morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-03-15
From: amacola shelter

To: Springer MTN. Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: clear sky

I am writting with my headland by the moon that is huge and orange and amazing. I spent the first 3 hours of the day hikling alone and thinking i was going the wrong way. I saw about 10 people all going the oppposite direction as me. I had decided i was going to ask the next person i saw where they were headed. It was then i noticed thatthey were the 5th person i saw with jeans on and a cotton shirt, this guys said keg party on it and i knew if i was going the opposite direction as him i was ok. As he passed i noticed a huge lantern and what looked to be a blow up keg hanging from his pack. i chuckled and stopped for lunch soon after.Ten minutes later, Nira and her dad alex walked up. I recognized her from her trail journals photos. Soon norma jean, missy and "long shanks" (names in "" are trail names) joined us. We stayed together for most of the day until we made it to the top of springerthe sun was out and we could see rolling hills. I went to the first shelter, set up my hammock and did my yoga. I realized how lucky i am that i get to do this everyday! I then burned my dinner, still getting used to the alcohol stove i guess! Just like traveling i feel like this is the perfect thing for me to do.I stayed up chatting with "step and 1/2" for a bit. Missies mom showed up tonight too, thinking she would want to go home. But we would not let her leave. She is 19 has never hiked before, and got over mono last month too.
Date: 2006-03-16
From: Springer MTN. Shelter

To: Hawk Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 7.6

Did not sleep very much last night at all. A nice day, most of it along until the last 1/2 hour i spent with norma jean i call her "single malt" since she was always trying to get me to drink with her. Then a packed shelter from people who started today from springer with out doing the appraoch trail.there are some well known people with us who have hiked the trail many times before "baltimore jack" and "lone wolf" and 32 others! Met sun, "posie picker" "too much and just enough" and thier son brian who was out for a few days. So many people i won't name them all. We all were around the fire getting to know each other and telling stories. It was great. Then my trail name was voted on, "buford" was the one who really got it going. (read trail name section for details) Rasta Legs it is!
Date: 2006-03-17
From: Hawk Mt. Shelter

To: Gooch Gap
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: broken clouds

Another sleepless night in the hammock, it was very windy, and i kept thinking it was going to start raining and i would get wet! I had a great day of hiking. Talked alot with sun and brian today. I started calling her DJ sweats alot and we spent an hour or so making up rymes about rasta legs and DJ after we were done talking about food even though i am not hungry ever! I have to force food down and have lots of left over meals! I am waiting for that hiker hunger everyone talks about to kick in, oh and the need for sleep too! So another great campfire, "lone wolf" and I were telling jokes, and i loved "too much's" laugh! I also tried to get rid of some blisters i have had for a couple days now.We will see how that works out!
Date: 2006-03-18
From: Gooch Gap

To: woods hole shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Cold night last night! but i got to sleep for about 6 hours! that is good! and i was actually a little hungry today! I started eating anyway just to get it going! It was a freezing morning but a nice hike. Tonight our group is small. "single malt" "long shanks" nira and her dad (they have been with me since day one!) "conductor" And a new guy "andy". We found out missy went off trail. I am glad she didn't give up on the first day. So it was another night of laughs and jokes and fun, "andy" is a super nice guy and great addition to our group! I feel happy and strong and could never imagine getting off trail right now!
Date: 2006-03-19
From: woods hole shelter

To: Walasi-Yi-Center
Miles today: 4.5

I did not get to sleep again! I thought sleeping in the shelter would help but nop! I am debating about gettting a tent since i am too cold in my hammock. I also think feahtered friends put the wrong temp on my bag and it is not a 20, who knows! All i do know is that i flew up and down blood Mt today! Amazing views at the top, but i was ready for town, out of camp by 7 and at the hostel by 930! Tons of trail magic here, i got a different alcohol stove from "chief" since mine was using too much, but i called missy to send me my snowpeak! They had a hiker feed here tonight! Cheese burgers, hot dogs, all kinds of salads! It was so great to hang out with everyone! Most of us have been together since to appraoch trail and we all get along great! Missy came to see us with some amazing magic!! Cookies, beer, soda, and her smiling face! It was good to see her, and think she might try this again someday! Thanks girl!Other then that I am really getting sick. All this not sleeping stuff must be killing me. It is suppose to rain and be cold tomorrow, if i still feel sick i might take a zero and try to recover, sleep, get new shoes! heal my blisters and all that jazz!
Date: 2006-03-20
From: Walasi-Yi-Center

