morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-08
From: Peck's Corner Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Shelter
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: light rain

I planned a short day, fortunately. It rained but I arrived at the shelter during a dry interlude with my raingear dry. The compactor bag, used to line my pack, and the waterproof stuff-sack for my sleeping bag kept everything dry.There were 22 at a 12 person shelter. I ate supper early, then snacked on trailmix and jerky.Much talk of norovirus, with Standing Bear Hostel rumored as a source. It's a 24-48 hour both ends deal, poor sanitation makes hikers vulnerable. I question how possible it is for hikers to avoid it. I don't plan to use Standing Bear Hostel. The Smokies have been so cold and wet that most hikers are looking forward to getting out and going to Hot Springs.
Date: 2013-05-09
From: Tri-Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: light rain

It was an easy hike. I started to notice how much work went into building the trail. There are places, 5, 000+ feet up, where considerable dry masonry work was done to create a trail. A lot of this improves the grading, so there is less up and down work. There are some photos here that illustrate it.Apparently a lot of work was done by the CCC back in the 1930's, also many hours of volunteer work.My perception of the trail was, that it mostly follows old Indian trails, little modified. In any event, I'm glad the work was done, since otherwise the mountain wilderness would be much less accessible to me. It's hard enough as it is.It's suprising the number of elderly and retired on the AT. It's thinned out since Springer, but Mary, age 77, 0stayed at the last three shelters I was at, incuding Cosby. There is also an 87 year old German gentleman, ahead of me by now. He speaks very little English, and passed me like I was standing still yesterday, and I haven't seen him since. There were over 100 Germans register at Amicalola Falls.The elderly are more likely to listen to their bodies and avoid injury. Also, their goals are seldom expressed in miles per day.As it turned out, there were only six at the shelter, ranging from 56 to 77. The conversation and humor were excellent, we had a fire for a while, and went to sleep as the coals burned down. We call it "retirement shelter." It was the 2nd occurance: the first was at Long Branch.Stopsalot and Fast Eddy caught up with me. I got ahead of them at Clingman's Dome when I did the slack pack. They took zero days. They are headed for Hot Springs as fast as possible, and will likely pull away from me at that point.About halfway through the hike wbas the wreckage of an F-15 that crashed in 1984. Usually the wreckage is left as a memorial.
Date: 2013-05-10
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Davenport Gap
Miles today: 8.0

It was bright and sunny in the morning. It looks like Spring has finally sprung in the Smokies. After climbing to the intersection with the Mount Camerrer Trail at @ 5, 000 feet, the trail drops 3, 000 feet going down to Davenport Gap. An extended downhill of that type is hard on the knees, particularly when erosion control necessitates the construction of stairs. I went carefully, using my poles to ease the load on my knees. It turned hot and humid, almost windless.There were a number of blowdowns that hadn't been cleared. Stopsalot passed me midafternoon, we both worried a bit about Mary due to the trail conditions, but she seems to manage somehow.Descending to the lower elevations, there was the usual show of wildflowers, to include some I never saw before. I took off my pack and got down to their level in an effort to get better photos.I reaced Davenport Gap midafternoon and called a shuttle to Newport, TN. At $40, it was expensive. Staying at the Motel 6, I'm in fast food heaven, plus they have a coin laundry for guests. Walmart is 0.8 miles, easy enough for a hiker without a pack. No microwave or refrigerator, both common in motels that cater to hikers or other itinerant and nomadic persons. I notice Oak did a zero day in Newport. He hitched in and out, and stayed at Best Western. That solved the cost of the shuttle. Anyway, for me it was about timing, I look to take a zero day on a regular basis.
Date: 2013-05-12
From: Davenport Gap

