morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-04-14
From: Wayah Gap

To: Nantahala River
Miles today: 7.9

It is supposed to rain today. Bullwinkle is at the end of his section hike so he is rneting a car to drive home. He and Ali Baba may plant the cars and we will all slack pack the last 8 miles from Tellico Gap to NOC.Headed out a 9 am to find Bullwinkle a rental car. There were none here, so we drove to Bryson City. There we found out the closest car rental place was the airport in Asheville. I called Hawk Eyes to see if she wanted to be a trail angel and give Bullwinkle a ride to Asheville. Turned out she was on her way to NOC with some friends! Unbelievable trail magic! We ate breakfast at Burger King and headed for Tellico Gap. We tried to go a different way and ended up on a very scary mountain road. When we got back to the main road we discovered we had gone around in a loop and were near where we had started. Bullwinkle drove the car back to NOC and Amy, Ali Baba and I started our 8 mile hike at about 11:30.It was somewhat overcast--temps 60-70 today. I took off first and went the wrong way. Luckily, I recognized a fallen tree about 10 minutes in and turned around. A&A were surprised to see me come up behind them. I stayed pretty even with them the first couple of hours nad we talked. One thing I know I don't give a good sense of in this journal is all the great conversations on the trail.I picked up the pace and pulled ahead. I wnated to get into NOC ahead of them and have a little time there. Driving up from below gave me a sense of where I was heading today. When I got to the lookouts I enjoyed the views of NOC and the river valley getting closer and closer. I also enjoyed that this section of trail wound down and around the mountain. Big elevation drop today. A couple of spots were steep, rocky and exposed--a little scary.The rain held off almost all day. Around 3:30 I started getting the creeps. Ithought maybe there was a bear around, but then realized it was going to rain and went faster. Shortly after, I heard thunder in the distance. I did not want to be on that mountain in a thunderstorm carrying metal poles. I got to Rufus Morgan Shelter, about 0.8 miles from NOC. I did that last bit in 15 minutes, running when I could. I flew down that trail--it is amazing what one can do when motivated!I just beat the rain. Got into NOC about 4:20. I hung around there for an hour and finally thought to look for a pay phone to call Steve. We were talking when A&A came in a little after 6 pm. We ate supper (hamburger, salad and ice cream--yes, I went to the dark side) and went back to the cabin and hung out until bed. My period started, which will probably be a total drag out in the woods, but at least I have not been hauling these Tampax around for nothing.
Date: 2007-04-15
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Sunday, April 15Song: Whatever Would I Be, Dusty Springfield & Daryl HallSpent most of the day up in the cabin. Went down for breakfast in the morning with Amy and Ali Baba. We all did a little shopping and I called Steve to finalize our plant to meet. I sure do miss him. A & A drove me back up to the cabin. We had great conversations all morning. Amy is interested in diet and Chinese herbal medicine so I yakked about that a bunch. She told me about some of her experiences in the Marines. She was a drill sergeant for two years and a support person in Iraq for six months, among other things. She also has two kids, Marcus, 12, and Sydney, 6.Before we left the cabin this morning Ali Baba and I read aloud our journal entries for the last couple of days. We were both astounded by the trail magic with HawkEyes and Bullwinkle and wanted to hear each other's perspective. Amy and Ali Baba were great. They were very generous with their time and resources as well as great company--intelligent, caring and humorous.I spent the rest of the day up in the cabin knitting and watching videos. I decided to eat some of my trail food rather than try to get back to NOC for meals (2 miles each way). It got stormy in the evening, snowing a little, cold and windy. The lights flickered a couple of times, which was a little freaky--all the heat is electric. I realized I was pretty isolated up there which made me a little nervous, but I decided not to borrow trouble. No sense worrying.
Date: 2007-04-16
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Monday, April 16Song: Political Science, Randy Newman 9 am. It is a beautiful day out there--clear and cold. I'd be hiking but I decided to stay one more day and get the worst of my period over before I hit the trail. I headed down to NOC just after 7 am. I was soon joined by a woman walking down there for her first day on the job at guest services. A local man who used to do maintenance at NOC and now works there a couple days a week offered us a ride. I went as far as the Food Mart where I returned my videos and told them I wanted the cabin for one more night. I have to stop back there after 11 am to pay.On my way out of the cabin I noticed Ali Baba's knee brace on the floor by the door. I think he will be heading back here today so I left it at the Food Mart. I should have gotten his cell number. As I was leaving the Food Mart a young guy asked me if I was a hiker and offered me a ride to NOC. He had hiked a fair amount of the southern section, had gotten a lot of help from people along the way and liked to give back. He had an adorable mostly wolf/malamute puppy named Cochise. Cochise and I played all the way there.I just finished breakfast with WishBone, Benjani, Jake, Robo, Gray Turtle and one last guy whose name I didn't retain. They are all heading out this morning. I probably won't see them again until I flip-flop. As I am writing this Weatherman and Birdie arrived. Weatherman is not sure if he is heading out today or not. Now I have some time to kill before I head back up the hill to pay for the room. Glad I brought my knitting. Weatherman decided to come back up to the cabin with me. We spent the afternoon and evening talking and watching videos.
Date: 2007-04-17
From: Nantahala River