To: Walasi-Yi-Center
Miles today: 0.0

So i took a zero! It was hard! I felt like i should go while everyone was packing up. Then "lone wolf" was doing something for the store and needed me to come and drive the van for them. I then found myself on an adventure. With "baltimore jack" "that guy" and "wolf" we went to N.C. and to the next stop on the trail to pick someone up, then to and All you can eat (AYCE) chinese food for 5$! oh yeah! did i mention i get hungry now? Still trying to be healthy, i turned down the fast food cheese burgers getting handed out the day before, so i am on a roll! So my new boots turned into a new tent too! I think it will be better this way! i hope. Some stayed here for a zero day too, and some of my group went ahead, i hope i will run into "single malt" again. I am excited to get out to to the trail again, but so happy i am not wet and cold out there right now! It is 830 and i am going to bed!
Date: 2006-03-21
From: Walasi-Yi-Center

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I finally slept last night!!! for like 10 hours! yipppppeeee~ Today was great, foggy and misty, no views but really nice, i hiked alone most of the day. I hung with "tater" for a bit. He was so thankful that i helped him make it up too big climbs without stopping. I got into camp at 130 and i was going to keep going. Then i realized all the rad people there, so i stayed. "andy" had left the day before, but stayed for a zero at the shelter. "i am still adam" "cool hand" "tec" "wolf paw" "lone wolf" "that guy" nira who is now "42" and her dad alex who i named "first class" made it here too. It was another fire and hanging out. "that guy" dropped his stove on my bladder bag and put 3 holes in it. some seam sealer and duct tape will do the trick i hope! I am having such a blast! I can not believe how great this is! I am so happy!
Date: 2006-03-22
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 15.0

Oh my god! What a day! I think the biggest climb we ever had so far! But trail magic at the road crossing. A van full of everything you could want, soda, water, cookies, and even food for camp if you were low. I took a break and got ready for my last 6 miles. I hiked from 8-6 today! It is cold, so i am going to sleep in the shelter hoping the bodies next to me will help. My blisters are still bad! I walked with "tater" for 2 hours and then "cool hand" for a while. We saw a baby bear! It was amazing to make it that far i am proud!
Date: 2006-03-23
From: Tray Mtn. Shelter

To: Holiday Inn Express
Miles today: 10.0

So "first class" decided he wanted to treat us to a room at the inn and dinner! It is his last day hiking with us. It will be sad for him to go, and now nira "42" will be on her own. He feels better that he met us and sees how the community is here. So we all went out to dinner. I tried to put my photos onto my ipod for the 2nd time, and realized all my photos from last week are gone! 60 photos from my 1st week out here are gone! and the ipod won't regognize my card and upload these photos, so i have a full card and no where to put the photos so i can take more! yikes. you all know how i feel about photos so i am pretty sad. But I decided to drink some wine in honor of "1st class" and before i knew it we were all hanging in the room with some vodka punch laughing and having a blast just like always! only now we are clean! So "too much and enuff" are a doctor and nurse, and great people i might add! They did a little surgery on my toe, to help the blisters! "chuter" and his wife treated all of us at dinner. I can not believe how amazing and generous everyone is here! I had no idea it would be this great. it does not even feel like i am hiking at all! wow wow wow!
Date: 2006-03-24
From: Holiday Inn Express

