morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-03-29
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: NOC
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: moderate rain

It feels much warmer this morning. It is 55 degrees and not windy. We all started stirring around 7:15. The cardboard box holding the crackers still is holding up fine in my food bag. When we were ready to head out, we had lightning and thunder with a few tiny hailstones thrown in. So we sat and waited it out, taking pictures of each other. Shiloh was going to wait it out until 10:00 am, but I couldn't stand it anymore and headed out first in my rain gear. I remember the trail 8 years ago going straight down to NOC so I was surprised that there were ups too. Shiloh caught up with me and we played pass the baton by letting each other go in front occasionally. At first we could see the mountains with clouds like white cotton candy tucked in the folds. Then we were in the clouds with no more views. When we got to the Jump Up I remember 8 years ago my brother hiking in front of me with his camera as I climbed down in case I took a spill. Today, Shiloh hiked in front of me in case I took a spill, because he was an EMT. How nice. Afterwards, I didn't see Shiloh again until the NOC check in. I got a bunk up at the Base Camp. So far I'm the only one in my co-ed room. After a shower, I picked up my packages at the Outfitters and bought some food to get me to Fontana Dam.Shiloh and I split a large Greek pizza at the Rivers End Restaurant. It was the best pizza ever or I was really hungry. Afterwards, I returned to my bunkroom for a nap. Later Shiloh, Brad, and I met at the Pub, where I said goodbye to them because I think I will take a Zero day here tomorrow. I'm meeting my husband Friday near Fontana Dam. Since I have plenty of time I might as well Zero here and wash my clothes too.
Date: 2008-03-30
From: NOC

To: NOC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: Clouds

On a damp and gray overcast day, I hiked down from the Base Camp to River's End Restaurant for coffee and biscuits. I went across the road to the General Store and paid for another night, but I will have to move my stuff to another room in another cabin. I also got quarters to do my laundry. I hiked back up to Base Camp and then realized that I forgot to buy detergent. Back down to the outfitters, bought the soap, and back up to the Base Camp. I had another shower while I was washing my clothes. The washers and dryers are in both the men and ladies room.I seem to have the Base Camp to myself because all of the Texas A&M students staying here on a field trip are gone for the day. I went back down to the river to people watch while I chill. I wish I was hiking but there is no point in getting to Fontana Dam and earlier.Both times I have been here at NOC before were with my brother. Seeing the Kayaks remind me of him too. He is just not around to say to him, "Hey, look at that¢¦"I had lunch at the Rivers End Restaurant, and then went back up to my bunkroom for a nap.
Date: 2008-03-31
From: NOC

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: overcast clouds

It is a gray morning with a light rain and a comfortable coolness in the air. I got out of NOC by 9:30 am. It was an easy hike for an all day up from a 1740 ft elevation up to 4710 ft. I keep taking my rain jacket off and putting it back on.This is a first ¢ a man asked me my age today. He volunteered that he was 61. His trail name is Mr. Burns, because he resembles a character on The Simpsons.When I was coming down to the shelter on a steep, slick and muddy path, I wiped out. I landed on my right butt check, slid on my right hip, and rolled to my stomach. I was covered with black mud. I changed into my light weight long johns and didn't care what people thought (if they even did). I'm thinking that the mud will dry overnight on my pants and I can knock it off in the morning. The word is that we are having thunderstorms tomorrow. The next shelter is 9 miles away, but it won't be an all day up like today. The shelter here is nice, but I cannot believe they did not build a new privy! It is the same old one from 8 years ago. All they did was just reset it on a foundation. So far this is the nastiest one yet!
Date: 2008-04-01
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: light rain

