morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2003-04-05
From: Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Rain came last night. This morning the sky roared with thunder. My shelter mates were taking a zero so they did not mind getting wet. I was wrestling with whether or not I would be going to Sassafras Gap Shelter or not. Straight uphill in the rain, with bad knees, did not seem like such a good idea. I like hiking in the rain. I am not sure I will like 4 solid hours of being cold and soaked, but I like the way the forest feels in the rain, the mist. It was a cool hike into town. I was alone on the trail, which was all downhill but my knees did ok. I got to the bottom and the rain stopped and the day became beautiful. The outfitters were no help with my feet, but I topped off my fuel, bought a bandanna for use as a kleenex, and got some badly needed camp shoes. I had a huge breakfast - all you can eat eggs, bacon, grits, toast, hash browns, biscuits, sausage, OJ and french toast! I ate enough for 3 breakfasts, then called Natasha and my mom. I drank a coke - nectar! Ambrosia! Then hit the trail. I then climbed straight uphill from 1-6p.m., practically nonstop to try to get to the shelter before sunset. 7 miles in 5 hours. It was a beautiful climb. I don't mind the uphills - my legs seem to be made for them. As I neared the top I became a bit annoyed at the false summits - at least 7. Great night at camp. I met Switchback, from GA, but he graduated from Auburn [WAR EAGLE - from Last Minute's transcriber] and his wife, who is from Talladega, AL. Also Wrong Way, Rocky, another guy who I named Mousetrap because we were kidding him about the amount of marshmallow he had in his goatee so he could catch all the mice in the shelter, Tyler, who I called Pine Fresh because he has a car air freshener in his pack. There was also 2 Speed, who, after catching on fire, briefly, was renamed 3 Speed, and Gazer. Flash was supposed to be here, but is not. We had a great time sitting aroung the fire talking until 9p.m., which is WAY late for thru-hikers. I was so hot and sweaty today, now I am freezing. Daylight savings time changes today. Not that it matters much. Someone read about it in town today so we all changed our watches. We say it is not so much of a town as it is the N.O.A - Nantahala Ourdoors Association. It's really just an outfitter on the AT with a hostel and kayak rentals. I have 2 days to get to Fontana Dam. A lot of ups and downs with one huge down at the end. I am more confident in my knees now, but still worried.
Date: 2003-04-06
To: Cody Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

What a day! I didn't get much sleep last night - I swear it is though my own stench kept me awake. The wind compelled me to snuggle up inside my bag so it was just me and my funk! It will take me some time to get used to no showers. It has been too cold lately to try any serious attempts at getting clean in the back country. Soon I will be at Fontana Dam for my zero day and I will get clean!!! I hiked a little while today with a local named Marvin who showed me what ramps are and how to identify them.I met my first trail angel - Ox - who thru-hiked in 1997 and he had folding chairs, coolers with cokes, root beer, ginger ale, gatorade, and Dr. Pepper, and another cooler with chocolate chip cookies and mint Oreos. Despite the fact the folding chairs were orange with the TN Vols logo on them, I sat down and talked a while. Really nice fellow. It was glad to see him, not just for food. It really perked my spirits talking to him. As usual I was fretting about the agonizing pain in my feet, as opposed to enjoying the day. After I left Ox, I felt great.The group I was with was heading toward Cody Gap, about 10 miles south of Fontana Dam and lies between two shelters. Since my time was slowed by all my socializing, it was almost dark by the time I arrived. I cannot tell you how freaked out I was to find the place deserted. I pitched a tent, ate a cold meal, bear bagged as I heard Barred and Screech owls singing to the vesper light, and am now journaling. I knew at some point I would end up out here alone, but I did not expect it this early. It is a good thing, I suppose, my biggest fear is of being alone and with no one near me for miles. I now am face to face with that fear. I find that exhaustion, fatigue, cold and drowsiness are fair remedies for fear. It sounds as though some animal is scurrying around my tent. Small rodent? I did everything right. I am camped on the lee side of the ridge, upwind of the bear bag. The bag did not do so well as it stuck to the side of a smaller tree, but it is too dark to do much about it. I assume that my firends took advantage of the shelter we passed due to the rain. I feel fine, a little nervous, and I do look forward to the sunrise.
Date: 2003-04-07
From: Cody Gap