To: Holiday Inn Express
Miles today: 0.0

so another zero day! I need some time to heal up, yes again. and we did so many miles these past 3 days we need to stay. And i want to wait for "42" so it is 845am i just put in all these entries now. "2much and enuff" just offered to get us a room so we can stay here too! "andy" sun who i now named "feng shui" will stay here again yippee!!! I can not get over how amazing all the people are, and all the trail magic i am getting. I knew it would be fun but really i am blown away by all of this!9/4/06 this picture was from the 2 days earlier but thought i should put something up since i am on a photo kick right now.. I am adding to the trail journals, putting up photos, it is crazy to read back to these first days, as now so many of these people are finding there way to the end of the trail, it seems like it was so long ago, or just yesterday! this is crazy!
Date: 2006-03-25
From: Holiday Inn Express

To: muskrat creek shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: broken clouds

WE had a great night! "1st class" treated us to pizza and we had a nice last dinner together. He leaves today and nira "42" will be speeding up to us i am sure. We are all planning to do 12, 12, 12, 4 for our miles the next 4 days. So it puts us in franklin on the 28th. And yes i will be going to the post office there. Also since i was having trouble with my photos i uploaded them to my yahoo, to save them. check em out. http://photos.yahoo.com/asiaoznz04they are under the album AT. So we are off now. "cool hand" "tec" "howdy" "andy" "feng shui" "42" and I all plan too meet up tonight. And who knows who else! I can not say enough about all the magic i have recieved on this trail!!! I think i can not say it enough how wonderful this community is, and what an amazing exsperience this is turning out to be!Jah guide!"RASTA"
Date: 2006-03-26
From: muskrat creek shelter

To: carter shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: clear sky

Yesterday was a very very cold day of hiking! Lots of snow. Spent the day with sun "feng shui" and crossed the border into N.C. "andy" and "42" waited for us there. And then "2much and enuff" and "balitmore jack" showed up so it was a family photo at the sign! Then a tough climb for the last bit. We got to camp and it was cold, sun and i shared a tent to stay warm. It was even to cold to stand at the fire! I uesed my emergency blanket as a shirt to stay warm and went to bed at 8. I was excited to see "sinlge malt" and "conductor" (i passed them the next day) It was a very cold start to get to carter shelter. I ended up ahead of "feng shui" but i am keeping tabs on her to make sure she is all set. I didn't feel like writing in my journal tonight so i chatted with this guy from australian guy going south bound for spring break. super nice guy. It was not as cold today but still chilly. I love having my snow peak stove back! thanks for mailing it missy!
Date: 2006-03-27
From: carter shelter

To: rock gap shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

what a great day! I started off my hike for 3 hours of story swapping with nira "42" then we got to the trail magic spot! Pancakes and cobler. It was amazing. Then i hiked up albert Mt with melody "sundance" and chatted to the top. Then our first fire tower what amazing views! the sun was out and it was so much fun. i don't even mind the hard climbs. "baltimore" came up with a great plan for my birthday so we are spreading the word and it seem like lots of folks will be spending that day with me! I hiked with him for the last couple hours and got to the shelter. another big group and much warmer weather for campfire stories and much laughter as usual. Mando and "squaral" have joined the gang for a bit "andy, cool hand and tec" have jumped ahead of us now. but the group is good "tater" is so funny to have around too. i just love the people i am meeting here! I hope "feng shui, 2much and enuff" get to town tomorrow and can spend my bday with me too! I really never knew it was going to be this fun!!!jah guide!
Date: 2006-03-28
From: rock gap shelter

To: franklin N.C.
Miles today: 3.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Up at 6am out at 640 to rush to town! although a group of 20 had to sit and wait for the shuttle! I have hiked over 100 miles now (plus som bonus miles for the appraoch trail!) I slept great and warm last night! we are all at the hotel and the plan for tomorrow was to slack pack south bound ten miles for my bday! oh slack pack means we don't carry our packs. i get to spend my bday on the trail but with no pack and with all the amazing people i have met since day one.. well most of them anyway. we lost a few. But it should be a good group and we get to come back here to the hotel at the end of the day. I am so happy it will be a great day. "feng shui, 2much and enuff" got here so i am super stoked about that. It is funny how happy you get to see someone after not seeing them for 2 days! I was walking down the street and ran into the australian boy from the other night, and also "andy" who is leaving today to get back on the trail. "42" is waiting for me with our laundry, so i am off now but i should get a chance to update tomorrow before i get out of here.my blisters and cold are better, i feel great! stronger everyday really. Amazing days/nights, views, magic, new people, new stories, and great memeories!much love!
Date: 2006-03-29
From: wayah blad

