morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-02-09
To: This year's Section Hike plan
Miles today: 0.0

After successfully, completing our 2010 Section from the Great Smokey Mountain Nationl Park (GSMNP) through to Erwin, TN, I came up with the bright idea that I'd better spend the intial part of my 2011 Section hike hiking the first 180 miles from the beginning of the AT starting at Amicalola Falls State Park, past Springer Mountain (the start of the AT) to Fontana Dam (the start of the GSMNP). Fat Grandma (aka Shawn) had already done this section alone in 2007 & 2008 but I had not yet completed that part. If I was going to finish this quest with Fat Grandma at the northern most point, the finish line, Mt. Katahdin, I'd better back up and do that 180 miles. Once I'd completed that, then I could also do the 110 miles that Fat Grandma and I would normally do for our annual section hike. But wow, that added up to almost 300 miles and most of it was going to be by myself. So I did the next logical thing, I enlisted the help of my training partner, my Agility friend, my 5 yo yellow Labrador Bandit to come along. He certainly loved to practice hike with me at home, he'd done so for the previous two years. So why not take him along? This was going to take some serious planning on my part, training and education on Bandit's part, and a boat load of research.
Date: 2011-04-24
To: The Journey Begins!
Miles today: 0.0

Easter SundayFinally the day has arrived to leave for Fontana Dam. Last night I was still working on Erspamer Plumbing paperwork. I couldn't go if I didn't get some sleep, so I broke for bed @11:30 p.m. telling Dave I'd just leave later for GA. So I finally finished Erspamer Plumbing paperwork and packing at 9:30 a.m. and we departed. Everything went really well until Louisville, KY on I-64 between Louisville and Lexington, the transmission on my Trailblazer just stopped working. I was going 70 mph in road construction in the left lane of traffic, when it just wouldn't work anymore. I eased the TB over to the left shoulder which was actually an entire paved section between the Eastbound and Westbound traffic lanes. There were orange barrels everywhere, it was raining, it was getting late in the day, and remember it was Easter Sunday. This wasn't good! So I called my husband Dave to help me locate a tow truck. Dave logged into my SPOT to see exactly where I was and we got a tow truck to my location in a half an hour. Unbelievable! After convincing Bandit that it was ok to climb into a strange tow truck in the middle of the Interstate, we were towed to the largest Chevy dealership in the state which was 10 miles west back in Louisville and only a block off the Interstate. Unbelivable #2! So there we sat in the rain in an empty dealership and planned our next move. There was a hotel a block back by the Interstate, so I left Bandit at the Chevy dealership in the TB and walked over there in the rain. Nope, they didn't take dogs! Ok, what about a cab to the airport which just happened to be an International airport with LOTS of rental cars and only about 15 miles further west still in Louisville. Unbelievable #3. The hotel hooked me up with a cab, but cab driver's don't like dogs either so I had to leave Bandit behind. Yikes! I was able to rent a very small car for an entire month, unlimited mileage, for $700 so long as I returned it to the same place. Done deal! Unbelievable #4. I drove back to get Bandit, loaded all our hiking gear into the rental, left the TB keys in the Chevy drop box, and continued on our trip to Fontana Dam. Plans were to stay at the campground there overnight in our tent. We got to the campground at 3:30 a.m. and passed out in the car. It was now Monday and it was going to be a REALLY long day!!!
Date: 2011-04-25
From: Amicalola Falls

