morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-03-11
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: light rain

Woke up 6:30 or so and again waited until a little light to make the LONG walk to the privy, then back past the bear cables to get our food bags down and bring them up to the site. Privies are thoughtfully placed a good ways from the shelter, but at times this is asking a lot...Bear cables have hooks on pulleys that you lower and hook your food bags on, very convenient. It squeaked a bit as I got ours, to my dismay since it was still early and folks were sleeping, and sound carried all over the bowl of Low Gap. Speaking of sound carrying, just after lights out, owls started calling to each other all around the forest - still all largish hardwoods, so no leaves to muffle the sharp hoots, chuckles and hoo-awwks. Eerie and amazing, and really, really loud! We're definitely camping now!The hike was over many smooth miles of lovely trail that was probably an old tote road, judging by the stonework that shored up the inside curves. It slabbed some very steep hillsides but at such an nice grade we were cruising (for us), and made very good time to Blue Mt. Shelter.The trail did turn rocky, rooty and steeper for a mile or two before the shelter but since I'd learned not to fear from yesterday's experience, the difficulty was not compounded by having worried about it all day! It was cloudy, more humid, but still cool for hiking. A different ambience than the bright sunny days. At Blue Mt Shelter, where we planned to stop, it was only 1:30, and less than 2 miles downhill to Unicoi and a shuttle to the Hiawassee Inn. We decided to go for it, with the reward being a whole day off, instead of the half day we originally planned. We called Sam from Unicoi and chatted with other hikers awaiting their shuttles, and were picked up in 20 minutes or so. At the Inn, they took our laundry and returned it a couple hours later all clean and folded! meanwhile, we - Bananas was with us - strolled over to the adjacent Dairy Queen for burgers, fries and dessert.Puppy and Shepherd are here as well - we're reaping a reward from having stayed at the Hiker Hostel so long, in recognizing a significant number of hikers now!
Date: 2008-03-12
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Our first real zero day, in the exceedingly lovely town of Hiawassee, GA. The Hiawassee Inn is a small motel that caters to hikers, and it has been very comfortable to have our own room while we rest up and plan for the next two legs of the hike. Even though all you need is carried on your back,and seemingly it's all very simple, you do have to plan carefully for how many days you are going to be out before a chance to get more food. So, this morning we put on the weather channel first, to see how any weather concerns would affect our plans for the next week or so. Then we got out the maps and guidebook pages for the area we plan to hike, and divided the distance up into 1-day lengths. This is very approximate, since the terrain can be much easier or harder and throw off the estimate. But you have to start somewhere.Then we noted how many meals were needed for each leg, and then sorted through what food was left over from this last leg, as well as food that we had sent up-"bounced"- from the last hostel in Dahlonega. Then we wrote down what else was needed to fill out the menus, and walked to the grocery store to shop. It was old home week at the supermarket, since all the hostels shuttle hikers into town to resupply, so we saw over a dozen folks from the past two weeks, all at once. Very jolly.Back to the motel with bags of stuff (so much for simplicity) and then the real chaos begins. Let's see, now, one breakfast, two sets of lunch/snacks and one dinner for the first leg, and four breakfasts, five lunch/snacks and four dinners for the next leg. Then pack the backpack up for the two day leg, and put the food for the next leg into a box which will be left here at the motel. In two days we'll get the shuttle back here, set up the packs for the five day stretch, sleep overnight, and head out the next morning. This all can happen because Hiawassee is equally far from two different trail crossings, so hikers come into town from one or both to resupply. Other towns are similarly situated, and you'll hear us doing this sort of thing again.Sleeping last night in a bed was great, we both slept 11 hours, got up for breakfast that the inn provides for hikers, and promptly went back to the room for a nap...ahhh!Many hiker friends are here at the inn, we met more in the library using the computers and some walking to the stores - and so builds the hiking community I've been reading about for years. So also ends our first 50 miles and our first hiking week.Oh yes, we had lunch at the Shoney's up the road, and by the register as you pay your bill was a little sign that said "Be kind - everybody is fighting a hard battle"...Plato.That's just about it for tonight.
Date: 2008-03-14
From: Sassafras Gap

