morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-03-24
From: Wine Spring

To: Wesser Bald Shelter
Miles today: 13.4
Weather: clear sky

Started the morning by ascending Wayah Bald, at the top of which was a super view of some things we had just done, in particular, Albert Mtn and Standing Indian, and some previews of the Smokies to come.The craziest thing about today was the apparently controlled burn that was done last week between licklog gap and a bit before burningtown gap. It was just scorched earth for over an hour of hiking. really crazy. we were the beneficiaries of some absolutely money trail magic in Burningtown Gap though. A trail maintainer by the name of Apple was holed up in a Mountain Hardwear expedition dome feeding hikers cookies, coke and hot dogs, all of which I partook in for lunch, a much needed respite from a relatively tough day on the trail. As I was hiking out of Burningtown Gap, I remembered a story that Mickey One Sock had told about the history of Burningtown Gap, a very sad story relating to the end of slavery and some injustices done to the newly freed slaves, to put it lightly. A strange place, and sort of an awkward memory after such a great piece of trail magic.Tonight we are staying at Wesser Bald Shelter. Johanna and I had a lot of trouble at the water source, because we were unaware of the great concrete spring box left there for getting water, and were trying to pump out of the mud puddle below it. I really think we clogged the filter for good with that crap. All while great water was in the concrete box. felt pretty dumb about that one.At the shelter tonight, just as we were going to sleep, a Kudos bar that was left out on the table of the shelter was attacked by a mouse, which was really loud for us as we were about to sleep. Even though you wouldn't think nibbling on a kudos wrapper was loud, think about candy in a movie theater. it is, and annoying to sleep to. Thunder, who was aptly named for his shelter snoring, took a vote and before all of the verbal ballots were cast, and to the dismay of Ishmael, stomped the mouse with his boot, and tossed the carcass in the woods. Fifteen minutes later, another mouse came in for a snack. Thunder didn't bother this one, but we all fell asleep anyway.
Date: 2007-03-25
From: Wesser Bald Shelter

To: Just below Grassy Gap
Miles today: 8.5

We hit NOC today. Another feather in our caps. Felt good, but not as good as the river water did on my overheated feet from the descent in. We ran into Quartermoon and Jeff (Ohm now) at NOC as well as the Dude again. Also, Boo-boo was off the trail for an ankle injury. She's really had a tough go of it.We were incredibly tempted to stay in NOC because the atmosphere was electric and the sun bearing down on us making the ascent out of NOC seem even more daunting than it already is. we were able to break away with the intention of camping at a spring near grassy gap that only showed up in one or two of the resources we have.We pushed hard up the mountain about 30 minutes after 1/4moon and ohm, and ran into 1/4moon looking discouraged and overheated about two miles up. We reconvened at the spring we found and Johanna and I decided to stay while 1/4moon and ohm took off up the trail toward sassafras hoping to get in before dark.A couple of hikers named Katter-piller and Foot Pump joined us at our campsite. Dude, Spyder and a couple of others pushed on for Sassafras later in the evening as well. I still don't get the allure of night hiking.
Date: 2007-03-26
From: Just below Grassy Gap