It is overcast and windy to the point that trees less than 12 inches in diameter were swaying. I climbed to Cheoah Bald. No views because of the socked-in weather. I made my first wardrobe change. I took off my rain pants and changed my long sleeved shirt to a short sleeve and put my rain jacket back on. After leaving Cheoah Bald, the sun came out. A little while later I made my 2nd wardrobe change. I unzipped and took my pant legs off with the rain jacket.Beautiful day. I saw my first snake, a 2-foot ribbon snake sunning himself across the trail. After taking his picture, I gently poked him with my pole to get him to move out of the way. He got all mad and tried to bite it before leaving in a huff down the trail. Later I saw my first butterfly, a fuzzy black and yellow bee, and a single bluet. It's spring! Oh yeah, I had flying bugs too. All was well until I crossed Stecoah Gap. It wasn't in the book and the profile didn't show it¢¦ The mountain with no name. It was worse than the "greeter" mountain at the NC border. I kept going up and up. I was whimpering as I trudged up it. Everyone at the shelter and in the shelter register agree that it was a hell of a climb. When I finally saw the sign for the shelter, I said, "thank you" out loud several times. Harp, at the shelter offered to go down the hill to get my water. I couldn't believe he would do that. I was so grateful. After we (Harp, Yoda, and I) were all settled in the shelter, the rain came. One couple here is tenting. They came all the way from NOC today.Thought for the day: Not all miles are equal.
Date: 2008-04-02
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.1
Weather: clear sky

This morning when we got up, Yoda found a shoelace in his pack all snarled up and made into a nest. Harp found nuts (acorns) in his boot. There were no presents from the mice for me. It was a nice easy sunny hike today. It took only 4 hours. Usually I'm a mile-an-hour hiker. The sameness of the brown leaves and gray trees was monotonous. However, with bare-naked trees you can see how far the drop is as you hike along the sides of the mountains. And at such steep angles too. It looked so different here when my husband and I hiked this section years ago on a Labor Day weekend.I spent a lazy afternoon at the shelter after I found a 2007 Outside magazine to read. I'm here with Harp and Yoda again. Don (Retread) joined us in the shelter. His hiking partner, Old Turtle, tented and 2 young men hiking separately also tented.For some reason there is a high back cane chair sitting in front of the shelter. How did it get here? Why?
Date: 2008-04-03
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: light rain

Mice bothered Yoda and Harp all night long. One got in Yoda's pack during the night. He got up and looked inside and saw 2 little eyes looking back at him. He dumped out his pack and took the large black garbage bag out, and put his pack inside that. At the time, I didn't know what he was doing. All I heard was a loud plastic Rustle, Rustle, Rustle.In the morning Harp found nesting material in his pack. I only found mouse poop on my hiking shirt that I left laying on my pack. It was a warmer night. I didn't need my lovely sleep sack.Four people came by so far as I'm slowly getting ready to go. I met Woody and Rick who are section hiking. I had gone to the privy and startled them by my scream. I stuck my head out and assured them that it was only a mouse. I just didn't expect something to be moving in the pooper. The large mouse then went down deeper (ewwwww!). Oh, by the way, this was a rather full privy. I went ahead and used the privy because I didn't think he was planning to surface. More people came by including Walky-Talky who I met at Neels Gap. The day started overcast and gloomy. It became foggy and then it began to rain. A big climb up and then a big climb down which was worrisome because of the slippery mud. No Dam views due to the weather. As I reached the lower elevations I was delighted to see trillium starting to bloom and violets. I reached The Fontana Dam Shelter, which is also known as the Fontana Hilton. It holds about 24 and it is very clean. There is a real restroom nearby with running water. There are about 10 other hikers here that I don't know. I met an older lady, Willow.
Date: 2008-04-04
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: The Hike Inn
Miles today: 0.0

All the sleeping hikers resemble different color larvae lying side-by-side. I'm waiting for the others to get their food bags off the hook that mine is on so I can get to my food bag for coffee.   I'm listening to the others getting ready. Some are staying, some are also going to the Hike Inn, and some are hiking. The Great Smokies are on the other side of the Dam. After packing up. I headed towards the visitor center. Halfway there and SUV drew up beside me and lowered the window. "Slow Barbara"¢¦ It was Nancy Hock from The Hike Inn coming to get me to take me back to the motel. I was so happy. She told me that my husband had called the night before. I had a shower. They washed my clothes, and I waited on their porch for my husband's arrival.I am happy.
Date: 2008-04-14
From: Home

