morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-04-09
From: Cold Spring Shelter

To: Sassafras Gap Shelter
Miles today: 18.4
Weather: clear sky

When I woke up this morning I knew that it would be a bad long day. Things were frozen where the sun had not hit yet. I ate my breakfast in bed and got things packed up. By the time I was out of camp and on my way it was around 8:30 am. Most of the trek to where I planned to go was/is down hill, which is bad for my knees. And it was painful to go downhill. Around lunchtime I went up to a fire tower to see the view. Then I made my way down to the next shelter to eat lunch. After I ate I moved on to the ¢jump-up¢ views, which just hilled my knees when going down. It took me a little over three hours to go 5 miles. But I did make it to N.O.C around 3:45. Looking around I longed to stay (can¢t read word) and room there. I was very tempted, the place looked so nice and welcoming. But knowing that I had limited time and funds I kept moving. I saw a dead mole and lots of lizards on the trail. The next shelter from N.O.C. is around 6 miles so on my way I ran out of water. I came across an older couple who told me there was lots of water on the trail and I didn¢t need to take the blue blaze trail. Well I kept going and found out that they lied to me. I was out of water for 5 miles and the trek was all up and up and up. I did find some water and re-supplied. The mountain just seemed to be going and going up. When I did reach the peak I was exhausted, and the sun was starting to go down. It was 7:30 when I got in. I unpacked, made dinner and wrote in my hournal. Then I knocked out. P.L.A.
Date: 2006-04-10
From: Sassafras Gap Shelter

To: Cable Gap Shelter
Miles today: 15.2
Weather: clear sky

This morning I woke up a little later than usual because of my exhausting day yesterday. But I ate breakfast and packed up and took off. The morning really wasn¢t interesting. I almost stepped on a snake and took its picture. I also came across this section of the trail maintainer. But it took a while to get to Stecoah Gap because of the giant decent into it. So when I did get there I ate lunch at the nice area they had set up for people to picnic. After lunch I took off again with a full stomach. A little after I began hiking again I had to go up the side of a mountain that went pretty much straight up. That took a lot of energy to get up that thing. The trail just sort of kept going on and on. But it was nice out there being by myself. My knees were doing ok then. The brace I bought really does help but I still am killing my knees. It also helps to take ibuprofen in the morning. I got to the shelter before 5pm sometime and just crashed with the guy who was already in there. I got unpacked and made dinner and drink. After that I just relaxed the rest of the time and wrote in the journal. I was also getting excited about Fontana Dam. I think I will hike in stay the night then take a zero day to really help my knees out. P.L.A.
Date: 2006-04-11
From: Cable Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: clear sky

