morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-03-23
From: Helendorf Inn, Helen Gap 

To: Addis Gap
Miles today: 10.8

Day 7 It was hard to leave Helen this morning, but the sun was shinning. The climb over Rocky Mountain was brutal. As Dave said ¢They can take it back to Colorado¢ Dave is now ¢Fallout¢. Yesterday, when we all hitched a ride into Helen as he was getting out he thought his foot was on the tire. Next thing you know he¢s laying on his back, hence Fallout J So today I hiked with Fallout (Dave), Blazer (Art), Blazin' Cajuns (Dave & Lisa), and Capt. Chaos. After Rocky Mountain we crawled past the Cheese Factory and up Tray Mountain where we had lunch. Mad dog joins us. After that it was up, down, up, down and so on. We would camp at addis gap. Set up camp in a wind tunnel. We then walked down hill to get water. A beautiful, might i add windless camp spot next to a little babbling broke. This might have been good to know 20minutes ago. My ankle seemed better today, but still hurt. Might actually be my super-feet inserts? Anyway a little bit about some of the people I have hiked with. The Blazin¢ Cajuns (Dave & Lisa) are from Louisiana. They have both done a lot of missionary work all over from Mexico to Ecuador to the Philippines. They are brother and sister. Capt. Chaos I can¢t begin to describe. He is entertainment on feet. He¢s 19 and has enough stories to have lived a 100 years. One of the most humorous I¢ve met. Fallout is an architect from Oregon; nice guy seems to walk at my pace. Blazer is retired and only hiking to Fontana Dam. So sad he¢ll be gone in a week or two. Wish he could thru-hike. Great guy fun stories, though Chaos insists that he¢ll talk to his wife so he can hike longer. So now I sit in my broken tent in a gap where the wind is howling. I¢m just hoping I wake in the morning without a tree on top of me. I almost forgot at 3am last night I had to peel myself off the ceiling as the loudest thunder clap slammed right outside my room. Tomorrow I¢ll have been on the trail 8 days, 4 days in a tent, in a hotel 4 days.
Date: 2005-03-24
From: Addis Gap

To: Holiday Inn Express,Hiawassee,Ga
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Day 8 Wow the wind was a kickin¢ at the gap. Up and down out of camp around 7:30am. Slow going over the hellish Kelly Knob. Always BEWARE OF ANYTHING ENDING IN KNOB! We strolled into Dick¢s Gap just in time for Pittsburgh¢s shuttle. Blazer and Fallout headed to Hiawassee Inn and I thought I¢d tag along. When we arrived, there were 5 of us. We all wanted single rooms, but the owners seemed to want to double us up. So i headed into the other room for some coffee. When it got to me, they did not want to sell me a room by myself. You see they make more money if 2 hikers stay in a room. It¢s a business I understand, but there were 5 of us. Which at the very least leaves one single? First they try to sell me a bunk in their hostel (a motel room with 6 bed) I was having none of that. They did offer me a cabin, but failed to mention it had a Jacuzzi until they dropped me off at the Holiday Inn Express. My replacement tent was at the express, so it made more sense to go there. They seemed to be nice people, but when I went to get my pack he was telling a hiker that I was making a big mistake. All is happy now as the express sold me a single room. I can see the grocery store, have pool and Jacuzzi, cable, breakfast and a shuttle, computer all for $5 bucks more than the cabin they offered. I¢m not bitter, life is good; just don¢t let anyone talk you into something you don¢t want. The last thing I¢ll say about this is if they don¢t want to sell single rooms they shouldn¢t advertise it! While the guy was driving me over to the express chuck & trip demanded their own rooms or they were leaving.Hope to hike out tomorrow, though I may zero here. I think my right ankle/shin problem is from my super-feet. With Easter this weekend I don¢t know when I¢ll get my old insoles. I think Fallout is taking a zero as his knee has been bothering him. Met Tomatohead and Hawk at the hotel, Met 2 guys and 2 girls on the shuttle. Can only remember Grunty Bear, sorry. If I do hike out in the morning we¢ll be pushing to Muskrat Shelter. Doc was just leaving town hope to catch him. Great guy. Plan to shop, do laundry and lounge.
Date: 2005-03-25
From: Holiday Inn Express,Hiawassee,Ga

