morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2009-04-23
From: Deer Park Mtn Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: clear sky

Slept well, but my right butt cheek was in a hole where I dug out a rock from under my tent. Much to our surprise, a jar of honey, p-nut butter and some tortillas that Cous put under our food bags were undisturbed. We got moving around 8:30 or so and hiked mostly downhill into Hot Springs. We walked around for a while looking for a place to stay b/c the camping cabins we were going to use were only 1/2 bath. We eventually settled on suite at the resort b/c we got a really good deal. The suite has 2 queen bedrooms, a living room w/ a futon, a private patio overlooking the river, 1.5 baths, a kitchenette, satellite TV w/ all HBO, Showtime, etc and a heart shaped hot tub fed from the natural hot mineral springs. We got the room for $136/night with tax. It was a great place. We did laundry, resupply, visited the outfitter, ate lunch and finished all our other errands by 2:30. We drank beer, watched TV and relaxed in the hot tub the rest of the day. It was awesome. We had dinner at the sports bar (mediocre) and went back to our room and played Kings and Horse Race until the hot tub was ready again. Cous, Meredith and I stayed up talking until about 3:30. Allison and Splice fell asleep shortly after 12. I love you and miss you, Amanda. I wish you could be here. Goodnight (3:30am).
Date: 2009-04-24
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Rich Mountain Fire Tower
Miles today: 8.2

I woke up this morning a little disoriented, but no headache or stomachache. I'm a little surprised, as I haven't had one serious hangover yet. We walked down to the diner and got breakfast around 10. Breakfast makes everything better. We cleaned and packed up our room. One of the locals (I won't say which), was going to get us a bottle of Granddad, but did not visit the liquor store in the next town. Instead he gave us some homemade whiskey and homemade Kahlua. The whiskey is very strong but not very smooth, but the Kahlua is really good. We waited around for the post office to open @ 1 so Splice could mail some things. We finally started hiking around 1:30. I got to talk to Amanda this morning. It made me very happy. The hike out of Hot Springs was some of the steepest hiking yet. Once we got past the initial climb, it wasn't so bad, but it was extremely hot today. Also, I passed up on refilling my water when I had the chance. Big mistake. I was very thirsty, the grade got worse as the day went on, and it seemed to get hotter with no wind. We finally got to our campsite around 5 only to find that the water source was barely flowing. It could pretty much be considered a stagnant pool. It sucked. I had to filter the water thru my bandanna to remove the debris and larva. Thankfully, Splice let me use his pump. We got camp setup and the rest of the night was uneventful. The dehydrated hiking uphill in hot weather was miserable. Also, the black flies are starting to get bad. Lesson learned about getting water when I have the chance. The Lord provided and kept me safe. I love you and miss you, Amanda. I can't wait to see you. Goodnight (10:45).
Date: 2009-04-25
From: Rich Mountain Fire Tower

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 11.4
Weather: clear sky

Woke up around midnight last night to hear coyotes howling on the mountain right next to ours. Slept pretty well otherwise. It was really warm last night. Almost uncomfortably so. Woke around 7 to find that I was the only one awake. Went back to bed and got back up around 8:30. We packed up and hit the trail around 9. Hiking was pretty easy today. We took a long break @ the first shelter. We got to Allen gap and were about to eat lunch when we saw a sign that said Trail Magic was 350 yds down the road. We walked up to this beautiful log cabin-esque house and two former hikers (class of '99) came out the front door to meet us. They invited us in and gave us homemade Belgian waffles, homemade pork stew, root beer floats, homemade breads and a choice of desserts (I had the brownie sundae). It was amazing. Blink, In Deep, Up&Adam, and Mello were already there. I was almost uncomfortably full afterwards. Our hosts were Christians and asked us a religious/philosophical question before we left. I did not directly answer. We left around 3 and got to the shelter before 5. The shelter is a little old and run down. I'm going to tent tonight. Up&Adam, In Deep and Mello caught up with us at the shelter. We built a fire and had snacks for dinner. We spent a long time just talking around the fire. Up&Adam and Mello were telling some really funny stories. I'm going to bed now as I'm falling asleep trying to write this. I love you and miss you, Amanda. Thank you, Lord, for all you've given to me and all my blessings. Goodnight (10:30).
Date: 2009-04-26
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Rector Laurel Road
Miles today: 15.9

