morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-03-14
From: Blue Mt. Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Had a good night at Blue Mt. shelter. The weather is still good. Expecting a big change tomorrow. I met two guys from New Mexico, KZ & Fenceman. They are retired civil engineers. Fenceman claims to be 63. My guess would be closer to 70 (just kidding Fenceman). I have hiked some with Buckles. He started his hike in Nov. The weather turned mean and he left the trail. That's a tough time to start a hike. Anyway, when I was passing through Unicoi Gap, he was getting back on the trail. I also met a father and son from Mississippi. Right now I'm hiking pretty much alone. However, I do seeother hikers during the day. Went over Rocky & Tray Mts. Tray was a two mi. climb, but Rocky was the tougher of the two. It's all up and down out here.It seem to be a lot more up than down. However, sometimes the descends are more difficult than the ascends. Right now it's all tough.                                                                     Well I got my water for cooking, fixed my supper, ate, brushed, flossed, wiped the bod w/camp towel & answered nature's call. These are just some of the things I do before I go to sleep each night. I am usually very tired, and I don't feel like doing any of that stuff. Right now the temp. is dropping, and it's starting to rain. Look's like a bumpy night.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-15
From: Neel's Gap

To: Blue Mt. Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Had a great spaghetti supper at the Hostel. Up early and hiking by 7:15. It's not daylight here until about 7:30. My plan was to go about 11 to the next shelter. I got to the shelter around 1:00. It was to early to stop, so I kept going. I only planned to go a short ways, but I couldn't find a place to camp that had a water source. I was low on water and didn't have nearly enough to cook with, so I kept going. I ended up at the next shelter 10.5 hrs & 17 miles away. Later in the hike this would be a routine day. Plan a short hike tomorrow, and then in to Hiawassee on Friday.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-16
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Dick's Creek
Miles today: 10.6

It rained all during the night. The temp. dropped about 20 degrees. Stayed dry in the shelter. Packed up at before daylight and was on the trail by 8:00. It was windy, wet and cold. I had a little over 10 miles to the road at Dick's Creek Gap. The big climb today was over Kelly's Knob. It was a tough mile up the Knob, and my legs felt like jelly when I got to the top. It was too cold to stop, so I kept walking. About five hrs. later I got to Dick's Creek. Mickey One Sock, a former Thru hiker, just pulled into the Gap. He shuttled me and Rattler into Hiawassee. I'm going to take a zero day tomorrow. The temp. tonight in the mountains will be in the teens. I will be warm and dry in Hiawassee.Mississipi Mule
Date: 2007-03-18
From: Dick's Creek

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: clear sky

Cold night but made it ok. Had a sleeping bag full of gear I didn't want to freeze. I started walking at 8:30. I'm having a hard time getting used to day breaking at 7:30. It's hard to start walking before 8:00. Right now I'm hiking in the middle of a pack of youngsters(18-24). They appear to be very nice. My body and gear are both holding up well. I have a couple of small blisters, but they are not a problem. My feet do hurt after a long day, but that's normal. Pilot just walked in the shelter area. He put in a long day to get here. I haven't seen him since Hiawassee. Plan to hitch into Franklin tomorrow. Will only stay the night. Getting close to the Smokies. Happy Trails.Mississipp Mule
Date: 2007-03-19
From: Standing Indian Shelter

To: Big Spring Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.4
Weather: scattered clouds

Started hiking at 8:00. Nice morning. The warm air has returned. Hiked on and off today with Pilot and Johnny Mud. Johnny Mud had a knee replacement in Sept. I don't know how he does it with all the climbing and steep down hills. Went over the 100 mile mark today. Really not much of a milestone when the trail is 2176 miles. Step by step, day by day-- we'll see. Jack, who is a friend of a friend, will be starting his hike April 1. Jack, I know you're geared up and ready to go. I hope the weather is as good for your start, as it was for mine. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-20
From: Big Spring Gap

