morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-03-21
To: Sunshine Man and The Shadow
Miles today: 0.0

Wishing you, Jon The "Sunshine Man" and Gregg The "Shadow", a safe and fun-filled trip:   Sunshine Man, your 3/4/04 Prep Entry #8 brought both smiles and memories to this old man. YES, you and I, indeed, have hiked together all over these beautiful Southern Appalachians. And, NO, I shall never truly be "computer accomplished", in spite of your diligent efforts in giving me a crash course on digital photos and trail journals.   The photo of Sunshine Man and The Shadow in that Prep Entry #8 is priceless! What a grand adventure the two of you will surely enjoy and share! And, without any doubt, Gregg at age 13, this is likely to be a trip of a lifetime and one of your most memorable experiences ever. Good for you Gregg in striving to complete your lofty and admirable goal of thru-hiking end-to-end with your Friend Jon. I look forward to carrying the two of you to Springer Mountain.   Also, it will be a pleasure Jon to type your daily entries to your Trail Journal. The Lake picture, above, taken by you Jon, is my personal view daily of our lovely Tryon, NC Mountains (hazed over in this particular picture) as seen over Lake Bowen from our SC home office from which I will be typing your daily journal entries.   For those of you hiking The AT in 2004, look for a lumbering tall guy wearing a University of Tennessee orange and white cap. That will be my Friend Jon The "Sunshine Man". Jon's very Dear Friend Randy, who loved so dearly The University of Tennessee, passed away a little over a year ago and Jon, as a result, is wearing the cap all the way to Katadin in memory of his Friend, Randy. And, too, Jon will be doing something else which I personally consider very special, in that Jon will be signing his trail entries in the shelters with a smiling sunshine over an orange letter "T". In that way, Jon feels that he can leave a little something of Randy all along The Trail. Had Randy not passed away, he assuredly would have hiked The Trail end-to-end, as Randy often talked of doing.Sure do wish I could be hiking right there with the two of you. However, I will at least be there with you vicariously "in Spirit" - and, with much support for you both.   So, now, "let your adventure begin" - on March 25th - at Springer Mountain. Hope to perhaps join the two of you atop Mt. Katadin.    "Good Luck",   Shoe ("Bion" Shoemaker), aka "The Bionic Man" P.S. Jon, remember telling me that in the event you ever saw a journal entry from me with one of your digital photos uploaded to it you might be able to accept that I am no longer so toally computer illiterate? Well, this is it Jon! Surely this amazing feat deserves being treated to a delicious Italian dinner on The Square at Dahlonega, GA the night before I put you two on The Trail at Springer on March 25th!
Date: 2004-03-25
From: Springer Mtn, Georgia

To: Tent, 1/2 mile South of Horse Gap
Miles today: 9.5

My Friend "Shoe" (Bion "Shoe" Shoemaker, aka "The Bionic Man" - who is the transcriber of my daily journals on this 165 days "hike" Northward), with whom I have backpacked many a mile over the years on The Appalachian Trail in The Southern Appalachians, drove us (transcriber says: Jon Armstrong, aka "Sunshine Man" - walked The Trail end-to-end, as a thru-hiker, from Springer Mtn, Georgia, to Mt. Katadin, Baxter State Park, Maine, in 1988, now age 66, - and, Greg, aka "The Shadow", age 13) to the parking lot just North of Springer Mtn. We walked the .9 (9/10) miles from the parking lot to the South Terminus, at Springer Mtn, where we signed the register and took some photos. It was then back to the car, grab our packs, and head off Northbound, after some more photos. We visited Laurel Falls, took pictures, and then enjoyed a short break. We were at Hawk Mtn Shelter (7.6 miles from Springer Mtn) by 12:30, when I discovered that I had lost my bottle of denatured alcohol. I walked back South on the Trail, but could not find it. We then walked back to Hawk Mtn Shelter and fixed lunch. Just as I was finishing lunch, in walked by alcohol bottle with another hiker who had found it on the trail. We left Hawk Mtn Shelter around 1:35PM with plans to walk to Horse Gap for a 10 mile day. However, we stopped a little short of that goal, ending up 1/2 mile South of Horse Gap for a total of 9.5 miles our first day out. We set up our tents for the night. We did not make it to Horse Gap as Greg was really tired by this time and we needed to stop. We found a place to camp in a little gap, somewhere South of Horse Gap. I figure we are near it - maybe 1/2 mile from Horse Gap. Greg is finding the hills to be tough. I think his pack is too heavy. We are going to have to get some weight out of his pack or he is not going to make it.Temperatures and weather are: 50 and cloudy at breakfast - 70 and sunny at lunch - Sunny at supper
Date: 2004-03-26
From: Tent, 1/2 mile South of Horse Gap