To: Muskrat Shelter (tent)
Miles today: 11.6

Day 9 Woke up to a killer breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express, bagel, muffins, cereal, doughnuts and cinnamon rolls. I¢ll give one last plug for the Holiday Inn; if you use 3 people it¢s $20 each. Everyone has there own bed, there¢s a computer, laundry, pool and Jacuzzi, and shuttle, though that¢s $5 and it goes to the employee party.It¢s always easy to leave town when it¢s beautiful outside. Blue skies as far as the eye could see. It was borderline hot out here. As we crawled over Little Bald Knob and Buzzard Knob I could feel 5 years of Wisconsin cheese ooze out of my pores. A friend asked yesterday what Wisconsin was like. I said we don¢t have candy cane trees or waterfalls of chocolate, but our houses are made of cheese and our rivers flow with beer My ankle is feeling ok today. I went to a free clinic yesterday. They poked at it and prescribed me these horse pills I¢ll never swallow. She seemed pre-occupied with my blood pressure which I take pills for. It was a bit high, but I had hiked in the morning, had 3 cups of coffee and a pop tart.We did lunch at Plumorchard Gap Shelter. Get water on the trail to the shelter, not the water trail going away unless you want to hike the mountain twice. Lots of people out today, Blazer, Chaos, Fallout, Jake, Ktr & Cupcake, Torch & Callico, Bearbait, Domino, and Mr. Coffee. Ktr and Cupcake gave me a really big beer, very cool. I promptly gave it to Capt. Chaos. He seemed pretty happy. He¢s quite a character, always happy never a dull moment. He will say anything. Has had me in tears laughing. He¢s having the time of his life out here. We passed the Georgia/North Carolina border this afternoon. The climb out of Bly Gap was hellish! I¢d been warning people it was straight up. And up it was over Sharp Top and Courthouse Bald. If I didn¢t die of a heart attack there I should be good here on out. Absolutely exhausted today, sun burnt and already smell. Dinner was rice and chunks of cheese. I¢ve tented every night in the woods and plan to the whole way. Tomorrow up and over Standing Indian Mountain. Sadly I will miss Tar Heel¢s annual Easter bash at Deep Gap. We should be in Franklin, NC by Monday. Had a fire, great stories here tonight. ¢Bag of Cats¢ hiked in late, god i love that name. A local hiked in and asked if anyone was sleeping under the shelter? We told him to knock himself out. Having a great time out here.Note to self: Do Not under any circumstances give chaos a beer!
Date: 2005-03-26
From: Muskrat Shelter (tent)

To: Carter Gap Shelter (tent)
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: few clouds

Day 10 Woke up to Capt. Chaos howling, maybe singing? Another beautiful day with high¢s in the low 70¢s. A great day for a stroll through the southern Nantahala Wilderness. My feet and legs were protesting any climbs after how¢d ¢trip¢ put it? ¢violent up¢.Today¢s hike was great, gradual ups, rolling hills and sunshine. There was a cool breeze and the sun peaked through the leaves as we crawled under tunnels of green. Standing Indian Mountain was a gradual ascent with kick-ass views. I cruised part of the day with headphones and danced down the trail. Hope I didn¢t ruin anyone¢s wilderness experience. At lunch we had already done 9 miles. We chatted with 2 south-bounders out for the weekend. Since leaving Franklin they had passed 70 hikers. We seem to be catching up to the herd. We stopped 3 miles later at Carter Gap Shelter. I¢m a couple different shades of red from the sun. Had a great fire, Blazer, Fallout, Bearbait, Chuck, Trip, Jake, Domino, Michigan, Torch & Callico all were there. At the older shelter just down the way within shouting distance Ktr, Cupcake, Walkabout, Sassafras & Solace were there. The latter three came out to hike with Ktr & Cupcake.Hoping the rain misses us tonight. All the people in the shelter hang their food bags in the trees. In ¢99 we used to just hang them in the shelter. They all seem to be a little bear paranoid. With that said I hope not to see one. I told them that there are no bears, but I also told them it wasn¢t going to rain. I¢m lovin my new pack! Mystery Ranch ¢Deeptrance¢ it weighs 4lbs and has a hard-core suspension. Feels like I¢m wearing a daypack. My tent is a Big Agnes ¢Seedhouse¢ it weighs about 3lbs and roomy. I broke one of my tent stake loops 1st day out of Neels Gap and they sent a new one to Hiawassee and it appears to be in good shape. I heard the Wisconsin Badgers have made it to the elite 8 in college hoops Easter is tomorrow, should go about 12 miles leaving us just short of Franklin NC.
Date: 2005-03-27
From: Carter Gap Shelter (tent)

