morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2005-07-18
From: Kay Wood Shelter

To: Dalton
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: haze

Last night I climbed into my sleeping bag early again because of the bugs. They came out in earnest as the sun went down. About midnight I awoke to a thump on the shelter and saw a small light. A night hiker had arrived. He stopped for some time to read the shelter register, then disappeared. I said hello, but he didn¢t say more than a hello back. Then this morning when I left I found his tent pitched alongside the shelter. He was sleeping so I left without meeting him.It was a short walk into town this morning so I left with only a snack for breakfast. Coming into Dalton was a little confusing, as the white blazes disappeared one I came out of the woods. I found someone to direct me and was soon at Rob Bird¢s Shell Station. Rob opened his home in Dalton to hikers, and runs it as a hostel. He took me there and showed me to the shower and pointed out where to find breakfast. Soon life was good again.I have been taking Ibuprofen while walking to keep everything working. I decided to stop for the rest of the day today to see how my body is doing. You cannot always know how bad inflammation can be when on ibuprofen. When I got here there was a bunch of young hikers I had met my first couple of days out. They have been hanging out here for a couple days. Soon Shawn came in off the trail. He started telling his story from the night before. He was trying to make big miles and walked into the night north bound. Somehow in the darkness he became confused and got turned around when almost to the next town north. He then marched south back over the ground he had just covered. He walked back thru Dalton, southbound, not realizing his mistake. Out of town he came to the Kay woods shelter where I was sleeping. Only after reading the shelter register did it start to dawn on him what he had done. so he was the chap I found in the tent this morning. I have always wondered how those night hikers found there way around, and now I know. They sometimes make big mistakes. It is surprisingly easy to get turned around in day light, if for any reason you depart from the trail.Rob Bird is a very generous host. He took me to the mall for a little shopping and lunch, then dropped me at the library so I could check my e-mail. The I walked back to his place, he calls it ¢the bird cage¢ to watch the water channel. The heat and humidity here show no sign of letting up.As supper time neared I started to check my body parts. My new knee is sore in several spots where the tibia bone joins the titanium joint part. It is very tender when I prod it. There is a lot of heat in the knee also. The whole thing is as warm as can be. I am a little alarmed.Rob packed the eight hiker staying tonight into his mini van and drove us to a nearby sub shop. Everyone ordered and we drove back to ¢the bird cage¢ to eat and watch a movie.
Date: 2005-01-04
To: the preparation
Miles today: 0.0

My name is Ross Linthicum, I am an 18 y.o male from frederick, MD. I will be starting a Northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail on February 27. I graduated from Linganore High School in 2004, and I have taken a year off before i go to college, so that I can hike the trail. I would consider myself a experienced backpacker, but in no means have i ever attempted anything like hiking the entire appalachian trail. I have spent the last year earning money and buying equipment. I still have a little bit of gear yet to buy, and am know beginning to plan my food, and food drops and the other more complicated planning involved in hiking the trail.
Date: 2005-01-17
To: Scary
Miles today: 0.0

Yeah so Ive been online a lot lately trying to check out the latest gear and make sure I have everything, which has sent me into a slight spiral worry and doubt, but i hope this is a good thing because I am a very good procratinator and maybe this worry and doubt will encourage me to finish preparing for my hike. I Have done little to no Extra physical activity to prepare for my 2,000 mile hike and yet I have the cockiness to not be the slightest bit worried about if I am physically prepared, oh well I am however worried about food, I need lots and lots of food, for those of you who are food savvy, my research says that I will need approximately 6,000 calories a day, which is a lot. So hopefully within the next couple of days I will order a bulk supply of freeze-dried food for my dinners, and cases upon cases of snickers and other calorie packed energy bars. I am really glad that I started this journal for my hike because it really helps get my mind in gear for the things that I need to get ready. I hope that I am not boring those of you reading this, so if there is anything you would like me talk about that might be more interesting please feel free to tell me
Date: 2005-01-17
To: THe question is why am i doing this??
Miles today: 0.0

