morvasaaty/AppalachianTrail-LD-Hikers-Blogs-and-Weather-20-years huggingface dataset:
Date: 2015-04-03
To: One year count down...oh weeee!!!!
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Well its last in the evening on April 2nd. If all goes to plan (which it seldom does) I will be on the AT in 365 days. Realizing I had missed my goal to have the bulk of my hiking gear purchased by April 1st of this year, I went over to REI tonight. Part of my tardiness in planning has to do with putting off my sleeping bag purchase until my dividend payment AND 20% off any one item made its way into my mailbox. Well it came a few days ago and I was unable to break away to REI until today. I headed over to purchase an Igneo Long sleeping bag. I have read enough to feel comfortable going with this bag. At $319 my 20% off any one item saved me approximately $70 bucks! Cool. The problem was the store was out of the Igneo Long bags. This is why we are planning and getting all this stuff now because I simply ordered it and it will be delivered to the house. I also bought a Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Sack for the soon to be delivered bag. Barring any take backs... and I have to admit I am going to reconsider my Gregory pack for the highly touted Osprey Atmos... but without any exchanges I now have my big three and several other items that will be needed on my hike.Tonight I made the first journey into the clothing area. Despite being an outdoorsman, I will need to buy a lot of clothing items for this hike. Tonight I bought a pair of REI convertible pants (not sure if the length works I am testing them out as I type this) and I also bought a cool pair of Patagonia boxers. I think I am going to hike in Ex-Officios, but the selection in REI was weak for my size.And while it may seem that I have a long time between now and next April, I am anxious to further along my stuff gathering as I think a test run this summer and one next winter is going to be crucial.On a scale of 1 to 10 for preparation I am grading myself a 2 right now. I am no where near ready, but I guess I am further along at the end of today than I was yesterday.Hopefully in a few days I can stuff my new bag into my new compression sack and I think my all of my sleeping items will be done.
Date: 2015-06-15
To: This is for real...
Miles today: 0.0

My plans to attempt an AT thru hike in 2016 has always been real, but as of this Saturday the plan has taken on a new life of its own. I have approached the members of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Texas State Board to support my journey. My goal is to raise awareness of the conservation group that I am proud to be part of as well as to raise money for the group. My idea was to do a "pledge per mile walked" campaign. I presented the idea to the Texas State Board on Saturday the 13th in Pottsboro, Texas. The trip to get from my farm in Barnum, Texas to Pottsboro, Tx was a journey in itself as the town sits on Lake Texoma right on the Texas/Oklahoma border. The group voted on my proposal and all in attendance unanimously agreed to support my fund raising idea as well as my hike. The goals is to raise at least $50,000 to be donated through the NWTF to Texas Parks and Wildlife to be used to support stockings of Eastern Wild Turkey in locations to be determined in East Texas. I have read that to make one's hike real, it has to be made public... well I guess you can say my attempt is now very public. On the long drive back to Barnum from North Texas I realized despite getting alot of my gear purchased and reading alot about what I should and what I should NOT carry, I realized I am still woefully unprepared in several areas including:Physical Preparation - I am no couch potato, but for whatever reason I hate to exercise. However, I am not going to subscribe to the "you get in shape the first several weeks of hiking" lie.Mental Preparation - I actually feel better prepared mentally than physically... and hey, I read Zach Davis' Appalachian Trials book... a must read in my opinion,Gear - I'm not sure here. I have a most of what I think I will need, but every time I read a review or a post on Whiteblazes something new pops up. I am liking this to hunting gear... I carried about seven different turkey calls in my vest this spring when I chased Rio Grande turkeys in Central Texas. And in the end I used only two to get the job done. I am going to have to learn to leave the excess "baggage" at home for my AT journey.Food and Resupply - I feel very weak in this area and I am beginning to focus on understanding what it will take to keep me from starving. As of right now, hunger is a major concern that I feel can lessen my chances for success.So the good news is my journey will also go to supporting a very good conservation cause. The even better news is I still have about 10 months to get very serious about the success of this journey.
Date: 2015-07-13
To: Stepping Up
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

