morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2023-04-07
From: Long Branch Shelter

To: Tentsite Past Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 8.0

Today was wild! First, I forgot to mention that Georgia had several PUDs,¢¦ pointless ups and downs. NC has been much better! Slopes are gradual which has allowed us to put some miles in! Today we woke up and it was raining. We had to hike 3.7 miles before 10 a.m. to catch a shuttle by Bobby the Greek. The rain let up just enough for us to pack up camp. However the Heavens let loose and it poured the entire walk to the shuttle. My pants were soaked. I imagine it felt like wearing a wet diaper. We must have had turbo jets on our feet because we (Bag Man, Zoey, Moose Jaw, and I) walked the 3.7 miles in one hour and fifteen minutes! We arrived to the gap early but so did our shuttle ride! Perfect timing!! In the car Bobby put on the song ¢I¢m on top of the world¢ by Imagine Dragons for all of us to karaoke. Only moose Jaw and I partook but it was fun!! We all laughed a lot. We were dropped off at ingles. There we dried up and purchased our groceries for the next four days. We also charged our items. Next we walked to the outfitter. Zoey got some new boots which was good! She was apparently close to having a stress fracture. Next and last stop was Wendy¢s. We all got baconators. They tasted good at the time (at least for me).  We got a free ride back to trail from Solace. He is a sports announcer and has hiked the trail three times!!! He¢s awfully kind and hilarious!! He has a ton of trail stories and told us the five most shocking things he has seen in people¢s packs. These are three:1. Portable TV2. 14 lb Bowling Ball3. Tackle Box full of Makeup4. Chainsaw Full with GasHe¢s currently working on a book full of trail stories! After he dropped us off trail, we started hiking towards our campsite. Unfortunately, Wendy¢s didn¢t agree with me and I almost pooped my pants. I¢ve never been so horrified. This was the first time I have ever had to dig a cat hole. Nicholas kept guard,¢¦ we have never felt closer¢¦ Thankfully I didn¢t go in my drawers and we made it to camp. There we saw Comfort and Sun Ray again! We talked for a little bit before going to sleep. All in all. Today was a good day. Not looking forward to the rain tomorrow.
Date: 2023-04-08
From: Tentsite Past Winding Stair Gap

To: Wayah Shelter
Miles today: 10.0

Today was a special kind of hell. Moose Jaw and I woke up to rain. So, of course we had to pack up our tent in the rain. And then walk 10 miles in the rain. And then be soaked in the rain. And then be cold in the rain. And then set up camp again in the rain. And after all of that misery¢¦ that¢s when the hot cocoa incident occurred. Comfort was so kind to make us a cup of cocoa while we were trying to get out of our soaked clothes. As I (Chili Pepper) was sitting in the tent shivering with the cocoa beside me, Nicholas tried to open the door and knocked it over. Since our tent was at an incline, the cocoa along with water from the rain and a bunch of dirt pooled in the corner of the tent. We called it the cocoa corner. Our mats kept sliding to the corner, and it stresses us out! We were like, ¢Not the cocoa corner!¢ HA! I had to use on of our cups twice to scoop the cocoa out and other water and dirt that accumulated there. We determined that our priorities were:1. Stay warm2. Avoid the cocoa corner3. Stay dry As we laid in our sleeping bags at 5 pm, Comfort brought us some hotdogs. Apparently a trail angel came to the shelter to make them for everyone. He didn¢t want us to feel left out so he brought us some!! He was so kind to do that!! We decided he needed to be protected at all costs! After that, Nicholas and I ate snacks while watching cocaine bear on his phone. Today has been the hardest day, but in the end, we made light of the day through jokes, of course.
Date: 2023-04-09
From: Wayah Shelter

