morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-03-29
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I'm kicking around a small persistant cold that seems to rear it's head mostly in the night and AM. It made for a rough start today. The others broke camp and split before I even set foot below my hammock - I told them to go on since I felt fairly sick and wanted to rest more. Also I was cranky and figured they we're probably all full of good cheer and I definitely couldn't have dealt with all the back country love at that moment. I slowly broke camp and got moving and fel surprisingly good by mid-morning. The day turned out to be another beauty - sunny and hot with a light breeze - really excellent hiking weather. I caught up with everyone for lunch at Gooch Gap shelter and enjoyed some trail mix, good conversation, and a small headache. Digit, in his neverending quest to lighten his backpack, was tossing some of his extra food into the hiker box at the shelter. In a greedy dash to stake my claim, I slammed my head into the corner of the shelter roof so hard that it brought me to my knees. I even left a bit of hair and scalp on the roof edge. It was such a loud thump that to me that it sounded like lightning and Chris, 50 yards down at the water source, was wondering what was broken / dropped up at the shelter. I've got a great shot of me holding an ice pack to my head that will make it onto this entry page whenever I get to opportunity to post photos. Anyway, my trauma quickly made the "trail news" as hikers I had never met before were asking me how my head was. By the way, my head is nicely bruised and just fine.Gotta go, my ride is back
Date: 2004-03-31
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: light rain

Tough to get rolling today after a night at a hostel. I feel like a small time slacker - 4+ days on the trail and I've already slackpacked and hosteled. Good thing I don't really care.The weather has definitely taken a turn for chilly. It has been cloudy, cold and fiercely windy. I've been hiking with jacket, gloves, hat, etc and still get cold when I stop moving. It's incentive to hike fast and cover miles and get to a warm fire by nighttime. By the time I got to Low Gap I was sooo cold that I squeezed as the 7th party into a shelter fit for 6. Snug like bugs in rugs, right? No one complained - at least to me and I think we we're honestly quite cozy and warm once we settled in. Funny the little hiking rituals that spring up. One big topic of conversation lately has been our feet. It seems that everytime we stop for the night one of the first things people do is to pull off their stank shoes and socks and examine their blisters. I am not exempt - I scour every inch of my feet as soon as I put my pack down looking for the slightest sign of a blister to lance. Then when I am done I casually examine everyone else's feet to compare. There is always general foot conversation like duct tape vs moleskin or hot spot vs blister, etc. Everyone does it, seriously, and this is pre-dinner chatter. As soon as the moleskin is put away and the camp shoes are on most everyone gets out their stoves for some supper. Gross maybe?Speaking of dinner, I can't believe how much I am eating. They say it usually takes about a week or so for your appitie to catch up with you but I think mine had some sort of a jumpstart. Total food intake for today: 2 packets instant oatmeal with powdered milk, 2 apples, 1 orange, poptarts, 1 nutri-grain bar, 1 pack of those crackers with peanut butter in between them, couple handfuls of trail mix, and dinner was rice and chickpeas with cheddar cheese. I could have probably kept going but I need enough food to last me to the Blueberry Patch Hostel.Anyway, I don't think I could ever get tired of this scenery - it's incredibly beautiful out here and I have many moments everyday when I am entirely struck by my surroundings. I hope it never gets old.No bears... yet.
Date: 2004-04-01
From: Low Gap

