morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2004-07-21
From: Morgan Stewart Shelter

To: Hoyt Road
Miles today: 17.8

Boy was today hot! I had a cascade of sweat pouring down me like Niagara Falls. We had to walk 3 ¢ 4 miles in open fields and we were baking like the cow patties we hiked past. For someone who doesn¢t like heat and humidity, I was struggling.We passed the Appalachian Trail Station, which is this little wooden train platform. It will take you into Grand Central Station in New York City. Right after that we walked 12 mile to Tony¢s Deli to get water, ice cream and sandwiches. We tried to eat light, but we over did it because once we started hiking again, we were like UGH!! Our bellies were full.We had lost Little Tree and ¢The Walking Stomach¢ a few days earlier when we had a short day. When we read the register for Wiley Shelter, they had signed in, so we could track them down. The Walking Stomach lives in Kent, CT, so they had hitched to her house yesterday and they were slackpackin¢ today. It was about 7 PM, so we called them on our cell phone. The line was busy for the first 30 minutes, but finally it rang! Ann (The Walking Stomach¢s partner) answered and said she would come get us. It was trail magic at it¢s best. We desperately needed a shower and laundry done.It was great to see them again and they had a big meal prepared when we arrived. It was awesome. Great way to end a long, hot day.
Date: 2004-07-22
From: Hoyt Road

To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 11.5

We slackpacked today with Little Tree and The Walking Stomach. We crossed into Connecticut, and based on the miles we did today we don't think highly of CT. Lots of little ups and downs that just end up pissing you off. It was also very hot and humid today. Right Way was feeling very sick from the heat, so luckily it was a short hike with a shower and house at the end of the day.We saw a HUGE rattle snake right beside the trail. It slowly crept through the woods and paid no attention to us. We ran into two different hikers who also saw rattlers in different places, so that makes 3 for that section. They are amazing creatures.
Date: 2004-07-25
To: Kent, CT
Miles today: 0.0

Well, we've been off the trail for three days. The first day was a plus day and it rained all day, which was awesome because we were inside warm and dry! The second day Right Way had a pain below her hip, and we thought it might be a hernia. We went to a clinic and the Dr. thought it was a pulled muscle and that her lymph node was irritated by the inflammed muscle.So today we took it easy. By the evening she was running a temp and the spot on her hip was developing a rash. A bulls eye, which is a classic symptom of Lyme's Disease from a deer tick. We went to the ER and the Dr. agreed, so she's on some medication for 3 weeks. We've been staying at Walking Stomach's house in Kent, which has been a huge help.Right Way seems upbeat and we caught it early, so we'll take it slow and see how she feels. I think we're planning on skipping CT and Mass. We are also planning on seeing Foxie (one of our hiking friends from last year) in Northern Mass. We just have to find a way to get to her. We'll check into that tomorrow. Life is Good.
Date: 2004-07-31
From: Kent, CT

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We made it to Boston by train on the 27th. We are staying at my friend Lesley's place, which has been so fantastic. We love Lesley!! Some more of our friends from Ohio (Katie and Tucker) our coming to visit us here next week. We'll go out to the Cape, as well as, go see Lesley's friend the FALCONER in VT!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited about that. He trains falcons and I think it is so cool. I can't wait to see the falcons, and hopefully I'll get to launch one in the air and have it land on my arm again. I don't know why but I'm so psyched for this.Right Way is doing really well. Her body is healing and she shows no symptoms of Lyme's Disease anymore. She still has a couple of weeks of antibotics to take. Our plans for returning to the trail remain up in the air. Right Way is really nervous and worried about getting bit again. She feels her body wouldn't be able to take it if that happened. Plus the antibotics are really powerful, which makes her body have to adjust to those changes that occur from medication. One important lesson we've learned while being out on the trail is to go with the flow of life. Fighting against this natural current only complicates and makes things more difficult. We'll stay in Boston for another week and then make a decision as to what we should do. For now we'll enjoy the present moment and all the beauty it holds.
Date: 2004-08-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Right Way and I went on a walk today in Boston to a spiritual bookstore. It was very similar to the bookstore I frequent at home. It felt good to be there...familiar and comforting. I bought a book called The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. I'd like to share this section with you because it moved me."It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.I want to know if you can see beauty, even when it's not pretty, every day, and if you can source your own life from its prescence. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes!"It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back. It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments."
Date: 2004-08-07
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