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: clear sky

Tuesday, April 17Song: Come Away With Me, Norah JonesI heard the song at breakfast this morning and it was playing in my head all day. I called Steve this morning to have him email Amy that Ali Baba¢s knee brace would be down at NOC. I left it in the hiker box with a note. I can¢t wait to see Steve. Only 9 days and 94 miles to go!I had breakfast with Weatherman and then took off about 10 am. It was sunny all day, temps 60-80, not as windy as it has been though there were a few gusts. I took it easy today--well, as easy as one can take it going up 3,300 feet in 6.8 miles with 10 days worth of food on one¢s back. I guess you could say I took it slowly.Now I am at Sassafras Gap Shelter with Weatherman, Just Jack, Hong Kong Fooey, Elven, Thomas and TreeWork. TreeWork¢s brother goes to Virginia Tech where the shooting was yesterday. His brother is OK. I am kind of discouraged today at my slow speed: 9.1 miles in ten hours including breaks.
Date: 2007-04-18
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: overcast clouds

Wednesday, April 18Tough day today; lots of straight uphill. Started at 7 am, had temps 50-65 throughout the day. I ran in to Ali Baba breaking camp at Locust Cove Gap. He stopped into the Food Mart on Monday to get his brace, but it was a different woman behind the counter and she did not look very hard for it. He bought a new one that was working fine. I stopped here for a feet care and tooth brushing break.I stopped again around Stecoah Gap. There was a woman from Asheville who gave us OJ and took our trash. A couple from Canada via England made us cheese and crackers and made me a cup of tea. I rested for an hour, chatting with Just Jack and TreeWork.I was hoping to go further today. The 2.4 miles from Stecoah Gap to the shelter took me 2 hours. There was a long stretch that was straight up over the mountain. Then a stretch about 20 feet wide and straight down on either side where I could see views both directions. The shelter is full: Hong Kong Fooey, Michigan Wolverine, Sven, Uff-da, TreeWorks, Big Daddy, iPod and someone else just came in. It is starting to rain so I am staying inside the shelter.
Date: 2007-04-19
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Thursday, April 19Song: 500 Miles (I don¢t know, it just keeps going through my head.)Today was another tough day, though not as bad as yesterday. My stamina is just not what it was last week. It was a beautiful day, temps 50-65, mostly sunny. I left Brown Fork Gap at 7:45 am and arrived at the Fontana Hilton about 7:30 pm. At 4:30 I came across a nice campsite three miles from the shelter as it was starting to sprinkle. I sat, ate and weighed the pros and cons of stopping versus going on. I had run into Half Pint earlier in the day and she wants to do some slack packing, but is not getting to Fontana Dam until tomorrow night. Finally, it was the prospect of a phone call to Steve that kept me going.When I got to the shelter Wolverine encouraged me to stick to my plan and head into the Smokys tomorrow. I had a shower and now need to go to sleep as it is almost 10 pm. Just want to add that the hike along the ridge and then down to the dam was gorgeous, although I was so tired I had to keep reminding myself to enjoy it.
Date: 2007-04-20
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: broken clouds

Friday, April 20I saw Elven leaving Fontana Dam last night on my way to the shower; she was driving out with the goat trailer. I got up about 6:30 packed up and went to the bathroom to drink my protein powder (so I could wash the pot afterward). I changed my clothes and filled out my permit for the Smokys. I got started a little before 9:00 and hit the trailhead at 9:40. The Band-Aid Kid took my picture for me on the dam.It was a beautiful, sunny day. I was still having trouble getting going. I hiked uphill for an hour and considered turning back but kept on going. Two local gentlemen (North Carolina and Knoxville) joined me and walked behind me chatting until we hit Shuckstack Mountain. What a lifesaver! I finally was able to pick up the pace and get moving again. I got to Mollie¢s Ridge Shelter a little before 6 pm.It was a good day. The last 1.5 miles up was a bit challenging, but my stamina was back. As soon as I got to the shelter I was a little bummed out and thinking maybe I was done. I was feeling tired, overworked and bored. Except for the bored part, it felt like most of the rest of my adult life. I don¢t need to be out here to know how to deal with being tired and uncomfortable. Then Privy Winks lit a fire in the fireplace, which is also closed off with a huge tarp. Mapless joined us and we had a great time laughing and joking around. I sat and knitted by the fire. Now it is cold and I am going to sleep. All of my stuff is hung up or in the sleeping bag with me because there are mice.
Date: 2007-04-21
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: broken clouds

