morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-11-30
From: Church parking lot, Hiawassee, GA

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 25.5
Weather: broken clouds

Day 163 25.5mi Low Gap Shelter Today I hike for Ellen Ferguson a reader of the News&Neighbor. She is 86 and "walking with me". She has sent me messages of hope and has helped me to continue down the trail when times were hard. She exemplifies the reason why I chose to submit my journal to the News and NeighborI slept well considering sleeping in a parking lot. After a trip to Hardee¢s ,where I introduced Greenflash to a sausage biscuit with grape jelly, we hitched out of town, almost. The ride we got was not going to the right place on the trail, we were skipping about 9 miles. They asked us ¢it¢s the same thing, right?¢, We looked at them with a dumbfounded look on our face. So we were back to hitching, out in the middle of nowhere this time. We finally made it back to the trail, in the right spot. We had only hiked about 11 mi by dark. I watched the sunset while Greenflash played his tribal flute. I lived in the moment, while sad for the future. We hiked on into the night. After 25mi we were tired. We thought of hiking another 10mi, but as it was 12:30 a.m. we called it.
Date: 2007-12-01
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: NeelÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Gap, Mountain CrossingÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Outfitter
Miles today: 10.4

Day 164 10.4mi Neel¢s Gap, Mountain Crossing¢s Outfitter.We were slow to start this morning. We found a nice spot in the sun and took a nap. We got to the outfitter at Neel¢s gap where Princess Brat was working at the register. Big hugs and loud screams when she saw me. Alpine even hugged me. They both work at Mountain Crossing¢s and their home address is on the A.T. It was so good to see them both again. I feel like I¢ve known them for years. Princess told us of a Southbound hiker party back in Franklin, NC put on by the guy who owns the Budget Inn. We rode over there in the evening. There were SOBO¢s there from years past. There were 12 SOBO¢s who are hiking this year. The most I¢ve ever been around. Johnny Appleseed, Puck, and Cat whom I haven¢t seen since Waynesboro, VA. There were many whom I¢d never seen. We has a great time being together, swapping stories. It was truly a gift for the end of my thru hike.
Date: 2007-12-02
From: NeelÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Gap, Mountain CrossingÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Outfitter

To: NeelÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Gap, Mountain CrossingÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Outfitter
Miles today: 0.0

Day 165 0mi Neel¢s GapWe sat around in Alpine and Princess Brat¢s apartment for most of the day. In the back of my mind I knew it would be awhile before I would see Greenflash again. They made dinner for us, which was a treat. About 11 p.m. Greenflash hiked out into the wind and the rain. It was very sad for me to see him go. He came at the loneliest time in my trip. I will miss him. He is a good friend, he is good people. He taught me a lot about living and life.
Date: 2007-12-03
From: NeelÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Gap, Mountain CrossingÃÂÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂs Outfitter

To: Ramrock Mtn
Miles today: 12.0

Day 166 12.0mi Ramrock MtnI stayed there at Neel¢s Gap until 3 p.m. These last miles are becoming more arduous. I said goodbye to Sugar earlier in the day, he hiked in last night. I said goodbye to Alpine and Princess Brat, then hiked into the evening. I found a good place for a tent and set it up one last time. I fell asleep before I ate dinner. I slept for 14 hours. Not sure how I did that.
Date: 2007-12-04
From: Ramrock Mtn

To: Springer Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.3
Weather: clear sky

Day 167 18.3mi Springer Mountain ShelterToday I hike for Me. I set out on this journey with hopes, dreams, and ideas. I made this trip happen for me because it was something I wanted and needed in my life. I made this trip mine, I live with no regrets. My foresight of my life allowed me to know that this journey had to happen, and now it has. I walked today unable to see the trail in front of me for the memories. I thought mostly of ME and how na ve, uncertain, and hopeful I was. I stopped at all of the shelters I passed today, reading the last words in the registers of my Southbound family. I am not super happy about finishing, but not sad. I don¢t think that me, or my Brothers and Sisters, realize what we have accomplished, because for us this is normal, everyday life now. I stopped at some beautiful closing views of Georgia. I walked again into sunset on my last full day of my journey. I am content with finishing. I am ready. I have missed my family and am ready to be at home with them.
Date: 2007-12-05
From: Springer Mountain Shelter