To: franklin n.c.
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: clear sky

Oh my goodness!!! What a great day! The Slackorama 2006! 22 of us on my b-day! So we got a ride 10.5 miles north on the trail so we could hike back to franklin again going south, with a day pack! so amazing to have 5lbs instead of 30! The sun was out the views were amazing and it was a blast. When we got to the top we saw "andy" "cool hand" "tec" "grinds" and "bloomer" That was great since they were ahead of us and i didn't think we would see them. So after a social day at the top we headed south. Thank you all for the messages! thank you taylor for you b-day package! And my seattle gang for your b-day package! i feel like it has been my birthday for 2 days now. People have been singing to me all day! Nira's mom vicki had nira "42" buy me something, so we thought it would be best to buy cake! So we have a few different kinds for tonight! We head to a chinese all you can eat with a gang of 25 or so! oh my! When we got back onto the bus to come back "buford" and "fluer" were on there, another great surprise since they were behind us! It is just so much fun. I think this might even be better then my traveling as far as community goes. Oh and trial magic, missy wanted me to explain. So there are trail angels that will just hook hikers up. They will go to places where the trail crosses a road and leave things like juice boxes in the stream, or snikers and cokes in a cooler. Others go even more far out and grill up burgers and have beers. At one road there was a guy with a whole van full of everything you could think of. It is so amazing everytime you get to one of these spots, it is a super surprise and the littlest things just make you so happy! The night is not over yet, but i am sure happy for this day! this adventure! and the amazing people around me!i am going to try to name all the people that were with me today, for memory sake! and try to put a couple photos up too! So tom. we get a ride back up the 10.5 to start where we did today only we go the other way! (north) our plan is like 12, 8,13,2 and into fontana dam on the morning of the 3rd. thank you all again renee for my mememory stick, sharon, may, tony, jeli, and taylor for all my treats and care boxes! i wish all of you could be on the trail with me too!much love!Rasta legs!people on the slack pack!sundancetaterjeffpoleswolfpaw42feng shuithelmalouiset snakehowdybaltimore jacksleepy the arab2muchenuffshe bearand her friend who i keep calling jane fonda but that is not her name!thumbsgravytenderand me! then we sawgrindscool handandytecbeth and torithe 3 australians blue, vegemite on toast, and ??did a shot of wisky with mando "slick b" squaralfluer and buford!
Date: 2006-03-30
From: wayah bald

To: wesser shelter
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: clear sky

side note it is now 4/13 i have not had internet since the 29th so i have lots to do in this 1/2 hour time limit! i do not reread or spell check any of these, (and i know i mess up a bunch!) and won't be able to put up photos! but hope you will enjoy the day by day they i write from my written journal i keep on the trail. Perfect weather for me hiking today. hiked with sundance for a while after being alone, then 42 joined in too. We got to go up another tower with amazing views. It feels like a warmer night is in store! I had cell service and got to talk to taylor for a while in my tent, it was cool! i liked this hiking day as usual.
Date: 2006-03-31
From: wesser shelter

