morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-04-13
From: Near Jones Meadow

To: Campsite on woods road
Miles today: 12.8

Turns out we were a bit short of Jones Meadow (mile 295.6) yesterday at a piped spring with tent sites not listed in AWOL's AT Guide. Estimate 295.0 miles. Left at 7:30 a.m. and arrived at unknown old woods road (est. at mile 307.8) at 4:30 p.m.Did about 12.8 miles, maybe more. We are finding errors in the guide. At least two springs listed today did not exist ... and we needed water. Finally got some out of a nasty little stream just in case. Did not even filter it. About two miles later, we found a better stream, dumped the prior water (brown and silty) and filled up. Filtered it once we camped. Because of the norovirus, we are avoiding shelters and shelter areas. This means we are unable to follow AWOL's 12-mile per day average schedule because we can't/won't stay at some of his destinations. Tomorrow we are going to to fill up with water at Hogback Ridge Shelter but plan to camp at the meadow beyond. That would be an 11- to 12-mile day. There's no water up there, so we must carry it in. I will probably be carrying 10 to 12 lbs of water in addition to everything else.We did the blue-blazed trail bypassing Big Firescald Knob. The view there is excellent (did it in 2005), but the climb is rocky and very strenuous.
Date: 2013-04-14
From: Camping near Jones Meadow

To: Meadow camp site
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Starting point actually a little past mile 307.5, perhaps 307.9. Left at 7:45 a.m. to "meadow" which was actually a bald, at mile 319.5. Arrived 5:15 p.m.About 11.6 miles in about 8.5 hours of hiking today -- Lots of hard climbs again. Did a break at Hogback Ridge Shelter -- watered up, privied, and lunched from 1:00 to 1:30.Water at shelter was a quarter mile down a blue blazed trail. Privy was quite open, quite windy, and quite nasty. At the blue blaze trail to the shelter, which was one-tenth of a mile east of the trail, there was a sign indicating trail magic at Sams Gap/US23/I-26 just ahead. After our break, I pushed hard, missed the setup of magic, but caught trail angel as he was leaving. Got two oranges, a Sprite, and a Mountain Dew. I saved an orange and the Sprite for Tina. She arrived about 20 minutes later. It took almost two hours to go the last 1.7 miles to the "meadow."It is quite windy here. We teamed up to set up the tents. Tina is definitely keeping up better and and doing better on the ups, but we are both beat by the end of the days. She is taking ibuprofen regularly for her feet. Tried to call home at Sams Gap. Spoke briefly but could not maintain connection. Four battery bars on phone. No more calls until Erwin. No blisters. Toes on left foot occasionally quite painful. I know I mentioned this before but it is recurring.
Date: 2013-04-15
From: Meadow campsite

To: Spivey Gap/US19W
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: moderate rain

Meadow campsite, 7:30 a.m., to Spivey Gap campsite, 3:50 p.m., 11.7 miles.Stopped for privy, water, and lunch at Bald Mountain Shelter. Left there about 11:40 a.m.One thing I do not understand is that it took about 2.5 hours to go from Whistling Gap (mile 328.6) to here (mile 330.8), 2.2 miles, and I know for over an hour I hit relatively mellow trail and was moving about 2.5 miles per hour. The math does not compute -- I spent three months training for 2.6 mph on a 10 percent grade. There was a trail magic cooler at the road when we got here, but everything was gone. Which reminds me: The trail magic oranges yesterday had their peels dumped on the side of the road less than 100 feet from a trash can. It's kind of a slap in the face for the trail angel. Some hikers just do not get, "Leave no trace." Tina is getting off the trail in Erwin Wednesday. Her husband is picking her up. Too bad. We get along well and pace each other well. Mostly I led the ups and downs and she leads the more mellow trail. Her feet are painful and she is taking multiple ibuprofen doses daily.We are hearing more stories of norovirus that are quite specific. I am still kind of hiking scared. It is so contagious and may continue for a while. I have decided that if I get it despite my precautions that I will stop hiking. Two or three days of vomiting and diarrhea would be too much to just bounce back from. It's 10.7 miles to Erwin tomorrow. Hope to arrive about 2 p.m. or so. It is 6:30 p.m. now. Tina and I are uncomfortable now. What appears to be a homeless man just walked through our campsite to the road. He says he is waiting for a ride from Miss Janet of Erwin at 7:30 tonight. I know there is a Miss Janet in Erwin who used to run a hostel and currently does shuttling. He seems harmless, but we did "burglar alarm" our bear hung food and I added knots and complexity to the cord, too. There is a nice little stream here. If the weather and water were warmer, I would sit in it and do a bandana bath. But alas, I must continue stenching. At this point, I would choose a shower over food.Sunday night it rained for the first half of the night. Strong winds at times. The tents held up well and inside was dry. Sun came out mid-afternoon today, nice hiking day.(There was no problem overnight with the homeless man.)
Date: 2013-04-17
From: Zero Day -- Erwin

