morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-04-10
From: Standing Bear Hostel, TN

To: Lemon Gap, NC
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: clear sky

Waking up from a great slumber at Standing Bear Hostel, I broke my fast with two sausage egg and cheese biscuits and two diet cokes and I was ready to knock out the 4 mile uphill ascent to Snowbird Mt. bald. I got up there before the other hikers I departed with from standing bear and took a break atop the mountain bathing in the warm sun (see photos from Snowbird Mt.). When Celtic Flash arrived we set out towards Max Patch which has been talked about by many of the other hikers as one of the must sees on the AT. However along the way we were pleasantly surprised to come across Captain Guts at Brown gap and some hot trail magic which consisted of Ballpark franks (these are those huge beef hotdogs) and soda. Celtic Flash, Naked Ninja, Mis-Adventures, Viking and I hung out with the Captain for almost an hour eating and taking. Thanks so much Captain Guts! With our bellies full we started the up hill slog to Max Patch. We were not disappointed when we arrived. The sky was clear allowing you to see for miles around from the large grassy bald. You felt like you were in the Alps in the scene from a "Sound of Music" (less the singing and dance :-)). There are a number of photos of Max Patch included. After soaking up the views and some sun (I am determined to get rid of the farmers tan) Celtic Flash and I pushed on another 5 miles to put us close enough to make it to Hot Springs, NC by Friday afternoon in hopes to fine a place to stay in town. They have a weekend long hikers festival going on this weekend and lodging may be scarce. We reached the campsite around 6:30 and it was a perfect spot with a nearby stream for water and plenty of flat ground. We set up camp made some hot chow and called it a day. Actually it was one of our longest days being on our feet walking over 7 hrs. A couple of other hikers set up later that night.
Date: 2014-04-11
From: Lemon Gap, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 15.0

Started the day with some hot breakfast, packed up and headed upward to Bluff Mountain which will be the highest elevation for the day. After Bluff it is mostly a downhill run for almost 12 miles. Downhill is better than uphill and your pace tends to be faster (typically on the order of 3 miles per hour which is moving in the mountains) but I takes a toll on the knees and feet. The weather was perfect the entire day. As we approached the lower elevations blankets of green and small wild flowers covered the forest floor. They are out before the tree leaves catching as much sun as they can before the tree canopy develops for the year. Springs and streams abound on the trek down from Bluff. Finally the valley of Hot Springs comes in to view with the French Broad river cutting through the town below and the lush green farmland to the west. It takes another mile or so of switchbacks before you finally reach the town outskirts. Ahhh civilization once more. "C" Flash and I hit the first convenience store for some cold drinks and start asking folks places they suggest we should stay. We settle for the spring brook cottages. It was a bit pricy but they had rooms available plus it had a frig, kitchen area and was a stones throw from the main drag in town. We will take a zero tomorrow enjoying the festival and on Sunday morning hit the trail again.
Date: 2014-04-12
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

It was a beautiful day in Hot Springs with the sun shining and lots of thru hikers walking the streets and enjoying the small festival. Although it has only been 4 days since my last zero I have been increasing the hiking mileage and I need to rest the feet and legs to ensure I do not over work them. Also looking forward it will likely be 11-12 days before I take another full zero. The game plan will be to zero in Damascus,VA with an overnight stop in Erwin, TN for a mail drop and clean up along the way. So far with my increase in mileage I have had no ill effects on my feet and legs. However they still bark at me toward the end of a long hike (after 13 or so miles). However after some stretching at night and at the start of the day the pain subsides and I am ready for the next days hike. I have also been cutting down on the Advil which it took 2-3 times a day the first week to try to keep any swelling down in my feet. Now I may take a dose in the evening after a long hike. I am also still rubbing the snake oil on my feet and just got a new bottle mail dropped yesterday. So far the body is holding up. Talking about my condition, I did wanted to mention the many "war wounds" I have observed others are enduring in their personal quest to complete the AT. Usually during zero days hikers pull off their shoes and you see some of the pretty intense wounds they are enduring. I will mention no names to protect the innocent. One gent I was visiting with had essentially a large open hole about 2" x 2" on the side of his foot near his heel. Blister upon blister had developed and then burst. He also has a number of black toe nails and a festering ingrown toenail on his big toe. I said man that has got to be painful and he said yeah and shrugged it off as he took a swig of beer. The big thing is not letting the wounds get septic or you might be off the trail for an extended period of time. Almost everyone has or had some form of foot or blister issues most of them being manageable but others requiring some to take a few days off and maybe change out their footwear. I also meet a lady from Germany doing the trail on her own who had taken a bad spill coming down a hill. She had the hurt leg x-rayed and no fracture but she was not able to put weight on it yet. She was hoping to be back out on the trail with in a week but it was evident that it was not her leg that pained her as much as the frustration of watching hikers come and go on the trail while she was not able. She was hopeful that when she did get back on the trail she would be able to catch up with the friends she had made before her spill. What I see from each of these hikers as they battle their aches and pains is their inner strength and determination. It is inspiring.
Date: 2014-04-13
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Campsite North of Log Cabin Drive
Miles today: 16.2