My hike is approximately 37 weeks away. I know this because I met with a personal trainer on Friday and discussed a routine that I can do to better prepare myself for the hike. I recently have been given the nod by the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) to support my fundraiser idea and do a "march of dimes" money raising campaign while I hike. All proceeds will be donated to the NWTF who in turn will donate the money to Texas Parks and Wildlife (TP&W) who will match the funds FOUR TO ONE. Yes... for every dollar I raise TP&W will match four. What this means is I will have a lot of people watching me as the money raised will go directly to the re-establishment of the Eastern Wild Turkey in East Texas. Up until the NWTF said yes...this hike was really about myself. It adds some pressure and it forced me to look hard at the areas I feel unprepared and I am addressing those now. The two areas that I will address with my personal trainer (aka Sargent Slaughter) will be my complete lack of the desire to work out. Whatever wire that fires in the brains of those people who like to get out and run or lift weights is evidently not connected in my brain. That being side I am not a complete couch potato. In fact I slugged through an entire two days up in my farm in East Texas this weekend. I strapped on Vasque Breeze's and my REI light hiking sox to give them a test run. It was hot. Like real hot.... the high was 95 degrees with high humidity. My feet felt good all day. It was the rest of me that hurt and about 4:40 (heat of the day) I had to seek shelter in my hammock. I would say all told, I put in several miles with my new shoes in some extreme heat and my feet felt good. The heat might have felt a little hotter this weekend since the last two weekends I was in much cooler places... Santa Clara, CA and Chicago, Illinois. I attended the Grateful Dead's Fare Thee Well shoes in both cities and even touch on some 50 degree (or there abouts) temps at night in Santa Clara... 50 degrees, really? We wont see 50 degrees here in Texas until October. Anyway, I Santa Clara I wore an AT shirt and was approached by a guy who called me out in the nicest way I have ever been called out. Evidently wearing an AT shirt represented (to him anyway) that I actually did the hike. He suggested in the a kind and encouraging way that I turn the shirt inside out and not wear it turned right side out until I am done. For whatever reason this seemed to make sense and I turned it inside out right there in the middle of the second Santa Clara show. There is a line from a song that suggests one's life can be changed from a talk with a stranger and its true. He slapped me on the back and said this will motivate you and I know your will do it. I intend to call on the strangers words when I have those moments of doubts that I know I will have.
Date: 2015-07-15
To: Why am I so slow?
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

Damn Scott Jurek and his new AT record.... I had a friend call me earlier today and ask if one guy could "walk" the entire AT in 46 days how come I was planning on taking up to 6 months! He obviously was yanking my chain as he knew I was not exactly on the Jurek plan.
Date: 2015-07-19
To: Start date pintification and conundrum
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

My original start date was April 1.... The exact date of the 1st was arbitrary from the beginning and I suspected it would change. This past week I did some research (white blazes as well as AT site) on the reality of the large number op hikes starting in March and April in Springer. I guess I was sucked into a thread about the movie "Walk in the Woods" coming out this Fall and the fear (whether real or not) of an army of movie goers splitting from the cinema and running straight to REI to buy gear for their attempt. I don't doubt for s moment the AT will be more crowded in 2016... Movie or not, so I did some research on AT site. Here is what I found. Of the total starts in 2015 the lion's share were actually in March with a fairly decent bell curve in the last two weeks of March. Because the graph is by day, I was able to tell that no doubt the weekends are big days... Kind of odd since if you are going to thru hike the next 5 to 6 months are weekends sort of. It could have to do with getting rides to Springer (friends and family are available on weekends?) Who knows?I am not all that worried about crowds, in fact I want to start in the bubble and meet people. However, starting on a day when 50 plus people are starting seems a bit too much. So Friday, Saturday and Sunday's are out. That kills April 1st (Friday). I am also not thrilled about being real cold (although I can handle it and I am well prepared), I just want to avoid as much crappy low temps as possible. So starting on a weekday in late March is not out of the question, but not optimal. Right now I am considering starting midweek after what will be the busiest start weekend April 2nd and 3rd. That would be say Tuesday the 5th or Weds the 6th. There are many advantages to this including getting to turkey hunt here in Texas before shoving off to Atlanta in the 4th. I have months to make my decision final. But right now my start dates are either March 30, 31 or April 5,6. I am definitely excited about starting in the bubble and meeting people and as equally excited about making my start without being in the belly of the beast.
Date: 2015-08-20
To: Getting in shape and weighing gear
Miles today: 0.0

