morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2010-02-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I slept under the stars last night. The moon was so bright I thought it was morning several times. At 7 AM I started waking everyone up. The boys packed their gear and started hiking. My group hiked to the van and met the other group at the next parking area for breakfast. Luckily the sun was striking the lot making it a warm place to eat.After breakfast my group headed for Gorges State Park. I missed the turn and ended up at the west entrance. But with the help of a couple of locals we got to the right place and started our hike.We stopped about half way to the lake for lunch. A group of hikers came by with a golden retriever. She was four and acted just like Bonnie. Later when we passed them she took off with us. Bonnie has done the same thing a couple of times.We finally made it to the lake. There is a suspension bridge across the river feeding the lake. The span is over 200 feet. We walked to the other side even though our campsite was in the other direction. Heart Break Ridge proved to be a real challenge so Jeff Walton and I changed the location of camp to the site near the bridge. I hiked on to inform the other crew. So I got three long steep climbs in today. The clouds are increasing so tomorrow may be a little wet when we break camp. It'll be good practice for the AT.
Date: 2010-02-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Last night was a lot warmer. I think in part to site selection. I set up my tarp with one side to the ground and a big tree blocking the wind coming off the mountain. When I got up this morning there were two bear dogs hanging out in camp. I was told they wandered in about 8:30 last night. Jeff Walton had stepped out of his tent and the black one ran toward him. It really took him by surprise which accounts for the high pitched scream.We ate breakfast in camp emphasizing to me the need to set up, pack and walk awhile before eating. The first time I was exposed to this technique I didn't like it. But now it seems a great way to keep warm and knock out some easy miles.We made the trailhead by 11:30 and the first order of business (like any backpackers) was to find cheeseburgers. Wendy's in Brevard solved that and we added a round of Frosties.I got home about 5:30 to a happy wife and an even happier dog. She was ready for some major attention.As soon as I could log-on a computer, I checked to see how the hikers on the trail were doing. It still looks rough up there. Well, there are twelve days before Martin and I leave. A lot of snow can melt in that length of time. So I'll just hope for the best.Tomorrow I meet with some old co workers for breakfast. Then back to practice hikes and sorting gear.
Date: 2010-03-01
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

This morning I attended a breakfast of retired firefighters. It was good to see old friends and my old supervisors. I have some really great memories from my career. They were eager to help out with my project to build a hut for the Scouts at Troop 1. Thanks a bunch guys!Back at the house I started sorting gear again. My Conduit is not going to be big enough to hold the several days of food plus the winter gear I will need to get through the GSMNP. I repacked the Circuit and took for a test spin in the pasture and up through the woods. Bonnie and I covered over 5 miles. On the way back in I stopped to set up The One. I'm getting really good at making a tight pitch. Bonnie must think it would make a good dog house. As soon as I opened the flap, she walked in and made herself at home.As Bonnie and I came out of the pasture I ran into my brother-in-law Tad. He had a number of questions about the trail. Then told me he wanted to ride up with Susan to visit martin and me on the trail. When I told Susan about it she started talking about lunch at Lake Watauga. I told to bring lots of food. This could develop into some Trail Magic.
Date: 2010-03-02
To: Trail Pudding
Miles today: 0.0

Tuesday is Scout meeting night. This one was a little unusual because it snowed. Actually we should be getting use to it this season since we¢ve had measurable snow fall five times this season. Some years we don¢t even see a flake. So the cell phone started ringing with the question ¢are we having Scouts tonight?¢ In the south you have to understand that ice on the roadway is a usual companion to snow. Fortunately that was not the case this time.At the meeting we had a couple of new boys show up. We don¢t get a big number of boys knocking at our door. Other leaders tell me it¢s because we do too much backpacking. In my opinion backpacking is Scouting at its best. The boy gets to plan ahead for his trek, carry his gear and spend time away from all the distractions of our society. The boys in this Troop seem to really enjoy their time hiking trails. They especially enjoy hiking the AT during thru hiker season and talking with all the hopefuls headed to Maine.Last weekend on the Foothills Trail a couple of boys made vanilla pudding. It¢s a great dessert but making it can be a little messy. So during the meeting I demonstrated how to make pudding in a food storage bag.So here¢s how to do it. Dump a   box of instant Jell-O pudding into a half gallon food storage bag. Add a 12 cup of dry milk (I like to use the Nido whole dried milk since it has the fat in it). Expel the air and seal the top of the bag. It is now ready to pack into the backcountry.When you are ready for pudding, just add 1 12 cups of water. This doesn¢t have to be exact. Just keep adding a little water as you knead the bag until you have the right consistency. Now clip the corner of the bag and squeeze the contents into serving bowls. Of course if you are a thru hiker this is probably a single serving so squeeze it directly into your mouth!
Date: 2010-03-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

