morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-12
From: Garenflo Gap

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: clear sky

Woke up to clear skies. Got up late, we had no water except a swallow or two. We moved our wet gear into the sunshine to await drying. My knee was somewhat better but still very tender. We hiked to find a water source and got enough for breakfast and to make it to town. Stopped at 3.4 mies at shelter (Deer Mountain)for lunch. Heated water for hot chocolate and finished off the tortillas. we rested for a while, we had no reason to hurry, Krista won't be to Hot Springs until tomorrow afternoon. We hiked into Hot Springs at 2pm, so even with a hurt knee and stopping an hour for lunch, we averaged 2mph. Of course it was all down, and all easy down at that. Checked into the room, got drop boxes, ate lunch/dinner, did laundry, bought a knee brace, called the kids and now we are just resting.
Date: 2007-04-13
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Went to outfitter and bought a few needed supplies. Transferred pictures to a CD, went to the library. Very slow connection and decided to change posting method. Amy will transcribe the journal (very slowly apparently ) and Nathan will condense and post pictures (also very slowly due to me not sending the scanner right away...) Hopefully this will help. (oops..)Krista arrived with Andrew. We went to Hot Springs Spa - Andrew had his first Spa experience. Then to dinner and now to bed.
Date: 2007-04-14
From: Hot Springs NC

To: Hot Springs NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This is a second Zero day. Today we resemble sloths. I took one walk to get breakfast for everyone. A second walk to go the Post Office to mail notes and pictures, and a third to check my email. Other than that I have rested my knee. I have iced it, elevated it but it remains a major question mark. Spending the time with Krista and Andrew has been special. He is a sweet baby. He likes to grin and laugh. We have had a good time with him. I watched a couple of westerns and read a book about a German Spy, "Agent 146" We did ont get one of our bounce boxes we mailed so we won't leave Hot Springs until after the P.O opens on Monday. That will give my knee one more day of rest.
Date: 2007-04-15
From: Hot Springs NC

To: Hot Springs NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Another Zero day. K and Andrew left for home this morning. Jen and I went to worship service at First Baptist Church of Hot Springs.       After the service we had lunch and spent all afternoon reading and watching TV. It rained all day and began to snow in the afternoon. It is supposed to clear tomorrow. After going to the post office and eating som pancakes we are hitting the trail.    Krista showed us a knee taping technique. I hope the combo, rest-tape-knee sleeve will take care of the problem and we can continue the hike.    Andrew was a blast. He grins big, laughs easily. We had a great time with him.
Date: 2007-04-16
From: Hot Springs NC

To: Allen Gap
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: scattered clouds

After pancakes, a trip to the P.O to mail boxes and a stop at the outfitter to improve Jen's glove situation we got on the trail at 10am. The trail crosses the French Broad River on the hiway. Then we climbed over the guard rail and walk up the river.    By the time we were ready to start uphill my knee was giving me fits. I stopped and told Jen, "unless this gets better, we are done." She prayed for me and with the next step my knee popped and was much better. It is still sore, and it hurts when I place it wrong, but I was able to walk onit all day.    We had full food, fuel, and water and we went uphill most of the morning. We ate dinnerat Spring Mountain Shelter. There were a lot folks there for a shelter that only sleeps 5 but most were tenting. We ate, then figured we could get a few more miles. We hiked another 3.7 stopping at Allen Gap which is the main hiway.    As we reached the gap there is a trail magic sign. Supposedly beginning at dawn, in a house 300 yards down the road, they will be serving waffles for thru hikers. We will see, Yum Yum.
Date: 2007-04-17
From: Allen Gap

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

The home is owned by the Nelsons. They bought a cabin next to the trail so they can share good things with hikers. The good things they share consists of good food and the good news regarding Jesus Christ. We had great fellowship this morning.   Then the hiking began. It is strange how it works. Yesterday I felt like I could hike to Virginia on one day and JEn just trudged along. Today it is the other way around. I struggled all day, Jen breezed. My knee is doing much better, it is still tender, but I am still hiking.    This afternoon we hiked a while on the top of a ridge. The trail went up and over, then down and over boulders. It was like the hiking we did in New Hampshire in 2003.    We made the shelter at 5:45 and decided that was enough. The next camp spot is 2 miles and uphill. We tented at the shelter.
Date: 2007-04-18
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Big Flat
Miles today: 12.6

