morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-04-12
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

I woke up to a very cold 24 degrees this morning but thankfully no wind. Someone got up really early and built a fire which was really nice. Some hikers are planning to do 20 miles today which will put them in position to just go 6 miles into Erwin, TN. Others are doing 15 miles and then a few like me are only hiking 10 miles to the next shelter. After 2 15 mile days in a row I just didn't have another 15 miles in me. 10, 10 and 6 works for me. I hit the trail about 8:00 with thoughts of Trail Magic breakfast just 2.4 miles away. I got there in a little over an hour and sure enough "Quiet Paul" was there with scrambled eggs cooked to order, the best hash browns I have ever eaten, (sorry Waffle house) huge muffins, soft drinks and orange juice. Thanks Quiet Paul it was great.After that great meal at Sams Gap I crossed under I-26 and started a climb that lasted the remainder of the day. Right after starting the climb; more trail magic. Snacks and drinks including beer. I drank a root beer and took two packages of snacks for later. Thanks Peleo and Crazy BearI thought I was getting my trail legs but I guess not. Today just killed me. It really is more my wind than my legs. I know from some tests I had done that my lung capacity at the time was only 87% of what it should be. I assumed it would get better and maybe it will. I also may not be eating enough so when I resupply next I am going to increase the calories and see if that makes a difference.A first for me.....when I got to the shelter there was a homeless couple there, early 40's. They say they are going to hike to Maine but they don't have any real equipment and are dressed all in cotton which is a no no. I fear for their safety since it has turned cold. They say they have hiked a lot since they have been homeless. I hope they know what they are doing.Tomorrow should be a little easier day as there are not as many uphills. Looking forward to Erwin and real food, clean clothes and a shower.
Date: 2012-04-13
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Uncle Johnnies Hostel
Miles today: 16.4

Friday the 13th did not live up to its billing. It was a great day for me. I got up and on the trail at my usual time 8:00. A few ups today but mostly downs. I hiked the 5 miles to a beautiful gap at a road crossing with a pretty stream. After that there was a pretty long uphill but there were several pretty small water falls and generally pretty foilage. After the up hill I hit a section that was mostly down hill but I soon realized that I had not seen a white blaze in awhile. I began to get concerned. It went on for about two miles with no blaze. I checked my guide and there were no other trails listed to I violated my rule of turning back if I don't see a blaze in half mile. In this cas it was the right decision. I met a couple of day hikers and they confirmed that I was indeed on the AT. Phew...A short time later, 1:15, I had done the 10+ miles to No Business Shelter. Only 6 miles to Erwin. I had planned to stop at the Shelter for the day but it was too early so after a break and lunch I headed out for Erwin. A few ups but mostly downs especially at the end. I arrived at the Hostel about 4:30. Got a room and a shower and caught the shuttle to dinner and resupply. I didn't have time to check my schedule so I just bought the things I knew I needed and will complete my resupply tomorrow. I am really tired tonight. Hope I get a good nights sleep for a change. "0" day tomorrow for chores like updating my Journal, doing laundry and resupply then back on the trail on Sunday.
Date: 2012-04-15
From: Uncle Johnny's Hostel

To: Camp site Just North of The Beauty Spot
Miles today: 12.7

I had another great nights sleep last night and I do feel very rested this morning. While packing up last night I watched a Jack Nicholson movie. I think it was called "Is that all there is." I had seen it before but forgot how good it was.I ate a trail breakfast in my room rather than taking the shuttle so I could get an earlier start. By 8:30 I was on the trail, new trail for me. For a change the trail out of Erwin was pretty level for about a mile or two. It runs along the Nolichucky River for quite a while. After a couple of hours I arrived at Curley Maple shelter and took a break. In a few minutes three section hikers showed up. They live in Savannah and are section hiking the trail. Steak, Shake and Tom. I talked with them awhile and then moved on. They were really nice and interesting to talk to. I was eating lunch along the trail and they stopped to eat lunch so I got to see them again. The next section was the most unattractive I have seen so far. It had burned at some time in the past. While hiking this section I met "Old Blue Eyes" An older hiker. We hiked together for awhile and then he moved ahead. The view of the day was from The Beauty Spot. Another bald. Hikers like to camp there but can no longer becauae it is accessible by car and the local yahoo's are harassing them. Steak and Shake and Tom and I are camped about a mile or so from there. We are pretty close to a road so I hope we don't have any problems.
Date: 2012-04-16
From: Camp site Just North of The Beauty Spot