To: Fontana Dam (Motel)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I¢m on my way back to the trail after taking care of several things at home. Everything fell into place so I¢ll only need to return home once or twice more from the trail. I have an immense feeling of relief.A few random thoughts as I travel back to the trail¢¦I went shopping at REI while I was home. I needed a new Marmot Precip Jacket as my old black one was peeling apart. I had it for sometime. My new one is Poppy colored...a really bright orange. I bought a lighter and warmer sleeping bag. It is an REI 15 degree woman¢s Sub-Kilo. It is my first ¢down¢ bag and it weighs less than 2 pounds. I also bought an acrylic mirror and Body Glide. The half ounce camping mirror is so I don¢t have to wait until I reach civilization to be able to see myself and check the condition of my eyes. The small (less than 12 oz) Body Glide is for preventing chafing and treating it if it happens. Mine is also a sunscreen. It is a wonderful all purpose product. I would correct Sunkist every time she would call it Astro-Glide, which is a totally different product altogether. While I was home, I went to the doctor¢s office to find out about my eye mucus. The nurse practitioner said I had allergy conjunctivitis (Allergies and Pinkeye?). I¢ve been blessed during my lifetime with no pronounced allergies. But every time I¢ve gone hiking I get a nose drip. Not a problem, that¢s what I use my bandana for. I finally figured out that it is an allergy. It was wonderful to my senses to get off the trail and go back down from the mountains to central NC. Spring had gloriously erupted¢¦dogwood, azaleas, and purple wisteria were everywhere. As I¢m traveling back up to the mountains, snow is falling.I loved hearing from everyone on my guest book. Hannah Run and Slow Walker, of course, I remember you guys!
Date: 2008-04-15
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Birch Spring Campsite
Miles today: 5.9
Weather: clear sky

It was a beautiful day, and a hard day. Of course, I didn¢t start at Fontana Dam Shelter today. That was where I left off. My good friend and my elephant¢s namesake dropped me off between the shelter and the Visitor Center at the blue blaze trail to bypass the dam.   We hikers are not allowed to hike across the dam. The TVA is doing dam maintenance. The supposed additional 2 mile blue blaze involved a lot of road walk. And then I managed to lose my way. As a friend of mine would say ...where in the blue blazes am I? I backtracked until I found my mistake. The whole thing was a 3 hour (de)tour¢¦ a three hour (de)tour¢¦ instead of just walking across the dam. If I had to do it all over again, I would just sneak across in the middle of the night. It was chilly when I began hiking. I started off with long johns, two long-sleeved tops, and my fleece jacket. I quickly shed the layers until I was hiking in short sleeves. It was a beautiful sunny, warm spring day. After the blue blaze, there was more road walk until I finally reached the dirt trail. Waiting for me there was a deer who seemed unconcerned and strolled away. Then I had a 2000 ft climb the next 4 miles up Shuckstack Mountain. I had views looking down at Fontana Lake as I got higher and higher. I took the side trail to Shuckstack Fire tower. The last time I came through here, I didn¢t take the time to go see it. When the fire tower came into view, my thought was: No, I¢m not climbing that. Hell, no. I bagged a picture and continued on my way. When I reached Birch Spring Campsite, I was happy to find another girl hiker, Melissa, here. As we were finishing up our dinners at the campfire pit, 2 more guy hikers (Buck and Rebel) joined us. My feet were hurting piles of mush after today¢s hike. I¢ve taken 4 Ibuprofen so far. I¢m trying out my new sleeping bag tonight. I am so happy to be back on the trail.
Date: 2008-04-16
From: Birch Spring Campsite

To: Russell Field Shelter
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: clear sky

