morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-02-22
To: A dream come true!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Hiking the AT has been a lifelong dream of mine. Even though life demands and aging had convinced me that it was probably only a dream, I kept a mounted map of the AT in my office to help me maintain my perspective and to remind me of my dream.Unlike many of the journals that I have read I have not spent years planning this trip. I made the final decision a few months ago with the strong encouragement of my very supportive wife (maybe she's trying to get rid of me - haha). I have madly been updating my equipment as I have not backpacked for over 10 years and I'm amazed at how much things have changed. I have also been working to shed the extra pounds but I'm not where I want to be for my physical conditioning and I'll have to take it slow to allow the trail to train me.I suspect most hikers don't have to deal with this but I want to mention it in case you think it excludes you from thru hiking. Seven years ago I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and have used a CPAP to keep me breathing at night. I was able to car camp by taking a marine battery with me to operate the CPAP. A month ago I went to a dentist who specializes in oral sleep appliances and I can now sleep (and breath) without my machine. It works great and I feel such a sense of freedom not being tied to the CPAP. I wish I had done this years ago.I will leave Feb 27th from my home in Maine to begin making my way to Georgia. I begin my walk back home on March 4th. As luck would have it, I have applied for several jobs and one of the ones I was most interested in wants to interview me the day before I leave. There is a possibility that I will have to come off the trail, put on a suit and tie and interview. What a contrast!
Date: 2013-02-23
To: Climbing Mt Katahdin
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

In July 2012, Matthew (my son) and I climbed Mt. Katahdin (the northern end of the AT) and it damn near killed me! This was long before I had even considered making a thru hike in 2013. Oddly enough, I have hiked both ends of the AT (GA & ME) but very little in between.
Date: 2013-02-23
To: Training hike to Piazza Rock
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Matthew and I did a training hike to Piazza Rock on the AT near Saddleback Mountain, Maine in December 2012. Snowy and icy conditions but a nice hike. Good chance to test out our layering as it was 12 degrees when we started and a balmy 19 degrees when we finished.
Date: 2013-02-28
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

I have begun my somewhat circuitous journey to Georgia to begin my hike. I flew from Maine to PA where I picked up my parents and drove them to NC. On Saturday I will fly from Raleigh to Atlanta and will begin my hike on Monday, 3/4/13. The long drive gave me plenty of time to contemplate a trail name and I have decided it will be HOBO. It has several meanings . . . first and foremost I will be homeward bound = HOBO. Just like Northbound is NOBO. Also, my father has always called me Bo. Neither of us knows why he calls me that but we think it's a knock off from Jimbo - which I was never called. Nonetheless, I consider it to be an affectionate name and like that it's part of my trail name. I also think it fits given the wandering lives of hobo's.
Date: 2013-03-03
To: Georgia
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

We arrived in GA today, made a stop at REI to acquire the things I couldn't carry on a plane. Then we made a quick visit to Athens and enjoyed dinner at Depalma's (one of our favorite restaurants). We were served by a fantastic young woman named Hannah. My hiking plans have already changed as I had a phone interview the day before I left for a very enticing job. They want me to come for two days of interviewing in person. Soooo, my plans are to hike for 6 days, fly to Delaware, interview and then possibly return to the trail. I have so many mixed emotions as I'm exited about both opportunities. I am definitely anxious to begin my hike and this last minute development puts the entire journey in jeopardy for this year. I also don't want to miss out on a job opportunity that I might really enjoy. For now, I will focus on the task before me for the next 6 days and then let the cards fall where they will. Tomorrow I head up to Amicalola Falls State Park and will be on Springer Mtn early Monday. My son will hike half of the first day with me and then I'll strike out on my own.
Date: 2013-03-04
To: Hawk Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 0.0

I thought I was pretty laid back about this trip but my sleep (or lack there of) told me a different story. I awoke at 3:30 this morning and my mind was racing. I couldn't go back to sleep so I finally got up and started getting ready. I'm happy that Matthew will hike half of today with me. Many thanks to all the positive vibes, prayers, and well wishes. Finally, I want to say once again what a fortunate man I am to have a wife like Anita!
Date: 2013-03-05
From: Springer Mtn

To: Hawk Mtn
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: light snow

The pre-hike jitters completely disappeared today on the trail. It was a beautiful day to begin my journey. Counting the approach trail I did a total of 9 miles today. The first two miles were icey and snowy. Later in the day it warmed up and then the trail was really muddy. My boots and the bottom of my pants are caked in mud. The big talk on the trail was about how cold it was last night. Some people literally feared for their lives. Glad I started today! Matthew hiked the first 6 miles with me. In the tradition of Wildfire (2012), my favorite equipment today was Matthew . . . he carried my pack for me for about 4 miles. A great way to ease into the hiking. When we finally parted I was a little weepy - it was so sad to go our separate ways. I soon hooked up with Shawn (New Hampshire) and Chickadee and Owl (Connecticut). We decided we were the Northeast Gang. There are 6 of us in the shelter tonight and about 15 tents.
Date: 2013-03-05
From: Hawk Mtn Shelter