One week to go! I can definitively say I am a little apprehensive about this. I still feel like there is so much to do, but for some reason all I can do is scan journals looking for trail reports. In a week I will see it first hand and it will be what it will be. Sydney, my granddaughter spent the night with us. She wanted to sleep in a tent. So she and I set-up an REI half dome in the living room and "camped" over-night. First she said we were staying up all night, but as soon as her head hit the pillow she was gone. She is a noisy sleeper. I guess this is preparation for sleeping at shelters.
Date: 2010-03-06
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Another busy day with my Scouts. At lunch today we headed to Eno River State Park to welcome two boys into the Troop. I cooked an apple crisp in a Dutch Oven. The boys made two big pots of chili for supper. It turned out well and both pots were eaten. We finished off the evening sitting around the fire getting to know the new boys. I guess the boys got to know each other a little too well. It started to resemble the campfire scene from "Blazing Saddles". This will be my last trip with the Troop for awhile.
Date: 2010-03-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I didn't sleep well last night. It was a combination of hard packed tent pads, a cold breeze and maybe even the effects of the chili. No matter today is full too.First order of business is to get the boys moving. Backpacking is so much easier. Meals are simpler and much quicker. This morning's menu is pancakes. They came off pretty well but the clean-up was a little messy.Once the boys were dropped off, it was home for some lunch and a shower. At 3 PM I was out the door to an Eagle Court of Honor. One of my older boys, Aaron Parson was being presented with Scouting's highest award. I'm proud of all of my Eagle Scouts. Aaron has been one of my favorite Scouts to hike with over the past seven years. I will always remember our trips to the Uwharries and Shenandoah.After the ceremony I headed for Durham. We finally worked out a time between hikes, work schedules and snow storms to celebrate both of my children's birthdays. Our favorite place to go is Maggiano's Little Italy. We always get the family style. After that meal I need to hike a few miles.I fell asleep on the way home. It wasn't even hiker's midnight!
Date: 2010-03-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Four days and the weather is looking up. I read Red Ranger's journal last night. He is making good progress. He is moving at about the pace I had envisioned. This morning I started packing my final gear selection. It's going to be a little heavier than I planned, with a base weight of about 12 pounds. I'm carrying two quilts and extra insulation. It maybe 50 in Georgia but it's still winter in the Smokey Mountains. I'll be able to send some of it home in Hot Springs.I stopped by Verizon, my phone has been screwing up. I almost upgraded my plan but I think the software upgrade on my phone has corrected the problem. I really didn't want a new phone. I like the scripting feature on this one. I hate keyboards.I picked-up Sydney from school at noon. She just goes a half day. We went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. She's not even 5 yet and can order her own meal. She had a kid's meal with chicken nuggets, fries and Polynesian sauce. Oh and a lemonade. She doesn't have her Granddandy's soft drink habit.After lunch we headed home and played outside. The temperature was in the mid 60's. We walked down into the woods with Martin to check out a puddle where we could hear frogs singing. They stopped when we got close. I had some more work to do so Syd and Martin played together in the backyard. Before their play time was over Syd found a mud hole to play in and sat in the middle of it. Her mom wasn't mad. She just wanted to know who was giving her a bath.
Date: 2010-03-09
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Martin and I headed for Wal-Mart this morning to pick up four days of food. We made a decision early on not to do mail drops. We are going to buy as we go. For at least the first few weeks while we get use to trail life, we're eating "no cook" meals. Warren Doyle encouraged us to try it. That way we can spend more time hiking instead of cooking and cleaning pots. I spent the rest of the day working around the house. There were three pine trees that were about to fall on the driveway. Martin and I hooked my 4-Runner to them and pulled them down. No, the accelerator didn't stick. But having Martin drive with a stick is almost as scary when you are in front of the vehicle.Last night was my last Scout meeting until I get back. Everyone wished me and Martin well. They will be tracking us with Spot. A couple like Rick Holmes offered to bring stuff up to us on the trail. He said, "If you need anything just call and give me an excuse to come hike a few days."
Date: 2010-03-10
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Okay, it's finally starting to sink in. I'm leaving in two days to hike the Appalachian Trail. I'm going to be gone four plus months. The gear is ready. The weather is getting better. Yea, I think I'm ready too.I had lunch with Gary today. We went to Apollo's. When I still worked with him Apollo's was where I always wanted to have lunch. They have the best french fries. We talked about times we were on the trail together. He and my replacement Michael are driving Martin and me down. He admitted he was jealous he would not be hiking with us. May be he will be able to join us in Virginia.After lunch I visited my Chiropractor, Dr. Dumayne. He considers it a personal challenge to put me back together each month. What a challenge he will have after four to five months of backpacking.
Date: 2010-03-11
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Today is my last day at home for awhile. It really seems strange. I made a list of all the things left to do and worked my way down to the last one late this afternoon.Martin and I took Bonnie for a walk at lunch. It had been a couple of days since her last walk across the pasture. She was in hog heaven leading the way. She was getting a little hot on the way back. Not only has it turned warm, when we got back to the house she had picked-up a tick. It seems they show up earlier every year.Susan made shrimp and grits for supper. Erin, Brian and Sydney came over to eat with us and wish Martin and me well. Brian is actually going down with us for a few days. He and Martin left early to go to an REI seminar on triathlons. Sydney wanted to see pictures of the trail, so we spent some time looking at some from past trips.Then it was time to say goodbye to Sydney and Erin. I will miss them both but they took an AT map home so Sydney can follow Granddandy's and Uncna's progress up the trail.
Date: 2010-03-12
From: Approach Trail