To: Brown Fork Gap Shelter
Miles today: 13.2
Weather: overcast clouds

Wow. remind me to try and never start the day in the middle of brutal hill. We awoke to the task of the remainder of Swim Bald and the summit of Cheoah Bald all in the first 4-5 miles of the day. We pushed hard up Swim Bald, which almost took it out of me, and then stopped for a minute to say hi to Dude, Foot Pump, Katter-piller and a bunch of random musicians to get to the top of Cheoah. What a rough hike. The view at the top WAS really nice though and the campsites up there looked primo, leaving me with a little tinge of longing to try them out one night.We decided to lunch in Locust Cove Gap, where there was a source, and while we were down there, Foot Pump and Katter-piller joined us. The source was crap, and some hiker named Hermes, hiking with a Flash UL pack, came down splashed around, pushed in front of us for the source and was generally fidgety and agitating. Turns out he is trying to run all 28 or so miles from NOC to fontana in a day. stupid if you ask me. just not my cup of tea.Late in the day we descended into Stecoah Gap. I remembered a comment that Crutch made at Cloud9 about the ascent out of Stecoah, but hadn't remembered anything of note from my last hike. Well that ascent out of Stecoah is just flat out not fooling around. Wow that beat me up.I was so glad to see the shelter, but it was the strangest design I had ever seen. It was like any other basic shelter with three walls, a ceiling and floor, but at the end of the floor was a three foot gap and then a huge flattened out log. didn't seem to serve any structural purpose, and really only seemed to leave a spot for every one to place stuff to make it hard to get into and out of the shelter. by far the most poorly designed shelter we have seen. no one had any decent explanation for it. Oh yeah, and the privy, well it was missing the key board that blocked your rear from everyone else standing at the shelter. I was glad to see it, but the shelter was definitely strange.Was joined in the shelter by foot pump, katter-piller, spyder, dude and some others. no sign of ohm or 1/4moon. they got a bit ahead of us I guess.
Date: 2007-03-27
From: Brown Fork Gap Shelter

To: Fontana Dam Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: light rain

Well, today we hit another milestone. Fontana Dam. Boo yeah. puts us over 160 from springer and at the base of the Smokies. met my parents here, which was awesome of them to find their way to fontana, which is apparently 4 hours from anywhere with the roads you ahve to take. we got to the "AT crossings" sign at a little after three. this sign is at the Fontana Marina and is the sign of your entry to civilization and out of the woods. or so we thought. Turns out the AT designers wanted to take you on a crappy 1.1 miles that never gave you any moneyshot of the lake and took you over 4-5 blowdowns just to get you from the marina to the shelter. all of those that did it agreed it was a waste of our time, and annoying to boot.But back to the good stuff. Mom and dad delivered the drop, we did laundry and ate dinner at the restaurant. It was great to see them, and to be quite frank great to have transport at the Resort, because as the other 8 or so hikers found out, Fontana's shuttle service for hikers sucks. Oh yeah, and nothing is open either since it is off season. the PO closes at 4:30 the outfitter at 6, the restaurant at 7. thank god mom and dad were there. we were able to do twice what most people were and didn't have to deal with the PO.we also took a shower at the dam. the shower was like someone was shooting you with a high-powered super soaker, and was prison style (or so i'd imagine it is) with four spigots on a central stalk, and no privacy, but it was a shower and the clean-ness felt good.We introduced mom and dad to many of the hikers there, and they were thrilled (I think) with the visit. It was great to see them even if for only 4 hours. well at least there will be Newfound Gap, where we have decided to spend a night at a warm bed and shower.Stayed the night at the Fontana Hilton with 1/4moon, Ohm, Kara (Now bucket), Plod, Drip Dry, Anton, Foot Pump, Dude and Spyder among others.It was great to see ohm and 1/4moon again. and finally catch up with these characters.
Date: 2007-03-28
From: Fontana Dam Shelter

To: Mollies Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 11.3
Weather: light rain

And so the Smokies begin.But not before we found out that the Dam has no cell service for cingular customers. Strange i thought since it is a sort of national landmark. Maybe that is affected by off-season as well. oh well.The view of the gorge from the dam overlook was awesome, and watching people cross to move on on the AT was also really quite captivating. You never get the sense of the size of that sort of thing, until you walk around on it and watch someone cross it. People seem so small. and crossing the thing ourselves. I kept looking over and thinking how crappy it would be to fall off the edge. strange thing to think, but I was definitely overwhelmed by the sheer man-made power of the place... though not in an edward abbey type of way, in a manifest destiny, look at what amazing feats people are capable of type of way.And then there was the roadwalk before shuckstack. Really long, sort of annoying, but only because I thought it wasn't supposed to be that long, i kept remembering some turn off well before it happened. so much so that johanna and I walked back and forth for a while well before the turn off looking for the AT. dumb move. oh well.but shuckstack. phew. not as bad as I remembered, but still a haul. We didn't go to the tower at the top, something I sort of regret in the back of my head, but I was really dreading the next six miles to the shelter. I really had rough memories of this section because of the bloody and pussed blisters I had the first go around that forced me to skip the smokies. We got to the shelter sometime just before 4, and ohm, bucket and 1/4moon were debating continuing. Johanna (now trash bag (I should refer to her as that now)) and I were pretty adamant about staying, in part because the shelter was beautiful and also because we felt comfortable with what we had done that day, and the mileage for the next few days shook out right if we stopped there. eventually ohm, 1/4moon and bucket caved and stayed.along with those three, we were joined in the shelter by spirit walker, 50/50, hermit, dragonlady, ziplock and nitro. Turns out ziplock and nitro are a lot of fun and are from nashville. had a great night.
Date: 2007-03-29
From: Mollies Ridge Shelter