-So Why Ross do you want to walk from Georgia to Maine?hmmmmmmm... do I have a good reason, no not really?Well it has always kinda been in the back of my mind since I started hiking in Scouts to do the whole thing. But it really all started the summer before my senior year of high School. Me and my parents were taking an extended weekend trip in Pennsylvania looking for a college for me to attend after I graduated high school. During this trip I came up with the idea and over dinner one night i casually told my parents that instead of going to college I wanted to hike the entire Appalachian trail, being the great parents they are, seemed to take the idea in stride, without too much shock and awe. We then immediately discussed the best time to complete my dream, and after a short period of time, decided that taking off a full year between high school and college would be the most ideal situation.-But WHY ROSS? WHY?I dont like formal education, classrooms are dull and i feel they are too structured and tied down by curriculums and Tests. Thats not to say I dont like learning or dont appreciate my public schooling, I do appreciate it. I also had some great teachers, but i just dont appreciate the structure of the schooling. So I was left with two smart choices for life after I graduated high school, Appalachian Trail or College......hmmmmmmm.....yeah I chose to go for a hike. So I hate to say it, but this whole thing started by me being sick of school and wanting to try something else. (for those of you who dont know me, I will be attending Messiah College Fall 2005, but I'm hiking the Trail first).
Date: 2005-01-30
To: Disaster Strikes (haha, not quite)
Miles today: 0.0

Yeah so Friday Night I was chasing our new puppy around the house and slammed my right foot into the brick fireplace, and banged up my right pinky toe pretty bad, enough to cause some walking trouble and a roughs night sleep. The good new is now two days later it feels normal again and just the toenail is cracked up a bit, so it should not pose to be a Problem for hiking.I just wanted to thank all of you people who have been checking out my Journal and posting in my Guest book. I am especially suprised by all the support from people I dont even know, this all very cool, and I wanted to thank you all.Mom got a little emotional the other day as January 27 passed by which is exactly one month before my departure on the AT.Just so you all know how this will most likely work. As I am on the trail I will keep a handwritten day to day journal, which I will send home and my mother will transcribe it and post it on this journal. So this journal will hopefully be updated at least once a week. I know I could use Pocketmail or a blackberry or something, but i think i would prefer not to mess with digital technology as I am on the trail.As far as preparations go, I have done little lately. Between work and the Real Estate class I am taking at the moment I have not a whole of extra time. And If i do have extra time I usually find a way to go skiing or visit with friends during the little time I have left.I am checking up on my savings account to check on how much Cash I will have on hand, hopefully I will have enough saved up to quit work by the second week in February. This should give me enough time to make all final arrangements and make sure I say goodbye to all my friends and family before I leave, because if the trail does take me all 6 months I might have to go directly from the trail straight to college.
Date: 2005-02-07
To: So let me tell you about yesterday
Miles today: 0.0

Caution: Feel free to ignore this entry its just kinda the things that run through my head before i go to bed each night.First off, note to self, the Trail House closes at 4 P.M. on Sundays, so dont be like me and try to go buy stuff on Superbowl Sunday while the local hiking outfitter is ClOSED. ANYWAYS, once in a while, right before I go to bed it suddently dawns on me that I am going to hike the Grandaddy of all hiking trails, The entire Appallachian trail. Which, by the way has grown this year another 0.8 miles, through relocations and such, bringing the total distance to 2,174.9 miles. So Yeah, the whole thing, and i say to myself, Ross, you are not very bright, there are much better modes of transportation. You know what thats a very good point. But in fact, I dont need a mode of transportaion, because im not really trying to go anywhere. Im just going hiking and it happens to be that the act of hiking will take me from Georgia to Maine. So after I pondered on that for a while, I tried to evaluate my chances of making it all the way. Too put it in Perspective an estimate from the Appalachian Trail conference said that of the roughly 1,750 people who tried the same northbound hike I am goin to attempt only 391 finished. That is a completion rating of 22%.Yet, when i talk to friends and family about the odds are against me completing, the seem to think such ideas if me not finishing are nosense. Which I applaud them for, but am unsure if their confidence in me is due to their upmost encouragement or foolihardiness, SORRY.So i want to erase everything i just wrote because i think it is poor writing, boring, uninteresting, negative and a whole bucnh of other things, but I will leave it there anyways.Yeah so I want to thank family and friends for their unwavering support.So once I stop thinking about not finishing, and I do some wonderful self-encouragement, I then think to my self I am UNSTOPPABLE, then I think to myself I am 18, what if i do complete the AT, whats next, hey you gotta think ahead. So if I finish the AT and I like thruhiking, I will then do the PCT and the Long Trail, and maybe the continental trail, i think it is?. Oh yeah all the 4,000 footers in the White Mountains would be prety sweet. Cause Ill have plenty of summers during college to do that. So finish all that up before I get my degree. HAHA then WHAT??? SORRY MOM trying not to scare ya, IM just sayin, if I hike the AT when IM 18, WHATS NEXT. I welcome all new ideas.So yeah thats a couple of the things that run through my head all day especially at night.
Date: 2005-02-14
To: Almost there
Miles today: 0.0