Entries have been few and far between, its tough to update a journal with "hiked by the bayou again today", and that has been the bulk of my AT focus here in July and August. And rightly so, I think nightly getting in shape activities will carry me further than reading 2015 hiker's journals and agonizing over the various styles of hyper-light titanium sporks? Well, okay maybe exercising and spending some time finalizing my gear selection will get me to Maine.Last night I weighed just about everything I have on the short list for my hike. I do not have all items in a neat pile as some items are going to be used in everyday life up until I leave as well as in hunting season this year. I plan on weighing those this week so I can tally up an existing total. I used a regular digital kitchen scale and entered the results in an Excel database that I created specifically for my hike.I felt good about some items and not so good about others Overall my base weight is 17.7 lbs HOWEVER there still are several items that must be weighed and added to the total. The good news is the remaining several items are all on the lighter side (the 17.7 lbs includes the bulk of my items including backpack, sleeping bag, pad, stove, tent, etc.) The bad news is that I can not see myself meeting that coveted 30.0 lbs (full load). Based on whats left to be weighed, I anticipate at least 33.0 lbs and maybe even as high as 35.0 lbs (gasp!!!) At this moment I am using a standard guess for food and water based on an even 10.0 lbs.I plan on working on this over the next several months leading up to April. I have the time. I am confident that there are ways to lighten the load. As example, there has been a great debate on the necessity of a ground cloth under a tent. When I purchased my Henry Shire's Tarp Tent (Double Rainbow) I also purchased the Tyvek ground sheet and intended to use it.... why not, it weighs almost nothing right? Wrong. I discovered EVERYTHING weighs something and EVERYTHING weighs more than what one thinks it weighs. The Tyvek ground sheet came in at 7.3 ounces. That's too much! I am either scuttling it in total or cutting it in half and using it under the part of my tent that will be most vulnerable.Other surprises were my very light and very basic camp sandals ($1.99 at Academy). Score! I think these are a must to have after hiking 8 to 15 miles a day. However, they weighed in at a whopping 9.5 ounces. Having $1.99 invested I figured I will keep them and maybe keep an eye out for a lighter pair, but I am packing something to wear at camp. And what about that Seas to Summit Reactor sleeping bag liner coming in at a hefty 14.1 ounces? That was perhaps the greatest wow! I can now see where this gear weighing thing becomes obsessive.
Date: 2015-08-26
To: Preparations continue....,
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

Preparations continue including exercise and gear pontification. After careful consideration I am now going to start on Aptil 5th (versus an arbitrary April 1). April 5th or 6th enables me to start in a week day, edge out the cold just a few extra days and most importantly give me a weekend to hunt turkey in Texas. Maybe a few days here it there does not matter, but.....
Date: 2015-09-02
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: clear sky

My wife had week to week business in the Bay Area so I flew out and we spent a few days in Yosemite. The goal was to do some day hiking and hopefully some flyfishing. I did not want to make this a shakedown hike because time would not permit for any real overnight stays.   So on Saturday we hiked up to Nevada Falls which, based on where we parked our car, the round trip ended up being approximately 10 miles. The elevation change from the beginning to the top of the falls is approximately 2,000 feet. Despite working out for two months this summer the steepness of the climb plus the fact we were at about 5,000 feet to start kicked my ass. Going from Houston Texas to Yosemite in 12 hours leaves little time to adjust for thinner air ... Or at least that's what I told myself. Thankfully Springer is only about 3,800 feet so I won't have the sea level blues in the beginning of my hike. I did not carry full 30 pounds it was probably closer to 20 I did stuff a bunch of extra items in my pack to give myself some weight including a bunch of flyfishing stuff. The water was very low in the park California is definitely not bluffing when they talk about their drought. Despite that I was able to snag a few trout on both nymphs and dry flies during my hikes. It was not easy fishing.The hike on Saturday and the easier hike on Sunday did remind me that being in shape for April is crucial.   And let me tell you the park was crowded where we started our hike up to Nevada Falls it did thin out but man there were a lot of people walking up the trail I hope the AT is no where's near that much of a circus. I spoke to a ranger at the place where you would get overnight or wilderness area permits as they called them . The subject turned to the recent interest in the Pacific Crest Trail as well as the John Muir trail. He was definitely up on the challenges in Baxter State Park regarding through hikers and he definitely had his opinion formed.   I enjoyed the conversation although we definitely did not think on the same side of the brain . I took away from the conversation that this particular Ranger would be just as happy if no human beings were allowed to walk in wilderness areas. He also seemed pretty upset about the amount of "partying" that goes on on the PCT and JMT. And God for bid if somebody should step on a butterfly or break a flower. But then again as we drive back towards the Bay Area and through the Modesto area I realized what a Pretty place Yosemite was and it shouldn't be a place left for a bunch of idiots to destroy. That being said it really doesn't do anybody good if no one's allowed to use it either. Final thought on that 95% of Yosemite is considered a wilderness area there's only 5% that is "developed" that's a hell of a lot of wilderness. So the hikes were good but I need to do a shakedown hike I'm thinking Big Bend national Park here in Texas sometimes this fall I started researching and it looks pretty amazing more on that later.
Date: 2015-10-01
To: Falling into Fall
Miles today: 0.0

