morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-05-25
From: No Business Knob Shelter 

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 5.6

Started quite early, I had two packets of oatmeal for breakfast, which was all the food I had, so I wanted to get to Erwin in time to get some lunch. The kids and Iced Tea were going to do pizza and then a hot tub. I figured I'm too slow to be on time for the pizza, plus I would be embarrassed to display the bag of skin I have where the tub of lard used to be. Iced Tea is ending his section in Erwin, to return to school, and the others will be hiking on tomorrow. It was a pleasure to hike with them for a few days. Wonderful views looking down at the town and the river. Mountain Laurel is beginning to bloom, it will be beautiful in a few days. Blueberries, (and Huckleberries?) have set fruit, not yet ripe. I really like blueberries, it would be fun to hike the area when they are in season, browsing as you go. The authorities recommend that hikers leave the berries for the bears and other creatures. I will still nibble a few, when I get a chance, without trying to pick enough to bake a pie, or make a batch of jelly. The woods here are like I remember Maine from when I was a child at summer camp. The trail often runs under pines, coated with needles, and smooth in places, bordered with blueberries and occasional wintergreen. Uncle Johnny's Nolichucky Hostel is on the river, across the street from the trail, and the first place you see when you come into town. I stopped, picked up my maildrop, booked a room for two nights, rented a bike, and rode down to Pizza Plus, where I had pizza and a salad. I didn't gorge, on the grounds I had to make it back up the hill and a too full stomach wouldn't help on the bike. Strangely, all the fitness acquired by hiking doesn't make it any easier to ride a bike, it's a different set of muscles. Fortunately the change of elevation between Uncle Johnny's and Pizza Plus isn't that great. When I got back I showered and did my laundry, the washer and dryer are free here. It felt great to have a full stomach and be nice and clean with a fresh change of clothes. I didn't take the 4:00 shuttle for dinner, so ordered pizza from Rocky's for supper. Delivery was slow and the pizza had dried out a bit, not that good. I ate half and put the rest in the refrigerator. To bed at 9:00, by 1:00 I woke up hungry and chowed some cold pizza.
Date: 2013-05-26
From: Erwin, TN

To: Erwin, TN
Miles today: 0.0

A zero day in Erwin. There was a shuttle for breakfast, to Huddles, a diner at a gas station. Breakfast was sausage and eggs, with hashbrowns and toast.. I spent the rest of the morning updating my journal and uploading photos. The hostel provides a computer for hiker use, a real convenience.Hung around during the afternoon, then joined some other hikers for a cookout.Tomorrow I plan to head North again, rested and refreshed.
Date: 2013-05-27
From: Erwin, TN

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 8.8

Left Erwin and bumped into Phoenix and his wife Susan at the parking lot after the bridge. She took pictures of both of us for me. It was good to see him again: I thought we were going to lose touch of each other. The hike started with a very gentle climb beside the river, and continued for several miles beside various streams, very easy going. Then there was the usual switchback up into the woods, harder going. There were four of us eating lunch at the Curly Maple Shelter. Phoenix and I went over our itineraries and decided to stay together at Indian Grave Gap, where there is a good campsite about 0.3 miles from the gap northbound. From there we hiked at jour own pace, passing each other back and forth. I saw a black snake, about four feet long, and took pictures. As a child at summer camp in Maine, I once came upon a similar snake, which was in the process of eating a frog. Since the snake's fangs only bend one way, I figured I could safely pick it up and did so. It started thrashing around and tore its fangs out of the frog. Then it proceeded to bite me on the hand. So I started flailing around with it and beat it senseless. From there I went to Mr. Jim, the camp director, and showed him my hand, which was bleeding profusely. He and the big boys went back and dispatched the snake, shooting it in the head with a 22.So 50 years later, I didn't try to catch the snake. After all, it didn't have a frog in its mouth. The campsite was excellent, level ground with pine needles covering it, a good supply of dead wood for a fire, and only three other hikers - Pooch, Kitty, and their dog, Mountain Goat. We invited them to join us at our fire and we talked for an hour or so before turning in at 9:00 pm.
Date: 2013-05-28
From: Indian Grave Gap