To: Derrick Knob Shelter
Miles today: 11.7
Weather: light rain

So Spence field is really cool. and today the terrain was awesome. Spence field was this flaxen field of grass and was paired to a pretty cool shelter with a great privy. Trash bag and I took some fun pictures in the field and pushed on.But of course the best part of the day was after that, when after 25 years, I finally got to the top of Rocky Top. Of course, it wasn't anything like I thought it'd be, it was rocky, but there was no money sign announcing the occasion, and the weather as usual didn't cooperate. it was totally socked in, but the cool thin g was watching the clouds roll over the ridges around it. so ominous.thunderhead was boring, no view, crazy rhodos at the top, but other than that... blah.and then there was derrick knob. still had the chainlink. was tiny and felt like a prison, and the weather didn't really cooperate either. Ziplock was able to start a fire, the only redeeming thing about the place, and we all had contemplated the possibility of pushing on to silers bald shelter which had been more recently renovated, but the five mile price tag was too too high, even though it had seemed like a really easy day. got some great photos of the shelter in the mist though. really cool looking.joined in the shelter by Ziplock, Nitro, 1/4moon, bucket, dude and spyder.
Date: 2007-03-30
From: Derrick Knob Shelter

To: Mt. Collins Shelter
Miles today: 13.5
Weather: broken clouds

Summited Clingman's today. in the fog. as usual. the tower was totally bizarre though. Worth the summit itself, just because it seemed so out of place.Before that though was the best stretch of hiking i had seen to date. from Silers bald to Double Spring Gap, I think it was called Welch Ridge, was some of the best ridgerunning yet. you kept going up and over the ridge and back and forth, one side being an incredible view into the valley below and the other being a valley totally covered in cloud and the cloud rising. great stretch.more really favorable terrain today, making 13.5 plus the .5 miles to the shelter seem easy. stayed in the shelter with 1/4moon, ohm, bucket, dude, spyder, ziplock, nitro, and a past through hiker named frank who had a few great stories of his own. a short day tomorrow to newfound and a nice bed. mmm...
Date: 2007-03-31
From: Mt. Collins Shelter

To: Newfound Gap
Miles today: 4.5
Weather: light rain

So, Newfound Gap was a zoo. Jericho (2005) was there sharing food and stories with some great trail magic, and I met up again with my parents for a night off the trail and in a cabin they rented in Pigeon Forge.Yes, we had to drive through pigeon forge. yikes, that place has exploded into a mess of crap. everywhere, but we had marble slab ice cream and I glazed over for the drive through teh country of pigeon forge to the cabin.it was a great night. we sat in the jacuzzi, did laundry, showered, ate burgers, watched march madness and went to bed.joined in the cabin by trash bag, mom and dad.
Date: 2007-04-01
From: Newfound Gap

To: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter
Miles today: 15.6
Weather: light rain

