morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2002-09-05
From: Wallace Gap/Rainbow Sp Campground

To: Wayah Bald/Bartum Fire Tower
Miles today: 13.0

Thursday September 5 The scene from the porch of the Rainbow Springs bunkhouse is really pretty. There are a couple of rustic cabins and a shallow wide spot on a running stream. It¢s a great place for kids to play and adult to kick back. I eat a breakfast pizza and drink coffee at the store and write postcards in the morning. I call home. It¢s a leisurely morning. It looks like I am ¢a two day then look for a shower¢ hiker. I enjoy these kinds of stops. But at 11:15 I am back on old Highway #64 walking back to the AT. The trail is immediately steep but there is a gushing stream of cool agua that feels good on my sweaty face and neck. With my late start, I plan to only hike 7 miles to Siler Bald shelter today. In a couple of miles I cross Highway 64 at the spot where 2 years before, while driving thru here, I stopped and talked to 3 hikers. They were a grandma, son and grandson hiking 2 weeks on the AT. They are one of the motivating factors why I am here today. Soon, I reach Siler Bald shelter, it¢s down in a low lying, very damp and dark area. Sunlight has never touched the earth around here. It¢s too spooky for me, so I refill my water bottles and keep on hiking. I am not sure where I¢ll camp but the weather has been good so I¢ll just find a spot near the trail. After 3-4 miles more, the trail starts to ascend. Just as I reach the top of the ascent at Wayah Bald, the sky darkens and rain starts to fall. But luck is with me as I see a building and park-like area. The building is an outhouse so I duck in the doorway, out of the rain and watch it rain. It stinks but I am dry. The rain slows down so I start walking down an asphalt sidewalk to check out something called the Bartrum Fire Tower that might have an area below it for me to camp. My luck is even better than I hoped. The tower is more like a building with a ground floor room and a roofed deck above. The rain has stopped so I opt for the deck. I don¢t unpack right away as there are no camping signs. But the sun is sinking and I am seeing the best views yet on my 100+ miles AT adventure. A few minutes before the sun is about to set I hear voices and figure I am about to be rousted. But instead it¢s a couple from nearby Franklin, N.C. who like to come up here and watch the sunset. My luck for the day keeps getting better as they are carrying a cooler with cold beer in it. They offer. I readily and thankfully accept. Typical southern hospitality and good beer. I enjoy their company and after they leave, I sleep like a baby. SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 5: WALLACE GAP/RAINBOW SPRINGS CAMPGROUND TO WAYAH BALD/BARTRUM FIRE TOWER, 13 MILES, CUMULATIVE 117 MILES.
Date: 2002-09-06
From: Wayah Bald/Bartum Fire Tower

To: Nantahala River/NOC
Miles today: 17.0

Friday September 6 The sunrise is almost as good as last night¢s sunset. I am higher than the fog and can see quite a distance. What a way to start the day. Just as I am about to leave the fire tower a gentleman named David Waters. He is a reporter for the Franklin N.C. newspaper. We converse for a while and then he takes my picture. I wonder if it will make the newspaper (¢Vagrant Sleeps in Bartrum Tower¢). Then I am off. The special feeling from last night carries over. The ground is damp. The sun is peeking thru from the east. It¢s such a peaceful, serene time. In a few miles I meet David Roland who started at Harpers Ferry, West VA a few months ago. He must hike similar to me as he says he visits many towns close to the trail to resupply his body with junk food. He doesn¢t cook anything on the trail and only eats dry food. That¢s worth thinking about. I make pretty good mileage and late in the day I meet Peter Mandeck, who shared Deep Gap Shelter with Will and me several days ago. He and I hike to the Nantahala River and Nantahala Outdoor Center together. It¢s a great outdoor spot with a wide, shallow gently flowing stream and lots amenities. It¢s a bit noisy during the day but quiets down considerably in the evening. We are assigned different rooms at the bunkhouse but we have dinner together at the Rivers Inn Restaurant. Trail friendship doesn¢t take long. He plans to continue on the AT tomorrow but I am going to take a day and hang around the NOC.SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 6: WAYAH BALD/BARTUM FIRE TOWER TO NANTAHALA RIVER, WESSER N.C., 17 MILES, CUMULATIVE 134.
Date: 2002-09-07
From: Nantahala River/NOC