Saturday, April 21I woke up a little depressed. Heard the birds singing and knew it was at least 6:30. I stalled for a few minutes and got up a bit before 7:00. It took a while to get packed and eat breakfast. I got started about 8:40.The first three miles were pretty easy; I was a little down. I had a dream that bothered me and I was thinking about an unpleasant interchange I had with someone a couple of days ago, so I had myself a little cry. Then I walked a ways and pulled my dried fruit and nuts out of my pocket, the bag broke and spilled half of it on the trail. I noticed my really gross hankie had come loose from my belt loop so I backtracked about five minutes to find it. I was a pretty slow start.The next three miles (Russell Shelter to Spence Shelter) were mostly up, but gradual. I stopped at the cutoff to the shelter, had lunch and did foot care. Next was a challenging 6+ miles of hiking. The walk up to Rocky Top was steep, but not too long. When I got up almost to the top I met three day hikers who said there was cell coverage at the top, so when I got there I called Steve to tell him to be sure to bring yarn if I hadn¢t put it on the list and to steal me little packets of mayo and relish if he or one of his friends go to Burger King. One of the guys up there thought that was hilarious¢he thought I was going to ask for a Whopper with cheese. I took pictures for a group of section hikers that was up there. They were a group of eight staying at Spence. They took my picture for me, too.The section from Rocky Top to the shelter was quite difficult. Before that, the trail was mostly very narrow and lined with grass and/or wildflowers. Much of the forest is carpeted with a small white flower with pink stripes called spring beauties. In places the trail has been beaten down so far by horses that it is like walking in a ditch. After Rocky Top much of it changed¢it was wider and several stretches were strewn with small to medium sized rocks that are hard on the feet. It was also a stretch of PUDs (pointless ups and downs) of the very steep variety. There were at least three very steep climbs.The one downhill section that wasn¢t too steep (coming down from Sugar Tree Gap) I went really fast to make up some time because I thought I had been going pretty slowly and I hadn¢t seen anything to know how far I had come. I got to Derrick Knob Shelter about 7:30 pm. I¢m sharing the shelter with James (Sir Privy Winks) and two sections hikers, Pat and Marty. Pat has hiked the Smokies a lot and said today was the best day she had ever seen, weather-wise. It stayed overcast until late afternoon so it was cooler than yesterday. I took my zip-off pant legs for the first time and the backs of my legs were a little sunburned.
Date: 2007-04-23
From: Mt Collins Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Monday, April 23This morning I woke up thinking I might share a shuttle to Gatlinburg with Portland (Greg). I checked the trail guide to see if I could pull it off and still get to Davenport Gapt to meet Steve and decided to go. Portland and I did a slow and easy five miles to Newfound Gap. We started talking to a couple in the parking lot and Greg mentioned we needed a ride. A couple of minutes later when I was getting ready to call for a shuttle the woman, Jama, came over and offered us a ride. She took our pictures for us at the NC/TN line and then Bob loaded our gear into the trunk and they kindly took us to town. It was fun talking to them. They were taking a trip to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. They sure made our day easier. Thanks, Jama and Bob!We got to town and headed to the Happy Hiker Outfitter. Outside we ran into Wolverine, Big Daddy, and iPod. They were heading back out to the trail. We went up the street to the Grand Prix motel, a ¢hiker friendly¢ motel. The sign on the door said they were shuttling hikers and would be back soon. We walked a couple of blocks to the store where I got a roast beef and swiss cheese hoagie and coleslaw. (I did not eat the bread.) My trail food is so concentrated I could not even finish the coleslaw so I gave it to another hiker who was waiting to check into the motel.We waited and I knitted for two hours until 3 pm then decided to go do errands and come back later. Greg needed to get to the post office before it closed. Just as we were leaving the proprietress returned and we checked in. We took the trolley to do our errands, which was cool, but it went all over the place so it took a long time. Greg walked into the post office at 4:59, one minute til closing. We went to the grocery store and took the trolley back to No Way Jose¢s for supper. They were playing salsa and meringue music. I want to dance!Back at the motel we still needed to do laundry. We have so little that Greg and I decided earlier to put it all in one load. Greg was nice enough to start it while I was truing to make a phone call for Wolfhound. He had locked himself out of his room and asked me to call the emergency number as the office is closed from 9 pm to 8 am. I didn¢t have cell coverage and could not get the phone in my room to work. I ran into Fred and Yellow Jacket by the office. Fred had coverage and let me call for Wolfhound. The guy who answered was a bit snotty telling me I was the second person who had called but backed off when I said, ¢Well I didn¢t know that.¢Then I called Steve so he could call me back. It took him three tries but he finally got through to me in my room. Finally, I got to take a bath! The shower did not work, neither did the alarm clock. By the time I did all that, the laundry and some journaling, it was 11 pm. It was a good day because of low miles, lots of sitting and good food, but it was stressful and tiring in a different way.
Date: 2007-04-24
From: Newfound Gap