SO I have saved up my money and had my last day of work last friday. Its all hitting me pretty hard right now, change is tough. But I believe the trail is going to shape me for my future and help me discover my purpose and my future. Anyways, I start on sunday the 27, and am leaving Maryland Saturday the 26. Now every waking moment and sleeping moment for that matter is devoted to preparation for hiking the Appalachian Trail, and saying goodbye to friends.
Date: 2005-02-23
To: This is it
Miles today: 0.0

HEY AGAIN FEEL FREE TO IGNORE THIS ONE, IM NOT HIKING YET SAVE YOUR ENERGY TILL WHEN I START, READ IF YOU WISH, BUT IF YOUR LIKE ME JUST SKIM IT AND SEE IF ANYTHING PEAKS YOUR INTEREST. I Will start my hike on Sunday but my Journal might not be updated till maybe the 4th or 5th of March.THis will be my last preparation entry before I start my hike on Sunday FEBRUARY 27, 2005. This is my last because preparation journals are boring, all you need to know is Im still here, almost ready and NOT YET HIKING.So I took my pack for a hike last night, just to check and check if I have everything ready. Looks like my pack base weight should be about 19 pounds, haven't quite picked out some of the exact gear and winter clothes ill be taking. So I figure 10 to 12 more pounds for food and water, bringing me up to a solid 30+ lbs. I say thats not shabby for a winter gear pack.Everything worked out well, I camped on the AT at Annapolis Rock in MD. It was weird it was Tuesday night and i was the only one. Its usually packed with Rock Climbers all the other times I have been there.Yeah so Im anxious and its kinda late at night and no one to talk to, so Im gonna keep typing.I got on a scale yesterday when I was weighing my pack. I dont really trust the scale, its kinda old and I think Dad probably got it at Auction or something. Well it said my pack without food and water was 18 pounds (It was missing a few things so I rounded up to 19 lbs) and it said I weighed 146. Im probably the skinniest I have ever been in my enitre life and from what i read I will probabaly only get skinnier, NOT GOOD, IM too skinny already.Anyways on a positive note, IM READY TO GO, (IF you are still reading this you are probably one of those people who have never walked out of a movie theater until the movie is over, even though you know what the ending is already).I find that I will most likely be the youngest person hiking the trail solo, this year. Just a fact, nothing else, by the way I am 18, born August 15, 1986.I find my conversations with friends to be more awkward thank usual lately, I guess I am just uptight. A lot of people tell me they are reading my Journal, which i like, thats why its there, but I dont know what I am supposed to say to them, Thank You, I Appreciate it. That just doesnt seem to roll of the tongue very elequently.I will get to ski one last time before I leave. Skiing is what I will miss, sorry its the truth, even though it will just be a couple weeks of Spring snow, and i have already had a great season, Skiing is what Im gonna miss I think, but maybe not, backpacking might substitute, but i doubt it.Yeah so back to the friends, its tough, relatives are easier, i will see again, but high school friends and church friends who have supported me to get to this point, i might not see again, some I know I will, but for most of them we will only grow apart from here.OH YEAH AND CHECK OUT SOME OF THE NEW PICS FROM MY OVERNIGHT TO ANNAPOLIS ROCK
Date: 2005-02-27
To: Springer and beyond!
Miles today: 0.0