To: Black Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: overcast clouds

We woke at the Fontana Dam campground at 6:30 a.m. and organized everything as best we could at the campground. We then headed for the Hike Inn to get our transport to Amicalola Falls and the beginning of our hiking adventure. Plans were to leave our car at the Hike Inn and hike back to it from Amicalola Falls. The lady who took us to Amicalola was very nice. Bandit was nervous at first about riding in her SUV but she folded down the seat and talked sweet to him and he settled right down. We talked about gardening and Tennessee and Georgia and politics and bears. It was great! She took Bandit's and my picture at the famous Archway to the AT Approach trail. The Approach trail is the 9 mile hike from civilization to the start of the AT. Nope, can't start the trail at an easy spot, have to bury it somewhere in the middle of the woods! LOL You can take a ride further up the mountain and hike only a mile in, but the Approach trail is a more nostalgic entry onto the AT and I wanted to take it ALL in!! Our driver showed us what all the snakes looked like that we'd have to watch out for on the trail at a live display inside the Ranger Building at Amicalola Falls. It was 85 degrees out and we'd just gotten here from Wisconsin where it was still onlly in the 40's. So this was very hot here! It was sunny and we had to climb the falls via some tough stairs. The stairs had metal grates on them and it was hard for Bandit to walk on.Bandit and I didn't do very well hiking in the heat. We started hiking up into the Mountains after the falls but we went slow in the heat. We started hearing thunder off in the distance but it wasn't supposed to rain. About a mile from the shelter the sky unleashed a torent of rain, thunder, & lightening. It was very, very scary and frankly not safe as it was lightening right over the top of us. We were under a very high canopy of trees and there was literally no place to hide so we both kept walking. Bandit was very unhappy about the whole thing.But we got to the shelter soaking wet and safe. The shelters are three sided buildings with a roof and platform to sleep on. They are completely exposed on one side. You can check it out in my picture section by using the link to the left.
Date: 2011-04-26
From: Black Gap Shelter

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 9.3
Weather: light rain

We packed up everything after a good breakfast and were back on the trail by 9:30 a.m. Bandit isn't eating his food, only my food. I will have to keep an eye on this.Today we reached Springer Mountain and the White Blazes! The entire length of the AT is marked by 2"x 6" white blazes that are painted on trees, rocks, bridges, sidewalks, and so on. Ideally you should always be able to see one either in front or behind you at all times on the trail. It was very foggy and the views on Springer were terrible - LOL go figure! Everyone was taking loads of pictures and there was great excitement to be at the start of the trail. There was a bunch of people coming into Springer from the North. We had just arrived from the Approach trail from the south. Those others were getting a ride to a parking area just north of Springer and walking the mile south to the start of the AT. I.E. Skipping the Approach Trail. There was going to be a lot of people on the trail.Nice hike today. Stopped and had lunch at Stoves Creek Shelter. I took off my boots to dry my feet, a habit I'd adopted over the past two years to help reduce blisters and other foot troubles. I met and made new friends over lunch.We got to Hawk Mountain Shelter about 4:30 p.m., setup our tent, made dinner, did chores, organized packs. There were like 25 people at this shelter! Wow!!! I had never experienced this many hikers at one shelter at anytime in the previous two year section hikes. Tons of fun and stories. It was here that I met "Bill", the funniest guy on the trail. He had a huge pack and hiked really, really slow. I've kind of hooked up with a guy named Caver at this shelter. Nice guy, thru-hiker. It rained a little over-night, not bad, but it required packing up a wet tent for a second night in a row.
Date: 2011-04-28
From: Woody Gap (Hiker Hostel)

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 10.3
Weather: scattered clouds

Woke to beautiful breakfast at the Hostel and a ride to Woody Gap with two other gentlemen who were day hikers that I'd not yet met. This was their first ever hike on the AT, for one it was his 1st ever hike. I was slack packing to Neels Gap past Blood Mountain. Caver came on 2nd shuttle to Woody Gap and quickly caught up with us. Skidder, Colorado Kid, Tank, and Dromedary all started back at Gooch Gap, all headed also for Blood Mountain. Our group of 4 hiked together with Dean clinging to me out of fear of hiking alone. LOL It was hilarious.Beautiful casual hike to the top of a gorgeous mountain. All had a great time on a very gorgeous day and all (the party of us 4 and the 4 who had started out 5 miles behind us) reached the summit of Blood Mountain within minutes of each other. Yes happiness is truly best when shared! Everyone went back to the hostel after a very, very beautiful day, drank too much, talked gear talk too much, and had fun. Off to bed by 11 p.m.
Date: 2011-04-29
From: Neels Gap

