morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2002-04-14
From: US76 campsite

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 10.5

I only slept a few hours last night, as usual. I'm beginning to wonder how my body can tolerate all this abuse and starvation. First thing, it rained. I busted my hump to getthehell out of GA - I knew it was 7.6 miles, so I busted a move to get there. I ended up doing an agonizing 10.5 miles! I meant to camp at Bly Gap, but I must've missed the water, so I kept going. There was no water anywhere until I was a few hundred yards from Muskrat Creek shelter. When I first came, they didn't want to share the shelter, but I persisted and they made room for me. My feet were aching and I had slipped on one of the downhill mud slolums and went SPLAT, right into a mud puddle (just after I did laundry). My pack wanted to pull me over the side of the mtn, but with all my strength and a big grunt, I got it back over the trail. Fortuantely there was a little stream crossing the trail just ahead, so I sat in it and swished my butt around. For the rest of the day, there were soap bubbles running down to my knees.I never did dry out today. My damp clothes are hung on a peg in the shelter now. One guy here actually walks slower than me (Shrek) - it's taken him three weeks to get here! He keeps saying 'yay' everything, even more than Glenn! When I first got here and they asked my name, some girl said hotspot thought I was quitting when I stayed in Helen and he went on. I told her I think about it every day. My intention when I got here was to take the next road crossing out of here! I've been walking funny most of the day because my wet shorts have caused rawness on the insides of my thighs.Most thankful for: rest.
Date: 2002-04-16
To: Outta here!
Miles today: 0.0

Finally, a decent night's sleep aaahhh. I woke up and could hardly stand up on my poor sore feet. I had potato chips and bananas for breakfast then cleaned all my equipment. The tent fly is outside, draped over two chairs. A truckload of hikers and their packs left here this am, and I was glad NOT to be going with them, to struggle up another mtn, and slip and slosh down the other side. They must be getting more out of it than I did. I think I would do it again, only WITH someone.I made a 'map' of my backpack, in case I want to go again - I'll know where everything goes. After I laid all my gear out to dry, I took a nap (I don't know why I'm so tired). The curtains here are nice and dark, and it's very quiet during the day. When I finally woke up, I did laundry and went to Western Sizzlin' for an excellent filet mignon. I cleaned up and straightened up the room for Cornelius, and now I'm farting every couple minutes, stinking the place up. Most thankful for: warm water, and walking without a limp.
Date: 2002-04-28
To: Didn't learn my lesson
Miles today: 0.0

My feet are still sore! A few days ago, I went for my usual 4 mile Lake Chautauqua Park walk, and came home limping. I bought some Dr. Scholl's Massaging Gelpads which helped immediately. I later discovered I had plantar fasciitis. The way to avoid it is by calf stretches before hiking, ibuprofen, and cool compresses if possible. The insides of my thighs still itch occasionally and are still discolored. I read back through my journal - I don't feel like I had 'failed' - I had just had enough rain, mud, cold, and stinky clothes. Now that I've had a shakedown cruise, I want to go back and try again. Now I'm prepared and I know what to expect: rain, loneliness, and walking AWAY from home. I think the hikers who LIVE in Maine have an advantage, that every step they take puts them CLOSER to home.I don't think poor Dad would've made it, even without a pack - it was just too, too physically hard labor. At a job interview I said I'd been away backpacking and the interviewer's next questions was a typical "ALONE?" My God, whatthehell is this? Are people this shocked when a man goes backpacking? That's getting old. I told my family that I never felt unsafe - the kind of unsafe like walking into a bar full of men alone.Yesterday, I sorted out my maildrops so if I need something I can find it easily. I've got a lot of food to use up. The cereal and PB were bad ideas. Also the massive quantities of gorp. All in all, I'd like to try again some spring - even start at the Terminus. I know what to expect, what to take, and I've got everything I need. NOW I can do it!!!
Date: 2002-09-13
To: The Bug
Miles today: 0.0

