morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2016-10-22
From: SouthHighland Road

To: Fort Montgomery N Y Motel
Miles today: 13.9

On several occasions during my AT hike, as I lay in my tent in the woods at nite, I would on very infrequent occasions hear a very eerie sound that sounded like a child screaming.I knew the sound was made by an animal, not a human,but I could never figure out what animal was making that sound. Well, I heard that sound again last night, and the sound ended with a very familiar owl hoot. Aha, mystery solved. Today I did a very steep descent onto a HUGE and impressive bridge that spans the equally impressive Hudson River into the town of Fort Montgomery, NY. Tomorrow, the AT will take me thru a zoo (I am not kidding about this) and the lowest elevation point on the AT at 177 feet. ( followed immediately by a 1100 foot climb) I got a very pleasant surprise today. I ran into an old hiking friend from a couple of months ago. Her trail name is Dulce, because she plays a musical instrument called the hammer dulcimer. Dulce is a strong hiker and I assumed she had already completed her hike, but she had a health setback due to some kidney stones, which took her off the trail for a few weeks. She has about 100 more miles of hiking left than I do ( I have a total of 60 miles left to hike.) Ok, I'll end today's narrative with two garter snake encounters I recently had. The first involved a very slow and sluggish snake that slithered off the AT as I passed it. It had been a cold nite so I figured that was the reason for the snakes sluggishness early in the morning. Then I noticed a very large bulge in the middle of the snakes body. I think it had just finished breakfast, and that's why it was sluggish.My second garter snake tail (pun intended) involves a snake I startled. I noticed a frog frantically hopping away from the startled snake. I suspect the snake had captured the frog and was about to have breakfast when I came by and ruined everything. To the grateful frog, I probably seemed like a very decent fellow. I don't think the snake shared that opinion. Oh well, you can't please everyone!
Date: 2016-10-23
From: Fort Montgomery N Y Motel

To: WEilliam Brien Memorial Shelter
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: clear sky

For the past several days, I have had WONDERFUL weather, temperatures in the low 80's. I was actually sweating as I hiked. I knew this gift was summers last gasp, and that the great weather would end all too soon. It ended this morning, with a steady rain all day long. Fortunately, the temperatures were still high, so as long as I was hiking, I stayed warm. I hiked out of Fort Montgomery today. One of the things I have looked forward to for this entire hike was my walk thru the zoo in Ft. Montgomery. Unfortunately, the zoo did not open until 10;00 A.M., and with the shortened hours before it gets dark, I could not afford to wait. Another disappointment was that today I was supposed to have had views from the AT of the New York City skyline. Unfortunately, due to the rain and intense fog, I saw nothing. People often ask me what I think about all day as I hike along. Often as I am hiking, songs that reflect my current situation at the time will pop into my mind, and stay there for several hours. So today, as I hiked in an all day steady rain, the song "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head", by Burt Bacharach went round and round in my brain all day long. I had an 1100 foot climb, with a heavy pack due to refilling my food bag, but luck was with me. The AT passed thru a beautiful lake and city park on the edge of the city of Ft. Montgomery. City people wearing street shoes could hike on a brief portion of the AT. The powers that be decided that they would provide several signs along the trail describing what went into the making of a state of the art hiking trail. So I had the unheard of luxury of doing my 1100 foot climb on a state of the art hiking trail. No tangled roots and boulders for me! Nope, I strolled on a smooth as silk cinder path, ideal for a long leisurely jog. All ascents were done courtesy of smooth, individually cut steps! The cynical part of me wondered if the REAL AT was going to reappear just as soon as the tourist trail ended, and that's what happened, but by that time, I was almost to the top of my 1100 foot climb. I wear synthetic clothes that dry very quickly when they get wet. The WORST thing you can wear when hiking in the woods on a rainy day is cotton. It gets wet very easily, and STAYS wet, robbing the body of heat. My underwear was cotton, and I was fine as long as I was hiking, but when I got to the shelter at the end of the days hike, I began to shiver uncontrollably. Fortunately, I had dry underwear in a plastic bag, and as soon as I changed into my dry underwear, I was ok.
Date: 2016-10-25
From: William Brien Memorial Shelter

