morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-04-28
From: Low-Gap Shelter, GA

To: Blue Mtn Shelter, GA
Miles today: 7.2

Took it easy today to let my left ankle heal a bit. Just above my ankle my foot is getting a bit bruised from my boots, not a big deal though.I hiked with a couple of older fellows from Oklahoma today. They are some very nice guys who i didn't get a chance to talk with last night at the shelter. Today was relatively easy, although I kept thinking I was almost at the shelter though. I got to the shelter at the same time as sun-pig and shellfish (a couple from florida) they were just stopping for lunch though. They are pretty fun though. A guy from new zealand (Paul) and another thru-hiker are also here (I didn't get a chance to talk with him yet). Mercury and Ginger also are staying here tonight. They had some left over food that they shared with me - VERY GOOD STUFF. It was chicken with stuffing gravy and fresh celery, i don't know how they do it but every night ginger is cooking something good up and seems to pull some fresh veggies out. It really puts my mac-and-chees or rice with bullion cube to shame. Ginger says that they are adopting me and calls me son. I've stayed at the same shelter as them every night.A 'flip-flop thru-hiker' also just showed up (he started at about the mid-point and is hiking south then bussing back to the mid-point and hiking north). He seems alright but he is all wired up. He must have spit out 50 different pieces of information in about 2 minutes i could barely keep up with the guy.
Date: 2004-04-29
From: Blue Mtn Shelter, GA

To: Tray Mtn Shelter, GA
Miles today: 7.7

The legs felt good today. I only did 7.7 miles but there was 2400+ feet of climbing and about 1000 feet of downhill. I hiked most of the day with Paul from New Zealand and got my first bit of "Trail Magic" from a guy named who-ha. He was handing out OJ, apples, donuts, and bannanas to hikers at a road crossing. I was a real nice treat and just the extra energy i needed to get up tray mountain. It's amazing how good a flavored drink tastes after days of nothing but water. THANKS WHO-HA!There was an awesome view from Tray Mountain, and i was even somewhat able to look back at where i came from. Tonight it is mercury/ginger bear, Paul, The supertroopers (the guys from oklahoma), sun-pig/shellfish, and Jacob who is from Ireland. Sun-pig is fun to have around, he kept us entertained with some good stories.
Date: 2004-04-30
From: Tray Mtn Shelter, GA

To: Dicks Creek Gap, GA
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: light rain

A very foggy day today. Unlike yesterday, the fog did not lift today. I could only see about 50-75 feet up the trail. It was kind of neat at first but when i got to the top of Kellys' Knob there was no view at all. I had hear that on a clear day one can see 3 states.I made pretty good time to the next shelter where i had lunch with some guys doing a section hike and a local guy was there who was just out for a drive on the forest service roads. He said he did a thru-hike in 2000. I got back on the trail quick cause tonight i'm heading for the Blueberry Patch Hostel to get a shower, do laundry and go into Hiawassee GA for a meal.When i got to the road crossing, the same guy was there and offered me a ride so i didn't even have to hitch. I guess the 21 miles of backroads took almost as long for him to drive as it was for me to hike the 3 miles out on the trail so he waited a few minutes till i came along. So tonight i'm at the Blueberry Patch Hostel which is run by a guy and his wife (Gary and Lennie). The bunk house looks to be a former garage next to their house with a bathroom around the back. They even do your laundry for you!!! Myself, Paul, 'I B Hikin' (a 68 yr old section hiker who could hike me into the ground) hitched a ride into town and ate at Daniels' Steakhouse which also has an AYCE buffet.
Date: 2004-05-01
From: Hiawassee, GA

To: Hiawassee, GA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I'm taking a zero day today to let my body rest up. I'm not feeling worn down but just wanted to go easy. I also wanted to rest my heels a bit cause they were bothering me a little on some of the uphills. So i caught a shuttle into town to stay at a motel since yesterday was the last day the Blueberry Patch Hostel was open for the season. Luckily stephanie and stephen (who are a couple of other thru hikers) were in the shuttle from the trail and i'm splitting a room with them tonight. So now i'm going to head over to the town BBQ to get some lunch.Tomorrow i'll be heading back into the woods and if my legs are feeling good (which they should be after a days rest) i'll hopefully be in north carolina and have my first state done!
Date: 2004-05-02
From: Dicks Creek Gap, GA