To: Wesser Bald
Miles today: 9.8

HAPPY EASTER!! He is Risen!!Today was roses and daisies compared to yesterday! The rain finally subsided and the sun came out! We had quite the late start today since we wanted some things to dry,¢¦ even though not much did! Moose Jaw and I didn¢t want to get out of our sleeping bags, so we called some friends and relatives to drag out the morning. I had to scoop out the cocoa corner of the tent again before we packed everything up. Of course everything was soaked, except for our clothes in our dry bags. I¢m glad I brought extra shorts and a shirt, even though an extra set of hiking clothes are deemed as ¢luxury¢ items. I wrung so much water out of my hiking pants, and I was not about to put them on. Instead, I attached them to the outside of my pack to hopefully dry while hiking. I told Moose Jaw that my mom would be shocked to see me wear shorts in 40 degree weather. HA! Very unlike me. My shoes were a lost cause. I put dry socks on, stepped into my shoes and immediately my feet were soaked again. I figured they would dry while walking, which they did. We planned on hiking 10 miles today, which would be feasible since we didn¢t set out until 1 in the afternoon. Zoe (now called Cosmic Squirrel) was ahead of us with Bag Man. She Who Sits and Frowns and  Drunken Monkey set out behind us. Moose Jaw and I hiked mostly alone today. The downhill in one section killed my knees. But just as they were really bothering me, we happened upon trail magic along with Bag Man and Cosmic Squirrel! Apparently we had just missed trail magic at the previous gap but they gave extra ham sandwiches and oatmeal cream pies to Bag Man and Cosmic Squirrel to give us!! It was wonderful. ¢o   Buddy and Donna was at the gap handing out sodas, and candy, and chips, and fruit! It was perfect!! The scenery was great along with conversation with them! They were so kind as to give all of us these treats and offer us advice for what¢s to come on trail. They also offered to pick us up as far north as Hot Springs!! It felt as if God had his eye on us extra today. Such a great way to spend Easter Sunday. During our break, we set out our tent to dry. Thankfully it did!!! What a relief!! We hiked another mile and a half to watch the sunset at Wesser Bald on the abandoned fire tower. The scenery was breathtaking. A complete 360 view of the North Carolina mountains had me in Awe. I FaceTimed my Mom so she could watch the sunset with me. I heard they had a wonderful Easter with the family. Wish I could have been there, but today was great on trail!! I¢m so thankful for the incredible people that I have spent time with. I pray that God keeps all of the hikers safe and blesses all of the Trail Angels.Trail Angels: individuals who provide hikers with food, drinks, or hiking items to thru-hikers at random spots on trail. Always and surprise and always welcomed!!Privy: raised wooden outhouses that have a toilet seat open to the ground below where people relieve their bowels. White Blazing: following the white Appalachian Trail markers marked along the entire AT
Date: 2023-04-10
From: Wesser Bald

To: NOC
Miles today: 6.5

Today was a great day! Bag Man, Cosmic Squirrel, Moose Jaw (may change trail name to Galileo), and I made it to NOC. The 6 miles seemed to take forever because we were looking forward to real food! I did take a spill today while hiking. I¢m not sure how it happened but before I knew it, I face-planted in front of Zoe. I couldn¢t help but laugh, because it shocked me! But I only had a couple scrapes, so it wasn¢t bad. Going downhill hurt our knees a bit and some parts were scary! There were large rocks we had to scoot down on our butts in some ridge areas. At NOC we ate some food at a restaurant right by the water. While we ate we watched some rafters and kayakers float down the river. Nicholas and Bag Man got an ultralight chair to have on trail after eating. They weigh 1-1.5 lbs. This is great to have as a luxury item on trail! Before Gransey and Aunt Donna picked us up for a couple of days, us four hung out with Drunken Monkey and She who Sits and Frowns. It was fun chatting about trail and the Smokies. As we were leaving to hang out in Bryson, NC with Gransey and Aunt Donna we ran into Ann Marie (now Eight Gear) and Too Easy. We thought they were way ahead but apparently they took some zero days as well! It was great to see them. We hope to catch up with everyone after we take our zero days to spend time with family! Showering today felt amazing!!! I¢m so happy we get to rest our legs. Mine are tired due to the miles we have been putting in. ¢o    Side Note: it¢s interesting how so many people are worried about the mileage. When I hear people stress about mileage it stresses me out. I want to enjoy this journey. Not just run through 2,200 miles with no stops to enjoy the views or smell the flowers.
Date: 2023-04-11
From: NOC

To: NOC
Miles today: 0.0

It was so nice spending time with Gransey and Aunt Donna today. We have missed them so much!! We loved catching up. Gransey had everything! She¢s so great at preparing for trips!! We walked around today and washed our laundry at a local laundry mat. The lodge we are staying at in Bryson is immaculate! The bed is so comfortable, and the shower has great pressure!! This evening, us four lounged in the rocking chairs outside the lodge. There was a fake bear that had red eyes. It creeped us out. For dinner we went to a local Chinese joint. It was delicious!! We splurged with edamame, fried dumplings, and apple sake! We had a wonderful time filled with lots of laughter, stories, and jokes! We loved today!!
Date: 2023-04-12
From: NOC