To: Stealth Camp Beyond Little Dam Lake
Miles today: 13.7

Everything is falling apart. I have been on this hike for over 7 months and both my camping equipment and my body is falling apart. My tent has 2 zippered doors on it, neither one works anymore. One door will not open. The other door will not close. (It is now so cold that bugs are not a problem due to the tent door not closing, but it also means that my tent gets very cold at nite.) My stove no longer functions as well as I would like it to. I have a thin sheet of aluminum that wraps around the base of my stove, trapping heat needed to boil water to cook my food. It folds up into a tiny square that I put inside my cooking pot when I finish cooking. That aluminum sheet has been folded and unfolded so many times that it has broken into small pieces, and I could no longer trap enough heat to boil water to cook my food. a hiker friend gave me 2 sheets of aluminum foil, and this works, but just barely. The slightest breeze, and the aluminum foil blows away. A porcupine chewed off one of the straps of my backpack. An emergency strap keeps my backpack closed, but just barely. Both of my boots have HUGE rips on the top of the boot The most crucial piece of equipment to wear out are my knees. I have walked over roots/boulders for almost 2200 miles. My kness barely bend, and that is bad news when I have steep descents. Also, I am now getting some pains in my shins as I hike along. equipment to wear out a
Date: 2016-10-26
From: Stealth Camp Beyond Little Dam Lake

To: Stealth Camping Near Cascade Brook
Miles today: 12.2

Often, there are signs along the AT saying it is illegal to camp near water sources. I obey these signs, and if I am going to stealth camp, I camp WELL beyond these bodies of water. Hikers are often asked what their favorite state was on the AT. My clear winner here is Maine. Its overwhelming beauty, coupled with the deep silence and peacefulness of its forests and lakes make this an easy choice. I also have a LEAST favorite AT state. Once again, it is NO contest. My least favorite state, ( by a LANDSLIDE) is... ( drum roll please) New York. There are several reasons for this. 1) Hitchhiking is illegal in New York, and hitching a ride to a nearby town to resupply food is nearly impossible. 2) When you finally get to a store, the food available for resupply is very limited and of poor quality. New York is famous for its delis, and I always pick up sandwiches for 3 meals. I can't buy more than 1 days worth of sandwiches because I don't have refrigeration, and the other food is very limited, and of very poor quality. I used to moan and groan about eating Knorrs for dinner every nite, but in NY, I was reduced to eating a dinner of boiled pasta shells for 3 nites, because that's all they had on their meager shelves. Napoleon once said that an army marches on its stomach, and I think the same can be said for hikers. When you have spent a grueling day, hiking over New York's endless boulders, and harrowing climbs/descents, it is very demoralizing to have nothing for dinner except boiled pasta shells (without tomato sauce.) In retrospect, New York is the only state where I would advise future hikers to mail food to themselves at post offices. 3) Water is very scarce in New York. (It was also very scarce in Massachusetts and Connecticut. If it weren't for Trail Angels who dropped off gallons of water at road crossings, I and other hikers wouldn't have made it)4) New York is one of the toughest states in terms of rocks/ huge boulders on the AT, and INSANELY steep ascents and descents. My impression is that they made the trail as tough as they could by deliberate design. A trail is NOT enjoyable when one false step, (or a slip due to a rainy or windy day) could result in serious injury or even death. I remember a hitchhiking ride I got in Virginia by a man who had hiked the AT many years ago. He vehemently cursed the rocks of the AT in New York . Now I know what he was talking about.
Date: 2016-10-27
From: Stealth Camping Near Cascade Brook

To: Stealth Camping Near Wawayanda Creek
Miles today: 12.5

Almost all AT hikers have a nickname (called a trail name) Hikers either give themselves a trail name, or other hikers assign them a name, based on an amusing event that happened to the hiker at some point of his/her hike. My trail name is Marshmellow. I gave myself that trail name. here is the (long) story behind my trail name. Many years ago, a psychologist did a very famous experiment involving young children. He called these young children into his office, and had a pleasant chat with them. He then told the children that he had to go back to his office to do some work, but that he would return to chat some more with the children in 20 minutes. While he was gone, the children could play with the childrens' toys in the other room. There was also a single marshmellow on a plate. The children were told they could eat that marshmellow at any time, but if they waited until the psychologist returned to talk with them again, he would offer them a second marshmellow. The psychologist then noted which children opted for one marshmellow, and which children delayed their gratification until they could have a second marshmellow. He looked these children up 25-30 years later and found that as a rule, the children who waited for the second marshmellow had accomplished far more in their lives than the children who opted for one marshmellow. I find myself in a similar situation on my AT hike. Only one in four people who start the AT complete the hike. If I quit the hike, I can have good food to eat, a shower any time I want, and I don't have to lug a heavy back pack up and down mountains and over rocks and roots. I get one marshmellow. If I complete the entire hike, I eventually get all of these treats, plus I am able to say I did the entire hike. That is the second marshmellow.
Date: 2016-01-21
To: Classes at UCM in February
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Have scheduled three classes to teach in backpacking at the University of Central Misouri. All are from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Rec Center, February 9. 16. and 23. If you live near there and want to learn more about backpacking, the classes are free.
Date: 2016-02-22
To: UCM Rec Center
Miles today: 0.0