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: light rain

Woke up while still dark, stuffed my sleeping bag and deflated and rolled up the airmat by headlamp. Went and got the food bags down from the treelimb a good ways from the tents, and ate some cereal while waiting for enough light to pack up the rest. We wanted an early start because rain was forecast for midday. Because of the extra long hike yesterday we only had 6-some miles this morning to get to the parking area at Dick's Creek Gap.While packing up we heard pigs squealing in the distance. This was so cool, because we had seen miles of trail with the sides all roto-tilled up, and realized we were in wild boar territory. Never saw any animals, so squealing was good! Also heard owls just before it got light.More steep, long climbs to start the day, and now some clouds were coming in and the cool dry air shifted to warmer more humid air. We had geared up for rain, put pack covers on and had rain jackets handy, on the principle that it is a lot easier to have them on and not need them than to struggle in a downpour, digging things out of the packs. It did rain lightly towards the end of the hike, enough to justify the caution, I guess!We got to the parking area around noon, where a hiker we know was getting out of a truck - as we stood there, I realized it couldn't hurt to ask...and soon we were being driven back into Hiawassee by the retired chief of police! Thanks, Everett!It was a long 17miles, even split into two days. It is good to have the afternoon to rest and figure out the next leg. And the folks here at the inn have been so warm and pleasant, as well as hiker friends who have been coming and going - it's been a wonderful atmosphere all around.
Date: 2008-03-15
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Whew! Safely inside a sturdy brick motel building, here at the Hiawassee Inn, while the tv blares about the tornado warnings across northern Georgia, and predictions of golf-ball sized hail...thunder, lightening and heavy rain have been rolling in this afternoon confirming our decision to wait until tomorrow to hike on. The vistas from here of the surrounding mountains looks like a painting with dramatic swirls of clouds of all shades of white and gray, and mist whisping around the edges.Most of the hikers here are staying as well, and Ron, the co-owner of the inn, is threatening to make us all a big dinner tonight! The inn staff have been incredibly friendly and helpful, and this is surely beyond anything we could anticipate.The morning task was to pack up the "bounce box", which has extra food that I can't carry on this next leg, a couple of shirts - one hiking shirt that is not really necessary for four days out, and a cotton "town shirt" to wear when at a motel or hostel. Also the charger for the phone, the guidebook (I rip out and carry only the pages for the area we are currently hiking) and some refills for advil, blister padding and so forth. I had imagined it convenient to send these things, as well as a box from home with more substantial food, but it is very easy to get to town so far, and I might quit the whole box thing altogether. It means having to get to the PO, sort thru stuff, figure out what's being bounced, and repack it, get back to the PO to send it on. Even if you send it to the hostel or inn, you still have to send it out from the PO.How much "stuff" do I really need? It's getting pared down at each stop, and that feels liberating.The rest today will put us in good shape for the longish hike tomorrow, 4 or 5 days, until the next town. The hardest part actually is carrying the food - 7 or 8 pounds instead of the 4-5 earlier. Big incentive to eat up the heavy stuff first!It's still hard to guess how long a section will take, and to estimate the food requirements. The more weight you carry, the slower you go, so the longer it takes, so the more food you need...but underestimating food is not good either, since this hiking is a high-energy-demand activity. I'll get better at estimating, for sure.The library here in Hiawassee, which is a couple of blocks from the inn, has computers which non-residents are allowed to use. I was able to go and read the guestbook yesterday, which was a huge lift! Thank you so much for writing! Marcia and I are sharing her camera, so in a week or two there will be some photos on her site (Auntie Mame) that reflect what we've seen and done.Over and out from Hiawassee, Georgia.
Date: 2008-03-16
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Bly Gap
Miles today: 8.9
Weather: clear sky