To: Springer Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 0.2
Weather: light rain

Destination: Springer Mountain Shelter Start: Approach Trail AT mileage: .2Martin, Brian and I headed out for Georgia this morning about 5:45. We met Gary and Michael in Greensboro. We then took Brian's car to Unicoi Gap where he will end his section hike. We stopped for lunch at Moe's Southwest Grill in Delongea. About 1 PM we arrived at Amicalola Falls State Park. Thanks for the ride, Gary and Michael.It had started raining as we began our climb up the Approach Trail. There are over 600 steps to the top of the falls. They didn't give me too much trouble then but after walking mostly uphill for the next three hours, I was getting tired.We reached the top of Springer Mountain just after 5PM. The rain was really coming down. We had planned to go to at least Stover Creek but we found some space in the Springer Mountain shelter and decided to take it. It was a good thing since thunderstorms moved in soon after we arrived.It's strange but several people in the shelter stayed in the shelter at Black Gap last night. It's about 1 1/2 miles from here.Tomorrow we plan to get to at least Gooch Mountain.
Date: 2010-03-13
From: Springer Mountain Shelter

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 19.9
Weather: light rain

Destination: Woody GapStart: Springer Mountain Shelter Mileage: 19.9Martin, Brian and I got up at first light. There was a red streak across the horizon. That was a sign of things to come.We hiked to Stover Creek for breakfast and talked with a couple of hikers there. One was from California and was already tired of rain. At Hawk Mountain I met a guy doing a shakedown hike for the Continental Divide Trail. John, who I met at Springer showed too. After a quick break I moved on to catch Martin and Brian.A little after 3 I arrived at Gooch Mountain Shelter. We had planned to stay here but it was full. Martin suggested Woody Gap so I started that way.I was a little concerned about not being in a shelter. So far today it had rained, then the sun would come out, then rain, then sleet and now we had sun again. As we approached Woody Gap we had a quick shower and an awesome rainbow. At Woody Gap we quickly found a stop to set up camp. Good thing too. The rain is back. No, that's sleet. Wait, it's snowing.
Date: 2010-03-14
From: Woody Gap

