morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2011-06-19
From: (83) New York, Morning in the City

To: (84) Cortlandt Manor
Miles today: 0.0

When I woke up today Bud Heavy, Cactus Jack, and I went to a nearby gas station to eat, and I mentioned that before I leave for the rest of the trail I would like to see West Point Academy. Bud Heavy said that there were a lot of great hikes in that area, and Cactus Jack and I said we would love to go hiking, that we couldn¢t get enough hiking, and that the only thing that could fill the hole left in our hearts while taking a zero day from hiking was to go hiking. And so, the three of us went hiking. We ended up going to one of Bud Heavy¢s favorite places, a mountain called ¢Breakneck Ridge¢. It was an excellent climb (and well named), full of cliffs and great views of the Hudson River and West Point on the opposite shore. Across from us was another mountain called ¢Storm King¢, which Bud Heavy said was named because the mountain could actually redirect the weather in one direction or the other.For supper the three of us went back to Bud Heavy¢s old place of work and got a ton of free pizza (they throw out whatever they don¢t sell at the end of the day). We will be eating pizza for a long time, every meal!!! (Dreams really do come true). Back at Bud Heavy's house we went to where we were set up in his room and feasted away. Bud Heavy¢s room was filled with our gear, but it was very comfy after all the days on the trail. I went on to facebook that night using my phone, and saw that my high school class reunion was in a few days. I wanted to go, and after giving it some thought realized that New York was the best opportunity I would get to head home, seeing as the city would undoubtedly have a bus heading to Maryland, perhaps DC or Baltimore. I talked to Bud Heavy about it and he said that he and Cactus Jack wouldn¢t be leaving until the end of the week, and that I could go home and then head back to New York City after my reunion and he would pick me up. Then the three of us would hike out together. It was settled! I would continue to hang out at Bud Heavy¢s house for a few days, and then take a bus home for my reunion, stay a day or two, and then head back in time to hit the trail.
Date: 2011-06-20
From: (84) Cortlandt Manor

To: (85) Long Island Beach
Miles today: 0.0

I don¢t know whose idea it was, I really don¢t, but today we decided to go to Long Island Beach. As far as I was concerned, it was a great idea, not because I am obsessed with going to the beach or anything, but because after months of woods and mountains we would actually see the ocean. After our usual breakfast of pizza, Bud Heavy, Cactus Jack, and I all piled into the car and went to the beach. Bud Heavy had worked for the New York park system before, and he used this connection to get us free parking by the shore. The beach was clean, white, and bright. It was unreal, but I soon grew used to it. Always on the move, I feel that thru hikers adapt quickly to new environments. Around us everyone was clean shaven and wearing bright bathing suits, making the three of us look especially dingy. Seagulls were everywhere, and my random thoughts often returned to the possibility of catching and eating one. It was a scorching hot day, and none of us had sun lotion, the end result being we all got burnt, but that¢s the price we pay for traveling light (we didn¢t even bring towels to the beach, really I don¢t know what we were thinking, seeing as the car would have shouldered the burden of a few extra ounces).After swimming and sitting in the sand for awhile we decided to walk a large length of the beach, proving once again that we were incapable of not hiking while we were not hiking. Upon returning, one of Bud Heavy and Cactus Jack¢s friends who was going to college in the area joined us and we threw a football around, and then we went to the main entrance of the beach to eat. (Bud Heavy and Cactus Jack originally met in Australia while studying abroad. They both happened to live in New York state, and when Bud Heavy decided to hike the Appalachian Trail he called up Cactus Jack to thru hike with him. Their friend who joined us on the beach had met them in Australia as well. Why Australia? Because Bud Heavy¢s father, a German immigrant, had lived there for a few years in his youth and always raved about how great it was, making Bud Heavy want to go).When we got back to Bud Heavy¢s house we were sun burnt and completely depleted of energy. In the morning Bud Heavy and Cactus Jack would slack pack a section of trail that they had missed, and I decided that I would stay at the house working on trail journals.
Date: 2011-06-21
From: (85) Long Island Beach

