morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-04-05
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Gatlinburg, TN
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Another zero day in Gatlinburg...unplanned originally but the weather forecast indicated it would be warmer tomorrow. The mud needed to dry up and the ice needed to melt. It should be in the 60s and sunny today and tomorrow...so another day 'in town' it was!After a giant breakfast at Bennett's (all you can eat), I head to Walgreens to see if maybe I could get the photos put on a CD to mail to my wife. Nope..their equipment would not even read the SD card. They suggested I head to the Walgreens in Pigeon Forge, the next town over. Seems the Pigeon Forge Walgreens had newer equipment for processing photos. OMG, traveling on the shuttle, making connections and transferring to the line that would take me to Pigeon Forge...exhausting! So I got to the Walgreens...and did it work? NADA...nothing...this machine could not read the SD card either. I think it is because it is an EXTREME HD SD card..although my computer at home can read it just fine.Now what! Ah, entertainment...I was tired and tired of being frustrated, so I went to see the movie "Olympus Has Fallen" at the 2 pm movie. With lots of pop corn and coke, I forgot my troubles. By the way, I thought is was a really good movie!Heading back to Gatlinburg on the trolley, I got off long enough to mail my SD card home to my wife..no other choice!Kentucky Fried chicken for supper...a little television while I packed my backpack with the seemingly 10+ lbs of food I had bought...and then off to grab some shut eye.
Date: 2013-04-06
From: Gatlinburg, TN

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 8.2

Time to leave Gatlinburg! Postman and I missed the first shuttle back up to Clingmans Dome parking area, even though we were at the Grand Prix office before time. The shuttle had filled up and left without us, although DBCooper and Two-Socks were on that one. The next shuttle left around 10:30 am¢¦it was a Florida couple who took us up in the back of their pickup truck. We started walking about 11:30 am from behind Clingmans. Up to Clingmans Dome, over the top and then down¢¦and very treacherous as we headed down because of the ice on the trail. We had to go exceedingly slow or you chanced to bust your bottom...extremely dangerous and slippery!I was leading at this point since it was downhill. After an hour, I stopped to wait on Postman to catch up which took another half hour. Postman had already fallen once. At this point, the road to Clingmans paralleled the AT just off to the right side. Postman decided to exit the trail and walk along the road to Newfound Gap to avoid more falls. As for me, I stayed on the AT. I have always prided myself on my balance..on rocks, trails, etc. ¢ so I refused to give in to the ice! It took quite a while but I finally made it to Newfound Gap without falling once! Others had not been so lucky¢¦one guy just ahead of me fell and dislocated his shoulder¢¦requiring an ambulance to take him down to Gatlinburg for medical treatment. A young lady messed up her ankle and had to be helped off. This was also the area that my wife broke her ankle while backpacking in 1985¢¦so I knew to look out for slick spots and tree roots!Normally on a dry downhill you can walk 2 12-4 mph. Today my time was reduced to less than half that. I finally reached Newfound Gap about 4 pm. My intentions had been to travel to Ice Water Springs Shelter which was 3 miles further with a rise of over 1000 feet. I would have to use my headlamp on the icy trail because it would be dark soon¢¦and the trail had major drop-offs on either side. It was just too much of a ¢chance¢ to try to go further. Fortunately, the Florida couple who brought us up this morning were finishing up ¢Trail magic¢ at Newfound Gap and offered Postman and I a ride back down to Gatlinburg. We stayed at a Motel 6 on the National Park end of Gatlinburg this time¢¦definitely a little more in cost but cleaner and nicer than the Grand Prix¢¦which happened to be just next door!
Date: 2013-04-08
From: Pecks Corner Shelter

To: Cosby Knob Shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: broken clouds

Ok..here I go¢¦YES, you guessed it¢¦starting my day this morning walking an EXTRA 12 mile back UPHILL to the AT to even get going!Most of the day was a roller coaster ¢ went over Mt Sequoyah, down¢¦up over the east ridge of Mt. Chapman¢¦stopped at Tri-corner Knob Shelter for lunch. Then on to Mt. Guyot, the fourth-highest summit in the eastern U.S., and the second-highest in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park¢¦and on the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Next, you drop down to Dear Creek Gap where I caught some more beautiful vistas.The range of elevations for the day were 5555 feet above sea level starting out ---the highest at Mt. Guyot at 6330 feet ¢ and the lowest at 4692 feet.Came across airplane wreckage beside the trail from many years ago near Old Black mountain, north of Mt. Guyot. An F-4 Phantom fighter plane crashed in 1984 into the ridge between Inadu Knob and Old Black.It was a fairly uneventful day today with me focusing on getting down the trail¢¦hoping nice weather would prevail and I could perhaps make up time lost. One ¢red letter¢ happening! There was an actual ¢privy¢ at Cosby Knob Shelter rather than a shovel (often times, though, a shovel is preferred!)
Date: 2013-04-09
From: Cosby Knob Shelter

