morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-09-20
From: Ivy Creek Spring (Maintenance Bldg)

To: Waynesboro VA
Miles today: 29.5

Another great day.What to talk about. I finished the SNP, but I'm not necessarily happy about that because I enjoyed it so much. As you know, it's been a steady march since Duncannon and I smell a zero in the making. Definitely need some R&R after a grueling 192 miles in 7 days, and I think Waynesboro is just the place for that.Speaking of friendly places (certainly concerning hikers), there's a list of names to call at the welcome center at Rockfish Gap. About the third number I called, I got connected with someone and, sure enough, a gentleman came by to pick me up a short while later, gave me all sorts of advice as to where to go-stay-eat-etc, and deposited me at my hotel (my option as to where to stay). He promised to bring me back to the trail when I was ready. I'm flabbergasted.Any negative vibes I may have garnered from Pennsylvania (see journal entry for 9/12/07) are MORE than offset by the positive vibes in Waynesboro. Unbelievable. I had heard about the hiker friendly folks around here, but until you experience it first hand, it's difficult to comprehend. Also it's difficult to really express your appreciation to the 'true' trail angels who go out of their way to bring some comfort or relief to another person, expecting absolutely nothing in return. You just have to "pass it along".   Thanks just doesn't seem to be enough, but THANKS Waynesboro. I hope you understand what I mean by "pass it along"; it's a painfully simple concept, "pass it along". I take it to mean that future opportunities in which you encounter someone who needs some sort of unsolicited help or kindness, and you are in a position to provide that help or kindness, you do, with no expectation of payback or even thanks. And all you may ask is that they "pass it along" to the next person they feel needs their help or support. If everyone did that, the planet wouldn't be in the mess it's in. I suppose that's way too idealistic, but ya gotta start somewhere, and hiking the AT has convinced me that there are an awful lot of good people in the world. So maybe there's a chance. So do it. Pass it along.Other Worldly and National issues. Don't really want to go there today. Global warming-Hillary-Britney Spears, yuk! That was the stuff of headlines when I left, and I betcha it'll still be front page center when I get back. Maybe I will tackle some of that in a future entry, but for what's left of today (and probably all day tomorrow) I'm enjoying the peace and quiet (and friendliness) that Waynesboro has to offer.Enjoy your day today, I know I will and, thanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS:   yep kicking back and soaking up life, ¢¦ don't get no better than this
Date: 2007-09-21
From: Waynesboro VA

To: Waynesboro VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

I ate. I drank. I conquered.After the grueling day yesterday finishing up Shenandoah, and ending the 7 day march from Duncannon, I decided to take a well-deserved zero. Yeah, the money pile is steadily shrinking, but you have to allow the body (and mind) to rejuvenate on occasion, and there's no better place than Waynesboro VA.The best part of today was that it was completely uneventful until (hooray) some other SOBOs made it in. Yep, Solar, Lunar, and "Porta" John caught up and decided to stay at the same hotel as me. Good company, and good to catch up on who's doing what to whom.Otherwise, I was extremely happy just to sit on my lazy bum and watch TV. Any show that was mindless and required no thinking on my part was high on the agenda. Come to think of it, that's not such a tall order; just turn on the set, and start flipping. If by chance you happen to wind up on the 'discovery' or 'history' channel, don't despair. There's twenty or thirty info-mercials, cartoons, or sit-com reruns for every possible 'educational' channel available. So that's what I'm doing with my down time. For the most part, watching TV, sipping beer, and eating ice cream. This is the lifeThanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS:   If the cable goes out, no problem. If the ice cream runs low, noooo problem. If the beer, ¢¦ naaaa, don't want to think about it
Date: 2007-09-22
From: Waynesboro VA

To: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles today: 20.8
Weather: scattered clouds

