morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2012-01-21
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I enjoy reading people's journals. It's fun to read the preparation entries for first timers. It's so predictable what people worry about because I once worried about the same issues. One would think that after reading prior year journals people would no longer worry about bears, snakes, mice, etc. Nor would they pack extra gear and back up to back ups. Just in case I need it and all that as if they were going to cross the arctic with no chance at resupply anywhere. I was the same in many respects. So they'll leave Springer with fifty pound packs that don't fit properly and some will carry seemingly weird pieces of gear like iron frying pans, battery operated portable TV, machetes, flare guns, stake mallets, and vast amounts of food. ( I saw every one of those items carried by people new to backpacking ) But they'll get to Neels Gap, maybe in five days instead of three, and they'll understand a lot more than they did a week ago and most of them will rejigger and refit and they will keep on going~! Some will decide that backpacking is not for them, that it is just not their cup of tea so to speak. But the ones who really want to will keep at it for as long as they possibly can. They'll drop out for different reasons but those who keep going will notice that the tribe gets thinned out. At Neels Gap surely, but at Fontana, at Hot Springs, at Damascus for sure. They leave at Harpers Ferry. But if they cross into Maryland only the badly injured will drop out. The rest, the 25% of those who started at Springer will make it all the 2184 miles to dear beautiful Katahdin. And they will never regret any of it.
Date: 2012-02-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Super Sunday so I went for a hike on the 3.5 mile loop trail out our back door. Crisp day. I wore microspikes so I wouldn't fall on the icy climbs. Saw many tracks , some fresh, some frozen. Deer all over the place and ditto with the turkeys. Fox, probably bobcat, Fisher and all manner of rabbit and squirrel. I bought Crocs to have camp shoes, something I haven't done in the past. I will not be very light this trip. It isn't really a priority with me. As long as I keep my pack weight under 30 pounds with everything including consumables I'll be a happy hiker. Of course with Judy I'll carry the double tent and switch out when she goes home but I think I'll take the Hubba and not a tarptent. This is the dark time of waiting to go. Luckily we have a road trip to visit my kids and grand baby so that will be a fun thing instead of doing chores like shoveling snow, and fixing various broken things around the house.
Date: 2012-03-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Had a fun St Patrick's Day including Guinness and Irish Coffee for breakfast.We leave Thursday and if all goes well should be in the woods on Friday. I'll worry about my pack getting lost until I actually pick it up. This is the first time I have taken my pack on a plane on the way to a trip. Usually I use UPS. But since I'm going via my brother's house in Atlanta if the airline screws up I can wait for my pack there.Otherwise I am good to go and happy about it.
Date: 2012-03-22
To: Finally going to Georgia!
Miles today: 0.0

Just Visiting: Just before we left for the airport, we got a text saying our plane was canceled! After frantically checking around on line, we got a direct flight on Air Tran and arrived about an hour later than originally planned. It went smoothly, and our packs arrived too! Brother and sister-in-law Richard and Diane met us and took us home to one last home-cooked dinner and comfy night's sleep.
Date: 2012-03-23
From: Springer Mountain

To: Hawk Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: overcast clouds

Just Visiting:   After a hearty breakfast (thanks Diane!), we set out for Springer. Once we got off the highway, we thought we were lost a few times, but with the help of the GPS lady and the directions in AWOL's AT Guide, we finally wound up on Forest Road 42 to the parking lot .9 miles north of Springer summit. The road there was very muddy, with steep drop offs on one side, the other, or both, and we were passing in and out of a cloud, so it was a little scary at times. After saying our goodbyes, we walked the .9 miles to the Springer Mountain terminus, signed the register--there were 12(!) parties ahead of us by 12 noon--and then turned around and walked back to the parking lot and then were really on our way.    We met many hikers on the trail. Most were day, weekend, or section hikers, but we did meet a few would-be thruhikers, including Matt (from Colorado), Brian (originally from Korea), two young guys without poles, and some others. The trail was pretty--lots of rhododendrons (not yet in bloom) and some little white, yellow, and purple wildflowers. There were some ups and downs but nothing major, and the footway was nice and level most of the time. It drizzled on and off all day, but it was warm and not uncomfortable.   We reached Hawk Mountain Shelter about 4:20. Never saw so many tents at a shelter. Turns out there is a Boy Scout outing here. We washed up, got water, set up the tent, and then it started to pour. We cooked under the tent flap and ate in the tent.   Once the rain let up, I walked around, talked to some fellow hikers, and signed the register. Our next-door neighbor is Matt, whom we had met several times during the day. He lent Bob a caribeener (sp?) to hang our food on the bear wires outside the shelter. He's very friendly and seems experienced. We hope to meet up with him again down the trail.   During the night, it rained hard again--a thunderstorm--but we stayed nice and dry and slept well until we noticed these strange flashing lights. At first, I thought I had accidentally turned on my headlamp and woke up Bob at 4 a.m. trying to find it and turn it off. But that wasn't it. Maybe it came from the Ranger base--Camp Merrill--nearby.
Date: 2012-03-24
From: Hawk Mountain Shelter