To: Nantahala River/NOC
Miles today: 0.0

Saturday September 7 Gee, it feels odd to lie on a mattress this morning and not get myself and my backpack ready to hike today. There¢s no pressure to get up and get going. I still don¢t know how the true thru hikers hike 5-6-7-8 months on the AT. I admire them but don¢t think I could do it. I like being on the trail but get too homesick for my wife and the comforts of home. I start this warm, beautiful day with a big breakfast and manage to down a lot of calories throughout the day. A little boring, but I wander around the NOC relaxing, reading the newspaper and watching the many people. They come to raft and enjoy the river or to just ride here to get away, have lunch, and kinda do what I am doing. The area is noisy with all the cars and plenty of motorcycle riders, busloads of kids, and general activity. I guess it¢s called civilization. We be a bunch of noisemakers. An interesting note: the river stops flowing at night. Yep someone upstream turns it off. Wonder how big that faucet is? At the end of the day I feel anxious to return to the trail. I feel like I am much stronger than a week ago when I started. I am thinking about shortening my hike destination to the north Smokey National Park boundary. That¢s a week away but I¢m feeling that¢s enuff hiking for me now.SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 7: NO MILES, CUMULATIVE 134 MILES.
Date: 2002-09-08
From: Nantahala River/NOC

To: Yellow Creek Gap/The Hike Inn
Miles today: 21.0

Sunday September 8 I am careful not to wake Trent this morning. He¢s an Army guy who joined me late last night in the bunkhouse. He is part of a triathlon team competing near here today. After all the food yesterday I eat 2 cookies this morning and am on the trail by 7:30 AM. The trail, of course from the river, is a steep ascent. And it¢s a long one. About 8 miles and 4 12 hours later I come to Cheoah Bald (5,062¢), so I have come up about 3,700¢. Man that¢s a tough pull from the Nantahala River. Cheoah Bald tho is a great spot for a mid morning break. I am above most everything near and far. With many mountains in the distant sky and a warm sun rays on me, I enjoy a lunch of nuts, dried fruit and some gator aid. Shortly thereafter, I meet two South Carolina hikers who warn me of the many bears in the upcoming Smokey Mt. National Park. I will hear that advice several times before I get to the park. I get into a groove and pass Stecoah Gap, Hgwy 143 where there are lots of cars on the road. Then I am on to Brown Fork Gap shelter, a good one. It¢s 3:30 and I¢ve done 16 miles today but the water supply is negligible here. I have had plenty of water sources on this journey and have gotten spoiled with the ample supply. It¢s certainly not like the Arizona Trail where water is often scarce and one has to carry a gallon or two. I look at some info that Will gave me and it gives a description of a small, clean place called the Hike Inn. It¢s 5 more trail miles plus 3 on Tuskeegee road. I figure I can hitch the last 3 miles so off I go. The pull of clean sheets gets me to Tuskeegee Rd at 5:45. Then I sit by the road for 15 minutes and no cars go by. I start walking. Just after 7 PM, I reach The Hike Inn. The owners, Jeff and Nancy, are very friendly. Jeff tells me what to expect up ahead (bears of course and BIG ones at that). Nancy takes me into town for some cash and some Popeye¢s fried chicken. Good hiker friendly folk. SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 8: NANTAHALA RIVER TO YELLOW CREEK GAP/THE HIKE INN, 21 MILES, CUMULATIVE 155 MILES.
Date: 2002-09-09
From: Yellow Creek Gap/The Hike Inn