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Today, Greg appears to have a better attitude towards the hike. The two of us seem to be doing great for 8 miles, but then we suffer the last 2 miles. Today, I let myself get dehydrated and I had a real loss of energy once we got to Woody Gap. But, I loaded up with water there and about 2 hours later I began feeling better.We are camped in our tents tonight. Backpackers "552" and "Pension" are with us in their tents at Woody Gap.Temperatures and weather: 50 and cloudy at breakfast - 60 and sunny at lunch - 60 and sunny at supper.
Date: 2004-03-27
From: Woody Gap

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: clear sky

We left Woody Gap at 7AM. There were a lot of ups and downs before we got to Blood Mountain. But, then, all of a sudden, we were at Bird Gap with Blood Mountain dead ahead.We pulled into Neels Gap at 1PM and decided to call it quits for the day. We secured 2 bunk spaces, picked up our mail, showered, ate ice cream and did laundry. Backpackers "Bucket" and "Snowman" are here. We all left Springer Mtn. on the same day. They are young and hike much faster than we do. But, they sleep-in in the morning, whereas we are on our way with an early start each day.Tonight, the owner (of the hostel) took the whole bunk house of us backpackers to his house for a feast - yum!Temperatures and weather: 45 and cloudy at breakfast - 60 and sunny at lunch - 60 and cloudy at supper
Date: 2004-03-28
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: scattered clouds

We were out of the shelter by 6:30AM. It is really not all that hard; but, I just can not do the miles I used to do 16 years ago. When I got to Low Gap, I was bent over even though it was only 2PM. I took a bath and rehydrated myself. Boy, I'm sucking up a lot of water. Backpackers "Snowman" and "Bucket" are here at the shelter with us.Temperatures and weather: 50 and cloudy at breakfast - 70 and sunny at lunch -70 and sunny at supper.
Date: 2004-03-29
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a bear for me. The morning wasn't too bad, except for a climb up Blue(?) Mtn. where I found a little "trail magic". The magic was a fresh orange hanging in the shelter. Then, it was steeply down the mountain to Unicoi Gap and to more "trail magic". In the Gap was a cooler with soft drinks, gator aid, water, snacks, apples and oranges. Had a couple cokes and an apple. Then, it was 1,100 feet up Rocky Mtn and then 1,300 feet up Tray Mtn. Boy, at this point I sure could not say that I was having fun! My speed was down to about 1 mph. I finally made it to the shelter by 5PM. There were 2 spaces left for me and The Shadow, aka "The Mouth". At Low Gap Shelter the night before, the shelter crew of 7 took a vote and renamed him the "The Mouth". The vote was unanimous!Greg, aka "The Shadow", and now aka "The Mouth", is doing well. He has little trouble with the climbs and his feet seem to be OK now. One of my great pleasures on the trail is having a cell phone and being able to talk to my wife. Those talks are a real moral booster. Temperatures and weather: Cloudy at each meal (no temperatures given).
Date: 2004-03-30
From: Tray Mtn Shelter

To: Hiawassee Holiday Inn Express
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: light rain

After the long hike yesterday, the hike today was easier with just one 1,000 foot climb. But, still, I thought it would never end. We left the shelter at 8AM in the rain. As we were coming up Powell Mtn., we met Ginnis(PH) heading for Deep Gap Shelter to pick up a letter. He said he would be turning around immediately and coming back down to the Gap at Dicks Creek. He offered to drive us into Hiawassee. He arrived back at the Gap 5 minutes behind and drove us into Hiawassee. He dropped "Bucket" off at the Blue Berry Hostel. We checked into the Holiday Inn Express. We did our laundry, showered, went grocery shopping, and bought some denatured alcohol. We dropped our packages off at the motel and went to Daniels Steak House for an AYCE (all you can eat) dinner. There were 12 Thru-Hikers at the restaurant, including Bucket who hitched in from Blue Berry Hostel.Temperatures and weather: 45 and rain at breakfast - 55 and cloudy at lunch - 45 and cloudy/rain at supper.
Date: 2004-03-31
From: Hiawassee Holiday Inn Express

