morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2014-03-25
To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light snow

When I woke up this morning, I was so glad we were at the Microtel Hotel. Jerry, from Kentucky, and I noticed a flyer in the lobby advertising a daily pancake and bacon breakfast at the First Baptist Church. If you called the number on the flyer before 7:00 A.M, the church would send a bus to pick you up. When we arrived at the church fellowship hall, there were already 20-30 thru hikers enjoying a great breakfast. The church members made us feel so welcome. The associate pastor gave a short, five minute talk, and then the ladies fo the curch made sure we had all the food we wanted. This town has been officially designated by the ATC as a Trail Community. They live up to the honor. Everyone has been so friendly. The weather forecaset for tonight looked so ominous, that we decided it was unwise to return to the trail until Wednesday morning. I called Mrs. Gray Ghost and invited her to spend the day and night. She accepted and arrived at the hotel around noon. She helped me do laundry and resupply food at Ingles. Tonight, we joined Right Here and Jerry from Kentucky at FATZ, just down the street, for a good meal and time of fellowship. It has snowed off and on all afternoon and evening. The mountains are covered in snow. Today has been a wonderful day, made special by Mrs. Gray Ghost's visit. Tomorrow, we will return to the trail and push on northward. I hope to be in Fontana Village by Saturday. Good night.
Date: 2014-03-26
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Cold Springs Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: scattered clouds

After a great breakfast at Huddle House, Mrs. Gray Ghost dropped Jerry from Kentucky and me off at Winding Stair Gap. It was cold and the trail was snow covered, but fortunately, the footing was good. Anytime you are in a gap, you expect a long, hard climb to get back to the ridge top, and this morning was true to form. Aroudn mid day, we arrived at the summit of Wayah Bald, where there is an old fire tower. We took a lumch break and enjoyed the wonderful views in every direction. From this vantage point, we could see back into Georgia, where we started, and forward into North Carolina and Tennessee, where we are headed. We saw Clingman's Dome, where I will be next week. The snow was beautiful all day, and it turned out to be a great day for hiking. We stopped for the night at Cold Springs Shelter and saw Super Feet, Barnicles, Salo, Mio, Rain Pants, and a few other familiar faces. Tommorow, it on to the Nantahala River and Outdoor Center.Thank you so much for all the wonderul comments and words of encouragement you all are leaving on my guest book and otherwise. They're very encouraging.
Date: 2014-03-27
From: Cold Springs Shelter

To: Nantahala Outdoor Center
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: clear sky

This morning started very cold. I reached for my eye drops, and they were frozen solid. I quickly packed my gear and started walking by 8:30 A.M. A lot of the snow was melting, but on the shady side of the mountain there was enough left to make some of the steep parts of the trail very slippery. I fell once but fortunately was ok. We crossed over the mountain with a fire tower and then headed down hill most of the afternoon to the Nantahala Outdoor Center. I arrived at the NOC around 3:00 P.M. and signed into the hostel. Tonight, we dined at the River's End Restaurant. There was a large group of hikers already there. Jerry from Kentucky and I joined Rob, Wet Dog, Mio, Rain Pants, Solo, Big Day, Indiana Jones, Super Foot, and Barnicles. The burgers were delicious. Everybody was talking about the upcoming days and the weather. Tomorrow, we have a six mile ascent from here, and it will be a tough day. Whitewater from the class of 2012, whom I have known for many years, will be handing out trail magic at Stecoah Gap tomorrow and Saturday. I am looking forward to that! Well, it's almost hiker mid-night and time to sleep. Good night.
Date: 2014-03-28
From: Nantahala Outdoor Center

To: Stecoah Gap
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: moderate rain