To: (86) Clean Shaven
Miles today: 0.0

Today Bud Heavy and Cactus Jack drove back to the AT to slack pack the last section they had missed that would catch them up to where I got off at Bear Mountain Bridge. While they hiked I spent the day hanging out in Bud Heavy¢s room watching tv, reading, playing with my new phone, and attempting to write trail journals on my phone, though I did not get very much done. It was a pretty lazy day for me, but seeing as my class reunion was in 4 days on the 25th, I didn¢t need to be doing anything productive anyway.Sometime in the afternoon I decided to shave my beard. I had been thinking about doing this on and off the entire trail, but had never gotten around to it because I was so undecided. On one side of my argument, it would be neat to let my facial hair grow the entire trial so that I could have a very contrasting before and after photo. My beard was also what identified me as a thru hiker, or at the very least someone who had been on the trail for a very long time and earned their stripes. On the other side, it was ugly, annoying, made hitch hiking difficult, and was unnecessary weight. I knew deep down that I was not happy with it, and decided that I would do whatever I wanted as it was my hike. And so, despite the pressure of thru hiker tradition, I shaved. It felt great, and I did not regret.
Date: 2011-06-22
From: (86) Clean Shaven

To: (87) Dennytown Road
Miles today: 13.2

Today I went along with Bud Heavy and Cactus jack to go hiking. They had caught up to where I was on the trail, and now the three of us would hike farther, starting on Bear Mountain Bridge and ending on Dennytown Road where we had left out car (we rode to the start with Bud Heavy¢s brother). Bud Heavy and Cactus Jack asked if we really wanted to bother crossing the bridge since it wasn¢t that far, but I insisted that ¢if you want to build a wall you don¢t set out to build a wall, but to lay a single brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. Then, you repeat that step over and over until you have a wall¢ (I was quoting Will Smith). If we were going to hike 2182 miles over 14 states, we would have to do one mile at a time, as perfectly as a mile can be walked. And so, we crossed the stupid bridge.During our day hike I carried nothing but a single bottle of water. I figured if I was going to slack pack and leave my gear behind, then I would go all out and be super-ultra light (I soon drank my water to drop its weight). It was a boring hike after all the fun we had been having hiking cities, beaches, and rock climbing, so Bud Heavy and I ended up running a large portion of it to get it over with. We stopped at the Appalachian Trail market (we didn¢t have money to buy anything) and waited for Cactus Jack, then continued on. It started raining, and then it started raining even harder, and then I stopped paying attention as I was too miserable and cold to care. While going up some stone steps Cactus Jack almost stepped on a Copper Head, having not seen it because his glasses were fogged. We hiked for what seemed far too long, and had still not arrived at Dennytown Road. The sun was setting and I was soaking wet and cold. I started to worry about the possibility that we had missed the road, and that without flashlights would end up stranded at night in the woods without any gear, shivering and miserable (and no food!!!).Eventually we broke through the tree line into a swamped parking area and Dennytown Road. It was very relieving to have finally made it, as the rain was still going strong. We clamored into Bud Heavy¢s car, and went into town where we found a Chinese restaurant. We went in relatively drenched, and ate food and drank hot tea like it was our job. Puddles of water formed at our feet, and we probably looked like hell, but it was good to be done.When we returned to Bud Heavy¢s room we took turns having a hot shower, and then relaxed. Bud Heavy¢s room has become home, and it is very nice to sit around watching tv, surfing the internet, and overall doing nothing. Tomorrow we will hike some more, and I think that this time I will at least bring my hiking poles and ipod.
Date: 2011-06-23
From: (87) Dennytown Road

To: (88) Nothing Day
Miles today: 0.0

Another day of rain, and I am returning home tomorrow to go to my class reunion the next. We didn¢t care for hiking in the rain so we hung out all day and were lazy. The highlight of the day would have to be Bud Heavy¢s dad talking about how much he hates the Jews, which was hilarious (An old German immigrant). We ordered more pizza from Bud Heavy¢s old workplace as well; pizza is now the staple of our diet. Time wise, it looks like I will be finishing around Aug 10th assuming I hike at least 18 miles a day upon returning from my class reunion. While I know I could have hiked the AT considerable faster, it is also a great relief to have the pressure off. Being fast is fun, but also a burden as you tend to turn the trail into a race. Hopefully upon resuming my hike I will enjoy more of the simple things and really take in the sights.
Date: 2011-07-10
From: (93) Mt Algo Shelter

