morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-01-04
From: Stover Creek Shelter

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

Started at 9:20am. Finished at 5:30pmMet: local guy at USFS 58 and two college hikers. Another guy looking for a side trail. Trail conditions: spotty mud/ good, flowing water sources.Gear issues: a second Platypus bag punctured by the bag swinging into my hiking pole - where I had my tarp stakes attached. What an idiot!!! Will replace two bottles now.May ship crampons to Fontana Dam post office if Mountain Crossings can mail out packages - will have to check. Will call Hiawassee Inn and change shuttle pick up from Saturday to Sunday - need the extra time.Got into Gooch Gap Shelter and met Andy Hough. Andy started the same time I did on the approach trail. Also saw some section hikers named Tracy and Mike. Good conversation around the fire. Everyone slept in shelter - mice running around - also saw a moma mouse and her litter in the composting box in the privy.Andy is going to meet up with me at Dick's Gap and shuttle into Hiawassee Inn - thinking of sharing a room there.
Date: 2005-01-05
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Started at 10:00am - finished day at 6:30pm (yes, it was dark).Met - Misc folks in Sueches, Ga; section hikers and a companion dog near Woods Hole.Trail conditions - good; no problems noted.Gear issues - tossed Platypus bottles that I ruined and replaced with two 1-liter soda bottles I got in town (Sueches).Started day out and decided to go into Sueches (2 miles each way from Woody Gap) to go to the post office. Mailed my crampons and some of the winter clothing to myself at the Hiawassee post office. If I don't need them there, I'll bounce them up to Fontana Dam.Due to detour into town, made for a 16-mile total hiking day. Had planned on going to Blood Mountain Shelter, but too dark. While in Sueches, rescheduled Hiawassee shuttle pickup to Sunday.
Date: 2005-01-06
From: Woods Hole Shelter

To: Neals Gap (Mountain Crossings)
Miles today: 4.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Started out at 11am and ended day at 2pm. Met - Numerous local hikers who were climbing up Blood Mountain in the rain - very slippery. Also met "Heald" and "Wonderdog" (both have thru-hiked six times). At the hostel in Neal's Gap I met another 2005 thru-hiker "BlueVist" and rejoined with Andy.Trail conditions - wet and slippery.Woke up to cold wind and rain. Clothes wet from prior day's hike. Decided to stop at Mountain Crossings hostel for the night.The climb up Blood Mountain was not bad at all (going North). There was a definitely cold wind and rain on top. Spent about 20 minutes in the stone shelter and made registry entry. Got down to Neals Gap - costs $15 for a bunk; $2 for using washer/dryer.Spoke with "Heald" for a while about thruhiking and doing a yo-yo. Met Stephanie who is on a break from college and travelling around seeing the sites. Andy, BlueVist and myself stayed the night at the hostel. Everyone watched a movie ("Meet the Parents") and chilled.Tomorrow about 10 miles to Low Gap Shelter and about 15 miles the day after to Trey Mountain. Then on Sunday, 10 miles to Dick's Creek Gap for a shuttle pick-up at 3pm.
Date: 2005-01-07
From: Neals Gap (Mountain Crossings)

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Started out at 10:30am (yes, I'm not getting started any ealier, am I?) and finished up around 4:30pm.Met - Passed Andy (and he passed me) several times. Have not seen BlueVist since leaving the hostel at Neals Gap.Today the weather was still pretty warm (50's) but also some rain. Left Neals Gap around 10:30am and had a nice, easy pace. Starting wearing long johns and stretch pants - but that didn't last long. I don't know why I perspire so much - but I do. So off with the warmer clothes and back on with the t-shirt and shorts.Overall, a pretty easy day and it looked like it would just be Andy and myself at the shelter that evening. Then, up came four local hikers on a short trip. They brought the rain with them and we all squeezed into the shelter. Interesting conversation.I forgot to mention that the Registry for 2005 hikers at Mountain Crossings has Andy listed as #6 and myself as #7 for the 2005 thruhikers. Ahead of us is "Alpha"; "Hydro" (Heidi); "BlueVist"; and another couple who previously thru-hiked in 1999.
Date: 2005-01-08
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Trey Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: broken clouds