To: Franklin, NC (Microtel)
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 11 Well it was bound to happen. Sometime after I went into la la land the clouds opened up and it rained. The rain stopped at some point in the night, but wind was whipping around. I have no idea how much water a leaf holds? Every time the wind blew we had a mini rainstorm. Broke camp and hit the trail around 8am. Blazer and Fallout were with me as we headed into a cloud. The trail since that violent incline after Bly Gap has been rather enjoyable. Nice grades covered by rhododendrons. The first 4 miles into Mooney Gap for the exception of being soaking wet and cold were fairly easy. The crawl up and clinging to Big Butt Mountain was interesting in the wet. I suppose I should be happy that I couldn¢t see the bottom of what ever I was crawling over. When we got to Bearpen Gap there was an oasis. A motor home, huge tarp and a kick-ass fire. It could be the best trail magic ever. It was the best coffee I have had in a very long time. We were all soaked through and cold. Fisherman, Fred, Gatorade and one other guy have been set up there since the 15th They had homemade corn chowder, burrito¢s and best of all did i mention the coffee? A perfect Easter brunch. Once warmed up it, was a short, but steep climb up Mt. Albert. i think they've added more steps? There were no views as we walked in a cloud for most of the day. From there it was mostly downhill to Rock Gap Shelter. Blazer & Fallout decided to stay. It¢s 2:30pm and 312 miles from town. The pull of a warm bed is too strong. That the threat of more severe weather that afternoon. Oh, the Badgers were playing North Carolina. So off on my own I go. Headphones on I dance into the cloud straight up and over Rocky Cove Knob to Hwy 64. Nobody too be seen. The parking lot was empty and foggy when a mini van going the other way turns around and pulls up. Something to be said for my neon lime green pack cover as it certainly doesn't stop water. They wanted to know about day hikes on the A.T. and where one could find the maps. I thought the outfitter would have them. They were rolling into town to check, so I invited myself along. The outfitter was closed due to Easter, so they dropped me at the Microtel. Hope they find their maps. I ran into Wisconsin Dave in the lobby and caught the last 7 minutes of the Badgers game. They Lost Sorry Bullfoon Kentucky lost to. Then the storms started rolling through. This makes me happy I pushed for town. So I sit with my large stuff crust pizza writing this. I tried to order a medium, but they don¢t make a stuff crust medium so large it is. Not much room to hang tents in these Microtel¢s. Tar Heel¢s Easter bash moved to Rock Gap and I missed it by a 12 hour. I wasn¢t really hungry, just wanted to thank them for ¢99s breakfast.Zero day tomorrow.
Date: 2005-03-28
From: Franklin, NC (Microtel)

To:  Franklin, NC (Microtel)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Day 12 I don¢t know how I stayed so long in towns on my last A.T. hike. I rolled in yesterday evening after hiking almost 16 miles. I was cold & wet and happy to be here. This morning I¢m warm & toasty and it looks cold and wet outside. Still I feel I should be hiking rather that staying another day. Blazer & Fallout are coming in this morning and spending the night. Blazer is only hiking until we reach Fontana Dam. I¢d like to hike with him until we reach there. I have lots of things to keep me busy. Sometime today I have to go to the Post Office, possibly to the library, the grocery, & the laundry, and the outfitter. The last 3 are close by, the first two are in town. I wonder if Chaos & Mad dog are in town? I was getting pretty close to March Company most of who left on March 14th. It¢s a long trail, still have plenty of time to catch them. The next 3 days look spectacular, then a little rain. With any luck we will be at the NOC when the rain comes. Then a couple days later Fontana Dam. The gateway to the Smokies. I¢m sending this off this morning. I¢m sure we will eat a lot and shuttle back in the morning. Just maybe find a Guinness? Yes I ate all the large pizza last night.Hike Happy!
Date: 2005-03-30
From: Campsite near Licklog Gap 

To: NOC (bunkroom) 
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: clear sky

