ride all day. As far as a hiker friendly motel - the Grand Prix on Ski Mountain Road is great. $33.81. Clean rooms. And the trolley stops right at the motel. The shuttle up the mountain is $30 each way - but it fits up to four hikers - $7.50 each. Besides, when we were dating, Jenny told me she loved me for the first time right here in Gatlinburg. <3 :-) Kind of a special place and memory. Be sure to see the other pictures posted, too. Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-05-02
To: Jenny
Miles today: 0.0

When Ray and Barb arrived in Gatlinburg, Ray was hit with a rush of memories. Many years ago, before we were married, he and I went on a trip there with my sister Emmy and her husband John, and their tiny baby Sarah. We stayed at my father's condo, Windswept. We all had such a fun time. Emmy and John went skiing while Ray and I babysat little Sarah. We went ice skating at a recreation area/mall at Ski Mountain. We rode the cool ski lift (see picture), and we still have a picture taken of the two of us, with our feet dangling high above the snowy ground, holding hands, smiling and happy, each of us looking in different directions, not sure exactly where the cable mounted camera was.   One of our favorite memories is of the night we all went to dinner at The Peddler. (See picture) It's a very nice ($$$$) steak restaurant. The place is very popular, and we had a loooong wait in the bar before getting our table.   By the time we got seated, we had all had a few too many, and were having fun. Baby Sarah slept on a blanket under the table. Ray and Emmy almost ended up under the table right with her. Ray got lost on his way to the bathroom, when he had to navigate his way around the salad bar. I had to go rescue him. Oh, my goodness, I'm laughing right now remembering this, and I hope Ray doesn't mind that I'm telling this story! When the waiter came to our table, he brought a fancy cart with various cuts of meat on it. We were to chose the exact steak that we each wanted for dinner. Emmy looked up at him with wonder in her voice, and asked, "Are YOU the Peddler??" We all died laughing, and the waiter must've thought we were crazy. I'm so glad that Ray got a chance to see the city again. We'll have to make a trip back there with the kids sometime.
Date: 2013-05-06
From: Davenport Gap, TN 32, NC 284 (Susie's Place)

To: Green Corner Rd (Standing Bear Farm)
Miles today: 2.7
Weather: moderate rain

Susie and Cyndie were great hosts. It was such a pleasure to spend time there. Susie cooked breakfast and made coffee in the morning. Then it was time to head up the mountain. Today was a very short day and we are staying at a hostel called Standing Bear Farm. It is a rustic beautiful setting tucked on a hillside with a gurgling stream running right through the center. Barb and I got bunks for the night. They have a re supply here so we have what we need to head to Hot Springs. They also have a kitchen and they sell things to cook (like frozen pizzas, etc.). Treasure Hunter (see two other pictures for 05/06)NOTE from Jenny: Boy, was I happy to hear from Ray today (05/07), and get this journal entry and pictures! NOAA was showing such bad weather, but Ray said they had wonderful weather and it was a beautiful day on 05/06. So much for following all the high-tech weather info. Just get it straight from the man on the ground.
Date: 2013-05-08
From: Campsite just to the north of Max Patch 

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: moderate rain

We awoke to foggy misty chilly conditions. This would accompany us until the middle of the afternoon when the sun finally peeked out a bit. At one point during the hike it even sprinkled for a bit. We had one spot where we should have had a nice view - but the sky was shrouded in white. :-( So, no pictures today except for the neat little salamander. When we got lower in elevation there was so much more in blossom and green. It smelled like spring! Now we just need that at the higher elevations too. :-)We are tenting near the shelter tonight. For the second night in a row some rain started right after we got in our tents!Two owls held a nice conversation and lulled us to sleep when the rain let up. Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-05-09
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: NC 209 + US 25/70 (Hot Springs)
Miles today: 3.2