To: Plum Orchard Gap
Miles today: 4.5

We were up at 6:30AM and began packing our packs. At 7:30AM we were downstairs at the breakfast bar having cereal, bagels and cream cheese, hard boiled eggs, cinnamon rolls and butter, coffee and milk. We returned to the room and Greg watched TV and I read the newspaper. At 10:00AM, in a light rain, the manager drove us to the trail head. At Dicks Creek Gap it was sleeting. On the way to the shelter, it sleeted, rained and snowed on us. When we got to the shelter, Bucket was on his way out and Tin Man and Scarecrow were preparing to leave. Greg and I fixed a hot drink and had lunch and settled in for the day. Short day, but it is cold and looks like it is going to rain or snow and I don't want to subject myself to another long day or have to tent in freezing rain. So, we are staying.The shelter is nice and has 3 sleeping platforms and a covered picnic table. Nice design. Lightfoot, Pipe Smoke and Family of Five were there with us.Temperatures and weather: 45 and rain/snow at breakfast - 40 and cloudy at lunch - ? for supper.
Date: 2004-04-01
From: Plum Orchard Gap

To: Standing Indian
Miles today: 12.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Today the trail was fairly easy. However, the weather conditions were not very pleasant. It was cold and the wind was blowing up to 10-15 mph all day. In addition, it snowed all day. The snow was fine and shaped like little BB's. By 4PM, maybe an inch had accumulated at Standing Indian Shelter. Lightfoot, Pipesmoke and Scarecrow, Mike and Hot Rock were in the Shelter, along with a BSA leader who "blew" out his knees and planned to limp off the mountain the following day.Greg and I set up our tents and prepared for the night and then cooked dinner. After dinner, there was a fire going, which everyone enjoyed until dark. I like sleeping in my tent, as it is much warmer than sleeping in the shelter.Just before starting up Standing Indian Mtn., Greg and I found some "Trail Magic". It was a 20 ounce can of pineapple chunks in syrup which Greg and I split while sitting behind a car, which was the only spot out of the wind. We then discovered 2 Papst Blue Beers. I took one and put it in my pack to have with dinner. It was great - "thank you" to the "Trail Angel".Started 8AM and finished 4PM.Temperatures and weather: 30 and cloudy at breakfast - 35 and light snow at lunch - 30 and light snow at supper.
Date: 2004-04-02
From: Standing Indian

To: Big Spring
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: light rain

We slept in this morning. Normally we are up at 6AM and on the trail by 7AM. When it is really cold, it is hard to stand around fixing breakfast. So, we pack up and leave, and later on try to find a sunny spot to sit down and enjoy breakfast. Today we found a sunny spot, but about 3 minutes after we sat down the sun disappeared. Even so, I cooked some instant grits and hot tea. "Mouth" had a cold breakfast.Today, except for the weather, the hike was easy to Bear Pen Trail and USFS 17. Then came the climb up Albert Mtn. That climb was only 3 tenths of a mile, but it was a real bear. When we got to the top, all of the views were clouded over.We were at the shelter 15 minutes later and there were several spaces open. After dinner, 3 or 4 hikers came in and we are packed in like sardines. Wish I had set up my tent. It turned cold - 30 degrees and the temperature was dropping when I got in my sleeping bag at 7:00PM.Started 8AM - Finished 4:05PM.Temperatures and weather: 29 and cloudy at breakfast - 35 and light snow at lunch - 30 and light snow (windy all day) at dinner.
Date: 2004-04-03
From: Big Spring

To: Rainbow Springs Camp Ground
Miles today: 6.0

Had a lousy night's sleep! Greg and I were up at 6:11AM and out on the trail by 6:35AM. We originally planned to go into Franklin, NC. But, when I realized it was Saturday, I was afraid getting a ride out of Franklin might be difficult on Sunday. We elected instead to go to Rainbow Springs Camp Ground. "Mouth" and I were at Old Highway 64 shortly after 9AM and were in time to catch a ride back to the camp ground with the fellow who brought everybody from the campground back to the trail. We timed that perfect. Pipe Smoke joined us and the 3 of us have rented cabin #4.After taking showers, we went to the camp store and I got some coffee, a cheeseburger, and more coffee, and a pint of Ben and Jerry's. While we ate, we did our laundry and then we went to the outfitters building and purchased some alcohol for our stoves.Tonight we are invited to a cookout. Hawk has his family here and they are going to do a cookout. Alright!Temperatures and weather: 35 and cloudy at breakfast - Sunny at lunch - ? at dinner.
Date: 2004-04-04
From: Rainbow Springs Camp Ground

