morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-11-08
From: US 58/Damascus, VA

To: Damascus
Miles today: 17.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Tuesday, November 8Day 130. US 58 ¢ Damascus (17.5 mi.) Today it was time to finish up the miles to the famous trail town, Damascus. So the 6 of us and Harvest Moon and Firefly got a shuttle to where we got off yesterday. The hiking was easy as is the case with most slack-packs because you don¢t have 30+ lbs. on your back. So we made good time into town and hung out for our second night in Damascus.
Date: 2005-11-09
From: Damascus

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Wednesday, November 9Day 131. Damascus (I think) (? mi.) This is the first of three entries that fell into the bathtub.Thursday, November 10Day 132. Damascus ¢ Abingdon Gap Shelter (10 mi.?) Bathtub.Friday, November 11Day 133. Abingdon Gap Shelter ¢ Vandeventer Shelter (2.5 mi.?) The whole day we were on top of a ridge, so it was a pretty (¢¦bathtub¢¦) miles of hiking. We only had a (¢¦bathtub¢¦)500 ft. climbs. We saw our first 2 hunters with guns today on the Trail (I¢d seen¢¦a bow and arrow). Supposedly they were allowed to be there (¢¦bathtub¢¦)¢¦.(Bathtub¢¦) P.S.¢¦the Trail we finished with Virginia and entered Tennessee. At this point, until we hit Georgia, it¢s going to be hard to tell what state we¢re in next when we¢re in towns because the Trail runs along the North Carolina/Tennessee border.
Date: 2005-11-12
To: Kincora Hostel
Miles today: 17.0

Saturday, November 12Day 134. Vandeventer Shelter ¢ Kincora Hostel (17 mi.) You know what we haven¢t done in a while? Swam in a lake. So since we were walking along a lake for half of the day, it seemed like a good chance for a final swim of the season. So Harvest Moon, Firefly, Barrel Roll. Goldfish and I lined up and all quickly ran into the freezing water. Then Frogger stopped by and he ran in. Then Steiner stopped by and she ran in. (Bumfoot, Pokey, D-spo and Wasso stopped by, but they didn¢t want to run in.) So after a gigantic break, we hiked on along an awesome creek with an awesome waterfall at the end, and then to Bob Peoples¢ awesome hostel, Kincora. There was a cabin just for hikers with a fridge, stove, bunks, a wood stove, showers and laundry. We also met up with Bouie who had slack-packed and was 24 miles ahead of us. It was a joyous reunion.
Date: 2005-11-13
From: Kincora Hostel

To: Rte. 19E
Miles today: 24.0

Sunday, November 13Day 135. Kincora ¢ Rt. 19E (24 mi.) Slack-pack today. Bouie was dropped off where we were starting to go the other way because we were hiking north for the day. For me it seemed like a very normal though strangely tiring day, but after all 12 of us met back at the hostel there turned out to be quite a few adventures. Only Harvest Moon, Firefly, Bumfoot, D-spo and I didn¢t get lost. Frogger lost the Trail and ended up skipping 6 miles (he got in 3 hrs. before everyone). Wasso lost the Trail, then walked the wrong direction on the Trail for a mile. He got in 2.5 hours after everyone. Barrel Roll, Goldfish and Steiner, when it was getting dark, thought that a blue blaze was a white blaze and so followed the wrong trail for .5 miles. On their way back out they found Pokey doing the same thing and saved her a mile extra. They got in 40 minutes late. Fun!
Date: 2005-11-14
From: Rte. 19E

To: Roan High Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Monday, November 14Day 136. Rte. 19E ¢ Roan High Knob Shelter (15 mi.) Today was going to be pretty easy. A lot of climbing since we were headed to 6,000 ft. and the highest shelter on the Trail, but short miles and an early start. There was one problem, though. When Bob Peoples drove us back to Rte. 19E, my hiking poles fell out of the back of his truck. Barrel Roll volunteered to stay with me as I looked for my poles. Luckily, Bob had and extra pair laying around. We didn¢t get started ¢til 12:15 and got in at the shelter at 8:10. So we did 2 hrs. of night hiking which turned out to be really fun. It was a cloudy night, we were at high altitudes, and we were hiking across artificial balds (the southern substitute for being above treeline). The fog was so thick that our headlamps made it harder to see. That plus the wind made the hiking kind of treacherous but still fun. We arrived at the 16-person fire-warden¢s cabin (turned hiker¢s shelter) located above 6,000 ft. tired but in good spirits.
Date: 2005-11-15
From: Roan High Knob Shelter