What an April Fools joke.we picked the rainiest day with our heaviest packs to go our longest distance to date. But, soaked all the way to our underwear, we did it. and we were both damn proud of it.and to top it all off, there were some great stories from the day.we drove up to Newfound after having one of dad's world famous breakfasts to fuel us. when we got up there, Newfound was dead because the weather was SO crappy. However, a pair of older ladies pulled up in a BMW SUV in their workout wear, small day packs and light weather gear. They got out announcing their intentions to hike the 8 miles to the LeConte Lodge and started toward the trail head in an absolute downpour. they quickly rethought their decision and took off back to the car and sat there, I am sure until well after Trash Bag and I pushed off.We ate bar lunches and powered through the day getting to the shelter in really solid time, 7.5 hours for 15.6 miles, including our short bar breaks, really pushed it.but when we got there, expecting to be cold, wet and alone, we were joined by nearly everyone we had met before along the trail. Ohm, 1/4moon, bucket, the dude and spyder all did a short day because of the weather, and got a fire started. Stubble had pushed from icewater spring, anton was there from icewater as well, and we were joined by a couple of others including silver. No ziplock and nitro, but the feeling was still electric and hilarious because of all of the soaking wet gear that was hanging from various clotheslines in the shelter. it was a good shelter for the occasion as we had 16 in a shelter fit for 12 and we all worked it out, that and the water source was really close so no one had to stand out in the rain for all that long. a really tough day was turned great because of the company. that's what the AT is really all about.
Date: 2007-04-02
From: Tri-Corner Knob Shelter

To: Davenport Gap Shelter
Miles today: 14.8
Weather: scattered clouds

A really easy 14.8, if you can call that distance easy. I mean I felt like I had only hiked 10 or 11. but we stopped and topped off a pretty uneventful day.joined in the shelter by waffles, silver, 1/4moon, ohm, bucket, anton, dude, and spyder pushed on to Davenport gap to get a ride into Asheville to rest his leg. I felt bad for the guy. he was pushing hard, but really injuries just suck so bad.
Date: 2007-04-03
From: Davenport Gap Shelter

To: Just north of Brown Gap
Miles today: 13.4

Some days are just sucky. Today was one of them.We went to standing bear early in the morning, and saw some familiar faces. Drip Dry was there with her dog, Zubie, Stubble (after a good night's rest), and some others. We ate a digiorno pizza, I had a beer. and the rest of the day was not that hard hiking wise, but killed me. we got to brown gap, were planning on pushing on to Max Patch and I just couldn't do it. the source there was crap. our filter was crap, and we just decided to find the next campsite and stay there. plus it was supposed to rain tonight, and quite frankly it wasn't in the cards. a tough night. Ohm pushed on to join us at the campsite. Many pushed up to Max Patch in anticipation of a great sunrise and there was no sign of Bucket and 1/4moon.We do have some grand plans to get up at 4:30, see the sunrise and push the rest fo the day to Deer Park (20 miles and only just over 3 to hot springs, our beacon in this sucky weather).
Date: 2007-04-04
From: Just north of Brown Gap

To: Deer Park Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 20.1
Weather: overcast clouds

So we didn't get up at 4:30. about 11:30 the wind came quickly followed by a solid 4 hours of thunder rain and lightning, making all three of us agree that we were so glad we hadn't stayed at the top of max patch and well, glad we didn't get up at 4:30 to see a socked in sunrise. the sleep was hit and miss at best, but the tent held up great, making me feel like it sort of made up for the shitty filter and pack cover.The morning over max patch followed suit with the night before in that the view was socked in, the winds were high, and the rain coming in sideways. It knocked Trash Bag over, took off my rain cover, and really just beat us around. An inauspicious start to the day.We didn't however see any remnants of tents or thru-hikers at the top, and were told by dude and not yet that they all cleared off the bald in time the night before and stayed the night in relative dryness at roaring fork shelter. Dude however was not so lucky, he stayed just below the bald about a mile and didn't tent up, thinking all of us that were weary about the weather were full of shit. well he ended up trying to pitch in the rain, only to roll himself up in the tent and his sleeping bag and wait out the storm in a puddle. needless to say he wasn't in the best mood when we caught up with him at roaring fork, he and his gear soaked through.But we pushed on, and pushed on, with our destination of Hot Springs in sight and a zero in Asheville tempting our footsteps. We did 20.1 miles. a record for this trip. a great (exhausted) feeling. and Ohm did it too. and we are only 3.2 miles from hot springs, showers, beer, pizza and a zero. it was well, well worth it.we were joined tenting at the shelter by Not Yet, Zubie, Joseph Stalin, Tin Tin, Ohm, Drip Dry and others.
Date: 2007-04-05
From: Deer Park Mountain Shelter