To: Gooch Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 7.7
Weather: clear sky

The rain started about an hour before sunrise. Mother Nature decided to throw everything she had at us. Most of the day was hiking in mist, fog, drizzle, and mud. Just after I got my tent up she let loose with a torrential downpour, lightening, hail, and winds reaching 40 to 45 mph. My tent withstood it all but was a muddy mess. The winds continued all night accompanied with snow. The hike was tough - climbing over Sassafras Mtn (3,342 ft) and Justus Mtn (3,226 ft) - not the high in the overall scheme of things, but definitely challenging at this early stage. I've found that it helps on the steep climbs to pick a goal - a rock or tree that I reach before stopping to gasp for breath. Even though it was wet and muddy I found it to peaceful and beautiful units own way. I spent most of the day hiking with or leapfrogging other hikers. Sean (New Hampshire) and I have found a lot in common and have developed a friendship. Others that I hiked with are Monkey and her diabetes detection dog (Bella), and her husband, Irish. They met on the trail and got married. I also hiked with Freida and Silver Streak. My favorite equipment for today were my ear plugs which helped sleep through the scurrying mice, snores, and the Army Rangers who came through the Hawk Mtn shelter area last night.
Date: 2013-03-06
From: Gooch Mtn Shelter

To: Woody Gap
Miles today: 5.2

The winds howled all night and all day. I stayed nice and toasty warm in my sleeping bag but breaking camp was tough. Someone said it was 21 degrees this morning and the wind chill was near zero. I was wearing everything I had and was able to stay warm except my fingers. I wore my gloves and my spare sockets over my ands but was still worried about frostbite. Breaking camp consisted of stuffing everything in my pack as quickly as I could. I was excited about today's hike and was one of the first ones out of camp. I hiked by myself all day, leapfrogging with trail-lite (Georgia) who was on his second thru hike (2004). The young bucks caught up and passed me after about 3 miles. The wind and cold continued all day. At times I could swear that I heard a train but it always turned out to be the wind. Everything was snow covered and beautiful but hard to enjoy due to the bitter cold. Not pictures today - my phone wouldn't work in the cold. Glad I decided to stay in a hostel tonight! It's very international with people here from England, Germany, and South Africa. Freida and Postman (Illinois) are the only two people I've met previously.
Date: 2013-03-09
From: Hogpen Gap

To: Athens, Ga
Miles today: 0.0

We had a wonderful birthday dinner last night at Outbacks with Eric and his girlfriend. Today I washed the mud off my tent and boots and hung them outside to dry, washed my smelly clothes, and ran errands. It's a short sleeve beautiful day. I will not be posting for awhile as we will fly to Delaware on Sunday for two days of interviewing. I have a reservation to return to Atlanta on Wednesday. Whether or not I return to the trail depends upon the outcome of the interview. Thanks to everyone who has posted comments and encouragement in my guest book. Your encouragement really is helpful.
Date: 2013-03-13
From: Athens, Ga

To: Hogpen Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: scattered clouds

The job interview went exceptionally well from my perspective, but you never know. It was intense - 12 and a half hours of interviewing in one day. They have other candidates that they will be interviewing through the first week of April so I don't expect to hear anything for another month. I will be back on the trail tomorrow . . . returning to Hogpen Gap. I cannot wait to get back on the trail!
Date: 2013-03-14
From: Hogpen Gap

To: Blue Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 11.9
Weather: clear sky

After a fun stay with Hannah, I'm back on the trail. It feels really good to be back. At the beginning   of the trail there was a box of trail magic provided by a Baptist church from Blairsville. I didn't take anything since I was fully loaded and just starting back. I will dedicate this post to the "mountain gators" that I encountered. Most of the hikers I encountered were SOBO section hikers and it seemed like they were all from Florida. This was by far the easiest hike I've had to date which is surprising because it is also the longest. Most of the inclines were long, gradual slopes and the trail was in good shape. It seemed to follow the ridges with easy climbs over Poor Mtn (3,620 ft) and Sheep Rock Top (3,576 ft). It was a beautiful day and the views were spectacular. I am really enjoying the Mountain Laurel near the ridges and the Rhodadendrum (sp?) in the low lying areas. Most of the day I hiked alone but late in the day I caught up with Mountain Man (Ohio) and Nomad (Florida) who I had meet at the hostel at Neel's Gap. Their packs looked really heavy - I hope they are doing OK. There were 9 people at Blue Mtn Shelter. I pretty much always tent camp near a shelter as I like the privacy, quiet, and lack of mice. The mice were so bold that one of them came right up to us while we were eating dinner around the campfire. I didn't catch a lot of the names but I know that Alaska (Alaska), Coyote, and Bo (Chicago) were there.
Date: 2013-03-15
From: Blue Mtn Shelter