The owls from last night woke us up this morning too! No alarm needed in the woods - birds and the light of day work great. :-)Short hike today and we are in Hot Springs, NC. The trail runs right through the middle of town!We checked in at Elmers Sunnybank Inn. It is an old wonderful home that was built in 1840! There is a lot of history in these old walls - and especially our Room!!!! We are in room number 4 - the same room where Earl Shaffer himself stayed in 1948 and again in 1998!! Earl Shaffer was the first known thru hiker of the AT. Awesome!!! Oh, and guess who was sitting at Elmers? Our buddy Oak! We thought he was way ahead of us. We have a private room on the second floor with our own porch overlooking the back yard and garden. Very nice. It was worth the walk. :-)We had lunch at the Smokey Mountain Diner across the street. Great food at a reasonable price. We re-supplied and did laundry after lunch. In the evening we met other hikers including Oak for dinner. Fun time. (Three pictures from 05/09)Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-05-12
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: few clouds

Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful wife, Jenny! She is such a great Mom - and I know that Claire and Eric know that. :-) I hope she has a well deserved relaxing day. I also wished Barb a Happy Mother's Day as well. Her relaxing day will have to wait until Erwin in a few days. :-)After the rain last night we awoke to a cool foggy misty morning. And, of course, we departed the shelter with wet soggy shoes and socks. Oh well...At breakfast time (abt. 9am) we both had service and contacted our families. I wished Jen a Happy Mother's Day. Barb called her son Travis and he and his children wished her a Happy Mother's Day. I stepped down the trail a bit to give Barb some privacy. The sun came out then so I stood in the rays and soaked it in. While I was there I heard a noise in the woods. About 150 feet away in the brush I saw a nice size bear making its way toward the trail! I unzipped my front pouch and slid my camera out as quietly as I could. At that point the bear saw me and crashed away through the woods. Exciting stuff - but no picture. :-( Shortly down the trail we did see a lot of tracks and took pictures of them. :-)We had a wonderful sunny lunch at the picnic table at Flint Mountain Shelter. We took our socks and shoes off and dried them a bit. A little while later we descended to Devil Fork Gap (NC 212) and someone had trail magic set up! It was a previous thru hiker named Yonder! That second lunch hit the spot - we feasted on hot dogs, chips, and apple fritters!   As I was leaving Yonder handed me a fresh banana for later! Thanks Yonder!!!!We are tenting near the shelter tonight. I have already had my dinner and dessert. The dessert was a banana peanut butter wrap - with a fresh banana! Yum :-) (Six photos added for 05/12)Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-05-13
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Campsite at Whistling Gap
Miles today: 13.6

Today we awoke to sun and blue sky. It did drop to below 40 degrees overnight so we had a chilly pack up and depart. We warmed up quickly by hiking. :-)Shortly into our day something "exploded" into flight on our left. I've never surprised turkeys before. They are loud!I had a remembrance when I crossed under I-26 today. Last year Jen and I drove down this same section with our family in the van - camper in tow - on our way to a KOA in Ashville. From there we headed to North Georgia for a week at Unicoi State Park near Helen. We have taken a summer vacation there every year for the past 10 years. Last year we approached from a different direction because it was the end of a six week trip out west with the camper. We met a nice family on the summit of Big Bald. The Dad took a picture of Barb and me. Today we also met a special hiker named "G-ma". She is 71 years old and thru hiking the trail! She is so sweet! On the non windy side of the Big Bald we sat in a nice spot beside the trail and had lunch with a view! It was pretty there. Tonight we are in a camping area at a gap. It is at a lower elevation than last night so we're thinking maybe the temperature will not drop as far. Oh, G-ma is camping here too. There is a lot of wind whipping through the gap. Most of it is high level wind in the tops of the trees. When the wind approaches from one side and blows across to the other side it sounds like cars going by on a road. :-) (Six pictures for 05/13)Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-05-14
From: Campsite at Whistling Gap

