morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-04-20
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: light rain

I didn't sleep well last night. I'm not used to lying on the hard ground. Sleeping in my backyard on soft green grass didn't prepare me for this. I should have tried sleeping on the tile floor in the kitchen. I'm a side sleeper so lying on my back was tough. Every time I tried lying on my side, my arm would go numb soon after I fell asleep.As for today's hike...I woke up to rain, got going a little after 9, and stopped at Hawk Mountain Shelter for lunch just before noon. The climb up Sassafras was tough, as was the whole day. I had great hiking weather in the afternoon once the rain stopped. Wicked Miner, Grizzlie and Medicine Man where the only other hikers from Stover to make it here tonight. It was more crowded around the shelter than yesterday but everyone, except the one woefully unprepared kid who needed help, seemed nice. Once again I stayed up until midnight socializing around a campfire.
Date: 2012-04-21
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Mountain Crossing Hostel
Miles today: 15.9

I woke up to rain at six and spent two hours attempting to dry my tent under the shelter roof hoping it would stop. Finally at nine-thirty I left with Test Run and Slaughterhouse, who were also hoping to get to Neel's Gap, figuring this was as late as I could start and still get to the hostel tonight. I had wanted to camp short of Blood Mountain but with the rain and more predicted tomorrow, I just want to wake up and be dry in the morning.I got to the road five miles into the day around noon where I caught up to Stoves, Indian Brave & Medicine Man who were also headed to the hostel at Neel's Gap. The climb to Blood Mountain wasn't as bad as I had expected. It was crowded with day hikers and I noticed someone who looked vaguely familiar. It turned out to be a man named Kramer that I knew from Tybee Island, where I had worked for 9 months, two years ago. I figured this would be a strange trip; so far so good. I got to hostel, which smelled like wet hikers, around 5 and was pleased to see everyone else roll in later. Unfortunately they didn't serve dinner as the hostel had run out of food and the supply guy who took the van into town hadn't returned in time. As a result, I got to overpay for a frozen pizza, ice cream and bagels for the road. I saw the first sign of 'entitled' hikers who give the rest of us a bad name. Evidently they weren't happy about the lack of dinner, were expecting better conditions in the hostel for the amount of money they were paying and bitched about it to the point they were asked to or wanted to leave(which I didn't mind). Everyone who remained had more reasonable expectations and it was nice to shower and do laundry. I actually washed my hair twice it felt so good.
Date: 2012-04-22
From: Mountain Crossing Hostel

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Another hiker came into the bunk room shortly before eight this morning to tell the rest of us that there was a free pancake breakfast that was about to end. That was a pleasant surprise and a welcome change from my attempts to make cereal with powdered milk. Today was a shorter day after having pushes myself yesterday. I left the hostel around nine-thirty and stopped at the Low Gap Shelter for lunch and the day at two. I decided to stay in the shelter as its cold, supposed to go below freezing tonight, and windy. Also, since the trees don't have leaves yet, I'm not sure I can pick a tent spot that won't have a widowmaker above it.The five hikers who have stayed with me at Gooch and Neels all made it as well as Grizzlie, who caught up with a 23 mile day. He resupplied at Neels, hiked south to where he shuttled in to the hostel the day before, shuttled back to the hostel again and then hiked on to Low Gap. I got a great laugh when I pointed out that he could have waited on resupplying until he got back to the hostel instead of resupplying in the morning. He was not happy to hear that.The group of hikers who pitched a fit at the hostel last night are here. When we told them about the pancake breakfast they thought that was only done because they pitched a fit and wasn't part of the stay. I will be happy when I leave them behind.
Date: 2012-04-23
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was another cold day. My stove wouldn't light for breakfast or lunch. It was still around freezing so I assumed the fuel canister was too cold. Our group began to split today as I left Testrun and Slaughterhouse at the shelter eight miles into the day. It was too cold to stand around so I pushed on to Tray Mountain. Along the way, I got my first experience with trail magic or rather a hiker feed. Lightning Bug and Lady Bug had left a cooler on the side of the road. In all, I had two Dr. Peppers, six cookies and about eight carrots as I talked with them after they finished their day hike, which allowed a few hikers I had recently passed to come and join us before the Bugs departed with their cooler.To my surprise, Med Man, Grizzlie and Stoves decided to hike past the previous shelter and showed up late again. I'm thankful that the military dude and the other hiker staying in the shelter put up their tarps in front of it to keep the wind out. Having arrived late, I was not going to find a spot out of the wind to set up my tent. I also doubted I could have gotten the fly set up where it wouldn't have flapped against the tent and kept me up most of the night. I didn't think sleeping inside the shelter was the worst option this evening.
Date: 2012-04-24
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today's hike to Dick's Creek Gap was uneventful. The half mile hike back up to get cell coverage to call for a shuttle into Hiawassee was a different story. In my haste to get back to the gap for the shuttle, I left a zipper open on my backpack and the sack with toothpaste, toothbrush, sunscreen, my lighter and floss fell out. I had opened the pack to get a pen to write down the number for the shuttle driver after calling the hotel and rushed off before checking that it was zipped up again. A young couple that had passed me on my way up to make the call were at the Gap when I returned. They were also looking for a ride into town and were nice enough to pay the ten dollars for the shuttle since they didn't have reception either and I had gone back up to arrange it.I know I bought too much food for resupply and I still have some left from the start. I saw my first snake on the trail today. It was a small one that I barely noticed as I stepped over while walking and looking at my map. I figured I'd be a bit scared if and when I saw a snake or a bear so it was nice to see that it didn't bother me. Of course, the fact that it was small helped. I did laundry in the sink of my hotel room because there was a line for the machines and I hate waiting. I spent around fifteen dollars at Dairy Queen for lunch. Between that, resupply and the price of a single room in the hotel, it was a lot of money for my first town stop. Note to self...Avoid towns and hotels in future!
Date: 2012-04-25
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: broken clouds

