morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-06-02
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

"We are all travellers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend."--Robert Louis StevensonAnother beautiful day in the Smokies! We did some more ridgewalking--the tail is 18-24" wide with drop-offs on either side and breath-taking views. Rain is threatened for tonight, but the day was perfect.Our first night in an AT shelter last night was spoiled by snorers. Two men played tag-snoring and managed to keep the other ten of us awake for large portions of the night. Despite earplugs, a hat, and my sleeping bag pulled over my head, I could hear them loudly and clearly. I definitely prefer my tent, where I can poke the snorer and ask him to roll over!We've met another thru-hiking couple about our ages. They left Springer on May 3rd, and suffered through the "storm of the century" that hit Georgia while we were in Arkansas attending my Dad's funeral. The couple, "Baguette" and "Mike's Brother" are hiking at about the same pace we are, so we'll probably shelter with them again tonight. We were relieved to hear that the dueling snorers will not be heading our way today!We saw evidence of bears all day (bear tracks and bear poop on the trail:>), and when we arrived at tonight's shelter we heard that a bear had been by earlier that day to drink from the stream nearby. I was a little apprehensive, but food bags are all hung on bear-proof cables, so I guess they won't bother us...Tomorrow we plan to hike down to Standing Bear Farm near Davenport Gap. Hoover's ankle is a little sore, and my foot aches at the end of every day, so we'll make it an easy day. Just as we slipped into our bags for the night, the predicted rains started. It was a cozy feeling to be in the shelter all snug and listen to the raindrops falling on the roof. Hopefully the trail will be reasonably dry tomorrow.
Date: 2003-06-03
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farms Hostel
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: moderate rain

"You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes."--Pooh's Little Instruction BookWe awoke to rain, so we took our time packing up, and enjoyed a leisurely oatmeal breakfast with Baguette, Mike's Brother, and the other folks we shared the shelter with last night. Baguette and Mike's Brother are from Florida--we've met a lot of hikers from Florida and Texas on the trail. After we'd exhausted our supply of delaying tactics, we set out hiking in the rain.   It did quit shortly after we left the shelter, and we had a great day of hiking. I think my "trail legs" have finally kicked in, making the "ups" much easier for me to handle. I am finally able to handle a tough climb in one stretch without having to stop very often to catch my breath. It's a great feeling. Hoover was very patient with me back when I had to rest so often and take the climbs so slowly.We especially enjoyed the hike between Davenport Gap and Standing Bear Hostel. We crossed and recrossed a stream with waterfalls and a real "log flume" fall. It was beautiful. The hostel here is great. We are sleeping in a "log cabin" with natural air conditioning--it is built over a running stream, and the cracks in the floor boards offer cooling breezes and a view of the stream. The owners offer "grill your own" steaks and potatoes to hungry hikers, and have built a pavilion with a grill and fridge, and benches around a firepit. Yum--after days of trail food, steak really hit the spot!We plan to hike the 12.8 miles between here and Max Patch Road tomorrow, then return here for another overnight. Baguette and Mike's Brother are also here tonight, sharing our little cabin, and they will hike the stretch with us tomorrow.
Date: 2003-06-04
From: Standing Bear Farms Hostel

To: Max Patch Bald Road
Miles today: 12.8

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."--Will RogersWe woke up early today and had a leisurely breakfast. I enjoyed having internet access to catch up on my e-mail (SLOW access, but access none the less!), and Hoover read the paper. Okay, so the paper was two days old, but it was news to him.The owner of the hostel drove us out to the trail and left us to hike the 12.8 miles back to the hostel. Light packs, and a lunch including fresh fruit and sandwiches on BREAD gave us a little extra oomph today for our hike. More rain threatened, but we hiked fairly dry. I definitely have found my trail legs. We had a 1 1/4 hour of straight-ups today, and I managed with minimal whimpering!We saw lots of beautiful woods today, with mists in the air and blooming flowers everywhere. About an hour from the hostel we came across a bald, which was very eerie in the mist. We couldn't see anything ahead of us other than the next trail blaze, and it was deathly quiet. Not a bird chirped, not a squirrel stirred for several miles. Interesting.We hiked the 12.8 miles very fast, knowing we were returning to a hot shower and warm bed. Maybe even pizza for dinner! Tomorrow we'll hike up Max Patch Bald, and we are hoping for clear weather. We've heard a lot of hikers say that it is one of their favorite climbs, so we've been looking forward to it. Then we'll coninue on north, back towards Hot Springs to retrieve our car. It'll be another two days hiking, so we should be there by Friday. We plan to take a "zero" day on Saturday to rest up for the remainder of the Smokies--Newfound Gap down to Fontana Dam. We still don't know how we'll get our car down to Neels Gap from Newfound Gap, but we'll deal with that when the time comes.
Date: 2003-06-05
From: Max Patch Bald Road

