morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2007-05-23
From: Daleville

To: Shenandoah NP
Miles today: 0.0

Flint and I decided to take it easy; let our bodies heal, so we went up to the SNP and camped and did as much trail magic as we could. He tried doing some slack packing to break his boots in but he was still having a bit of a rough go of it. We met many thru-hikers, feeding and helping when possible. We met a lot of great folks and made great friends. But for Flint it wasn't the same, he wanted to be hiking, I could see it in his eyes. He really was torn. I think he could have worked through the blisters, he was using them as an excuse to be with me. He knew I was going through something even though he didn't quite understand what it was, he felt a compelling urge to protect me from some unforseen force. He knew his real wife was MIA and he was bound and determined to find her. We stayed in SNP through Sunday, May 27. Flint plans to get back on the trail Monday. Peace & Love To All. Paws & Flint.
Date: 2007-05-28
From: Shenandoah NP

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I really don't even know how to begin to write this journal entry and have put it off way to long. I know must folks have figured out by now that I do most of the writing here for Flint, he gives me a general idea of his day and what he wants to say and I fill in the rest. So this journal is the blending of both Flint & Paws along with their real life characters Brian and Kim and when we embarked on this journey none of us could have predicted what life obstacles we would have to dodge along the way. I took Flint to the trail today, he was packed and ready to head north. He asked me to walk with him for awhile and I did. After a bit, he stopped and said, "I'm a husband, a dad and a son, first; then I'm a hiker." We both sat there in the woods, along the AT and cried. He said, "I can't hike north not knowing if you are going to be okay." He said, "Let's go home." He was a man torn in two. I really did not expect him to say those words yet here they were. I had been looking for answers and up to this point none had came to mind. Was this the answer? Was he the answer? Where we the answer? I felt selfish, I felt responsible for the loss of a dream. I told him how I was feeling - his reply to me, "All the while I've been out here on the trail living my dream, you've been home holding down the fort, taking care of everything and dealing with all the BS, who looks selfish now?" We both smiled. Peace & Love To All. Paws & Flint
Date: 2007-05-30
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

Flint and I are home for now. As of today I am no longer employed. Sometimes if you can't find the answer the answer finds you. Well, that's what happened for me. All the deep soul searching and working our way through the maze, still no answer. The road, rough & rock, unforgiving and relentless lie behind me; decision made a new path chosen. Healing in process with Flint by my side, I could not ask for better medicine. He is my shaman. Though he is itching to be out on the trail, he will not go until he sees the return of his wife of granite and steel. Although the urge to return to the trail beckons him hourly, we are taking it one day at a time and one decision at a time. Flint hopes to be back out on the trail soon, fat & recharged and ready to hike. He may be joined by a new slower hiking partner but will have to wait and see. The open wide sky is the limit. Peace and Love To All. Paws & Flint
Date: 2007-05-31
From: Home

To: Home
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

It has been awhile since Flint and I have updated. We have both come to the realization that Flint will not be completing his thru hike this year. It just was not meant to be for 2007. We appreciate all of the support and cherish the many friendships we have unearthed on this incredible adventure. We are surviving through some tough times right now, taking it one day at a time. We wish all of our thru-hiking buddies and folks Flint met along the way the very best and the rest of you out there heading north or south. Flint now knows that quitting is so much harder than starting. I tell him - quitting is too harsh - he is just stopping for now. You just never know what life is going to throw your way - appreciate every moment you are in the woods, a shelter, on a trail, climbing over rocks, drinking from a stream, early morning mist, and the unforgetable aroma of a thru-hiker. He plans to complete his thru hike some day, hopefully, I will be able to join him. Please keep in touch with us. We will update our trail journal from time to time. We will keep our eye on the rest of you, cracking the whip making sure you are not goofing off, hiking your own hike. Peace & Love To All. Paws and Flint
Date: 2007-06-05
From: Home Louisville, KY

