morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2006-02-12
To: My Ghostwriters
Miles today: 0.0

T-36 and counting. Is anyone other than me noticing that the past couple of weeks of weather in North Central Florida have presented PERFECT hiking conditions? Nearly every day has been 50-60 degrees and blue skies. Please may this follow me to Springer Mountain on March 20!   A note to readers of my journal while I'm away: In case you start to wonder if ee cummings has begun to inhabit my soul, what's really happening is that Scott is serving as my transcriber and he believes that capital letters and punctuation are 'inefficient.' While Scott's away (or joining us), Robin has graciously agreed to serve in this capacity, and I'm sure we'll all see an improvement in my writing during those times. Commas or not, thank you to both Scott and Robin for providing me this link to the outside world!
Date: 2006-03-13
To: One week to go!
Miles today: 0.0

At this time next week John and I will be winding our way up Springer Mountain, GA! Spent most of the weekend bagging my bulk food supplies and filling up my mail drop boxes with food (including Jane's 5,000 thin mint Girl Scout cookies!), maps and guidebooks, disposable cameras, etc. With all the bulk powdered supplies like milk and butter, my kitchen must have looked like some kind of meth lab. It's really sort of a weird task to think about and purchase everything you think you'll want to eat for six months. These boxes won't cover all of it of course, but they'll provide a boost along the way.I'm very eager to get this journey started. Right now, I feel like those few seconds before giving a big speech--excited and nervous and hopeful and a bit distracted. A minute into the speech, it's nearly always smooth sailing. This hike needs to get going so that I can develop a daily rhythm that feels second nature to me instead of The Big Looming Thing I've Been Planning For a Year.
Date: 2006-03-18
To: Last morning in Gainesville
Miles today: 0.0

It's 5:45 AM on my final day at home. TRIED to keep sleeping (we're not leaving for GA til at least 10), but the nervous energy shut that down. Since I know I have a couple hours ahead of me of trying to stuff everything I have currently chosen to take (the musts: tent, sleeping bad & pad, stove & cookware, water purifier, maps, headlap, camera, journal; the negotiables: THIS amount of food, clothing, and toiletries) into my pack, cursing cuz it won't fit, taking it all back out, reluctantly parting with a few more items, attempting to stuff it all back in the pack, rinse, lather, repeat...anyway, with this on my morning to do list, WHO CAN SLEEP? (Well, Scott, Matt, Aimee, and bassets Maggie and Mo seem to be managing that fine at the moment.)Questions buzzing through my mind......will John be(come) a morning person? (Sure hope so!)...will my pack explode from the strain of its contents?...is it really gonna rain on our 1st day of hiking like weather.com suggests?...will Mo have turned completely white by the time I return?...will my 81-year-old dad make it back down the mountain that he insists on   climbing with me Monday morning? Stay tuned for the answers to these questions and more. Time to go make some coffee.
Date: 2006-03-19
From: Amicalola Lodge

To: Amicalola Lodge
Miles today: 0.0

Had a great weekend of family and friends coming and going, food, naps in a warm bed, more food, hot baths and more food. Bob and Brenda sprised us at dinner last night. They drove out of their way to make the lodge a stop on their way back to Canada. It was great to see Jack and Andy, Lauren and Steve and kids, including Ella the snake charmer. Mom and dad are here too. Mom returns to Clarkesville, GA with Jack and Andy this morning. Dad plans on spending another night so that he can join us (John, Richard, John's parents) on a hike up Springer in the morning. Weather Channel says 100% chance of rain tomorrow and there's flood warnings for Atlanta and North GA. We can pick 'em!
Date: 2006-03-20
From: Springer mountain