Left the Hiawassee Inn for the last time, after a truly great stay, on the morning shuttle for Dick's Creek Gap to resume backpacking. Felt great to be out there after a rainy zero. Clear blue sky, crisp air, perfect.Today brought us to the state line, an easy-to-miss small, weathered sign on a tree on a steep slope where the trail slabs along narrowly, with just enough space on the inside edge to step up and take a picture of your giddy hiker buddies, clowning for the camera at this first big milestone. Well, it FEELS big, although it is "only" 76.3 miles. More rhododendrons and holly trees, still feeling very exotic to me. And miles of winding trail along VERY steep hillsides - gives you that trekking-in-Nepal feeling. Very different from New England! No birds to speak of, except juncos, which hop along the trail in front of you. There is a really nice camping area just past the state line, in a nice bowl which shelters from most directions. A piped spring flows right nearby. As we got there and began to set up, others came by that we know, as well as some new people - Yellowstone, Baglady and Coma among them. (Why is it so much easier to remember trailnames?)Driftwood, Bananas and Auntie Mame and I were sitting around leaning against tree trunks in the sun, in that time between arriving at a campsite and actually tucking into camp setup, and someone told a joke. This set us to laughing, and dredging up more jokes, the next one lamer than the last, but we found them all hysterically funny...(i.e., Where does the King keep his armies? In his sleevies!, etc.)Ahhh, good night from Bly Gap, NORTH CAROLINA!
Date: 2008-03-17
From: Bly Gap

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Cool, partly cloudy day. Woke up before daylight, but didn't mind lying in the sleeping bag until I could see. In fact, I mind the long nights less and less -the legs need the time to repair the insults of the 8 solid hours a day of tromping up and down major hills, and it feels great to lie flat, to stretch out and to flex my feet.We started walking around 9am, and walked straight into the steepest, longest climb yet - the climb out of Bly Gap probably remains in most hikers' memories, setting up the worry about what else North Carolina has in store. Georgia had some incredibly nice trails, which will be hard to match.But the trails turned beautiful, and by lunchtime we were at Muskrat Creek Shelter area, enjoying this very scenic place in a big grove of rhododendrons with a stream flowing handily nearby. (Recall how distant some water sources have been from the shelters or campsites...)A little while later, we came to Chunky Gal Trail, source of great mirth as well as coyly posed photos by all in our party. "Look! A trail named for US!"(maybe not too much longer, if we keep this pace up...)We then came to something new - a beech forest, on a hillside, of slender young trees, with wispy, translucent gold leaves that have lasted the winter, and that pure smooth gray bark on the trunks. It was ethereal looking, the breeze causing them to twist and flitter in some kind of symmetrical dance. Like a Japanese painting. Very nice.Got stressed about the climb up Standing Indian, but it turned out to be totally wonderful trail - evenly graded and switch-backed, smooth, and a total cruise up to the shelter site, which is part way up the mountain itself. Cold, gray sky by now, and a strong wind blew across the knob - we had been warned about the wind that blows into that shelter so we tented down a ways, out of the direct line. Good thing, because during the night the wind roared, I mean ROARED, and fog came down all around. The sound of the wind was like a magnified surf sound, at the ocean - series of increasing whooshes, then dying away for a moment and starting up again. But really, really loud.Body tired tonight, but feeling strong. Feet holding up. Incredible beauty here.All the best, from Standing Indian.
Date: 2008-03-18
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Betty Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Awoke to random "splats" on the tent, with wind still roaring and quite cold (although the sleeping bag plus light quilt is working well so far for warmth.) Wondered if we'd find snow...but no, just the heaviest fog, swirling around and condensing on tree limbs and causing that splat sound when droplets lost their grip on branch ends.Too cold to fuss with stove - it was either do this up inside the overhang of the shelter, with it's own special wind-tunnel effect (as well as hoardes of sleepy, cold hikers doing same) or squat in the near mud in the more sheltered area by the tent - neither option appealed, so I had cold cereal and skipped the hot drink.Packed up very wet tent, first time for this activity, and headed out into the mist, pleasantlly surprised by the excellent trail which continued up and over Standing Indian, in fact, most of the day. Up higher today, up and down between 4300 and 5500 feet. This means IN the clouds! No treeline, here, though, so unless you read the elevation, or feel the temperature drop, you don't really know it's that high.Again, miles of slabbing across VERY steep hillsides, rhododendrons or hardwood trunks, mostly. Because of the lack of leaves, except on the rhododendrons, holly and laurels, you can see the extremely dramatic contours very vividly.Decided to aim for Betty Creek Gap to camp - an astonishing, for us, 11.3 miles, made possible by the wonderfully laid out and maintained trails today. Well, also by the motivation to get to Franklin tomorrow, since this soggy day was supposed to get rainier during the night.Hiking with Bananas at this point, and loosely in a familiar pack of hikers such that we recognize most folks at shelter stops, either for lunch or for the night. Marsh is getting stronger by the day, and we're all staying courteous and good-tempered, which really helps because this is really HARD! (duh, you say...) Even the easiest miles, done all day, affect the body, feet ache even if not actually injured, etc. This camp site is perfect - nestled in very sheltered bowl,big rhododendron bushes clumped all around with lots of nice places to put the tents. Eager to get out of the damp foggy wind, we put up tents, and Marsh strung her poncho for a dry dining area - nice touch. To bed as soon as supper was over!
Date: 2008-03-19
From: Betty Creek Gap