To: Cherry Gap Shelter
Miles today: 8.7
Weather: scattered clouds

Started the day by getting water. The source is beside the road, but uphill of it, a strong clear stream. I only took one liter, figuring I could get more after I had gained some elevation. The first attraction is Beauty Spot. It's a bald, hot on a sunny day. I met a young couple, the man had blown out his knee on the first day of their hike. I felt bad for them, after the planning and son on, to have to go home so soon. I've been lucky, so far, not to have any serious injury or illness. After that came Unaka Mountain. It brought the total elevation gain for the day to 2,000 feet. The trail was rough and rocky on both sides of the mountain. The summit itself is covered by a dense stand of red spruce, cooler and shady there.I was hoping to meet Phoenix at the Cherry Gap Shelter, buty her left a message in the journal that he was hiking on. I was disappointed - I was hoping we could be hiking partners, but he needs to do some serious miles at this point and he's a faster hiker than I am. On a happier note, there was a piece of trail art at the beginning of the climb up Unaka - see the picture - Come On Swampy! That had to be Marshall and Angela, they hiked on ahead several weeks ago. It cheered me up a lot.
Date: 2013-05-29
From: Cherry Gap Shelter

To: Greasy Creek Gap 
Miles today: 6.3

It was an easy day, a short hike to the Greasy Creek Friendly where I had a mail drop. There was very little scenery, a rock pillar mentioned in the AWOL book. The shelter is very simple, an older building located in a beautiful area with a stream in behind it. There are several camping spots beside the stream. Connie is known as a very good hostess, and made sure we washed our hands, wore camp shoes in the house, and were well fed. She did my laundry, very carefully, and managed to get the stink out of everything. I weighed myself on two scales there and was disappointed and concerned at the amount of weight I have lost. I'm down as low as I have ever weighed in my adult life, not something I wanted to see. The first night there, I had the bunkhouse to myself. The next night,Just Momma, Wrong Way, Sam I Am, Side Tracker and Free Bird were also staying for the night, we had some good conversations. I planned a reverse slack pack for the following day, by way of taking it easy.
Date: 2013-05-30
From: Cloudland 

To: Greasy Creek Gap 
Miles today: 9.0

The hike started with a shuttle to Toll House Gap, more commonly known as Cloudland for the hotel which graced the area in the 1880's. It was a three story frame structure, with every conceivable luxury. It burned down and was never rebuilt. It must have involved a great deal of expense to run a large hotel at the location, due to the isolation and the elevation. Heading South toward the hostel, I met Red Bull. I had breakfast with him back at the NOC. At the time he was doing very high miles and attempting to complete a through hike. He had an injury and left the trail for two and a half weeks. At this point he will end his hike in Pennsylvania where he is from and return to engineering school in Montana. Hiking downhill and without any weight in my pack, I made good time. It reminded me of the scene in Star Wars, racing through the Forests of Endor, on those little rocket sleds with the cuddly bearlike creatures for allies. Going down was a lot of stair step work at first, after Hughes Gap it was like a walk in the park. There is one place where the northbound trail runs south. So I was walking it going south, and following my shadow.
Date: 2013-05-31
From: Cloudland

