morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-08
To: Muskrat Creek Shelter, NC
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: moderate rain

Last night was a great night as we stayed in town in Hiwassee, GA. We ate dinner at Daniels- which was basically a steak house with a buffet. It was so nice to sit down and order sweet tea, then stuff ourselves with salad, bread, chicken, steak, and veggies. It was a little different meal than our normal noodles, rice, or potatoes. The rest of the night included Larry and I and other fellow thru-hikers taking care of business- resupplying on food, calling home, checking emails, washing clothes, etc. Actually, even though we were in town to rest, we really didn't rest much at all. We found ourselves still being busy! Oh well, it was a least a nice break from hiking and sleeping in a tent. This morning Larry and I made the decision to head back to trail. The rest of the "Sunshine group" as we and our friends have become known as, decided to stay one more night in town. I knew that if I stayed a second night, it would be that much harder to leave and get back on trail. So for the time being, our little family has split up. Eventually we will meet back up with Brett, Bronwyn, Lyle, and Josh, but we must continue on. A special thank you goes to Joyce who offered Larry and me a shuttle ride in her volkswagan van back to the trail. It was awesome! Our plan was to only hike about 4 miles that afternoon. We ended up hiking over 11! We knew we were getting close to the GA/NC state line, so that became our motivation to keep going. It was a big afternoon- we made it! It was just one of the highlights of the day- crossing a state line! One state down...Georgia! Next up....North Carolina. We've only been gone a little over a week, but there's just something about crossing a state line, that makes you feel like you're moving right along.
Date: 2006-04-09
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter, NC

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: clear sky

I have been a little sluggish all day today. We ended up hiking over 19 miles- our longest day yet. At first the trail was pretty easy- mostly level and downhill with a few small uphills here and there. But, for some reason, my feet hurt worse today than any other day so far. I have some blisters that are starting to get pretty big, but soon they will be alright. My legs are tired, but not really sore at this point- just my feet. We had planned on hiking around 12 miles today; but we skipped one of our campsites. So the decision was made to keep going to the next one- which was 7 miles away. Normally, that would not have been a major problem, but then again ALBERT MTN was in the way. It was probably the hardest climb yet. I found myself hiking up the mountain, then trudging up the mountain, then literally crawling up the mountain and it's rocks at some points. The last .3 miles of the mountain was straight up. We had to climb- almost like we were on an indoor rock climbing wall. It was late in the day, Larry and I were pretty much by ourselves most of the day, and we didn't run into many other hikers. It's amazing how many hikers have come off the trail since we started on April 1st. There again, it was by God's grace that we made it to the campsite tonight. There were several times I didn't think I was going to make it. I don't know how I would have made it without God carrying me here. Thank you God for carrying me through this day. Your strength gave me strength just to take each step. Each step hurt today- but I knew you would get me through. Thank you! Give us a good nights rest tonight and the confidence and energy to approach a new day tomorrow.
Date: 2006-04-11
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: Rufus Morgan Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: clear sky

It's the end of the day, and it's been a really long time since I have felt this exhausted. I feel like I could be sick at any point due to extreme fatigue. I don't mean to complain, but I just want to be honest with my feelings. The last time I felt this bad was probably back in the college gym when we ran suicides for 2.5 hours straight. We covered almost 19 miles again today, so in the past 3.5 days we have covered 67 miles. That's a pretty long distance in a short amount of time. My knee is holding up well, just the normal soreness at this point. Tomorrow will be awesome as we are now less than one mile from the Nantahala Outdoor Center- which means we will be in some civilization again. We plan on resting and cleaning up there as our legs could use a major day of rest. The trail itself wasn't really all that mean today. There were a lot of downhills- maybe 8 miles worth. It probably sounds kind of weird, but the downhills can be just as tough, if not tougher than going uphill.The uphills take mostly grit, determination, perserverance, and heart to keep going and to reach the top.You have to push through the pain and the burning sensation in your legs. The downhills are different. You not only work different muscles, you have to focus a little more. You don't want to step down the wrong way on a rock, root, small hole, or creek- good chance of injury if you're not paying attention. I have to use my trekking poles and arms a little more when going downhill just to relieve the stress and impact that can be placed on the knees and joints. The last 5 miles of the day were all downhill. Needless to say, I was hurting. The trail probably got the best of me today. That's ok though. There are a lot of lessons to learn from it. I'm so physically exhausted right now, but yet I am still confident. God is trying to teach me some major lessons out here, and I am learning. Some lessons are literally harder to learn than others- but I'll get it one of these days.
Date: 2006-04-12
From: Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 1.1
Weather: clear sky

