morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2013-10-06
From: Killington, VT

To: On to Maine
Miles today: 186.7

We can do anything we want if we stick with it long enough. Helen Keller   I'm still heeeerrre. Yep, making my way, enjoying my days, wrestling with my demons and learning lessons that enlighten then strike to my core.    I'm never of a mind to abandon something once I've begun it. These miles, say the last 900 or so, have been a pleasure and a pain. The best has been better than ever, the worst has come hurtling over me like a runaway train.    What's real is that Maine is close enough to see and it's amazing to experience mountains painted in new shades daily. I've experienced a lack of confidence and uncharted anxiety in the past weeks that is new and unsettling in my life. Making decisions and planning have been humbling lessons in frustration. The upside is that I am reaching out for support from those who know and love me. And I'm still here.    My hiking partner has borne more stress and strain than most could or would. His input, support and wisdom has kept the USS Tie on course and pointed towards the goal. A priceless blessing indeed.    Not done yet. It's all been good except when it's been difficult. XO,Tie(Pix)
Date: 2013-10-07
From: On to Maine

To: Caratunk, Maine
Miles today: 145.0
Weather: light intensity drizzle

It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves. Sir Edmund Hillary   Odyssey: a long series of wanderings or adventures, especially when filled with notable experiences, hardships and everything else.    I'm in Caratunk, Maine. It's a bit colder now, pack is heavier what with more clothes and such. The color of the month is orange (as in blaze). Not for Halloween but to alert hunters that I'm a hiker, not a grouse or a moose. Grouch at times, yes, but not a bird. Still walking.    The trail is leafy, pine needley, wet and rooty. Maine is beautiful. Hitching is easy as the folks here relate to hikers, especially late in the season. Some highlights:    Mahoosuc Notch, a mile long mega block - rock boulder field maze. Push and pull, in and out, pack off to squeeze through where I had to. Followed up by----   Mahoosuc Arm, a grab whatever root, rock nubbin, tree branch or crevasse to pull up up and up. Avoid the slippery stuff (?) and just keep a goin'.   Arrive at Speck Pond, grab some water and go up another steep couple of miles to.....   Old Spec summit and observation tower, an amazing place to camp.    Visits to Rangeley, a night at Pine Ellis Lodge in Andover and at the White Wolf in Stratton.    Great walk by Pierce Pond then to Harrison's Pierce Pond Camp, a hunting lodge that's been hosting guests since 1934.   Met great locals everywhere who shared their stories as we shared ours. Not many NOBOs, LOL       We had a shuttle to cross the Kennebec River 'coz the canoe guy shut down. I saw a lot of this amazingly beautiful river on the way to the bridge in Bingham.       Waiting out a rainy day here, then on to Monson. Shipped fuel there as supplies are harder to come by.    Love Maine. Still wrestling with my confidence but that's part of my journey now. That and a million pepperoni pizzas.    So that's the story today. One day at a time, eh?It's all very orange & good in Maine. Tie(Pix)
Date: 2013-12-29
From: Caratunk, Maine

To: Abol Bridge, ME and beyond
Miles today: 135.0
Weather: light rain

Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. Goethe   Happy New Year, almost.   I'm writing this coda to my journey although it has not ended. It's taken a while, but here's some of my story since leaving Caratunk:   We hiked north, heading to Monson and eventually arrived at Lakeshore House. We were the last of the NOBOs. We waited out some rainy weather then carried on.   I reached Abol Bridge on Oct. 30. Seeing Katahdin from the bridge is unforgettable. The mountaintop was snow covered. The small store at Abol Bridge was closed until snowmobile season. We found the proprietor and purchased a few supplies (haha, whoopie pies and beer to celebrate) then found a place to camp.    It was a beautiful, starry Maine night and I spent part of it outside, looking at the night sky. The view from my tent the next morning was especially poignant as I loved being in the woods and knew that it would be a while before I'd be back. But, my work was done.   At least, the work of hiking was done....much remained ahead and this is what I've not written about here. Life changes loomed if I decided to apply what I'd learned about myself in the past 7 1/2 months. My story became very personal and I still cannot share this as it's as yet unfinished. Hiking became entwined with personal reflection, which resulted in the need to choose a path for the future. We are all works in progress, aren't we?   I am writing, though, and perhaps this story will make a book or screenplay someday LOL. I wouldn't change anything about my hike. It was perfect ~ a pleasure and a pain, a heaven and a hell, a mirror into myself and a view of our beautiful world on a daily basis. What a national treasure, the AT.   A footpath for those who seek fellowship with the wilderness. Any maybe for those who seek to know themselves a bit better.   I loved the input from readers of my journal and enjoyed corresponding with many of you. A highlight was meeting two of you! I became more isolated and alone as I finished hiking. I was literally the last woman standing for NOBOs. I should've kept in touch even though it was hard then, in every way. I'm thankful for having the support of so many. It was and is an amazing thing.   So. I'm in NJ, working out some things and heading into 2014, happy and healthy. I wish these things to all of you.....good health, best wishes and most of all to follow your dreams."Courage is found in unlikely places" J.R.R. TolkienIt's all good. Tie Pix
Date: 2013-06-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

