morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-03-27
From: Aquone Hiker Lodge

To: Cold Spring Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

We had a great meatloaf dinner at Aquone Lodge. Maggie is a great cook. Highly recommend staying here.Met two retired guys from Louisiana who started hiking about 12 days ago. They plan to through hike the AT. Also met a dermatologist from Arkansas.We left Aquone Lodge about 830 am. See the photo of the group. The guy is the dermatologist. That was perfect given my propensity to find poison ivy. Forecast called for a low of 16 and snow showers overnight. The temperature began dropping fast about 11am. Winds kicked up in the afternoon. Cloudy fog prevailed, see video. Cool windy going, nice for hiking.Hiked about 11 miles from Wayah Gap to the aptly named Cold Spring Shelter located at 5000 ft. Very windy conditions, gusting to 30 mph. Got camp set up and cooked dinner. Met a veterinarian from Kentucky. Also met a young guy who was packing 12 cans of beer, but did not have enough clothes along. He had a long night in a 30 degree sleeping bag he augmented with a plastic garbage bag. He ended up giving all beer away. He was last to leave it the morning.It started snowing about 730pm. High winds and cold drove us to our sleeping bags about 8am. The wind howled all night. The hammock performed well. I put the side facing the northwest winds down to the ground to keep snow at bay. Was warm all night.
Date: 2015-03-28
From: cold Spring Shelter

To: A Rufus Morgan Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Hated to get out of the hammock this morning. See photo. Was glad I had my down jacket. Put on rain gear to cut wind. Cooked up coffee and pounded a Cliff Bar quick. See video. Hands where the problem during takedown. Had to work with gloves off.Scott almost lost his tent. Wind caught it on take down and he had to chase it about 20 yards. He caught just in time. 20 more feet and it would have been in tree tops down the ridge. See video. Got camp packed up and hit the trail about 9am. Three inches of snow required very close attention to foot placement every step for angled rocks and roots. See video.Had a 1.4 mile climb to a great vista. See video. We where able to change out of long underwear at multiple jackets about 1230. Sun final warmed things up by then to around 42 degrees.Had a very long and steep decent for over three hours this afternoon. Arrived at shelter campsite about 530. Set up camp, got water, and cooked supper. Hiked about 10.7 miles on the day. Ran into a gal who worked in the Peace Corp in Pacific. She taught English as a second language on a small remote island near the Micronesia. She was carrying a euchelaly and sang a few songs by the fire. See video. Turned in at 900am. Had a great night sleep. 20 degrees this morning, but no snow or wind.
Date: 2015-03-29
To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: moderate rain

Had a great nights sleep. 20 degrees this morning, but no snow or wind. Had breakfast, packed up camp by 9am, and hiked a mile to NOC. Charged up electronics there and bought some water treatment tablets and some gas for stove. Left NOC about 1130. See video.Days hike was all uphill, about 8 miles worth. Went from around 1700 feet to 4900 feet. Weather was nice, temp was around 50 degrees and sunny.Came across a memorial along the trail for a forest ranger who died fighting a forest fire on December 7 1968. See video.We got back into some snow and a few Ice spots as we got higher. Had a number of long inclines with some great views of the Smokies 25 miles off in the distance. Found water at spring with icicles hanging off rock face. See video.Arrived at the shelter area around 530. One gal from St Petersburg Florida was there. Another fella showed up around an hour before dark. Set up camp, cooked dinner and got situated. With rain coming, Scott elected to stay in the shelter. Wind blowing now and getting cold. Jumped in the cozy hammock to type this.Forecast for tomorrow calling for a cold rain. Supposed to be around 30 tonight.
Date: 2015-03-30
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Brown Fork Gap
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: snow

The weatherman was right. Started raining at 315am. Only thing he missed was the thunderstorms that came with the rain. Rained until about 9am. Packed camp and got on the traIl about 9am. Was cd and windy with lots of water falling from the trees.Ran into a couple guys from Quebec. They are basically walking home. Once they complete the US, they intend to take the Canadian AT to Quebec.Today was a grinder. Trails were muddy and slippery. The section we did was steep both up and down all day. One section, Jacobs Ladder was particularly tough. Ran across a "casuality" there. See video.We got to camp location about 5pm. We were able to dry stuff out as we had a good wind and sun. Met a guy from Ashville,NC. Nice guy. Also met a forest firefighter from Colorado who is doing the hike as training for fire season.Went to bed about 930.
Date: 2015-03-31
From: Brown Fork Gap