To: Standing Bear Hostel
Miles today: 10.7

Postman is still walking with me at this point. DBCooper and Two-Socks are at least 2 days ahead of us. Now when I say ¢walking with me¢ what I am referring to is that Postman usually heads out of camp before I do, is faster on the uphills than I am, and we meet at breaks¢¦lunch¢¦and at day¢s end.It was hot walking today with the temperature in the 70s. That may not sound too bad but when you have a full pack on your back, constantly going uphill¢¦it feels like my face looked like a red tomato¢¦and my temperature was 300 degrees! When I got to Mt. Cammerer, the heat took its toll¢¦I just could not face walking the extra 6/10 mile west to the fire tower to see the view¢¦.ah, a reason to come back to the Great Smoky Mountains that I love so much! I moved on into a long descent of, more or less, 7 miles down! I traveled from 5000 feet to 1411 feet ¢ my knees were ruined! Fortunately, recovery happens overnight¢¦ah, so far!And then, it happened¢¦.I hiked out of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park¢¦I had hiked from one end of the GSMNP to the other¢¦I had done it! YES! Another milestone reached! Under Interstate 40¢¦left the gravel road onto the trail¢¦moved up a set of very very steep stone steps which were more like climbing a ladder. Then uphill out of the gap where the highway ran to Standing Bear Hostel...I planned to pick up a mail drop box my wife had sent¢¦and spend the night.I have to end my day right here. I have always been taught that if you cannot say anything nice¢¦don¢t say anything! So, I am not saying anything about my accommodations ¢ enough said!
Date: 2013-04-10
From: Standing Bear Hostel

To: Brown Gap
Miles today: 9.8
Weather: broken clouds

As I happily left Standing Bear Hostel, the day started off pretty tough with 4.4 miles of continuous up. Now I knew when I planned for this ¢bucket list¢ event of hiking the Appalachian Trail that there would be a lot of ¢ups¢¢¦and pretty much just as many ¢downs¢¢¦so I would imagine you are all surprised by my constant comments about the ¢long, strenuous ups¢, etc. But you know¢¦¢knowing¢ something intellectually¢¦and ¢knowing¢ something because you are out here on the trail doing it is two different things! Just wanted to make that clear! And, it is another warm day¢¦sweat pours off my face and soaks my clothing¢¦it is really better to walk in 50 or so degree weather.I had heard from southbound hikers that there would be ¢trail magic¢ at Brown Gap where I planned to tent tonight. I was so hoping to get there before the ¢trail angels¢ left. But, nope..did not make it in time. However, the ¢trail angels¢ left lawn chairs, coolers full of Mtn Dew, Coke and Orange Crush¢¦and a canopy tent. Two young hikers already there offered me a chair as soon as I got into camp¢¦they could probably tell I needed it! Or, they saw my ¢white hair¢ and felt sorry for me! I didn¢t mind¢¦I was happy to sit down! I collapsed into the chair and proceeded to drink an Orange Crush followed by a Coke!I pitched my tent and made new friends. First I met ¢PS¢ (girl hiker) and her male hiking companion. I also met a young man called "Wet Bag¢ and his hiking companion ¢Olive Oil¢ (very tall and thin). ¢Wet Bag¢ got his name from when his tent leaked one night and his sleeping bag got very wet! Thus the name ¢Wet Bag¢¢¦the leaking tent happened to be the same brand that BearCat had used and gotten very wet in just before we reached Franklin, NC. One other person in camp that night¢¦a hiker I had actually met at the hiker hostel outside Dahlonega the night before I started the AT hike¢¦a former Master Chief referred to as ¢Hey Everybody¢! One of the really great things about this trip is meeting new people and hearing their stories¢¦.
Date: 2013-04-11
From: Brown Gap