To: Clyde Smith Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Well the good news is we didn't get harassed by any of the locals last night. In fact only one car drove by all night. I did get a better nights sleep last night even though I was in my tent and Steak was snoring in his tent near by. Steak, Shake and Tom got out ahead of me as it took me even longer to pack since I was tenting. Today was to be a 12 mile day and tomorrow a 14 mile day. Since my new friends were going to Clyde Smith Shelter which is 14 miles I decided to change my schedule to match their's. That would give me a shorter day tomorrow and tomorrow has a really tough climb up Roan Mountain. The morning went well and as previously mentioned I am being very careful to eat a little more and stay hydrated. It seems to be working. I caught up to the three amigos later in the day and passed them by as they ate lunch. It was hot this afternoon so I got a taste of what it will be like when it is hot every day. I like hiking in cool weather better. I got to the shelter about 4:30 and there was no one in the shelter. I got my pick of spots. After settling in I found that I had miscalculated and I have another 14 mile day tomorrow. I am really bummed out about it as I was looking forward a shorter day tomorrow. In addition to the longer day the weather forecast calls for 70% chance of rain and thunderstorms. I am not looking forward to climbing Roan Mountain in the rain. 14 miles has pretty much worn me out. I am getting in my sleeping bag and calling it a day.
Date: 2012-04-17
From: Clyde Smith Shelter

To: Overmountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: light rain

Today was really like two separate days. This morning was all uphill and the weather was great. A tough climb right away and then my first 2000+ foot climb to the top of Roan Mountain. I found my lost 2 miles. I thought I would have a 14 and a 12 but instead had to do 2 14's. I was looking at a Trail Journal from 2009 and got the mileage from that. Since then they have added a lot of switch backs which added 2 miles but made the climb up Roan Mountain easier. This afternoon was mostly downhill but it started raining about 2:30 and rained till I got to the shelter around 5:30. It stopped for awhile and now is pouring as I write this. I am at Overmountain shelter which is an old barn converted into a shelter. It is a great place to be on a rainy night. There are about 20 hikers here and room for at least that many more.I wanted to get a good picture of the barn/shelter and especially the view of the valley from the shelter but the rain gave me no chance for a picture. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I was having some pain in my right shoulder.  I am getting a little concerned about it. It is getting worse. It doesn't bother me when I don't have my pack on. I have tried adjusting my pack but so far it hasn't helped. I have to use Ibuprofen to help with the pain. If it doesn't get better I will go to the doctor when I get to Damascus in about a week.
Date: 2012-04-18
From: Overmountain Shelter

To: Mountain Harbour Hostel
Miles today: 9.2

It rained all night and I mean it really rained. Unfortunately it is still raining this morning. The three amigo's and were up early and on the trail by 7:30. They need to get to the trail head at Hwy 19 because Tom has a shuttle at 1:00 to take him to his car so he can go home and Steak and Shake are meeting a friend who will help them resupply and then they will head on. I am hiking along with them so I can get to the hostel and take care of resupply etc.It was raining pretty hard and the temperature was 42 degrees. For once I was glad to start the day with a long uphill because it warmed me up. After that we had a pretty long down hill and then another uphill to Hump Mountain. By then I was wet and a little chilly. Did I mention that the wind was blowing about 25 miles an hour. As we approached the summit it became a bald so there was nothing to break the wind and there were a series of false summits.   A false summit is where you climb up to what you think is the top but when you get there you find that there is yet another climb to the top. Sometime there are several of these before you actually reach the top. Finally we reached the top so we thought we were done but going down the other side of the bald took a long time. When we finally got into the tree line we were wet and cold. I couldn't stop even for a short time for fear of becoming hypothermic. The trail was all down hill from there but very rocky and slippery.   I almost fell several times. Finally the wind died down and the rain subsided and I warmed up. About the last hour I started having problems with my left knee. It is hard to explain. Just a dull pain and every now and then it would just give way. I have a brace on it so I don't know what the problem is. It has continued to bother me since arriving at the hostel. I am going to try and hike out in the morning and see how it does. I am bummed by the physical problems that are creeping up.When we reached Hwy 19 I had to say goodby to my new friends Steak, Shake and Tom. Three great guys who I really enjoyed hiking with. Hopefully when I get back we can get together sometime in Savannah. Thanks guys for allowing me to join your group.
Date: 2012-04-20
From: Vango/Abby Memorial Hostel

