morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-06-23
From: Greasy Creek Friendly. Greasy Creek, NC

To: Stan Murray shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Was woken up by heavy rain at 1 am. Then was woken up by the awful neighbor's daily ritual that Connie had warned me about. At 5 am, he drives down to get his mail at the end of the road and stops and revs his engines really loud right outside the bunkhouse - coming and going. Then at 6 am, he turns on some loud machine next to the bunkhouse. Every day during hiker season, for years. Hard to imagine that someone can invest that much energy in being hateful.Connie was busy so I hung out with Jeremy and Kevin, drinking coffee. We were talking about someone having a nervous breakdown and I said I have one about every day on the trail. Kevin was asking why since the trail is supposed to be fun. I said at about 4 pm I get tired and hungry and just want to get to my destination, but when I get there and get fed and settled, I'm fine. Kevin drawled , "well, have you thought about carrying a snack?" I laughed so hard.Finally got my fuel and got back to the AT about 10 am - a late start and I had a long day planned. I had been looking forward to staying at the Overmountain shelter for years since it's a converted barn and sounds really cool. Realized early on that it was unlikely would make it.Went up over Roan Mountain which is over 6000 feet, but I was totally unimpressed. Just a walk thru a pine forest with a stony trail and no views. Finished that around 5:30 and started over some balds. The sky was an amazing blue and there were tons of people out enjoying the beautiful evening. One guy showed me the Gray's lily which is a small but elaborately patterned red lily which I think is specific to the Roan range. Another guy asked me where I started my hike, and when I said Clingmans dome he said he thought he saw it from the top of the next mountain. It's 185 AT miles away, and while it may be closer as the crow flies, I don't think he could see it.I had thought Overmountain shelter was 5 miles beyond this one, but I realized it was only 2.2 miles beyond. I was debating on pushing on, even of it meant hiking in the dark. However, when I got here a little after 7:30, there was a couple and their friend finishing there dinner. Seemed like a good idea to stay here rather than going on and maybe getting into trouble in the dark. They were so nice - they offered me hot cider and Giant Smarties and hung my food with theirs. Was too tired to make dinner - and after all that fuss about the fuel.While I was in my tent and they were trying to start a fire, we heard coyotes yipping. Although they sounded far away, glad there are people camping close by.
Date: 2012-06-24
From: Stan Murray shelter

To: Mountain Harbour Hostel, Roan Mountain, TN
Miles today: 11.1
Weather: few clouds

Went to Overmountain shelter in the am to check it out, and also to get water and use the privy. Pack felt great without the weight of water for those first 2 miles. There was a whole scene at the shelter - there must be a road access not too far away coz people were lugging away coolers. There were lots of tenters, and a ton of kids and dogs - loud game of 'Red Light Green Light' going on. There is a lovely view of the valley from the shelter itself.The privy had no roof and no front wall and the 3 walls came up to my shoulders if I was sitting down. It faces a path that kids were running along. Really more of a "show-y" than a privy.The hike continued over Little Hump and Hump Mountain which were just spectacular. Completely open and covered with grass meadows. I expected Julie Andrews to come whirling by in her dirndl skirt "The hills are alive ...." Great 360 degree views.The hike down, however, was a rocky muddy mess. Some guy came rock-hopping past me with his kids and said to me "You should be careful hiking alone through here. You could break a leg." Yeah, thanks buddy.The AT follows the NC/TN border from the beginning of the Smokies. Almost at the end of the day, I crossed the NC/TN border for the last time. Officially done with NC!The hostel was only 0.3 miles from the trail and is really nice. There is a stream running through the property and horses and goats. The B&B is in a big house with a wrap-around porch but the hostel is in the barn. For some reason, even though you can hear the horses snuffling below, there is no animal smell in the hostel. Rather than get the $20 bunk in the loft, I splurged and got the semi-private king bed for $40.Snail (actually Turbo Snail) was there, sorting through her mail drop. I had enough time to take a shower before the dinner shuttle at 5:00 pm. Terry, the owner, drove us and asked our names. I said Judy and Snail said Kaitlyn. Then he asked our trail names, and she said Turbo Snail and I said Judy. Terry said to me, "that's original" and actually, for the AT, it is. The only restaurants open on Sunday were a Subway in a gas station (no) and Bob's Dairyland. I had a BBQ pork sandwich, a root beer, a V8, cole slaw, and a huge plate of pinto beans but couldn't finish the corn muffins. So stuffed.Terry picked us up after dinner. They are doing my laundry up at the house - clothes are so stinky after only 2 days hiking. We are relaxing and watching "The Truman Show".
Date: 2012-06-25
From: Mountain Harbour Hostel, Roan Mountain, TN