To: Campsite at Unnamed Gap
Miles today: 12.3

The highlight of today was Max Patch Summit¢¦the highest point I reached all day. Max Patch is a bald mountain and a major landmark along the Tennessee/North Carolina section of the Appalachian Trail, although its summit is actually located in North Carolina. It is known for its 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains. A huge grassy bald with no shrubs or trees anywhere in sight! It was like standing on the top of someone¢s rather large grassy yard¢¦but bigger than multiple football fields! As you can imagine, no campfires are allowed. I later learned that Two-Socks and DBCooper ( 12 day ahead of me still) had ¢cowboy camped¢ on Max Patch. ¢Cowboy camping¢ is dropping your sleeping bag on the ground with the stars above¢¦.Two-Socks said it was great¢¦he loved it!I came off Max Patch to the Roaring Fork Shelter where I stopped for lunch. From there it was gradual downhill until I arrived at the Walnut Mountain Shelter about 3:30 pm. Postman, ¢Hey Everybody¢ (Master Chief) and I stopped for a ¢snack and chat¢. Although we were expecting heavy rain tonight, I just felt that it was way too early to stop walking. Master Chief decided to remain at the shelter while Postman and I headed on out. Some distance on there were three marked campsites all .7 miles between each other. Postman stopped at the first campsite located at Kale Gap. I continued on past Catpen Gap to the last¢¦and best, campsite of all 3, arriving just after 5 pm. In a matter of minutes the sky turned dark grey. It started sprinkling as I put my tent up, spread out the sleeping bag and inflated the air mattress. As I boiled water for my Mountain House spaghetti and meat sauce supper, gnats came out of nowhere in a swarm! I moved to a granite rock to sit on which was under a rhododendron overhang. Finishing up supper, I headed into my tent¢¦and it was a good thing! Within 10 minutes, it started raining¢¦.hard...and there was torrential rain, thunder and lightning all night long! To make matters more ¢interesting¢, I encountered a problem with my air mattress¢¦the air mattress had sprung a ¢slow leak¢¢¦.every couple of hours I came awake by virtue of being flat on the ground! So I had to wake up enough to reinflate the mattress¢¦talk about frustrating!
Date: 2013-04-12
From: Campsite at Unnamed Gap

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: snow

I awoke to find quite a bit of wind but no rain¢¦just water dropping off the trees. But, I wasn¢t in any hurry to get up this morning¢¦what a ¢wet mess¢ to pack up! As I sat up I noticed water at the foot of my tent about the size of a dinner plate. No leaks though! ¢ water evidently blew in under the rain fly due to high winds. Nothing got wet except the bottom of the air mattress. For the size storm that had progressed all night, I was thankful to be warm and relatively dry! I LUV my Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 2 tent!Finally packed my backpack inside the tent and found it was after 9 am when I got out of the tent (yes, I slept late!). I saw Postman passing me which meant he must have been a very early riser today. I got on the trail soon after with a .3 mile climb to the top of Bluff Mountain and then downhill for over 4 miles with a gradual, easy descent. Even walking under a backpack and stopping for water, I was making good time of about 3 mph ¢ love those easy downhills!At Garenflo Gap, there was a wooden sign indicating how far it was to the town of Hot Springs, NC¢¦6.6 miles. The wooden sign also showed it was 267 miles south to Springer Mountain and 1924 miles to Mt. Katahdin! I have come so far¢¦and many more miles to go!Descending towards Hot Springs, I could see the town through the trees more than a mile away ¢ a picturesque view from above! Looked like you could reach out and touch it¢¦.but it was still a long way away even when you could see it. When I finally arrived in Hot Springs, the first building I came across was the Laughing Heart Lodge & Hostel where I was staying the first night¢¦.SO MUCH NICER than the Standing Bear Hostel and much better run! For $15 per night, you got a bunk, shower, access to a full kitchen, movie room, dining room, great companionship¢¦and roomies that snored louder than imaginable! So much snoring occurred that at 1 am I finally gave up any thought of sleep and walked over to the movie room in an adjoining building. The original True Grit was playing featuring John Wayne on the television. There were 3 couches in the movie room ¢ two guys in sleeping bags were on two of the couches and I took the last couch available. Along about 2:28 am I walked back to my bunk. Ah, there was blessed silence when I tip-toed back into the room ¢ Hallelujah! Hopped into my sleeping bag and settled in to drift off to sleep when¢¦YEP¢¦the ¢buzz saw¢ started up again! It was going to be a really long night!
Date: 2013-04-14
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Hot Springs, NC
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Got packed up and checked out of the Sunnybank Inn at 10 am and moved down to the Alpine Court motel for this last night. Here I had an individual room with an individual shower¢¦a big bed and big television! Hey¢¦you miss tv out here where you don¢t get it! This was the first television watching since Gatlinburg! And the first channel I turned it to was¢¦the weather channel!I was able to call back home and catch up talking with my wife¢¦then called both my sons¢¦it was really good to hear all their voices. Then I went to church..or should I say church service. This was the first meeting of the Hot Springs Christian Fellowship which was held on the porch of a big house. I had heard about it from other hikers and 20 of us showed up.I spent the rest of the day putting the finishing touches to my food re-supply. Planning and packing a thru-hiker backpack is an art¢¦one I have not yet managed to perfect. The plan was for 6 days maximum to reach Erwin, TN so that is what I tailored my food supply towards. I arranged my pack in the room so that I could jump up in the morning and go¢¦I was heading out come rain or shine!Just to let you know¢¦thanks to everyone for following my journal¢¦your thoughts and support are appreciated greatly!
Date: 2013-04-15
From: Hot Springs, NC