We are sitting in town tonight at one of the lodges here at the Natahala Campus in North Carolina. It's a unique little campus that lies right on the A.T. and crosses over the Nantahala River. Several tourists come and visit this area for weekend get-aways or to just spend the day. The area is filled with thru-hikers, day hikers, kayakers, and whitewater rafting trips as that is the main source of economy for the area. The campus consists of cabins and lodging, an outfitter store, a couple of restaurants, whitewater rafting trips, and a post office. You can tell that they are about to enter into their busy time of year, as it is a perfect spring day and there are several tourists beginning to stroll in.    Today was a great day of "R &R" as we only hiked a little more than one mile into town. We woke up this morning with a little extra spring in our step as we could almost smell the breakfast they would be cooking only a mile away. We pushed through a long, hard day of hiking yesterday, just so we could have an easier day today. As soon as we reached town, we ate breakfast at the Rivers End- scrambled eggs, biscuits, bacon, hashbrowns......yummmmmm! It was everything and much more as our stomachs were now the fullest they had been in a while. The rest of the day consisted of getting things prepared and ready for our upcoming hike through the Smoky Mountains, along with just sitting on the benches in town, relaxing by the Nantahala River. It's funny how all of us thru-hikers pretty much stick together when we are in town. We are like one family or a traveling circus. Tourists all look around at us (and I'm sure can smell us as well) as we definitely stand out among everyone else that is there. It's almost like we are zoo animals and people have come to look, take pictures, and wonder how far we have come and our going on our journey. It's a different feeling being on that side of the cage. We don't mind though. We are our own little hiker community that has become our family as we are on this journey together.
Date: 2006-04-13
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Locust Cove Gap, NC
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: scattered clouds

We wrapped up some of our business at the NOC this morning, then headed back to the trail. Right before we took off, we were reunited with the "Sunshine Family" as we hadn't seen them since the first week of our hike. Brett, Bronwyn, and Slingshot had just come into town and SnakeBite was on his way. It was so good to see them, and to know that they were not too far behind us on trail. They are staying in town tonight, but we hope to meet back up with them in Fontana Dam or in the Smokies- which is only a few days or a week away. We started our hike from the NOC, going a solid 6-7 miles straight up. Everyone had been talking about how difficult the hike was out of the NOC, and now we were realizing what they meant. Of course, our full stomachs from a great pancake breakfast that morning probably didn't help any either- It was a tough climb, but it wasn't as bad as we had envisioned the day before. Going into town has become bitter sweet in some ways. We enjoy ourselves while we are there and we do get some much needed rest, but it seems to make it that much more difficult to get back to trail the next day. It's kind of like coming back from vacation- it's always hard to go back to work and to get going sometimes. As we slowly hiked our way up the mountain, our minds were trying to get back into hiker mode but our legs were feeling like we had never hiked before. I felt pretty good as I was leaving the NOC- rested, energized, ready to hike- but once we started, negative thoughts began filling my mind. It's amazing how you can spend so much time training and attempting to build confidence, but then in an instance something happens and changes things. It only takes one tough challenge before the doubts start creeping in. I realized what was happening and had to quickly change my mindset. Instead of focusing on the pain, I turned my focus towards nature and the changing of the seasons that we had been caught in the middle of. The past couple of weeks we have seen mostly the last signs of winter- trees and branches with no leaves, fallen leaves crunching beneath our feet, and very few signs of green anywhere. Things are beginning to change though as we are starting to see new signs of life. Trees are beginning to bud, flowers are beginning to bloom, and we are starting to see small signs of green at the lower elevations. Spring and summer will be here soon, which always makes one feel better. Tonight we made it to our campsite and ate dinner with plenty of sunshine remaining. Some of our friends camping with us tonight are Gringo, Sage, Donkey Love, River Weazel, and Silverfoot. It looks like we might be hiking with this crew for a little while as it is a very fun group and we all hike around the same pace. I look forward to seeing where we all end up tomorrow night.
Date: 2006-04-14
From: Locust Cove Gap, NC