To: Mountaineer Falls shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Last night was a little noisy - the kids were setting off fire crackers and came to the hostel looking for their dog Rosie. Then a hiker came in around 9:30. I was sprawled out on the bed and didn't care - nice to sprawl instead of squeezing myself on the tight confines of the sleeping pad.I asked the hiker dude if he had come down the rocky part in the dark. He said no, he had gone the opposite direction at the trailhead to go to a steakhouse, which was closed on Sundays. He called the hostel people and they gave him a ride to the Subway. He tried to hitch back, but the shoulder was too narrow and he had to walk the whole 4 miles to the hostel.He also said he got dehydrated going up Roan Mountain and "was pissing blood everywhere". He said that in the military, when he came back from the desert, the medics would give him IVs so he hasn't thought to drink enough while hiking.Snail made breakfast for us - pancakes from pancake mix she found in the hiker box, and tofu scramble from tofu in her mail drop that she didn't want to carry. Yum!Knew I would have a low mile day today - if I went to the next shelter, it would be a 18.4 mile day and this worked out better. (Another hostel tomorrow night!) The hike started through meadows of daisies, purple clover, Queen Anne's lace and black-eyed Susans. Then back into the forest and skirting the Elk River. It is starting to heat up - in the 80s today but supposed to get hotter as the week goes on.Got to Mountaineer Falls about 2. Soaked my feet for a while before doing the final 0.2 miles to the shelter. My map, which I bought in 2007, doesn't even show this shelter, built in 2006. It has 3 stories, with a wooden bear sculpture on the 3rd level. It was nice to take it easy, reading the shelter register and the graffiti. When I checked in at the hostel yesterday, I was told they wouldn't be serving breakfast in the morning which I figured was no big deal. Lots of raves for the breakfast in the register "best breakfast on the trail", etc. There is also 2 sticks of deodorant and a men's cologne called "Twilight Woods". Hmmm. Got caught up with journal to pass the time until dinner. Ate, then played spider solitaire until I was sleepy.
Date: 2012-06-26
From: Mountaineer Falls shelter

To: Kinkora Hiking Hostel, Hampton, TN
Miles today: 15.6

A cold draft came into the shelter at about 3 am, and when my alarm went off at 6, it was 56 degrees. Could not get myself out of my warm cocoon until 6:40.Very cool location - although the sun was well up as I made breakfast, there was very little light filtering through the dense canopy onto the rhododendrons. I could hear Mountaineer Falls in the distance and the song birds nearby. I had this magical glen all to myself.Hike went through similar terrain - very dense and dark. Yesterday morning, I saw one solo southbound hiker and one guy who waved to me from his pickup when I crossed a road. Didn't see any other people until I crossed paths with a couple at 4 pm today. Listened to my iPod ALL day and finished my third audiobook of the trip.Got to Kinkora hostel about 5:45. There was a note at the main house to go to the hostel around back. It was all dark and dingy and I was kind of at a loss. Shortly after I got there, Jerry and his nephew Doug came in and said Bob Peoples had taken family to Dollywood for the day and wouldn't be back until late. And I was so looking forward to actually getting to eat the gnocchi in my mail drop this time.Showered, washed clothes. Put clothes in dryer - uh oh - didn't work. Bob came and I got my mail drop! But he couldn't fix the dryer. He fed all the cats but one of the "cats" was a raccoon named Rascal. There are several that he feeds but since Rascal is nursing kits she comes to eat three times a day. She chowed down on that cat food.As I ate my gnocchi (delish) Bob was telling stories about the shelter I stayed at last night (built by 143 hikers on one day, all the clothes and accessories that have been on the wooden bear), the raccoons, and growing up in the North End of Boston.Cool again tonight - all snuggled into my cot.
Date: 2012-06-27
From: Kinkora Hiking Hostel, Hampton, TN