We packed up at sunrise to start trekking again. We have so much food in our packs we passed on stopping at one of the restaurants in Hot Springs on our way out Instead we began eat what was in our packs to lighten the load. Typically I will eat the heaviest food items first which in time lightens the load each day on the trail until the next resupply. On our way out of town we crossed over the French Board river and turned east walking along the river banks and then after a 1/2 mile or so up out of the valley through steep rocky hills. Most of the morning was spent in a upward ascent from the valley. The view of the town below from the rocky cliffs was pretty with many of the redbuds blooming. The travels the remainder of the day were generally uneventful We were expecting to see more hikers on the trail leaving Hot Springs but we only saw three thru hikers (Trip, Flinch and Indiana) the entire day. I anticipate many either started later in the day stayed (either nursing a hangover or filling up on the pancake breakfasts the local bar serves to hikers) or for another day of the trail festival. It is easy to get comfortable in the towns and before you know it another day has passed. The sun was out making for a hot day but pressed on over Ridge Mt and just shy of Little Laurel shelter finding a nice flat camp site right on the trail. As Celtic and I set up camp, a section hiker came down the trail and visited for a while. Then shortly after he left, a couple who was lost came down the trail heading south. They asked if they were on the Camp Creek trail the did a 4 mile loop around a nearby mountain. They did not realize they were on the AT heading for Georgia. We looked at our maps to determine where they were coming from and helped direct them back toward where they started. They were fortunate they ran into us or I do not think they would have made it back to their car that night. We settled in for the evening and had no more visitors, two legged or four legged. We are on a pace to make it to Erwin, TN for another mail drop in 4-5 days.
Date: 2014-04-14
From: Campsite North of Log Cabin Drive

To: Flint Mt Shelter
Miles today: 15.7

It was a great mild night allowing us to pack up camp and then sit, eat breakfast and watch the sunrise. One of the harder sections of the day was Big Firescald Knob. This 1.5 mile section has lots of step rock section with some requiring actual climbing ( hand and feet). This section provided some of the best views of the day both east and west (see photos). The clouds continuously thickened and grew darker as the day went on and by our lunch break at Jerry Cabin shelter the rain started. The rain lasted the entire afternoon settling down when we reached our days objective at Flint Mountain shelter. We settled in at the shelter instead of setting up a tent since rain was also expected tomorrow. During the afternoon the views were general obscured by the rain and clouds, but there was a nice bald we passed over as the trail followed an old dirt road. We also came upon an old cemetery plot along the trail dating back to the civil war. The shelter filled up as the evening went on with many folks coming in after they did a long day. Additionally there were two ladies who came by late in the evening. They sat for a few minutes, had a bit of a tiff with each other arguing about how much mileage they were going to do and then decided to push on for another 8 miles to the next shelter after they had already done almost 20 miles... If they make it they would get there around 10 pm, well past dark. Impressive mileage but neither of the ladies looked very happy. Big mileage is great if your body can take it. However if mileage is all that drives you on the trail, I feel you miss out.
Date: 2014-04-15
From: Flint Mt Shelter

To: Low Gap,TN
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: light rain

The day started out with mild temperatures and no rain. It did rain most of the night but we were dry in the shelter. We knew the forecast called for more showers but I had not cell phone signal to check details on when or how severe the rain might be. I headed out around 8 with Celtic dressed in rain pains and poncho in case it started to rain. An hour into the hike light rain came but I was getting hot as I climbed Lick Rock so I stopped and pulled off my jacket and rain pants. So I push on with a poncho atop a short sleeve shirt and shorts. This was much cooler dress for the 1500 ft elevation climb up the rock. As I slog up the step trail the rain and winds pick up and I also start to notice there is ice mixed in the rain. The temperatures quickly plummet and my exposed legs, arms and hands are getting numb. I get to the top of the rock and I know I have about 2 more miles to a shelter. I think I can make it without having to stop, pull out warmer gear and have to put it on in the rain and sleet. I make it another 1/2 mile or so and I am starting to lose use of my hands due to the cold. It is now close to freezing and I realize I have to bundle up or I will lose complete use of my hands. I stop struggle with the pack and finally get it off. Under my poncho I pull out my jacket and gloves from my pack while trying to keep as day as I can. Better but still cold and hands are hard to move. Celtic comes up as I am struggling to get the poncho over my pack. He is having the same issue with his hands freezing up and had just finished pulling his pack off and getting warmer clothes on. It was a cold wet miserable mile And a half walk to the shelter. By the time we arrived the winds were blowing 20-30 mph and the rain had turned to ice. There were two other thru hikers there also warming up. I pulled off the wet clothes, put some dry ones on and bundled up in the sleeping bag. Other thru hikers showed up and did the same. The ice and then eventually snow went on for a couple of hours. Most of the thru hikers were able to get cell phone coverage and decided to push on to Sams gap to be picked up and shuttled to a near by hostel. I looked at the weather via my phone and it looked as though the snow would pass by late afternoon leaving us with a cold and windy evening but no rain or snow. So Celtic and I sat it out for a few hours at the shelter and them pressed on to Low gap which had water And we hoped was sheltered out of the wind. Like usual the weatherman's forecast was off and it snowed on us the remainder of our hike and while we set up camp finally stopping after sunset. Low gap was a good location with tent sites located between to springs down in a small saddle. The winds howled and the temperatures dropped but once we got our tents set up we were out of the elements and able to cook up hot meals and bundle up. It was a long day and one where we got got caught off guard with the rapid change of weather.
Date: 2014-04-16
From: Low Gap,TN