To: NOC
Miles today: 0.0

Today was carefree!! Gransey, Aunt Donna, Nicholas, and I took a train ride today to NOC. It was lovely! There was a man on the train who sang and played the guitar. He was exceptional! This evening we sat outside in the rocking chairs again, and I had some wine with Aunt Donna. It was perfect!
Date: 2023-04-13
From: NOC

To: Locust Cove Gap
Miles today: 10.7

Today was a good day; however, my (chili pepper¢s) feet and legs are exhausted. It was mostly uphill today, and I believe that¢s what killed my legs. Aunt Donna and Gransey dropped us off today around 11, so we got a little bit of a late start. We met a lovely family from Australia at camp today. A mom, dad, 6 year-old, and 10 month old. Apparently they started one day before us!! Tara (mom), Samuel (dad), 6 year-old (Acashia), and the 13 month-old (Sierra). I¢m thoroughly impressed! They are so wholesome and always happy! We are going to go to sleep early today. Otherwise, we had a great views and are happy to be done walking for the day.
Date: 2023-04-14
From: Locust Cove Gap

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 11.8

Today, I (chili pepper) woke up achey. Everything was achey. It was one of those days that I just felt slow and tired. It was the first day I felt like I actually needed a nap. The uphill kicked my butt. The tent was wet when we woke up, but fortunately the rain subsided until after 1 in the afternoon. I was glad we got into camp early (camped at bottom of hill at Cable Gap shelter). We made hot cocoa today¢¦ that we successfully drank without spilling in tent!! We met captain today! Her and her two sisters (walkie talkie - age 13 and calculator - age 17) were hiking trail with the Aussies. They are a lot of fun and ALWAYS full of smiles!! Those three girls radiate like sunshine and sure love the Lord! Walkie Talkie got her name because she never stops talking, even while walking uphill! HA!Rose: getting to camp earlyBud: looking forward to meal in Fontana tomorrowThorn: how achey my body was and hiking in the rain
Date: 2023-04-15
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 6.5

Today was a marvelous day!!! Nicholas and I did get on each other¢s nerves while tearing down camp; however, that quickly subsided. We made our way into Fontana Dam today. We stopped at Fontana Marina and binge ate food. I ate and drank things that I never eat, such as soda (cherry coke) and a honey bun,¢¦ which I have never purchased. But man, the food was delicious!! Nicholas and I always eat before we resupply so we don¢t over buy on food. That happened to us once, and we quickly learned from that mistake. So our ground rules for town and resupply are as follows:1. Do not deny ourselves of any food or drink. (We have to have something to look forward to!) 2. Always eat before buying food for trail. 3. Follow the grocery list we type out before. Do not deviate unless it¢s something we will eat right away. 4. Relax and enjoy!!!The marina was peaceful and perfect! I wish we could have gone out on the water. We called the Fontana Village Shuttle to pick us up to take us to the lodge. At the lodge we received our package from our shakedown on Day 1. We grabbed food from it, but didn¢t really need anything else inside. We were worried about what to do with the box since the post office is closed today and tomorrow, until our shuttle driver told us that he would mail it for us home if we have him cash for it. The average person may think this is sketchy, but it isn¢t. This is pretty common for those helping hikers out. We were stoked about his help!! Navigating the shuttle through Fontana Village was crazy!!! Mostly because there were so many VWs due to a car show this weekend. Schwaa (the shuttle driver) dropped us off at some picnic tables near an old-school gas station, so we could sort our items. An hour later he picked us back up and took us to the marina, right by trail. Nicholas and I got our last remaining resupply items at the marina and ate more food, that way we wouldn¢t have to cook at the shelter this evening. As we got off the shuttle (before our resupply at the marina) we met Ox (thru-hiked in 1997). He surprised us with Girl Scout cookies for free!!!! Thin mints!! Woohoo!! It was awesome!!!!! As we chatted with him, another hiker came by. Her name is Altitude. She was extremely kind. We swapped hiker stories and meal ideas to change things up. It gets tiring eating the same thing day after day. When we were at the marina, we ate tamales and hung out until the placed closed. The staff was so kind and it was so peaceful there. Then we hiked the additional 1.2 miles to camp. We have an amazing view of the lake and the smoky mountains. It¢s absolutely stunning here. Everything smells like flowers, and it¢s the first night that it hasn¢t gotten chilly while setting up camp. It¢s been a wonderful day!!!
Date: 2023-04-16
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 12.0