Today I got to confront my fear of bears. A small cub which I didn't see but heard cracking branches getting down out of a tree scared me enough that I waited on the trail, for a minute, until the old dude I had recently passed caught up to me.I stopped for lunch at the last shelter in Georgia and whistled in case there were any bears around since I was by myself. Instead, Stoves, Grizzlie and Medicine Man, carrying the stuff sack I dropped yesterday, showed up. I'm carrying a little extra weight, with two of everything I thought I'd lost after resupplying . I talked with the guys and concluded I would have rather stayed at the Blueberry Patch hostel instead of the Budget Inn but I needed a good night's sleep badly and I got it.I thought I was getting this thru hike thing down but after resupplying with five days of food, the first two climbs in NC kicked my ass.
Date: 2012-04-26
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I started off slowly surrounded by fog but wound up trail running about a mile and a half over the first mountain in a hail, thunder and lightning storm. I didn't need to run, and really need to stop doing it when the trail is wet and slippery, but I didn't know if the mountaintop was tree covered, it was, or not. I hid under the kiosk near the parking area with Olympus until the storm passed. We didn't realize the next shelter was only seven tenths of a mile away before the top of the next mountain. Is it clear that I'm figuring this out as I go?I wanted to push on after arriving at Carter Gap around one but made a wise choice not too. A massive thunderstorm came in around seven and there was a good chance that I would have been stuck climbing Albert Mountain in it based on how much time I spent loitering at lunch and drying my tent.Yuck, I'm stuck in a shelter again tonight. At least I'll be dry in the morning.
Date: 2012-04-27
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Finally some great views! After passing view point signs engulfed in clouds the last two days I could see the surrounding mountains today.My knees are a little sore after hiking twenty miles today in order to be able to get to the NOC in two days, which is how much food I have left. I got a little delusional going up Siler at the end of the day. I started to question whether I could have gotten turned around since it was taking so long but I continued forward, correctly, and made it to the shelter without doing any extra mileage.Unfortunately while I hiked my shoes and socks dry, the bottom of my insoles stayed damp and I've got some blisters. I also smell.I met some cool hikers at the shelter, including Meltdown and Banjo. I also met Earlybird during the day, who told me the three guys I hiked with in Georgia were headed into Franklin tomorrow so I'll be a day or two ahead of them at the NOC.I did have enough energy at the end of the day to go to the top of Siler Bald but it was too cloudy for a good sunset; nothing spectacular just nice.
Date: 2012-04-28
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: clear sky

It seemed like a long slow day but that may have been due to the late start as I actually slept well for a change last night. I managed to pop my second contact lens out during the night so I'll need to order more but I still don't have phone service(AT&T). I tried to avoid getting any more blisters or making them worse by stopping every hour to hour and a half to cool down feet. It wasn't so much a choice as a requirement.My hiker appetite has kicked in and I'm now low on food. I'll actually need to buy more next time I resupply. Olympus caught up to me today so I know someone else staying near the shelter. It may be time fo rmy first zero when I reach the NOC.
Date: 2012-04-29
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: US19-NOC
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: clear sky

I got up early because I wanted to get to the NOC and start my break from hiking early. The Wesser fire tower was a pleasant surprise and my favorite part of the hike so far.I purchased an 8 oz fuel cannister, Gold Bond for my blisters/feet per the recommendation of a past thru hiker and did laundry before going to dinner with Olympus. He also gave me the extra food from his mail drop which was intended for him and his brother who dropped out in Georgia.I met Kool, Nuggets and Milkman who told me that the boys I had hiked with in Georgia would get here tomorrow. The past thru-hiker also mentioned good places to zero.I'm looking forward to a rest day for my feet tomorrow.
Date: 2012-04-30
From: US19-NOC