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 3.4
Weather: moderate rain

After at least a year's worth of planning, all I can say is WE'RE FINALLY OUT HERE!!!! WOO-HOO!!!Favorite vision of the day: John, Richard, John's parents, and I chasing my 81-year-old father down Springer Mountain. Favorite quote: (from John's dad Jeff): "That's just like hiking the whole AT, only different!" said in response to something that bears no relevance to the AT. We opted for baby miles and the first shelter today since it's not a matter of if but when it will rain. I am inside a small (10'x 12') shelter with six other people including John who will also be sitting out the rain for the night here. Ages range from the 30's to 60's. It's amusing to me that in a few hours I will be sleeping inches away from stangers. While we're all very new to this thru-hiking thing, it seems bizarrly normal and conforting to be in this small space together. John's therometer is reading high 30's and it just started to rain. Misery loves company! Lesson of the day: Don't leave Jet Boil unattended. Its name can be a self fulfilling prophecy and stoganoff noodles will explode all over a picnic table. Floor show by Jill. Maybe that will attract the mice to the table instead of the shelter.I want to say a big thank you to everyone who went out of their way to to support our journey and see us off. I'm sure we'll experience some lonely moments in the months ahead. The memories of all your kind encouraging words (and the yummy food you'll send!) will help us through the low times.
Date: 2006-03-21
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Justus Creek
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

A mouse ran over my head last night in the shelter! Glad we got that over with. We're tenting tonight!Had a more repectable day today in terms of miles. John and I were up at 6AM (and actually every hour before that as 12 hours is a long time to lie on a cold wooden surface in 35 degree rain) and on our way by 8AM. Lolly-gagged a little since it was still raining when we left. Saw a gorgeous waterfall within the first three miles (Long Creek Falls) and enjoyed an opportunity to dunk my head in a stream - REFRESHING! Had a wonderful breakfast (the freeze dried egg, cheese, ham does work) by another pretty stream. Ate lunch at Hank Mountain Shelter where two shelter mates from last night were staying. The challenge of the day was Sassafrass Mountain at 3400'. John couldn't find a suitable tree to hang his food from after that (his standards are higher than mine, but then again he has had his food eaten by a bear in the past and I have not), so we pushed on to a lovely camping spot besides Justus Creek. Food has been hung (to code) and my tent is beside a soothing babbling brook. Didn't crawl into the tent until 7:15...this was a long day. So far knees are holding their own and I feel great!
Date: 2006-03-22
From: Justus Creek

To: Dockery Lake Trail, just past Granny Top Mtn
Miles today: 9.5

Late start this morning (9:30AM) because it was freaking COLD! 24 degrees at dawn. Fortunatly it was very sunny, so it warmed up to mid 50's by afternoon. Passed lots of scenic overlooks today and had dinner with two trail maintainers who were enjoying the view. Spent much of the day peeling off layers of clothing and putting them back on with the wide range of temperatures. Challenge of the day was going up Big Cedar Mtn at 3800 feet. Felt like walking straight up vertically with few switchbacks. This will seem wussy after tomorrow afternoon and Blood Mtn at 4500'...5 miles up and 2.5 down to Neels Gap, where we hope to find a ride into a toasty warm cabin with real beds and hot showers at Vogel State Park - our reward! Tonight we're tent camping again, which I enjoy much more than shelters when there is no rain. Met a nice couple from Atlanta around the campfire, they're shooting for Katahdin too. Nearly everyone we've met is. 'Tis the season for thru-hikers, I guess. Knees and legs still feel fine - just a little bruising below the rib cage where the pack strap hits. Got to soak my head in another cold stream today - exhilerating! I may have to bring a bucket of ice water with me to work when this all ends for the occasional pick-me-up.
Date: 2006-03-23
From: Duckery Lake Trail, just past Granny top mtn