To: Ramrock Mountain
Miles today: 11.5
Weather: light rain

   Just Visiting: As usual, we were among the first ones up, but it gets light so late here that it was about 8 by the time we hit the trail.   Shortly after we started, we found a note on a tree: "Bamboo Bob and Judy, Call Red Truck. The Road to Deep Gap is closed!!" Diane and Richard left us a similar voicemail. Bob called Red Truck and found out that his annual hiker feed will now be at Tray Gap, further south, so we'll probably hike to Hiawassee, and then Red Truck will pick us up and take us to Tray Gap, and Richard will meet us there and take Bob back to the trailhead near Hiawassee and me back to Atlanta.   During the day, we ran into many hikers whom we had seen at Hawk Mountain shelter. The hike today included several "mountains"--big hills by New England standards. There were some long ups and downs, but they weren't very steep and the treadway was flat.   The sun was out all day, and we enjoyed the hike although we were both tired by 4 p.m. For that reason and because it had started raining, we camped here instead of going another 1-2 hours to our planned destination. That will make for a long hike tomorrow and a late arrival at Neels Gap.   It started to rain more heavily while we were setting up, but it stopped long enough for us to cook dinner and later stopped again, so I am now sitting on a big rock in the sunshine looking at a great view of rolling hills and farms while I write this entry.   Another hiker is camped here, a Dad who had started at Springer with his teenage daughter, who had bailed out the first evening at Hawk Mountain. He is getting off the trail today at Woody Gap.
Date: 2012-03-25
From: Ramrock Mountain

To: Neel's Gap
Miles today: 12.1
Weather: scattered clouds

Just Visiting:   Very windy in the morning--the tent almost blew away when we unstaked it. Several times today, starting at Woody Gap, we ran into a female hiker, Dragonfly. When I told her Bob's trail name, the following conversation ensued:   Dragonfly: "You're Bamboo Bob?! From White Blaze?!"   Bob: "Yup."   Dragonfly: "Awesome."She had read a lot of his posts on White Blaze. That was really fun for Bob and me to hear.   The wind continued off and on all day, depending on our exposure, but it was also really sunny even in the woods because the trees haven't leafed out yet, so the breeze kept us nice and cool while hiking, and the sun warmed us while resting. Perfect hiking weather.   We made good time over several mountains. Even Blood Mountain, the tallest in Georgia, was gradual. I didn't even realize it was Blood Mountain until we were nearly at the top.   The top was ledge with lots of nooks and crannies and Blood Mt. shelter, an old stone building with a fireplace inside. There we talked to Juice, whom we had met on the way up and also knew Bamboo Bob from White Blaze.   All day, my right knee had been bothering me. It felt better after I took Advil and put on my knee brace, but the two-mile downhill from Blood Mountain made it much worse.   It was fun arriving at Mountain Crossings after reading Winton's (the owner's) book, entitled "Passing Through" because the trail goes right through an archway between the store and the bunkhouse. Bob talked to Baltimore Jack, who is helping out here, and I met Pirate, who cooks meals on his own dime and whom I had read about in Winton's book.    We decided to stay in a cabin next door instead of the bunkhouse, so we would have more room to spread out, reorganize, and relax. We bought snacks and frozen pizza and spent the evening eating and planning the rest of the trip to Hiawassee, assuming my knee feels better in the morning.
Date: 2012-03-26
From: Neel's Gap