We are returning to the trail! Right Way has been doing great. The Lyme's Disease cleared up quickly after she got on some medication. We both feel like there's more for us out there; that our hike is not finished. We will jump ahead to Vermont, skipping CT and Mass, which we will return to finish either this year or another. We know we have plenty of time even if we would hike CT and Mass now, but Right Way doesn't want to be in an area that is known for deer ticks and Lyme's. We'll just take it day by day and as always give ourselves permission to leave whenever it feels right.Boston's been great and now it's off to the trail. We'll be back on by August 9th. Giddy-up...let's go!!!
Date: 2004-08-09
From: VT 9

To: Goddard Shelter
Miles today: 10.1
Weather: clear sky

Our first day back on the trail after 2 1/2 weeks off. It was good to be back, but already things felt strange. The pack, my poles...hiking. I hadn't had a good night's sleep, so I felt sluggish. I just wanted to take a nap.Despite how I felt, it was a gorgeous day. It was sunny and 82 degrees with no humidity. Summer is starting to fade already, the sun's reflection has shifted and the smell of Fall is in the air.Yesterday we got to meet the Falconer (Scott) and the falcons, which are really hawks and eagles. It was very cool. Me, Lesley, and Right Way all got to work with Skye, a Harris Hawk. We wore this brown, soft leather glove. Skye would rest on our index finger until we gave her the signal to fly to a nearby perch. The signal was just raising our arm up; as if we were going to toss her into the air. She'd wait on the perch until we signaled her to come back by raising our gloved hand above our waist. It was so cool to be that close to a hawk.So we are just taking it one day at a time. Right Way started the day off feeling strong, but woke up from a nap not feeling so good. Life is such an adventure. We'll just see were it takes us.
Date: 2004-08-10
From: Goddard Shelter

To: Scott's House 
Miles today: 10.0

The decision has been made that today will be our last day on the trail for this year. We talked about what we both wanted to do before we fell asleep last night in the tent. We listed the pros and cons and expressed how we felt about each. What we concluded was that the drive and motivation necessary for hiking was gone for both of us. The decision to come back felt good at the time, but I think we were meant to come back just to say good-bye to the trail for this season. But more importantly, we were meant to come back to leave on our own terms, with it being our choice. Plus it was important to Right Way not to leave the trail with Lyme's disease being the deciding factor. She didn't want to leave the trail with fear.The next question was were we're we going to get off the trail and how will we get to Scott's house? The next road access wasn't for another 12 miles and we weren't even sure if it was a major road. The universe had beautifully already arranged our departure. We had met two awesome women (named Louise and Nelia) last night at the shelter. They were doing a two-day hike which consisted of half of it being on the AT and the other half being on the West Ridge Trail. We asked them if we could hike out with them and if possible could they take us to Scott's house 30 minutes away?? They kindly agreed.As we hiked the 10 miles today, both of were happy with our decision. We had enjoyed our 3 months with the AT and it was time to move off in another direction.
Date: 2004-08-22
To: Good-bye for now...
Miles today: 0.0