To: Greasy Creek Gap
Miles today: 7.0

Tuesday, November 15Day 137. Roan High Knob Shelter ¢ Greasy Creek Gap (7 mi.) Walking in a bit of fog again this morning, but it burned off pretty quickly. We started off with a lot of downhill since we were so high up, which was nice. When we got to Greasy Creek Gap (which was just an abandoned Jeep road) we found out that there was a hostel 0.6 mi. down the Jeep road. So Frogger, Barrel Roll and I headed down. The ¢neighborhood¢ this was in was truly the ¢boondocks¢ but there was still a bathroom and food which was all we needed (no privies in Tennessee). The only problem though was that no one was home, sigh. So Frogger filled up on water from the hose and took off. Barrel Roll and I stuck around a little longer, but still no one showed up. As we were packed up and about to leave, Steiner showed up to get some water, and with her there we managed to convince ourselves to spend the night instead of hiking to the shelter. While we were waiting for the owners of the hostel to come home, Bumfoot, Pokey and D-spo came by with the same idea as us: to stay the night. This was good because it was Bumfoot¢s birthday, so we figured we could celebrate it properly. Eventually, C. C. and Packrat (the owners of the hostel) showed up and we had a great time with Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary and cheap box wine.
Date: 2005-11-16
From: Greasy Creek Gap

To: Iron Mt. Gap
Miles today: 4.0

Wednesday, November 16Day 138. Greasy Creek Gap ¢ Iron Mt. Gap (4 mi.) Last night we were up ¢til 2:30 am celebrating Bumfoot¢s B-day, so we couldn¢t get started until 12:30. Also, Barrel Roll rolled his ankle in the middle of the night while going to the bathroom, and since he wasn¢t wearing his boots and didn¢t have any support, it was still hurting badly today. So the bad start, Barrel Roll¢s ankle and the really odd weather brought us to the decision to only hike 4 miles and hitch 20 to Erwin, TN, the home of the famous Trail hostel, ¢Ms. Janet¢s.¢ We would slack-pack the other 20 trail miles we were missing. The only problem was that Frogger and Goldfish were starting 2.7 miles ahead and they would probably wait for us before hiking to Erwin. Fortunately, they eventually did get started but not until 1:30. So they arrived at about 7:30. That night we prepared a big pasta dinner and watched The Princess Bride.
Date: 2005-11-17
From: Iron Mt. Gap

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

Thursday, November 17 Day 139. Iron Mt. Gap ¢ Indian Grave Gap (11 mi.) So today the 6 of us (Barrel Roll, Steiner, Bumfoot, D-Po, and I) slacked 11 of the 20 miles we missed. We reached some high elevation where we were greeted with a picturesque dusting of snow from the day before. When we finished the slack, Team Big Choice was reunited with it¢s sixth member, Bouie. He was coming to bring us to a Thanksgiving gathering at a camp that he worked at. We had a 45 minute drive ¢til we got there and met all of Bouie¢s friends, ate a lot and sang songs. It was a very good time. We got a place to stay in one of the bunkhouse/dorm rooms on the property.
Date: 2005-11-18
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Nolichucky River 
Miles today: 9.0

Friday, November 18Day 140. Indian Grave Gap ¢ Nolichucky River (9 mi.) In the morning we watched some TV as we waited for Bouie to find us a ride. When he got back he took us to a Waffle House and then to an out-fitter in Asheville where we geared up for winter. I desperately needed new boots (my others had gone almost 1600 miles and wouldn¢t do me good in the winter/Smokies), a new, (waterproof) raincoat, rain pants gloves, neck/face warmer, and socks with no holes in them. So finally we drove the 45 minutes back to Miss Janet¢s. When we got back Miss Janet slacked Barrel Roll, Steiner and I the last 8 miles we had to do to catch up to everyone else in Erwin. Tonight was very special for a reason other than our being all caught up: it was the opening night of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. So we all had a Harry Potter party where we watched the third movie on DVD and then went with Miss Janet to see the new movie. (Again we didn¢t get to bed until after midnight.)
Date: 2005-11-19
From: Nolichucky River 