To: Rock Gap
Miles today: 8.5
Weather: light rain

Woke up to random splats turning into alas, steady ticking on the tent...real rain.Sigh. Oh well, remember the hikers of '03 - we keep reminding ourselves that some hikers have this for over half their hike...so far, we've been lucky! So, up to make some cold cereal under the poncho-tarp, and figure out how to pack up in the true rain. We took turns in the tent, stuffing the sleeping bag, rolling the mats, gathering and stuffing clothing, remembering which socks to wear while keeping one pair dry in case we had to tent one more night. The plan was to get to Winding Stair Gap, or at least Rock Gap, where shuttles from Ron Haven's place are available. Ron runs a couple of motels in Franklin, with good shuttle service and very hiker friendly. So, even though we would've liked a short day after the "big miles" yesterday, the weather report dictated pushing on out.It rained a little, then began to pick up by noon.Wind was roaring, and as we neared the top of Albert mt. a decision loomed - hike over the exposed peak, or take the blue-blazed bad weather route. It couldn't get much worse, save for ice, so around the peak we went. Of course, others we spoke to later went over the peak, so you just have to live with your own decisions. My own "rules" call for blueblazing if it is dangerous and if the trail parallels the AT. At Big Spring Shelter where we stopped for lunch, there was a trail crew from the Nantahala club, finishing up their weekly Wed. morning work stint. THANKS! Trail was thankfully good most of the day, enabling us to meet our goal.The last few hours were driving rain, high 40's, and everything we had on was soaked completely through. Boots completely full of water, but when I stopped and wrung out one sock to see, I couldn't tell any difference between feet. It was not very fun, but Bananas kept coming up with funny remarks and that kept us moving and cheerful. Sort of.By Rock Gap we had an awful moment when the phones weren't getting signals, but a little further on, enough bars showed that we got thru to Haven's and they said a shuttle would be there in 20-30 minutes - YES! And it was. A warm van full of soaked hikers zoomed us to the large-ish town of Franklin, we checked into Sapphire motel and ordered pizza delivered, ate and went to bed!
Date: 2008-03-20
From: Rock Gap