Tomorrow night is my last class of Intro to Backpacking. It has been fum and helpful to me in preparation for my thru-hike attempt. My premethrin treated pants were shipped to me today. I have my plane reservation for March 23. The great folks at Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega will pick me up, house me that night, feed me breakfast, sell me fuel and take me to forest road 42 to begin my hike. Just a few minor things left. I seem sealed my tent during the four day 70 degrees, no rain spell. I also cleaned and lubed my zippers.
Date: 2016-03-24
From: FSR42

To: Just past Hightower Gap 
Miles today: 9.7

Great breakfast at hostel. Then it was a curvey gravel road to a parking lot .9 from the top of Springer, the southern terminus of the AT. As I started the hike another hiker yelled Old Drum and ran up to hug me. It was Mover, a hiker Ivana and I met last year. He seems to spend his life on the trail. He is still using the tent we gave him. On the van I sat in front of a young lady who said she had done the AT in 2007. I asked her if she knew Chuck Norris and Tigger. She replied she hiked with them a lot in 2007. I asked for her name. She replied, Little Bug Shoe. I told her she and I hiked together in 2009 on the Florida Trail with Chuck Norris and Tigger. It is fun to see hiker family again.
Date: 2016-03-25
From: Just past Hightower Gap 

To: Past Woody Gap
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Two families were at Gooch Gap setting up for a big meal for any hiker wanting to stay there for the night. I had to press on, but not before they gave me an apple, a Snickers Bar, and a hummus burito. Saw Puttputt, her twin,Little Bug Shoe and Cande and the Arizona boys a lot. Climbs are a little hard, but today was only supposed to be 10 miles. Rained all night,but beautiful today
Date: 2016-03-26
From: Past Woody Gap

To: Before Baggs Creek Gap 
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: few clouds

A lot to report. Fell coming down the rocky steep Blood Mountain. I added a bit. Restocked at Neals Gap, the only place you pass through a building on the tail. It rained all afternoon. My new Spanish poncho worked,but it is warm inside. Saw Little Bug Shoe's group at the Gap plus the Arizona boys and lots of others.
Date: 2016-03-30
From: Past Sharp Top

To: B4 Betty Creek Gap 
Miles today: 16.6

Weird day. I was so disappointed to learn I had hiked only 4.7 miles by Noon, but then I just sailed down the trail. Tomorrow is predicted to rain. Met Gentle G, from Germany and the crew of Jukebox, Little Heater, and their 11 month old dog Max. He just wants to play.
Date: 2016-03-31
From: B4 Betty Creek Gap 

To: Franklin North Carolina 
Miles today: 15.1
Weather: broken clouds

Started raining at 1:40 a.m. and continued all day. I had wanted to enter Franklin Friday for a Nero and a Zero, but with the rain I pushed on for a warm dry bed. Got picked up by 90 year old David Watter. Enjoyed my ride and visit. I saw a few weekend families and one day hiker, but no thru hikers. That's rare for this early. Did laundry in motel. Sorted gear and dried gear.
Date: 2016-04-01
From: Franklin North Carolina 

To: Franklin North Carolina 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Not much to report. Ate BBQ at Willy's next door. Restocked my food for the next few days. Cleaned and repaired gear. Arranged for a shuttle to the trail. Treated severe chafing and very itchy poison ivy. Napped and watched TV.
Date: 2016-04-03
From: Franklin North Carolina 

To: Cold Spring Gap 
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: broken clouds

Beverly picked me up just after 8:30 on her way to church. Just after 9 I was hiking again. Saw only day hikers at the Tower I swear they rerouted the trail to the tower. I remember an easier climb. Still igot 16 trail miles hiked on a beautiful day before a cold night. Met 2 young Canadians who I named Under the Radar.
Date: 2016-04-04
From: Cold Spring Gap 