To: Cheese Factory Site
Miles today: 12.5

Mornings are strange for me in the sense of having to wake up with so many people in such close quarters. I slept in the shelter (on a very, very hard floor) and spent the first 15 waking minutes just sitting up in my sleeping bag leaning against the shelter walls while the others caried on with the morning pleasantries ("Mornin'", "How'd you sleep?", etc.). Sometimes I cringe at all of the chatter - too much to handle when my brain is still trying to fire up. I'm all spacey and my face is creased and folded with sleeping bag marks, I'm cold, I have to pee, got a stuffy nose and crusty eyes, etc. I hate to be a grump and honestly manage to keep it under wraps, but I think I need a good breakfast and maybe even 20 minutes on the trail before I feel right about my senses and mildly social. Today grew kinda cold with the sun darting in and out of the clouds. Cool weather is good to hike in, but the rest and lunch breaks become short because I get chilled so quickly in my sweaty clothes. I think I made it to Unicoi Gap by 3pm or so and caught a ride from Josh (Hiker Hosel - see last Prep entry) into Hiawassee so I could hop on the internet at the public library. I caught up with Hugs (I need a Hug) at the library and we caught a ride back to the trail from a trail angel called Swallow Tail (I swear, I don't make this stuff up). We then hiked the last 4 miles or so to the Cheese Factory campsite where we caught Sierra Marmot and Spiderwebs and camped for the night. The campsight is beautiful with these stunted, gnarled trees that choke out the underbrush, but also a bit dissappointing in the sense that there is no longer any cheese factory, not even any cheese factory ruins or a lingering odor of sharp cheddar. Hugs is awesome, a fellow runner and 3 time marathoner with a really friendly disposition. Although efficient and pragmatic in her manner and style, it still takes her about 20 minutes to tree up and hang her bear bag - 15 of which are spent attempting to throw her Nalgene over the tree branch. Marmot brought an acoustic camping guitar with him so we spent a good part of the night around the campfire trying to sing Wish You Were Here in a two part harmony. Had some PB & J straight out of the jar(s) and was in my hammock by 9pm. Cold night.
Date: 2004-04-03
From: Dick's Creek

To: Bly Gap, N.C.
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

I just got a night of full-blown pampering. Stayed at the uber hiker-friendly Hiawassee Inn run by Run Hulbert and Sam Duke. I showered, laundered, ate, TVed and phoned until my heart was content. In the AM I was fed a huge breakfast courtesy of Ron and Sam who also "honey"ed, "darlin"ed, and "sweetie"d me until even I thought I was special. I picked up my mail drop at the Blueberry Patch hostel, hit the internet at the library, and then got a ride to the trailhead from Ron around 1:30pm where a nice reuinon was in store. As Ron pulled into the trailhead and I got out of the van I was greeted with a good deal of hooting and hollering from Sheila (ba-na-na-na), Keith (Chef 1), Chris (Ludachris), and Shaun (NeverCash). I had started out with Shiela and met the others alng the way, but was soon separated from them. It was awesome to be reunited with them and the sun was full blown and warm - a great day for hiking. Here I also met "Army" Sean with whom I would hike for the next 2 days.We had about 8 miles to go to our first border crossing and campsite at Bly Gap. The afternoon was moving along so we set out at a fair clip intent on making it before sundown. It was hot and the hike was fairly strenuous. With only a few miles to go, Sheila started getting sick and throwing up her water. To her credit she made it to the campsite but felt and looked pretty bad. It was a tough hike and I think the heat and overexertion did her in. We set up camp and she managed to eat dinner feeling a little better as she did so. Surprisingly, I felt mildly nauseated while eating my dinner but chalked it up to the bland fare (more instant potatoes and rehydrated beans) and choked it down. We were finally out of Georgia and in N.C. and I was pretty damn psyched - one state closer to Maine. I was whipped and soon headed off to my hammock for a solid night of sleep.Around 12:30am I got up from my hammock and threw up all of my dinner. Slept like a rock after that.
Date: 2004-04-04
From: Bly Gap, N.C.

To: Beech Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: clear sky

Hard to roll this AM - still felt a bit sick from the night before. It was sunny but cold and breezy and I had a hard time convincing myself to unzip my sleeping bag abd do the inevitable - start my day.After we broke camp we spent a good 15 minutes or so clowning around in the big oak tree - the symbolic marker of the GA / NC border. The boys hung from the branches while the girls oohed and aahed and took pictures. I guess it doesn't take much to make the boys happy.I lost everyone early on because I still felt sluggish and sapped. I stopped about 3 miles into my day for a snack in the sun and next thing I knew I had dozed off for almost an hour - and I still had 9 miles to go. But I awoke feeling wholly refreshed and hit the trail around 2:30pm. I pretty much crusied through the afternoon alone and made it to camp around 7pm where the others were waiting and wondering where I was. Apparently they were just discussing whether or not I would make it into camp, but then decided that I was "hard core" and would eventually show. How cool is that? Now the pressure is on, I've got an "image" to maintain.Pretty uneventful night - we built a fire and ate our dinners and talked our usual agenda of trash. Good company though. Army Sean was sick all night. We could hear him throughout the night moaning in pain and vomiting. He's a diabetic so we were doubly concerned, but he was still alive and kicking in the moring.Now that's hard core.
Date: 2004-04-07
From: Franklin