After months of preparation and a few delays, we are finally leaving for the trail. Today my wife (Cassie) drove us 8 hours to Afton, VA where we are spending the night with Cassie's sister and family, Mary and David and son Ben. We drove straight to the Blue Toad Pub, where we met everyone for a send off dinner. Luckily, we were also able to catch our nephew from CA and his wife and infant son, Justin and Hanna and little Liam, who were on the tail end of their visit to the area. Our waiter for the evening was Ben! My daughter Erica came from New York for the send-off and was there as well. Tomorrow is the big day! We will drive 2-1/2 hours to Harpers Ferry to begin the hike. For the back-story on why we are starting just north of Harpers Ferry and hiking south to Springer Mountain, click on "About" on the left side of the page. In a few weeks, we'll see Mary and David again, since they live right off the AT.
Date: 2013-06-28
From: Weverton Road, Maryland

To: Loudoun Heights Trail
Miles today: 6.0

Tom's Journal:Woke up at 5 am today in anxious anticipation of starting the hike. Cassie & Erica drove Scott and me to Harpers Ferry where we stopped at ATC headquarters and had our photos taken as official ATC thru-hikers. We found Scott's photo in the 2009 book. He was the last thru-hiker for that year! We then drove to a spot just north of Harpers Ferry - the exact spot where Scott ended in 2009. We said our goodbyes to Cassie and Erica and then officially started our trail adventure. After hiking 1 mile we managed to get off track (not a good omen for a 1000 mile hike!), but quickly recovered and reached Harper's Ferry in about 2 hours. I called Cassie & Erica since she was meeting her brother Joel and wife Minh in HF and thought they might still be there having lunch. She was still there so we stopped and had our first trail meal - roast beef panini at a nice restaurant. I was starting to think that this trail thing wouldn't be that hard after all, but I knew better.Scott and I continued on. By 7 pm we had not reached a shelter so we stealthed camped about .3 miles south of Loudoun Heights. We put up our tent and ate some summer sausage and then made our first attempt at hanging our food sack up in a tree so the bears could not get. It was like a comedy routine as it took us about 45 minutes and 100 attempts at tossing the rope before success. I wish I would have paid more attention to the Lone Ranger growing up.Got to inflate my sleeping pad for first time. Manufacturer said takes 1 minute. 10 minutes later I was still pumping. Never trust manufacturer's claims!All in all, a pretty good first day!Scott's Journal:It seemed weird to hike to Harper's Ferry and eat lunch with my Mom, Erica, Uncle Joel and Minh, but really enjoyed seeing them for the last time. Hiking through Harper's Ferry we saw two great churches: St. Pete's and St. John's. St. Pete had an amazing overlook of the town and both are near Jefferson Rock. We saw an abandoned building covered in street art graffiti to the right of the trail. I think the Potomac River we crossed is the largest river I have seen yet on the trail. Since there was no designated tent site or shelter near us we stealth camped. Stealth Camping is done in an undesignated area of the wilderness. I would not recommend it. All in all, My father and I are embarking on an awesome adventure!
Date: 2013-06-29
To: David Lesser Shelter
Miles today: 6.6
Weather: scattered clouds