To: Zero Day -- Erwin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Zero day in Erwin today. Laundry, Post Office, ATM, arrange shuttle to trail for tomorrow, finish boxing stuff. Sending home: extra socks, stocking cap, titanium cup, bag liner, down camp coat, extra hose for water filter, two chemical heat packs, Yaktrax.Ate BBQ pork and beef at Hawg-N-Dawg: Good!Got a ride from local shuttler, Miss Janet, to Indian Grave Gap and slack packed southbound back to Erwin for 8.8 miles. Started at 11:30 and finished at 3:05. Miss Janet had predicted 3:15 for my finish, but she also waited on the near side of the bridge. Had she been on the far side, she would have been only about five minutes off on her guesstimate. She had only arrived about a minute before me. Miss Janet shuttles and helps hikers all over the area, even back to Springer and up to who knows where. She even knows the homeless man who lives in the woods near Spivey Gap. We got along very well and just chattered away. Tomorrow a.m. Miss Janet shuttles me back to Indian Grave Gap and I resume hiking north. This greatly alters my hiking plans to Kincora. It should have saved me almost a whole day of hiking.
Date: 2013-04-18
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Apple Orchard Campsite
Miles today: 13.4

Indian Grave Gap, 8:45 a.m., to Apple Orchard Campsite by 4:30 p.m.Not much to report.Usual hard day. Had BBQ chicken sandwiches from Hawg-N-Dawg for lunch and dinner. Quite windy all day. Now it's hot and still. Toes on left foot hurting some today. Having trouble with connector from Platypus water bag to Sawyer water filter leaking, which could contaminate drinking water.Want to get at least to Roan High Knob Shelter tomorrow. I have decided to try for Mountain Harbour Hostel for dinner and overnight stay the next night.
Date: 2013-04-19
From: Apple Orchard Campsite

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: moderate rain

Apple Orchard Campsite, 6 a.m., to Roan High Knob Shelter, 2 p.m.Light rain last night.Slept good, day cold and very windy. Occasional light rain until about noon, then heavy rain. Trail became a stream. Reached Greasy Creek Gap about 9 a.m. and Clyde Smith Shelter about 10 a.m.After about mile 371, the trail was totally relocated. It is harder, steeper, and longer than in '05 and '08. (I did this section in '08 on a Father's Day hike.) On top of that, the Roan High Knob Shelter from '05 and '08 is not this one. It is what they call it, but it is a different shelter in a different location. [Ed. Note: Roan High Knob Shelter is still there.] I wonder if the current AT is west of where it used to be.In theory, Bucky is meeting me at Carvers Gap in the morning. if the guide is correct, that's only 1.7 miles from here. There were a lot of tired, wet, hungry, hikers arriving here from 2:30 til about 5 p.m. when it stopped raining, so most set up tents outside. Good thing, otherwise the shelter would have been a norovirus breeding ground. No cell service here, so will try to call Blackbird and home tomorrow. I ate a lot when I got here after changing into dry clothes and climbing into the sleeping bag to warm up. I have some of my wet clothes under my ground cloth, which is under my Thermarest mattress. We shall see if they get dry overnight. (They got frozen!!)
Date: 2013-04-20
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Carvers Gap
Miles today: 1.7