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: clear sky

We started hiking around 8:00 this morning as we knew we were out for a long day. The trail itself was pretty nice, just long and steady. Although our crew started hiking within 30 minutes of each other this morning, we ended up being all spread out along the trail at times. Some would stop and break while others kept going. Then we would cross each other again. About 1 hour of hiking, or after about 2 miles had past we came to a road crossing just to find some of the infamous "TRAIL MAGIC." We had experienced this once before and were delighted to see it again, as there was Carolyn walking up to the picnic table with a basket of goodies for all thru-hikers - fresh fruit and candy bars! Oranges, bananas, apples, snickers, milkyways- it was a huge surprise and treat. Thanks Carolyn! I spent most of the day hiking by myself today and listening to music- Christian Contemporary and Country mostly. It was pretty nice as I was in my realm.....hiking, listening to music, and thinking. I found myself thinking and praying for family and friends back home. I thought about their impacts in my life and how blessed I am to have their support and encouragement in my life. I reflected on messages, notes, cards, emails, and words of wisdom they had given me before and during this trip. I know there are several people praying for our safety out here, and I honestly DO feel the strength of their prayers. Tonight we made it to Fontana Dam Shelter and we will be in town again shortly tomorrow to pick up a couple of food boxes. Each night I get a little more comfortable out here. We are continuing to make new friends and form stronger bonds with ones we have consistently been hiking with. Thank you God for the people back home who have been major incluences in my life. Thank you for the blessings of their relationships and for their constant support and encouragement as I feel strength from their prayers and requests on a daily basis. Thank you for the people we are meeting every day and for allowing our paths to cross on this journey. It has been an exciting trip so far and it is due all to your perfect timing in nature and in the people we have met. Take care of us all out here and continue to bless us with your comfort and strength.
Date: 2006-04-15
From: Fontana Dam, NC

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We took our first official "zero" day today, meaning we hiked zero miles. It was a beautiful day- sunny, not too hot, a nice breeze every so often, and not a cloud in the sky. We have continued to be very fortunate as far as weather is concerned. No major storms or long periods of rain have slowed us down, which has been nice, as hiking in the rain with all wet gear is an entirely different senario out on the trail. We went to the post office to pick up our food boxes and the entire way there we were praying that they had arrived. Thanks to Mom and the ability to overnight a package, it made it! We wouldn't completely starve the next week now. Thanks, Mom! The rest of the day was spent taking care of some unbelievable Trail Magic. Mouse's parents came up from Birmingham and cooked spaghetti for us for lunch and another couple from the Huntsville area came a grilled hamburgers and hotdogs. There were about 20 of us hikers that day that spent the entire afternoon and evening basically having a picnic there at Fontana Dam. Some of our friends that we spent the day with included: Larry (Baro),Silverfoot, Shasta, H-Bomb, Mouse, River Weasel, Sage, Donkey Love, the 3 Amigos (Frankenfoot, Bobcat,Opah), Gringo, Salt and Pepper, BrightEyes, Leave no Trace, and a handful of others. We had a great time relaxing and just hanging out enjoying the day. Thanks to all who provided the much appreciated TRAIL MAGIC!!!!
Date: 2006-04-20
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Gap Hostel
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Some people have said that it's possible to do anything for someone you love. I agree with that to a certain extent. But, today, I have another idea or theory to add- some might do just anything for food. That's right....food. That was the main motivator today. After days of eating granola bars, oatmeal, poptarts, peanut butter, rice, noodles, ramen, potatoes, pwerbars, and an endless supply of GORP, just the thought of eating anything with grease is enticing. Today was that day. At campfires and along the trail we are constantly talking about food that we are craving or that we don't have at the time. Cheeseburgers have been the talk all week. The infamous "Mountain Moma's" was coming up soon. It meant we had to push through a lot of miles today, but the decision was made- our stomachs took over and were determined for us to eat cheeseburgers tonight for dinner. But they're not just ANY cheeseburgers- they are huge, greasy, heart-attack calliber cheeseburgers (the next best thing to Fat Mo's in the cheeseburger industry). It didn't matter what happened today, we would perservere through the 15 miles in order to eat. It's funny how trail life brings out different motivations in a person or group. It changes hour by hour and day by day. Maybe it's to get to the next tree so you can stop to get a drink of water. Or maybe it's to get to the top because the overlook and view is amazing. SOmetimes the motivation is to get to safety. Other times it's to just get to the next shelter. Or maybe it's to get to town. Or maybe to catch up with some friends who are ahead up the trail. Today...it was food! Mountain Moma's is a dive that is in an old school building that now serves as a store, lodge, and restaurant. There is usually only 1 or 2 people working there at a time and it is a favorite among A.T. hikers. It was well worth the trip there! We then hiked 3 miles to Standing Bear Gap Hostel. It is another favorite on the A.T. that serves as a hostel for hikers. It is owned and operated by a couple who previously hiked thru-hiked the A.T. Everything there is based on an honor system so they are very trusting of the hikers that come through. For $15 a night, a hiker can have a bed to sleep in, a warm shower, opportunity to do laundry, and a chance to resupply on a few small foods. Everything is very "Little House on the Prairie" like, as the buildings for lodging, laundry, and cooking are small log cabins with bunks and lofts. They even had an outhouse out back, which seems like a luxury out here. I feel like a true thru-hiker today as we got to experience 2 classics on the trail. It was well worth our trip today and I will recommend these spots to anyone.
Date: 2006-04-21
From: Standing Bear Gap Hostel