To: Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Up early and hiking by 7:15. Long day planned, so needed an early start. The weather continues to be good. Hiked most of the day withPilot. He's an interesting fellow. He has a Phd., was a army Colonel, and worked for the U.S. State Dept. We have been hiking in the same area for the last couple of days. I also saw KZ, Fenceman, Rattler, and Johnny Mud today. I saw Bluets blooming today fairly high up on the mountain, the first signs that the forest is waking from its winter sleep. The bears will be coming out of hibernation soon. Will be at the Nantahala Outdoor Center(Noc) tomorrow. Hope to sleep in their bunkroom and head for Fontana Dam on Friday. Fontana is the gateway to the Smoky Mountains. Today was a good day hiking and tomorow should be just as good. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-21
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Tellico Gap
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

Another good weather day. We are really getting spoiled out here. Things will even out later, I'm sure. Short hike into the NOC today. Will stay in the bunkhouse tonight. This is a big whitewater rafting spot and would be a good place to visit again. Lately I have been hiking with Pilot. He had an emergency at home and left the trail today. He was geting stronger every day and would have been a strong hiker. This is life on the AT. You see someone today, and they could be gone tomorrow. I hope he can come back and hike some more. Anyway, Pilot, it was nice knowing you, and I hope we meet again. Will be moving closer to the Smokies tomorrow. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-22
From: Tellico Gap

To: NOC
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: scattered clouds

The hike went well today. A lot of up and down. I climb up, and I climb down. I walk over rocks, boulders and roots. Sometimes I walk on a clean foot path. That's the nature of the AT. The trail is what it is. If you want to stay out here, you get up most every day and hike. Yesterday Pilot had to leave the trail because he was needed at home. A little while later, I was reunited with CNN. They are Charles and Nancy, a husband and wife team. We hiked together in '04. They are strong hikers in my age group. They have a passion for the AT. We hiked together today and will continue through the Smokies. After the Smokies, they will take a short break before returning to the trail. They are good people. Hope this good weather will last through the Smokies. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-23
From: Noc

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

Early 7:15 start. Weather still sunny and warm. We will pay for all this nice weather down the road. Had a couple of big climbs today. Seems like there are big climbs every day. Still hiking with Charles and Nancy. We hike about the same pace, so it's a good fit. They are really nice folks. We will hike through Smokies together. I saw more mountain flowers blooming today. The mountains will be bursting with color soon. After today's hike, we are at the gateway to the the Smokies. We are going to try and get through quickly to take advantage of this good weather. The Smokies can be a tough place to hike when the weather is bad. Gear and body seem to be holding up well. Happy TrailsMississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-24
From: Stecoah Gap

To: N.C. 28
Miles today: 17.1

Date :3/27Start:Derrick Knob ShelterStop :Newfound GapMiles:18Started walking before daylight. Had at least three long tough climbs before noon. It was cloudly and hot most of the day. However, on top of the mountains, it was cool and breezy.The views were not good because of the clouds and haze. I have developed blisters on the side of each heel. It's more of an aggravation, than a problem. Hope to be out of the Smokies in two days. Hot Springs, NC. is on my radar screen. Heard today that Short Timer was successful in his Phd defense. That's great news. I will be getting off the trail in eary May for his graduation. For now, hike on. Happy trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-25
From: N.C. 28

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 22.7
Weather: clear sky

Date :3/27Start:Fontana DayStop :Derrick Knob ShelterEntered the Smoky Mountains early this morning. It's another warm morning. You can begin to smell spring in the air. More flowers are starting to bloom. There was a lot of climbing for the first five hours. Some of the climbs seemed to go on forever. At times my legs felt like jelly. You keep going up. The summit seems near. Then you round the bend, and you see more up. Finally you're at the top. The descent starts, and it alway seems much shorter than the ascent. This goes on all day, until you come to where you will stop for the night. Walking On The Happy Side of Misery is the title of a book I read. That title best explains what it's like to hike the AT day after day. There are many rewards, but it can be punishing at times. I'm still hiking with CNN.. They are some of the strongest hikers out here. Nice people to be around. Nancy may be even stronger than Charles. Sorry, Charles. They will be leaving in a few day to go home for a while. It'been fun hiking with them for the last five days. We got to Derrick Knob shelter, and it appeared full. In the Smokies hikers have to stay in shelters unless there're full. So we set up our tents. The shelters in the Smokies are often full. They are also often dirty. In fact, if you can't see the vistas because of the weather, the Smokies are not a good place to hike. The trail is some of the worst on the AT. This is just my opinion. Anyway, check in with me tomorrow. We have a big day planned. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-26
From: Derrick Knob