To: Watauga Lake
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: clear sky

Got back to the AT and shortly after I saw a backpaker trucking towards me on the trail. It was the guy from Mountain Harbour hostel. He said "I'm going southbound, aren't I?" His name is P-trooper and we hiked for a while (northbound) together. We went past Laurel Fork falls where he had camped for the night. He said he had a horrible time trying to sleep that night at Mountain Harbour because the firecrackers reminded him of Iraq. To me, it was just kids playing with firecrackers.We climbed up a mountain and I tried my phone - first signal in a few days. And 4 bars! P-trooper went on ahead while I got my journal caught up and made arrangements to leave the trail in Damascus. I started thinking of shortening my hike after that rainy night before Hot Springs, but now that the water sources that normally dry up in August are drying up now, seems like an even better idea.Early afternoon the trail crossed a state highway then opened up on an area of Watauga Lake with a public beach and swimming area, with picnic tables and grills. Lots of people - I kinda had culture shock. I went to the bathroom area, hoping for a Coke machine, but no luck.I went for a swim in my sports bra and bikini briefs - soo refreshing. The lake is a gorgeous blue-green color and surrounded by mountains. Then I walked around the lake a mile or 2 to the Watauga Lake shelter , set a ways back from the lake. P-trooper was just leaving after a break. I checked out the shelter - there's no privy and I could smell human poop. The area was really buggy so I would want to tent, but didn't want to search around for fear of what I might step in. I got water at the spring and walked back to the lake to look for a campsite.Found one right on the lake. Got the tent set up and dinner made. A pair of mallards came up on shore and waddled around in the woods. A boat was heading straight toward my beach. It was a couple, Karen and Paul, who set up the site 3 years ago and wanted to get set up to claim their spot for the weekend. They were adorable. They camp here quite often and want to get married here. They also said the mallards are named Sally and Moe.They offered me a beer while they set up their HUGE tent. They also set up tiki torches and cut fire wood. Unfortunately, they also told me about the mama bear that comes every night and has raided their coolers. They said I could use the firewood and sleep in their tent. Which I am totally doing. I even broke down my tent so I have that much less to do in the morning. I hung my food bag - lame as usual. But it will keep ducks out of my food and hopefully the bear will be looking for coolers and not think to look up. This may be the best campsite I've had on the AT.
Date: 2012-06-29
From: Vandeventer shelter

To: Double Springs shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: clear sky

Got started a little after 7 - there was a bit of a breeze then and it wasn't too hot yet. The hike was mostly a ridge walk with no views. I thought of those guys coming from Oklahoma for this hike and couldn't believe it. I was thinking that you couldn't pay me enough to do this stretch, but then I realized I AM doing it, and nobody is paying me a cent.When to the Iron Mountain shelter for water and lunch. Also was able to finalize my next work contract. Hard to do all that from a national forest.Saw a bear ambling across the AT a little after the shelter. So glad that Melissa and her dog caught up with me a little later. I tried to keep up with then and did for a few miles, but right before they got to their car I couldn't anymore - too overheated. I got to the parking lot as they were leaving and crossed the road to sit in the shade and drink water. I realized I was sitting on a nest of ants and went back to the parking lot to sit on the fence in the shade. This guy pulled up to see if I was all right because he said it was 104 degrees in town. I assured him I was - I was drinking, peeing, and sweating a lot, and although I was hot, I thought I was doing OK. I think the electrolyte tablets really help.The next part of the hike went through a cow pasture with no relief from the sun. The cows were mooing their heads off - either it was getting close to milking time, or they were saying "we want a barn with AC, pronto!"When I got to the edge of the pasture, I sat down on the stile in the shade and stared up at the leaves for about 20 minutes. Too hot to want to move.Made it to the shelter around 5:30. Bugs galore! Looked up the hill for a tent site but the hill was dotted with TP - because once again, no privy. I set up my tent in front of the shelter. Forced myself to finish the Idahoan mashed potatoes I made for dinner. My new "food bag" is a plastic grocery store bag and I have it hanging in the shelter on a hook with a mouse baffle. I heard there is a mama bear and cubs at this shelter so I am resigned to the fact that they may get it. I hate improperly storing foods because it just creates problem bears but that's why these shelters need some kind of system. The sound of the bugs are deafening!
Date: 2012-04-03
To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: light rain

