morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-01-21
To: More musings; excitement rising
Miles today: 0.0

Had a nice BP club trip to the Quehanna area of PA this past weekend with Sunday AM temps on awakening in single digits. WM Badger sleeping bag had its maiden voyage and was toasty warm. Despite the cold, hiked comfortably in just Winter Weatherpants and merino boxers. Makes me feel like the only trail pants I will need on AT is Rab rainpants if it's raining or really cold. Will also have really light down pants for camp and sleeping if needed, so probably leaving the regular Weatherpants behind. Made some other final decisions on gear as well. Back full circle to my Gatewood Cape as a shelter. Have 32 nights in it so far and still going strong. Will go with down quilt rather than synthetic; just too afraid of being cold at night. Leaving down booties behind and taking Possumdown socks instead; should be enough.Just checked the calendar - 77 days (11 weeks) from tomorrow I'll be on the trail!
Date: 2011-02-21
To: Tweaking this, tweaking that
Miles today: 0.0

47 days to go and I'll be on the trail, but who's counting? I have been much more active on Whiteblaze.net to get ideas and reflect on advice I see there. For the most part, no epiphanies. I'm feeling like my planning is solid and I have everything I need to succeed. RIGHT. I'm sure the trail will humble me in no time. I started rereading Bill Bryson's book and his descriptions of events and his thought process are just as hilarious the second time around.I did get in one snowshoe backpack trip in Dolly Sods over MLK weekend, with Shark, Handlebar, MartyC, Patsquach, and Dwight. Nice blizzard conditions on Saturday night to test some gear and preparation. Came up with an idea I'll use on the AT for a sleeping bag/quilt foot bivvy, just to protect the foot area of the bag from windblown snow or rain coming in under the back end of the Gatewood Cape. Made one this last weekend from a Dri Ducks poncho. Also got to test out a simmer ring of my own design for Caldera Cone alcohol stove. Worked well, but will not be using alcohol on AT.Have also started to lay out what will go in resupply boxes. Esbit, olive oil, TP, and Camp Suds are packaged up in individual vaccuum-sealed bags/containers, as well as a few food items. More work to do, but it's coming together. Trekking poles, knife, tent stakes, and a few other things will be in a box I'll take on plane as checked baggage. The rest will just be in pack on plane as carry-on, ready to hit the trail.So far it looks like two others from the club (Magilla and mes317) may well be joining me for the first week, leaving the trail at Dick's Gap. However neither of them are sharing my shuttle, so that's a bit unfortunate in the wallet department. However, someone might surface at the last moment, and that will definitely be OK if it happens.In terms of physical preparation, the stair stepper has been used less frequently than at first, but I think the quads are stronger, and I intend to keep them that way pre-hike. Hoped-for weight loss has yet to materialize. What a wonderment! I guess there's still time for a few pounds to come off, if I do what i need to do. One way or another, though, the AT diet starts in less than 7 weeks . . .
Date: 2011-03-21
To: Trowels 4 U - DigAndGo
Miles today: 0.0

Well, it's now less than 3 weeks till I'm on the trail. Been busy making some ultralight titanium trowels, mostly for backpackinglight.com members, though also a few whiteblazers and a few of my NE Ohio backpacking club colleagues.The trowel sales will help pay for gear and other AT trip expenses. In case someone who is interested in a trowel reads this before 3/27/11, they will be available to order through Saturday. Here's the info:Ti Trowels specs:The "Original" - about 6¢ long, 0.4 ounces - $28 shipped to youAs light as a trowel can be (and still work well for its intended function)The "Big Dig" - about 7.25¢ long, 0.6 ounces - $33 shipped to youFifty percent more surface area (for those who want to go bigger and longer)All orders paid for by midnight, 3/26/11 will be constructed and shipped before I leave for the AT on April 9th. Make PayPal payment to DigAndGo at gmail dot com
Date: 2011-03-28
To: Maildrops!
Miles today: 0.0

Maildrop boxes mostly loadedWorked yesterday to lay out most of what will go in my five maildrops. I'm finding that medium flat rate Priority Mail boxes hold 3 days worth and the large boxes hold 5 days worth.I have found a way to include pictures taken with my iPhone without downloading to a PC first. I upload the picture to PhotoBucket with the iPhone PhotoBucket app. Then I paste the PhotoBucket html reference for the picture I want to post into the trailjounals post, select "HTML format" and presto. This is how I got the above picture of maildrops into this post. This should allow me to upload journal text and pics whenever I have a cell signal on the AT. Sweet!
Date: 2011-04-02
To: One week from now . . .
Miles today: 0.0