Jerry from Kentucky and I enjoyed a large breakfast at the River's End Restaurant. It was 9:30 A.M. by the time I hit the trail. Jerry was going to leave later, so he could access a computer to update his journal. We said goodbye, not knowing if we will see each other again, but hopefully we will. It was really a pleasure getting to know him, and we have a lot in common. Leaving NOC, I ascended over 3,000 feet in the first eight miles. I have been told this ascent is the biggest will see before I reach the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The big breakfast provided the fuel, and the morning's hike went very well. It was misting rain all day. Toward the middle of the morning, I met Flinchfrom Portland, ME. My goal for the day was to get to the trail magic at Stecoah Gap. I arrived at Stecoah Gap at about 4:45 P.M. I was greeted by Whitewater and Mary. Whitewater quickly grilled me two wonderful hamburgers. For two days, Whitewater, Mary, Video, and Sue are feeding every thru hiker that arrives. By the end of today, they had fed close to 40 hungry and aprreciative hikers. I am still hearing comments from fellow hikers that this was the best trail magic ever! Whitewater, Mary, Video, and Sue, you are truly angels. Thanks for the food and hospitality. By the time I had visiteed with these guys for an hour or so, it was too late in the day to reach the next shelter, and it was supposed to be a very rainy night. A very nice couple who were friends of Video, had driven in from Tennessee to help with the trail magic. They were staying in a motel in Robbinsville, NC, which was about seven miles away. I decided that rather than spending a wet night in my tent, a motel would be a good place to be for the night. Thank you, Melissa and Ed Oliver for giving me a ride into Robbinsville. Also, the homemade cookies were delicious! Today was a wonderful day.
Date: 2014-03-29
From: Stecoah Gap

To: Fontana
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: moderate rain

I woke up early this morning and walked to the nearby McDonald's and devoured a couple of biscuits. Shortly thereafter, Whitewater and Mary arrived to take me back to the trail at Stecoah Gap. Thanks again, Whitewater and Mary! I started out from the gap at 8:30 A.M. in a light rain, which would continue all day. Today, the goal was to make it to Fontana, where I would meet Mrs. Gray Ghost, where we have a room at the Fontana Lodge. Walking in the rain and with the destination in mind, I arrived in Fontana about 3:00 P.M. It was earlier than I expected. We quickly checked in to our room in the beautiful lodge, which is a part of the Fontana Lake Resort. After getting cleaned up, we went to dinner at the restaurant in the lodge. There were many familiar faces also dining there. We saw Big Dog, Indiana Jones, Mio, Rain Pants, and quite a few hikers I have not previously seen. I am beginning to catch up to a lot of hikers who started a week or more before I did. Many in the hiker bubble I have been in will be leaving tomorrow morning to enter the Great Smoky Mountain National Park section of the trail. I will be staying an extra day with Mrs. Gray Ghost and resupplying, washing clothes, and eating lots of good food. I will discuss more about the GSMNP part of the trail tomorrow. Good night.
Date: 2014-03-30
From: Fontana

To: Nero Day
Miles today: 1.4
Weather: clear sky

Today started cold but turned into a beautiful, warm spring day. The Great Smoky Mountains on the horizon are covered with snow, which fell last night. Mrs. Gray Ghost and I had breakfast in the lodge, did my laundry, and drove over to Robbinsville for lunch and a trip to Ingles for a few supplies. We also walked 1.4 miles of the trail that runs through the resort. Tomorrow morning, I will cross the Fontana Dam and enter the GSMNP (Great Smoky Mountains National Park). This 75 miles through the park will be the most remote and most isolated part of the tail until I reach the 100 mile wilderness in Maine. From here, it wil be 35 miles to the next road crossing at Newfound Gap. At that crossing, some hikers catch a ride into Gatlinburg, TN to resupply. My plan is to take sufficient supplies to make the full 75 miles through the park, exiting on Friday at Davenport Gap, TN. At that time, I will catch a shuttle into Newport, TN to resupply and to get a night in a real bed. Today o the trail, I am beginning to see some early spring flowers emerging from their winter's sleep. I saw lots of trillium, which will soon be in bloom. Well, this has been a great day, and I will be ready to enter the GSMNP tomorrow morning.
Date: 2014-03-31
From: Fontana

To: Russell Field Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: scattered clouds