To: Fontana Dam & Village
Miles today: 8.0

Monday September 9 A lady who also stayed at the Hike Inn drives me back to Yellowcreek Gap about 8:30. I have sent a resupply package to Fontana Village and will pick it up today and stay the night there. The Village is 8 miles away so I have a short day ahead of me. I pass Cable Gap Shelter a mile from Tuskeegee Rd. Then a black colored snake is lying on the trail. It looks harmless but I let it have the trail. Then, surprisingly I come upon Peter. He is taking his time on this last day of his trek. So he and I hike together to the visitor center at Fontana Dam. The lake looks like a good one and we run into a group who have been boating and camping for the last week. A shuttle drives me to Fontana Village. It¢s a pleasant community, with an affordable resort, grocery store, restaurant, post office and hotel. I retrieve my package from the post office and end up sending a bunch of it back home. I am not eating and using as much stuff as I thought I would. I spend the afternoon wandering the Fontana Village area. There are very few tourists here. I write a bunch of postcards. And I also get bored. This is my third night in a row in a room. I decide to end my AT hike after getting thru the Smokey National park. SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 9: YELLOW CREEK GAP TO FONTANA DAM VISITORS CENTER, 8 MILES, CUMULATIVE 163.
Date: 2002-09-11
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Clingman's Dome/Gatlinburg TN
Miles today: 16.0

Wednesday September 11 An awful day last year. It¢s on my mind a lot today as I hope nothing like it ever happens again. After last night¢s sleep interruption I didn¢t sleep well. So I am up before everyone. Quickly I am on the trail, munching on a bagel as I walk. It¢s breezy and cool plus it looks like rain. But there are some very nice distant views. Plus Rocky Top is cool too. But it can¢t be the spot the Tennessee song is about. Regardless, the Rockytop song is stuck in my head for many miles. The big minus this morning is that my legs feel as heavy as an elephant¢s, instead of the skinny chicken legs that they are. I set my sights on Double Springs Gap Shelter, just 13 miles from Spence Field Shelter. It¢s difficult to not stop and just sit by the trail. But I don¢t and the miles click off grudgingly slow. I pass a Knoxville day hiker out for 24 miles today. He¢s flying along the trail but stops and chats a few minutes. But not any more hikers after him. By 2:30 I am at Double Spring Gap Shelter. Aw hell I may as well hike to Clingman¢s Dome and catch a ride into Gatlinburg, TN. Those 3 miles are tough (>1000¢ gain) but my plan works. The clouds have Clingman¢s Dome pretty well enshrouded so I don¢t see much from its top. It takes two rides (one was one of those ¢Dave, now you¢re a Christian, aren¢t ya?¢ type rides) but I get to Gatlinburg and check into the Grand Prix Motel. Gatlinburg is pretty cheesy but has many restaurants so I am happy. There are lots of tourists wandering the streets and I join them in the evening.SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 11: SPENCE FIELD SHELTER TO CLINGMAN¢S DOME/GATLINBURG TN., 16 MILES, CUMULATIVE 195 MILES.
Date: 2002-09-12
From: Clingman's Dome/Gatlinburg TN

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 18.0

Thursday September 12 A $30 shuttle ride gets me back to Clingman¢s Dome at 9:30 AM. I make the trek back up the circular ramp to check the view again. It¢s much better today from this highest point (6,443¢) on the AT, and I get a clear view of the haze that invades this lovely valley. Aaahh progress. By 10 I am on the trail and run into 4 hikers from Georgia going to Fontana Dam. I, of course, warn them of the bears ahead of them. Next is Newfound Gap which is probably the most visited National Park spot in the U.S. The view is great and it¢s right on the highway. Heck, you don¢t even have to get out of your car. Plus it¢s on the way to Gatlinburg. I use the restrooms and fill up with water. Lots of dayhikers pass me as they return from Charlies Bunion. Old Smokey stops and tells me of his 1998 AT hike. He continues talking as I slowly move away from him down the trail. Hikers love to tell of their adventures. Charlies Bunyon is cool. I also liking hiking on the narrow ridge in this section. It allows for great views on both sides on the trail. Finally I reach the junction to Pecks Corner Shelter. Man that¢s a long hike off the AT to get to the shelter. But the shelter is primo. The best I have seen since Springer Mountain. And Buckeye from, of course, Ohio is there. He is a sobe and has hiked most of the AT. Naturally we have a great exchange talking about our hiking adventures.SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 12: CLINGMAN¢S DOME TO PECKS CORNER SHELTER 18 MILES, CUMULATIVE 214 MILES.
Date: 2002-09-13
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Davenport Gap/Mt. Momma's
Miles today: 21.0