Stayed Monday night at the Hiker Hostel run by Josh and Leigh Saint in Dahlonega, GA. The hostel is a beautiful log cabin and hosts not only hikers but anyone wanting to enjoy the area. I decided on Tuesday morning to hike the approach trail to Springer Mountain. It begins at Amicalola Falls State Park and takes the hiker up the famous steps up past the falls to a picnic area on top of the falls. The 8.8 miles of the approach trail does not count for AT miles but in my opinion was well worth the effort. After lunch at the picnic area on top of the falls I headed for the Black Gap Campsite. About 2:00 PM Tuesday afternoon a thunderstom hit and the rain turned to hail the size of marbles. I first tried my poncho but after a lull in the storm changed out to my rain Jacket and pack cover. So yes when it rained I just kept hiking. The Black Gap Shelter looked pretty good as this tired hiker stopped for the night.
Date: 2012-04-04
From: Black Gap Shelter

To: Three Forks
Miles today: 5.8

The storm front had passed and I woke to a beautiful clear morning as I packed to hike the last mile to Springer Mountain. Hard to describe the range of emotions I felt during that last mile. All the planning was over, all the preparations were over, all the training was over¢¦it was just one more mile. The view at Springer was nothing short of spectacular. There was not a cloud in the sky and a cool wind blew in from the Northwest.   I took a few photos which I still have to resize and visited with other hikers who were dropped off at the service road that morning. Before I hiked off Springer Mountain, the Southern terminus of the AT, I picked up two pebbles to take to Katahdin and followed my first white blaze North. That night I stayed at Three Forks campground and pitched my tent a few yards from the creek. Three other hikers joined me at the campground and we began looking for a suitable tree to hang our food to keep from the bears. That first bear bag attempt is a story in itself. It was a relaxing second night on the trail listening to the sound of Three Forks creek as I drifted off to sleep.
Date: 2012-04-05
From: Three Forks

To: Justus Creek
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

I was the first to wake up in the morning and after getting dressed went to check on our food hanging in the tree. Sure enough it was still there and the bears weren¢t waiting on me to retrieve it so we either did it right or there were no bears around that night. I¢ll leave it up to the readers to decide which. I was already off my intended schedule because of a new regulation which requires bear canisters in sections of the Blood Mountain Wilderness area. At the three forks campsite the four of us decided we would try to make it to the Justice Creek campsite which was about 10 miles away. I had only planned on 5 miles that day and now faced with double the mileage I intended to take it slow and easy and take plenty of rest stops. I had lunch at the Hawk Mountain Shelter and even heard a hawk as I approached the shelter. There I met a hiker from Houston, TX who had broken his foot and was taking a zero day waiting for the swelling to go down so he could get off the mountain. I met another hiker who recently had knee surgery and was having a tough time on the trail. I would out later that injuries are fairly common the first week on the trail. I was the first out of our little group of hikers to make it to the Justice Creek campsite. I pitched my tent high above the creek which would make for dryer camping but I could still hear the sounds of the creek that night. Two others from Three Forks joined me and I¢m not sure what happened to the hiker who had knee surgery. That night I could hear barred owls calling from the trees along the creek.
Date: 2012-04-06
From: Justus Creek

To: Woody Gap, Suches, GA
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: light rain