Weather - Rain then clear with sun; high in the low 60's.Met - 2 ATC trail crew workers who were working on the trail near Unicoi Gap. They have just about finished clearing the Georgia trail of felled trees from the earlier hurricanes.Got on the trail around 10am and finished right at 6pm.Started in the morning in rain and wearing rain gear. Was sweaty within 10 minutes and gave up on the rain gear. Fortunately, rain ended shortly thereafter.Overall, a pretty rough day. I had forgotten about how tough a climb it is out of Unicoi Gap. Andy had left about an hour before me but was having some stomach problems and had to slow his pace down. By 5pm I had caught up with him.Got into Trey Mountain shelter around 6pm. I was soaked from perspiration and the wind at that shelter always seems to be cold. There was a couple in the shelter who had set up a two-man tent so they could have some privacy. But they left enough room for Andy and myself. Andy showed up and didn't even feel like eating - just got into his bag and laid down. I got out of my wet clothes and fixed a quick dinner. Then got into my bag - even though it was only around 7pm. Just cold and tired.
Date: 2005-01-09
From: Trey Mountain Shelter

To: Hiawassee Inn
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

Weather - sunny, high near 70 degrees.Left Trey Mountain Shelter around 10am. Had to be at Dick's Gap for shuttle by 3pm. Should have had plenty of time - but I just couldn't seem to get my pace going. I think the reason was that I had used up all my sugar-type snacks (pop-tarts, etc.). They can make a big difference in giving you a boost when you need it.Andy left way ahead of me and yet I still caught up to him around 2:15pm. He is still feeling pretty bad. For a while I was wandering if we would make it to the shuttle by 3pm - but we did.We shuttled into Hiawassee Inn and got our rooms. Andy off to see if he can get well. I spent about an hour soaking in the room's bathtub - what a pleasure. Then headed over to Ingles for food for the trip between Hiawassee and NOC - about 4-5 days.Tomorrow morning, before heading back to the trail, I'll go to the Hiawassee library to post my Trail Journal entries and then run by the post office.If you plan on staying at Hiawassee Inn - a room for one costs $35; for two the cost is $25 per person. They also charge $3 to wash and dry clothes - but you can split that cost with another hiker. My room seemed a little cleaner than last year. They have a "light" breakfast included (coffee, juice, bagels, etc.).In Hiawassee - Daniels AYCE is out of business - place caught on fire and burned down when the hurricane came through last year. They are currently rebiuling it. All the other town spots were open.
Date: 2005-01-10
From: Hiawassee Inn

To: Hiawassee Inn
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up at the Hiawassee Inn this morning with plans of going to the library; post office; and back on the trail.Worng! I woke up with a severe pain in my lower right leg - near the shin. I must have done some damage yesterday when I rushed to get to the shuttle by 3pm. I have no idea what I hurt - maybe shin splints?So - will spend a second night (tonight) in Hiawassee. I headed over to the Hiawassee library to make entries into Trail Journals. Found out that the Hiawassee Library does not allow you to access the Trail Journals site - says that site is blocked as being a "chat" site. I spoke to the librarian and she said there was nothing they could do at the present - although they do know that there is a problem that needs to be fixed.Librarian was nice enough to refer me to the Hiawasee Adult Education Center where I could access Trail Journals on their computers. Only problem is that their computers are slow, dial-up. Thus, I was able to get my entries posted but my pictures will have to wait for uploading later on.Okay - back to my room and rest my leg - which I hope will be okay by tomorrow morning. Looks like 4-5 days to the NOC. They are having a winter RUCK there on the 14th - will try to attend. After the NOC, about three more days to Fontana and the start of the Smokies.Looks like the normal, cold winter weather will be back in about five days. Hope to make my next posting here in about a week.
Date: 2005-01-11
From: Hiawassee Inn