Friday September 13 Today it¢s 20 miles to Davenport Gap and a place called Mountain Momma¢s Country Store and her renown cheeseburgers. Then I¢ll have to figure out how to get to Knoxville and the airport and back to Phoenix. My last morning on the trail is really foggy. No views to get me started. The now familiar cool, damp air feels good. There¢s no one on the trail this morning either. About noon I run into four 30ish guys who are hiking the Park. Their backpacks are huge. I would attribute it to youthful machismo except I often see women doing the same thing. They eye my small backpack when I say I have come all the way from Springer Mt. After Guyot Spring the trail descends making for easy miles. Water is still plentiful too. The last several miles to Davenport Gap descend quickly too. I¢m glad I am not walking south. Finally I reach the Gap and then follow the road down a very steep descent to Mountain Mommas. It¢s a just what I expected. Backwoods eclectic. Elvis would love it. Obviously a long ago school house, now, it¢s part general store and part restaurant. It¢s from a long ago era. No pretensions here. A group of locals, including Momma, are playing cards. My appearance hardly raises an eye. I order a cheeseburger and cold Coke. I ask the card players about getting to Knoxville. The shuttle doesn¢t run anymore I am told. ¢How about hitchhiking?¢ I inquire. I get that ¢are you nuts¢ look simultaneously from 8 eyes. Finally Momma takes charge and says ¢I¢ll get you to Knoxville tomorrow. We¢ll talk later¢. She¢s obviously a take charge and don¢t give me no shit lady. I like her. So I get to stay this last night of my AT adventure in one of the several little bunkhouses near the store. Momma tells me the Honeymoon Suite is the best one. Oddly the Honeymoon Suite has 4 small beds in it. Oops maybe those hillbilly marriage jokes are for real. Mountain Mommas Country Store is a great place. Hikers are welcome but this place is for the locals. The bunkhouses are next to a creek. I realize that since I have to ship my backpack on the airplane that I better wash it. It smells like spoiled vinegar. So I take everything out of it and soak it in the creek. I hope I haven¢t polluted the water. Afterwards, I sit on a large rock alongside the creek and smoke a cigar.   It¢s a good feeling. I am satisfied and happy with my AT adventure. I sit there for a long time and enjoy a few more hours of solitude. Tomorrow morning Momma will drive me to the airport. Note: I return to the AT from August 6 to August 17, 2003.SUMMARY SEPTEMBER 13: PECKS CORNER TO DAVENPORT GAP AND MOUNTAIN MOMMAS COUNTRY STORE, 21 MILES, CUMULATIVE 235 MILES.
Date: 2004-08-16
From: Damascus, Va.

To: Saunders Shelter
Miles today: 9.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Aah, back on the AT. I left Phoenix last night at midnight and flew into the Tri Cities Airport at 10 AM this morning. Mike from Mt Rogers Outfitters picked me up and took me to Damascus. The second year in a row that he has shuttled me. They are sure good guys at Mt. Rogers Outfitters. After a shower at the hostel and a last minute check of gear, I am walking out of Damascus a few minutes before 1 PM. Someday I am going to hang around Damascus and just enjoy this laid back little village. But not today. I walk the road for maybe a mile and then climb some stairs into the forest. The familiar feeling of being enveloped by it returns quickly. After a year's leave, I am back on the AT. Of course there's an initial 1,200' climb. And there's many reassuring sounds: my feet crunching on the earth; the pack creaking and squeaking; and the comforting wind rustling thru the trees. This stretch of trail is a weekend outdoor person's delight. It's near a stream and the Virginia Creeper Trail. Even tho it's Monday, I hear a family talking as they ride their bikes on it. After 5 miles, I take a break past U.S. 58. Man, hikers are lucky to have so much water in this area. More bikers are nearby. But I don't see another hiker on the trail. I lose mopre than half of the 1,200' elevation gain and then climb another 1,200'. It jogs my memory of the daily ups and downs of my first two year's jaunts on the AT. At about 5 PM I reach Saunders Shelter, a good one. Not surprisingly no one else is there. But, about 7 PM two hikers from Minnesota come into the camp area. After a quick stop, they decide to hike a little further hoping for a better water source. That's fine with me as I am tired and sleepy. I am asleep by 8PM.
Date: 2004-08-19
From: Troutdale, VA