To: Fontana Dam Resort
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: light rain

The sun did rise the next day at that lonely Cody Gap, and I discovered, to my dismay, that the hikers I thought had scurried into the shelter before Cody Gap actually got to Cody Gap and passed on due to the rain and flooded tent sites. I spent the first 3 miles of the day thinking that I was well ahead of everyone only to discover that I was actually behind - again, as usual! Then the descent...I whined and cussed my way down from a 4,000' elevation to practically sea level. At the base of the ridge was a phone that called a shuttle. I left a note for Tang and Sprout and got a room at the Fontana Inn - a nearly deserted resort that charged $25 a night. It had an outfitter and across the street was a laundry/general store/post office. I spent a few minutes touching base with loved ones, then got down to some serious showering, eating, and watching tv, alone once more, but at least with the comforts of civilization!
Date: 2003-04-08
From: Fontana Dam Resort

To: Fontana Dam Resort
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

The next day I did all my other chores and was reunited with Tang, Sprout, and Hopeful, who I'd met in Hiawassee. We all pitched in and sent a guy named Dragonfly into town to get some liquid "refreshments" to bring back to this dry county. We stayed up til midnight in a large lounge with a fire in the fireplace, and everyone drank very moderately.
Date: 2003-04-09
From: Fontana Dam Resort

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 2.0
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning greeted us with tons of rain and no sign of reprieve, with a cold front passing through behind it which means a good window for snow in between. I hope to push on to Mollie's Ridge, about 10 miles out, but it is possible that we will only get about 2 miles. As I write this part of today's entry, I sit in a hotel room with a Vietnam vet, Hopeful, and watch US Marines, hand in hand with Iraqi citizens (courtesy of al Jazeera), tie a rope and chain to a statue of Saddam Hussein. A US soldier just placed an American flag over the statue's face to which Hopeful hollers "You put it upside down, you moron!". It is weird to be in this place and time, one foot on the reality of happenings in America and the world, the other foot on the AT with its introspecive and personal challenges.8:45 p.m. No progress today. My pack gave me hell as I left Fontana Village and the ragtag army decided to stop 2 miles out at the first shelter - it's called the Hiker Hilton and it has showers, flush toilets, water fountains and picnic tables. We are right on the water with a view of the lake. A loon sings its haunting song on occasion. It is drizzling and cold. Just a hint of what the Smokies promise for tomorrow.
Date: 2003-04-11
From: Hiker Hilton

To: Mollie's Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Yesterday WAS too cold! Today is not much better. Every breath exhales a cloud of smoke. We are all huddled in our mummy bags trying to stay warm. Most of my clothing is wet from rain yeaterday, the snow yesterday, wait. Let's do this in order. We left the "Hiker Hilton" and walked across Fontana Dam. Walking across the dam is a rare priviledge as it is closed to most traffic due to the terrorist threat. We (Tang, Sprout, Hopeful and me) stopped for pictures at the entrance to the Smokies and the adventure began. We ran into Ol' Timer, who was a Ridge Runner. These guys are in charge of making certain that the hikers going into the back country are educated about the ethical code we call "leave no trace". They do impromptu gear inspections, discuss human waste and bear bagging and they do have radios for emergencies. I continued working my way up and was quickly outpaced by the rest of my gang. Then the rain came, then sleet with rain, then snow flurries, then the real deal. I pushed up toward the shelter as hard as I could and was about 2.5 miles out with a hard driving snow and it was 4 pm with 3 hours of good daylight left, and it was slow going. I saw some hikers coming at me (a man with 2 kids) and he asked "You Last Minute?". I told him I was and he said "I have a message for you. There are 25 people trying to get into Mollie's Ridge and your group is moving on." This meant that instead of having 3 hours to go 2.5 miles, I had to go 5.5 miles. That would have been a push in good weather. So I kicked it into high gear and SPLAT! Into the snow... I say snow, but here the trail was a murky swamp about 1 foot wide. So I oozed up out of the slime and pressed on. It was about 30 minutes before another good SPLAT! I arrived at the shelter and got into the lee and was about to check my map when I was greeted by the inhabitants - to my joy, my group! Now the problem: moisture and cold. I was wearing a damp shirt and I'm supposed to keep one set of clothes dry at all times so my options are limited. I hang one set to "dry" with my Gortex raincoat and put on dry clothes. Overnight my socks dried and everything in my bag did fine. My mummy bag did not fare so well because I pulled my ground cloth loosely over it and my condensation formed on it. Fortunately my boots did not freeze this time but none of my clothes set out to dry were anything close to that state and my Gortex was soaked.
Date: 2003-04-12
From: Mollie's Ridge Shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We started out this morning, and the trick is to not go too fast because then you sweat and get your clothes wet, but don't go slow because you will get cold. Well, I failed. We flailed about in the snow for 6 miles and decided enough was enough. The next shelter was another 6 and it took more than 1/2 the day and all our energy to go the first 6, so we stopped. I was soaked through. I decided to try to stay warm with all my gear on to try to let my body heat (what there was of it!) dry it out. It worked fairly well. My shelter mates gawked at me as the steam rose off my body as I busied myself inside the shelter to try to stay warm. I boiled water and drank it plain. I went out and gathered water for everyone else. I tried to make a fire. Finally I had had enough. I was freezing. I took of the Goretex and hung it up, I took the chamois shirt and placed it between my z-rest and my sleeping bag. I left my long sleeve on with fleece over it and took my socks off and put them in my bag. My hope is that everything will get somewhat dry for tomorrow. My fear is that everything gets more wet and I die of hypothermia before midnight.The snow was not much fun. It was cloudy and just above freezing all day so it never had that pretty gleam and it melted down on top of us all day. My friend Sprout got absolutely pegged by a glob of snowy goop.
Date: 2003-04-12
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