To: Black Bear Resort and Hostel
Miles today: 12.3
Weather: broken clouds

I didn't get to bed as early last night as usual because "Daypack" and I stayed up talking and eating pizza till about 9:30. When I did get to bed I went right to sleep and slept well until my usual 6:30 wake up time. I got up and could not put any weight on my left leg. My knee would just not support it. After moving my leg around and hobbling around for about 5 minutes it loosened up and I was able to limp on it.I had paid my bill and checked out last night so I wouldn't have to deal with that this morning. I offered Scotty the owner a donation toward the Memorial which he took but then kept giving me things like a beer and some candy. I am not sure I ended up donating anything.My plan today was to do 12 miles and stay at Black Bear Resort and Hostel. The first 6 miles were pretty benign as far as the terrain went. They were beautiful miles with lots of small streams and many water falls. I arrived at Moreland Gap Shelter which is half way,6 miles, earlier than I anticipated which was good. I averaged 2 miles an hour which is good for me even without a bad knee. I joined 4 other hikers for lunch including Diesel and Big Sky. When I had rested and eaten I tried to get up but could not put any weight on my left leg. I was able to reach my hiking poles and use them as a crutch and get moving a little and in a few minutes it loosened up and I was able to walk on it even though it was protesting. The remaining 6 miles were a little more uphill but my knee seems to do better on the uphills than the downhills. As I got farther along my knee gave way a few times which if it had happened at the wrong time could have been serious but fortunately wasn't. I arrived at Black Bear around 3:30 which was also before I expected to. Another average of 2 miles per hour. I got my shower and put my clothes in the washing machine. They have a small store with snacks and hiker resupply and.....Beer. YEA I got a beer and some nuts and sat down and talked with the owner and the one other hiker who was here. When I tried to get up I couldn't. Same issue. Had to hold on to something to get moving and then it would loosen up. This went on for the rest of the evening. I am beginning to see a pattern here. Stay off the knee and it freezes up. Get it moving and it loosens up. If I had any thoughts about hiking tomorrow they are gone now.After some dinner,Trail Journal updating and visiting I was ready for bed. Stay tuned for a knee update tomorrow.
Date: 2012-04-21
From: Black Bear Resort and Hostel

To: Black Bear Resort and Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Last night SOS and Runner came in along with SOS's Wife, Trail Mama. All hikers I had met before. SOS is doing a lot of slack packing with his wife picking him up at trail heads and bringing him to hostels to spend the night. Runner has joined them for a while. Consequently they are able to do big miles; sometimes as much as 25 per day.When I woke up during the night to pee I could hardly make it to the bathroom and the next morning my knee was no better. I was hobbling around and did not take any Ibuprofen because I wanted to know exactly how bad or good it felt. It did not feel good. I was thinking that I would have to come home to get it checked and then return to the trail if it got better. The trail is an amazing place and amazing things happen on it. Also in the hostel but staying in her hammock rather than the bunk house was a 62 year old hiker called "Long Skirt". You won't believe this but she is a retired Doctor. She and I talked and she said that since my knee was not swollen it was probably not serious. That made me feel a lot better. She also had an idea of what the problem was and suggested some stretching exercises and a continuation of the Ibuprofen.As if that was not enough good news. SOS was leaving this morning to go to Damascus because the weather was supposed to be bad today and tomorrow and he didn't want to hike. Monday he and his wife are leaving the trail for a few days to join relative's for a little retreat. Want to guess where that might be? Blue Ridge GA just 30 or 40 miles from my home. He said he would take me and bring me back if I wanted him to. How great is that.As the afternoon wore on my knee started feeling better. I don't know if it was the Ibuprofen, the exercises, or the rest but it was better. The weather today did not turn bad until about 3:00 but then it started raining as hard as I have ever seen it rain and it kept raining into the evening. Tomorrow is going to be more of the same so I will take another day of rest. I think I still need the rest so it's not a problem. My plan is to get them to shuttle me up the trail Monday about 13 miles and I will hike back to the Hostel and if my knee holds up OK I will get shuttled back up the trail to the point I started hiking South and continue my hike North toward Damascus. There is a saying in the hiking community - "No rain, no pain, no Maine. Hey I already have two of the three.Note: A special thank you to all of you who sent your well wishes and suggestions about my knee. I read all of your comments and love hearing from you.
Date: 2012-04-23
From: Black Bear Resort and Hostel

To: Black Bear Resort and Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Black Bear Resort and Hostel is an interesting place. It sits on 23 acres but only a few are developed. It was formally Laurel Creek Lodge or something like that. It has a series of small cabins as well as some larger cottages and a small conference center. It also has a hostel, store and all purpose room for hikers as well as a nice bath house. It had been closed and abandoned for several years until the current owners bought it last year. They have been working for about six months to renovate it and just opened March of this year. It is still a work in progress but what is open is very clean and a cut above what you usually see as a hiker. It is owned by Mary Lee and Bob and their daughter Stephanie and her husband Brian. A true family operation. They have been very accommodating and are open to suggestions about ways to do things differently to please the hiker community. If I had to sit out a few days I could not have picked a better place. Thanks so much Mary Lee, Bob, Stephanie and Brian.This morning when I woke up it was snowing which was different. It snowed until about 11:00 and the high for the day will only be in the low 40's and very windy. No one who was here last night left to hike today and several more hikers have come in already with I am sure more to come as the day goes along. I joined Talks a Lot and Spirit on a shuttle into town for lunch. They got Pizza and I went to Arby's. I am sure I have gained back what ever weight I lost since I have done nothing but eat for the past three days.My plan is now set for the next few days; knee permitting. I am going to be shuttled 13 miles North up the trail in the morning and hike back down to the Hostel. This will accomplish 3 things. 1)I will get in some trail miles. 2) I will be able to test my knee which now is doing fine now but tomorrow it will be tested under trail conditions and 3) I will be able to sleep in a nice warm place instead of up the trail where it is going to be below freezing and windy. If my knee does well I will then get a shuttle 13 miles up the trail and leave from there toward Damascus where I will have to decide what to do with my summer and winter gear. I have enjoyed my stay here but am ready to get back on the trail and heading North.
Date: 2012-04-26
From: Wilbur Dam Road