To: Licklog Gap
Miles today: 15.4

We had a really great stay at Rainbow Springs Campground. Mouth and I along with Pipe Smoke rented cabin # 4. The cabin looked kinda of rustic from the outside, but inside it was equipped with new everything. It was very comfortable. We spent the whole day yesterday eating, cleaning our clothes, buying some food items, calling home, and getting our packs ready for our move north. Hawk and his wife Peggy cooked hamburgers for us with all the trimmings. Pipe Smoke got a ride into town and returned with 2 six packs of beer which added to the treat. Great food, great people.At 8:15 AM, Peggy dropped Mouth and I, Pipe Smoke and Hawk off at the trail at Old 64. The climb out of the gap was up, up, and more up. 2 and a half miles later we crossed new 64 and started up Silers Bald (a 1,00 foot climb) followed by Wayah Bald (a 1,200 foot climb). We pretty much climbed up and down all day.We planned to stay at a campsite on the North side of Wayah Bald, but we missed the site and walked on to Lick Log Gap where there was water. There were 10-12 others camped at the gap.After we set up our tents, Greg went for water which was nearly a half mile away. After dinner it began getting pretty cold. There was a nice fire going, but unless you constantly turned yourself, you quickly got cold on the side facing away from the fire. It was off to bed and a warm sleeping bag.I'm not sure what is going on, but it seems that I am retaining an awful lot of fluid. When I get up in the morning, my eyes have these fluid sacks over them and my hands are always puffy and swollen. It does not seem to have any negative effect on my hiking, but I wonder what is happening. I would think with all the sweat effort I was putting forth that I would not be retaining fluid.
Date: 2004-04-05
From: Licklog Gap

To: Rufus Morgan Shelter
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: clear sky

Woke up to a beautiful sunrise at Lick Log Gap. I did not have to do anything except open my tent flap to enjoy the great view. I did not get out of my tent right away because it was cold, about 25 degrees. Somewhere around 7:45 AM I forced myself out of my warm sleeping bag. I got Greg up and we agreed that since it was so cold, we would stick a cold breakfast bar in our pocket and eat on the trail while walking. On these cold mornings you really need to start generating some heat and the only way to do that is put on the pack and hike. We were on the trail within 25 minutes of getting out of our bags.We did stop at Big Spring shelter, about 60 minutes up the trail. The sun was shinning into the shelter and the wind was blacked by the shelter. We took the opportunity to heat some water and fix some hot chocolate. We stopped later at Tellico Gap for lunch and then we started up Wesser Mtn. When we gained the top we decided we would go off the Mtn. to Rufus Morgan Shelter which is .8 miles from Wesser, NC. The trail down the mtn. was long with a lot of humps you had to climb over. We made it to the shelter at 5:00 PM.At the shelter we were greeted by a hiker with a 13 month old Golden Retriever/lab dog. The 2 of them had taken over a 1/3 of the shelter. The first bad vibe was when Greg set down some food and the dog made a move for it.The second bad vibe was all the hair the dog was shedding all over the shelter. I decided I would not stay in the shelter and set up my tent nearby.I had a great nights sleep, but again when I woke up I was troubled by the amount of fluid I was retaining as was evidenced by the size of my hands and the puffiness of my face.
Date: 2004-04-06
From: Rufus Morgan Shelter