To: The End of the AT at Springer Mtn
Miles today: 0.9

Day 168 .9mi The End of the AT at Springer MtnI woke this morning excited to finish the trail. I couldn¢t wait for my parents, Becky, and her Mom Sharon to get to the shelter to walk with me the last .9 mi of the trip. I waited and waited. I went back to sleep because the anticipation was driving me crazy. My family arrived not until 12:30 p.m. I found out that they had a flat tire when they came out to the car this morning. That had to be frustrating. They all had thought that I would hike on to the top without them. No way! I was especially excited to hike to the top with my parents since they had hiked to the top of Katahdin to begin the trail with me. It was a clear, sunny day. Views of GA were beautiful. Instead of an end to a journey I felt more of a beginning to the next journey in my life. Whatever it may be. I was sad to leave my home on the trail, but so happy to go to my home with Becky. We celebrated with a pop of a bottle of champagne. I rested my hand on the last white blaze of the trail as I had touched the first way back on June 19th. We all enjoyed ourselves up on that mountain. Everyone else hiked back down to the car while I stayed. I breathed in deep, took in the views, told my self ¢I have finished¢, and hiked down the mountain after them. The trail was finished.
Date: 2007-12-18
To: Days following; 
Miles today: 0.0

Days following; I have had no problems in going back home. I feel that there is not a separation between the trail and the life I lead at home. It is a continuation of everything that I learned along the way.   I went back down to Georgia to see my friend Snacktime finish that trail. He impressed me with his determination to complete his dream. It was so good to see him again. I haven¢t seen him since Bear Mountain, NY when he hurt his knee. I finally got to meet his Dad, Jerry, and his Mom, Judy. They have been great supporters in my journey too. I have made a good friend in Snacktime.Back to life; I have been pursuing the normal things in life since I got home. I bought a home since being home. That was exciting, I feel very good about it. I am on the lookout for employment. I hope to discover something that will continue the growth and accomplishment that I felt on the Appalachian Trail.I thank my Mom and Dad for all of the endless support. They were with me every step of the way. I could not have hiked this trail without their support and love. Their true hope for me was not to finish the Appalachian Trail, but for me to live my dream and be happy with my life. Words cannot express what that hope means to me. Becky surprised me through this journey. The first day that I decided to hike the trail she told me to go and do it for myself. Her support has been unwavering through lonely times. We are stronger in our life together and more confident in our love for each other. I thank her for the simple things like brownies, to holding the family together while I traveled through my journey.   I would like to thank the Bill Derby, and especially all of the staff at the News & Neighbor for covering my journey every week. I never anticipated the support that I would receive from its readers. I thank everyone who gave me words of encouragement through this trip. Many readers have wanted to meet with me, I am looking forward to a reception in January to meet everyone and answer questions about my journey.
Date: 2007-12-18
To: Afterthought;
Miles today: 0.0

