morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-03
From: Deer Park Mountain shelter

To: Hot Springs, N.C.
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: overcast clouds

The first thing I did when I got to Hot Springs was eat the largest breakfast I'd ever seen. The waitress said that failure to finish results in a dishwashing penalty. It wasn't even close, so I ordered some biscuits and gravy afterwards to clinch the victory. Hungry hikers are amazing.Hot Springs is one of the few towns that the trail waltzes down main street. There you will find one motel, an outfitters, a hardware store, one pub, and a few restaurants. You also have Elmer's. Elmer's is a hiker hostel housed in a 150 year old victorian mansion. It's beautiful. Unfortunately it was full. So I stayed at the motel and am moving to Elmer's tomorrow.Evidently I'm staying a few days in Hot Springs to recharge my batteries.
Date: 2008-04-04
From: Hot Springs, N.C.

To: Hot Springs,N.C.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

This is my first zero day, no hiking just resting. Of course, the weather is beautiful. I shared a room at the Alpine motel and another tonight at Elmer's hostel with DoubleTime. He is named appropriately. He left Springer Mountain on March 20th, a full week after me and here we are together. He's doing about 25 miles on good days and 20 on the bad. Those are some legs he's got. He's planning on slowing down some as he too is a little worn down.A tooth has been giving me some problem the last 50 miles or so and I'd like to get it some attention, unfortunately Hot Springs is too small for medical services. They do have a witch doctor somewhere.In the sidewalk through town there is a marble slab with the AT symbol engraved about every 100 feet. This is truly a trail town.A bronze placque bears tribute to Earl Shaffer, the first person to thruhike the entire Appalachian trail in a single season. The year was 1948, the same year I was born. Is this destiny? Earl repeated his feat on its 50th anniversary when he was 79. I'm not sure if I'll do the same.Elmer and his helpers cooked a great vegetarian dinner for a dozen of us staying at his hostel. Asparagus soup, mint tea, huge salad, and a Thai/Indian dish of Gotti-Gotti on brown rice. Key lime pie for desert. Everybody had seconds.
Date: 2008-04-05
From: Hot Springs,N.C.

To: Spring Mountain shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: light rain

After two sunny days in Hot Springs sitting on my butt it began to rain again as I hiked. It was a warm rain though.My tooth is now abcessed and the infection is interfering with my eating so tomorrow I'm going to hitch a ride into a big town. Let's hope it doesn't rain.Spent the night near a shelter with Daddy-O and Peacock. We all slept in hammocks. I have no idea what day it is anymore so I consult my watch.
Date: 2008-04-06
From: Spring Mountain shelter

To: Greenville, Tn
Miles today: 9.9

I got an early start because the pain from the infection didn't allow much sleep. After about 6 hours the trail crossed a blacktop country road that gave me hope for a hitch into a town. I headed down the road towards North Carolina before a local citizen getting his Sunday paper suggested I go the other way towards Greeneville, Tn. More frequent traffic in that direction he advised.Within ten minutes I was picked up. Two vehicles stopped together. They were crammed with 6 local hikers, of course, and all their gear and a grill and coolers full of 'trail magic'. These six had spent Saturday and that night on the trail trying to do trail magic (cooking burgers, providing beer) for thruhikers but the heavy rain had kept most in their tents or in the shelters. I was now their charge.Lumpy, Caveman, Smoky-T, TwinkleToes, Moose, and just plain Bruce took care of me. They are a delight. At their house (Smoky-T's and Caveman's) we chatted for a long time. They work just long enough to be able to thruhike the trail. Next year they'll take off again. This year they work and do short hikes.I declined their invitation to stay at the crowded little house so they drove me to the best little motel in Greeneville, the Andrew Johnson Inn. Comfy. Evidently, Andrew Johnson retired nearby after his Presidency. I also learned that my childhood hero, Davy Crocket, was born nearby. I'm in a good place.
Date: 2008-04-07
From: Greenville, Tn