Mrs. Grey Ghost and I had a wonderful breakfast with Wet Dog and Jerry from Kentucky. Mrs. Gray Ghost dropped us off at our starting points around 8:30 A.M. I crossed the Fontana Dam and entered the GSMNP. After I got up to about 4,000 feet, the trail suddenly became a quagmire of snow, slush, and mud. Walking on this typpe of trail greatly cut down on speed. It was a long, hard day, and i was glad to finally see the shelter. I was the first person to arrive at the shelter, but before nightfall it was filled to capacity. I saw Wet Dog, Soul Power, All Day, Seymor, Coco, and several others whose names escape me. The shelter was packed, but no one snored, and I had a good night's sleep.
Date: 2014-04-01
From: Russell Field Shelter

To: Silers Bald Shelter
Miles today: 14.7
Weather: clear sky

I got a really early start this morning. The trail condition was no better than yesterday, and it seemed like a roller-coaster ride. As soon as I would summit one peak, I would go back down only to face another mountain. Today was probably my toughest day since early i Georgia. It felt so good to finally reach the shelter and get a hot dinner. Bedtime quickly followed.
Date: 2014-04-02
From: Silers Bald Shelter

To: Icewater Springs Shelter
Miles today: 15.5
Weather: clear sky

Wet Dog and I hiked together most of the day. The trail condition was slightly better than previous days but still hazardous. Today, we crossed over Clingman's Dome, which will be the highest elevation on the trail. Later in the afternoon, we arrived at Newfound Gap, and there was trail magic. Beth and Bernie from Florida are spending their week's vacation doing trail magic. They had everything hikers crave and treated each hiker who arrived as friends. Three miles after leaving Newfound Gap, we arrived at our shelter. Tonight, we will also have a capacity crowd. I met some new hikers, Ace, Red Dog, and several others. Dinner is finished, and it's almost time for bed. Good night.
Date: 2014-04-03
From: Icewater Springs Shelter

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today the trail was much improved. There was only very little of the snow, slush, and mud that was so prominant the past two days. Almost all day, we were between 5,000' and 6,000' elevation. The weather was beautiful, but the Ridge Runner we passed today says that bad weather is on the way. Tonight, the shelter is not totally full. It will be nice to stretch out a little and maybe the snoring will be little less bothersome. Big Dog and Indiana Jones showed up tonight after taking a zero day in Gatlinburg. When I finish 15 miles tomorrow evening, I will be out of the Smokies. I will be going to Newport, Tennessee for a couple of nights in a motel. Hopefully Mrs. Gray Ghost can be there with me.
Date: 2014-04-04
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Pigeon River Bridge
Miles today: 17.4

I got up and moving by 8:00 A.M. Rain was on the way, and I was also looking forward to finishing the Smokies and getting into Newport, Tennessee for a zero day. Around 10:00 A.M., the rain began as predicted. The rain didn't bother me so much, but the high wind gust made me concerned with dead trees blowing down on me. I walked continuously without stopping several miles of my just over 17 mile day. It was mainly downhill, which made it easier. As I was coming off a mountain, I saw a car parked beside the road at the bottom of the mountain. As I got closer, I realized it was Mrs. Gray Ghost there waiting for me. We quickly loaded my pack and headed out of Newport for R&R. I had five days without a bath, and I know the smell was not too pleasant. We checked into a motel, cleaned me up, and went to the laundramat. After that, we ate aat a wonderful country buffet. Food is so wonderful after a week of only trail food. Tomorrow will be a zero day. We will rest, resupply, eat, and eat some more. This has been a great week as I finished the Smokies right on schedule and passed the 10% completed point, with my 240 miles to date. I am really looking forward to the weekend when my wonderful friends, Frank and Christian, from Atlanta, join me for a weekend hike. I'm hoping the weather will be wonderful.
Date: 2014-04-05
From: Pigeon River Bridge