To: Stan Murray Shelter
Miles today: 5.7
Weather: few clouds

During the night my back was hurting, also my diaphragm. Tried doing a sit-up, the back pain prevented it. Upset as this could end my hike. Also weight, I weigh too little and my pack weighs to much. Shuttled to Cloudland. The remains of the hotel is just a field with a plaque. In the 1880's there was a three story hotel there, a frame building with all the amenities, including baths. The cost of getting all that stuff up there mus have been horrendous. The day's hike featured the summits of Round Bald at 5,826 feet and Jan Bald at 5,807. I was focused on taking it easy. At Stan Murray Shelter I took a chance, went downhill quite a way for an unreliable water source. It was good, a piped stream. There was nobody there but myself and Amy, about 30 years old and northbound, also two young men who camped a bit away and kept to themselves. After supper I turned in at 8:00 pm. I did some sit-ups in my tent, no problem, on the nice soft air mattress. Talked at length to Jeanne about concerns, weight loss, back pain, etc. For now I intend to go slower, eat more, and try to increase calories without doing too much empty. The original goal was to enjoy the hike as much as possible without bringing on an avoidable injury or illness. Staying with that, unless my condition improves, I should find a stopping point. Amy was an interesting person. She lives in Alaska, has a very simple lifestyle, and works six months, then does what she likes for the other half of the year. Right now that means a through hike on the AT, solo. She operates on a lot of food she dehydrates, doesn't cook anything, rehydrates it in a jar during the day.
Date: 2013-06-01
From: Stan Murray Shelter

To: Doll Flats
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: scattered clouds

This was a strenuous Bald Walk. The first section, from Stan Murray Shelter to Overmounain Shelter (The Red Barn) was a piece of cake. Overmountain is a converted barn, immensely popular with hikers. Amy avoided it for that reason: perhaps that's why Stan Murray is little used. From there the trail leads up Little Hump Mountain and proceeds to Hump Mountain. It very nearly broke my hump. I made numerous stops while doing the Hump. Gasman, a Boy Scout leader with his two sons stopped and we talked a while. They were eating ham, cheese and pepperoni sandwiches and were kind enough to share some with me, much appreciated. Along the way, I met Valerie, a member of the Georgia Adventure Group, a hiking club. Our pace was similar and we hiked together for a while until she pulled ahead of me. At Doll Flats the hiking club set up camp and I joined them. We had a fire a sat around and talked for a while. They shared some chicken with gravy and scallions, very tasty. Several of them made a beer run after supper, a five mile round trip complicated by the fact that it's a dry county. They had a car and drove to the next county. I was tired and don't drink, so I turned in before the beer run returned, at about 8:30. During the night it rained, not too heavy.
Date: 2013-06-02
From: Doll Flats

To: US 19E
Miles today: 2.5
Weather: moderate rain

The day turned rainy. I had been thinking of going to Damascus and consulting an outfitter to lighten my pack which has a number of items that are somewhat heavy and were intended for use in colder weather at the beginning of the hike. That didn't make much sense and I finally decided to go to Newland, NC, to stay at The Shady Lawn Lodge. It will avoid the rain and give me a nero, also a chance to fatten up on hamburgers, etc. and update my journal. The motel is expensive by hiker standards but very clean and well-maintained, with good WiFi and the use of a computer in the lobby.
Date: 2013-06-03
To: Wallingford, CT
Miles today: 0.0

After reflecting on the loss of weight since leaving Springer (and looking in a mirror with my clothes off) I decided to suspend my hike and complete diagnostic procedures suggested by my doctor before I left for GA. Briefly, he was concerned that my loss of weight while training might be excessive. The additional loss over two months of hiking has me at the lowest I have been as an adult. I had a lot of fun, saw a lot of beautiful scenery, and met many interesting and likable people. It was fun being Swamp Fox, talking gear, trail conditions, etc. Complete strangers were friendly and helpful, bailing me out of several situations and brightening the days with conversation. The AT will change you: my attitude and outlook on life have been nudged in a positive direction. Habitual cynicism concerning the intentions and motivations of others has been reduced by random acts of kindness. Also, excessive concern with financial gain from playing the stock market is diminished: the daily effort of putting one foot in front of the other, enjoying the scenery, and dealing with details of water, food and shelter will do that. Not having an internet connection is helpful too. Finally, I have an increased sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of the earth around us. After spending hours high in the mountains, pelted by rain and sleet, or warmed by the sun, hiking through woods and meadows, studying flowers and trees, the world we mostly inhabit - parking lots, roads, fast food restaurants, shopping malls, convenience stores, office buildings and factories - is far away and less important than it was. I intend to resume my hike when I have clarity on the potential health issues and hopefully will be closer to my normal fighting weight.
Date: 2013-06-28
From: Wallingford, CT