To: Walnut Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 20.3

We started hiking this morning in the rain....again. We knew it was going to be a long day as we had heard the weather forecast just the night before- steady rain all day. So, we packed up, put on all of our rain gear, and covered our backpacks as best we could and headed out towards the storm. Our plan was to hike a long day and go as far as we possibly could. Despite the rain, we did. We hiked our longest day upto this point- 20.3 miles. It was a very long, wet, cold morning that would eventually become just a cool, windy afternoon. Part of our ability to hike such a long distance today came because of the rain. We were just trying to stay warm. The body warms up and gets hot as we hike, but as soon as we would stop to take a break, we would instantly get cold. The solution....keep hiking. The morning hike was rather long as there were no clear overlooks, but we continued on. Around lunchtime,the rain slowly started to stop and we approached Brown's Gap. Just as we were about 25 yards from the gravel road we spotted some unusual orange cones that were placed on the trail. As we rounded the corner and headed down towards the road we saw a beautiful sight- TRAIL MAGIC! There sitting on the road was a white pick-up truck with a trailer load of 10-15 coolers. Next to that were two big party tents set up with chairs underneath. There was couple there that was grilling out hamburgers and hotdogs to go along with chips, cookies, candy, fruit, and drinks. It was like a big tailgating party before a TN Titans football game. There were about 8 of us hikers just hanging out, staying out of the rain for a little while, and enjoying the food. The rest of the afternoon continued to be cool and windy as we continued on our journey to the campsite. It seemed as though we were never going to make it, but here we are- at Walnut Ridge. It seems as though it is going to be a cold night as most of our gear is still wet and we are camping on top of a ridge. But, we are all so tired that we will probably sleep good no matter what the circumstances. Thank you God for getting us here to our campsite safely. We have bitter feelings about the rain and cooler weather, but we know it is necessary. Forgive us as we had our doubts and complained about being cold and wet today, but we will be thankful when there is plenty of water running in the streams and creeks for us to drink. Your ways are always perfect, even though we may not be able to understand them, so thank you for being patient with us as we go through each day. Give us another good nights rest as we will head out for the trail again tomorrow.
Date: 2006-04-24
From: Walnut Ridge Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

The past couple of days we have taken some time off here in Hot Springs, NC just resting and attempting to dry out all of our clothes and gear from the previous days of hiking in the rain. We had been hearing of a festival, Trail Fest, that would be going on this weekend in Hot Springs so we had been looking forward to seeing what that was all about. We envisioned a small town atmosphere with 2,000 people or so coming in for the weekend to celebrate thru-hikers and the history of the A.T. There would be people there offering different services such as foot care, or expertise on gear questions or medical questions, possibly lots of food to eat and maybe even a carnival-like weekend. We were only partially right in our expectations. Yes, it was a small town......in fact very small. One strip about 200 yards long that consists of a couple of restaraunts, an outfitter, and other small stores, is about all there is to Hot Springs. Oh, and all of our thoughts about a carnival like atmosphere....pretty disappointing as there was hardly anyone in town. The town itself is home to about 400 people, but apparently the bad weather changed a lot of plans for Trail Fest. Oh well, that's how it goes sometimes. We still enjoyed our time off as we were able to rest, update our journals, and take care of just general business in town. We spent the night in another A.T. classic- Elmer's Sunnybrook Inn. It was an old house, about 150 years old or so, that operates for thru-hikers. For $15 a night, we could have a place to stay in this historic home. It was almost like a museam as everything was antique and the moth-ball smell was evident as soon as walking through the door. There are several rooms in the house that have multiple bunks in them, so it is able to house anywhere from 15 -20 hikers per night. "Elmer" is famous for his bunkhouse and for the meals he provides(for extra charge of course). So where would we get to stay? Three of us ended up staying down in the basement, or dungeon, as it was called. Each of us had our own bed or cot with one little 4 x 4 window to share. It was like a cave at night as there was very little light from the outside and there was one lamp. I slept really well. It was another good place to stay and get some much needed rest as we plan on hitting the trail again in the morning.