I went to sleep the night before with a clear sky but woke to clouds and a cool misty morning. I packed quickly to keep my pack and its contents as dry as possible and decided on a cold breakfast of granola and powdered milk. I felt pretty good despite hiking ten miles the day before and was soon warmed up with the trek out of Justus Creek. My stop that day was the general store at Suches, GA. My itinerary said ¢2mi. PO¢ and I¢m not sure where I planned to camp that night. I was told before I left Justus Creek ¢don¢t bother to stop at Suches, there¢s nothing there¢. I had heard that Army Rangers used the AT trail in this area for training exercises and sure enough as I was hiking up a hill I saw two shapes emerge from the fog. A voice said ¢excuse me sir¢ as two rangers, in full pack came running by. Immediately I began to think about work and how my company would ever manage without me being away for so long.   I will find that humor helps lighten the load and ease some of the climbs on the trail. At Woody Gap I stopped to call the Suches Wolf Pen Gap Country Store and could feel the cold and wet set in. One of the two hikers I camped with at Three Forks and again at Justus Creek planned to hike ahead and I was soon joined by Matt who asked if he could catch a ride with me to the General Store. The owner himself picked us up and it was during that pick up that I violated rule number 1. Always check your gear before leaving camp, catching a shuttle, or exiting a shuttle. I left my trekking poles at Woody Gap and as soon as we got the country store I was whisked back to Woody Gap but seems someone else needed my poles more than I did. So I guess I performed my first bit of trail magic¢¦unintentionally. The owner of the Wolf Pen Gap Country Store was just remodeling the room above the store and asked if we would like to stay for $15.00 for the night. It was a tough decision, stay and eat Hunt¢s Brothers pizza, drink cold beer and stay in a warm dry room or camp along the trail. I couldn¢t get my wallet out fast enough.
Date: 2012-04-07
From: Woody Gap, Suches, GA

To: Jarrard Gap
Miles today: 5.6

Matt and I planned the next days hike from the Hostel and decided on decided on Lance Creek campsite. Later on that day we met two forest rangers who told us that we could camp as Jarrard Gap as long as we stayed out of the Blood Mountain wilderness section. I have heard the fines are $250.00 if caught camping in the Blood Mountain wilderness section between Jarrard Gap and Neels Gap without an approved bear canister to protect your food. The ranger also mentioned that there had been 8 bear raids during the last two weeks inside this area. ¢The best defense for a bear¢ the ranger told us is to hit them with a rock. The bears would soon associate humans with pain and would learn to leave the campsites alone. After I made camp at Jarrard Gap and hung out food I began collecting rocks. I had decent sized pile in front of my tent when Matt started teasing me by saying ¢you expecting a lot of bears tonight?¢. I replied ¢maybe or maybe I¢ll use them to chuck at your tent when you¢re start snoring tonight¢.
Date: 2012-04-08
From: Jarrard Gap

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 5.0
Weather: clear sky

I didn't sleep well the night before and woke before dawn. I packed my gear by moonlight and head lamp as we wanted to get an early start on Blood Mountain that morning. It was Easter Sunday and I wanted to have lunch and reflect and pray on the mountain that day. Blood Mountain was named after a great battle between the Creek Indians and the Cherokee Indians. It was said that the battle was so fierce that the mountain ran red with blood.   I hurried through breakfast by eating a power bar and headed up the mountain. It was a tough climb and by the time I got to the top I was spent. Maybe it was the lack of breakfast or lack of sleep but the climb really did me in.   After lunch I found a secluded spot and leaned up against my pack and took a nap. It was another beautiful day and you could see for miles. I was now a full day ahead of schedule and my itinerary read ¢Rent cabin, hot shower¢ for my stop at Neels Gap. I made a phone call to Blood Mountain Cabins and was told there was plenty of room and I had cabin waiting for when I got there. I didn ¢t feel ready to leave Blood Mountain but I knew Matt was waiting on me and after two hours I began the long trek back down Blood Mountain. When I arrived at the Gap sure enough Matt was waiting and after a brief shopping spree for a new pair of hiking poles we secured a cabin for the night. After we got our gear stored away and laundry turned in we caught a ride from Lumpy, a former thru-hiker, who took us to Blairsville, Ga for some shopping at the grocery store. Dinner for that night was a Hungry Man frozen dinner and half a rotisserie chicken. All that mountain hiking and fresh air gave me quite an appetite and yes the diet was left at home¢¦along with the keys to the truck.