To: N.O.C.
Miles today: 0.8

Well this morning was confrontation time. The guy with the lab/setter was paying absolutely no attention to his dog who was going around sniffing and peeing on everything 6" or higher. Of course the dog headed right for my tent and sniffs it at which time I yanked the dog away and yelled for the owner to call his dog. The owner, who up to that time had paid no attention to his dog, said my dog has never peed on anyone's tent. Of course had he peed on my tent he would never have known because he wasn't tending to his dog. I told him he better control his dog because if his dog peed on my tent I would hurt his dog. His comment was that I was one of those dog haters and that before I harmed his dog, I would have to harm him first. I'm not one to back away from a confrontation, so I got right in his face and told him that would not be a problem.You would think maybe I hate dogs, but that is not true. I hate people who do not manage their dogs.Greg and I packed up and were at NOC by 8:30 AM, in time to buy breakfast at the Riverside Restaurant. After breakfast we secured bunk house space in the Tsali bunkhouse. We obtained our resupply boxes and walked up the mtn. to our bunkhouse. After we cleaned up and repacked our packs, we came back down to the outfitter store where we purchased ice cream and then sat in the sun beside the Nantahala River watching the trout rise to bugs floating down the river. At 4:00 PM we went back to the Riverside Restaurant for an early dinner.High Tower and Red Hank have joined us in the bunk house. We will all leave early in the morning to begin the 3,300 foot climb up to Cheoah Bald at 5,062 feet. The climb is spread over a little more than 6 miles. To kind of give you a sense of the climb, it is like climbing the 550' tall Washington Monument once for every mile of forward progress.
Date: 2004-04-07
From: N.O.C.

To: Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Greg and I were up and away at 7:15 AM. I knew the climb ahead would be tough and I wanted to get an early start. It was as expected, tough! We climbed all morning and did not reach Cheoah Bald until 1:45 PM with a 45 minute stop for lunch and a couple 10 minute breaks. Greg has no problem with the climbs or the downhills. He is always well out in front of me waiting for me to catch up. I on the other hand walk at a slow but steady pace. Going up hill I try to keep my heart rate within a normal exertion range and going downhil I'm very careful about where I place my feet and I'm almost always in control of my downward descent. If I hurry I know that I will eventually take a header off the trail and at my age that could spell trouble. After reaching the bald we had 5 1/2 miles to go to Stecoah Gap which involved several more climbs. We reached the gap at 6:00 PM and camped in the picnic area right beside the highway. There were 6 others who were also tenting in the gap. One of those tenting was a woman with her dog "Wags". What a nice and well behaved dog. The contrast between "Wags" and her owner and "Bo" and his owner were like night and day. After we set up we fix dinner and prepared for the night. Not too long after we got into our tents it started raining. About 2 AM I awoke with the sensation that I was not able the breathe. I opened the flap of my tent as I sometime suffer from mild claustrophobia. The open flap did nothing to help. The only relief was from sitting upright. When I set up my tent, my head was slightly downhill and I decided that was the problem. I got out of my tent about 2:30 AM and pulled up my tent pegs and lifted and turned my tent around.After restaking my tent I got back into my bag and wrapped my fleece jacket around my down vest to use as a pillow to elevate my head. Well this seemed to work and I went back to sleep with no further problems.
Date: 2004-04-08
From: Stecoah Gap

To: Fontana Village
Miles today: 14.0

The rain cleared out during the night and although it was cloudy, it was a very comfortable day. We fixed breakfast and were away by 8:00 AM. The trail between Stecoah Gap and Fontana Village is like a dragon's back. We climbed and descended all day long over "PUD" after "PUD". PUD's are pointless ups and downs. The conference claims the trail is very narrow through this area and thus they have no other choice but to take you over 1 PUD after another. Yeah right! Greg and I had stopped for several breaks and lunch along the way and when we started down the last mountain he was ahead of me and was going to wait for me at the road. Well when I got to the road Greg was no where in sight. Several 100 yards further was another road and I figured that he had gone on to that road. When I got there, Greg again was no where in sight. I took off my pack and waited and finally from up the mountain I heard him call out. He had called out earlier but I could not understand what he was saying. Apparently he had said he had to step off the trail to take care of some business. I had passed him without seeing him. All worked out well because the driver of the last shuttle to the Village had seen me and had come back to give us a ride to the Inn. She patiently waited about 5 minutes until Gregg showed up and we got a ride to the motel.The Village Inn has a hiker room rate that is $34.00 a night, including all taxes, for 2 people in a room with 2 queen size beds. We got to our room and lost no time getting out of our hiking clothes, taking a hot shower and putting on some "cleaner" clothes. After that we went to the AYCE buffet in the hotel and spent some 60 minutes eating. Greg ate one of every kind of pie offered, starwberry, chocolate, lemon, pecan, and coconut. That was in addition to a salad and a big platter of turkey alfredo and 4 or 5 Mr. Pibbs. Boy you do learn to appreciate food out here. While we ate we could sit there and look out over the Smokies where we would be in a couple days.Greg's mom and dad are expected to arrive here friday and spend friday and part of saturday with Greg.