Afterthought;Everything in life has a defined beginning and end, the Appalachian trail is no different. For me though, the end of this trail was not as important as the places in between. The trail that I set out to conquer was not the same trail that I came to know. The trail has been my friend through this whole journey. It has been there for me through the good days and hard times, never leaving my feet. I have trusted and feared it. I have walked every step and have seen everything it has shown me. The people are who make this trail. From the people who took me into their homes, fed, and cared for me to the people who gave me rides to town. From the hikers who gave me companionship, to the trail maintainers who made the hiking a little easier. The views and nature will be there for me to go back to, but I had one chance to meet these wonderful people who I now call friends. Even though from ME to GA people told me the trail would get easier, it never did. There was always a hill to climb whether in front of me or in my head. I never considered quitting once through this journey. I knew that it was too important to me. I walked every step, carried my pack every step, and made a journey that I leave with no regret. I sense that I do not realize the accomplishment I have made. I feel more accomplishment in the change in me than I do in being able to say that ¢I completed the Appalachian Trail¢. From this Journey I hope that I have inspired some to live without regret. To live beyond what life they have created or has been created for them. To me, regret is standing on the edge of a high dive diving board and never jumping off, climbing back down the ladder safely. As we know, the chance to jump from a high dive has now vanished. The chance to do it ¢later¢ will never come.Would¢ve, could¢ve ,and should¢ve are the most weighted words to me. I hope that I have inspired a few to escape the burden of those words. I hope that many will revive their dreams, and make their dreams possible again. I have not yet reached the destination in my journey, my journey is ongoing. My Journey is My Destination.
Date: 2007-03-03
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Deep Gap Shelter
Miles today: 22.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Got up and out-even with breakin down my tent in the dark-by 0745. Later than I wanted but it's tough to get outta a warm sleepin bag when it's chilly outside and nobody camped near you stirring. The closest tent near my finally started stirring as I finished packin my pack and hit the trail. Another guy was cookin breakfast and said he'd be out soon.I've decided to not cook breakfast to save time. In my practice hikes it worked for me, got me movin a lot earlier. I just eat some trail mix kinda nutrion bars or whateva. Calories are calories. Not at tasty, but it all works.Hiked hard all day, kept focused and kept moving. 33 degrees at 4pm passing Tray Mountain Shelter. Finally got to Deep Gap Shelter by 1830 hours. Much betta than yesterday and more miles.It's important for me to keep movin. Can't take too many breaks or too long for breaks. They're important for energy but can kill the day if you lose track of time and burn it spacin when you should be hiking!Ate dinna, Lipton noodles I think, chatted with a couple section hikers in the shelter. Crashed early. I was beat.Another 20+ mile day. On Schedule! Yee hah! I was determined to stay on my schedule of 20/day at least for a while to see not only if I can do it, but if I can maintain it!We'll see how it goes.Tomorrow is Sunday, my first crack at jumping off the trail to find a church if I can. Very limited info available to me, just mileage, road crossings and key resupply & hostels/motels mostly. Will have to wing it!FedEx
Date: 2007-03-05
From: Plumorchard Gap Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 19.8
Weather: clear sky

Awoke to chilly morning in high 20's; Still solo, nobody else piled in during the frigid nite. Still fired up so i got movin. Left the shelter @3050 ft. I got up and over the climb to As Knob(3460ft)pretty quickly, and soon reached the famous Bly Gap (3825ft), the first state line I'd cross. Georgia-North Carolina. I was pumped. Got there by 0945.What a disappointment. The smallest wooden sign nailed to a tree could easily have been missed. Thank God I was closely watchin my watch estimating the mileage where the state line should be. All the sign said was "NC-GA". that's it. Not Welcome or thanks for sharing our trails. Come back soon. Nada. Zip. And the famous gnarled oak was interesting, but hardly made me ecstatic.Anyway I snapped a photo and motored on.Saw a group of spring breaker/weekend hikers coming south. I couldn't resist pumpin them up for the Georgia state line less than 1/2 a mile ahead! You're almost there! Enjoy your hike! Not sure. Maybe they have rules restricting such welcome signs or discourage it. Hmmmmm. Dunno.Anyway weather remained chilly but good for hikin so I pressed on. Big climb up past Muscrat Creek Shelter (4600) and to Whiteoak Stamp and the Chunky Gal Trail @4700 ft. (Hey I don't name them, just report them!).Down to Deep Gap (4341ft)Finally the climb up and over Standing Indian Mtn (5498ft) Down to Beech Gap (4460ft) up over timber Ridge Trail (4700ft)and finally down to the Carter Gap Shelter (4540 ft) by 1830. 19.8 miles.I listed all the ups an downs so you might appreciate when we say we climbed to x feet and then down to the shelter there are often MANY ups and downs between that don't seem huge relative to the big climbs but cumulatively they wear you down.Typically the guide book only lists significant elevations or valleys or road crossings. What's between is anybody's guess.So if they list Mtn A @4900 ft and the next listing is Knob B @4750 one should assume there is a drop between and a climb back up even though no gap elevation is listed. It usually does not mean a simple decline or they wouldn't list the second peak.Anyway by evening it was in the 20's and windy so I made dinna and got into my toasty sleepin bag.Proud that I was still on my track of 20's every day, 3 days out.FedEx
Date: 2007-03-06
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Microtel Motel, Franklin, NC
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: clear sky