Day 14 On the trail by 7:15am. We run into a trail relocation, due to some landslide. It must be pretty bad, as they have already sent us twice clinging to edges of trails that aren¢t there. The walk was up, as usual. We reached Cold Spring Shelter by 9:00 where we met a young french canadian rapper. His pack was twice the size of him. Oddly it took a while to catch him. We hoofed up over Copper Ridge Bald. There was hellish downhill to Tellico Gap. Sun was shinning and temp was 75° Lunch was on top of Wesser Bald by the tower. We then moseyed down to the shelter and decided to push NOC. The lure of cheeseburgers was too great. There were beautiful views to be had everywhere. Between the shelter and NOC it was about 6 miles of the most uphill to go down, the sun was relentless. There had been a forest fire during my ¢99 hike as I left NOC. We hiked thru it today, no cover from the sun. When we got to NOC Chaos, Grey Walrus, Pathfinder, Toolman, Vinee, Mother Goose, Freedom, Soulman and a couple more that I forgot were all there. We dined with chaos and were serinated by toolman & vinnie. A big cheeseburger and ice cream was dinner. Now we push for Fontana before noon on Saturday. Domino rolled in hiking 17 miles today. Today I was pretty beat. I think it was more sun, than miles. Nothing some sleep can¢t cure. We were forced to get a bunk in the hostel. They were actually little cabins with 4 bunks. We had wanted to get a room in one of their condos, but since it was nice out today the price tripled. It's blazer, myself, the rapper, & two people that claim to be thru hiking. Blazer & fallout spent the night before franklin with them. They share a sleeping bag that is two sizes too small. they have a dressers worth of cotton clothes. I am amazed that they made it this far. An early night for me.
Date: 2005-03-31
From: NOC (bunkroom) 

To: Locust Cove Gap (tent)
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: moderate rain

Day 15 I woke up to thunder, after a surprisingly good sleep at the hostel. Blazer had his heart set on hiking. So we packed up and headed over to the restaurant. We had breakfast with Grey Walrus, Pathfinder and Domino. After many a cup of coffee, we trudge out of NOC for our 8-mile death climb. I¢m quickly realizing that if I have forgotten something from my ¢99 hike, odds are it was a horrible and painful climb. This was no exception. I usually find myself clinging to the edge of the trail looking farther down than I can see, saying I don¢t remember this. So off we go into a cloud with thunder rumbling. The climb went on forever, wet cold and a bit spooky. There was a 15-minute cloud walk where the wind was blowing very hard, rain and not much visibility. We reached the shelter for lunch. There we saw Jacks, Freedom, Serenity and 4 other people I forget. I mentioned that there were no bears in the woods and I got 50 horrible bear stories. Since it was such a beautiful day out we decide why not go up and over Cheoah Bald. Sorry Bullfoon no views. With all the rain the downhill was brutal. Everything was muddy, slippery and I did mention we are very high in the air? While it wasn¢t as bad as yesterdays 6-mile downhill into NOC, which almost broke me. Nonetheless, we decided to stop at Locust Gap for the night. Toolman & Vinee were heading to the shelter. We sat up camp and made dinner. Then I heard this Kaaa.. It sounded like a really angry turkey. It turned out to be Grey Walrus & Pathfinder. We wont be alone after all. About a 12 hour later Freedom and Serenity showed up. Two young ladies MEP! One carries a bag of gorp the size of¢¦. Well it¢s really big. We had met Freedom in Franklin when she came in from the snow. Being from Florida she¢d never seen falling snow. I kid you not. Anyway they both have really big mattresses to sleep on (I took pictures) I think they may have rafted down the Nanatahala River with them yesterday. Once we get to Fontana Dam Blazer goes home this makes me very sad as I¢ve had a great time hiking with him. I¢ll be all by myself heading into the Smokies. He was only doing a section hike and is in the process of retiring. He goes my speed and loves to tent. Fallout I hope left Franklin yesterday. The hike is going great lovin' every minute. I finally met a couple people from March Company, Creaky Bones & Mother Goose. Should be in Fontana in time for the Post Office.
Date: 2005-04-01
From: Locust Cove Gap (tent)

To: Cable Gap Shelter (tent) 
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: moderate rain