To: Past Poor Mountain
Miles today: 9.5
Weather: few clouds

Just Visiting: When we woke up, I tried walking down the stairs from the loft in our cabin and discovered that my knee still hurt, so we decided to ask Richard and Diane to pick me up here today instead of at the hiker feed on Saturday, which they kindly agreed to do. So we'll spend the morning reorganizing and replanning Bob's hike from here.   I'm sad I have to leave, but I think it's better not having the possibility of having to bail our later hanging over us. I hope my knee heals with further rest so I can return to the trail later in the spring or summer.   Richard and Diane arrived about 11:30 with a big red cross on the window of their car. Bob switched to his one-person tent, and we took off, we in the car and Bob on the trail.Bob on Trail: After saying bye to Judy, and being happy that Richard and Diane are so available, I had a very hot day getting here over nice trail. Some climbs but overall a good day. It took six hours with breaks to get water and rest every ninety minutes. I get up at first light and am on the trail by 7:15. This will get earlier as the days get longer. I stop after five when I find a decent camp site. So I'm filling up when I find water near five PM, and then I'm set for dinner and morning start. This is the PCT method of hiking, and I think makes for more miles than stopping at the shelters earlier than I'm ready. I met and passed three thru-hikers and three section hikers. Camped on this hill alone reminds me of my SOBO. With regards to Sadie, it's not boring at all, but it gets lonely fast.    A local guy told the story of how Hogpen Gap got its name. When the woods were full of chestnuts, the locals would release their pigs into the woods to fatten up. They would feed them in a pen weekly but they would be free to leave and then when it came time to harvest the pigs, they would just close the gate after them getting used to the Friday feed.
Date: 2012-03-28
From: Cheese Factory Site

To: Dick's Creek Gap - Hiawassee
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

First light start and a long crawl up and over mountains. Not steep but gradual climbs. Another hot day that got cool from time to time. I passed the shelters before anybody started hiking. Eventually I leap-frogged a lot of people. I got close to town so decided it was silly to camp in the woods next to the road to save a motel night. No vow of poverty for me. So it will be two nights here and then a night back at Trey Gap for the Hiker Feed. It seems that there will be a Boy Scout troop doing a hiker feed in addition to Red Truck. Anyway it looks like I'll be off trail until Saturday at least.
Date: 2012-03-29
From: Hiawassee

To: Hiawassee
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Hanging out with various hikers including sitting side by side with Voltron entering our journals. Bought a new hat because the old cotton cap was too hot and a new camera because the phone is not really practical on the trail. Tomorrow I'll be at Trey Gap for Red Truck's hiker feed, and then I plan to be back hiking on Saturday.
Date: 2012-03-30
From: Hiawassee

To: Trey Gap
Miles today: 0.0

Dale picked me up at 11:00 and off we went to the Hiker Feed. We set up the giant 20 x 30 tent and all the cooking equipment. It was fun meeting the hikers and watching Red Truck and Green Truck go to work in their amazing complex. Three burner grills, an oven. With the crew, friends, and quite a few hikers camped here it looks like another hiker jamboree or backpacker tent sale. The plan is for me to get a ride back to Dick's Creek Gap sometime tomorrow. I'm already antsy to get back on the trail. The hikers are the usual mix of new and clueless and veteran and savvy.
Date: 2012-03-31
From: Dick's Creek Gap 

To: Campsite
Miles today: 6.7
Weather: light rain

Nice campsite with piped spring. Caught up to Dragonfly and her friend Paco Y Paco. Paco exclaimed when I introduced myself that I was the "famous" hiker that Dragonfly told her about. Believe it. Poor Dragonfly has very sore feet. I hope she can get them tended to in Franklin, but rest is probably the only cure. I'm famous. It was lucky for me that they didn't see my pathetic bear-bagging job. I had a cold dinner tonight after so much trail magic food.
Date: 2012-04-01
From: Campsite

To: Swinging Lick Gap.
Miles today: 21.9

Into North Carolina. Passed so many people today I lost count. Big surprise at Deep Gap--trail magic apparently all weekend. I guess the gate was open after all because there were six cars parked and people cooking and giving out soda. I told one guy about Dale checking the gate. He said he was glad he didn't check and just went ahead. Big day for me. Skipping Franklin to go to a new hostel.
Date: 2012-04-03
From: Wayah Gap - Aquaone Hostel

