morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2008-04-22
From: Campsite @ 278.5

To: Hogback Ridge Shelter
Miles today: 13.7
Weather: broken clouds

My positive attitude came out of hiding today and I had a great day of hiking in spite of it being my longest and most challenging day on the trail this year. We got an early start and headed into Hot Springs. We had a 1:00 shuttle to Erwin set up with the Outfitter there, and we wanted to have time to do laundry, clean up, and eat before we left on the shuttle.Since we had stopped two miles early yesterday, we had to make up those miles this morning. We had 7.7 miles into Hot Springs, and then planned another 6 miles after we shuttled our car to Erwin. The hike down into Hot Springs was relatively easy, and we made good time. By 10:45 we were at the laundromat, drinking cold soft drinks, and had our wash started. We went across the street to a diner and took turns cleaning off the biggest stink and the thickest dirt in the restrooms. Then we downed an enormous meal of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, two kinds of veggies, and cornbread. Our hiker appetites sated, we headed back to the laundromat to stick our wash into the dryer and wait for our clean clothes. We changed back into hiking gear and made it over to the Otfitters just in time for the shuttle.We drove up to Devils Fork Gap, picked up our car and shuttled it to Erwin. Then we rode back to Devils Fork Gap with the shuttler, and started up toward the shelter that was our goal for the day. Remember what I said about the hike from a gap being all up? Well this was a long, tough one. Our three hours in Hot Springs and driving had rested us up, but it took a lot out of me to climb and climb again. I had to keep pulling out my shiny new positive attitude and looking at it. Not a whine crossed my lips today, and Hoover was much happier and proud of me. And I was proud of myself!We set up our tent, cooked and ate, and enjoyed a campfire and mandolin music played by the hiker named Uffda. RestStop, Mustang Sally, Jackaroo, Hot Tang, Snow Plow, Mzungo, Whiskers, and Voltron were also there with us. It was a big group, with ten hikers in tents and six in the shelter. Hoover reinjured his elbow (orginally a volleyball injury) while "bear-bagging", which involves throwing a bag with a rock over a high limb and suspending our food bags high above the ground. He'll be hiking with one pole for a few days...
Date: 2008-04-23
From: Hogback Ridge Shelter

To: Bald Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: scattered clouds

With just ten miles ahead of us again today, we took our time getting out of camp. We hit the trail at 10:00 and set off at a good clip. Hoover's elbow wasn't bothering him much, but he still used just one pole.The poles are a huge help to a hiker. Not only do they help with balance in tricky places, we also use them to get into a rhythm, to protect our knees in descents, and to assist us in steep climbs. Using the poles to help you up can take a lot of stress off the legs in a long climb. I haven't been able to pole up on the left side since I hurt my ribs, and now Hoover is impaired on the right. Between us we have one good set of poling arms!By 11:15 we'd made it the 3.5 miles to Sam's Gap. We stopped there to see if we had a phone signal, and we were lucky enough to reach our son Scott, and to leave a message for Hoover's parents. While we were there along the roadside, two guys in a truck stopped, and gave us cold cokes from their ice chests. It never ceases to amaze me how nice people are to total strangers...We climbed up out of the gap and into the woods once more. I was feeling pretty good after a great day yesterday, and we both hiked strongly. I had felt the beginnings of blisters on both heels this morning, so I taped them preventively. I could feel them burn a bit as we hiked, but it didn't bother me too badly. The wild flowers are blooming all over the hills, and the ferns are lush and green. The birds are singing happily - how can anything be bad when the world is so perfectly beautiful?Today we climbed up over Big Bald, where we had fabulous views over the valleys below. Next came Big Stamp. Small white wildflowers formed a carpet under the trees. It was breath-takingly beautiful. We reached our goal, Bald Mountain Shelter, at 4:00.I was feeling strong, so we decided to take a boots-off break, eat a snack, and move on to a campsite 3.5 miles up the trail after dinner. That would put us just 13.5 from Erwin, and meant we could make it there tomorrow without having to spend another night in the woods. But as soon as I took my boots off and looked at my heels, I knew I needed to stay put for the night. I had a nasty blister on both heels that I needed to deal with.About an hour or so later, a few more hikers pulled in to the shelter and announced that they'd just met the trail maintainer for this section, and that he was bringing trail magic to the shelter. Diamond Doug (AT thru-hiker in 2000) came in with a grill, bratwurst, soft drinks, cookies, and bananas for all to enjoy. We feasted, shared hiking stories, and then hit the sack by 8:00. Seventeen miles to Erwin. I was regretting that we weren't a few miles closer. With my blisters, Erwin is out of reach for tomorrow.
Date: 2008-04-24
From: Bald Mountain Shelter