It's funny how I've almost 3 months invested into this trip and I'm still learning basic things every day.I've come to accept that the first day back from a town visit is going to be cruel and tough. However, a few times today, a dangerous thought kept creeping into my head: "it's been a long trip, and I'm kinda bored of hiking". Fortunately, two things worked for me to extinguish this line of thought. First off, I climbed a big enough mountain today and was rewarded with a good enough view which made me remember how much fun this can be. I think it was Humpback Mountain. Nothing overwhelming, but a nice steady pull for most of six miles; definitely enough to let you know that something's going on, mountain-wise that is.Secondly, I recalled a common mind-game from my gym experiences. For example, whenever I run on a treadmill (or some other long term aerobic type exercise) for more than 30 minutes, I go through a thought progression similar to that on the trail, ... (1) in the beginning: "ok, here we go, ¢¦, feels good", (2) after about 10 mins: " Geeze, this is hard, I'll never make it all the way,¢¦, what a boring exercise",(3) 20 minutes: "over halfway now, but I'm getting tired and if I stop now then I've already gotten a good workout", and finally(4) 30 minutes: "good going guy, pound it out to the finish!"It's always after that 20 minute time frame where I have to buckle down and force myself to keep going (think of how good this is for you, don't wuss out, go for the gold, etc). I had said that the month of mid-September to mid-October would be a slugfest, and this is what I'm referring to. Sometimes I have to resort to playing mental games to keep the ole bod going in the right direction.Tomorrow will be a week into that worrisome month by my circuitous counting scheme. Don't get burned out, just hike and hike and hike and remember how awesome it is just to have the opportunity to be here. Full speed ahead, pedal to the metal, and all that really cool moving fast stuff, ¢¦Thanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS:   soooo, ¢¦ let's get this (hiking) party goin'
Date: 2007-09-23
From: Maupin Field Shelter

To: Montebello VA
Miles today: 18.2

What a splendid day!It begins (actually ends) with the Dutch Haus in Montebello VA. What a great place to get revitalized for a couple of nights, and Lois and Earl have the formula for that down pat. The Arnold¢s did everything they possibly could to make my stay comfortable, and plans are to ¢slack¢ me the next section southbound (27 miles) so that I can rest up a little.And there¢s more, ¢¦ my parents finished their Vermont AT sections and on their southward road trip to GA, also stayed at the Dutch Haus on this night. Perfect timing. Dad had stayed here years ago and so it was especially nice for us all to reunite here. Must say that I am enjoying a most pleasant day or so of everyone¢s company.Back to hiking again. I guess Virginia heard me bad mouthing her mountains awhile back, so she showed me a little of what the ¢flat¢ VA mountains can dish out. This lesson was entitled the ¢Priest¢ (and I thought priests were supposed to be kinder gentler souls). Ummmm. Have to admit it was challenging, but definitely fun to tackle the ¢Priest¢.Normally it¢s the number of miles in a day that controls my hike ¢ it has not been the size of the mountains since New Hampshire. The strong sustained pull today made me rethink my position. Note that my mileage is below average for today. ¢nough said. AND, ¢¦ mustn¢t forget that the Tenn / NC mountains are dead ahead. The Roan Massif is a prelude to the Smokies, and don¢t forget the Humps (big and little). Can¢t wait.However, the one overriding issue concerning all hikers in either direction for the upcoming week is an abysmal shortage of water, which may precipitate some creative shuttling and ¢pit-stopping¢ for the near term. Otherwise I¢m physically healthy and mentally sound and chuggin¢ along thru Virginia.Good grief, tomorrow I¢ll have less than 800 miles to go! Sometimes it seems like the unspeakably long monstrous trail has vanished, and in its wake is a pleasant stroll through the woods. Where did all the trail miles go?I am living out a dream, my dream. I hope you get to live out your dreams.Thanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS:   Where did all the trail miles go?
Date: 2007-09-24
From: Montebello VA