To: Erwin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Saturday, November 19Day 141. Erwin (? mi.)   Sobo party! Today was the day of the long anticipated Sobo party, a big reunion of the 2005 southbound thru-hikers, Flip-floppers and long section hikers. It was organized and hosted by 2 current Sobos (Strider and Sidekick), a mom and her 18 yr. old son in Sylva, NC. So Barrel Roll, Steiner, Frogger, Goldfish, D-Spo, Bumfoot, Harvest Moon, Firefly and I all piled in to Miss Janet¢s (who of course was coming too) van to drive to the party. (Bouie and Pokie were off visiting friends.) The party was a lot of fun. We got to see some familiar faces as well as new people who we only knew from their register entries. There was lots of food and drinks, including the famous ¢southern mountain moonshine,¢ and most of the night was spent around the campfire telling jokes and stories from the Trail. Yet another night going to bed after midnight.
Date: 2005-11-20
From: Erwin

To: Erwin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Sunday, November 20Day 142. Erwin (zero mi.)   Woke up today to do some pancakes. Eventually, we all said our goodbyes and piled into Miss Janet¢s van, this time with the addition of Bad Cheese and Stale Crackers (her fianc©). Before heading back, Strider led us to a famous apple store that he¢d been telling us about where we got some amazing apple fritters, turnovers and cider. Afterwards, we dropped off B.C. and S.C. (who are still a bit ahead) and got back to Miss Janet¢s. Tonight was D-Spo¢s last night on the Trail because she had to go back home for Thanksgiving. So we celebrated with Quiznos, subs, Pictionary and Trivial Pursuit. Bumfoot also spent the night building a kitchen island for Miss Janet. (Hopefully the last night we got to bed after midnight.)
Date: 2005-11-21
From: Erwin

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: light rain

Monday, November 21Day 143. Nolichucky River ¢ Bald Mt. Shelter (17 mi.) We finally tore ourselves away from Miss Janet¢s (and sadly, D-Spo). We had another day of mostly uphill since we were going up to 5,000 ft. It also rained all day. By 6:30, when we got in to the shelter, it was freezing cold. By 8:00 the pitter-patter of the rain on the tin roof had stopped. By 8:30 we realized that the pitter-patter had stopped because it was snowing now. (I love my zero degree sleeping bag!) Snow storm! According to the weather report, the snow was supposed to start at midnight. So we¢ll see¢¦.
Date: 2005-11-22
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Sam's Gap
Miles today: 8.0

Tuesday, November 21Day 144. Bald Mountain Shelter ¢ Sam¢s Gap (8 mi.) Snow this morning, and lots of it. When we woke up this morning there were at least 6 in. on the ground and some snow had blown into the shelter. Since we had hiked in the rain last night and everything got wet, most of our stuff ¢clothes, socks, shoes, packs ¢ was frozen. At this point we knew we weren¢t hiking many miles today. So we took our time packing up and thawing shoes out with our stoves (more specifically, Bumfoot¢s stove). When we finally got started hiking, it was still snowing. We had to start hiking up towards Big Bald, which is one of the highest, most exposed areas around, so when the terrain started getting more exposed, the wind was blowing harder and the snow getting deeper. Right before the Bald, there was an option for a bad weather trail instead of the official AT. It¢s pretty easy to guess which trail we took. After 8 miles we got to Sam¢s Gap where the trail follows a road underneath I-23. Bumfoot and Pokey had to make 42 miles to Hot Springs by tomorrow to meet their parents for Thanksgiving. They obviously weren¢t going to make that, especially in the snow, so they would hitch in off the interstate after spending one last night with us - underneath an overpass! That¢s right, we¢re spending the night under the highway. There¢s a steep cement ascent up to right underneath the road where there are two ledges, one to walk along and one to sleep on. The sleeping one is divided into bunks by the supports that go along the bottom of the bridge. So after hiking to get some hot dinner, we all got settled into our bunks, one or two to a cell.
Date: 2005-11-23
From: Sam's Gap