To: Erwin
Miles today: 16.9
Weather: scattered clouds

We were trail-ready before 9:00 today. Again, with only ten miles planned, we didn't want to start too early, otherwise we'd sit, bored, at the destination shelter for a long time before bedtime. The trail was beautiful again today. The wild flowers are blooming, and the rhododendrons are budding, as well as the mountain laurels. It won't be long before the entire mountain will be full of color.We made it to our destination shelter before 2:00, with lots of ups and downs and then more ups. I took off my boots at the shelter and checked out my heels which were sore, but not horrible. We ate lunch and I napped a little. The mosquitos were hungry, so at 3:30 we put on our boots and headed for Erwin. I know, I know, I said I was going to take it easy. But the lure of a hot shower (it has been four days, after all) and a bed with sheets and a real pillow just proved too strong to resist. Those last 6.3 miles took us less than three hours, and by 6:45 we were checked into a motel and rushing for the shower. Tomorrow will be a zero day here in Erwin...
Date: 2008-04-25
From: Erwin

To: Erwin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Today was a zero day in Erwin. We ran errands, resupplied, doctored my blisters, did laundry and ate lots. We hit two salad bars, trying to make up for our veggie deficit over the past week. Our bodies appreciate the rest, and my feet do feel much better. Tomorrow we're going to do a short 8.3 mile day to test out my blisters. Rain and thunder showers are forecast, so we plan to hit the trail early. More later...
Date: 2008-04-26
From: Erwin

To: Indian Grave Gap
Miles today: 8.3
Weather: moderate rain

We started hiking before 8 a.m., trying to beat out the rain. The terrain was very gentle, and was predominantly, although not steeply, down. This is my favorite kind of hiking , what Hoover and I call "Jitterbug Trail." The miles just roll away. I really appreciate JB trail when I find it, because it is a rare thing indeed to have it last for any extended distance!Let me explain about another trail feature that I call "Jitterbug Traps." The rhododendron roots here criss-cross the trail and make for some tricky hiking. They love to hide under the fallen leaves, just waiting for my boots to find them and stumble. The worst of these are the roots that have slight erosion under them, leaving a nice little loop under which my boot toes can slide. These tricky little roots I call "Jitterbug Traps." Since getting back on the trail in Hot Springs last week I've encountered many of these pesky traps, but have thus far manged to avoid them. It does keep me on my toes, figuratively speaking, just knowing they are out there waiting...We met up with Muzngu, Jackaroo, and RestStop today, and visited with them all briefly. We may not see them again, since they hike a LOT faster than we do and cover big miles. RestStop has already thru-hiked the AT and PCT, so he is a serious hiker!We finished up our goal for the day by 11:30, so we just lazed around the rest of the day. The blisters did give me a little trouble, but nothing bad. Tomorrow we're moving up to 10.8 miles. Whoopee!
Date: 2008-04-27
To: Iron Mountain Gap
Miles today: 10.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Jitterbug stayed at the hostel today due to some bad blisters on her heels, so this entry is by Hoover. The first half of today's hike was pretty strenuous, with a lot of ups and downs and including one significant climb of about 1300 feet. The second half was mostly downhill, with good trail, and I was really cruising. The bad thing about this last 5 miles was that the Forest Service had just completed a controlled burn of the underbrush and grasses; it was a charred, smelly mess. It also began to rain lightly for the last 10 minutes before I reached the trailhead and my shuttle back to Erwin, but not even enough that I bothered with putting on my rain gear. My timing was perfect, because by the time I stowed my gear in the car and got inside, it started raining HARD.The forecast for tomorrow calls for rain throughout the morning, clearing at 1:00 in the afternoon. I need to hike 14 miles tomorrow, so I can't wait that late to begin. I'll probably wait until late morning and hope the rain ends earlier that forecast--otherwise I'll just have to get wet.Hoover
Date: 2008-04-28
From: Iron Mountain Gap