To: Groundhog Creek Shelter
Miles today: 9.6
Weather: scattered clouds

I started the day in good form. The first section was a downhill, with a babbling brook for companionship. In the area of I-40 I went to take a picture, stepped on an algae coated rock, and got both feet in the water deep enough to go over the top of my boots. Then I fell on my back and couldn't get up. I had to take off my pack.From I-40 it was a long climb up to Snowbird Mountain. There was a profusion of wildflowers, to include a pair of Pink Lady Slippers. The white Trilliums were growing in clusters, very striking. The bald is home to an FAA tower, a plain white structure that makes various humming and whirring sounds.From the bald it was an easy downhill to the shelter, which was small. There are a number of good campsites, but I slept in the shelter for the convenience of not setting up the tent.Optimus Grime and Princess Grit passed me back and forth several times during the day. She has a guitar with her, which he carries. She is working on pop and blues. I was going to play the guitar at the shelter, but they decided to go on another few miles.Had a fire, talked stock market with two fellow hikers, big mistake, it aggravated my soul.
Date: 2013-05-13
From: Groundhog Creek Shelter

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 8.2
Weather: scattered clouds

It was very cold. A fellow hiker threw up during the night and had been suppressing diarhea with Immodium. Probably norovirus. He's undecided about what to do next. He was asleep when I left. Made it to USFS 148A. Met and talked with Mooner, his wife Honey, and Bear Paws. One of their companions was taken sick during the night and returned to Standing Bear Hostel. Max Patch is a large bald, 4,629 feet in elevation. There is a huge expanse of grass, together with a panoramic view. You can see mountains all the way to the horizon, in every direction. It was a somewhat hazy day and the mountains in the distance faded out as they were further away. The wind was extremely strong which generated quite a bit of wind chill factor. I put on my shell for warmth. I chatted with some young people who were checking out the sceneray. They had a lot of questions about the AT and hiking, one of them works for a whitewater rafting firm and all of them had an interest in hiking and similar activities. I had to laugh, one of them offered to help me put my pack back on - I guess I look somewhat frail with the weight loss and the white beard.
Date: 2013-05-14
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Old Road
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: clear sky

The hike featured two climbs - Walnut Mouintain (a bald) and Bluff Mountain, the higher of the two. I got picky about water sources and hiked these two uphills very carefully, in the interest of not sweating too heaavily and running out of water. Then at Big Rock Spring I filled up from a piped spring, exactly what I wanted. I had a lot of energy, and as the day cooled I began to make good time. It was sort of like a runners high, I just enjoyed going along at a good speed in the shade. The last few miles were a gentle downhill. I camped on an old abandoned road that was very grassy and provided more or less level places to pitch my tent. There was a group of four section hikers - one man and three women - camping there. They were in my age range, Mark, Edna, Cheryl and I forget the other lady's name. We talked shop for a while and turned in at 8:00 pm. The next morning, I went a distance form the tents to answer a call of nature, and discovered the ruins of an old building. It looked to have three sides, log construction, with a metal roof very similar to what is on the shelters in the area. It was bigger than the average shelter, and had been down for 20 or 30 years, judging by a tree that was growing in the center of the ruins. I wonder if there was a shelter there at one time.
Date: 2013-05-15
From: Old Road