Tonight I think we are at Big Flat. Jen hopes we are further but we know we are short of the next shelter. Today began with a climb then a down to a road. Then a long long climb to where we are tonight.    The weather started out looking like rain but ended up really nice and clean and warm. We are just a little under 30 miles from Erwin, Tennessee. Two 15 mile days will get us there. Today we went over 300 miles. That seems so far but there are still 1864.3 miles to go.    Big flat, if that is where we are, is a large flat valley with a nice stream down the middle of it. We set up our tent, used the water from the stream and cleaned up a little. It is really quiet and peaceful with no one around. We can see the trail from our campsite and just at dark we saw a hiker cross the flat and go around the bend.    We heard the owl sound that we have heard for the last few weeks. Who-Who. . . Who who who. Then we heard the strangest cackeling sound. It sounded evil. Jen is sure that it is some backwoods individual who is watching us from the hill side. If we were in Africa I would be sure it was a hyena. I don't know what is was. One more thing. Today I turned 58. Happy Birthday to me.
Date: 2007-04-19
From: Big Flat

To: Campsite Bald
Miles today: 12.5

It rained hard on us last night. Our tent kept everything dry except the rain fly. We tried to dry it out a little before we left. It is much heavier wet than dry. So we got a late start and didn't make the 15 miles we needed. Unfortunately we were where I thought we were and not where Jen hoped we were.    We ate lunch under I26 and took the rain fly out and let it dry some more. Just as we got to the parking lot under the interstate two hikers got out of their car and started hiking up the AT. After lunch when we started hiking we came to a gate and on the latch was a snickers bar. Trail Magic!   When we finally reached the shelter tonight we asked if the folks were there. They were and they gave us another snickers bar. They had also carried a sack of honey buns, but they were all gone. They were only out for the one day.   It rained on us some more in the afternoon. There was a cold wind too. We went over big bald and it sleeted on us. Then when we got to the shelter it had a capacity of 12 and we were number 13 and 14.    So we ate dinner in the shelter and then went another 1/2 mile to a campsite. We will sleep better in our tent anyway, we will just start tomorrow with another wet rain fly. There are some other hikers who came in here to camp after we set up our camp.
Date: 2007-04-20
From: Campsite Bald

To: Erwin TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke up in a cloud. Moisture clung to the trees then dropped on our tent. Anything out from under the rain fly was sopping wet. We packed it all up and hiked two hours down hill until the sun broke through. Then we fixed some breakfast as we hung stuff out to dry.   In an hour we were full, well as full as you get on the trail, everything was dry. We hiked until 6:30 in beautiful weather and made it to town.    We saw a very fast lizzard today. The first lizzard of the trail.   In town we checked into the Holiday Inn Express then went next door for dinner. They had a combination gas station, convienience store, A&W root beer and Long John Silvers. We both had an A&W cheese burger and we split a fish sampler from LJS. Then we went to the convience store and got some donuts and popcorn.
Date: 2007-04-21
From: Erwin TN

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Well today we went over to the dark side. We spent the morning doing laundry, going to the store to resupply and drying out our gear. We left the Holiday Inn at 12:30, stopped at the A&W for lunch then walked the 1.3 miles back to the trail. We needed to top off the fuel bottle and Jen wanted to see about water proofing her raincoat. We stopped at Uncle Johnny's outfitter and hostel. After Jen spryed her Jacket we were waiting for it to dry. A hiker named Putzo had arranged a shuttle to Indian Grave Gap and was looking for more hikers to share the expense. So we signed on to slack pack a section.    First we rented a room at Uncle Johnny's hostel. Then we rode the shuttle to Indian Grave Gap and hiked without our packs back to Erwin. It is called slackpacking. Other hikers with us were Tom B., Ziola, Putzo. Tomorrow we will ride the shuttle back to Indian Grave Gap and head on north.    Since we were only going to hike 4.2 miles today we made an extra 4.1.
Date: 2007-04-22
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Greasy Creek Gap
Miles today: 15.0