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Date :3/28Start:Newfound GapStop :Tri-Corner Knob ShelterMiles:15.6Early start this morning. Good trail with some rocks and boulders. I think the trail from Newfound Gap to Davenport Gap is much better than from Fontana Dam to Newfound Gap. The views are usually very good in this section. Today the haze and clouds obscured everything. Cut back the milage a little today. Think I have been pushing a little. It rained some today. I was already at the shelter. Still hiking with Charles & Nancy. Tomorrow will be our last day to hike together. They have been good company. Passed KZ and The Fenceman. They are struggling a little. One has a knee problem and the other a foot problem.It was good to see them again. I think that if they lighten up some, they will be ok. Will walk out of the park tomorrow. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-27
From: Standing Bear

To: Roaring Fork
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: light rain

First full day out of the Smokies. Stayed the night at Standing Bear Hostel.It was ok, but not a very clean place. Reunited with KZ & Fenceman. Will try and hike together for awhile. They have been struggling some with pretty heavy packs. They plan to lighten up when they get to Hot Springs. If they can drop some weight they should be good to go. The trail out of Standing Bear was very tough. We climbed just about the whole day. It was just one tough climb after another. There was a carpet of white flowers on each side of the trail for much of the hike today. The forest is full of dogwood & redbud trees. It's been tough hiking, but a lot of pretty stuff to look at. Have been hiking near Renaissance Man & his dog GoJo, Grasshopper, Snackbreak, and Medicine Man. These are all young guys who are strong hikers. I'm planning to cut my milage to around 15 a day for awhile. I have been wearing down some. Todays highlight was going over Max Patch. Max Patch is a natural bald. You can see 360 degrees around. It is truly a beautiful sight. Weather still holding nice. There is a change coming. It will turn colder. Should be even better hiking weather. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-28
From: Derrick Knob

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: broken clouds

Rained some during the night. Walked through clouds on the mountain tops. Lots of trillium starting to bloom. Dogwood and redbud are dotting the mountain sides. Starting to see more wildlife. I said goodbye to Charles and Nancy today. They will be back on the trail soon. I'm hiking in same neighboorhood with Kz and The Fenceman. They are hurting some. Staying at Standing Bear Hostel tonight. Two to three days from Hot Springs, NC. Weather will turn colder soon. The weather has been really great since almost from the start. Back on the trail tomorrow.Body and gear seem to be holding together.Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-29
From: Roaring Fork

To: Deer Park Mnt
Miles today: 18.1

Had a much better hike today. First four miles paralleled a creek. Still hiking with KZ & Fenceman. This seems to be a good fit. Its nice to have someone to laugh and joke with. It makes time go by a little faster.We are going to pull up a little short of Hot Springs. Should be in for breakfast Sunday morning. Then will take Monday off. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-03-30
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Ok thats it I've had it. I'm off the trail. Wait, wait it's April Fools day. I shouldn't joke like that. Made it into Hot Springs for breakfast. Will take tomorrow off. KZ & Fenceman will re-evaluate their gear and maybe buy some lighter stuff. Be back on the trail Tuesday Morning. Happy Trails.Mississipi Mule
Date: 2007-04-01
From: Hot Springs

To: Log Cabin Rd.
Miles today: 16.5

Date :4/3Start:Hot SpringsStop :Log Cabin RoadMiles:16.3Hot Springs was a good stop. Found plenty to eat. Town days are usually not very restful. There are to many chores to do. Fenceman and KZ almost did a complete make over. New packs and tents. Fenceman also got new boots & sleeping bag. They are each about 10lbs lighter. It will make a big difference. The hike out was very steep for the first three miles. then it was the usual up & downs. Spring has caught up with us. Saw wild Iris and many other flowers bloming today. KZ & Fenceman are moving much better today. The highlight today occured near Allen Gap. A sign said trail magic 300 yards off trail to the right. It also said you will not be sorry for walking that far off the trail. Maybe this is an April Fools joke and they forgot to take down the sign. We took the bait. Walked up a near vertical drive to the house. We were greeted warmly by Hercules, a "99" thru hiker, and his wife Fal.. Took our boots off and stepped into this beautiful log cabin house. Sat down at the table and was presented with a full plate of pulled bq pork and potatoe salad. For dessert I had a banana split. How good is that? These are wonderful people, who are giving something back to the trail. Today was another warm day with plenty of blue sky. May rain tonight & tomorrow morn. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-04-03
From: Log Cabin Road