It turns out Roan High Knob Shelter is the same one, but how you get there has changed.Lots more switchbacks and rock scrambles instead of a steep more-or-less straight climb. The trail is so warn and washed out that I did cot recognized parts that are the same. It is in rough shape. The trail does go through Ash Gap but skips Toll House Gap. Anyhow, last night was cold -- about 15 degrees, windy, probably around 30 mph [Ed. Note: Most likely much more]. Shelter drafty and cold. Tree limbs breaking in wind and falling on shelter roof. One sounded as heavy as a brick. Only got about four or five hours of sleep. Got up at 7 a.m. and wore the few dry (sleepin) clothes I had, plus frozen Frogg Toggs plus frozen shoes and left shelter (first out) about 7:30. All of my other clothes were frozen dispite being under me in the shelter. The trail was still pretty wet and not well blazed. Still below freezing, wet and windy.Arrived at Carvers Gap at 8:30 to a wonderful sight. Bucky was waiting there waiting in his vehicle. He had arrived about 2 a.m. and slept in the Jeep. At the Gap, the temperature was 20 degrees. He said that while he wanted to join me hiking for the day, that conditions were bad and he was not prepared for that. So with relief and great delight, I suggested a hot breakfast at Roan Mountain, TN. We went to Bob's Dairyland diner. Breakfast was good and conditions were still bad, so my next suggestion was to go to Mountain Harbour B&B/Hiker Hostel up the road on RT19E. There was no room at the inn, but I got to tent on the lawn. Went to BBQ place for late lunch/early dinner (it was good), then back to Carvers Gap for a visit in tourist mode. Even then it was still cold and windy but sunny. We met a hiker this afternoon who spent all day and two nights at Overmountain Shelter because of the bad weather.
Date: 2013-04-21
From: Mountain Harbour

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: clear sky

Mountain Harbour, 9 a.m., to Moreland Gap Shelter, 6:45 p.m.Long day.Started day intending to stop at Vango Abby Memorial Hostel. Got to first side trail at mile 404.2 and decided to go 0.6 miles further to second side trail. First trail had been obvious, but the second side trail was not and I could not find it. Did not want to go back, so forged on to stop when I felt like it. Trail was mostly good and some was easy and fast and I could make 2.3 to 3 mph. Ran into two SOBO [southbound] day hikers who told me the shelter was only about 2.5 miles further on with relatively easy trail, which should only take 1.5 hours. New goal!! Shelter, even though I planned to tent (Sill avoiding noro-babies).So, four mostly uphill miles and almost three hours later: Moreland Gap Shelter.Lessons from the day: 1) If you have an obvious side trail to a goal, take it. Don't trust what might not be so obvious later.2) Don't assume that other hikers know where they are and how far away things are any more than you do.3) Don't assume the guide is always accurate or complete -- it isn't.I have done two days planned hiking in one day. Smart? EHHHH! Maybe, maybe not. I certainly don't want to do double every day or even often. Kincora is now six miles away off Dennis Cove Road mostly downhill and should take about three hours. I will get a shower, laundry and a trip to town for dinner and resupply, an overnight stay only. My wife visits in nine more days Milestone: Passed 400 miles today.
Date: 2013-04-22
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Kincora Hostel
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: light rain

Moreland Gap Shelter, 8:45 a.m., to Kincora, noon.Ran into trail angel at Dennis Cove Rd. Had soda and chips and chatted for a while. Her husband is a retired dentist and she is meeting him at the trail crossing and doing trail magic at the same time.First one into Kincora as I expected, so I took the only private room. I am still avoiding noro-babies. Yesterday I inspected a guy's heel wound at Moreland Gap Shelter. It showed some signs of infection so he got out early, came to Kincora and got a ride to the clinic in Hampton, TN. Glad he took my advice. Adequate health care on the trail is nearly impossible.I have already brushed, flossed, shampooed and showered. My clothes have been washed and are in the dryer and I am basking in the sun doing this entry. No cell phone service here. Some left foot toe pain today and I am worried that I might be developing a hot spot on my left heel. There was a frozen pizza in the freezer. It became my lunch. A day for consolidation, contemplation, and planning.
Date: 2013-04-23
From: Kincora