To: Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin, TN
Miles today: 20.4

The night was cooo....ld! I had flashbacks of the 15 degree cold spells in Georgia. My feet got cold in the night and I wrapped up the sleeping bag with my poncho. This helps keep the heat in but you end up with condensation on the bag exterior. The wind waled all night and the trees creaked and cracked. It was so cold when we set up camp neither Celtic or I bothered hanging our bear bags (bags of food) in the trees. I figure if a bear is out in this weather they can have the food..... When I woke my wet shoes were frozen solid. I ate my breakfast in my sleeping bag. Celtic yelled over from his tent saying he a finished eating and packing up as quick as he can. I indicated I will be doing the same. The only way to warm up is to get walking. We hastily packed up as fast as we could with hands and feet freezing and off we went up the trail. It was a 2000 foot ascent up and over Big Bald mountain. Just what I needed to get the blood flowing. About a mile up the trail I could feel my toes again and my hands were working again. The storm had coated the trees with ice and they sparkled as the sun shined through them (see photos). I finally reached the top of the bald and you could see for miles around. The adjacent mountain faces were all covered in white. We took some photos of the scene and pushed on to the Big Bald shelter a few miles down the trail to warm up and figure out the game plan for the day. At the shelter there were a few folks still just starting to stir. We decided we would push down to at least No Business shelter which would be about 14 miles but if we felt ok we might push on to a hostel in Erwin. As we descended it grew warmer and warmer. By noon I had pull all of the cold weather gear off and was hiking in shorts and a tee. In the span of 5 miles or so and 2 hours the temperature was up in the low 60s. Perfect hiking weather! As a result we decided to push on to Erwin and the prospect of hot food, showers And a sleep out of the elements. We descended into town with feet aching around 7 pm. The reward was a hot shower and a large pizza. Well worth the effort. I will pick up my food mail drop and clean up and dry out my gear tomorrow and then hit the trail in the afternoon headed for Damascus, VA.
Date: 2014-04-17
From: Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin, TN

To:  Campsite about 1/2 mile south of Beauty Spot Gap
Miles today: 11.5

I started the day at Johnny's Hostel in Erwin, TN. The hostel is right on the trail next to the Nolichucky river. I awoke earlier than most of the hikers in the hostel and finished cleaning and drying out clothes and gear. I picked up my food mail drop and at 9 they shuttled anyone that was interested into town for breakfast or resupply. They drop you off at the breakfast place (I call it this rather than a restaurant because it was kind of a convenience store with a kitchen.) and pick you up in an hour. The breakfast was great (big bacon egg and cheese biscuits). I also had time to go down the road for a few resupply items. Celtic needed more time to resupply so he took off to the grocery store and I picked him up some breakfast. After returning from breakfast, it was time to pack up and get out of the rooms. It is tough not to over do it with the food resupply. With 7 days of food I could not fit all of the food in my bear food bag so the food ended up where ever there was space in my pack. It will probably take 2-3 days on the trail before I will have eaten down my food so it will all fit in my food bag. Once packed up and out of the room I spent time updating my journal. It was hard to be efficient since everything is done on my iPhone. Additionally the hostel internet speed was slow as molasses, bogging down with every upload. Before I knew it it was close to 2:00 in the afternoon and Celtic was itching to get started. We headed out on the trail across the river and over the railroad tracks. With every town you visit you know it will be an uphill ascent out of the town since all of the towns always reside in river valleys. So up we went. The trail followed the Nolichucky briefly and then run up into the interior hills. We finally stopped about 7 pm about 11 miles north of Erwin. We set up camp in a small grass meadow (see photo). The meadow had some animal trails from deer or hogs so I thought we might have some four legged visitors walk through the camp. Off to the south I could see the lights of Erwin, TN in the valley below and hear the distant train whistle as it passed through the town. The mileage we put in was a good start to the 6-7 day hike we have to Damascus which is approximately 125 miles from Erwin.
Date: 2014-04-18
From:  Campsite about 1/2 mile south of Beauty Spot Gap