To: Tray Mtn Shelter
Miles today: 8.1
Weather: clear sky

I was the first out of camp and immediately began the rest of the climb to the top of Blue Mtn (4,025 ft). I've come to realize that in the real world one of the laws of physics is that what goes up must come down, but in the hiking world what goes down must come back up and the steeper it goes down the steeper it will climb back up. Today was that kind of day as I also climbed Rocky Mtn (4,017 ft) and Tray Mtn (4,430 ft). I made pretty good time and considered pushing on when I reached Tray Mtn shelter but was glad I didn't as I'll explain later. I hit Indian Grave Gap right about lunch time and encountered some wonderful trail magic. Panda (North Carolina) and Fish Hook (Georgia) were thru hikers in 2011 and had taken a week off work to pay it forward. They met on the trail and became good friends. Their magic included fried chicken, a banana, Oreos, snickers and two Gatorades. Yum - it was just what I needed. Again, most of the day I hiked by myself. Eventually Bo caught up with me and we hiked together for a while. He seems like a nice young man and is a much faster hiker than me. I also leap frogged with Main (Iowa) who hiked some of the trail in 2012 and knew Wildflower (2012). He was known as Nacho during that hike. We arrived at the shelter a out the same time and sat and talked for about an hour before anyone else rolled in. He is a former Marine and has some interesting stories. Eventually there were 3 people in the shelter and a couple tenting and me. Around midnight Henry (my left inner thigh muscle) decided to revolt and balled himself into a tight knot and awoke me with a jolt. I tried to explain to him that this was the new normal and he better get used to it. He responded by balling up tighter. I used imagery and massage to try to get Henry to let go of his vice grip but what seemed to work best was rolling around in agony and biting my lower lip (I'm going to miss that lip - just kidding) so as to not wake up the rest of the camp. Eventually Henry allowed me to crawl out of my tent so I could walk it off. I have to thank Henry because without his shenanigans I would have never seen the nighttime stunning view from the top of Tray Mtn. It was a crystal clear night and as far as I could see there were little lights twinkling in the valley below. Eventually Henry and I negotiated a peace treaty in which I promised to go up the mountains slower (if that's possible) if he would let me sleep the rest of the night. I slept like a baby!My favorite gear today is my Body Glide that keeps your parts that you don't want to chaff from chaffing. Thank you Matthew for telling me about it.
Date: 2013-03-16
From: Tray Mtn Shelter

To: Dicks Creek Gap
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I was not the first out of camp today as the 3 young bucks in the shelter left at 4:00 a.m. to try to get in town as soon as possible to partake in the St. Patrick Day festivities. This was by far the hardest day yet. I didn't see anyone else on the trail for several hours and hiked most of the day by myself again. I tried to give Henry a pep talk while I hiked - hopefully he will let me sleep tonight. I climbed Young Lick Knob (3,764 ft) but the real killer was Kelly Knob (4,171 ft) which had a very, very steep assent. I met Mozyin (Missouri and Indian) and leapfrogged with him as he climbed faster and I went downhill faster. Again, I had some wonderful trail magic as Trail Walker and Dr Pepper actually packed in rice crispy treats, raisins and little chocolates. Dr Pepper does this as part of his ministry with his church. I hiked out with them and they gave me a ride to the Blueberry Patch Hostel in Hiawassee. The Blueberry Patch Hostel is a Christian hostel that is free (they accept donations) run by Linnie and Gary who run it out of the goodness of their hearts and how they believe Christians should be. I was totally not expecting what occurred. They gave me clean clothes to wear while THEY did my laundry. After I showered and changed back into my clothes they gave me the keys to their car so I could run into town to eat and resupply. What an amazing experience. I miss all my buddies from the first week - especially Patriot (formerly referred to as Sean). Hopefully we will reconnect some day but he is about a week ahead of me. I'm whipped so I better get some sleep.
Date: 2013-03-21
From: Winding Stair Gap