Slept pretty well last night. I got a little hot for a while, then a little cold. Got moving around 8:30. Splice left camp around 8. The hike up the first mountain to Camp Creek Bald was very hard. No switch-backs or anything. Just straight up the mountain. Camp Creek Bald was cool though. There was also a great view from the Blackstack Cliffs (I think; it was on the Exposed Ridgeline Trail). Met another hiker from GA today (Shameless Blue Blazer). Funny guy from Peachtree City. The hike for the rest of the day was easy for the most part. Also, water was a little better today. We got to Flint Mountain shelter and decided to go to the campground 0.9 miles further. Mistake. The campsite would have barely fit our four tents. The water also sucked. We pushed on for 2.3 more miles until we found a campground just past Rector Laurel road. It's fairly close to some houses, and there are a lot of dogs barking along with roosters, but it's fine otherwise (way better than the other campsite). I'm not really looking forward to tomorrow's hike as it's not supposed to be very easy. Oi! Oh well. The Lord kept me safe today and blessed me. Thank you, Lord. I love you and miss you so much, Amanda. I can't wait to see you! Should only be about 2 more weeks! Goodnight (9:40).
Date: 2009-04-27
From: Rector Laurel Road

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: clear sky

Slept OK last night. Some strange sounds coming from the woods & the local's yards. Lots of dogs barking, roosters crowing and I think there was a donkey complaining. Got moving around 8:45. Saw a really cool waterfall about 30 minutes in. The hike today was pretty tough. Lots of steep ups and downs. Got a really good view from the top of Big Flat. Had lunch @ Hogback Ridge shelter. Stayed there a little longer than I would have liked (100 minutes). Got to Sam's Gap and Cous hitched a ride to a local cafe to get sodas and Doritos for us. It tasted really good, but it probably slowed me down quite a bit. Also, I had a not-quite-ripe-yet peach. I forgot how much I miss fresh fruit and vegetables. Headed up towards Big Bald after that. Slowly. Stayed behind Splice for most of the way up. Might have been a mistake b/c my feet started to hurt a lot before I was even done with the hike. Finally made it to the top around 5:30 to find that Cous had been at the top for over an hour already. He moves a little too fast for me sometimes. It was an awesome view though and definitely made the climb worthwhile. We cooked dinner up top and watched the sun set. It was really windy up top & it got cold fast after the sun went down. We hustled down the hill pretty quickly for a mile to the shelter and decided to stay instead of continuing another half mile to the campground (also, Ace & Shameless were the only other ones in the shelter). It was a really good day today although tiring, and I've got a new blister on the back of my heel. Going to push for 17 tomorrow to get into Erwin so we can have a full zero & still be on schedule. Thank you, Lord, for my blessings, for keeping us safe, for the beautiful weather & views today. I love you with all of my heart, Amanda, and I can't wait to see you. Goodnight (10:00).
Date: 2009-04-28
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Erwin, TN (Uncle Johnny's Hostel)
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: clear sky