Well, we are back home now in Kansas City. We spent another week with Lesley in Boston, and then we decided it was time to journey home.I'm so glad we returned to the trail this year. I had such a difficult time last year that it would've been easy to never return. My experience this year with the trail was amazing. I had very little pain what-so-ever in my body and a much better attitude and outlook overall. That alone is a huge success. Because to me that shows me that I was able to let go and go with the flow...to trust the process of life.I'll leave you with something I wrote recently to another hiker:"In my opinion, you GOT IT...you got what the trail is all about. So often we try to acheive, conquer, and accomplish...whatever happened to just BEING, and allowing the current of this beautiful life take you where you need to go? The trail will always be there with open arms welcoming you back. And besides I think it makes the trail sad when we try to rush through her like a trashy novel. She deserves more consideration, thoughtfulness, love, respect, and admiration.We hope to return to the trail in a week or two, and we will jump ahead to VT or NH possibly even Maine depending on how we feel. And perhaps the current of life will lead us in a totally different direction. We are open to whatever is Divine for us at this moment."Until next time...
Date: 2004-04-03
To: Dinner
Miles today: 0.0

O.k.than. 3 Entries to get it going. Let s try this thing with the trail journal (I still haven t a clue how a telephone works, not to speak of PC s).A wilderness walk with internet-access ! Rather funny !At any rate, it s brilliant an I will see if I can leap at the chance to drop a line in the journal from time to time while creeping along the trail.Still not creeping but already tingling - with excitement.I am looking forward to my next entry.doosie
Date: 2004-04-04
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Eventually, turning to the gist of it:1. When ?   2. How long ? 3. Why ?1. Start 27th April from Amicalola falls, Georgia, NOBO (=Richtung Norden, von    NOrth BOunder, oder so)2. 2 months (and a bit more).   Surely not enough for a thru-walk. But a good and long time for getting in on   the fun (FUN ?, challenge ?, or                                 de                                    al ??) by muddling through the woods again3. Even Deep Thought wouldn t know the answer. Wrong question.Again ? Yes, I know. It s hard to believe. THOUGH I did already a short stretch I venture it again. Several years ago it was SOBO (richtig geraten ! Richtung S14den). That is the reason why NOBO s found from Delaware Water Gab on so many handmade "Gartenzwerge". I placed them at distincitve spots along the trail. Wanted to leave sth typical German to give some joice to other people as well.I hope other walkers liked them and treated them with respect. Gartenzwerge are very sensitive persons, indeed. BTW, that I was wearing a "Dirndl" and was yodeling every morning after getting up very early is a rumour, definitely. Yodeldue-hoedelyumdoosie (aka rita)
Date: 2004-04-05
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

So sorry, I thought the word "Gartenzwerg" is used in English,too - like "Kindergarten". I hope my favorite one appears on this page. He is a bit shy, usually they are like that. He has a wonderful wife but until now I was not successful to persuade her showing up at the journal. I ll try again.And now, don t be amazed. As a long-distance walker I m used to speaking to myself. That s pretty common among this species. For instance:"STOOOOPPP RAININING NOW !!!!""Gorgeous, what a view !""Blimey, that was again a ****ing chilly night.""I do hope, I soon find a way out of this doomed forest.""Deserved it." (after having slain ONE of the countless mossies), etc.I don t want to overdo that now (What a luck the reader might think). A last one that was originally the cause to mention it at all:"Stop babbling, rit ! Instead turn to the point where you have left the journal yesterday. 3 entries required." Uff.O.k."Dirndl" (fancy bavarian womens  dress) and "yodel". A rumour, you bet ! I swear: "Neither did I wear a Dirndl nor did anybody hear a yodel from me. Not one !"True is, I met lots of nice people, some friendly, bit shy, big black-bears and millions and millions of highly interested, not shy at all, tiny, tiny mosquitos. Which were inspite of their well-developed sense of sociability, strangely enought - quite unfriendly. All in all, I had a tremendous time that inspired me to put the south part of the trail on top of my short-list (nicht etwa "kleine od kurze" Liste. Weit gefehlt ! short list = engere Wahl).Start is soon fordoosie (aka rita)P.s.: in fact, the genuine "yodel" is very nice and it is kind of an own language. Once the mountain people conveyed by yodeling direct important information from mountain to mountain or to valley (nowadays cellphone, boring) and some very old songs are based on "Yodel".
Date: 2004-04-08
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