To: US19-NOC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

I spent my first zero resting my feet and eating. I weighed myself at the rafting company in the morning and found I'm down to 163 pounds from between 170 to 172 at the start. The weight loss bothered me since I don't have much more fat to lose. I ate a big breakfast at River's End and a pint of ice cream from the general store for brunch before returning to the restaurant for lunch and dinner. I also bought a sandwich to have tomorrow on the trail.When I wasn't in the restaurant eating, I was sitting near the river either bare foot or in my crocs trying to let me feet recover. The Gold Bold seemed to sooth my hot spots and the one blister I had.At night the three guys I had hiked with in Georgia showed up along with Earlybird. I hung out with them for a while before they headed off to find a place to camp. I headed to bed early hoping to make the climb out of the gap before it got too hot tomorrow.
Date: 2012-05-01
From: US19-NOC

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.1
Weather: overcast clouds

What a difference a zero makes! I was refreshed and my feet felt much better after a forty hour break from hiking.I set off at a quarter to seven and had no problem ascending from the NOC with a full pack. However, I did bonk going up the hill before the shelter sixteen miles into the day. I had planned to stay there until I saw the little bits of garbage scattered all around the area. Instead, I had a quick lunch and, after checking my map and guidebook, headed off to Cable Gap Shelter since it was still early and the terrain and distance didn't look too difficult.I still suck at hanging my food bag by the PCT method. I wound up throwing it over a branch and tying the other end off to a tree trunk like I had with the cables at Siler Bald Shelter. Otherwise, I was pleased with the day. I wasn't overly tired, after hiking twenty two miles with six thousand feet of elevation, had gotten to camp, around five, with enough time to set up my tent and had time to socialize with several hikers I had seen often since crossing the Georgia border.
Date: 2012-05-02
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 17.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I wanted to make today an easy day and stop at the first campsite in the Smoky Mountains but found out it was closed due to an aggressive bear in the area when I reached the road near Fontana Dam. It was still early, before eleven, and the seven miles to that point had been relatively easy and downhill so I decided to push on.I stopped at the Fontana Dam Shelter for water but left quickly as it was full of hikers who appeared to be in no hurry to go anywhere. On the other side of the dam, I found a nice spot to stop for lunch by the lake.After lunch I quickened my pace to catch a few hiker who had passed me during my break so if I encountered the bear I wouldn't be alone. We wanted to take the side trip to the fire tower but since we were all low on water we chose to head straight to the closed campsite and the next water source.I was only about a tenth of a mile from the site, and a couple minutes ahead of the other guys I was hiking with, when I heard a noise in the bushes that I assumed was a bird. Instead, a bear appeared from the brush and began walking down the trail towards me. It was far enough away that I could turn around, walk back fifty feet around the curve in the trail and wait for the other guys to catch up. I must have been smiling because at first they thought I had found water until I told them there was a bear in the middle of the trail walking towards us. When it reached the curve and still hadn't left the trail, we started banging our poles together until the bear casually turned off the trail. Then we began to take pictures. Once it was over the ridge, we continued down the trail where we noticed a bear cub about twenty five yards off the trail watching us from behind a tree. I wanted to, and now wish I had, stopped to take a picture, but being between the mom and the cub made all of us too uneasy to stop.At the campsite, we refilled our water bottles and were relaxing by the fire pit when someone pointed out a six foot rattlesnake on the rock wall behind the campfire ring. The siting and realization that the ridge the bear had gone over was next to the campsite caused us to begin hiking again.At the first shelter in the park, I saw a couple of guys I had met at the NOC. They were headed to the next shelter, which was two miles away, and asked if that was my destination for the night. I would have liked to continue but I was done for the day. I'm glad I could put in two long days with lots of elevation but I need an easy day in my future.
Date: 2012-05-03
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 19.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I spent most of the day leap frogging hikers I met at Siler Bald and the NOC. I hadn't planning on hiking to Double Springs Gap Shelter but there were lots of flying bugs at the previous shelter and by five I had finished dinner, popped a blister and felt good enough to continue.I'll need to buy more food during my next resupply as my hiker appetite has kicked in and I won't have an extra day of food when I reach Gatlinburg like I have at my previous two resupply points. A section hiker gave me a bag of dried fruit which I devoured after dinner. This leaves me breakfast and enough snacks for the hike tomorrow. He also recommended a cheap hotel catering to hikers near the edge of town.I noticed I'm a little sunburned and my legs are starting to look measly from bug bites. These are my next concerns now that I seem to have figured out how to take care of my feet. I'm in the shelter tonight since a bunch of section hikers gave up there spots to tent. I don't mind as it started to rain shortly thereafter.
Date: 2012-05-04
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Newfound Gap-Gatlinburg
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: light rain

