morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-03-17
From: campsite about 1 mi S of Blue Mtn Shelter

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 3.1
Weather: light rain

Break time!We heard coyotes going a bit crazy before daybreak this morning. In my half-asleep state, I didn't get much of what was going on, but Dad said it sounded like at least one was in pain. That left me wondering what natural drama we missed out there in the dark.We awoke to a cool morning, packed up, and were on our way shortly after 9. We had a short hike that seeming even shorter than it was, and enjoyed fun conversation the whole way.The biggest occurrence of the morning is that I took a trail name! After rejecting three others [Goldilocks, The Fuzz, and Moment of Triumph (or MOT)] and not thinking this was "the one" at first, I am now "On the Loose," or "Loosie," for short. Check out my trail name story for more info on that. In short, every different aspect of it fits (as long as no one calls me just "Loose." LOL), and I love it!When we got to Unicoi Gap, there were seven other hikers there headed into Helen. They all piled in the old blue truck, and we headed into town. After dropping them off, we drove towards home. Lunch today- AYCE pizza buffet! OMG it was amazing!!! (That's right, amazing enough for me to use "OMG.") The rest of the day consisted of a beautiful, festive St. Patty's Day table welcoming us home, a nice, long shower, and getting on the internet to see lots of support and encouragement from friends.Around 6 my mom, sister-in-law, and two nieces arrived. We had a great evening of good food, good wine, and tons of laughter and stories! Before they had to head out, I brought my nieces (8 and 4) upstairs to where my AT map is hung. I showed them the portion I hiked in the last seven days, hiking every day, and how far I have left. We also looked at some pictures from the last week and talked more about hiking. The evening was so wonderful, and I'll miss them like crazy!And now, after an awesome massage from Mom, I'm one tired puppy and about to sleep in my cozy bed!Oh yes, I've decided to take two zero days to get everything here squared away the way I want it. I feel like this is a very smart decision, and I also look forward to heading off for the NOC Saturday morning.Postscript, March 17, 2011: This cracks me up- I was so delighted that Dad gave me my trail name, but I thought it would be a complete disaster if anyone called me "Loose." Naturally, once Braids started calling me that, the nickname quickly grew on me and became what I was called most often. I try to remember this in daily life and not get too caught up in trying to control every little aspect of my future.
Date: 2010-03-18
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Zero day! There's lots more to report here, but I'm tired and going to be quick.I got lots done and organized today, but I was also very lazy for a lot of the day! It was great! I'm already feeling better about leaving my life here in good shape to be gone for six months, and I have a bit more to do tomorrow.Also, I haven't had a single blister-type problem with my feet, but I have had minor pain in my right achilles tendon. In resting that today, I'm already feeling it less and less. This further confirms the decision on two zero days rather than one.
Date: 2010-03-19
From: Unicoi Gap

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

Zero day #2.Got TONS done today! I also had a great lunch with my dear friends- Mom (yes, you know her; you love her), Angela, Kristy, and Lisa. It was sooooo great to see them!!! Of course, (as always...) there's more I'd like to do that I didn't have time for, but that's just the nature of my personality and my life. I'm sooo excited to get back on the trail tomorrow, even with my food bag with 7 days of food. I know this may seem a little crazy, but I've thought through it a lot, and I just don't want to be locked into going into Franklin. Also, although I haven't had a chance to actually weigh the thing, I'm pretty darned proud of the relative smallness and lightness of my food bag, considering that it now contains 7 days' worth. Woohoo!I just had an amazing evening having wine in the gazebo with Mom and Dad, and I am excited (maybe ever-so-slightly nervous, but mostly excited) to start my real solo hike tomorrow. NC state line, here I come!!!
Date: 2010-03-22
From: Plumorchard Gap Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light snow