To: Fontana Dam
Miles today: 13.7

March 31No rain last night. Slight wind with temps in the 30's.Three 20 year old goofballs came in late around 930pm and started yacking and cooking. About the time we were getting tired of them a fellow hiker named "Dirty Harry" got up and put the run on them. They left and kept hiking northbound.Got up about 730, coffee and Cliff Bar and on the trail by 915am. Walked 6.1 miles to Cable Gap Shelter and had lunch there. Met a banker from Norway and currently out of work former country club manager. He said he had the quit because he did not like people anymore. He was hiking with a rescue dog. He told of of his hiking exploits in Arizona. Said he got lost in the desert and had to be helicopters out.Then we started for Fontana Dam. Scott had a first in that he actually passed a hiker on the trail (the hiker was resting on a log). He got a little cocky, but It was short-lived as the hiker overtook Scott within 20 minutes.It was a long day. About 14 miles overall. After lunch it was uphill, then it was all downhill for about four miles. Scott was motivated by the thought of a hot dog at the Fontana Marina. When we finally got to the bottom, the hot dog joint was closed. He was bumbed. We got to the shelter area about 730pm. Set up camp and cooked dinner after dark. Nice calm night. Went toned about 930.
Date: 2015-05-02
From: Pen Mar

To: Near Pogo Memorial Camping area
Miles today: 15.3
Weather: clear sky

Finished up the leadership academy last night. Left NCTC at 7am. Got a ride to Pen Mar with Maine Game Warden Kevin Adam who was returning to Maine from NCTC. It was on his way so it worked out well.Left Pen Mar at 8:10am heading southbound. It was a beautiful day, cool in the morning and not too warm in the afternoon, maybe 70.Hiked 15.3 miles today. Overall this is a pretty easy stretch. Had a couple steep climbs and some rocky areas, but could make good time. See video.Stopped at High Rock for a drink, quite a view. Took a short video. Stopped at Raven Rock Shelter for a drink and sock change. Really nice shelter.Was walking up a steep hill with my head down and almost stepped on a 5 foot black snake. See video. Googled it and it was a Black Rat Snake.Stopped by Ensign Cowall Shelter for lunch. Left there and run into a hiker carrying two pizzas into the shelter. He walked out to the road, got a ride into town, and bought pizzas and returned. Said he just had to have pizza as he was famished.Hiked to the Pogo Memorial Campsite area and decided to stay here for the night. Fitbit says 45,314 steps today and 5234 calories burned.
Date: 2015-05-03
From: Near Pogo Memorial Camping area

To: Compton Gap Area
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: few clouds

Left the Pogo Camping Area about 7:50am. Cool morning about 45 degrees will fog until about 730am.Hiked about 2 miles and swung into Black Rock Cliff. Quite a view and the birds were really singing, See and listen to the video.Hiked 6 more miles and arrived at the first Washington Monument that was built in 1827, well before the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. It was also used by the Union Signal Corp during the Battle of Antietam during the Civil War. See two videos.Had lunch at the Washington Monument State Park.Stopped at Turners Gap and Fox Gap. See the video on Confederate Special Order #191. Interesting piece of Civil War history. Three Union soldiers found a duplicate set of Lee's battle plans wrapped around two cigars along the road. This set in motion a number of significant events at the Battle of Antietam. Two generals were also mortally wounded here.Stopped at Rocky Run shelter for some water as no water for several miles and I was getting low.This area is not called rocky run for nothing. One hour uphill with ankle twisting rocks all the way. Had to go slow and evaluate each foot plant. Tough haul.Stopped about a mile north of Compton Gap shelter and set up camp. See video. 14.7 miles today. Fitbit says 41,965 steps 4700 calories burned so far today.
Date: 2014-02-05
From: Home