5:21 am ¢ pee run. In the dark looking up at the tall bare trees and the stars, the stars look like tiny white lights decorating the trees. Back to sleep.7:30 am ¢ I sleep with my fleece hat covering my eyes, so I didn¢t know it was daylight yet. Ok, I¢m up. It is 40 degrees in the tent.Just as I was leaving, the Ridgerunner came by to check on things. He thanked me for camping correctly at a tent site. The 2 guys pitched their tents next to the fire ring (a no-no). Melissa had already left. She decided that her name will be S.H.O.E (Slowest Hiker on Earth). I like that.I saw a small patch of white stuff on the ground and it took a minute to realize what it was¢¦ un-melted snow. It was another beautiful sunny day. I think spring arrived today in the Smokies. Suddenly, the ground was carpeted by a green ground covering with little white flowers that had purple lines on the petals. They are called Spring Beauties. Wonderful. The air was filled with annoying flying bugs diving for my face. Not Wonderful. I can¢t remember how many years ago that I hiked the Smokies. It is interesting to re-visit the shelters and see which ones do not have cages now. Mollies Ridge Shelter has been re-done with a covered table and benches attached to the side. Russell Field Shelter (disappointingly) still has the chain link fence. Both shelters have large tarps covering the fronts. What was nice about this shelter is that it has a large flat grass clearing. Everyone cooked and ate their dinners out on ¢the lawn.¢ It was like picnicking. For dinner, just to see if it was really good, I had Lime Shrimp Ramen with Tuna again. Yummy. Later a guy, Word, made a fire in the fireplace inside the Shelter. Nice. It is very dark in here with the front covered up by the tarps. Besides me, S.H.O.E., and Word, there are two sisters here section hiking. One is named Barbara. She recognized me from my Trail journal. Cool.
Date: 2008-04-17
From: Russell Field Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 9.2
Weather: broken clouds

6:30 am. The rusty door to the shelter cage woke me up when someone went outside. Last night was the warmest night I¢ve had on the trail in a long time. I have a plan: I¢ll pack up and have breakfast at the next shelter. It¢s only 2.9 miles away. It¢s nice and it has a privy. This one doesn¢t have one, just a shovel and an arrow pointing to the toilet area (It¢s a mine field!). This shelter also does not have anywhere to sit down. Spence Field Shelter is really nice. I remember when it was a dank cage. It has wonderful improvements and lots of places to sit. Thank you whoever did this.It is another beautiful, sunny, spring day in the Smokies. I took lots of pictures. The prize of the day was reaching Rocky Top. Hikers want to know, is this the one made famous by the song? Being higher up today, I saw larger patches of snow on north facing sides of the trail. One place I actually walked through some snow slush. And the bugs! Those flying, diving annoying bugs. They surround my head. I think my glasses protected my eyes. Avon Bug Guard provides a force field for a while, but I have to reapply several times. Later in the day my feet started asking, when? When? Then fallen trees started to look like shelter mirages. I saw a wooden sign down in a gap. Oh, goody, is this the shelter? Nope. It stated Sugar Tree Gap. OK, it¢s only 1.1 miles to the shelter from here. I can do that. It was awful. The trail kept going up and up. I was so miserable; I would have sat down and cried if I thought that would have done any good. I just focused on putting one boot ahead of the other one. The Ridgerunner who told S.H.O.E. this was a hard section was right. I did finally reach the shelter- another nice rebuilt one like Spence Field. Of course the water source was down a long trail to top off my day¢s hike. No matter, I¢m finally here.A new flower of the day: A yellow one on a single stalk that bows down with 4 or 6 petals that bends backward.
Date: 2008-04-18
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.2
Weather: few clouds

It was another warm night last night. Word built another wonderful fire in the shelter fireplace. It even felt warmer this morning. Here last night, besides Word was Bill, Rookie, and an older father and son (Don and Rob), section hiking south. I started the Smokies with two food bags to hold all my food. Today I'm now down to one food bag and my pack isn't as over-stuffed.Don noticed how I ate my cooked oatmeal straight from the pouch. No clean up just add hot water. Helpful hint: use your bandana as a potholder. I told him how every time I go out I learn new things. Don asked what I learned this time. Well¢¦not to buy canned chicken without first checking to see if it was an easy to open pop-top¢¦4.5 oz of useless weight¢¦Sheesh.I didn't tell him this, but I learned not to buy anymore of a certain brand of granola bars. They give me gas. Remember the night at Siler Bald Shelter when I had the colic? The last thing I had eaten before I got sick was one of those bars.One more thing I learned so far on this trip¢¦ you cannot have too much hand sanitizer. It is wonderful for feet too.It was the best day yet in the Smokies. Easy hike with constant ups and downs but nothing hard. It was also a beautiful, glorious day. The bugs were even less bothersome today.Not too long after I started hiking I recognized the hiker heading southbound... Baltimore Jack, a well-known hiker in the AT community. He had thru-hiked the AT numerous times. I was surprised to see him, and didn't know he was hiking. He was doing this section southbound. I'll see him again when he does the next section. Maybe I'll remember to take his picture then...Slow Barbara.When I stopped at Siler Bald Shelter to get some water, it came out of the pipe coming from the spring at a dribble. The opposite was true of the pipe at Derrick Knob, which came out like a bathtub faucet. Double Spring Gap Shelter is still a cage. This is the first shelter that doesn't have a tarp covering the front. It is suppose to rain tonight and tomorrow. After only having a handful of people every shelter so far, this one is packed. Staying here also is Sunny and Share, SouLive, Yorkie, from Yorkshire, England, a group of 4, and a group of 7 men.New plant of the day: Hemlock trees. After miles and miles, and mountains and mountains of bare-naked trees, now there are evergreens.
Date: 2008-04-19
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 6.3
Weather: light rain