To: Carver's Gap
Miles today: 14.0

As forecast, it rained until a little after noon today. It was cool enough that I didn't sweat much in my rain gear, though, so I didn't really mind the rain. What I did mind was the condition of the trail due to the rain. In a lot of level areas, there were puddles I couldn't avoid and had to slosh through. And all the rocks and roots were wet and slippery, so I had to be pretty careful of my footing. Despite this care, my feet slipped out from under me twice. The first time was going down a hill and I slipped on a wet root and went down pretty hard on my backside, but no harm done. The second time was slightly descending terrain and I slipped in mud; my right foot left a skid mark about 3 feet long. I stopped my fall using my hiking poles, but in the process I injured my right shoulder. Nothing serious, but I think I'll have to hike with only a left pole for a few days.In addition to the rain, I was essentially hiking inside a cloud all day. This was unfortunate, because today's hike took me up Roan Mountain, which has great views when the skies are clear. At the summit of Roan Mountain (at 6150', the highest point since I left the Smokies) is a sign describing the Cloudland Hotel that used to stand there. It was built in the late 1800s, and Thomas Edison was once a guest there. You can still see bits of foundation, a fireplace/chimney, and other ruins.I ran into Mzungu, Hot Tang, and a couple more hikers during the day, but mostly I hiked alone. Despite the wet conditions and a little shoulder pain, it was a pretty good day. Tomorrow I'll be hiking from Carver's Gap to US Hwy 19E, and then meeting Jitterbug at a nearby hiker hostel. If all goes well, she'll be hiking with me when I head north out of 19E on Wednesday. Keep your fingers crossed!Hoover
Date: 2008-04-29
From: Carver's Gap

To: U.S. 19E
Miles today: 13.7

What a day. It was 23 degrees, foggy, and windy at Carver's Gap when I set out this morning, with about an inch of snow that had fallen overnight. Hiking in the snow wasn't a problem, but there was also a lot of ice. The trails climbing Jane's Bald, Little Hump Bald, and Hump Mtn have become fairly distinct ditches, and they often have water flowing down them. On this cold morning, those ditches were filled with ice, and climbing a steep hill on ice is no fun. I slipped and fell down 4 or 5 times. I had planned to not use my right pole today, to avoid hurting my shoulder, but it was too icy to risk that. As a result, I did hurt that shoulder several times. I'm not worried, though, because my shoulder seems to recover quickly from these injuries.Did I mention that it was cold and windy? The wind blowing across those balds must have been 30-40 MPH. I don't have a wind-chill calculator handy, but I'm sure it was a pretty good emulation of winter in Siberia. I had a camp towel over my face tied on with my bandana, two fleece hats, and my parka hood. Of course all this would be worthwhile because of the great views from atop these balds, except of course that I couldn't see more than about 200 feet.I saw 3 Watusi longhorns on the climb up Hump Mtn. They were well off the trail this time, so I didn't get a good look at them this year. Of course I also didn't draw the attention of the bull this time, which was a good thing. In 2003, Jitterbug and I had to walk right through a herd of about 20 of these longhorn cattle, including a couple nursing calves, and the bull seemed more interested in our presence than was comfortable.Barefoot Sage caught me just after Jane Bald, and we hiked together for awhile. She hiked on when I stopped atop Hump Mtn (on the lee side of a rock escarpment) for lunch. Forest Gimp (love that trail name) joined me and yogied some potato chips from me. And we saw Dirt, Pilot, Truckin, and Dirty Girl heading southbound; they had just returned from Merlfest (a bluegrass festival held each year in Wilkesboro, NC), where they had worked as volunteer stage hands. They got a ride back to the trail from Miss Janet, who dropped them off at U.S. 19E for this southbound leg back to where they left off before Merlfest.About the time we finished lunch, Rhody and Pod came along, and Forest Gimp and I joined them hiking north from Hump Mtn. When I arrived at the U.S. 19E trailhead, Barefoot Sage was sitting there, evidently unsure of the direction to the Mountain Harbor hostel. I told her, and we walked together west along the highway. Before long we saw Jitterbug walking toward us, and we all walked together back to the hostel. Jitterbug said her blisters were pretty much healed, and that she'll be hiking with me tomorrow. Yea!Hoover
Date: 2008-04-30
From: U.S. 19E