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Hey everyone!This is my first post of the 2014 Season after joining Trail journals. I decided to write today because we are currently experiencing a Nor' Easter with 12" of snow today with another, bigger storm coming this weekend. I cant wait to start the trail. Today has made me realize I have made the right decision.Family and friends following my hike know that I left an extremely promising career with Aroma Joe's Coffee. (If you havent heard of it, you will soon) Its a franchise Coffee and Espresso bar in New England and just started skyrocketing. I was recently promoted to become the General Manager and a very desirable financial package as well. A hard thing to turn down. I recently returned home from Afghanistan and completed my service in the Army. I'm a free man now. I had fallen into my old high school/college job when I got home and before long I had been promoted several times over the past two years and now that I have an entire company in my hands and great job security for the rest of my life, I am deciding to move on.Without getting too personal (I know, too late) I decided to hike the almost 2,200 mile AT from Georgia to maine this year, and reevaluate my life when/if I return home in the fall. After that...well...that still needs to be written.I'll be posting pics, videos and posts along my travels for family and friends to follow me and follow how amazing the trail is. I will also be posting stuff "geared" toward hikers. (Fellow thru-hikers of the AT, other trails such as the Continental Divide and the Pacific Crest Trail, like gear videos, tips on different things along the way)So that's the plan! If you are reading this and starting the hike in late March, I will most likely be meeting you soon Thanks guys! stay tuned for much more!Casey
Date: 2014-02-09
To: Gear Update
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Been warming up a little up in New England, 20's and low 30's so I got to get a few miles in this weekend with the most of my gear. Working out a few kinks and figuring out how I am going to pack my bag. I picked up some sock liners last week and they seem to help the hot spots in my new hiking boots. I have a few more odds and ends things to get set up and I'll be good to go! Just over a month to go. I made a short video of the stove I made and will be taking on the trail. Not sure if the video uploader is working correctly so here is the link:   http://youtu.be/_yv3QPUb6zQI will be posting most of my video blogs like this probably throughout the summer, seems a lot easier this way. Subscribe to my youtube page and you wont miss any videos! Until next time!-PhoenixP.S. I'll be making a full gear video soon. Gear videos were helpful for me in seeing what I needed, so I am going to pay it forward!
Date: 2014-02-12
To: Food List
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: snow

Got all my food samples today at home for some test runs. All the food I have to cook, I want to test first, at least at home, to work out any kinks I may encounter. I got the following to test. Let me know if I should try something else as well. I intend to rotate obviously throughout the hike. Whatever I can get basically, some times harder than others I'm sure.-Ramen Noodles -Mac and Cheese-Stuffing-Pasta Sides (might be more difficult)-Rice Sides-Cous cous (the meal so nice...)-Dehydrated potatoes-and some nice, fresh tomato bread salad (I wish)Any other suggestions from other thru-hikers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys! -Phoenix
Date: 2014-02-25
To: Sick
Miles today: 0.0

I am in bed. I am in bed freezing. I am in bed freezing and sweating; I wake every twenty minutes or so only to clench my entire body through a vomit fit; that is just enough to put be back to sleep until my stomach wakes me once more. I haven't been this ill in some time. I suppose this has a silver lining, that I may be able to avoid flu or serious stomach bug once I embark exactly 29 days from now. However, I just realized; the liner is only aluminum foil...and this sucks. To the three of you following my preparation posts, I will be posting a gear video as sort of a tutorial for other hikers starting out and also to get some of my own questions answered. It will be brief but I will also do an end of hike gear video, wherever I may end, to compare and give more credible suggestions. I have yet to give my friends and family the link to this blog; I wont until a few days before I begin. My hike is a vicarious adventure to most people I speak with about it. So its going to be just hiker trash and I until then; which I will be joining the ranks of in a short matter. Thanks for reading! See you all soon! 29 days! -Phoenix
Date: 2014-02-27
From: Home