After a chilly (20's)windy nite at the "newer" Carter shelter with two secton hikers and 1 who tented, while 2 others stayed across the trail at the rickety old shelter I got up and goin by 0750, not a bad start.I cranked steady and cranked hard & steady right up Albert Mtn (5250 ft), almost 1000 ft leading up to it. Nice view, then past two shelters and on to Rock Gap. Unfortunately I walked past the trail to the Wasilik Poplar tree, the second largest diameter in the US at 27 ft, 125ft tall with a broken off top and now dead. I'm told I didn't miss much and it was a half mile walk one way. Damn. Guess I'll neva know.Anway continued on back up the Winding Stair Gap to a road crossing at US 64. I was thinking how sore my right little toe & heel felt (?Blister issue/and a dried crack wound I'd been nursing for since that first rainy day. I'd bought some dry skin lotion in Hiawassee & been using patches of Mole skin to reduce the friction on my blister, but neither were helping). This road went to Franklin and the guide book noted they had a medical center clinic. Hmmmm. I looked ahead to my next planned town/resupply stop, Fontanna Dam and note there was no medical service available and that town was 3 days hike away.By then my foot would be really hurtin. Decided to go for it.It was 1700 & the clinic closed at 1800. I'd have to hitch 10 miles quickly.Lucky something prompted me to check my guide book or I'd have been screwed 3 days from now with a really sore foot.The first ride was a pickup of 3 young guys sluggin down beers who offered to let my ride in the back with a bunch of junk floatin around in the bed. They did offer me a beer, and normally I would have gladly taken the "trail magic" but being that I was directly headin to a medical center I decided to forgo the beer breath and the ride.I got a ride quickly, right to the front door.Unfortunately never thought about bringing my Blue Cross card with me.Was scene quicly and had to dish out $132 for my infected little toe blister and dried cracked skin, also infected in my heel & ball of my foot area.Got a script filled next door at Kmart (more cash). Wow. What a long walk, just a half mile down the driveway AND back up.Decided to grab the closest motel, the Microtel. Checked in, put my salve on, took my pills and headed for Shoney's for a steak & AYCE buffet. Lucked out-it's steak nite! Bonus! Great salad too.Limped home, called the front desk who confirmed I could indeed buy beer right out front at the convenience store, but only for 10 more minutes-they're closin!Why not punish the feet some more?! Booked down there and bought myself a 24 ouncer. Figured that's all I should need.Limped home and showered (Oh felt great!), sluggeed it down. Elevated my foot & went to bed.FedEx
Date: 2007-03-07
From: Franklin, NC

