morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2018-03-29
From: Stealth camping on a ridge

To: Franklin to resupply 
Miles today: 1.7
Weather: overcast clouds

another cold morning.Seemed a little bit warmer than it has been through.Or maybe we are finally getting used to it.Had to pack up in the dark so we could catch a ride into  Franklin to resupply.We caught a ride with a great man who has been through some crazy things in his life.He just wanted to help in anyway he could.   He dropped  us off at a hostel that I was really looking  forward to going to.We got there and the owner was extremely rude for no reason.We got actour of the place and it was really  dirty,crack house like.I set my pack on a marble table and the table collapsed and smashed.We told the workers about it and said we wanted to leave.They warned us that the owner is kind of paranoid and would be mad if we left.All of his workers seemed afraid of him.I ended up paying  for the table after a long lecture from the guy.Beware of where you stay out here!Wasnt a good way to start the day  So we headed off to look for another place.We met up with Cervesa and Rampage.They invited us to have breakfast with them.Cervesa is a triple crowner of the Long trails.Rampage is from Colorado and hiking the trail in crocs.Really nice girls   After that we scored a room at Baltimore Jacks hostel.Perfect spot and cheap  Comfortably  numb was having blister issues so we went to Outdoor 76.Really great gear shop with foot pros on sight.They really know what they are doing.While he was getting his feet fixed up I had a few beeers .They Have local beer on tap while you shop or wait for someone.Awesome store!  Next we moved on to Lazy hiker brewery.Excellent beer and atmosphere.Its an old firehouse converted into a brewery/bar.We had a few with No tricks,a thru hiker from Maine.Had a deep conversation  about ancestry with a local guy originally from London.Greatc guy  After that we had to get down to business and resupply.Its not a great idea to do this when you have a strong buzz.Bought way too much food which equals a really heavy backpack.A really nice local lady helped out with a discount card though.Southerners are so nice and generous  Hit up a great diner for lunch.Gigantic burger called the farmhouse.Had eggs bacon,And pretty much every king of meat on it.Was amazing.Kust what I need because I am already losing lbs.   Ended the day at Lazy hiker for a few more.Great Irish band was playing.Goldy locks,Splash,English man,and Crisis were all there with us.I am in a great group of hikers now.Hoping we go all the way together,but it¢s really early so who knows  Have a great day tomorrow real world era  Love you and thank you Beth!
Date: 2018-03-30
From: Franklin to resupply 

To: Stealth camping 
Miles today: 14.2
Weather: heavy intensity rain

Learned a lesson in Franklin.Dont drink so much!Wicked hangover to start the day.Rom Havens shuttled is all back to winding stair gap where we left the day before.He is a really well known guy on the AT and is known for being really helpful.He was for sure.He owns the hostel we stayed at the night before  After a few hours I started  feeling way better.Another sunny and beautiful day.We met some AT trail workers a few miles in and they said to make sure we took the side trail up to Siler Bald.So glad I did.Its a beautiful grassy mountain top with views in every direction.So glad we hit it on such a nice day.The AT workers  gave us a lot of history about the mountains while we were up there .Great guys   Onward we went.Trail was so beautiful all day.My favorite day so far.We arrived at Wyah gap and doing a bunch of Easter eggs with trail magic in them.It was so weird to see in the middle of nowhere .After Wyah Gap it was up to Wyah mtn tower.The Top of this mtn was heavily burned in forest fires last year.All the trees on top are scorched.But it is by far the best spot on the trail so far.The tower is made from stone.Looks like something you would see in England.The views were incredible.We met and older couple who hiked the trail long ago up there in the tower.They were so nice.The man left and then came back to make it a point to tell me as the good places not to miss up the trail.They were probably in there 80s and he did that.Just more proof of how Southerners are amazing people.Deluxe ,Trackmaster,Goldy locks and Cotto were all up there.Cotto heard about the round table I smashed at the hostel because he was getting picked up by the crazy owner when he was lecturing me over the phone.Cotto said the guy is a total nut,and the guy went on and on about it all day.Deluxe thought the whole thing was hilarious and renamed me Crazy Diamonds of the round table.Deluxe is the funniest person I have ever met   It was hard to leave Wyah Bald .We stealth camped on an old abandoned road perfect for tenting.We don¢t plan where we are going anymore.Makes it more fun.I am totally shot tonight.Really need to limit my fun when I go into town to resupply!  Love you Beth,and miss you terribly
Date: 2018-03-31
From: Stealth camping 