I was actually hot last night. I could have taken off my socks and long johns, but that was too much work. It was raining this morning. I was the first to venture out and get my food bag. I wanted my usual breakfast in bed. I finally got to wear my new orange rain jacket. I'm so pleased with it. The forest had changed. It was all hemlocks and mossy logs and green everywhere. It was also all foggy and misty. I expected the gnomes and fairies to come out at any minute. The high point (literally) of today was Clingman's Dome, the highest point of the whole Appalachian Trail at 6643 feet. There is a concrete tower on top. I didn't bother to go up. It was inside a cloud. I didn't take any pictures today because it was raining and I packed my camera deep inside my pack.Mt Collins Shelter is a half-mile off the trail, which doesn't count as mileage. Halfway down the trail I had my first fall for this hike. My knees took the brunt of the fall on rocks before I turned turtle on my pack. Sheesh!Mt. Collins Shelter is the first ever shelter I stayed at when I section-hiked the Smokies years ago. It was creepy. I never seen a caged shelter before or even bear cables. I was the only one there and there was a strange foggy mist. I wasn't afraid, just spooked. I had dreamed of animals trying to get in and a talking raccoon.This time it is still a cage and there were 20 thru-hikers present I haven't met before and a couple who brought trail magic in the form of baloney and cheese sandwich makings. A hilarious time was had by all except for me. I went to sleep early before it got dark. I've hiked 200 miles so far. Tomorrow, Gatlinburg, TN. Woo hoo, another trail town.
Date: 2008-04-20
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Gatlinburg, TN 
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: overcast clouds

I didn't want to waste any time getting to Gatlinburg. So I skipped my usual leisurely breakfast and quickly packed up. It was a nice walk to Newfound Gap. But the strangest thing: there were many, many huge overturned trees with large flat root systems exposed. I wasn't too concerned about getting to Gatlinburg. Someone will give me a ride.Newfound Gap was cold and windy with lots of tourists, and lots of cars with tags from all over. I went over to the stop sign in hopes that anyone heading to Gatlinburg would stop and pick me up. However, these tourists are not aware of the AT or AT hikers. ("Oh look dear, a homeless person.")I only waited 10 minutes until Chuckles, who thru-hiked last year, came over to offer me anything I wanted in the way of trail magic. He came from Knoxville up to Newfound Gap for the day just for the opportunity to give back to the trail. He led me over to his car, popped the trunk, set up a chair for me, and offered me all sorts of snacks and drinks. I consumed the better part of a container of little chocolate donuts. Life is good.When two more hikers (young brothers), joined us, Chuckles drove us down to Gatlinburg. I had him drive us down the main drag twice just for the shock value. Whoa, what a sight to see. The motel of choice to go to was the Grand Prix. Unfortunately for us, they had a sign declaring that the motel is closed on the Lord's Day. So we went to the Happy Hiker Outfitters for suggestions of places to stay. They recommended a new place called Smoky Pines. The boys went to the Ramada Inn because they were meeting someone, and Chuckles took me to Smoky Pines. It was $39 for a single double bed. They let me use their phone at the desk to make my calls. I had dinner at a Mexican restaurant, and then walked and gawked at this tourist town.