morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-10-14
From: US 19 E.

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: broken clouds

After a fabulous time at Kincora Hostel, Bob shuttled us back to US 19 E. this morning where we began today¢s trek. Immediately, we climbed approximately 3000 feet over 5 miles to Hump Mountain and were pleased to find our first bald. The views were intermittent as the winds were whipping cold clouds over the mountains. While it was cloudy, it certainly didn¢t interfere with the majesty that laid before us. Just before we descended Hump, we noticed several Long Horn cattle grazing in the distance. These big mountains and their balds are similar to the Whites in NH minus the rocks. The rest of the day consisted of more balds, ridgewalks, and phenomenal views. From Round Top Mountain, elevation 5826, we descended into Carver¢s Gap and noted the TN/NC border. The trail basically teeters on the TN/NC border until it gets to the Southern end of the Smokies. Then it makes its way into southwest NC before crossing into Georgia.Presently, we are at Roan High Knob Shelter. It¢s the highest one of the trail at an elevation of 6285; only 3 feet shy of Mt. Washington¢s summit. The temps are in the low 40¢s and it¢s only dusk. We might see our first frost of the trip tomorrow morning. What a day!
Date: 2005-10-15
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Beauty Spot
Miles today: 21.0

When we woke up this morning the temperature was 41 degrees. Thankfully the Roan High Knob Shelter is four sided which gave us a break from the wind. Highlander, a ¢99 NOBO thru-hiker, took our picture outside the shelter this morning to commemorate our staying at the highest shelter on the AT.Today¢s weather was windy and clear. Even though most of our hike took us through wooded area, the clear skies granted several beautiful views! We decided to push past Cherry Gap Shelter and stealth at Deep Gap in order to be closer to Erwin. However, we apparently missed the spring and campsite at Deep Gap. Our guidebook showed a campsite and a spring another mile or so south, so we opted to push for it. Upon reaching this destination, the water source was horrid, so we again pushed south for water; we were out:-(At Beauty Spot, a bald with a phenomenal view of the mountains, we found water and so much more. Montreat Presbyterian Church of Black Mountain, NC was having their 2nd annual campout. They offered us bottled water, scrumptious Brunswick stew with pork, French bread, and chocolate bars to top it off! We enjoyed our tasty meal as we sat around the campfire and admired the spectacular sunset. Talk about trail magic, or a blessing in this case!There are several tents set up on Beauty Spot and we are one of them. The views are surreal and the sunrise should be, too! Goodnight!
Date: 2005-10-16
From: Beauty Spot

To: Mrs. Janets and Hackett's
Miles today: 10.6

We woke up to an amazing sunrise. The temperature was 40 degrees and the wind was blowing so we packed up in record time.Erwin, TN was today¢s destination and after a short hike down to the Nolichucky River, Indian for ¢River of Death¢, we hitched a ride in. We¢re staying at Mrs. Janet¢s - a local hostel. She has movies, laundry, and a friendly atmosphere.A big thanks to Julie Medlin, Samoa¢s friend since childhood, for sending such a nice care package! OK, time to chill!
Date: 2005-10-17
From: Mrs. Janets and Hackett's

To: Whistle Gap- Stealth
Miles today: 13.5

After we journaled yesterday, we got in touch with a good friend of ours from Johnson City, TN. John Hackett picked us up from Mrs. Janet¢s and took us back to his apartment in Johnson City. There we hung out with Hackett and Jake Story. It was nice kicking back and seeing some familiar faces. Thanks guys, we¢ll miss you!John took us to the IHOP this morning and treated us to the Big Boy Breakfast. Afterwards, he drove us back to the trailhead at the corner of Uncle Johnny¢s and the Nolichucky. Thanks, Hackett!!! We have a big weekend coming up in Hot Springs and we only have 60 miles to get there. So, this week we¢ll be doing shorter miles to avoid overshooting our destination. We didn¢t start hiking until noon today. Should be a fun week!Currently we¢re stealthed at Whistle Gap and are enjoying the sounds of wind passing by. The sky was super blue today and there is a full moon tonight. No need for headlamps...
Date: 2005-10-18
From: Whistle Gap - Stealth