"The Bug" is still with me - today I ordered a tent footprint, thicker/longer ThermaRest pad, water bucket, gloves from REI.com. My job is going well (my 'weekend gig') and even if it still is next spring, I'M HIKIN!!! I will give it up in order to hike again. I am certain I will go longer-farther-faster-woowooo!!!
Date: 2002-12-17
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Who am I, and why am I doing this??? I am a 37 year old mother of a fantastic 11 year old son. We live in Florida with Cornelius, my fiance, and get along together great. I grew up in Indiana, camping with my family for vacations. I continued camping into my adulthood, and on one trip to the Smokies (10+ years ago), I saw a sign for the AT--the tourist kind, explaining the footpath and how long it is. That same trip, up on the mountain, my then husband and I were dawdling around on the trail. I was awestruck by a thru-hiker who appeared suddenly-- he was tromping along with a huge pack on his back at an unreal speed. His footsteps shook the ground as he passed us with a determined look on his face. We stepped aside and gaped in awe at him as he passed. Not much later, another not-so-scary hiker appeared out of the mist to chat with us. I was a bit perplexed at how interested he was in my cheese crackers, and where our lunch was stored. I had no clue about maildrops, gas stoves, or water filters at the time. I do remember those hiker calves, and a slight 'aroma'. As I had more birthdays, I kept thinking, man, I gotta do that before I'm up for knee replacement or my guts give out or something. In 2001, the timing was right and I got the bug bigtime. I started making plans for a thruhike in 2002. I read over a dozen books and spent hour upon hour at TrailJournals. I even dreamed about it while I slept. As it turned out, I could only hike for two weeks, from Springer to Franklin, NC. As soon as I got home (and I could walk without pain) I CRAVED the trail. That whole summer I checked TrailJournals to see where everybody was and wished like hell I was with them in the woods, instead of workingmyassoff and being unappreciated. I would go out back at breaktime and watch the birds and the moon and kick myself in the rumpus for leaving the trail so soon. So I hope that explains why I am doing this. The timing is perfect - Cornelius is tied down to his responsibilities and can't be away from home for long periods, so that big RV trip to California and Alaska will have to wait a few years. In the meantime, I will indulge myself in things he doesn't particularly care for, such as sleeping on the ground and going a week without a warm shower...
Date: 2002-12-24
To: Misc. notes
Miles today: 0.0

You know all those daydreams you have about your hike during the strangest moments of the day? I have kept a little list of things I would like to add to my journal so these thoughts aren't lost.I chose an external frame backpack because I wanted my pack up and off of my sweaty back. I have plenty of natural insulation (blubber) and I panic when I get hot and can't do anything about it - ever think you were about to die when you went to granny's house and the heat enveloped you? I also tend to reject 'fads'. I can't see spending extra money just to have the 'in' thing (did I mention I'm cheap). The external frame also literally savedmyass when I slipped and sat down (not-so-gracefully) on a big boulder. I have a big ding in the bottom crossbar to show for it, but at least my tailbone isn't fractured - yeooouch. Shelter is important to me - I did NOT want to wake up in the middle of the night floating in four inches of water on my ThermaRest with blue fingers and toes, so I got a quality tent (Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD) although it was the previous year's model. How did I know it was a quality tent? I spent hour upon hour on the net reading gear reviews from actual hikers, not the manufacturers. I also read tons of books - the best ones for advice are Roland Mueser's 'Long Distance Hiking', Nena Kelty's 'Backpacking the Kelty Way', and John Hart's 'Walking Softly in the Wilderness' (a Sierra Club book). I wish I would've had this last book before I bought my boots - man, it is PACKED with good info. I bought most of my books for cheap on Half.com, then resold them, sometimes for more than I had bought them for. I mentioned previously that I never got a blister. I would also like to mention that in addition to breaking in my boots well, a couple weeks before my hike, I started putting Skin Prep on my heels. I continued to use it daily during my hike and also started putting it on my toes. Skin Prep pads are in a little foil packet that you tear open (also comes in a pump bottle - much heavier) and apply the pad to your skin. It thickens, toughens, and protects your skin. You can buy it at any medical supply store that carries ostomy supplies, or your favorite nurse can hook you up with some to try.I prepared 21 maildrops for my last hike. My eyes have been opened. This year I am using Baltimore Jack's AT Re-Supply Advice. You can read it at www.trailquest.net/atresupply.html or register at www.whiteblaze.net to read the 2003 updated version. It is about 12 pages printed. I overplanned due to fear of the unknown, then felt stupid carrying my $14 shipping Ramen Noodles from the post office past the local supermarket. Baltimore Jack will put your mind at ease, and tell you his favorite trailtown places to stay, eat, (and avoid). My favorite quote this decade: Security is mostly superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men who experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. -- Helen KellerLive your life...Hike your hike
Date: 2006-08-09
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Okay, it's Me time... My first attempt fizzled because of loneliness and what was it, 10/12 days of rain??? My second attempt was cut short because my ex is an asshole and siezed the opportunity to prove it while I was away. Now I'm over forty, out of shape, I know what to expect, I've completed my education, and my son is a teenager and can stick up for himself. 2007 is the year I do it. I'm planning fewer maildrops, hammocking, and maybe a smaller/lighter backpack. One additional item I will be adding is my GPS. I am addicted to Geocaching. There are several Geocaches along the AT - no way could I just pass them by! I'll check in occasionally...
Date: 2006-12-26
To: Still going...
Miles today: 0.0