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Destination: Neels GapStarted: Woody GapMileage: We woke up this morning to a cold overcast day. I called Susan. It was so good to hear her voice. I'm looking forward to her visit in Hot Springs.My pack has been working my shoulders really hard the past two days. So part of today's goal was to get to Mountain Crossing to replace it. After a couple of climbs I had to slow down and let Martin and Brian go ahead. I ran into a group from the Georgia Trail club. I made sure to tell them what great condition the trial was in. With all the ice and snow these guys have been really busy.Just before Blood Mountain I saw a girl on the trail ahead of me. She introduced herself as Erin. I replied "Erin Fuller"? She was taken aback that I knew her. Then I told her I was EZ Hiker and she made the connection to the Teners Yahoo group. She asked if I saw Llano back on the trail. I did but we did not introduce ourselves.Blood Mountain was covered with snow. Brian walked up behind me as I got to the start of climb. When we got to the top Martin was in the shelter. We all agreed staying at the hostel was a good idea for the night. There were four spots left when we arrived.So tonight I'm sleeping indoors with a new pack and pizza is on the way!
Date: 2010-03-15
From: Neels Gap

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Destination: Blue Mountain Shelter Start: Neels GapMileage: 18Last night Martin, Brian and I spent time talking with Baltimore Jack and Miss Janet. Both are trail legends. Jack has hiked the trail numerous times and Miss Janet use to run a hostel in Erwin, TN. We appreciated all of their advice.This morning Miss Janet prepared breakfast for all the hikers that stayed in the hostel. I especially enjoyed the fried potatoes.As we were starting out the wind was really blowing. As we climbed up over the ridge the wind pelted us with the ice from the trees. At one point I even had ice in my ears!Just before lunch we stopped at Cow Rock for a break. The sun came out and the warmth felt so good. Unfortunately the sun's appearance was short lived. The rest of the day was overcast and windy.Lunch was at Low Gap. We considered spending the night there but the cold was already settling into the depression. We decided to hike on to Blue Mountain Shelter. We made the shelter by 5:30 and there was just enough space for the three of us. There are several other people here and I can hear Martin entertaining everyone around the campfire.We are about 2 miles from Brian's car. He'll head home tomorrow. Martin and I will head for Deep Gap. That will put us close to Hiawassee. Wednesday we're going into town for some supplies and will send pictures.
Date: 2010-03-16
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Destination: Deep Gap Shelter Start: Blue Mountain Shelter Mileage: 15.3You know I thought today was going to be uneventful but it really turned out with some great highlights. First, which was kind of sad, Brian had to go home. I guess some people have to work for a living. Others fortunately get to hike. Hopefully, he will join us a few more times on the trail. Martin and I climbed out of Unicoi Gap up Rocky Mountain. This a long steep climb so we stopped for a break half way up next to a stream. We also filled our water bottles. By the time we had reached Indian Graves Gap I needed more water. A man walking toward us told us to fill our bottles from the ones he just left. He pointed up the trail and told us to enjoy the "trail magic". We had Cokes and chips and I topped mine off with chocolate pudding. I had just told Martin I needed hand sanitizer but there was a large bottle to refill my little one from. Since we had bright sunshine the views were spectacular as we approached Tray Mountain. We talked with a couple of SOBOs at the top. They told us there were numerous blow downs on the decent from Tray. They were right.We had lunch at Tray Mountain Shelter with Nemo. He's from Chicago and was spending the night there.We continued on and for a long while did not see another hiker. As we ascended out of Swag of the Blue Ridge, we met Bulldog and Hitchcock. Bulldog is blind and Hitchcock is documenting his hike.At the shelter tonight there are a couple of section hikers along with Bulldog, Hitchcock and a couple that goes by Dr. Rock and Kitkat. The night is warmer than last night and so far no one is snoring in the shelter. Thanks to everyone who signed my guestbook. We really appreciate your support and kind words.
Date: 2010-03-17
From: Deep Gap Shelter