Brr!!! I hiked 12.2 miles today in the snow. Yesterday there was talk of maybe a few flurries or a dusting of snow, but it snowed all day! I think we have 2.5 - 3 inches here now and it's still snowing. I'm comforted by the forecast of a pretty significant warm-up tomorrow and am therefore actually sort of enjoying it, but I don't think I could do this for several days in a row. In fact, I don't plan on moving out of this sleeping bag until it's above freezing in the morning. Hiking was pretty good today. I got fairly cold coming into Muskrat Creek Shelter, but the rest was good.Big News - I'm in North Carolina now! One state down, thirteen to go. Woohoo! I got some really fun state line pictures in the snow, but I wasn't about to do any real stopping. I got in for lunch at Muskrat around one and immediately threw on dry socks and extra layers. I've managed to keep most of my water drinkable, but a lot of my other stuff is totally frozen. I thought briefly about staying there, but decided to hike on the five miles to this shelter. I'm so glad I did! In the afternoon, it stopped snowing for a bit and it cleared off enough for me to see the surrounding mountains. It was beautiful! I warmed and entertained myself by singing for about an hour and a half - mostly Christmas carols. I had a blast! Most notably, after singing the 12 Days of Christmas, I entertained myself by writing my own version. Shall I recount it here? Well, only since you asked...On the 12th day of my thru-hike, the AT gave to me...12 moments of pride11 days of rain10 hours of sleep9 inches of snow (not quite)8 below zero7 Gooch Crew6 hours of sun5 Snickers Bars!4 new blisters3 nice peaks2 inches of mudAnd a cell phone ringing inside.It makes less and less sense now that I write it down, but it sure did make me happy while I was hiking today. One last note for the day - I almost skipped hanging a bear bag today because I was so cold, but I decided I should try anyway. I threw a good 5 or 6 terrible attempts, with We'll See patiently and supportively looking on. Then, out of nowhere, I threw a perfect toss that went right through the little "ideal notch" I was aiming for. That felt so satisfying!What a day, what a day!I'll be happy when this snow is over, but I'm still mighty happy to be out here on the loose. Postscript, March 23, 2011: It was soooo cold in that shelter, but this snow day is one of my favorite memories! I have no idea how Braids hiked in the cold and snow for three weeks.
Date: 2010-03-23
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.6
Weather: clear sky

"I can see clearly now, the snow is gone!" I was Lazy, Lazy Jane today and huddled in my sleeping bag as long as possible. I slept fairly cold last night, and when I woke up, it was still about 27 degrees and very windy. This, and an already planned short day, left me with absolutely no motivation to get out of my bag. I ended up finally getting on the trail around 12:30, and this turned out to be a fabulous plan! Everyone else I've talked to hiked in at least some nasty weather (high winds, cold, a little more snow), but the sun started shining and the winds calmed just before I hit the trail. It was a truly marvelous day! I hiked through some deep snow and lots of mud, but everything around was bright and beautiful. I thought about going on past Carter Gap to a campsite, but when I got here just before 5, I quickly changed my mind. There is a wonderful group of people here and spirits were high, so I was quick to join the group. It's been a beautiful, relaxing evening. Back to this morning briefly - In the hour or so before I left the shelter, I started to get a bit homesick. This was the first time of the trip that I felt that way . In the nasty, nasty weather, civilization of any sort seemed good. Within minutes, however, of stepping out on the trail, the world was brighter and I was a happy girl. I almost cried this morning (early afternoon, actually) as I sang the first verse of On the Loose, but by the end of the song I was grinning widely.I've been meeting lots of different people the last few days, but none for more than a night or so. Today, however, the pieces all fell together and I've started to feel a sense of family with those I've met. Even hiking was a bit playful today as I leapfrogged a couple of times with Longhaul and Bucksnort. it's amazing how different I feel from less than 12 hours ago. Life is SO GOOD out here, on the loose...Postscript, March 23, 2011: Oh, WOW! I remember rolling into Carter Gap Shelter and deciding to stay, but I remember the weather being so lovely that I had no idea this was the same day that I woke up in several inches of snow and with frozen boots. That is one of the crazy things about the trail- it's insane how quickly things can change out there. That was such a great shelter night, with several people who would soon become good friends. Oh, how I miss them.
Date: 2010-03-24
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Rock Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

What a glorious day! The weather has been absolutely perfect all day. I leapfrogged all day with lots of fun people. I summitted the demanding, but incredibly beautiful Albert Mountain. I laid out on the rocks in the soothing sun after lunch, surrounded by my new friends. Shortly after, I passed the 100 mile spot!!! As if all of this weren't amazing enough, I got to the shelter and was told by Beefstick that there was trail magic at the road 1/10 of a mile down the trail, but that they were closing up shop in 20 minutes. Needless to say, I dropped my pack and hurried on down the trail. I was greeted by five wonderful ladies - Indiana Jones, Blanch, Donna, Lavonne, & one other whose name I can't remember. They had hot dogs, chips, apples, carrots, pepper jack cheese, cokes and Ding Dongs (Angela, I thought of you!). The food completely hit the spot! Thank you, ladies!!! Apparently, my hiker appetite has begun to kick in, because I was still hungry after that food, which would have left me stuffed just a couple of weeks ago. I just finished perhaps the best trail dinner I've made yet - ramen noodles with tons of vegetables (including a variety of gourmet mushrooms), bacon, pesto, parmesan cheese, and pinenuts. It was SO tasty!I don't know if I've journaled much yet about my physical health. Overall, I feel really good. I have minor blisters on both heels, but they don't hurt and it's just the top layer of skin rubbed off, so I'm not worried. I've had some pain in my right achilles tendon since near the very beginning of my hike. Today was the worst yet. It was quite painful for the last two miles or so of today's hike, and when I got to the shelter, I saw that it is very swollen. I took some Ibuprofen ("Vitamin I") and am trying to stay off of it as much as possible this evening. Other than that, I feel great! I've only been on the trail for two weeks, but each day it seems my body keeps getting slimmer. Today, the miles seemed to just fly by. It's amazing how quickly I feel myself getting into shape! I have 31 miles to the NOC (the Nantahala Outdoor Center). This morning I took advantage of cell service and made reservations for bunk space there for Saturday and Sunday nights. I'm looking forward to the zero day! I will also see Amanda there, as she plans to get in on Friday and stay thru Sunday. I think Murray's coming up, too. It'll be great to see them both. Caribou and Aikido Jo have built us a bit of a bonfire here tonight, so I imagine I'll stay up and chat for a bit. Once again, life is good!Postscript, March 24, 2011: This shelter night still stands out as a really great one. The camaraderie was fantastic, and we all remembered this night fondly months later.
Date: 2010-03-25
From: Rock Gap Shelter