To: Siler Bald Shelter
Miles today: 3.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up in Franklin Motel to a breakfast of cold pizza and honey buns. Doesn't get better that that, huh? We all got ready and did a bit more running around in town before meeting up at the town library around 1 pm. By more "magik" a man in a pick-up truck came into the parking lot of the library and offered us a ride back to the trailhead. We accepted gratefully and even negotiated a quick run to Dairy Queen for some pre-trail Blizzards. I never hrought the day would come that I would be come accustomed to and even enjoy riding in the back of a pick-up truck, but now I hear what all of the dogs are barking about. The back of the truck was jammed our packs and poles but somehow we managed to squeeze our bodies in as well. With the sun on our faces and eyes squinting against the breeze, we enjoyed the 15 minute ride back to the trailhead, waving at the other truckers and eating our Blizzards. You might think that some of the most memorable times on the trail are when I've finished tough climbs or witnessed powerful sunsets. But the truth is that the ride in that pick-up truck was filled with smiles, comaraderie, and good feeling. It's one of those little moments shared with friends that I will always remember about this trip (I know - weep, weep).The last 3.7 miles uphill to the shelter were rough on our Blizzard filled bellies but we all dragged and bitched our way to the top. We arrived at camp around 4pm and set up quickly, having ample time to kill in the warm afternoon sun.We decided to blue blaze to the top of Siler Bald Mountain and catch the sunset. The hike was rough, even without our packs, but the view was well worth it - a panorama or Tenn and NC. We clowned around a bit and then headed back down to eat dinner as the sky began to change color. The evening stayed warm and I finally headed off to bed around 9:30.
Date: 2004-04-09
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Grassy Gap
Miles today: 14.4

Look out y'all - new entries on 4/3, 4/4, 4/6, 4/7, and 4/8.Nothing like maildrops to make pigs and fools of us all. We were headed to the Nantahala Outdoor Center today where 3 of the 5 of us had maildrops waiting. The longest days are always the ones when you actually have something to look forward to - the hours and miles just crawl by. It was a gorgeous day though, hot and sunny, and we covered the 11 miles to the NOC by 2 pm.The NOC is an outfitter, restaurant, UPS service, and activity center (whitewater rafting and mountain biking mostly) located on the Nantahala River. We retrieved our maildrops and spent the afternoon sitting by the river and eating all of the goodies out of our packages. I had some Chips Ahoy. Sheila had E.L. Fudge and Snickers "eggs". Keith just bought a tub of Ben and Jerry's and devoured the whole thing. We lazed by the river for the afternoon and then decided to hit up the restaurant before getting back on the trail. We're all on budgets and we're all almost constantly hungry so there was no reaction of surprise, only lauighter, when I reached over to the table next to me and stole a few of the cheeze fries left over from the previous patron. Technically it's still a few steps above dumpster diving and the man who had been eating them looked clean and disease free. Like the pretzel incident I don't think that swiping leftover food from abandoned tables is something I would do under ordinary circumstances, but these are tough times and my comrades were egging me on. Anyway, I lived to tell the tale and had my own veggie wrap and fries to boot.We barely digested before we hit the trail again around 6 pm for the last 2.5 mile climb to the campsite. We were all once again totally stuffed and sluggish but made it in time to pitch our tents, lay around for a while and moan, and then pass out.
Date: 2004-04-10
From: Grassy Gap