To: Watauga Lake Shelter
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: clear sky

Kincora, 7:30 a.m., to Watauga Lake Shelter, 2 p.m.This was my goal for today.Arrived after collecting and filtering water from a nearby stream.It's Tennessee, so there's no privy, but there is a shovel.Had a full packet of Lipton teriyaki noodles and was considering moving on one to three miles and finding a tent site for the night. Then the German couple, Turtle and his wife Snail, who I keep running into arrived. Turtle said that there were no good tent sites coming up and showed me his hiking plan to Damascus. It's the same plan as mine and they are good company so I decided to stick to the plan and stay. I thought Kincora was not as good as in '05, no soda or food available, no ride to town for dinner. Only a ride to Brown's Hardware/Feed & Grain/grocery. It was OK, but not a real grocery store. Bob Peoples said that the IGA had closed along with several other stores and restaurants. He did swing by the Subway so I could pick up a grinder for dinner. Bob warned me that the workers were slow there...and they were. Two more hikers arrived at Kincora while the college English major and I were in town. I offered one of them half of my grinder and he accepted. He turned out to be a philosophy major graduate who now works in "math education." The fourth arrival was a quite nice 18-year-old. I did not like the English major. He just reeked of anger and hostility. He smoked outside a lot and was upset that Kincora was a dry hostel. He is angry partly because his English degree has brought him no opportunities for a well-paying job or success. I graduated college in 1968. Even then we knew that an English degree was almost useless. You make your own success. His anger and hostility made him difficult to be around. The rest of us had a great time in our verbal sparring and conversations.My "hot spot" is now officially a blister.Not good! Also may be developing another hot spot and my left toes hurt more today when they did hurt. Also not good!Two pair of socks today. Trying to step down with foot flatter instead of heel first and getting boot off more. I now that my Superfeet innersoles are breaking down. I tried to replace them in Erwin, but the shoe store/cobbler was on vacation. Trying to do a couple of days of shorter miles too, but today's trail was a real foot-pounder for about six miles ... very steep and rocky areas. Did a damp bandana wipe down at the stream near the shelter.
Date: 2013-04-24
From: Watauga Lake Shelter

To: Iron Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: clear sky

Watauga Lake Shelter, 7 a.m., to Iron Mountain Shelter, 3:10 p.m.The elevation guide shows "easy" miles. [Ed.Note: There are no easy miles on the AT.]They are not easy miles. I now have two blisters on my left foot and the toes hurt enough to stop me for a break three times.It started raining about 4 p.m. Hopefully, it will stop before tomorrow. Stopped for a short break at Vandeventer Shelter about 11:30 a.m.I need to do 15.9 miles to Abington Gap Shelter tomorrow. Will have to get out and keep moving tomorrow. I hope my feet will be forgiving. Perhaps some ibuprofen tonight will help them.1) My total miles per day average is about 9.8, including zero days.2) My total miles per day average is about 11.4 excluding zero days.3) I am about 1.5 days behind the "AWOL" 12 miles per day itinerary.4) I have taken three extra zero days that were unplanned.5) I have picked up some speed and daily distance and my feet are not happy.6) None of this adds up well.7) I cannot make the speed and miles that I could at age 62. Note: 62 was eight years ago.Almost forgot. I fell for the fourth time today. Almost face-planted on a softball-sized rock. It would have been bad. A couple of days ago, I met a lady section hiker (Diet Coke) who had face-planted. She had big scabs on her upper lip, nose and left cheek.
Date: 2013-04-25
From: Iron Mountain Shelter

To: Abingdon Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: thunderstorm with rain