To: Winding Stair Gap, Franklin, NC
Miles today: 3.8
Weather: light rain

Today has been a blast! When I got to Winding Stair Gap, I finally (after many rounds of changing my mind) decided to go on into Franklin to rest my achilles tendon, get a shower and do laundry, and perhaps most importantly - get restaurant food. After packing up and hiking a short few miles, I came down into the gap to a group of very nice folks from a local church doing trail magic. I enjoyed hot chocolate, a fudge round, and a nice comfy chair as a group of us waited for the trail legend Ron Haven to come pick us up in his yellow school bus. Ron really is as amazing as people say he is! He had me nearly on the floor laughing as he drove us into Franklin, and he made it very clear that we were not to pay him a dime for the shuttling he does. I got a room at Haven's Budget Inn (a must stay for hikers) with Beef Stick & Gear Bomb. As soon as we dropped stuff in our respective rooms, 10 of us went directly to lunch. We were all too hungry even to shower first. A mile (or so) walk down the road took us to Mi Casa, an awesome Mexican restaurant. This was the first time I knew for sure that my hiker appetite is kicking in. I ordered a HUGE combo plate of mostly stuff that I never order. Two weeks ago, I maybe would have finished half, but today, I gobbled down every last bite! Yum! It was fun being part of the stuffed-hiker parade back to the motel. I felt like we were quite a sight, but I'm sure the locals are used to it. The rest of the afternoon held typical town chores of a very welcome shower, laundry, checking email, some all-important TV watching (King of the Hill & The Simpsons), and icing my achilles. It was generally a lovely afternoon. After a quick Ingles run (new book & pens that work - yay!) and a wonderful chat with Dad, it was movie time. Turtle, wonderful lady that she is, got movie times and arranged a shuttle for us, so at 6:40, six of us - Turtle, Ace, Beef Stick, Rob, Roughin' It, and me - piled into Moonwalker's little Isuzu and headed to Franklin's HUGE 4-screen theatre for Alice in Wonderland (in 3D!). Good times were had by all, and of course on the way home we loaded up on yet more food - yummy, yummy Bojangles. Mmm... All in all, today was a fantastic, relaxing day, and I was really happy with my decision to come into town!
Date: 2010-03-26
From: Winding Stair Gap, Franklin, NC

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

15.8 Miles! This is the longest I have ever hiked in one day. I am beat, but also in insanely high spirits and feeling quite proud of myself!Today began with an amazing breakfast provided by the good folks of Franklin First Baptist Church. Every morning for about three weeks during peak thru-hiker season, they come by the Budget Inn with the church van at promptly 7:15. No matter how many hikers partake (there were 5 of us today, 1 yesterday), there's a crew of 5-10 people with a delicious pancake & bacon breakfast hot and ready. It was absolutely delicious! The kind people there even sent us each off with a ziploc of bacon for the evening's dinner. Yum! Thank you all so much!Back at the Budget Inn, I threw my stuff into my pack and caught the 8:30 shuttle up to the trail. I hiked most of the rainy day by myself. Although I only planned 11 miles to Wayah Shelter, when I stopped about a mile before for lunch at Wayah Bald, I was freezing! I realized I was going to get to the shelter around 3, so I decided to just keep hiking.I listened to my ipod most of the day today (both music & part of a book), and took very few breaks. I felt like a hiking machine! My feet did great, and my achilles is feeling much better and is less swollen. When I hiked up to Cold Spring Shelter, I was just elated! There were some friends there, the sun had just come out, and there was one shelter spot left. The high I felt from hiking so far and so steadily was unbelievable! We ended up having a blast at the shelter tonight. Oh! I added my bag of crunchy bacon to my bean soup for dinner and it was AMAZING! Mmm....Postscript, March 26, 2011: I remember this like it was yesterday. That really was an amazing day!
Date: 2010-03-27
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