To: Black Bear Resort and Hostel
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night Brian, Stephanie, Bob the kids and two other hikers went into Johnson City for dinner at Beef O'Brady's. We had a great time and it took my mind off leaving the trail. My knees are tender but not really hurting that bad. Have I made the correct decision? I don't know. Today I was up early as usual and began to pack up even though I wasn't getting shuttled over to Johnson City to meet Jarhead until 10:30. Precious came in to the hostel around 9:00 last night so it was good to see him again. We talked a long time this morning about the trail and ailments that we both have.At 10:30 Brian picked me up and we headed to Johnson City. I said my goodbye's to everyone and with a sad feeling headed out. Jarhead was right on time as he picked me up at the Wal-Mart around 12:00. It was really good to see him and catch up on all the news. We had lunch and then started the 4.5 hour trip back to Dawsonville and home. I arrived a little after 5:00. It was a strange feeling being home. I told Reed that it didn't feel like my house for some reason. I felt like I was visiting someone else's home. I am sure this feeling will pass. Reed and I visited and caught up and had a little dinner. The only thing I have been craving on the trail is hot dogs which is funny because I don't usually eat hot dogs but hot dogs it was dinner.I watched a little TV and crashed. I am really looking forward to see the Dr this morning. I will do a Journal entry and let everyone know what he says. Thanks to everyone for all the kind comments. Don't count me out yet. I still hope to be back on the trail soon.
Date: 2012-04-27
From: Black Bear Resort and Hostel

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I got a really good nights sleep in my own bed last night. When I got up my right knee had no pain at all and my left was just a little sore. I went to see my primary care physician and he wanted me to see an Orthopedist. Another miracle, he was able to get me an appointment the same day. After X-rays and an exam I received what I feel is the best possible news. There is no damage to the knees and the pain is just from over use and is similar to tendinitis. Both of my knee caps are misaligned which is causing them to rub on a tendon. They fitted my left knee with a brace to pull it back into the proper position and I received some anti-inflammatory drugs. I will rest it for abut 3 days and if the pain is gone I can get back on the trail. Nothing was required for my right knee. It was felt that the pain there was just from compensating for the problem with my left knee. So I get to spend some time at home visiting with friends and taking care of some business and with any luck at all I will be hiking by Wednesday of next week. Thanks again for all the kind comments and concerns from all of my followers. I will post updates daily to let you know what is going on and how I am doing.
Date: 2012-04-28
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Last night was a fun night getting together with friends for dinner and catching up with all the news.I got a good nights sleep but woke up early like I was on the trail. Today was just errand day. I got caught up on some business and aired out my tent and sleeping bag and went through my stuff to see what I might leave her and what I need to take with me that I don't now have.The knee feels pretty good especially with the knee brace on. I am hoping that by tomorrow I will not have any pain at all. That might be wishful thinking but we shall see. For some reason I am really tired and took a short nap.Reed had mailed my summer stuff to me in Damascus and since I never made it to Damascus I call the PO and they said they would mail it back to me. I checked Saturday and it has not arrived yet. I hope it gets here Monday because if it doesn't my plans to leave for the trail Tuesday may have to be postponed for a day. Calling it an early night. Even with my Nap I am feeling tired. It may be the medicine I am on. One side effect is drowsiness.
Date: 2012-04-29
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Well another day at home. The knee seems to be better but still a little tender. No problem at all with the right knee. That's good. I am beginning to go a little stir crazy. Just sitting around resting my knee is not my idea of fun even though it is the best thing to do.I went to the grocery store and bought some steaks for dinner and grilled them along with corn on the cob and asparagus. I enjoyed cooking the meal and especially enjoyed eating the fruits of my labor. Another early night. I have decided that I will go for a little hike with a full pack on Tuesday to test the knee. I don't want to get all the way back 4.5 hours from here and find out that the knee is not doing as well as I thought so a local test is in order. Of course if it doesn't feel good I won't go back to the trail. If all goes well I will return to the trail on Thursday.I have received some good advice from seasoned hikers regarding my knee and appreciate all the advice. I will be able to test out some new techniques on the down hills on Tuesday and see how they work.