To: Plumorchard Shelter
Miles today: 4.3
Weather: moderate rain

Today was suppose to be the day i was going to finish with georgia and finally be in north carolina....I made good time to Plumorchard Shelter and was eating lunch in the shelter around 1130. There were a couple of section hikers there. Ray-way and Butterfingers arrived a little after me and due to the rain we all lost our motivation. Betweein the rain and cooler weather(~50F) we didn't want to risk getting to the next shelter and having it be full (the next shelter only had room for 8 people) and tenting in the cold rain didn't sound like a great idea.Sun-Pig and Shellfish (a couple from florida) arrived a little later. Ray-way, Butterfingers and i past some time by playing some sort of card game that was a cross between spades and hearts. After we finally got the rules straight Ginger-Bear (who arrived with Mercury a little later) joined in and we ended up playing hearts (i think). The shelter filled up with a bunch of section hikers pretty quickly. Tomorrow will have to be a better hiking day if i'm ever to get out of Georgia.
Date: 2004-05-03
From: Plumorchard Shelter

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: overcast clouds

A lot of climbing today, which didn't make my heal feel any better but it isn't too bad. FINALLY got out of georgia today! But the excitement and adrenaline rush of crossing my first state line was soon replaced with the weezing of my longs as North Carolina welcomed me with a long uphill.I had lunch at Muskrat Creek Shelter and as i was eating Chris and pat (two other thru-hikers) and Katrina (a section hiker) showed up. A little after they got to the shelter it began to drizzle out and then for a little bit turned to sleet. Basically North Carolina sucks. A bit after I finished lunch though the rain and sleet stopped and the sun actually came out. So I headed out for the next shelter. By the time i got to Standing Indian Shelter the sun came out and it warmed up some and i layed down on a log for a while and just soaked in the sun.Tonight looks to be cold though, I heard from some section hikers that there was a frost warning and we are at about 5000 feet.Pat, Chris, Katrina, Ray-way and butter fingers are here tonight along with Mercury and Ginger who arrived a bit later. Pat and chris started a fire and we had some good laughs taunting bears to come and try and mess with us. Gingers' foot is bothering her a lot and she actually came into camp limping. Hopefully she'll feel better in the morning.
Date: 2004-05-04
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Betty Creek Gap (campsite)
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: clear sky

Last night was COLD! I slept alright but not too great. I had on about every stitch of clothing too. I felt bad for Pat. He only has a 40°F sleeping bag & said he was awake all night because he was too cold.This morning Mercury & Ginger decided to head back down to the previous road because Ginger's heal was bothering her real bad. So with their cell phone they arranged a ride to a town where she could take a few days off.So after I left the shelter I made it about 1 mile & decided to have some lunch. I would have waited at least a little longer but the view from Standing Indian Mountain was too good to leave too quickly.So after lunch I went about 7 miles where I met up with Ray-way (Stephan) & Butterfingers (Steph) who convinced me to push a few more miles to a campsite. Slim-Jim (a section hiker) also made it to this campsite so there are 4 of us here tonight.
Date: 2004-05-05
From: Betty Creek Gap

To: Rock Gap (Rainbow Springs Campground, NC)
Miles today: 9.5

Hiked up & over Albert Mountain today which had some great views. On the way to Albert though I went through Mooney Gap, which of course was the only gap that has not been labeled with a sign. **(Editor's note: We will have to do something about THAT!!)** So no picture of Mooney Gap.So at Wallace Gap we were supposed to turn but we turned at Rock Gap & ended up at the wrong campground that had no cabins or bunkhouse. Luckily the older guy running the campground store offered to drive us the 3 miles to the other store and he would only charge $8 for the 3 of us. Apparently $8 was worth closing the store down. So we got a first class ride on the tailgate of his truck.**********Since Dan's last entry (he posted a bunch of entries at a public library in Hiawasee, GA) he has passed a couple milestones...crossing his first state line from Georgia into North Carolina and passing the 100 mile mark! He called tonight from Rainbow Springs campground near Franklin, North Carolina. He says he is now feeling a little stronger on the climbs, his only complaint is his left heel. He doesn't think it's anything major but it continues to bother him a little bit. Overall, he sounds good and seems to really be enjoying the adventure. At the next opportunity he will fill in more details and mileages, but for now, just a quick update! Thanks for all the guestbook entries - I am sending them to him in all of his maildrops!Jen (the scribe)**********http://www.rainbowspringscampground.com/gallery21.htm
Date: 2004-05-06
From: Rock Gap (Rainbow Springs Campground, NC)