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Got all my gear packed and checked out of Hiwassee Inn. Shuttled back to Dick's Creek Gap and on trail around 9:40am. Let me just say that the owners of Hiwassee Inn are really DECENT people who will help you if they can. The Holiday Inn Select may be nicer - but will cost more and is not as "hiker friendly." Forget about the Mull Motel - a dump.Now that the weather folks are predicting some winter weather coming in, I need to buy some type of down bootie for shelter wear when the boots are off. Also, some type of sweat bank for my forehead - I just can't seem to stop sweating - even in the cooler weather.Andy and I started hiking together and met up at Plum Orchard Shelter around noon for some lunch and read/sign the register. Someone wrote that BLUEVIST had headed into Helen, Georgia for a break. Hope she can catch up before too long.Got into Muskrat Shelter for the night. Hydro/Heidi confirmed in the register that ALPHA has dropped off the trail. That leaves six of us 2005 NOBO thru-hikers remaining. Hydro/Heidi is so far ahead of us that it isn't even funny. There is a couple who thru-hiked in 99 about two days ahead of us.During the evening my right leg/ankle began to really bother me again. Took Ibuprophen and some Tylenol #3 with codeine. Rain is due in on Thursday, then colder weather. During the day today the sky was cloudy and high's in the low 60's. By 7pm the temp was down to 46 degrees.
Date: 2005-01-12
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today the weather started off as cloudy and cool - with an increasing wind from the west. We are gonna have a good storm coming in tomorrow.Since Andy and I were the only hikers who spent the night at Muskrat last night - wouldn't you know that we slept in late - didn't get up until 11am. Prior to leaving at noon, in popped three SOBO thru-hikers, who are finishing their hikes. One of the hikers saw that I smoke a pipe and gave me some tobacco he didn't want - THANKS, DUDE!!!Note to self - add to my list of things to be bought at Fontana - AA and AAA batteries. Also, need to call the Fontana Hostel (Jeff Hooch) about getting a room when I get there.Due to the late start from Muskrat (noon) and the condition of my ankle, decided to only go to Standian Indian Shelter - about five miles up the trail. Got to shelter and found it is WAY UP THERE on the mountain (about 5,000 ft) and well exposed to the wind. Que Sera, Sera. Worse - no trail register at this shelter.Wind began to pick up (I had arrived at 3pm) and temp dropped to 48 degrees. Andy had said he would probably blue-blaze off the trail until he got to the NOC - so didn't expect to see him. Looks like tomorrow's distance will be either 7.6 miles or 13.2 miles - depending upon which shelter I feel like going to and the weather.
Date: 2005-01-13
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

WHAT A DREARY, COLD, WET, WINDY DAY. Today is the day that the weather forecasters predicted would bring winter back to the South. They were right. Sitting up on top of Standing Indian Mountain, about 5,200 feet, is Standian Indian Shelter. The winds come at you from every direction. It is damp, wet, cold, windy - and then you start again with damp.During the day the temps dropped below freezing. The rain and broken tree limbs cascaded upon the tin shelter roof (thank God for ear plugs). I did learn how to rig my tarp to block the wind (or some of it) from coming inside the shelter. Otherwise this day was spent hunkering down, eating my dwindling food and burning my dwindling alcohol fuel.One tidbit of info: I've heard from several readers of their dislike for the VARGO TITANIUM STOVE that I am using. How the stove requires a lot of alcohol to get it primed. Well, I figured out one solution to that. Just pour in the amount of fuel you want to use. Then, using something like vaseline or lip protectorant, put a small dab over the fill hole. This will then hold a small amount of alochol in the dimple - which you light and prime the stove. Yes, you shouldn't have to do that - but it does work.Okay - weather folks are predicting that tomorrow (Friday) is supposed to be a lot nicer. So I'll plan on a good day's hike to make up for this zero day.
Date: 2005-01-15
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: FRANKLIN, NC (Yeah!!)
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: clear sky