To: Partnership Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The day starts leisurely. The shelter has a phone so I make a call to my wife in Phoenix, about 7 AM Troutdale time but only 4 AM in AZ. It's always good to hear her voice and even at this time of day, it's as sweet as ever. I walk down to the Trading Post for some slow-but-sure waitress served food. I think the waitress is also the cook and, possibily Mayor, too. One other older fella, a regular I am sure because he sits at a table off from the others and reads the newspaper and drinks coffee. Of course he's friendly and I kid him about a bumper sticker on the lone car outside with a Democrat bumper sticker. He takes it well and we strike up a conversation that ends with him dropping me off at the trailhead at about 8:45. The man's name was Ray Love and if other hikers are there for breakfast in the future, I am sure he will give them a ride too. The hike starts off nice with a gentle breeze that feels great on my skin but there's also a rain warning for the afternoon. I am not sure why I worry about rain as last year the rain was always gentle and relaxing to hike in. Today is my youngest daughter Amanda's birthday, 24 years old. Aloud I wish her a happy birthday and think of her often today. The trail is pretty easy and in late morning, it seems like it's on an old railroad bed tho I suppose it's just an old road. I also catch a group of nine that are strung out on the trail. Six about 14-15 year old boys and three adults. The are from some Edgar Casey Enlightenment camp nearby and are on the second to last day of a week long hike. The Orwellian named Elightenment Camp amuses me so I prepare for company at the Partnership Shelter tonight. Wow, the Partnership Shelter is first class. It has hot showers (can you believe it?), running water, nice privy, a great 2 story shelter and the Mt. Rodgers Headquarters and Visitor Center is about 300 yards away. I decide to let the group have the shelter and put up my tarp a few yards away. I buy some more AT maps and a soda at the friendly Visitor Center. Since I got to the shelter at around 3:00 PM, I have plenty of time to stroll around, smoke a cigar and also talk with my shelter partners. The group is well mannered and behaved. I don't know how late they stayed up cause I was asleep by about 8:30. An easy hiking day with nice folks at the start and end of the day.
Date: 2004-08-20
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Crawfish Vally
Miles today: 18.3

As usual I am up and on the trail before the others at the shelter have had breakfast. The trail seems to go up and down 400'-500' several times this morning. Also, I wear my headnet as there's those bugs that seem to want to enter my head thru my eyes. The landscape is lush and near a stream for quite a bit. But, parts of it are in such overgrown, dark and damp areas with the stream running in the background, that it was a bit spooky to walk through. This 57 year old seasoned hiker and confirmed coward was ready to run like hell if goblins or gouls jumped out. I bravely perserved tho. A little before noon I toured an old, old school next to the AT that is open for visitors. Nearby is also some kind of area historical spot that the caretaker urged me to tour. A nice break from the trail. Then it was on a few more miles to I-81 near Atkins, Va. Damn, my Arizona bandana dropped from my trekking pole back there somewhere by the historical site. I walk back a little ways but decide someone will find it and hopefully enjoy it. I do have a backup tho which I tie more securely. to the pole. Then to cpmpound things, a bad lunch was had at a "home cooking" spot near I-81. But I did enjoy the ice cream cone from the Dairy Queen. It started to rain big drops while at the DQ so I sat it out in a gazebo. Two local men saw me running to it and joined me in the gazebo and then asked lots of questions about hiking on the AT. I encouraged them to give it a week's try. Nice friendly guys. Then it was back on the trail. The trail wound thru some pleasant open fields but it comes on the first of some caution signs that didn't take took much interpretation to realize that some folks around here aren't too thrilled about the AT passing thru the area. About 6 miles north af Atkins, in the Crawfish Valley area, I find a beside-the-trail campsite with a small stream nearby. Perfect I think, so I set up the tarp and enjoy a light supper, a cigar and a very quiet evening.