To: Bluff Mountain
Miles today: 9.8

"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."--Edmund HillaryAfter a leisurely morning hanging out at Standing Bear Farms Hostel, we started out from Max Patch Road to summit Max Patch Bald. By the time we'd arrived there, the morning clouds had disappeared and we had clear views 360* from the top. A bald has no trees to inhibit the view, and since it was clear, we could see all the way to the Smokies where we had just hiked. The bald was covered with widflowers, a gentle breeze blew, and we were reminded again of the beauty of God's world around us.The remainder of the day was equally nice. We crossed many mountain brooks and saw red tailed squirrels and chipmunks. This is definitely one of the prettiest sections of trail we've hiked. The shelters in this area are pitifully run-down, though, so we hiked on, looking for a campsite. The evening found us tent-camping on Bluff Mountain, just south of the summit. We shared a campfire and conversation with our new trail friends, Baguette and Mike's Brother from Juno, FL. They have decided to hire someone to shuttle them from Hot Springs, NC to Damascus, VA. They plan to return this fall and fill in the Hot Springs-Damascus gap, similar to our plans to fill in Virginia in the fall. Imagine our surprise when we found a man and his teenaged grandsons--and their pickup truck--camping near our "remote" site. Evidently, there is a Forest Service road that accesses Bluff Mountain, and they had driven up for the night. Thinking about the sweat I shed climbing this mountain, it doesn't seem quite fair that they drove up!   But at least they're not parked in front of their TVs, and the boys are learning to enjoy nature (even though they took a short cut to get here).
Date: 2003-06-06
From: Bluff Mountain

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: clear sky

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart."--Helen KellerToday we hiked from Bluff Mountain into Hot Springs. It was another gorgeous day for hiking, with bubbling mountain brooks, blooming mountain laurel and wildflowers everwhere, and a pleasant section of trail to walk. We met up off and on with our friends Baguette and Mike's Brother, who were also hiking into Hot Springs. They were considering how they were going to line up a shuttler to get them from Hot Springs to Damascus, VA. Since we had a car in HS and planned to take the rest of the day off anyway, we offered to drive them up to Damascus.We drove to Damascus, and left them at The Place hostel in town. While we were there, we saw several folks we know, including Bearbait (who was leaving the trail due to a knee injury) and Magic Rat. Then we drove up towards Tennessee for the night, planning to head down to North Carolina in the morning. Tomorrow we're taking a day off the trail and going to visit our former Pinnacle neighbor, Lynn, at her condo in Highlands, NC. Then we'll head back to the trail at Newfound Gap in the Smokies and begin hiking south towards Neels Gap, GA where we left off on May 3rd. At that point, we'll have completed the section from Springer, GA to Damascus, VA. Stay tuned for more in a week or so.
Date: 2003-06-07
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: The Highlands, NC
Miles today: 0.0