To: Wallingford, CT
Miles today: 0.0

Continuing to rest up, gaining weight at the rate of 2 lbs per week, roughly as fast as I lost it while hiking. I've been spending an hour or two most days walking in the woods locally, with a day back to hold a little water and a snack, etc. I saw my doctor yesterday, so far so good on the weight. He referred me for a scan on bone density, also to see a gastroenterologist for a screening, playing it safe before going back on the trail. In August I plan to do a couple of week long hikes on the AT in NY, CT and MA, all within easy driving distance of home. Then as the weather gets cooler in September I can pick up where I left off at Rte 19E in TN, a section hike from there north for perhaps three weeks to a month. In retrospect, I think the original plan to spend 3 months hiking was beyond my capabilities. I'm working on getting my pack weight down by about 10 lbs, also experimenting with trail runners. The math on calories is, 3,500 difference between what you eat and what you burn is worth one pound. Ideally, I need to pack 1,000 more calories a day when eating on the trail, compared to what I was doing. That, and to pay attention to any opportunities to get real food, even if it requires a brief detour.
Date: 2013-08-20
From: Limestone Spring Shelter

To: CT 41
Miles today: 4.1
Weather: broken clouds

I was up at 6:00, ate cream of wheat with raisens for breakfast, and hit the trail by 7:00. I should mention, the shelter has a piped spring, very good water source.The group of SoBos headed out soon after I did, and passed me on the climb back to the trail. It was steep, and I was taking it easy, stopping to catch my breath at intervals. As a group, they seemed in very good shape, considering that they have already done Maine and New Hampshire, two of the hardest states. I passed the giant thumb rock, as well as a nice view across a meadow. The trail was up and down quite a bit, and included a brief spell where it went along the side of a 70 degree slope. For the most part, it was packed dirt or pine needles, footing was good. After reaching CT 44, there is some road walk. Fortunately, the trail also goes through a number of meadows, very pretty and much easier on the feet than walking on the road. I was at my car by 10:00am and headed back home.At home, I heard from my doctor, my blood work is OK now, more than a little light on B12 and D at times in the past but supplementing has me at normal levels, or within reach. Going along with a colonoscopy, recommended at my age, strictly routine. So I'm going to do a little bit of Massachusetts over the next few weeks and then head down to TN to pick up where I left off, but I will be slackpacking or doing a serios of overnighters with a relatively light pack.
Date: 2013-08-30
From: Campsite on Race Brook Falls Trail