To: Hog Back Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 13.4

We took our sweet time getting ready to leave this morning as we had another short day planned. Not long in today¢s hike, we came upon Big Bald. The USGS is trapping birds so they can tag and release them for research purposes. There were nets/traps set up in pacarious places along with a few decoys.The weather was perfect so we decided to take a break on Big Bald¢s summit, elevation 5516. As we were basking in the sun, two couples arrived for a picnic. After a short and pleasant conversation, they invited us to help them eat their lunch. Ham and cheese sandwiches with lettuce and homegrown tomatoes, chips, cookies, and fruit juice composed the menu, and boy was it good! Thanks to the Mason and Sheehan families for their food and good conversation.After our awesome time on Big Bald, we made our way to the Hogback Shelter. We just finished dinner and are discussing mileage plans for the week. I think we¢re going to push for Hot Springs and arrive there on Thursday as opposed to Friday. We¢ll see! By getting there on Thursday, we would have 2 zeros to look forward to. That¢s a strong motivation¢¦
Date: 2005-10-19
From: Hob Back RIdge Shelter

To: Little Laureal Shelter
Miles today: 21.5

The temperature never dropped below 60 degrees last night. It appears that we are amidst yet another warm front. Whatever the case, it certainly isn¢t as cold as it has been¢¦Today¢s walk took us through a couple of gravesites and over a few cliffs. Nothing out of the ordinary; just another great day on the AT. It¢s so peaceful out here.Tonight we¢re at Little Laurel Shelter. It¢s less than 20 miles from Hot Springs. I guess we¢re going to get there a day earlier than our friends and family. Oh well, two zeros will be nice before we make our final push for Georgia. CRAZY!
Date: 2005-10-20
From: Little Laureal Shelter

To: Hot Springs- Campground
Miles today: 19.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Today¢s hike was filled with notable events. First, we met a guy who claimed he is on a research committee and they¢ve found that no germ or microbe causes infection. Their findings state that all illnesses stem from malnutrition and dehydration which causes cellular breakdown. Hmmm¢¦food for thought - he was quite an interesting character. At Allen Gap, NC 208/TN70, there was a sign advertising trail magic. Fal and Hercules, ¢99 NOBO¢s, lived just 300 yards off the trail and were offering food to long distance hikers. Of course we jumped at the chance for hot grub, so we happily made our way to their front door. They warmly welcomed us into their beautiful log cabin. Within minutes they served us hot coffee, polish sausage, scrambled eggs with salsa, toast, and O.J. Then for round two, we ate BBQ pork, baked potatoes with cheese, and cokes. After a delightful conversation, we waddled out the front door and continued on to Hot Springs.A big thanks to the Maintainer¢s who chiseled out a trail along the steep and rocky slope that descended into Hot Springs. Once at the bottom, the trail followed the French Broad River into Hot Springs, NC. The smells and sounds of the water were music to our ears. We decided to pitch a tent on the river¢s edge at the Hot Springs campground. Should get a good night¢s rest with the harmony of waves cascading just feet from our door. Ahhh, we love camping!
Date: 2005-10-21
From: Hot Springs- Campground

To: Hot Springs- Duckett House
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

A cool and calm morning greeted us as we awoke today. After sleepily rolling around, we mustered the motivation to walk to the campstore. There we bought two ¢bladder-buster size¢ cups of hot coffee. We then strolled back to our campsite where we ate our breakfast and enjoyed our java.Then we relaxed in our tent just soaking up the sounds and aromas of a nice fall day.After our ¢stressful¢ morning, we walked through town, on the AT, while accomplishing all of our town chores. In fact, Samoa purchased her 3rd pair of shoes at the local outfitter. These should get her to GA!My Mom and Step-Dad reserved us a room at the Duckett House where we¢ll be staying for the weekend. They arrived mid-afternoon and we sat on the porch while we rocked in our chairs and caught up. Shortly after, Samoa¢s Mom, bro, and niece showed up as well. It was SO nice reuniting with family! For dinner, we picked up Super T and Don King and dined at the Bridge Street Inn. The food was delicious and the company was great! Then Paul and Emily, two best friends from home, arrived and we chatted over a few drinks at the Paddler¢s Pub. What a day!
Date: 2005-10-22
From: Hot Springs- Duckett House

To: Hot Springs- Duckett House
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Breakfast was served at 8:30 AM and boy was it good. The pancakes, seasoned potatoes, yogurt, and O.J. were just what we needed.Paul and Emily treated us to lunch at the Sandy Mountain Diner. The rest of the day we just hung out watching football and catching up. It¢s so nice to be with our friends and family!
Date: 2005-10-23
From: Hot Springs- Duckett House