"If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else."--Laurence Peter and Raymond HullThis morning we stopped by Miss Janet's Hostel in Erwin on our way to North Carolina. I was hoping that "Constant Wanderer" had found some kind soul to carry my lost "sit pad" to Miss Janet's. Someone had delivered it, and Miss J. had forwarded it (and a box from my Aunt Pat) to us care of the outfitter in Hot Springs. We hadn't thought to check with him for packages when we were there yesterday. Just a short detour back through HS would allow us to recover my pad, so I was happy.While we were in Janet's kitchen talking, the problem of how to get our car from Newfound Gap to Neels Gap was solved. A hiker at Miss J's this morning is from Neels Gap, and he agreed to swing through the Smokies on his way home and shuttle our car down to Neels Gap for us. Yet another instance of "trail magic." And what since what goes around comes around, we were able to help out another hiker from Miss J's by dropping his car at a trailhead on our way to Hot Springs.Yes, hikers are pretty trusting folks. Under most circumstances I wouldn't dream of handing my car over to a virtual stranger and say "I'll pick it up next week"--but I've done that a couple of times recently, without a qualm. And today someone we'd never met before gave us his brand new Explorer and trusted us to leave it at the trailhead. I guess it's the shared dreams, or the common experiences, or the fact the we've all lost touch with reality that lets us trust strangers the way we do. Or perhaps it's because "things" aren't as important to us in the hiker world as the are in the real world. Go figure.After we left the other hiker's Explorer at the trailhead, we continued on into Hot Springs. The Outfitter did, indeed, have my sit pad, as well as a box sent to us by my Aunt Pat. The cranberry cookies and mango slices were very yummy! Thanks, Pat. Trail magic is magnificent!We spent the reaminder of the day with our former neighbor, Lynn, at her place in The Highlands. She treated us royally, fed us exceptionally well, and even introduced her "hiker trash" Arkansas neighbors to her classy North Carolina friends! It was a pleasant break from the trail, and refreshed us immensely. Thanks for your terrific hospitality, Lynn! We hope to see you in Arkansas this winter.
Date: 2003-06-08
From: The Highlands, NC

To: Mt. Collins Shelter, GSMNP
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: light rain

"To Dare is to risk losing your foothold for a moment. Not to Dare is to risk losing yourself."--KierkegaardWe left Lynn's place this morning and returned to the trail at Newfound Gap in the Smokies. We drove to Gatlinburg, found a place to park our car, and ate a yummy lunch to stoke our bodies for a hike. We left our car in Gatlinburg where the hiker we met yesterday at Miss Janet's will pick it up and take it to Neels Gap, GA for us.We needed a lift from Gatlinburg to the trailhead at Newfound Gap fifteen miles away. Thus I had my first ever experience hitchhiking. Hoover laughed at the way I stuck out my thumb, but it must have been okay because, after a short ten minute wait, a couple in a pickup gave us a lift. We jumped in the back (yes, Mom, I know that's not safe!) and rode up the mountain to the Gap. It was a liberating feeling to have the wind blowing my hair, sliding around in the back as we rounded the curves. I was just hoping the rain would hold off until we got to the Gap and could fish out our rain gear. The rain did hold off, and we quickly hit the trail, trying to make it to the shelter before the storm. We hiked into the first shelter south of the Gap, 4.5 miles in under two hours. We weren't too worried about this shelter being full because it is so close to the Gap. Most hikers who'd made it that far were bound to be lured into town for a break.There was just one other couple at the shelter, thru-hikers named Duck and Wal;tzing Mathilda, so we had room to spread out. After a quick snack, we were ready to hit the hay. The rain waited until we were snug in our bags, then the skies opened. I hope tomorrow will be clear for the views from Clingman's Dome. We've been extraordinarily lucky with the weather in the Smokies so far, just hoping our good fortune continues another three days.
Date: 2003-06-09
From: Mt. Collins Shelter, GSMNP

To: Derrick Knob Shelter GSMNP
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: scattered clouds