Tom's Journal:Woke up about 7am after good night's rest although it did rain some. No leaks in tent. That was good news.Scott's my travelling chef so he boiled the water on his portable stove and cooked us some oatmeal. This was our first time having to repack all our gear. Boy are we slow! We did not break camp until well after 10 am. I'm sure we'll get more efficient as time goes on.We reached a state road after 4 miles and found a country store. Bought some fried chicken then sat outside and had lunch. People coming in and out of store would stop and ask about our hike. Very friendly people.We started up again and soon came upon a hiker couple and stopped and chatted for a few minutes. They said their trail names were Sex on the Trail and Sticky Fingers. I laughed but didn't ask for further details. That night I called Cassie and told her about the couple we met. She said when I finally get my trail name (most all hikers have one) to make sure it didn't have the word sex in the name. I said don't worry the only sex I will see on the trail would be 2 frogs mating. Another 3 miles and we ended our day at David Lesser Shelter where we pitched our tent. got out our hiking chairs and just kicked back and relaxed after a long day of hiking. Another hiker at the site showed us the weather forecast. Lots of rain and thunderstorms. The forecast proved to be accurate. But again our tent held up well. The body is also holding up well so far.Scott's Journal:I enjoy cooking for my father and me because I love eating after a day of hiking. We are streamlining the packing and unpacking our gear part of this hike. We will be professionals in short time. Hopefully both of us will rise with the sun and get in a full day of hiking. The David Lesser Shelter had the largest and nicest deck with a railing. I had not seen a deck like it previously on my hike. It is a different world out here y'all!
Date: 2013-06-30
From: David Lesser Shelter

To: Blackburn Trail Center
Miles today: 3.2
Weather: scattered clouds

Tom's Journal:At 5am I heard the zippers as a group of hikers arose. 5 minutes later I got up and saw that the hikers were completely packed and had vanished. Only in my dreams could I break camp that fast. Oh well - maybe some day.We walked about .5 miles to a spring to refill our hydration reservoirs. I am carrying 3 liters of water and Scott is carrying 2 liters in his pack. We then walked back to the campsite and continued packing gear. Very slowly of course. Today would be a short hike of about 3 miles. Some tough uphill climbs and arrived at the Blackburn Trail Center (hostel with caretakers) at about 4pm. We took our first showers since the beginning of our hike in an outdoor solar shower. It felt great. Got to meet a lot of hikers here. Interesting and friendly people. Met one guy named Uncle Buck. Big guy with pink mohawk haircut and matching tank top. He was a sight to behold and a very nice guy. A through hiker trail named Seven after God's favorite number interviewed us on camera for his documentary he is planning on posting to youtube later this year. Our cliffside tentsite at the Blackburn Trail Center had an amazing view of the valley below. Had some more fun trying to toss our foodpack over a tree branch and watched it fall and go over the cliff. Fortunately Scott is a good rock climber and was able to retrieve it. Another good day on the trail. Scott's Journal:I enjoyed only having to hike three miles because I need to pace myself to finish the 1000 miles. Just sitting with my father in our camp chairs and then walking down the hill to the Blackburn Trail Center was thoroughly relaxing and enjoyable. My dad is better at hanging our food sack(no bears have tried it yet). Virginia is beautiful to gaze at atop a mountain. It holds the pure beauty of our Earth. Day three in the books!
Date: 2013-07-01
From: Blackburn Trail Center