To: Max Patch - Stealth
Miles today: 19.8

Last night we had quite the family get together. Eric, Zoe, and Jean, (Samoa¢s brother, niece and Mom) caught 11 lbs of trout that we then grilled out. Paul and Emily brought 7+ lbs of shrimp from Savannah, and the local grocery store provided the rest. The JHP, along with the rest of our families and friends, enjoyed the feast. So, after an awesome time in Hot Springs, we said goodbye this morning, but not before dining on a huge breakfast at the Duckett House. My Step-Dad and Mother walked with us back to where the AT leaves Hot Springs this a.m., and took our picture as we ascended into the Southern Appalachian¢s. Hard to believe we¢ll be seeing them again in approximately two weeks at Springer¢¦ahhh!!!Today¢s hike was awesome. The temps were cooling off finally and the skies were brilliantly clear. Who knows what the weather is going to do ¢ that¢s half the fun of being out here!We¢ve been waiting for a long time to tent on Max Patch, a 600+ acre bald just North of the Great Smokey Mountains, and tonight is the night. There are 360 degree views and it¢s literally one of the coolest spots we¢ve experienced in awhile. Samoa agreed to tent on this super exposed site only if I could guarantee there wouldn¢t be any inclement weather that passed through. I am no meteorologist, but I feel fairly certain that we¢re in the ¢clear.¢Currently, we¢re watching the sunset over the illusive Smokies. There are many people up here doing the same as well as one lone dog. The latter came by to greet Samoa and I and ¢marked his territory¢ on my backpack before making his exit. The little bugger ¢ thankfully my pack cover was on! Hard to believe that after 1900+ miles through the woods you can still experience firsts!It¢s time to crawl in our tent. The air is cool and brisk and our sleeping bags are calling our names. Should be a great night!
Date: 2005-10-24
From: Max Patch - Stealth

To: Mountain Mama's - Davenport Gap, TN
Miles today: 15.2

Wrong. Ok, I had to put my foot in my mouth about 2 a.m. this morning. First we heard the winds picking up, and then came the pitter patter of SLEET! Our tent was an ice cube when we awoke. I am going to have a hard time convincing Samoa to camp on balds again¢¦After I scraped as much of the ice as I could off the fly of our tent, we packed up in the wind and fog, and made our trek through the ice covered meadows and down into the safety of the woods. Oh, boy ¢ was I in trouble¢¦?The rest of the day we virtually hike through the clouds. At Snowbird Mountain, we came across a weird looking FAA tower. Then came the roadwalk under I-40 and up and over to Davenport Gap. Here we got a lucky hitch to Mountain Mama¢s, a country store and hostel in the middle of nowhere. At ¢MM¢s,¢ we resupplied, washed our clothes, showered, dried out our cold tent, ate a hot meal, and reunited with Super T and Don King. Our group decided on a finishing date as well as post summit plans. We¢re all shocked at how near the end is! Tomorrow we hit the Smokies! It¢s going to be awesome! Tonight we¢re at 1425 feet above sea level and tomorrow we¢ll be at 5920!
Date: 2005-10-25
From: Mountain Mama's - Davenport Gap, TN

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: light snow

Burrrr¢¦The last forecast we heard predicted clear skies for today; boy was it wrong (I guess I am not the only one that has problems with predicting the weather). When Mountain Mama dropped us back off at Davenport Gap, the Northern entrance of the Great Smokies, the temp was hovering around 35 degrees F and snow was coming down out of the heavens!Our original plans had us going to Tri-Corner Knob Shelter, but when we stopped at Cosby Knob Shelter they changed. We reached Cosby at lunch time and we¢re greeted by Gantz and Rider, two fellow SOBO¢s. They had a very nice fire going in the fireplace (most shelters in the Smokies have fireplaces) and the snow seemed to be picking up. As a result, we rearranged our mileage plans through the Smokies and decided to hole up. Super T and Don King decided to stick with the original plan since they had to hitch into Gatlinburg tomorrow for resupply. They left with shorts on and ziplock bags over there hands for gloves. Hopefully we want find them as popsicles tomorrow!Later in the day two more SOBO¢s, whom we¢ve never met, arrived. Wickett and Hound started in mid-June and have been following us ever since. They gave us an update on more SOBO¢s behind us as we warmed by the fire. As I write this entry, the snow is really coming down and my breath is reflecting in the light from my headlamp. The temps are in the upper 20¢s and we¢re warm and snug in our sleeping bags. Wow, the coldest night on the trail so far!
Date: 2005-10-26
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Icewater Spring Shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: few clouds