The guestbook is so encouraging, and my fiance told me he's sure if not for my ex, I would've made it to Maine in '03. Now that the holidays are outta' the way, it's time for the serious stuff: using the StairMaster, tweaking the gear, and planning a few maildrops. In addition to Baltimore Jack's resupply list, I will be using a cool list I found by Weathercarrot that is focused on your budget. I quit work in December after packing away a few thousand bucks, but I don't trust myself not to spend it between now and March 29! Feet, knees, hips, and back - don't fail me now!
Date: 2007-03-13
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My big adventure starts in about three weeks. I have been eerily calm and confident about this trip; whatever problems arise will be handled. C. keeps trying to bribe me to stay home with cruises and caches and continents. No way is he going to get me to cancel my hike YET another year. I¢m running out of years, here! I keep telling him the only thing that can keep me from the trail THIS TIME is a letter from the Pope. Notarized. In triplicate. I¢m using the Community Journal feature of PocketMail this trip. This is actually a test entry. My entries will be telephoned to PocketMail.com until I can access the Internet to cut & paste the entries onto TrailJournals.com. That way you can get a sneak preview of my follies as I slog away uphill in the rain and mud. Just go to PocketMail¢s Community Journal page and search for ¢midgetmom.¢ Once you've found an entry, click the "Comments >>" on the bottom right to see the full entry. There are also many other less boring travel and conspiracy/schizophrenic journals to peruse. I¢ll catch up with you soon!
Date: 2007-03-30
From: Springer Mountain

To: Stover Creek area
Miles today: 5.0

3/29-30 abt. 5 milesI said a teary goodbye to Dolly. I could barely whisper ¢Bye-bye¢ as I scratched her little cheek. Those big eyes!!! That was the worst part of this adventure, and I was not myself for about an hour. It¢s easier saying goodbye to humans, because they know when you will be back. Poor Dolly. One minute she¢s following me around like a zippy little shadow; next thing she knows, I¢ve vanished for 5-6 months¢¦We drove G. up to his dad¢s house next. He¢s probably glad to get rid of me! I promised him I wouldn¢t pick on him ALL summer¢¦ My voice wavered a bit there at the end, but it is easy to keep upbeat since G is so cheery all the time.We hit the road afternoon and passed Atlanta late at night. We stayed in Ellijay. We went to sleep around 2am, and I¢m embarrassed to say I slept till 11am. I woke up and my back was killing me due to the too-hard mattress. Not good. We found the post office and sent a maildrop to Mountain Crossings. We bounced up USFS 42 and hiked the mile to the Springer Mountain terminus together. I was hoping the 2 easy miles would limber up my back, but it¢s still messed up. Getting old sucks.We had a snack in the van and I hobbled off toward Maine. ¢Trail Squid¢ was giving out goodies and keeping a tally of NB hikers. C. only went a few hundred feet with me; he wanted to get past Atlanta between rush hours. We hugged a couple times until I felt myself starting to lose my composure. I swung around and tottered off, waving with one hand so he couldn¢t see my sad clown face. He has done SOOO much for me and G, and what do I do in return? Leave him alone all the time. I don¢t know why he keeps me around!I hiked until about 4:30 and set up my hammock at a nice piney stealth site along Stover Creek, past the shelter. I got cleaned up and had two bites of a sub sandwich. I¢ll have it for breakfast if the squirrels don¢t get it. I didn¢t hang my foodbag very high because if the bears are awake yet, hopefully they would still be in the higher elevations, or hanging around the shelters. I¢ve seen 5 hikers go by since I stopped; one was going SB. I think he ran past me NB earlier with just a day pack. He must take the title of ¢Trail Runner¢ literally. It¢s 7pm and I¢m starting to get chilly, so I¢ll get into my bag now and do some reading. I brought ¢Candide¢ by Voltaire.Thankful for: The people and pets who love me.
Date: 2007-03-31
From: Stover Creek area