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

June 5th, Tuesday: 8:30 pm I off to Georgia on my long awaited Appalachian trail journey. My plan, this year, is to backpack 270 miles From Springer Mountain, GA to Hot Springs, NC. I will accomplish this by hiking 5 days a week (Wednesday through Sunday) and drive back to Louisville on Sundays. This will go on for 4 weeks or 20 days of hiking. I know that sounds a little strange but I am obligated to be back home on Mondays and Tuesdays. Things were going smoothly until I came upon mile marker 90 on I-75, near Richmond, Kentucky. It seems that night time is the right time to lay girders for an overpass. It took me an hour to go 7 miles. I was heading to Dick¢s Creek gap near Hiawassee, GA. I am to stay the night in a little cabin in the yard of the person who will shuttle me to Springer Mountain in the morning. When I arrive at 3:30am¢¦yes am, the door to the cabin is unlocked and the light left on as arranged. I go to sleep right away and wake up thinking I had slept late only to find out it is 6:30am.
Date: 2007-06-06
From: Springer Mountain

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: scattered clouds

June 6th, Wednesday: AT miles hiked 14.9I eat some breakfast I brought with me and prepare for departure. My first leg will have me backpacking back to this spot at 66.6 AT miles. My ride is provided by an AT shuttle person who will go unnamed at their request. All along the route I am given interesting tidbits about the area. We drive to a parking area at the .9 mile mark of the trail. We exchange pleasantries at 11:30am and I head to the summit of Springer Mountain. It is hot here in Georgia but my excitement and anticipation helps me climb like a mountain goat. I get to the top and sign the register hidden in a rock with an AT plaque embedded into it. I have my picture taken by another hiker and I am off. At the parking lot I had run into a school teacher named Steven from Colorado whom I will be hiking with for the next couple of days. He plans to hike to Damascus, VA in just 5 weeks. He hiked the White Mountains section of the trail last year and I have no doubts that he will make it. Shortly into the hike I am treated by a virgin stand of Hemlock trees. It is truly a wonderful sight to behold. These giants were fortunate to have been protected from logging. I stop for lunch at Hawk Mountain and meet for the first time Kurt and his daughter Claire. I will run into them later on down the trail. I am half way through the day and already in pain. I have developed a rash on my thighs and it is causing me to plant my feet in an awkward fashion. You guessed it¢¦that has caused blisters to form on my feet. I would later learn about a fantastic product called BodyGlide. If I walk too many miles in Georgia I am convinced that I will have one leg longer than the other. As for now I¢ll have to suffer through the day. I run into a SOBO (Southbound) thru-hiker named Blue Skies from Denmark. She started at Harper¢s Ferry and will go back there after reaching Springer Mountain to head Northbound to Maine. I am also treated to a 5 feet long Black Racer lying across the trail. He got a little upset when I fished him off the trail with my hiking pole. Did I mention it was hot? Well, it was also dry. I ran out of water about 3 miles from my destination that evening¢¦ Gooch Mountain Shelter. When I got to Justus creek I loaded up and drank a liter right off the bat. With sore feet, chapped thighs and a belly full of water I stumbled into the shelter at 7:30pm. I was so tired I could not eat. At the shelter a young boy was playing an electric Cello which his dad had been carrying so he would not miss practicing. I went to sleep almost immediately. I¢m going to need a good night¢s sleep for I am headed to Neel¢s Gap tomorrow. On top of taking the abuse from the trail I was probably shot 10 to 15 times today. You see the Army Rangers practice their sniping skills on AT hikers. I never knew when it happened. Yep, I did my part to help train the best of the best.
Date: 2007-06-07
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Walsi-Yi Center
Miles today: 15.6