Ross started his journey Sunday morning 2/27/05 8:45 AM. He hiked quickly to the top of the falls where we met him and gave him another quick hug. Then on he went. We checked out of the lodge, had breakfast and quickly made the long drive around and up state road 42 to meet him at the top of Springer. Ross arrived right on time at 12 noon! He was happy and quickly downed a sandwich and chocolate milk. It was windy at the top so we moved on and we (Mom & Dad) were able to hike the first mile with him. We said our farewells, hugs, shed a few tears and watched him walk off into the wilderness. We are anxiously waiting to here where he is now and will update as soon as we hear from him.
Date: 2005-02-27
From: Springer and beyond!

To: Hawk Mtn
Miles today: 16.4
Weather: overcast clouds

2/27/05 I weighted my pack and signed up at the visitor center. Met Quickfeet and Steadyfeet. Said goodbye to my parents at the trailhead, then saw them again at the falls. I tore up the approach trail in 3 1/2 hours. Had lunch with my parents on Springer Mtn. Then we got to walk the first mile of the AT together, very cool. Said goodbye for the final time an I continued on to Stover Creek shelter. Stover Shelter was packed and I didn't feel like meeting new people. So I kept going and made it to Hawk Shelter. I met Paladin and Train, there are others too, maybe 12. A couple of weekend college kids and some other thruhikers. I passed 3 thruhikers today all in their 20's. 2 of them were brothers made it to Hawk tonight, but its their 2nd night. The other kid I passed on the approach trail. His pack was HUGE and he had all his Jackets and Pants and packcover. I passed him wearing shorts and a T-Shirt. Everystep he took looked extremely painful. Today it snowed and hailed some. I was wearing T-shirt + shorts through the whole thing. So it looks likes I have already passed everyone who started the approach trail, the same time I did. Ahhh, it feels so good to have started finally, I did about 15 miles today and it felt very good. So everything is a piece of cake from here, right? It be nice if one of the guys here will keep pace with me, some guy just got here southbounded in 2003 maybe he will have a similar pace, alright goodnight. Ross
Date: 2005-02-28
From: Hawk Mtn

To: Gooch Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 7.3
Weather: light snow

(Monday) Yeah so, yesterdays journal was very fragmented. I guess I was pretty tired. Only 8 miles today to get here. I got here at lunch time and met Kidagain. He has been here one night already. He had a bad blister and decided to stay an extra night. The college guys are here tonight, and the two katahdin bound brothers just arrived. Its probably 5:30 or 6:00. Yeah so Kidagain gave me some red beans and rice for lunch, he even heated the water for me. He has way too much food. Paladin and Train are here again, along with this lady called Ladyhawk and her dog Cody, she spent the night at Hawk Shelter with us last night. Train got his name, because he carries a wooden train whistle, its pretty neat and has a sweet sound in the woods. My stomach feels weird right now. I have been using a lot of idione to treat my water in this cold weather. It has stained my platypus. Paladin is the food master, all sorts of good sounding dishes, he had bacon & eggs this morning. I didn't sleep very well last night and it poured, I was very happy to be in the shelter. So I got up a little later than everyone else, hoping that the fog would burn off and the rain would go away but it didn't, so hiked in the rain. Today was totally different hike than yesterday I just ran off of adrenaline from the starting the AT. Today was a little tougher. I feel good except for my stomach like I said. The front bones on my hips already bruised, but not too bad. I plan on hiking 16 miles tomorrow to the Walasi-Yi center and spending the night, picking up my first mail-drop and maybe even a hot shower. Well its time to make some dinner. I feel like I'm writing a lot but it seems like so much happens in one day.
Date: 2005-03-01
From: Gooch Mtn. Shelter

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 16.6
Weather: overcast clouds