To: Hawk Mtn. Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Put in a hard 5 miles today. Lots of uphills where I stopped to sit on every comfortable rock and log. I think I¢m going about 1 mph. I drank all my water within the first hour; until I got to the shelter around 2:30, I was dreaming about Diet Coke with Lemon (they don¢t make that any more). The shelter water is good - from a piped spring. I drank some straight, I was so thirsty. I probably won¢t even put Aqua Mira in the rest. I decided to stay after hearing several rumors of rain. I also noticed it wasn¢t long before rumors of a huge herd of shelter sucking hikers on our heels. If you look at the trail as a rat race, you might as well go back home and make a living. *AT700 and Sharpie were there; we were joined by Cocopuffs, Mustard, and others. Cocopuffs lost her compression bag twice. We had a good group. A few were up late at a campfire and most were up before dawn. There was one snorer but nobody else slept well. There was one mouse. I think I slept a total of 2-3 hours. I¢m glad I did get going early (9am) because it started raining pretty early. Thankful for: resting after busting your butt.*All trail names have been changed to protect the guilty.
Date: 2007-04-01
To: Gooch Gap Shelter
Miles today: 6.8
Weather: light rain

4/1 6.8 miles, 6 hoursThe naysayers were right - it rained shortly after I left the shelter at 9:30 and continued raining for most of the day and intermittently through the night. I had my head down and raincoat on until I hobbled up to a crowded Gooch Gap shelter around 3pm. The same bunch was there, only noone wanted to put up a tent in the rain. I had to sleep on the foot of the sleeping platform. I tried to sleep with my head between the ladder to the loft and a teenager¢s feet, but she kept kicking me to reassure herself that I was still there. After it got dark and the farting started, I had to move to the other end of the shelter. People were a bit snarky due to lousy weather and the crowded shelter. When I was just short of a mile away, a mean looking guy passed me. I¢m like, ¢Dammit, I busted my hump to get a spot in the shelter, and he¢ll probably get the last one!¢ Then when I was about 1/3 mile away and ready for a coffin, another bastard passed me, swinging his arms like he was power walking! I am not making this up. At least he looked like he was in pain. He¢ll probably drop out at Neel¢s Gap with shin splints or something. My sleeping bag had gotten wet somehow. I climbed right in to dry it with my body heat and propmtly fell asleep, with all kinds of chaos going on around me. Then during the night I got 2-3 hours of sleep. The rude people got up before dawn again. They rattled, banged, clanged and chatted for 45-60 minutes, waking the other dozen sleepers in the process, stepping over the people who were sleeping on the ground. I don¢t think I could ever do that. I remember in the past when the polite early birds got up before dawn, you heard a little rustle as they rolled up their sleeping bag, a couple zips, and they were gone. They are probably the kind of people who rush to get on the plane, rush to get off the plane, and are always trying to ¢beat the traffic¢. With this bunch, I think they are the kind of people who enjoy taking ten minutes at the toll booth to chat with the clerk. The more backed-up traffic becomes the more they enjoy it.Thankful for: a warm and dry place to sleep.
Date: 2007-04-02
From: Gooch Gap Shelter