Well, headed out on the trail around 9:20am. Although not as much sun as yesterday, the trail was pretty easy and not a bad hike. Around 11:45pm, got to Glassmine Gap - the point where you have hiked your first 100 miles on the AT.Short while later I arrived at Rock Gap Shelter and spend about 20 minutes for lunch and register duties. If you stop in at this shelter - take a look at the privy. as you approach the shelter. Someone, with a sense of humor, constructed the opening to the privy where it faces the trail. Thus, anyone hiking on the trail can see anyone who is "sitting" inside the privy. Believe it or not!!!Another 10 minutes of hiking brought me to Wallace Gap. I dumped my trash in one of their trash cans. I was getting ready to move on when A MIRACLE OCCURRED!!Out of nowhere, a SUV drove up with a family inside. The driver asked if I wanted a ride into Franklin. I didn't even have to ask him!!!Well - it took my all of about one second to answer "YES, YES, YES" and we were off. You have to remember - my luck at getting hitch's into towns has always been terrible. This was unbelievable. The family dropped me off at the Franklin Motel. Room is $35 per night.I headed over to the nearby library to make these entries (they are closed on Saturdays at 5pm and all day on Sunday's). Nearby is an Ingles (for my food resupply) an hardware store, a laundromat. Tonight I'm heading over to the Steakhouse AYCE. I guess tomorrow I had better stop in at church and thank the Lord for the luck.Of course, tomorrow I have to figure out a way (hitch?) to get back to where I got off the trail - but that is tomorrow, and I'll worry about that, then.
Date: 2005-01-16
From: FRANKLIN, NC (Yeah!!)

To: FRANKLIN, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Well - first things first: As a number of you may have noticed, my email address was not working. I had to change email accounts unexpectedly. Here is my new email address: "Mark_Jaws_Ogle@yahoo.com"If you have trouble reaching me at the new address, please drop me a note here at Trail Journals.---------------------Okay, today is the second day in Franklin, NC. Will spend tonight (Sunday) at the Franklin Motel and then hitch back to the trail tomorrow morning.Looks like the winter weather is starting to appear - temps for the next several nights look to be in the lower teens. However, no sign of any precip in the forecast.Today was used to check out Franklin and relax a bit. As is to be expected, most businesses are closed on Sundays. However, there is a Walmart on the east side of town - I'd say about two miles from the Franklin Motel. I don't think any of the maps in the guidebooks show it. It is off of US-441 bypass, near the Highlands Road.So I had a nice, leisurely hike to Walmart to get some odds and ends. Their Walmart has a pretty large selection of camping/sporting goods items. There is also (in the strip center with Walmart) a AYCE Chinese restaurant. Price was around $6.50 and the food pretty good.Hiking back to the Franklin Motel a red pick-up flew by and some teenagers yelled something I couldn't hear (probably an obscenity) and shot me the finger. I hadn't done anything to justify their actions - so I guess they were just giving me a wholesome greeting to Franklin!! At least they didn't throw anything at me.If you are looking for probably the nicest hotel to stay at - there is a Hampton Inn close to the Walmart. I'm guessing their rates would be around $89 per night. Most of the other motels offer hiker rates of around $35 per night. I was satisified with the Franklin Motel. I've also stayed at the Haven Motel before, but wasn't too impressed with their rooms (cleanliness). Try to keep in mind that Franklin is not doing that well economically these days and most of the motels are a bit old.Not sure if I mentioned it in my prior entry, but the Western Sizzlin AYCE is closed. However, at the same location is a Prime Steak AYCE. Cost around $9 per person.Also, if you do decide to go to the Walmart, their prices are a LOT cheaper than the prices for food at the local Ingles grocery store.
Date: 2005-01-17
From: FRANKLIN, NC