To: Campsite @ 399.6
Miles today: 13.0

I was so excited about hiking again that I fairly danced my way out to the trail this morning. The AT was on its best behavior today. The dogwoods are still blooming, and we spotted a few Mountain Laurels in bloom as well. The hillsides were dotted with tiny purple and white wildflowers and ferns. The trail followed a creek for several miles, criss-crossing the trail in several places. It doesn't get any better than this.We stopped for lunch at a new shelter at Mountaineer Falls. It was constructed in 2006 by thru-hikers in less than two days. It was a great place, with a beautiful view. We were joined for the break by Rhody, Pod, Corina, Southpaw and Barefoot Sage. After another couple of hours hiking, we crossed Laurel Fork and found a sweet campsite about half a mile up the ridge. Southpaw set up his tent nearby, and we were in tents and asleep by eight o'clock. A fine day.
Date: 2008-05-01
From: Campsite @ 399.6

To: Kincora Hostel
Miles today: 11.3

Today is the 5th anniversary of the day we started our first thru-hike attempt. We spent a good part of our day recalling that hike, and remembering the people we met.We were up and packed for hiking by 7:45. Once again the trail was beautiful and offered relatively easy hiking. The trail crossed several streams again. The trees are leafing out, and everything is a fresh spring green. The temps were perfect for hiking, without a cloud in the sky. Wow!We stopped for a rest and a snack at Moreland Gap Shelter. We skipped lunch because we were excited about getting into Kincora Hostel. We hiked fast, with the prospect of a hot shower and clean clothes beckoning us.By 2:00 we were at Kincora, and, as some of the first to arrive, we scored the "Executive Suite" - a single room with a double bed - instead of having to sleep in the bunk room. Two showers, and a load of laundry later, we hung out on the porch waiting for a 5:30 shuttle into town for dinner and resupply. Slowly the other hikers arrived: Corina, Southpaw, Uffda, Hot Tang, Bearbait & Bearbag, Mzungu, and Earthbound, among others all showed up over the next hour, and soon we were all ready to get to town and real food.We split a large pizza and bought some goodies for tomorrow's lunch. Then we discovered that we had cell phone service and spent the next half hour talking to our son and the three grandkids. A red letter day!
Date: 2008-05-02
From: Kincora Hostel

To: U.S. 321, Hampton TN
Miles today: 8.9

Five years ago one of my favorite hikes on the AT was the Laurel Gorge section. Today we hiked up and over Pond Flats on our way to Laurel Falls and the Gorge. Pond Flats is a very difficult climb that is anything but flat. And there is no pond to be seen at either top or bottom. It makes you wonder how these places get their names!Laurel Falls and the Gorge were every bit as beautiful as we recalled. The Mountain Laurels were blooming and the setting for our picnic was perfect--except for the fact that I forgot to pack our sandwiches. Oh, well, nothing's perfect, and hunger motivated us to hike back to Kincora faster.Hot showers, clean clothes, and Arby's in our tummies, we readied our packs to hike on tomorrow. Tonight we were joined at Kincora by Dirt, Dirty Girl, Truckin', and Pilot (collectively known as "the skirts," because they all wear hiking kilts) as well as the Colonel and Half Elvis. A rowdy crew!
Date: 2008-05-03
From: U.S. 321, Hampton TN

To: Campsite @ 433.2
Miles today: 13.4

Today was a really tough hike. We climbed out of Hampton TN, around Wautauga Lake, and over Wautauga Dam. The day was slightly muggy and called for showers, which appeared as we slogged up Vandeventer Mountain. I've mentioned before how rain gear makes for uncomfortable hiking, and, combined with never-ending uphills, we were HOT. The rain was not heavy, just a persistent drizzle. Just as we got to the top of the climb, at Vandeventer Shelter, the skies opened and it rained much harder. Hoover and I snuggled together in the shelter and dozed, hoping the rain would go away before we had to hike on. We had set 3:15 as our departure time, rain or not. As we packed up the rain let up, and we hiked in just a light drizzle to our destination.We set up our tent, got water and cooked and ate dinner. About the time we were ready to crawl into our tent, we were joined at the campsite by Etienne and his nephew, Mountain Mick. We visited a bit, and then slipped into our bags just as the rain resumed. It's good to be snug in our tent, warm and dry.
Date: 2008-05-04
From: Campsite @ 433.2