[transcribers note: OK, if you are following the adventures of Last Minute, you will note that the dates are kind of off. I will correct that as soon as I talk to him and figure out where he was, and when. In my defense, the boy writes like he has hold of a hot wire with his good hand and he's writing with the bad one.]4/12/03 - again - I was really proud of myself today. Of my group, I was the only one who did not get into a depressed snow-induced funk. I was making awful time and had some foot and knee problems as I slid along the trail in the sludge caused by the melting snow, but overall I was fine. I feel that the one trick of the Trail is to not let yourself get caught up in or attached to the mood of a moment, not all views will be awesome and the rain/snow ends at some point and you dry out. Today, the snow ended, the sun came, the Trail threw us all over the place due to the snow melt, and so we spread out our gear, spread out tarps, and made a day of it. A lot of fun. I hung up my clothes on a line and sent my sleeping bag up a bear wire. Everything is pretty much dry now. I checked my food and am very low. The 7 days that would barely get me to my next mail drop is now 10 days. We have plans to hitch into Gatlinburg in 2 days.
Date: 2003-04-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 15.0

What an amazing, long, and arduous day!!! It started with Sprout's alarm going off at 6 a.m. Then there was this furious tumult in the shelter: bag zippers, the rustling of waterproof clothing, bags being crammed into stuff sacks, ziplock bags, and papers rattling. All the commotion of 4 of us trying to get up and out ASAP for our marathon hike. I was quickly separated from the rest of the group as I fiddled with my pack, so the start of the morning - a solo hike. It was incredible. The slush and slosh was still there, but the snow on the ground was silvered with the sunrise. I started singing REM, which was a real treat as my mind's radio had not played them in awhile. I even changed to a Gospel station for a while - throwing in a few church hymns since it was Sunday! I wish there was some way to journal this part of the experience, but unless you have gone through a Smoky Mountain snow storm and walked to the other side of it to a 60 degree day and feeling warm and dry for the first time and walk from absolute fog into absolute splendor, you really can't get the experience. Our destination was a shelter on the other side of Clingman's Dome, but first we hiked up the 6,683 foot summit and right into a circus at the top. We were like space aliens. Apparently all the tourists drive up and have no clue what the AT is. We stood out obviously with our huge packs, walking sticks, partial beard growth, mud caked up to our knees, bandannas tied to our head or knees. We were stars. How long ya been out? How far ya going? I had my picture taken twice. On guy gave me the thru-hiker quiz, one girl wanted her picture taken with me. I must have done trail education to 5 different families or couples. One guy asked where we were going and when I said Maine he thought I was being a smartass and seemed pretty ticked off. We hiked the half mile to the bathrooms and were totally disappointed that they did not have soap or phones, just flushable toilets.At the cajoling of my fellow hikers, I climbed the tower atop Clingman's Dome with my full pack on. We finally got into camp at close to 7 p.m. spending most of the last part of the day absolutely dragging, but a conversaton about our favorite restaurants cheered us up. Overall the day was insane - 15 miles and 10 solid hours hiking the highest elevation on the trail.
Date: 2003-04-14