To: (94) Sharon Mountain
Miles today: 20.0

I slept in this morning due to another restless night of biting mosquitoes. It is imperative that I get my hands on some bug netting as my nights are becoming hopelessly miserable in the high North. Despite my delay I planned on continuing my 20 mile a day pattern. I hoped that by holding a consistent pace and avoiding sleeping in towns I will be able to catch many of my friends, despite being so out of shape from Lyme disease. Most hikers at this point have slowed down because they realize that the end is near, which works to my advantage. As for me, if I finish before I am ready to leave then I will simply turn around.I have truly re-entered the mountains, as today was filled with long climbs, and I often reached the top of one mountain only to see the next waiting for me in the distance. Traversing the mountains and passing through pine forests, I noticed that water has become even more plentiful and is usually clean (aka clear, moving, doesn¢t smell, etc). I have been carrying much less as a result, and sometimes none. While reading a shelter log, I saw that Portrait is only three days ahead of me, and Wakarusa (Green Hat) is a week ahead. I will catch them soon (my second time chasing down Green Hat, the first was in Virginia after leaving Helm). I stopped at a campsite after 20 miles of hiking and filled my water bottle and bladder in a trickle of a spring while being endlessly attacked by mosquitoes. It took me a good half an hour to fill enough water and get out of there. I continued hiking to find a place that wasn¢t so buggy, but none such existed. Sun setting, I set up my tarp in the woods beside the trail, using the new ranger diamond design I had learned from Garret while back home, and spent another night swatting at bugs.
Date: 2011-07-12
From: (95) Brassie Brook Shelter

To: (96) Tom Looward Shelter
Miles today: 23.0

My shadow, cast out in front of me, looks like a different person compared to when I started in the south. Back then my short hair, hat, and thermarest sleeping pad behind my head made my shadow look like a civil war soldier. But now I can see shaggy hair in my shadow, and the thermarest sits low, hidden behind my shoulders since I have dumped half my gear throughout the journey. Ahead of me on the trail are many whom I started my hike with in April, and I can only imagine how much their shadows have changed. Will I even recognize them?My hike today exhausted me and left my feet bruised. It was only a 23 mile day, but very rocky and mountainous, and I am still getting into shape. Had I been piloting my old body, the me before Lymes, I would have made short work of it.Early in the morning I left Connecticut and entered Massachusetts. Massachusetts is another beautiful state, similar to Connecticut yet slightly different. Here it is characteristic to climb down from a mountain into a perfectly flat field of grass or corn. At the end of the field awaits another mountain, shooting seemingly vertical from the Earth. This was the pattern throughout the day.Water was bad in these lower field areas, so I ended up buying drinks at an antique store down a road I passed. I sat in the yard of the store on my thermarest, drinking soda and letting my electronics charge in an outer wall outlet, the sun beating down on me. When I resumed my hike I found that I had not bought enough water and as a result was very thirsty by the time I reached Tom Looward Shelter.My original plan was to hike from Tom Looward Shelter to the next town and go to a hostel to escape the bugs, but I decided to stay because the shelter had a high loft that I thought I could hide from the bugs in (last night had been bad but manageable). I also had good company here. At the shelter I was joined by Bunyan, Sherpa, Captain Planet, and a guy named Jim who is doing a section hike. Bunyan is a past thru hiker who lives beside the trail in Jersey. He said that the trail goes right past his back yard, and that one day he got up and decided to walk to Maine. He put on his pack, walked out the back door, and hit the trail, just like that. (He told his wife he was leaving for three months, and she told him to make it six!)The group of us sat down at the shelter¢s picnic table that evening and had what I can only describe as a family dinner; talking and laughing while we ate. I miss my buddies ahead, but people everywhere on the trail seem to be pretty cool, and I like being farther back as it is allowing me to have a fresh experience.I lied down that night in the high loft; I was stiff and sore, and I wondered whether the mosquitoes would soon discover my hideout. Below me in the shelter was Captain Planet, who informed me in a lazy voice before going to bed that he wished he had an Asian woman to walk on his back, and that if she was small enough he could carry her in his pack. I swatted a mosquito and laughed.
Date: 2011-07-15
From: (98) Portrait's House