To: Zero Day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today is a wonderful day as it always when my favorite trail angel is with me. Her visits really keep my spirits up. I have asked many, many questions about my grandsons. I really miss them as well as my other family members. By the end of next week, I will enjoy a visit from Frank and Christian and will be getting to the Erwin, Tennessee aea. This means that for about 8-10 days, I will be within an hour's drive or closer to our Roan Mountain home. This will allow me to "slack pack" for several days and spend each night in our Roan house. Mrs. Gray Ghost will be able to drop me off at a road crossing each morning and then pick me up in the evening at a pre-determined road crossing. For those of you not familiar with the term "slack pack", it simply means hiking without all of your heavy gear, since you are not spending each night on the trail. This will give me the opportunity to sleep in my own house, eat home cooked meals, and carry a light pack each day.I am truly blessed by God to have the opportunity to pursue this dream, and I am so thankful to all of you who are praying for me and offering words of encouragement.
Date: 2014-04-06
From: Pigeon River Bridge

To: Roaring Fork Shelter
Miles today: 16.1
Weather: overcast clouds

This morning at 7:30 A.M., Mrs. Gray Ghost dropped me off where I left off on Friday. As always, when you are at a gap or river, you know when you leave you will be ascending to the mountain tops. Later in the morning, I crossed Snow Bird Mountain and saw the FAA tower on its top. i'm not sure how it's used now, but years ago, it was a part of a system that made up the navigational system for our commercial airlines. In the afternoon, I summited Max Patch, which is on of the most photographed points on the AT. It is a mountain top that is devoid of all trees and vegetation except grass. There were many people up there enjoying the fine spring day. By mid-afternoon, I reached Roaring Fork shelter and was surprised to see Wet Dog already there. As the afternoon wore on, Rob, Frankie the Sleeper, Tank, Ace, J-Rex, and Mac and Cheese came in. We made a shelter designed for six hold ten people. Before the night was over, pouring rain began.
Date: 2014-04-07
From: Roaring Fork Shelter

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: moderate rain

The day started with it raining, and as I stared to pack my sleeping bag, I noticed that the mice had chewed a quarter-size hole in the water-proof sack that I had store it in. This will have to be replaced when I reach Hot Springs. The rain ended after a couple of hours, and it turned out to be a pretty nice day. Today's 18 miles is my longest day, since i started. I was really glad to see Hot Springs, NC at the end of this day. Hot Springs is a true trail town, in that the AT actually goes down its Main Street. I first went to the outfitter store to replace my sleeping bag sack. I am staying tonight in a bed and breakfast called Elmer's Sunnyside Inn and Retreat. It is a wonderful old two-story house with antique furniture throughout. I have a private bedroom on the second floor. At dinner tonight, I saw Big Dog, Indiana Jones, Mio, Rob Rain Pants, RedDog, Pyro, Fritz Lang, Mondo, and several other new faces. I plan to leave here tomorrow around 10:00 A.M., since I have only planned an 11 mile day tomorrow. Now it's time for a good night's sleep.
Date: 2014-04-08
From: Hot Springs, NC

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

The morning started with my favorite hiking breakfast (eggs, pork tenderloin, grits, sausage, gravy, biscuits, and coffee)at the Smoky Mountain Diner. Come to think of it, that's my favorite breakfast anytime, even when I'm not hiking. After breakfast, I went to wash my clothes, and shortly after I was on my way. As I headed out of Hot Springs, I crossed over the French Broad River and headed up the mountain for a climb of nearly 2,000'. The morning went well, and I reached my shelter by mid afternoon. I claimed my spot in a capacity of six. As it got later i the afternoon, some familiar faces showed up. It's so hard to remember all of the names, but I saw Dirty Harry (from England), Stretch, Cletus, Drifter, Frank, and Mary from Rhode Island, Soul Power, and many others. The weather forecast is calling for rain tonight, so I am glad to be in a shelter. Good night.
Date: 2014-04-09
From: Spring Mountain Shelter