While yesterday was a wash in terms of weather, it did leave behind a ¢Winter Wonderland.¢ We awoke to find clearing skies and COLD temps. From Cosby Knob Shelter (elevation 4700), we climbed to 6300 feet over a few miles only to find deeper snow. At times there were drifts up to 8¢ deep. It was awesome, but super cold on our feet! The views were incredible!Later in the day, we hiked out onto Charlie¢s Bunion. This ¢bunion¢ was nothing more than a narrow footpath that goes over slick rocks to a spectacular vista. Mt. Leconte was visible in the distance and you could even see Gatlinburg, too.Tonight we¢re at Icewater Spring Shelter with Gantz, Rider, Daniel and Eliza (a Father and daughter from the U.K.), and two other section hikers. One of the latter, Heath Harrison, is from Chatsworth, GA ¢ my Mom¢s hometown. He grew up on the same street as my cousins. Talk about a small world! We¢ve got a raging fire going and it feels great!
Date: 2005-10-27
From: Icewater Spring Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 21.0
Weather: broken clouds

This morning¢s sunrise from Icewater Springs Shelter was amazing! The morning continued to improve when the couple from London gave Samoa and me a box of tortellini. Our only complaint: We forgot to put our wet socks under our sleeping pads. Consequently, we had to sit on them; much like a Mother bird would her nest of young, to thaw them out while we ate breakfast.The first notable landmark we came to today was Newfound Gap. This spot is basically the middle of the AT as it makes its way through the Smokies. There is a parking lot and it was full of people. US 441, the only highway through the park, had recently been scraped and deemed safe for travel; perhaps the reason for this morning¢s crowds¢¦ Next we climbed Clingman¢s Dome ¢ elevation 6643, the highest point on the Appalachian Trail. On its summit we noted an observation tower that resembled a UFO. Tonight we¢re at Derrick Knob Shelter with Gantz. This shelter is the first we¢ve stayed out that has a chain-link fence over its opening. This is in place to keep us safe from the bears. Fine with me! Super T and Don King are either still in Gatlinburg or the shelter just N of here. The plans are to reunite at Fontana Dam tomorrow.
Date: 2005-10-28
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: clear sky

After we drank our usual hot coffee and ate our Pop-Tart with an energy bar, we gritted our teeth and put our warm dry feet into our freezing cold socks and shoes. Ohhh, it hurt! If you¢re going to hike through the snow, slush, and mud, you definitely need a Gore-Tex lined shoe!Shortly into today¢s hike, we summited Thunderhead Mountain (elev 5527). From here we could see the terrain as it lead down into Fontana Dam. Then we crossed Rocky Top Mountain while humming its namesake.For lunch we stopped at Russell Field Shelter. As we were eating, the sounds of horsed became apparent. Four men rode up on studs from Cade¢s Cove. They joined us for lunch and we shared stories of our trail experiences. These men were very nice and quite interesting. One of them even gave Samoa a fresh apple from Ellijay, GA. Btw, the only place you can ride horses on the AT is through the Smokies. At Mollies Ridge Shelter, we celebrated the fact that we had just crossed the 2000 mile mark! Mollies Ridge to Fontana was basically downhill, so these miles melted away along with the snow. As we neared Lake Fontana, the views kept getting better and better. We exited the Smokies at Fontana Dam, the highest Dam East of the Mississippi River, and entered the next and last phase of our hike. Fontana Dam is significant to me since I¢ve already hiked from Springer to here. It was an unbelievable feeling walking across the dam. While this trip won¢t be over until we reach Springer, it will be nice hiking over familiar grounds. Tonight the JHP along with Gantz is chilling at the Fontana Dam Shelter AKA the Fontana Hilton. Earlier I procured a ride to and from the convenient store at Fontana Village and we are now enjoying a few beers, some junk food, and celebrating our successful trek through the snow covered Smokies! There are also two other section hikers here, too. Slider and Shortstride have already offered to run us to Fontana Village for breakfast in the morning. Wow, pre-trail magic!P.S. Samoa and I also agreed on this basic trail math principle: 3 Consecutive days @ >20 miles X snow, ice, slush, and mud = extreme hunger and cold wet feet
Date: 2005-10-29
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Fontana Village
Miles today: 0.0