To: Punchbowl Mountain Crossing (BRP)
Miles today: 27.2

Another absolutely splendid day!Starts off with a Dutch Haus breakfast creation by Earl (see pics). He is a bonified food artist. Presentation IS important, but taste wins every time, ¢¦ and the meal was excellent on both accounts.Then Lois first provides me and two other long distance hikers (Megan and Amy) with the latest info concerning trail conditions, especially the water shortages. Next she debriefs us and logs all pertinent information so that she can pass this along to others. Good planning.And now for the hike. My parents dropped me off south of Montebello so I could have another ¢rest¢ night at the Dutch Haus by slacking northbound. I¢ll resume my SOBO trip tomorrow where I began today. Sooo, I guess today is considered a ¢rest¢ day ¢cause I¢m only carrying a 15 lb pack (lots of water/gator aide).   Wait a minute, can a 27 mile hike be considered a ¢rest¢ day? Sure.I have no doubt that tomorrow will bring back the blues (don¢t blame it on Virginia though) because I¢m leaving behind my family once again, plus my new friends at the Dutch Haus hostel, plus I¢ll probably end up tonight somewhere in who knows what condition, plus, ¢¦ , gotta stop this. I¢m working myself into a fever pitch with NO good ending. Think positive (I¢m positive I¢m gonna be sad?).Anyways, these are some of the issues (mentally) that make hiking the AT tough, especially southbound. Much more solitude. Fewer social events (hiker feeds, trail magic, no festivals like ¢trail days¢, etc). So one has to expect more days where you have to pull up your own bootstraps, cause ain¢t no one else around to do it for you.I¢ll get there, yeah, ¢¦ you can take that to the bank.Thanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS:   check out more pics (happy pics) from Montebello. Enjoy
Date: 2007-09-25
From: Punchbowl Mountain Crossing (BRP)

To: Thunder Hill Shelter
Miles today: 25.5
Weather: few clouds

Well, I guess it goes that once again I learned how fast things can change. To begin with, I¢m now carrying long johns and raingear, which is well worth the extra weight in a dry, late-September heat wave. Ummmm On the flip side, the first leaves are beginning to change. Boy, it¢s going to be beautiful in a few weeks.Flip again. I was miserable most of the day today. I think I have been bitten by a spider; my arm swelled up, head was throbbing, I experienced nausea and vomiting. This awful feeling went on for almost 6 hours, plus (I promised myself I would write this down) ¢¦ I hate these frickin¢ mountains! That last part may be spider venom talking.I saw zero people all day today. The hostel days are great, the days when there¢s company are great, seeing my parents again AND staying in a hostel was most excellent, but days like today ¢ long miles, mostly uphill, few views, nothing to look forward to at the end of the day but a crummy shelter (the ones I¢ve been by lately really are lower quality), which more likely than not has no water. Combine all that with the knowledge that you¢ll do the exact same thing tomorrow. Arrrrggggh.I¢m ok now.But as I was saying, things change quickly. Abruptly sometimes. At 6:45 I was furious with the world, out of water and hopelessly alone. At 7:00, I had passed a group of hikers, stopped for the night, met up with Cedar, drank bottled water, and begun building a fire. I was at peace with the world once more.Tomorrow I¢ll try to arrange a short shuttle into town at the end of the day, bust out some more miles and be back in rhythm again!Officially I have now hiked over 1400 miles, and I absolutely do NOT believe it.Thanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS:   but, ¢¦ I DO believe it
Date: 2007-09-26
From: Thunder Hill Shelter

To: Sharp Top Overlook
Miles today: 22.9

Itsy bitsy spiders !!If you recall, I mentioned yesterday the nausea and headaches and vomiting, etc, that I was experiencing, and that I suspected an insect bite, most likely a spider. Well, ¢¦Not sure if you can tell from the pictures uploaded today, but my arm got so big at one point, I finally had to take my watch off to relieve the pressure. Also note that several of my knuckles disappeared. A little itsy bitsy spider did this. The swollen bulge under my wrist is where the bastard¢s fangs went in. Actually they (and ticks) are probably more likely to cause serious injury than say, a bear (unless of course, the bear decides to stick HIS fangs in your flesh). Don¢t have any dead-fire-for-sure statistics to back that up, but its my gut feeling that that¢s a true statement (i.e., serious health consequences on the trail due to the little creatures vrs the big creatures).Thing is, if a bear WAS gnawing away on my arm, I probably would have noticed. Then I could simply shoo it away. Can¢t do that with a spider ¢cause you seldom are aware of when they are actually doing their deed. Worst still, quite often insects will bite more than once if left undisturbed. To me, the little six and eight legged beasts with multiple mouth parts and fangs (that inject poison) and tail thingys (that inject poison) are the ones to fear. I DO have a couple of good ¢swarms of flying stringers¢ trail stories, but not today. (Note to reader: Yes, I do understand that after shooing the bear away, there may be other problems to deal with. But let¢s concern ourselves with one issue at a time.)Anyways, I be hurtin¢, and yet still somehow I managed to pound out almost 23 miles. Perhaps spider venom is rejuvenating, or just makes you more ornery? I really don¢t care to go a med-stop unless absolutely necessary. We¢ll see.Here¢s hoping that the swelling and low grade fever have peaked. Once all that begins to subside, looking forward to a really good day for me, ¢¦ and also for you.Thanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS: thanks Tom B for the encouraging words, yep, gotta GUT it out. PSS: Kate, I¢m in Tenn and movin¢ fast
Date: 2007-09-27
From: Sharp Top Overlook