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Rats! Our first Zero Day and it wasn't planned that way. We had a beautiful breakfast at the Hiker Hostel and then got an early lift to Neel's Gap arriving at 9 a.m.. Bandit's and my mail drop has not yet arrived and it is now 12:30 p.m. We are waiting for the box because all our food and supplies for the next section is in that box. Guess I didn't mail it soon enough. Food at Neel's is really expensive and dog food is going to be dicey. So Bandit and I are just chilling. Got to do that sometimes. Bandit is having a ball on the trail!!! Checks in with me over and over and stays right with me. He wines when I stop because he wants to keep going. He gets very upset if I get out of his sight at the Hostel or when I left him outside at Wal-Mart. He insists on going into restrooms with me, etc. He has still been off his food. I think reducing the number of treats during the day will help fix that. He does that bark thing and scares the shit out of people that sneak up on him. But no one is going to be able to sneak up on me!!! I discovered midday that I'd forgotten my meds at last night's Hostel, so we are staying at Neel's Gap Hostel tonight. Hard to go on now without getting more meds from my mail drop. If no box comes tomorrow, we'll have to go to back to the Hiker Hostel, get meds, buy food, and move on. Our next mail drop is only 3 days away!!!
Date: 2011-04-30
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.9
Weather: clear sky

We spent the night at Neel's Gap in their Hostel. Bill came down off Blood Mountain after dark using his headlamp. I had met two young couples, both married and was enjoying some wine with them compliments of Lumpy as Bill came in. This was the end of his hike for the year and he was quite celebratory. At the Hostel was Bill, young kid (don't remember his trailname now) and an older fellow on his way to NOC who just stopped at Neel's for old-time sake.Woke fairly early and showered. Cooked breakfast and packed up all my gear. If no box arrived by noon, I was so NoBo without it. One of the guys from the young couple last night, Charlie, offered to take me to the Hiker Hostel for free to get my meds so we did. THANKS CHARLIE!!! Nice guy who had just become unemployed. The were getting off the trail today.No box for me arrived before noon. I understand now that the mail service only comes up to Neel's when they have 'enough' mail. Rats! So I told the clerk to bounce my box up to Erwin, TN when it arrived. I grabbed a small amount of supplies and hoofed it to Low Gap Shelter arriving late just before dark. I had caught up with Big Giant (minister who'd stayed at Gooch Mountain Shelter the night of the tornado - did I mention there were TWO minister's in that shelter that night!!!) and his buddy "Undecided" shortly before entering the shelter. We quickly ate dinner by headlamp and talked with others at the shelter as darkness enveloped us.I discovered after dinner that "MyTime" was here! I'd met him last Wednesday on the trek from Hawk Shelter to Woody Gap. Really nice older fella who'd given himself the trailname MyTime because he'd go hiking leaving his wife behind saying this is My Time.... I found it hilarious that he was also a watch repairman and that was also a reason for his trailname.MyTime was also talking to another fellow I didn't know yet but later learned was named Mack. Bandit and I had first bumped into Mack when he was returning from the privy and we were headed to the privy right before darkness had set in. Bandit sent cues that Mack was NOT on the up-n-up. I thought it strange but heeded Bandit's advice avoiding small talk with Mack. There was a troop of Boy Scouts at this shelter so I decided it best to camp up on the hill near them and avoid Mack who stayed in the shelter with Big Giant and Undecided. I just felt safer that way for some strange reason.I was now one day behind schedule but thankfully back on the trail.
Date: 2011-05-01
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Rocky Mtn Campsite
Miles today: 10.7
Weather: overcast clouds

We were one of the first up and at it at the shelter in the morning. I headed to the privy and again met Mack coming out of it. We briefly spoke and I noted Bandit's distrust and Mack's attempt to buddy up to Bandit. Something just felt off. I had breakfast, packed up and hit the trail.It was a nice initial hike up an old forest road with a nice grade. I ran across a turkey hunter on the trail, shotgun and all. He laughed because I was singing out loud to my iPod. I hadn't heard him coming because I had my ear buds in. He must have thought me nuts. I caught up with MyTime as the grade got tougher. We stopped at the Blue Mtn Shelter together for lunch. A nice couple arrived to do litter duty and gave us some fresh water, NICE!!!!MyTime decided to hitch a ride into Helen at Unicoi Gap to get German Food and a clean bed with sheets in town. I however headed to the Rocky Mtn Campsite where Bandit and I stayed all alone for the very first time ever on the AT. I even hung my own bear bag! Sweet! I was able to call Dave for a very nice long and much needed talk, double Sweet!Still a day behind schedule.
Date: 2011-05-02
From: Rocky Mtn Campsite