To: Jerry's Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 143- So sleeping under an overpass proved interesting. The cars going by overhead weren't that bad; I could sleep through them. The problem was with the redneck joy riders on the road below. At about 11 o'clock they came roaring passed below, and their must have been sooped up because of how loud it was. They drove back and forth for about 15 minutes showing off how great their car was before leaving. All 8 of us were terrified of them spotting us up in the rafters. Eventually they left, that was only for about 10 minutes though because they came back just as bad as before. Needless to say, I couldn't get to sleep until they actually left for good. When we woke up in the morning it had stopped snowing but out on the trail it was still about 6-8 inches deep. Bumfoot and Pokey left this morning to Hot Springs where we would meet back up on Thursday. So we saw them off and started hiking. Hiking in the snow is very different then normal hiking. (It was more noticeable today because we were hiking bigger miles) First of all, it's a lot more tiring in the snow. We hiked 17 miles today and it felt like 24. You use up more energy in the cold as your body tries to keep itself warm. Also each step is made more difficult because you have to lift your feet higher and break trhough the snow. Despite these difficulties though, hiking in the snow was awesome, so much fun. The whole way is beautiful. It's like walking through a perfect christmas card picture all day. The pure white is only broken by the trees that it covers. It never gets monotonous either. So once you get over the cold, wet, exhaustion, and the branches that you constantly have to walk through because they've been weighed down by the snow, it's actually a lot of fun. Less than a mile before the shelter we came out into an open field on top of a ridge and saw the most amazing sunset where the whole sky was glowing red (it probably won't come out in the pictures so you'll have to take my word for it). When we eventually got to the shelter, it was getting dark and we couldn't find any water in all the snow. So we spent a half an hour cooking snow so we could have water. Eventually I got into my sleeping bag and could start feeling my toes again for the first time today.
Date: 2005-11-24
From: Jerry's Cabin Shelter

To: Allen Gap 
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 146- Happy Thanksgiving! We had to meet Bumfoot and Pokey in Hot Springs today to join them and their parents for Thanksgiving dinner. The problem though is that we were 26 miles out of town because the snow had slowed down our miles. Also since we were hurting from yesterday's hike and knew that the snow would keep holding us back, we decided to hike 11 miles to the nearest road and hitch into town. The good news though is that the snow was starting to melt, and once we actually got to lower elevations again, we were actually walking on solid ground again. We got into town relatively early and saw Pokey and Bumfoot again. They told us they'd come and pick us up when dinner was ready. So we rented a little cabin and got cleaned up. While we were getting ready, Harvest Moon and Firefly showed up, so we invited them to joine in our cabin and to come to Thanksgiving Dinner. At 5 Bumfoot drove up and took us to the house his parents rented where we had a fantastic meal and watched football and the movie "Big." All-in-all a fantastic trail Thanksgiving. So that makes four major holidays on the trail: July 4th, Halloween, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving.
Date: 2005-11-25
From: Allen Gap 

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: overcast clouds

We did a slack pack to finish off our section into Hot Springs that we missed. As most slacks go, it was pretty liesurely and the weather was really nice which was much appreciated. We finished hiking around 4:30, hung out at the outfitter, and went to the hostel/B&B we were going to stay at, Elmer's. The hostel was really beautiful. It was in an old southern mansion/house from the 1800's. There was a music room where I got to play some piano and plenty of bathrooms and bedrooms. There was also an option to have dinner and breakfast included, so of course we jumped on that. The dinner was fantastic; it was all homeade and all vegetarian. Us 8 hikers, Elmer, and 5 other guests all sat together and ate at the same table so it was very cozy. Afterwards we just hung around, played/listened to music, and discussed the upcoming days.
Date: 2005-11-26
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: scattered clouds