This morning I woke up and ate breakfast in bed again. Then I packed up all of my stuff as fast as possible wanting to get to Fontana. In my head I¢ve been building Fontana, a almost perfect place with a good size village with a number of people. And all of this located not too far from the dam and shelter. So I got going and headed off down the trail. As the trail rose on my right you could see the lake. The sun was just starting to really show so the light hit it in a most beautiful way. I wanted to take pictures but there were too many trees in the way to get a good shot. As I kept going there were the ups and downs again. Then it leveled out but giant rocks scattered the top of the ridges. The worst and longest part of that 6.6 miles was the climb down into the Fontana Dam area. It just kept going down and down and down. The going down was slow and a killer on the knees. It took a long time to get to the bottom. When I did, I went down to the marina and got some information and took off the trail again. It was only about a mile and I was at the point where you turned right to go to the shelter. The shelter there is the nicest looking shelter I have and will see. The nickname for it is the Fontana Hilton. When I got in there I picked a spot and set out my gear. After I got settled I just rested and listened to the guys talk. At 5:00 we went up to the parking lot where some guys in a coach fed us dinner. They were from Indiana too. They are 3 guys who are called Hikers for Christ. They are very nice guys with a sense of humor. I ate so much food that night for dinner. After dinner I went to the dam and called my dad. Then I went back to the parking lot and ate some more food. After eating more and socializing I went back down to the shelter. At the shelter I played cards with Thomas and Firefly until it was time for me to go to bed. It was a real nice day and a nice cool evening by the lake. Well night. Patrick L.A.
Date: 2006-04-12
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter - Zero day
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I woke up with everyone else, but I didn¢t pack up my gear because it is my zero day. So I got my shoes on and headed up to the parking lot for breakfast. Plugger and I were the first two there and began eating as much as we could as soon as it was made. After breakfast we socialized with the guys and said goodbye to the other hikers taking off. Next we went back down to the shelter and got our dirty clothes together to take to the laundry. Once we got everything together we headed back to the parking lot and hitched a ride to Fontana Village. Now I had expected the village to look somewhat like a town. It did not look like a town at all. It as just a long building with a couple of stores, a post office and a laundry room. It was disappointing to see. The cloudy weather did not help the mood much either. So we went to the post office and picked up our mail drops and he sent some things home. Then we went down to the laundry mat and put our clothes in the washer. While the clothes were in there Plugger went up to the outfitters to get some more fuel. So I went into the store and got a pint of chocolate ice cream and peanut butter for my food supply. I went and sat on the front porch to eat the ice cream and write some postcards to mom and grandma. Then Plugger got back and we put our clothes in the dryer. While Plugger was at the outfitters he got us a ride back to the shelter. So once the clothes were done we went back to the shelter. At the shelter we got our food sorted out and I ate some lunch. A little later we went back to the parking lot and just relaxed in the grass. Then the Hikers for Christ guys came and joined us. When it was near dinner time they took off to prepare dinner for all of us. So we hung out with some of the other hikers who had bought fruit for everyone to eat. Then it was dinner time where I ate as much as I could again. When I was done eating and socializing I went to the Dam to try and call Rebel again but got the answering machine again. So I went back to the shelter and got my stuff ready for a quick pick up tomorrow. We all just sat around and talked until we all went to bed. The night was warmer and no wind. It¢s a nice peaceful night for good sleeping. Night. P.L.A.
Date: 2006-04-13
From: Fontana Dam Shelter - Zero day

To: Spence Field Shelter
Miles today: 16.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Well I woke up again so that is good. As soon as I did I got all my stuff packed up to go and headed up to the parking lot to go and eat a lot of pancakes. Since it was my last meal with the guys I ate 8 pancakes and drank a lot of juice. Soon Plugger came up after having trouble getting his food bag in his pack. Once we were done eating we said our thanks and goodbyes. Before we left Nathan took us aside and gave us each a fresh apple. So we took off across the dam and toward the Smokey Mountains. It is a big first climb into the Smokies. During that climb I lost Plugger because we hike different paces. As I was walking I was thinking of how much this trip meant to me and everyone. I was also thinking that I have to finish it no matter what in the time I was given. Then I got to thinking of how proud my mother and father would be of me when I finished this journey. This is the first time I have really been on my own, especially so far away from home. Anyway the Smokies are a hole different atmosphere compared to what we have been hiking. When I got to the fire tower I got out my lunch and climbed to the top of the tower. The fire tower in my view is very old and needs fixing or just replaced. The steps are made of wood that I was afraid of falling through. But the view up there was magnificent. You can see almost all of the Smoky mountains u there. At one time Rebel said it was real nice to go up there in the evening and just spend the night up there in the tower. Once I ate my lunch I climbed down carefully and took back off the trail. Not so soon later did I come across Plugger. When I caught up to him we talked a little and he said his toes were still hurting him a lot. And as before I lost him again as we were hiking. So I kept going until I got to Mollies Ridge Shelter where I came across a guy who worked with my dad. He was out with his son and his son¢s buddy for the week. So I rested there and talked with them a bit. After a while I took off again down the trail. A little after I passed Russel Field Shelter I was passed by a group of people on horses. And so I kept going down the trail and almost missed the turn to go to the shelter where I am going to spend the night. When I got there I went and got water at the spring. The gnats at all the shelters in the Smokies are very bad. What was real bad about them is that they would bite me and draw blood. They were eating my alive. Well once I got my water I started making my dinner. While doing that I talked to the Ridgerunner who is staying here tonight too. Once I was done eating dinner I packed it all up and hung it from the bear cables. Then I crawled up in the bunk in the shelter and got my sleeping stuff out and wrote in my journal for a while. Tomorrow I have to move my butt far and fast because I have to get to the city early Sat. before the post office closes so I can get my mail drop. Tomorrow is going to be long and painful but I know I can do it. Well, night for tonight. P.L.A.
Date: 2006-04-14
From: Spence Field Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: few clouds