To: Bear's Den Trail Center
Miles today: 7.9
Weather: light rain

Tom's Journal:Scott came up with a great idea for today's hike. We would slackpack. That is where you detach the top part of your pack and use it as a fanny pack and then have somebody deliver the rest of your pack to your the next destination. We were able to shed about 30 pounds of gear that way. We knew today's hike was going to be mostly up hill through an area called the Devil's racecourse and also the roller coaster. So having light weight seemed like a great idea. We left Blackburn Trail Center at about 9am for an 8 mile hike. It was foggy with a light drizzle but not bad. At least it was cool. One of the most exciting points in the hike was when we came out of the woods to a cliff with incredible long range views out of the Virginia country side below. Absolutely breathtaking.   We had one interesting encounter with a northbound hiker. It was a woman about 6'8" and was built like an Amazon. She said she was doing about 4 miles per hour.   Much faster than our one mph! We finally arrived at the Bear's Den Hostel at 4 pm. Beautiful old stone facility fully equipped with caretakers, food, bunkbeds, and showers. We slept in bed for the first on the trail. I cannot tell you how good that felt. We had hot pizza and Ben and Jerry's ice cream for dessert. It hit the spot. There are about six other hikers staying with us. All were about Scott's age. So I wa the old man in the group. we had fun trading trail stories. We have now completed our fourth day on the trail and so far so good.Scott's Journal:The Devil's racecourse was not as hard as it sounds. Especially slackpacking it. The view's were far and away better this hiking day. I am very enthusiastic about the rest of our hike. Upon arriving at Bear's Den Hostel I found a guitar and sang some random song to my dad. That was very special. My father and I watched the sunset from a nearby cliff. I prayed to the Lord God in a gazebo at night and found innermost tranquility. I look forward to another short hiking day and good times. I send my love to our readers.
Date: 2013-07-02
From: Bear's Den Trail Center

To: Sam Moore Shelter
Miles today: 3.0
Weather: light rain

Scott's Journal:I woke up early this morning to cook pancakes with syrup (too much syrup). We stayed late at Bear's Den journalling. I was very tired and had to stop several times on the trail to catch my breath. I ate two energy bars hoping that would pick me up. I hope my legs grow stronger. Maybe 3 weeks from now I will have more stamina. I hope to eventually average more than 5 mile days. We met 2 girl hikers Green Light and Tiny Tim and talked about other hikers and things. They started their hike from Georgia. I am enjoying meeting all the different people. At Sam Moore's shelter we met Kiwi and Bear, Asians from New Zealand. We also met Hawaii and Sycamore, a man and a woman. I am getting used to sleeping in a tent.   If I was doing what I am supposed to be doing, I would not care about having one.Tom's Journal:Woke up about 6 am. Great night sleep in bunk bed. Scott and I cooked pancakes for ourselves and rest of hikers. Bear's Den has a fully equipped kitchen for hiker's use. Got a late start leaving since had to spend some time finally posting some entries in our trail journal. The entries will come in bunches since we have to wait until we get to a place that has internet access. The late start was okay since we were only hiking 3 mile today to our next destination Sam Moore Shelter. Weather was fine and the hike did not kill me. I am finding that my body is holding up well. No sore muscles but I do tend to get winded whenever we hike uphill. It is always so funny when I have to stop while gasping for air and I look over at Scott who is barely breathing, and I say to him couldn't you just pretend to be somewhat winded. The things that are really helping me are the fact that my boots really fit great - no blisters, no hot spots, and my backpack after several weight redistribution adjustments also fits perfectly. Overall things are looking pretty good.
Date: 2013-07-03
From: Sam Moore Shelter

To: Rod Hollow Shelter
Miles today: 6.9
Weather: light rain

Scott's Journal:We broke camp at Sam Moore Shelter while it was raining. That slowed us down. As we develop strategy for wet conditions we move quicker. Dad is a great strategy developer. We completed the section of the AT called the "Roller Coaster" and other hikers say "You are through the roller coaster!" as they hike by us. That felt great. God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ are in my thoughts everyday and leave me feeling totally free. We ate dinner at Rod Hollow Shelter with Poppins from Minnesota, Chopper from Navarre, Florida, and Sis from Indianapolis. I am hanging my pack in the shelter to give me more room getting in and out of the tent. We hiked 6.9 miles and we are tired. I am stretching now and my legs are tight. I am beginning to become tolerant of rain hiking. I like my dad's pace. He will help me conserve energy.Tom's Journal:Woke up at 5 am. The body seems to want to wake up when the earth around you wakes up. It just seems natural. Started raining early on - Bad news for packing our gear. When it rains we use a waterproof rain cover that stretches over our pack and protects it from the rain. It's called a duck's pack. Although most of my gear is packed in individual dry compression sacks. It is important to have the entire pack covered. Nothing worse than wet gear. Especially a wet sleeping bag! As we were leaving a hiker came running after us with Scott's headlamp. That is not an item you want to leave behind. Made it to the Rod Hollow Shelter about 5:30 pm and immediately starting setting up our campsite. We are definitely developing a routine. First thing we do is set up our ultralight camp chairs and collapse in them for about 15 minutes. With renewed energy we then go about our remaining tasks. Setup tent, setup rainfly, find water source(typically a spring), and filter water into our hydration packs. The water filtration unit is a quite handy piece of equipment to have. Met some interesting hikers at the shelter. One woman had lost her wallet on the trail and it was found by another hiker whose wife happened to be meeting him at the trailhead where the wallet was lost. He was able to figure out who the hiker was, and since he now had access to a car, he drove 100 miles to return the wallet. These are the kinds of stories that give you faith in mankind!
Date: 2013-07-04
From: Rod Hollow Shelter