To: Spring Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: scattered clouds

Crossed the French Broad river bridge out of town, steped over guardrail and followed the river for a short while, then ascended to Lover's Leap Rock and beyond. Had on my new Teva hikers and sent home the heavy boots. Wow the climb was so much easier in these shoes. But the downhill is very painful (these are 14's not 15's, they did not have 15 in anything..go figure). If I don't get used to it in the next 5 days I'll have to get yet another pair in Erwin. Larger. Passed some beautiful scenery today. Concrete walled pond (ancient moss covered), the wall was at least 10' high holding it in. Went from 1326' to 3558' climbing up the Rich Mountain, in the fire tower on top there were great 360 degree views. I later took a picture of a grave stone that was right on the trail. Name on the stone was "Rex - - ".Everyone tent camped and left the shelter completely empty, kinda grimy. Water source was a slow trickling spring. I took 4 vitamin I and went to sleep, for the uninitiated that is ibuprofen. Before falling to sleep I found I had good cell service and talked with wife and son in the tent.
Date: 2013-04-16
From: Spring Mtn. Shelter

To: Little Laurel Shelter
Miles today: 8.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Slept late and didn't get up and eat and packed up till 10. My hiking partner Postman's tent was gone by 8am. Very foggy morning. Quaker came up the trail as I was about to leave, he had camped a few miles back. It was a lowo mileage and tough day. Mostly up but when I did get a down it killed my feet (toes). Water sources were very spread out and it got hot. I sweated so much it was dripping off the lenses of my glasses. Got to the shelter just before five and found Postman was here and had already set up his tent. Met today Funny Bone and a few others, Aqua Man and Orion.I talked with both my wife and son and it is 7:51 or nine minutes before hiker midnight-till tomorrow good night.
Date: 2013-04-17
From: Little Laurel Shelter

To: Flint Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: clear sky

Started raining early in the day. Dressed for it from the beginning. First mile was steep climb. Then came 'Firescald Knob', labeled in the guide as rocky and strenuous, talk about and understatement. This even has a bypass trail for bad weather. I did not take the bypass. Much of this section was a literal rock scramble. One place had an inverted descent that was about 10' down. Luckily there was a tree to hold onto beside the rock face going down. All this in pouring cold rain at over 4000' and dense fog. Would have been phenomenal views on a sunny day. Two young guys in their early 30's passed me at the end of this section. Aqua Man an Auburn Grad now living in Colorado and Orion.The rain stopped pouring in the early afternoon and I passed the Shelton Gravesite. These were two NC infantry soldiers from the civil war. I took picture and paid my respects to these good southern gentlemen and moved on. Ended the day at Flint Mountain shelter for the night.
Date: 2013-04-18
From: Flint Mountain Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: overcast clouds