We crossed the Fontana Dam today, and the scenery was breathtaking!! I could not believe my eyes. The trees were full and all different shades of green. The water was sparkling and looked so serene. I loved it all! I stood staring at the scenery hoping I could soak it all in!!It did rain last night. But the clouds over Fontana Lake were glorious!! After we officially enters Smoky Mountain National Park, we hiked up to Shuckstack Fire Tower. Although nerve racking, the views here were incredible. We could see mountain and mountain, and miles of trees. This view was worth the extra hiking, and we are so happy that the rain held off long enough for the skies to be clear!My (chili pepper¢s) body is incredibly tired, and my feet are incredibly sore. I do love watching my husband randomly start dancing with his trekking poles. I rate his dancing 11 out 10.We met a fun group of hikers at Mollies Ridge Shelter: Truffle, Cow, Chow Town, Charmer, Timber, and Sticks. They were also at the firetower with us. They crack me up!! Truffle is especially funny. The group was telling a story about trespassing. As a girl was saying, ¢If someone trespassed on my property I would¢¦¢ Truffle interrupted and said, ¢Heck! I would be happy to just own property!!¢
Date: 2023-04-17
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.1

We got a later start today¢¦ 10:30 in the morning. It would have been earlier, but it was so cold that we couldn¢t get out of our sleeping bags. When we finally got moving, the miles seemed easy. Until we had about 6 left, then it just took forever! It seems that the first mile and the last two miles of the day are the hardest! Oh, and the miles we have to hike into town on a resupply day always feel like they take forever! Today we had a slower pace for the last six miles due to the steep inclines and declines. I took a spill on the decline and ripped my pants a little on the knee. I stepped on a rock that decided it wanted to move out from beneath my foot. Rude!! We met another hiker today hanging around Truffle¢s group named Princess. She¢s from Cincinnati and is spicy! She¢s called princess, because she always gets things done for her.All in all, today was a good day. Chilly. And weirdly exhausting. But good. :)Quote of the day:Truffle: ¢People are out here looking at calories. I¢m looking for caffeine content.¢
Date: 2023-04-18
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.0

Today was a good day! For the first part of our hike, we were able to cruise at a great pace! Then we took a long lunch that had us feeling much better. We have been enjoying our long lunches. They are a great break from walking 24/7. We have been eating food with Truffle¢s crew. They have been hiking together since day 2! That¢s impressive!! Clingman¢s Dome had incredible views!! We met a couple at the top of Clingman¢s Dome who owns their own food prep company. They were so kind, and sure made us laugh a lot. Before we left Clingman¢s we met a fellow hiker named Professor. He showed me how to properly put on my pack. My shoulder pain went away!!! I am beyond grateful!! I think this new method will work!! Princess hiked with us from Clingman¢s Tower to the shelter. The shelter was half a mile off of the main path, and was tucked away into a place that looked like a fairy wonderland. It was breathtaking!! Although we prefer the shelters right off trail, this one was worth the extra mileage. We are all looking forward to good food in Gatlinburg tomorrow! We can¢t wait!
Date: 2023-04-19
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 4.9

Today was great because we got to resupply in Gatlinburg!! I didn¢t care that it was tourist-y! I loved all of it, because it had everything I needed and wanted in a mile strip!! We woke up early, around 6:30 to leave camp by 7:15. We needed to hike 5 miles to the gap to get on a shuttle by 10. We completed the five miles in 1 hour and 50 minutes. We were cookin¢!! I loved hiking in this area. I felt like I was in a fairy wonderland!! It was absolutely stunning with the large trees, abundance of moss, and sun barely peaking through. Some sections were covered in white wild flowers and smelled so fresh!!! These five miles have been some of the best!! We fit 12 hikers into the shuttle going into town. Once we got there we left our bags at NOC (the outfitter) while we went to get food. We ate Mexican food with truffle, chow town, charming, and cow. We had a ton of fun! Then we made our way to our hotel room for the night. The bed was so soft!! And we finally washed our clothes. We were so happy! The shower had amazing water pressure and plenty of hot water!!! These little things mean a lot to us!!After showering and cleaning clothes, we went to mellow mushroom for dinner. There we saw the Australian family and the three sisters (Captain, Walkie Talkie, Calculator)! We chatted for awhile with them and then went back to eat our meal outside overlooking the street. I loved today!!! And so did Nicholas. It was so much fun and relaxing!!! On our way back to the hotel we ran into the couple we met at clingman¢s dome. Great couple! We chatted on the street for over an hour and a half! We will definitely keep in touch with them!! The hotel is amazing, people are great, and I just loved today!! We have decided to not only be thru-hikers, but also thorough-hikers. Dinner conversation:Me: I¢m having a magnificent time. Except when I feel like my limbs are going to fall off. Nicholas: But did you die?Me: I thought I was getting my hiker hunger, but I thought wrong. Nicholas: What you¢re getting are eyes bigger than your stomach. Me: My hips and feet and legs ache every night that I go to sleep. Will I always be in pain?Nicholas: Yes, but you¢ll get used to it.
Date: 2023-04-20
From: Newfound Gap