We shuttled out to Indian Grave Gap after a stop at McDonalds for breakfast. We started hiking at 8:45. All day it was ups and downs, steep ones. Tough hiking day.    We met four slack packers doing what we did yesterday except they were doing another 8 miles. They were Hiker Pole, Music Man, Gator Gump, and Sleeping Beauty. Sleeping Beauty was carrying trail magic, a sack of candy bars, take your pick.    Jake, AKA Bo-Cephus, whom we met on Springer Mountain at the very beginning was around today. First we passed him, he was still in his tent. Then he passed us. Then we caught him then he left us.    We stopped right at dark at a nice flat spot but once again we weren't sure just where we are. But just as we got the tent up I saw a white sign on a tree a little down the trail. It was a sign for greasys Creek Friendly Hostel, we had made Greasy Creek Gap. Maybe in the morning we will go down the .7 miles for breakfast.
Date: 2007-04-23
From: Greasy Creek Gap

To: Carver Gap
Miles today: 9.8

Today started with a trip down to the hostel for pancakes. That was what was advertised. No pancakes though. Only a bacon and egg sandwich with grits. It was good but. . . not pancakes. It took way to long and it was 10 AM before we started hiking.   Putzo, Tom B., and Ziola were at the hostel along with another hiker. Today we climbed Roan Mountain. It is the last time we will be over 6000 feet until Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.   I didn't know that way back on march 23 another hiker had talked to Jen about Roan mountain and she has been worrying about it ever since. Well today we did it and now it is all downhill, paved, and lemonade stands every 5 miles. Just kidding, it is supposed to start getting easier now.    My knee gave me fits today. Jen took some of my wight, and I took a pain killer along with my advil and we got along.    We have decided we have to drop weight. So beginning in 37 miles we are going to send some stuff home and are looking at some possible equipment changes and some method changes. We will see.
Date: 2007-04-24
From: Carver Gap

To: US 19E
Miles today: 13.7

   We woke up this morning to threatening rain. We packed without breakfast and were on the road by 7:30. We hiked 3.5 miles to first shelter where we ate breakfast. We hiked over little hump mountain then over hump mountain. After that it was 5 miles down to US Hwy 19E   On the way I used the cell phone to call the hostel, Mountain Harbor in Roan Mtn. Tn. Some how I lost the cell phone. Now we are really roughing it,especially when you try to do business with Sprint. What a mess.    I think we will change cell phone service at Hampton, TN.    Anyway, we made the miles to 19E and then another .3 to the hostel. It is the nicest of all the hostel we have seen by far.
Date: 2007-04-25
From: US 19E

To: Mountaineer Shelter
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: overcast clouds

I ate the best 6 dollar breakfast I ever had. The hostel is also a b and b and she really knows how to cook.    We had the shuttle us to Elizabethton to Verizon. There we got a new cell phone. Couldn't keep my old number though.    We traded in our water filter for clorox drops. That drops the weight of filter. I took everything out of my pack that isn't absoutely necessary except for my radio and my ipod. I sent two shirts home. I am planning to change my rain gear for a poncho but I have to get the Poncho first.    About 1pm we got on the trail again and I felt great. My pack seemed lighter.    We started trudging up a hill and I went to get a drink out of my water bladder and it was empty. It had all leaked out. No wonder I was light.   We discovered that the same time we became aware that we missed a turn and were off the trail. We had to retrace our steps down a long hill we had climbed. Jen was in front today. She missed the trail 4 times. I took over the lead.    It was a strange day. We were never really out of civilization. We were crossing roads, following roads, passing farms, churches, even one cemetary. The shelter we reached is a new one. It is not on my map or in the guide book. It is in the data book though. There ar ea lot of people here--we are tenting on a hill above the shelter and ther are 5 other tents.    Blue sky--Dirty Ernie--Scholar--Pootzo--Evil Eye--Uncle Buck-- Diesel--Little Red--Wolf--Dances with Sloths--Tom B. and some others I don't remember.    We are only 65 miles from Damascus. Eleven Miles per day will get us there on May 1, our original goal.
Date: 2007-04-26
From: Mountaineer Shelter