One week from today, hopefully around noon, I'll be hiking north on approach trail to Springer Mountain. I just have a few more loose ends to finish up: adding vitamins, meds, glucosamine, batteries, and other sundries to my drop boxes; arranging coverage at work; completing a few small DIY projects I hope I have time to do before I go.At work I have posted a bulletin board with the elevation profile of the trail section I'm hiking, including intended stopping points. May or not work out exactly as planned. Looks like weather forecast at this point is for likelihood of rain on and off for the first few days of the trek. I'm sure there will be sunny days too.I really appreciate my wife Judi's willingness to let me do this. I know my absence for 3.5-4 weeks will put demands on her that I cannot easily repay. She has tolerated my various hobbies, preoccupations, and idiosyncrasies with grace and much patience over the years. I know I will miss our usual everyday contact and conversations while I'm on the trail. Hopefully there will be some opportunities to catch up, AT&T service permitting. I also appreciate my colleagues' willingness at work to cover while I am away for such an extended period. I am very fortunate.As far as this journal goes, I'm going to try to dictate entries using the Dragon app and then correcting errors and saving in Notes until I'm able to upload them. I doubt I'll be able to do this every day, but I'll try. Will also try to load some pictures if my iPhone workaround allows for this.One person from my club is planning to meet me at Springer Mtn Shelter the evening of 4/9; trail name Magilla; he will be leaving Amicalola before I do if his plan and mine go as intended.
Date: 2011-04-09
From: Amicalola Falls State Park

To: Springer Mnt Shelter
Miles today: 9.0
Weather: overcast clouds

First day on the AT went well. Got a 7 AM flight out of Hopkins airport and got into Atlanta at about 9. Survivor Dave picked me up at MARTA North Springs station and shuttled me to Amicalola Falls State Park. After registration and a picture it was time to go hit the trail. There are long stairways to get to the falls. 175 stairs to the bottom and another 425 more to the top. Worth seeing. Met a youngish guy after that with stars in his eyes. "I'm heading to Maine" says he. "I know I can make it. Wish I were in better shape. " I wished him well and hiked on  Did not see him again after that. Got to the top of Springer at 5:15. Tougher day than I expected. Met a few through hikers on trail and at shelter. Found Magilla there as well.
Date: 2011-04-10
From: Springer Mnt Shelter

To: Justus Creek
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: clear sky

So here I am at Justus Creek, after a tough day. No one lied when they said Georgia was tough. Up a mountain, down to a gap, repeat. Magilla turned an ankle and is going to get a hitch into a town, and bopefully get back on trailat Neels Gap, where I will be mid morning the day after tomorrow. I'm finishing dinner and making some milk tea. Need to drinkma lot to get back to being hydrated. I'm finding in the heat of the afternoon that I need more water than in the morning. Duh. My pace today including stops was aboout 1.5 miles per hour. If you saw the terrain you would understand. At a good stopping poont today I took my shoes off and just soaked my feet in the stream. Felt wonderful. But then the trail got harder with the last 6 miles taking as long as the first 7.6. Talked with a man from KY out with his wife for a few weeks. Nice guy, major soithern drawl is fun to hear. We shared tick stories because there were beetles that looked like ticks by the hundreds. They really loved my yellow butt pad.
Date: 2011-04-11
From: Justus Creek