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: clear sky

Well, it's Monday morning and time to check out of the Franklin Motel and get ready to try to hitch back to the trail - 10 miles out Highway 64 to Winding Stair Gap. Then I have to hike about three miles south on the Trail to get to where I got off - near Rainbow Springs Campground. Then retrace those three miles to head towards Siler Bald Shelter.As I was checking out of the Franklin Motel, I just happened to mention to the owners that I was going to try and get a ride out. They immediately volunteered to drive me back out - not just to Winding Stair Gap, but to the spot where I had last left the trail. That was a major imposition for them and they refused to accept any payment for the ride. It was a cold, raw morning outside and they saved me having to make up the six miles I would have had to hike.If any of you decide to stay in Franklin overnight, consider staying at the Franklin Motel. I don't think too many other places would be kind enough to go out of their way. And you might just get your own ride back to the trail by them.The only downside (and not much of one) of getting the ride back was that I only had a few miles to hike for the day - getting into Siler Bald Shelter around 3:30pm. I thought about hiking further, but the shelters are spaced about 12 miles apart until you get to the NOC.I have mentioned in the past I consider myself a "purist" thru-hiker. The Siler Bald Shelter is an example of why. To get to the shelter you take a 0.5 mile blue-blaze trail. Nothing unusual about that. However, once you get to the shelter you have an option to use another blue-blaze trail to get back to the Appalachian Trail (a circuit route). If you use the circuit route you are actually bypassing (missing) about one mile of the Appalalchian Trail. A lot of folks use the bypass route. Call it what you will, but if you don't re-trace the way you came to the shelter, your are not hiking all of the AT (IMHO).Siler Bald shelter now has Bear cables - almost all shelters apparently do these days. My night there was down to 12 degrees. My sleeping bag was fine for those temps - it's just pretty darn cold until you get into the bag. I gathered up a bunch of dead wood and wasted some fuel trying to start a fire. It was a wasted effort - I guess the wood was still too wet (or cold) from the storm last Thursday. But at least I stayed warm by gathering the wood.This shelter was (as it would turn out) the first of several that did not have a shelter register book to view/sign. I think the Nanatahala Hiking Club maintains these shelters - hope they will get some registers out to the shelters.
Date: 2005-01-18
From: Siler Bald Shelter

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: clear sky

Today started off by re-tracing my steps out of the Siler Bald Shelter and rejoining the AT. Shortly thereafter you will reach Siler Bald. If at all possible, take a few minutes to climb up on top of the Bald and check out the view. I took several pictures from the top and will be posting them on Trail Journals soon.Today was a sunny day and the sun helped keep the body comfortable in the cold. Mid-day temperature was about 30 degrees. Because I perspire so much when hiking with a load on my back, I have learned to wear as little clothing as is both safe and keeps me relatively comfortable. If I wear too much, the clothes just get wet with perspiration and have to be hung out. When you only have a limited change in clothing, that can be a problem.During winter days when it is around freezing, what works for me is a pair of black, stretch bicycle tights (long-legged) and a mid-weight, black capilene long-sleeve pullover. The black color helps absorb the sun and assist in drying out any perspiration. The only other clothing I'll wear are some fleece gloves and fleece hat. These I alternate wearing or not wearing depending on how cold or warm I currently am. Especially with the hat, you can radiate away or retain a lot of your body heat. Whenever I take a break for more than a few minutes, I throw on a fleece pullover as a temporary second layer as my body warmth begins to settle down.Got into Cold Spring shelter right around dark (6:00pm). If you want to stay at one of the older shelters this is a good example - built in 1933. Also, note that the floor slopes downward towards the back of the shelter. I figured that out when I began to slide off of my Thermarest pad while trying to sleep! This shelter does have a nice stream right in front and bear cables and a privy.Speaking of the bear cables - someone had left a large plastic ziplock bag hanging from the cables. Due to the darkness, I couldn't initially tell what was in the bag. When I lowered it down, I couldn't believe it - there were over 25 chocolate bars; 15 peanut butter crackers; about 20 granola bars; Lipton soup packets; even a fruit cake. There was no note or any other explanation. The zip lock bag had a notation that said "Franklin, bag 1 of 3." I'm assuming this was intended to be Trail Magic. I can't believe another hiker was actually carrying that much "energy food" and forgot to take it with him/her. At any rate, I took several candy bars and replaced the bag on the cables, plus left a note for other hikers in the shelter. Whomever left the bag, you have a very sincere "thank you" from myself and plenty of others.Cold Spring shelter turned out to be the second shelter in a row without any shelter register. Hopefully there will be one by the time the majority of NOBOs arrive.