The wind made sleep a little difficult last night. I should have turned around and put my feet towards the outside, but I was really lazy. The shelter also had dividers to separate the sleeping areas. Got moving around 8:45 and hiked pretty hard (I thought) downhill. It was a really pretty hike for the morning and ended at a really cold stream at Spivey Gap. I found Shameless and Ace there. I sat down to rest and Splice and Cous came down less than 10 minutes later. I thought I was much further ahead of them, but I guess I slowed down. The hiking for the rest of the day was not nearly as enjoyable. There was a cool stream with some small waterfalls and the view from the mountain over the Nolichucky River was really good, but the hiking was a little tough. Especially since Cous and I did the last 6.3 miles in 1 hour 45 minutes. The first thing you see when you get to the bottom of the mountain (other than the river) is Uncle Johnny's Hostel & Outfitters. We met up w/ Splice and the sisters and were going to camp near the river, but no one was really up for it (especially since we were about 100 ft from a very active train track), so we just decided to pay $8 to camp outside the hostel. I didn't really want to spend the 8 bucks to camp, but I don't know if we're allowed to camp next to the river. Got my stuff setup and took a shower. We then sat around the tables @ the hostel drinking the moonshine to celebrate our 1 month on the trail day. It was pretty fun. We sat around and talked about really nothing in particular. I don't remember if I mentioned it already, but Meredith officially changed her trailname to So Happy (I suggested the name because everytime we got somewhere cool or finished the hike for the day, she would always say, "I'm so happy!"; it seemed to fit and I'm a little proud that she took the name). Anyway, we're moving into the Holiday Inn tomorrow w/ a hot tub, indoor swimming pool and other amenities. Very excited. Getting tired. I love you with all my heart, Amanda! Goodnight (11:45).
Date: 2009-04-29
From: Erwin, TN (Uncle Johnny's Hostel)

To: Erwin, TN (Day 2)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Taking a full zero today as we were going to hike into Erwin this morning. However, we got here 1/2 a day early so we can take a full zero today. Unfortunately (sort of), the Holiday Inn was out of rooms, but it's just as well b/c they don't have bikes for hikers to use anymore so we would have to walk 2.5 miles into town to do anything. We ended up checking into the hostel. We got our chores & resupply done. We also rode bikes from the hostel into town for lunch. We saw a lot of people here: Little Bear & IPA, Snuggles, Damascus, Mad Chatter, Superman, Up&Adam, Noah, and lots of others. I also saw Ms. Janet. She apparently left the hostel in Franklin, but there is apparently a story behind her business relationship with Uncle Johnny as well. We got back to the hostel and started drinking. I got to talk to Amanda. I miss you so much, and I can't wait to see you. Although, I'm a little worried about separating from her again being similar to when we departed back in March. However, I wouldn't miss seeing her for the world. After getting through about 5 Natty Ice pounders, Ms. Janet pulled up in her van w/ Up&Adam and Noah. Superman and I joined them and went to "Funkytown" as they called it. I tried to yell back to my group that we were going, but they didn't hear me. We drove to a deserted parking lot and there was a lot of unlicensed drinks. We then drove back to the party. Apparently, I was gone for quite a while. We hung out the rest of the night, and Damascus found some interesting papers. The conversation for the rest of the night was really funny but really pointless. We didn't go to bed until after 3. We made way more noise climbing into our bunks than we should have and probably woke everyone else up in the hostel. We also saw a couple people leave for a night hike around midnight. Strange. Not that I got into any trouble, but I pray that the Lord will help me make better decisions in the future. I love you with all my heart, Amanda. Goodnight (3:30) P.S. - The Inn Keeper here, Colorado (CB) is very unique and quite a funny guy.
Date: 2009-04-30
From: Erwin, TN (Day 2)

To: Erwin, TN (Day 3)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Got up this morning around 9:30. Not very hungover, surprisingly. We were only planning on going about 4 miles today, so we didn't pack up till around 2. We were about to get moving when Splice mentioned the possibility of slackpacking. The section from Erwin to Iron Mountain Gap is supposed to be rated one of the top 50 dayhikes in the country. We all agreed to do it, but the shuttle only runs once per day @ 7:30 am. We all relaxed again and started talking about getting drinks for the night when Splice & CB started debating if the 5 of us (Cous, Splice, So Happy, Allison, and I) could finish a keg. Next thing I knew, Cous found a ride into Johnson City to pick up a keg and was getting people to put money in for it. We sat up w/ Gorgonzola, Denali, and others drinking until around 2 knowing that we had to catch the shuttle at 7:30. It was still really fun. Other fun things happened tonight as well, but I won't go into that. I love you, Amanda. Goodnight (2:45).
Date: 2009-05-01
From: Erwin, TN (Day 3)