To: (99) Northampton, MA
Miles today: 0.0

Today I took a zero at Portrait¢s house for the sake of rest and sleep. When the two of us finally woke up we went to a diner, and then three hours later went to a Taco Bell where I heroically attempted the dollar menu challenge, aka I ordered one of every item on the dollar menu and then proceeded to dominate it. The over-sized five bean burrito was the worst, and I shouldn¢t have, but I finished everything for the sake of glory, and possibly The American Dream. It was a massive amount of food, a challenge met only by sheer determination (and stubbornness). I felt horrible, but have now bested the dollar menu challenge at McDonald¢s, Wendy¢s, and Taco Bell. I bet my parents are proud of me.Back at the house Portrait uploaded some of his amazing and professional looking photos to the Internet, while I typed up another trail journal, Facebooked, and talked to family and friends on the phone. That night we ate the rest of the snack¢s that Portrait¢s cousin had brought us while watching a terrible zombie movie full of nudity and sharp objects. It was bliss.
Date: 2011-07-28
From: (112) Lakes of the Clouds Hut

To: (112) Gear
Miles today: 0.0

Hey all,I have updated the contents of my gear list to include my opinions on how the gear held up. This should prove useful for those of you who are planning a hike and are investing in gear of your own. I carried very little, with a base weight that was just under 11 pounds. My gear list is posted on this site, simply click the word "gear" which you can find on the left hand side of your computer screen. It is in white letters and highlighted in blue(for my grandparents who can't find). Enjoy!
Date: 2011-08-16
From: (131) Millinocket, ME

To: (132) The End.
Miles today: 0.0

And so it is¢¦ the last day of my adventure. I woke at the crack of dawn and was careful not to step on Tridub¢s head as I climbed down from my bunk. He was awake (probably because of me), and we exchanged goodbye¢s for the final time. I squeezed my feet into my broken shoes and packed my gear in exactly the same way that I always have before the start of a hike, my memorized movements forgetting that the hike was over and that it no longer mattered.I met Mr Starbuck and Nimble outside on the porch of the hostel, and together the three of us began our long, 13 hour drive back home. During the ride we told countless trail stories, and I got to know both Mr Starbuck and Nimble very well. The two middle aged friends had been section hiking the AT for the past ten years, saving the traditional ending on Mt Katahdin for last. I could only imagine the amount of planning and dedication it must have taken them to keep it up for so long and accomplish their dream of hiking the entire trail. In a way I think that it would be much more difficult to complete the trail in this way then in one straight shot (Kind of like pulling a band-aid off slowly, as the saying goes). They really are something else to have done it, and I was happy to celebrate with them and be a part of their final chapter. Likewise, I was sure that they were glad to be a part of mine¢¦I was not sad to be heading home. It felt like every other day, and I took the reality of what was happening in stride. Soon I would be back, and I would get to enjoy the rest of summer on the farm with my family while searching for jobs and visiting friends, so there were plenty of things to keep me occupied, and having accomplished my immediate goals, little regret. The trail had been bested, now on with the show!The card ride went by insanely fast, and before I knew it we were in Pennsylvania, the home state of my two friends and where I myself had gone to college and worked. We stopped at Nimble¢s house first to drop him off, where he and his wife embraced and we all posed for photos in the yard. Though late, the weather was surprisingly warm. I couldn¢t get over how nice it was, as Maine had been getting very cold.Nimble¢s wife had made us a delicious meal for supper, and we all sat down together to eat and talk. It was all I could do not to consume my own body weight in blackberry crumble, and I was very grateful to be treated so well. After supper we went into the living room and watched a slideshow of the photos that Mr Starbuck and Nimble had taken while hiking, followed by a video of Nimble playing his guitar and singing on the summit of Mount Katahdin, an emotional end to their ten year journey! As for me, my great adventure was not yet over. Though the original plan had been for my family to come and pick me up in PA, Mr Starbuck, despite how tired he was, decided to drive me the rest of the way home ¢ It was trail magic til the end.~The End~
Date: 2011-08-17
To: (133) PCT
Miles today: 0.0