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 7.5
Weather: broken clouds

Ahh what a difference a day makes (when that day includes a heated cabin with hot showers and a soft bed at Vogel SP). Crossed GA's tallest mountain on the trail today, Blood Mtn at 4500'. There was ice on the trail at the top and a very cold boy scout troop from Tampa shivering in the shelter. Their scout leader told us that two boys had already been sent home with hypothermia. Somebody's thermometer read 26 degrees at the summit and another reported 32.  It was indeed COLD, but that's somewhat ideal for a big climb. As we climbed down slowly and caught sight of the road and the Walasi-Yi Center, I practically ran down the trail. Y'know those gross looking hot dog machines they have at convenience stores where the dogs roll around under a heat lamp? Food never tasted so good! To top off that nutritional fare, I ate a can of spegettios and meatballs and the world's largest moon pie for dinner. Yummmmm. We talked an employee into shuttling us the two miles to to Vogel SP. The cabin we have is much smaller than the one in December (infamous cabin #35), but it's warm, has hot showers, a full kitchen, and laundry facilites. John is iceing his knee, our newly clean clothes are hanging off every available surface to dry and I'm probably about five pages in the Carter book from falling asleep. Didn't sleep too well last night because it was so cold. We hear it might snow or rain in the area tonight (glad to be indoors). Tomorrow morning's weather and the state of John's knees will determine our plans. (Editors note: They stayed the day due to weather and John's knee pain, so 3/24/06 was their first zero day.)
Date: 2006-03-24
From: Neels Gap

To: Neels Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

When we reached the trail at Neels Gap, it was snowing! Actually it was quite a beautiful scene. All the trees where bathed in white with icicles hanging down. We left our cabin with the intention of hiking only 4-5 miles since John's knees are still hurting him. As we walked around the Walasi-Yi Center store, nearly every thru-hiker we talked to was taking a zero-day today to rest weary legs and hope for warmer temps tomorrow. So, like lemmings, we fell in line, got a shuttle to Dahlonega (with a delightful man in his 60's who bicycles 2000+ miles a year and is shooting for 3000 this year) and checked in to the Holiday Inn Express. So once again I sit in a heated room on a soft bed with gear all over the room airing out. The day off will hopefully help John's knees and we're going out of our way to eat like freaks. By 3PM today I'd eaten three soft boiled eggs, a hot dog, half a pizza and dinner is still to come! My dad is meeting us for breakfast in the morning and will shuttle us back to the trail at Neels Gap. I am ready for some sunny skies and some miles!
Date: 2006-03-25
From: Neels Gap

To: Cowrock Mtn
Miles today: 4.7

Had a wonderfully huge breakfast with dad and then he dropped us off at a very windy and cold Neels Gap. With occasional sun, temps were in the mid 40's. There was ice and snow on the trail in places and at one point we walked through sort of a icicle forest which looked like something out of a children's fairy tale. We stopped atop Cowrock Mtn while it was snowing a little at 2:30PM as John didn't want to risk his knees on the steep decline into Tesnatee Gap. I can already tell that one of the lessons I will be confronted with on this journey is how to balance my own inner drive with the needs of those I care about. I was eager to hike at least three more hours today, especially since we got sort of a late start. But John's not feeling up to that and I need to be sensitive to his needs as I am sure I'd hope he would be towards me if I were in pain. Kari, thank god you gave me something to read (the Carter book) because that's about all I'll have to do for the next four hours til dark. Will have time to cook a four course meal tonight for dinner - will sample some new freeze dried wonders.Vision of the day: as we were hiking up Levelland Mtn dressed like Nanook of the North, two guys came jogging by us in shorts and t-shirt looking like they were on a Florida beach.Should drop well below freezing tonight I have five layers of clothing on...
Date: 2006-03-26
From: Cowrock Mtn

To: Poplar Stamp Gap
Miles today: 7.3

"Woke up" this morning at 6:15AM, sat up, and my movement caused it to snow INSIDE my tent. This did not make me very happy. I put "woke up" in quotes cuz I never really slept last night due to the cold temperatures. John's thermometer read 20 degrees this morning. Thankfully an absolutely awe insiring sunrise provided some payback for our discomfort. Brushed the snow off (both sides) of the my tent, ate a couple frozen hardboiled eggs (oddly crunchy), and we were on our way by about 9AM. Passed a boy scout troop coming south. Turned out to be a cold but very sunny day, so it was actually good hiking weather. We (and our four water bottles) eventually thawed. We're tent camping again near Poplar Stamp Gap. Should be another chilly night (I am now wearing even my rain gear on top of the five layers), but hopefully we will avoid the snow. Had an interesting combo of ziti and snausages for dinner. Yummmm. (Not real snausages, but they kinda look like them.)I hope to actually sleep tonight. We went further today and my legs and feet feel it a little, so hopefully the Z's will come more easily. Goal for tomorrow is a 7-mile hike into Unicoi Gap where we'll find a shuttle to a Helen hotel. Hot bath, warm bed, here I come!
Date: 2006-03-27
From: Poplar Stamp Gap