To: Brown Frok Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: light rain

HOPEFUL'S BIRTHDAY BASH!!!! (read below)Tough day today walking on dead legs. I haven't yet taken any zero mile "rest" days so I don't think my muscles have yet really had a chance to catch up with all of the miles I have been forcing them through. The terrain has grown a bit more challenging - lots of short but steep ups and downs that roll successively from one to the next. I was beat by mid-morning and looking forward to hitting camp early. Approcaching the Route 64 gap I was getting eager to hit this landmark and I know I was close becasue I could hear vehicles whizzing by. Two girls hiked by me the opposite way and I asked them if I was even close to the gap. "Good news." the first girls said. "You're nearly there and there's free hiker-feed! It's Hopeful's Birthday party down there and he's taken the day to come and feed us!" I nearly wept but instead I grinned and thanked them and then literally ran the remaining 500 yards to the gap where there were food tents and food smells and grunts of contentment from stuffed hikers.As I descended into the gap an older man in a baseball cap and windbreaker approached me with a friendly smile. "Hello there." he said. "My name is Hopeful and today is my Birthday. I would be honored if you would come eat and celebrate with me under the food tent." This is the kind of stuff no money can buy. Hopeful was a thru-hiker class of '03. He decided to spend his time and money on his birthday setting up with his wife at Route 64 Gap and feeding every thru-hiker that came through. And the day grew cloudy and windy and cold and he never complained or grew tired of it or packed up until the last one of us was stuffed. Then his wife handed out ziplocs and insisted that we take some food for the road. He didn't want money or prayers or free advertising space on my backpack, the joy of his birthday was in bringing some joy to us and I was really touched by his generosity. Thanks again Hopeful, you made my day. I hope your Birthday filled your heart like it did mine.We finally headed out for the last leg of the hike - as usual uphill. And as usual way overstuffed and sluggish. It was all I could do to press on and tell myself I was almost there. I was heading down a short steep downhill when my foot caught a root and I face planted downhill headfirst. My first good wipe-out. I grunted / thudded rather loundly catching the attention of Shaun who was only 50 yards in front of me and looked back to see me motionless in a twisted pile like a pretzel. "Are you OK?" he yelled and began to hike back up towards me. My first reaction on my way down was to avoid slamming my head on the rocks, which I did. Once I was down I reoriented myself and quickly registered a few things: 1) nothing was broken, 2) the pain of slamming my shins against the rocks was tolerable and 3) I didn't need to cry. I slowly ustrapped my backpack and rolled over onto my side, looking up into the concerned face of Shaun. "Man." I said. "I hope I don't throw up all of that food."
Date: 2004-04-12
From: Fontana Dam Visitor Center

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: moderate rain

My first 16+ mile day. Certainly won't be my last. Rock Steady told me that he knew a guy who banged out Virginia by doing 20 back to back 20 mile days. That won't be me - count on it.We satyed the night at the Fontana Inn to get out of the rain. In the AM I caught a ride to the parking lot of the Fontana Dam shelter parking lot where there was more free hiker feed courtesy of Hikers for Christ. These 5 guys or so set up an RV in the parking lot and cooked us breakfast between 7:30 and 10 am. I got pancakes and sausage (I'm going to vegetarian hell and I love it) with a nice side of prayer. It was an excellent way to kick off a long day.Fontana Dam was really impressive and the trail crosses right over it. On the other side of the dam I saw a sign welcoming me to the Smoky Mountain National Park and it was then that I realized that there's no e in Smoky. All of these years and I never knew. I guess Smokey the Bear threw me off. Bottom line is that I put in a long day in the cold and fickle rain. I couldn't see a damn thing except the trail in front of me because the majority of my day was spent in the dense and low lying clouds. I was think they should be called the Foggies - not the Smokies and I share that knowing it is not remotely funny. After a long steep climb to Shuckstack Mountain the terrain really leveled out and the remainder of the day passed uneventfully and with less effort. I arrived at the Spence Field Shelter when Rock Steady and I crashed for the night. Ther shelters in the Smokies are fenced in, literally, by a chain link fence. The effort is to keep the marauding bears away, but an added side effect is to make one feel as if they are in prison. The fence literaly covers the open side of the shelter, from ground to roof and the fence is also often covered in tarps, blocking out the sunlight. That and the rain gave an entirely oppressive feel. I made dinner and chatted it up with Steady for awhile and then read until bedtime around 9:30.I awoke around midnight to the sound of approaching thunder. At 5,000 feet an approaching storm holds a whole new terror for me. Before I went to bed I read in my companion that 2 hikers were killed in 1980 when lightening struck their shelter in the Smokies. Not a comforting thought. I layed in bed awake, listening to the driving rain, no - torrential downpour that lasted forever and sounded like a small river was passing a few feet from the shelter, and bracing myself against the thunder. I had my hands over my ears and did the old 'see the lightening and count until you hear the thunder' trick until the storm finally passed and I was able to sleep again.First storm down. Sure it won't be the last.
Date: 2004-04-13
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Double Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: light rain