To: Just past Jump Up 
Miles today: 16.3
Weather: clear sky

I passed through the NOC today. I restocked my food at the outfitter store and at the convenience store. Also had lunch at the restaurant. Hiked down the mountain with Hot Toddy. Saw Under the Radar at the restaurant. A hiker I met at Franklin, expressed his concern about my health.
Date: 2016-04-05
From: Just past Jump Up 

To: About a mile past Cody Gap 
Miles today: 14.8

Got trail magic at Stacoah Gap. BJ and I got magic there lasut year. This year there was apples and bananas left on a table at the trail head. I forgot how steep Jacobs Ladder was after the Gap. The grade had to be 40% at times. Last night it rained on my tent, but the wind blew my rainfly dry by morning.
Date: 2016-04-09
From: Russell Field Shelter 

To: Double Spring Shelter 
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: broken clouds

Hiked to the famous Rocky Top today. Saw a really neat grouse today. Only mammals that I have seen on the trail has been squirrels. I have seen lots of birds and even more. There was some snow on the trail. A small Drone flew overhead today. Was it replacing rangers to watch us hikers?
Date: 2016-04-10
From: Double Spring Shelter 

To: Ice water Spring Shelter 
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: clear sky

Passed the highest point of the AT today.   Trail was covered by snow and ice for about 8 continuous miles Also passed the very touristy New Found Gap. Tonight I am tenting next to Sweets, whose best friend is Glacier. Ivana and met her last year on her successful thru hike.
Date: 2016-04-11
From: Ice water Spring Shelter 

To: Tri-corner Knob Shelter 
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: scattered clouds

There was a lot more snow and ice on the trail today. I slipped and really hurt my hip. The short miles were not from the hip, but the space between Shelters. Got to the shelter and just hung out. The Smokies have a strange rule that you must stay at the shelters. It affects my daily miles. In the national forest I stop a time of day.
Date: 2016-04-12
From: Tri-corner Knob Shelter 

To: Standing Bear Hostel 
Miles today: 18.1

It started raining in the middle of the night. I had to pack up in the rain. It rained solidly to 4 pm. The hip really hurt me. It finally stopped when I reached reached Davenport Gap. Finally got a phone signal as I passed I-40. So Ivana and I talked for about an hour. Restocked, ate a few sandwiches at the Hostel and tented there.
Date: 2016-04-16
From: Hot Springs Alpine Motel 

To: Before Allen Gap 
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Not as many miles as I would like, but leaving a town usually means a big climb back up into the mountains with a full load of food. My age is showing. Today 10 hikers going my way passed me. I passed no one. Lots of birds and squirrels today. Passed Lovers Leap that I climbed with my oldest daughter's family, plus a tower Ivana Sherpa and I climbed last year. My hip did well today.
Date: 2016-04-17
From: Before Allen Gap 

To: Before Flint Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 17.6

The first time I hiked the AT, I did Ridge Trail in pouring rain with lightning and thunder. I walked right by a sign that said Bad Weather Trail. It was a blue blaze trail. I thought I had to stay on the white blazed AT. I was too naive to know that is what you do in bad weather. Today that very challenging rocky path had gorgeous weather to do it. Just before that spot, I ran into two youngend from Greenville, TN who thru hiked the AT last year and were doing delicious trail magic. Owls sang to me as I laid in my tent tonight. Hip hurt a little bit today.
Date: 2016-04-18
From: Before Flint Mountain Shelter 

To: Past Street Gap Road 
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Met several new hikers today, Jingles and her dog Ziva hiked with me some. Got introduced to a nice young couple Ounce and Gram. Also met SOS who is walking a few days with Pitch It, the retired Indiana Methodist preacher. When SOS learned that I had thru hiked in 2006, he asked if I knew Headin Out and Taggin Along. I actually met them on the PCT. He immediately called Taggin Along to tell her that he was sitting on a log on the AT with Old Drum. She said hi. I also met Forest, Alex and a 76 year old woman section hiker. Today was the 3rd day with no clouds, beautiful but very hot. Saw my first deer on the trail. Three white tails dashing away from me. For the first time I passed Sam's Gap without any trail magic. I shamelessly Yogied some.
Date: 2016-04-19
From: Past Street Gap Road 