To: Unicoi Gap
Miles today: 8.0
Weather: clear sky

For my Florida friends, I bring you: What to wear inside a tent on a Georgia mountain in March if you want to stay warm:Torso:1st layer: PolarMax long johns top2nd layer: Capaline turtleneck fleece3rd layer: Another long sleeve Capaline fleece4th layer: Down vest5th layer: Sil-nylon Rain JacketLegs: 1st layer: Polarmax long johns bottom2nd layer: Capilene fleece leggings3rd layer: Sil-nylon rain pantsHead:1st layer: Polartec fleece hat (that goes over entire head and neck with a small opening for eyes and nose)2nd layer: Gore-Tec lined fleece hat (over other hat)Feet:1st layer: thin nylon socks2nd layer: thick hiking socks3rd layer: fleece sleeping socks4th layer: down slippersTonight as I write this, I sit comfortably in a t-shirt and shorts... in a Helen hotel room. Today was a beautiful hiking day - sunny skies and 50 degrees. The earlier part of the day involved easier, flat terrain. However, things grew much more challenging on the approach to Blue Mtn and down into Unicoi Gap. Met lots of interesting hikers today, including a father and son duo from NJ and Hike-zilla (who we must avaoid in shelters cuz he and John know all the same songs!)Best part of today: our first official piece of trail magic! Bill Strickland was waiting with his red truck in the parking lot of Unicoi Gap with a cooler full of sodas and a box of oatmeal creme pies to hand out to thru-hikers passing by. Bill completed a section hike of the AT in 2004 at the age of 66 and seems to remain very connected to the trail both online and thru the "magic" he continues to perform for current hikers. He drove us 10 miles to Helen and our motel and would accept no donation from us. He is a fountain of knowledge about the AT. I could have talked with him for hours. Thanks Bill! Your kindness and generosity made my day!Dad (and possibly Mom) will be meeting us around 8AM for breakfast tomorrow and tote us to a nearby grocery store for resupply and then back to the trail at Unicoi. The next 5-6 miles look VERY challenging. Somebody said the trail in GA is 50% up and 50% down (no flat)... they must have been talking about this next stretch. John's knees seem to be holding their own and I feel fine. Just a little "tender-footed" at day's end from hiking over stretches of jagged rocks (a preview of PA). I'm off to bed with a belly full of steak and rainbow trout from the faux-German restaurant down the street. Ahhh...Helen...the "Gatlinburg of Georgia."
Date: 2006-03-28
From: Unicoi Gap

To: Steeltrap Gap
Miles today: 7.4

Had a huge faux-German Huddle House breakfast with Dad and were back on the trail around 10AM. The predicted rain stayed south of us and it turned out to be perfect weather for steep climbs and long descents - overcast (with periodic sun) and about 55 degrees. We bought more groceries in Helen, so our packs were heavier - we're now feeling very committed to eating our pack weight down!Met Meeks, Seattle, and Breed (a talkative fellow!) at Tray Mtn Shelter while getting water. We're tenting tonight somewhere north of Tray Mtn, not exactly sure where. John displayed athleticism of Olympic proportions this evening in the "Food Bag Throw" event. I don't think a giraffe could reach our food tonight.Local weather station claims temps are on the rise this week, so hopefully we'll stay in the 30s-40s tonight. I have removed one layer (the rain jacket and outer gloves) in a gesture of hope.Still feel very good physically. I'm trying to get in the habit of nightly stretches which will hopefully fend off tendon pain.Oh Almost forgot - we spotted wildlife today: A dead mouse on the trail. After having one run across my head that first night in the shelter, I cannot say I was sad.
Date: 2006-03-29
From: Steeltrap gap