To: Grenville,Tn
Miles today: 8.7

Today I got the medical attention I needed. Some penicillin, numerous codeine-laced pain relievers (hydrocodone), and about 6000 calories of food. The scales at the medical center weighed me in at 152 pounds, 13 pounds less than my starting weight. Call me Twiggy.I drank two chocolate shakes (large), six bottles of protein-added Ensure, two sweet teas, and a quart of orange juice. I ate Three pancakes with scrambled eggs, 6 croissants, 3 bananas, a Big Mac with fries, a Harvest Select pasta bake, a Hormel Salisbury steak with scallop potatoes and gravy, and a Sonic double cheeseburger. No dessert.In the afternoon Moose, Lumpy and I did some slackpacking. No heavy pack just food and beverages. We did a short section from where they picked me up off the road to another road slightly closer to Maine.Tomorrow I'm going to hitch a ride to Erwin, Tn, and do some more of this slackpacking and eating while I regain some strength. Erwin is a hiker-friendly town with a hiker hostel, outfitters, and shuttle services. I'll be in good hands.
Date: 2008-04-08
From: Greenville, Tn

To: Erwin, Tn
Miles today: 13.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Early this morning I walked on out of Greenville and got on the road to Erwin, Tn. Within five minutes a cute coed from a small local college picked me up and drove me twenty miles out of her way to Erwin. Bronwyn, you're an angel.Bronwyn is a senior accounting major (she hates it) from South Africa. She graduates in May and intends to do a Christian Mission somewhere in Kenya. Today's youth are so misguided.I'm staying at the Nolichucky hostel for a few days while I slackpack all the miles I missed. They offer a very cheap shuttle service to-and-from the trailheads. Life is good.Time to eat like a pig again.My new roommate is WrongWay (don't ask him for directions) and his new pup Erwin. WrongWay wandered into the animal shelter a few days ago as they were about to put down 20 strays. He came home with Erwin (pic to appear). What a beautiful couple.
Date: 2008-04-09
From: Sam's Gap, U.S. 23

To: Chestoa Bridge, Nolichucky River
Miles today: 24.3

I arranged for an early shuttle to Sam's Gap along highway 23 and slackpacked the 24.3 miles back to Uncle Johnny's hostel on the Nolichucky River. I carried a 6-pack of Ensure Plus (350 calories each), water and a lot of munchies. Eat, eat, eat is my mantra. The hiking sure is easier with a light daypack and beautiful weather.I got back in time for all-you-can-eat pizza night. Lookout, here I come.I sent home my down booties and expedition weight thermals. Makes room for more food! I sure hope the weather cooperates.Tomorrow before dawn I'll begin my assault on what's left of Tennessee. Damascus, Virginia, you're next.Feelin' much better, let's hike.I like the welcome home sign at Uncle Johnny's pictured above (to appear)
Date: 2008-04-10
From: Chestoa Bridge, Nolichucky River

To: Unknown campsite, Low Gap
Miles today: 14.2

It is always hard to leave a hostel, warm bed, hot showers, good food. Uncle Johnny's is a special place but I want to get to Damascus, Virginia, by my birthday. Damascus is the Mecca of trail towns.I helped a local track down his errant Jack Russel terrier on top of Beauty Spot mountain, a large grassy bald with great views and a forest service road to the top. That dog hated everybody including the owner. But we finally corraled him with the help of some of my beef jerky.I hung my hammock among a grove of rhododendrum bushes which keep the wind to a minimum. It was very cozy. About 7PM a parade of hikers passed by among them were Vagabond, Beans, Miles (my Aggie friend), and my current hiking cohorts Respect and Applicator.Vagabond is hiking around the world to raise awareness for clean blood and water in Africa. His is a 7 year hike! Read about him at www.theworldexpedition.com
Date: 2008-04-11
From: Unknown campsite, Low Gap

To: Clyde Smith shelter
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: broken clouds

Todays hike had a lot of ups and downs that wore me out early and often. Since tomorrow involved going up and over the last of the 6000 footers I called it an early day around 5-ish.I hung my hammock near the shelter and spent the evening gabbing with Jack Frost, Applicator and Respect. We asked Jack Frost how he got that trailname; it's his real name, oh.An approaching cold front stirred up some rain and thunderstorms after bedtime but nobody minds the rain when you're warm and dry in your sleeping bag.
Date: 2008-04-12
From: Clyde Smith shelter

To: Over Mountain shelter
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: overcast clouds