To: Dick's Creek Gap - Hiawasee, GA
Miles today: 15.4

Woke to fog - no nice views this morning. It was a really hard hike up to Tray Mountain Shelter, there was no one there for my entire lunch stop. It was still foggy which made for still no views. The shelter log showed that Caver and crew had spent the night here which lit a fire under me to get to Hiawassee and back on schedule and back in with the gang. Of course that meant a really, really long hike for today. 15+ miles!!! I hiked pretty much alone all the way to Deep Gap. Bandit and I arrived there around 6 p.m., ate snacks, and refilled water without actually going to the shelter. While doing all this a young man arrived who I later called Safari. He accidentally referred to his new bride as his girlfriend and was really embarrassed. LOL I told him I HAD to get to Hiawassee and he decided to stay at the shelter.I arrived at the Dick's Creek Parking lot at 8 p.m. just as the sun was setting. No cell phone signal, now how the heck was I going to get to Hiawassee Inn? While pondering my options (I.E. hitch hike? With a dog?) Text messages started coming in. "I CAN TEXT!" So I texted Dave (husband) to call the Inn and within a 1/2 hour Gene was there giving me a ride. On the way into town, Gene asked me if I'd ever run across Mack! Wow!!! Yes I had and explained it was at Low Gap. Gene noted that the Ridgerunner Razor was looking for him. I'd met Razor on the trail earlier that day. All very interesting. The AT Ridgerunner's are a small AT army of mostly men who do trail maintenance and police the trail.I found all my trail buddies and some new ones at the Hiawassee Inn. They all stayed in one room together and I got a room to myself. (7 kids in 1 room!!!) I got my drop box from the office, did my laundry, got subway for dinner, went next door to the DQ for a chocolate shake, cleaned up gear, and dropped into bed! Whew! What a looonnnnggg day!
Date: 2011-05-04
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Carter Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: few clouds

I was the last one out of the shelter this a.m. Late night in and late start the next morning.... It was a very cold night sleeping last night. I was having a lot of trouble keeping Bandit warm in the middle of the night. The idea of using my rain coat to keep him warm was a terrible plan so I opened up my sleeping bag and covered both us up together the best I could with a mummy bag. It was much warmer for both of us to snuggle together and I got little complaint from Bandit. Little drafty that way but it worked in a pinch!It was an uneventful hike to Carter Shelter. I arrived there fairly early and made a nice dinner. Caver, Long Trail and Strider were there along with lots of others I didn't know including a guy named Frisbee. Frisbee turned out to be a creepy old man who was a pan handler. Spent most of Thursday (i.e. the next day) trying to ditch him.
Date: 2011-05-05
From: Carter Shelter

To: Winding Stair - Franklin, NC
Miles today: 15.7
Weather: clear sky

We were up and on the trail by 9 a.m. Excellent! Long day ahead with Albert Mtn looming ahead, a 500' straight up climb over rocks using only toe and finger holds. Yikes! I kept leap frogging Frisbee, I wished he'd go away after the Mack episode. I got passed by Caver, Long Trail, and Strider shortly before Albert. The Big Butt trail was awesome!!! The trail there barely clings to the side of a sheer cliff. Wonderful views, exhilarating climbing experience. I rarely see how Bandit makes it over all this crap. I'll just come up to a really hard rock/tree to negotiate and Bandit will be standing on the other side of it panting at me like "Hurry up Mom!!!"We hit Albert shortly after second breakfast and it didn't disappoint. Frisbee was visible back behind me on the trail leading into Albert and I climbed Albert quickly to put distance between us and Frisbee. Long Trail, Caver, Strider, Squirrel Nut, Mufasha, and their male trail friend (name?) were all waiting at the top of Albert. What a gorgeous view it was!!! Again, Happiness was shared making it a very fun visit at the top.A plan was concocted at the top to ditch Frisbee and go all the way to Franklin for the night. I was down with that because that also meant I got a zero day for Friday - YES!!! So, being the slowest of the bunch after everyone but me climbed the tower, Bandit and I lit down the trail with our ass on fire ahead of the group. After several fast miles I ran square into the infamous Grandma Pam and learned she was from SE Wisconsin, had started the same day we did at Springer, and was also only going as far as Fontana Dam. Small, small world! She and I hiked all the way to Rock Gap Shelter together with very similar hiking styles. We had a wonderful afternoon talking and getting to know each other and the miles just melted away.The group of six kids passed us with their asses also on fire but Frisbee was to be seen no more. Or was he? All 8 of us and two dogs got to Rock Gap Shelter about the same time for lunch. Late lunch. When Frisbee arrived, everyone quickly packed up and moved on. The 6 kids decided to go into Franklin from Wallace Gap but Grandma Pam and I walked the additional 3.6 miles to Winding Stair to catch our ride to the Haven Budget Inn. Grandma Pam and I each got our drop boxes, separate rooms, and shared a wonderful Pizza Hut pizza and breadsticks for dinner. The kids all shared a room and went to the local Mexican place to celebrate it being Cinco de Mayo.Never did see Frisbee ever again.
Date: 2011-05-06
From: Winding Stair - Franklin, NC