To: Franklin, NC
Miles today: 0.0

Today my plan is to update my journal, resupply, and do maintenance on my gear. First, I wanted to do THE most important gear maintenance and I walked a mile up the road to a spa were I had a 90 minute massage from Cathy Smith. I was in heaven and she found muscles that I didn't even know were sore. If you are planning to hike and you can afford it, your body will love you for it. The nice thing about Cathy is you can schedule an appointment on line. After the massage I was very relaxed and I really didn't want to walk the mile back to the motel so I called a local outfitter (Outdoor 76) and told them that I needed to resupply but I just had a massage and was feeling lazy. They sent someone to pick me up! A special thanks to Hollie at Outdoor 76 who helped me find a massage therapist, picked me up after the massage and helped me with my purchases. I have been staying at the budget in that is very hiker friendly. They will pick you up at the trail head and make two runs a day to take hikers back to the trail. They also do an in town shuttle at 4:00 everyday to the grocery store, outfitters, Walmart, etc. Pearls/lessons learned that may help others planning a hike:1. If you're using a water bladder in your pack, wrap a rain jacket or coat around it. It will keep the water cooler in hot weather (if its against the top of the pack it tends to absorb the heat) and keeps it from freezing in cold weather. 2. If your tent has the ability, learn to take it down under the rain fly before you need to. Practice in your living room if necessary. I think you can do this with most Big Agnes tents. 3. Take an extra minute to look around and enjoy the views, you may never do this again. It's not all about the miles. 4. Don't be afraid to ask your fellow hikers questions. Someone else probably has the same question or has recently figured it out. I find fellow hikers to be very accepting. 5. Duck tape works well on blisters. 6. You meet the most amazing people . . . be open to challenging your own stereotypes. 7. Three miles before the shelter where you are stopping for the night is much longer than the first 3 miles of the day. 8. In shelters, people who snore are the first to go to sleep and the last to wake up. Be sure to pack your ear plugs!9. Two liters of water lasts me about 12 miles in the current weather. All total I am drinking just shy of 4 liters per day. 10. It's better to fill your water bottle AFTER you go over a big mountain so you don't have to carry unnecessary weight over the mountain. 11. There is nothing better than the feel of cotton after days of stinky synthetics. Always check the hiker's box for a cotton shirt . . . even if it does give you SWAG:-).
Date: 2013-03-22
From: Franklin, NC

To: Wayah Bald
Miles today: 11.0
Weather: clear sky

Some of you have expressed concern when I don't post for several days. Please don't worry, I can only post when I'm in a town because it takes too much battery to post from the trail and I sometimes go days without a cell signal. When I get to the Smokies I may not have a cell signal for 7 days. I didn't get much sleep last night as I went to bed late and woke up frequently thinking about what I had to do in the morning and afraid that I would oversleep. At 7:15 the First Baptist Church van picked us up and drove us to their community hall for a free all you can eat pancake and bacon breakfast. Thank you FBC of Franklin!The shuttle left at 9:00 for the trail head and Ron Haven, the hotel owner and shuttle driver, kept us entertained. He is a colorful character to say the least. Word on the shuttle was that more people had to come off the trail with hypothermia last night. There where about 8 of us heading out of Winding Stair Gap - Jordana, Peanut, Zen, Karma, Postman, me and 2 others. I was about 6th in line and as we zig zagged single file up the mountain it reminded me of the Sound of Music. After my zero day in Franklin my legs felt fresh and it felt good to be back on the trail. The air was cold and we hiked thru patches of snow and ice. I had a Subway sandwich that I brought for lunch but didn't feel like eating it so I decided to save it for dinner. As the day wore on my energy wore down. I don't know if it was the lack of sleep or what but I was feeling very lonely - to the point of being weepy. I knew there would be days like this and I think it's good to miss loved ones and friends. I could tell that I wasn't focused because I kept tripping and slipping, but didn't fall. The uphills became a real battle and I was fighting the trail rather than flowing with it as I had learned to do over the past couple of weeks. My climbs today were Siler Bald (5,014 ft), a mountain who's name I don't know (5,290 ft), and Wayah Bald (5,342 ft). WayahBald was weird in that part of the trail was paved because people could drive up and then take the paved path the rest of the way. There was a beautiful old stone tower at the top and a great view with maps showing the mountains I had walked over and the mountains I will walk over. It was also odd seeing a small airport below. Despite feeling bad, I made pretty good time and by 3:30 was setting up camp. The flurries began as I was setting up my tent. Postman set up right next to me and Karma set up across the trail and down the hill. Davy Crocket and Bioterrorist (buddies from Tennessee) were in the shelter. The flurries changed to drizzle which was a good sign because that means its gettting warmer. Postman and I helped each other hang our bear lines (hanging food in a tree to keep it away from the bears) and we hung Karma's for her. I was cold and wanted something hot for dinner so I decided not to eat my Subway sandwich. We all went to bed early - partly because we were tired but also to get warm. I drifted off to sleep with the sound of coyotes howling.