Life after the trail cannot be summed up in a single entry. It is an ongoing process that never really ends. What I can say is that the trail will forever be apart of me, and that I will always hunger for it. I have started a new journal for the PCT on the website Postholer. If you would like to follow my journey, simply search postholer for alan downs, lemur, or use this direct link: postholer.com/downs117See ya down the trail,~Lemur
Date: 2012-02-26
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

So my dad and I flew down to Atlanta this morning. We got in around noon and made our way up to the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega, GA. On the way to the hostel, we stopped at a Whole Foods somewhere in the Atlanta area. We figured it would have a good selection of food to bring, but it was quite the opposite. For once, their healthy food was actually a problem. I realized I was gonna need the preservatives in the meats and the cheap instant rice. The high end, fancy, healthy food just wouldn't work. So we got what we could and made our way to a giant Walmart somewhere off the highway. At this point, my pack is packed and I'm ready to go up to Springer tomorrow morning.
Date: 2012-02-27
From: Springer 

To: Gooch Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 15.8
Weather: overcast clouds

Pretty good first day. Went .9 to Springer with my father. Then we hiked through some reasonable terrain to Hightower Gap, 8.6 from Springer. The weather was lovely after the morning fog cleared. We parted ways and I passed a few different groups throughout the afternoon and early evening. Sometime after my dad left, I saw a group of army trainees who were playing "war games." What this meant to me was a barrel of a sniper rifle in my face after I came over a ridge. Needless to say, I didn't like that. I continued past the army dudes and went to Gooch Mountain Shelter. Many other people spent the night there and I enjoyed the company. I thought I would sleep well but the constant booms of large weapons as well as cheers of success kept me from sleeping through the night. God damned war games.
Date: 2012-02-28
From: Gooch Mountain Shelter

To: Neel's Gap
Miles today: 15.9
Weather: scattered clouds

Started at about 9:15 today. Pushed during the morning to catch up with some guys I met at the shelter the night before. I summitted a fairly strenous peak, about 4500 feet. From there I descending to a hostel called Mountain Crossing. They had some good advice and I got a pair of inserts in my boots to help with the blisters. I also got a shower and hot meal. To anyone coming by, I would highly recommend this place.
Date: 2012-02-29
From: Neel's Gap

To: Blue Mountain Shelter
Miles today: 18.8
Weather: light rain

Today was foggy and slightly rainy, and I went along with William, who I'd been hiking with on and off since late Monday. Then Gutsy and Bethann, people I'd also met earlier, caught up with us at lunch. Our group of 4 went to Blue Mountain Shelter. William and I plan on going to Dick's Creek Gap tomorrow. I'm going to bed early, but some bad thunderstorms and possibly tornadoes may roll in around 9 and pass by 12ish.
Date: 2012-03-01
From: Blue Mountain Shelter

To: Dick's Creek Gap
Miles today: 19.1
Weather: clear sky

Today was easily the toughest day so far. The three fairly strenous climbs played a role, as did the ankle sprain I got this morning. The ridiculous 70+ degree heat didn't help either. I left the shelter with William and later on we met up with Patches (formerly Bethann). We all struggled a bit today, but made it to Hiawasee to stay at the Blueberry Patch, a donations only hostel. Sadly they were not open, so we got a room at the Budget Inn. That gave us ample time to explore this town in northern Georgia. I'm definitely still experiencing some culture shock. I'm not sure whether it's the ratio of churches to other business establishments being almost even, or finally knowing where Newt Gingrich's support comes from. Either way, the $8 all you can eat buffet made my day and now I can take some time to ice my ankle before a well needed rest.
Date: 2012-03-02
From: Dick's Creek Gap

To: Muskrat Creek Shelter
Miles today: 11.8
Weather: light rain

Left Hiawassee today with Bluegrass (formerly William) and Patches. We made our way to the GA/NC line and were in good spirits despite the rain. Once we arrived to Muskrat Creek we joined Maylar, Old Boots, and Oatmeal Cake, three older thru hikers who were great company. I made a fire and we hung out until the sun went down. Due to recent tornado warnings in the area, we were all conscious of the wild weather coming our way. Luckily, there were just a few severe thunderstorms.