Woke up this morning and got packed pretty quickly because of the long planned day. Once most of my stuff was packed I got my food bag down and used the privy. Then I went back to packing my stuff but noticed that my food bag was not where I placed it. So I asked the Ridgerunner if he had seen my food bag. It ends up he put it in the bear proof thinking it was his bag because we have the same bag. So I got my food bag and ate breakfast. Then I got the rest of my gear together and took off around 8. So I took off and headed towards Thunderhead Mountain where you have a 360 degree view and a very nice view at that. So then I stopped to look around and Trooper caught up to me and he took my picture for me. Then I took off again. For the next couple of miles Trooper and I were playing leapfrog until he stopped at a gap to smoke a cigarette. I finally made it to the next shelter which I found out that the trek I just did was the hardest part of the Smoky Mountains part of the AT. When I got to the shelter I ate lunch and filled up my water. I also tried soaking my hat in deet to help keep the gnats away from me. After I got everything together I took off toward the next shelter. Not much happened between then beside the views. Once I got to Silers Bald Shelter I took another rest and some section hikers gave me a small bag of cookies to eat. I rested for about 20 minutes and took off again. It wasn¢t long before I got to the next shelter (Double Spring Gap Shelter) where I took about 10 minutes of rest time and moved on. I was growing very tired at that point especially when making the 1¢000 foot climb to the top. But the views were amazing where there were no trees growing. Finally I made it to the top of Clingman¢s Dome and headed up to the observation deck. Up there it was beautiful and you could see so far in every direction, it was amazing and worth the extra walk. While I was up there a day hiker gave me a power bar and a fun size snicker because he was done for the day. I thanked him a lot and then gobbled it down. Once (can¢t read a few words) what rested I got down from the tower and headed down the trail again. At that point I was miserable. The trail just seemed to keep going and I was exhausted and dehydrated because I had run out of water. I finally got to the sign where it said the shelter was half a mile down the trail. That was the longest half a mile yet on my trip. When I got to the shelter everyone I knew greeted me. I took my pack off and someone offered me water. I gladly took it and drank almost all of it. Then I went to the spring and got water. Once I settled down I made dinner, ate, cleaned up and went and relaxed in the shelter. I talked with the people around me and once it got dark we all went to bed. P.L.A.
Date: 2006-03-18
From: greyhound

To: pearisburg
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

they wake you off the floor at 7am. i got to bluefield va. at 5pm. and i still had a 40 mile hitch to get to the trail. i walked 10 of those miles until dark when ben and his boy scotty picked me up in their s-10 with sofa in back.thank you!got to the trail at 8pm. do not go greyhound. got a room at the rendesvous inn.walked 2 miles for a friscoburger,caught a sanford and son marathon,to start my adventure over on a new day. i now own a quarter from w.v. and one from va., the state line i was thumbing over today. luck? i was really tested with this delay but have accepted it as 'gumps destiny'. i think the sanfords might have saved my sanity after that 23hr bus journey!
Date: 2006-03-19
From: pearisburg

To: rice field shelter
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: overcast clouds

slept good. piddled for an hour,got knipped on the boots by a daschund as i cheched out.hiked up through the industrial side of p-burg. the smell of sulfur burned my nose.got to a road crossing where i inherited a blue-tick hound.the boy scouts had fed her and walked her down. the scoutmaster then came down the hill and said the owner was up there with not much concern, to turn her loose she will find her way. so she hikes with me north.great. for now. "blue" had a bladder problem,probably from sulfur creek. we fell asleep on a bald powerline cut and i tried to sneak off but she soon followed. saw turkey and grouse. watched 5 hawks eating something in mid-air.they never dropped a bite,and all took turns cathing the meal.cool sunset at rice field shelter. only 7.5 miles today to begin. did 10 yesterday hitching.met "red dane" maybe the #3 northbounder. i am right in the front of the pack. blue cut her front paw badly on a barbed-wire fence. so i bandaged her and fed her a hot noodle since it is getting down to 30 . i guess she will hike north with us.
Date: 2006-03-20
From: rice field shelter