To: Hot Springs/Asheville
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Finally, Hot Springs in sight. Rambled the 3.2 down to hot springs, ate at the diner first thing, and then waited to bask in the glory with ohm, 1/4moon and drip dry. Candice showed up at 1:30, disappointed that she wasn't able to hand deliver us hot chocolate, and then slightly relieved when we let her in on the secret that she was going to get on the trail in the wrong spot, way, way up the trail. We hot springed it. Gaelic Aled it, and fled to asheville where a great big burger, great barfood at jack of the wood, a wondrous shower and other untold riches awaited us.A great nero, which we felt justified in having after pushing so hard the day before.joined at candice's apartment by trash bag, candice and alsace.
Date: 2007-02-17
To: 11 days to go!
Miles today: 0.0

i decided to hike the appalachian trail in may, and despite how long ago that seems, my start date is barrelling towards me with unbelievable speed. i've long since abandoned the notion that i'm going to be in great physical shape for my start, or have all my mail drops planned out ahead of time. but i have developed what i predict will become an important philosophy for me during my time on the trail. this is going to be my hike. i'm going to start on february 28, and end in mid-august. whether or not i will complete a thru-hike is completely unpredictable. i'm just going to get on the trail, and walk. when i can't walk anymore, i'll stop, and i'll rest, and then i'll start hiking again. if i have to take a few weeks off for an injury, i will. but i won't leave the trail until mid-august.
Date: 2007-02-21
To: Oh god...
Miles today: 0.0

a week to go. how is it possible? i've been pulling together all my last minute gear over the past few days, and started arranging my mail drops. i'm also going to the dentist 3 days this week. which will suck. i hate the dentist. mr. panda still doesn't quite get what's going on. i think he's anticipating a week long trip or so. boy, is he ever in for a rough surprise. monday i fly out, tuesday i go to the hiker hostel, wednesday i start. no approach trail. i'll live in atlanta all next year, so if i ever get the urge to hike the approach trail, i'll go ahead and do it sometime when i won't run the risk of getting discouraged by a crappy first day. oh, hotlanta.
Date: 2007-02-23
To: Gear List
Miles today: 0.0

Some people might wonder what one packs for a half year hiking trip. I am one of those people. But I've put forward my best attempt. You can look at the gear section for photos of some of these items. Here it is:Pandas:Mr. PandaClothing:Smartwool socks x2Liner socks x3Long underwear bottomsFleece Pants$20 Youth Large rainpants (I love the children's section!)Convertible cargo pants/shortsUnmentionables x4Sports bra Long underwear shirt, zip-upFleece shirt, zip-upFleece jacketDown jacketRaincoatWarm, trusty woolen hatFleece glovesBandana x3Gear:Hikin' bootsBackpackTarptentExtra tent stakes x5P-cord for said tent stakes x5HeadlampSleeping bagBivy sack (in case i get hypothermied) (or cold)Kitchen (foods and drinkstuffs):3L camelback resevoirWater filterIodine tablets (emergencies)Gatorade bottle (back-up water supply)MSR Simmerlite (a stove)22 oz. fuel bottlefuel (for bottle)2 lightersbag o' backup matches1 liter kettlemug (for food)insulated mug (for drinkz)spoon food stuff sackFOODTechnologies:Camera (Canon SD30)Cell phoneChargers (for above technologies)Extras: batteriesjournalpencilvitaminsfirst aid kit (home made)toothbrushnpastesunscreenthru hikers companion (a guidebook)mapsmace (we'll see how this one goes...)compasswhistleduct tape wallet