June 7th, Thursday: AT miles hiked 15.6OK, by this time I realized that I should have planned a shorter trip for my first leg of the trip. Between the rash and my battered and bruised feet I was miserable. The thing that got me started today was the promise of the Hiker Hostel at Neel¢s Gap. The Walasi-Yi Center is the only building the Appalachian Trail actually goes through. It also held the promise of Frozen Pizza and soft drinks. The big challenge of the day was Blood Mountain. A very long and sometimes very steep climb. It breaks a lot of hikers in Georgia. Time was running out on another very hot and humid day in Northern Georgia. Two days of hiking in the 90's. I caught up to Steven the teacher at the Blue Blaze trail to Woods Hole Shelter. I was out of water and it said in the guide book that the shelter was .4 miles away down the hill. I told Steven that I probably would not make it to Neel¢s Gap by 6pm when the store there closed. I trudged down the hill disappointed by the extra .8 mile that I would have to walk to get to Neel¢s Gap. Much to my surprise that after 200 yds there was the spring. Maybe I could salvage this day after all. I filled my hydro bag and scooped up about 5 cups of cold spring water and poured it over my head. In pain I worked very hard to make good time up Blood Mountain. When I reached the top I did have to slow down a bit to take in the magnificent views. Looking at my watch I now had 1 hour to hike 2.4 miles down the steep side of the mountain. If you have ever had a boot full of blisters then you know how bad that can be. It was a shining moment when I stepped into the store with 1 minute to spare. My feet however had paid a high price. I rewarded myself with 3 Diet Cokes and 2 single slice frozen pizzas. The owner was closing shop and gave me the 4 sausage dogs that were rolling on the cooker. I split those with Steve. I cut one up and put it on the pizza and the other I used the next morning to supplement my breakfast. Steven was already there and was very surprised to see me. He and I would be the only ones staying in the Hostel. They had a TV with a VCR and we decided to watch Casino with De Niro and Pesci. I think Pesci would have loved to see my feet that evening. He was one sick puppy in that movie. The highlight was the shower and the laundry, Oh and the non trail food. Man I need to get a life.
Date: 2007-06-08
From: Walsi-Yi Center

To: Low Gap Shelter
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: overcast clouds

June 8th, Friday: AT miles hiked 10.6I went to the store to get some consultation and supplies for my feet. I also bought a couple of AT T-Shirts. Steven was planning a 20 mile day so I knew that was the last time I would see him. I was planning a more sane 10.6 miler. I finally had a stick of BodyGlide to help my rash and proper treatment for blisters. Mole Skin, 2nd Skin, and athletic tape. For the record it took 20 minutes to bandage them up each morning. Today was not only shorter...but there was no "Blood Mountain" on the horizon. After a climb out of Neel¢s Gap there was actually a few miles of ridgetop to walk. Wildcat Mountain was a short but steep climb. Once on top I saw a "Crusty" couple on top. I went down into Hog Pen Gap and took the side trail to the water source for lunch. As I came out into the Gap I saw that couple sitting at the trailhead going back into the woods. There was also about 50 motorcycles that were attending a British Motorcycle Rally. I have never seen that many Triumph bikes together at one time. Bikers by the way are very friendly people. I talked to quite a few of them mostly from Florida.. One boy who was confined to a wheelchair was riding in a sidecar and seemed to be having a great adventure. As I bid farewell to the bikers and started to get back on the trail. The "Crusty" couple addressed me. They said they thought I had gone up out of the gap and I told them I stopped for water. Fishing I asked "You hiking the trail? "You bet" he answered. "How far you going?" I asked. "All the way" he replied. They had a blue tarp...no canteen...and very cheap tennis shoes on. "How far you going?" he asked. I lied and said "Unicoi Gap". I didn¢t want to share my plans for fear of being followed. I picked up my pace quite a bit and looked over my shoulder more times than I wish to admit. I got to Low Gap Shelter and was happy to see a family tenting there. I set up my sleep system and ate. I then prepared for bed. About that time a thunderstorm arrived. Thirty seconds later two ladies came into the shelter soaking wet. I helped them get settled in and I asked them. Did you see a "Crusty" looking couple at Hog Pen. They laughed and said he had freaked them out as well and that they were glad to have someone else in the shelter. They set their 2 person tent up inside the shelter as it rained through most of the night. Maybe this will cool things down a bit.
Date: 2007-06-09
From: Low Gap Shelter

To: Tray Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 14.9
Weather: scattered clouds