To: River Rd, Unaka Springs Rd (Erwin, TN)
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Another beautiful sunrise this morning. Warmer temperatures last night. Well, not "warmer" but let's say less chilly. :-)During much of the hike today we were treated to a trail covered with pine needles. Nice and soft like carpet. :-)Also a lot of the hike was through areas where the trees created a sun dappled woods and trail. A real treat. The temperature got up to a nice 70 degrees, too. We were going to have lunch at No Business Knob Shelter - but passed it by - small "rough" looking shelter with no picnic table. We hiked a bit further and found a camping area with nice rocks to sit on. Oh! Aways down the trail after lunch we heard some noises in the woods below. We got a glimpse of a deer trotting away. Too far for a picture. We descended into Erwin and are staying at the Holiday Inn Express. They have coin laundry here and we've been told they also a killer breakfast in the morning. Yum! (Five photos for 05/14) Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-05-15
From: River Rd, Unaka Springs Rd (Erwin, TN)

To: Indian Grave Gap, TN 395 (Erwin,TN) 
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: clear sky

The breakfast buffet at the Holiday Inn was nice. It felt good to have a full tummy. After breakfast we caught a shuttle to re supply at Walmart. Nice wide selection of goodies to choose from. We also got our lunch for a picnic before heading out on trail. The motel check out isn't until noon so that all worked out good. It is a beautiful day. You know you're a hiker when you're in town on a beautiful day and look at the nearby mountains and want to be there. :-)We checked out at 1130, took the shuttle and were on the trail at 1145. A ways up the trail we took a side trail to a campground and had our picnic. While there a huge bumblebee landed on my nearby pack strap and I got a picture. :-)Now, here is where things get interesting. Yesterday while hiking into town I noticed some pain in my left ankle area. At the hotel last evening I also noticed some swelling. During the night I tried to keep it elevated and it felt stiff and somewhat painful. But, in the morning it felt somewhat okay. But, today while hiking the pain increased. Not only that, I was having pain in my right ankle as well. Each step radiated pain up my legs. We made a decision at Indian Grave Gap to get off trail and get me to a doctor. I didn't want to go any further - especially with the swelling. Well, we didn't have cell coverage up there so we started to walk slowly toward town and try to get coverage. When the third or fourth car drove by Barb tried waving her hiker hat and some really nice kids pulled over. They gave us a ride all the way to the local hospital!It turns out I have tendinitis on the left and mild on the right. :-(   The doc prescribed prednisone, elevated ice packs and 2-3 days rest. Oh well...The doctor was nice but my nurse Vic was fantastic. He wrapped my ankles with ace bandages. While talking with him I found out he was getting off work soon. I asked him if he could give us a ride to the hotel. He said yes! Not only that, he also offered to stop by Walgreens so I could get the prescription too. What a great guy. Thanks Vic!!!!So, signing off for now from the Holiday Inn Express - feet in the air and ice packs on my ankles - compliments of Barb - the bestest sister. Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-05-16
From: Indian Grave Gap, TN 395 (Erwin,TN) 

To: Indian Grave Gap, TN 395 (Erwin,TN)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

A zero day to let my ankles heal. I noticed during the night that my range of motion had gotten better significantly and the pain and swelling had already reduced. A great sign It is mid morning. My feet are elevated and so far we have watched Leave It To Beaver and Perry Mason on MeTv - lol!Today my son Eric had braces put in. The procedure went well and he is doing good. His big sister Claire had braces too, so she is ready with all the tips for her little bro. Mid afternoon Barb made a call and got a shuttle for us. We will be back on trail tomorrow. I have no pain - only slight pressure when I flex my foot in and out. We'll take it easy and see how it goes. I have additional medication as needed. I have been a good boy and have kept my feet elevated all day. :-) Treasure Hunter
Date: 2013-04-21
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I now have less than two weeks before my first day on the trail, and it¢s coming up fast. During these next two weeks, I have only 4 days left at my job, we¢re going to Ohio for wedding, and then going on a cruise! A LOT is happening in a very short period of time, and it¢s all fantastic! Last night, my wife organized a good-bye/send-off party, and it was really great to have so many friends around who really care about what I¢m about to do (OR they really care about burgers and Great Lakes beer, but either way¢¦). Seriously though, everyone has been extremely supportive, and it means the world to me. I¢m going to miss you guys!13 days left!