+ + disaster + + + disaster + + + disaster + + + disaster + +Was habe ich getan !   What have I done ! I feel deeply embarrassed, indeed.Zippo Zampano (the Gartenzwerg) told me off:¢Du, Doosie (you, youyou) hear ! This pic of me is awfully BIG ! I really don t like it. We Gartenzwerge are small and modest folk. By no means we want to be pretentious like that¢Pippa Zampano (his wife): ¢I should say so as well !¢ (as an exception)¢As for me, I can t give the permission for showing a pic of me like that. Definitely it would give me a bad reputation inside the Gartenzwerg community¢.My affirmation that I don t like it either so big didn t help at all. The original size is much smaller and the extension took me by surprise. What have I done ! But only this way it is .jpg and can be uploaded. Trying to minimize it I get .bmp. What difficulties do so easily appear in real life ! Anyway, I am happy that it is working at all. While punching in the keybord I still have fear that suddenly at the display might appear: ¢ RED ALERT¢ Blink ¢DON T¢ Blink ¢DON T PRESS THIS BUTTION AGAIN ! ¢ (?????Which button ?)I don t give up and try again(I never ever thought that once in my life I will be occupied at full capacity with Gartenzwerge)I swear being serious from now on and wish you "Hoppy Eastern" and huuuuuuge AYCE meals to the hikers.
Date: 2004-04-12
To: TOP SECRET !
Miles today: 0.0

O.k., I swear, this will be the last report concerning ¢Gartenzwerge¢. Originally I didn t want to add another one but I found out the shocking reality. Shocking !They are cheating ! They pretend to be soooo cute. THEY ARE NOT ! Seeing them in the village gardens everybody is convinced Gartenzwerge are just lifeless objects staying around on the green, a bit silly and pretty useless. THIS IS NOT TRUE ! Believe me. They are shrewd and shrewish ! By pure coincidence I figured out they pretend to be lifeless only during the time sb is looking at them. As soon as you turn they continue on their work. And what is their work ?They scheme for ruling the world ! WORLDLEADERSHIP ! WELTHERRSCHAFT !And since recently they are Dogberts  allies. Who also want to be the ¢King¢. We can only hope they begin to fight one against the other. But fact in(or at ?) this very moment is: they have built up together a training camp. I managed to sneak in with my camera and could make some secret photos. About their fighting stratagems. The pics are not very good, some done in the dark but very, very secret. It is impossible to show them on this page. Maybe I can manage to publish them in the photo galerie. I don t know yet. It is dangerous. If I don t appear on the trail around April 27th they have caught me and I really don t know what they will do with me. I hope that will not happen. Must stop writing now.
Date: 2004-04-17
To: coffeeshop
Miles today: 0.0

Amazing. Originally I thought:¢If they want 3 entries, o.k. 3 entries for the preps than. And now ? The 6th entry already ! I am astonished at myself. Wouldn t it be better, anyway, writing all my prattle before hiking ?But this is an important one ! This one is especially for my German friends. NO ! Please don t use the exit button now !(I speak to the Germans. They might have the urgent wish to leave the internet immediately reading the above).I do hope some keep on reading. I must explain sth special. And I will do that mainly in German (O dear ! Now the Americans and the exit button. Whatever I do is seemingly doomed to be wrong). I have to explain this mail drops thing. Better to change my ¢ English-gibberish¢ into ¢Krauts-gibberish¢ (Deutsches Kauderwelsch). Otherwise it might be the Germans will pretend later they haven t got the drift, haben nicht kapiert um was es geht. One never knows.Also, zu den Mail drops kann man was hinschicken. Die genauen Adressen stehen unter dem Button ¢Mail drops¢ (wer h¤tte das gedacht !). brigens (by the way, BTW), ETA = estimated arrival time ist auch dort angegeben und mu der Adresse zugef14gt werden und mein Name (in diesem Fall Margarete - nicht Rita). Ich w14rde mich echt 14ber die eine oder andere Postkarte freuen. Auch Gummib¤rchen (jelly babys - wichtiges Wort), die leckeren Fitnessriegel von Aldi oder ¤hnliches werden ganz bestimmt mit groer Freude aufgenommen. Tiefgefrorene Pizza ist nicht, ich wiederhole, nicht geeignet !If it should be too much (food, of course), I always can share it with other hikers. That would even improve the US/German relationship and perhaps we will be awarded from the Bundespr¤sident with the Bundesverdienstkreuz.Sowas wollte ich schon immer mal haben. Echt ! I am already looking forward to call in on the post offices, ich freue mich schon drauf, an den Poststellen vorbeizuschauen.
Date: 2004-04-27
From: Amicalola Falls