To: NOC
Miles today: 13.8

Slept great at the old road where we stealth camped.Really quiet night.Nice warmer morning too  Made it to Telico gap and got some great trail magic.Bag full of fruit and veggies.And Momma Goose Had hot dogs,beer ,soda ,all kinds of food,and some great advice about the trail.She hiked it in 16.  Was a beautiful day.Wesser Bald tower was amazing.The hike down from Wesser is pretty challenging with steep drop offs.Excellent views all the way.Lots of forest fire damage from last year.We met Special Ed  who we stayed with at a shelter a few nights before on the way down.He is 67 and is section hiking.He took a bad fall and hurt his back bad.He had to have a rescue team get him off the mountain.Really nice guy.Hope he gets to finish someday  We decided to get a bunk at NOC .Had an Excellent dinner there.Its a really nice place where you can watch kayakers go by and just soak your feet in the river and relax for a while..
Date: 2018-04-01
From: NOC

To: Cheoah bald
Miles today: 8.1

First thing we had to do was get our Smoky mtn permits.Printed them out at the NOC.20$ .The permit gives you 8 days to go through the smokies.While we were getting our permits an older lady dressed as the Easter bunny gave us a nice little bag of trail magic.  It was a long hike up out of the NOC.Really nice day though.We ended up staying at Cheoah Bald and stealth camped there.Momma goose told us we should stay there the day before.Such a cool spot.The view didn¢t even look really it was so impressive.  Met new hikers Foxy,Oops,and Tugboat while we were there.All really nice people.Really great sunset.  About 1am it got so windy that I really thought my tent was going to collapse.Kind of Glad the wind woke me up though because there was a great full moon.One of the clearest skies I have ever seen.All the mountain tops were glowing from the moons brightness.
Date: 2018-04-02
From: Cheoah bald

To: Cable Gap shelter 
Miles today: 14.0

Woke up to another gorgeous day.And another great sunrise.Pretty Cold But Cheoah Bald is above 5000¢ so we should have expected it   Trail was somewhat easier today with less climbs.Not a lot of views but the trail is just really nice without them  At Stecoah gap there were trail angels from Indiana.They do it once a year just to hear about how the trail is from us thru hikers.Super nice people.  Decided to call it a day at Cable Gap shelter.Shelter was full so we tented which I would have done anyway.I found a cool spot by a little steam.I soaked my aching feet until they went numb in the ice cold clear water.Really helped.  So far that spot by the stream was the best night of sleep I have had.There was a very loud owl above my tent which was really neat too.  Cervesa,Rampage.cotto,Walmart special,Tugboat ,and some other friends were there.I guess somebody rolled into the shelter late and caused some problems.I slept through it all
Date: 2018-04-03
From: Cable Gap shelter 