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 13.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Today was a long hard day, but I don't feel as tired as I did at the end of the day yesterday. I'm at Woods Hole shelter with 6 other people, a couple with a well behaved dog included. 5 of us, including me, are in the shelter. I'll get to see how that works. VERY WINDY. There has been a lot of bear trouble here. Bears have been apparently shaking the bear cables to bring food bags down. Then also coming around the shelter. Could be an exciting night, but with the dog here, have a feeling we'll be OK. I'm hearing lots of stories about bears. Bears coming into shelters with people in them. Bears entering a tent. Hard to say whats true. In any event we'll see what happens tonight.    Got a voicemail from Magilla in one of the rare moments when I had a cell connection. He will rejoin me tomorrow at Neals Gap. I'll also resupply there.   When I have more time and a real keyboard, I want to say some things about wildlife, trail conditions, insects, wildflowers, and various trail characters.    Wildlife I've seen so far includes hawks, a couple of unfamiliar smaller birds I'll have to look up, a grouse (have also heard grouse and owls), squirrels and chipmunks, a lizard, no snakes yet, and 6 deer, 4 of which I saw in Cleveland Heights on the way to the airport.    Tomorrow I will go to the top of Blood Mountain in the morning. There is a famed stone shelter at the top that is pretty old. Its one of the shelters that supposedly a bear came into. I won't stay there but I'll take a picture. I'm also hoping for 3G service there or at Neals so I can upload journal entries and photos. Since Springer Mtn all I've had is Edge. Good old AT&T.    It's only 8:45 PM but everyone else here has already hit the sack. I'm sitting in the dark at the shelter picnic table typing with one finger. And waiting for a bear NOT. Soon I will also try to get to sleep. Right after I go see if there are any bears in the privvy.
Date: 2011-04-12
From: Woods Hole Shelter

To: Campsite North of Hogpen Gap
Miles today: 10.5
Weather: overcast clouds

Well last night was very exciting. First there was a MONSTER STORM with 40 mph winds at least, and heavy heavy rains. The wind HOWLED all night long, and I did not sleep well. I'm fairly sure no one else did either. I was very glad to have been in the shelter. My tarp might not have held up. We were very exposed to the wind at that location.    The other excitement was that a bear got one of the packs off the bear cable somehow and tore it up pretty bad. The pack belonged to the woman who was part of the couple with the dog. She lost her food and had olive oil all over some gear. "I think there's olive oil on your raingear, its all slippery" - I admit I was laughing quietly to myself when I heard this. I saw them later today at Neels Gap buying a new pack. She also had a ukulele that got broken up, probably when the pack fell to the ground.    Tonight I'm camped at a spot just past Hogpen Gap. Decided not to stay in shelter I had planned on because its 1.2 miles off trail. No one else here but the wind. It was very windy and pretty cold all day, with rain about half the time, though never real heavy.    Today started out with the climb up Blood Mountain. Not much in the way of views with the weather, but I did like the historic stone shelter on top. Two hikers were in there making coffee out of the wind and rain. Had to go slowly down to Neels Gap (and in fact slowly on ever other down) because of bisters I'm getting on the balls of my feet. "No pain no Maine, as they say." I took a look at them tonight before I made my dinner and one looks like I may have to drain it with a needle. I'll check again in the morning and see. I don't want to do it in the dark by headlamp.    Magilla was not at Neels as he decided to go ahead and start hiking. A good decision on his part as I did not even get there till noon. He left me a VM with his plans. If he did as planned, he is about 4 miles ahead of me.    It was interesting to see the Mountain Crossings store at Neels. Very busy. Very pricy. Wall to wall to ceiling gear  I did get some extra Aqua Mira and picked up my maildrop with no trouble. I was hoping for a nice juicy cheeseburger, but the only hot food they had was microwaved stuff. So I packed up the new food, got rid of trash, had a snack of my own, and hit the trail. I did catch a glimpse of Winton Porter, the owner, whose book "Just Passing Through" I enjoyed so much.    Well its almost 9:30, which is hiker midnight for me. I hope to sleep like a log tonight.
Date: 2011-04-13
From: Campsite North of Hogpen Gap

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: overcast clouds

Well, you probably guessed it. When I got up and checked the feet, I had a big fluid collection between my foot pad and toes. After breakfast I drained this with a sterile needle. Feet felt no worse hiking today, maybe just a little better.    Today started cold and windy, but by 10 AM had become a really nice hiking day. I was tempted to go farther, but decided to stay with my original plan and let feet recover some more. Also got clean and did laundry out in the woods.    Tomorrow looks like a really tough day. Two big ups and two big downs in store. Am a bit concerned with one knee that has not started to hurt, but feels tight from some fluid in the joint. Aleve time.    There is a nice crowd at the shelter. Mostly camping out, which I am also doing. Have seen most on the trail, some as far back as 3-4 days ago, usually when they are passing me. But they make more stops or longer stops than I do, so we end up at the same places. Also have 5 BARS with AT&T, so I've been able to upload some photos for previous entries.   All hikers start to think a lot about food they miss. In my case, vegetbles especially. Even when I add them to most of my dinners, its still not much compared to what I like. Tonight had a special treat, foil pack albacore tuna with chicken noodle side. Tasty. The foil packs are heavy but they add variety.    Well, getting late and chilly, so that will send me off to my castle for the night. Thanks to everyone who has sent me good wishes throughvthe guestbook or email. I appreciate your support.
Date: 2011-04-14
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Sassafras Gap campsite
Miles today: 12.6