To: baily gap
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: snow

didnt sleep well as it got below freezing. blue slept in the bed of leaves i made her.she hiked all day with us with that bad paw.we finally passed some houses where red dane got the dog fed and on her way home. we are happy to be blueles.snow is drizzling in with the darkness. saw grouse, hawks,and hound dog today. i had to take a knife to my new boot to cut out some stitching that was chafing.(actually both boots are new, ha!).
Date: 2006-03-21
From: baily gap

To: laurel creek shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: snow

15 miles to laurel creek shelter. these rocky va. trails feel like they are eating the soles off my boots.tough hiking especially after going 1.5 mi. the wrong way to start off the day.wore my new rain gear through the wet air. rain and sleet the last 3 mi. (3mi. error-huh?) spooked a deer and 2 grouse. i also saw a dog at a parking area,but scooted by quickly so i couldnt get involved.foggy with no views today. cold last night,expecting the same tonight. already 1/2" of snow out there. in with r.d. again. seems we have the same pace. low diet working well, body adapting. things beginning to smell funny?
Date: 2006-03-22
From: laurel creek shelter

To: niday shelter
Miles today: 15.0
Weather: clear sky

15 mile day to niday shelter. cold all night again, down to 20.boots were frozen to the floor and nalgene was 1/2 ice.nice ridge walking, passed the keffer oak,and some pastures with sunshine, up to 40'. peed on the eastern continental divide, it went towards the gulf! saw grouse,hawks,2 old homesteads. had the trail to myself all day. the meltoff falling from the trees was constant bombardment. ate ice all day. sharing the shelter with r.d. again.
Date: 2006-03-23
From: niday shelter

To: boy scout shelter
Miles today: 23.0
Weather: few clouds

woke at 5:am to the gobbling alarm clock. hustled out for a full 23 mile day to boy scout shelter.nice and sunny all day up to 50'.dragons tooth turned out to be quite a technichal climb. more pastures with livestock residing! audy murphy memorial,still lots of wildlife. sometimes a group of owls starts to sound like monkeys! sharing shelter with r.d. ,tomorrow is a race to town;shower,food,phone,beer,t.v.!
Date: 2006-03-24
From: boy scout shelter

To: ho. jo. u.s. 220
Miles today: 18.6

got up early with red dane so we could get photos on mcafee knob. it was a long 18.6 miles to the interchange, since i caught an old trail and came off of mcafee 1.4 mi. the wrong way again! so add 3 mi. again!@#*& . went to the outfitter to find red dane. we agreed on pizza and a room. not a date ,but if it were was it dutch?danish?hoosier?irish?hiker? got a bojangles chicken to hold me off until dinner. phone calls,sixer,pizza hut,laundry,laughs.the cvs was closed after a dangerous walk past the on/off ramps.sleeping good tonight.
Date: 2006-03-25
From: ho. jo. u.s. 220

To: wilson creek shelter
Miles today: 16.2
Weather: light rain

bed was nice. woke early to do town things. made a photo disc at cvs and mailed it off from the ups store. hit the kroger and outfitter and headed up the hill with my now full pack. (mail drop) 3 miles into the day i met "bagger" on the tracks. he needed somone to talk to so there i was. he was out for his 6th hike! solo at wilson creek shelter. snowy and rainy all day. gear is working well. looks like another cold night.
Date: 2006-03-26
From: wilson creek shelter

To: cove mt. shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: overcast clouds

still cold. couldnt get up until the sun helped. snowy 14 mi. solo hike to cove mt. shelter.went .2 off trail today for lunch and found 4"magic" beers at bobbletts gap. my achilles has knotted up and is slowing the mileage down. i packed in a city treat of pepperoni w/cheese. no water here but plenty of snow to cook with. red dane has come in for the night,a doe also looked in upon us!
Date: 2006-03-27
From: cove mt. shelter

To: cornelious creek shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: clear sky

woke with the sun, hiked 12 miles to cornelious creek shelter. sunny and 60',great until i hit the higher elevations where the snow was still 4-5 inches and melting.saw the coolest shelter at lunch, bryants ridge shelter. met some trail maintainers out for 3 miles with a chainsaw. thank you! slush walking today has me in with wet boots for the night at 3145' guess who else is here ? red dane!
Date: 2006-03-28
From: cornelious creek shelter