Today I am thankful.Thanks to Peaches for the weather report that enabled us to avoid most of today's rain, the ride into Gatlinburg, the ride to get lunch and the rides to the grocery store and back. Thanks to Banjo for finding me at the Gap and Hansel and Meltdown for making room in the car for the trip to Gatlinburg. Thanks to Detour for making a wrong turn during the day so a space was open in the car. Thanks to the German tourists who picked me up hitch-hiking both up and down the road to Klingman's Dome when the weather started to clear and I bushwhacked to the road even though the peak was still covered in clouds. Thanks to the ranger at the Klingman's Dome parking lot for the Oreos.I hadn't ever been to Gatlinburg and took today to celebrate my anticipated completion of the AT through the Smoky Mountains as well as to have a drink or two to numb the disappointment of not getting a view atop Klingman's Dome. Fortunately, I would be able to enjoy the evening with a bunch of hikers I've met so far as Meltdown, Banjo, Hansel, Cool, Nuggets, Detour, Peaches Jonah and I have all agreed to go out tonight.
Date: 2012-05-05
From: Newfound Gap-Gatlinburg

To: Tri Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: overcast clouds

I may have had a little too much fun last night. I woke up with a little hangover at 6:15. I arrived at the Pancake House a minute after it opened at 7:01. Though, none of the other guys who said they'd be there when it opened made it. In fairness, I skipped the tequila shot the night before. Note to self: no more drinking if I'm hiking the net day.Thanks to the hotel employee who told me about the trail angels that take hikers to Newfound Gap on weekends I saved a couple of hours from having to take the bus back there after it went to Pigeon Forge. I even saw wild turkeys crossing the road on the ride back to the trail.My blisters are getting better. Hopefully, with no rain that will continue. I got lucky that this morning's storm hit after I had walked back from breakfast and before my ride to the trail. The bottom of my foot/arch began to occasionally bothering me, continuing the trend from late yesterday after I began trail running the last mile before Newfound Gap in hopes of catching a ride from Peaches and to not miss the bus into Gatlinburg if the first wasn't possible. I guess that's the next possibly obstacle on this trip.
Date: 2012-05-06
From: Tri Corner Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm Hiker Hostel
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: broken clouds

Today continued the trend of me hiking further than planned.I was planning on staying at Davenport Shelter but I got there in the early afternoon when I decided to skip the detour to the fire tower because of thunder.I did not enjoy seeing the huge spider, dead mouse and the other mouse running across the rafters in during the hour I was there. This was after seeing a black snake outside the shelter. Two hikers I met yesterday arrived during this time and had the same dislike for the shelter. I had also had my stuff sack carrying my toilet paper fall out of my backpack when my empty water reserve came out from the back sleeve and pulled the zipper down opening the side pocket where the sack was located so I had extra motivation to get to the hostel where I could buy some wet wipes. One of the hikers was nice enough to give me a few wet wipes to hold me over until then.Moving on was fortunate because at the road after the shelter I came upon a hiker feed courtesy of Hand-Me-Down and his family. A Dr. Wow, Bud Light, hot dog with ketchup and relish, fruit, apple and a peanut butter snickers tasted much better than my standard hiker meal. Thank you very much. At the feed, I also ran into half the guys from Gatlinburg and the two hikers from Davenport who also decided against staying at Davenport. I arrived at the hostel after a slow bloated walk where I did get to purchase some Wet Wipes until I could reach a town to do a full resupply.
Date: 2012-05-07
From: Standing Bear Farm hiker Hostel

To: Walnut Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: scattered clouds

I got up real early and tried not to disturb anyone in the bunk room. The forecast called for rain today and I wanted to get to Max Patch before it clouded over so I was a man on a mission.Fifteen minutes into the day I saw a bear fifty yards down a side hill before it saw me. Instead of going for my camera phone I decided to cough to get his attention. I don't know why I was afraid a flash would scare him and a cough wouldn't but I missed an opportunity for a good picture.I made good time this morning, stopping briefly to get water at a shelter, and arrived at Max Patch in time to sit down for lunch at the top with three other hikers. It may be my new favorite place on the trail. I would have liked to stay longer but with rain clouds forming, I decided to start hiking again, happy that I had good views and weather for the summit.I took my first wrong turn on the trail later in the day while following 2/3rds, one of the hikers from Max Patch, over a log. He did it again ten minutes later but I called out to him instead of following him off course.I was about thirty seconds from making it to Walnut Mountain before it began to pour. I wound up running down the hill to the shelter where Milkman was eating dinner and trying to encourage me to continue on with him into Hot Springs. I was dead tired and declined as usual. As it was I was going to make it there in four days instead of the five I had planned for. I ate four times excluding snacks and M&Ms during the day trying to maintain my weight.