To: Dick's Dome Shelter
Miles today: 8.4

Scott's Journal:I had a very pleasant breakfast and morning. My father and I were the last ones to leave camp. Our hike today seemed easy and short compared to the Roller Coaster. It was a 8.4 miler getting up as high as 1850 feet. I enjoyed the view of Virginian Countryside. We hiked through Skyline Meadow and I liked the openess from a "green tunnel". We passed a young couple that my father asked if they wanted to carry his pack. They laughed and walked on past. Part of the trail got very narrow. My dad slipped once near a creek on slimy tree roots and rocks. He kept his balance on several other occasions today in the wet muddy parts of the trail. Some of the mud we hike through could be used by Peruvians to build pueblos. It is very nice mud. Happy 4th of July! Blessed is a nation where God is Lord. Bless God America. Special shout out to my good friend Bryson Ammons. I miss my mother and the comfort of my home. My father and I are bonded and enjoying it. It is whole other world making a home in the wilderness. Wake. Cook. Eat. Worship. Drink. Walk. Sit. Cook. Eat. Pray. Sleep.   What a day.Tom's Journal:Happy July 4th as I wake up in the wilderness. We are still rather slow in breaking camp. Another hiker named Poppins told us that she was always the last one leaving camp. I told her that would not be the same case today since I am slow as molasses, which by the way has become my official trail name - Molasses, since it is so fitting. Scott has retained his trail name from 2009 - Mac and Cheese. Sure enough, we were in fact the last to leave camp. Today we hiked 8.4 miles, our longest yet on our way to Dick's Dome Shelter. Did not see a single SoBo(SouthBound Hiker) all day. What we are finding is that most of the hikers are north bounders. All trying to make it to Maine before winter. Arrived at Dick's Dome Shelter and inside the shelter we found Hagrid and Killer, a guy and a girl, who were just waking up from an afternoon siesta, as they planned to keep hiking that day. We also met a hiker who just lost his home, his job, and his wife(divorce). He said he now lives on the trail moving from shelter to shelter. Really missing family, but at least able to talk on cell phone when signal is available.
Date: 2013-07-05
From: Dick's Dome Shelter

To: Linden, Virginia Post Office
Miles today: 7.0

Scott's Journal:We spoke with Pacer, a veteran thru-hiker, after breaking camp, refilled Dad's reservoir and commenced hike to Linden. We met many hikers swapping stories and sharing our faith in God. One hiker Little Bird, has a Methodist Minister Mother. We have 2 miles to Linden after stopping for lunch at the Manassas Gap Shelter. I miss the trail already.Tom's Journal:Had an interesting night's sleep since our tent site was not level. Kept waking up and finding myself and my sleeping bag almost pushing Scott through the side of the tent. Note to self - always setup tent on level ground Broke camp at 0830- earliest yet. Getting a little more efficient. Real incentive to get to our destination today since it will be our first overnight stay in civilization- a Holiday Inn in Front Royal. Happened to be right next to a golf course. All I could do was pine my heart away since for the next 3 months I am not a golfer- I'm a hiker! Hot shower, bed, and restaurant food. It felt great. Stopped at P.O. for resupply sent by Cassie. Fortunate to run into people who offered to drive us most any place we wanted. They seemed very interested in hikers and are very kind, generous, and friendly people. A real godsend since I want to save all my walking for the trail! One final note, especially to my older brother Buddy. I have now completed more than a week of hiking and looks like I will be going all the way!Your comments posted in the guest book are most appreciated.