We were going to hike 19 miles today but we had a late start dealing with mail and food and got set back. We also had a very long climb up over 2,000 feet up Bluff Mountain. What was particularly frustrating about this mountain was that there were around 3 or 4 false summits where you clumb up to what looks like the top, but everytime you crest the top you see that you have to up more and when you get to the top of that the same thing happens again. Overall it was a tiring day and def. nice to get to the shelter.
Date: 2005-11-27
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Standing Bear Farm and hostel
Miles today: 17.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 149- The hike started off with a gradual 4 mile climb up to Max Patch, a very popular Bald that's supposed to have nice views but unfortunately it was a little cloudy and very windy. But after more hiking, we climbed up to another bald, Snowbird, which was not quite as open but we got some great views including one of the monstrous Smokys that were waiting for us only a day away, the tops of which were completely covered in clouds. After about 6 more miles of hiking (without water) we reached the trail side hostel, Standing Bear Farm, which was a very rustic and picturesque southern hostel with two bunkhouse cabins (one with a creek running under i), a building to cook in, a place to resupply, and a place with a phone and internet, everything a hiker could ask for.
Date: 2005-11-29
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 151- For the past 3 or 4 days Barrel Roll's feet have been hurting and today it reached a point where we had to think about getting off the trail for a day to heal. Today would be the only time in the 70 miles of the Smoky Mountains that we would cross a road so if we didn't get off here we'd have to have two more big days to get to a road again. After much discussing, weighing our options, and hiking some decent miles, we decided to get off and hitch into Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Once we were all in town, we got a hotel room and started taking care of Barrel Roll's feet. On a good note, it rained all during our first night in the Smokys and into the morning but it wasn't long before it cleared up and and we had some magnificent views before we got off the trail.
Date: 2005-11-30
From: Newfound Gap

To: Gatlinburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Day 152- Time to let Barrel Roll heal up, so almost the whole day was spent in a hotel room. Steiner, Bouie, Bumfoot, and Pokey were planning on hiking today so that they woulndn't have to hike as big miles to get back on schedule to finish by the 11th of December. But 15 minutes after they packed up and went out the door they were back. So here we all are.
Date: 2005-12-01
From: Newfound Gap

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: broken clouds

Day 153- Happy December! Barrel Roll's feet were all better so it was back to the trail. When we got back to Newfound Gap where the trail was, as well as a nice roadside overlook, there were a lot of people there including a tour bus from Nova Scotia. Before we knew it, as we were packing up our bags, we were surrounded by tourists asking all about our thru-hike and taking our pictures. It was awesome. But soon the crowd dispersed and we got hiking. Not only were we celebrities today but we also passed the 200 mile mark, and not only do we have less than 200 miles left 'til Springer Mountain but we climbed to the highest point on the AT, Clingmans Dome at 6,643 ft. So I guess it's all downhill from here. Haha that's a little trail joke, it's not really true though.
Date: 2005-12-02
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Fontana Damn
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: clear sky

We hit a few more landmarks today. First of all, this morning was one of the coldest mornings I've had on the trail. All exposed water was frozen, so I was carrying 2.5 liters (5 lbs.) of water that I couldn't actually drink. Also we hit the 2,000 mile mark in the middle of the day. Unfortunately, there was no official indication of this like there is for Nobos. Since it was so cold we couldn't take too much time to celebrate because we had to keep moving. And lastly, we made it out of the Great Smoky Mountains at the very end of the day as we crossed the Fontana Dam before calling for a ride into the town that is named after the dam, Fontana Dam Village. the hotel we stayed at had a nice restaurant that we stuffed ourselves at then went back to our rooms for a great sleep (the hike today was exhausting).
Date: 2005-12-03
From: Fontana Damn

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: snow

It's always been hard to get a good start in the morning after spending the night in a town, and this morning was no different. It is especially difficult when you have to buy food and go to the post office. It's also difficult if it is pouring rain outside while you're dry and warm in a hotel room. What makes it the most difficult is if the only ride back to the trailhead isn't until 2 o'clock. Well with all this going on we weren't hiking until 3 (we were originally planning to do 22 miles but that obviously had to change this plan). When we started there were only 3 hours of daylight left so all of us were going to end up night hiking (unless we stopped short at a shelter only 6 miles away). We had a tough hike today with a 3,000 foot climb at the beginning, nasty weather, and the ice that covered the rocks making the walking treacherous. Bouie, Frogger, Goldfish, and I showed up at the shelter between 7:30 and 8:30 to find Harvest Moon, Firefly, and a Sobo I'd only briefly met in Damascus, Fantasy Feet. The 3 of them were all cozy and dry in their sleeping bags already. So the 4 of us got settled in and waited for Barrel Roll, Steiner, Pokey, and Bumfoot who by 10:30 didn't seem as if they were going to show up. So we would just sleep in in the morning and wait for them to show and see what's up. We had a 27 mile day planned for tomorrow but it seemed as if all 8 of us had a rough day/night and probably wouldn't be doing that.