As we were all about to leave the shelter this morning around 7-ish a brief thunderstorm arose suddenly. So we all had another cup of coffee. At 8 all four of us headed north at different speeds.Ran into Kim and Phylis hiking southbound dispensing chocolate chip cookies to northbound hikers. I offered them twenty bucks for the whole lot but they said two per customer only. Trail Angels.Ate lunch at the Roan High Knob shelter which at 6275 feet is the highest shelter on the Appalachian trail. It is built on the site of an old luxury hotel built in 1888 so there is an access road to the top and a lot of day hikers enjoying the views.The Over Mountain shelter is my favorite so far. It is an old barn refurbished and maintained by the local hiking club. You sleep up in the loft so me, Peecock, and Daddy-O hung our hammocks from the rafters. It is nice to be comfy in the hammock and out of the wind in the barn since the cold air is beginning to pour in after the cold front. Snow is now a rumor.There is a magnificent view of a valley that stretches out before us. Backpacker magazine rated it the best valley view on the AT. The best viewing spot is the throne privy (picture to appear).
Date: 2008-04-13
From: Over Mountain shelter

To: Walnut mountain road
Miles today: 19.0

The cool weather and gentler terrain kept my legs moving longer than was sensible. Since snow is in the forecast and I sent my cold-weather jammies home, I hustled to a road crossing and got Bob Peoples to pick me up.Bob owns the Kancora hostel and charges almost nothing to stay there ($4 suggested donation). He is retired Air Force and must surely love hikers and hiking. I nominate him for sainthood.The hostel is filling up fast as the temperature plummets and snow becomes more of a certainty. Already present when I arrive are Vagabond, Mr. and Mrs. Limestone, Piece-of-Work and his wife TLC, Driftwood, Zipper and Jarrod and others. Few have plans to hike tomorrow so this place will be standing room only.
Date: 2008-04-14
From: Walnut mountain road

To: Hampton, Tn
Miles today: 22.9

With Bob's help I slackpacked from where I left the trail back to the hostel in Hamptom, Tn. My tooth is again bothering me so Bob's wife Pat drove me to the next 'big' town, Mountain City, which has a dentist. No more fooling around. The penicillin has the infection under control so tomorrow the tooth is out of here.I'm at the only motel in town and am too tired to even do my laundry. So it is early to bed night and Dr. Joe Ray in the morning.
Date: 2008-04-15
From: Hampton, Tn

To: Damascus, Va
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

A zero day today unless you count hitch hiking.Dr. Joe Ray pulled my naughty tooth this morning at 8AM and by 8:30 I was getting a haircut at the local barber. The doc suggested an easy day so I'm at the library typing these notes and will do my laundry afterwards. I feel better already.It is supposed to be bitter cold tonight (20-25) so I'm going to hitch a ride to Damascus, Va, and arrange to do some slackpacking from there. It is the Mecca of trail towns and has a billion services available for hikers. Everybody will rest there.I expect to spend my 60th birthday in Damascus taking it easy for a few days, or more.
Date: 2008-04-16
From: Damascus, Va

To: Damascus,Va
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

No tooth, no pain.I'm enjoying a very relaxing day in Damascus, Virginia. Since I'm not hiking today the weather is warm and gorgeous. But I don't mind.Damascus is the hiking and biking capital in this part of the country. There isn't a single traffic light in the town, only one tavern, and you can throw a rock from one end of Main street to the other but the day after Mother's Day they cram thousands of hikers here for Trail Days, a four day festival about hiking the Appalachian trail. I won't be here then.Today the town is almost empty of hikers. There's just me, MeltDown, and ViewFinder who is thinking of quitting. We'll talk her out of it. The snow and freezing temperatures the last few days have caused a bottleneck along the trail. I was the only hiker to leave the Kancora hostel at Hampton, Tennessee, because of the snow and freezing rain a few days ago. Fifteen hikers stayed and were joined by 20 others to overfill the hostel. People slept on the porch and under the kitchen table. I got out to get my tooth fixed.
Date: 2008-04-17
From: Damascus,Va