To: Erwin, TN (Day 4)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Tried to get up this morning in time for the shuttle. Nope. I probably could have, but I was really tired. Slept till about 9 or so when Cous and I drove back to Johnson City to return the EMPTY keg. We McD's breakfast for everyone on the way back. We watched Bad Boys. Allison and So Happy were very pleased to get McD's for breakfast. A little later in the day, Cous, Allison, So Happy and I went down to the river to go swimming. It was really cold, but felt very good. We went to Azteca in town for dinner. We were latched onto by unwelcome company during dinner, so we made it quick. So Happy, Allison and I setup our tents underneath the bridge tonight b/c we didn't want to pay for another night in the hostel. Cous & Splice stayed there though. Going to finally slackpack tomorrow. Really need to get out of this town. I had a lot of fun, but spent way too much money. I love you, Amanda. Two weeks!! Goodnight (10:00).
Date: 2009-05-02
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Erwin, TN (Day 5)
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: light rain

Got up early to make to 7:30 slackpack shuttle. I took everything out of my pack except water and some snacks. Uncle Johnny dropped us off @ Iron Mountain Gap around 8 and we started hiking south back to Erwin (Ugh). We saw quite a few really bright orange salamanders (I think) on the trail. Splice and I led the way all day. Cous stayed back with Allison and So Happy. We got to this section near Unaka Mtn where the foliage was so thick that it looked like night time. It was a really cool hike and a really great section for a dayhike. Splice and I made it back into Erwin in under 6.5 hours (including a long lunch break). It was really quick. We spent the rest of the day relaxing. We watched Robin Hood (Disney) and just sat around. We're all spending the night underneath the bridge again along with Denali and Gorgonzola. We're going to try for Overmountain Shelter tomorrow. It's supposed to be a really cool shelter that was converted from a barn. However, it's 19 miles away and we have to go over Roan Mtn (which is supposed to be a really hard climb). I love you and miss you, Amanda. Goodnight (10:30).
Date: 2009-05-03
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: moderate rain

Got dropped off again @ Iron Mtn gap by Uncle Johnny to hike north. The hike was pretty rainy and foggy. Roan Mtn wasn't nearly as bad as everyone made it out to be. Other than that, the hike was pretty boring. The fog was so thick on top of Roan that we didn't have any view at all. Splice and I got to Roan Mtn shelter @ 3:15. Cous showed up about 10 minutes later. He had been ahead of us, but he had missed the sign for the side trail to the shelter. He said he turned around after heading downhill for a while. The shelter was pretty cool. It had a ladder to the upper level (attic) and there was a front door to the shelter with a latch. It looked more like a small cabin than a shelter. Allison showed up around 4 which was unusual b/c she usually is last to the shelters. We asked her if she had passed So Happy, but she hadn't. Cous and I went back to the trail to look for her. I went back south to the summit of Roan, while Cous went north down the trail. We went for 20 minutes in each direction calling her name, but I got no answer. Cous and I got back to the side trail for the shelter at about the same time, but he had no luck finding her either. It was starting to rain really hard, so I made 3 or 4 very obvious markings on the main trail so she wouldn't miss the shelter trail in case she was still south. The wind had also started to blow fairly hard, and it was getting cold. I prayed that the Lord would keep Meredith safe and asked God if I should pack up and go north looking for her. I headed back to the shelter to find Cous already packed up to go. He left around 5:15. I felt bad that we didn't all go, but the weather was getting pretty rough, and there was no guarantee that she wasn't still south of us heading this way. In retrospect, it was a little stupid for us to let Cous go looking for her by himself in the bad weather. We're pretty sure that she just missed the sign for the shelter and kept walking. She was probably really far downhill by the time she realized she missed the shelter. She probably kept going b/c the original plan for today was to go to Overmountain shelter (another 7 miles) anyway. The rain is coming down really hard now. We're all going to bed early tonight (7:30) so we can get up early to catch up with Cous and So Happy. I love you, Amanda. Goodnight.
Date: 2009-05-04
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 6.5
Weather: light rain