Today is October 1st. I have listed on my profile that my through hike and October 1, 2016 so I guess this is somewhat of an anniversary date In advance. Actually October 1 is the longest I think it will take me and really hope to have the hike done in mid September next year. Preparations continue although I have backed off on my exercise routine in September. My immediate plan is to continue getting in shape however I know that the last three months before my start is when I will intensify the workouts. I have been going over my gear list and have been making changes currently I'm reevaluating my sleeping pad situation. I'm also in the process of figuring out when I am going to do a shakedown hike. I did not do one this summer however I really wanted to do one in cooler weather to reflect what I would be faced with when I start at Springer in April. Right now I'm thinking Big Bend National Park later this year or early 2016.In addition to making changes to gear I have also started to build a list of action items that I have to accomplish prior to leaving. That list may be more extensive then the hike itself but I cannot just walk out and let everything in my life just come to an end. It is going to be a busy next several months prior to leaving for the hike.
Date: 2015-10-27
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light intensity drizzle

I just wanted to pop in here and update. October has been busy! Between hunting. A 30 year high school reunion and a wildfire the ripped through several acres of my farm I have been distracted to say the least.My preparations continue, but I have developed a nagging pain in my right knee. It concerns me as I have never been a pain in the knee kinda guy. I am stretching and my nightly marches have ceased for now. I am not too concerned as I have several months to figure it out. I also intended to put AT preps aside for most of October through mid November. Sunday night I got to experience getting soaking wet deer hunting and I convinced myself this was good AT training. Probably not.
Date: 2015-11-05
To: Venison Jerky
Miles today: 0.0

So this week I am trying to fill my venison jerky raw material supply. I am working out of my place up in East Texas and getting on my deerstand in the late afternoon. I have been seeing deer but have not harvest yet. Whether I harvest or I borrow somebody else's venison I'm going to prepare a bunch of venison jerky to be part of my boxes that my wife will send along the hike. I don't really expect to do a ton of mail drops it's going to be more like an occasional care package? I had a couple kind people post some very kind words to my guestbook, thank you! It's cool knowing that people are reading the entries . As we get closer to the hike and obviously during the hike my entries will be much more frequent. My knee is feeling better although I am up here hunting I am not walking a bunch it's mostly sitting in a Deerstand which is just about perfect for my knee. Hopefully it's just something weird and not something that's going to be part of my hike. I have never had issues with my ankles knees hips or anything else .One guest book entry suggested Lone Star Trail here in East Texas for a shakedown hike that may be something I consider this winter or I may go to Big Bend but I am starting to think about a shakedown hike. I think a shakedown hike in whether that will be similar to weather in April in Georgia would be very useful . So that is why I am waiting until later this fall or early winter to do the hike .
Date: 2015-11-09
To: Cooking setup
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

A month or so ago I went deep into my kitchen set up and decided to trade in what I had thought was an obvious choice, a JetBoil system, for some cool Snow Peak titanium items. I bought the Snowpeak Lite Max and a 700 Trek Pot. I like several features including the set's weight as well as the way a can of fuel nests in the pot. So with the big swap I decided to give the new system a whirl this past Sunday. The timing was perfect.... I was in between morning and evening deer hunts up at my place and I was hungry. I had been expecting to do this test the last few weekends, but rain has gotten in my way. I wanted to do the test as if I was on the trail so I selected a Knorr meal (Fettucini Herb I believe it was) and a can of white chicken meat. Now I do not expect to lug cans of anything with me, so this was a slight deviation from a live test... However I did open her up with an MP38 can opener. I carry one of these jewels on a cord around my neck. The MP38 is a U.S. military can opener that was issued by the millions back when C Rations came in cans. They work so well opening a can with one is actually fun. But back to the test....I fired up the Lite Max. It was a little breezy out Sunday. I made an immediate mental note to think wind screen. The breeze did effect the flame and it did seem to take a little longer than expected to boil my water...which I eye-balled as a cup and did not cheat with a measuring cup therefore making up for using a can and not a pouch of chicken.I then added the Knorr and let it do its thing for a few minutes. As I waited I went to my summer kitchen refrigerator for a beer (yet another deviation to the test) and while I was in there found a half a stick of butter. Somehow a bit if the butter ended up in the pot along with the chicken and the Knorr. The result was a creamy Chicken Fettucini Special, which actually tasted good and was fairly filling. I liked to Snow Peak Lite Max and Trek Pot, however I was s little concerned about the final weight of the fuel canister. It seemed light as in I used a lot of gas to boil one cup of water. Because the meal was good and I am going back this weekend, I will try again just to see how far I can go on one can of fuel.So far I do not have the raw materials needed for my venison jerky. I have watched lots of deer on my place this last weekend. I was just waiting for that right one. I believe I will take care of business one way or another this coming weekend.