To: Slackpacking
Miles today: 15.4

I arranged for LoneWolf, a local trail legend, to drive me south along the trail fifteen miles or so and I hiked back to Damascus with a very light daypack. I carried only water and six ham-and-cheese sandwiches. What a joy to hike with so little weight. I did the fifteen miles in only six hours. Along the way I left little reminders in the shelter registers of my birthday party tonight in Damascus. I'm sure all my hiking family that sat out the snow and cold would begin arriving today. I've been staying at the Hiker's Inn owned and operated by Suzanne. I had the place to myself with a warm bed, sheets and pillows, hot shower and hours of peace and quiet. Suzanne baked me a birthday cake, chocolate with raspberry filling swirled in. I decorated it myself. Should I share?I was done hiking by 2:00PM and sat in a lounge chair along Main street in the afternoon greeting my hiking family as they straggled in one, two and three at a time. By evening about twenty had arrived. I am very glad to see them.The cake was far too small for somany hungry hikers. Jarrod, Driftwood, Avalanche, Zipper, Calvary, others and I consumed it in about 5 minutes. It wasn't a pretty sight.Others in town are Daddy-O and Peacock, Cricket, ShadowCast and Tangent, TLC and POW, ViewFinder (she still might leave the trail) and many others.I'm overjoyed that Daddy-O and Peocock carried into town my Maine 'rock', a small bag of special dirt that I've been carrying from Springer mountain. I inadvertantly left it at the barn shelter one morning when I packed up in the dark. My spirit improved immensely when they gave it back to me.Tomorrow I again hike north provided my care package arrives from home.
Date: 2008-04-18
From: Damascus,Va

To: Damascus, Va.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

My first care package arrived today. Thanks Jimbo. It contained a change of hiking clothes. I sent home my convertible hiking pants, not because they were too cold or too hot, but because they showed the dirt too soon after being cleaned. The day after washing them it looked like I rolled around in the dirt. I have standards. I also received my running tights for colder weather, a birthday card, and a pound of Hersey chocolates, soon gone.I sent home the undercover and compression sack for my hammock. Sure hope it doesn't get too cold.The trail hardships have claimed some more victims. ViewFinder's feet are too sore to hike after almost a week in Damascus resting. She's going home. TLC discovered that her sore foot is a fractured metatarsal bone. She's going home, her husband POW hasn't decided. Avalanche found out that the people who leased his condo haven't paid the rent for two months and skipped town. He's going home for financial reasons. I better get out of here.I left Damascus at 3:00PM intending to take advantage of the clear sky and a fullmoon for a midnight hike. I stopped at Cowboy's Exxon station at the edge of town for a gatorade and there on the curb sat two old friends. Mr. Li and Mr. Leigh were among the nine hikers that stepped off Springer mountain with me so many weeks ago. They've since acquired the trailnames DarkHorse and TearGas. I didn't ask why.An unexpected reunion calls for a celebration so we headed to the only tavern in Damascus and drank beers and ate chicken wings for a few hours catching up on the trail news. DarkHorse appears to only eat chicken wings. About 6:00PM I excused myself while they partied on. I went back to the hostel and lay down in an empty room for a nap. The intense gravitational field of Damascus just keeps sucking you back in.I finally snuck out of town at 11:00PM and began an overnight hike.
Date: 2008-04-19
From: Damascus, Va.

To: Massie Gap
Miles today: 36.0

What a monster hike! I hiked all night under a fullmoon and seldom needed to use my headlamp. Near dawn some clouds began to form and by 10:00AM it began to rain lightly. I hadn't checked the forecast but morning rain is not a good sign for the rest of the day.The rain intensified as the day matured. Since I sent most of my cold-weather gear home in Damascus I made the decision to get off the trail and avoid the ascent of the last two 6000 foot mountains, Whitetop and Rogers. In retrospect, this was wise.I left at the Summit Cut and walked along the Virginia Creeper trail for a good while. What a pleasant change from the Appalachian trail. The Creeper is an old railroad bed that follows a gorgeous river with many trestles. It is a haven for fly fishermen and bicyclists.From 1915 to 1930 fifteen million boardfeet per year of timber was extracted from the forests and conveyed by train down this trail. The hills were stripped bare by 1930 but the mills are all closed now and the forests have grown back. And the river makes such a wonderful sound.Near Whitetop gap I left the Creeper and walked along Highway 58 where I scored a pizza for lunch. Hiker fuel.I approached Grayson Highlands Park at dusk as the rain became heavy. By 7:00PM it was a downpour and at 7:00 the lightning started. I sure am glad I'm at 4000 feet instead of 6000 on Mount Rogers. At 8:40PM I snuck into the woods in the park and stealth camped in my hammock. The end of over 21 hours of hiking.
Date: 2008-04-20
From: Massie Gap

To: Unknown stream near Hurricane Mt.
Miles today: 12.4

I hiked slowly through the Grayson Highlands which have many high grasslands devoid of trees. It is here that you find the wild ponies. I saw lots of pony poop but only one pony. But since there are few trees you get to see many magnificent far-away views.In the next day or two I'll pass the 500 mile mark. No brass bands but I'm so pleased to have survived.Here is a tally of the things I've lost so far. One toenail, 15 pounds (5 pounds recovered), one tooth, a small compass, one glove, a needle and thread, a balaclava, and my special rock (since returned to me).
Date: 2008-04-21
From: Unknown stream near Hurricane Mt.