To: Daleville VA
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: scattered clouds

¢Be afraid, ¢¦ be very afraid¢Today¢s picture tells it all. Unfortunately it is a self-portrait and I didn¢t quite get the menacing razor sharp edges of the rock hanging over my head.Here¢s the story. I¢m cruising along, enjoying the views, and pretty much minding my own business. My left arm is better than it was yesterday, which normally implies that it will continue to improve. So that¢s one more trail memory we can put to bed.Suddenly, I look up and, oh my gosh, there¢s this rock precariously wedged between two other huge boulders, directly over my head. Yikes!! Well, with absolutely NO concern for my own safety, I instead take the time to photograph the entire thing so that I¢ll have something to write about today. Yep, this one¢s for you.OK. Later I realized (from reading the data book) that this was (is) the infamous ¢Guillotine¢ boulder collection. My heart-rate slowed down to an acceptable level and the adrenaline rush began to dissipate once I understood that this formation has probably existed for hundreds and perhaps thousands of years, and has yet to crush anyone or anything.But you never know.Good grief. Spiders with poisonous fangs ¢ Guillotines over poor hiker¢s heads ¢ what¢s next? Ummmm what¢s this in the data book about a, ¢¦ DRAGON¢s tooth ???Hope this brings a smile to your face today, andthanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS: think I need a six-pack to calm my nerves, ¢¦ yeah
Date: 2007-09-28
From: Daleville VA

To: VA 311 (the Homeplace)
Miles today: 20.2

Nothing much to report trailwise: my spider bite is healing, my new insoles are breaking in properly, weather¢s perfect (although dry), and generally it¢s just been great fun hiking.I met Fiesta and Siesta today, two really cool and really fun guys. We stopped at the Homeplace in Catawba, and OH MY GAWD! The food was sooooo good. We had more than an hour to wait, but it was worth it. They (the Homeplace) even let us camp out in their gazebo. I stopped making fun of mispronunciations of ¢Catowawba¢ and gave the town and its inhabitants my full respect. Awesome!!Did have one interesting occurrence though. Earlier in the day when I reached the Catawba trailhead, 3 section hikers were hanging out. One of them said, ¢hey, are you Obie?¢ What tha, ¢¦ wha? I was completely caught off guard. He recognized me from reading my journal (the first time that¢s happened). Really nice guy. Later I got to thinking that he probably knew about all my whining from Katahhhdin (or Katawdin) to Virginia. Geeze. I feel obligated to say something to the effect of ¢I¢m really not THAT emotional all day¢. It¢s just that I use the journal to write down everything I don¢t say out loud. It¢s as much a record for myself as it obviously is to share with others, for some distant future.   I want to capture all the internal struggles, hardships, AND good times, while they are still fresh. Time has a tendency to distort one¢s memory such that you selectively recall key events as you may or may not want them to be. Your perception of these events may (will) change as you age (mature?).It¢s really quite ironic how I only talk to a handful of people every day, but my inner personal thoughts are getting broadcasted across the planet. Consequently, there are certainly hundreds of people out there who believe I have completely ¢lost it¢. Ha, perhaps they understand me more than I understand me.What a screwball life. Ha!Thanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS: kinda neat to be recognized
Date: 2007-09-29
From: VA 311 (the Homeplace)