To: Rte 41 
Miles today: 6.2
Weather: broken clouds

I slept well, there were periodic thumps when acorns fell, it took me a while to figure out what it was. The college students had neglected to bring a source of music, not even a trail guitar, and didn't make a lot of noise, just conversation by the fire. Breakfast was 2 packets Cream of Wheat, with dried blueberries, apples, peaches, apricots, etc. The thinking was, the fruit compensates for the blandness, and provides a few extra calories. I liked the blueberries. I hit the trail early. It was foggy and humid, but it gave me some cool of the morning to make the ascent of Mount Everett. The path up was diffiucult, as my source yesterday told me, and I was glad I saved it for the morning when I would be fresh. The summit is marked with a new sign, at the site of the firetower, long since torn down. The concrete bases for the legs are still there, they make a nice level seat. I sat and munched some trail mix. Another group of college freshmen arrived, from Amherst. They were cheerful and well-equipped. I took a group photo of them with their camera, as well as another for myself with my phone. The Guilder Pond picnic area featured a few picnic tables, and showed signs of recent work. The privy looked like it was solar powered. I took the short side trail down to the pond. There were quite a few water lilies there, suggesting it is somewhat shallow. Further down the trail, I met a gentleman my age, with his son and daughter-in-law. They had organized a family outing: the grandmother and the baby were to meet them at the picnic area, then they would go to one of the rocks beside the pond and spend a peaceful afternoon swimming, etc. The signs prohibit swimming, oh well, it must be fun. I got some water at Glen Brook Shelter. The shelter is small, with a capacity of 6, but is in a pleasant location with a lot of pine trees. The water source is good, a rapidly flowing and reliable stream. I wnet downhill further than I had to, missed a sign for the water higher up the trail. From there it was up and down along a series of rock outcroppings, with the occasional view to the east, until the trail finally descended in earnest to Guilder Hollow Road. I took a fall on the final 10 feet of the descent, there was a slab of stone lying at maybe a 15 degree angle. It was moist, and I got carelss and slipped. Not hurt, but it seems like one of the common times to take a fall is when you're getting to easier ground and relax a bit.From there it was another mile to Rte 41. The first half proceeded through the woods, on relatively low ground, and would be swampy in wet weather. There were a lot of partridge berries. The second half was a meadow walk, very pleasant. I didn't have a set distance before quitting, and feeling fairly tired at that point I called a taxi for a ride back to my car at the Under Mountain parking lot.
Date: 2013-09-10
From: Rte 41 

To: Tom Leonard Shelter
Miles today: 10.0
Weather: moderate rain

Getting back into action in Massachusetts, I parked my car by the Housatonic River just off Kellog Road in Sheffield, MA. The parking spot is down a rather rough gravel road which was somewhat eroded, but I was able to get the Toyota Camry down it OK, being careful to avoid the low point.I took a shuttle back to Rte 41 by the ATC Kellogg Conservation Center, where I left off on my last outing, and walked back to the car, about 4 miles, where I picked up my pack and started to hike in earnest. The terrain was very flat, with a lot of meadow walks and swamp walks. I like the boardwalks and plank walks: otherwise it would be impossible to do this portion without getting covered with black muck. There has to be a lot of man hours involved building and maintaining this type of trail. The Shay's Rebellion Memorial is at the site of the last battle. I'm surprised he hasn't become a hero for those who favor smaller government and reduced Federal powers. After all, that's what the rebellion was aoubt, and it is creditted as being pivotal to the movement for a stronger central government in this country. As usual, the trail soon turned up into the woods, the ascent of East Mountain. I can't say anything meaningful about the terrain, because the day was so hot and humid, without a breath of air, that I really struggled. It was mostly about treating the next round of water and avoiding heatstroke, while making sure to reach the planned shelter. There was a view from East Mountain, obscured by haze. At one point the trail rather dramaticlly crossed a tiny bridge over a crevass that might have been 10 or 12 feet deep. The thing was, if you went to the side to get some water, you could cross it no problem. There really wasn't any need for the bridge, except to be cute. I took a photo which is in pictures. At the shelter, my only companion was Tortoise, 70 years old and retired from the phone company. He took a buyout 15 years ago. Like many of us senior hikers, he had some medical problems - he had a valve replaced, which he says improved his stamina on the hilly sections. He's been doing sections, supported by his family, probably about 8 miles a day, the same as I do. He's pretty far out on the right wing politically, while I'm a bleeding heart liberal, so we talked a lot of politics, also some of the stuff we deal with as parents and grandparents.Like many, he's been asked, what would he do if he had a heart attack while out on the trail. His answer is, he'll die with his boots on. I was carrying two means of water treatment - a SteriPen and an MSR filter. I used both, for the fact that the water sources didn't look that good, slow flowing and shallow. The next morning, at the shelter, Tortoise remarked that the water looked green. I had just treated a liter and a half, and sure enough in the morning light it was glowing an eerie shade of green. It could have been kryptonite, or maybe that stuff the Ent gave the hobbits to drink, which made Merry and Pippin grow taller, with a little curl to their hair. I drank it.