To: Molies Ridge shelter
Miles today: 18.5

Woke up to a warm morning!Slept soooo good.Packed up and started the long hike down to Fontana dam. Made it down to Fontana and decided not to go into town because we had plenty of food to get us through for a while.There is a shelter called the Fontana Hilton you can stay at .20$.It was really crowded so we didn¢t.Really nice spot tho overlooking Fontana lake The dam was really impressive.The trail takes you right across it.  Right after the dam we entered the Smokies.At the gate we met a ridge runner who checked our permits.He told us that the ten site we were planning on going to was closed due to a very aggressive bear that slashed through a few tents already this year . So we had to make a decision to go an extra 5 miles that day to a shelter.We did it.It was such a nice day ,just made sense.Its a long hard climb into the Smokies out of Fontana dam though  On the way up we met some day hikers.I heard one of them scream.A wild boar was right on the trail.I didn¢t realize how big these things are.Luckily the scream scared it away.I couldn¢t believe how big it was and how fast it ran away from us down a steep hill.  Shuckstack tower was the highlight of my day.Its a really tall and old fire tower.The views down to Gontana lake and Dam were incredible.Probably the best view I have ever seen from a fire tower.And looking north the view of the Smokies was great.The dayhikers from earlier gave us some awesome veggie pizza that they had.SO GOOD ¢Food isn¢t what it used to be anymore.Really appreciate the good stuff now  A short time later I needed to get more water which was a little off trail.I looked up and saw another huge boar walking down a ridge pretty close to me.It was just snorting and grunting away.Wasnt afraid of me at all.I was afraid though because I have heard that they will charge you.Wouldnt have a chance against something that size  We were really beat when we arrived at Molies ridge shelter.In the Smokies you have to stay in the shelter until it¢s filled to capacity.Only after it fills can you set up a tent.Shelter is a beautiful stone shelter with a built in fireplace.Really glad we are in here because there is another really bad lightning and thunder storm happening...again.Strong Wind too.I really don¢t like sleeping in the shelters ,but we lucked out tonight
Date: 2018-04-04
From: Molies Ridge shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter 
Miles today: 12.1

Didn¢t sleep so great because of loud thunder,wind,and snoring.Woke up in a thick fog or inside a cloud.Was pretty cold so we just packed up and left quickly.  About 1 hour in the sun burned through and it turned out to be a beautiful day.Took a nice break at Spence field shelter.Really cool spot that¢s all open with crazy twisted trees  From here we could see Rocky Top mtn.One side of it was ice covered.Looked really cool.On Rocky Top there is an open grassy area with unreal views south.The sun was shining and it was so good to feel the warmth and see the view.Just lates there for quite a while enjoying it.Sometimes I have been so happy out here that I could cry.This spot was one of those times.Its the most peaceful  I have felt in a long long time   Arrived at Derrick knob shelter and the temps were dropping quick.The Shelter holds 12 people.We crammed in 19 because it¢s so cold tonight.There is a fire going but it¢s not doing much.Its only 7 and I am in my sleeping bag and don¢t want to leave it.I am loving the Smokies but am totally ready for some warmer weather
Date: 2018-04-05
From: Derrick Knob Shelter 

To: My Collins shelter 
Miles today: 13.0

19 people and we all woke up freezing.The only thing you can do is pack up fast and get hiking to get warm again.  Luckily the sun warmed things up pretty quick again.And another clear day.Very happy because the highest point  on the AT we will be hitting today,Clingmans Dome.   Very nice section of trail.Rolling instead of climbing.Silers Bald was a great spot with views of Clingmans.The hike up Clingmans Dome was really beautiful and not ever very steep.Reminded me of the Adirondacks because it¢s thicker forest with lots of pines.Pines smelled so good.      The top of Clingmans was just mobbed .There is a road that goes almost to the top so anybody can get up there.I guess I was expecting more.Just wasn¢t really that impressed compared to way better views I have seen on the trail before this.It was kind of cool up there though because there were quite a few people asking me about the hike so far.They were amazed about how far I have gone and how far I will be going and the fact that it¢s been so cold and we are staying out in it.I must be looking like a thru hiker now because everyone had questions.I like it!  The hike down the northern side of Clingmans was much more rugged and steep.Thick woods too.We decided to stay at Mt Collins shelter.It was overcrowded again .The Shelter was full so I was happy I could sleep in my tent.We got there just in time because many more came.Was a tent city.Really hoping the overcrowding dies down  Met some new friends at the shelter.Easy Wind from Ca,Sameise from Mass,and Big Island from Hawaii.Also Chads Dad who we haven¢t seen since Franklin.  Tomorrow we head into Gatlinburg to resupply and shower and of course some BEERS!
Date: 2018-04-07
From: My Collins shelter 

To: Gatlinburg 
Miles today: 4.5

Nero and zero  Smoky mtn brewery was excellent    Crockett¢s breakfast was the absolute best breakfast I have ever had.It can¢t be beat.  Nice town but really touristy  Good place to take a day off though.Really crappy weather so I am glad to be in town.Really missing my Bethie today.   Going to try out a moonshine bar later .That should make everything a little better lol
Date: 2018-04-08
From: Gatlinburg 