To: Rock Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Got up to catch the 7:45 shuttle - the famous yellow school bus - to a breakfast spot that Ron knew of. Very good food, and the extraordinary comfort of sitting in a chair and eating toast and drinking coffee from a china mug...who knew?!! A dozen or so hikers sat at a long table and chatted amiably. By now, folks have a lot in common and conversation comes easily.I then gathered up the laundry and walked to the laundromat up the hill, where I enjoyed the clean and quiet atmosphere - brand new place - and got caught up on notes. It's a sparkling clear, cool day, perfect for hiking, but we need to rest and resupply.The logistics of town day are getting a little clearer, but every town is different and every lodging has a different way of doing things. For example, Franklin is a large town, very spread out, so the importance of Ron Haven's major shuttle service looms large. By contrast, the Hiawassee Inn is right in the small town, with convenience stores, restaurants, library and PO right there. So, since you never know quite what the situation is going to be, it helps to have a reserve of energy for dealing with town stops - another good reason for pacing ourselves carefully.Speaking of pace, people have many takes on this. Some are obsessed with mileage and others take things as they come. We're operating on the "build up slowly" principle, particularly this first 4-6 weeks. Once we're in condition, we'll calculate miles and see what we can do safely. Actually, there's no other way - we've got the bodies we've got, and staying hiking for 5 1/2 more months requires staying healthy and injury-free.So, undoubtedly we will see many hikers pass us by, but at least we'll get to meet a lot of great people!After laundry, I returned it to the room and set out once again on foot to find a newspaper dispenser, to put crumpled paper in our water-logged boots to speed the drying out. I scored this essential about a quarter mile in the other direction from the laundromat, and also found the health food store and picked up some tasty snacks - tamari almonds, Bear Valley pemmican bars, etc. When I got back to the room, Auntie Mame, Bananas and I set out again for lunch at the well-recommended Thai place "just three blocks away"...I led us astray at first, up the hill toward the laundromat, but when we checked directions, it turned out to be down the hill, well past the health food store, and another quarter mile or so further. Big lesson - what most folks with cars think is "just around the corner" can be half a mile or more. So, for a zero day I managed to rack up several miles, I think!Tomorrow, back on the trail towards the Nantahala Outdoor Center, some 3 days from here. Looks like decent weather for most of that time - we'll see what actually happens!
Date: 2008-03-21
From: Rock Gap

To: Siler Bald
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: clear sky

Woke up in Franklin, one more shower before heading into the woods again, and got the packs stuffed to head out after breakfast. The van picked us up for Wilson's, where we ate yesterday, and I tucked into a full order of french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee and the best glass of milk I've had since I was about 12! I don't have the spectacular appetite that hikers eventually develop, but I do eat well and enjoy every bite!Started hiking at 9:45, a little later than when we launch from a campsite, but that can't be helped if you are depending on a shuttle. Beautiful sunny clear day, cool air, great for hiking.Passed or were passed by many hikers we know, and around 5pm we stopped for the night at Siler Bald Shelter.This site is .5 mile off the trail, so is less frequently used, but for your efforts you get a stunningly beautiful, grassy area which is backed up by a ridge to keep west winds out. There are many trees, as well, and not a lot of "bald", at least what we saw today. But because of the field,we had robins hopping around the site, competing with juncos for crumbs. This is good, all the less for mice! Great views to the east, and as it got dark, of the big moon. First day of spring, and Good Friday. Had to hear these from others - you don't think of this type of thing very much out here.But you see how powerful things like the moon, the sun, the weather and the seasons are to people who are out in it all the time. Our houses insulate us so much from these natural manifestations.Another virtue of this shelter site is the sturdy picnic table, with seats (!) and a stand-up table in the shelter area so you could cook easily at either one. It also turned out that no-one else came, so it was just Auntie Mame, Bananas and me. Very calm and pleasant - I like the camraderie of the busy shelter sites, but this quiet allowed us a really nice experience, as well. Also, water was cascading down the hillsides about fifty yards up the trail, making our ease complete.I'm cooking dinners by boiling water and pouring a measured amount into the food which is in a zip-close heavy-duty plastic bag. Then seal it up, put it in a cozy (a hat, or a foiled bubble-wrap envelope) and 10 or 15 minutes you can eat. This is working fine right now, although when I get more used to things I might just cook in the pot and wash up after. But in these sort of fumbly early weeks, saving having to wash dishes ranks pretty high.By 7:30 it is getting cold, and the tent beckons - write a few notes, talk to Marsh a few minutes, and listen to music for a half hour or so until I am falling asleep. Music is so "concentrated" out here - almost like something changes with your senses, and things sound more intense than they did at home. Friends brought or recommended music for the trip, and I am so happy to be hearing these songs, and thinking of each person as I listen. All is well at Siler Bald, North Carolina.