To: Wine Springs
Miles today: 11.9

OK so when you pass by water sources on a hot day it's best not to assume you have enough to make it to the next water source. Especially when you don't know how far to the next one. So with 2.5 miles to go (2 miles of that being uphill) and a hot sunny day it wasn't much fun. Butterfingers had about 1/2 a liter which she offered to Ray-way & I (he was also out of water) but of course we were too manly to take. I will not try & be manly again. To top it off when we got to the campsite the bugs picked today to come out in force. After some mac & cheese with tuna & a little extra pepper jack cheese things were better.Did get a little trail magic today though. There was some water, Capri Suns, potato chips, & BEER! on the trail a little ways from a road crossing. There was one beer left so the three of us split it.A little later we caught up with Slim-Jim & asked him if he got a beer or any other stuff there. His response was "There was beer! No shit!" Apparently he didn't see the beer & was not too happy about it. Unfortunately he was already having a rough day because he took a fall & also had mud all over him which he was using as sunblock because he sent his home.
Date: 2004-05-07
From: Wine Springs

To: Wesser Bald
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: clear sky

Had a much better day today, probably because I kept my water filled. Today was also interesting because during our lunch break at a shelter along the trail a guy & a dog came along & he was wearing a foam nose? Against his better judgement Ray-way decided to ask him what the nose was all about. Apparently he is some type of activist. He had a hat on that said "Peace Knows" & he would give people foam noses to wear & he takes pictures of them & pastes them at http://www.studywarnomore.org. Besides the picture thing he never really said much & was slightly annoying. But we went along with the nose thing & sometime our picture will be posted on that site wearing funny foam noses.So after that encounter we moved on to Wesser Bald where there was a lookout tower with a large deck on the top. The tower got us above the treeline & provided a complete 360° view of the mountains.Since the deck of the tower was big enough, Chris, Pat, Ray-way, Butterfingers, and I decided to sleep right on the top. This was a great idea, we saw an amazing sunset & sunrise.
Date: 2004-05-09
From: Sassafrass Gap Shelter

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: light rain

So Pat & Chris got some trailnames. Chris is now "Shivers" due to yesterday's hail storm and Pat is "Goofy" because he is just plain goofy.I was lazy today after yesterday and it took me a while to get out of camp. I was the last one out and didn't catch up to everyone else until lunch. At which point we began to hear thunder again. And of course we were on a ridge again, although this one was not as exposed.Just after we got our rain gear on we heard a noise off in the distance & Ray-way said "guys, that's a tornado siren". But right away Butterfingers said "that's not a siren it's a motorcycle". And that is exactly what it was. The rain never came and the thunder stayed off in the distance.So after the tornado siren mistake by Ray-way we have now been calling him "siren" also.I have also been given a trailname. I am now "Blackfoot"...this is because the thin black liner socks I've been using have been turning my feet black (mostly my toe nails). The first few days I thought it was black & blue from bruising, but once I actually cleaned my feet & it came off I realized that wasn't the case.
Date: 2004-05-10
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam, NC
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: light rain