(Tuesday) 3/1/2005 So I'm trying to figure this journal thing out. This is my journal so I can write some "boring" stuff, that will bring me fond memories, yet be uninteresting to all of you reading this. So today started at Gooch's Mtn Shelter, and it definitely was not snowing, and my water definitely wasn't frozen, and my ceral bars definitely weren't frozen. Oh yeah and I definitely wasn't wearing shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. By the way it looks like I might have a trail name "Shorts". So I headed out and kept a good pace in order to keep warm. I passed Train, Paladin and Kidagain, pretty early on the uphills, which is where I seem to accellerate, whooops thats spelt wrong. Yeah so I didn't stop at all day, cause it wasn't snowing and I wasn't wearing shorts, I had a quick lunch and continued on. Anyways I don't feel like writing anymore. I had my first fall, stupid it was just a sideslip, no bruise or anything to take a picture of. I lost my camera on Blood Mtn. and had to run back and find it. the string got caught on a limb and yanked out of its pocket during my ascent. Your supposed to be able to see Springer from there. Eh. I might have seen it. I kept moving cause I wasn't wearing shorts. Oh Yeah, there were barely any markings for the trail, I hiked down slipping all the way, and made it to Walasi-Yi center. I bought new iodine cause the other one leaked. I'm staying at the hostel tonight. Paladin and Train made the 16 mile hike too. Meeting new people today Kirk & Lisa (newlyweds), Scarecrow, the guy who already southbounded. We ordered pizza, it just got here. MMM... sausage & mushrooms. I split a large with Scarecrow.I don't remember what I have told you already. I took a break from journaling to eat. I talked to mom let her know i was alright and asked her to take care of a couple of gear changes. Well thats it for now.
Date: 2005-03-02
From: Neels Gap

To: Low Gap Shelter 
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: clear sky

Quiet day, sad day, left the hostel. Remember yesterday how it wasn't snowing? Well it wasn't windy today, but it did calm down, clear skies today, sun was shining. I'm here at Low Gap with Paladin and Senor Nobs, who were both at the hostel last night with me.My left leg (yes the one I broke) is bothering me. I am very worried, only did 11 or so miles from Walasi-Yi to Low Gap Shelter. There is also a weekender with us today. He is staying in the tent. I am a shelter slave at the moment. I only go from shelter to shelter. I am going to try and contact Mom about the leg if I can. Took some Ibuprofen and put like a knee sleeve on it. If it does not improve tommorrow I will find a way to town to have it professionally checked. I know its 2,000 miles I should expect pain, but I am usused to a constant discomfort, two good legs are better that one thru-hike. Sorry I'm talking about it so much but today was relatively uneventful compared to the others and although it really is a small concern its all I can think about. It seems to only bother me on the downhills. Anyways it better go away, I don't appreciate it. I'm getting chilled sitting here, so I will get in my warm bag and sleep.Goodnight.
Date: 2005-03-03
From: Low Gap Shelter 

To: Tray Mtn Shelter 4,200'
Miles today: 14.9

All day I think about what I am going to write in my journal, and then it all comes back to me at once when I start writing, and I just can't write fast enough to keep up with my mind feedng me things to write down.So last night was my first low point, not real low, but still, and it happened at Low Gap, how odd. Last night I thought a lot about my leg and the length of this journey and making it to Katahdin and a good bit of praying too. So I started out the next morning and said goodbye to Paladin, not likely I will see much more of him, since I will most likely start a much brisker pace in the following days. The first 5 miles were OK, but the downhills were killer on my left leg and not looking good. But then I took a short break and it was a lot better for the rest of the day.I was very happy. Me and Senor Nobs passed by each other all day. He thruhiked 1 time already in '99. He wears sealskin socks and chacos. It is very interesting, he says its very light and no blisters. (chacos are sandals) He also has no hot meals. I summited some peaks, nice views. Took some pics, but am not particularly impressed, the views are just OK. Today was beautiful clear, sunny, even warm for awhile.Oh Yeah I have a theory why my knee hurt, but you'll have to ask me about it. I might take a zero day in town tomorrow. Tonight at the shelter we have two newlyweds and Senor Nobs and me.I think there was some other stuff but I wanna get in my warm sleeping bag. Oh Yeah as long as my leg is good tommorrow I'm gonna kick it up a notch in a day or two, ya know 20+ miles dawn to dusk sorta thing, I'm done sleeping in and getting in early. I feel the need to test my limits see how far I can go in these Georgia hills.Goodnight