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 7.5

After passing Deer Mountain Park Shelter (and turning my nose up at the water source), there was a small private graveyard - two graves Eva Gragg and I think the other was Edward Gragg, her husband. Her stone was made by hand, without the usual sand blast lettering, very simple. I wonder if there is a story about the choice of the site. The trail is bordered in places with large patches of Lily of the Valley. The smell reminds me of both my mother and my wife: as a child, I loved to pick them in the backyard and bring them to my mother; Jeanne has similar memories, and used to wear Muguet des Bois (a perfume scented with them). She still uses similar perfumes, under different names. Arriving at Hot Springs, the trail runs through the town. I stopped at the Smoky Mountain Diner and rehydrated and ate some real food. From there back up to the Laughing Heart Hostel where I booked a room for two nights and received my maildrop. Downtown doing my laundry I met Phoenix, about my age, he also camped with the same group of section hikers, but several days earlier. He was off trail for a week, due to a death in the family, and has been separated from those he was hiking with. Supper at the Iron Horse, alone. Met the Leopard while walkng back to the hostel. He's been having trouble with cell phone service, so I let him use mine to call his wife and family. He had a nice gadget with him, it's a GPS device that reports your whereabouts at 10 minute intercvals, and posts your progress on a map on the internet. It has texting capabilities, and can send an SOS with coordinates. $250, but possibly worth it. If you hike the AT, sooner or later you will fall, from there the question is, where? So if you fell and couldn't get up, the device is better than a whistle. In the evening a good number of younger hikers were socializing in front of the rec hall. I was holed up around the corner, playing a guitar that the resort provides, and they were kind enough to invite me to join their gathering. I sang a number of songs all the way through, to include Folsom Prison Blues and Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky, also The Last Thing on My Mind and As Long as the Blossoms. I was happy to be part of things, playing my old songs. Not to stay up too late, by 10:00 I was in bed, snug and warm after a long day.
Date: 2013-05-16
From: Hot Springs

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 0.0

Zero day in Hot Springs. The town is hiker friendly. The library had four computers availble for the public, as well is a very good wi-fi. I was able to update my journal quickly, using wi-fi to upload photos and the computer to do the entries.The Smoky Mountain Diner is popular with hikers. I had a pan pizza that was excellent. The Laughing Heart Hostel where I stayed is a casual, laid back place. There were enough bathrooms and dhowers so there was no waiting, also kitchen facilities, toasters, coffee, microwaves, etc.The Iron Horse also had good food, as well as a singer who accompanied himself on guitar.There was an exodus in favor of Damascus, where the annual bash for hikers was in process. Kind of a Woodstock for AT hikers, many vendors, a parade of past through hikers, and a three day party. Cruiserand MoPo offerred me a ride, but I would have had to make my own arrangements for the return trip. I didn't go, which was just as well, I napped during the afternoon and then slept en hours that night. I needed the rest.
Date: 2013-05-17
From: Hot Springs

To: Spring Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Frequently a period of rest, recreation a/o respite in town is followed by a difficult climb back to the ridges. Such is the case for Hot Springs. The climb out of town to Spring Mountain works out to a 3, 000 foot gain in elevation.Following the trail markers out of town and across the bridge on the French Broad River, soon enough the trail turns back up into the woods, a brutal series of switchbacks. The reward is, fabulous views of the town and river below, somewhat obscured by trees and difficult to photograph. Looking down, I was amazed - half an hour ago I was a speck on that bridge!There was a dam and a small pond halfway through the hike. It was full of sunfish. I fed them bits of pretzel from my trail mix. There were also bullfrogs, very vocal, and a large turtle. It was a peacefol and tranquil place to rest before resuming the hike.I missed a turn and added perhaps a half a mile to my hike. The blazes weren't clear: it seems they were economizing on white paint.Around 4:00 pm as I was working my way alongg Rich Mountain there was a thunder shower. I put on my rain gear, covered the pack, and continued. The trees were tall enough, and there wasn't much wind, so there was no danger.The rain lrt up, and I set up my tent just pasr Spring Mountain Shelter. The camping area was excellent: level ground, fire rings, and not to far to locate dead wood for the fire.We talked around the fire for a while, then I turned in at 9:00 pm.
Date: 2013-05-18
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Log Cabin Road
Miles today: 5.3
Weather: light rain

Woke up, it was raining. Decided to go to the privy and then hole up in the tent to see if it would let up. Phoenix told me the weather report was calling for rain the next several days. Decided to hike out in the rain. I had a maildrop waiting at Hemlock Hollow, which is reached via Log Cabin Drive. I made a mistake, got off the trail a little more than a mile early and did a longer road walk to reach the hostel.Tomorrow I will have them take me back to where I got off.
Date: 2013-05-19
From: Log Cabin Road