TOWN DAY, yeee-hah!Made it into Fontana Dam today which is a neat little resort town. It wasn't exactly in season though. I think there were about 20 people altogether including staff & hikers. There are a couple of restaurants there, a post office, ice cream shop, and convenience store, but only one restaurant and the convenience store were open. No ice cream shop! I've been craving a raspberry milkshake for a week.Fontana Dam has a great shuttle service. For a buck they will drive you back to the trail or the dam or into town.After laundry and a shower, me, Ray-way, Butterfingers, Kev-Dog (another thru-hiker) went to dinner. Ginger also accompanied us (she had been in town resting her bad heel).After dinner the 4 of us were going to go to the "Fontana Hilton" which is a big shelter with a shower a mile down the trail from town, but with a full belly we decided to just get a room at the hotel.**********Dan is at (or near) Fontana Dam, NC tonight. He says his heel has pretty much stopped bothering him now - good news! He has been hiking pretty close pace with two other thru-hikers, Steph and Stephan, for a while now (if not the whole time). He wanted me to post links to a couple of websites...First, Steph is doing her hike for the March of Dimes and has her own web site describing her fundraising program and hike. You can check out the site for information about sponsoring her, and view her online journal, pictures, etc. http://www.hikingAT.comAlso, the folks at the Rainbow Springs Campground keep an online photo album of all the thru-hikers that stay there. You can see a picture of Dan with Steph and Stephan on their site!http://www.rainbowspringscampground.com/gallery21.htmNow Dan is about to head out into the Great Smoky Mountains! He is loading up with about a 7 day supply of food, and it will probably be at least that long before another update from him!Jen ('the scribe')**********
Date: 2004-05-11
From: Fontana Dam, NC

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Town days suck you in! After sleeping in comfort it is hard to get up, then there is getting some breakfast, then the last minute things. I also had to pick up a mail drop which had my food supply for the 7 day trip through the Smoky Mountains. Thanks Jen for the cookies. Kev-dog, Ray-way, Butterfingers, and I all enjoyed them. So it wasn't until afternoon when we headed into the Smokies.It was a hard day after a big breakfast, full packs with 7 days of food, and a big climb into the Smokies.A few miles beforethe shelter we saw a couple of bear cubs & a momma bear that ran off when they heard us come down the trail.**********This entry posted on 6/7/2004**********
Date: 2004-05-12
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

We ate a lot before we ever really got going today. There was breakfast then after about 45 minutes we had 2nd breakfast. Then a bit later we had a snack and of course it was soon time for lunch.There were some beautiful grassy areas (balds) today, and with the sun out it was nice to sit in the sun. We also went up and over Rockytop Mountain which had some great views. After Rockytop the trail was constant ups & downs. I didn't have a dry spot on me by the time we reached the shelter.The bugs at the shelter really liked me today. There was me, Siren, Butterfingers, Yogi, & 5 section hikers. I had by far the biggest cloud of bugs around me. Some people didn't have any. I don't know if I smelled the best or worst or what but I had something those little bastards wanted.So I've been meaning to put something in about 'Gums' who is a supposed thru-hiker. I have never met Gums but practically everyone I've met has. Apparently he was at the shelter on top of Springer Mountain in Georgia (the starting point) the same day I started (April 23). Some people who met him that day said there was a 70-plus guy at that shelter with a case of beer & some wine. He called himself 'Gums' due to his lack of teeth & he was telling people he was thru-hiking. I heard about him the first day I started. A few days later some other hikers caught up to me and said Gums was still at the same shelter on the 25th of April. Then a few days later someone said Gums finally got going and made it the 8 miles or so to the Hawk Mountain Shelter (maybe he finally ran out of beer). Now just the other day Kev-Dog gave us the play-by-play on Gums. Apparently he made it about 30 miles to the Walasi-Yi Center. He stayed att he bunkhouse there and got drunk and started peeing all over the bunkhouse wall. So the cops came and arrested him. So this may be slowing him down a bit.**********This entry posted on 6/8/2004**********
Date: 2004-05-13
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: light rain

The weather was cool today which was nice for hiking but it was also foggy all day so no views. This was unfortunate because today we summitted Clingman's Dome which is the highest point on the trail. Our only view was of a white wall in all directions. Clingman's Dome is a little anticlimactic also because you hike this big mountain & think you're in the middle of nowhere, then you come out to a road on the top. We played leap frog with Yogi all day & he joined us at the top.Today I've also decided that Butterfingers is an evil tyrant that makes me hike & I must turn Siren (Ray-way) from the dark side if we are to get a zero day. I, of course, am Luke Skywalker, only better looking and not as dorky as the one portrayed by Mark Hamill.**********This entry posted on 6/9/2004**********
Date: 2004-05-14
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