To: PeckÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.5

Besides our feet killing us from walking on rocks, today was wonderful!! We woke up and took care of some things before getting onto the shuttle to Newfound Gap. When we arrived to the gap, the First Baptist Church that ran the shuttle had trail magic! Nicholas and I talked for an hour and a half to the church folks while drinking Dr. Peppers before we started our trek. We were happy and felt amazing!! The views were breathtaking. Most of our walking took places on ridges. At camp we met another hiker named Twister and he¢s a hoot! I really enjoyed chatting with him! He¢s so upbeat! Comfort was here as well and chatted with us. We also met Mighty Q, Mascot, and Tin Man. We talked with section hiker Heartbeat before we went to sleep. They were all kind and funny. I am happy to finally be laying down. Tonight is the first night we will be sleeping in a shelter.
Date: 2023-04-21
From: PeckÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9

We slept in the shelter last night, and it was rough! It was cozy, and although I was very warm I barely slept. Too many people getting up and about in the middle of the night to either pee or blow up their mats (Nicholas included). We finally got up at 7 but didn¢t leave until 9:15. My body felt slow and sluggish even though we were making a good pace! Lunch was great!! We took an hour lunch at the next shelter with Comfort, Twister, Sergeant, Heartbeat (and her friend), and Mighty Q. We all laughed a lot and told some funny stories. We used Nicholas¢s hanging backpack as a prop for his phone to take a picture of all of us! Then we began our trek to the next shelter. Tonight is our last night in the Smokies. After the Smokies it should be smooth sailing. Shelly was telling me that we will be able to hit 16 mile days instead of our 12. That¢s reassuring!! We tented at a site right before the shelter because the shelter was full and barely had any tent sites around. So Comfort greeted us and showed us a site that would fit our tent. He¢s always looking out for Nicholas and I! The site was off a little side trail, so Twister called it the honeymoon suite for the married couple. HA!! Then all of us from lunch including Low Key and couple of others sat around eating dinner together. Some section hikers were calling Comfort the mayor. So I deemed him the mayor of whoville! We all loved
Date: 2023-04-23
From: Pigeon River Bridge

To: Pigeon River Bridge
Miles today: 0.0

Finally another zero! Our bodies definitely needed a rest!! Tiffany and Josh drove us around North Carolina and we got to see some gorgeous views. North Carolina is absolutely stunning!! So much green and so many mountains!!! We drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway and we saw many waterfalls. I can¢t believe how many are near their home!! During our excursion we got some ice cream with warm homemade waffle cones! They were delicious!Before we left for our drive, we weighted ourselves. First time since starting trail. I weighed 136.6 lbs, so I have been sitting at the same weight for the past four weeks, which is good! That means I¢m eating enough. However, Nicholas now weighs 206! He has lost 16 lbs! Maybe I¢m not feeding him enough! ¢Here are your rations for today, lovely.¢ HA! But he¢s happy to be losing some weight. Josh¢s neighbor Jake and Brittany love that we are thru-hiking so they had us over for a magnificent dinner! We had steak, shrimp, Brussels sprouts, bri, pasta salad, and the list goes on! It was extremely kind of them to have us over for supper. They were generous hosts and extremely kind! We very much enjoyed ourselves. They even let us borrow a day pack, so we can slack-pack tomorrow. Slack-pack is when you hike your miles with a day pack instead of all of your gear because you¢re going to stay another night at the place you stayed the night before. It¢s late and Nicholas and I are happy to go to bed. What a wonderful day!