To: Dennis Cove
Miles today: 15.6

Except for Ziola we were the last to leave. We got away about 8am. We hiked hard all day and arrived at Kincora HOstel at 4:30 PM Not too ba for two old people. We hurried because little Red told us the last town shuttle was at 5pm. Turns out it was a 6. We will be sleeping on top bunks in a room with Evil Eye and Uncle Buck. There are more than 20 hikers at this hostel. They don't sell anything. The beds are donation accepted. There is a full kitchen for hiker use as well as a washer/dryer and showers.    Bob Peoples--the hotel owner took 13 of us to town at 6pm in is pickup. He dropped us at a grocery store where there was little caesars and arbys. We had 1 hour and 15 minutes to eat and shop. We went over 400 miles today. That is between 18 and 19% of the trail Still trucking, still enjoying most days. Tomorrow is an uphill day with a full pack.
Date: 2007-04-27
From: Dennis Cove

To: Watauga Dam Road
Miles today: 13.1

   We ate a big breakfast. Evil Eye and Spock organized it and all who wanted in pitched in and they shopped for 8 people last night. Eggs, Sausage, Toast, and hashbrowns.   We hiked uphill big time and over Pond Mountain to Watauga Lake. At the topo of Pond Mountain Ziola nearly stepped on a big rattle snake that was crossing the trail about 30 feet from where we were eating lunch. We got a good picture of it.    At the lake there was a nice picnic spot so we rested a bit. Then we went on another 4.2 miles to camp.   Blue Yonder is camped with us at a site just above the lake. Blue Yonder is a special Ed teacher from St. Augustine, FLA.    We are short on water. That is part of traveling lighter. We try not to carry much water. I took the water jars out to the road to see if I could possibly find water. Just then a car came by and I put out my thumb.    There was a man and a boy and he asked if I needed a ride. I told him I did if there was water down ther. He said he didn't have any water, there was no place to get it, but he had some pepsi. He came me three cans of Pepsi. What aneat guy. HE had a bucket of minnows and he and theboy were going fishing.
Date: 2007-04-28
From: Watauga Dam Road

To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 14.1

We got up, packed up and hiked 3.7 miles to the first spring where we ate breakfast. The road was mostly up his morning. They were easier ups than yesterday.    We are traveling right now in kind of a group. There is Blue Sky, Dirty Ernie, Spock, Evil Eye and Uncle Buck. After breakfast we didn't see Blue Yonder again and we haven't seen Ziola since the snake yesterday.   About noon it began to rain and that lasted til about 4. We ate lunch uner a large pine tree and stayed pretty comfortable. When we reached Iron Mtn. Shelterit was too early to quit so we drank some coffee/tea and hiked til 5:30. We found a good camping spot but we didn't want to get too cose to the highway so we stopped early. We figured we can do 15 0r 16 tomorrow and that will leave 7-8 miles on Monday to Damascus.
Date: 2007-04-29
From: Stealth Camp

To: Stealth Camp
Miles today: 17.0

Today was unusual. First our furtherest day. 17 miles. And second we are all by outselves. We saw no other hikers today. We caught no one and no one caught us. We did see another snake, just a little garter snake. The count is now 3 snakes, 2 deer, 1 lizard, 2 salamanders, numerous squirrels and chipmonks. Today we stopped about 6 pm, fixed supper and are in the tent by 7:30   Should be a short day tomorrow to Damascus and then a Zero day on Tuesday. We will see all the hikers tomorrow.   Purifying our water with Clorox isn't going to work. I can taste the bleach long after I drink and I don't seem to get my thirst quenched. At first JEn said she could do whatever, but tonight she admitted she didn't like the Clorox treatment either. I don't know what we will do. There are some other treatments that are more expensive but hopefullywon't leave the taste.   Evil Eye shoed me an ultravioldet light that he uses. He swishes it in a liter of water for about 40 seconds and then he can drink it immediately. HE says that it makes the microorganisms in the water sterile but doesn't kill them. Your body can handle the germs you drink in a liter and they don't multiply. We will check it out.
Date: 2007-04-30
From: Stealth Camp