June 9th, Saturday: AT miles hiked 14.9As I lay in my sleeping bag last night I contemplated cutting this week¢s trip short at Unicoi Gap. I rationalized coming back a weekend in the fall to make up 15 this week and 15 next week. I left the shelter postponing that decision to see how things went first.Another two good sized mountains waited for me today...Blue and Tray. The temperature had cooled that morning as a result of the rain. I ran into a couple of SOBO¢s who had hiked from Pennsylvania. I believed it too. Their bodies were lean and their faces bearded and weathered. They knew of Blue Skies from Denmark and had failed in their quest to catch up to her. They advised me that the Sarasota R.O.T.C. had a group hiking ahead of me. On Blue mountain I saw a bear cub running away from me up the trail. I was hoping it was running towards its mother. I started singing as not to surprise her. As I started down Blue Mountain I ran into some guys section hiking who were from Birmingham, Alabama. They advised me in Unicoi Gap that the ROTC had a support trailer feeding their group. I saw a "YOGI" opportunity ahead of me. As I climbed down the mountain I could still see the white trailer being towed behind a truck. I reached the Gap and went into my routine. I hung my damp clothes in the sun and sat down to eat some cheese crackers. The R.O.T.C. guy said "How¢s it going?" I said "Well, to tell you the truth...I¢m a little disappointed. I thought this trailer was an Ice Cream truck". He said "I don¢t have any ice cream...but would you like a couple of cheeseburgers". BOO BOO lunch is served. He also gave my some Coca Cola. Things were looking up. The R.O.T.C. support team left and people were coming into the parking lot right and left. I was ready to try another YOGI victim. A nice local guy who was pulling two Triumph bikes to go to the afore mentioned Biker rally had broken down in the gap. I suspect a hose has busted. I saw he had a cooler full of those things you can¢t get in the woods...soft drinks. I pulled out a dollar bill and approached him holding up the dollar bill. I said "Excuse me...someone told me there was a coke machine here...do you know where it is at?" He said "there isn¢t any machine here but I¢ll give you a coke. Yes I know...shameless. We talked for about 30 minutes and a 2nd soft drink materialized. He then offered me a beer. I politely declined. I still had Tray mountain to climb.I made my way up Tray and enjoyed a meal of Tuna mixed with mayonnaise and pickle relish packets in a tortilla wrap and two packets of Lipton¢s Tomato Soup. A fine meal indeed. Two guys were in the camping area there very busy collecting firewood. They were not aware that the entire state of Georgia had a campfire ban. It was my first cool night in Georgia and I had not compromised my goal of 66 miles the first week. It was a satisfying day.
Date: 2007-06-10
From: Tray Mountain Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 10.6
Weather: broken clouds

June, 10th, Sunday: AT miles hiked 10.6Woke up feeling great. My feet did not hurt as badly as they had. I was heading home today for two days. I missed my children. It was 10.6 miles to Dick¢s Creek Gap. I passed an older couple that I suspect I will run into next week. They were hiking to Winding Stairs and at my pace with 2 days off the trail I should meet up with them again. I cruised into Dick¢s Creek Gap parking lot. I was parked 3 miles away at my shuttles home. I could not get any cell reception so I stuck out my thumb. A nice lady who was waiting for her husband and who had thru hiked a few years back offered me a ride. I was very happy to see my car again. It has always been a welcome home symbol whenever I have gone hiking. I showered up and arranged for my shuttle to pick me up Wednesday June 13th at the Nantahala Outdoor Center and bring me back to the Gap to start my next leg. It took me three hours to drive through Cherokee, NC...Great Smokys...and Pidgeon Forge, TN. It was a big mistake to take that route on a Sunday. 8:30pm and back in Louisville. My feet need a rest.
Date: 2007-06-12
From: Home-Louisville, KY

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

June 12th: Tuesday 8:30 pm I off to Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina on my second leg of my Appalachian trail journey. After driving US 28 from just south of Knoxville, TN I¢m a little dizzy. 28 is known as "The Tail of The Dragon". It is a favorite of motorcyclist on the weekends. After midnight, in the middle of the week, it is pretty much deserted. After miles and miles of the "Tail" I pull into the Outdoor Center at 2:00 am. I have nowhere to stay so I pull out my sleeping bag and curl up into the reclined passenger seat of my car.
Date: 2007-06-13
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.6
Weather: scattered clouds