To: Pecks Shelter 
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: broken clouds

Woke up to find out that the road back up to Newfound Gap was closed due to ice storm.There is a great baptist church that gives rides up and back from there.No cost ,just good people   Trails were very icy with snow and mud.Views started opening up with a great undercast that lasted just about all day.We arrived at Charlie¢s bunion.Its an amazing spot a little off the trailYou climb out onto this rock outcropping that is like a tiny little island with huge drop offs on each side.I have climbed the Grand Teton,the knife edge on Katahdin,and Crib Goch in Wales.Charlies bunion scared me more than all of those.It quickly became my favorite spot so far.The undercast made it feel like walking on tops of the clouds Another great spot today was from Bradley¢s view spot.There was a wave of clouds coming over the mountains.Looked just like a huge wave of water but really slow.Watched for quite a while.  Tenting at Pecks lake shelter.Nice fire going inside I can warm up with before I head to my tent.Had the pleasure of meeting Moondrop and Playboy .Two really cool guys that I have a lot in common with  Warmer tonight with less wind.Listening to Jackie Greene.Life is great.Today was probably the best day for views so far  I miss you SOOOO much Bethie!
Date: 2018-04-09
From: Pecks Shelter 

To: Davenport Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

woke up with a couple inches of snow on my tent.And it was pretty cold again.So one choice that I am getting used to.Start moving or freeze.  We were in a cloud all day today until the very end.Makes you appreciate the nice days for sure.Listened to my iPod all day.So glad I brought it.Cant live without music.Only saw like 3 people.Very muddy and icy again.  About 1 mile before we ended today we got below the clouds we were in all day.Nice and dry and even a sliver of blue sky  Tonight I am staying in the shelter.Oops,Foxy,Tugboat,and new friends The Godfather and Spiritwalker are here.Good times.  This shelter has a cage across the front to keep out bears.Last night in the Smokies.I will miss them but not the damn cold nights!
Date: 2018-04-10
From: Davenport Gap Shelter 

To: Max patch 
Miles today: 16.9

woke up to the sun shining and much warmer.Had a fun night in the shelter with Spiritman,The Godfather,Tugboat,Oops,and foxy.The Shelter we stayed in has a cage over the front to keep out bears.None showed up  Very nice and easy walk out of the Smokies.Followed a long series of waterfalls.Really nice way to start the day. After leaving the Smokies you still climb like you are in them.We did over 20 miles the day before and wanted to take it slow.But then I looked at my map and saw Max patch was coming up.This is one of the places I really wanted to stay on top of if we caught it on a clear day.We got the clear day so that meant we had to do 17 miles today to get to this wonderful spot.But we are hurting because there was a lot of climbing to get here.  It¢s pretty windy and it¢s going to be cold up here tonight.There are no trees to shelter you.And we are at 4500ft.It is so worth it though.While waiting for the sunset I was able to talk to some really nice people from Kentucky.They were really impressed and wanted to have there pictures taken with me,a dirty,smelly thru hiker.Feels kind of cool.Another nice couple from Ohio were great company for a while too.Gets lonely a little so I have been talking to people way more  than I usually do.  Cado and a few other trail friends watched the sunset with me.Good talk and great way to end another seeet day on the trail.Cant wait for the sunrise tomorrow!  Good night  Love you Bethie
Date: 2018-04-11
From: Max patch 

To: Deer Park Shelter 
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: few clouds

So during the night I really started wondering if it was a smart idea tenting up here on Max patch.It got really cold!We knew what we were in for though and it was SO worth it to catch the sunrise right from my tent.A few day hikers came up with huge blankets to watch too  During the night we heard lots of owls and coyotes.   Heading down from Max patch is just as nice as going up.We met up with some fellow thru hikers who were asking us all about the night.Out of Everyone we were the only thru hikers who stayed up there.Glad we did.It definitely took me about an hour to get the feeling back in my hands from being so cold as we hiked down   Today was really nice rolling terrain.Not so many views but just amazing open forests and nice little streams.Really nice relaxing day listening to some of my favorite music.Feeling like I don¢t deserve all of this.Too good to be true.I am so lucky to have a wife that gets how much I love this.Love her so much for this and everything else she does for me.  Spending the night near Deer park shelter .Just met a really great guy from Florida .Dog Whisperer is his name.He is out here to grieve over the loss of his son who died in a whitewater raft accident recently.I can see the pain in his eyes and feel so bad for him.Really great guy and I hope he gets everything out of this trip he needs. We are so much warmer tonight.I can feel a really deep sleep approaching.Probably because I froze last night and didn¢t sleep much   Really looking forward to tomorrow.Its my birthday and we will be staying over in Hot Springs!Beer and real food are all I think about lately   Loving hearing from you all .Thanks
Date: 2018-04-13
From: Hot Springs!