To: Dry Camp
Miles today: 18.3

Day started with coffee and egg mcmufffin at the hostel and on the trail at 8:05. Dinner last night was delivered from the kitchen. Very home cooking like my mother's own. The trail was perfect all day. Really an AT iconic trail. Rumbling thunderstorms, a beer trail magic in Burningtown Gap. Pulled into the Wesser Bald Shelter at 4:30 to get out of the rain. Made dinner, but when the rain stopped I moved on. I camped here after 90 minutes more hiking to 7:30. With tents, there must have been thirty people at Wesser. I'm not ready for that. Mostly twenty somethings all grouped and loud. There is also a group of 19 called the Wolf Pack. They gave me a beer. Another day in paradise! It is hailing now.
Date: 2012-04-04
From: Dry Camp

To: Locost Cove Gap
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Seven AM start to get to NOC, the rafting place on the trail. A nice breakfast and a 90 minute break. The break and the long climb up Cheoah bald made for a lower mile day. I camped here in 2000 by myself, but this time I'm in the middle of the Wolf Pack. Nice people but many and mainly young and noisy. Poppa wolf has two golden retrievers. I will leave early but don't expect much sleep. I will try to outwalk them. I'm going to the Hike Inn. Daypack has moved on. His Cuban fiber gear weighs less than half mine. We have similar world outlooks so he was easy to be with.
Date: 2012-04-05
From: Locost Cove Gap

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 18.2
Weather: light rain

A serious hiking day. Being camped with the Wolf Pack was ok, but the chitter chatter went way too late with one woman talking all night. Maybe sleep talking? When they said where they would camp next, I decided to just hike past that site and here I am. Unfortunately into the Smokies you are required to stay at the shelters. I'll try to be as upbeat as possible but expect short sleep. I'm tenting here as the shelter must have thirty people. Looking forward to the Hike Inn tomorrow but pick up is not until 9:30 or ten.
Date: 2012-04-06
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Hike Inn
Miles today: 0.0

Picked up at nine by Jeff. A short ride to this six room old motor court. It is all decked out as a hiker place. With hiker box etc. They brought take out lunch for us too. My cozy room is a good resting place with Dish TV. Poor phone signal though. AT&T is not very good in the southern part of the trail but that's what I already had. Later dinner and shopping in Robbinsville. And a lot of overnight dog barking with the five dogs.
Date: 2012-04-07
From: Hike Inn

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: clear sky

Into the Smokies. Saw three deer immediately on really nice trail all day. Skipped two shelters, hiked with a crew of dudes. And now there are many more people here. Fun with all the trail talk. We have a fire in this stone shelter's fireplace. It is supposed to be cold tonight.
Date: 2012-04-09
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Icewater Shelter
Miles today: 27.3
Weather: clear sky

Cold day all day and windy too. Managed ten miles by 1 PM. Trail magic at Newfound Gap by "Sheep" whose parents were visiting. They had food and Easter candy. Another very crowded shelter plus tents. I met Nomad whom we fed at Tray Gap at the Red Truck hiker feed. He and I chatted all the way from Newfound Gap to here. Very cold tonight again.
Date: 2012-04-10
From: Icewater Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 20.3
Weather: few clouds

Cold day, overcast. But really great day for hiking. My foot fell asleep while hiking. This had happened before, all pins and needles. I hope it is nothing problematic. Made it here by 5:30. Amazingly I'm right next to My brother Tom's friend Trog. I met him on the Long Trail in 2003 as well. He says hi to Tom and still goes fishing in Maine.
Date: 2012-04-11
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: before Wildcat Spring
Miles today: 15.5

Yet again an early start. The sun rises a bit earlier now so it's a bit easier. Still cold in the AM. A long down grade with ten miles by noon. Had a pizza and beers, shower, and laundry, at Standing Bear Hostel. Curtis is an iconic AT host. Real funky place with hand washboard laundry and ringer. Stone showers, bunk house, etc. A store. Well set up and laid out. It's a bit too loud for me to stay all night. A few of the employees did not have a hiker vibe. I got provisioned for the few days to Hot Springs. I hope I don't regret moving on. It's 38 degrees. Camped with Trog and Dream Catcher(?). Amazing coincidence--Just as I was leaving Standing Bear, Amtrak shows up. In retrospect, I think he might have wanted to hike with me, and he would be a good trail companion but he has no legs yet and I would not do well I think. I just chatted and said, "See you up the trail." Later, late, Amtrak showed up at the campsite.
Date: 2012-04-12
From: before wildcat spring