Last night was miserable. Not b/c of the cold or rain (although those were intense outside), those didn't bother me. What really bothered me was that I had to use the bathroom twice last night, and I was so dehydrated that I started to get the hangover headache (and two nights ago was the last time I drank). So not only did I have to get out of my sleeping bag, put on shoes, climb down the ladder, unlatch and open the door as quietly as possible and step out into the cold, rain and wind, but I also had a horrible headache. To top it all off, I woke up 5 or 6 times thinking it should be time to get up soon only to find that it was about 4 or 5 HOURS earlier than I thought it should be. My alarm went off at 7:15 and it was pouring down rain still (it didn't stop all night). I decided not to get up. We finally got up @ 9. We left the shelter just after 10. The hike down Roan wasn't bad except for the trail looked like a river, but once we got to Carver's Gap, it started raining again. Also, for about 2 miles, we were hiking up & over balds, so it was very windy and cold. The wind pushed me sideways about 6 or 7 feet more than a few times. The trail was also either really river-like or it was a mudslide (making the uphills really fun). I hiked fast ahead of Splice & Allison as I tend to be the faster hiker. I got to the first shelter (Stan Murray shelter) just after noon. So Happy had left a message in the log saying she missed the shelter trail last night and was going on to Overmountain as planned. I hiked pretty fast (1.7 miles in about 30 minutes) to get to the shelter. So Happy and Cous were there, thankfully. It was a relief to know that they were OK. Happy got there @ 6:30 last night and Cous got there @ 7. She must have been pretty close behind Splice and I. Oh well. Overmountain shelter was pretty cool. The downstairs sleeping area looked like most other shelters, but the upstairs still looked like a barn hayloft. We decided to stay there for the night b/c it is such a unique shelter. Lots of people showed up (Wrath, Shameless, Mouse, Gorgonzola, Denali, Carpenter, Dozer, Up&Adam, Noah, Hot Feet, Struggles and more). The view from the shelter looked out over a really pretty valley and the fog and clouds cleared out every once in a while to reveal a nice view. We went to bed fairly early again for multiple reasons (many of them talk). We are going to try and do a big day tomorrow also for multiple reasons. BTW, we (Splice, Cous-Cous, So Happy, Allison and I) have adopted a team name: Team Gooch. We all met for the first time at Gooch Mountain shelter in GA on our second day hiking. I don't know if it will stick, but we'll see. Going to bed now. I love you with all my heart, Amanda. Goodnight (8:30).
Date: 2009-05-05
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: light rain

Slept pretty well last night except for when I woke up to mice eating a pack of sunflower seeds that Cous left out inches from my head. Got moving pretty early this morning (8:15) and got to the first shelter around 11:30 or so. This shelter was crawling with mice so much that they were moving around in the daytime. Splice cornered a mouse and... no more mouse. We got to the road a half mile past and began to hitch to an AYCE diner and do a 2 day resupply. It took us over 30 minutes to get a hitch (but Splice wasn't with us when we got the hitch as he waited back at the trailhead instead of walking with us). A nice guy in a pickup truck drove us to the Times Square Diner. Splice showed up about 10 seconds after us in another truck. Unfortunately, the buffet wasn't open, but the burgers were good. Miss Janet also surprised us at the diner. She gave Splice and our packs a ride back to the trailhead to wait while we resupplied. Right after she left and as we were deciding how to get to the store, it started raining again. Hard. We were waiting to see if it would lighten up, but then Miss Janet pulled back up with Up&Adam and Noah in her car. She then gave us a ride to J's market, but was unable to wait for us (it was only 3/4 of a mile back to the trailhead anyway). Afterward, we got back to the trailhead, found Splice and began hiking. The terrain was pretty easy and it didn't rain for very long, but for some reason the hiking seemed to take a long time and was very tiring. We planned to go to a hostel about 4 miles past the shelter, but when we got to the shelter, there weren't a lot of people (we were expecting quite a few), and when we called the hostel, he said he only had 3 bunks left. Oh well. It's a pretty new and nice shelter anyway. We're all about to fall asleep soon. BTW, my feet don't like me very much after today not b/c of the big miles but b/c of the big miles in the rain with water pooling in my boots. I can't wait to dry them and my socks. I really can't wait to see Amanda. I love you and miss you. Only 10 more days until I get to see you. I'm very excited! Going to bed. Goodnight (10:30).