To: Flint Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 16.0

Total Trail Miles:303.0Had a great night at the Hemlock Hollow Hostel. This may be one of the best kept secrets on the AT. It is .8 off the trail, but they provide a shuttle back to the trail head. The hostel is in a hollow nestled next to a creek. The bunkhouse was very clean and had a fully equipted kitchen. Has a coffee shop type store. Ate a egg biscuit and coffee for breakfast. Walked most of the morning in the clouds. Very windy, wet, and cool. A front blew through during the night that dropped about one half inch of rain. It's going to be much colder for the next few days. Did a lot of walking over boulders & rocks this morning. Some of it was above the ridgeline in strong wind. Should be in Erwin, Tn. by Easter. Will miss not being with my family for Easter. Should be a good day hiking tomorrow. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-04-05
From: Flint Mtn. Shelter

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Total Trail Miles:317.9Cold with strong wind was the order of the day. It was in the low 20s this morning, and did not get above 40 all day. The wind was almost gale force. So you can imagine the kind of day it was. Had a lot of climbing, so body generated some heat. Still a cold day hiking. Still hikng with KZ & Fenceman. We made our way to a campsite that was at about 4300ft. When the sun went down it turned wickedly cold. The wind roared all night. My tent did fine. Put on all my clothes and ziped the bag over my head. Stayed reasonably warm. We have had so much good weather. Its hard to complain. Lets see what the morning will bring. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-04-06
From: Low Gap

To: No Business Knob Shelter
Miles today: 14.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Total Trail Miles: 332.4The cold is brutal this morning. Temp. is 19. Hard to take tent down & pack up. Hands and feet extremely cold. Climbed from 4300ft to 5500ft over Big Bald Mtn. Everything was frozen on top. Never warmed much during the day. Set record lows for this area last night. Most of our climbing was early. We pulled up 6mi. short of Erwin, Tn. Its going to be another cold night. May even see snow in the morning. Will be in Erwin early tomorrow. plan to take Easter Sunday off. Should be in a warming trend when we start back. Looking forward to a hot, hot shower and clean clothes. Happy TrailsMississippi Mule
Date: 2007-04-07
From: No Business Knob Shelter

To: Nolichucky River
Miles today: 6.3

Total Trail Miles:338.7Last night was the coldest night so far. Temp was around 16. Except for my feet, I stayed warm in the sleeping bag. This morning a blanket of snow covered the ground. It was a beautiful sight to see. My hands and feet were numb from the cold. Made packing up very difficult. Its only six miles to the Nolichucky River and Uncle Johnnies Hostel. Will ride from there to Erwin, Tn. and a Motel. Plan to take a zero day Easter Sunday, and will be back on the trail Monday. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-04-09
From: Nolichucky River (Erwin, TN)

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 17.4
Weather: broken clouds

I was able to talk with the family on Easter Sunday. That was very special. Got an early start out of Erwin. The usual tough climb out of town. Great weather today. Saw lots of snow at the higher elevations. It was a very good trail today. Expecting another cold night. We have had some really cold nights and mornings. Should be warming soon. Tomorrow we wll stay the night with friends of KZ. They live near Carver's Gap. This is where the trail comes down from Roan Mnt.. Tune in tomorrow for more. Happy trails.Mississippi Mule Total Trail Miles:355.1
Date: 2007-04-10
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Carver's Gap
Miles today: 16.7

Slept in a very crowded shelter last night. Expected rain but it didn't happen. Still cold but without wind. This was one of my toughest days hiking. Pretty much climbed all morning. In the afternoon, Roan Mountain stood between us and Carver's Gap. Roan was a 3.5 climb almost straight up. Throw in a lot of snow, mud, and ice, and it made for a very tough climb. The summit was almost 6300ft. KZ has friends that will pick us up at Carver's Gap. We will stay with them overnight. Will have a good night, and good day hiking tomorrow. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule. Total Miles: 371.8
Date: 2007-04-11
From: Carver's Gap