To: Camp near USFS 86
Miles today: 25.6

After the easy day yesterday I wanted to try another long day so I broke camp at 5:30AM after an oatmeal and coffee breakfast. It'll be dark for another hour or two.Aound 9-ish I came across a horse camp, there are a lot of horse trails in Southern Virginia. I met Tom and Sandy outside their combination horse trailer and camper. Tom was cooking bacon and brewing coffee outside. Of course he invited me to stay for breakfast, we hikers always look so desperately hungry. Bacon, eggs, coffee, orange juice, muffins, it doesn't get much better than that.Tom sold his family building supply company twenty years ago and bought himself a horse farm. He and Sandy go riding a lot. They brought a spirited 5-year old horse for Tom to ride and a gentler 20-year old for Sandy. I learned that nervous horse poop a lot. The younger horse was very nervous.Around 3:00PM I past by the famous Partnership shelter. It is here that you can have pizza delivered to the shelter. One pepperoni to go, please.I didn't meet any hikers I knew all day. But I did run into a local family hunting for Morel mushrooms. They showed me where the small spring was located and gave me a beer for my evening meal. This was a good day.
Date: 2008-04-22
From: Camp near USFS 86

To: Va. highway 610
Miles today: 16.8

I slept in late not planning to do a long hike today. At 9AM Cricket hiked by. I hadn't seen anyone I knew for the last four days and neither had Cricket. We chatted a bit but have never hiked together. Since we're both 'old' men from New Jersey and have been hiking at the same pace for a long time we are considering calling ourselves the Jersey Wiseguys. Like me, Cricket hikes alone, hikes long, and is having a hard time keeping his weight up.When the trail crossed Va. highway 610 I hitched a ride into Marion, Va., a big town. Any town that has a Walmart is considered to be a big town by hikers. I need to rest up a bit and replace some of the things I've lost. I also need some new socks and a new pair of Crocs.
Date: 2008-04-23
From: Va. highway 610

To: Marion, Va.
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

A rest day in Marion. I scored a new pair of plastic shoes, Croc knockoffs, for $12 and since Walmart doesn't carry upscale gear, three pairs of acrylic socks for $2 each. Let's see how long they last.The agenda for the day is the library and eat, eat, eat. AsI was walhing the threemilesfrom thelibrary back to the motel I saw four tired hikers extricate themselves from a packed SUV. They were the 'Pain Train', Zipper, Jarrod, Driftwood, and Calvary. Avalanche, their caboose, had abandoned the hike in Damascus because of financial problems. Since I had been alone in town for a day I was very happy to see them.I directed them to the cheapest but best motel in town, the Rodeway Inn, $39.95 hiker special including a buffet breakfast.That night we feasted at the Tuscan Grill, a REAL restaurant. The meal lasted three hours so you know we were well fed and had an outrageous time.Tomorrow itisback to the trail for me.
Date: 2008-04-24
From: Va. highway 610

To: Davis Farm campsite
Miles today: 20.6
Weather: scattered clouds

The weather has turned beautiful, 50 degrees in the morning up to 75 in the afternoon, nary a cloud in the sky. I walked to the edge of town and easily hitched a ride back to the trail. On the way we passed by the Hungry Mother State Park. It would be so correct to have the trail go through this park, but it doesn't.The trail winds its way along the rim bounding Burkes Garden, a 100,000 acre natural bowl surrounded by mountains. The locals call this large depression "God's Thumbprint." It was the original site for the Biltmore's over-the-top estate before they settled on Asheville, N.C. . I'm glad they changed their mind.I didn't pass another northbound hiker all day and none passed me. A half dozen southbound local hikers did provide some company, however.I'm thinking of noodles for dinner, how about you?