To: Ice Water Springs Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Once again we woke up at 6 a.m. hustling to get out of camp. This time with a bit more spring in our step as it was Hopeful's birthday and we wanted to celebrate by hitching into Gatlinburg and gobble an all you can eat at Shoney's. We also needed to resupply as we were low on food thanks to the snow day . We hiked out at around 7:30 with 5 miles to go to the road. Beautiful morning! We played a brutal hiker game of word association around food: apple led to egg, egg to goat milk, goat milk to Kellogs...the last letter of each word is the first letter of the next. Tang and I were slower than Hopeful and Sprout, so soon they were out of sight. After a while I looked at Tang and said "We are going to go around this bend and see Sprout and Hopeful sitting in the back of a truck waiting on us", and that is exactly what happened! A trail angel was giving out cookies and cokes, and after feeding us he took us into town. We went to the Happy Hiker and had pictures taken and they outfitted us. Then on to Shoney's. I stopped to use the phone first and called Natasha. Then, I found the rest of my group, shifted gears and began to eat ravenously. We had a great time. Later we got resupplied at the grocery store. James, the Ridge Runner from Russel Field 2 nights back pulls over and takes us out to the Trail. We hit the trail and started a deep talk on religion as we hiked through sunset to a moon-guided trail to the packed shelter. I partially tented with just my rain fly domed over me. It was a great night at first, until, the wind hit this ridge relentlessly - giving me a chill up my spine that lasted past: 1) fully erecting my tent at 2 a.m.; 2)putting on more layers of clothing at   5 a.m.; and 3)sunrise at 6:30 a.m.
Date: 2003-04-15
From: Ice Water Springs Shelter

To: View Entry
Miles today: 8.0

Great day today. I have hiked with a group for several days and most days were under very tight time schedules designed for early risers. But today I declared mine. My group decided to go to a shelter 8 miles out (very easy day) and I told them that I was going to work on my feet and adjust my pack and that I would be leaving late. I would meet them at the shelter. I was the last to leave this shelter by FAR. I journaled, worked on my feet (moleskins and duct tape) made all kinds of adjustments to my pack and finally headed out at noon. I blue-blazed around Charlie's Canyon, which was awesome - sheer dropoff to my left and rock facing to my right. Great Views! An absolute rarity for the Smokies, which promise long walks through dense fog. Then around 5 p.m. I reached the ______ Shelter, a beautiful camp at night. Plenty of shelter space, and the moon, a shade shy of full, rose right in front of the shelter. I did laundry and took a sponge bath. My boots and socks were not allowed in the shelter, though!
Date: 2003-04-18
To: Painter's Branch
Miles today: 0.0

6 a.m. came early today. I lingered as long as I could at our wonderful campsite, but I didn't want to be too far behind the group because some locals had promised to give us a ride to an eatery at Davenport Gap. I passed unceremoniously out of the Smokies. Sprout and I played in a tributary for a little while, then went to the spot where Hopeful and Tang were waiting to meet our ride and the ride never showed. We took Hopeful to Standing Bear and tried to resupply but pickings were slim. I ate a quick microwave lunch and with the rain threatening we left Hopeful behind as he had to go to a wedding. It was a brief but sad moment. It just didn't seem right as Tang, Sprout and I put on our packs and Hopeful watched us leave. We made plans for a rendezvous later and that made it a little easier. We camped on a little island at a fork in Painter's Branch.
Date: 2003-04-22
From: Painter's Branch