To: Stover Creek Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: few clouds

The Gambit is made !What a day ! Excellent weather (surprise, yesterdays arrival in cold, cold, dark,dark rain). after a big breakfast with Bill I was shuttled to Start Point and - start.Thanks a lot Bill and Judith for the wonderful welcome in your home. Your helped me very much, I have not enough paper to write it down.Start was lame ! Since I originally planed to go just to Black Gap Shelter, still suffering a bit jet lag. And so I strolled around a bit at the visitors center and later at the lodge. Soup and salad. On the go than it just rolled and rolled on and before i noticed it, I reached Stover Creek Shelter and decided better stop here. Only 2 other campers here.Yes, I used the tent. Although Bill and Judith have offered to act as trail angels and bring the wonderful bed I slept in at their place to the shelters I am going to stay. A really reat offer, isn t it ? I took it down. It would spoil the idea. But one never knows, Bill.
Date: 2004-04-28
From: Stover Creek Shelter

To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Seemed a long way today. In fact, it was not much more than the day before. Eventually the shelter with good tentpads. A crowd of young hikers here. We had a little talk during dinner.The new shelter is located about 2 miles earlier as it is indicated at the map. Again excellent weather. Nothing particular happens. It was nice to walk along alone. No wildlife except a half eaten dead ( of course ) mouse. it seems, this hiker hasn't been very hungry.Hope, I can sleep better tonight. Last night I awake again at about 3 am. Had to wait patiently with my "European " time until dawn.6:10 first bird to hear and I was up a bit later.Dinner was great tonight. The water I was drinking and cooking with tasted unexpected good. Until I recognized that I hadn't put any iodine tablets in it.I am so clever !
Date: 2004-04-29
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Woods Hole Shelter
Miles today: 12.0
Weather: broken clouds

Good sleep tonight. up 5:40, first bird 5:50. Day begins cloudy, sunny in the afternoon. Good "walker's" temperatur. Tonight 50 % rain forecast.Not much wildlife today. Except the wild birds sitting on the trees and swinging in the sky and, worth to mention, 8 wild ladies walking on the ground. They are here in the shelter, too. Hope it is not dangerous. They have excellent equipement. One showed me a stephenson tent. High-tech material, 2 persons, 3 pounds including the poles.Nearly forget: first mosquito bite today, juchhee ! Sun just has dis appeared. No cloud on the sky. Still no rain in sight. Good night.
Date: 2004-04-30
From: Woods Hole Shelter

To: Neels Gap 
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

4th dayNo rain in sight - that was yesterday evening. 3 o'clock: heavy rain until morning. Packed a wet tent in the clouds and had a wonderful walk over Blood Mountain. Best part of the trail so far.They changed the trail crossing over the Mtn. One doesn't got over Slaughter Gap anymore. It is a bit shorter than before. Short after having started from the shelter I found a side track with brandnew very good tentpads and a good water source on food of Blood Mtn. Not a bad idea to stay there since the shelter isquite a way from the trail and the water source for the shelter quite a way from the shelter. If you go to the shelter take the water already when you pass it, otherwise one has to go back a long way.Stay Goose Cabins tonight. Got a lift from their to Blairsville and soon back.So I can write this entries and now I must stock up for the next days. So many things to do.