To: Log Cabin Road
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Slept very soundly, 9 hours. Woke up feeling sort of hungover. Combining that with bad decisions guessing where the trail went, I figured I was a little bit overstressed and decided to take a nero. Walked back to where I left the trail, did the missing mile and a fraction, and returned to the hostel by the proper route. No pack, not even slackpacking, I went bareback.Of course the day was warm and sunny - until the rain came back late afternoon. That's OK, it wasn't about the rain - it was about fatigue.There are no laundry facilities. A woman who was at the place offerred to let me use her washer and dryer for a small fee, which I aaccepted. She's in the process of losing her home, due to the local economy.They had a number of gamecocks running loose in the yard. The sport was killed in Cocke County when two simultaneous raids netted 1, 500 fighting birds. They were euthanized, in the interest of being humane. From the birds point of view, a 50/50 chance would have been preferable - a fighting chance, as it were. The roosters were impressive -I wish I had my phone with me to get a picture while I was there.By then it was threatening a thunderstorm. I got my tent, pack and boots, all dried in the sun, plus my laundry, into the bunkhouse, safe and dry.Later in the evening, five more hikers came in, soaking wet. The bunkhouse became quite humid, but overall I slept well, and woke up rested.
Date: 2013-05-20
From: Log Cabin Road

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: scattered clouds

The hike started with a pair of long climbs. From there, looking at the profile in the AWOL book, it looked like relatively level ground. Wrong. What the trail provided was about one and a half miles of very strenuous, rocky terrain. It included a six foot straight down place where the best approach was to pass down your poles and then climb down backwards, hand over hand. Gump watched me, uncertain if I needed help, then he headed down the trail when he saw I could hack it.Actually I did quite a bit of that stuff, on the AT in CT, the descent from St. John's Ledges.I lost my jacket, the Bean Goretex Shell, and had to backtrack about a mile to retrieve it. That added to an already long day.There were a lot of splendid views, especially from Firescald Knob. Balanced against that was the oppressive heat and humidity and the incessant assault of gnats. It was my toughest day on the trail so far.I got into camp late, had breakfast because it's quicker to cook. By the time I set up my tent and treated my water it was bedtime.
Date: 2013-05-21
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: broken clouds

An easy day. After what I did the day before, I felt I should just go to the next shelter- 5.7 miles - and take it from there.The hike was largely a meadow walk followed by a road walk. After a climb, it was easy going, except for a longish downhill coming into the shelter. Phoenix is back on the trail. He visited a friend, missed the rain, and caught up by doing a 14 mile day. We have a sick hiker. Mountain Doc was feeling poorly and eventually started with the both ends routine. I had let him use my phone so I'm fairly well exposed. He is going to get off the trail at Devil's Gap, about two miles from the shelter.Then twice during the night I heard someone else vomiting. It was upsetting, being suggestible I started feeling queasy. From there, I couldn't get back to sleep.The day's hike reached the Shelton gravesite about the midpoint. The men were Union volunteers during the Civil War, and were anbushed while returning for a family reunion. The site is grassy and well tended. It's a tranquil place, for all the violence that occurred over a century ago. There were three graves - William Shelton, David Shelton and Millard Haire, 13 at the time of his death.
Date: 2013-05-22
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: scattered clouds

Out of bed early slept poorly due to the sound of vomiting. I hung around until 8:30 so Doc could use my phone to call a shuttle. I wiped it down with a pad from my first aid kit. Ate no-cook breakfast (pop tarts) and did not use the privy. It was a beautiful morning. Rain overnight was not heavy, just enough to freshen things up. Crossed two roads, went over a stile and into a hayfield, upon leaving that the climb began to steepen and became strenuous. I ate lunch by a small waterfall, cold air flowing downhill with the stream had an air-conditioner effect. Very pleasant, between that and the hard climb I was in no hurry to leave. The woods smelled freash and clean, like some type of herbs or spices. Sickness and vomiting seemed far away. So did Wall Street.The last part of the climb was a gradual uphill. I sort of ran out of gas and hiked it very slow. Phoenix left word with Grey Wolf that he went on another four miles. I'll miss his company, but he's a faster hiker than I am. The shelter was small. Both water and privy are farther than usual, the water is about 0.4 miles, a piped stream with good flow. Supper was chicken with rice, mad with a packet of moist chicken and a mix Jeanne sent me. Much kidding about the instructions, the large pjortion, etc. It was very good, I get the reputation of eating gourmet food. Turned in at 8:00 pm.
Date: 2013-05-23
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter 
Miles today: 10.1