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Ah Zero Day!!! Sleeping in and again a second shower with clean hair, beautiful!!! I did laundry, cleaned gear, journalled, napped, walked to the Dollar Store for supplies and went to McDonald's for junk food. I had breakfast with the kids at the local pastry shop. Yum! Colorado Kid and Dromedary were also here. We all went to the Outfitters around noon. I met "Timber" in the transport van. She was a 28 year old lady doing the whole trail before her wedding next year. Trail name was because she kept falling over. LOLColorado Kid and Dromedary also headed out on the trail after shopping at the Outfitters. Grandma Pam had headed back out on the trail first thing in the morning. A bunch of us went out to a steak house together for dinner - Caver, Long Trail, Strider, Ned the Fed, Canary, and Lavender. Then it was off to bed.Oh, I'd also met two wonderful ladies that afternoon while they were doing their laundry at our hotel. They were Section Hiking SoBo and I asked for an early ride to Winding Stair Cap. They'd said YES - Sweet! - free rides are the best! I also mailed a ton of gear forward to Erwin, TN to the Holiday Inn. That is where Aunt Janet and Uncle Al were going to stay when they arrived and I was tired carrying all that gear around and never using it.
Date: 2011-05-07
From: Franklin, NC

To: Wayah Bald Shelter
Miles today: 11.2
Weather: clear sky

Two nice ladies picked us up at 8:00 a.m. sharp. They swung me through McDonald's for breakfast on the go and it was off to Winding Stair where after they left, I sat and ate. I believe it was Nature Boy who came out of the woods shortly there after and headed on down the trail across the highway. He was travelling light and moving fast. Wishing him well in his adventure. Side note, Nature Boy was somehow connected with the Hiker Hostel and was doing a complete through hike for a speed record. I don't recall the # of days it takes for this, but this marathon method of hiking is incredible. The hiker carries very little and in Nature Boy's case I believe he did NOT have a support team. Some of these marathon hiker's have support teams.So we headed up the trail after Nature Boy. It was hard to get my trail legs again after a zero day so we went slow. (Sigh) Another older fellow AGAIN came up the trail from behind and passed us. We played leap frog all a.m. with him. He said his trail name was "Do What?" and we just shied away from him as we climbed Siler Bald. He'd gotten his trail name from people back home who often said "Your going where to do what?" and so became his trail name.At the top of Siler Bald, Bandit and I didn't climb the Bald or go to the shelter (both too far off the AT). We just took pics and moved on. We ran into a very nice day hiker woman who was picking up garbage and SoBo (i.e. South Bound) to Siler. She caught up to us later now heading NoBo (i.e. North Bound) as we sat having lunch and pondering the climb up to Wayah Bald. It was going to be some hike!The woman day hiker hiked it with us which caused "Do What?" to hike more solo. The woman's name was Dorothy and she knew every plant, every trail, every mountain and tons of information about the Wayah Bald Stone Tower. She was as much fun to hike with as Grandma Pam! Dorothy climbed to the top of Wayah Bald Stone Tower with us and pointed out all the mountains. Cool! After Dorothy left, I stalled about going down to Wayah Bald Shelter. I just knew "Do What?" was going to be there and I was afraid it would just be he and I at the shelter. Sure enough, it was, but as I got more to know him, I just realized he was a serious thru-hiker who was afraid to be on the trail alone. Yikes!!! It was going to be a long trip for him. Later that night Timber came into the shelter, it was just us three. I was tired and passed out around 7 p.m. with all the tent flaps open. I woke after dark and closed up shop for the night.