To: Temple Hill Gap 
Miles today: 18.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Today was the day to pass both Big Bald Mountain and Little Bald Mountain. Big Bald is big and has a great 360 degree view. Though some of the view is of condos in the distance. I hiked a lot with Jingles and Ziva, Forest and a nice middle aged couple from Edwardsville, IL. Also met 5 nice section hikers from Columbus, OH and an older lady hiker, Early Riser. Had to cross a big triple blow down today. My landing really hurt my hip, but by day's end I felt no pain. Camped tonight with a nice young couple on their honeymoon, Shiv and Tempest. Lots of tree frogs singing to me as I laid in my tent.
Date: 2016-04-20
From: Temple Hill Gap 

To: Erwin, TN 
Miles today: 3.9
Weather: clear sky

Short walk down the mountain to Uncle Johnny's where I got the last available cabin. He remembered me from last year. This is my 3rd time here. He shuttles his guests to various restaurants for meals. After my shower I just made the van for all you can eat pizza. I sit down next to the former Gatorbait,now Sisyphus. Who hiked over 500 miles with Chuck Norris and I in Florida.
Date: 2016-04-22
From: Erwin, TN 

To: After Cherry Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: light rain

No photos today. It rained. A lot of hikers stayed at Uncle Johnny's because of the forecast. The day was mainly a climb, but I was strong for me. I hiked with Mountain Dew and Dos Equos. Most of the day. They are a middle aged couple from Edwardsville, IL. Passed Beauty Spot and Unaka, Mountain.
Date: 2016-04-23
From: After Cherry Gap Shelter 

To: Before Carvers Gap 
Miles today: 17.2
Weather: light rain

No photos again. Often I could only see 50 feet. I did a major climb, Roan High Mountain. It is the last 6000 footer until New Hampshire. There were lots on the trail. I passed no one. I quit early because I knew that I only had balds to camp on. I prefer to be in the woods.
Date: 2016-04-25
From: 19 E

To: Before Hardcore Cascades 
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: broken clouds

Check out my photos. There is one of the making of the greatest breakfast. That photo is about a third to a half of what the Mountain Harbor B@B serves. It is expensive but worth it. Delicious, beautiful and lots of food. I passedTook the side trail to Jones Fall. Then passed the Elk River, but did not meet the beast. Saw Calamity, Kwisass, and her working dog, Matilda. Saw a goose at the river and a big turtle The hike was hard from the bloat of the big meal and a 5 days load of food.
Date: 2016-04-26
From: Before Hardcore Cascades 

To: Just before Pond Flats
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: moderate rain

It has really warmed up, so I had been wondering when the snakes would come out. Today they did. I met 3. The first was a 6 foot blacksnake. Met 2 older hikers, Camo and sobo, Mountain Man. Laurel Falls is beautiful, but you have your work cut out after to climb out of the canyon.
Date: 2016-04-27
From: Just before Pond Flats

To: Tent site with spring 
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: broken clouds

This area has been a bear problem spot for several years. We are not allowed to stop until we pass the dam. This is our 2nd TVA dam on the trail. Just after clearing the area, I met and hiked with Willow, Ben and Pookie. Enjoyable crew. Ben and Pookie are Park and Recreation majors. Willow hiked with 3 playboys. They stopped at Vandeventer Shelter to get up at 3 a.m. To take the 33 miles challenge to Damascus. They invited me, but I am only half crazy. I camped with a bunch at this site. Just after I got into my tent, the sky fell in. It blew, poured and had lots of Thunder and lightning. More snakes and heat today.
Date: 2016-04-28
From: Tent site with spring 

To: Abington Shelter 
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: light rain

It poured all night. I was dry in my tent even with the wind. Best miles so far and I quit a little early. Hiked with Elsa in the afternoon. He has a huge pack. Saw my first stone wall of the AT Passed a memorial to a hermit who lived on the mountain. Best part was the prettiest pasture to hike through on the AT. They even added a park bench where I sat waiting for my tent to dry Even had trail magic from 4th grade girls from a nearby Baptist Church.
Date: 2016-04-29
From: Abington Shelter 

To: Damascus
Miles today: 10.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I was tired when I reached Damascus at 11:30 a.m. Found the only B&B with a room left. This tiny town has 4 hostels and 4 B&Bs, no motels. Ate Mexican for lunch and Subway for dinner. Snacked the rest of the time. Saw lots of hikers in town, some I knew.