To: Campsite about 1 mile north of Hughes Gap, TN
Miles today: 19.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The day started like most others about 7 o'clock or so Celtic or I get up and go fetch the food bags from the tree. The food bags are hung in the trees to reduce the chance of any issues with bears getting too close to the tents should one happen to visit during the night. That night no four legged visitors came through the campsite that night. As always the morning was a bit nippy but not below freezing. The weather was good for hiking with overcast sky's (not too cold but not to hot). The two big elevation changes were over Unaka mountain which had a very dense spruce forest at the top and Little Rock Knob which had views of the mountains we would hike over tomorrow. Midway through our hike we crossed TN 107 and to our delight Mr John Bird (aka Birdcage) was there serving up some trail magic out of his van. He had all the hostess snacks plus plenty of cold drinks. John ran a hiker hostel on the AT in Mass. He is retired now living in TN but he is out almost everyday in March and April supporting the hiking community with his trail magic. Four of us thru hikers (Celtic, I Believe, Owlbear, and I) were there eating and visiting with John (see photos). I downed two Mountain Dews which seems to be the appalachian elixir of choose by most of the hikers (twice the sugar and caffeine as most sodas). During the trail magic, I also worked on Celtics backpack. He managed to break his waist strap so I took a backup strap from my pack and jury rigged it up so it would carry some of the pack weight. With all of the mileage we put in day after day, we put a lot of wear and tear on the equipment. Shoes tear or separate, pack straps become worn and frayed, tents get tears or holes, etc, etc. We finished up the day just north of Hughes Gap, TN on a small flat along the edge of a steep hill. There was a nice sunset which was visible through the trees (see photos).
Date: 2014-04-19
From: Campsite about 1 mile north of Hughes Gap, TN

To: Doll Flats, NC
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: light rain

During the early morning hours I could hear the rain/sleet hit my tent. When I finally awoke I was expecting a wet start to the day but was pleasantly surprised to see the tent generally dry which meant it was probably sleet instead of rain during the night. Celtic and I packed up our tents quick with hopes to be packed up and hiking before any more sleet or worse (rain) hit us. When you are packing or unpacking a campsite you are most exposed to the weather. You do not want the inside of your tent or sleeping bag to get wet or your screwed if you don't get good weather to dry them out. Once we got hiking the sleet started and it sleeted on us the entire day finally ending around 5 in the evening. The day started with a hard 2500 ft ascent on to Roan Mountain which is the second highest point on the AT. The mountain top was covered with dense spruce (see photos). After Roan we traversed over four large balds. The balds are grassy mountain tops. The cool thing with the balds was you can see the trail route for miles ahead as it meanders up and over the mountains (see photos). Usually you cannot see the route because the views are hidden by the trees or terrain. We descended from the balds to Doll Flats, NC which is a beautiful grassy camp area. We shared the campsite with section hiker Max, thru hiker Trademark and about 12 University of Florida sorority ladies which when we arrived were doing Yoga out on the grass flats. Around 7 in the evening the clouds finally cleared to the west just as the sun was setting. It was the first time we had seen the sun all day. It was a pretty sight. As the sun set a double rainbow appeared over the hills behind us. Hopefully this is a sign of some good weather to come. Also Doll Flats is the end of NC. Tomorrow we will have competed the trek through two states.
Date: 2014-04-20
From: Doll Flats, NC

To: Moreland Gap Shelter, TN
Miles today: 21.4

The clearing sky's that night meant a clear but brisk morning. We were on the trail by 8 heading down into the lower elevations. The signs of spring and associated smells were everywhere. There were vibrant green Tennessee grasses in the meadows, spruce pines and wild flowers. Down at these elevations, spring seems to have come to stay. I hope it will stay for more than a day or two in the upper elevations. Also along the trail a kind soul had left a 6-pack of beer hanging in a tree. I did not take one as I passed but I told Celtic to look in the tree. When we took a break for lunch a few hours later he surprised me by handing one of the beers to me and saying "Cheers". So we both had a beer with our lunch. The terrain was gentler than prior days with lots of streams and one river we followed for a section of the hike (see photos). We pushed on for our longest day yet up to Moreland Gap Shelter. A number of other thru hikers (Stevie Wander, Trademark, Ohio) came in later that evening to the shelter and we all ate our meals around a campfire. By 9 o'clock everyone crashed for the night. After a 20+ mile day, 9 o'clock is typically past everyone's bedtime. Tomorrow's weather is suppose to be more of the same.