To: Springer
Miles today: 0.0

27 Days and I have never been more excited about anything. All my gear is bought and tested, food as well (what I will be eating at least at the beginning of the trail) and travel arrangements done. I'm reading up on some people on the trail and I cant help but feel for the hikers who have suffered injuries early in their hike. I couldn't imagine the planning, physical preparation, mental preparation, just to twist an ankle or pull a muscle 30 miles in. I pray I am not as unfortunate. I will make it to Katahdin on two broken legs if I have to, you heard it here first folks. And if I dont you can throw this journal entry in my face, haha. Everything happens for a reason and I wont be upset if something prevents me from finishing, or even coming off the trail for a bit, but I will give it my 110% as always!Best of luck to the other hikers starting soon, hike slowly and watch your footing. For those of you nursing injuries, I wish a speedy recovery and will see you on Katahdin in September!
Date: 2014-03-24
From: Home

To: Atlanta
Miles today: 0.0

Well folks,It is finally here! The night before my flight to Atlanta! Tomorrow afternoon I will meet up with my friend Ty from college who lives just outside of Atlanta. We have much to catch up on and then Wednesday morning I will begin the approach trail at Amicalola Falls. I have never been more excited about anything. I have a few final touches to put on my gear/responsibilities at home before I go tonight but am almost done. Sorry for the short post but much to be done! Here is a link to my gear video, just copy and paste into youtube. Subscribe to my channel as I will be posting many video blogs throughout the trek. See you all on the trail! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7LgA-90QVoWmHbI3bYKB6gP.S. I will be giving my family/friends the link to my blog later this week so my blogs may be geared a little toward them as well. Thanks for following everyone!
Date: 2014-03-26
From: Amicalola Falls

To: Stover Creek
Miles today: 11.0

Started off this morning at Amicalola state falls. As the sun peaked over the mountain top, I was midway up the 604 wooden step staircase. As the mist from the falls glistened in the new day's light and the songs from cardinals and woodpeckers echoed in the gap, I realized this trip would be much more powerful and challenging than I thought. I couldn't wait to take another step. It was a gorgeous day, a perfect day to start the trail. My goal was Stover Creek where I would tent out for the night. It is 8.8 miles to the top of Springer Mountain, the official start of the Appalachian Trail. The view was unbelievable on Springer. Maybe it was what was ahead of me that made the view that much more surreal, maybe it was the company of the great people at the summit. I finished out the day at Stover Creek 11.0 miles from the approach trail at the falls. Met an amazing group of people that all had inspiring stories. Everyone fueled by excitement and a newfound sense of freedom, true freedom. Which was certainly a new feeling for me as well. After many, many of the deepest conversations this group of strangers shared around the fire, we all retired to our tents/hammocks/shelter excited for tomorrow's sunrise. For if it were to rise right then and there, I am certain we all would have packed up and continued on. P.S. I had originally came up with my own trail name in order to avoid an unfavorable one given by fellow hikers. I have decided however to just let it happen, whichever trail name I am given, that is what it will be. I just hope I dont do something stupid to warrant a stupid trail name.
Date: 2014-03-27
From: Stover Creek

To: Cooper Gap
Miles today: 9.5

This morning the camp was lively. I unzipped my tent and looked out over Stover Creek covered in hundreds of Rhododendron plants, some 30' tall. It was another beautiful morning, crisp and bright. I hiked with a few of my new friends that I had met the night before. It was a great day of hiking. Unfortunately, I had no appetite. At around 3pm I decided it was very dangerous if I did not get a few calories into this hiking machine of a man. So I forced myself to eat beef jerkey and trail mix. It wouldnt be the last time I would see that meal. A few miles later, the mice had a nice pile of partially digested trail mix just outside my tent. I set up at Cooper gap for the night as the wind and clouds started rolling in, not feeling so chipper anymore. I hung a quick bear bag and cuddled up for the night worried about my stomach, praying for a quick recovery from whatever it was that was ailing it. No trail name yet...
Date: 2014-04-02
From: Neel Gap