To: Sinking Creek Mountain
Miles today: 24.9

closer to the end, ¢¦. sighI haven¢t been writing as much lately, mostly because I initially (and still do) used the journal as an escape from the trail (and the trail as an escape from everything else, ha!). A way to get things out in the open where I (and anyone else following) could possibly better examine what was taking place. Issues like loneliness, boredom, etc. Those feelings don¢t seem to bother me any longer, certainly not like they did. Either I¢ve grown stronger, or replaced those emotions with others, or they just don¢t have the dreaded impact they once did. Does that make sense?Now days, I¢m more often contemplating the relatively short duration of the remainder of the trip, and I¢m trying to soak up every last bit of it. I suppose that is one reason I enjoy ¢sleeping under the stars¢, hence yet another cowboy camping experience tonight. I¢m not sad to leave I guess, because in all honesty, it¢s tough out here and I¢m really looking forward to relaxing at home after it¢s done.However, I know that even if I thru-hiked again, things would never be the same as now, and I know that I will never be in this mental/physical place again. Close, maybe, but not exact. This is a one-time life event that few really understand. Others can get a glimpse of what I¢ve been through, the good and the bad, but it¢s difficult for any writer to truly convey ALL the mixed complex emotions which form the whole at the end of the day. And that¢s ok. Some avid hikers may NEVER want to do a thru-hike (my dad is one) for reasons that are equally valid. His joy comes from the repeated newness of revisiting different sections of the trail in different seasons. One of his pleasures is discovering the ¢Americana¢ of all the towns (not just trail towns) which surround the greenway from Georgia to Maine.Actually, in one sense, it¢s the same here on the trail as in everyday life: no matter what, people, places and times change, so you¢ll never be able to precisely recapture every moment. One solution then is to soak up the most of everyday that you can, live life to the fullest (so to speak).Of course, just like out here, once I return to the ¢real¢ world, there¢ll be hard times. But if you (1) step back every once in a while and think about what really matters, and (2) go into every situation with the attitude of enjoying and appreciating even the difficult times, then you don¢t have to recapture moments, because it¢ll all be good. I guess for me that means finding the balance between enjoying the AT and preparing for the ¢afterlife¢ again. I¢ll have to reintegrate back into home life and Grad school, and/or whatever the next year brings. After that, who knows? There ARE other trails out there.Thanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS: soak up the most of everyday that you can
Date: 2007-09-30
From: Sinking Creek Mountain

To: Pearisburg VA
Miles today: 47.0
Weather: clear sky

How to: convince yourself to do something stupid like a 47 mile day for NO REASON.It starts out by ¢cowboy¢ camping on a ridge facing east. I awoke early, packed and was ready to hike just in time for a beautiful sunrise. What a great beginning.Charged up, I made excellent time and tackled obstacle mountains with relative ease. Of course, working harder made me hungrier, and I ate most of tomorrow¢s food. When I stopped to check the map, I saw that if I passed the shelter around 26 miles, headed up the last ridge and topped a 30 mile day, I would have under 15 to go tomorrow (but foodless). A reasonably good plan.Of course, later in the day, when I got up there I saw that I was only 7 miles from the next shelter, which meant that I wouldn¢t have to cowboy camp 2 nights in a row. I still felt pretty solid. Sounds like a better plan.Arriving at the shelter, just after dark, it was ONLY another 7 miles into town. UmmmmI called the motel in Pearisburg. Naturally they had rooms and would be pleased to hold one for me. Soooo, I got out a new headlamp, restocked myself with plenty of water, and walked the last remaining miles into the city, ¢¦ excruciatingly tired.Oh well, I¢ve now had a hot shower and a cold beer, and life just doesn¢t get any better than this, 47 miles and all. Wait a minute, there¢s a hamburger joint just across the street. Life just got a little better.Hope you are having your own great ¢47 mile day¢ today.Thanks for reading.   ~ Dr Jekyll (Obie)PS: 47 miles, ¢¦ sometimes it just happens
Date: 2007-10-01
From: Pearisburg VA

To: Pearisburg VA
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

a 20+ mile zero day.Well, 47 divided by two is 23.5, so the zero I take today to recuperate from yesterday means I have two 20+ days back-to-back. That oughta do it.Not much else to talk about. No bear attacks, no real ¢trail drama¢ or juicy gossip to report. Just doing chores, relaxing, and refueling (eating) for the next leg. Hard to believe that the final big push for VA is dead ahead. The trail is going by way too fast.GO JACKETS!!!