Just when we thought last night couldn¢t have gotten any better, it did¢¦ At approx 10 p.m., more section hikers arrived with 4 boxes of pizza. They offered and we all obliged. You wouldn¢t believe how fast 5 thru-hikers can get out of their sleeping bags when free food is offered!As promised, Slider and Shortstride drove us to the village in shifts this morning for a delicious breakfast. Thanks guys! We just checked into our rooms at the Fontana Village and are in the process of our usual town chores. Later we¢ll watch the GA/FL college football game and practice the art of perfecting zeros. Oh how good a shower is going to feel after literally sliding through the Smokies in 3 days!
Date: 2005-10-30
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Cheoah Bald - Stealth
Miles today: 20.6

For breakfast this morning, Super T, Samoa, and I took advantage of a breakfast buffet and ate 3 huge plates each at the Peppercorn Restaurant in Fontana village. It¢s safe to say we got our money¢s worth.However, now that daylight¢s savings time has expired, we got a later start (in terms of daylight) than we would have liked. From Fontana Dam (elev 1700) the trail took us quickly to ridgeline (elev 3720). Here we were granted excellent views of Fontana Lake and North to the Smokies. Later we crossed Stecoah Gap where I went on a wild goose chase for water. I came up empty handed, however, some ¢leaf lookers¢ offered me some sweet tea after some awkward negotiating¢¦Fortunately; we found some water at Locust Cove Gap. We were trying to find water before Cheoah Bald so we could stealth there instead of sheltering at Sassafras Gap. Once on Cheoah Bald, the sun was setting and night was on its way. We pitched the tent (it wasn¢t too hard to convince Samoa), cooked dinner, and enjoyed the red and orange hues from the sunset behind the mountains. Gosh, we love it out here!
Date: 2005-10-31
From: Cheoah Bald - Stealth

To: Wesser Bald - Observation Tower
Miles today: 14.6

Happy Halloween! We enjoyed this ¢goolish¢ holiday by waking up to another orange sunrise over Cheoah Bald. After breakfast, we descended into the Nantahala Gorge. At the Nantahala River, we ate lunch at Slow Joe¢s Caf© in the Nantahala Outdoor Center. This place is a Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. While we were eating, a fellow SOBO, Stumpknocker, came over to introduce himself. He summited Springer the day before and was on his way back to Erwin via a friend¢s car. It was nice to meet him since we never got a chance to earlier in the trip. He passed us while we were in Waynesboro, VA. Btw, this is his fourth thru-hike in a row ¢ crazy!Following our LONG break at the NOC, we hiked up the never-ending hill to Wesser Bald. Here we are cowboying (sleeping under the stars without a shelter) atop an observation tower. Gantz, Samoa, and I are amongst 360 degree vies as well as mild temps and clear skies. We¢ve got our fingers crossed the latter will remain. Yet another great end to another great day!
Date: 2005-11-01
From: Wesser Bald - Observation Tower

To: Winding Stair Gap - Franklin, NC
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: clear sky

Wow, what an awesome experience sleeping under the stars from Wesser Bald¢s observation tower was! Last night we lost count of the shooting stars we saw. The sunrise was right on schedule this morning, and we cheered it on as it made its way up and over the horizon. I am running out of ways to describe how beautiful these views are¢¦Today¢s hike was really easy. The weather was slightly overcast and the temps were in the 60¢s. We ate lunch on Wayah Bald and shortly after snacked on Siler¢s Bald. Originally, we had planned on tenting here since this is one of our favorite spots, but decided to push on to Winding Stair Gap. At the Gap, we got a quick hitch from a nice couple who drove us right to the library of Franklin, NC. As luck would have it, I sat down at a computer right next to Ody Green. The JHP met Ody back in Maine¢s 100 mile wilderness and haven¢t seen him since. He¢s been 1-5 days behind us and just now closed the gap. He¢s staying with Matt, a friend from home, who is living in Franklin. Matt, Ody, and Skip (Ody¢s hiking partner) offered to drive us to the store for resupply and even invited us to dinner. Once we got to Matt¢s place, he cooked us a delicious pork chop casserole. Over dinner we enjoyed catching up and chatting about the trail. Ody and Skip are staying with Matt for a few days and it¢s doubtful we¢ll finish with him. Good luck guys and thanks for dinner and the ride back to Franklin. Tonight, we¢re at Haven¢t Budget Inn. Showers are calling our names as well as the bed. What a day!