To: Low Gap
Miles today: 11.5

My new friend, Tree Beard and I left Neel Gap this morning around 9am rejuvenated from our gluttonous meals the nights before. We partook in some of the outfitter's offerings of processed and packaged whatever we could fit in our mouths. My caloric intake for the previous 48 hours had left much to be desired, making this oasis more like heaven. Today I had set my sights on Low Gap for a good 11 miles, hoping to utilize the newly introduced fats, carbohydrates and proteins. I felt spritely all day with a new appreciation for my improving and slightly functioning digestion system. The vigor sparked some amazing conversations with Tree Beard; we had met three days prior and our hiking paces and demeanors compliment each other. I enjoy his company and hopefully, he does mine as well. When the trivial "fruits" of everyday life off the trail are nothing but a bitter taste in your mouth, it is amazing the subjects that flow from conversation to conversation. We spoke about literature, culture, religion, love, lust, money, greed, community and so on. From 9am to 7pm there was not more than 5 minutes of silence filled with a few deep breaths and sighs of accomplishment. l am grateful to meet Tree Beard and all the other hikers and friends I have met so far; I am excited to meet many, many more. One of our more grandiose conversations about saving this planet had us both impressed by the other's views. This conversation eventually led somehow to TV shows that we had loved as children; this is how my trail name came about. After reliving many different shows, Tree Beard had noticed a similarity with my views as a human being and one of my most enjoyable children's shows and so dubbed me "Captain Planet". The name took with everyone, and took well. We arrived at Low Gap around 7pm and wasted no time at all setting up our tents, cooking and completing our nightly duties. With a looming wet weekend ahead of me. I feel very much, that I will enjoy this final warm dry night in my tent.
Date: 2014-04-03
From: Low Gap

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 9.7

Today was very warm with little breeze. Tree Beard and I had a very fast pace from early this morning and managed to push up over Blue Mountain in great time and reach our goal early. Tree Beard and I found ourselves eyes down trudging along nothing but our footsteps beating down the back side of Blue when a group of day hikers coming up from Unicoi Gap lifted our spirits with two words: "Trail Magic". It lifted our spirits to know that we were only 30 minutes away from glorious Trail Magic, whatever it may be. Approximately 4 minutes later, we had dropped 1100 feet down to the gap to see coolers of ice cold soda and some leftover sausage patties from earlier in the day. I may have taken 3 breaths before my sausage patty sandwich with excessive amounts of mustard and pickles was a distant and wonderful memory. Tree Beard, Cape and I were running low on food and needed a few gear changes, so we decided to try our thumbs out at hitch-hiking into the nearest town. After maybe 28 seconds we hopped in the back of the truck of yet another Trail Angel. 15 minutes in the back of a pickup, flying around the mountain roads of northern Georgia with the sun and wind in our faces, we were three happy, free men. Truly free. http://youtu.be/ljK3dWEUhy4
Date: 2014-04-05
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Deep Gap
Miles today: 13.1
Weather: broken clouds

Started out the day a little late, around 10am. Tree Beard and I pushed up and over our two big obstacles in only a few hours. With our freshly stocked food bags, we shared an amazing lunch in the sun on top of Tray Mountain with an amazing view. Tree Beard's ankle was bothering him a bit so we decided to meet at our final destination later on. I unfortunately passed our ending point accidentally. I ended up stopping 13.1 miles later at Deep Gap. There were some familiar faces that I enjoyed catching up with. Surprisingly, someone there unveiled a beautiful, small travel guitar and three or four of us took turns playing some tunes and singing around the small fire we had lit. I retired early in order to rise early the next day to push to Dick's Creek in hopes to hear somenews of the impending storm.
Date: 2014-04-06
From: Deep Gap

To: Dick's Creek
Miles today: 3.3

Amazing morning. I headed out early and made good time to Dick's Creek. On my way down I heard the faint trickle of a small creek nearby. I stopped to get a quick view of the water. As I reached the stream I noticed a pile of cans in the creek bed and instinctually had a thought of disgust that even out here people could be so neglectful as to litter all the way out here. But just as soon as that thought crossed my mind, I noticed that these cans were full; some wonderful person had left them in the creek to keep cool for hikers. My hope was restored in humanity once again on the trail. It is perfectly fine for someone to eat a snickers bar and drink an ice cold Coca-Cola out of a stream before 9am... If you are on the AT