June, 13th Wednesday: AT miles hiked 11.6I¢m up at 7:00. I quickly make my way to the restaurant for an egg, bacon and cheese breakfast sandwich. My ride is there promptly at 8:00am to take me to Dick¢s Creek Gap for today¢s hike. The first climb on the first day back is always a little tough. I ran into several curious day hikers from Atlanta. All were very friendly. It did not seem to be as hot as last week was. I reached the North Carolina state line and took a couple of pictures. Georgia had been tough on me but fair. It¢s tough on everyone. Soon after entering North Carolina there is a steep 1000ft climb up Sharp Top and Courthouse Bald. On my way up I ran into Ron Haven. Ron owns the Budget Inn in Franklin, NC. It is a popular hiker stay-over. He gave me his card and promised a discount when I reached Winding Stairs. The trail is 9-10 miles away from the hotel but Ron provides free shuttle to and from the trail. It¢s about 6pm when I roll into the shelter. Staying here tonight is Nevena, a UGA graduate student, and her spunky 8 month old dog named June. Nevena sets up her tent inside the shelter and June climbs into the bag with her. I appreciate the fact there is a dog here because I had heard of Bear activity at this shelter the day before from a South Bound hiker who was nearing the end of his journey.
Date: 2007-06-14
From: Muskrat Creek Shelter

To: Big Spring Shelter
Miles today: 19.3
Weather: light rain

June, 14th Thursday: AT miles hiked 19.3To say this day was epic is to be cliche¢. It started as any other day would. I did leave the shelter at 7:00am and was headed to the Carter Gap Shelter about 12 miles down the trail. When I got to the shelter it was over filled with 8 people there. One of the hikers there was stranded with a leg injury. Another hiker had made arrangements to help get him out. It started to rain and Nevena and June just made it in. The rain ended after a brief period and I had made the decision to press on another 7 to Big Spring Shelter. Nevena decided to do the same. She was hoping to catch up to a couple friends she had made...Kurt and his daughter Claire. We left the shelter donning our rain gear in the event it rained. It did. Ten minutes after we left the skies opened up. Thunder, lightning...and Then the Hail Came. Inside I was laughing because I have read "Then the Hail Came" It is an often hilarious on-line Book/Journal written by George Steffanos about his AT Thru hike in 1983. http://www.skwc.com/exile/Hail-nf.html I now knew how George felt. Like George, I was wondering what the hell I was doing out here. This went on for over an hour. The rain continued for another hour after that. Our boots were soaked inside and out. It did let up right before we started our climb up Albert Mountain. That one is 2/3 of a mile of down on all fours climbing. Once on top there was a weather tower. A quick climb up that tower provided an awesome 360 degree unobstructed view for miles. As we made our way onto the shelter we let out a cheer. Mine was more of a Hee Hah. As luck would have it Kurt and Claire were there. Claire was excited to see Nevena and vice-versa. I had met these two on my first day when I stopped for lunch at Hawk Mountain Shelter. Kurt had thru-Hiked in 2003. He had hitch hiked with "Lion King" who did a documentary film that year. We looked down at the ground and noticed there were still piles of ice on the ground from the hail. We did our best to hang up our clothes and to get into something dry. Lipton Noodles never tasted so good. Hiking 19.3 in a storm proved to us that we could handle this hike. It also shortened our day tomorrow to 9.1 miles into Franklin. We would need the town stay to get dried out. The promise of a real bed and an All You Can Eat Buffet was just what all of us needed. Claire kept talking all night about getting to a Hardees for one of their Side-O-Beef Burgers. Life is good.
Date: 2007-06-15
From: Big Spring Shelter

To: Budget Inn - Franklin, NC
Miles today: 9.1
Weather: light rain

June, 15th Friday: AT miles hiked 9.1 We all left the shelter around 7:00 am. We made really good time and stopped about every 3 miles for a turbo break. The first stop was at the 100 mile mark. One down...twenty to go. OK it all of a sudden didn¢t seem too impressive. Nevena let June off her leash. Though we walked 9.1 we estimated June walked at least 50 miles that day. She would run to the front...to the back...to the front again. This went on the whole way to Winding Stair Gap. This was to be June¢s last day on the trail. She was losing too much weight. Nevena had arranged for a friend to pick the dog up there. Claire did not complain about her hike at all. She had cheeseburger tunnel vision. After a ridge top phone call, Ron Haven met us at the trail head. His motel, The Budget Inn, is a modest and clean hotel. My agenda for the rest of the day was a shower, laundry, snack, grocery stop, nap and a rendevous with my new friends and the All You Can Eat Buffet place located by the motel. My friends were taking a zero day on Saturday so we made our Good-byes that evening. After that it was a little TV and a good night¢s sleep in air-conditioning.