To: Dicks Creek Gap
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: few clouds

Woke up to one of my favorite sounds - bongo drum solos performed by woodpeckers...one knocking on a narrow tree, the other on a thicker one, so the resulting pitches worked well together.Okay, the whining shall commence. Today's hike kicked my ass. The climb of Kelly's Knob seemed to go on forever and was rivaled only by the last descent of the day. Knees are hanging in there, but the bottoms of my feet feel like they've been hammered. Maybe because of the warmer temps (actually wore shorts today), today felt much more difficult than Blood Mtn (GA's tallest peak on the AT). I had little trouble talking John into staying at a hotel in Hiawasee tonight. We were fortunate enough to get a ride with a guy who works for the US Forest Service and was doing a day hike in the area we were in (thank you Chris!). After getting to the hotel, we found eight or so fellow thru-hikers who we've met over the past few days all here nursing their aches and pains and echoing our complaints about the recent terrain. Just gorged myself on an all-you-can-eat buffet...fried chicken, mashed potatoes, greens...mmmmm...I saw no wildlife out of the ordinary today, but John stepped on a small black (probably harmless) snake today. We also met a thru-hiker who said he was greeted by a bear inside a shelter a few miles back. He retreated and decided to sleep elsewhere.If we make decent mileage tomorrow, we might reach the NC border - our second state!One last note to my readers: you all DO know that I can spell, punctuate, etc., right? The hotel I 'm staying at tonight has a computer area and I snuck a peak at my online journal. Ouch! What's up with my transcriber??? I thought UF made their engineers take tech writing? Somewhere Losano weeps.(Editors note: This site needs a spell checker like everything else in the world! And Losano isn't weeping because, as any UF engineering grad knows, the Prince of Darkness cannot cry...)
Date: 2006-03-30
From: Dicks Creek Gap

To: Bly Gap
Miles today: 8.8
Weather: scattered clouds

We bagged a state today! Georgia is no longer on my mind. One down, thirteen to go. We did pretty well today considering we didn't get dropped off at the trail until 10:30AM. Lots of ups and downs, but a little kinder than yesterday's terrain. Legs and feet weren't nearly as pummelled at the end of today's miles as yesterday's. Met a thru-hiker at the shelter we stopped at for lunch (Red Truck from NH) and another where we're tenting tonight (Jericho from Ohio). Other than seeing Seattle at breakfast, those where the only hikers we saw all day.It's really warmed up - I've been wearing shorts for the past two days. Am looking forward to a much cozier night's sleep in considerably fewer layers tonight.Today was day one of our four-day push into Franklin. We hope to be there by Sunday and meet some combination of John's mom and/or my dad for a meal. So, that means a minimum of three nights without a hotel. The horror!Tomorrow starts a new map.
Date: 2006-03-31
From: Bly Gap

To: Standing Indian Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: overcast clouds

Woke up to a light rain, but it cleared by the time we'd packed up and were ready to go. Hit the trail around 9:15AM. Passed a sign that said "Welcome to North Carolina. Your punishment awaits you." Actually, there was no such sign, but there should have been. The trail out of Bly gap was pratically vertical. NC apparently doesn't believe in switchbacks. Lots of rocks, too. Much of our hike today involved scrambling over boulders. We probably could have hiked a couple more miles today, but we decided to join the crowd of five or six hikers at Standing Indian Shelter around 3:30PM since there are supposed to be thunderstorms coming tonight. This will be only our second time in a shelter for the night, the first time being mouse-on-head night. So, we'll see how it goes. We passed a rather ominous sign about a mile back about bear activity being at an all time high in this area...even an mention of bears showing "no fear of humans" and stealing their packs. So perhaps its good to be bunking up with others - one of these hikers is bound to look like a tastier treat than me, right?We saw two people leave the trail today. One guy looked like he was in his 30's, didn't like all the ups and downs, but had been doing 15-20 mile days (we would have been hospitalized if we had been doing that many miles!). Another guy looked to be in his 50's or 60's said he could take the physical challenge but the mental part got to him. Guess you never know when the AT demons will visit your soul.