To: Pecks Corner Shelter
Miles today: 10.4
Weather: light rain

Tuesday, April 24We were in such a hurry to do errands yesterday tht we forgot to arrange for a shuttle back to the trail. The office was closed when we got back so we couldn't do it then. Yellow Jacket said there were four of them she knew of signed up to the 8 am shuttle, which could take six, so Greg and I decided to show up a little before and hopefully ge on board, otherwise we would have to wait until noon. I heeded to do 10 miles to stay on track. I wokeup at 3:30 am and couldn't get back to sleep so I read a book in the bathe after putting acupuncture needles in my face. Afterward I still could not sleep so I knitted and watched TV. For breakfast I soft boiled some eggs in the coffee maker and cantelopePortland (Greg) and I arrived at the office to await the suttle at 7:45. The proprietor got there shortly afterward with a box of warm Krispy Kreme donuts. His wife had the keys to the van so we had to wait until she arrived. While waiting until she got there at 9:00 I had some coffee, another half of a donut and chatted with Fred, Yellow Jacket, Half Pint and Copperhead. On the ride to Newfound Gap we got out of the van to watch a mother bear and her two cubs that have been in the area for abour two weeks.We got on the trail about 9:40. Shortly after that it started to rain so I covered my pack and zipped off my pant legs so they would be dry later. Greg went on ahead. I caought up with him, Copperhead and Half Pint at Charlie's Bunion. They were about ready to leave when I got there. Half Pint offered to take my picture for me but I was starving and more interested in eating my lunch. It sprinkled a bit more as I was leaving Charlie's Bunion and that was it for the day. Overcast and cool, perfiect hiking weather. Cold weathere is great for hiking but bad for stopping; warm weather is bad for hiking and great for stopping. Today was great for both.There was lots of ridge walking like yesterday with good views dispite the gray day. When I caught up with Greg he askied if I'd hike with him a while as he could use the conversation. We hiked almost all the way to Pikes Corner Shelter together. I needed to stop for a break at 4 pm and he kept going. I sat on a rock on the side of the trail and looked out over the valley.I got to the shelter at 5:15; Greg was trying to figure out the shortest way out of the park. His knee had had it. About ten minutes later one of the park rangers who hunt wild hogs (aninvasive species they are trying to erradicate) showed up. He took Greg's medical information, radioed it in and arranged for Greg to be taken out tomorrow on horseback. The rangerstuck around for a while telling us about their camps and what they do out here. I listened while I ate supper and got my bed ready. I'd been up since 3:45 am so I didn't talk much. I got in bed at 7:30, wrote in my journal for 15 minutes and fell asleep. The shelter was fairly full: Greg, Yellow Jacket, Gopher, BigFoot, Laura and 2 or 3 others.
Date: 2007-04-25
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Wednesday, April 25Song: Ain't No Mountain High EnoughAnother great day of hiking. Got started about 7:40 and reached Cosby Knob Shelter at 5:15 pm. It was cloudy but did not rain. The ranger told us to hang our packs on the bear cables because bears had carried off and destroyed packs looking for food. I was the only one who complied. My lunch yesterday was a little leaky and I was afraid that it had gotten into the pack.About an hour after I started the wind came up and blew the clouds away. It was sunny the rest of the day but not too hot. The early part of the day was uphill over Mt Springer but well graded and not too steep. Fred, Yellow Jacket and I were all pleased when we got to the cutoff to Tri-Corner Knob Shelter sooner than we thought we would. Most of the afternoon was downhill. The grade wasn't too bad but the trail was eroded and rocky. I stopped about 3:30 for a trail break for my feet and knitted for a while.The exciting part of the day came at Cosby Knob Shelter where we had a visitor of the ursine variety. It was large and alone, probably a male. We all got quiet and took pictures. Then Greg did the right thing and started yelling at it, throwing rocks and chasing it away. The bear came back a couple more times. Greg and BigFoot chase it away. It stayed downhill from the shelter a little further away until dark when it circled up by the privy. Greg called the ranger station to report the bear. They said to make noise, chase it away and build a fire. We collected what wood we could but the pickings were pretty slim.I finished square 4 of the of the Appal-afghan. Further announce he was going to the privy to take one last dump, paused and said he hoped it wouldn't be the last dump. Again, I was th only one who hoissted my pack. I said maybe I would have to hoist myself up on the cables since my pants probably smelled like food. Fred thought that was funny and said we needed a hammock so they could string me up for the night. Further built a fire at dusk; it didn't last long with the wood that we had. Everyone turned in about 10:00 after some great conversation.