I got a glimpse of what it is like to be a rock star today. Just before lunch we hiked through Newfound Gap which is a road crossing with a parking lot & is a big tourist area. The tourists seemed to think we were the attraction. A lady even got a picture with us.After Newfound Gap the views were amazing. The fog finally lifted! We hiked on a ridgeline at around 5500 feet and there were views to each side. The Smokies are so beautiful. We also took a small side trip to Charlies Bunion which was well worth it. It is a large rock outcropping that provides a great view.Although today was the longest day so far I had some incentive. Ray-way said there was an ice cream stand at the shelter. But when I arived at the shelter there was no ice cream stand, so still no milkshake. However Ray-way promised to carry my pack for the rest of the day if there was no ice cream stand. Unfortunately there was no more hiking to be done...**********This entry posted on 6/11/2004**********
Date: 2004-05-15
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: scattered clouds

The views have still been great and the weather has been good again today. Tonight the shelter is full with a good group. There is an interesting although slightly scary guy named Whitler who whittled his own hiking stick & pipe (tobacco). There is also a bunch of section hikers and Buick, a 19 year old thru-hiker from Montreal, eh? Bud from Oregon arrived late.**********This entry posted on 6/11/2004**********
Date: 2004-05-16
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Waterville School Road (Standing Bear Farm)
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Finished with the Smokey Mountains today. On the way out of the Smokies we took a side trail to Mt. Cammerer. The extra mile round trip was well worth the view. There was also a neat fire tower originally built in the 1930's.After eating 2nd breakfast at the fire tower we headed down into Davenport Gap. On the way down we had to play hop-skotch around piles & piles of horse dung. This was the most annoying part of the Smokies. Horses are allowed on parts of the AT throughout the Smokies. This wouldn't be bad if they just dug catholes (or horseholes in this case) like all of us humans are required to do. Instead the trail is literally covered in horse stuff and at points appears impossible not to step into. And today was the worst of it. So we slipped and slided our way down the mountain to Davenport Gap.At the road crossing we hid our packs in the woods and to make sure no one would mess with them Siren & I walked through and placed them in a bunch of poison ivy. Of course we didn't realize this at the time but Butterfingers pointed it out to us. So with our pack safely where no intelligent person would go we hiked down to the much anticipated Mountain Mommas for some lunch.Mountain Mommas was a little scary and apparently a great place to buy cigarettes. There were about 20 cigarette signs on the front lawn. Not seeing anything in the way of veggie burgers I threw caution to the wind and ordered up a big cheeseburger. The decor inside Mountain Mommas is full of Dolly Parton memorabilia, miscellaneous signs, and racy Indian maidens...After Mountain Mommas we headed to Standing Bear Farm to get my maildrop (thanks Jen) and get a bunk for the night. Standing Bear Farm is a great rustic hostel with a bunkhouse, laundry, outside shower, etc. The owner gave us a ride in to the convenience store to do some re-supplying. The ride in the van was interesting since the owner's young daughters (about 4 & 2) came with us and I spent the 10 minute ride taking the pieces of tin foil with chocolatey saliva from the 2 year old as she handed them to me. The tin foil was coming from the pack of Rolos that she was eating/playing with? Don't ask me why she had a pack of Rolos.**********Dan made it safely through the Smokies! He is staying at Standing Bear Farm in Hartford, TN tonight. He will be in Hot Springs in a couple days where there is a public library. There he plans on filling in all the journal entries up to date. So until then...suspense......-Jen (the scribe) 5/16/2004**********
Date: 2004-05-17
From: Waterville School Road (Standing Bear Farm)

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: light rain

Got out of Standing Bear Farm at a decent time today and did some big miles (at least the biggest so far). The highlight of the day was definitely Max Patch Mountain which is a huge bald with great views in all directions. We stopped and ate an early dinner on the top of Max Patch and relaxed a bit before pushing on to the shelter. Actually Siren & Butterfingers relaxed while the bugs swarmed around me. I don't know what it is but again today the bugs liked something about me much more than the others.