This day started out as a roller coaster all morning long, up and down. Then it decided to give this old guy a challenge and threw in a 3 mile climb. Both Postman and Quaker said as we were leaving the shelter this morning that they wanted to do big miles today. When I arrived at the next shelter at 4 PM planning to take a 30 minute break before pushing on they were already setting up for the night in the shelter. I asked don't you want to rest and then go on? Both said no, so I grabbed a corner spot in the shelter also. This shelter holds 6. Later came 'Daypack' a young guy from north Alabama who had thru-hiked last year. He had already done 21 miles that day. Then came 'Homebrew' and 'Hiker Boy'. We all settled in for the night.
Date: 2013-04-19
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

I woke up just before 10 PM and barely got out of my sleeping bag and the shelter before projectile vomiting into the fire ring. The Norvo virus was on the trail and it may have been that. It rained heavily all night. We checked the forecast and it called or thunderstorms throughout the day until after 4 PM. All but Quaker decided to spend the day in the shelter and wait out the storm.I slept most of the day getting over being sick. In the early afternoon hikers began arriving trembling from the wet and cold you could see the dejection on their faces as they came to the front of the shelter thinking they were early enough for a spot only to find it full already. It soon became a tent city behind the shelter.
Date: 2013-04-20
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Whistling Gap Campsite
Miles today: 13.6

Left early morning and climbed up 'High Rock', then descended into to Sam's Gap where I-26 passes through. Postman and Hiker Boy were already there. Postman told me he had to get off the trail and had already called for a shuttle. He is going home to Illinois. I will miss him, we have hiked together since the first day in the Smokey's. We shook hands, hugged and said goodbye. I started the climb out of the gap. My plan was to do two 13 mile days and arrive in Erwin late tomorrow afternoon. The highlight view of the day was 'Big Bald' which had the most incredible 360 degree views from a huge grassy bald. Took numerous pictures on the cell phone. My camera back up sd card was already full. I passed on by the next shelter on to Whistling Gap campsite. I met 'Banter' a 65 y.o. retiree from Florida and his 25 year old son 'Even Beard'. Aqua Man came into camp and said his hiking partner was sick and had to leave the trail for a while.Settled into tent for a good nights sleep and an early start in the morning to get to Erwin.
Date: 2013-04-21
From: Whistling Gap Campsite

To: Erwin, Tn. Uncle Johnnies
Miles today: 12.9

Got up early, no breakfast, broke camp and headed out. First one to leave. Anytime you see the word gap in a location you know you start the day with a climb, or end it with a descent. Climbed out then most of the rest of day until the last 2 miles was the easiest yet. When I passed 'No Business Knob' shelter this was the ugliest shelter yet. Cinder block brown paint with vulgar graffiti all over it. Did a quick check of the shelter journal and found Quaker had passed through the day before. Signed the journal and pushed on. Had a very steep descent into Erwin - killed my toes. Arrive just before 3 at Uncle Johnnies just in time for the town shuttle. Called my wife briefly then jumped on the shuttle. Ate KFC AYCE (all you can eat) buffet and had a chocolate shake a Hardee's. Town food is heavenly....so much better than dehydrated or candy bars.When the shuttle took us back I took a long hot shower and went to bed. Almost a waste of time with the loud snorers in the adjacent bunks. Ear plugs are useless when there is a sporadic chain saw in the room.
Date: 2013-04-22
From: Erwin, Tn. Uncle Johnnies

To: Erwin Tn. Best Southern Motel
Miles today: 0.0

Moved to the Best Southern Motel so I good get some real rest. It was a day of rest and catching up last week of journal. Getting food resupply for next section to Damascus and getting stuff out of my pack and into mail that I don't need. Sent home some clothes and equipment that doesn't pass the critical need test. Going to soak in the tub for a while then call family then sleep to start as early as I can get a shuttle back to trailhead.
Date: 2013-04-23
From: Erwin Tn. Best Southern Motel

To: Campsite past 'Beauty Spot'
Miles today: 12.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Left hotel and had breakfast next store at JD's, 3 eggs, ham, toast coffee and milk for $5.80, great prices. Shuttle back to trailhead and started out crossing the Nolichucky River at 9:48. Day started at 1742' and Beauty Spot is 4312', most of the ups were gradual but not all. Young hikers passed me early. I have notice that their pace is constant even on the ups. The ups kill my pace.There were 5 tents up here now with probably more coming.Red beans and rice for supper, clean up and in bed writing this. Called wife 4 times and dropped out after only a few seconds each time. Going to read some Louis Lamour and go to sleep.