To: Catpen Gap
Miles today: 16.6

In the morning I packed up. Amtrak was snoring. I didn't know whether to wake him or what. So I just left. Later Trog said he wasn't awake when they left much later. Should I have waited for him? I really feel in hiker mode and don't want any delays. But he would be a good hiking companion normally. I hope he was not disappointed when he woke up and found me gone. This was a nice cool hiking day. Trail magic of beer and hotdogs by two hikers headed off to the PCT. Met Overdrive, Mr. Fabulous and two German girls. All nice but young. I like stopping after ten hours with the sun still up. I wish now I wasn't mainly alone. Maybe I should stay at the shelters. Noisy but at least there are people. This is a little like my SOBO trip. The same mixed feelings about how to go about this. Since it is part of my third end to end maybe I'm just at the natural end of my AT life.
Date: 2012-04-13
From: Catpen Gap

To: Hot Springs
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Up at dawn again for a quick walk into town by 12:30. Nice room over bar. Late night tonight listening to roots music. At dinner with ex-Navy Bob--young guy trying to decide what to do with his life. Everyone over 22 has the same impression of Standing Bear as I do. It is set up nicely, but the staff are Fight Club waiting to happen. I hope Curtis can keep it going. It has such potential. Hot Springs is a nice town. It is much improved from ten years ago.
Date: 2012-04-14
From: Hot Springs

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

Very tough climb out of Hot Springs. Leap frogging with three section hikers who are well-conditioned, Turtle, et al. This is a long hot day leaving Hot Springs at 10:30 AM after breakfast with Ladyfish. Sent home the used pages of the guide book and bought a new stuff sack for my cooking gear. With many ups and downs, I was happy to stop at 5:30 after only 11 miles. Plenty of springs, but here at the shelter my PUR pump stopped working. Big suprize since it's been so reliable for 12 years. I have a few iodine tablets so I'll be OK. I may switch to some other treatment if I can't fix the pump. A bug flew in my ear! I have not been able to get it out. I could hear it buzzing like crazy and poked at it with a stick, ow, ow ow. I hope it's dead and doesn't set up housekeeping. Camped here with the usual dozen or so. The shelter only holds four and is in dismal shape. A difficult stretch ahead with little water according to southbounders.
Date: 2012-04-15
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Hemlock Hollow Farm
Miles today: 5.7

According to the book this hostel has supplies. Nice cabin on a stream. I have no reason to stop here, but it is nice and I am in no hurry. A nice Sunday meatloaf dinner sold me on it. Did a bit of laundry with a wash board. Very effective but only for one day's worth of synthetic materials. Here with Spiller. I spent an hour trying to make my filter work. I'll have to trash it and switch to aqua murer. At least it's lighter than the pump/filter. I'll have to wait to drink the water. Up to now I have relied on the springs so I used the pump only 4-5 times. As we get into Virginia, it will be more streams that need to be treated. No problem.
Date: 2012-04-16
From: Hemlock Hollow Farm

To: Spring past Flint Mt Shelter
Miles today: 17.2

The hostel was very nice. Mostly new cabins, bath house, and store. Meals were OK and cheap--five dollars for dinner and lunch. Not up to the Cabin in Maine. I don't see them ever being too busy so close to Hot Springs. Ride back to trail at 8AM. Long up for 4.6 miles, but most of day on ridge line. Headed for Flint Mt. Shelter all day, but when I finally got there the people had a dog so I moved on. Treated my water with iodine. It worked well so far, and easy but you need to wait for it to work. I'll still try to fill at springs when possible. In 2000 near here at the Shelton civil war graves I saw the biggest bear of the 45 I have seen. The last few days I've seen ripped up logs and overturned rocks, two bear signs. And today I saw two big piles of bear scat. But tonight I can't find any suitable tree limbs so I can't hang my food. It will just stay in the tent with me.Just Visiting: Don't worry--he wasn't eaten by a bear. He's now (4/18) at Uncle Johnny's in Erwin.
Date: 2012-04-17
From: Spring past Flint Mt Shelter

To: Bald Mt Shelter
Miles today: 17.7

Warm start to the day. Easy spring water. A real pretty trail. But then cold rain and fog. A real alpha to get here. I just about gave up on finding the shelter in the fog. But there it was. Thank you God. Now much colder, thunder, lightning, mist drifting in here. Here are Trog, Dream whatever, and seven others.