To: Dockery Lake Stream
Miles today: 8.2

4/2 8.2 miles, 8 hours.I had decided during the night that I was going to stay at Gooch, cook for the first time this trip, and get everything organized. There was so much commotion when I arrived in the rain, I just tossed wet stuff in my bag, put it out of the way, and took up as little space as possible on the floor. I thought it was going to rain all day again (rumors, ya know). It was clear and not foggy. I waited for the second round of hikers to clear their crap out, then got up and cooked some spiral jalapeno pasta with tuna. I couldn¢t finish the whole batch; my stomach still feels queasy from the culture shock of the trail sometimes. I poked around doing this & that (I found the money I had hidden from myself!) and didn¢t start hiking until 10:30. While I was getting ready, a pale older thin guy with BCGs came to the shelter and started hanging around. He said he had passed his buddy last night and was supposed to meet him here. I thought it was odd that he was wearing his raingear - even had the hood up. He sat next to me as I ate. Later as I was coming up the water trail, I heard him telling someone that he wasn¢t feeling well!!! The bastard probably brought the up-north flu down with him and infected me!!! He had been to the privy twice before I left (that I know of). After my noodles cooked, I put the lid on and went to the privy while they were cooling. Thank God I had used a big gob of hand sanitizer before I ate. As I was leaving, I noticed he had turned a strange greenish-yellow color. Let the hurling begin! It wouldn¢t have been a very good day to spend at the shelter today. It was 15 miles from Gooch to Neel¢s Gap, new boots and a hot shower. I could¢ve done 3-5 mile days or 2-7 mile days. I got to Woody Gap and took a nice break. The view almost made me cry! Due to fog and rain, this was the first day I had been able to see anything. If someone from a hostel would¢ve happened by and offered me a ride, I would¢ve taken it. They didn¢t. So off I went, back into the wilderness. I kept telling myself if I could make it to Dockery Lake, I would reward myself by washing my hair. I had combed my hair at Woody Gap and found some brown goop in the teeth afterward. I got my reward! My heart and lungs are getting used to this ¢exercise¢ thing. Remember I practically went from remote to re-mote in 24 hours or less! Now that my lungs can handle the longer hikes, my right knee and back are starting to complain. It sounds like Mile I Bawl and Just Joe are around here. The other campers tried to smoke me out of this adorable little stream-side campsite. They must¢ve been burning wet wood. WOW! It¢s 9:15pm already! I¢m going to pee and hopefully get some decent sleep for a change. Neel¢s Gap either late tomorrow or early Thursday! Yay! Thankful for: beauty and a babbling brook :0)
Date: 2007-04-05
From: Neel's Gap

To: Whitley Gap Shelter
Miles today: 7.4
Weather: overcast clouds

7.4 miles, 6 hoursI woke up twice during the night to roll over. When I woke up at 7am, I thought "Wow, nobody's up yet?" Finally the guy in the bunk above me started coming down, so I grabbed my stuff and headed for the shower. All but 3 bunks were empty! How could all those guys pack up and leave without waking me up??? I must've been exhausted.When I picked up my Keen Event waterproof boots (gloat, gloat), I thought "Wow - they weigh nothing!" They're probably half the weight of my old Vasques. I was all set to go when the earlybirds started coming in, saying the windchill is 20 below, it's probably colder in the woods, the wind will blow us over, etc. Baltimore went for the heater. I told him to pray to Buddha, and this time, it worked! I thought I might be stuck there yet another night. I waited around for a few minutes after the first skinny kid left, to see if he came back with icicles in his nosehairs. Every time the door opened, I secretly hoped it would be him. Instead, a sturdy woman who had just spent the night on Blood Mtn. and survived the 2.5 miles down appeared. I will quote my second-favorite saying here, by a female writer of the Victorian era: "Believe nothing that you hear, and half of what you see." - Dinah Mulock Craik.I said goodbye to Baltimore and Parachute Tim and headed up the trail. The wind was blowing and it was around freezing on my little thermometer. I had to cover my face until I got into the trees. Around noon it was up to 60 degrees. It wasn't a very relaxing hike in the raincoat in the cold.As soon as I got to the shelter with happy toes and heels (I had forgotten it was possible to go uphill without heel pain and downhill without toe pain), I got into my bag, dozed and shivered for about an hour while four other guys ate. I regretted leaving the hostel, and didn't think I would make it through the night. Finally I roused, put on my longjohns and warm socks and immediately felt like I might survive. I'm glad I washed my bag and fluffed it in the dryer. I can hardly get the compression straps around it now, but it will be warm tonight. The rumor mill says it is going to get around 18* tonight. I have a 20* bag. Since there are so few people here, I put down my spacebag along the back wall, with my head against the side wall and my pack next to me. The others set up their tents inside the other half of the shelter. That will help slow the wind down a bit.I'm in my bag toasting - I think the space blanket is helping a bunch. I still wish I was in the hostel, but how else am I gonna get to Maine???Thankful for: my gear.