"Climbing would be a great, truly wonderful thing if it weren't for all the damned climbing."--John OhrenschallOur luck held. Last night's rains washed the skies for us and we had perfect, clear weather for our view from Clingman's Dome! The views were extraordinary. A man we met at the observation tower told us that he'd been to the top over sixty times, and today was the second clearest day he'd seen. We felt so lucky, because many hikers toil their way to the top of Clingman's Dome just to get the view of the inside of a cloud. Climbing is an incredible amount of work, and the views are usually the only tangible reward for the climb.Our day was not without disappoinment, though. We've heard so many stories about wildlife viewings in the Smokies, that we had high hopes of seeing lots of animals. Now that we're over half way through the Park, we still haven't seen any animals at all! We'd been told by multiple groups of hikers that the Silers Bald Shleter has a resident fox who checks out everyone who stops over at the shelter. Although we made a lunch stop at Silers Bald Shelter and sat patiently for half an hour, the fox did not appear to look us over. While we were there, we read in the shelter journal about fox sightings, and about the deer that visit the fields around the shelter. Hoover had his camera ready, but no wildlife presented itself for our viewing pleasure!We hiked on to Derrick Knob Shelter where we will overnight tonight. Three section hikers, Tennessee Jones, Melissa, and Angela are sharing the shelter with us. This is their first night in the Park, and we were amused by some of their bear-proofing activites. They elaborately roped the cyclone gate to the shelter closed, and then had to untie and retie it when Angela felt the call of nature. Angela did not pack a sleeping pad, and moaned in discomfort most of the night--the wooden sleeping platforms are not very comfy even with a cushion. We are looking forward to getting out of the Park where we can tent again!
Date: 2003-06-10
From: Derrick Knob Shelter GSMNP

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter GSMNP
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: few clouds

"Life...It tends to respond to our outlook, to shape itself to meet our expectations."--Richard M. DeVosI awoke this morning to find one of my earplugs had gone AWOL. Last night I took my earplugs out and placed them inside my fleece hat next to me. This morning one earplug was there, although it did look a little "chewed" upon. The other earplug had vanished. After searching everywhere, I came to the conclusion that a mouse had decided an earplug is just right for some little mousey use, and had swiped it!We had a great day of hiking, and perfect weather for a view from Rocky Top. We ate lunch on Rocky Top and chatted with several north-bound section hikers. We had planned to detour to one of the shelters for a lunch break, but the view was calling to us so we stopped early. The hardest part of the day's hike (the uphills) were behind us, so we indulged ourselves with a longer-than-usual break. The hikers we met told us that Mollies Ridge Shelter, our intended goal for the night, is closed for renovations. We could stop earlier--at the next shelter--, but that would leave us with an extremely long hike into Fontana tomorrow and a ridiculously short hike today. We decided to play dumb, hike on to Mollies Ridge, and tent camp next to it if they wouldn't let us sleep there.We arrived at Mollies Ridge at about 6:00p.m. to find it swarming with a volunteer crew. They had just completed the changes to the shelter but it was not yet open for use. Since it was so late, and since we are thru-hiking, the crew chief allowed us to tent camp nearby. Whew!It was fun to meet the group of maintainers, and to see them at work. This is a great shelter now--they removed the chain link enclosure,and added a porch and benches, among other things. The crew offered us some of their left-over dinner, and gave us some filtered water, which we greatly appreciated.Rain and wind storms are threatening, but we hope the wather will hold another day to let us get to Fontana Dam. Still no wildlife sightings, unless you count suirrels, chipmunks, and mice!
Date: 2003-06-11
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter GSMNP

To: Fontana Lake Resort, Fontana Dam NC
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: overcast clouds

"Do what you can with what you have where you are."--Theodore RooseveltI had a really tough day today. The hike itself wasn't too bad, mostly downhill. And we did, finally, see a deer just before we left the GSMN Park.Most of my problems were psychological. I had read that the Fontnana Dam visitors center has a snack bar, and I had my heart set on an ice cream sandwich. We got to the dam and walked across it, observing the electrical power plant that the dam supports. Imagine my amazement to find the visitors center closed, due to a power outage! They are so close to the power plant that they could have just run an extension cord. The coke machine didn't work (no electricity), and neither did the pay phone. No ice cream sandwich, no coke, no ride into town. I was in a foul mood, which only got worse when the 1.5 miles to the next phone proved to be all uphill. To top it off, just as we reached the pay phone at the marina, the skies opened up and it poured rain.We called the Hike Inn for a ride, and were hugely disappointed that they were full. I cried tears of fatigue and frustration, while poor Hoover looked on in bewilderment. Things just weren't going as I'd planned and I was tired. Sometimes tears just serve as an emotional release for me, and I feel better once I've gotten it off my chest... We ended up getting a nice room at Fontana Village Resort, and we got cleaned, laundered and well-fed at their restaurant. I found a kiosk with internet access and got caught up on my e-mail. The Hike Inn delivered our resupply box and a card from our friends David and Karen (thanks, guys!) to us. It's still raining, so we'll enjoy sleeping in a cozy bed tonight. All's well that ends well...
Date: 2003-06-12
From: Fontana Lake Resort, Fontan Dam NC