To: Campsite @ 448.2
Miles today: 15.0

Last night we were awakened by a very strange sound. At first we thought it was a coyote, but then concluded it had to be some kind of owl. Etienne and Moutain Mick reached the same conclusion.This morning we awoke to a serenade by a multitude of birds. The sky was clear, and we could see it would be a beautiful day for hiking. We were packed up and on the trail by 8:30. Our two campsite companions barely beat us to the trail. We took it slow and easy today, stopping at the first shelter for a quick breakfast break.At noon we were at a road crossing, TN 91 and decided to stop there to eat. We were rewarded with fresh fruit (pineapple, grapes, and melon) and cold water by a trail angel named Jen. She was there to support four trail runners who were covering the 41 miles on the AT from Hampton TN to Damascus VA in one day. Yesterday the same group ran 40 miles from north of Damascus. They cover the AT at 4 mph (twice our speed) - yikes! The runners arrived just as we hiked on, so we talked with them a bit. The leader of the trail running group, David Horton, is an accomplished ultra-runner. In 1991, he covered the length of the AT in 52 days, knocking 10 days off the old record. He runs the trail carrying only water, and relies on car support (like Jen today) at all the trailheads. Feeling VERY slow, we hiked on to Double Springs Shelter where the sun was shining and a grassy spot called our names. We stretched out in the sun for an hour, resting our tired feet and soaking up the rays. A most pleasant interlude! We then pushed on to Low Gap where we ate (yes, again), got water and headed up the last climbs before Damascus. We found a nice tentsite about 13 miles from town and hit the hay early (yes, again). It was a very good day on the AT for Jitterbug and Hoover.
Date: 2008-05-05
From: Campsite @ 448.2

To: Damascus VA
Miles today: 12.9
Weather: clear sky

We were up and hiking early this morning, excited about finishing up with Tennessee and getting to Virginia. Damascus is one of our favorite trail towns.The miles seemed to fly by today. We stopped at Abingdon Gap Shelter for breakfast and to get water. Just ten more miles to go! Usually the last few miles into town seem to take forever, but we surprised ourselves by getting into town nearly an hour earlier than anticipated.First order of business was a huge salad and iced tea, then a room for the night and showers. Nothing but lazin' is on our agenda for the rest of the day.
Date: 2008-05-06
From: Damascus VA

To: Elk Garden (VA 600)
Miles today: 23.8
Weather: clear sky

We had our car prepositioned in Damascus so that we could drive to South Bend for Jitterbug's cousin's wedding at Notre Dame this Saturday. Since we arrived in Damascus a little early, we decided to hike a little north of Damascus before leaving. So we got the outfitter to shuttle us up to VA 600, and we hiked almost 24 miles back to Damascus. Some of that mileage was on the Virginia Creeper Trail, an old railway route long ago converted to a bike and hike trail. The gentle grade and even, fairly soft surface allowed us to hike more miles than usual, but probably more than we should have.Since we were hiking southbound for the day, we met a lot of the northbound thru-hikers we know, including Bear Bag, Bear Bait, Barefoot Sage, Forest Gimp, Rhody, Pod, Chewbaca, Shout and Whisper.We'll be leaving for South Bend tomorrow, and we should be back in Damascus next Monday. We plan to hike a couple days north of VA 600 then, and return to Damascus for Trail Days late next week. So our next journal entry should be in about a week. See you then.
Date: 2008-06-16
To: Toughness Training
Miles today: 0.0

I¢ve invented a new training regiment for my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. I call it the Tommy Tough Guy workout. Basically I shock myself with a stun gun for as long as I can. It increases my pain tolerance as well as my mental toughness. These are two important attributes one must have while completing a thru-hike. I am now able to hold the stun gun against different parts of my body for minutes at a time. The hike starts in one week.
Date: 2008-06-21
To: Clubber Lang
Miles today: 0.0

Clubber Lang is the name of my walking stick. It was given to me as a gift this morning by a legendary man by the name of Chuck Bauer. Widdling is just one of Chuck's many amazing talents. Thanks for the stick Chuck! It has already given me super human strength. I've also been practicing my fencing technique for the bear encounters.
Date: 2008-06-23
From: Rainbow Lake Campground

To: Katahdin Stream Campground
Miles today: 5.2
Weather: light rain

"Dance and Be Jolly With Swing McCauley" aka "Swing" aka Andrew McCauley and I began our AT adventure this morning by sleeping in. We slept about 12 hours last night and got a late start up Katahdin. A half mile into our hike and Swing was already swimming naked in a stream. Mount Katahdin is a ton of fun to hike up and we may have goofed off a little too much. We missed any view from the top as clouds and fog overtook everything around us. At the top we danced around in our underwear and I drank an apple juicebox. Mt. Katahdin is pretty sweet.