Today was an absolutely beautiful day, weatherwise, with blue skies, cool breezes, and low humidity. Good thing too, because the hiking was tougher than what I've encountered so far. Down a 1000, up a 1000, down 900, up 1300, all by noon.    I woke up at 5:30 AM and decided to get an early start; was on trail just after 7:00. See sunrise photo. Last night was clear and cold with a searchlight moon, but no wind. A nice change. Tonight it feels like the wind will be back. Rain forecast tomorrow. So far have been fortunate with weather. No setups, take downs, or meals cooked/eaten in rain.    Despite the tough miles, was happy with the way my feet held up, definitely improving. I babied the swollen right knee all day, going especially slow and leaning on trekking poles on downhills. It looks and feels about the same. Tomorrow will also include some tough terrain, but fewer miles on trail, as I'll be going 3 miles off trail to the Blueberry Patch hostel for a resupply box, stay the night, and have "the best blueberry pancakes on the AT" in the morning. Looking forward to that for sure. The toughest bit, get this - the climb up and down Kelly's Knob! Most GA names are not Irish, that's for sure.    There are lots of characters out on the trail. Where I'm camped tonight, the only others here so far are a mother and teen daughter. The daughter, rolling her eyes, told me they started March 1 from Springer. Evidently they have had a lot of issues. The mother is nursing a sore knee now she got on Blood Mountain. They have had an unknown number of days off trail for various ailments. Mother must be home/trail schooling daughter. I decided not to pry. Except for a few brief exchanges, in the 2 hours I've been here, they have been in their tent the whole time. The first thing the mothrr said when I walked up was "great, we'd love to have some company". Maybe they don't like my nascent thru hiker look or smell.    I got to give a hiker a trail name. He would pass me from time to tme, chugging up a hill, usually. He has pink duct tape on his trekking poles, which is rather unusual. Then I noticed he had Pink Floyd embroidered on the back of his ballcap. I asked if that was his trailname, and he said no; I said it should be. The next day he told me that he liked the name and has been using it since. For all I know, this was his plan all along.    Time to upload this entry, have a second cup of tea, and call it a day.
Date: 2011-04-15
From: Sassafras Gap campsite

To: Blueberry Patch Hostel
Miles today: 6.6

Right now I'm enjoying Gary and Lennie's wonderful hospitality at the Blueberry Patch, a hostel outside Hiawasee that they have run for 19 years. I have a bunk, so will have a roof over my head for any rain that comes tonight.    My knees and feet are loving the lack of hiking for a full afternoon, as  I got in to the BP at mid day. Not exactly a Zero day, but close enough for me.    Got up very early again, and was on trail just before 7 AM. Windy and cold, damp fog rolling up over Kelly's Knob, so zero views. Dripping tree condensation plus wind  made it seem like rain at times, but no actual rain, as far as I could tell. When I got to Dick's Creek Gap, a shuttler was there with another hiker, so was able to get a ride to the BP with no wait. Sweet!   While hiking, have had two songs stuck in my head. James Brown's "I Feel Good" and ? who's "Dream A Little Dream of You". Go figure. I think the tempo just matches my pace. Have also been thinking about some greater and lesser truths the trail teaches you, some of which I already knew. Here goes:Lessons learned while long distance backpacking . . .1. Carry a light pack2. I mean it, a really light pack3. Drink lots of water, but don't carry a lot - it's heavy4. Leave camp earlier and you will arrive in camp sooner5. It's not a race; enjoy the journey6. Notice the small things7. Practice setup and take down at home; in the rain; in the dark8. Try out backpack meals at home or on prep trips; variety is key9. If you are over 40 or have any knee or ankle issues, use trekking poles10. If you are over 30, try trekking poles11. Simplify your gear and how you use it12. Clean yourself and wash salt and skin oils out of hiking clothes often, every day if you can. Camping close to a water source helps. 13. You do not need a heavy water filter. Use Aqua Mira, and maybe a SteriPen too. 14. Bring a CCF butt pad. You do not need that chair, even a cool Thermarest chair. 15. Use cozies to keep food and beverages hot and to replace simmering. 16. Repackage to reduce trash weight. Eating out of your pot rather than a food bag will also reduce trash weight. 17. Eat a snack every 1-2 hours rather than a "lunch". If you want to stop longer for rest or to enjoy the view, eat 2 snacks. 18. If its nearly time for a snack, do the UP first, then snack at the top. Drink some water before you start up. 19. Take lots of pictures. 20. Keep some kind of journalIf you disagree with any of the above "wisdom", no worries. Feel free to send me your own pearls, as I'm starting a collection.
Date: 2011-04-17
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Carter Gap Shelter
Miles today: 12.5
Weather: clear sky