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: light rain

I am at the Sunnyside Inn in Hot Springs, NC. It has been several days since I have written, but to recap: At Painter's Branch my stove caught on fire to provide some morning excitement. There was some unvaporized fuel that I mistook for water so when I foolishly tried to pour it out the whole stove bacame a torch. So I threw it in the creek. We (Tang, Sprout and I) arrived at Max's Patch at about sunset. Cool place in every sense of the word cool. Vast expansive bald that allowed views in all directions and no protection from the wind. We met Big Paw and Spot. Camped that night to the howl of coyetes in the distance. My tent was soaked as I failed to attach the windward side rainfly properly. The next morning a friend of Tang's brought some food and drink to her and Sprout decided to stay behind a while with them. I pressed on to try to get to Hot Springs for Easter morning. I tried my filter in a creek and it was awful. It took 45 minutes to get 2 liters. I made it to the Deer Park Shelter around 6 p.m. The next day I got into Hot Springs and wound through the street. Passing a packed bar, I glanced in. Suddenly the screened-porch area erupted with shouts of "Last Minute!" How cool and weird it was to be in a place I'd never been and know half the people there and know too that none of them had ever been there either! The Sunnyside Inn is a really cool old-fashioned house, maybe Antebellum. Plenty of porches and a music room with all sorts of instruments. It was a very peaceful place. I shared a room with an older fellow named Dirty Harry - really nice guy. The next night was with an old friend of mine named Andreas - now Viking. I ate my weight in fried okra at the Smoky Mtn. Inn. I had it with every meal, even with my ribeye sandwiches. Sprout and Tang breezed in on my 2nd day there. They got a room at Elmers.
Date: 2003-04-24
From: Hot Springs

To: View Entry
Miles today: 6.0

After a 2 day stay in Hot Springs, I started out alone - Hopeful at least one day behind, Tang staying behind to go to a festival and Sprout deciding to stay back awhile too. A hard climb out of Hot Springs. I had planned for 8 miles, but the start was so late and my hiking so crappy I barely made 6 before the fire of Slip, Trip, Trucker and Bingo's camp lured me to tent. They are a good group - 2 couples. Here I discovered my PB&J tortilla experiments had gone awry, causing my food bag to be inundated with jelly. The next a.m. was spent cleaning the bag and each item that it contained by the spring. I finaly set out for a shelter about 10 miles away. It seems I lost something like 20 lbs during this journey, so my bony hips pressed my flesh between the hip strap. This is so unbearable!!! I finally came ambling in to the shelter and the camp of 5 was silent - all reading or journalling. At this point I really missed my group! I did finally start making friends with them. There were 2 section hikers and Wounded Knee, Blue Sky and Chris(?) - the fire starter. A few things from the 23rd that I forgot to write down: dogs got after me on one part of the Trail. I saw a mole and I found and ate ramps! I took 10 pictures of rural NC and ran into some fellows from Ozark, AL.
Date: 2003-04-29
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My journaling has gotten slack - not from apathy so much as exhaustion! On the 25th I slept at Low Gap w/Rebus and Wizard. Wizard and I sat outside his tent while I cooked and we talked foraging. That day was supposed to rain sporadically, then clear skies and hi temps - but it turned out just the opposite. On the 26th I hiked/played leap frog with Easy Does It, Gator, and Dirty Harry. Big Bald was insane. It was like some Dr. Who show. The fog rolled in and consumed all and it was cold and drizzly. I hiked with my rain pants on until almost day's end, then finally took them off as I started up No Business Knob [I swear that's what it looks like - AL, LM's transcriber]. I got so hot I stopped to wash off a little in a stream. I started back up the knob and was passed by Sniper. Then all Hell broke loose - drizzle at first, then full-fledged downpour. So cold and wet. I got to the water stop before camp and filled up my water bag for me and Tucson, who passed me stating she was too tired to deal with water so not only was I last to camp, again, but no shelter space by the time I arrived, so Sniper and I tented. Cool night. Some kids came up and talked to us and asked about our thru-hike. I slept in a wet tent with wet clothes on and my windows open in an attempt to dry everything out (it didn't work - live and learn). I was trying to test/prepare for the rainy months ahead. The next day we got into Erwin near noon. Talked to H.M. Harris and got a hitch into town. I called Natasha, ate all you can eat Chinese food w/Dirty Harry, hitched out of town insanely late the next day w/Trucker and Bingo for my first night hike. We made it to the first shelter out of Erwin.