To: Browns Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: moderate rain

"It's our choices, Harry, that show who we are, far more than our abilities."--J.K. Rowling, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"I dreaded the hike out of Fontana Dam today. It seems like climbs are always toughest after a night off the trail. And, not coincidentally, the places where we find civilization are in valleys, surrounded by mountains. When we're ready to get back on the trail, those mountains must be climbed!After a long, tough pull out of the Fontana Lake valley, we arrived at Browns Fork Shelter. Although we'd stayed dry all day, rain was threatening and we wanted to stop near a shelter in case of a downpour. Even though we sleep in our tent, we find it easier to pack up inside the shelter in the morning if it's raining.We set up our tent and got settled. We shared the shelter area with a nice family, the Stones, out hiking for a few days. Great kids, with wonderful, patient parents. We were reminded of our son and daughter-in-law, also very loving, patient parents! The boys were very interested in hearing about our thru-hike, and were full of questions. The family has section-hiked the entire trail from Springer Mountain to Fontana Dam.The mosquitos were voracious tonight and drove us to our tent early. When we go to the tent early, we usually work a crossword, write the journal entry, review the section we hiked that day and plan the next day's hike. Then I read aloud from "The Lord of the Rings" until we are sleepy--usually pretty early.Tomorrow is a big day, with Cheoah Bald and lots of long uphill climbs, so we need to get lots of sleep and let our bodies recuperate.
Date: 2003-06-13
From: Browns Fork Gap Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center, Wesser NC
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: light rain

"You will never stub your toe standing still. The faster you go, the more chance there is of stubbing your toe, but the more chance you have of getting somewhere."--Charles Franklin KetteringWe got up early and said goodbye to the Stone family. Our plan was to hike about twelve miles, leaving a short hike into the NOC for tomorrow. Instead we pulled our longest day yet to get here so we can take a zero day tomorrow.The NOC is a rafting and kayaking center. The AT passes through the center of it, so it's a good place to take a break. We have a maildrop box waiting here, and, if the weather permits, we'll go rafting or kayaking tomorrow. Hoover is having some trouble with swelling of his ankles again, and is experiencing some chafing problems. My left foot is still giving me some trouble on uneven surfaces, and aches by the end of every day. Otherwise our bodies are holding up to the abuse we are heaping on them!The views from Cheoah Bald were marginal today. Rain threatened, but we stayed dry. Everyone we've met on the trail for the past few days has complained about being wet and all of the rain they've seen, but we've been lucky enough to be sheltered (at the marina, in a motel room, or in our tent) every time it's rained recently. We hope our luck holds, as there's nothing worse than wet feet and clothes!
Date: 2003-06-15
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center, Wesser NC

To: Cold Springs Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: few clouds

""I pity snails and all that carry their homes on their backs."--Frodo BagginsHappy Father's Day!As we were leaving the NOC this morning we were happy to meet up with two of the Stone boys. The Stones are the hiking family we'd met earlier in the week. Such a nice family. Hello, Stones! Hope you had fun kayaking!We spent this Father's Day climbing out of Nantahala Outdoor Center. It was hot and humid, and the ups seemed never ending. Our packs were full with our food resupply and seemed heavier than they've ever been. This business of living from what you carry on your back is hard work!Our climbs were rewarded with terrific views from The Jumpup and Wesser Bald--we've been so lucky in the weather department! It was amazing to look back down at the NOC and see how far we'd climbed. The rain held off until we'd set up camp and finished dinner.This evening we shared the camp with a church youth group from Michigan, all delightful folks. We've seen several Boy Scout troops out hiking, too. It's fun to see the young people enjoying the trail as much as we oldsters!This was my first Father's Day without my father. I spent a lot of time today thinking about him and the influence he had on my life. All of you with fathers who are still living, take a few minutes to appreciate him while he's still around!