To: matts creek shelter
Miles today: 18.0
Weather: few clouds

tough 18 miles to matts creek shelter. mountain tops held 6-12 inches of snow for the first 6 mi. 65' and sunny for the next 6 mi. and rainy and gloomy for the last 6 mi. it felt like three different days! passed a big weather station that looked like something from outer space after seeing so much forest.red dane and i had a lunch with bagger.owls last night, squirrel and skunk today.second day of wet boots @#*!. still running on oatmeal,ramen,power bar.in with red dane as the bats swoop in the shelter over our heads. this shelter also houses "la cooka racha"
Date: 2006-03-29
From: matts creek shelter

To: punch bowl shelter
Miles today: 13.0
Weather: overcast clouds

solo 13 mile day to punchbowl shelter. the resident beaver let me know it was his pond with a loud tailslap. in the 60s today,sunny with sweat. woodpeckers,grouse,owl squirrel,hawks,and mice almost daily. the mice always come to check you out,but if you leave nothing to offer they soon go away.the beaver gnawed on a tree 50 yards away all night.
Date: 2006-03-30
From: punch bowl shelter

To: stealth spot
Miles today: 16.0

sunny high 60s,for a 16 mile day to tent out just past cold mountain. 4022'.solo all day with sun and streams. lots of turkey lately.met a guy at a roadside pullover with winnbago and short wave radio. he had made communications to the virgin islands and other european countries with only 5 watts of power. he had antenneas up in the trees. hung my food over the edge of the mountain,in for a windy night.
Date: 2006-03-31
From: stealth spot

To: priest shelter
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: scattered clouds

slept good on the soft earth floor.woke with the wind and got moving before sunrise.nice sunny 16 mile day to priest shelter. spooked deer, turkey,and grouse all day. the wildlife is constant.everything is beginning to blossom. the shelter tonight is half full of roofing materials and half full of hikers! in with r.d. and weekenders. spy rock was a very neat climb today.
Date: 2006-04-01
From: priest shelter

To: maupin field shelter
Miles today: 14.0
Weather: scattered clouds

today was 14 miles to maupin field shelter to tent out. woke early to get to crabtree falls campground. hiked 5 miles of trail to the highway then 4 miles of highway with no hitch (unbeleivable). cabins were full so i just got food, shower, and,laundry. no luck! hiked 5 more miles to camp.took a blue blaze for the first time. it turned out more rugged than the mileage i should have stuck with. passed some nice waterfalls though. many tents in the area for it is the weekend.
Date: 2006-04-02
From: maupin field shelter

To: paul c. wolfe sheltert
Miles today: 16.0
Weather: overcast clouds

16 mile sunny day to paul c. wolfe shelter. very cool structure. climbed over some very cool rock scrambles today at humpback mt. still trying to catch squirrels and turkey on camera. a couple of the springs at higher elevations were dry so i had a six mile stretch with no water. stopped on almost every rocky outctop to bask in the sun.stopped to chat with people all day. it slows me down but i can not pass up the company. passed a ski resort and enjoyed the loud music all day from across the valley. in with cloudwalker and red dane for the night
Date: 2006-04-03
From: paul c. wolfe sheltert

To: calf mt. shelter
Miles today: 13.0

woke early and hiked with red dane to the visitors center where she went to waynesboro and i hiked on.got junk food and headed into the shenendoah national park. filled out a backcountry permit as the deer saundered around me.got to calf mt. shelter early and decided to stay as the rain moved in. my right achilles has turned into a cankle. it has slowed me down but the ibuprofen has helped. floyd came in as did the rain he is sectioning from penn. to springer. high winds all night 40mph.
Date: 2006-04-04
From: calf mt. shelter

To: pinefield hut
Miles today: 27.0
Weather: clear sky

sunny and windy all day. i had to make up for stopping early yesterday for the rain. s.n.p. is graded nicely so the miles just kept coming. lots of deer really close. walked the last 3 miles in the dark, kind of spooky. solo at the shelter with bunks and a bear pole to hang food on. bear are not hunted here so they are not shy.i need a barber as the haircut is like "moe" and the beard looks like"swampthing".