To: Campsite
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: clear sky

In the morning my foot felt much betta already, but still sore & red. Grabbed breakfast next door at the Huddle House. Mmmmm. Hit the Outfitter right there in town, but didn't find anything I needed. Hit the Verizon store for a look around. Didn't buy anything. Nor at the sneaker/sports store. Decided it was time to get outta town.Started walkin toward the trail and AFTA I got almost to Kmart realized I'd left my damn! trekking poles at the Verizon store. Normally that would be bad enough, but now I had to limp back up the hill 1/2 mile to get them. Grrrr!Grabbed the poles and again noticed the UPS store. Hmmmm. Must be a sign. Synchronicity. Maybe I should ship ahead some of the extra crap I was carrying that I already didn't think I really needed to be carrying. I'd use a "bounce box", sending it to myself at the Hike Inn, my next planned town stop. This way I'd still have the stuff when I get there, but not have to carry it. This is a hedge vs. sending it home and it's gone for a while, not available to retreive should I need it, at least for several days. Unloaded 3 lbs!!! Excellent. Well worth it!This must be the synchronicity nudge that made me come back up the hill to retrieve my poles. Glad I did.On the way outta town I also called ahead to the Post Office in Fontanna Damn since I realized I'd reach there on Saturday, and if i was running late, I could miss my other bounce box I had shipped from the Atlanta Airport (supplies I might need to restock myself, in case I couldn't find them readily). They were happy to forward it with my verbal request directly to The Hike Inn. Excellent.Caught a ride outta town from an older couple who regularly give rides to hikers and are listed on the ATC website as local angels who provide assistance like rides. Mucho Gracias.I noticed the ice on the rock ledges beside the highway had melted from yesterday.Hit the trail limpin. It was already 2pm.Yesterday was only a 15 miler, but I needed to get my foot fixed up. I could tell it was already feeling much betta.Did my best to ignore the sore foot and chugged up and down a few climbs. It was already 650pm and gettin dark, so I finsished the climb up ova Wayah Bald to 5342 ft and looked for the campsite squeakin in just before dark.Pitched my tent, made dinna and hung my bear bag with my food with the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) Technique which I'd only read about til now. Did pretty well by headlamp in the pitch black.It felt good to get off my foot and outta my shoes.It was chilly already in the 30's.FedExSlept well.
Date: 2007-03-08
From: Campsite

To: NOC
Miles today: 16.8
Weather: clear sky

Got up to a chilly mornin, got moving as quickly as possible.Gotta try to get some miles in today.As the climbs down and back up to 5030 ft mounted I was exhausted by 1300hrs.I sat down at a road crossing but the thought of a climb up drained me. It was a little windy, but sunny. I moved to the far side of the parking lot and actually layed down on the ground. I power napped for 45 minutes. Ahhhhh. It felt great.Finally got up and movin again. Climbed Wesser Bald and the observation tower. Took a few pics of the Great Smokeys to the north. Then finally started headin down. I kept reading in the shelter registers about everybody headin to the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center), a rafting center & gear store right at a roadside/trail crossing. I hadn't planned to stop there at all. Maybe I'd just check the gear shop briefly. tomorrow. thought I'd probably make the shelter before it tonite. But as i got closer, it was all down hill and I was crankin.And when I hit the shelter it was still early. Plus I read an entry which I thought was today saying 3 thru hikers were goin to NOC tonite! I was psyched.Hmmmm. The gear shop closes at 5pm. Probably won't make it there but i was making such great time I would probably just miss it. I'd have to stay overnite at their hiker hostel and wait til 10am for it to open, oh well. I was motivated and dropping a couple thousand feet in 4 miles, mostly all at the end, and lots of switchback trails with good flat terrain making it easy t move quickly. I was even jogging at times.I squeaked in by 1655 and hit the gear store quickly for just a minute.I was psyched how quickly I could move some times. This was by far my fasted pace crankin into a town, showing me how fast I could move over easy terrain when motivated. I could use this later (and would many times).Registered for my hostel room and that's when I realized I was confused by the date and the thru hikers were long gone 2 days prior. Oh. Bumma. Grabbed some dinna at the Riverfront restaurant. But the place looked like a ghosttown. Too early in the season. no visitors yet. They say during the season several hundred people a DAY get off a train for lunch right here (as part of a train tour) plus many rafters.Not now. I inquired about local bars or anything to do. 13 or so miles to town. No cabs here. thought maybe I could hitch a ride into town before dark.But could I get back. Called a cab company who said, more than you'd wanna pay. i inquired. ~$50. Ouch. Too much. Wooda paid ~$30. But that's too much and the chances of catchin a ride back to the sticks is slim to none.Went to the community bathroom & overheard talk of goin to town. Jumped into coversation and got myself invited to join some river raft guide trainees to town. Went to Mahoney's Pool Hall/Bar and had a few drinks. Shot a little pool.Felt good to chill. What a lucky break. More hiker friendly folks!Cruised home and called it a nite.BIG Climb back up outta NOC tomorrow.FedEx