Day 16 Last night I slept pretty well. We could here a bobcat, mountain lion, misplaced tiger? Whatever it was it sounded as through it was angry, much like the turkey. So I went back to sleep. It rained most of the night and we woke inside another cloud. A quick breakfast and off to the trail around 7am. Everything is in a cloud. The Trail is very muddy and once and a while goes over rocks, always interesting when wet. When we reached Stecoah Gap the rain started. The trail crawls up until Sweetwater Gap where it goes straight up for way too long. This makes that violent incline back at Bly Gap look like child¢s play. I can¢t really describe it; try climbing your kitchen wall. It¢s something like a 50% grade for pretty close to a mile. The rain picked up and things got very cold. The trail, as I mentioned was very muddy, the downhills were crazy. When we got to Cable Gap Shelter it was 1:30pm and the sun was out. Blazer wasn¢t going any further. There was a camping spot 3 miles further down the trail, but town was only 5.5 miles. I decided to spend the last night with Blazer in the woods. I¢ll have plenty of time to get to my mail drop in the morning. Tomorrow will be the last morning hiking with Blazer the rest of the hike won't be the same. Such is the life of a thru-hiker. I plan to spend a night in Fontana Village, maybe 2? Soon as there looks to be a 3day window of sun, I¢m gone. Plan to run through the Smokies in 5 days tenting the whole way. Soulman & Brownie are in the shelter along with an older couple whose names I completely forgot. Chillout, Blazer and I are tenting. Oh it¢s raining again. Freedom we hear hitched into to town and Serenity is camped somewhere before the Shelter. The llama carrying her gorp is slow I have to give a shout out to the Professor (Almost There) and Erin, hope all is well. Blazer I had a great time hiking with you, wish you could go the whole way. Capt Chaos will be lost without you. It¢s been the highlight of my hike. Good luck with your retirement. Well it¢s time to fall asleep to the pitter-patter of rain or maybe my MP3 player with some thunder mixed in.
Date: 2005-04-03
From: Fontana Inn 

To: Fontana Inn 
Miles today: 0.0

Day 18 Today will turn out to be a zero day. A day off from my vacation. Can¢t complain too much. Beautiful day, blue skies and a bit breezy. I did make a mad dash to catch the shuttle, but I didn¢t make it by 9am. There was another at 11am. The road to Newfound Gap was closed. Clingmans Dome has a foot of snow on it. Hopefully it will melt today. Yesterday a pile of people came the way I hiked and a lot further. So I¢ll put my dress on. Ahh.. but did any hike in shorts?Should be pretty boring day, as I had done everything the previous day. Dinner was so-so, but Fallout showed up. Happy. Happy. Happy. He may skip the Smokies and come back with his girlfriend later on. He¢ll decide later today what he¢s up to. I also met Break-a-leg last night. As entertaining in person as in her Journal. She was quoting My Cousin Vinie.Well off to bed.
Date: 2005-04-04
From: Fontana Inn 

To: Russell Field Shelter (tent)
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: overcast clouds

Day 19Met Fallout at the breakfast buffet. Pretty tasty spread. Kt & Freedom were also there. Fallout is going to shuttle around the Smokies and come back in June with his girlfriend. So it¢s into the Smoky Mountains by myself. Since I was extra lazy yesterday I have to go back to the marina and hike the 1.4 to the dam. Most everyone did that on his or her zero day, which I guess, made it a 1.4-mile day? Over the dam and into the Smoky Mountains. I passed 16 hikers today. That never happens, must be the biscuits and gravy. I can¢t remember all the names but there was Jacks, Freedom, Serenity, Gypsy, Phoenix, Doubleheat, Hopeful Hiker, Toolman, Vinie, Vichie, & many others. I met a Ridge Runner who did the trail in ¢99. He finished in July, I think we were 12 way done. I also met Gypsy who every time hears my name starts to sing Bob Marley¢s no worries song. Her sister does the same thing. Anyway I walk up Shuckstack Mtn. I finally stopped at Russell Field Shelter for the night. Set up my tent happy happy. Toolman & Vinnie Vonnie Vichie moved on the one 3 miles away. Today the trail was very wet, very muddy, and even snowy. Then there were times water was flowing down the trail like a creek. It was almost always muddy, boot high. The snow was all over the place up high, though for the most part the trail was clear of it. The sun was shinning and blue skies were everywhere. Just a beautiful day to be in the Smokies made you forget you were up to your knee¢s in mud. I heard Capt. Chaos took a few days off, but will be back. Gray Walrus & Pathfinder are about 11 miles ahead. I¢m going to push for Double Spring Gap Shelter just before Clingmans Dome tomorrow. If I feel good I may try to make the next one 6 miles further. I¢m trying to avoid the vortex of Gatlinburg, TN. In ¢99 I was sucked in for days. One minute I¢m looking off Clingmans Dome the next I¢m dwarf tossing with a pint in my hand. It¢s a mini Niagara Falls, lots of bars, restaurants, Ripley¢s believe it or not. Etc. Through if it starts to rain I¢ll probably be there. It¢s been a different hike this time around. Now that Blazer is gone I¢m kinda by myself. Most the people I know are behind me and a few are ahead. Everyone is nice. In ¢99 I was in a group this time it¢s more solo. Not bad just different. And finally since I¢m not in town and sprint isn¢t working today I¢d like to wish my good friend guy a Happy Birthday! Umm-Happy Birthday!