To: Carver's Gap
Miles today: 0.0

We stayed with KZ's friends Sue & Ernie last night. It was just going to be an overnight stay. They have a beautiful home in the valley near Bakersfield, Nc. We were treated to smoked chicken, venison and potato salad. Strawberry shortcake was served for dessert. Life is hard sometimes on the AT. Anyway they took us back to Carver's Gap this morning. The wind was blowing about 30mph with heavy mist. Visibility was near zero. When you are on the trail in this kind of weather you hike on. When you are getting back on the trail you have options sometimes. We huddled quickley and voted 3 to 0 to ask Ernie & Sue for another nights stay. So we are back at their home. The local weather indicated that a major strom was headed into our area. We made a good decison. I feel for any hiker caught in these mountains today and tonight. We plan to be hiking tomorrow morning. The weather is supposed to be much improved. Until tomorrow... Mississippi Mule
Date: 2007-04-12
From: Carver's Gap

To: Mile 388.6-campsite
Miles today: 16.8

No wimping out today. Earnie & Sue took us back up the mountain this morning. They were very gracious hosts. Anyway plenty of sunshine today. Still cold(35) with very strong wind. Hiked over a number of balds and the views were outstanding. It's astounding to be able to look back and see all the mountains that we climbed. Then look forward and see whats to be climbed. It's just an awesome sight to behold. We hiked on until we found a campsite. Then we set up our tents under a cushion of pine straw and leaves. Still cold, so we were in the sleeping bags early. Plan on having a good day tomorrow. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule    Total Miles: 388.6
Date: 2007-04-13
From: Mile 388.6-campsite

To: Moreland Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.6
Weather: clear sky

Beautiful start to the day. Easy walking along the Elk River. Looked to be a great fishing river. There was not a lot of elevation gained or lost today. Just a lot of little ups and downs that tended to wear you out. We did ten stream crossings during our hike today. Stopped at a shelter six miles from a hostel that will be our home tomorrow. The call is for rain the next two days. Should be in Damascus Tuesday. That's Damascus, Va. Just passed the 400mi mark. Its gettng dark & cold. Tune in tomorrow. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule Total Miles: 403.2
Date: 2007-04-14
From: Moreland Gap Shelter

To: Dennis Cove
Miles today: 6.1

It rained all during the night. I was in a dry shelter, so all was well. I'm staying the night at Laurel Fork Hostel. There is a big chance for storms tonight and tomorrow. I have been moving a little slower lately. Not sure why. There are a lot of highs and lows out here. I seem to be in a low right now. I expect things to improve. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule Total:409.3
Date: 2007-04-15
From: Dennis Cove

To: US 321
Miles today: 9.0

It was raining hard this morning. The forcast called for storms and snow later in the day. I decided to do a slack pack today. Bob Peoples, who operates Kincora Hiker Hostel, took five of us nine miles up the trail. We then hiked back to Kincora. This was better than not hiking at all. Kincora is one of the best hostels on the trail. Bob and his wife are very hiker friendly. The weather really turned nasty in the afternoon. Cold rain followed by snow. I spent the afternoon sitting by a warm wood burning heater watching the snow fall. Then a truely wonderful thing happened. Two hikers came in covered with snow. They were musicians hiking the trail. One had a fiddle, the other a banjo. They sang and played bluegrass music well into the night. Now how good is that! You never know what to expect on the AT. Hiked some with Mr. Ed. Nice man from West Va. Hope to get back to hiking tomorrow. The weather could be a problem again. Hope for the best. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule Total:418.2
Date: 2007-04-16
From: US 321

To: Iron Mnt. Shelter
Miles today: 15.4

Ok enough already. The wind, cold, and snow are wearing me down. Its been day after day for weeks. Today we hiked through deep snow with blizzard-like wind. There was also a lot of blue sky. Should be warming soon. I climbed most of the day. The higher up the more wind and snow. Should be in Damascus Tue. or Wed. There will be a lot of water on the trail tomorrow from the melting snow. Hope to have a more positive report in the future. Happy Trails.Mississippi Mule