To: campsite
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

This is so great! the first 5 miles flew by, after my first good night of sleep (meaning i only woke up 3-5 times!) We made it into the NOC today, a gear store and resturant in the middle of the trail. Mo,"ponch" and I had the best salad bar ever, i crave verggies so much when i am on the trail and can not seem to get enough when i get to town! It was a bad climb out maybe due to the salad filled stomach! but when i got to camp, cool hand, and tec showed up. They had gone back to franklin for a trailfest and ended up behind us again. Pretty soon the group got bigger and bigger until there were 30! and two camp sites, it was great. i am listing everyone at the bottom for my sake.i love this! a traveling party in the woods!cool handtecfeng shui42grindsslick bmoponchjukeboxvegimite on toastwaltzing matildabluey (3 sisters from australia)wolf pawsupersizecave mansquarlsundancetaterhawkeyepolessleepy the arabt-snakesun crowsunshine daydreamlil spoterockthelma and louisedon quiotewow! that is a lot!
Date: 2006-04-01
From: campsite

To: brown fork shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: light rain

All up hill today! It was nuts, I didn't think you could go uphill all day! It started raining when we went to bed last night and stopped by the time we had to go, there was a salamander in front of my tent when i woke up, it was neat. I hiked all day with "slick b" (check out his journal under mando) then "suarl" joined us with "ponch" too. We started to play a famous name game i learned while i was traveling, it was really fun and made the time go by fast during the steep hard parts of the day. at one point mo "sundance, poles, supersize" joined in too. When we saw them coming i told slick b and ponch to get into this big tree, the jumped out and scared the girls it was so funny! Then to the most amazing trail magic! we could see if from the top of a hill and we ran down to it! "hopeful" a 2003 thru hiker and his other 03 hiker friends put it on. all the cookies, cake, chips, drinks, salsa, hotdogs, and comfy chairs you could imagine. It was so incredible. thanks guys! you were all awesome. But the up hill for another 2.5 after was not so fun! full stomachs and uphills are starting to teach me a lesson! Then another camping night by the fire with a smaller group, since many could not make the miles on the tough day. I really laughed so much today, i love this i can't get over it sometimes, and the people i am meeting continue to be amazing.at camp tonight:cool handtecsundance42polesslick bsquarlmoponchgrindssupersize
Date: 2006-04-02
From: brown fork shelter

To: fontana hilton
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Well this was going to be a short 9 mile day, it ended up being longer. Starting to think when 42 and i hike together all day funny things happen. we ate some chocolate i made for breakfast. and spent lots of time figuring out flowers that are now popping up everywhere. We stopped for a long hot lunch at a shelter. And when we got to camp we realized a town with hot showers and salad would be nice so we went the 2.5 out to the road. Waited for a shuttle only to find the hotel was full! (since we took so long for our day, everyone passed us and filled up the inn) oh no! So we had to hike another mile to a shelter. our 9 turned into almost 13~ But i was very happy to see ponch, mo, squarl and slick b here when we arrived! Slick is super funny and makes me laugh so much its great. We all stayed up pretty late and i don't feel tired at all! then a couple guys rolled in who started the trail 10 days after us! oh my! that is fast, of course because of that one is hurt and now has to leave the trail. hmmm,,,, lesson here? 42 told them they had now entered the "rasta" crew the funnest group on the trail and they should slow down and hang for a bit. People behind us are starting to hear stories of us i guess!fun stuff!zero day tomorrow!
Date: 2006-04-03
From: fontana hilton

To: fontana inn
Miles today: 0.0

Crazy storm last night! now i am super glad we pushed on to the shelter! although the thunder was not as loud as the guy snoring next to us! another sleepless night (i am getting used to it by now though) When we got to the inn we saw "single malt" and "conductor" It was great to see them again! We also heard "2much enuff and feng shui" are all in town but staying somewhere else. We got our town stuff done pretty fast. Laundry, phone call, boxes, food ready for the smokies, eating too much junk food, and sending the my bonce box to hot springs. I also met a girl named "danger zone" who lives in seattle too. Another big group here tonight pretty much the same crew as that camping night after the NOC. 10 of us went for dinner, yippeee more salad! They are all drinking and being a party crew in the other room, i need a night away! We enter the smokies tomorrow, i want my rest! I want to be as healthy as i can out here, and stay focused on why i am here. I am still having fun, but will this get old? I am ready for what is in store!