To: Plumorchard Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: light rain

So you would think after such a great day yesterday, we would not be able to top it. Well we did.This morning we got up at first light and said goodbye to Bulldog and Hitchcock. We headed to Dick's Creek Gap to meet the shuttle into Hiawassee. Ron Haven owns the Hiawassee Inn and three motels in Franklin, NC. He runs the shuttle for free and cuts hikers really good deals on staying with him.In town we visited the library first. The ladies there were most helpful trying to get the computer to recognize my phone. No luck with the phone but I was able to plug it in and send a few pictures home.At the post office I traded out some gear. My trail pants were starting to rub me so Susan sent me a different pair and my tent. The man there helped me with tape and labels to send the tarp and other pants home.Next we had lunch at the Corner Cafe. I had corned beef and cabbage and Martin had fish and shrimp. While we were eating, the owner of the strip mall came to our table and told us he would ride back to the trail whenever we were ready. At the checkout the owner asked about the hike and how far we had to go. At Ingles Grocery Store we were stopped at the door by a young woman and asked how the hike was going. We really felt welcome in Hiawassee.Back on trail we had a good hike up to Plumorchard. On the way we met Croft. She ended up at Plumorchard too. When we arrived, three women hikers had a fire going to warm us up. Their names are Hiker Nut, Signage and Wildlife. Signage hiked the trail in 07 so we heard lots of stories about things to come on the trail.
Date: 2010-03-18
From: Plumorchard Shelter

To: Blue Ridge Gap
Miles today: 1.3

The evening at Plumorchard with Signage, Hiker Nut, Wildlife and Croft was a blast. Signage was only too happy to share her experience with Croft, Martin and me from her ¢07 thru hike. I got the feeling from her we were doing a lot of things right. May be not everything but a lot of things.Martin informed me last night he was having some pain in his left ankle. I figured it was an over use injury so we decided to scale back the next couple of days and take some time off in Franklin. He left the shelter this morning a little before me. Since the plan was to just hike to Muskrat Shelter today I was taking my time. Just after crossing Blue Ridge Gap I caught up with him on the trail. He said the pain was worse and thought he needed to see a doctor. He is not a complainer so I knew the pain must be pretty bad. We got on the forestry road and made our way toward Hiawassee. After a couple miles of road walking we were picked up and taken to town. The only medical care in town is the local hospital. Knowing the cost of an emergency room visit and that the diagnosis was going to involve several days of rest, we elected to go home for awhile. I talked with Susan and she said she could be in Georgia by supper.We then decided to get lunch. Subway was just across the street and sounded good to both of us. As we crossed the parking lot Ronnie Haven drove up and asked if we needed any help. As Martin explained what was going on He offered a free shuttle to Franklin so Susan would not have to drive so far. We accepted, grabbed a couple of sandwiches and headed to meet him at the Hiawassee Inn. Before long we were on our way to North Carolina with Ron pointing out different peaks and road accesses as well as telling us a story about a rich deposit of precious stones a short walk off of US 64.In Franklin, Ron left us at his Budget Inn to wait for Susan. A couple of hikers, Slackamus and Brisket invited us into their room to wait and offered us beer. Thanks for the hospitality guys, it will not be forgotten. Susan arrived about 5:30 and we headed home.After we got to Haw River, Susan was examining Martin¢s ankle. She called me in the room and asked me if I had seen his toe. I took a look and there was swelling from the toe up to the ankle. He had a problem with a sore on the toe earlier in the hike and now it was infected. That also explained the pain in the ankle. Our plan was to get him to a doctor in the morning for antibiotics.