Today was very cold at first as it got below freezing last night. Frozen mud on trail and frozen tent condensation were telltale clues. Had to wear mitts on the trail to keep my hands from freezing. But by midmorning it had warmed up and it ended up being a very nice day. Got into camp early enough to get cleaned up and do some laundry. It looks like another cold night with a cloudless sky and no wind.    I'm sitting outside the shelter around the fire with all the others here. No one over 35, maybe no one over 30.  One girl is here with a big german shepherd mix dog and two others with dogs too. Most of the talk is about stuff to eat and where they are from, and what to do after their thru hike. It would be nice to run into more hikers in my age bracket, but so far when I have, I never see them again because I'm hiking more miles a day than they are. There are a few hiking faster, trail names Bullit Bob And Gator. Never met Bob, but did see Gator on trail. Tiny pack, very fast pace. I'm sure there are others like them.    Today's hike included Standing Indian Mountain. At 5498 feet, it's the highest we've climbed so far, and the highest until well into the Smoky Mountains. I don't feel like I've got my hiking legs yet, but feet and knees are still hanging in there. It does look like I will lose again one of the same toenails I lost on the Bailey Range trip last summer. Oh well, it will grow back.   Oh, and I've hiked 100 miles as of today. By end of tomorrow it will be 100 miles of AT. The 8.8 mile approach trail accounts for the difference.
Date: 2011-04-18
From: Carter Gap Shelter

To: Campsite North of Winding Stair Gap
Miles today: 16.5
Weather: clear sky

Today was just a great day to hike on the AT. Perfect weather. Trail terrain not too taxing, even with the ascent of Albert Mountain and its fire tower at 5250 feet, which did involve some hand over hand rock scrambling on a short steep trail section. Unbelievable views in every direction for miles.    I had planned to go 12.1 miles to Rock Gap Shelter, but got there at 3:15, so kept going and ended up at a streamside campsite after another 4.4 miles. Thats a 16.5 mile day on the AT!  >>> APPLAUSE <<<   So far just me here, but there's room for a couple more tents if there are late arrivals. Believe it or not, just 0.5 miles north of here I will come to Swinging Lick Gap. If there's a sign at the gap and it's not modified by one letter I'll be shocked.    One benefit of being a few miles ahead of my plan is that my hike going down into the NOC and up out of it will be easier, as I should be able to do the down one day, and the up the next. We're talking 2000 feet down and 3000 feet up, so to do both in the same day would have been tough. If I can do a 15.2 mile day tomorrow, I will really be in great shape, as I would end up at Cold Spring Shelter, and then have just 10.7 miles the next day to put me at a Rufus Morgan Shelter just short of the NOC.    I have to give credit to the Geogia crews for really maintaining the trail well. Since leaving GA there has been a noticeable difference (not as well-maintained). Also fewer wildflowers for some reason. I have been photographing each new wildflower type that I encounter. I'm also making a photo collection of tree oddities. I have always been fascinated by how nature finds a way to grow and heal itself in the craziest ways. The tree in the photo is a fairly famous twisted tree on the AT, just North of the Georgia border. The lower trunk to me looks like a crouching animal.    Well its time for me to sign off so that I can clean myself up a bit and do some laundry before hiker midnight arrives.