Didn't see a single soul on the trail today and the day seemed to drag. More cold and rainy weather complete with no scenic views. It would be a shame to pass through all of the smokies and have no pics to show for it. All there is to do literally is to stare at your feet and the trail in front of you and watch the time go by one step at a time. Not the end of the world, but a tough day mentally, and I kept baiting myself to continue with the promise of stopping in Gatlinburg tomorrow and getting off the trail for maildrops, food, and a hot shower. It worked and I arrived at the shelter around 4pm. The shelter was almost full with 12 people when I got there. I did the dinner routine and was in my bag by 7 or so. I was surprisingly tired with an 11 mile day ahead of me and the desire to get to Gatlinburg before noon. It was going to be an early morning and just before I dozed off I heard somone say that it had started snowing.Excellent.
Date: 2004-04-14
From: Double Spring Gap Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: light snow

This was probably the toughest day yet. I woke around 5:30am to a bitterly cold morning and a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. Though the storm had abated, it was still snowing lightly and the winds were howling. I peered out from the shelter and felt my heart sink as I realized that I couldn¢t even make out the outline of the trail through the fog. The ominous skies provided more then enough incentive to stay in bed so I pulled my sleeping bag back up over my head. It was going to be a tough hike and I was intimidated by the conditions. My destination was Newfoundland Gap, a mere 11 miles away, but the hike included an exposed climb over Clingman¢s Dome, the highest point on the trail at an elevation of 6,600 feet. In my mind it was Everest, sans sherpas. Even Sir Edmund Hillary would have opted to stay in bed. I would have sacrificed an appendage for a taxi and prayed for extraction by helicopter. Despite internal protest I finally got up, fetched my half frozen food and slid a chilly Powerbar down my pants to thaw it out. My fingers were quasi-numb which made packing a comedy. I find great comfort in being able to pack my gear in the geometrically optimal configuration, but this morning I couldn¢t even untie the knots in my ditty bags. In frustration, I simply piled my gear into my backpack and stuffed it down with my boot. The pack was lumpy and bulged asymmetrically so I sat on it and pounded out the lumps with my fist. Finally satisfied, I strapped down the lid and hoisted my pack onto my shoulders. As I was heading for the door of the shelter, Wizard pulled me aside and invited me to tag along with him and Meanderthal instead of hiking solo. As a former Girl Scout I recognized the concept of safety in numbers and gratefully accepted his invite. Becoming snowbound with others is so much more comforting.We set out before 7am and hiked straight through the morning, pausing only as long as the cold would allow. Wizard was our fearless trailblazer stomping fresh tracks in the powder and absorbing the brunt of the conditions. I trailed along in the rear, squinting into the wind and letting out intermittent squeals as the boughs of the trees dumped snow down my back. As we ascended, the tress grew sparse and the winds became more intense. Above the tree line, visibility was only about 100 feet and the blazes marking the trail were concealed by the snow. Without even a compass for direction, we essentially followed whatever path appeared to be most trodden hoping it was still the AT. As the ridgeline grew narrow and the winds even more aggressive, I decided that traversing this dome would require much more then good boots and determination. We needed Jedi powers and a Wonkavator. I pretty much walked on faith.