Iron Mountain Shelter, 6:45 a.m., to Double Springs Shelter, 10:30 a.m., to Abingdon Gap Shelter, 2:45 p.m.Made good time. Tired.Trail relatively mellow. Just down from Iron Mountain Shelter, I ran into trail magic: A large metal box placed by a church group. I had two pastries and drank a 16 oz. Minute Maid lemonade in approximately two gulps, signed their register, and left a thank-you note. Herr Turtle and Frau Snail arrived at Abingdon Gap about a half hour after me. They were at Iron Mountain Last night and Watauga Lake with me the night before. I believe they are pleased that I use what pathetically little German I know with them.I now have another hot spot on my left heel. Early in the day, hiking was easier because my toes were numb. That changed as the day and miles went on. As soon as I got here, I went for water that was two-tenths of a mile down a steep, blue-blazed trail behind the shelter, then filtered it and started dinner. I am now eating mac and cheese with pink salmon. I have had that a lot lately. Once clean-up is done, I will set up my tent and prep for sleep. I have planned Hampton to Damascus well. I am down to just snacks for tomorrow's hike into Damascus, nine miles or so.The third hot spot is a new blister on my left heel. In addition, the index toe (same foot) is bruised and swollen and looks like I may lose the nail. I think the longer, faster AT miles may have found my Achilles Heel (foot). If I just had two right feet, I would be fine.I had not thought about it in years, but it occurs to me why the left foot is the problem. When I was 14, I was mowing our lawn, backed up and tripped pulling the rotary mower onto my left foot. The blade hit my big toe, mostly severing it and hit twice more back on the foot. I was on crutches for three months. The toe was saved, but the toe joint fused to save it. The other two blade strikes broke multiple bones. I limped badly for about a year. It got better as the years progressed, but I still limped some in my senior year of college 11 years later. If I had to walk across the U-Conn campus, I was limping before I was done. I am taking a zero in Damascus to see how things work out, but suspect that, as I said, the Appalachian Trail has found my Achilles Foot.If you can't walk, you can't hike.
Date: 2013-04-26
From: Abingdon Gap Shelter

To: Damascus
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: clear sky

Abingdon Gap Shelter, 6:45 a.m., to Damascus, 10:45 a.m.No bad climbs.Thought I took it easy but made very good time. Went to the Dollar General store first. Ibuprofen -- I had run out. Then outfitters. Checked out new Superfeet. Some cost more than my trail runner shoes.Hit the ATM to pay for the B&B and walked from one end of the town's main street to the other -- a bit over a half mile. Stopped at Cowboy's (a combination gas station, convenience store, restaurant) for lunch. Got fried chicken, cold macaroni salad, cole slaw, pimento & cheese sandwich and Pepsi in a glass bottle. It was all good and less than eight dollars.Checked into Victorian House B&B, two nights $154 in cash. Long shower, shave.Got into my only clean underwear and t-shirt and Frogg Togg pants and off to landromat. Loaded washer then went across street and got root beer float -- lots of ice cream, not much root beer.I love those calories. Back to Dollar General for something to read. Hear from another hiker that there is a norovirus hiker in another B&B in town. Hikers don't seem to understand that you can still be contagious for 24 to 48 hours after you seem to recover. It just keeps going north. Damn!!Index toe purple and painful -- even to touch.Had to reopen one blister with my trusty pocket knife that I use for cooking. At least it was "hiker clean." Spent a buck on temporary shoe innersoles until the ATM lets me have more money tomorrow.Read in the Watauga Lake Shelter journal a few days ago of an incident at Jerry Cabin Shelter. A female hiking with a brown dog (pet, not a service animal) claims that a male hiker went just off trail to her tenting area to mess with her or her stuff even though she was there and out of her tent. She claims that her dog became aggressive in defending her and tried to bite the male hiker, then the male hiker hit her dog with his hiking poles upon which she and he had a confrontation.According to the male hiker's shelter journal entry, he did not approach her tent but was hiking on the AT. Further that the dog went after him and that he was defending himself against the dog. He also says that the girl was in her tent and had allowed the dog to be loose and she did not witness the start of the problem. A 60+year-old female hiker, Diet Coke, was at Watauga Lake Shelter and says she had a similar incident with the same dog a few days earlier and totally believes the male hiker's story. Diet Coke says she told the dog's owner that the dog was dangerous and did not belong on the trail. The girl told her that being aggressive was just the dog's way, but that he would not bite. Good owners, good dogs. Bad owners, bad dogs.My wife arrives to visit in five more days (May 1st), her birthday. It will be good to see her. I miss her greatly.