The major scenic attraction is Big Bald. On the way there, the hike went through what the AWOL book describes as a meadow. It had a landscaped or manicured look, compared to the rough and unkempt look often seen in the woods. Mother Nature, when left to her own devices, is not that good a housekeeper. But is was a nice little meadow. By the time I reached Big Bald, it was threatening thunder and lightning. I figured I could get up and down before it hit so I headed up. Although a hiker would be the highest thing around, given the lack of trees, the is always the consolation, if hit by lightning, you died with your boots on. There's a saddle feature, where you go down and then back up more bald. By that point, lightning was visible and thunder was audible. I elected to be more prudent, donned my raingear and followed some blue blazes downhill and under the trees. It led to a housing development, very spiffy homes with scenic views. It was raining heavily. I thought of taking shelter on the porch of a house that had no cars in front of it, thought better of it. These southerners, for all their vaunted hospitality, also have the reputation that everyone owns a gun. They might mistake me for an itinerant and nomadic person, as opposed to an AT hiker, and so on and so forth. By then the rain cleared so I headed back up, finished doing the bald, and from there it was a short distance to the shelter. It was muddy, I slipped and fell, not too hard. The kids - Alley, Ryan, Iced Tea and the other young man were already at the shelter. They were calling "Swamp Fox" at intervals, because they knew I would be coming down the trail soon. I heard it, but didn't know the rules of the game, that I was supposed to holler back. Anyway, I got a nice welcome when I finally made it. We had fun evening, the other occupant of the shelter was Square Peg, and he had learned the skill of popping backs like a chiropracter. He did everyone's back, offered to do mine. I regretfully declined on the grounds of fragility. My aback doesn't like the 35 pound pack and from time to time sends little twinges as a complaint. Then we did quite of bit of singing, a capella, for lack of a guitar or other musical instrument. There was some whiskey they had the foresight to bring with them, which fueled the festivities, but I was able to hold up my end without partaking, I can get the same effect from fresh air and clean water. It was one of the most enjoyable nights I've had on the trail.
Date: 2013-05-24
From: Bald Mountain Shelter 

To: No Business Knob Shelter 
Miles today: 10.6

It turned very cold overnight and a strong wind was blowing. I set of with both boots and socks soggy wet. That can lead to blisters and needs to be addressed ASAP. By midmorning it was sunny, although still cold and windy. I stopped, took off my boots and socks, and laid them out in the sun to dry. Using my camp towel and a dirty undershirt, I soaked up as much water from inside the boots as possible. I snacked and rested for an hour, with my feet wrapped in a fleece to keep them warm. I got enough improvement to continue the hike without serious discomfort from my feet. During the afternoon, as the weather improved, the hike took me into an area where the trail ran sidehill along very steep mountains, and across three fast flowing streams, very good sources of clean water to drink (after treating). I refilled my water bottles at the third, which is 0.3 miles from the shelter. I heard the kids yelling "Swamp Fox," and yelled back, but apparently they didn't hear me. I reached camp soon enough, and went to work setting up my tent. Iced Tea still didn't know I was there, he was yelling for me, so I called out and told him I was there. The kids were making fun of me, but itj was affectionate and I enjoyed the attention. The shelter has a bad rep - rats and norovirus. No privy and no bear cables. Nobody hung up a bear bag. It turns out there is a bear season locally, and they avoid humans, for good reason.