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 12.8

Slept like a baby .Extremely hung over this morning but yesterday was such a great day!  Elmer¢s offers a vegetarian breakfast so I thought I would try it.It was amazing!Got to sit right next to Elmer and talk about so many things.Amazing person who really cares about what you have to say.To me that seems rare these days.Hiccups,Firefly,Dirtybird,Chads Dad,and a few more were all there.Great way to start the day.  Leaving Elmer¢s and Hot Springs was hard.I really would have loved to stay another day.On the way out of town we ran into The Godfather.Really fun guy I hope to see again soon.   Steep climbs are common once you leave towns.This was no exception.It was funny because we saw Cado,Fuzzy Wuzzy,Moondrop ,and Dirtbag Daveand we were all suffering from hangovers trying to get up this spot called Lovers leap.Was really warm today early which made it worse.Lovers leap is a great spot that gives you the view down over Hot Springs.   Today was a shorter day again because our packs were just resupplied with food and pretty heavy.Not much for views and didn¢t  really see many people today.We did see Playboy a,another great guy we have been hiking with.And also Slosh.She started February 14th and is happy doing a few miles a day.   Tonight we are stealth camping .Its nice to be out of the Smokies because we can tent pretty much wherever we want.We don¢t even plan days mileage anymore.We just go until we find a cool spot.This trail has so many great spots   Have no idea what day of the week it is anymore.Really have to think about it
Date: 2018-04-14
From: Deep Gap

To: JerryÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Cabin Shelter 
Miles today: 14.1

Nice deep sleep last night.And another nice sunny and warm morning.   Nice rolling terrain for most of the morning.Lots of day hikers out.They always have lots of questions.  Tried to climb up to an old fire tower that is off limits to hikers.There were security cameras all over it though so I left.Dont need any trouble this early in the hike  The afternoon brought us to a great spot called Whiite rock cliffs.Great views from the cliffs of the mountains north.Great standing spots on the cliffs with hundred foot drops.Falcons live on these cliffs,but we didn¢t see any.Right after these a little side trail took us to Blackstack cliffs.Another great spot.Looking west from here the land is just completely flat for miles and miles with lots of little towns below.To the east  and north more big mountains .Easy to tell which direction we will be going.The AT so far takes no easy ways out   Another cool part of the day was Firescald ridge.This is a super rugged section.Reminded me a lot of NH and Maine hiking.Have to watch every step because it would be really easy to twist an ankle.Really glad it was a sunny and dry day too.There is a bad weather bypass if it¢s bad out.Some really wide sweeping views at the very top and things are really getting greener.   We headed up another beautiful ridge to Jerry¢s cabin shelter.We wanted to go further but bad weather was supposed to be coming so  we played it safe.Ee Met Hawkeye and Nala there for the first time.We were talking and all of the sudden a big orange cat with no tail comes around the corner.We are miles from any homes so someone must have dumped it there.Super friendly little guy.He was hungry and had definitely been in some fights.What kind of person does that?Felt so bad for him.We all thought about carrying him out the next day but the next road is over 10  miles.And there is no easy way of carrying a cat when you already have too much weight.Really hoping a ridge runner will save this poor cat   Cado and Easy Wind were there.They are always cool to talk with.Other new hikers we met were One foot and Strawberry milkshake .More good people.   Extremely windy tonight but no rain yet.Tomorrow will probably be our first all day long rain fest.Weather has been so nice though .We are due for a bad one. This cat is keeping everyone up.Loud meowing.I don¢t mind,feels kind of like home