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 6.0
Weather: clear sky

After a relativel easy 6 miles we got to Damascus about 10:30 AM. It is a nice little town--but little is the operative word. For all the discussion on the AT abut Damascus we at leaste expected Wal Mart. It is not much bigger than Hot Springs but seems to be a nicer town.    We have seen most of the hikers we have been around the last few weeks. We caught some we haven't seen for a while. Slinky and Dog are ther but slacked packed 17 miles today and are leaving tomorrow so they will be two days ahead or more. Kiwi was here over th weekend but hiked out this morning before we got here.   We got our bodies and clothes clean. We are looking for ways to lighten the load some more. We still haven't figured out what to do about water. We just can't do the Clorox treatment.   the B& B where we are staying has a scale. I have lost 25 pounds. Jen has lost 5. When we get to town, we eat everything in sight.    Now we are trying to gifure out resupply in Virginia. We would liek to carry as few days worth of food at a time as we can, yet we don't want to have to venture too far off the trail thus delaying our northward progress.
Date: 2007-05-01
From: Damascus, VA

To: Damascus, VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

15 straight hiking days and then, finally a zero day. After breakfast, grocery resupply, shopping for lighter gear, and finishing the laundry we had little time left to relax. Right now I am sitting on a beautiful front porch at the B& B icing my knee and watching traffic.    We are rady for 5 more days of hiking and the weather report says we can expect rain on 4 of them. Ahead of us is whitetop mountain, once thought to be the highest mountain in Virginia. After that is Mt. Rogers, now known to be the highest. Then a state park called Grayson Highlands where ther are herds of wild ponies.    This is birthing time for the ponies so hopefully we will see some colts. Backpackers are warned though that the ponies like to chew on anything salty and at this stage of the hike that includes backpacks.   JEn and I made a list, challenged by her dad, of just what it is that makes this fun. Of course you understand that it is hard work. It is certainly not fun in the same category as say, golf or some other recreation. But here is my list. 1. Being in the wilderness. I have always enjoyed camping, hunting, the solitude of nature and we have an abundance of that. 2. MEeting the other hikers. People from all walks of life are out here on the trail. You can't tell a surgeon from a politician, both of whom we have met until you talk to them and hear their story. 3. The sense of accomplishment. The larger sense, we have hiked 459 miles from Georgia to Virginia as well as the more common accomplishment of completing a long climb. 4. The total joy of such simple things. You can go to your fridge right now and get a coke or Dr. Pepper. But you will probably get a diet one because you can't afford the calories. Igo two, sometimes three days thinking of a hamburger and a Dr. Pepper an when I get one I can drink until I pop because I am working on such a calorie deficit. 5. Spending a lot of time, almost 24/7 with Jennifer. On the trail we are together almost constantly. In town we sometimes divide chores and go different ways. But no much. 6. The mindless task of walking gives a lot of time for prayer, meditation and just plane fellowship withthe creator of it all. 7. Some of the places we have seen are just plain beautiful. 8. And, there is always the chance to see . . . a bear.
Date: 2007-05-02
From: Damascus, VA

To: Lost Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

   Nothing that happens, no way you feel, seems unique to you. Leaving town is never easy becuse you have a full pack and it is an uphill hike. But today I found myself angry at the trail because of some of the climbs. The trail goes to the top of most of the mountains along the path. Sometimes that is really inrritating because the climb has no point except to do it. It doesn't help you get where you need to go. Tonight I discovered there is a name for that. PUDS. Pointless ups and downs. And we did a lot of them today.
Date: 2007-05-03
From: Lost Mountain Shelter

To: Thomas Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: light rain

I had a better hiking day today. It was some cooler and it rained all afternoon. Tonight it is cloudy and misty, a little cool. We are atop Mt. Rogers, the highest mountain in Virginia. It is kind of a bad weather campout. No tenting is allowed but it is too wet anyway.    Here are Blue Sky, Dirty Ernie, Pootz, Dances with Sloths, and a south bound section hiker from Baltimore. Weather forcast is for rain tomorrow again.