NOC, Baby! Woohoo! Today, the weather was clear and beautiful, and the hike had incredible views. I hiked with others all day - Roughin It and Dr. Beef Stick in the morning, joined by Aikido Jo and Longhaul in the afternoon. I don't do this often, but it was great. I really enjoyed the conversation and found it easier to open up a little than it has been in a long time. After an amazing hike and a long and tiring downhill, we hiked into the NOC around 2:30ish. We could all smell food cooking from 1/4 mile up the trail. Everyone in the group got space in the bunkhouses, though I had already reserved mine. I got showered and into some clothes that were still clean from Franklin. I met later with eight other hikers for dinner at the River's Edge. The burger, fries, and a couple of $2 PBRs were brilliant! The company was even better. I did get some sad news this evening: I got word a couple of days ago that Amanda was going to get into the NOC yesterday and stay through tomorrow. I left her a message as soon as I got in this afternoon, but had not heard from her by suppertime. I finally got in touch with Murray (Lazarus), to find that they are home at Murray's. Amanda hiked into the NOC, but was forced off the trail by some ankle problems, at least for a few days. I think she plans to go to the doctor soon, so I'm awaiting a text with good news that she'll be healed up and back on soon. Good luck, Amanda! I'll be thinking of you!Before bed this evening, I hung out for a couple of hours with Longhaul, Aikido Jo, Donner (who was Rob until tonight), Dr. Beef Stick, & Willard. I'm really enjoying this group of friends I've been with for the last few days. I'm finding myself a little sad that some of us will split off in the next couple of days, but at the same time, I know that great new friends await. ("Many places yet to go, many people yet to meet.")Postscript, March 27, 2011: Hahahaha! It cracked me up reading "Dr. Beef Stick" in this entry! See, Beef Stick also thru-hiked several years ago (1995?) and got his name then. The night before this entry, as we were all chatting in the shelter, he revealed that he had just finished graduate school and earned his PhD, making him officially Dr. Kaib. We were all quite impressed and agreed that his title should be added onto the front of his trail name, too. Sadly for us all, "Dr. Beef Stick" was a bit of a mouthfull, so it soon was shortened back. I had completely forgotten about the whole thing until reading this entry. Oh, good times on the trail!
Date: 2010-03-28
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: NOC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Today was just ridiculous, but in a really good way. I did laundry and a few other chores this morning, and was even super responsible and drank my extra breakfast shake instead of going to breakfast with friends. Around noon, the fun started. Longhaul, Beefstick, Roughin It, Aikido Jo, Sherlock, and I head to the road to try for rides into Bryson City. We intially split into two groups, thinking there was no way we would get a ride for all six of us. It took us a while trying to hitch, but eventually a super-nice veterinarian from just the other side of Bryson City stopped for us. She moved her dog into the front seat and then managed to fit all six of us into her little compact SUV. Thank you so much, Tammy! She dropped us off right at the front door of the Yummi Yummi, a Chinese place with an AYCE buffet. What an awesome lunch! I chowed down - probably a little too much, but it was worth it!After lunch, we walked around town for a bit - to the Kerr Drug where I picked up a prescription and a few small items, and then to the IGA, where Tammy had suggested we try for a hitch back. We got there and all seemed to think that a ride was unlikely, but boy, were we wrong! Believe it or not, we rode back to the NOC in a limo! How, may you ask? One word - Longhaul!He worked his magic! While I and a couple others were wandering the store, he talked to the cashier and asked if she knew anyone who may have a truck or something and want to make $20 or $30 giving us a ride. She said no, but another gentleman said something about the funeral home next door having a limo that may be an option. As it turns out, this gentleman (assumed to be a customer) was both owner of the IGA and the funeral director. For a tiny $20 (a price he did not set; he probably would have taken us for free) this wonderful man pulled the shiny, Cadillac limo out of the garage and drove us in luxury to the NOC. He pulled up directly in front of the outfitters, where the AT crosses the river, and dropped us off. This was a truly legendary moment. THANK YOU!!!The rest of the day has continued to be fantastic, mostly with great, long conversations and my sporadic attempt to catch up on journaling. I still have a few things to do before sleep, and it's already 10:00 (WAY past hiker-midnight), so I'll end this here. I will say this, briefly: I am so happy with what I'm doing, and feel more alive, aware, and open than I have in a very long time.