To: Jerry Cabin Shelter
Miles today: 15.4
Weather: light rain

The weather was right. Around 4:00 A.M., I began to hear raindrops on the tin roof of the shelter. As always, I was glad to be in a shelter and not to have to pack a wet tent. I started walking before 8:00 A.M. The rain was pretty much over by then. Today turned out to be a very good day as the trail became more diverse and interesting. At about 11:00 A.M., I came to a road crossing on a N.C. state highway. Right at the highway, there was a hand-written sign for Mom's Store, saying that hikers were welcome. As I started to cross the highway, I looked to my right and could see what I believed to be the store only a tenth of a mile up the road. I decided to check it out. As I neared the old building, I began to wonder if I had wasted my time. I went up to the door, and there was a sign saying open. I opened the door, and inside I found a mostly empty old store building with very little merchandise to sell. There was a woman behind the counter and a man sitting beside a wooden heater. The woman quickly welmcomed me and explained that they had coffee, sodas, ice cream, and sandwiches. I opened their freezer and saw frozen biscuits and cheeseburgers. I decided on a cheeseburger and the proprietor took it and microwaved it for me. I then pulled up a chair and started to eat the burger. Once they found out I was from Atlanta, the conversation went immediately to the Braves, as they explained that they were big fans. The man quickly brought me up to date with the season and mentioned that last night was the anniversary of Hank Aaron's 715th homerun. I told him where I was and what I remembered about that game. They are still a little hurt over the Braves allowing Hudson to get away, but still true Braves fans. I finished my burger and brought a double Moon Pie to go. Later in the day, it made a wonderful snack. If you have not tried a double Moon Pie, I highly recommend it. I finished the afternoon and arrived at my shelter. As it turned out, I was the only one in the shelter, but there were about a dozen or so hikers tenting around the shelter. As I prepared for bed, I could tell that it was going to be a cold, clear night on the mountain.
Date: 2014-04-10
From: Jerry Cabin Shelter

To: Sams Gap
Miles today: 17.1
Weather: clear sky

Today started out as most every other day, but later there were some pleasant surprises. As I was nearing Devil Fork Gap, I came upon a cooler beside the trail. There was a note on the cooler saying that the trail magic in the cooler was provided by "Lord Willin" and "Expresso" Nobo 2011. I opened the cooler, and it was filled with ice cold sodas and sweet treats. I quickly consumed a soda and took an oatmeal cookie to go. As I reached the bottom of the mountain, I crossed over a highway. Immediately on the other side, there was a sign advertising the Laurel Trading Post Grocery. Since it was lunch time, I called the number listed, and the store owner said, "I will be there to pick you up in 10 minutes." A few minutes later, I was in the small store/hostel/deli and was ordering a cheeseburger for lunch. The burger was delicious and gone in minutes. One of the owner's friends who is also shuttles hikers, asked me if I would like to slack pack in the afternoon and spend the night in the hostel. The more I thought about it, the better his idea sounded. I left my pack at the hostel, and he carried me back to Devil Fork Gap. I rescended my hike by 1:00 P.M. and hiked another eight miles to Sams Gap. I called Mike, my shuttle guy, and he picked me up and took me back to the hostel for the night. I had another burger for dinner and a nice shower. Later in the evening, four other hikers arrived for the night. It was a good day, and soon I was off to sleep.
Date: 2014-04-11
From: Sams Gap

To: No Business Knob
Miles today: 18.3

After a nice breakfast at the hostel, Mike dropped me off at Sams Gap. Today was the day I met Frank and Chris at Spivey Gap, and I was really looking forward to spending a few days hiking with them. By mid-morning, I was crossing over Big Bald, elevation 5516'. The views from this bald mountain top were spectacular. AS the day wore on, I kept updating Frank and Chris on my arrival time at Spivey Gap. Shortly after 2:00 P.M., I headed down the mountain approaching Spivey Gap. As I neared the gap, they yelled out to me from a clearing adjacent to the trail. While they were waiting, they had met several of the other thru hikers who were just ahead of me. They had stopped in Erwin and brought me two delicious Pal's hot dogs. After sitting in chairs and eating hot dogs, we set out for the next shelter, which was approximately five miles away. Immediately upon leaving the gap, we began a 600' ascent. Three hours later, we arrived at No Business Knob Shelter. We set up camp, and Chris prepared our dinner, which consisted of rice and beef stew. It was delicious. AFter dinner, we joined Thomas and Silvia Pepper, Soul Power, Dirty Harry, Fran, Frank and Nancy, Indiana Jones, and Big Dawg around big campfire. The moon was really full, and it was easy to see even without our headlamps.